How to Survive Disney in July (Part I: The Heat)

On my last trip to Disney World (here in Florida), I found myself scowling and trudging through the oppressive heat and humidity.  I thought, "Why do people come here when it's this bad?"  Which is a question I was surprised to hear myself ask, because I won't hesitate to go to Disney on ANY day!  But now that I've been a FL resident going on 7 years, and have recently become an Annual Passholder again, I realize I'm spoiled with the ability to go basically whenever I want, so I get to be choosy!  I don't have to plan a trip months-out and around school holidays (though I still will).  So, if you find yourself at Disney in the horrible heat, but that's the only time you CAN be there, here are some tips I hope you will find useful.  

1. Hydrate (and wear SUNSCREEN)

This is probably the most obvious tip that you already know.  Please, please, please make sure you are drinking water throughout the day!!  You might NOT know that the water at Disney doesn't taste the BEST, so we always bring insulated water bottles from our own water at home (I use a Brita).  Yes, it's annoying to carry it around, but I always have a backpack, and lately I just carry it in my hand because I drink from it so often.  My boyfriend, Wayne, brought his running belt made for carrying water bottles, and that worked quite well since he didn't have a backpack.  

Every Starbucks will give you a cup of ice water for free if you ask.  You can buy ice-cold bottled water throughout the parks as well.  There are water bottle refilling stations and water fountains near the bathrooms.  My favorite place to get water in Epcot is the entrance to Spice Road Table in Morocco.  Just walk in, look to your right, and there is a cold pitcher and cups (they prefer you to fill cups, not bottles, but you can pour the water into your bottle from the cup quite easily).  This week at Hollywood Studios, we ate at Pizza Rizzo, and found a few water stations there too!

2. Shop (and reapply your sunscreen)

The souvenir shops have the best AC!  So even if you don't intend to buy anything, just pop in, admire the cute and creative merch, and when you're ready, head back out!

3. Use Cooling Accessories (over your sunscreen)

I see people with those headphone-shaped personal fans hanging around their necks--I haven't taken the plunge to get them myself, but they always look like a good idea.  There's also a ton of personal fans that are phone-sized that you can wear on a lanyard, and of course the ones you can clip onto strollers for the little ones.  Read the reviews though, because some are much better than others!!  And Disney parks sell the spray-bottle fans so you can mist and fan yourself at the same time!

The one accessory I DO use is the cooling towel.  They sell them at Disney with Mickey silhouettes printed on them, but I actually got mine from a pack my dad ordered for a family trip last year, I think from Amazon.  Just pour water fountain or sink water over it when you're ready, squeeze it out (or don't--you might want the extra drips), and drape it around your neck, head, wherever.  Yes, they warm up quickly, but just move them and flip them over for more cooling, and re-soak them when you can.  I still claim I would have collapsed without mine when my friend Kim let me borrow one of hers on a trip we took to Universal last July. 

4. Take Breaks (to put on more sunscreen) and Edit Plans

The only must-do on vacation is to take care of yourself!  If you're too hot and tired to wait in line for a ride or stay at the park for a dinner reservation, listen to your body, and your travel party.  You can cancel dining reservations with no penalty up to 2 hours before your reserved time.  I love being in the parks, but my favorite relaxation memories have been at the hotels.  There's something to just lazing about your hotel room eating snacks, getting a cocktail at the hotel bar, or walking around the resort looking at the water and little magical details in the theming.  An added bonus--if you're leaving a park and staying on property, you can enjoy the blast of AC on the Disney bus back to your hotel!

5. Use Windshield Covers!! (a literal sun screen!)

That being said, if you're NOT staying at a Disney hotel, or if you're a local and heading home at the end of the day, make sure to use one of those windshield sun-blockers!  If you plan on renting a car, see if one will fit in your suitcase!  I feel a HUGE difference between the times I remember to use it and the times I forget!  Like a 10 or more degree difference! 

Holidays Around the World at Epcot's Festival of Holidays!

Last year was my first taste of Christmas at Disney when I went to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.  This year I went to Epcot with my brothers (now that my brother in law works for Disney, we're there a lot more often!) and got to experience Epcot International Festival of the Holidays!

First of all, the decorations at the entrance were perfect:

Like the scene from Big Fish but with Poinsettias!

I looked for these globe ornaments all over the park but couldn't find any!  Maybe next year, Epcot?

Gotta love Disney topiaries!

On a side-note, I absolutely love this 80's Epcot Mickey & Minnie window display!  These are the costumes Mickey & Minnie wore when we were kids!

Super cute Goofy and Donald holiday photo op!

We had to ride Figment's Journey into Imagination (in dire need of an update.. bring back Dreamfinder!) and I never noticed this adorable wall!!

It was a little overcast and chilly so my photos weren't as bright as I'd like..

Tree details

I am a sucker for any and all of these scavenger hunt maps throughout Epcot!! I've done the egg hunt (where you earn an Easter Egg of a Disney character), and the Figment one last winter during Festival of the Arts (you get a magnet of a famous painting featuring Figment).  I also did the Ratatouille Hide & Squeak (my first one) where, when you're done, you get a nice quality pin of Remy with an ingredient that matches the map stickers!

This one features Chip & Dale each with a different wreath around the world!  It was sometimes difficult to find (especially when I started and wasn't exactly sure what I was looking for--glad I got to share this info with some other people with maps and lost looks).  They were frequently found at Kidcot stations around the "world."

Here they all are (click to see in a separate window):

Even if you're not in the search, they're still fun to find!  And here's what you get:

 A whole set of pins, but not the usual Disney kind--the button kind (which is still super cute).  You get one big pin with Chip & Dale on it, and 5 little ones from the assorted wreaths!  You can pick from 3 sets, which overlap in options so you can usually get all the ones you want!

So cute!

There was also amazing food at special holiday booths in every country!

New Year Celebration Soba (which I've had before since my brother in law is from Japan!)--it was warm and delicious.  Definitely hit the spot!

The Buche de Noel (Yule Log) from France--the meringue mushroom was perfect!!  (I made my own buche de noel this year and made my own mushrooms--now that I know how time-consuming and fragile they are, I applaud Disney for making so many of these for each buche!!)

Seared Salmon from Canada (the sauce was very maple-y) was the last thing I had, and amazing.

Tostada de Tinga from Mexico actually started my day!

Here are some of the decorations around the park:

Inside the American Adventure

Gudetama tree toppers in Japan's gift shop

I think this was my favorite!!  I have this Spode design on a tea towel in my kitchen which I bought after moving here because it was on our Christmas glasses at home!

Inside the "cookie nook"

Super cute snowman topiary on our way out.

It was an amazing time and my new holiday favorite!!  I also realized I've been to every Epcot festival this year!  Perks of living in FL!  If you haven't been to this one yet, you can still get over in the next few days--it's over Dec 30!!

Sleep like a Beauty

Have you ever wanted to sleep like a princess?  (Not the Princess and the Pea--that would be me 😂)  I recently came across Furniture.com's new and exclusive line of Disney furniture!  I found beds, dressers, bookcases, recliners, canopies--everything fit for a queen!

Not only do they have gorgeous princess beds (like the twin daybed and the full panel bed)

They also have beds for amateur racers:

And pirates in training!

I especially love this precious bookcase, and the spot for EVEN MORE BOOKS on the side!

So if you're in the market for some magic, try furniture.com's Disney bed sets and furniture to help your little one have sweet dreams!

Pokemon, Amorette's, Ghirardelli, and More Merch from Disney Springs!

My parents came to visit my brother and me last week and the closest timeshare they could find was in Kissimmee, which is right outside Orlando.  So of course we all went to Disney Springs together!  First of all, if you are staying outside Disney property, definitely check out local stores, outlets and gift shops.  There are tons of souvenirs around!  I went to CVS and they had aisles of stuffed animals, mouse ears, and Disney mugs!  I bought a towel there!

So I haven't had a good margarita since I moved down here.  I went over to Dockside Margaritas in Disney Springs and got this Patrón Añejo Margarita (I had to look that up from the site).

Exactly what I had been craving!  You can read the menu here.

Then of course we went to the World of Disney!  I hadn't seen these mugs last time:

These are just 2 of the many cute designs like this!  The ceilings are always fun to look at in this store.  Here are Ariel and Pocahontas, and a little mural of Mickey and Minnie on a magic carpet ride with Aladdin and Jasmine!

These Mickey magnets are so pretty, but a little bit expensive in my opinion.  I bought three for my classroom, but I also got to use a resident discount!  I don't know if that's new this weekend, only on weekends, or for a limited time... But it was 15% off last Monday when we were there, and becoming 20% off the next day!  It was still 20% off when I went back this weekend!

Pokemon Go isn't going unnoticed at the Springs!  I haven't heard much about it in the news lately (we must be getting used to it), but a couple weeks ago Basin announced some limited edition Pokeball Bath Bombs!  Aren't they adorable?  I finally went back and bought one yesterday haha.  I was just too curious to see what was inside!  (I'll show you in my next post!)

Also, Starbucks was giving out free samples of a PokemonGo "Team Instinct"-inspired Mango Lemonade!  It was actually really tasty and refreshing!!  Where do I sign up for this team? 

We stopped by a new shop called Amorette's, which is a french patisserie that has these adorable Mickey-shaped financiers (like almond sponge cakes, according to Google.  Wish I had known this.  I would have bought one!) You can read the menu here.  

The financiers and most pastries are $8, and I was surprised that the mini cakes (which are decorated exquisitely) are only $15!  They also have boxes of beautiful pastel macarons.  The big-ticket items are the Mickey and friends cakes which are $65.

But so cute you can kind of justify it...

This woman is painting the ears (probably with chocolate).  There are decorations around suggesting an artists' workshop, and I was happy to find this painting of one of my favorite Disney parade costumes from the Festival of Fantasy:

And I love this wall of sprinkles in color order!!

Speaking of Sprinkles, I finally made it inside! 

I loved the Sprinkles in NYC and this is very similar.  They also have ice cream!  I was hoping they'd have some special Disney cupcake (maybe they do--I didn't read the menu), but I didn't find anything.  I was hoping they'd have 3 of their fancy dots on one cupcake to make a Mickey, or at least have one on display like a hidden Mickey!  

They had this adorable dollhouse-size display of their shop which I absolutely loved:

And I highly recommend buying the mix if you can--I tried the chocolate one (the cylinder with blue on the bottom)--it's my favorite mix yet!  It also makes you feel like you're doing it from scratch since you have to prepare various ingredients that aren't in the package (but that's what makes it so fresh).  I posted about it in my cupcake blog a couple years back!

I haven't tried it yet, but Sprinkles also has the first-ever Cupcake ATM!  I imagine it's only open during business hours because it's probably someone physically placing a cupcake in the little window.. I really don't know.  But it's a cute idea!

We stopped at Ghirardelli to get some ice cream treats:

Mine was the "Treasure Island Sundae."  It had a warm brownie in it, along with hot fudge and walnuts drizzled over the ice cream.  SO GOOD!

Before we left, I stopped by Arribas Brothers and found some cute glassware designed like Disney characters (like this Mickey vase--it's the only one I could get a clear photo of since the sun was shining right behind the window)

I love this Chihuly-looking chandelier!

 There were some cute miniatures in glass like the Genie, the Toy Story Aliens, Tigger, Pooh, and more!

My favorite was this gorgeous pegasus unicorn!  Reminded me of Fantasia!

A couple addenda to my previous post... I took a photo of B.B. Wolf's Sausage Co. menu (click for larger image):

So while they don't have turkey or chicken sausages, they do have a vegetarian option!

And here are some photos of the UNIQLO patches that I believe were not pictured in the website image I'd posted before.

Until next time!