Disney Done Right - Pitstops for Kids

Disney cruise line tips (Is a Disney cruise right for your family?)

April 5, 2012 By Amy Hagstrom

Though we’re fans of Disney family travel, we were cruising newbies before we departed for our three-night cruise on the brand new Disney Fantasy. As active family travelers, we worried a cruise would limit our adventurous travel style, feel overcrowded, and be all about the food. Now that we’ve experienced the Disney Fantasy, we’re back with Disney cruise line tips you can put to use!

Disney cruising promises a ‘no stress, no worries’ vacation.

I sailed on the Fantasy for three days at sea as a solo parent with my three school-aged kids. While some vacation destinations would have been stressful to navigate and enjoy without another adult to help out, it was a breeze on a Disney cruise. Two parents traveling with kids will find it just as relaxing. The benefits of an all (or almost all) inclusive vacation cannot be measured in dollar amount, though there are ways to save money. I enjoyed my cruise all the more not having to worry about dining costs, snack costs, soda costs, and entertainment costs at every turn. Everything we needed was at our fingertips, and thanks to the ‘Disney Difference’, the guest service we experienced was unparalleled. From the moment we stepped off our plane and onto a Magical Express bus until the moment we stepped back off of one, Disney took care of the logistics. That was magical.

Families can be as active (or inactive) as they want on a Disney cruise.

I’ll admit it: I had a preconceived idea that cruising was ‘lazy’. The truth is, we ran ourselves ragged (in a good way) on the Disney Fantasy for three full days, and still never got to everything offered onboard (or even close!). On Castaway Cay, we took advantage of the entire window of island time, pursuing activities from 9 am until 4 pm, and still didn’t experience all on offer. A list of the things we did pursue in our four days cruising: swimming, riding the AquaDuck, basketball games, miniature golf, sports simulators, Disney-quality shows, countless kids’ club activities, cooking lessons, snorkeling, bike riding, shuffleboard tournaments, jogging, ping-pong, and game shows. Had we been on a typical seven day cruise, I’m sure this list would have doubled.

Families spend ample time together (and apart) on a Disney cruise.

My kids loved the Oceaneer’s Lab and Club and the Edge (the tween hangout) onboard the Fantasy, but even with them running off every evening to enjoy club activities, we still spent more quality, relaxed time as a family unit than we had on any of our most recent trips. How is that possible? The word ‘quality’: so little of our vacation time on the Fantasy was spent worrying about logistics or in transport, that we were able to enjoy each other and what we were doing together as a family far more readily.

Crowds on a Disney cruise can (mostly) be avoided.

I cannot address crowd control on a Disney cruise completely, as the Fantasy was not full on our sailing. Even so, there were moments it felt too crowded for my kids’ and my tastes; specifically, during deck parties. During the Sailing Away party and Pirate Night activities, my kids had moments when they thought it was too chaotic and too loud. What I hadn’t anticipated, however, was how easy it would be to escape these crowds. Even with foot-stomping, loud music thumping fun only one deck above us, our stateroom was a quiet sanctuary. And if these big parties aren’t your thing (or you just need momentary escape as we did), the other 12+ decks are nearly empty while pool deck events are ongoing. Disney Cruise Line also does a great job of crowd management. The two evening show times are scheduled to work with the two dinner seating times, so that half the ship is eating while the other half is enjoying the entertainment, and vice versa. (And of course, you could opt to skip one or both for some quiet time.) The line for character greetings and the AquaDuck were small to nonexistent, and my kids played round after round of miniature golf without a wait. (Again, our ship was not full.)

Culture and educational experiences can be had on a Disney cruise.

I might have said it wasn’t possible to experience culture and educational opportunities on a Disney cruise, but I already knew better: Disney always goes the extra mile to include rich storytelling and cultural immersion where they can. On a Bahamian cruise, where can they? On Castaway Cay, families can learn about the history of the island (would you believe it was a drug runners’ paradise?) and get a detailed lesson in marine biology during the Stringray excursion. On longer cruises with additional ports, more opportunities arise (though I’d describe most of the available excursions as more ‘adventurous’ than ‘educational’). However, our greatest cultural gift on the Disney Fantasy was completely unexpected: Disney Cruise Line hires a very international Cast Member staff. Our evening servers were from Croatia and the Dominican Republic, and our stateroom host was from Haiti. Just speaking to them about where they’re from and how they view the world they’re traversing in their career was a rich cultural lesson for the kids (and me).

The food on a Disney cruise is…abundant.

And maybe we’re alone in this, but we didn’t love this. We like to feel hungry for a meal, not constantly stuffed! But if you don’t like to overeat, there’s hope: because food is always available, I didn’t feel the need to ‘try everything’ at every meal. And fresh fruit and healthy seafood and veggies were always on offer. And it was nice not to worry about when the kids were going to declare they were ‘starving’ (which usually happens every 15 minutes on a vacation). Still, if you’re a parent (like me) who tries to teach healthy eating, good luck. My kids were enamored with the fact that they could help themselves to ice cream, soda, and pizza at any hour, and it was exhausting to try to limit them. I kept a firm rule of one soda a day, which I kept until the last day (when I caved), but otherwise, I let them eat the treats they wanted. They were certainly burning it off in the pool.

Am I won over?

Yes, and no, and mostly yes. Disney, as always, won me over with the detail and care they put into every aspect of everything they do. At any and every moment on the Fantasy, something surprised, whether it was the smiling kids’ club counselor remembering my son’s name, the detail in the ornate hanging chandelier in the atrium, the whimsy of the Oh La La bar, or the sight of Goofy golfing on the deck mid-afternoon (or the sight of my child spotting Goofy golfing on said deck).

Should a Disney cruise be the only vacation families take?

Definitely not. I believe it’s important for families to experience not only the world, but navigating the world together, whether they start in their home state or across the globe. Despite peppering their excursions with cultural and educational experiences, a Disney cruise will never be a worthy substitute for a trip to a new city, country, or national park or landmark. Nor should it be. Instead, it’s a wonderful escape during which a family’s prime immersion will be in each other and activities they enjoy.

Pit Stops for Kids experienced the Disney Fantasy as working media on its media preview sailing. While we were glad to ‘be their guests’ as they say in Beauty and the Beast, all opinions and first-hand accounts are our own (and always will be on PSFK).

Disney Fantasy photos: Three days at sea and Castaway Cay

April 1, 2012 By Amy Hagstrom

Preparing for your Disney cruise? Enjoy Disney Fantasy photos!

Embarking upon the Disney Fantasy:

Pools and deck spaces on the Disney Fantasy:

Disney Fantasy Oceaneer’s Club and Lab, and tween Edge Club:

Castaway Cay:

Disney Fantasy at night:

(A small sample of) Disney Fantasy character sightings:

Disney Fantasy deluxe family stateroom:

How to prepare for a Disney cruise

March 14, 2012 By Amy Hagstrom

At Pit Stops for Kids, we cover all modes of family travel. However, there’s one major category of family travel we’ve neglected (until now): family cruising. On March 26th, the Pit Stops kids and I will be embarking upon the brand new ship in the Disney Cruise Line, the Disney Fantasy. We’ll be reporting on our experience here and for Expedia.com.

There’s only one problem: we don’t know what the heck we’re doing. We’re complete cruising newbies at Pit Stops for Kids: while we love the open road, cities, and National Parks and wilderness, we’ve yet to tackle the high seas. How do we prepare for something we’ve never experienced?

Learn what to expect.

Preparation is key to any family vacation, so from now until departure day, I’ll be following my own advice and researching our destination(s) extensively. To prepare for our trip, I turned to the same resources I hope you’re all using to plan vacations: family travel bloggers. The Disney Fantasy has yet to embark upon its first public sailing, so I read up on coverage of its sister ship, the Disney Dream. Hip Travel Mama offers a great overview of what to expect on-board from a parent’s perspective, and Ciao Bambino lists their top ten surprises on the ship. Also incredibly helpful are these tips on getting the most out of a Disney cruise. This video of the AquaDuck water roller coaster from The Vacation Gals was enough to get my kids jumping up and down, and for specific questions, I’ve always found the Disney Moms Panel to be a useful resource.

Identify concerns, then be proactive.

We have the following concerns (all of which we’ll be addressing post-cruise, in case you do, too):

1. Will the ship feel too crowded for our tastes?
2. Will Calvin, notorious for losing his lunch in both cars and on planes, suffer from seasickness?
3. Will our outdoor-adventure loving style of travel be stifled on board a ship?
4. Will a large-ship cruise be ‘green’ enough to appease our eco-conscience?

To ensure a good vacation experience, I’ve purchased Sea Bands, researched the Disney Cruise Line green initiatives (more on that to come), and learned as much as I can about any itinerary stops ahead of time (internet connection is notoriously unreliable onboard, so last-minute research may be frustrating). This way, we can get off the ship and explore the way we prefer to.

Lastly, I want help from you!

If you’ve taken a family cruise, please share a tip in the comment section below, on the Pit Stops for Kids Facebook page, or on Twitter @pitstospforkids! I’ll be retweeting one suggestion per day up until the day we embark, and after our trip, I’ll be featuring the top ten reader suggestions in a video on Expedia.com!

Photos courtesy of Disney Cruise Line.

Disney Done Right: a spring break review of Lots to Do in Line

March 8, 2012 By Amy Hagstrom

If your family is headed to the Disneyland Resort this spring break, you’re not alone. That’s the bad news! The good news is, there’s a brand new way to help kids handle long wait times in the Happiest Place on Earth.

When author and mom Meredith Lyn Pierce sent me Lots to Do in Line: Disneyland for review, I wasn’t sure I could endorse anything geared toward coping with long lines at Disney–after all, I’m a broken record in my instance that no matter the season, families need not wait in Disney lines at all. But then I read through Pierce’s book (also available in an app) and I changed my mind. (Not about Disney lines being avoidable–I stand by that!–but about the inherent value of Lots to Do in Line.)

I really like this book for two reasons:

1. It captures the playful and fantastical essence of Disney. Look around you in any Disney line, and you’ll see incredible detail, artwork, and creativity. Sometimes, the line is almost as fun as the ride! (But only for a few minutes.) Lots to Do in Line recognizes what Disney has done, and runs with it, creating ‘I Spy’ games, treasure hunts, and trivia for literally every ride at Disneyland and California Adventure. Even while sitting in our own living room, my kids instantly loved this idea: they were quizzing each other on ride lines based on past trips alone!

2. There are several ways to use and adapt it. I’m impressed enough that Pierce researched and wrote about all 63 ride lines in the parks, but I’m doubly impressed that she’s included ‘FP’ symbols to utilize when enjoying the Fast Pass line, rather than the Standby line (because not to beat a dead horse, but yes, yes, yes you should be in the FP line!). Plus, kids can earn points and keep track of scores with Lots to Do in Line (a huge plus for my family) and there are several ways to play (including individual rounds and team rounds). She didn’t mention challenging Disney Cast Members to trivia about their own line, but I totally would.

3. Sometimes, just sometimes, you really do have to wait. And when you do, this book is easy to pull out of a backpack or even pocket. The app is even better, as it includes occasional audio clues and prompts. Even if you’re not waiting in line for long, Lots to Do in Line is a great conversation starter (I bet those around you in line will want to weigh in!) and way to keep your entire family engaged in the Disney experience.

If you’re headed to Disneyland Resort this spring or summer, buy Lots To Do In Line: Disneyland
at Amazon or download the app at iTunes!

Note: Lots to Do in Line now has a Cars Land supplement! Download lots to do in line in Cars Land!

As I disclose whenever applicable, I received one copy of the Lots to Do in Line book and app for the purpose of review.

Aulani, a Disney’s Resort and Spa: what’s included in the Aulani value

September 28, 2011 By Amy Hagstrom

There’s no doubt about it: Aulani, Disney’s new Hawaiian resort on the leeward side of Oahu, is jaw-droppingly fabulous. Throughout my stay, I experienced first class service, amenities, and activities across the board. For the average traveling family, however, it’s also jaw-droppingly expensive. Utilizing a quick room rate and availability search on Aulani’s reservations page, I was hard pressed to find a standard room for under $400 a night. Families of five or more can go ahead and double that (though room rates vary considerably depending on season, type, etc). Is the value worth it? I believe the answer is yes, if families take advantage of all that comes included with a stay and educate themselves on resort values.

So what is included in that rack rate? Much more than is offered at most high-end destination resorts. With the price of a room, families will not pay a penny extra for the following amenities:

Within the room itself, families will love the extra touches provided for convenience. For starters, all rooms come pre-stocked with a port-a-crib. All rooms also feature a mini fridge (snacks and breakfast foods are available in Kalepa’s Store as well as across the street from the resort for a more reasonable price), flat-screen TV, wireless internet (at no extra charge), an iPhone/Pod docking station, and a large-for-standard-rooms table and chairs. Suitcase storage is provided under every bed to increase usable space in the room, bathrooms include deep bathtubs as well as showers, and toilets are separate from the main vanity, making heavy bathroom traffic more bearable.

Your kids will love the kids’ club at Aunty’s Beach House. Designed for kids ages 3-11 (up to age 13 welcome), Aunty’s is a cozy and welcoming respite where children are fully supervised for no additional charge. Just drop in anytime during open hours (open until 9 pm or 11 pm). With multiple (adorably themed) rooms for different ages and activities, as well as a large outdoor play area, kids have the run of the place, enjoying individualized attention from staff and engaging in fun and educational activities (think volcano or space goo creations!). While I stopped by during my Aulani stay, I watched a ten-year-old girl receive an impromptu ukulele lesson, preschoolers play dress up with the many Disney costumes, and a group of boys engaged in a computer game competition. Daily special events are also offered (to be listed in each day’s resort schedule.) The Disney details are abundant at Aunty’s: kids love the way it always rains outside the windows of the media/movie room (because you can only watch movies in Hawaii when it’s raining outside!), the climbing fort outside, and ‘Uncle’s workshop’, an extensive art and craft center. What I loved best: special toddler programming for kids too young to be dropped off at Aunty’s is offered for parents to enjoy with their kids…and these programs are scheduled for select mornings at 7:30 am, a time when kids are up and restless, but other activities are not yet open. (Bonus: parents can go off-site while kids are at Aunty’s…nearly unheard of in the resort business!)

Everyone will love the unlimited water recreation in the Waikolohe Valley. Cruise the lazy river (complete with volcanic bubble action underfoot!), play in the free-form pool, slide down the plunge and tube slides, soak in the whirlpool spas, or just hang out in the lush garden areas. Papalua Shave Ice is the best deal going: for $3.75, kids get a huge snow cone with up to three tropical flavors.

The instant beach access means time and money saved on a car rental. Not only can guests dip their toes in the Pacific just a few steps from their room in the Aulani Lagoon, but miles of additional beach access is available as well. Snorkeling is an option right in the lagoon, but only two short coves away by foot (past the JW Marriott) is an absolutely fantastic snorkeling location. Bring your own snorkeling gear, or rent gear for a reasonable fee at the beach rentals shack on the lagoon (you get to use it all day). If you have young kids who might be intimidated by the (small) ocean currents, Aulani also offers Rainbow Reef, a manmade snorkeling cove in Waikolohe Valley. There is a $20 fee per person, which seemed steep until I realized that for the price, you can keep your gear all day, using it in the ocean as well as the reef. (Tip: If you want to try Rainbow Reef, be sure to rent your gear from that location, not the beach shack. You can take Rainbow Reef gear into the ocean, but not vice versa.)

Fish feeding viewings are both free and fun to watch. Families can watch the fish feeding at Rainbow Reef (at 8 am and 1:30 pm), or go next door to the JW Marriott to watch their daily 7:30 am ocean feeding. Tropical fish will swim right up near shore, where kids can watch them as they gobble up fish food.

Free cultural tours, evening entertainment, and fun is offered multiple times a week. At any time during their stay, guests can drop in at the Pau Hana Room, the starting point of the interactive Mehehune Trail (a bit like a scavenger hunt) and location for Mo’Olelo Storytelling, offered multiple times nightly. Additionally, ‘Ohana Disney Movie Nights are held every Friday on the Makaloa Garden lawn, starting at dusk.

Access to characters are free at Disney Friends Meet and Greets. Three times daily (on the week of my visit), Disney characters such as Stitch, Mickey, and Chip and Dale made appearances.

Teens can hang out at Painted Sky. Designed for kids ages 14-17, Painted Sky is one part teen spa, one part teen dance club, and one part teen computer cafe. Events are planned there daily, such as Xbox Zumba Fitness or teen movie nights, but kids can also just congregate there to hang out and chat.

Parents will appreciate the state-of-the-art Mikimiki Fitness Center. Located adjacent to the impressive Laniwai Spa, the fitness center includes weight-lifting and toning equipment, cardio equipment, and classes both in the center and on the beach (though a fee applies to some).

Do all these perks add up to that pricy rack rate? I believe they do, especially when you add the intangibles on top: I’m speaking, of course, of the Disney touch. In addition to the total immersion into the culture and fantasy Disney so effortlessly seems to provide in all their experiences, guests can also count on the Disney standard of guest services and quality. Could you spend less at a another hotel brand on Oahu? Certainly, but when families pay Disney prices, they get…well, Disney. And that’s pretty priceless.

Honolulu on Dwellable

Disney done right: how to survive (and thrive!) in summer crowds

August 12, 2011 By Amy Hagstrom

The first advice I offer any family asking how to get the most from their Disney theme park experience is to visit in the off-season. Of course, such a plan isn’t always realistic. If your only option is to visit Walt Disney World or the Disneyland Resort in the summer season, take heart! It is possible to best the crowds and the heat and have a fabulous time.

During our three-day visit to the Disneyland Resort in August, we experienced every attraction we wanted, had time for relaxation, and never waited longer than 15 minutes in any line. Below you’ll find our top suggestions on maximizing your peak summer Disney experience:

1. Arrive at parks at ‘rope drop’. It sounds simplistic, but aside from utilizing FastPass (more on that below), arriving at park opening is the best way to beat crowds. Imagine theme park crowds as a breaking wave: get there first, and you’ll remain at the forefront of that wave all day long. We noted the difference during our August trip: at 8:15 am (with a general population park opening of 8 am) the standby wait time for the hugely popular Star Tours was under 15 minutes. Nearby, Space Mountain’s standby time was 10 minutes, and the new Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage was 5 minutes. By 9 am, we’d done all three and had snagged FastPasses for later in the day, while Star Tours’ standby line had increased to 60 minutes, Space Mountain’s to 45 minutes, and Nemo’s to 30 minutes. The FastPasses for Star Tours were listing return times after 7 pm. We moved on, riding that wave.

2. Use FastPass in an organized, deliberate manner. Most park visitors now know to utilize Disney’s ingenious FastPass system, but many still neglect to make the most of it. When crowd levels are high, fast passes for key attractions will run out by as early as mid-morning, so plan to gather the ones you want most as close to park opening as possible. We always send a Fast Pass ‘scout’ to obtain our FastPasses for our first attraction while the rest of our party jumps in the standby line for another ride directly following rope drop….this is often the only standby line we stand in all day. Remember that a new FastPass can be obtained as early as the first time listed on your current FastPass, and that FastPasses for water rides such as Grizzly Run in California Adventure and Splash Mountain in Disneyland won’t run out until later in the day (when people get hot); plan to snag those by mid-morning to ride in the heat of the day. (Or ride early morning to avoid any line at all!)

3. Seek out quiet park areas to escape the crush of the crowds: In Disneyland, nothing beats Tom Sawyer’s Island for some R&R. Kids can run and play without standing in lines, and adults can find a shady bench to decompress. If you all want to sit down for a bit, consider taking a ride on the nearby Dixie Queen steamboat. Even in peak season, seats are available, and it’s always shaded. If your food budget allows for it, make a reservation for the quiet, darkened Blue Bayou Restaurant, located inside Pirates of the Caribbean. You’ll enjoy the ambiance, and escape the heat. In California Adventure, enter the Redwood Challenge Trail play area, where kids will climb ropes and cross bridges and zip down zip lines and adults, again, can blissfully sit. Bear in mind that neither Tom Sawyer’s Island or Redwood Challenge have food vendors; bring in a snack or water bottles.

4. Stay on-site. I’m a firm believer in staying at a Disney resort. While they’re often more expensive nightly than other area hotels and motels, they pay for themselves in the perks. During our August trip, we stayed at the Disneyland Hotel, where guests are given two extra FastPasses per guest per night which my kids called ‘magic FastPasses’ (as you can use them for any ride, at any time). Guests also enjoy extra park hours, and fun Disney touches in their rooms (my kids loved the musical headboards on the beds and their Mickey wake-up calls). The best perk of all, however, is simply logistical: staying at a Disney resort, you can easily take park breaks and won’t have to pay theme park parking fees. Each afternoon of our stay, we exited the parks and enjoyed a few hours in the Disneyland Hotel pools.

5. Eat at off-peak times and skip beverage lines. By the time lunch or dinner rolls around, the last thing anyone wants to do is stand in another line. To beat crowds, plan your meals during off-peak times. We always each lunch right at 11 am and dinner at 4 pm, adding a later evening snack. Many lunch venues are just opening at 11, giving us our pick of seating. Carry water bottles and powdered drink mix (to make drinking fountain refills taste better) to always have drinks on-hand, saving you time and money.

Every family’s schedule, budget, and preferences are different, but even if you can only take advantage of 3-5 of these tips, you’ll have a more relaxing, fun, and cost-effective theme park experience during peak season. Will you still become worn down by crowds and feel the heat? Sure, at times, and at the end of each day, you may still say, ‘Next time, let’s come back in January’, but at least you’ll be smiling as you say it.

To maximize our visit, our family used Southern California CityPasses during our three days at Disneyland Resort. As I disclose whenever applicable, these passes were provided free of charge, but came with no expectation of a positive review.

Disney done right: a stay at the Disneyland Hotel

August 11, 2011 By Amy Hagstrom

Until last week, my family and I had never stayed on-site at the Disneyland Resort, despite numerous trips to the theme parks. After last week’s stay, I may never visit Disney any other way. Our night at the newly improved Disneyland Hotel granted both tangible and intangible perks I don’t think I could do without!

We arrived at the hotel in the morning before park opening, and the front desk Cast Members had us registered and back out the door in time for California Adventure’s ‘rope drop’. I loved that they were able to store our bags and issue us key cards with an assigned tower (of three: Adventure, Frontier, and Fantasy) so we could skip the registration line later and use the pools at our leisure. We were told we’d receive a text with our precise room number once it was available after 3 pm, and we hit the park!

The walk to California Adventure and Disneyland from the Disneyland Hotel is a short hike through Downtown Disney, but if you’re headed to the latter and already have park passes, the fastest and easiest way (unless you don’t want to break down a stroller) is through the Monorail station located right next to the nearby Rainforest Café, which will take you directly into Tomorrowland.

We stayed in the parks until 2 pm, when we opted to return to the hotel to make use of one of the best perks of staying on-site: an afternoon pool break. The kids loved the ‘D Ticket’ pool and ‘Monorail’ water slides (though they missed having a larger swim area…can’t wait for the construction to finally be complete!). By 4 pm, we were ready to change for dinner and a return to the parks, but hadn’t yet received our text. Upon further investigation, I realized our key card envelope included a phone number we could call to check on the status of our room; when I did so, I learned it was indeed ready! I don’t know what glitch prevented our text, but if you have the same problem, use the number to double-check!

Our room in the newly remodeled Frontier tower was surprisingly spacious, and I love that it accommodated our family of five: an extra day bed is built in for a child. The kids couldn’t get enough of the light-up, twinkling headboards, and I loved the view of the pool area with its retro Disneyland signage. We even got a glimpse of the Disneyland fireworks later that night!

Staying on-site at the Disneyland Resort truly does keep families immersed in the ‘magic’ of the theme parks, from the small touches in the rooms to the character sightings in the hotel (Toby ran right into Goofy in the lobby—literally!). Taking advantage of the close proximity to the parks and the extra magic hour opportunities shaves time off busy vacation schedules, and we were surprised to learn that from now until September 5th, guests at the Disneyland Hotel receive two extra FastPasses per guest per night! Our kids called these ‘magic’ FastPasses, as they’re good for any ride, at any time!

Note: Though it lights up invitingly, the Monorail slides close earlier than the rest of the pool complex (at dusk, for safety reasons); let your kids know!

Date last visited: August 3, 2011

Room rates: Rates are more affordable than you might think! Check the reservations page for current prices; on the night we stayed (in peak season), it was under $200.

Dining options: The hotel houses several restaurants, including the Goofy’s Kitchen character meal (which we enjoyed), Tangaroa Terrace, Steakhouse 55, and the very fun Tiki Room-themed Trader Sam’s, located poolside and offering drinks and appetizers. Spend some time inside soaking up the ambiance and observing what happens when guests order certain drinks! (Children welcome.)

Directions: The Disneyland Hotel is located at 1150 Magic Way. From I-5, exit Disneyland Drive and follow signage to Downtown Disney.

As I disclose whenever applicable, we stayed at the Disneyland Hotel free of charge as part of a two-day Disney bloggers event. Though we’re grateful for Disney’s hospitality, this compensation came with no expectation of a positive review.

Disney Done Right: Star Wars Weekends at Disney Studios

May 30, 2011 By Amy Hagstrom

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 weekend, family travel blogger Sue Rodman of Field Trips with Sue packed up the family and headed to Orlando to attend. It was a huge hit for everyone! If you plan to go, here are her top suggestions.

1. Get There Early. This is the single best tip for any theme park experience, but especially when it’s a special weekend like Star Wars where crowds are expected to be higher than normal. Sometimes Disney will open early as a special “surprise”. When we went, the studio officially opened at 8 am. We arrived at 7:30 and the gates were already open. I can’t guarantee they’ll open early when you come, but you may want to plan for it just in case. My boys immediately went to Rockin’ Roller Coaster and rode it five times with no wait at all. Later in the day, waits were up to 70 minutes long!

2. Have a Plan. This is the second best tip for any theme park experience, but again, especially important for busy weekends. Spend some time before you go to plan out your day. Know before you exit one attraction where you are headed next. Don’t try to do that on the fly either, plan it out before you go. For instance, we saw the 9:40 am Little Mermaid Show and immediately went to the Animation Studio to find Sorcerer Mickey. We were one of the first five people in line when he arrived at 10 am and were able to zip in to see him and zip out. I found this tip on my favorite Disney planning site, www.TourGuideMike.com. Although he was not as helpful as I would have liked on the Star Wars Weekend information, I wouldn’t go to the Magic Kingdom without him. He gives sound tour advice and reasons behind WHY you should do things: ensuring you don’t second guess his expert opinion.

3. Bring your younglings to sign up for Jedi Training. As soon as you enter the park (assuming you are there upon opening) head to Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular to sign up your younglings for the Jedi Training. You’ll need to have everyone that wants to participate with you. Kids ages 4–12 are eligible. There is a bit of a wait here, but it’s worth it. Later in the day, your children don a robe and learn how to wield a light saber during training with a Jedi Master and Ahsoka Tano from Clone Wars. Then, they’ll battle either Darth Vader or Ventress. Upon completion, they are promoted to Padawans, given a certificate and a Star Wars toy (the program is sponsored by Hasbro). Once these spots are gone, they’re gone, so make sure you go here first thing if your child wants to participate.

4. Star Wars Parade. Throughout the park are various Star Wars characters. You can wait in long lines to have your picture taken with them (similar to waiting to see Mickey Mouse) or you can get a good spot on the parade route and take them all in at once during the Star Wars parade. The parade starts at the front of the park coming out near Sid’s Curious Shop and goes down Hollywood Blvd. to the big Sorcerer Mickey Hat. The characters then go on stage for a great photo opportunity. Position yourself anywhere along Hollywood Blvd. We scoped our spot about 12:15 for the 12:40 parade and had a good spot, soon after that, it was harder to get a place. We missed the photo on stage, but I think everyone had ample interaction with the characters. At one time you could sign your children up to be in the parade. Now they pick children randomly. I couldn’t tell how, when or where they “pick the kids randomly”. If you find out, please let me know.

5. Star Wars Characters. As I mentioned, there are lots of places to wait in lines to have your picture taken with various Star Wars characters. We didn’t wait in any of these lines, but we did watch the characters as they interacted with people and took pictures of them in between guests posing. Seeing them live and up close seemed to be enough for my boys, which was great because it left us more time to experience the park. Right in front of Star Tours is a speeder bike, where Chewbacca and the Ewoks come out. When they aren’t appearing, you can take a picture on the bikes, which we did, several times.

These are only half of Sue’s tips for experiencing Star Wars Weekends! Read more at Field Trips with Sue!

For more general Disney information, touring strategies, and tips, check out my other Disney Done Right articles!

West Coast Mouse: five Disney experiences not found in Florida

April 18, 2011 By Amy Hagstrom

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, even the Disney skyline to materialize in your mind is altered by the imposing height of the Matterhorn. While we love Disney World and all it offers, the following things can only be found in California:

1. California Adventure. No, it’s really not the West Coast’s version of Disney Studios, although they do share certain attractions. California Adventure is a celebration of the Golden State, emphasizing the natural beauty and cultural contributions of California. In-between attractions, kids can walk through a street-scene set in the Hollywood Back Lot, but they can also run a-muck through the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail. We always love this oasis free of lines and congestion in the heart of the park, complete with rope courses, log slides, and climbing nets.

2. The Grand Californian Hotel and Spa. We’ve visited both the Grand Californian and Disney World’s Wilderness Lodge, and while similar, the five-star amenities at the Grand Californian can’t be beat. Nor can the location: mere steps away from both Disney theme parks, this hotel reminds guests of one of the great benefits of the Disneyland Resort: proximity. Everything, from shopping to playing to the pillows ready to receive your children’s weary heads at night are only steps away.

3. Cruising on the Disney Wonder. If you and your family want to experience the Mexican Riviera, the Last Frontier, or even Hawaii, embarkation on the Disney Wonder (recently relocated to the West Coast from Florida) takes place exclusively on the West Coast (in Los Angeles for Mexican and Hawaiian cruises, Seattle for Alaskan cruises). If you’re a West Coast family, this is great news, as a significant portion of your travel money may otherwise have been lost to trans-U.S. airfare.

4. Vacationing wild west-style with Adventures by Disney. Disney’s premiere family tour operation travels to destinations across the globe, but there’s plenty to see and do within a state or two of home as well. Tour the Grand Canyon, Wyoming, or Glacier National Park, with all the extra Disney service included. Families can even feel like VIPs while touring backstage at the actual Disney Studios.

5. Direct flights to the land of Aloha…Disney style. Slated to open its doors this August (2011), the Aulani Disney Resort and Spa is located on the less populated leeward side of O’ahu, and will no doubt offer vacationing families everything we’ve come to expect of a Disney experience: fabulous amenities, family-oriented entertainment and attractions, and stellar guest service…all in tropical sunshine.

Find more Disney travel advice and tips in Pit Stops for Kids’ Disney Done Right series.

Disney done right: Dining in the ‘World’

February 2, 2011 By Amy Hagstrom

Healthy? No. But they'll burn it off in the parks!

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 a Disney family vacation, sometimes a meal feels less like a welcome repast and more like one more line to wait in, one more crowd to fight, and one more battle to get your children to behave. If you follow the tips below, it doesn’t have to be that way!

1. Opt into the Disney Dining Plan if you qualify. Will the dining plan be the cheapest way for your family to dine in Disney World? Perhaps so, perhaps not. It really depends on what type of meals your family enjoys. But that’s not the point: even if it costs you a few extra dollars when compared to dining out-of-pocket, we believe it’s worth it. Why? Because every time you order a burger at a counter service restaurant or the kids beg for a $5 tub of popcorn, you won’t feel ‘nickel and dimed’. You’ll be able to say ‘yes’ more often than ‘no’, and you won’t have to worry so much about each drink that comes with each meal and the price of that side dish of mac and cheese your kid had to have but never touched. You will have to pay attention to your number of counter service and table service credits, but Disney makes that easy for you by including a running tally on every food receipt.

2. If your kids are character crazy, reserve Character Meals. That’s right, I said ‘reserve’. Disney calls it an ‘AR’ (Advanced Reservation), and even if you’re visiting in the off-season, you’ll need one. Different restaurant venues will showcase different characters, so find the one (or more) that fits your family and plan to spend an hour or so with the characters while eating and relaxing in the air conditioned indoors instead of sweating in lines in the parks. Our favorite is the Pooh and Friends meal at Magic Kingdom’s Crystal Palace. (Bonus tip: reserve a table at a park-venue restaurant before park opening; you’ll be allowed to enter early for great photo ops by near-empty park attractions.)

Pit Stops' Grandpa becomes part of the act at Hoop-Dee-Doo!

3. Schedule your day around lunches for before 11:30 am or after 2 pm. It really does make a huge difference: not only will eating during off-peak hours save you time and hassle at the service windows and ensure you get a table, but it will free you up to tour the park while everyone else is eating. (Bonus tip: this works at ski resorts, too!)

4. Save buffets for the end of the day. Unless you were blessed with super-bionic angel children, your kids (and you!) are worn out by the end of a Disney day. Instead of asking them to sit still and wait for their table service meals, consider scheduling buffets for this last meal of the day. Everyone gets fed faster, has more choices, and can move around. Our hands-down favorite was Animal Kingdom Lodge’s Boma (easy to access via Disney transportation after a day at Animal Kingdom).

5. Enjoy dinner and a show. This tip goes double if you’re on the dining plan, since you’re able to use your points even for bundled dinner events such as the Fantasmic or Candlelight Dinner packages. Doing so allows you to relax and enjoy your meal without worrying about getting a good seat for the show: Disney reserves a spot for you. And some meals include a show of their own: our top pick was Fort Wilderness’ Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue. I don’t think I’ve ever seen my kids laugh so hard!