Vacations to Walt Disney World, in our house, is no new adventure. After visiting the parks over a handful of times before the age of eighteen, my best friend and I got accepted to the Disney College Program during our second year of college and the rest is history. Since then, there have been trips with friends, with cousins, with siblings, and (my favorite) with my husband.
Planning for a trip, however, can still be a chore. The parks change consistently and being a veteran, I know the more planning I put into it, the better the trip is going to be. My favorite way to keep up on Disney news and announcements is through podcasts. I just love listening to the podcasts and dreaming about Cinderella's castle from my office desk every day. The podcasts also help me have a mini-vacation each week as the hosts explore and reminisce about current and old events and the happenings at the parks. My favorite Disney podcast that I would suggest is the PassPorter's Moms podcast. Sarah and Jennifer's energy radiates through my iPhone every week. Although they are moms, I do not feel like this podcast is just for families alone. They address everything from upcoming events, like runDisney and the Food & Wine festival, to rumors and questions from listeners. If you have an upcoming trip, downloading their latest episode or two for your evening commute is a necessity!
Being Disney Vacation Club members, we also have to remember the necessities. Although much is available to purchase in Orlando or you can get groceries delivered right to your room, when we drive down to Florida, I try to pack as much as I can to ensure the cheapest trip possible. Items like salt & pepper, coffee/coffee filters, Ziplocs, and park snacks (that do not melt easy) are helpful for the resorts. I try to keep these all of our Disney staples together in our pantry so it is an easy grab when it comes time to pack for each trip.
As we enjoy our time this week, there are three things that I will never leave our hotel room without.
First, I am so excited to test out the new MagicBands. It has been a little over a year since our last visit and this is a HUGE new feature of Disney. According to Disney's website, MagicBands do lots and lots of things. You can use your card or MagicBands to:
- Unlock the door of your Disney Resort hotel room.
- Enter theme and water parks (with valid admission).
- Check in at FastPass+ entrances.
- Connect Disney PhotoPass images to your account.
- Charge food and merchandise purchases to your Disney Resort hotel room (only available during your hotel stay).
I am so excited to use ours! The MagicBands also work with the new My Disney Experience app. This app helps coordinate your Fast Pass+ times, reservations for special events or dining, and more! We have Fast Pass+'s to several rides early in the morning. Be Our Guest is suppose to have ridiculous lines these days (since it's so new) and we were even invited to test the Fast Pass+ system for lunch one day!! My dream!
Lastly, I would never leave my hotel without my camera. Being a photographer and Disney nut, I have more pictures than I could ever imagine; however, you can be certain that I will return with hundreds more.
I am so excited and blessed to be here this week. I am hoping for some real reflection time and some rest. I know that there will be days this week of go-go-go... however, until then, off to the pool!
Other great websites that I suggest for packing tips::
- Disney Packing List
- 5 Indispensable Tips for Great Vacation Photos
- Casual Children Disney Outfits
- Disney Dining Plan
- 5 Must Eat Disney Snacks You Can Get Without a Park Ticket
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