Disney Fun

We Like To Party! And you will too! Why you should go to the after hour parties at Disney

July 11, 2019 by Elissa Colón

Disney offers some pretty awesome after hour parties throughout the year, but not all guests choose to purchase tickets to these awesome events. There are multiple parties for this coming fall like Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, but you don’t have to wait until the fall. There are also parties for this summer that you still have time to enjoy like H20 party nights at Typhoon Lagoon or Villans After Hours party at the Magic Kingdom. Also, special after hours nights at Hollywood and Magic Kingdom are happening now. All of these events are a great way to enjoy a little more time in the parks with some extra magic. I’m sure your question is…”Why spend the extra money?” There are many reasons so let’s talk about them.

Smaller Crowds
Since the amount of tickets that are sold to these events are limited the number of people in the parks is significantly lower than on an average day. This means you are able to move more freely through the parks getting a chance to ride on attractions that might have a longer wait normally. You are also able to get better pictures without so many people in the background of your photographs. Plus as an added bonus the lines for your favorite foods and treats are significantly lower than they normally are. This might be your time to finally try that treat that the lines have always been to long for. Everyone loves a smaller crowd at Disney. Parties are a great way to maximize your time since the crowds are far smaller.

Special Food and Treats
Along with the special party nights comes the special party themes which brings all the special party theme foods and drinks. Each of the different parties have their own specialty items that the foodie fans are sure to love and even non foodie fans are excited to try. Some events like the after hour parties at Hollywood and Magic Kingdom even include select ice cream and popcorn as well as bottled soft drinks in the ticket price. Even if you are not interested in the special foods having shorter lines at the regular food venues is a great way to be able to try some of the foods that long lines that normally people are discouraged from trying because of longer lines.

Extending your Trip
Party tickets are half day tickets with most of the events starting in the early evening. Party tickets can be a great way to extend your trip by giving you an extra half day at a park. With most party tickets you can enter whatever park the party is taking place in as early as 4pm. So you can spend the day enjoying your resort, lounging in your pool or the other amenities at the resort and then spend the early evening into the wee hours of the morning having a blast at a park. Going to one of these parties gives you at a minimum of 5 hours at a park for in most cases less than the cost of adding on an additional day to your reservation.

The point is…
Disney party tickets are a great enhancement to your family vacation. It gives you access to some of your favorite parks with much smaller crowds. It also gives you a chance to experience special treats and shows that you wouldn’t see at any other time in your Disney stay. Party tickets are a wonderful way to add a little more magic at the most magical place on earth.

Basic Party Information

Disney H2O Glow Nights
At Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon
Select nights now until August 24, 2019.
Party is from 8pm to 11pm but guests with tickets may begin entering the park at 6pm.
DJ- hosted dance party on the sandy beaches of the Surf pool
Playful mix of Toy Story- themed experiences featuring Character appearances
Tempting array of limited- time food and beverage offerings
Special area just for adult party goers

Disney After Hours at Hollywood Studios
Select nights now through the end of July.
3 hour park event featuring some of your favorite attractions, ice cream and popcorn carts and Character Greetings.
Purchased in advance tickets are $125 per person plus tax. Purchased the day of the price increases to $129 per person plus tax.
Ice cream novelties, popcorn and select bottled beverages are included with the cost of admission.
Guests may enter the park at 7pm with the private event taking place from 9:30pm till 12:30am.

Disney’s After Hours at Animal Kingdom
Select dates now through September 2019.
3 hour park event featuring some of your favorite attractions, ice cream and popcorn carts and Character Greetings.
Purchased in advance tickets are $125 per person plus tax. Purchased the day of the price increases to $129 per person plus tax.
Ice cream novelties, popcorn and select bottled beverages are included with the cost of admission.
Guests may enter the park at 7pm with the private event taking place from 9pm till 12am.

Disney Villains After Hours at Magic Kingdom Park
Select dates from now through August 8th
Three hours of access to over 20 popular attractions including thrilling villain inspired surprises at some attractions after the park closes.
Special Villains show at Cinderella’s castle and Maleficent breathing fire during the night.
You get to dress up in favorite villain gear and purchase special villain themed items.
Sinfully delicious villain-themed food and beverage offerings for purchase.
Ice cream, popcorn and select bottled beverages are included with the price.

Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween
Select nights from August through November at the Magic Kingdom
Trick or Treating through out the park with allergy friendly fun as well.
Costume fun for the whole family.
Your favorite characters will be in costume too and special appearances by some villainous clients.
Ghoulishly good eats, special stage shows and fireworks show.

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party
Select dates in November and December
Select attractions are open with lower wait time
Special holiday treats and eats
Special character appearances
Cinderella’s castle shimmers, joyful music fills the air and Disney characters don their most festive attire.

Traveling with a Special Needs Child

February 22, 2017 by Elissa Colón

Traveling with a Special Needs Child The most magical place on Earth is not always the most magical place. It can be stressful, overwhelming, and crowded. This can be difficult for any parent to navigate but this task can seem like climbing a mountain with two ton boulders tied to both your ankles for a special needs parent.

As a special needs mom, I can relate. Making the most stressful – I mean, magical place – on Earth more enjoyable may seem like an insurmountable task, but there are some tips and tricks that can make your little one’s experience at Disney the best time of their lives!

Pack light but accordingly

This may seem like a no brainer, but with all the excitement that goes into a Disney trip it is easy to forget something. Most people are great at making sure they bring all their supplies from home, but it’s very easy to leave those supplies right there in your resort as you head out for a fun-filled day at the parks.

During one of our trips my son had a colostomy bag. I thought I had packed everything and was totally prepared. An hour or two into the day at the park, his bag exploded. No big deal, I had supplies right? Wrong! I had left one of the pieces I needed to change his bag back at the resort.

Luckily there were awesome cast members who helped us out, but I have learned since then to always be prepared. I make myself a checklist and post it on the exit door to the resort. I double check my day bag right before I head out the door to ensure that my magical day isn’t ruined by a not so magical moment.

Accessories are a must

There are so many little accessories that can make a huge impact on your trip. Noise canceling headphones can be great to drown out the noise of the crowds, parades, and fireworks. Both of my children have sensory integration disorder, and have a hard time with loud sounds. Headphones are the only way my kids are able to enjoy the firework shows! Even regular headphones can be a huge help if your children have issues with loud sounds or crowds.

Fidget toys are also a great item to have for kids who need a little sensory action while waiting in the long lines or for parades. Sunglasses can also be helpful for the bright lights that can be found all around your favorite parks. If your children have a hard time with the sun or the heat, a hat and a water mister can be a life saver. There is nothing worse than your child having a meltdown when some simple accessories could have prevented the situation.

Turn your stroller into a wheelchair

Another awesomely simple way to help create a safe place for your little one during your Disney trip is to turn their stroller into a wheelchair. My son has PTSD and has a difficult time with crowds. By turning his stroller into a wheelchair he is able to have a barrier between himself and the crowds. Since his stroller is also a wheelchair, he is able to stay in his stroller through the line queue which can be full of noisy, pushy crowds. When the crowds get to be too much my son, he just pulls his hat over his face and lays down in the stroller and is able to hide from the world.

This also allows you to keep your supplies close at hand in case you need them. There is nothing worse than having to leave a line you have been waiting in for hours because your child has a crisis. Making your stroller a wheelchair can erase this problem almost completely.

Use the Program

There have been a lot of complaints among the special needs community about the changes that Disney made to the DAS (disability access service card) a few years ago. The reality, however, is that if you are informed about the new program, it can be a life saver for you and your family. When you enter your first park on the first day of your trip, simply go to guest services and ask for a DAS. They will take the picture of the individual that the pass is for and will link the pass directly to your magic bands. The whole party gets linked, so make sure everyone is with you. Then you just go to the fast pass return queue for each ride and get a return time. That’s it! Then enjoy your time until it’s your turn to ride and simply return with all the members of your party. Everyone taps their magic band and voila! Access granted.

One of the best parts of this new program is the people in queue don’t know you are using the DAS system. They simply think you have a fast pass return time. So no rude looks or comments and you get to enjoy your ride!

Planning to do anything more than just the daily routines for a special needs parent can be overwhelming. The thought of trying to make a place like Disney accessible to your special one can seem impossible. But with proper planning, a few tricks, and lots of pixie dust, your vacation can be one of the most wonderful experiences each member of the family ever has.

Top 5 Reasons Why I Switched From Giving Gifts to Giving Experiences

September 29, 2016 by Elissa Colón

We have all been there: birthdays, Christmas, Easter, watching as our children unwrap gift after gift after gift. If your children are anything like mine, they get so excited after opening each one but in a day or three the excitement fades and you are left with the task or adding these new gifts to the abundance of “stuff” your children already own. Even if you’re one of those on top of it moms who weeds out the junk before the overabundance of gifts arrive or you’re one of those moms who are great about rotating toys and clothes, the bottom line is our children just have too much stuff. To help combat this, I have implemented a change in my house. I no longer buy my children gifts; instead, I buy them experiences. Whether it’s a season pass to an amusement park, or a vacation to some awesome location, my children have been having a blast! Here are my top five reasons why I think you should join me and make the change:

Clean up the clutter

By giving my children experiences I have seriously cut down on the clutter in my house. My children now have toys that they actually play with and enjoy. Plus since there aren’t so many (there are still a ton) they are able to play more freely and without having to yell “mom I can’t find my (insert random toy here)”! I also have found that my children now play longer without coming to find me. It seems that since they have less they aren’t as overwhelmed and they are really able to enjoy their stuff!

Experiences are more meaningful

Let’s just be honest. That toy little Johnny just has to have or he will die, we all know if we are lucky he will play with it for a couple of weeks and then it will join the bin of forgotten toys. I remember for Christmas I bought my son a $50 Paw Patrol truck. By Easter he told me he was done with it and I could hand it down to his cousin! Seriously! But with an experience you are giving your child something that they will be able to enjoy and build awesome memories from. That’s something that a piece of plastic will never give you.

It’s the same cost

Again let’s be honest, as parents most of us spend way too much money on our children. We go into debt giving them piles of gifts so we can post on social media how beautiful our trees are and what a great celebration our children have. So why not spend that money on a vacation? I’ve had clients tell me that a Disney trip costs too much, but once I point out how much they spent on birthdays and Christmas they realize its usually the same (or cheaper). Still there are the hold outs that say “but my child enjoys opening gifts, I can’t just give them a piece of paper”. To this I say get creative. If you want to give them things to open then give them items they will use on their trip!

Family Memories

When your child is all grown up and they start to have little ones of their own ( I know, scary thought) are they really going to remember that beloved item that they just had to have? The chances are pretty slim. But chances are they will remember that awesome trip to Universal Studios, or that Disney cruise or that year long season pass to Bush Gardens. They will remember the time they spent with their parents, their siblings, and their extended family. They will remember the laughs, the inside jokes that come from experiences and even all the mishaps that eventually become treasured memories, for the rest of their lives. What’s better is they will relive these memories with their siblings for years to come and will often reenact them with their children.

Time is Ever Ticking Away

And with it your children’s childhoods. Before you know it they will be grown up and (hopefully) out of your house. The days of tripping over toys will be gone, but so will the days to take their pictures with a favorite character, or snuggle close with them during that firework show. My eight year old today told me the Disney princess were fiction, but she would still pretend they were real the next time we go to Disney. I swear it was a punch to my gut. I can only hope that on our next trip the magic returns for her. But that’s how quickly it can happen. One day our children are these bubbly wide eyed beings amazed by everything around them, and the next they are starting to look at life with a critical eye. So what are you going to do with the time you have left with them in the wonder and amazement phase? Are you going to waste that moment on pieces of plastic that will be forgotten, or are you going to spend it making memories that will last both of you the rest of your lives?

~Elissa Colón

Photography Fun – Creating Mickey Bokeh

December 28, 2013 by crystal

We love to share Disney and travel oriented blog posts. From time to time we will post things that we think you might enjoy just because they are fun or neat. Today, before the Christmas lights come down, we thought you might want to try out this cool photography fun creating Mickey Bokeh. Use it to create some magic in the next time you are wanting to add a dose of Disney fun to your everyday life .

Check out this really easy how to post from The Kim Six Fix to create Mickey Bokeh.

photography with Mickey Bokeh — Mickey Bokeh from The Kim Six Fix