Disney PhotoPass Day 2018
Disney PhotoPass Day 2018, happening Sunday, August 19th, 2018, is a great way to celebrate this awesome service to have professional photos taken of your family on vacation. If you will be in the theme parks on August 19, 2018, there will be some unique photo opportunities to celebrate! Special photo ops include rare characters, like meeting Pinocchio in Magic Kingdom, or some villains like Cruella de Vil and Jafar at Epcot. There will also be special photo props and “Magic Shots” to enhance your fun family vacation photos. Start your day at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park for some awesome Pixar photo props from Up and Finding Nemo, then head to Hollywood Studios at night for a special Beauty and the Beast light painting photo opportunity. This special event has photo opportunities starting at park open in the morning at 9 am and lasting until 8 pm, but be sure to check each park’s times guide for special character meeting times.#MagicalStays Photo Contest
Can’t join us at the Disney Theme Parks for PhotoPass day? No need to worry, you can still join in on the photo fun by sharing your Orlando vacation memories with us for our #MagicalStays Photo Contest! The winner of this Magical Contest will receive a FREE 7 Night Stay in RVH_520, The Fun House at Reunion. Enter for your chance to make more magical memories here in Orlando in this amazing house with custom kids bedrooms, a super home movie theater, Enter our contest by submitting your photo HERE, or heading over to our Facebook page to enter! Vote for your favorite Orlando area vacation photo once a day until September 30th, 2018. Share with friends and family to get as many votes as possible to win your 7 night stay at The Fun House at Reunion! Here at Magical Vacation Homes, we know what it takes to make your vacation extra magical. If you’re looking at planning your Orlando vacation and are looking for advice on where to stay, contact our Reservations Team either by phone at 1-866-991-3158 or email reservations@magicalvacationhomes.com. Until the next blog post, we hope you have a magical day!Orlando is a dream vacation destination for princesses of all ages. Here’s our guide to help you plan a dream vacation in Orlando with all of the royal essentials, including a stay in your very own castle!1. A Princess Carriage Stroller Rental
A princess deserves a royal ride! Get the VIP (Very Important Princess) treatment with a Princess Carriage stroller. The theme parks can involve a lot of walking around, and a carriage stroller can be a lifesaver for families not wanting to carry everything around (It’s also perfect for holding all the royal purchases!) Does your little one need a midday nap? The stroller allows for a restful royal sleep by converting into a bed. The Princess Carriage Stroller will soon be available as a checkout option when you book a stay with us, or on their official website found here.2. A Trip to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique
Plan a visit to the Fairy Godmothers in Training for a magical makeover! This experience at Walt Disney World requires advanced reservations, available at two locations: Cinderella Castle in Magic Kingdom or the Boutique in Disney Springs. There are different levels of this royal makeover available for princesses (and handsome young knights!) ages 3 -12. Get the details here and plan for an extra enchanted experience.3. Dining with the Princesses
Enjoy a royal meal with some Princess friends! On a trip around the World Showcase in Epcot, a stop at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall is a great way to have food for everyone with a buffet, and a visit directly to your table from Princesses! Character Dining is a great way to meet characters, get autographs and photos without having to wait in long lines. Magic Kingdom has some great Royal dining options including Cinderella’s Royal Table and Be Our Guest — dine in Castles with a prix fixe menu!4. A Ride on the Royal Carrousel
At the heart of Fantasyland is Prince Charming Regal Carrousel, a must-ride for every princess! Get to choose your own royal horse, and it’s a perfect opportunity to get photos from the designated royal photographers (AKA Mom and Dad). The carrousel usually doesn’t have too long of wait to ride, and does not have any height restrictions so guests of all ages are welcome to ride!5. A Stay in your very own Castle
After a long day exploring the Theme Parks, every Princess needs to retreat to her own royal castle! With a stay at The Fun House at Reunion, little princesses are given the full royal treatment with a custom-built bedroom just for them! Wake up in a bed fit for a princess and play all day in a custom-built castle! See rates and availability for this amazing home HERE! Here at Magical Vacation Homes, we know what it takes to make your vacation extra magical. Every family deserves the royal treatment! If you’re looking at planning your Orlando vacation and are looking for advice on where to stay, contact our Reservations Team either by phone at 1-866-991-3158 or email reservations@magicalvacationhomes.com. Until the next blog post, we hope you have a magical day!According to AAA Travel, Orlando is the #1 destination for travel this 4th of July! It’s easy to see why, especially when we have theme parks known for their awe-inspiring fireworks spectaculars happening nightly! If you’re planning a 4th of July in Orlando at the theme parks or visiting the Orlando area for Independence Day celebrations, we’ve put together a guide for you! Our first Magical tip: the theme parks fill up very fast on the 4th of July, so be sure to keep that in mind when you are planning your day! There will be heavy crowds, so plan for long wait times for rides and characters and make sure to scope out your fireworks spot early!EPCOT
Epcot is the #1 spot for Independence Day celebrations! Here’s an inside look at the special offerings:- Special Fireworks: “The Heartbeat of Freedom” What would a 4th of July celebration be without fireworks? And Epcot has the best show around! It starts at 9 p.m. with a performance of “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth,” which concludes with the addition of a heart-pounding, all-American grand finale. This one-night-only fireworks extravaganza unites music from great American composers with more pyrotechnics than Guests can imagine!
- Voices of Liberty – An Epcot tradition for more than 35 years, this legendary a cappella group will perform a series of special evening concerts of great American songs in the America Gardens Theatre at 5:30 p.m., 6:45 p.m. and 8 p.m. Joining the Voices of Liberty on stage will be Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy, dressed for the occasion in their special “Spirit of ‘76” attire. Guests can also catch Voices of Liberty performing special patriotic songs in the rotunda of The American Adventure at 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.
- Disney Characters – During the day, Guests will have the opportunity to get a special photo with Mickey, Goofy, Pluto and Chip ‘n’ Dale, all wearing their patriotic best, right outside The American Adventure pavilion.
- Specialty Foods – Guests can add some flavor to their celebration with all-American foods throughout the park. There will be decadent red, white and blue cupcakes available at Fountain View and Sunshine Seasons, where they can also nosh on their yummy BBQ pork sandwich. Refreshment Port will have specially decorated croissant doughnuts (Who can resist those?!) and Liberty Inn has got Guests covered with the all-American burger, southern fried chicken sandwich, apple pie cheesecake and –just for the 4th – a slice of watermelon!
- The American Adventure – This epic attraction, another Epcot original, has recently been updated with an all-digital projection system, a new screen, new speakers and an all-new recording of the iconic “Golden Dream” anthem. And look for new faces added to the show’s finale including composer John Williams, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson and noted ballerina Misty Copeland.
Magic Kingdom
Enjoy Disney’s Celebrate America – A Fourth of July Concert in the Sky on July 3rd and 4th at 9:15 pm! See beautiful fireworks in the sky and special effects on Cinderella’s Castle. Also around the Magic Kingdom will be DJ Hosted dance parties from 7 pm to midnight on both the 3rd and the 4th in Frontierland and Tomorrowland. Dance the night away with both contemporary songs as well as tunes themed to the lands.Universal Studios Orlando
Starting at 5 pm on July 4th, Universal Studios Orlando will host special entertainment to celebrate, including a live performance from the band Raydio, award-winning DJ M-Squared spinning hits and a special dance party with Universal’s beloved characters. Fireworks begin at 9 pm, and the park will stay open until 10 pm to keep the Independence Day fun going until late!4th of July in Orlando Outside of the Theme Parks
Trying to avoid the busy theme park crowds? This website has compiled all of the events happening in the Central Florida area for the 4th! Thinking about planning your Orlando vacation and need some assistance with where to stay? Contact us today, our dedicated reservations team is here 7 days a week to help you plan the vacation of your dreams today! Until the next blog post, have a magical day!Soak up some famous Florida sunshine this summer in Orlando! Enjoy the beautiful sunny weather and keep cool at the same time at some of the area’s best water parks – conveniently located near our magical rental homes. Keep reading for useful info on the best water parks around. Walt Disney World is home to two award-winning Orlando water parks – Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon. Both offer a unique theme and exciting experiences the whole family can enjoy.Blizzard Beach
As legend has it, one year a freak snowstorm came to Florida. A ski resort popped up for all of the tourists to enjoy the slopes, but when all of the snow melted, Blizzard Beach water park made its debut! This ski-resort themed water park is home to the thrilling Summit Plummet – a 12 story free-fall body slide. If sliding down one of the highest and fastest water slides on Earth isn’t your thing – no worries! A leisurely lazy river winds through the park for total relaxation, as well as a whole kiddie section named Tike’s Peak, full of fun for the little ones.Typhoon Lagoon
The other Disney water park is Typhoon Lagoon, themed as a tropical paradise after a crazy typhoon-storm. The centerpiece of this park is one of the largest wave pools in the world. This park also features plenty of places to relax along artificial white sandy beaches and family attractions like the Crush ‘n’ Gusher water coaster and Mayday Falls raft ride. This summer, the park is debuting H2O Glow Nights, staying open at night, for the first time in the 29 years since opening, for a nighttime party with the Toy Story characters.Volcano Bay
Universal Studios Orlando debuted its new park in 2017 with the opening of Volcano Bay. The water park is themed around a 200-foot tall volcano named “Krakatau” and features a technology-driven experience with a wearable wristband called TapuTapu. The TapuTapu wristband holds your place in line so you can relax and enjoy the park instead of waiting in long lines for popular attractions. There’s a great balance for relaxation and thrills at this gorgeous Polynesian themed park.Aquatica
SeaWorld Orlando’s water park continues SeaWorld’s themes of animal education and conservation. The most popular slide in the park takes a plunge through the dolphin pool, and the new Ray Rush family slide promises a thrilling slide, splash and soar with the whole family.LEGOLAND Water Park
Slide, splash and build all day at the LEGOLAND Water Park! There’s some fun for everyone with attractions and slides to the all-new Creative Cove, where you can build and race your own LEGO boat! Beat the heat and still spend some quality time with the whole family at the LEGOLAND Water Park!Reunion Resort Water Park
You don’t even have to go far from your gorgeous vacation rental home to experience a great Florida water park experience! The Reunion Resort Water Park is 5 acres of tropical Florida fun, with three water slides, a lazy river and a kids play park. In order to spend time at this park, please be sure to register in advance as a Reunion Resort House Guest if the option is available for your rental home – if you have any questions about this, please be sure to reach out to our Care Team and they will happily answer any questions you may have to ensure your vacation is magical!Windsor Hills Splash Park
Enjoy the brand new community splash park and water slides in Windsor Hills! Windsor Hills Resort is located only two miles away from Disney with all of the amenities of a luxury resort paired with the comfort, convenience, and privacy of a high-end vacation home, at just fraction of the cost! Be one of the first guests to enjoy the brand new pool enhancements when you stay in one of our Windsor Hills properties!Your Magical Vacation Home
Sometimes, you don’t even have to leave your backyard to stay cool and have fun in the sun with your whole family! Relax in privacy with your own backyard pool, soak up some Florida sunshine and spend quality time with your loved ones.When traveling on a budget, we have a few tips to help you stay on track. First, we recommend planning your travels ahead of time. Typically, during the summer season, you can expect the flight prices to be high. If you can travel during the off-season, spring or fall, you can see instant savings. Secondly, decide which attractions are most important for your family to visit. If traveling with children, it is likely Walt Disney World will be first on the list. Many attractions offer special offers for Canadian guests. Walt Disney World is offering a Special Ticket Pricing from now through May 20th, 2017 for Canadian Residents. There are more attractions that offer discounts just for Canadians, such as, SeaWorld, Universal Studios, The Coca-Cola Orlando Eye, and more! We also recommend Kissimmee Guest Services to our guests looking for discounted park tickets.
When looking for accommodations, private vacation rentals offer the most for families on a budget. Vacation homes offer extra amenities, a full kitchen allowing you to prepare meals, and provides more space and privacy that you just can’t get while staying in hotels. With all of these key features, your family will save money enjoying the amenities in the home, the full kitchen allows you to prepare meals in the home so you can avoid eating out, and there is no need to reserve multiple hotel rooms to accommodate the whole family. Here at Magical Vacation Homes, we specialize in 2 to 14 vacation rentals with hotel-style amenities located just minutes away from major theme parks. Our newest villa located in Reunion Resort can accommodate up to 14 guests and was created with guest feedback in mind. Designed for Vacation is a 3,330-sq. ft. pool villa full of fun for all with theme bedrooms, a retro games room, movie room, extended deck with fire pit, and more. Save up to 40% on a last-minute getaway now through the end of May! Let us help you plan your next vacation with our reservations team available 7 days a week or check out our website with live calendars. Remember, Orlando is one of the most family-friendly destinations in the world and has something for everyone to enjoy. Until the next blog post, have a magical day!Enter a world full of spring wonder, fresh flavors, incredible topiaries, and fun interactive activities for the whole family! Take part in the annual International Flower and Garden running from March 1 to May 29, 2017, in Walt Disney World’s Epcot. Eat tasty treats from the outdoor kitchens offering farm-to-table plates. Wander the World Showcase and sample dishes and drinks from around the world. Dance the night away to the Garden Rocks Concert Series that runs on weekends with different artists each weekend. Be sure to check the artist’s schedule to see which artist is performing each week! Offering over 70 topiaries throughout all of Epcot. Highlights include topiaries of Anna and Elsa, Belle from Beauty and the Beast, Mickey, Minnie, and Pluto, and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Enjoy special exhibits and gardens including Butterflies on the Go, Floating Mini-Gardens, and the Illuminated Gardens. While visiting the theme park capital of the world, stay in one of our new luxury villas. The whole family will truly unwind in a fully equipped villa with a private pool, theater room and themed bedroom for the little ones! Until the next blog post, have a magical day!Epcot is debuting a brand new festival and showcases three artistic areas including visual, culinary and performing arts. The International Festival of the Arts runs Friday through Monday from now until February 20, 2017! This event is perfect for all ages with tasty dishes, captivating performances, and incredible artwork. Culinary Arts You can visit Food Studios throughout the World Showcase. Tasty highlights from the Food Studios include the Deconstructed Purple Sweet Potato Pie, Trio of Savory Croissant Doughnuts, BLT with Crispy Pork Belly, and the Classic Reuben. Each different food station offers food in different artistic styles including Pop Art, Deconstructionism, Modernism, and Renaissance just to name a few. Performing Arts Be wowed by a variety of live performances! Your family can enjoy the Disney on Broadway Concert Series including Beauty and the Beast, Frozen, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Tarzan, The Lion King and more! Be sure to view the schedules of concerts before visiting the park. There are other shows to choose from including the Community Arts Showcase, Art in Performance, and The Show Must Go On!. All of these shows are held at select times on select days, so be sure to check out the time’s schedule! Visual Arts Immerse yourself in Disney art with seminars, must-see exhibits, workshops, photo ops, and portraits. View exhibits from all over the world and even purchase some of your favorite pieces. Learn the basics of pieces from the artists themselves and even be the student in professional workshops. Be sure to visit Epcot for this new festival before it ends February 20! Call our reservationists today for help finding your perfect vacation rental! Check out this 9 bedroom villa with tons of upgrades, private theater, games room, and private pool! Until the next blog post, have a magical day!Join in the Mardi Gras fun at Universal Studios Orlando! Florida’s biggest party doesn’t stop and runs every night from February 4 through March 25, 2017. This year’s Mardi Gras will have 12 amazing concerts, millions of beads and one over the top parade, and great Cajun food for you to enjoy! The concert series runs on weekends throughout the whole event. Concert dates include: Saturday, February 4th: Trace Adkins Saturday, February 11th: Ne-Yo Saturday, February 18th: Collective Soul Sunday, February 19th: X Ambassadors Saturday, February 25th: Fifth Harmony Saturday, March 4th: Kool & The Gang Sunday, March 5th: Olivia Newton-John Saturday, March 11th: UB40 Sunday, March 12th: Toby Keith Saturday, March 18th: Jason Derulo Sunday, March 19th: Earth, Wind & Fire Saturday, March 25th: The All-American Rejects Enjoy authentic Cajun food including jambalaya, Creole gumbo, Andouille sausage, red beans & rice and beignets. While strolling through the courtyard with your mouth-watering food, you can listen to musicians straight from the streets of New Orleans. Gather around the streets for a view of the parade running every night at select times. The whole family will be awed by the over-the-top floats, stilt walkers, and performers. Little ones will have their own viewing area so they are sure to see everything! The Little Jester’s Parade viewing area is right in front of the Brown Derby Hat Shop. Don’t forget to find the perfect vacation villa for your family’s February getaway! Our new 9 bedroom villa is the definition of luxury and will give your family enough space and entertainment options. You will even have an 81 ft parameter pool, 2 games rooms, and custom themed bedrooms! Until the next blog post, have a magical day!Walt Disney World recently provided a behind the scenes glimpse of the new rides in Pandora: The World of Avatar. The two main rides are Na’vi River Journey and Flight of Passage. Na’vi River will allow riders cruising aboard a boat through a glowing forest. Flight of Passage will take riders on a more immersive Soarin’ type attraction. This new area will open summer 2017 and be a completely immersive world with floating mountains, thrilling rides, and bioluminescent flora. 2017 continues to look like a great year for the theme parks in Orlando. Disney’s Animal Kingdom will expand with the addition of Pandora: The World of Avatar and Disney’s Hollywood Studios will grow with a Star Wars area. Be sure to stay tuned for more information on additions to the theme park capital of the world. With 2017, right around the corner, begin planning your new adventures and stay in any of our luxury vacation rentals. Stay in the magic in our recently furnished 5-bed villa in Reunion Resort complete with a custom Star Wars game room. Until the next blog post, have a magical day!