We went to the most magical place on earth for our annual family vacation 2022. This was our second time visiting Disney World as a family. Here’s a recap with a few tips and tricks sprinkled in!

Travel:

We live in Columbia, South Carolina. Driving allows us flexibility and convenience while being the most cost effective for our family of five. I make sure to pack plenty of treats, movies, activities and to create an epic playlist for Brandon and me.

Stay:

We like to stay at the Disney resorts. 1. It gives us the full Disney experience. 2. There is a bus that shuttles guest to and from the parks. 3. There is so much to do at the resorts, we even stay an extra day just to check out the amenities!

Eat:

We picnicked in the parks a lot during the visit. When we arrived to Orlando we ventured to the local Wal-Mart and purchased all the items needed for breakfast, lunches, and of course some snacks. Disney Parks allows outside foods and we also brought water bottles filled with ice cold water. Picnicking in the parks allows us to be strategic about the amount of money we spend, flexible with our schedule (no waiting in long lines for lunch for us!) and the types of foods we eat. Needless to say, we did enjoy a lot of the Disney cuisine and a lot of Disney popcorn!   

Play:

The main reason we go to Disney to play in the Parks!! Since Brandon is an active-duty Army Soldier we receive a military discount. We purchase the tickets from the local military base (MWR) and load them onto the Disney app. We enjoy the park hopper. A park hopper ticket allows guests to enjoy more than one park in a single day, this allows guest to enjoy more magic and flexibility!

Tips & Tricks:

+ Lightning Lanes are a MUST to maximize your time. If feasible, purchase the lane to expedite standing in line.

+ Individual Lightning Lane is a bit dicier. It can add quite a bit of cost - $60-$100 in a day. You probably want to be sure that the ride you’re purchasing for is really worth that extra cost to your family.

+ Bring something to do while staining in line. Here are a few examples of what kept my kids busy while in line: Bubbles | Tablet | Simon Says| Trivia | Stickers

+ The Firework display is extremely popular. You can use a lightning lane to get a reserved space or you could use the time to ride popular rides. We rode Dumbo, Tea Cups and Buzz Lightyear in lieu of sitting for the fireworks display at magic kingdom. Seeing the Fireworks from Dumbo was pure Magic.

+ Magic Bands are awesome. The kids love scanning into lines, making purchase, tapping for photos and getting into our room at the resort.

+Magic Photo Pass is a MUST especially if you are the mom/photographer like me. I am happy to say I have plenty of photo memories of our Disney trip with me in them.

Here are a few of my Disney finds and faves:

Disney Links:

Coffee:  https://amzn.to/3iTdkbW

Doorables: https://amzn.to/3iPh8Lz

Magic band: https://amzn.to/3WnZSuo

Bubble Wand: https://amzn.to/3GXbyyI

Fanny Pack: https://amzn.to/3kxchyT

Water Bottle: http://stanley-pmi.refr.cc/alikas

Disney Ears: https://amzn.to/3Ww6vL4

Disney Pins: https://amzn.to/3D91EJc

Thank you so much for supporting me by reading and following along. I hope this blog post helps you plan your next Disney vacation. I enjoy sharing and helping others and I’d love to connect with you over on Instagram @sincerely.schwartz

"Laughter is timeless, Imagination has no age, and Dreams are forever."
-Walt Disney

Sincerely,Schwartz