Coronado Springs

Coronado Springs Resort is a moderate level resort located in the lower end of the Walt Disney Resort complex. It's main theming is colonial Spanish and native Mexican decor. It has brightly colored rocks, cactus, and great stamped concrete paths that with coyote, horse shoe, and a grand Mayan pyramid next to a pool. Basically it was a Howard Johnson's with Disney theming, not over the top fancy, but there was no mold growing in the showers either (unlike my last experience in the Port Orleans Riverside). They didn't have an accessible room that slept three so they comped us the adjoining room which was really nice for my son who had an earlier bedtime than my wife and I (also I didn't have to watch any Disney JR).

 A little warning is this place is spread out. I mean that it was a mile from my room (building 6) to the main building were the restaurants, store, and other amenities were. We had an entire lake between us and the main building. This wasn't all bad because we were at one of the first bus stops going to the parks (first on, first off), and we got to avoid the conventioneers that had a tendency to drink to much and have some colorful language around small children (really you can't see the 3,4, and 6 year old in front of you while you are talking about how wasted you got last night? Oh yeah this is a family vacation destination so you do need to watch your language and subjects on the bus.). All in all the positives outweighed the negatives and I would stay there again.

The rooms were a good size and my wheelchair could navigate easily in both rooms. The bathrooms had a built in shower seat, and a raised toilet with grab bars. The beds were comfortable and at a good transfer height. We didn't have a super amount of theming in the rooms which was nice after a day in the parks. If you are looking to dive into nonstop Disney this isn't the place. If you are staying for an extended amount of time they have laundry facilities located on property (bring quarters), and a small fridge in the room for keeping juice, fruit, or pastries for breakfast in. There is room service but it is not the best. We ordered a pizza after one long day in the park and were brought a sparsely cheesed tortilla with a small amount of spaghetti sauce on it (worst pizza I have ever eaten). We did eat it because after 45 minutes and being hungry how can you not.

 The main pool has a cool Mayan pyramid with a water slide that they show movies at during the evening. It has a nice little snack bar that closes around 9 or 10 p.m. (depending on the night). I have been told that they are going to be adding pool lifts sometime next year to all of the property's pools to assist wheelchair bound folks like myself . One last feature was that they had a designated bus line for Coronado Springs that didn't stop at any other resort. You still had to wait for the bus at times but it was a shorter trip to and from the the parks than if you would have been stopping at several hotels.

On the whole when my family goes back I believe we may try to stay at one of the deluxe resorts only for the ease of transportation with a little kid. But if you do not have that issue I recommend the Coronado Springs Resort as a good base of operations.

Mickeys not so scared Halloween party

One definite up-sell I would recommend is Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. This is a pre-ticketed event that was worth every penny when I saw my sons face as I told him we were trick-or-treating the Magic Kingdom. First off everyone gets to dress in costume if they want (mom and dad too although we didn't this time). You are greeted at the gate and given a special bracelet to show that you are indeed with the party. You are also outfitted with a candy bag for each member of your party. Then the fun really begins.

There are special meet spots for Disney characters in their own Halloween costumes where you can have your pictures taken and autographs signed. Special shows featuring Villains at their best happen in between trick or treat candy stops.

When you are ready to take a break there are special treats only sold during the Not So Scary Halloween Party that you and your family will love. My favorite was the spider cupcake. You can sit and enjoy a snack while watching all the people walking around in their costumes (some of these people take this super serious folks, almost better than the costumes that are park made).

There is a special parade and fireworks display designed specifically for this event, and as true to form are breathtaking. Although my son managed to sleep through the fireworks my wife and I were mesmerized (like we were 12 years old). The cast members seem to have a pretty good time being at the event which always makes a big difference. The really nice thing about the MNSSHP is that there are a limited number of people in the park so you can get on the rides without the three hour long lines. Yes it is expensive but it is also something you and your family will remember for a long time.

DCL Disney Dream

The Disney Dream is the third ship in Disney Cruise Lines 4 ship fleet. It entered service in 2011 and is currently sailing mostly 3 and 4 day Bahamian cruises. All the amenities that you have come to expect from DCL are included in this ship, and because the Dream and her sister ship, Fantasy, also have some things that the Magic and Wonder don't. Along with water slides the Dream has a Disney first, the Aquaduck. The Aquaduck it a water roller coaster which has a portion go over the side of the ship (this is also clear so you can look down, although I am not a fan of heights...so no                            thanks). 

It's Oceaneer's kids club has a space for every type of kid from those who like to do arts and crafts, dress in costume, play computer games, dance and move, or hang out in Andy's Room or Monsters Inc. play areas. I am not going to lie, I was quite jealous that my son got to go there because it looked like a ton of fun. The kiddos even get to enjoy meals there if they choose to dine away from mom and dad. There is also a tween, and a teens club that offer both those are brackets the newest tech areas to hangout in and make some new friends.I am excited about this because it means we can cruise Disney for a long time to come without my son getting bored.

Just because this is Disney don't think that they forgot about the adults. There are adult only areas on the ship that are secluded away from the hustle and bustle of family life. There is an adults only pool complete with bar and snack service, the Vista Spa (which is wonderful and a total splurge), and an area called the District that is full of night clubs, bars, restaurants, and other entertainment that would have children yawning with boredom or embarrassed because dad and mom are busting a move on the dance floor (that's right I said bust a move, what is your point). My point is even if you are child free you will have a blast on this ship (and most of the time you will not even realize how many kids are on this ship).  

The food choices are wonderful. Along with the three main restaurants Animators Palate, Enchanted Garden, and Royal Palace. There are two more that you must pay a nominal fee Palo, and  Remy that have exquisite gourmet food prepared lovingly by master chefs. If it is a quick service you are looking for they have that covered too with Flo's Cafe, and Cabanas to get your craving for a slice of pizza after a swim. Add that to all the ice cream self serve areas and drink stations and the glutton or the foodie in you will be sated.

Do yourself a favor and don't miss the night time shows. My wife and I hit two of the three and were pleasantly rewarded with wonderful singing and choreography that challenges anything you will see on Broadway. I am not normally a musical kind of guy but this was fun and didn't take itself to seriously, in essence brain candy. We also managed to see a special showing of "The Nightmare Before Christmas" on 3-D that had some, surprises, that I won't spoil for you. If you like movies they have you covered with first run movies in a state of the art theater, or sit by the pool and watch sports or Disney classics on the funnel-vision (like I said they have you covered).

Basically what I have described above just scratches the surface and doesn't even count your stops, excursions, Castaway Cay day, or cruise demonstrations (they had a cooking one when we went), also during the holiday times they have special events then too. Is a Disney Cruise more expensive? Yes, it is. Is it worth the extra money? Yes it is. They have the largest standard rooms at sea, and with only four ships in the fleet I would say they are better maintained than the larger cruise lines. My only complaint was that I wish that Disney restricted one of their elevators for mobility impaired folks as a convenience because it can take some time to get where you are going. Try it out, I think you will like it.

3000 Page Views

Hello Everyone,


I just reviewed my blog and noticed that I have just hit 3000 page views. I know that this may not seem like a lot to some people but it is huge for me and I just wanted to thank my worldwide readers. Keep checking in with me, I have some more great Disneyworld information coming soon. Until them here is a little vacation moment for all who are suffering from cold temperatures, snow, extensive heat, or just being at work!

Stay Tuned.......

Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant

The Sci-Fi Dine-in Theater was some of the best food my family had while staying at the Walt Disney Resort. The main theming for the restaurant is based on a 1950s drive-in movie theater. You sit in replicas of classic cars that are your booths, and  face a movie screen that shows old B movies, trailers, and cartoon shorts. AWESOME!!  As you look around you see lighted buildings, and a twilight landscape painted and light on the walls. One of the greatest touches I thought was that the kitchen was made to look like a concession stand.  These little touches made it fun for any of us who may have ever been to a drive in (maybe not in their golden age but before they started to close them down), the only thing missing was the occasional honk of a horn.
I had little in the way of expectations for the food. I believed it was a gimmick restaurant and like most the food would be boring, bland, or just plain bad. I was wrong. The food was delicious. You could get yourself an old stand by like a burger and waffle fries made with incredible ingredients, they also had other dining fare that you would never have been able to get at the drive-in theater. I myself had to get the Memphis style ribs after being told thy had a smoker on site (really how can you not order fresh smoked ribs? YUM!). They came with a side of baked beans and coleslaw it made for a great and filling meal. I topped this off with what they called a shake ( I called it soft-serve with a straw but it was very good soft-serve ice cream).

You must make reservations for this restaurant as soon as you can or you will not be able to get in. They don't offer walk in service. The front staff was friendly and courteous. They got us a table fast and gave us options on what we would like to sit in. The server was great as well. Knowledgeable about the food, funny, and showed up only as you were about to need him. It was definitely a difference from some of the other places we the at.

Basically I am saying if you can get a reservation you would be very foolish not to, take the family to this establishment for some fun. It is a definite memory maker that your family will talk about (my 4 year old was telling his best friend about it). If you can't tell I definitely recommend this place!

Castaway Cay

Like almost every cruise line that sails in the Caribbean, Disney Cruise Line has it's own private island it stops at on most cruises over three days.Unlike most cruise lines the Bahamian island called Castaway Cay has undergone a magical Disney transformation. When Disney went looking for a spot for Castaway Cay it had some specifics in mind. It needed to be within a certain mileage from Port Canaveral (at the time the main port of departure for DCL in Florida). They also wanted to be able to dock the ship to the island so passengers would not be subject to tenders like some other cruise lines are.

Once they found this tropical island they started sprinkling pixey dust. This doesn't mean they made a Disneyland in the Caribbean. They worked with the nature of the island they created a lagoon that passengers could snorkel, jet ski, aqua-bike, and sail in. Along with the great tropical fish they added some wonderful extras to their snorkel park. At one point you could even see The Flying Dutchman from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies anchored there. While that has moved on to haunt sailors there still a ton to do and see on island, or on an excursion you can book.

Now if you are like most people, you are there to hang at the beaches on the island. These have been conveniently broken into separate beaches for families, adults (Serenity Bay), and families teens (as well as a sports beach for all you beach athletes (volleyball, or tether ball anyone?). Each of these beautiful white sand beaches are furnished with lounges and most have shade. They have a limited number of beach cabanas on the family and adult beaches (one of the family beach cabanas is wheelchair accessible) which at first glance are a bit pricey but it includes bike and snorkel gear rentals, beach toys, a semi-private beach, beverages and snacks already in place, AND you don't have to fight for a shady place to lay out. It is actually quite reasonable. You MUST book these early if you want one because they go fast. Also if the mood strikes, you can book an in-cabana massage in the Serenity Cove (go ahead, splurge a little). Bliss!

This island may now be home to a well known mouse now, but at one point is was used for some unsavory business dealings that left its mark on the island. The airstrip was there before DC, and was used in themeing quite well. It is the main path to get to the adults only beach Serenity Cove and is criss-crossed by bike trails that will take you around the island. Do not worry about the bikes they have an on-site rental which my wife and son will be taking full advantage of. Bike riding not adventurous enough for you? Book a para-sailing session, glass bottom boat, or personal watercraft for the afternoon. More of the relax and have a snack traveler? They have you covered there too, with restaurants serving food and drinks at each of the three main beaches. This leaves you the ability to read, nap or just sun bake yourself.

Disney Cruise Line has also considered the plight of the people who may need a wheelchair to get around. They have quite a few sand wheelchairs that you may use while on island. Picture a reclining beach chair on wheels. These are great when you are on the sand with their big bouncy tires, but can prove a little tricky when you are on pavement. My advise, bring someone strong to push. There are also paved and hard packed walkways that a person using a mobility device can use to explore and take in the wonderful surroundings and don't worry, if you get all the way to Serenity Cove and cant walk back. There's a tram that you can ride.

On the whole this was one of my favorite spots on the eastern Caribbean cruise we took, and most likely will be on this up coming Nassau one also. It is like you have been invited to a giant party on a private island with tons of food, sun and fun. There really is a magic to the place and I recommend anyone thinking about taking a cruise on DCL to make sure they have a Castaway day.. More to come later.

FastPass+

Walt Disney World is taking several major technological leaps forward this fall.. Along with MyDisneyExperience, and Disney's MagicBands, they have added the FastPass+ program. FastPass+ gives you the ability to log into your MyDisneyExperience account and pick three FastPass+ eligible rides in advance of your visit. This is very exciting for those travelers who have a touring plan, There are however some major restrictions such as limiting you to only three FastPass+ a day, and only for one of the parks even if you have a park hopper ticket. This differs for the paper FastPasses in that you can have one paper FastPass for multiple parks during a single day (but if you lose it or miss your time it is gone for good).

With FastPass+, it is loaded to your MagicBand so when your FP time comes up you scan the MagicBand at the kiosk and queue up in the FastPass line. This may also be a great way for those who have used the DAC (Disability Assistance Card) or GAC (Guest Assistance Card) for disability accommodations to avoid the hassles of standing in long standby lines without needing to sign up for the new program (although you will probably want to sign up so you can do more than three rides a day).

There are many things I love about this program, but one of the best in my opinion is that you don't have to be in the park at opening to get a FastPass+. This was one of my major complaints I had when the paper FastPass program started (mostly because if you wanted a relaxing morning you were likely to be shut out of the FastPasses due to limited numbers issued). I also like the convenience of not needing to fish around for the FP slip, or be out of luck if you lost it while doing another activity, brilliant!

So far the only drawback we have come across is that you need to have time and an idea of where you want to be and when you want to be there. Good if you like preplanning, which my wife does. Then translate all that into the MyDisneyExperience FastPass+ area. This can be a hassle because if you make changes to times or rides it bounces you back to the main page. It makes editing tedious but I am sure that this will be addressed after the beta testing is complete.

Overall organization is the key with FastPass+. You need to to have a plan, but if you are going to WDW and don't have some kind of plan of attack, I personally think you are crazy. This is not Disneyland, it is MUCH larger with many more parks and resorts. With the amount of apps and websites that can assist you with a touring plan it will only take a few hours to create a decent touring plan.that will save your sanity. We all know a sane traveler is a happy traveler. More to come.

Disney's new MyDisneyExperience vacation platform.

MyDisneyExperience is the Disney Resorts newest way to plan and organize your vacation. It gives you one location to make, change, or cancel hotel or advance dining reservations (ADR), choose FastPass+ ride times, and save special event registrations. This is an amazing tool if you have time set aside before your trip to figure out which park you will be in, what time you might want to eat, and what rides you may want to ride. Once you have your trip information in the MyDisneyExperience website it can be tweaked from your smart phone, laptop, or tablet. I am fortunate as my wife is very much a planner and even though there are some things that could vastly be improved on, we now have our trip in hand (via our smartphone apps).

For the moment this information will be used at the Walt Disney World Parks and resorts as your room key, park admission, event tickets, FastPasses, and charge things to your room through the Magicbands (see earlier post on Magicbands). This will probably expand to the other parks as the technology is proven reliable. I will welcome the day when I can go from cruise ship to park and only have one account. 

All your trip information will be stored and accessible so you can go back to review (for things you loved or hated) when planning your next trip. I definitely feel this will be a valuable tool as a person with a small child, and also a mobility impaired person, because it will be easier to notate something that we just didn't care for or had difficulty doing. Tell me how you might feel about this new tool.

Magic Bands

There is some new technology that is being utilized at Walt Disney World that will hopefully make things easier for visitors. The introduction of the Disney Magic Bands and My Disney Experience, which is in the beta testing stage, is designed for visitors to the park to have all of their reservations (for rooms as well as dining, and shows), FastPass +, and Disney Dining Plan located in one place that can be viewed on your computer, tablet, or smart phone. Successful use of My Disney Experience will require a little forethought on your part in the form of going in and placing your reservations, event tickets in your reservation link in My Disney Experience. I can tell you though that it isn't as hard as it might first appear and if you are booking through Walt Disney Travel or WDW Dining your reservations will be entered automatically. Here is the trick to this application, you will need to have an account open to use this program. However you may already have one if you have already registered with one of the many subsidiaries of Disney (ESPN, ABC, Marvel, Etc.).
After you have had your My Disney Experience all set and completed you will need to request your Disney Magic Bands to be sent to you or pick them up at your resort. The Magic Bands are taking the place of your key to the world. That means you will not have to have your lanyard with your park ticket, paper FastPasses, DDP information. It will all be accessible through your bracelet which I think is pretty brilliant. The Magic Bands will also have the ability to be accessorized with character attachments, and covers that can make them look like a watch or a true designer bracelet.
We are set to use them in three weeks and I will post an update on how I think they are working. I am fully expecting there to be some bugs because they are still very new, but I am very excited to be among the first wave of guests to get a chance to use them. More to come soon.

Cape May Cafe

Cape May Cafe is located in the Beach Club Resort and does its best to replicate a New England seafood restaurant. Its main specialty is a seafood buffet with all you can eat crab legs, clams, mussels, and fish. Although it doesn't ignore you red meat eaters, or the picky eaters in your life. It has a specific stop where your kids can get chicken fingers, Mac n cheese and many other child favorites. As with most Disney Buffets it isn't cheap but if you have the dining plan you will only be out one sitdown meal credit per person.

So here is my opinion of this establishment. I am rating the theming, food, customer service, and kid friendliness. 

We were greeted at the front of the establishment by a enthusiastic hostess who pulled up our reservation and noted that we would need wheelchair and stroller space (my son nodded off on the way to the restaurant). After about five minutes we were seated in a dining room which was pretty basic (butcher paper on the table, crayons for kids to color, and more silverware than one person should have at one meal). When our server came to take the drink order is when we noticed a bit of change in the customer service. She asked if we were going to wake up our son and we responded not yet but closer to when we had the food on the table (just a note, waking a 4 year old is like defusing a bomb. It could explode taking everyone in the area out). We got a judgey look and she went to get our drinks which included one for our son. At first we thought she must be thinking we were pulling some kind of scam by having a sleeping child, and possibly feeding him off of one of our plates. She did visit our table more often than I am used to but whatever. Then we noticed she gave other tables with kids the same curt service. We finally figured she might not like little kids and left it at that. She did get friendlier closer to the check payment time, so I assume she realizes that bad service will lower her tip. On the whole this is the same service you would receive at Denny's at two in the morning. 

The theming of Cape May was very nice. It is located in the Beach Club just a short walk from the International Gate of Epcot. The lobby is simple and eligant in light colors giving it a light airyness. The tables are simple and spaced well enough to get a wheelchair (or stroller) in without blocking the aisle. In my opinion it was nice.

The food was your basic seafood buffet (crab legs, shrimp, clams, mussels, etc.). It also had a beef carving station and a bunch of kid friendly food stations. I had a fairly good paella (the flavor was balanced nicely), some obviously frozen shellfish, and some pretty nice corn bread. My son was able to get his favorite, Mac N Cheese. For the price I would recommend trying somewhere else as our total was just over $100. I think if you have a free dining plan sitdown meal to burn this could be your place.

Lastly, if you are traveling alone, with kids, or with a person in a wheelchair you should know the spacing at the buffet is very tight. If you go at dinner you may need to do what my family did and have one person get the food plated and brought back to the table. Less than ideal for a nice sit down family meal.

In short, the food was overpriced, service was spotty, and accessibility to get food was bad. Find another place to eat.

UPDATE: just wanted to give a brief update on my review of this restaurant. One of my party was stricken with food poisoning after eating here so I can honestly say skip this place for another sit down restaurant.

34 Days Until Launch (to Megavacation!!)

We are now just over a month from our big Disney Cruise/Walt Disney World trip and we are all very excited around here. Now we start with the real fun. If you are taking a cruise there are plenty of things you need to be doing right now. Most cruise lines have online documents you need to complete to be able to board the ship. It takes about an hour to complete it all and you will need to have all travel documents (i.e. flight info, ground transfers, passports for everyone in your party). It is kind of a pain but it should shorten your time at the terminal checking in. Also make sure that you have sent in your special needs form or you may not get the accommodations you need.

This is also the time that you will want to check your online flight information. If you book your flights a long time before you need to fly, things have a tendency to change. Our flight went from being a 7 a.m. flight to a 5 a.m. flight and we didn't even get an email. Also while you are checking the times it is always a good ideal to review seats. You might even be able to change them to suit your needs. A little inconvenience now can save you time when you are in line.

So while you are doing these little "administrative duties" there are some that a lot of people might forget. You will want to place a hold on your mail and newspaper deliveries to avoid any build up in your box or front porch. I also recommend getting several timers for lights in several places in your house and hook them to lamps and maybe even a radio. I know some people also lower the temperature on their water heater to keep from having that rack up unnecessary expense while they are gone. These last tips can save you money but also are more about security of your home. 

Finally, if you are boarding your pets, this is the time to verify that reservation and double check the vaccination records to make sure that you have all the shots they require. I almost missed my last Hawaii trip because the vet didn't fax over the updated shot records. That is NOT how you want to start your vacation, believe me. 

Now that we are in the final stretch, I will be posting more about what we do before our trip. As always if you have any tips to share please leave me a comment.

Blog sites and discussion boards

It is obvious that as a blogger I may have some insight that others do not when they are planning a trip. This was the main basis when I started this blog so many years ago. I have had readers contact me and given me wonderful things and places to research and blog about.

But even I have my limits on what I know about travel. When I am planning a trip I also look to the internet discussion boards, and travel bloggers. These are great places to gain insight on Disney Cruise and a visit to Walt Disney World. I would be a fool not to visit WDW Prep, Disney on Wheels, and Disney Food Blog. These are run by people who have been to WDW many, many times and offer tips I just don't have. I highly recommend them as a great place to gain ideas on what attractions to hit first, what is the must-have salty snack and a variety of things I just don't have the space here to blog about. They, however, do and have blogged about them so if you are going, be sure look them over. They all have wonderful pictures, and as a photographer, that always makes the site better in my opinion. Here is what I like and look for on these blogs.places. 

WDW Prepschool: This site is crammed full of useful information to assist "clever people" with their vacation planning. It has great tips, wonderful trivia to keep you and your family interested in the parks, schedules, and a ton of what I think of as inside information. I thought I knew a lot about Disney but she makes me feel like I have just seen the tip of the Disney iceberg. Facebook her for updates and tips. 

Disney on Wheels: I am in a wheelchair so I feel that this site has some great tips for getting around the park, finding the appropriate place to queue for a ride, best spots for parades and fireworks, and also food. She too has many pictures of the Disney parks, and cruise ships that she has been on that give details that the Disney site may not cover in enough depth for those of us with mobility issues. I recommend liking this page to keep apprised of what is going on with the Disney machine.

Disney Food Blog: This is a great site. It is written by folks who are extremely knowledgeable about the food and has tons of great pictures that are guaranteed to make you hungry. They also have super tips for picky eaters, and for folks who may be on the adventurous side of the food spectrum. If you are planning a Disney trip, make sure to Facebook this blog for gastronomical updates.

As for discussion boards I really like Frommers, DISboard, Cruise Critic, and of course Trip Advisor. Here you can post and get recent info from recent travelers and travel professionals alike. They also might have insiders that will give their opinions. This will make your knowledge more well-rounded than simply reading your guidebooks (which I recommend too), or going in totally fresh to an area you may not know or knew a LONG time ago (this I don't recommend at all).

DISboard: They know everything, I swear it. Their members post videos, discuss past/present/or future trips in as much detail as you want. If it is Disney travel check this site out.

Frommer's or Fodor's: These guys actually wrote the book on traveling so their discussion boards are filled with people who have a ton of information as well as questions. A great place to post questions and maybe help out a new friend with their query.

Cruise Critic: I go here to hear what other people's experiences on certain cruises were. I also like it because you can get very specific answers from people that may have just returned from their cruise (such as room size, cleanliness, and whether they dock or moor).

TripAdvisor: This is the site I go to to see if I have to worry about creepy crawlers in the mattress, or mold growing in the shower. Sure you can't please everyone but you CAN please a large percentage of us.

We as a travel community, both able-bodied and mobility impaired, must use all the tools at our disposal if we want to make our travels successful and enjoyable. To ignore any knowledge or experience is just foolish. To all those bloggers and travel board posters out there, I would like to send my own personal thanks for making my travels smoother. 

Disney Cruise wear. 5 clothing items for guys to bring

Like most people we have a tendency to over pack. This is especially true for the first Disney Cruise we took back in 2008. We had been given advise about cruise wear from people who had not been on a Disney Cruise, and therefore were a bit more formal than you need to be on a Disney cruise. Now that isn't to say that you can or should be a total slob on a DCL boat. But unless you really want to put on the Ritz you can leave your tux at home. I do want to quantify I am not saying that you should dress tacky or in any way against local customs. I am going to give you my own personal ideals of what you should bring.

1. A nice polo shirt or short sleeve button up shirt (no Aloha shirts please). This will usually get you into all the dining rooms and also into Paulo without any fuss. It should be clean, free of holes, and logo free if possible. I like the polo option because it folds nicely and because you are in the tropics cotton will be your friend.

2. Cargo shorts. I actually like cotton cargo shorts for the obvious reason, storage. I have several nice pair that are no issue for going to lunch or a casual dinner. Also cotton not denim because it dries faster and stays cooler. Add this to the fact that they pack tightly and you have a winner.

3. Sandals. Sandals ( not flip flops) are a great option to sneakers when traveling in the tropics. A good pair of Keens will set you back $70.00 but are sturdily constructed and offer what few sandals can, toe protection.

4. Khaki or linen pants. These types of long pants will be the most versatile and easiest to pack and most likely to be wrinkle resistant or steamable. they are going to look the nicest so you can wear them to your nice dress up dinner as well as other meals. They can be washed so you can take advantage of laundry service if you get curry sauce on them and they are breathable and look pretty nice with just about anything.

5. Sun Glasses (extra sunglasses). This is a must as sunglasses (as well as batteries, film, SD cards, band aids, etc) can be very pricey when you are in a touristy area. I was forced to buy a pair of sunglasses on St Martin and it ran me about $40 for a cheapo pair. Be prepared for the fact that you may leave them somewhere and buy a pair for in case of emergency.

Honorable mentions:

A. a Hat. You are not going to be used to this type of sun and you will need covering of some type. That is unless you like a third degree sun burn.

B. raincoat. It does rain and if you happen to be in a down pour you will want to have a light rain jacket to keep dry. If you are visiting WDW you should consider a poncho (I know dorky but you will be dry)

C. Age and status appropriate swim wear. What does this mean? Simple, (Guys) no one wants to see a man in a pair of Speedos. No one wants to explain to their child why that man is wearing his undies on the beach. (Ladies) think about what you will be doing on the beach. Are you going to be playing with your kids around other kids/tween/teens/adult males? Do you really want to be in that string bikini and have a body part fall out? Maybe a nice one piece would be a better idea. You can still look like the hot mom but respect your children enough to cover up some. Also please cover up, I really don't want to have to talk to my son about a thong.

Disney Holiday Events on land or at sea.

On occasion when we travel to one of the Disney resorts it happens to coincide with a holiday. We have been to Disneyland during the Christmas season (usually between Thanksgiving and Christmas) when they bring out the winter holiday theming. 

However this is the first time that we will be traveling there during the fall close to the Halloween holiday. Because of this and the fact my son is 4 years old we have decided to take advantage of Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. This is essentially an after park hours special event that has spooky theming, special fireworks, and what I think is the coolest feature your ability to dress in costume and trick or treat in WDW. This is not a cheap outing and you really need to address whether or not it is appropriate for your group. In our case it is. Not only do we have a young child who likes to dress up, but my wife and I are extreme Halloween fans ("I am the pumpkin king!").

So we were all set for this special treat, when the Disney Cruise Line gave us an extra surprise. Because we are sailing The Disney Dream in between September 22 and October 31 they are going to be holding special Halloween events. The pirate party will be replaced by a Halloween party hosted by Jack Skelington and Sally (complete with meet and greets), there will also be kids club events, as well as some spooky fun for us adults. Now for those of you who are wondering about the other ships, they will also be getting some holiday fun although no specifics have been announced as of this date. 

The official announcement also hinted at winter holiday events that will be taking place during those holiday time periods so take heart you travelers going in November through January.

More to come soon.

Walt Disney World Vacation Planning: our splurge and how to make it fit in the budget.

Be it add ons, extras, up sells, impulse buys,or plain old splurges when you are on vacation chances are that you will want to get, do, or experience something that isn't on your original budget. When my family goes on vacation, even when we are on a shoestring budget, we like to pick one thing that is a splurge. This can be dining at a specific restaurant, picking out a cool art piece to hang at home, a massage at the spa, a special t-shirt, or buying pictures to remind us how much fun we had. This may mean that you get creative and use your AAA card to get that 15% off, Study the Fodors, or Frommers discussion boards (or the DISboards) for advice or deals, pick up one of those coupon books (you know the ones that your kid's school sells every year) that are filled with discounts, or "pre-purchase" a spur of the moment t-shirt or parade vendor item from the Disney Store or online so that you get it for less than at the park (this is great for younger kids who are not totally aware of how purchasing works).

On our upcoming Walt Disney World trip my wife and I decided that we wanted pictures of all of us together (as you might guess we don't have may of these because someone always has to hold the camera). She did some web research and discovered that WDW offers deals on photo packages, if you pre-purchase them before arriving at the resort. This is great for us as we can just enjoy walking around the park and getting posed and candid shots done without the bother of lugging a camera around and having to ask someone to snap the picture. This picture package will allow us to have pictures done through out the the resort and get them placed on a CD for ease of use. We absolutely loved this idea and snapped at the chance to get memories of what will be our biggest trip as a family. You will need to check in the Disney website to see what pricing, but if you feel like me, in the long run the memories you will share will be priceless to you and your family.

Disney's free dining plan

When I first heard about the Disney dining plan I looked into it and couldn't see any benefits to it. You don't get a discount on food. You pay for a set amount of food upfront. And I couldn't see paying for food I might not eat. So we had ruled it out, but when my new WDW travel agent talked to my wife about it, she looked into it again. We scavenged other blogs, discussion forums, and even the Disney webpage. What we found out was amazing. If you do your research, and travel during off peak times, and are very lucky, the dining plan could cover your food.....for FREE! Take a minute to let that sink in. I couldn't believe it at first. I thought "well they must limit your choices". Nope. "You must have to eat quick service only (Disney speak for fast food)" Nope. They will pay for a snack, a quick service, and a sit down meal per day per person. AND you have a refillable cup that you refill at designated places. FANTASTIC!!

 

The catch is you must purchase it at the time you book your travel package. If you book out as far as my wife and I do, they may not have it available. Also it is not a guarantee that if they did it the last five years they will do it again. You gotta buy it on faith and hope like heck they do it again, and rebook your package with the free meal plan. If you are good at researching, and pick your times judiciously, with a bit of luck you can get the meal plan free. It is saving us over a thousand dollars for eight days in Walt Disney World.

I would probably not do this while visiting Disneyland because there are cheaper eats within walking distance. But when you are enjoying the bubble of WDW, I think it is a great move.

6 Ways to Add On to Your Disney Vacation

We all know that when you are on vacation you tend to let your budgeting slide some. I am as guilty of this as anyone when it comes to impulse purchases while on vacation (I mean really where am I going to wear gold Mickey Mouse Ears?). A lot of people tend to swing the other way to far when this occurs -- those are the "NO!! I cant buy anything, or do anything while I am enjoying my vacation" sort. There is a middle ground when it comes to adding and purchasing while on your vacation. Let me share a few tips with you about what we are doing on this trip.

First, food. When we are on the cruise we will not have to worry about paying for any on-board meals because that is included with the ticket. This doesn't extend to the nice Mojito, or Cosmo that you want to nurse while you are reading by the pool. That is an extra add on. We have figured into our vacation budget that we will both probably have two drinks a day while on the ship, and another three or so while we are visiting the park (can you say Grand Mariner Slush at Epcot? I can, YUM!!). Once we have reached our maximum if we want another it comes out of our souvenir money. Yes you heard right, you either get a nice glass of wine, or a t-shirt. This is what we are demonstrating to our son as choices and repercussions, and it is a good thing for kids (and some adults) to know. Will this be easy? I don't think so, but to have a really great trip this is how we have chosen to work our bar tab.

Now on to the real food savings AND a refillable beverage cup. Walt Disney World has a dining plan that is good for its parks and resorts. With their most popular dining plan, you get one quick service meal, one table service meal, and one snack per person per day. This adds about a hundred bucks a day to your vacation budget, UNLESS you plan a time when the resorts are including the dining plan with a vacation package. Then those meals are free, and you can use them at all the parks, resorts, and some participating Downtown Disney restaurants. Also you can use the snacks to purchase things that are wrapped up like Rice Krispie treats and take home with you. So if my wife and I want to go to Jiko we have the dining plan (all we have to worry about is a tip for the server). I specifically like that we have one table meal so we MUST all sit down and interact with one another and slow down. If you are doing a WDW trip,check to see if they are offering free dining plans during your window. If it is a choice between that or 30% off your room, do the dining as it is a much more cost-effective option.

Child Care. I have discovered that family vacations are much smoother if mom and dad can get away from the kiddo for a few hours. To this end the wonderful folks at WDW have for their guests (at certain resorts) a kids club where you can check your kid in to play, while you go have a nice kid-unfriendly meal. The kids club is an extra cost, but I think familial bliss is worth it. Now if you happen to be staying off-property there are several prescreened childcare options for you too. These are not specifically recommended by Walt Disney World and if you get them to give you the information you have to sign a waiver to get the names of these places but they do in-room sitting or can come to your vacation home to watch your kids. I haven't done this at Disney World, but did on other trips and can say that if you research a bit you really can find a good babysitter while on vacation. The pricing I have found is not terribly bad -- you are looking at about $40 for a few hours of kid-free fun. Well worth it in my book.

Souvenirs. This is where most people lose their minds. I go into it with this set of criteria in mind. First, will I use it at home? Second can I buy it online, or at the Disney Store? Let me address the first question. This is basically asking if what you purchase will be used when you are not surrounded by giant cartoon characters in close approximation to a fairy tale castle/tree/giant golf ball. A cap, t-shirt, sweatshirt, or print all can be useful away from the parks. Bedazzled Mickey Ears, a Giant Mad Hatter hat, or a Disney Princess gown are not things that are generally used once you you step foot off the park. Also ALL of these things are expensive, so don't you want to use your new purchase for more than a few hours? I sure do.

Palo. On the Disney Cruise Line all food is free, except the adults-only fine dining establishments such as Palo. At Palo you pay $25-$30 per person and eat food that would cost you three times that. If you want to linger over a glass of wine while looking over the ocean this is a purchase you could and should do (if you can get reservations). If your taste in food runs a little less frilly it may be that you could pass this up for something else you feel passionate about. It depends on the individual desire.

Spa Treatment. I received my first massage on the Disney Wonder. A wonderful hot stone couples massage. It made me so relaxed that the muscle spasms and general tension in my body go away for several days. This was different for me since I use my spasms during transfers. This is an expensive, EXPENSIVE luxury. I was only able to take advantage of it because it was a gift. That being said, if you can save the money beforehand, it is well worth it. Also if you are nice to the spa people you may be treated a little extra special (just saying, be nice and they may upgrade you to a pedicure too).

Special Party while in park. There are special times of the year that have events that add to the price of admission. It usually is around a holiday or a special event such as the dessert showing of Fantasmic, or Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween. The basic rule of thumb on making this kind of add-on is simple. Do you love this event/holiday/character/etc. enough to justify the expense? If so add it on. My family will be at Disney World over the Halloween holiday, we LOVE Halloween and celebrate it like fiends anyhow. It is a no brainer that we are going to add this on. How many 4-year-olds can say that they got to trick-or-treat Disney World.

Much more to come.

In the Bubble -- Disney Trip Planning Continued

So we decided not to use a rental house because we had expanded our trip. This still left us with where to stay. We have stayed on property at Walt Disney World once before and it wasn't entirely a pleasant stay. However we figured that might give it another try if we found a good deal.

First thing you need to do when trying to figure which hotel you want to stay at is figure out which park you are likely to be at most. Walt Disney World is HUGE. Not like Disneyland which you can walk from park-to-park multiple times (or even from the park to the hotels). There are four major parks with distinctive feels to them and the resorts around them (Animal Kingdom, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and Magic Kingdom) plus the Downtown Disney District (retail, food, clubs, and other ways to part you from your money). There are also two water parks, and several impressive golf courses. All that to say, figure out what you are most likely to want to do a lot of and look at the hotels, resorts, condos, and many off-property "good neighbor" (non-Disney) hotels in that area. Don't worry there will be plenty of options for you regardless of your economic status.

As the title of this post states my family likes to be "in the bubble". That is an immersible experience where you stay on property, use the resort transportation,  use a meal plan to eat at the fine establishments, and take advantage of the childcare that the resorts offer. We don't get into arguments after leaving the parks trying to find our way back to the rental house. We don't have to cook after a day of walking (miles and miles) around one or more parks. We try to book places at Disneyland (and WDW) that have mild theming so that you go back and have a place to unwind. After all you are around a stimulating environment all day give your senses a break.

Last time we stayed at Port Orleans Riverside which is decked out to look like a sanitized version of the Big Easy. This time we have a room saved at Coronado Springs. This is the convention hotel so the decor is very mild. This is a LARGE resort that is spread out around a lake. If you are at the far side you will have a mile or more walk to the main buildings where the food court and restaurant is located. This is a moderate hotel. However I can tell you that I have never seen a moderate that had such a consistent look to it. The buildings are designed after Southwestern and Mexican villages and the main pool has a pyramid with a waterfall and water slide. For smaller kids there is the playground and archaeology dig site that they can play at when you are resting away from the park, as well as a kiddie pool. I have never stayed there but I can say that from all the review, blogs, Trip Advisor posts, and conversations I have had, I believe this is the best choice for us.

Now for some honorable mentions of hotels we considered in other categories.

Art of Animation Resort.
Technically a value plus, this is the newest in Disney's value resort arsenal. The rooms are decked out in cartoon motifs such as The Little Mermaid, Cars, Princesses, or The Lion King. This continues out to the grounds where you can take your picture with various characters and have a drink at the Cozy Cone next to the pool. Also looked at Pop Century which looked great. The rates for these hotels are a LOT less than the other categories.

Animal Kingdom Lodge:
This is a deluxe resort located near Animal Kingdom. It is stylized with African and Indian decorations. The best part, you can get a room facing the Sahara and watch animals graze from the comfort of your balcony. They have an African inspired buffet, as well as a a higher end restaurant, Jiko. Don't worry there is a food court and plenty of kid and picky adult fare also. Another thing that I liked about this resort is that they have their own designated buses that are only for this hotel. That may not mean anything while you are reading this, but just wait until you are just wanting to get back to the hotel and put the kids to bed. This will matter.

Planning the Family Vacation part 1

Our family decided to take a big trip to celebrate my  wife's 40th birthday and her graduating from grad school. We wanted to take a cruise, and we wanted to go to Walt Disney World too. We figured we couldn't do both. Lets face it these kinds of vacations are expensive, or at least I thought we would not be able to save enough to do both. I was wrong. We discovered that we could take a cruise to Nassau, Bahamas that would be four nights AND have some time at Disney World. It was a tricky and we compared several travel agent quotes, online deals, rental houses, and even looked at using Costco travel. I am going to try to blog our process so that you can skip all the hard stuff and do the trip that works for your family. By the way we are taking this trip as a surprise that my son will not know about until we get on the airplane. If you know my son please do not spoil the fun by telling him. Thanks.

First step, where to stay. Once we decided we wanted to visit Walt Disney World, we had to figure out where we wanted to stay (on property or off). We had very good luck using Vacation Rentals By Owner (VRBO) and thought about looking to rent a condo or vacation house in Orlando. We were surprised by the amount of homes that are accessible near the parks and some of the great amenities that were included with some of them. Things like a pool with a lift were very common in most of the places that we looked at, as well as roll in showers, and free cable and WiFi. the prices were amazing too. We were considering a 4 bedroom house that was 10 minutes away from WDW that was 132.00 a night (if you wanted the pool heated) which included the taxes. We came across many deals like that, which if you have a mobility impairment is very, VERY rare. This is a great option if you are on a tight budget because you can cook meals at home, have the flexibility to go to other parks if you rent a car, and did I mention private pool which is great if you have kids who are difficult to get out of the park. We saw many amazing properties but after crunching some numbers we decided that staying on property made the most sense for us since we changed our vacation to include a cruise. I believe when we eventually go back to Orlando (and we will once my son realizes that there are other parks besides Disney World there) we will definitely keep this in mind as an affordable and restful option. Stay Tuned.