Me neither.

But today, in honor of Earth Day, you can bring three plastic bottles to any Disney Store, and you’ll receive a free gift while supplies last. Rumor has it the gift is a water bottle (the reusable kind – good for Mother Earth). But who knows? Whatever it is, it’s free, it’s Disney and it’s for a good cause.

Click here to find a Disney Store near you.

My favorite perk is the special meet and greet, complete with a free 5 by 7, that comes with the card.  Last time we visited, our little crew got some private face time with Mickey, Minnie and Goofy in Epcot….it was great! And since two of us had Disney Rewards Visas, we got two free pictures!

I just learned that the card can also get you a 20 percent discount off the regular pice of select tours in the theme parks. These tours include (but aren’t limited to) the Keys to the Kingdom tour or Mickey’s Magical Milestones in the Magic Kingdom, Hidden Treasures of the World Showcase in Epcot and the Animal Kingdom’s Wild By Design tour.

Another perk – 10 percent off your purchases (over $50) at the World of Disney in Downtown Disney. That’s one way to cut down on souvenir costs!

And the most basic perk of all – you get 1% back on all your purchases in a Disney gift card. I know, one percent doesn’t sound like much, but so far we have $250 for our November trip…which means ‘Ohana is free for us!

So check out the Disney Rewards Visa….and reward yourself with extra cash in your pocket.

Scott's Dessert at Chef Mickey's

So what’s better than Disney dining?  Well, how about Disney dining…for free? Yep, that’s the offer on the table (pun intended). If you book a full price WDW vacation checking in between August 16 and October 3 (with some restrictions), you can upgrade to the Magic
Your Way Plus Dining plan for the same price as the plain old Magic Your Way package.

Bottom line: this deal will save the average family of four (who are those people?) $101.96 per day.  That’s a lot of souvenir money, doncha know?

Breakfast at Crystal Palace

The small print: your vacation package must include a three day hotel stay and a one day (at least) theme park ticket. And you must book before 6/21/09, using the appropriate code: RYH. If you want to upgrade to the Deluxe Dining Plan (which gives you three sitdown or counter service meals a day, two snacks, an appetizer with table service meals and a refillable mug) you can do so for $32 per adult per night and $10 per night for the kiddies.  Use code UGR.

So what’s the hold up? Go book your Disney trip with free dining now…and start counting the days until you have to dial to book your space at LeCellier.

Well, the same must be true of the blog-a-sphere. Just yesterday, I posted that I wanted to cover the whole Orlando tourist scene, not just Disney alone, since so many people do the whole area when they visit. Well, I just mentioned that yesterday, and by this morning my email was flooded with ideas and offers about what to do (on the cheap, natch) while in the area.

So I’ll be passing on the best ideas from time to time. And this is one of those times! The good people at the Orlando CVB shared that the 50th annual Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival will be taking place this weekend (March 20-22). This festival is one of the nation’s most prestigious outdoor events, with over 1400 artists competing for less than 300 spots in the show. The event also includes jazz music, kiddie activities, and of course, great food. If you’re interested in hearing more, just click here.

Now, my youngest son is an artist, so this would be right up his alley. I mean, he loves the animation studios at Disney, but man does not live on Lilo alone. This would be a great chance to expose him to what other artists are doing – and to expose my wallet to a break from theme park pricing. And the event is free!

I know it all depends on where you’re driving from, but from where I sit (that’s South Jersey, y’all) the three or four tanks of gas it takes us to get to Orlando is a lot cheaper than flying. (Remember, I have a party of six.) Then there’s the cost of renting a car once I’m there. If I drive, I have my own car (and tons of luggage) with no added costs. And we have plenty of room for souvenirs!

Of course, the clue to a happy road trip is keeping all the little passengers happy. That’s where the Black and Decker new portable 100 watt Power Inverter comes in. Simply plug this handy dandy little gadget into your car’s cigarette lighter and viola! You have the convenience of a household power outlet, ready to recharge iPods, laptops and cell phones – all without having to stop your car.

Want one? Just add a comment below with your favorite road trip tip. We’ll choose the winner at random (see Official Rules) and notify you here and by email. It’s that simple….so good luck, and let’s all hope the gas prices keep falling.

This year (through December 23), Disney is showing its support for our armed services members by offering a fully-loaded “Disney Armed Forces Salute” five day ticket absolutely free. The ticket allows five days worth of entrance into the four theme parks, complete with hopping privileges, and includes the Water Parks and More option as well.

One free ticket per active or retired military personnel. Family and friends still get a deal, though – active and retired military are also able to make a one-time purchase of up to five “Disney Armed Forces Salute Companion” tickets. For $99, the ticket is good for one theme park per day for five days. Hopping and water park options can be added at the discounted price of $25 per option.

These specially priced tickets are only available at participating US Base ticket offices (including Shades of Green) or at the theme parks’ main entrance. Tip: pre-purchase your tickets on base, where you can buy tax-free!

You have your marching orders: get to Disney!

But hurry! This deal started on the first, and will end when supplies run out.

Other items you can borrow include iron and ironing board (to get out the wrinkles when you over-pack your one carry-on), high chairs and cribs, bed rails, sharps disposable containers and hair dryers. It never hurts to ask – and it could just save you bucks!

Whenever your birthday is, that’s the time to celebrate with a visit to Disney World because (as you’ve probably heard in a million commercials) this year you can celebrate your birthday in Disney for free!

The details – you have to be at the Disney park of your choice (sorry, just one) on your actual date of birth. And you need to register your birthday first, so no celebrating a birthday every other month (believe me, we age quickly enough as it is!).

They even offer gift certificates for those who already have an annual pass (see, Goofy and the guys covered all the bases).  So sign up here, and enjoy a Mouska-birthday – on the World!