Hello Everyone!

Well, summer is in full-swing now! Orlando temperatures (and crowd levels!) are increasing exponentially! Please be prepared if you will be visiting Disney World this summer. Be smart, pack sunscreen and stay adequately hydrated. For these and more tips, check out my Weather Tips and Crowd Tips.

For those who are not able to get to Disney this summer, why not expand your Disney DVD library? A great way to do that is to join the Disney Movie Club. Right now, you can get 4 Disney Movies for $1.99 Each, plus FREE SHIPPING! Disney DVDs are a wonderful way to bring the magic home - and a nice way to pass a lazy summer day!

As always, before we jump into the news, I have a couple of housekeeping items to get out of the way. First, a friendly reminder to anyone traveling to Disney World in October. Your 90 day window is quickly approaching! Get ready to make all of your dining reservations and set your alarm for 7:00 am eastern time on your reservation day! For those going before then, hopefully you have already made all of your desired reservations.

If you use Facebook and you’d like to become a fan, leave a note, or even start a discussion, go to Plan a Magical Vacation on Facebook. Maybe post some interesting photos from your trips.

Once again, I’d like to extend a sincere thank you to all those who made a donation to the website this month – they are very much appreciated. Remember, your donations help defray the costs associated with creating and maintaining the site. See the Chip In section to donate or to learn more. Thanks again.

Finally, if you are in the early stages of planning your trip, or don’t even know where to begin, I suggest you start with the Disney Vacation Plan Step by Step Guide.

If you haven’t already, I suggest that you download the Disney planning spreadsheet. It is a simple spreadsheet that makes planning out your Disney days super easy! Since posting the spreadsheet files, they have been downloaded over 9300 times! Read more about the spreadsheet or go directly to the download.

Lastly, if you are a new subscriber to the Scoop and have some extra time, you can catch up on old issues.

In this month's Disney Scoop

• Disney World News
  • Free Dining Booking Deadline Extended
  • New Online ADR System
  • New Mobile “Room-Ready” Notification System
  • New Magic Kingdom Dessert Party
  • Park Merchandise now available for order online!
  • Join the Pirate’s League!
  • ** Start your own web business! **
  • Discounted Tickets
  • Give the Gift of Disney Stock
  • Find the Cheapest Airfare
• Disney World Discounts and Specials
• Tip of the Month
• What’s New on the Site

As always, if you have any feedback or questions, please send me a note.

Free Dining Booking Deadline Extended
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Well, the title says it all! Disney has extended the booking deadline for the Free Dining Promotion to July 26th, 2009. For details, see the specials section below.

New Online ADR System
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Guests may now book their advanced dining reservations online at http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/ . ADRs can be booked 90 days in advance. You will need to provide the names and ages of everyone dining, including children. Any modifications will still need to be made by phone at 407-WDW-DINE. A credit card may be required to secure the reservation.

New Mobile “Room-Ready” Notification System
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“Mobile Room-Ready Notification Service allows guests who arrive prior to their check-in time at a Disney Resort hotel to receive either a text message or automated voice message when their room is available.

During the check-in process at a Disney Resort, guests can provide a cell phone number and request a return notification preference. When the Disney Resort room is ready, a text message or automated call will be sent to the guest’s mobile phone number with the room number.

Guests who participate in this new service can enjoy increased flexibility upon arrival at the Disney Resort as their cell phone will notify them when their room is ready. Guests may then continue their current activities or go directly to their Disney Resort room.

Guests who choose not to participate in this service will still be able to call the Resort's room availability telephone number provided to them upon arrival to check the status of their Disney Resort room, or visit the Resort Front Desk at anytime.

Mobile Room-Ready Notification Service is now available for guests staying at Disney operated resort hotels at the Walt Disney World Resort, the Disneyland Resort and all Disney Vacation Club resorts.”

New Magic Kingdom Dessert Party
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This new Dessert Party began on June 23 and will run through August 28, 2009. The party consists of a self-service dessert buffet located at the Tomorrowland Noodle Station in the Magic Kingdom. The buffet includes sweets, beverages and of course exclusive viewing of Wishes, the nightly fireworks show.

The price is $17.99 for ages 10 and over, $9.99 for guests 3-9. Reservations are not required, but are recommended as seating is limited. Prepayment, however, is required to reserve you space. Currently the Disney Dining Plan is not accepted. Reservations can be made by calling 407-WDW-DINE.

Park Merchandise now available for order online!
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“Ever admired a pair of customized Mickey Mouse ears or a Disney Princess castle toy while on a Disney vacation, and later regretted not buying it once you returned home? Or wished you could travel to Disneyland wearing a Disneyland t-shirt en route? Now, for the first time ever, you can purchase select merchandise from Disney's domestic theme parks and resorts outside of the parks and online only at DisneyStore.com and/or DisneyParks.com/store.”

Join the Pirate’s League!
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On June 29, 2009 the Pirate’s League opened in Adventureland in the Magic Kingdom. This will be a Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique-like experience primarily aimed at boys, but I’m sure there are lots of interested Pirate Princesses as well. Pirate guests can chose from three packages:

First Mate Package: ($49.95 plus tax)

Includes bandanna, choice of facial effects (scar, tattoo, fake teeth, earring or eye patch), a sword and sheath, a pirate coin necklace, one 5x7 photo and a personalized pirate oath.

Empress Package: ($49.95 plus tax)

Includes bandanna, shimmering makeup (face gem, tattoo, nail polish, earring or an eye patch), a sword and sheath, a pirate coin necklace, one 5x7 photo and a personalized pirate oath.

Captain's Package: ($124.95 plus tax)

Includes choice of costume or outfit, choice of facial effects (scar, tattoo, fake teeth, earring or an eye patch), a sword and sheath, a pirate coin necklace; three 5x7 photos and a personalized pirate oath.

You can make reservations by calling 407-WDW-CREW.

Start Your Own Web Business!
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During the past few months, I’ve had numerous people inquire about my website – like how I started it, how income is generated, and what’s all involved in getting a site up-and-running. I thought I would share a couple of things with all of you about this topic.

In this time of economic upheaval, an internet business is a great alternative or replacement for a traditional office job. Think about it. You get to share your thoughts and opinions on a topic near and dear to your heart – and you can do it all from the comfort of your own home – even in your pajamas if you wish!

What about you? Do you have something that you are passionate about? Are you looking for a way to make some extra money each month? Are you a student, a retiree or maybe a stay-at-home mom who needs a creative outlet?

Why not start a website? I know it sounds intimidating, but hear me out. I knew NOTHING about website building when I started… so I really needed a “Website-Builder-for-Dummies” kind of thing – and guess what? I found it. It is called Site Build It! It is a wonderful service that does all of the behind-the-scenes work for you – leaving you to focus solely on the content of your website.

Discounted Tickets
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If you are not using a Disney vacation package, you can either purchase your park tickets directly from Disney at the gate, or you can get discounted Disney World tickets from an outside vendor.

These vendors buy tickets in bulk and pass the savings on to you – the consumer! I recommend buying your Disney tickets or tickets for other Orlando attractions from Maple Leaf Tickets. In addition to Disney tickets, they also offer discounts on many Orlando area shows, attractions, dinner shows, and theme parks.

They offer competitive pricing paired with over twenty years of industry experience. They’ll even deliver your tickets to your resort hotel or directly to your home before your vacation!

More Info:

• Tickets and Packages Overview
  
• Magic Your Way Tickets Overview
  
• Annual Pass Overview
  
• Florida Resident Tickets
  
• 2009 Disney Ticket Prices
  
• Discounted Tickets for Disney and Other Area Attractions
  

Give the Gift of Disney Stock
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I’ve always heard about the deal where you can give (or get!) a share of Disney Stock as a gift. I just thought I would pass along the idea to all of you. Now is a great time to buy stock – considering the state of the markets today. So, check it out. You can even buy a Framed Share of Walt Disney Stock through the My First Stock Program – that would make a really unique gift for a baby shower or a graduation, or even a birthday or Valentine’s Day!

Find the Cheapest Airfare
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If you are looking to find the best price you have got to check out Kayak.com. If you have ever booked your own airfare, you know what a pain it is to manually check all the different airlines for the best deal. Kayak is a travel tool that searches 140+ travel sites all at once and finds the cheapest fares for you – for flights, hotels, and even rental cars. After you get all of the results for your desired travel dates, you can then compare the results from all of the sites together – and there are many ways to filter and sort the results – all done instantly! Hotels searches are also offered, so check it out if you are planning to stay offsite in an Orlando area hotel. You can even buy direct from the airlines or agencies - Kayak is not a travel agent. And of course, Kayak is free!

FREE Disney Dining Plan!

• When you purchase a minimum 3-night Magic Your Way hotel and theme park ticket packages, your family will enjoy the Disney Dining Plan, Free.

• Valid for stays most nights 8/16/09 to 10/03/09.

• Booking Dates: Book by July 26, 2009 **EXTENDED**

• Booking Codes:
  • RYH: Vacation Package with Basic Dining Plan
  • UGR: Vacation Package with Deluxe Dining Plan