Then and Now

When you take a trip to Disney, there are always new things to experience and see.  But today's post will take a look at some of the pictures that are my favorite because each time we go, we get to do something we remember and love.  

I drive the family crazy by making them take pictures we've posed for in the past or by making them recreate a memory from a previous trip.  These are some of my favorite pictures!  Scroll through them to enjoy my pics of Then and Now...

When you're ready to make these memories for yourself - please let me know!  I'll plan and book a Magical trip for you with no cost to you!!

Want to Know Where to Get the Best Pics at Disney World?

If you're anything like me, you have what you think of as an excellent memory.  But then you see a picture of something and realize you had forgotten all about that moment.

So to make sure you have a lasting memory of the fun you had on vacation, you'll want to have a lot of pics from your trip.  In this post, I'll let you know about some fun and new Photopass experiences and some pics you don't want to miss.

First, the pics you have to have...

In my book, if you don't get a family photo in front of the Castle and a family photo with Mickey, you've completely failed and will need to redo the whole trip!  It was almost a disaster this time as we weren't able to get the Mickey pic until OUR LAST DAY.  Trust me I was stressed about it.  The problem is that our usual plan of meeting Mickey first thing in the morning never panned out.  Both days that we started at Magic Kingdom didn't work - one was race day so we weren't there at rope drop and the other was the day that it was just Luke and I while the others played golf.  Now that Mickey has some cool technology that allows him to interact with the guests, the line gets crazy long.  So while I normally don't recommend a FastPass for a character meeting, if you're not going first thing, you might think about doing that.  I've heard rumors that they may discontinue the technology and just have standard photo ops which would speed up the line but that's not been verified yet.

Other pics that I love are those that you can only get if you purchase them through PhotoPass.  If you do Memory Maker (read more about that here), you can get all of these pics for one price.  If you don't think you'll want them all, you can purchase them individually from the website.  I love the Magic Shots and the in-ride photos.  Here are some of the new ones they offer since we were last there:

I love that each time we go, there is something new we haven't done or seen.  The Hitchhiking Ghost is one of my favorite pics from this trip!  And the addition of the in-ride photo at Pirates of the Caribbean is fun.  I'll admit that the Lantern pic is one of my most and least favorite pics.  The lighting makes me look 1,000 years old - yes, let's just say it's the lighting.  But you know how I love Tangled so the boys went and rode a couple rides while I waited in line for this.  Beware, the line is long since they only do this shot after dark and it seems to take people FOREVER to get together and smile, but I love it.  To get this pic, just head to the restrooms in Rapunzel's area (I still can't believe all she has are restrooms!!) sometime after dusk.  

Sadly one pic that I had heard rumors of before we went was a Magic Shot one with a Giant Dole Whip!  They are supposedly near Aloha Isle but I was never able to find a photographer there.  If you go, check for yourself and send me your pic if you get one!!

And lastly, don't forget to take lots of pics with your phone or personal camera.  As much as I love the PhotoPass pics, you can get a lot of really memorable ones yourself and they're free!  Also, don't underestimate your kids' photography skills.  Luke and Andrew took a lot of pics for me when I was on a ride or just not with them.  The first one in this group is one that will always remind me that Andrew had a broken finger and his cast REEKED of the nastiest odor ever! 

The next one is a really fun picture that you can ask the balloon vendor to help you with - they won't let go of the balloons, but they will move out of the shot so it looks like you've got the whole bunch.  

The next one is a benefit of early morning dining reservations.  A picture in front of the castle alone!  It's rare to get a pic without a throng of people in your shot.  And the last one is special to me since it's a pic of my race medal.  I love the castle in the background.  You can do this with anything you'd like - a new souvenir, a child's favorite stuffed animal...  I wish I'd had somebody's Flat Stanley with me on this trip!  

As much as I love being at Disney World, I know that memories fade.  These pictures won't and they'll bring me joy forever.  Let me help you plan a memorable trip so that you can get your own awesome pics!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disney's Contemporary Resort - Is It Right for Your Vacation?

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On our recent trip to Disney, we stayed at Disney's Contemporary Resort.  In today's post, I'll talk about the pros and cons of staying at this Deluxe category resort.

First, the good, or really, the GREAT things about this resort:

The proximity to the Magic Kingdom!  It's NEXT DOOR!  The main reason we chose this resort is that the Magic Kingdom is our favorite park and we end up there almost every day.  You have a couple of options to get to Magic Kingdom - the monorail which comes through the lobby of the hotel and a walking path which is about a 10 minute walk.  I think I did it in 5 minutes because I was a bit excited to get over there!  

I took this looking over the railing just outside our room inside the resort.

I took this looking over the railing just outside our room inside the resort.

The walkway starts just past the bus stop.      

The walkway starts just past the bus stop.      

I was always torn on whether to take the monorail or walk.  The truth is you'll walk A LOT at Magic Kingdom and adding more steps to your day may not work for you.  But the benefit is that you don't have to wait in any lines for transportation, security is at a checkpoint along the way for bag checks and we were always the ONLY PEOPLE in line there so never a wait.  

But if you do think you should save your steps, the monorail is a fun way to get to the Magic Kingdom.  Just be aware that the ride to the Magic Kingdom is longest on the way there - it stops at the Polynesian and the Grand Floridian before getting to Magic Kingdom.  On the way back to the Contemporary, though, you're the first stop.  If you're leaving at a non-busy time (not park closing, after fireworks...), I'd probably take the monorail back.  But if you want to stay until the park closes, you'll be in a long line of others getting on the monorail so I'd suggest walking if you can handle it.

Another great thing about this resort is the view you'll have (if you get a Theme Park View).  Normally a theme park view is an added cost but we were pleasantly surprised (OK, I freaked out!) to have one this time even though we didn't book that room.  I didn't want to spend the extra money considering I want to be in the parks the entire time and wouldn't enjoy the view much.

Well, after staying in this room, I was totally spoiled.  Look at our view!!

I never expected to be in the room to see Magic Kingdom's fireworks but as it turned out we saw it on 3 different nights.  We were too tired to stay in the park til fireworks on the day we ran the half marathon.  And then a couple of other times we just happened to get back to our room in time to see them.  And although I would prefer to be in the parks for them just because of how awesome they are, they're pretty darn good from a distance.  You can even hear the music coming from the park!

The resort is close to EPCOT also and again, you can take the monorail there which is convenient.  My only complaint is that you have to go through security twice to get to EPCOT.  Since you have to transfer monorail lines at the Ticket and Transportation Center, they have no way of knowing that you went through security at the Contemporary.  The lines went pretty quick but a bit frustrating to do it twice.

The only other complaint I have about the resort is that it's loud.  Chef Mickey's is in the lobby area and they open pretty early for breakfast and are open late for dinner.  So when kids see Mickey and squeal, it's pretty easy to hear.  I tend to be up early and late so not a big deal but if you have little kids that are trying to sleep it might be an issue.  We were on the 10th floor and Chef Mickey's is on the 4th.  But with the open lobby, the sound travels up.  

All in all, I LOVED it and would definitely stay there again.  I have my sights set on the Polynesian for my next trip (have you heard they have Dole Whip on site?), but once I check out a few more resorts, I'd love to stay at the Contemporary many more times!

I'd love to chat with you about which resort would be best for your family.  Every situation is different!! 

Here are a few more pics from our room/the resort:

 

 

 

An Honest Account of the Amazing Highs (and a few lows) From Our Disney Vacation

I tend to only talk about the positive aspects of a Disney Vacation.  I am, after all, hoping you'll book a trip through me and have an amazing time!  But I know that no trip is ever perfect from beginning to end.  You'll hit some bumps along the way - but after reading this, I hope you'll see that the highs completely outweigh the lows.  

The HIGHS!

This kid.  This kid right here made my whole week with one amazing morning.  We ran the runDisney Half Marathon together.  It could have been a disaster.  He had a broken toe and a hurt arm in the weeks leading up to the race.  With that and his school/sports schedule, he didn't get in many long runs.  

And then the worst happened and 2 days prior to the trip, we all got the nastiest stomach bug I've ever encountered.  I wasn't sure he'd be able to stand up on Saturday, much less run 13.1 miles.  On the monorail to the race, I kept looking at him thinking he looked pale and tired and it was never going to happen.  

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We hadn't slept much the night before (you have to be on the monorail by 3:30am) and then we had to walk 1.5 miles to get to the start line.  As if that wasn't enough, we stood in frigid temperatures (34 degrees) with shorts on (I'm Mom of the Year and didn't think we'd need tights) for a couple of hours waiting for the race to start.

Having also not eaten much for days, it's a wonder we made it to the race.  But when we crossed the start line, Ryan ran his heart out.  We only stopped for a restroom break once and we'd walk while we took a sip of water.  Other than that, we ran the entire race.  

I'm still amazed at him.  I KNOW he was tired and hurting but he never complained.  And with a half mile to go, he actually said, "Mom, I'll let you cross the finish line first if you want to beat me."  

I felt like crying - and you know I'd already gotten teary-eyed running through the castle!  I didn't let him let me win - how embarrassing for your 46-year-old mother to beat you.  But it was so sweet that he was willing to do that!  

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There may have been a bit of complaining in the next couple of days about sore feet but that was a tiny little low compared to the high of him running his first half marathon with me!!  I'd had dreams of running a race at Disney and thanks to him, I did it. 

Kid #2!!

I always feel a little guilty taking Andrew to amusement parks.  He goes and he says he has a good time, but he just doesn't like to ride most of the rides.  So he stands in line for quite some time with us and then goes out the exit when we get on the rides. 

A lot of people - scratch that - MOST people would complain about the waits or about standing in line for a ride they're not interested in, but he really doesn't.  He willingly holds all of my stuff - my heavy backpack and camera.  And he'll even try to get a pic of us on the ride - like this awesome one here:

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He was such a trooper this trip.  I wanted to hit 4 parks in one day and he was up for it.  I wanted to stop a take a picture with Peter Pan.  Fine by him.  I wanted to ride Small World one last time.  No complaints.  So thankful for the good attitude and sweet spirit in this boy!

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Kid #3!

When we started planning this trip, I mentioned to the boys how much I'd like to go to eat in the Castle.  With all boys, I'd never considered eating a meal where 5 different princesses come by your table.  Luke went through the "Rapunzel love" phase when he was 2, but he's 10 now.  (Do yourself a favor and look at his Rapunzel phase here!)  I suggested they go play golf and I would just be that weirdo eating by myself in the castle. 

But Luke offered to go with me.  I know he wasn't a huge fan of it.  This pic of him with Cinderella is quite different than his past pics with Rapunzel.

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When the princesses came around during breakfast, I told them he was my photographer so he took all of the pics of us.  I think he enjoyed that much more than being fawned on by pretty girls!  Again, there was no complaining!  He was happy to take the pictures and I'll forever appreciate his company on our Castle date!!

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Kid #4!  Ok, so I don't have 4 kids.  But I do have to give credit to the guy who took us to Disney.  This may shock you but Don isn't the Disney fan that I am.  He really doesn't like crowds or standing in line or public transportation which doesn't help.  I know he'd rather go on a camping/fishing/skiiing/lake/anything else trip so I appreciate him going on this trip with us!  Not only did he pay for it, he had to take off work to go on his not-so-favorite trip.  And did I mention the stomach bug? Yep, he also got to fly on a very queasy stomach.  Maybe a bit of eye-rolling that he didn't think I saw, but there wasn't much outward complaining. 

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I'm thankful to have a husband that gets that I'm a super Disney nerd and puts up with me!

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The LOWS...

All-in-all, I don't have much to put here.  The crowds last week were much higher than historically encountered this time of year.  So lines were longer and people were just everywhere.  I think in the past, we had been lucky to be at off-peak times and were a bit spoiled.  One thing I learned this trip is that it's ok if we all aren't together all the time.  

A few times Don and one or two of the boys went back to the hotel for down-time.  Although I want to spend every second in the parks, I get that they needed to do that.  I think that made our time together ever better.  

We had sore feet for sure.  The day of the race, I got in more than 50,000 steps!  But if you go in knowing that you'll be walking and prepare for it, it's not such a big deal.  

Also with the crowds so high, it helped that I had planned ahead and made dining reservations and secured FastPasses.  You'll have plenty of Lows if you have to wait in line at each and every turn.  

The sore feet and eye-rolling will not be what I think of when I think back on this trip.  The fun memories and great pictures will be all that I remember - and I will remember it often!!

I'd love to help you plan a trip with a bunch of HIGHS and a few tiny LOWS.  Call me and let's talk about it!!

 

 

 

What's Your Favorite Disney Movie??

Everyone seems to have a favorite Disney movie.  My favorite will forever be Tangled.  I know, there are other more popular choices.  But as is the case with most of my favorite things, this one's my fav because of the memories I have surrounding the movie.

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Tangled came out in 2010 and if you haven’t seen it, what are you waiting for?  It’s one of the most funny Disney animated films and has the best songs.  Yeah, I know Frozen is up there for most people in the song department, but I love every song in Tangled.

Luke was 3 when the movie came out and from the moment he saw it, he was hooked.  His Nana made him a Flynn Rider costume and he wore it ALL OF THE TIME.  He had a Rapunzel doll and we spent a lot of time brushing her hair.  We got a new dog and Tangled was still such a hit, we named the dog Flynn (against the protests of the other two boys, of course).

He was what you might call obsessed. 

We went to Disney World the year after the movie came out and Luke’s main mission for the trip was to get to meet Rapunzel and Flynn.  He’s lucky that he has a Dad willing to make his little dreams come true and Don waited in line for over an hour in the blazing sun at her Meet & Greet while I took the boys to the shade to keep cool.  Totally worth it (at least to Luke and I). He got to meet them both and had a sweet conversation with her.  He was completely in love!

Later that summer, he wanted a Tangled birthday party and of course, I was on board with that. 

Several years later, when we returned to Disney World, he thought he was too old to visit with Rapunzel again.  But being the sweetheart that he is, he took this pic with me outside of her tower. 

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I will forever associate Tangled with that sweet little boy and his “smolder.”  If you don’t get the smolder reference, would you PLEASE go watch the movie!!  

What’s your favorite Disney movie?  I’d love to hear about it and why!

And if you have a little one that’s really into Disney now, take a trip to meet their heroes!  Time gets away from you and before you know it, they think they’re too old to take that priceless picture.

Disney World MagicBands FAQ

One of the most exciting days before traveling to Disney is the day the MagicBands arrive in the mail!  As soon as I see the box, the trip becomes even more of a reality!  (And just to embarrass my boys, I usually scream and do a Happy Dance).

For those of you that haven’t been to Disney World, or haven’t been in many years, here’s some helpful information about those Magical Bands and how to use them.

What is a MagicBand?

This colorful wristband is actually an all-in-one device that effortlessly connects you to all the vacation choices you made with My Disney Experience.

Your MagicBand enables you to travel lighter throughout your vacation. Use it to enter the parks, unlock your Disney Resort hotel room and buy food and merchandise. Plus, your MagicBand gives you FastPass+ access to all the experiences you’ve selected online.

** Be sure to NOT pack your MagicBands in your checked luggage.  You will use them right off the bat to board Disney’s Magical Express at the airport.  And if you’ve checked in online prior to your trip, you can go straight to your room using your MagicBand to unlock your door.  So put them on when you head out to start your trip!

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Your MagicBand also is used by Disney PhotoPass Service. The photographer will scan your band after taking your photos.  You’ll also have your ride photos automatically linked to your account while wearing your band on rides that offer in-ride pics.  If you’ve purchased the Memory Maker, all you have to do is go to your PhotoPass account to see all the memories captured and created for you.

 How do I use my MagicBand?

Most of the time, all you need to do is touch your MagicBand against a sensor called a touch point. It’s that easy!

MagicBands can also be read by long-range readers to deliver amazing personalized experiences, as well as provide information that helps Disney improve their overall experience.

In addition to touching your MagicBand to a touch point, you will be required to enter a PIN code to uniquely identify yourself when making purchases. 

To enter the parks, you will be required to provide biometric identification (fingerprint) or show a photo ID that matches the name identified with your ticket. This process helps to ensure that you, and only you, have access to the entitlements linked to your MagicBand.

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MagicBands are always operational. They don’t have an on/off switch. If you lose a MagicBand, you can deactivate it on My Disney Experience, and it will no longer be linked to your tickets and other entitlements.  You can visit Guest Relations for help with a replacement - occasionally they will replace without a charge depending on the circumstances.

MagicBands use Radio Frequency (RF) technology and can be read by short and long-range readers located at the Walt Disney World Resort. If you prefer to use a card—which cannot be detected by long-range readers—you can request a card at your Disney Resort hotel.

In addition, any Guest who wishes to use their MagicBand to purchase an alcoholic beverage at Walt Disney World Resort must also present a valid form of identification.

How can I get a MagicBand?

MagicBands are available at no cost to Guests staying at Disney Resort hotels. Guests staying off-site receive a card with the purchase of park admission. Those guests are welcome to purchase a MagicBand online before their trip or at many locations throughout Disney World.

When is the deadline for customizing my MagicBand?

Customize your MagicBand with your name and favorite color as soon as possible after making your Disney Resort hotel reservation!  I'd be happy to do this for you!

  • If you customize your MagicBand at least 11 days before you arrive at your Disney Resort hotel, it will be shipped to your home.
  • If you customize your MagicBand between 10 days and 6 days before you arrive at your Disney Resort hotel, you will receive it when you arrive at your Disney Resort hotel.
  • If you do not customize your MagicBand until 5 days or less before your arrival, you will receive a non-customized MagicBand when you arrive at your Disney Resort hotel - these are boring grey bands so don’t wait too long!  (Sorry to those of you that love the color grey!)

When you customize your MagicBand, the printed name appears on the inside for your privacy.  I like to have our nicknames printed just for fun.  You can also write your cell phone number in sharpie on these before you go for a small child’s band.  Peace of mind just in case they get lost.

Customization doesn’t stop there. Disney sells a number of special edition MagicBands: everything from Star Wars to Mickey Mouse is available to purchase. Most of these special bands are about $20 and can be purchased from DisneyStore.com in advance of your trip or in theme park stores on-site.

For even more customization, guests can add accessories like character images and jewels called MagicBandits. These decorations pop into the adjustable holes on the MagicBand.

With the introduction of MagicBand 2 in early 2017, the customization options are even more robust. MagicBand 2 has a center disc Disney is calling the “icon” that can be removed with a small screwdriver. Creative Disney types are mixing and matching the icon with different color bands. If you don’t want to wear a band, you can even remove the icon entirely and put it in new accessories Disney is selling called MagicKeepers to turn them into keychains, lanyards, and more.

You’ll see Guests that have gone to extremes while decorating their bands.  I purchased “skins” from sellers on etsy to place on our bands.  Here are a few pics of the packaging and the bands, including the before and after pictures of a couple of our bands.

Make yours stand out and be prepared for Cast Members to admire them!

How do I use my MagicBand or card when I have a FastPass+ arrival time at an attraction or entertainment experience?

When you arrive during your scheduled FastPass+ arrival time, all you need to do is proceed to the FASTPASS queue entrance and touch your MagicBand or card to a sensor called a touch point - so easy!

Please remember that each member of your party will have to individually touch their MagicBand or card to the touch point, so everyone should be sure to have their MagicBand or card available.

How do I make purchases using my MagicBand?

If you’re staying at a Disney Resort hotel, you can charge purchases to your room by touching your MagicBand or card against a sensor called a touch point and entering a PIN code to uniquely identify yourself. You self-select your PIN upon check-in at your Walt Disney World Resort hotel.

Hungry for a snack? Want a souvenir? Use your MagicBand to charge these purchases at a Walt Disney World theme park to your Disney Resort hotel room. Are MagicBands waterproof?

You can select which MagicBands are able to charge - might be a good idea to not give charge privileges to your kids! 

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Are MagicBands waterproof?

Yes. MagicBands are waterproof so you don’t have to worry about protecting them from water exposure when you visit the Disney water parks, enjoy water attractions at the Disney theme parks, swim at the pool at your Disney Resort hotel or get caught outside in the rain.

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Have other questions??  Contact me or comment below!!