Dads and Disney

We’re a family of four. With two rowdy boys (ages 5 and 8), we have to keep busy or our house will probably fall apart. Enter: the Disney Family Vacation. My husband was the one who took the Disney dive and planned our first trip more than three years ago. So, in honor of him and the upcoming Father’s Day holiday, I’m sharing a whammy of a gift idea.

When you book certain Disney packages by August 1 (and travel by August 30), you’ll save up to 20% on your Disney vacation!

I don’t know about you, but letting my hubs have an extra excuse to act like a kid would be the ultimate Father’s Day. And, to top it off, Disney is rolling out some pretty awesome attractions this summer, including Toy Story Land on June 30.

And, let’s not forget Mr. Incredible, himself…

With “Incredibles 2” coming to theaters on June 15, you’d better believe that Disney is going to streeeeeeeetch out all the guest appearances from you favorite superhero family. You’ll find them, along with Edna Mode in Tomorrowland (check out the delicious Incredibles-inspired food you can find) at the Magic Kingdom.

Other exciting guest appearances include Guardians of the Galaxy’s Star-Lord and Gamora in Epcot and a new “UP!” show in Animal Kingdom.

And finally, let me tell you from experience, summer is a great time to visit the park! You’ll see a dramatic decrease in crowds as opposed to other times throughout the year. Florida is always warm, and so long as you prepare and plan for a little pool time, the discounts and ease you experience are well worth a few more degrees!

Anyone who books this offer with me and mentions by blog post, gets a free gift!

Ch-EARS!

 

 

 

 

Toddlers and Disney: Elsa saves the day!

Traveling to Disney with littles can be challenging, but its also one of the sweetest moments you’ll experience with a youngster. Who doesn’t want to see their babies hug Mickey Mouse for the first time? Setting realistic expectations can make all the difference in the world. And even though the saying goes- if you fail to plan, plan to fail – I would encourage you to plan to ditch the plan when the going gets tough. Because there’s magic around every corner if you just let the pixie dust lead you.

Here’s my advice to surviving Disney with toddlers:

1. Strollers. Snacks. Enough said.
2. Don’t expect your child to love every ride – or any ride for that matter. When E was little, he loved the carousel and Tomorrowland Speedway. In fact, he loved the Speedway so much that he managed to tug the heartstrings of one of the pit crew members and ended up with an extra Fast Pass for the ride.  When you find your sweet spot, settle in and enjoy the ride. There’s a reason children under three are FREE.
3. Sometimes exhaustion wins and that’s ok. Our first trip involved a FREE dining plan. We literally dropped everything every time we had a reservation. By the time we made it to the final day, we decided that Chef Mickey could wait until next trip and a Mickey pretzel was a welcome sight. The kids were none the wiser.
4. When all else fails, go with plan B. When E was a toddler, he loved Frozen (he would deny it now). One of the best moves we made was to switch out a Fast Pass for the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train for a chance to meet Elsa and Anna (we all knew just how lucky we were to snag four Fast Passes). We got to meet Elsa first, and after an initial greeting, he hugged her with a sweet little smile on his face. My trip was made at that very moment, but it wasn’t until we moved on to Anna that we really felt the pixie dust take hold of us. She was her charismatic self, asking both boys if they liked hot chocolate. They talked about Olaf’s carrot nose and how the boys only ate broccoli. And then, she planted a great big lipstick-stained kiss on each boy’s forehead. Every cast member we saw from that point on, pointed out my prince charmings.
5. Consider your transportation options. We rented a car a couple times while we were in Orlando, and it was nice to have control of our naptime schedule. However, staying at a resort on the monorail or finding a spot with exceptional bus service can make a huge difference in your day. The best way to be sure you’re in the right spot is to work with a vacation planner (it’s 100% FREE because Disney knows you need a little extra help planning your vacation).
6. Finally, PLAN TO HAVE A DAY OFF. Yes, you’re paying for a Disney trip, but everyone deserves a break and a few hours at that amazing resort pool. Trust me, you’ll thank me later.

The moral of this story is to expect the unexpected. Follow your kids’ leads and always be willing to let it go…

For more tips and trips, contact me at katieb@hihovacations.com.

 

 

Ch-EARS!

Thanks for joining me! My family is Disney-obsessed, but I like to think of myself as the level-headed one. With two young boys and a husband who can’t get enough Disney, I pride myself in being a planner of some pretty epic vacations. It’s become my goal to perfect and improve on each trip, while discovering new and exciting things for my family to discover. I enjoy the details, but don’t get wrapped up in them. A Disney vacation is an adventure, and you can plan everything down to the minute, but you have to be ready for the unexpected. Let me help you make it magical from beginning to happily-ever-after.

Laughter is timeless, imagination has no age, and dreams are forever. – Walt Disney