Need a break? I got ya covered!

A Disney World vacation is magical and amazing and exciting...but it is also tiring. I won't even try and tell you it's not.

Many people will take a break midday and go back to the resort for a nap and/or swim. That's a good idea, but sometimes not. There is travel time to consider, plus the time you spend there. It takes a big chunk out of your day.

I have another idea! You can rest and relax, right inside the parks!

I know what you're thinking. Stephanie has lost her mind. How can anyone relax in a busy theme park?

Disney World is great at creating spaces all throughout the parks where families can find a little peace and quiet. It sounds too-good-to-be-true, but it's not. Some of my favorite moments during a Disney vacation are when I sit (usually with a snack or beverage) and just people watch and listen to the sounds around me. The music and laughter. Smiles everywhere. There are benches and other seating everywhere, some more quiet than others. So definitely take advantage!

Here are a couple of my favorite spots for resting while in the parks.

Side streets off Main Street at the Magic Kingdom. My last trip, I bought some cake pops at the Main Street Confectionary and found a little wrought iron table and sat for a while.

The gardens in the Hub at the Magic Kingdom. These are relatively new, and are so so pretty. You'd think the Hub would be very busy, and it is, but the gardens are pretty relaxing.

The fruit bat exhibit on the Maharajah Jungle Trek in Animal Kingdom. I could watch those cute little guys all day.

World Showcase pavilions in Epcot. TONS of great places to sit and relax. I love to feel like I've been transported somewhere else. The sights and smells, the music.

There are TONS of great attractions that are peaceful and gentle...the perfect place to relax for a bit!

it's a small world (Magic Kingdom)
Carousel of Progress (Magic Kingdom)
Walt Disney Railroad (Magic Kingdom)
Tomorrowland Transit Authority (Magic Kingdom)
Spaceship Earth (Epcot)
Living with the Land (Epcot)
The America Adventure (Epcot)
Beauty and the Beast Live (Hollywood Studios)
Voyage of the Little Mermaid (Hollywood Studios)
Finding Nemo: The Musical (Animal Kingdom)
Wildlife Express Train and Rafiki's Planet Watch (Animal Kingdom)

And if you have little ones, there is a Baby Care center in each park, giving guests a quiet place to change a diaper, feed or nurse baby, or just to get out of the heat and sit for a bit.

Top 6 Disney Souvenirs!

In my opinion, you can't go to Disney World and NOT buy anything. Most trips I have to really control myself and not buy every single awesome thing I see....which is very difficult because there are awesome things EVERYWHERE!! But over the years I have become really skilled at asking myself if I really need something before I buy it. Will I actually use it at home, or will it collect dust?

So here's my list of the best souvenir buys for your next Disney vacation!

* Photo Albums

I am a huge fan of photos. Always have been. And I need them printed and in albums. We usually get Memory Maker so I can have all the fun photos. I buy a photo album (or two!) every trip. Usually I buy the one with the year on it. I display all the albums on a shelf in my living room. They're so pretty!

* Ornaments 
I just started this a few years ago. It started simple with one ornament with the year on it. And well..... Now I buy like 3 or 4 every trip. I love all the fun ornaments they have! I started the Shoe Collection!

* Jewelry
I have a few pieces I've bought during our trips. They're not expensive pieces, but I love them. I love wearing them :) I usually go for the more subtle things...not the ones that scream "DISNEY!!!!" but that's just me. My favorite is a necklace that says "Love" in rhinestones with a tiny Mickey head off the "L".

*Housewares
We all have a kitchen at home. We all use dishes. So this is definitely a souvenir that gets used. I have a few mugs, some kitchen clips, a set of vintage Disney glasses, a Mickey pancake mold. There's a set of Mickey flatware I've had my eye on for a couple years, but have yet to actually buy it.

* Sweatshirt 

Where I'm from, it's cold for many months out of the year. And even in the warm months, it's chilly at night. So we own sweatshirts...lots of them. Disney sweatshirts are pricey, but they're good quality and we get lots of use out of them.

* Pressed Pennies
I got kind of obsessed about this one for a while ;) Disney has Pressed Penny machines all over it's property. Don't know what a Pressed Penny is? Basically the machine takes your penny...and 50 cents... and squishes it. When it come out it has a new picture pressed into it. All kinds of pictures, from Mickey and friends to princesses, to attraction logos and other fun stuff. They even sell books to hold all your pennies. I have a few. I counted once. I think I had over 300 different pennies just form Disney World. And there were tons I hadn't gotten. The machines are easy to spot. Make sure you have tons of quarters on you and nice shiny pennies.

So what are your favorite souvenirs?? Anyone wanna share their souvenir regrets? That will be an upcoming post ;)

What is the Best Time to Visit Walt Disney World?

If you ask 10 people that question, you'll get 10 different answers. Everyone has their own definition of "best." For me, best is when the parks are quietest. I'm not a fan of huge crowds. I don't like waiting in long lines. I like to feel relaxed and calm on vacation, not worrying about everything we have to skip because the parks are so crowded.

According to TouringPlans.com, the lowest crowds are:

The week after New Year's Day
End of January into the beginning of February
End of February into first week of March
End of August through the first week of October
End of October through mid November
The week after Thanksgiving through mid December

It's best to avoid all holidays or school breaks. Even just a single day holiday like Martin Luther King Jr's birthday or Columbus day will draw crowds, though not as much as full school breaks do. The marathons draw crowds as well.

Highest crowds:

Mid February (President's week)
Pretty much all of March and sometimes April (Spring Break and Easter)
Memorial Day weekend
Fourth of July
Most of June, July, and August
Thanksgiving week
Mid December through the first of the year

But some of the busier times of year are also a great time to be there, if you can handle crowds. There are all kinds of fun events going on, such as:

Marathons (February, April, and November)
Flower and Garden Festival (Spring)
Food and Wine Festival (Fall)
Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party (September and October)
Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party (November and December)

When's your favorite time to go to Walt Disney World??

UPDATES coming soon!!

So so excited for my upcoming Disney trip because that means I will be updating my blog! My plan is to take TONS of pics of EVERYTHING! And share them with all of you! Attractions, shows, decor, and most importantly, FOOD! I'll be experiencing two new-to-me restaurants: Mama Melrose and Tusker House and I plan to give you a full report. As well as updating some of my other restaurant notes. Is there anything specifically you'd like me to check out and report back on???

7 Awesome Reasons to visit Epcot!

Over the years, I have heard many people say.... "Epcot's not really for kids." Or they'll ask, "Won't my kids be bored there?" My answer is NO! They will NOT be bored! Epcot is a fabulous park for kids! Here are my reasons why!

1- The Living Seas Pavilion. This is a really fun pavilion. Your journey under the sea starts with a really cool attraction- The Seas with Nemo and Friends. I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but it's a really neat ride that combines real aquatic life with technology. And when you're done, you can explore the pavilion, which is home to all sorts of awesome fish and sea animals. My favorite part is the sea horses :) So cute! You can also check out Bruce's Sub hub and learn all about sharks with interactive games and play areas. And where else can you get your picture taken inside a giant shark's mouth??? And don't forget about Turtle Talk with Crush! He's so cool!

2- The Imagination Pavilion. Another fun pavilion! This one starts with a cute little attraction called Journey into the Imagination with Figment. It's a tram ride that gets your imagination flowing with surprises and fun and a cute song that will be stuck in your head all day! When the ride's over, check out Image Works with all kinds of fun interactive things to keep the imagination going. The Captain EO 3D show is there too, which is pretty darn cool, regardless of how old it is. (I saw this show way back in 1989 at Disneyland!)

3- Spaceship Earth. Yep. The giant silver ball in the middle of Epcot! Most people don't even realize there is an attraction inside! And it is such a cool one. One of my favs at Epcot! Take a trip through time to discover how the way we communicate has changed scene the dawn of time. And then you can create your own video of the future--with your face in it-- and email it to yourself! At the end of the attraction, there are all sorts of interactive games to play. Very cool and even a little futuristic!

4- Soarin'! Now this IS my favorite attraction in all of Epcot! Take a seat in a gigantic hang glider and prepare yourself for awesomeness. Soarin' takes guests up into the air, feet dangling, into a huge domed screen that completely surrounds you. You'll soar through California, experiencing sites and smells. This attraction was original created for Disneyland, but will soon be updated to showcase sights from all around the world, not just California.

5- Test Track. This is one fast ride! Design your race car before you go in, then test it's features while you ride. Up hills, around turns, then out on the open road to see how fast you can go! This is really fun. It has been re-themed recently and the updated version is pretty darn cool.

6- World Showcase. I just love visiting all the countries. I know it's not the same as a real world tour, but it might be the closest I ever get. I think it's really fun to get a glimpse of each country's culture and history and meet some of the people who were born and raised there. Each country is a little different in it's offerings. Mexico has a great little boat ride that's like a Mexican it's a small world. China and Canada have really cool films. The USA has a great animatronic show. There are always fun street shows going on and lots of cool nooks and crannies to explore. Every single one has amazing shops with really cool merchandise and awesome food and beverages. Plus, this is the place to meet some of your favorite characters in the country where they're from! And if the kids need something else fun to do, check out the Agent P Adventure-- an interactive game that takes them to several countries in World Showcase looking for clues.

7- Kidcot stations. My kids really love these! Each country in World Showcase has a special station for kids. They can start wherever they'd like and receive a cardboard character in a stick. (Right now it's Perry the Platypus!) They can color him in and then at each stop, they collect a stamp on the back or on the wooden handle from each country. For a small fee, kids can also purchase a Passport. When they stop at each country, the Kidcot Cast Members will stamp their book and write a little message in their native language. Very cool keepsake.

So, what is your favorite thing to do at Epcot? Do you think it's as awesome as I do?

A few words about Cast Members

Every trip we have ever taken to Walt Disney World, a big part of what has made it all so wonderful is the employees....the Cast Members. They often go out of their way to help or make you smile. I openly admit I feel special when someone calls me Princess...and I'm 38! They really know how to make guests feel special and add that extra touch to make you feel as if you have been transported out of reality. They act the part and live it. Some of the best experiences with Cast Members have been at The Haunted Mansion and Tower of Terror. So so awesome. And the Jungle Cruise operators? Amazing! I heard that's the most sought after job on property :) Even their uniforms coordinate with their job and it all adds to the overall magic.

And they really seem to love their job! I have been all over social media for many years and have had the opportunity to chat with current and former WDW cast members. They adore every minute of it. (Well, I'm sure not every minute...I know there is aggravating stuff associated with working at the largest amusement park on the planet!) But they genuinely want to be there. They wear their name tags like a badge of honor.

So next time you're at a Disney park, play along! Take pictures! The people at Disney are part of what makes it so awesome!

Why do you love Disney?

I was recently asked why I love Disney World. It's a tough question because it's very hard to pick one reason!

For us, family time is very important. Our everyday lives are very busy, especially now that the kids are getting older. Sports and clubs, homework. My own work schedule and hubby's, too. I used to always insist on dinner together every night, but sadly, even that is starting to diminish. And I swore it never would :( So when we go on vacation, and are able to escape from everything, we are truly able to get back our family and just relax and have fun.

I love Disney because they give you a complete escape. It's so much more than an amusement park in the middle of Florida. You are transported to another world. A world where fantasy becomes reality, where adventure lurks around every corner, where the impossible becomes possible. You're part of the story, not just an observer. Your stresses and responsibilities are miles away, and not just geographically.

Even your meals are an escape!

Disney does many things right, but in my opinion, the biggest is having the ability to whisk you out of your everyday life and transport you someplace really special...someplace magical. :)

Taking young kids to Disney...yay or nay? I say YAY!

Look at those smiles!
This was back in 2008, when my kids were 6 and 20 months.

Many parents state they are not taking their children to Disney World until they are old enough to remember it all. This seems kinda silly to me. Kids who are 1 or 2, even 3, don't remember anything from that age, so any vacation they're taken on will be a long forgotten trip. So why not go to Disney?

To me, vacations are all about family bonding, fun, togetherness. Enjoying each other without the responsibilities of home, whether it's an amusement park, a beach, camping, historical sites, museums, parks. The point is to be together and have fun. And young children aren't going to remember playing in the sand or roasting marshmallows either.

My first, and probably the most important reason, to take young children to Disney is that Disney knows how to cater to families. We've done family vacations to other places...not so easy. The restaurants aren't entertaining and the kids get bored. It's not always easy to find a bathroom or somewhere to change a diaper or nurse a baby. People give you dirty looks if your kid cries or throws a little tantrum. Strollers are frowned upon and often hard to maneuver in many places. And if you've ever tried to take a stroller on a sandy beach, you know it's nearly impossible! LOL! Disney makes traveling and touring with kids so easy...effortless. Which allows parents more time to relax and enjoy themselves.

Secondly, compared to other amusement parks, Disney does it right when it comes to families and small children. If you go to any Six Flags park or other similar park, you're lucky if you find 2-3 family friendly rides. Mostly they have thrill rides or rides just for small children. There is rarely anything parents and kids can enjoy together. Well, guess what, the majority of Disney attractions are family friendly. We even took our son on most things when he was only 9 months old. Obviously the roller coasters are out, and a few others, but Disney knows how to make attractions, and Broadway-style shows, that families can enjoy together.

Reason number three is all about money and the money-saving aspects of taking young kids to Disney. This is the only time you can take them and not pay for them. Once the kids turn 3, they need a park pass and if you decide to do the Disney Dining Plan, you need to pay for a plan for them too. When the kids are under 3, all you pay for is the adults. A value resort room is roughly $90-$130 a night, depending on the season. In my experience, it's hard to find a hotel or accommodations anywhere else in the country for much less than that. Add on your entertainment, which in Disney is the parks. For two adults, you need to figure roughly $500 for 2 basic park passes for a week, which includes all four main parks and all the attractions and shows within them. Anywhere else you go, you have to pay entertainment costs, whether it be museum entrance fees, mini golf fare, Six Flags entry, etc... Yes, camping is pretty cheap, and the entertainment is pretty much free, hiking and what not, but it is not easy to take small children camping. I can't see how that is a relaxing vacation. And I guess if you take a beach vacation and do nothing but sit on the beach everyday, you can eliminate entertainment costs there too. But, if you're like me and like to do and see things while on vacation, it adds up fast.

Lastly is the memories parents will have. The kids will not remember it...we know that. They won't remember anything from that age. But you as a parent, you sure will remember it, and remember the smiles on their faces going on fun rides for the first time, experiencing attractions together. You will have pictures of your toddler with Mickey and Donald, excited and happy with a pure joy that wanes as kids get older. You will remember how it it felt to sit in front of the castle at night as fireworks explode above, cradling your sleeping child in your arms.

Art of Animation was A. MAZE. ING!

Be prepared for a TON of photos!

When we originally booked this trip, way back when, we were booked for Pop Century. But then my parents needed to postpone. I was really bummed...but then I realized something awesome. Art of Animation would be open for the new date! SWEETNESS! So we rebooked for a Cars suite. And then my parents needed to back out completely. Bummed again. We couldn't afford the suite on our own....well...we probably could have, but it cut $1200 off our package to switch to a standard value resort room. And that's just too much of a savings not to. I was bummed to not be able to stay at the new resort. But then, they changed the projected opening date for the standard section at Art of Animation! The Little Mermaid rooms were supposed to open mid December 2012, but then it changed to mid September! Woo Hoo!!! I made the switch and I was so so excited!!

We arrived and were simply blown away. Even the lobby is breathtaking with all the drawings on the wall and the way the front desk area is lit up.

Our room was ready, so we headed over. The walk wasn't exactly short, but we didn't care. Room was so fun!

The resort is breathtaking. SOOOO much attention to detail. Every morning and evening, we had to walk through The Lion King section. Very very cool with the character statues, elephant graveyard, and foliage. Really felt like we were somewhere else.

The Little Mermaid section was so bright and colorful. We loved posing with Ariel's treasures and of course, the statue of Prince Eric!

The Cars section was amazing...like walking into the movie. We were instantly transported to Route 66 and Radiator Springs. Cars is one of our family's favorite movies, and we were in heaven!

And lastly, Finding Nemo. Very colorful and fun. The pool was awesome. Loved the giant scuba mask!

We had lunch at Landscape of Flavors and it was so so good. The variety of meals was wonderful. I had the portuguese sausage and it was really good. The decor in the food court was really pretty. A really great place to eat!

I think the only downside to staying there was the buses. Maybe it's because the resort is new and filled to capacity when we were there, but the buses were crazy packed. Our first night at Magic Kingdom, we took one look at the never ending bus line and hopped in line for Pop Century. We had a bit of a walk, but it wasn't bad. If you walk through Pop and take the Generation Gap bridge over (if that's even what they're still calling it.....), it's pretty convenient. In our opinion, far better than standing in line for an hour waiting for a bus. We did this several nights. It was just easier. And the views from the bridge were so so pretty :)

The New Fantasyland!! TONS of pics!

Been home for almost two weeks and finally I have the chance to start writing some blogs about our trip!

It really was a fantastic trip! The kids are both at great ages. My youngest could finally go on almost everything. That was so so great!! So many attractions we can FINALLY enjoy together as a family!! No more making one parent wait while the other goes on with kidlet #1!

We got to experience some pretty cool things on our trip, and one was the new Fantasyland expansion! It wasn't "officially" opened yet...we missed that by one day. We came home on December 5th. But it was all open and we got to experience everything!

The one thing I wanted to experience most was the new Little Mermaid attraction, since it is one of my favorite movies! :) I was prepared to wait in line for it...longer than we normally wait. But to our surprise, since we went there first thing, there was no line! Walked right on!!! And it was so so awesome!!

Eric's castle :)

Inside the queue.

There she is! Not a great photo though :(

Outside the attraction.

After the ride, we checked out the Ariel meet n greet in her new grotto. Waited maybe 10 minutes!!!

We checked out Gaston's Tavern next. Very cool! We weren't ready for a snack but vowed to come back another time.

Inside one of the dining rooms.

We then headed over to Storybook Circus, which was also still dead at this time of the morning. We rode Dumbo right away, and even though there was no wait, we let the kids check out the new waiting area. It was cool, but I think I expected more. It was real nice not having to wait in a long line and I bet the double Dumbos really helps during busy times.

The Dumbo play area.

We lucked out and did character meet n greets, which was really cool to see Goofy, Donald, Daisy and Minnie all decked out in circus wear!

We also met with Pluto and Marie in another tent. We rode the reimagined Barnstormer then headed back into the other part of the expansion for an early lunch at Be Our Guest. The place is GORGEOUS!! Like, unbelievably amazing. I only wish the food would have been as amazing :( We got in line before 11...pretty long already. I think we got in and ordered somewhere around 11:30 ish. The touchscreen was real nice and there were CMs there to help. We sat in the main ballroom and the food arrived shortly after. Nice to have it delivered like that! I had the croche monsieur sandwich, which was just a fancy name for grilled ham and swiss. It really wasn't anything special. And it just came with regular Disney fries. I guess I assumed because the menu said pomme frites it would be something different and special....though I do know that just means friench fries in French. Oh well! Hubby had the steak sandwich, which he said was okay, and the French onion soup, which was pretty blah. He was really disappointed since he is a connoisseur of French onion soup and must try it everywhere. My daughter didn't eat her kids pork meal...and when I tried it, I wasn't overly impressed. But the place was gorgeous. Maybe dinner is better :)

On the bride leading into Beast's castle.

Two of these lions flank the doors.

The hallway leading to the ordering room.

The ordering room.

The main ballroom.

My sandwich.

The blah soup.

The rose room. Kind of a dark photo...but it was pretty dark in there.

The rose!

The third dining room.

Mosaic on the way out.

One thing I noticed that to me made SUCH a huge improvement to the current Fantasyland was the moving of Dumbo. It really was in an awful spot and it made maneuvering through extremely difficult at busy times of the day. Without it, the land feels so open and so easy to walk through. Kudos on the move Disney!

New entranceway to the expansion, where Dumbo used to be.

Our second day at Magic Kingdom, we got some tasty treats from Gaston's and got to meet n greet with him :)

LeFou's brew, giant cinnamon bun, and chocolate croissant, all bought with DDP snack credits :)

So there you have it! I think the changes to Fantasyland are wonderful and I look forward to seeing it when it's all finished later on with the new Dwarves mine car ride :)