Episode 464: Welcome back, Disney fans, to another exciting episode of Traveling with the Mouse! Today we dive deep into the ripple effects of the recent D23 announcements and how they’re shaping the future of Walt Disney World. Now that a couple of weeks have passed since the dust settled, we’ve had time to digest the news and reflect on what these changes mean for the parks, the resorts, and our beloved Disney experience.

Shifting gears, we take a look at the highly anticipated Polynesian DVC Tower, which is set to open later this year. There’s no doubt this new addition will be a hit, especially with the DVC crowd. But, as we reflect on the history of changes at the Polynesian, it’s clear that not all updates have been warmly received. The Polynesian is a resort that’s very dear to many Disney fans, and with each renovation, there’s always a question of whether it will enhance or detract from its iconic status.

While we’re on the topic of resorts, we also take a moment to reflect on the value of staying at Disney resorts in general. There’s no denying that location is the biggest draw for many of Disney’s on-property hotels. Being able to hop on a monorail, walk to a park, or be a short bus ride away from the magic is a convenience that’s hard to beat. But with the prices of these resorts climbing higher and higher, we have to ask: is location the only thing keeping these resorts relevant?

Lastly, we wrap up the episode with a discussion on Virtual Queues. Disney has kept Virtual Queues around for the most popular attractions, like Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and TRON Lightcycle / Run, and now, the big question is: when will they retire the Virtual Queue for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure?


Episode 342: Jon just returned from a trip to Walt Disney World! He goes through his trip in which he stayed at Animal Kingdom Lodge. He gives his review of the resort and his recommendation for room location. He also had several dining reviews at places like, Coral Reef, Boma and Skipper Canteen. He also tried Genie Plus for the first time and he gives us his experience with that. Now that we’ve all had experience with it, should we give our list of pros and cons? Let us know!

Today on the show we continue going through the unofficial guide to Walt Disney world to discuss more tips, tricks, and helpful information. We start by discussing online check-in and how Disney uses the Magic band’s RF technology.  We go through the 2018 Disney resorts report cards to see which resorts had the best overall ratings for things like, check-in efficiency, cleanliness, Transportation, staff, and quietness of the rooms. We list the pros and cons of every Disney Deluxe resort. We hope that this information about the resorts will be helpful If you are planning a Disney vacation and are trying to decide which resort is the best for your needs. Next week we will go through the pros and cons of the Disney Moderate and Value resorts.