Hidden Gem

On a hectic morning at Disney's Hollywood Studios, I stumbled upon a hidden gem of a place that sells good coffee and provides a quiet and cool place to rest for a minute.

The Writer's Stop coffee shop is tucked away in a little corner right behind Sci-Fi Dine In restaurant, near the New York section of Streets of America. I had walked past it a million times and never stopped. Now it'll be a regular stop on our DHS days.

We ordered a Latte, a regular coffee and a chocolate milk and relaxed for a few minutes before going on with our busy day!

What an amazing little place! I can't believe I'd never been inside!

Park Strategy - Magic Kingdom

Ride your favorite rides first, right? Not necessarily...it may be better to ride everyone else's favorite rides first. Why, you ask? Because if you can get into the park early in the morning, and knock out the list of all the most popular rides before the crowds get really bad, you can sit back and enjoy a leisurely lunch, or even get a great seat for the parade while everyone else stands in long lines for their favorite rides.

Let's look at Fantasyland...is your favorite ride Dumbo? Or Peter Pan's Flight? My recommendation would be to get straight in line for those rides first thing in the morning. Do not pass go, do not collect $200, do not stop for the requisite picture in front of the castle (it will still be there later in the day, and the lines for those Photopass photographers will be shorter) - head straight to Fantasyland when you enter the park. The later you get in the line, the longer the line is going to be.

Here's my personal Fantasyland strategy:
*note this is changed from previous strategies based on the Fantasyland expansion, and them moving Dumbo

- Send hubby to get Fastpass tickets for Peter Pan's Flight
- Kiddo and I head to the line for Dumbo (hubby meets us there)
- Ride the Goofy's Barnstormer (sometimes twice, if we have time)
- Grab FP tickets for Winnie the Pooh as we walk past
- Use our FP tickets for Peter Pan's Flight
- Ride It's a Small World
- Ride The Prince's Regal Carrousel
- Use our FP tickets for Winnie the Pooh
- Ride Snow White's Scary Adventures (until it closes on May 31)
- Ride Tomorrowland Speedway -- the earlier in the day you do this one, the better - that line is HOT!

Using this type of strategy, you can ride all of the Fantasyland attractions by about 11:00 am. From there, you can head right or left out of Fantasyland and use a similar technique (get FP, ride another ride, come back to FP ride) to tour the other lands.

This strategy works particularly well in quite a few other areas of the Magic Kingdom park:
Adventureland: Pirates of the Carribean and Aladdin's Magic Carpet Ride combined with Jungle Cruise which has FP

Fronierland: Big Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain both have FP, so get one, then take a ride across to tour Tom Sawyer Island, then go back and get the other before riding with your FP tickets for the 1st attraction. You can grab a snack, catch the parade (it starts in Frontierland at 3:00), or go ride the Haunted Mansion and/or see the Hall of Presidents while you wait for your 2nd FP time to start.

Tomorrowland: Space Mountain and Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin both have FP, so use the same technique, alternating with Carousel of Progress, Monsters Inc, Tomorrowland Transit Authority and Astro Orbiter.

The age of your group/kids will like determine which direction you head out of Fantasyland. Remember, you have all day, and using this type of strategy, you can ride a group of attractions all at one time. This makes it easier to stop for lunch/dinner, grab a seat for the parade, watch the castle stage show, and meet some characters along the way.

Have a magical day!

Packing List

I used to be the biggest list-maker ever!! Especially when packing for Disney World trips...I would make lists way in advance, and add to them as I thought of everything that we needed for our trips. Then I would use those lists and mark off items as they went in the suitcase. Of course, for a few years in there, we were traveling with a baby/toddler and needed WAY more stuff!

These days, I start a stack of things to pack....usually in our spare room....and just add to it for a few weeks as I remember that we need to bring this or that. So, what is in that packing "stack"?

Here's my current Disney stack, and it's growing every day as we get closer to our trip:

Light Up Toys -- we refuse to buy them each trip, so we pack them and bring them back each time

Light Saber -- same as the light ups - not buying new, just taking the old one back with us

Rain Ponchos - one per person and one or two extra cheap ones for the stroller

Travel Size Woolite - just in case we need to wash something, or to freshen up swimsuits

Granola Bars and Goldfish Crackers

Backpack for the plane -- for my 5 yr old - filled with a few hot wheels, games, books, electronic game

Stroller Bag - we have one of those "gate check" stroller bags to keep it from getting messed up

Sunscreen - very expensive to buy in the gift shop if you forget

Swimsuits and Flip Flops

Camera and Accessories - now that we are passed our last "end of school" event

Extra batteries

Ziploc bags (gallon and quart) - these are good for keeping things dry in rain, packing your swimsuit to come home, etc -- I don't take a whole box, just a handful of each size

Phone Chargers

Other items you might consider: Autograph book and pen/marker, small thermal bag or collapsible ice chest, cinch sac style bag to take to the pool

Of course, in addition to this is all our clothes, shoes, make-up, toiletries, etc....and I'm usually up at midnight the night before our trip getting all that stuff together! :)

Memory Makers!

So, you think you have a good camera? You've even practiced learning all the settings and the best way to adjust for light, and you just know you will get the BEST pictures at Walt Disney World, right?? Yep, that was me...every single trip...each camera upgrade was better than the one before...

I quickly learned, that it didn't matter what kind of photo equipment I was armed with, the Disney Photopass Photographers were still going to get a better picture than me, and I might as well just accept it! :)

Now, the best news is that these photographers are available at most of the prime Photo Spots and all the most popular characters...and they are FREE! That's right, you can stop at each and every one of these photographers, and have them take your picture in front of Cinderella's Castle, the Tree of Life at Animal Kingdom, with Mickey Mouse....any place you want. 

Once you get home, you can view all your photos online on the Disney's Photopass website (www.disneyphotopass.com), and select a few or a lot to print. You can make photo book, personalized souvenirs, ornaments to remember your trip, and they even let you upload your own photos to include in your albums! The best feature available from Disney's Photopass service is the Photo CD that you can purchase. The Photo CD will include all of your Photopass pictures, and a collection of stock photos of the characters and parks that you visited during your trip.

This CD comes complete with a print release and full sized digital images so you can make as many print copies as you like. The Photo CD costs $169.95, if you order after you arrive on Disney property. There is an opportunity to pre-purchase this Photo CD for a discounted price of $119.95, if you use this link http://www.disneyphotopass.com/previsitoffer.aspx to place the order. This is a great deal! Individual prints can start at $14.95 per image.

So take your fancy camera, or your point and shoot and get all those wonderful memories, but be sure to let the professional Disney Photopass photographers capture those one of a kind "castle" and character shots! That's why they are there! 

Saving money...snacks & breakfast

Before you leave for Disney, take a good look at your hotel's website to see what is included in your room. Do they have a mini-fridge, microwave? Does it have a kitchen/kitchenette? Do they include dishes/silverware in the kitchen? Do you have access to a toaster? Is there a coffee maker in your room? Once you have a good idea what is provided for you in the room, you can start to decide what you might need to bring with you.

Make room in your suitcase for a few snack and breakfast items. We love to bring granola bars, fruit snacks, "on the go" peanut butter packs, cereal and goldfish or other crackers. You can also throw in a pack of bagels or english muffins. The granola bars, cereal or bagels/muffins make a great healthy breakfast. Take along a peanut butter pack and buy an apple in the park to make a wonderful snack. Bring zipper snack bags day, or a snack cup with lid, to carry smaller portions into the parks each day. There are fruit carts in each park, so you always add a piece of fresh fruit for about $1.


If anyone in your family is a regular traveler, for work or pleasure, bring home any of those un-used coffee and stirrer/sugar packets from your other hotels. They are easy to throw in your suitcase to make a quick cup of coffee before you leave the room in the morning. If not, stock up on Starbucks VIA to have some quick, good coffee!

Source: http://www.starbucks.com/coffee/via

If you are staying on property, consider getting a Refillable Mug. It may sound like a lot of money to buy a refillable mug ($13.99), but when you think about buying cokes/water/powerade at $2.50 each, you may be able to save some money by purchasing and using the refillable mug at your resort. We buy them on the first day, and refill on the way to and from the bus stop every time we leave the resort. We get coffee in the morning, cokes in the afternoon and lemonade or some other non-caffeine drink on the way back to the room at night. As long as you are staying at the resort for more than 3-4 days, the mug will more than pay for itself. Just make sure you have a way to carry them around all day (we put them in the stroller bag). These mugs are valid for the duration of your stay at a Disney Resort. They come in multiple colors, so you can keep track of which mug belongs to which family member. And bonus....they make a great souvenir!

In the Disney Vacation Club Villas, we get the benefit of a fully stocked kitchen or kitchenette, with microwave/mini-fridge in the Studio rooms, and fully functional kitchen with appliances in the larger Villas. While we do not personally cook meals on our vacation, we do love to bring our breakfast foods and eat in the room before we start the day. It saves money, and keeps our son busy while we finish getting showered, dressed and out the door in the morning. Since we have a mini-fridge, we typically buy milk once we arrive, to keep in the room. The one time we did not have a mini-fridge, we brought along Horizon Organic Milk boxes for our son to drink with his breakfast. They do not have to be refrigerated, so they work great! 

Don't like taking up space in your suitcase for snacks?? Think of it as room for souvenirs when you fly home! :)

Countdown to Disney

How do you and your kids countdown the days to a Disney World vacation? There are so many different ways that you can mark each day. Here are a few ideas for making it a fun part of each day!

Countdown Blocks

Want to get super crafty? Mod Podge a few wooden block and add a little section of Chalkboard Paint to write your countdown!

Cut 3 blocks out of wood (3x3 square, 3x6 rectangle, 3x5 rectangle)
Sand them down a little, smooth out rough corners
Paint them Black
Mod Podge three different Mickey Mouse scrapbook papers to the front of each block of wood
Cut out the Letters with your Cricut (or other cutting machine -- or use Sticker Letters)
Stick on the words: "Days 'Til" on the smaller rectangle, and "Mickey!" on the larger rectangle
Mod Podge over the top of all three blocks
Once dry, paint the Square block with a Mickey shaped (or little square, if you don't trust your painting skills!) with chalkboard paint
Stack them up on your table, mantle, wherever your best "countdown" spot is located
Write the number of days until your trip and Countdown!

Not so crafty?? You can buy them on Etsy HERE

Countdown Plaque

Similar to the Countdown Blocks, you can make a single countdown plaque using the same techniques.

Cut a flat block of wood to approximately 5x7.
Paint it Bright Red
Scrapbook punch circles out of white paper
Scrapbook punch Mickey Mouse Head (or one large and two small circles, if you don't have a Mickey Punch)
Cut letters with Cricut, or use Sticker Letters
Mod Podge all the paper pieces onto the background
Coat the Mickey Head with Chalkboard Paint
Write your Countdown days on the Mickey Head

Again, not so crafty?? You can buy this one on Etsy HERE

Paper Countdown Chain

Make a paper chain (the kind you make at Christmas), and put a fun question or activity on each link.

Questions or Activities:
What's your favorite ride at (each park)?
Who is your favorite character?
What do you want to see first?
Which fireworks show is your favorite?
Who do you want to take your picture with?
What is your favorite transportation (monorail, boat, bus, train) at WDW?
Bounce around the house like Tigger!
Watch one episode of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (or other age-appropriate show)!
Watch Sing Along Songs - Disneyland DVD!

There are so many ways that you can get your kids (and let's face it, yourself) even more excited about your trip!

Photo Source: vermillionrules.blogspot.com

Mickey Head Countdown

Punch out enough Mickey Heads (using scrapbook paper and Mickey Mouse punch)
Number each one down to 1
Make one extra at the bottom (or top, whichever way you are counting) that has a Star on it
Title says "Days Until Mickey" and was cut out with my Cricut, with a few accent stars

This one was so quick and easy to make, and we have used it over and over.

Where to start?

All of my trips begin with a park plan...where to start? Which park will we visit on our first day at the resort?
There are many things that can play into this decision...everything from what days of the week will you be there? Are there any special events happening at the parks? Are you staying on property or off-property? What day/time do you arrive?

As much as I like to check the days/times/crowds/extra magic hours to decide where to go, I always come back to one thing...

The first thing I want to see is Main Street and that amazing and magical castle at the end of the street!

We are lucky this trip, in that our first full day is a Thursday. When compared to the weekend days, it may actually turn out to be the best day to enjoy Magic Kingdom!

Over the years and the trips, we've definitely had some exceptions to this "rule", but nothing feels more magical to this Disney loving princess than walking down Main Street on that first morning towards Cinderella's Castle!

Where do you like to start?

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!

Learned something new....

I learned something new last week...let me give you the background information.

Over the last few months, we had made plans to travel to Florida for the final Shuttle Launch...and what an amazing experience it was!!! But that's a story for another time...

We were not planning to pay a visit to Mickey Mouse while we were in Central Florida, and were planning to enjoy the beach and the Space Center. We are really NOT "beach for 5 days" type people, and now we know that. :) So, on Sunday evening, after our 3rd day at the beach and our 3rd day of Space Center activities, we decided to head to Walt Disney World for the last two days of our trip. Now, I have always said - there is no way I'll go to Disney World in July!! It's too hot and it's too crowded...how miserable.

But, we were able to book a Studio room at the Wilderness Lodge (last minute) and we had already purchases our annual passes in anticipation of our October trip. We just needed to activate our passes and pay for food, so off we went! I was prepared for the heat (heck it's 107 degrees in North Texas right now), but I was dreading crowds. I thought, we will do what we are able to do, and whatever we can't do/see/ride, we know that we will be back in October.

I was so pleasantly surprised with this visit!! After getting checked in at the hotel and dropping the car in the parking lot, we hopped on the bus to MK at about 9:30 am. The park had opened at 9:00, so I thought for sure there would already be lines. We wanted about 15 minutes for Dumbo...and then started our normal Fast Pass routine (get one for one ride, go ride another, come back and use the FP, then get another FP and go ride something else). I am very surprised to say that in the heat of July, one of the most crowded times of the year, according to the travel experts, we never waited in a line longer than 20 minutes, and we rode almost every ride at Magic Kingdom - a few of the big ones twice!

We used our Fast Passes very strategically, and frankly I think we got lucky with the timing. Since 4th of July had been just a week earlier, and many people may have wanted to be there for the Shuttle Launch the week before, it was really not as crowded as I thought it would be.

Would I plan another trip in the heat of July? No, it would not be my first choice -- it's still stiflingly hot and miserable! But, given the option for a few free days at the World - I wouldn't dread it! :)

Meeting Mickey Mouse

It's the one thing that everyone wants to do when they visit Walt Disney World...meet the main Mouse.

Here are some tips for meeting Mickey Mouse during your visit to the Walt Disney World resort.

Tip #1 - Know that he is everywhere! You can meet Mickey Mouse at all the parks, and even at a few restaurants. The only difference between meeting Mickey Mouse at The Character Connection at Epcot and Camp Mickey Minnie at Animal Kingdom will be his clothes and the backdrop.

Tip #2 - Make a Character Dining reservation for a meal that includes Mickey Mouse. You can pick from: Chef Mickey's (all day) at the Contemporary resort, Tusker House's Breakfast-o-Saurus at Animal Kingdom, 'Ohana Character Breakfast at the Polynesian resort and Garden Grill Dinner at Epcot. This allows you to get that perfect photo op, while eating a meal...all without waiting in line!

Tip #3 - If a meal is not in your budget or time schedule, in my experience, the line to meet Mickey Mouse is shorter at Camp Mickey Minnie in Animal Kingdom park and at

Tip #4 - Unless it has some special meaning to you, do not try to meet Mickey Mouse at Magic Kingdom park. Sure, you can do it, and it will be just as magical as anyplace else, but you will wait forever! There is a reason that this particular location is the first Fastpass system for a Character Meet & Greet at the Walt Disney World resort. He's the one that everyone wants to see, and Magic Kingdom is the epitome of all things Disney. As a seasoned veteran, my advice is to find another location to meet the mouse. The wait in line will diminsh a lot of the magic, and frankly could make you and your family a little bit grouchy! Is that the perfect photo memory that you want with Mickey Mouse? Probably not.

Tip #5 - This is the super secret tip...shhhh! :-) If you have a Chase Disney Rewards Visa card, you can do a private Meet & Greet with Mickey Mouse. The location is inside Innoventions (near the Segway test area), behind a big curtain area. There is a small sign indicating the Disney Rewards Meet & Greet, that is so easy to miss that we walked past it three times before we knew it was there the first time. In the past, the line has been very short to non-existant...in recent years more people have heard about this benefit and the line has gotten longer. Why is this line better than any of the other lines to meet Mickey Mouse you ask? This one is a private Meet & Greet with 2 characters. When we were there last time, it was Mickey Mouse and Pluto. And they spent at least 10 minutes playing with my son and taking pictures. It was an amazing experience for him and for us as parents...and especially me as a camera-toting proud mom. :-)

"...it was all started with a Mouse" - Walt Disney

Have a Magical Day!

Naptime at Walt Disney World

So, you are planning to take your young child, or two, or three to Walt Disney World, and you are trying to plan your day around naptime. Here are a few tips to get in naptime without having it completely consume your day.

Getting around Walt Disney World, while altogether pretty convenient, is not quick by any stretch of the imagination. You have to plan ahead to get somewhere, and frankly going back to the hotel mid-day is a hassle.

Our son was only 8 months old when he took his first trip to Walt Disney World. At that age, it was really easy to wear him around in a carrier, and let him sleep just about anywhere. Since your child is essentially strapped to you, there are a few rides that you need to skip during that time, but you can always use Rider Swap later in the day for those bigger/scarier rides. A baby carrier is really a personal choice, but two of my absolute favorites are the Beco carrier and a soft sided Mei Tai carrier. I purchased my Beco Carrier a few days before my son's first trip to WDW, and carried him around all week in it. i

For a slightly older child, a stroller is a "must have" item. It was so much easier to find a quiet corner and let him doze off in the stroller and then we could keep going, than it was to make a trip back to the resort mid-day for a nap. We would let him fall asleep, and then take advantage of that time to use Rider Swap and go ride the bigger attractions that he wasn't yet able to ride anyways (think Big Thunder Mountin, Soarin', Expedition Everest, etc).

Over the many, many trips that we have taken our now 4 year old son to the Walt Disney World resort, I can probably count on one hand the number of times that we actually headed back to the resort for naptime. Unless the adults could use a nap...because even adults get cranky without a nap sometimes :)...let the little one fall asleep and then keep on going. This will save you all the travel time to and from the resort, while also allowing your little one to be ready to experience all the magic of an evening at the parks.

Have a magical day!

Baby Swap

As I started to write my next blog post (Naptime at Walt Disney World), I realized that I might need to stop and explain "Baby Swap" before referencing this benefit in another post. The technical term for this benefit is: Rider Swap, but most parents refer to it as "Baby Swap" or "Child Swap"

What is Rider Swap?

This is a great benefit for parents of young children who do not meet the height restriction for certain attractions. It allows families to have one parent/adult get a "Rider Swap" ticket and wait outside the attraction with the younger child, while the rest of the party stands in the regular line for an attraction. When the party finishes the attraction, they take the "Rider Swap" ticket and go with the 'waiting' parent/adult through the Fastpass return line to ride the attraction a second time.

Which Attractions have Rider Swap?

I have never been turned away when I've approached a Cast Member to inquire about Rider Swap at the larger/scarier/height restriction type attractions. The only attractions where I think it will not work are the non-Fastpass attractions, where there is no other line to go through. We have used it for:

Space Mountain
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Splash Mountain
Soarin'
Mission: Space
Test Track
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Star Tours
Expedition Everest
Dinosaur

You have to have the younger/sleeping child with you when you approach the Cast Member at the entrance to the attraction. They are happy to explain this benefit to you, if you have any questions. So, don't fear taking a younger child to Walt Disney World! While there are plenty of attractions that they are able to ride, you won't have to skip the bigger attractions either!

Have a magical day!

Disney's Fastpass

I hate standing in line....and I do mean HATE! lol And there is no place that I stand in line more than Walt Disney World.

Now, let's be honest, Disney has done an amazing job of making a wait in line as painless as possible. They have things to play with, television monitors to keep your attention, and they even make the wait part of the story for the attraction in some lines. But even with all that extra "help", I still hate to wait in line.

Solution: Disney's Fastpass

Disney's Fastpass is a great way to see more attractions in less time, and spend less time waiting in line...bonus for all involved!

How does it work?

Once inside a park, when you come to a Fastpass ride, you insert each of your party's park ticket or Key to the World card into the Fastpass machine. The machine will return your park ticket/Key and it will provide you with an additional "ticket" per person that shows you the return time for that ride. Depending upon the popularity of the attraction, and the crowd level that day, this can be anything from 15 minutes to a few+ hours from that time. Note your return time, go visit other attractions at the park, and return to the Fastpass attraction at your noted time.

When you return, you will go to the Special "Fastpass Return" line, show them your Fastpass ticket and wait in a considerably shorter line for the attraction.

One important thing to remember: For the most part, you can only have one Fastpass at a time. The exception to this will be when your Fastpass return time is considerably later in the day. Then you will want to note the time that your next Fastpass is available (this will be printed on the bottom of your Fastpass ticket).

How to use it to see more attractions?

When you are planning out your day in each park, pay attention to which attractions are equipped with Disney's Fastpass system. The system can be used one of two ways: 1) get a Fastpass for one attraction, stand in line for another and then return to the 1st attraction with your Fastpass and bypass the regular line; or 2) get a Fastpass for a favorite attraction, go stand in line to ride that same attraction, then go ride it again using your Fastpass -- riding a favorite two times for one line! We only use this 2nd method in very specific cases...like Toy Story Midway Mania at Disney's Hollywood Studios. We want to ride it more than once, but are definitely not willing to stand in the line twice.

My preferred method is to get a Fastpass for one attraction, go stand in line at the next closest attraction (geographically) and then go back to ride the Fastpass attraction. Then, repeat the same procedure at the next available Fastpass attraction...taking time to ride any other non-Fastpass attractions along the way. In some cases, the return time for your Fastpass will be late enough that you can get in a few other (non-Fastpass) attractions, shows or even grab a meal and come back to ride the Fastpass attraction afterwards. This will especially be true on the most popular attraction, and those for which you pick up a Fastpass later in the day.

Which attractions have Fastpass?

Magic Kingdom - Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, Stitch's Great Escape, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Peter Pan's Flight, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Splash Mountain, Jungle Cruise, and rumor has it that Mickey's new Character Greeting spot in Town Square will be a Fastpass attraction when it opens up.

Epcot - Soarin', Test Track, Mission: Space, Maelstrom, Living with the Land

Disney's Hollywood Studios - Toy Story Midway Mania, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith, Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, The Voyage of the Little Mermaid, Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, Star Tours

Animal Kingdom - Dinosaur, Expedition Everest, It's Tough to be a Bug, Kali River Rapids, Kilamanjaro Safaris, Primevil Whirl

You can see the geographic placement of these attractions by looking at a Park map, and you can plan out your day accordingly.

There are a limited number of Fastpass tickets handed out for each attraciton. There are a few attractions on that list that I would recommend heading to immediately upon entering the park, if you want to have any chance of getting a Fastpass for that attraction: Toy Story Midway Mania and Soarin' are the main ones, with Rock n Roller Coaster, Expedition Everest and Space Mountain being pretty high on the list of "popular" attractions for which the Fastpasses will disappear earlier rather than later.

Hopefully this will make your time at Walt Disney World include more attractions and less waiting in line!

Have a magical day!

Disney "Stash"

There are certain things that we use every single time we visit Walt Disney World…and we rarely use them at any other time, or we have plenty of extras. I noticed this after a few trips, and even more so once my son was born and we started taking stuff for him. 

So, I created what I like to refer to as my “Disney Stash”. It’s a collection of things that we always take with us, that can stay all together in between trips so as to eliminate the searching for items around our house when packing for our next trip. At our house, the “stash” lives in the hall closet, where we store the suitcases, in two cube style bins. Over the years, some items have been added and removed (mostly baby related items), but some items are constant and I thought it would be useful to share those with you.

Disney Stash:

• Baby Wipes (travel size container) – even out of diapers, these come in handy!
• Hand Sanitizer
• Disposable Rain ponchos (we prefer the cheap ones in the camping section of Target)
• Quart and Gallon sized Ziploc bags
• Crystal Light (or other) water flavor pack
• Coffee accompaniments (sugar, creamer, stir stick packs that I collect on business trips)
• First Aid – bandaids, neosporin,
• Night Lights
• Travel sized:
• Laundry detergent /Woolite packets
• Bar Soap (unopened)
• Tide Pen
• Toothpaste (unopened)
• Tylenol
• Kleenex
• Q-tips 

• Disney toys and souvenirs:
• Mickey Ears
• Disney stickers (also bought these at Target or Walmart)
• Light Up Toys (bought these at Target, by the way – not at WDW)
• Glow necklaces (not “Disney” but they are great for nighttime)
• Small stuffed Mickey
• Extra “blankie” 

There are also a few items that have been added to/removed from our "Stash" over time:

• Baby Monitor
• Childproofing Items (plug covers, cabinet door locks, coffee table corner cushions)
• Swim diapers - it was easier than remembering to buy them before a trip

Hopefully this list will make it easier for you to pack for your own Walt Disney World vacation...or maybe you need to create your own "stash" :)

Best Time to Go

When my friends start talking about taking their families to Walt Disney World, the conversation typically begins with one question:

"When is the best time of year to go?"

While this is really a personal choice (cooler vs. warmer; school break vs. not; holiday time vs. non-holiday; are you celebrating anything special; etc), there are definitely some times of year that are more crowded than others.

Busiest Weeks of the Year:

Thanksgiving Weekend
The week between Christmas and New Year's
June, July and the beginning of August (particularly 4th of July)
Easter Week
Spring Break
President's Day

A few of the more pleasant (i.e. less crowded) times of the year include:
September and October
January
1st two weeks of February
1st two weeks of December
The week after Easter until early June

There are a few holiday aspects to note:

Want to see the Christmas decor without crowds?
- Go the first two weeks of December, or arrive on New Years Day

Want to celebrate Halloween Disney-style?
- Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party starts in early September, and the early parties are much less crowded than ones closer to Halloween

Want to travel the week of Thanksgiving?
- Arrive on the Saturday before Thanksgiving and enjoy lighter crowds the first half of Thanksgiving week (Bonus: you'll see the Christmas Decor this week too!)

Have kids in school?
- Travel during a 3-4 day weekend in October to avoid the normal "school's out" crowds during other times of the year

While it's difficult to decide when is truly the "best" time to go, everyone enjoys something different, so talk to your travel companions and decide what works best for you. Disney will be there to celebrate with you no matter when you decide to go!

Where to begin...

One of the hardest things about planning a trip to the Most Magical Place on Earth, is knowing where to begin! Here are a few of my favorite resources for planning the perfect Disney Vacation:

www.allearsnet.com - my go-to source for general park information, rides, restaurants/menus, pricing, etc
www.disboards.com - want to ask a specific question, and get advice from those who know Disney...join and ask away!
www.mousesavers.com - great resource for ways to save money on your trip - car rentals, tickets, etc.

Of course, there's always the official Disney website: www.disneyparks.com that is a great source for hours, tickets, and making reservations.

I love to share my knowledge and love of Disney, and look forward to sharing tips and tricks to make your vacation as magical as possible!