Free Disney Fun: Club Cool.

Without a doubt, one of my kiddos' favorite spots in all of Epcot is Club Cool, a refreshment station/gift shop sponsored by Coca-Cola and located right in the heart of Future World inside the gates of Epcot.  While I'm not sure I'd list the attraction as one of my very favorites, my husband & I don't mind swinging by Club Cool, either, because honestly..."If it's free, it's for me!"

It's no secret that Disney World isn't the cheapest place to vacation (although I promise I'll help you find the best deal possible!), so when you stumble upon something that is both FUN and FREE, it's a most definitely a win!

Club Cool serves a wide variety of Coca-Cola products from around the world.  For free.  Guests can grab small cups and sample as many (and as much!) of the drinks as they desire.  Each of my children has discovered a favorite, but beware: some of the choices are downright disgusting!

That's part of the fun, though, for our family.  We enjoy daring one another to try different selections and laughing together as we work to find the "grossest" flavor possible.  As mentioned, however, my kids have each found something they love as well, so we'll often stop by the store for a cool, refreshing drink whenever we pass by!

If you're looking for a neat, outside-the-box experience and don't mind going out on a limb with your taste buds, be sure to swing by Club Cool during your next visit to Epcot.  It's such a great way to add a little extra fun to your day--at no additional cost! :)

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If you're interested in planning a Disney vacation and/or would like more information, be sure to contact me at heather@mmadventures.net or via my Facebook page.  I'd love to help your family book & plan a magical adventure!

Typhoon Lagoon.

While Disney World is well known for its four major theme parks (Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios), the two water parks on property often remain unnoticed and overlooked, making them hidden gems in my eyes! :)

Seriously.  Just imagine a water park near your home.  Then imagine that same water park built using Disney's impeccable design.  Our family has fallen in love with Blizzard Beach & Typhoon Lagoon, the two water parks in Orlando bearing Disney's name.  

For the stage of life we're in right now, Typhoon Lagoon is our clear favorite.  The area built for smaller children, Ketchakiddee Creek, is a huge hit with our youngest two, but we also love the fact that our four- and five-year-old can enjoy the majority of the water slides across the property as well.  

The select few that they can't ride quite yet are made much more tolerable, however, by the fact that there is typically a pool or smaller water slide built in the immediate area of said attraction.  For example, our older kiddos love riding the Crush n' Gusher slides inside the park.  Even though our youngest aren't quite tall enough, the splash-down pool is literally attached to a zero-entry pool, meaning that while my husband rides the "water coaster" with our oldest, I can splash & play with the littles...and vice versa!  It truly is the perfect set-up, and even with the focus on families, there are still plenty of thrill rides to entice & excite my nine- and eleven-year-olds. 

My husband, who is slightly afraid of heights, loves the fact that the stairs leading up to most of the water slides are made out of concrete and securely built into the surrounding landscape--no freestanding towers of stairs to sway in the wind or make him nervous.  :)  We also appreciate that the walkways and paths are shaded and/or constantly sprayed with water--the soles of our feet are never burnt!

Most importantly, though, Typhoon Lagoon simply "feels" like Disney:  the park is clean, the cast members are accommodating (no need to bring your own towels!), the food is good, and, like all great Disney attractions, the backstories to each slide and the theme to the park as a whole is amazing.

And did I mention the character meet & greets?!?!  

Lilo and Stitch are available throughout the day for pictures, hugs, and autographs, and in all of the times we've visited Typhoon Lagoon, we've never waited more than 5-7 minutes to meet these highly sought-after favorites.

The water parks are a great way to add a day of fun to a vacation without breaking the bank, too. Water park admission is typically cheaper than theme park admission ($62/adult and $56/child, free for those under three), and can be purchased as a stand-alone ticket or added to the Park Hopper option as part of a package.  Both water parks are open for a good portion of the year as well, typically closing from mid-January through mid-March for seasonal maintenance.  

If you're looking for a great way to stay cool on your next Disney vacation, be sure to consider a visit to either Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon.  As always, please don't hesitate to let me know how I can help your family book & plan a fantastic trip; even if you're not quite sure where to start!  I'd love to answer your questions and/or simply talk through the possibility of customizing some magic for your next vacation, all with no obligation!  Contact me through email at heather@mmadventures.net or on Facebook at My Magical Mouse Adventures.

The Pirates League.

Y'all.

Out of all of the "extra" experiences we've done over the years, The Pirates League just might be my very favorite.

I didn't know much about what to expect when I made the reservation for my four-year-old son, Buddy, but I assumed that the experience would be right up my pirate-lover's alley.  I couldn't have been more right!

The Pirates League is located inside the Magic Kingdom, very near Pirates of the Caribbean over in Adventureland.  I was pleasantly surprised that all six of us were allowed in to witness Buddy's transformation!  Unlike Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, there is no limit to the number of guests allowed in with the pirate-to-be.

From the minute we walked in, we found the whole experience to be warm & welcoming, in a pirate sort of way. :)  We felt right at home with the easy conversation, gentle teasing, and jovial atmosphere that permeated the place.  Buddy spun a ship's wheel to determine his new "pirate" name (Frances Sailmonger) and was then escorted to his seat.

We LOVED Buddy's "Pirate Master!"  She was excellent at engaging our entire family in the experience, but went out of her way to make sure Buddy felt extra special.  Her quick wit had all of us laughing constantly, and the way in which she interacted with the other Pirate Masters and their Pirates-in-Training added such a fun group element.  It was as if everyone in the entire room was part of a big, fun family dinner.

There were a variety of pirate faces from which to choose, and Buddy quickly decided on the "Blackbeard" style.  Regardless of the make-up chosen, all pirate packages included a sword & sheath, a pirate bandana, an earring, an eye patch, a Pirates League pouch, a pirate coin necklace, a pirate's key, and a large, printed copy of the Pirate's Oath, personalized with each child's newly given pirate name (totally frame-worthy).

The transformation was amazing!  It was as if my Buddy was given a totally different persona.  He loved it!

With his transformation complete, Buddy was asked to recite the Pirate's Oath and was then greeted with a loud "Yo Ho!" from the room as he was officially given the title of "pirate."  (Actually, his Pirate Master stressed the fact the he was merely a "First Mate," which meant my husband & I outranked him--and thus Buddy would need to follow our orders throughout the day.)

Our experience ended with a trip through a "secret" door, which led to Captain Jack Sparrow's treasure room!

Once inside the treasure room, Buddy was able to "search" for his treasure (the pirate coin necklace) and sit in Jack Sparrow's chair for a few pictures.

It was such a great morning for our entire family!  We truly felt as if we'd been welcomed into a Pirates League, and Buddy was SO EXCITED to have a sword, sheath, and pirate key (and an earring!).  

Pirates League packages average about $50 (the most expensive is $100), and include Mermaid options as well!  In fact, after witnessing the mermaid transformations firsthand, both of our girls (ages 5 & 9) declared their desire to participate next year.  While the minimum participation age is three, there is no maximum age, and we saw quite a few adults working with Pirate Masters while we were there!

Reservations are highly encouraged and can be made 180 days in advance.  As always, I'd love to help your family book & plan a custom Disney trip!  Please don't hesitate to let me know how I can help! :)

Tusker House.

As far as "table service" (or sit down) restaurants go, the options can sometimes seem limited when visiting Disney's Animal Kingdom.  Unlike Magic Kingdom & Epcot, Animal Kingdom's physical location does not provide easy access to a variety of resort dining, and there are not as many choices inside the park as some other places.  

While there are two phenomenal table service experiences within the gates (Yak & Yeti and Tiffins), the menus don't always appeal to our kiddos, leaving us with two Animal Kingdom "go to" restaurants: Rainforest Cafe and Tusker House.  We love them both!  Today we'll take a closer look at Tusker House.

Tusker House is the only restaurant inside Animal Kingdom that provides a character experience. Goofy, Daisy, Donald, and Mickey are decked out in their best safari gear and visit each table to give hugs, take pictures, and sign autographs.

Tusker House serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner (buffet-style), and much of the food is prepared with an African twist (although corn dog nuggets and macaroni & cheese can be found as well!). We've found that the restaurant's menu allows our family to be adventurous in our eating, knowing that there will definitely be something we'll enjoy even if we end up not liking the new food we've tried (although we typically find most of it to be delicious!).  Sweet plantains, spit-roasted bone-in ham, curry chicken, mojo pork with spicy mustard, and beef bobotie have become some of our favorites!

The restaurant is located toward the very back of the property, near the entrance to The Festival of the Lion King and Kilimanjaro Safari.  Early breakfast reservations (at least an hour before the park opens) can allow your family to enjoy the meal, meet the characters, and be among some of the first in line to ride the Safari, but you'll need to be sure to arrive at the park early enough to make it through security and complete the trek back to the restaurant in time for your reservation!  (Valid theme park admission is required to dine at Tusker House.)

We LOVE the breakfast buffet, but prefer to eat as late as possible (typically around 10:30-10:45ish), so we often time our meal with the start of The Festival of the Lion King, which allows us to finish eating and immediately head over to see one of the best live shows in all of Disney World.

The breakfast buffet costs around $30/adult ($18/child), while lunch is about $38/adult ($23/child) and dinner averages $42/adult ($25/child).  You can also pay for the meal with one (1) table service credit per person on the Disney dining plan.

If you're looking for a fun character dining experience that offers a little more variety than your standard buffet, Tusker House would be a great spot to try!  I'd love to help your family book & plan a Disney trip-- tailored specifically to your desires and budget--with as little stress as possible.  Please don't hesitate to let me know how I can help!

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique.

On our most recent trip to Disney (just a couple of weeks ago), our 5-year-old daughter, Emmy, got to experience Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique for the very first time.

Many guests with whom I have the pleasure of working often inquire about this "princess salon," and most choose to book packages for their own personal princesses.  While packages range in cost from approximately $65.00-$200.00, our personal experience has been that the Crown Package ($65) is the perfect fit for our family's budget and our daughters' dreams.  

Just as there are multiple packages from which to choose, there are also multiple locations: Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique can be found inside Cinderella's Castle within Disney's Magic Kingdom (valid theme park admission is required to access this salon) as well as at Disney Springs, the outdoor mall area located on Disney property (no theme park tickets necessary!).

The pictures featured in this post are from our experience at the Disney Springs location, which we found to be quite spacious and fun!

All of the available salon packages include hairstyling, shimmering make-up & a princess gem, nail polish, and a princess sash & cinch sack.  The difference in the more expensive packages comes down to the addition of items such as t-shirts, tutus, and Disney princess gowns.  Princesses are allowed to bring their own gowns from home, however, and doing so is a great way to cut down on cost (and is exactly what we chose to do with Emmy!).

Two adults and all children in the party can accompany princesses into the salon, so our entire family was able to experience the Boutique with Emmy--and the experience was definitely entertaining enough for us all!  (If more than two adults are part of the group, the grown-ups can take turns visiting the salon throughout the experience.)

Before Emmy met her Fairy Godmother-in-training, she had the opportunity to change into her gown inside an enchanted dressing room (no pictures/spoilers here!).  Our whole family got to watch the magic come to life, which only heightened the excitement!

Emmy selected her own hairstyle from a picture menu of four choices and then sat back to let the transformation begin. 

Her Fairy Godmother-in-training was kind, personable, and age-appropriate, always keeping our family engaged in the process but going out of her way to make Emmy feel special.

Fingernails were polished and make-up was applied once the hairstyle was completed.

And of course there was pixie dust!  Lots and lots of pixie dust! :)  (Side note: all guests can stop by the front desk at any Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique location to receive a little pixie dust of their own!)

The big "reveal" (her chair was finally turned around to face the mirror) was definitely my favorite moment to watch.  I loved, loved, loved seeing Emmy's reaction to her transformation.  I also loved that PhotoPass photographers were on hand inside the salon, taking lots of pictures that became part of my Memory Maker package. :)

Emmy was given a sash and a precious pink cinch sack, which held all of her new trinkets: the make-up palette & "dinglehopper" (comb) that were used, the bottle of sparkly nail polish, the sheet of remaining face gems, a make-up remover cloth, and a bottle of shampoo.  I will say that, contrary to what has occurred in the past, large amounts of hair spray & gel are no longer used inside the boutiques.  Emmy's hair was held in place with lots of bobby pins, a small amount of spray, & a hair net placed over her bun. While the style definitely made it through the evening, it didn't have a chance of lasting on its own overnight.

She got to participate in a quick photo shoot with a PhotoPass photographer before leaving the salon (again, the pictures were included with our Memory Maker purchase), which she absolutely loved!

And, because we visited the Disney Springs location, we also had the opportunity to visit the new PhotoPass Studio there for a few more pictures.  In addition to having the pictures from the studio uploaded to our Memory Maker, our Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique package purchase included an immediate 5x7 print of our choice as well!

Our experience at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique did not disappoint in any way, and I know our little princess had the time of her life (and thoroughly enjoyed all of the attention she received as she sashayed her way through the shops & restaurants at Disney Springs!).

If you have questions related to Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique or would like help selecting the perfect magical addition for your little one, please don't hesitate to let me know!  I'd love to help your family plan an amazing Disney vacation, even if a trip to the Boutique isn't on your agenda. :)

When Should I Take My Kids to Disney?

Having the opportunity to work with many different families often provides me a glimpse into some of the most common questions people have regarding trips to Disney World.  In fact, I've noticed that there are a handful of questions folks are consistently curious about, and I've decided to do my best to answer some of them in blog form over the next few weeks.

One of the initial things I'm often asked is: "What's the best age for children to visit the parks?"  Now, I'll be honest: I think the answer to that question depends on the flexibility of the child & family, the vacation goals of the family, and the willingness of the family to plan around the child's needs throughout the trip.  It's actually a pretty subjective answer, but it's one that I'm more than willing to talk through with families seriously attempting to make a decision.  And I've got lots of experience: I've taken kiddos as young as six weeks and as old as ten years, and even made multiple trips with no kids at all! All of have been very different, but all have been tons of fun!

From a financial aspect, however, I think there are definitely a few "concrete" pieces of information that are helpful in planning:

First and foremost, children under the age of three (so between the ages of 0-2) can visit the parks for free.  Yep, FREE.  They don't need a ticket, it costs nothing for them to stay in a resort room, and they can even share meals on the dining plan for no fee whatsoever.  As long as they are under three on the day a family checks-in to a resort, they are free for the duration of the trip.

Additionally, children between the ages of 3-9 can enter the parks with a "child's ticket" and are also able to purchase a "child's dining plan," which is quite a significant savings from the adult plan. Once a kiddo turns ten, however, adult prices will apply to both tickets and dining plans.  The same rules apply with check-in dates here...as long as child is under 10 on the day of check-in, the child's rates apply for the duration of the trip.

Based on this information, I often recommend that families consider traveling before their children "age out" of these two groups.  The older the kids are, the more expensive the trip becomes.

Another thing to consider is height requirements.  The vast majority of attractions (especially at Magic Kingdom) have no height requirement at all!  Disney World is one of those places that was definitely built with the entire family in mind.  There are a few popular attractions, however, that do have height requirements, and it's important to keep this in mind when setting expectations for a trip.

While smaller children are permitted to ride almost everything, there are about 7-8 of the more "thrilling" rides that become options once kiddos are forty inches tall.  These include (but aren't limited to) Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Tower of Terror, Star Tours, Soarin', and Test Track.   Some of the most thrilling roller coasters, such as Space Mountain and Rock n'Roller Coaster, require that children be 44 or 48 inches, respectively, but hitting that 40 inch mark really opens up just about every other attraction on property.

Defining the "right age" for a Disney trip will be different for every family, but I definitely think cost and height are two of the major factors that play into this decision!

Feel free to message me if you'd like to discuss this--or any aspect of planning a Disney trip--further. I'd love to help any way I can!