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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