Day 1316: Carrying the Load

After 20 years of flying between Wisconsin and the Orlando International Airport, I've become quite the expect packer. I can quickly fill my suitcase with everything I might need for a trip to Walt Disney World, and my carry-on doesn't take much longer. In fact, I've become so good at packing that I've managed to get everything from numerous mugs to candy apples home without a problem, and getting my luggage to and from the airport isn't much more difficult. 

As I headed to Walt Disney World on my first solo trip this past July, I fully utilized the expertise of bell services at multiple Disney resorts. Since I started my trip at Coronado Springs, I picked up my own luggage from the airport for Magical Express, and then entrusted it to the bus driver before seeing my suitcase again at the resort. A few days later, I was ready to transfer to Old Key West, and I was introduced to some of the real magic Bell Services works every day. 

On the morning of my move, I did exactly what my mom said I could do, and took my suitcase to Bell Services at Coronado Springs. After explaining to them that I was transferring to Old Key West, both my suitcase and my carry on were sent away, and I headed to Disney Springs for the remainder of the morning and early afternoon. 

Since you have to transfer at a Disney Resort if you're going from Disney Springs to a park, I figured I would stop back at Old Key West on my way over to Animal Kingdom, especially since I had a notification that my room was already. It'd only been a couple of hours, maybe two or three, since I dropped off my bags at Coronado, but when I checked with Bell Services, my bags were magically already there! Then it was off on a golf cart with one of the cast members to bring my luggage to my room. 

And of course, I got a golf cart ride back up front for airline check in the day I was leaving, which allowed me to check my luggage right at Old Key West and not worry about it again until I returned back to Milwaukee. 

The point here is this: Bell Services at Walt Disney World is a huge advantage of staying at a Disney Resort. While there are bell services at other hotels and resorts, there's something about trusting a cast member with your bags. The personal touch of knowing which cast member is responsible for getting your luggage from your Disney Resort to the airport, and the simplicity of not worrying about any of it as you gallivant around the parks and make the most of your visit. 

So thank you, to all of the cast members that work for Bell Services. You make our lives so much easier and our trips much more magical!

Have a magical day!

Day 140: MCO

Now, this might seem like kind of a strange post for today, but trust me, it does have a bit of a point.

This last week, one of my friend's parents took a trip to Florida, and of course they flew in through Orlando International Airport. And since my own Disney trip is quickly approaching, I figured I'd make a post just about it...the airport that is.

The Orlando International Airport is the place most Disney-goers fly through, including myself, and that makes the airport all part of the great adventure each time we go. If you've been there, especially more than one, you know that there are plenty of little things that makes the airport all part of the Disney vacation itself. 

The first one is obvious...the Disney Store. It always makes me smile to see Spaceship Earth and the rest of the icons on that wall. I know I did get some video it the last time I went, for the vlog, but it didn't make it into the actual video because I didn't do one for the first day...that will change for this next trip though...since I already have an idea for my first video. But either way, it's a little piece of Disney that's there early, or, if you forgot to grab something from the parks, it's a great last chance to get that extra souvenir.

But if you're like me, you also know that the very first (and last) "attraction" of a Disney vacation is also at the airport...the tram ride of course! Or monorail...I'm not absolutely sure what it's called, at least not off the top of my head, but it's still awesome. I mean, it's a little sad when you don't get that front window seat (although my brother and I always used to like run to get it), but it's still fun to be able to take a ride! I'm pretty sure we have film of this from just about every vacation too...just saying. 

And so, MCO is really a big part of the Disney vacation experience, unless you're driving, because that's an entirely different story. But if you do fly, between the Disney store and the monorail and the way the suitcases click on the tile floor (I don't know why it always reminds me of vacation...), it's certainly another great thing you can experience on your trip. And then there's the rental car or Magical Express or a Taxi, or whatever you use to get to Disney, but I feel like that's another post entirely. Maybe I'll do that on a later post, sometime after I've made that trip again. It is only a few months away, after all!

Here's today's Disney History: 2011: Star Wars Weekends returns to Walt Disney World for the 2011 season, the same day as the much anticipated Star Tours attraction reopens with a grand ceremony. More than 50 story combinations are possible for guests to experience aboard Star Tours, so guests can enjoy the attraction multiple times without ever experiencing the same adventure. 

Have a magical day!