As you count down the days until vacation, the excitement grows, as does the anxiety, as you begin to think about all you’ll be leaving behind. This is especially true if you’re a first time Disney traveler, and it can become quite stressful. Allow me to offer some suggestions and solutions for some of those potential problems:
THE DOG! Your family is ready for vacation, but what about Fido? There are numerous options for boarding your pets. If a family member is unable to board them for you, check with your veterinarian. Most vets will be more than happy to take care of your bundle of fur while you’re away for a daily fee. If you are not comfortable leaving your pet so far away from you, Disney actually offers a full service boarding facility. http://wdw.bestfriendspetcare.com/ Also, Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground allows animals; just make sure to request a “pet site”.
THE GYM! Most all resorts offer a fitness center. Make sure you check for this option online or ask your cast member when booking. Also, all of Disney’s resorts are so beautifully landscaped; you may just want to take an early morning walk around the property, which leads us to your next concern…….
YOUR LONE QUIET TIME! That early morning walk around property can be very relaxing. I walked out of my room one early morning when we stayed at Caribbean Beach Resort, and it was so quiet. The birds were singing, the sprinklers were going, and the sun was just starting to come up. Those times will be few and far between when you’re visiting Walt Disney World, but you can steal that moment of quiet to collect your thoughts before entering the madness of the day.
YOUR PRIVACY! I don’t know of anyone who has everyone’s bed in one room at home, yet that is exactly what you encounter when you travel. It’s definitely an adjustment. But I have good news. Disney has properties which offer separate bedrooms; you’ll just need to request those when booking.
ADEQUATE SPACE FOR GETTING READY! As with the privacy issues above, there are also Disney resorts that have 2 bathrooms. Again, make sure you request this when booking if it is a priority for your family.
YOUR WASHER/DRYER! Vacation is DEFINITELY NOT a time you want to think about laundry, but sometimes it’s just unavoidable. Disney resorts offer laundry facilities on property, so no worries!
YOUR SCHOOL! In order to avoid the sweltering heat of a Florida summer, many people travel in cooler months, which means children are in school. We have always traveled during school months, so I have dealt with this numerous times. My suggestion for this is to alert the teachers a month ahead of time. Then remind them again a week before your scheduled trip. They are usually very accommodating and will give your child their assignments and allow them time to make them up, but ADVANCE NOTICE IS KEY! I learned that the hard way.
YOUR BANK! Each Disney resort, as well as Downtown Disney and all of the parks offer numerous ATM locations.
YOUR PHARMACIST! If you lose a prescription, or need one refilled, there are numerous options off-property, but WalMart is very accommodating and has a national data base where they are able to retrieve your information, even if you’ve lost your medicine bottle. That is, of course, if your prescription was originally filled there. If not, there’s still hope. You can call your physician, they can call it in, and you can pick it up promptly. This even happened to me on one of our many trips with my contact lenses. I lost one in the pool and had my prescription faxed in to the local WalMart, went in and picked up a new pair. Crisis averted!
YOUR CHURCH! There are many houses of worship near Walt Disney World. On Sunday, our family just always holds a family devotion in our room before departing for the parks. It won’t be like being with your church family, but you can still spend that special time with God and each other.
YOUR PILLOW! No hotel pillow will ever sleep as well as yours at home. The solution? Take it with you! If you’re driving, this is a no-brainer. Just shove it in the car and use it to catch some shut-eye on the trip down. If you’re flying, airlines now have a charge per bag, so you must practice smart packing. My suggestion is to invest in a small vacuum bag, pack your pillows inside and remove all the air. You can then pack them in a small space in your suitcase. When you’re ready to depart, call your resort’s housekeeping line and tell them what you need and they’ll be glad to bring down a vacuum and help you out. They’re great when it comes to helping with the little things.
I hope I have helped remove a little anxiety from your next trip, and provided you with some useful information. Now since we solved all your trip problems, how many days until your departure?
Ears to ya, DeAnna
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DeAnna, along with her husband and teen-age son, lives in Wiggins, Mississippi, and has a passion for all things Disney. She is always eager to share the knowledge she has gained from her many trips to Walt Disney World, and has helped numerous people in their vacation planning to realize it’s not an unattainable dream. Her must-dos on every trip are Pirates of the Caribbean, Rockin’ Roller Coaster & a stolen moment of quiet with her “Boyz” (as she affectionately calls them) having a pastry from Boulangerie in Epcot World Showcase’s France. Disney is so much a part of her life, that she & her husband were married in front of Cinderella’s Castle, and she says it doesn’t get any more magical than that………
