If you like #Pixar 's Onward, You'll Love BROKEN BRANCH FALLS

This IWSG post is brought to you by the Taking Back Beast World Campaign - Phase 2. Stand up to your Bullies!

You may or may not know, but there's an animated film coming out next month: Onward by Disney/Pixar. Last summer one of my sons saw a sneak peek trailer and showed me because it reminded him of my Beast World series.

When I watched it unfold, my heart sank. I literally started to shake and freak out! Even more crushing, some of my fave actors are the voices. The stories are different, but the setting is the same, identical. I knew I had to do something. And the Taking Back Beast World Campaign was born.

It was a great success for little old me, pushing me to publish WINDY HOLLOW, BW #3. I shook things up, made new friends, got great new reviews, started a weekly chat, sold more books, and got noticed by Pixar (they basically said I was nobody and told me to stop bothering them...Ha!) I don't want to sue, I just want recognition!

Now on to Phase 2. The movie comes out Mar 6, and it's time to speak out again. I'm so excited to have an awesome writing community of friends backing me up. I have big ideas, but not a lot of time and money to carry it all out, so I'm doing what I can. I re-published BROKEN BRANCH FALLS and am working on CRADLE ROCK. I've organized lots of posts and interviews and reviews and social send-outs.

I may even "protest" at a theater--not a bashing Pixar protest, but a total publicity stunt. If the news caught it, that would be great! It all depends on if I can get some folks to help me. Most people don't like confrontation or attention.

My goal is to get Beast World noticed. I'm going to display the comparisons in a positive way:

• If you like Disney/Pixar's Onward, you'll love BROKEN BRANCH FALLS by Tara Tyler

That way, it's a win-win!
And here are some more comparisons for you...

• If you liked Game of Thrones, you'll love EFFIGY by M.J. Fifield
• If you like the Hallmark Channel, you'll love the MAGUIRE'S CORNER series by Heather M Gardner and HOOSIER DAD by Elizabeth Seckman
• If you liked Melrose Place and Vampire Diaries, you'll love THE THIRTEENTH FLOOR series by Christine Rains
• If you liked Battlestar Galactica, you'll love CASSASTAR by Alex J. Cavanaugh
• If you liked The Outsiders, you'll love NOT GUILTY by C. Lee McKenzie
• If you liked Murder, She Wrote, you'll love MURDER AT THE MARINA by Ellen Jacobsen
• If you liked The Great Wall, you'll love DRAGONFLY WARRIOR by Jay Noel
• If you liked American Pie, you'll love THREE DAVES by Nicki Elson

There are many more, but that's all I could think of at the moment. Share yours in the comments!

I won't give up. I'm up for the challenge. And I'm always happy to have more helpers, or just give my posts a share. We "nobody" writers have to stick together and not let the big bully mega-corps walk all over us.

Thanks for your support!

Tara Tyler Talks about #StarWars (spoilers!)

Happy New Year - bla bla bla

But seriously IWSG-ers, I hope you have a great 2020. If things are going badly, I hope you find a way to turn them around. If things are going well, keep up the good work!

January is a time of reflection. I want to raise the level of my blog from a once-a-month series of IWSG entries to more frequent and more substantial posts. I want to be more engaging!

And so, I give you my first post for 2020--

Let's go to the Movies??

Consider STAR WARS. (NOTE - Spoiler Alert! Plenty of annoying spoilers ahead)

There's nothing like the opening burst...

There's also nothing like the original trilogy. Sure, special effects are better now, CGI is amazing, and meeting new characters is always fun. BUT, just like the last season of Game of Thrones was rushed and lacking, this latest Star Wars trilogy was full of spontaneous, easily foiled threats and not much substance or explanation. I'm sorry to say, True Star Wars fans have been let down.

The Rise of Skywalker was a great action-adventure sci-fi movie, no doubt. My hub even liked it, and he's not a big SW fan. But my closet-nerd son and I felt a disturbance in the Force. So many story lines were severely under-developed and conveniently explained away with a glib comment for us all to accept. It was full of miraculous, impossible saves; instant armies, easy escapes, and predictable rebellious behavior... I felt like I was watching a teenager's spoof seeing what he could get away with--wouldn't it be cool if this happened!

Most egregious irritations:

• Poor Fin - so much potential wasted--they made this guy do nothing but annoy everyone, "Rey!" 
• And the Planet-Destroying Cannons upgrade on a surprise fleet of Star Destroyers--where did they come from? Santa? But the placement of the cannons gave me a chuckle. It was like they all got a kick in the crotch... that magically destroys the whole ship **eye roll**

There was No build up. No anticipation. No time to wonder what might happen, we know what's going to happen. As a writer, you know what I'm talking about.

I had more complaints, but I won't torture you further. And there were some good moments.

• I really liked the new female characters, but there wasn't enough time to expand on them. I would've been happier if they'd split it into two films just to give us some backstory and character development.
• Palpatine was a great twist. But what were all those zombie fans??
• Funny thing, I liked Kylo Ren's character arc (Frankly, I would've chosen him over Rey as a true Skywalker.
• It's just a good thing Chewy didn't die! (Told you there'd be spoilers!)

One saving grace for Star Wars fans: The Mandalorian is fantastic! It has everything the new movies don't, plus awesome LOL scenes and Baby Yoda!


Movies in general lately are lacking in quality and depth. Sequels, Spinoffs, and Remakes are the currency of the day. Over the holidays, I also saw JUMANJI 2 which was pretty terrific, better than expected, but still a sequel, with a teaser of another is in the works. And here are the previews we saw:

>>Scooby Doo origins              >>Mulan live-action              >> Dr. Dolittle upgrade

>> Black Widow spinoff              >>"new and improved" Ghostbusters sequel

Absolutely nothing original.
Money is the biggest motivator which is understandable since it is a business. But the industry isn't taking chances on anything new...

So I call on YOU, fellow writers!
Keep writing. Keep improving. And try a Screenplay! Submit to contests. Put your awesome works out there for these sheltered producers living in their Hollywood Bubble. They need us! (I just submitted JOLISSA to an animated screenplay contest!)

Okay, I think I've talked enough.

Oh, yeah. One last thing -- I'm putting together a team!

Disney/Pixar's Onward is coming out soon (you may remember me mentioning how they "stole" my Beast World concept) So I'm starting Phase 2 of my Taking Back Beast World campaign. I re-published BROKEN BRANCH FALLS!! And CRADLE ROCK is soon to follow.

If you're up for helping me promote the ORIGINAL Fantasy Creatures in High School, here's the new FORM
Thanks for your support!

And don't forget to join us for the #WedWrant Twitter chat tonight at 7:30 PM EST - be sure to use the hashtag!

Blessings a-plenty in 20-20!

Life is a bully - always kicking you when you're down

2019 has been a brutal year in my writing life, and there's even more turmoil ahead...

Over the next few months, I'm going to publish WINDY HOLLOW myself. I'm also going to try to get my previous books back and publishable so I can go sell them at events. My heart broke not being able to go to Ohioana this year. I'm trying very hard to be strong in this transition. And since I recently accepted a permanent teaching position--we need $$ to live--I will have very little time during the school year to work on writing. I guess the balance of writing/teaching had to be achieved. Thank you fate, life, yin-yang, Murphy's Law, etc. You suck.

Unfortunately, that's not all. My rant isn't over, so hold onto your seat. This is an IWSG post for the ages...

You see, recovery from losing all my books at once was a blow I could handle, I saw it coming and prepared myself. But as my title suggests, I'm being kicked while I'm trying to get back up off the floor.

The same day my army son drove away to move to his new home base, I saw this...

coming out in 2020

THIS IS BEAST WORLD!! It's SO NOT FAIR! And it's Chris Pratt, my fave actor! Though the story line is a little different, they're teenager fantasy creatures who live in a suburban fantasy world with no humans, going on a quest - HELLO! That is BEAST WORLD! AHHHHHHH!!!!! Wahhh. Oh, and here's their cool trailer. I'm so UPSET!

Those two main characters, Ian and Barley are so close to my camp guides, Trevor and Bonk in CRADLE ROCK. Onward could be their sideline story!

I know this happens sometimes, but to this degree?? It's such a stab to my heart! So what do I do about it? My publisher couldn't even keep their $#!+ together to publish my third book. I've been sent back to the start, slipped down the longest Chute without a Ladder.

Well, I'll tell you what I'm going to do about it. I'm going to go on a campaign to be heard. The least they can do is enlist my writing skills in adapting my Beast World series for sequels!! Right? Well, maybe that's the most they can do. But they have to do something! Anything! It's so not fair that no one can breach the realms of big productions from little hometowns in "flyover" states. I'm not young, I'm not rich, I have no connections, and I have so many responsibilities that I can't just pick up and leave. But I have ambition, determination, and will power. I can't give up. Just like my DARN AWESOME CHARACTERS - I will find a way!

As you know, I always look for a solution and try to find the positives. So through tear-filled eyes and self-pitying sniffles, here is what I came up with...

• I have the tools--technology, social media, terrific books already written with publish dates before their measly idea was born
• I have more time--it's summer! though I always have a ton to do, my kids are self-sufficient and I don't have to plan or grade until August... two months of as much writing stuff as I can cram in!
• I have you guys--I know I've been pretty lame at visiting other blogs, but I always offer my services and shout outs. I don't like asking for something without offering something in return! Here's a volunteer FORM if you have time to help here and there this summer, easy stuff!

Maybe this was the kick in the pants I needed. Maybe I can get one of those people to notice me--they are just people after all. Things happen for a reason and we usually don't know why until we get to the end result (Life, you still suck).

So, Dragons as pets? We'll change that to "drakes" because the real Dragons will make a big appearance in the next one. Just you wait!

Thanks, you guys. I needed that. More news soon. It's going to be a busy summer.

Join us in Disney World!

Hey, Carrie Butler! 

Now that you've had a terrific blog tour for STRENGTH, what are you going to do?

I'm going to Disney World!

I must say, Tara, your virtual Disney World is awesome. No crowds, no Floridian heat, and I get to hang out with all of my blogging friends!

Thank you! It's a magical place and perfect for a post tour interview! Let's get started. So tell us, did you obsess about anything? sales? reviews? comments on blog tour stops? and were you surprised at yourself?

Yes—to answer all of your questions. I was constantly flitting about, checking on things, making sure everything was running smoothly. If they weren't, I'd allow myself a few minutes to freak out... and then I'd make a plan of action.

I frequently have a little freak out time. It's refreshing. How did you prepare for the tour and launch?

I started getting serious about three months pre-launch. There were spreadsheets to be made, people to contact, graphics to be created, etc. It was a lot more work than I anticipated, but it was well worth it.

Only three months? I'd start my own now if I had a cover! You did an awesome job in three months! How did you start your launch?

I was actually glued to the Internet all day. There was a virtual release party on Facebook. Fun stuff, I tell you. :)

I can't imagine! What was your best experience?

Definitely talking to the readers/reviewers who enjoyed Strength. Seeing the story through their eyes was such a cool experience.

It's amazing how everyone puts their own personality into a book. It's different for everyone! Could you share something you learned?

I'm not going to over-extend myself next time. The first few days of my tour, I got like three hours of sleep. Self-imposed pressure + trying to be everywhere at once = rookie mistake. Haha!

Thanks for the heads up. But I doubt anyone will be able to sleep the night before their launch! Any advice?

Plan carefully, be reasonable about your commitments, and enjoy the "moment". :)

Exactly. Do as much as you can before the party starts, then leave your cares at the door. And speaking of enjoyment, what is your favorite ride at Disney World? And have you been before?

I actually performed in two Disney parades while I was in high school. Hmm... I would have to say Space Mountain.

Love the parades! How fun! And the classic Space Mountain - usually breaks down at least once every visit these days. I think they are giving it a complete overhaul soon. Great interview, Carrie! And congratulations!

Oh, she's already off and running to the next ride! I will leave you with a shot of Carrie at the Motor Speedway...

 

Here is the linkage:

Where to find Carrie:

WEBSITE  |  BLOG  |  PUBLISHER  |  TWITTER  |  FACEBOOK  |  GOOGLE+ 

Where to find Strength:

BOOK PAGE  |  GOODREADS  |  PUBLISHER  |  PINTEREST  |  BOOK TRAILER

Strength Retailers:
AMAZON  |  KINDLE  |  BARNES AND NOBLE  |  NOOK

Dreaming of Disney - the Magic Kingdom

You step off the monorail and walk down the ramp. The first image you see is usually a seasonal mickey topiary. Once your fanny pack has been cleared and you've squeezed through the turn style, you walk thru the tunnel under the railroad station and there it is, MAIN STREET and up ahead, the Castle.

A dream is a wish your heart makes...

It's 80 degrees, the sun is shining, smiling faces are everywhere! Smell the popcorn  from the Victorian vendor, listen to the barber shop quartet or dixieland band and the clip clop of the horse-drawn trolley. See the rainbow of mickey shaped balloons - there's always balloons!

And here is where I guide you through the Magic Kingdom! I realize many of you may have been here before so add your input!
: Each park has a big store/line of stores for your souvenier pleasure. The Magic Kingdom's is on MAIN STREET and the stores connect all the way down. Best time to shop is in the morning or during parades.

First we walk down main street. Unless you time it right and catch a ride on a trolley or other vehicle up to the castle. [: there's a "Tip Board" in the middle of the park with wait times and show times. There's also an app for that!]

I will rank the rides as we go through each section.
green - the best, never miss  [: a good time to ride popular rides is during parades]
blue - also great
red - old favorites
orange - for the kiddies
FP - fast pass ride

: go to the left when choosing a line, they're usually shorter - I have found this works outside DW too.
So we start to the left and enter ADVENTURELAND. Feel the rhythm of the tropical music and steel drums as you walk through an old island marketplace.

• Pirates of the Caribbean FP- new and improved with an appearance by Jack Sparrow for a live show daily - and we love the shop after the ride.
• Jungle Cruise FP- the driver is the best part!
• Tiki Birds - can't believe it's still around, I haven't been since they updated it, but my sister said it was great
• Magic Carpets of Aladdin - similar to Dumbo, round and round, up and down =)

Now we continue through to FRONTIERLAND. The music has changed tempo to hillbilly and bluegrass. The colors are desert browns and reds.

• Thunder Mountain Railroad FP- I don't like rollercoasters but I like this one. One of the few I will still go on.
• Splash Mountain FP- You will get wet and be lifted out of your seat on the drop.
• and Pecos Bill's is a nice spot for a quick lunch or you can take the train back to the front entrance.

Keep walking and you come to LIBERTY SQUARE. A traditional river town, complete with Steamboat.

• Haunted Mansion FP- I'd show you where all the secret passages are, but I don't want to spoil it for you =)
• Hall of Presidents - updated and a nice break from sun and crowds

The next two sections are the biggest and the best.
FANTASYLAND.

• It's a Small World is on your left and Peter Pan's Flight FP is on your right, coming from Haunted Mansion.
• Then the walkway opens up and you can see Cinderella's Golden Carousel with the Sword in the Stone for kids to try and pull.
• A newer experience is Mickey's Philharmagic FP- a 4D movie.
• Don't forget the Tea Cups!
• Longest waits are for Dumbo and Goofy's Barnstormer
• You can catch the train back from here if you're getting tired! Maybe relax at the pool while the kiddies swim =)

If you came back later, now you head to the right of the park to finish up with TOMORROWLAND. It's dark and the neon is glowing!

• Space Mountain FP - if you don't have a fast pass, fugetaboudit.
• Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin FP - Superfun!
• Indy Speedway
• Carousel of Progress- great place to sit and rest and I love this old presentation!
• Transit Authority- another restful experience. funny thing - the last time we went, my husband and older son were on space mountain while we were on this and it runs through space mountain and space mountain broke down - it was lit up so we saw them sitting in the car on the track! ha haha!
• Monster's Inc. Laugh Floor - audience interactive and hilarious!

If you want a good spot for a parade, sit on the curb EARLY! Have lunch there. Let Dad save the spot while Mom shops and take turns. Depends on how badly you want to see it. The electric light parade at night is awesome! But the fireworks we usually watch while we wait for our bus to take us to the hotel.

My sister and I took a picture of my parents - and they took a picture of us in Peter Pan's Flight and we didn't know it until we developed the pictures! Remember getting pictures developed?!

Sorry I get so long winded - I just love talking about Disney! Is there anything you'd like to know or share?

Dreaming of Disney - hot tips, part 1

This post goes along with Shelly's highlight for me today. Thanks, Shelly!

Writing about Disney always perks me up! I could talk your ear off about it, but I know your limitations, so I'll be brief...

Now that you have a room and reservations booked and you have a general idea of which parks you will visit, you can sit back and relax until your trip gets closer. That's what I'm doing!

Here are some "hot tips" from BIRNBAUM'S GUIDE TO WALT DISNEY WORLD 2010 (plus my valuable comments):

• Are you driving? or renting a car? Don't forget where you parked! Before you jump on the tram (one of my favorite rides) make a mental note of your section character and row. Daisy 50, Daisy 50, Daisy 50 - writing it down might be better.
• On your way back to the airport, arrive at least 60-90 minutes early. I concur that Orlando airport security is one of the busiest I've seen!
• When packing, get some ponchos at Walmart for 50 cents each, they're worth it for the spontaneous Florida showers. (10 bucks at the park!)
• Label stuff, like your camera. I haven't lost mine yet, but we have left school books, sunglasses and earbuds. Some things are worth labeling, just in case.
• Don't know what to do with Fido? He can come along for the ride and stay at one of the nice kennels. We did that when we lived in FL and went for a long weekend. We took our Lady for walks and fed her at dinner time.
• If your youngest seems too big for a stroller and you decide not to pack it, then you see the little guy isn't going to make it, you can rent one at the parks for a reasonable rate. (it happened to us, he hadn't taken a nap in 2 years and took 3 on our trip)
• One last item, for parents who want to ride the big rides but have little ones that can't/don't want to, you can "rider switch" - all wait in line, then the parents take turns riding when you get to the front.

Now here are some of my extra hot tips:

• On our way to our resort from the airport, we stop at Publix and pick up some groceries, like snacks, drinks, breakfasty stuff and water. Worth it!
• Getting a resort mug is also a good idea. The refills are free or cheap and they are nice souveniers.
• We also like to plan an excursion outside the parks, like a ball game - lots of close spring training in the area (Atlanta Braves right there at the Disney Sports complex) or a day at the beach (only an hour drive) or Sea World or Universal Studios
• Finally, if you go on someone's birthday, make it known and wear the button they give you. My son got free stuff all day (a balloon, a cookie, a dessert, and a couple of songs, plus they all wish you happy birthday =)

at Sea World for a day

I said this last time, but didn't get to it...the next Disney posts will be about the best rides and features of each park.

Countdown to next trip (Nov 2011): 98 days 8=)
TTFN!

Dreaming of Disney posts

My references are my years going to the parks, the Disney website and Birnbaum Guides to Walt Disney World (2010) which I use for much of my planning.

Dreaming of Disney - a Day at the Park, pt 1

Wait! I almost forgot! Before you make those dining reservations, you have to check the MAGIC HOURS! If you stay on property, you get to enter the parks early, before the masses, or stay later, and I mean way later! But you have to refer to the calendar on the website for the days of your stay because the Magic Hours are different for each park. Not to mention the hours the parks are open change all the time. But the calendar is pretty accurate, even six months in advance or more.

The reason I say to check the Magic Hours is to help in planning your days. For instance, look for a night EPCOT is open late and plan to have a fabulous dinner at one of the countries there. Then you can see the laser show and still ride a few more rides while everyone else has to leave. A note that my sister observed and I concur with is that on days a park opens early, visit it then go to another park because for some odd reason the park seems extra crowded on those days. Also, on a day when there are no AM Magic Hours is a good time to book a character breakfast.

Here is a sample of a few days...

Day 1 - no Magic Hours in AM
             go to Magic Kingdom
             ride lots of rides, get fast passes!
             lunch at park, counter service
             more rides
             back to hotel, pool, relax, change
             Hollywood Studios has PM Magic Hours
             make it to dinner & fantasmic reservations
             see show and ride rides

Day 2 - EPCOT has AM Magic Hours
             go early, ride rides
             leave to make it to Down Town Disney lunch reservation
             shop
             go to room to relax, have dinner there
             go back to Magic Kingdom (usually open later than other parks)
            
Then there's always a day like

Day 3 - No AM Magic Hours
             go to Animal Kingdom for character breakfast
             ride rides, get fast passes
             do lunch
             more rides
             closes earlier than most parks
             no PM Magic Hours
             go to room, freshen up, go off property for dinner or stay at hotel
             if you're up for it, there's mini golf or movies

Like I said, this is a sample, you do what you want. If your goal is to ride rides, stay all day at one park. And if you are limited on time, the rides are priority. But I'm telling you, that break in the afternoon, at least for one of the days, is worth it! And avail yourself of the FAST PASS! The rides with the longest lines have kiosks out front dispensing fast passes. They allow you to come back at a designated time and enter the ride without waiting in the 30, 40 or 60 minutes in line through all the ropes.

I also have to say that getting there is part of the fun. We love riding the monorail. The kids always ask if we can ride in the front with the driver - don't know if they still do that. And the boats are fun too. My kids even like the bus rides sometimes, especially if we get a good, animated driver.

The next posts in this section will be about the best rides and features of each park.
Countdown to next trip (Nov 2011): 129 days 8=)
TTFN!

Dreaming of Disney posts

My references are my years going to the parks, the Disney website and Birnbaum Guides to Walt Disney World (2010) which I use for much of my planning.

Dreaming of Disney - Dining Reservations, pt 1

Once you have your accommodations and before you book your airfare, I recommend you make dining reservations. Seriously! Especially if you want to eat with Mickey and friends or the Princesses! Those character dining slots go fast. You can call as early as 180 days in advance and if you are staying on property you can book for your whole stay. You'd be surprised how quick some places fill up.

This will be a multi-part post because there are so many restaurants to talk about. Here, I am including character dining and event dining, the ones that go first. I haven't been to any princess meals because I have 3 boys! But I'm sure they're all great 8=)

(Rating is based on 5 *s = awesome! and n/b=never been)

These Dinner & A Show "events" are so fun! I have booked Fantasmic (huge laser, fire & light show of Sorcerer's Apprentice Mickey over water) three times and had to cancel for one reason or another every time so hopefully we will make it this year. There's so much to tell you about all these wonderful experiences. They are expensive, but worth doing at least one (we usually have one sit down reservation a day because we like to have a relaxing meal and not wait!) My sister really liked the Disney Dining Plan which I will go into more detail on later, too. You can make your dining reservations online or by calling 407-WDW-DINE (407-939-3463).

Countdown to next trip (Nov 2011): 153 days 8=)
TTFN!

Dreaming of Disney posts

My references are the Disney website and Birnbaum Guides to Walt Disney World (2010) which I use for much of my planning, I highly recommend using them.

Dreaming of Disney - Where to Stay

Where in the World to Stay

I've stayed off property in the Orlando/Kissimmee area and it's ok and less expensive. But once you stay on property, you won't want to go back. I think staying at a Disney resort hotel is worth every penny. And the value resorts go as low as about $80/night which isn't too bad especially for all the perks (see below).

I decided to talk about the resorts sooner because if you want to stay on property, some of them fill up months in advance, especially during peak seasons.

In future posts I will give more details about the resorts I have been to, but for now here is a chart I made giving you stats ($ are for 2010, rates usually go up a buck or two every year...):


* Seasons: Value, Regular, Peak
**not official Disney resorts, most perks apply but not all

Perks of staying on property:

• Magical Express service from the airport - ride a comfortable Disney bus to your resort, bags delivered to your room (don't plan on getting into them right away, it takes a couple hours)
• Extra Magic Hours - the parks open early and stay open later on certain days just for resort guests, check the calendar closer to your visit for details
• Transportation - monorail, boats, buses - sometimes getting there is half the fun (a couple of years ago when asked what his favorite ride was, my middle son replied, "the buses")
• Can use your room key-card to charge any purchases to your room
• Have purchases delivered to your room so you don't have to carry them around
• During peak season resort guests are guaranteed admission to the parks (with a ticket), even if they are full to capacity (I didn't know that!)
• All the hotels have either a food court and/or restaurant(s), pools, shops, an arcade and a laundry
• You get the Disney service with a smile, they usually go out of their way to make your experience "magical" - seriously!

The break-down:

I have stayed at the highlighted resorts and would say my top 3 are the Contemporary, Boardwalk and Beach Club. I don't have anything bad to say about any of them (except in the "con" section). They are all unique with their themes - many picture ops. Something to note, your waiting in line for transportation time is inversely proportional to the price of your room. The caliber of the eating establishements is a direct reflection. You decide what your priorities are and go!

before kids - taking a boat

Dreaming of Disney posts
My reference is Birnbaum Guides, Walt Disney World (2010) which I use for much of my planning, I highly recommend it.

"D" is for Dreaming of Disney

Dreaming of Disney is another monthly post that I put up on the 10th of each month. Again, early to coincide with "D" day. I divulge Disney World doings, advice and recommendations. This is the second installment.

Planning Your Trip.
I am annoyingly organized. I love a good plan, with an itinerary and reservations and details! Then we get there and if we do any of it, I am happy. Writing it down is part of my fun =)

Timing is everything.
You need to decide what is important to you. What will make your life easier - weather? cost? less crowds? We like to get the best of all three. Unfortunately, unless you can take the kids out of school you will be down there at "peak" season - the most crowded, the most expensive and usually, the worst weather. Taking the kids out of school is worth it. Here is a yearly breakdown of cost, crowds and weather:

Planning also requires early reservations for those busier times of year. I'm a Disney Vacation Club member and I sometimes have trouble getting in popular places even 6 months in advance! That's hotels and dining! And we usually do NOT go during peak season.

TTFN!

Prince #1

Dreaming of Disney posts
My reference is Birnbaum Guides to Walt Disney World (2010) which I use for much of my planning, I highly recommend it.

Dreaming of Disney World

Dreaming of Disney - the series

Intro.
I consider myself a Disney World connoisseur (had to look up the spelling on that one!) I was introduced to Disney when we lived in Massachusetts. My parents took us out of school and we went down a couple of times in the 70s. Groovy! Then we moved to Florida (not for Disney, that was a bonus). We were there from 1980-1992. We lived less than 3 hours from the park so we went, a lot. My parents let my sister and I bring friends sometimes, too. In 8th grade my chorus took a trip there and we got a behind the scenes tour. Our high school Senior Trip was there - an overnight Lock In at Disney with concerts and rides - Awesome! My freshman year of college was our last family trip there (with just the 4 of us anyway). We were a corny family, what can I say.

After college I took a couple of boyfriends there. A subliminal test? Nah. Just a place I love that I wanted to share.

The thing is, I never got sick of it!

So now I have my own family. We joined the Disney Vacation Club, which has properties all over the world, not just at the parks. We still go on a regular, biannual basis (every other year). Sometimes we meet my parents and my sister's family. And sometimes we coordinate with friends.

And every time we go we have a new experience. Attractions are added and updated all the time. Knowing the tricks and shortcuts, having perks, being with friends and family. It's truly a magical place. I want to share the magic!

March 2000