by Pam | Feb 19, 2020 | Disney, Everyday Adventures, Organization, travel
So what should you bring into Walt Disney World? Now that the kids are older and I don’t need to bring along all.the.stuff. I like to travel light when I visit. I can’t quite make it without carrying anything (I have a food allergy so have to have an EpiPen on hand), but I’ve pared it down to a small wristlet. So what should you pack to keep the weight down but still have everything you need? Since I just have a wristlet on my arm, both hands are free! The Basic Items to Bring to Disney World for the Day For me, these include the must-haves: My EpiPen and a few Benedryl tabs.AdvilMoney, ID, one credit card, annual passholder card, DVC card, AAA cardCell phoneSunglassesPhone chargerReading glasses (a sad new addition …) The Extra Items to Pack These are the nice to have items, but I usually squeeze them in: Hair tie or clipA bandaid (although you can get these at first aid in each park).Pen A few essential oils (typically DiGize for stomach aches and Deep Relief for muscle pain)Hand sanitizerChapstick And that’s it, although I might transfer the DiGize to a tiny bottle and throw in a sunscreen stick if it’s a hot day. I use my cell phone as a camera (and it’s usually in my hand or back pocket). I’ve found it’s so freeing to be able to bring so little into the park and yet still have everything I might need throughout the day! My favorite bag to use is a Vera Bradley Wristlet. They have a variety of patterns (someday I’m getting...
by Pam | Jan 30, 2020 | Disney, Everyday Adventures, Frugal Fridays, Relaxation, travel
Free and Disney just don’t seem to go together, do they? Let’s face it, Disney can be a super expensive vacation. It’s pricey to stay onsite, park tickets are crazy expensive and the food costs more than other Orlando restaurants. One way to make your trip a little more affordable is to include some free things to do. Add these 5 FREE things to do at Walt Disney World on your next visit and have more fun for less money! Electrical water pageant. Every evening, you can visit the beach at the Polynesian resort and see a FREE water parade. Set to music, this 15-minute show is a fun way to cap off a wonderful day at Disney. Picking up a Dole Whip or cocktail at the resort to enjoy while you watch can be a low-cost treat too! The times vary for this (typically somewhere between 9:00 – 10:00) so check the website or ask at the hotel before you show up. It can also be viewed at other various spots around the lake, but we love the feel of the beach! Resort Activities. I talked a little bit about this on my post The perfect non-park day at Disney, but it also totally belongs on a post about FREE things to do at Disney. Most Disney resorts have a weekly activity schedule with things like bingo, pool parties, campfires, and free nightly movies. You can easily spend an entire day at the resort participating (which we have done many times) in all these fun things to do for no additional cost. Some of the deluxe resorts have...
by Pam | Jan 15, 2020 | Disney, Everyday Adventures, travel
It may be cold and snowy where you are right now, but Spring Break will be here before you know it. If you haven’t started thinking about Spring Break yet, now is the time to do so – the one year I put off Spring Break planning until February was the year we ended up not going anywhere exciting – it was just too late to book what we wanted. So to help you out, here are 5 GREAT spring Break ideas for families: Go for Warm Hit the beach. After a long, bitterly cold winter, there is something extra special about a sunny beach. Living in the Midwest we tend to visit Florida beaches often. Vero Beach, Daytona Beach, Pompano and Clearwater are all favorites. If you are closer to the west coast, consider the San Diego area. Even if it’s not warm enough for the adults to play in the ocean, I bet the kids will brave the cool waters. If you head far enough south, it will definitely be perfect for being outside and swimming in a heated pool. If you do decide to plan a trip to the beach, check out this post on Beach Essentials to make sure you bring everything you need for a perfect beach vacation. Theme Parks. Walt Disney World is an all-time favorite for my family. Even if we take a beach vacation, we often tack on a few days at Disney to help break up the drive (and get our money’s worth out of those annual passes)! If Disney isn’t your thing, how about Universal Studios or Busch Gardens?...
by Pam | Dec 18, 2019 | Disney, Everyday Adventures, restaurant, travel
When we visit Walt Disney World, we’ve found that the best way to enjoy our time at the park is to pause in the middle of the day for a leisurely table service meal. It gives us a chance to rest and regroup. If it’s hot we can cool off, and we don’t have to worry about anyone getting hangry. We’ve tried almost every restaurant, so here are what we consider the best table service restaurant at each Walt Disney World Park. Insider Tip: Disney often offers FREE dining when you stay on-site. To be alerted of when it’s available, sign up for my Disney Fun Newsletter. Every month you’ll get notice of the BEST deals for your Disney vacation – including when FREE dining is offered. The Magic Kingdom I used to think there wasn’t anything good to eat at the Magic Kingdom, but with a bit of experimenting, I have changed my tune. It started when we took an afternoon break at Tony’s Town Square Restaurant with a fresh salad and wine. Then we discovered we could watch the parade from the patio. Magic Kingdom food started to feel quite a bit better! Last year, however, we discovered one of our favorite overall Disney restaurants and it’s IN the Magic Kingdom. The Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen. The place is a little bit hidden in Adventureland, but it’s quite near the Jungle Cruise and The Swiss Family Robinson. The decor is similar in feel to the old Adventurer’s Club (anyone remember that?), and the staff is well versed in hokey jokes and one-liners. The first time...
by Pam | Nov 27, 2019 | Disney, Everyday Adventures, travel, Uncategorized
When I was a little girl, my dream job was becoming a travel agent (or librarian, but that’s another blog post …). I would research and plan vacations for my family and future me. For fun. We even went on some of them. Fast forward many years and I decided this was the year to actually fulfill that dream. Since traveling to Disney is one of my sweet spots, I decided to become a Magical Vacation Planner. It made perfect sense to start with an area I know really well and let’s face it, I was already planning trips, so why not make it official? Now I get to help other families plan their perfect Disney vacation! It is so much fun. And since we’ve been to Disney so many times I have TONS of insider tips and secrets to share. Insider Tip: I know all the best restaurants, easiest ways to get around the parks and some fun things to do aside from the typical rides. So how can I help YOU plan the perfect Disney trip? If you are thinking about Disney, head over to my Magical Vacation Planner website (click HERE) and let me know – I’ll work with you one-on-one to help you make it fantastic. There is NO additional cost to you, and you get the benefit of someone who knows Disney well. It’s a win-win for both of us! I get the fun of planning more trips and you get the benefit of having an expert make your trip planning easier and efficient. Insider Tip: Other trips I can help you with include...
by Pam | Oct 24, 2019 | Disney, Everyday Adventures, travel
Although I’m a huge fan of the Disney Parks, sometimes I want (or need) a non-park day. Ready to learn how to enjoy the PERFECT non-park day? Then read on … It’s a non-park day, so you don’t have to get up at the crack of dawn (unless of course, you want to). When I’m traveling with the family, I do like to get up about an hour before them (usually about 7:00) so that I can slowly get ready, do a short pilates routine (using my all-time favorite program – The Sisterhood and my travel yoga mat), and then have some time to enjoy a cup of coffee and a book on the balcony. Heaven. After such a leisurely start, I’ll put breakfast together for the family while they get ready. Since we’ll be eating out much of the day, it saves money to eat breakfast in the room – and we are all fine with not hitting a restaurant in the morning. If we just have a studio, breakfast will be something simple like fresh fruit and peanut butter toast, bagels or some type of breakfast bar. If we are staying in a one-bedroom, I might do eggs and hashbrowns – depends upon our mood. Insider Tip: Don’t have a car? You can easily get groceries delivered to your hotel using Shipt. We used it on our recent trip and within an hour and a half of ordering had everything we needed delivered right to the front door. And, if you won’t be in the room, the groceries can be left with the bell desk. All orders...
