Shopping, Sake and Pixie Dust: Disney WITHOUT the Kids

by DiPaola Momma (HNIC) on May 28, 2013

Is it any wonder that Disney –World, Land or any other incarnation–  is truly the most magical place on earth? After all, they’ve cornered the market on Pixie Dust and all the world’s Imagineers hang out there.

Just when I thought I knew my “Disney Magic” inside and out, they go and hit me with a “Jasmine” and show me a whole new world. A world with no strollers, where nap time is a choice rather than a self-preservation tacit and you can become a kid again with out a kid in tow.

Recently Disney hosted my family and I at the Disney Yacht Club Resort and in the parks at Disney World as part of the annual Traveling Mom retreat. I was there for the learning, networking and wine professional development. The DH and the Little Nuggets tagged along because… well… IT WAS DISNEY!

There was plenty of learning to be sure. For example I learned that when shooting a video with your smartphone, you should always hold the phone horizontally to get the full shot and avoid those weird letterbox black lines on the sides of your video when you upload it. Who knew? Oh, you did? Well, never mind then.

My assignment for the week was to produce a video of what it would be like t do, “Disney Without Kids.” Yeah, I get the tough assignments.

Honestly, I was a little lost. I’ve been to Disney World several times and practically grew up at Disneyland. Yet I’d only ever been sans kiddos once, and that was way back in my Navy days… many… many… okay not that many, moons ago. What would I do without a map and a strategic Fast-Pass plan of attack? Turn out, A LOT!

The park I, and my four other brave moms, were assigned to was Animal Kingdom, a wondrous place transports you to several exotic locations around the globe all without having left Florida.

Here are a few of my favorite KID FREE things to do at Animal Kingdom;

  • Shop. Shocking I know, but not having a child begging for their 10th pair of Mikey Ears leaves you the freedom to really explore the shops and in the case of this park, the Bazaar-like kiosks and treasure filled outposts. Stunning holiday ornaments were on clearance! Tip: If you’re staying at a Disney hotel property, you can have your finds sent back to your room and not have to lug them back to your room.
  • Ride anything you want to and nothing you don’t. Expedition Everest… did that!
  • Slow down and enjoy the scenery
  • Eat, drink and be merry. The food choices when you don’t have to make sure there are chicken nuggets (obviously I’m used to this culinary caveat) are amazing. I recommend the sushi and sparkling Sake at Yak & YetiTip: Find out what time the parade hits the streets and make an advanced reservation with a table on the second floor near the windows. Here you can take in all the sites without being stuck in the crowd.
  • Let yourself go. Dance with the drummers, ride that ride three times in a row and really enjoy the magic!

 

Beautiful architectural details on a door in "Asia"  Beautiful architectural details on a door in “Asia” Sushi at Yak & Yeti Sushi at Yak & Yeti

 

 

Be a kid again and let the wonder take you over! Be a kid again and let the wonder take you over!

 

A great video to embarrass the kids with when you get home is the BEST souvenir EVER!!

Disclosure: My family and I were provided accommodations and park admissions free or at a discounted rate as part of my participation in the Disney and Chevrolet sponsored Traveling Mom retreat . As always are my opinions are authentic and my own , because you deserve nothing less!

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Let Go Every Now and Zen

by DiPaola Momma (HNIC) on May 28, 2013

How often do you find yourself feeling pulled along from one thing to the next and wondering what will make you happy?

Some days I swear, if one more talking head on the TV yaps about “Work/Life Balance” I’m going to step off this teeter totter and let it smack them right in the wobbly bits.

We knew this mom gig was going to be work, hard work. The marriage thing too. I won’t even mention career, health or retirement planning.  For the record my retirement planning is better known as Power Ball.

Why is it that being happy seems to be the hardest work of all?

Of all the directions I find myself being pulled, I think convincing myself that there is some key, a magic potion or yoga pose out there that will make everything fall into place and make me happy-ever-after is the toughest job. When did we buy into the idea that we had to hold on to so many things? That they all had to be balanced and done perfectly in order for us to be happy?

Could it be that happiness is something that comes when you don’t hold on so hard. Maybe it  just comes in spurts (perhaps aided or thwarted by hormone levels… now and then) and we’re all just exhausting ourselves trying to catch it and keep it.

Maybe what we need to do is…

let go

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How To Make Sangria

May 3, 2013

Ahhhh, Sangria! Few things say “Summer” to me like the harmonious marriage of fresh fruit and wine that make up the base of a sublime Sangria. One sip of a really good one and I’m back on the veranda of my flat in sunny Spain. In the three years I spent living in a small, [...]

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Could Road Trip Playlists Ruin Your Marriage?

April 10, 2013

Remember the Mix Tape? Back-in-the-day receiving a compilation of  handpicked songs  from a beau was the ultimate love letter. This person thought about you so much that they were willing to dedicate hours with their finger poised above the “stop” button on the cassette deck to create a playlist inspired by you.  These musical musings [...]

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Dublin, Ireland: Pints, Passports and The Blue Oyster Cult

March 18, 2013

Every Monday night, promptly at 9 PM (EST), the well-traveled writers of TravelingMom are all a Twitter for the always popular #TMOM Twitter party. Sometimes we tweet about cruises. Other times the talk is of destinations, packing tips Special Needs travel or really anything that has to do with exploring. This week the talk will [...]

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2013 Lexus GS 450h: A Backseat Review

March 12, 2013

Life happens in cars, enjoy the ride. That tagline from She Buys Cars pretty much sums up my life. Between ferrying the kids to school, running errands, getting stuck in traffic here in the DC/Baltimore metro and our frequent family road trips a good portion of my time is spent in a car. The same [...]

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Well, DUH!!!

March 11, 2013

When I was stationed in Spain -many, many moons ago- one of the only daily connections we had to The States was a radio that we kept in our shop in the hangar. Seems almost unfathomable today, doesn’t it?  The world is so much smaller these days. We are so connected. Who among us won’t [...]

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If, The Great and Powerful

March 7, 2013

Unless you have been residing on the dark side of the moon the past month or so, it’s likely that you’ve caught at least one of the 2.7 bazillion trailers, ads, Facebook updates, tweets, blog posts or skywriting contrails lauding the box office debut of Oz The Great and Powerful. I’m all about James Franco [...]

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Get Styled Giveaway: Is it Ombre or Hombre?

February 25, 2013

Can you remember the last time you went to the salon? By “went” to the salon I don’t mean taking the kids for a clip or popping in to ask where the nearest Starbucks is. What I’m asking is when was the last time you took yourself to the salon.  If you’re anything like me [...]

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Guns: Can We Talk About This?

February 19, 2013

I’ve never been much to talk politics here on the blog. Oh sure I’ll jump on the occasional soapbox, usually on behalf of my fellow veterans. For the most part though, I save my politics for freinds and family (you know, those they say we shouldn’t discuss such things with. I’m a rebel like that). [...]

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