My message to all my fellow #DisneyMP hopefuls.

Image is not my own.

A week from today the search for the 2015 Disney Parks Moms Panelists begins. Yes a week from now so many of us will be anxiously pacing the floor until the window opens.

  

If you ask me, it is by far truly the most magical time of year. 

Will I be joining once more? Absolutely I will be. How could I not be joining the lovely waiting room with my fellow hopefuls? After all it has gotten to be something I enjoy and look forward to every year regardless how far I have or have not made it. The waiting room during the few months while the selection process is being made has become more than just a hashtag on Twitter, more than just random strangers, but rather more of a community – a support group to laugh and cry with. And friends have been made; yes each and every one of the hopefuls has become friends.

I was asked the other day if I had any advice on the process. If there was any special formula to consider while applying? There isn’t. The best I could say are things I too have learned from my previous experiences during the process. 

Be you. Be true to yourself. Believe in yourself, your abilities and your knowledge. On the same lines do not feel intimidated that someone knows five thousand little facts about certain areas. But rather relish in and embrace the things that YOU know. Do not focus on what others may or may not know. It will only lead to worry and doubt in your own self. 

Do this for yourself, not for someone else. I realize this may sound silly but it is the simple truth. I believe we put so much pressure to try and live up to something we think others want us to be. On the same sort of line as that, do not try and measure up or be someone you think they want you to be. Realize your own potential. Trust that as well.

Don’t question yourself. The moment you hit submit you will wonder did I do enough? Will they like it? Secretly you will be wondering will they like me? But let it go, let it come naturally. It will. Have a little faith. 

Don’t over think it. Not sure about you but it has been on my mind a lot lately. I have endless amounts of discussions regarding it during dinner conversations, on the commute in to work. During back to school shopping. It is the same way every year. It is so hard not thinking about it, or as some in the community call it, obsess about it. It has become a part of a lot of our lives. With that being said, there is a life out there beyond the application process. Try to live it. Continue life. Even if it is helping those around you have the most magical time on their own Disney Vacations. Consider it great practice for when you do get on that panel

Enjoy it, the process the road and the journey. And yes, it is a long journey. The three months from round one, to round 3–should we get lucky enough to make it that far–is a long one. Yes you will go through every emotion while doing so. But the most important one is to enjoy it. 

Reread, re-edit and redo if necessary. Yes these are just as important. Make sure you double check for spelling errors. What about your key terms? Are they right? You may think it isn’t a big deal but it is. How is that ultra-popular restaurant at the Polynesian spelled? O’Hanas? Ohana’? Or is it ‘Ohana?  

Of course all of this is no guarantee. Many of us will receive the not so magical emails come October. It will be heartbreaking and you will have to wait a whole other year–which will be the longest year of your life–you will no doubt question a lot of things. Some of us will be lucky enough to make it on to the rounds that follow, and some of us will ultimately on to the panel. 

But do not think about any of this for now. As of right now, we are all hopefuls.

Let faith do its thing. Believe in the possibility. Hang on to the magic for as long as your journey lets you.

May the pixie dust be with you.

So long summer....

And just like that we have come to the end of summer. Did you blink? I think I did. Because I am beginning to wonder how this happened. I know for a fact it was Memorial Day yesterday.

OK so maybe not.

But somehow I am finding it hard to believe that a week from now we will be heading into the long Labor Day weekend.

There was something special about this one however. It is the summer that as a parent I have been somewhat dreading for the past six in so many ways.For in the past I have watched as summer faded into fall without little change besides the weather. But come this year, the day after Labor Day I will be just another parent sending her son off to school.

Kindergarten to be exact. Yes I am already working on a blog for that one. Yes it will probably be written through tear soaked cheeks and blurry eyes. Don't say I didn't warn you.

I realize that many are excited for their kids to go back. Some even wish for the years to pass quickly so they can get their houses, and their own lives back. And how many coworkers are cheering that their little ones have grown up, off to college and are no longer around. Or if they are close enough to finishing, they are counting down the days until they are out of the house for good. How could they think this? As it is, It is a thought that at the moment I can't even comprehend.  Nor do I want to. Yes perhaps one day I will be one of those as well. 

Bur as I watch my son grow and turn into a little kid, a young man really; the only thing I wish for is one more day of childhood with him. How I  wish he would stay this sweet little loving boy a little longer. 

Just one day more.

And as we approach the final week of summer maybe we should not push the years ahead of us. Rather we should enjoy the fleeting moments of this year. Of this summer while we can.

Because as we know it, the years? They fly by too quickly.

Embrace the time you have.

Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom: a no cost adventure.

Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom Cards

Every year when we make our way down to what is now our annual Walt Disney World vacation, we make it a point to do something we have yet to do.  This could be a new restaurant, a new ride or a new experience. Sometimes they cost a little extra, often they don’t. One may think these would be coming harder to find given the fact we are quickly racking up the number of times we have visited. And yet the joy of a Disney Vacation is the fact that is continuously changes. They are forever working on, improving something or adding new things. Believe me it is part of the appeal to us.

But this summer’s trip would be different. There wasn’t just the three of us to find something new to do. We had to think about something for seven. And despite our money saving efforts, our tricks and trades of it all, a trip to Disney still can be rather expensive which meant finding something new to do that didn’t cost us a dime, while still keeping the magic.

Does this even exist?

Sure it does. Yes, Disney does in fact have things that you can do for little to no cost; you just have to know where to look.  And perhaps a couple of Disney World fans who go on a yearly basis as family members.

Actually my nephew was the first to bring up the Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom game. He had heard about it from a friend who had just returned from there herself.

And here we thought we would be listening to him list off all the big thrill rides he wanted to do.

When he first brought up interest in the game Anderson and I admitted it was something we had never actually done ourselves. Did we know about it? Yes. On previous trips we had watched guests run around Magic Kingdom holding up cards to virtual portals, but Logan had never taken much interest in it. He was three or four after all and didn’t know how to read anything beyond his name.  But when my nephew asked if we would do it, we agreed, figuring why not give it a go this trip. Besides, we like to find new things to do on each and every Disney vacation taken. Even more fabulous Logan finally seemed interested in it as well.

I have to say this game was a lot of fun. What I loved about it was this; it was quick-each mission lasted maybe fifteen minutes. Just long enough to keep the boys interested and short enough that we were still able to enjoy our FastPass+ experiences. It was simple, which is pretty great considering when I am on vacation thinking is not something I truly want to do. It was also something that all seven of us partaking in the adventure, really enjoyed, including both my mom and my dad. As we had split into two groups, returning back to the hotel at the end of the night to hear about each others mission turned out to be some of the most entertaining and fun conversations we had during the trip.

Although you need park admission to get in, the game itself is free. Completely free. BONUS!  The cards made for a great take home souvenir!

I mean who doesn’t enjoy free souvenirs. Truthfully I think the boys enjoyed finding out what cards they got as much as they did trying to defeat their missions.  Not to mention the endless hours of trading back in the room afterwards. And unlike half of the other toys that were carried-or rather stuffed-home, the cards have not lost their appeal thanks in part to a take home game for them we picked up. Yes that is right, the boys are still happily messing with them, trading away and trying to figure out who has the rarest of the cards, and what will it take to get the other to trade it.

Yes, Disney can at times get expensive. But sometimes, all you really need to do is send them to pick up a pack of cards at the Firehouse on Main Street U.S.A, to have a magical time.

An app worth mentioning....

I am not one to do reviews, promote or rave about things, especially when it comes to apps. I do not tend to fall for the gimmicks of games such as Farmville, Angry Birds, Candy Crush or whatever game just happens to come along and sweep the nation by storm.

It is just not in my nature.

But on occasion something comes along and grabs my attention. In this case, apparently grabs it enough to actually find myself thinking, well hey I shall share my opinion of this to the world–or rather the small amount of people that may read this–and so here it is:

Just before vacation I was watching TV, don't ask what, I will deny it anyway when a commercial for an app came across. They are becoming quite popular these days, the ads for apps that is. Tending to ignore them I went on about my business, until it mentioned free. FreePrints. As in free photo printing.

Which lead me to pause and wait for it to come back on again swearing I heard wrong. But I didn't. Before long I found myself jumping on my iPhone, searching until I found the FreePrints app and downloaded it. If nothing more, it was a waste of two minutes.

So what is it then?

Its a free printing site, as you may have guessed by the name which gets you:

• Up to 85 4x6 free photo prints per month
• Limit 1 free print per photo
• Max 1,000 4x6 free prints per year

Which is the perfect amount of prints for my needs, and would save a heck of a lot of time trying to figure out how to attach my phone to the Wal-Mart printers they have.

I had to ask myself what about the picture quality? The service? Would it be worth it? I decided to wait until after vacation to figure it out. So when I got home I placed my first order. Bonus! My first 10 prints were free! As was shipping and handling which meant I paid absolutely nothing. Not a bad deal if you ask me! If they turned out crappy, I wouldn't have wasted anything other than the small amount of time it took to figure out which photos I wanted.

I hit submit and began waiting the 5-10 days they estimated.

They came in only three, thanks to an expedited service they threw in just for being a new costumer. When I got them, they were neatly packaged in a bundle just waiting for me to open them. And what I found when I got them was this:

They were not in fact bad, they were actually really good! The photos that did turn out bad was not due to the printer but rather the photo taker herself. For free photos, I was more than pleased with my discovery! The quality of the paper, the prints and the speedy delivery definitely made me a very happy customer, and one that will be returning in the near future!


For more information, including links to the app please visit freeprintsnow.com

In memorial. Robin Williams.

For the better part of the day I have been sitting behind my desk trying to put into words the thoughts that I am feeling regarding the death of a beloved actor, comedian. Genie. I have written and rewritten posts about it, never liking the final version. The best that I have thought of is silence because words right now don't seem to express quite enough. .

Perhaps that is enough for the moment.

My mom, a couple of thrill rides and a little Disney.

This is not my photo, I do not take credit for it.

Thrill rides and my mother, three words that do not go together at all. In fact when it comes right down to them, my mother tends to look the other way and not walk, but run right past them. She isn’t fond of heights, anything that moves fast and huge hills, which pretty much exclude just about every thrill ride. Hey, I suppose they aren’t for everyone.

How she managed to get three daughters however that flock to them is beyond me. 

Four years ago we took a family vacation to Walt Disney World, promising to not force anyone on any ride they didn’t want to go on. Still somehow my sisters convinced her to at least attempt Soarin’. Despite my efforts to warn them she would not like it. She ended up crying through the entire ride swearing to this day it was one of the worst things ever.

So you can imagine my surprise when she announced she was going to try it again when she came with us on this year’s summer trip. She was not only going to try Soarin’ but she wanted to give The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train a go.  I figured she would change her mind once we got there and actually saw it, because let’s face it she did swear never ever to get on it again. And I was not going to push for her to do it again if she didn’t want to. 

Still she insisted and we made our advanced Fastpass+ selection ahead of time-if you are planning on going to the parks, this is something I highly suggest you do. It is both a time saver and ensures you get the rides you want. For both attractions knowing full well she may back out and the Fastpasses would either have to be rearranged or go to waste. 

It was a risk we were all apparently willing to make. 

I will be honest however and say I had my doubts. I knew how much she hated the first go around. I didn’t think anything would change really. I held my breath as we pressed the Magic Bands up to the Fastpass reader and watched it light up. I wondered if she would back out at the last minute.

Perhaps it was the fact she did not want to disappoint my nephew and my son, or perhaps it was the fact she was determined to do it again. Or maybe she figured it was time to face her fears.  The reason in truth does not matter it is in fact of little importance, but what it important is this. My mom, the one who hates thrill rides and avoids them at all cost, not only sailed through Soarin’ but made her way on to The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train as well. Yes there was some pretty touch and go moments there, especially when the coaster came to a stop halfway up the hill mid ride, but overall, she handled it like a pro.

She did this without shedding one tear. 

I fully realize Soarin’ on many accounts is by no means a thrill ride. It does not take you from turn to turn whipping you around but it does however bring you to new heights. And when it comes to “coasters” the Mine Train is calm. It’s also one of the most incredibly smooth ones I have been on and very much of a beginners coaster.

But to her, it was that and so much more. It was facing her fear head on and meeting the challenge and accepting it. Will she ever do them again? It remains to be seen. Perhaps once was enough.

Either way, seeing my mom get on the two rides and watching her reaction to the whole thing including how proud she was of the accomplishment was priceless in its own right.

And if you ask me? That is the sort of magical memories Disney vacations are made of.

It's the final countdown-vacation here I come.

Five hours. That is all that stands between me and a week and a half of vacation.

Make that four hours and thirty minutes if you want to get technical.

Hard to believe all the planning, the packing and the endless amount of talk around the dinner tables between my parents, Anderson and I have come down to five hours. Hard to believe is right.

I know what your thinking, you guys go all the time, you should be pros at the whole 'We are going to Disney World.' trip. And in many cases you are absolutely right. We are. But here is the thing, this is the first time in four years that we have had more than just the three of us going. Which means there is a lot more involved than just making sure we know what we are doing. There is my nephew and my parents. And making sure everything runs smoothly. Its checking-and often double-checking that all of reservations including the hotel for the overnight stay in Savannah is good to go.

Its making sure we have everything, including things we hadn't originally thought about. Vitamins, extra cards. Entertainment for the boys during the car drive down. Etc. Etc. Yes planning for a trip with six people is a whole lot different than our usual 3.

Four hours and twenty nine minutes. I envy my husband who is technically already on his, though running around making sure everything is taken care of? Well that part I do not. I wish him luck. I am pretty sure right now he is trying to make his way around the city, grabbing things and preparing for a day of packing the car, gathering odds and ends-we did after all leave Oswald behind-a fact in which little man may not like, but oh well.

There is always something to worry about, will they have a good time. It's Disney, how can they not! It's making sure everyone drinks water, knows where every one is. And making sure they understand how to use the magicbands. Because the last time they were there, magicbands were merely a thought. It's making sure the boys don't kill each other in the process of the vacation.

I am sure it will all go well, do I expect it to go smoothly all the time? No not at all. I have been through enough to know something is bound to and will happen but in the end it will all be fine. I am sure I will have stories to tell, experiences to share and a whole lot of magic to bring back.

Until then....

Sucked in to the final rose.

Yep.  I did it again. I got sucked in. I really really didn't want to. After all, don't I always say and vow to let the series go for one reason or another. I don't like the choice in who they choose to be the bachelor/bachelorette. I find the whole thing ridiculous. I am to busy.

Yadda yadda yadda...

But we all know in the end I will break down and watch, I will recruit my husband to do the same, though in all fairness this season he thought Andi is beautiful and one of the better looking ones they had. Hmmm should I be worried?? And whether he wants to admit it or not, I secretly think he enjoys the show just as much as I do, and even I am reluctant to admit it from time to time.

And my thoughts on this season? Well they too seem much like the ones in the past. I wouldn't say I was in love with any of the men. OK this is a lie, I liked Marcus and Chris. I have a sneaky suspicion that Chris is the next Bachelor (yes!) but my opinion changed at Marcus's  lie detector results. And if you watched the Men Tell All special, I am pretty sure you know what I am referring to. If not, well your loss, though I will say 20 plus?? Honestly.

As for what I thought of her final two, and ultimately who she picked? I think Josh and Andi  made a beautiful couple, and we can all roll our eyes should they ever have babies because you can pretty much bank on some pretty babies. Which lets be honest, it is not far to the rest of us. Not to mention,the fact that they lived five minutes away from each other doesn't hurt in the whole how are we going to keep this long distance thing going question. Because if that is the case, well better luck finding someone who lives any closer to you. Though how they managed not to met before hand is beyond me. You can't tell me living that close to one another the duo didn't know at least one person in common??

While I know several people who loved Nick, I on the other hand wasn't in to him from the get go. There was just something that made me feel very uncomfortable around him. Though what that is, I do not know, but it was there. I do acknowledge the pair had some amazing chemistry and yes I do feel as though she did lead him on in a whole lot of ways, if she didn't feel that way, then why did she wait until the day of..Surely she knew when they were in his hotel room the night before. But this is not my concern, nor am I going to judge because that is not fair to assume I know how someone else who I have never met feels.

But congrats to the happy couple, lets face it the two looked extremely happy last night. To the point I really wanted to punch the guy if he smiled and kissed her one more time.

Lets just hope they are still smiling six months from now when the Bachelor begins.

Nailed it.

How do I prepare for vacation? Especially one to Disney World? Well lately along with the twelve bottles of sunscreen and the five sets of sunglasses I throw in my suitcase I have been preparing in a whole new way. I figure out how to paint my nails. I get it sounds sort of ridiculous because it should be easy and all. But come on, a simple manicure was so 2009. 

Yes, I have fallen for the Show your Disneyside it seems in the form of nail art. 

In true confession I do not know when the whole thing started really. It’s not like I woke up one morning and decided you know I think I will paint Mickey on my toes. Rather I believe it was out of boredom and the fact I needed something to do, and my toes needed a paint job. After all it was getting to be that time of year.

And  I just happened to have some bright red nail polish staring me in the face like hello please use me. So I did. This brings me to this week. As I find myself 11 days out-or 9 if you want to be technical-until I head back down. So while I have a million things to do before vacation, including work and packing and worrying about making sure laundry is done, bills to pay and mail to stop, all things I know I should be doing what am I actually finding myself doing?

Searching nail art options. Because clearly I have oh so much time on my hands.

Deciding what to do of course is not as easy as one would think, because obviously I am no professional. And b, considering I can’t use my right hand I need help. Thankfully I have some willing victims’ volunteers. Right, that is exactly what they are. And while I am not against doing the same design as I did in June I did in fact do a Mickey and Pluto the last time, so it is off to figure out what to get my hands on this time.

I am thinking the Castle would be perfect. But then look, there is the mad tea party design. Clearly this is the most important thing to figure out here, forget packing.

Well maybe I will just hold out I mean I have time right?

The good old hockey game.

Sunday while the rest of the world was celebrating the final showdown of the World Cup against Germany and Argentina I was busy thinking, this is no hockey. I miss hockey.

I mean, really really miss hockey. 

When did I become so in love with the sport? Honestly I do not know. But it seems it has turned into a love affair.  I mean here it is the middle of July; hockey technically ended just a little over a month ago and I am already itching for a good hockey game. For the past twenty four hours I have done little but think-other than my impending vacation that is-is it October yet? Which is kind of sad given the fact I love, and I mean love summer. 

But this whole World Cup stuff, the news about Lebron James, which I still don’t get. And knowing that football will be starting up its preseason in about a month really has me dying for some hockey. Hey I have even thought about hitting a local ice rink just to watch a pick up hockey game. Who cares if I actually know anyone, or if it isn’t pro? It is hockey.

I will take it.

Yep. This is who I have turned into. I believe, whether he wants to admit it or not. I have turned even more obsessed than Anderson, which is hard to say since he actually works for the team. But yet, it is true.

I even roam various hockey blogs and websites to read anything hockey related, including the fact that Sidney Crosby decided not to have surgery on his wrist. And believe me; you know I am desperate when I start reading things on A) Crosby B) the Penguins. But hey one has to do what one has to do right?

Some girls dig football, for others its baseball-confession those guys do look pretty good in uniform. But if you ask this gal, they can have their sports. Give me a hockey fight, some ice and a good old hockey game and I will be more than a happy camper.

85 days. But hey who's counting.

Whatever we started: once a fan, always a fan.

Long before Kenny Chesney and the Backstreet Boys there was another love in my life. His name was Richard Marx and despite most of his followers back when he first came out, I was 7 when I first fell  in love.

Back then I didn't really have a clue about the music industry, the difference between a writer, a producer etc. At this point I was just another geeky seven year old whose mom popped in a tape of the guy and played 'Right Here Waiting for you.' I was hooked. Perhaps it was because my best friend at the time was leaving me to move to Hawaii, and the song just seemed to fit. I didn't care that it was meant for a love relationship. I just knew the song spoke to me. To this day it remains one of my all time favorite songs.

But that song was the start of it all. What followed in the years to come was years of wearing out tapes, and then running to get the CDs when the tapes went out of style. I was incredibly lucky to say at 9, my first concert was to go see Richard after my mom won tickets off a local radio station. Believe me at 9, I thought this was pretty fantastic.

I have followed his career the highs and lows of it all since the beginning. Both as an artist, and as a writer. I cringed just a little when he collaborated with NYSNC-as a BSB fan it went againt my judgement. Even if the song was beautiful.-and fell in love when he paired up with Keith Urban. And despite the number of ribbing of I get for still remaining a fan, I have knocked it on down. I did not listen when they told me he was no longer valid in todays music industry. Vowing he would return, and would be back.

And this week, he did, releasing his latest album Beautiful Goodbye. And let me say, the grown up version of yours truly is still in love. Except now I see him for the artist that he is. The record is AMAZING. Its a little bit of wonder, a little bit of heartbreak and a whole lot of truth in the lines. What's more it is brilliant. Even if he has been out of the scene to most of the mainstream population, it doesn't matter. Yes, the music is very up to par with today's music industry.And it reminds us that Richard is a fantastic well rounded artist. Providing the listener not only with beautiful lyrics but can actually sing them as well. And the grown up version of the fan finds it all to be sexy as hell.

Welcome back Richard, welcome back.

So whats my favorite DVC resort?

A coworker recently caught me wearing my famous lightweight DVC jacket around the office. I say famous, because yes it is that cold in my office, and yes I am always wearing it. Even if the weather outside says its 100. Giving me a funny look he asked.

"Oh, you’re a DVC person as well. We just bought into it, or rather my wife did. I just got sucked into saying OK."

This sparked a conversation between the two of us. As a new member, he was looking for some "inside information" on resorts. The first question: Which is your favorite one to stay at?

Such a simple question, yet not an easy answer. Because choosing a favorite resort is hard, which is why we love the DVC so much. It allows us the flexibility to stay at any of the deluxe resorts DVC is connected to and never get tired of them. But since he asked, and since I try to please, I have narrowed it down to a few of my favorites.

Image is not my own.

Wilderness Lodge Villas:


This is for sentimental value alone. Back in 2000 my best friend invited me to head down to Disney with her and her mom, who was a DVC owner. It was my first chance of seeing what DVC had to offer. I fell in love with it right then. And it is pretty safe to say from that moment on I was hooked.

The first thing I look for in a DVC resort is the feeling of home and no other resort offers it quite like Wilderness Lodge for me. The moment I walk through those doors, and hear Welcome Home from the various cast members, home is exactly where I am. The resort is cozy, it's inviting and the fireplace that surrounds the lobby makes me want to curl up with a good book and skip the parks all together. Even without the fireplace in the DVC section, unlike some of the other DVC resorts Wilderness’ DVC side is small enough in which heading to the main lodge doesn't feel like a mile hike instead is just a short walk away.

Of course this cannot be the only reason to love a resort. I love the fact that Wilderness is a boat ride away from Magic Kingdom. Sure Bay Lake Towers at the Contemporary and the DVC wing of Grand Floridian have the Monorail (please note, Poly too offers the monorail, but as of yet has no DVC wing). But there is something magical about spending a beautiful morning on the lake, as the sun rises and catching the first glimpse of the Castle. An added bonus if you’re looking for a simple inexpensive romantic evening, catch the boat on the way home. If you plan it just right you get an amazing view of the fireworks, without the crowd.

Along the same lines, Wilderness offers a view of the electrical water parade at night. It always seems to be a great way to end the night on the quiet beach watching the parade of lights go right on by after what is usually a whirlwind of a day.

Boardwalk Villas:

I cannot say enough about this resort. It has the feel of an Atlantic beach scene, including street performers and all, without being at the beach exactly. We first stayed there with little expectation, but everyone raved about it. After staying there, I can honestly say this was one of those resorts that actually lived up to the hype and then some.

Image is not my own

I love the fact that this resort has so much to offer. Like the previous one it offers a small beach, along the boardwalk guests of the hotel–and even just admirers of–can enjoy the traditional offerings of a boardwalk.

Entertainers line the place. Face painting for the kids. Hair braiders and refreshment stands make anyone feel as though they aren’t at the happiest place on Earth, but an actual beach. Another bonus, there are plenty of food options for even the pickiest of eaters. As if that wasn’t enough, the shopping options are unlike any of the resorts around.

Ask my son, he would say he loves the pool slide, which resembles an old wooden roller coaster you may find on the beaches of the Atlantic. He could live in the pool and be perfectly happy, which is one of his favorite things about the resort. Honestly I couldn’t blame him.

And talk about location, location, location. While Wilderness may have a boat ride to Magic Kingdom, Boardwalk offers a boat to both Epcot and Hollywood Studios. But we prefer the walk over to EPCOT in the morning, which dumps us right into the back of the park and World Showcase. Being so close to the park is one of our favorite things about the resort and definitely makes the resort a must do on our list.

Animal Kingdom Villas:

Finally on my list would be Animal Kingdom Lodge Villas. When we first stayed here, I admit I never thought I was going to fall in love with the place. And we didn’t. But the second time around we had a two bedroom savannah view and the view alone sold us. Sure maybe it’s a little further out than the rest of the resorts, but step out on the balcony early in the morning, greet those animals and how could you complain? In order to wake up the giraffes you do have to get the savannah view, but even if you don’t you have plenty of opportunities to check them out throughout the resort.

Again, this is a little further away than most of the resorts on property. But we don’t mind. In fact we enjoy being able to unwind and chill for awhile away from the hub and hustle of it all. Staying at this resort makes me feel like I am on vacation at my favorite place one moment and in the next I am in some exotic land exploring and being away from reality the next. We tend to think of Disney World as every moment filled with Mickey Mouse, and its true to a point but sometimes I simply enjoy just being away from him for a few seconds as well.

If Wilderness felt like home, Boardwalk had the location then perhaps you are thinking what does AKV have? How about an amazing pool. Honestly who needs a water park ticket with the pool that this resort offers. My son is getting a bit older now but back when he was a toddler, he loved the kids play area, which is a lot like its own theme park in itself. So yes, the pool tops the list helping it make it one of our favorite resorts.

Another reason this makes our list is the activities that they offer. A couple years back we took my entire family to Disney World and wanted to show them everything, my mom however pulled out a guide the front desk provided and looked at the daily activities. "The resort offers pottery painting sessions, and jewelry making days." Wait you mean you don’t actually have to go to the parks if you don’t want to? Nope, and we didn’t. We spent a couple of mornings doing just that, enjoying the activities that the Cub Den offered–which you can check out and do yourself just ask a cast member for times. It may seem extremely simple but it turned out to be some of the best memories. 

So there you have it. My top three picks of favorite DVC resorts. Sure they change depending on year, my needs change and so I will stay at different places. But it is the tree above that have me coming back and returning to them year after year.