Atlanta with Kids

The second stop on this summer's road trip (read part one here) was in Atlanta.  We could've obviously spent a ton of time just in that city, but since we're trying to hit all 50 states before the kids leave for college, we're on a deadline.

Atlanta is supposed to have an amazing Aquarium, but we can do that in Baltimore, and they've got some good civil war history, but we live in Manassas for cripes sake, so we don't need ANY MORE of that.  So, we decided to go to the World of Coca Cola Tour.

Now, let's back up.  If you are going to be in Atlanta for a few days, you should GET A CITY PASS. These were actually available in a few of the places we stopped, but we weren't any one location long enough for it to work for us.

For example, in Atlanta, you can visit
World of Coca Cola
Georgia Aquarium (with expedited entry)
Inside CNN Studio Tour
Zoo Atlanta OR The Center for Civil and Human Rights
Fernbank Museum of Natural History OR College Football Hall of Fame

For our World of Coca Cola tickets we paid $16 an adult and $12 a child.  That was a grand total of $84.  The City Pass Tickets are $73 an adult, but the value is $129.  Way better.  If you can groupon it, even better.

Anyway, we paid our exorbitant fee and went in.  It was kind of like being at church for Coke.  There was a movie about all the ways Coke enhances our life, exhibits with things like the American Idol couch (Coke sponsored the segment), a 3D type ride to discover the secret ingredient to Coke (Hint! It's You!), and a walk through the vault where they keep the secret recipe.

It was a little weird for me.

There was also a room where you and your children get a cup and can try all the soda you want from all over the world.

It's arranged by continent and labeled by country.  Very educational.

Plus, your kids can run all over a room (well, run as fast as they can while their feet stick to the floor) and drink ALL THE SODA THEY WANT.  Some of which are delicious.

When you want your children to stop, take them to Italy and let them taste this little gem:

Her reaction is not as intense as mine was.  

When you first sip it, you think it's just club soda, but then you get the distinct feeling that you've just vomited and the flavor is still in your mouth.

Awesome.

On your way out, you get a Coke in a commemorative bottle.

As you can probably tell, this wasn't my favorite stop. I think if you're a person who collects Coke bears or Coke Santas, or you actually drink Coke on a regular basis, you might really connect with their message.  Since we spend most of our time telling our kids that soda is a gateway drug, we didn't really connect with what they were going for.  I think I was expecting more of a factory tour, which could've been neat, but I didn't totally love this.

Next stop- food.

Actually, I believe this is backwards and we went to food first, but I am entirely too lazy to fix it right now.  We went to Greenwood's which is a really eclectic little place tucked away near a Jewish temple and a cemetery from the 1800s.  (I know this because I went on a walk after eating with my boys.  I love old cemeteries, so we explored). 

We got the fried chicken, which is sweet (weird for me, but good) along with a host of traditional side dishes like mac and cheese and collard greens.  I loooove collard greens.  So good! If you ever go, note that the fried chicken takes a full 30 minutes, so order it first and be ready to wait.  Also, the fried chicken is enough to feed 2 hungry adults or 1 adult and 3 kids....so don't be like us and order 3 and have enough to feed the whole restaurant :) 

Yes, that's Elvis.  Yes, he's watching over a totally sarcastic sign listing all the reasons you "Shouldn't have to wait for a table at Greenwood's".  Clearly these are my people.  

What else happened in Georgia...

I think that's it :) From Atlanta, we drove to Alabama.  Did I mention that we spent a good portion of this trip speed camping? We did. You can get great rates in camper villages as a tent camper, so we stayed most of these places for $20-$30 a night, and we just rolled up our tent and hit the road in the morning. 

It was hot, frequently, but it was gorgeous, especially in Louisiana, but we'll get to that later :) 

 I have no idea what my mom and my husband are talking about here....but his hand motion is certainly uncomfortable looking...

Camping! Whoot! 

Next up....Louisiana.

Fun with Kids in Charlotte, NC

As I mentioned in a previous post, we did a massive road trip this year for our summer vacation.  We're trying to take our kids to see all 50 states before they graduate, mainly because I like a challenge, but also because it keeps us seeing new places!

Two years ago we did this:

We've currently done: Virginia,  West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, California, Florida, New York, Colorado, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts.  That's halfway!! (PS, if any of you own summer homes in Hawaii or Alaska and want to invite us out, we are totally game.)

Do we see everything a particular state has to offer? HECK NO.  That would involve way more money and vacation time than we have.  But we do have a little fun and get the flavor of each state, plus the kids have fun ticking it off a map and doing a little workbook page about each state with its flag, flower, bird, motto, etc.

Anyhow, I thought I'd share a few things from our trip. Like this awesome picture of me imitating a mug:

It's really amazing to me that I'm not more popular. 

The first leg was down to see my cousins in Charlotte, NC.  They're the same age as my kids (second marriage), which is both weird (who wants a bossy adult cousin) and awesome (because they have so much fun with my kids).  Charlotte is a lovely area, and we enjoyed trying out a few things there:

1. Discovery Place Charlotte

We were able to take the LYNX Train to downtown Charlotte, which is about a 3 block walk to the museum.  My kids have ridden the metro enough times to not care one lick that we were taking a train, but my cousins were super duper excited to get to take "the metro".  If you use LYNX, note that tickets are sold in kiosks outside the train and you just keep them with you in case of a spot check. Prices vary for kids and adults, and you'll want to not mess up and click "round trip" on the kids tickets and "one way" on the adults like I did.  #MyBad

It wasn't cheap:

Museum	$15.00	$12.00	FREE	FREE
IMAX Discovery Film	$10.00	$9.00	$5.00	$5.00
Museum + IMAX Discovery Film	$20.00	$17.00	$5.00	$5.00

But the kids had a lot of fun.  If you go, be sure to check out one of the shows, we saw Rat Basketball and a liquid nitrogen show that included a giant ice cloud the kids got to run through.  They were definitely a good time.

PS, I don't understand in any of these kid themed museums why in the heck they charge more for adults.  You know what we're going to do? Sit on a bench and take iphone pictures while our kids do all the fun stuff.  That's what. It should be more for kids and a pittiance of an "observer's fee" for adults.

I digress.  If you are a WIC/EBT recipient, you can get up to six tickets for $1 each.  Bring your card (or whatever you'd use to prove this applies to you).

2. Rock Bottom 

Rock Bottom restaurant was located just across the street from the museum, so we headed over there for lunch.  It was really tasty, I got a side of mac and cheese and a side salad.  

Because I can, people.  Because I can. 

3. Staying with friends and family is great because you can also get in a little freebie/down time.  We enjoyed hanging out at the neighborhood pool, playing games, and the kids tried to get as much time "playing minecraft together" as humanly possible when you need an adult to put a password on your ipod to get to play.  

4. Waldhorn Restaurant

My uncle being something of a foodie, and all of us being part German, he took us to check out the Waldhorn Restaurant.

This was amazing.  My daughter got the cheese spaetzale which was amazing, I had sauerbraten, people had roladen, blaukraut was passed around....noms.

All the noms.

If you don't normally have German food or if you've never tried it before, this would be a good place to start!!

Filial piety compels me to mention that their Black Forest Cake was not anywhere near as good as my mother's.  It's not their fault, they are simply too far away for her to bake for them nightly.

Following our two days in Charlotte, we left for Hotlanta, which will be coming at you next :) 

Guest Post: Top Tips to Meet Disney Characters

Top Tips to Meet Disney Characters

by Patricia Mickus ·

I have had a few people ask “What’s the best way to see and gather autographs from #Disney characters? After reviewing a recent list of characters I determined I have met 55 over the years. Character meet and greets are located throughout all the Disney parks. But standing in these lines can cut into your touring time. So here are a few tips on how to see get the most out of your character meet and greets:

1. Book Character Meals. During these meals Disney characters and princesses will walk around and greet each table. Guests may take pictures and ask for autographs all while enjoying a relaxing meal. My favorite meal is Goofy’s Kitchen at Disneyland. Here you not only see the Fab 5 but the princesses too.

2. Take a Disney Cruise. Each day on the ship Disney characters take time to greet guests. The lines are so much shorter than in the parks.

3. Attend a special party. Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party or Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party are great events to see Snow White will all 7 dwarves or the Princes with each Princess. May hard to find characters only come out to play on party nights.

4. Arrive at Rope Drop. Now with Fastpass+ you can schedule that ride on Space Mountain and use the early morning hours for meet and greets. Many characters are located outside the Railway station on Main Street USA in the morning. Disney has added a few meet and greets to the Fastpass+ selections.

Patricia Mickus is an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner with Magical Memories Travel.  Patricia lives in Bristow, Virginia with her husband and two sons.  She believes you can have a Disney vacation of a lifetime and maximize your vacation dollar. All of her concierge planning services are FREE to her clients.   Contact Patricia at patricia@magicalmemoriestravel.com or visit her Facebook page or blog - www.MagicalMickeyTips.com for more Disney planning tips.

Guest Post: Taking the Train To Disney

Taking the Train To Disney

by Patricia Mickus · 

Have you ever thought about taking the train to Disney. My family did several summers ago. It was a very relaxing way to start our vacation. Check out my newest article on The Disney Planning Blog.
If you live near Washington DC you should consider taking the Amtrak Auto Train to Disney.  The Auto Train leaves daily and runs between Lorton, Virginia and Sanford, Florida (43 miles from Disney World).  This is my kids’ favorite way to reach Florida.  At times it has been more relaxing than the normal 2-hour flight with all the stress of air travel.  Your fare includes coach seating and all your meals (dinner and breakfast).  You can upgrade your ticket for sleeping accommodations at an additional cost.

Once at the terminal you will be directed to park your car.  Each passenger will be allowed to bring two carry-on bags.  Make sure you put any medications or other important items in your carry-on.  Once your car is taken away you will not have access to it until it is unloaded the next day.  All other items will remain in your car. Upon arrival inside the welcome center you will check in and choose your dinner seating time.  Passengers wait until boarding is announced.
The Auto Train leaves each station at 4:30pm and arrives at its destination by 8:30am.  It takes approximately 2 hours to load and unload all vehicles.  Therefore you are requested to be at the train station to load no later than 2:30pm.

There are restrictions on vehicle size.  You should check http://www.Amtrak.com for more information or call 1-800-USA-RAIL.

If you have coach tickets you will be seated in a Superliner coach car.  The seats here have footrests and lean back.  First Class passengers will be assigned a sleeping car.  A train attendant will be able to direct you to the correct sleeping compartment.

Once the train leaves the station, guests will be able to visit the Club car for refreshments and light snacks.  A wine tasting is offered in the Lounge Car an hour prior to departure.  Dinner is usually served at three different times.  Meals are included in the cost of your fare.  Dinner usually consists of a choice of 5 different entrees – chicken, fish, beef, vegetarian and special.  You will also be provided with drinks, salad and dessert, wine is complementary at dinner.  Children can order from another menu if they prefer.  Breakfast is continental with your choice of cereal, muffins bagels, fruit, juices and coffee.  For entertainment movies are shown several times during the evening.
Bedding is provided for sleeping car passengers.  Your attendant will inquire prior to dinner what time you would like your seats converted to beds.  Coach passengers will be given a blanket and small pillow.  Feel free to bring your own pillow on board.

Watching the countryside fly by while sipping a glass of wine is so much better than fighting traffic on I-95.  The kids love the freedom of the train, being able to walk around and stretch their legs.  Our family was able to start our vacation the moment the conductor said “All Aboard!”
The procedures for travelling north are similar to traveling south.

Patricia Mickus is an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner with Magical Memories Travel.  Patricia lives in Bristow, Virginia with her husband and two sons.  She believes you can have a Disney vacation of a lifetime and maximize your vacation dollar. All of her concierge planning services are FREE to her clients.   Contact Patricia at patricia@magicalmemoriestravel.com or visit her Facebook page or blog - www.MagicalMickeyTips.com for more Disney planning tips.

Guest Post: Disney and Food Allergies

Disney and Food Allergies

by Patricia Mickus 

Disney wants to make sure that each guest has a magical and safe visit while vacationing. My husband and son each have a different food allergy and I have always been impressed that Disney will go the extra step and have the chef stop by our table for all sit down reservations to go over the menu. On year my son wanted to eat at ‘Ohana. We have never eaten there before. His had a pineapple allergy and everything on the menu is glazed in pineapple juice or touching a pineapple in some way. We decided to give it a try and see if he could be accommodated. The Castmember had no issue placing a special order for chicken nuggets and sent someone down to Captain Cooks to retrieve them for us. My son was so happy that he could finally eat among the Tikis and participate in the coconut races while enjoying his dinner.


Special meals and desserts are easier to order at a table service meal than the quick service or buffet options. So make sure you research your options before making your dining reservations. Make sure that you have the allergies noted at the time you make your ADR reservations. You can also make these notations by calling 407-WDW-DINE.
Disney will also begin to introduce new allergy friendly menus at approximately 120 quick service and table service locations. These menus will provide allergen content for each menu item, making informed choices easier and focus on the more common allergens: gluten/wheat, milk peanut, three nut and fish. The new menus will be available at all Signature restaurants starting April 14th and will be rolled out to all others through September 2015. You can view a sample menu HERE.
In addition, EpiPen Auto-Injectors are now located at First Aid stations throughout Disney Parks and on Disney cruise ships with personnel trained in how to administer them.
The Special Diets Team is only a phone call away. I highly recommend that you contact them at least 2 weeks prior to your vacation to make all special requests.

Walt Disney World – email: SpecialDiets@DisneyWorld.com – Phone: 407-WDW-DINE
Disney Cruise Line – email: special services@disneycruise.com – Phone: 407-566-3602

Patricia Mickus is an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner with Magical Memories Travel.  Patricia lives in Bristow, Virginia with her husband and two sons.  She believes you can have a Disney vacation of a lifetime and maximize your vacation dollar. All of her concierge planning services are FREE to her clients.   Contact Patricia at patricia@magicalmemoriestravel.com or visit her Facebook page or blog - www.MagicalMickeyTips.com for more Disney planning tips.

Florida Trip Part II: Disney

I started off thinking I'd write this in short order, but since I suck at life, I didn't.  Here's part one, for those of you who have forgotten (which I'd assume is everyone at this point!).

We went on a trip in January to Florida.  We loved our hotel and we had a fantastic time.  For the first three days, we went to Disney.

That's really about all I have to say about it.

But I'm a blogger, so let me try to pull it out.  We decided that since we were going to Florida, we should just "do the thing" and check it off our list.  We know people who are DISNEY PEOPLE and go to Disney every flipping chance they get.

We are officially not those people, but we did have a good time.

It was really cold the first day, we almost froze on the old-timey boat that took us across to Magic Kingdom.  We went during the off-season, so we were able to book our day-of fastpass times at the kiosks in the park, although if you're going, I highly recommend you plan a little more in advance (use a free Disney travel agent like Patricia who can not only help you map out your plan of attack, but can schedule your fast passes, dining, and all that jazz for you).  I don't feel like my kids are really all that attached to any particular Disney characters, which would be the big draw for going to Disney.  That said, here are some things that I can recommend.

1. Take Help
We brought grandma with us, which is especially helpful in our case because my neck can only tolerate so much jerky amusement park riding.  Having one person per kid was great because we could divide and conquer, and because there's always enough adults that someone can be happy after hearing "It's a Small World" 50 times.

 2. Get the freebies!
There aren't many- but we got a few free fast-passes with our tickets, and it was worth it to use them on some of the higher wait time rides.  There are kiosks throughout the park, or you can book online in advance.  If you're there for the first time or a birthday or a family event, let them know when you first enter the park- they'll give you free buttons (notice our giant yellow "First Time" buttons).  People who work at the park are super friendly and will actually make a point to talk to your birthday/anniversary/bride/first-timer.

3. Enjoy the Random

The most fun my youngest two had was our first night when there was a random dance party with the incredibles.  The DJ was really good about making sure nothing objectionable was played, the characters were out, we burned a ton of energy, and we had a great time.  I'm lucky because my daughter is not a princess fan, so we were not among the crazy people waiting 4+ hours to see Anna and Elsa.  If you have a princess fan, I'd go ahead and spend the money to do a character meal- it'd be worth the cost to not have to wait in the lines.  

 4.  Take lots of cheesy pictures.
You spent the money. Your kids will deal. Is that the Disney castle? A character your child has never heard of? It doesn't matter, take the picture.

 5.  GO TO THE FIREWORKS SHOW
This was my favorite part.  The Christmas lights were still up on the castle, and the light show was amazing.  The fireworks were amazing.  Tinkerbell going down a bijillion yard zip line was amazing. This was the only thing that really took my breath away, and I would have done it every night.

6.  Pack Lunch

You're able to bring in lunch/snacks, and we saved a ton of money doing that.  We hit the grocery store when we got in, and we packed uncrustables, applesauce, etc.  

7.  My boys liked Epcot
There were coaster simulators, a race car ride where you designed how your car worked to maximize how it would go on the track, they enjoyed all of that.  It was a little bit of a pain in the booty because were were there on the morning that the marathoners were running through, but I have to give it to the Disney staff- they coordinated walking through the race course in amazing ways- diverting the runners, moving people, and then reopening the course so that no one had to stop. It was pretty incredible. We ate dinner at the giant temple in Mexico.  It was not great and insanely expensive.

Soooo....that's my recap of Disney.  There were definitely some fun rides that each kid liked, but it didn't hold a candle (for us) to Universal (which will be next in this drawn-out series!).  Our kids had a fun time, and we had some great memories.  We enjoyed each of the parks, and I'm glad we didn't wait until they were any older. I don't think we'll become Disney addicts, but it was definitely a fun trip! I think the park hopper was worth it to get to try each park, we actually didn't get to all of them, but we enjoyed different aspects of each of the ones we visited.

Florida Trip: Part 1- Marriott Harbour Lakes

As a Christmas Present for our children, we decided to take a trip to Florida.

(Side Note: You know what's fun? Filling up a box with crumpled pieces of paper that you write individual words on so your kids have to uncrumple, read, and organize what you're giving them into something coherent.  If you're spending a lot of money on a present, you should get to torment them a little!) (You should also get to be warm.  With Palm Trees.)

We had some free Marriott days because we racked up a lot of points staying at Duke for 6 weeks when I got my radiation, so we opted to stay at the Marriott Harbour Lake.

Honestly, we probably could've just stayed there and been perfectly happy.  It reminded me of the resort from "Dirty Dancing" in that there were hundreds of activities happening over the course of the week.  Harbour Lake had two pool areas with a splash pad pirate ship, jacuzzi area, on-deck restaurant/bar, a video game arcade, and more.  Every day there were tons of activities- scavenger hunts, magic shows, movie and smores night, card games for adults, trivia contest, four square, football, there was always something happening.  We literally could have just stayed at the Marriott and hung out and been well entertained and happy the entire trip.

Plus, our room was amazing.  We opted to get a 2-bedroom Villa because we brought Grammy with us.  The kids and grandma shared a two queen room and PwcDad and I had the master.  The room was incredible with plenty of space to hang out.  We could have easily had people over to play cards or watch a movie- which I'm always thinking about because we'd like to schedule a trip with my brother in law and sister in law, and have space to hang out as grown ups while the kids sleep in a separate area would be ideal.

Our room also had a full kitchen, which really helped us keep costs down.  We hit the grocery store on our first full day and picked up breakfast and lunch foods, as well as snacks, and we were able to eat in or pack lunch for 2 meals a day.  We did dinner out, although we could have easily prepared that in-room, too.

We were really very happy with the Marriott Harbour Lakes, and we'd definitely recommend it to another family wanting to stay in the Sea World/ Disney/ Universal Studios area.

 _______________________________________________________________

Disclosure: Marriott neither asked me to write this post nor compensated me in any way, although if they end up reading this and want to, I'd totally go again.

Guest Post: Suriving Disney World With Young Children

Surviving Disney World with Young Children

When are we going to Disney?  As soon as your child asks you that question, you start asking yourself different questions. How stressful will it be? What age is the right age? What’s it really like to be there with young kids?

The thought of taking young children to Disney can be overwhelming. You have visions of a perfect magical experience, but you can also see overtired, over stimulated, tantrum throwing kids. The age group most parents seem concerned with are preschoolers.  The good news is that with a little planning and the right perspective, you can have that magical trip you dreamed about.

Should I wait until my kids will remember?

I often hear people say that they want to wait to do Disney World until their kids are old enough to remember the trip.  Disney for some is a once in a lifetime vacation and you want to feel you’re getting your money’s worth.  However, there is magic in taking young kids that can’t be replicated later. For a preschooler, that really is Cinderella just waiting for a hug and Mickey Mouse really has come out just to see them today.  The magic of Disney is never lost on a young child.

How does Disney help young families?

·       The rides and attractions are well suited for little ones and families. The majority of rides in the parks can be experienced by the entire family together.  With most of the height requirements set at 40" (and a few at 44"-48"), the average 7-8 year old can ride nearly all of the rides.  Many 3-4 year olds can even ride some of the “thrill rides”.

·       Child swap is available at all rides with a height restriction. This allows families with a child that is too small to ride without waiting in a long line twice.

·       FastPass+ allows you to come back to a ride later and wait in a much shorter line. These passes, along with a good touring strategy, can minimize time spent waiting in line.

·       From young kids to teenagers to parents and grandparents, the entire family can have a magical time together.

·       Baby care centers are available in all parks, providing a quiet, air conditioned place to take a break, feed, or change a baby or small child.

·       Each park has several play areas designed for younger children.

·       Live Shows showcasing their favorite Disney Characters are a big hit.  Disney Junior Live on Stage is a can’t miss attraction in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. These shows offer guests an air conditioned venue to get off their feet.

·       Long park hours and convenient transportation to onsite resorts make it easy to take a mid-day break back at the resort for naps or dips in the pool.

·       Full immersion of Disney entertainment, including all your kids favorite characters. There's nothing better than your daughter meeting her favorite princess or your son challenging Darth Vader to a light saber duel.

What are the Challenges?

As much as we all want everything to be “happily ever after,” there can be some challenges in a trip to Disney with young kids. One of the most important tips I can give is to manage your expectations. Remember, you won't see and do everything, and that’s OK. Pay attention to your kids' cues, and if they're not enjoying themselves anymore, take a break. It’s more important to enjoy the things you do than to try to force everyone to do everything.

If you are waiting until your preschooler is older to enjoy Disney, think again! Your preschooler will be enchanted just by the experience of being at Disney. From characters, parades, attractions and shows designed with them in mind, their days will be full of Disney magic.

Author Bio:

Patricia Mickus is an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner with Magical Memories Travel.  Patricia lives in Bristow, Virginia with her husband and two sons.  She believes you can have a Disney vacation of a lifetime and maximize your vacation dollar. All of her concierge planning services are FREE to her clients.   Contact Patricia at patricia@magicalmemoriestravel.com or visit her Facebook page or blog - www.MagicalMickeyTips.com for more Disney planning tips.