Pirates at the Caribbean!!!

Good morning! I haven't been on in a couple of days because this past weekend was my birthday, and what a great present to log onto my blog and see that three people have voted that they would feel comfortable with me booking their Walt Disney World vacation!! YAY! I hope everyone is having a great 2010 so far now that the first month is coming to an end.

Today I am going to talk about Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort, one of the moderate resorts. It is located next door to the Disney Hollywood Studios and across the street from EPCOT. Its pretty obvious that it would have a "Caribbean" theme going on to the resort and the different buildings.

Like I've previously mentioned, it is a moderate, the transportation that is available to guests staying there that don't have their own vehicle is the bus, and there are different buildings. But unlike the value resorts where the two building types that you pay for are either "standard" or "preferred", the different rooms types have more variation at the moderate resorts. At the Caribbean Beach, the room types you choose from are either standard, preferred, water view, PIRATE-standard view, and PIRATE-water view. ARRRRRRR!!!!

I'm sure the word PIRATE is posing many a-question right off the bat! I do know that the building that have the pirate-themed rooms are more towards the back of the resort, but if you have some little buckaneers in your family they would go crazy for these rooms! They have two double sized pirate ship-themed beds, pirate themed decor and other things around the room. The rooms are the same size as the others at the resort. So they also have the standard vanity area, table and chairs, bathroom, etc.

So this being a moderate resort, some of the other amenities you would get as a guest here would be a sit down table service restaurant, merchandise location, and a quick service restaurant located in the main building. What also is nice about the Caribbean Beach is there is a lake where you can do recreation on a day where you might just want to relax at the resort like boat and bike rentals, or hang out on the beach etc. This resort's main pool was also just re-finished in 2008 to the standards of a deluxe resorts pool and it is fantastic with water activities and a huge main slide just to begin with! Actually, altogether there a six pools at this resort throughout the various "villages" as they call the different builds and all the pools at Walt Disney World are always kept at a comfortable swimming temperature of seventy-two degrees! NICE!

Anybody could use these services!!

Good Morning!! Sooooooo.....only one person has voted on my poll. Hmmmm....I may need to extend this little idea of mine and be patient with it, huh? Well, that's not going to stop me from blogging! Today I am going to talk about the Moderate Resorts. I thought about jumping back to the deluxes, but instead I will just go back up the ladder since in these economic times more people are thinking about affordability.

Which brings me to think of a different topic that I'm going to interject here. There are only a few things that are "off limits" to guests who are not staying at deluxe resorts. For example, the pools. The pools at the deluxe resorts are for the guests there only. You have to show your room key to get into the area and get a wristband. But that's not to say that the spas, restaurants, merchandise locations, child activity centers, or the recreation at these resorts are just for their guests only. They're not. Anybody can take advantage of these services. Most of them are services that need reservations anyway, such as a spa appointment or a dinner reservation.

The children's activity centers also require a reservation. These are places located in certain resorts where parents can drop off their children (generally ages 4-12) and pay per hour so they (the parents) can maybe go to a romantic dinner or something. There are tons for the kids to do at the center, they generally don't want to leave when its time to! They have toys, movies, games, snacks, and all of its supervised by licensed cast members. Usually they're opened from 4 pm to midnight.

As I continue with this blog in the following weeks I think I'm going to extend my poll to see what readers may think. Until tomorrow!

Success in Families...

Good Afternoon! I just had a thought...what I would love to do is challenge myself to keep my job (and this blog) interesting. I have attached a poll on the right sidebar to get the opinion of the people who are reading this on whether or not it might work.

Now I know that I am still new to the blog scene and my page isn't that fancy or busy or anything but it does contain valuable information and I'm not giving up on it because I know that there are people out there who want this information.

So really why am I doing this. I am still looking for my "dare to be great" situation. I'm a hard-worker and truly enthusiastic about this. I know that this blog hasn't even begun to scrape the surface of the things I could talk about.

I have given the poll a week to get as many bloggers as I can to answer. Where did I come up with the number? One thousand is a lot of families, I wanted it to be something that seems completely un-reachable but at the same time amazing if it is reached. And 18 months? Does that seem too long? Should I make it a flat year? I figured if it was only a year most people wouldn't have even taken their trips yet since they book months in advance. So there it is.

The bottom line is I want to see how many families I can help send on their unforgettable Walt Disney World vacation and know that in some way I helped make it the best trip possible. :)

Decades of Disney Fun!

Good Morning!! I have been reading some posts on my facebook page of friends that are going to Walt Disney World this weekend and next and am so jealous! I would move onto Main Street USA if I could (or maybe just permanently live in a suite at the Contemporary)! :) Today I will be blogging about the final value resort, Pop Century. Ahhh, Pop Century. Too many memories, too little time. This is also considered to be in the "Animal Kingdom resort area", but is located off the main road in between the Caribbean Beach Resort and Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex.

The different building are themed after different decades including 50s, 60, 70s, 80s, and 90s. This resort is bigger than each of the All-Stars by about 100 rooms. The rooms do include though the standard two double beds, vanity area, and bathroom. There are three swimming pools at this resort, a quick service counter location, and merchandise location in the main building. And also this is one of the resorts that you would choose between having a standard or preferred room as I mentioned in the last blog post.

This resort has sentimental value for me and my husband. We just always seemed to stay there when getting away for the weekend on our last-minute trips. We also chose this resort as one that our wedding guests stayed at who could afford a value. Pop Century is not by any means any less of a great resort is you're looking for Disney World fun at a reasonable rate. I am going to start blogging about other resorts tomorrow, so if anyone has any questions about the values, please ask! A domain! (Until tomorrow!~) :)

Diamonds Are A Pool-Goer's Best Friend

Good Morning! Do you have a child who's a sports fanatic in your family? Are you looking for an affordable way to vacation at the Walt Disney World Resort? If you answered "yes" to either of these questions, then the All-Star Sports Resort is the way to go for you! How's that for a sales pitch?? :) Really though, how cool would it be to be able to take you sports-crazed kid to the swimming pool at your resort that's shaped like a baseball diamond?! And that has huge icons in the courtyard of surfing, baseball, basketball, tennis, and football?! Imagine the photo opportunities!

The All-Star Sports Resort is the final out of the three "All-Stars" and also located in the Animal Kingdom Resort area. They all actually share the same entrance. You speak to guard at the front and tell him you're checking in, show him your room key, or swipe it at the mechanical arm, and then drive to the resort that you're staying at, they're all in a row. Music, Movies, Sports. Of course if you're taking Disney transportation while on property, then you would just take the appropriately designated bus.

There are two pools at this resort as well, quick service dining location, merchandise location, and the rooms have two double beds, vanity area, and bathrooms. There is one other thing that I'm going to mention here that pretty much is valid for all the value resorts: If you want to be in a building that is closer to the main building where you check in and where the bus transportation is located, there is a fee added to your room reservation rate. Its not much, but rooms in these building are considered "Preferred Rooms", whereas the others are called "standard rooms." The fee isn't something huge, like I said, it depends on the time of year that you're vacationing, etc., but usually works out to be about $15 per night.

Now, why would you want a preferred room? Well, look at your travel party. Is there anyone in it who has trouble getting around? Someone who is going to need a wheelchair or ECV (electronic conveyance vehicle- or scooter) while you're at the parks because they can't walk that much? Or are you thinking about after a long day walking around the parks with young children and strollers. Kids who would want to be carried? Let me tell you, the last thing you would want to do at nine or ten o'clock at night after walking all day, and then riding the bus back is carrying a sleeping kid and bags, etc. to a sometimes 5-10 minute walk to your room. These are the situations where that extra $15 per night would be $money$ well spent. If this is no big deal with you, go for the standard room.

I've stayed in both in all these types of situations, and at this point in my life, I go with the preferred every time. Ten years ago, standard. Now I'm all about convenience. :)

Giant Little Green Army Men at the All Star Movies

Good Morning! With the recent Golden Globes awards, it seems only fitting that I talk today about the next value resort, the All-Star Movies. Even though the All-Star Music has the family suites, the All-Star Movies is by far the most popular (and therefore the most challenging to get into during the peak seasons) with guests. I think its mainly because of the "wow" factor. Each of the All-Star resorts have giant statues in the courtyards outside the buildings. For example, at the All-Star Sports there are huge bowling pins, etc. outside. At the All-Star Movies the building are themed to certain Disney films, so they are "101 Dalmations" with a huge Pongo outside, "Toy Story" with a huge Woody, buzz, and green army man outside, and so forth includine Fantasia, The Love Bug, and also The Mighty Ducks. This is a big thrill for kids to walk up to their hotel building and take pictures with a giant Woody as you can imagine.

There are two swimming pools at this resort (no slides), they have a quick service dining location, a merchandise location, and actually at this resort there is also a jogging/walking trail if you'd like to get in some exercise. Two double beds in the rooms, a vanity area, and bathroom. Also, if you need something like internet access or a refrigerator, you can request this at the time of booking and pay an fee per night for either one of these.

Respect to Dave at the All Star Music

Good Evening! Let me tell you a little tradition that my sister and I have. We LOVE to go to Walt Disney World in October. Every October, its like Christmas to us - we look forward to it all year. And every year, we stay at the All-Star Music. There is a special reason for us, there are pictures of musicians/bands on the wall in the lobby and there is one that we pay homage to every year, Dave Matthews. We have been spending a weekend there in October I think we're going on 6 or 7 years, where we check in, and before we go to our room we walk over to the wall, find the picture of Dave, and take a picture with us in front of it. That's what I think its all about. And now the best part, this past year 2009 was the first where we took our families and had our husbands take the infamous Dave picture. It was great.

The All-Star Music resort is a great resort to stay at. It works for us. Between Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween party, The International Food and Wine Festival and EPCOT, dining reservations, and playing at the park all jammed into 3 days/2 nights, it fits us to a T. We check-in, get cleaned up and only come back when its time to go to sleep. We usually have our own vehicles there, so transportation isn't an issue and we drive wherever we're going. Note: if you have your own car and are staying on Disney property you get a free parking pass for the parks for the length of your stay.

There is also something unique to this value resort that the other values do not have. They are called "family suites" and there is a limited number of them. They are nice. They have a living room with a double sleeper-sofa, a fold out single recliner and ottoman, a bedroom with a double bed, a little kitchenette, and a bathroom. So this room sleeps six! This is a big deal when all the other rooms at the value resorts sleep four and if you have a family of five and want to stay at a value you need two rooms. If this poses questions, let me know. I will be blogging soon about "sleeping situations" fir all the resorts in general.

This resort has a pool, it is rather large, and it is music themed (as are the buildings) but no slide. All the rooms have music theming to the decor and all the value resorts are considered "Animal Kingdom Resorts" meaning they're closest to the Animal Kingdom theme park. I really would hope that there are questions that you have, because I feel like sometimes there's something that's obvious to me that maybe I'm leaving out that you're wondering about. I hope I'm not leaving anything important to you out....but if I am, just ask! :)

A valuable "value" introduction...

Good afternoon! I have been asked by one of my (I can hardly contain myself) readers that I talk about the values resorts and what they offer. No problem! I am here for you! So, there are technically four values resorts; the All-Star Movies, All-Star Music, All-Star Sports, and Pop Century. You can also get a huge bang for your buck on a Disney vacation if you are the camping type and drive a motor home down, Walt Disney World has Ft. Wilderness Campground, but its not technically a "value resort". I will talk about this resort more later on though.

I have stayed in each of the value resorts numerous times. It is true as much as I like the others and LOVE the deluxes, when it comes down to affordability the values are a lot of the time the way to go.

The values have pros and cons. But it all depends on the way you look at it. In general, at all of them you're going to find certain standards. Generally; the rooms will have two double beds, some have one king (but it needs to be requested at the time of booking because they use these rooms for guests with disabilities), a bathroom, a vanity area with a sink, wall safe, hangers, a TV on a dresser, and a table and chairs. What more could you really need if you're going to be at the parks all day? This is exactly what I think these rooms are best suited for. A family who is looking to go to Walt Disney World on a budget, and maybe one that has either never been there before or hasn't been there in a long time and will be spending the majority of their time at the parks. Its a place to shower and sleep.

Now if you're used to being pampered on vacation and saw some of the amenities that I began to list in the section of the deluxes, you won't find most at the values. One interesting things about the deluxes is that they all have at rooms that open to a hallway. At the values, there are different buildings, so you would walk to your building and your door would open up to outside. This is similar to what one would think a "motel" is. But for that matter, the moderate resorts are the same way as well. Also, there is no room service and no sit-down restaurants at these resorts. All of them have a very good quick service location in the main building of the resorts where the merchandise shop and guest check-in is located too.

And lastly, the other major difference is the transportation to the theme parks and Downtown Disney. If you don't have your own vehicle the only way to get where you're going on Disney property is by bus. Now, this is not a big deal. I have been there where the timing has been perfect ans I hardly waited for a bus and there was almost no one on it and got to where I was going no problem. Mind you I have also been there when as I was walking towards my bus queue I watched the one I needed pull away and they run on 15-20 minute intervals, it was crowded and there were no seats. But all in all I do not think the bus thing is a reason not to book at the values.

Really the transportation workings at Disney World is going to be several blogs on its own. I will blog about each value resort and its specific amenities all this week so stay tuned....lots of good info to come!

Beyond Content with The Contemporary

Good morning! I hope this blog finds everyone well today. Today is about The Contemporary Resort. One of the two flagship resorts at the Walt Disney World Resort (the other being the Polynesian). I think that this is one of the most underestimated resorts on property. Now I have heard people's opinions of just about every resort a hundred times over, I've been doing this for a long time. But The Contemporary has so much more to offer than some people give it credit for. Its the only resort my uncle will stay in given the preference!! "Put me at The Contemporary anyday" he says.

One of the most distinguishing features about this resort is that the monorail train goes right through it. When you're on the monorail and passing through the resort you can look down below and see the people dining at Chef Mickey's restaurant or going into and out of the merchandise locations. It is pretty cool. And I won't tell you, you'll just have to check it out for yourself, but if you're on the monorail and look to your right out the windows onto the drive and gardens in the front of the resort you may just see a hidden Mickey!

Like The Polynesian and The Grand Floridian Resorts on the monorail line The Contemporary has rooms with a view of the Magic Kingdom. These have two queen size beds, marble bathrooms with double sinks, flat screen LCD TV's and a 'to die for' view when the fireworks are going off nightly. To surprise me one night my husband booked one of these rooms for us to watch the fireworks on our balcony with a glass of wine and there was no other word to describe it besides magical. But that's what they're going for, isn't it?

Also, once again, I cannot discuss the topic of The Contemporary Resort without mentioning dining, although dining will be a separate subject in the blog. One of the most popular restaurants on property is located here, Chef Mickeys. This a breakfast and dinner buffet with characters. American-style food and man, the size may only compare to those perhaps in Vegas. This is also the only restaurant on property where you can see both Mickey and Minnie together at the same location. Make sure you make those reservations! A somewhat new restaurant is also located there called The Wave. I had the pleasure of eating there just a few months ago for lunch, my seared tuna
salad was delicious although I am sad to admit that my kids were not on their best behavior. You moms know how that goes. Lastly, on the view top of The Contemporary Resort is The California Grill. I love this restaurant. Fresh sushi, steaks, chicken, delicious desserts (the banana foster out of this world!), all with a "California" flair. The most exciting part? Get a reservation around fireworks time, they dim the lights, pump in the music to the fireworks show, and allow you to leave your table if you like to go out on a balcony and watch the fireworks at what look like eye-level! Having memories like that to take home with you is the essence of Disney!

The pool at The Contemporary is newly re-done, with great new water effects for hours of enjoyment by both parents and kids alike. There of course is a slide and the patio overlooks the lake where you can also do fun recreational activities such as boat rentals, parasailing, you name it. If you're in the market to stay at a deluxe resort on your Disney World vacation, don't overlook this one. It's fantastic.

Poly-Fun!!

Good Afternoon! Or should I say "Aloha"? Because today I am talking briefly about the Polynesian resort. Another deluxe resort on the monorail with a polynesian/hawaiin flair to it. There's some great food at this resort!! YUM! Well, besides the food, you can find Disney's Spirit of Aloha, an authentic Polynesian-style Luau five nights a week, and a monsterous main pool with a big volcano slide!

I will be addressing food in many, many blogs to come, but I have to make a brief mention of it in this one because the food at this resort is like non other you could find on property. It is where one of my family's favorite restaurant is located, Ohana. Now, The Polynesian resort has been there since the very beginning in 1971 and I know Ohana has been visited by my family since the '80s. Its an all-you-can eat family style restaurant with skewers of beef, shrimp, chicken, and sausage de-skewered table-side. Delish!

I have so many fond memories of my family and friends at the Polynesia. And most of the time they occur at Ohana. My brother, sister, and I took our parents there for their 50th birthdays (they are 15 days apart) and presented them mid-dinner with a vacation we had gotten them to Hawaii. My sister had her rehearsal dinner at Ohana. My husband and I took our children to breakfast at Ohana for the first time they met Mickey Mouse! So many great memories that make me smile.

There is a lady making and handing out Lai's in the lobby with beautiful plant life and fountains throughout the resort lobby as well. And when you go there make sure you have a cup of Kona coffee! This will assure you make through a long day of getting on and off attractions at the parks! :)

There are so many more things I could list to tell you about the Polynesian Resort, but I am so interested to know what your questions are concerning the topic, too. I would love to know what is most important for the blog reader and first time Disney-goer!

Holy Grandness Batman!

Good Afternoon Disney-goers! We're on the subject of the deluxe resorts, and I'm breaking them down for you detail by detail. The Grand Floridian; beauty, comfort, relaxation, luxury, Disney. This is one of my favorite resorts anywhere! I love to just take a relaxing monorail ride, watch the people getting on and off and then just walk around the Grand Floridian Resort and soak it all up. A pianist playing in the lobby, a band on the second floor appearing at certain times each day, and the clinking on the teacups you can hear in the afternoon while people are partaking at the Garden View Lounge.

This is the resort where the Grand Floridian Spa is located (my favorite on property). You can get manicures, pedicures, massages, go workout, saunas, relaxation baths, you name it. My sister and I spent a day there one weekend and we had a package for the whole day. It included an "anti-stress facial", 50 minute massage, and 20 minute aromatherapy bath. In between the services while you are waiting for someone to take you, the locker room has an adjacent sauna room equipped with a large hot tub as well. Or you could relax in the ultra comfortable robes they give you in the sitting room on a soft, comfy sofa, some fruit, hot tea, and a magazine. Meet new people, get a massage, and listen to soothing music. Just writing this makes me want to be there now. As a matter of fact, next visit I am going to make sure that is something I do again. Hubby can watch the kids for a while. :)

There are so many more things to talk about this resort. This is where the wedding pavilion is located, there are multiple pools, four full service restaurants (not counting the tea room), several character meals are located here, merchandise locations from dressy/trendy attire to children's gift shops, and you are greeted from the moment you walk under the awning to the moment you sadly leave for the airport. The rooms are beautiful and they range from standard room types to full-on suites that are fit for a king.

Basically, from the moment you walk in the door you feel as if you're in the Victorian era, but sure are glad you don't have to wear those horrid bustles (you know what I'm talking about ladies). :)

Luxuriousness

Good afternoon! Ahhh... the deluxe resorts. What can't I say about the deluxe resorts? Luxury and World-class Disney service! Can it get any better? Can you tell from my first three sentences that these are my personal favorite resorts? Have I asked you enough questions? I'm still waiting for you to ask me some more!

I like to break down the category of the deluxe resorts into three sub-categories. Because really I would stay at any one of them on any given day! I got married at one of them! We'll break them down based on where they're located: The Magic Kingdom area, EPCOT/Disney Hollywood Studios area, and then we'll talk about two separately; The Animal Kingdom Lodge and The Wilderness Lodge.

The Magic Kingdom area deluxe resorts are the Polynesian, the Grand Floridian, and The Contemporary Resorts. How can I choose a favorite? Well, the main feature of these three resorts is what I think is their main selling point, they are on the monorail. The train system that makes stops at these three resorts, the ticket and transportation center (where you can switch trains and go over to EPCOT on another monorail or catch a bus to somewhere else on property), and the Magic Kingdom.

Decision made...lets book it! Wake up, roll out of your queen sized bed with the fabulous soft sheets and pillows, get dressed, go to a character breakfast, walk right outside your resort, catch a monorail, and POOF! You're at the Magic Kingdom?! When can I give you my credit card number?? :) I have heard it over and over..." I stayed on the monorail once, I don't want to stay anywhere else anymore. Especially when you have young children and are carting around diaper bags, STROLLERS (you know, that should be a different posting in itself), souvenirs, balloons, etc. etc. etc., believe me...been there, done that. It's NOT easy.

I have to say that I can't choose which of these three resorts I like to stay at most based just on amenities, service, and all that because they are all on the same level in my opinion. Okay, the Grand Floridian is the creme de la creme, but really any of the three are going to way exceed ones expectations. I actually would base it on once that I've stayed at all three each, which I like better by its theming. The Contemporary has a modern kind of feel to it, the Polynesian has a Hawaiian theme, and the Grand Floridian makes you feel like you're in a turn of the century luxury resort by the seashore. Ahhhhh.....I would pack my bags this minute and be there tonight if I could.

I think I am going to tackle these in separate postings as well, one of my main reasons for starting this blog was because I felt that mostly all the Disney World sites and blogs had SO MUCH INFORMATION (and I'm not saying that you don't need it or its not helpful) but I just didn't see a way that someone who was new to the whole process could find clear answers and information about vacationing there. I'm a travel agent, I'm going to try to give you the best information to the best of my ability. So, I don't want to do the same thing and make this blog all cluttered. Easy. Simple. That's my motto..."what's a motto? I don't know, what's a motto with you?"...

A Memory From My Memory...

I thought it would kinda cool to post a memory from each thing that I am telling you is a favorite or recommendation of mine so you know that I'm not just making this up. :)After my husband I were dating for a while, we spent a wonderful weekend at Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa in a one bedroom villa. It was beautiful. The kitchen had all the glassware, dishes, pots, and pans we needed, there was a whirlpool tub, a stacked washer and dryer, and balcony overlooking some landscaping.

We were on the dining plan which worked out perfect because there's so much food included that we couldn't finish and there was no problem taking it back to the room and putting it in the fridge for later! Speaking of dining...there is a wonderful little restaurant in this resort called the Turf Club Bar and Grill that serves American style food that's fantastic (much like just about every restaurant on property)! Its kind of tucked in the corner of the resort and not too widely known so its comfy, cozy, and most of the time quiet. There's outdoor dining on the patio for nice days and night thats right on a boat dock where you can take boats over to Downtown Disney. Very romantic!

Now, if you don't have your own transportation and are staying at Saratoga Springs, there is one way to get to the parks, which is by motor coach (otherwise known as bus). But I would recommend this resort if you're in the mood for a nice, relaxing getaway; and not in the mood to be rushing around anywhere. My husband and I walked to Downtown Disney one day, hung out at the resort the next, and spent some time at the spa as well! Its exactly what was up my alley at the time before kids, schedules, nap and bedtimes! :)

Where to Begin??

"These are a few of my favorite things..." :)

I always feel I should start my blog with a happy Good Morning to everyone! As I start my "favorite things" blog, I wanted to just clarify that these are MY opinions and of course, everyone is different and likes different things...I would love to read some stories of your favorite things too!!

The resorts. Where to stay? Where to stay? Before you do any kind of the dining or park planning you need a place to rest your head after the long days of park-going. So, Disney World has four different levels of resorts. The Deluxe Villas, Deluxe, Moderate, and Value resorts. I've stayed in them all, and I will be tell you my favorite in each category. Not that it discounts anyone of the others. They all have their own uniqueness!

As for the deluxe villas, these are the resorts that a like little apartments, and they have studios, one bedrooms, and two bedrooms. They have kitchens that are fully stocked with everything you'd need to cook (just not the food), whirlpool tubs, queen sized beds, bathrooms, and the one and two bedroom rooms have a living room area. Oh, and they mostly all have balconies. Resort amenities include themed pools with slides, etc., eat-in restaurants, quick service restaurants, merchandise locations, room service, and of course, free transportation to and from the Walt Disney World parks and attractions. My favorite resort in this category is Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort. I love the feel of upstate New York. The pool is great, and there's a spa there! How could it get better?? :)From this resort you can even walk (mind you, it is a hike) to the Downtown Disney Marketplace. If you have any questions about Saratoga Springs or any of the deluxe villas don't hesitate!!

Ahhh, memories

Good Morning!! I am on here early today because there are loads of errands I have to run and I wanted to get my daily Disney fix....as I'm sure all of you do too. Funny, I had a fellow travel agent call me yesterday for advice on a Disney World vacation she was planning for clients and as I was answering her questions and recommending things for her to suggest to her client, I thought, man, I really could do just this forever! But unfortunately I don't live in the Orlando anymore as much as I miss it, I love my husband more. I do enjoy being a travel agent, and I try and make it the best situation I can. No worries, I did not move for him without the stipulation that in the least one day we'd retire and move back there so I could work something simple like the It's a Small World Attraction in the Magic Kingdom and I would be happy. :)

Just thinking about the Magic Kingdom brings a smile to my face, anticipation of going there again (we make it down about four times a year), and I'm sorry to admit a twinge of jealousy of the friends that still work there!! Where'd that come from??
I don't know what's the best part; the first moment you walk in and hear the music, or seeing the guests around you in a good mood. Okay, and the one or two who's kids are acting up (ha ha), or the first moment you get to the far end of Main Street, USA and see Cinderella's Castle in all its glory! LOL. Yep, I said glory.

I'll tell you what's the best part now...(and I never thought about this before) but the best part now is taking my kids. And watching a whole new generation with their wide eyes there for the first time. Everything's new, everything's exciting, and everything's...magical. That's what it must have felt like for my parents to take us. Our first visit there in 1986 was theirs as well and I don't think my dad ever left. One of my many favorite memories was when I was working there in my early 20s and he would come to visit me for the weekend. Every time it would be "which park do you want to go to?" "Where do you want to eat?" And that's exactly what we'd do. Maybe go on an attraction, but mainly sit, people-watch, and take it all in. That's where I think the real magic is, not necessarily in the park. Its not something you leave there, you take it with you . And just like my memory of me sitting with my dad; it makes you smile, even ten years later. It will always be with you, now that's magical!

Welcome!

Hello everyone out there in cyber-space! Thank you for visiting my blog! I am so excited to finally be writing this, its been a long time coming. I love everything Disney. I always have. I started working at the Walt Disney World Resort back in 1998 when I was 20 and worked there until 2007 in numerous positions including merchandise, attractions, Disneyland Paris, and also in reservations where I found my true niche. So I am bringing my knowledge to you. I am posting this blog as help. Help for everyone who has thought about visiting, wants to visit again, or is thinking about visiting in the future the Walt Disney World Resort.

This blog is designed as a simple question and answer session, with the questions being answered by only me, myself, and I. No forums with a lot of different opinions, no confusing websites, or people on the phone who you'll never speak to again. Ask me questions! As many as you like and it will always be me answering! I think this will be fun. I will start blogging by going through my recommendations, favorites, and must-do's at the Walt Disney World Resort, and hopefully that will garner some response. I enjoy helping people with this, and I want to give the information in the most clear, concise way that I can without all the confusion. Just ask!!

So let's get started...