10 random tips about Disney World

1. Don't bring an infant or potty training child. While Disney is very accommodating with their child swap passes, it is still a pain to have to switch out to ride a ride. I had to go on Soaring alone on our last trip. They do also have nice baby care centers that offer everything from baby products (for sale) to nursing rooms and changing tables. The only one that was a pain to get to was in Epcot and I didn't use it. Our hotel was only 5 minutes from the park on foot so I could just as easy walk there than to the baby center. The one at Animal Kingdom is super nice and the nursing rooms are quiet.
Also we took Bub when he was 3 and in the middle of potty training. Don't do that. It was confusing to him because we allowed him to wear pull-ups and he was never sure what do or where to do it. Next time we go Button is going to be potty trained and big enough to ride most of the rides. Probably at about 6 years old then or, at the rate my kids grow, 10.

2. Wear good shoes. Duh, right? Every Disney trip tips article will tell you that. I still haven't found the right shoes. Tennis are ok as long as it is not hot, flip-flops about killed me. Crocs were ok. It helped to alternate shoes and not keep wearing the same pair over and over. My mother-in-law and my husband seemed to have hit on the right pair of shoes. I need to do the same next time.

3. The People Mover is more popular than the travel guides would have you believe. So I had a plan. I read many things on breastfeeding at Disney World. At Magic Kingdom I was going to use the People Mover and nurse her on there. After all, it's not the most popular ride and there is hardly ever a wait. Also they will usually let you stay on. But no. It broke and then when it reopened suddenly there was a 15 minute wait and every car was filled. Now I've gotten better at nursing in public but I didn't want to sit in cart with a whole bunch of other people. I ended up nursing her on the bridge to Tomorrowland. The next trip to the Magic Kingdom yielded much the same results. I should have tried the railway.

4. Nap times are awesome and always a good idea. We stayed at the Yacht Club Villas resort. So on the days we went to Epcot and Hollywood Studios a break was taken and we went back and napped, cooled off and relax for a bit. It was a good idea especially with the baby. On the days we went to Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom we ended up staying all day. It was too much of a pain to get back on the bus. Animal Kingdom wasn't too bad because by then we'd rented a stroller for Bub which was easier for him and easier for us. But the day at Magic Kingdom ended with us being tired and cranky.

5. Eat at Be Our Guest. You won't reget it even if you just do lunch. It is amazing. Also awesome was the Yak & Yeti at Animal Kingdom.

6. Don't hesitate to buy something you really like. Each park has souvenirs geared just to them and I missed out on a great shirt because I waited to see what else was available and we didn't go back to that park. On the same note, make sure you know what souvenirs you are going to buy and try to stick with that. Otherwise, you might go crazy with the buying.

7. The Disney buses are not great. Don't expect them to be. For the most part we had good luck with the buses except for one trip when it took 2 hours from the beginning of our wait to getting off at the hotel. I think the driver was new or lost or something. The water transit was better though.

8. We had the meal plan this time and it was awesome. One sit-down, one quick service and one snack was plenty of food and for the most part it was all good.

9. Strollers are good even for 6 year olds. Button was a no-brainer at less than age 1. But I tried to convince BT to rent a double stroller so Bub could ride too. He either didn't believe me or expected more out of our boy child. In the end we rented Bub a stroller for most of the days we were there. Yep. I was right.

10. Never go in the summer or at Christmas. I have zero experience with Christmas but it seems like the truth. However, we did go in June one year and absolutely will never do that again. Crowded, hot, miserable. Disney is always fun but there are levels of fun and June brought the level down. Mardi Gras (February) was a good time. The weather got a little hot but not unbearable and the crowds were manageable. October was great! But then we were on our honeymoon and didn't have kids so that might have contributed to the extra fun factor. That and the Food and Wine Festival which we loved. I think for our next trip we are going to try to go at that time of year again.

Disneycation

So we were on vacation at Walt Disney World last week with BT's parents. We had a good time but Disney is not a relaxing vacation. It is a lot of walking and people and heat. But it is fun. We stayed at the Beach Club Villas which were pretty awesome. It was a 2 bedroom suite with a small kitchen and living room. The bedrooms were big and a pack n play and high chair were provided though Button didn't sleep in the pack n play very much. It was a 5 minute walk to Epcot from our hotel and that was super nice. We had a 15 minute boat ride to Hollywood Studios but had to take the bus to Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom.

We ate at some great restaurants. My favorites were Be Our Guest, the Beauty and the Beast themed restaurant in New Fantasyland and The Yak and Yeti in Animal Kingdom. But I also liked Via Napoli and Teppan Edo. Bub especially like the hibachi the last night we were there.

We did a park a day and then the last day we used to wrap up the things we didn't get a chance to do like Bub's Jedi training and souvenir shopping. Bub and Button both got Micky ears though he picked out Buzz Lightyear ears and she got pink baby Minnie ears.

It was a long trip home but we made it and come to find out that my mom and sister had cleaned my house while we were away. Bless them for that.

Here are a few pictures from our trip.

Beach Club Villas were very pretty.

View from the hotel room.

Illuminations at Epcot.

Be Our Guest restaurant. The food was so good.

Bub got to do Jedi training at Hollywood Studios.

Cinderella's castle at night.

The Beach

Mardi Gras 2009

I am not a big fan of the beach in general.  Salt water makes my skin feel weird and it is hot and sticky and sandy and bathing suits are involved.  So yeah not my biggest thing.  But we usually go to my in-laws' condo in Florida for Labor Day.  We didn't last year for some reason, but this year we get to go.  And I need a break from work so bad right now.  So I am actually looking forward to the beach this year.  I've got my cute Lime Ricki swimsuits and I'm ready to get my drink on.  And it is always nice to go with the in-laws since my mother-in-law and youngest sister-in-law (when she is there) will do things for Bub thus taking some of the burden off of me.  And even better he wants them to pay attention to him AND they want to do it so I am not expected to play with him all the time like I am when we are alone and he has some weird separation anxiety and won't let me go.

The last few times we've gone he has been little and he liked the sand but not the ocean so much.  I'm curious to see how this year goes since he doesn't mind too much going underwater but he doesn't want to do it all the time.  And with the waves crashing down and everything, I'm not sure how much he will like it.  But his grandfather has been dying to take him to the beach for a while now so that will be cute.

Five places I'd like to visit that I have never been

When I was 17 I went on a trip to Europe.  We went to Italy, England, and France and it was fun and I'd like to go again one day with my husband.  But there are some place I have never been that I'd like to go.

1. Greece - My in-laws have gone several times and they love it.  It looks so beautiful and bright.  I'd like to see the ruins of course but also the villages on the coast.

2. New York - My cousin and I have been perpetually planning a trip to New York for most of our lives and one day I'd like to go with her.  I think we would have fun and it seems like a good fun trip.

3. Los Vegas - I think this would be a fun group trip to take with friends and/or family.  I'm not really a gambler but I think I would have fun there.

4. Ireland - I've been to Europe, but not Ireland and so I'd like to go.

5. Japan - It seems like a cool place and, it might sound stupid, but I love anime and manga and I am fascinated by this island-country.

Disney World vacation

Last week I went on vacation with my husband, son, parents, sister, and some more of my family to Disney World.  We had a good time though it was hot and we all were super tired every night.  We started out at Epcot on the first day which was the longest and hottest.

Day Two took us to Animal Kingdom which was a nice day with lots of pretty animals and the very fun Everest coaster. We also went to the Magic Kingdom that night to watch the parade and the fireworks. Day Three was an all day trip to the Magic Kingdom and Day Four was our day at Hollywood Studios.

The last day (Friday) was suppose to be my day at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter but I didn't get in.  Due to some poor planning, in my opinion, on the part of Universal, it was a 9 hour wait just to get into Harry Potter World and that was after a 2 hour wait just to get into Universal's Islands of Adventure Park.  That was very disappointing, I'll tell you.  But I spent the rest of the day at the Magic Kingdom with my husband and son and that was extremely fun and I'm glad of that.  We all had a good time and my son saw a lot of characters and we rode as many rides as possible.

Hogwarts: the only picture I could get

A few more pictures:

Tigger, me and Pooh.  Tigger is my favorite

Illuminations Epcot

On vacation!

This week I'm going to be on vacation at the fabulous Disney World in Orlando, Florida.  We are super excited at my house especially my little 3 year old who is dying to see Mickey Mouse.
See ya next week! Have a good one!

Going to see the Mouse

esterday we found out that we are going to Disney World in June with my family (my parents, sister, cousin and wife and their daughter, and some of her family and my aunt)!  We are so excited but there is so much to do before then.  Since we didn't know we were going, we now have to save up money and I need to hoarde my vacation time until then.  7 weeks away and now we have to start getting ready while everyone else had been for a year  It's just that my mom really wanted us to go and so she made it possible for us to get there.  I have the best parents!

 So we asked Bub if he wanted to go see the castle and Mickey Mouse which might have been a mistake.  Because last night he put on his footie pjs and told me to put on my shoes so we could go drive in Mommy's car.  When I asked where, he finally told me we were going to see Mickey Mouse.  I had to explain that first Mommy had to have a birthday and then we could go.  Then I felt all crafty and told him that he had to be able to use the potty and not wear diapers before he could go see Mickey.  He was ready to put on his underwear right then, but it is sleepytime so that wasn't going to work.

Then this morning after he was dressed he announced that we were going to see Micky Mouse.  I explained again about my birthday and waiting and being potty trained.  Same conversation after the dentist.  I think I'm going to have this conversation a lot over the next 7 weeks.  But I'm hoping he will be willing to potty train if he thinks he can't see Mickey while wearing diapers.  I hope.  *fingers crossed*