Disney customized map

Are you a fan of Disney World?  Are you a fan of freebies?  Well, then you’re going to love this freebie:  For those of you who didn’t know, Disney World offers free customized maps at its website.  You have to register to get them, but that’s free, too.

You’re probably wondering why you would need to order these maps, since you may already have WDW park maps you picked up on your last trip or that were sent to you through the mail when you booked your package.  Trust me when I say these maps are nothing like those.  Those maps are terrific for using in the parks, but I don’t feel too bad if I roll them up or fold them up to the point where they are dog-eared and worn because that’s pretty much what I do with park maps.

Disney World customized map

These customized maps, though, are truly keepsakes.  I’m hard to impress, and I was impressed with these.  They are incredibly high quality–especially for something that is free!  I don’t know enough about paper stock to know what kind they used, but it’s nice stuff.  Ostensibly, the customized maps are for planning purposes, and certainly they can be used that way in advance of your trip.  But I would not recommend bringing them to Disney World with you or even handling them too much.  They are simply too nice to use.  They would be excellent additions to a Disney scrapbook, or even framed on your wall.

Your Favorites are marked in gold on maps

The maps come in a package that includes two double-sided maps and an overall Disney World map that shows where all the parks and resorts are in relation to one another.  This was handy for me, as I’ve always been a bit geographically-challenged when it comes to Disney World.  (Okay, maybe not just Disney World.)  Your name is all over the paperwork, such as a page of “Spellbinding Tips for the Cargills” and “The Cargill Family’s Guide to the Disney World Resort” which adds to the customized feel. The map set also comes with a star sticker for “my resort” and additional gold dots so you can map new favorite activities after you’ve received your map.

Dot stickers for favorite activities

The additional dots are useful, because you are only allowed to order the keepsake maps once every 6 months, so if you decide after you’ve visited Disney World that you’d like to add Soarin’ to your list of Favorites after all, you can just slap a dot on it on the map. (You can also update your map online after you’ve ordered it and print it out yourself on your home computer, but unless you have high quality, 14″ x 20″ paper stock at home, it just won’t be the same.)

Magic Kingdom map border detail

The artwork and attention to detail on these maps is really terrific (my pictures really don’t do them justice).  The maps themselves feature deep, rich colors, and the borders have been embellished with specific seals for each park–Cinderella’s Castle for the Magic Kingdom, Spaceship Earth for Epcot, the Tree of Life for Animal Kingdom, and the Sorcerer’s Hat for Hollywood Studios.  I also appreciated the Mickey-shaped inkwell in the personalized letter from Disney.

Mickey head-shaped inkwell

To order your own customized maps, go to Disney’s website, which will walk you through the process, step-by-step.  You will select your favorite park activities (including table service restaurants).  These will be highlighted on your map under a section called “Your Favorites”.  All of these activities will be featured on the maps in the color gold.  Other park activities can be found under sections such as “Suggestions”.

For more information on how to order your customized maps, go here.