The Ellis Exclusive Villas team shares our favourite Disney World top tips. This is everything you need to know about Disney World!
Even experienced Disney visitors will learn something from this collection of our favourite Disney hacks. If you are planning to visit Disney World while staying at one of our Orlando vacation homes, make sure you try these best-ever Disney World Hacks.
Let us guide you step by step through everything you need to know about getting the most from your visit to Disney World Orlando.
#1. Pick your dates wisely
Ticket prices can vary wildly from one month – or day – to the next. Choosing the right dates to go can have a huge impact on your total bill. If you are able to pick your travel dates freely, January and September are usually the cheapest months – and the weather is milder too.
If you are planning a visit to the parks with tiny tots, then make the most of these cheap rates before your toddler reaches school age and you’re constrained to the more expensive school holiday periods.
We really love Dave Shute’s guidance on this and if you’re serious about picking a day with lower footfall highly recommend you visit his site.
#2. Get your ticket from a reputable source
Don’t fall for too-good-to-be-true prices – always get your ticket from a reputable source.
If the deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. You don’t want to find yourself signed up for a timeshare meeting to get a discount (what a waste of a day’s holiday!) or, worse, turned away at the gates.
#3.Buy your tickets AT LEAST a month before you go so you can use the Fast Pass service
Disney’s Fast Pass Plus will save you lots of time standing in line.
Fast Pass is a free service from Disney. To use it, you need to have Disney tickets.
Then, 30 days before you are due to visit, you can use your Fast Pass to reserve your place in the queue on some of Disney’s most popular rides and attractions.
If there are some rides you don’t want to miss, your Fast Pass is the best way to minimise the time you stand in line for those rides. Simply register online or in the app to book your slot in the queue in advance.
Each guest can reserve their place in the queue for up to three rides or attractions.
You can also use your Fast Pass Plus to book character Meet and Greets too – which is really great if you have toddlers and little ones in your party.
Spend some time thinking about what you want to do, what you don’t want to miss, what is going to make your day special and use of your Fast Pass allocations wisely.
#4. Download the Disney World app
The best source of information before you go is the Disney World app – it includes information about wait times per attraction as well as showtimes for fireworks and parades.
Download the Disney World guest app “My Disney Experience” as soon as you can. The app is available on IoS and Android.
The app is ideal for helping you get familiar with the park layout and services before you arrive.
It also gives you access to the Fast Pass Plus scheme – so you can book your place in the queue for the most popular rides (see item #3). You can access the Fast Pass Plus system from 30 days before your visit. This scheme is one of the best ways to minimise the time you spend in line during your visit – so do make use of it.
#5. Book Disney restaurants and Disney character meet and greets far in advance
Character meet and greets are extremely popular and you need to book them month’s in advance. Don’t leave it to the last minute.
#6. When you visit, aim to arrive BEFORE the parks officially open
People don’t usually want to get up early in the morning when they are on vacation so, as a rule, the parks are always quieter first thing in the morning. Aim to arrive even before the official opening time. This enables you to make your way to the gate for “rope drop” and be at the front of the queue!
Magic Kingdom opens an hour before rope drop – so you can spend a little time browsing the stores on Main Street before getting yourself into pole position for opening.
On some days, on some rides, you may even be able to enjoy an attraction before the official opening time.
#7. Early starts don’t have to mean a full day
If you have toddlers in your party, one thing we have found useful over the years is to book a villa just a short drive from the main gate – our homes on Seasons are ideal. This way, you can align your trip perfectly with your toddler’s schedule.
You’ll be used to the early starts with your toddler’s early rises so can arrive at the parks early and make the most of the lighter queues in the mornings. When your little one is ready for their lunchtime nap, escape back to the vacation home for lunch. This will save you a fortune because you can cater for yourself instead of having to pay high restaurant prices in the parks.
You can chill by the pool during the heat of the day, then return to the parks fully refreshed in the late afternoon – ready to enjoy the evening fireworks and parades.
Disney can be quite overwhelming, especially on a first visit, so this is one way to reduce the stress and sensory overload on your whole party!
#8. Extra Magic Hours
One way to sneak into the park before anyone else is to stay at a Disney hotel for a night when there are Extra Magic Hours running at the park you want to visit.
On these days, hotel guests can access the park an hour early or stay a couple of hours later than other guests.
A word of warning, however: this is really only useful if you intend to get up an hour earlier and make use of that extra magic hour. What’s more, the parks do tend to be busier on the days when Extra Magic Hours are available.
There is a cheaper and better way to get into the park early which we will explain below.
#9. Time your Disney restaurant bookings and Disney character meet and greets wisely
Rather than checking into a Disney hotel and leaving your villa empty for the night, we recommend saving your money and booking a character breakfast on a day when there are no Extra Magic Hours instead.
Book an early breakfast at Crystal Palace or Cinderella’s Royal Table on a non-EMH morning and you can skip down an empty Main Street USA and pose with characters with hardly any others in the picture.
This is a great treat. Plus, the rest of the day won’t be subject to the extra crowds that seem to materialise on Extra Magic Hours days.
You can also use the Disney app to book restaurants and character meet and greets.
Do book as early as you can because they are popular!
#10. Agree a meeting point
As soon as you enter the park, set a meeting point where all your party can meet up in the event you get separated and your phone batteries die. If nothing else, it’s good for peace of mind.
#11. Your first visit should be to Guest Services if it is a special occasion
On your first visit, birthday, anniversary or special event go to Guest Services as soon as you arrive to pick up a pin badge. Wear your “It’s my birthday today” pin and you’ll be regaled with birthday greetings all day. A little bit of extra Disney magic which makes an occasion or birthday extra special.
If you are going to do this, we recommend an early start because the queue for Guest Services can get long quickly – and early start saves the time you’ll spend in line.
#12. Leave your selfie stick at home
They are not welcome at Disney.
#13. Do pack a poncho
This is our favourite money saving tip. At certain times of year, Florida is known for its flash showers so having a lightweight waterproof is vital.
Plus, your waterproof poncho will also come in very handy on the water rides!
However, the ponchos you buy in the park are expensive, so if you are trying to save money don’t leave it until you get to Disney World to buy one. Pick them up cheaply from local stores or online before you go.
#14. Make use of the Single Rider and Rider Switch schemes
Just as in Universal, Disney operates a rider swap scheme for parents with young children, so no one has to miss a turn on the ride because they’ve been left holding the baby.
As well as ensuring both Mum and Dad get to turn on the ride, older children in the party can enjoy a second turn without having to return to the back of the line.
Another way to reduce times is to ride as a single rider. This way, you will be seated where there are single seats between large parties. However, you do need to be prepared to ride alone; if you join the Single Rider line with other people in your party, you need to understand that you will be seated separately.
If you are parents visiting with one child who is too small to ride, you can combine Rider Switch with Single Rider and keep your wait times to an absolute minimum.
#15. Keep adding to your Fast Pass Plus selections as you use them
Once you use up your three pre-booked Fast Pass Plus selections, you can add more Fast Pass Plus options through the day (subject to availability). Either use the app or go to one of the Fast Pass Plus kiosks around the park.
Remember, to use the Fast Pass Plus scheme to full advantage, you need to get your Disney tickets well before you travel.
#16. If you don’t mind missing parades or firework shows, this is the time to ride!
The wait times for attractions are usually much lower when there is a parade or show happening.
On nights when there are no evening spectaculars in Hollywood Studios or Animal Kingdom, you’ll find those parks have shorter waiting times too.
So, provided you don’t mind missing the shows, this can be a great time to get some extra rides in.
If you have little ones in your party or its your first visit, you won’t want to miss these magical events of pure Disney – so position yourself to the beginning of the parade route so you can scoot off once the parade passes and enjoy the short lines!
Word of warning: make sure you are on the right side of the parade route for the attraction you want to ride. There’s no crossing the parade route once it’s started.
#17. Offset your mealtimes
Wait times are often shorter during mealtimes too. So, you could consider scheduling a mid-morning snack and afternoon tea instead of having lunch.
This is a double win: you eat when the restaurants are less busy and you make the most of the short lines during peak dining times.
#18. Shop wisely
There are so many ways to spend money in the parks, so it’s worth thinking about what you want to spend your money on before you go.
You can pick up Disney merchandise cheaply in stores like Walmart or online, so if you are trying to save money it might be worth buying your little princess her Elsa dress before you go.
You can also save money by taking refillable water bottles with you – most restaurants will give you free iced water if you ask for it.
When Main Street is busy, you can avoid the crowds by walking through the shops instead of along the road. The shops are all inter-connected and the air conditioning is a cooling bonus!
We suggest you leave your shopping until the end of the day, because the shops of Main Street remain open for an hour after the rest of the park closes. However, if you do pick up a few souvenirs during the day, you can ask for them to be sent to the front of the park for the end of the day, so you can pick up your gift shopping as you leave.
Follow these 20 tips and you can get your most from your Disney World Orlando visit.
Share your Disney World Orlando hacks!
If you have other Disney World Orlando tips you can share with our guests, please do share your thoughts on our Facebook page. We’d love to hear your Disney World tips and hacks.
If you’d like to talk to us about finding you the perfect vacation for your Disney World Orlando vacation, please email: reservations@ellisexclusivevillas.com
Now you know the hacks, book your visit!
Check out our vacation homes near Disney World Orlando:
Talk to our ticket partner for the best deal on tickets – guaranteed!
Read our best-ever hacks for Universal Studios and Universal Islands of Adventure:
Exciting news for all Star Wars fans… Disney has announced its plans for the new Stars Wars worlds that it is developing for its theme parks in Orlando, Florida, and in California.
Disney has announced that the construction of its new Star Wars attractions is already underway at Disney Hollywood Studios in Orlando.
The new land will be called Galaxy’s Edge, set in the galaxy of Batuu. The site covers some 14 acres of the Disney plot – putting the Star Wars extension on an unprecedented scale; the biggest single-themed development Disney has ever undertaken.
Pictures of the construction site released so far obviously show the construction in very early stages. Even so, there are some tantalising glimpses into what we can expect in this much-anticipated new world.
Feel the Force
Disney has also released news about the activities guests can expect to enjoy in the new Star Wars worlds. These announcements include news that guests will be able to pilot the Millennium Falcon as well as witnessing a battle with stormtroopers.
At the D23 Expo last year, Disney also released plans to open a Star Wars theme hotel as part of the development. The hotel will resemble a spaceship and it’s planned that, over the course of a two-night stay, guests will be able to take part in an immersive story-led interactive Star Wars experience.
For Star Wars fans, it could be well-worth considering checking into the hotel for a couple of nights during your stay at one of our villas. Pack an overnight bag and immerse yourself in this exciting new universe!
Starry Eyed
Disney imagineers say the new worlds will really enable guests to get the Star Wars experience for themselves.
Disney’s Doug Chiang, VP Creative Director Star Wars, says, “it’s all the things you wanted to do watching the movie that you’ve never had a chance to do. Having this attraction will allow guests to really immerse themselves and feel like they really are visiting Star Wars.”
MaxPass Rumours
There’s speculation online around how Disney will deal with the huge crowds expected when the new Star Wars worlds open.
Orlando Weekly has suggested that Star Wars land will open with a MaxPass scheme and not the usual free FastPass and FastPass+ fast-track schemes. MaxPass is a paid-for pass that ranges in price from $10 to $75 for an annual pass. Orlando Weekly suggests these prices may increase as we approach the Star Wars land opening date.
Of course, the rumour mill is in overdrive about this new opening, so we will have to wait for more news from Disney before we know for sure what will be available to guests.
May the Force Be with You
Much as we’d like to tell you the new Star Wars world will open on May the Fourth, announcements from Disney seem to suggest it will be later in 2019 before the new Star Wars worlds open at Disney World Orlando. At the moment the schedule is suggesting a late Spring opening at Anaheim and a summer opening in Orlando.
If you can’t wait until then, check out this video released by Disney which shows a detailed view of the model on which this new world will be based:
Then check out all the latest announcements on the Disney blog.
If you want to reserve a vacation home for summer or fall 2019, browse our Orlando vacation homes on our website.
September and October could be great months to visit, when the crowds are likely to be quieter than during the summer vacation season.
There’s only a month to go until Disney’s newest world opens at Disney Hollywood Studios in Orlando.
Here’s everything you need to know about the soon-to-open Toy Story Land.
Toy Story Land – Opening June 30, 2018
This summer visitors to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Disney World Florida can enjoy a whole new land: Toy Story Land.
It’s the first of two major expansions to the Hollywood Studios park and is intended to be a really immersive experience. Toy Story fans should definitely not miss getting tickets to this park this summer!
Toy Story World will cover approximately 11 acres just off Pixar Place, behind the existing 4D shooting game, Toy Story Mania.
This is currently Hollywood Studio’s most popular ride, which is presumably what inspired Disney to expand on the Toy Story theme. The Toy Story Mania building will be extended to create a new entrance which will open directly onto the newly created Toy Story Land area.
Slinky Dog Dash
The centrepiece of the Toy Story Land area will be the Slinky Dog Dash – a family-friendly rollercoaster which coils around curves, hills, bridges and drops.
It should give a great view over the whole of Toy Story Land and the giant-size toys of that fill the landscape. Disney says there are more than 400 toys around Andy’s backyard.
Riders have to be 38in (97cm) or taller to enjoy Slinky Dog Dash and Disney describes the thrill level as “Thrill Ride, Small Drops”.
Alien Swirling Saucers
The other Tier One ride in Toy Story Land is the Alien Swirling Saucers spin ride.
Disney says, “Inside a play set that Andy won at Pizza Planet, the Aliens have powered up their flying saucers—and they’re ready to spin you on a wild ride into space! Hold on for some wild fun as your toy rocket takes off, all while electronic space music provides an intergalactic soundtrack. And if you’re really lucky, you might just get ‘chosen’ by the claw. Oooooo!”
The height restriction on this ride is just 32” (81cm) or taller.
Woody’s Lunchbox
Woody’s Lunchbox is the new food kiosk in Toy Story Land which will offer guests “tasty meals and old-fashioned floats” from a walk-up window service.
Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, visitors can enjoy a Toy Story themed menu.
Announced earlier this year, it includes: S’more French Toast Breakfast Sandwich; Banana Split Yogurt Parfait; Grilled Three-Cheese Sandwiches; Raspberry Lunch Box Tart; an Ice Cream Float with Barq’s Root Beer; and Grown-Up’s Lemonade.
Toy Story Merchandise
The Disney site is also promising Tshirts, Novelties and Beyond!
Character Meet and Greets
You can get a taste of the character meet and greets you can expect at the new Toy Story Land by checking out this video in which ABC previews the park attractions.
Disney says, “So buckle up your space ranger utility belt, set your lasers for big fun with some of your best pals… and get ready for the biggest play date of all time!”
Use Your Fast Pass
The FastPass+ reservations opened for Toy Story Land in April 2018. This means if you are planning a trip to be one of the first to experience the new Toy Story Land at Disney World Orlando, you can pre-book your rides on Alien Swirling Saucers or Slinky Dog Dash.
Best Price on Tickets
For great value tickets and information and advice about the best ticket and FastPass packages for you, we recommend you speak with our ticket partner Kissimmee Guest Services. They guarantee to match any price if you find the ticket cheaper up to 14 days after your visit – so you can be sure of getting the best deal.
Click through to their site from our attraction tickets page: www.ellisexclusivevillas.com/attraction-tickets/
There are so many reasons for choosing to stay at your own vacation home instead of an expensive resort hotel… here are some of our favourites!
The pool doesn’t close
No need to rush back from the park… the pool isn’t going to close.
We don’t have a dress code
Whatever you’re up to, you can relax in comfort! Read the story of our guests who ran ToughMudder here.
So much space
There’s room for the whole family to relax.View this home.
The kids won’t be bored
Many of our homes have fantastic games rooms. View this home.
Dine out by the pool
Kick back and relax in comfort without having to dress for dinner! View this home.
You aren’t tied to eating at expensive resort restaurants
When you rent a vacation home you can eat in when you fancy it. Pick up pizza on your way back from the parks or rustle up something on the BBQ. Save money and enjoy more flexibility in all this space. View this home.
You have your own master bedroom
Relax and enjoy! View this home.
And the kids have theirs!
No more tiptoe-ing around the hotel room at night so you don’t wake the kids! No more sharing a bathroom with the kids! View this home.
https://www.ellisexclusivevillas.com/Allamanda/
Enjoy a down day by the pool
The theme parks can be tiring. When you rent a vacation home, you can choose to spend a day by the pool every now and then so don’t get jaded. You’ll enjoy your park days more – and may even save on attraction tickets because you visit the parks on fewer days. View this home.
https://www.ellisexclusivevillas.com/Bella-Vista/
If you aren’t sure which home is right for you, please give us a call. Our friendly team are only too happy to help and offer advice.
We are incredibly lucky here at Ellis Exclusive Villas to work with such a fantastic bunch of home owners.
In this week’s blog, we speak with Pierre, one of the home owners to most recently join us.
How did you end up buying a property in Orlando?
We first went to Florida in 2001. We were living in Canada at the time and a friend lent us his house in Kissimmee. We fell in love with Orlando right away. The kids were very young and they really enjoyed the parks. We have always wanted to buy a house there and plan to live out there for six months every year once the kids are grown up and settled.
In the meantime, we are renting it out through Ellis Exclusive Villas.
How did you decide where did you buy?
We did look at many homes, but because I am in a wheelchair most of them would need to be adapted for me. Rather than knocking down walls and putting in new bathrooms, we realised it would work out cheaper to buy off-plan and have the house built to meet our needs. Providence is one of Orlando’s newest resorts and it boasts a wealth of amenities, and it is in a great location for Disney and Orlando’s other attractions, so it made perfect sense.
How does the home specially cater to wheelchair users?
All the doors are wide. We have two master suites on the ground floor and in one of them we have an accessible bathroom. You can access this from the pool area, which is great for minimising the drips through the house on the days when we’re out by the pool. We also have a pool hoist for access in and out of the pool. We’ve recently added a ramp into the garage where we have a games room. The pool table and fussball tables are the right height for wheelchair users.
How does this compare to the kind of accommodation in the parks?
We’ve never stayed at the parks – we’ve always wanted the extra flexibility that a vacation home gives you. We like being able to go out to dinner without feeling like we’re paying twice for it (because we’ve already paid for it at the hotel). Now, it is great to be able to spend time at home. Being able to get in and out the pool is a really important advantage.
Do you find that the parks usually pretty good in terms of accessibility?
The Disney parks are superb for wheelchair users. The only thing I find uncomfortable are all the cobbles in the Harry Potter worlds at Universal!
However, I do understand this is because Universal is being authentic to the books and, to be fair, it is all still accessible.
The staff are really happy to help in whatever way they can. Quite a few of the rides have spaces where I can take my wheelchair directly into the booth or cars. I can’t transfer once I’m in the chair, so I have to avoid the rollercoasters, but usually there are designated areas in the front carriages. When we get to a ride, the staff will usually come up and bring the whole party to the front, so we don’t have to join the queue.
What about the dining options?
I haven’t found anywhere in any of the four parks which wasn’t accessible. My wife and I went to eat at The Liberty restaurant in the Magic Kingdom but the only tables available were up on the tiers.
So the staff checked if we were ok and brought a table down to us. They were absolutely great; we couldn’t fault them.
Do you find that this is reflective of a better awareness of accessibility across Orlando, even outside the parks?
Most places are accessible, yes.; all the restaurants and shopping malls. I think in large part this is because the buildings are generally quite modern and recent. They don’t have quite the same issues with adapting historic and listed buildings as we do here in the UK!
How about getting around?
We use Orlando International as it is convenient for our property. Entry and exit are easy, and we have always found ground staff extremely helpful helping me in and out of the chair. Nothing has ever been too much trouble. My whole party has been fast-tracked through Immigration. We’ve flown with United, BA and Virgin and they are all good – make sure you compare prices though as there can be huge variations.
We hire a fully adapted vehicle with a ramp from Dennis at Advantage Vans Mobility Florida. They meet us at the airport and collect us, he is a great guy and we would wholeheartedly recommend him. You can reach them at advantagevansmobilityflorida@outlook.com
How easy is it to get around inside the parks?
The train that runs between the Disney parks is also wheelchair accessible. There is a separate queue and a separate carriage in the front which has more space for you and your party.
It sounds like Disney are doing a really great job in terms of accessibility?
Yes, I’d definitely recommend it as a holiday.
There is a big difference when compared with theme parks here in the UK, where large chunks of them aren’t accessible.
Have you encountered any drawbacks?
The only time I’ve really encountered a problem is at the Water Parks. The Disney Blizzard Beach water park doesn’t have any facilities for getting in and out of the water; there were no pool hoists. I found that very difficult, because trying to find somewhere in the shade on a hot day was very difficult.
It was the same story at Discovery Cove. There was no facility to get changed, nor was there a pool hoist there. It meant that I couldn’t go swimming with the dolphins with the rest of my family. I thought I’d watch, but I couldn’t get close enough to see.
I might have been better if I had someone to push me in the special wheelchairs they have there for getting through the sand. But it was disappointing, especially since I was paying full price to get in.
Do you have advice for anyone considering a trip to Orlando and Disney?
Everyone is apprehensive to start off with, but you don’t need to be apprehensive about Disney World as they are fully adapted. You aren’t waiting for rides – especially if you use your FastPass+. Plan ahead because it is plainly advertised which rides are accessible and which are not – and many of them are.
I’ve never come across anyone who was not willing to help. In fact, I’ve met many friends since becoming disabled and I have recommended it to them. One friend stayed at our house – she needed the pool hoist so she didn’t have to keep physically lifting her son in and out of the pool – and before she left, she’d already booked for the next holiday!
Just go and enjoy yourself!
To view or book Pierre’s home click here.
For additional help and advice about theme park tickets, we recommend you speak with our Attractions partner, Kissimmee Guest Services. Find out more about the service and discounts KSG offer here.
For help and advice about buying or managing a vacation home in Orlando or Central Florida, contact the Ellis Exclusive Villas team:
In USA: 321 710 8779
In UK: 0333 332 1411
Do you have any advice you would like to share with our guests about accessibility issues? We’d love to hear your thoughts… please share them in the comments section below.
The holidays are here! What a wonderful time of year! And, for Disney fans, there is nowhere better to celebrate the holidays than Walt Disney World Orlando.
There are plenty of other wonderful events happening across the Central Florida area too, so don’t think it is all mouse ears… you can seek out Christmas carollers and even snow in Florida if you know where to look!
Here’s the Ellis Exclusive Villas guide to getting the most out of your Orlando vacation when you stay with us in December.
The Theme Parks
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at the Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World, opened its doors in early November, so celebrations at the Magic Kingdom are already well underway by the time December arrives.
Holidays Around the World at Epcot is also a wonderful Christmassy experience, where you can discover seasonal traditions from around the globe.
Inevitably, you can expect the crowds to be in full force by the end of the month. They do drop off for the first couple of weeks in December (compared to the peaks of the late-November Thanksgiving weekend). But by the middle of the month, things are back to peak capacity levels so be prepared for long lines and large crowds.
The usual strategies for dealing with crowds apply: get to the parks early, keep a close eye on children, invest in FastPasses and, if it is your first time to the parks it is well worth thinking about using the services of a tour guide.
You can book Orlando theme park tickets through Ellis Exclusive Villas. KSG guarantee you won’t get a better price.
Get some advice from our professional ticket partner to make sure you get the best prices on all your excursion and park tickets. As well as guaranteeing you won’t find tickets cheaper (and offering a money-back guarantee), their advice can also help you to work out what the best deal will be and the best days to go.
The Weather
In Orlando in December, the average daily temperatures will typically be in the low seventies ˚F/ low twenties ˚C, with lows dropping to around 50˚F/ 10˚C.
Although low by Florida standards, this still counts as winter sunshine for me! You can expect around seven hours of sunshine per day. This means it is still very pleasant.
What’s more, the humidity also drops around time of year so you can enjoy getting out and about a bit and exploring without getting too hot.
By the end of the month we’re out of the official storm season too, although showers are always a possibility.
Wider Central Florida
There are so many wonderful Christmas/ holidays events happening in and around Orlando in December, so don’t confine yourselves just to the parks.
Highlights include the Orlando Ballet’s annual performance of the Nutcracker at the Dr Phillips Center.
The Christmas at Bok Tower Garden Holiday Home Tour: at Bok Tower Gardens, Lake Wales (in the direction of Legoland).
Light Up UCF features a giant ice skating rink at University of Central Florida’s CFE Arena.
And – my personal favourite – the picture-perfect town of Celebration will be decked out for the holidays, with roving carollers and “real” snow!
Since we’re rapidly approaching Christmas, Orlando’s shopping malls will be busy but if you do need to do some Christmas shopping, you’ll find whatever you need in one of Orlando’s numerous shopping malls.
If you want to plan some other lovely treats, get in touch with the Ellis team, we can happily arrange in-home treats.
For other treats away from your vacation home, such as an unforgettable hot air balloon ride about Orlando, please get some advice from our ticket partner, Kissimmee Guest Services, who can offer great advice about slightly more unusual treats and ways to experience Florida.
Your vacation home
If you are staying at an Ellis Exclusive Villas in December we will try to add a bit of holiday magic for you. If you have a specific treat in mind – perhaps a personal chef for the night or spa for the day – then please give us a call and we can make a booking for you.
During December, if you want to use the pool in your vacation home we strongly recommend that you book and pay for pool heat.
Let us know before you go so that the pool is warm from the beginning of your stay (otherwise it can take a few days to warm up if we come and switch the heater on after you’ve already arrived). Please be aware that pool heat won’t heat the swimming pool (or the integrated spa pool, if you have one) up to the temperature of a warm bath. However, what it will do is take the chill off the water.
If you have paid for pool heat and your home has a pool blanket, we strongly recommend you use the pool blanket – they do keep the warmth in overnight. The standard pool heaters that are fitted in most of our vacation homes are only designed to run eight hours a day – so the pool blanket does help significantly in retaining some of the heat you’ve paid for.
Finally, if you have any questions then please contact us on the usual numbers. And, most of all, enjoy your vacation!
In USA: 321 710 8779
In UK: 0333 332 1411
I like to work with people who share my ideas about delivering excellent customer service in order to ensure long-term success.
One business that certainly operates with this ethos is Kissimmee Guest Services, a local events business. I partner with KSG so I can offer guests discounted rates on theme park tickets.
But what makes KSG’s service so special?
“Park tickets are expensive and it can quickly get confusing,” explains Tim Justynski, KSG’s Director of Business Relations. “We aim to give personal service that ensures the customer has exactly what they need. We don’t oversell – none of our staff works on commission. That way we can ensure everyone gets the tickets they need – and only what they need.”
KSG sells tickets for all of the main attractions in and around Orlando plus many other smaller attractions. All of the tickets they sell are discounted.
“Whatever you want to do, we are going to be able to offer you a discount on the gate price,” says Tim.
The company is so confident about the prices it can offer that it gives all its customers a low price guarantee. Tim explains: “If customers can find the tickets on sale cheaper anywhere else then we will refund the difference in price. We are very confident about our low prices. We even offer this refund up to seven days after the customer has used them – we’re that confident we have the best deals.”
“The only time we’ll be beaten is if there is something not right about the deal,” says Tim. some companies in Orlando that offer huge discounts on park tickets but these are usually in exchange for attending some kind of sales pitch. Tim does offer a warning about thinking you’re going to get a deal with an offer like this: “If you are offered very cheap park tickets then be wary. If it sounds too good to be true it usually is. Some local timeshare operators will offer discounted park tickets in exchange for attending one of their timeshare presentations. Even if you are happy to spend three or four hours of your vacation at a timeshare presentation, you need to be prepared for some high pressure selling. You will get the tickets eventually, but be prepared.”
It’s a far cry from KSG’s customer-centric approach. Tim says: “We’ll organise for your tickets to be delivered to your vacation home if you like or you can stop by and collect your tickets from our office where you can also pick up some brochures and additional advice from our team.”
The advice the KSG team offers ranges from which tickets offer the best deals, through traffic tips, to the best times to see particular attractions. This personal service and the care and attention they give to every customer is probably the most important reason the Ellis Exclusive Villas team are so pleased to work with KSG.
Another advantage is the company’s convenient location. The KSG office in Celebration is the only third-party ticket service on Disney property. The team are rightly proud of this fact. The Celebration location is also incredibly convenient for all our homes in Davenport – not just the homes in Kissimmee.
“We’re are just down World Drive, just off the Interstate so we can be easily reached by any Ellis Exclusive Villas guest,” says Tim. “Your homes are in either Kissimmee or Davenport and you can call in to our offices from either location on your way to the parks. We’re really close to Disney and just another ten or fifteen minutes away from Universal or SeaWorld.”
I think the service the KSG team offer is really top notch and the fact that it is backed up by their low price guarantee means that sourcing our guests’ tickets through them is a no-brainer.
From my point of view, it’s nice to know that we share the same values about building a successful business through keeping guests happy.
As Tim says: “A happy guest is more likely to come back to us and to recommend us to their family and friends. That’s good for us. But, most importantly, we want the guests to get the vacation they want.”
We couldn’t agree with you more Tim.
To speak with Tim or his team, please contact them direct or via me on the usual numbers. For more information, see our attractions tickets page.
As if you needed another excuse! The Ellis team are SO excited by these great new attractions opening in 2016… it is shaping up to be a Super Spring here in Orlando! Have you booked your tickets and vacation property yet?
Be among the first to feel the Force in the Star Wars Launch Bay
The Force has awoken at Disney Hollywood Studios! A handful of new Star Wars experiences premièred in December 2015 in time to herald in the new movie. We’ve seen it and are huge fans – we expect this to be very big in 2016.
Let it go during your visit to Arendelle”
We’ve already trailed the exciting new Frozen ride coming to Epcot on our blog earlier this year. We think it is scheduled to open around April time, but exact dates are yet to be confirmed by Disney. We can’t wait!
See Disney’s Animal Kingdom in a whole new light
In Spring 2016 Disney will be opening the Animal Kingdom Park for longer so that visitors can experience the wonders of the natural world after dark. The centerpiece of this new experience is an amazing light show based around the park’s tree of life. Watch the video on the Disney blog here.
There’ll be even more to explore around Disney Springs
The revamp of downtown Disney is already well underway, with some fab new openings recently – there is a whole host of new restaurants, gift and souvenir stores and much-loved names to explore in Disney Springs already, including my personal favourite: the Ganchery. Throughout 2016 more stores and restaurants will be announced and opened so it looks like they’ll be plenty to explore over the course of the year.
The Orlando Lions get a new home
Just a block away from the Amway Centre, Orlando’s latest sports stadium is set to open its doors to 25,000+ soccer fans from Summer 2016. Orlando’s already got some great sports venues and teams and now the city’s Lions soccer team can host in style too. If you’re a visitor to the area and want to get a real taste of local life, then live sports is a great way to do that. Ellis Exclusive Villas can offer great rates on tickets too – please call us for details.
Are you brave enough to face the Cobra’s Curse?
Is there such a thing as an ordinary rollercoaster? If so, Busch Gardens is promising that Cobra’s Curse is not it! After ascending on a vertical lift, just like an elevator, riders will come face-to-face with an 80-foot snake icon and trek over the park’s Serengeti Plain. It is scheduled to open at the end of May 2016, but you can get a sneak preview here:
Universal creates Skull Island: The Reign of Kong
Universal is promising a larger than life experience on this hotly anticipated new ride – check out this launch trailer:
Due to open in summer 2016, it’s another exciting reason to book your 2016 trip to Orlando!
SeaWorld promises us Orlando’s fastest coaster
The Mako shark is one of the fastest in the ocean – and it provides the ideal inspiration and name for SeaWorld’s latest coaster which it promises will be Orlando’s fastest.
When it is launched in Spring 2016 it will be taking visitors on rides of up to 73mph. Hold tight for this one!
And there’s another supercharged thrill on its way
If you are still feeling the need for speed after Mako, then hold tight for another Spring unveiling – this time a 3D experience at Universal Studios, but just as fast and furious:
Fans of the movies should be prepared to be taken along on an immersive chase at speeds of 120mph!
Interact with heroes and legends
Finally, the Kennedy Space Centre is revamping its visitor complex with a view to opening a whole new interactive theatre show towards the end of 2016. The heroes and legends show will enable visitors to immerse themselves in the experiences of the early pioneers of space flight and learn about real-life superstars: the 91 all-American heroes and legends who’ve gone to space.
Excited? So are we! Book your vacation home for 2016 now and beat the January rush! Get your pick of our properties today for your chosen dates in 2016.
Those of you who read this blog regularly will know I am a huge fan of Epcot and I can’t think of a nicer introduction to the festive season than Holidays Around the World at Epcot. It runs 1 – 30 December, at Epcot, Disney World and features a candlelight processional, dining experiences, the obligatory firework spectacular and treats and traditions from around the world.
For the little ones, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas party runs on selected dates throughout December (1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 17 and 18) at Magic Kingdom, Disney World. It does require a separate admission ticket as well as your normal park ticket through, which is worth booking in advance – as always, you can book tickets through Ellis Exclusive Villas.
For something completely different, but totally awe-inspiring and totally Florida, how about witnessing a rocket launch from Cape Canaveral? There are two this month: Atlas V- Orb-4 Rocket launch on 3 December and Falcon 9 – SpaceX CRS 9 Rocket Launch on 9 December. The Kennedy Space Centre also has a ‘Holidays in Space’ exhibit running from 19 December until 3 January.
On 4 December downtown Orlando begins its holiday celebrations as the lights get turned on. The Holiday Lights celebration takes place at Lake Eola Amphitheatre, Orlando.
I’m really excited about one of the latest launches at Disney Springs: on 15 December a new Disney Chocolatier or ‘Ganachery’ opens. Designed to celebrate the most beautiful product in the world, it’s the perfect excuse to stock up with some mouth-watering chocolate treats just in time for Christmas!
That’s assuming you didn’t pick up enough chocolate at the Lakeridge Winery’s Wine & Chocolate Festival the previous weekend, 12 & 13 December, at the Lakeridge Winery, Clermont. As well as tours and tastings over the weekend, there will be performances by local bands and local crafters displaying their wares.
After all that chocolate why not head on over to this year’s Light up UCF? It’s running throughout the month, Florida University’s CFE Arena, Orlando. There’s lots going on besides the ice rink, so you really need to check out the online calendar for details of all the events that are running over the 50 nights of wintery wonderland magic.
Talking about a little bit of magic, The Nutcracker returns to Orlando Ballet 17 – 20 December. You can purchase tickets for the performances at Orlando Ballet, Dr Phillips Centre for the Performing Arts, Orlando through Ellis Exclusive Villas’ ticket service.
My final pre-Christmas tip to really get you in the mood for Christmas is to make a visit to Celebration. This town is picture perfect all year round, but throughout December it is just a little bit more special with nightly snowfalls at 6, 7, 8 and 9pm, photos with Santa, strolling Holiday carollers, and an Ice Rink. The perfect warm-up (or should that be cool-up?) to Christmas.
At the end of the month, there’s just time to squeeze in one more unmissable event: the Orlando Citrus Parade on 30th December.
You can find additional details of events listed on our new events page on our website.
Has this whetted your appetite for a Florida Christmas 2016? We are already taking bookings for the 2016 Holiday period – so now’s a great time to beat the post-Christmas rush and book yourself somewhere lovely for 2016. Call me on (from the USA): 321 710 8779 or (from the UK): 0333 332 1411
Autumn is traditionally a time of plenty and of harvest celebration and there is no better place to celebrate and give thanks than at Epcot’s International Food and Wine Festival, held every Fall at Disney World’s Epcot Center in Florida.
My mouth waters at the mere thought of it!
It is my favourite event at any of Central Florida’s theme parks. This year’s festival began on 25th September but there is still time to sample its delights – it runs until November 16th.
Wish I was there!
My family are enjoying the delights of the festival as we speak and I only wish I was there with them!
I’m afraid to say that their reporting back from the show left a little to be desired however… their top tip was the fact they paid $10 for a Guinness!
However, I can heartily recommend the Greek stall – the food there is amazing and worth the trip alone!
The French section do amazing iced cocktails – wow – they are good.
And, best of all, this year also sees the return of the Scottish food stand. And, yes, last time we were there we all enjoyed the haggis, neeps and tatties. Fantastic!
Truly there is a wealth of choice and you’d have difficulty eating your whole way around the world – although the Orlando Sentinel has had a go at it for you!
What you need to know
Mid-week is a great time to go. This festival also attracts a lot of locals so the weekends can get busy.
Most Epcot International Food & Wine Festival events are included with admission to the Park, but several experiences do require a separate admission fee. This includes the food and refreshment samples, entry into Premium Experiences and entry into Cultural Dining Opportunities.
However, the Eat to the Beat concerts are included with the normal price of admission. There are still some great acts from the 80s and 90s due to play including Tiffany on the 24th and 25th of October, Boyz II Men on November 2nd and 4th, Maxi Priest on 13th and 14th November and Chaka Khan on 15th and 16th November. See the complete line-up here.
If you want to be seated near the stage then we do recommend getting there early – as much as an hour or more before the concert is scheduled to start.
Most food choices will set you back around $3 – $8 – so you won’t need an astronomical amount of spending money.
What to do before you go
A few simple steps to get the most from the festival:
- Prebook your Epcot and other Disney tickets through Ellis Exclusive Villas and you can get great discounts on the cost of your admission.
- Book special events in advance – this includes the mixology seminars, culinary demonstrations, celebrity chef events and dining packages.
- Download the festival map
- This year, Disney is partnering with Facebook to offer a special notification service for iOS phone users when you’re at the festival. You’ll need to turn on Bluetooth and enable location services for your Facebook app, then you will receive exclusive festival updates in your Facebook newsfeed. It will be interesting to see how well this works!
Fancy the festival but can’t make it this year? We are already taking bookings for September/ October 2016. If you book for Fall 2016 with Ellis Exclusive Villas before the end of this year’s festival – 16th November – and quote the discount code EPCOT FOOD FEST we’ll give you a mouth-watering 10% discount off your booking.
Yum!