-
Where to Find the Best Spots for an Adult Beverage in Walt Disney World
You may think that “drinking around the world” has always been commonplace at Disney, but did you know that Walt Disney himself wanted all parks to be “dry” (alcohol free)? Walt envisioned his parks to be a place where adults and children alike could come and enjoy entertainment, but didn’t think serving alcohol was acceptable at a place that was geared for families. Over the years, this has changed of course, and alcohol is served in all four Walt Disney World parks. Disneyland, Walt’s original park, is still alcohol free for the most part with the exception of Oga’s Cantina in Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge. When people question why we go…
-
Our Favorite Character Dining Restaurants in Walt Disney World
I am dreaming of the day that we can have ‘normal’ character interactions again. You know, hugging Mickey, pictures without masks, autograph books, etc. (you can keep your buffet set ups though, Disney!). Today I wanted to share some of our favorite character dining restaurants in hopes you can plan for some of these reservations for your next trip later in 2021 or 2022 when these are all open again. One pro tip I will share with you to start is to consider character dining for breakfast. Character meals are expensive. If you take a look at the price points, breakfast is typically at least $10 less than lunch or dinner! Below…
-
Why Disney Vacation Club and Annual Passes make sense for us
As many of you already know, we live in the suburbs of Chicago and go to Disney (or a Disney vacation) on average twice a year. We are current Disney Vacation Club members and Annual Pass holders for Walt Disney World in FL. Today I’m going to share why these two investments make sense for our household and maybe yours too! DISNEY VACATION CLUB Disney Vacation Club is Disney’s version of a timeshare. Ugh I know what you’re thinking- timeshares? Keep reading… Disney Vacation Club, better known in the community as DVC, gives you the opportunity to purchase a real estate interest in a specific Disney resort (a “home resort”) that…
-
Our First Disney Cruise – Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Cruise
I’m so thankful that Andrew and I decided to book a Disney Cruise during the holidays of 2019. You know, before the world shut down. Unfortunately, cruise ships haven’t seen guests in almost a year. But this never ending snow and sub zero temperatures here in Chicago have me dreaming of the days that we are on Castaway Cay again. I thought it would helpful to share our first Disney Cruise experience if you are considering booking one for later this year or 2022! The Itinerary For our first Disney Cruise, we took a 4 night “Very Merry Christmastime Cruise” in December of 2019. We left from Port Canaveral, FL and…
-
Road Tripping with the Littles
A big budget buster for your vacation can be airfare for your whole family. Some people simply do not like to fly. Recently, we took a road trip to Florida so I wanted to share some of our best practices to keep our little ones happy and entertained on a 15+ hour car ride. Consider the vehicle you are going to drive I have to admit, I was one of those moms who said I would never drive a minivan. SUVs for life! But here I am, living in the suburbs, driving a Chrysler Pacifica, and dropping off my kids at soccer practice. I’ve officially converted – I love our minivan.…
-
Stop Skipping Disney Springs and Start Doing These Things
When planning a Disney trip, Disney Springs is often a location that is overlooked. Since most families are coming to town to enjoy the theme parks, Disney Springs rarely gets its own space on the Excel spreadsheet of planning. I’m here to ask you to reconsider! Here are my must do’s at Disney Springs Eats With sixty-four food offerings at Disney Springs, you have a LOT to choose from. They have everything from food trucks to signature dining experiences and everything in between. Here are my top picks for every food mood. Brunch: Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ – If you are lucky enough to snag a reservation at Chef Art…
-
7 Tips for Traveling to Disney with a Baby
Hey there, Mama. You have decided to book a vacation and bring young children with you. Congratulations – you are far more brave than most. Lucky for you, you picked the most family friendly destination! The youngest that I have taken a child to Disney was my son who was only three months old at the time of travel. We also had our three year old with us. We were blessed, tired, but most importantly we were prepared. Here are some tips I wanted to share with you all that I have learned along the way about traveling with babies and small children when going to Walt Disney World. Bring…
-
My Disney Bucket List
Believe it or not, Disney has way more vacation offerings and experiences than just theme parks. With Disney prices, it’s hard to accomplish them all in a lifetime, let alone one trip. I wanted to compile my Disney Bucket List so I can start planning more vacations and check these off as I go. Stay in a Copper Creek Waterfront Cabin at WDW Copper Creek holds such a special place in my heart because it’s our ‘Home Resort’ for Disney Vacation Club (DVC). It’s themed after the Pacific Northwest and couldn’t be more beautiful and serene. Not only does the resort offer all room types ranging from studios to three bedroom…
-
What is Disney Like During a Pandemic?
The most frequently asked questions within the last year have been “What is Disney like during COVID?” and “Is it worth going during a pandemic?” While everyone has different comfort levels with the pandemic, I thought it would be helpful to explain what we experienced back in October and what you may find if you are planning a trip to Disney World soon. Disney is committed to making changes to ensure the health and safety of their guests. In doing so, they have implemented enhanced cleaning procedures in Parks and Resorts, physical distancing markers and reduced capacity to promote social distancing, and updated operations to reduce contact between guests and…
-
How to Get the Disney Dining Reservations You Want
My family and I love to eat. Period. The food scene at Disney is one of the main reasons why we love it so much. There are so many options, from grab and go counter service locations to amazing signature dining experiences. To score some of these hard to get reservations, it takes preparation and strategy to ensure you are eating at the hottest places on property. My family and I are hard at work planning our trip for Spring Break ‘21. With the recent change of dining reservations being open only 60 days in advance of check-in (vs the 180 days it previously was), my window opened on Tuesday morning.…
