As many of you know, we went on a huge family trip to Disney World a few weeks ago. It’s been a couple years of planning and saving to take the whole crew, but it was completely amazing! I’ll be sharing a lot more details of our adventures, foods, shows, rides and more in the coming while, but today I wanted to tell you the overall fun from My Kids’ First Visit to Walt Disney World. Lots of pictures included, of course!

One of the things I was most excited for with this trip was it was mostly NEW to the kids. While they’ve been to Disneyland several times, this was very different. We got to see their reactions to new rides, foods, characters, sites – even the themed hotel (All-Star Music) was new, so that started the trip off with lots of smiles and eagerness. We flew in, so they even got to experience the Magical Express!

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Since we made sure to watch several important movies to prepare us for our Disney trip, such as Avatar, the kids were really looking forward to exploring Pandora at Animal Kingdom. From the floating mountains, drum shows, beautiful glowing ‘forest’ at night, to the huge MECH, they loved every little detail. And since there’s so much, I’m sure we didn’t even catch it all this time! As you can tell from several of our photos, it was certainly hot and BRIGHT in Orlando when we went, so sometimes squinty eyes were the best pics we could do 🙂

My favorite part – SO MUCH FAMILY TIME! Yes, we all got a little annoyed or impatient with each other at some point during the trip (with that much walking, plus little sleep because so much fun, it’s bound to happen), but we were together practically every moment for the trip. We got to talk about things – not just about the rides or the vacation, but random learning opportunities (like forced perspective at Pandora, or vehicle topics at Test Track) and other fun conversations. We took many pictures together (yes, even with mom in there – yay!), and even hubby and I made sure to get some time together on some rides or pictures.

With the Epcot Food & Wine Festival going on, the kids got to try several new foods – not only there, but at the various restaurants and buffets. I was impressed with how many new things they were willing to try. For example, Thor loved clams, which I never would have thought! Plenty of desserts and treats were enjoyed by us all, of course – and we learned that on your birthday, you can get a free slushie at Club Cool in Epcot. If it’s your birthday while you’re there – go and enjoy!

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Shopping with money they’d been saving for months was a highlight for the kiddos – the boys even shared in adopting a Banshee. We learned which kids have a tendency to spend as fast as they can, and which are more reserved and wait for the item that will make them happiest. Our wonderful guide Renee got us VIP seating at The Lion King Show, so the kids got to participate in some of the dancing and fun. (we received complimentary guide services for our trip) Seeing our kiddos interact with each other during the trip was also amazing – watching as they grew closer together and really enjoyed being a family was priceless!

Other highlights included: catching Songbird’s face the very first morning in front of the castle (she’d never been to ANY theme park before) and her pure joy. Finding the exact same guy that did a fun caricature for hubby and I last year to do one of ALL the kids, and having that keepsake. Having the chance to share our FIRST experience in Toy Story Land together, remembering all those incredible films.

We walked a TON, and slept a little. There were moments we’d catch some of the family sneaking in a quick nap – like hubby on the ferry boat. And yes, we made sure we tried ALL the transportation options at Walt Disney World, such as the resort shuttle, monorail and ferry boats.

I’m still almost giddy because of how much fun, joy and memories were made during our Walt Disney World vacation. The kids even made a new friend with our ‘magical’ guide Renee, who made our trip even more incredible than we could have possibly imagined. (Thank you Renee – we love you!)

Like I said, many more details for all we did are coming up – but for now, I had to share a bunch of the happy times with y’all!

What’s YOUR favorite thing about taking kids to Walt Disney World?

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Exciting news for my fellow Disney-lovers! If you haven’t heard, Pixar is taking over at the Disneyland Resort this summer! From now until September 3rd, you can experience Pixar Fest when you visit The Happiest Place on Earth. Here, you’ll be able to interact with your favorite Pixar characters, enjoy dazzling entertainment and celebrate Pixar like never before. Plus – on June 23rd – you can be one of the first guests to experience the re-imagined Pixar Pier and the thrilling Incredicoaster. With so much to do, you won’t want to miss your chance to experience it all. Because of this, I’ve partnered up with my friends at Get Away Today to give you everything you need to know about Pixar coming to the Disneyland Resort this summer.

Pixar Fest

Entertainment:

At Pixar Fest, you’ll be able to enjoy a variety of delightful entertainment that will take you to “Infinity and Beyond!” The first parade that you’ll want to catch is the Pixar Play Parade. This beloved parade has made a comeback for Pixar Fest, but is now in Disneyland Park for the first time ever. On Main Street U.S.A., you’ll be able to see characters from Monsters University, The Incredibles, Toy Story, A Bug’s Life and more. Plus, you can also enjoy new floats like the Pixar Lamp, Pixar Ball, UP and Inside Out. The best part? This is the perfect parade for a hot summer day. With all-new water features, that might just get you wet, you’ll be able to stay cool as you party with some of your favorite Pixar pals. You can catch the Pixar Play Parade daily at 3:30 P.M. and 6:00 P.M.

Another fan-favorite making its return for Pixar Fest is the Paint the Night Parade – my favorite! This nighttime show was instantly loved during Disneyland’s 60th Diamond Celebration, so I was ecstatic when I heard it was coming back for Pixar Fest. Here, you’ll be able to dance and sing along to catchy tunes with cherished Disney and Pixar characters. Each character lights up the night with thousands of LED lights on their floats, making it an unforgettable sight to see. On June 15th, you won’t want to miss your chance to see The Incredibles make their grand-entrance to the Paint The Night Parade. With new features – a little bit of magic – The Incredibles float won’t be anything short of super. This parade is enjoyable for people of all ages, so you’ll want to make sure you catch it before it speeds out on September 3rd, 2018.

To end your Disney day the perfect way, you’ll want to make time to see “Together Forever – A Pixar Nighttime Spectacular.” With pyrotechnics, projections, music and scenes from Disney-Pixar films, you’ll be laughing – and maybe even crying – at this beautiful celebration of friendship. As a tip, you’ll want to make sure to watch this nighttime show from Main Street U.S.A., so you’re in the middle of all of the fun. “Together Forever – A Pixar Nighttime Spectacular” is a show you won’t want to miss.

Food & Fun:

Ya’ll know I’m all about the FOOD, right? Well, in addition to the entertainment, you’ll be able to enjoy over 50 food and beverage options during Pixar Fest! These Pixar-themed treats are not only delicious, but worthy of their own Instagram post! With delectable eats like Cheeseburger Pizza, Three Flavored Corn Dog and a Cocoa Churro, you’ll want to make sure you save room for it all! Plus, you’ll be able to meet your favorite Pixar pals at Paradise Gardens. Say hello to Mr. & Mrs. Incredible, Mike Wazowski, Sulley, Woody, Buzz and more! In addition to the character meet and greets, be sure to enjoy colorful décor located throughout Paradise Gardens.

Pixar Pier

Neighborhoods:

Pixar Pier will include four new neighborhoods for guests to enjoy. Each neighborhood is themed after a classic Pixar film. Enjoy Incredibles Park, Toy Story Boardwalk, Pixar Promenade and Inside Out Headquarters. Each neighborhood will include attractions, food and fun for everyone to enjoy.

Incredicoaster:

While I can’t wait to see every detail of Pixar Pier, I’m most excited for the Incredicoaster. This re-imagined attraction has taken over for California Screamin’ and now features our favorite superhero family. This thrilling ride will take you on an adventure with The Incredible family as they try to rescue Jack-Jack after he escapes. With brand new effects, a renovated queue and an entire area dedicated to The Incredibles, I can’t wait to save the world the next time I visit Disney California Adventure!

Dining:

When you need a break from all of the fun, make sure you stop and explore one of the many new dining options at Pixar Pier. If you’re looking for a quick bite to eat, you can enjoy Poultry Palace, SeñorBuzz Churros, Angry Dogs or Adorable Snowman Treats. However if you want to have a unique dining experience, make sure to check out the Lamplight Lounge. With California gastro-pub themed food, you can dine right on the Pier. Plus, you’ll be able to enjoy Pixar-themed knick-knacks, drawings and sketches located throughout the restaurant. No matter where you choose to eat, you’re in for some scrumptious grub!

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To book, visit getawaytoday.com or call 855-GET-AWAY to speak to a travel expert directly. Make sure to mention promo codeBusyMomsHelper to get an additional $10 off your next hotel and tickets vacation package.

You’ve probably heard of being able to try soda’s from around the world for FREE in Club Cool at Epcot, but if you’ve been curious as to what it’s really all about – listen up! Or ‘watch’, because I caught the reactions of hubby and myself trying every single soda, including the famous one ‘The Beverly’. Not sure if he’s forgiven me for that one yet 😉

Despite having gone to Walt Disney World before, I didn’t make it to Club Cool at Epcot until my trip with hubby last fall. I’d heard people talk about it and was eager to give it a try myself – after all, how awesome is it to try different soda’s for FREE?! I’m all about trying things from other places, and here you can taste test sodas from EIGHT different countries, which is actually a really cool activity and experience. Not only that, but if you need a little drink then it’s great to grab one for free while passing by.

When you walk into Club Cool at Epcot, they have several different soda stations – as far as I could tell, they’re all the same but just spread out so it’s not a huge line waiting for ONE station. All eight of the varieties are there, with plenty of small paper cups to the side for you to use. We decided to start at one end and work our way down…

There were actually several of them that were pretty good – not as good as my beloved Dr Pepper, but still good 🙂 Sorry for the shakiness of the video, it was a bit tricky going back and forth, filling the little cups while holding the phone.

Hubby wasn’t too thrilled that I didn’t give him a heads up, but I couldn’t resist the surprise of it! The Beverly is totally gross – bitter is probably the best way to describe it, which isn’t how a soda should taste – but it’s really kind of a right of passage type thing. If you’re going to try them, please do give it a try just so you can say you did!

The atmosphere was pretty fun in there, as well, and people-watching is fantastic because you can see other people’s reactions to the sodas.

I’m so excited to take my kiddos here in the fall, not only to see their reactions (yes, I’ll film! Ha!) but to let them experience sodas from around the world, giving them a taste of something different and new. I love learning of other cultures and places, and sharing that with my kids is really important to me. So why not have some fun with it along the way?

If you’ve done Club Cool at Epcot, which soda was your favorite?

Even though Epcot at Walt Disney World seems to be best known for it’s World Showcase (and food – yum!), it does have some truly amazing rides, Test Track being one of the most popular. During my trip with hubby last fall, we learned a little-known but very Fun Secret for Epcot’s Test Track that made the ride even better – and today I’m sharing it with you!

First of all, for those that may not know, Test Track is a ride where you design a ‘test car’, then get in car simulators that go through different types of tests – such as efficiency, power, capability, and responsiveness – to see how your particular design would rate on it. There’s touch-screens for you to do your design, then it saves to your MagicBand for you to scan to your ‘seat’ before you board the car.

Here’s a little secret – the design stays on your MagicBand for 30 days (or until you put a new vehicle design on it, so be careful)! Knowing this, we wanted to really design a great vehicle, but needed more than the super quick amount of time you’re allowed at the screens in the normal line. That’s where the bigger secret comes in – there are those same computers after the END of the ride that you can use, without being rushed as much by a line!

That’s right, after you exit the ride and pass by the show cars, to the right are 3 or 4 stations where you can do your design with much more attention and detail than in the actual ride line!

We had a BLAST with this, designing some awesome vehicles and then riding Epcot’s Test Track to see how they’d score with each of the categories. Hubby focused more on power – his looked like a beast of a truck!

Mine was more balanced between things, so although he kicked my trash in the power test, overall I scored much higher 🙂

Knowing this and telling our kids about it for our upcoming trip, they’re super excited to make their own designs (and I know they’ll take time, so those other stations will be a huge life saver) and test them out. I bet we’ll be redoing it quite often, which will be for some fun memories.

What type of design would you do for Epcot’s Test Track?