In the summer of 2012 my family will return to Walt Disney World. This blog will detail my planning, discuss strategies and basically look at every issue that determines a successful Disney trip. Enjoy.
So I know I have taken some time off from my blog. I understand this is a big no no if you are wanting to build a loyal following, but I felt stuck. For several weeks I have been reading some very good books. It started with Donald Miller's Blue Like Jazz. Then I went to another Miller book, A Million Miles in aThousand Years. Both of those books moved me and I wouldn't say shook my faith but they had me questioning the way I was living out my faith. Seemed to me like I was just paying lip service to a big part of Jesus' ministry. Me and Jesus were fine but somehow I had forgotten the part about loving and serving others.
The next book I picked up was Start Something That Matters by Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS shoes. He tells an amazing story. From such a tiny upstart company, with an unproven business model and concept, he began something remarkable. The book would be worth it just to hear his story of TOMS, but the book also details so many good stories of entrepreneurs, starting companies, and giving back to society. I think the book does a good job of achieving the author's goal of inspiring the reader to get involved and begin taking steps to create a better world.
I don't know where all this will lead me but I think my attitude toward certain social and environmental issues has changed. My wife and I have begun volunteering at an outreach program that helps underprivileged kids with homework and reading. This next weekend we will help our church pack meals for Feed My Starving Children. Please believe me when I say that I am not trying to pat myself on the back and make myself look like a saint. I just feel like it's time to begin taking my focus off of me and begin looking at a world that needs shoes, love, food, fathers, generosity, mothers and Christ. I know this is pretty deep for a Disney World blog but it's my new voice.
At one point in Blake's book he asks the question, "If you didn't have to worry about money, what would you do with your time? What kind of work would you do? What causes would you serve?" So the first two were easy for me to answer...I would go to Walt Disney World and I would work for WDW. The third one was more difficult. So my new goal is to try to figure out how to combine my love of the World with my new found compassion for the world. When I discover that...watch out!!
This past weekend I found myself surrounded by people who did not understand my love for Disney. They took issue with my Cinderella Castle picture as my wallpaper for my iPhone. They thought it odd that I went to sleep listening to Walt Disney World music on my iPod. And basically, they questioned why a 37 year old man had such a Disney obsession. Then I went all Evil Stepsister on 'em and put them back in their place. Ok not really, but I wanted to. Later, I had an internal argument with them where I laid out my case for why I love Disney and Walt Disney World. Keep in mind that this was internal argument and they were not around to hear it.
Why I love Disney Reason # 1. Raised on Disney Movies and Disney Channel.
When I was growing up we were not allowed to watch shows that had more than three curse words in it. That meant we watched a lot of black and white shows and Disney programs. I was raised on Disney movies. I remember when we first got the Disney Channel. It was not 24 hours and Hannah Montana was not even born yet. Good days! I remember watching Dtv which was like Mtv but with less popular songs and Disney cartoons.
Why I Love Disney Reason # 2. My First Trip to WDW in 1982.
I don't remember much about my first trip to the Magic Kingdom, but I remember loving it! I was seven. We went right before EPCOT was finished and we only went for two days. But they were two great days. I remember not being able to ride Space Mountain but my older brothers loved it and told me all about it. I remember not liking Big Thunder Mountain because I felt like I was going to fall out of the train. I remember loving the Main St. Electric Parade and my brother bought the album as his souvenir. That family vacation will live in my memory forever as one of the greatest family moments ever. I want to create those types of memories for my kids.
Me with Cinderella...I'm the short one.
Why I Love Disney Reason # 3. It's Like Art.
I like to relate my fascination with Disney to art. When I go to a museum and look at paintings or pictures, I can say that they look nice but I really don't get anything out of them. The color, the shading, what the artist is trying to say. I don't get it, but other people do and I need those people to tell me what I am looking at. When I go to WDW, I get it. I see not only the creative design, I also see the deeper meaning. I look for the story that the Imagineers were trying to tell. I feel like I am a part of the story and want everyone to see it as I see it. The great thing about WDW and all their parks is that it's like they took the pictures off the walls and movies off the screens and allow us to actually walk through them. I also realize that just like me at a museum, not everyone is going to get WDW like I do and those people can suck it!
Backside of water
Why I Love Disney Reason # 4. Family.
The first time my wife went to Walt Disney World was in 2006. We took our four year old son and 1 and 1/2 year old daughter. It was amazing watching the fireworks that first night. My daughter's eyes were just so wide open and my wife teared up as she looked in her face. Great moment! I also think there is power in a place that can make you feel like a kid again. The excitement I feel is the same excitement my kids feel. The only other place that has that time travel ability is around the dinner table at Thanksgiving when I feel like I should be with my cousins at the kids table.
Enjoying their first fireworks.
Why I Love Disney Reason # 5. Food.
Walt Disney World Food...seriously...it's AMAZING!!!!
The Kitchen Sink
Well, I feel better now that I got that off my chest. I just wish I would have been able to articulate it to my friends this weekend. Oh well, maybe I will send them to my Disney Blog to read this. Thanks for reading.
Now that I have booked our hotel, I am setting my eyes on the next milestone towards our 2012 Disney vacation. What is that milestone you ask? September 6, the day they release the latest version of the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2012 edition.
I know this isn't the greatest photo but I like how empty the park is. We are big fans of getting the earliest possible reservation at the Crystal Palace and enjoying an almost empty Magic Kingdom. Thanks for stopping by.
Here are some pictures from my favorite ride in all of Disney. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror!! I took these pictures with my iPhone 3G. They are not the best quality but I still hope you enjoy them.
How many times do you hear people say that they need a vacation from their vacation? That statement is usually even more true when people return from a Disney trip. There is so much to do and see and you want to get your money's worth. I understand that but you need to also realize that you are on vacation and that it is almost impossible to see everything at Walt Disney World. One of my big goals for our next Disney vacation is to make it a relaxing one.
Probably my favorite area in the World to relax is on the BoardWalk. I have had some great quiet times in the morning there and in the evening it is beautiful. It is one of the few areas on property that I have never felt rushed or packed in. It is also a great area to sit and people watch. Below are just a few of the pictures I took with my phone. Not the best but they make me happy.
Ice cream is a staple at Walt Disney World. You can find it almost anywhere and it can totally change the direction of a day at the parks. Use it wisely and watch as the grouchy turn to angels, the exhausted become reinvigorated, and the underwhelmed become overjoyed. You have your choice of Dole Whip, Mickey's Ice Cream Bars and Sandwiches, and the Plaza Restaurant Sundae just to name a few. But I say if you are up to a challenge and want to have a mountain top ice cream experience, then you need to head over to Beaches and Cream and try the "Kitchen Sink." Beaches and Cream is located in the beautiful Beach Club Resort. The diner is small and quaint but the Kitchen Sink is huge and overwhelming. It has eight scoops of ice cream, every topping they offer and a whole can of whipped cream. Yes, a whole can of whipped cream! And when we are talking about every topping we are talking about candy bars, cookies, some type of cake thing, nuts, cherrys and more. Amazing! They also flash the lights and make a big announcement as they bring it out to you. The family will love it. I can't think of a better way to spend $23.99! Enjoy and thanks for reading.
If I had to give you one piece of advice to make your Walt Disney World trip a success it would be get to the parks early! This is especially true during the summer. I would recommend about 30 minutes before opening. I understand you are on vacation and you want to relax. There will be time for relaxing and sleeping or napping but not in the early morning hours at WDW. You will be amazed at how much you can get done in those first few hours. As it starts to get closer to noon, your progress will begin to slow incredibly.
Let's say you get done planning your WDW vacation and you find that you still have a few dollars left in the bank. (Probably not going to happen but let's pretend) Would you like a few ideas where you could spend that left over money? If you like collecting things, has Mickey got a deal for you!
Pin collecting and trading. I don't do it but I love the idea. Basically you get a starter set of four or five pins and a lanyard. As you go through the parks you look for other vacationers or cast members to trade with. Pretty easy and a great way to interact with other people in the parks. Here is the official source of information about pin trading.
I wanted to add just one thing about how parents/adults interact with the characters. I am reading a book by Jeff Kurtti entitled Since the World Began. It is a great book and looks at the first 25 years of Walt Disney World. In one section he pulls out a quote from the WDW employee handbook...
"Imagine yourself as a guest, bringing your family to vist Walt Disney World. You walk down Main Street, pass through Cinderella Castle, and suddenly you come upon a Disney character at a table, chatting with a supervisor over a cup of coffee and a cigarette. Doesn't sound like Disney, does it? And if you were that guest, you wouldn't be very happy with our show, would you? Remember that regardless of where you work or what your role is, anytime you are in a public area, you are 'onstage.' Your attitude and performance are direct reflections on the quality of our Walt Disney World show."
Walt Disney World does an amazing job creating a World that is truly magical. You won't see cast members from Frontierland walking in Tomorrowland. They will not place the same character at two
So when is the perfect time to go to Walt Disney World? Well, that kind of depends on your situation. My wife and I are both in education so we are pretty much locked into going during school holidays and summer vacation. Since we are also pretty cheap and prefer to drive, that really only leaves the summer. If you have a flexible schedule then the World is wide open to you.
The WDW resort hotels recognize several different "seasons." There is the value, regular, summer, fall, peak and holiday season. Although the theme park ticket prices do not fluctuate, the resort hotel prices move a great deal. Here are two good sources to look at to see room rates and season dates. MouseSavers and AllEars.net. (The MouseSavers page will give you a good breakdown on the rates and seasons. The AllEars page will give you a fact sheet about the hotel and all the rate information) As you can see, deciding when to go will have a direct impact on your budget.
One question I forgot to list in the previous post was, "What's a good age to take your kids to Disney?" There is a theory out there that says you should wait until your kids can remember the trip. To which I say, you aren't going to remember half the trip when you get back either! That is why you take pictures. Also, they aren't paying for the trip so why does it matter if they remember it? It's what you remember that counts. (and the pictures you take)
I think that three is a great age to begin taking your kids. The magic is very real to them at three. They believe that is Cinderella's castle. They believe they are meeting the actual characters of their favorite shows. There is something powerful about being in the presence of believers at the Magic Kingdom.
Below are a few pictures of my daughter at the age of three getting ready to meet the characters. Can you see the joy on her face?
According to my Disney Vacation Connection app on my computer, my family's next trip to Walt Disney World will be in 372 days. I have already begun planning for this trip. In fact, I have been planning this trip since 2008. (The year of our last trip.) I don't like to think of myself as someone with an obsessive compulsive disorder but I have issues. I don't like to plan. I am not one to make lists. That is, I don't like to do those things outside the realm of Disney. When it comes to Disney I am a different person. I read guide books and blogs about WDW. I listen to several different podcasts about the World. I plan out days at the park in my head. I make lists and notes of places I want to eat and things I want to try.
Simply put, I love to plan for Disney. It's almost as much fun as being there. In my plans everything goes right. The kids don't cry. My wife stands in awe of my knowledge and efficiency and it's always 75 degrees and low crowds. So that is what this blog is about. Planning for the day that we are once again on Disney property. Standing in the middle of the happiest place on earth! For now, I have 372 days to plan.
You are welcome to come along, add suggestions, laugh at my mistakes and enjoy a Disney dad taking his time to plan the family's next Walt Disney World vacation.
