The 2017 Vacation That Never Was

By Shendl Rewitszky

The 2017 Vacation that never was… 

I had planned and planned for this vacation and I had felt strangely unexcited about its arrival, which for me is very unusual, as I only get to WDW very rarely! I just had a feeling in the pit of my stomach that something was going to happen to affect this vacation…… and boy was I right…Enter HURRICANE IRMA!

The week before I was due to fly from South Africa to Orlando, a Hurricane named Irma made her appearance in the Atlantic Ocean on a path to Florida. I watched and watched the path all the time knowing that there was nothing I could do until I had the advisories from Disney and my airline.
I phoned Emirates twice on Thursday 7th September to find out if they were cancelling flights as by this time Irma was headed directly into Florida, they said they had not heard anything from Orlando International Airport so we accepted that we would be going. Thursday night at Midnight, I receive an email telling me that my flights have been cancelled and to call the booking office to find out more.  Early Friday Morning I phoned Emirates and they said we can definitely arrive on the 12th September instead of the 10th September as originally booked. (I still had a feeling in my stomach at this point).
We take our dogs to the kennels, arrange that the housesitter must still arrive and fly to Cape Town where my sister lives. Our first plan was to spend one night with her and then board our flight, but Irma forced all that to change. We had to spend 3 nights in Cape Town and find inexpensive things to occupy our time, All the time watching the facebook updates on Irma from the weather page I found to follow.
Sunday evening while I am packing our luggage and making sure I have everything, I get an email from Emirates, telling me that our flights have been cancelled again! At this point, I was just ready to go HOME! I could change my flights again but there was no assurance that we would get there on the 13th September, so we asked them for a refund and contacted my awesome Disney Travel Pixie to sort out our booking with Disney. 

We ended up rescheduling from Sept 2017 to Nov 2018. I was not taking the chance with Hurricane season again. I am very glad that we did not go this time though….we had a family bereavement on 17th Sept and I was just so thankful that we were not overseas when it happened. That would have been dreadful and would have ruined our vacation further.
I now get to plan for a different season and I get to show my Husband the Christmas Decorations for the first time.
I guess things always work out in the end and it just shows you that they Always Happen for a Reason!

Walt Disney World Meltdowns

By Lisa Green  

 

You know after visiting Walt Disney World regularly for the past 25 years, I’ve learned a thing or two about Disney vacation meltdowns – and they don’t always involve children!  When I think of meltdown I think crying, screaming, frustration!  The Disney vacation meltdown may also involve a wider array of emotions ranging from the basic temper tantrum to “checking out” by shutting down and completely ignoring everything going on all around.  When you travel with small children, crying happens.  There are, however, some tips I can share about the different types of meltdowns we’ve experienced – some of which were self-inflicted.  We let them happen – practically invited these unhappy episodes along on our dream vacation by our own poor planning or inattention to certain unavoidable facts.

Five Walt Disney World Meltdowns (and how to avoid them):

1. It’s all way too much! – Some people (of any age) handle overstimulation better than others.  The noises, smells, tastes, crowds, even the beds and pillows – all unfamiliar and sometimes frightening.  Stranger danger in enormous proportions!  Characters may not be scary, but the mildest roller coaster IS!  It’s kind of hard to predict what the limit will be – little kids need more consideration with this sometimes.  The important thing is not to force too much excitement, new or different, all at one time.  Pace yourselves if anyone in your travel party is easily overwhelmed.

2. The ups and downs – Sometimes it’s all hurry up and wait…then BOOM!  Thrill ride!  Then hurry up and wait again….then MORE thrill ride.  Wait more…then SCARY ride.  Then wait and wait and WAIT.  If you’re not used to waiting in line, never been on a roller coaster before, never experienced a dark ride with loud noises…it all seems so confusing!  Waiting is boring!  Not knowing what to expect can cause anxiety.  Preparing first-timers for this series of ups and downs and having some distractions or activities planned for when the lines are longer than can be easily tolerated will go a long way toward preventing meltdowns related to the boredom/excitement/boredom/excitement cycle.

3. TTFW (Too Tired For Words) – This one and number 4 are the ones I’m personally the most susceptible to – I need sleep and lots of it!  The rest of my family is the same.  Nothing brings on unhappiness faster (along with leg aches, head aches, itchy eyes, generally lethargy) than becoming overly tired.  Alternating sleeping late with going to bed early and afternoon naps if necessary (for the little ones) is the best way to avoid – or at least delay the inevitable.  Afternoon breaks from the parks can be critical.

4. Grrrr – We are HANGRY!  When we’re having a great time, we don’t always notice when we’re hungry…until it’s too late!  Hunger lurks in the background…quietly…barely there (the growling can hardly be heard over the thrill-ride-screams).  Then a headache starts, then…suddenly!  Whoa!  Batten down the hatches – someone’s head gets bitten off!  I don’t care if a person’s 8 or 80 – when they’re hangry (hungry/angry), everyone else better beware!  Always, and I do mean ALWAYS, have a snack handy!

5. I want that! Yes, we want our children, our spouse, maybe ourselves to have a souvenir or two.  It starts off innocently enough – let’s face it, Disney makes some wicked cool merch!  We want to buy a shirt, a doll, a gift, and ornament, a pin (or ten).  That touch-to-pay feature on those MagicBands makes it not only ridiculously easy, but FUN!  Fun to buy, fun to spend, fun to own.  Next thing you know, you check at the resort front desk and WOWZA!  You have racked up quite a bill!!!  Best advice I can give you – get this under control before you ever leave for vacation.  Buy some souvenirs in advance to bring alone for the kids and break them out along the course of your trip.  Buy Disney gift cards in advance, give them to the kids (and adults, if need be) and tell them how much they have to spend…when the money’s gone, it’s gone.  Self control will be your friend when it’s all said and done.  I promise.  Tantrums in a theme park are never attractive.  Sobbing all the way home after seeing the final total at check-out is pretty pitiful.  Not that I’d know or anything.

Shout on out now!  What are your best tips to avoid a meltdown?  Or what’s your favorite meltdown story?

This article was originally posted on Lisa's Living a Disney Life Blog.
She can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/LivingaDisLife and on Twitter at @life_of_green

Please be sure to check out Lisa along with me and David Hodges on The Disney Exchange Podcast!

What Keeps Me Coming Back to Walt Disney World?

By: Shendl
Photos: Nick & Barbie

I was browsing through some tips on a Disney Website recently and it got me thinking about the reasons I keep coming back to WDW.

    •    Anticipation and Excitement - I love the feeling of knowing that I have a WDW Vacation planned and the joy of seeing the days get less and less on my Countdown Application. The excitement of knowing you are actually going back to the Most Magical Place on Earth is like nothing I can describe to anyone that has not visited WDW before.

    •    Relaxation – I know that this may sound strange when used in context with WDW but when I am actually there and are away from my normal routine, I find that I am much more relaxed than I am in my day to day life.

    •    Food – The Food that you get at WDW is like nothing we get in South Africa. There are so many different types of food that we like to eat when we are at WDW. My Husband’s favourites were Biscuits & Gravy  and mine were Tater Tots and Glazed Almonds!!

    •    Attractions and Rides – Where else in the World can you visit and see all the wonderful World Class shows and experience the amazing Special Effects on Rides? Definitely nowhere I have ever been besides WDW, That’s for Sure!  I find the attention to detail AMAZING!!

    •    Magic – This is the one place in the world that I have visited that you can see and Experience Magic Happening on a daily basis and sometimes you can even create your own Magic for someone and brighten up their day!

    •    The People – I love meeting the different Cast members and guests at Walt Disney World. We met some lovely people that started up a conversation with us because they heard our South African Accent. It’s fun meeting different people from around the world.

    •    The Treats – Some of the best treats I have experienced in my life have been at WDW. Mickey Premium Bars, Jelly Belly Beans, Mickey Pretzels, Caramel Corn and Funnel Cakes to name a few!!

   •    Souvenirs – I love picking up items from WDW that I can display at my home either in a display case or on the walls. I also enjoy choosing Baseball Caps, Shirts and Christmas Decorations to take home with me.  I hope to finally treat myself to a Dooney & Burke Handbag on the next vacation!!

    •    EPCOT World Showcase – I love World Showcase!! There is so much to see and do and TASTE!! I love walking through the little stores in the different countries and experiencing the different cultures of the Cast Members from those countries. The Street Shows and Character Meet and Greets that you experience are also amazing!!

    •    RESORTS – I love the different resorts that you can choose to stay in, from a Value to a Deluxe, there is a resort for everyone whatever your budget and style!

All in All, It is safe to assume that I absolutely love vacationing at WDW even though it’s extremely far to travel and airfare is a little on the pricey side! I would rather save up for 4 years to be able to afford a WDW vacation for 2 weeks than a yearly vacation to a cheaper place.
I will always keep coming back to WDW!!!

Saving Tips for Disney Trips

By Lisa Green

 

A Disney vacation is an investment.  It’s an investment of both time and money and, I like to think, an investment in creating family memories that last much longer than things (like the latest video game or the trendiest jeans).  Oh, there are plenty of ways to save money on your Disney vacation (a post on that at a later date), but I want to talk about saving money FOR a Disney vacation.  If you are the kind of Disney fans we are – saving for that all important dose of Disney becomes a way of life.  It doesn’t feel like “doing without” or “making sacrifices” it’s just doing what needs to be done to get where you want to be.

I wish I could say I’ve joined the extreme couponing bandwagon and get all our household goods virtually free.  Yea…no.  Our methods of saving are not of the “extreme” variety but save money they do and here’s a list of a few that come to mind today:

I take my lunch to work everyday – usually leftovers.  No eating out at lunch unless it’s a special occasion.  Raymond works close to home, so he spends his lunch hour at the house – eating leftovers and taking Junior out for a mid-day run around the yard.  If you think about eating lunch on a workday at a modest $5 a lunch for 50 weeks of the year for the two of us, we’re saving about $2,500 a year!!!

The Mediterranean in the south of France

We rarely eat out in general.  Before launching the Vacation Initiative, we ate at a sit-down restaurant at least once a week (usually every Saturday) – now it’s more like once a month (if that).  I’m not counting our standing Friday night carry-out pizza from the only pizza joint nearby with a drive-through window – it’s Junior’s big night out, going with us to pick up that pie, and I wouldn’t dream of denying him the pleasure.  I enjoy cooking very much and cook enough hearty meals that there are some pretty tasty leftovers to take care of lunches all week long.

We grow our own herbs and vegetables.  I don’t consider myself a “living off the land” kinda girl (hello…I was raised in the city!), but living in Louisiana, married to a dreamy guy who knows agriculture – planting a kitchen garden is so easy, it’d be silly not to do it.  I grow parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme (are you singing along?) and also basil, mint, and oregano.  Raymond takes care of the spring and summer supply of things like peppers, mixed salad greens, tomatoes, corn, zucchini, eggplant, and butternut squash.  I don’t do canning, but I do freeze veggies and am so appreciative of being able to reach in my freezer and make butternut squash soup during the winter – it’s great!

I learned to groom the dog.  Go ahead – I laugh when I think about it too, but the investment in some electric clippers and dog shampoo sure paid off in spades when Junior grew to 60 lbs and it cost $100 per grooming visit.  Because he’s part standard poodle, our little guy must be clipped regularly or he becomes a huge, shaggy, matted mess!  Just today he got a haircut and he looks pretty cute if I do say so myself.  I’d say I’m saving conservatively $600/year.

Finally – as you’ve seen if you’ve visited my little Disney blog before - I make my own Disney Christmas ornaments and decorations.  And, as I’ve mentioned, I do not buy craft supplies at regular price EVER.  I also like to make scrapbooks of our Disney trips…not super fancy ones like those incredible scrapbook artists make, but simple ones that allow Megan and Joseph to look back at those good times and remember.  Remember how we were as a family through the years, remember the incredible things we saw and the adventures we had and hopefully, dream about the day they can share those happy times with their own children.

Holidays at Disney World

Share your tips for saving for Disney vacations!

This article was originally posted on the Living a Disney Life Blog.

Even Someone Who Isn't a Disney Fan Can Have Fun at Walt Disney World!

by Josh Soifer

I would not consider myself a Disney fan.  I like some Disney movies and products but for the most part I am lukewarm to them.  I don’t run out and see everything in the theaters and usually wait for DVD/Netflix/Etc.  The Disney Brand experience is somewhat lost on me. A friend of mine who is a huge fan once told me, based on conversations we had about movies and such, that I would probably not enjoy it much.

So when my wife talked about going to WDW I was not very excited but willing. Even with a lack of enthusiasm the planning began.

For those of you who feel similarly I have a piece of advice.  Not the typical vacation advice of where to stay and what to do.  Not on how to save money and get the best bang for your buck.  This advice is on how to enjoy the Disney Brand experience your family is asking for. (Caveat** I do not have children so a vacation for me is all about what my wife and I want to do)

My Disney fanatic friend heard about us planning a trip and ½ jokingly turned to his wife and asked if they could swing adding another week at WDW.  Without hesitation we invited them to join us.  Details were worked out and they were in!

They helped us plan the best trip possible.  We chose a place to stay, planned a few events and scheduled some meals.  Their knowledge was useful, but their enthusiasm was infectious!  I could not help but feel the excitement and attraction of this magical place with them oozing their childlike wonder at every character sighting and ride.

It was so infectious, three years later, we are planning another trip with Nick and Barbie, and I couldn’t be more excited.
 

So my advice, invite a Disney Fanatic who has visited the parks a few times. Let yourself get caught up in their enthusiasm and you will have a blast.

 Barbie, Nick, Jill and Josh

The "S" Word at Disney Parks

Editors Note:  
Neither Barbie or I are smokers, and we, along with the writer of this article, do not wish to promote or encourage smoking in any way, but feel this is a good service announcement, and deserves to be read.-Nick

By: Tamara

Disney parks are squeaky clean and a family-friendly atmosphere. But there are a few of us who are on the dark side. And I don't mean Darth Vader and Company. I am talking about smoking.

I am one of them. The politically incorrect, the current scourge of society. Like it or hate it, we are currently still permitted to smoke on Disney property. Of course we have to follow the rules and only smoke in designated smoking areas. And we do comply with these rules.
At least most of us do, I hope.

Disney doesn't allow us to smoke in our resort rooms. This is for very good reason. If you smoke in your room, and are discovered, you WILL be billed for a cleaning charge. This deterrent is enough for me to seek out designated smoking areas at my resort as well as in the parks.

I recently spoke to a fellow guest who seemed rather perturbed that she wasn't permitted to smoke inside her car while it was parked on Disney property. In fact, Disney security informed her that she was only permitted to smoke in the proper smoking areas. She wasn't happy, and felt it was an invasion of her privacy. But is it really? It is their property, and their rules. As a caring guest, I understand and choose to abide by these rules.

We smokers have to consider the other guests and respect their rights to enjoy a clean safe Disney experience. And this means, curbing that urge to smoke anywhere, properly disposing of our cigarette butts, and be good Disney guests.

Our days as smokers are numbered, I am afraid. With the popularity of the ecigarettes, we may be experiencing new rules come into play. We may even see a day where all smoking is banned from the parks, resorts and all Disney property in general.

Until Disney goes totally smoke-free, I ask my fellow smokers to be as polite, and as unoffensive as possible.  Take note of the smoking areas.  Use them.   Leave behind no evidence of your habit.  After all, Disney banned the selling of chewing gum for good reason, and we probably will see the day when smoking is banned altogether. 

How to Avoid Over Packing on a Disney Vacation

I confess. I'm an over packer.

There are several reasons for this.

For one, we go to the parks early, and then return to the room for a nap or a swim. I don't want to wear the same sweaty shirt and such that I wore that morning. So, that's 2 shirts and extra underthings per day.

What if it rains? I need to bring a couple of extra pairs of socks and a couple more shirts, and yes, extra underthings, just in case.

I wear night clothes. Nothing outrageous, lounge pants, and a t-shirt. And, while I do re-wear the night pants, I often get up earlier than my wife (because I'm too excited to sleep!) and take a walk, which means I'm sweating up that shirt, and that means I'll need a new one for that evening.

What if I get a stain on my pants or shorts? Gotta bring at least a couple of extra pair of pants!

Then there are dress clothes. Do we have any fancy dinners planned? How many? Gotta have nice button down shirts for those. Maybe even a suit!

And I can't wear the same thing twice because I am going to have my picture posted on Instagram and scattered across several blogs and Facebook pages!

Then there's packing for cooler months!  Bulky clothes take up a lot of space in your suitcase.

Okay, let's see what I can do to cut back on some of this.

• Washing clothes is an obvious option. This would eliminate about 1/2 of the shirts, socks, and underclothing I usually bring.

• Stain stick would eliminate the need for extra shorts and pants due to spills.

• If I have multiple meals at fancy restaurants planned, one pair of dress pants would be sufficient.

• Have one or 2 shirts tops for exercise. I'm going to walk, get sweaty, and shower. I could just re-wear that exercise shirt the next day, since I'm going to shower anyway. Then I could re-wear the shirt that I used to sleep in.

• Re-wear jeans or shorts. 

• I'll pack closer to the time we depart. This is tough, I pack early, like a week prior to leaving. But that leads to over-packing in the cooler months. But if I watch the weather channel before  packing, I'll avoid packing unnecessary bulky clothes. 

• In those cooler months, a lot of sweaters and sweatshirts can be replaced by one jacket.

• I'm not on prescription medication, but do bring cold medicine, just in case, as well as aspirin, Airborne, and various other pharmaceuticals. I will take only a few of each, and put them in a plastic baggie, rather than have my bag look like an apothecary.

I hope some of these packing tips help you (and me!) on your future Disney Vacations.

Portions of this article were originally posted on the Tips From the Disney Divas and Devos Blog Where Nick is a contributing writer.

Stop back tomorrow to see an article by Gaylin, who REALLY knows how to NOT overpack!

The Excitement of Planning Your Disney Trips!

There's a certain excitement about a Disney trip. So much thinking, devising plans, conspiring with friends and family. There are so many details to be reviewed. There are so many things that one could forget, things that we could miss out on! Where do you start?

Let's start on the home front.  Do you plan for the care of your home while you're away? Do you have someone come and check your place once in a while? How about your pets? We do a lot of planning around their care, even so far as finding an "In-home" veterinarian who comes to the house instead of us having to go to their office. It has made leaving for vacation with elderly pets at home much more bearable. Our in home pet sitter has enough to deal with!

 

Does anyone reading this blog have gardens that go rogue while they are on vacation? Do you do anything about that? I still haven't come up with a good plan for the  gardens while we are away. 

So, do you get excited about planning your vacation, or does it fill you with dread? Do you completely wing it, not a single dining reservation, not a care in the world, knowing you'll find something to eat and do; or do you have each minute of the day planned out, each day of the trip accounted for?

I'm thankful that Nick loves the planning process and sets up our vacations like a paid professional. It should be his career, he's that good. Me? Not so much. I'm terrible at planning vacations, don't even ask me what we're doing each day. I won't know the itinerary. I prefer to be surprised. It works out great for us that way!

Umbrellas

It's that time of the year down in Disney World, when the days are sweltering hot and the sun beats down on you. There's no escaping it unless you can find some indoor activities, but that's not why you went to Disney! Thankfully, one can find many shady spots, and if not, vendors selling fun, fantastic umbrellas.

Trip Report from January, 2012: Boardwalk Resort

Saturday, 1/7
As told by Barbie and Nick, photos by Barbie.
We flew out of Philadelphia , and arrived in Orlando and we immediately took Magical Express, which took us right to Boardwalk Villas. A room was ready! It is a standard view studio, looking towards the main entrance of the Boardwalk Resort.

We unpacked, and headed over to Disney's Hollywood Studios, where we had lunch at one of our favorite restaurants, Mama Melrose's. We were a little early, so went to Muppetvision, and afterwards the Muppet shop. Lunch was at 2:30pm, and we were seated soon after we checked in. Nick had the Chicken Parmesan and I had the Chicken Campanella. Both were good, but my dish was outstanding.

We then headed over to Star Tours, where the wait was 30 minutes. We got FastPasses, and headed down Sunset Blvd. to check the wait time on Tower of Terror. It was 50 minutes, so we decided to just check out shops until our Fast Pass time for Star Tours came up. As we walked, a Streetmosphere show was just starting. It was either the Most Interesting Citizen of Hollywood, or Funniest Citizen Contest, either way, it was great. The "host" would ask a random guest what they did for a living, and a tool they used for their job, and the "citizens" would then have to tell a joke based on that item. Nick was one of the random people asked, and he said "screwdriver," for instance. Each round of jokes, a citizen would be eliminated based on the audience reaction to their jokes.

If you ever get a chance to see one of these shows, stop, and take the time to do so, it is one of the best things at this park. By then, it was time to ride Star Tours. The standby line was only 10 minutes, so we got in that, then rode again using our FastPasses. Afterwards, we headed back to the resort, and discovered that they roast marshmallows by the pool every evening. Free food! On a stick! Nick's dream come true. He immediately sat and ate a few, then headed back to the room for the rest of the evening.