Last minute...no plans????

Really? No planning? No reservations? Last minute trip???? Yep, that's exactly what we plan to do this summer!

We had a few really cool, trips/family vacations on the schedule for this year...New York, Bahamas, Disneyland (yes, in CA)...and everything has changed. I won't bore you with all the details, but let's just say Bahamas and Disneyland were too expensive for our taste and New York is being postponed a year due to other circumstances surrounding the trip and who is going. So, as we sat there and talked about our family trips for the year, we brought up and discussed that our WDW Annual Passes expire in early July, so why don't we plan a quick trip to use them one last time!

It's tricky to find DVC rooms during the popular times of the year. All the kids are out of school, the weather in Florida is pretty (albeit hot), and everyone just has more travel flexibility. So, I got online and started checking room availability and found that we can actually get out there right at the beginning of the summer. Bonus....it's one of the Star Wars Weekends!!! Our SW loving 5 yr old is going to LOVE IT!!!

We opted to not do the Disney Dining Plan this trip. We love the amazing restaurants at Walt Disney World, but also find that they put a lot of structure into your day and week because of the set time/place that you have to be to eat. We'll be eating a lot of the better and healthier counter service meals during this trip (see more about those HERE) and might do one last minute table service, if there's something available that day, but otherwise, it's a more relaxed trip for us this time!

So, with no dining reservations, last minute plane tickets, and a 5-night hotel reservation, we are off to WDW at the beginning of the summer!

I can't wait to hear "Welcome Home!"

Take a stroller?

Is your child over the age of 5 or 6? Have they stopped using the stroller all together at home? Are you convinced that you don't need to bring the stroller to Walt Disney World, because your child has out-grown it?

Even though you think your child is too old to need a stroller, you may want to re-think the number of hours and miles that you will be spending on your feet while visiting Walt Disney World. I wore a pedometer during one trip, and no lie, I averaged 6 miles a day...6 miles!! Now, I don't know about your child, but I know that my 5 yr old won't walk for 6 miles without needing (i.e. whining for) a place to sit, ride and rest.  

I'm 37 years old, and after a day of walking all over one of the Disney Parks, I wish even I could ride in a stroller!! I'm exhausted, and even more, I certainly don't want to carry a 45 pound sleeping child to the bus stop, or back to our room at the resort. So, I encourage you to take at least an easy folding umbrella stroller with you. Even if you park it for the entire morning in one spot, and only use it for a potential nap time, a nice seat for a parade or at the end of the night. It will come in handy...you'll see!

Oh Happy Day!!!!

It's the little things....really it is! We have been visiting Walt Disney World for years and years, and in that time have endured some really bad coffee for the sake of getting up early and hitting the parks! I am so happy to learn today that in June, the first of six planned Starbucks coffee locations will open across the Disneyland and Walt Disney World resort areas!! The first one is scheduled to open in Disney's California Adventure park...followed by the rest by the end of the year. 

I would not really consider myself a "coffee" drinker.....I would consider myself a "Starbucks" drinker...and I think my husband would agree! :)

Disney Dreamin'

I'm Disney dreaming right now...and channeling my "last minute" friends who love to plan things spur of the moment!

I am normally a major planner. I have trips (particularly Disney trips) planned 7-11 months out and meals booked at 6 months out. I am typically researching hotels, restaurants, flight options...etc for months before we actually make a decision and book the trip! All that has gone out the window for the time being, because right now, I am trying to plan a trip to Walt Disney World for late May or early June!! As in 2012! That is less than 6 weeks away, and kinda stresses me out! (but in a good way lol)

Our original plan was to visit Disneyland for a chance this year, in October. We had trouble getting DVC rooms at the Grand Californian, and it pains me to pay for hotel, when we already have to pay for park tickets (we get Annual Passes and multiple trips out of them in Florida), and we are not sure we can get to Anaheim on our free plane tickets. So, all in all, that one was looking like a pretty expensive trip. Our current Annual Passes to WDW expire in early July, so we started talking last week about just getting back out there for one more trip before they expire, and putting off the Disneyland trip for a year.

So, thus begins some really quick planning!! We were able to reserve a Savannah View room at Animal Kingdom lodge for the first two nights, and Saratoga Springs for the last 3 nights.That's a pretty low "crowd" time of the year...most of the kids are still in school, so dining reservations are available at some good places, or we may just do quick service most days. We have our Annual Passes, so park tickets are taken care of...the only problem now is plane tickets. We normally fly using our Southwest Airlines reward points...and we have plenty...but wow, it is going to use a lot of points to get us to Florida this time of year!! This may be the new "norm", but it's certainly not what we are used to.