Blog Posts Tagged Tips

Experience Castaway Cay Like a Pro

1/24/2023 • Blog, Cruises, Tips • For many people, the stop at Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, is the highlight of their cruise! Here are some tips to make the most of your visit on this amazing island. You are headed ashore, what should you put in your beach bag? You will want to make sure you do not get off the ship without your Key to the World card and adults will need a picture ID. Throw some sunscreen, your phone or a camera, sunglasses, and some water or a reusable water bottle in your beach bag. If you are traveling with kids you might want to bring a few sand toys. Don’t worry if you forget any of these, you can buy all of this on the island. Outside of the ship, you can pick up some towels for the day. There are more towels by the beach as well. Cast members will have […]

I Just Booked a Royal Caribbean Cruise! Now What?

1/10/2023 • Cruises, Tips • Booking a cruise is so exciting, but can also feel overwhelming if you aren’t sure what steps to take next.  To plan your next Royal Caribbean Cruise and arrive feeling calm and collected, follow these four important steps: 1. Make sure you have all of the required documentation for every member of your party.  At Me and The Mouse, we always encourage our clients to have passports.  While this is not required for cruises embarking and debarking in the United States, it will protect you in the event you would need to fly out of the country.  Make sure to check your passports and renew any that expire at least 10 weeks before your cruise.  If you do not have a passport, make sure all adults have their government-issued photo IDs and original birth certificate.  Double and triple-check that all required documents match the birthdates and spellings that are listed […]

What’s in my Park Bag? – Diaper Bag Edition

1/16/2023 • Tips, Walt Disney World • If you are anything like me, you want your Disney World trips with kiddos to go as smooth as possible. When it comes to packing for our trips, I think the two most important things are being prepared and staying organized. Typically, we are a “rope-drop-to-fireworks” family, so I like to be sure our bags are ready for a long day at the parks! I’m here to share how I pack my diaper bag for a full Disney day. For reference, I have 2 boys – the oldest just turned 4 and the youngest is only 2 months old! THE BAG: We have this diaper bag from Amazon and love it so far! It’s the perfect size to hold both the toddler and baby’s stuff and even has a hidden mom pocket. It has SO much storage, comes with a changing pad, has a strap for it to hook onto […]

Splitting Your Stay with Disney & Universal

1/3/2023 • Tips, Universal Studios, Walt Disney World • In the last 40 years, Walt Disney World has been the reason that millions of families visit Orlando each year.  However, with the full Harry Potter experience and so many additions to Universal Orlando, many families want to do both, but don’t know where to start.  This can get very expensive and overwhelming if you haven’t done your research. One of the questions I get asked most is “how much time do I need at Universal?”  Several factors do come into play here, but I generally recommend 3:1.  For people doing three days at Disney, add 1 day at Universal and for six days at Disney, add 2 days at Universal.  Of course recommendations can change based on your family’s individual preferences, but it is certainly a good place to start. Another question asked frequently is “should we get tickets only or purchase a Universal package as an add on?” […]

“Avengers, Assemble!” – Visiting Avengers Campus at Disneyland

12/13/2022 • Blog, Disneyland • Disneyland, once again, went above and beyond expectations when on June 4, 2021, Disneyland’s California Adventure opened the Avengers Campus. This is Disney’s newest land and it is a MUST visit vacation for all Marvel fans. Headlining Avengers Campus is the all-new ride “WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure”. This family-friendly ride invites people of all ages to help gather up the rogue Spider-Bots that are continuously replicating and causing havoc in Avengers Campus. Each ride vehicle accommodates four people on each side to cast their webs and for those that are more competitive, the different colored Spider-Bots have different points associated with them so you’ll want to cast your webs for those worth more points. Be aware that this ride is extremely tiring on your arms, so practice casting your webs even before your trip (as fast as you can), to build up those muscles as strong as Spider-Man. WEB […]

Why the Winter Season at Walt Disney World Is a GREAT Time to Visit!

11/29/2022 • Holidays & Events, Tips, Walt Disney World • I have loved visiting Walt Disney World in all four seasons. I especially love Fall when I can experience Halloween or Christmas in the parks. However, my absolute favorite time of the year to visit the parks is that sweet spot in January and February – the holidays are over and you can finally breathe again, life quiets down a little, and you can enjoy a little “you” time again. That’s what this time of the year feels like for me at Walt Disney World. Crowds have calmed down, allowing you to enjoy the parks with a little more wiggle room between you and fellow guests The weather is no longer hot and humid. January thru March see average temps in the mid-70s. As is always the case in Florida, there is some rain, but it’s well past hurricane season. Starting around mid-January, it’s no longer peak season, and you’ll […]

How to Best Prepare for Travel and Leave the Worries at Home…a Checklist!

11/15/2022 • Tips • As your departure day quickly approaches, here are some helpful tips for preparing for your next vacation!   Preparing Your Work: Tie up loose ends at work so you can better avoid calls while you are on vacation. Set your voicemail and email to alert colleagues and customers of your days away from the office.   Preparing Your Home: Ask a friend or neighbor to pick up your daily mail and news flyers and hold them for your return. Ask a friend or neighbor to water your lawn, if needed. For winter months, ask them to plow your driveway if it snows and drive up your driveway to create tire marks in the snow. If you are kenneling your animals, remember most boarding services require up to date health care for your dogs and cats. Set timers on lights in your house. For exterior lights, use automatic lights around entrances. […]

SMUGGLER’S RUN: CHEWBACCA MODE

10/11/2022 • Blog, Disneyland, Tips, Walt Disney World • Since the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Walt Disney World and Disneyland, Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run has been one of the most popular attractions. On this immersive attraction, guests can take flight on the iconic ship along with a team of five other passengers, each of which has their own designated duty (pilots, gunners, and engineers), in order to complete their smuggling mission. You and a crew of pilots, gunners, and engineers can embark on a smuggling mission through space inside Han Solo’s famous ship. While aboard, your team is assigned a mission with the help of Han Solo’s pal, Chewbacca, and pirate Hondo Ohnaka. Your goal is to acquire as much coaxium as possible and smuggle it back to the base. TRUE Star Wars fans will love a hidden “easter egg” within this attraction as you unlock “CHEWIE MODE”, which allows you to turn off Hondo Ohnaka […]

Seeing the World with Disney Cruise Line

9/27/2022 • Blog, Cruises • My family enjoys Disney and the quality of service that is synonymous with the Disney name. So, when we travel, Disney is our go-to company. Because we love to travel and see the world, we hop on a Disney Cruise and explore. The port excursions offer a variety of options that are both family-friendly and also selections that are for adults only. Disney Cruise Line has a variety of itineraries throughout Europe and they will be introducing new ports of call in 2023 and 2024 when they add Australia to one of their amazing destinations. My family always makes sure to add a couple of days to either the beginning or end of our sailing to truly experience one city more in-depth than just a port of call. We plan this in our own, but many of the embarkation/debarkation cities also have Adventures by Disney tour options that can be […]

Life Hack: Landry’s Card to the (Dining) Rescue!

9/6/2022 • Blog, Universal Studios, Walt Disney World • Their names are synonymous with fun family dining- T-Rex and Rainforest Café. Both restaurants are housed at Disney Springs and attract families from all over to dine and experience the food and unparalleled atmosphere they offer! Because of their popularity, reservations should be made as close to 60 days in advance of your room check-in as possible. But what if you couldn’t get dining reservations? No worries- they Landry’s Select Club to the rescue! Both T-Rex and Rainforest Café are Landry’s restaurants, and as such, they are eligible for the benefits associated with Landry’s Select Club. Joining the club is a one-time $25 fee, and you receive $25 off of your bill the first time using the card at any Landry’s location! You also receive a $25 gift on your birthday as well as PRIORITY SEATING! Yes! If you show your Landry’s Select Club card at the hostess stand, you […]