Summer's here, and family travel is at its best! What better way to celebrate the end of another school year than with a weekend at Walt Disney World? If you have a Star Wars fan, there's no better time: Fridays-Sundays through June 12th, Star Wars Weekends are ongoing at Disney Studios. The best part is, all special activities, shows, and parades are free with the cost of admission. Last … [Read more...]
Family-friendly skies: five airlines that still go the extra mile
May 12, 2011 By
This past March, my sister flew to visit us for a spring break vacation. Since her husband couldn't leave work, she traveled alone from one coast of the U.S. to the other with her two-year-old and infant. A daunting task? Of course. One guaranteed to encounter a few bumps along the journey (turbulence notwithstanding)? Sure. In fact, she was pretty much betting on it. What she wasn't counting … [Read more...]
Long haul flight tips: Keeping kids entertained
April 20, 2011 By
This guest post written by freelance writer Ross Fraser. Traveling with children on a flight particularly if it’s a long-haul flight, can be somewhat tiresome especially if the child or children you are taking are quite young. While easily entertained in a larger space, the restricted space and length of time involved can prove to be quite a challenge. Long haul flight tips: To help you meet … [Read more...]
West Coast Mouse: five Disney experiences not found in Florida
April 18, 2011 By
If you're a west coast family (like ours), you may associate certain things with Disney that those visiting the Florida theme parks do not: the original Disneyland Hotel, driving the 5 or 405 into Anaheim with excited kids bouncing in the back seat (or maybe you were such a kid?), the beloved Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, and Sleeping Beauty's--as opposed to Cinderella's--castle. When you close your eyes, … [Read more...]
Great Wolf Lodge MagiQuest: Step by step guide for parents!
April 15, 2011 By
Great Wolf Lodge MagiQuest, the resort's signature live-action adventure game, is one of the best things about the fun of Great Wolf, but first you have to figure out how to play. Tweens and teens can usually figure it out on their own, but for younger kids, adult participation is required...at least at first. Anyone who's ever stepped into the controlled chaos of a MagiQuest shop with an … [Read more...]
Great Wolf Lodge water safety: why you don’t need to worry
April 10, 2011 By
As a family travel expert, I've experienced many family resorts with my kids, and can sum up Great Wolf Lodge's water park safety measures in one word: impressive. During our recent stay at the Grand Mound location, we enjoyed the water park under the supervision of literally hundreds of lifeguards during our three days at the resort, and observed only professional, polite, and friendly … [Read more...]
Disney done right: Dining in the ‘World’
February 2, 2011 By
If you're looking for tips on how to save money on meals in Disney World, this is not the place. Nor will this article tell you where to find the best fries, best pizza, or best cinnamon roll (although that would be the Main Street Bake Shoppe). Instead, this article is all about how to make dining in Disney easier...on you, your kids, your schedule, and your sanity. Because let's face it, during … [Read more...]
Disney done right: Finding the right Disney resort for your family
January 27, 2011 By
When visiting Disney, we recommend fully immersing yourself in the magic of an on-site resort, but as a family of five, we also know the frustration families of five or more experience when seeking accommodations at a reasonable rate. Below are our ways to sleep in comfort, style (and within budget) at a Walt Disney World resort as a family of five (or more): Know your options. At first glance, … [Read more...]
Disney done right: How to enjoy the ‘Magic’
January 21, 2011 By
Yes, that's 'Magic' with a capital M, because ultimately, we're paying (and hoping) for nothing less when we book a Disney vacation with our kids. Instead, what we often experience (or witness others experiencing) is exhaustion, over-stimulation, and even outright disappointment. Every family (and Disney park) will have their good days and bad days, but 99% of the time, it doesn't have to be … [Read more...]
Disney done right: Disney’s Port Orleans Resort
January 19, 2011 By
I wrote recently on the benefits of staying on-site in Walt Disney World. Of course, deciding a Disney resort is right for you and your family hardly narrows down your field of options, given that at last count, there were almost 20 of them to choose from. For our Disney World vacation, we finally settled on Disney's Port Orleans Resort, Riverside, and we never once regretted our decision. … [Read more...]
