Category Archives: Disney Travel Tips

Busiest Time to Visit Walt Disney World – Into the Fray!

Posted on by

IMG_0059Ask any good source of Disney travel advice and they will all tell you NOT to visit Walt Disney World during certain weeks of the year – if you want to have a great visit, avoid Spring Break, Easter week, Thanksgiving week, and the week between Christmas and the New Year.  We’re ignoring this most important cardinal rule of Disney vacationing and bucking the system!  Raymond and I are headed to Walt Disney World on December 26th!

Busiest Time to Visit Walt Disney World – Into the Fray!IMG_0988

Why?  Why would we do this?  Glad you asked!  We could both get off work!  It’s as simple as that.  I get more flexible vacation days than Raymond does, but he’s always off (his work shuts down) from Christmas Eve through New Years Day.  We’re going to Walt Disney World because those days were available for us to be off at the same time and we couldn’t think of a better way to spend them together than at our favorite vacation spot!

We know this will not be without challenges!  We know we’ll need to keep a few things in mind to make this trip fun, relaxing, and worth the effort – oh, and it will take some effort to navigate the insanely crowded conditions we’ll be facing.  Here are the top five strategies we plan to employ:IMG_0971

  1. Patience – Lines will be long, pathways congested, attraction wait times ridiculous!  Knowing this going in will help us have realistic expectations and make it easier to practice patience – Raymond has always been much better at going with the flow than I have – it’ll be time to show that, after 26 years of marriage, he’s finally taught me a thing or two.  Maybe.  I hope.IMG_0970
  2. Flexibility – This is something we’re normally very good at in our day-to-day lives.  At Disney World during the Christmas season, it’s going to be imperative that we embrace spontaneity and be willing to abandon FastPasses in favor of not being late for our dining reservations (see #4).CoP-Christmas1
  3. Fewer “must-do’s” and More “off-the-beaten-path” Plans – The only must-do we’re counting on is seeing the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights one last time.  We have booked 3 FastPasses per day, but know that it may not be possible to actually reach them all during the allotted time period.  I promise to try not to be disappointed.  I’ll gladly resort-hop to see all the wonderful holiday decorations if the park crowds become unbearable.
  4. Plenty of Time for Dining (outside the parks) – We are booked solid dining-wise.  After we booked all our dinner reservations, we went back and added a couple of lunches.  The only in-park dining we have planned is at 50’s Prime Time Café in the Studios – all other restaurant reservations are in the resorts or at Disney Springs.IMG_1135
  5. Finding the Magic – We’ll focus on being in the moment, soaking up those awesome Disney details, appreciating the Cast Members and the challenges they face when the crowds are über crazy, enjoying being together and ending the year in a place that holds such incredible memories for us!

Stay tuned to Facebook, Twitter, and Periscope – We’ll keep you posted on how we do with The Plan!  Do you have any words of wisdom for us?

 

Things You Don’t Have to do on a Disney Vacation

Posted on by

RM-Main-Street-USA-Magic-KingdomDo you go on vacation for a little rest and relaxation?  Do you vacation to experience new and special things you can’t find at home? Do your travel plans include NOT cooking or cleaning?  Are you hoping to find fun, adventure and quality time with your family?  Us too!  We are all about getting away from it all and taking a little break from work, stress, and yes, the previously mentioned household chores.

There’s been a lot of negativity going around on the interwebs lately via message boards and the like.  Disney vacations are gaining a bit of a reputation as not being the magical family fun they were once upon a time.  There are a lot of “too’s” attached to those criticisms – it’s too crowded, there’s too much planning and research involved, there’s too much to know, too much technology – the fun is gone.  RM-Fantasyland-CrowdNot true, I say!!!  Disney vacations are our family’s favorite – and have been for many years.  Sure, getting used to the newest developments in customer care may take a minute or two, but new does not necessarily mean bad.  There’s still a lot to recommend about Disney parks & resorts and Disney Cruise Line.  Mainly I’m talking about…

Things you do not have to do on a Disney VacationWalt Disney World Summer Crowd

  1. Plan Every Minute – It’s simply not true that you have to plan too much too far in advance.  Prioritize and decide what’s important to your family.  Sure, if you want to eat at a super-popular table service restaurant or dinner show, you will need to make a reservation 180 days in advance for the best chance to dine there.  Citricos-WindowIf you don’t want to spend (possibly) an hour or more waiting in line for headline attractions, you’ll want to book FastPasses as far in advance as you can.  Planning some things in advance is very helpful, but planning every minute would eliminate spontaneity and be detrimental to the whole “rest and relaxation” part of vacationing.  Which brings me to the next point.RM-Tower-of-Terror
  2. Hurry All The Time – NO!  Sure, if this makes you happy, you’re welcome to hit the ground running and rush all day from attraction to attraction as fast as you can.  Just thinking about that makes me tired!  Better to take the most offered advice around – get up early (see #4) and beat the heaviest crowds of the day.  Then slow it down so you don’t miss the amazing Disney magic all around you.Epcot-Statue
  3. Sweat The Small Stuff – Yes, Disney details (sometimes the tiniest ones) are often the most fantastic parts of a Disney vacation.  BUT, there’s no reason to obsess over what you might be missing if you decide to detour from time to time as the mood strikes.  It’s about being together as a family for us – and maybe, if it’s that way for you too, it’ll be okay to not worry about being a super-parent.  You may think you know what will thrill your little one and it turns out to be 180-degrees the opposite – don’t worry about it!  Go with the flow, eat dessert first, change your plans suddenly – it’ll be okay.Bay-Lake-Tower-Sunrise
  4. Stay Up Late – Early to bed and early to rise does not negatively impact a Disney vacation!  I know this from personal experience – I’ve never taken advantage of any late night Extra Magic Hours and I’m perfectly happy about it.  We go to sleep early and appreciate that early morning is sometimes the most special (and productive) time of the day!Entrance for Toy Story Midway Mania
  5. Do It All – There’s just no way to do it all in one trip.  Here’s where research helps a lot.  Knowing what’s important to you and your travel party can help you prioritize.  Don’t think about what you might be missing at the expense of what you’re enjoying at any given moment.  Weather, heat, distance between activities or attractions can take a toll.  Go in with realistic expectations and a willingness to be flexible – nobody wants you to be a bossy, crabby vacation dictator.  Do what you can & come back again if you want.  Don’t mar your vacation memories by putting unnecessary pressure on your family.  Don’t do it!

What are your favorite “don’t have to do’s” on a Disney vacation?

 

 

At WDW? Short on Time? Ride This OR That!

Posted on by

Unless you’re staying for an extended period of time, it’s nearly impossible to do it ALL at Walt Disney World in a single visit.  That’s part of what keeps our family coming back for more, again and again.  The choices among rides and attractions can be pretty overwhelming!  It’s easy to find the thrill rides, if that’s your thing, and knock those off the to-do list.  But what about the less thrilling rides?  The movies and live shows?  If you can’t do it all, which should you choose and which should you leave off for a later visit?  For today’s Friday Five, I’d like to offer a few suggestions…

At WDW? Short on Time? Ride This OR That!RM-Dumbo-Queue

  1. Spinners-  In Magic Kingdom, ride Dumbo or Magic Carpets of Aladdin or Astro Orbiter.  Love Dinosaurs? Skip those two and ride Triceratops Spin in Animal Kingdom’s Dinoland U.S.A.  My Opinion: Dumbo’s a classic but the wait can be long (and loud!).  Magic Carpets of Aladdin is cute and our kids have always loved it.RM-The-Seas-Mr-Ray
  2. Under Sea Adventure-  Both of these attractions have Clamobiles as ride vehicles, both take you back through popular Disney movies – Ride Under The Sea-Journey of the Little Mermaid in Magic Kingdom (Fantasyland) OR The Seas With Nemo and Friends in Epcot (Future World).  My favorite is the Nemo and Friends version, but my friend Heather and her family love the Little Mermaid best.  Both are cute!RM-Mickey's-PhilharMagic
  3. 3D Movies-  You have three choices: Mickey’s PhilharMagic (Magic Kingdom), It’s Tough to Be a Bug (Disney’s Animal Kingdom) or MuppetVision 3D (Disney’s Hollywood Studios).  My opinion:  I don’t dislike any of them, but Mickey’s PhilharMagic is my favorite.  Keep in mind: It’s Tough to Be a Bug can be very scary for little ones and people of all ages who are afraid of bugs.RM-7DMT-Train2
  4. Kiddie Coaster-  Barnstormer and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, both in Magic Kingdom, have low height requirements at 35″ and 38″ respectively.  Barnstormer is great for very young, apprehensive riders (entire ride lasts about a minute).  For brave first-timers (or Barnstormer graduates), Seven Dwarfs Mine Train lasts twice as long and has more to see.RM-Voyage-of-the-Little-Mermaid
  5. Live Stage Shows- Great choices abound:  Festival of the Lion King (Animal Kingdom), Finding Nemo-The Musical (Disney’s Animal Kingdom), Beauty and The Beast Live on Stage (Disney’s Hollywood Studios), Disney Junior Live on Stage (Studios), and Voyage of the Little Mermaid (Studios).  You’ll know best which of these will appeal most to your own Disney fans, but if you can’t decide, Festival of the Lion King is a crowd pleaser across all ages.

Which rides or attractions would you pick from the list?

Show Your Love at Disney World

Posted on by

Animal Kingdom's Dinosaur RideLove is patient and kind, right? Love is about sharing and compromise, giving and taking. This applies even on vacation. Because you’re here with me, you know I’m talking Disney vacations specifically – and never have I found a place with more opportunity to practice showing love than at Walt Disney World. It’s not easy sometimes to step outside your comfort zone and take one for the team. For today’s Friday Five, I’d like to help you…

Show Your Love at Disney World!

Wear It:  Push aside any thoughts you might have of looking silly, childish or stupid – if your family wants to wear matching t-shirts, Earhats, or all-inclusive, themed costumes for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, do it! For sure you won’t be alone and you might just enjoy yourself even more.Meg and Joe at Disney's Hollywood Studios

Ride It: Unless you have a medical condition that would prevent you from being physically able to enjoy a ride or attraction safely, don’t knock anything until you try it. If your family wants to go, please don’t stay behind because you don’t think you’ll like it. This is about making family memories. Together!Kali River Rapids / Disney's Animal Kingdom

Wait For It: If you don’t have any patience for waiting, figure out how you’re going to deal with waiting at Disney World because wait you will! If a member of your family suddenly wants to add parade watching or princess meeting to the agenda, give it your best try! A little research ahead of time will clue you in on where the best and worst waits are – choose your FastPasses accordingly.Exterior of Indiana Jones Theater / Disney's Hollywood Theater

Stop For It – The view is different for everyone and magical details and surprises are everywhere. Unexpected delights will spring up from time to time and someone will want to stop and check them out. Pay attention and share the moment of awe and discovery. Maybe there’s a giant peeking into the shop you’re in. Maybe there are footprints in the walkway. A door might suddenly open to reveal a surprise.It's a Small World Clock

Go Along With It – Get over yourself! Nobody needs to be “that guy”. The one who won’t pose (and smile) for pictures with characters or sits glumly at a character meal. You should be trying to be a part of Enchanted Tales With Belle.  Wave at parade characters, visit with Cast Members, play along with your server at Whispering Canyon or 50’s Prime Time Café – let yourself be part of the magic! Your family will love it and you might love it too.

What’s your favorite way to show love to your family at Walt Disney World?