You Deserve to Splurge at Disney. What Should You Pick?
You’ve worked hard and need an escape!
Walt Disney World, the Most Magical Place on Earth, will sweep you away in a gust of Pixie Dust.
While you’re happily ensconced in the Disney Bubble, you’ve earned a bit more magic!
You deserve to splurge on your Disney vacation! Here’s what you should pick!
After Hours Tickets
I want to be realistic about the offerings here. Not everyone can afford a Disney VIP Tour. If you can, absolutely do that! It’s incredible!
However, we’re trying to be a bit more reasonable here with the pricing.
One of the best splurges for the money is a ticket for an after-hours event at Walt Disney World.
The parks offer several of these unique admission tickets. Some of them, like Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, are seasonal.
Others, like Disney After Hours events, could occur on any date, although Disney announces them well ahead of time.
When you purchase a ticket, you gain three-to-five hours of access to a Disney park when it’s otherwise closed to the public.
You’ll feel like you own Disney because you can experience so much without facing typical park crowds. It’s spectacular!
Build a Lightsaber
Savi’s Workshop falls somewhere between an interactive immersive experience and a high-end sales pitch when you know you’re gonna buy.
You must book a Savi’s Workshop reservation ahead of time. When you do, you and several other potential Jedi meet with a cast member…err, master artifact crafter.
This tutor will guide you in constructing your unique Lightsaber, one where you choose all the parts. It’s a surprisingly reverential experience.
Plus, you’ll have a Lightsaber you can use to annoy all your friends when you get back home! My wife does this with me, and I choose to find it charming.
Character Meals
Disney dining comes in many forms. For example, many would suggest that you splurge by eating at a storied locale like Victoria & Albert’s.
I think that’s a wonderful idea, as it’s among the most accredited restaurants in North America.
Still, you’re at Disney. So, I’d suggest a different option instead. You should book a character meal!
During these dining experiences, your favorite Disney characters will come to your table and hang out with you while you eat!
The characters vary by restaurant. For example, Lilo & Stitch appear at ‘Ohana…but so does Mickey Mouse!
At Cinderella’s Royal Table and Akershus, Disney Princesses will entertain you with their remarkable tales of heroism.
You can even hang out with characters from Hundred Acre Wood at Crystal Palace. Winnie the Pooh and friends happily interact with guests here.
In short, a character meal combines something you’re gonna do anyway, eating, with something uniquely Disney, character greetings!
Memory Maker
I’m confident that you’re an excellent photographer in your own right.
I know that my wife spent a staggering amount of money on a Canon that takes breathtaking photos.
Still – and I say this will all the love and support of her amateur photography – she is probably like you, lacking in formal training.
Meanwhile, Disney trains its cast members in how to capture the perfect image at every photo spot.
For this reason, I highly recommend Memory Maker. At a price of $20-$30 a day during your stay, you can ask PhotoPass photographers to capture your unforgettable moments.
I don’t use Facebook much, but I’m amused by how many of Facebook Memories involve PhotoPass pictures taken on previous trips.
Since I’ve visited Disney in pretty much every month, there’s always a memory to remind me of a past vacation.
That pictures happened because we were proactive in purchasing Memory Maker many years ago.
Order an In-Room Celebration
Did you know that Disney will deliver food, merchandise, and even wine baskets? It’s totally true.
Some of these splurges are modest, while others are utterly ridiculous.
Better yet, you can choose your own budget for this in-room celebration. The official site lists 45 packages, some of which allow you to customize.
Having sent and received these in-room celebrations, I can confirm that they bring a surprising amount of joy to a hotel room.
Each time I look at one, I feel appreciative…and also loved.
Rise of the Resistance Lightning Lane
Tron Lightcycle Power Run opens soon. When it does, it’ll probably become the new alpha at Walt Disney World. That’s a title that changes fairly regularly.
Still, if you’re only going to buy one Lightning Lane during your trip, I strongly encourage you to splurge on Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.
I feel this way for two reasons. First, the ride requires the longest average wait at Disney.
Also, Rise of the Resistance represents the pinnacle of Disney Imagineering. It’s like six or seven different rides combined into one!
You don’t want to miss it during your trip. A Lightning Lane goes a long way in guaranteeing that you ride Rise of the Resistance at least once.
A Room with a View
This splurge is dependent on how much time you plan to spend in your room.
Personally, I tend to escape the parks for a few hours each day. So, I like my room to come with a view…and Disney resorts offer some amazing ones.
You can book a room that overlooks the animals at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge or the BoardWalk at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn.
Some monorail resorts, like Disney’s Contemporary Resort, offer room types with views of Magic Kingdom.
I speak from experience when I say you’ll quickly get addicted to watching the fireworks from your hotel room.
Disney room types cost more per night, but I usually splurge. If you want price comparisons, speak with a MickeyTravels expert.
These Diamond level (the HIGHEST LEVEL!) Authorized Disney Vacation Travel Planners know all the best ways to stretch your vacation budget.
Remarkably, their services are completely free for you to use!
Take a Spa Day!
Have you heard of Senses? It’s the spa in question at resorts with that word in their names!
Yes, you can find a Senses Spa at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa AND Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa.
This spa surpasses anything you’ll ever experience in your hometown because you’re having a spa day AT DISNEY! Who wouldn’t want to do that?
PS: You don’t need to stay at either hotel to book a spa reservation!
The Wild Africa Trek
The animals are both the stars and the inhabitants at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Disney must protect their safety, though.
Similarly, the company doesn’t want guests accidentally entering the literal lion’s den. So, precautions abound to keep the animals and humans apart.
What you may not have ever wondered is how cast members move around the park. The answer involves more than just vehicles.
Some secret bridges connect locations as well. When you sign up for the Wild Africa Trek, you can cross these same bridges.
Your guide will ensure your safety. Meanwhile, you enjoy a rare glimpse into animal habitats at a time when the creatures aren’t in public sight.
While Disney offers several remarkable guided tours, the Wild Africa Trek is likely the best one for this reason.
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Feature Photo: Disney