Oregon Gorge Hikes

It took us awhile, but we finaly visited one of Oregon’s most famous gorges: The Columbia River Gorge. It was perfect timing as many of the trails due to the Eagle Creek Fire were reopening. We set out with great enthusiasm only to find we were joined by a vast number of like-minded trail enthusiasts. As a result, we didn’t get to all of these trails but have them slated for future adventures.

Oregon Hiking on the Eagle Creek Trail – Now Open

• Distance: 12 miles round trip
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Type: Out and Back
• Seasons: Year Round
• Are dogs allowed on the Eagle Creek Trail: Leashed dogs are welcome, though some sections of the trail are narrow with high drop-offs, so caution is urged.

Look at any Oregon hiking guide and you’re likely to see the Eagle Creek trail. In fact, the over 6-mile trek to Tunnel Falls is one of the most popular adventures in the Columbia River Gorge. Passing multiple waterfalls, traversing footbridges and taking you through trails once blasted out of bedrock, this adventure comes with a few warnings.

First, if you’re deathly afraid of heights, you might want to sit this one out. Parts of the trail are lined with sheer cliff faces, also making it an unlikely prospect for a family hike, at least if you have small children.

Also, this trail makes its way into various forest jurisdictions. Expect to fill out a day-use pass while on the trail as you enter the Hatfield Wilderness.

However, if you aren’t up to the full 12 mile round-trip adventure, you can turn around at High Bridge, one of only two places where the trail crosses Eagle Creek. It does so here in style, 120 feet over the water flowing below. Turning around after crossing the bridge will shorten your journey to just over 6 miles in and out.

If you want to fit more in the day and only take in a sampling of what the Eagle Creek Trail has to offer, cut your trip short at Punchbowl Falls, another one of Oregon’s iconic classics. Heading back from here will turn your 12-mile trek into a much more manageable 3.8-mile hike.

Why We Love the Eagle Creek Trail:

• Waterfalls: Punch Bowl Falls, Loowit Falls, High Bridge Falls and many others.
• Old growth forest
• The potholes: bowl-shaped manmade formations created as basalt was blasted to create the trail
• Tunnel Falls: Early trail builders blasted a tunnel behind this 160-foot water drop, allowing hikers to not only walk behind the falls, but travel through part of the mountain to reach a different vantage point.
• Twister Falls: By taking an additional half mile trek beyond tunnel falls, you’ll come to Twister Falls, passing through some of the most stunning scenery

Mosier Twin Tunnels Hike

• Distance: 8.5 miles round trip
• Difficulty: Easy
• Type: Out and back
• Seasons: Year round
• Are dogs allowed on the Mosier Twin Tunnel Trail: Leashed dogs are welcome

For a different sort of view from the usual Oregon beauty, we took a jaunt down the now abandoned Columbia River Highway built in 1921. This original byway includes two tunnels blasted through rocks in a high cliff face.

Throughout the usable history of the road, the tunnels were problematic, prone to rockslides and road closures. In fact, motorists were stranded inside the tunnel in 1921 when a snowstorm made the road impassable and interrupted travel plans.

In 1954, a more modern road was built following the river course, completely eclipsing the historic highway, until hikers located the tunnels, completely filled with rocks and debris.

Since then, the historic roadway has been restored, as have the Mosier Twin Tunnels, offering a can’t-be-missed hike along the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail.

Why We Love the Mosier Twin Tunnels Hike:

• View of Eighteen Mile Island looking over historic stone guardrails atop the old highway
• Splendid scenic river views
• Self-tour of the scenic Mosier Twin Tunnels, complete with graffiti left by stranded motorists in 1921

Multnomah Falls Trail

• Distance: 2.6 miles round trip
• Difficulty: Easy
• Type: Out and Back
• Seasons: Year Round
• Are Dogs Allowed Mosier Twin Tunnel Trail: Leashed dogs are welcome

While short and sweet compared to some of the Gorge’s other trails, it’s hard to pass up the chance to see what is likely Oregon’s most iconic waterfall. Located on land donated by timber baron, Simon Benson, the trail crosses the well-photographed bridge built by the benefactor, offering a staggering view of the upper and lower falls.

Multnomah Falls actually incorporates three drops into its majesty, for a total cascade of 635 feet. You’ll pick up the trail at the Multnomah Falls Lodge. From there, you’ll climb a slight incline to the famous mid-fall bridge. It’s one of Oregon’s most iconic sights, but for bigger thrill and more waterfall eye candy, take the steeply switching trail to the Multnomah Falls viewpoint.

Once you cross the now iconic bridge dissecting the falls, you’re in for a treat. Fifteen switchbacks take you on an arduous journey to the top of the falls. You’ll gain stunning Columbia River views and the chance to peer over the top edge of the mighty Multnomah.

Why We Love the Multnomah Falls Trail include:

• Views of Multnomah Falls
• An up-front education on the devastation caused by forest fires as you cross through land burned in 2017
• Benson Bridge and the lower viewpoint of Multnomah Falls, one of the most photographed of all Oregon destinations
• View from the top of Multnomah Falls looking down the cascade.

For a complete review of what to expect on the trail, visit our Multnomah Falls Hiking Post.

Starvation Creek Waterfalls Hike

• Distance: 4.3 miles round trip
• Difficulty: Easy
• Type: Out and Back
• Seasons: Year Round
• Are Dogs Allowed on the Starvation Creek Waterfalls hike: Yes, if leashed

See a multitude of Columbia River Gorge waterfalls in a single, easily accessible hike from Starvation Falls State Park, including one rare manmade specimen. You’ll even learn how the ridge got its name with a commemorative plaque that shares the story of a train stranded on the ridge by snow in 1884. Fortunately, passengers were saved from starvation by nearby residents who skied in supplies, but the name has stuck.

You’ll begin by taking a short spur trail to 190-foot Starvation Falls. Doubling back and picking up the Starvation Ridge trail from the state park lot, the real fun begins. You’ll travel the restored section of the historic Columbia River Highway to the two-tiered Cabin Creek Falls. Coming in at 220-feet tall, it’s one of the highest on the ridge trail.

Traveling onward, you’ll take a short detour along the Mount Defiance trail, heading west. Soon, you’ll encounter the manmade marvel, Hole in the Wall Falls, created by highway workers in 1938 to re-channel the Warren Creek. Continuing on, you’ll view the lower portion of the Lancaster Falls located right next to the trail. You’ll probably want to avoid the impressive upper falls though, as poison oak is proliferous through this section of the trail.

Turn around here and head back the way you came until you reach the parking lot again.

Why We Love the Starvation Creek Waterfalls hike:

• Views of the Columbia River Gorge
• An up-close view of the historic highway path
• 4 waterfalls in a single stretch

Wahclella Falls Loop Hike

• Distance: 2.4 miles round trip
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Type: Out and Back
• Seasons: Year Round
• Are Dogs Allowed on the Wahclella Falls hike: Yes, if leashed

While once a loop hike, the Eagle Creek fire in 2017 put an end to the lollipop excursion as well as a large portion of the greenery. However, the large amphitheater of the falls themselves is still worth the effort.

Pick up the trail from the Wahclella Falls Trailhead and hoof it until you reach a small dam. You’ll want to take some time to peek at the fish ladder managed by the Bonneville hatchery before  heading down the narrowing trail to footbridge and the stunning cascade of Munra Falls. Given its close proximity to the trail, don’t be surprised if you feel the spray.

You’ll begin a climb here, so be careful of the steep trailside drop offs. Fire damage also becomes more noticeable as you make your way up, and several trail improvements have been made to ensure hiker safety.

A set of stairs takes you to a former fork in the trail. One side forms the now closed loop section, so continue heading downward. You’ll soon reach the 350-foot two-tiered Wahclella Falls and splash pool.

WARNING: The USDA Forest Service does not recommend hiking this trail within 48 hours of heavy rain or snow. Fire damage to the area has resulted in fragile environment prone to slides and tree falls.

Why We Love the Wahclella Falls Loop Hike

• An up-front education on the devastation caused by forest fires as you cross through land burned in 2017
• House-sized boulders left by a 1973 landslide
• Possibly spawning salmon at the base of the falls

Oregon Waterfall Hiking Trails

A quick glance through the Oregon section of our site will show you that we’re a sucker for a good waterfall. Lucky for us (and you), Oregon is full of hiking trails with plunges and cascades. These are some of the best we’ve found, as well as a few we plan to visit on future adventures.

Oregon Hiking the Trail of Ten Waterfalls

• Distance: 7.2 miles round trip
• Difficulty: Easy
• Type: Loop
• Seasons: Year Round
• Are Dogs Allowed on the Trail of Ten Waterfalls hike: No

Many Oregon hiking spots include a waterfall or two, but there are few trails that take you to ten spectacular plunges, including a behind-the-scenes peak of the 177-foot South Falls. If you’ve ever wanted to see the backside of water, then here is your chance. This trail meanders behind a few different cascades as you trek through a rocky canyon on mostly flat, sure-footed trails.

Your adventure for the day begins easily enough from the parking area of Silver Falls State park, before heading off to your first fall of the day, the North Falls, and one of the first walk-behind plunges.

For a complete review of what to expect on the trail, see our Silver Falls State Park post.

Why We Love the Trail of Ten Waterfalls Hike

• Main Concession Building and the South Falls Lodge built by the Civilian Conservation Corp
• 10+ waterfalls in a single day trip

McDowell Creek Falls

• Distance: 1.8 miles round trip
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Type: Loop
• Seasons: Year Round – best winter through spring
• Are Dogs Allowed on the McDowell Creek Falls hike: Yes, on leash

The McDowell Creek Falls hike was spectacular in February the first time we visited, with signature Royal Terrace double-tiered fall roaring a curtain of plunging white. Our summer visit was a different story, starring a much smaller trickle, but providing a view of the fall’s understory and a changed adventure from the drizzly winter day.

We actually enjoyed both experiences but would recommend you hike McDowell Creek when the water is flowing. That’s winter through spring, before the rains stop.

You’ll pick up the trail from the parking area just north of Sweet Home and travel a wooden footbridge to reach the trail. From there, it’s a series of upward climbs and wooden walkways to the Majestic Falls. A loop through heavy woodland brings you back to the precipice of Royal Terrace Falls and a steep and mythical stone stairway back to the base.

For a complete and more detailed review, be sure to reach our McDowell Creek Hike expose.

Koosah and Sahalie Falls

• Distance: 2.6 miles round trip
• Difficulty: Easy
• Type: Loop
• Seasons: Year Round – mid-spring through fall
• Are Dogs Allowed on the Koosah and Sahalie Falls hike: Yes, on leash

Steeped in the heart of the McKenzie River Corridor are two of Oregon’s most spectacular waterfalls. You’ll travel through sky (Koosah Falls) to Heaven (Sahalie Falls) and back again. At least that’s how the Native Americans who named the twin wonders looked at the experience.

In reality, you’ll pick up a moderately trafficked portion of the McKenzie River National Recreation trail, a 26.4 mile excursion that begins at the base of Mt. Washington in an ancient lava bed and winds through the Willamette National Forest.

To transcend from earth to heaven and back again, you’ll need to begin the hike at the Carmen Reservoir, the lowest elevation point of the loop. From here, Waterfall Loop Trail #3503 travels uphill along the eastern edge of the McKenzie River. Taking this journey, you’ll encounter Koosah Falls (sky) first, before ascending to the heavenly Sahalie Falls.

Or you can do what we (and many others) have done and jump right up to heaven via a crowded parking lot off of Highway 126 in the Willamette National Forest. You’ll pass through old growth timber of impressive size before quickly reaching the midpoint uppermost viewpoint overlooking the 100-foot tall Sahalie Falls. We were joined by several slackline enthusiasts attempting to “walk” the top of the heavenly cascade.

Koosah Falls is another gem, located on the downside of the loop, offering a quieter and more serene adventure, with two stonewalled viewing areas.

For complete details on visiting these falls, be sure to read our trip review of the Koosah and Sahalie Falls hike.

Oregon Hiking Trails through Ancient Forests

Despite the fact that Oregon is a logging state, you’ll still find several old-growth specimens around. In some areas, you can even visit an entire forest of ancient trees. These are our favorite picks, including a few still on the bucket list.

Valley of the Giants

• Distance: 1.4 miles round trip
• Difficulty: Easy
• Type: Loop
• Seasons: Mid-spring through fall are best
• Are Dogs Allowed at Valley of the Giants: Yes

It isn’t easy to find, but you’ll be well rewarded when you get there. The Valley of the Giants near the now abandoned town of Siletz, is an old growth forest carved out of prime logging land. Getting there requires the use of both public and private roads which may be intermittently closed, or worse, in use.

There have been many close calls with trucks and visitors who are unaware of how a business like logging works and the speed the vehicles use when transporting timber. For that reason, it’s recommended that you visit this Oregon hiking trail on the weekend.

Once you reach the Valley of the Giants, however, all else fades away. Light filters softly through trees of this size, and one of first things you’ll realize is that the tops are a long way up. Later you’ll see that these early sentinels in your path were the babies of the forest.

The 51 acres that comprise the Valley of the Giants has protected 400-year-old behemoths from the ax since 1976. In that time, many of the giants have reached 200 feet tall and measure a whopping 20 feet in circumference.

A simple loop trail will lead you through the majesty and given how hard it is to reach this spot, you’re likely to be alone as you commune with the giants.

For more details about visiting, including the best way to reach this sacred grove, read our article on the Valley of the Giants.

Hackleman Old Growth Trail

• Distance: 1.4 miles round trip
• Difficulty: Easy
• Type: 2 Loops
• Seasons: Mid-spring through fall are best
• Are Dogs Allowed on the Hackleman Old Growth Trail: Yes

It may not be the Valley of the Giants, but the Hackleman Old Growth trail located along the Over the River and Through the Woods Scenic Byway in the Willamette National Forest features some pretty impressive old trees. And if that sounds trite, it isn’t meant to be. After all, who could trivialize Red Cedars and Red Hemlocks that have survived 500 years of flood, fire and wind.

There are two trails that make up the Hackleman Old Growth Trail. The first leads directly from the parking lot on Highway 20 and makes a quick 1- mile loop through the forest on fairly packed gravel.

Following the course of the Old Santiam Wagon Road, this part of the trail is deemed wheelchair accessible by the U.S Department of Agriculture Forest Service. However, the same organization notes “that the wheelchair access is considered difficult due to grade.”

There is one particularly impressive specimen located along this portion of the trail, but you’ll need to tackle the spur trail to see more of the Hackleman Old Growth. Both trails together make a short and sweet excursion, with some opportunities to mingle with Oregon’s old growth beauties.

Visiting this trail is best combined with a road trip across the Over the River and Through the Woods Scenic Byway or by combining your hike with other nearby stops. For a complete guide of this area, read our blog on the Willamette National Forest.

Why We Love the Hackleman Old Growth Trail:

• Visit the old Santiam Wagon Road, a primary route of travel during the state’s early colonization
• Chance to view the Hackleman trout as you walk along the Hackleman Creek, a subspecies of cutthroat trout

Cape Perpetua Giant Spruce Trail

• Distance: 2 miles round trip
• Difficulty: Easy
• Type: Out and back
• Seasons: Year round
• Are Dogs Allowed on the Cape Perpetua Giant Spruce Trail: Yes

A two-mile hike to view one tree may sound anticlimactic after reading about the previous 2 trails, but this 500-year old Sitka spruce is worth the trek.

The journey follows Cape Creek through a fairyland of lush ferns, and big trees. None of them, however, marvel the granddady waiting at the end of the trail. The giant spruce is more than 185 feet tall with a circumference of 40 feet. at the base is a small cavity large enough for a medium size dog to trot through.

Why We Love the Giant Spruce Trail:

• Visit Cape Perpetua, one of the coast’s most scenic natural attractions
• Enjoy a lush tropical-like forest and peaceful environs

Oregon Hiking to Fire Lookouts

Given the state’s recent misfortune with wildfires, it should come as no surprise that the ridges and mountaintops are hiding a number of fire towers, some still active, others defunct. Hiking to these destinations usually takes a bit of work but rewards you with some stunning views.

Coffin Mountain Fire Lookout

• Distance: 2.8 miles round trip
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Type: out and back
• Seasons: June-October (June and July best for wildflowers)
• Are Dogs Allowed on the Trail: Yes

For little more than a few hours of your time, the hike to Coffin Mountain offers stunning views of Mt. Jefferson and an abundance of wildflowers if you time it right. Crowning the top of Coffin Mountain is an active working fire tower. Forest service personnel still live and work at this facility, so please be respectful and don’t try to enter the tower unless invited to do so.

The hike up Coffin Mountain is located in the Willamette National Forest.

Why We Love the Coffin Mountain Trail:

• Views of Mt. Jefferson and Detroit Lake
• Chance to see the historic Coffin Mountain Lookout

Black Butte

• Distance: 4 miles round trip
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Type: out and back
• Seasons: June-October (June and July best for wildflowers)
• Are Dogs Allowed on the Trail: Yes

For a mere 6,436 feet in elevation gain you can hike to the summit of Black Butte where not one, but three separate fire lookout structures can be viewed. The first is a 62-foot-tall lookout tower. The other two include  an old D-6 Cupola, an historic structure built in 1923, featuring a 1/4 sized second floor observatory on top of a 12’x12’ main floor.

The second is a cabin built in 1980 which can still be found in use during the fire season. Unfortunately, all are closed and off limits for exploration but can be freely photographed.

The Black Butte hike is located near Sisters.

Why We Love the Black Butte Trail:

• 3 historic fire watch structures
• Views of Three Fingered Jack, Mt. Washington, North Sister, Middle Sister, South Sister, Broken Top, Mount Jefferson, and Mt. Hood

Gold Butte

• Distance: 3.2 miles round trip
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Type: Out and back
• Seasons: June-October (June and July best for wildflowers)
• Are Dogs Allowed on the Trail: Yes

Take a hike to this mountain lookout, and you might never want to leave. Fortunately, you don’t have to. You can make reservations to stay in the Gold Butte lookout through the U.S Forest Service, but first you’ll have to get there.

Fortunately, it’s a relatively easy trek up this Oregon hiking trail, past two locked gates and over a few gentle switchbacks to the summit, where an L-4 Ground Structure Type Fire Lookout waits for you. L-4 lookouts are characterized by a square wood cabin featuring all-around windows. This particular specimen also doubled as an Aircraft Warning System station during WWII, giving it an added historical twist.

The tower on Gold Butte is located in the Willamette National Forest and offers views of six volcanoes. You can find directions to Gold Butte from this excellent blog.

Why We Love the Gold Butte Trail:

• Views of Mt. Saint Helens, Mt. Hood, Mt. Jefferson, North Sister, Middle Sister, and South Sister
• Onsite Geocache

Easy Hiking Trails in Oregon

Tackling some of Oregon’s hiking trails is a multi-day adventure, but if you don’t have the stamina for a backcountry excursion, there are several easy and beautiful hikes, perfect for wiling away a few hours.

Painted Cove Trail Through Painted Hills

• Distance: .2 miles round trip
• Difficulty: Easy
• Type: Loop
• Seasons: Year round
• Are Dogs Allowed on the Trail: Yes, on leash

Rolling Hills in sunset colors highlight the desert landscape of the Painted Hills State Park, part of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument.  A simple boardwalk takes you through the heart of the hills and the best colors, while the Painted Hills Overlook trail adds another half mile through the varying landscape.

This simple trail is short but can easily take more time than you think if you stop to admire the constantly changing hues of the hills and the beauty of your surroundings.

For the highlights of both trails, look at our complete blog on Oregon hiking in the Painted Hills State Park.

Sweet Creek Falls

• Distance: 2.2 miles round trip
• Difficulty: Easy
• Type: Out and back
• Seasons: Year round
• Are Dogs Allowed on the Trail: Yes, on leash

Sweet Creek Falls Trail showcases four waterfalls, which together, drop over 70 feet. Small swimming holes can be accessed at most of the falls, if you’re up for getting wet.

While this trail is heavily traveled for the first quarter mile or so, we found that crowds drastically thinned out as we continued on. By the time we reached the two-tiered finale, the most impressive plunge of them all, there was one other group departing and no one filling up the trail behind us.

Sweet Creek Falls provides easy hiking on a level dirt path augmented by beautiful wooden footbridges in places where the going could get rough.

For highlights of the Sweet Creek Falls hike, please read our complete review of Sweet Creek Falls.

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Picking up a Brewery Tour at Budweiser, New Hampshire

With the number of craft breweries on the rise, it’s easy to forget about the rich and storied history of ale giants like Budweiser, and that’s just what the brewing icon hopes to combat by offering tours of 2 bottling facilities. Since tours are only offered in St. Louise and Merrimack, this is quite a treat for visitors to New England.

To take a Budweiser Brewery tour in New Hampshire, however, you’ll need to trot on over to the brand store. This where you’ll meet your guide once you have purchased tickets online.

Tours start every 20 to 30 minutes or so, and while there is a small waiting area opposite the retail outlet, most people hang around checking out the merchandise. Most also shell out some extra cash to walk home with branded gear.

As any craft brewer will tell you, the act of making beer is largely a waiting game, so don’t expect to see a lot of action on the tour, particularly if you’re visiting on a weekend. In fact, the first stop after having your photo snapped with a bronzed Clydesdale, is the mashing facility.

During the walk from the store toward the building, you’ll learn about the history of Budweiser and the story of German immigrant, Adolphus Busch, who later joined forces with client Eberhard Anheuser to form Anheuser Busch, the parent company to the Budweiser brand.

As you near the mashing facility, you’ll be asked to turn off your cell phone to avoid accidental sparks. This is where hops and barely are brought in on trains and milled into a fine grain, forming the central ingredients for Budweiser’s famous brands. Once you leave the milling facility, you’ll be allowed to turn your phone on and take pictures again.

Budweiser New Hampshire Brewery Tour Includes Tasting of Unfinished Brews

The next stop on the tour is the Budweiser craft brewery tanks. Here the guide discusses Budweiser’s foray into specialty beers. Since the brands under fermentation at Budweiser in Merrimack change on a regular basis, the guide will also tell you a little about the particular brews being made on that day.  

Leaving the craft tanks, you’ll travel next to the Budweiser or Bud Lite finishing tanks. This is where the fermentation for Budweiser’s primary beers takes place. This is also the first sampling spot on the tour where guests are allowed to sip the freshly fermented beer prior to final finishing.

Which beer you will be able to sample will depend upon which brew is in the tanks on the day you’re visiting the Budweiser New Hampshire Brewery in Merrimack. During our visit, the facility was finishing a batch of Bud Lite. A survey of the drinkers on the tour, most who sipped a few small cups, revealed that beer at this stage was a little crisper than the finished product, possibly more flavorful.

After enjoying the unfinished samples, the tour moves you along to the finishing room. This is where beechwood is added to the bottom of the tanks before the brew you just sampled is piped in.

The beechwood is designed to facilitate the lagering process wherein yeast is used to reduce some of the by-products of fermentation, mainly acetaldehyde and diacetyl. The former is reported to emit a taste like green apples or latex paint, if you can imagine the two tasting the same. The layering of beechwood gives the yeast a place to grow as it goes about its work of breaking down these distasteful byproducts.

This is also where the beer will pick up most of its carbonation as well as its alcohol content, since the majority of the fermentation occurs in these tanks. On some trips, you will be offered the option to take home a small piece of the beechwood used to age Budweiser.

Bottling Happens Day and Night at Budweiser Brewery in Merrimack, NH

When operating at peak capacity, the Budweiser New Hampshire Brewery turns out 57,000 cases of bottled beer in a day. You’ll see how this is possible on the last stop of the tour. Glass windows overlook the bottling plant, where you can see packaging of the bottles in action.

The tour guide will pause here and answer any lingering questions for those who are interested in the process. Others dwindle away into the tasting room, where the majority of the Budweiser Brews are available on tap, including some specialty beers.

Each guest was allowed two samplings during our first visit served in 6-ounce plastic cups. However, during our second visit to the New Hampshire brewery, drinkers in the group were asked to select a single variety which was then served in a much larger souvenir pilsner glass. O’Doul’s and various varieties of soft drinks are available for non-drinkers.

Things to Know Before You Go to the Budweiser Brewery in Merrimack, NH

The Budweiser New Hampshire Brewery in Merrimack is located at 221 Daniel Webster Highway. While anyone aged 13 and over may participate in a tour, guests must have a reservation. While some open slots may be available for walk ups, it’s best to make reservations online. Just keep in mind that the New Hampshire brewery does have a strict cancelation policy. Guests must cancel up to 24 hours before the start of their tour to receive a refund, and all refunds are subject to a 10% cancellation fee.

Other things to know:

• The Budweiser New Hampshire brewery does have a dress code. All guests must be wearing long pants, close toed shoes and a shirt with sleeves (long or short). Budweiser does not accept guests wearing sleeveless tops, tank tops, capri pants, shorts, or skirts.
• The tour is around 1.5 hours in length, depending on how much time you linger over your free sample.
• Tour schedules become available 1 to 2 months in advance.
• Cost for a Beermaster Tour in Merrimack, NH is $40 per person.
• Backpacks and large purses are prohibited on the tour.
• Tours are offered rain or shine, so be prepared for wet weather if rain is in the forecast. A portion of the tour does take place outside.
• Free parking is provided right onsite.

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As the first Disney World Vacation Club (DVC) property to be built on the Florida soil, The Disney Old Key West Resort (OKW) stands out on Mickey’s list of premier accommodations for many reasons. Expansive sprawling grounds, large rooms and peaceful accommodations are just a few of the top advantages, but this hotel remains one of the most underrated by Disney guests.

If you aren’t familiar with the DVC villas, it’s Disney’s version of a timeshare, allowing die-hard travel fans the opportunity to buy a little piece of Mickey’s heaven. But unlike other timeshares, reserving a DVC villa isn’t restricted to owners. Nearly anyone can rent a room at Old Key West. What’s puzzling to us is why so few travelers actually do so.

Old Key West has been declining in popularity since it was built in 1991. While original owners of the resort still express their love and appreciation for the laid-back vibe and spacious rooms, the average vacation-goer seems to shun Old Key West in favor of the themed thrills to be found at properties such as Animal Kingdom Lodge or the economy of Port Orleans.

However, if you’re looking for middle ground, something between the extravagantly priced Grand Floridian and the amenities of the moderate resorts, Disney’s Old Key West packs plenty of up-scale feel into a value price—at least by Disney World standards.

In this Disney Old Key West Resort review, we’ll share photos, room details, amenities and what it’s like to stay at one of Disney’s first DVC villas.

What Is the Theme of Old Key West Resort?

Like all resorts at Disney World, Old Key West has a backstory and theme. Despite the fact that Disney’s first timeshare venture was originally named the Disney Vacation Club Resort, this expansive complex was designed to mirror the vibe of Old Key West, including architecture reminiscent of turn-of-the-century Victorian.

At Old Key West Resort Orlando, you’ll find plenty of the state’s southern charm watching palms sway above pastel shaded buildings. What stood out to us during our stay was how soothing and peaceful the ambiance was.

The best part of Disney’s first DVC resort is the thought that went into its design. Each building faces either the golf course, waterways or gardens. There are no parking lot views at Old Key west, so whether you stay at a deluxe suite or a three-bedroom grand villa, you’ll find be surround by the beauty of the keys. During our stay, it was easy to forget that the parking lot existed, and if we didn’t have to head out that way to reach the bus or walk up to the hospitality house or pool, we probably would have.

For certain, this isn’t the place to stay if you’re looking for an upbeat atmosphere with ample opportunities to party. As my adult kids pointed out, there weren’t too many people under 50 when we visited in 2020. However, if you’re looking for a quiet place to sleep off a day in the parks, this might be the place for you.

Where Is Disney Old Key West Resort?

Disney Old Key West resort has received a much maligned—and may we say it—mythical reputation for being out of the way and off the beaten track. We ourselves once fell prey to the same assumptions, when in reality, Old Key West is centrally located quite close to EPCOT. In fact, it’s only a hop, skip and jump to the employee parking lot of Disney’s once progressive park.

As such, travel time to EPCOT is relatively short. This resort is also spaced at fairly equal distance from Magic Kingdom and the southern parks, such as Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios.

Old Key West Resort address listed below:

1510 North Cove Road

Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830

Disney Old Key West Resort Map

Disney Old Key West Resort Rooms

No Disney Old Key West Resort review would be complete without a detailed explanation of the available room types and the included amenities. Since OKW is a Disney Vacation Club resort, rooms are most commonly available in two configurations: deluxe studios and one-bedroom villas. However, two-bedroom and even 3-bedroom Grand Villas are available for larger parties.

Disney Old Key West Resort Deluxe Studio Rooms

OKW deluxe studio rooms are the smallest of the room choices, coming in around 390 square feet. It’s enough space, however, to earn the resort a title for some of the largest studio rooms when compared to other DVC properties. In actuality, it’s ample space for the two queen beds included in the room.

Studios at OKW are unique among current DVC properties on the Disney World resorts list as they are the only ones to still include two regular beds. All other resorts have been converted to a queen bed, pullout sofa or murphy bed combo. 

The only drawback when comparing OKW studios to other DVC resorts is the lack of a pull-out chair or daybed. Without this feature, guests are limited to parties of 4 in OKW studios, while deluxe studio suites found at the Grand Floridian, Polynesian Village, Riviera, Boardwalk Villas, Beach Club Villas and Boulder Ridge can accommodate 5 guests.

Studio suites at Disney Old Key West include a small balcony or patio with room for two to three guests to enjoy the views beneath swaying palms. Rooms also include a bathroom with tub shower combo and a separate sink as part of the kitchenette outside of the main bathroom. With a full-length mirror on the outside of the bathroom door, this space can be used by those getting ready in the morning, even if the bathroom is in use.

We stayed in a deluxe suite in 2022 and found it spacious and accommodating for 3 adult guests. Two adults traveling with 2 children should also find these accommodations to be ample.

Disney Old Key West Resort One-Bedroom review

We stayed in a one-bedroom suite on our 2020 trip to visit Mickey and his pals, so we are very familiar with the advantages and amenities. Coming in at 1005 square feet divided between bedroom, bathroom, laundry room and conjoined kitchen and living room, the space shouldn’t feel as large and as expansive as it does. We were delighted, however, with the amount of space we had to move around and get comfortable.

One-bedroom villas can accommodate up to 5 guests, and we met maximum capacity during our stay. The bedroom features a king size bed in a separate room containing dresser, two nightstands and television. The king bedroom is sectioned off from the large whirlpool tub and extra vanity area by a shuttered opening. Beyond this room is a large bathroom featuring shower, toilet and sink.

With two large vanity areas and bright lighting, our party of 5, including mom and 3 young adult women, found it easy to get ready each day without fighting for bathroom or mirror time.

This Disney Old Key West review finds a one-bedroom suite a great choice for a party of 5 as long as individuals don’t mind doubling up on bed space. We shared the king bed and pull-out sofa with a solo sleeper enjoying the pull-out chair. Although we brought air mattresses in case any of the pullouts weren’t up to snuff, there were no complaints, and everyone slept comfortably.

The biggest advantage to an Old Key West one-bedroom is having the additional living and kitchen area. While we didn’t cook in, there were ample utensils for doing so, and we took advantage of the full-sized fridge for stashing water bottles, soda and leftovers.

We did Door Dash a few meals, so having a table that easily sat our party was a benefit. Additionally, the connected balcony is large and easily accommodated our party for dinners al fresco or whenever we were in the mood to take in some fresh air.

One of the biggest benefits was having a sitting area that accommodated our party. Since we travelled during COVID restrictions, parks were commonly closed in the evenings, so it was nice to have a place to sit down together to watch a movie.

Disney Old Key West Resort Two-Bedroom Review

While we haven’t stayed in a two-bedroom at OKW, it’s easy to add a bit of personal experience to this section of our Disney Old Key West review because most two-bedroom suites combine a one-bedroom with a deluxe suite to create the larger unit, and we’ve stayed in both.

Similar to adjoining rooms at hotels, the one-bedroom unit is closed off from the deluxe suite by a locking door. Once the door is opened, however, you have a joined space that can accommodate up to 9 guests, with the additional benefit of a large living space, two balconies, two bedrooms and two bathrooms.

We stayed at a two-bedroom suite at Saratoga Springs and found it a great way for a large party to split the cost of accommodations while also being able to share more time together. The central living/kitchen area provide a large and accommodating space for the family to gather. We particularly liked this when ordering food in from a local restaurant or watching a movie together at night. The balcony area for a 2-bedroom is also large, providing ample seating and additional space for the family to gather.

A 2-bedroom villa sleeps up to 9 adults plus one child in a crib. The first room offers a king bed, while the second room has 2 queen beds. In addition, there is a queen pullout sofa in the living room that can accommodate 2 guests and a pullout chair that converts to a twin bed, for an additional guest. However, just because a room offers space for a certain number adults, it does not necessarily mean that all guests will sleep well. For instance, you may want to consider how well 2 adults will sleep on a pull out sofa

Disney Old Key West Resort Three-Bedroom Grand Villa

If you have a very large party or just want extra room to spread out and can afford the price of doing so, it would be hard to beat a three-bedroom grand villa at Old Key West. In addition to the beautiful park-like grounds, you’ll be staying in one of the largest of Disney World accommodations. At over 2,300 square feet, it’s like having your own home right on the grounds of the world’s greatest theme park.

Three-bedroom grand villas are separated into two floors. Similar to the one- and two-bedroom suites, the first floor features a kitchen and living area. However, in opposition, the two areas are slightly separated in a three-bedroom unit, offering more space in each for cooking or enjoying time together.

The first floor is also home to a master suite, featuring king bed, whirlpool tub and bathroom. Unlike the one-bedroom units, there is no access to a balcony from the master, but there is an additional half bath in the hall.

As a Connecticut-based travel agent with Mickey World Travel, Kathleen Hesketh can help you plan and book your Disney World vacation no matter where you live within the U.S.

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Two additional bedrooms with adjoining bathrooms can be found on the second floor. Each includes a closet, but one has two double beds and a television, while the other larger room features two queen beds and a television.

Outside patio or balcony space in a three-bedroom is similar to what you’d find in a one-bedroom suite, so it won’t be possible to accommodate large parties in the outdoor living space.

Overall, a three-bedroom grand villa can accommodate up to twelve people if individuals don’t mind sharing bed space.

Disney Old Key West Resort Pools

Since elaborately themed pools are part of the Disney resort experience, it would be hard to leave them off of a Disney Old Key West Resort review. Fortunately, the swimming holes here are up to the same standards of other deluxe resorts and villas, offering plenty of chairs in both the shade and sun.

We visited two of the pools during our stay at Old Key West. The main pool, also known as the Sandcastle Pool, is located near the hospitality house. It’s home to the resort’s signature light house and even features a 125-foot-long waterside which exits through something resembling a sandcastle.

According to Disney, this pool holds nearly 150,000 gallons of water, sharing its bounty with spitting dolphins and a whirlpool spa. If you prefer a dry heat to ease those aching muscles, a nearby sauna should do the trick. This is one of only two pools offering a nearby restaurant for purchasing food and drinks. At the Sandcastle Poo,l beverages and food are available from Goods Food to Go or The Gurgling Suitcase (see below).

Old Key West also offers 3 smaller pools that Disney refers to as leisure pools. This is where we spent most of our time as there was one conveniently located in the Miller Road area where we stayed. While the space is smaller, you’ll find ample lounge chairs, umbrellas for shade and even a few tables with side chairs for enjoying a beverage or two.

Leisure pools also offer a whirlpool spa with moderately heated water, enough to keep us warm on cooler days or evenings, and a bath house for changing. Towels are also provided poolside, so there is no reason to take them from your room, a major advantage since housekeeping only visits DVC guests at 4-day intervals.

If you’re staying in the Turtle Pond area of the resort, you’ll be closest to the Turtle Pond pool, the only other watering spot onsite to feature poolside eats and treats. The Turtle Shack Snack Bar will be happy to serve you up salads, sandwiches, beverages, and other pool side refreshments, making it possible to spend the day waterside if you wish.

Disney World Transportation to the Parks from Old Key West Resort

Transportation options at Disney’s Old Key West Resort play a significant role in enhancing the guest experience. The resort offers convenient access to Disney Springs via boat transportation, providing a scenic and relaxing journey for guests looking to explore shopping, dining, and entertainment options. The boat is particularly a great option at night when the lights at Disney Springs cast sparkling illumination across the lake.

Additionally, the bus service at Old Key West ensures efficient transportation to various Disney parks and attractions, allowing guests to easily navigate the expansive Walt Disney World property. These transportation amenities contribute to the overall convenience and enjoyment of guests’ stay, making it easier for them to access popular destinations and maximize their time spent at the resort and theme parks.

If you’re traveling by Disney World bus, part of the Disney World complimentary transportation system, you’ll need to add in some extra time for traveling the property. There are 5 bus stops at Old Key West, and it can take time for people to load and unload, particularly if they’re bringing strollers, wheelchairs or ECVs.

During our visit in late 2023, buses were following the route below and making stops at the designated locations as indicated.

Stop 1: Peninsular Road Station

Stop 2: South Road Station

Stop 3: Turtle Pond Station

Stop 4: Miller’s Road Station

Stop 5: Hospitality House

If you plan to board the bus at any of the first three stations, you should plan to add an extra 5-10 minutes to your projected travel time. Once the bus leaves Old Key West, however, you can expect to reach EPCOT in less than 10 minutes. The same is true if you drive your own vehicle and park it in the EPCOT lot.

Travel time to other parks is as follows:

Old Key West to Magic Kingdom: 17 minutes to the bus drop off. If you are driving, you will park at the transportation ticket center and take the monorail or boat to the park. Plan on an 11-minute ride or drive.

Old Key West to Animal Kingdom: 15 minutes

Old Key West to Disney Hollywood Studios: 14 minutes

Another way to travel to EPCOT or any of the other theme parks is by hailing a ride with Uber, Lyft or Minnie Van. You can expect similar travel times as those listed above once your car has arrived.

Guests who rent a car or drive to Disney World will appreciate the chance to self transport to the parks. Parking is free for resort guests at all theme parks, plus you’ll find it easy to get to your car at the resort, since parking is available right in front of the rooms at Old Key West.

Disney Old Key West Resort Review: Restaurants

Similar to other deluxe resorts at Disney World, Old Key West features limited dining. In fact, the lack of restaurants and the quality of take out food is one of the low points on our Disney Old Key West Resort review.

Old Key West features three restaurants all located in the Hospitality House complex. We made a few stops at Goods Food to Go following positive reviews from many OKW fans. Unfortunately, our experience didn’t meet the same level of satisfaction. We received mostly overcooked fried food.

In trying to order iced coffee, we were stymied again. Iced coffee at Goods consists of very hot coffee poured over ice until it melts and then served warm.

Dining at Olivia’s, the resort’s one-full-service sit down restaurant, has rave reviews from many OKW regulars, and in our experience, it didn’t disappoint. We stopped in for dinner one night and shared a bounty of prime rib, buttermilk fried chicken and Cayo Hueso shrimp past. The food was delicios and the service attentive and polite. However, Olivia’s brunch menu is where the restaurant really shines. Fluffy pancakes, a specialty omelet and shrimp and grits bring a tasty hint of southern cooking to a mid-morning meal.

The one other establishment offering food and libations is the Gurgling Suitcase. We didn’t have time to visit here during our stay, but since the establishment peddles mainly in adult beverages, it would be hard to go wrong. The Gurgling Suitcase also offers a limited menu of appetizer treats.

Overall, the biggest con about Old Key West when it comes to dining is the lack of restaurants. Most deluxe resorts offer a more robust quick service option, as well as multiple table service offerings. At venues such as Polynesian Village or Beach Club, you can even find character dining. Given that Old Key West is a Disney Vacation Club resort, and the first one built at Disney World, we’re assuming that the powers that be thought more guests would use the kitchens in the villas to cook, making restaurants a second choice.

When on vacation, cooking is just not on the menu for us.

Disney Old Key West Review Pros and Cons

The best way to sum up our Disney Old Key West Resort review is to say that we loved it. Some in our party even consider it our new go-to.

On the pro side, larger than average sized rooms gave us plenty of space to spread out. As Disney World veterans, we don’t always spend all day and all night in the parks but prefer to take some rest stops during the most crowded portion of the day at our hotel.

The relaxing atmosphere, tropical vibes and friendly attitude of Old Key West made it an enjoyable place to recover a bit of equilibrium outside the theme parks. There is nothing better than hearing “Welcome Home,” as you come back to your Disney resort. And the fact that you can easily enjoy pleasant views of the grounds right from your room added to the inclusive feel of the experience.

We also enjoyed the fact that every room has a balcony or patio and the vast majority overlook waterways or the golf course. One of the most relaxing ways to start a morning is with a nice cup of coffee, watching the sun come up from your room balcony.

We also enjoyed the different pool areas available at Old Key West. While the main pool may not offer the best slide at a Disney resort, we loved lounging beneath palm trees poolside and found the children’s activities engaging. When we needed a bit more quiet, we simply transferred to one of the leisure pools, to spend more time beneath the palms or enjoying the hot tub.

On the downside, this is a big resort, which can have several drawbacks. First is the distance to the Hospitality House, where all of the main amenities, such as dining, are located. It can be a very lengthy walk from some areas of the resort. In addition, the sheer size of Old Key West means that Disney buses make multiple stops when picking up and dropping off guests. If you’re first on at pick up, plan on at least a ten minute drive around the resort as you stop at other bus locations. It’s the same if you’re the last off the bus on the way home.

Another con to our second trip to Disney World was the noise. We had two deluxe suites, one located directly in front of the bus stop. While those sleeping in the suite away from the bus stop slept in sweet tranquility, the rest of us were plagued into the wee hours with the sound of air brakes releasing and the beep, beep, beep of the bus lowering. If you’re a light sleeper, be sure to request a room away from the bus stop.

The construction of many of the villas also contributes to the noise. During our deluxe suite stay, one room was a lockoff. This simply means that there is an adjoinging door that can be opened to a larger, one-bedroom villa to create a two-bedroom villa. These rooms can be quite loud when the attached one-bedroom villa is occupied by inconsiderate neighbors. However, you can easily avert this issue by requesting a one bedroom villa that is not a lock-off. The remainder of our family staying in the regular deluxe studio away from the bus stop had a blissfully quiet stay.

So, what’s our final concensus? While Disney’s Old Key West is often overlooked by the average traveler, we’d highly recommend giving it a try. And if the Old Key West resort review above doesn’t convince you, maybe the following pictures will.

Disney Old Key West Resort Pictures

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The post Disney Old Key West Resort Review: Mickey’s Most Underated Hotel appeared first on Seconds to Go.

To book your Disney World all-inclusive trip, contact kathleen@mickeyworldtravel.com for a quote. If you’re looking for information on all inclusive vacation packages at Disney World, here is what you need to know to book an all-inclusive vacation for your trip to Disney World.

What Is Included in a Disney World All-inclusive Vacation Package?

People can have different opinions when it comes to all-inclusive packages. Some expect to book a vacation where everything is covered up front, including food, hotel and any other available experiences.

In reality, most all-inclusive packages do not meet this ideal. For example, cruises are considered an all-inclusive vacation experience. However, most will require you to pay additional fees for add-ons, such as shore excursions or in some cases, alcoholic beverages.

Fortunately, when taking a trip to Disney World, all-inclusive options are plentiful enough that you can build the vacation of your dreams, while packaging as many elements as you wish into the experience.

A Disney World all inclusive package can include any combination of the following:

• Disney World resort hotel
• Disney World theme park tickets
• Food and beverage at a host of restaurants inside Disney theme parks and resorts
• Rental cars
• Travel protection

In addition, any Disney World all inclusive package includes the following:

• Included complimentary transportation between resorts and parks
• Parking at all Disney World resorts
• Parking for resort guests at Disney World parks

Instead of establishing a standard all inclusive package, Disney provides guests with a number of choices, all designed to meet the needs and budgets of individual guests.

All-Inclusive Packages to Disney World

Whether you want to package tickets, dining and hotel in a single all-inclusive plan or just bundle your hotel, theme park tickets, and other fun experiences, there is an all-inclusive plan for you. To start, all of Disney’s multi-day tickets can be bundled with any of Disney’s hotels to create an all-inclusive package with varying levels of amenities. Here is how it breaks down.

Disney World All-Inclusive Trip With Base Ticket (Visit Single Park Per Day)

Disney World All-inclusive Vacation Package Type: Hotel and theme park ticket

When planning a trip to Disney World, all inclusive travelers have a few options. The first is to bundle Disney’s base ticket with an onsite Disney World resort stay. A base ticket allows each guest in your party to enter one theme park per day for the length of your stay.

By way of example, if you enter Animal Kingdom at some point on a single day, you will not be able to visit any of the other park on that same date. A base ticket is a popular choice for many families, particularly those traveling with young children who require a slower pace to enjoy everything that Disney has to offer.

To create this type of all-inclusive package, you can stay at one of Disney’s onsite resorts, such as Animal Kingdom Lodge or Caribbean Beach Resort. Guests can then bundle the cost of the hotel and ticket into a single package.

For those looking to book a popular hotel chain, you can create a similar vacation package

Tickets are available as physical swipe card but can also be linked to MagicBands or the Disney MagicMobile app.

Disney World All-Inclusive Trip With Park Hopper Ticket

Disney World All-inclusive Vacation Package Type: Hotel and theme park ticket

The second type of all-inclusive package offered by Disney World also bundles the cost of a Disney World onsite hotel with the purchase of your theme park ticket, but provides you with the option to visit more than one park per day.

Disney World’s popular park hopper ticket lets you to visit multiple theme parks during any day of your trip and can be easily packaged with a Disney World vacation package to expand the functionality of your all-inclusive options.

Disney World Travel Assistance at Your Fingertips: Book Your Disney World All-Inclusive Trip. Start with a Quote

With decades of experience in hand, we provide customized guidance, cutting through the confusion with clear explanations and actionable tips. We’ll help you create the best experience, with recommendations and travel planning advice based on the trip you want to have and the memories you want to make.

As travel agents with Mickey World Travel, we at Seconds to Go can take the fuss out of a Disney World vacation. Request your free Disney World vacation quote today or email kathleen@mickeyworldtravel.com!

All-Inclusive Ticket Package Option with More Fun

Disney World All-inclusive Vacation Package Type: Hotel, theme park tickets, added recreation

The third all-inclusive package allows you to bundle the cost of your tickets—either base ticket or park hopper—with your Disney World resort stay. However, this package amps up the excitement by adding a whole host of fun to the deal, with the addition of the “Water Park and Sports Option.”

The Water Park and Sports Option is an add-on to your theme park ticket, allowing you to also experience some of the additional fun offered through a Disney World vacation. If you book this type of package, you can expect to visit receive admission to Disney World’s 4 theme parks with the option to join in the fun offered by any of the following experiences:

• Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park
• Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park
• Disney’s Oak Trail Golf Course
• Disney’s Oak Trail Golf Course – Foot Golf
• Disney’s Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf Course
• Disney’s Winter Summerland Miniature Golf Course

Guests are permitted a varying number of visits to these locations per person, per package, depending upon the length of base ticket they purchase. For example, if you purchase a 4-day ticket, each person included in your all-inclusive package can visit any 4 of the experiences listed above, in any combination. If you purchase a 10-day ticket, you can make 10 visits per person to these locations.

Adding Meals to Your Disney World All Inclusive Trip

Disney World All-inclusive Vacation Package Type: Hotel, theme park ticket, food and beverage

When planning a trip to Disney World, all inclusive packages can also include meals. Disney World guests can book one of the hotel and ticket packages listed above and include the cost of meals by adding the Disney World Dining Plan.

With the dining plan, guests receive 2 meals per day including the cost of drinks, as well as one snack per day. The list of included snack options is comprehensive, and many could easily be considered a meal.

The Disney Dining Plan can be added to any combination of resort stay and ticket type. So, whether you’re bundling a base or park hopper ticket, or adding the Water Parks and Sports option, you can easily create an all-inclusive package that includes dining.

You can learn more about Disney’s all-inclusive dining in our dedicated dining plan article.

Disney World All-Inclusive Packages Including Other Resorts

Disney World All-inclusive Vacation Package Type: Hotel and theme park tickets

While we always recommend staying at an onsite Disney World resort, we realize that this isn’t always possible. Maybe you’re looking for more room, want a different type of experience or plan to rack up some loyalty points from your favorite hotel chain.

Fortunately, Disney has teamed up with many additional hotels to create all-inclusive package experiences. While not as comprehensive as some of the all inclusive options provided with a Disney World resort hotel package, you can bundle the cost of your theme park tickets with the cost of your hotel stay at Disney Springs hotels, Good Neighbor hotels, Gateway Hotels and other nearby resorts, including the following properties:

Disney World All Inclusive Trip: Disney Springs Resorts:

• Holiday Inn Orlando*
• Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista*
• B Resort & Spa Lake Buena Vista*
• DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Orlando*
• Wyndham Lake Buena Vista*
• Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista*
• Hilton Orland Buena Vista Palace*
• Drury Plaza Hotel Orlando Lake Buena Vista*

Disney World All Inclusive Trip: Walt Disney World Official Gateway Hotels

• Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek
• Waldorf Astoria Orlando
• Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek
• Fairfield Inn by Marriott at Western Entrance
• Home2 Suites by Hilton at Western Entrance
• Homewood Suites by Hilton at Western Entrance
• Residence Inn by Marriott at Western Entrance
• TownePlace Suites by Marriott at Western Entrance
• Springhill Suites by Marriott at Western Entrance

Disney World All Inclusive Trip: Additional Disney World Area Hotels

• Four Seasons Resort Orland at Walt Disney World Resort
• Disney World Swan*
• Disney World Dolphin*
• Disney World Swan Reserve*

Since many of these properties include suite-style accommodations, they are ideal for larger families or large parties traveling together. Travelers seeking upscale accommodations and amenities might enjoy a stay at the Waldorf Astoria Orlando or the Four Seasons Resort at Disney World.

Keep in mind when booking a package at one of these resorts that you will not be able to take advantage of Disney’s complimentary transportation system to take you from your resort to the parks. However, some properties listed above will offer a shuttle to the parks.

You also can’t purchase Disney’s dining plan when staying at an offsite resort.

Trip to Disney World, All-Inclusive Packages to Meet More of Your Travel Needs

While most of the packages listed above can be booked through the Disney World website, you’ve probably noticed that there are a fair number of all-inclusive amenities that are not accounted for in each of the package options. If you’re looking to include other travel services, such as airport transfers, tours and other experiences, you’ll need to book with an authorized Disney vacation planner.

Agents who work for an authorized Disney vacation planner can book any of the packages listed above, but can also combine a host of additional amenities to create a full scale Disney World All Inclusive trip. Taking this approach allows you to simplify your vacation planning and know up front how much you’ll need to spend.

Some of the additional experiences you can book with your travel agent include:

• Transportation from the airport to your resort hotel and back again (also known as airport transfers)
• Disney World tours, including the ever-popular Keys to the Kingdom Tour
• VIP experiences, including a personal Disney tour guide for the day
• Tickets to Universal, Sea World or other destinations
• Rental cars
• Other travel options if you plan to visit additional destinations across Florida

In short, your Disney World travel agency can help you book most of your vacation and even assist with planning, taking care of things such as:

• Booking Disney dining reservations
• Securing Genie+ reservations
• Providing customized daily itineraries

…and more

How Much Is an All Inclusive Trip to Disney World?

If you’re wondering how much an all inclusive trip to Disney World will cost, the answer varies greatly on the resort you book, the type of ticket you purchase and the other amenities you opt to include. Your travel dates will also play into how much you will pay for your Disney World all inclusive trip. Below are some comparisons:

The good news is, if you want to plan a Disney World all inclusive trip, there are options available to meet your needs, no matter how you want to travel.

More Information to Help You Plan Your Trip to Disney World

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The post Disney World All Inclusive Trip: Your Gateway to Magic appeared first on Seconds to Go.

Well, stick with us. We’re about to explain what the Disney free dining promotion is, how to get it and whether it’s really worth booking it over other special promotions.

However, before we get started, if you’re new to dining at Disney World, you may want to take a look at our complete guide to Disney World Dining and also brush up on what the dining plan entails in our comprehensive guide to Disney Dining Plan 2024.

Here is what you’ll find in this article:

First Step, Understanding the Disney Dining Plan

When booking an onsite resort at Disney World (see list below), you’ll be presented with the option to book a room-only or package reservation.

A room-only reservation is just what it implies. You book a hotel room at the resort of your choice and pay for anything else related to your vacation separately.

Booking a Disney World vacation package allows you to include the cost of park tickets with your room reservation and to opt for a Disney dining plan.

There are 2 different Disney dining plans offered in 2024: the Quick-Service Dining Plan and the Disney Dining Plan (all caps).

Disney’s Quick-Service Dining Plan includes:

• 2 quick service dining meals (carry-out service)
• 1 snack per day
• 1 drink per person for each meal, with alcoholic libations available for guests over 21
• Refillable drink mug (can only be filled at the resort where you are staying)

Each item above is included for each person on your reservation for each night of your stay.

To spice up your dining at Disney World with an extra dose of magic, you can also opt for the Disney Dining Plan. This option elevate your experience to includes the following for each night of your stay:

• 1 quick service meal per person
• 1 table service meal per person
• 1 drink per person at each meal, with alcoholic libations available for guests over 21
• 1 snack or drink per person
• Refillable drink mug (can only be filled at the resort where you are staying)

Disney doesn’t readily publish the cost of the different plans, but according to our recent calculations, the Quick Service option will run you $57.01 for an adult and $23.83 for children under 10 per day. Cost for the Disney Dining Plan is $94.28 per adult and  $29.69 per child under 10 per day. For this plan, you can expect to fund gratuities for table service meals out of pocket.

What Is Disney Free Dining?

The Disney free dining offer is a rare bird. It’s usually only offered once per year to fill hotel vacancies.

Before the COVID-19 panademic shut down the parks and eliminated programs like the Disney dining plan, we saw this offer commonly available during the fall. With the rollout of the new Disney dining plan in 2024, we were pleasantly surprised to see that free dining at Disney was offered for summer dates. Better yet, this offer was announed at the beginning of the year, giving travelers a nice runway of time to book and prepare for their trip.

While the details of the Disney free dining offer have varied from one year to the next, the concept is essentially the same. Guests who book a Disney World vacation package with theme park tickets will receive one of the dining plans in the non-discounted cost of their package reservation.

In 2024, guests who book the Disney+ Subscriber Free Dining Offer at a value resort or moderate resort, or the Cabins at Fort Wilderness, will receive the Quick Service Dining Plan free as part of their package. Guests who book a Deluxe resort, will receive the Disney Dining Plan.

If you’re wondering if Disney is including a watered down version of the dining plan in its free dining offer, the answer is no. The dining plans included in the Disney free dining offer are the same plans available to guests who book a hotel room separately and pay for the cost of the dining plan out of pocket. You’ll get the same 2 meals a day with snack and refillable mug free of charge.

For complete terms and conditions, you can view all of the details, as well as other special offers, on our Disney World Discount page.

Is Disney Offering Free Dining in 2024?

In early 2024, Disney announced a free dining offer available for Disney+ subscribers. However, given the rates we’ve been seeing when quoting vacation packages for clients, it may be worth picking up a subscription just to take advantage of this deal.

The current offer covers travel this summer. That means you can book a trip beginning most any night between July 1 and September 30 to take advantage of this offer.

For families of younger children who do not subscribe to Disney+ or who plan to travel earlier this year, Disney is also offering the “Families Play, Dine & Save” offer. With this deal, theme park tickets and dining plans for children under 10 are discounted 50%. It isn’t free dining at Disney World, but the offer is a good value if you’re traveling this spring. The offer is valid for arrival dates most days bewtwen April 7 and June 30.

Will Disney Free Dining Return Again Later in 2024?

The big question on the minds of many is whether Disney free dining will return again this year, given the popularity of the former fall offer. While we’ve seen some Disney bloggers speculating that another wave of free dining will be offered in the fall, we’ve received no confirmation from Disney as to the truth of this rumor.

Typically, Disney free dining is offered to fill empty hotel rooms. Since fewer people now travel to Disney during the summer than years gone by, we weren’t suprised to see one of Disney’s most popular discounts being offered for these dates in 2024.

However, fall has become a much more popular time to travel. In fact, we watched special offers some dates last fall sell out at many hotels.

For Disney to release a second round of free dining, hotel bookings would need to be off pace for fall travel dates. If that happens, we expect that the Disney free dining offer would again be targeted at special groups, such as Disney Visa Cardholders or Disney+ subscribers.

Keep watching for special discounts and offers at Disney World on our Discount page.

So, Is Disney Free Dining Worth it?

To determine whether Disney’s free dining offer is worth booking during your trip, you have to know a few things up front. The first is which on-property resort you plan to book and how set you are on staying there. Not all resorts are available with free dining at Disney for all dates, so you might have to be flexible in your choice of accommodations to remain eligible.

You’ll also need to understand what restaurants you plan to visit, what you’re going to eat there, and how much it will cost you for each day of your trip. This is what you’d be saving with free dining, if you book your room at regular rack rates and pay full price for your park passes.

The tricky part is, you may not have to pay full price for either. Disney usually comes out with a room-only discount within a few months of issuing free dining, roughly covering the same dates. At times, the discount may be enough to make it worth your while to opt out of the free Disney dining plan.

The only way to really determine where you’ll save the most is to figure up what the cost of your room with discount would be, add it to the cost of the food you plan to eat and what you’ll need to pay for park passes.  Then, see if it’s more or less than the cost of your Disney free dining package.

Where and what you eat will determine whether you get your money’s worth out of free dining at Disney. A single quick-service breakfast entrée from Centerplace Marketplace at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort now rings in at $10. 36 a plate, but a similar quick service lunch adds up to 11.50. Keep in mind that these prices do not include a drink, a cost that is covered by the Disney Dining plan. If you were to add a single fountain soda beverage, add an additional $4.50. A bottle of water will run you anywhere from ~$2.50 to $4.99, depending on the size of the water and the brand selected.

On the other hand, if you’re eating at a Walt Disney World resort, you could use the refillable mug included in your dining plan. Likewise, if you’re eating at a quick service location in one of the parks or at Disney Springs, your drink is included with the dining plan as is the cost of a dessert.

If you’re wondering how Disney free dining stacks up in real world figures against room only discounts, let’s take a look. We will use the average lunch cost provided above, since most guests use the dining plan for meals later in the day.

Sample booking comparing the 2024 Disney Free Dining offer to the room only discount available during the same time frame

Booking for 2 adults and 2 children over 10 at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort for 5 nights July 21-26

On the other hand, if you know how to whittle down your costs and are willing to go through the work of finding the least expensive restaurants and menu items, your dining costs could be lower, making the room only discount a better bargain.

What if I Don’t Want to Scour Menus and Add up Costs?

For the Seconds-to-Go traveler who enjoys more of the spontaneity and less of the worry, calculating out every meal in advance may not be your thing. If you really want to wing it and not have to worry about finding the least expensive restaurants and menu items ahead of time, then keeping track of how much you spend on food during your vacation, then the free Disney dining offer is tailor made for you.

Free dining at Disney is the dreams vacations are made of, providing a near all-inclusive experience. Simply find a restaurant where you’d like to eat, order what you want and enjoy.

It’s up to you, and what’s important when you travel the World.

Have We Ever Booked the Disney Free Dining Plan and What Did We Think?

One of the advantages to any of the Disney dining plans is the simplicity and convenience. Meals are tracked automatically, so paying requires only a swipe of your MagicBand, Key to the World Card or MagicMobile pass. You don’t need to worry about carrying cash and doling out change at the register. For table service meals, your server will even come to your table to swipe your band for payment.

We’ve used the Disney Dining Plan (1 quick service, 1 table service) twice, once with free dining and once without. In the first instance, there were two adults and four children, three of them being under ten. We regrettably left for home with four quick service and several snack credits unused.

Many of Disney’s table-service restaurants are offered buffet-style. The food is usually tasty and options are plentiful. Since we often ate this meal for breakfast or lunch, consuming an additional snack during the day was sometimes enough to satisfy us, without the need for the additional quick-service meal. Other days, we ate both meals to avoid wasting the credits, and still others, we shared quick-service entrees, leaving credits still on our tab at the end of the trip.

However, as the children grew up, we found it far easier to use those dining plan credits. Our second experience with free dining at Disney was far more advantageous. With a college aged student and high school students in tow, we ate every meal offered through the plan and were even able to try some of the newer more exciting (and expensive) options on the menu, since the cost was already included in our vacation package.

Overall, we love the Disney Dining plan and take advantage of free dining at Disney whenever we have the chance.

How to Make the Most of Free Dining at Disney

Since you’ll give up a nice room only discount to book the free dining offer at Disney, you’re probably wondering how to make the most of it. The good news is, Disney’s free dining offer is the better bet for all but the most frugal diners.

However, if you’d still like some tips to maximize your use of the Disney free dining plan, here are some of your best bets:

• Select the most expensive restaurants. For quick service, you can look to locations in EPCOT’s World Showcase or establishments that serve items other than burgers and fries. Satu’li Canteen in Animal Kingdom is one of our favorites.
• Be sure to take advantage of your snack credits. This is particularly true if you book a deluxe resort vacation, since you’ll be receiving the Disney Dining Plan. This option includes one table service meal, and since many of these restaurants offer buffets, you may find yourself too full to really want a snack. If that’s the case, save it for another day and use the following tips for getting the most out of your snack credits
• Maximize your snack credits. There is a wide variety of options available as snacks, from a bag of fruit snacks to a side of macaroni and cheese. Using your snack credits toward higher priced items will help ensure you get the biggest bang for your free Disney dining buck.
• Save snack credits from days when you are not hungry and double them up to use as a meal on a day when you are more hungry. For instance, many counter service restaurants offer side dishes as snack credits. You could order something like a side of macaroni and cheese with a side of baked beans with burnt ends and have a meal by using two snack credits.

These are just a few of the ways that you can optimize your use of the free dining plan, but don’t overlook the convenience factor either. While this is difficult to put a price on, the convenience of eating where you want without counting pennies is a great vacation perk. Best of all, you’ll know exactly what you’ll spend on your Disney vacation before you leave home. Add in the fact that you can easily make payments on your vacation package, and you’ve made vacation budgeting a snap!

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Image found at Pexels – Licence CC0

Bell tent

Reminiscent of a Yurt, investing in a bell tent for your next camping trip will provide you with all sorts of benefits. Probably the most important one is the additional space you will get. In fact, bell tents feel less like a tent and more like a temporary structure. They are also super fast to put up, robust in all types of weather, and fireproof.  If you buy a cotton canvas variety you can even use a wood-burning stove inside.

Portable log burner

While we are on the subject of wood-burning stoves, did you know you can now get portable ones that are easy to pack up and take with you on your next trip? The great thing about log burners is that they are much more efficient than an open fire (not to mention safer), which means you get to stay toasty and warm for much longer with a minimal amount of wood.

Tree hammock

Is there anything more luxurious than spending a night or two sleeping suspended in your very own tree hammock? Safe and warm off the ground, and protected from any wild animals, sleeping in a hammock strung between the boughs of two trees is a unique experience that can really add the wow factor to your trip.

Camping coffee pots

For many of us, coffee is not a luxury but a necessity, and the idea of sipping on a cup of watery instant is quite disappointing. The good news is you can easily up your camping coffee game by investing in a specialty-designed maker.

In fact, with a campsite coffee maker, you can ensure you get a cup of java that is just as good as the one you would have each morning at home. You’ll soon be raring-to-go for the adventures and hikes you have planned for the day.

Portable battery charger

While some folks like to switch off completely when they go camping, most of us want to be able to access our mobile devices such as phones and tablets while we are away. Indeed, there are some very good arguments for being able to use our cell phones when out in the wilderness including having a way to contact authorities in an emergency as well as a way to track location.

However, if you want to use such devices for the duration of your trip, you will need a portable battery charger that you can plug into for a recharge. You can even use this device for other purposes too, such as powering an electric cooking ring to make your fireside feasts that much easier.

Self-inflating air beds

Air beds are a great way to make any camping trip more comfortable. But did you know they come in self-inflating varieties now? That’s right, all you need to do is unroll your sleeping mat,  triggering the inflation mechanism, and you’ll have a soft and comfortable base on which to dream the night away in seconds.

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The post 5 Genius Ways To Make Your Next Camping Trip More Glamorous (Or At Least More Comfortable) appeared first on Seconds to Go.

How Disney Genie Works

If you aren’t well versed in the world of Disney Genie, let’s just say you may want to spend some time learning the basics. We’ve covered everything in our Guide to Genie+, as well as our personal review of Genie+, but here is an explanation of how the service works in a nutshell.

First, Disney Genie service is available through the My Disney Experience app and consists of an itinerary planning solution known simply as Genie, as well as the line-skipping service called Genie Plus. With Disney Genie, you answer some basic questions about your trip, and the My Disney Experience app will provide you with recommendations throughout your day in the park.

As part of Disney Genie, Disney World Genie+ allows you to pay a daily fee to skip the regular queue at many of the most popular attractions in favor of a shorter Lightning Lane. Entry to the Lightning Lane is controlled by a reservation system to keep lines short. Guests will also use the My Disney Experience app for booking Genie+.

When you book your Genie Plus reservation, you’ll be offered the next available time in the Lightning Lane and have one hour from the start of your window to ride. For instance, if the My Disney Experience app shows that EPCOT’s Spaceship Earth has availability in the Lightning Lane starting at 1:30 pm, you could ride anytime between 1:30 and 2:30.

Disney Genie+ costs a flat rate for each day and varies depending upon which day and park you are visiting or whether you plan to visit multiple parks in a single day. While Genie Plus includes most popular rides, you’ll find that at least one ride in each park requires an additional purchase of an Individual Lightning Lane pass to skip the regular queue. Again, the price varies depending on the ride and date you are visiting.

EPCOT Genie+ Rides

• Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival
• Frozen Ever After
• Journey into Imagination with Figment
• Living with the Land
• Mission: SPACE – Green
• Mission: SPACE – Orange
• Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
• Soarin’ Around the World
• Spaceship Earth
• Test Track
• The Seas with Nemo & Friends
• Turtle Talk with Crush

EPCOT Individual Genie+ Rides:

• Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind

Is Genie Plus Worth It for EPCOT

Since there are a number of things to do in EPCOT that don’t involve rides–such as enjoying some of Disney World’s best restaurants or exploring the World Showcase–people often ask if purchasing the Genie Plus is worth it at EPCOT. If you’re looking to save time in line and experience everything this park has to offer in a single day, then we would say, yes. Purchasing Genie Plus at EPCOT will help you make more of your time in the park by making sure you spend a minimal amount of time waiting to ride popular attractions.

The reason we recommend Genie+ at EPCOT is simple. Lines on popular rides can get very long. It isn’t uncommon for the regular queue at Test Track, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure or Frozen Ever After to stack up 60-to-80-minute waits. In contrast, experiencing each of these rides via the Lightning Lane would take only 5 to 15 minutes.

One reason you need to be concerned with minimizing waits at EPCOT is the sheer size of the park. It can take you 20 to 30 minutes to walk from Test Track over to the Canada Pavilion and an additional 30 to 60 minutes to make your way around the World Showcase, and that’s without stopping.

Additionally, since many rides are housed in pavilions with additional experiences to enjoy, you’ll spend a lot of extra time exploring other sights and sounds.

Mapping Out a Genie Plus EPCOT Strategy

When using Genie Plus at EPCOT, it’s important to have a strategy. We recommend you arrive early. For guests of Disney World resorts, this means taking advantage of Early Theme Park Entry. If you’re staying offsite, make sure you arrive at least 30 minutes before park opening, so you can be one of the first guests allowed in.

The early strategy also means booking your first EPCOT Genie Plus selection as soon as your booking window opens in the morning. The booking window begins at 7:00 am.

When creating an EPCOT Genie Plus strategy, it’s also important to understand that Genie+ reservations for some rides will book up before the day’s end. For that reason, we recommend you book certain rides first thing, to ensure that you are able to get a Genie+ reservation before they are gone for the day.

The rides that tend to book up include:

• Frozen Ever After
• Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
• Test Track

Since Frozen and Remy Genie+ reservations can be gone by midday, we recommend that you book one of these at your earliest booking window. Our strategy usually involves staying at a Disney World resort and taking advantage of Early Theme Park Entry. This allows us to book a Genie+ reservation for Remy and ride Test Track or Frozen using the standby queue with little wait.

Booking Additional EPCOT Genie Plus Reservations

Since it is possible to stack Genie+ bookings at EPCOT, we recommend that you make a new Genie+ reservation every 2 hours or after you ride the earliest booked Genie+. Deciding which to do will depend on your return times. Let’s look at an Example.

During our recent trip to Disney World, we booked Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure as soon as our booking window opened at 7:00 am. We were given a return time of 10:30 am. Since we booked our first reservation before the park opened, the famed 120-minute rule would indicate that we were ineligible for booking again until 2 hours after the park opened at 9:00 am. However, since we rode Remy at 10:30, we could then book a new Lightning Lane experience as soon as we tapped through the second checkpoint in the Lightning Lane queue.

This time we chose Frozen Ever After, with a return time of 1:30 pm. Since we made this reservation at 10:35 am, we were able to use the 120-minute rule to book an additional Genie+ at 12:35, two hours after booking the last reservation. Additionally, when we rode Frozen, we were able to make a new reservation because we used our earliest booked Genie+.

EPCOT and the Genie+ Individual Lightning Lane

As mentioned earlier in this article, accessing the Lightning Lane on some rides requires the purchase of an Individual Lightning Lane pass (ILL). In EPCOT, the only ILL-enabled ride is Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (GOG).

We recommend trying to get into the virtual queue for GoG first thing in the morning. That way, you may also book an Individual Lightning Lane reservation and ride twice with little wait.

At some point in the future, Disney is likely to drop the virtual queue for this ride. At that point in time, ILL will be the only way to skip the regular queue on Guardians. As long as this remains the newest ride in EPCOT, we’d recommend making this purchase, even if you opt out of Genie+, as lines are likely to be long for a long time to come.

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Making Your EPCOT Genie Plus Itinerary

While it’s impossible to plan out a perfectly timed EPCOT Genie+ itinerary, it’s a good idea to arrive with an idea of which attractions you will ride, and the order you will book your EPCOT Genie Plus reservations, as well as the order in which you plan to experience the other attractions on your list.

For guests of Disney World resort, we recommend an EPCOT Genie Plus itinerary that has you arriving for Early Theme Park Entry and making the first Genie+ reservation for the day at 7:00 for either Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure or Frozen. If you’re purchasing an Individual Lightning Lane for Guardians of the Galaxy, plan it for mid-afternoon. You can then follow the steps below:

1. Ride Test Track first thing during Early Theme Park Entry
2. Soarin’Living with the Land
3. The Seas with Nemo and Friends
4. The Seas Main Tank and Pavilion
5. Turtle Talk with Crush
6. Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure/Frozen (Make new Genie+ reservation for either Ratatouille or Frozen)
7. Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros (Mexico)
8. Guardians of the Galaxy Virtual Queue reservation
9. Lunch
10. Journey into Imagination with Figment
11. Redeem Genie Plus for Frozen/Remy (Make new Genie plus reservation for Mission Space)
12. Mission Space using Genie+ or Spaceship EarthSpaceship Earth
13. Guardians of the Galaxy (Genie Plus Individual Lightning Lane)
14. Tour the World Showcase Pavilions

Keep in mind when using any EPCOT Genie Plus itinerary, you’ll need to continue booking Genie+ reservations every 2 hours, or after you ride the earliest booked ride if you are stacking. Also, remember that no one can predict your Genie plus return times in advance, so you may need to tweak your itinerary to make your Genie+ ride window.

Making the Most of Genie+ at EPCOT

EPCOT is the perfect park for using Genie+. Just remember to book a new reservation every 2 hours or as soon as you utilize the last earliest booked reservation. We realize that learning the ins and outs of Genie Plus can be challenging. If you have questions, please feel free to contact us at info@secondstogo.net.

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Traveling across the country in an RV is one of the most exciting ways you can experience the U.S. It’s an adventure every time you hit the road, and it can give you an unrivaled view of the world. Of course, if you want to have a great time, you’ll need to pack well and be prepared for any eventuality. With that in mind, here are some tips to help you do just that. 

Pack the Right Clothing 

Befort you set out, you’ll want to make sure you have all the necessities in your RV, and that includes making sure you pack the right clothing. Think about where you are going and what you intend to do when you get there. Are you hiking? Trying water sports? Relaxing around a campfire? Once you know what you’re doing and what the climate will be like, you can pack accordingly. 

Don’t forget to pack the right shoes as well. It’s wise to take more than one pair in case one gets wet, and you can’t wear them until they dry out.

As you think about the clothing you will pack, also bear in mind how much space your clothing and related items will take. One of the great things about traveling by RV is that you’ll have more space than you would if you were taking a journey by car or plance.

Think of Comfort

An RV is a great way to travel, but to really enjoy your trip, you’ll need to include some necessities when you pack. If you’re venturing out on a lenthy road trip, think for the long term. What items will add comfort and a feel of hominess to your entire trip? This includes bedding and linens, towels, electrical adaptors, and even food (at least for the first few days).

Being Prepared

Traveling by RV offers you the freedom of the open road, but you’ll want to think about preparedness and being ready for maintenance, repairs or mechanical issues.

It’s wise to pack a repair manual and basic tools, just in case something goes wrong with the RV. Of course, in some cases, you’ll need extra help, to keep your RV running at peak performance.

To get a better understanding of how you can best protect yourself, here is a handy infographic with some detailed information on the situations you might face when out on the open road.

The post Hit the Open Road and Be Prepared When You Go On An RV Trip appeared first on Seconds to Go.

So, to help fellow trip planners, here are answers to the least asked—but important—questions about Disney World and vacation planning:

Disney World Question #1: What Disney World Park is the Best?

This question should really be reworded as “Which Disney World park is best for me?” since answering this Disney World question is a matter of preference. 

If you prefer thrill rides and live action shows, then you’ll probably enjoy Disney Hollywood Studios the most. With the high-rolling Rock-n-Roller Coaster and the drop-in thrill of Tower of Terror, this park offers more in amped-up excitement than either Magic Kingdom or EPCOT. Add in the live-action Indiana Jones stunt show and two relatively new Star Wars themed thrillers, and you have a real winner.

However, Animal Kingdom is another contender for the best Disney World park for thrill lovers, given the yeti-tracking adventure of Expedition Everest and the swooping, soaring ride on a Mountain Banshee in Flight of Passage.

But if you’ve planned a trip for the little ones or just prefer a few more sedate thrills, Magic Kingdom or EPCOT are probably the best Disney World parks for you.

Magic Kingdom features classic Fantasy Land rides, such as Dumbo and Peter Pan for the little ones and adults alike. If you’re seeking some excitement, look toward the Disney mountain range: Space Mountain, Splash Mountain and Thunder Mountain. Each ride offers its own share of sudden drops and twisting turns. It’s also one of the few places where in a single day you can travel into outer space, back to the wild, wild west and even join a band of marauding pirates.

EPCOT also offers fun for the entire family, with two of the park’s headline attractions, Test Track and Soarin’ open for little ones over 40” in height. It’s also the best Disney World park for foodies and those who enjoy learning about other cultures as the World Showcase features pavilions housing attractions from around the world. The latest addition to EPCOT, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, is a must-do thrill ride based on new advances in ride technology.

Question #2: What Disney World Park is Star Wars In?

While our second Disney World question of the day may not get asked that often, knowing which Disney World park to find the Star Wars land is certainly important for anyone who needs the answer.

Disney’s Star Wars Land is located in Hollywood Studios. The actual name of the land is Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge, and it spans more than 14 acres. According to Disney, that makes it the largest single-themed park expansion in history.

Question #3: Which Disney World park has the most rides?

Our next Disney World question is a little more complicated to answer. Calculating what Disney World park has the most rides, requires a little explanation first.

Disney often refers to “rides” in its parks as attractions. That’s because some, such as Laugh Floor and Mickey’s Philharmagic, walk the line between show and ride experience. Others are true stage performances.

Since this question is asking which Disney World park has the most rides, we’re including rides in our calculations—those attractions that include movement or simulated movement—and those shows that include interactive elements. We’ve left off true stage performances, shows, parades and meet and greets, which Disney may also list as attractions.

Animal Kingdom: 12 (plus animal viewing trails and live performances)

Magic Kingdom: 32 (includes Tom Sawyer Island)

EPCOT: 11 actual rides, though several pavilions feature live performances and/or movies.

Hollywood Studios: 10 (plus live shows and performances, including Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular)

So, in short, the Disney World park with the most actual rides is Magic Kingdom.

Question #4 What’s the closest Walmart to Disney World

Let’s face it. We’ve all forgotten an item or two from our packing list while on vacation, so it’s no wonder that more people asked what the closest Walmart to Disney World is than any of our other least-asked Disney questions.

Here again, the answer depends on you, and where you are staying. If you’re onsite at a Disney World resort, or just want to know the closest Walmart to the parks, the answer is likely to be one of the Super Centers listed below:

8990 Turkey Lake Rd, Orlando, FL

2855 N Old Lake Wilson Rd, Kissimmee, FL

Question # 5: Is Disney Worth It?

To be honest, this was a puzzling Disney World question for certain. Is Disney World worth the cost? Is Disney World worth your coveted vacation days? Of course, we’d answer yes to any and all variables, but we also understand that a Disney World vacation is an expensive commitment. That being the case, we’re almost positive that this ambiguous query refers to the cost of a Disney World vacation, and that’s a tough one to answer.

Again, to decide whether a Disney World vacation is worth it, we suggest that you determine your Disney World budget, by adding up the cost of your trip and then weigh it against other variables, such as how long it will take you to save or pay off the expense and how spending that sum will impact your long-term goals. Don’t forget to look up all available discounts and money saving tips to maximize your dollar.

We also recommend considering some other variables, such as other things that could be done with the money and whether you’re carrying a high debt load.

In the end, however, if you have a child who can’t wait to go to Disney World, the answer in the end is probably yes. Disney World will be worth the cost when you see the light in your little one’s eyes, as long as you aren’t risking financial ruin to do so.

Question #6: Is Disney World in Orlando?

Our sixth least asked Disney World question is a fair one for certain. After all, Orlando International airport is the closest one to Disney World. However, the Magic Kingdom park, the first one built, is around 22 miles from downtown Orlando.

However, depending on where you are in the World, you could be looking at a Lake Buena Vista or even an Orlando address.

Question #7: How Many Disney World Resorts Are There?

To answer how many Disney World resorts there are, you first have to understand what the term resort means.

Disney operates several hotels that are located within the 47 square miles that make up the area known as Disney World. Since each offers a full list of amenities, Disney calls them resorts.

Located on Disney World property are also other resorts not owned or operated by Disney, including the Swan and Dolphin located near EPCOT but managed by Marriott, and 7 hotels in the Disney Springs area that are operated by outside hoteliers.

However, Disney only lists 31 hotels on its website, including several Disney Vacation properties.

Question #8: Does Disney World Have a Zoo?

This Disney World question is a good one for anyone just starting to research their vacation. It could be said that Disney World does have a zoo, when you consider that Animal Kingdom is an entire park dedicated to animals. However, unlike many zoos, the 250 animal species that call Animal Kingdom home live in natural habitats. Guests can view the animals, including hippos, rhinos, gorillas and okapis, using various walking trails around the park or by taking a wild safari ride.

The Animal Kingdom park, while not a zoo, is full of Disney World secret innovations that make life for the animals like living at home, while aiding in conservation efforts and providing guests the opportunity to view live animals in a natural setting.

Question #9: How Many Disney World Parks Are There in Florida?

After one of our first trips to Disney World, a conversation with a friend who lived in Utah revealed something very interesting. Many people don’t realize that there are distinct differences between Disneyland on the west coast and Disney World in Florida. So, it makes complete sense that some people would be asking how many parks there are at Disney World in Florida.

The number of theme parks at Disney World now stands at 4. However, there are also 2 water parks, a vast shopping and entertainment complex known as Disney Springs, mini golf complexes and even a world-renowned golf course.

The many Disney World parks and entertainment venues in Florida make it a vacation destination in and of itself.

Question #10: Can I Do Disney World Without a Car?

If you’re wondering if you can do Disney World without either driving a car or renting one at the airport, the simple answer is yes.

If you fly into Orlando and are staying at a Disney owned resort, you can take advantage of several airport shuttle options.

Once at your resort, Disney’s complimentary internal transportation is available to take you to and from the parks.

However, if you are staying offsite, you might find that driving your car or renting one is useful. While many hotels outside of the Disney World campus offer shuttles to and from the park, you will need to find a way to get to and from the airport. This can be accomplished through a private car service or via independently operated bus service, but having a car will allow you to take advantage of much cheaper meals at restaurants outside of Disney.

You may also use either Uber or Lyft to get around. Disney operated Minnie Vans are another option for ground transportation but do come at a higher cost.

Question #11: Disney World vs. Disneyland Size – which is bigger?

If you’re looking at the size of Disney World vs. Disneyland and wondering which is bigger, the answer is very simple: Disney World.

Encompassing 47 square miles, Disney World dwarfs its predecessor, Disneyland for ground covered. Disney World also offers four distinct parks compared to Disneyland’s two parks, as well as a host of other attractions such as water parks, mini golf and a vast shopping and entertainment complex called Disney Springs.

Question #12: What Is the Disney World Underground Tour?

Disney World’s secret tunnels, or utilIdors, are a thing of legend, so it is no wonder that people are asking whether Disney World offers an underground tour. The good news is, yes.

The Keys to the Kingdom Tour takes guests into backstage areas, including a few associated with rides, and ends by going underground into Disney World’s secret utilidor passageways. We took this tour in 2018 and were amazed to see the vast network of tunnels encompassed in the system.

Question #13: Are Disney World Tickets Refundable?

This question is crucial when planning your Disney World vacation, and like many of these queries, has multiple answers.

If you purchase individual single-day or multi-day tickets outside of a vacation package, your purchase is non-refundable. However, if you bundle your tickets with the cost of your hotel, including some offsite hotels, your tickets may be refundable. This is how it works.

When you book a package, you book room accommodations for a specific number of days. You include a ticket for a set number of days. These do not have to match.

For instance, you can book a Disney World hotel for 5 nights and only purchase tickets for 3 days. Either way, by booking them together, you have now reserved a Disney World vacation package.

You are required to put down $200 at the time of booking with the balance due 30 days before arrival. This means, you may cancel at anytime before you final payment is due without penalty. All monies paid will be refunded. In this essence, your tickets are refundable.

Cancelations made from 2 to 29 before arrival will incure a refund of any money paid, less the $200 deposit. In this instance, your tickets are refundable with a cancelation penalty.

If you want more about the advantages of booking a Disney World vacation package, including convenient payment plans, you can read our Disney World vacation package guide.

Question #14: How to Plan a Disney World Vacation

It’s a simple question that results in a complex answer, given the number of variables involved with planning a Disney World vacation. We recommend that vacationers first decide when they plan to visit and settle on a choice of 2 or three resorts. From there, research amenities and distance from the parks. Think about where you will spend most of your time and how far your chosen resorts are. For example, if you plan to spend the majority of your time at Magic Kingdom, you may want to select one of the resorts on the monorail line.

Next, decide whether you want a standard theme park ticket, allowing you to visit one park per day, or if you need a park hopper ticket. For anyone traveling after January 9, 2024, you’ll also want to consider whether you want the Disney Dining Plan.

Determining these variables will get you started. For more complete information, visit our ultimate checklist to Disney World vacation planning.

Question #15: When Does Disney World Decorate for Christmas?

Our last least asked Disney World question is actually a bit underrated. “When does Disney World decorate for Christmas” was seeing 880 searches a month at the time our research was conducted. If you’ve ever visited Disney during the holidays, you’d understand why someone would want to plan their trip when the parks are decked out for the season.

Answering the question, however, is a little harder. Disney World has been playing around with when they decorate the parks for Christmas over the last few years. Several years ago, decorations started going up around mid-November in the parks with Disney World resorts following suit at a slower pace.

For example, during our 2014 trip, decorations were up by the second week of November in the parks, but the two resorts where we stayed did not decorate until the weekend before Thanksgiving.

In 2019, Halloween decorations were removed from the parks during the overnight hours of October 31 and replaced with Christmas decorations. Guests entering the parks on the morning of November 1, were greeted with a Christmas holiday wonderland after celebrating with ghosts and villains the night before.

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The post Are You Asking the RIGHT Disney World Questions? Critical Things to Know When Planning a Trip appeared first on Seconds to Go.

As with any other month of the year, there are pros and cons about a trip to Disney World in August, so we’re digging into the details to help you decide.

Disney in August – the Weather 

When visiting Disney World in August you’ll want to consider the weather. While temperatures will undoubtedly be warm, you can also expect a fair share of humidity and pop-up showers.

According to Weatherspark, daily highs reach 90 degrees in August, and lows rarely dip below 73. Fortunately, temperatures may feel slightly cooler by the persistence of cloud cover. Sixty-three percent of days in August are cloudy.

When evaluating Florida weather, humidity is another factor to consider. Humidity can make a hot day feel hotter, especially when the sun is out. Weatherspark reports that oppressive humidity is highly likely throughout the month.

Those humid conditions can also spark popup showers which are common in the afternoon in August. However, the number of days with rain rapidly decreases as the month wears on and September nears.

August is also the start of hurricane season. While severe weather can impact your travel plans, it’s important to note that Disney World has closed only 7 times due to hurricane activity since opening in 1971.

Still, if you’re concerned about severe weather disrupting your trip, consider purchasing travel insurance. Just be sure to read all of the terms and conditions before signing on the dotted line to make sure that hurricane activity is covered under the policy.

When traveling, we use Squaremouth to research and quote available travel insurance policies. It’s a company with a strange name, but they certainly make it easy to find the right travel insurance. The company even allows you to view policy documents before purchasing, so you know exactly what coverage you’re getting.

While the weather may not be something to cheer about on an August trip to Disney World, there are a number of reasons why this could be a good time to visit. Keep reading to find out why you just might enjoy your hot and humid August trip.

August Crowds at Disney World

One factor to consider when deciding if August is a good time to go to Disney World is crowd levels. If you’re looking to take a trip with fewer crowds and lower wait times on popular attractions, this is your month to go.

According to popular crowd calendars, August is one of the least popular months to visit now. Crowds rarely reach higher than a 5 on a 10-point scale, and many days toward the end of the month sit at 1 or 2.

As kids head back to school, Disney World settles into a bit of a lull. Historically, crowds drop lower as you head into September, before surging again in October as cooler temperatures return.

To give a better sense of what these numbers mean, let’s look at a typical wait time on a popular attraction. We’ll choose 7 Dwarfs Mine Train. On Saturday April 8, 2022, a day that ranked as 7 out of 10 on the crowd scale, waits for Mine train ranged from 60 minutes at park opening and peaked at 115 minutes.

Compare this to Friday, August 26 when crowds at Magic Kingdom are anticipated to rank as a 2. Waits at Mine Train are expected to peak at only 51 minutes under these conditions.

What Should I Expect for Crowds in August of 2022?

For 2022, just keep in mind that we’ve seen anything but typical conditions across Disney World theme parks. Higher than average crowds were witnessed at the start of the year and have continued right through April.

Why, you may ask? There are several reasons. Pent up travel demand overall is one thing. Many people now feel safe to get out and explore again, and Disney World is a popular vacation destination.

Also, during the pandemic, there were Disney Vacation Club owners who banked points for future travel. However, since these points must be used or lost, we’ve seen those owners now booking for early 2022.

Disney World’s 50^th Anniversary celebration continues into 2022 with a number of special activities, merchandise and other events that are luring people to travel this year.

Last, is the fact that Disney World is still not fully staffed, a condition which can make a crowded park seem more crowded. However, most crowd predictions agree that this trend is likely to level off after spring break crowds depart in April, with a trend toward more normal conditions as the year wears on.

While this in no way guarantees low crowds for an August trip, it does put the odds on your side for a lower-crowd August vacation.

What Does It Cost to Visit Disney World in August?

If you’re looking to trim your costs on a Disney World vacation, August also scores some points here as well, particularly if you travel toward the end of the month. Disney prices everything from theme park tickets to hotels, and even sometimes the cost of food, on a sliding scale. The more people traveling on a given date, the higher the cost.

We can best demonstrate this by again comparing and contrasting rates on hotels at Disney World. May through July, when summer vacation crowds swarm the parks, we see room rates ranging from $161 to as high as $235 a night for weekday stays at Disney’s All Stars resort (weekends are always priced higher). After August 6, the nightly rate remains at $162 for weekday stay, but drops to $143 a night after August 21.

We see a similar trend with ticket pricing. In July, a 5-day base ticket averages between $99 and $107 per day. Beginning August 17, the per day cost drops to $97 and goes as low as $91 per weekday on August 22.

The bottom line is this. Late August is a great time to travel to Disney World if you’re interested in saving money over peak travel times.

Does Disney World Offer Discounts for August?

Prior to the COVID-19 closures, August was a big month for discounts at Disney World. It wasn’t uncommon for the free dining promotion to begin during this month, allowing guests to receive one of Disney World’s dining plans included in the cost of their resort stay.

However, as the parks emerged from closures, dining plans were suspended. According to Disney, this popular vacation package addition will return at some point, but whether free dining will ever be offered as a promotion remains to be seen.

As of this writing, there is one discount offer available for August of 2022, but you must be a Disney+ subscriber to take advantage of it. We track discounts and report them on our Disney World discounts blog, so be sure to bookmark that page and check back throughout the summer.

You can also book your vacation with a travel agency that is an authorized Disney vacation planner. For example, those of us at Mickey World Travel will monitor discounts as they are released and automatically rebook your resort or package reservation if new offers become available.

Is August a Good Time to Go to Disney World? Let Us Help You Decide

• Find the best rates. We’ll even check for discounts and rebook you if new offers apply
• Recieve trip planning advice and custom itineraries
• We’ll get up at 6:00 am and make your dining reservations

Free, no obligation quote, free concierge service.

Learn more about working with a Disney travel planner or contact us today to start planning your magical Disney adventure. Our services are offered at no cost to you.

Typical August Refurbishment Schedule

Keeping the parks looking and running in top form takes a concentrated effort. That’s why Disney regularly closes attractions to perform extended maintenance, upgrades and aesthetic enhancements. Fortunately, of anyone considering a trip to Disney in August, most of these improvements tend to be made when temperatures are cooler.

That means, you should find very few attractions down for refurbishment. The only exception would be rides that have been closed due to nearby construction. For example, the Disney World railroad in Magic Kingdom experienced a multi-year hiatus as crews worked to construct the new Tron coaster.

Are There Any Special Events at Disney World in August?

Even as summer heat continues, the holidays are kicking off at Disney World in August with the start of the after-hours Boo Bash, formerly knows as Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween party. Guest can trick or treat throughout the park and visit with rarely seen Disney characters, such as the 7 dwarfs.

It all happens after regular hours, so this specially ticketed event does require a separate admission ticket. The good news is that crowds are typically lower, making it possible to ride all of the rides you want with minimal wait, so you have plenty of time to enjoy the extra Halloween activities, food and events this party offers. One thing you won’t want to miss is the evening parade as the headless horseman trots ghoulishly down Main Street.

Another plus for an August visit is the EPCOT Food and Wine festival. If you enjoy eating and drinking your way through the World Showcase, this special event makes August a good bet for a visit. Crowds at the festival get pretty crazy as fall wears on and temperatures cool, but August is a relatively serene time to hop around the various food stalls and enjoy food and beverages inspired by world cuisines.

Best of all, attending the Food and Wine Festival is included in the cost of your theme park ticket.

Advantages of Visiting Disney in August

With hot and humid weather guaranteed for the month, one of the best things about visiting Disney in August are the resort pools. From fabulously themed waterslides to quiet tropical oases, you’ll find just what you’re looking for when taking a dip in one of Disney’s hotel pools. The August weather is perfect for chilling off in the water.

And if you like to take water activities to the extreme, both of Disney’s water parks are open in August. Later in the year, one will close for refurbishment, meaning August is the perfect time to visit the different attractions at both parks: Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach.  

You can even attend a special after dark party at Typhoon Lagoon. Light up the night with Disney H2O Glow After Hours, at a specially ticketed party held on select nights. Experience water slides and other attractions after hours as well as special party entertainment and special snacks.

Also, thanks to warmer weather, you’ll be able to visit the regular parks for longer each day. Throughout August, many parks will stay open after dark, allowing you to experience more of the magic without attending a special event.

Lower costs on hotels and tickets toward the end of the month provide an additional incentive for traveling in August.

Disadvantages of Visiting Disney World in August

When considering whether to visit Disney World in August, many vacationers are immediately turned off by the thought of high heat and humidity. The persistent threat of daily rain is another deterrent for some travelers.

Weather would be the biggest disadvantage of visiting Disney World in August, but given the large number of benefits, it certainly isn’t a month that should be ruled out on weather alone. If you’re accustomed to the heat and humidity of the southern US, why not take advantage of lower crowds, reduced rates and longer park hours to visit Disney World this year?

More Information to Help You Plan Your Disney World Vacation

What Disney World Park Is the Best? Helping You Decide.

Disney World, Know Before You Go—Experienced Tips from Veteran Travelers

Walt Disney World Transportation: Getting You Around in Magical Style

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