Don’t fight or flee. Simply be. Be ok with what’s going on around you. Sometimes I get very anxious Continue Reading about Simply BE. →
102 Ways to Save in Disney World Book
Happy first full week of the new year! Whew! I feel like the past couple weeks months were a bit of a whirl wind. I’m welcoming 2015 with open arms and a bright shining smile. Especially because, we’re going to Disney!
Let me back up. I have been listening to one podcast religiously for the past several months. WDW Radio hosted by Lou Mongello.
I can’t get enough of it. His casts inspire me to learn as much as possible about Disney. His knowledge far outweighs my own on the history of Walt and all that is Disney but his passion for The Mouse definitely rivals my own. Honestly, I’m getting choked up (as always) just thinking about Disney World and all the magic it represents.
I’ll be posting more Disney inspired posts coming up in the next few months as I plan for our trip and will flood you with Disney knowledge once we return (in September). Why can’t we just move to Disney already so I can be a travel planner, or better yet, a ‘travel inspirer’ for Disney?! Sometimes I think nothing would make me happier, but in reality, my family does.
Enough of the mushy! I’m here today to review one of the many awesome products created by Lou Mongello.
102 Ways to Save Money For and At Walt Disney World: Bonus! 40 Free Things to Enjoy, Eat, Do and Collect!
I may come off as a pedant in regards to my Disney World vacation planning knowledge but it’s really passion that fuels my desire to want you to have the very best experience possible. Lou, on the other hand, really is a braniac at not only Disney World, but Disney Land, their cruises and the history of Walt and the parks. I don’t want to spoil all of the top secret information that he shares in his book, but I wanted to share a few tips that I found helpful.
- PAGE 126 What to Pack or Ship: We’ll be shipping diapers from Amazon to our resort for when we go in September. We’re also going to be ordering groceries from Garden Grocer to save money on dining.
- PAGE 140 Park Bag List: Freezing your water bottle the night before, wet wipes, extra ziplock bags (one for wet clothes and one to keep electronics dry on water rides) and those are just a few great ideas from his list!
- Page 143: Eating in the Parks: (I’ve heard this on his podcast so I don’t feel bad for spilling this tip.) If you’re looking for a quality and inexpensive character meal, make your reservation for breakfast at the Garden Grove restaurant found at Walt Disney World Swan hotel. Less crowded (quality time with characters) and less expensive. Win win!
- Page 150: Request ice water for free anywhere. You can save more than $145 on soda alone with a family of 4 (and you’ll stay better hydrated!)
- Page 178: Night-time Safari: You can view animals roaming the savannah at night by going to the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Go to the fire pit viewing area and ask a cast member to use the free night vision goggles. Definitely on my to-do list for our next trip!
There are SO MANY wonderful tips in this book on how to save before traveling, planning how to use your time best, save while at Walt Disney World Resort and free things to do and see while visiting. I’m so happy my husband found WDW Radio podcast for me because I have been loving obsessing over Disney ever since.
This is a must buy book for anyone planning a trip to visit The Mouse in Disney World. I’d love to know any fun tips you have learned from traveling to Disney. I also strongly encourage you to check out Lou’s blog and podcast! PS. If when you get 102 Ways to Save Money For and At Walt Disney World, my favorite page is 117.
(There are affiliate links within this post. I paid for my own copy of this book but may receive compensation if you purchase the book through the above links.)
January Goals
Happy New Year everybody!! I hope you all had fun celebrating 2014 yesterday and are excited for the year to come! I am proud to announce, that we all made it through the holiday season fairly unscathed. Yes, we were all sick, multiple times, but nothing some Momma Robertson Chicken Noodle Soup couldn’t handle.
Let’s see how I did on my December goals!
I’m quite proud actually to have met most of my goals. In the ‘Family’ category we were unable to go sledding or build a snow man, as there is no snow here in IL, but we did all get snow pants, boots, gloves, warm coats and two sleds for when the snow starts falling! We were so successful in transitioning Sophie to her big girl bed! I am so proud of how quickly she adjusted to her new room (only a few nights of sleeping on the floor next to the door!) With the sicknesses we ensued, there was LOTS of movie watching and snuggling. We even had a fire one night! I rocked it out in the Life category. I finished the stockings and made the sweetest Christmas cards as well as making lots of hand made gifts for friends and family. I also filled the freezer (which is now a problem since we want to go back on Whole30.) The Blog category was not as successful. I don’t feel the Giveaway brought much attention to my blog compared to all the planning, posting and money I spent on it. I guess my blog’s just not ready for Giveaways and I’m ok with that! I did ZERO Blog Life sessions but we did announce our super secret Page Turners project starting TODAY!
I’m doing things a bit different this year for my New Years Resolution. I’m using one word to focus on rather than having specific goals to accomplish. I will still do my monthly goals but for 2015 there will be no dire goals that will weigh me down. The word I’m choosing for 2015 is:
Learn how to use our camera better. Learn calligraphy. Learn photo and video editing programs. Learn how to balance blogging/house keeping/parenting/friendships/loved ones more successfully. Learn to use meditation to stay calm. Learn from my mistakes. I’d call myself a life-long-learner. I enjoy school. I would be interested in getting a degree in horticulture or design just for the fun of it. For this year though, I’m going to just learn all that I can.
My January goals to get 2015 started off:
Family
- Find a babysitter for Sophie
- Celebrate my 30th Birthday with sushi
- Complete Sophie’s 1st year books
Life
- Do another Whole30
- Do a house tour on video
- Make my 2015 planner
Blog
- Schedule posts 2 months out
- Read Eat, Pray, Love for Page Turners
- Organize my Pinterest boards
What are your goals for this month? Do you have a OLW for this year? I’d love to know so I can help you stay accountable! PS. Is my sweatshirt not the best?! It was comfy but glam for my New Years eve at home with my family!
Beginning
I have recently been observing the world around me, via social media. The glutenous jolly week of Christmas, we want nothing but watching movies by the fire and being with our loved ones. One week later, we feel guilty if our homes aren’t void of Christmas decorations and every item of our home in it’s perfectly organized location. We must have our goals in place, new planners in hand and ready to make ‘this year the best year yet!’ These are just observations I’ve seen running through my feeds. Let’s make this year be anything you want it to be. No matter what that means to everyone else.
New Years Eve Fun
Hello friends! I hope you’ve all had such a splendid holiday season with lots of time with those you love most! With the new year in just a few days, I wanted to share with you some of my favorite last minute New Year’s Eve decorations, treats and traditions!
First up: Decorating! My favorite part of any party.
Black & White New Years decorations by Tomkat Studios using the Cricut
Glitter Party Hats by Studio DIY
Tissue Garland with Photos from the past year Brit + Co
Activities to make the party more fun!
Sparkler holder from Best Day Ever
Balloon Count Down via How Does She?
Count Down Chain by Sugar Aunts
Treats to sustain you into the new year!
Ice Cream Bar by Baked Bree
Sparkling Mocktails from Modern Parents Messy Kids
Personal Pizzas via Normal Cooking
How are you celebrating New Years Eve this year? Would you rather have a calm gathering with your family or get a baby sitter and go out on the town with friends? Jeffrey had an awesome idea for our 2015. He thought it would be nice to have a Happy Jar. We’ll put out a jar and write down great things throughout the year that have made us happy. Next year on New Years Eve we’ll go through the jar to see what wonderful things, big or small, happened to make our 2015 great!