tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70167201157549104162024-02-20T08:27:55.252-08:00Mouse Made EasyPlanning a trip to Disney World anytime? Don't know where to start? Let us help! We'll provide you with the tools that you need to ensure your vacation is truly memorable.MouseMadeEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00145289219127248551noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7016720115754910416.post-2433464849933824372008-09-10T05:42:00.000-07:002008-09-10T05:48:03.863-07:00How to Plan a Disney Trip in 1 hour<p>So my husband and I decided the Thursday before Labor Day weekend, to take a quick trip down to Disney World. Luckily, we live close enough to drive, but we thought we’d share with you some of our insights to help should you need to plan a trip fast!<br /></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Step 1</span></strong><br />Location, Location, Location: Determine where you want to stay. </p><p>Check out <a href="http://www.mousesavers.com/">Mousesavers.com</a> and look under “Latest News & Hot Deals”. We stayed at the Caribe Royale and it was very enjoyable. Would definitely recommend them (Be warned, they do not have free Wifi available in their rooms)<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Step 2</span></strong><br />Tickets! This time we used the <a href="http://www.mousesavers.com/wdwtixdiscounts.html#online">UnderCover Tourist</a> and made arrangements to pick up our tickets in Florida.<br /></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Step 3</span></strong><br />We decided to Drive, so we followed the “<a href="http://mousemadeeasy.blogspot.com/2008/04/driving-made-easy.html">Driving Made Easy</a>” page (make sure you download the GPS Information!)</p><p>We planned our trip and booked hotels along the way. You NEED to do some prep work here because you need to be familiar with some of these areas in case you need to quickly stop to stay overnight. You'd like to stay at a safe area especially when driving at night.</p><p><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Step 4</span></strong><br />Try to make <a href="http://mousemadeeasy.blogspot.com/2008/04/where-to-eat.html">Dining Arrangements</a> by calling WDW-DINE (You will get laughed at if you try to book Cinderella’s Castle two days before your trip!) Have low expectations here and be prepared to eat more on the fly.<br /></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Step 5</span><br /></strong>Start packing! Check out all of the <a href="http://mousemadeeasy.blogspot.com/2008/04/vacation-packing-list.html">Packing lists information</a>. Mousesavers has a great packing list which I’ve modified on many occasions. </p><p><br />And you’re off! It took us less than 1 hour to plan this trip and 30 minutes to pack up our suitcase. It was a complete blast!<br /><br />Hope this helped!</p>MouseMadeEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00145289219127248551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7016720115754910416.post-66565012379667829382008-04-24T19:22:00.000-07:002008-04-24T19:24:31.054-07:00DVC Daily Internet charge to be discontinuedDaily Internet charge to be discontinued effective May 4, 2008<br /><br />Based on Member feedback, the daily charge for wired high-speed Internet<br />access for Members staying at Disney Vacation Club Resorts at the Walt<br />Disney World(r) Resort will be discontinued effective May 4, 2008. Guests<br />renting Disney Vacation Club accommodations will continue to pay the daily<br />rate for access, and high-speed Internet access charges still apply to<br />Members staying at non-Disney Vacation Club Resorts.MouseMadeEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00145289219127248551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7016720115754910416.post-46127147854242677032008-04-07T07:15:00.000-07:002008-04-07T07:29:04.707-07:00Special Deals<a name="visafreedining"></a>Disney Rewards® Visa® "FREE Dining" Vacation Package<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mousesavers.com/packages.html#visafreedining">Free Dining</a> is now being offered for Disney Visa Card holders between 8/24/08 - 9/20/08. This is a great deal and is during a great time of the season. After Labor Day the crowds are very low so not only do you get free food you also get low crowd levels. They expect the same offer to become available to the general public on 4/10/08.MouseMadeEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00145289219127248551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7016720115754910416.post-32671150395287011482008-04-03T19:51:00.000-07:002008-04-03T07:46:16.978-07:00Where to start?This site was created to provide you with the information that you need as quick as possible to help minimize stress! There's tons of information out there, our goal is to provide you access to that information.<br /><br /><br /><ul><li>Determine when would be the <a href="http://mousemadeeasy.blogspot.com/2008/04/when-is-best-time-to-go.html">best time to go</a>.</li><li>Sign up to receive the <a href="http://mousemadeeasy.blogspot.com/2008/04/sign-up-for-newsletters.html">newsletters</a>. </li><li>Then determine where <a href="http://mousemadeeasy.blogspot.com/2008/04/where-to-stay.html">you'd like to stay.</a> </li><li><a href="http://mousemadeeasy.blogspot.com/2008/04/how-do-i-buy-tickets.html">Buy Tickets</a></li><li>Determine which restaurants you'd like to <a href="http://mousemadeeasy.blogspot.com/2008/04/where-to-eat.html">eat onsite </a>as they book up 6 months in advance</li><li>Based on where you're going to eat, start planning your <a href="http://mousemadeeasy.blogspot.com/2008/04/park-itinerary.html">itinerary</a> for each park. This seems backwards, but those Dining places fill up fast and sometimes you just have to base it on where you're going to be eating.</li><li>Then determine whether you'd like to <a href="http://mousemadeeasy.blogspot.com/2008/03/cost-of-air-travel-vs-driving.html">fly or drive </a></li></ul><p>Don't see something here? Broken Link? <a href="mailto:mousemadeeasy@gmail.com">Contact us</a> and we'll correct it!</p>MouseMadeEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00145289219127248551noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7016720115754910416.post-1109403764478017862008-04-03T11:31:00.001-07:002008-04-03T11:39:23.512-07:00Special Events at Disney WorldThere's a link to the <a href="http://www.mousesavers.com/wdwspecialevents.html">Mousesavers site </a>on when the special events are at Disney.<br /><br />My personal favorites are the Food and Wine Tasting Festival at Epcot (I love food!) and the Not-so-Scary Halloween Party.<br /><br />Last time we went, we took our girls (ages 3 and 5) to the <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/special/bbb/index?id=BBBLandingPage">Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique</a> to get their hair and makeup done. This is not something that we typically do but once you get there, you're going to see a whole bunch of little princesses wandering around in their Princess outfits with their hair and makeup done. Definitely a one-time thing. Then we got them dressed up in their Princess outfits and away we went trick or treating. Disney provides you with the bags for trick or treating and I'd recommend you start trick or treating by Mickey's house over in Mickey's Toon Town Fair and follow the Goofy balloons.MouseMadeEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00145289219127248551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7016720115754910416.post-25379543638184924872008-04-03T11:24:00.001-07:002008-04-03T11:42:11.099-07:00Budget ChecklistIf you're trying to determine a budget for your trip, here are a couple of items to take into consideration:<br /><ul><li>Dining</li><li>Accommodations</li><li>Park Tickets</li><li>Transportation Costs (Car: Gas, Hotel, Food; Plane: Airfare, Parking, Car Rental, Gas)</li><li>Groceries</li><li>Gifts/Souvenirs</li><li>Photos </li><li>Pet Boarding</li></ul>MouseMadeEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00145289219127248551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7016720115754910416.post-60489158589361239992008-04-03T08:13:00.000-07:002008-04-03T11:47:22.067-07:00Other than Disney...<strong><u>Seaworld Tickets</u></strong><br /><br /><br />I would buy Sea World tickets at the gate and if you apply (or already have) a Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards card (their free frequent flyer program), you get a 20% discount so that's what we did.<br /><br />You also get a 2nd day free at Sea World if you take your tix to Guest Services there and they will take your picture and you can come back within a week for one more day for no extra charge.MouseMadeEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00145289219127248551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7016720115754910416.post-18673277846043305912008-04-02T22:50:00.000-07:002008-04-02T22:55:33.451-07:00Driving Packing List<p>To sum it up:</p><ul><li>Battery charger - we have a self-starter so in case we break down by the road, we can jump our own car</li><li>Snacks </li><li>Drinks</li><li>Cooler </li><li>Ear phones for the DVD Player </li><li>Pillows </li><li>Coloring books </li><li>DVDs </li><li>GPS</li><li>Plastic bags </li><li>Trash bags </li><li>Wipes </li><li>Sunshade </li><li>Maps </li><li>Ziploc Bags </li><li>Tissues </li><li>Toys</li></ul>MouseMadeEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00145289219127248551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7016720115754910416.post-65287937284553859592008-04-02T22:38:00.001-07:002008-09-10T05:34:06.325-07:00Driving Made EasyIf you don't have a GPS, get one. Seriously. It's the best tool out there.<br /><br />Mousesavers offers some advice on a <a href="http://www.mousesavers.com/roadtrip.html">Road Trip to Disney</a>, AND they also have <a href="http://www.mousesavers.com/gps.html">GPS advice</a>.<br /><br />Also, check out Moms Minivan for cool ideas of <a href="http://www.momsminivan.com/">age appropriate games </a>that you can play while travelling with your kids. There's a scavenger hunt game which I've tweaked for my own purposes. Great site.<br /><br />Here are a couple of other pieces of advice for travelling with young kids based on personal experiences and from other parents.<br /><br />NOTE: It would be beneficial to plan out your trip in advance and especially be familiar with some of the areas where you may need to stop off for overnight. You do not want to stop in a bad area, so pre-planning is key here.<br /><br /><ul><li>When you stop at McDonald's for lunch, let the kids spend some of their energy in the Play area. When they're done, put them back into the car and let them eat their food while you're driving. Makes for a quieter ride.</li><li>Best coloring page is a three-ringed binder with tons of paper. Easy to clean up, no papers on the floor and easy to put away</li><li>DVD Player is a must.</li><li>Make frequent potty stops to prevent frequent accidents.</li><li>Pack a backpack or bag full of new toys from the dollar store and give it to them the day of your trip</li><li>If you don't want to get a tray table, buy a baking pan with a lid on it so they can use it to color and contain their toys and it won't roll around</li><li>Buy a "toy grabber" to help your kids pick up toys they've dropped on the ground</li><li>At the dollar store, grab a handful of gifts and wrap them up. Every hour, give your kids one toy to unwrap.</li><li>Sing Disney songs all the way down there</li><li>Pack lunches and pack your own ice coolers</li><li>Take extra towels and extra clothes in the car so in case of an accident, you don't have to haul out your suitcase and look for your stuff</li><li>Pack a separate bag for the diapers, wipes etc.</li><li>Hand wipes are very useful and needed.</li><li>Take grocery bags with you, they make handy trash bags and throw up bags :)</li><li>Pillows in the car can never hurt.</li><li>Listen to books on tape.</li><li>Always pack a flashlight</li><li>Make sure you've got a sunshade. Driving while in the sun for a lot of hours is just not fun.</li></ul>MouseMadeEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00145289219127248551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7016720115754910416.post-76831233223405144872008-04-02T22:26:00.000-07:002008-04-02T22:34:32.056-07:00What to take to the ParksMousesavers has an awesome list of <a href="http://www.mousesavers.com/timeismoney.html#essential">essential equipment</a> to take to the parks.<br /><br />The main thing to remember is try freezing your bottles of water ahead of time, and then popping them into your bag to take to the park. That way you will have cool water to drink and won't have to worry about ice.<br /><br />I also put a lot of tissues in Ziploc bags to take with me as I don't like those pocket tissue packs.<br /><br />We buy a lot of sanitizing wipes. We thought the disposable toilet seat covers for kids would work, but it wasn't convenient so instead we have two types of wipes. An higher concentrated alcohol-based one to wipe down the toilet seats, and a "regular" wipe for our hands.<br /><br />I am also a big believer in a fanny pack. Who cares if you look like a tourist. You are.<br /><br />Band aids and Neosporin is a must.<br /><br />During our last trip, we tried taking packets of crystal light for the water. That worked out really well.MouseMadeEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00145289219127248551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7016720115754910416.post-34161737801701422242008-04-02T21:59:00.000-07:002008-04-03T14:20:35.308-07:00Park Itinerary<p>Based on where you're going to eat, start planning your itinerary of which park you'll go and when (this seems backwards, but those Dining places fill up fast and sometimes you just have to base it on where you're going to be eating).<br /><br />I know you're probably thinking "OK, this is not sounding like a relaxing vacation." Trust me, the more work you do ahead of time, the more time you have to relax when you get there. I've heard of stories of some people who decided to "wing" it, and they ended up missing out some of the main attractions, or they've complained because the lines were too long.<br /><br />This is where the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Unofficial-Guide-Disney-World-Guides/dp/0470089636/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1207198891&sr=8-1">Unofficial Guide to Disney World</a> book is invaluable. It provides you with a list of rides that are suitable for different age groups and provides you with ideas of how to get through the park in one day and not lose your sanity.<br /></p><p><strong>Tools you will need to create an itinerary:</strong></p><ul><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Unofficial-Guide-Disney-World-Guides/dp/0470089636/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1207198891&sr=8-1">Unofficial Guide to Disney World</a>: look at the section on age specific rides for kids</li><li>List of Park Hours from <a href="http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/hours.htm">wdwinfo</a></li><li><a href="http://www.kingdommagictravel.com/disneyworld/theme_parks/height_restrictions.htm">Height Chart </a>created by Kingdom Magic Vacations</li><li>Check the "explore the park" menu on the Disney World site for each park. since they break it down by "for the little ones" , "mild but wild", etc. All of this information is also in the Unofficial Guide book.</li></ul><p>For example, if you're starting off at the Magic Kingdom, the very first ride that you have to go on is Dumbo. When you get to the park, you may wait 20 minutes for that ride. Towards the latter half of the day, you may wait anywhere between 1-2 hours.<br /><br />Here is an example of our itinerary when we took our two daughters ages 2 and 4 to the parks:<br /><br /><strong><u>Magic Kingdom Itinerary</u></strong><br />Hours: 9am-8pm – extra hours in the evening (9pm)<br />Magic Hour benefit – opens 1 hour earlier<br />Food:<br /></p><ul><li>7:10am Chef Mickey’s 4 (Reservation #) </li><li>1:05pm Cinderella’s Royal Table (Reservation #) <span style="font-size:85%;color:#ff0000;"><em>(These reservations were made 5 months in advance)</em></span></li><li>Counter Service for Dinner: Plaza Pavilion, Pecos Bill’s, Cosmic Ray’s, Liberty Tree Tavern <em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#ff0000;">(Based on our dining preferences, we put together a list of counter services we thought we'd like.)</span></em></li><li>Snacks: Mrs Pott’s Cupboard; Scuttle’s Landing (FantasyLand); The Launching Pad (Tomorrowland).</li></ul><p>At Fantasyland, see the following:<span style="color:#ff0000;"><em> <span style="font-size:85%;">(This was based off the </span></em></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Unofficial-Guide-Disney-World-Guides/dp/0470089636/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1207198891&sr=8-1"><span style="font-size:85%;color:#ff0000;"><em>Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World </em></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color:#ff0000;"><em>book)</em></span><br /></span>-Ariels Grotto<br />-Dumbo<br />-Winnie the Pooh (Get a Fast Pass)<br />-Peter Pan (Fast Pass)<br />-It’s a Small World (Expect a long wait)<br />- Cinderella’s Golden Carousel<br />- Fairytale Garden (Belle reads stories to the kids) <em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#ff0000;">(When entering the park, find out what time this starts)<br /></span></em></p><p>At Adventureland, see the following:<br />-Jungle Cruise (Get a Fast Pass)<br />-Tom Sawyers Island (Pirates of the Caribbean)<br />-Swiss Family Treehouse<br />-Aladdin’s Magic Carpets<br /></p><p>At Tomorrowland, see the following:<br />-Transit Authority<br />-Speedway<br />-Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin (Fast Pass) <em><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color:#ff0000;">(Might be intense for some young kids</span>)</span></em><br />-Mickey’s Toontown Fair<br />-Donalds boat (bring an extra change of clothes, water play)<br />- Walt Disney Railroad </p>MouseMadeEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00145289219127248551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7016720115754910416.post-30645442257086839822008-04-02T21:54:00.000-07:002008-04-03T11:46:55.566-07:00Disney DiningOnce you've decided on your vacation package, you need to make plans immediately if you're going to eat onsite as it books up REALLY quickly.<br /><br />You can do this by using the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Unofficial-Guide-Disney-World-Guides/dp/0470089636/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1207198891&sr=8-1">Unofficial Guide to Disney World</a> and by checking out dining reviews at <a href="http://www.allears.net/">http://www.allears.net/</a> as there is a forum for users to post their thoughts and also rate the restaurants.<br /><br />You can also use the <a href="http://pscalculator.net/psfaq.shtml">Planning Strategy Calculator </a>to let you know when you need to book your reservations at Disney World.<br /><br />There's also this really cool link which is the <a href="http://personalpages.tds.net/~rb/DIS/MYW%20Dining/DisneyDiningRanking.htm">Top Disney Restaurants Value for Credit </a>indicating price per person for each restaurant.<br /><br />Then, call Disney Dining at (407) WDW-DINE (939-3463) to make your reservations.<br /><br />Personal favorites for Character Dining include:<br /><br /><br /><ul><li>Cinderella's Royal Buffet in the Magic Kingdom (Breakfast and Lunch meet and greet with the Disney Princesses) - fills up fast. </li><li>Akershus in Epcot (meet and greet with the Disney Princesses)</li><li>Crystal Palace at Magic Kingdom (meet and greet Winnie the Pooh)</li><li>Hollywood & Vine at Disney Hollywood Studios (meet the Little Einsteins)</li></ul>MouseMadeEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00145289219127248551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7016720115754910416.post-62543419525008985042008-04-02T21:50:00.000-07:002008-04-03T09:57:33.765-07:00How to buy park ticketsDisney World tickets are non-transferable, meaning that you can't buy someones leftover tickets to get into the parks. Upon your first time entering the park, they will take a fingerprint of you and that will embedded into the system, making it definitely non <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">transferable</span>. Also, beware of "curb side" vendors - but beware. With <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Disney's</span> new "finger scan" the tickets may not work.<br /><br />However, there are some good ways to get tickets at a discount.<br /><br />You can buy tickets at the Disney Store in your local mall, or buy tickets online from the <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/reservations/ticketsAndReservationsLanding?id=TicketsAndReservationsLandingPage">Disney World Site</a>. Both are cheaper than when you arrive in Orlando.<br /><br />If you are staying <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">on site</span>, you can look at bundling your tickets with your room rates. <br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Mousesavers</span> has the differences between the <a href="http://www.mousesavers.com/tickets.html">different tickets </a>that are now being offered.<br /><br />Quick summary:<br /><ul><li>Park Hopper - lets you go from park to park on a day ticket</li><li>Don't Expire option - lets the days you don't use on this trip never expire - if you don't get this, the days expire 10 days after your first day of use.</li><li>Magic plus option - gets you a few trips to <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">water slides</span> or other things there</li></ul><p>The more days you buy, the more you save...</p>MouseMadeEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00145289219127248551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7016720115754910416.post-21489067054917816032008-04-02T21:45:00.000-07:002008-04-03T11:46:26.788-07:00Where to stay?There are so many different choices that you have in where to stay at Disney World. You can stay onsite, or offsite. The main difference is that onsite, it's more expensive, but the parks are more accessible than offsite.<br /><br />Here are some links to help you make your decision:<br /><ul><li><a href="http://www.mousesavers.com/preferred.html">Mousesavers list of Preferred Hotels around Disney World </a></li><li><a href="http://www.mousesavers.com/packages.html">Mousesavers vacation packages</a> </li><li><a href="http://www.mousesavers.com/nondisney.html">Mousesavers list of non-Disney resorts to stay at</a></li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Unofficial-Guide-Disney-World-Guides/dp/0470089636/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1207198891&sr=8-1">Unofficial Guide to Disney World</a> </li></ul><p>If you decide to go directly through Disney, the number for booking a room at Disney is: (407) 939-6244). </p><p>You can also book a vacation on the <a href="http://www.disneyworld.com/">Disney World site</a>, they have great packages every once in a while.</p>MouseMadeEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00145289219127248551noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7016720115754910416.post-19652796001420308162008-04-02T21:37:00.001-07:002008-04-02T21:40:17.839-07:00Sign up for Newsletters!First, there's so much information about Disney World out there and so many great sites which have consolidated it. <br /><br />Sign up to receive the following newsletters at the following sites:<br /><ul><li><a href="http://www.mousesavers.com/">Mousesavers.com</a> (monthly newsletter containing information on tickets, discounts, rental car discounts, hotel rates); </li><li><a href="http://www.allears.net/">Allears.net</a> (weekly newsletter containing dining reviews, resort pictures); </li><li><a href="http://www.disboards.com/">Disboards</a> (Disney Discussion Forums containing information on theme park strategies, dining/hotel reviews and pretty much everything you can think of) </li><li>And of course, sign up at the Disney World site to also receive their newsletters and free <a href="https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/disneyparks/en_US/vpkIndex?name=VPKOnePage&sourcecode=11854&referrer=wdw&hdrType=default&vcnType=wdw">vacation planning video</a>.</li></ul>MouseMadeEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00145289219127248551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7016720115754910416.post-32541003294180207722008-04-02T21:34:00.000-07:002008-04-03T11:44:26.685-07:00When is the best time to go?First thing you need to do is to decide when would be the best times to go.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mousesavers.com/wdwfaq.html#busy">Mousesavers.com</a> has a great page to show which months are the best/worst to go.<br /><br />You can also go to TouringPlans which has a great page that shows a <a href="http://touringplans.com/tp2/UG2_index.php?PageID=14">crowd level calculator</a>.<br /><br />This link at <a href="http://www.intercot.com/resorts/disney/rates/default.asp">Intercot </a>explains which months are the cheapest to go and stay onsite in addition to <a href="http://www.intercot.com/infocentral/weather/whentovisit.asp">which seasons to go</a>.<br /><br />This is a great link to <a href="http://pages.prodigy.net/stevesoares/">Walt Disney World Live Entertainment</a> which provides you with a weekly schedule of events.MouseMadeEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00145289219127248551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7016720115754910416.post-24340412333005808272008-04-02T05:35:00.000-07:002008-09-10T05:39:16.644-07:00Vacation Packing ListI originally downloaded the <a href="http://www.mousesavers.com/timeismoney.html#packing">Mousesavers Packing List</a> and made some modifications of my own, but their list would be a great way to start.<br /><br />A few more additions I'd recommend would be:<br /><ul><li>Night Light</li><li>Rain Gear</li><li>Sunglasses Holder - to put around your neck to </li></ul>MouseMadeEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00145289219127248551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7016720115754910416.post-80521316900008843092008-03-30T22:03:00.001-07:002008-03-30T22:09:25.686-07:00Travel LinksPay attention, lots of information here.<br /><br /><strong>Car Rentals</strong><br />Firstly, <a href="http://www.mousesavers.com/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Mousesavers</span> </a>has great information in general of tips to save money on well...everything. We've found that when we've booked air fares through Southwest.com using the codes from from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Mousesavers</span> we'll sometimes get a better deal. <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Plus</span> you can use Southwest credit for their rewards program.<br /><br /><strong>Booking your Vacation</strong><br />I just had a friend use a Certified Disney Planner. She found one on the <a href="http://www.disneyworld.com/">Disney World</a> site. She <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">didn't</span> pay a single dime! Way to go friend.<br /><br />You can keep checking the Disney World site for great deals or you can try to put together your own vacation.<br /><br />Another resource that we've used has been <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.aaa.com">AAA</a>. When booking through AAA you get the following benefits:<br /><ul><li>AAA Vacations Diamond Card - Receive special savings at participating<br />locations.</li><li>Disney's Story Time Experience - Story time with a Disney Character. Only<br />available to AAA members. Requires advanced reservations</li><li>AAA Diamond Parking - Convenient preferred parking spaces</li><li>AAA Vacations keepsake luggage tag</li><li>Must See/Must Do/How to Guide - 40 page full color booklet packed with<br />information</li><li>Hertz Rental Car Upgrade</li></ul>MouseMadeEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00145289219127248551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7016720115754910416.post-17332238756259158382008-03-30T21:58:00.000-07:002008-04-02T21:42:02.221-07:00Flying Packing ListQuick run down on the flying packing list:<br /><ul><li>If you can, pack two carry on bags. One with immediate supplies such as food, drinks, toys etc...and one with extra supplies, such as extra clothes in case a layover turns into a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">night over</span>, or your luggage gets lost</li><li>Travel information</li><li>Car Rental Information</li><li>Band Aids & Alcohol Wipes</li><li>Medication</li><li>DVD Player and/or Computer with DVD Player</li><li>Crayons, books and other toys</li><li>Diapers if needed</li><li>Frequent Flier Cards in case you hadn't used them when booking your tickets.</li><li>Gum/beverage for ear drums on take off/landing</li><li>Hotel Confirmation</li><li>Snacks/Lollipops etc.</li><li>Maps so you know where you're going</li><li>Pillows</li><li>Your child's "lovey"</li><li>Did I mention toys if you have kids?</li></ul>MouseMadeEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00145289219127248551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7016720115754910416.post-3742198856544987562008-03-30T21:27:00.000-07:002008-04-05T22:52:00.836-07:00Tips for Flying<strong><u>Where can I get cheap tickets?</u></strong><br /><br />Sign up for the <a href="http://www.southwest.com/hotfares/signup.html?ref=cns_ding_hp">Ding Fares</a> from Southwest airlines. This will download an application that will keep running on your computer and will alert you to discounted fares. This application has allowed us to travel across country for as low was $54 - 79 dollars. It's a great application.<br /><br />If you are unable to travel via Southwest, our other favorite sites are the following:<br /><br /><ul><li><a href="http://www.allegiantair.com/">Allegiant Air</a> </li><li><a href="http://www.jetblue.com/">Jetblue</a> </li><li><a href="http://www.expedia.com/">Expedia</a> </li><li><a href="http://www.orbitz.com/">Orbitz</a> </li><li><a href="http://www.travelocity.com/">Travelocity</a> </li><li><a href="http://www.farecast.com/">http://www.farecast.com/</a></li><li><a href="http://www.kayak.com/">http://www.kayak.com/</a></li><li><a href="http://www.airfarewatchdog.com/">http://www.airfarewatchdog.com/</a></li><li><a href="http://www.farecompare.com/">http://www.farecompare.com/</a></li><li><a href="http://www.yapta.com/">http://www.yapta.com/</a> - allows you to tag flights so that you can receive emails when the price goes down.</li></ul><p>Another good way of keeping track of cheap airfares is to download the "Travel" module on "My Yahoo" and tailor it to provide you with updated cheap fares from your specific destinations when they become available. </p><p>You can also sign up with other airlines to receive last minute fares and email offers when they become available. </p><p><strong><u>Other Useful Links</u> </strong></p><strong></strong><ul><li><a href="http://www.seatguru.com/">Seatguru.com</a> for help finding the best seats on your flight.</li><li><a href="http://waittime.tsa.dhs.gov/index.html">TSA </a>for wait times at airports<br /><strong></strong></li></ul><p><strong><u>Travelling with an Infant</u></strong><br /><br /></p><ul><li>Depending on how long the trip is, consider purchasing a seat for your infant. All babies, no matter what age, get heavy. Some airlines will try to be considerate to mothers carrying infants and if they have room on the plane, will ask people to move to accommodate them. </li><li>Car Seat - great idea to use a car seat on the plane, will help keep the baby strapped down and sometimes they'll nap better.</li><li>Try feeding your infant on the plane. I've heard of many women who've nursed or fed their children while on take off as this will help your infant to swallow, thus will help pop his ears.</li><li>If are you are nursing, would suggest purchasing a nursing camisole with a very loose buttoned shirt which will ensure your privacy while nursing. Would also recommend travelling with a pillow to put the baby on your lap while nursing.</li><li>Try to get a window seat if you're nursing for added privacy and it's easier for you to lean your head to the side of the plane and catch some zz's.</li><li>Check out the layout of the airport before you get there and call ahead for nursing facilities </li><li>Make sure to take your infants comfort toys</li><li>Make Individual Diaper Change kits - take a large Ziploc bag (or the blue disposable diaper bags) and put a diaper in it as well as a smaller Ziploc with a couple of wipes in it. You can also add disposable changing pads to put on the public changing tables. This makes it easy to reach down, grab a bag and not have to worry about where all of your supplies are. I loved using the blue disposable bags, so once I was done changing the diaper, I'd wrap it back up in the blue bag and dump it in the trash.</li><li>Consider packing a brand new toy to help capture your child's attention.</li><li>Make sure you pack extra clothes..not only for the baby, but for you also in case of spitting up or vomiting. Also pack warm blankets, extra baby food and lots of water for yourself (remember to take care of yourself)</li><li>Go to your local grocery/convenience store and buy every travel pack item possible that you think you'll need so you don't have to lug around huge bags. Lotions for the plane, hand wipes, face wipes, etc.</li><li>Medication - Take your medication with you! You will need it (especially Tylenol or orajel!)</li><li>Stroller - check in your stroller at your boarding gate (make sure you get a tag for it at the desk). You will be allowed to take it all the way up to the plane, and then they'll stow it below the plane for you. When you land, it will be all set up and ready to go. </li><li>If your child loves a baby bjorn/sling, take it. Some kids preferred being carried to being strolled. This means you've just turned your stroller into a huge shopping cart for that gigantic backpack you're now carrying! What a great idea!</li><li>If you do decide to check in your car seat, purchase a car seat travelling bag. Also check with your airline as most airlines do NOT count this as an extra piece of luggage. </li></ul><p><strong><u>Travelling with toddlers/pre-schoolers</u></strong></p><ul><li>Check in your stroller at the gate (make sure you get a tag from the desk)</li><li>Put together a special backpack for your kids filled with new toys from the dollar store. Pack a few of her favorites and also some brand new toys.</li><li>Good toys to take are ones that don't make noises. Try flash cards, dolls, coloring books and pencils, blank papers</li><li>DVD Portable players are the WAY TO GO. Do you know how many kids I've seen on planes crying and screaming because they are bored? If your child watches TV, now is not the time to impose a "you watch TV too much" law. Plug that in and rent a brand new movie from either <a href="http://www.blockbuster.com/">Blockbuster Online </a>or <a href="http://www.netflix.com/">Netflix</a>, that they haven't seen before, and take it on the plane! Want to score extra points for the people around you? Teach your child how to use headphones! Try prepping for this way ahead of time so that they can get used to it.</li><li>If you are picky about them sleeping on dirty seats, bring your own blanket. And your own pillow so that they can lay down on them if they're tired.</li><li>Bring LOTS of snacks. LOTS. And if they're potty trained, enforce a potty break whenever you can. Usually my kids want to go during take off, or right when the Pilot has indicated that there's turbulence ahead and everyone buckle up. You can also try putting a pull up on them just in case accidents happen.</li><li>Extra clothes for you and for them. </li><li>Grocery bags to put soiled clothes in</li><li>Lots of wet wipes and facial wipes which you can get in travel packets.</li><li>Kleenex - either the travel kind, or stick some in a Ziploc and you're ready to go.</li><li>One lady learnt this the hard way. Do not let your child walk up and down the aisles. Try to instill with them the need to keep buckled up the entire time. This is for your own sanity. Also, don't encourage them to play with the window shade :) Or the tray table :)</li><li>Make them drink a liquid, or chew gum or suck on a lollipop during takeoff to help with their ears.</li><li>Pack two bags. One with extra clothes which can go above your head, and one with the toys/activities and wipes that are all easy to reach.</li><li>Make sure your kids wear easy to slip on/off shoes for the security checks.</li></ul><p><strong><u>Overall tips:</u></strong></p><p>Never assume that a 5 hour trip is just 5 hours. Always prepare for the worst. Whenever hubby and I travel, we make sure that one of our carry on luggage's contains clothes for one night for all of us in case something happened and our luggage was lost.</p>MouseMadeEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00145289219127248551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7016720115754910416.post-4423608944742879422008-03-30T21:04:00.000-07:002008-04-02T21:41:06.224-07:00The Cost of Flying Vs DrivingThere are many different ways to calculate the cost of Flying vs Driving.<br /><br />For calculating the cost of flying, consider:<br /><br /><ul><li>How much will it cost you to park your car at the airport</li><li>Rental Car + Gas</li><li>Luggage restrictions at the airport.</li></ul>To calculate the cost of driving, consider:<br /><br /><ul><li>Cost of gas (Round trip)</li><li>Overnight stay at hotels enroute</li><li>Meals while on the road</li><li>Cost of taking extra vacation days</li></ul><p></p><p>All of these things must be taken into consideration when factoring the costs of travelling to Disney World.</p>Useful Links:<br /><ul><li><a href="http://www.fuelcostcalculator.com/">AAA Fuel Cost Calculator: </a>calculate fuel price for one-way/round trip drives. </li></ul>MouseMadeEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00145289219127248551noreply@blogger.com3