Welcome!

Welcome! I'd like to introduce to you...There's a Great Big Beautiful Blog!

This blog is a little old...and a little new! Let me explain a few things!

What happened to Living With The Magic?
Well it's still around...just not as a blog! Living With The Magic is now a full service travel agency focused on Disney! You can still follow us on Facebook and when you are ready to book a trip, we are ready too!

If this blog is new, why are there so many posts?
I couldn't just get rid of the old blog, now could I? There is still a ton of great info as well as trip reports, reviews and more! So I simply kept all the content from the old Living With The Magic site...feel free to look around! It's all there!

P.S. You might find some broken links as I make my way through almost 300 posts fixing things! You'll also see remains of the old logo around too!

Where did you come up with the new blog name?
That was a tough one! Living With The Magic was my baby and coming up with a new blog was tough! A colleague and I were goofing around and it kinda slipped out. Surprisingly it fit perfectly! Carousel of Progress is my favorite ride at the Magic Kingdom. I think it's the perfect parts nostalgia, classic Disney combined with progress and the idea of moving forward! This blog is a direct result of me moving forward, and thus There's A Great Big Beautiful Blog was born!

Thank you all for following along! I hope you continue to visit as well as checking out the NEW Living With The Magic Vacations website!

Holly Jolly Christmas Vacation Recap

Well here is my last post before the Christmas vacation!  The site will be going down for some maintenance after Christmas and January 1st I have a big surprise in store for everyone!

To round things out, today I wanted to share a kind of recap of our trip...what we would do again, and what we wish we hadn't done!!

What We Would Do Again

- Stay at Port Orleans French Quarter...honestly I can't say enough good things about this resort. I love Riverside and Coronado too, and might stay there when the kids are older, but I love the intimate feel of this small resort!

-Skip the Park Hoppers.  As usual it really worked out for us. We didn't have a great reason to park hop and it saved us almost $200!

-Book early! We loved having mostly our pick of Fastpass+

-Book a preferred room...we didn't' technically do this but that's what we got and I would pay for it over and over again! Again, things would be different if the kids were older but having 2 small ones and being SO close to the food court, transportation and the pool was amazing!

-Buy discounted Disney gift cards. We paid for them ahead of time on black Friday and saved 10%! The night before we checked out I simply went to the front desk and paid our bill with the gift cards. Easy peasy!

-Attend Mickey's Very Merry Christmas party! It was amazing as usual! We saw the parade in Frontierland (only showed up 20 minutes early) and skipped the fireworks. We got on tons of rides with no wait and had a really magical time. It was completely worth the cost!

-Bring our own dress to Bibbity Bobbity Boutique.  The dresses there were beautiful but a bit pricey and the experience was a little overwhelming. I don't know that my 3 year old would have been able to decided so having it already picked out ahead of time made it easier. She got tons of compliments on her dress too!

-Have a date night! It was only a  few hours but between the sicknesses and a baby who hated the stroller, Hubby and I were beat toward the end of the week. A few hours at EPCOT was just what we needed to relax. 

-Be at the parks for open and take a mid-day break! It really saved us more often than not! We got to stay pretty late at night and the kids weren't too worn out.

What We Wish We Hadn't Done

-Skip the Counter Service plan...we really didn't love it and I feel a little cheated by missing out on our favorite Table Service Restaurants!

-Skip shipping ourselves snacks and breakfast! We love breakfast...we really do BUT we love a good, hearty sit down breakfast. We rarely munched on the granola bars and pop tarts I had bought.  The only thing we did use were the baby puffs and yogurt bites for the baby. They came in SO handy! We came home with TONS of bags of goldfish crackers.

-Buy diapers and ship them. We ended up bringing home most of the diapers we shipped because we easily packed so many in the outside compartments of our luggage!

-Rent a car...Hubby decided at the last moment to that we should rent a car. It did come in handy ONCE when we had to run to the drug store but with 2 small kids it was more of a pain to drag along the car seats, park, take trams, get them in and out. It's MUCH easier just to jump on the bust with the kids and their stroller. Plus we would have saved $150!

-Pack so much...I always over pack! I should pack and then just take half of it out!  We ended up with a lot of outfits coming home.

-Ignore crowd predictions...I don't do this for my clients so who knows why I did for my own family.  My hubby insisted that Magic Kingdom be our first official park, and then we changed plans to arrive early but had already booked Bibbity Bobbity and 1900 Park Fare so I left things alone. Magic Kingdom was SO crazy busy and it kind of threw my plans off. Honestly, planning which day to visit each park is no joke...if you aren't experienced, be sure to enlist the help of a travel planner who can do it for you!

Merry Christmas everyone and I'll see you in the New Year!

 

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Quick Service Dining Plan Pro's and Con's

Let me start this post off by saying these are merely my opinions and different plans work for different families. Be sure to explore all the plans to see which is a good fit for you!  When we were planning our trip we went back and forth between the Quick Service and Plus Dining Plans.

Port Orleans French Quarter Review (December 2014)

We went through several resort's before we finally decided on Port Orleans French Quarter (including Art of Animation and Caribbean Beach).  Ultimately we decided that the location and small size of this resort was the perfect choice for our family!

30 Days of Disney - We are leaving...on a jet plane!

Can you believe it...we leave TOMORROW!! I'm so excited but we have SO much to do today. I thought it might be fun to share what our last day before vacation looks like...or rather, our to-do and last minute packing list!

Laundry

I don't know how families with more than 2 kids keep up with laundry..holy cow! I have a last minute load or two to wash before we leave so that everyone has enough underwear, bibs, favorite princess dress, etc.

Clean

No one wants to come home to a messy house so I want to clean up a few things before we go...like mopping, vacuuming, making beds and just general picking up. That when we get home we only have 1.28 million loads of laundry to do but the house will be clean!

Pack the Dog

Walter (Or Walter Woof Woof's as he's known around here) is heading to a neighbors house for the week. The slightest mention of the neighbor (Bob Bob and Shelby...Shelby is a dog, not the wife) and he goes NUTS!  I need to make sure his tub of food, dog dishes and leash are ready. He'll get picked up after we leave which is kind of nice....or rather totally awesome of our neighbor.

Documents

So I haven't shared that hubby lost his wallet last week...yes a week before we leave he has no current drivers license. We are NOT panicking though! TSA will allow him through with extra screening AND we are bringing an expired license with us so he has photo ID.  We are bringing our marriage license and his birth certificate as well.

Combine that with copies of the girls birth certificates, my drivers license, boarding passes, Disney Documents, Magic Bands and more....well that's a list of things that I will be CHECKING TWICE before we leave for the airport...an hour and a half away!

Packing

I think I've packed and repacked the girls 3 times now. Do you know what the hard part is about taking TWO girls in December?  The first is layers, layers, layers. It will be nice during the day (upper 60's/low 70's) BUT at night it will be chilly. They have everything from shorts (my littlest gets HOT) to pants and hoodies.   Now through in about a zillion princess dresses, pajamas, underwear...and yea, they have the biggest suitcase in the house!

Combine that with still having to finish packing me and the hubby! I feel like we are putting the entire house into a few suitcases!

Not to forget

Besides documents, clean underwear and god forbid...the princess dresses, there is a list of things I can't forget.

• Regular and portable cell charger
• Laptop (yup I'm working next week)
• Dramamine for the plane
• Magic Bands
• Finley's Scout Puppy and Zipadeezip Slumber Sacks so she can sleep at night

Well with lots to do I better stop blogging and get to it! Thanks for following along with my 30 Days of Disney series! Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram for live updates while we are gone. Oh and stay tuned as there are some big changes coming to the blog!!

 

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30 Days of Disney - Day 8

We've come to the sad part about vacation...leaving!!  Day 8 is our last day at Disney and not much is planned.   I thought it might be fun to show you what your departure day looks like.

Airport Check-in
One of the coolest things the Disney resorts offer is Airport check-in You must be flying AirTran, Alaska, American, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, United and USAirways. All domestic (inside the US) flights qualify. Some international flights on these airlines now also qualify, from some resorts. Ask at the check-in desk.

So how does it work? At least 3 hours prior to flight time, check-in at the Airport Check-in counter. You'll check in to your flight just like you were at the airport. They'll take your luggage and provide you with your boarding passes. All the same rules apply...be sure you have ID.

Then when you arrive at the airport, just head through security to your gate. Your luggage will meet you when you get home!

Magical Express

Magical Express picks you up approximately 3 hours prior to flight departure. Even if you rent a car you'll need to leave about 2.5 hours prior so let Disney do the driving. This is good to remember if you are planning on sneaking in a little park time!

We are currently debating what to do.  We already have 6 day tickets so adding a 7th is only $10 per person plus tax! If we can sneak in a little more Magic Kingdom time...we just might. Magical Express won't be picking us up until about 12:30 p.m.

Plan B is to grab some breakfast, take our time packing and just enjoy the resort for a few more hours. Then it's homeward bound!

Tomorrow is the last 30 Days of Disney post..stay tuned!

 

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30 Days of Disney - Hollywood Studios with a Toddler

This is the last in my 4 part series of Toddler's at Walt Disney World.  Today we take on Hollywood Studios.

I'll preface this with saying, we are going to see a lot of changes coming to Hollywood Studios in the next few years so while it may be limited in options for the little ones right now, that will soon change!!

I always recommend starting early in the day and this park is no exception. Because of the tiered rule you can't get more than one headliner.  If you have older kids or adults who want to ride Rock N' Roller Coaster or Tower of Terror, start there so there is little to no wait for the little one's. I would recommend using your Tier 1 fastpass for Toy Story Midway Mania...a fun ride for EVERYONE! Plus there is also a meet n' greet for Buzz, Woody...and you might even catch a Green Army Man or two!

Hollywood Studios is definitely a slower paced park due to the lack of traditional rides.  You'll find lots of shows (see below), lots of character meet and greets and even a few unique offerings like the Magic of Animation section of the park. Here you can watch a cute movie on character development in Disney movies starring MUSHU! There is lots of hands on stuff for little ones including some fun and unique Character Meet and Greets (including Baymax and Hiro)!

As far as family friends RIDES...they are few and far between.  Toy Story Midway Mania a definite plus.  The Great Movie Ride could potentially be a good choice  but it can be intense is some sections. Star Tours is great IF your child meets the height requirement. There are also 2 show/movies that don't have specific time and are ongoing...that's Muppet Vision 3D and Voyage of the Little Mermaid.

The tricky part about Hollywood Studios is there are currently 5 shows with specific times you can attend; Beauty and the Beast, Lights, Motors, Action!, Disney Junior Live On Stage, Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular and For the First Time in Forever- "A Frozen Sing-along Celebration"....not to mention Jedi Training Academy and Fantasmic.  These things can really lengthen your day and depending on the patience of your child (HAHA) you might want to pick just a few of these. With the exception of the Jedi Training academy, these shows all take place in large theatres and require you arrive 20-30  minutes before the show to grab a good seat.

Let's talk about Fantasmic...as a former Hollywood Studios cast member I have a special place in my heart for this show....HOWEVER it's not the best Disney has to offer and if you don't get a dining package that includes priority seating you  need to show up 60-90  minutes early to get good seats. Combine that with outdoor seating on hard metal bleachers and well...let's say if you skip this one you won't be missing too much.

Are your little one's fans of Disney Junior? Don't miss the character dining at Hollywood and Vine (Breakfast and lunch) with Handy Manny, Jake, Doc and Sofia! Only Sofia is available for a meet and greet outside this meal.

Also don't forget that Hollywood Studios is home to 2 awesome events that make it worth a trip in and of itself!! Star Wars Weekends and Osborne Family Lights!

Is the park limited in Toddler friendly activities? For now...BUT due to timing there is plenty to do for an entire day so go and explore! 

 

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30 Days of Disney - Day 7

Day 7 of our Holly Jolly Christmas vacation is our last full park day...I know! It's sad right?  Well we saved one of our favorite things for last.  Day 7 we are heading to Hollywood Studios!  You might be wondering...but Amanda, Hollywood Studios is NOT your favorite park.  And my friend, you would be right, however it's the Christmas season and there is a great reason to leave this park for last! 

We'll be starting out pretty early today so we can try and head to Rock N' Roller Coaster first thing. During this trip we didn't use our Fastpass+ experiences on anything for the adults so we are sneaking those in when we have time.  Later that morning we have Fastpass's for Toy Story Mania as well as For the First Time In Forever; A Frozen Sing-a-long.  After lunch we'll be heading to Disney Junior - Live on Stage! This will be a first for us and I'm so excited for the girls. Plus we are hoping to meet Sophia while we are over there.

During the afternoon we'll catch a few shows, meet a few characters...and then...when it finally gets dark...we'll get to see Osborne Family Light Spectacular!!  Kennedy's favorite thing right now is to drive around the neighborhood and look at Christmas lights so I know this will just blow her socks off!  If you haven't been before, Osborne Family Lights is more Christmas lights than you've ever seen...all set to dancing music...WITH SNOW!! It's the ultimate Christmas experience and the best way to spend the last night at Disney. Plus since the lights start at dark and it's a walk-through, we won't have a super late night and can get ready for our last day.

That just leaves ONE day of our vacation left!

 

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30 Days of Disney - Animal Kingdom with a Toddler

Animal Kingdom is one of our favorite places to be. You've heard me talk about it on the blog numerous times, our wedding reception was held here...it's just a place we love to hang out, eat and of course, see all the attractions!

The first thing I'd like to say about touring Animal Kingdom with a toddler is keep in mind the shear size of the park...it's HUGE! Be prepared for a lot of walking. If you aren't using a stroller, today might be a good day for it!  Most people think Animal Kingdom is a half day park, but with little one's in tow, you  might find yourself there until closing time!

Ok let's start back in Africa! There are 3 big attractions for your toddler's.   This year Disney's live show, The Festival of the Lion King moved back to Harambe so be sure to check your time's guide. This is a fun interpretation of the movie and includes dancing, singing, acrobatics and more!

Also back in Africa you will find Kilimanjaro Safari.  This ride doesn't have a height requirement so everyone can enjoy! For a less bumpy ride be sure to ask for the front of the vehicle. Kids must sit between adults but they'll still have a great view!  The great thing about this ride is never the same twice because the Animals are always moving (yes they are real!)

A hidden attraction also located in Africa is the train ride out to Conservation Station! Not only do you get a glimpse behind the scenes at where the Animals Live but Conservation Station is a fun, interactive attraction. Once inside the building you can see live demonstrations, check out video inside some of the animal pens, meet characters, see live animals and more! Keep in mind there are only snack items out here so either plan to eat before or after you take the trip.  The train is the only way to and from Conservation Station!

A few attractions have a height requirement or might be a bit scary for younger kids including Expedition Everest, Kali River Rapids, It's Tough to Be a Bug, Dinosaur and Primeval Whirl....but be sure to head over to Dinoland anyway! Triceratops Spin is a great ride...just like Dumbo but with Dinosuars! Also in Dinoland is the Boneyard. This is  replica of a real dig site but just for kids! They can run, play,uncover bones and more! Plan this one for when Mom and Dad need a break :)

Between Expedition Everest and Dinoland don't miss Finding Nemo the Musical! It's an awesome indoor show full of color, lights and music! 

Throughout the parks there are tons of character meet and greets including Mickey, Minnie, Baloo, Russel and Doug and hopefully coming soon...Tarzan! 

Also be on the lookout for DeVine!

All throughout the parks you can find little trails to explore full of plant and animal life. Two of the biggest are the Pangani Exploration trail and Maharajah Jungle Trek.  These are tour-at-your-own pace and you can see  Gorillas, Tigers, Giant Bats and MUCH more!

Looking for something different to do? Check out the Wilderness Explorers game! In this game you'll explore Animal Kingdom earning badges. This experience can take a 3-5 hours to complete and doesn't have to be done all at once.

Also if you are looking for a great character dining experience, check out Tusker House breakfast and lunch with Donald, Mickey and gang!

 

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30 Days of Disney - Day 6

Can you believe we are on Day 6 of our planning posts? And we leave in just SIX days? That's some Disney Magic right there ;)  Today's post will be another short one but we are starting to wrap things up as we approach D-Day!!

Today is our 2nd FULL day at EPCOT! Our first Fastpass of the Day is at 9:35 a.m. and that's over at Test Track. This is one we'll ALL ride (Except the baby) but it will be one of Kennedy's only rides with her Papa (he's not a ride fan).  Once we are done we'll have until 11:25 when we have Fastpass's for Turtle Talk with Crush. We have plenty to do here in Future World...Spaceship Earth, Innoventions, shopping, Universe of Energy...unfortunately no one will do Mission Space with me so if anyone is hanging around that day let me know!!

We'll snag lunch in the Land Pavilion and then use our Fastpass's for Soarin' as well as riding Living With The Land. We'll easily have enough to keep us busy well into the afternoon.

And then the sunsets and....IT'S DATE NIGHT!  I'm so excited that we ended up being able to use our night at EPCOT for date night. It will be filled with eating and drinking around the world, ending with Illuminations!

Thanks for following along...we are almost done with out countdown!

 

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30 Days of Disney - Packing

It's that time...our ONE week countdown! That means it's time to wrap up all the little details and get ready to go! Today I want to talk about packing!

People often ask what the weather will be like in December and how do you pack for it.  The first thing I tell them is, it depends where you are from :) Many people are surprised we bring swim suits with us because they think it won't be warm enough. 

The average temperature in early December is low 70's during the day and 50's at night.  While that might not be warm enough to swim...if it go to the mid-70's we would definitely be swimming during the mid-day. We may not put a toe in the pool  but we pack just in case!

Know the range of temps for this time of year it's imperative to pack in layers.  It can give fairly warm during the day but when you leave your resort in the morning it will be chilly! Here is what will be in our suitcases:

• Jeans and Capri pants
• Shorts
• T-shirts
• Sweatshirts
• Sneakers
• Sandals

We'll most likely leave each day with shorts and sweatshirts and if it gets warm, we'll shed the sweatshirts.  I've been checking the forecast and and it will be cooler toward the end of our vacation (in the 60's).  We'll be prepared for the varying temperatures and hope for the best!

So what else is important to pack? (FYI this is not one of those lengthy, detailed lists...those can be very overwhelming!!)

• Clothes (see above...don't forget the underwear!)
• Shoes (more than one pair and make sure they are NOT new!) and socks
• Toiletries (Just go through what you use every day...deodorant, lotion, toothpaste, etc)
• SUNSCREEN (even during the cooler months)
• Band-aids in all sizes 
• Batteries
• CHARGERS
• Camera's and extra SD cards
• Autograph book and pen
• Sunglasses
• Medicine
• Disney Documents
• Magic Bands
• ID

Of course you can google ULTIMATE Disney packing lists and they'll list everything under the sun. There are things YOUR family  might need but I wanted to keep the list short and to the point.

A few more things to keep in mind before we wrap this up!

• If you are using Magical Express Disney only sends one tag per person. If you want more you'll need to request them
• Most airlines charge fees to check your bags. If you can combine suitcases you might save a little money!
• For the kiddo's we often pack outfits in ziplock bags. Then each day we pull out their outfit...no arguing over what to wear! This time Kennedy will have lots of Princess dresses so it won't be too much of an issue.

What are your packing tips? What is the one thing you always forget...or the one thing you always pack but never use?

 

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30 Days of Disney - Traveling with Grandparents

We are lucky that this isn't the first time that my parents have traveled to the World with us.  Albeit my father took a little more of a nudge than my Mom, they both enjoy going....but in different ways. Today let's talk about multi-generational trips!

Let's say you are in a position like we are...the grandparents are coming along and either one or both of them are not huge Disney nuts. They are coming because they want to experience something special with the kids, help out or maybe even just get a way for a bit (even if it is Disney). Let's talk about some things you can do to make the trip enjoyable for everyone!

1) Hire a travel planner to take care of everything...haha no seriously!  Whether you hire a professional or are planning it yourself, make ONE person in charge of everything.  You can manage multiple reservations from the same My Disney Experience account. It simplifies things and for those that don't go often this can be far less stressful!

2)Even though I said you should have one person in charge, that doesn't mean everyone shouldn't have an opinion! Let the grandparents/aunts/uncle/etc know what the plans are. Ask them their opinion on restaurants and attractions. This way they don't need to feel herded like cattle!  They might not want to know every second of every day (my Dad!) but they want a general idea of what's going on.

3) The Grandparents are there to have fun too...despite their varying degrees of love for Disney!  Don't rely on them too much as a baby sitting service BUT you might find that they'd love a little one on one time with the kids to experience their own Disney magic!

4) Depending on the age of your parents, be sure to have some down time planned. Whether it's heading back to the resort, checking out a nearby resort, heading to Downtown Disney...whatever! Just get out of the parks for a while and let them relax. Some grandparents will go, go, go all day so it just depends on the age of the people you are traveling with.

5) Photos! Take as many a you can! It's often easy to get wrapped up in the  moment and forget to snap that shot but you (and your kids) will want photos to remember this experience!  Disney's photopass photographers are located all over the parks to assist AND for just $169 you can have ALL the photos you've had taken (including some ride videos) with Disney's Memory maker.

I'd love to hear your tips for traveling with Grandparents! We can't wait for our multi-generational trip and we'll be sure to share when get home!

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30 days of Disney - Day 5

Today is one of my favorite days...it's SINGLE DIGIT Day!! Just NINE more days until we are HOME! Today we talk about Day 5...our return to the Magic Kingdom!

We always plan at least 2 days at the Magic Kingdom and honestly, with 2 little one's in to we still won't see and do everything BUT we love every park so rather than spending all our time one place, we like to split things up a bit!

Today is what will be known as Belle day :)  Kennedy has already decided she's wearing her Belle dress.  We have a Fastpass+ for Enchanted Tales with Belle at Noon. ,followed by lunch at Be Our Guest at 12:45 p.m.  

A big moment came in our house this week as Kennedy reached 40". So that means we'll be hitting up a few coasters. We have Fastpass's for Big Thunder and Splash! We'll probably take a break in the afternoon to head over to the Wilderness lodge to check out the Christmas decorations and have some dinner before ending our night with Wishes.  A simple and sweet day at the Magic Kingdom.

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30 Days of Disney - Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party

One of the best parts about Disney at the holiday's is Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.  I figured it would be a good topic for today as we still haven't decided if we are going to attend.

Pro's

Let's start with all the great things about that party

• It snows...on Main St! It's really kind of an amazing and magical thing (if it's not raining)

• Frozen, Frozen and more Frozen! We can't get enough around here!  When my hubby saw Olaf he said our daughter HAS to go (more on that later)

• Ok I know it's a bit blurry but how can you NOT want to go when you see how excited this little face was? While we'll probably leave the little one with Nana and Papa, I can only imagine how excited Kennedy will be at 3 1/2!

• Special character meet and greet! Country Bears are one of my favorite attractions and it was a blast meeting them! There are a bunch of other special opportunities as well!

• It's a party! Complete with free cookies and hot cocoa, dance parties and fireworks!! What's not to love?

Con's

Of course we have our hesitations...

• Cost...for our family of 4 (paying for 3) it's $200! That's a lot of money on top of park tickets...especially for a 3 year old
• Crowds. This year especially it seems the party popular and the crowds can get kinda crazy!
• Our schedule is already pretty full and I don't want the kids to be completely worn out. If we do the party it will be on our 3rd full park day.

Stay tuned to find out what we do! Be sure you are following me on Facebook and Instagram!

 

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30 Days of Disney - Stroller Review

Ahhh the great stroller debate! Do you bring one, rent one or skip it all together? Today I'm going to share with you a little bit about our decision and what we are using!

Before I get into what stroller we bought, let's talk about your options!

1) Bring your own. This is the cheapest option, although depending on the age of your kids, maybe not the easiest. If you are flying you can gate check your stroller but what if your kids are old enough that they don't normally ride, but you want to take it a long just at Disney? This can be cumbersome to drag through the airport.

2) Rent one from Disney...the problem with this is that it's an added expense PLUS they are super uncomfortable. You also can only pick these up at the park entrance, which means lugging potentially sleepy kids from the bus back to your room sans stroller!

3) Rent one from another company. Again there is an added cost but you get a much nicer option and will have it the WHOLE time, not just inside the parks.

We went back and forth on this one. When we were going to drive it was a no brainer but once we decided to fly, we knew we had options. Ultimately we knew we had to have a way to restrain them in the airport AND we could save money by bringing our own....that kind of worked :)  We bought a used stroller that I absolutely HATED so we finally bit the bullet and bought the stroller I really wanted!


Introducing the City Mini Double! We have this one in a single and just love it. Many of the local rental companies in Orlando offer this model! Let's do quick review of everything I love about this stroller!

It's small! This the is the stroller full compacted. Which is great for when you are riding the bus!

When it's closed it has this handy latch so it doesn't bounce back open!

When it's open it's not terribly wide, which I love, but both girls fit comfortably.

I also love that each child's shade can be pulled down individually, as well as each seat reclines on it's own. That way if one is napping I can cover her up. Our previous stroller had one big shade.

My favorite part about the City Mini...the way they close! You just pull up on these handles and VOILA! It just folds in half!

There isn't a ton of space but it has a good amount of storage under there...especially compared to the single stroller!

For the cost of renting vs. the cost of buying this, it was a no brainer. Plus we needed a double since having our 2nd daughter  anyway, so it's WIN WIN! We got a great new stroller AND in time to bring it to Disney with us!

 

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30 Days of Disney - Holidays Around EPCOT

We've talked about it before..my families love of EPCOT. I think maybe more than once...but today is different! I promise! Today we are talking about one of my favorite times of year at EPCOT....the holiday's!

There are three Main events that we'll talk about.

World Showcase
I think this is the big event...and the event that doesn't cost you anything extra! During the holidays (typically late November through the end of December) you can find a variety entertainment, music and food in each country!  Here are some of my favorite highlights!

• France
  Discover the magic of Père Noël and the joy of the season through a Christmas letter from a child.
• Italy
  Meet the kind-hearted witch La Befana who arrives on the eve of the Epiphany to grant gifts to good children.
• Norway
  Spend time with Sigrid and learn about Julenissen, the Christmas Gnome.
• United Kingdom
  Delve into the vivid stories of Father Christmas, dating back to 15th-century England.

And my all time favorite...meeting Santa and Mrs. Claus in the American Pavilion (You can have your picture taken...I mean your kids picture taken with them!) plus the Voices of Liberty Dickens Carolers.

Be sure to check your Times Guide or My Disney Experience app so you don't miss your favorites!

In the recent years the Food and Wine Festival has become so popular that EPCOT has added food booths to other festivals...like the International Flower and Garden Festival AND now during the holidays! Check out the Disney Food Blog's review...I can't decide on which ones I want to try!!

http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2014/11/12/news-festive-treats-returning-to-epcots-holidays-around-the-world/

Candlelight Processional
Many clients ask me...what exactly is Candlelight Processional?

Hear the stirring story of Christmas as told by a celebrity narrator,
accompanied by a 50-piece orchestra and mass choir. 

 

 While technically this event is free, the wait for seats often is a few hours long.  To guarantee that you have seats for the show you should book a Candlelight Processional dinner package (2 credits on the dining plan).

Illuminations
Illuminations is one of my favorite evening shows. I would see this a hundred times before heading to Fantasmic. At the holiday's this show gets even better!  At the end of the normal Illumination show there is spectacular finale set to the tune of Let There Be Peace On Earth.

EPCOT is definitely one of my favorite places to visit during Christmas, which is why we have 2 full days planned.  World Showcase will be twice as time consuming with all the extra shows and treats, on top of our repeat favorite activities. If you have skipped EPCOT in the past, I would recommend giving it another try during the Holiday season!

 

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30 Days of Disney - Magic Kingdom for Toddlers

When I decided to write the 30 Days of Disney posts, some posts were pretty obvious...like traveling with babies and toddlers. Today's post is going to focus on the Magic Kingdom!  I think maybe of all the parks this is the most obvious choice is the Magic Kingdom. Not only is it what most people think of when you say Walt Disney World BUT it has hands down the most family friendly rides!

Even thought Magic Kingdom is probably the Disney Mecca for your little one's...it can also be overwhelming for both kids and parents alike! So instead of talking about the obvious rides, let's talk strategy!

1) Be at the parks early!

Take advantage of Early Extra Magic Hours here if you can! Also remember to be at the park PRIOR to opening and leave yourself plenty of time. Not only do you want to be there and ready when the parks open but they do a really cute opening show with all the characters. The lines are shortest in the morning and you can get a lot done in the first 2 hours. 

2) Eat Breakfast in the room

If you can manage to feed your little ones it will give you more time to see some attractions before making potty/food/snack breaks. This also allows you to hit the ground running in those first few hours!

3) Know Where the Baby Care Center is

I know your little one is not a baby anymore HOWEVER the Baby Care Center's are a great resource for your family.  If your little one isn't potty trained yet know they they have a diapers and wipes for sale as well as formula, juice  and baby food.   They also have a small tv with tables and chairs as well as rockers if your little one just needs some quiet time!

4) Take a Break

I know it's hard to do but if you want to take advantage of a full day at the parks, including fireworks, a break is necessary!  There are lots of options for this!

• Head back to your resort for naps or pool time
• Stop in at a nearby resort for lunch and quiet time. There are lots of resorts very accessible to the parks and they are offer quiet areas and great food!
• If you can't/don't want to leave the parks, find a quiet area for your toddler to take a breather. Many of the parks have gardens or little hidden nooks!

5) Look at the Menu's
Take a look at the menu's ahead of time. Know which restaurants have food your Toddler may like.  Before hopping in line look again and discuss what they may want to eat. We all know how picky Toddler's can be but Disney has something for EVERYONE!

6) Take advantage of Rider Swap
If you have a baby...or on the other end, if you have big kids, take advantage of Rider Swap! This is a great way to see if the attraction would be too scary for your toddler OR if it's a big kid ride, your toddler won't have too long of a wait until you get back!

7) Don't overbook Character meals
I recommend to clients not to book TOO many character meals for a few reasons. If your child hasn't experienced characters yet than booking an ENTIRE Meal can be overwhelming. Plus they are pretty time consuming at 60-90 minutes each! Try booking one or two to get your feet wet!

8) Pack Snacks!
We try and bring some snacks with us..like crackers, grapes, etc. These help in the moments where they need something NOW but maybe you are in between meals or aren't ready to use a full snack credit on your dining plan yet. These also help us out at meals while they wait for food to arrive!

9) Stroller, Stroller, Stroller!I highly recommend either bringing your own stroller or renting a high quality stroller. Disney's strollers are ok for older kids but if you think your toddler may doze off they are kind of uncomfortable. They are made of  a hard plastic and the back doesn't adjust at all. We love our City Mini especially for the way it reclines!

10) Let your Toddler lead the way!
Ok this is more of a personal tip but let's face it...they don't stay little forever! Take some time and throw your itinerary out the window! Just have fun and enjoy the small moments!

Traveling with a toddler and overwhelmed at the planning? Contact me today to book a vacation and get FREE Planning services!

 

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30 Days of Disney - Date Night

We are really looking forward to having my parents join us on this trip. One of the benefits of having them along is that we have built in baby-sitters...which means we get to plan a date night! If you don't have an extra set of hands during your vacation and want some time along with your spouse, Disney has two great options for you!

• Children's activity centers (5 locations). The cost is $15 per hour and it's for kids 3-12. Dinner is included and your child must be potty-trained. Reservations are HIGHLY recommended
• Simba's Cubhouse at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge
• Club Disney at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort
• Cub's Den at Disney's Wilderness Lodge
• Sandcastle Club at Disney's Beach Club Resort
• Camp Dolphin at Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel
•  Kids Nite Out is another option.These run $16 per hour for the first child and $2.50 an hour for each additional child. There is also a $10 transportation fee but they will watch kids 6 weeks to 12 years old.  Reservations are required.

We haven't decided 100% on what we'd like to do for date night...but that's because there are SO many options!! Here are our tip 3 options!



Downtown Disney

Since we'll be at Animal Kingdom during the day, we figured a quick bus ride to Downtown Disney (or boat ride from our resort) would be an easy option. Once we are at Downtown Disney we would head to Splittsville for a game of bowling and a bite to eat.  After bowling we can spend some time shopping, catch some live music or grab a drink! Downtown Disney (soon to be renamed Disney Springs) has some amazing dining options (with more to come) plus some unique experiences like an authentic Irish Pub, House of Blues, Cirque De Soleil (La Nouba), a tethered hot air balloon ride and more!

Boardwalk/Beach Club Area
Since we figure we can go out for bowling and dinner at home, we tried thinking of something we can't do.  We don't have park hoppers and Animal Kingdom closes at 5 p.m.  One of our favorite adult only activity to do when we cruise is head to the Piano bar.  For this option we'd head to Beaches and Cream for dinner, then over to Jelly Rolls for some drinks and music. It's my favorite resort area at Disney so I love this option!

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party
Since we began planning this trip, Mickey's Very Merry Christmas party has been on our list. It fits our "want" to do something that we can't do at home but for a variety of reasons (budget, crowds, weather) we had put this on the back burner. Now we are considering it for Date Night!

Stay tuned to see what we pick!

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