Monday 8 June 2015

Cute Summer Sandals | Primark |

I know it might not look like it when you look outside your windows, but Summer is on its way! That means getting all of your Summer clothes and accessories ready for the British sunshine and also getting ready for those Summer getaways! That's exactly what I've been doing - a few weeks ago I flew home from a trip to Disney World Florida, and whilst shopping for some new bits for my adventure, I found these beautiful sandals in Primark!

Primark Sandals - £8

I love the pink and gold tone straps and the beads and jewels on the straps which make them look ultra girly and pretty - I just couldn't resist them! I must admit they are from the children's section - but the footwear goes up to a size 4 and they were a bargain at £8 so what's not to love?! 

They fasten with a buckle and are a secure fit, so the sandals aren't flapping around being loose and annoying when you're walking. They have a little heel, so they're not dead flat meaning they won't be fit for the bin after a few wears and the sole of the sandal is quite comfy with a soft suede like feel.

I wore these in all the Disney parks and out and about at night and they were absolutely beautiful. Not only do they go with practically everything I have (because they're pink and girly) but they also made my feet feel pretty and they're quite comfortable (even though I hate having my feet out).

I love these - they were a perfect edition to my Disney trip and made me feel like a Princess!

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Monday 1 June 2015

DisneyWorld Florida | Hints & Tips Excursions & Trips |

|| UNIVERSAL ||


Whilst booking our holiday, we purchased a 14 day ticket for Universal. This meant we could go whenever and however many times within the 2 weeks we were in Florida. The only thing we had to book with our rep in the resort was transport to Universal which was approximately $20 return each.

**Make sure you take photo ID and the ticket that is printed for you to the resort otherwise you will be refused entry and have to repurchase**


|| SHOPPING ||

Our travel agency offered a wide range of excursions and trips including the Kennedy Space Center, Dolphin encounters, Sea World and Shopping trips. I would recommend sorting them as soon as you arrive because you can plan around them and not miss out on any plans!

We booked the Shopping Extravaganza for $45 each. The shopping trip involved a trip to Walmart, an American buffet breakfast (included in the $45), Premium Outlet Mall and Florida Mall. It's a great trip to get some great gifts and treats for yourself! Of course, you can visit these outlets and malls on your own accord without booking through a rep etc.


|| SWIM WITH DOLPHINS ||

With Thomson, it was priced at approximately $300. Unfortunately it was too expensive for us but if you get the chance and have the spare cash, I would definitely recommend going!

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DisneyWorld Florida | Hints & Tips for the Parks |


**If you're a Disney Resort Guest, make the most of extra magic hours!**

Go to the parks early - make the most of your time in Disney, you don't want to regret it! 
The heat and business takes it toll, so don't burn yourself out by doing too much in one day. We found breaking up the day worked very well for us. We went to a park at 8 and came back at 1 for a rest and shower. We then headed out again in the late afternoon/evening to another park once we were refreshed and it had cooled down a bit.


|| MANAGE YOUR FAST PASSES LOGICALLY ||

Book your fast passes in advance as you'll find the most popular rides are unavailable at your desired time. If you change your mind, you can edit your fast pass attractions and times. HINT: If you do happen to get to your fast pass attraction which has hardly any waiting time - don't use your fast pass! Go on the ride through the stand-by entrance and change your fast pass option to another attraction for the same time!

Also, we found booking them for the earliest/latest times and one after another worked very well as we didn't have to pack out our time!


|| GIRLS; TAKE A BACKPACK ||

Seriously. On the first day we went to the Magic Kingdom and I took my handbag. I never did again. Instead I took my Minnie Mouse backpack and it was the best decision. When you're in a busy park with hustle and bustle and going on rides and meeting characters, there is no point in taking round an awkward. large and heavy handbag. Plus, compared to my handbag, I packed a lot into my backpack and it wasn't heavy on my shoulders!


|| FOOD ||

The kids meals were more than enough for me, so find your bearings with food on the first day, don't waste money on food you won't eat. Also, forget the myths about food being expensive in the parks - it really isn't! $12 for an adult burger, chips and side salad is not expensive compared to here in Britain!

If you're looking for somewhere to eat quickly, check the My Disney Experience App and search for dining according to preferences such as cheap to expensive places or location or cuisine.

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DisneyWorld Florida | Hints & Tips Accommodation |

|| International Drive vs Disney Resort ||


When we booked our holiday, we were constantly asked whether we were staying on International Drive or in a Disney Resort. The answer is, we stayed in a Disney Resort and to be honest, we are SOO glad we did! A lot of people said and still say that it's more expensive to stay in a resort, but it's really not and totally worth it compared to all of the extras and benefits you get as a Disney Resort guest!

Here are just some of the extras you benefit from as a Disney Resort Guest:
  • Free shuttle bus service to all Disney parks that run every 20 minutes for your convenience, saving on transport costs and parking.
  • Magic hours - every day a Disney Park opens an hour earlier or closes an hour or so later for the benefit of Disney Resort Guests.
  • Magic Bands - Great for linking with your Fast Passes, Magic Memories and payment methods.
  • Dining plans - great for families but weigh up whether they are worth the money compared to what you will actually eat.


We stayed in the All Star Music resort - part of All Star Resorts which also include Music and Movies. It was only a 3* resort but we honestly couldn't fault it and to be honest you're not in your room a lot anyway because you're out in the parks the majority of every day!

Our resort was 5-20 minutes drive to each park and approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour to Sanford Airport. 

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DisneyWorld Florida | Hints & Tips Before You Go |

If you're a regular reader, you'll know I recently went to Walt Disney World Florida! I've had a few people ask for advice on their imminent Disney trips and those who are planning on making the plunge and booking one - so I've decided to write up a post on my top hints and tips on certain aspects on the most magical place in the world. This post is dedicated to hints and tips for before you go!

|| Use the My Disney Experience App ||


This app is AMAZING. It has pretty much every tool you'll need to plan your adventure before you go and whilst you're there! It includes completing your booking reservation, magic bands, booking fast passes for rides/character meets, dining, checking out official ride waiting times and soo much more! I reviewed it as part of my Disney Series, take a peek HERE.

|| Make a list of "Must Do's" ||

I felt more prepared once I had made a list of everything I wanted to do, and more importantly who I wanted to meet! My list included meeting Cinderella, Ariel, Minnie and Mickey, getting a photo in front of the castle and going to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal. Of course, I ticked every single one and more!

Don't go home regretting something you didn't do or someone you didn't meet, take every opportunity and make the most of every single day!


|| Book a Dining Experience || 

Cinderella's Royal Table in the Magic Kingdom is an amazing and magical dining experience as you get to eat in this beautiful room with Princesses! Unfortunately it was fully booked when I went and couldn't get a table at any time. Therefore if you're looking to do this as a one off, I would recommend booking it a few weeks in advance! - Just a heads up, if you fail to appear at your dining reservation, a charge will be applied to your debit/credit card!


|| Purchase Memory Maker / Photo Pass ||

Memory Maker is a digital photo system linked to your Disney account and magic bands. They store all of the photos taken by Disney PhotoPass Photographers (which can be found everywhere throughout Disney), Character meet and greets and ride experiences. It's approximately $169 / $189 depending what package is purchased and the amount is for the whole party.

 Over 2 weeks we accumulated 500+ photos by park photographers and ride experiences / character meets. It is definitely worth it! You can access your photos at any time during your stay and up to 45 days after each photo is taken, so make sure you download them as soon as you get home so you know you have them safe!

|| Car Hire vs Free Bus Shuttles ||

When booking our holiday, Simon and I balanced the option of hiring a car. When hiring a car, you have to pay to hire the car, insurance for the car, insurance for those in the car, fuel, plus parking costs. We decided to opt for coach transfers to and from the airport instead and we are soo glad we did

Whilst traveling to the parks we noticed ordinary visitors needed to pay to park their vehicle every time they entered. It's approximately $17 to park a regular car every time you enter the park, so if you're visiting 2 parks a day, that's $34 a day allocated to parking. Therefore we are soo glad we made the right decision for us because once we added up the costs, it wasn't worth it compared to free shuttles!

Now, I'm not saying it's the best decision for everyone, but just be aware of all of the costs involved and whether or not there is another option that would be just as convenient.

And finally, take as many photos as possible as you never know when you'll get the chance again.

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