Traveling to Walt Disney World with a Special Needs Individual pt 2.: DisneyGals Guest Post

Published Sunday, November 11, 2012: http://www.disneygals.com/2012/11/guest-author-sunday-disney-gals-welcome.html

 From DisneyGals:

Guest Author Sunday

The Disney Gals Welcome Back

Guest Author Autumn Barnes

This week Autumn gives us some great tips about how to get the most out of your trip Walt Disney World when traveling with a child with special needs.

Traveling to Walt Disney World with a Special Needs Individual pt 2.

A few weeks ago, I wrote about what I had learned in preparing to travel to Disney World with a special needs individual, and how this would be my husband and I’s first trip to the House of Mouse with a child. Today I am writing to tell you what we learned by experience, and if we survived.

Let’s start with the surviving part. Yes, we did, and to be honest our little friend “E” was great and I think Drew and I may be spoiled by this, because now we will assume ALL kids who go to WDW with us will be such fun, well behaved, mellow travel companions.  “E” unlike me is a morning person, so he was usually up and ready to go before I was in the morning. What we started doing at character meets was Drew and I would go first and just clue in the Princess or character that “E” was non-verbal, but this did NOT stop him from trying to kidnap Peter Pan. Yes, you read this right, the three-year old grabbed Peter by the hand at the “spindle” heading into Adventureland and took him for a walk all the way to the Crystal Palace. This by the way is one of those moments where I have to give HUGE props to the cast members because Peter just went with it crowing and talking away to “E” about becoming a lost boy etc., and his “handler” just sat and laughed with the rest of us.  The longest line we really stood in was for the Little Mermaid ride. Yes! We were there for the first weekend they opened it for dress rehearsal and you have NO idea how wonderfully excited I was.

The wait staffs we had were awesome, and not only wonderfully understanding of Mom’s allergy, but they were constantly making sure “E” was happy. The nice gentleman who waited on us in China made sure we had a take home box since “E” was so tired that night he was falling asleep while chewing. Sadly, the dinner we set up to be his birthday dinner at the Crystal Palace he slept through, but Tigger, Pooh and the gang still made sure they took photos with him in his stroller. The staff at SSR was wonderful and honored our very few requests, like not moving around equipment when they came in, and putting us back by the Paddock pool to make getting counter food easier.

Now, on to the traveling with a special needs child part of the topic. We went in to Guest Relations to get our GAC card at Epcot the very first day, this went smoothly, and we were also given a red special sticker that works very much like the Magic Express luggage tags that signaled that “E” got to stay in his stroller, even in no stroller buildings/areas. The sticker is a great way to signal to cast members that the child in the stroller has a health concern, and keeps you from having to explain it repeatedly. Once you get the red stroller sticker from Guest Relations, you just connect the two sticky parts on the ends of the maybe 18” long sticker to each other after looping it onto the stroller. Once this is on the stroller it signals to the cast members in the entrances of buildings that say “you need to park your stroller!!”  and the cast members that I like to refer to as “stroller valets” that the stroller stayed with us. The only issue we really had was on the first day when we realized that by putting the tag on the left side of the rented umbrella stroller it wasn’t as easily noticeable as we would have liked it to be. So when Mom, Dad and Drew went to ride Mission Space, “E” and I roamed around, met Stitch and Daisy, and then popped back into Guest Relations and explained the issue we were having, and they gave us a second one to attach to the right side giving us visual coverage from either side of the stroller. Problem solved.

The GAC was an interesting item all in it’s own rite. When I was researching the card for the article and for our use, we had read in a suggestion to wear it on your lanyard. This to me meant, “Oh it fits IN the pin trading lanyard id things.” This is NOT true. The GAC is about 4” long and maybe 3.5” tall, and they do NOT offer a sleeve for it, I asked. The thing is you need to flash this card a lot, and it’s not on water proof paper, so you want to keep it dry. Luckily I have a cell phone/camera water proof sleeve that is on it’s own lanyard, and on day two I said “OHHH WAIT!! I have my camera lanyard!” and into that the GAC went allowing it to be on an adults neck when needed.

The other issue we came across was confliction with HOW the GAC works. I kept reading “Please note the GAC is not a FastPass, and please do not use this to bypass waiting” etc., and could not quite figure out why, especially after we READ the card. The back of the card specifically states, “Some attractions have alternate entrances for guests with disabilities and are intended to offer Guests using wheelchairs or with service animals a convenient entrance to the attraction. Alternate entrances are not intended to provide immediate access. Guests with disabilities and up to five members of their party may enter through these entrances. For operational considerations, additional party members are required to use the standard queue. At attractions offering FASTPASS service, Guests should obtain a Disney’s FASTPASS return ticket. “

The issue we came across though is, this “Get a Fastpass come back at your Fastpass time” rule is a BY ride and BY ride manager enforcement issue. Some rides actively enforce this, some do not, which leads to confusion because the newer members of the cast don’t always seem to realize this is just their attraction saying “you don’t need a Fastpass and can just use the handicap entrance and bypass the cue” gives select people the idea that this can be done at ALL rides. There was a tense moment when Drew laid it down to Dad (after Dad was told this the night before at a ride that didn’t enforce the rule). Drew basically said that he “didn’t care what the 19 year old told him, rules were there for a reason, we would be adhering to them not only because Aut is a DTS, and we are DVC members and in the parks a lot and have friends that work there, but also because we will NOT be THOSE people.” I asked our hotel manager about this rule as we were checking out, and the lady at Special Reservations about this issue. They both said it was up to the attraction manager. I will be honest, I did tell them “if it’s in print it’s a rule, and it should be enforced evenly across the board to avoid confusion.” And they agreed and suggested I email customer service with that suggestion.

As for the handicap entrances that the GAC suggested we use because of the stroller, some of them are the same as the general entrance, except for where you load, some run along side the general queue in the FastPass line, and some are WAY off to the side of the building with very limited signage. What we learned quickly was to look for the handicap sign, if we did not see it we would just ask. Sometimes the location was close by and we just missed it due to easy distraction, other times like with Spaceship Earth it is half way down the side of the building, and then has a waiting area outside of the exit. The WORST in my opinion was the Haunted Mansion. Perhaps it was just the cast members we had, but I found the whole event to be confusing and stressful. They send you in to the main room, the take you back into the exit hall to park your stroller or wheelchair, and then have you walk down the exit hall in opposing traffic and down this very small sidewalk to the side of the moving sidewalk. It was just all very confusing and backwards, and I could not figure out why we were not just sent to the exit area to begin with.

I have also learned since returning while helping someone planning an upcoming trip whose daughter is on a very specialized diet, if you are staying in a hotel without microwave or fridge and need one for medical purposes you can request one. It is preferred you stay in a hotel that already has these, but if you aren’t in a hotel that already has these in your room you can request it, there is no guarantee you will get it though if it is not available. There are also a few places that not only rent the electric scooters and deliver them to your hotel, but the also will rent out mini fridges and microwaves as well. I personally would suggest if you do take advantage of this option that you take a surge bar with you in your luggage just to be safe. I also learned there is a group at the parks in booking that is dedicated to helping people with special medical needs.  The Walt Disney World Resort Special Reservations number is 407-939-7807. I learned you make your reservation, note the request in that reservation and then you can call them and verify they received it and they can help you with any info/questions you may have.

Overall, I have to say this was a very educational trip for me on many levels.   I learned a good deal, about how Disney goes above and beyond to ensure individuals with special needs are given the same opportunities to enjoy the park. I learned that they also have gone out of their way to ensure cast members know who needs special assistance, without hanging a huge banner over their heads, I have to say in the 20+ trips I have made to the parks in the last 6 years I have NEVER noticed the stroller tags, but had wondered “why is their a stroller in the land?”. I also learned the GAC is great, but I would suggest you find a large clear envelope for it to hang on your lanyard just to make your “Leeloo Dallas Mutlipass” moments go much smoother.  Finally, I learned Drew and I totally could handle taking a child to WDW with us, as long as we can give them back to Mom and/or Dad at the end of the day.

Traveling to Walt Disney World with a Special Needs Individual: Guest Post on DisneyGals

 Published Sunday, October 14, 2012: http://www.disneygals.com/2012/10/welcome-autumn-barnes-to-guest-author.html

From DisneyGals:

Welcome Autumn Barnes to Guest Author Sunday!

Please join the Disney Gals in welcoming Autumn Barnes to the Guest Author stage today. Today Autumn takes the opportunity to set the stage for her first Disney Park trip with a special needs traveler. She is on her magical Disney vacation as we speak and will be following up this post upon her return. Please join us in following her journey and learning how to prepare for this unique experience right along with her!

First Let's Learn About Autumn:  I am that girl. You know the one you say "oh you're going to Disney? You NEED to talk to my friend Autumn she's a Disney Guru". Yup, I will admit it I am a Disney junkie. I start sentences with things like "It's what I do, It's what I live for, to help poor unfortunate tourists, like yourself, poor souls with noone else to turn to", or throws "hakuna matata" into discussions that have people stressed out. It was recently said by a very dear old friend  "If Aut isn't wearing PSU or Disney gear something is wrong with the universe, or she is in desperate need of a laundry washing day." My nighttime routine is Phineas and Ferb, yes yes I am a bit to old for cartoons but that's ok because they make me happy.

I have been hooked on all thinks Disney as far back as I can remember, and I sucked my awesome military husband Drew into that addiction when we got married. I got his stack of internet security textbooks, piles of computer equipment and language based on tech, he got my pile of Ariel collectible dolls, a mountain of Disney movies, and a joint purchase into DVC two years into our union. I adore helping people learn about the Disney as a whole, but really my true addiction anymore is the parks. Our bucket list contains very few items, to see every Disney theme park, and hotel/resort that is not at a theme park on earth in person. Prior to September 2012 I was just your average Disney trip planning friend that had all their knowledge from trips to WDW or online, but after I was able to help my dental hygienist save a good chunk of money on free dining this fall I caved, listened to what my friends and family had been telling me for years to do and became a Disney Travel Specialist with Wishing Well Travel because I wanted to properly help others save money while having a magical trip and getting to know all the amazing parts of my "second home".   Thanks to taking that course I know have an even better understanding of WDW, and actually know useful things about the parks I haven't been to. 

Traveling to Walt Disney World with a Special Needs Individual

“Walt Disney World Vacation”, usually to most people in their thirties these words brings to mind family vacations with the kids, except in my house. My husband and I don’t have kids, we are in all technicality the definition of “DINK”s. We have several nieces and nephews, but when we travel, it is just us, as we tend to go to Disney during the school year. For us planning a Disney trip means, check the calendar and find a weekend that works for us, find an airfare sale, book a room through DVC, and have the husband drop a leave chit.  There are no worries about missing school, getting kids through security, naptimes, ride height restrictions etc. UNTIL now that is.

A few months ago we learned a good friend’s husband would be deploying in October. I knew that this trip was hard on her as their son is classified by the military as EFM (Exceptional Family Member).  Their son has this classification because he was born 4 months early, has a heart condition, a g-tube that they use for night time feedings, and he is autistic, but the thing is the kid is one of the neatest kids you would EVER meet, health issues and all.  So, after finding out this deployment news and knowing we would be in WDW 2 weeks after dad deployed, my husband and I discussed it and invited Mom and “E” to come with us in mid-October to WDW.  A few weeks later Dad’s leave date was revised, and now he is coming with us as well, which is great because it gives them a family trip, and let’s Dad be there for E’s first trip to Disney.

Going into this adventure though I realized I was walking into a WHOLE new world. Not only would we be traveling with a toddler, something we had never done before, but we would be traveling with someone who was special needs.   Being the research junkie I am I started looking into what we needed to have, do, expect to make the trip smoother for everyone involved.  At first I had some issues finding in depth info but then a person I met on a DVC board, who was also great enough to offer personal experience, pointed me in the right direction. This post will cover what I have learned, the second post which will appear later in October after we get home will go over how much of this info was spot on, any extra tips I have learned, and just a general how it went for those wondering how the DINKS did with a toddler on vacation.

The first step was researching where the first aid stations were in the parks, as well as where the closest hospitals were and providing that info to Mom and Dad just in case Dad’s command asked for it. Because we are all military this isn’t exactly weird to us, we know EFM families have extra rules/regs to follow, primarily just to ensure the ensure the safety of the EFM member.  To be extra safe I made sure the hospital I found was a Tricare friendly hospital. So now we know Celebration ER is the place for us in case there is an emergency that does require an ER run.

Disney has something called a Guest Relations Card (GAC) for people with certain disabilities or medical conditions. I have learned this card can be obtained at Customer Service in the front of each park and that you do not need a Doctor’s note to acquire it, though we have gotten one from E’s doctor just to be safe.  A GAC is good for the entire length of your trip, and there are actually different versions of this card.  We will be renting a stroller card as E does not do well with crowds and the GAC allows him to keep it in the lines.  There is some conflicting information online as to whether different cards are issues for different disability/mobility issues, or if the card is stamped. But it DVC customer service confirmed there is a card, and that it is issues for several different reasons, but that we will need one to keep the stroller out of stroller parking.  E also qualifies for a GAC because he is sensitive in heat because of a heart issue, and possibly may need to use the alternate entrance line as he is Autistic and is immune compromised, all of these things qualify him for a GAC on their own.  A GRC does not mean you jump to the front of the line, but it is suppose to make things easier on the person with the disability.  I have read up to five people can accompany a GAC holder on rides, so this will work well as it will be E and four adults. In my research it is also suggested you put your GAC in a badge holder where it can be easily seen to make it easier on Cast Members, and I would assume to draw less direction attention to the person with special needs.  Another person suggested we attach it TO the stroller but I am not sure how that will work since it is a rental, I am planning to ask Customer Service which method the Cast Members prefer.

In addition, another concern was E has a g-tube for his nighttime feedings.  I know from experience the Disney hotel staff at Saratoga Springs where we are staying is wonderful. However, I also wanted to ensure that E’s feeding tub and IV pole will be left alone and not moved around during the day if the cleaning staff comes to the room.  This seemed to be rather easy to handle, all I did was have the DVC booking agent put a note in our reservation info that there would be medical equipment in the room and we would like them to not move it.  I also reconfirmed there would be a Pack and Play in the room as this makes it easier on E’s parents for his feedings.   

The biggest concern we have had is the flight security checkpoint NOT the parks because as we all know Walt Disney World is the MASTER of customer service.  Mom wants to travel with three packages of feeding formula on the plane in her carry on to be safe, and has concerns with the security area so I started looking up info to help relax her.  The TSA site has provided some info, but to be honest to me it looks like have updated their website recently and removed a good deal of traveler information that I had shared with others before, as well as the “Disability Notification Card for Air Travel” form they state is available online, but the link redirects to an error page.  Because E has an inhaler, his feeding pump, meds, etc. there is a LOT of info I had to look for on the TSA website. What I have learned through their sites is it seems he can travel with his meds and liquids because they are prescription/medical supplies but that they may be tested, or they need to have a copy of the prescription info with them.  The most important thing I have found it the “TSA Cares Hotline” for those who have disabilities and are planning on flying.   Per the TSA site “TSA Cares is a helpline to assist travelers with disabilities and medical conditions. TSA recommends that passengers call 72 hours ahead of travel to for information about what to expect during screening. Travelers may call TSA Cares toll free at 1-855-787-2227 prior to traveling with questions about screening policies, procedures and what to expect at the security checkpoint. TSA Cares will serve as an additional, dedicated resource specifically for passengers with disabilities, medical conditions or other circumstances or their loved ones who want to prepare for the screening process prior to flying.” A TSA agent will provide info to the travel based on their specific needs, and if needed will also coordinate with your local TSA office so that they are prepared for you when you arrive for your flight. To ensure Mom does call the TSA three days before we leave I added a “to do” on my Google Calendar just to be safe.

Having all this info, I am hoping we are prepared for our upcoming trip and will not encounter any problems. I am truly looking forward to being present for this little hero’s first Walt Disney World trip and cannot wait to update you on not only how the info above helped us, but also about how awesome a trip he had.

Take a Stroll with City Stroller (The Edited Version)

Take a Stroll with City Stroller-- Due to length restraints a large amount had to be removed from this post. The original will also be shared. :)

Published December 12, 2012: http://www.wishingwelltravel.com/blog/2012/12/12/take-a-stroll-with-city-stroller/

One of the services offered by Wishing Well Travel is Fee Free Stroller Rental booking. Stroller Rental is a great service, it allows you to travel from home to the parks without having to worry about flying or driving with extra items, and ensures your little Pirate or Princess will have a carriage in the parks. Several companies offer this unique and fun service at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland. In this article, I would like to introduce you to Jewel of City Stroller in California. City Stroller has two locations that cover the Northern and Southern California areas, to include Disneyland.   
In 2010, Jewel started City Stroller, a family owned and operated rental business that delivers strollers and other items families may need while on vacation. The idea came to her after watching a family in NYC check a car seat because their rental company could not promise them a seat would be available to rent when they arrived. The concept of stroller rental through City Stroller is simple; providing families with  baby equipment crucial to their family travel needs in a timely fashion so they can focus on making memories.
Here is a bit of the interview I did with Jewel~
Autumn: Why is renting a stroller from City Stroller a better idea than renting directly from Disneyland?
Jewel: As adults we forget how easy a toddler or child gets tired and cranky – carrying 30 to 40lbs back to the car or hotel is the pits. Even if you rent a theme park stroller, you have to turn it in before leaving the park and then carry everything back to your car or hotel.
Autumn: What can you tell me about the items you carry that make you stand out?  
Jewel: We use No-Flat tires on our strollers to not only cut back on repairs, but also ensure our customers have the best quality product. We recently just decided to use our Baby Joggers for our in park rentals as everything on a Baby Jogger unit is replaceable even the frame and make our Britax a travel only system since they cannot handle the park conditions as well. Our most popular stroller model currently is the City Mini GT Double we just cannot keep them in the warehouse. 
Autumn: Describe a typical day at City Stroller.
Jewel: On the delivery side the day starts the evening before as we load the vans the night before. All we have to do is wait until 9:15am for any new orders to come through and double check the paper work in the morning, and then it is off to Disneyland we go. We have a predetermined delivery and pick-up route but we try to by noon before heading back to the stroller cave to unload the vehicle, strip and wash the returned stroller seats and canopies. Upon arrival, we inspect each stroller; we look to see if the joints and wheels need lubricated and check the fabric for tears, we also replace parts and pieces individually as needed. I can tell by the rotation of the wheels – when a wheel needs replaced. Due to our standards, we completely clean each stroller after we pick it up. Each seat is hand washed and if needed a high-pressure hose is used to breakup anything we missed in the hand washing. Once clean, the seats are placed back on the frame and dried in the sun or air-dried by a heater, and then we spray them down with a Lysol/Febreeze solution. Every week the foot area gets a scotch guard coat. We then inspect each stroller to ensure it is in working shape, and looking good before it goes out the door.   On the office side of a rental after a customer places an order online we double-check the last name on the reservation by phone call or email to ensure it matches the hotel reservation, if these do not match we will not be able to leave the stroller at the hotel for the guest. Then we process the paperwork and make a nametag for each family’s stroller. Unlike some other companies, we ONLY put the family’s last name on the reservation paperwork to protect their personal information. Then the reservation is entered into an online calendar and an inventory dispatch system, this protects us in case one system ever crashes.
Autumn: What is one rental that has really touched and stayed with you?
Jewel: If I have to pick one, I have a hand written Thank you letter I keep on file written on Disneyland Hotel stationary from a father of a Make a Wish Foundation child. Princess Peyton, who sadly is no longer with us, came to Disneyland in January 2012 from Canada. Rapunzel was her favorite princess, so I gathered as much Tangled merchandise as I could and at delivery put it in the stroller to make her trip just a bit more magical. If I can give just a fraction of happiness to each client, I am very content.
Jewel also shared with me that currently City Stroller is Beta Testing the rental of Mini Plus Keurigs.  
City Stroller is an official vendor for The Walt Disney Company and their Good Neighbor Hotels. You can learn more about this great local owned company by visiting them online at www.citystrollerrentalss.com or following them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CityStrollerRentals .

The Osborne Lights

Published November 30, 2012 by WWT written by Autumn Barnes

Several years ago, my husband and I were in Walt Disney World during the holiday season. The only “holiday” event I had researched that trip was the Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, a special event held on certain nights at the Magic Kingdom. We had decided that that the rest of the trip we were just going to wing it, minus our dining reservations. Thankfully, those reservations introduced us to what I think is THE most amazing event in the parks during the holiday season.
Let me pause for a moment and tell you about the other holiday events at the WDW Resort just so you can understand the awe-inspiring wonder that the Osborne Lights are. In standard Disney fashion the hotels are done to the nine’s, each with it’s own theme, including the Gingerbread House at the Grand Floridian. The Magic Kingdom is decorated for the holidays and holds the M.V.M.C.P. on select nights; this event is a holiday themed party with snow on Main Street, dance parties, a holiday themed Wishes Fireworks event, and a holiday themed parade. Epcot has their wonderful “Holidays Around the World” event where storytellers tell about each countries holiday traditions, Illuminations has a holiday themed finale, and of course the always popular Candlelight Processional where a choir, orchestra and guest storyteller tell the Christmas story.  Animal Kingdom is limited in it’s ability to celebrate the holidays because of their “no night hours” policy, but still has the Mickey’s Jingle Jungle Parade and Camp Minnie Mickey is decorated with customized character themed Christmas trees.  In addition, all of the parks have Disney’s characters dressed up for the holidays and specially decorated Christmas trees either at the entrance of the park, or a centralized area in the park.
            
However, at dusk on the Streets of America over at Disney’s Hollywood Studios there is an amazing event called The Osborne Family lights. The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights as they are officially called, originally started modestly as a Christmas wish at a single family home. Jennings Osborne’s light collection eventually grew from 1,000 red lights on their Little Rock, Arkansas property to a million light display. Eventually when this crowd attracting custom-made light holiday light attraction with illuminated globe, rotating carousels and 70-foot Christmas tree got to be to over whelming due to traffic congestion and lawsuits from neighbors the county stepped in. The lights were so popular in Arkansas that the legal actions against them made national news. By 1995 Disney had stepped in to save the lights so that people from all over the globe could see them while visiting the parks during the holidays.  2002 was the first year the lights appeared at Hollywood Studios (then Disney-MGM) theme park.   
Now, going back to the “winged” holiday trip I was mentioning at the start of this post. My husband and I had dining reservations in Hollywood Studios at the Sci-Fi Dinner around 5pm.  Leaving dinner, we noticed a “glow” in the sky towards the Streets of America and decided to wander back towards it and see what was going on. That, my friends, is when we discovered the awe inspiring, eye tingling, Holiday Spirit inducing Osborne Family Lights.  Every time I see the lights, I am over-whelmed by the sheer number of lights and the wonderful shiny brightness they emit. My husband, who is also impressed by the lights,  tends to look at it from a technical side and usually mumbles something about “one day when I work at IT for WDW….” while we are exploring them.
The lights are an amazing display, and the work that goes into setting them up is astounding!  Starting in September, over 20,000 man hours are used to install the over 5 million bulbs made up by 10 miles of rope lights, and 30 miles of extensions cords which are held together by 2 million ties. The lights run from Mid-November until the first week of January and use over 800,000 watts of electricity.  Recently Disney switched all 5 million plus bulbs over to LED’s to help conserve electricity.  In 2006 the lights had 1500 dimmer relay circuits and control switches added to the existing light set up, allowing the lights to be switched on and off electronically. These switches are choreographed to the music playing on the Streets of America, and allow the lights to dance to the music, there is even “snow” falling on New York Street at set times.    The lights will stay on solid (also referred to as “intermission”) for about 15 minutes, and then a “light performance” will occur allowing the lights to dance in time to the music. During the dance, items that were not lit up during the “intermission” come to life, to include several Hidden Mickeys. During the “intermission” classic holiday music and Disney themed holiday music play on the fictional Disney holiday radio station as you wander the streets. The first year we saw the lights Agent P saved the lights from Dr. D during one of these “intermissions” but this was not a part of the lights when we saw them in 2011, showing that Disney likes to mix up the “radio station” airing during the show each year. It seems they also like to add to the songs used during the dancing sections.
Yearly there are set songs used for the lights dances this year’s selection includes:

• “A Mad Russian’s Christmas” by Trans-Siberian Orchestra
• “Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12-24)” by Trans-Siberian Orchestra
• “Feliz Navidad” by José Feliciano
• “Jingle Bells” by Barbra Streisand
• “Christmas is Starting Now” from the Phineas and Ferb Christmas Special
• “Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)” by Elvis Presley
• “Winter Wonderland” by Creative Entertainment Music Director Dan Stamper.

This year it seems a Meet and Greet with  “Santa Goofy” has been added to the excitement of the lights.
Every time someone that is planning a holiday trip to WDW asks me “what should I make sure I see?” I say The Osborne Lights.  The Osborne Lights are part of your admission to the Hollywood Studios park and run from dusk until the park closes each night. Make sure you give yourself time to see them Dance and on Intermission. I personally love staying a good 45-60 minutes so that I can see the lights dance from the north and south sides of New York Street and from the western side of San Francisco Street because each view is different, and of course the lights do different things during each song. One of my favorite parts is the overhead LCD light canopy over San Francisco Street, the update to LCDs allows the canopy to not only change colors, but have dancing, changing patterns. Another tip I can offer is to make sure you watch for other guests that have just stopped to look without pulling over from the walking area, this tends to happen a lot because the lights are just so amazing.  Also make sure to give yourself a few minutes to play with your camera settings, because yes, it is dark outside, but there are so many lights it has been know to overwhelm my camera’s auto focus the first few snaps, and make my eyes buzz if I stare directly for to long.  Do not forget to watch for Hidden Mickeys, and the Purple Cat. The cat, which was a part Osborne family’s Halloween decorations accidently was packed along with the Christmas, lights and made its way to Florida. The cat is set out yearly in a new place giving regulars something to hunt for.

Disney’s Day of Giving

Published November 21, 2012 by WWT written by Autumn Barnes



As an East Coast seaboard resident I can honestly say nor’easters and hurricanes are a part of our lives.  Here in Virginia when I hear of a tropical storm brewing down in the Caribbean I start making sure our emergency kit is prepared. As the storm starts getting closer to Florida I start stocking the cabinets, and by the time it’s at the South Carolina border the yard is being secured because it’s not that the wind is blowing, it’s WHAT the wind is blowing that matters.  The last few years I have also added, “translating the weather man and the scare tactic hype” to the military wives I know that are from the mid-west and have never been in a hurricane/tropical storm/nor’easter.  I have lived through 30+ hurricane seasons, which include some that seriously affected the Hampton Roads region like Floyd and Isabelle. However, to be perfectly honest, other than Katrina, I have NEVER seen such a destructive hurricane as Sandy was this October. As images of the Northeast started to show up on Facebook that weekend, I was in awe of the power of this storm, and scared for the people in the North who usually don’t see hurricanes.  Over the last few days, I am sure you have seen the info on this, but I wanted to take a moment and ensure you knew just how awesome the Disney family was in the aftermath of hurricane Sandy.
 
On November 5th the Disney family held a fundraiser to raise funds for those effected by Hurricane Sandy. Teaming up with the Red Cross, many big names came together to help raise money for Hurricane Sandy victims. The name of this amazing event was “The Day of Giving” and it involved a $2 million donation from Disney with one half of the donation going to the Red Cross to use in immediate cleanup and aid efforts in effected areas while the other half went to other groups’ rebuilding efforts. A $3 million dollar donation from partner Samsung was also donated to the cause.   But, the biggest part of the event was the money raised. At 7am the kick off for “The Day of Giving” occurred on Good Morning America, which had Barbara Walters, Brian Ross and Bianna Golodryga working the donation lines.  Through out the day on ABC victims and groups were interviewed, while stars and companies made matching donations and shared messages of support and love. The likes of the “Jersey Shore” cast, Katie Couric, the Broadway cast of “Jersey Boys” performed and helped answer phones. By 11am when “The View” took over 4.7 million had been raised, and by the end of  “The View” which included a special appearance by Grover $5.3 million was raised. Throughout the rest of the day, money was raised via phone (which included some awesome Volunt-EARS from Disney World) and Internet pledges more than $16.8 million was raised.
                            
As a pet owner this story that just came out truly touched me though. As most of us know Disney is a huge supporter of wildlife conservation and has it’s own group dedicated to just that. The Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund allows Disney to “protect the planet for future generations and help kids develop lifelong conservation values” through donations and hands on projects. The DWCF also ties in with Disney’s research and animal programs that help us not only better understand the other animals on this planet but also help ensure those animals will still be with us through by participating in cooperative breeding programs. Usually when I think of the DWCF I think of the buttons you can receive at Animal Kingdom by donating a dollar in the gift store, or the when watching one of those wonderful heart tugging Disney Nature films. What most people don’t realize is the DWCF doesn’t just donate and protect wild animals, they also focus on the needs of domestic animals as well.  In response to the devastating effects of Hurricane Sandy the DWCF granted $250,000 to the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), a group that is currently helping animals affected by Hurricane Sandy.
   
To give to the American Red Cross and help victims of Hurricane Sandy, you can click here.  A great way to donate to the DWCF on your next visit to Walt Disney World you can make a direct donation in the parks by buying those great buttons or by taking certain tours, like Wild Africa Trek at Disney’s Animal Kingdom because Disney donates money for every participant on those tours. If you would like to make a donation directly to the International Fund for Animal Welfare to help their efforts in aiding displace pets please visit their site at http://tinyurl.com/cx6etyf .

Agent Autumn Shares Her Favorite Epcot Memory

Published October 17, 2012 by WWT

In February 2009 my highly tolerant husband, Drew and I went to the International Garden Festival, something we try to do every spring.  This trip though I had an ulterior motive in my mind. One based on information that I had recently learned due to my Disney fan page/blog/Facebook trolling, that my husband had not quite been clued into; mainly because I wasn’t one hundred percent sure of the information I had recently learned and didn’t want to disappoint him if it was wrong.  
A few days before we boarded our flight, I had read a rumor that Disney was allowing DVC members to test out the new Kim Possible game. This option appealed to me because I was, and still am, a HUGE Kim Possible fan. Plus, how many people get to say “I was one of the first people to test a Disney attraction”.  The concept of the game appealed to my husband’s not so hidden, not so inner geek because of the RFID system the game used.  So, to avoid making a 33 year old pout because he couldn’t play with new high grade toy because I was misinformed I kept my mouth shut until we got to the Kim Possible check in station at the World Showcase bridge and flashed my DVC card.   
When it worked and we were given our country’s fastpass I then explained what as going on. We then were able to test out Norway, China and Germany that day. Each time a clue was triggered by the Kimmunicators, we would crack up, and sometimes laugh harder at the reactions of people who had no idea what was going on, because if you think about it the game was new to the whole park not just new comers. My favorite clue was the cuckoo clock in Germany because it is SUCH an obvious clue that something else is going on near you but you just don’t know what thanks to the phone using a cell phone to set off the RFID reaction, my least favorite the giant baby Bebe due to the noise the thing made in general, even when we were just in the store to shop. 

But, the BEST part of the whole adventure wasn’t being one of the first people to try the attraction out, the photos we took, but the fact the husband of the prince of geekery was interviewed by a local Orlando news crew that was covering the upcoming official launch of the game.  Though I am sad to see they have retired Kim and Ron in the Worldshow Case, I can positively say that I cannot wait to try out the new version with Agent P and help him defeat Dr. D,  and I am sort of glad I can use my Kimmuicator ring ton for my incoming text notification in the park again without fear of missing a message because I am assuming it’s the game.

Agent Autumn Shares the Beauty of Epco

Published October 12, 2012 by WWT

There tons of reasons  I love  Epcot, but one of the top reasons I love it so much is the gorgeous scenery.  I adore taking photos. This is proven by the over 30,000 photos I have on my laptop at this time. I refer to my cell phone as a camera that texts, because I specifically chose a phone with an 8.0 megapixel camera with a rather decent zoom.  Said cell phone, my pocket Cannon camera, spare batteries, and a back up SD card are always with me on trips to Disney parks! I do not want to miss some of the great shots I can find there.
Some of the best shots I have gotten were just by chance, or because I had to go exploring in area’s people sometimes skip. The Moroccan light photo is from roaming around the courtyards off to the left of the shops. I rarely see people in those courtyards, and there is such amazing detail in them that I usually snap 30 pictures easily in a few minutes.
 
Every night you have a great chance to get a sunset photo, and growing up on where the James River meets the Chesapeake Bay I know that nothing beats a gorgeous sunset reflecting off the water. That reflection amplifies the colors of the sky, and makes the effect almost unending. This sunset photo was taken around China looking out across the water, to me it looks like the water is on fire even before Illuminations begins.

Festivals and change of season at Epcot always create new picture options, and that’s just at the park entrance! From there, it’s a picture takers paradise.  In the fall during International Food and Wine Festival, there are new food booths, decorations, etc. to take photos of. Each year during the International Flower and Garden Festival, there are new topiaries, flower and plant layouts and so much more. My favorite thing during BOTH seasons though is the toy train set up in Germany. They install little banners and items that match the actual festival itself.
 
However, at the end of the day it’s the photos that grab my crazy wild imagination that I love the most. I know that by my age, most people do not look at trees and say “wow, that’s where fairies live”, but I have no issue admitting that on occasion I still do have the imagination of a hyper active four year old.  This tree in Epcot over near “The Land” and “Journey Into Imagination” though SCREAMED fairies live in me. It may not have helped it was spring and we had recently been in Tink’s Butterfly Garden, but I seriously had to have a photo of this tree after seeing it and having that thought.
At the end of the day these photos help me remember each trip I take to Epcot, the changes the park has gone through, and the new items each festival brings with it.  In addition, it truly makes me happy to know I will never tire of taking photos at Epcot because of these wonderful changes

Come Meet Wreck-It Ralph

Published October 3, 2012 by WWT

A new Disney animated movie release is always exciting. New stories, new heroes, new villains, but one of the most exciting things that occurs when a new Disney animated movie is released is the new MEET AND GREETS the movie brings to the parks! Disney’s 52nd animated release ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ comes out November 2nd.

‘Wreck-It Ralph’ was a HUGE hit at Comic Con this year with the older gamers thanks to it’s historical gaming character cameos. The licensing work Disney had to go through for this movie must have been overwhelming to say the least because so far I have seen Sonic the Hedgehog, a Pac-Man ghost, M. Bison, Dr. Robotnik, and Quebert just to name a few in posters and commercials for the movie. The homage to older 8 and 15-bit graphics in posters and previews also makes me wonder how many parents will be pulling out their old Nintendos this fall to show the kids just what an 8 or 16-bit game looks like in real life.

Disney has gone to the depth of creating new games and characters for this movie. ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ is the villain from the old 8-bit game ‘Fix-It Felix Jr’ who feels he isn’t JUST a bad guy, but that he can be a hero, too. This dream causes him to go game hopping where he meets 9-year old Vanellope von Schweetz from the candy themed racing game ‘Sugar Rush’. Ralph and Vanellope (who has her own back story that I won’t spoil for you) then set off to stop a deadly enemy that could destroy every game in the arcade. Just watching the previews you can see Ralph is a gentle but hulking character, and Vanellope is a little spit fire of a girl with a sharp sense of humor, and an obsession for the word ‘duty’.

I for one cannot wait to see this movie, and I also can’t wait to meet Ralph and Vanellope in person. Fortunately for all of us, starting in November you will be able to meet Ralph AND Vanellope. At Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida this dynamic duo will be found in the Magic of Disney Animation building. Their meet and greet area will be set up to let you journey through Game Central Station allowing you to check out various game worlds from the movie while you are in the que. At Disneyland in California, Ralph and Vanellope will be found in Tomorrowland. The set up at Disneyland will be a bit different from the one in Disney World as the characters will be at the portal to ‘Sugar Rush’, and there will be ‘Fix-It Felix, Jr’ arcade games setup to let people try out Ralph’s home game ‘Fix-It Felix, Jr’.

***For those unable to make it to California to try the meet and greet arcade games, or if you just can’t wait until November to try out ‘Fix-It Felix, Jr’,  Disney released the game on the movie’s Facebook page a few months back.  www.facebook.com/WreckItRalph/app_419450928095726 ‘Fix-It Felix, Jr.’  and several other ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ inspired games can also be found on the movie’s official website www.disney.go.com/wreck-it-ralph/#/games. ***

How to Save on turning your Princess into a Disney Princess at WDW Published September 3, 2012

Published September 3, 2012 for WWT

Before I start into my topic “How to Save on turning your Princess into a Disney Princess at WDW”, I would like to take a moment to admit that I do not have children of my own. My husband and I do have several nieces and nephews that we adore and a ton of friends with children, and I do my best in helping these wonderful people plan their WDW trips and get the most out of their budget.

I can shop all day. I love retail therapy, I won’t deny it, but I will be getting the best deal for my dollar while at the retail gym. That is why when I am at WDW I tend to go into a glittered shock when looking at Disney Princess dresses and accessory prices. I mean $80+ is just about meal plan for the day for Hubs and I, so I started trying to think up ways my nieces, and the other princesses we have in our lives, could do a total transformation at the parks without totally deleting the King and Queen’s treasury. So here is a list of some of my tips to keep the kingdom’s gold balance in the black, while still ensuring your princess is the bell of the ball.

 

1- The Dress. Princess Dresses are not WDW exclusives. They can travel with you. I am a huge supporter of pre-buying your princess dresses, especially if you will be traveling with more than one little girl, or with a little girl that needs to wear a different princess dress each day. There are several ways I suggest to save on that wardrobe. DisneyStore.com tends to have great costume sales a few times a year, that way you can order your dress, take advantage of the sale and any discount coupons/codes you have, and put the dress up until your trip. Also Halloween is just around the corner. That means those super cute dresses at Target, Walmart, and your local Halloween costume store will be on clearance in about 2 months. Take advantage of those sales. Buy a size bigger if you know you aren’t going to the parks for 6-8  months, and make sure you put the dress up where the princess can’t find it but you don’t forget it. Pack the princess dress in a space bag to contain any loose Pixie dust when you pack, and throw in a can of that great hair spray glitter and you are set to go out fit wise. But, what is a Princess Dress without the accessories?

2- Princess Shoes. Shoes are a girl’s best friend, I don’t care how old that girl is. At the parks and costume places they sell the “Jellies” style shoes, AKA the plastic sliding shoes of doom. I have seen more princesses slide in the rain, or just on slick surfaces in those shoes than I wish to admit to. I have also witnessed many a crying Cinderella because she has been in her “Glass Slippers” for hours and her feet are killing her and she just wished midnight would come already so she could go back to her resort’s pool for a foot soak. So I will say this loud and proud, skip the Princess Jellie shoes! For the $16+ you would spend on these shoes if you bought them today on DisneyStore.com, I can tell you how to find/make shoes that go with your princesses’ outfit that are unique and character grabbing, comfortable, safe and occupy your child for awhile with a pre-trip craft that will get them even more excited about their upcoming trip, and hopefully skip the Cindy shoe meltdown.

Go to the store and get canvas sneakers or flip flops, these can be the same color as your Princess’ dress or a coordinating color. For sneakers get glitter, bedazzles, paint etc. Find an online coloring page that has the silhouette of the princess in question, and scale the drawing down in your printers settings to “fit” the sneaker. After printing carefully cut the princess out of the paper. Now you have a stencil and can paint the silhouette of the princess on your sneaker, and decorate her and the rest of the sneaker with glitter, bedazzles, and whatever else your Rapunzel wants to glue on her art project. For flip flops you have a lot more creative options, in my opinion. You can attach hair bows to the straps, you can tie ribbon all over the straps, you can “fuzz” up the straps with yarn and a crochet hook. They make flip flop decorating kits at art stores that contain strips of gems, and I have recently found directions on how to decorate flip flop straps with uninflated balloons thanks to Google. Regardless of what shoes you use and how you decorate them you now have something unique, special, fun and comfortable for your child to wear.

 

3- Jewelry/Accessories. Like with dresses you can stock up at post Halloween sales, the dollar section at Target, the Claire’s clearance area etc. I also recommend Charming Charlie’s if you have one of these nearby. But once again I totally support and encourage the creative method. Bottlecap necklaces and Scrabble tile jewelry is always fun and easy to make, and you can find pastel ball chain necklaces in small or large quantities on Ebay at really great prices. But, the best idea I can give you for this comes from the House of Mouse themselves, Disney Family Fun Magazine.

I hope these ideas give you some great ideas on how to customize an original princess look, and occupy your princess with some great craft ideas for your upcoming trip, while helping you protect the treasury.

I've been bad...

Honestly I was very bad about keeping this up to date and I apologize. I was able to find an awesome travel group to work under and have "earned my ears" through Disney Knowledge College. This now links to my official website. :)

And so it starts..

For awhile now I have bounced around the idea of Disney Knowledge College.. Tonight I will be applying to go through a travel agency. I have started this blog to document the journey.