Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

It’s snowing. Again. Is it just me or are the weather people getting LESS accurate? Last week schools and businesses shut down in Connecticut for an anticipated blizzard and got…about an inch that came 8 hours later than expected. Today they predicted this storm would not amount to much of anything and I have four inches and counting and it is still coming down! 

So here’s my first tip for WDW weather planning. Check www.weather.com for the forecast for your trip. But don’t put too much faith in it! Even if they are predicting fair weather for your entire trip, into every trip a little rain must fall. So plan for changes in temp and precipitation. Layers are key! My single favorite item to bring to Disney is a pair of khakis - long to keep me warm but light weight so they are not too warm! Does the forecast show 65 during the day? Great! But keep an eye on the overnight temps as it can still get pretty chill once the sun goes down.

I’m off to go entertain my snowbound Kindergartner. Be well and make magic wherever you go!

Sara Varney
Travel Planner

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

It’s snowing. Again. Is it just me or are the weather people getting LESS accurate? Last week schools and businesses shut down in Connecticut for an anticipated blizzard and got…about an inch that came 8 hours later than expected. < more... >

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

Happy President’s Day! Florida is experiencing cooler than normal temps this winter. So what does this mean for a trip to Walt Disney World?

I’ve been to WDW multiple times when the temps have ranged from cool but pleasant to downright frigid. Cooler temps are one of the reasons why I love to visit WDW in the Fall and Winter months but even I have my limits. Temps in the 60’s are perfectly do-able for this New Englander but any lower than that and it’s going to require some planning.

So for those of you planning trips in the coming weeks - what to do? We’ll be discussing planning and packing for cooler temps this week. Stay tuned!

Be well and make magic wherever you go!

Sara Varney
Travel Planner

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

Happy President’s Day! Florida is experiencing cooler than normal temps this winter. So what does this mean for a trip to Walt Disney World?

I’ve been to WDW multiple times when the temps have ranged from cool but pleasant to downright frigid. < more... >

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

Sorry for my absence, my son’s strep and my own ear/sinus infection was the one-two punch that kept me away. 

But I return with great news! Disney announced today that the Main Street Electrical Parade will be returning to Walt Disney World. Beginning in June 2010, the Main Street Electrical Parade will appear in the Magic Kingdom featuring upgraded LED lights, a new sound system and new floats. The parade will be part of an expanded entertainment line-up - Summer Nightastic! More details in the coming days…

Be well and make magic wherever you go!

Sara Varney
Travel Planner

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

Sorry for my absence, my son’s strep and my own ear/sinus infection was the one-two punch that kept me away. 

But I return with great news! Disney announced today that the Main Street Electrical Parade will be returning to Walt Disney World. < more... >

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

I am excited to let you in on an announcement that has not been released to the general public yet. PassPorter is starting our own weekly podcast! The first episode is up now, and the second episode will be released tomorrow with our newsletter! The podcast is hosted by Jennifer Marx and myself, the mama hens of PassPorter, and is thus known as "PassPorter Moms Podcast: Disney & Beyond!"

Check us out at http://www.passporter.com/podcast/home.php

Let me know what you think!

Be well and make magic wherever you go!

Sara Varney
Travel Planner

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

I am excited to let you in on an announcement that has not been released to the general public yet. PassPorter is starting our own weekly podcast! The first episode is up now, and the second episode will be released tomorrow with our newsletter! < more... >

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

Happy Groundhogs Day! In honor of Punxsutawney Phil and the movie that made him famous across the nation - Is there a Disney Day that you wouldn’t mind doing over and over again?

I’ve had a few of them I wouldn’t mind repeating but the one that sticks out is spending my 30th birthday in the Magic Kingdom. The year was 2004 and we had just received notice that we had been matched with our son during the adoption process. We had his tiny little picture and carried it with us to our favorite place. It was our last trip as a family of two and we lived it up! We spent the day at MK, riding all our favorite rides with me proudly wearing my birthday button. Prince Charming wished me "Happy Birthday!" from the float and I could have just ended my day there but in fact ended it after one of the best meals of my life at Victoria & Albert’s. 

While I wouldn’t mind living that day over again, I think I’ll just keep enjoying new days at WDW now that we are a family of three!

Be well and make magic wherever you go!

Sara Varney
Travel Planner

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

Happy Groundhogs Day! In honor of Punxsutawney Phil and the movie that made him famous across the nation - Is there a Disney Day that you wouldn’t mind doing over and over again? < more... >

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

One of the big pieces of news out of Walt Disney World last week was the announcement of a new pizzeria being built in the Italy pavilion in the World Showcase. And while the announcement of a new restaurant at Epcot is always cause for excitement, don’t overlook Italy’s existing table service restaurant! I had the chance to dine at Tutto Italia for the first time last month. 

I am pleased to say that we had an excellent meal. We indulged in appetizers (being on the Dining Plan, these were extra) with my husband choosing the Prosciutto di Parma (prosciutto wrapped melon) and my son and I splitting the Calamari. Yum!! (Ryan also had the kids strawberry and mixed greens salad.) We then couldn’t decide who was going to order which pasta so opted to each order a different one then swap. I started with the Farfalle - bowtie pasta, prosciutto, peas and parmesan cream sauce and my husband started with the Casareci - cavatelli pasta, sweet sausage ragu, tomatoes, pecorino romano - and my son opted for the kids Spaghetti & Meatballs. Our dishes arrived and the musical plates began! The clear winner was definitely the Casareci. The Farfalle was yummy but very rich. Ryan’s Spaghetti was very good but he was actually far more interested in our meals!

Dessert was zabaglione and berries for my husband, chocolate gelato for me and the gelato sundae for my son. Afterwards, we rolled ourselves out of the restaurant.

Be well and make magic wherever you go!

Sara Varney
Travel Planner

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

One of the big pieces of news out of Walt Disney World last week was the announcement of a new pizzeria being built in the Italy pavilion in the World Showcase. < more... >

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

Happy Friday! I survived my first week P.V. - post vacation. The last two days have been complicated by having a small invalid nearby. Which brings me to…

Lesson #5: Illness happens - even at Walt Disney World! Out of our party of nine, five of us were ill at some point in our trip. My husband and I both got a stomach bug towards the end of our trip and the rest of them all shared a sore throat/cold combo. Having been sick on vacation before, I travel with a veritable pharmacy but was in fact, lacking cold medicine. Turner Drug to the rescue! Turner Drug will deliver over the counter medication as well as prescriptions directly to your resort. But I recommend that all travelers bring basic painkillers and stomach remedies with them.

Be well and make magic wherever you go!

Sara Varney
Travel Planner

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

Happy Friday! I survived my first week P.V. - post vacation. The last two days have been complicated by having a small invalid nearby. < more... >

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

Lesson #4 - A mid-day break is not ALWAYS necessary! I have been recommending mandatory mid-day breaks for years and they are still a good idea. But perhaps a better recommendation would be to be flexible and pay close attention to how your group is doing. My son stunned me this year by going full on park commando from the first Safari of the day to viewing Illuminations at night without so much as a whimper. There was one day where I needed a nap and so made him take one too but that just meant another viewing of Illuminations and some night time fun on the Boardwalk! In fact, the people most in need of mid-day breaks turned out to be my parents.

So be flexible! No need to drag yourself away from the rides if other members of your party need a break. Split up and make plans to meet up later. This worked perfectly for our group which was a constantly rotating make-up of grown-ups and kids.There were times where we traveled as a complete pack and other times when I found myself alone with a child not my own. It was great!

Be well and make magic wherever you go!

Sara Varney
Travel Planner

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

Lesson #4 - A mid-day break is not ALWAYS necessary! I have been recommending mandatory mid-day breaks for years and they are still a good idea. But perhaps a better recommendation would be to be flexible and pay close attention to how your group is doing. < more... >

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

Lesson #3: Don’t be afraid to enjoy kid’s activities! Now I am the world’s biggest 5 year old and am happy to wear Mickey Ears, a princess tiara or any other Goofy looking thing (Ha!) and can shed my adult image in a heart beat but in a million years it would never have occured to me that I would enjoy some of the things intended for younger guests. This trip I had the chance to do Kim Possible with my son and my niece and it was SO much fun! I had always bypassed these kiosks located around the World Showcase thinking it was "for kids." Au contraire mon frere! 

While the Kim Possible missions are designed for kids there is plenty of intrigue for the most "jaded" adult. (Only those of you who have done KP get the jaded reference. The rest of you - ) Disney went to extremes including interactive details in each of the World Showcase pavilions. Trust me, you will never look at the World Showcase the same way after completing these missions! 

Be well and make magic wherever you go!

Sara Varney
Travel Planner

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

Lesson #3: Don’t be afraid to enjoy kid’s activities! Now I am the world’s biggest 5 year old and am happy to wear Mickey Ears, a princess tiara or any other Goofy looking thing (Ha! < more... >

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

So continuing with our lessons learned theme… Lesson #2 - Don’t be afraid to try something different!

I am a creature of habit. I have my favorite rides, my favorite resorts we return to time and time again. I have my favorite restaurants and my favorite meals at those restaurants. But this trip was a trip of firsts - new resort (Boardwalk Inn - loved it!), new restaurants (Tutto Italia - loved it!) and new experiences!

I took my first backstage tour, the Simply Segway Tour at Epcot. It was fantastic! My father and I were the only people in the class so we had plenty of attention from our teacher Robbie. Within moments of stepping on our Segways for the first time we were zipping around Innoventions around cones and up and down ramps. Before we knew it we were being led out the door through Future World to a rose garden that they closed off and let us loose in. It was a blast! The Segways are the newer version that have handle that you lean from left to right to steer as opposed to the old twist handle versions. The Segways are very intuitive and easy to use. I will definitely be back!

Be well and make magic wherever you go!

Sara Varney
Travel Planner

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

So continuing with our lessons learned theme… Lesson #2 - Don’t be afraid to try something different!

I am a creature of habit. I have my favorite rides, my favorite resorts we return to time and time again. I have my favorite restaurants and my favorite meals at those restaurants. < more... >