Minnie Moms: Advance Planning Tips, Heather

Our Minnie Moms mini-series continues.  Today Heather shares her family's approach to Walt Disney World vacation planning.
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Yay for considering a WDW trip! I dare say that if you are a first time visitor the amount of resources and websites can be daunting. Starting at a year out is optimal but our first time we managed a great trip in a 5 month planning window. With 4 theme parks and 2 water parks even the most seasoned traveler benefits from preplanning a WDW trip. I personally found the following sites helpful in pretrip planning.

• Allears.net- Their information about hotels is an excellent way to evaluate the pro/cons of the different on-site hotels)
• Touring Plans- From printable plans to real time apps for lines, this is a don’t miss resource.
• Consider a Magic your Way plan and/or a Disney Dining Plan to save on your trip total.

12 months out-Discuss time of year, crowd levels, possible holidays themed events, impact on school schedule, begin to research on vs. off property lodging, discount programs, airfare.

9 months out- Settle on time to visit, lodging, book tickets and any other prepaid plans. Consider travel insurance. Investigate restaurants, character meals, and plan your top restaurants to book reservations.

6 months out- If you haven’t booked lodging and airfare already DO. You are now 180 days from your trip allowing you to make all dining reservations for WDW restaurants. These can be changed at any time without penalty. DO NOT TAKE FOR GRANTED THE POPULARITY OF CERTAIN DINING LOCATIONS. Many sell out within minutes on the first available day. Have a backup plan for character meals and premium restaurants. TAKE advantage of your preplanning to schedule optimal times around park closing, parades and fireworks. **One of the best meals we had was a late dinner at Ohana while we watched the fireworks over the Magic Kingdom.**

3 months out- Finalize travel. Consider renting a vehicle or alternate modes like Amtrak if airfare is expensive. Orlando is serviced by the Amtrak Silver Star line on the east coast. Begin to develop a plan for which days you want to tour each park. Note Magic hours and special events. Check the WDW Moms Panel and the Minnie Moms past topics for great ideas about doing WDW.

1 month out- Confirm all reservations, check travel insurance policy, finalize a daily plan including restaurants, parks with Must see/Hope to See/Ok to Miss by park area. Break in shoes and pack a medical bag to avoid premium prices on site. Get your kids involved with a 30 day countdown to Disney Chart. Buy an extra battery and memory card for your camera. Begin to set aside travel snacks, games, and advanced packing so you can enjoy a stress free final week.

1 week out- Reconfirm reservations, pack, get extra sleep if possible and anticipate a wonderful, memory filled trip.

Once there… play things by ear. Even the best laid plans sometimes benefit from extra time at the pool, skipping a ride, sleeping in after staying out late, letting the kids pick.  Enjoy the time together as a family regardless if your plans take a detour.

You can always go back. We did.


Contributed by Minnie Mom Heather V. of Raleigh, NC. Wife to Bill, proud mom to Ben and Ian, and creator of Freeze Ahead Frenzy. 

Minnie Moms: Advance Planning Tips, Janine

This month's Minnie Moms topic is advance planning tips.  Since everyone had such great ideas to share, I'll be posting them all week.  Enjoy this installment from Janine in the UK!
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There's very little in life as exciting for me as going on holiday, especially if the letters WDW are involved.  As this is something we don't get to do every year, the planning for me is a big part of it.

For our first trip back in 2001, with my dear in-laws, we didn't do much beforehand at all. My husband and his family had been twice already, in 1997 and 1999. His dad paid for the flights with air miles. We found a villa on the Internet (thank God it was legit!) and my father-in-law bought the Park tickets on the plane.

I'd read a book about Florida in general and had a few ideas about what I wanted to do and see, but it was pretty much go with the flow.

It was an awesome holiday but left me chomping at the bit to go back and do all the things we missed.

The next time we went wasn't until June 2006, this time just my husband and myself. However we booked it in January 2005 which meant I had lots of time to plan!!!

This time I spent night after night researching rides, restaurants, shops etc. I watched planning DVDs, read guide books, looked at things online. I even knew what I wanted to buy from Walmart by looking at their online shopping site. I knew which Parks I wanted to do on each day and even where I wanted to eat. I became obsessed with looking at menus, and checked loads of them out before we went, so that I pretty much knew what I wanted to order before we had even left the UK.

But both our 2006 and 2008 trip were relatively easy to plan as we booked a package deal through a travel agent, including hire care and insurance. In 2006 we even bought the Park tickets from the agent.

In 2008, we booked the flights and hotel through Virgin but DIY'ed the tickets, buying from Disney, Discovery Cove and Universal direct (yes, as we go for a fortnight we do allow ourselves to do non-Disney things too.)

However, in 2009 I really had to get my act together. After we had returned from WDW in 2008, my father-in-law suggested that he would like to treat the whole family to a holiday to Florida. Various things occurred throughout 2008 which meant although I kept an eye on things, such as prices of flights, possible villas etc., and nothing was set in stone.

Queue January 2009, with me working difficult shifts as a Police Officer - "Oh Nine, since you're the Disney expert, how about I transfer some money into your bank account, and you chose and book EVERYTHING." For 6 of us. For May.

Now I was used to about 18 months worth of list making and faffing about, this was Pressure!!!

First thing to sort was the flights and villa.

I was 99% sure I would use Virgin as although you pay more, you get a better service. I don't know about anyone else, but we feel that you pay so much for a Florida holiday anyway, that you may as well spend a little extra to get the best that you can. There is a time and a place for scrimping and saving (to be able to afford Disney holidays in the first place) but not whilst you're there, and most certainly not when your father-in-law is paying for it all.

So it became a daily ritual for about a week or so of checking flight prices.

In the mean time I also had to find a villa. Because, what if I bought flights for a fixed date, and couldn't find a villa to accommodate us? Or, vice versa?

Luckily, back in 2008 I had joined a website called The DIBB. This is basically a Disney information community for Brits. And they have a section with villas to rent. Back in 2001 we had stayed in Claremont and really liked the location, so that was my starting point. Luckily I found one really quickly, and exchanged some lovely emails with the owner. I emailed all the details with photos to the inlaws, just to double check. Yes, they thought it looked great. So, with a date in mind, I checked with Disneybabe, the owner, and then checked the flights, and by February, we had a way to get to the US and somewhere to stay while we were there, yippee.

Next up was car hire, which we do direct with Dollar, and tickets. We always buy them direct now, so it was the 14 day Park Hopper (only available to UK guests) and 14 day flex ticket including Busch Gardens.

We also book tickets to see a Tampa Bay Rays game (this was one of the deciding factors about what time of year to go, as DH loves baseball) and a three night stay at The Grand Plaza Hotel in St Petes as everyone loves the beach time and the break from the Parks (except me of course, I'd much rather be in WDW but I'm not paying so can't argue too much ...).

As soon as we start to get to a double digit countdown, well that's it really. Mega excitement begins and planning goes into overdrive. I end up with lists of my lists. My husband will enquire where a certain tee-shirt is, only to be told it's already packed. Each week in the grocery shop, something extra for the holiday will appear in the trolley as I stock up on sun cream, puzzle books, new flip flops, shower gel, you know, all the essentials.

I find myself addicted to The DIBB and the Walmart websites.

I make myself a 'touring plan' of each Park and an itinerary for each day. As my brother-in-law's girlfriend was a first timer, I hand wrote her a day by day guide to what we would be doing, with a rundown of the Park/shops/restaurants etc.. I know what days we'll do parades and which nights we'll stay late for fireworks. I read and re-read planning guides, so much so that I could write one myself. Every Facebook or Twitter status mentions the F word, by which I mean Florida of course. Everyday folk run away from me as I can now tell them which film I'll be watching on the flight and which refreshment stand I'll be getting a drink from in MK before the parade ...

Of course, what I didn't know at this hectic but hugely enjoyable planning stage, was that the day we set off on yet another 'Once in a lifetime' holiday, I would be 6 weeks pregnant with Tink.

So a lot of the planning went out the window when we were there, as I was too sick, too tired or unable to do things!

I only found out that I was expecting Tink on 28th April and we left on 9th May so this time was spent frantically making sure Virgin and the insurance company knew I was pregnant, and researching which rides would still be safe for 'us' to go on.

Anyway, that's how I tend to plan our holidays to The World.

I realise a big missing thing here are ADRs (advance dining reservations.) We've never made one. This will change with the 2014 trip as we want to do Chef Mickeys, CRT and California Grill at least.

It may be about 3 years away, but I'm already thinking about it. I may need to buy Tink so thicker soled shoes or put her on a stretching table if she's not big enough for some of the rides!

And most importantly, Amy and I need to plan our meets! So far we're having tea at the Grand Floridian, carrot cake cookie at The Writers Stop, a 'veggie Southern dinner' at her DVC property .....


Contributed by Minnie Mom Janine P. from Swindon, England.  She is a proud wife to Steve and mommy to Felicity.  You can follow her on Twitter, @Disneynine.

Good morning from Walt Disney World

The last couple of days have been a blur of activity and not nearly as much sleep as I would like to have, but have fun or have sleep...or have fun sleeping I guess. On this trip though I'll just have to sleep when I'm dead because I'll leave here Wednesday to go home work 2 days then come back to see my friends for one more weekend. Jim if you read this I'll bring you back a souvenir in exchange for leaving early next Friday. *wink*
The previous statement in no way was a bribe. lol. So on with the recap.

So as you read on Thursday my trip started off with a bang having my O2 sensor go out and causing a two hour layover while I had it repaired. Good times, at least the best circumstances surrounded a bad situation and I was able to get back on the road quickly. That night check in was late and the next morning came early for it was opening day for Star Wars Weekends as well as Star Tours the Saga Continues. It is technically a prequel but we will not go into the continuity issues and just focus on the fact the 3D that is being used was the most vivid and real as seeing in everyday life. As a matter of fact nothing in real life looks that good so now regular vision is kind of a let down.
The opening day hoopla was impressive so I understand. In a fit of failure that is beginning to sum up my Friday morning, I misread the schedule of events and missed the festivities, however I was in the line for merchandise and able to get a couple of exclusive pins that were sold out by the end of the day. In that respect I won, but I missed seeing George Lucas on stage giving his blessing to Disney for all the hard work that goes into Star Wars Weekends and Star Tours.






The fun was shared by meeting up with the Startours2live.com and Studiocentral.com crew as well as other bloggers and friends. Twitter brings people together and destroys 3rd world countries (not really but it has great power for some reason). Oh the social media gatherings are always so much fun. Here is just one picture of it all.






Friday was long but somehow Saturday was longer. I meet up with the WDW Radio fans to see Lou Mongello and all the other friends from the day before then a group of about 30 of us went to Momma Melrose for lunch. Fantastic.











I'll go into detail later about how much I enjoyed lunch and having it with that many friends was incredibly entertaining. After lunch we did several activities as a group then ended the night at Hyperspace Hoopla a dance party type show with all you favorite characters. When I can get my pictures off my camera I'll be posting more about that show but I'll say one thing: Ewok dressed as Slash. My night was complete.

Now I am up and just being lazy meeting up with my friends Mary and Christa this afternoon at Epcot once Mary flys in. I dropped of some film at Walgreens and am right now having Breakfast at BabyCakes NYC at Downtown Disney just killing time. I will say though I am a new fan of it here. Is a Vegan bakery and the eats are great.





Pictured are a vanilla cake crumble donut and a cinnamon roll. They worked for me and bonus they took a DVC discount. Discounts make everything better.

Before I go out and play a little more today I wanted to say thank you to Kelly from Travelwiththemagic.com for helping me book my trip this go 'round and for all the advice she has lent me for October. Kelly I'll be in-touch with you soon about all that. Thanks again.

- Posted by Ridge using BlogPress from my iPhone

Star Tours E-Postcard

Check out this link to create your own e-postcard from one of several Star Wars locations.  Disney currently offers Tatooine, Hoth, and Naboo; more will be released in the coming weeks. 

I made one with a picture of Tink, diving Lake Paonga.  It turned out very cute and reminds me of e-postcards we've sent in years past from Innoventions.  The catch seems to be that you can only post this to Facebook.  So much for adding it to this blog post.  It's still a fun diversion on a Friday afternoon.  Have a great weekend!

~Amy

Star Tours 2

Is fantastic. Smiling me.





- Posted by Ridge using BlogPress from my iPhone

Watching the Star Tours opening ceremony

Are you?




Unlike my brother, I couldn't be there in person but I really enjoyed watching the webcast of today's event.  George Lucas is definitely more comfortable with a light saber than is Bob Iger.

-Amy

Magical Blogorail: The Best of World Showcase

Welcome to those of you joining me from A World View and those of you who have just hopped aboard.  I am the 4th stop on our Magical Blogorail.

This month, Magical Blogorail Red is discussing the World Showcase pavilion where we like to spend the most time.  Well, I can't ever pass up a chance to hang out in Canada and catch a show or two from Off Kilter.  (LOVE THEM!)

Jamie from Off Kilter, me and Pal Mickey

However, the pavilion where I spend the most time is United Kingdom.  I have been in love with British history since elementary school.  In college, I had the opportunity to live in London for a semester, studying and working for a Member of Parliament and traveling on the weekends.  I love wandering the streets of the pavilion and taking in the architecture.  Next time you visit, slow down, notice the detailing of the buildings and think about the eras represented.  

Can't pass up a phone booth pic!

  

United Kingdom's shops are always a must-do for me.  For one, I love hearing the accents of the Cast Members.  It takes me back to my London days.  Secondly, I almost always buy something at the tea shop and my brother is likely to cross the street and buy something with the logo of his favorite soccer team.  Even if you aren't a tea fan, pop into the tea shop on your next trip.  British chocolate is SOOOO much better than what we are accustomed to here in the States.  My personal favorites are Penguins and milk chocolate Digestives.  (I said they made good chocolate.  I didn't say they came up with the best names.)

For @disneynine

This was in one of the shops on my last visit.  How many can you answer correctly?

She almost had to come home with me.

The British Invasion. (Recently replaced. Boo!)

The architectural photos were taken by my brother
and co-blogger, Chris.  Thanks!

The table service restaurant in the United Kingdom pavilion is Rose & Crown.  It's pub-style dining with a fantastic water-front location.  If you are lucky enough to dine outside here during IllumiNations, you are in for quite a treat.  However, we typically eat here for lunch every few trips.  I am a big fan of the midday break and this is a super place for one.  The food and service are always good.  Of course, the fish and chips are tasty, but don't hesitate to branch out and try something else from the menu.  I always enjoy the cheese and fruit appetizer.  With the more relaxed atmosphere comes a little more wait.  It was too much for Tink to handle on her first trip to WDW at one year old but an older child would be fine.

A trip to Walt Disney World usually includes plenty of food and we find the fish and chips take away to be just enough for a lighter meal, especially when you need a little more after a day of nibbles at the Food and Wine Festival.  Notice I didn't say quick.  Yorkshire County Fish Shop is a popular counter service location and sometimes the line can get quite long.  

And of course, there is the beer.  While I recommend reservations to eat at Rose & Crown, you are welcome to stop into the pub for a pint at any time.  There isn't a ton of seating but it's worth a visit.  Some of the bartenders are quite unique and so is the entertainment.

Speaking of entertainment, I now can't find the picture I want but the World Showcase Players are a clever improv troupe that performs on the streets of the UK pavilion.  It's usually very funny, but if you are shy, don't stand too close as there is lots of audience participation.

Wandering World Showcase is among my favorite activities at Walt Disney World and it's not complete without a visit to the United Kingdom.  What pavilion in World Showcase draws you in and captures your imagination?

Thank you for joining me today.  Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is WDW Backstage.

Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail should you happen to have to make a stop along the way and want to reboard:

1st Stop ~ Makin’ Memories
2nd Stop ~ My Dreams of Disney
3rd Stop ~ A World View
4th Stop ~ Growing Up Disney
Final Stop ~ WDW Backstage

AU breakdown

Sounds like a country song. Just to follow up on the last piece. The car is now fixed and driving smooth. Wesley Tire & Auto was fast and super friendly. Thanks!






- Posted by Ridge using BlogPress from my iPhone

Mishap for the day...

I left work on time and programmed the GPS to take me away however in my infinite wisdom knowing much better the direction I wanted to take I ignored my GPS and started out. Using it more as an estimate for time rather than a direction.
This arrogance soon backfired as I got trapped in traffic due to a pretty bad wreck. Then while taking to my sister the check engine light came on. This was then followed by then engine running very rough. I was so close to my old stomping ground Auburn University that pulled on in to the local auto parts store and had them diagnose the light. "O2 sensor, we don't carry that one". After a call to DisneyDad, I was calling the local dealership to see if they had it. They DID! But surprise! The service department sucked so they couldn't put it on. Luckily one of the guys there called a local mechanic and he said he could get it on now and save me burning my hands (these things are not located conveniently). So that leads me to right now, delayed but not deterred. I'll be back on the road in no time hopefully with a functioning car and a lighter wallet. I would have fixed it myself in a pinch and was prepared to since I carry a set of tools in the trunk. However, I don't have a split wrench that you need to do something like this so paying a professional seems like my best option right now.

Back on the road soon....

- Posted by Ridge using BlogPress from my iPhone

It's Go Time.

It's finally here: day zero, party day, travel day oh, and still a working day. Not complaining though, my job and manager Jim are flexible and very understanding of the fact I seem to have a Disney problem. Thinking of that I have to take a drug and alcohol awareness in the workplace compliance do-hicky before I leave out today. So hi, my name is Chris and I have an addiction to good entertainment, a large mouse and the world of family fun that Walt built. The byproduct of all this is a large collection of camera gear, movies, trips to Florida and a pretty large group of friends, some of which I'll be seeing Friday, Saturday and Sunday as well as next week.

So I'll be posting as often as possible to the blog here as activities allow at Star Wars Weekends and other fun times from my trip.

- Posted by Ridge using BlogPress from my iPhone

Photo Flashback! Cinderella's Stepsisters

The next time you are at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, take a look at the beautiful murals in the castle.  Look carefully at the stepsisters and you'll see that one is red with rage and the other is green with envy.

A Toddler and a Newborn: A Survival Guide

Earlier this week, I put out a call for help. On Twitter and Facebook, I asked the following question:

"I'll soon have two girls, right at 2 years apart. What are your best tips for surviving an infant and a toddler? THANKS!"

I received tons of great advice and was asked by a Growing Up Disney reader to compile these tips since she will be in the same boat soon. I wasn't planning on making this a blog post, but y'all came up with such great advice that I'd like to share it. Since I didn't declare ahead of time that I'd publish this, I've removed names from the comments.

I hope this helps you or a friend. A HUGE thanks to everyone who shared their tips from the trenches.

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~put several drinks and snacks out for the toddler. It never failed that as soon as i would start feeding baby, a toddler would want something to eat or drink.

~Well, I had 3 kids in 3 1/2 years. It is very hard but worth every second. Just keep the toddler very busy. Go to the zoo, park or even go to a friends house that has children or vice versa, have your friends come over. Get a mommy's group started & you will be amazed at the accomplishments!!! My kids are 21, 19 & 18 now. Enjoy while they are young cause they grow up too darn fast!!!

~try to include the toddler as much as possible. They can be the wipe holder or go get the diaper. Bailey would help us bathe Eli - she got a washcloth and was at his feet. If breastfeeding, you can read to her while feeding. Make sure to send special time with the toddler while baby is napping. You and hubby take turns staying with little one and take toddler out for some one on one. You don't have to spend money just go to the park or do their favoirte thing at home. Eli also brought Bailey gift for her to have when he arrived. I have a friend who said she went to the dollar store and bought several small things and wrapped them up and when it looked like toddler was about to have a hard time she would pull out a gift for them to open. I think she said that she had 10 things. She said it really helped.

~Ear plugs?

~My girls are two years apart...here's what I know..right now, you wonder how you will do it. When you get to the point I am at (they are now 14 and 16) you look back and wonder how you ever did it. But, when you are "in it"...you just do it. :) I honestly enjoyed that time greatly...wouldn't change a thing.

~Let some things go, ask for help, be reasonable! It will get easier!

~Run run run run. :)

~Mine are 2 year apart, and I have learned recently to pick my battles...one more curious george episode won't hurt her while i get the baby to sleep. don't worry about it being Quiet, the baby will learn to sleep through the noise of the 2 year old.

~enjoy every minute and love them loads because before you can turn around twice they are grown up having their own children. love you and hope you are doing great.

~All my advice would be unfounded since I don't have two, but I think you need to abandon that sweet husband of yours and come home for a little while so we can spoil them rotten and let you get some extra sleep. Totally unbiased - I swear!

~My two kids are just over 2 years apart. You need to lower your expectations. But you still do need to make a point to appreciate your older child and let her help. Letting them help thrills them to death, and that can include pulling laundry out of the basket or just fetching you a diaper.

~Try to get them on the same afternoon nap schedule!

~just relax! i know you heard it before w/Tink, but the laundry and cleaning will wait... enjoy the two of them together while you can! And let Tink help as much as possible! She can bring you diapers and help burp the baby and pick out clothes! It will really help form that 'big sister bond' from the beginning that will last a lifetime! but the best tip i got from one of the nurses in the hosp.... UNLESS there is some blood or real danger involved, take care of Tink FIRST! If she needs attention but the baby is crying, go to Tink and love on her... the baby (as long as she's ok and just crying) will be fine, but Tink is old enough to notice who you choose first. It will take the bite out of the jealousy... and it really worked for us! my two little monkeys are best friends! good luck and praying for you Hot Mama!!!

~WINE :)

~Same naptime is great! And keep the older one involved with everything - let her help you as much as possible with the baby. My 2 year old LOVED being a "big girl" and helping with the baby. She would also change her stuffed animals or baby doll every time I changed the baby.

~HANG ON!

~Get organized and try staying on a schedule it provides stability and comfort for the babies and provides grounding for you. You will always be prepared. Make sure to try and rest when they rest. And always have at least one date night a month. If momma ain't happy ain't nobody happy. Good luck.

~TV is your friend - especially at first!

~mine r 25months apart & there were days I didn't think I would make but but now it's awesome! They r best buddies!

~just remember the words of Darius Rucker..."It Won't Be Like This For Long". Take it 1 day at a time. :)

~if you get one something, you probably won't hear the end of it unless you get the other the same thing!!

~my girls are 17 months apart. My best advice is have the big sister be a part of everything.

~mine are 23 mths apart. The 1st year is tough, but then it gets easier as the get older and have each other to play with.

~I think making sure they have things (ie toys or activites) together & apart is important. Gives them individuality. ;)

~I second it - Coffee, and lots of it LOL!

~I'm thinking gin... Lots of it! ;) how much longer to go for you?

~Coffee!!!

~well duhhh... a trip to Europe and no forwarding address. oh... you want to actually stay... ummm... prozac?? :)~

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If you'd like to add your own tips to the list, please feel free to comment below.  It's always terrific when we can learn from each other!

Aulani - Samantha Brown's Preview

I have always thought Samantha Brown has the absolute best job in the world. She travels to some of the most exotic locations. She stays in some of the world’s best hotels. She eats in some of the best restaurants. All in front of a camera and she gets paid for it! Wow! What a job!

Disney, DVC, and Samantha Brown have teamed up to create a webinar preview of Aulani starting tomorrow, May 17, 2011. The webinar is on demand and may be viewed anytime during the day. I received my email invitation from the Disney Vacation Club on May 6th and I immediately signed up for the webinar: Disney Traveler Presents – Behind the Magic in Hawai’i with Samantha Brown. Once again Samantha has gone to one of the most exotic of locations to one of the best resorts to bring us a behind the scenes look at Aulani.

As a Vacation Club member I received an invitation to the webinar. However, it is available to all our readers through http://www.dvcfriends.com/ . Disney Traveler with Samantha Brown is running May 17, 18, 19, 20, and 21, 2011. It is free but you must sign up for the webinar on the DVCFriends website (just click on the link above). As of the May 16th registration still appears to be open, but don’t wait long or you could miss out.

When I start talking about Disney Vacation Club, I feel I must include the disclaimer that I do not work for Disney or Disney Vacation Club or any related organization. However, I have talked to people who have subsequently bought into DVC. DVC does give member awards for referring new members. So when you purchase your DVC points at Aulani, please use me as a reference. :-) Seriously, the webinar does have the disclaimer from Disney: THIS PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL IS BEING USED FOR THE PURPOSE OF SOLICITING SALES OF TIMESHARE INTERESTS. But neither I nor Growing Up Disney receive anything for you signing up to watch the webinar.


If you don’t want to watch the webinar, keep watching Growing UpDisney as I will be writing more about Samantha Brown and what information she brings about Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa, Ko Olina, Hawai’i.
--DisneyDad

Guest Post: A Toddler's First Experience with Character Greetings

Last December we took our then 23 month old to Walt Disney World for the first time for a 5 night, 4 day vacation. I was so excited to introduce him to the place I love so much! I spent hours reading web sites, other blogs, books and message boards about taking a toddler to WDW. I carefully mapped out our trip so there wouldn’t be any late nights right before early mornings, or late breakfast reservations too close to an early lunch and even mapped out when we could head back to the resort to rest. I booked breakfast on our first day at Crystal Palace in the Magic Kingdom with Pooh and friends. I wanted to eat here early so we could get a good photo of the family in front of the castle before all the crowds started piling in the park. We did get a good photo, but the breakfast was a disaster! That’s when I realized I missed a key component in planning my trip: prepare your toddler for meeting characters!

 

My son knew all the main characters by name from watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Toy Story. He even knew a few others from books we’ve read and the vacation guides we used in our planning. I didn’t think there would be any problem when it came to meeting these same characters at the parks. I couldn’t have been more wrong! He was TERRIFIED to say the least. He was excited when they were 10 feet away or more, but once they came closer this is what we got: 

I’m sure he was thinking “Get those big animals away from me RIGHT NOW!”

As our trip progressed, he slowly warmed up to the characters. I still had to hold him as we approached the characters, but by the end, he was giving high fives to his new friends from the comfort of my arms!

As our next trip is fast approaching, I have some thoughts on how to get your toddler prepared for meeting the characters. 

• Make sure your toddler is familiar with the characters before your trip and knows some of their names. Watch cartoons and movies, read books, watch youtube videos of meet and greets, and look at pictures.
• If possible, show your toddler photographs of family members with the characters from the parks. Try to explain how “big” the characters are when you get to meet them. Show your toddler that Goofy and Woody are taller than daddy. Show him that Donald and Pinocchio are the same size as mommy. They aren’t going to be the same size as the stuffed animals in his crib!
• While you are making plans for your vacation, remember to take it slow! My advice: don’t book a character meal first thing! Save those for later in the trip. 
• Once you are at the parks, try to meet the face characters first. These are the characters that have a human face: Mary Poppins, the princesses, Alice, Aladdin, etc. These characters are easier for toddlers to get to know since they can talk and interact with you. If you must have a character meal on the first day, consider a meal with these face characters.
• Once your toddler is used to the face characters, try progressing to the masked characters. Sit for a few parades and watch some stage shows. Watch the other children meet the characters. Let your toddler know that they aren’t scary.
• When you think your toddler is ready to meet the masked characters, take it slow! Don’t force it on him. Carry him to the character and talk him through it. Tell the character and the handler that you just want to visit and say hi without any hugs or high fives. Let another family member approach the character and give hugs and high fives. This shows that they are our friends!
• Avoid the villains and witches at all cost! Even when your toddler is comfortable with the masked characters, the villains area always scary!
• Follow the lead of your toddler. If they never warm up to the characters, accept that fact and move on with your vacation. Don’t push it on your child. It will only make it a miserable experience for the whole family!

Contributed by Beth G. of Decatur, AL. Married mom of two boys trying to stay sane as a full time youth minister, mom and Disney blogger; creator of A Disney Moms Blog and proud member of the Magical Blogorail Green.

Photo Flashback!!! A Long Time Ago, In A Galaxy.. you get the point

Since we are so close to the Saga continuing I couldn't help but post the classic me looking serious on a speeder bike.

Team Post: Off The Beaten Path

Today the Growing Up Disney family discusses our favorite "off the beaten path" parts of Walt Disney World.

DisneyDad:  Amy once posted a picture here of Tink smelling a flower at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa with a caption reminding us to “Stop and Smell the Roses”. It is a reminder to appreciate the little things. At WDW there are lots of places to stop and smell the roses. From Old Key West, Saratoga Springs and Port Orleans resorts, you can rent a boat to explore the waterways that are out of view. If you don’t want to rent a boat there are water taxis available to travel to Downtown Disney. These are wonderful ways to enjoy the one of the waterways that are out of the normal places people visit.

In the parks there are many nooks and crannies that most people miss. In the Magic Kingdom, for instance, there are a couple of places where there are white rocking chairs up next to a building that most people RUN past. The rocking chairs make a great place to rest and people watch (one of my wife’s favorite pastimes.) At EPCOT there are several places that are good places to rest. At the UK pavilion there is a nice garden behind the Twinings Tea shop. The garden where the British Invasion plays is a nice place to rest when the music is not playing. If they are performing, just get up and dance and sing along with the music!

If you have a young child along on your trip, like we have had on our last 2 trips, a nice place to rest becomes even more important. At EPCOT we let Tink nap and then fed her lunch inside the Liberty Inn. Not real quiet, but it is air-conditioned and that makes it real nice on a hot day. At the Magic Kingdom we found one place that was under the former Skyway in Tomorrowland near Space Mountain. It was quiet, allowed Tink to nap and had benches we could sit on. It was quiet, that is, until a rainstorm brought in lots of people trying to stay out of the rain.

Slow down and keep your eyes open when you visit a park. There are lots of out of the way places you can sit, rest, or like Tink, take a nap.

Ridge: If you have been to Disney only once, five times or 50 times there are little things you can do to make your Disney experience a little more magical and exciting. One thing that found to be a great off the beaten path activity are the tours that Disney offers. In February I took the Keys to the Kingdom Tour at the Magic Kingdom. It was really a great way to learn some of the behind the scenes info and history of the Walt Disney Company and of the man himself. The guides are all extremely knowledgeable and mine was very funny and I think that really helps to make everything more memorable. There are lots of other tours available and one of the newest and most talked about is at the new jungle trek at Animal Kingdom.

Hidden Mickeys are another fun way to search for other things that aren’t necessarily main stream yet. There are books and websites on the matter. If for some reason you are reading this and not sure what a hidden mickey is, they are little ways in which the imagineers can sign their work since they can’t actually write their names on the attractions. So make a game out of finding them. Get a copy of Steve Barrett’s book Hidden Mickeys Guide that are now even sold at WDW and start hunting. It can add a whole extra layer of fun to a trip.

There are lots of things that are edible that are often also overlooked. One of the little gems I found a while back and wrote about was the Carrot Cake cookie at Writers Stop in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. If you’re wondering though Epcot, there are always little things to try in each country and one of my favorite places to try something new is Japan. Mitsukoshi Department Store is the place to go to find everything that should and shouldn’t be tried by the squeamish. They have snack sized crabs that I am guessing are lightly killed and flavored, cooked and packaged for your enjoyment. If that isn’t your style, there are large varieties of candies, gums and sodas. All of the pavilions have little hidden gems of goodness just waiting for you to find them. Take a picture; tell your friends.

Amy:  One of my favorite things I've discovered off the beaten path in the last couple of years is the carrot cake cookie.  I hear they are now found in other spots as well, but they are the claim to fame of the Writers' Stop at Disney's Hollywood Studios.  I have to admit I used to walk right past this little shop, but now I find it a great place to grab a delectable snack and rest a bit.  

Sadly, I never made it there, but Storytime with Belle was an off the beaten path attraction I have wanted to see for a while.  (It's now a greet and play with Tangled characters.)  There is a very small theatre tucked into the landscaping of the castle as you cross into Tomorrowland.  It wasn't really an age appropriate activity for me before Tink but I like to see everything at least once, so I am sorry I didn't slow down here.  With one daughter and another baby girl on the way, I am sure we'll be visiting here in the future.

Please don't yell at me, but I still haven't made it to Beaches and Cream.  It's just been off the beaten path for me.  As much as I want to try a No Way Jose (a peanut butter and hot fudge sundae,) I haven't made it there.  

One place I rarely miss but is off the beaten path for most guests is Garden View Lounge at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa.  Afternoon tea here is a real treat and as much as I love the theme parks, I adore this time of quiet and refinement, most usually shared with my mom.  

Another off the beaten path afternoon treat is the Tune In Lounge at 50's Prime Time Cafe at Disney's Hollywood Studios.  Chris and I have stopped here for a cool beverage and appetizers on a couple of trips.  I don't see it on the current menu, but they used to have some tasty fried Boursin cheese with jam.  On one visit, and my husband was with us for this experience, one of the Streetmosphere Cast Members wandered in and joined us.  He hung out with us long enough to break character a few times but it was quite a hoot cutting up with him and the other guests.  It's never been a crowded spot, so I wonder if people know you can eat at the bar.

For an off the beaten path activity, I recommend mini-golf at Winter Summerland.  It's got a really cute theme and is another nice break from crowds, especially during a long visit or a busy time of year.

Not that I've made it out the last few trips, but a morning jog at Walt Disney World is usually rather fun.  It's interesting to watch the World wake up.  I especially like it when my path takes me over to Downtown Disney.  It's oddly still in the morning and it's fun to see the little princesses coming out of Bibidi Bobidi Boutique.  

One of my favorite off the beaten path restaurants is Olivia's at Old Key West, our DVC home resort.  It's not too big and has a very relaxing atmosphere.  The service is usually good and not as rushed as some larger, more popular locations.  One of my favorite things here is the mozzarella and tomato salad.  They use good ingredients and it's a nice light meal when you've overdone it on park food.  

What are your favorite attractions, restaurants, shops, or other activities that other people seem to walk right past?

Happy Mother's Day

I hope all of the experienced moms, new moms, moms-to-be, and moms-at-heart have had a wonderful day.  I've enjoyed hanging out with my hubby and kiddo and enjoying the last few weeks of being a mom of one.

~Amy

A Walk Around The World With Ridge – Making a List Checking it Thrice.

It’s almost here! But everything has to be checked off the list before it can be real. I have said this before but taking a trip as an adult is a slightly difficult proposition. I am SO used to my sister Amy being the trip planner and I just showed up and played. Now on to my second solo trip I am still no better at getting myself together. I have all the tools I need: Unofficial Guide, allears.net, Startours2live.com and all the usual suspects in podcasting. Also now that I am a shutter bug and the official photographer for GrowingUpDisney.com. I have to drag around lots of gear to help capture those missing shots and illusive moments worth saving on “film”. So to make sure I have everything I need I have a packing list. It definitely needs some improvement but seems to cover all my bases. So indulge me and I will share part of my packing check list.

Disney Check list

Gear
- Camera body
- Batteries (3)
- Each individual lens I own
- Tripod
- External Flash
- Filters, UV, ND, Star and Polarizer
- Memory Cards
- Flashlight
- Battery Charger
- Card Reader
- Remote Shutter Release
- Lens Cloth/cleaning wipes
- Laptop with charging cord
- Camera bag(s)

(not pictured is my tripod and a 500mm lens)

Miscellaneous
- First aid kit
- Router
- Bottled water

Now my working list also contains sections for clothing and toiletries which sound silly when you say it out loud but more often than not while you’re packing you’d be surprised to find that you forgot your socks in a hurry to pack. But when I am driving down and I have the chance to pack what I want and not just what I need, I bring a few extra items. Generally I don’t pack snacks; I just stop when I get gas if I feel like I need something. But I do like to grab a case of bottled water. They are not only good for the car ride but also to take them to the park. I will fill them up from the water fountains only buying an ice cold water if it is just ridiculously hot. Another item you might not think about it a wireless router. If I find it necessary to use the internet in the room (which is increasing with this blogging thing,) I will hook up the router so that I am not tied to cable and the wall. Also I generally will bring my own Ethernet cable that is 10ft + so that I can sit somewhere besides the table.

There was a time not all that long ago that if it didn’t fit into my pockets I wouldn’t dream of taking it to the parks. Getting older, hopefully wiser and with an ever growing interest in photography combined with a love of gadgets, gizmos and do-hickys, I now drag around a good extra 15lbs with the tripod attached and bottles of water loaded. It amazes me just to think about it all. On the other side, the moments I am catching in the pictures and the education I am getting in preparations are priceless.

Do you pack anything special for the trips, what makes your packing list?

I just have to say that I love my Lowepro bags, I have the Sling 100AW for light and fast shooting and the Versapack 200AW(featured) that is able to hold everything I would want to pack to have it all. The Versapack also has a really nice system for attaching the tripod to it and makes it all very comfortable.




I have been no way endorsed or compensated for my opinion, I just really like these bags.

Eversave Review and Giveaway

We are all looking for ways to save money at home and on vacation in the Orlando area.  I've found a terrific source for both.  Eversave.com is a deal a day site offering a wide variety of "Saves."

Whether you are a local or just a regular visitor to the Orlando area, Eversave Orlando will have a deal for you.  I've seen them recently offer everything from discounted spa treatments to inexpensive car washes to reduced price meals to cute kids clothes on the cheap.  Add to that Saves on flowers, photobooks, and admission to local attractions.  I think 50% off is the lowest discount since I've been watching and I have seen up to 80% off on some items.  And don't think that you wouldn't be interested if you aren't a local; you have up to a year to redeem many of the Saves so you can stock up prior to your travels.  Personally, I am getting emails from both Eversave Orlando and Eversave Raleigh-Durham.  I've really been impressed by the variety and quality of products and services offered.  There is a main Save of the day but check your email or the site itself for additional bonus Saves.  I love that most Saves are available for 2-3 days to allow you to come back later on those busy days.

I was given credits on my Eversave account to use for this review.  I've bought three Saves so far and redeemed two of them with online merchants.  The purchase process is quick and easy.  Redemption generally works like a gift certificate but just check the voucher for the particular vendors' rules.

Saves can also be given as gifts, so check soon and you just might find something for Mom.  (Don't forget that Mother's Day is this Sunday.)

Eversave also gives you easy ways to "earn" free "Save Rewards" on their site.  Once you complete a purchase, you are given $2 to tweet, Facebook or email the deal to your friends.  I've done this twice and added to my account.  On today's email from Eversave Orlando, I received a pleasant surprise, $5 added to my "Save Rewards" account for Mother's Day.  Hmmm, what to buy next?


Ready to enter to win one of two $25 vouchers to Eversave?

You get one entry for each of the following. Please note each as a separate comment below so you receive your maximum number of entries. (If you are already following us through any of these channels, just note that. Hey, free entry!)

REQUIRED ENTRY: Visit Eversave Orlando and comment below on which Save is most appealing to you today.

Additional (optional) entries:
~Like Eversave Orlando on Facebook
~Like Growing Up Disney on Facebook
~Follow Eversave Orlando on Twitter
~Follow Growing Up Disney on Twitter
~Tweet about this giveaway, one entry per day
~Blog about this giveaway
~Follow Growing Up Disney publicly on Google Friend Connect. See widget at right.

This contest ends at midnight Eastern time on Friday, May 13, 2011 and is limited to US residents. The two winners will be chosen at random from all eligible entries. You'll be notified via email (so make sure I can reach you!) and have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen. Good luck!

Disclosure: I received credit on Eversave.com for reviewing purposes. No monetary compensation was received or offered. All opinions expressed are my honest thoughts on these products/services.


The winning comment #s (determined by random number generator) were #4 and #1.  Congrats!

Photo Flashback - Remember My Pal Mickey?

In 2003 Disney introduced My Pal Mickey, an interactive plush Mickey Mouse. He would tell you about events and places in the parks as well as play games.


Amy purchased one and we took it on a tour of Walt Disney World. We took My Pal Mickey's picture every where we went. Here Amy had MPM and her picture taken at EPCOT with a "statue".


My Pal Mickey was discontinued in 2008.

I've Created a Monster

A cute, little, smart, Disney loving one, but a monster no less.

Tink has been getting her regular dose of Disney her whole life (just over two years.) She insists on her Mickey, Minnie, Eeyore and Ariel dolls for naps and bedtime. Her favorite show is Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Yesterday, after she saw a little bit of a Tinkerbell movie, she was saying, "I'm Tinkerbell." (Well, yes, Baby, you are.) She travels like a champ and went to Walt Disney World for her first birthday and at 18 months.

So where's the "monster" come in? Innocently enough, I sang her the theme song from Carousel of Progress, "Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow" a while back. She was still hooked on "Jingle Bells" and "Frosty the Snowman" and I was just wanting to sing something else. Tink loved the new song and started asking for it. It became a regular part of the routine, along with "Jesus Loves Me" and "You are My Sunshine." I kept the "Four Parks, One World" CDs in the kitchen radio, and she would get excited when her song would come on.

For our recent cross-country move, I put the CDs into the van's changer to have a kid-friendly (and Mama-friendly for that matter) music option ready to go. I normally try to limit her TV time but on that trip, all bets were off and she watched Disney and PBS shows for 1300 miles. We didn't really need the music much. She did ask for "Great Big Gomorrow again" a few times but no big deal.

However, on a recent trip exploring our new area, my plan of kid-friendly, calms her down music blew up in my face. We were stuck in traffic on the way over to the beach (crying for me, aren't you?) and the toys and such that I could reach just weren't working. I turned on Tink's favorite song and she was happy. We tried to let the CD play on to its soothing Epcot background music but shortly after the end of "GBBT," my husband and I would hear "Great Big Gomorrow again" from the back seat. We'd restart the song and all was well. This went on enough times that my husband finally used the repeat feature to keep the song going on a loop. After a while, I turned off the front speakers so he and I didn't have to hear the song as clearly. Let's just say, she insisted on listening to "GBBT" all of the remainder of the trip. Yes, we could have said no, but she's done really well with all the changes we've put her through in the last few weeks and we had her way off schedule on this particular day. So we listened to "GBBT" for over 2 hours that day.

Now, any time we get in the van, that little voice from the back is asking for "Great Big Gomorrow again." Yes, I created the monster, but I just can't take that song much more.

Winners of the Travel with the Magic Giveaway

Out of 157 entries, the random number generator pulled comments numbered 122, 53, and 61.

The lucky winners are:

(drumroll please)




The Southern Fried Bride, 33mom, and Sarah W.  

I have emailed two of the winners.

33mom, please email me your mailing address at growingupdisney@gmail.com within the next 48 hours.  I can't find a way to reach you.

UPDATE 05/04/11: 33mom, my apologies, but it's been 3 days and I must pull a new winner.  Congratulations comment #77, Amy.  I will email you momentarily.

Thanks again to Travel with the Magic for sponsoring this giveaway and to everyone who entered.

Travel with the Magic is an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner and would love to help you with your next Disney vacation.  Whether you are going to Walt Disney World, Disneyland, or sailing on one of the beautiful ships of Disney Cruise Line, Travel with the Magic can take care of the details for you.  And there is no fee to you!  You'll pay the same or less than booking direct since Travel with the Magic knows the available deals and will watch for new ones for you.  Even if you've already booked, Travel with the Magic can take over and be your expert.  Contact Kelly and her team today!