Some Little Known Tips for Challenges at WDW.

The DAS isn't the only accommodation Disney has for guests.  Here are some tips for more specific needs- I hope they help!

1. Every Restaurant in WDW is Safe for Food Allergies- So often eating out is challenging for people with food allergies or other diet restrictions.  That can make traveling even harder, but WDW has safe options at any restaurant. I once spoke with a cast member in dining that said one little boy said his favorite part of the vacation was being able to eat wherever they wanted, and at one meal he had a special dessert delivered just for him. Contact special.diets@DisneyWorld.com  to be sure of all policies and how to be sure you are safe.

Gluten Free!

2. Service Animals are Welcome- Not only are service animals welcome in the parks, they are welcome on many of the attractions and rides! No, they of course can't ride any of the mountains... or even Peter Pan (because you can fly!) but your trusted 4 legged assistant is able to join you on Buzz Lightyear, "it's a small world", Toy Story Mania, and most other attractions. The waltdisneyworld.com website offers information about relief areas and appropriate attractions.

This service Animal Relief Area is in the Norway Pavillon.

3. The Resorts Have Wheelchair Rentals- If you are staying at a Disney resort and need to rent a wheelchair try the resort first. The rental fee is less and more importantly you have it with you all of the time. Traveling from buses or the parking lots can be quite a distance if you have mobility issues. Wheelchairs and EVC's rented in the parks have to stay in those parks. That leaves you without them a lot of the time, especially getting back to the resort after a long day in the parks.

4. You Can Rent a Large (Special Needs) Stroller- If you have a family member that needs a stroller, and yours won't fit in your car, you can rent one. Orlando Stroller Rentals, Kingdom Strollers and other private companies have the Liberty Push Stroller available and they will deliver it to your resort, complete with a rain cover, and a cooler. If you plan to use the Disney bus system it is important to rent the travel system too, otherwise you will be required to get out of the stroller and fold it up. Just remember to book it before you leave!

5. Stroller as a Wheelchair- Many areas of WDW ask you to park your stroller outside. If you have a family member that needs their stroller in the queue, at a show, or restaurants there is a tag to identify your stroller as a wheelchair. Age doesn't matter, just explain the need at guest services and they will get you all set up!

Stroller Parking in EPCOT

I hope these tips help! Please feel free to comment on this blog, Facebook or Twitter if you have any questions. I'll get back to you quickly.

Thank you Debbie Eaton for the photos!

Disney Boot Camp: Preparing for your Vacation!

You can have all of your dinner reservations, and FastPasses ready to roll, MagicBands customized, and travel plans made... but if your family isn't prepared for the "Disney Experience" you will not be as ready as you think you are.

There are a few steps I suggest for every family to be FULLY ready for their vacation.

Family walks are the best way to prepare!

1. WALK- Begin this step as soon as possible. Take walks, starting off slowly, and short distances if you need to, and gradually pick up the pace as you can go further. There is a lot of walking, involved in a Disney Vacation, and most of the time the walking is combined with heat! If you are planning to use a stroller, combine the walks with the stroller so your littlest will be used to their chariot (and having to ride in it!) TIP- practice in the rain too, help everyone see that rain doesn't ruin your day!

Ponchos help you keep smiling in the rain!

2. SHOP- Don't wait until the week of vacation to buy new clothes and shoes. Buy early enough that there is time to have them broken in. (for parents AND kids) - I understand wanting everyone to look fresh and photo ready, so don't play in them, but wear them on practice walks that won't include puddles and mud. This will help you to know if their is an itchy tag, and avoid blisters. 

Speaking of shoes- I suggest really supportive shoes that will stay on. Flip Flops and even Princess shoes are not a good idea. Miserable Feet = Miserable Person

3. WATCH- Some kids really need to understand where they are going before they can be comfortable. YouTube has videos of every ride, most characters you will see, and even airport security. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHjlN5lzCjM - (TSA approved airline security video)

ALSO- scan all YouTube videos first, there can be uncomfortable language and images on some.

4. PRACTICE- Have day trips that introduce your family to crowds, and waiting. Go to children museums, local amusement parks, zoos, there are so many places to explore! I also recommend eating out where you will need to wait to be seated, order, and wait for dinner (or lunch). If you have a little one, maybe push through some naps, or plan for them to nap in the stroller during the outing.

Not  care in the world!

5. CREATE! In between the "training" of your kids, include them in some fun ideas that make them feel like they are helping with the vacation planning. Make t-shirts, get snacks ready like ChexMix with Swedish Fish (or another sweet treat that won't melt), If the kids like to craft, have them make countdown paper chains, calendars, or any number of Pinterest ideas!

My family made these for our upcoming vacation!

So now your family is ready for a highly successful Disney Vacation!! Have a Magical Time!

Please let me know what your family does to prepare! (I just fixed the comments section!) Thanks!!

The Beauty of the Magic Band

My family and I went to the Disneyana convention in Dayton Ohio this weekend. It was a mini convention with vendors, and three panelists. We were only there on Sunday, so I went to hear Jim Hill speak about Alice in Wonderland (the boys went and got lunch) and then we all went to hear Bill Farmer Speak. Ben was very excited to hear the voice of Goofy, and he loved the presentation! Bonus- Steve found a Tax Day pin he has wanted to find for a friend for years! So thank you Plane Crazy Chapter of Disneyana we had a great day!

Throughout the day there are many conversations about all things Disney, and on this day, many centered around the Magic Bands. More precisely the new My Disney Experience app and FastPass+. Boy, are a lot of true Disney fans disappointed! Some even wondered when it would all go away... They miss the spontaneity of Disney days of the past.

Here is why the casual traveler is LOVING the Magic Band.

• With a little bit of planning a mom can be sure that after spending thousands of dollars on a vacation, her family will get to ride Space Mountain, meet Anna and Elsa (the line is hours long without a FastPass) or have a great spot to watch the fireworks. 

• For families that require the Disability Access Service Pass (DAS), FastPass+ also allows you to have 3 reservations made that you can know are set, because the rest of the day you need to have a runner go from ride to ride getting a reservation, and think about wait times.

• For families that require sleep, need to stick to a morning routine that includes physical therapy done in the hotel room, or they just move slowly in the morning, FastPass+ allows you to still get on Toy Story Mania without a 2 hour wait. The old system ran out of Fast Passes as quickly as 30 minutes after rope drop (Disney speak for opening).
• Now that the Accessibility changes have settled in, the magic band is a much nicer way for that system to work. (See my previous blog about those changes)

• Annual Passholders that live in Central Florida can make some FastPasses around dinner plans, before this system they would have to wait 70 minutes or more for Soarin' because the FastPasses were long gone.

• It made Disney look at their wi-fi, it is now free, and pretty darn good, especially when you consider how many are using it at one time! My teens, and my social media addicted self appreciate this! 
• Then remember the cool factor! It's fun to wear, when they arrive the excitement is real, and having everything on your wrist is very nice and convenient! (I want one for real life)

We would not have met Anna and Elsa without the FastPass +!

My parents are taking all 15 of us (kids, spouses, and grandkids) aged from 6 months to 66 years to WDW in July. We have FastPasses for attractions we can ride together, some that split us up depending on interests (and height), and my mom and dad know that we will have at least some time together as a family on this amazing opportunity to vacation together.

Yes, I was up at midnight to secure our FastPasses for 7 Dwarves Mine Train for 15 people (of course rider swap will be needed for the 2 littlest ones), but then I went to sleep really happy knowing we can all experience that ride right before we have lunch at Be Our Guest on the first day.

I met a couple who go to their resort bus stop in the mornings and say whichever bus comes first is the park we will go to. A very fun idea for spontaneous people, but to do that now means no FastPasses. If I were them, with the new system I would spend my morning that way, but have some passes for the evenings to ensure I still get to do my favorites without too much of a wait!

 So although I understand why some fans miss the "good old days" I hope you can see why this particular change is good, and according to the polling Disney is getting, it's actually very popular, so it is here to stay!

Please feel free to ask questions or comment, I would love to hear from you!