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" :)

A few of my....

favorite things!

I admit it...I love all things Disney! But, there are definitely a few things that I count among my absolute favorite things at Walt Disney World.

1) Wishes - In all my years of visiting the Walt Disney World resort, Wishes (the current Magic Kingdom fireworks show) is my favorite of all of the nighttime fireworks shows they have ever presented. I have experienced many years of changes to Illuminations, Magic Kingdom fireworks (they change the name when they change the show), and even Halloween and Christmas fireworks, and the current Wishes fireworks show at Magic Kingdom gives me goosebumps each and every time that I experience it. I love to stand at the back of the the Main Street circle (right outside of Casey's), in the middle of Main Street, and feel like I am literally surrounded by the magic.

2) Hoop De Doo Musical Revue -  For me, this one is a recent discovery. I don't know how I missed it all those years! Two years ago, we scheduled a dinner at Hoop De Doo for our family. Our son was only 2 yrs old at the time, and even he loved it! The music, the comedy, the food....it's all terrific!

3) Aerosmith's Rock n Roller Coaster - I'm an adrenaline junkie and I love roller coasters of all kinds! Aerosmith's Rock n Roller Coaster is a dream! It is exciting, fast, thrilling, and a little bit surprising at times. The ride begins, as most at the Walt Disney World resort do, with a story. You start in a Studio, as Aerosmith finishes up a recording set prior to a concert. As they rush off to the concert across town, you get to go along for the ride. This exciting ride features the music of Aerosmith blaring through over 120 speakers in each limo-themed ride vehicle as you twist and turn through downtown LA on the way to the concert. It's awesome!

There are many, many more, but these are among my favorites!

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!

I'm a Disney addict

My name is Teresa, and I love Disney.

I'm convinced that it's truly an addiction. I love Disney movies, Disney shows, Disney parks, Disney resorts/restaurants/shopping/rides and just walking down Main Street soaking up the magic.

I am a busy, working mom to an adorable 4 year old, who was lucky enough to marry a man who indulges my love of all things Disney. I used to work at Walt Disney World, on the College Program, and now we enjoy using our Disney Vacation Club membership to go back 2-3 times per year. I'm looking forward to sharing my tips and tricks for a magical Disney trip for you and your family.

Welcome!