Have a Disney Day - Episode 122 of The Disney Exchange

The Disney Exchange is Lisa, Dave and me, Nick.

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Our main topic this week is what we usually do at Walt Disney World by time of day (6-10am, 10am-2pm, 2-5pm, 5-8pm, 8pm-12am). 

The Wheel of Distiny topic is from listener Paul: Have you ever gone miniature golfing at Walt Disney World? 

You can send us an email at info@thedisneyexchange and reach out with show suggestions, submit Wheel of Distiny topics, or request a listener number on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedisneyexchange, Twitter: https://twitter.com/disneyexchange

If you would be so kind as to leave us a 5 star review on any of the social media sites, such as Facebook or iTunes, we'd really appreciate it. Thank you!

Thank you for listening to The Disney Exchange!

Disney Parks Tickets - Episode 114 of The Disney Exchange Podcast

The Disney Exchange is Lisa Green, Dave Hodges, and me, Nick

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The main topic this week is Disney Park Tickets, but before we get into that, Dave talks about his recent trip to Walt Disney World, including dining highlights, his love of musical theater and art, and his favorite new Festival at Epcot, the International Festival of the Arts.

We talk about the latest ticket price increases at Walt Disney World, Annual Pass prices, our recommendations for the type of ticket you should purchase depending on your length of stay, and touch upon Disneylands AP prices as well!

We also talk about Rivers of Light debuting at long last!

Wheel of Distiny Topic: Wishes is being replaced, are you upset or looking forward to the new show, "Happily Ever After?"

You can send us an email at info@thedisneyexchange and reach out with show suggestions, submit Wheel of Distiny topics, or request a listener number (remember those?) on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedisneyexchange, Twitter: https://twitter.com/disneyexchange

If you would be so kind as to leave us a 5 star review on any of the social media sites or iTunes, we'd really appreciate it. Thank you!

Thank you for listening to The Disney Exchange!

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!

The Disney Exchange Podcast, Episode 47 ; Walt Disney World, Where Does the Money Go?

By Nick

Walt Disney World, Where Does the Money Go?

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The Disney Exchange is David Hodges, Lisa Green, and me, Nicholas Maglio.

Welcome to episode 46. Er, 47.
Another smooth start to the show.

On this episode we find a fictitious family of 4 consisting of mom, dad, and their children, ages 10 and 8.
This family is planning a trip to Walt Disney World in February of 2016. They picked this time of year because they are big fans of our show (I told you they are fictitious) and want to meet Lisa, Dave and me when we are there during The Princess Half Marathon Weekend, February 18th-21st.

We break down the price of accommodations at a value resort , a moderate, and a deluxe.

We look at the advantages of at least one member of the party getting an Annual Pass, including free parking and discounted room rates, but for the sake of our breakdown we don't use this scenario.

The agonies joys of Disney transportation, which we discussed waaaay back in Episode 2, come up once again.

I share ticket prices, looking at the difference of base prices, hopper, water parks, and combos. We discuss which ticket and how many days this family should get.

There are many variables when considering food, and we look at the pros and cons of the Disney Dining plan, a topic discussed in Episode 38. Our family goes with The Quick Service Dining Plan.

This trip isn't cheap, but we all agree a trip to Walt Disney World is worth the cost. Especially if you get to meet me.

The Wheel of Distiny topic : What was the first Disney Park attraction you ever went on?
This turns out to not be as easy a question to answer for some of our hosts as I thought it would be.

Thank you for listening to The Disney Exchange Podcast.

You can find us on our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/thedisneyexchange
On Twitter: https://twitter.com/disneyexchange
Or email us at: info@thedisneyexchange 

Summer Wardrobe Suggestions for a Disney Vacation

Cool Clothing and Sunglasses at Walt Disney World

By Lisa Green

Summer Wardrobe for a Disney Vacation – This post is part 2 of my Summer Sun Survival Tips.  Link to Part 1.

Here’s an important lesson my wise (and much older) sister taught me as I was growing up. (Thanks, Sandy!)  Always start the day looking the way you will at the end of the day – take into account any factors that may adversely affect your appearance and plan accordingly.

This advice is extremely applicable when visiting Walt Disney World in the summer months.  We (maybe I’m kinda mostly talking about women here) want to look super-cute on vacation (I’m sure some of you guys do too, right?).  We shop for cute vacation wardrobes and plan out adorable outfits for every possible vacation contingency.  I’m here to tell you…some forms of cute vacation outfits, in the summer at Walt Disney World, are potentially fraught with peril.

The best clothing tip I can give you for a summer Disney vacation is to take my sister’s advice:  Start the day looking pretty much the same as you’ll end up.  Confused?  Let me explain.  It’s HOT at the World during the summer.  And incredibly HUMID!  The combo of the two can be brutal!  Everything is damp, your favorite tried-and-true hair products will totally fail you, makeup melts off completely – you may start the day looking super cute and fresh only to end up a sticky, wilted mess!  Start the day looking perhaps a little less fabulous than originally planned with the idea that you will never look “less” than you do right then.

One of us (me) is NOT following this article’s tips!

Here’s my head-to-toe plan:
First things first:  Don’t try to style your hair – caps, hats, ponytail, braid – you pick what works for you, ’cause if you think your perfectly coiffed ‘do will hold up against the Florida sun and humidity (or worse, those two in the morning and a torrential downpour in the afternoon) – you’ll be so sorry you didn’t listen to me.  Start the day with well-subdued hair, liberally applied sunscreen, very little makeup, and a good lip balm.  Don a hat and sunglasses and voila!  You’ll end the day looking just the way you started – which is a LOT better than starting out like a movie star and ending up a caked-up, raccoon-eyed sweat-ball.

Headed in at the end of the day – not looking TOO bad!

Wear cool comfortable clothing that breathes well and allows you to move freely (for getting on and off attractions).  If you’re planning to ride attractions where you may get wet or the weather person has predicted rain, be sure to choose clothing that will dry quickly.  I prefer cotton (or performance/athletic-wear fabric) tees and tanks paired with cotton shorts or running shorts.  Shoes should be well broken in – vary shoes day-to-day to reduce the potential for blisters and raw spots.  You could try comfy sandals one day, sneakers/trainers/running shoes the next and so on.  Switch up the shoes!

Finally, I hate to bring this up, but if this post is going to be of value, I’m going to have to mention something a bit delicate.  Shhhhh, come closer so I can whisper it…chafing.  There.  Now it’s out.  For many summer Walt Disney World guests, chafing is a very real risk.  You might not be prepared for so much walking – in the heat and humidity – which results potentially in unprecedented sweating – which, in turn, results in “hot spots” where wet clothing rubs against tender skin.  Distance runners and cyclists (of which I’m both) are unfortunately well-acquainted with the horrors of chafing and I’m happy to report there’s an easy preventive measure that can be taken.  Cover areas which may chafe with a smoothing substance made specifically for this purpose.  One brand I’m familiar with and have used before is Body Glide – but I’m sure there are others on the market that will work just as well.  The product comes in a convenient solid (like antiperspirant)  – you just apply it wherever you think you may need it.

There you go!  Take my advice and you’ll be golden.  While you’re touring comfortably – look around at some of the other WDW guests – the limping ones are the easiest to spot – they didn’t do their homework.  Adopt the Boy Scout motto and Be Prepared!

For more on protecting yourself from and treating chafing and blisters, there’s a good article here.
 
What did I leave out?  Do you have any tips for comfortably dealing with the summer conditions at Walt Disney World?

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!

Summer Sun Survival at Disney Parks

Everyone in this picture is slightly sunburned!

By Lisa Green

The last day of school is right around the corner and for those of you counting down to a summer vacation at Walt Disney World…YIPEE!  I’m right there with you!  So excited!  ADRs and FastPass+ all squared away!  Packing early!  Prepping for sun survival!  You’re doing all that too, right?  Especially that last part – don’t forget to pack your sunscreen and be prepared to use it – early and often – to make sure no member of your travelling party has their vacation made uncomfortable by a nasty sunburn.

We live in Louisiana where the heat and humidity are pretty extreme in the summer – when I say extreme, I’m not kidding!  We have very similar highs and lows to Orlando (average highs in June, July, and August around 90-degrees), but less rainfall.  Even though we’re used to it, we still prepare especially for a Walt Disney World vacation, because if we were at home, we wouldn’t be spending as much time outdoors as we do on vacation.

Here’s what I know about the sun in Orlando – it’s not only HOT, but it can produce a serious sunburn in record time.  Thankfully, I don’t know this from personal experience, but from watching countless fellow Walt Disney World guests suffer from the effects of a bad burn.  There’s no reason for this to happen to you.

Hats make excellent sun protection!

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, there are a few basic sun protection guidelines everyone should follow.  These include:

• Apply sunscreen to everyone!  Including toddlers and infants 6 months and over.
• Use broad-spectrum (UVA and UVB protection), water-resistant sunscreen of at least SPF 30.
• Sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours or as often as the product label recommends.
• Dermatologists say that a one-ounce “serving” of sunscreen is approximately enough to fill the exposed areas on an adult body – this is enough sunscreen to fill a shot glass!

Utilize hats with large brims, sunglasses, and long-sleeved shirts for extra protection.  I will often tie a plain white linen button-up, long-sleeved shirt around my waist – if I have to spend too long in direct sunlight, I put it on over my clothes.  White reflects the sunlight and linen isn’t too hot/unbearable for a short time as extra sun-protection.

Cool Fact:  The FDA requires that all sunscreens retain their original strength for at least 3-years.

When applying sunscreen, don’t forget ears, the back of your neck, the tops of your feet, bald spots, all around sleeves and straps (that’s what gets me every time!), the backs of your legs, lips, and eye area.  Important:  Sunscreen should be applied 30 minutes before sun exposure.

 

My two cents:  I like “Max Block” sunscreen – and I’ve tested it for this post during the past two weekends.  It works very well for me – is indeed (for me) very water and sweat resistant, as the label claims.  It absorbs well, is non-greasy, and has a very pleasant, mildly tropical scent.  I bought and paid for this product and these opinions and tests are nonclinical, unofficial – the results are my own experience only.

Watch for more Sun Survival Tips coming soon!

What are your best sun-survival tips for Walt Disney World vacations?

Find complete information on selecting sunscreen from the American Academy of Dermatology here.

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!

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!