Breakfast in Bed

Howard and I rarely bring food in the bedroom. Wait, being that we're in a studio apartment, technically we always do since our bedroom is also our living room, which is also our kitchen, haha. Okay, let me rephrase that. Howard and I rarely eat food in bed because of crumbs and such. When I'm sick, I'll have dry cereal or hubs will make soup for me. Other than that, we're usually in the "living room" portion of our apartment.

A little over a week ago, there was definitely a reason to eat something on the bed! On the last day or our honeymoon in Disney World, we had apple turnovers from Main Street Bakery. This was our first and only visit to the Main Street Bakery before the remodel and the addition of Starbucks. I had wanted an apple turnover for the longest time, so we bought two the night before when we were at Magic Kingdom for Extra Magic Hours. EMH lasted until 3am, so we were too exhausted to get up for a park despite having annual passes, so we relaxed that morning with this delicious treat!

I was also extremely worn out, so a morning in with some episodes of 24 on Netflix just seemed so perfect.

When my mom and I went to Mother Mousse to pick up my grandfather's birthday cake after school one day, I saw that they had apple turnovers and picked one up so that Howard and I could share it for breakfast the next day. It just seemed appropriate that we enjoy an extremely simple breakfast in bed!

This was nowhere near as good as the one from Disney World. Even looking at the pictures, you could see that there's a huge difference. But the pastry was good as was the frosting drizzle. The apple part wasn't the best, and there were raisins in it as well, which always throws me off. When there are raisins in things where I don't expect them (like sometimes there are golden raisins in fried rice at Chinese restaurants), I just have to think, "Why can't people leave well enough alone?!"

Despite it being in a completely different class all on its own, it was still just a tiny taste of Disney World that we could have at home.

An Island Getaway

What happens when Howard and I decide to close our eyes for 20 minutes earlier in the evening just because we're too exhausted (and too cold)? We end up taking a 3-hour nap. Whoops! That's kind of common for us because I am quite the fan of the snooze button. I set my alarm to wake me up at 8:10pm so that I could get up and type up this update to post by 8:30pm, but it just wasn't going to happen. Oh well, it's still the 23rd, so I'm technically on time anyway!

With the news that Disney has once again raised its ticket prices, an island vacation really makes more and more sense. My aunt, uncle, cousins, and a few of our church friends just went on a cruise getaway, so seeing the pictures of the gorgeous weather and the beautiful water got Howard and me thinking about having a non-Disney vacation in the future. Howard has never experienced an all-inclusive resort before, and it would definitely be a more relaxing experience as opposed to the hardcore park touring (even though we do love it!). It seems only appropriate that I post this card tonight!

The little island image is cut from the Cricut cartridge called "Pack Your Bags." It actually reminds me a lot of Pirates of the Caribbean when Jack and Elizabeth get stuck on the island with the hidden rum! The sentiment is from Pink by Design's set called "Summer Vacation." Other than that, there really isn't much else to say about this very simple card!

Now getting back to the raised Disney ticket prices ... boo to you, Disney! You already raised them last June! We both purchased 10-day no-expiration tickets from Undercover Tourist before that trip with my family because there's no doubt that we would eventually go back. I personally love the no-expiration option (although it seems like it's no longer available to purchase online via the Disney website) because it takes the pressure off of having to hit all 4 parks in one trip. We always do it anyway, but I know that there have been trips where we've had to change our plans the morning of because of health concerns, so it helps ease my mind knowing we won't "waste" a day. The other benefit is that the ticket will obviously be used over a span of 2.5 trips, so even with the no-expiration option added, we lock in the cost of each day at the parks although it does mean shelling out a lot at one time. Undercover Tourist still sells the tickets at the previous price until they're out, but it just doesn't make sense financially to be spending close to $700 right now. That's rent money and grocery money!

With that being said, WDW will still be our choice vacation destination because nothing beats that magical atmosphere and we want to be able to make memories with our kiddies there in the same way my parents did with my brothers and me. But the price increase (and the fact that Disney did it quietly without making a big announcement about it) does make an island getaway sound a bit more enticing! There are other locations we'd like to enjoy like Lancaster, PA (Hershey Park, Sight and Sound) and Washington DC (all those museums and the zoo!) so maybe this will nudge us to do those instead along with an all-inclusive stay in Bermuda or the Bahamas!

Discovering Hair Bows at 29!

One of the things I enjoy about Disney is being able to be friends with so many people who share the same love for WDW that I do. It's so easy keeping in touch with everyone outside of DISboards because of all the social media outlets available nowadays like Instagram and Twitter that don't require sharing as much personal information as Facebook. As I got to flip through pictures of people's trips to the happiest place on earth, I started seeing the appearance of themed hair bows and was immediately drawn into the trend. I thought it was a fun way to accessorize considering I'm not one who wears or even owns many accessories in the first place!

Over the span of a few months, I kept looking at all the patterns and designs available, but I just didn't feel that I should spend the money on them since they're clearly not a necessity. Howard, however, decided to surprise me during my 29th birthday last September as he ordered 3 Disney bows for me from "a bowtique shop" on Etsy. He kept saying that I would know what he got me before he gave it to me, but I was actually extremely surprised and really giddy about them! A little while later, I decided to jump on a sale that another Etsy shop owner offered, and I purchased a few from "Little Blue Garden." Though I don't think I'll be the kind of person who can wear bows on a daily basis, they were the perfect thing to bring to Disney World! 

This Buzz Lightyear bow was one of my FAVORITES from "a bowtique shop." It's funny that out of all the Pixar movies, Toy Story isn't actually my favorite though the movies are fantastic. However, I love the colors of the bow and how you wouldn't necessarily know what it was from unless you knew the colors of Buzz. I saw other Etsy crafters make Buzz bows too, and I believe this was the best one. I really do prefer how she made the buttons with other materials instead of using fabric paint. It just had a cleaner, neater look. Though I didn't wait on line for a meet and greet with Buzz, I specifically wanted him or Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin in the background when Howard took this picture at the Magic Kingdom.

The R2D2 bow was another one of my wants from "a bowtique shop" because Star Wars is one of Howard's favorite movies, and we were able to enjoy Star Wars Weekends during our Disneymoon in 2012. This one might not be as obvious unless you're a SW fan, but I did actually have two separate couples notice it and love it! In the morning when we were waiting for Toy Story Midway Mania, the mom of the family standing behind us in line asked if it was R2 and where I got it. Howard and I saw that the dad and the two sons were covered in SW gear including all the expensive pins on their lanyards, so it was obvious that they would notice my accessory. Later in the day, another couple noticed it when we were waiting for Animation Academy to start, and Howard told them that it was a bow to represent the cute lil' droid. This picture was taken by Howard in the queue for Star Tours at Disney's Hollywood Studios as you can see C-3PO on the left and part of the StarSpeeder on the right.

Since I only had 3 Disney-themed bows, I was able to wear my "Little Blue Garden" bows during this vacation too! While the ones above were made with ribbon, the LBG ones are fabric so they're in two completely different categories in my eyes. Howard helped me choose this tulip print one for our non-park day when we went to Downtown Disney. I love the cheerful colors on it and just had to have it because tulips are my favorite flowers. I didn't even realize the hubs had taken this picture. We were waiting in line at Disney's Pin Traders because we were actually there at the time the board was open! I was taking a look and scanning the three panels as best as I could so that I could zero in on the ones I wanted when it was my turn.

On our Animal Kingdom day, I was able to don another bow from "Little Blue Garden." This print totally reminded me of the park as a whole or even Jungle Cruise in Magic Kingdom. It felt more tropical or jungle-y (yes, I just made up a word). I know it's not as girly as my tulip bow, but this is actually one of my favorites and there was never a doubt that I would get this one as I was narrowing down my choices the day I finally ordered them. Howard took this picture after we spent two hours at Rafiki's Planet Watch, which is one of our favorite spots in DAK. Most families go over there for the meet and greets with characters, but we love the opportunity to watch a medical exam on an animal and see other animals up close.

The final bow was worn on our last park day in Epcot. Howard chose this bow without my saying anything about it, and I'm so happy he picked Mulan! This too is another one of those bows that doesn't necessarily look like a character unless you know the colors of Mulan. Though we didn't try to meet her (she wasn't out when we were there), I did specifically want a picture of this one in the China pavilion. In the background is the replica of the Temple of Heaven, which is kind of funny at this point since my cousin is exploring Asia right now and posted pictures on Instagram of the real Temple of Heaven!

All the bows fit very well. I was actually afraid that they'd slip during the day because I have other barrettes that have the non-slip grip on them that stay in all day. However, I put them on in the morning and was able to take them off at night without having to redo them during the day. Well, that's not entirely true. I did have to redo the Mulan bow, but I guess that's just a hazard of going on Test Track five times in a row and being whipped around on the outer portion of the track!

Why Disney? Their Care for Allergies!

After returning from our latest Disney trip this past Friday, I started thinking about topics for future blog posts. I considered writing a post showcasing all the reasons why Howard and I just love vacationing in Disney whereas most of the friends and family our age choose to backpack in foreign countries or relax on a tropical island. There was no way I could have just ONE comprehensive post, so instead of attempting to squish everything here, I will be doing segments called "Why Disney?" I feel as if it'll help show why we return year after year even though some might question us and exclaim, "You're going again?!"

One of the reasons why Disney World is a great vacation spot is because of the care and attention the cast members give to those who have allergies. This past trip was the first time I experienced having a meal with a food allergy. On our first night, Howard and I went to Captain Cook's in the Polynesian Resort with a specific dish in mind: Pork Nachos ($7.99).

This particular counter service restaurant has kiosks for simplified ordering. I know there are some who don't like ordering this way, but I actually enjoy it! I thought it was fun when this option was available at Pecos Bill in Magic Kingdom too. Unfortunately, due to my allergy to pineapple, ordering the pork nachos via this system wasn't the safest thing to do as there was no way to indicate the need for a modification. Since I couldn't get the attention of any of the people cooking the food behind the glass, I chose to speak to a cast member at a register.

The girl at the register was actually "earning [her] ears," so I spoke to her and an older man who was training her. He told me that I could just order it through the touch screen system and then bring it to them for a modification. When we went back to the kiosk, the man came back again and said that he realized I had said allergy, so he was going to get the manager to speak to me. 

The manager was very accommodating when I explained that I was allergic to pineapple but we still wanted it on the side since Howard could eat it. He wrote a ticket that you can see below and reassured me that gloves would be changed when handling the products so that the main dish wouldn't be contaminated. My allergy to pineapple is more of a recent issue, and I actually haven't been officially tested. However, it's not worth risking it, so I still needed it on the side. I don't think changing gloves was completely necessary for me either, but I was appreciative of the great care they took to allow me as the guest a satisfying dining experience despite my restrictions.

We brought the ticket to the cashier along with another item from the refrigerated section and paid. Just a few minutes later, our buzzer went off indicating that we could return to the counter to pick up our food. The manager was the one who handed it to us.

The pork nachos were absolutely delicious! Instead of using tortilla chips, they're made with homemade potato chips and wonton chips, so it was definitely crunchy. Though the pork was a little bit on the dry side (seems as if they might have been ready for a new batch), the components all worked together. Howard and I devoured this plate hungrily and happily.

The pineapple was given to us in a cup, and as you can see, it was more of a pineapple salsa as there was some onion in it as well. Howard apologized to me when he ate it because he did say the dish was made even better with the addition of these flavors! I do wish that I could have tried it as the Disney chefs intended for it to be eaten, but I was still completely satisfied scooping up more of the tomatoes.

One of the popular parts of Captain Cook's is their self-serve pineapple Dole whip machine, which was probably my favorite snack in all of Disney World. It would have been really fun trying to fill the cup as much as I could and splitting that with my husband, but of course, this is no longer a treat I can enjoy. Instead, we did split the In House Hand Rolled Spicy Shrimp Sushi from the Kona Island Sushi Bar upstairs ($8.99) for our "dessert." This had just the right amount of spice to it to provide a little kick without being too overpowering. Though nachos and sushi don't really seem to be two dishes that go well together, it was an excellent ending to our meal.

Though my allergy is definitely not as severe as those who cannot have casein or gluten, I couldn't help but feel that Disney took great care of me and my needs. I have some friends with more life-threatening allergies who have said that they have always been treated well by the chefs at table service restaurants who personally come out to speak to them before they order. With so many dietary needs and restrictions nowadays, it makes Disney World an even better vacation spot because they go to great lengths to ensure it is a safe vacation spot.

Disney Mail

In the past few months, I've signed up for so many freebies that I get really excited when Howard comes home and brings the mail upstairs. I've gotten free personal care items like makeup, deodorant, and razors as well as free household supplies like Lysol wipes and detergent packets. The ones that are sometimes more fun are the food samples like chocolate, cereal, and chips because you know how much I love food! Whatever it is, it's exciting to get something with my name on it that I get to open. Maria von Trapp was entirely right in listing "brown paper packages tied up with string" as one of her favorite things because it's definitely a favorite of mine!

Our most recent superbly thrilling item we got in the mail was DISNEY MAIL! Disney mail is incredibly exciting. When we had our annual passes during our honeymoon year, we both got the Mickey Monitor. Offers to return also put a smile on my face although I do also have a little bit of a disappointed expression because we know we can't make a visit back. As huge fans of WDW as our repeated vacation spot, getting Disney mail can be such an uplifter after a day of work.

Well, want to know what made us jump around last week? We got our customized Magic Bands! Yes, we are going back!

I held back from posting it on Facebook and Instagram because I didn't want to read the "You're going back again?" comments that people might leave. I did, however, share my excitement on the FB page of my Disney friends because they share the same sentiments as we do! This was such a randomly planned trip; it really did just come out of nowhere.

We actually were planning on going with my cousins Danielle and Nikki last year, but we decided against it because of financial reasons at the time. As the window for this year opened up, we considered it again, but financial issues are still present because we're adults with other responsibilities! I'm not currently working, Danielle is saving money to release an EP, and Nikki is getting married this year! It didn't seem possible for us to go back unless Howard and I made another trip with my parents. But then hubs got a JetBlue email about inexpensive flights that could actually be covered by his points! We already have our "no expiration" tickets, so no money would be spent on that. The only issue would be the cost of the resort.

We quickly browsed the prices of Art of Animation and Pop Century because they are both value resorts. Then we did something unusual. I decided to contact my DISboards friend Jennifer because she is a travel agent for WDW. I figured if we were going to book anything, we might as well do it through her so that she could benefit. She sent us information back that showed there was a percent off deal at Pop that we could snag, and after a few days of thinking it over, we jumped on it!  It's close enough to Howard's birthday for us to consider it his birthday trip!  

This will be a trip of new experience for us since it'll be off peak season when we're typically used to President's Week, Easter break, and Christmas!  It'll also be nice because our last trip with my parents and brother was in June, and we had to find ways to stay cool.  I'm hoping that this trip won't be as cold as our FREEZING Christmas 2012 trip!  It's also going to be strange not having the paper FastPass option.  I can't believe they are phasing it out and calling the original FP system the "legacy FastPass."  Instead of using that system (that I definitely mastered, if I do say so myself), we have Magic Bands that utilize RFID technology to hold your information so you can scan in for your FP+ reservation.  The downside is that you can only make 3 reservations at a park, and they also cluster some rides together so you can only choose one.  For example, you can only choose to make a FP+ reservation for either Soarin' or Test Track.  I personally think that that's ridiculous!  Hopefully, the low crowds and the overall experience using MagicBands will change my outlook.    

My Disney friend Emma posted an update about her experience with MagicBands on her blog called "A Pinch of Pixie Dust" that I thought was much more interesting and informative than anything Disney has released. Click here for that post and to see what she thought about the whole experience.

A few days after we got our MagicBands, we got more Disney mail! Jennifer had sent our Magical Express booklet and our luggage tags to us once she got them from Disney. We'll be arriving in the early afternoon, so we can actually take advantage of the fact that we can bypass the luggage carousel and head straight to the bus. This envelope was even better with the addition of a $25 gift card! As an incentive to book with her, Jennifer gives a gift card too, so that means we have some more food money. Hooray! She works through Playtime Vacations. You can find her Facebook page here even if you just want to get a no-obligation quote!

The last bit of fun mail is "free sample" related and Disney-related.  Some of the things I've signed up for in the past few months have been magazine subscriptions.  I think it's amazing that they just give these things away, but I guess they're trying to get people hooked on the magazines.  Howard has been receiving Wired and Popular Science for free for quite some time already.  I've gotten two of them already: Martha Stewart Living and Shape.  This will be great to have on the plane because I've brought my nook before, but I can never get into reading a novel.  It's just easier on my mind to flip through the pages of a magazine.  Of course, I'm almost done reading Mindy Kaling's book Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns), and something like that would be perfect on the plane too.

This Disney mail is even better than other mail because it means our trip is coming up!  So when are we going?  Um, today.  By the time this posts, we should actually be IN Disney already.  We're going to be enjoying Florida's (hopefully) beautiful weather for a week!  Haha, toodles NYCers!