Welcome to the very first episode of “Jamie Thomas with Click The Mouse” Youtube Show!

​Jamie has created a web/youtube video series dedicated to helping you get the most out of your next Disney Vacation.

In this video, Jamie and hubby Brad discuss their Top 10 Best Tips and Hacks to save YOU money on your next trip to Walt Disney World. 

They will be chatting about the financial benefits that come with staying on property including the Walt Disney World  bus system, Magical Express transfers and free Disney perks.

Jamie and Brad cover these topics plus many more!

• Why visiting during the off season is a money saving bonanza! 
• Inviting family and friends to travel with you for savings
• Where to find great prices on flights
• How you can get official Disney merchandise at a huge discount

​Click the mouse on the video to hear these valuable tips! 



​Please leave a comment with ways YOU have found to save money at Walt Disney World!
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Also comment if you have any questions for Jamie or ideas for future episodes.

Jamie can be reached at jamie@clickthemouse.ca.

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So you've decided it's time to take the family to Walt Disney World. Where do you even start? 

What is amazing about a Walt Disney World package is that it can be customized to your needs. There are three main elements that are part of a Walt Disney World vacation package; resort room, theme park tickets and dining plan. As a Disney guest you can pick and choose what elements will suit your family best. 

​​Let’s look at the individual elements that you can combine to create your
BEST DISNEY VACATION EVER!! 

Base Disney Theme Park Admission Tickets
​(Admission to 1 Park Per Day)
These tickets will grant you access to 1 of the 4 Disney theme parks (Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and EPCOT) for each day purchased. 
 You will have in and out privileges to the same park the whole day!

Park Hopper Theme Park Admission Tickets
(Added Option to Base Tickets) 
If you upgrade to the park hopper tickets, you can move between all 4 of the Disney theme parks in the same day. 

Park Hopper Plus Theme Park Admission Tickets
(Upgrade Option to Park Hopper Option)
​With the park hopper plus option not only do you get same-day admission to all 4 Walt Disney World theme parks, you also get admission to Disney’s water parks and other fun Disney attractions for the number of visits equal to the length of your ticket. So, if you include 4-day park hopper plus tickets in your Disney Vacation Package, then you are entitled to four visits to any of the following Disney attractions: 


• Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park
- Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park

•  ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex

• Disney’s Oak Trail Golf Course
- Disney’s Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf Course

•  Disney’s Winter Summerland Miniature Golf Course 


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There are three options of dining plans at Walt Disney World.
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Quick Service Dining Plan
Includes 2 quick service meals and 2 snacks per person/per night of your stay
*includes1 refillable resort mug for your length of stay for guests ages 3 and over
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Disney Dining Plan
Includes 1 quick service meal, 1 table service meal and 2 snacks per person/per night of your stay.
*includes 1 refillable resort mug for your length of stay for guests ages 3 and over

Deluxe Dining Plan
Includes 3 meals (any combination of quick service and table service meals) and 2 snacks per person/per night of your stay
*includes 1 refillable resort mug for your length of stay for guests ages 3 and over

Important Notes:
​If you are keen on experiencing any of Disney World’s amazing signature dining restaurants or character dining experiences, you will need a dining plan with table service credits.

When available, children 3-9 must order from the children's menu.

New for 2018! 
New Beverage options are available for 2018. Guests 21 and over can now enjoy beer, wine and cocktails, and guests under 21 can enjoy a non-alcoholic specialty beverage included in Quick Service & Table Service Dining Plans.

Another item you can add to your Disney World Vacation Package is Disney’s Memory Maker. 

Capture all those amazing moments at the park, special events and dining experiences. Memory Maker also allows you to take those candid shots available on select attractions like Frozen Ever After and Splash Mountain!

Did you know that you can reserve your entire Walt Disney World Vacation Package with just a $200 USD fully refundable deposit? Your Disney Vacation Specialist can continue to make changes to your booking as needed. You can modify your package dates, resort choice and even ticket options and there is no change  fee up until final payment. After final payment, which is due 30 days prior to your arrival date, you can still upgrade your package with no additional fees!
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Your travel agent can also apply any eligible new promotions to your package after you have booked, provided there is a discount inventory available for your travel dates and resorts. 

Disney does make it so easy to build a vacation that’s just perfect for your family! There is no reason to wait to start making magical memories!
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​Fastpasses are the key to avoiding long lines when vacationing at Walt Disney World. Whether you’re a Disney pro who had the paper FastPass system down pat, a first-time guest feeling a little overwhelmed, or anyone in between, you might be wondering about the best ways to take advantage of Disney’s FastPass+. Unlike other theme parks, Walt Disney World provides the FastPass+ service for free to all guests! That said, taking a little extra time to plan means you can avoid some of the longest lines, even on busy days in the parks! Check out our best tips for making the most of FastPass+ during your magical vacation!

Tip #1 -  Prioritize!
 
You can read all the articles and strategies in the world telling you which rides or attractions to secure FastPass+ for, but none of that means anything if you’re not taking your family’s needs into account! There’s a great benefit to snagging a FastPass+ for Tower of Terror in Disney’s Hollywood Studios but if your family aren’t thrill-seekers and would prefer something a little less intense that FastPass+ won’t do you any good! Figure out which rides and attractions you’re actually interested in and then pick which of those will have the longest lines to avoid! Saving yourself a 60-minute wait is better than saving yourself a 30-minute wait - but only if you were planning to wait for the first ride anyways!
 
On trips with my sister I’d never waste a FastPass+ on Tower of Terror - she won’t want to ride it anyways so we’re better off skipping the line on something else!

Tip #2 -  Book Early!
 
And I don’t mean book well in advance of your trip - though that is definitely helpful too! While there are some FastPass+ options that are difficult to snag without booking right at the 60-day mark, most of the time you can get some great FastPasses much closer to your trip! What’s even more important is selecting your three FastPasses for time slots as early as possible in your park day!
 
Why? You’re allowed to book as many FastPasses each day as you want until they run out - but only one at a time and only once you’ve used up your first three! The earlier in the day that you do that the more rides and attractions you’ll be able to use FastPass+ on throughout the day which means less time spent waiting in line.
 
If you plan to be at the park as soon as it opens try to time your last FastPass+ booking to be ending by three hours past that, or as close to that as you can. As soon as you’ve used your first three bookings (even if the last window isn’t over yet), you can move on to the next tip…

Tip #3 -  Make More Fastpasses! 
 
Once you’ve used your three pre-booked FastPasses, you can use the My Disney Experience app on your phone or a kiosk in the park to make another one! If it’s still pretty early in the day you should have lots of options.

You can pick the ride with a long line you want to avoid, or choose the FastPass+ that starts the soonest if you’re not as picky about which rides you ride and you’ll get to make even more! And you know what? There’s no limit! You can keep doing this all day long!

Tip #4 -  Make the Best of Line Time!
 
The lines for rides in Walt Disney World are actually super cool, but could the time spent in line be put to better use? No one wants to spend their Disney vacation on their phone - your family is there to have a great time and make memories together! So when are you supposed to make these extra FastPasses? Even with FastPass+ you’re probably going to spend a couple minutes waiting in line for rides. Did you know you can make your next FastPass+ on the app as soon as you’ve scanned your Magic Band for the last one? That means you can hop on your phone while in line for one ride to make a FastPass+ for the next one!

Tip #5 -  Never Give Up!
 
So you’ve got the system down and you’re FastPassing rides left, right, and centre! That’s awesome! But there’s that one ride you just can’t snag a FastPass+ for, they’re all out! Is this a once they’re gone, they’re gone situation? Or is there still hope?
 
There might be! Firstly, people change their plans all the time - so keep checking while you’re waiting in line or for a show to start, you never know what might open up! Next, smaller party sizes can help with this. Are there six people in your family but only two who want to ride Star Tours? Try looking for a FastPass+ for only those two! You increase your chances and the other four of you can do something fun you’ll enjoy while your Padawan relatives take a quick trip across the galaxy!
 
So there you go! You’re educated and ready to make the most out of FastPass+ which will give you even more time to make some magical memories with your family! You did it!

​By Melissa - melissa@clickthemouse.ca