Category Archives: Disney

I’m back!

Hey everyone! I know it’s been a few weeks since my last post. Brian and I decided before we left for Disney that it would be best if I focused on our trip and the family time; he wasn’t wrong in that decision (he rarely is when it comes to wise advice)!

Once we were home, it’s taken a good several solid weeks for me to recover. We’ve had some other stuff going on, and because of all that I haven’t posted.

But I’m back, and in addition to finishing up the Doing Disney Disabled series, I have other posts in mind as well! Parenting product reviews, faith posts, and disability posts are definitely on the schedule for the weeks and months to come, in addition to starting regular life posts (I mean, the holidays are coming and I’d love to share those with all of you!).

I’m also on the hunt for any bloggers willing to guest blog on here! If you think you have a topic that would fit well with the topics discussed here, feel free to leave a comment below or shoot me an email!

As always, prayers for our family are ever coveted and we are extremely grateful for them. Do you have a prayer request? Leave it below! I’m hoping to start a regular monthly or weekly prayer post her, and I’d love to include you!

Doing Disney Disabled: Scootin’ Around Disney

Part 3 in my Doing Disney Disabled series

I’ll be doing a special series the next few weeks as my family gears up for our Disney World trip! I’ll be doing posts on the following topics:

*The DAS Pass

*Why we joined the Disney Vacation Club

*Packing for Disney

*DIY Disney Countdown Calendar

*Our Disney Trip: flying with a disability

*Our Disney Trip: Lodging

*Our Disney Trip: Dining, including with Food Disability

*Our Disney Trip: The Parks

*Our Disney Trip: Overview and final thoughts, recommendations, as well as tips and tricks

Is there something you’d like to know? I’m all EARS!

In addition to the DAS Pass, we also decided this year to rent me a scooter (also called an Electrical Conveyance Vehicle is ECV). We used wheelchairs on our trips in 2010/2012, but we didn’t have a child at those times. Now we do. Brian needs to be able to help both of us, and he can’t do that while pushing a wheelchair. In addition, he wrenched his back (right before Disney, of course) and pushing a wheelchair would not help him enjoy the trip.

Renting a scooter can be a bit of a hassle. There’s several options: rent from a local company, or rent directly from Disney. First, here’s some info about Scooters directly from Disney:

Walt Disney World’s ECV Rentals

If you rent directly from Disney, there’s several things to be noted. First, it’s only available in the parks, and they cannot be taken from park to park. If you decide to go to another park, you’d need to turn the scooter in and transfer to the other park without one (you only pay once; present your receipt at the second park). They are first come, first serve- once gone, they are gone. That becomes a bit risky if you truly need one. And the cost: at $50/day, plus, the refundable $100 deposit, renting one for one day is fine, but every day for a week long trip is an astronomical price.

There’s also renting from one of the many Scooter Rental Companies in Orlando. When renting one from an outside vendor, you want to start with the Disney approved ones, for multiple reasons. The biggest reason is their employees are considered Cast Members by Disney; this allows them to enter the parks and fix your scooter if something happens to it. Disney Approved Vendors often offer more discounts, like DVC and Annual Passholder discounts (almost all scooter companies also offer a returning customer discount). Disney Approved Vendors are allowed to drop the scooter off at the resorts without you being present; Disney requires other vendors to meet and hand over the scooter in person. Finally, if you are in a resort where you cannot get your scooter to your room (say, a 2nd floor villa in a building without an elevator at Old Key West), you can store your scooter at Bell Services if it’s a Disney Approved Vendor.

The Disney Approved Vendors are listed below:

https://www.bpmobility.com

https://applescooter.com

http://www.scooterbugmobilityrentals.com

http://www.scooterbugmobilityrentals.com

After calling around to both Disney Approved as well as regular rental companies, I decided to go with Apple Scooters for multiple reasons. The biggest reason is they are the most affordable option, by far. For 4 days (Sunday 5p through Thursday 7pm), it came to $138; the next closest was $163. They gave me a 10% off returning customer discount (even though I am technically not a returning customer- I could have sworn I used them when we went to New Orleans in 2009, but apparently they don’t have a location there. So now I have no idea who I used. But when the guy heard plus being a DVC member, he graciously offered the discount anyway); that brought the price down to $124. They include insurance in their price; many of the others don’t, so it would have been $163+ plus whatever the insurance cost was (around $20-25). And the employee graciously offered to make a note on my ticket that even though it’s a 4 day rental scheduled for pick up Thursday at 7pm, they won’t pick it up until early Friday morning (we leave Friday around 9:30a), and it avoids adding the cost of another day onto my rental.

There’s some things to note about using scooters at Disney (and much of it applies to wheelchairs as well).

Your scooter or wheelchair should fit fine in your room with no issues. You may have to move the table and chairs in the room, but usually there’s more than enough room for both. As stated before, you can store your scooter at Bell Services if it’s from a Disney Approved Vendor. Charge your scooter every night!! You’ll want to bring your battery with you to the parks to charge your scooter (most have baskets on the front). Most restaurants (I believe all table service restaurants) have charging locations available while you eat. The battery lasts about 9-10 hours, but I’m one who doesn’t like to risk it, especially if it’s going to be a long or rigorous day.

You’ll want to pack an old towel or 2 as well as poncho for park days, in case it rains or is really hot. That way you can throw a poncho over the scooter and have a towel to wipe off the seat if it gets wet. On hot days you’ll want to sit on a towel- trust me, those vinyl seats are uncomfortable when sweaty.

You’ll want to use the Disney Transportation System, especially the buses, with either scooters or wheelchairs. When lining up at a bus stop, you’ll see a second line towards where the back of the bus will be, often marked with a wheelchair symbol. Your entire party should wait in that line. When a bus arrives, wheelchairs and scooters are first to board. The driver will have you get on via a ramp then strap down your scooter. They will then have your family board. Once the disability parties are on board, he will then have the regular guests board. The same thing happens in reverse when getting off. If for some reason the bus is too full or there’s multiple (3+) disability guests on the bus, find the Cast Member manning the bus stop. They can radio for a bus to come straight to you, instead of you having to wait for the next bus (and risking that one be full as well!).

I will say this, and it’s the only not so positive thing I will say. Be prepared to encounter lots of grumbling from regular guests. Since the scooters go where there are seats (the seats flip up), guests will be asked to move or stand. I have had people say not very nice things to me on Disney buses because they had to move and didn’t want to, especially if they had to stand. My suggestion is to keep spreading the magic and fairy dust- you don’t have to respond in kind. Also, give your bus driver some extra magic; they deal with a lot of grumpy gills all day long.

When it comes to using the scooters in the parks, you’ll need to keep flexibility and extra time needed at the top of your list. It will most likely take longer to get through the crowds with a scooter- from having to wait for large crowds to constantly braking for people darting in front of the scooter, you’ll rely heavily on patience too. That’s okay though- it allows you to enjoy the beauty of the parks even more!

When it comes to rides with scooters, there will be 3 possibilities: stay in your scooter for the ride or show, Transfer from your scooter to a Disney wheelchair to the ride itself, or transfer from your scooter. The scooter would then be stored in an area outside the ride. Be prepared to ask a cast member exactly where, because it’s not always right next to the ride.

Hopefully, these tips about using an ECV/Scooter at Disney helped you better understand the in and out of scootin’ around Disney. Keep your eyes peeled for the next addition to the Disney series!

Doing Disney Disabled: DIY Disney Countdown board with FREE printables

Part 2 in my Doing Disney Disabled series

I’ll be doing a special series the next few weeks as my family gears up for our Disney World trip! I’ll be doing posts on the following topics:

*The DAS Pass

*Why we joined the Disney Vacation Club

*Packing for Disney

*DIY Disney Countdown Calendar

*Our Disney Trip: flying with a disability

*Our Disney Trip: Lodging

*Our Disney Trip: Dining, including with Food Disability

*Our Disney Trip: The Parks

*Our Disney Trip: Overview and final thoughts, recommendations, as well as tips and tricks

Is there something you’d like to know? I’m all EARS!

With having a child on the spectrum, visual guides- especially picture types- are a wonderful resource.

I knew I wanted to make or find a cool countdown calendar that could be use with Caleb. It had to be sturdy (almost 5 year olds are rough), affordable (I’d rather spend money at Disney!), and an easy DIY project (I have enough to do before a trip without adding anything complicated). So I headed over to Pinterest.

Lo and behold, the Disney Parks Blog has an easy DIY countdown of its own! The graphics are adorable and the instructions were quick and easy to follow. I mean, numbers made to look like Disney characters?! How much cuter can you get?!

Here’s the link to the instructions on the Disney Parks Blog. If you scroll to the bottom, you’ll see that you can customize the countdown board any way you want. You can also search the tag #daystilldisney on both Instagram and Pinterest for more inspiration!

Disney Vacation Countdown Instructions on Pinterest

Here is the pdf of the numbers and banner. They have a set for both a regular Disney vacation as well as a Christmas themed set- feel free to get creative and mix up the numbers from each set! You’ll need to print as many numbers as you have for the double days and the single days separately. So if you have 100 days left, you’ll need to print 0-9 for the first column, 0-9 for the second column, and 0-9 for the third column. Because we had 20 days left when I made the board, I printed 0-2 for the first column and a full set of 0-9 for the second column. We are putting the numbers aside from the second column to reuse for the second week, but if you have a low countdown (30 and under) you could definitely print three full sets of numbers for the second column and allow your kids to rip off a number each night. We decided to save and reuse one set because a) environment and b) it builds the excitement that he can’t rip it off just yet.

Disney Blog’s Vacation Countdown Printables

Disney Blog’s Christmas Countdown Printables

If you can, print the numbers on cardstock. Regular paper is fine- it’s what we used- but with the amount of times you’ll be taking numbers on and off, the cardstock will hold up better, especially if you have a longer countdown.

I did ours on the cheap, and you can too! I stacked coupons for Michael’s, AC Moore, and Joann’s (who all accept competitor coupons) to save as much money as possible!

For my version of this project, you’ll need:

1 11”x17” or bigger corkboard (I used this one from Joann’s and used a 60% off coupon to make it super cheap https://www.joann.com/11×17-corkboard/8723736.html#q=corkboard&start=1)

1-3 pieces of scrapbook paper.

1 package flat brass thumbtacks

2 large eye hooks

Numbers and banner printables from the Disney blog

Single hole punch

Scissors

Scrapbook paper cutter

Selection of Disney stickers, sayings, or scrapbook embellishments

Optional: glue dots or some type of adhesive; superglue

Some things to note before starting the project:

When choosing your cork board, you want to choose a size depending on how many numbers columns you have. As you can see the 11×17 one worked perfectly for 2 columns, but would not work for 3 columns. Keep that in mind as you purchase your cork board. You can also get cork boards that are attached to dry erase boards, which would be a great option if you want to reuse the board. Again, it would need to have a large enough cork board.

The original Pinterest directions tell you to paint the cork board but unfortunately I did not have time to do that. After searching the hashtag #daystilldisney on instagram, I noticed many different tales on the countdown, including ones that used scrapbook paper as a background instead of painting the board. For me, this was not only a much easier option but a cheaper one as well since I only needed to buy one sheet, instead of purchasing all the paints and brushes. You can do Disney paper, plain paper, patterned paper, whatever you want. I used a thicker glitter scrapbook paper to help make it pop. With the 11×17, you will only need one paper, since the printable banner covers the rest of the cork board up just fine. If you have a bigger size board you may want to purchase more sheets, just in case. Also, be careful on what type of designs you choose; the numbers are detailed enough as it is and you want them to be visible, which may be difficult with a more busy background.

I used just flat brass thumbtacks to attach all the paper to the board, in case I wanted to reuse the board or change up the countdown look for future trips. This worked beautifully. However, if you want it more permanent or you don’t want the tacks showing, you can use glue dots or mounting tape, found in the scrapbooking section at the craft store. Make sure whatever you get is labeled permanent adhesive, as removable/adjustable adhesive won’t hold.

I bought the gang in the scrapbooking section (what we didn’t use will go in our trip scrapbook). One issue we had is they don’t have much adhesive on them. That works fine for pages in sleeves, but not for a vertical board and ESPECIALLY not on glitter paper. You can fix this by using a small drop of superglue on each sticker or you can use permanent glue dots. Both should hold just fine. We went the superglue route because we already had it and I didn’t want to purchase more supplies.

Instructions:

  1. Cut out all your printable numbers and banner and place them aside.

  2. Measure the width of inside of the board. Mark the measurements on your scrapbook paper and, using the paper cutter, cut to size.

  3. Taking either your flat thumbtacks or your adhesive, mount the scrapbooking paper flush along the edge of the board.

  4. If you have a bigger cork board and need more paper to cover up the board, keep repeating steps 2 and 3. Remember the board does not have to because completely covered as you have your banner to put on.

  5. Position the printable Disney Vacation banner at the bottom of the board underneath the scrapbook paper and, using thumbtacks or adhesive, carefully mount the banner. There may be some overlap of the two papers, which is fine.

  6. Taking two numbers and two large eye hooks, center them on the board as you’d like them. Mark where you’d like the hole on the paper to go with the screw end, and then remove numbers. Screw in the two eye hooks, being careful to watch they do not go through the back.

  7. Using the marked numbers from step #6 as a guide, punch holes in each number. If you want to jazz it up, use a shaped hole punch. Once punched place your numbers on the eye hooks in order needed.

  8. Have fun decorating the board with stickers and embellishments! Have fun with it- you can use gems, Washi or duck tape, permanent markers, stickers, scrapbook embellishments, iron on patches, Disney Pins, quotes, pictures from previous trips, anything that inspires excitement in you and your family!

  9. Start the countdown and watch the excitement build until it’s time to leave for Disney!

As you can see, it’s super easy! And there’s multiple other ideas out there using these printables if you search the hashtag #daystilldisney. I saw people use clothespins and fabric, magnets, shadow boxes instead of cork boards, and so much more! If you use your imagination I’m sure you have a blast making and using this- after all, isn’t that what Disney is all about?!

Doing Disney Disabled: The DAS Pass

Part 1 in my Doing Disney Disabled Series

I’ll be doing a special series the next few weeks as my family gears up for our Disney World trip! I’ll be doing posts on the following topics:
*Disabled at Disney
*Why we joined the Disney Vacation Club
*Packing for Disney
*DIY Disney Countdown Calendar
*Our Disney Trip: flying with a disability
*Our Disney Trip: Lodging
*Our Disney Trip: Dining, including with Food Disability
*Our Disney Trip: The Parks
*Our Disney Trip: Overview and final thoughts, recommendations, as well as tips and tricks
Is there something you’d like to know? I’m all EARS!

If you know me in person, you know my family and Myself are HUGE Disney fanatics. It’s an obsession that I don’t mind having; one that I’d rather see my kids and husband have over some of the other seedier obsessions out there. It’s something we as a family can connect over. And in today’s society, that’s more important than ever.

I went to Disney for the first time when I was 13, in 7th grade. We don’t speak of that vacation; it’s the one where the day we left (our family of 4 and my aunt, uncle, and 2 cousins) was the day my parent’s divorce was finalized. Yeah, we aptly have nicknamed it the vacation from Hell. Luckily, it didn’t deter me from loving all things Mickey, and I returned in 10th grade, this time for a high school band and chorus trip. Yup, I fell deeper down the White Rabbit hole.

When I met Brian, he had never been. I was convinced his parents didn’t love him growing up (kidding, kidding! Love you Mom!). So I somehow, with my superpowers of persuasion, convinced him that Disney World was the place to go for our honeymoon in 2010. And I was right- he fell head over Disney Princess heels for the Land of The Mouse. We stayed at Port Orleans French Quarter that trip. He was almost giddy about it! We returned again at Christmas 2012, staying at Coronado Springs (not my first recommendation; I’d go with French Quarter in a heartbeat).

Now, let me take a step back and explain why Disney is so near and dear to me, especially after the 2010 and 2012 trips.

Disney does Accessibility and Disability Services RIGHT. Friends, when I’m at Disney World, I feel normal. I feel non-judged, I feel accepted, I feel relaxed, feel at home. They accommodate both physical and developmental disabilities beautifully. They understand that everyone deserves the chance to experience the wonder and magic. But it’s not just the parks and Cast Members (as employees are called). The guests totally understand as well.

It is best exemplified in what happened to me in 2012. I was in my wheelchair at the time, with Brian pushing me. My chair is a custom chair, and bright magenta pink. As I was looking in a shop at Hollywood Studios, a girl of about 9-10 came up to look beside me. She saw my chair and exclaimed, “If I ever need a wheelchair, I’m getting a bright pink one too! That’s so COOL!” She was giddy over the pink. Not my disability, and certainly not scared of my chair.

Then there’s what happened with Mickey. Yup, the head Mouse. We waited in line at the Animation Academy to meet Sorcerer Mickey. When Mickey saw me in my chair, instead of waiting at his post, he walked over and insisted on not only helping me out of my chair, but that I use his arm for support instead of my cane. He supported me the whole time, and once done, escorted me back to my chair. Instead of just leaving, he waited until I was situated and buckled in before taking and patting my hand as a goodbye. Did we take up a bit more time, yes. But no one grumbled and the fact that Disney and Mickey himself made me feel loved… I felt so accepted and loved at that point in time. Disney would forever be my home.

Disney offers guests with disabilities not only lodging accommodations (including items like shower stools!), but they have an accessibility pass called Disability Access Service Pass or DAS Pass. Below are some links that explain the Pass in greater detail. It was revamped in 2013, so if you went before then you might want to refamiliarize yourself with the DAS Pass.

(It is important to note that Disney does not guarantee a DAS Pass for anyone. The best way to obtain one is to explain why waiting in line is difficult for you. While it is not allowed for Cast Members to ask for a doctor’s note, you are allowed to have one on hand and present it to them of your own free will to help aid them in making a decision about approval. With the new revamped version, having mobility issues does not mean you will be allotted a pass. There are many who are denied a pass at one park only to be given it at another. If you feel you need more assistance than the Cast Member helping you can give you, please ask to speak to a supervisor, nicely and kindly- it’s still Disney, after all.)

DisneyBlog’s Disability Access Service Card Fact Sheet

Undercover Tourist’s Disability Access/DAS Card

Walking On Travel’s Disney DAS Pass

There’s multiple reasons I suggest getting a DAS Pass for those with Chronic Pain Diseases like RSD. For me, it’s about the line waiting, even with a scooter. In the past, while waiting in lines such as the ones at Disney, I have been accidentally hit or knocked into by a kid who didn’t mean it. It still sent me to the hospital because they either kicked or hit my affected arm or leg. The scooter doesn’t preclude that from happening. In addition, the RSD affects my stomach and digestive system in the forms of GERD and Gastroparesis. It’s makes the need of readily accessible bathrooms pretty important. Finally, with the RSD I’m on meds that make me sweat quite a bit and because of that I get dehydrated faster and shouldn’t stand out in the sun. Unfortunately, there are rides where the lines do not have much shade at all. In addition, with me being on the Autism Spectrum, lines like that cause me a great deal of anxiety.

We will also be getting a DAS Pass for Caleb since he’s on the Autism Spectrum. Not only will waiting in long lines with nothing to really do cause epic tantrums, but many of the rides have loud audio in the lines and Caleb can’t deal with that. Auditory Sensory Issues are one of our biggest areas of concern in planning this trip; we will have 2 pairs of ear muffs as well as noise canceling headphones, but it still creates a problem. While he needs to learn to wait his turn, alternative ways of waiting really are best at his young age. This way, it gives him freedom of movement, less confinement, and less sensory set offs. The last thing I want to do is have Caleb become afraid of Disney because he has a bad experience. This is just one example of those areas where I am his biggest advocate in finding him the right accommodations. Because he deserves to enjoy the magic just like typical children do.

I’m excited to share with you all this journey to Disney and blog series; if you have thoughts, questions, or tips, please leave them- you never know who they might help!