A Whole New World

 Traveling has always been important to us. We love to get out and see the world. Since we have had children we have spent quite a bit of time at the Disney Parks because it's a very easy vacation with kids. The entire staff (cast members) are so accommodating. In fact a few years back we had to wait about 30 minutes for a table and our kids were getting sleepy. This is a completely normal situation when you have a family (tired and cranky kids). However, the cast members at Big River Grill on Disney's Boardwalk did not see it that way. They did all they could to make up for us having to wait. They even gave our exhausted 3 year old at the time a teddy bear to keep! When we get asked time and time again why we travel to Disney so often, the superb customer service and respect for families always come back as being the main reason. Because of this we decided to purchase the Disney Vacation Club (DVC) a few years back through a resale company since it was significantly cheaper t

One of our most favorite places in Disney is Epcot's World Showcase. The cast members, food and drinks in World Showcase are native to each country.  Our favorite country is most definitely Paris, France! Walking through there is like being transported to Paris. We have eaten at Monsieur Paul and it's truly one of the best in all of Disney (a real French fine dining experience). Located just behind this fabulous restaurant is Les Halles Boulangerie Patisserie (fancy word for bakery) and you do not want to miss it! When we have stayed at the Beach Club or Boardwalk we would walk over in the morning for coffee and breakfast treats. Our daughter's favorite is the chocolate croissant and our son loves the chocolate eclairs. In the evening, we stop back for a glass of wine or champagne and a cheese plate with baguette. This is actually our favorite meal. We sit at a table on the "street" in France and have a bite.  Nothing can beat it!                                

 When we lived up north we would look forward to our trips down to Disney. These trips were an escape, a chance to get away from the day to day hustle and bustle and an opportunity to become immersed in the world of Disney.  I relished in the shameless commercialism and micro-environment that Walt Disney created. When you are in this world you feel like you are truly in another world which makes purchasing clothing emblazoned with an anthropomorphic Mouse not only acceptable, but lauded by fellow Disney denizens of this fantastical place. Things have changed. Now the day to day toil of work, bills and responsibilities remain. Our family is still adjusting and adapting but Disney, Universal, hundreds of entertainment spots are outside our door and beaches are nearby. There is no longer a ritual sixteen hour drive or cramped  flight needed to transition over and into the vacation land. The ritual would in some ways  convince the mind that it was time to switch into vacation mode. So whil

The Disney Resorts have a cup you can purchase for somewhere north of $15. This cup can be refilled multiple times with soft drinks at resort soda machines. Embedded within the cup is a chip (RFID I imagine) that keeps track of the use of the cup. The cup has a life span, after a certain date it can no longer be used. We had an older version of the cup in the past. This version did not have a chip so we would bring it along with us on our trips to once again partake in the soda offered at the resorts. Well Disney must have frowned upon that practice so the new technology renders my old cup useless at the resort machines. Now I have never gotten a new cup, because typically it is more convenient and cost effective to have soda shipped to my room from local grocery stores . Nowadays I just stop at the supermarket to get some drinks before going to the parks. However, one day we were traveling to the Magic Kingdom on the monorail when Katie noticed an abandoned cup nestled on the top

For the few weeks before Katie and the family came down I would occasionally spend my lonely nights heading into Disney and the resorts. One of the resorts I would go to was the Polynesian. While hanging out there I quickly learned the ins and outs of the place.  First I would drive up to the gate and tell the guard I was there for dinner.  I would then present my ID and the guard would point me in the direction of the parking lot. Occasionally the guard would be more inquisitive and I would explain I was there to go to Trader Sam's (Disney's new lounge in the Polynesian).  Now there is nothing wrong with going to the resorts and telling the guards this, however the passengers in my car always get nervous when I do this as if I am being somewhat shady (though I do sometimes hop on the monorail and head over to the Magic Kingdom).   Trader Sam's is an interactive new bar where a little performance is put on by the staff or animatronics in the bar will activate de

 Hi everyone, We have been in Orlando for almost three weeks. I can't believe it has been that long! Twenty days tomorrow to be exact. This is still a stressful time. Between real estate fiascos (selling a house up north) and renting troubles (our current home while we decide where to be more permanent-not quite perfect) life has been chaotic. We have also had a troublesome moving experience (PODS' customer service is a Kafkaesque nightmare).  The difficulties we have had in leaving everything and moving is counterbalanced by the new and familar experiences we are having.  Daily trips to the Disney parks and outings to the beach fill our days. So while everything is still a mess this is an adventure. Hopefully things will even out soon.  We are living in a very nice part of Orlando called Dr. Phillips,  just minutes from the parks. Apparently Dr. Phillip Phillips was a doctor and philanthropist that was (note the following is totally taken from Wikipedia but inser