Why use a Travel Agent for your Disney Vacation?

It is an inevitable question.  It pops up at least once a week on any given message board.  "Should I use a travel agent to help me with my Disney vacation?"  Well, since I am a travel agent, I bet you can guess what my answer is...ABSOLUTELY!  Now that I have confessed to my obvious bias, let me convince you why...

• The service a travel agent provides is FREE!  Really!  Travel agents are paid a commission by the supplier (Disney) for the travel that is booked.  There are no behind the scenes mark ups or hidden fees.  Disney, in particular, has very standard pricing and they offer the same rates to all travel agents that they have on their website.  You may be wondering why Disney would pay a travel agent if they could book all of the travel themselves?  The answer is actually pretty simple - travel agents work to make your trip better.  The more fun you have on your vacation, the more likely you are to go back.
• A travel agent specializing in Disney has knowledge and experience.  Not only do specialists have a love of Disney, and lots of experience, they also have taken tests to "earn their ears."  (Literally!  When I completed the College of Disney Knowledge Disney sent me a set of ears complete with Mortar Board and Tassel!)  Specialists also work hard to keep their knowledge current.  I often get calls from overwhelmed parents trying to plan the perfect Disney vacation for their families.  Let's face it, there are a lot of moving parts to a Disney vacation, from transportation, to choosing from a multitude of hotels, to sorting out all of the ticket options, to finding a place to eat, to figuring out which park to visit on which day, and even down to what to do inside each park.  It is a lot to figure out!  I like to get to know my families a little bit, figure out the budget, and help them make the most out of their time and budget.
• A travel agent knows what the discounts are and where to find them.  I have worked with many clients who were very surprised when my quote was substantially less than the exact same vacation they priced out themselves.  My favorite story is about a family who called and said that they wanted to meet some friends at Disney and knew exactly what they wanted and just wanted me to book it for them.  My client was in a bit of a hurry, so I got the pertinent information and booked her vacation.  Shortly after we hung up, I realized that what she thought she wanted was not really the best idea.  I called her back and asked if she could check in 1 day earlier.  She did not have much interest in the idea until I explained that if she checked in 1 day earlier, her entire vacation would cost her almost $900 less!  Stay longer for less money - SURE!
• A travel agent can usually retroactively apply discounts.  If a discount comes out after you have booked your vacation, and you otherwise would have qualified for the discount, then a travel agent can retroactively apply it to your reservation.  If you booked with Disney directly, you can do this too, but you have to make sure you constantly check for the latest discounts, and then commit to sitting on hold for an hour to get the discount applied.  I was just working with a family who was ready to make their final payment and I was able to give them the good news that their trip was going to cost them $800 less than they thought!  I honestly get ridiculously happy for people when that happens.
• A travel agent can save you money in other ways.  Personally, I try to spend my clients money like I would spend my own.  Sometimes spending a little extra gives you a lot, sometimes spending a lot extra gives you very little.  In addition to lots of money saving tips, I try to let my clients know where they should splurge and where they should cut corners.  I have on many occasions tried to talk clients out of more expensive vacation packages.  While it is absolutely true that the more you buy the more commission I may make, I am much more concerned that at the end of your vacation, you feel like you got your moneys worth.  I would rather make less and have you trust me that make more and have you feel like you overspent.  You will be much more likely to share my name with a friend, and I will sleep better at night.
• A travel agent is a great sounding board!  If you have ever called Disney directly, and asked whether you should do A or B.  You will likely hear something like "Oh, they are both fabulous choices."  Well, I have opinions that I will freely offer!  More than that, I try to tell you why I like something or not or why I think you would like something or not.

To be fair, using a travel agent might not be for everyone.  If you are an ultra type A personality in terms of vacation planning (ahem - like me) it can be a little hard to let go of the control.  Not that a travel agent is going to "control" your entire vacation!  But once a travel agent books your reservation, they have to make changes to the reservation. So if you decide at 9:45pm that you want to add a Park Hopper option to your ticket, then you will need to contact your travel agent to do it instead of calling Disney directly. 

Also, you should have a good feeling about your agent. There is no "travel agent law" that says your agent must rebook you with a discount if it comes out.  In those cases travel agents are actually doing more work to earn less money.  For me, my relationship with my client is all about trust.  I want my clients to know they can trust me to do the best I can for them.  In the long run, I know that working harder to reduce my commission is good for my client, good for my business and good for my conscience.  If you do not get a good feeling after your first conversation with your agent, just thank him or her and move on.

Now that I (hopefully!) have you convinced that using a travel agent is a good thing, let me convince you why you should use TMC Travel - The Mouse Connection for your next Disney vacation.

• You deal with one agent.  We do not pass you around from agent to agent.  We are not a call center.  We want to get to know you and use that information to make your trip better!  We work for you - not Disney.
• We are available outside of regular office hours.  We work from our home offices, so we have great flexibility!  I often meet families in person on the weekends if that is convenient. I have hung up the phone with a client at 11:45pm, once the last dining reservation was made.  And if I get an email at midnight I will answer it at 12:15 if I am still awake!
• We offer free gifts to all of our clients who book a 4 or more day vacation package!  We have a lot of "goodies" that can make your trip a little more special and fun.
• We help you tame the crowds.  Believe it or not, there is some science behind which is the best park to visit on any give day.  Crowds can swing wildly from day to day for any given park.  We try to use our "Disney Crystal Ball" to your advantage!
• We help with dining reservations or recommendations.  With more and more families taking advantage of the dining plan, "Where should we eat?" is a much bigger factor to consider.  We are happy to make some recommendations for you, help you find some menus to peruse, or even make dining reservations for you! 
• We keep you organized!  We have some great tip cards that are personalized for your trip.  Sized to fit in your back pocket or park bag, we will make sure you know park hours, parade times, fireworks times, magic hours, and the dining reservations we made for you for each day of your trip!  We also have other great tip cards that cover everything from the best snacks in "the World" to how to enjoy Epcot's World Showcase with children.
• We accept transfers.  If you booked your trip yourself  and are unsure about it or just need some extra help, we can transfer your reservation to our agency and help you just as if you were our client from the beginning.  And  you will still get all of the goodies and extras that we offer all of our clients!
• We are an "Earmarked" and have EARNED the title "Authorized Disney Vacation Planner"- We are proud that Disney as awarded us with the title of Authorized Disney Vacation Planner. To be chosen as an Earmarked agency, we have attended training classes, visited the parks, cruised the seas and demonstrated a dedication to planning Disney vacations for several years. In addition, we meet benchmarks set by Disney to qualify for and retain our designation. It is truly an honor to be chosen as one of Disney's top agencies. It is a testament to our hard work and our love of all things Disney.

And to be fair, I guess I should give you a reason not to use TMC Travel for your next vacation...or at least a reason not to use me.  Using me makes you a Disney-enabler.  Each trip you book with me only furthers my Disney addition.  If you can live with that, give me a call or send me an email and let me help you plan your next vacation!

TMC Travel - The Mouse Connection - http://www.tmctravelonline.com/

A Dozen Great Uses for a Ziplock Bag at Disney World

As I was reviewing some recent posts, I noticed something odd....I seem to have a growing addiction to Ziploc bags.  If you look in my pantry, I have them in all sizes.  No joke - I love me some Ziploc! 

I was going to do a top ten list in honor of David Letterman, but I could not stop at 10.  So...here are a dozen great uses for a Ziploc bag at Disney World:

1. Autographs - Keep you pen and book together and dry.  As soon as you get in line, grab your autograph bag and you are all set!
2. Daily Plans - Soggy touring plans, tip cards, and dining confirmation numbers do you no good!
3. Bringing in Snacks - It is more economical to keep a big of pretzels or other snack and put them into snack size bags to bring into the parks.  (Diet tip - I do this at home to help me keep my portion sizes reasonable!)
4. Dividing Up Snacks - Bought a box of popcorn on Main Street?  Avoid arguments and grubby little kid hands in the box by using the extra baggies that you were smart enough to store in your park bag to break the big box into individual servings.
5. Avoid Dripping Toiletries - At some point in your life you have probably had shampoo, sunscreen, or something even worse ooze out of its container during travel.  If you put everything in a bag first, then any mess as a result of spillage will be minimized.  Of course, if you are flying remember that all gels and liquids must be of appropriate size and sent through security in a 1 quart Ziploc bag.
6. A Mini Diaper Bag - I used to fill a gallon size bag with a few diapers, a change pad, and some travel wipes.  Everything stayed dry and together.  If a change was necessary, I could pull out only the essentials and head off in search of a changing table.
7. Packing Kid Clothes - You may remember this from a post awhile back.  I pack one one Ziploc bag of clothes per child per day.  I grab a bag, toss it to the appropriate child, and they have clean undies, socks, outfit and accessories ready to put on all by themselves.
8. Wet Poncho Storage - I want my poncho off asap.  I loosely fold it (ok...wad it up) and put it in a Ziploc as soon as it stops raining.  When I get back to the hotel, I pull it back out, make sure it fully air dries and then properly refold it.
9. Electronics Storage - Surprise rain storm or scheduled water ride?  Tuck your cameras and cell phone safely in a bag to make sure they stay dry.
10. Bathing Suit Storage - If you spend the day at a water park, you can store your suit in a bag for the ride home.  This is also a good idea if you go for one last swim at your hotel on departure day.
11. Mug Storage - Did you enjoy your morning coffee in your Refillable Resort Mug?  If so, bring an extra bag for it.  When you are done drop it in the bag, seal it up, and toss it in your park bag.  That last drop of coffee will stay in the bag instead of all over your stuff!
12. Remote Control Germ Control - I once saw one of those germaphobe Dateline shows where they discovered that the remote control was the dirtiest thing in a hotel room....constantly handled by unwashed hands and never cleaned by housekeeping.  The expert interviewed said the first thing they do in a hotel is Ziploc the remote control.  It still works, and the you avoid contact with everyone who has used it before you.  I am not sure that even I will go that far, but after watching that show, I do always at least give the phone, remote, and bathroom door handles a quick wipe with a  Clorox wipe!

So with one simple box of plastic, you can stay organized, keep things dry, contain wet things, manage snack time, and control germs.  These little see through gems will also help save you time as you go through security in the parks.  If a security guard can check your bag with a quick glance instead of opening every little pocket of opaque bag, then you will be that much closer to getting that first fast pass of the day!

Anyone else love the bag?  Share your favorite use in our comments section!

Got kids? Get Glow Sticks!

A great money saving tip when you are headed off to Disney World is to stock up on glow sticks! 

Glow sticks are great for evenings in the parks.  I always tuck several into my park bag each day before we take off.  As we are waiting for the evening parade or fireworks shows I pull them out as a nice distraction.  I am not sure what it is about those little plastic tubes that enchants my children, but I am happy to take advantage of it! 

The glow sticks are super easy to use, just bend the plastic until you hear a snap and give it a shake.  The gel inside gives off a nice glow that lasts several hours. 

Besides being fun, the glow sticks provide many useful purposes!

• Have your child sport a glow stick necklace or bracelet through the evening, which helps you keep an eye on them in the dark.
• Attach one to your stroller to help in stand out in the herd.
• Attach one to your spouse or their park bag.  It make it easy to follow the leader during the post fireworks / parade surge.
• It may save you money.   A few glow items from home keep my kids occupied and less likely to beg for the light up toys all around.
• Depending on how long your glow stick lasts, you may even have a nice little night light when you get back to your hotel.

There are several cool glow products out there, so check out your local dollar store or party store.  Unlike the old fashioned 4 inch tube glow stick that I used to BEG for at Halloween as a child, there are so many different items out there.  While of course you can find the old fashioned tube, there are now bracelets and  necklaces with connectors to help you make your own design.  There are also some cool masks and balls.  My little princesses are most excited by the glow stick fairy wands topped with stars and butterflies!

And while you are stocking up for your trip, buy a few extra if it is in the budget.  We like to share with whatever kids are sitting around us.  (We always ask Mom and Dad first!) It isgreat fun to watch a child's face light up when given an unexpected and inexpensive treat!

The Early Bird Gets the Mouse

The most important tip that I pass on to all of my clients is the importance of being at the park prior to opening. Any Disney veteran knows it is rope drop or bust!

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you may remember that I am not so much a morning person...(especially if I am on vacation!). So if I tell you that I never miss rope drop, you know I am serious about arriving early!

I originally planned this to be a pithy little column. After all, how much space does it take to tell you to set your alarm, even if you are on vacation? But the more I thought about it, I thought it might be best to illustrate my point with some hard numbers.

I consulted touringplans.com to find an "average" day (a 5 of 10 on the crowd calendar). I chose 10 attractions in Magic Kingdom and the Lines application (also by touringplans.com) to get an average wait time for those attractions. The morning I chose happened to have early Extra Magic Hours. (On a side note: touringplans.com and the Lines app are both great. I highly recommend you finish up here and go check them out. And yes - the subscription is totally worth it!)

The first hour the park was open, the combined wait for the 10 selected attractions was only 24 minutes. The second hour, the wait jumped to 56 total minutes. That extra hour in bed comes with the cost of almost twice the wait! For you extra relaxed park goers who sleep in, eat a late brunch and then head off to play around noon may want to rethink your plans. The same 10 attractions have a combined average wait time of over 163 minutes! Almost seven times longer than the early birds had.

I know many of you have picked up on the fallacy of my illustration...you cannot do 10 attractions in an hour..and the wait time incrementally increases as you go! Of, course you are correct. I am not suggesting that this is any sort of a feasible touring plan. This is just a quick snapshot of the numbers to prove that wait times stack up during the day. So get there early, people!

To make sure you arrive on time (and by on time I mean 30 minutes prior to park opening):

• Be sure to set your alarm clock. (duh!)
• Schedule a wake up call..it serves as a great back up. Let you kids answer the phone to enjoy a great character moment.
• Allow 45 minutes to an hour for transportation. Mornings are a busy time for Disney transportation, and that first bus might be full!
• Once you arrive, allow 15 minutes to get through security.
• If you are staying off property allow plenty of time for traffic, parking, taking a tram to the TTC, getting tickets if necessary, and then taking the monorail or ferry to the Magic Kingdom.

Since we have already covered the fact that I am not a morning person, I can confess that once I am safely through security I pull out my morning granola bar and wait for the train to pull into the station. I take a moment to review my touring plan (I'm coming, Dumbo!) and get ready for a great day. And you know what?....I don't miss my nice cozy bed one bit!

Quick Tip: Packing for the Kids

I am a mom to a pair of fashionista princesses. From the hair accessories on the tops of their pretty little heads, to the shoes covering their pretty little toes...getting dressed in our house is a big deal. Needless to say, when it comes to packing their clothes for a trip it is a short trip to crazy town for this poor mama.

On our last trip to Disney World, I tried a new "system" for packing...the Ziplock bag. Each little princesses' outfit (including shirt, shorts, socks, undies, and the required hair bow) was carefully rolled and tucked into a zip top bag. I labeled each bag with the appropriate daughter's name and the day it was to be worn. I pressed out all of the extra air and tossed it into the suitcase. I combined pajamas into one bag and swimsuits into another. One extra bag held additional clean socks and undies.

When we arrived, unpacking the girls' clothes was a piece of cake. I grabbed an armful of baggies and dropped them in the drawer...done! The best part was in the morning when I was trying to get myself ready and out the door, my husband was able to locate the "Monday" outfit for each kid and toss it their way. Everything was already nicely consolidated and coordinated. There was no questioning if Shirt A matched Shorts B, or which bow would be just "perfect". They were dressed in record time and without complaint. By the time they were dressed, I was ready to brush their hair and pop in the bow. No fuss, no muss!

I hope my "fancy" luggage tip comes in handy for your next trip...Disney or othewise. If I were a few sizes smaller, I think I would even go Ziplock myself!

To hop or not to hop...that is the question.

As a travel agent, one question that I am asked over and over concerns park hopping.  Should I?  Shouldn't I?  Is it worth it?  The simple truth is there is no one size fits all answer.  The current price of the park hopping option is $54 per ticket, regardless of the number of days.  For the average family of 4, that adds over $200 to the vacation budget.  That is enough money in my book that it is worth taking a few minutes to figure out if it is a good decision for your family.  When the inevitable question comes up, I try to lay out some pros and cons and give some general advice based on my clients specific situation, and then leave it in their hands.  So...here goes...

Reasons to Hop...

• Length of Stay - For me, this is the most compelling reason to hop (or not).  If I am not going to have at least 4-4.5 days in the parks, I want to hop!  I must have 1.5-2 days at Magic Kingdom, 1 day at Epcot, and at least a half day taste of Animal Kingdom and the Studios.  If I only have a few days to hit the highlights, then park hop I must!  
• Dining Flexibility - If you are a family that enjoys dining in the World Showcase, then a Hopper is also a good choice for you.  Enjoy your morning and afternoon in one park and head over to Epcot in the evenings for dinner!
• Crowd Avoidance - I love touringplans.com...their advice on the best and worst parks is like the gospel to me.  Have you ever noticed that they always list Studios as a park to avoid on Fantasmic nights?   That is because the park is generally more crowded on Fantasmic nights (see, they really do know what they are doing)!  If you have a Park Hopper option, you can go to the recommended park during the day and slip in just for Fantasmic.   Perfect!
• Night Owls - If you like to prowl the parks at night, using your Park Hopper to take advantage of the Evening Extra Magic Hours is a great plan.  It is also nice to hop after a day spent at Animal Kingdom.  The park usually closes between 5-6 pm, leaving plenty of time for dinner and Illuminations at Epcot.
• Weather and other reasons to "call an audible" - If the day you planned to wander through the trails at Animal Kingdom ends up being rained out, you can always cruise over to a more rain friendly park.  Also, if you are simply ready to move on, you can.

Reasons not to hop...

• Cost - It is expensive.  If you have the vacation time, consider taking that extra $200 (for the average family of 4) and extending your stay by a day or two.  If I need to keep my trip on a tight budget, the hopper is the first to go.
• Increased Travel Time - Park hopping costs more than money.  It costs time as well.  Be sure to budget in additional travel time, should you choose to hop.
• Time to Explore - Yes, you can hit the highlights of a park and move on, but if you have the time...take it!  Take the time to explore all of the wonderful details the Imagineers have left for you. "All commando, all the time" gets the job done, but you will certainly miss all of the magical little touches that make Disney World so special.
• Time to Rest - So what if Animal Kingdom closes before you are drop dead tired?  Why not take the rest of the afternoon and hang out by the pool?  Or check out another resort at dinner? 

Non-Factors (for me!)

• Children - Conventional wisdom is to save your money on the hopper if you have young children.  I am a firm believer on an afternoon break from the parks, so for us it is just as easy to go to a new park as opposed to going back from whence we came.  Now if you are staying off property and are going to "push through" until you have to go...then I would recommend you just stay put and enjoy.
• Cost per day - Many make the argument that a Park Hopper is much more affordable on a per day basis for a longer stay.  And that it absolutely true!  However, if I have a longer stay, I am much less likely to hop as I am happy to move at a more leisurely pace and explore it all.  I also tend to build in more rest breaks, pool days and resort dining.   
• Early Extra Magic Hours - There are plenty of folks who like to hit the Extra Magic Hours every morning and then leave as the park opens to the masses.  Once you consider the extra travel time, at peak  hours, I wonder if it is worth it?  Of course, my attitude could be because I am SO not a morning person.   I am still a big believer in arriving before the park opens, but I time things out so that I can stay in bed until the last possible moment, and still manage to get coffee, dressed, and to the park before rope drop (in that order!)

I hope this helps you figure out if the Park Hopper option is right for your family.  While the hopper does provide the maximum in flexibility, it is not with out cost - monetary and otherwise! As a travel agent, I am more than happy to boost my commission check from Disney by selling a Park Hopper to every client.  As a good travel agent, I am much more concerned about making sure that my clients get the best value from their vacation dollars - whether that means Park Hopping or not.  Finally, when in doubt...wait.  You can always add the Park Hopping option to your ticket once you are there.

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This post is part of the Disney Blog Carnival. Head over there to see more great Disney-related posts and articles.

Operation Hide: How to share a room with a child in a pack-n-play!

When my youngest daughter was almost two years old she still needed a nice afternoon nap.  It was about that time that she realized she may be missing something big if she took one.  Unfortunately for us, those two facts collided right about the time we scheduled our trip to Disney Word.

I almost panicked at the last minute and left the toddler behind.  I knew if she did not get a nap, and get to bed at a reasonable hour that our vacation would spin into an uncontrollable death spiral from which we could not recover.  Let's face it...if a toddler is not happy, no one in the near vicinity will be happy. 

I knew that she would never go to sleep in a hotel room with the rest of us visible to her in the room.  Plain and simple.  Two rooms were not an option budget wise.  I thought about hiding everyone in the bathroom until she fell asleep, but that did not seem fair to anyone - especially her older sister who really needed an afternoon rest as well.  We were staying in a moderate hotel without a balcony or patio - so sitting outside with a door cracked was not an option either. 

I finally decided the best option was to hide her.  I positioned her pack-n-play in the corner of the room near the bathroom (I only had to do some minor re-arranging.)   I gathered my supplies: a large pair of 3m brand Command Hooks, a large pair of Office Binder Clips, and the darkest sheet I had from home.  Read the directions carefully on the hooks to make sure you install and remove them properly.  This will insure you do not damage the walls in any way.  Install the hooks on each wall just outside of the pack-n-play.  Be sure to hang the hooks over the head of the tallest person in the room.

A reproduced close up of our rig

Next unfold your sheet and attach the binder clips along one edge of the sheet.  Fold the clip back on itself
so that the sheet hangs from the bottom and the loop of the clip can be hung over the hook.  Now just stretch the sheet from hook to hook and hang and you have hidden your pack-n-play, essentially giving your toddler his or her own private room!  This would also be great to create a separate changing area for older kids would appreciate a little privacy.

When our daughter was not sleeping, I just let the sheet hang from one hook.  I could easily hang  the other side when needed.  When it was time to leave I stuffed the sheet back in my bag, carefully removed the hooks according to package directions, and moved the furniture back to the proper spot.  No evidence of our privacy screen remained! 

I hope this trick comes in handy for someone else. A few dollars on supplies saved us a fortune on another room and made sure our little one got the sleep she needed...which made us all happier in the long run! I guess necessity really is the mother of all invention!

Yes...she really is back there!  (Pardon our mess!)

This post is part of the Disney Blog Carnival. Head over there to see more great Disney-related posts and articles.

You Tube… For Disney Planning?

You know you love it! YouTube is the go to spot for the latest viral video or even a place to check out your cousin’s video from your family reunion. You Tube is also a great planning tool for your next trip to WDW! There are many great amateur videographers out there. While watching someone’s vacation video may sound like torture, there are some really great videos out there. You can find some nicely edited ones that include still photography, fancy scene cuts and even a nice background sound track.

Some great uses of YouTube: 

• Preview resorts – If you are not quite sure which resort may be the best for you YouTube is a great place to start. You can search on any resort and find multiple videos that really do a good job capturing the feel of the resort, show room layout and décor, restaurants, and pool areas.
• Preview attractions – Not sure if your little one will be terrified of Haunted Mansion? Are your kids the right age to enjoy doing a Kim Possible Mission? Not only can you check it out before you go, but you can let them see and make their own decision!
• Meet the Characters - A great idea if you are unsure how your children will react to meeting The Big Cheese! Show your child other children meeting character so they know what to expect…just make sure you preview the video first! I know the video of Tigger chasing a park-goer around Main Street would not sit well in out house!
• Re-live the Magic – Did your battery die during Wishes? Did you forget to pull your camera out for it’s a small world? You can be sure someone out there captured what you missed! You can even ride the Monorail to the Magic Kingdom before you start work every day.

It’s fun. It’s free. Check it out…and don’t forget to add your own videos. I’ll be watching!

The Joys of the Spare Key

I wanted to share a little trick that I learned the hard way…

On our first visit to WDW as a family, we had our 4 year old 21 month old daughters in tow. As you can imagine, the orchestrating the whole stroller, park bag, cooler extravaganza thing can be overwhelming. To make things a little bit easier, I designated the husband as “The Keeper of the Tickets”. Once we entered the parks we all promptly handed our tickets over and he filed them away in his wallet for safe keeping. Let’s face it – if they landed in one of the 42 pockets in my park bag they may never have been seen again!

One great perk we realized from having all of the tickets together is that we were able to optimize our FASTPASS plan. While I was doing potty runs, changing diapers, or standing in line for ice cream, my husband would take off to grab our next set of FASTPASSES. Genius! We were multitasking in a great way!

After lunch, little sister was in dire need of a nap. We thought it would be easiest for me to return to our resort 30 minutes ahead of my husband and big sister. We hoped that nap time would be a little easier with the least amount of commotion in the room as possible. Off I go with a tired toddler…

By now, I know you all have figured out what did not occur to me until I was standing in front on my hotel room door…Thanks to the handy dandy Key to the World card, my park tickets and my room key card were one and the same…and my card was safe and sound in my husband’s wallet in the Magic Kingdom. Oops!

I had to haul myself, the cranky tot and all of our stuff back to the front desk and wait for a nice cast member to become available to walk me back to my room and let me in. That was bad enough, but when the same thing happened a second time (my husband was in line for Soarin’ and I had to get out of the park STAT!) I realized that the Key to the World card had its draw backs! Instead of separating my ticket from my room key, I was able to get a “Spare Key” from the Front Desk. The Spare Key had no tickets or charging privileges attached - it was just a plain old room key. Problem solved!

The spare key also provided one extra benefit! One afternoon when I was getting ready to head back for naptime we realized that we would be able to get another FASTPASS in 30 minutes. There was no way I couldstick around that long with an irritable toddler, so we left along with the spare key. My husband wandered around for another 30 minutes, got our FASTPASSes and rejoined us at the resort. After nap, we headed back in the park and were ready to cash in our FASTPASS!

Now whenever we check in we plan ahead and ask for a “Spare Key” and tuck it into a designated pocket in the park bag…just in case!

Did you know?

Did you know that you can bring a small cooler into the parks? It is surely one of the best money saving tips around!

You can pack a small cooler full of drinks and snack for the day. Be prepared to open your cooler to allow security to check it (they are on the prowl for alcoholic beverages and other contraband). I must admit that the first time I brought in a cooler, I was prepared to be denied, but just as the guide book promised, I was waved in without a second thought.

If you do bring in a cooler, be sure you have a storage plan for it. We just stuff it into the bottom of the pack mule - I mean stroller. But renting a locker for the day is just as good of an option, but it will eat into your savings a bit.

Some cooler tips:

• The huge coolers on wheels are not welcome. So if you were planning on using your cooler as a cooler and a kiddie wagon, you will have to come up with another plan.


• Coolers must be soft sided and no bigger than 24x15x18.


• No alcoholic beverages can be brought into the parks. If you bring any, be prepared to return to your car or resort, or dump it out.


• No glass bottles or containers are allowed.


• Instead of ice packs, freeze a few bottles of water. They will keep things cool during the morning, and my afternoon will have thawed enough to drink.

Now, with all the money you have saved on bottles of water and soft drinks, you have enough change left in your pocket to enjoy a yummy Dole Whip during the parade!

A little OCD is a good thing…

I HATE being sick. And when I am, I am not one to “tough it out”. I want relief. I want my husband rush out to the nearest pharmacy for whatever over-the-counter remedy that may help. That being said, guess who got sick on our last visit to the “world”? Yup. My dear sweet husband.

Half way through our 3rd day in the parks, my husband started complaining about his stomach feeling out of sorts. At first he chalked it up to the whopper of a burger he ate a Pecos Bills. A few hours later, he realized that his ummmm….gastric distress was, in fact, a virus. Before we tread too deeply into the TMI zone, let’s just say he sent me off to our resort's gift shop for something – anything that would help. His parting words as I left the room were “I don’t care how much it costs. I don’t care if we have to put a second mortgage on the house, just get me something!” (Husband does not do sick well either.)

I made a bee line to the gift shop and found a very small selection of very expensive medication. As expected, I ended up paying about 10 times what I would have paid if I had the foresight to pack a small selection of over the counter meds for our trip. He was desperate, so I forked over the cash and dashed back to our room.

For our next trip, I am coming prepared! I have already stocked up on some of our commonly used OTC medications. When I assembled my pile of drugs (which, in total, I paid less for than the one small box I bought at Disney) I realized that it was just going to take up too much room in my suitcase. I had to get creative.


One day while perusing our local craft store I found a bead storage container. BINGO! It is nicely sized and suitably compact. The top of one container is actually the bottom of another. I pulled out my handy dandy label maker (you guys already know how much I enjoy that!) and got to work. I put the medication in each compartment, labeled it , and then cut out the dosage chart so I would not have to remember it all. I wrote the expiration date on the clipped dosage chart and tucked it right on top of the medication. If the tablets were on the small side, I placed a cotton ball on top to keep them from banging around and breaking.

Viola! Now every time I travel – to Disney or to visit the folks – I have my own portable little drugstore. No late night runs to a pharmacy. No second mortgages. No overflowing toiletries bag. See? I told you a little OCD is a good thing!

When should I go?

If you go to Google and type in “Best time to go” the first default search that pops up is “Best time to go to Disney World” Clearly, that is a hot topic among vacation planners and one of the first questions a Disney bound family must consider. The short answer is Value Season. And here is the long answer…

Disney breaks up their calendar in to five “Seasons” that have nothing to do with winter, spring, summer or fall. While food and ticket costs remain constant throughout the year, Disney prices their resort hotels based on demand. The fewer folks looking for rooms, the less expensive they become. Logic dictates that lower hotel occupancy lead to lower park attendance – which means shorter wait times and better odds for those coveted ADR’s (Disney speak for reservations). You can expect to pay almost 50% more for the same room in a moderate hotel in the Holiday season as compared to Value season.

Disney also lures families in during the off peak times with some bonus offerings. The Flower and Garden festival is a great spring event. Food and Wine is fun in the fall. Seasonal parties such as Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party will surely get you in the holiday spirit.

So if you can do more for less money there is nothing else to even consider – Value Season for me! Right? Well…maybe not. Value season is value season for a reason – and that reason is school. Unless you are willing to try to squeeze in a mid August trip before school starts - in the worst of the summer heat, you can count on school being in session during the value season. If you have a preschooler, missing a few days of school is a no brainer for most. (Shorter lines with a preschooler – sign me up!) For a middle or high school student, missing several days of school can mean trouble for even the brightest bulbs in the Lite Brite. Bottom line, the older the child is, the harder it is to take them out of school. As a travel agent, I try to always make sure I have a copy our school districts calendar on hand. A few times a year, our district will schedule back-to-back Teacher Workdays on a Thursday and Friday. This allows a family to leave after school on Tuesday and return on Sunday and only miss one instructional day. Value Season is now back in play!

The Value Season does have a few drawbacks that, to be fair, must be considered. Disney does an amazing job maintaining their parks on a daily basis. Occasionally, however, a more extensive rehab is required. Disney often schedules these rehabs during periods when the least amount of park goers will be affected. ..you guessed it…Value Season. Also, Disney cuts back on park hours during slower times of the year. Instead of Magic Kingdom closing a midnight or later, it may close at 8 or 9 pm. Fireworks and Evening Parades may only be offered a few times a week instead of multiple times per night.

Value Season “pockets” vary though the year, but in general January – mid February (excluding MLK holiday), August, September, and the first half of December are good times to consider. Regular season is also a good time to consider. It costs just a bit more and runs from mid-April until mid-May and from October until Thanksgiving. Summer, Peak, and Holiday seasons get progressivly more crowded and more expensive. Never fear if the more crowded times are the only ones that work for your family - A hot and/or crowded day at Disney is better than most days at home!

Kiddo Control - Or How Not to Loose Your Children in a Theme Park

It is every parents fear. Just the thought of loosing a child in a busy theme park is enough to make any parent's heart pound and palms sweat. Our daughter was a very independent 4 year old on our last visit to Disney World and I was terrified of loosing my grip on her little hand after a parade and being separated as the crowds surged. Fortunately, there are a few common sense steps you can take to help keep your kids safe.

Label them - If you read my previous blog entries, you know I am a fan of my label maker. When it comes to my children I take it a step further. I ordered a dog tag for each child...not military...canine. I put their names on one side and my name and cellphone number on the other. I attached the tag to their little shoes. This insured that my "late talker" would not need to try to communicate any information should she get lost, and my fearful 4 year old would not have to try to remember our contact information when she was already scared. You could also use an id bracelet, or, if your child is a little older a Sharpie and their little forearm will work just fine.

Match them - I am lucky on this front. I have 2 little girls that love to coordinate their outfits. If can find a matching outfit for them to wear to a park, pool, or playground I will definitely have them wear it. If matching outfits are not an option, a shirt in a similar color is a good alternative. It really helps you locate your children in a crowd. Scanning a crowd or an play area is much easier when your eye is looking for only one color. If one child gets separated, you won't be put on the spot trying to remember what they put on that morning...you can show any cast member what your other child is wearing.

Photograph them - What else are you going to to when you are waiting for the bus or for rope drop? Snap a quick picture as you start the day and then you have a current picture of your child in the outfit they are wearing. Hopefully, this will be photograph you will never need.

Teach them - Talk about what they should do if they get lost. Show them what a cast members name tag looks like and let them know that is a good place to start if they need help. If a cast member is not nearby or if they are uncomfortable asking a cast member tell them to ask a mommy. Most mommies will drop everything for a child in need and will not leave them until they are back where the belong. If your child is not especially verbal, be sure you show them where your contact information is located.

Corral them - A stroller is great for keeping a little one (or even a not so little one safe). Encourage your child to use a stroller for as long as you can safely stuff them in one. If your child must walk, have a hand holding rule. If your child is young, or prone to go darting off consider a backpack type tether. I must admit that I hated the thought of a "leash" before I had children. They are children not dogs. Then I realized I put my dog on a leash for the sole purpose of keeping her safe...suddenly the "leash" did not seem like such a bad idea. I promise if you have your child on a leash I will not judge you...unless you are jerking him around like a misbehaving pup...then I will judge you...HARSHLY.

Drill them - A great thing to teach your child is to stay put if they get lost. You can quickly back track your last steps and find them. Practice "losing" a parent. Once you notice Daddy is missing you can back track your steps and find Daddy waiting calmly. When you discover him, he can confirm he was scared, but knew you would be back for him. Have him reiterate that was staying right where he was when he realized he was lost while he was looking for a cast member or a mom to help.

Prepare them - Tell them to answer your calls. This sounds totally ridiculous, but it is absolutely true. I remember a little boy named Michael getting lost on the beach. His mother became frantic. The entire beach moved into action. People formed human chains to "drag" the ocean floor. I can still remember the chilling screams of his mother as she called his name. After about 20 minutes we really began to fear the worst. About a half hour into the ordeal Michael was located. He was sitting in a tidal pool about 20 feet from his mother. He heard her frantic screams and ignored them. Why? He thought he was in trouble. He figured if he just laid low for a little while she would cool off and he would not be in trouble anymore. Tell you kids they will not get in trouble.....just answer your calls!

Should the worst happen and you find your self separated from your child, take a deep breath and don't panic. Hopefully, they will remember the stay put rule and if you back track a few steps you will find them waiting for you - perhaps never even knowing they were lost in the first place. If you cannot find your child within a minute, notify a cast member immediately. Cast members deal with lost children every day and they are pros at handling the situation. Children who have misplaced their parents are taken to the Baby Care Center or Guest Relations. A cast member will show you the way. If you have two adults, send one to the Baby Care Center and have the other stay in the general vicinity. Also, be sure to have you cell phone in hand. Hopefully, whoever locates you child will spot the id tag and call you immediately.

When it comes to keeping track of your children I am a firm believer that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Hopefully, these tips will help keep your kiddos with you, or at least speed up the the reunion should you get separated.

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This post is part of the Disney Blog Carnival. Head over there to see more great Disney-related posts and articles.

My Label Maker, My Friend

I love my label maker. I love it so much I photographed it...with flowers.

(Okay, so I promised my daughter I would take a picture of the flowers from her dance recital and my label maker was sitting nearby - I am not completely crazy!)

So why does my label maker deserve a spot on a Disney blog? Because it is a great way to make sure you take home everything you bring with you!

Disney has an amazing lost and found department. Can you imagine how many pairs of sunglasses a day are turned in? From what I understand Disney will make every effort to return lost items to their rightful owner, so why not make it easy for them to do so? Or for that matter, maybe the Good Samaritan who finds whatever you have lost will take the time to return it to you...if only they knew how. Enter The Label Maker...insert dramatic music here.

I use a Brother P-touch that I have had for several years. I bought it after my daughter was born to label the multitude of sippies, snack containers, jackets, diaper bags and all of the various items that I had to haul everywhere. (If you want to get a Mommy-to-be a gift she will really use, think label maker!) You can find similar models at your local office supply, Target, or Walmart. I prefer to use the laminated labels because they stay on quite nicely - even in rain or the dishwasher.

When I head to the World, I label anything that I would like returned if lost. I label many things before we leave and I even tuck some extra labels in an envelope so I can tag things on arrival. My husband joked that if he stood still long enough I would slap a label on him! My label maker will allow me to print 2 lines in a small font. I put my name on the top line and my cell phone number on the bottom line. Then I just peel and stick!

Items that are Label Worthy

• My kids. But that is another post all together...stay tuned!
• Park Tickets - In addition to my name and cell, I also label who the ticket actually belongs to. It is a good idea to take a photo of all of the numbers on your ticket in case you need to get a new one issued quickly.
• Photopass - I hate to think of how many family photos may be lost because a photog switched photo passes. It is also a good idea to take a picture of the back of your Photopass card.
• Cameras - Video and Still. I decided to leave my labels on even after I returned home. It has come in handy more than once!
  Camera SD cards
• Cell Phones - I put my name and cell on my hubby's phone and his name and cell on mine.
• iPods, mp3 players, video games and other in line time wasters
• Luggage -I use an easily identifiable luggage tag and then just slap my label on it. No worrying about ink running in a rain shower. It is also a good idea to find a luggage tag that hides your address. No need to advertise that you are not home!
• Strollers - I use the another easily identifiable luggage tag. Also, a splashy ribbon tied to the handle makes it easy to spot among the multitude of identical strollers.
• Park Bag and some contents - I label the first aid kit, skip the ponchos.

I have never lost anything in the parks, but with my handy-dandy label maker, I feel like I at least have a fighting chance of getting my lost items back!
Should you loose something at Magic Kingdom, head over to City Hall. If you are at Epcot go to the Entrance Plaza. At DHS or Animal Kingdom Guest Services is the place to go. If you realize you have lost something after you have already left the park, call (407) 824-4245 for assistance.

RideMax - What it is and why I love it.

Little Susie absolutely must ride Dumbo and it's a small world. Johnny must ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Splash Mountain. Dad wants to see if Space Mountain was as fun as it was when he was a kid. Mom, who still feels a little guilty for taking the kids out of school, wants to make sure the Hall of Presidents is on the list. And did I mention that they must get to lunch at the Crystal Palace at 11:50, they all want to watch the parade, and they must head back to the resort by 3:45 for a little rest before dinner?

Sound familiar? Then it is time to call RideMax to the rescue!

What is RideMax?

RideMax is a downloadable internet software program that will create detailed custom itineraries based on user input. RideMax claims to save its users a lot of time by moving people through the more crowded attractions at off peak times as well as managing FastPass distributions. Based on my experience, I agree! RideMax programmers have studied the crowd calendars, wait times and touring patterns of the parks for many years and have come up with some fancy algorithms that will optimize your daily agenda - what ever it is. You simply input your wish list for the day and let RideMax do the rest. Once RideMax runs its calculations you will be presented with a minute by minute agenda that you can print out and tuck in your pocket.

Why I love RideMax

• I never over promise and under deliver. With kids, that is hands down the biggest benefit. RideMax will give you a very clear picture of what is feasible to do based on the day that you are trying to do it. This is also what makes RideMax invaluable for park novices.
• It ends the "What do you want to do next?"... "I don't know, what do YOU want to do next?" conversation for Mom and Dad while each child is lobbying for their own agenda. You already know what is next - it is right there on your list!
• You can accurately answer little Johnny's question, "When are we going to ride Splash Mountain?" (11:17, and then we will dry off and head to lunch!)
• You know how long of a wait you can expect on a particular attraction. Ideally, this wait will be much shorter than if you did not use RideMax, but it is helpful to know in advance if you should plan on giving little Susie some Cheerios to munch on while you wait.
• You can make sure that everyone's must do's are on the list, present and accounted for.

Cool RideMax Features

• FastPass Management - Will you send a runner to get your FastPasses? Are you OK with riding outside of the posted return time? (Disney does allow this, but does not post this information) When should you get your next FastPass? RideMax considers all of these variables when creating your plan.
• Touring Speed - Are you a family of speed walkers or does the stroller slow you down? Either way, RideMax has you covered.
• Includes Parades and Show times
• Customize your arrival and departure time as well as build in meal and rest breaks.
• What if scenarios - You can run multiple itineraries per day and choose which one suites your family best.

Tips and Tricks

• If there is an attraction you want to ride first and RideMax has it listed later in the day, simply do what you want to do first and begin have RideMax schedule itinerary for the rest of the day starting at attraction. (Otherwise your walking time will be calculated from the entrance.
• Get the best of both worlds. Use Ride Max to plan your morning and afternoon itinerary as this is when you will see the biggest benefit. Leave your evenings more open to wander and explore. Don't go "Commando Disney" the entire day or you will be exhausted, you will miss a lot of really cool stuff, and your family will hate you.
• If your plan is working - stick with it! The first morning we used the plan, my husband wanted to veer from the schedule. "Why don't we just do this now? I mean we are right here!" If we had done that minor attraction right then instead of later in the day we would have spent much more time in line overall, as the crowds tend to pick up as the day moves on. Trust them...they know what they are doing!

Thus ends my RideMax testimonial...and I did not even get paid by them - not even in a free month of software. If you want to check it out further go to RideMax. A 90 day subscription to the Disney World program costs only $18.95. With all that you have already planned to spend on hotel, ticket, and food you might as well spend an extra $20 to make sure you can enjoy it to its fullest!
The post is part of the Fifth DisMarks.com
Disney Blog Carnival; click on the link for more great Disney
articles."