Your Dose of Disney! Things to Do, Part 1

By Andi Sims:

Most moms keep a list going at all times. A “To Do List” is a must for the busy home manager, and moms planning a vacation to a Disney Park are bound to want a list managed with as much precision on the family trip as it is at home. There’s fun to be had…so let’s get started!

1. Planning. The fun actually starts before you ever leave home by taking a tour of the Disney Parks websites www.disneyworld.com and www.disneyland.com. Gather the family around and begin your vacation by virtually experiencing all the parks, resorts, restaurants and attractions making a personal list of what not to miss. Plus, you can order a vacation-planning DVD, design customized maps of the parks, set up a countdown calendar and ask questions from the mom experts at www.disneyworldmoms.com. All for free!

2. Scheduling. After you’ve seen all there is to experience on a Disney Parks vacation, you’ll want to roll up your sleeves and start making those reservations – either online or by phone. You’ll want to stay close to the magic at a Disney resort, and the various and scrumptious choices of the Disney restaurants will make dining reservations a must-do, too!

3. Traveling. Arriving for a Walt Disney World vacation is made even more magical by Disney’s Magical Express at Orlando International Airport. There’s almost nothing to worry about as you’re whisked away to your resort, and transportation once you’re on property is taken care of by the fleet of buses, boats, and monorails. At Disneyland, the best part about your commute to the parks is that there is none. You simply walk out of your hotel and on to the parks!

4. Seeing. From the time you arrive, you’ll want to take it all in, and there’s no better way to make sure you don’t miss any of the stage shows, events, fireworks or characters is to pick up a Park Map and Times Guide at any of the four theme parks at Walt Disney World or the two parks at Disneyland. You’ll definitely want to catch Fantasmic! — a spine-tingling story of good versus
evil set to Disney’s classic music and state-of-the art pyrotechnics. The shows play on select nights at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World and on the Rivers of the Americas at Disneyland.

5. Doing. Every guest has their favorite attraction in mind as they enter a Disney park, but usually at the top of everyone’s experience are those classics common to Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California. For years, guests have been challenged by Space Mountain, enchanted by it’s a small world and thrilled by Pirates of the Caribbean. Some attractions have just become of rite of passage! And just when you think you’ve done it all, Disney Parks add more thrills and chills to their ever-growing line up of attractions.

About Andi:

“Andi Sims is a wife and a mother of four children ranging in age from 7 to 16. A frequent traveler, she is a member of the Walt Disney World Moms Panel — which answers thousands of guests’ questions online at www.disneyworldmoms.com. This year, she answers questions exclusively for Disney Cruise Line guests. Andi also maintains her personal blog concerning stories, tips and ideas on everything to do with her first (and hardest) job at www.wifeandmomuniversity.com. You can also find her on Twitter @wifeandmomuniv. She’s a sucker for anything chocolate, Mickey Mouse related or having to do with being more organized or efficient, and she runs to keep her sanity and to be able to eat more chocolate.”