Disney Planning: Choosing your carry on Part 2

Hi Friends,

If you missed part 1, the link below will take you there, when you are all caught up, come back to part 2.
Link to part 1

In part 1 we talked about traveling without checked luggage. We gave you suggestions on suitcases and backpacks. In part 2 we are going to talk about overnight bags and purses.

Will you be checking in a bag and taking a carry on bag?

If you have decided you needed a carry on and a checked bag to make your trip that much easier, don't worry you are not alone, on each of our Disney trips, we each have packed a carry on and a checked bag.

Overnight Bag
Overnight bags are the broadest category of bags. They can be anything from a duffel bag to a messenger bag, pretty much everything between a suitcase and a purse. At the airport or even when you search online for carry on bags, there are so many options, I am going to show you the two that I have tried and really liked. The first up is the LUG Puddle Jumper, this one ranks number two on my list because if you keep the carry on under your seat, it has to go on it's side. The second bag is the LUG Hula Hoop, this is my favorite carry on bag, I used it on our last trip to Walt Disney World, and I will be using it on our trip back there in January. It fits every I need and it fits under the seat with room to spare. Both bags are pictured below, Puddle Jumper in red and Hula Hoop in black.

Photo credit of luglife.com

Photo credit of luglife.com

Purses
Sorry guys this category doesn't really apply to you. I like having a small purse to keep all my important papers and documents together. Purses are a very broad category, each women has her own preference. I'm not sharing a LUG bag again, first I am going to show you a new one that I have picked up. It's a Baggallini Everything Bagg (I'm thinking this is going to be a great park bag, but I will let you guys know after I get back from the trip). The second bag from Walmart, I'm using it as my second carry on item this trip (normally I only use one), it will fit my wallet, book, pillow, and still fit under the seat. Both bags are featured below:

Photo credit of baggallini.com

Photo credit of walmart.ca

I hope this helped you guys with your carry on choices, pretty much any bag you use will be great. If you have some great suggestions for other carry on bags, feel free to leave me a comment below.

See you later

-Mouse

Disney Planning: Choosing your carry on Part 1

Hi Friends,

When it comes to carry on's you have endless possibilities. There are four main types of bags, a suitcase, a backpack, an overnight bag, and a purse.You have to ask yourself a few key questions to figure out what is the right carry on for you:

Is your carry on the only bag you are taking?

If you are only taking carry on luggage, then you are going to want a bigger bag. Refer to your airlines carry on restrictions to know the size and how many bags you are able to take with you. Some airlines allow you to carry on more than one bag, but some might charge for them.

Photo credit of Skyroll.com

Suitcase
Suitcases give you the most amount of space. For the most part they are very basic, when you add your own organizational tools inside, like packing cubes or compression bags, you can really make it your own. To the right is a cool example of a suitcase with built in organization.
Backpack
Another great option is using a backpack. My husband likes the idea of being hands free. You can fit a lot in a backpack and the weight becomes more distributed. I absolutely adore LUG brand bags! There is so much organization in each one, in my blogs you will hear a lot about LUG bags. Below is the bag I bought for my husband, he hasn't used it yet, but I will give feedback on it when he does.

Photo credit of luglife.com

I hope you enjoyed part 1, look for part 2 where we talk about overnight bags and purses.

See you next time

-Mouse

Disney Planning: Going to your Reservation

Hi Friends,

Sorry there has been such a delay in posting this. Life gets busy and it's finally settled enough for me to blog again.

When you finally arrive at your vacation and it's time for your sit down meals there is still a bit to know. You may have made a reservation but that does not mean they are saving a table for you. It means that your name is on the list and it's been holding your place in line. When the next available table opens up you will be seated. This can be as quick as 2 minutes but at busier restaurants or at busier times it can be an hour of waiting. Due to this fact, make sure you don't have anything big planned after your dinner reservations.

If you have decided to do a sit down character restaurant, there are a few things you will want to bring along with you.

• Costume (Young children only)
• Autograph Book
• Camera
• Your appetite!    

 I hope this helps you plan your day for going to your dining reservations, and make your trip to the world that much easier.

See you next time

-Mouse

Disney Planning: Making Your ADR's

Hi Friends,

Now that you have picked the restaurants for your upcoming trip, you will want to book as close to the 180 day mark from your vacation date. Sometimes it's not possible to book at the 180 day mark, but the earliest you can book, the better. The practice of booking so far in advance is becoming more and more necessary with the popularity of the Disney dining plan.

Just a few days ago I had a friend tell me he couldn't get into the Be Our Guest restaurant on an upcoming trip because it was already full.  Now I'm not saying that this is the case always, I mean I've been in some restaurants that have been fairly empty but the popular restaurants do full up quickly.

You have 2 options for booking your ADR'S:

1. Book online, sign into your Disney world account and follow the steps under make a dining reservation. (Under the what to eat heading) You will get a conformation number, make sure you write it down.

2. Call Disney worlds dining reservation number and talk to a wonderful Disney cast member who can book them as you chat. You will get a conformation number, make sure you write it down.

My husband and I have booked both ways and they both have their pros and cons:
Online
Pro: You can book at your own pace
Pro: Access to the restaurants basic information and sometimes menu's
Con: You can have computer, internet, or website issues that may delay booking
Con: You don't have access to all of the available times

Phone
Pro: You can talk directly to a Disney Cast Members who have access to all available times
Pro: Disney Cast Members are able to trouble shoot any issues you have with restaurants
Pro: You tell the Cast Member what you want and they do their best to accommodate your needs
Con: You may have to wait on hold if the Disney Cast Members are busy
Con: It takes time and sometimes money (if you don't have a long distance plan) to call and go through several reservations

Hopefully this helps with making your dining reservations through Disney. I will be back next time to explain what to do with your reservation numbers once you get them. Have a magical night!

-Mouse

Disney Planning: Picking Restaurants

Hi friends,

Today was an important day in my upcoming trip, today was the 180 day mark before my trip. In Disney speak that meant today I could start booking my ADR'S or advance dining reservations.

We are very excited to try some new places and to revisit some we've enjoyed in the past. Our upcoming trip has 7 people coming. We've planned 10 restaurants, of them my husband and I have been to 3 of them. of the other people coming with us on our trip 3 have never been to Disney World before and the other 2 haven't tried any of these restaurants except Crystal Palace.

Most of the restaurants I've booked I've never tried before:

Via Naploi

Coral Reef

Chef Mickey

Garden Grill

Be Our Guest

Tony's Town Square

'Ohanas (for my in-laws anniversary)

I've tried 3 of the places we plan to eat at:

Crystal Palace (our family favorite)

Planet Hollywood

Rainforest Cafe

With such a big group going, and with a family who want to eat every table service meal (a restaurant where you are waited on) together it can be super difficult to pick restaurants that cater to everyone's need.

There were 3 websites that helped me in understanding what was offered in each restaurant and ultimately helped us pick our top 10:
1. Of course I mention the Disney world official website: www.disneyworld.disney.go.com
2. www.wdwinfo.com
3. www.disneyfoodblog.com

 I say do your research and pick restaurants that look interesting to you and your family. I mean if your family hates fish the Coral Reef might not be the best choice. There are so many restaurants in Disney World to try, so get out there and try a new one!

-Mouse

It is A Big World

Hi Friends,

The Walt Disney World Resort is big and I'm hoping to show you how to make it a little bit more manageable, so bare with me, keep all arms and legs inside the vehicle and enjoy the ride. My names Alyssa, but you can call me Mouse, it's one of my many nicknames. I am starting It's a Big World After All to give you my personal insights on everything Disney, including packing and planning and even fun Disney facts. My overall goal is to help get you excited about Disney, whether you are planning a vacation or just dreaming for the future.

In this blog there will be three headings to differentiate between all the information I will be sharing with you:

• My Disney Story
• Disney Planning
• Cool Finds

If you have any questions related to Disney, feel free to leave me a comment or email me at info@itsabigworldafterall.com .

-Mouse