Run Princess Run

Happy February! We made it through the insanely long, cold month of January, and are now into February, the shortest month of the year. Before we know it, it will be spring, right? Let’s hope the Groundhog was correct, though with the blanket of snow I woke up to this morning, I’m not so sure his shadow was telling the truth! With that said, is anyone else dreaming of a trip to the Sunshine State?

I am gearing up for my ‘race-cation’, where I will be participating in the Disney Princess Half Marathon Presented by Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals on February 21. Last January, when my family took a trip to WDW for my son’s first birthday, my good friend Tiffany came to visit (she lives semi close by, in Jacksonville). She, unlike me, was a runner, and asked if I had ever thought about doing a RunDisney race. I stated that I had, perhaps a 5k, as I didn’t like to run and thought that would be the furthest distance I’d be able to manage. The topic came up again in April, where we, along with a few other childhood friends, now were discussing which race we’d do if we were to ever participate in one. We had decided to take on the Expedition Everest 5k Challenge (obstacle course) in May 2016. The problem was, we later realized, that May 2015 was the last Everest Challenge. Back to the drawing board. In the end, of course, we decided on the Disney Princess Half. This women-centric event allows men to participate, but the focus is mainly on the Disney-loving women runners, which made this a perfect event for a Girls Trip! I don’t see these friends often, as Kari lives up north, I live in the Midwest, and Tiffany lives down south (we all grew up together in Illinois- none of us live there now, however).

My initial plan was to walk this event, as the rules state that every runner must meet the 16-minute-per-mile (16mm) expectation, or they would be swept. I realized that even though I can walk faster than a 16mm, this wouldn’t allow me much time to meet characters, which I was really looking forward to doing. So, it was time to start a ‘Couch-to-5k’ program. Throughout the past 10 months, I’ve discovered that I do enjoy running, as it’s a great stress-reliever, and gives me some ‘me time’. I never made it to my goal of completing a 12-mile run before my race, but I remain very confident that I will be able to finish strongly. The RunDisney races are more focused on fun than competitiveness. Jeff Galloway, an Olympic Champion, is the official Training Consultant for RunDisney, and his method is run-walk intervals. I do much more running than walking (maybe 90% running, 10% walking), but I have enjoyed trying out his training program, which is free and posted on the RunDisney website months before the race. My goal for this race is to simply have fun with my friends, and earn this beautiful ‘The Little Mermaid’ theme medal:

(The beauty in the middle is the medal I'm going for!)

I would like to provide some pointers to those who are debating a RunDisney ‘race-cation’.  Once my friends and I decided which race we would be participating in, we marked our calendars for the day that race registration opened up. I had heard that this run sells out within hours, and so I didn’t want to take a chance at missing our opportunity to take this trip together. Sign-up is through Active.com, and all 3 of us had created accounts on Active in advance, so that on registration day we were ready to go. I worked nights at that time, and so being awake at noon to register was tough, but at about 11:50am, my husband brought me up a hot cup of coffee and some breakfast (he’s a sweetie!) as well as my laptop so that I could be ready to go for noon. The Glass Slipper Challenge, which Kari ended up signing up for, sold out first, within (I believe) an hour- this is a 10k on Saturday of race weekend, and then the Half Marathon on Sunday. Shortly after noon, all 3 of us were registered and ready to go! Please, if you are interested in running a Disney event, be ready to register as SOON as registration goes live to avoid disappointment!

Another tip is to feel free to book your accommodations before you register for your race- if, for some reason, you do not get into the race, you are able to cancel your resort reservations up to 45 days in advance with absolutely no penalty, so it never hurts to plan ahead. Please note that for the larger events (the Walt Disney World Marathon in January, and the Princess Half in February), each one of the Walt Disney World resorts is a ‘host resort’ and provides free transportation to the Expo in the days leading up to the race(s), as well as transportation to the race course itself on race day(s). For the smaller events, such as the Wine and Dine Half Marathon in November, not all resorts are host resorts, and so if you want to take advantage of the free transportation, you’ll have to find out ahead of time which resorts are host resorts that year. Typically, at least one resort from each category (Value, Moderate, and Deluxe) is a host resort.

Throughout my training for this race, I’ve had a lot of fun getting to know other runners via Facebook groups dedicated to this event. We’ve all shared our accomplishments and our excitement about this event, which has been great! I encourage anyone running a RunDisney race to check out Vlogs on YouTube showcasing the expos and races, and different personal RunDisney blogs to get excited! In particular, I've enjoyed my Instagram friend Karen's blog at justmeandmyrunningshoes.com, as well as her Vlogs from past RunDisney races she's participated in (search 'Karen Seal' on YouTube).

Thursday morning, February 18, the Health & Fitness Expo for the Princess Half Marathon begins, and I plan to be at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex at opening. Each RunDisney event sells merchandise exclusive to that event, including a Dooney and Bourke handbag and New Balance running shoes, and I plan to get my hands on some of this merchandise. There are also speakers present at the Expo, including Jeff Galloway, the Olympic Champ I previously mentioned, RunDisney’s official dietary nutritionist Tara Gidus, and more. I am really looking forward to attending my first Expo at Walt Disney World!

I also encourage runners to create a fun costume for the big race! A family friend offered to loan me a green sparkle skirt, and so I had planned a Tinkerbell outfit all along. Somewhere along the line, I had switched and planned to wear a Mickey-inspired costume. In the end, somehow, I am ending up with a Dumbo-inspired costume, which I am thrilled about! The problem with February races is that the weather is ridiculously unpredictable, so costuming can be a bit difficult. I am bringing running leggings as well as shorts (so I will be prepared for warm or cold) to wear under my running skirt, and a long-sleeve Under Armor cold gear shirt to wear underneath my RunDisney Dumbo tech shirt (that I bought off ebay) if necessary. I also am going to run to Wal Mart and buy a $5 sweatshirt to wear if it’s really frigid, that I can toss that to the side after I warm up during the race (Disney will donate thrown items to those in need). I still need to buy a hair accessory, and I am a fan of Bondi Bands, who conveniently have a booth at the Expo. I plan to pick out a Bondi Band headband to wear at the race the day of the Expo. While Dumbo is, of course, not a Disney Princess, I am excited to show off my costume (which my best friend Kara lovingly is calling my ‘Dumbette’ costume), and I’m hearing from a lot of girls that they are not doing a Princess costume, either.

(My Dumbo-inspired costume)

So now that my trip is less than a week away, all there is left to do is pack! I made a list far in advance of things I may need pertaining to my run, and I’ve been adding to it as I think of things. I am bringing Clif shot gels and shot bloks to stick in my Flip Belt for mid-run energy, and I plan to eat a Clif bar on the bus to the corrals on race morning. This is my routine, so nothing is new for race morning. We have to be on the bus by 4:00am at the latest on race morning, and so I will have everything ready to grab and go. I will be bringing my costume and my shoes in a carry-on bag so that there is no chance of my baggage getting lost in transfer. All that’s left to do now is ‘Run Princess Run’!

(My energy ready to pack in my carry-on)

As always, please email me at dana_aimee@hotmail.com with any Disney-related travel questions. Happy travels!

Walt Disney World for Adults

I know that Walt Disney World is not the first place one thinks of when they think of adults-only getaways. To be honest, before our son was born, my husband and I took just as many cruises for our vacations as we took trips to WDW. Since our son was born, we have taken exactly zero cruises, and 3 WDW trips, with 2 more in the works. But that does not mean that you can’t have a great time as an adults-only group! In this post, I plan to highlight my favorite experiences from previous adults-only trips, as well as some things we’ve done with children that I think would be a great time with just adults, too!

(My husband and I enjoying Disney Springs together)

If you are traveling as a group of adults, may I first suggest, right off the bat that you do NOT visit during times when schools are out on break? I know that for teachers and others who have specific vacation times, this may not be possible, but I highly recommend going during a slower time of year if at all possible. I love to travel during the fall season, not only to take advantage of the promotions which are typically offered then, but to also enjoy the warm weather when it starts to get cooler in the Midwest. I would classify the crowds as ‘moderate’ during this time of year, which is more than manageable, in my opinion. Another great time of year to visit with a group of adults would be mid-January through the end of February. Promotions are typically available, and the crowds are light (in Disney terms, of course- Disney is always somewhat busy!).

As I prep for my first RunDisney Half Marathon next month, I can’t help but feel the need to add in that for active adults, a RunDisney trip may be a perfect vacation (or ‘race-cation’, as I’m lovingly calling next month's trip). Personally, if I was going to do an event on an adults-only trip, I would choose the Wine and Dine Half Marathon in November. This is a night race, and after the race, World Showcase in Epcot is hopping until the wee hours in the morning! Now that I have a young child, this event just is not feasible for me- there is no way I could stay out taking advantage of the festivities in Epcot until 3am, and then wake up and start my day when my son does (Edit: Unfortunately, 2015 was the last year of the 'night run'- the Wine & Dine Half is now during the day). I hope to do this run at some point in the future, but it will certainly be years down the road before I am able to, which is why I so strongly recommend this event for a group of adults.

Another popular event among adults-only travelers is the unofficial ‘Drinking Around the World’ adventure in World Showcase at Epcot. If this is up your alley, may I suggest sharing an appetizer in each country to soak up some of that alcohol? Some of my favorite drinks are the grapefruit beer in Germany, the Grand Marnier slushy in France, a margarita in Mexico, and plum wine in Japan (way to mix my alcohol, right?). If you are visiting in the fall during the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival, you’ve got a whole host of other booths to visit as well. If you like pineapple, do me a favor and try the Dole Whip with rum at the refreshment port near Canada- my mouth waters just thinking about this delicious concoction!

(Enjoying a grapefruit beer in Germany- this pairs great with a soft pretzel!)

One of my favorite nights of my fall 2015 trip with my family was spent at Splitsville Luxury Lanes at Disney Springs. My family chose to eat dinner and bowl, though you can also just bowl, or even just eat dinner if you prefer to just take in the atmosphere. While I cannot speak of being here sans children, as my group had my son and my nephew, I think it’d be even more of a blast without kids knocking over drinks, grabbing at everything on the table, and flinging spoons over to the next bowling lane. The music is loud, the drinks are flowing steadily, the atmosphere is one-of-a-kind, and the food is delicious here at Splitsville- I think this was a wonderful addition to Disney Springs West Side! One tip I have is to call and make reservations if you plan on bowling and eating at the same time (which is a lot of fun, especially with a larger group, allowing time between turns to enjoy your meal). I made our reservations online, not knowing that I was only making reservations for a table, and not a bowling lane, but luckily, Splitsville was very accommodating and found us a table at a lane right away. All 6 adults in my party loved their meals, and we had so much fun letting loose and competing against one another. Splitsville does take the Disney Dining Plan, for those of you wondering!

(A pizza at Splitsville Luxury Lanes- the food here is delicious!)

Some ideas for fun nights out after dinner include visiting my favorite bar, the River Roost Lounge at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort, or the newest resort lounge, Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. River Roost Lounge offers one of the best ‘piano men’ that I have ever seen, Yehaa Bob Jackson. Yehaa Bob plays a show every Wednesday through Saturday night from 8:30pm until about midnight. This lounge, and Yeehaa Bob’s show, is always family-friendly, but it is a lot of fun for all ages. Port Orleans is themed to resemble the Old South, and it’s a beautiful resort to walk around and explore if you arrive before Bob’s show begins (though this bar is typically pretty crowded, and so it wouldn’t be a bad idea to grab a seat a bit early).

If you are looking to escape to a more tropical locale, please visit Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, which is themed to resemble the South Seas. Trader Sam’s, which opened in April 2015, is open from 4pm until midnight, though no children under the age of 21 are allowed inside after 8pm. This lounge is ‘interactive’- when certain specialty drinks are ordered, scenes on the wall change, or the Tiki goddess is alerted and comes to life… you get the idea. If you’d rather enjoy your beverages outdoors, Tiki Terrace is right outside of Trader Sam’s and boasts a beautiful lakeside view of the Magic Kingdom.

(Check out the decor at the Tiki Terrace- surfboard tables- how clever!)

If you would like to visit Trader Sam’s/ Tiki Terrace, but would also like to check out some other resorts, a ‘monorail crawl’ is another fun idea for an evening out. The three resorts along the monorail line- Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa are all very different in theming and atmosphere, and so a visit to three of Disney’s most popular resorts would make for a lot of fun. No driving is necessary, as a bus ride from any Disney resort to the Magic Kingdom is easy, and drops you off close to the monorail station where you may get a monorail straight to the Contemporary Resort. Outer Rim Lounge at the Contemporary has some enjoyable drinks, and features large picture windows which look out over Bay Lake. If anyone in your party is a Disney Vacation Club (DVC) member, might I suggest heading up to Top of the World Lounge next door at Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, which is exclusive to DVC members. Two other lounges here include the Wave Lounge, which offers organic beer and trendy cocktails (per Disneyworld.com), and the California Grill Lounge (which can be very difficult to get into- if you are interested, visit the California Grill podium inside the Contemporary Resort and ask about availability) high atop the Contemporary Resort.

(Looking over the menu at Outer Rim Lounge at the Contemporary)

Your next stop on the Monorail Crawl would be Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. As I mentioned before, Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto and/ or the Tiki Terrace are the newest night spots at this resort, but if you prefer, a Lapu Lapu (a rum cocktail which is served in a hollowed out pineapple) or Mai Tai can be enjoyed at Tambu Lounge in the lobby of this resort. I visited this spot on my 30th birthday before enjoying dinner with work friends and family next door at ‘Ohana, but since I was pregnant with my son, I was not able to enjoy any of the featured drinks here. The bartender was kind enough to put the non-alcoholic pina colada I ordered in a pineapple, which I really enjoyed!

(6 months pregnant, but still able to enjoy a (non-alcoholic) beverage at Tambu Lounge)

Your last stop on the monorail crawl is Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, Disney’s Flagship Resort. This resort is GORGEOUS (and it should be for the price point per night!)- feel free to walk around, taking in the atmosphere here and enjoying the shops and boutiques in the lobby (I once ran into my favorite Disney blogger, Tom Bricker [www.disneytouristblog.com] in one of the boutiques here). My absolute favorite Disney restaurant Narcoossee’s is here, located outside of the main lobby on a pier overlooking Seven Seas Lagoon- I know there is a small bar inside, and if you are interested in visiting this beautiful establishment, feel free to inquire about availability at the podium located just inside the entrance to Narcoossee’s. If you prefer to stay inside the lobby of the Grand Floridian, Mizner’s Lounge is your place to go. Vintage brandies and ports are some of the specialties here, and often, live jazz music can be heard from the bandstand located just outside of the lounge. Rounding out the selection of lounges here is Citrico’s Lounge, another lounge located inside of a restaurant. I have not visited this establishment, but I have heard that in the past, escargot and veal have been offered on the bar menu, and so if you are craving some fine appetizers, this may be your perfect go-to lounge.

(The gorgeous Grand Floridian Resort lobby)

Another great night out can be spent at Disney’s Boardwalk Resort. Jellyrolls features the dueling pianos, and is 21+ only (open from 7pm until 2am), and Atlantic Dance Hall plays music from the 80’s, 90’s, and today, and is also 21+ (open from 9pm until 1:45am). ESPN Club can also be found on the Boardwalk for my fellow sports fans who don’t want to miss a game, even when visiting the happiest place on Earth. If you plan on eating dinner at the Boardwalk, I recommend trying Big River Grille and Brewing Works. Note that this is a family-friendly microbrewery, but I find that dinner out on the patio is a pleasure, and if you time it right, you may even see fireworks from Epcot while you dine! There is a lot more to see on the Boardwalk, from live entertainers to midway games with prizes- personally, I don’t feel my trip to Disney is complete without a stroll on the Boardwalk!

One final idea I have for adults visiting WDW is to check out Cirque Du Soleil- La Nouba in Disney Springs. This show is exclusive to Walt Disney World, and though children are welcome, I think it would make for a great night out for a couple or a group. I would assume that the 9pm show (there are typically two shows per night- 6pm and 9pm) appeals more to the 18+ crowd, and a great nightcap after the show would be to walk over to Raglan Road Irish Pub (open until 12:30am) to enjoy some music and Irish dancing, or Splitsville (open until 1am) for a drink on the outdoor patio.

I hope that I have opened up your eyes to some of the fun available for adults at Walt Disney World- I have visited multiple times since I turned 18, from an impromptu trip on New Year’s Day when I was in college and home on break (my dad suggested 2 days before Christmas that we go, but all of my warm-weather clothing was still packed up in boxes in my college room- I managed to find some clothing the day before we went at Macy’s, but I would have NEVER thought my dad would be that spontaneous!), to my final ‘kid free’ trip my husband and I took in late 2013 that I dubbed our ‘baby-moon’, and each one has been very different, and so much fun! There is truly something for everyone at Walt Disney World. Even taking an evening to sit out on your patio (deluxe resorts only) and enjoy a cold beer just screams ‘vacation’! As usual, feel free to email me at dana_aimee@hotmail.com with any questions. Happy Travels!

Monorails and boats and buses- oh my!

As my husband and I anxiously await our first time staying at a resort on the monorail line for our upcoming early 2016 trip, I can’t help but think that for those who are unfamiliar with the transportation options at Walt Disney World, that it must be very daunting to try to figure out how to get to where you are going using Disney’s complimentary transportation. But have no fear- I am here to try to make this seemingly daunting task just a bit easier to figure out!

If you arrive via airplane to Orlando International Airport, then you may take advantage of Disney’s Magical Express, a complimentary shuttle service which will take you to your Walt Disney World resort hotel, and back to the airport at the end of your trip. Besides being free, another great perk to using the Magical Express service is that they will drop your luggage off in your room for you (several hours after you arrive). Let me explain- a few weeks before your trip, you are mailed several yellow luggage tags with your name and resort hotel name printed on them. You place these tags on your luggage at home before you leave for the airport, and once you drop them off with the airline at your home airport, you do not see these bags again until you are checked in and settled at your resort. There are a few exceptions to watch out for (namely, if you have a late-arriving flight, or are taking one of the few airlines that the Magical Express does not work with), but otherwise, I would highly recommend using the free luggage service. Before we had our son, my husband and I did not take advantage of this service, as we didn’t want to wait the several hours for our luggage to be delivered to us; however, now that we are traveling with a toddler, and therefore a stroller, diaper bag, etc, it is VERY nice to be able to worry about a few less bags as we travel to our Disney resort. We do take a carry-on suitcase with a pair of pajamas for each of us, our bottle warmer and bottles, and a swimsuit and one casual outfit for each of us just in case our luggage happened to be delayed for an extended period of time, but we have never had a problem with this service to date.

If you have received a copy of Disney’s free vacation planning video from www.disneyworld.com, as recommended in the post ‘Disney for the Novice Traveler’ (http://danasmousetails.blogspot.com/2015/11/disney-for-novice-traveler.html), then you know that there are 3 types of transportation to get you to and from the resorts, Disney Springs, and the theme parks. These 3 types of transportation include buses, boats, and the monorail.

(The Magic Kingdom monorail station)

The monorail is, in my opinion, the most exciting of the 3 transportation options mentioned above. And for those of us with children in strollers, a big perk to being on the monorail is that you may leave your child in his stroller on the monorail- this is the only method of transportation which allows a child to remain in his stroller! I have listed the three resorts on the Walt Disney World Monorail System below (also keep in mind that Epcot is accessible by monorail, via the Transportation & Ticket Center):

-Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

-Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort

-Disney’s Contemporary Resort  

(My beautiful family taking the monorail to the Contemporary Resort for breakfast)

The Contemporary Resort is the only resort on Disney property within walking distance of the Magic Kingdom- a big perk to those parents who have children who still nap during the afternoon. My family has never been the type to leave the parks in the afternoon for a break, but with our resort being so close on this next trip, I think this time we may!

 

For guests staying at the following resorts, boats travel frequently to the Magic Kingdom from the pier outside their resort:

-Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort

-Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground

-Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort

-Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Now- on to the Epcot resorts! If you are going to be visiting Walt Disney World in the fall during the International Food and Wine Festival, and/ or are a childless couple, then may I suggest an Epcot resort if your budget allows? Before our son came along, my husband and I spent many fun moments at Epcot in World Showcase, sampling food and beverages from different regions of the world. We still enjoy World Showcase and all that it has to offer, but we now focus more on the food than the beverages! A great perk to staying at the Epcot resorts along Crescent Lake is that you are able to stumble back to your resort directly from World Showcase when the night is over. The Crescent Lake resorts include:

-Disney’s Boardwalk Inn Resort and Villas

-Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts

-The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resorts

(My nephew and son looking out over Crescent Lake from Disney's Boardwalk Resort)

From the 5 resorts listed above, boats are available to both Epcot and Hollywood Studios theme parks, or you may walk to these parks instead. Remember that if you take the boat or walk to Epcot, you will not arrive at the front of the park where the monorail is, but you will arrive at the back of the park, inside World Showcase, at what is called the International Gateway (next to the France and United Kingdom pavilions).

The final resorts offering modes of transportation other than the bus are the Disney Springs area resorts. From any of these resorts, boats will whisk you away to Disney Springs, and back to your resort at the end of your day. Additionally, the option to walk to Saratoga Springs from Disney Springs is available, and depending on which area of the resort you are staying in, may be quicker than the boat (this resort is huge!). Disney Springs area resorts include:

-Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa

-Disney’s Old Key West Resort

-Disney’s Port Orleans Resorts (which are comprised of Port Orleans Riverside, and Port Orleans French Quarter)

(My son and I taking the boat from Disney's Port Orleans Resort to Disney Springs for lunch)

Please note that many people think that the option to walk to Animal Kingdom theme park from Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge resort is a possibility, but it is not. While the resort is on the savannah where live animals roam, a bus is needed to get to the theme park from this resort.

Please also note that to get from resort to resort (for dining reservations at a resort other than where you are staying, for instance), Disney recommends one-and-a-half hours travel time, as multiple modes of transportation may be needed. If you happen to arrive early to a restaurant reservation, then have no fear- the resorts are all beautifully themed, and a great way to pass the time is to check out the décor in and around the resort!

If you suddenly find yourself on Disney property with no clear direction of how to get to where you are going, then please find a Disney cast member, and they will be happy to direct you to your destination. With about 40 square miles of land, the Walt Disney World resort is huge, and it’s easy to feel lost once on property- but the nearest cast member shouldn’t be too far, and will point you in the right direction quickly and efficiently.

As always, please feel free to email me at dana_aimee@hotmail.com with ANY travel-related questions. Happy New Year, and thank you so much for checking out Dana’s Mouse Tails! Happy travels!