Happy New Year to everyone. Wow, I can't believe that another year has passed. Where or where has the time gone? It seems like only yesterday we were planning our big family trip for October, and now it has been almost three months since we took that fun trip. All we are left with are the memories and tons and tons of pictures. I am still working my way through all of the pictures and will hopefully get them into my album in the next few weeks. Every trip I am amazed by the large amount of pictures we take. This year was even worse than normal since we had so many people in our party. I not only have the nearly 1000 pictures I took, but also those of my daughter, in-laws, and photo pass to sort through and filter down to a meager 200 total to fit into the photo album. Every year I purchase a dated photo album while I am in Disney to hold all of our treasured photos. I personally like the ones where I can journal on the side of each one and tell who is in the picture and what we were doing. This is not only for me, but for my daughter down the road. Disney is constantly changing and I am sure that by the time she is grown we will have pictures from attractions that are no longer around. I also keep a copy of each park map and put it inside the photo album. I want to be a scrapbooker, and have done it in the past, but with our busy life this is about as much as I can find time for.
Where do I get copies of all my pictures? I usually upload them to Snapfish, or some other online photo site. The prints are usually around .07 each, unless I have some kind of coupon code (which I usually do). I try to upload them as soon as I can after the trip so that I can take my time editing them and so they will be ready whenever a good deal is offered. If snapfish runs a 24 hour special for 100 free prints, they are out there and ready for me to order without a frantic rush on my end to get the pictures uploaded and ordered within that time. This year, I ordered around 250 total for both my photo album and my daughter's autograph book. Plus I made a photo book for my mother-in-law for Christmas with the same photos. It has been a fun way to relive my trip over and over again. Hopefully soon the Disney photo album will be filled, the journaling will be done, and my family will have one more way to treasure the memories of the wonderful trip. I just hope it is before the next trip in a few months! Then the fun begins again :) Happy 2011 to all!
Friday, December 31, 2010
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Pop Century
I think I have mentioned this before, but Pop Century is definitely our resort of choice every time we go to Disney World. We realized a few years ago that we would rather stay at a Value Resort on property every time and be able to stay a few extra days instead of going to a Moderate or Deluxe and stay fewer days. Of course the extra days is a big factor for us, but also we realized that we just aren't at the hotel a whole lot. We get up early, eat a quick breakfast from home in the food court so that we can be to the park for rope drop, then stay all day at the park. We get in around 9:00 at night, swim for about 30-45 minutes, take showers, and head to bed. We are probably in the room a total of 9 hours total a day, and most of those hours are sleeping. As long as the bed is comfy, we are happy. So these are reasons we stay in a value resort, now let me tell you why we choose Pop Century time and again (we have stayed at All Star Music twice and All Star Movies once for comparison).
One of the best things about Pop Century is the staff. Every person I have ever encountered at Pop has been super friendly and has gone out of their way to make our stay wonderful. This usually begins at check in, includes food court staff, gift shop staff, mousekeepers, and everyone in between. One example of great service this time was the concierge worker who helped to make my angel's birthday so memorable this year. I realized the night before her birthday that I didn't have a card for her. I had remembered a few gifts, but didn't have a card. So, I stood in line to ask the front desk if they could help. I asked the friendly girl if she had a card or something I could use as one for my daughter's birthday the next day. She went in the back and after a few minutes came back to ask my room number. I told her and she then said they were taking care of it. I asked if they had a card and she said they would leave one for her in the room the next day. It wasn't exactly what I expected, but thought ok, I can make that work. I was just glad that they were going to save me :) The next day when we returned to our room on her birthday there was a card (a picture of retro Mickey and Minnie in front of our building at Pop) along with a Pop Century bucket filled with little pop culture gifts from the 60's to 90's. It was super cute and way more than I expected. My daughter loved it and I was thrilled. I made sure to tell the manager the next day how much we loved the basket and that is why we choose Pop every time.
Another favorite of mine at Pop Century is the food court. It is huge and has several different bays to choose from which all serve different kinds of food. There is pizza, sandwiches, pastas, even TV dinners (remember the pop theme). I can't imagine someone not being able to find something they like here. They also have some yummy foods at the bakery area that you can get as a dessert (tie dye cheesecake is yummy) and an ice cream area as well that allows you to get huge sundaes or hand spun milkshakes for a dessert or snack as well. There are so many options and I love to eat here. They used to offer frozen cokes and icee's in the drink stations which was a wonderful treat after a hot day in the park, but sadly they replaced them a few years ago for tea. I am hoping they will bring that back one day!!!!
Another bonus for Pop is the bus service. They have their own dedicated buses that take you straight to the parks. Also, they only have one bus stop at the resort so you don't have to waste precious park time riding around to multiple stops inside of the resort like many of the moderate resorts do. The other value resorts (All Star Sports, Music, and Movies) share buses going to the parks. This can be particularly annoying in the morning, especially if you are staying at Movies. The buses pick up at Sports first, then Music, and if there is any room left, they go to Movies. As you can imagine, it can take several buses before they realize that the line is half a mile long and send an empty bus to get the Movie guests. At night, each hotel does have their own dedicated bus, but they really need it in the morning as well. Pop Century doesn't have that problem. Since it doesn't share with anyone, once you get on the bus, you don't have to stop anywhere except the park or Pop. The only problem is that the bus stop is almost always at the very end of the row at each park, so you have to walk a little farther then some of the other resorts. To me, that is a small inconvenience and I would rather walk a few more steps than make a few more stops.
One final favorite thing about Pop is the pools. We love the main pool which is shaped like a flower with several flower fountains spraying into it around the sides. There are also two other small pools at the resort. We haven't been in the computer pool, but since we were in the 50's building this trip we spent most of our time in the bowling pin pool this time and really enjoyed it as well. One more bonus is that thereare two fun areas for little ones to play in as well. There is a set of goofy pop up fountains that spray intermittently that are fun to play in and the kiddie pool has some big fountains inside of it as well. My daughter loves playing in these, and they are great for those nights I just don't feel like getting in the pool with her, but she insists on swimming. A win win for both of us.
So, if you are considering staying in a Value resort, I would highly recommend Pop Century. For all of the reasons mentioned above, plus comfortable, very clean rooms, you can't get a better value for your money and still be on Disney property.
One of the best things about Pop Century is the staff. Every person I have ever encountered at Pop has been super friendly and has gone out of their way to make our stay wonderful. This usually begins at check in, includes food court staff, gift shop staff, mousekeepers, and everyone in between. One example of great service this time was the concierge worker who helped to make my angel's birthday so memorable this year. I realized the night before her birthday that I didn't have a card for her. I had remembered a few gifts, but didn't have a card. So, I stood in line to ask the front desk if they could help. I asked the friendly girl if she had a card or something I could use as one for my daughter's birthday the next day. She went in the back and after a few minutes came back to ask my room number. I told her and she then said they were taking care of it. I asked if they had a card and she said they would leave one for her in the room the next day. It wasn't exactly what I expected, but thought ok, I can make that work. I was just glad that they were going to save me :) The next day when we returned to our room on her birthday there was a card (a picture of retro Mickey and Minnie in front of our building at Pop) along with a Pop Century bucket filled with little pop culture gifts from the 60's to 90's. It was super cute and way more than I expected. My daughter loved it and I was thrilled. I made sure to tell the manager the next day how much we loved the basket and that is why we choose Pop every time.
Another favorite of mine at Pop Century is the food court. It is huge and has several different bays to choose from which all serve different kinds of food. There is pizza, sandwiches, pastas, even TV dinners (remember the pop theme). I can't imagine someone not being able to find something they like here. They also have some yummy foods at the bakery area that you can get as a dessert (tie dye cheesecake is yummy) and an ice cream area as well that allows you to get huge sundaes or hand spun milkshakes for a dessert or snack as well. There are so many options and I love to eat here. They used to offer frozen cokes and icee's in the drink stations which was a wonderful treat after a hot day in the park, but sadly they replaced them a few years ago for tea. I am hoping they will bring that back one day!!!!
Another bonus for Pop is the bus service. They have their own dedicated buses that take you straight to the parks. Also, they only have one bus stop at the resort so you don't have to waste precious park time riding around to multiple stops inside of the resort like many of the moderate resorts do. The other value resorts (All Star Sports, Music, and Movies) share buses going to the parks. This can be particularly annoying in the morning, especially if you are staying at Movies. The buses pick up at Sports first, then Music, and if there is any room left, they go to Movies. As you can imagine, it can take several buses before they realize that the line is half a mile long and send an empty bus to get the Movie guests. At night, each hotel does have their own dedicated bus, but they really need it in the morning as well. Pop Century doesn't have that problem. Since it doesn't share with anyone, once you get on the bus, you don't have to stop anywhere except the park or Pop. The only problem is that the bus stop is almost always at the very end of the row at each park, so you have to walk a little farther then some of the other resorts. To me, that is a small inconvenience and I would rather walk a few more steps than make a few more stops.
One final favorite thing about Pop is the pools. We love the main pool which is shaped like a flower with several flower fountains spraying into it around the sides. There are also two other small pools at the resort. We haven't been in the computer pool, but since we were in the 50's building this trip we spent most of our time in the bowling pin pool this time and really enjoyed it as well. One more bonus is that thereare two fun areas for little ones to play in as well. There is a set of goofy pop up fountains that spray intermittently that are fun to play in and the kiddie pool has some big fountains inside of it as well. My daughter loves playing in these, and they are great for those nights I just don't feel like getting in the pool with her, but she insists on swimming. A win win for both of us.
So, if you are considering staying in a Value resort, I would highly recommend Pop Century. For all of the reasons mentioned above, plus comfortable, very clean rooms, you can't get a better value for your money and still be on Disney property.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Bibbity Bobbity Boutique
We are fresh off of our latest trip to the World and I have lots of posts running through my head, but since I am still trying to get my head above water I am sticking to an easy subject for now. We tried a few new things this trip and I will review those later, but for now I will stick to describing the experience that my little Princess had at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique (BBB).
First, let me say that I have been wanting my daughter to do this for the last few trips, but she always adamantly said no. She is not one who likes to be the center of attention and does not like anyone making a big deal out of anything she does. She gets easily embarrassed and does not like to do anything "different". These characteristics are what has kept her from agreeing to the makeover in the past. So, needless to say, when I asked her this year when we first started planning this trip if she wanted to do the BBB, I was shocked when she very enthusiastically said yes. After I picked my jaw up off the floor I started working in my head how we would pay for it :) Since we were going to be there (as usual) over her birthday, her Dad and I agreed that we would allow her to do the biggest package they have as part of her gift if that is what she wanted. When we offered it to her, she jumped on it and grinned from ear to ear. That right then is when the magic started for me. So, when the 180 day mark came, I called and made a reservation for her in the castle. For the next six months I heard many details about which Princess she was going to become.
Fast forward 180 days and the magic jumped to a million different levels. Her reservation time was 1:00 and several times that morning she brought up to me that she was going to do the BBB that day. My baby girl was excited (and I must admit so was Mommy). So, when the time came, we walked into the castle ready to be transformed. We signed in and then went to the wardrobe to pick out her royal dress. After a little discussion she (we) decided to be Belle over Jasmine. She really liked the long gloves that you could add to the dress and they were out of the wand that went along with the Jasmine dress (and Mommy was a little concerned over the belly being shown with the Jasmine outfit). So, she let them know her decision and she went to the changing area. They said the magic words (Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo) and her royal costume was magically waiting in the changing room for her. Once she was dressed in her gown and shoes, she waited for her turn in the chair. Her wonderful Fairy Godmother in training did a great job of giving her the royal princess hair do and putting on her makeup and nail polish. While all of this was being done she was kept facing away from the mirror until they sprinkled the magic dust in her hair and they did the big reveal. She was then grinning from ear to ear when she saw her reflection. She was thrilled and so was I. It was worth every penny (though Daddy joked that it was the Second Mortgage Package).
Once she was transformed, she left the castle and headed over to a nearby shop to have her picture taken. The photopass photographer was great. He showed her how to hold her dress like a true Princess and put her in some really sweet poses. So after her "photo shoot" we picked out our favorite three shots and took home her "portfolio". The photographer also suggested that we head to Toontown to meet the princesses and have them sign her portfolio. So, off we went through the park and I have to admit it was precious. She was holding her dress high to keep it off the ground and grinning from ear to ear through the whole walk. Then we met the Princesses and they were wonderful. They made such a big deal out of how pretty she was and Belle really got into it asking her if she had gotten into her closet that morning and borrowed her clothes. My daughter's face had to hurt from all of the smiling she did :)
The whole rest of the day she enjoyed all of the compliments she received from both employees and guests. Later, we went to the Grand Floridian resort and ate dinner at 1900 Park Fare with Cinderella and Prince Charming. It was so much fun to see her walking so proud in her beautiful dress. It was a wonderful backdrop for all of the pictures we took! This was a wonderful way to end such a magical day for my Princess. That night she went to sleep with a smile on her face. Again, it was worth every penny.
When she woke up the next day her hair was still mostly in place. It was starting to fall a little, but we were at Downtown Disney and one of the workers at the BBB location there fixed it a little and helped to make it last one more day. Since she still looked so cute, it was easy for her to talk Daddy into splitting the cost of the Jasmine costume and she was a Princess once again. So, for the price, plus a little more for a second costume, we got two days out of our investment. If I would have known this, I would have packed one of her costumes from home to wear day 2 and saved the extra purchase :)
So, would I do it again? If she really really wanted to I would let her do the hair and makeup portion and I would take my own costume from home. It was definitely worth doing the whole package once, but I think the same effect can be done with only doing the hair portion. The workers were wonderful in every aspect from check in, to hair, to pictures at the end. They made a wonderful memory for my daughter that I don't think she will ever forget. I also think she was at the perfect age to do this. I would think age 4-9 are probably the perfect ages. I say this only because if you are paying this much you want them to remember it, and much older than 8 or 9 they are probably going to think that they are too cool for Princesses. I believe that if your daughter is asking for it and you can swing the cost, you should definitely do it. They are only young once and "next time" they may be too old to get the magic out of this experience. Who knows when they will be "too cool to do something so silly?"
First, let me say that I have been wanting my daughter to do this for the last few trips, but she always adamantly said no. She is not one who likes to be the center of attention and does not like anyone making a big deal out of anything she does. She gets easily embarrassed and does not like to do anything "different". These characteristics are what has kept her from agreeing to the makeover in the past. So, needless to say, when I asked her this year when we first started planning this trip if she wanted to do the BBB, I was shocked when she very enthusiastically said yes. After I picked my jaw up off the floor I started working in my head how we would pay for it :) Since we were going to be there (as usual) over her birthday, her Dad and I agreed that we would allow her to do the biggest package they have as part of her gift if that is what she wanted. When we offered it to her, she jumped on it and grinned from ear to ear. That right then is when the magic started for me. So, when the 180 day mark came, I called and made a reservation for her in the castle. For the next six months I heard many details about which Princess she was going to become.
Fast forward 180 days and the magic jumped to a million different levels. Her reservation time was 1:00 and several times that morning she brought up to me that she was going to do the BBB that day. My baby girl was excited (and I must admit so was Mommy). So, when the time came, we walked into the castle ready to be transformed. We signed in and then went to the wardrobe to pick out her royal dress. After a little discussion she (we) decided to be Belle over Jasmine. She really liked the long gloves that you could add to the dress and they were out of the wand that went along with the Jasmine dress (and Mommy was a little concerned over the belly being shown with the Jasmine outfit). So, she let them know her decision and she went to the changing area. They said the magic words (Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo) and her royal costume was magically waiting in the changing room for her. Once she was dressed in her gown and shoes, she waited for her turn in the chair. Her wonderful Fairy Godmother in training did a great job of giving her the royal princess hair do and putting on her makeup and nail polish. While all of this was being done she was kept facing away from the mirror until they sprinkled the magic dust in her hair and they did the big reveal. She was then grinning from ear to ear when she saw her reflection. She was thrilled and so was I. It was worth every penny (though Daddy joked that it was the Second Mortgage Package).
Once she was transformed, she left the castle and headed over to a nearby shop to have her picture taken. The photopass photographer was great. He showed her how to hold her dress like a true Princess and put her in some really sweet poses. So after her "photo shoot" we picked out our favorite three shots and took home her "portfolio". The photographer also suggested that we head to Toontown to meet the princesses and have them sign her portfolio. So, off we went through the park and I have to admit it was precious. She was holding her dress high to keep it off the ground and grinning from ear to ear through the whole walk. Then we met the Princesses and they were wonderful. They made such a big deal out of how pretty she was and Belle really got into it asking her if she had gotten into her closet that morning and borrowed her clothes. My daughter's face had to hurt from all of the smiling she did :)
The whole rest of the day she enjoyed all of the compliments she received from both employees and guests. Later, we went to the Grand Floridian resort and ate dinner at 1900 Park Fare with Cinderella and Prince Charming. It was so much fun to see her walking so proud in her beautiful dress. It was a wonderful backdrop for all of the pictures we took! This was a wonderful way to end such a magical day for my Princess. That night she went to sleep with a smile on her face. Again, it was worth every penny.
When she woke up the next day her hair was still mostly in place. It was starting to fall a little, but we were at Downtown Disney and one of the workers at the BBB location there fixed it a little and helped to make it last one more day. Since she still looked so cute, it was easy for her to talk Daddy into splitting the cost of the Jasmine costume and she was a Princess once again. So, for the price, plus a little more for a second costume, we got two days out of our investment. If I would have known this, I would have packed one of her costumes from home to wear day 2 and saved the extra purchase :)
So, would I do it again? If she really really wanted to I would let her do the hair and makeup portion and I would take my own costume from home. It was definitely worth doing the whole package once, but I think the same effect can be done with only doing the hair portion. The workers were wonderful in every aspect from check in, to hair, to pictures at the end. They made a wonderful memory for my daughter that I don't think she will ever forget. I also think she was at the perfect age to do this. I would think age 4-9 are probably the perfect ages. I say this only because if you are paying this much you want them to remember it, and much older than 8 or 9 they are probably going to think that they are too cool for Princesses. I believe that if your daughter is asking for it and you can swing the cost, you should definitely do it. They are only young once and "next time" they may be too old to get the magic out of this experience. Who knows when they will be "too cool to do something so silly?"
Monday, September 27, 2010
Disney Transportation
Disney transportation is a wonderful tool for getting around Disney property. Imagine, being immersed in a world where you can literally park your car on the day you arrive at your hotel, and never touch it again until you check out to drive home. Better yet, imagine parking your car at the airport near your house and not using a set of keys again until you land after your trip. This can all be done through the magic of Disney. It may take a little bit of planning, but it can be a relaxing tool to make your vacation stress free. Now to offer you a few tips to make it stress free.
If you are flying into MCO (Orlando) and staying on property, you get to take advantage of Disney's Magical Express. This is a wonderful service that will pick you up at the airport, bus you to your resort, and even pick up your luggage for you at baggage claim and magically make it appear in your hotel room. All you have to do is take your family, along with your carry ons, and check in at the magical express booth when you land. The rest is handled by Disney. My only suggestion is if you do take advantage of this service, pack a change of clothes in your carry on and any essential medications as it could be three or more hours before you get your luggage delivered to your room. We learned this the hard way the first time we used this service. Although it was August, some of us wore jeans for the flight thinking we would change when we got to the room. Since our luggage wasn't there yet and we wanted to go to the parks, we walked Magic Kingdom in jeans in 95 degree temperatures. Lesson learned and that mistake was not made next time :)
When you fly, unless you choose to rent a car after you arrive, you are forced to rely on Disney transportation. With a little planning, this can be a stress free way to go. Getting from your resort to any theme park is easy. You simply walk to the bus stops at your hotel, find the sign for the park you want to go to, and get in line. Once the bus comes, get on, ride to the park, and be deposited close to the main entrance. Easy peasie. My only recommendation is to allow plenty of travel time. If you are trying to get to a park for opening, chances are a lot of others are as well so the line will be long. There is a chance you may have to wait for a second bus if the line is too long. Disney is pretty good about sending buses in the mornings so you probably won't have to wait long for the next one, but if you are insistent on being there for opening, or if you have a breakfast reservation, allow an extra 10 to 20 minutes in to your travel time just in case. There is one other thing that can slow down the buses in the morning (or anytime). More and more people are using the motorized scooters to get around, which are great, but they can slow the bus loading procedures down. The bus driver gets off and helps the passenger load the scooter. No one else can be on the bus while this happens, so everyone else starts loading once the scooter passenger is loaded. It can add 5 to 10 minutes based on the experience of the bus driver, so another example of why you need to plan ahead if you need to be at the park at a certain time.
Getting back to the resort is pretty easy, and actually pretty relaxing at night. You walk to the bus stops at the park and find the one labeled for your resort. Then you get in line, wait for a bus, and collapse onto it while the driver worries about the traffic around you. There have been more times than I can count where this ride has been taken with my sweet angel sacked out in my lap. Those were the sweetest rides!
So getting to the parks is pretty easy. However, getting to another resort for a dining reservation can be a little trickier. The best thing to do is to find the closest resort to the hotel you are trying to get to for your meal. Then you ride the bus to that park and catch a bus (or ferry, or monorail) to the resort you are trying to get to. Reverse the process to get back to your home resort. A few examples. If you are trying to get to Chef Mickey's at the Contemporary, ride your home resort bus to Magic Kingdom and then either walk or catch the monorail to the Contemporary. If you are trying to get to Whispering Canyon, again ride to the Magic Kingdom and catch either a bus or the water ferry to the Wildnerness Lodge. If you are trying to get to Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge, ride your bus to Animal Kingdom, then ride a bus to Animal Kingdom Lodge. For this one though, when you leave you will probably have to ride the bus to another park as Animal Kingdom park will probably be closed by the time you are done with dinner. The important thing to remember is that buses do not run from resort to resort so you have to find a theme park as a transfer point.
One final suggestion. If you do have a car and don't like the idea of using the bus system, you can park free at the theme parks when you stay on property. However, I would suggest using the bus system for your days at Magic Kingdom. When you drive to Magic Kingdom, you park in the lot, then everyone has to either take the ferry or monorail to the park entrance. This can really add time to your morning. However, if you take the Disney bus they will drop you off right outside the turnstiles and you only have to walk a short distance to the front gate. This can really save you time in the morning, and when you leave at night.
If you are flying into MCO (Orlando) and staying on property, you get to take advantage of Disney's Magical Express. This is a wonderful service that will pick you up at the airport, bus you to your resort, and even pick up your luggage for you at baggage claim and magically make it appear in your hotel room. All you have to do is take your family, along with your carry ons, and check in at the magical express booth when you land. The rest is handled by Disney. My only suggestion is if you do take advantage of this service, pack a change of clothes in your carry on and any essential medications as it could be three or more hours before you get your luggage delivered to your room. We learned this the hard way the first time we used this service. Although it was August, some of us wore jeans for the flight thinking we would change when we got to the room. Since our luggage wasn't there yet and we wanted to go to the parks, we walked Magic Kingdom in jeans in 95 degree temperatures. Lesson learned and that mistake was not made next time :)
When you fly, unless you choose to rent a car after you arrive, you are forced to rely on Disney transportation. With a little planning, this can be a stress free way to go. Getting from your resort to any theme park is easy. You simply walk to the bus stops at your hotel, find the sign for the park you want to go to, and get in line. Once the bus comes, get on, ride to the park, and be deposited close to the main entrance. Easy peasie. My only recommendation is to allow plenty of travel time. If you are trying to get to a park for opening, chances are a lot of others are as well so the line will be long. There is a chance you may have to wait for a second bus if the line is too long. Disney is pretty good about sending buses in the mornings so you probably won't have to wait long for the next one, but if you are insistent on being there for opening, or if you have a breakfast reservation, allow an extra 10 to 20 minutes in to your travel time just in case. There is one other thing that can slow down the buses in the morning (or anytime). More and more people are using the motorized scooters to get around, which are great, but they can slow the bus loading procedures down. The bus driver gets off and helps the passenger load the scooter. No one else can be on the bus while this happens, so everyone else starts loading once the scooter passenger is loaded. It can add 5 to 10 minutes based on the experience of the bus driver, so another example of why you need to plan ahead if you need to be at the park at a certain time.
Getting back to the resort is pretty easy, and actually pretty relaxing at night. You walk to the bus stops at the park and find the one labeled for your resort. Then you get in line, wait for a bus, and collapse onto it while the driver worries about the traffic around you. There have been more times than I can count where this ride has been taken with my sweet angel sacked out in my lap. Those were the sweetest rides!
So getting to the parks is pretty easy. However, getting to another resort for a dining reservation can be a little trickier. The best thing to do is to find the closest resort to the hotel you are trying to get to for your meal. Then you ride the bus to that park and catch a bus (or ferry, or monorail) to the resort you are trying to get to. Reverse the process to get back to your home resort. A few examples. If you are trying to get to Chef Mickey's at the Contemporary, ride your home resort bus to Magic Kingdom and then either walk or catch the monorail to the Contemporary. If you are trying to get to Whispering Canyon, again ride to the Magic Kingdom and catch either a bus or the water ferry to the Wildnerness Lodge. If you are trying to get to Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge, ride your bus to Animal Kingdom, then ride a bus to Animal Kingdom Lodge. For this one though, when you leave you will probably have to ride the bus to another park as Animal Kingdom park will probably be closed by the time you are done with dinner. The important thing to remember is that buses do not run from resort to resort so you have to find a theme park as a transfer point.
One final suggestion. If you do have a car and don't like the idea of using the bus system, you can park free at the theme parks when you stay on property. However, I would suggest using the bus system for your days at Magic Kingdom. When you drive to Magic Kingdom, you park in the lot, then everyone has to either take the ferry or monorail to the park entrance. This can really add time to your morning. However, if you take the Disney bus they will drop you off right outside the turnstiles and you only have to walk a short distance to the front gate. This can really save you time in the morning, and when you leave at night.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Warning.....closures ahead
As I have mentioned in the past, we always travel in the offseason. Don't get me wrong, this is a wonderful time to visit Disney World. The crowds are light, the weather is usually pretty mild, and we get to experience the wonderful Halloween decorations. There is however, one downside to offseason touring. Disney often takes advantage of the lower crowds and uses this time of year to update or clean up their attractions. Of course it makes sense that they can't do this while people are enjoying the attractions, so they have to close them. Luckily it is usually only for a week or two, but since trips usually average a week, there is a good chance you will miss the ride entirely while they do their updates and will have to wait until the next trip to enjoy your favorite ride. Most years we get pretty lucky and only miss one or two of our favorites, but this year we have several of our favorites that we will unfortunately have to miss :( So, my advise to you is to check Disneyworld.com or mouseplanet.com (read the weekly Walt Disney World Resort update) before you leave for closure updates to prepare your kids just in case any of their favorite rides will be closed during your trip.
Let's start at Hollywood Studios. They are doing a major renovation of the Star Tours ride. They are closing it for months as they change the whole story line of the ride. Don't get me wrong, it will be awesome when it is done, but sadly we will not be able to experience it this year. One other small closure comes with the High School Musical pep rally. This isn't a huge deal, but we still enjoyed watching it last year. The really sad part for us is that they are starting a new show to replace High School Musical that is based on Disney Channel music. Why is that sad? Well, because it doesn't start until a week after we leave so we will miss the new show! We are so close to seeing it, but hopefully it will still be going next year.
As far as I know, there are not any significant closures at either Epcot or Animal Kingdom while we are there. YAY!!! However, the closures are Magic Kingdom are biggies (for our family). The first closure is it's a small world. This ride is one of our faves so it will be weird not to ride it this year. The second closure is one of my daughter's faves, The Mad Tea Party. The third closure is Storytime with Belle. Although we have never seen this show, we were hoping to catch it this year. However, the rumor is that it will resume in the new Beast Castle when the Fantasyland expansion is complete, so I am crossing my fingers for that one. They are going to start a new show (again a few weeks after we are there) based on the new movie Tangled (about Repunzel). I guess we will see that one next year as well. The final two closures are sad for us, as they will never return. As I mentioned they are in the middle of a huge expansion of Fantasyland. When it is done, it will be amazing. They are adding a new Beast Castle and an area that is based on the forest of Sleeping Beauty. These two areas alone are going to be great. However, in order to do this expansion, they are having to close some of the current attractions. Unfortunately, this means that they have already closed two faves, Ariels Grotto and Pooh's Playground. My daughter's favorite Princess is Ariel, and she always loves visiting the Grotto. It always seemed like you were being transformed to under the sea as you waited to meet Ariel. We loved it. The good news is that there is a new area to meet Ariel (and I think Prince Eric) in Magic Kingdom. However, she is in her dress, and not her fins so it won't be as fun for my daughter. Hopefully they will find a way to get her sea legs back on her when the expansion is finished. The final permanent closure is Poohs playground. They have saved the tree from the playground and moved it beside the Winnie the Pooh ride, but the playground itself is gone. Although my daughter is now almost seven and too big for the playground anyway, this playground has a special place in my heart. They opened it up during my daughter's first trip ever when she was almost two and she was able to play on it the very first day it opened. So to see this one go, it tears at my heart a little. Oh well, it will all be worth it in the end and we will find some new favorites when the new Fantasyland expansion is complete!!!
Let's start at Hollywood Studios. They are doing a major renovation of the Star Tours ride. They are closing it for months as they change the whole story line of the ride. Don't get me wrong, it will be awesome when it is done, but sadly we will not be able to experience it this year. One other small closure comes with the High School Musical pep rally. This isn't a huge deal, but we still enjoyed watching it last year. The really sad part for us is that they are starting a new show to replace High School Musical that is based on Disney Channel music. Why is that sad? Well, because it doesn't start until a week after we leave so we will miss the new show! We are so close to seeing it, but hopefully it will still be going next year.
As far as I know, there are not any significant closures at either Epcot or Animal Kingdom while we are there. YAY!!! However, the closures are Magic Kingdom are biggies (for our family). The first closure is it's a small world. This ride is one of our faves so it will be weird not to ride it this year. The second closure is one of my daughter's faves, The Mad Tea Party. The third closure is Storytime with Belle. Although we have never seen this show, we were hoping to catch it this year. However, the rumor is that it will resume in the new Beast Castle when the Fantasyland expansion is complete, so I am crossing my fingers for that one. They are going to start a new show (again a few weeks after we are there) based on the new movie Tangled (about Repunzel). I guess we will see that one next year as well. The final two closures are sad for us, as they will never return. As I mentioned they are in the middle of a huge expansion of Fantasyland. When it is done, it will be amazing. They are adding a new Beast Castle and an area that is based on the forest of Sleeping Beauty. These two areas alone are going to be great. However, in order to do this expansion, they are having to close some of the current attractions. Unfortunately, this means that they have already closed two faves, Ariels Grotto and Pooh's Playground. My daughter's favorite Princess is Ariel, and she always loves visiting the Grotto. It always seemed like you were being transformed to under the sea as you waited to meet Ariel. We loved it. The good news is that there is a new area to meet Ariel (and I think Prince Eric) in Magic Kingdom. However, she is in her dress, and not her fins so it won't be as fun for my daughter. Hopefully they will find a way to get her sea legs back on her when the expansion is finished. The final permanent closure is Poohs playground. They have saved the tree from the playground and moved it beside the Winnie the Pooh ride, but the playground itself is gone. Although my daughter is now almost seven and too big for the playground anyway, this playground has a special place in my heart. They opened it up during my daughter's first trip ever when she was almost two and she was able to play on it the very first day it opened. So to see this one go, it tears at my heart a little. Oh well, it will all be worth it in the end and we will find some new favorites when the new Fantasyland expansion is complete!!!
Friday, September 10, 2010
Here We Go....
To quote Peter Pan... "Here We Go!". Our annual trip is a few short weeks away and I am definitely getting over the top excited. I love the few weeks leading up to our trip. It is so much fun to plan what I need to pack and I love buying our snacks for the trip. I have already started pulling out a few things and putting them in my backpack that I will be carrying in the park. I made it easier on myself a few years ago and created a list on my computer of things I would need for the trip and I saved it on my desktop. Now every time we go I just print a copy of it and it helps to make my packing so much easier. This year I was excited to be able to mark a few things off the list....such as a stroller and snacks for my daughter to have in the parks. Maybe we can get by with only 5 bags for a family of three instead of 6. Though I am sure I will find something to fill that last bag before we go :) That is one advantage to driving instead of flying this year, though no matter how hard I try, I always manage to take way more than we need.
So, as I am getting ready to go, what kind of bags am I packing? I usually pack one suitcase per family member full of clothes. I always start with enough for one outfit per person, per day. I then take about 3 or 4 extra sundresses for my daughter since they don't take up much room, and 2 more shirts. Then I add 3 extra shirts each for my husband and myself since it always seems to be "hotter than normal temperatures" while we are there. Sometimes it gets very hot, even in October so it's nice to have a back up shirt. Besides, I am a girl after all and I like to have choices while I am there. So, this takes up four suitcases by the time I add the extra clothes. I know that I could save myself a bag by taking half the amount of clothes and do laundry while I am there. However, that will not ever happen. First of all, I am on vacation and therefore I refuse to work while I am there. That means I will not be doing laundry, or cooking any meals. I'd rather pack more suitcases and tie them on top of the car if I have to...anything to avoid work while on vacation. My other excuse for not doing laundry is that I don't want to be seen in my pictures later wearing the same outfit on different days. That would be tragic in my book :)
So what goes in the other bags? One bag I fill with breakfast food, toiletries, and snacks. This one only includes items that will not be coming back home with us (when my daughter was small we filled one whole bag with diapers and snacks for her alone). Then, when we get ready to pack up to come home, I have a whole empty suitcase that I can fill with souvenirs. This way my dear husband can't give me the excuse of not having room to bring something home. I can sweetly remind him that I have planned ahead and I have room for lots of T-shirts, knick knacks and whatever else I just have to have while I am there. He loves this trick of mine!
One small bags is packed full of shoes. This is not solely due to the fact that I am a girl I promise. Since we go for 10 days at a time, by the end of the trip my feet have walked a lot of miles. I have to switch out my shoes every day, and sometimes twice in one day if we take a break to the room. So, we each have at least one pair of tennis shoes, one pair of shoes to wear to the pool, and some flip flops. My husband has two pairs of flip flops while my daughter and I have, well, a few more than that. Again, we are girls after all and have to coordinate with our daily outfits :)
One other bag is packed for the parks. I have tried several different bags through the years, and I think I have finally found a style that works really well for me. It is called a cinch sack. I bought mine from a friend who sells Thirty One products, but there are many companies who make these. A cinch sack is a nylon bag with rope on the top and bottom that you put over your shoulders. I LOVED this bag last year for a few different reasons. First of all, it was super light, so no matter how much stuff I had in it, I truly often forgot I even had it on my back. The weight was somehow perfectly distributed across my back. There were a few times I would sit down on a ride only to realize I forgot to take it off my back. Which leads me to my other reason for loving this bag. It was super easy to slip off of one shoulder as I was boarding a ride and I was able to hold it in my lap on almost every ride. There were a few rides that I didn't quite trust myself to remember to hold on to the bag while we were riding (Expedition Everest, Big Thunder Mountain, etc). In this case, I would simply wrap the rope around the lap bar a few times and then lay it in my lap. It was extra insurance that it would not end up in the center of the ride with all of those other "loose articles" that they tell you to hold on to.
So, I have raved about my backpack for the parks. Now here is a quick overview of the items that I carry in it.
1. My camera of course
2. My id wallet (with my license, VISA rewards card, insurance card, photo pass card and room key only)
3. A bottle of hand sanitizer
4. Some Wet Ones travel wipes to clean up a messy face after someone eats a Mickey ice cream bar
5. A copy of my daily itinerary
6. Some ziploc bags for protecting valuables on a water ride or for taking along leftover fruit or cookies from lunch
7. Travel size sunscreen
8. A sundress for my daughter just in case of an emergency
9. Sunglasses for myself and my daughter
10. Travel poncho we purchased for $1.00 that we can throw away if we use it or that we can use to help save our spot while waiting for a parade
I think that about sums up what I am planning on taking with me this trip. One other thing we will take is birthday gifts and room decorations for my sweet baby girl who will once again be celebrating her birthday while we are on our trip. Happy almost seventh birthday to my sweet angel!
So, as I am getting ready to go, what kind of bags am I packing? I usually pack one suitcase per family member full of clothes. I always start with enough for one outfit per person, per day. I then take about 3 or 4 extra sundresses for my daughter since they don't take up much room, and 2 more shirts. Then I add 3 extra shirts each for my husband and myself since it always seems to be "hotter than normal temperatures" while we are there. Sometimes it gets very hot, even in October so it's nice to have a back up shirt. Besides, I am a girl after all and I like to have choices while I am there. So, this takes up four suitcases by the time I add the extra clothes. I know that I could save myself a bag by taking half the amount of clothes and do laundry while I am there. However, that will not ever happen. First of all, I am on vacation and therefore I refuse to work while I am there. That means I will not be doing laundry, or cooking any meals. I'd rather pack more suitcases and tie them on top of the car if I have to...anything to avoid work while on vacation. My other excuse for not doing laundry is that I don't want to be seen in my pictures later wearing the same outfit on different days. That would be tragic in my book :)
So what goes in the other bags? One bag I fill with breakfast food, toiletries, and snacks. This one only includes items that will not be coming back home with us (when my daughter was small we filled one whole bag with diapers and snacks for her alone). Then, when we get ready to pack up to come home, I have a whole empty suitcase that I can fill with souvenirs. This way my dear husband can't give me the excuse of not having room to bring something home. I can sweetly remind him that I have planned ahead and I have room for lots of T-shirts, knick knacks and whatever else I just have to have while I am there. He loves this trick of mine!
One small bags is packed full of shoes. This is not solely due to the fact that I am a girl I promise. Since we go for 10 days at a time, by the end of the trip my feet have walked a lot of miles. I have to switch out my shoes every day, and sometimes twice in one day if we take a break to the room. So, we each have at least one pair of tennis shoes, one pair of shoes to wear to the pool, and some flip flops. My husband has two pairs of flip flops while my daughter and I have, well, a few more than that. Again, we are girls after all and have to coordinate with our daily outfits :)
One other bag is packed for the parks. I have tried several different bags through the years, and I think I have finally found a style that works really well for me. It is called a cinch sack. I bought mine from a friend who sells Thirty One products, but there are many companies who make these. A cinch sack is a nylon bag with rope on the top and bottom that you put over your shoulders. I LOVED this bag last year for a few different reasons. First of all, it was super light, so no matter how much stuff I had in it, I truly often forgot I even had it on my back. The weight was somehow perfectly distributed across my back. There were a few times I would sit down on a ride only to realize I forgot to take it off my back. Which leads me to my other reason for loving this bag. It was super easy to slip off of one shoulder as I was boarding a ride and I was able to hold it in my lap on almost every ride. There were a few rides that I didn't quite trust myself to remember to hold on to the bag while we were riding (Expedition Everest, Big Thunder Mountain, etc). In this case, I would simply wrap the rope around the lap bar a few times and then lay it in my lap. It was extra insurance that it would not end up in the center of the ride with all of those other "loose articles" that they tell you to hold on to.
So, I have raved about my backpack for the parks. Now here is a quick overview of the items that I carry in it.
1. My camera of course
2. My id wallet (with my license, VISA rewards card, insurance card, photo pass card and room key only)
3. A bottle of hand sanitizer
4. Some Wet Ones travel wipes to clean up a messy face after someone eats a Mickey ice cream bar
5. A copy of my daily itinerary
6. Some ziploc bags for protecting valuables on a water ride or for taking along leftover fruit or cookies from lunch
7. Travel size sunscreen
8. A sundress for my daughter just in case of an emergency
9. Sunglasses for myself and my daughter
10. Travel poncho we purchased for $1.00 that we can throw away if we use it or that we can use to help save our spot while waiting for a parade
I think that about sums up what I am planning on taking with me this trip. One other thing we will take is birthday gifts and room decorations for my sweet baby girl who will once again be celebrating her birthday while we are on our trip. Happy almost seventh birthday to my sweet angel!
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Disney traditions
As a little background about me, I am a major planner and I like to stick to a routine. Therefore, I do a lot of the same things over and over again and I don't do well when someone or something throws a wrench in my plans. That being said, I thought today I would share a few of the traditions that our family has when it comes to Disney World. We have a few things that we do every year to get ready for our trip, and a few things that we are always going to do while in the World.
First thing I do after booking my trip, is I get out a spiral notebook and folder and label it with all of our information (dates, confirmation #, hotel, etc). I then use this and note every phone call I make, every reservation I make, all park hours for our trip, and eventually our daily itinerary. This folder and notebook will then make the trip with me so that I have all of my notes in case there is an issue while we are on our trip. Next I purchase the newest copy of the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World and read a few pages of it every morning with my coffee.
About 200 days out from our trip I make a countdown calendar for my refrigerator. I also mark the weeks on my calendar so that I can look at it at any given time and see exactly how close (or far) we are to our next trip. About 100 days out, my daughter and I create a countdown chain using construction paper links that she uses to countdown to our trip. She loves this as she can visualize how much closer we are getting to our trip and she doesn't have to ask me daily, "When are we going to Disney World".
At exactly the two month mark, we change out the CD in our car to the official Disney World music. We bought the CD several years ago and it has songs from the various rides and shows in the parks. It is all we listen to until we hit the road for our big trip (I do have to admit that this year the song from Splash Mountain is getting played a little too much, but it is my daughter's favorite this year so I will continue to listen to it ten times a day just to be able to hear her quietly singing in the back seat).
Around the one month mark, give or take a week, my husband usually does some kind of countdown for us as well. The year before last he emailed us a different image from the park every day with a countdown number on it. Last year he made Mickey heads with the countdown number on it and hid them in a different place every day. On the last day he had a larger than life Mickey head printed up and covered the front of the car with it. It was an exciting image to see as we prepared to pack the car. This year he had a very large poster made with an image of Mickey and the castle, along with all of my daughter's favorite characters on it. He cut it down into 40 different puzzle pieces, which he has been hiding, with the countdown on it. We are about halfway through the poster right now, and it is so much fun to see the image come together. We are once again loving our countdown.
This year we also are doing one more thing to get ready for the trip. My husband has a big velvet "Mickey bag" that is full of about 80 pins for trading in the park. Each Saturday my daughter is able to reach into the bag and pull out one pin. The ones that are not chosen will stay in the bag until next year. It is the little things like this that help pass the time each year to help our annual trip get here just a little faster.
Once the trip gets here, there are a few things that we do every year in the parks. Now of course there are a lot of rides that we have to ride, or certain restaurants that we have to eat at, but that is not what I am talking about. Every year, we always try to start our trip at Magic Kingdom. A few years we got there midday and thought we would go to Hollywood Studios first. It was nice, but no where near as exciting as starting at Magic Kingdom. I think it is safe to say that won't happen again :) There are several places that we have to take our annual pictures while we are at the parks. In Magic Kingdom I always get a picture of my husband and daughter riding the TTA, and I used to get a picture of my daughter on Pooh's playground (she was there the day it opened so it was always a special place for us until they closed it this year). At Epcot we always get our picture with the characters in the VISA meet and greet area. At Animal Kingdom we always get a picture of my daughter with the dinosaur car at the entrance to Dinoland. In Hollywood Studios we always get a picture of my husband and daughter "riding" the star wars racer thingy (sorry honey I don't know the name) out in front of the Star Tours ride. Last year they had taken it out for a few weeks, so we missed that annual picture last trip. One other tradition is we always try to have Giordano's pizza at least one time during our trip. One year when we flew we had it delivered, but when we drive we try to make our way there at least once.
I am sure that there are other traditions as well, but right now I am drawing a blank and I have written enough. What are your traditions for either getting ready for the trip or while you are there? I would love to hear them.
First thing I do after booking my trip, is I get out a spiral notebook and folder and label it with all of our information (dates, confirmation #, hotel, etc). I then use this and note every phone call I make, every reservation I make, all park hours for our trip, and eventually our daily itinerary. This folder and notebook will then make the trip with me so that I have all of my notes in case there is an issue while we are on our trip. Next I purchase the newest copy of the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World and read a few pages of it every morning with my coffee.
About 200 days out from our trip I make a countdown calendar for my refrigerator. I also mark the weeks on my calendar so that I can look at it at any given time and see exactly how close (or far) we are to our next trip. About 100 days out, my daughter and I create a countdown chain using construction paper links that she uses to countdown to our trip. She loves this as she can visualize how much closer we are getting to our trip and she doesn't have to ask me daily, "When are we going to Disney World".
At exactly the two month mark, we change out the CD in our car to the official Disney World music. We bought the CD several years ago and it has songs from the various rides and shows in the parks. It is all we listen to until we hit the road for our big trip (I do have to admit that this year the song from Splash Mountain is getting played a little too much, but it is my daughter's favorite this year so I will continue to listen to it ten times a day just to be able to hear her quietly singing in the back seat).
Around the one month mark, give or take a week, my husband usually does some kind of countdown for us as well. The year before last he emailed us a different image from the park every day with a countdown number on it. Last year he made Mickey heads with the countdown number on it and hid them in a different place every day. On the last day he had a larger than life Mickey head printed up and covered the front of the car with it. It was an exciting image to see as we prepared to pack the car. This year he had a very large poster made with an image of Mickey and the castle, along with all of my daughter's favorite characters on it. He cut it down into 40 different puzzle pieces, which he has been hiding, with the countdown on it. We are about halfway through the poster right now, and it is so much fun to see the image come together. We are once again loving our countdown.
This year we also are doing one more thing to get ready for the trip. My husband has a big velvet "Mickey bag" that is full of about 80 pins for trading in the park. Each Saturday my daughter is able to reach into the bag and pull out one pin. The ones that are not chosen will stay in the bag until next year. It is the little things like this that help pass the time each year to help our annual trip get here just a little faster.
Once the trip gets here, there are a few things that we do every year in the parks. Now of course there are a lot of rides that we have to ride, or certain restaurants that we have to eat at, but that is not what I am talking about. Every year, we always try to start our trip at Magic Kingdom. A few years we got there midday and thought we would go to Hollywood Studios first. It was nice, but no where near as exciting as starting at Magic Kingdom. I think it is safe to say that won't happen again :) There are several places that we have to take our annual pictures while we are at the parks. In Magic Kingdom I always get a picture of my husband and daughter riding the TTA, and I used to get a picture of my daughter on Pooh's playground (she was there the day it opened so it was always a special place for us until they closed it this year). At Epcot we always get our picture with the characters in the VISA meet and greet area. At Animal Kingdom we always get a picture of my daughter with the dinosaur car at the entrance to Dinoland. In Hollywood Studios we always get a picture of my husband and daughter "riding" the star wars racer thingy (sorry honey I don't know the name) out in front of the Star Tours ride. Last year they had taken it out for a few weeks, so we missed that annual picture last trip. One other tradition is we always try to have Giordano's pizza at least one time during our trip. One year when we flew we had it delivered, but when we drive we try to make our way there at least once.
I am sure that there are other traditions as well, but right now I am drawing a blank and I have written enough. What are your traditions for either getting ready for the trip or while you are there? I would love to hear them.
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