the simple five: crowd pleaser

Last year we visited Ottawa during Canada Day, where the nation's capital hosted approximately 10,000+ visitors to celebrate in one location.  With many free events, concerts and museums to see and visit, fighting through an exceptionally large crowd (especially at night during fireworks) can be a daunting task (and at first, slightly overwhelming) especially when you have young children.

As seasoned travellers, we managed to cut through the crowds and enjoy visiting many attractions without melt downs or anxiety (well, at least not too much anxiety!)

The streets of downtown Ottawa on Canada Day.  A sea of red and white!

Here's a few tips to prepare yourself so you can maneuver through the crowds a little easier during the holidays (or any amusement park or popular destination) and make the day with the family more enjoyable.

1)  The early bird gets the worm.

Wake up early.  Yes, it's a holiday and it's your day off, but if at least one parent starts early, the organizing of the day begins, and the family doesn't seem rushed in the morning. Chances are, if everyone wakes up early, you'll beat the breakfast crowd and you'll get to see everything you wanted because you had a head start in the day.

2)  Pack for the day, the night before.

I know this sounds like a no-brainer, but often while travelling, our normal routines are thrown out the window.  Plan a rough schedule the night before (look at the maps, figure out where you'll eat and set out your clothes).  Pack all the blankets and towels in the backpack ready by the door.  Morning "rush" will be eliminated, and again you can start your day early and seamlessly.

3)  Do the "back nine" first.

I always joke about this with my husband.  He's an avid golfer, so when I tell him this, he knows exactly what I want to do.  When you enter an amusement park, museum or attraction during a time when it's very busy, go to the back of the park or exhibit first, then work your way backwards towards the entrance.  This usually works for us, and sometimes there are moments when we go "upstream" through the crowds, but it gives the children a chance to really observe each exhibit without the chaos.

At the National Gallery of Canada.
With free admission on Canada Day,  this is one of the most popular destinations.
(you can see we missed the crowds here too!)

4)  Figure out your meals in advance, especially on holidays.

If we're travelling, I like breakfast packages that are offered with hotels. The hassle of walking around with hungry kids to find a place to eat, makes breakfast packages a no-brainer for me.  Even if one parent goes and grabs muffins from the local bakery or coffee shop to bring back to the hotel room (getting up early helps here) saves time and aggravation. The same logic goes with dinner...there are many apps where you can book restaurants a few weeks in advance.  Especially on statutory holidays, not all restaurants are open, book quickly or there are long wait lines to get a table.  Plan ahead.

5)  Always bring an extra bag.
I know this is a strange concept that most people think is unnecessary, but I can never have enough bags and I like to carry those foldable travel totes that can fold into your purse or backpack. Whether you've made unforeseeable purchases when you've stumbled upon a vendor or market or need a makeshift picnic bench cover if you're stopping to grab a quick bite, foldable travel totes are really handy and take up very little space.  It has saved me countless of trips back to the hotel to "drop stuff off".

Most importantly, go with the flow and enjoy the day. It is almost a guarantee that travel schedules don't always go according to plan, but if you're prepared, it's easier to be flexible and you can make the best of the day.

Happy Canada Day!

it's all about perspective

One of our goals as a family, is to visit as many places in the world as possible.  Before having kids, my husband and I travelled around Europe, the Caribbean as well as locally in North America.  Our love for travel has definitely rubbed off on our kids.

As much as I am a strong believer that solid academics are important for children to learn at school, it's what they learn outside of school that also makes a great impact.  I am a huge advocate of the whole child approach...building the mind, body and soul.  And the "soul" part is learned through experience...seeing first hand how other people around the world live and prosper.  

There is so much to learn about the world that just can't be learned by watching documentaries or reading books. (although that helps!)  It's the experience, the senses that you get when you visit a foreign land...the smell, the taste, the feel.  This is why I believe travelling provides children with a different perspective of cultures...sometimes it's that understanding, the empathy of witnessing how others live that can help you empathize with new people that you meet here at home.  

I often like taking the kids "sightseeing" in our own city.  Trying to experience our city again as if it's for the first time.  Often, we'd meet real visitors who are vacationing in our city, and it often provides an eye-opening experience...like looking at yourself through their eyes!

Another great way to view things for the first time is to re-imagine what is in front of you as part of "perspective photography"...creating a visual perception of the way objects appear based on how close it is to the camera relative to the object of your photographs.  It makes you stop and really look at a place, time or just a statue in a different, creative way.  And photographing the kids in different scenarios is a great way to spend fun, creative time with each other....you'd be surprised how quickly the time passes when they are looking for ways to ham it up for the camera!

And that is what travelling, whether it is abroad or in your own city means to me.  Looking at things with a different perspective and understanding, being creative with what you see, and having really being present in the moment.

When my kids explore, whether it's here or abroad, being in front or behind the camera, it's as if the world is in their hands.

Hope you enjoy your March Break!

be our guest

One of the places we've always wanted to visit was Bora Bora in the French Polynesian islands (it was on our list for our honeymoon, but timing didn't quite work out).

Since Disney is all about fantasy, we booked our stay at the Polynesian resort and were curious to see what Disney's interpretation of French Polynesian was.  (and since we're not going to Bora Bora just yet, we might as well get "taste of it" here...well that was my argument).  

French Polynesia, also known as “Tahiti and Her Islands,” encompasses volcanic islands of great beauty and tiny atolls scattered across the eastern South Pacific Ocean, distant from all civilisation. These idyllic islands have captured the imagination of the world since the very first European explorers arrived on these sunny shores in the 18th century. {source}

I think the Polynesian resort captured the essence of the islands, with the lush tropical trees surrounding resort, the volcano inspired pool area, and the waterfalls throughout the guest areas.


Our second choice was the Grand Floridian...we got to visit this lovely resort while we had breakfast at the 1900 Park Fare (the Mad Hatter Tea party breakfast with the Alice in Wonderland characters).  It definitely felt more upscale (I think my husband would have preferred to stay here instead), but I thought it suited the honeymooners and seniors that visited Disney...I couldn't imagine the kids "flip flopping" through the lobby from the beach to the room!  Definitely a place to consider if we return with teenagers...

Disney's Polynesian resort had a relaxing island feel to it, which the kids found very appealing since most of their fondest vacation memories were at the beach.   

Although the rooms didn't quite reflect the exotic nature of the exterior, you couldn't beat the location (it was about 10 minutes away from Magic Kingdom via monorail, ferry or bus!). The staff was very friendly, and always greeted us with "Aloha"...we felt very comfortable and relaxed, and always felt like a pampered guest.

The kids said this was "just like a beach resort !!! ", and the Polynesia was a great choice for a family with young kids.  Hopefully one day we will visit the real Polynesian islands...and truly feel like welcomed guests like we did at Disney.

it's a small world

We (especially my husband) was fascinated with the business of Disney's operations. It was amazing how most of the people employed at the parks were friendly, courteous and helpful.  There were times when we were looking at maps, and next thing you know, am employee was there to help you guide your way.  The Disney Institute  teaches seminars to businesses on how to have work environments like Disney...that are the "happiest place on earth".

This was a construction sign where the new Fantasyland 2012 was being built.
Even construction signs were inspirational!

The Disney Corporation also clearly understood "customer satisfaction"...most specifically that the longer one must wait in line for anything (rides, dinner, shuttles back and forth to the airport), the less "happy" of a customer they will be.

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Tom Staggs described a “version of Fastpass for an entire Disney vacation” during a speech at an investors conference last year and the Orlando Sentinel reported that future guests will be able to reserve specific ride times for popular attractions, secure seating for shows, make restaurant reservations and pre-book other experiences before they leave their homes on vacation." {source: Delvinia}


And for the most part, our experience at Disney did run quite efficiently.  There were various methods of transportation from our resort to Magic Kingdom and Epcot.  Monorail, ferry, resort launch boat (from The Polynesian, Grand Floridian and The Contemporary), as well as buses, all about ten minutes away from those two parks.

However, we did find that for a huge "world" that relied so heavily on transportation between the parks, that the scheduling of the buses (and communication of such schedules) was lacking.  Unlike city buses, there were no fixed bus stop schedules, so you'd have to guess when a bus will come by your hotel (and arrive at your destination) to go to Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Downtown Disney or the Fort Wilderness Lodge (where the Hoop De Doo Revue show was held).  In other words, destinations that were NOT on the monorail system.  And the staff at these bus depots were equally confused.


As things get faster and faster with technology, one good thing is that the Fastpass has removed the beast of line ups, so we can enjoy the beauty of Disney inside the parks.  Hopefully they will incorporate better ways to get to these parks just as easy, and truly make it a small world, after all.

bippity boppity boo

I know there’s been a lot of talk about how the next generation of girls are so Princess–obsessed, that there has been a lot of worry about how the media is influencing the self image of our generation of little girls.  Books and articles try to show how Disney has created spoiled little princesses (and yes, I don’t particularly like how tween Disney stars model a certain kind of disrespect to their TV parents, male or female).  And how Cinderella and Snow White enforce the helpless image of Princesses in distress needing a Prince to save the day.

Having both a son and a daughter, I can see how the media targets them very specifically.  And no other place appears to “define” gender more than Disney.  Pretty glittery princess gowns and sparkly castles for the girls. And fighting warriors to protect your nation as a jedi or pirate for the boys.

However, our little girl still loves Cinderella, so before her lunch (a coveted, 6 month reservation for seating at the Cinderella's Royal Table in the Magic Kingdom Castle)  we hesitantly booked the equally popular Bippity Boppity Boutique for a princess makeover for TheG (yes, this also must be pre-booked 6 months in advance). While she was being made over to look like Cinderella, TheB was made over to look like a knight.

I really was reluctant and almost cancelled this makeover, as I wasn’t sure if I wanted to reinforce the notion that being a princess would make you happy.  And as parents, leading up to Disney, we ensured that both children had similar exposures and experiences to the real world around us, and reminded them that Disney was just a fantasy world.

Well, we went forward with the makeover plans as I was told that this is apparently a once in a lifetime opportunity, so after dressing our daughter up in her princess costume, then being treated to having her nails painted, makeup applied (which was ghastly and was removed afterwards) and having her hair done in her choosing (with limited choices), the chair was finally spun around to surprise our daughter with her transformation in the mirror.  


She almost started to cry.

She said she "wanted to look normal".  She was okay with the dress, liked the nail polish (it was pale) and the lip gloss.  Although she enjoyed the attention (and thought it was neat that they paid just as much attention to her brother as with her)...at the end of the day, she felt the most beautiful when she was being herself. Not some tarted-up, whispery voiced "image" of what beautiful is.

She understood the notion that we were together in a make-believe place, where princesses aren’t real (and she would often ask why all the princesses spoke "so funny", like Mickey Mouse).  She understood that while you're visiting this magical theme park, you can temporarily be transported into a story, like in the movies.  But just like the fairy tale, there is an end. 

So after having lunch in the Castle (she wanted remain in her dress and crown "costume" when she greeted Cinderella), she quickly took off the makeup, let her hair down, and picked up her wand...

...and bippity boppity boo, TheG was back to normal, and was the real, fun loving, strong girl again, in a real world, understanding the difference between reality…and fantasy.

And we couldn't be more proud of her choices.

Cheddar Breakfast Potatoes
(adapted from "Cooking with Mickey and the Chefs of Walt Disney World" cookbook)

Not for the faint of heart or for those watching their waistlines.  It was on the menu at the Cinderella castle and was something that would appeal to everyone...OTHER than dainty princesses. 

Ingredients

• 4 cups shredded potatoes
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 tbsp. parmesan
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper

Preparation

• Place shredded potatoes in mixing bowl.
• Add shredded cheese, heavy cream, sour cream, and salt and pepper.
• Mix until evenly mixed.
• Place in greased baking dish and bake for 350degrees for 35 minutes
• Top with remaining 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese and return to oven for 10 minutes. or until cheese is melted and started to brown.

Makes 6-8 servings.


Enjoy with gusto!

the wonderful world of disney

                               

We’ve just come back from 8 wonderful days of amazing experiences at Disney World.  The kids couldn’t be happier, and my husband had the opportunity to witness first hand, the miracle of Disney’s well-oiled machine (it was his first visit).

For me, what I found amazing this time around (I’ve been here twice; once as a child and once as an adult on a pre-paid-planned business trip) was the ability to book almost everything in advance, so all you do is simply arrive at the airport, and all the administrative “work” is taken care of, so we can focus as a family to really enjoy every magical moment while we were in Disney.

We stayed at the relaxing, tropical inspired Polynesian Resort, which brought the South Pacific to us (one of the places we considered for our honeymoon).  From our room, we had views over the Seven Seas Lagoon...we could see the Magic Kingdom Castle and the famous Wishes Fireworks from our balcony!

When we were at our hotel at night, this was what we saw every time from our balcony...
Tahiti Room 3018 for those who want to book a similar room!

An invaluable resource was a website/blog, http://yourfirstvisit.net/. Written by a Disney expert, the site charted which weeks were busiest, most expensive, had the best forecasted weather, which rides would likely have the most crowds and which restaurants that have the most positive reviews...and charted schedules based on that information.  We booked ALL our restaurants and mapped out our daily attraction plans, about 6 months before we arrived. Since we booked our restaurants so far in advance, we had some of the best seats at the restaurants.  Most with window views to Magic Kingdom's Wishes Fireworks.  Two great restaurants with fabulous views were Ohana and Crystal Palace.

The book, "The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney 2012" (thanks, Nellie for lending us your copy!), showed us which rides to take and which ones to avoid.  We were able to make strategic choices with which rides/shows to enjoy first, which ones to "Fastpass", and which ones to avoid.  This way we were able to make the best of our time, and went on every single major ride or attraction.  We were never in line for more than 15 minutes.  Especially for the most thrilling rides like Space Mountain, Rock N' Roller coaster, and The Tower of Terror.

A 13 story high ride that "drops" in the dark.
My thrill seeking kids loved it (even my little girl!)...my husband, well...not so much!

It has become an art to “do Disney”, and scheduling which parks, shows and restaurants you want to see in advance made it easy for us to see all the best that Disney had to offer (I think the last time I did so much planning was for our wedding!).   With the ability to preplan everything online, it was amazing to be able to enjoy our family vacation with relatively so much ease. 

This is the ferry boat that goes directly to the Magic Kingdom from the Polynesian/TTC centre.

And with everything running so smoothly, it really was the wonderful world of Disney.

Simple Ways to Plan for Disney World

Planning in advance made our life at Disney just a little easier.  Here’s some links and references for those planning a Disney World trip...

A great reference book...don't go to Disney without reading it first: "The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World, 2012"

A great website that had great charts for scheduling your days: http://yourfirstvisit.net/

Keep track of your hotel reservations, and check into your hotel 10 days prior to arrival for a fast check in once you arrive: Disney Plan

Make all your restaurant and show reservations: Disney Dining & Reservations

If you don't take a lot of photos (unlike me...I took about 2500 pics on this trip!), use their onsite photographers who will professionally capture moments, so you can enjoy at the end of your trip, all the photos on a CD: Disney PhotoPass


Enjoy!