The importance of vacation DOWNTIME

We've been visiting Walt Disney World with kids since September of 2001 and while most of the time the kids have been able to roll with us and keep going, there have definitely been times where we knew they needed some downtime.

Sometimes that downtime meant time in the room for naps.  Funny how it always seemed the kids were the ones who resisted the naps the most but the adults had NO problem taking a nice little midday snooze.  Very refreshing.

Downtime can even be some time in the parks for running and playing instead of waiting in lines.  One of our favorite places to take the kids has always been the Boneyard Playground at the Animal Kingdom.  The kids always enjoy having time to run and climb and slide to their hearts content and at times it was hard to get them to leave. 

Hollywood Studios has another great playground where we've spent some time.  As the kids get older and can ride more rides, I expect we'll visit these places less and less.

Of course, pools and water parks are another great place for downtime.  During our May 2009 trip we found that the weather there for a good part of the week was in the high-80s and 90s and was just making us want to spend less time in the parks.  Instead we made it a point to tour the parks as early in the morning as possible, then head back to our room and hit the pool for a while.  Sometimes we'd have lunch in our room, sometimes we'd take some lunch down and eat by the pool.  I think it made for a much more relaxing trip and since most of our previous trips have been during off-season times when the weather was rarely HOT this was a new experience for us.  We were lucky enough to also discover on that May trip that we still had some Disney passes leftover from our 2001 trip that had unused Water Park Options on them...2 for each of us and one for Nicolas.  We used those 3 free entrances to get us into Typhoon Lagoon and just had to pay for Noelle and Noah.  It was great!


During the years we've also had a chance to do many other non-park things.  In 2009 we finally had a chance to play Disney's Mini-Golf courses which was fun.  In the past we've also rented boats to take out on Bay Lake.  Despite the many trips to Walt Disney World in the past 14 years or so, we have yet to see or do it all.  There is already a list for this upcoming trip of things to see and do at different parks that are new to some or all of us.  We'll focus on those things as well as our favorites, but we'll still try to do our best to make time for some downtime.

Our Disney Coin Collection

One of our newest fun things to do at Walt Disney World is to collect pressed coins. It's a fairly inexpensive souvenir and can be a fun activity for the kids. EPCOT is an especially great park for this as you can go into any shop in the World Showcase and get a coin pressed that is specific to the country you are visiting there. Unfortunately when we purchased this nice little book originally, the pressed coins were mostly pennies. Now it seems the pressed coin machines are more often quarter press machines, which makes it more expensive, but the kids still enjoy it.

Letting the kids run wild in Disney

I recently had a conversation with a fellow Disneyholic and asked a question that I know varies from parent to parent and that is: at what age did you allow your kids to run around the Disney parks without you? I'm not going to share his answer here but I was surprised. Perhaps it is because I guess it's something I haven't thought too much about quite yet. I can remember as a teenager I was allowed to run free at the local amusement park near our house during a class trip...and I was in middle school at the time.

My youngest starts middle school next year. I'm not at all ready to let him run free through the parks and honestly I don't think he'd want to go through the parks without us.

As much as I encourage my kids to be self-sufficient and independent I also know their limitations. Of course in these times where cell phones are easily available I know at least I would always have the peace of mind when I am ready to make that leap that if I needed to find any of them they would be only a phone call away. Plus I feel that if there was anyplace I would feel they were safe it actually is Walt Disney World.


For the most part, during our trips we really do all enjoy the same things. Sure there are plenty of times when the kids want to do something but we insist on something else...and it usually works out that our suggestion ends up being a big hit with them. It's funny how mom and dad can sometimes be right sometimes about what the kids will like huh?

When we do feel like the kids need a little time to left off some steam without being herded around the parks, one of our favorite places to take them has been The Boneyard at the Animal Kingdom Park. We have taken them there at all ages and it's always been a hit. There is one way in and out, so they can't escape without us knowing about it. There are tons of slides and things to climb on and explore and I'm pretty sure they would spend hours there if we allowed it. It's usually a place where we take kids that are too small for other rides like Dinosaur or Primeval Whirl since those rodes are close to here. Now that the kids are getting bigger and can ride most of these rides, we don't spend as much time here since they would much rather be doing the big rides.

Playgrounds are fun for most kids 12 and under and we always make time during every vacation to give them time on at least one to let off some steam. It is a time when parents can just sit back and relax as well so they are ready to tackle the next park!

Blog Revival

So as I am starting to plan out our NEXT Disney trip in June of 2011 I have decided to try to breathe some new life into this old blog. When we last left here, I was updating you on our May 2009 trip...which was just FAB-U-LOUS. We returned from that trip and went back seven months later for another trip, also great. I think it's probably about time I update that and then just try to post more regularly here since it's the one thing I LOVE to talk about...Disney!

I promise to not take another long leave of absence. I'm going to be back very soon to post all about our December trip next!

9 Days to Go - Dining Plan Here We Come!

So it's been a while, but not too much has changed.

Ok, so it's me, and you know I have made changes.

First of all, I finally broke down and decided to schedule Noelle for some princess pampering at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. I figured since each of the boys had their very first "professional" haircut at the Main Street Barber Shop in Disney, why shouldn't Noelle get a chance for a professional style at Disney. The prices ranged from $44.95 to (get ready for it) $179.95. Now, that last package would include a costume and accessories and her very own photo session with photos. Well, she has a perfectly good Snow White costume from Halloween and I have plenty of camera power, we opted for the middle package, because that includes nails at a price of $49.95. I think she'll be thrilled. We're having this done just a few hours before a planned dinner at 1900 Park Fare with Cinderella, so even better. I can't wait to see her face when she is being pampered by the Fairy Godmothers at Disney!

Next, after going back and forth many times I decided to bite the bullet and get the Disney Dining Plan for the first part of our stay. I know it will be way too much food, but it will still save us money based on the meals we have already scheduled for the first part of our trip. I am sure just having it to use for our meal at LeCellier steakhouse will be worth it. It will be nice to not have to really worry about buying food for the most part for those first five days of the trip. Plus, I have the Disney Dining Experience card on it's way to me as well, which will save us 20% off the rest of our restaurant meals, and includes the alcohol which I know we'll have a few times. I will be sure to save my receipts later so I can really calculate the true "savings" from our trip and share them here.