Dinning is one of the most expensive parts of a Disney vacation. Quick service
meals tend to be the cheapest, and by cheapest I mean usually $40-45 for the
four if us. We will be cooking most of our meals in the house that we are
renting. But we will have to eat out on the days we are at the park all day.
During the 2013 trip, we learned an interesting trick. Instead of
fighting the quick service lines, the crowded dinning rooms, trying to find a
table with four chairs, balancing our food on a tiny table while people run into
you because you have to sit in the walkway, and paying the a big price for
burgers and fries, we could just eat a snack that we brought and wait to eat
until we left the park.
Parking lot to our rented house was never more
than 15 minutes. There are all kinds of fast food on Rt 192 with cheap value
menu options that could give is the reward of eating out without all of the
expense! We could get more food (and sometimes better food) and save $25-30.
Occasionally we would splurge so we could have an experience, but
usually we were just eating to fill our bellies - and we can fill our bellies
cheaper.
Relocating To Disney
Sunday, May 11, 2014
Friday, May 9, 2014
Myth Of Staying On Property
Most people want to stay at a Disney resort
because they want to be close to the parks. I stayed in Disney resorts across
almost twenty years and I am here to dispel that belief.
I believe that if your resort is on the monorail and you are only visiting parks of the monorail? Good.
The free bus service is another story. At the resort, you wait at a bus stop. The bus is suppose to come every 15 minutes, but I have waited over 30. And sometimes the bus arrives and it is full. Or, it has standing room only. And sometimes you have to wait for the next bus.
After boarding the bus (which can take a while if scooters are boarding), you then ride around the resort to all the other bus stops. Finally, you head to your destination.
I have been on bus rides that, once I boarded, took an hour to get to the destination. In fact, I always plan at least an hour to get anywhere by bus.
The bus doesn't drop you off at the gate. Each park has bus corrals. You must walk from your bus corral to the gate.
Compare that to staying off property. My driveway to parking lot is never more than 15 minutes. Trams run continually between the parking lot and the gate. From my driveway until I walk through the Animal Kingdom gates is only 15 minutes flat.
If you think you need to stay at a Disney resort to be close to the Disney parks? Think again!
I believe that if your resort is on the monorail and you are only visiting parks of the monorail? Good.
The free bus service is another story. At the resort, you wait at a bus stop. The bus is suppose to come every 15 minutes, but I have waited over 30. And sometimes the bus arrives and it is full. Or, it has standing room only. And sometimes you have to wait for the next bus.
After boarding the bus (which can take a while if scooters are boarding), you then ride around the resort to all the other bus stops. Finally, you head to your destination.
I have been on bus rides that, once I boarded, took an hour to get to the destination. In fact, I always plan at least an hour to get anywhere by bus.
The bus doesn't drop you off at the gate. Each park has bus corrals. You must walk from your bus corral to the gate.
Compare that to staying off property. My driveway to parking lot is never more than 15 minutes. Trams run continually between the parking lot and the gate. From my driveway until I walk through the Animal Kingdom gates is only 15 minutes flat.
If you think you need to stay at a Disney resort to be close to the Disney parks? Think again!
Thursday, May 8, 2014
Character Breakfast
Dinning is one of the most expensive parts of a Disney Vacation. Luckily, with a
house, we will be able to make most of our meals in our kitchen!
We love the character meals but they are very expensive! The breakfast is the cheapest, and by cheapest I mean over $100 for four of us (after tip). $100 would buy a lot of pancake and eggs at home!
We decided to cut expenses during this 2014 trip by cutting these sit down meals. We decided to only have one character breakfast. But which one? Tusker House? Crystal Palace? Chef Mickey? Ohana? We love them all! Our living room is filled with all the dining pictures because we always get the dinning photo. We have a picture at Chef Mickey for every year we have ever went to Disney - how could we break that tradition?
We settled on Ohana for our character breakfast. Ohana is comparatively nice and relaxing. They bring the food to you, so you don't have to deal with the buffet line and there are fewer children running around unsupervised. Chef Mickey can get very load die to the way it is designed, and always seems packed with people, but Ohana is quieter, spacious view out the window, and relaxing. Aloha cousin! I just made the ADR for July 19!
We love the character meals but they are very expensive! The breakfast is the cheapest, and by cheapest I mean over $100 for four of us (after tip). $100 would buy a lot of pancake and eggs at home!
We decided to cut expenses during this 2014 trip by cutting these sit down meals. We decided to only have one character breakfast. But which one? Tusker House? Crystal Palace? Chef Mickey? Ohana? We love them all! Our living room is filled with all the dining pictures because we always get the dinning photo. We have a picture at Chef Mickey for every year we have ever went to Disney - how could we break that tradition?
We settled on Ohana for our character breakfast. Ohana is comparatively nice and relaxing. They bring the food to you, so you don't have to deal with the buffet line and there are fewer children running around unsupervised. Chef Mickey can get very load die to the way it is designed, and always seems packed with people, but Ohana is quieter, spacious view out the window, and relaxing. Aloha cousin! I just made the ADR for July 19!
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
2013: Magic Kingdom
I decided to take my coffee this morning to the pool, but as I grabbed for the
door I noticed something was in the pool. An alligator? Otter? No! It was the
neighbor’s head bobbing up and down in the five foot area. I know, you
are asking "Why would the neighbor be in your pool?" The owner of the home we
rent pays the neighbor to do all the maintenance, which includes pool cleaning.
He was in the pool with a long brush scrubbing the sides of the pool. I guess
that if you are going to clean a pool, you might as well enjoy the pool by
getting in!
An update on our Star Troopers style battle? 9 dead bugs versus 0 dead humans.
Every morning we have our work lists. There are no playing or TV watching until each person completes their list. With military precision, we move through the work list every day. I serve the role of the drill sergeant - barking out orders, keeping everyone on task, and degrading their sorry performance. Eat Breakfast. Get dressed. Fill backpacks with water...
Yesterday, we were under the constant threat of thunderstorms. Several had moved in, and there was rumbling all morning in the distance. So, we figured it would be a perfect day to go visit the Magic Kingdom.
The Magic Kingdom has several additions since we had visited in 2011. There is a Fantasy Land expansion that has opened which is excellent. I thought the Fantasy Land expansion was completed, but they are still working on the Snow White area. In Peter Pan Ride tradition, there is a little mermaid ride that takes you through most of the story. I say "Most: because they get about midway through the story, then abruptly fast forward to the end… thank you for coming… good bye. We each had a giant cinnamon roll at Gaston's. The cinnamon rolls must have been the size of bowling balls! And at Belle's castle, we were treated to an adventure where we traveled into the story book and actually met Belle.
Also new is an interactive game like Kim Possible /Agent P in Epcot (or for those familiar, it is like MagiQuest). You are sent on a mission around the Magic Kingdom to fight off a villain. Ours was to rescue the puppies from Crudela around Main Street. You have to find these hidden portals, wave your identification card, and then a hidden video screen will play a message with clues. We had fun, and it gave it an opportunity to see Main Street in a way we normally wouldn't have taken the time to see. It was fun, but time consuming. I don’t recommend playing the game unless you frequent the parks and have lots of time.
The crowds are very heavy this time of the year at Disney. Fighting our way through the crowds is made additionally difficult when combating people with double wide strollers. There are narrow channels between people who are standing in the walk way gawking, and it is difficult to get through. But then add a double-side stroller and you get people-grid-lock.
A new challenge I hadn't seen in previous years? Walking while texting. You thought it was only dangerous while driving? People are doing this in the crowded parks! It becomes very dangerous to avoid getting run into by a distracted walker. I can only imagine the rate this epidemic is spreading will lead to serious park injuries that Disney will need to address with bumper guards around fountains and attractions.
It was fairly warm as well. At first the heat didn't bother me, but as the day went on I was putting my deodorant to the test. We each entered the park with two bottles of water and quickly learned that wasn’t enough. I refilled my bottle with bathroom sink water, all the time thinking "I really hope they don’t recycle the toilet water to the sinks". It tasted like recycled toilet water. Anyone who knows me knows I like to pinch a penny, so, recycled toilet water or not, that is what I drank. To help mask the tainted flavor, I poured a lemonade flavoring packet into the bottle. That made it taste like lemonade flavored toilet water.
As we looked at others around the park, we couldn't understand why they weren't drenched with sweat like we were. I suppose we haven't adjusted from our cool northern climate. I was so drenched that I would have changed my clothes half way through the park if I had thought to bring an extra set. It wasn't like the heat and the sweat were unbarable. We would be in the heat stroking out in a bath of sweat, then enter an air conditioned ride or store and the sweat would freeze. When we returned to the heat, it took a while for the sweat to thaw, so, in that way - we were creating our own portable gross cooling systems.
We took advantage of the time between the Disney fireworks and the Disney electric parade to jump onto some rides with short lines. When the electric parade ended it was well after 11pm, so we fought the massive crowds to get back to our car. From the Disney World parking lot to our house? Was a short 12 minute drive.
An update on our Star Troopers style battle? 9 dead bugs versus 0 dead humans.
Every morning we have our work lists. There are no playing or TV watching until each person completes their list. With military precision, we move through the work list every day. I serve the role of the drill sergeant - barking out orders, keeping everyone on task, and degrading their sorry performance. Eat Breakfast. Get dressed. Fill backpacks with water...
Yesterday, we were under the constant threat of thunderstorms. Several had moved in, and there was rumbling all morning in the distance. So, we figured it would be a perfect day to go visit the Magic Kingdom.
The Magic Kingdom has several additions since we had visited in 2011. There is a Fantasy Land expansion that has opened which is excellent. I thought the Fantasy Land expansion was completed, but they are still working on the Snow White area. In Peter Pan Ride tradition, there is a little mermaid ride that takes you through most of the story. I say "Most: because they get about midway through the story, then abruptly fast forward to the end… thank you for coming… good bye. We each had a giant cinnamon roll at Gaston's. The cinnamon rolls must have been the size of bowling balls! And at Belle's castle, we were treated to an adventure where we traveled into the story book and actually met Belle.
Also new is an interactive game like Kim Possible /Agent P in Epcot (or for those familiar, it is like MagiQuest). You are sent on a mission around the Magic Kingdom to fight off a villain. Ours was to rescue the puppies from Crudela around Main Street. You have to find these hidden portals, wave your identification card, and then a hidden video screen will play a message with clues. We had fun, and it gave it an opportunity to see Main Street in a way we normally wouldn't have taken the time to see. It was fun, but time consuming. I don’t recommend playing the game unless you frequent the parks and have lots of time.
The crowds are very heavy this time of the year at Disney. Fighting our way through the crowds is made additionally difficult when combating people with double wide strollers. There are narrow channels between people who are standing in the walk way gawking, and it is difficult to get through. But then add a double-side stroller and you get people-grid-lock.
A new challenge I hadn't seen in previous years? Walking while texting. You thought it was only dangerous while driving? People are doing this in the crowded parks! It becomes very dangerous to avoid getting run into by a distracted walker. I can only imagine the rate this epidemic is spreading will lead to serious park injuries that Disney will need to address with bumper guards around fountains and attractions.
It was fairly warm as well. At first the heat didn't bother me, but as the day went on I was putting my deodorant to the test. We each entered the park with two bottles of water and quickly learned that wasn’t enough. I refilled my bottle with bathroom sink water, all the time thinking "I really hope they don’t recycle the toilet water to the sinks". It tasted like recycled toilet water. Anyone who knows me knows I like to pinch a penny, so, recycled toilet water or not, that is what I drank. To help mask the tainted flavor, I poured a lemonade flavoring packet into the bottle. That made it taste like lemonade flavored toilet water.
As we looked at others around the park, we couldn't understand why they weren't drenched with sweat like we were. I suppose we haven't adjusted from our cool northern climate. I was so drenched that I would have changed my clothes half way through the park if I had thought to bring an extra set. It wasn't like the heat and the sweat were unbarable. We would be in the heat stroking out in a bath of sweat, then enter an air conditioned ride or store and the sweat would freeze. When we returned to the heat, it took a while for the sweat to thaw, so, in that way - we were creating our own portable gross cooling systems.
We took advantage of the time between the Disney fireworks and the Disney electric parade to jump onto some rides with short lines. When the electric parade ended it was well after 11pm, so we fought the massive crowds to get back to our car. From the Disney World parking lot to our house? Was a short 12 minute drive.
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
Christmas 2014 Trip
We should be planning our summer trip. Instead, we are spending most of our
spare time planning our Christmas 2014 trip. This is an 18 day adventure. We
drive to Florida, go to Disney, then stay at Coco Beach, Ft Lauderdale, then the
Keys, and finally drive home. The trip is very exciting, but this will be our
first Christmas away from home. Our college-aged daughter isn't available to go
with us, so, it will be our first Christmas without her. This is a peak time for
Florida traveling. And so there is a lot of planning that must be done! I will
share some of those plans as we put them together.
Sunday, May 4, 2014
2013: Winter Garden, Florida
Last night we took a trip to Winter Garden and ate at a Mexican restaurant name
Tosquitoes. There were four kids (13 to 17) who played music for tips. The food
was great. The music was great.
I had heard great things about Winter Garden and wanted to check it out should we ever decide someday in the far future we might want to move there. I researched all the houses we could afford so we could see what the neighborhoods looked like. I then plotted a map for the most efficient investigation as we drove around town.
Unfortunately, we didn't see much because everything was in gated communities.
Disappointed, we decided to head back to our house. Doing so requires taking a toll road. As we approached the toll booth we had two choices: speed pass or exact change.
I slowly approached the exact change lane because I didn't know how much it cost. It said Lane Closed. I didn't want a ticket so I started backing out of the ramp. But as I saw how fast the cars were coming I realized that wasn't a safe option.
We returned to the booth. I didn't know what to do. So I started tossing quarters into the net. After ten quarters the booth still wouldn't let me pass! What was I to do? I hit the gas and floored it, squeezing out of the booth. The booth's loud klaxon alarm started firing and red lights were blinking. My hope was if I blew through the booth fast enough my license plate would be a blur on the camera and I won't get a ticket! Now, I will probably get a ticket for not paying the toll and for speeding.
That was a great welcome to Winter Garden! We couldn't tell if we might like Winter Garden because we really couldn't see the neighborhoods. And if I get a toll ticket, I won't be very happy!
I had heard great things about Winter Garden and wanted to check it out should we ever decide someday in the far future we might want to move there. I researched all the houses we could afford so we could see what the neighborhoods looked like. I then plotted a map for the most efficient investigation as we drove around town.
Unfortunately, we didn't see much because everything was in gated communities.
Disappointed, we decided to head back to our house. Doing so requires taking a toll road. As we approached the toll booth we had two choices: speed pass or exact change.
I slowly approached the exact change lane because I didn't know how much it cost. It said Lane Closed. I didn't want a ticket so I started backing out of the ramp. But as I saw how fast the cars were coming I realized that wasn't a safe option.
We returned to the booth. I didn't know what to do. So I started tossing quarters into the net. After ten quarters the booth still wouldn't let me pass! What was I to do? I hit the gas and floored it, squeezing out of the booth. The booth's loud klaxon alarm started firing and red lights were blinking. My hope was if I blew through the booth fast enough my license plate would be a blur on the camera and I won't get a ticket! Now, I will probably get a ticket for not paying the toll and for speeding.
That was a great welcome to Winter Garden! We couldn't tell if we might like Winter Garden because we really couldn't see the neighborhoods. And if I get a toll ticket, I won't be very happy!
Saturday, May 3, 2014
Activity while driving to Florida
It takes us over 20 hours to drive to Florida. The kids are usually entertained
with new video games and watching movies. My wife is the navigator, steward, and
responsible for climate control. I am occupied as pilot and chief of the radio
dial.
There is a new trend that you can find with a quick YouTube search. The trend is to make a video lip syncing the song from Frozen while driving.
This sounds like an interesting way to pass the time. I simply need to convince my wife - it could be a lot of fun and leave us with a lasting memory of the trip.
There is a new trend that you can find with a quick YouTube search. The trend is to make a video lip syncing the song from Frozen while driving.
This sounds like an interesting way to pass the time. I simply need to convince my wife - it could be a lot of fun and leave us with a lasting memory of the trip.
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