Though that may be a Dr. Seuss quote, it seems fitting for the last runDisney race at Disneyland for a few years. runDisney will continue to have marathons at Walt Disney World in Florida, and now in Disneyland Paris but the California Disneyland races have been cancelled indefinitely (at least for 3-4 years) while extensive construction is taking place to expand Disneyland Parks with a new hotel, parking structure and of course, Star Wars Land. 

I wanted to do a runDisney event with my kids so they could experience the joy of running a runDisney race so the Spiderman 5K was the perfect intro to the runDisney world. It's such a great family friendly event for all ages  with kids as young as 5 able to register and participate. There is a minimum age 10 to participate in the 10K, and minimum age 14 to run the half marathon. And we love our Superheroes so the theme was absolutely perfect for us! We were so excited to be running the 2017 Avengers Superheroes Half Marathon Weekend! 

The best part of the race is seeing all the great costumes that people race in, and the incredible support of everyone in the race. It's such a great community to be a part of and I can't believe there won't be any more races. I'm grateful that we took the plunge to register for this race, not knowing it would be the last at Disneyland. ​

We got our Spidey senses tingling, hulked up and ran the race! The best part of the race is simply having fun! There were lots of character stops to take your photos with Captain America, Thor, Hawykeye, Black Widow and Spiderman and photo ops at the mile markers as well. 

We stopped for Captain America and then didn't have time to stop for any of the otters characters. Had we waited in line for another character, we would have risked seeing the infamous balloon ladies who sweep you off the course and you don't finish the race. 

I'm so proud of my kids who not only finished the race, they thought it was too short! It was over so quickly, just as the fun was starting. They are confident they can do the 10K and are eager to try. 

Races begin at 5:00am in the morning and must be completed before the park opens to the public. There are lots of Good Neighbour hotels in the area to stay in, and complimentary shuttle transportation is provided to all race participants throughout the weekend. 

There's nothing like walking around the parks after a race with all your runDisney attire and proudly wearing that medal around your neck! The camaraderie and the community makes the event such a welcoming and worthwhile experience. I'm so sad that there won't be any races at Disneyland anymore, just as I got introduced into the runDisney experience.  

There is no other way  to describe the experience other than it was so much fun! 

I don't know when the next race will be but I definitely want to be running in one again! 

Why not get all dressed up in your Sunday best and head to Disneyland? That's the idea behind Dapper Day, a day to celebrate the days of a bygone era where people would get dressed up in their best attire for a day out in Disneyland. It's not an official event held by Disney, but what started out as a fun way to dress up and spend the day in Disneyland has grown to a bi-annual event in Disneyland, and spread to Walt Disney World and Disneyland Paris for their own Dapper Day events. Spend a day in the parks wearing your most dapper attire, and check out the expo for a lot of great vendors specializing in couture and pinup clothing styles. 

The Disney PhotoPass photographers are plenty around the parks and they are awesome at ensuring you get the best photos always! Sometimes the characters will also be in their most dapper gear so it's so much fun to spend the day being dapper. ​

Disneyland now has the MaxPass system for $10/day per person if you wish to utilize the digital Fast Pass system at Disneyland. With MaxPass, you can choose your next Fast Pass within the Disneyland app, without having to go to the physical distribution location to obtain a Fast Pass. It is very convenient to choose Fast Passes without having to race across the parks for your next Fast Pass. If you have a Park Hopper ticket, you can choose Fast Passes in either park. Once you have chosen your Fast Pass, it will tell you what time to return to redeem the Fast Pass. You will also be notified when you can choose your next Fast Pass. 

Also included in MaxPass are unlimited photos from the day so it's also a great opportunity to take as many photos in the parks as you can. Photos are uploaded into your Disney account about 30 minutes afterwards and you receive unlimited downloads of your photos (without the watermark) for up to 30 days after your return. 

Is it worth it?? Absolutely. It significantly reduces the time you need to spend waiting in lines, especially the really popular rides that always have long wait times. For us, our must do was to visit the new Guardians of the Galaxy attraction in California Adventure. While I was sad that the Tower of Terror was no longer, I can't believe how much fun the new Guardians of the Galaxy attraction is! The music and the energy of the ride is electric! (Note to self: make sure you have some food in your belly before going on this ride!). I always bring my ginger with me to help settle my stomach for rides like this, but definitely worth it!! 

Really, we wish you were here! 

Dapper Day is just another fun and unique way to enjoy Disneyland and it was neat seeing how so many people dress up! I loved the costumes, the clothing and how everyone is able to express themselves through fashion and feel absolutely beautiful at Disneyland. And there is no better backdrop that Disneyland for your picture perfect self! 

For an extra special treat, combine your vacation with a stay at The Disneyland Hotel! It's such a charming hotel, complete with Disney magic that you just can't describe until you're there. The headboard lights up with fireworks and plays soft music. It's simply magical. Sigh. 

The hotel is located next to Downtown Disney for easy access to restaurants and shopping, and only about a 10 minute walk to the parks. Staying onsite at a Disney resort also gives you Extra Magic Hours, an hour before the park opens to the public so that you can enjoy the parks before the crowds! So many extra benefits to staying at a Disney Resort! And you can beat the magic that comes with Disney! 

​Let me know if you have any questions! I would love to help you! 

​We just recently came back from a whirlwind trip to Walt Disney World and experienced the newest land that just opened in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park in Orlando! While it is a bit crazy to visit Disney World for a quick weekend getaway from Calgary, some of the best trips are short and sweet! In my mind, a little Disney magic is better than no Disney at all! It was a perfect weekend to explore the new world of Pandora with the Extra Magic Hours available to Disney onsite guests as a part of its opening plans.  

​We took a red eye flight for Calgary to Orlando, arriving in the morning, boarded the Disney’s Magical Express airport transportation and took us straight to our resort, Disney’s All Star Sports. Because it was short weekend trip, and because I didn’t get a chance to check out the All Star Resorts (Music, Movies and Sports) during my last visit, I thought it was a great opportunity to check it out. 

The All Star Resorts are a collection of value resorts onsite at Walt Disney World. They are perfect for those who want to stay onsite at Disney World and receive all the benefits of an onsite resort, without the added amenities and desirable locations of the moderate and deluxe resorts. But because our main goal for this visit was to visit Pandora and Animal Kingdom Park, the All Star Resorts were a perfect location because of its close proximity to Animal Kingdom! ​We check into our resort, dropped off our bags, grabbed a quick lunch and headed straight to Animal Kingdom Park. ​

First things first, we head straight to Pandora The World of Avatar! If you have seen the movie Avatar, you will recognize the influence of the director, James Cameron within the land. The idea of Pandora, the beliefs and culture of the Na'vi blend perfectly with the overall theme and culture of Animal Kingdom Park. Here in the Valley of Mo'ara, the scenery is set 100 years in the future from the time period of the movie, Avatar. Since the movie's ending, the moon planet has undergone extensive damage and has been revitalized and guests can take expedition tours to visit Pandora.

The beauty of Pandora is absolutely breathtaking! You can wander for hours just exploring and taking in all the beauty of the flora and the fauna.

Play on the drums that echo through the mountains!

Touch and feel parts of the land that come alive with your touch! You are first greeted Pandora with the Flaska Reclinata, a plant that spews water and steam when you touch its insides. It looks like the insides are are slimy and gooey but it's really not!

We originally had Fast Passes for the Avatar Flight of Passage but much to our horror and dismay, after flying on a red eye flight twelve hours earlier, we arrive in Pandora and BOTH signature attractions in Pandora were closed! Apparently there was a fire sensor that went off so guests were evacuated from both rides. We didn’t know how long it would take so we decided to head back to our room to regroup and and decide on our next steps. We would come back again sometime this weekend and try again. 

While we were not able to ride the attractions that day, we did head back to Animal Kingdom Park another day to see Pandora at night, which is another experience altogether! Pandora lights up at night and the experience is truly magical. But it's difficult to get good photos so you just have to experience it in person to get the full immersive experience. ​
​

NA'VI RIVER JOURNEY

The Na'vi River Journey is a relaxing slow moving boat ride, (similar to Pirates of the Caribbean and It's a Small World) through the biolumnescent forest of Pandora. Enjoy the exotic flora and the fauna of the magically lit up forest with dazzling colours and soothing music of the Na'vi, finally meeting the Na'vi Shaman of Songs, as she shares her personal and deep connection to the forest through her music.

FLIGHT OF PASSAGE

Flight of Passage is the signature attraction of Pandora. Don't let the incredibly long wait times scare you! There will likely be long lines for many years to come. The ride is THAT amazing! It is definitely necessary to snag a Fast Pass for this ride, use Extra Magic Hours and early morning opening times to take advantage of lower crowds to experience this attraction. The wait is worth it. 

Guests board the back of a banshee to experience the ride of a lifetime! It is a simulator experience, where guests can link up to an avatar already in flight on a banshee and experience this rite of passage for the Na'vi. Each person sits on a bike-like contraption so it feels like you are straddling a banshee and the experience feels very individual as each person rides his/her own banshee. With a large screen in front of you, wind and water spray effects that complement the ride, the experience takes you through the Valley of Mo'ara from the back of a banshee. It is thrilling and exhilarating!

The queue itself is a unique experience with a lot of detail to help pass the time spent in line. It's one of those queues that twists and turns and never seems to end! There is a lot of back story into the technology they use to link you to an existing avatar already on the back of a banshee and how it all works.  

The two rides at Pandora are tiered for Fast Passes, meaning you can only choose one or the other per day. Given that choice, get a Fast Pass for Flight of Passage, and wait in line for the Na'vi River Journey. The Na'vi River Journey is a constantly loading boat ride so the line moves fairly quickly and anticipated wait times might be 60 to 90 minutes. Flight of Passage wait times without Fast Passes will likely be into several hours at peak times, so take advantage of Fast Passes, and early morning hours to reduce the wait time for the ride. Whatever your strategy, Flight of Passage is a MUST DO and not to be missed! 

A few other highlights....

We visited Disney's Hollywood Studios to meet some of the newest characters to join the meet and greet options. Star-Lord and Baby Groot were a hit and so much fun! 

I can't remember what BB-8 said at this time but it must have been pretty funny! 

At EPCOT, head over to the Canadian Pavilion where they are handing out special edition pins for Canadians to celebrate Canada's 150th birthday! You can write your hometown and wear your button with pride all around the parks. Though my home is now Calgary, I am a born and raised prairie girl trekking throughout the prairie provinces so I had to represent each city I've lived in! 

Because we had a lot to accomplish in one weekend, our whirlwind trip included a quick stop at all four parks, plus Disney Springs over the course of the weekend, including three parks in one day for our second park day. 

And at the end of our 14 hour day visiting EPCOT, Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom Park.....

These kids are such troopers and great little assistants for my quick research trip to Disney World! Not only did they handle the red eye flights with ease, topped with long park days, Florida heat, crazy lines and a lot of walking, they managed to settle back into regular life without too much of a hassle. 

Disney is not just a destination, it's a way of life! It was a crazy action-packed weekend and I would do it again in a heartbeat! 

Who wants to go to Disney with me next time?? The more the merrier! Let me know! 

If you have an upcoming trip planned to Disney World already, then you won't want to miss this, "Pandora The World of Avatar: What You Need to Know!"

​Contact me to help you with your Disney vacation (or any kind of travel, really!) I'm available to help you with your travel adventures! 

​

Universal Studios Florida consists of two theme parks (soon to be three, with Volcano Bay, a new Universal waterpark expected to open in Spring 2017).

1. Universal Studios Florida
2. Universal’s Islands of Adventure

If you are planning on visiting Universal Studios JUST for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, there are two different areas, Hogsmeade Village and Diagon Alley, one located in each park and connected by the Hogwarts Express. 

If you only have one day to visit Universal Studios, you have the option to purchase a one day park ticket where you choose either park to visit for the day. You can also choose a 1 day park-to-park ticket, which would give you access to both parks on the same day. If you are looking to ride on the Hogwarts Express, you will need a park-to-park ticket to ride this attraction (and they check your admission tickets at the both King’s Cross Station, and Hogsmeade Station before you board.)

Other upgrades to your tickets include the Express Pass, which permits you Front of the Line Access to most of the attractions once. This is a great option if you are short on time and want to experience as much as you can during your visit. Skip to the front of the line and you don’t need to waste valuable time waiting in line. Or, if you want to experience an attraction more than once, you can upgrade to the Unlimited Express Pass which grants you Front of the Line Access to most of the attraction with unlimited access to skip to the front of the line! Ride each attraction over and over as many times as you like! 

Please note that the attractions in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter are not eligible for the Express Pass services. All guests must wait in regular lines to access the rides. If you stay onsite and book a Universal Studios Vacation Package, onsite guests receive Early Admission one hour before the park opens to the public so guests can visit the park early and experience the attractions with minimal wait times in the morning. 

Can’t decide which park to visit? They are both very good and you will be happy with either one! But here are a few highlights from each park to help you decide which one might be better for you! Please note that there are minimum height requirements for some rides so you want to make sure your kids will be tall enough to ride certain attractions. 

For the thrills, these are the rides you must do! 

Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts (minimum 42”)
Transformers: The Ride 3D (minimum 40”)
Terminator 2: 3D
Revenge of the Mummy (minimum 48”) - this was the fastest roller coaster I have ever been on and it’s all in the dark!! If I had known what the ride was going to be ahead of time, I probably would not have gone on it! 
Men in Black Alien Attack (minimum 42”)
Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit (minimum 51”) - too rich for my blood! But you have to watch Jimmy Fallon’s hilarious experience with this ride! 

On the other side of the park is Islands of Adventure, with an equal amount of must do attractions for your visit! 

For the thrills, you don’t want to miss the newest attraction.....
​
Skull Island: Reign of Kong (just opened summer 2016) - this was an awesome ride! Even with Express Passes where we could skip to the Front of the Line, we still had a 20 minute wait before we boarded the ride but it was worth it! 
The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man (minimum 40”)
Doctor Doom’s Fearfall (minimum 52”)
Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls (minimum 44”, under 48” must be accompanied by an adult) - When we saw people loading into the logs with ponchos, we chuckled to ourselves. But….we later realized why. You will GET SOAKED. I have never been on any water ride where you get soaked. Not just wet. Not just a little wet. SOAKED. Through everything….puddles of water in your log…SOAKED. You have been warned. 
Jurassic Park River Adventure (minimum 42”) - you may get wet on this ride. But compared to Ripsaw Falls, it’s nothing. 
The Incredible Hulk Roller Coaster (minimum 54”)
Dragon Challenge (minimum 54”)
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey

Fun for the whole family:

Comic Strip Lane
Jurassic Park Discovery Adventure
Flight of the Hippogriff (minimum 36”)
Storm Force Acceleration
Popeye and Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges (minimum 42”, under 48” must be accompanied by adult)

Just for the little kids:​

Camp Jurassic
Caro -Seuss-el
The Cat in the Hat (Under 48” must be accompanied by adult)
The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride
If I Ran the Zoo
Me Ship, The Olive
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish (Under 48” must be accompanied by adult)
Pteranodon Flyers (minimm 36”, under 56” must be accompanied by adult) 

Connecting the two parts of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter taking you from Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure is the Hogwarts Express. You must have a park-to-park admission ticket to ride the Hogwarts Express. I highly recommend getting the park-to-park ticket to be able to experience this unique attraction aboard the Hogwarts Express as it is a fully immersive experience and so much more than just a train ride! It takes you directly into the story and you experience the Hogwarts Express just like any other muggle or wizards heading from King’s Cross Station to Hogwarts Castle or heading to the bustling Diagon Alley for a break from your studies. See the beauty of London and meet characters and creatures from the stories as they join you on your ride. ​

​Download the Universal Studios app onto your phone for the most accurate and up to date wait times, as well as a map of the park so you know where everything is located and how to get there.  

I found the three days we spent at Universal were awesome, but exhausting. The rides are definitely more thrilling, more adventurous and exciting but I couldn’t wait to go back to Disney World for a more relaxing few days to wind down from Universal Studios! I know, right??!! Disney relaxing?? Yep. 

Taken in Comic Strip Lane in Universal's Islands of Adventure, this photo perfectly describes the Universal Studios Florida experience! 

But nonetheless, it was an incredibly amazing experience and definitely one worth checking out. If you have any questions about Universal Studios Orlando or Hollywood, please ask! I would definitely include them in your vacation plans if you are in the area! Contact me to book your next vacation as I would love the opportunity to help you maximize the most of your time and money for your trip!  

Ever since J.K Rowling came out with the Harry Potter books, our lives have never been the same. The success of the books and then the movies have catapulted Harry Potter being embedded in the fabric of our beings and one cannot ignore the impact Harry Potter has in our pop culture. Thus The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is an inevitable destination for Harry Potter fans from all over the world! 

Universal Studios Florida currently consists of two parks (three after Spring 2017 when they open their third park, Volcano Bay). The Wizarding World of Harry Potter encompasses two parks, Hogsmeade, in Islands of Adventure and Diagon Alley, in Universal Studios Florida. Connecting the two lands is the Hogwarts Express, the train that provides transportation from Hogsmeade to King's Cross Station in Diagon Alley and back. 

The Hogwarts Express is more than simply a train ride! It recreates the same experience as if you were Harry, Ron and Hermione on the Hogwarts Express heading from London towards Hogwarts Castle, taking you through London, the lush countryside, the Forbidden Forest, and meeting familiar faces and magical creatures along the way. You'll never know who you may see on your ride! On your way back though, it is a completely different journey heading from King's Cross Station to Hogsmeade as you encounter Dementors and Death Eaters along the way. You also get to experience walking through King's Cross Station and Platform 9 3/4! 

HOGSMEADE
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter first opened in Islands of Adventure, Universal Studios Orlando on June 18, 2010 and guests were immersed into the village of Hogsmeade, a perfect recreation of the village housing many of the stores, shops and restaurants where wizards frequent outside of Hogwarts. 

Ride the Dragon Challenge, a twist and loopy high speed roller coaster or the Flight of the Hippogriff, a family friendly roller coaster that takes you past Hagrid's Hut. Three Broomsticks is rustic tavern where you can take a break and dine on British food and Butterbeer. Cheer fellow wizards on in the Triwizard Spirit Rally as they lead their teams to the Triwizard Tournament! 

The flagship attraction is Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey where you join Harry and his friends on an adventure through Hogwarts Castle, Quidditch match and fighting off Dementors! ​

DIAGON ALLEY
Fours years after Hogsmeade initially opened, Diagon Alley in Universal Studios opened on July 8, 2014 and gave fans even more reason to visit Universal Studios. Before you even head into Diagon Alley, parts of London come to life and you can see the Knight Bus full on display! 

Enter through the gates and stroll through to explore the shops and restaurants that make up the hustle and bustle of Diagon Alley. Visit favourites like the Leaky Cauldron for hearty British fare, Florean Fortestescue's Ice-Cream Parlour and Ollivander's where you can choose your magical wand (or rather, the wand chooses you!) Turn down Knockturn Alley and discover the darker side of the Dark Arts and experience Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts!  ​

Meet the goblins that keep your gold safe in Gringotts Bank. 

To enhance your magical wizarding skills experience, purchase an interactive wand, with a full map of both Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley, which outlines the locations where you can use your wand and practice your spells. If the spell is enacted correctly, something magical will happen! There are 30 different locations to scout out, each with its own spell to unlock the magic. (To be honest, it looks easy but you really have get the correct wrist action to enact those spells. The kids make it look so easy!) 

​A stop at Universal Studios to visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a must for every Harry Potter fan. Even for those who have not read the books, or seen the movie or have no idea who or what Harry Potter is, the experience is still worth it. Fans young and old will be amazed at the level of detail and care that was put into the creation of bringing the vision of the fantasy world to life. Once you enter, you won't want to leave!

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is NOT included in any of the Express Pass ticket options. The only way to experience the attractions is standing in the regular lines. There are no Express Pass options. All onsite resort guests staying at a Universal onsite hotel or those who book a vacation package with a Universal Partner Hotel receive Early Park Admission to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter one hour before the theme park opens to the public. This is the perfect time experience the attractions with minimal wait times. For a summary of the Universal Resorts onsite, read the post here. 

Hogmeade in Universal Studios Orlando is almost identical to the experience of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Hollywood so I didn't include as much info about it here in this post. 

If you have any questions about Universal Studios in Florida or Hollywood, or about visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, please let me know!! I would love to help you plan your vacation!! 
​

If you are considering staying offsite, then you need to read this!! Staying onsite at a Disney World Resort adds so much magic to your Disney World vacation by being completely immersed in the world of Disney not to mention the convenience and maximized opportunities to enjoy all of Walt Disney World! With the size similar to San Francisco or double the size of Manhattan, Disney World is truly a world in itself. The transportation and traffic logistics of simply entering and exiting Disney World can add precious hours each day that could be better utilized onsite. 

ONSITE BENEFITS

Complimentary roundtrip transportation aboard Disney's Magical Express from the airport to your resort. Once you get off the airplane, head directly to the Magical Express area and board the bus. Don't worry about your luggage! With the bright yellow tags provided, their luggage service will have Disney pick up your bags from the airport carousel and have them delivered directly to your room at your resort. (Luggage can take up to 3-4 hours after your arrival before it arrives at your resort.) ​

Magic Bands. All guests staying onsite at a Disney resort will receive complimentary Magic Bands (or you can purchase the standard ones for about $14.99 or fancy themed ones for up to $29.99 each). The Magic Bands are tied to your reservation, provides access/entry to your room, access to your Fast Passes, track your dining credits, scan for Memory Maker photos and charge all purchases to the band. It is a convenient multi-purpose band! Choose your Magic Bands colours in advance or you will receive the standard gray colour. Personalize them with your name (or whatever you want to be called) to make them yours! ​

Matching Luggage tags.
​Each Disney resort reservation also includes free luggage tags that match your Magic Bands.

Aren't they cute?! Sometimes it's the littlest things! 

Extra Magic Hours are available all Disney Resort guests. One park each day will be open either an hour earlier or a couple of hours later for onsite guests only to enjoy. Use this time to enjoy attractions with shorter wait times because the time is not open to the general public. (Check the schedule online or in the app as the park hours will vary.

Dining Plan. Onsite guests can choose to add a dining plan to their reservation. A dining plan is a pre-purchased meal plan where guests have an allotment of dining credits they can use at their leisure and convenience. A dining plan can also save guests that hassle for budgeting for food costs because it is a set cost that always nets savings vs paying for the same amount of food out of pocket. For more detailed information about the dining plan options, check out this post, "Disney Dining Plan - Yay or Nay?". 

Advance Fast Passes reservations. Onsite guests can choose their Fast Passes 60 days before their arrival date. Guests can choose up to three Fast Passes each day in one park, for each day of their vacation. Guests who are not staying onsite can purchase their Disney tickets in advance but can only make Fast Passes 30 days before their arrival day at each park and can only reserve Fast Passes one day at a time. 

Free round of mini golf at Fantasia Gardens or Winter Summerland Miniature Golf Course. There will always be some down time and non-park time during your vacation. Each onsite reservation also includes a free round of mini golf and a free entrance to ESPN's Wide World of Sports Complex. In addition, there are lots of discounts and vouchers for various dining, shopping and entertainment options in Disney Springs included as a part of your reservation bonuses. 

UPDATE: As of March 20, 2018 - parking fees are in effect at Disney resort hotels as per here.
N/A: Free parking. If you rent a car or drive down to Orlando, parking is free to all onsite guests. Otherwise, it is $20/day to park in Disney World (except for Disney Springs where parking is free). 

Staying onsite simply keeps you immersed in the Disney bubble for a complete Disney vacation. The convenience, the impeccable customer service, the quality of experience is completely tied to ensuring utter happiness during your stay. If you have chosen to visit Walt Disney World for your next vacation, you have made the choice to accept happiness and joy. Why wouldn't you want to maximize that experience as much as possible?! That is what Disney World is all about! 

If you are thinking about a visit to Walt Disney World in Orlando, then this is the perfect place to begin! There are so many different options for every single type of family vacation, (or honeymoon!), and for all budgets. Often, the biggest determining factors tend to be for how long, and where to stay. The many extra benefits of staying onsite at a Walt Disney World Resort far outweighs the cost savings of staying onsite and sometimes the difference can be minimal, if you factor in all the extra time and costs that are levied when you stay offsite. 

Regardless of your budget for your Walt Disney World vacation and your personal preferences and style, there is an onsite Disney resort available that you can choose to immerse yourself in the world of Disney that is completely within your grasp. With a variety of choices ranging from value, moderate and deluxe prices with an assortment of themes, there is a Disney resort for you to experience! Especially for first time visitors, there is nothing more magical than staying onsite to immerse yourself in the world of Disney, the way Walt Disney originally envisioned. Not convinced about staying onsite yet? Read more about the benefits of staying onsite here. 

With promotions available throughout the year, there will be many opportunities to stay onsite. Stay in touch with me and I can update you on any upcoming promotions or be on the look out for any deals related to your trip. The "Free Dining" Promotion is definitely one of the most popular promotions each year and I can tell you from firsthand experience that it is worth scheduling your vacation during a promotion to give you maximum opportunities to enjoy the convenience and high end luxurious dining experiences that you may overlook.  To begin your Disney World vacation, we only require a $200 USD deposit to hold your reservation and the final payment is not due until 30 days before your arrival date. You can make as many revisions to your reservation before final payment date without any additional cost or fees. Plus, if a promotion becomes available, we can apply any promotions offered if they fall within your travel dates or we can change your travel dates to the applicable dates to take advantage of the Disney promotions!

Here is an overall map of Walt Disney World and the onsite hotels. I've highlighted the hotels that I visited so you can see the location and proximity to the parks.  

The value resorts offer affordable and comfortable accommodations and are ideal for families who are budget conscious but want to stay onsite and take advantage of the benefits of staying onsite. Perfect for those who want to maximize their time in the parks while having a comfortable and convenient place to stay onsite, there are currently five value resorts that families can choose from. The value resorts are also an excellent choice for younger families who enjoy the over-the-top theming of the resorts that young kids may enjoy! 

ALL STAR SPORTS, ALL STAR MUSIC and ALL STAR MOVIES resorts are located in the Animal Kingdom area, and are located the furthest away from the three other parks (Magic, Kingdom, Hollywood Studios and Epcot). The All Star Resorts comprise of total of 5264 rooms and 260 suites, and most rooms can accommodate up to four guests in a room plus a child under the age of 3. A limited number of family suites at the All Star Music Resorts can accommodate up to six guests. The resorts offer food court quick service dining options, but do not have a sit down table service restaurant onsite. Each resort also includes 2 pools and a children's pool but pools do not have waterslides. The All Star Resorts are all very similar and comparable and the only difference is the theming between them. The three resorts share a bus for direct transportation to the parks and Disney Springs. 

The other two resorts, Pop Century and Art of Animation are "sister" resorts connected together by a pedestrian walkway bridge, in the Hollywood Studios area. 

POP CENTURY takes you back in time into your favourite memories of the biggest hits of 20th century pop culture and celebrates the fashion, the catch phrases, toys and all favourites of pop culture during that time. Building sections are grouped into the 90's, the 80's, 70's, 60's and 50's, each celebrating the favourites of that decade. 

With a quick walk over this bridge will take you to Art of Animation! 

ART OF ANIMATION  is newest value resort that opened and is a "sister" resort to Pop Century so guests can visit either resort with a quick walk overrate bridge that connects the two resorts. Art of Animation immerses guests into the world of Pixar and makes them feel like a character in favourite Disney and Pixar movies, including The Little Mermaid, Cars, The Lion King and Finding Nemo. The Little Mermaid suites are standard rooms with double beds that can sleep up to four. The Family Suites at Cars, Lion King and Finding Nemo can sleep up to size in a room, and offer three sleeping areas, two bathrooms and a kitchenette. 

The moderate resorts at Walt Disney World offer lush themes that provide comfort, modern amenities, understated and stylish accommodations. 

CARIBBEAN BEACH RESORT

We stayed at Caribbean Beach Resort, which is one of the most popular resorts to stay at, not to mention one of the the largest spanning over 200 acres. The resort in located in the Epcot area, making it fairly centrally located and easy to visit both Epcot and Hollywood Studios. The resort has 2109 rooms spanning six different Caribbean islands, including Jamaica, Aruba, Trinidad North and South, Barbados and Martinique that are all accessible via an internal resort shuttle to and from your rooms and the main pool and food court area. Standard rooms can accommodate up to four guests but the real fun of Caribbean Beach are the pirate rooms! Upgrade to a pirate room where your stay becomes a swashbuckling adventure!  

Seven heated pools are available for your swimming enjoyment. The private pool areas are open 24 hours but do not have lifeguards on duty. The main pool, Fuentes del Morro Pool includes a swashbuckling  themed Spanish fortress with two waterslides, hot tub and kiddie pool area. 

CORONADO SPRINGS takes you to colonial Spain, Mexico and New Mexico and offers a tranquil lakeside destination vacation. Enjoy the beauty, fantasy and unique cultural elements at Coronado Springs. Located in the Animal Kingdom area, it is also fairly centrally located to all the parks. The onsite restaurant, Maya Grill specializes in wood grilled steaks and seafood, while quick service offerings are available at the Pepper Market Food Court and Cafe Rix by Rix Lounge. The resort includes four heated pools, including The Lost Coty of Cibola Pool with a Jaguar Pool slide and an archaeological themed Mayan Dig Site playground. 

PORT ORLEANS
Classic Southern comfort is what you will find at the Port Orleans Resorts, a combination of sister resorts, French Quarter and Riverside. French Quarter recreates the historic district of New Orleans, while Riverside captures the aristocratic and sprawling mansions of Louisiana and the Mississippi River. Located in the Disney Springs area, you have the option of taking the Sassagoula River Cruise for a relaxing boat ride to Disney Springs as an alternative to the Disney shuttle busses. 

The Sassagoula River Cruise can take you to Port Orleans Riverside and/or Disney Springs area. 

Boatwright's Dining Hall is a table service restaurant at Port Orleans Riverside featuring Southern specialties and home-style classics. 

For the ultimate in luxury, convenience, amenities and a distinction in excellency that transcends your expectations, a stay at any of the deluxe resorts will give you an unforgettable experience that goes beyond the parks. Each of the deluxe resorts offers authentic dining experiences that match the magnificence of the resort. 

ANIMAL KINGDOM LODGE is one of the best themed resorts at Walt Disney World. It is absolutely breathtaking. Based on an African savannah lodge theme, the resort is architecturally amazing and built around an African savannah. Book a savannah view and you can witness the beauty of giraffes, zebra, gazelles and other African animals right from your room! Simply walking around the resort will also give you a view of the animals in the common areas. 

The monorail resorts, Grand Floridian, Polynesian and Contemporary around Magic Kingdom and offer convenience and luxury unlike any of the other Disney World resorts. 

The CONTEMPORARY RESORT is the closest to Magic Kingdom and is the only resort within walking distance. It is a very modern and architecturally amazing designed hotel with the monorail running directly through the inside of the resort. Rooms can accommodate up to five guests plus one child under the age of 3. California Grill, signature dining experience offers California cooking influenced by the melting pot of the West coast and Chef Mickey's is the home of the character dining experience where you can meet Chef Mickey and his friends! 

Guests at the POLYNESIAN RESORT can enter the world of Polynesia and be whisked away into the unmatched beauty, hospitality and culture of the Polynesian Islands. Book an overwater bungalow for the ultimate Polynesian experience! 

Unique dining experiences at the Polynesian include Ohana's, a family style dinner featuring Polynesian favourites for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Breakfast at Ohana's includes a character experience with Lilo and Stitch. 

The Spirit of Aloha Dinner show combines a live theatre music show with elaborate costumes, Polynesian dancers, enchanting music and an all you can enjoy feast of Polynesian favourites. The food was served family-style and included pineapple coconut bread, Polynesian ribs, grilled chicken, soba noodle salad, pulled pork and an assortment of vegetables. Beer and wine were included for guests over the age of 21. Advanced purchase of tickets are required with two shows daily at 5:15pm and 8:15pm. The dinner show is also included in the dining plan and requires 2 table service credits. 

Opulent, lavish and timeless elegance awaits you as you enter the GRAND FLORIDIAN RESORT & SPA, Disney World's flagship resort. A mix of Victorian-style splendour combined with modern amenities, the resort is filled with exquisite and intricate details that take your breath away. 

Many of the finest dining experience sin all of Walt Disney World can be found at the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. Citrico's and Narcoossee's are popular signature dining experiences whereas Victoria & Albert's is an intimate seven course dinner menu in a Victorian setting. Jackets are required and diners must be ages 10 and older to dine at Victoria & Albert's. Advance reservations are required at all restaurants. Character dining experiences are available at 1900 Park Fare for breakfast and dinner. Meet Cinderella, Prince Charming, Lady Tremaine (stepmother) and her ugly stepsisters, Drizella and Anastasia! 

So if you've made it this far and are still reading, I applaud you! That was a lot of information and photos to go through! As you can see, there is a wide assortment of resort options to choose from when you choose to stay onsite. I didn't have enough time to visit ALL of the Disney onsite hotels but I was able to visit  the most popular ones and will have the save the rest for another visit (just another reason I need to return!) 

Let me know your thoughts on any of the above resorts. Have you stayed at any of them? Which one is your favourite? Which one would you love to stay at next? If you are planning on an upcoming visit to Disney World, let me know how I can help! It's such a large vacation destination and not one you can simply "wing it!" 

LEGO fans young and old will not want to miss out on the LEGOLAND experience! A world created out of LEGO for your pure enjoyment! LEGOLAND California is located in Carlsbad, California, about an hour south of Anaheim and about 30 minutes north of San Diego so it ideally located for those travelling on a Southern California vacation!  

If you purchase the Southern California City Pass, it includes 3 day park hoppers to Disneyland, 1 day admission to LEGOLAND and 1 day admission for SeaWorld, with options to add on extra days if you want to stretch out your vacation even further.

This was our first visit to LEGOLAND California but rest assured it will not be our last! Perfect for kids ages under 12 and the LEGO fan in all of us, you could easily spend a couple of days with all the activities to enjoy.

LEGOLAND is divided into several the following areas:
1. Explorer Island
2. LEGO Friends Heartlake City
3. Fun Town
4. Pirate Shores
5. Castle Hill
6. Land of Adventure
7. Miniland USA
8. Imagination Zone
9. Ninjagoland - opening May 2016
10. Water Park
11. CHIMA Water Park
12. Sea Life Aquarium

The basic LEGOLAND admission proves admission into LEGOLAND (does not include Water Parks and Sea Life Aquarium) but you can upgrade to a hopper pass that includes either just the Sea Life Aquarium, just the Water Parks or both the Sea Life Aquarium AND Water Parks access. They often run specials for adding a second day for free, or even purchase one day and receive 4 days for free! 

It was a jam packed day full of LEGO adventure and here are a couple of our favourite activities! 

LEGO Mini Figurine Trading
Hands down this was the favourite activity for the kids! Bring your figurines from home and you can trade them with LEGOLAND Model Citizens (employees) who wear a mini figurine on their badge. They will gladly trade figurines with you! Forgot them at home? Build your own figurine and trade it for another!
​
​

The LEGOLAND 4D, A New Adventure movie debuts in Legoland! The movie brings back your Legoland Movie favourite characters Emmet, Wyldstyle, Unikitty, Metalbeard, and Benny as they face a new villian, Risky Business and his Evil Secret Plot and they must use their Master Builder skills to save the day.   

Henchman Challenge in Miniland USA. Iconic US cities and landmarks are recreated in Miniland USA including San Francisco, New York, Las Vegas, New Orleans. As your walk through the LEGO-created cities, look for evil Henchman who are hiding and trying to “blend” in with the crowds. Share your Henchman finds on Facebook and Instagram with hashtags #LegolandCA and #evilsecretplot. Once you find your first one, you begin to see them everywhere in Miniland!   ​

Iconic US cities are recreated out of LEGO! 

Welcome to Las Vegas! The Strip is LEGO-ified! 

​Driving in Funtown and receiving your driver's license!
​What kid doesn't enjoy driving? It is universally every child's dream to drive a car! Two different tracks are available, one for toddlers/preschoolers (Ages 3 to 5) and one for the older kids! Drive around Lego City in your Lego vehicle and receive your driver's license upon completion of the ride!   ​

​Kids eat free after 4:30pm!
​At designated restaurants after 4:30pm, receive a free kids meal with each adult meal purchase. It's a great way to end your day with a free kids meal! Every little bit helps so if you are planning on spending the day there anyway, it's nice to have the extra bonus to save some money on food. Make sure you head to the Fun Town Market Restaurant, Wok n' Bowl Ramen or Garden Restaurant to take advantage of the Kids Eat Free offer! 

​Another absolute MUST DO - Try Granny's Apple Fries! A LEGOLAND exclusive! Crispy Granny apples generously sprinkled with cinnamon sugar with vanilla cream for dipping! A crowd favourite indeed! Located in the Castle Hill area beside the mini golf course, Granny's Apple Fries is a popular favourite and be prepared to wait in line for sweet cinnamon-y crispy apple goodness! 

Girls just wanna have fun! If you thought LEGO was just for boys, Heartlake City just opened and the area is dedicated to LEGO and Friends, promoting friendship among girls. 

LEGO NINJAGO World – opening in May 2016 featuring all your favourite Lego ninja characters and an exciting new attraction as you help the ninja battle the Great Devourer with special skills including fireball, lightning, shock waves and ice! Much to our dismay, the area was not open yet when we were there so were not able to check it out. But seeing the trailer for the attraction means we will absolutely have to return to experience it! 

Park Hopper tickets provide access to the Water Park and the CHIMA Water Park, which is an area we did not get to experience on this trip. We also didn't get the chance to visit Sea Life Aquarium, a close up look at the creatures from the ocean! 

LEGOLAND is the perfect theme park for LEGO fans, young and old and you can immerse yourself in a world created from LEGO! It has its own unique personality and is ideal for kids under the age of 12. Many of the attractions and the water parks have activities for young kids (toddlers/preschoolers) and then older kids as well. You can easily spend a couple of days here to fully experience what the park and attractions offer. For some kids, they could spend hours just building creations in all the different areas where creativity is encouraged!  

Check the website for park hours as the park is not open late, (usually 5:00pm to 7:00pm, depending on the season) and the water park is only opened seasonally. Nonetheless, it is a great day spent in a very family friendly environment immersed in the world of LEGO! You don't even have to be a LEGO fan to appreciate the wonder and awe of LEGO that inspires the creativity and imagination of kids, and including the kid in all of us! 

Isn't she pretty?? I can only hope I look this good when I turn 60!

​Disneyland in Anaheim is continuing to celebrate the 60th Anniversary Diamond Celebration in the parks but the celebration is only on until September so if you haven't had a chance to visit the park in all her bedazzled beauty, there is still time! As a part of the Diamond Celebration, three spectacular evenings shows were created and re-imagined for the celebration to combine heartfelt tributes to Walt Disney and his vision with the newest technology available to create the most magical experience for guests! Nostalgia and modernity combine to bring awe-inspiring and unforgettable experiences. 
​

1. PAINT THE NIGHT PARADE

Paint the Night is a nighttime spectacular parade with millions of LED light and a catchy tune with all your favourite Disney characters! There are 2 shows each night - 8:30pm and 10:30pm (times may change on different days so check before your trip for specific show times, but these were the times of the show for the week we were visiting) as it is definitely something you will want to do! It is one of the most popular attractions for guests and many pass holder guests enjoy the parade so you will see people reserving their spots for the parade as early as 5:30pm! Benches and curbs are priority viewing seats so they are snagged early if you want a front row view. 

If you check the parade route ahead of time, the parade begins at "it's a small world" and continues toward the castle, down Main St. and ends in the Towne Square near the entrance of the park. For the second show, the parade route is reversed and it begins in Towne Square, heads through Main St, towards the castle and ends at "it's a small world".

 Many of your favourite Disney and Pixar characters dazzle and shine while they dance away into the night! 

Main St and the castle area are the most popular viewing areas so spots in these areas are always reserved early as they are also in a prime location for viewing the fireworks that are on after the parade. 

Strategize your ideal location based on your plans. 
​
1. "it's a small world" - this is where the early parade begins. Be among the first to see the parade as it starts! The parade lasts about 20 minutes and then you are free to head to other attractions and rides to enjoy with less crowds and line ups as most people will be watching the parade! (Just don't head towards the castle or Main St.) If you are planning on leaving the parks after the early parade, then I wouldn't suggest this area for viewing.

2. Castle area and Main St. There are lots of areas around the castle and Main St that people start snagging spots early. The week we were visiting, people were holding their spots with blankets and snacks by 5:30pm and the first parade wasn't until 8:30pm! If you decide to watch from the castle area, make sure you try to get a spot in the circle by Tomorrowland and not Frontierland as the parade doesn't go by that area. 

These central areas are also ideal to view the fireworks after the parade. If you are in these central areas, be prepared for mass crowds and you will not be moving very quickly if you want to head to another area! But they are prime locations to view the fireworks and the projection show on the castle and the Matterhorn during the fireworks show. No need to fret if you are in "it's a small world" though, the projection show is also visible in that area too! So wherever you are to view the fireworks, you'll still get the magical experience of the fireworks show! 

3. Towne Square - if you are planning on exiting the parks after the parade and the fireworks, especially with young ones, I would suggest finding a spot in Towne Square. This is where the early parade ends. Stay for the fireworks, enjoy last minute shopping before exiting at your convenience. Then you can avoid the mass exodus of crowds once the fireworks are complete. 

3. WORLD OF COLOR - CELEBRATE! 

World of Color - Celebrate! takes the Wonderful World of Walt Disney to a whole new level with a live water, lights, special effects and musical show to celebrate Walt Disney, his vision from his early beginnings with animation, a mouse, Disneyland dreams to the unforgettable Happiest Place on Earth it continues to be today. End your day in Disney California Adventure with World of Color - Celebrate! 

The show is hosted by Neil Patrick Harris and Mickey Mouse as they celebrate Walt Disney. Through music and special effects, your hosts pay tribute to the early dreams and creations of Walt, and move you through his journey into the popular Disney favourites of today.  

FASTPASS
If anything, don't miss World of Color!! If you go early enough into California Adventure, you can obtain a FastPass for World of Color. The FastPass distribution for it is at Grizzly River Run. Then you will have preferred viewing area access and don't have to go early to find a good viewing spot for the show. FastPasses are available in limited quantity on a first come, first served basis though and they usually run out fairly early in the day. This particular FastPass does not count toward your daily limit so you can hold a World of Color FastPass, as well as another FastPass for a different attraction. 

If you are a foodie like me, then you will want to experience Disney fine dining cuisine at least once during your trip! Disney cuisine is legendary and the quality, service and experience is a memorable experience! My kids still talk about the food they ate on the Disney cruise a couple of years ago! 

We decided to experience the World of Color dining package at Carthay Circle, the restaurant recreated to pay homage to the theatre that Walt's Disney's first film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, premiered. 

Walking through the restaurant takes you back in time to an era of stylish and chic elegance. (My daughter quietly informed me that we were not dressed properly to dine here.) 

Carthay Circle specializes in seasonal cuisine, featuring California favourites so the menu is based on seasonal availability of ingredients to ensure they are used at highest peak for flavour and colour. The dining package offers a three course meal for children and adults and a decent selection of menu items that are sure to satisfy any palette. 

Disney at night is so different than Disney during the day! Make sure you try to experience even just a little bit of everything during your trip to Disneyland. You can't do it all. There is just too much to experience! And with the 60th Diamond Anniversary Celebration, the tributes to the history and nostalgia pull at your heartstrings as you can see, feel and experience everything that Walt envisioned. How can one person have the vision to create the Happiest Place on Earth and inspire so many to fiercely protect his vision and ensure that every single person, regardless of age, can enjoy the most magical experience in the Wonderful World of Disney. Whether it is your first visit, or repeated weekly visitor, the feeling of walking under the bridge magically transports you into a world where your dreams come true and you simply can't stop smiling! The Happiest Place on Earth delights the child in all of us! 

"I hope we don't lose sight of one thing - that it was all started with a mouse" ~ Walt Disney 

Harry Potter has landed in California! His long awaited arrival is welcomed by Harry Potter fans who don't have to trek east to Orlando and can now visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal Studios Hollywood! The official Grand Opening is April 7, 2016 but the area has been open to visitors who want a sneak peek before big day and we were fortunate enough to check it all out on our recent visit! 

Walk through the entrance into Hogsmeade Village and you are instantly transported to the magical world of wizards, just as described in the books and movies. The Hogwarts Express has arrived and the lead conductor is available for photos. Take a peek into the train cabin, choose from Hogwarts robes and scarves so you can dress up and pose for photos from the train cabin. 

No visit to Hogsmeade Village is complete without Butterbeer! Available as a cold beverage or frozen slushy, it's the perfect beverage to enjoy as you immerse yourself into the world of Harry Potter!

Visit Ollivander's, Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. and peruse through the large selection of wands of your choosing (or rather, the wand chooses you!) and/or choose from a selection of character wand replicas. 

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is *THE* must do attraction! The ride is the same as the one in Orlando, however it is a 3D ride in Hollywood! Become a student of Hogwarts and join Harry and his friends on a thrilling and exciting ride through the familiar classrooms and corridors of Hogwarts, explore the castle grounds from high above and participate in an exciting round of Quidditch!

As you join the queue, you enter Hogwarts Castle and the attention to detail both inside and outside the castle is beyond breathtaking. There were times I wished the line moved slower so I could take the time to enjoy all the painstaking details that went into the design and creation of the attraction. 

To get an idea of the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride, check out the video below. It's a thrilling adventure through Hogwarts full of twists and turns and the 3D effects make the ride come alive! 

Flight of the Hippogriff is an outdoor family friendly roller coaster that is enjoyable for the whole family. Learn how to approach a Hippogriff properly and enjoy twists and turns around the pumpkin patch and visit Hagrid's Hut. 

Cheer on the presentation of Hogwarts, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students as they lead the excitement for the Triwizard Tournament in a Triwizard Spirit Rally and listen to a presentation of songs by a small choir of Hogwarts students accompanied by their large croaking frogs. 

SHOPPING

Hogsmeade Village is home to various specialty shops so everything you need for your visit to Hogwarts can be found here! Zonko's Joke Shop sells novelty items, jokes, toys and sweets, perfect for playing jokes on unsuspecting friends and family members. Honeydukes sells classic treats such as Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, exploding bonbons, Peppermint Toads, Fudge Flies, Chocolate Frogs and other delectable delights. Need school supplies and wizarding wares??? Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment is the place to find all your required House robes, Hogwarts Express items, crystal balls, binoculars, magnifying glasses and other equipment.  Filch's Emporium of Confiscated Goods is your source for Hogwarts clothing, movie prop replicas, chess sets, magical creature toys and Marauder's Maps. Find House robes, ties, scarves, jumpers and other wizard apparel, accessories and jewelry at Gladrags Wizardwear so your visit is memorable for years to come. Can't forget about your Quidditch equipment! Dervish and Banges is where you will find Quidditch equipment, apparel and house items. At The Owl Post, find Harry Potter-themed stationery, stamps, owl -related toys and gifts and send a letter from here with a Hogsmeade postmark! 

DINING

Enjoy dining at Three Broomsticks to grab lunch or dinner. Classic English fare such as fish and chips, shepherd's pie, and bangers and mash are popular favourites. For parties of 4, consider the Great Feast for to maximize variety and selection for the greatest value. Butterbeer and Pumpkin Juice are popular beverage choices. Hog's Head Pub is the perfect place for families to enjoy Pumpkin Juice and Butterbeer for the kids, while adults can enjoy a selection of domestic and imported beer,s specialty beers such as Wizard's Brew and Dragon Scale, Fire Whiskey, wine, spirits and mixed drinks.

Your visit isn't complete until you obtain you a wand!

Choose a character wand replica or an interactive wand that can be used throughout the park in select locations where your wand can unlock magical spells!

​Need help?? Hogwarts prefects are available to assist and unlock your spell-making abilities! 

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is the ultimate destination for Harry Potter fans! We simply didn't want to leave! It was so hard to say good bye :( There are a lot of fun attractions to enjoy and do at Universal Studios Hollywood and Harry Potter fans will definitely not want to miss it! Now Harry Potter fans can visit California in addition to Florida for Harry Potter adventures! 

I encourage you to read the books and/or at least watch the movie(s) before visiting to really immerse yourself in the world of Harry Potter and maximize your experience! We have become obsessed with Harry Potter since and will be watching the movies again and again! My daughter has taken to speaking with an English accent since watching the movies (#cutenotcute). 

I have yet to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando so I am not able to offer any comparison details, however I expect that the standards and attention to detail is just as stunning! We were lucky enough to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter during our visit and can't wait to share with you our experience! Let me know if you get to visit as I would love to hear your thoughts and chat Harry Potter with you! 

 The best parts of Disney with no kids? 

No more whining. About long lines, about being bored, or hot, or thirsty, or hungry.....You've got your Disney face on and you're ready to head into the parks and tackle WHATEVER YOU WANT! 

Enjoy Disney at your own pace. Go on the rides you want to. You can do whatever you want, whenever you want. You can go early and stay as late as you want without having to worry about nap times, or breaks during the day. And the best part...NO.MORE.MELTDOWNS!! Well, at least from your own kids! You may witness meltdowns within the parks but you can rest easily knowing it's not something you need to deal with this time! 

No need to share! Enjoy your Mickey bar, Dole Whip or favourite treat all by yourself!! And cheaper too when you only have to buy for yourself...

Shop at your leisure! Shop without having to constantly field off questions "Mom, can we buy this?" "How about this?" "Can I get this?" "Can we go now?" "Again??!" "Are you done yet?" and so many more....  I can indulge in browsing all the merchandise over and over again carefully mulling my purchase decisions. So many beautiful things to choose from! What to buy??!! 

"Single rider" your way through popular rides! For many popular rides, there is a single rider line for those who are riding alone. With kids, parents have to figure out how to split the kids on many rides and who will sit where so the whole family has to stand in line together. But, without kids, the single rider line is a fantastic option to lessen your wait times. Without kids, adults can go in the single rider line to ride alone if you don't "need" to sit with your party. Less wait times = more rides! And you can continue going through the single rider line to repeat the ride as many times as you want! 

Experience more rides and attractions. As indicated with the single rider option, you can maximize your time with less wait times in the single rider line and FAST PASSES so that you can see and do more in a short time frame. Without kids, you can wake up early to take advantage of Magic Morning opportunities without dragging sleepy kids up early OR stay up late to watch the parade, fireworks and night time shows without sleepy kids who can't stay up late. Or, for the hardcore Disney adult fan, go early AND stay late...because you CAN! We don't need as much sleep as kids anyway...

See the characters that YOU want to see! (Swoon.) And yes, my kids and their friends were totally jealous that we got to meet some superheroes! Score! 

Fine dining. Take the opportunity to try new foods and restaurants that you may not have the chance to with kids around. You don't have to settle for kid-friendly restaurants and menu items. Without kids, you can experience some high end dining and choose from several of their fine dining restaurants with three course meals and food delicacies that only Disney can offer. For foodies, this is the ultimate opportunity in trying out Disney cuisine! 

Drink! Yes alcohol! While Disneyland in Anaheim is "dry" and no alcohol is served inside the park, alcohol is permitted in Disney's California Adventure. DCA has a completely different "vibe" to the park and the evening turns into a "rockin" and "hip" place to be! There is music, dance parties and a very youthful energetic feel to the park that is geared towards an older kids and young adults crowd. Enjoy, dance the night away and party like you're young again!  

Disney has this amazing ability to cater to anyone of any age! Young or old, Disney has something for everyone. It was the way Walt Disney envisioned it, and the vision has carried through to today. Whether you head to Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Disney cruise or any Disney resort or theme park in the world, you will experience the same unparalleled level of quality, customer service and cleanliness with the magical experience that turns each person into a giggling little kid again! Experience that immediate rush of happiness that engulfs you when you enter ANY Disney destination! 

I love my kids and I love going to Disney with them! I enjoy experiencing their fun and excitement more than my own! But going to Disney without kids allows you the opportunity to become a kid again and enjoy all the pixie dust magical touches that you can only experience on your own. With the kids, you will always be the parent. Without the kids, you can be the kid again! And sometimes, we need the kid in all of us to come out once in awhile! 

Have you done an adult-only Disney vacation before? I would love to hear your experience! 

Disneyland in Anaheim, California held their annual 24 hour marathon event on May 22, 2015 where the parks are open for 24 hours, from 6:00am on Friday, May 22 until 6:00am Saturday, May 23, 2015. Park closes at 6:00am for cleanup and reopens to the public as per regular schedule at 9:00am on Saturday. Disneyland decided to launch their 60th Anniversary Diamond Celebration activities with the 24 hour marathon event. Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida also held their 24 marathon event at the same time to kick off their "Coolest Summer Ever" summer party activities! 

I was joined by my fellow Disney addict-partner-in-crime, Vinnie, to tackle the 24 hour marathon event as Disney marathoner rookies (makes us sound like runners....she is but I'm not!). We didn't make it there for 6:00am rope drop time but arrived early in the morning, fresh faced and ready to see what the  Diamond Celebration experience will bring! 

Here is what we learned from our experience! 

1. ARRIVE EARLY. This may be a no brainer for many Disney addicts and hard core fans but may not be so obvious for ones who are not as familiar with Disney fanatic events. Particularly for this year, this 24 hour event was even more special and memorable as it was the kick off to the Disneyland Diamond Celebration activities and attractions! People began lining up at 10pm on Thursday night. By 2:30am, there were over 7000 in line. Crazy?? Not for Disney fanatics who wanted to be present for the 6:00am rope drop and receive a special commemorative Disneyland 60th Mickey ears. 

(We were not there for that part of it but we have connections! Special friends with exclusive behind the scenes access who was kind enough to permit me to share his photos. Thanks David/coheteboy! )

2. BE PREPARED FOR LINES. Again, may seem like a no-brainer but you have to mentally prepare yourself for the crowds and deal with line ups EVERY WHERE. We have learned to simply stand in line when we see a line up and then someone goes to  find out what the line is for. One line we stood in was for popcorn. Just popcorn! So we hastily moved so we didn't waste our time waiting in line for something we were not interested in yet. Line up for rides, food, bathrooms, etc... EVERY WHERE. But at least in this experience, we met a lot of really friendly people in line and enjoyed our experiences. (Can't always say that about line ups and crowds!) 


3. RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED. We didn't have any specific plans. We didn't know what to expect and we had no idea what to prepare for and how to prepare for an event such as this. So we thought we would "wing" it and see what would happen. Well, without dining reservations, you simply don't get to eat any meals. You could stand in line for the numerous quick service kiosks and stands but one can only eat so many churros and Dole whips before the need for real fuel is required! 

We were extremely fortunate to bump into local friends who are diehard Disney addicts, David and Caitlyn, who know all the ins and outs of everything Disney and gave us a personal tour of Disneyland chock full of history, little tidbits and fantastic tips and suggestions! On top of that, they invited us for dinner with them as they had dinner reservations and their friends could not join them. We jumped at the opportunity because it meant we could eat a real dinner! And have the chance to actually sit down after standing in lines and walking around all day long...:)  

4. FAST PASSES. Get your FAST PASSES when you can as they will run out. FAST PASSES give you the opportunity to return to the attraction at a specified time so you are guaranteed to experience it without waiting in line. This gives you the opportunity to check out another attraction in the mean time. FAST PASSES make life a little less stressful and line ups a bit more manageable as you don't have to wait in line for every single ride. Especially for the extremely popular rides. FAST PASSES do run out and if they are gone for the day, there are no more to be had. The new World of Color show was premiering that day and viewing was only available with a FAST PASS. Although we were generously offered World of Color FAST PASSES by our secret insider access contact for the 3:00am viewing, we regretfully declined (age and parent factor coming into play!) It just means I have to ensure I catch it on my next trip in a few months! This time, I will purchase a dining plan option to get premium viewing seats for the show! 

6. BATTERIES, CHARGERS AND ALL THAT JAZZ! We were armed with our phone chargers and a mobile battery (which provided to be useless if you don't properly charge it ahead of time...*face palm*) but your mobile phone battery takes a huge beating during the day if you are using it to take photos, post photos, text/call, etc...And while we had phone chargers with us, outlets for charging are scarce and probably more difficult to find than Hidden Mickeys in the park! With the amount of people in and around the parks for that particular day, reception was poor and probably ate more of our phone batteries than usual. Charging lockers are available to rent from Disney but were all gone for the day. Again, thankful for our secret-access-Disney-saviour who carried around a mobile phone charger that carried a full 5 phone charge and allowed us to recharge our phones so we could continue to capture more of the Disney experiences! (Oh and in case anyone wanted to call us for emergencies or something...) 

7. CHANGE OF SHOES. Regardless of the shoes you choose to wear for the day, your feet will take a beating, We walked over 20, 000 steps that day! By the end of the evening, we were exhausted. Our feet and our legs were more worse for the wear than anything else. We likely could have made through another couple of hours if we had the foresight to bring a change of shoes just to give our feet something different to walk around in and give our feet the "second wind" it needed to continue on the marathon. 

8. ENERGY. Going to Disneyland is exciting and the energy is overwhelming! Even past the point of pure exhaustion, it's amazing the amount of adrenaline and energy from Disney can fuel you for more experiences! I thought I would need a lot of caffeine to help me get through the day but surprisingly, it wasn't required. The positive energy from Disney addicts who appreciate the wonder of Disney and collectively share their love of Disney provides you with the energy to go on  and do more! While I have been to the parks before for different Disney experiences, a Disney marathon is something different and unique altogether. 

I have never completed a 24 hour event at Disneyland so this was definitely a first experience for us! We may have been rookies but we learned from the best and are going to hone our skills for the next one! 

As much as we would have loved to actually do the whole 24 hours from 6:00am to 6:00pm, the sad reality is that we are not as young as we used to be and the age factor and parent factor comes into play much stronger. Sleep is necessary and required.  With her three kids up before 7:00am up in the morning, we had to make some difficult choices when it was time to leave. 




Leave Disneyland?? It was so hard to leave.....but the longer we stayed, the less sleep we knew we would get! We managed to hang on until 2:00am and were pretty satisfied with our overall 24 hour Disneyland marathon experience! This may have been my first 24 hour event, but it certainly won't be the last!! It was so much fun and definitely worth the experience! (And yes, her kids were up before 7:00am the next morning! :) 

Disney is an addiction and now that I've done this one, I can't wait to go back! Who wants to join me for the next 24 hour event?? Let me know!! 

Disneyland turns 60!! Sixty years ago, Walt Disney opened up Disneyland on July 17, 1955 - a dream he had imagined for so long had come to life! He simply wanted to create a place so magical, so full of happiness that people want to come and put all their troubles behind them. And it was beyond his wildest imagination that it has turned into the the iconic place of happiness for everyone, everywhere in the world to enjoy the "happiest place on earth". 

The Diamond Celebration is all about celebrating the history of Disneyland, the last 60 years of Disney classic and traditional, iconic, vintage memories and visions of Walt Disney with new tributes honouring his vision with the newest technology and resources available to us today. It is the perfect mix of new and classic treasures that pay a loving tribute to the man himself. 

Many rides have been upgraded and refurbished to offer a new and updated experience. Most notably, Peter Pan's Flight, the Matterhorn Bobsleds and the Haunted Mansion are the newest upgraded attractions that are definitely worth checking out! The Hatbox Ghost was brought back to the Haunted Mansion after a 50 year absence, and the Yeti in the Matterhorn Bobsled is scarier than ever! 

But the biggest and newest news for the Diamond Celebration is the debut of three new night time spectacular shows that were shown to guests on May 22, 2015. It is so exciting to be among the first to watch the new shows! 

"Paint the Night" is a new night time parade that is a modern and updated version of their classic Main Street Electrical Parade. It's a energetic, upbeat moving dance party with over a million LED lights dazzling the amazing floats! See larger than life characters from classic Disney to new Pixar characters dancing to the music with more than 80 performers in light up costumes accompanying the floats. The parade is also running in Hong Kong Disneyland to much success but this is the first time it is playing in Disneyland California. 

(My photos simply are nowhere near to snuff to capture the true essence of the parade!) 

And if you have some time to watch the whole parade, here is a video from Inside the Magic, so you can watch the parade in its entirety! 

"Disneyland Forever" - a new fireworks show that lights up the sky with projected imagery on the castle and along the buildings on Main Street USA. It is a fireworks show that honours Walt and the classic characters and stories of Disney.

If you want to watch the fireworks show complete with projections on the Sleeping Beauty castle, Inside the Magic has provided a fantastic video which shows the Disneyland Forever Fireworks presentation in full! 

Last but certainly not least is the new "World of Color" show at Disneyland California Adventure! It is a water and lights show that has been updated and revised to pay tribute to Walt and include new stories of Disney and Pixar characters. With new host Neil Patrick Harris and Mickey leading the show, it is definitely a show not to be missed! 

I don't have any photos from the World of Color show but coheteboy has some AMAZING photos from his behind the scenes viewing experience! Thanks for allowing me to share them! 

Inside the Magic provides another video of the FULL show experience! 

So if you are heading to Disneyland anytime in 2015 for their Diamond Celebration, you definitely need to check out all three of the new night time shows! 

The "Paint the Night Parade" and "Disneyland Forever" Fireworks show are both in Disneyland Park and available on a first come basis for ideal locations to watch. Bring blankets or sheets and scope out the location you wish to watch. 

"World of Color" plays nightly at California Adventure and a FASTPASS is available at the Grizzly River Run area to obtain viewing in the Paradise Bay area. You can also purchase a dining package to obtain tickets for access to Center Stage viewing area for premium views of the shows. Dining packages are available at Carthay Circle Restaurant and Wine Country Trattoria. 

If you watched or experienced any of  their new nighttime shows, or any of their new Diamond Celebration experiences (food, merchandise, attractions, etc,,,) let me know what you think! 

If you would like assistance in planning your Diamond Celebration Disneyland vacation, please let me know!! I would love to assist! 

Welcome to Ocean Park Hong Kong, the award winning theme park in Hong Kong! A little bit of everything is here - animal theme park, amusement park, and aquarium, Ocean Park has something for everyone and is definitely a place to see when in Hong Kong! 

Ocean Park first opened in 1977 as an animal, marine-life theme park but after an extensive renovation in the mid-2000's, Ocean Park has been transformed into a world class theme park offering an experience that blends education, conservation and fun for the whole family! The park has won several awards including the biannual Applause Award, the most prestigious award in the amusement and theme park industry and is the first Asian theme park to win the award. Other awards include "The World's 7th Most Popular Amusement Park" and "50 Most Visited Tourist Attractions in the World" by Forbes. It was also the 12th most visited theme park in 2013 and is the largest theme park in all of Asia! 

The park is separated by mountains so areas are split into The Waterfront (Lowland) area and The Summit (Headland). Access to The Summit is only available by the 1.5 kilometre cable car gondola ride or the Ocean Express railway. WE took the cable car up to the top of the mountain and returned on the Ocean Express railway, a themed futuristic rail ride that simulates the experience of travelling through the depths of the ocean. 

In The Waterfront, guests can enjoy animal exhibits featuring "Amazing Asian Animals" where you can get up close to red pandas, giant pandas, alligators, and unique bird and fish exhibits. My absolute favourite was seeing the giant pandas! 

The Goldfish Treasures exhibit showcase rare and unique Asian fish.

As we head towards the Cable Car Station to go up to The Summit, the area turns into "Old Hong Kong" and guests get to walk through Hong Kong as it was before it became the metropolitan city it now is. 

The cable car takes us up into and past the mountains into The Summit. Enjoy the scenery as you ride the gondola, which is not quite a 10 minute ride from the Lowland area to reach the top of the mountains into the additional areas of Ocean Park. 

Once you reach the top of the mountain, there are several areas to explore including Polar Adventure, the Rainforest, Thrill Mountain, Adventure Land and Marine World. Each area includes animal shows, attractions, amusement park rides, roller coasters and animal exhibits. Enjoy animals including king penguins, sharks, sea jelly, Chinese sturgeons and all sorts of sea creatures found in the ocean. Many of the amusement park rides including crazy roller coasters on The Summit side as well! 

Tuxedo Restaurant
We decided to dine at Tuxedo's Restaurant in the Polar Adventure area. Tuxedos is themed after the king penguins exhibit and you dine in an intimate restaurant setting beside the penguins and can watch them swim and feed. It was a nice break from the crowds outdoors! 

The Grand Aquarium houses an amazing collection of underwater animals as you explore the depths of the ocean and all of its marvellous species.

Ocean Park Hong Kong is a large park with lots to see and do. We didn't have the opportunity to see all that we wanted to in one day. But the animals, shows and rides we were able to experience were amazing and worth the journey. At the end of the day, it is the messages of the importance of education and conservation to the public are what Ocean Park theme park strives to convey and its commitment to the animals that is evident throughout the park in all of its details. 

For more information about Ocean Park Hong Kong, please check out their website at www.oceanpark.com.hk. 

Our Disney vacation bucket list continues with a trip to Hong Kong Disneyland! Pretty much as soon as we got off the airplane, this was our first stop in Hong Kong! Located on Lantau Island, close to the airport, Hong Kong Disneyland brings the pixie dust magic to the Asian gateway of Eastern and Western culture! 

Hong Kong Disneyland is much like Disneyland in Anaheim and Paris except that it is a bit smaller being one park and easy to see and do all the attractions you wish in 1 day. With some of the lands being very similar and old favourites of Disneyland fans (e.g Main Street, Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, Adventureland), there are also a couple of areas that are unique to Hong Kong Disneyland - Toy Story Land, Mystic Point and Grizzly Gulch. 

Familiar and favourite attractions include Space Mountain, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, The Disneyland Railroad, Mad Hatter Tea Cups, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, It's a Small World, Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters and Autopia. Fast Passes are only available for Space Mountain and The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh but the longest wait time for an attraction was only about 30 minutes. 

Toy Story Land is a depiction right out of Andy's toy box, from the movie Toy Story! Everything is larger than life and all the toys come alive with the rides and attractions in Toy Story Land! The RC Racer is a thrilling, gravity-defying race that speeds back and forth on a U-shaped track. At the Toy Story Parachute Drop, guests can "drop" from the sky in a parachute training drill ride. And ride the Slinky Dog Spin to chase his tail around and around!  

Mystic Manor in Mystic Point is only found at Hong Kong Disneyland. Board Lord Henry Mystic's carriage to enjoy a ride through his amazing collection of art and antiquities gathered on his journeys around the world! (Ride is very similar to the original Haunted Mansion ride, but not as "scary") Chinese people don't really believe in "ghosts" and are not very familiar with the idea so the premise of the Haunted Mansion doesn't really appeal to the Chinese masses as it conflicts with many of their traditional beliefs. So instead, the ride itself is similar to Haunted Mansion where guests can sit in a carriage and go through the Manor and enjoy the discoveries and journeys of Lord Henry Mystic and his monkey, Albert. It is a light hearted and fantasy-driven attraction. 

The biggest attraction at Grizzly Gulch is the Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars - a wild ride through the West, where grizzly bears over take the town of Grizzly Gulch and send the mine cars racing backwards and forwards though the mountain and the town! It's not a ride for the faint of heart! I opted to pass on this ride as I get motion sickness too easily but my 6 year old LOVED the ride!! He couldn't get enough of it! 

(Video below courtesy of Theme Park Review) 

The Festival of the Lion King is a colourful pageant show of music and dance to celebrate the classic animated story, "The Lion King". 

Also unique to Hong Kong Disneyland is their evening show, "Disney Paint the Night" Nighttime Spectacular, a parade filled with all the Disney characters as they "light up" the streets of Disneyland! 

Overall, Hong Kong Disneyland gives guests a familiar Disney experience in a smaller, more intimate environment compared to Anaheim Disneyland. It is very similar to Disneyland Paris, except all the shows are in French with no English translation there! At Hong Kong Disneyland, it is easy to get around as everything is in English, Cantonese and Mandarin. 

Old favourites are present with some new and unique Disney experiences! Admission ticket prices are comparably less, with adult prices at $499 HKD, and child prices $355 HKD, which works out to be about $80 CAD for adults, and $57 CAD for children. (Disneyland in Anaheim recently announced ticket price increases to $99 USD for adults and $93 USD for children so Hong Kong Disneyland is a bargain compared to the US!) 

Hong Kong Disneyland is located on Lantau Island and is very easy to access by various modes of transportation. Hope aboard the Disneyland Express, which is the MTR train that travels from Sunny Bay Station to Hong Kong Disneyland Resort! Free shuttle busses also transports guests to and from the two Disney Resorts to Disneyland theme park. 

We also had the extra bonus of being in Hong Kong Disneyland prior to the Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations and the whole park was decked out in Chinese New Year decorations and unique Chinese New Year themed souvenirs! It was the perfect mix of Chinese and Disney themes! 

Overall, we were thrilled to be in Hong Kong, and then to be at Hong Kong Disneyland on top of it all, it was an incredible couple of days! Another Disney destination completed to mark off our list! 

Disney California Adventure Park is the home of Cars Land, where Radiator Springs from the movie, "Cars" comes alive!! Walk into Cars Land and you feel like you've walked right into the movie itself! 

Popular rides in Cars Land include Mater's Junkyard Jamboree and Luigi's Flying Tires. But the most popular attraction, Radiator Springs Racer is one you don't want to miss! You stroll through Radiator Springs in your car and then you get to race other cars through Ornament Valley!! Fast Passes are available for this attraction but they do run out quickly. We were there around 1pm and the Fast Passes were gone for the day. But the wait in line for this attraction is definitely worth it and is one attraction you definitely don't want to miss! If you get a Fast Pass for this, you can take your time and enjoy the other attractions, return during your Fast Pass designated time frame and get on the ride immediately! 

There are so many rides and attractions you want to make sure you see and obtain Fast Passes wherever you can to guarantee that you can experience them all! 

World of Color
Experience the night time spectacular show involving water, colour, fire and light, creating a fantasy of Disney and Pixar characters and their stories coming to life! Make sure you get a Fast Pass for the show if you want to get a premium location to watch the show. The Fast Pass distribution centre for the World of Color show is located by the Grizzly River Run ride and this Fast Pass does not count towards your daily limit. So make sure you get your World of Color Fast Pass first thing as you enter the park to ensure you get premium seating for the show. You can still watch the show without a Fast Pass in non-ticketing areas around Paradise Bay. You can also make dining package reservations at Ariel's Grotto, Carthay Circle Restaurant and Wine Country Trattoria, which include tickets for reserved viewing areas for the show. 

Back from our recent Disneyland vacation last week and we're going through some serious Disney withdrawal! It's such a magical place where you can immerse yourself in all things Disney, enough to get your Disney "fix" without over doing it! This was a first time visit for my kids, and I'm glad I waited until my youngest was tall enough to go on "most" of the rides! It was well worth the wait as we were able to enjoy many of the "scarier" rides and roller coasters. The minimum height requirement for many of the rides is 40". There are a few that have 46" as the minimum height, with the larger roller coasters having 48" as the minimum height. Once you've crossed 48", you've hit the magic number and can go on every single ride!! 

We chose the 3 day Park hopper pass which allows unlimited admission to both the Disneyland Park and Disney's California Adventure Park on a single day and gives the maximum amount of flexibility for access to both parks. Both parks are pretty big, but right across from each other so that it is very easy to access both parks in the same day. 

Fast Passes are the way to go to ensure you get to experience the popular attractions and rides! Disneyland uses the paper Fast Pass system so you need to head to the Fast Pass Distribution area for the ride or attraction you wish to pick. Only 1 Fast Pass per person per park is permitted at one time. When the Fast Pass is used or the time has expired, you can obtain another Fast Pass for a different attraction. With a park hopper ticket, you can obtain a Fast Pass for Disneyland Park, head to California Adventure to get a Fast Pass for a ride there and effectively have 2 Fast Passes at the same time! But it is a lot of walking back and forth between 2 parks if you decide to do this! There are sufficient rides with decent wait times that you can wait in line for less busy attractions while holding a Fast Pass for busier ones. With a Fast Pass, you return to the attraction during the designated time within the 1 hour time frame and you can skip the lines and go straight onto the ride! Three day park hopper tickets also give you 1 Magic Morning, so that's one morning of early admission to the park before the park officially opens. This is a great option to go early before opening to check out the popular rides without the added crowds! 

Fast Passes are available for the following rides: Indiana Jones Adventure, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin, Autopia, Space Mountain, Star Tours. 

We also had the privilege of being in Disneyland during their 4th of July celebrations and we're so happy we did! It was worth braving the crowds to experience Disney's Celebration of America on July 4th!