Author: Stephen

I'm Stephen Ashley. My wife and I are huge fans of Disney World. I'm the author of Walt Disney World With Disabilities. I also wrote a book called Walt Disney World Made Easy for Everyone, but rather than have it published, at this point we've decided to place all the material from the manuscript on this website so everyone can have access to it! I hope you enjoy it, and I hope it makes your day just a little bit brighter and easier.

Are you concerned that your child or someone in your party may be afraid of the live Disney World characters? Throughout the parks, in some dining locations, and even in some unexpected locations throughout Disney World, Disney has character appearances. For many people, the characters are a delight. Just check out this baby to the right! Yet for some people, the Disney characters may pose a challenge. They’re afraid of these characters. We’ll give you some tips for managing with this issue. Fear of characters in the Disney World parks: In the parks, character appearances are usually in pre-set locations…

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In-Depth Review and Description of the Magic Kingdom Keys to the Kingdom Tour We decided to take this Magic Kingdom tour on a November Disney visit. It’s one of the few things we haven’t done at Disney, and we really wanted to see Disney’s underground “Utilidor” system. The Magic Kingdom is actually built on raised ground, so most of the park is literally on the second floor. The lower level under the Magic Kingdom is where much of the behind the scenes work takes place. This tour takes guests below, into cast member only areas, and to areas within the…

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More About Managing at Disney World With Autism In Part 2 of this series we’ll give you tips from a different perspective. They’ll be coming from an adult with autism, who also has a teen son with autism. Ann Ashenfelder Littell has been visiting Disneyland for over 40 years, and has been to Disney World several times as well. She’s a huge fan. She read our first article on autism which included an interview with Donna Lorman, called: Managing with Autism at Disney World Part 1 – Interview With President of the Autism Society of Greater Orlando. Ann felt that…

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By Sue Guindon First, we want to thank you for your service! Since 2009, Walt Disney World has offered significantly discounted theme park tickets and discounts at their resorts for eligible military members and their families. Prices and details have changed each year, but it is wonderful that Disney “salutes” those who serve, to help them experience the parks and resorts! There are other discounts as well, which we’ll cover here. This article includes info on:  Disney World Theme Park Ticket Discounts for Military Shades of Green Military Resort Discounts on all other Disney World Resorts Memory Maker Discounts for…

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Disney World Amputees & Prosthetics Users – Tips and Info We interviewed two professionals in the prosthetic health care field who are both amputees themselves, and we spoke with a cast member from the Services for Guests with Disabilities department at Disney. We’ll share their interviews, along with some additional suggestions for amputees. Interview 1 with Karen Hughes: Tips for Amputees & Prosthetics Users We spoke with Karen Hughes, a Patient Advocate for Prosthetic & Orthotic Associates in the Orlando area (www.poacfl.com). The company is a prosthetic repair resource for out of town visitors, and Karen a Disney fan herself. She…

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Important: When you travel to Disney, Keep Your Home Safe! These days it’s hard to feel comfortable when you leave your home on vacation. How can you relax if you don’t feel your home is safe! Personally we’ve taken many steps to secure our home because there were a lot of break-ins happening in our South Florida neighborhood. We decided to go all the way with home security. After a lot of research we did everything you’ll see in this article, and we’re always looking for new things to add. The following are some effective home security tips, from the free or inexpensive,…

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How to Manage Your Service Dog in the Disney World Parks By Aimee Kent, travel agent (photos are all from Aimee Kent) Are you planning on bringing your service dog to the Walt Disney World parks? The following is everything you need to know. It’s written by Aimee Kent, a travel agent who has first-hand experience bringing her own service dogs to the parks. She’s graciously offered to share all of her tips with our readers. If you wish to contact Aimee Kent, visit her Travel Agent page here. Here we go: Basic Service Dog Rules for the Disney World Parks…

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By Jennifer Buzzard (photos are also from Jennifer unless otherwise noted) Are you visiting Disney World with sensory sensitivities? You can enjoy it with a little planning. Jennifer Buzzard is a travel agent with direct experience visiting Disney World with sensory sensitivities. She’s shared her tips below for managing, thriving and enjoying the parks with this issue, comfortably. If you wish to contact her for assistance with travel, visit Jennifer’s travel agent page here. Here’s Jennifer’s story and tips, and we’ll add in some editor’s tips from Stephen Ashley also. Tackling Disney World with sensory sensitivity Five years ago, a…

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How Anyone Can Save Big Money On A Disney World Resort: Using Disney Vacation Club Rentals “How do you get discounts on Disney trips?” This is a question I get a lot, and it’s a frequent topic of discussion on my Facebook group. There’s only one way to get a really huge discount on a Disney World trip. With this technique, I’ve seen room prices at almost half the regular prices Disney charges. In fact, I’ve seen Disney Deluxe resorts pricing at around what you’d pay for a Disney Value level resort. Here’s how you get those huge Disney World room…

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For those who are going to Disney World with back, neck or body pain such as with fibromyalgia: You’re mission. Should you decide to accept it, your mission is to have a fantastic time at Disney without making your pain or condition worse! We’ll share ideas that may help you accomplish this mission. We’ll cover a variety of commonly asked questions, and we’ll share some strategies. Some things we’ll cover include: Can I skip lines? Renting a scooter or wheelchair Are rollators allowed? Are there enough gentle rides to keep me busy? How to know if a ride is okay for my…

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Are you visiting Disney World with a heart condition or blood pressure issues? You can have a wonderful time at Disney World! In this article, we’ll share ideas on how to navigate Disney World, from rides and weather to resorts and dining, while keeping your heart and blood pressure in mind. The following are suggestions for planning a safe, comfortable and fun visit. Some of the suggestions in this article come from our interview with Dr. P (who prefers to stay anonymous), a Disney-World-loving cardiologist. In Dr. P’s opinion, visiting Disney with heart problems or high blood pressure can be…

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By Katie Penn & Stephen Ashley How Annual Passes Can Save You a Lot of Money When Used Fully We’ll go into depth about how to use an annual pass as a tool for almost anyone looking to save money at Disney World. First, the following are recent related announcements by Disney: Disney World Annual Passholer – Updates Disney is now selling the Disney Incredi-Pass, Disney Sorcerer Pass and the Disney Pirate Pass, in addition to the Pixie Dust Pass. The quantity of passes are limited and passes, or a pass type, may become unavailable for purchase at any time.…

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All You Need to Know About Babysitting, Child Care, Mother’s Helpers & Senior Care at Disney World There are various options when it comes to hiring assistance while you’re at Disney World. Here is what’s available: Babysitting in-room Babysitting in a club format Parent-free Child adventure (Captain Hook’s Pirate Crew) Pet sitting Elder Care & Companionship Mother’s/Father’s Helpers Using Babysitting services during your visit to Disney World is an option. You may want to plan in advance to get some adult time in during your visit. For example, you can go out to dinner or enjoy the adult options in…

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Here’s all you need to know. Disney World Resort Parking Fees Resort parking for guests: Self-parking is FREE at all of the Disney World resorts. Parking for Disney Vacation Club members: Parking is free for DVC members staying at a Disney Vacation Club Deluxe Villa or a Disney Resort hotel. It’s free whether you’re using Vacation Points or another form of payment. Resort day guests: If you’re visiting a resort to experience dining, shopping and entertainment, Standard Self parking is free. Parking at The Campsites in the Fort Wilderness resort: Each campsite has one parking space which is free. Resort…

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By Katie Penn The Disney World Park Pass Reservation System First, let’s go over some recent Disney World change announcements, then we’ll go into detail about the Disney World Park Pass Reservation System, what it is, and how to use it. We’ll also answer commonly asked questions. In essence, this system seems to be on a path to being diminished. This could be good because it makes for a greater ability to have more spontaneity when at Disney World. What exactly is the Disney World Park Pass Reservation System? In order to manage the much lower capacity across all 4…

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