Maps and Tattoos

I got some things in the mail this week for our trip, maps and tattoos!!
I ordered some personalized tattoos for Hadley to wear while we are at Disney World:(of course it has our phone number on them!)



I told Jason I was going to get these and he asked, "What are you planning on losing the kid?" Of course the response was "NO!" but you can never be too prepared. And after all the books mention the crowds and importance of staying together I thought, remember those tattoos I saw in the baby mags..well...this would be the time to use them! So I got them and told Hadley if she can't find me or daddy at the park then to go to another mommy or someone that works there are point to the tattoo and say, please call my mommy! Haldey's response; "But I want mommy and daddy to stay with me!" So it led to a lengthy talk about being safe and accidents happen..but at the end she was able to point to the tattoo on her arm (we did a trial) and say, "call my mommy!"

The other arrival, Maps.I logged into the Disney World website and they have a great tool to use, Customized Maps. You check all the attractions, rides, etc at each park that you really want to see and then they make customized maps for you. And they are FREE..no shipping or anything!! They are a little big to carry around the park, but they make great keepsakes..everyone should do them, they are great maps too!!

Autograph Book

So as we all know Disney is crawling with characters. From Mickey and Minnie to Princess and all those in between..so I knew we would need an autograph book. At first I thought I would pull out my past scrapbook talents and make Hadley one. Well, after looking at all the items needed, the amount of time it would take that I didn't have, I decided to look elsewhere. A search on the web led me to ebay. I found this wonderful autograph book:


The first inside page is this:(of course with Hadley's name and correct date) and the rest of the pages have the crown on the bottom.



We also got a very cute Cinderella pen from the book store that is bigger (they suggest you use a bigger pen as the characters will have costumes on)
Plan is to place a picture of Hadley with the character on the opposite page of the autograph!

Let the Research Begin

As everyone knows, I am a planning person. So naturally when it came time to plan the vacation I did my research! When you go to find books on Disney World you are confronted with a few shelves full..no joke! But I found one to be the most helpful:





Fodor's Walt Disney World® with Kids 2008

I also used two books to help get Hadley in the mood for Disney World (I know, what kid needs help getting in the mood for Disney World):



Birnbaum's Walt Disney World For Kids 2008

I also had a book me and Jason had bought on our Disney trip 6 yrs ago that had all pictures of the rides, attractions and shows of all the resorts. She has been looking through this for a long time, finally I am able to say we are going there!

Of course the wonderful world wide web was also helpful! Listed to the right is a list of sites I have looked through to assist in planning. Some came from my travel agent, Julie. (thanks again Julie!)

Now you ask, "what are you going to do with all this info?" Me, being the organized planner I am, have compiled in a small notebook sections for each park with tabs that list some of the highlights I don't want to forget, i.e. the rides with fast pass, parade times, etc. I also have another reason for having the notebook, I plan to write down things Hadley says and her reactions so I don't forget it all be the time we come back!

This all sounds like I am going to plan too much, and that is not the case. I plan on doing things as we get there and letting Hadley decide what we will do, after all Disney is for the kids, Right?! But it is nice to have the tips handy..and to know what to expect when traveling with a preschooler!

Let's Get Started

Here we go, a detailed look into the planning, organizing, and finally the trip we are taking to Disney World in September! I have already listed some of the details in our main blog: www.daychronicles.blogspot.com. But here is a quick catch up on the process!
We were originally planning to go to Disney World in March 2009 and me and Jason were going to take a trip to Mexico, just the two of us in September. Well, as we started thinking about all we will be needing to do in Spring 2009 to prepare for our move to Iowa, we realized if it makes more sense to take our trip to Disney World now..so we are!
I looked into booking the trip and realized the details were too much for me to handle while working. After all, I can make calls during the day, but staying on hold, etc..it may get too frustrating for me! So I was lucky enough to find a wonderful travel agent with Magic Touch Vacations named Julie. Julie has helped book everything, from the resort, tickets, character meals, and dinners. She is a one stop shop on all disney!
I then booked our flights and all was ready for our trip! (By the way, I went back to Southwest Airlines and was able to rebook our plan tickets for a lower fare and saved $360..it always pays off to be over zealous!)
Now all I had to do was prepare everything else for the trip!