Eeeeppp!!! Just one week until I'm back, zooming across Space Mountain, dodging the yeti on Everest, and speeding around Test Track. Wow, those 100 days went by fast! Now we're getting down to crunch time. This is the part of planning where you "dot your i's and cross your t's." Everyone has their own way of doing things, but here's my "Week Before" checklist.
#1. Vouchers and Reservation Information
About a month or so before your vacation, you will receive a packet in the mail of maps, brochures, vouchers and details about your reservation (see my "Magical Mail" post). Be sure you hang on to this packet, especially your voucher book. If you flip through it, you'll see that one of the very first vouchers is for your hotel room. You'll need to bring this with you when you check in. You can use the other vouchers throughout your visit. It's also not a bad idea to hold onto your reservation confirmation number. Although I've never had an occasion come up where I needed it, I always like to have it on hand just in case.
#2. Double-Check the Park Calendars
It's always a good idea to take another look at the park calendars on the website as your vacation date approaches. Disney has been known to move things around a bit. For example, I had planned on us watching the Main Street Electrical parade on our last night. But last week when I went to confirm the start time on the calendar, I noticed that the showing for that night had been canceled, as were all the showings for that week. Needless to say, I was totally bummed, but now I can adjust our schedule to allow time for other attractions.
#3. Check the Extended Weather Forecast
This probably won't surprise you, but I am one of those silly people who gets so anxious that I'm packed a week in advance. LOL All that effort would probably go to waste though, if not for that ever-helpful extended weather forecast. As soon as it's available, I check the weather for Lake Buena Vista, Florida during the dates of our trip. (FYI: Disney World is not actually in Orlando. It's just a few miles outside the city in beautiful Lake Buena Vista :). This time I was happy to see highs were all in the upper 70s and lows were in the upper 50s/low 60s. AWESOME Disney weather!
#4. Don't Forget the Snack Bag!
This one is another tip I learned from my super-resourceful Mom. Snacks and drinks in the park are expensive! Just one bottle of Coke can cost you nearly five bucks. If you don't purchase the dining plan (and we didn't), then it's never a bad idea to pack a cooler of drinks and easy snacks. Feeding the whole family inside the parks for three meals a day can be very pricey, so we usually opt for a parking lot picnic in the back of the car. My mom always packs a cooler full of drinks and sandwich meats for lunch and a snack bag of cereal bars and muffins for breakfast. That way, the only meal we had to worrying about buying was supper. Trust me, it saves a LOT of money, and it gives you a little break from the crowds without having to go all the way back your resort.
And of course, don't forget your toothbrush! LOL But if you do, don't worry, Disney's got ya covered ;).
See ya real, real soon!
Miranda
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