Where to sleep in Disney.... staying on property or off?

There are definitely no shortage of options to sleep in and around Disney world. 

Bay Lake Tower

The first decision to make is whether to stay on Disney property or off.  We have done both and while both have their advantages, we decided not long after we got married to buy into the Disney Vacation Club so that we can continue to be able to stay on property.  On property you can stay in accommodations ranging from value resorts to deluxe villas with kitchens and multiple bedrooms.  Off property the options are countless... tons of varying hotels, timeshares, and even private homes with their own swimming pools.   Disney provides their resort guests with several exclusive extras during their stay to entice you to stay with them. 

Advantages of staying on property:

1) Extra Magic Hours - each day one of the parks has extra magic hours.  What are extra magic hours? The park either opens 1 hour early or stays open up to 3 hours late only for Disney Resort guests to enjoy.  Although we haven't been taking advantage of the late magic hours since we had the kids (they usually run until midnight or 1am), we did take advantage of them quite a bit before kids.  You are able to get on so many rides in a short amount of time, which is especially beneficial at more crowded times of the year.  The early morning hours (which we definitely take advantage of more now with young kids) give you the advantage of getting a head start on the parks and getting fast passes for rides before they open to the rest of the public. 

2) Disney Dining Plan - this is a prepaid meal plan for Disney Resort guests that can be added to your room and park ticket package.  There are different plans for different appetites.  What we like about the dining plan is that it is prepaid ahead of our trip so we know exactly how much we are spending on food.  (Gratuity and extras are not included in the price of the plan.)  These plans are certainly not for everyone, but we do like the regular dining plan and usually get it for our stay.  This plan includes 1 Quick Service Meal, 1 Snack and 1 Table Service Meal per person, per night of your stay plus a refillable drink mug to use at your hotel (coffee, tea, soft drinks).  I would only recommend the plan if you are not planning to spend full days off Disney property as only Disney restaurants are included in the plan.  This is also probably not for you if you would prefer to bring your own food or not eat a large sitdown meal each day. 
Here is where the dining plan options are described along with which restaurants are included:
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/planning-guides/in-depth-advice/disney-dining-plan/
Here you can find up to date menus with actual prices to see what you'd actually be paying for the meals:  http://allears.net/menu/menus.htm
One more added benefit of dining if you are staying on property...  the general public can book dining reservations and other experiences up to 180 days ahead of time.  However, if you stay on property you are able to book for the entire length of your trip (up to 10 days) 180 days from your check-in date so you get a head start on your meal choices.  Because of the popularity of the dining plan it is really best to make reservations for any table service meals that you'd like to enjoy during your stay. 

3) Disney Transportation - Disney will provide you FREE transportation to and from the airport (Magical Express) and between your resort and the various parks just for staying on property!  This enables you to fly into Orlando and not need to rent a car if you so choose.  Or if you drive, you don't have to drive to the parks.  And since we've traveled with larger groups, even if you do have a car and drive into the parks... if someone decides they want to head back to the hotel early or stay late or even head to another park they can take Disney transportation. 

4) Proximity to the Parks - you really just can't stay closer to the parks by staying off property.  This means shorter travel times to the various parks, which especially when traveling with young ones... this is invaluable because let's face it, they are only happy for so many hours before they are ready to crash!

5) Disney Hospitality - Disney is the happiest place on earth!  And their staff go through some of the most sought after training in the world.  The "cast members" really go out of their way to make your vacation more memorable.  I really just can't say enough about them and just love when we drive through our resort gate and the security person says... "Welcome Home Mrs. Hazlett!"

6) Free Parking - If you do rent or bring a vehicle and decide to drive to the parks instead of taking the Disney transportation, you will receive a FREE parking pass.  This is a $14 per day savings!

7) Souvenir shipping - If you purchase souvenirs in the parks and don't want to lug them around all day and carry them back to your room.... NO PROBLEM.  You can fill out a form and have it shipped back to the gift shop at your hotel free of charge! 

Traveling to Disney.... Flying or Driving

We just booked our 15th trip (since 2002) to Disney World for September and I decided what better topic to do a blogging series on than planning and traveling to the happiest place on earth.  Of course I typically blog about what we do on our actual trip, but I thought it might be a good idea to discuss various decisions that I make in the planning phases of the trip and why I make them (and why you may choose differently).  In 2005, while planning our 6th trip... we decided to buy into the Disney Vacation Club, which is Disney's timeshare program.  We really love the flexibility that their point system gives us to travel at different times of the year and with different size groups, etc.  I will go more into it's benefits when I post on staying on property vs. off.  Today, I'm going to talk... getting to Disney.   

The majority of our trips were before kids and we quickly learned that what worked before kids doesn't necessarily work after kids (especially young kids)!  Before kids we swore we would NEVER drive to Florida!  Well guess what?? We have.  Twice in fact and we'll be driving again in September.  Here are some major considerations to make before deciding whether to drive or fly.  (Please know that I am not telling you what the right decision for you and your family is.  I'm telling you what I have learned and take into consideration when deciding what works best for my family and some of the lessons that I've learned along the way.)

In my opinion the biggest thing to consider when choosing your mode of transportation is COST! 

We've flown MANY times to Disney.  We've gotten some amazing deals on flights.  I believe we scored some $29 flights from Spirit and we've definitely scored plenty of $59-$79 flights through Southwest.  I recall stalking the airlines for when our travel date prices would be released to get the very best prices on flights especially since we sometimes traveled several times a year.  Multiply that by 2 adults, who can carry their own bags to the airline counter to be checked and who can walk themselves through the security line and remove their own shoes and jackets, etc and the price is not so bad. 

Fast forward to our most recent flight (1st flight with twin 20 month olds) in May 2010... We had to buy not only tickets on Spirit that were not $29 (luckily the kids were still young enough not to require their own tickets), then there was a fee to pick our seats together on the plane, a fee to check bags (and now there is even a fee for carry-ons that don't fit under the seat!).  Tonight I decided to price out just what kind of deal I could quickly find.  Using the $9 fare club, I was actually able to get a pretty good deal that would only be $690 for 2 adult and 2 child tickets (which required me spending $59 for the annual membership that saved me $240 on the tickets for my travel dates) + $80 ($20*4 bags) + $40 (approximately to pick our seats together) + $25 to have 1 larger carry-on = $835 not included airport parking if you choose to do that. 

Here is where I tell you that the first time we drove, we spent $150 for gas to drive 4 people to Disney World.  Now I will tell you that is probably not realistic for most people since we drove my Toyota Prius Hybrid that gets 45-50 MPG.  We drove straight through on the way down so no additional hotel room and did stop on the way back, but stayed at my aunt & uncle's house so again no hotel room cost. I can also tell you that driving a more realistic small SUV (RAV4) that it cost about $250, which is still a HUGE savings in my opinion. 

The next factor (which can also factor into the COST) is whether or not you will need a car while in Disney.  For many of our pre-children and our first post-children trips we did not have a car for our stay.  We were staying on Disney property and used their free transportation around the "world".  This is a great option if you fly to majorly cut down on the cost of renting a car.  You can get a magical express bus from the airport to your hotel.  They even send you these fabulous luggage tags to put on before you depart and then Disney claims your luggage for you!  Once at your hotel you have different transportation options depending on where you stay, but some combination of buses, boats and monorails.  We have LOVED these options for many years/trips.  However it was more of a struggle on our trip when the twins were 20 months as we stayed at Saratoga Springs which only has bus service to the parks.  This particular resort has 5 bus stops and since our room was at the first bus stop, we got dropped off first when getting back to the resort but we had to wait through 4 more stops (about 20 minutes) to get out of the resort and head to the parks.  This really wasn't a big deal when we didn't have small children, but when you have little kids that only have X amount of non-cranky hours.... taking 45 minutes to an hour to wait for and take the bus to a park is a big deal.  Also, you need to fold your stroller and carry it up the bus steps to take it on the bus.  Doing this and juggling multiple small chidren can prove a bit difficult.  Especially if you decide to split up and conquer the task on your own.  If you stay on property and have a vehicle (rented or your own) you receive a FREE parking pass to use at all of the parks ($14 a day savings).  If you rent a car, you also need to decide whether you will fly with your own carseats or rent them with your car.  I can really lend no advice here as I have never done either.  If you stay off property, you would probably need to rent a car unless wherever you stay provides transportation. 

The last major factor that I would include in your considerations is how much stuff do you need to take with you?  When it was just the two of us, we could easily get away with 1 or 2 suitcases and a carry-on for our trip.  Now with the kids there is more stuff to bring, which equals more suitcases which equals more money on most of the airlines.  By driving, we have been able to bring a whole case of diapers when needed without squeezing them in a suitcase.  We also have been bringing a case or so of water and snacks because you can bring a small cooler into the park and also to have in our room.  It's also not a big deal to throw some extra toys in the car for the kids to have to play with in our room.  We are also able to bring our own stroller without worrying whether or not the airline will break it (as I know several people that this has happened to).  The kids are now a little big for the pack n plays that our hotel will provide for us and with our own vehicle we are able to bring their toddler sized air mattress beds so that they are comfortable.  There are several companies in the Disney area that you can order groceries, etc from or if you rent a car you can go to a store and make similar purchases to what we choose to bring with us. 

I'm sure once the kids get older or on adult only trips to Disney we will reevaluate driving vs. flying, but for now we are pretty set on driving.  If it was our once in a lifetime trip I might also plan differently and be willing to spend the extra money.  However, since w go about once a year or every other year.... the savings really adds up from trip to trip.  Summer also has had some pretty severe issues with her ears and we've been advised that flying is probably not a good idea for her at this time.  Happy planning....

This is Summer passed out from screaming bloody murder for
half our flight... it was so bad that I almost cried too.

Next Disney topic will be staying on propery or off :)

Mommy's boy

Sleeping or lack thereof has not been a huge problem for us since the twins have been born. Don't get me wrong, we get less sleep than we used to (Jim can probably tell you exactly how much less). But in the grand scheme of what we feared when we found out we were having twins... we've had more sleep filled nights than sleepless nights. Until recently that is...

Cole has always been a mommy's boy, but recently he's been even more clingy than usual. 

Then he started having trouble sleeping. 

We put him to bed and then after Summer falls asleep he starts wandering around.  Sometimes you can just hear him walking around upstairs.  Sometimes he's at the top of the steps calling for me.  Sometimes he comes down to find me to see if he'll be allowed more snuggle time.  And I'm talking 10:30 many nights... one night it was even midnight! 

We've been pretty strict with bedtime since the kids were born.  They were in their crib from day 1 home from the hospital.  They slept a 6 hour stretch from midnight to 6am by the time I went back to work at just 8 weeks old (3 weeks adjusted).  We did sleep training, have a pretty solid bedtime routine and other than a very rare occasion they do not sleep in our bed.  (This is not to criticize anyone that does not take this approach, but it is what needs to happen for our schedules) 

I called school one day to see if maybe he was finally ready to give up his nap.  I discussed with the teacher the issue we were having at home and that even though he was falling right asleep at nap time and usually sleeping the entire allotted time... that I needed her to attempt to keep him up for at least a week to see if that helped.  The first week went beautifully and we were all back to our usual nighttime schedule.  However, the next week did not go so well.  Again he was up.... and if he was up, I would quiz him on whether or not he had fallen asleep at naptime that day.  When I found out he hadn't .... I was at a loss for what the issue was. 

This past Sunday night.... he again waited for Summer to fall asleep (which doesn't take long) and then began wandering down for me to put him back to bed.  As I tucked him back in, he began to cry about how he missed me.  He wanted me to lay with him... so I asked him if he wanted to sleep with the blanket from my bed and he said yes.  So we gave it a try and I told him that he could use it until I went to bed..... AND IT WORKED!!!!!  Not only that, but it worked every night last week!  One night I didn't go up for the bedtime ritual and he came down a bit after bedtime and I thought.... oh no it stopped working..... but he just came down to tell me that Daddy forgot to give him my blanket. 

Hopefully this continues to do the trick and for now seems to be a just a case of the mommy's boy clingy Cole! 

Snuggled up with my blanket

A cooking lesson from Mickey Mouse

It took me awhile to upload the pictures... so this story actually took place last Saturday :)

We have been working on taking away Cole's nap because he is staying up way too late at night so we've been sending in other quiet time activities for him to work on during nap time at daycare.  This week one of the things he took was a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse book.  Last night he showed me one of the pictures and asked if we could make fruit kabobs like Mickey. 

Today while Cole & Jim were getting haircuts, Summer and I went to produce junction to get some supplies.  Here is our bounty:

 

They wanted to help me chop, so I assigned them tasks that steered clear of the knives.  Summer was the wipe up girl if we had a spill and Cole was the trash man.  They thoroughly enjoyed their jobs and reminded me if I did one of them by accident.  We talked about each fruit as I chopped.  What color it was, if it had seeds, etc.  Once the items were chopped and in bowls, we got the skewers.  They had lots of fun selecting from the different bowls and making patterns with the chopped fruit. 

 

Once their creations were completed... they enjoyed their yummy lunch and have already requested more for breakfast!

Creating a new play space...

I've seriously been in a rut at home lately...  believe me I am NOT a neat freak and I'm ok with that, but it has gotten way out of hand even for me.  The basement is just about the only room that I would say is pretty good right now.  We have spent a great deal of time getting it in shape and making it the playroom, except that now that we've added the TV that I got Jim for Christmas, a bluray player and fixed the gas fireplace... we kind of decided that we like the space for more than just a playroom and Jim and I have been hanging out down there in the evenings after the kids are in bed.  We don't want it to get overwhelmed with all of the toys.... plus it would be unrealistic to not have any toys on the main floor.  Even though I am more comfortable letting them play downstairs without me there every minute, I don't want them down there too long without supervision. 

The PLAN...  to create a space that contains the toys that the kids use on the main floor. 

We are now into toys with lots of tiny pieces and they are driving me crazy all over my living room floor and constantly getting kicked under the couch.  (Note to self: next time I am furniture shopping, I will select only things that toys can't scoot under!)  We have a nice sized area to the side of our living room that has been the toy area, but they tend not to stay there and have taken over the entire living room.  The main floor conists of an entry way, powder room, kitchen (that lacks room for a table), dining room and living room that are separated by a step and a railing.  My thought is to move our dining table into the side of the living room and to move all of the toys into the dining room which would serve as somewhat of a toy corral. 

I'm also hoping to create an art center possibly in the corner of the living room.  The kids are super into creating and we have accumulated quite a bit of art supplies, so I'd like to organize everything so that they can cut and glue and color to their hearts content!

Wish me luck... it is a work in progress already so no before pictures.... when it is the way I want it... I'll post after pictures. 

The one bite rule

Where has the time gone?????

5 years ago this very week I underwent my IVF procedure that resulted in Summie Lou & Coley Boley!  Seriously.... they are almost 4 1/2!!!!!  And at some point a long the way they stopped eating dinner food.

Our schedule has not been so normal.... so I will give them that.  For the first 3 1/2 years of their lives, Jim didn't get home from work until after 8pm since he worked west coast hours.  Although that schedule really did help our mornings be less hectic.... I would get home around 6pm with the kids feed them quickly since they want to eat as soon as we walk in the door most nights.  Then I'd cook later after they were in bed (since they went to bed at 7pm at the time). 

Well bedtime has gotten later, Jim is actually home by 6pm and I still find myself throwing something quickly together for them as soon as we walk in the door and then either cooking later or more recently resorting to take out once they've gone to bed.  On the occassion that I actually do prepare a nice meal or maybe we have dinner at someone's house.... the kids don't want to eat it.  They want cereal or eggs or no lie Cole ate just wheat thins for Thanksgiving dinner! 

What happened?  When did they become picky eaters?  They ate anything insight including salad at the age of 2.  Why now would that never ever happen?

In comes "the one bite rule".... I forget where I saw this, but probably Parents magazine because I seriously find so many good things in that magazine (love it!).  It's supposed to take people like 10 times or something of trying a new food to decide that they like it.  I don't want to force them to sit in front of a plate of food all night that they don't like, I don't want it to turn into a power struggle where they won't even try because they don't want me to win, and I don't want any long term issues or even fighting over food.  Last weekend I made my first beef brisket (which was awesome I might add), with oven roasted potatoes and sauteed green beans..... and of course... the kids wanted no parts of it.  I warned them as I was cooking that we would be starting the "one bite rule" that night.  They would need to try one bite (no spitting out) of each food and if they didn't like it... they didn't need to have any more, but if they did like it they could have more of whatever they wanted.  Guess what?  It actually worked!  Summer didn't like any of it, but she did try a bite of each.  Cole liked the potatoes (which neither one will typically eat.... even though I'm half Irish and could seriously live off of all the different types of potatoes!) and the meat and even came home from school the next day asking if he could have more!!!!  This weekend I made a big batch of pulled pork for the football games on Sunday.  They asked what I was making.... I told them and they said "eww... we don't like that".  I reminded them of the "one bite rule" and they said ok, but when we don't like it we can have something else right?  I agreed, but after their "one bite" ... they both liked it!  Summer had a sandwich with it and Cole ate it just in a bowl!  Hopefully we are getting somewhere with our new rule! 

A new year and hopefully soon a new me!

I have been thinking about starting the couch to 5k program for quite some time now. 

I've never been a runner....
I've never really been an athlete....

So where to start?  Little did I know, that to start running... you don't just jump in and run!  Who knew?!

My fabulous cousin is a serious runner and had recommended the couch to 5k program, and my aunt successfully went through the program last year and ran the donor dash.  I'm hoping to be able to do the same this year and run as a donor family member, we'll see if I can be ready. 

This week was my 2nd week on the program.  The premise of the program is that you do alternate running and walking 3 days a week for 30 minutes each date gradually ramping up each week until by week 9 you are running the entire time.  I completely week 1 pretty easily, but came down with a minor illness at the beginning of  week 2.  It threw off my workouts, but didn't make me stop completely so I am proud of myself.  I do think I need to repeat week 2 this coming week as I'm just not comfortable enough since I wasn't feeling 100% myself this week to ramp up next week.  I do have about 5 extra weeks before the run, so hopefully after repeating week 2 this week I'll be ready to move on to week 3, but if not... I'll keep trying. 

I'm trying not to pressure myself on too many other changes right now, because I really want to focus on getting into the routine of working out at least 3 days per week.  The kids are so cute about it... they want to know when I am getting on the treadmill and Summer actually keeps track of which days I need to get on it and which days are my "break" days and reminds me.  They also really love getting water for me and their support is really helpful.

I've been trying out different times of the day and although I'm not one for getting up earlier... I am finding that I do better and feel better if I get up and do my workout before work.  It is really nice to have that 30 minutes to myself before anyone wakes up and I'm more likely to have a conflict at night that would make me miss a workout.

Wish me luck!  Now that I've made this public.... I am determined to continue.  I hope to make my kids, my husband and most of all my mom proud.  I want to represent her on at the Donor Dash for the lives she saved on the day that we had to let her go and she gave the ultimate gift to perfect strangers.... the gift of life.

And here is just a tiny plea from me..... make sure that your family is aware of your intentions about organ donations.  I know it is not ideal conversation material to tell the ones that you love that if something should happen to you that you want them to donate your organs.  Who wants to talk about those things?  However, the reality of the situation is that you never know when your last day will be and if it does come.... you likely won't be able to express your wishes at that time.  There are tons of people waiting for life saving organ transplants.  Wouldn't you want someone to choose to be a donor if you or a loved one needed it?? Why not do the same for them??

"Don't take your organs to heaven.... heaven knows we need them here"