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

So you wake up and look out your resort window and it is a torrential downpour.  You have two options, curl back up in bed and wait out the storm or throw together your park bag with a couple extras and head out.  We always chose a park day.  Rain days are less crowded because many locals don't drive in and there are plenty of people who chose the wait it out option.  If you are going to do a rain day here are a couple advantages and a couple pieces of advice.  Do note that some rides, shops and shows will not run if it is raining hard or there is lightning in the area, but this isn't the majority.  On our last trip during Spring Break it poured in the morning and early afternoon on our Animal Kingdom day.  Let's start with what to wear and pack to make sure this doesn't go sideways: 1.  You'll need a rain coat or poncho.  I bring a rain coat for rainy days and save my $.99 poncho for the water rides.  My mom brings an u...

  Going to Walt Disney World with small children is delightful and magical but can also be trying.  If your kids are anything like mine there is a point in time where they just won't stand in line any more.  Most people will tell you it's time to head back to our resort for a nap or an afternoon at the pool but what if your hotel is a long drive or maybe you have older kids that don't want to go back the resort? When I travel with my full family I have kids from 3-19 and we occasionally stay off property so we don't want to spend 2 hours of our day driving back and forth.   Here are a couple thing we like to do instead of heading back to the resort.  Each park has an area where kids can just run around and burn off some energy and you can just sit, relax and post those cute character photos on Instagram.  This is a the toddler slide.  This the excavation area where the kids play in the 'sand' This is water f...

Taking a break to reapply sunscreen and drink some water. My photographer was annoyed I wanted a photo and wasn't ready to get back in the lazy river so bad lighting.  Not healthy but my kid loves mac & chz My kids love a day at the waterpark.  They love big ones like Disney's Typhoon Lagoon or little ones like the in my hometown.  Waterparks can be stressful but they don't have to be.  Here are 5 easy tips to make your day a success.   My park bag, cheap and different 1.  Eat first.   Waterpark and all amusement park food is expensive.  Plus eating first allows you to start on a full stomach and you don't have to worry that your kids won't eat because they are 'too busy'.  2. Bring a unique park bag.   I use a reusable shopping bag this one is from a business in Colorado and I live in Montana so I was pretty sure no one else had one.  Pack light or pack a lock. I like to pack light and only carry...