Happy 40th Birthday, Walt Disney World!

I was thrilled to celebrate my 40th birthday at WDW, especially since WDW would be celebrating its own 40th birthday just 8 days later! I did manage to pick up a couple of items with "1971" on them, to commemorate both birthdays.

We're actually gathering with friends who also love Disney tomorrow evening to talk about our recent trips (they were at WDW just a couple of weeks before we were). I hadn't really thought about the fact that it would be on the very birthday of Walt Disney World, but it seems rather appropriate.  We'll be celebrating WDW's birthday, even if we can't be there!

Friday Photo

Here's a 40th birthday photo from our trip. That's me in the 2nd row with my youngest daughter, Presley. She's a happy screamer, so it's lots of fun to ride Thunder Mountain Railroad with her! In the first row are my oldest daughter Reagan and my cousin Camille. (Daddy was taking the photo.)

Epcot's International Food & Wine Festival Begins Today!

We were able to see some of the preparations for the 2011 International Food & Wine Festival at Epcot on our visit last week. I salivated just thinking of the possible dishes that might come from these tiny buildings! And one kiosk in Japan was actually opened already, since the Yakatori House is still under refurbishment there. Dishes at the festival are primarily tapas style--small portions that give you a taste, not a full meal. They range in prices from around $2.50 to some specialty items or beverages as high as $13. But most items hover right around the $5 mark, a price point that allows guests to try several items without breaking the bank.



Here are a few sample menu items that look especially interesting to me:

• Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup made with cheddar, bacon, and Moosehead beer; $3.75

• German Pretzel Roll, a juicy bratwurst served in a pretzel dough roll; $4.50


• Griddled Greek Cheese with pistachios and honey; $3.25

• Seared Sea Scallop from New Zealand, topped with red curry and kumara (sweet potato), served with apple-radish salad; $4.25


• Bunny Chow, a traditional South African vegetable curry served in hollowed bread; $3.25

• Bulgogi BBQ Beef from South Korea, shortribs served with steamed rice and tangy kimchi slaw; $4.25

We visited during Food & Wine Festival a couple of years ago, and the smells alone are worth the trip! If you're a genuine "foodie," F&W is a must-do.

Thursday's Tip

Here's a tip that's just for me: follow your own advice! For everyone else, I guess the tip would be: follow the tips you learn here at Affording the Mou$e.

OK, I have a few confessions to make...I let my guard down a few times on our most recent trip and didn't always follow the tips I give to others. And it cost me. No, nothing that ruined my trip. But a few things that caused us a bit of added frustration or time. Here are a few examples:

• Use online check-in...and do it as early as you can (10 days prior to your arrival). I did this for All-Star Sports, and it worked out great. The only details we had to handle at check-in were paying the remainder of our bill and getting our "Key to the World" cards and info packet. Breezy. But I didn't use online check-in with the Grand Floridian. Honestly, I was hopeful that by showing up in person--on the eve of my 40th birthday--that I might have a better chance at a room upgrade. And, ya know, it almost worked...almost. I could actually hear the concierge on the phone with someone, and he said, "Take a look at the comments section," just as he began making me a birthday button. But apparently, they didn't have a room available at that time, so I then heard him say, "So, I'll just put her back where I had her then." Bummer. Serious bummer. Got my hopes up for nothing. Making matters worse, my regular room wasn't ready until after 3:00--even though I arrived at around 9:30 a.m. to attempt check-in. Using online check-in would likely have at least secured me a room sooner. And if you aren't satisfied with the room you're given through online check-in, you can always request to be moved. Lesson learned.


• Use Fastpass. Yes, we used it most of the time (except for waits less than 20 minutes, and even then sometimes). But on our Animal Kingdom day, we decided that we would wait 30 minutes to ride Kali River Rapids, rather than come back in a couple of hours when the Fastpass window would have allowed. We were willing and prepared to wait the alotted time--except that the wait was actually more than 50 minutes! It's good that I got soaked on the ride, because I needed to cool down (both literally and figuratively) after that wait.


• If it's your birthday, let everyone know! I had intended to wear my birthday button all week, but I kept forgetting or taking it off for one reason or another. But I received birthday "gifts" in some surprising places. For example, at the Studio Catering Company, on the day before my birthday, a Cast Member offered me free dessert as I was picking up our food--simply because she saw my button. I wondered how many free desserts I might have missed out on earlier in the week by not wearing it faithfully.


• If it's your birthday and you're eating at a table service restaurant, don't order dessert. (OK, this one wasn't actually a matter of not following my advice...I just thought it was worth bringing up here.) As I mentioned in my food post, I was pretty disappointed to discover that the birthday dessert I received at Les Chefs de France was actually the one that came with my pre fixe menu. Had I not ordered any dessert, I still would have received it--but it would have been free. I cheated myself out of a free dessert, and that was a sour note at the end of my birthday celebration--and one that could have been avoided.


• Always ask a Cast Member the current parade route. It just so happened that the evening parade was going the opposite direction that I thought it would on this particular visit. This cost us some precious time in getting to our perfect spot to view Tinkerbell's flight during Wishes. (We wanted to see the "Let the Memories Begin" show on the castle then watch Tink fly before making our escape to Adventureland.) We still made it in time, but we had to miss some of the Main Street Electrical Parade to do it. A rookie mistake that I am ashamed to admit.

I'm sure there are more, but those are the ones that come to mind. I know this stuff. Really, I do. But even veteran Disney guests make mistakes now and then. Learn from me...do as I say, not as I do. Avoid stress by sticking to the plan.

Trip Report: The Budget

While I specialize in planning affordable WDW vacations, our most recent trip was an exception to my generally-frugal rule. It was my 40th birthday--I did not intend to skimp. Still, I can't stray too far from my frugal ways, so I set our budget at a reasonable $2680. (I like to over-budget, so that I can be happy when we come in under!)

Let me start by saying that had we paid full price for everything on our vacation, it would have cost us over $3625! But, of course, we never pay full price. We used food coupons, gift cards, Disney Rewards Visa dollars, and even bought merchandise on clearance. When it was all said and done, our out-of-pocket cost for the trip was right at $1750--a savings of nearly $2000, and about $900 under budget!

Subtracting what we had already put down as a deposit on our resort stay and the amount of the tickets we purchased several months ago (adding up to around $1050), as well as the nearly $300 in cash that we had saved specifically for the trip, we took only about a $400 hit to our bank account...barely noticeable in the scheme of things.

All in all, despite making a few splurges, we still managed to save a lot and keep it pretty frugal. We're already beginning to collect spare change for our next trip in our Disney Fund.

The Best Thing I Ever Ate...@WDW

One of the things I enjoy most at Walt Disney World is having my favorite treats...and seeking out new favorites! On this trip, I had several new experiences. Out of these, I found one restaurant that now makes my "never miss" list, and one that falls into the "don't bother" category. Here's the basic run-down of our food adventures, starting with snacks and treats:

• You still can't beat the classic Mickey Ice Cream Bar for a cool, creamy afternoon snack. Current price is $3.50, which isn't terrible by theme park standards. (Of course, you can get a whole box of frozen treats at your local grocery store for that price. Kind of puts things into perspective and might help you resist having one every day.)


• I was slightly less enamored by the School Bread at Norway's Kringla Bakeri than I had been in years past. Perhaps the pastry isn't quite as attractive because it has gone up in price to $2.87 (with tax included), but mine was a little dry, even with the creamy custard center. Just didn't quite do it for me this time.


• The bakery in France, however, did not disappoint. Where else in the World can you get a filling ham and cheese croissant for a mere $3.25? Seriously, this could be a meal! And the chocolate mousse is as good as ever--and only $3.35! Note to self: never, NEVER skip this yummy eatery!


• The carrot cake cookie at Writer's Stop (Disney's Hollywood Studios) was as yummy as I remembered it, but at $3.95 it's a bit pricey--especially if you're not sharing it. Oh, it's definitely big enough to share! But I'm really the only one in my family who likes carrot cake (and all the bakery treats at WDW are off limits for my oldest daughter because of her tree nut allergy and the possibility of cross-contamination--boo). So spending nearly $4 and eating the whole cookie myself was a bit extreme--and, yet, I did. Twice. Yep, it's that alluring...irresistible, even. I just couldn't help myself. On the bright side, the coffee at Writer's Stop is excellent (fresh-brewed--not that Sanka junk) and inexpensive at $1.99.

Now, on to more substantial fare:

• We ate at our favorite Animal Kingdom counter service restaurant, Flame Tree BBQ, and were completely satisfied. It was just as we had remembered--a lot of tasty food, and the prices had not increased much since our last visit. The four of us shared two adult entrees, a half chicken meal ($9.69) and a rib meal ($10.69), and all of us were full when finished.


• Another favorite that did not disappoint was Tortuga Tavern (formerly El Pirata Y El Perico) in the Magic Kingdom. When you receive your tray, you might think, "This cost me how much?" Basically, you get a taco shell (or taco salad shell...or burrito...you get the picture) with only meat inside. But, don't panic! You will get your money's worth at the elaborate condiment bar. Pile that $8.19 taco salad as high as you can and enjoy! Beef nachos run $7.29, and the kids meals are $5.49. Our girls shared one meal (it comes with 2 sides!), and we drank water--allowing us all to eat our fill for around $22.


• On a different day at the MK, we tried out the new dogs at Casey's Corner. (By the way, if you arrive at opening, as we did, you might be chosen to throw out the "first pitch" to Casey. And even if you're not chosen, everyone gets to sing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" and the Cast Members throw Cracker Jacks to waiting guests!) We were actually planning to just have a snack here (mostly to spend time with a CM friend who was on her lunch break), as we had late lunch reservations for my birthday in Epcot. Thinking of one of Casey's hot dogs as a snack was a mistake! They are HUGE! My husband and I should have shared one...but we didn't. He had the Chicago Dog and I had the Chili Cheese Dog. We had a party of 6 (our family of 4, plus my cousin Camille who is in the College Program at Disney, plus our CM friend Conny), and we all ate here for under $40. And, again, we were full. Here's the price list for a few items: $8.59 for specialty dogs (fries or apple slices included); $6.49 for an order of corn dog nuggets; $2 for an order of fries; and $5.19 for a plain hot dog. If you like typical American fare that is filling, Casey's Corner is a great choice.


• Our family has yet to find a favorite eatery at Disney's Hollywood Studios. We fare OK at Studio Catering Company (the turkey club and fries are pretty good at $9.99)   and ABC Commissary (the Asian salad isn't bad for $6.89), but there's no restaurant in the Studios that makes it to our favorites list.


• At Epcot, Sunshine Seasons has consistently been our favorite counter service eatery because of its many choices, especially in the grab-n-go sections. However, this trip was a bit disappointing. The side salad remains a bargain $2.99--but it has decreased in size by at least 1/3! And the selection of grab-n-go items has decreased significantly.  The freshness, flavor, and quality of the food, however, was still top notch. All-in-all, this is still a great eatery...just not as great as it once was.

Finally, let's talk table service. These fall into the categories of Not Worth the Hype, Consistently Delightful Experience, and New Favorite. Here are my assessments:

• Les Chefs de France. This one has received pretty mixed reviews on fan sites, and I can see why. I, myself, am conflicted. This is where I chose to have my birthday meal, partially because I wanted a new experience with rich food, and partially because I knew the girls would enjoy seeing the animatronic Remy. The service was more than adequate (I had read about snotty servers, and we encountered none of that), and we were seated quickly. As for food, we were not very hungry (see above mention re: Casey's Corner), so we decided to have an appetizer for the table and order one round of the pre-fixe menu ($23.99) and share it. (Two of the items we were considering were on the pre-fixe menu, and added up to around $22, so we would be getting dessert for $2--a great deal, right?) Knowing it was my 40th b-day, and that I had noted this on my reservation (and I was wearing a ridiculous b-day hat as well--not subtle at all!), I fully expected an additional free dessert, which would be more than enough for our entire party to enjoy. We were seved baguettes in a paper bag--cute presentation--which were warm and yummy. We took the plunge and ordered the escargot--I can't resist the opportunity to try something new! At $12.99 for 6 small snails, this was a splurge. I choose to think of it as buying an experience, because...well...they just weren't good (mostly a texture thing). But I was very proud of my picky husband and children for at least trying them (the girls left about $4 worth of chewed up snails in their napkins). The French onion soup was tasty, but not especially rich in flavor. There was a LOT of cheese, but it was not quite as hot as I would have liked (a common problem at Les Chefs de France, if guest reviews are to be trusted). My husband enjoyed the quiche Lorainne and salad. Again, the word adequate comes to mind. Finally, it was time for dessert. I was happy to be serenaded by half a dozen French men. What didn't make me happy is that I was served, as my birthday dessert, the dessert that I had already paid for. No free b-day dessert. Seriously disappointing. I mean, crushing. (Have I mentioned that I love free food?) This might have colored my whole experience. We were nearly finished with our meal and dessert when Remy made a very brief appearance at our table. He was adorable, but it was clear that his "handler" was in a hurry. Definitely not worth the expensive meal simply to experience Remy. Lesson learned.


• The day before my birthday, my girls and I had tea at the Garden View Tea Lounge (Grand Floridian Resort & Spa). This has become a tradition for me--first with my dear friend Nori, then with my oldest daughter, and this time with both daughters. Tea at the Grand Floridian is a consistently charming exercise in tradition and grandeur. The atmosphere is quaint, the food scrumptious, and the entire experience delightful! It's affordable, although not cheap. But this time, it was especially affordable and delightful. My friend, Nori, although not able to join us on this trip, called ahead and paid for our tea as a birthday gift! What a fun surprise! In addition, I received a yummy birthday cupcake and a rose from the tea room. This was a much better birthday celebration than my actual birthday meal at Les Chefs de France!


• Finally, our new favorite: Kona Cafe. We visited Kona on a day we weren't going into the Parks, so that we wouldn't feel rushed. Having visited Hawaii in my twenties, I was eager to try their version my favorites--Kona coffee and macadamia pancakes. I had also read rave reviews about the Tonga Toast. Our server confirmed that two adult entrees would likely feed our family of 4, so we ordered Tonga Toast with ham and Pineapple Macadamia Pancakes with bacon. 

  I am the lone coffee drinker in the family, so I wasn't able to order the French pressed pot for two. Still the carafe of Kona/Columbian blend was pretty awesome. Can't imagine it being any better! And the food...oh, the food. The pancakes were heavenly! And the Tonga Toast is over 3 inches thick! So very good...and filling...I'd even say fulfilling! Add in a coke for my husband, and we spent around $35 including a tip. Worth. Every. Penny! Add this one to the "must do" list.

Resort Review: All-Star Sports

OK, I'm going to be honest here: I'm a bit of a Value Resort snob. It's not that I think the Value Resorts are not adequate hotels--they are! But we tend to visit WDW in during the Value season, and we have never made a resort reservation without some sort of discount (pin code, advertised discount, Cast Member discount, etc.). So, in most cases, we can get a Moderate Resort at a rate that many people pay for a Value. Why wouldn't we enjoy the extra space and amenities the Moderates have to offer?

That said, even among the Value Resorts, the All-Star Sports Resort is my least favorite. It could be because I'm not a sports fan...but I don't think that's it. (My husband is a huge sports fan, and he wasn't impressed either.) The amenities are pretty much the same at all the Value Resorts--small spaces with basic amenities. The differences lie in the areas of theming, pools, Mousekeeping, and transportation options. Most of them are a matter of opinion, while others--such as bus service--have notable differences. Here is a run-down of why I would not recommend the All-Star Sports Resort:

• Noise. These walls must be paper-thin, because we heard guests returning from the Parks (or wherever else) well into the night. I'm not sure I ever got fully to sleep on our first night. Fortunately, on subsequent evenings, my tiredness took over and I was able to sleep through the ruckus.

• Mousekeeping. Other than the traditional Mickey outline in towels upon arrival, we didn't see a single towel creation for our entire trip. (We might be spoiled in this regard. On our trip to Port Orleans French Quarter, one eager Mousekeeper gave us dozens of these little critters and even made a display in our window, using our daughters' princess costumes--amazing!) There were visible stains on our carpet (something sticky--maybe a gummy candy?), and we didn't get the traditional note from Mousekeeping with the name of our Mousekeeper. One night, I had to remove a live (well, he had been alive...RIP, little guy!) lizard from our room.


• Lack of Disney theming. Sure, there was a "Mighty Ducks" section, but most of the theming at Sports is focused on actual sports--not on Disney-related sports. I guess you could say the same for some sections of the All-Star Music or All-Star Movies, but in both those cases, the Disney theming seems to tie in seamlessly. At the All-Star Sports, it felt like the Disney themes were awkwardly sprinkled throughout the sports accouterments.


• General wear and tear. This resort is a favorite among sports teams (duh!) and other youth groups, because of the affordability of Value Resorts. (And Disney seems to want to put its groups in this resort and save the Movies and Music for families.) Dare I make the correlation? Teenagers aren't especially known for taking good care of things. This resort sees a lot of traffic...and it shows.


• Transportation. We tend to drive to the Parks more often than not. But on Tuesday morning, while my oldest daughter and I were attending a Youth Education Series program in Animal Kingdom, my husband and youngest daughter decided to head to the Magic Kingdom for a few hours. Since they would be meeting us later at AK, we drove our car and they took a bus to the MK. My husband called me after we were already entering AK, fuming, as he waited for a bus that seemed as if it would never come. Several buses for other Parks had come and gone, but he waited over 30 minutes for a MK bus. Since Sports shares buses with Music and Movies--at least in the off-season--transportation is erratic at best at this resort.


• Faulty wake-up calls. As it turns out, this might have been a problem for all the Disney Resorts, because we encountered it (gasp!) at the Grand Floridian as well. The wake-up call would only play for about 10 seconds, and then would cut off suddenly. Kind of a bummer, when you're hoping to start your day with a little message from your Disney pals.

I can't really comment on the pools or food, as we had not time to enjoy either at the All-Star Sports. We spent any free time away from the Parks eating and shopping off-site. Check-in here was fine, especially since I had completed on-line check-in before our arrival. The few Cast Members we encountered on our stay were friendly enough and helpful, but we didn't interact with any to a great extent. If I had to categorize our experience, I would say it was adequate. But is adequate what you're looking for when you visit Walt Disney World? I think not!

Anyone out there care to offer their own opinion of the All-Star Sports Resort? Sound off in the comments section.

Avatar Coming to AK

No, I didn't miss the big announcement last week. Interestingly enough, while we were at Walt Disney World there was no buzz about the coming Avatar Land. We had to read this news on the internet like everybody else! And another interesting tidbit, this news came on the very day that our family was in Animal Kingdom and had come to a decision: on our next WDW vacation, we would skip AK altogether. It's our least favorite Disney Park, after all. And we have pretty much seen the Festival of the Lion King and Finding NEMO: The Musical enough times to recite the entire script or sing along with every melody. So, we just decided we'd concentrate on our favorite Parks next visit.

So that's the filter through which we received news that Disney would add an entire section to Animal Kingdom, themed entirely on the James Cameron blockbuster movie Avatar. Honestly, I thought it was a joke when I first read it. It seems a bit out of left field to me--I mean, I realize Disney is trying to do something that could compare with the scale of Universal's Wizarding World of Harry Potter. But HP is a wildly popular book and movie series... Avatar is, thus far, one blockbuster movie. Honestly, if I had not seen it in 3D IMAX, I'm not sure I would have found the movie all that impressive. It's visually stunning, but I did not enjoy the implied message that humans are selfish and destructive and only concerned with the almighty dollar. It was a bit over-the-top, in my humble opinion.

Still, the potential for both thrill rides (how about a ride on an Ikran?), character interaction (Na'vi meet-n-greets), and especially the possibility of adding evening value to a Park that goes to bed early (can't you just see the technicolor, illuminating wonderland of Pandora?) is intriguing. Here are some of the questions posed on message boards, along with counter-arguments:

• Avatar was rated a not-so-family friendly PG-13. But one could argue that the Pirates of the Caribbean movies were also. Still, Pirates was an attraction first; the movies came later. This could be a sticking point for some families.


• The Na'vi aren't exactly animals--they are aliens. Sure, there are many animals in the movie, but they are all fictional. The Disney answer seems to be that Animal Kingdom features all sorts of animals, both real and imaginary. This is a bit of a stretch for me. As far as I can tell, all of the other animals at AK are at least based in reality. For example, Nemo is a talking fish...but he is a fish, a real animal. And dinosaurs are extinct...but they did live on the earth at one time. The only exception I can come up with is Stitch, and he doesn't have an overwhelming presence in AK.


• Will Avatar Land age well? It's based on one movie...not an entire series, and not books which tend to have more staying power, even in our technologically advanced society. Could it be considered a classic? I don't think anyone would try that argument. Truth be told, will anyone even remember this movie ten or twenty years from now? I guess if they build Avatar Land, then we will!


• In Avatar, the human race is presented as the enemy. How will Disney present this story without alienating guests? They'll downplay it, of course. Sure, the movie was hard-hitting and shed an unflattering light on human greed and lack of ecological responsibility. But Disney will instead focus on the beauty of the planet Pandora and the animal inhabitants there. No messy social messages, please.

So, that's the gist of things. Obviously, most of this is wild speculation at this point. And, yes, our family will definitely return to Animal Kingdom in a few years to see what Disney and James Cameron have come up with for Avatar Land--if merely for curiosity's sake. Until then, I'll be sure to provide details as they become available.

We're Back!

Truly, I have never been so sad to leave Walt Disney World as I was for this visit. I had a pretty fabulous 40th birthday extravaganza, and it was especially hard to leave our room at the Grand Floridian Resort. Still, I'm glad to  be back home, and I'm looking forward to sleeping in my own bed--although, the beds at the GF are a pretty good substitution for the Bowles Mattress I am accustomed to sleeping on (my dad worked for the company for many years until his retirement last year...I'm pretty spoiled when it comes to mattresses).

It's nearly impossible for me to put our entire trip report into one post, so over the next few days, I will be posting on various aspects of the trip. Below, I offer a general outline of our schedule for the week, simply to put things into context. I hope to have a budget update up soon, as well as posts on food, resort comparisons, and the general ups and downs (yes, there were a few) of the trip. Right now, I am sooo tired, and all I can think about is rest.

Schedule

• Fri., 9/16, left Nashville for Atlanta, where we spent the night with family


• Sat.. 9/17, drove in to Lake Buena Vista, arriving around 3:00 p.m.; picked up our park tickets at Downtown Disney and met my cousin Camille there (she's in the College Program at WDW); had dinner at Sweet Tomatoes, did a little shopping/prep, and then checked into the All-Star Sports Resort


• Sun., 9/18, spent the day at the Magic Kingdom; ate at Tortuga Tavern


• Mon., 9/19, spent the day at Epcot; ate at Sunshine Seasons and snacked in the World Showcase


• Tues., 9/20, Reagan and I spent the morning at Animal Kingdom (YES program) while Presley and Daddy went back to the MK; we met up at Flame Tree BBQ for lunch and stayed at AK until around 4, then headed to the Studios for the rest of the day


• Wed., 9/21, spent the day at Disney's Hollywood Studios, and got to see my friend Claire perform in Disney Junior show; ate at ABC Commissary and Studio Catering Co., as well as snacks from the Writer's Stop


• Thurs., 9/22, slept in a bit, packed up our room, and headed to the Grand Floridian; had brunch at Kona Cafe and tea at the Garden View Tea Lounge; had dinner off-site and did some shopping (including the Cast Connection store with my cousin); thoroughly enjoyed our first night at the Grand Floridian


• Fri., 9/23, my 40th birthday; spent the morning at MK and had lunch with my CM friend Conny at Casey's Corner; Dapper Dans sang "Happy Birthday" to me; hopped to Epcot for afternoon/evening; celebrated b-day at Les Chefs de France, where the French waitstaff sang "Happy Birthday" to me in French; stayed for a bit of EMH and had to take a bus back to the GF--bummer


• Sat., 9/24, reluctantly packed up and left WDW for Georgia, arriving at our destination by around 5:30 p.m.


• Sun., 9/25, left our family as they departed for church, arriving back home in Nashville by 2:00 p.m.

There you have it--the skeleton of our trip. I'll "flesh it out" in future posts. Goodnight for now!

Mid-Trip Report

I haven't had much time for posting thus far throughout our trip (and the media/technology gods have not aligned for me either--internet access on the iPad but photo storage on the laptop is making things a bit inconvenient), but I wanted to make a point to get something up mid-way through our trip.

For starters, things are going pretty well, with a few exceptions. We had a great drive with minimal traffic. Check-in was a breeze. Park crowds are pretty light. There have, however, been a few bumps in the road. My youngest got sick in the middle of the night before our first day of touring. We were cautiously optimistic that it was a fluke--not a virus that would wreck our entire trip--and, fortunately, that turned out to be the case. We've also had a few disappointments with Disney that I'll address more completely in another post--things like smaller food portions for higher prices, ridiculous bus lines, and a serious lake of towel/washcloth creations in our resort room. I'm not trying to take down the Mouse, but it seems like we're being offered less and less, yet expected to pay more for it these days.

But let's stick with the happy stuff for now. Here are a few highlights thus far:

• Meeting Rapunzel first thing on our first day in the Parks!


• My 5-year-old daughter screaming (in a happy way) on any thrill ride.


• Eating through my Top 5 favorite sweet treats in the first 3 days.


• Hanging out with our cousin Camille who is in the College Program at Disney. (We're learning some fun behind-the-scenes trivia from her.)


• Getting 2 of the more than 50 scenarios from Star Tours under my belt!


• My husband being the Rebel Spy on our first ride of the new version.

That's just a start. You may not hear from me much this week, but I assure you I'll have several rounds of trip updates next week. Thanks for reading!

My Top 5 WDW Sweet Treats

While we are a budget-conscious family who often takes our own snacks and treats into the Disney Parks, there are a few items that we absolutely MUST purchase and consume on each visit to the World. In most cases, we choose items that are pretty budget-friendly--even if they're not waistline-friendly.

If all is going according to our plan, this is day 3in the Parks for us. We've probably already consumed the number 1 item on this top-5 list, and possibly number 5. Yesterday, at Disney's Hollywood Studios , I'm sure I had item number 2, and we might have even hopped over to Epcot to have numbers 3 and 4. Yep, we've probably already tackled most or all of the list. But I digress... here are my top 5 favorite sweet treats to eat at Walt Disney World:

5. The Dole Whip at Aloha Isle (Magic Kingdom) or Captain Cook's (Polynesian). This one is a little polarizing in my family--not everyone enjoys pineapple. But I do, and this creamy concoction makes me happy. It's a great cool treat on a hot Florida day. It will set you back around $3.50 for a cup (they also have orange and vanilla, or you can swirl any of the three) and around $4.50 for a pineapple float.

4. School Bread from Kringla Bakeri og Cafe (Norway, Epcot). If you're not a coconut fan, you can skip this one. But if you're like me and you love a good piece of coconut cream pie, try this as a tasty alternative. You won't be disappointed. You can get this yummy pastry for around $2.50.

3. Chocolate Mousse from Boulangerie Patisserie (France, Epcot). It's so good that I almost feel guilty putting it at number 3. At one time, this probably topped my list. It hasn't changed--it's still fabulous. But one new item has caught my attention, and an old favorite tops the list. All that to say, at under $4, this is still a never-miss treat for our crew.



2. Carrot Cake Cookie from the Writer's Stop (Disney's Hollywood Studios). After reading raving reviews, I had this for the first time last year--and it did not disappoint. The cake is soft and fluffy but still sturdy enough to hold together. And the cream cheese icing is light and not so rich that it overpowers the cake. Just like Mary Poppins, it's "practically perfect in every way." Seriously. Around $3, and it's huge!

1. Mickey Ice Cream Bar, found in every Park at various carts. You really can't go wrong here. It's a classic. And who doesn't like vanilla ice cream encased in chocolate. So creamy...so yummy. At around $3.50, it has to be #1.

Great Start to the Day

We knew how popular it would be, so we headed straight to the Rapunzel meet-n-greet on our first day. (I hopped over to Peter Pan and picked up Fastpasses for the family while the others waited in line.) We got to be in the first group of 35 that is allowed in the area, so we were finished meeting Rapunzel by 9:30 and on our way to Fantasyland. We accomplished everything we really needed to see in the Magic Kingdom--and we rode several favorites 2 or 3 times!



We saw Mickey & Minnie and the Disney Princesses with minimal wait times. We also lucked into nearly no wait for the Fairies (went during the fireworks, after seeing Tink "fly").



Having a great trip!

Test Track Getting a Major Refurb?

If rumors are to be trusted, Test Track may be seeing some significant changes in 2012. GM is in talks to extend their current sponsorship through 2022, and part of the deal includes a major overhaul of the attraction. In the proposed scenario, the basic track of the ride would remain, but pretty much everything else would change. And here's a really interesting tidbit: the ride vehicles are to be designed by GM's design, research, and development group--not by Disney Imagineers.

The attraction would still have the same basic theme--a look inside the world of vehicle design, development, production, and testing--but the new version would include some of the original ideas and history that were a part of the original World of Motion attraction.

As far as when the attraction will actually close to begin this grand refurbishment, expect to see it happening soemtime in the first half of 2012.

Troubled Primeval Whirl Still Not Open

It was supposed to re-open on Wednesday...but it did not. The attraction, originally scheduled for a lengthy refurbishment, remains closed, and it is unclear whether Disney has been given clearance to re-open it after the death of a maintenance worker, hit by one of the vehicles while working on the ride in March.

There have been some signs of testing--vehicles moving on the track--so the open could be merely delayed a few days. Or, this could be could be another nail in the coffin of an attraction with a troubled history. Only time will tell.

Heading to Our Happy Place

I shouldn't be up yet...really. I need the sleep. But my youngest daughter woke up about an hour ago, at 2:45 a.m., to use the restroom. And for some reason, our children prefer the master bathroom to their own (note to self: remedy this in the near future). So, awakened by her middle-of-the-night wanderings, I tried desperately to fall back to sleep. But I can't. I'm just too excited! My mind is churning with the usual pre-vacation musings--Did I pack ___________? Did I remember to __________?--and a few that are very Disney-specific--Should I change that ADR? What if I juggle our touring plan this way? So, as you can tell, I have a lot on my mind.

We'll be driving to the Atlanta area this afternoon and staying with family tonight. Then we'll get up bright and early and drive the rest of the way. Our kids tolerate time in the car quite well. We have a DVD player, and both girls still have and enjoy Leapster handheld games. My oldest daughter is currently one hour into a seven-hour recording of The Secret Garden, and she's quite captivated by it. I have a stack of "read this when you have time" books, including a selection for a book club I recently joined. And my husband is bringing along an iPad2 from his office (one of the advantages of being married to an IT manager!). All in all, I think everyone will be sufficiently entertained.

We appreciate any and all prayers for safety on the road as we travel and health and well-being throughout our vacation. (If you're a long-time reader, you may recall that last year's WDW vacation was temporarily interrupted by a trip to immediate care for my youngest. Fortunately, it was just a mild virus, and with a little ibuprofen we were clear to continue touring. And no one else in the family caught it--hooray!)

I'll do my best to post periodically, and I promise to provide a nice big trip report upon our return!

Friday Photo

Nothing like a hearty breakfast to start the day of the first leg of our trip. And look who decided to show up in the pancakes!

I'll do my best to post throughout the trip, but it is my intention to squeeze every last bit of fun out of this trip, so I might not "work" as much as I typically do on a WDW vacation. It is, after all, my 40th birthday extravaganza!!! Adios, dear readers. See you in about a week!

Segways No Longer Simple

Disney no longer offers the "Simply Segway" tour at Epcot. This particular tour offered an introduction to riding the vehicles, including classroom training and ride time. But, never fear, you can still catch a ride on a Segway at Epcot--the "Around the World at Epcot" Segway tour remains open to guests. The two-hour tour around the World Showcase will set you back around $100 and is offered at various times throughout the morning, when the World Showcase is closed to other guests. Theme park admission is also required.

Thursday's Tip

Since we're prepping to leave for our next WDW vacation tomorrow (this makes trip #15 for me, if my calculations are correct; #8 f0r my husband; #6 for my oldest daughter; and #5 for my youngest daughter), I've got packing and planning on the brain. Today's tip is really more of a fact: Disney World is always changing. Which sort of leads into a tip: check and re-check. Even if you've been a dozen times. Even if you just read something on a fan site. Even if...well, just check and re-check. And it could still change tomorrow.

Here's an example: For years, I have been telling clients that FASTPASSes don't necessarily have to be used within the time window that is given on the card. You can use them any time after that time window opens. This has ALWAYS been my experience. However, I recently read on a fan site that Disney is beginning to enforce the actual time window printed on FASTPASSes. I'm still hopeful that this isn't true (we've become quite accustomed to using them at our leisure!), but I intend to ask the first Cast Member I see upon arrival at the World. And I'll probably ask at least two others just to make sure I get the same answer. Check and re-check.

Another great example: parade paths. I've seen fan sites state unequivically that a parade runs this direction or that direction. But here's something I know to be fact: parade routes change. Most of them continue to follow the same general path, but they do switch the direction periodically. So if you're staking out a spot in Frontierland, hoping to hop on Splash Mountain as soon as the parade passes, you'll want to ask a Cast Member if, indeed, the parade will be beginning at that end of the Park. And then maybe ask someone else too. Check and re-check.

But don't take my word for it...ask someone else "in the know." Check and re-check.

Disney Fund Update

It's just two days before we leave for our next WDW vacation, and we decided to tally up the Disney Fund. Are you ready for the breakdown? Here goes:

• Cash (from our yard sale and loose change*): $292.72


• Restaurant gift cards (earned from survey sites and secret shopping; we may not be able to use all of these on our trip, but we'll take them just in case): $105


• Gas cards (rewards from credit cards and from the CVS "spend $30/get a $10 gas card" deal): $140


• Disney gift cards (we purchased one to get Kroger points; the other were gifts or promotions): $155


• American Express cards (from credit card rewards and survey companies): $125


• Chase Disney Rewards Visa dollars: $191

All that for a grand total of $1008.72! Wow, I never would have imagined that we could save so much so fast (we only started saving in earnest about 6 weeks ago!)--and without it having any significant impact on our regular finances! Gee, with that kind of savings, maybe I can convince my husband that we should make TWO trips to the World next year! (I'm not holding my breath.)

*This number might have been considerably higher, but as a family we decided that we would donate half of our yard sale earnings to missions/charity. We chose the Haiti Starfish program that our church supports. This amazing program feeds school children in Haiti. For many, this is the only complete meal they are given each day. Because of this program, our girls have developed tender hearts for the children in Haiti--makes me a proud, happy Mama!

Trip Prep: The Packing Begins!

I'm a planner. (Gee, how's that for stating the obvious?) I typically start gathering items for our next Disney vacation up to a month or more in advance. And while there were a few items I began to stockpile this past month (mostly food items), I just began packing in earnest this weekend--and we leave on Friday! Ack!

Here's how I do it: I start pulling clothes from the girls' closets/wardrobes that I think might fit and be appropriate for the trip. Then, with much wailing and gnashing of teeth, I get the girls to try on anything I'm unsure about, so that I can put items into complete outfits. (Yes, that's my un-made bed underneath the clothes. Please don't judge me...it was a very busy weekend.)



Finally, when I've added underwear and socks to the mix, I put complete outfits into Ziploc bags. I don't use a vacuum system, but I do try to squeeze the excess air out of the bags for space efficiency. (I'm sure my daughter will really appreciate her underwear making an appearance in this photo.)



Now, all I have to do each morning of the trip is hand the each girl a bag, and they'll have everything they need (minus shoes) to get themselves dressed! I've gone so far as to actually put matching hairbows/barrettes in each bag too (they're kinda over the whole hairbow thing at this point). It makes for a much smoother start to everyone's day when we're not searching for a matching pair of socks or the shirt that goes with someone's favorite skirt. So easy, and so worth the effort!

Friday Photo

Look at it. It's a thing of beauty, right? I don't mean to brag, but I always scored high in the area of "spatial relations" on school achievement tests, and, as far as I can tell, packing a car for vacation is about the only time this particular skill comes into play. I can pack more in a 4'x4' space than anyone I know!

This, by the way, is a picture of our car as we left on last year's Disney vacation. One week from today, we'll be doing that very thing! Hopefully this year we'll have a bit less (no stroller--yay!), as we're learning with each trip to be more efficient in what we take. Still, I'm sure I'll be packing in pretty tightly.

We are so excited! (That may be a bit of an understatement.)

'Sorcerors of the Magic Kingdom' Officially Announced

In this previous post, I told you about the new interactive game that would be coming to the Magic Kingdom. Well, it seems that Disney has finally formally acknowledged it! It's set to debut in early 2012. You can read more details on the Official Disney Parks Blog.

Thursday's Tip

For families who don't purchase the Disney Dining Plan (our girls don't eat enough to make it a good value, just yet), here's a great saving money tip that I've shared before: eat breakfast in your room before you go to the Parks. There are several items that travel well and can be easily prepared in a hotel room. Some of our favorites include granola or fruit and grain bars, instant oatmeal (with the help of the coffee maker for hot water), cold cereal, fresh fruit, and Pop-tarts.

Even a meager breakfast in the Parks will cost a family of four around$20 each day, with more substantial fare costing up to $100 or more--not to mention the time you'll spend in line and eating, when you could be riding Dumbo! Over the course of a week, you'll easily save $150 or much more by eating before you tour the Parks.

Lovely Rumor: Friges Coming to Values?

Oh, let it be true! I've read a rumor that Walt Disney World's Value Resorts may be getting compact refrigerators installed in rooms. Up until now, the Moderate and Deluxe Resorts have had complimentary in-room refrigerators, while the Value Resorts offered them at a cost of $10/night.

For a family like ours who likes to save money by bringing some of our own food and eating breakfast in our room each morning, an in-room refrigerator is a great asset. (We've made it work with a large cooler in the past, but the refrigerator issue has pushed us toward the Moderate category of rooms on more than one occasion.)

If this is indeed true, we could see the refrigerators installed as early as the end of September. That would be a kind of awesome birthday present if they were in for our trip in a couple of weeks. (Yes, we're spending my actual birthday at the Grand Floridian, but we're off-setting the cost by staying at the All-Star Sports Resort for the first half of the trip.)

Please, please be true!

Quick Rose and Crown Refurb

The Rose and  Crown Pub in Epcot's United Kingdom area has closed for a quick two-week refurbishment. Fortunately, the British eatery will be back in business by September 18, in time for our upcoming trip--love me some fish-n-chips! (Although, we tend to get them at the stand outside the actual pub--less expensive!)

Cars 2 Back in Theatres?

Apparently, Disney wants to take advantage of the Labor Day weekend to bump up domestic box office receipts for Cars 2. The movie, which seemed to have ended its theatrical run (in all but a handful of theatres), will be back in around 2000 venues for the holiday weekend. If you weren't able to catch it earlier, or you're up for a second viewing, you now have another opportunity to catch Cars 2 on the big screen.

Friday Photo

I went by the Post Office yesterday and picked up a couple of sheets of the new Disney "Forever" stamps. Aren't they cute?