Yes, yes it is. Or no, no, it isn't. This is probably the dumbest question ever.
My husband sent me a link to an article or blog post saying five things you should spend your money on that would be better spent then a Disney vacation. It was laughable. Well, sure! You should fund your child's college education before going to ride rides and laugh with Mickey. And yes, there are a lot of options for other vacations that could be cheaper perhaps.
This is the deal. The straight poop. You KNOW if you have enough to go to Disney. The tickets are the most expensive thing. A family of four, for five days will spend well over a thousand dollars for their tickets alone. Not the hotel, the food, the extras. There are hotel options there which run the gamut for pricing from OK to expensive. There are food options that run from pricey to whoppers! Oh, and if you need to pay for getting there (and everyone has to get there, unless you live there), well, that is the other thing that can potentially be more then the tickets. That they just raised the ticket prices last weekend is only further proof.
It is not a cheap vacation or a bargain vacation. What it is though, is so very swell. The Disney folks like to throw out the word 'magical'. I completely laughed at this marketing ploy when I first heard it.
It is a thoroughly immersive, completely fun, let go vacation. What Disney does, and does right, is layer the experience. Surroundings, small touches, over the top stuff, all of it. It is nice and it is fun.
We didn't vacation really, except for whatever we could do for under 500 dollars. I am a flight attendant folks, and I didn't vacation, unless I could do it cheap. My kids didn't do any beach, except for off season, and in Texas. Then my dad died.
It hit me that stuff was stuff, but memories made were forever. Sounds extremely cliched but think back to your childhood. I bet at least half of your memories are from family vacations, am I right?
Ok, back to original question. If you have outstanding bills, like credit card debt, wait and pay the things off first. Do it. No amount of magic is going to make seeing the bills multiply when you get back feel any better. Debt will keep you up at night, and let's face it, you need to be well rested for Disney!
If you have a vacation budget and are wondering where to go, please consider WDW. Some people have annual vacations such as ski every year (that is a vacation which has zippo appeal to me but that is what makes the world go round, right? Different opinions?) or head to the beach. The trip we took to Grand Canyon was a great one, and I am so happy we did it. The beach is always soothing, and that is a great thing. For goofy, crazy fun? WDW wins it for me, every time.
Yes, it is expensive. From merely dang expensive to crazy expensive, it is expensive. Some folks go for a long time (week to even more). We have done five days at WDW to three at DL, to three for me, and then one night for my son and I. Worth it? That is an operative term that only you can answer.
I am a huge fan of goofy, crazy fun. HUGE. And yes, I am ready to go back...
Main Mouse
Parade Magic!
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Friday, February 6, 2015
Ah, Friends.
Ok, so the new year is upon us and folks are planning various trips. Folks have just come back from various trips. I want to plan a trip! Ok, I sort of have already, but it is still in the seriously iffy stage, as not sure I can convince my dear husband that we need to go back quite this soon. But it is planned! I am an advance planner and then when I get to WDW, I take those plans and use them for framework, and let some stuff go. It is so very nice for me to not have to think on vacation about where to eat, or which ride to go, which has the shortest lines.
A friend is planning right now, her family's trip to Universal, with Disney tacked on the latter part of the trip. Her aversion to planning this particular trip really makes me want to just run with the trip and then present her with an itinerary but alas. I will refrain. It isn't her first rodeo with Orlando and all of it's offerings, and she will be swell (but get on it already!)
Two other friends just recently went, in the last two weeks. Two totally different experiences, same week to go. Both friends are crowd averse (though who isn't?).
Friend A, planned. She got with another good friend who showed her the basics (get the guide books! Read the websites! Create a touring plan!) and she ran with it. She took her three kids and her husband and they had a marvelous time.
NOTE: To have a touring plan, does NOT mean you have to follow the touring plan to the letter. Not even close. Just gives you a basic touring plan to roll with, with historical data to support which ride to ride and when. If you want to ride a certain ride over and over, do it!!! Basic plan. Custom plan (optimize!), either way, it is nice to have some knowledge of where to go and when, so you aren't roaming lost and end up at a favorite ride at the same time as 47 thousand of your friends and neighbors and have to wait in a super long line.
Friend B, didn't plan so much. She thought if you bought the tickets, the package, it was all good, right? Before the trip, she got with Friend A, and other planner friends, and they helped her out with obtaining fast passes for rides, and some advanced dinner reservations. She was resistant to the idea that she had to plan a vacation. She went and did not have as good of a time as friend B. She stressed while she was there about what to do and when. Not before, but during the trip. It didn't help that she got sick half way through the vacation (though she did have her parents there to assist, she stressed that they wouldn't know what to do).
The end result? Planning before, even a little, reduces or even eliminates the need for stress during the vacation.
Go to the beach? Just reserve some bikes ahead of time and maybe make a dinner reservation. Go skiing, you better bet that there is some pre-planning going on. WDW is no different. It is a big vacation, that needs a bit of vacation planning. Plan ahead of time and the actual trip is so very easy! Ok, well, stuff happens, like illness or sleep deprivation or ?, but the framework of a trip is set, you have room for the stuff that happens.
A friend is planning right now, her family's trip to Universal, with Disney tacked on the latter part of the trip. Her aversion to planning this particular trip really makes me want to just run with the trip and then present her with an itinerary but alas. I will refrain. It isn't her first rodeo with Orlando and all of it's offerings, and she will be swell (but get on it already!)
Two other friends just recently went, in the last two weeks. Two totally different experiences, same week to go. Both friends are crowd averse (though who isn't?).
Friend A, planned. She got with another good friend who showed her the basics (get the guide books! Read the websites! Create a touring plan!) and she ran with it. She took her three kids and her husband and they had a marvelous time.
NOTE: To have a touring plan, does NOT mean you have to follow the touring plan to the letter. Not even close. Just gives you a basic touring plan to roll with, with historical data to support which ride to ride and when. If you want to ride a certain ride over and over, do it!!! Basic plan. Custom plan (optimize!), either way, it is nice to have some knowledge of where to go and when, so you aren't roaming lost and end up at a favorite ride at the same time as 47 thousand of your friends and neighbors and have to wait in a super long line.
Friend B, didn't plan so much. She thought if you bought the tickets, the package, it was all good, right? Before the trip, she got with Friend A, and other planner friends, and they helped her out with obtaining fast passes for rides, and some advanced dinner reservations. She was resistant to the idea that she had to plan a vacation. She went and did not have as good of a time as friend B. She stressed while she was there about what to do and when. Not before, but during the trip. It didn't help that she got sick half way through the vacation (though she did have her parents there to assist, she stressed that they wouldn't know what to do).
The end result? Planning before, even a little, reduces or even eliminates the need for stress during the vacation.
Go to the beach? Just reserve some bikes ahead of time and maybe make a dinner reservation. Go skiing, you better bet that there is some pre-planning going on. WDW is no different. It is a big vacation, that needs a bit of vacation planning. Plan ahead of time and the actual trip is so very easy! Ok, well, stuff happens, like illness or sleep deprivation or ?, but the framework of a trip is set, you have room for the stuff that happens.
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
What to watch to prepare for your trip
So you are going to WDW (or DL, no matter!). How to get the kids or you into the spirit and generate some more excitement? Watch some Disney on DVD or on TV or wherever, however you can find it! I will denote the ones which have rides directly associated with the movie with an R, and for those with meet and greets, an M.
The oldies but goodies are Snow White (R,M), Cinderella (M), Winnie the Pooh (and the blustery day-R,M), Cars (R in DL, and M), Frozen (as if you haven't seen that already-M, and future ride to come), and maybe anything that is traditional Mickey Mouse (M, just about everywhere). Add to that the new movie Big Hero 6 (M in Hollywood Studios), Aladdin (R,M) Aristocats (M), and Peter Pan (great R, and M). Little Mermaid (two R, and M) is good too. For the younger set, I recommend the Disney Junior shows (for when you visit Hollywood Studios).
Did we do all of this? Nope, but we do watch them all on a regular basis. Wish we had watched Peter Pan closer to the trip (just a lovely ride), and we can't get enough of the old time Mickey Mouse videos.
There are movies which we did NOT watch, such as Dumbo (R), for the sadness factor, and we didn't watch Finding Nemo or The Lion King for the same reasons. Finding Nemo has the most fun show (turtle talk with Crush) in Epcot, and Animal Kingdom has an amazing show of the Lion King. If your group is good with the loss of a parent, go for it. If not, still do the rides, and enjoy them as is. They are swell and lovely.
What have we not seen? Anything with Chip and Dale. Still need to do that, and haven't done Stitch and Lilo yet either (though the ride in WDW is universally panned as the worst ride in the park).
I am sure I am missing some. Anybody have one that they love to see to prepare for the trip?
The oldies but goodies are Snow White (R,M), Cinderella (M), Winnie the Pooh (and the blustery day-R,M), Cars (R in DL, and M), Frozen (as if you haven't seen that already-M, and future ride to come), and maybe anything that is traditional Mickey Mouse (M, just about everywhere). Add to that the new movie Big Hero 6 (M in Hollywood Studios), Aladdin (R,M) Aristocats (M), and Peter Pan (great R, and M). Little Mermaid (two R, and M) is good too. For the younger set, I recommend the Disney Junior shows (for when you visit Hollywood Studios).
Did we do all of this? Nope, but we do watch them all on a regular basis. Wish we had watched Peter Pan closer to the trip (just a lovely ride), and we can't get enough of the old time Mickey Mouse videos.
There are movies which we did NOT watch, such as Dumbo (R), for the sadness factor, and we didn't watch Finding Nemo or The Lion King for the same reasons. Finding Nemo has the most fun show (turtle talk with Crush) in Epcot, and Animal Kingdom has an amazing show of the Lion King. If your group is good with the loss of a parent, go for it. If not, still do the rides, and enjoy them as is. They are swell and lovely.
What have we not seen? Anything with Chip and Dale. Still need to do that, and haven't done Stitch and Lilo yet either (though the ride in WDW is universally panned as the worst ride in the park).
I am sure I am missing some. Anybody have one that they love to see to prepare for the trip?
Monday, December 8, 2014
To plan or not to plan
So I just love this one particular group of Disney folks, called Liners, which is from the touringplans.com website, and the app that goes with it, called Lines. They can get cranky now and then but seriously, they are swell, fun, and a fountain of information. Join Touringplans and the app comes with it.
There is also a forum that recently started and while I can't quite get into that as much (limited time for me, means the app is much more convenient). I really love the chat on the lines app as it is easy, and you can ask anything and someone helpful answers.
What the app helps with is planning your WDW vacation (there is also one for Disneyland but that is a whole different animal).
I put planning in bold for a reason. There are different schools of thought, and all valid.
1. PLAN! Plan hard, plan early, be thorough. Your vacation will be wonderful if it is completely planned with ever conceivable fun thing to do at Disney. PLAN.
2. Do not plan! It is vacation after all, and a time for relaxation.
3. The middle. Some of both numbers 1 and 2. I fall into this category, as do most folks.
Why neither one or two really work? Humans. Big, small, all humans are, well, human.
If every minute of every day are planned, then you will be let down and big time. There is absolutely no way that you can control other people. The adage of "whom can you control? ONLY yourself." is never more true here. You are going to a place with a lot of other people, all of whom have their own ideas of what they want to do, want to experience, want to see. And on their own time frame.
So other people go to WDW. Also, you can not control folks in your own group. Other adults in your group, and especially children. I have heard that folks plan so their children can experience the magic. This is a great idea! Just allow for unscheduled magic, bathroom breaks, meltdowns (leave and fast, start over later or another day), and any other randomness that can and will happen.
So planning is bad? Nooooo! Planning is good!
Let's visit what happens to the non planner, shall we? A family walks into Magic Kingdom after waiting in the bag check line, the scan your magic band line, and the park has been open for a couple of hours (no way will this family get up early on vacation. No. Way.) They pick up a park map. Folks are running by them like banshees, but not these folks, they are going to enjoy their vacation!
They pick a ride and head towards it. Oops. There is a 45 minute wait. But the kids really want to do this, so they get in line. They finally ride the ride (after getting frustrated watching folks cheat with something to do with the bands), and pick another. It is mildly far to walk, and after a bathroom break, and oops, it's lunch time, so time to eat, they hit that next ride. 60 minute wait.
This goes on, and is extremely frustrating. So perhaps the zero planning isn't so great either.
The middle? Figure out what kind of family you have and embrace it. Look at a few resources (books, websites, or blogs) to figure out what you are interested in. Not an early family under any circumstances? There are less popular rides which are lovely and swell, and don't have huge waits, in the afternoon. There is FastPassPlus (FPP) where you can cheat the lines on the popular rides (not really cheating, just preplanned, a little), for those rides or character meet and greets that you absolutely have to do. Yes, ideally, you can plan the FPP 60 days out (for those staying on Disney property), but truly, you can work the FPP around up until the day of (ok, so Anna and Elsa seem to defy gravity on that one, but everything else can be had within reason, if you look often enough). You use the three, and you can start to add an additional one, and then another, and so on. On my solo trip, I had seven FPP on one day and it was swell.
Also, put in completely non planned times in the mix. Figure out what you want to do during the vacation. The pool and swim. See other fancy resorts. Pick a park and see the shows. Do something that didn't work out on an earlier day that you missed. Sleep! It is loose people, and it is good.
Go early, and waits for popular stuff is less. Stay to the end, and most families have gone back to the hotel, and waits for popular stuff is less. If you want the middle part of the day, the most crowded, well, that is time for FPP, patience and finding the random Disney magic, as opposed to the popular Disney magic.
I will stop and address planning more in another post. Suffice to say, I tend to look at the lines chat mentioned above, a lot. Why? Because I obsessively plan? Nope. Because I find out so many tricks and nifty things that I didn't know to look for, or reservations which I really want to get, that I didn't know about. Disney has so many layers of fun and magic, plan even just a tiny bit, so that the frustration part doesn't overshadow the rest.
I love Disney. Just love it (or why else would I be writing this blog?). It is very, very swell. I laugh so very much there and even tear up at the sweetness. Good stuff. I bet you can find that sweet spot too.
There is also a forum that recently started and while I can't quite get into that as much (limited time for me, means the app is much more convenient). I really love the chat on the lines app as it is easy, and you can ask anything and someone helpful answers.
What the app helps with is planning your WDW vacation (there is also one for Disneyland but that is a whole different animal).
I put planning in bold for a reason. There are different schools of thought, and all valid.
1. PLAN! Plan hard, plan early, be thorough. Your vacation will be wonderful if it is completely planned with ever conceivable fun thing to do at Disney. PLAN.
2. Do not plan! It is vacation after all, and a time for relaxation.
3. The middle. Some of both numbers 1 and 2. I fall into this category, as do most folks.
Why neither one or two really work? Humans. Big, small, all humans are, well, human.
If every minute of every day are planned, then you will be let down and big time. There is absolutely no way that you can control other people. The adage of "whom can you control? ONLY yourself." is never more true here. You are going to a place with a lot of other people, all of whom have their own ideas of what they want to do, want to experience, want to see. And on their own time frame.
So other people go to WDW. Also, you can not control folks in your own group. Other adults in your group, and especially children. I have heard that folks plan so their children can experience the magic. This is a great idea! Just allow for unscheduled magic, bathroom breaks, meltdowns (leave and fast, start over later or another day), and any other randomness that can and will happen.
So planning is bad? Nooooo! Planning is good!
Let's visit what happens to the non planner, shall we? A family walks into Magic Kingdom after waiting in the bag check line, the scan your magic band line, and the park has been open for a couple of hours (no way will this family get up early on vacation. No. Way.) They pick up a park map. Folks are running by them like banshees, but not these folks, they are going to enjoy their vacation!
They pick a ride and head towards it. Oops. There is a 45 minute wait. But the kids really want to do this, so they get in line. They finally ride the ride (after getting frustrated watching folks cheat with something to do with the bands), and pick another. It is mildly far to walk, and after a bathroom break, and oops, it's lunch time, so time to eat, they hit that next ride. 60 minute wait.
This goes on, and is extremely frustrating. So perhaps the zero planning isn't so great either.
The middle? Figure out what kind of family you have and embrace it. Look at a few resources (books, websites, or blogs) to figure out what you are interested in. Not an early family under any circumstances? There are less popular rides which are lovely and swell, and don't have huge waits, in the afternoon. There is FastPassPlus (FPP) where you can cheat the lines on the popular rides (not really cheating, just preplanned, a little), for those rides or character meet and greets that you absolutely have to do. Yes, ideally, you can plan the FPP 60 days out (for those staying on Disney property), but truly, you can work the FPP around up until the day of (ok, so Anna and Elsa seem to defy gravity on that one, but everything else can be had within reason, if you look often enough). You use the three, and you can start to add an additional one, and then another, and so on. On my solo trip, I had seven FPP on one day and it was swell.
Also, put in completely non planned times in the mix. Figure out what you want to do during the vacation. The pool and swim. See other fancy resorts. Pick a park and see the shows. Do something that didn't work out on an earlier day that you missed. Sleep! It is loose people, and it is good.
Go early, and waits for popular stuff is less. Stay to the end, and most families have gone back to the hotel, and waits for popular stuff is less. If you want the middle part of the day, the most crowded, well, that is time for FPP, patience and finding the random Disney magic, as opposed to the popular Disney magic.
I will stop and address planning more in another post. Suffice to say, I tend to look at the lines chat mentioned above, a lot. Why? Because I obsessively plan? Nope. Because I find out so many tricks and nifty things that I didn't know to look for, or reservations which I really want to get, that I didn't know about. Disney has so many layers of fun and magic, plan even just a tiny bit, so that the frustration part doesn't overshadow the rest.
I love Disney. Just love it (or why else would I be writing this blog?). It is very, very swell. I laugh so very much there and even tear up at the sweetness. Good stuff. I bet you can find that sweet spot too.
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
Remiss
Hello! I have been seriously remiss in talking about Disney, and that needs to change.
What has happened since last April?
I took a solo trip to WDW in early May, a very wet, three day long weekend. I did the behind the scenes tour in Magic Kingdom in the pouring rain (still good stuff), attempted all the thrill rides (I hopped to all four parks), that no one else in my family wants to try, and wandered and soaked (both rain and magic) in. It was a lovely trip but turns out that I do like to share with my family this goofy, fun time. The term "poncho up" and keep going was apt and necessary.
The kids and I went to Disneyland in late June, 2014 for a whirlwind three day, two night trip. It was awesome, crazed and very, very full.
Just my son and I went for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party in WDW to celebrate his birthday. One night only and boom! Back to Texas and school the very next day.
Please remember, the key to all of this, that although I live in Texas, I am a flight attendant, and my family and I fly for free, space available.
I was truly thinking that perhaps I had gotten some of this Disney stuff out of my system, and yet, not so much. I listened to my children on my iPhone the other day, and they were watching old time Mickey videos in the back seat. Laughing. I was laughing too.
Yes, it is expensive. It is. Turns out that it can be done relatively budget though (or not, goodness knows, the price ranges for the add-ons such as lodging and food run from to bearable to seriously high).
My son's one day trip? Less then a birthday party thrown here in Texas. Free flight, value hotel, and party tickets, which run approximately 60% of a full day ticket, and it was very inexpensive. The party lets you in at 4pm, and you get to stay until midnight, and that is about the amount of hours we would stay anyway, so it was perfect.
So.
I will write some more about all things Disney. I have no trips on the horizon, though I feel pretty certain, that we aren't done with the mouse by any means. I have not done Universal (in a couple of years, I think we will be ready for that, but not yet), but I don't like Six Flags. Not even close to the immersed, magical experience. Sea World is ok but we had season passes once from my company, and we used those things UP. It got to the point where we would have a routine, feed some animals, diving show and water park. No real need to go back.
Disney? I want to go back. I do need to give it a rest, as four trips in 12 months is extreme. I will try to stay away during the summer. We shall see how that works!
What has happened since last April?
I took a solo trip to WDW in early May, a very wet, three day long weekend. I did the behind the scenes tour in Magic Kingdom in the pouring rain (still good stuff), attempted all the thrill rides (I hopped to all four parks), that no one else in my family wants to try, and wandered and soaked (both rain and magic) in. It was a lovely trip but turns out that I do like to share with my family this goofy, fun time. The term "poncho up" and keep going was apt and necessary.
The kids and I went to Disneyland in late June, 2014 for a whirlwind three day, two night trip. It was awesome, crazed and very, very full.
Just my son and I went for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party in WDW to celebrate his birthday. One night only and boom! Back to Texas and school the very next day.
Please remember, the key to all of this, that although I live in Texas, I am a flight attendant, and my family and I fly for free, space available.
I was truly thinking that perhaps I had gotten some of this Disney stuff out of my system, and yet, not so much. I listened to my children on my iPhone the other day, and they were watching old time Mickey videos in the back seat. Laughing. I was laughing too.
Yes, it is expensive. It is. Turns out that it can be done relatively budget though (or not, goodness knows, the price ranges for the add-ons such as lodging and food run from to bearable to seriously high).
My son's one day trip? Less then a birthday party thrown here in Texas. Free flight, value hotel, and party tickets, which run approximately 60% of a full day ticket, and it was very inexpensive. The party lets you in at 4pm, and you get to stay until midnight, and that is about the amount of hours we would stay anyway, so it was perfect.
So.
I will write some more about all things Disney. I have no trips on the horizon, though I feel pretty certain, that we aren't done with the mouse by any means. I have not done Universal (in a couple of years, I think we will be ready for that, but not yet), but I don't like Six Flags. Not even close to the immersed, magical experience. Sea World is ok but we had season passes once from my company, and we used those things UP. It got to the point where we would have a routine, feed some animals, diving show and water park. No real need to go back.
Disney? I want to go back. I do need to give it a rest, as four trips in 12 months is extreme. I will try to stay away during the summer. We shall see how that works!
Friday, April 4, 2014
Ch Ch Ch Changes
Changes are the norm for WDWorld, for sure. Since I have started following all things Disney, learning all things Disney, reading all things Disney, I have noticed a few things.
1. It is complicated. To figure out what to do, where to go, when to go.
2. It is truly magical. I completely mocked that word when I first heard it the first 200 times (yea, right), but when you make an effort to plan and learn what is there, it is just amazing and well, yes, magical.
3. Plan like you mean it and then when you step off the plane or out of your car, let go. Go with your plans but be open to any and all changes and opportunities. Crazy magic happens then.
4. Whatever you plan for way in advance, will change to some extent. It just does. Right now, they are changing the whole fast pass thing to fast pass plus (FPP), and that seems to be changing rapidly as well. On site only to AP (annual pass folks), to everyone this past week. The advance booking for everyone has commenced too.
The Downtown Disney is changing, The Polynesian is changing (oh, maybe avoid that one for a while, maybe until 2015?), and the parks are changing (MK the most with new 7 dwarfs ride and hub construction).
I have heard rumblings of why can't Disney change as fast as Universal, but just from my point of view, it is changing lots.
Changes are closely monitored on the Disney parks blog, WDWmagic blog, and the touring plans blog. If you are into the forum boards, then the DISboards can't be beat for latest information, though I find it a big huge to navigate. Other blogs and sites have lots of information and good information, just maybe not as up to the minute.
So the magic stays constant, but how it is delivered to you is constantly changing. I would say that is a very good thing.
1. It is complicated. To figure out what to do, where to go, when to go.
2. It is truly magical. I completely mocked that word when I first heard it the first 200 times (yea, right), but when you make an effort to plan and learn what is there, it is just amazing and well, yes, magical.
3. Plan like you mean it and then when you step off the plane or out of your car, let go. Go with your plans but be open to any and all changes and opportunities. Crazy magic happens then.
4. Whatever you plan for way in advance, will change to some extent. It just does. Right now, they are changing the whole fast pass thing to fast pass plus (FPP), and that seems to be changing rapidly as well. On site only to AP (annual pass folks), to everyone this past week. The advance booking for everyone has commenced too.
The Downtown Disney is changing, The Polynesian is changing (oh, maybe avoid that one for a while, maybe until 2015?), and the parks are changing (MK the most with new 7 dwarfs ride and hub construction).
I have heard rumblings of why can't Disney change as fast as Universal, but just from my point of view, it is changing lots.
Changes are closely monitored on the Disney parks blog, WDWmagic blog, and the touring plans blog. If you are into the forum boards, then the DISboards can't be beat for latest information, though I find it a big huge to navigate. Other blogs and sites have lots of information and good information, just maybe not as up to the minute.
So the magic stays constant, but how it is delivered to you is constantly changing. I would say that is a very good thing.
Saturday, March 15, 2014
Touring Solo
I am headed back to the World in a bit (47 days or something like that), all by myself and I. Am. So. Excited.
That is all. More later, just wanted to share.
That is all. More later, just wanted to share.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)