Kelly Dedeaux

Craft Lightning: Ladybug Bird Feeder Summer Camp Craft

July 8, 2019 by Kelly Dedeaux

Wow, what an insane couple of months it’s been! I’d say time has flown by…but even that’s an understatement! In just a month, Wonder Woman will be heading to 3rd grade and ALL of my boys will be going to preschool three days a week. Am I excited? Heck Yeah!!!! But there is still a little sadness that the summertime fun is over. Until then, though, here’s a super fun activity for Craft Lightning: Ladybug Bird Feeder Summer Camp Craft! originally shared July 2014

As part of Craft Lightning with The Country Chic Cottage and 30 Minute Crafts, this month’s theme is Summer Camp Crafts. What could be more fun that a super-simple, totally adorable Ladybug Bird Feeder?!

For those that have checked out the Craft Lightning posts before, you know that the rule is they must be able to be completed in 15 minutes or less (not including drying time, of course). So as busy as the summertime is, I’m sure anyone can fit in 15 minutes of fun craft time to make this Ladybug Bird Feeder with their kiddos!

Ladybug Bird Feeder Supplies

Can (#10 works great, or you can do smaller if that’s what you have), cleaned out
Lid to can
Red paper
Black paint
Large googly eyes
Wood stick/peg
Scissors, tape and/or glue
Plastic foam-mesh pieces
Bird seed

Directions

Use your black paint to add dots onto the red paper. When dry, tape or glue it around your can sides.
Cut a large hole in the lid, and put it on the can. Cut or poke a hole in the lid for the wood stick/peg and attach it. Glue the googly eyes onto the top of the face (lid) part.
Cut the foam-mesh pieces into rounded wings for your Ladybug. Attach one to each side.
Fill with bird feed, and enjoy watching the birds come munch!

To check out the other awesome ideas based on this month’s Craft Lightning theme: Summer Camp Crafts….be sure to head over to check them out!!!

Back to School Snack Dips: S’mores Dip & Cookie Dough Dip

July 5, 2019 by Kelly Dedeaux

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #PackSnacksTheyLove #CollectiveBias

We started school this week – crazy! It’s such a mad-dash to get them all ready and out the door in time in the mornings, and I’m eager for when we get it to a smoother routine. After school isn’t much better yet, as we need to find a good groove for homework, rinsing out lunch boxes, signing their folders and hopefully some play time. Luckily, I have some awesome recipes I can rely on to make the afternoon a little easier, like these Back to School Snack Dips: S’mores Dip & Cookie Dough Dip! I just whip them up when I have time, then store them in the fridge so they’re ready to go when the kids are. originally shared August 2016

These snack dips are perfect to go with crackers, cookies, even fruits for a variety of tasty things! I made sure to stock up on our favorite snack packs from Kroger when I was doing our weekly grocery shopping there – I can rely on them to have the variety I need, and do well to keep their shelves full so I’m not missing anything from my list. I found some awesome (and convenient – yay!) snacks for the kids’ lunches and after school snacks – NABISCO Multipacks like RITZ, Teddy Grahams, OREO, Chips Ahoy, Nutter Butter, Barnum’s Animal Crackers and even Honey Maid crackers are perfect! Not only do my kids love the taste, but the portable packs make it SUPER easy to just toss in a lunch bag, or pull out when they get home from school. Even when we’re racing to dance lessons, we just grab some packs and go.

As I was filling my cart with these, determined to stay prepared for several weeks of back-to-school adjustment ahead, one of their friendly workers asked if I wanted him to grab more from the back. We laughed a bit (you should’ve seen how many I already had in my cart) and he totally understood how crazy this time of year is. I was tempted to say ‘yes’ to his offer just to see if his eyes would get big 🙂

Another great benefit of these snacks are that they’re easy for my kiddos to open, plus bite-sized. Definitely a bonus for my younger ones! They go great with our snack dip recipes, which are already REALLY simple to whip up! Just grab your ingredients next time you’re at Kroger, mix them together, and you’re all set for snacks!

S’mores Dip

Ingredients

1 cup Marshmallow Creme
1 cup Chocolate Pudding
8 oz. Whipped Topping
1/2 cup Chocolate Chips
1/4 cup Mini Marshmallows
1/4 cup Powdered Sugar

Directions

Beat the marshmallow creme, chocolate pudding and powdered sugar until smooth. Fold in the remaining ingredients and enjoy! Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Cookie Dough Dip

Ingredients

1 cup Butter, softened
1 1/2 cup Brown Sugar, packed
1/2 tbsp. Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 – 2 cups Flour
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 cup Milk
Chocolate Chips, as desired

Directions

Beat the butter, brown sugar, salt and vanilla until creamy. Whip in the milk until smooth.
Slowly add in the flour until desired consistency (I did about 1 1/2 cups). Stir in chocolate chips and enjoy! Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

It was a mix in our family as to which of these dips were the favorite. Personally, I prefer the cookie dough dip – but really enjoyed the s’mores one, too. Dang, can’t really choose!

Which snack packs and dip would YOUR kids enjoy the most?

Good to Know Information about Disney Cruise Line

July 1, 2019 by Kelly Dedeaux

When you go on a Disney Vacation, it’s a premium experience filled with entertainment and lots of fun – but it may be hard to picture what a Disney vacation is like without the parks. What makes Disney Cruise Line different from other cruises, and why should you take this year’s family vacation out to sea? Everything you wanted to know about Disney Cruise Line is right here, from the meals to the port adventures and the fun Disney on-board youth clubs.

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Y’all know how much I love cruise vacations, and I’m hopeful one day I can take my family on a Disney one! We’ve heard of all the magic and wonder that you’re use to finding in the parks is well alive on sea, as well, and can’t wait to try it for ourselves.

The Fleet

First of all, the Disney Cruise Line has four ships in its fleet. The Magic and The Wonder are the two smaller ships, and the Fantasy and the Dream are the bigger and newer ships. Each pair offers similar venues on board. The Dream and Fantasy are more similar to each other and a more modern feel; and Magic and Wonder feel just a little bit more quirky and dated, but only by comparison. Which ship you take depends largely on where you plan to take your cruise. Although the newer ships have a couple of updated features that are really desirable, the older ships are still great and have the benefit of being less crowded, due to fewer staterooms on board.

The Food

As with most cruises, the food is mostly included in your price, whether you go to the buffet or to the rotating restaurants. There are two dinner services each night and you will be assigned seating, this is so your server can consistently wait on you throughout your cruise. You’ll have the same crew assigned to you for the whole trip, making it more customized & familiar service. Even at regular table service restaurants, you can order as much as you like of anything on the menu – I love that this allows you to be more bold and try new things without much worry! Room service is likewise complementary, and is available 24 hours. Palo and Remy are two fine dining restaurants that require you to pay more to dine there (there’s other available, as well) – this is why it’s ‘mostly’ included in your price, but that’s ultimately up to you.

The Activities

There are amazing excursions and adventures to sign up for, and you should try to do this in advance of your trip because space is limited on most port activities. Depending on where your Disney cruise takes you, you can take amazing sight seeing tours, go snorkeling and even take fishing and boating excursions. Castaway Cay is Disney’s private island in the Bahamas and it’s mostly undeveloped, ecologically protected land cared for by Disney scientific researchers and conservationists. Kids and teens can enjoy age specific activities, as well.

The Clubs

On board there is plenty of family fun and entertainment to keep everybody busy. However, for those moments when everybody needs a break, there are age appropriate sections of the ship where adults can have fun and so can the kids in special clubs for kids, tweens and teens. These clubs feature imaginative play areas, video games, dancing, karaoke and more. It’s a great way to make unexpected friends, too!

The Fun

There are so many Disney elements on Disney Cruise Line, from the hidden details of the decor to the Characters bustling around in nautical attire. Themed days for Marvel, Star Wars, and Pirates keep things interesting. The outdoor live shows and fireworks are just a small part of the magic. There are also broadway caliber productions and Disney movies in other on board theaters….not to mention character dining, which I still really enjoy as an adult.

Don’t forget to check Get Away Today! Promo Code: BusyMomsHelper

If you’ve been, what’s your favorite part about Disney Cruise Line?

Best Epcot Snacks to Try

April 11, 2020 by Kelly Dedeaux

One of the most undeniably satisfying elements of visiting Epcot’s World Showcase is the accessibility of authentic international cuisine. Where you plan to have lunch and dinner at Epcot could impact the course of your entire day. Even if you don’t make reservations for one of the many signature restaurants around world showcase, your choice of quick service has implications just as dramatic. The whole southern hemisphere of Epcot is a veritable smorgasbord of culturally specific foods. How will you decide where you eat and what countries to skip? The best solution is to snack as often as possible, so you can get a taste of every country – and here’s our thoughts on the best Epcot snacks to try!

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Bavarian Pretzel

If you’re looking for a meal on the east end of World Showcase, you have a lot of options to choose from – one of them being the buffet in the Biergarten at Germany; but all you can eat food at any World Showcase restaurant precludes any further enjoyment of the other international flavors. Instead, go to Sommerfest and have a Bavarian pretzel. It is way better than a Mickey Pretzel and more rare.

School Bread

The second pavilion in, on the left hand side of the lagoon, is Norway. This pavilion may seem to have been taken over by Frozen, so I’m sure many little kids can point it out quickly. However, the Norway identity in this pavilion is still very much alive. The first snack you have to try when you come to Norway is the School Bread in Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe – it’s a sweet custard-filled roll topped with coconut shavings. While my hubby is anti-coconut, this is definitely delicious if you do!

Kakigori

The next place you should stop for a unique snack is at the Kabuki Cafe at the entrance to the Japan Pavilion. Here you will find a refreshing shaved ice treat that is topped with sweet milk. The best flavor is melon, but you can also get it in rainbow, tangerine, cherry and raspberry.

Cheese Plate

Most of the really great World Showcase snacks require you to venture deeper into the pavilion, despite several kiosks planted right on the edge or even across from the pavilion. France requires you to go all the way to the back of the pavilion and rewards you with a massive boulangerie called Les Halles. Les Halles opens before the rest of World Showcase and it’s a great place for breakfast. It’s also perfect for a savory cheese plate, especially after snacking on sweets. Or nab one of their sweets – there’s lots to choose from to add to your Epcot snacks list!

Maple Popcorn

Finally, you can end your trip around World Showcase and you’ve most likely had more to eat and drink then what is mentioned on this list. The only thing left to do is make sure you save some room. When you get to Canada, where maple is infused with everything, you must have some Maple Popcorn to end your journey around the world with.

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Birthday Invitations the Way YOU Want Them!

June 21, 2019 by Kelly Dedeaux

This post about totally customizable birthday invitations is sponsored by Basic Invite. Photos courtesy of Basic Invite. All opinions are mine alone.

Is it just me, or is one of the most frustrating parts about planning a party the invitations? I mean, I don’t have much time anymore to design exactly what we want, yet most sites you’re stuck with the one option – maybe a couple variations – but that’s it. Luckily I found out about Basic Invite, where you can completely customize your invitations – colors, designs, envelopes and more! Now you can get Birthday Invitations the Way YOU Want Them with hardly any hassle!

Because I know the first thing many of you will wonder is what type of invites they have – there’s tons! Not just awesome birthday ones, but also for weddings, baby, holidays and more. Being busy moms, though, I think the birthday ones are probably are biggest focus year-round. They have plenty of simple party invitations, but also awesome ones your kiddos will go crazy for – such as space themed, circus, candy land, sports, monsters, watermelon, and so many others!

So how can you customize your invite? After you’ve selected which awesome one you want – perhaps like these cute mustache birthday invitations – the real fun begins. Change the color – and not just from a handful of choices. You have over 180 different color options, so you can make the card exactly the way you want it – and since you can change colors on each element on your card, even the littlest detail is your choice!

Another great thing – especially for us moms who really want to see EXACTLY how things will print out, and how they feel (paper quality is hard to tell without having it in your hands, right?) – is that Basic Invite gives customers the ability or order an actual printed sample of the invitation before placing their final order. That means you get to see and feel YOUR invitation, that you customize – so you have no doubt it’s the way you want it.

Once you have your incredible invitation – whether it’s a fun shark themed one or one of their more classy birthday invitations – you also get to customize it even more by choosing from over 40 different colors of envelopes. That’s right, Basic Invite is as colorful with their envelopes as with their invitations! With this, you can set your card to stand apart even before it’s opened! Plus, an extra bonus for us parents, all of the envelopes are peel and seal, making it quick to close them securely.

I don’t typically invite a ton of kids because – well, sanity – but I still appreciate their address capturing service. With this, you can simply share a link on social media to request friends and family’s addresses. It’ll then store them in your account, and you can select which ones to include during the design process. Basic Invite even offers recipient address printing at no cost on all Christmas card orders, which can save a bundle during the holidays!

If you like to get fancy or make your invitation stand out even more, foil cards are an option in gold, silver and rose gold. Plus, all of their foil designs have the choice of flat or raised foil!

Since we parents LOVE saving money (and parties are expensive, anyway) you can save an extra 15% on Basic Invite with Coupon Code: 15FF51

Be sure to ceck out Basic Invite on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram or Twitter for more invitation ideas and fun!

Benefits of Music Lessons for Kids

December 29, 2020 by Kelly Dedeaux

School of Rock provides us complimentary lessons so we can fully review this program. All opinions are mine alone.

I grew up taking piano lessons, and for a long time I was so frustrated that my mom wouldn’t let me quit. Now that I’m a parent, I look back and realize all that I gained from that – not just learning more piano, but also real life skills. Now that two of my boys are taking lessons for guitar and drums, I enjoy watching their growth and excitement each week. Many parents don’t realize how valuable taking lessons can be for their children – so today I’m sharing 5 Benefits of Music Lessons for Kids!

When I say music lessons, I’m not talking necessarily just guitar and drums (that’s just what my kids are doing right now) – I mean any instrument, vocal lessons, or even just learning how to read or write music! They all have these same benefits, just with varying methods. Here’s some of the benefits of music for kids – and just some of the reasons I’m thrilled my boys are taking lessons at School of Rock!

Learning Hard Work to Reach Their Goals

In real life, things don’t come easy to most of us. If we have goals we want, we need to make hard work towards them, sticking to it even when it gets hard or frustrating. It’s best for kids to learn this when they’re younger, so it’s not a ‘rude awakening’. By working towards mastering a certain song on their instrument, or having a goal to play drums at a certain tempo with no mistakes, they’re learning this process at a younger age so that when it’s the ‘big things’, they’re ready.

Time Management Skills

Just like with any skill, it takes practice – which means making time regularly to work on the music, practice their instrument, and really build up those skills. Just like when they’re adults needing to manage their time with tasks at work, they’re learning to do so not only with something they’re passionate about, but also how to overcome those slump days when they just don’t feel like making it a priority – but doing it anyway!

Improving Their Music Skills

Who knows if my boys will grow up to be in a world-famous band, write record-breaking tracks or just simply enjoy breaking out their guitar or drums for some fun time with friends. Perhaps they’ll teach lessons to others when they’re grown, passing on the skills they acquired from their own amazing instructors at School or Rock. Whatever they choose to do with these specific talents and knowledge of music and their instruments, they’ll have plenty options and enjoyment!

Building Friendships/Relationships

Not only do they build respectful relationships in their teacher-student situations, but with their group band lessons they’re making friends, learning to work and grow together, and acquiring great teamwork skills. They get to see the results when everyone puts in the hard work, and how all the parts fit together for a rockin’ good time!

Improve Memory & Cognitive Skills

I loved this article that School of Rock shared about how important it can be for children. Not only does learning the music, the parts and workings of their instrument, and the parts to various songs help their memory skills, but it makes strong connections in different parts of their brain. This development can keep their mind sharper for longer, and make it easier to learn other information or skills because their brains already have experience building those networks.

BONUS: Build Confidence

Confidence is something that’s of high importance to many parents, since it can be the foundation for a happy, healthy life for their kids. It’s one of my favorite benefits of music lessons! With all of the hard work, managing their time, working together, sticking with it even when they want to quit – then seeing the amazing results at the end, they can help strengthen their confidence because THEY did that. They put in the work. They progressed in their skills. They took the steps to go further and further, and now can look back to see how far they’ve come since the start – and how far they can go if they continue.

I love seeing the growth my boys have had already, both with the music AND the life skills. I can’t wait to see how much more will happen as they continue their music lessons with school of rock, and where these important life skills will take them in their lives!

Show Your Love for Toy Story 4

June 21, 2019 by Kelly Dedeaux

This post featuring incredible Toy Story 4 themed items sponsored by shopDisney. All opinions are mine alone.

Call me crazy, but I’m a HUGE fan of Toy Story characters – they’re fun, spunky, and always full of surprises. I mean, how likely is it that you can go anywhere and say ‘to infinity, and beyond’ and people won’t know exactly what you’re quoting? With the latest movie hitting theaters NOW, it’s the best time to Show Your Love for Toy Story 4 with awesome clothes, toys, games, accessories and much more! And seriously, who could resist stuff that has that adorable, derpy spork “Forky” on it?

A talking forky toy, I mean come on – that should be top of most kids’ birthday lists, right? Ok, maybe I’m just dorky (like forky – hah, get it? Ok, I’ll stop), but I really love this little guy in the new movie. But this toy is super cute and fun, plus unique. Plus the pjs saying ‘get me outta here!’ are totally adorable! I have to say that despite the many options of cool Toy Story 4 clothes, though, the one I want the most is this Forky flannel shirt – I’d wear it on all my Disney trips. And for any baby showers, totally getting them this sweet Rex outfit.

Now there’s not JUST clothes at shopDisney featuring your favorite toys – there’s tons of other items, too! I wonder if I could convince hubby to let me get this Forky MagicBand for our upcoming trip to Walt Disney World…

For the kiddos, it’d be really fun to take in not just a regular ol’ pencil case to school – but a Pizza Planet Claw one! Man, school stuff sure is more cool now than when I was a kid.

The whole family can enjoy plenty of Toy Story 4 themed games – but the one that stands out to me the most is their version of Kerplunk. This old favorite has a whole new twist inspired by Toy Story 4 – you’ve gotta try not to let Bunny and Ducky (once you see the movie, you’ll know why people love this dynamic, slightly crazy duo) fall down the tower – themed after the carnival!

One of my girls has a birthday coming up, and since she collects Pop! Vinyl Figures by Funko, I know she’d absolutely love getting this Forky one to add! Ok, I admit that I would want this as well – but I could still enjoy seeing it on her shelf in my house 🙂

These are just my top picks from the HUGE assortment of Toy Story 4 stuff at shopDisney. After you see the movie (which you should do asap – it’s hilarious, plus so sweet with some real life lessons), see which character you liked the most then go online to shopDisney.com to pick out something to show your love for this childhood favorite film!

Toy Story 4: Laughs and Feelings!

June 21, 2019 by Kelly Dedeaux

Call me nostalgic, but I have to admit that I’ve loved following every moment of our favorite toys’ adventures over the years. I feel like they’re MY toys, in a way, as they’ve shared years of growth, learning, saying goodbyes and much more in the previous films. The 4th is no exception, answering some lingering questions while also filling in a gap we didn’t realize we had! If you loved the excitement from the previous movies, Toy Story 4 will give you laughs and feelings, to Infinity and Beyond! The humor alone makes it a total must-see, but all the emotions and tender spots are some delicious frosting on top! (no spoilers)

Reason #1 to see Toy Story 4:

You get to see many of our favorite toys from the previous films, along with several new friends that you can’t help but love. Their story isn’t finished, but they’ll need more help than just Bonnie’s toy gang to tackle their next adventure.

Reason #2:

There’s more to the ‘villain’ than meets the eye. In the past, I feel that some of the ‘bad guys’ our toys face (such as Lotso, Sid or the Prospector) didn’t give their whole story – or how it really ends for them. In Toy Story 4, there’s more there than you realize, and I loved how it all tied off at the end in the most touching way!

Reason #3:

We FINALLY learn what happened to Bo Peep and her sheep (Billy, Goat & Gruff), and as we fill in more of her past several years it gives a great message to all of us – especially kids, who are really the main purpose of our beloved toys.

Reason #4:

Along with all those feels, it brings us back to times in our life when we were nervous or afraid, and having a friend – be it a real person or just a faithful toy – made all the difference.

Reason #5:

Speaking of some great messages, even the ever-posing adventuristic toy Duke Caboom (voiced by Keanu Reeves) gives a little tidbit that could be a great reminder about toys ‘living’ up to expectations.

Reason #6:

The imagination by two of our new friends – Bunny and Ducky – is out of this world, and made for so many hilarious, laugh-out-loud moments in the theater! Their ideas for solving problems are certainly not conventional, but leave us quite entertained.

There’s so much in Toy Story 4 that you will love – laughing ’till your sides hurt, holding back tears, and feeling pulled into yet another adventure with our toy crew. Things don’t always end perfectly, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t the ending we all want and feel a sense of completion after all is said and done. From Andy, to Bonnie and on, our toys have a lot more ahead of them – so be sure to catch up with their newest fun!

Disney Pixar’s Toy Story 4 is in theaters NOW – so hurry and nab some tickets, then share this childhood favorite with your own family to see why it exceeded expectations and leaves us feeling happy-sad, in the most incredible way!

Boston Market Lunch Date You Won’t Want to Miss!

June 20, 2019 by Kelly Dedeaux

This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com on behalf of Boston Market

We’re only a few weeks into summer break, and already the lunch routine is getting stagnant at our house – but luckily, the other day I got to surprise the kiddos with a special trip to try the NEW Boston Market Lunch menu! Trust me, this is one lunch date you won’t want to miss out on. Plus, it was a fun bonding time for my kiddos and I to just have fun together!

And guess what – you can try it FREE with their ‘Sandwich Throwdown’ happening Friday, June 21st! From 11am – 2pm, Boston Market wants everyone to really put it to the test pitting their sandwiches against the regular corner cafe or bakery. Stop by your nearby Boston Market during those hours on June 21st for a FREE SANDWICH – just bring in your current favorite sandwich, then you can taste the difference of Boston Market’s fresh, never frozen rotisserie chicken. You’ll be hooked! After you try it out, guests are invited to vote for the superior sandwich and ‘throwdown winner’ with an online survey. *Free sandwich upgrades offered while supplies last.

As busy moms, y’all know how hard it is to find something the whole crew will enjoy. Varying tastes (and attitudes!) make it a challenge, but I love that Boston Market’s brand new lunch menu has the same quality proteins that we all love and that made them a go-to dinner destination. Life’s busy, so as moms we’re looking for healthy, quality meals for our family – but that are QUICK! That’s one great thing that sets Boston Market apart from other lunch places.

With several new, tasty and fresh sandwiches (on a really delish ciabatta bread) plus some flavorful salads, there was something for everyone on our lunch date! The girls’ favorites were the Caesar Salad with romaine lettuce, 3-cheese blend, croutons and Caesar dressing (with chicken, of course) – as well as the Chicken Avocado Club on ciabatta with bacon, avocado, Tillamook cheddar cheese, lettuce, red onion and herbed mayo. That herbed mayo, by the way, is phenomenal!

The boys had different favorites – one loved the Southwest Chicken BLT on ciabatta with Cholula bacon, avocado, Tillamook pepper jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion and chipotle aioli. The other two enjoyed the more simple (yet still amazing) Turkey on ciabatta with smoked cheddar, lettuce, tomato, red onion and that same tasty herbed mayo (you can also get this with chicken instead of turkey).

With our varying favorites, we were able to try several of the new Boston Market lunch options, but two I still want to try are the Chicken Salad on multi-grain hoagie roll with sliced tomato, lettuce and mayo. My salad-loving girl can’t wait to try the Southwest Cobb Salad with romaine and leaf lettuce blend, bacon, avocado, corn relish, pico de gallo, red onion and chipotle ranch dressing. Yum!!!

This is like THE place for us busy moms to take our families for a lunch date, not only because Boston Market lunches are super quick and convenient when we’re in a hurry (which seems to be too often!) – but because of the amazing quality. Their lunch options feature the same rotisserie chicken and meats we’ve come to know (and totally love), making Boston Market a healthier lunchtime option than other places! It’s like their home style rotisserie meals that we expect at dinner are now available even at lunch.

Be sure to enjoy $3 off any sandwich, salad (or choose two) using Promo Code: 39175 so you can give Boston Market’s new lunch menu a try for yourself!

Best Magic Kingdom Foods in a Hurry

April 8, 2020 by Kelly Dedeaux

If you’re cruising around Magic Kingdom, you don’t want the fun to stop. Getting a good bite to eat at the last second can be a tough job, though. You don’t waste time around a crowded park, looking for an accommodating restaurant when you’re hungry. So, when you need a solution right away, you can turn to one of these five Best Magic Kingdom Foods in a Hurry, that will help give you that extra boost of energy to power onward. Sorry, nothing listed from Tomorrowland here, but if you are stuck there, there are plenty of vendors there with some snacks that didn’t make this list.

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Cinnamon Roll at Gaston’s Tavern

When thinking about a quick bite at Magic Kingdom, the very first thing that should spring to ming is the massive and flavorful Cinnamon Roll offered at Gaston’s Tavern in the new Fantasyland. It may not be as pretty as the Mermaid Donut at Prince Eric’s Market, but it’s substantial enough to share and much more satisfying. You can’t go wrong with this as a last minute Magic Kingdom order.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake at Aloha Terrace

The only way to top the classic Dole Whip is by putting an upside down pineapple cake beneath it. Dole may have other flavors, and they may have special tricked out versions in other places, but I love the simplicity of this pineapple treat. The cake is delicious and the Dole Whip on top hits the spot even more, when its creamy texture is coupled with fluffy cake.

Hot Dog at Casey’s Corner

There is nothing more American, or more Disney than having a hot dog on Casey’s Corner. To make it even more enticing, Casey’s frequently changes their menu with new updated specialty dogs to keep things interesting; but it doesn’t get any better than a classic chili cheese dog. They’re one of the more popular Magic Kingdom foods to try!

Waffle Sandwich at Sleepy Hollow

It really doesn’t matter what you have in it, there’s nothing better than a good waffle. These delicious waffle sandwiches come with sweet and spicy chicken which is obviously a timeless combo, or you could go with the even more classic fruit option which includes fresh fruit and a chocolate hazelnut spread, just to make it perfect (that ones my fav).

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Chili Queso Fries at Golden Oak Outpost

Finally, way in the back of Frontierland, is a frequently changing menu at Golden Oak Outpost. They usually have something amazing to offer during different times of the year and right now the Chili Queso Fries are it. This is a hearty snack that’s even better if you’ve been treating yourself to sugar all day (I’m totally guilty of this). Waffle Fries topped with warm delicious chili and a white queso sauce for a southwestern flair. Yeehaw!!

What’s Your Favorite?

These accessible places in Magic Kingdom make terrific last minute Magic Kingdom meal solutions, whether you are desperate for something to eat, or just looking for a satisfying snack. Do you have a favorite fast bite that didn’t get mentioned here? Let me know in the comments!

Best Disney World Ride Hacks

January 10, 2020 by Kelly Dedeaux

When you wait over an hour to finally experience a Disney attraction, you want the experience to be an incredible one. In most cases, the experience is more or less the same no matter where you sit, or what you do. However, sometimes you need to make a request in order to have the most fun. In some cases, it’s essential to avoiding disappointment. Here are five of the Best Disney World Ride Hacks for an even better attraction experience.

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Top Center– Soarin’ Soarin around the world is an exhilarating attraction full of breathtaking sights… for about 1/3 of the passengers. Unfortunately, the film’s focus on towering structures often undermines the intended illusion. The curvature of the images get more distorted the further you are from center. Given how long the wait can sometimes be, make sure you ask to be seated in the center. Ask for Row B1 (top center), or B2 (dead center) for the best view. Front of the Train — Expedition Everest In most cases, Roller coasters are best experienced from the back of the train. Disney has a few exceptions to this rule and Expedition Everest is one of them. Spoiler alert, if you’ve never been on the ride or seen it in action– it goes backwards. Besides the backwards motion, the show elements leading up to the reversal are way more impressive from the front of the train. Cast members are very accommodating if you request to wait for a front row seat. Do this on Space Mountain as well, as the ride is even more thrilling when nothing is in front of you.

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Back of the Train — Big Thunder Mountain Big Thunder is a classic coaster and it definitely works best from the back of the train. It’s more fun the way you get whipped around, particularly when you get pulled down over the inclines. The front of the train gets far less out of the drops and the view is obstructed by the engine. Read the Warnings — Mission Space Mission Space is a controversial ride. It’s a lot of fun, for some people, but others get sick. It’s important that you take the cautions seriously and consider taking the less intense version of the ride, or not riding at all. Personally, I think this is a great ride overall and don’t want to put it down, but I can’t ride it anymore due to the motion sickness and head vertigo it gives me. It’s so important that you don’t have a negative experience on this intense simulator attraction, so make the best choice for you.

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Galactic Hero — Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin This is one of the best ride hacks, and I learned it from my friends at Michael’s VIPs! It’s up to you if you want to share this trick with your friends and family, or just let them marvel at your Galactic Hero stature. All you have to do to max out your score on this ride is hit three targets. They aren’t even difficult targets – you just have to hit them hard when they come around! The first target is the inside of the orange robot’s right arm. Hit it with everything you’ve got and then wait for target two to come around. Target two is the volcano. There are two volcano targets, so aim at the top one. Finally, you will confront Emperor Zurg. On this stage, fire as much as possible on the target at the bottom of Zurg’s rocket. These three targets are the highest scoring and if you really go after it, you will have no trouble reaching the scoring threshold.

Do you know any Disney World Ride Hacks?

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Father’s Day Star Wars Bottle Gift Printable Set

June 7, 2019 by Kelly Dedeaux

Let your Dad know he’s the ‘Best Dad in the Galaxy’ with this super fun Father’s Day Star Wars Bottle Gift Printable Set! Dark side or light? You don’t have to choose, just do one of each! This is the perfect Star Wars gift for dad, and it’s really easy to put together.

You can also mix and match the bottle wraps – cool backgrounds, just characters or with some text. We just made a few changes to our Graduate Star Wars Bottle Set so it was focused on the Dad in your life, and we know he’ll love it!

Supplies

Download your Printable Sets Here:
- Bottle Wraps: Background Only or Characters or Text
- Front Label & Handle: Dark Side or Light Side
- Side Labels
Scissors & Tape
6-pack Glass Bottle Set