347 - The Seth Kubersky Unofficial Guidance

Welcome to the show notes for the Disney Dream Girls Podcast, show number 347, for Sunday 17th January 2021.

If you want to listen, whilst reading these notes, just click the player below or alternatively find us on iTunes, Libsyn, Stitcher Radio, or any good podcast catching apps.

This week we welcome our friend (and former podcast guest)  Seth Kubersky back to share the latest from our favourite Orlando theme parks.

Seth is the author of The Unofficial Guide to Universal Orlando 2021 and is an avid theme park visitor. 

If you are not aware of these guide books, they offer a wealth of advice. This one, is based around Universal Orlando and has touring advice and exclusively patented, field-tested touring plans that save hours of standing in line in a single day. The guide book is packed with detailed, specific information on every ride, show, and restaurant in the resort. Their Walt Disney World guide will be out soon - so keep looking for it!

Find Seth on Twitter @Skubersky as well as via the Unofficial Guides pages on Facebook and their own website -  https://theunofficialguides.com 

On the show, Seth starts by sharing his opinions on Walt Disney World right now and what is coming ahead. Then, he moves over to Universal Studios and shares his thoughts about there also. 

That is about it for this week and we hope you have enjoyed reading this blog as well as listening to the podcast. You can find us @DisDreamGirls on Instagram and Twitter. We have the Disney Dream Girls page on Facebook as well as the Disney Dream Girls Podcast Family.

You can also subscribe via iTunes to ensure you never miss a show and also, whilst there, why not leave us an iTunes review? Click here for the iTunes page for the Disney Dream Girls.

If you wish to support us financially and keep the show advert free then pop over to Patreon and find out the benefits of doing so, including some additional podcasts.

That's it for this week, so thank you for reading and listening to our Disney musings.

Much love,
Michelle & Jayne xxx

283 Halloween Horror Nights At Universal Studios

Welcome to the show notes for the Disney Dream Girls Podcast, show number 283 for Sunday 27th October 2019.  If you want to listen, whilst reading these notes, just click the player below or alternatively find us on iTunes, Libsyn, Stitcher Radio or via any good podcast catching app.
On this week's show, Michelle is joined by James H Carter II. James is the director of the Foolish Mortal documentary, the videographer/editor at Nightmarish Conjurings and founder of The Creepy Kingdom Podcast.  Together, they chat through the offerings guests can find at Halloween Horror Nights at the Universal Studios - primarily in Hollywood. 

Universal Studios offers horror nights at four of its parks, namely, Orlando, Hollywood, Japan and Singapore. During the discussion, they focus on Hollywood however a lot of the discussion covers what to expect when attending such an event at any one of these parks.  To view a park map showing all the offerings - park map or we have a smaller image below.

Firstly, James helps de-mystify what to expect at an event as Michelle did struggle initially a little to conceptualize what it involved but she did know it involved mazes and houses. However, a maze is not a maze and a house is not technically a house. So what are there? James explained that rather than saying maze, think a pathway through your favourite movie and the boundaries of these were like large walled structures - with each theme being kept within each structure. 

James listed some of the headlining attractions and discussed what could be expected at each. From Stranger Things to Ghostbusters to Us there sounded to be something for everyone. 

Then he talked a little about some of his personal favourites at this event and also shared some top tips on how to maximise guests time to ensure as much as the key events were enjoyed. From utilising a paid service - called Express Pass - to having a park strategy, James said it was possible to cover a lot of it in one visit. However, each visit would be different so many people opt to visit on multiple occasions.

Moving away from the horror nights, James explained that there is a permanent Walking Dead attraction at the park and suggested that Michelle visited. At this point Michelle went a little faint as we all know how much of a scardy pants she is! But with a little bit of coaxing, James persuaded her she should visit on her forthcoming California trip and report back about the park in general. So listen in for no doubt an awesome review come January!

If you wish to contact James directly he can be found @Creepykingdom on all social media platforms. 

Well, that's just about it for this week, as usual, you can contact us via Email: info@disneydreamgirls.com Follow our posts on Twitter @DisDreamGirls and Instagram @disdreamgirls. Plus don't forget our Facebook page by searching Disney Dream Girls.

Finally, if you want additional content from the show why not consider joining our Patreon supporters. To find out more visit Disney Dream Girls Patreon Page. 

All photographs used are the copyright of Universal Studios Hollywood. 

Travelling to Orlando with kids

Janine Pipe is back with another blog and this time she uses her experiences on travelling to Orlando with a child to advise, inform and general help everyone out!

For myself, the planning side of a Florida holiday is almost as exciting as the trip itself. The build of anticipation rises every time I make a dining reservation or book a Fast Pass: even buying sun-cream is a lot more exciting when you know you’ll be using it in Orlando! As with everything though, planning a trip overseas with a small child in tow, isn’t quite as easy and straightforward. Now I know that everyone parents differently. For some families, they won’t need to change much: they will still eat at California Grill because little Bobby will just doze happily in his stroller and they will still do full park days whilst little Suzie naps peacefully in her buggy. But whether you are a parent who fits around your child or who’s child fits around you, there are still some important things to think about before and during your Florida visit.

First, plan, plan, PLAN!!! Let’s presume we are talking about a pre-schooler or younger school aged child here especially. Think about their likes and dislikes. Consider their stamina. Which attractions will they enjoy, appreciate, be terrified of … for example – Tink is petrified of most insects but especially spiders so It’s Tough To Be a Bug! was immediately struck off the list.

It's Tough to be a Bug! Photo Credit WDW Website

Location – I am a huge advocate for staying on-site but the cost can be restrictive for some people. If you can not afford to stay in Disney or Universal itself, try to stay as close to the parks as possible. This will save you time in travelling and will make breaks from the parks a lot easier. Try to ensure your hotel has a fridge and maybe even a microwave. At 2 years old Tink was still incredibly fussy and prone to not eating in restaurants so we ended up buying the odd kiddie meal in Target and heating it up in the room for her. 

Character Meets - Fun For Kids (Minions at Universal Resort)

Flight – don’t be frightened of taking a baby/small child on a long-haul flight. Just be prepared that boredom will likely settle in once the initial excitement has worn off, so have plenty of tricks up your sleeve to keep them entertained. A small bag of treats that you bring out every couple of hours might help. Have their favourite toy and/or a pillow to snuggle up with and don’t under-estimate the power of an iPad/tablet. Walk around the plane with them and swap seats within your family. The little changes will keep things fresh for them. You might want to pack some snacks in your flight bag in case they don’t like the plane food too. And don’t stress, even if your child is fussy and has ‘a moment’, this is a family destination. If people expect everyone to be silent on a flight, don’t go to Florida!

Stroller – whilst I am not an advocate for numerous amounts of buggies in the parks and am glad that they have banned the enormous wagons, I do recommend a stroller for under 5’s. Even if your child hasn’t used a pushchair in the UK for ages, their little legs will be glad of the rest. The parks are HUGE and add in the heat, time difference and massive amount of stimulation, then a stroller will be a blessing in disguise. You can also store the ridiculous amount of paraphernalia that kids require in it too. 

Character Meets at Walt Disney World

Park bag – that huge amount of stuff changes dependent on the age and demands of your child, but a lot of parents end up carting around everything but the kitchen sink when they have kids. A change of clothes is a good idea for even under 8’s as they might get wet, sticky, covered in ice-cream. Wet wipes and tissues are essential as are snacks and drinks. Even if you are on a Dining Plan, I would advise having something like some raisins or trail mix to hand as you never know when Junior might suddenly announce they are starving and it’ll likely be when you’re in line for something and no where near a vendor. Drinks can add up and it is very important to stay hydrated. You can bring water in with you, fill up from the fountains or ask for iced-water for free from any Quick Service location. Another must have for you bag is sun cream – please keep your child and yourself topped up as that Florida sunshine is intense and no one likes sun-burn.

Take a break – this is something that I personally feel is a good idea for everyone not just children. Our first trip with Tink was when she was only 2 years old and she still needed a day time nap. Never being one to doze off in her stroller, especially when surrounded by Mickey, we took her back to the hotel after lunch each day. This not only recharged her batteries nicely, but allowed us to have a rest and relax too. Whether it was catching up on laundry (another fab idea with a kiddo in tow) or just chilling out for a bit before heading back to the hustle and bustle of the parks, it was a great way to escape the midday madness of crowds and heat.

Rider swap – you might think that if you have a baby or younger child with you, then the thrill rides are out of the question. However, fear not as the rider switch/child swap allows each parent to ride in turn whilst the other one waits in a special area/room with the child who cannot ride. This works well too if you have an older child as they can ride with each parent whilst the other waits. However, this is another one where you should consider to how your child might react even just in the line. Tink hated the queue for The Forbidden Journey as walking through Hogwarts was quite dark. She also found the line for Transformers quite intimidating. Sometimes it might just be best for one parent to head off to their favourite ride whilst the other endures yet another turn on It’s a Small World.

Budget – kids are like magpies, they like shiny new things and every shop in WDW and Universal is full of wonders for the small people. So to TRY to stop a melt down after every attraction by letting them know what they can or can’t have that day. A daily treat can work, as can limiting the amount they can spend. If they are a bit older, having their own money helps too. As Tink was 8 last trip, she saved her pocket money for over a year and ended up with around $25 each day to spend on anything she wanted. It doesn’t have to be that much – if they know they have a $5 maximum then it really does help with expectations. 

Most of all with children, try to go with the flow a bit more so that you can all have fun. There will be tears and they will test your patience. But overall you will create wonderful memories that will last a lifetime. Take photos and videos, keep a diary of what you get up to. It will be a holiday to remember and you will soon be saving up for the next one!!!