Today is a dreary day in my hometown. I am recovering from a head cold. And I am feeling totally uninspired. I decided to go back and look through some Disney pictures for some inspiration on something Disney related to share with you. After several minutes scrolling through my pictures, I found myself not thinking about something to share, not making a mental note about something to do or do differently on our next trip, or even jotting down an idea for a family I am working with. Instead I realized I was just enjoying my pictures and the memories they brought back.
I am a huge believer than a little Disney Park knowledge goes a long way. A little planning and strategy will help you maximize your fun and minimize your waits. Prioritizing your the attractions that you family wants to visit is a great idea. Scheduling your dining reservations a simple must do.
Some people feel over scheduled in life and do not want to feel that way on vacation. They just want to show up and have fun. And while I agree with that in principal, in practice it can backfire. Now, I am not suggesting that every family should have a laminated schedule of daily events, in fact, I discourage it. My goal as a vacation planner is to give the families enough information that they can make the most out of their vacation dollars.
I often recommend my family's touring style. We heavily schedule our mornings. Just call me the Disney Drill Sargent from park opening until noon! As late comers meander their way through the turnstiles, we have knocked out Fantasyland and are rounding the corner to Liberty Square and Adventureland. Then we break for lunch. After lunch we usually wander and explore for an hour - no agenda - until we head back to our resort for a break. When we are refreshed we return to the park, often with one or two goals in mind, but mostly to go where the mood takes us. While no one in my crew would trade the "get it done" morning, we all truly treasure the "wander and explore" afternoon and evenings.
Whether the activity is scheduled or spontaneous, always have your camera ready to go and snap away as the magic unfolds. You never know when it may happen. So with that in mind, here are some of the things that had me smiling this morning...
Learning to Hula at 'Ohana. Yes, they are having fun in spite of the serious faces. Dancing is serious business in our house, and it must be give the proper attention and respect!
Big Sister's first trip on Splash Mountain. I am curious as to what part of "Splash" she did not understand!
Little Sister comes from a long line of "ride wimps". So for her first big girl roller coaster experience, we were not expecting THIS...
Character Meet and Greets are always fun. Especially if then kids are into it and willing to play along. Snow White teaching my princesses the art of the "twirl"...priceless!
We also tried to make the most out of our dining experiences. Who does not love a 4 year old S'more face at 50's Primetime Cafe? And my oldest thought the ketchup gag at Whispering Canyon Cafe was hilarious!
Here are my sweet girls wishing on a wishing star at Cinderella's Royal Table. Can you guess what they are wishing for? Also, I was happy to watch my picky eater dive into a bowl of noodles at Yakitori House.
And finally I will wrap up this super self-indulgent blog post with two of my favorite memories from our trip and an important lesson I learned. Both of these photos were literally taken during out last hour in the park after a week long vacation. We sat down for a moment as a family and talked. We all agreed we had a fabulous time and were so lucky to have such a fantastic vacation. I told the girls "This is it. Last call. Is there ANYTHING else that you have not done and want to do. Or any one thing that you want to do over." I must admit that I was surprised by the answer. The youngest wanted to drive the cars on the Tomorrowland Speedway since the line was so short. They had showed no interest in that attraction, but that was fine...ride we will. I honestly have never laughed so hard in my entire life. I learned that my 4 year old thought that driving consisted of moving the wheel to the left for a while and then to the right for a while. It does not matter what it in front of you, in fact, as the picture shows, there is no need to even watch where you are going! Her giggles as we crashed around the track were contagious, leaving me with mascara streaked tears of laughter down my face. Who knew that such a simple little ride would yield so much fun?
So what one thing did the oldest want to do? "Mom, over by the Caroussel, there is this big rock with a sword in it. I really want to try to go pull out the sword. I have ALWAYS wanted to do that." Really? THAT is your final request? On the one hand, I was happy that all of the "big stuff" had been checked off her list. On the other, I was surprised at how such a little thing was such a big deal. The lesson learned... ask! I was so focused on making sure they got all of the big stuff done, that I had overlooked the little things. Sometimes it is the smallest things that can put the icing on the cake.
Thanks for indulging me!
