Perfectly Imperfect Mom: Disney

We just got back from another fabulous Disney trip. This time we took it super easy since we bought Silver Passes and knew we would be going back frequently through out the year. We have a tradition with my best friend Kat that we go to Disney every Fall. We usually do Disney's Not so Scary Halloween Party but decided on Silver Passes instead.

My Mom with my sister, me and my brother at Epcot

Since I have been doing to Disney World since I was a baby here are a few tips on how we survive Disney with our whole crew.

1. Arrive early. Getting to the park early is a must. This is the best way to get the most done before the crowds and heat become overwhelming. Being Floridians we are used to the humidity but even we need a break from the crazy heat in the middle of the day. We usually get to the parks when they open and take a midday break.

2. Eat early as well. If you get to the parks early you can also eat early because you should have gotten a couple of rides in before the big rush. We like to have lunch at 11am. If places open before that than get in at 10:45am. You will beat the crazy rush to eat at noon. It is also nice to get in early because you want to be able to eat inside if the heat is really bad. It will be a nice break from the bright sun and you won't have to wait around for an open table. Been there, done that and it's not easy with a bunch of kids in tow. 3. Bring your own snacks and drinks into the park. The great thing about Disney is they allow you to bring your own food and drinks into the park. I believe there is a limit on the size cooler you can bring in but generally you are good to go with a small cooler or backpack of stuff. Now that we are done with diapers we can really stock our backpack with the good stuff, snacks! My favorite things to bring are Goldfish crackers, some kind of fruit and lots of water! We usually bring the kid's sippy cups and refill them with water throughout the day.

4. Get the My Disney Experience App. This app will save your life! First of all you can check wait times and see what rides are down. Sometimes rides will shut down due to weather or refurbishment. The best thing you can do with this app is get Fast Passes! These will help you get on rides much quicker and avoid the lines. You get a max of 3 a day and 30 days in advance so use them wisely. What we like to do is get Fast Passes for the rides we really want to ride and do not want to miss. We usually use our Fast Passes on rides like Mine Train, Big Thunder Mountain and Peter Pan. If you don't get a Fast Pass for Peter Pan or Mine Train it will be a long wait so check the app for wait times. On the app you can also make dining reservations but you need to do this in advance. Don't wait till you get to the park.

5. Splurge on a treat! This is something I love to do once in awhile in the park. Whether it is getting a special toy or an ice-cream it is fun to watch your kids eyes light up when they get a special Disney treat. One night we were at the park really late and Ace wanted to go on Buzz Lightyear but the line was crazy long. We were all exhausted and we decided this was a time to offer up that special treat. We went into the store right outside the ride and said the kids could split a toy since we were missing out on the ride. We ended up getting one of those sets with all the Toy Story characters and they were so excited. I didn't feel bad about missing the one ride he had been talking about going on all night and the kids all got a fun toy to split. It is one that isn't even that expensive so it was a win-win.

6. Bring your own light up toys. If you plan on staying for the night shows or parades you will see Disney employees selling fun light up toys. My best friend and I realized that we could bring a little fun to the parks ourselves by buying glow jewelry from the dollar store. The kids love it and don't care it's not the Disney ones.

7. Take a break. This one might be easier said than done since we have passes we can use throughout the year. I get not wanting to take a break if you only have a day or two to enjoy the parks but if you can take a break midday. The park becomes crazy hot and your kids are more likely to melt down at night if they haven't rested. We usually leave the park after lunch or for lunch and don't come back till 4 or 5pm if we are at Magic Kingdom on a late night. If the parks close earlier we will come back earlier. The kids all nap and eat before we head back to the park. My friend's daughters are older so they usually take a pool break and chill out while the younger kids nap. This is something I always remember doing as a kid and loved. Not sure why but I always thought it was fun to go in the pool then go back to the park. There is also something so fun about going to the parks at night. It's cooled off a bit and you don't feel like you are in such a rush. I would rather take the break and stay late than not take a break and leave the parks early for kids to go to bed early. Those are some of our tips for surviving a day at Disney World with our crew. Do you have any tips you'd like to share? facebook ♥ instagram ♥ twitter ♥ pinterest ♥ bloglovin Want to write for Perfectly Imperfect Mom? Submit your post HERE

October 05, 2016 No comments

I feel like I am so behind on posting about what we have been up to. This month has been pretty busy. The second weekend of November we went up to Disney for their Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. If you ever get the chance to go to it I definitely suggest it. The parade is to die for! I had gone when I was younger and I was really wanting to take the kids this year since the girls are at such a fun age for Disney. We met up with our friends Melissa, Mike and their daughter Hailey.

We did some rides then headed over to the parade. If you are going to go try to go to one of the earlier nights they have the event because it wasn't crazy trying to get a spot for the parade and we walked on to all of the rides.

At the parade the kids were in complete amazement. Ashlyn didn't stop waving the entire time. It was adorable. Everly screamed like a teenage girl seeing a boy band when Minnie and Mickey went by. I seriously can not handle these two. Ace sat on my lap and loved everything. Seeing how amazed they were by it all made my life. This is what being a mother is all about. The moments that make all the hard times worth it.

After the parade we went on some more rides and we got the kids a gift from the Buzz Lightyear ride store. It was getting late so we headed out around 11.

The next day we met up with my bestie Kat and her girls at a mall near by. It had an M&M store which was really fun for Ace and her girls. They also had a play area in the mall that the kids spent time at playing. I wish our mall had one. It was nice to just let them run around and not be outside in the heat.

Sunday we met up with my other friend Andrea and her crew. She has 3 kids so it's always fun for me to meet up with Moms with a lot of kids pretty close in age. They understand the chaos. She has an older son and two girls too so it was cute seeing what my life will be like in a few years since her young is my oldest age. We had a short trip since we were heading home and they had to get to Epcot for their fast passes. I wish I had planned our trip better so we could have spent more time with them but next time!

facebook ♥ instagram ♥ twitter ♥ pinterest ♥ bloglovin

December 05, 2015 No comments

On day two of our last Disney Trip we headed over to the most Magical place on Earth. If you want to read more about our first day go HERE.
Magic Kingdom is a park I really feel you need to plan to get the most out of it. Since we go to the parks a lot we knew what rides we were willing to miss out on and what rides we wanted to focus on. My kids had never been on Jungle Cruise so I wanted to make sure we got on that one. We originally got Fast Passes for Jungle Cruise, Enchanted Tales with Belle and Barnstormer (Me) and Thunder Mountain (Branden). My plan was to go over to Adventure Land first and ride Aladdin's Magic Carpet ride then use our Fast Pass on Jungle Cruise. When we got there both rides were empty so I moved out Jungle Cruise Fast Pass to Winnie the Pooh a little later on. We rode both of those then headed over to the Haunted Mansion. It was about a 15 minute wait and moved pretty quickly.

We then headed over to It's a Small World and that is another ride I haven't appreciated in a long time. It's a ride I loved as a child but obviously grew out of and now that I have children who love it I have to make sure we get on it. It's also never a long wait. We walked right on. We then went over to Mickey's PhilharMagic which is a really cute 3D show. My kids love this one. Also, it's a good place to take a break from the heat. We got lucky and walked up right when they were letting people into the theater. The timing couldn't have been more perfect.

We had lunch at 11:15am. We wanted to get in early before the crowds. I can not tell you how much nicer this is. When lunch time hits the lines and crowds just become too much. Everyone (mainly kids) are cranky and hot and it's just no fun. Our kids were all in awesome moods so we figured lets do this now! We had brought lunch for the kids and Bran and I ordered a caesar salad, pizza and then Branden also got sides and a drink for Ace. It was probably one of the cheapest meals we ever had at Disney, ha! I highly suggest bringing your own food in if you can for even some of what you eat throughout he day. Not having to wait in lines for snacks or even food for your kids is so nice. We were able to get them seated and fed right away.

After lunch we headed over to Winnie the Pooh to use our Fast Passes. We also picked up a Baby Swap at Mine Train for later. If you have babies, use the Baby Swap! We then did the teacups, which is one of my favorites. It's never a long wait and all the kids love it.

Our Fast Passes for Enchanted Tales with Belle wasn't for another hour but we wanted to leave that area so we decided to swap out that Fast Pass for Buzz Lightyear for when we came back at night. After that we headed over to Barnstormer, got a Baby Swap for later and let Ace play at the Casey Jr. Splash N' Soak Station. We had a total parent fail and didn't bring bathing suits like I originally wanted to. We then went to the Train and took it to the front of the park so we could leave and have a break for naps. We originally had a plan for the night to get on the train and head over to Thunder Mountain. We decided against that since the babies would have to be waiting around in the stroller so we switched out that Fast Pass for Tomorrow Land Speedway. Ace loves this ride and Branden likes taking him on it so I figured that would be a good one for just the two of them to ride. It's also a fun one to ride in the dark. When we got back to the park we headed over to Barnstormer to use our Fast Pass and Baby Swap so Branden and I could each ride with Ace. It was really hot at this point and looked like it might rain so we then headed over to Dumbo, another family favorite. The wait was about 30 minutes but they have the play area inside and we used the option to go in there and wait for the line to go down a bit. We actually ended up letting the kids play for probably a half hour or so because they were having so much fun and it was so cool in there. We also worried about the rain so we took full advantage of that play area. The Speedway Fast Passes were coming up so we finally hopped in line and waited maybe 10 minutes and it was nice and dark out by this point. I love riding Dumbo when it's dark. Branden said Everly got nervous on this one. I rode with Ashlyn and Ace and they always love it.

Bran and Ace used their Fast Passes on Speedway and I took the girls over to the #IncrediblessSuperDanceParty. They were both dancing in their stroller so I took them out for a bit and Mr. Incredible freaked them out, poor girls.

Once Branden and Ace got back they danced for a bit then we went over to the People Mover and rode that. Ashlyn and Ace loved it but poor Everly got really nervous on it. She moved close to Ace when it got dark and he had his arm around her. I can't even handle how sweet he is with his sisters.

We then used our Fast Passes on Buzz Lightyear. I rode with Everly and Branden took Ashlyn and Ace. Branden is such a big kid, he always tries to score the highest and is super competitive. It cracks me up. Everly and I just relaxed.

The kids, especially the girls, were getting tired so we decided to use our Baby Swaps to ride Mine Train. I really love this ride. Again, another ride we love to ride in the dark. Ace hates seeing the old witch at the end and closes his eyes but everything else he loves.

After that we headed out of the park while everyone else was watching the fireworks. We got to our bus which was already pretty busy and got on the second one that came up since we wouldn't have been able to stand with the kids.

I must say there was some really sweet people who saw us struggling bit to get the kids off the bus and helped us off. It's always a bit of a struggle with the double stroller and the girls still needing to be carried off. I can't tell you how much I appreciate the generosity of people who offer to help.

The next day we headed to Hollywood Studios!
Make sure to check out all the GIVEAWAYS going on now!

September 18, 2015 4 comments

The week before school started Branden and I decided to take one last trip to Disney World before our Seasonal Passes expired. Since we are Season pass holders and not Annual we had to wait till mid August for our passes to open back up. We decided to go August 18-20th. We figured crowds might not be too horrible since some schools were already back in session.

When it comes to Disney Branden and I are planners. We like to get the most bang for our buck so to speak. Since we also have two toddlers who are new to waiting in lines we knew we needed to take advantage of Fast Passes and low waits. We first planned on getting to our hotel, Pop Century, on Tuesday around noon. Sometimes you can check in early. We had a horrible poop explosion from Ashlyn and thankfully were able to check into one of our rooms (we got two adjoining). We cleaned her up, ate lunch (we brought BP&J sandwiches for a quick lunch) and headed to the park. We took the buses from the hotel to Epcot. We had Fast Passes for Sourin, Figment, Nemo and Test Track. We had four because Branden and I each got only one for either Sourin' or Test Track. We were going to do baby swap but ended up each only taking Ace because the girls were a disaster by the end of the night since no one had napped.

We took the kids on Figment first. There was actually a pretty decent line so I was really glad we had Fast Passes for this ride. Sometimes it is a really low wait time but other times it can be about 25 minutes, not long in Disney terms but long enough for a two little girls to go bonkers. After Figment we went on Finding Nemo and walked right on. We had Fast Passes but the wait was really low anyway. The kids loved this. We then walked around the aquarium and it was really cute watching all three of them looking at the fish in the tanks. They were mesmerized. We wanted to do Turtle Talk but we had just missed the show so we headed out of there.

We then headed over to Living with the Land before our Sourin' Fast passes were available to use. I used to hate going on The Land when I was a kid but I love it now. I think it is such a relaxing ride, ha! After that we had lunch at Sunshine Seasons. The food was so good! While the girls and Branden finished up I took Ace on Sourin'. This is one of my favorite rides to go on with him. It was my parents favorite ride and I actually hadn't gone on it since they passed away till Branden insisted we go on it the last trip we took just Ace on. Now I love it even more.

Once we were done there, we headed over to Test Track. Branden took Ace while I walked around with the girls. They were so tired by this point so this was our last event for the day. I think if they had napped we could have done more but by this time it was already almost 7PM and they were done. We were going to Magic Kingdom the next morning so we all went to bed fairly early.

Day Two Coming Soon…
Have you entered my move recent GIVEAWAY yet?

September 03, 2015 No comments

Today I am so excited to welcome Roxie Reynolds from I Heart Dreaming to Guest Post on Perfectly Imperfect Mom today. She is talking about one of my favorite places, Disney World!

Hello, my name is Roxie Reynolds. I’m a Disney obsessed college student from South Carolina. If you’re also a Disney fan come check out my blog I Heart Dreaming, where you may find anything from “Best resorts for families of 5 or more” to “50 Ways to Make Walt Disney World More Romantic”. You can also find me on Facebook , I Heart Disney Facebook Group, and Twitter.

Character meals are one of the best parts about eating at Disney. Children love to meet their favorite characters while enjoying Disney’s famously delicious food options. Breakfast is the perfect choice for a character meal because the excitement and magic will set the tone for the day. Always book your character meals as far in advance as possible. Disney recommends at least 180 days in advance.

5. Animal Kingdom Tusker House

If you’re starting your day at Disney World in the Animal Kingdom, consider booking a character breakfast at the Tusker House. This popular restaurant is located in the Africa section in Animal Kingdom at the Harambe Marketplace. At this breakfast you will get to hobnob with Daisy Duck, Donald Duck, Goofy and Mickey Mouse. The best part is each character will be decked out in safari gear -- fitting outfits for the environment. The restaurant is buffet-style and features a mix of classic American breakfast favorites and interesting African choices. You will find eggs, mickey waffles, quiche, and cereal right alongside basmati rice with lemon, cinnamon and cardamom and a tasty coconut sweet potato casserole. The ambiance is one of the biggest draws. The buffet is found in a “plaza-like” enclosure with colorful cloths slung up in the thatched roof.
Expect to pay around $18 for a kid’s breakfast and $30 for adults.

4. Supercalifragilistic Breakfast at 1900 Park Fare

This tongue-twister breakfast is located at the Disney’s Grand Floridian resort in the popular 1900 Park Fare restaurant. If you’re looking for a character breakfast in a sweet environment, this one is for you. The restaurant is fully decorated in a “fancy”, Victorian carousel theme. The room is awash in crèmes, pinks, and golds with impressive carousel statues scattered throughout. Look for the large, elaborate organ called “Big Bertha”. Kids will get to meet and take photos with unique characters such as Alice, the Mad Hatter, Mary Poppins, Tigger, and Winnie the Pooh. The food is classic and sure to please everyone. In the buffet you’ll find an array of fruits, pastries, pancakes, bacon, and eggs, but the most famous item on the menu is the strawberry soup, so make sure you give that a try.
Expect to pay around $13 for a kid’s breakfast and $25 for adults.

3. Crystal Palace

Your morning at The Magic Kingdom Park can get off to a truly magical start with the character breakfast The Crystal Palace. This Disney favorite was designed to emulate an 1800’s Victorian Greenhouse with sweeping white architecture, expansive windows, and plenty of topiaries and tropical palms. You’ll find Eeyore, Piglet, Tigger and Winnie the Pooh making their way through this sunny breakfast spot, entertaining kids and posing for pictures. The breakfast is buffet-style and features fresh fruit, cereal, pastries, eggs, and the popular build-your-own omelet station.
Expect to pay around $15 for a kid’s breakfast and $25 for adults.

2. Chef Mickey’s

Chef Mickey’s has always been the most popular character dining destination at Disney, and with good reason: it’s a total classic. One benefit to Chef Mickey’s over some of the other restaurants is that the restaurant serves both breakfast and brunch. Having the brunch option is nice for those days when the family needs to sleep in a little to get extra rest. The characters at Chef Mickey’s are the classic Disney favorites: Donald Duck, Goofy, Mickey Mouse, and Pluto. Each character is dressed up in chef jackets and hats, which adds to the fun atmosphere. Chef Mickey’s is not a relaxing, quiet breakfast locale. Of all the character meals, Chef Mickey’s is the most rambunctious. Expect lots of laughter, music, singing, and general loud merriment. The décor at Chef Mickey’s is colorful and contemporary, which is perfect because the restaurant is located in the Contemporary Resort right outside the Magic Kingdom. The restaurant is easily accessed by the monorail, which just so happens to run directly through the restaurant. The fare is classic and American.
Expect to pay $18 for a kid’s breakfast and $33 for adults.

1. Cinderella's Castle

The breakfast at Cinderella’s Castle is a unique experience, and quite different from other options. First, this is the only breakfast included on this list that is not buffet style. The price of the meal is higher, but if your kids are interested in Disney princesses, the price is a small one to pay. At this breakfast, children will be greeted by the likes of Ariel, Aurora, Cinderella, Snow White and Jasmine. Children are encouraged to dress up in their own princess/prince costumes. The venue of the restaurant is impressive since it is located right within the castle. You’ll have views of sweeping stone arches, rich carpeting, medieval style tapestries and flags, and glittering candelabras. The food on this menu is fancier which is befitting to the setting. You’ll find items such as caramel apple stuffed French toast, beef tenderloin and egg, and poached lobster and shrimp.
Expect to pay around $35 for a child’s breakfast and $55 for adults.

June 26, 2015 No comments

February 23, 2015 No comments

Talk about being the favorite…just kidding.

photo 10698404_10103289532587171_6798159229781309721_n_zpsa7124b8a.jpg

So Ashlyn has had the most awful hair style lately. She was sporting a really awkward rat tail and wispy long strands in the front. I just couldn't handle it any long so I knew we had to get her hair cut. I went to a few of my girl friends on where to take her but majority didn't really have a suggestion since they didn't really cut their daughter's hair yet.

photo 1902868_10103289532946451_4753690437864508954_n_zps1814114b.jpg

One friend, a lifesaver if you will, told me about Magic Kingdom's Harmony Barber Shop. She took her daughter there for her first haircut and I immediately was sold. First of all it's only $18! This includes the haircut (obvi), a certificate and Mickey Ears. Sold, sold and sold! We decided to take her the night of Mickey's Not so Scary Halloween Party and got there around 5:15. It was basically empty and so first we had Ace get gel and pixie dust for some added fun for him. He loved it. The people there were exceptional. They even put some pixie dust in my nieces' hair at no charge. Made their night!

photo 10387551_10103289534428481_8909388444614041354_n_zps847049ba.jpg

photo 1795573_10103289534014311_1742420400122097670_n_zps6910d263.jpg

Then it was Ashlyn's turn. First of all Ashlyn is my stubborn child. If she doesn't want to do something she won't or will make it difficult for you to get her to do it. To say I was nervous about her letting someone cut her hair was an understatement. Well, let me tell you, she was not at all pissed about letting this stranger cut her hair, not one bit. The woman stuck Mickey stickers all over her to distract her and went to town on her hair. She was so good!

photo 10389128_10103289533764811_6669141273496988164_n_zpsff926705.jpg

Then after her hair cut they brought out the 1st haircut Mickey Ears. I may have squealed. And to make the experience even more amazing they put them on, turned her around and gave her a mirror and I got this snap shot of her. I mean there were actual tears in my eyes. I may be tearing up right now just typing this, don't tell anyone!

photo 397523_10103289532242861_6235205936825587166_n_zpse7664fdf.jpg

If you know me then you know my Mom was a hairdresser and I always knew she'd be the first to cut all my children's hair, especially the first haircut and with Ace we got that but with the girls we didn't. It absolutely broke my heart knowing this and so the fact that Disney has such a special experience for a first hair cut really made this moment easier on me. I thought about my Mom being there the entire time and even though I was missing her deeply I was happy we made the decision to pick Disney for her first hair cute. I will do the same for Everly if she ever grows some hair…

October 29, 2014 No comments

Pages

Perfectly Imperfect Mom

About me

Follow Us

recent posts

Blog Archive

Pinterest