Tag Archives: Disney Tips

This Smart Mama family has been to Disney 14 times in the last 5 years. Yes, we know Disney. But, Julie & Mike Neal, authors of The Complete Walt Disney World 2011 know better, having tallied over 1500 visits!

Most guidebooks focus on the magic of Disney but their guide goes beyond that with great tips like how to reveal hidden levels on Toy Story Mania and how Tomorrowland should be avoided during hot afternoons because of the absence of trees. New this year is a Character Guide, detailing over 80 Disney characters and where to find them throughout the parks! This guide has certainly met the Smart Mama standards and has replaced our former guidebook!  I look forward to using it on our next trip!
The Complete Walt Disney World 2011 is available at bookstores and online.  The MSRP is $24.95 but I saw it listed …

We are the weekend getaway family, as you may remember from Smarty Pants Daddy’s post this summer.  We getaway when we can, especially when we find a good deal and have a free weekend!  On most trips, I am able to pack our clothes in 2 suitcases, often a backpack comes too if we’re heading to Disney.  My 2 suitcase strategy meets several purposes.
1st it keeps me from over packing.  As long as the trip is less than 5 days, and I’m only packing for the 3 of us, I’ll only allow one rolling small suitcase and one duffel.
2nd it helps in organization while we’re on the trip.  After we unpack at our hotel I set one of the two, typically the rolling suitcase, open in the closet or some other unnoticeable location.  This suitcase now becomes our dirty clothes “hamper.” All clothes …

Many of us know have experienced the love of Mickey Mouse waffles at any Walt Disney World breakfast feast. It’s a kid and adult favorite.  The little Mickey ears sitting on your plate puts an instant smile on your face!
There are number of ways to bring or continue this Disney breakfast magic to your own home. This morning I toasted a frozen waffle, took out the Mickey Mouse Egg Ring and “cut out” a Mickey waffle!  Isabella was thrilled!  We even tried using the syrup to make Mickey’s eyes and mouth!

Ways to bring the Disney Breakfast Magic Home:

Most variety: Disney Mickey & Gang 5 in 1 Tasty Baker Waffle Maker: A waffle maker that does it all – Mickey, Goofey, Daisy, Donald, Minnie and more!
Most affordable: Use a Mickey Mouse Egg Ring! (The cookie cutter work as well, …

A great new stop-motion series, Timmy Time, is joining Disney Channel’s Playhouse Disney on Monday, September 13!  Timmy Time, is already a favorite in my household after we got a chance to enjoy two preview episodes!
Are you a Shaun the Sheep fan? Most of us are! Timmy Time is made by Aardman the same creators of Shaun the Sheep, and you’ll notice some similarities!  Timmy Time episodes are filled with important life lessons, such as taking turns or cleaning up your area.  The stories are told without human dialogue.  Instead sounds of oinks, gruffs and more “tell” the story.


I brought a teachable moment into Timmy Time, too! Since the show lacked dialogue, I periodically paused the program and invited my daughter to explain what was happening. I was curious if she could infer from the character actions and sounds the story …

How many princesses and pirates will be knocking on doors next month?  The selection for these adorable costumes is unbelievable at The Disney Store at the mall and even better online.  Today through Monday, September 6, 2010, you can get FREE SHIPPING on your entire order when you use the promo code FREESHIP at DisneyStore.com! So save your gas money and aggravation finding parking at the mall and order online!
Not ready to think about Halloween, so take a look at the fantastic items on sale instead, maybe you need to let Santa know!  You’ll find a Disney Princess and a Lightening McQueen lunch tote each on sale for $3.99, regularly $12.50!  Or the many Club Penguin clip-on’s on sale for $2.99.  Think about birthday parties to come this school year.  Get your shopping done today! Ok, go look …

Guest Poster: Smarty Pants Dada
I guess about a year and a half ago, our family started doing weekend getaways.  It was one of the best decisions we have ever made.
As a dad who works all week it is nice to get away from home for the weekend.  It doesn’t have to be extravagant to be perfect.  Our family getaways have run the gambit, from going to Disney and staying at the Grand Floridian to hitting the Florida Keys at a random Holiday Inn in Key Largo.  Although quite different in both experience and price tag, both hit the spot after an arduous work week.  Getting away with the wife and kids for these mini vacations gives me an opportunity to spend quality time with both, without having to worry about the grass being mowed or fixing whatever broke most recently.  Now don’t get me wrong this …

Updated 9/5/10 due to product availability updates.
It arrived around 3 PM. I had shown her pictures and read her information all about the new MobiGoTouch Learning System
that was to be delivered that day. She was ecstatic! She tore into the box like it was the first gift on Christmas!
Her expectations were met! She sat there for the next hour (I made her stop for dinner,) playing the MobiGoTouch Learning System! The default game cartridge, Touch & Learn Game Pack, includes 6 games that entertain and educate. This handheld device seemed to be the right fit for her!
The following day, we ventured on a 4 hour trip to DisneyWorld.  We certainly packed the MobiGoTouch Learning System, knowing that it could potentially help the “Are we there yet?” whines! Within minutes into the trip, she wanted her “computer!” I couldn’t …

Who says you can’t reuse parade toys?
You certainly don’t buy new beach towels each time you go to the beach?  Do you?  I’m thinking you buy them ahead of time and then reuse them with each beach trip.  Well, you shouldn’t go to a parade, particularly a Disney nighttime parade, without your pre-purchased parade toys!
I know it sounds very frugal, especially since the little ones are involved, but honestly, the $13.95 light saber will soon be forgotten (at least until the next parade!)

We purchased our preschooler a somewhat overpriced Minnie Mouse light toy 4 parades ago.  She loved it that first night.  The smile on her face made the purchase perfect!  Not surprisingly, she fell sound asleep with it in her hands moments after the parade.  That night I carefully packed it in the suitcase and when we returned home I …

Heading back to the hotel from Magic Kingdom, I sat with Isa passed out on my lap, next to a mommy and her 2 year old little girl who seemed delirious and exhausted.  With the clock quickly approaching midnight, the reason was obvious.  My nosy ears heard the little one ask her mom, “Fishies?” Obviously, asking for some goldfish.  The mother, in a sweet kind voice, responded, “No, sweetie.  We are out of food. You ate all the fishies.”  Less than 20 seconds later, the little girl once again asks, “Fishies?”, with her voice getting a little whinier.  The mommy once again responds in a sweet, patient voice.  Again, now maybe 10 seconds later, “Fishies?” Mommy’s voice changed quickly.  I chuckled in my head (did I just use the word chuckle?!) hearing the mommy respond the way I wanted to.  “No, there are no fishies.  Stop asking for fishies.” Within the next …

What a weekend!  Spent three great nights with family in Disney World.  Yes, we travel to Disney A LOT! We actually went 6 times just in 2009!  It sounds a bit excessive, don’t you think?  There are lots of reasons for our repetitive WDW getaways.  First and foremost, we were given season passes last year – thank you mom & dad.  We obviously felt the need to go and make good use of the passes.  Secondly, we live in South Florida, so a weekend trip to Disneyworld (3 1/2 hours driving) equates to DC – NYC trip that I have done a-million-times!  So with passes, an easy drive, and a toddler/preschooler how can we go wrong?
We budget our trips.  Sometimes we have a tight budget (yes, one time we went and only spent $100 in 3 days! Impressive!) and sometimes we get a little more carefree (we’ve stayed at all “monorail” …