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Ashley | Ready Set Castle

@readysetcastle

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Helping families discover more of Disney💜
rides • resorts • dining • experiences
Find what belongs in your Disney trip ✨

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Hi! I’m Ashley!

There are some new faces around here, so I thought we’d have a little fun getting to know each other!

I’ve had a pretty random collection of jobs, adventures, and experiences over the years. And earlier this year, I started sharing my love of Walt Disney World here on @readysetcastle.

I love vacationing at Disney, and with each visit, my family finds something new to enjoy. There are still rides we haven’t experienced together, new resorts, restaurants, entertainment, and other attractions that most people walk right past.

That’s what I love sharing here. Lots of Disney information, personal experiences, and ideas to help you figure out what belongs in YOUR Disney vacation.

But first… can you spot the lies? There are TWO, one on each slide. Drop your guesses below! I’ll reveal the answers in stories! 💜

And if you’re new here, I’d love for you to stick around! by @readysetcastle

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4 days ago

We had a couple hours to kill at our Disney resort one morning during our trip in August, so I made my daughter a scavenger hunt. ✨

We were staying at Art of Animation for one night, and I knew she would love exploring the resort and checking out all the large character statues!

We had such a fun morning exploring as a family, while she led us on the scavenger hunt adventure. We marked off each statue as we found it, and took a silly picture with each one to document our find. 📸

I’ve turned this into a printable for other Disney families to enjoy as well. 💜 It turned out to be such a fun activity for our non-park day.

Scavenger Hunts for the Disney value resorts are up in my Etsy store (LINK IN BIO). ✨📸

#disneywithtoddlers #disneyscavengerhunt #artofanimationresort #popcenturyresort #disneyallstarresort by @readysetcastle

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a month ago

Every day at Magic Kingdom, a family is selected to “open” the park and be named the official “First Family” of the day. When I first learned about this, I knew we had to try it on our next trip!

So, during our Polynesian stay, we woke up bright and early and took a brisk morning walk around Seven Seas Lagoon to the Magic Kingdom.

We ended up being first at the turnstile…

And then, we proceeded to use that advantage in the least efficient way possible, at least as far as “rope dropping” is concerned. 😂

We aren’t big Peter Pan’s Flight people, and our daughter wasn’t in a Mine Train mood… so instead, we checked out the Main Street window displays, stopped at some Photopass locations, and met LOTS of roaming characters.

Could we have knocked out a bunch of popular rides instead? Sure! And that’s what most people do.

But for us, the perfect way to spend Early Entry that morning was dancing with Mickey, sharing tales with Belle, taking a walk with Chip, giving a high-five to Stitch, bouncing around with Tigger, and chatting with Alice and the Mad Hatter in Fantasyland. ✨

We weren’t named “First Family”… but family castle photos, 7 character meets, and a spin on the Teacups by 9am? I’d call that a win. 💜

#disneywithtoddlers #magickingdom #disneyearlyentry #disneycharactermeetandgreet #ropedrop by @readysetcastle

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25 days ago

If you have flexible travel dates for your Walt Disney World vacation, and you want to get the best room rates available, watch this video! ✨💃🏻

The Walt Disney World Resort rate calendar is a little hidden on their booking site, and it was so helpful once I found it.

Resort rates vary by season, week, day. Rates even vary during the summer, with the cheapest rates occurring in August, and the most variation happening during holiday months.

So, check out the rate calendar for your favorite resort, and if you’re able to adjust your vacation dates, you could save an extra couple hundred dollars.

Share this video with anyone you know who is going to Disney World soon or planning a trip next year. 💜

#disneyfirsttimer #disneybudgettips #disneyvalueresorts #disneyonabudget #disneymoderateresort by @readysetcastle

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7 days ago

Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is sold out, but you still may want to go to Magic Kingdom during the day even if you don’t have a ticket to the party.

Generally speaking, you will notice smaller crowd levels at Magic Kingdom during the day on party days. The park closes early to general admission guests on these days, and so most guests who are not attending the party will choose a different day during their trip to visit Magic Kingdom.

So if you don’t mind a shorter park day, and missing the Magic Kingdom nighttime entertainment, parades, and firework, party days will be your best friend. 🤝

Note: lower wait times are not guaranteed. I can’t predict crowd levels. This has just been my experience in the past. 💜

#disneyfirsttimer #mickeyshalloweenparty #mnsshp #magickingdompark #disneywithtoddlers by @readysetcastle

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9 days ago

The Bluey experince at Disney’s Animal Kingdom has gotten some very mixed reviews since it opened earlier this summer.

Some people love it. Some people hate it. Some people love it AND hate it. 😂

The show itself was cute. It looked like the kids were having fun playing games. Though, at one point my daughter started crying and getting frustrated because Bingo didn’t notice her for a hug 😂 (kids are running everywhere).

To get to the Bluey experience, you have to board the train to Conservation Station. Once there, you will take a short walk down some paths from the train station to the conservation station area that houses the Bluey show. Then you wait in line for the next show. The show lasts about 15 minutes and is super high energy.

Be prepared for this whole experience to take longer than you think.

The wait times lied to me during our trip, and I came with the receipts! 😂 (watch my time stamp video for the whole experience)

If you have little ones who love Bluey, yes, go experience this show. Just make sure to plan ahead so you don’t miss any dining reservations or other plans. 💜

#blueyanimalkingdom #blueyexperience #animalkingdomdisney #disneywithtoddlers #blueydisney by @readysetcastle

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11 days ago

NEW Disney Deluxe Resort opening July 1, 2027. ✨

Guests looking to stay at Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge next summer can begin making reservations starting this week!

10/6 bookings open for DVC members
10/7 bookings open for annual passholders
10/8 bookings open for the general public

Lakeshore Lodge is going to be located in the Magic Kingdom area, along Bay Lake, neighboring Fort Wilderness and Wilderness Lodge.

Based on artist renderings, I’m most excited for the resort’s pool area. Lakeshore Lodge will feature a lazy river with views of Bay Lake, along with a Pocahontas themed splash area for kids, and a feature pool with spiral slide.

*the only other resort on Disney property with a lazy river is the Yacht & Beach Club.

I imagine this resort will be very popular during its opening year.

Let me know if you are looking forward to staying here! We won’t be booking for next year, but I’m sure we will get to check it out eventually. 💜

#disneyfirsttimer #disneyresorts #disneydeluxeresort #magickingdomresorts #disneylakeshorelodge by @readysetcastle

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12 days ago

How long does it take to get to Hollywood Studios in the morning from the Pop Century & Art of Animation skyliner station?

The line may look long in the morning, but it moves faster than you think. It’ll actually be one of the more pleasant lines you will wait in all day. 😂 Beautiful lake views, birds chirping.

If your goal is to rope drop some of the bigger headliners, I’d recommend getting in line about an hour before early entry begins. For reference, in the video, we were in line 40 minutes before the start of early entry (during the month of May), with plans to start our day in Toy Story Land.

We decided to rope drop Toy Story Mania since we could ride as a whole family, as it has no height requirement. It was a great start to a fun day at Hollywood Studios! ✨

Follow along for more Disney fun. 💜

#disneyfirsttimer #disneyropedrop #disneyearlyentry #disneyskyliner #hollywoodstudiosdisney by @readysetcastle

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12 days ago

Oh, hey, Aladdin. 🤩 1900 Park Fare at the Grand Floridian might be our new favorite character dining experience at Disney World!

It’s a buffet style meal open for breakfast and dinner, where you get to meet with Cinderella, Mirabel, Tiana, and Aladdin during your dining experience.

✅ beautiful dining room
✅ fun group of characters (including a prince)
✅ great food, with options for kids
✅ less expensive than eating at Cinderella’s castle

During our experience, we had plenty of time to meet with the characters! They were so fun and interactive with the kids. It’s safe to say Aladdin was my daughter’s favorite… this is the only dining experience at Disney where you can meet and interact with a Disney Prince.

At the end of the meal, the voice of Jiminy Cricket leads the restaurant in a wishing ceremony. We wished for a fun-filled vacation to end our summer, and this was the best way to kick off our week. 💜

10/10

#disneywithtoddlers #disneyfirsttimer #disneydining #1900parkfare #disneycharacterdining by @readysetcastle

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2 months ago

One of the best things about staying at Pop Century is not staying at Pop Century. 😅

So, we love staying at this resort. The theming is fun for our kids, and they love splashing around the pool, playing in the splash pad area, and running around the playground.

But they also love going for a ride on the Skyliner to explore other areas of Walt Disney World Resort.

Staying at Pop Century gives you a budget-friendly option, while still connecting you to some of the offerings at Disney moderate and deluxe resorts. (Pool hopping NOT permitted).

Our Pop Century stays always include a stroll around the Boardwalk, and ice cream at Beaches & Cream at the Beach Club. We also really love eating at Sebastian’s Bistro at Caribbean Beach Resort!

There are two character dining experiences at resorts along the Skyliner that I recommend for families as well.

• Cape May Cafe at Beach Club
• Topolino’s Terrace at Riviera

If you are considering a stay at Pop Century (or any resort along the Skyliner), definitely check out dining options at surrounding resorts and enjoy the EPCOT fireworks from the Boardwalk.

Follow @readysetcastle for more Disney experiences to add to your trip.

#disneywithtoddlers #disneyvalueresorts #disneypopcenturyresort #disneyskyliner #disneybudget by @readysetcastle

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17 days ago

Are you planning your first trip to Disney World? EPCOT is a great park for families and kids! ✨

Here’s a peek at the rides with NO height requirement:

Finding Nemo
Living with the Land
Journey into Imagination
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
Frozen Ever After
Gran Fiesta Tour
Spaceship Earth

Save for your next Disney trip ⬇️

#disneywithtoddlers #disneyfirsttimer #disneyworldplanning #epcotdisney #disneyrides by @readysetcastle

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a month ago

Disney’s Art of Animation Resort is a toddler’s paradise.

The resort has four themed sections, all featuring giant statues of beloved Disney characters:

➡️ Cars
➡️ Lion King
➡️ Little Mermaid
➡️ Finding Nemo

Besides the fun theming, we love this resort for its location along the Skyliner, the splash pad area for toddler’s, and the GIANT pool (largest on Disney property).

What’s your favorite section of the Art of Animation resort?

#disneywithtoddlers #disneyvalueresorts #artofanimationresort #disneypixarcars #disneyfirsttimer first by @readysetcastle

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a month ago