Five Things I’ve Learned From Running

Princess-Half-RunnersIn just a couple of months, registration will open for Walt Disney World’s Princess Half Marathon Weekend events.  I’m excited about it!  I’ll be returning again for the Glass Slipper Challenge in February, but this time I won’t be running alone.  Nick and Dave, my buddies (and co-hosts) from The Disney Exchange Podcast are planning to be there and we’re inviting you to come along for the running or at least a meet-up.  So if you’re thinking about a 2016 runDisney event or a February Disney vacation – we want to see you there!

For today’s Friday Five, I want to talk about running.  (You can read about why I run in this post.)  I’m now in my 18th year of running (Yikes!  I sound ancient!) and while I’m certainly no expert on the sport of running, I have learned a thing or two about me, and life in general, by continually putting one foot in front of the other and while I’m certain there are other items that could be on this list, I’ll just share some random thoughts on…

Five Things I’ve Learned From Running

1.  Body Type Means Nothing.  I have a long torso, short limbs and on a tall day I reach 5 feet, 4 inches in height.  I don’t look like a runner – at least not to me, since I think of tall, skinny people as having the perfect running physique.  Thinking this is silly – I’ve passed plenty of taller and thinner runners in many events and I’ve had my butt kicked by people who were shorter and heavier than I am.  Never let body image issues hold you back – if you want to be a runner, you can be.Princess-Half-Gaston-Runner

2. There Will be Pain.  Running’s a lot like life – There will be perfect, beautiful days of complete happiness.  And there will be pain and crushing disappointment.  If there’s a common running ailment, I’ve probably experienced it at least once, but that’s not the pain I’m talking about.  There’s physical pain with running, sure – sometimes it’s the “good” pain of knowing you’re really working hard and are pushing your limits for speed or distance, but there’s also emotional pain.  Probably the most important and useful lessons I’ve learned from running involve overcoming negative emotions.  When my inner voice is telling me to quit (“you’re tired, you’ve gone far enough, it’s too humid for this today, let’s get something to eat, this shirt’s rubbing my arm, you can run again tomorrow”), it’s hard to convince myself to keep going.  In the early years, negative thoughts kept me from doing my best much more often than physical pain or injury.Princess-Half-Tomorrowland

3.  Running requires no eye-hand coordination.  Tennis is not for me.  Golf just brings the rage.  Running is as easy as walking (maybe not at first, but it gets better).  While I may be unable to throw or catch or hit a ball with any kind of sports equipment, I am extremely competitive.  Running lets me compete against myself everyday.  Then, I can enter races if I want to see how my hard work stacks up against others.  Training hard pays off and that’s never more evident than when I push myself running.  Running relieves stress and gives me time to think, plan, and focus on the day ahead.  There are also great places to be explored, one step at a time.Princess-Half-Corral-F

4. Nike’s “Just Do It” is the best motto!  There are millions of excuses for why staying on the couch is the best decision of the day.  Believe me, I know from personal experience for the first 33 years of my life.  Running isn’t always easy or fun, but I’ve only ever regretted NOT running.  I’ve never gone for a run and when I came home thought, “I wish I hadn’t done that”.  I’ve run in sleet and rain, in the heat, the cold, the dark – it’s not always easy to walk out the door or climb on the dreaded, boring treadmill, but reminding myself to “Just Do It” seems to do the trick.  This also applies to many other unpleasant tasks in life!RM-Stitch-Meet-and-Greet

5.  Support is a critical element to success.  As with nearly everything we do, having someone cheering you on makes running better.  Without the support of my husband, Raymond (Thanks, Honey!), I could never have accomplished many of my goals.  He got the kids to school solo every morning for years so I could go to the gym, he’s been my coach, my bicycle mechanic (and custom-builder), my time-keeper, course explorer, pep-talker, well-wisher, travel-buddy and, with rare exception, has never missed a big race.  Hearing him say, “You’re doing great!” at just the right moment has helped me push myself harder on more occassions than I can count.  Whether it’s a group of work-out friends, your spouse, your mom or dad, your children or your coworkers, find a support system to keep you motivated.  When all else fails, one good support person can make all the difference!

Fellow runners!!!  Is anyone going to Princess Half weekend?  What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned from running?

Ten Best Things About New Fantasyland

If ever Aristotle’s saying, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts” was true, it’s with regard to the new-and-improved Fantasyland in Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom.  Upon close inspection, each element attracts certain, consistent criticisms (except for Gaston, he’s perfect and everyone loves him) – but add all the pieces together and the overall experience is extraordinary.

Ten Best Things About New Fantasyland

RM-Liberty-Belle-Rapunzel's-Tower-View10.  Best Bathroom Beacon in the World – I feel a little bit sad every time I see the amazingly perfect and gorgeous Tangled Tower – I want it to be an attraction.  Alas, it’s only the greatest theme park restroom area known to man.

RM-Fantasyland-Wall9. Walls of Great Beauty – The grand entrances to Fantasyland set the perfect tone for what you can expect overall.  It feels big and majestic, royal and whimsical – all at once.RM-Be-Our-Guest-Armor

8. Beast’s Castle is a Sight to Behold – Both inside and out, this recreation from Beauty and the Beast is absolutely (and amazingly) perfect.  While I might not love the food (although I’ve yet to try the breakfast), I adore every room and each tiny detail.  Based on my experiences at both lunch and dinner, I recommend lunch.RM-Gaston's-Tavern-Interior

7. Antlers in All of the Decorating – Even if you don’t want to eat, do step into the courtyard area around Gaston’s Tavern and have a look around.  The details (check the fountain!) are awesome.  Head on into the tavern and you’ll find it exactly as you’d imagine.RM-Under-the-Sea-Queue

6. Little Mermaid’s Clever Queue – The queue is actually better than the ride for most of us.  Unless you’re a little one who has yet to exhaust the ability to see the Little Mermaid’s story again and again, the wait may be better than the attraction.  Plenty of things to see and do while waiting in line make this a great place to skip using a FastPass for and just soak up all the special touches.RM-Be-Our-Guest-Statue

5. Magical Details Do Not Disappoint – Look up, look down, listen carefully – all that we love about Disney’s attention to the minutia is alive and well in Fantasyland.  Overall the new additions blend well with the “old” Fantasyland elements, but there are plenty of excellent tiny surprises to delight guests of all ages.

4. Belle is Everything You Hoped She Be – Enchanted Tales With Belle is worth a FastPass (or visiting during Extra Magic Hours).  Interactive, fun, and special – I’ve not heard anyone say they didn’t love this meet-and-greet experience.

3. Pork Shank of Happiness – If you’ve been here at all before, you surely know how much our family adores the Roasted Pork Shank in Gaston’s Tavern.  If you’re looking for a snack, there’s plenty to share.  If you’re starving…it’s an awesomely satisfying hunk of meaty goodness.RM-7DMT-Train2

2. Seven Dwarfs – Short but Sweet (HA! See what I did there?) – Two minutes is such a short time, I almost stress over how much there is to take in before the ride is over!  A wonderful kiddie coaster, guests of all ages will love this attraction.  You’ll want to ride it multiple times.  I’d book a FastPass if arriving after park opening or expect a very long wait in line.RM-Gaston-Collage

1. The Many Moods of Gaston – He’s worth waiting for.  If it’s at all possible, while you’re in Magic Kingdom, do NOT miss seeing Gaston (in the courtyard near Gaston’s Tavern).  Boys, girls, men, women – Everyone loves Gaston!  He’s THE best character we’ve ever seen at Walt Disney World and I cannot recommend meeting him enough.

Have you visited the new Fantasyland area?  What did you love most?

Underappreciated Epcot – The Seas

RM-Bruce-and-JosephToday it may be called “The Seas With Nemo and Friends”, but it’ll always be “The Living Seas” to me.  I think this attraction area has a lot to recommend it (as I mentioned in my previous attempts to raise interest here and here).  My fried Nick would call it “Edutainment” for the educational/entertainment factor The Seas offers Epcot guests, but the draw for me is in the entirety of the experience.  Calm, relaxing, fun, and yes, even with a lesson to teach here and there.RM-Epcot-Aquarium-Eel

Maybe I’m aquarium-deprived since I live in rural Louisiana and it’s a pretty long haul to Audubon’s Aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans (which is awesome, by the way), but there’s something about Epcot’s version of aquatic-animals-on-display that makes me ridiculously happy and magically transforms this little corner of the World into a must-see for me on every visit.  Seriously, don’t skip it – there are a lot of awesome things to see besides the Nemo ride (cruisin’ in Clammobiles!) and Turtle Talk.RM-Manatee  RM-Manatee-Eating-LettuceI’ve mentioned the Manatees before and how fun it is to watch them eat lettuce (no, I’m not kidding).  But wait!  There’s more!

Underappreciated Epcot – The Seas

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Bob? Sheldon?

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Dory!

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Peach!

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Jacques the Cleaner Shrimp

Next time you go, give it a try.  I think late morning (before maybe heading to the World Showcase for lunch) or mid-afternoon are great times to visit The Seas.  Our family likes to start in the main building to leisurely make our way to all the fish tanks and animal exhibits before we see Turtle Talk.  Then we wrap up the visit with Nemo and Friends – if we had small children, I would have them look for fish on the ride that we’d seen on display in the exhibits.

Depending on the crowd levels, The Seas could be explored in 60-90 minutes.  Short on time?  Allow 20-30 minutes to see the exhibits, then decide if you can afford to wait for the Nemo and Friends ride and/or Turtle Talk with Crush (FastPasses may be booked in advance).  Pre-school and lower grade-school-age children will appreciate those two attractions the most.RM-Epcot-Aquarium-Fish

Have you explored The Seas in Epcot?  What are your must-do attractions or exhibits?

 

Review – Disney’s Magical Express

WDW-Sign-From-Magical-ExpressIf you’re planning a trip to Walt Disney World, are staying at a Disney resort, and haven’t yet decided how you’d like to reach your resort from the airport, I might be able to help…

Review – Disney’s Magical Express

If you’re not going to rent a car to use during your Disney vacation in Orlando, choosing Disney’s Magic Express might be an excellent option for you and your family.  Knowing what it is and what it’s not is key to getting the most out of the experience.  While it’s only slightly magical and isn’t what many would actually consider express, there are some valid reasons to choose this particular mode of transportation.  Our family has used Disney’s Magical Express many times.

Let’s talk Magical Express Pros and Cons:Orlando-International-Airport-Interior

PRO: Disney’s Magical Express is included in the price of your Disney resort stay.  That means no added expense – there are unexpected costs springing up everywhere on vacation.  This isn’t one of them.

CON: You have to wait for a bus (it may be referred to as a “motor-coach”, but it’s a bus), then once on the bus, wait for it to be considered full enough to go (I have no idea how this is determined).  Then you may sometimes stop at several other resorts first before arriving at your own.  After a long flight, this can seem to take forever…especially with little ones.  For me, I don’t usually mind stopping at other resorts – gives me a chance to see what they look like.Magical-Express-at-Wilderness-Lodge

PRO:  You do not have to retrieve your luggage from the baggage claim area.  That’s right, there will be no waiting by a carousel for your bags to appear.  No schlepping said bags around the airport.  Your luggage will be retrieved for you (you receive special luggage tags in advance) and delivered to your resort room later in the day.Waiting-Area-Disney's-Magical-Express

CON:  You will not have your suitcases for several hours.  The baggage retrieval thing is a bit of a double-edged sword.  Prepare for this in advance & it’s actually a very welcome convenience.  Walk right off the plane and head for the Disney Magical Express area.  Forget to put your Magic Bands or other must-haves in your carryon and you are really going to waste a big bunch of time waiting first at the baggage claim and then again for the bus.  Scan-Magic-Band-to-Board-Disney's-Magical-ExpressYou’ll need at least one member of your group’s Magic Band for scanning to get on the bus.  Good preparation is important here – Magic Bands, swimsuits, sunscreen (travel-sized), lip balm, camera, phone charger, tickets that may not yet be linked to your Magic Bands, credit card, medicines – if you think you might need it, carry it with you (not in your suitcase).Disney's-Magical-Express-Entertainment

PRO:  Onboard entertainment.  There are screens above the seats that show a clever-ish safety video followed by some Disney cartoons.  It at least gives you something to watch besides highway traffic.  Kids generally seem interested in watching the show and it makes the travel time go by faster.On-Disney's-Magical-Express

CON:  The bus drivers can sometimes be a bit much.  Some are friendly and entertaining, with trivia questions to get guests excited about vacation.  Occasionally there’s a driver looking (and asking) for a gratuity that goes a bit overboard or likes to hear themselves talking over the speaker system.  It’s pure luck whether you get a good driver or a not-so-good one.  We’ve never had one that was unsafe or offensive.  As far as tipping – if the driver handles any bags for you, DO tip a couple of dollars per bag.  If they only drive you from the airport to the resort, no tipping is expected.Disney's-Magical-Express-View

Getting back to the airport is just as easy – you can usually check-in for your flight at your resort and leave your suitcases with resort staff for transport to the airport.  You will be picked up and delivered to the airport several hours before your flight – luckily, Orlando International Airport has some great shopping and dining options you can use to kill time.

Bottom line:  If you need a ride and are willing to wait for it and share it with a few others, if you like “no added costs” and the idea of bypassing baggage claim, if you want to get to Walt Disney World and head right to the parks after checking in, Disney’s Magical Express may be an excellent choice for you.

Have you used Disney’s Magical Express?  How was your experience?