HIDDEN MICKEYS AT DISNEY’S GRAND FLORIDIAN
Contributed by: Eric H. (NDI#2). Eric is our resident Disney restaurants, recess and relaxation expert. Eric H. (NDI#2)
NEUROTIC DISNEY VACATION TIP #2
Contributed by: Rick H. (NDD#39). Rick is the creator of the Travel With Rick Vlog and brings us his weekly Neurotic Disney Vacation Tip that is exclusively found at The Disney Driven Life. NDD39
PONTOONS AT FORT WILDERNESS
Contributed by: Eric H. (NDI#2). Eric is our resident Disney restaurants, recess and relaxation expert. Eric H. (NDI#2)
VILLAINS TONIGHT!
In March 2010, the Disney Villains are taking over the stage on the Disney Cruise Line Ship Disney Magic. The new stage show “Villains Tonight” (which reminds me of a song from another musical) is set in the Underworld from Disney’s Hercules, except it is not the Underworld that we remember. Hades has become a…
CLOTHES THAT DON’T MAKE THE MAN
CLOTHES THAT DON’T MAKE THE MAN The introduction to the twins has been a little rough. Angel, my precocious niece, has developed a way to look down her nose at people who aren’t “acceptable” even if they stand three and a half feet above her. Unfortunately, I have discovered that I am amongst the “unacceptable.” …
THE ILLUSION OF UTOPIA
THE ILLUSION OF UTOPIA Stepping inside the two-bedroom unit at Disney’s Old Key West Resort instantly cures my stair-induced depression. After the entryway, I step into a large open area. Windows are in abundance, allowing the sun to brighten the room with natural lighting. I survey the space and note that it showcases a great…
CRUEL AND UNUSUAL
CRUEL AND UNUSUAL It has been the longest morning of my life. I have endured five hours of driving in a cramped van with argumentative and whiny children through a thunderstorm that was apocalyptic. DD7 has refused to sleep since I woke her this morning at 2:30am, and it shows. Her frazzled nerves have…
TWIDDLING THUMBS
TWIDDLING THUMBS ON THE WAY TO MEET TWEEDLE-DUM With all the necessary preparations complete, the week before a Disney trip can be rather torturous. A NDM finds she has already done everything that can be done beforehand to ensure vacation perfection, and there is nothing left except waiting for the remaining time to pass. This…
MOUSE TRIPPING
MOUSE TRIPPING There has been some speculation about the origins of the title, Neurotic Disney Mom. While not certain, it could be argued that the term was born out of a noticeable change in the behavior of maternal Disneyphiles the week before a Disney vacation. The members of a NDM’s family often consider her heightened…
SURPRISE! SURPRISE!
SURPRISE! SURPRISE! Growing up in South Florida, trips to WDW were just a fact of life for my peers and me. Because of this, discussing details of Disney family vacations was commonplace as we transitioned into our tween years. There was a very grown-up feeling to showcasing, comparing and trying to “keep up with the…
ON THE JOB TRAINING
ON THE JOB TRAINING The basic itinerary for our week has been set. The few dining reservations that we needed have been made. It is time for the task that all NDMs live for – designing a strategy for conquering the theme park. I gather my three mouseketeers into our living room. As a NDM, one…
- Organization and Plannning | Relationships | Special Needs | Travel Reports | True Confessions of a Neurotic Disney Mom
SAINT PATRICK
I sit at my computer to check the park hours of Disney’s Hollywood Studios. While I’m notating particulars about Extra Magic Hours for Disney resort guests, a pop-up box notifies me that I have received an e-mail from someone named Chef Patrick. I open the letter to read a thoughtful note from the chef of…
A MORSEL THAT’S HARD TO SWALLOW
It is decided that we will only spend one day in a theme park during our upcoming trip. Although I have been doing my best to not allow my newly acquired Disney phobia to get the best of me, it has been hard for me to entirely shake it. Traveling with our special dietary needs…
THE MORNING AFTER
The world is coming to an end. That must be it. There is no other reason to explain the strange feeling that has suddenly overcome me. I am afraid to go to Walt Disney World. Surely it is a sign of the apocalypse. Now that all my weeks of hyper-focused energy have landed us a stay…
GRAMMY’S A “GO”
GRAMMY’S A “GO” Grammy is my mother who lives in South Florida where I was raised. She and I have a long, difficult history. While I am a Neurotic Disney Mom (NDM), Grammy is just a Neurotic Mom (NM). It is the “Disney” element that makes one’s neurosis an endearing quality rather than an unbearable…
WHEN YOU GOTTA GO, YOU GOTTA GO!
DH is speaking with Mr. Walters. Surprisingly, DH is talking up a good case and displaying promising persuasive powers. Mr. Walters seems enthusiastic about the idea because their family has not had a vacation in some time either. The situation seems ideal. DH and I enjoy spending time with the Walters, and the Walters have…
- Organization and Plannning | Relationships | Travel Reports | True Confessions of a Neurotic Disney Mom
MANIPULATIONS AND CALCULATIONS
The last few days have been spent gathering my thoughts. I have acquired three WDW vacation packages that meet our needs, but it is yet to be decided whether they meet our budget. Joel will be the one to deliver the verdict on that. Since his lack-lustre mentality in regard to Disney does not incline…
BILL KNOWS DISNEY
I have spent the last few weeks doing two things. The first thing I’ve done is consistently run into dead ends. No matter how I turn it, DH informs me that the small amount of money we’ve put aside will not cover the accommodations we need. The second thing I have done is compulsively view…
THE BRINK
THE BRINK Back in 2004, I organized a Grand Gathering at Walt Disney World for a family reunion on my father’s side. Those memories are some of the last great times of my relatively care-free life before “it” happened. By the end of that year, our family discovered we had acquired a medical condition and…