The Florida Saga: Where We’re At in our Move

*disclaimer* I am writing this over a week before publication. All information is subject to change. I’ll try to update if that happens, but I’m packing and moving and all the things…sooo…

It’s been over a month since the last update and a LOT has happened.

I mean, a LOT.

Namely…

WE ARE MOVING!!!

After months of a lot of nothing and nowhere interviews…I had a great interview about two weeks ago that led to a job offer.

My notice has been turned in at work, I’ve worked my last day, Erik has turned in his notice.

I’m on a packing, cleaning, planning, freaking out, ecstatic, so much to do rampage…all while trying to spend time with hubby and kids before I go…

Yeah, before I go.  The kids are still in school so Erik & the girls won’t be down for another month after I head down.

That means I get a month to explore, learn the ropes, and FIND A HOUSE.

Yeah, no house yet. No job for hubby yet either.

It’s gonna be a squeeze, but I know it’s going to pan out.

It’s time to move on, out of Indiana.

My target was June, 2019.

My entire family will be in Florida in June, 2019.

I love it when a plan comes together.

Disney Tips – Photopass with Memory Maker

I haven’t been to Disney hundreds of times (yet. Give me a couple years), but I’ve been my fair share.

I’ve done it with crazy intensity, and in a casual jaunt.

I’ve done Disneyland (finally), and Disney World.

I’ve picked up a few tips along the way.  And while there are blogs across the web, I wanted to hand out my own Disney advice I’ve learned along the way, and tips I’ll be learning as I begin to go more frequently.

This months tip is best for longer trips rather than shorter ones, you get more bang for your buck, as it were.

Use Photopass so you can live your memories instead of watching them.

We were blessed on our first couple of family trips to have free photopass with a free memory maker CD, thanks to Make-A-Wish. I didn’t realize what an asset it was at first, but over the course of the 5 days I really got a handle on it.  Since on the first year we didn’t have it at Universal (though it showed up for year 2) it was even more clear.

First off, with photopass you can take advantage off all the photographers at the prime spots. In front of the castle, character meet & greets, and those pictures on the rides.  If you have your magic bands, those are the easy way to do it, they just scan your band and your picture is added. You can also use a photopass card, your ticket (park or annual), or a memory maker card. That way all the pictures are linked together for easy viewing at the end of your trip.

*side note: I’ve seen it said that sometimes those ride pictures or some pictures in general get lost. I, personally, have not had this happen, but it is a possibility.  In this case I’d contact the photopass customer service. In some cases, they may be able to locate those pictures.

You can easily locate the photopass locations using the MyDisney app (which I HIGHLY recommend for so many reasons…another post for another time).

Another fun thing with photopass is the special Magic Shots. In these they have you pose in a certain way and by the time you can say “bippity boppity boo” there are magical enhancements to be viewed in your photos.

Like this shot of my girls holding Tinkerbell in their hands.  Ignore Molly’s expression. It was day 2 of our trip, first time in the Magic Kingdom. We had some total sensory overload going on here.

(To be fair…this is much better than the other picture when the photographer told them to look surprised. I’ll post that one another time. It’s HI-LAR-I-OUS)

Those magic shots are some of my favorite.

Now there aren’t photographers in every nook and cranny following you around to get every single perfect vacation shot. You’ll still have to carry a camera (I suggest a great point & shoot, not like ours, which was horrible), but you get to spend a lot more time enjoying the trip instead of seeing it through a view-finder.

Afterwards, you can view the pictures online. You can purchase photos and photo groups.  If you’re only going a day or two, you can stop right here…using the photopass service is probably your best option.

However, if you’re going longer than a day or two, photopass is only half the magic. It isn’t complete without…

Memory Maker.

Memory maker isn’t a service, it’s a product.  If you buy it up to 3 days before you go, it’s only $169 (if you wait until you arrive and decide you want it, purchasing it at the parks bumps the price to $199.  If you pay the advance price, nothing in those first three days will be saved…so buy in advance to save the cash!).

*side note: if you have an annual pass at the level of Passport, Platinum, or Gold – memory maker is included with your annual pass. Score!

With memory maker, you get unlimited downloads of not just yours, but up to 25 friends and family images from their/your trip!  This is especially handy when you have a family with older kids that get separated during the trip and don’t get all your pictures on the same magic bands. The one downside is you have to be quick to hop onto the site after your trip, because they’re only available for 45 days.

Trust me, for those saying “That’s over a month!”…after a big trip like this, that first month passes quick as a wink when you’re trying to reacclimate to real life.

Personally, if I’m going to be taking a longer trip, I totally plan for the Memory Maker because I like to put aside my technology as much as possible when in the house of mouse…so this lets me enjoy the day and still capture many priceless memories.  I’ll usually take along my point & shoot for things that really need capturing if there’s no photopass photographer around…but for the most part, I let the magic of Disney do its work. I like to live in the memories rather than seeing them through my camera.

 

Top Ten Tuesday: Dream Family Vacations #1

Continuing our countdown of my dream family vacations, we have reached #1…

Florida

Not only is this another WHOLE STATE…you can also tell I started this list before we made our plans to move, right? And with this you can probably picture me dreaming of living there being just one big vacation for me…trust me, I don’t. I’m gonna be working FT, as is hubby, and kids will have school…BUT I totally AM looking forward to all the different things we’ll be able to do when we have time off. Trust me, I’ve been saving up ideas. Ideas that go beyond the obvious of the theme parks (which we will visit with regularity, but oh, there’s so much more I want to see).

Because just like there’s supposedly more than corn in Indiana…

There’s more than theme parks in Florida.

From wildlife preserves and nature parks scattered throughout the state with hiking trails galore, and photo opportunities everywhere. To the Buddhist temple with a farmer’s market every week full of all sorts of foods I can’t wait to try.

To the beaches everywhere – so many I can’t even count, and I want to check them all out (Siesta Key is at the top of the list right now).

To Key West, which I’ve never seen and can’t wait to drive my girls over that bridge to see (Erik won’t join us…he’s got that phobia of bridges).

I keep finding all sorts of “hidden gems” that I need to uncover in Florida. It’s good we’re moving there because it would take a lifetime of vacations to uncover all there is in Florida to see and do.

Have you ever been to Florida? What was your favorite part? Do you like the theme parks? Have you gone beyond them?

Top Ten Tuesday: Dream Family Vacations #2

Continuing our countdown of my dream family vacations, we hit #2 on the list…

Mackinac Island

No cars. No chain hotels. Transportation by horse & buggy or bike or your own two feet only.

Beautiful scenery.

Simple quiet.

Good restaurants and nightlife.

Honestly, what isn’t there to like about this quiet little island on Lake Huron?

I first heard about it in high school and though I’ve only seen mention here and there since, it stuck with me through moves to other states and back to where Mackinac Island is close enough to drive to (not literally, have to take a boat there, but you know what I mean).

It seems like the idea place to head for a simple, fun-filled vacation.

Have you ever been to Mackinac Island? What was your favorite part?

The Worst Meal Ever Was Also the Best – Disney, Universal, MakeAWish

Our Make A Wish trips to Disney were full of so much spectacular magic, fun, and family bonding.

It brought us our son back from his moody depths.

It kept ME off my computer/phone/internet/everything for a whole week without any signs of withdrawal.

We arrived home with tale upon tale of the amazing things that happened.

Then there was that one night.

See, at Disney we have a habit that isn’t the best.

We forget about food.

Yeah, I know. Weird, right?

We’re just so busy doing all of the things, that we forget to shove food down our gullets.

So on this one night we were at the Magic Kingdom and someone pointed out that they were hungry. Erik and I realized that the last time we’d eaten had probably been at breakfast back at the Village at about, oh, 8AM.  We were staring down 6PM at this point.

Oops.

We were basically in the middle of the park at that point, trying to decide where to head. Two kids were staring at maps to see where we should go, when se spotted Casey’s.

Me? I’m not a big hot dog person.  I essentially only like one brand of hot dog, and that’s it.

BUT…it was there. It was easy, and I figured a chili dog wouldn’t be horrible. We WERE dining at Disney, after all…

Right?

So, in we all traipsed, making a quick study of the menu and ordering our dogs and some drinks. We find a table in the bustling restaurant and hunker down to eat.

One bite in I realized that just because we’re at Disney doesn’t mean it’s good.

Slowly as we all ate, I realized I was not the only one wearing a “color me disappointed” face.  We were all sort of dissatisfied with the hot dogs. They tasted like those pink dogs you’d get at a gas station. Utterly flavorless and dull.  The chili didn’t even liven up mine.

We all just kind of stared at each other, and started chuckling.

Then Denver thought he’d salvage his dinner in some way.  He asked for some cash to go get one of those brownies on the menu. Because it’s BROWNIES.

Can’t screw that up.

Right?

Plus, Denver LOVES him some brownies.

We continued chatting as he made his way through the line. Sipped our drinks and waited.

When he returned to the table, he had a sort of shell-shocked wide-eyed look about him.

Confused, I asked him what was wrong. Were they out of his brownies?

He held out his hand to reveal the amazing, spectacular brownie he’d gotten…

A Cosmic Brownie…in the wrapper.

I mean…

WHAT?

We all busted out laughing.  I mean, seriously.

He ate his brownie, we went about our fun, still laughing about how horrible our dinner was…but at least our bellies had food in them again.

To this day, nearly 5 years later, all you have to say in this house is “The Worst Meal Ever” and we  laugh and go on about it.  It’s that familiar joke families bond with.

So while the food was NOT great and I never recommend Casey’s to people that ask for Disney suggestions…

The MEMORY is the greatest. It still bonds us in laughter and love.

That is the magic of Disney, folks.

Truly.

Top Ten Tuesday: Dream Family Vacations #3

Continuing our countdown of my dream family vacations, we hit #3 on the list…

Albuqurque for the Balloon Fiesta

This is another thing my parents have done numerous times, but I’ve never seen first hand.

Can you imagine being there as hundreds of hot air balloons in all shapes and sizes and colors take off into the air? It fills me with wonder just imagining it.

I mean, sure, I’ve heard wonderful things about Alburqurque in general and it’s a beautiful area and there’s plenty I’d like to see there…

but the BALLOONS!!

Yes, I know…I’m waxing poetic over hot air balloons, but they’ve always fascinated me and captured my imagination. It’s not for nothing that a hot air balloon ride is on my bucket list.

I would just LOVE to see this, and share it with my kids.  This happens every year around my wedding anniversary – so maybe one day we’ll get to go for our anniversary. That would be awesome.

Have you ever been to the Balloon Fiesta? What was your favorite part?