OUTLET STORES
Did you know that Walt Disney World has four outlet stores in Florida?!?!?
In Orlando, Character Warehouse and Character Premiere are in Belz Factory Outlet World at the corner of International Drive and Oak Ridge Road. The phone number for Character Warehouse located in Mall 2, next to the Food Court, is 407-345-5285 and Character Premiere located in Mall 1, aisle 3, is 407-354-0193.
In Ft. Lauderdale, there is another Character Premiere at the Sawgrass Mills Outlet Center and their phone number is 954-846-7161. From Orlando, you would go south on the Florida Turnpike until you reach the Sawgrass Expressway exit ($0.75 toll); take the Sawgrass Expressway until you reach the Oakland Park exit ($0.50 toll); turn left; at the traffic light, turn right onto Flamingo; at the next traffic light, turn right; you will see the National Car Rental arena on the right and Sawgrass Mills Outlet Center on the left; Character Premiere is next to The Oasis, where the movie theatres are located.
In St. Augustine, the newest Character Premiere opened in August 1999 at Belz Factory Outlet World and their phone number is 904-829-0359. From Orlando, you would go east on Interstate 4 until you reach Interstate 95; go north on Interstate 95 until you reach the Green Cove Springs/St. Augustine exit (#95); at the traffic light, turn right (remembering to get into the left lane as you do); at the next traffic light, turn left onto Belz Outlet Blvd.; Character Premiere is located next to the Food Court near the main entrance of the mall.
These stores carry first-quality overstock and discontinued merchandise that is discounted up to 75% off of the retail price! Character Premiere in Orlando also carries waterglobes that are typically 50% off due to a slight air bubble. Another tip to remember is that these stores, as well as the ones on property, can ship your purchases home for a nominal shipping charge and if you are shipping to a state other than Florida, the sales tax is waived. So if you plan to do your Christmas shopping early, you may want to consider having your purchases shipped home!
GETTING LOSTIf you get separated from your fellow travelers while visiting any of the parks, you may leave a message for them at any Guest Relations location within the park.
CHILD SWAPIf your child is too small to ride an attraction with age or height restrictions, try this: One parent may wait with the child while the other parent rides the attraction, then switch at the end of the ride. Theres no additional waiting in line.
IS IT YOUR BIRTHDAY?
Will you be at Walt Disney World on your birthday? If so, stop by City Hall or Guest Relations and pick up a "TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY" button!
DISNEY'S FASTPASS
Check out Disneys FASTPASS, a new service that lets you spend less time waiting in line and more time enjoying the parks. You just check in at some of your favorite attractions and receive a designated ride time and quickly get on. This is a seasonal benefit, so check the guidemap for the attractions offering this new feature.
MEET CINDERELLA
Cinderella does sets in the lobby of King Stefan's Restaurant!
GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR TIME - II
The shops on Main Street are open for one hour after the Magic Kingdom closes, so do your shopping on the way out. Not only will it free up your time, but you won't have to carry your packages around all day! If you don't want to fight the crowds or find something in another area of the park, not to worry - Disney offers complimentary delivery of your purchases to your WDW resort. If you're not staying on property, you may have your purchases sent to "package pick-up" and retrieve them as you leave.
GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR TIME
In order to get a curb-side seat for the parade, you should be there an hour or so before it starts. If you snack during the day, you can use this time for a late lunch (day parade) or a late dinner (night parade). You can then use the time you would have spent on dining on something else - like rides or shows! And for those of us who have small children, this is a great way to keep them occupied!
