31 Days: Disney Park Friendly Snacks & Meals

Hi friends!
So! Today I'll give you just a few ideas for what you can do to help keep that food budget in check- namely, bring your meals and/or snacks to the parks! You're allowed to bring a small personal-sized cooler into the parks, just be sure to leave any glass bottles (aside from baby food jars) at home!

Where you'll be staying and what type of kitchen facilities (or lack thereof) that you'll have access to, that will mostly determine what foods you might bring with you to the parks. Below are some ideas to get you started... and be sure to check out my "Bringing Your Meals" post from my previous 31 Days series for a FREE shopping list printable. If you're a planner like me, also check out my "Meal Planning Trackers" post for FREE meal planning printables for your trip!

Easy To Prepare In A Standard Hotel Room

-- MAIN MEALS --

• granola 
• trail mix or GORP
• oatmeal
• grits
• dry cereals
• sandwiches
• soups (in the individual serving size containers)
• garden salad
• pasta salad
• yogurt
• pop tarts
• refrigerator/overnight oatmeal

-- SNACKS & SIDE DISHES --

• fruits- apples, oranges, bananas, pears, grapes, berries, etc.
• veggies- cucumbers, bell peppers, carrot sticks, etc.

• pickles, olives, sliced salami, etc.
• dinner rolls

• crackers & cheese
• string or sliced cheese
• nuts
• pretzels & chips
• trail mix, GORP, granola bars, etc.
• fruit leather or gummies
• applesauce/food packets

Supermarket Shopping Upon Arrival
I'd definitely recommend menu planning ahead of time! Again, above you can find a link to my free meal planning printables. If you're planning on bringing food with you to the park, you have two options- (1) opt to have a food-delivery service, such as Garden Grocer, deliver to your room (2) take your rental car to the grocery store! Also, some items you could pre-package and bring with you from home to avoid buying a large container at the supermarket and throw away much of it at the end of your trip (learn from our family's mistakes, hehe)! Here are some ideas...

• spice packets- put together all of the spices you'll need for each meal in a baggie, this way you're not buying a bunch of spice containers there just to use for a week, and you also don't have to skip adding spices to your meals and have bland meals all week!
• bring half, buy half- for example, if you're making rice & beans, bring the pre-measured rice in a baggie with you (since you most likely won't use an entire bag of rice on your trip), but save space/weight in your suitcase by buying the canned beans at the supermarket
• condiments- sugar, salt, and any other items that you use in smaller quantities
• water bottle- if you don't like tap water, bring a reusable water bottle and buy jugs of water at the supermarket to refill your bottle, cheaper than buying a flat of disposable water bottles
• extra water bottles- leave the ice packs at home, instead fill up a spare freezer-safe water bottle or two and pop it in the freezer overnight. When you head to the parks the following day, use the frozen water bottle for an ice pack- it will keep your meal cold but be melted enough to provide a nice cold beverage for you later in the day!
• tea & coffee- bring a few tea bags, pre-measure loose leaf tea into a baggie and toss in a measuring spoon along with some loose leaf tea bags, pre-grind your coffee and toss in a baggie with a measuring spoon, and bring your own coffee filters! 

Need some more lunchbox inspiration, check out my Pinterest board!

               Follow Shauna's board Cooking: Lunchbox on Pinterest.    

31 Days: Road Trip (Playing Edition)

Hi friends!

So tonight I wanted to share how we do toys while we're road tripping long distances! Below is our small haul that we did for our last Disney trip. It's 12 hours, one way, and our wee one was 2.5 yrs old at the time of the trip. I had no idea how she would fare, as our longest time in the car was the year prior when we PCSed (Army move), but we kept driving days to 6 hrs or so. Anyhoo, I wanted to make sure she had MORE than ample things to entertain her!

First up, we have our book baskets (aka. magazine files)! One was for the trip down to Disney and one for the trip back home. They each had numbers taped to them so I knew which ones to give her at which point in the trip. I wrapped them up like a gift- it was like Christmas in September for her!

For the toys, I put them each in a baggie and again attached numbered tags to them, so that I knew which ones to distribute at which point in the trip. I tried to choose toys that could be somewhat easily contained (or at least with pieces large enough that they wouldn't get lost in the car seats!)

Some of the toys that we brought were old favorites, toys that I knew the wee one would enjoy. I snuck these away so that she hadn't played with them in about 2 weeks or so- that way they had a "new" factor to them again! The others were new toys- some store-bought or handmade! 

The toys I bring generally fall into three categories- 

(1) disposable 

Toys that will be tossed in the garbage during or after the trip, think coloring books that get used up, stickers, glow sticks, etc.

(2) educational

Toys that teach letters, numbers, shapes, colors- these will be used again during/after the trip for homeschool purposes! Also items that work on motor skills.

(3) fun

Toys that are just fun! Some are things she's wanted for a while, some again are old favorites, and some are just, well, toys! Disney princess people, mini horses, fun stuff!

Here's how I organized everything- piled in a huge Ikea bag! You'll see the two magazine files with the wrapped books towards the top of the picture. In the bottom of the picture are two smaller bags with the toys in them. One bag is for the trip down to Disney, and one for the trip home. The toy bag & book file for the trip home stayed in the trunk, while the rest lived on the floor below our daughter's car seat for the trip there! I also brought a 9x13 small baking dish (the metal pan on the top of the one bag)- it fit perfectly in her lap in the car seat to help contain the toys with multiple pieces and give a sturdy surface to color on!

Below you'll see my uber-planner side coming out again... Yes, I actually planned out which toys and books to distribute each hour of our trip! Crazy, right?! Well, it made me feel more organized about the trip, and thus less stressed. So it worked for me :) 

See where it says "Rest." over one column? That stands for "restaurant." I noted those so that I could grab them out of the car and bring them with us to the parks to entertain the little one during meals at the sit-down restaurants. Most restaurants give out crayons and paper, but I wanted to be prepared just in case! I also noted here what toys to grab to bring into the hotel for the night.

Want to know some of my favorite car trip toys? The ones that worked best? Here ya go...

(affiliate links)

31 Days: Meeting the Characters at Disney

Hi friends!

So, do you want to know where you can meet your little one's favorite characters at Disney World? Well I'll share with you a few ways you can get this done! 

Disney Visa Card

If you have a Disney Visa Card, you can meet select characters in a private card members-only area in Epcot everyday and pose for photos! This is an awesome perk (among many other perks and discounts!) offered to card members. 

Character Dining

We go to Disney in large part because of the food, I'll admit. The husband and I are foodies, and Disney has some top notch eateries on property! So, if you love food, and your little ones love characters, consider doing a character meal! There are a ton to choose from- so pick your little one's favorite character, see what restaurants they appear at, and book a meal! Make sure you book 180 days out, as character dining is in high demand and can book up fast! 

Special Events

Check out some of the special events that Disney puts on throughout the year- Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, etc- as many times you can find unique characters are out and about during these parties! Sometimes you can only find certain characters at these events, as they're "retired" from appearing at the parks during normal park days!

At the Parks

Of course the most straightforward way to meet the characters? Visit the parks! There are dedicated character meet & greets throughout each park, as well as pop up locations (typically for lesser popular characters). So keep your eyes peeled :) And check out the Dance Parties at the various parks for character appearances too!

31 Days: Disney's Baby Care Centers

Hi friends!

So today I'll give you a quick and VERY important tip about the Disney parks! One word- BABY CARE CENTER! Ok, so maybe that's three words... 

The Baby Care Centers are rather centrally located pavilions in each park. They are a fantastic reprieve from the parks as well as a real life saver! What are they? Well let's give an overview of what you can find at a Baby Care Center...

• air conditioning!
• padded changing tables galore!
• private nursing rooms (with rocking chairs and changing pad too)
• typical baby items for sale- spare diapers, wipes, formula, baby food, sunscreen, OTC medicine, toys, etc.
• microwave
• oven
• sink area
• high chairs
• complimentary water
• kids table & chairs area with cartoons on a TV and sofa (great for entertaining siblings while you take care of baby!)
• a kid-friendly bathroom (lower height toilet with built in potty seat)

SUCH a great tool when you're at the parks. They're not just for "babies" really either. Preschoolers that are potty training will find the kid-friendly bathroom perfect. If you brought food for your wee ones that would be best popped in the microwave- come on over! Are your little ones overheating in the Florida sun, or have a child who is overstimulated with all the Disney excitement? Unwind and calm down in the older kids-area here.

All of the Baby Care Center locations are just next to the First Aid stations. They give out complimentary band aids for minor scrapes as well as more complicated medical issues.

Now, where to find these little Baby Care Center gems...

Magic Kingdom: 

towards the end of Main Street, on the left by Crystal Palace

Epcot: 

in the Odyssey Center, in between Future World and the World Showcase, to the left of Mexico 

Hollywood Studios: 

just inside the entrance to the left, near Guest Relations

Animal Kingdom: 

on the left side of Discovery Island, near Starbucks (previously called  "Creature Comforts" eatery)

31 Days: Get Out and Play at Disney

Hi friends!

I hope you're having a blessed Sunday. Our family is a bit under the weather this morning, so we're staying home from church, but I hope you've gotten a chance to spend some time with our beautiful Saviour and Lord this morning! 

So this morning I'll be letting you in on some GREAT places to let the wee ones get out of the stroller and PLAY at the parks! So let's get to it...

Magic Kingdom

• Most of the park really! This is the most kid-friendly park, where the majority of the rides are geared towards the youngest guests. Many of the queue lines for the rides have interactive activities or play areas for the smallest of riders!
• Swiss Family Treehouse- tons of stairs, traversing up and down through the Swiss Family Robinson's replicated treehouse!
• Dumbo- there's a great air conditioned, indoor play place in the ride line! You can pop in there and just play for a bit, even if you don't want to ride, but you must be under 8 yrs old to play. Complete with slides, climbing nets, and a toddler play place. 
• Tom Sawyer Island- take a "handmade" boat across the river and explore the island! Complete with a barrel bridge, hidden gem mines, a fort, and tons of room to just run about. On top of the hill is a little play structure perfect place for your littlest ones to enjoy. 
• Frontierland Train Station- located at the exit to Splash Mountain and the entrance area to the train station platform, you'll find a little play place tucked away, perfect for your littlest adventurers. 
• Storybook Circus- located near the Dumbo ride has water features for kids to play in on hot days and occasionally has performers come and do short shows!

Epcot

• World Showcase- throughout the countries, there's Kidcot Fun Stops where kids can color, make crafts, and learn more about the culture of each country represented. Many of the countries also have performers throughout the day- among them a juggling mime in Italy, drummers in Japan, and a lumberjack show in Canada!
• The Seas- an indoor pavilion aquarium! Throughout the day, animal keepers give talks about the various animals- learn how much a manatee eats or even see a dolphin training session. 
• Mission Space- there's a space-themed "Space Base" play area for the youngest adventurers and various astronaut-themed video game type activities for the slightly older ones.
• Innoventions- an indoor pavilion with a variety of kids for all ages. The exhibitions on display change up every few years, so be sure to check out Disney's website to see what's going on during your visit!
• Fountains- there are various fountains for kids to play with throughout the front Future World area! Some are only operational in the warmer months. Year round, don't miss the "jumping fountains" up near the Imagination pavilion!

Hollywood Studios

• Honey I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set- an area of the park mostly dedicated towards all of the youngest kiddos. This is where you'll find the short Voyage of the Little Mermaid show where you can escape into the cool A/C and the Disney Junior- Live on Stage! show where dancing is encouraged as you sit on the large carpeted floor to listen to the show. 
• Frozen- Sing Along Celebration- another chance to escape into the A/C, the little ones can belt out all of the popular tunes from the Frozen movie while the adults can appreciate the humor of the storytellers in the show- it's hilarious! 
• Toy Story Land- a brand-new addition to the park, as of late summer 2018. Imagine you've been shrunk to the size of a toy, and you're in Andy's backyard! A fun experience for kids of any age, and includes three fun rides as well as a tasty eatery! 

Animal Kingdom

• The Boneyard- a play place awaits for kids of all ages (10 and under)! Dig in the sand for fossils, climb across rope bridges and covered slides, musical "bones" to bang on, a Jeep to climb upon, and even a mini slide sections for toddlers!
• Affection Section- a petting zoo where kids can interact freely with adorable goats! They can also feed a few other animals. A MUST for any animal-loving kiddos.
• Conservation Station- an indoor pavilion where kids can learn fun animal facts, view smaller animal exhibits, and, if you're lucky, even see an animal surgery (head there early in the day for your best chance to view- not available everyday)!

31 Days: Disneybounding

Hi friends!

So, what's "Disneybounding," you may ask? It's dressing up inspired by Disney characters! This is a fun little way to make your Disney trip even MORE magical! It doesn't mean dressing up in costume. It means your outfit is merely "inspired" by a character! So perhaps your outfit incorporates the same colors as your favorite character.... or your accessories are a nod to the character. Here, let's show some examples! These are all kids clothes currently in season for Fall 2015!

Snow White

Jasmine

Little Mermaid

Merida (Brave)

Cinderella

Sleeping Beauty (Briar Rose/Aurora)

Frozen- Anna & Elsa

Pocahontas

Alice in Wonderland

Marie (Aristocats)

Minnie Mouse

There's a TON of other examples in my Pinterest board, including some DIY ideas! So feel free to go on over and get more inspiration!

Follow Shauna's board Disney Bounding on Pinterest.

31 Days: Dollar Spot Your Way to Disney

Hi friends!!

Today I'm back to share some fun ideas to keep your budget in check when planning your Disney trip. As with any amusement park, Disney prices are much higher than what you can get at home. Keep this in mind as you plan, and see what you can bring from home in order to avoid buying in-park! The Dollar Spot (at Target) or Dollar Tree stores are a PERFECT way to keep costs in check and pick up some fantastic Disney goodies! Walgreens (especially the clearance section) and Walmart are some other places to score budget Disney items.

Here are a few ideas to get the ball rolling...

31 Days: It's the Disney Countdown

Hi all!

So to piggyback off of yesterday's post about Disney Crafting, today I'll talk about one of my favorite crafts- making a Disney countdown calendar! A great way to work on counting for your older wee ones too ;) And because I love planning and doing Disney-themed activities, I make TWO countdowns! Below, I'll show you...

First, let's start with some other Disney countdown crafts that you can find on Pinterest:

• Popsicle stick countdown- decorate a jar and some popsicle sticks and write a fun activity/small gift/trivia bit on each stick! Pick out one each night, or number the sticks and pick out the corresponding number of your countdown each night. When the sticks are gone, that means your trip arrives the next day!
• Framed countdown (with glass)- use scrapbook paper to decorate a photo frame and use a dry erase marker to countdown each night the number of days left
• Framed countdown (without glass)- same as the above, but instead of writing the numbers each day, use interchangeable scrapbook numbers to "flip" the countdown numbers each night
• Clothespin countdown- string up a wire or twine, print out numbers (and maybe fun corresponding activities), and clothes pin them to the line. Each night, take down the corresponding number and/or do the activity!
• Duplo countdown- create a tower of Duplo blocks, you can use the numbered ones or use washi tape, painters tape, or masking tape and number the blocks. Have your wee ones remove the blocks each night! 
• Pingpong countdown- have a jar and fill it with ping pong balls, each with a Disney-themed activity, trivia bit, small gift, movie to watch, etc written on the ball. Have the little pick out one each night. When the balls are all gone, that means you're leaving on your trip the next day! If you have multiple littles, maybe have enough balls in there that each child can pick out a ball every night, rotate who gets to pick out the ball (good chance to teach "taking turns" or "sharing" hehe), or maybe each child even gets their own jar to pick out balls each night! 
• Sticker countdown- print out a simple page of numbers, and have your little put a sticker on the number each night as they countdown the days. A great cheap and easy countdown!
• Princess chain countdown- your traditional paper chain countdown, made with colored construction paper and the child rips off a link each night. Dress up the last link as your child's favorite princess or Mickey/Minnie! 
• Monorail countdown- print out a picture of a monorail, Disney castle, and create some monorail "tracks." The kids can move the monorail down the track each night, closer to the castle! You could do this instead with a car (if you're road tripping to Disney) or a plane (if you're flying)!
• Block countdown- using some scrapbook paper decorate the sides of wooden blocks and add numbers. Each day, you rotate the blocks to countdown the number of days left!
• Magnet countdown- use some scrapbook paper and/or sticker numbers, decorate small pieces of paper and number them. Attach a small magnet to the back of each paper and put them on the fridge or magnetic tray. Each night, take that day number's magnet off!
• Magnet countdown #2- Attach a simple numbered piece of paper to a magnetic surface (fridge, tray, etc). Each night, cover that day's number with a magnet to "cross out" the number.
• Countdown wreath- create a Disney-themed wreath, string some twine across the open center and clothespin numbers up, rotating out the numbers each day as you countdown!

You can see all the above ideas and more on my Pinterest Countdown board, which you can also see at the bottom of the post! Now on to my personal countdowns...

31 Days: Disney Crafting

Hi all! 

Today I'll give you some ideas of fun Disney crafts you can do! If Disney Family Movie Nights aren't quite your thing, maybe you can do some crafting together as a family instead, to help pass the time before your big Disney trip! 

• make a Disney Savings Jar, like the one above! Just a container, some twine, Disney die cuts, wash tape, and you've a fun way to save up for your trip!
• create matching Disney t-shirts for your trip- from iron on transfers to bleach spraying, there's shirt-making techniques for ALL crafty levels. If creating one yourself isn't your thing, support another family by checking out Etsy for TONS of great shirts and pick some shirts out together as a family!
• make a Disney-themed wreath! buy supplies at the Dollar Store and have fun :) If it's near a holiday, your wreath can do double duty (think Christmas wreath, or theme it with Disney couples for Valentine's Day, etc) 
• feeling girly? do Mickey or Minnie pedicures! Stencil on Mickey heads or do pink with white polka dots for an easy Disney touch!
• make Autograph Books- there are printables available online for super-simple crafty creations, buy some Disney scrapbook paper, or for the more advanced, use your Cricut to cut out tons of fun characters!
• make Memory Books- print out some pages for free online, decorate a regular notebook with washi tape, or go crazy making a mini scrapbook album!
• create a Disney castle with Duplos! simply put some Disney-themed washi tape on some blocks and build away :)
• sew a purse or backpack! Buy some Disney-themed fabric and get to sewing! This could be a great first-project for any child, it could even be hand-sewn in a pinch! Not your thing? Again, you could support another family by shopping on Etsy! Let your littles pick out their own bag 
• Princess or Prince/Pirate sensory play- set up a sensory bin using Duplo or Fisher Price Little People princesses/princes/pirates. A GREAT play time for little ones!
• create Disney necklaces and/or bracelets! Keep it cheap and easy by using pony beads and perhaps some simple charms, or go big with all sorts of fancy decorations! I prefer just using elastic for my littles, but older kids may be ready to try their hand at jewelry-making by using wire and clasps!
• make some Disney-themed hair clips, headbands, or bow ties! Theme the colors to your little one's favorite princes or princesses :) You can put your creation on a bow tie clip, a hair clip, or a headband! I love putting them on hair clips and then clipping the clips on a soft headband to quickly switch up the headband design :)
• Disney coloring pages- there are TONS online available for free. Super easy craft, and you could even work on their pre-writing or motor skills by using tracing printables, do-a-dots, or scissor skills sheets!
• make Disney Peg People! A fun craft for you and slightly older little ones to do together! Purchase paints, brushes, and wooden pegs and decorate them like princes and princesses or even pirates!
• create Disney-themed vinyl crafts! There are a bunch of fun, easy crafts that you can use vinyl for- decorate water bottles, bins, notebooks, cups, photo frames, the list goes on... You can purchase rolls of vinyl at most craft stores or online and cut them out yourself, or use your Cricut!
• make personalized luggage tags- use scrapbook paper and stickers to make your own tags. Then laminate them (or use clear packing tape) and thread with thick ribbon!

These are just a few ideas to get the ball rolling! Use Google or Pinterest and you'll find a TON of other ideas for a great family Disney night of crafting. Check out my Pinterest board below for more ideas!! 

Follow Shauna's board Disney: countdowns & crafts on Pinterest.

31 Days: Disney Planner

Welcome back, friends! 

Thanks for giving me the weekend off to spend time with family ;) 

Now onward to the rest of our Disney with Young Kids series!

Today I'm sharing my Disney planner with you! You may have picked up on the fact that I need to plan- makes me feel less stressed if I have everything at my fingertips. I'll share with ya a bit of what I do- the low speed and high speed version. 

Fast & Simple

Above is what I do for short trips, last minute trips, and even regular non-Disney trips to visit friends/family. Super simple plastic expanding folder that has velcro pockets on the outside- I got this one at Staples, I think. I print out any plane tickets, park tickets, hotel reservation confirmations and slip them in the large pocket. Any credit card-sized tickets go in the small front pockets. Super simple, but everything is corralled in one place. Great to have one central place for all your paperwork when you're already going to be busy keeping track of the wee ones while you're traveling! 

Cover All Your Bases

Yup, below you are looking at a full size planner packed full of Disney-goodness. Yup. I don't kid around when I'm really planning! 

• Itinerary: So in my last post {here} I shared with you how I make an itinerary. I pop that in this section. Often I'll print out 2 or 3 copies- one goes on the fridge at the resort, one stays in the stroller, and an extra sometimes stays in the planner here. The one for the stroller I'll often print out slightly smaller (so it's pocket sized) and "laminate" it (with packing tape!) 

• Budget: I also shared my budget with ya'll {here}. I have both the master budget and the daily totals tracker in here.   

• Meals: I keep a meal tracker in this section- you can print out your own {here} from my first 31 Disney Days series! I usually end up putting it up on the fridge in the condo at Disney, so I can see it in the kitchen each night. Some days we make meals at our resort. Some days we bring meals (and we always bring snacks for the kids!). Some days we eat at a restaurant in the parks. 

• Parks & Tickets: I keep a business card keeper in this section and put in any park tickets, discount club cards, etc. in there. For me, I keep our Tables in Wonderland card, Disney Vacation Club card, and Disney Visa credit card in here- they all have discounts available in Disney! Any printable tickets I print, hole punch, and keep in this section too, of course. I ALSO grab a park map online and make a list of what rides (and where they are) I plan to do with the kids! (see below picture) I pop those in this section too. I usually "laminate" the park maps (with packing tape!) and bring them with us to the park so I make sure I hit all of our favorite rides!

• Packing: I always make a packing list- whether it's an overnight trip to visit friends, or a 10-day trip to Disney. I have a list for me and one for each wee one. I keep them all in here. Print out your own copy {here}. 

• Trip Report: I keep an envelope in here with notecards. I take down the highlights of each day so I can scrapbook them at home! I also keep other small memorabilia from the trip in here.