Why Disney is the perfect “first vacation”

I think my OB said it perfectly, “once you have kids, you take trips not vacations”. All the parents out there know there is a lot more planning, gear, concerns, etc when traveling with children. Especially when it is their first vacation. Well in my sons first year, we went on both a Disney vacation and a beach vacation. We were shocked how much easier the Disney vacation was and I would love to pass this knowledge on to you. I want to focus on a few key points for parents to consider when planning their first vacation.

Car Seats

• With Disney you do not need a car seat if you stay on property since you can use the FREE buses around the resort and the FREE Magical Express to and from the airport. This is one less thing to carry and frankly it is a bit refreshing to get a break from all that strapping and unstrapping.
• For the beach, we opted to rent a car seat from the rental car company instead of bringing out own. (You can check them from free on many airlines but I was worried about getting it damaged and dirty with the beach). That as $60 for the week and it was very cheap and a nightmare to install. The rental companies will not install due to liability. I think I would take my own next time.

Sleeping arrangements

• Disney offers FREE packnplays upon request. This is just wonderful. I always bring my own sheet and lysol it before using but still it is wonderful!
• For the beach, we brought our own. It was not bad to bring, but it does count as a checked bag. My sister in law rented one and it was around $50. So no matter what you are probably going to pay unless your hotel provides one, which many do. We stayed at a beach house so it was not included.

Feeding arrangements

• Disney is made for kids and they have high chairs everywhere! They are very accommodating to everyone and do a great job with kids and any special needs, restrictions, allergies, etc. My son had a milk allergy and Disney was amazing at handling it when we traveled.
• The beach was not so easy. We had to bring a booster (another thing to carry) and then when going out many restaurants are not as kid friendly and honestly not many places are allergy or special diet friendly.

Toys/Entertainment

• There is so much to do at the Disney resorts and parks that you really only need a few toys for the time you spend in your room. A lot less to pack.
• For the beach vacation, there was definitely more down time which meant we needed to pack more toys.

With all that said, we had a great time on both vacations. However, Disney really made everything super easy. We needed a lot less gear, didn’t have to worry about transportation, etc.

Are you interested in learning more about a Disney vacation? My services are 100% FREE!

Make it a magical day!

Julie Hauck *o*
Authorized Disney Vacation Planner
MickeyTravels, LLC
1-513-313-9531 (cell)
julie@mickeytravels.com
www.mickeytravels.com
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The Right Stroller for Disney World Vacations

There are strollers available to rent on Disney property, but I recommend bringing your own to save money and to have it the entire trip. If you fly, you will want to have it at the airport and most airlines allow you to check it at the gate for FREE. You will also love having it to walk around the resorts as Disney World rentals cannot leave if they were rented. You can also rent from an outside company, where you can have it the entire trip but again bringing your own is FREE .

Travel systems, umbrellas & joggers…. OH MY! Now, I admit I do have multiple strollers at home so let me help you choose which one to bring.

• If your infant is under 6 months and cannot sit up well, I would recommend bringing whatever brand travel system you have. This will be the best choice so you can shade the baby from the sun and use the infant seat at restaurants since they are too young for the highchairs. It will be a bit more cumbersome folding it up on the buses but for little ones, you are accustomed to the extra baggage 🙂
• If your child is over 6 months old, I recommend a stroller that is the umbrella style but has the ability to recline. I personally have the Chicco Echo and LOVE it. You will want the lightweight and easy to fold features of an umbrella stroller for the buses (you must collapse them on the buses but not on the monorail) but the recline feature is perfect for napping in the parks.

Renting—Should you opt to rent one at a Disney Park, it will cost you $15 for one day and $13 per day if you rent for more than one day. Double strollers are also available for $31 or $27 (single day vs multi day). You can rent from a number of offsite companies, but I have never personally done this. I have heard good things about “Magic Strollers” from clients.

Are you interested in learning more about a Disney vacation? My services are 100% FREE!

Make it a magical day!

Julie Hauck *o*
Authorized Disney Vacation Planner
MickeyTravels, LLC
1-513-313-9531 (cell)
julie@mickeytravels.com
www.mickeytravels.com
Read my Disney Blog!
“Like” my fan page on Facebook!

Let Disney’s Magical Express make the journey hassle free

I think we can all probably agree that the absolute part about traveling is, well, the traveling! You just want reach your destination and enjoy start of a MAGICAL vacation. The car rental lines, the baggage claim and trying to navigate the airport are all road bumps in your journey…well, not when you stay on Disney property!

Did you know that you when you stay at a Disney resort, you get FREE transportation to and from the airport and they collect your bags for you?  Thanks to Disney’s Magical Express, your vacation can begin hassle free. Today, I want to discuss how staying on property have some wonderful benefits starting right when you step off the plane.

Checked Luggage- Before you check your bags at your local airport, you will attach special yellow luggage tags (sent to you by your travel agent) coded with all your Disney resort information. You will not need to pick up these bags at baggage claim, they will magically be delivered to your guest room at your resort!

Carry on Luggage- The items you travel with can be securely stowed under the motor coach and smaller personal items can be carried on the bus. Once you arrive at your resort, the resort can store your items until your room is ready. If I have an early flight I always do this so I can go and enjoy the park before my room is ready.

Magical Express Desk and Documents- You will receive a book with simple directions to the desk and it will also contain your flight information and transfer information. When you see the desk, you will proceed to the cast member directing guests to their buses. You do not need to stop at the desk. unless you need special assistance. With the introduction of MagicBands, your information will be loaded to your band and you will simply scan your band before getting in line for your bus.

On board Magic- The drivers are always very friendly and you watch a video about all the fun you will have while visiting Disney. The video also reminds you of the check in process to make everything simple. I have seen the DME video countless times but I still love it. You KNOW you are minutes away from your magical vacation! Drivers usually point out when you are actually going to enter Disney property and the bug purple welcome sign!

One more note, this is something that can be booked by your travel agent along with everything else for your Disney trip to make your trip truly hassle free!

Are you interested in learning more about a Disney vacation? My services are 100% FREE!

Make it a magical day!

Julie Hauck *o*
Authorized Disney Vacation Planner
MickeyTravels, LLC
1-513-313-9531 (cell)
julie@mickeytravels.com
www.mickeytravels.com
Read my Disney Blog!
“Like” my fan page on Facebook!