Justin Bieber: Believe Concert Review

Oct 31, 2012 by admin

Ohhhh …. Justin Bieber. You have taken over the airwaves, the merchandising, and the hearts of little girls all over the globe. Your presence is definitely felt in my house. (And, I’m not ashamed to say that I’m a fan, too!)

I first became a huge Justin Bieber fan when I saw the movie, Justin Bieber: Never Say Never. The movie was released into theaters and I was under the impression that it was a one night only event. Piper really wanted to see it. Don was out of town and we had no plans, so we went. I fell in love with this boy … what a great story, charming personality, fabulous family, and brilliant management team. (If you haven’t seen the movie – I highly recommend it. If you are an Amazon Prime member, you can stream it free or you can stream it on Netflix.) In fact, we loved the movie so much – we went back to see it again in the theater once we found out that it was actually showing for weeks — Seeing a movie twice in a theater is something we NEVER do!

We’ve all had Bieber Fever since then … buying the albums, following him on Twitter and Instagram, gobbling up the merchandise … you know, the typical stuff that you do when you have a nearly-tween daughter in your house and a closet Bieber-fan son.

Fast forward to May 1ish, 2012: Justin’s tour dates are announced and Houston is on the list. I immediately knew that we wanted to go and didn’t even think twice about the ticket cost. (Because I didn’t know what it was!) We did know that there would be a pre-sale on May 23 to American Express holders (and I’m not one). The remaining tickets would go on sale – what was left of them – on June 2.

On May 23, it was Awards Day for Avery’s class. I had taken a couple of hours off of work and was in his class.  My phone was blowing up from my sweet BFF Erin. As soon as I cleared the school zone (no phones in school zones in TX), I called her back. She’s an American Express card holder and had figured out that she could secure 8 tickets using her and her husbands cards together! Praise you, my dear friend! (And, really, isn’t that the best of friends?) She had already purchased 4 (2 for her and 2 for another of our bests), and was ready to purchase 4 for us if I wanted. Our seats wouldn’t be right next to each other, but we’d be within waving distance. Perfect. Sold. What a friend!!!!

“How much do I owe you?”

“$452″

“OMG! OK … This is the Beatles of their generation, right?” I needed reassurance.

Admitting this might swipe me of my part-time frugal blogger status, I’m afraid. But, we didn’t want seats in the stratosphere – we wanted to see the boy dance! And, we all knew that we couldn’t afford floor seats … so first level seats we got.

The concert was October 30 and Piper’s birthday was October 28, so it was a no-brainer that she was getting these as a gift. Her portion of the ticket cost is what we would have spent on her anyway. The second part of her gift is that she got to take us all with us!

Piper had asked several times about the concert and I always told her that it was just too expensive and we couldn’t go. She completely understood and never balked at that excuse, but I knew she really wanted to go … especially since two of her best friends were going as well.

I love (and am shocked) that we were able to keep the tickets a secret from her. It was a sweet surprise when she opened the final gift at her birthday party and realized that she DID have tickets and was getting to go just 2 days later.

Talk about a happy 8 year old girl … downright joyful.

We arrived at the Toyota Center in downtown Houston around 6. The concert was set to begin with Opening Act Carly Rae Jepsen at 7:00 PM, and since she’s had a great couple of months with chart-topping songs and lots of radio play – the place was swarming with people. Everyone wanted to see her act as well.

We arrived before our friends and took our time people watching and taking advantage of the Justin Bieber dance and sing-alongs that were happening at the Radio Disney booth. There were photo ops with Justin Bieber cutouts and some giveaways to the lucky folks who could finish the lyrics to songs, etc.

Lots of fans had made homemade signs and were probably seeing if any of the management from Justin’s team would allow them the opportunity to go backstage to meet the popstar live-and-in-person!

The music from Radio Disney and other pop stations was blaring … all of their speakers seemed to be pointing at one another. It was loud, so if you are going to a concert in another city … beware. The loud doesn’t start when JB takes the stage – it’s way before that!

I  noted (and also saw this at the Taylor Swift concert) that the posterboard signs are NOT allowed inside the arena. I’m sure this is so they don’t obstruct people’s view. [Thank you!] So, don’t spend a fortune at Hobby Lobby and work all weekend on it. Unless you just want it for the courtyard experience, you are wasting money.

About this same time, our friends arrived! The kids were so excited to see each other – it had been 30 hours – and couldn’t wait to experience this whole event together!

The line that seemed very long when we first walked up had gone down some, but went very quickly. We entered the arena and found our seats. We were in sections 116 and 117, rows 23 and 22 respectively … we were literally across the aisle from one another – spitting distance as we would say in Kentucky.

The seats were perfect. Low enough that we could see the stage without depending solely on the monitors, but high enough that we could get the effect of the “extras” without looking straight up! I’m definitely making a note of where we were … the seats were well worth the money.

Carly Rae Jepsen took the stage at 7:15 PM. She was good. Definitely a nice choice for an opening act since she appeals to the same fan base. I thought her treble mix was way too high, but I’m no audio engineer.

Her set list was: Sweetie, Tiny Little Bows, Good Time, Tonight I’m Getting Over You, This Kiss,Your Heart is a Muscle, Hurt So Good, and the ever-popular Call Me Maybe.

I managed to get the last bit of Call Me Maybe recorded:

Following Carly’s act, there was a 35 minute break as they prepared for Justin’s part. I took that time to go and tackle the merchandise line. I left Don and the kids in their seats in case I was still there when the next show started. There was a timer which was very helpful and much appreciated.

There was a ton of merchandise to choose from, as you can imagine. There were roaming vendors that were selling programs ($25), lanyards, and light up toys. If that’s all you wanted – it kept you out of the line which was a nice plus!

There were 8 check out stations at the booth that I chose and I still stood for 35 minutes. Houston loves them some Bieber shirts – he made a bloody fortune.

As for us, I bought Piper a shirt ($35), a shirt for myself ($35), a lanyard for Avery and a poster for his BFF that is a huge fan and my total was $95. Not a cheap venture.

All 19,300 seats in the Toyota Center were sold out for this concert. It is a complete miracle that the entire city of Houston did not hear the roar or squeals, rather, when Justin Bieber took the stage. It was like nothing I have ever heard before. The kid has some fans … and they adore him!

Justin enters the arena in the huge wings that are pictured at the top of this post and jumpstarts the concert with All Around the World. The stage is multi-level and the lights are everywhere. It’s a cool setup and allows him lots of versatility.

The setlist went like this:  All Around the World; Take You; Catching Feelings: Medley: One Time/Eenie Meenie/Somebody to Love; Love Me Like You Do; She Don’t Like the Lights; Die in Your Arms; Beautiful (with Carly Rae Jepsen); Out of Town Girl; Be Alright; Fall; Never Say Never; Beauty and a Beat; One Less Lonely Girl; As Long as You Love Me; Believe. Encore: Boyfriend and Baby. 

Being such a huge fan of the Never Say Never and My World albums, I loved that he included the medley: One Time/Eenie Meenie/Somebody to Love. Eenie Meenie is my favorite Justin Bieber song. Here’s a little clip:

Here’s one undeniable fact and I don’t care if you like Justin Bieber or not, the boy can dance. Not only that … he has surrounded himself with others that can dance. And choreographers that are beyond brilliant. These dancers are complete artists. They performed to the entire arena. I’m not talking about their placement on the stages or where they were physically – I’m meaning that their energy hit me in my seat … 1/4 mile from the stage (give or take a few feet). They were so entertaining!

You can see the dancers in some of the video that I took, especially if you focus on the large upper monitor. (In person, it was really easy to see them from where we sat.) But, I wanted you to get the idea of how great they are, so I found this clip. You MUST watch it.

Overall, I thought the show was worth every penny! Truthfully. I’d also say that it was one of the best concert tours I’ve seen. Don thought that Justin was too grateful to the crowd – he did a lot of thanking everyone for coming. Don thought that was too much; I thought it was sincere. The mix was good and Justin sounds great live! No real obvious moments of lip synching and a good blend of old/new songs.

Oh, and what did the girls think?

… they loved it. (Avery, the closet Bieber fan, loved it too! Sang along with every single song!!!)

Piper has gotten over the fact that she wasn’t the One Less Lonely Girl and is pretty sure it’s only because she’s too young. “He’ll come around when I’m older.”

It was a great night, and again – worth every red cent. I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Especially when I see smiles like the one in the picture just above!

For a final treat, I leave you with the entire encore. Thanks iPhone 5 for an extended battery life This is Boyfriend and Baby!

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Travel Tips from a Disney Pro

Oct 24, 2012 by admin

Our family absolutely adores going to Disney World every year. We go so often that we have a Rubbermaid tub where we keep all things Disney — so that when a trip rolls around, we literally take down the tub and we are about 85% packed!

Here are some fast and furious tips that you can transfer to any trip:

1. Buy souvenirs ahead of time if possible. It’s easy with Disney. I watch for sales at DisneyShopping.com (and use my Ebates rebate) and buy t-shirts, plush dolls, and park merchandise on sale. I bundle it at home to take on the trip. The kids get something new most days of the trip and it keeps us out of the gift shops until the last day where we buy something special to remember the trip by.

2. If you have toys or items from a previous trip, bring them back for a return trip! Mouse Ears, light up toys, refillable mugs, etc., are all things that you will end up buying again – but all you need to do is pack them to take again! Don’t forget to replace the batteries!

3. Order food ahead of time. There are great grocers in Orlando that will deliver right to your hotel, but for an even better deal – try an office supply store. We typically order breakfast items (Pop-Tarts, packages of oatmeal, granola bars), cases of water and cola, as well as hard candies to have in our room. Most Disney resort food courts will allow you to use the hot water tab. Cups of ice are free if you ask, so juices can be ordered ahead of time and enjoyed fresh each morning.

Here’s an example:

You will be shocked when you discover what all these online stores carry as far as food, drinks, and snacks go! Often, there is a shipping special — either totally free or free with a fairly inexpensive purchase.

PS – Pack some plastic ziplock bags, so you can separate bulk items into smaller portions!

Call ahead to your hotel and ask them their policy on holding packages for you. Most have a window of 3-5 days prior to check-in as their policy, but check to be sure!

When ordering use this system:

Name: [Use name of the Hotel]
Address 1: [Use the actual physical address of the Hotel]
Address 2: [Guest: Click;Arrive 12/2] — or whatever your arrival date is!
City, State, Zip: etc ….

4. If you are still a few weeks or months off from your trip, consider giving gift cards (such as Disney Dollars) as a reward for chores or helping around the house. These are great ways to teach children the value of money and give them something special to use while on the trip.

5. Bring your own stroller. It seems so much easier to just rent one on site, but they can get rather expensive — especially if you are staying for any length of time! Remember this – most airlines do not charge for strollers. They will gladly wrap them in plastic for you and send them on sans baggage fee!

We bought at $400 stroller for $80 off of Craigslist about 4 years ago. It’s our Disney stroller – we really don’t ever use it any other time. But, we would have paid about $170 in rental fees on one trip. It paid for itself on day 3 … 4 trips ago!!!

… remember, there’s no cents in paying full price! Search for a discount, ask a friend for ideas, and make your trip a great one WITHOUT breaking the bank!

* This post is part of a weekly segment on KSBJ Christian Radio. For more on segments featuring Stephanie Click, the Texas Money Mom, click here.

 

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Brave: The Review

Jun 22, 2012 by admin

On Wednesday evening, my family had the opportunity to screen the new Disney/Pixar movie Brave. I went in with visions of princesses, and Lightning McQueen, and all things that I’ve come to know with Disney and Pixar through the years. I was so excited!!!

When I accepted the reservation for the screening, I asked for 4 tickets (the number of people in my family, of course). Forgetting that my son would be out of town, I allowed my daughter to invite her best friend. So, with that – our cast of characters included my husband and I (young at heart, middle-aged according to society) and two 7 year old girls.

Outside of the theater, we waited for our passes. The organizers had arranged for Highland dancers and a bagpipe player to provide entertainment in the lobby. It was very nice and was a great way for the two little dancers that we had with us to remain occupied.

We were able to get prime seats inside the theater. So once we piled on the concessions – popcorn, sour skittles, Icees, etc – we were settled in with our 3-D glasses and prepared to be “wow’d” by the film.

Of course, the first thing that you see on the screen is the famous Pixar short. This one is titled La Luna. I’m not always a fan of the shorts … although I fully realize that I am in the minority when I say that. However, I absolutely loved this one. I don’t want to give anything away, but I’ll just say that I felt like it was a magical concept. It worked well, didn’t seem forced, and the imagery was beautiful.

Here is the official synopsis: La Luna is the timeless fable of a young boy who is coming of age in the most peculiar of circumstances. Tonight is the very first time his Papa and Grandpa are taking him to work. In an old wooden boat they row far out to sea, and with no land in sight, they stop and wait. A big surprise awaits the little boy as he discovers his family’s most unusual line of work. Should he follow the example of his Papa, or his Grandpa? Will he be able to find his own way in the midst of their conflicting opinions and timeworn traditions?

Once La Luna was over, we were pumped and ready for the film. The audience was told that Brave director, Mark Andrews happened to be in the audience with us! At that point, my husband nearly flipped out. He is a huge “who’s who” of everything Disney/Pixar, so although I sat with my typical “that sounds familiar” thought running though my head – he was way ahead of me!!! Mark Andrews served as story supervisor for Ratatouille (which we just saw in the theater last month when it had a 1 weekend only re-release) and The Incredibles, and was Oscar-nominated as the co-writer/co-director of the Pixar short One Man Band.  Since I love Ratatouille (it’s my 2nd most favorite Pixar film) and One Man Band is the only short that I’ve ever really liked, I had some high hopes going into Brave!

So for giggles, here’s the official boilerplate: Set in the rugged and mysterious Highlands of Scotland, Disney•Pixar’s “Brave” follows the heroic journey of Merida, a skilled archer and headstrong daughter of King Fergus and Queen Elinor. Determined to change her fate, Merida defies an age-old custom sacred to the unruly and uproarious lords of the land: massive Lord MacGuffin, surly Lord Macintosh, and cantankerous Lord Dingwall, unleashing chaos in the kingdom. When she turns to an eccentric Witch, she is granted an ill-fated wish and the ensuing peril forces Merida to harness all of her resources—including her mischievous triplet brothers—to undo a beastly curse and discover the meaning of true bravery. Directed by Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman, and produced by Katherine Sarafian, “Brave” is a grand adventure full of heart, memorable characters and signature Pixar humor. 

I would say that pretty much sums up exactly what the film is … yet it is not what I would consider classic Disney/Pixar.

Yes, there is a princess, but she’s not your typical run of the mill heir to the throne. Merida is stubborn and a tomboy. You won’t see her (by choice) in frilly dresses or daintily singing to chipmunks or birds She is beautiful, though. Her hair and the way that it is animated was just stunning to me. Partly because it reminds me so much of my daughters (albeit Piper’s isn’t red) … and partly because the red of Merida’s hair is just beautiful. I hope little red-haired girls all over the world rejoice for Merida. Even though she isn’t girly, she is fabulous!

Brave is a story of a struggle between mother and daughter. I think every daughter has probably beat her head against the wall and wanted to “change their fate”. I thought the film did a great job of showing and bringing to light both views: Merida’s desire to make her own choices and Queen Elinor’s desire to honor tradition.

This is a film that is great for boys or girls/men or women. Sometimes I think films tend to back themselves into a corner with an audience, but this film has enough humor and light-heartedness for girls … but enough sports and action to appeal to boys.

We saw Brave in 3-D and normally I’m one of those that could really care less if it’s in 3D or not. (I’m probably just too cheap to want to pay the extra money if we are going to be honest.) But, given the action in this film, it is probably worth paying a little more. The soundtrack was incredible and a very nice match to the scenes, particularly the intense ones. In fact, I gasped twice during the film when something came at me! And, it was too the point, that I immediately looked past my husband to make sure that the girls weren’t scared too death. (They were fine!) But, to that end, I will add that I’m not particularly sure that this would be a great choice of movie for a small child or one that is particularly skittish. This is definitely not the movie Cars or Lady and the Tramp … there are some dark, intense moments that might be frightening to some children, so weigh that out.

I loved the classic humor that is in the film. Blending clean adult comedy with laughable moments aimed at children is a gift, and Pixar does well with that in Brave. The animation is just off the charts as you would expect. I sometimes catch myself forgetting that this is indeed animation and not a real person that is just “cartooned” for the screen. I love to watch the amazing details that are included … the way the wind will ripple across something, the realistic way the water cascades, it’s just a breathtaking art to me – a real gift.

Overall, I loved Brave. Parts of it I thought screamed “leaving room for a sequel”. But, when asked later, Mark Andrews said that one is not presently in the works. I think that this is also a movie that I will like even more on a second viewing. The kids both thought it was great and really liked it. I’d say that it’s a definite Top 3 for me as far as Pixar goes. (#1 – Cars, #2 - Ratatouille, #3 - Brave). Now I’m even more excited to get to Disney World to see Merida in person!

When the movie was over, we sat through the credits and then got to have about a 15 minute Q & A with director, Mark Andrews. He took questions from the audience that truly ran the course of what’s it like to work at Pixar to is there a planned sequel. I was interested to know that he himself has a daughter and three sons. (Mark’s daughter, Maeve Andrews, played the voice of Jack-Jack Parr in The Incredibles.)

Don was able to ask the question “How long has the film been in process and when did you actually finish the film in the version that we saw on the screen?” He answered that they have been working on Brave in some shape or form for 6 years. (The girls that we had with us are 7 years old. Their eyes got really big at that point … as did mine!) And, they finished with completed sound effects, deleted scenes, etc., about 2 weeks ago. That proves to me that they work to perfect the project right until the very end.

Mr. Andrews was kind enough to autograph Brave fans that were provided by marketing to all that attended. (His PR gal was awesome enough to have a silver sharpie for him to use! Great thinking ahead given the colors of the art on the fan.) He also posed for photos. My sweet husband was on cloud 9! And, these little girls will one day realize what a creative genius they were able to meet!!!

My final recommendation: See Brave in the theater. I think there are some scenes (and musical moments) that will not come across as well on Blu-Ray or DVD. And, as I stated before, I give the film high marks. I’d say a “9″ on a 10-point scale and a definite A+.

“Like” Brave on Facebook to keep current with updates!

I was provided with press passes for viewing “Brave”, but no further compensation. Not even a concessions credit. These opinions, as always, are my own.

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Save Money at the Movies

Jun 20, 2012 by admin

It’s summer movie time and I’m so excited!!!! Tonight, I get to screen the new Disney movie, Brave. Of course, you already know what huge Disney fans we are … but I tell you, honestly, that the cost associated with going to the cinema can make me break out in hives! It’s expensive!!!

There are some definite ways that you can save money. This is what our family does:

1. Eat before you go! It’s not the movie prices that will hurt your wallet (although they aren’t cheap) – it’s the concession stand! A 900% mark-up on popcorn. Geez!!! If you are seeing an afternoon matinee, eat lunch right before. Going for a 7 or 8pm showing? Eat dinner first!

2. Ask about the theater’s reward system. Most of us tend to go to the same theater over and over. For us, the closest is an AMC. They use the Stubs reward card. For $12/year, we get discounts on concessions and accumulate points for ticket purchases. We ended last year by getting to see 2 movies for free because of our points. It was worth it for us.

Cinemark uses the SuperSaver program. Regal Cinemas has the Crown Club. If you don’t go to the movie often, it might not pay to join. But, for our family, it was definitely worth the cost.

3. Ask about value movie times or value days. The AMC theater closest to our house charges only $5 for every movie, every day that is shown before noon. Cinemark has previously done a great summer movie program for children during the weekday & the cost is significantly cheaper. Combining a value ticket with the concession discount from our rewards card has enabled us to see a lot more films on the big screen!

Do you have a helpful hint on saving at the cinema? I’d love to hear it!

… and remember, there’s no cents in paying full price!

* This post is part of a weekly segment on KSBJ Christian Radio. For more on segments featuring Stephanie Click, the Texas Money Mom, click here.

PS – I’ll be posting a full review of Brave on opening day. If you aren’t familiar with the film, check out the amazing trailer!

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Answers to Your Disney Questions

Nov 17, 2010 by admin

Last week, I posed the question on Facebook “What do you want to know about planning a trip to Disney World?” You asked … and we answered. I got my husband, Don, involved because – truthfully – he is the REAL expert.

How can you relax at Disney?
Don: Have a plan.  Stay in one area of the park at a time…trying to “criss cross” back and forth will add MILES to your walking!  If you’re staying on property, you can always go back to your room mid day.  We often take “naps” on the train (we’ve ridden around 4-5 times before) and the Liberty Square Riverboat has a small interior area with padded benches!  Best advice – relax and enjoy your surroundings!

Stephanie: Every year we say that we are going to slow down and take a more comfortable pace. We never do. The pools are wonderful (although we’ve never used them) and since they are heated – we are going to make an effort to jump in at least once this time. Other than that – we don’t relax. I’d be lying if I said we did.

How much does the trip cost?
Don: It depends on what time of year you go and where you stay.  There are 3 levels of on site resorts:  Deluxe, Moderate and Value.  There are also value seasons and they often run sales (I.E. 40% off rack rate of your room, free dining, etc.).  Disney USUALLY runs the same sales every year.  You can check out the historic discounts here.

We stay in the value resorts and go during the value season.  Our current trip cost approx. $2,100 for 8 days and 7 nights AND we got free dining!  We’re going during the value season and staying at the POP Century resort (value) and that price includes 8 days of tickets for 2 adults and 2 children.

Stephanie: I’ve read before that you can plan on $1,000 per person. If you want a worst case scenario, use that figure to plan. But, it is highly probable that if you go at the right time of year and stay on property, you can do it for much less.

What website should I be using to find out the correct info and estimate the cost for a trip?
Don: The Disney website will allow you to pick your dates, hotel, tickets, etc. and give you the current price.  There are several other websites where you can join forums and ask questions, etc.  Our two favorite forums are WDW Info and the DISboards.  There are other sites that also provide a WEALTH of information:  MouseSavers, WDW News, Maps, and Menus.

Do you have a meal plan?
Don: Yes, we think the meal plan is a GREAT value.  There are others that disagree, but for our family it works out great.  There are several options. We use the “Magic Your Way” which includes 1 snack, 1 counter service meal and 1 table service meal per person, per day!  It’s more food than you can ever eat!

Stephanie: We’ve done the dining plan with the table service meal twice and the dining plan with all quick/counter service once. It made a world of difference to have the one table service meal worked in. There are so many options for counter service, but after 8 days – I wanted a good, sit down meal.

The plans are a lot of food, but we like to eat …. and we’re on vacation, so bring it on!

Do you eat/snack in the room?
Don: YES!  And…most people are not aware that you can take food and drinks into the parks with you.  We usually stock our backpacks with snacks for the day as well as water bottles (you can refill at drinking fountains).  We also take the small kool-aid packages to mix with the water for the kids.  We usually have pop tarts, snacks, bottle water, soda, etc. shipped to the hotel BEFORE we arrive!  There is no additional cost…we don’t have to carry all this stuff on the plane with us, and some stores will ship for FREE!  (Remember to check out the office supply stores like Office Depot, Staples, etc.  they usually have everything we need and offer free shipping).

Where do we stay?
Don: We stay in the value resorts.  We’ve stayed at All Star Movies and our favorite POP Century Resort.  We just can’t justify spending the extra money on a high end resort when we’re rarely there!  I will say…it would be nice to stay at a resort on the monorail line one day!

Best Character meal?
Don: There are several that we really like.  The most popular is Chef Mickey’s located in the Contemporary Hotel.  It has the “fab five” characters (Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald and Pluto).  We also like Cinderella’s Royal Table located inside Cinderella Castle!  For breakfast and lunch they have ALL the princesses.  Beware – this books up VERY fast and you must make your reservation 180 days out to ensure seating (MOST character meals book up very early…make reservations as soon as you can).

What are some great spots to visit outside of the parks?
Don: Off property – we don’t know, as we always stay on property the entire time!  On property, there are MANY things to do outside of the 4 parks.  The deluxe resorts are always fun to visit, especially during the Christmas holidays…tons of decorations, etc.  Downtown Disney is always a fun place to go.  We do most of our souvenir shopping in Downtown Disney and there’s always entertainment going on.  I would also check out the Boardwalk, tons of entertainment, etc.

Do you use the phone apps?  Do they work?
Don: There are a couple that we use.  There is one call “Lines” by touringplans.com that gives you wait times, fast pass availability, etc.  We’ve found that their “estimated” times are not very accurate towards the end of the day, but you can also see where other people have posted exact times from within the parks and those are VERY accurate.  The more people that post wait times, the better it is for everyone, so please post times while you’re in the park!  Disney also has an “official” wait time app, but it’s not very good.  Disney does have a dining app which is GREAT if you want to find a table service restaurant with availability either before your trip or during.

What is our favorite area to stay at the POP Century Resort?
Don: There is an up charge for “preferred rooms.”  Preferred just means you are closer to Classic Hall (dining room, bus stop, front desk, etc.)….the rooms are EXACTLY the same, you’re just paying for location.  You can book a standard room and still get close to Classic Hall.  We prefer buildings 3, 4, 5 or 6 facing the lake (if you face the pool, you get the noise from other guest playing in the pool).  You can request certain buildings, locations, etc. up to 5 days prior to your arrival.

Do you rent a stroller?
Don: We used to, until they had a MASSIVE price increase!  Single:  $15/day,  Double $31/day.  We purchased a stroller that collapses down and it works great.  Remember – if you rent, you don’t have the stroller if you’re visiting anywhere outside the parks.

Stephanie: I’ll use a stroller until their heads pop out the top. Since we don’t go back to the room to nap, it’s a lifesaver for us – especially at night when the parks stay open late. We don’t want to go back to the room, but we CAN NOT carry around a sleeping child or two.

There are a lot of places off-site to rent a stroller, but if you will use it again  – I recommend just buying one on your own. We have a Maclaran Double Triumph. I love it!!! Folds perfectly flat which is great for navigating on and off of the bus. It retails for about $300, but we found it on Craigslist in perfect condition for $80.

What are some inexpensive ways to surprise the kids?
Don: There are several things we do.  The one they like the most is Mickey leaving them things at night!  We’ll pre-purchase t-shirts, glow sticks, etc. and leave them out at night…it’s like Christmas morning at Disney World!

Stephanie: If you’ve been before, you’ve probably been suckered into buying the “light toys” that they sell during parade time. We always grab those from previous years without the kids knowing and toss them into our backpacks. When it gets dark, we pull them out and the kids have a new toy! Since they haven’t played with it in a year (you know how that goes!), it’s magical all over again! Remember to replace the batteries!!!

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Disney Countdown Calendar – 2010

Oct 21, 2010 by admin

It’s no secret that my family LOVES Disney. We make a trip annually – it’s the highlight of our year and is a chance that we take to relax and enjoy the magic!

The kids always know that the time for the trip is near when I come home with a piece of posterboard. It’s not on my weekly shopping trip and it means – to them – one thing: it’s Disney Countdown Calendar time.

I love this project and wanted to share it, because it’s very inexpensive and can be used to countdown anything … first day of school, trip to the beach, Christmas, birthday … whatever you want.

I do quite a bit of scrapbooking, so I have a machine that cuts out cute, little shapes. You don’t have to be crafty to take this on. If you are going to Disney, grab the Mickey Paint samples at Home Depot (they are in the shape of Mickey ears!). If you are going to the beach, draw some waves and have the peaks be the number of days you have left. Be creative.

As every day passes, we put a sticker on that day … we alternate days so that each child gets a turn. It’s one thing that we will continue for each trip and a great memory builder for our family.

Here’s a video of how we did this year’s calendar –

Questions about this project? Ask in the comment section and I’ll answer there as well!

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