Post Updated June, 2018 We are avid fans of Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, VA. The park is consistently rated the most beautiful theme park in the country. Their food, especially the ribs at Trappers Smokehouse, is really good. And, the portions are huge! In years past, Busch Gardens offered a meal deal: A full meal, dessert, […]
Sea World’s Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin Review
We didn’t research Sea World, Orlando before our trip last week — as you may have guessed from my lack of planning for the All-day Dining Deal. Having been to the park many times, we knew the park layout and how to juggle show schedules… but we didn’t know that the penguin makeover was complete. […]
Sea World’s All-Day Dining Deal
Do you know what it’s like feeding TWO teenage sons at a theme park? Expensive! These guys are bottomless pits! Thankfully, Sea World’s All-Day Dining Deal actually is a deal because so many SeaWorld restaurants are included — and helps our budget! I just wish I had done the math our first trip! We got […]
Great Wolf Lodge Concord, NC: A Teen Review
For years, I’ve wanted to take the kids to Great Wolf Lodge. An indoor water park? Awesome. No sunscreen required! With a seven year age gap between the kids, though, it just didn’t happen. Ellie was too little. Then, we thought Ben was too big. This past week, we traveled through Concord, NC, and decided to […]
Five Tips to Save Money on your Disney Vacation
***Updated May, 2015*** So, you’ve done your research and you want to take a Walt Disney World vacation, right? While a trip to Disney is expensive, you can keep costs down. Here are five ways to save money on your Disney vacation without sacrificing the fun! 5 Tips to save at Disney 1. Travel during the […]
How to guide for Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom
**Post updated May, 2015** Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom are fantastic parks, as incredible as the Magic Kingdom. Yesterday’s post on the Magic Kingdom includes essential information to create customized, interactive maps, FASTPASSES, dining and general park survival skills. Be sure to read that post for those details. Let’s plan your day (or days)! Epcot […]
Disney’s Magic Kingdom in a day: Trip Planning Guide
***Updated June, 2017*** One of the most common questions people ask is how to get the most from a Disney vacation, especially Walt Disney World in Orlando. With four parks, two water parks and Downtown Disney, planning a vacation can seem overwhelming. I’ve got some good news!!! Once you understand how the parks are laid […]
Disney Dining Plan and Other Disney Dining Options
Dining at Walt Disney World is expensive! This post covers the basics and includes links to websites (both Disney-affiliated and third party sites) to go deeper. Use the section headers to find the information you need to plan your dream vacation! Disney Restaurants by service option (sit-down, quick serve, etc) Walt Disney World, in true […]
Your Disney Vacation Planning Guide
Our tiny princess meets Ariel for the first time I admit it, I’m a Disney fan. We’ve actually been to Walt Disney World so many times that I lost count. Sad but true. I’ve filled albums with wonderful Disney memories: my son “meeting” the real Tigger the first time, our other son learning how to […]
How to plan a family vacation and please everyone
Everyone’s idea of a perfect vacation is different, so planning a family vacation can be quite a challenge! Susie wants to go to an amusement park. Johnny could spend everyday at a baseball game. Mom just wants to relax by the pool and read a book, and Dad can’t wait to go fishing! Plan a […]