From One Mom to Another: Tips on Disney, Races and Kids

 Sydnee is 6 in this photo. I have been traveling with my family to Disney for more than a decade. My first trip as a parent was in 2003 when my eldest daughter was 4 and my son was 2.  I took my mom, my best friend and my sister with us to Disneyland.   At the time I was on active duty stationed in Washington, DC and my mom and sister lived in Montana so I didn't see them that often.  We had an amazing time and the Disney trips soon became a tradition.  Many of my friends ask me when is the best time to take the trip and who should go. Is Nana too old for Disney?  Should we wait until the baby is older?  Are my teens going to be bored? The short answer is MAYBE but probably not.  In today's blog I will give you pros and cons on these and some other frequently asked questions. Lets start with some basic questions you should ask yourself.  Is this going to be a once in a lifetime trip?  What is the goal of this...

When you go to Walt Disney World you can expect to spend some serious cash but not everything is super expensive.  Here is a list of 5 things that are free or low cost extras that can add magic to your trip. 1.  Water - OK, so water may seem silly but it is hot in Florida and you can get thirsty.  I always bring a water bottle with me and fill it up but you don't need one.  Any quick service restaurant (and Starbucks) will give you a free glass of ice water.  Starbucks and a couple other restaurants have big crafts of water just sitting out where you can fill your water bottle.  PRO TIP: don't love the taste of tap water?  Pack some flavored water packets or the small squirt bottles and mix your own lemonade, etc. (Bottled water is available for purchase and is about $5-7 per bottle.) 2.  Souvenirs - You can get free park maps, free celebration buttons, and stickers to take home.  My kids love collecting stickers and you can get th...

You can see several of our outfits in these pictures from June. I'm wearing my backpack in the bottom left. I love to travel and I really enjoy traveling with my kids. When I fly I normally choose by price and flight times.  The budget airlines that fly out of my local airport charge for everything, especially luggage. So I have learned to pack in carry on.  It helps that I travel where it is warm most of the time but not always. That being said, here is how I pack for a seven day trip without checking luggage and having spare room for souvenirs.  Everyone in my family packs the same stuff but here is where we start.  My luggage: 1 hard sided carry on - get one with wheels and an expanding zipper 1 medium sized back pack - I like one a day pack style rather than a school style 2 vacuum seal bags - Get the self sealing kind that you roll to get the air out Here is a work outfit. Clothes I bring: 7-10 outfits - ...

In this photo Jake and I both have lanyards with our pins on. Photo: Disney Photopass  What is Disney Pin Trading?  If you have never been to a Disney Park you may not know or you might not understand it even if you have why people are walking around with pins on lanyards and display pouches.  Disney sells pins, most are the size of a quarter that you can wear, display, collect and/or trade. But why? People collect things for different reasons, pins are the same.  Here's a couple reasons you might want to buy some collectible pins. Reason 1.  They are a fun souvenir that doesn't take up a ton of space in you luggage and are easy to display. Reason 2.  If the pins are limited editions or rare they may increase in value just like any other collectible. Reason 3.  Pin trading is fun and can be done anywhere in the park.  It is a great way to pass the time and gives you a chance to interact with Cast Members and other...

This is the first year I have purchased Annual Passes in the many years we have visited Walt Disney World.  When you decide if you want to purchase a standard pass or an annual pass ask yourself a couple questions: 1. Are you a Florida resident?   (there are significantly more options if this is the case, none of which I am going to cover here so go here to see what you qualify for https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/passes/ )   2.  How many days are you planning to visit in a one year period?   This is the most important question, annual passes when first purchased are valid from your activation date (first day in the parks) for one full year.   (Example, I purchased my annual pass in March but don't activate until my vacation on July 10; my pass is good from July 10, 2018-July 9, 2019.) 2018 Pricing for the current Annual Pass (Platinum/Plus) is $849/$949 for ages 3+.  The difference is that the Platinum Plus includes unlimited access to...