Disney Deciphered: A Podcast To Help You Plan Your Walt Disney World Vacations

Looking to plan a Disney World or Disneyland vacation? Let Joe do all the hard work for you at no cost to you as your travel agent. Get started by e-mailing josephcheung@travelmation.net today! Bookings for the Disney Wish are open if you are interested in sailing on Disney Cruise Line's latest ship! Episode Description If you're taking a resort day, you might want to check out some of the other Disney resorts on property. In today's episode, we talk about six Disney World resorts worth a visit on their own. From photo ops to great dining, here are some places you should check out if you are taking a break from the parks. What are your favorite resorts to visit if you're not staying there? Let us know by e-mailing disneydeciphered AT gmail DOT com, messaging us on Twitter, or leaving a comment on our Facebook page! Episode Notes 2:13 - Polynesian 4:09 - Wilderness Lodge 6:40 - Animal Kingdom Lodge 8:58 - Art of Animation 11:46 - Grand Floridian 14:52 - Coronado Springs 17:03 - Disney dos or don'ts If we've he

Looking to plan a Disney World or Disneyland vacation? Let Joe do all the hard work for you at no cost to you as your travel agent. Get started by e-mailing josephcheung@travelmation.net today! Bookings for the Disney Wish are open if you are interested in sailing on Disney Cruise Line's latest ship! Episode Description Leslie got to visit the brand new Avengers Campus at Disney's California Adventure so we talk all about it. From attractions, to the surprisingly robust character experiences, to food, and more, we cover it all! Are you excited about the new Avengers Campus? Do you wish the Avengers could come to the Disney Parks in Florida (even though they never will)? Let us know by e-mailing disneydeciphered AT gmail DOT com, messaging us on Twitter, or leaving a comment on our Facebook page! Episode Notes 2:43 - Avengers Campus backstory 4:58 - How big is the land? 8:37 - Avengers Campus attractions 13:41 - Character entertainment and interactions 16:03 - How does capacity affect things? 20:14 - Cool Aven

Looking to plan a Disney World or Disneyland vacation? Let Joe do all the hard work for you at no cost to you as your travel agent. Get started by e-mailing josephcheung@travelmation.net today! Bookings for the Disney Wish are open if you are interested in sailing on Disney Cruise Line's latest ship! Episode Description With things speedily moving towards whatever qualifies as normal these days, we take a look at pandemic-era Disney World changes that we'd love to see stick around and the things that we want to see come back ASAP (looking at you, Fastpass+)! We combined some fresh thoughts with a partial re-air of Episode 129, which aired almost a year ago when Disney first re-opened. Stay tuned until the end for a brand new Disney do or don't.  What do you want to see stick around and what do you want to see come back? Let us know by e-mailing disneydeciphered AT gmail DOT com, messaging us on Twitter, or leaving a comment on our Facebook page! Episode Notes 1:42 - Universal Studios' goes mask-free for the v

Looking to plan a Disney World or Disneyland vacation? Let Joe do all the hard work for you at no cost to you as your travel agent. Get started by e-mailing josephcheung@travelmation.net today! Bookings for the Disney Wish are open if you are interested in sailing on Disney Cruise Line's latest ship! Episode Description A lot has changed at both Disney parks, so we take a break from our regularly scheduled programming to update you on the news you need to know. What's going on with park capacity, Rise of the Resistance, and magic bands? We cover all that and more in this week's episode, plus some chat about the Avenger Campus opening! What experiences have you had at the Disney parks lately? Let us know by e-mailing disneydeciphered AT gmail DOT com, messaging us on Twitter, or leaving a comment on our Facebook page! Episode Notes 2:29 - Social distancing updates at Disney World 7:38 - Park pass reservations updates 11:20 - Rise of the Resistance updates 12:17 - Magic mobile 14:30 - What's coming to Disneylan

Looking to plan a Disney World or Disneyland vacation? Let Joe do all the hard work for you at no cost to you as your travel agent. Get started by e-mailing josephcheung@travelmation.net today! Episode Description Truth be told, we normally just spend a half day at Animal Kingdom and bounce to another park. But if you don't have a park hopper or have an animal loving child in the family, there's actually a ton to do to fill up a full day at Animal Kingdom. Joe shares his experiences from his recent visit to Animal Kingdom, including thoughts on each attraction, the joy of Wilderness Explorers, and a lot more as we take a deep dive into Animal Kingdom. What do you like to do when visiting Animal Kingdom? Let us know by e-mailing disneydeciphered AT gmail DOT com, messaging us on Twitter, or leaving a comment on our Facebook page! Episode Notes 1:53 - Mask and physical distancing updates and changes at Disney World 3:08 - Our normal "day" at Animal Kingdom 4:04 - Flight of Passage, what to know to minimize your

Looking to plan a Disney World or Disneyland vacation? Let Joe do all the hard work for you at no cost to you as your travel agent. Get started by e-mailing josephcheung@travelmation.net today! Episode Description When you're on a Disney World vacation, you may want to get just a little bit of extra magic, preferably at a low cost. In today's episode we break down all of the little extras that you can consider when you're at Disney World, from the cheapest to the priciest.  From scavenger hunts to lightsabers and everything in between, here's what you can consider. What add-ons do you enjoy adding to your Disney World vacation? Let us know by e-mailing disneydeciphered AT gmail DOT com, messaging us on Twitter, or leaving a comment on our Facebook page! Episode Notes 2:49 - Scavenger hunts at Epcot 4:14 - Harmony Barbershop 5:41 - Popcorn buckets 7:16 - Silhouttes 8:57 - Souvenir drink cups 10:10 - Park hopper and Park hopper plus 12:00 -Droid Depot 13:26 - Memory Maker 14:46 - Capture Your Moment 15:54 - Aft

Looking to plan a Disney World or Disneyland vacation? Let Joe do all the hard work for you at no cost to you as your travel agent. Get started by e-mailing josephcheung@travelmation.net today! Episode Description Leslie was at Disneyland for opening weekend so we've got another trip report, but this time from the West Coast! How did Disneyland handle their reopening, what were crowds like, and what do you need to know if you're a California resident itching to visit? We chat all about that and more including why dining is an issue on the latest Disney Deciphered. Have you been back to Disneyland yet? Let us know by e-mailing disneydeciphered AT gmail DOT com, messaging us on Twitter, or leaving a comment on our Facebook page! Episode Notes 3:52 - Disneyland off-site hotels 7:26 - Disneyland tickets 8:08 - Rope dropping opening day! 10:53 - Snow White redo 12:19 - Ride experiences and queues overall 14:17 - What were crowds like? 15:21 - Rise of the Resistance at Disneyland 16:46 - Park hopping to Disney's Ca

Looking to plan a Disney World or Disneyland vacation? Let Joe do all the hard work for you at no cost to you as your travel agent. Get started by e-mailing josephcheung@travelmation.net today! Episode Description We finish up talking about Joe's recent trip to Disney World by offering some practical tips to help you if you're visiting Disney World right now. How to make the most of mobile ordering, shopping, getting dining reservations, and more.  Plus most importantly - how do you minimize your time in line right now with Fastpass+ still nowhere to be found? What tips do you have for the Disney parks? Let us know by e-mailing disneydeciphered AT gmail DOT com, messaging us on Twitter, or leaving a comment on our Facebook page! Episode Notes 1:23 - Tips for dining and mobile ordering 6:49 - Tips for table service dining 7:45 - Getting through security quickly 9:20 - Tips for how to dodge crowds right now 13:28 - Use Guest Relations if you have an issue 15:27 - What's shopping at Disney like right now? 17:42

Looking to plan a Disney World or Disneyland vacation? Let Joe do all the hard work for you at no cost to you as your travel agent. Get started by e-mailing josephcheung@travelmation.net today! Episode Description Joe finally went back to Walt Disney World! Hear all about Joe's solo trip with his three year old and whether Disney World still has that magic. We discuss getting to the parks, staying at the Dolphin, food options, waiting in line, and more. Plus, a park pass reservation (almost) fail that you definitely will want to learn from! What experiences have you had at the Disney parks lately? Let us know by e-mailing disneydeciphered AT gmail DOT com, messaging us on Twitter, or leaving a comment on our Facebook page! Episode Notes 2:04 - General plan of the trip and flying to Orlando 4:30 - Renting a car 6:12 - Impressions of the Dolphin hotel 7:58 - Walking to Hollywood Studios 10:21 - Impression of lines and queues 14:56 - Outdoor eating options and dining experiences 17:33 - Enjoying the cavalcades 1

Looking to plan a Disney World or Disneyland vacation? Let Joe do all the hard work for you at no cost to you as your travel agent. Get started by e-mailing josephcheung@travelmation.net today! Episode Description The long awaited time is here - Disneyland is reopening! If you're thinking of visiting (and are a California resident, for now), Leslie's got all the details you need to know. Plus, her experience with Disneyland's new park reservation system. Are you planning to visit Disneyland? Send us your questions by e-mailing disneydeciphered AT gmail DOT com, messaging us on Twitter, or leaving a comment on our Facebook page! Episode Notes Leslie's Disneyland Park Pass Reservation post 2:05 - Disneyland reopening timeline 4:43 - In state residents only (for now) 6:31 - When will non California residents get to visit? 8:46 - Avengers Campus is reopening 11:10 - What's open/closed? 14:38 - Ticket prices 16:36 - Leslie's park pass reservation experience 20:04 - Trip ups to be aware of 23:59 - Disney dos and do

Looking to plan a Disney vacation? Let Joe do all the hard work as your travel agent at no cost to you! Get started today by e-mailing josephcheung@travelmation.net!  Episode Description If you're taking a short trip to Walt Disney World, you probably will have to choose one park to skip. In today's episode, we take a look at each of the four Disney World parks: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom. What do you need to know about each park if you're considering skipping it? What do you normally think about when choosing which park to skip and which park do you end up skipping? Please let us know by e-mailing disneydeciphered AT gmail DOT com, messaging us on Twitter, or leaving a comment on our Facebook page! Episode Notes Leslie's Article on Which Park to Skip 2:59 - Reminder: park hopping is back! 3:20 - Animal Kingdom - why to skip 7:49 - Epcot - why to skip 11:23 - Hollywood Studios - why to skip 15:17 - Magic Kingdom - why to skip 18:21 - Disney dos or don'ts If we've helped you t

Looking to plan a Disney vacation? Let Joe do all the hard work as your travel agent at no cost to you! Get started today by e-mailing josephcheung@travelmation.net!  Episode Description We take a trip around the World...Showcase! Most pavilions have the features that almost everyone hits (*cough* Frozen Ever After) but we wanted to highlight some aspects of each country's pavilion that you may have missed in the past. What are your favorite underrated parts of World Showcase? Please let us know by e-mailing disneydeciphered AT gmail DOT com, messaging us on Twitter, or leaving a comment on our Facebook page! Episode Notes 1:00 - What is the World Showcase?  3:20 - Mexico 6:21 - Norway 7:31 - China 8:52 - Germany 10:44 - Italy 13:11 - Japan 15:49 - Morocco 16:55 - France 18:24 - The United Kingdom 20:08 - Canada 21:58 - The United States of America 23:27 - Disney dos or don'ts If we've helped you to plan your trip and you'd like to thank us we'd appreciate you considering a one time donation. Or if you'd lik

Please consider reading this article from February about the escalating harassment of Asian Americans. Episode Description We talk to listener Connie about her recent trip to Disney World during one of the busiest weeks of the year, spring break! What she learned about Disney transportation, the power of mobile ordering, and some great datapoints and tips for getting a Rise of the Resistance boarding group. All that and more on this week's episode! If you have something helpful to share, please let us know by e-mailing disneydeciphered AT gmail DOT com, messaging us on Twitter, or leaving a comment on our Facebook page! Episode Notes 4:47 - How crowded was spring break? 7:36 - Tips for buses and the Skyliner 11:01 - Using the park hopper during a busy week 13:19 - Chefs de France 14:19 - Mobile ordering 17:00 - Rise of the Resistance tips and Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge impressions 21:29 - Tips for avoiding wait times 24:55 - A tip for the "tragical" express 26:23 - Disney dos or don'ts Thanks again to Connie f

If you're looking to plan a trip to Disney World in the near or distant future, why not let Joe be your travel agent? He'll do all the hard work for you at no cost to you. Get started by e-mailing josephcheung@travelmation.net today. Episode Description Disney released a lot of news, so we cover what you need to know if you plan to visit Disney World in Spring or Summer of 2021. What will crowds be like? Will Disney release any of the new products they've announced? And most importantly, what do you need to know to prepare for your trip? All that and more in this week's episode! Are you planning to visit Disney World in 2021? Let us know your plans by e-mailing disneydeciphered AT gmail DOT com, messaging us on Twitter, or leaving a comment on our Facebook page! Episode Notes 2:12 - What's NOT opening? 5:01 - Will we see extra park hours and the mobile magic band for on site guests before the end of summer? 8:30 - Masks, social distancing, and park pass reservation updates 10:37 - Crowds! 15:29 - Reopening re

Looking to plan a Disney vacation? Whether it's for 2022 or last minute, you can let Joe do all the hard work for you at no cost to you! Get started today by e-mailing josephcheung@travelmation.net!  Episode Description Due to the lack of Fastpass+, if you're visiting Disney World you're going to be spending a lot more time in standby queues than you might otherwise. So we ran down our favorite queues at Disney World using our favorite method: a fantasy draft! Plus, a cool easter egg in our Disney do or don't. What queue did you like and which one can you not believe we left off the list? Let us know by e-mailing us disneydeciphered AT gmail DOT com, messaging us on Twitter, or leaving a comment on our Facebook page! Episode Notes 2:22 - Peter Pan 3:53 - Flight of Passage 5:33 - Haunted Mansion 8:05 - Tower of Terror 10:13 - Toy Story Mania 11:47 - Frozen Ever After 13:05 - Expedition Everest 14:47 - Star Tours 16:23 - Journey of the Little Mermaid 17:14 - Leslie is a cheater 19:19 - Disney dos or don'ts If w

If you're looking to book a Disney vacation in 2021 or 2022, why not let a travel agent do all the hard work for you? Let Joe book your trip for you at no cost to you. Get started by e-mailing josephcheung@travelmation.net today. Episode Description Leslie and Joe recently spoke at Frequent Traveler University who graciously agreed to let us post the audio here! We discuss what you should be considering if you're debating whether to visit Disney World in 2021 or 2022. There's lots of factors to consider so we try to hit all of them in this episode. Are there any factors about visiting in 2021 or 2022 that we missed? Let us know by e-mailing us disneydeciphered AT gmail DOT com, messaging us on Twitter, or leaving a comment on our Facebook page! Episode Notes 2:43 - Why visit Disney World? 5:43 - Using the 50th Anniversary as our arbitrary line in the sand 6:58 - What's Disney World like during reopening? 12:37 - Wildcards to consider 16:06 - Thinking about 2021 20:59 - Thinking about 2022 23:35 - Our personal

Looking to plan a Disney vacation? Let Joe be your travel agent and do all the hard work at no cost to you. Get started by e-mailing josephcheung@travelmation.net today. Episode Description We finish up our travel hacking to Disney series by discussing hotel points, flexible rewards, and whether the Disney credit card is worth it. Plus, some resources if you're interested in getting started. Got questions? E-mail us disneydeciphered AT gmail DOT com, tweet at us, or connect with us on Facebook! Episode Notes 2:13 - Using hotel points 3:29 - Disney Springs hotels 4:43 - Bonnett Creek hotels 5:21 - Dealing with resort fees 6:47 - Beginner credit card advice 7:45 - Flexible points currencies 12:18 - Is the Disney credit card worth it? 15:51 - Resources to get started with 17:15 - Frequent Traveler University: sign up here! 17:28 - Disney dos or don'ts If we've helped you to plan your trip and you'd like to thank us we'd appreciate you considering a one time donation. Or if you'd like to receive bonus content, c

If you're looking to plan a Disney vacation, consider letting Joe be your travel agent. It costs you nothing and he'll do all the hard work for you! Get started by e-mailing josephcheung@travelmation.net today. Episode Description Credit card rewards, frequent flyer miles, and hotel points are a great way to save money on your Disney vacation. In a quick two part series, we give an overview of what travel hacking is and how you can strategically save money on your Disney vacation. As long as you're paying off your credit card balances in full each month it's a great way to save money. In Part I, we chat about loyalty programs, taking advantage of credit card welcome bonuses, and a limited time Southwest Companion Pass offer. Got questions or something you'd like to share? We'd love to hear your thoughts and your feedback, e-mail us disneydeciphered AT gmail DOT com, tweet at us, or connect with us on Facebook! Episode Notes 2:28 - What is travel hacking? 4:14 - Only mess with credit card rewards if you can pa

If you're looking to plan a Disney vacation, consider letting Joe be your travel agent. It costs you nothing and he'll do all the hard work for you! Get started by e-mailing josephcheung@travelmation.net today. Episode Description We talk to listener Marisa who shares some great tips and datapoints about mobile ordering, Disney transportation, and rope dropping in a December trip report. Plus, Marisa shares her experience staying in one of the Little Mermaid rooms at Art of Animation! Got questions or something you'd like to share? We'd love to hear your thoughts and your feedback, e-mail us disneydeciphered AT gmail DOT com, tweet at us, or connect with us on Facebook! Episode Notes 4:21 - Art of Animation Little Mermaid rooms 7:46 - Transportation tips: bus and skyliner 15:05 - Table service dining experiences 17:32 - Mobile order tips 19:19 - A quick service recommendation 20:49 - Is there still enough Disney planning for Disney planning lovers? 23:34 - Disney dos and don'ts If we've helped you to plan you

Looking to experience Rise of the Resistance for yourself? Plan a Disney vacation today! Let Joe be your travel agent and do all the hard work at no cost to you. Get started by e-mailing josephcheung@travelmation.net ! Episode Description Christy from Pack Your Pixie Dust and the DCL Podcast drops by to share some things she learned from her trip to Disney World over the Christmas holidays. We talk about what Rise of the Resistance is like with plexiglass and why staying at the Boardwalk is a great option if you own or want to rent DVC points. We also discuss how manageable crowds were over the holidays. Do you have any trip experiences to share? We'd love to hear your thoughts and your feedback, e-mail us disneydeciphered AT gmail DOT com, tweet at us, or connect with us on Facebook! Episode Notes 2:36 - Deciding to travel after staying at home for months 5:08 - Experience flying Delta 6:12 - How crowded was Disney over the holidays and how did it feel? 8:43 - Staying at the Boardwalk 14:20 - Rise of the Res