Monthly Archives: August 2014

Disney Vacation Planning According to Me

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Seven Dwarfs Mine Train SignThere are as many schools of though on Disney vacation planning as there are attractions at Walt Disney World!  If you like the excitement and anticipation of looking forward to a Disney vacation – if the planning is nearly as much fun as the vacation itself, this post is for you!  Let’s talk planning timeline, want to?

Note:  Today’s post strictly covers my tips and suggestions for planning a trip to Walt Disney World.  In a separate article, I’ll compile my tips and tricks for planning a cruise aboard Disney Cruise Line – stay tuned.

Getting Started

Not long ago, I offered a tutorial called, “5 Ways to Ruin Your Own Disney Vacation“.  There are perils involved with both over- and under-planning!  The key is to plan just the right amount!  Epcot's Iconic Spaceship EarthFor me, 12 months (or a little longer) is the perfect planning timeframe for a Walt Disney World Vacation.  It allows me to strategize and choose my vacation options in phases – Advance planning to this degree ensures me the maximum number of options to choose from (I make selections as soon as Disney lets me!) and at the same time, I get to have fun researching, dreaming, scheming…you get the idea.

Step 1 – Decide when you can go and how you’ll get there.  Driving?  Flying?  By Train?  If you’re driving a long way, this may eat up a chunk of your vacation time.  Flying may take a big bite out of your vacation budget.  Will you want to go during the absolute busiest times?  Spring Break, Thanksgiving week, Christmas time – will all be more crowded and expensive.  Best practice – select a couple of weeks, if possible, and price them out using the rest of the steps in this plan.

Building at Disney's Old Key West ResortStep 2. Do a little resort recon.  There are a LOT of resources available – Books and websites both offer excellent information on choosing a location on Walt Disney World property that works for your travel party.  I strongly recommend staying on property (because of the Disney Bubble).  Please consider the number of people traveling with you, your budget, and what’s most important to you with regards to amenities, location, and dining options.  Be mindful of how you think you’ll spend most days – away from the resort enjoying as many rides and attractions as possible? Soaking up the sun poolside?  A little of both?  Compare staying a couple of days longer at a Value or Moderate resort versus a shorter stay at a Deluxe.  Not all resorts are created equal – pick one that works best for your needs.  Choose your resort as far out as possible and book it!

Step 3.  Think about FOOD!  Will you want to bring some of your own?  (We do that – checkOlivia's Tomato-Mozzarella Salad here for details.)  Will you be happy eating mostly quick/counter service foods?  Do you want some sit-down meals or dinner shows?  Fine dining perhaps?  Go back to those books and websites – look at menus, read reviews, make a plan and a budget.  You can find my tips on dining plans here and here.  Lots of people purchase a Disney Dining Plan – it may not always be the most economical way to buy food at Walt Disney World, but for many people, knowing they’ve budgeted and pre-paid for their food expense is a huge convenience, worth the price.

The Flying Fish Cafe / Walt Disney World BoardwalkStep 4. At the 180-day mark, book all the table service meals you’ve planned in Step 2.  That’s right!  Six months before you go to Walt Disney World, you will need to book your Advance Dining Reservations (ADRs).  This may sound ridiculous, but a nice dinner or dinner show in a very popular restaurant needs to be booked 6 months in advance.  If you don’t want to do this, that’s okay – just know that, depending on what time of year you’re traveling, your dining options may be extremely narrow if you wait until right before you go or – gasp! – after you’ve arrived at Walt Disney World to try to snag an ADR.  Even if you only have your heart set on 2 or 3 places, get them booked!

Step 5 – Exactly 60 days out, book your FastPass+ selections via the My Disney Experience Peter Pan's Flight / Fantasyland / Magic Kingdomwebsite.  It’s important to link up all members of your group first, so don’t wait until the last minute to link.  Some rookies tend to make this harder than it has to be by over thinking choices.  You will want to know height requirements for different rides and also which rides are super thrilling versus the milder attractions.  Since FastPasses do not cost extra, this is a great time to get the entire family / travel party involved in picking which rides, shows, parades, or nighttime shows are most important to the group.  All you really need to keep in mind is where and when you’ve booked any Advance Dining Reservations and make sure your FastPass+ selections won’t interfere with dining plans (and the travel time needed to get to restaurants).  There are a LOT of resources available to help you – take advantage of them, this step can be confusing!

Walt Disney World MagicBandRight now, once you book your trip, Walt Disney World sends you reminders of the important booking windows I’ve mentioned.  You’ll get customizable Disney MagicBands to wear during your vacation that serve as your park ticket, resort room key, and, if you like, a way to touch-to-pay for any and everything in stores and restaurant.  You can also pre-purchase the MemoryMaker photo package before you go (another budgeting tool!).

In between all the steps detailed above, research things like typical Orlando weather for the time of year you’ll be visiting, what shoes you’ll need (you’ll be walking a LOT), if any restaurants you’ve booked have dress codes, etc.  Make packing lists, use a fun countdown calendar, heck – get your group some matching tee-shirts if that’s your thing.  With my plan, you have plenty of time for all of that!

Planning not your thing?  Use a travel agent – there’s absolutely no extra expense to you AND they’ll take care of all the steps I mentioned for you!

Your turn!  How long do you need to plan a Disney vacation?  Do you have any steps to add to my plan?  What planning information would help you most in future posts?  C’mon, don’t be shy – leave a comment, please.

 

 

Remembering Robin Williams

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I can’t let today go by without a brief farewell to a wonderful man, a great comedian – who brought me (and many of you, I’m sure) hundreds of wonderfully entertaining moments growing up.

In the 7th grade, I had a pet canary named Mork.  I absolutely adored the TV show Mork and Mindy!  Robin Williams, first appearing as Mork on an episode of Happy Days, captured my complete attention – in all my young years, I’d never seen anyone like him.  Silly, energetic, creative – I admired Robin Williams’ ability to make people laugh but also to be a compassionate philanthropist and a fine dramatic actor as well.

Genie and the LampThrough the years, I enjoyed Robin Williams’ acting in a wide variety of roles including his radio DJ persona in Good Morning Vietnam, his medical antics as Patch Adams, and his unbelievably enjoyable drag gig in Mrs. Doubtfire.  I don’t know if there’s a movie that made me laugh more than The Birdcage.  None of his roles, since he first grabbed my attention as Mork, was as wonderful to me as that of Genie in Disney’s Aladdin.

Everything about Robin Williams’ roles in Aladdin – beginning as the narrator in the movie’s opening and continuing on as the incredible, incomparable Genie – was as great a demonstration of all the comedic genius Robin Williams was capable of.  The man could ad-lib so quickly, audiences could suffer whiplash trying to keep up!  Disney’s illustrators captured the actor’s frenetic energy, silliness, and big heart perfectly.  Even after seeing Aladdin dozens of times, I still find myself appreciating new things in Genie’s dialogue each time I see the movie.

I’m sad today because the world has lost a unique and wonderful man – who devoted himself to worthy causes like helping the homeless (Comic Relief), entertaining American troops, and St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital (among many other charitable works).  I’m sad for myself because a man who kept me entertained and laughing from middle school to adulthood has left the Earth far too soon.

Animal Kingdom Lodge – For an Evening Out

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Lobby at Animal Kingdom LodgeWhen we’re at Walt Disney World, there’s one resort we love to visit, even if we’re not staying there – the Animal Kingdom Lodge.  Beautiful and unique, completely different from any other Walt Disney World property, the Animal Kingdom Lodge offers visitors wonderful dining options along with the chance to step out the massive and gorgeous lobby’s back door and experience something amazing – over 30 species of African wildlife roaming around the savannah.

We may have stayed at the Animal Kingdom Lodge only once, but we make sure we spend an evening there on every Walt Disney World vacation.  We make our visit to this spectacular resort fit into our plans in one of two ways:  If we’re dining at Boma, we head straight there from the Animal Kingdom Park (a relatively short bus ride) at the end of the day.  Boma’s casual and relaxed atmosphere makes it fine for us to eat there in our park-touring attire.  If we’re eating at Jiko, we like to dress a little nicer, so we’ll make time to go back to our resort and clean up before striking out for the Animal Kingdom Lodge – which may take an hour (or more) to reach by Disney transportation – sounds like a time drain, but believe me, it’s worth it!

We try to arrive at least 60-90 minutes before our dining reservation.  This gives us plenty of time to stroll through the lobby, go out onto the savannah overlook, take in the views from every angle, talk to an African Cast Member about their home country, and see how many different types of animals we can spot.  There are chairs available for relaxing while checking out the animals.  If you’re traveling with children and looking for Victoria Falls Lounge lamp detaileducational opportunities, the savannah overlook is an excellent one.

Before dinner, we like to stop for a beverage at either the Cape Town Lounge and Wine Bar (near Jiko) or the Victoria Falls Lounge (overlooking Boma).  Both of these watering holes offer wonderful selections of African wines and beers (and non-alcoholic options).  Not sure what to order?  The bartenders are knowledgeable and friendly – they’ll be happy to help you with your drink selection.  It’s the perfect way to relax, unwind, and soak up the atmosphere so special to Animal Kingdom Lodge.

Our entire family loves the food at Animal Kingdom Lodge!

Boma – Flavors of Africa:  This buffet is unlike anyplace else at Walt Disney World!  There is Boma at Animal Kingdom Dinner - Meal Selectionsabsolutely something for everyone.  Picky eaters in your group?  They’ll find plenty of choices.  Adventurous appetites?  Yes, indeed – this is the place!  I love trying new foods and my biggest problem at Boma is making sure to save room for dessert.  I love the soups and salads (especially the watermelon rind salad – it’s delish!), then I love the amazing variety of African-inspired dishes from which to choose.  Finally, the dessert selection, which includes the much-loved Zebra Domes, offers a wide variety of different confections – sure to please anyone with a sweet tooth.

Giraffe on the savanna at Animal Kingdom LodgeJiko – The Cooking Place: A bit fancier than Boma, I’d put Jiko on par with the likes of the California Grill (at Disney’s Contemporary Resort) or the Flying Fish Café (at The Boardwalk).  While there is an extensive kids’ menu, this is my recommendation for families with older children or couples out for a romantic evening.  The service is excellent and the meal is paced for enjoying more slowly.  If you’re like us and enjoy wine with dinner, select a bottle with your server’s assistance, or have a pairing with every course to sample a few different types of African wines.  The artisanal cheese platter is our favorite appetizer here and no entrée has ever disappointed.  Even our picky eater (Joseph) loves eating at Jiko. (This is a signature dining experience and does have a dress code – read more here.)

Sanaa – Designed to recreate the feeling of a spice market, Sanaa (located in the resort’s Kidani Ostrich on the savannah at Animal Kingdom LodgeVillage area) offers a variety of dishes from chicken, beef, and lamb to fish and vegetarian selections.  Raymond and I will be experiencing our first dinner at Sanaa in October and cannot wait to try the highly praised Indian-Style Bread Service appetizer.

If you want an evening away from the parks to relax and enjoy some excellent food and amazing sights, a visit to the Animal Kingdom Lodge is an excellent option!  It’s also a great way to check out the resort for a potential place to stay on a future visit to Walt Disney World.

Have you visited Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge?  What are your favorite things to do there?

Firepit on the Animal Kingdom Lodge's savannah overlook

Exterior Rooftops / Animal Kingdom Lodge

Top 5 Tips for Raising Disney Children

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Our Disney Children - All Grown UpHere at Living a Disney Life, Raymond and I have reached the child-rearing promised land!  The children have both passed the age of 18 and are still alive and well and successfully Disneyfied!

For you young people just starting out, we have no advice for the terrible twos, potty training or meltdown-free bedtime rituals – but we did raise a couple of Disney fans as passionate about the Mouse as we are!  To do this successfully (it’s not as easy as you think, darn you Sponge Bob!), we offer you these pointers:

1.  Our home is our castle and we are the monarchy.  Yes, those darling children get to be prince and princess, but the King and Queen reign supreme – let there be no doubt.  Democracy is great as a form of government and all, but in a Disney home…..the King and Queen RULE!  We have final say on where our vacation dollars are spent.Sweet Megan and Mickey Mouse 1992

2.  Total Disney immersion from birth.  Brainwashing is such an ugly term, don’t you think?  I prefer to think of it as, hmmmm….guidance.  You don’t have to go crazy with the themed décor or anything, but introducing Disney early and often sets the right mood from the get-go.  So, I might have sang a few Disney lullabies, soothed skinned knees with a Disney bandaid or two, served milk with a Mickey silly-straw…where’s the harm? Oh, and if there’s a Disney prize in a box of sugared cereal…it’ll be okay to buy it.  Promise.  What’s wrong with a few Disney Halloween costumes or Mickey-shaped baked goods, I ask you?   Hedging your bets if you’re not sure if you have a girly-girl or a tomboy doesn’t hurt either.  For example:  Megan received both a princess gown and a Buzz Lightyear for Christmas one year.

Pirate Night Costume on Disney Cruise Line3.  Gentle steering towards Disney merchandise, movies, party themes.  When they’re really little, they don’t care what toys and movies they’re being exposed to, why not make them Disney?  As they get older, just take them to those party supply stores that go heavy on the Disney-themed decorations.  Disney bubble bath, pajamas, underwear, sheets, towels, lunch boxes…you don’t have to go overboard, but there’s absolutely no harm in making sure those items are in your home.  Need ideas?  Hello, Pinterest!

4.  Associate Disney with happiness.  The Thanksgiving Day Disney movie tradition is an Buzz Lightyear and Princess Meganimportant one for our family.  Start babies on their way to Disney fandom with some Disney books and bathtub toys.  Disney bedtime stories are a great way to share the Disney love.  Disney sing-alongs on car rides are a lot of fun.  If YOU are calm, relaxed, and happy on Disney family vacations – the memories of quality, joy-filled family time are worth more than you can possibly imagine – and will nearly guarantee your offspring will be very pro-Disney.

5.  Change it up – Disney is easily incorporated everywhere.  The teen years are especially critical – if there’s any hesitation at all about going to Walt Disney World, try something new and different!  Disney Cruise Line sails to many exciting ports and offers incredible opportunities for new adventures all within the Disney bubble!  Don’t forget about Disneyland, Adventures by Disney,  and the Aulani, Disney Snacks at HomeVero Beach, and Hilton Head resorts.  Heck – those foreign Disney parks offer all kinds of new experiences.

Have little ones?  Stay the course, friends…the results are worth it.  If you need me, I’m here for you.

What tips do you have to share for raising Disney children?

Megan (5) and Joseph (4 months)