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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30 Days of Disney - Day 4

If you are following along we are already on Day 4 of our trip...but our 2nd FULL day at the parks. Today we head to Disney's Animal Kingdom.  This is one the park's that I find a lot of clients skip because they think it's a Zoo.  This couldn't be further form the truth and we are disappointed that we can't fit in TWO days here!

Since we don't have any table service booked for the day we plan to get to the park bright and early! The park is open from 9 a.m to 7 p.m. and we'll be there by about 8:30 a.m.  We have 9:50 a.m. Fastpass+ reservations for the Safari so we have a few options:

• Head to the Safari first and ride it again at 9:50 a.m. (every Safari is different)
• Hit another attraction in the meantime 

I think our plan will be to make a stop at the Adventurers Outpost to meet a few characters, grab a bite to eat an then head to the Safari. I love that when we visit Animal Kingdom it's a more laid back kind of day.  We have Fastpass's for Everest and Dinosaur as the little one's won't ride. We'll also see  both Festival of the Lion King and Finding Nemo between exploring the nature trails and eating lunch!

Hubby may even convince me to ride Kali River Rapids with him if it's warm enough!  After a full day at Animal Kingdom, hubby and I will be having date night!! Post coming up tomorrow!

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30 Days of Disney - Magic Bands Part 2

Today was the day...the one we've been waiting for! Our Magic Bands arrived! I thought I'd share with you how they arrive...and a little extra something!

Be sure to check-in on your My Disney Experience account because you'll be given a tracking number. The Magic Bands arrive via USPA. International guests will pick their bands up upon check-in at their resort.

Once you open the cardboard box, you'll find your Magic Band box inside. There is no paperwork...simply a box!

Open it to reveal your bands! 

During the Customization process you can pick your "names". These will be printing on the box and inside the bands (so if 2 of you have the same color, you know who they belong to!)

 Have little ones traveling? Simply remove the grey outer band! 

Now onto the little something extra! My pre-review of our Magic Band Covers! We purchased band covers from two different companies. The covers on the left are from My Fantasy Bands and the band on the right (and the Christmas bands we bought) are from Cover Bands.
 

Both arrived very quickly and their customer service was great.   Up until they arrived they were tied for best band...upon arrival however I could tell that the bands from My Fantasy Bands were a bit nicer. The material is more of a vinyl than plastic sticker material. They went on much smoother and seem to be just a nicer quality band.

We'll see how they both hold up at Disney so I'll hold my final review until we get home but I wouldn't hesitate to buy them again!

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30 Days of Disney - Park Hopping

One thing that surprises a lot of my new clients is my opinion on park hopping. Many first timers to Disney are told they MUST have it, while others don't realize that it's an option that you can take off your ticket!

 

Let's break it down a bit shall we? Walt Disney World has 4 theme parks that your Magic Your Way Ticket will get you in to; Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom. With a Magic Your Way Base ticket you have access to ALL 4 parks.   With a base ticket you get access to ONE park per day. That means that whatever park you step into first...that's YOUR park for the day.

You do NOT need a park hopper to come and go from that one park! You can come and go as you please, you just have access to that one park.

I know what are you thinking? But Amanda, what if I want to be in a different park in the evening than I started in? My question to you is...but why?

• Many first time visits include just 1 day at each park (sometimes 2 at Magic Kingdom). For someone who has never been to Disney it's tough to see EVERYTHING in just one day...so why leave and go somewhere else?
• It's near impossible to walk up to a Table Service restaurant anymore so reservations are HIGHLY recommended...that means you know where you are going to be anyway!
• Fastpass+ can currently only be made in 1 park IN ADVANCE...so again, you know where you'll be so why pay to be in 2 places?
• If it's your first time to Disney you might not know the best days to be in each park. That's something I provide to help us schedule the above...if you decide to change that up you might end up in a park that is VERY busy with heavy wait times.

Once you factor in all of these...plus add in a mid-day break, there really is no great reason for most folks to be in a different park in the evening than they started in!

Who is the park hopper for then?  

• Repeat visitors that really  know their way around and are comfortable visiting multiple parks
• Adult only trips or adults with older kids who don't have to worry about nap time and can  take the time to hop around
• Folks who select the counter service plan have a bit more flexibility to hop around
• Those who only have a just 2 or 3 days and maybe want to just get a sneak peak at what all 4 parks have to offer!

I'm not saying that you should absolutely NOT get a park hopper. What I am saying is I often find that it's not necessary and can be a big cost savings. The cost depends on how many days you have on your tickets but for most guests that's $63.90 per person..for a family of 4 that's $255! I can think of a lot better ways to spend $255! I would honestly say that 90% of my clients opt to skip the park hopper.

Also keep in mind the park hopper can be add really at any point! So if you opt NOT to get the park hopper but change your mind later, or even while you are at Disney, they are happy to add that feature on. Just keep in mind it's not prorated and you can't get hopping for just one day!

 

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30 Days of Disney - Day 3

A lot of times when I'm planning itineraries, there can be several variations before the final draft.  That same process holds true when it came to my own family...and more importantly my husband.   Our original plan had us arriving on Sunday, so Monday would have been our first official day.  There are a few things my husband loves to do on our Disney trips...and that includes both starting and ending our trip at the Magic Kingdom. So despite going against my recommendations, we are heading to the Magic Kingdom...on a Monday.



I think out of all the days that we have planned, this day is the one I'm looking forward to most. It will be the first time that Kennedy will see the castle in person. It's something we talk about all the time but it's that pivotal moment that I think all parents who bring their child to Disney for the first time dreams of.

Our plan is to arrive for park open...which has recently been changed to 8 a.m. That means leaving the park VERY early.  We want to be at the park prior to open by about 30 minutes. Since our original plan included a park open at 9 a.m. we now have an extra hour to sneak in a few attractions.

Morning
Our first Fastpass+ reservation is not until 9:10 a.m. and that is the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. So for the first hour we'll probably aim to hit up Peter Pan, Small World and Pooh as those lines will reach peak later on in the morning.

What Kennedy doesn't know is that we have scheduled her a makeover at Bibbibity Bobbity Boutique.  While we have talked about it, she doesn't know we have definite plans. We have secretly bought her a Cinderella Dress. I just can't wait to see the look on her face!

Afternoon
After her makeover we have plans to meet Ariel right before lunch. Since we'll be back in Fantasyland we'll most likely stop in at Pinnochio's for lunch. After lunch we'll hit up Dumbo and the Barnstormer (with Fastpass+).

It's easy to see how you can spend a whole day at Magic Kingdom and barely see half the park. We don't believe in minute by minute itineraries. We like to have an idea of our plans but with a few exceptions we are willing to move things around.

Evening
Dinner that night is something that Kennedy knows about but I don't think she has any idea what she's in for...and that's our only Table Service reservation at 1900 Park Fare. Depending on how the girls do we plan to head back into the park for Fireworks and I'm sure off to a fast bedtime after their first full day in the parks!

 

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30 Days of Disney - EPCOT With a Toddler

Around here we talk about EPCOT a lot. While I hope that I have changed the perception of the park for some of my clients, it's still a popular topic. People feel it's too boring or adult centered and they don't want to "waste" their time.  So for today's 30 Days of Disney Post...I'm going to share a bit more about why we are planning TWO days at EPCOT with our toddler!

I think making lists is the easiest way to organize things...so let's talk about my TOP 5 reasons to head to EPCOT!!

EPCOT is very HANDS on! There is a ton of stuff for the little one's to get into. Innoventions are the the two big ones when it comes to this. These two large buildings house a ton of interactive shows and attractions. My favorite is the Great Piggy Bank Adventure where kids learn all about saving by playing fun games with a "real" Piggy Bank! Everything in these buildings allow the kids to touch and play...kind of like a fun interactive kids museum. 

The Seas  with Nemo and Friends...I think for our next trip my little girl might be looking forward to this the most! She's so excited to see Nemo and "meet" Crush...That's Turtle Talk with Crush, one of the most interactive attractions in all of Walt Disney World! The little ones sit on the floor while the parents stay in the back of the room. 

Crush magically appears in the tank in front of them and talks to them, answers questions and more! It's a must do for us!

Kennedy will be just at 40" on our next trip so Test Track is on our list. If your little one isn't tall enough to ride this thrill ride, simply head to the exit. At the end of the ride there is a showroom with fancy new cars as well as games and simulators for the whole family! It's a great place to wait while the big kids ride this attraction (and you wait to use your Rider Swap passes!)

Characters...characters and more characters!! In Future World you can get Fastpass+ reservations for the character spot. Here you can meet Mickey, Minnie and Pluto...but if you head into World Showcase you will find an array of Princesses including Belle (and the Beast), Jasmine (and Alladin), Snow White, Aurora and Mulan!!

World Showcase is also home to a fabulous Princess character meal, Akershus!

You may even find a few other characters lurking about :)

I saved my favorite for last...this one is for the kids AND adults alike! One of our favorite things to do is wandering around World Showcase while we eat and drink...so what's a kid to do? A LOT!!

• Agent P's Worldshowcase Adventures is a fun, interactive game that takes kids all around World Showcase.   First, visit a recruitment center at Odyssey Bridge, Norway Pavilion, Italy Pavilion or near the International Gateway to receive your assignment and pick up an interactive handheld device that will guide you on your mission.
  
  Next, scour for clues throughout the World Showcase and visit such destinations as:
  
  • Mexico Pavilion
  • Norway Pavilion
  • China Pavilion
  • Germany Pavilion
  • Japan Pavilion
  • France Pavilion
  • United Kingdom Pavilion.
• KidCot Fun Stops! These are great little stations set up around Worldshowcase. Your child is given a mask and then they stop in each country to decorate and add to the mask, while visiting with Cast Members from each country!
  
  Where to Find Kidcot Fun Stops
  
  
  • Mexico Pavilion (near Animales Fantasticos)
  • Norway Pavilion (at The Puffin’s Roost)
  • China Pavilion (near the exit of Reflections of China)
  • Germany Pavilion (at Volkunst)
  • Italy Pavilion (outside, near La Bottega Italiana)
  • American Adventure Pavilion (outside, near Heritage Manor Gifts)
  • Japan Pavilion (in the Bijutsu-kan Gallery)
  • Morocco Pavilion (at the Marketplace in the Medina)
  • France Pavilion (at Souvenirs de France)
  • United Kingdom Pavilion (at The Toy Soldier)
  • Canada Pavilion (at the exit of O Canada!)
• Passports..this one might be good for the older kids but I wanted to include it anyway. For about $10 you can pick up one of these cute little passports complete with stamps for each country, as well as fun little facts. 
  
• Each country also has an array of shows, entertainment and food to explore. Check out Steve Soares site for more details including show times.
  
  I also found this fun Scavenger Hunt that you could try!

And last but of course not least...don't forget Illuminations! This amazing fireworks display happens nightly at 9 p.m. (9:30 p.m. during the holidays).

 

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30 Days of Disney - Wegoshop.com

Today's post is more of a quick tip than anything else.  When we go to Disney we always use a Grocery Delivery service if we aren't renting a car.  We ARE renting a car this trip so we more than likely will just be making a stop ourselves but since most of my clients use Magical Express this information is important!

So why use a grocery delivery service when you go to Disney you might ask? Well there are a few reasons!

Even if you have the dining plan, grocery deliver can get you some very important items!

• Baby items like formula, diapers, wipes and baby food so you don't have to drag it all to Florida!
• Bottled water...a case of bottled water is so much cheaper than buying it in the parks
• Breakfast items. We grab a quick breakfast in the parks and use our dining plan credits later in the day...a better bang for your buck!

There is a fee for the services but it's cheaper than renting a car. I also have to add their customer service is AMAZING! I used a different service years ago and Wegoshop.com wins, HANDS DOWN!

Up to $50.00	$19.00 shop & delivery service fee
Between $50.00 and $100.00	$24.00 shop & delivery service fee
Between $100.00 and $200.00	$29.00 shop & delivery service fee
Between $200.00 and $300.00	$39.00 shop & delivery service fee
Over $300.00	13% of grocery receipt(s) total, shop & delivery service fee

Shopping at more than 1 store is an additional $5 per store. 10% gratuity is added for orders left at bell services. Tipping outside of that is optional.

 

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30 Days of Disney - Traveling with Babies

While we have traveled with a baby before (I even wrote about it here) we have never traveled with a baby AND a Toddler. Many people ask us...are you taking the baby too? OF COURSE!! Here my top 10 tips and info for traveling with little ones!

1) Most airlines will check your car seats for little or no cost. It's a hassle to bring the car seats BUT some car rental companies can charge you...Alamo wanted $10 per DAY so it adds up fast! Most airlines don't charge a fee to check car seats (and we'll gate check our stroller), but check with yours!

2) Many people opt to rent a stroller when they arrive. We bring ours with us. While it does have to be folded up to go through Security, it will keep both girls in place when we need them to be. Plus we can easily gate check-it...making it a bit faster when we arrive at the airport in Orlando to get off and running!

3) If you aren't renting a car, consider using a grocery deliver services. We'll be picking up the following:

• Diapers  and Wipes(too many too pick since we are there for 8 days)
• Formula (too heavy to pack...we'll bring enough for the flight)
• Bottled water (much cheaper than buying in the parks)
• Breakfast items (we'll eat a quick breakfast in the room and then use our dining plan for lunch and dinner)
• Snacks (a few things for the baby to have on hand for meals and in the parks)

4)  Be Flexible...but know what works for your family. My girls are very adaptable...Kennedy has traveled quite a bit. We don't stick to their normal routines while on vacation. They'll sleep in the stroller on more than one occasion. There will be late bed times.  

5) Know where the Baby Care Centers are as well as the First Aid Stations.  The Baby Care Centers are stocked with everything you  might need (and might not know you need). They are also a cool, calm place to go if your baby gets overwhelmed or maybe just needs to be rocked for a little while. 

6) Take advantage of Rider Swap so you don't have to miss out! Rider Swap is an awesome FREE feature that allows everyone to ride. Read about it HERE.

7) Consider using your Fastpass's on non Family friends rides in combination with Rider Swap. It could speed up the time your baby needs to wait.

8) Remember that character meals can take 60-90 minutes...not all babies have the tolerance to sit through a meal that long. Plus some aren't fans of the Characters at that age so avoid planning too many.

9) Kids under 3 are free...that means you don't have to pay for a ticket or a dining plan.  You'll do best at buffet and family style meals since kids under 3 can eat off your plate.  If your little one is a bit eater (mine is) make sure you budget for extra food.

10) Disney offers Pack-n-Plays. If you are not staying in a Villa be sure to request one in advance.  We prefer to bring an extra blanket for some cushion and our own sheet.

Disney is an amazing place for little ones with all the lights, colors and sounds. Even if they don't remember it, the memories you make with them will last a lifetime for you!

 

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30 Days of Disney - Day 2

I talked in my last post about how our schedules are a bit more freed up since we aren't tied down to Table Service reservations...however there are other factors that "tie" us down and we'll get to those later but FIRST....Day 2!

When we first were booking airfare the plan included arriving late on Saturday. After a big of adjusting we realized it was cheaper to fly in Saturday...for both the flight and car rental. So we booked one night at a value resort and decided to use our first official Disney day as a down day. My parents won't be meeting up with us till Sunday.


While we won't be heading into the parks it doesn't mean we don't have a ton of fun stuff planned!

Plan A
If the weather is nice today will be a pool day for the girls. Kennedy is really looking forward to the pool at French Quarter so I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Plan B
If the weather isn't warm enough for swimming we'll be doing a little resort touring ending with dinner at Downtown Disney most likely.

Since this is our first big family vacation in a few years we thought we'd ease into it. Day 3 will be our first actual park day. I think having a day for the girls to adjust before we hit the parks hard is going to work out really well for us. Plus we can't wait to see all the Christmas decorations and eat at a few of our favorite places...and a few new places too!

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30 Days of Disney - Dining

One of my favorite things about planning not only my own trip, but my client's trip is DINING! Some think it's crazy that you need to plan dining so far in advance or that they couldn't possibly know what they'd like to eat that far in advance...but I think it's fun! 

 The first step before delving into Dining is to come up with an itinerary. You need to know where you'll be before you can make reservations. I'll be posting more later about our itinerary and our decision NOT to park hop so for now I'll just share our dining decisions!

There are 3 basic dining plans to choose from. Each has their pro's and con's and dining plans are not always for everyone. There are a few big reasons why the dining plan is right for my family.

1) Not worry about a budget. This is big for first time visitors. Sure you can pour over menu's but you don't know how much you'll eat or what exactly you'll eat so budgeting can be tricky.  Having a dining plan means it's all taken care!

2) Stress free...goes with #1 hand in hand! We can order what we want and not worry about a thing. Everything is taken care of!

Our family ALWAYS purchase the plus dining plan. We love table service meals and the plan saves us a lot of money (often 20-30%). For  several reasons we opted for the Quick Service Dining Plan. Here are the differences:

	Quick Service Plan	Plus Dining Plan
Counter Service Credits, Per night	2	1
Table Service Credits, Per night	0	1
Snacks per night	1	1
Unlimited Refillable Mug	yes	yes

Basically both plans give you 2 meals and 1 snack PER NIGHT of your vacation. The difference is in the type of meal. It will be an adjustment for us to now have those table service meals but there are some pro's to the Counter Service Plan.

1)More flexibility...we are only scheduling ONE table service meal. That means if we aren't hungry, or want to go on a ride, we can!

2)TIME...we have a 3 year old and a 6 month old...they are really good when we go to restaurants BUT they are still 3 and 6 months so they don't always have the patience to sit down for 60-90 minutes to eat.

Just because we have the Quick Service Dining plan doesn't mean we don't have a plan! Here's a list, in no particular order, of some of favorite locations!

Magic Kingdom

Be Our Guest

Pecos Bills

Cosmic Rays

EPCOT

Sunshine Seasons

Katsura Grill

Boulangerie Patisserie

La Cantina de San Angel

Hollywood Studios

Pizza Planet

Starring Rolls

Animal Kingdom

Yak and Yeti

Flame Tree BBQ

Plus a few resort locations and LOTS of great snack options!!

My number ONE tip when it comes to dining is...everyone has different tastes. When it comes to Disney you'll read a million different opinions.  If the menu looks good and you want to try it...TRY IT! 

Up next...Day 2!

 

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30 Days of Disney - Transportation

One of the great things about Walt Disney World is that you have choices...choices about EVERYTHING. You can customize your vacation to fit your family's needs...everything from resort, to dining plan (or not), tickets...you name it!!  The same holds true when it comes to transportation!

The majority of my clients choose the FREE option, which is Disney's Magical Express. For those who have never been to Disney, this can be the most convenient choice.

• It's FREE!
• You don't have to worry about getting your bags...Disney picks them up and delivers them to you room so you can head straight to the parks
• Since you aren't driving, you won't get lost...or get into any arguments about stopping and asking for directions
• No car seats...Magical Express doesn't allow car seats so it's one less thing you have to bring with you if you are traveling with little one's.
• Did I mention it's FREE? Nothing beats a good deal!

While those are all great reasons to select Magical Express, there are a few reasons my family typically opts to rent a car or use a car service.  Magical Express is time consuming. It can often take up to 2 hours just to get to your resort and your bags will take 3 or more hours. Since I used to live in the area and know it fairly well, we are comfortable driving...plus it gets us to the resort much faster!

While I have an awesome grocery delivery service (post coming up), I also like being able to stop and grab a few things myself at the store.  Having our rental car will allow us a quick stop without having to pay someone else to do it!

Remember if you are staying at a Disney resort, parking will be free BUT   you will have to budget for either the car rental and gas or a car service. There are some great deals to be had if you shop around but my preferred company is Alamo.  They are always friendly and I love being able to use their kiosk, head out to the garage and pick my own car!

Even though we will rent a car there are a few times we'll still take the bus:

• To the Magic Kingdom: the parking lot is ONE mile from the entrance. At park closing it can be exhausting to get to the Ticket and Transportation Center, then the tram to the car
• Downtown Disney. We'll be staying at Port Orleans Riverside and we really enjoy taking the boat!

We also love that we can easily get to other resorts as Disney's bus system doesn't offer resort to resort transportation!

Update...after all the pro's and con's we decided budget wins. Well that and we don't want to lug 2 kids, a stroller, 2 car seats and all our luggage through the airport! We are leaving the car seats behind and letting Disney get our luggage!

 

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30 Days of Disney - Fastpass+

Fastpass+ is still relatively new  although the idea behind Fastpass is not. Fastpass was instituted in 1999 and it was a way of holding your spot in line. You'd returned at a specific time and your wait was typically only 5 minutes or so (often no wait).

Fastpass+ is a new, digital version of this. Instead of waiting until you are in the park, and reserving rides one at a a time, you now reserve them ahead of time (60 days in advance for onsite guests, 30 for offsite).  This is all done through your My Disney Experience account!

I logged on right at my 60 day mark, at midnight...in hopes of getting the elusive Anna and Elsa. Unfortunately the only available times were at the very end of our trip at 9 p.m. so we decided to skip it and we'll head straight to meet them when the park opens one morning. 

There are 2 schools of thought when it comes to reserving your attractions.

1) Early Risers... in this plan you'll schedule your Fastpass+ early in the morning. You'll be there anyway, so why not?  The benefit of this plan is that once you use your 3 Fastpass's, you can schedule more...one at a time via in-park  Kiosks!

2)Sleeping in...in this plan you schedule your Fastpass's later in the day. This way you can either a) sleep in and still ride your favorite attractions or b)Hop on some less popular attractions early in the day when the lines are shorter.

We opted for plan 1 so that we can try for more Fastpass's later in the day!  Here are our current selections. Remember that you can change them via in-park kiosks or your mobile app right up until a few minutes prior!

	FastPass #1	Time	Fastpass #2	Time	FastPass #3	Time
12/14/2014	Spaceship Earth	6:20-7:20 p.m.	Character Spot	7:40-8:40 p.m.	Illuminations	9:05 p.m.
12/15/2014	Seven Dwarf's	9:10-10:10 a.m.	Meet Ariel	11:50-12:50 p.m.	Barnstormer	1:00-2:00 p.m.
12/16/2014	Kilimanjaro	9:50-10:50 a.m.	Everest	11:40-12:40 a.m.	Dinosaur	1:00-2:00 p.m.
12/17/2014	Enchanted Tales	11:20-12:20 a.m.	Big Thunder	12:45-1:45 p.m.	Splash	3:55-4:55 p.m.
12/18/2014	Test Track	9:35-10:35 a.m.	Turtle Talk	11:25-12:25 a.m.	Soarin'	12:40 -1:40 p.m.
12/19/2014	Toy Story	9:55-10:55 a.m.	First Time in Forever	11:05-12:05 a.m.	Disney Jr	1:10-2:20 p.m.
12/20/2014

Besides missing out on Anna and Elsa we really got everything else we were hoping for! We'll also take advantage of Rider Swap on some of the "Big Kid" rides :)

Up next...renting a car vs. Magical Express!

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DIY Glitter Mickey Shirts

Disclaimer...I'm not a crafty person. After a few requests on how to create the shirt below, I decided to share how we did. I don't claim for it to be the best way and it's certainly not the only way!

We've always bought shirts on Etsy for our Disney trips. My mom decided to purchase a Cricut so we could try our hand at making them for ourselves.  She bought the Cricut Explore.

It took me a little while to figure out how it works.  There seems to be 2 different ways to use this.

1. Print and cut. With this method you can print on your color printer, then bring it back to the cricut and it will cut it out for you. I have some plain white Iron on paper that I'll try this option with later.
2. Just cut...that's the method I finally figured out to make the above shirt.

Ok so here's how we did it...it's actually pretty simple. I used Cricut's online design program, Design Space.  I bought a Mickey head silhouette ($1.49) and simply made it the size I was looking for.  I had bought some Glitter Vinyl paper at Michaels. I think it was about $8 for 4 colored sheets.

You simply put the Iron on Vinyl on the green mat that comes with the machine...click GO and it cuts out the shape!I repeated this with the Snowflake and Kennedy's name.

 After all were cut out my Mom cut some of the "arms" off the snowflake and lined them up with the Mickey Head.  Layout your design, cover with a pillowcase and iron for about 40 seconds... VOILA!

I'll be trying a  few more things about before we leave so stay tuned!

 

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30 Days of Disney - Day 1

I know what you are thinking...FINALLY we get to the good stuff!! Although I hate to disappoint you...Day 1 is never very exciting! Let's talk a little bit about the preparations leading up to Day 1 shall we?

1) The BIG decision...do we fly or drive? I wrote a whole post about why we decided to drive vs. fly...except then airfare dropped in price...and we have a now 6 month old that still doesn't love car riding so our decision was confirmed. We fly!  We are actually flying two different carriers in order to get the best price. That's why I recommend using www.kayak.com as they show you all available options. We are also flying from a nearby city because even with the combined mileage/gas to get there, it was still cheaper! I'll have another post coming up about traveling with the little one's.

2) Packing! We have less than 30 days to go so I'll start my list. I really love this list from Disney Under 3 though! This is our first time traveling with BOTH kids so we need to be super organized!

3) Miscellaneous... I had a few odds  and ends to do to get ready for the trip. One was sorting out our stroller situation (post on that coming up), deciding to order groceries or pick them up ourselves, reserving our rental car and more!

Now that we have full prepared for our trip, let's talk about the actual trip!

Who
We covered that a bit in a previous post but it will by myself, hubby and our two girls.  My parents will also be joining us for most of the trip.

When
We'll be heading to Disney in early December.  My family LOVE Christmas, not to mention that it worked out to go between my husbands semesters at college. It's been two years since we've had a family vacation!

Where
On our arrival night we are staying at Pop Century but for the rest of our vacation we'll be at Port Orleans French Quarter! I love that this resort is smallest of all the resort and my daughter is so excited for the Serpent Slide!

Why
We have a few reasons!

• Hubby wrapping up his last semester of classes 
• Kennedy's first BIG girl trip
• Finley's first trip...ever!

But mostly it's just for family time. As this was my husband's last semester of classes we've barely seen him.  Between classes, teaching and working nights we are all in desperate need of some family time!

 

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