Hollywood Studios

My least favorite park. Why? Well, its spaced out, there isn't alot of shade, and I have so many great ideas of things they need to add to the park and since I don't work for Disney....nor do they offer me free vacations in swap for my ideas...I just get sad going there.

But we went and let me tell you about what we did do!

We started off with Breakfast at Chef Mickeys

Then we headed to Hollywood Studios

We met up with some of our friends

and some Einsteins! (I love this picture bc Annie pulled out Aubrie's Paci right before I took it so aubrie might smile!!)

We played on the Honey I shrunk the kids playground

we did the Great Movie Ride, We played Toy Story Mania, We rode Tower of Terror, Rockin Roller Coaster, We did the Backlot Tour, We saw the Parade

Madyson even got a trophy for participating in the pre parade show!

She answered a question about Hannah Montana correctly (thanks to my nieces Emma and Ellie!)

But here is my two favorite parts!

After the parade we were starving and we were going to use our Quick Service Meal at the Pizza Planet. We walked by the Hollywood Brown Derby (one of the BEST places to eat in Disney) and I was telling Todd how I tried to get reservations there but they were booked. The next thing I know Todd is walking into the restaurant. He explained to the people how I have been dying to eat there and is there anyway a party of 6 can be seated in the next hour. Yall, God was with him. The lady at the desk said, "well...actually...we just had a party of 6 cancel their reservation in 15 minutes!!! I was so excited! We ate and it was fabulous! If you go and you get to eat here PLEASE order the COBB SALAD appetizer. Don't say "oh I don't want this on it.." Just get it. It is THE BEST SALAD you will ever have! I have been craving one since we got back! I even called and asked for the receipe but mine is nothing like theirs!!

my 2nd favorite part of the park is Fantasmic. My parents were exhausted at this point. (remember we had been at the hot boring park all day bc it was the only day that week that Fantasmic was showing and the park usually fills up fast.) But I kept telling them we are going and you will love it. We waited in line 35 minutes, waited at our seat for 1 hour 45 minutes but it was worth it!

My parents were in awe of the firework, theatrical show and they haven't stopped talking about it!

So there is our trip in a wrap up! Remember, if you have any questions about it or about taking kids to disney, feel free to leave a message here or email me at thebroadusbunch@gmail.com!

The Animal Kingdom

AKA...my favorite park! A lot of people skip out on the Animal Kingdom but it is my #2 favorite park (next to Magic Kingdom

The first thing we do as soon as we get into Animal Kingdom is go to the Kil. Safari! Here is Aubrie and Todd!

Next we joined Pocahontas and her friends for a dance party!

We rode the Kali River Rapids (used the child swap since AK isn't big enough)

We saw "Its tough to be a bug", The finding Nemo Musical, We met more characters

watched the jammin jungle parade...

Even stumbled upon a croc!

That night we ate at BOMA. Which I WAS SOOOO EXCITED ABOUT! I wish I could report positive things but it was terrible. I love African Cuisine...LOVE IT. but this food was plain and unflavored. The only good thing was the desserts. But for $34.99 a person (if you don't have the dining plan) It def. wasn't worth it.

The Magic Kingdom

When you hear Magic Kingdom what do you think about? I think about dreams, wishes, and well...magic.

This year at the magic kindom was nothing less than I expected. We started off with reservations at Cinderellas Castle. What we got was a whole lot more! Let me explain....

We had early reservations, well they opened the gate and off Madyson went. She RAN the entire way up main street to the castle.

She passed everyone and it was like it was her and the castle.

Because we were the first there...the girls got to be "Princesses of the Day" They got stickers, special time with Cinderella, and got to lead the rest of the breakfast goers up the stairs to the dining hall.

Here is me and my birthday girl

and my momma and her birthday girl..(get it? Madyson and I share a birthday!)

Well breakfast was very nice! I loved the orange juice and hashbrowns

It was great celebrating mine & Madyson's birthday with our family!

They even sang happy birthday to us and brought us a cake!

We added some new characters to our autograph book!!

And with my parents there this year...I even got to ride some rides with Todd!!

We watched the Disney Electrical Parade! It was fantastic!

When you visit Disney...You know what they say!

and boy...did they!!

How Terrible am I??

Its been almost 2 months since we ventured off to Disney and I have written nothing to tell you about it!

Well, First off. It was magical. The most magical Disney trip I have ever been on. The girls were a great age (4 & 2) We saw so much and experienced alot!

Let me tell you a small description of the highlights

Epcot
*where we went our first day*
It was perfect weather! madyson rode test track, her first big girl ride...she didn't get on another "height ride" the rest of the trip ;) We had princess dinner at Norway and watched the fireworks! Here are my favorite epcot pictures!

I am scheduling post right now for each day so you can see the whole trip this weekend! Remember if you have any specific questions about Disney or planning a trip with kiddos feel free to leave a comment or email me at thebroadusbunch@gmail.com

Getting Ready!

We are so close to leaving for Disney! I have been going over my packing list, shopping list, to-do list for the past several days! I plan on starting to really pack this Thursday because next week I will be getting ready for Madyson's Birthday Party (which is on the Thursday before we leave!!!)

SO! I thought I would do this: If there is any questions that you have about a trip to Disney send them to me. And while I am there I will do my best to find the answers for you! Want to know about a certain hotel? let me know!!! How is golf? I will find out!!!

Send any question that you have to : thebroadusbunch@gmail.com and I will take my list with me to Disney!!!

Day 4

Day 4: Starts with Breakfast at Chef Mickey's! This was AK's favorite place last year and I am sure it is going to be my dad's favorite as well!

After Breakfast we are going to head over to Hollywood Studios to spend the morning!

The kids liked this park last year because of the Beauty and the Beast show, the playhouse disney stuff, the little mermaid show and a few other perks (toy story!!)

But it was not their favorite park. We plan on leaving around 2ish to go nap and such then come back because this is the only night they are showing Fantasmic while we are there. My mom and dad are very excited about seeing this show!

We are getting so excited about the vacation that we have almost started packing!

Cinderella's Golden Carousel to Undergo Name Change

According to the Disney Park Blog on June 1, Cinderella's Golden Carousel will become Prince Charming Regal Carrousel.

They say this is because they want to make the carousel tie in with the rest of the cinderella story...(see below)

"Following their fairy-tale romance and happily-ever-after wedding, Cinderella and Prince Charming took up residence in Cinderella’s Castle. With peace throughout the kingdom, Prince Charming had time to practice for jousting tournaments. In the countryside near the castle, he built a training device of carved horses, on which he could practice the art of ring-spearing, a tournament event in which a knight rides his horse full speed, lance in hand, toward a small ring hanging from a tree limb, with the object of spearing the ring. This event was known by various names throughout the lands, but generally came to be called “carrousel.”

The carrousel device drew the attention of the villagers, who wanted to take a turn on this amazing spinning contraption. So Prince Charming had a second carrousel constructed closer to the Castle, where everyone could take a spin on this wondrous invention. Instead of a working knight’s training device, however, this new carrousel is more befitting its regal location in the Castle Courtyard – its rustic training horses replaced with ornately decorated prancing steeds adorned with golden helmets and shields, flower garlands, feathers and other festoons. Prince Charming invites one and all to test their horsemanship skills and to enjoy their own happy ending."

I personally love where Disney is going with all the changes in Fantasyland. I love the idea of having a princess area. However, many people on the Disney Blog feel that this name change is unnecessary, grammatically incorrect, and pointless. 

I could care less what they call it (however I do like the name Courtyard Carousel over Prince Charming Regal Carrousel (notice its not Charming's)

My thought is this: The Carousel is the oldest ride in Disney. Giving it a little tweaking is to be expected.  As long as I can still sit and spin and watch my little ones ride and smile. I am good to go!

Day 2 and 3

I have decided to skip day 2 of the trip because that is the birthday and I have alot of surprises that I don't want to share yet! (also, I am afraid if Todd reads this he will start asking how much I have spent =) )

Ill give you a hint, it mostly takes place at the Magic Kingdom. At night we will enjoy the Electrical Parade (back this summer!!) and fireworks that evening.






Day 3 of the trip is our "Animal Kingdom" day!

We will be eating breakfast in our hotel. then we will head over to the AK for a day of animals, parades, and characters. I have said it before, this is a great place to meet a lot of characters you don't see at other places!!

We are having lunch @ the rain forest cafe. I love their pita quesadilla!

After the parade we will go back to our hotel to clean up and rest.

Then we have reservations at BOMA! I am so excited about this!
First off, BOMA is at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Which is like an amusement park in itself.

After we eat we are planning on staying for a movie by the pool, Animals here never stop! We can see the animals that are on display at the savannah! (did you know that they have night vision goggles at the guest relations desk so you can see the animals even at dark!?!?)
and letting the kids play at Hakuna Matata playground.

If we still have energy we will probably hop on over to Magic Kingdom. for a few more hours of fun!

On this day the girls will be wearing their safari shorts and cute white tops I got them! for dinner they will be rocking their pink giraffe dresses!

There goes a......a....tree?

Go check out the magic of Disney! How they moved the 120 ton Pooh tree! I love how Disney is becoming "Green"!


Oh and don't worry, Ill be back tonight with Day 2 of our upcoming trip!

Day 1 of our trip to Disney

I am going to be laying out our basic day plans for Disney (day by day) to show you how I plan our trip.

We are following our same path as last year, but with new things added to it.

We leave on the 4th of July at 10:00pm at night. Todd sleeps all day so he can drive through the night. This lets the girls sleep and me rest. Todd and I switch places in Tallahassee.

We arrive at disney around 11:30 a.m. Last year, our room was ready when we arrived. I had called the Friday before and told them we would be there before 1 and we were driving through the night. They said they couldn't promise it would be ready, but that they would try. They tried, and succeeded! I hope we get as lucky this year!

Once we are in our room, we get settled and head to Epcot!

I love starting our trip here with the girls (at their age) because they aren't really interested in the World Showcases yet so they don't need a whole day. I can't wait until they do get interested though! It is one of my favorite parts.

While at Epcot we visit the Character Spot, We ride the Finding Nemo ride, and do Turtle Talk with Crush. We do walk around the world and find some of the characters they have there (this year our mission is to meet Mulan!!!)
We enjoy the atmosphere, stop in at the cokes from around the world center. Hop on Test Track (use that Child Swap!!!!)
Then we are having dinner in Norway at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall. This is a character dinner that is amazing! I have spoken about it before, my kids LOVE IT!

This year we are planning on staying for the newSOUNDS LIKE SUMMER music series that Epcot has going on while we are there the Satisfaction - The Rolling Stones Tribute Bandas will be playing!!!We will also be watching the laser/firework show, IllumiNations!
One of the greatest things about Disney is their frozen lemonade! Grab a cup before the show, find a great spot and get ready to be entertained!

After all that (are you tired yet?) We are going to head back to the hotel to put the girls (and the grands to bed!) I love to go for a swim before bed. We don't have a pool at home, so any chance I get to be in the pool I take! Last year, by night 3 Madyson was joining me on nightly swims!

Attire: Exploring the park, nemo (aubrie) mermaid (madyson) short set, white keds
Dinner: Princess Costumes

No snacks needed. QS @ Lotus Blossom Cafe (Sarah & Debbie) Liberty Inn (Todd & Johnny & Girls)
TS @ Norway Reservation # *************

Tomorrow: Day 2.

There has been a change in plans!

Today I changed some of our dining plans up!

Instead of going to O'hana on Wednesday night we will be going to BOMA. BOMA is at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. 

I love African cuisine and Todd nor my parents have ever experienced it. So I think this is going to be a fun change. Plus this restaurant is outside of the Animal Kingdom and our hotel is considered to be in the Animal Kingdom area so its closer, less travel time!

Im a getting excited about the trip! Ready to get there!!! A little over a month & 1/2 then we will be CELEBRATING in Disney!

Gift Cards

ooooh la la.

If you are celebrating a special occasion before your trip to Disney a great thing to ask for is a Disney Gift Card! these can be purchased at the online disney store and come in handy!

This past summer I had received 3 $100.00 gift cards for my birthday from my parents, inlaws, etc.

We used these on 2 character dinners (since we weren't using the dining plan) and on souvenirs!

So, planning a trip soon? Be sure to include a disney gift card on your list!!



Also, have you heard about all the awesome new summer stuff going on at Disneyworld this summer?

Spectromagic has some new floats, new nighttime fireworks at Magic Kingdom, some jammin music at Epcot and Tower of Terror gets new lighting for a CREEPY night look!
alot

And thank you so much to a fellow mommy mousketeer for helping make my page so much cuter!

Just a few more months

According to the ticker on THE BROADUS BUNCH BLOG, we are just a few short months away from Disney. I am starting to get excited again.

This years trip is going to be a bit on the different side. We are taking along Nana and PawPaw (my parents)

Now, my parents took us to Disney once when I was a child. It was a simple Disney vacation and we spent most of it at the hotel because I was hot and wanted to swim. (yes, I went all the way to disney to stay at the hotel pool)

Luckily, I got to experience Disney later in life so I learned the joys it has to offer.

So in the post I would like to share some of the things we will be doing, while traveling with the kiddos and the grands.

1)My dad has always had a thing for Cinderella. He use to joke when I was younger that the only person he would leave my mom for would be the one that has a fairy godmother, lives in a castle, can scrub a floor, and carry trays on her head. Well, that made me REALLY want to include a meal at the Castle for my dad. (and like I have said in past post...something to mark off my bucket list)

2) I am surprising my dad and Todd with a round of golf on 1 of the Disney Golf Courses. During this time, "us girls" will be having and adventure of our own! (it is a surprise because my moms friends read this and I don't want them to share :) )

3) Todd and I have arranged for my parents to have a romantic dinner for 2 (away from us!) They never go out to eat and have fun. I thought it would be a great way for them to enjoy each other (without mickey and minnie)

Our biggest concern for this trip was their ability to keep up with us (my parents lean a little toward the older side.) Before we booked we sat down and established a very important travel rule.

1) even though we are a group it is okay if we don't stick together.

My mom has had some skin cancer issues in the past and she doesn't like the sun. She will more than likely be experiencing the Disney morning and Night life.

I know when I have been to Disney in the past with groups, everyone has tried to stay together. I do believe in the buddy system but when you have a large group I think that breaking into smaller groups with the same likes works best. Make sure you have a meeting time and place before you split and always a way to communicate with the other groups in case of an emergency!

Bye-Bye Pooh's Playful Spot and Ariel's Grotto

I am so sad to announce that Disney has begun construction to improve Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom. Some of my favorite spots, Pooh's Playful Spot and Ariel's Grotto will be closing before our trip this summer. New and improved stuff will be added but won't be complete until 2013. Read here for more information.


http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2010/04/update-fantasyland-expansion-at-magic-kingdom-park/

To hop or not to hop?

I received an email the other day from a mom wanting to know my thoughts on park hopping with a toddler.

Here is the email:

"Sarah, My husband and I are taking our 17 month old to Disney for the first time this summer. We are debating on if we should do the one park/one day tickets or the park hopper. Do you have a suggestion?-Carrie."


Well Carrie, I personally believe that if you are going to Disney, in the summer, with a 17 month old. 1 park/ 1 day tickets would be your best bet and here is why.

With 1 park/1 day you can take your time and explore the park to its fullest. You can get to the park that morning...leave around lunch (when it is super hot) and return back to the same park that evening to finish your day out.

It is more relaxing and you can enjoy this vacation...which is what a vacation is for!

Thanks for the email!

If you have any questions please, leave a comment or email me and I will be happy to try my best to answer all of them!

Summer Specials!

Disney is running a special right now for summer dates! Go here to find out more!

Tips on preparing your toddler

We all know that a trip to Disney World takes alot of preperations (reservations, packing, dining options, shopping) but one major thing alot of parents forget to prepare is your toddler!

All a 2-5 year old first time visitor knows is that "we are going to Disney World" "Mickey Mouse's House" "Where the princessess live". You might know what these statements mean but 9 times out of 10 your toddler does not!

We all know the feeling you get when you enter the Magic Kingdom! The hussle and bustle of Main Street, the sounds, the characters...all is fabulous and overwhelming at the same time!

I was real concerned on how Madyson would take to the whole situation. She tends to shy away to the unknown. So I prepared her by using the web!

We went to Youtube and searched "Disney Family Vacation". We pulled up tons of movies that families just like mine & yours have made, showcasing their magical trip to Disney.

We watched other kids meet the characters, hug them, love on them, nap in the stroller, eat gigantic ice cream cones, play on pooh's playful spot, wait in line.... We did this for MONTHS before the trip.

My mother kept telling me, "you are overloading her on Disney", but on this...I knew I had too.

The day we arrived Madyson knew exactly what to expect. She had already seen our resort via a tour on Youtube, she knew to look for Nemo all around our room. She was prepared for dinner with the princesses that night and the next day, when we arrived at Magic Kingdom..she took to the characters like they were long lost friends!

Another great thing we did (starting 4 months before) was we got a Netflix membership and built our list of Disney movies (since not all of them are in our collection...yet). This was great because Madyson got to know alot of the characters she would see at the park. And with everyone we met it never failed...she would always say, "Ive seen your movie".

these are just a few of our ideas. I promise the Disney book is coming....its being written just taking a while.

What to wear?! Baby Girls (because that is what I know!)

ok so this post was suppose to be about my Disney binder but I haven't had time to take pictures and it NEEDS pictures to go along with it so I am holding that one off until next time and this time talking about what to wear!

Now, I am a huge fan of dressing comfortable, everyone knows that. But I really am sad that my pictures as a child at disney were in high waisted shorts and swimsuit tops...seriously mom?!?!

So it is very important to me to make sure that the memories I have of Disney are seen through pictures. Some say this might sound silly but my girls loved our outfits this past summer and I have tons in store this year

1st thing) The Costume: Now....this is a staple for any 2-5 year old at Disney. Every little girl wants to be a princess and what a better place than Disney! Disney sells these amazing princess costumes and even has the Bibbity Boppity Boutique where you get transformed into a princesses! but if you are on a budget you can head over to your local Wal-Mart or Target and pick out one and no, it doesn't have to be a Disney princess costume. Any princess costume/pretty dress will do! For boys, Disney offers the Pirate League where you can be transformed into a Pirate, or when we were there we saw alot of buzz lightyears and woody's walking around. Same thing, you can bring a costume from home. Our rule on costumes is we wear them in the evening. That way its not too hot in the daytime. But trust me I saw plenty of little princesses and super heros all day!

2nd thing) pillow case dresses! If you are from the south I am sure you have heard of pillowcase dresses. These are light weight and perfect for Disney. Aubrie Kate wore one last year
and they both have 2 each this year. The dresses are easy to stay cool in and come in so many styles! I have ordered 2 from this lady for our trip this summer!

3) Shorts & Tshirts. The thing I love about disney is that in most restaurants (with the exception of maybe 5) you can go eat breakfast/lunch/dinner in your "park clothes". Walmart & Target both carry licesned Disney wear. But if you prefer to wear everyday clothes I highly suggest comfy shorts (cotton or athletic material) and loose fitting shirts. Madyson and Aubrie Kate wore these super cute outfits I picked up at Target for less than $8 an outfit!

If you are a Type A person like me you are probably wondering how much should you pack? Well last year we went from July 5-12. I took 2 outfits per day for the girls plus 2 extras just in case. We came home with 5 outfits that were not worn...3 of madyson's and 2 of aubrie's. This was mainly because Aubrie is a messy eater and doesn't like to be dirty.

Shoes! such a debate!

If you child is a walker the shoes you wear really depends on your child. Madyson is a huge fan of the Keds Daphne Shoe. (white leather tstrap) she loves these but HATES to wear socks so she wore sandles most days. I just made sure they were leather sandles, not plastic. Aubrie wore leather sandles as well. I tried her in crocs but she was not excited about having them on. and pitched the 1 tantrum of the day

Disney Shirts! We have one picture that a PhotoPass Photographer took of our family infront of Cinderella's Castle wearing all disney character ringer tees. I purchased these off of the disney outlet store website for 4.99 and 5.99!

We all know this is a silly blog and it doesn't matter what you wear, just as long as you have fun doing Disney with your friends! But I had to share this information incase there was any more photo scared people out there that went to Disney in swimsuit tops and high waisted shorts!

I hope if you are like me you did enjoy this! I promise next time will be the Disney book!

Quick Service, Character Meals, Dining Plan

Mangiare! Mangiare! or Eat! Eat!

One of my favorite past times at Disney!

This past summer was my first summer to really experience DISNEY DINING! Lets start with what I have experienced, then I will give you some details on what I have researched!

Character Meals!

Last summer we ate at Norway! We dined with the princesses at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall.

When we arrived we parked our stroller and unloaded "Snow white" and "Tinkerbell" (Madyson & Aubrie)

We let the cast member know that the Broadus' had arrived and she took us right in. There we stood in line for about 4 minutes and met Belle, in her BEAUTIFUL gold gown. We took a picture and she signed our book! We were then escorted to our table (which was in the back in a nook) and our server came to explain our dinner. We first went to the buffet for appetizers, then they brought the entree, then a family style dessert. Which is 1 plate with 3 desserts.

We skipped on most of the appetizers, we had some fruit and cheese but that was about it.

While we waited, we were visited by Sleeping Beauty & Ariel in her ballgown.

Dinner arrived. Todd had the chicken, I had the pork chop. Mine was the better of the two. Madyson & Aubrie shared a child's plate of chicken nuggets.

During this point, Snow white visited with us and they brought us a free photo set of our picture with Belle!

During Dessert (Rice Creme is the BEST dessert out of the 3) we had a surprise visit from Cinderella! It was so magical to watch the girls faces as the princesses sat and chatted with them like they were old friends! Snow white even gave Madyson a kiss on her forehead ( like she does in the movie) Cinderella was too cute. She commented on Aubrie Kate(who only had on 1 shoe) "Oh I see you have a problem keeping your slipper on as well." Totally worth the money.

The next morning was mine and Madyson's birthday (yes we share a birthday) we ate at Chef Mickey's! 1 buffet full of fruit, waffles, eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuits, everything.

Here we met Chef Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and Pluto. The food was great! The restaurant was large and they even brought us cupcakes for our birthday! Here they will take your picture before the meal, it is not free like at Akershus.

My tip for this restaurant is to ask to be seated on the main floor if you are there for the characters and on the top floor (2 steps up) if you are there for the food. Although you get characters at any spot they seemed to hang out on the first floor a little more and it wasn't so congested.

We also ate at Rainforest Cafe in Animal Kingdom and some quick-service places during the week. More on that later.

With Character Meals you must remember that most Characters can change. We are hoping this summer we might get to eat with Mulan or Jasmine at the Princess Dinner!

Quick Service!

Quick Service meals are for us everyday folks who aren't on the dining plan and didn't budget alot for each meal. Think of Quick Services places like fast food restaurants. They usually have chicken tenders/nuggets, salads, sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, pizza...you know the basics.

My favorite Quick Service Restaurant is The Pinocchio Village Haus. If you sit on the left side towards the back you can see the "It's A Small World Ride" it is really neat!

Dining Plan!

The Disney Dining Plan is offered to Disney Resort Guests. This allows you to pay for your food before you go to Disney so it is one less thing on your plate.

Last summer, Madyson was under 3 and Aubrie was a baby so they didn't qualify for the Dining Plan and Todd and I did the Math and found out it was cheaper for us to just pay out of pocket.

This summer, Madyson is old enough for the dining plan and Aubrie will share from our plates but Yes we will have it this year!

There are alot of Options on Dining Plans for Disney. So please be sure to read them all!

But here are a few

QUICK-SERVICE. Great for the family that doesn't like sit down dinners to slow them down! 2 quickservice meals and 2 snacks per day.

DINING: 1 quickservice meal a day, 1 table service meal a day (like a character meal), 1 snack a day.

DELUXE DINING PLAN: 3 meals a day (quick service or table) and 2 snacks

This summer we are so excited we are dining again at Norway (Yup, its a repeater...that's how good it was) Cinderella's Royal Table!! (GOING TO THE CASTLE!!...I can mark that off my bucket list) Crystal Palace, Chef Mickey's (Madyson's Request) and Ohana!

We will probably add Rainforest Cafe at Downtown Disney to this list but for now these are the ones I have already made reservations for!

"WAIT RESERVATIONS?!?!?" Yup, It is recommended that you have reservations for the restaurants mainly because they fill up fast! You can make reservations over the phone or online! We were able to make ours 180 days before!!! (last summer it was 90, so its a good thing I booked early!!)

When you make a reservation, they give you a confirmation number and send you an email that way you can print it out and bring it with you. I had all of mine last year in my "Disney Binder" which you will hear more about next time.

Disney has tons of fabulous restaurants for every age! We like to stick with Character meals right now bc our girls are so young and its a great way to see the characters without searching for them in the park. But if your kids are older there are meals without them...although I personally believe NObody is too big for character meals =)

baby stations, fireworks, and food (other than Disney's!)

One of the greatest places in Disney World is the  Baby Stations. They are located at each of the parks and are absolutely my favorite places. Here is what you can expect.
1) Temperature Controlled Rooms. We went in the summer and they were nice and cool!
2) a room for dad and the big kids to relax, watch movies, play with toys
3) amazingly large changing stations that are clean and comfortable
4) bathrooms with no wait
5) a little store where you can get formula, diapers, wipes, baby food
6) high chairs
7) breast feeding room

Yup all that, and its free. I mean why be scared to travel with a baby to Disney when they provide you with these amazing things!!

Fireworks:
Who doesn't like fireworks?!?! And at Disney they are fabulous! our favorite place to watch the fireworks is behind Cinderella's castle, instead of in front. we sit in the back by scuttles and watch them there. No crowds and you really feel like you are getting your own show!

Hollywood Studios:
Fantasmic is the show at Hollywood Studios, it is very entertaining, some critics say "may be to intense for young children" both of our girls LOVED it, they felt like they were watching a Disney movie play out in front of them. My tip here: get there early, bring snacks & games and be prepared to wait. We ended up waiting 3 hours for the show in line and sitting but it was worth it because we had great seats!

Epcot! We loved the fireworks at Epcot because they also include a laser show! We grabbed our frozen lemonade and took a seat on a bench just before the world showcase. It was amazing. Madyson just sat in awe...Aubrie slept!


Food:
As of right now, Disney allows you to bring snacks into the parks. We would do the following: Pack goldfish, pretzels, cheetos, animal crackers, vanilla wafers, beef jerky (the kids favorites) then we had a little insulated cooler that we would pack a sandwich lunch in or sometimes we brought lunchables. This helped us save in cost so much!! We would also freeze our water/juice in the room then pack them as well. Your cooler must be smaller than 24" X 15" X 18. Most soft sided coolers I have seen are acceptable.

Disney allows you to bring your own food with the exception of glass jars/bottles (except baby food) and alcoholic drinks. This is a great way to save on your budget!!! We also brought the easy cook bacon, yogurt, cereal, easy mac, hot dogs, microwavable chicken strips, ravioli, and veggies to eat in the room.

We drove and just loaded a cooler, if you are flying you can presend your food to the hotel via UPS. All Disney resorts addresses can be found on the Disney website.

Tomorrow we will discuss character meals, quick service and the Disney Dining Plan!

What are we going to do??

Okay! So now you know when you are going, where you are staying and so what are we going to do!??! I found myself asking this question over and over again! I mean Madyson was turning 3 during our trip and Aubrie was 16 months old...She couldn't enjoy Disney..Could she?? I mean what was she going to do?!?! Simple, EVERYTHING!!!

Disney is an amazing place, like I said on the Where to Say post, they think about all families. Aubrie Kate rode every ride we did. Now keep in mind I am not a thrill seeker and all though I have ridden all the roller coasters Disney has to offer (SEVERAL TIMES!) I knew this trip was going to be "KID BASED!"

But we did ride ALOT of Rides...Here are a few...

Peter Pan Ride

Winnie The Pooh Ride

Dumbo

Teacups

Haunted Mansion

Aladdin's Flying Carpets

Pirates of the Caribbean

Cinderella's Golden Carousel

Its a Small World

Toy Story Mania

The Seas with Nemo and Friends

The Great Movie Ride

Honey I shrunk the kids movie set (not really a ride, but still..)

WDW Railroad

Studio Backlot Tour

Kilimanjaro Safaris

Triceratop Spin
Wildlife Express

(On the teacups!!)

Plus we saw shows like the Lion King, Playhouse Disney Life on Stage, The Magic of Disney Animation, Hall of Presidents

We toured Pooh's Playful Spot, Minnie & Mickey's Houses, and Donald's Boat!

The only ride she did not go on with us was Goofy's Barnyard Storm..a Preschool age roller coaster! "So what did you do with her while you rode?" Great Question! We used the Rider Swap tool! "What's that?" Well...I rode with Madyson the first go around. Todd had Aubrie and he and a cast member waited at the unloading station. When my turn was over, I took Aubrie and Todd jumped right in...NO WAIT! it was fabulous!


And whoooooo can forget the obsessive amount of Characters we saw! We made a "mission" for madyson. We gave her a 100 page autograph book and her mission was to fill it up! She did..well all but 5 pages! It was so much fun! Oh and alot of people skip out on Animal Kingdom..if you have a child who LOVES the characters...DON'T! We never waited in line there to see them and we saw them all! Safari Mickey, Minnie, Daisy, Donald, Goofy, Lilo, Stitch, Jimney Cricket, Rafiki, Pooh, Eeyore, Tigger, Terk, Flick, Ballou, King Louie..etc. etc. At Animal Kingdom they have Character Spots down little paths and its like a scavenger hunt but in our case...nobody apparently did their research and knew about this so we had all the time we wanted with some of our furry friends! The only characters we waited in line to see were the fairies of Pixie Hollow, But that was an amazing experiance for our girls, and they both still love their pixie dust covered frame tink & the gang signed for them! Another great spot for characters is the Character Spot at Epcot! We started our trip off there and saw all the fab 5 (mickey, minnie, goofy, donald, pluto) it was a great start to a great vacation...did i mention it was indoors?!?!

"But uhhhhh all that baby stuff..." Here is how we did it. We went to the parks first thing in the morning. We took a backpack with Aubrie & Madyson a change of clothes, their snacks, water, 4 diapers (1 each hour) wipes, and ponchos. We would stay at the parks until around noon, when weather was either WAYYY to Hot or about to rain. We then would hop on the bus head over to the hotel, grab some lunch, take a nap, go for a swim, take another nap, get up around 5:30 (when other people are going to dinner) and head back to the parks with a new refilled backpack.

Aubrie only drinks chocolate milk and apple juice...no problem. We froze a few of her juice boxes in our little room fridge then we would take them with us. YES DISNEY LETS YOU BRING IN YOUR SNACKS!! When she was tired and ready for milk, almost every counter service place had chocolate milk for under $3.00 bucks.

We also took a trip to Downtown Disney, ate at the McDonald's there, went to the Lego store, and to the LARGEST Disney Store, We played Miniature golf (if you stay on grounds you will get a coupon for 1 free game of mini golf!) We went and played at different resorts, we swam and swam and swam!

There is so much you can do when traveling with Toddlers! This post is just a first glance and the best parts of traveling with the wee-wee tots! Come back tomorrow to find out about baby stations, parades, fireworks, and food!

Where to stay?

So you have decided "We are going to Disney!"...now what?

Once I decided on when and how long I like to find my hotel first. Disney offers hotels to fit any size family but you can also stay "off grounds" too. I have done both.

Here are my pros & cons.

Staying Off Site:
Pros: Cheaper
Cons: Can't use the Disney Transportation, Can't experience Extra Magic Hours (EMH), Can't have the Disney Dining Plan (DDP).

Staying On Site:
Pros: Disney Transportation, EMH, DDP, Atmosphere!
Cons: Haven't found any yet.

I love the Disney resorts! You can tell that they were designed with all families in mind. There are different levels of resort to choose from!

Value: these are the least expensive but I LOVE the value resorts. They are called "ALL STAR" (music, movies, sports) and Pop Century! These colorful resorts have a great vibe and are excellent for a family on a budget. I stayed at the All Star Music in Spring '99 and enjoyed it so much we will be staying there again this summer, but in the Family Suites! (sleeps 6 plus baby in a crib!) Todd and I toured the Pop Century Resort this past summer! It is full of great nostalgic items like the "classic mickey phone", SUPER SIZED big wheel and more! Also, they had a "splash fountain" that all the cute pirates and princesses were piddling in! Note: these rooms do not have microwaves or fridges but can be requested. Also they have a food court instead of restaurant. Fun tip! All star Music shows movies by the pool each night!

Moderate: This is the next "LEVEL" up. We stayed at the Caribbean Beach Resort (CBR) this past summer! It is the largest moderate resort and we thought this would be no big deal! Well let me tell you about it! The check in area is in a separate building from all the "islands", the pool-restaurant-shop was a 10 minute walk from our room, and it has an INTERNAL shuttle. With all the negatives said, let me tell you about all the positives. Each "island" has a pool, never crowded alot of fun! The main pool was amazing with a kids pool area that was awesome. The staff was so gracious, the grounds were beautiful (hammocks, sand, playground) they had activities around the grounds and so on. I loved this resort, but it was a good thing we had our car there! This hotel does have mini-fridges in each room and you can request microwaves! The rooms are NEMO themed or you can up grade to a Pirate room!
Also in this level is "The Cabins at Ft. Wilderness", Coronado Springs, Port Orleans Riverside, Port Orleans French Quarter! They all have a unique decor. Madyson & I toured Ft. Wilderness and loved the atmosphere! Tons of activities, great "at home" feel! Fun Tip: Ft. Wilderness is the home to Mickey's Backyard BBQ, Hoop-de-doo Musical Review, and Chip-N-Dale's Campfire sing-a-long *a free event*

Deluxe: OOO La La! Now here is vacationing at its finest (all though I have never stayed at this level I have toured some of these!)
In the Deluxe category there is the Animal Kingdom Lodge, Beach Club Resort, Boardwalk Inn, Contemporary Resort, Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Polynesian Resort, Wilderness Lodge Resort, Yacht Club. At these resorts you will find alot of great amenities such as room service, on site fine dining, character meals, massage & fitness centers & spas, plus amazing atmospheres!

My three favorites are the Animal Kingdom Lodge, The Contemporary Resort, and The Grand Floridian. Madyson and I toured these this past summer and let me tell you...before I am 30 I will stay at one (even if it is by myself!!)

The Animal Kingdom trumps the other 2 in capacity. You can sleep 8 in certain rooms! Some rooms overlook the savanna where giraffes, zebras, and other animals graze *Keep in mind animals aren't actors, they do what they want so seeing them might not always be the easiest thing, but at the room I looked at, you could see them GREAT!* Some amenities here are
Satellite TV with Disney Programming
High-speed Internet Access (for an additional fee)
Refrigerator
Hairdryer
Iron and Iron Board
Coffee Maker
Alarm Clock with CD Player (available in all Club Level Guest rooms)
DVD Player (available in all Club Level Guest rooms)
Microwave (can be requested in Club Level Guest rooms)

The Contemporary Resort is on the monorail, I mean HOW COOL IS THAT? Plus it is the home to Chef Mickey's a great Character Buffet! You can see Cinderellas castle from this hotel, so that is just another plus! We walked through this hotel and fell in love with all the aspects! Also the California Grill (a signature dining spot) is located here! *GUYS this is a great romantic place to have a delicious meal and see the fireworks over the castle!! Perfect Proposal?? I think so!!

Last but not least is the Grand Floridian. Everything about this resort is grand. The decor makes you feel like you are the most wealthiest person in the world, 1900 Park Fare is located here (a great character dining spot with some amazing Strawberry Soup!), you can have tea with Alice...venture over to the Disney wedding pavilion! (I DID!! OHHHH FANTASY!!) Eat a Victoria & Albert's (an AMAZING RESTAURANT!!!) and soo much more!

Disney also has a variety of Villas that are available at different resorts. The only one I have any tips on is the Bay Lake Towers at the Contemporary Resort. These were being finished when we were down there this past summer and they LOOKED AMAZING! Flat screen tvs, whirlpool tubs, you name it...they've got it!

Now...where do you want to stay?

Welcome!

Welcome to the Disney, Mom Style Blog! As a huge lover of all things Disney, I have never loved it more than I do now, as a mom. We took our first family trip to Disney in July 0f 09 and are planning a return July 10! This blog will show you things we did in our first trip, what worked well for us, what did not, where we ate, what we packed, and so on! Plus it will give you an inside peak on things we have in stored for this vacation!

I have been to Disney in all the eras of my life! I went as a child, as a teenager, as a young adult and as a mom, and let me tell you NOTHING beats seeing your child see Cinderella's Castle for the first time! (or get a hug from Mickey, a kiss from Snow White, watch the fireworks at Epcot..and so on and so on!)

I will do my very best to keep you up to date with all things going on a Disney! I look forward to taking this magical journey with you!