She woke up in the morning looking something like this. Mickey ears and all, she was ready to go to Disney World!

We packed our final items in suitcases, cleaned up the house a bit, dropped off a CD of photographs at a friend’s house, picked up some waterproof bandages at Target (our son had a frisbee golf accident two days ago, which required a doctor visit and Durabond), and made our way to the airport!

Maisie, our three year old, was sad she had to leave her Sofia the First suitcase with the guys at airport check-in. She couldn’t understand why they were TAKING HER SUITCASE! She even cried when she watched her suitcase disappear through the hole. We took time to explain they’re taking our suitcases to the airplane and we’ll get them back at Disney World later today! Later when we were on the plane, she asked where her suitcase was. Still not sure she fully understood that experience!

We had a few minor issues at the airport. Nothing big. We got stopped for 10-15 minutes going through security because my husband and son had all of our Disney trading pins in their carry-ons. After exhaustive searches by TSA staff, we were cleared! Maisie bites her fingernails and also happened to bite some skin off one of her fingertips today (ouch!), so we had to pull out the Sofia the First bandaids while we were waiting for our pins to get through security. She also went full-on IN the MEN’S bathroom, so I had to yell at her to come back out! Thankfully, there didn’t seem to be any men in there at the time.

Once we arrived at the gate, things went swimmingly. Cooper, our 12 year old, did crossword puzzles in the book I bought him. SCORE! And Elsa, our 10 year old, did half of her homework on commas. SCORE! Both without us asking. Thank you, children, for getting our vacation off to a peaceful and wholesome start.

Before we knew it, our row was called for boarding. Cooper and my husband sat together on one side, and I sat with the girls on the other side. It was Maisie’s first plane ride, and if I do say so myself, it went quite well. During takeoff, she said “Oh, this is making me crazy! We’re high up in the sky like the clouds!” And then there was this. “How long until we get there? Three minutes?” Ummm…more like three hours?!

When we arrived in Orlando, we headed straight for Disney’s Magical Express, the shuttle service that delivers guests to their Disney resorts! I was shocked when my husband told me that we didn’t even have to pick up our luggage from baggage claim. For some reason, I’d forgotten that about past stays. What a lovely thing to not have to worry about picking up luggage first thing off the plane! That’s Disney customer service for you!

It took about five minutes to check in at Disney’s Magical Express station. We activated all five of our Magic Bands, snapped a photo, got in line and were on our bus within another five minutes. Super slick. Super convenient.

We spent 5-10 minutes sitting on the bus before it departed, but no big deal. The two oldest sat quietly across the way while while our youngest peeked through the seat in front of us. 30 minutes to our Disney Resort, and BAM! We’d officially arrived at Walt Disney World!

We spent literally ONE minute checking in (we didn’t really even have to check in because we’d done that online back at home) and made our way back to our building. We were shocked to discover that this resort is extremely similar to the one we stayed at in 2010 and 2011, only this is new and designed for “bigger” families (of 5+) like us. It was like coming home, only we’d never been here before!

Our room is lovely and family friendly, with plenty of space for all of us. Even one of those cool, pull-down-from-the-wall beds! What are those called, again?

After a 10-15 minute orientation to the room, we made our way to transportation, hopped on a shuttle to Disney Springs (aka Downtown Disney), and arrived at our first non-resort Disney destination!

Disney Springs was crazy busy. Before we knew it, Maisie had found some Winnie the Pooh sculptures and wanted to visit them! Three year olds are easy to please….sometimes?!

As fun as it was to visit Winnie the Pooh, we knew we didn’t have much time to waste before Maisie had a meltdown. With the time change and all of the day’s events, it was already 8:30 p.m. by the time we got to downtown Disney. We hadn’t eaten anything of substance since 11:15 a.m. So we desperately needed to find dinner. And quick! Luckily, we found Earl of Sandwich, which was also crazy packed full! But the line went quickly and there was a lovely Disney cast member who delighted my heart by fulfilling her simple duty of asking guests if they had questions about the menu and how their day went. Lovely. Delightful. Totally Disney. Because they give top notch service. It’s easy to forget how excellent customer service can be until you return to a Disney park.

Dinner didn’t come quite soon enough for Maisie, though. She had a meltdown at the table while we were waiting for our sandwiches to be delivered. Chips didn’t suffice. (No surprise, there.) And she wasn’t too interested in drinking anything either. When her grilled cheese came, she looked at it like it was from another planet. It didn’t look like a standard grilled cheese sandwich. It was much, much better, in fact. But we had to convince her so by taking a few bites of it ourselves!

Things turned around for Maisie after a little food and beverages. All was well with the world. We went to the Disney trading pin store across the way from Earl of Sandwich and bought a Minnie Mouse pin lanyard for Maisie. She wanted a picture next to Minnie and Mickey, then the two of us hopped a shuttle back to the resort for an “early” 10:30 bedtime while the other three stayed for some late night fun!

It was a good day, friends. But primarily a travel day at that. Looking forward to a restful sleep for us all, then we’re at Magic Kingdom for a long and incredibly magical day tomorrow!

 

 

 

 

This post is part of a month-long series titled 31 Days of Disney! If you’d like to read more posts from the series, click here and you’ll be directed back to the 31 Days of Disney landing page. ALL posts from the series are linked within the body of that post. Find a title or topic that intrigues you, click on it, and the post will pop up for your Disney reading adventure!

I also placed the series graphic on the right sidebar of my blog’s home page, so click it anytime and it’ll bring you back to the 31 Days of Disney landing page where all 31 posts are listed and linked.

You can follow me on Twitter at twitter.com/AmyBPederson where I’ll tweet links to all 31 posts using hashtag #write31days, and I’d LOVE to connect on Facebook at facebook.com/AmyBPederson. You can also find me on Instagram at instagram.com/AmyBPederson, and I might even do a few scopes live from Disney World, so follow me on Periscope at @AmyBPederson to see if I get brave!

So glad you stopped by! Make yourself comfortable. Take a peek around the place, and know you’re welcome back anytime.

Hello, friends! Today, we’re kicking off part two of the 31 Days of Disney series. This is the active-travel portion of the series, so it’s only fitting that we start it off right with a post about packing for your Disney vacation!

Everybody’s different when it comes to packing. Everybody has their own ways, their own method to the madness. Packing is never a super simple process, but it can be streamlined with a few tips. This post is certainly not exhaustive. It’s not an end all, be all packing list for your Disney family vacation. But it will give you a few ideas of things you’ll want to remember, things you’ll want to consider, things you’ll want to think of before and while you’re packing for your Disney vacation.

First, I thought I’d first share a few general packing tips that work well for me. These tips work particularly well when packing a family for a Disney vacation, because the task requires you stay organized and keep first things first!

GATHERING ALL THE THINGS

In the weeks and days leading up to your vacation, start gathering things you’ll need to bring. Set them aside. Put them in a pile in your bedroom or somewhere where they’ll be at least somewhat out of sight. That way, when you get to the point where you’re actually packing, you’ll have a head start on the job.

PACKING FOR CHILDREN

So maybe I’m a little OCD. My husband says I overpack. But when traveling with young children, my bare minimum is ONE outfit per day, TWO outfits for each day if they’re tiny and have that many clothes for the particular season in which you’re traveling. No matter what, I recommend packing extra clothes for your child. Who knows if they’ll spill a bunch of ketchup all over their shirt, fall and get soaking wet in the middle of the day, or look like a sweaty, dirty ragamuffin after a long day in the Disney Parks. When packing, I lay clothes out on the kids’ beds before I put them in suitcases. That way, I can easily see and count the outfits I’m packing and compare that to the number of days we’ll be gone. (Okay. Yes. Perhaps I’m a little OCD.)

CARRY-ONS

When you pack carry-ons, don’t forget to include some activities to keep your children busy on the plane or car ride. This is a great opportunity to give little ones a Disney sneak peek with a Disney coloring book, activity book, book, stickers, game or Disney movie ready to stream on your iPhone, iPad or laptop.  

RAIN GEAR

Consider packing gear for rainy days at Disney Parks. We have two bright yellow ponchos my parents bought for us when we visited Disneyland in the 1980s. I bring those on every Disney vacation, just in case it rains. Rain ponchos of any type make for great photos and are easy to pack, too!

CAMERAS

Speaking of photos, don’t forget to pack your camera!

Now let’s talk about the things you might want and need to pack that are specific to a Disney vacation! These items are small, but will make your Disney vacation flow more smoothly and will enhance those magical moments!

BAG TAGS

If you’re staying on Disney property or booked your vacation through an agent that’s affiliated with the Walt Disney Travel Company, you’ll receive Disney luggage tags in the mail. Remember to label them and put them on all of your bags, and if you’re anything like me, you might want to grab a little packing tape and double secure them. The points of attachment don’t seem incredibly secure for heavy wear and tear on flights.

DISNEY COLLECTIONS

Perhaps you collect DISNEY CHARMS for your Pandora necklace or bracelet. Perhaps you collect DISNEY TRADING PINS like our family! Perhaps you have a collection of MICKEY EARS you’ve purchased on past Disney trips. Perhaps you have a favorite DISNEY T-SHIRT. Perhaps your child has a favorite DISNEY SWIMSUIT or STUFFED DISNEY CHARACTER! Bring a few small, easily packable items from your Disney collections as you’re able. It’s fun to have those things along on the trip! They’ll make the occasion even more delightful once you arrive at your Disney destination! Remember, once you arrive, everything’s Disney and nobody’s judging! So go all out! Bring that Disney gear! Bring those collections! Bring those Disney items that tickle your fancy.

VACATION INFORMATION, MEMORY MAKER & MAGIC BANDS

If you purchased a Disney vacation package, you’ll receive a packet of information in advance of your trip with itinerary details, instructions, as well as a variety of coupons for your stay. Be sure to pack this in your carry-on for quick reference.

If you purchased a Memory Maker Package online prior to your Disney vacation (which gives you full access to download and print photos of your family taken by Disney photographers), Disney will send you the card in the mail. You may have already tied the Memory Maker Package to your Magic Bands, but go ahead and bring the card anyway. Make sure all those photos are going to the right account!

Last, but not least, if you received Magic Bands as part of your Disney vacation package, or chose to order them for convenience sake, remember to bring them with you! Don’t forget the Magic Bands! This will be our first Disney vacation with Magic Bands. I’ll let you know how it goes!

That’s it, friends! Like I said in the beginning, this certainly hasn’t been an exhaustive Disney packing list, but is a good basics checklist of sorts. Hope it’s helpful as you prepare for future Disney vacations! Have a magical day, everyone!

This post is part of a month-long series titled 31 Days of Disney! If you’d like to read more posts from the series, click here and you’ll be directed back to the 31 Days of Disney landing page. ALL posts from the series are linked within the body of that post. Find a title or topic that intrigues you, click on it, and the post will pop up for your Disney reading adventure!

I also placed the series graphic on the right sidebar of my blog’s home page, so click it anytime and it’ll bring you back to the 31 Days of Disney landing page where all 31 posts are listed and linked.

You can follow me on Twitter at twitter.com/AmyBPederson where I’ll tweet links to all 31 posts using hashtag #write31days, and I’d LOVE to connect on Facebook at facebook.com/AmyBPederson. You can also find me on Instagram at instagram.com/AmyBPederson, and I might even do a few scopes live from Disney World, so follow me on Periscope at @AmyBPederson to see if I get brave!

So glad you stopped by! Make yourself comfortable. Take a peek around the place, and know you’re welcome back anytime.

Today, we’re talking favorite Disney memories! I asked my husband, son and oldest daughter to sit down and write about their favorite memories from past Disney vacations. I’ve included one of my favorite memories as well. I hope you’ll find our diverse perspectives to be easy and enjoyable to read. After you’ve read all about OUR favorite Disney memories, I invite you to take a moment to think about and share YOUR favorite Disney memories! Let’s do this, friends!

Seth’s favorite memory

I’m a fan of all things Disney, but especially the experience of Disney Parks. That makes choosing a favorite memory difficult – it all runs together in a week-long fog of favorites on top of favorites. But there was this one small event, at Animal Kingdom, that stands out.  It was a little thing, barely even significant enough to warrant comment, and yet it jumps out. I was approaching my family. Sitting there on a bench, next to a concession stand was Amy, in dressier-than-normal clothes and looking peaceful, even with the joyous kids climbing all over her. Without a word, I grabbed the camera and snapped the best shot of that vacation. Our whole family was perfection in that moment, and it was inspired by the happiness of the place. I’m looking forward to another moment like that next week.

Amy’s favorite memory

There are so many favorite memories that flood my mind when I think of the six Disney trips we’ve taken to date. I could tell you all over again about the time I met Fairy Godmother behind the castle. I could bring you back to 1900 Park Fare when Cinderella’s Stepsister captured my heart so tenderly. (What is it about me and the Cinderella cast?) I could share memories I’ve never shared before, like the time the kids had fun chanting and waving their arms up and down on our way out of Magic Kingdom, or the time we saw Britney Spears perform up close and personal at Hollywood Studios. But I’m choosing this one little memory to highlight as a favorite today. This one time I found myself sitting on a rocking chair with my daughter in Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland. We were waiting for my husband and son. I’m not sure why. We had nothing to do, so we sat. On the rocking chair. The two of us in one little chair in the corner of the store-front porch. We rocked and rocked the hour away. A bird came swooping in to eat some leftover lunch crumbs. People enjoyed ice cream and lunch nearby. We didn’t do anything, really, except rock to the music. Quaint country music played. It wasn’t anything special except wholesome goodness. Just a little country instrumental, that’s all. Lovely. Reminiscent of days passed. Reminiscent of another time. Another much better place. We rocked and rocked. We were in Frontierland, where all things are possible. All things were possible that afternoon. I delighted in the moment. Asked my husband to take a photo when they returned. And I made it into a 5×7 to display in my home office. I wanted to remember the peace, the goodness, the wholeness, the community, the sense of YES, this is all good. Oh, so good. Did I mention I even searched around in that store to see if they had the music for sale? But nobody knew where they got it, nobody knew where it came from. Perhaps it was mystery music? Perhaps I’ll see if I can get my hands on a copy of that music next time we’re in Frontierland. It’s time to bring that goodness to our own front porch. I am a southern girl at heart, you know.

Cooper’s favorite memory (12 years old)

My favorite part of Disney World is when we go on rides. All the family seems so happy. There are rides everywhere. We have so much fun! My favorite ride is Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster at Hollywood Studios. I like how fast it goes.

Elsa’s favorite memory (10 years old)

My favorite memory of Disney World is when we went to 1900 Park Fare. I liked the buffet there. A couple examples of the good food were a chocolate fountain, yogurt parfaits, and pulled pork (which was super good). My other favorite part about 1900 Park Fare is that we got to see the Cinderella cast. We met them when we were eating. The evil stepmother came along, and she was being really mean to Cinderella and her two other daughters. (This memory is from four years ago, so I was into princesses then. Don’t judge.) All of the Cinderella cast signed my autograph book. That was my favorite memory of Disney World!

Your Favorite Memories

So what’s your favorite Disney memory? Have you been to Disneyland or Walt Disney World? Maybe you’ve been to Disneyland Paris?! How awesome would that be?! Or maybe you’ve done a Disney cruise? We’re hoping for one in 2017, and would love to hear your thoughts, insight and best Disney cruising tips! If you visited any of the Disney parks when you were a child, on spring break, while you were in college, on your honeymoon, as a young family or with teens, share your favorite memories! Now’s your chance. Perhaps you visited with grandchildren, or are fortunate enough to have a season pass?! Perhaps you went on a trip with your girlfriends, or extended family?! Do share, please! I’d love to chat about your favorite Disney memories. Share the love and go for it, friends! Share up a storm. Vague or detailed, tell me all your favorite Disney memories. Let’s chat! Let’s remember the magic of Disney.

 

 

 

This post is part of a month-long series titled 31 Days of Disney! If you’d like to read more posts from the series, click here and you’ll be directed back to the 31 Days of Disney landing page. ALL posts from the series are linked within the body of that post. Find a title or topic that intrigues you, click on it, and the post will pop up for your Disney reading adventure!

I also placed the series graphic on the right sidebar of my blog’s home page, so click it anytime and it’ll bring you back to the 31 Days of Disney landing page where all 31 posts are listed and linked.

You can follow me on Twitter at twitter.com/AmyBPederson where I’ll tweet links to all 31 posts using hashtag #write31days, and I’d LOVE to connect on Facebook at facebook.com/AmyBPederson. You can also find me on Instagram at instagram.com/AmyBPederson, and I might even do a few scopes live from Disney World, so follow me on Periscope at @AmyBPederson to see if I get brave!

So glad you stopped by! Make yourself comfortable. Take a peek around the place, and know you’re welcome back anytime.

This month, I’m writing a series titled 31 Days of Disney! In this part of the series, I’m reviewing past Disney trips and lessons learned along the way. Today’s post is unique in that we’d been to Disney World five times as a married couple, but this was our FIRST trip to Disneyland! If you’re considering a family vacation to Disneyland, love all things Disney or just want a fun, interesting and informative read, this post is for you!

Quick Summary of Our 2013 Vacation to Disneyland

Apparently, my memory is really failing me this week! A few posts back, I told you that I joined my husband for business travel once and only once. Then, in another post I told you I made a mistake, that we actually joined my husband for business travel twice. Now, I’m having to eat my words again and tell you that in reality, I’ve joined my husband for business travel three times to date. Ugh! I guess I need a little refresher course on our own life history! Thank goodness for photo albums!

In 2013, we had the incredibly unique opportunity to join my husband on a trip to the Kids Choice Awards in Los Angeles. My husband had to work all weekend, so I was alone with the kids much of the time. But as part of the gig, we received four tickets to the Kids Choice Awards. It was pretty amazing and most definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience for all of us.

As if that wasn’t enough.

We decided that as long as we were purchasing airfare for me, my son and my daughter, and were already in Los Angeles, that we might as well make it our annual family vacation. So we added 2 1/2 days at Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure Park to our trip.

My husband went off work duty the morning after the Kids Choice Awards. We promptly caught a taxi and headed straight to Disneyland. We arrived at Disneyland on Sunday morning, and were flying home by Tuesday late afternoon. So basically, we had most of the day Sunday, all day Monday, and a chunk of the day on Tuesday to visit Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure Park. While it was a lot to cram into 2 1/2 days, it was enough time to see and experience everything the parks have to offer.

Lesson 1: Disneyland has a much different feel than Disney World.

Disneyland is in California, and Walt Disney World is in Florida. Both have marvelous rides and attractions. Both have character meet and greets. Both have parades, dining plans and character dining. Both have beautiful landscapes and grounds. Both have excellent guest service. Both attract guests from around the world. But after having been to Disney World several times and then visiting Disneyland, I was surprised at how different Disneyland was from Disney World. Maybe it’s just me, maybe not?! Disneyland feels compact. Whereas Disney World feels more spread out and spacious. Disneyland feels classic. Original. Wholesome. Walt Disney World feels like an experience you need a week to truly get through. Disneyland is easily navigated. Disney World requires a little more planning. Disneyland’s castle is wider, shorter, more quaint. Disney World’s castle is taller, narrower, more stately. Disneyland is quick and easy to get into. Disney World takes a bit more effort to get in the gates. You can see ALL of Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park in two to four days. You can see ALL of Walt Disney World parks and waterparks in one full week. Perhaps I’m making generalizations, but they’re also my humble opinions and observations. These are the big differences that come to mind when I think of Disneyland and Disney World. The point is, if you’ve been to Disney in California, don’t assume it’s exactly like Walt Disney World in Florida. If you’ve been to Walt Disney World, don’t assume it’s exactly like Disneyland. If you’re Disney fans, both California and Florida parks are worth visiting for their unique offerings and specialities.

Lesson 2: Disney California Adventure Park is modern and beautiful.

I really loved Disney California Adventure Park. It was incredibly beautiful. I’m not sure why, but I was continually amazed by how gorgeous the park was. For someone who’s really visual, it’s a true delight for the eyes. Disney has gone above and beyond as far as making this park feel modern. The colors, the textures, the waiting lines, the signs…pretty much everything was gorgeous. I felt like I was walking in a movie. Yes, I felt like I was IN a Disney movie. I would go so far to say that there were a couple areas where I felt like I was a character living in a Disney movie. For example, “Cars Land” and “A Bug’s Land” were both amazing and memorable. The roller coaster and ferris wheel near the entrance are also stunning. I think I could stay at any of those places all day and take photographs upon photographs of all the beauty. In short, Disney California Adventure Park far exceeded the expectations I had for it coming in. If you ever go to Disneyland, you MUST also plan at least one day at Disney California Adventure Park. It’s worth every penny and couldn’t be more accessible to Disneyland. It’s literally across the way. A hop, skip and jump from Disneyland. Highly recommended.

Lesson 3: The dining plan at Disneyland is NOT necessary.

We bought the Disney dining plan for our stay at Disneyland because we’d grown to LOVE the Disney dining plan at Walt Disney World. However, I have to say we would not recommend the Disney dining plan at Disneyland and will not purchase it again next time we go there. Unlike Disney World, when you purchase the dining plan at Disneyland, you get pre-paid dining plan “vouchers” that have a certain dollar value for each meal and snack. You aren’t necessarily saving money with these vouchers. By purchasing the dining plan, you’re just paying in advance for the meals and snacks you’re already going to buy. If you don’t use the full dollar amount listed on the voucher, you don’t get change. Variety and accessibility was also an issue. There weren’t as many sit-down restaurants. There weren’t as many options for character dining. And at the end of the trip, when we looked at where we ate and what we ate, we felt we would have paid similar or less for meals and snacks if we had just paid cash outright. This is an incredible learning coming from us, as we’re HUGE advocates for the Disney dining plan at Disney World. But for Disneyland? We weren’t quite sure. Wouldn’t do it again. One note – the food at Disneyland is, of course, AWESOME as always! The reason he was making a funny face in the picture above? So much amazing food, so little room in the stomach! Yes, that’s an order of Mickey waffles in addition to the steak, eggs, hashbrowns and toast breakfast. Pretty sure he didn’t have much for lunch that day.

Lesson 4: Staying on property at Disneyland is totally worth it.

There are currently three hotels on property at Disneyland – Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel, Disneyland Hotel, and Disney’s Grand Floridian Hotel & Spa. We chose to stay at the most affordable of those three hotels. Let me tell you. Staying on property at Disneyland is totally worth it. Disneyland is NOTABLY more compact than Disney World. So when you stay at a Disneyland hotel, you are RIGHT next to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park. We got up in the morning, literally walked out the front door of our hotel, across the street, through the lobby of one of the other hotels, down a little shopping area, and there we were at Disneyland and California Adventure! It was super easy and incredibly convenient. I would definitely stay on Disney property next time I visit, and highly recommend it to future travelers as well.

That wraps my review of past Disney trips, friends. Tomorrow, we’re moving on with the 31 Days of Disney series! So looking forward to sharing the journey with you.

 

 

 

This post is part of a month-long series titled 31 Days of Disney! If you’d like to read more posts from the series, click here and you’ll be directed back to the 31 Days of Disney landing page. ALL posts from the series are linked within the body of that post. Find a title or topic that intrigues you, click on it, and the post will pop up for your Disney reading adventure!

I also placed the series graphic on the right sidebar of my blog’s home page, so click it anytime and it’ll bring you back to the 31 Days of Disney landing page where all 31 posts are listed and linked.

You can follow me on Twitter at twitter.com/AmyBPederson where I’ll tweet links to all 31 posts using hashtag #write31days, and I’d LOVE to connect on Facebook at facebook.com/AmyBPederson. You can also find me on Instagram at instagram.com/AmyBPederson, and I might even do a few scopes live from Disney World, so follow me on Periscope at @AmyBPederson to see if I get brave!

So glad you stopped by! Make yourself comfortable. Take a peek around the place, and know you’re welcome back anytime.

This month, I’m writing a series titled 31 Days of Disney! In this part of the series, I’m reviewing past Disney trips and lessons learned along the way. Today’s post is a review of our fifth trip to Disney World as a married couple; the trip marked our second Disney vacation as a family of four. If you’re considering a family vacation to Walt Disney World or Disneyland, love Disney or just want a fun and easy read, this post is for you!

Quick Summary of Our 2011 Disney World Vacation

Our 2011 trip to Walt Disney World Resort was unique (or not) in that we had just been on a week-long Disney World vacation in 2010. Hmmm…you wonder why in the world we would do that? Our 2010 trip was such a success that we decided we really wanted to experience Disney all over again.

We intentionally designed our 2011 Disney World vacation to be very similar to our 2010 vacation. One week long. Same Disney Value Resort, just a different building. Same dining plan. Fresh autograph books for each child. And all four Disney parks – Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. The only real difference was that since we’d just been there one year earlier, we felt like we really knew the ropes and inside tricks for experiencing Disney’s best.

No surprise, we had an another amazing Disney vacation!

While our 2010 Disney vacation provided the most significant, big-picture, long-term lessons, our 2011 trip helped refine our approach to Disney World so we could tailor our vacation to meet our family’s special needs and preferences. In other words, on this visit to Disney World, we really narrowed in on what we loved and did those things as much as we could.

Lesson 1: Character Dining is Awesome. Go all out!

On our 2010 vacation to Disney World, we greatly appreciated the Disney dining plan, so we purchased it again on our 2011 vacation. One of the things we LOVE about the Disney dining plan is the option for character dining. Character dining is a sit down experience – table service or buffet – and is available at all Disney parks and numerous Disney Resorts. Various characters come to your table while you’re dining so you can take photographs, get autographs and “chat” with them a bit. If you’re “talking” with Mickey Mouse, the interaction is all nonverbal. If you’re chatting with Snow White, she’s fully in character, voice, mannerisms and all. It’s pretty cool. We loved the character dining experiences so much in 2010, that we booked ALL of our sit down meals (1x/day) at character dining locations in 2011. It did require the Disney dining plan and more advance planning for reservations to pull this off, but it was so fun and totally worth it. For anyone traveling with children of ANY age, we highly recommend character dining. Each character dining location has a different set of characters, so you can choose your dining based on WHERE you’ll be that day and/or WHO you want to see! Character dining offers Disney guests the most close-up and personal interactions with characters, hands down.

Lesson 2: Do NOT leave to get a snack right before a parade starts (or you might look like this across from the rest of your party)!

Yes, this is a small, but important lesson we learned the hard way on our 2011 Disney vacation! I was in my first trimester of pregnancy with our third child during this trip, so the kids and I were eager to get a snack to eat during the parade at Hollywood Studios. We thought we had enough time to get over to a snack location, purchase something, and get back in time for the parade to start. NOT SO MUCH. We didn’t find a snack as quickly or as closely as we expected. The line was longer than we expected. And it took us longer to get through the parade crowds than we expected. In other words, we did NOT make it back to the parade in time! My husband sat on one side of the parade, while we stood (then sat) on the other. Once the parades get going, there’s not a chance to cross over. So if you must have a snack during a parade, make sure you get it well in advance of the parade, just to be sure! I’ll admit. This happened to me in the past at Magic Kingdom, but I was by myself. This time it impacted our whole family. Guess we learned our lesson! No big deal really, but a good insight for future reference.

Lesson 3: Get the kids some pool time!

We learned this lesson when we brought our son to Disney World for the first time in 2007, and we learned it again on this trip. Make sure to give your kids some down time in-between time at the parks! The best way to do this is to go back to the hotel and let them swim. It’s fun for the kids and relaxing for adults. It’s also surprising how many people are back at the pool in the middle of the day, even on property at Disney Resorts. You assume everyone’s at the parks, but there are plenty of people relaxing at the pool. Enjoy your time there, too. It’s all part of a great family vacation, and helps rejuvenate the kids for more fun at the parks!

Lesson 4: Disney pin trading is super fun for kids and nerdy adults alike!

See those things hanging around our necks? Those lanyards? Yes, there’s something I haven’t told you yet. Something my husband and kids are especially obsessed about when it comes to Disney parks. DISNEY. TRADING. PINS. Yes, everyone in my family LOOOOOVES Disney trading pins. They’re collectible trading pins you can purchase at Disney Parks and Resorts, and cost anywhere from $7.95 to $14.95 each, depending on how fancy the pin is. At my husband’s suggestion, we started collecting pins on prior trips, but on this trip, my family members went all in. When I say “my family members went all in,” that means I’m NOT the big pin collector, but I AM along for the ride! I choose 2-3 special pins on each trip, but my husband and children buy more. They have 2-3 lanyards each. I have one and I’m sticking to it! My husband is the most obsessed, but he’s also the one who was obsessed with collecting Disney movies when I first met him in college. So there you go! Anyway, I have to admit. Collecting Disney trading pins is fun for the whole family. You buy the Disney pin of your choosing. Stick it to your lanyard. And wear it around Disney everyday during your vacation. There are a bunch of us pin-collecting nerds around the place. You can’t miss us. We’re totally geeky. And we love pins. Want to join us? I’ll be talking a lot more about Disney trading pins later this month in a post titled “Disney Pin Trading Secrets.” It’s something I’d never choose to do on my own, but is a fun family tradition and memory. Who knows? It might be for you, too?!

Thanks for sharing the Disney love, friends! That’s all for today!

 

 

 

This post is part of a month-long series titled 31 Days of Disney! If you’d like to read more posts from the series, click here and you’ll be directed back to the 31 Days of Disney landing page. ALL posts from the series are linked within the body of that post. Find a title or topic that intrigues you, click on it, and the post will pop up for your Disney reading adventure!

I also placed the series graphic on the right sidebar of my blog’s home page, so click it anytime and it’ll bring you back to the 31 Days of Disney landing page where all 31 posts are listed and linked.

You can follow me on Twitter at twitter.com/AmyBPederson where I’ll tweet links to all 31 posts using hashtag #write31days, and I’d LOVE to connect on Facebook at facebook.com/AmyBPederson. You can also find me on Instagram at instagram.com/AmyBPederson, and I might even do a few scopes live from Disney World, so follow me on Periscope at @AmyBPederson to see if I get brave!

So glad you stopped by! Make yourself comfortable. Take a peek around the place, and know you’re welcome back anytime.