Good evening everyone. I can’t believe I actually have a second to sit down and write; it is quite crazy trying to pack for six of us. Seriously, so much time and effort has gone into this one week; I want it to be “perfect”. I know it will not be perfect, but I can’t wait to see Sophia and Isabella’s smiles. This past year have been difficult for all of us and I think this is going to be a wonderful family trip. Oh and I must tell you Sophia and Isabella are excited beyond belief. They are having so much fun crossing of the days left until we leave. This morning we had a Disney dance party. 🙂

Here are some things we (my mom is amazing; I am learning so much from her) have been doing to get ready for our vacation:

1. First and foremost we had to choose where to stay. We knew we want all of us to stay in one room/villa if possible. So, we started to do some research. We came up with two places that seemed perfect; Old Key West and Saratoga Springs. When my mom called to book our villa she was told that the 2 bedroom villa at Old Key West was 300 square feet bigger so she went with that resort. We figured with all of us the extra space will be wonderful. I don’t think I told you but there are 8 adults and 4 children coming; yes the 4 children are ours. 🙂 I am looking forward to having some help throughout the week. One key element to being able to relax is making sure the adults our number the kids. It is also essential to make sure your older children know what you expect. Sophia and Isabella are great listeners and I know they will do wonderful. I will have so many tips and tricks for you once we get back.

2. I created an account with TouringPlans.com.

• This website/app is amazing. It predicts the crowd level at each park and even gives you the wait time for each ride. We used this when we went a year ago and it was quite accurate. I can’t wait to use it again. Waiting and little kids is not the best mix.
• I used TouringPlans.com to help decide which park to go to each day. The entire week we are there the crowd level doesn’t exceed a 3 out of 10 and some days it is a 1 out of 10. I can’t wait to experience Disney World like this.

3. We have made a few reservations at different restaurants throughout the week. We are having breakfast with the princesses and brunch with the characters. These two events might be the highlight of our trip. Once we get back I will write reviews on all the places we ate at so when you are planning your family trip you will know the best places to go.

4. Set up your magical express. If you are staying at a Disney World resort and not renting a car this is your transportation to and from the hotel. We have not had the best experience with setting this up (I will share with you at a later date); my poor mom. I know she is just like me and wants this vacation to be perfect for everyone; she doesn’t even think about herself. She just wants everyone else to be happy; I turned out just like her and I am so grateful. She taught me how to put my family first. I don’t think I truly understood this until I had my own children. Being a mom has truly taught me how to be selfless. Anyway, make sure you check that your reservation is all set for the magical express about 2 weeks in advanced. We waited too long to check on our reservation and it wasn’t correct, but it has all worked out.

5. Lists, lists, and more lists. The key to not going crazy while preparing for a trip is to write down everything you need to do. This way you don’t have to try and remember everything; I can’t remember what I had for dinner let alone what I need to do. Ha!!

• I have lists of what needs to be packed in our carry on bags and checked luggage. Once it goes in the bag it gets checked off. (I will post my lists)
• I have a list of what food I need to pack the morning of; such as peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, yogurts, milks, etc. (anything that can’t be packed the days before).
• I have lists of rides/shows our girls will love at each park. I don’t want to get to the park and have no idea where to start.

I have to say I never realized how much planning goes into these types of trips (I knew it took planning, but this insane). I can’t believe how much work my mom would do to make our Disney trips so special. I am so excited for my girls to have the same experience. Some of my best memories are from spending time with my family at Disney; I want the same for my girls. This is the start of many wonderful Disney vacations together!!

I just have to take a second and thank my parents. This trip would not be possible without them. Thank you for always putting your family first and for showing all of your children what is means to be parents and not just any parents, but the most amazing parents!! I know Adrienne, Francis, Scott, and Steve all agree. 🙂 We love you!!

Once we get back from our trip I will be sharing all of the things I learned while at Disney. I will share with you how to make a trip to Disney a wonderful family experience.