Tag Archives: Disney Travel Tips

5 Ways to Ruin Your Own Disney Vacation

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Epcot ViewRemember a while back (if you’re new here, just follow the link to catch up) when I gave a tutorial on the Five Best Ways to be Irritating at Walt Disney World?  Well – those were my tips for how you can ruin OTHER people’s vacations.  Today I’m going to share with you my tips on how you can ruin your own Disney vacation.  I want you to be aware of every possibility…an informed consumer, if you will.  Ready?  Here goes:

Five Ways to Ruin Your Own Disney Vacation:

1. Don’t plan – Don’t do any research.  Guide books and travel websites are for geeks.  If you Sign for Splash Mountain / Magic Kingdom book a room at Walt Disney World for a week and you just show up hoping for the best, here’s what you’ll get:  Lost, for one thing – which could be an adventure all on its own.  If you don’t at least look at a park map now and again, you’ll get to spend a good bit of your vacation time wandering.  You’ll also get to wait in line – a lot and for long periods of time – hey, that’s okay, right?  Disney’s done wonders with ride queues – embrace the experience.  Booking FastPass+ choices 60 days ahead of time would be ridiculous, right?  I mean who knows what rides and attractions will look good that far out?  You’ll also eat a lot of fast food or “counter service” they call it.  You wouldn’t want to sit down and enjoy a nice meal anyway – that would take booking a dining reservation as much as 180 days in advance at the really popular places – absolutely against the grain for non-planners.  Don’t do it.

2. Plan too much – Indeed, to really wreck a week at Walt Disney World, you should plan Dad checks his watch at the Grand Floridianevery minute.  Exhaustive research will pay off for you – you’ll have every second planned to ensure every single ride and attraction is strategically covered in “The Plan”.  Rope drop, extra magic hours, FastPass+ selections, utilize all the special perks of staying on property and keep going for 16-18 hours a day!  Smart phone ever at the ready, move your family along in military fashion for the entire duration of your stay.  Heaven forbid anything like bad weather or a ride break-down interfere.  They may not appreciate it at the time, but your family will surely thank you later, right?  They’ll really be looking forward to coming back…someday….maybe.

Queue for Star Tours / Disney's Hollywood Studios3. Constantly think ahead – this goes right along with the over-planning.  Do NOT allow yourself to be in the moment – do not stop and enjoy the little details…heck, just ignore those!  Don’t relax – there’s entirely too much to worry about!  Tired?  Aching feet?  Man up, soldier!  You’re spending thousands of dollars here – it’s mission critical for you to obsess over what will happen next.  Use those phone apps constantly to check everything from the weather to current attraction wait times.  Smelling the roses is for sissies!

4. Cling to unrealistic expectations – Those Disney commercials on TV?  Expect your children WDW Happiness / Mad Tea Partyto act just like that!  Faces aglow with awe, smiles every waking moment – wonder and amazement and appreciation overflowing!  You should expect exactly that!  They will be model citizens, there will be no whining or crying or meltdowns.  They certainly would never ever have the nerve to ask, “When are we going back to the hotel to go swimming?”  Swimming?  You’re in the Magic Kingdom!  Why would anyone want to go swimming?

Souvenir Shopping / Walt Disney World5. Bring on Buyer’s Remorse – If you are committed to this endeavor and absolutely want to ruin your trip, don’t look at the cost of anything at Walt Disney World before you arrive.  For sure, don’t check out any menu prices – ’cause that would ruin the surprise!  Be sure to shop for some souvenirs, drop by those convenient and numerous bars for adult beverages, and snack away – simply wave those MagicBands and worry about the consequences later!

All set?  Now, let’s get out there and have some fun!!!  Please, do let me know how it goes when you get back.

 

 

 

Disney Cruise Line With Teens

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Disney Cruise Line / Classic ShipTeens!  Can’t live with ’em,….pass the beer nuts. (super enormous bonus points if anyone besides Raymond can get the 80’s TV reference there).  They were such adorable little kids once.  They looked up to you.  They liked spending time with you because you were smart and funny.  One day you wake up and everything has changed!  Suddenly you’re stupid and embarrassing.  The eye roll becomes a primary mode of communication.  You literally find yourself succumbing to bribery to get a couple of confrontation-free hours in your child’s company.  What the heck just happened?

You’re not alone!  The teen years can be such a challenge, but can also be pretty rewarding. Disney Cruise Line with Teen Boys The hard part is that one minute, your offspring want to be treated (and act) like little kids – two seconds later, they’ll insist they’re old enough to make their own decisions, go it alone, need space, yadda, yadda…..oy!  Every moment seems fraught with potential hostility – yours and theirs.  This is a difficult time – I considered every day we made it through alive and unscathed a blessing – finding a way to vacation harmoniously is pretty darned tricky.

Disney Cruise Line in Alaska with TeensIf you’ve ever considered taking a vacation aboard Disney Cruise Line and you have teens, you’ve reached the perfect time!  A Disney cruise is not just for families with small children.  The teen programs, spaces, and activities on Disney cruise ships are outstanding.  Plan in advance how much family time you want to spend together…and also allow plenty of time for your teen to stretch their independence muscles.  There are plenty of adults-only things onboard for you to enjoy on your own, too!  If you’re traveling with teen boys, all the food they can eat is included in the price of the cruise – that alone makes a Disney Cruise an excellent vacation choice!

I’ve survived enjoyed five Disney cruises with teens (my own and sometimes more!) and we – all of us, individually and as a family, had an absolutely wonderful time on each and every Dancing with Goofy on a Disney Cruiseadventure.  I tried to involve everyone in the planning phase – so limits would be clear on when we would be together as a family and when we could do our own thing (adults go one way and teens another).  This worked well for us – expectations outlined ahead of time seemed to minimize the possibility of disagreements while traveling.  While our teens were off in the teen club participating in fun activities, we were in the spa getting a couple’s massage or enjoying brunch in Palo (one of Disney Cruise Line’s adults-only restaurants).

Every Disney Cruise Line ship has a designated area just for teens (ages 13-17) with Formal Night on Disney Cruise Linecounselors trained to deal with all kinds of teens from all over the world.  There are teen-only excursions in many ports of call and if your ship stops at Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, there’s even a dedicated teen beach.  You know your child better than anyone and how much independence they can handle, so my advice?  Just plan accordingly and plan to have a great time – together and apart!

What’s been your favorite vacation during the teen years? 

 

Epcot’s Morocco Pavilion – Five Great Things

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Morocco in Epcot's World ShowcaseOne of the most amazing things about the World Showcase in Epcot is how each country’s pavilion embraces guests in a way that allows them to feel they are actually visiting that country.  I love that!  This magic – taking you away to an exotic place far away – is particularly well done in the Morocco Pavilion.

Located between the Japan and France Pavilions, Morocco is unique, extremely well-themed, and absolutely charming.  With warm colors, beautiful landscaping, and exotic architectural shapes – you genuinely feel transported.  Here’s a fun fact – If you look past the Morocco Pavilion, you can see the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror off in the distance at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  The tower’s color was chosen specifically because it would be visible in such a way – it’s painted to blend in with the color of the buildings in the Morocco Pavilion.Mo'Rockin entertainment in Epcot's Morocco

Five Great Things about the Morocco Pavilion

1. Entertainment – Mo’Rockin!  This is my favorite part of visiting Morocco – live music and belly dancing!  Talented musicians play Middle-Eastern and African inspired music on an outdoor stage (on the side of the Morocco Pavilion closest to Japan).  The belly dancer performing with them is amazing.  The act appears several times throughout the afternoon and evening.

2Epcot's Morocco / Spice Road Table. Food – So many choices!  Restaurant Marrakesh:  Table Service dining offering flavors of Morocco and the Mediterranean for lunch or dinner. Tangerine Café:  Quick/Counter Service restaurant (Mediterranean wraps and Shawarma platters are the specialty) , and Spice Road Table:  Newest eatery in Morocco offering small plates; perfect for a light meal or evening snack.

3. Shopping – Morocco’s shops are a treasure trove of authentic merchandise.  You’ll feel like you’re in an exotic marketplace as you shop for jewelry, clothing and accessories, wood crafts, baskets, musical instruments, carpets, and textiles.  There’s a lot to choose from!

4. Characters – Jasmine and Aladdin are available in the Morocco Pavilion for meet-and-greets.  Jasmine and Aladdin in Epcot's World ShowcaseThese are two of our favorite characters because of the way they interact in perfect character for fun and great pictures.  Once we even ran into Jafar in Morocco and while he wasn’t a speaking character, he was exactly the way you’d expect – aloof and arrogant and very funny.

5. Henna Tattoos – Opportunities to learn about the Moroccan culture abound in this pavilion and include the opportunity to get an ornate, unique and completely temporary henna tattoo.  Both Megan and Joseph took the time for this experience several years ago.  Design books are available for help in selecting just the right image.

Is Morocco one of your favorite stops along the World Showcase?  What’s your favorite thing to do or see there?Tile Closeup / Morocco Pavilion / Epcot's World Showcase Tangerine Cafe / Morocco Pavilion / Epcot's World Showcase Morocco Pavilion's covered seating area

Disney’s New Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

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Fantasyland Construction WallNote:  This post actually has an accompanying video (such as it is) of my first ride on the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.  If you’re interested in watching, catch the action here (twice for some reason!) on Living a Disney Life’s YouTube channel.

So much hype!  Such incredible buildup!  Those walls were up in Fantasyland for years!  Could the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train ever live up to the sky high expectations?  Sadly, it couldn’t.  Probably, not much could have proved worthy of all the massive promotion.  Nothing, realistically, could be as spectacular as the excitement generated by years of rumor and speculation, promises of cutting-edge ride vehicle technology, and the fervor created by a huge media blowout event.  All of that pre-excitement was counterproductive, maybe – stealing the thunder from what could have been a great final reveal.

I recently (finally!) rode the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and I loved it.  Was it as amazing as it was cracked up to be?  Not so much.  But – it was new, it was fun, and it has a lot of charm.  Some will call it a Kiddie Coaster (must be 38″ to ride), but I consider it more of a Family Coaster because the incredibly smooth ride will appeal to adults who don’t care for the rougher coasters like Big Thunder and Space Mountains.  I can see grandparents riding this with their grandchildren and making happy Disney memories. 7 Dwarfs Cottage

We had previously held fastpasses for the day we arrived (5/25, during soft opening) but our dinner ADR and a torrential downpour nixed those plans.  So, while I DID get to ride the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train on May 30th, I only rode once and did not get to see any of the interactive standby queue.  That standby line was loooooong and some friendly Cast Members were on hand with cups of ice water to keep everyone properly hydrated and as cool as possible.  I will be returning to Walt Disney World in October and hopefully, time will allow us to use the standby queue – I’ve heard so much about it!

Seven Dwarfs Mine LandscapingThe highlights of the ride (for me) included the landscaping, the indoor/outdoor aspect (which I also love about Expedition Everest, Big Thunder, and Splash Mountain), the mine scene with the Dwarfs and familiar music, and yes, of course – it’s the little details, once again, that make this attraction a winner!  The shadows of the Dwarfs walking that are seen along the mine’s walls are a great touch!  It’s also a ride that begs to be ridden over and over because of the different details riders will spot that went unnoticed on the previous ride(s). Seven Dwarfs Mine Loading Area

What would I change?  Well….that’s easy.  I’d make it a little longer (it’s only about 2.5 minutes), I’d make Snow White easier to see (she can briefly be seen through a cottage window, pay attention or you’ll miss her), I’d add just a few scary details, like maybe some of those scary trees that reach for you with their bare branch fingers.  I’d also probably toss in a few more friendly woodland creatures just for fun.

Overall, the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is a winner.  There’s a true feeling of quality to the ride, scenery, and perfectly aged, realistic details and animatronics.  The swaying, suspended-over-the-track mine carts are a fantastic innovation that do create a very smooth, quiet coaster experience.  The lap bar, though!  Heed this warning (thanks to Joseph for pointing it out before Seven Dwarfs Mine EntryRaymond and I took our first ride):  The lap bar pulls down smoothly and soundlessly (no clicking into place) – it’s very easy to pull it down too far – once it’s down, it doesn’t go back up until the ride’s over.  If you squish yourself in too much with the bar after you sit down, the ride can be extremely uncomfortable as your body shifts over the hills and around the turns.

Talk to me!  Have you ridden Seven Dwarfs Mine Train yet?  How did you feel about it?  Did it meet your expectations?  If you haven’t ridden it yet – how high are your expectations for this new experience?