Over the years, people have asked my advice about what they should pack for their Walt Disney World vacation. I have lots of tips and suggestions to offer, but the most surprising—and one of the most important—items I encourage people to pack is a box of zip top baggies. Zip top baggies will protect and…
Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon?
Have you made the decision to add a water park to your Disney vacation but find yourself unable to choose between Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon? Our family faced that exciting, yet difficult decision on our last Disney vacation. After five trips in as many years, we decided to splurge on a water park for…
To Buy or Not Buy: Tickets to Disney’s Water Parks
Nothing sounds better on a steamy, summer day than being doused by cool, refreshing water. Disney offers many such opportunities with two water parks on their property: Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon. Since guests must pay for admittance to either of these parks, is a day at one of these aquatic sites worth the additional fee?…
Choosing a Character Meal at Disney World
In a recent post, I debated whether a character meal is worth the splurge and concluded that when taking a trip to the World, dining with famous Disney figures should be included on the agenda. Once the decision is made to reserve one of these meals, the question becomes, “What restaurant do I choose?” Our…
My experience with the Walt Disney World Guide, the PassPorter.
It was early 1996 when I experienced the internet for the first time. What a wonderful invention! My first search was for all things Disney (of course!). After a few years and a few Disney websites, I started hearing about this new guidebook, the PassPorter. One of my favorite Disney sites mentioned this book all the time. …
What if Disney had a museum?
So this topic came up at my last gathering of my Disney friends: what happens to all of the rides that were once at the Walt Disney World Resort after they are taken down? I mean, I understand the concept of construction/deconstruction but those rides are not just walls, wood, plaster and paint, there are…
To Buy or Not Buy: A Meal with Characters
Making advanced reservations for sit-down meals and buffets at Disney World is a must! The question for many planners is, “Are the meals worth it?” Furthermore, many parents ask if reserving a meal with the characters merits the splurge. For guests who have purchased either the deluxe or regular dining plans, at least one table…
A Teenager’s Review of Ridley Pearson’s Kingdom Keepers Series
About two weeks ago, I read the Kingdom Keepers, a Disney publication written by Ridley Pearson. Highly enjoyable, this young adult fiction series pleases its readers. Practically forcing me to continue, these books captivated me for the eight days it took me to complete them. In this story, five middle school age kids – Finn,…
Feel like a Million Bucks with Free Dining
In 2005 I was planning my family’s first trip to Walt Disney World and was trying to find the least expensive options for us. A friend of mine told me about the free dining promotion. I had never heard of that promotion, but it sounded great. We jumped at the chance and booked our vacation…
The “World” with Food Restrictions
By: Ann Dunnington Gluten-free, vegetarian, low-carb, nut allergy, vegan, low-sodium, diabetic, lactose intolerant, Feingold Diet, kosher…I could go on and on. Those of us who “suffer” from food allergies or special food preferences know the above terms all too well. Many of us have menu planning down to a science while we’re at home, but…
The Best Snacks at Disney World (From the Perspective of a 12 Year-Old)
A busy, fun-filled day at Disney World arouses my hunger and makes me start searching for a snack. As part of the Disney Dining Plan, guests receive a free snack each day. We have been to Disney six times – five on the Dining Plan – and therefore have eaten a large variety of afternoon treats. …
Personalized T-Shirts
My family and I have had the pleasure of visiting Walt Disney World three times. Our next visit is scheduled for this coming fall, and we are excited that eight of our extended family members will be joining our party of four! I wanted to get matching t-shirts for all of us to commemorate this…