TODAY IS THE DAY (For 2018 Disney World Bookings, That Is!)

Disney World Lovers, REJOICE – as today is the day many of you have been waiting for! Historically, Disney releases vacation package information/booking ability for the following year sometime in June, and this year it is June 20th (TODAY!)

The past few years this day hasn’t really meant much to me, as I wasn’t planning a Disney World vacation in the coming year – but since we are (finally!) Headed Back to WDW in 2018, I am VERY excited about this day indeed. Plus – I love to make lists and budgets and plan things – so I know I will be heading over to Disney World’s Website today to price out my vacations (plural – both real and the dream version where we stay a Deluxe Resort and have VIP Passes…hey, it’s fun to play pretend sometimes, right?)

Happy Booking!

I’m Goin’ To Disney World!

I am the first to admit that I am a lucky LUCKY woman – my husband is supportive, funny, reliable, and easy-going. He knows I tend to be more of the “take charge” type, and he lets me do that without question most of the time. But when it comes to vacation planning – he has made one thing clear – that he doesn’t exactly prefer going to Disney World EVERY TIME we go away. We have gone several times together, and had a blast, but his preferences definitely lean toward exploring/seeing new places, and beaches (and who can blame him, really?)

We’ve decided to go away together next fall, and when it came time to pick a destination, we really had to do some thinking to come up with a place we would BOTH really enjoy visiting. We finally came up with a great idea – a week in Florida, with a most of it spent in Tampa – taking trips to St. Petersburg for the beach, and checking out different local restaurants/breweries in the area, and then heading to Orlando for a few days, and staying overnight at DISNEY WORLD! He will get his beaches, new places, and beer and food to try, and I will get to visit the Happiest Place On Earth with my favorite guy – what could be better?

A few snapshots of our times together in Disney – what amazing memories we have made together!

Marriage – it’s all about compromise, isn’t it? I am just grateful that we were able to come up with a trip that gives us both things that we love, and I can’t WAIT to visit both old and new places with the love of my life!

…Ok, so is it next fall yet though? Seriously, I’m ready to go NOW! Well, at least it’s not too early to start planning…I feel a list or two coming on…#ListQueenStrikesAgain

T.G.I.F. Pic Of The Week – Top 3 Disney Things I Can’t WAIT To Share

I cannot WAIT to take my little guy to Disney World – and speaking of waits – this one is KILLING me! We originally wanted to wait until he turns 4 to take him, but I seriously cannot last that long – so I am attempting to convince my husband that we should go when he turns 3. Does this mean diapers? Probably. Does it mean renting/bringing a stroller? Probably….which is seriously one of my pet peeves. But the bottom line is – I want him to experience all the amazing things WDW has to offer, and to start making his own Disney memories! What am I most excited to share with him? Well, everything of course – but there are 3 things that stand out:

The Castle – There are few things quite like this view down Main Street USA, when you’re standing right by the entrance and can see Cinderella’s Castle off in the distance…makes me tear up every time (yeah, I’m a nostalgic weirdo, it’s cool – I own that about myself)

The MOUSE – I cannot wait to see what he thinks of Mickey! Of course there’s the possibility that he will scream, cry, and refuse to get near him, but I personally think he will be more curious than anything – he will want to touch his nose and pat his head, for sure. No matter how it turns out, it will be a memorable moment, for sure!

His First Mickey Bar – He loves ice cream, and he REALLY enjoys making a mess – so this is the perfect treat for him! Seriously though, it’s like a rite of passage – having a Mickey Bar while watching the parade make its way down Main Street is a must-do, and I will be there to capture the moment on camera (and will have a packet of wipes on standby for the aftermath too…). I am sure he will love them just as much (if not more!) than his dad does (his smile says it all, doesn’t it?)

I am hoping to get to share these (and many more!) Disney moments with my son next fall – but I might have to exercise patience and wait another year…either way, it will be the first of many amazing family trips to the Happiest Place On Earth!

TGIF!

T.G.I.F. Pic Of The Week – WDW’s Good Neighbor Hotels

Ok let me just start by saying that I am a HUGE advocate of staying on property when vacationing at Disney World, the Walt Disney World Hotels are amazing, and offer great service, food, and lodging for all. But I have to admit, as my family grows and changes, our needs when it comes to vacationing are changing too. Like – I would prefer a kitchen so I can prepare some of my own meals, and I would like a separate bedroom/sleeping area for my son – to name a few. So staying in a small hotel room with 2 double beds and no place for my son to play or my husband and I to be alone…yeah, not so attractive anymore, really

Sorry Disney – but I think it’s time I expanded my horizons and looked off site for lodging options. I know, I know – it’s crazy sounding, but believe it or not there’s a whole other world of hotels right outside the gates of Walt Disney World!

Many of these hotels are what Disney calls “Good Neighbor Hotels” – which means that they are on a short list of hotels that Disney deems worthy of associating with – they have great service, are AAA approved, are close to the Parks, and have an on-site guest services desk that can answer questions and assist with Disney ticket purchases too! Check out just of what you can expect at these Hotels:

All these hotels offer awesome pools with tons of space for your whole family to lounge and play. Additionally, many of these hotels offer perks like shuttles to the Disney Parks, free breakfasts, game rooms, water slides, and plenty more, too!

Many offer full kitchens with stoves, dishes and cookware – allowing you to cook your own meals, which could potentially save you a TON of money

Oh hello separate bedroom perfect for my son (or my husband and me!)

Another nice to have amenity is an open floor plan – a combined dining/living/kitchen area makes my life a lot easier when it comes to keeping track of little ones!

All of these are photos from some of the various WDW Good Neighbor hotels, and these are some places I will be seriously considering for my next WDW trip – more space, privacy, a kitchen, and just minutes from WDW? Sign me up! Oh – and did I mention – a much lower price than similar amenities/space at WDW Resorts? Sorry Disney – but at this stage in my life, every penny matters – which is why I am considering heading off property next time I visit. Learn more via the Official Disney Good Neighbor Hotel Website

TGIF!

T.G.I.F. Pic Of The Week – The Ultimate #FBF

A Little flashback on this Friday – to when I was just a wee one…

 

I was destined to love Disney from a young age – since I’ve been dressing the part for over 30 years

I remember when a new Disney Store opened, or sometimes they had special events – and they would bring in characters and you could do a meet and greet – just like at the Parks!

Here’s a few from my family’s (MANY) Disney trips over the years:

When you went on a Fishing trip at Disney, they used to take Polaroids of you with your catch (that was in the pre digital days, of course)

I give this guy (my dad) a LOT of credit – not only did he plan a yearly trip to Disney World for us, but he was a pro at finding characters and planning things so that I got to meet all my faves. And this was in the days before the internet, before you could just pull up an app on your smartphone to tell you where Mickey would be – so he really put a lot of work into making these trips awesome for us all

TGIF!

T.G.I.F. Pic Of The Week – Packing For the WDW Parks – My Top 5 “Must Haves”

When you’re getting ready to leave your WDW Resort hotel room and head to the Disney Parks for the day, there are some items you will DEFINITELY want to make sure you bring along with you:

PONCHOS are super essential – as it can (and likely will) rain while you’re at the Parks

Sunscreen – apply it often, and be liberal with it. No one wants to get burned as red as Sebastian the crab on your first day at WDW. See how white me and my family are? Well – sunscreen helps us stay that way

Water bottles – fill them up with water and ice before you head out, and be sure to drink a LOT and refill as needed when at the Parks – as that Florida sun can be brutal, and dehydration is no fun

Ziploc baggies in assorted sizes – they come in handy for a LOT of things, trust me

Multiple cameras – because you’ll want to capture all the great parts of this vacation, trust me. And yes that is a Mickey film camera – cool, right?

Moral of the story? Be prepared, and you will spend more time having fun on your WDW vacation

TGIF!