Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

It was a momentous day in our house - our only son marched off to Kindergarten today. And when he returned he brought with him a boatload of paperwork regarding the class allergies - nut, wheat, dairy, etc. Having a slew of food allergies and sensitivities myself, I am very conscious of what goes to school in his lunchbox but how do families with food allergies or other special needs handle it when they travel? You guessed it - that’s this week’s topic!

Disney is well known for their expertise at handling food allergies and special requests. Tomorrow: learning how to communicate your needs!

Sara Varney
Travel Planner

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

It was a momentous day in our house - our only son marched off to Kindergarten today. And when he returned he brought with him a boatload of paperwork regarding the class allergies - nut, wheat, dairy, etc. < more... >

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans! Happy Friday!

"Choose Your Attitude." A cliche? Sure. But cliches exist for a reason - they’re often true! My other favorite regarding Disney is "A bad day at Disney is always better than a good day anywhere else!" Choosing how you react when something goes wrong directly affects the outcome. 

So while whether or not you got to see a character before they took a break or the attraction you wanted to ride is closed is out of your control, how you react is completely up to you! A good attitude is contagious. (Unfortunately, so is a bad attitude.)

Choose well and enjoy every moment of your trip to the fullest! Remember, you are in the happiest place on Earth and something fun is only steps away.

Be well and make magic wherever you go!

Sara Varney
Travel Planner

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans! Happy Friday!

"Choose Your Attitude." A cliche? Sure. But cliches exist for a reason - they’re often true! My other favorite regarding Disney is "A bad day at Disney is always better than a good day anywhere else! < more... >

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

So what happens when you are having a less than magical moment? Maybe a cast member is having a bad day. Maybe the line for Big Thunder Mountain is too long. Maybe another guest "cuts" in line, whether knowingly or unknowingly. The most important thing is to not let it spoil your enjoyment!

Not to go too Pollyanna on you but attitude really is everything. Remember the "Big Cheesy Mickey Grin" I mentioned in an earlier blog? This is exactly when you want to employ it. Research shows the act of smiling actually improves your mood by activating chemicals in your brain that make you happy. So start there!

Then decide if there is a solution to be found. Sometimes the surliest server can be turned around by being shown a little bit of kindness. Line too long at your favorite attraction? Grab a FASTPASS and plan to come back later. Someone cuts in line? I recommend taking a breath and letting this one go unless you feel calm enough to politely explain that the line starts "back there." Some things are just not worth it!

Tomorrow: Choose Your Attitude!

Be well and make magic wherever you go!

Sara Varney
Travel Planner

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

So what happens when you are having a less than magical moment? Maybe a cast member is having a bad day. Maybe the line for Big Thunder Mountain is too long. Maybe another guest "cuts" in line, whether knowingly or unknowingly. The most important thing is to not let it spoil your enjoyment! < more... >

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

Walt Disney World is the most magical place on Earth, no question. But even in the most magical place on Earth, there are a few realities. While idyllic visons of your little princess running down Main Street straight into her idol’s arms may be dancing through your head, in real life it works a little differently. 

The reality is that there are lines for almost everything at Walt Disney World - lines to meet the characters, lines to ride the attractions, lines to get food. Sometimes even lines to use the restrooms. The good news is that there are ways to make the most of your time and see as much as possible. Keeping a positive attitude and practicing what I call the "Big Cheesy Mickey Grin" helps turn, "I can’t believe the line for Space Mountain is 45 minutes!" into "Wow! It’s only a 45 minute wait for Space Mountain! Just enough time to check out the queue." Also be sure to make use of the existing systems WDW has in place to help you manage your time. Check the tip board in each park for wait times, utilize the FASTPASS system and check with Cast Members to see where your families favorite characters will be and when.

Tomorrow: How to deal when something goes less than perfectly.

Be well and make magic wherever you go!

Sara Varney
Travel Planner

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

Walt Disney World is the most magical place on Earth, no question. But even in the most magical place on Earth, there are a few realities. < more... >

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

A phrase that I often hear used regarding trips to Disney is "We’re only going to do this once, so we want to do it right!" These words immediately trigger alarm bells in my head as they mean that I had better figure out what their definition of "right" is, and fast!

Every person that visits Walt Disney World - or any Disney location for that matter - has a vision in their head of what it will be like. A good travel planner will help you realize that vision as well as prepare you for the reality of your trip. As Beci so aptly puts it, "It’s about setting an appropriate level of expectation." So this week we’ll be discussing the realities of a Walt Disney Trip.

Tomorrow: The most magical place on Earth?

Be well and make magic wherever you go!

Sara Varney
Travel Planner

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

A phrase that I often hear used regarding trips to Disney is "We’re only going to do this once, so we want to do it right!" These words immediately trigger alarm bells in my head as they mean that I had better figure out what their definition of "right" is, and fast! < more... >

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

Will you be on the December 6, 2009 Disney Cruise Line 4 night cruise? Or will you be at Walt Disney World December 10 - 14, 2009? So will your fellow Mouse Fans! For the past five Decembers, Disney fans gathered on land and at sea with MouseFest. MouseFest is on hiatus but fear not - many faithful Disney fans are still going!  Communities such as PassPorter are also still planning gatherings.

If you’ve ever attended MouseFest or MagicMeets, you know that any time a group of Disney fans gathers, a good time is had by all. There is something about sharing the love and admiration for Disney that brings out the best in people! If you’ve never attended an event like this - what are you waiting for? Contact your Mouse Fan Travel planner for rates and details.

Be well and make magic wherever you go!

Sara Varney
Travel Planner

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

Will you be on the December 6, 2009 Disney Cruise Line 4 night cruise? Or will you be at Walt Disney World December 10 - 14, 2009? So will your fellow Mouse Fans! For the past five Decembers, Disney fans gathered on land and at sea with MouseFest. < more... >

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

Whether you make the decision to allow your child to miss school for family vacations and whether you decide to plan your vacations for school breaks, the importance of family time is undeniable. And while the sometimes hectic pace of a Disney vacation is not everyone’s idea of quality family time, it is possible to find quiet time to enjoy being together. Even in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the Magic Kingdom!

Eating together as a family can be a great time to reconnect after a busy day. It can also be a good time to reflect on what each person learned that day. Learning at Disney is not just for kids! Sometimes the most important life lessons are learned outside of school.

Be well and make magic wherever you go!

Sara Varney
Travel Planner

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

Whether you make the decision to allow your child to miss school for family vacations and whether you decide to plan your vacations for school breaks, the importance of family time is undeniable. < more... >

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

I recently overheard a Mom of my acquaintance wondering how she was going to explain the educational value of a trip to Disney to her child’s teacher.  "After all, how do I claim Disney World is educational?"

There is so many ways to apply learning and education to Walt Disney World! Take math for example - have your younger child count everything from guests in line to rides ridden. Have older children compute how long it will take to get from the Magic Kingdom to Epcot on the monorail. Are your children focusing on literacy? Read park maps, street signs, the windows on Main Street U.S.A! Discuss the story lines of the shows and attractions.

While Epcot is the most obvious choice for educational opportunities, don’t overlook the other theme parks! The Magic Kingdom offers the Hall of Presidents, Animal Kingdom is home to Conservation Station and Disney’s Hollywood Studios offers The Magic of Disney Animation which offers kids a chance to work on their fine motor skills while learning to draw a Disney character. And, of course, Epcot is full of educational opportunities from learning about hydroponic agriculture in The Land pavilion to experiencing other cultures in the World Showcase.

Be well and make magic wherever you go!

Sara Varney
Travel Planner

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

I recently overheard a Mom of my acquaintance wondering how she was going to explain the educational value of a trip to Disney to her child’s teacher.  "After all, how do I claim Disney World is educational? < more... >

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

Let me be clear - school is important. Education is important. But so is family and making time for family activities. When making the decision whether or not to take your child out of school, consider the value that your family puts on time together. (Remember - there is no right or wrong answer here!) For some families, the savings offered when kids are in school combined with the weight they give to family time means they can live with the children missing a day or two or seven. For other families, the value they place on school and attendance means that it is worth it to them to pay more for a summer vacation! It’s a formula every family needs to complete themselves.

For me, I know there is going to come a day when I take Ryan out of school for a trip to Disney. I’ll do everything possible to minimize it’s effect on his education but I already know the choice I will likely make some day. I want Ryan to remember the times we spent together. I guarantee that he will remember our May 2009 trip to Walt Disney World much longer and much more fondly than he would have remembered what he did in class on those days.

Tomorrow: Can a Disney trip be educational? You betcha!

Be well and make magic wherever you go!

Sara Varney
Travel Planner

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

Let me be clear - school is important. Education is important. But so is family and making time for family activities. When making the decision whether or not to take your child out of school, consider the value that your family puts on time together. (Remember - there is no right or wrong answer here! < more... >

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

This week we are discussing taking your child(ren) out of school for family vacations. The first thing I recommend when making this decision is to familiarize yourself with your school’s rules regarding this issue. Keep in mind that different towns, school districts, schools and even individual teachers may handle this issue differently. (I know of one teacher whose only request is that the student eat a Mickey Bar for her!)

Be prepared to have a discussion with your child’s teacher about what your child may be missing with regard to lessons, tests, homework, etc. What are the requirements for making up this work? A lot of this will depend on the age and grade of the child. It is possible that your child may need to bring assignments with her!

Tomorrow: Considering the value of family time versus school time!

Be well and make magic wherever you go!

Sara Varney
Travel Planner

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

This week we are discussing taking your child(ren) out of school for family vacations. The first thing I recommend when making this decision is to familiarize yourself with your school’s rules regarding this issue. < more... >