Thrifty Thursday: Plan Dining to Save Time

10482224_10153568463982488_1165208152413665772_oThere are many things to consider when planning your Disney vacation: when to go, where to stay, what to do. All of these will affect your trip, both in terms of how much you spend, as well as how you make the most of your time. And since time is money, you don’t want to forget about meal planning, because your meals may be a major part of your trip! So make the most of them with careful planning.

If you want to have some meals at table-service restaurants, these take the most planning, because most of them need Advanced Dining Reservations. These can be made as early as 180 days out, and for some popular restaurants, you need to make those reservations as soon as possible!

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Disney Vacation Planning: Being Happy is More Important than Being Right

13226666_10154194234924321_2780352347797596846_nFor as long as I can remember, I have been a planner. So it goes without saying that the planning aspect of our Disney vacation is always one of my favorite parts. As a single parent, I’ve always been able to plan without having to consult anyone else – I chose which parks to visit and when, where to eat and what shows to see, based on what I knew the kids would enjoy. But as my kids grew older, they became more and more interested in having a say. Read more

Thrifty Thursday: Is the Disney Dining Plan Right For You?

When folks ask for my help with planning their Disney vacations, once the dates are decided, there are then usually two major discussions that we have. The first is, where to stay. And the second is, should they get a Dining Plan? So let’s chat about this today, because like most things about planning a Disney vacation, the answer depends on your family. Read more

Terrific Tuesdays: Tree of Life

13147309_10153677020461234_7776272231381324891_oA must do for our trips is the amazing Tree of Life! I find myself wandering along the walkway, snapping pictures of the more than 300 animals “carved” into the trunk. How many can you find? Read more

Disney with Little Ones: Post Disney Vacation Depression Strikes Again

13217011_10102134910080154_6282548894316114762_oIt’s been exactly a year since my family visited Walt Disney World. There are bittersweet reminders of our trip all week, as we celebrated Mother’s Day and 2 family birthdays there in 2015. As I look back through our pictures from one full year ago, the Post Disney Vacation Depression rises to the surface once again. I wrote on this topic a couple of years ago, but I’m here to tell you again – it’s real! Whether your trip was 5 years ago or you just got home last week, you can experience triggers that re-traumatize you and bring back those feelings of emptiness all over again. Check out these updated symptoms below. Read more