Tag Archives: Organization and Plannning

MY DISNEY HOME OFFICE

People that know me know I have shopped for Disney items to place in my home.  Of course I am a big Disney fan, but my love for Mickey Mouse is even bigger.  I wanted to take the time to show how I’ve decorated my home office to reflect my love for “The Mouse.”  I spend a great deal of time at my desk typing notes, making phone calls, or just getting ready for the next work day.  I love the fact I can just look around and see my “collections” that remind me of Mickey Mouse and Walt Disney World.

I enjoy Disney shopping for things I can specially use in my home office as well as work.  I have several Disney sticky pads, notebooks, and Kooky pens.

 

Copyright: E. Hughley

Posted in Collections, Interior Design, Shopping, Vinylmation | Also tagged , , ,
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THINGS MY CHILDREN MUST HAVE ON THEIR DISNEY VACATION PART 1

Photo Credit: Jeff Beckley

When contemplating the planning of a Walt Disney World vacation with my little ones there are many things I must consider. My personal number one goal is to keep everyone in my family as happy as possible while in The World. In my opinion, a critical aspect of achieving this lofty goal is to have the right equipment! I have found that if my children have certain things accessible to them that they are used to having at home, we are in for a much less bumpy ride. A smooth one even! Here is the first half of the Disney Dozen for things my children must have with them on their Walt Disney World vacations!!

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TABLE SERVICE SAVINGS

Photo Credit: Amanda P, NDI 76

Don’t think that because you’re budget-conscious, you can’t enjoy the excellent table service dining at Disney World.  While these meals can be quite expensive, there are ways to lower the costs.  Just as with the counter service restaurants, portions at the table service restaurants are large enough to make sharing feasible.  Three people can split two entrees, or two people might share an entrée and appetizer, or even three appetizers.  Not only do you lower your cost, you get to try a wider variety of what the restaurant has to offer.  If you’re a light eater, you might also consider having an appetizer for your main course.

Posted in Dining Tips, Finance, Fitness, Lifestyle | Also tagged , , , , , ,
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COUNTER SERVICE SAVINGS YOU CAN COUNT ON

Photo Credit: Dennis Brown, NDU 5

Vacationing at Disney World on a budget doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the convenience and experience of dining in the parks.  While it is no doubt cheaper to eat food from outside the resort, there are a number of ways to save money on the food you purchase inside the parks.

The counter service food, while still more expensive than comparable fast food you’ll find at home, is way less expensive, both in terms of money and time, than eating at the table service restaurants.  We eat almost all of our meals in the counter service restaurants.  We come away with our bellies full without our wallets being empty and are back on the rides quickly.

Posted in Dining Tips, Finance, Fitness, Lifestyle | Also tagged , ,
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EATING OFF-SITE WITHOUT LEAVING THE PARKS

I’ve previously blogged on ways to save money on your transportation to and from Disney World, on your lodging, and on your tickets.  Those are the big three expenses in a trip to the theme parks.  But another significant expense, one that comes up every day, is eating.  Disney, like most theme parks, malls, airports, and other venues where you’re a captive audience marks up its food prices in order to maximize profit.  But that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to save money on food.

Posted in Dining Tips, Finance, Fitness, Lifestyle | Also tagged , ,
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IS IT WORTH IT?

I’m a Disney shareholder.  Last Christmas, my wife got me one share of Disney stock to frame on my wall from www.oneshare.com.  (You can get a $10 off discount from www.mousesavers.com.)  The other day I received my yearly dividend check from the Disney company – $.40.  Just to make it clear that I didn’t misplace a decimal point, that’s 40 cents.  Wow, I thought, it cost more to print the check and mail it to me than the amount of the check.  Hardly worth it.  I imagined the snickers from the bank tellers when I cash the return on my investment.  What can I do with 40 cents, anyway?

Posted in Finance, Lifestyle, Planning, Vacation | Also tagged ,
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CAPTURING THE MAGIC – PART ONE

We all know that traveling to Disney World is a memorable experience; however, there is no better way to ensure that those great memories last forever than taking pictures to capture them. How do you feel about your trip pictures? Do they tell the story of your vacation? Do they show the best moments of the trip? Well, if not, we’re going to change that. This is part one of a series that will give you some great tips you can use on your next trip.

Think about the shots you want BEFORE you leave. We may have good intentions of taking tons of pictures, but then we get busy and distracted. So look over your schedule, and think about where you will be going. For each day, I want you to think of two shots that you definitely want to get.  If you keep a printed schedule, make a note of the shots on there as well.  If your shots involve your whole group, it’ll help if you tell them beforehand. That way, everyone is ready and expecting it, and there are more people to help remind you of the shot in case you forget.  Some possible ideas:  your whole group in front of the castle, Epcot ball, Sorcerer’s Hat, and Tree of Life;  the whole group with Mickey; each person with their favorite character; or your kids in front of their favorite ride.  If you don’t get any other shots the whole trip, you can at least be guaranteed to get a few important ones.

Posted in Hobbies, Organization and Plannning, Park Photos, Photography, Planning | Also tagged , , , , , , , , ,
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THE DISNEY VISA

My Disney Visa bill for January was much more extensive than usual. My wife and I charge all of our Christmas purchases on it in order to get the 1 percent in Disney Dream Rewards Dollars:  the “cash back” you get for using the card. You redeem them by ordering a gift card that can be used at the Disney Store (both physical locations and online) and at Disney theme parks and resorts.

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AND IT ALL STARTS WITH A WISH

For those of us “poor, unfortunate souls” who live outside the shadow of Cinderella Castle, the wait between visits to Walt Disney World can seem like an eternity.  I would guess most non-Florida residents visit the motherland no more than once per year, at most.  How, then, does a neurotic Disney family get the absolute most out of its all too infrequent Disney vacation?

A memorable vacation, like a memorable meal, has a structure—it begins with an appetizer that sets up what is to come, transitions to the main course, the day to day details of the vacation itself, then ends with a desert that aids in digesting what has been experienced.

Posted in Disney Reviews, Fitness, Organization and Plannning, Resorts | Also tagged , , , ,
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WHERE TO EAT FOR CHRISTMAS EVE OR CHRISTMAS DAY?

So you haven’t made your Advanced Dining Reservations yet for Christmas Eve or Christmas? Well, don’t fret.. here are some great options for those of you that don’t have your ADRs or are planning to just fly by the seat of your pants and pick a restaurant at whim.

Posted in DDL Video, Fitness, Organization and Plannning, Resorts | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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WHERE IN THE WORLD TO DINE?

In my a recent blog contribution, Celebrating At Walt Disney World, I may have mentioned I’ll be celebrating my birthday on property for the first time ever next year.

My wife has been asking me everyday for the last three weeks where I would like to have dinner on my birthday. Each time she asks I have the same response:  I don’t know. Well, I think my answer is starting to wear thin on her. She’s afraid we won’t get an ADR at the restaurant I choose because it’s taking me so long to decide. I keep telling her we can always eat at Tony’s Town Square. For those who don’t realize it, I’m being sarcastic, and for the person who likes Tony’s Town Square, I am truly sorry if I offended you!

Posted in Fitness, Lifestyle, Organization and Plannning | Also tagged , , , , ,
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LIFE AFTER MOM’S PANEL REJECTION

I did not notice the email when it arrived that Tuesday evening.  In this junk-mail infested era, the subject line “Congratulations!” simply did not grab my attention.  It was not until Wednesday afternoon, during a routine “social network” check, that I saw congratulatory messages to those advancing to the second round of the Disney Moms Panel search.

My heart sank.  How could I not even make it past the first round?!

Usually, I am able to acknowledge the superior knowledge, dedication, and passion of other Disney fans.  Deep down, I knew that there were thousands of applicants who were, most likely, more qualified to serve as members of the Moms Panel.  But at that moment–a moment defined by pure selfishness–I thought the Moms Panel Selection Committee had made a huge mistake by failing to choose me.

Posted in Disney Vacation Club, inner mouse, Lifestyle | Also tagged , , , ,
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HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON DRINKS AT YOUR RESORT

Do you stay at Walt Disney World Resorts? Are you looking to save money on your drinks at the food court? Here is a great Disney dining tip to save you from spending $2.39 + tax on a drink, which can add up when you grab a drink each day of your trip or even multiple times a day.

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BEAUTY AND THE BEAST REVISITED

Recently, my 18-year-old daughter, Lauren, returned from college for her first visit home.  The highlight of the visit was our family’s first viewing of the re-released Beauty and the Beast DVD.  The Disney version of Beauty and the Beast was released in 1991, roughly one year before Lauren was born.  It quickly became her favorite movie–at least until the release of The Lion King in 1994.

Posted in Disney Vacation Club, Organization and Plannning, Relationships | Also tagged , , ,
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BUDGETING HELP FROM TOURINGPLANS.COM


The key to accurately planning future expenses is to keep track of current expenses.  (That’s true for any budgeting, not just Walt Disney World vacations.)  I’d like to share with you a resource that I use to help me with my vacation budget planning.

You can download trip planning worksheets from www.touringplans.com absolutely free.  I’ve been using these worksheets for several years now and love them.  They come in different sizes, from 8 ½ x 11, for use in a 3-ring binder, down to day planner size.  I use the day planner versions, and keep them in my fanny pack while at the park.

Posted in Finance, Lifestyle, Organization and Plannning | Also tagged
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MORE MAGIC PLEASE!

Since 2006 my family has been going to Walt Disney World every other year with the last visit this past July. That is going to change at least for me and my wife as we will briefly visit the parks before and after Lou Mongello’s WDW Radio Show Dream Cruise.

Like so many others I feel very fortunate to have any time at all to spend in the parks and on property. While I am grateful for that time it’s never enough. Each time I visit Walt Disney World it becomes more difficult to leave. With each succeeding trip it gets harder and harder to be away from the most magical place in the world. I find myself longing for the day I can return and plotting my course of action to bring me back to the land of hope and dreams.

Posted in Organization and Plannning, Relationships, True Confessions of a Neurotic Disney Mom | Also tagged
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TUSKER HOUSE FOR LITTLE ONES

Does anyone else have to look carefully when you type the word “buffet”? I am a Parrothead as well as a Disney fan and have to make sure I don’t subconsciously start talking about Jimmy. While I am sure he can set out a great spread, this story is about Tusker House, which I think is a great restaurant for little ones.

Tusker House is a buffet restaurant located in Africa in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. It has been renovated within the last couple of years. In its former life, this was a quick service dining location. To access the restaurant now, you wind around to the left and back of the building. Here you check in with the hostess and you’ll be given a buzzer. There is plenty of space to wait in the outdoor seating area. My brother wants me to be sure that I mention the Dawa Bar located within this outdoor area. He recommends this little oasis. There was an African drum group playing during our brief wait and somehow Tink (12 months at the time) slept through the band. Once our buzzer went off, we returned to the hostess stand and were taken indoors to one of the restaurant’s dining rooms. Our server was very helpful and gave us a good idea of what we’d find at the buffet.

Posted in Fitness, Parents | Also tagged , , , , , , ,
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A GOOD DISNEY DEED

Every time I go to Walt Disney World, I buy a t-shirt. On our last trip, I bought two t-shirts, a golf shirt, and a sweat shirt, so it’s not unusual to spot me in Disney gear on any given weekend. Well this past weekend, I was in a local store wearing my Disney golf shirt minding my own business when a woman approached and asked me which Disney store I bought it in. I told her I bought the shirt at Mouse Gear in Epcot. When I said that, her eyes opened real wide, and she had this silly grin on her face. She said she’s a single mom to a young boy who is thinking about taking him for his and her first ever Disney vacation.

Posted in Organization and Plannning, Relationships | Also tagged , , , , , ,
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REMEMBERING WHY

This time of year has been a particularly difficult one for me ever since September 11, 2001. It is this time of year we remember and mourn all those who were suddenly and cruelly taken away from their family and friends.

In a September 13, 2009 article I posted to my own blog I mentioned how in early 2000 my then employer temporarily relocated our company to the 106th floor of tower two in the World Trade Center as our mid-town headquarters was undergoing a major refurbishment.  The plan called for the construction to be completed and for us to return to the mid-town location in late September 2001. I was never comfortable in the World Trade Center but I was able to block out and put my fears aside. Fortunately for us things didn’t go as planned and after returning from a vacation to Walt Disney World with my family in early July 2001 I was back in my mid-town office.

Posted in Organization and Plannning, Relationships, True Confessions of a Neurotic Disney Mom | Also tagged ,
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DISNEY’S LATEST PRICE INCREASES


There were two big news releases last week from Walt Disney World.  First, as expected, Disney raised its ticket prices.  The only surprise there was that they did it on August 5th instead of August 1st, the first Sunday in August, when they traditionally have increased the ticket prices.  Second, Disney released its resort rates for 2011.  While I had expected the usual increase in rates, I hadn’t expected Disney to tinker so much with the resort seasons I had gotten used to.

Posted in Finance, News, Organization and Plannning | Also tagged ,
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