Disney Hotel Swan

Disney World and Disneyland theme parks are probably the most popular theme parks in the world. Attractions, rides, characters, the works, lots of fun for the children, as well as the parents. The big dream of most young children is to go to Disneyland or Disney World. While you can let the spontaneity guide your Disney vacation, this vacation though can cost you an arm and a leg.

The Disney World tickets to get in the theme parks are one of the major contributors to it. For an example, the Disney World tickets can cost you around $250 for 4 people age 10+ for one day or little over $100 for two children ages 3-9. In fact, if you plan your Disney World vacation, you can save tremendously on tickets as opposed to going there unprepared.

To compare the savings, if you plan on staying there 5 days, you don't want to buy Disney World theme park tickets each and every day. That will cost you around $315 per person for ages 10+ or $260 for ages 3-9. But if you buy a 5-day ticket, you will only pay around $200 per person for ages 10+ ($115 of savings) or $162 per person for ages 3-9 (around $100 in savings). Also, buying tickets in advance instead of waiting to get them at the gate will offer you even more savings.

It would be in your financial benefit to spend some time developing an itinerary before you buy your Disney World tickets. It all depends on how you plan to spend your days. There are lots of legitimate ways to get discounted Disney World tickets. Unfortunately, there are also lots of places where you can get ripped off. So, be very careful.

Do not buy Disney World theme park tickets from a booth on the side of the road and outside of Disney. You would have no idea if your Disney World tickets are valid or not. The only way you would know that you're purchasing valid Disney World park tickets is directly from Disney or from an authorized reseller on the Internet.

The Florida Sun-Sentinel released an article about the scam artists selling discount Disney World theme park tickets. The article was talking about some scam artists selling Disney World tickets that were not being full tickets but partially used tickets that legally aren't suppose to be sold. Also, some Disney World tickets at deep discounts were linked to timeshare pitches (explanation toward the end of this article). And even some scam artists were selling fake Disney World tickets.

There are several legitimate online resellers that sell Disney World tickets other than Disney themselves (floridaorlandotickets.com, mapleleaftickets.com, ticketmania.com). At these online stores make sure you check their shipping charges (if any). Sometimes you will find an excellent price, but once you add the shipping to it, it is cheaper to go elsewhere.

Also companies, such as Travelocity and Expedia, have longstanding relationship with the world's most popular vacation destinations including Disney World and Disneyland. They could afford to give you discounted Disney World theme park tickets if you book your vacation through them.

The discounted Disney World theme park tickets are a part of the whole vacation package. They may lose money on the tickets by giving them to you at a cheaper price while they buy them at the regular price, but they'll make up the difference from the vacation package that you're booking through them. So, the discounted Disney World tickets could be just a lure to get you to book your Disney vacation with them. If it fits your budget and your vacation plan, get the benefit of cheaper tickets.

Disney World tickets linked to timeshare pitches. You'll eventually bump into websites that will offer you a deep, deep discount on Disney World tickets. You might save anywhere around $250 for a 2 or 3 day Disney World ticket and up to $350 on a single 5-day Disney World theme park ticket. These are valid tickets but under a condition. You have to attend a no obligation, interesting and entertaining 90-minute or-so presentation.

Ultimate Disney Water Park - Blizzard Beach

Blizzard Beach is a wet adventure that is unmistakably Disney. The 66-acre water park, has a major claim to fame: Summit Plummet, the nation's tallest, fastest free-fall slide, starts at 120 feet in the air. Blizzard Beach opened in April 1995, and is a spectacular water park. Blizzard Beach is quite a bit bigger than Typhoon Lagoon. Blizzard Beach is the younger of Disney's water parks, a ski resort in the midst of a tropical lagoon centering on the 90-foot Mount Gushmore.

Attractions to see at Disney's Blizzard Beach include Teamboat Springs- The worlds longest family white water raft ride takes 6 passenger rafts down a twisting 1,200 foot series of rushing water falls, Wild Speed slide, Lazy River, Wave Pool, Mat Racing slide, Tube Slides, Body Slides, Family Raft Ride and interactive water play areas for younger kids. Blizzard Beach with its 17 slides, which includes the 120-foot, feet first, eight second plunge down Summit Plummet, is perhaps more action orientated than Disney's other water park Typhoon Lagoon. Being the newest water park, Blizzard Beach tends to become very crowded fairly early on in the day, and only starts to ease as guests start to depart at around 3 in the afternoon. Guests will find ski jumps, toboggan rides and slalom runs that all have been turned into water slides. There are no Fast Passes at the Disney water parks, so a 60 minute wait means a 60 minute wait.

The theme of the park is the Disney legend of a freak snowstorm in the area, leading to the construction of Florida's first ski resort. Naturally, the snow didn't last long, leaving behind a collection of waterlogged but snow-less ski jumps and chair lifts. Before you could say hot cocoa, plans were underway for Florida's first ski resort. Thus the ski resort was reborn as a water park, with the alligator (named Ice Gator) as mascot. Where in Florida can you see snow everywhere, but the only ice is in the soft drinks.

Disney's Blizzard Beach is the most exhilarating water park anywhere. Hours vary seasonally, with extended operating hours during the summer months, but Blizzard Beach tends to close for refurbishment during some Winter months, generally January and February. I would suggest going later in the day if you want fewer people in the park. Blizzard beach gets 10 stars in my book.