Sarasota Children's Garden

We recently took advantage of a local Living Social deal and visited the Sarasota Children's Gardens. It was one of those places that looked interesting, and for under $20 for our whole family to visit for the day (with our Living Social voucher), it was worth checking out.

And I'm so glad that we did! The gardens are full of magical lands that delighted our children's imaginations and made us adults act like kids again for the afternoon.

Follow the Yellow Brick Road...

Before entering the gardens, the kids had an opportunity to visit the costume room and choose costumes to wear during their visit. Ian chose a cowboy vest, while the girls chose a variety of ball gowns and princess dresses.

The entrance to the magical gardens.

Ian exploring the birdbath in the Fairy Garden area. The details in each section are amazing!

The little Simpsonites climbing Fruity Oops Mountain. You can see part of Snuffy in the foreground.
Snuffy is  a way-cool dragon!

Little pig, little pig, let me in...

Watering the flowers in the Butterfly Garden.

Eliza is taking her turn swinging from the rope and dropping into the hay bales in Hobbitville.

The sidewalk through The Land Of Od.
You can see the "castle" that Eliza claimed for her kingdom at the end of this road.

Just one of the fellas that we met in the Monster Garden

All told, we spent about 2-3 hours exploring the gardens, which was just about the right amount of time for our crew. If you visit Sarasota, this is definitely a hidden gem worth exploring. It's a beautiful, magical place where kids can freely explore and imaginations can run wild!

Animal Kingdom: More than meets the eye

The first thing that you'll notice as you enter Disney's Animal Kingdom is the Tree of Life in the middle of the park. You cannot miss this enormous, beautiful centerpiece of the park, which upon further inspection is found to be carved with hundreds of animals. It is truly a sight to behold, and not only sets the stage for your experience at Animal Kingdom, it lends itself as a clue that there's a lot to miss in this park, if you aren't looking.

Disney's Animal Kingdom is the largest of the four theme parks, with six main areas to explore.

Camp Minnie-Mickey is set up like a wilderness camp where you can meet many of your favorite Disney friends including the Fab Five (Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and Pluto), Pocahontas, and more characters who appear on a rotating basis. This is also home to The Festival of The Lion King musical, which is arguably the most spectacular show in Animal Kingdom. It's worth making the time to see at least once.

Discovery Island is in the middle of the park and home to the Tree of Life, which houses the 3D show It's Tough To Be A Bug. Very fun and interactive, but can be frightening to small children (or anyone with an insect-phobia). Ian is our brave little guy, but his response after the show (which includes a few sprays and pokes during the performance) was, "Mommy, I didn't like that. Please can I not do it again?" So, be forewarned, if you have anyone in your party that might not appreciate the performance.

Africa houses the Kilimanjaro Safari ride, which takes you for a safari truck ride through the landscape where you can spot many species of African animals. Each ride is different, due to the migration of the animals, and early morning rides often are best for viewing the most animals before the heat of the day kicks in.

You can take a train ride out to Rafiki's Planet Watch and Conservation Station. This is the on-site veterinarian clinic for all of the animals within the park and there are a lot of fun activities to encourage conservation and education about various species of animals. There's also a great petting zoo area where our kids thoroughly enjoyed brushing the goats.

Asia is home to two of the more thrilling rides in Animal Kingdom. Kali River Rapids is an exciting water ride with unexpected twists, turns and sprays of water. Great for the afternoon or early evening when you need a quick cool-down! Expedition Everest is a fast-track roller coaster that takes you on a journey through the Himalayan Mountains in search of the elusive Yeti. You'll run into broken tracks, break-neck speeds, and racing backward through the dark mountains until you do find the Yeti--or rather the Yeti finds you! If you like thrill rides and roller coasters, this is one not to miss! Expedition Everest also offers a single rider queue, if only one member of your party wishes to ride. When lines for this ride can easily extend between 1-2 hours, the single rider queue is rarely longer than a 10 minute wait.

DinoLand USA is one of our kids' favorite areas of not only Animal Kingdom, but all of Walt Disney World. It's themed like a carnival at the time of the extinction of the dinosaurs. There's the Triceratops Spin (much like the Dumbo the Flying Elephant ride at Magic Kingdom), which is great for all ages and especially fun for the little ones that have to sit out on several of the bigger rides within the park. Primeval Whirl is a combination of a roller coaster and the spinning teacups ride. Our 7-year-old loved it, but it's not for anyone prone to motion sickness! The Boneyard is fun if you have preschool or elementary-age kids that need to climb and burn off some steam. It's a large play area with many paths that twist and turn through the playscape, so be aware of this before you send a preschooler climbing up to a slide without someone by their side. It was a bit too much for our 2-year-old, but the older three kids enjoyed it. Finally, Dinosaur is a great simulated experience of going back in time to capture  the last dinosaur before the extinction. Again, this is something to know your kids with. We knew that Lydia would not appreciate the ride, so we didn't encourage her to ride. Caroline was not a fan either, but this was hands-down Ian's favorite ride in the park!

Throughout the park are many trails and paths to discover unique animals, plant-life, and simply explore. Don't miss the rabbit trails that will take you somewhere beautiful, new and unexpected. The theming in Disney's Animal Kingdom is second to none, and if you do nothing more than take in the details of the park, you will have an amazing experience.

Hollywood Studios: Movie Making Magic

Living up to its name, Hollywood Studios is more of a 'show' park. There are a few rides to enjoy, but it definitely offers a lot of spectacle appeal. Popular attractions include the Tower of Terror, Toy Story Midway Mania, and the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster with Aerosmith. If any of these three are of interest, I recommend getting fast passes for them early. Toy Story is usually the one that runs out of fast passes by lunch, and the standby line is rarely shorter than 2 hours once the park has been open for at least an hour, so plan accordingly.

Since the park offers many shows, your plan will be made based on the daily schedule. If you are trying to hit all of the shows, you will most likely be in the park for 3-4 days, because some shows may only have 3 showings. Obviously, Fantasmic, their big night-time show, is a strong recommendation. Some nights they offer two shows, but most of the time it is just one show per day. The venue is large, holding about 10,000 people. Most of what I can say is be patient and move with the herd. Don't bother trying to get concessions inside, it is much easier if you bring your own snacks. We usually have waited about 30-40 minutes from when we got our seats to when the show starts, so a snack is a great way to keep the kids calm and happy. It is outdoor benches, so if you need some padding bring a sweatshirt or something to sit on that you don't mind carrying around (strollers are great for this). If you opt for a Fantasmic dining experience at one of the select restaurants within the park that offers a meal and reserved seats, be advised that the reserved area is off to the side, not any where prime. I haven't seen a bad seat, but some do prefer to have the front and center view.

Other hands-on show experiences include auditioning for or participating in the audience of the American Idol Experience. Your children between the ages of 4-12 can sign up to participate in the Jedi Apprentice Academy where they can battle Darth Vader and become young Jedis. The Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular is another show to see at least once and involves audience members in each show.

Breaks are easy to come by, since most activities at Hollywood Studios are sit and watch, but if you are needing a place for the little ones to climb and wiggle, head over to Honey I Shrunk the Playground by the Backlot food court. Try to not hit it in the middle of the day when it is busiest, because then you may have a wait to get in, and once you do, it is so crowded that it becomes not fun. If the kids are a little more independent, it is good to post one parent by the entrance/exit and the other to run around and herd the kids. There are some water features inside, so cooling off is not a worry.

Sporadically during the day there are some street shows. These impromptu sessions offer a great diversion. Usually I am against these and recommend avoiding the diversions, but these can be fun entertainment and some require audience participation. I have found these to be very helpful when some of the party is riding something that the rest does not want to, and the time passes quickly while waiting. Don't miss walking through the Streets of America, where you never know who or what you'll find!

Finally, Hollywood Studios has several great options for table-service dining at reasonable prices. The Sci-Fi Drive-In restaurant serves your dinner to you at booths in a 50's-style car with servers on roller-skates, while you are watching B-movies on the big screen. Another fun dining experience is at the 50s Prime Time Cafe where you are seated at a kitchen table straight out of the 1950s, with a server who is named "Cousin Jack" or "Aunt Sally" and you'll be served up hearty portions of comfort food favorites. Just be careful to set the table, keep your elbows off the table, and leave your smart phones in your pocket, lest you be scolded by your server! If you finish all of your dinner you'll even be awarded a membership into the "Clean Plate Club".


While a smaller park than the other three, Disney's Hollywood Studios is full of magic, mystery and excitement around every corner, just as you would expect from Disney.

Epcot, more than a big ball

In my opinion, Epcot is all about rides and food. The park itself is broken up into 2 sections: Future World and the World Showcase. The opening and closing times for the 2 sections are offset from each other, with Future World opening and closing before the World Showcase. I recommend that Epcot be broken up into at least 3 days if time allows. There is a lot to see and do.

Upon entering the park, you first enter Future World, where most of the rides and attractions are located. This is the point where you choose your own adventure (come in with a plan), because the rides and attractions are in different directions. Rope drop definitely brings a rush to the big ones, such as Soarin', Test Track, and Mission: Space. If any of these are a priority, go get a fast pass right away. Stephanie and I did a divide and conquer, where I went to Test Track right away and hopped into the single rider queue while she retrieved fast passes for Soarin'. I definitely recommend saving Spaceship Earth (the big ball) for later in the day. We have had much success riding it as we leave the park in the evening and only having at most a 5 minute wait.

If you have anyone in your party that wants to meet some characters, a great time to go find them is right after you have retrieved your fast passes first thing. There is a character spot in Innoventions West near the ice cream place. It is inside and deserted first thing, and a great time to meet 3-4 of your favorite characters (Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto). Other characters will appear around the park throughout the day, and the World Showcase is a great place to find the princesses.

Inside the Lands Pavilion is the popular Soarin' ride. If not all of your party can ride, make sure that you get a rider swap pass. This allows 3 people to ride on one fast pass, so one parent can wait with the youngin's while everyone else rides, and then swap parents. If all of the kids like a ride, this allows them to ride twice without having to wait more than the time it takes to ride and having to get more fast passes. This is available on any ride, and we use it almost everywhere. Also, if someone has to wait, a great diversion is riding the Living With The Land boats that tour through the greenhouses. Both rides take about the same time, so no one is left sitting bored.

Should the little ones need to get some silliness and wiggles out, head over to the Journey into Imagination. After a ride with Figment and a catchy tune, there is an area to play, wiggle, and create. This area is a lot of fun, as long as it is not too crowded. Usually it is not, because everyone is at the big rides.

The Seas With Nemo and Friends is a very neat underwater experience. If the line is too long to get onto the ride itself (inside is about 15-20 minutes, so if there is a line outside, factor that in), you can walk around to the left (facing the building) and go in through the store to view the aquarium and other features. Inside is a play area with Bruce the shark, Turtle Talk with Crush (fun and interactive), a scuba diver demonstration, and a lot of underwater friends swimming in the 6 million gallon tank.

Innoventions East and West are some great places to take a break. They both offer some activities to do, but since they are away from everything it can be a quiet area to chill.

The World Showcase offers the culinary delights from around the world. It opens at 11, so you can plan a lunch or dinner here. If you are not on the Disney Dining Plan or have a Tables in Wonderland card, stop, go rectify the situation, and then come back. One of the best deals with the Dining Plan is Akershus House in Norway, where you get a character meal with 4 princesses (Belle, Ariel, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White). This is one of only two character meals (the other being Cinderella's Royal Table in the Magic Kingdom) where a photo package is included with your meal, not an additional charge.

Some of the countries offer rides (Mexico, Norway), others a movie or presentation, but all offer shopping and food. Just walking around can be a full day if you are the browsing, take-it-all-in type. If you plan your meals ahead of time, you can enjoy a later dinner followed by the evening show, Illuminations. The show is not until 9, and because of the offset hours (Future World pretty much shuts down at 7), there is not much to do except eat. So, either plan your schedule to come back to the park for the evening show, or time is so that you are done with dinner before the show. The whole lake offers good seating since the show is on the water. Obviously, the spots right on the fence are claimed early. You can see the show pretty well along the walkway to Future World, if you want to get a head start on the rush after the show.

Where it all begins, The Magic Kingdom

If you haven't read our post about visiting Disney World, I recommend that you start there.

Disney World in Florida began with the Magic Kingdom, as do most peoples travel plans. It is the iconic setting, complete with castle and all. Just glancing at a map of the park and seeing all that it has to offer can be daunting, which is why I recommend beginning with a touring plan.

If you happen to be staying at a Disney resort and the Magic Kingdom is the park offering extra magic hours, I definitely recommend taking advantage of them. Being at the park an hour before they officially open offers a much lower crowd level and the chance to quickly get through a few attractions within that first hour. The park always opens with a show, and it is one that is not to be missed. Mickey and friends ride up to the rail station on the train, complete with musical numbers, fireworks and confetti. They even choose a family to help them open the park by randomly selecting them from the crowd, but you have to be there up to an hour early for this. Once the park opens, the crowd moves down Main Street USA. Don't get swept up with the photo pass photographers or other cast members along the way, they are there as a distraction to slow the crowds down. Pick a path and keep moving to your first destination. Come back to Main Street to wander through the shops at a later time, when it is less congested. Just be careful it is not close to a parade time.

The park is set up with the hub and spoke design that Disney has made famous. Each area of the park has its attractions, but you can read about those just about any where.

How our 10 days at Disney World turned into 20 (for only the cost of our campsite)!

Once we drove into Florida and were Orlando bound, we knew that at some point we would want to head over to Disney World. We had previously taken the older 3 kids 2.5 years ago, and knew that once they saw the signs that they would be asking to go. All told, we love Disney World as much as the kids and couldn't wait either! We held off for almost a week, enjoying our time at the campground and making new friends, but once I had something firm and solid for my next job assignment, we went ahead and made plans. 

We originally planned to spend 10 days at Disney World in January of this year, with a few weekend trips this winter/spring and another extended visit before we leave Florida later this spring/summer. A delay with my start date for my next project meant that we were afforded the opportunity to double our time at Disney for only the cost of extending our Fort Wilderness campsite reservation 3 nights! What follows are some of our tips and tricks for making Disney World as fun and affordable as possible.

The biggest and most overarching thing that I can say about heading to Disney World is to MAKE A PLAN. This is not a place that you head to on a whim and all willy-nilly. Putting in the time beforehand can save you many headaches, a lot of money, and make the whole experience a lot more pleasurable for everyone. When we came in 2010, we spent months planning our trip, and it paid off. We were able to reuse much of that research this time around, which is what allowed us to be ready to go with only a week's notice. If possible, I recommend to start planning 6-12 months before your trip, especially if you have never been to Disney World before or if it has been a long time since your last visit.

I will break this up into separate posts to address each specific theme park. Breakdowns on visiting each park are in follow-up posts. 

Magic Kingdom
Epcot
Disney's Hollywood Studios
Disney's Animal Kingdom


Continue reading this post to see our tips for theme park admission, lodging, transportation, and general theme park navigation.