Disney World Planning Tips

Ok so my love for Disney is no secret. In fact I am quite obnoxious with my obsession for it, as my family and friends would quickly tell you. My poor husband has to hear about it probably more often than he should, and he has done well learning to nod his head and pretend to be listening intently (he wins brownie points for sure). My kids are doomed to be Disney lovers, and no doubt will end up just like me. This is perfectly fine of course since someone is going to have to be willing to take me to Disney World when I am too old to walk :). All that being said I have so many friends ask me about tips and tricks when planning a Disney trip, I thought it would be good to write a blog post with what I know. Granted I really do not know much compared to those who have been many times more than I. So let it be known now that I am NO expert in any way shape or form, and there are so many things I am still learning. Thats the thing about Disney...there is just SO much. For those of you who find yourself going for the first time though, I definitely have some pointers for you as far as planning your trip goes. With Disney World your trip has everything to do with how well you plan. This fact can make or break your trip.

Just a side note, I am writing tips that I have found helpful or necessary. You can certainly go doing absolutely nothing I list here and have a great time. These are just my opinions and experiences :).

Yes, Savannah is technically too old for a stroller on most occasions. But let me tell you Disney is not a time for making a parenting point. You can walk upwards of 15 miles a day at Disney, and that is a lot for little feet. So unless you want to deal with that kind of tired crankiness all day, I suggest  you bring one for any child under 9!

1. Plan EARLY and plan everything you can

So you're going to Disney World huh?? Well let me tell you friend, plan early or get a prescription for some Ativan, because you are going to need it if you don't. For example, dining reservations. Disney allows you to make dining reservations up to 180 days before your trip. Take my advice, save yourself a headache, and make those reservations as close to the 180 day mark as you can. There are certain restaurants, especially the more popular ones, that will book up that early or close to it. My suggestion is do not put yourself through the stress of not getting to go to a special restaurant like Chef Mickeys or a princess lunch/dinner at Askerhaus with your girls. Make your reservations as early as you can! 

If you do not know when you are going to Disney yet, or when would be the best time to go, I suggest you do a few things. One is go to http://www.mousesavers.com/ and look around for when she suggests is the best times to take a trip to Disney. This site has so many wonderful and trusted tips. There is also a site that she suggests, and one that I use as well, called http://touringplans.com/. For twelve dollars a year this site provides you with a crowd calendar, letting you know the busiest and slowest times of the year to visit Disney. It also breaks down which parks to go to on what days according to crowds, and lets you know parade times and special show times as well as which parks have extra magic hours (times the parks are open early or late for disney world resorts guests only). For me, crowds and the temperature are two of the biggest factors when planning a Disney trip. Many Disney lovers go at the absolute busiest and hottest times of the year and love it. For me this sounds like a kind of hell only known to the Devil himself. Obviously anytime school is out for vacation the parks are going to have much higher crowds. We always take the girls out of school in order to go. We get their homework together beforehand and they do work on the way there and on the way back. That way they are caught up somewhat when we get back. I understand that everyone cannot do this, but if you can I suggest it! This year we are hitting our trip on the girls' fall break, so they are only missing three days of school instead of five. 

If you have little girls, and do nothing else extra while you are there, please consider planning to take them to Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. It is run by the fairy godmother of course :) and little girls get to go inside, dress up like princess' and have their hair and nails done. They are pampered and treated like little royalty. When they are done they walk around for the rest of the day, all dolled up as cast members (Disney employees) bow to them and call them princess. Its such an awesome experience for your little girl! A little tip, go with your own dress, shoes, crown and whatever else. If you only have their hair, nails and makeup done it runs you about 60.00. If you buy the dress, shoes, crown, etc...it runs you closer to 200.00. If you really want to make it a big experience for her go for everything! We have just found that having their hair, makeup and nails done is experience enough :). I only have girls, but if you have little boys Disney has The Pirates League. Here boys and girls can have pirate makeovers, much like the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique without all the glitter! As I stated before, plan this early. This treat is also something you can book up to 180 days before, and this books up FAST. Take my word for it. Also do your best to get into the boutique located at the Magic Kingdom. Its IN Cinderella's castle for goodness sake! If you can get a morning appointment do it, and they do book up the fastest. This way they get to be princess for a day much longer.  

2. Buy the park hopper

I know there are many out there who think this little add on is crazy, and I understand that it costs a little extra. For a family of four, for six days, you are looking at a total package upgrade of a little over 200.00 to add the park hopper for your whole trip. We are die hard park hopper people though, and I think it is well worth the extra cost, at least for your first visit to Disney when you do not know exactly what you want to do. You see, when you buy a basic ticket to Disney world, you buy a ticket to one park a day. So lets say Monday you want go to the Magic Kingdom, Tuesday to Epcot, and so on. The problem with the basic ticket is that you are stuck in that park for the whole day. Yes its a Disney park so there has to be plenty to do right?? Well there is, but take my word for it, some parks you may not really find to be suited to you. For us this park is Hollywood studios. Our family can go to Hollywood Studios and spend a total of 3 hours and be done there. There just isn't much for us in that park. For you that park may be Animal Kingdom. There are definitely things you want to do, but maybe you find yourself not wanting to spend all day there. We would much rather spend a little extra time in Magic Kingdom. Well the beauty of buying the park hopper pass, is that you can go from park to park each day you are there. That way if you are at Hollywood Studios in the morning, find yourself finished there by 2pm (trust me it can happen), you can hop over to Magic Kingdom from 3-9 and catch a fireworks show. The nice thing about this as well, is you do not have to stress so much about your dining reservations being on the right day at the right park. If you have a reservation at Coral Reef in Epcot at 5pm on monday, you can go to Magic Kingdom that morning and then hop on the Monorail and head over to Epcot for dinner then see a lights show afterwards at that park. Again this is not necessary and many are opposed to it, but I find the convenience of it to be worth the money. 

3.  Whether to stay on-site or off-site

This is a tricky one, and it really depends on your opinion and what kind of experience you are looking for. I personally love to stay on Disney property, and my kids are obsessed with it as well. I know of many others who prefer to stay at a hotel off-site or rent a house off-site. I will say that if this is going to be a once in a lifetime trip for you, stay on property and take advantage of being there in the magic! If you are planning to go back a few times look into staying off site, you may find it a better fit for you. 

Staying on-site

So lets say you are flying down to Disney, as many people do. When you are staying on-site, you are picked up by Disney's magical express. Its a complimentary shuttle from the airport to your resort. They also take care of all your luggage for you, and most of the time it is sitting in your room by the time you get there. When staying on-site you are transported around Disney by shuttle bus, or depending on your resort you also have the option of the Monorail or a boat ride. You also get the option to add on the Dining Plan. I love the Dining plan, and there are certain times of the year (usually the Fall months) where this plan can be added on for free! You have three dining plan options to choose from. quick service dining, regular dining and deluxe dining. You can find out more about these options here https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/planning-guides/in-depth-advice/disney-dining-plan/. We normally go with the regular dining plan, which gives you one quick service meal, one sit down meal, and one snack per person per day. All of this is paid beforehand and I love the convenience of it. You can save money doing this, you just have to really plan well and use your meals and snacks to your advantage. I will probably write another post just on dining at Disney and go more in depth with it there. 

Another plus to staying on-site is being able to take advantage of extra magic hours. Each day at least on park has what they call "extra magic hours". This means that the park will be open either one hour early or one hour late, and it is only available to resort guests. We love this because we are able to go in an hour before the bigger crowd gets there and ride many of the big rides before they line up, or stay later than those who are staying off-site. 

Another little tip, if you book your vacation stay early (which you should!), and a promotional offer comes available after you book, Disney will let you fix your reservation to take advantage of the offer. You simply have to call them, or have your travel agent do it. 

Staying off-site

If you are planning to stay off-site you can go to the mouse savers link i posted at the beginning of my post and find many deals at local hotels through that site. When staying off-site you have the option to bring food into the park. YES, Disney lets you bring food into the park, whether its snacks, lunch or water bottles. So if you want to pack lunch, or eat breakfast at your hotel, you can do that! This can definitely be a money saver. If you need more room than what you may get at a Disney resort, then staying off-site is also a good option. I know for a fact that you can rent a house about eight minutes from Disney for the same price a night, if not cheaper, than most resorts there. You can find homes like this here http://www.vrbo.com/. 

Chef Mickey's is by far Mady's favorite!

   

So I could go on forever, but I do not want to make your eyes cross with too much information at one time! In closing I will give you a few other quick tips. 

1. If you have never been to Disney, talking to a Disney travel agent, or at least someone who has been a few times, is a GREAT idea. Certified Disney travel agents do not charge you any extra money to plan your trip, but educate yourself a little before you speak with them. That way you know what you want and it helps them help you plan.

2. Do not try to do it all. You will never be able to take everything in on one trip. Find what you really want to do and do that. Enjoy it and do not rush. Rushing around and trying to do everything you can is just going to stress you out, and that is not necessary! 

3. Find deals online or in stores like Target for merchandise before you go. Things such as t-shirts, toys, and princess dresses can all be found online for cheaper than they will be at the park. Even the Disney store site has clearance merchandise. Do that and give your wallet a break :)

4. Go when they are young. I know everyone says "oh we want to wait for them to remember it!" This is true, but if you can, do not miss that age where Disney is truly magical to your little ones. Savannah was four and Mady was seven the first time we went and it was perfect!

I hope this post helps some of you! You can make this trip fun and low stress, but you have to plan! I will plan to do more posts in the future on details like dining and park extras. I hope you have a magical day!

Savannahs Minnie Mouse doll traveled with her all over Disney on our last trip. She still sleeps with her every night :)

Mother, Nana and Friend

So my mom turns 59 today, and I thought it only appropriate to write a few (or many) words about how incredible she is. Unfortunatley this is an extremely difficult thing for me to do. You see, trying to explain who my mother is, and what she means to our whole family, is kind of like trying to put a square into a circle. She is just one of those people who could never be replaced, nor replicated. In my lifetime, if managed to acquire half of the crowns that woman has, I would never be able to carry them all through the gates of Heaven. The best I can do is  narrow her down to the three words that best describe her, and trust me that is proving all but impossible.

1. Servant

My mother is the most active servant I know. Seriously she puts the "S" in selfless. If I need help she is there, whether its work or a night out. I have never heard my mom complain once about watching my kids, or put her own needs above that. With me and my husbands jobs, she has to do this much more than I would like. Does she ever complain though?? Nope, not once have I heard a complaint. I could never put into words how thankful I am for that.  If it were not for her I would never have made it into, nor through, nursing school with two children. She serves the Lord, and has been serving at our church since I was a little girl, mainly in food service. I have literally seen this woman throw together a meal for 500 plus people in two days with a smile on her face. I can't even wrap my mind around that.   

1. Sacrifice 

My mom never went to college, though she is one of the smartest people I know. She never had a blazing career making millions of dollars, nor will she retire with an enormous life savings to sail around the world on a cruise ship. She has sacrificed everything for her family. When I was a baby, she stayed at home with us until we made it to school. She then worked at our school and church until we graduated high school. She was always there for me and my sister, even at the summer camp we went to year after year. Her and my father sacrificed everything to send us to a Christian school. Some have said that it is only because she cannot let go, and thats why she has always been around. They are so wrong. Anyone who truly knows my mom knows how wrong that is. Her life is her family, and her friends, and her church. None of this for fame or acknowledgment. She simply wants to give her life to others. Its truly takes my breath at times, when I see how she fills the void in so many others' lives, and never thinks of her own.

3. Hard worker

One of my mothers favorite sayings is "Ill sleep when Im dead." My word is this ever true. She works harder than anyone I know. Sometimes it drives us all a little crazy, because if it were up to us she would be sitting somewhere with her feet propped up reading a book. Yes...I have threatened to knock her out with a tranquilizer more than once. The fact is though, my mother is miserable sitting still. She loves her job, and loves her family and friends. My girls are her world and I could never repay her for everything she does for them, and for me. She has taught me everything about hard work, and I can only pray that I can portray that amazing work ethic to my children as well as she has to me. 

Needless to say my mother is an amazing woman. I am so thankful for her, and for the love that she has given my children. I will never be able to repay her for all that she has done, but at the same time she wouldn't let me if I tried. So happy birthday mom, and thank you for everything you do. I wish I could buy you diamonds, or send you on a cruise, but there is no doubt you would just regift them somehow :). While writing this post Savannah called you "Awesome" and Madelyn dubbed you "The Fairy Godmother" haha I guess I couldn't have put it better myself!

Small Blessings

As stated in my "about me" section, I am an Oncology nurse. Im closing in on my second full year of this job, and all of the things that I have learned from this proffession could never fit in one blog post.  I felt that the best way to begin was to insert something that I had previously posted on Instagram last spring.

     "Today was one of those days at work where you just want to run away...or at least hide somewhere and cry (which I may or may not have done at least twice). My job drains me, physically and emotionally, at levels I cannot even comprehend at times. There are plenty of days I have questioned my decision to become an Oncology nurse. Never in a million years would I have placed myself there. Of course God has other plans, and he knows what we need, and what an honor it is to serve in this way. Today, when I was at my breaking point, I had a patients daughter come up to me and wrap me in a hug. She had just lost her mother minutes before. Her words were 'we never would have made it through this without you nurses. Thank you so much for doing what you do.' There it was, someone dealing with more pain than Ive ever had to personally experience inadvertently was comforting me. I still cannot comprehend that. Small blessings God brings us truly can shadow anything."

 As a nurse in a hospital setting, you go to work never really knowing what you are going to face on your shift. You could have five pleasant patients with uncomplicated diagnosis' (this pretty much never happens), or you could have five patients suffering from dementia whom are bound and determined to leap out of the bed every two minutes and find themselves lying in the floor. You could have a mix of both or something completely different. You may work a long twelve hours without a full meal break or time to pee. You really just NEVER know. As stated above I work mainly with Oncology patients, but as a Med-Surg floor we bring in everything from GI bleeds to pneumonia.

Being an Oncology nurse takes a special mindset, and a special personality. I truly believe this is why we have such an amazing staff on our floor. I love my co-workers, they are my heroes and my mentors. Their heart, and compassion for the sick and hurting, is something that can only come naturally. As an Oncology nurse you come in contact with many patients that you become close to. When you care for someone on the level that you have to in the hospital its nearly impossible for this not to happen. Many of our patients are diagnosed while in our care, and given the worst prognosis while in our care as well. Imagine having to go into a persons room, immediately after a doctor has left from giving them the news that they have a max of six months to live. Yet these wonderful nurses do it all the time, and they comfort those patients and their families the best way that they can. When they are done there, they may go next door and be cussed out for not bringing someones pain medicine to them on time, or have another patient pass away. This is the struggle faced everyday by all nurses. Yet our struggles are nothing compared to those of that person in that bed, or the family surrounding them.

Working with the dying has taught me so much about living

There is one thing about taking care of those sweet, courageous Oncology patients that changes you though. They have changed my outlook on life in the best way possible. It is no longer about making a paycheck, getting to the weekend or just making it through the holidays and all its chaos. Every moment is precious, and not taking advantage of the time you are given with your family and friends is such a personal crime. Life is short, and the impossible can happen at any moment. When I say this some people tell me you can't live life thinking that the worst can happen at any moment, but those people do not see what I see, and experience what I, and all of my awesome colleagues, experience. That being said, please make memories with your loved ones, whether its crazy Disney World trips, or trips to the park. Spoil your babies the best your can, and teach them how to spoil others who are hurting. Enjoy the little things, bless someone else, and spend time with your parents and loved ones, and don't forget to buy dessert :).  Even at the end of a healthy and blessed life, the person you have become will look back at you in the mirror and thank you for it.

Christmas cookies

So today, for the first time since my babies were...well...babies...some old home movies were pulled out of whatever cobweb infested cave that they have been hiding in. Ladies and gentlemen, if you really want to show off your ability to become a puddle of weeping sentiment, just go dig your own up. In the videos we watched today my girls were between the ages of 6 months and 4 years, whereas now they are six and nine. Now like I said, I have not watched these videos since they were filmed all those years ago, and it is so surreal to see them now. The moments we were watching felt like yesterday. I know that everyone says that, and if we are being honest we all roll our eyes when they do, but its so so true. Watching those videos made me feel so blessed to be able to have something as simple as a video camera, one thing so many cannot afford. If I could not have those memories on video Im not sure what I would do.

Well, I would probably just cry again, but still.

Speaking of memories, we have a Christmas tradition in our house, one that I witnessed on those videos today as well. Even when my girls could barley stand, we made cookies to leave out for Santa on Christmas Eve. In our house we definitely get into Santa. I know that many families do not, and that is a decision everyone has to make for themselves. My girls know that the real reason for Christmas is celebrating the birth of Jesus. That does not mean we cannot celebrate a little childhood magic in the meantime. They look forward to creating these cookies every year, and Im sure Santa just loves those thickly iced, sugar sprinkled masterpieces they leave him :).

If you can't tell, miss Savannah has quite the personality.

And yes, the cookies have to be placed on the plate just the right way.

So today I am thankful for simple traditions and sweet times with my girls, and for the means we are blessed with to document those times. Do not just pull the camera out for the big events, like birthdays and Christmas. Think about the things you would love to have from your own childhood and document those times for your little ones. They will thank you for it one day. 

Making room for "No"

So 2013 is coming to an end, and per usual it has been an insanely busy year for us. I was reflecting on that this past week, trying to understand exactly why I felt so burnt out and run down. It's as if my mind cannot relax, and I can't keep up with my calendar and the tasks I need to accomplish. It's the same way that I felt last year at this time, and the year before that. Ok lets be honest, I can't remember a time when I was NOT feeling that way. If you know me, you know that I like to be busy. I get this trait from my wonderful mother, whom I'm pretty sure wears Superman's cape to sleep in at night. If you look up the word "servant" in the dictionary I'm certain her smiling face would be there as a definition.

I enjoy a fast pace, and love to delve my hands into everything that I can. Learning new things and acquiring new skills is my bread and butter and I absolutely love it. This is definitely something that gets me into trouble though. I have two jobs as it is, one as an Oncology nurse and the other as a photographer. My husband is a police officer and works crazy evening hours (and everything else in between). Throw a nine and a six year old into the mix and you have one heck of a schedule. Even so, in our family we are big believers in making room for time together. We take time for relaxing, and we travel together as often as we can. I make my own schedule at work, and keep my hours down as much as is financially possible. So why am I so burnt out? Why do I feel so overwhelmed all of the time? Why am I finding myself feeling bitter and angry recently? 

I never. say. no.
Yep. I may as well have the words "people pleaser" tattooed on my forehead.  

I have always been that way, from as far back as I can remember. If someone needed me for something, or asked a favor of me, I would do it. Rearrange my schedule to make something happen for you? Sure thing. Come to an event early or stay late to help out? Yep, I'm your girl. Like I said, I've been that way forever, and I  am still that way. I love to help others, and I love to be there for my friends. Giving back and serving allows me so much joy, and I am thankful for the ability that I have to do that, through photography or whatever else. There is a problem though, a problem that I've never really paid attention to until recently. When I'm so busy saying "yes" to everything, I am at the same time saying "no" to the things that are most important. Things such as taking time to enjoy my girls, or taking care of the many things I need to as a mother and a wife. Taking time for myself and for my husband. All of these things have been holding a spot on the back burner, all because I literally find myself unable to say "no".

I've decided that that is going to change.

You see, intentional or not, being a people pleaser creates a vicious cycle. For one it makes you a target for those who unfortunately do not mind taking advantage of others. The truth of the matter is that most people do not even realize that they are taking advantage of you, it's a side effect of always being willing to do for others, and really is my own fault for always saying yes. In a way you are creating your own monster. So what is the long term effect of having this happen? Well, you begin to lose trust for one. You start seeing hidden meanings that are not even there, and taking everything people say to you wrong. You feel sensitive to the smallest things, and begin to feel bitterness when someone asks you to help them out with something. You hide this bitterness well, but it's there, like a rock sitting in your stomach. This is when you know you have got to change. I don't want to lose my servants heart, but I also have to know where to draw the line.

So why am I ranting about this? Because I know there are many out there who deal with this same issue. I know that there are others who always say yes because they do not know how to say no, or they are scared to say no. I am speaking to those of you out there like me, the people pleasers. I'm challenging you as well as myself in this coming year, to say no more and yes less. Saying no doesn't make you a bad person or a bad friend, nor does it take away that beautiful servants heart the Lord gave to you. But it does protect that precious heart from the grip of bitterness and burn out that is sure to come if you do not change. 

Serving those in need, giving of yourself to glorify the Lord, and using your talents to help those whom are suffering, is different than letting someone use you to benefit themselves. 

There is nothing wrong with doing a favor for a friend, or helping out with an event or project. You have to set boundaries on yourself though, something that I have unfortunately neglected. Your time is valuable, your loved ones are valuable, and keeping your priorities is valuable. The Lord gave you that servants heart to bless others with, but he also gave you the responsibility to protect it.