Our Blog Gets Its Own Website!!!

It's official!!! 

The Mouse In Our House now has its own website. 

Please go over and take a peek at www.themouseinourhouse.com. 

I'd love to know what you think!

Until next time, remember to keep the Mouse in your house.

Monica


www.themouseinourhouse.com

* Helpful Hint - Waking Up With Olaf!

Hi, there!

I'm currently hearing that, if you're staying on property, you can schedule wake up calls from Olaf, the lovable snowman from the movie "Frozen".  Just hit the speaker button, and your kids will wake up quickly and happily looking forward to the rest of their day!

Let me know of any helpful hints you'd like to share!

Monica

GETTING YOUR FAMILY (EVEN MORE) EXCITED FOR YOUR DISNEY TRIP!

So, your family's excited for your upcoming Disney trip!



But.... it's still months away.

How do you keep the momentum going while you wait for the BIG day?

Here are a few ideas for your first trip:

Watch some Disney movies!  Get the kids excited to learn about the different Disney characters and their stories.  As our first trip neared, I made sure my daughter watched as much Disney as possible - the Disney Channel, Disney Jr., every movie I could get my hands on so that she could identify the different characters and know which ones she liked best.  Before every trip, I still make sure she watches some Disney movies - especially ones she hasn't watched before. My husband and I enjoy watching with her.  And it makes it more exciting for her when she decides which characters she wants to meet and greet and have sign her autograph book.

Get your trading pins ready to go (more on this on a later post).  Make sure you leave any special pins you don't want to trade at home to avoid trading any of those by mistake.

We take multiple trips to our local Disney Store to see if any of the character shirts are on sale (much, much cheaper than at the parks).  That way, we can wear our new Disney shirts on the plane.  My daughter loves when we all wear Disney shirts on our way down to the World.

Make your free customized Disney maps.  Yes - free!!!  Go to https://disneyworld.disney.go.com and click Customize Maps at the bottom of the page.  WDW will mail them to you before your trip as a free memento.  Or you can use them at the parks.  Your choice.

Call a family meeting and decide together what advanced dining reservations (ADRs) you want to make.  Look up restaurant menus online at www.allears.net and www.wdwinfo.com and decide together where you want to eat.

Last, order your free vacation planning video from the Disney website (web address above).  You'll get a glimpse of the different rides, restaurants, and characters you'll enjoy on your trip.


If this isn't your first trip, here are some ideas for you:

Make some popcorn and get the family together to watch some home movies of your past trip(s).  It'll bring back some wonderful memories and get the family hyped for your upcoming trip.

Bring out your Mickey Ears!  Of course you're going to take them with you and wear them at some time doing your trip!  Right???

Bring out the old autograph books.  Nostalgia will take over as you see how your kids have grown and changed over time.  Make sure you have some tissues on hand.

Look through your photo albums - it will remind you of your favorite rides or spots at the parks and all the fun you had.... and are about to have again!

What are some of your favorite things to do in getting your family excited for your upcoming trip?

Make sure to go over to our Facebook page - The Mouse In Our House and share your ideas with everyone.

Until next time, remember to keep the Mouse in your house!

Monica

*** Helpful Tip

Here's a helpful tip to go with a previous post.

When packing that carry-on bag, don't forget to throw in a tube of sunblock - you'll need it for your first day in the parks (in case your luggage doesn't make it to your room before you want to take off for the parks).  It's sometimes difficult to find a tube that corresponds to the 3-oz. limit set by the TSA.

Neutrogena makes a 3-oz. tube that's perfect to comply with TSA regulations.  I found it at CVS.

Just throw it in your carry-on and be on your way.

Until next time, be sure to keep the Mouse in your house.

Monica

Packing For Disney

Although I LOVE going to Disney World, I HATE packing for it!  (Or any other trip.) 

But, that's all a part of getting to Disney, so I grind my teeth and get to it.  

So, what should you be packing and hopefully not forgetting?  

First, just remember that, although Disney carries most everything you need, you'll pay a premium for it, so you may as well bring it from home. 

Here's a list of some things you won't want to forget:

1.  Wet Ones antibacterial wipes.  I always put a few packets into my backpack when we go into the parks.  That way, once we're ready to eat a snack or a meal, we just wipe away all of the bacteria we picked up while we were having fun (yes, it is Disney, but there are germs there too, people!).

2.  All medications you'll need, whether prescription or over the counter.   Please don't forget Benadryl if you're allergic to anything! The resort shops do sell some over the counter medications, but, again, you'll pay a premium.  Also, if they don't have what you need, you may end up having to get a taxi to run you over to the nearest pharmacy off property. So you're going to spend money and lose time from your vacation.  

3.  If you have asthma, don't forget your inhaler and an extra one just in case one gets lost.  

4.  If you wear contacts, don't forget to bring a couple of extra pair and your saline solution - it wouldn't be any fun to lose a contact and be blind for the rest of your vacation.  There's a lot to see at WDW, so you don't want to miss out on it.

5.  Hats and sunblock - you'll need them to help protect you against the strong Florida sun.

6.  If you are a gum chewer, make sure you bring gum with you.  You can't buy gum on any Disney property - for obvious reasons.  So, if you want it, either bring it with you or make do without it for the duration of your trip.

7.  Don't forget your batteries, photo and video cameras, your cell phones, extra memory cards, and the corresponding chargers.  You'll want to capture all of the magic, and you're going to be pretty upset if you can't.

8.  Some plastic utensils for eating in your room.  If you're taking cereal down with you, don't forget to take a plastic bowl and some dish detergent - that way you can wash and reuse it!  

9.  Shampoo, conditioner, soap, etc., if you don't like using the ones they provide at hotels.  

10.  An extra change of clothes in your carry-on bag, in case your luggage is misplaced.  If you're using the Magical Express, please note that it can take up to 3 hours before your luggage is delivered to your room. 

11.  All of your travel documents, including a copy of your itinerary for your days in the parks with your dining confirmation numbers.  

As to the type of clothing you'll need to pack, that will depend on when you're traveling to the World:  If you're going in the summer, definitely bring a sweater or light jacket because it gets very cold on the buses, in the restaurants, shops, and in the resorts.  If you're visiting in the winter, you can check www.orlandosentinel.com/weather for the most accurate weather in Orlando; however, you should definitely pack some warmer clothes as it can get cold at times.  

You can go to http://wdwprepschool.com/the-ultimate-disney-world-packing-list/ for a more complete list of what you'll need to pack for your trip.  

I hope this is helpful, and until next time, remember to keep the Mouse in your house!

Monica

  

Again???

I can't begin to count the number of times I've been asked, "You're going to Disney again???"  I'm sure some of you have been asked that very same question a number of times as well. 

And the answer is always a resounding "Yes!"

So, why do people, including myself, continue to return to Walt Disney World year after year?  The answer is simple - Magic.

No matter how many times I've gone to Disney, every time I step on property, there's a feeling that envelops me, a precursor of what's to come.  And as soon as I walk under the train station at the Magic Kingdom and onto Main Street, there it is - Magic.

Sure - we could travel out of the country, to Europe or to a beautiful island.  And I'm sure we will at some point.  But why would we when we can enjoy a wonderful family vacation in a beautiful and magical place like the World?  

How many times have we all gone on a family vacation, only to have everyone do their own thing?  Perhaps, Dad is on his iPad, Mom is on her cell, and the kiddos are playing on their Kindles or watching a DVD.  Sure, everyone is in the same place, but are they really enjoying it together?  Probably not - they're each enjoying something on their own, not really communicating with each other.

Although we certainly can't escape technology at the Disney Parks, we've always experienced something quite different while on vacation at the World.  We enjoy the parks together as a family.  Sure, we have our moments when the cell phones come out, but those are fleeting moments - 99% of the time, we're enjoying each others' company, laughing over the thrills, smiling over memories in the making, living in the moment, all of us excited about our next ride, show, or meal.  We're making plans together, scanning menus together, standing in line together - the key word being "TOGETHER".  

And let's face it - not too many people walk away from a Disney vacation disappointed. Of course people complain about the heat, the crowds, the lines (I do too!)...but ask them if they had fun, and most of them are going to say "yes" with a big smile on their faces, and most of them will say they're planning a return trip... 

Being at Disney, especially if staying on property, puts you in a Disney "bubble" where you're enveloped in magic, fantasy, and are given the gift of feeling like a child again - at least for a few days.  It's an amazing indescribable feeling, a feeling that is truly magnified if you have the opportunity to watch your own children enjoying that Disney Magic.

A couple of years ago, while in the Magic Kingdom, my daughter and husband went off to ride Astro Orbiter.  I waited for them and before long, Chip and Dale came out for a character meet and greet and stood about 3 feet away from where I was sitting.  I truly enjoyed watching them interact with everyone.  Suddenly an older woman came forward, having patiently waited her turn in line.  The smile on her face was incredible, from ear to ear.  She was smiling, crying, and hugging and kissing Chip and Dale.  It was obvious that she was having a "childhood" moment, and they were so wonderful with her.  

As I observed their exchange, it suddenly hit me why Disney is so beloved by so many - because it affords everyone that walks through its gates to magically become a child again - for however long they're at the World - they are granted a second childhood.  Amazing! 

How many other places can we say that about?  

How many times are we granted the wish of being a child again?  

Where else can we relive our childhood through the joy and delight of our children?  

Those opportunities are precious and priceless to me, and I enjoy them more than anything.  

So, although I'm sure I'll get asked the same question another hundred times in the future, the answer will always be the same - a resounding (and happy) "YES!"

Here's wishing all of you get the opportunity to feel the Magic for yourselves - over and over again.

Until next time, I hope you remember to keep the Mouse in your house.

Monica

             

Mist Your Way Through The World...

If you've got an upcoming trip to Walt Disney World and are dreading the summer heat, here's a quick tip:  Take a misting fan.

Prior to your trip, make a quick stop at WalMart.  Go over to the Paint Department and grab a misting fan.  They're about $7 or $8 - a great deal compared to the $18.50 you'll pay for it at Disney.

Pack it into your suitcase (or throw it into your Disney Fed Ex box - see Post #3), and off it goes.

Once you're ready to head off to the parks, fill it with ice water.  Simply mist and/or fan yourself throughout the day to keep cool.  

The kids will really enjoy it, especially when standing in long, hot lines. Every time our daughter got cranky from the heat or long lines, we would hand it over, and she loved misting herself - it was like she was a different child!  We enjoyed it too!

It can be a lifesaver when the heat exhaustion sets in.

Helpful Hint:  Fill it up with ice and water each night, and place it in your room fridge.  That way, it will be extra cold for the following morning.

Happy misting, and don't forget to drink lots of water!  Staying hydrated is key!

Until next time, remember to keep the mouse in your house.

Monica