Day 1472: Caribbean Beach

One of my goals is to stay in each of the Walt Disney World resorts at least once, and surprisingly enough, I'm checking them off one right after the other lately. In January of 2015 I stayed at Saratoga Springs for the first time, in June 2015 it was Wilderness Lodge, in August I'll finally stay at the Polynesian (if only for one night), and in September I'll stay at Art of Animation for the first time as well. This January, however, I checked another of the resorts off my list: Caribbean Beach. 

This moderate resort is currently in the process of being renovated, but when I was there not long ago it was calm and quiet, at least as calm and quiet as it gets when you're staying at one of the largest resorts on property. Since I grew up staying at primarily Old Key West, the spaced out buildings and multiple bus stops did little to confuse me, but I have to say that perhaps Caribbean Beach was a little too big for me to handle. 

The rooms themselves are nice, very similar to the accommodations I enjoyed while staying at Coronado Springs last July, which fits two people well and is situated much like a typical hotel room. I feel as though it might be a bit cramped for four people, but it's certainly doable and really, what hotel room isn't a bit cramped with four people in it? 

But it wasn't really the rooms that bothered me. Used to five bus stops at Old Key West, the eight or so bus stops that didn't seem to have a consistent order was overwhelming. It took me a couple of days to figure out which bus stop was actually closest to my room, mostly because not one of the bus stops was actually all that close, meaning that if you're using the bus as your primary mode of transportation you'll probably want to request a room close to the bus stop (we did and still had to walk quite a distance to catch the bus). 

In addition, where Coronado Springs, which is probably the best comparison resort to Caribbean Beach, included building locations that felt thought out and purposefully placed, the main buildings at Caribbean Beach seemed scattered. Typically with the Disney Resorts, everything you need - check-in, food court, main restaurant(s), gift shop, etc. - is in one building or location, and typically this area is situated in a central location in comparison to the rest of the resort buildings. I've included the Coronado Springs and Caribbean Beach Maps below to give you a better idea the layout for each: 

On the Coronado Springs map above, note that while it's a further walk to the convention center and main building, the Rachos area of the resort is significantly closer to the Dig Site Main Pool, and regardless, it's roughly only a half hour walk to get all the way around the lake (or about a 10-15 minute walk from Casitas to the Dig Site). Everything is easily accessible to all guests regardless of where your room is, and additional pools are placed strategically to provide additional options for guests. 

On the other hand, at Caribbean Beach, the resort is so big that you pretty much have to take a bus from some of the resort rooms to get up to the main building in a decent amount of time (and even then you may be waiting a considerable amount of time for an internal bus if your bus stop is in the wrong location on the stop schedule). Likewise, the main pool is hardly walking distance for most guests of the resort (although the same could be said for Old Key West here), and the distance of these amenities to most rooms is hardly efficient if you're looking to grab a bottle of water before heading to the parks or head to the pool at the conclusion of a long day. Additionally, Check-In is mysteriously off in a corner, which creates a bit of a hassle on its own, and the sheer number of bus stops means that your bus may take upwards of 20 minutes just to get through the resort stops, much less to the park of your choice or back to your own stop at the end of the day. 

Of course, it's all a matter of personal preference. Obviously many guests enjoy staying at Caribbean Beach, as is evident by the plans for expansion and the number of rooms that already exist. Like every Disney resort, the design of the resort is phenomenal, the cast members are spectacular, the rooms are nice, and the amenities (once you get to them) are up to the Disney standard. But for me, I'm just not sure that Caribbean Beach is my type of resort, and that's alright. We all have our preferences, and that's why some resorts are better suited to some people and not others, but I honestly don't think I'll be staying at Caribbean Beach again anytime soon...if only because I have more resorts to stay at for the first time!

If you've ever stayed at Caribbean Beach, what were your thoughts? Let me know in the comments!

Have a magical day!

Day 1375: Closing Down

You'd hardly know that a Hurricane was coming while walking through the parks. Aside from the phone notifications for the watches and warnings and cast members slowly but surely tying things down and bringing tables inside, everything was normal. Showers past by as they usually do, the afternoon sun heating things up, guests filled the parks, fireworks went off, and the day went on. 

And that's exactly how the day prior to Hurricane Matthew went this past October. Usually traveling to Florida in the winter months, a hurricane had never before been a concern. There was no reason to be concerned, after all, because hurricanes don't happen in the winter, at least most of the time. But going in October, things were a little different. We haven't been to Disney in October since I was only a couple of years old, and we definitely didn't have any weather troubles then. Even traveling in the summer for the past few years nothing specific has come up aside from once being stranded back in Wisconsin because of some thunderstorms. 

So a hurricane was a new one for us, and we had no idea what to expect. Turns out, not much changed. I'll have another post about the actual hurricane experience, but there's something specific to be said about the preparations at Disney in the 38 hours leading up to the storm. 

When we left Epcot the night before, showers unrelated to the storm had just gone through, and a beautiful sunset (which you can see in the above photo) was coloring the sky above the parks. We headed out after IllumiNations to head over to Magic Kingdom to make sure we caught the Electrical Parade one last time, and at that point everything seemed pretty ordinary. In World Showcase, some of the lights were tied down or wrapped to protect them from any potential damage, and the tables and chairs that are usually sitting out were brought indoors, but that was it. 

At Magic Kingdom, nothing seemed out of the ordinary at all, and as the next day went on and storm clouds rolled in, everything still seemed normal aside from a distinct lack of people and a haze of uncertainty in the air. Once it was announced that the parks would be closing in the afternoon, the reality of the situation began to set in, but everything still seemed fine. 

And that was probably the weirdest part about the whole thing - the sense that nothing was really wrong. The cast members were incredibly calm despite the fact that they had homes to worry about and a trek from the parks through the storm back to them, and that kept the sense of panic at bay. Honestly, I think the craziest it got was while we were at The Grand Floridian right before heading back to the Boardwalk, and made our way into the store, where a large hoard of guests were stocking up on absolutely everything (we were just looking for some butter). 

So was the preparation for a hurricane what I expected? No, absolutely not at all. But it felt right, and it definitely made me feel safe the whole storm through. 

Have a magical day!

Day 1323: A Year Already

The last year has gone by so quickly that I hardly realize that it's already been a year since I was at the Happiest Place on Earth...and yet I tweet about missing Disneyland every few weeks. 

I sometimes forget that I've actually visited Disneyland twice in my life, probably because regardless of how many times I'm there, I don't think it'll ever be enough. I've blogged time and time again about how much I love Walt Disney World, and I absolutely do, but there's something so different about Disneyland, and even with three trips to Walt Disney World in this year and one more to go, it's just not the same as heading out to California. 

What it is exactly that makes Disneyland so special is hard to pinpoint. The easy answer is that it's the original park - it's Walt's park - but that doesn't even completely describe it in my opinion. Disneyland is, in every way, just different from the parks in Florida and anywhere else in the world. Maybe it's the sense of community you feel there, and the closeness to the city around you. Disneyland feels more like a community, with locals visiting and everyone so welcoming, even to out of towners. The attractions there just feel right, and don't even get me started on how precious California Adventure is, especially now that's it's found new life. 

The foods are different, the atmosphere is different, the attractions are different (at least most of the time), the layout is different, the charm is different, and the list goes on. Pretty much everything is different. And yet, it gives the same feeling of home that I've come to know and love about Walt Disney World. My trips to Walt Disney World may amount to 15 times more than those to Disneyland, but regardless of which coast I'm on, it just feels right being there. 

So yes, I'm absolutely missing Disneyland now, even as I continue to prepare for my next trip to Florida. I miss everything about Disneyland, and I can't wait to go back someday. But for now, I suppose I'll have to relive my memories of the west coast by watching old vlogs: 

Have a magical day! 

Day 1187: How Did It Start?

If you've been around for a while, you'll know already that my love of Disney really took off when I was around 4 years old and formed some of my earliest memories during the Millennium Celebration at Epcot. If you haven't heard that story, you can learn all about it right here in this video: 

But really, my relationship with Disney goes even further back. I took my very first trip to Walt Disney World when I was 15 months old, and I went on another trip a year later. In fact, previous to the Millennium, I went a few times, visiting in October of 1996 and 97, and November of 98. My last trips before the Millennium, and really my first experiences with IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth, would have been in March and November of 99. I wouldn't be back until a year later in 2000, but by that point it really wouldn't matter anyway. My love of Disney was solidified. 

Of course, there's not a ton I remember from the early days, but I do have quite the fond memories of places like the Imagination Pavilion, especially the music squares in Imageworks, the Boneyard, and the Honey I Shrunk the Kids play area. There was also the car outside the Sci-Fi, Spaceship Earth in general, and the pool at Old Key West. Really, you name it and I probably spent a good amount of time there. 

So really, my love of Disney started as typically as you can imagine. My parents loved going to WDW and took me along, and as I grew older it was just something I was used to. Disney became a part of my life just like my house or school did, and even from an early age I was quick to call it home. 

In other words, yes, my love of Disney really did start with the Millennium Celebration because that's what I can remember best, but the foundation was already there, just waiting for me to build upon as we entered a new millennium. 

Share your early Disney stories in the comments below! 

Have a magical day!

Day 1175: Pictures from Home

Spring Break is prime time for visiting Walt Disney World. Even I've visited this time of the year, and while this spring break meant staying home, it apparently hasn't meant the same for pretty much everyone else. It seems like everyone and their brother has spent at least part of their spring break chilling at Walt Disney World, and as we round out our break, pictures from people I haven't talked to in ages pop up on my Facebook feed, Spaceship Earth in the background.

As Megan pointed out, this is how the world probably feels when I'm at Disney, but thankfully I've got some great friends who send me pictures from home because they know I'm missing it. This year, it seems that most headed to Hollywood Studios, which, oddly enough, is where I've spent a ridiculous amount of time over my past few trips, but there have been pictures from all four parks constantly showing up on social media. To celebrate my pals heading to the most magical place on earth, I also shared some pictures from my last trip in January that I hadn't shared yet, which wasn't quite like being there myself, but reminded me of the great times I had there not long ago.

Ironically enough, I also happened to plan fastpasses for my next trip yesterday to, just as my friends were heading on Rockin' Roller Coaster. You can't beat timing like that! Plus, I suppose if we can't be at Disney World, there's nothing like our friends experiencing the magic...and sending a bit of it back to us to celebrate too.

Have a magical day!

Day 913: Operation Dole Whip

Fans of Once Upon A Time aren't strangers to the various operation names that surround the show. So far we've had several, incluing Operation Cobra, the original project in Season One, Operation Save Henry, the mission in Season 3, and, most recently, Operation Mongoose, which took place throughout Season 4. So when Frank and I decided we wanted to go back to Disney and finally figured out a time we'd both be able to go, we dubbed it Operation Dole Whip.

And somehow we managed to make it work.

That's right. In January 2016 we'll be headed back to Walt Disney World for more adventures of every kind, and I can tell you already that there are a lot of things in the works for this trip. From challenges to YouTube videos to games of hide and week, we're already hard at work planning things out.

But that's not what we're most excited for. Operation Dole whip is all about taking things at a relaxing pace and enjoying all that Disney has to offer. So instead of rushing around right away, we've decided that our first day won't be a park day at all, but rather a day to enjoy Old Key West and the other resorts, resting up for the next seven days of adventure time.

Which is where Everyday Disney comes in. We're planning, as I said, several challenges, but over the next few months here on Everyday Disney and on my Instagram I'll be looking for input from all of my followers on what food we should eat, things we should do and possible challenges we should take, so keep your eyes out and get ready for more of those Frank Flashses you can find in the vlogs from this past January!

Have a magical day!

Day 837: Trying New Things

It's obvious already that this summer is going to be filled with new adventures for me. While in June I'm traveling back to Disney World, the trip will be different for me. New resort, no dining reservations, lots to do and for the first time since last July 2013, I'm not constantly thinking about a band trip video! Then comes Disneyland in August, and I've only been there once. However, I know what to expect this time and I'm thrilled that I'll have the chance to attend D23 AND meet some of my California friends and favorite Disney people! To add onto that, I've also got a band trip in there, which I'm going on not as a student or chaperone, but as videographer...a brand new position that I'm looking forward to exploring.

And so, while thinking about these trips, I realized that maybe I should use this as a chance to explore some new things. With my OUAT Disneybounds, I'm always experimenting with new styles, new makeup, and new trends that maybe I wouldn't have thought of before. It's been an incredible education experience and a great opportunity to modify my own style. And there's been a realization somewhere in there: a lot of times, in order to find the best way to do something, you have to continuously experiment. My wardrobe on my first summer trip to Disney in 2011 was drastically different from what I'll be wearing this June, and it's all come through experimentation and experience.

Of course, I'm not an expert on a lot of things, not by any means, other than maybe Epcot, as my common signature and social media handle suggests, but I do know a thing or two about traveling to Walt Disney World. However, that doesn't mean that an old dog can't learn new tricks, especially as I close in on my last couple of years of college and the realization that, once I graduation, I'll be doing a lot more traveling that I have so far in my life.

What's my point with all of this? Well, as you know well enough, I always have some sort of challenge that goes on during my Disney trips. I don't actually remember really having one in January, but I'm fairly certain that the sheer number of characters I met and things I accomplished counts. Regardless, I'm starting to compile a list for June, a list of new things I can try, whether it be a new challenge in the parks, a new video idea, a new packing concept or the simple fact that I'll be traveling with a different bag through the airport this trip, thanks to the fact that for the first time since 2008 I'll be traveling without my laptop.

Which means I'm looking to you guys, my readers and fellow Disney fans! I've got about a month and a half left before my trip, and while I won't be able to do absolutely anything, I'm looking for a few things. First off, what are some of your favorite attractions? I know mine, but that doesn't mean everyone loves Spaceship Earth on the same level as I do. Where are some of your favorite places to eat, especially counter service locations! Are there any video ideas out there you have or something you'd like to see in my vlogs (and new ones are coming, I really do promise I'm working on them)? Let me know! I'd love to hear your thoughts, ideas and opinions as I come up with a challenge for this trip! Traveling can be difficult, but I want to try out new ideas, just to mix up my routine, because who knows! There might be a better way to do things out there that I've yet to discover!

Have a magical day!

Day 394: Experience It

I haven't done a Pinterest post specific to one particular picture in a while. I mean, I do the ones where I have a whole bunch of pictures on one board, but I haven't done one like this recently. It's one of those times when I go on Pinterest and find a post that I can just sit down and write whatever I want about it. 

This is something I tend to talk about a lot actually. I can't count the number of times I've said to someone that Disney isn't just something you can talk about. I can talk about going to Walt Disney World all day long and yet you still won't be able to experience it the same way I do just through my words. 

In fact, it's something I've talked more and more about with the Band Trip to Walt Disney World. A lot of people have questions about why you should go to Disney World because either they have been there before or they have some sort of idea about what it is. In reality it's normally not the truth. 

The only way to really experience Walt Disney World is to go there for yourself. To see and experience everything through your own eyes. And since every Disney Vacation is different, you're going to have different memories. My favorite experiences come from the entire range of my trips, not just the first couple I remember. Every time I go it's more magical, and I can't wait for my two trips this year because they both promise to be great. 

Have a magical day!