Best of AtM: What to Take on a WDW Vacation

Please enjoy this "encore performance" of a previous Affording the Mou$e post. Back on Monday, September 24, with all new material!

Packing is a very personal process. Most people like to do it their way. And I am no different. But when beginning the process, I decided that rather than re-invent the wheel, I would begin with someone else's packing list and edit it to suit my needs. You can find several of these online. Instead of “saddling” you with my long and detailed list, I'll simply point you to a few items that are Disney-specific that may not be on your vacation packing radar. Here are some of my family's must-have items for Disney:

• Child-size fanny packs for each kiddo. (We found cute Disney-themed ones in one of the character outlets.) Keeps Mom and Dad from playing the part of the pack mule.


• Hand-held mister fans, small enough to fit into aforementioned fanny packs.


• Glow bracelets. These cost about $1 for a whole pack. Take them to the night parade/fireworks and share them with the kids around you! Keeps you from spending $15 on the light-up toys the vendors are peddling.


• Snacks, cereal, and water. We take a large box full, saving both time (waiting in line for an afternoon pretzel) and money (paying around $5 for said pretzel). The kids each carry their own snacks in their fanny packs and can eat while waiting in line.


• Cheap rain ponchos. At a cost of about $1 and the size of a deck of cards, these can be invaluable when the little pop-up storms hit Central Florida. And you don't feel bad about tossing them when the shower is over, since the investment is low. Or, you can pay upwards of $5 for the same flimsy plastic at any WDW gift shop. (We carry our heavy, plastic ponchos on days where the forecast calls for lots of rain.)


• Two pairs of comfortable shoes for everyone, so that you can alternate pairs if you get caught in one of those FL showers. (Stick to what your feet like and don't try out new shoes on a WDW vacation!)


• A clear backpack. First, Disney security will love you and wave you through the line with a quick glance. And when you find yourself smack dab in the middle of a Polaroid moment, you won't have to fumble through your bag searching for a camera...because you can see exactly where it is! Despite the possible drawback (it's all laid out there for everyone to see, for example), we still swear by this item.


• Ziplock bags of every size and shape. We put everything in them!

I could go on and on...and I will continue…tomorrow.

Friday Photo

How are we gonna get all this in the car? Oh, and that doesn't even include the coolers, snacks, etc. that are still downstairs. But have no fear! We've crammed this much and more in when our kids were younger. (They required much more "stuff" back then. We are now stroller-free and loving it!) Will update as I can, but we mostly plan to enjoy some great family time, so blogging won't be my priority. Have a great week--I know we will!

Final Disney Fund Count

I must admit that I've been neglecting the Disney Fund lately. I haven't been doing anything to actively grow it. Nonetheless, I counted everything up, and here's what we have:

• $774.89 in cash (mostly spare change, yard sale funds, and rebates)


• $275.00 in Disney gift cards


• $84.99 in gas gift cards


• $65 in "cash" gift cards (American Express, etc.)


• $213.67 in Disney Visa rewards

For a grand total of $1,413.55

Now, obviously, this won't pay for our entire vacation (although we have gone to Disney World for less than this in the past), but it will still take a significant bite out of what we will spend. And since this is all money that we acquired without diverting funds from elsewhere (it's found money, for the most part), we haven't even noticed a hit to our bank account.

In addition to the gift cards mentioned above, I'll also be taking along several restaurant gift cards that I've aquired from various sources (surveys, promotions, etc.). We may not be able to use all of them (depending on what restaurants are available when we're ready to eat), but hopefully we'll be able to save a little on our meals while we travel with these too. And, of course, I have dining coupons too!

I'll be tracking our expenses and plan to report back at the end of our trip with how much we saved.

Thursday's Tip

In full disclosure, I have to say that I am a planner. A detailed planner. A chart/graph/write-it-down-in-increments-of-30-minutes kind of planner. And so, this Thursday's Tip in another one of those kind: plan your daily meals at Walt Disney World. Now, if you're doing the Disney Dining Plan, you are essentially forced into planning at least your one table service meal each day--as you likely won't find seating without an Advanced Dining Reservation. But even for those of us who don't typically use the DDP, it's a good idea to at least check out menus and know which restaurants at WDW will meet your dining needs.

For example, we don't plan exactly where we will eat each meal, but we know that if we find ourselves in Animal Kingdom around meal time, we're going to visit the Flame Tree BBQ. Likewise, if we're in Future World/Epcot and get hungry, we'll almost always head over to Sunshine Seasons. These are two of our perennial favorites, and they never disappoint. Another great reason to check out menus before you go is that there is so much yummy food at WDW, and it would be a true crime if your family ended up eating burgers/dogs/fries all week because you hadn't done your menu homework. A true crime, indeed! Not to mention that planning will help ensure that everyone gets proper nutrition on the trip. When nutrition suffers, we tend to get draggy or grumpy, or we might even encounter--how should I say this delicately?--unpleasant intestinal "issues." (In other words, fiber is your friend!)

Checking menus and making a list of 3 or 4 counter service restaurants in each Park before you go will ensure that you find something to eat before the blood sugar drops below a tolerable level. You can find menus from WDW eateries on a number of websites, but I find the easiest site to navigate is allears.net (click here for the full list of menus). They are not always up-to-date, but even the older menus will give you an idea of the type of food served at each location.

Updates Around WDW

I'm checking sites and getting some last-minute info before we head out to see the Mouse. Since I've become aware of several readers who are also going to WDW next week, I thought I'd share a few things that we're looking forward to, or are going to look into, on our trip:

• There's a rumour that the talking Mickey might be making appearances for the Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party this year. We hope to stop by Town Square Theatre in the late afternoon on either Tuesday or Friday (nights of parties) in case he shows up early!


• Some guests are getting previews of the new Fantasyland attraction, Enchanted Tales with Belle. I specifically read that guests exiting Mickey's Philharmagic have been offerred this experience. You can bet that we'll be hitting MP at least once on the trip, in hopes of getting a preview!


• The NextGen FastPass technology is also currently being tested by some guests (you would be informed prior to arrival). While we haven't been chosen, I intend to spy on those who have--or, at least get a look at the machines and try to see how everything works.


• We just happen to be arriving at the Art of Animation Resort on the day the Ariel section opens. I don't know if there are any opening-day plans, but we intend to arrive as early as possible (which won't be very early, as we're driving from Atlanta that day) and hope to join any festivities.


• Our girls are definitely planning to visit with the newest Disney Fairy on the block, Periwinkle, at TinkerBell's Magical Nook (Magic Kingdom).


• For the first time, I'm actually going to take my iPod into the Parks and take advantage of the newly-added free wifi! And I'll be trying out the new "My Disney Experience" app too!


• Finally, I'm going to talk to every Cast Member I can--those I know and those I don't--and try to get any hints they can offer on rumors that are flying around (too many to list here). Sure, most of them will be guessing, just like the rest of us. Still, it's fun to hear what those on the inside think about the possible changes and additions around the World.

While I'm Away...

We're heading out to hang with Mickey next week--leaving on Friday and not returning until Monday, September 24. I'm not planning to take my laptop this trip. Instead, I'm going to see how I do with just the iPad. That means, I won't be posting from WDW, except, perhaps, for the occasional photo--if my tech-savvy husband can help me out with that! However, I plan to share some "Best of Affording the Mou$e" posts (previous posts I will revise/rework)--particularly features about how I pack for a Walt Disney World vacation.

If you check out for the week I'm gone, be sure to come back on Monday for to

Fantasmic! to Add Seating

If you've ever seen Fantasmic!, you understand why I'm really excited about the 1000 seats that are being added to the amphitheatre at Disney's Hollywood Studios. With limited showings in most seasons (it used to show nightly, sometimes twice nightly), it is becoming harder--meaning, you must get there earlier--to secure a seat for this ever-popular nighttime spectacular. Still, it's not all good news--these extra seats will actually occupy the area that is now "Standing Room Only," which means that to get 1000 actual seats, Disney will eliminate standing room that holds approximately 3000 standing guests. Essentially, this lowers the capacity of the venue from 9900 (6900 seated; 3000 standing) to less than 8000 (assuming the "SRO" area is eliminated altogether). Good decision? Only time will tell. As for me, I still plan to arrive early and sit on the cold, hard bleachers that extra hour to make sure I get a seat for the show!