#MagicalMonday - 5 Reasons Why The Disney Dining Plan Is Not Right For Me & 5 Reasons It May Be Right For You

Hello there pretty people! So glad to see you back around these parts again. Blogging has taken a back seat here at the C household due to me working on my group fitness certification. I am happy to say that I can see the light at the end of the proverbial fitness tunnel (which includes an agility ladder) and can focus on some blogging again. Also, we are shipping off to Walt Disney World later this year and all my planning has given me some blogging inspo.

Last year sometime, I talked about a future blog post regarding the Disney Dining Plan (DDP). I never actually got around to posting about it, so I thought I would make today's first #MagicalMonday post of 2015 - 5 reasons why the DDP is not for me (at this moment) and why it may be for you...

If you are not already familiar with the DDP, you're going to need to read all about it here. You'll find prices (which are based on a per night basis) and all the rules and regulations.

Here are the basics - Each plan is per day/per adult/child & every plan comes with a refillable mug.

First level dining plan - "Quick Service Dining" - 2 quick service meals, one snack. ($41.99/$16.03)

Second level dining plan - "Regular Dining" - 1 table service meal, 1 quick service meal, 1 snack. ($60.04/$19.23)

Third level dining plan - "Deluxe Dining" - 3 meals (any combination of table service and quick service), 2 snacks. ($109.53/$29.86)

Now onto an Internet favorite...a list! The numbered sections are why it's not for me and the italicized sections are why it may be for you...enjoy!

1. We always have a rental car - There two types of Disney people - the ones who fly into MCO, immediately hop aboard the Magical Express (Disney's airport transportation) and head straight to WDW. They do not pass go, they do not collect $200 - they go straight for the pixie dust like flies to a bug zapper, pass those blue signs and don't leave those 45 magical square miles for their whole vacation. And then there's people like me...who really enjoy the tackiness that Orlando has to offer. Call me crazy, but I have certain requirements when it comes to food and Orlando, FL. There always has to be a Sonic stop, an A&W stop (corn dog nuggets FTW!)...and maybe even a $2.99 Sizzler breakfast buffet thrown in (#Don'tJudge).

Why it may be for you -  If you will be on Disney property for your whole stay, the DDP is definitely something to consider. You are going to need to eat anyway and you are going to need to eat within the confines of the 'World. Also, the dining plan IS a savings if all you plan on eating is Disney food anyways. The ease of already having your meals paid/accounted for is always a good feeling when having to plan a vacation that is so "package" based. It also prevents you from overspending. Unless you're like me...which brings me to my next point....

2. I can't trust myself to sick to my allotted meals - IMO, the dining plans offered are either not enough food and too expensive or too much food and way too expensive. I could never do the first level offered due to the fact that I always like to do a few table service meals. The second option could work, but some of the restaurants I like to eat at require you to use TWO table service meals from your DDP because they are pricey. That right there requires you to have a few nights of no meal points left and leaves you paying out of pocket for meals anyways. Which IMO defeats the whole purpose of the savings on the DDP. And, the third option would be way to expensive for us as (like I mentioned above) I don't like all of my meals being from the 'World.

Why it may be for you - If you and your family can be disciplined enough to stick to whatever meals are in your dining plan, then it can be somewhat of a "value" (I say that loosely due to the fact that there is really never "value" in a Disney trip). If you are straying from those meals at all, (and don't forget, some table service dining requires the points of TWO meals) then you will end up spending more money in the long run.

3. I truly, in my heart of hearts, don't believe you are saving that much money - After tips and the occasional purchase of something not on your DDP, you pretty much break even.

Why it may be for you - If you are one of those vacationers that like to have every thing budgeted, down to the last dollar, then the ease of the DDP is probably something you're looking for. Every time you eat a meal, you can have a sense of security knowing that meal is already paid for. You are paying a premium for the ultimate convenience.

4. Food is very important to my Disney vacation experience - I want to eat all of the food, all the time and I don't like to be told how much I can eat before even getting to the vacation. IMO, if I want cotton candy, popcorn a Dole Whip AND a Mickey ice cream bar, I don't want to be told I can't have all that because I used all my snack credits that day...yanno?...Did I mention I am a fitness instructor?

Why it may be for you - If character breakfasts are the only table service meals that are important to you, and/or most of all your other days are going to be spent touring the parks/resort and NOT sitting down to eat, the DDP is a great option.

5. I wouldn't travel to Disney just because they are doing their "free dining plan" promotion -At a certain point during the year, Disney announces a free dining plan promotion for select dates. The promotion requirements are a 7/day-6/night non discounted vacation package with a park hopper option. The reason why this doesn't work for me is because, I don't like to pay full price for anything, so buying tickets through the Disney website isn't an option when AAA is always cheaper for ticket prices. So, if I chose to get my tickets through Disney I would be paying more and therefore "paying" for the dining plan anyway.

Why you may think it's a good deal - Because hello, it's free and if your vacation package matches up with the promotion dates and regulations, you are taking the damn DDP because, Dole Whips and Mickey bars.

Coincidentally, Disney just came out with the dates for their free dining plan promotion for fall this morning, you can find that here.

The dining plan can be very confusing at times and Disney wants you to believe that it's the best value (and may be for some people). But, as with anything, do your research to see if it's best for you and your family in the long run.

Have a Magical Day!

5 Steps to the Perfect Disney World Group Trip

WDW is an amazing place for a family vacation. There are so many options for groups and it's always a little bit more magical when your whole family/all of your friends are there to experience the Happiest Place on Earth.

But, as with any trip to Disney, there is a science to planning a group trip....

1. Stay in a big house together - One of my very first Disney posts I wrote was about the company All Star Vacation Homes. Basically you can rent a mansion for the week (no lie, some of the homes sleep up to 24 people) for the same price (per family) it would be to get a hotel room on Disney property. I suggest you check out that blog post for more info!

2. Split up! - Okay, so this may sound counterproductive, but hear me out -- WDW tickets are expensive to say the least...the last thing you want is to have to skip something just because someone in your group doesn't want to do that specific thing. That's where splitting up comes in...the parks are way too big to stay in a group any larger than 5. So, if you are with a lot of your friends/family, plan on being in the same park on the same day but only meeting for certain rides or for meal times. That way, everyone can branch off, do their own thing and meet back for "social times." Moral of this story and the key to group WDW trips - do your own thing, meet for meals/fireworks/scheduled activities and hang out back at your house.

3. Pick one or two people to be in charge of ADR's - Advanced Dining Reservations are tricky...you have to make sure you are making your ADR's exactly 180 days in advance and you also have to make sure everyone is accounted for within the reservation. So, after discussing with your group where you want to eat, assign one person the task of making the reservations. Related side note - Be sure this person also makes an itinerary once all the reservations are made.

4. Pick one day that everyone does their own thing - So as to not get sick of each other, make sure there's a plan in place that one day there is no reservations/plans made and people can just hang out with their own families.

5. HAVE FUN! - I know this one is silly but it's an important one. WDW is overwhelming for everyone especially if you are traveling in a group. Just be sure to have fun, take it slow and enjoy yourself. And don't be afraid to speak up if you want something/want to do something that wasn't discussed in the group. Disney is expensive and everyone deserves to get what they want when visiting.

What are some tips y'all have for going to WDW in a group?

The Bubble {Celebration, FL}

If you've been hanging around this blog for a little while you are well aware of my obsession for Celebration, FL - A planned community a stone's throw away from the Happiest Place on Earth. Because of my obsession I am always looking for any information I can find about my dream place to live. Recently I found a documentary filmed in 2011 all about Celebration titled The Bubble - A Documentary Film About Celebration Florida. 

While the documentary got very few stars on Amazon and was essentially made to air some dirty laundry, I thought it was a great little film. Many of the residents were interviewed and it was interesting to hear their POVs. One of the things I always want to do when we (creepily) drive through the town every time we are in Orlando is talk to some Celebration residents. So this documentary allowed that without me having to ring doorbells.

I also find Celebration interesting in that everyone moved there for a very specific reason and that was to be a pioneer in this town that Disney built. With that, the stories that these people share are very interesting to hear - everyone has a different story but they also had the same goal in mind.

I would totally recommend this mini film (it's only an hour) for anyone looking to find out more information about the "town that Disney built." You can find it on Amazon Instant Video to rent for $2!

Sidebar - I finally got The Mister to watch this after a few months of begging...it made me feel like we were one step closer to moving to my dream place...unfortunately after we were done watching, he said it made him want to move there less than he already did. For me, the documentary made me want to move there more (duh)! These people (with the exception of a few ornery highschoolers) are so happy with where they live and their lifestyles that I can only hope that one day I can move to Celebration and get a job as a Disney princess/blogger/spin instructor/hawt housewife.... :)

Top Ten Extraneous Walt Disney World Vacation Items

I haven't done a Disney post in a while and whenever I talk to people about their upcoming Walt Disney World vacation, I am always naming off these extraneous (aka items that are not included in other WDW planning blogs) items for them not to forget. With that being said, I thought I would make a top ten list of items that mustn't be forgotten on your next Walt Disney World vacation.

1. Ear Planes - If you are anything like me, the plane is the biggest obstacle that stands in between you and any vacation that is not drive-able. I not only have an extreme plane phobia (hello, Xanex) but I also have inner ear issues that cause my head to be clogged up for days after a plane trip. Enter the best little things ever invented - Ear Planes! Ear Planes are little ear plugs that regulate the inner ear pressure being 50,000 feet above the ground causes. In my case, I always need the children's size because my ears are so small (the bigger ones don't work for me so keep that in mind when you are purchasing) so I always have to order them on Amazon. You can also find them at your local CVS. I will never fly without my Ear Planes ever again. As a matter of fact, my usual pre-flight nightmares are riddled with forgetting my Ear Planes and Xanex...that's how important those things are to my vacation experience!

2. Heavy Duty Straps - This one will be most popular among the "parents of kids under 5" set. When we went to WDW last October we knew we needed Cy's car seat and stroller. Both of these things were going to be gate checked which meant The Mister and I had a whole lot to carry to the airplane that would be shipping us off to vacation paradise. This is where having an Engineer as a husband comes in handy as The Mister had the amazing idea to purchase heavy duty straps with a handle. This made it so the car seat and stroller weren't so awkward to carry and also made it so the air plane staff that were gate checking our stuff were *extra* careful as they weren't moving around awkward to carry items. 

3. Garbage Bags - I think this applies to any and all vacations that you are staying in a hotel. IMO those tiny garbage bags that they give you never supply enough room (especially if you still have a little one in diapers). So bringing along a few extra regular sized garbage bags is always a good idea.

4. Child Proofing - Since WDW has yet to provide already child proofed rooms (you heard it here first) bringing your own child proofing is the way to go. Luckily I already have a blog devoted to child proofing in hotel rooms. Take a lookie, cookie. 

5. An in-depth food shopping list/meal plan - Everyone knows that most of what you are spending your money on with a WDW vacation (if you plan properly) is your meals. Knowing this, The Mister and I always plan to have breakfast and lunch in our hotel room when we are visiting 'The World in order to save money for nicer, sit down meals. Now, that doesn't mean that the meals you have in your room should be boring. Even though you aren't necessarily "cooking" anything, you can still make your meals fun and exciting. That will also entice you to WANT to go back to your room to eat. So, with a little planning before your trip you can have great meals in your room for half the price of a Quick Service hot dog. Not to mention that going shopping in the beginning of the week greatly reduces your food budget and allows for nicer dining experiences a few times during your trip.

6. Decorations For Your Hotel Room - If you are planning to visit 'The World around any major holiday, I encourage you to bring decorations to theme out your room. It will just make it so you are constantly surrounded by theming. Not to mention, it makes your room way more inviting and fun! 

7. A Folder - Whether it be an accordion folder or a regular cardboard two fold, you are going to be collecting so many "paper-type" items on your trip. Having a folder with you allows everything to be in one place and organized for when you get home and want to throw a scrap book together!

8. Detachable Stroller Organizer/Cup Holder (preferable soft sided) - Although we had a stroller with a cup holder already built into it, our detachable cup holder/organizer came in such handy while traipsing around 'The World. Not only did it offer a larger cup holder but it also offered a place to put things such as a PhotoPass, or some cash. The reason why I say you should probably get a soft sided one is because it's easier to transport. Since you will most likely be gate checking your stroller, you will want to make sure any removable pieces of the stroller are easy to store and lay flat in your suitcase. 

9. Gum - This is a pretty well known one but I thought I would add it any way - In order to keep the ground of WDW sparkling, you can not buy gum anywhere on the WDW resort so be sure to BYOG (bring your own gum) if you are used to smacking your day away. 

10. Christmas Ornaments - One of the best ideas I have ever seen in regards to a character autograph "book" is bringing a pack of cheap glass bulb shaped Christmas ornaments and a colored marker that will show up on the ornament. Instead of having the characters sign an expensive autograph book, have them each sign an ornament. It's perfect if you are looking to have a Disney themed Christmas tree in the future (cough cough, me) or if you just want to add a little spark to your existing Christmas tree flair. 

Throw Back Thursday - Disney World 2013

Since it's #TBT and I never did a full run down of our WDW trip in October of 2013, I thought I would take the opportunity to share the deets AND give some tips and tricks to bringing a toddler (and/or any child deemed "too young to visit 'The World by the general population) to Disney.

When we went, Cy was 14 months old. I used to love telling people just to see what kind of reaction I would get out of them. With all of that being said, I would have never taken Cy if we didn't have my parents (Nana and Grandpa) with us to take over some of the responsibility. Cy was very active at that age and we needed all hands on deck to ensure that everyone had a good time. So that is my first tip, if at all possible, be sure to grossly out number any children you may bring. Cy got into the parks for free, so if he didn't go on any rides, there was no money lost there. The Mister and I on the other hand have to obviously pay for our park hoppers and wanted to get the most for our money. That's where Nana and Grandpa came in. They helped us be able to enjoy the parks.

The Deets - 

Magic Kingdom - MK is obviously the most kid friendly of the 4 gates. Most of the rides here (besides the Mountains) have no height requirement. Because Cy was too wiggly to wait in line, the only rides we went on with him was The Little Mermaid, Dumbo and It's A Small World. He mostly enjoyed frolicking around New Fantasyland. There is an awesome splash zone there that he loved. We never stayed for the parades because A- he was too young to care and B- You should ALWAYS take a mid day break. I don't want to be anywhere near any of the parks from the time of noon - 3/4. It's too hot and too crowded as that is when the late risers finally mosey on into the parks. My advice - Get there for rope drop, stay until about 11:30ish, head back to the hotel for a siesta and then head back for night time (4:00). And always watch Wishes (MK's fireworks show) it's a gorgeous show, very Disney!

#SplishSplash

Animal Kingdom - I have to say, AK is probably my least favorite park. Although the safari is awesome (Cy loved that) and Expedition Everest is also great, I just don't see this as a "full day" destination. I will also admit that I am not really a "sit and watch a show at an amusement park" type of person so if you enjoy that you will probably enjoy AK. The way I like to visit AK is to go for right when they open, head straight to the safari as the animals are most active during morning hours, get in a few more things before 11:30 and then park hop to another park after your siesta. AK must do's - Kilimanjaro Safari, Expedition Everest, Festival of the Lion King (now that it's open again), It's Tough to be a Bug, and Dinosaur. I have also heard of some great restaurants in AK (Yak & Yeti being one of them) but have never personally experienced them. They are definitely on the list for next time though! Also, the latest AK closes is 7pm during the busy season (6pm during the off season). I have heard rumors that this will change once Avatar Land opens up.

This photo really shows how close you can get to the animals on the Kilimanjaro Safari!

Hollywood Studios - HS is probably my favorite park of the 4. Tower of Terror is my favorite ride in 'The World, so walking in to HS and seeing the Hollywood Tower Hotel menacingly standing towards that back of the park always gives me goosebumps! I also love the Rock n' Roller coaster too. And, one of my favorite restaurants on the Disney World Resort is in Hollywood Studios, The 50's Prime Time Cafe, which is themed as a 1950's sitcom. The lobby/waiting area of this restaurant is "mom's living room" complete with bar, of course. All the waiters and waitresses act like they are your parents and really get into their roles. That means no elbows on the table, no hats on at dinner AND you have to eat all of your vegetables. Since I love to always be immersed in themeing, this is absolutely my kind of restaurant. When we visited in October we went with a large group and had an amazing time. My favorite dish is the pot roast, my mouth is watering just thinking about it. Admittedly there is not a whole lot for the under 3 set to do at HS but that doesn't mean there aren't opportunities for wonderful pictures and great memories! I will say this though - Fantasmic (HS fireworks show) is a pretty great show for the little ones. Fantasmic actually started in Disneyland and was brought to HS in 1996. They have a huge amphitheater for the show which allows for great seating, something the fireworks shows in the other parks do not offer.

Posing in "Mom's Kitchen" at 50's Prime Time! *Grandpa not pictured

Epcot - Epcot is my second favorite park and that's because you can drink in copious amounts here. (#SorryNotSorry). As far as the little ones go, there are a few rides here that they can go on. With Cy, we took him on the Finding Nemo ride (which is actually a super cool ride) and we also took him on the Living with the Land ride which takes you behind the scenes of Disney's horticultural division. And, once you are done seeing where everything is grown, you can eat at the restaurant (Garden Grill) in The Land pavilion. This is where all the food that is grown is served. When we went, it was during Epcot's International Food and Wine Festival (IMO, the greatest time to visit WDW) so of course we had an amazing time tasting and sampling food from around the world. As far as the rides in Epcot - Soarin - Great ride! Disney brought this ride over from Disneyland and it has been a popular attraction ever since. Test Track - I personally only needed to go on this ride once in my life time because it's not super exciting to me. Although they have recently refurbished it with a new sponsor so it may be worth checking out if you are curious. Mission Space - puke. Spaceship Earth (the big golf ball) - great ride for a little break from the heat during the day and very educational! Maelstrom - This is a water ride in the Norway pavilion in the World Showcase. It is an awesome ride and has a great drop in it. There are rumblings that this may be turned into a Frozen themed ride soon. My best advice - Head to Epcot in the morning, do all of Future World - take your midday break - and then head back in around 4 to drink and eat your way around the World Showcase for the rest of the night. And be sure to catch Illuminations (Epcot's firework show) it is amazing and one of the best shows on Disney property. It will mostly likely make you cry.

Just trollin' around the Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow 

PS - Places like Disney's Boardwalk and Downtown Disney as well as both water parks (Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon) are great for the under 3 set. The Boardwalk and DD are both free and both have areas for the little ones to run around. And, both water parks have extensive baby areas for the littlest of Mousejunkies.

Fantasy Friday {Disney World Surprises}

Earlier this week I binge watched Disney World surprises. For those that don't know, this is when parents (or in some cases husbands *hint hint*) surprise their children either the day of/week before that they are going to Disney World. Every time the surprises were revealed, tears streamed down my face. I can not wait to one day do this for Cy. Side note for The Mister - You can plan a Disney vacay and surprise me, but I have to know at least a week in advance...outfits need to be planned, lists need to be made. On that note, here are a few of my favorite Disney World surprises!

Enjoy!