The DVC Mom

Wordless Wednesday: Castle Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Kristen Kirk) — Wed, 23 May 2012 11:00:00 +0000

DVC Member Services hours extended:

noreply@blogger.com (Kristen Kirk) — Tue, 22 May 2012 21:21:00 +0000

To better meet Members' needs, starting on July 1, 2012 Member Services will extend operating hours to 9 a.m.-7:30 p.m. on weekdays (previously 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m.), while maintaining its 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. weekend hours.

The added hours are just the latest enhancement to Members' vacation-planning options, following the debut of the new Vacation Center at DVCMember.com. Accessible almost 24 hours a day (minus 30 minutes of scheduled maintenance from 2-2:30 a.m. Eastern daily), the Vacation Center includes the online-booking system, which lets Members book available Disney Vacation Club Resorts using Vacation Points, check available vacation points for any and all contracts, create and view wait lists, access records of past trips, add Disney Dining Plans and Magical Celebrations, and use the Disney Online Check-in Service. Members also may use the Vacation Center to purchase tickets and travel insurance, add Disney's Magical Express transportation and make dining reservations.

Random Wordless Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Kristen Kirk) — Wed, 16 May 2012 12:59:00 +0000

Random... but there you have it.

Tips for Travel with Kids and Anxiety

noreply@blogger.com (Kristen Kirk) — Tue, 15 May 2012 11:37:00 +0000

Hello Friends! My daughter Katie asked me if I would share a post or two during vacation that were from her point of view. It’s my hope that sharing her point of view will help other Moms when it comes to traveling with their kids. Airports and airplanes can be stressful places, when you’re not used to them, and Katie has some great tips to make things go a little smoother. ~ Kristen

Katie in her luggage fort, creating space and separation from the airport crowds.

Hi. I’m @NDK_49, also known as Katie. I am 12 years old and I have anxiety disorder. Having anxiety makes traveling hard for me. When I am going to Walt Disney World, or Disneyland, I have a really hard time at the airport and then on the plane.

What happens to me while in the airport is that I begin to freak out over how many people are there, a lot of the time I have to make a barricade with all of the luggage that we have brought. We do this so I feel like I am apart from all of the thousands of other people. So I feel safe! It happens a lot, in fact, it happens almost every time I am traveling. Sometimes it gets so bad that I have a hard time breathing because I am freaking out. My mom gets worried about me when this happens, but I get through it.

The situation that happens on the plane is different from the situation that happens in the airport it’s self. On the plane, there are always these movies about what happens if you crash, right? Well that always gets me to begin to freak out and worry about what happens if we have to make a crash landing and that kind of things. Then take-off is another thing. It just makes me feel ill, but I get though it. Normally it takes me to the half-way point of the flight until I begin to be comfortable in the airplane, but after that half-way point it is easy.

Focusing on a good book or game can distract from the crowds and pass the time.

Thing I do to help me get through my anxiety while traveling:

In the airport, I use the luggage that was brought along to create a barrier.
I focus on my breathing so I don’t hyperventilate.
I wrap up in a blanket, or a jacket, because I’ve found that being wrapped up, or covered up tends to make me feel safer.
I go through the security check-in first, so I don’t get lost. Losing sight of my family ( Or friends, depending whom I am traveling with. ) makes me scared.
Because of my anxiety, my mom always asks the gate attendants if I can board first so I can get settled in before everyone else starts filing in. Almost every time we’ve traveled, we’ve asked if we could, and they let us.

Some things parents might not know is that the TSA has been doing stuff for children to make security easier. Children who are 12 and under do NOT have to take their shoes off while going through security, nor do they have to go through the full body scan. I was asked my age when I was in line for the full body scan because I though everyone had to, nope! I was wrong. Children 12 and under just go through the regular metal detector. Also, children under 18 have to have a parent there if the TSA needs to pat them down.

I hope this post gives you some good ideas with your kids while traveling, and I know that I am ready for vacation because knowing this stuff helps me enjoy it more!

Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar

noreply@blogger.com (Kristen Kirk) — Thu, 10 May 2012 11:00:00 +0000

For our first meal at the Disneyland Resort we headed over to the Disneyland Hotel to give one of the newest dining options a try, Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar.

Disney Geeks will delight in their journey to what's so much more than a mere bar or restaurant. Inspired by the legends and lore of the world-famous Jungle Cruise and other popular Disney attractions, Trader Sam's is not only named for the "head" salesman of the Amazon, but features some of the exotic wares he has collected over the years. Disney Imagineers had a field day collecting relevant treasures and trinkets that fill this establishment with fun.

Though Disney calls the menu here "American" my picky Katie had a little had trouble finding something to eat. I would call the menu more "Asian Pacific" inspired.

Pictured from front to back, we ordered a PuPu Platter had Tamarind-glazed Island Pork 'Wings', Sweet and Spicy Asian Wings, Panko-crusted Chinese Long Beans, Green Papaya Slaw, and Sriracha Aioli ($15.99)

Kalua Pork Flatbread - with Pulled Pork, Red Onion, Cilantro, Barbecue Sauce, and Mozzarella. $8.99

I also ordered Panko-Crusted Chinese Long Beans because I hoped that Katie would like them. They were served with Sriracha Aioli ($7.99)

And finally Lettuce Wraps with Sauteed Chicken and Hoisin Ginger Sauce ($9.99)

There is an incredible custom drink menu at Trader Sams that drives the spirit of this fun and entertaining eatery. Guests soon discover that what they say may anger the Gods, as the ordering of certain menu items triggers careful imagineered responses within the restaurant. It's truly an exciting adventure that's a little different every time you go.

I wanted to order the amazing, flaming Uh Oa! cocktail, that comes complete with elaborate ceremony to apease the gods. However, being the only person over 21 on our trip, I thought twice of ordering this drink that's designed for 2 or more people. Instead I asked my server for a "Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Rum" which is a cocktail made with Reserve Rum, Cream of Coconut, and Pineapple and Orange Juices then dusted with Cinnamon and Nutmeg.

Everyone had a fantastic time, and we'll be back!

Free Cone Day! Häagen-Dazs at Downtown Disney District

noreply@blogger.com (Kristen Kirk) — Wed, 09 May 2012 17:00:00 +0000

We were so excited to discover that our first day at the Disneyland Resort was also Häagen-Dazs Ice Cream Shops Free Cone Day! What a brilliant stroke of luck that the store in the Downtown Disney District just happened to be one of the participating shops. From 4pm-8pm everyone who came in was able to sample of one scoop cone of their scrumptious flavors of rich, decedent ice cream or sorbet.

After checking in at the beautiful Grand Californian Resort and Spa the kids and I headed to Downtown Disney. Unlike taking the bus system at Walt Disney World, we literally stepped out the Hotel's side door and were in the middle of the action. It was just a short stroll to find the ice cream shop.

I had mint chocolate chip and it was amazing!

We discovered Free Cone Day by checking the Disneyland Daily Calendar before we left home. It has a great listing of all the fun stuff happening around every part of the resort including special events at shops and entertainment all over the Downtown Disney District. It's a great planning tool, and this was a great way to start off our vacation!

2 Bedroom Villa at Disney's Grand Californian

noreply@blogger.com (Kristen Kirk) — Wed, 09 May 2012 05:00:00 +0000

One of the reasons that I truly love being part of the Disney Vacation Club is because it gives us the opportunity to stay in a category of room that we may not have in years prior to our membership. Having the opportunity to spread out a little, yet still keep the family together has a great value to me. For the first four nights of our vacation, our base camp is a 2 bedroom villa at Disney's Grand Californian Resort and Spa. The Villas at the Grand Californian opened in the fall of 2009 as the first Disney Vacation Club Villas on the West Coast. One of the smallest DVC properties, it can sometimes be difficult to reserve a villa any less than 11 months out. Our family was lucky and we were able to reserve our room at just 4 months out from our vacation dates.

The suite of rooms is decorated in Arts and Crafts Style theme with rich wood, warm colors and patterns reminiscent of William Morris' work. Stained glass lamps softly illuminate the rooms with a golden light, and pounded iron fixtures add the subtle detailing that finishes off overall design style.

The spacious Livingroom offers the kids and I a place to relax while in hanging out on this trip. The clever "murphy" bed beneath the TV was quickly claimed by Katie.

At the time we made our reservations we asked for a theme park view, and we also faxed a room request stating the same a few days before our arrival. 40% of the DVC rooms at the Grand Californian have a theme park view and overlook Disney's California Adventure. Check out what we got!

Yep, go ahead... hate me... it's okay... I understand. This is the best room EVER.

We'll be getting good use out of the Full Kitchen on this trip!

The Master Bedroom has a King sized bed, private bathroom, and large desk area. Being that this is a working vacation for me, the desk area was really important.

Tori and Kirk took the second 2nd Bedroom. It also had a desk where we plugged in a second computer station for the kids' use. One computer never cuts it in our family, not even when traveling.

With Three Bathrooms there shouldn't be any struggle at all to get ready in the morning.

I could live here easily... seriously... I so don't want to leave.

5:00 AM Wake Up Call

noreply@blogger.com (Kristen Kirk) — Tue, 08 May 2012 10:19:00 +0000

Up and Ready to go! Not that anyone really slept at all last night. Katie spent the night on the couch snoozing between Disney Channel shows and I tossed and turned looking at the clock every half hour. We were more than ready to hop up and start a pot of coffee when the alarms went off!

It's going to be a very long travel day, and I hope the kids are ready. It's about 9 hours in travel time from our front door in Rockford, Illinois to Disney's Grand California Resort & Spa in Anaheim, California. Even though my kids are teens that sort of time takes a little planning to keep them busy.

Tori, Katie & Kirk all have new books to read on the flight to California. It's 4 hours and 30 minutes in the air, which is about twice as much time as they're used to when we go to Florida. Katie will be recording her thoughts in a travel journal as we go. I hope to transcribe some of her journal entries into a couple of blog posts to share with you. We've got laptops, iPads, and iPhones to keep us busy. No telling what the in flight movie may be.

I upgraded our airline tickets to "economy plus" which gives us 5 extra inches of leg room. On the two hour flight to Florida it's not a must, but with 4.5 hours to LAX it's critical to keep my Fibromyalgia pain at bay. Disneyland is no fun if I'm in so much pain from the flight that I can't tour. So, Hooray for extra leg room!

Our car arrives at 6:30 to take us to the airport. The kids are excited to see what we'll be riding in. I called the towncar company that I always use, but since there are 4 of us I'm not sure if we'll get a van or a limousine. Either way I can't wait to climb in and get this trip started!

Disneyland Live Event this Week!

noreply@blogger.com (Kristen Kirk) — Mon, 07 May 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Our Disneyland Live event is taking over this week!

The kids and I are packed and ready to go and we'll be sharing the trip with you all week long. It's one great big California adventure as the kids visit the Disneyland Resort for the first time. All our coverage will take over the top post spot, so if you forget where to follow just head to DVCMom.com and you'll be right with us.

Follow our adventures Tuesday May 8th through Sunday May 13th:

A Live Webcam from our Grand Californian Hotel room! I've packed the equipment, now it's just a matter of if we have a fun view or not. Will it be park view, pool view or the parking lot? We don't know! With a little luck I'll be streaming out the window beginning about 5PM PST Tuesday May 8th and going through the morning of May 11th.

Keep up on Twitter by using the #Back2Cali hashtag, or following me @DVCMom

For the first time during a live event we'll be creating a special Pinterest Board for our vacation photos! I'm hoping that this fun new option helps to share our experience with you in real time more than ever. Armed with my iPhone and the Pinterest App, keep an eye out for pins from what we're doing, while we're doing it!

Last but not least, I plan on uploading our vacation pictures every night to my Flickr Photostream. I know that a lot of you look forward to my photos, so just a warning. I'm working with a new little point and shoot camera on this trip, and I don't know it's capabilities yet. Still, you can check in daily to see all the magic that I've captured while touring the Happiest Place on Earth.

Touring New Orleans' Preservation Hall

noreply@blogger.com (Kristen Kirk) — Sat, 05 May 2012 17:31:00 +0000

For a big part of my life, I've traveled in this "Disney Cocoon" of happiness, cleanliness, and security. I know that it exists, and I am perfectly happy to maintain the fantasy. When we went to new Orleans earlier in the year I knew that I would be stepping out of my comfort zone. I knew that we were traveling to a gritty, urban city, but being that we were largely going to be in the French Quarter I knew that it would be one so completely steeped in history that I wouldn't care for a minute.

One of the places that I longed to see, Preservation Hall, I had actually heard about first in the song "My Sanctuary" by Marc Cohn. It was on his "Join the Parade" album that was largely inspired by Hurricane Katrina and the aftermath of the tragedy. I was completely entranced by that point in time of American History. I had always wanted to go New Orleans, feeling an otherworldly draw to this place I had never been, and when it was destroyed it broke my heart. I told my husband that it was our duty as human beings to put our tourist dollars there. It took us an awful long time, but when we finally got there this spring I could not have been happier. It's not a place that I'll wait that long to return to again. I was completely entranced by the French Quarter and it's wistful spirit.

There in the picture, the old, dirty greenish building shuttered in weathered wood. The Hall was was founded in 1961 and dedicated to the preservation of New Orleans Jazz. The building was "originally built as a private residence in 1750, the hall has evolved into a tavern, inn, photo studio and an art gallery. The inside of the hall contains portraits of the musicians who first filled it with the beautiful sounds of New Orleans Jazz."(Source) It's not something Disney made to look old and worn, it's the real thing. It's where you can find the soul of dixieland. The music pervades every crevice, the years and the struggles are palpable here, the music and the musicians. As a jazz lover and the mother of a trombone player, it swept me away.

And the music keeps right on playing
‘Cause of all the places water wouldn’t fall
It wasn’t the churches or the chapels
It was down at the Preservation Hall
“This is my sanctuary”, you could almost hear the ghost
Of some old trumpet player say
“Lay down the burdens you carry
In my Sanctuary”
lyrics by Marc Cohn

Yes, we saw the sign, but the cat was oddly attracted to my husband and followed right next to him for the whole time that we were there. She was super sweet to Geordon, I think she must have known that we appreciated every moment in her sanctuary.

We missed the show the evening that we had in New Orleans, but that's okay because I will be back. Our next trip will be longer and catching a show here is number one on my to do list. If I'm lucky, I'll get to return with my son. He would love this place. It has magic. Preservation Hall opens at 8:00pm every day. Music begins at 8:15pm. Admission is $15 per person and all ages are welcome.

Maybe we'll even reserve seats in the VIP section. Who's in to join us?

Travel Tip for Coffee Lovers

noreply@blogger.com (Kristen Kirk) — Fri, 04 May 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Though Starbucks in Disney Parks are coming soon, I'll be headed to Disney in just a few days and will need my morning coffee fix. One of my favorite parts of staying in a Disney Vacation Club Villa is that we have a 10 cup coffee maker in the kitchen. With this in room convenience I'm assured to get a morning cup of joe that suits my tastes perfectly.

My tip for easy morning coffee is to pre-portion the grounds for a pot of coffee into a small ziploc bag for each morning of vacation.

We'll have 5 mornings in Disneyland, which means 5 small baggies each with 6 heaping tablespoons of coffee. I then put the small baggies into a larger freezer bag with some of my favorite filters. It's easy in the morning to just wake up and start a pot from each pre-portioned bag of my favorite roast. The double bagging keeps everything neat, together, and doesn't take up much room in a suitcase or carry-on bag. Clean-up is simple (just put the used bags in the garbage) and you don't have waste from unused beans.

For travelers staying in a standard Walt Disney World Resort room, you'll find a 4 cup pot on your bathroom vanity. Portions can be adjusted to suit your taste and the coffee pot available. It doesn't matter if you drink Folgers, Starbucks, or even roast your own. Pre-packing the perfect portions of coffee and your own filters will help you wake up knowing that a perfect cup is on it's way.

One more thing checked off my To Do List for Disneyland!

Meditation on Disneyland: Wordless Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Kristen Kirk) — Wed, 02 May 2012 22:46:00 +0000

This may be one of my favorite pieces of art in all of the Disney Parks!
Do you know where it is?

The Art of Vacationing, with Goofy

noreply@blogger.com (Kristen Kirk) — Tue, 01 May 2012 11:34:00 +0000

Just one more week and we'll be headed to Disneyland, so I thought that I would catch up on the "Art of Vacationing" you know... just to make sure I'm doing it right. Luckily I found this great video to help me brush up on my skills! What do you think, do I have it downpat?

I packed my bag yesterday, it's strange for me to be taking so little. I hadn't realized that I usually travel with so much excess. I'm *so* excited, and Katie has a zillion questions she keeps asking me. I think we're going to have a pretty good time.

The Broadsides of Harambe Village

noreply@blogger.com (Kristen Kirk) — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 11:00:00 +0000

While the Princess Party Crew and I relaxed in the comfort and shade of the Dawa Bar, waiting for the Jammin' Jungle Parade, I noticed the the area was papered with creative broadsides full of local propaganda. Flyers slapped up on the on walls and poles, signs painted on building to help create the feeling of this little village.

Wordless Wednesday Flamingo

noreply@blogger.com (Kristen Kirk) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Saving Money on Meals in Disneyland

noreply@blogger.com (Kristen Kirk) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 16:23:00 +0000

When I travel to Walt Disney World I frequently purchase the Deluxe Dining plan, however for our upcoming trip to Disneyland that just won’t be possible. Disneyland does offer a set of vouchers to purchase for your dining, but it doesn’t seem to me like they really offer any added value, so we’ll be using Disney Gift Cards that we’ve saved money on for our meals. We had saved $900 on the card before we had to start making changes, so that’s what I have to work with. Using Gift Cards just for meals will help us maintain our budget since the money is set aside from ticket money or spending money.

When I discovered I would have to cut out budget significantly, the first thing I did was decided that we would only eat at counter service restaurants. This is a fairly simple choice to make at the Disneyland Resort because not only is it easy to get to any place you want to eat on foot, but they truly have some exceptional counter service establishment. This choice immediately cut what we would need to budget for food by 40%.

Added benefits of switching to all counter service meals include:

No need to make priority seating reservations.
Save more money by not having to leave a tip.
More flexibility in our touring plan.

I also decided to save money in our food budget by cutting out soda. I could not believe how much we will save when I ran these numbers. By carrying water bottles and single serve crystal light packs we will save at least $40 a day. For our 6 day trip, that’s a savings of $240 from our budget. That’s HUGE!! The added benefit here is in overall health, less sugar and more water are always good things.

Next, I headed over to AllEars.net where I was able to look up the menus for Disneyland Counter Service. There I could get an idea of what was available, and which restaurants had the most options that my kids would eat. In order to create our budget, I added up the cost of the most expensive entree at each restaurant and multiplied it by 4. By figuring my budget in that manner, it gives me a maximum cash lay out to expect for each meal. For our family of four, I can expect a range of between $40-$60 per meal at the following establishments we picked.

Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen Express, Downtown Disney
Tangaroa Terrace, Disneyland Hotel
River Belle Terrace, Disneyland
French Market, Disneyland
Mint Julep Bar (snack), Disneyland
Tortilla Jo’s Taqeria, Downtown Disney
Luckey Fortune Cookery, California Adventure
Cocina Cucamunga, California Adventure
Rancho del Zocalo, Disneyland
Plaza Inn, Disneyland

I made one more choice in my attempt to cut the food budget. We’ll be eating 3 breakfasts and 1 lunch in our room. The Villa has a full kitchen, I figured that we might as well make it work for us. Not to mention the requisite morning Starbucks coffee in our room since the new stores won’t be open yet. At the Disneyland Resort you can have groceries delivered to you for a fee through the Vons.com website.

According to AllEars.net, most of the Disneyland Resort counter service restaurants also give a 10% discount to DVC Members. I’m not sure if that’s correct, but you know that I’ll be asking at every place we go! I’ll report back on that later.

We’ll be departing Disneyland on Mother’s day, and I’m hoping that we’ll have enough money left over that we can squeeze in an early breakfast at the Storyteller’s Café, which is my favorite Character Meal in Disneyland. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

I think that these savings tips could probably be applied to a Walt Disney World vacation as well. They were really just common sense placed to pinch out pennies. I can’t wait to share our Disneyland food adventure! Do you have a favorite counter service place to eat in Disneyland? Leave me a comment and let me know!

I'm thrill to have this post featured in Disney Blog Carnival #45

Stop by for the best News & Views the Disney Blog-o-sphere has to offer.

Starbucks at Disney!

noreply@blogger.com (Kristen Kirk) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 14:36:00 +0000

Oh my gosh, I'm not one for the cut and paste press release, but I'm so excited about this I can barely put two sentences together!!

This is a partnership I've wanted to happen for decades. Finally high end coffee all over Disney Parks. No more packing my own, I can leave the French Press and beans at Home.

Are you as excited about this collaboration as I am!?

The News Straight from the Disney Parks Blog:

"Today, we’re excited to officially announce plans to bring your favorite Starbucks drinks and food items to all of our theme parks at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort.

In June, the first of six planned Starbucks locations is scheduled to open at Disney California Adventure park. And more locations are planned at Disneyland park and Walt Disney World Resort (Magic Kingdom Park, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom).

The Starbucks locations inside our parks will be designed to fit the theme of their surroundings. At Disney California Adventure park, Starbucks will be located in the Fiddler, Fifer and Practical Café on Buena Vista Street, a place that transports guests to 1920s Los Angeles, when Walt Disney arrived in California and a cup of coffee was the perfect way to jumpstart a busy day. The store’s location plays off the Spanish/Mexican architecture of the period, and baristas will wear 1920s-inspired attire.

The café will serve Starbucks items, including coffee and espresso beverages, Frappuccino® blended beverages, and signature breakfast sandwiches and pastries. Guests also will have their choice of Disney favorites, including signature sandwiches and other items, as well as delicious desserts and sweet treats.

Let us know what you’ll be ordering in the comments."

Katie's Pre-Disneyland Shopping Day VLog

noreply@blogger.com (Kristen Kirk) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 11:00:00 +0000

My daughter Katie and I went out shopping yesterday to get her some things that she will need for the upcoming Disneyland. It was the first big shopping trip that we had in a long time, and while we were out she decided that we should shoot some video with my phone. Ever indulgent I played along. So I present to you Katie's Pre-Disneyland Shopping Day Vlog. I hope you enjoy our banter.

Packing Plan for 6 Days in Disneyland

noreply@blogger.com (Kristen Kirk) — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 11:00:00 +0000

I’m usually one of those woman who packs everything, if I could travel with a suite of trunks like in a 1940’s movie, I would. I simply believe in having every convenience of home with me on vacation. I'm spoiled, I know, but I'm old enough to remember when traveling was a luxury experience, and I cling onto that memory for dear life. Sure... you can call it denial, I'll just call it a great vacation! I know that I’ve shared my packing plans with you before and you’ve even seen my spreadsheets for a matching family, so you know how obsessive I can be.

With this upcoming trip to Disneyland though, we’re pinching every penny. In order to save $200 in baggage handling fees, we're going to travel light and pack carry0ons only. It's going to be a Bear Necessities kind of trip. So what does it mean to me to pack light, and can I really do it?

Here’s my plan:

1. Count up how many outfits I need per day and cut it in half. 6 Days = 3 Outfits
I have a washer and dryer in our Villa for laundry. We don’t have any table service or fine dining reservations, so won’t need to change for dinner. However, I do need swimwear for the pool day and workout gear for our Power Walking Tour through California Adventure.

2. Choose only one or two colors to pack. Mix & Match creates the illusion of greater variety. Navy & Khaki are my base colors for this trip.

4. Assemble outfits of clothes in those colors, and specialty attire.

5. Shoes, comfortable black sandals go with everything, add specialty flip flops and gym shoes.

Day 1 Tuesday Outfit 1	Day 2 Wednesday Outfit 2	Day 3 Thursday Outfit 3	Day 4 Friday Outfit 1	Day 5 Saturday Outfit 2	Day 6 Sunday Outfit 3
Khaki Capri Ivory Cami Navy Shirt Pearls Travel Arrive DLR	Jean Capri Gray Cami Navy Swtr Ombre Scrf Park Day	Jean Capri Red Cami Navy Shirt Red Scrf Pool Day	Khaki Capri Ivory Cami Navy Shirt Pearls Power Walk Park Day	Jean Capri Gray Cami Navy Swtr Ombre Scrf Switch Hotels Park Day	Jean Capri Red Cami Navy Shirt Red Scrf Travel Home

Specialty Dress
Outfit 4 – Work out clothes pants, shirt, socks, shoes. Will double as jammies.
Outfit 5 – Pool attire: swimsuit, cover-up, flip-flops.

Packing
Outfit 1 – Travel outfit, doesn’t need to be packed.
Outfits 2-5 In The Suitcase
Toiletries (Sunscreen, Make-up, Medication)

It all seems so simple, but on paper it looks like it will work! I hope that I'm right. I just hope that I can get the kids to bring together a plan that will help us all coordinate and look good in pictures. Getting the kids coordinated is not so easy, Tori's fine on her own, but the last time I let Kirk pack for himself it was very, very bad.

What do you think about my plan? Does anyone have any suggestions for me? Leave a comment and share your experiences!

Keep Calm, and Go to Disneyland

noreply@blogger.com (Kristen Kirk) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 15:14:00 +0000

This year, the universe has decided that it will teach me to be more flexible, and overcome obstacles with positive thought and determination. My normal hyper-planned and strategized methods have been tossed to the wind and I’m learning the true meaning of the word flexible. There’s no time for me to be a control freak, when plans keep changing and finances are unstable. So, you may wonder, how on earth are we going to Disneyland in less than a month!?

After finding out that I didn’t need to be in WDW in June for a wedding, I decided that we would take our family vacation in Disneyland. So, knowing that I had to use the DVC point we had moved, in early February I booked our airline tickets and a room at Disney’s Grand Californian. By the end of the month I realized that I had booked one less hotel nights than I needed, and scrambled to find a room for Saturday Night. $800 later and we had an add on at the Disneyland Hotel.

Before the end of March, my husband had lost his job. How on earth do six people go to Disneyland with no income? Could we change the plans again and just reschedule? Nope, it would cost $900 simply to change the airline tickets, another week went by and we were within 30 days, no travel would mean losing a years worth of DVC points. So I decide that we’re going no matter what, after all, we had a hotel room and the airfare was paid.

Even with hotel and airfare taken care of, I still needed to figure out how to make other aspects of vacation work. A stroke of luck in Mid-April! My husband found an interim job, but that means he wouldn’t be going to Disneyland either. Two less people, cuts the budget in 1/3 straight off the top.

I was able to whittle away at the food budget by deciding that we would only eat at counter service. That saves close to half what I had planned on spending right there. Aprox $700.
Counter service breakfasts for $35 a day? No way, we’ll be having bagels, doughnuts, fresh fruit and the like delivered from the grocery store down the road. The savings will be about $100.
More cuts… we’re saving $40 a day simply by deciding that we won’t drink pop, another $240 off of the needed funds. Can you believe that? It’s probably the most shocking budgeting discovery I’ve made.
We also gave up one park day and bought 3 day tickets instead of 4 day… another $100 saved. Oh no, I’ll have to lay by the pool and sit in the hot tub. Yea, I don’t really expect any pity there.
Forget extra housekeeping services, we’ll do dishes and make our own beds. Savings about $150.
Online discounts made out park tickets, and ground transfers less on the California side. I called our hometown limo provider, and they gave me $40 off our car to the airport, just because I asked.
No checked bags! I told the kids that we’ll be packing super light. A washer/dryer in the Villa means we can still be fresh & clean even with fewer clothes. $10 for detergent is much better than $200 in airline baggage fees.
Having free internet connection in the Villa also means that I’ll be able to do my full work week while away, so we won’t lose any additional money by me being gone.

So I’m cooking, cleaning, and working while we’re going to be in Anaheim. I’m not entirely sure that this qualifies as a vacation. I think I’m thinking of it more as a temporary relocation to one of my favorite places on the planet. After all, Disney after work and a theme park view during the day is way better than being depressed at home from canceling the whole trip.

Life happens, and it can be hard to roll with it. Lord knows that I am not really known for my ability to “roll with it”, but I’m learning. Man am I learning…

The Avengers are Coming

noreply@blogger.com (Kristen Kirk) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 19:00:00 +0000

I am *so* looking forward to The Avengers next month. Even with the financial crisis my family is currently facing, I think we'll be treating ourselves to a trip to the Movies. After all, it's good to escape reality for a bit when everyone is so stressed out. New clips are out and I thought that I would share this one with you. Why this one? Because it's Robert Downey Jr. Duhh....

Will you be headed out to see The Avengers when it opens May 4th, 2012?

Who's your favorite hero? Leave a comment and let me know!

Wordless Wednesday: Nature

noreply@blogger.com (Kristen Kirk) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Hibiscus photographed on Disney's Private Island, Castaway Cay, May 2011
It's so hard to pick just one thing to represent "nature" so I picked one of the most beautiful things I saw in the most natural Disney setting I've encountered. Vivid and luxurious this hibiscus shows that something natural can also have the most breathtaking beauty. What in nature do you find breathtaking?

A Truly Comfortable Car: The Buick Enclave

noreply@blogger.com (Kristen Kirk) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 11:00:00 +0000

A couple of weeks ago I had the honor of test driving a Buick Enclave as I drove five DeMolay Teenagers to Basketball Weekend in Springfield, Illinois. When I picked up the car I was immediately taken with the curvy figure, leather seating surfaces, mahogany-inlaid steering wheel, and plenty of legroom.

Because of my Fibromyalgia hitting the road can be very difficult. Sitting in one position for more than a couple of hours tends to put a lot of undue stress on my body. Because of this our family rarely drives anywhere that’s more than about 3 hours away. When Buick said that they had a car for me, I was doubtful at first, my drive would be a total of 8 hours in only about 36. Could they really have made a vehicle so comfortable that even I could drive without pain? Well, I doubt no more because the luxury and comfort of the Buick Enclave gave me the best road trip that I’ve had in years.

I truly enjoyed having OnStar in a car again. It’s one of my very favorite safety features available today. OnStar is like adding peace of mind to the amenities list. I’m also quiet fond of the XM Satellite Radio that was installed in the Enclave. The Margaritaville channel became my must listen station, after all driving this luxury crossover was truly like a little vacation around town. It handled so well, and I think it may have the best suspension of any car I’ve ever driven.

The kids were fond of the extra leg room, heated and air conditioned seats, and CD player and plugs that were available to hook up our gaming system. Buick’s SmartSlide technology gave the teens sitting in the third row you plenty of room to climb in and out. Moving the second row was a simple job only took a second with one free hand.

I’ve liked other cars that I’ve had the pleasure of test driving, but this has got to be my favorite. Getting out of the car without being in pain is a rare treat for me, and I never once had a problem driving this one. Buick strives to make the Enclave the “finest luxury crossover out there” and I think that they’ve done a pretty fantastic job. The spacious enclave was such a treat, and if we could buy another car today, this is the one that I would want.

Disclaimer: Buick lent me the Enclave for a week to see if I could really find a car with comfort. All opinions expressed here in are entirely my own. Your results and experience may vary.

How About A Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Kristen Kirk) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 11:00:00 +0000

As I struggle to pull my budget together for our upcoming Disneyland Vacation, it occurs to me that many of my readers may be struggling to pull their budgets together too. I know that I could sure use some extra cash for Disney, couldn't we all? So a few friends and I have gotten together to offer you this fantastic giveaway!

You can win a $100 Disney Gift Card! That's right, $100 in your pocket to spend on something Disney wonderful.

What can you dream up to do with $100 at Disney? How about some fantastic things with these!

Enjoy Breakfast for 4 at Boma, Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge
Meet & Greet with your Disney Friends! You can buy 28 Dole Whips!
Sport a new "Balloon Mickey Mouse Mini Barrel Bag" by Dooney & Bourke at DisneyStore.com
Rent a Pontoon Boat from a Magic Kingdom Resort Marina and Cruise the Seven Seas Lagoon for an hour.
Grab three girlfriends and order up the Buckingham Tea at the Grand Floridian's Gardenview Tea Room.
Add seven new Vinylmation to your collection!

What would you do if you won? Leave a comment and let me know!
This contest runs April 16th- April 23rd, 2012 so enter now!

Congratulations Amy C.!!!! AKA @willsgirl31. You have won a $100 Disney gift card!

Special thanks to the following bloggers. Hop on over and check them out!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Ohana Means Family

noreply@blogger.com (Kristen Kirk) — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 11:00:00 +0000

One of the most loved restaurants at the Walt Disney World Resort is the Polynesian's family style feast at 'Ohana. Located on the second floor of the grand ceremonial house Ohana.

On my last trip to Walt Disney World I finally got to experience this fun family restaurant for myself, and I must say that I left completely enchanted.

The Princess Party Crew and I arrived a little early for our reservation, so we decided to enjoy a cocktail in the Tambu Tambu Lounge. We ordered a delicious array of Tropical Drinks. I was thankful that Becks and I ended up switching drinks. I enjoyed her Tropical Mojito much more than the Ginger Lemonade that I had ordered. Not that the Ginger Lemonade was bad, it just wasn't the flavor that I was looking for. Both of these drinks can be found on the standard Disney Cocktail menu.

It wasn't long before our table was ready, so we grabbed our drinks and headed in to the restaurant. Winding past Tikis and the fantastic 18-foot-long, open fire pit show grill, we headed to a really fantastic table by the windows where I had a view of the castle in the background.

All of the food at 'Ohana is served Family Style so that you can enjoy the Pan-Pacific flavors with your cousins. Service started with bread and a giant salad, then moved on to wings and pot stickers. Everything was very good, though I found the service to be both rushed and inattentive at the same time. Asian spiced noodles and steamed broccoli came next, followed by giant skewers of grilled shrimp, chicken, pork and beef, there was no shortage of delicious food! My favorites were the salad, pot stickers and grilled chicken.

While we enjoyed our dinner the Polynesian's legendary Cast Member Auntie Kauai entertained the families gathered together with stories and music. The kids in the restaurant all joined in with some hula and a parade.

Dinner ended on a high note with the fan favorite Bananas Foster Bread Pudding. I had a small bite, but honestly I was so very stuffed I just couldn't eat any more before heading back to the Magic Kingdom.

I had a fantastic time sharing this wonderful meal with my friends. I think that the style of service and the entertaining atmosphere make 'Ohana a must do for any family headed to Walt Disney World. If you're getting together with a group the single price and all you care to eat food make it a wonderful option for dinner with friends. For those on the Disney DIning Plan, dinner at Ohana costs just one Table Service credit. I will absolutely be returning to this fan favorite restaurant at one of my very favorite Disney Resort Hotels.