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Disney Park Tips

Disney Park Tips by a former cast member

Being a former cast member and current Disney obsessed fan, I know a lot about Disney. I’m most knowledgeable on Disney World but am a huge fan of the history of Walt and the imagineering of the Disney parks. Sharing my experiences and knowledge comes very easy to me, which is why people often seek me out when planning their Disney vacation. Today, I’m planning our September Disney trip and have realized it will be a very different experience than our past vacations because we’ll have a toddler in tow.

Disney Park Tips by a former cast member

Here are my top five Disney park tips:

 

  • Stay on property. This is the biggest question I get asked and there’s no denying that the perks with Extra Magic Hours, Magical Express, park merchandise sent to your room and the convenience of transportation can not be beat. Throw in the awesome pools, night time movies, wide range of food choices and perfect Disney theming and it’s the best decision you’ll make.
  • Utilize your MagicBands if you have specific attractions you can’t miss. This will be our first time in the parks since MagicBands have been active so I’ve been researching it like there’s no tomorrow. If you’re the type that likes to plan, making reservations for meals (180 days out) and attractions (60 days out) ahead of time will put your mind at ease.
  • Celebrating something on your vacation? Milk it for all it’s worth. Get a button and wear it proudly! We have been in the parks after just being engaged and on our anniversary and, as always, the cast members are so sweet, but so are the other guests! I loved telling people about our engagement story at Wishes. If only I could wear it around now and get the same perks.
  • Take a break. This is a tip that I suggest to guests of every age. Bring breakfast bars with you on your way out the door an hour before the park gates open (unless you’re staying at a resort that is close to the park). Hit your favorite ride right away and as the park starts filling, stop for a late breakfast/early lunch. Take a break during the middle of the day when the parks are the hottest. Even if you don’t take a nap at your room, go to a pool to relax or even play a round of put-put. Do something with less stimulation and give your legs a break. Head back to the parks late afternoon and you’ll be able to stay up easily through the Extra Magic Hours.
  • Talk to the Cast Members. The Cast Members will be your biggest resource of knowledge. They know the best place to stand for the parades and fireworks, best snack vendors, where Mulan might show up and where the hidden Mickey’s are. They also have great pins for pin trading. Asking a cast member to see his pins led us to the behind the scenes tour of Enchanted Tales with Belle before it was open and countless line cuts to rides.

Disney Park Tips by a former cast member

Do you agree on these tips? What did I miss? I may have a whole new set of tips once we experience the parks with a toddler! I have a feeling my new number one tip may be ‘bring Advil’.

If you’re planning a trip to Disney World, feel free to ask me any questions you may have. The same goes for those of you considering the Disney College Program. Disney is my second biggest passion and I wish for everyone to experience the magic as I do.

Follow Shelly @ DIY Mama’s board Disney on Pinterest.

Disney’s FROZEN Easter Backpack

I was so excited when I got accepted to make a Disney’s FROZEN Easter basket for Sophie! This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #DisneyEaster #CollectiveBias
FROZEN Easter Backpack for toddler Disney vacation
I was especially looking forward to Easter this year with Sophie to begin our traditions of Easter egg hunts, big flowery hats and eating Peeps. I knew I wanted to do an Easter basket for her while putting my own spin on things, so all of her goodies will be things she uses all the time (rather than a ton of candy and more stuffed animals).

When I heard I had the chance to do a FROZEN themed basket, there’s no way I was passing that up. Sophie is more than obsessed with FROZEN and especially loves Olaf. We’re taking her on her first trip to Disney World and wanted to make her a #DisneyEaster basket backpack filled with everything she’ll need for her trip.

Walmart Disney Easter
I had a fun time going to Walmart with her Grandma to pick out goodies for her trip. I wanted to do a mix of  FROZEN items and practical Disney Vacation items. I’m most excited for her FROZEN PJs because I want to start the tradition of giving a new pair of Disney PJs when we visit the parks.

Disney Vacation Toddler Backpack
Disney Olaf Easter Egg
The fillable Olaf eggs are also super cute and I know Sophie will get a kick out of them! I didn’t want to go crazy with the sugar because I know she’ll get plenty from her Easter egg hunt. Putting cereal and cheese crackers in the eggs will still be a fun surprise for Sophie once she discovers the Olafs.

Disney FROZEN Vacation Toddler Backpack Walmart
Bringing along this insulated waterbottle will save us from spending extra money on soda and juice and keep her hydrated better. The Girl Scout in me wanted to protect her so I packed some SPF50 lip balm, 100% UV sunglasses, Mickey band-aides and sun hat. Sparkly Princess bows were a must as well as her neon outfit, Olaf socks and pink heart shoes! I seriously can’t wait for her to open her FROZEN Easter Olaf backpack and see how cute she is rocking those shades!

Olaf FROZEN Easter Peep
By the way, Olaf loves Peeps as much as summer. What are your family traditions for Easter? I remember getting dressed up in matching dresses with my sister, finding a real egg during an Easter egg hunt and having an indoor Easter egg hunt because it was raining and loved it just as much.

For more Spring inspiration on decor and recipes, check out my Pinterest board!
Follow Shelly @ DIY Mama’s board Spring Decor & Recipes on Pinterest.

Disney

Top Disney Attractions: Adults: Hollywood Studios

Today we’ve gone back in time to Hollywood Studios where it’s 1940 everyday! My favorite…

disney lanyards

Top Disney Attractions for Kids-EPCOT

We’re back again in EPCOT to go over our favorite attractions for kids!! EPCOT is…

Disney Attractions for Adults-EPCOT

EPCOT is my second favorite place to hang out when we go to Disney. It’s…

Magic Kingdom Attractions for Kids

This is the second post of my Disney Attractions series and it is going to…

disney_castle

Magic Kingdom Attractions for Adults

Sorry if the title was misleading, this is not a risque version of Disney attractions.…

Disney College Program

Disney College ProgramHi guys! A LOT of people get excited when they hear I worked for Disney World. They get even more excited to find out that it was a program through my college, meaning I got to live and work with Mickey for a semester! I get butterflies thinking about my experience as a CP (college programmer) and it was 8 years ago. If there was one time of my life that I wish I could share with all my favorite people, without a doubt, it would be my semester in Disney. Honestly, I did share it with (at the time) all my favorite people because I had a ton of visitors and the friendships I made in the Disney College Program are everlasting. It was a life changing experience.
I’m not sure where to start because I’ve gotten so many different questions about my time in the Disney College Program. The first question everyone asks me: ‘Were you a Princess?!’ Thankfully, no. I think it would be AMAZING to see the love and wonder of all the kids when you walk out on stage (anywhere public in Disney)! I also realize that I would not be a very sweet princess if I was sweating to death, my makeup was running and my feet hurt from walking in heels all day. Another reason why I didn’t pursue my acting career, in order to be a Princess (or any other character), you have to work for at least a semester, plus a summer, and I already had a job lined up for the following summer.
becky-mefantasyland-brittpoohside
I had, in my opinion, the BEST job that a CP can have. Ride Operations. I specifically loved my area (Fantasyland, Pooh Side) because of the awesome people I worked with and how excited kids were to ride my rides. I worked Snow White’s Scary Adventures (no longer there), The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups. There are different stations of each ride I’d rotate through during my shift. My favorite position was called Pooh Grouper which was on Winnie the Pooh. Pooh Grouper was in charge of keeping the Fast Pass line flowing quickly and grouping people off to get into the honey pots. I got very efficient at this position which allowed me time to talk to the guests and make their days magical. I’d hand out fast passes to other rides, pin trade, help people plan their day or just learn about them and where they were from. Talking to the guests was, by far, my favorite part about the entire experience.

vistavista-way-room
roomies-locationsHousing is the second questions everyone asks about. When I worked there in 2006, there were two apartment complexes that they split all the CPs into. The security was hard core so I always felt safe living there, no matter what time I got off work (often 3 and 4 in the morning.) I had turned 21 the day before leaving for the program so, thankfully, I was placed in a 21+ apartment. My apartment at Vista Way had 6 girls, one kitchen, two bathrooms. It was tough at first. Thankfully, things worked out pretty well because some of my roommates left for work at 4am, others had mid-day shifts and some of us had evening shifts. We never really ran into problems of not having enough space or trying to cook or shower at the same time. I loved how you meet people from everywhere in the world in this program. My roommates were from all over the US and a couple were from out of the country.

abbynePaychecks are always the next topic of discussion. Let’s just say you’re not going to make it big by working as a CP. Honestly, I don’t remember what I got paid, but I think it was pretty close to minimum wage for FL. I kept my house at Purdue, so I was paying rent for two places while I was at Disney, which stretched my paycheck to nothing. Thankfully, I took out two student loans before leaving for Disney, to make sure I didn’t have to be stressed out about the level of comfort I wanted while in the program. I had season passes to Universal Studios and was able to get into the Disney parks free. I was never bored. Ever. I had enough money to go out to nice restaurants when people would visit me, IHOP for breakfast after my shift at 4a and a few trips to the beach.

monorail1A lot of people ask about if I got held back a semester by working there. Yes, I did, but a lot of CPs take college courses through Disney University. Purdue didn’t accept the credit transfers so I did not take any classes while there. My roommate, on the other hand, took a full load during her semester so she wasn’t put back a semester. I’m glad Purdue didn’t take the credits because I would have felt the need to take a full load and would have missed out on a ton of experiences.

CIMG0647My family was a bit weary of me working in Disney for fear of losing the magic. Didn’t happen. I have a stronger love for Disney now that I’ve worked there and I still think it’s the most magical place on earth!

KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERAtower-of-terrorhighlightercicitatibrittest-trackWhat else did I do besides work? Lots! I can hardly remember my time spent at work because it seems like there was so much time spent not working (although it was 50/50.) One of the best things you can do as a CP is to make friends with people who have cars. Living in the apartments, you have 24/7 access to WalMart and all of Disney’s property. I had a few friends who had cars and we’d go to BW3s for karaoke, the beach, and visit restaurants and bars in Orlando. Most of our time was spent on Disney property though. We went to Pleasure Island (no longer bars and night clubs) every Thursday to dance or listen to live bands. We’d go to Universal every other week. We’d pool hop at the Disney resorts (which was one of my favorite things to do because I’m a hospitality major and loved scoping out the rooms and customer service at the resorts.) We also spent a ton of time in the parks. We knew where to eat, what rides to get on during slow times and what shows to see. I was an expert by the time my friends and family started to come visit. We’d cook hometown meals for our roommates, learn salsa, go to CP dances, have highlighter parties at our apartment, play football, play tennis and visit Kennedy Space Center. Again, I was never bored.

morocokissstatueWas I not the luckiest girl, to work for The Mouse and meet some of my best friends to this day? I love sharing my experience with college kids looking to go into the program or other Disney fanatics! If you have any questions about the Disney College Program (application process, furnishing the apartment, travel, perks etc.) or Disney World vacations, I’d LOVE to help! PS, I’m super excited because a lot of us are going back to Disney in 2016 for our 10 year reunion! I’ve already seen all of the people in the photos above, plus a few others from my program, but we’ve not all been together since 2006.
Follow Shelly @ DIY Mama’s board Disney on Pinterest.

Magic Kingdom Attractions for Kids

This is the second post of my Disney Attractions series and it is going to be all about the top Disney attractions for kids at the Magic Kingdom (in my opinion.) I’ll go through the attractions according to how I go through the park, again, rather than my favorites. These attractions are geared towards young kids but can still be fun for the adults riding with them. ๐Ÿ™‚ Again, if you have any questions regarding anything Disney, don’t be shy, ask away!

Disney kids attractions

When we go to the Magic Kingdom we always take the same route (the same one described here.) If you are a kid, there’s nothing better than feeling like you’re the center of attention. Disney is GREAT for making kids feel special! The Harmony Barber Shop is a great first stop in making your kids feel like the main attraction! You can also check out The Pirates League or the Bippidi Bobbidi Boutique for an even more unique experience (but with more attention comes a bigger price tag.)

I’m not going to mention any character meet and greets in this section. All of them are awesome! The characters and princesses are very attentive and give kids plenty of time to talk. First stop–Adventureland! The Magic Carpets of Aladdin are essentially the Dumbo ride but you can ride with 4 people rather than 2. The Jungle Cruise is a great ride for kids to explore nature from a boat and spot their favorite animals. The tour guides say ‘punny’ jokes throughout the ride to keep the adults engaged and the kids laughing. Pirates of the Caribbean is a classic that kids will recognize from the movies. It is dark though, so beware if you have children who are not fond of dark rides.

aladdin jungle pirates

‘Drink up me ‘earties, yo ho. Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate’s life for me…’ sorry…that song ALWAYS gets stuck in my head! After Pirates we head to Frontierland where we get a Fastpass for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and go ride Splash Mountain while we wait. There’s a high chance that your kids will get wet on this ride, along with any cell phones or cameras that are not in a ziplock bag. We always ride this ride early so we have time to dry off throughout the hot day. If you don’t want to get wet you can always wear a poncho. ๐Ÿ˜‰ I also think Tom Sawyer Island is really fun for kids to run around and explore. There is no longer a hidden paint brush, but if you mention that you looked for it to the raft captain, they’ll likely give you fastpasses for your family. ๐Ÿ˜‰

*Tip: Remember to measure your kids’ height and check the requirements before waiting in line to take them on rides. Nothing worse than a disappointed child who had their hopes up to ride a certain ride. Also, if you have a smart phone, be sure to get the Disney Experience Mobile App. This mobile app tells you the wait times for attractions throughout the parks as well as allows you to make dining reservations.

thunder splash tom

The next must-do attraction is the only attraction we like in Liberty Square- Haunted Mansion. Going through the โ€˜fun queโ€™ will actually put you behind by a couple people but we always go through it anyway! The Haunted Mansion is a scary ride for children who are afraid of the dark, however, most children think it’s a ‘funny scary.’ Congratulations b/c by this time you’ve survived taking your kids through almost half of the park!

Haunted Mansion

Now is where the REAL fun for your kiddies begins! ๐Ÿ˜‰ Since the Haunted Mansion is right next to Fantasyland, we head on over to Peter Panโ€™s Flight to get a Fastpass and go ride Itโ€™s a Small World while we wait. It’s a Small World is KEY in a successful break for your kids b/c it has air conditioning, has small lines, is full of glitter and lets you rest your feet!! All great things in my book. Once we wave adios at Small World we hit up Peter Pan (ALWAYS get a Fastpass for this ride or you WILL be let down. The line is deceptive because it swirls all over the place.) After Pan we go watch Mickeyโ€™s PhilharMagic which is one of my FAVORITE attractions in all of Magic Kingdom. Please do not overlook this attraction. Your kids will love it!

small peter magic

After singing along with Jasmine we go to my VERY favorite spot of Disney– THE Castle! It’s a great time to get up close and personal with the castle for a picture break! Disney has PhotoPass cast members that will take your picture with their DSLR cameras and you can buy them online once you get home. You can also ask them to use your camera to take a picture to make sure Mom AND Dad get in the shot as well! Don’t forget to bring change for the wishing well. ๐Ÿ˜‰

castle

Once we get all of the pictures of our home the Castle, we ride Prince Charming Regal Carousel because thereโ€™s never a line, I like running around until I find the perfect horse and I love the music. Every kid[at heart] loves the carousel. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is a MUST, not only because I worked that ride, but because it’s SO DARN CUTE! The line is really fun too! After eating cake with Pooh and his friends we always take a spin in Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups! Be sure to plan your meals accordingly so you’re not full when you go on this ride. This is not a suggestion…I’m telling you this as a friend. ๐Ÿ˜‰

cups carousel pooh

NEW FANTASYLAAAAAAND! THIS is a whole new section of the park that they’ve expanded over the past few years. New Fantasyland has taken the place of Toontown and is completely new, other than The Barnstormer (which I recommend b/c it’s a gateway roller coaster…not quite as big as Thunder or Space but bigger than the normal kiddie coasters.) If you get a Fastpass in this area, get it for Under the Sea- Journey of the Little Mermaid or (if it’s open) Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. Journey of the Little Mermaid is a very similar ride to Winnie the Pooh so if you’re short on time, choose your kid’s favorite character.

barnstormer dwarfs mermaid

The top attraction that I would recommend for kids to see in New Fantasyland is Enchanted Tales with Belle. SO CUTE! Parents, if your kids like Beauty and the Beast in the slightest, you won’t regret this. The classic ride– Dumbo the Flying Elephant is now back in this area and is twice as big with two sets of flying elephants. The ‘line’ is also a fun place to let your kids run around at the circus playground while you wait. Another place to let your kids burn off some energy or cool off is Casey Jr. Splash N’ Soak Station.

belle dumbo soak

Honestly, everything in Tomorrowland is awesome! ๐Ÿ˜‰ I’m such a fan! If there’s one I wouldn’t do (have never and will never do) it’s Stitch’s Great Escape. I’m not a fan of Stitch and I’ve heard he burps at one point and it smells like coney dogs. ๐Ÿ™ Sorry if that just grossed you out…I just wanted to prepare you! Astro Orbiter is the same concept as Dumbo and Aladdin but up reeeeally high. Kinda cool to do at night but not worth the wait if your kids didn’t like one of the other two rides. I am a fan of all the other rides in Tomorrowland but if you’re running low on time I would recommend three above the rest. Monster’s Inc. Laugh Floor, Space Mountain and Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin. Monster’s is a comedy show put on my Mike and will have both you and your kids belly laughing! Space is a classic but is dark, fast and usually has a long line so make sure it’s the right choice for your family before getting in line (or getting a Fastpass.) Buzz is dark but very fun for little kids because they get to be in control of a laser gun to shoot Zorg! Buzz is always very crowded so if you’re to get a Fastpass for anywhere in Tomorrowland, this is where you should get one.

monsterspacespin

I had to check back at the list of Magic Kingdom attractions because I felt like I just named every single one of them! I didn’t…but I came close! They’re all so good and I wanted to mention all of the rides above b/c you’ll better be able to decide what your kids like and weed out the rides that are too big for them right now. Also, if you don’t think Disney World is worth the money or vacation time…you’re very wrong. It’s a place filled with magic and wonder for people of ALL ages. Seriously, it makes me tear up just thinking about how many people have felt special at the Happiest Place on Earth!

I won’t be doing a post on character meet n’ greets so if that is something you’re interested in, send me a message. ๐Ÿ™‚ Next week’s series post will cover Attractions for Adults at EPCOT! What are your kid’s favorite rides? Any they love that I missed? Anyone else feel like a kid when they go to Magic Kingdom? *Tip: wearing Mickey ears WILL make you happier while at Disney. ๐Ÿ˜‰

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