On our most recent trip to WDW we had an unexpected stop for lunch one day. We were visiting during the Flower and Garden Festival and had planned on snacking at all of the various food booths. We really hadn’t planned on eating anywhere else within Epcot on this particular trip, but sometimes the best experiences aren’t planned at all!

The Land was experiencing very low crowds due to the closure of Soarin for expansion. However, Living With the Land is actually one of our favorite attractions in Epcot so we dutifully headed over to The Land pavilion. We were all rather hungry and decided to try for breakfast at Sunshine Seasons. We weren’t happy with the selections that morning and decided to try for breakfast at Garden Grill. Sadly, they were completely booked for breakfast. We continued on to ride Living With the Land, left the pavilion, and headed over to Test Track. I just couldn’t get Garden Grill out of my head though and so we tried for a last minute lunch reservation. Success! And back off to The Land we went.

What a good decision. Not only was the food delicious, but we had one of the most fun character experiences ever! More about that later, but first, the food. Lunch is all you can eat and served family style. Platters are delivered to your table with all of the items offered and you can request more of anything you particularly liked at any time. The worst thing about this was we loved everything! The menu included:

– Farmer’s salad (with ingredients grown right in the greenhouse!)
– Sliced turkey with gravy and bacon and leek stuffing
– Char-grilled filet of beef with a red wine reduction
– Italian sausage
– Macaroni and cheese
– Buttermilk mashed potatoes
– Sweet potato fries
– Green beans

And….. for dessert, strawberry shortcake with vanilla bean whipped cream.

I’m getting hungry just thinking about this meal. Everything was wonderful and I don’t know that I could pick just one favorite. But, I will say the filet was some of the best I have had anywhere and anytime in the past. The meal was a little pricey. Although I can’t remember the exact cost, I think with the gratuity we paid between $34-40 per person. It was well worth the cost though as long as you go hungry. Lucky for us we were all starving by the time lunch came around.

So besides the excellent food you also get a show with the meal! The Garden Grill is a rotating restaurant and you get every changing views of Living With the Land throughout the rotation. But it’s also a character experience and one of the best ones we’ve ever had. It seemed as if the characters spent far longer with us here than at any other character meal we’ve attended. Add to that, they were highly interactive and hysterical! Pluto was particularly playful, pouring pepper on our server and on the floor and then acting like nothing happened while Mickey looked on giggling!

Lunch was so delicious that I have to assume breakfast and dinner would be just as good. So if you are looking for some good food while in Epcot, don’t overlook The Garden Grill. It was easily our favorite meal of our recent trip.

Jo Scholl is a long time Walt Disney fan, grateful Disney Vacation Club (DVC) owner, and proud mom to three amazing adult children, one of whom is fellow columnist Shelley Scholl. Jo is also a first time grandma to a new Disney fan, Reese Ann! And she resides with a small black dog named Mickey Mouse!

As I right today’s post I’m exactly 47 days away from boarding the Disney Fantasy again. This will be our 11th cruise with Disney and the first time we will officially be platinum Castaway Cay members. I’m so excited! Even better we are traveling once again with our Disney “Family”; the two couples we met on the Magic in 2008!

Life has seemed really busy lately, and although I’m not sure why it’s meant that I haven’t had a lot of time to prepare for this cruise. Normally by this time ahead of schedule I’d already be planning wardrobe, pulling out suitcases and even transferring items such as foldable tee-shirts directly from my dresser into a suitcase. None of that has taken place at this point in time. Today though I think my planning switch clicked on when I got my hair cut and immediately thought…. one more haircut until we sail!

Do you normally do a countdown like that? We normally plan 12 to 18 months in advance so a countdown is always a normal part of our preparation. We’re not fancy. In the past I used to actually use an Excel spreadsheet to do the countdown for me. But now with the Navigator app from Disney Cruise Line all the work is taken care of for me. Because I’ve been distracted I’ve rarely looked at the countdown in the last couple of months, but now that I’ve realized we are under the two month mark I’m probably going to look at it every day! So now that I’m counting down, what about that packing?

I’m happy to say that actual planning (packing) is not the chore it used to be for me. I think we’ve gone to WDW and on cruises often enough now that I no longer stress out over whether or not I’ll have the right clothes; shorts or capris and tee shirts are the norm during the day and simple dresses or those same capris with a slightly dressier top take care of the evenings. I think what has made packing even easier for me is keeping most items other than clothing in permanent containers or bags that get stored actually inside my suitcases between trips. I’ve found this to be a lifesaver for me in terms of eliminating packing stress. I know some people might worry that toiletries permanently packed away in-between trips might go bad or expire, but I’ve never had a problem with this happening; whether it be moisturizer, sunscreen or laundry detergent (among everything else we might bring). So if I have one tip for anyone traveling it would be this, keep anything you can in prepackaged smaller bags that live in your luggage in-between trips. As someone who used to spend weeks stressing over what might be needed, I can tell you that this method has totally transformed my manic panicked stress to a much more acceptable level… sometimes even holding off on actual packing until just a few days in advance. Crazy!

As I was writing this today I thought what pictures could I possibly have to accompany this article and realized none! So I looked through some pics from our Fantasy cruise in 2013 and found these beautiful mosaics. Believe it or not these gorgeous murals are from the restrooms in the hallway outside of the entertainment district. To me that’s a perfect example of the lengths Disney goes to in order to make sure every inch of their ships is stunning! I hope you enjoy these beautiful pics! I can hardly wait the 47 remaining days until I can see them again!!

Jo Scholl is a long time Walt Disney fan, grateful Disney Vacation Club (DVC) owner, and proud mom to three amazing adult children, one of whom is fellow columnist Shelley Scholl. Jo is also a first time grandma to a new Disney fan, Reese Ann! And she resides with a small black dog named Mickey Mouse!

In November we’re going to be boarding the Disney Fantasy for yet another fabulous vacation with our Disney friends. I’m so happy that Disney brought us together (on the Magic in 2008) and looking forward to seeing everyone again.

My biggest dilemma on this trip is whether or not to eat dinner at Palo! On our first second or third cruise this would have been a no brainer since we fell in love with Palo the first time we went. However, it’s a little more difficult this time around since Shel and I are the only two who would like to go. Brunch at Palo has become a tradition for this group. Last cruise around we did all do dinner together at Palo for a special occasion, but this time around no one is really interested. The problem is do we dine with friends, or separate ourselves for a night (egad!)…. I know it’s hard to be me! We thought we had it figured out as we really have never like the pirate night menu so that was the night we picked to go. Now, much to my surprise the menu has been changed and there are new items to try. So our plans have been thrown a wrench by this development and I really can’t decide what to do. My heart is telling me to stay with friends, but my stomach; well that’s a different story.

If you’ve never been to Palo, the food is amazing and the atmosphere is lovely; very peaceful and serene. The first time we ever dined there we did so because of it’s “adults only” policy, but soon learned that dining there goes far beyond getting away from children for a night. The food is simply incredible; wonderful appetizers and salads, incredible pasta courses, the most amazing filet of beef ever, and Osso Buco just to name a few. And of course, chocolate soufflé. To be honest, the soufflé is the kicker and probably the single item causing this indecision on my part!

So I don’t know what we’ll do. Not a bad problem to have! I looked at old pictures today of some of the items there to see if it made the choice any easier and of course, it didn’t. But come along with me as I show you a couple of the items here.

Whatever we decide, it’s going to be an amazing trip!

Jo Scholl is a long time Walt Disney fan, grateful Disney Vacation Club (DVC) owner, and proud mom to three amazing adult children, one of whom is fellow columnist Shelley Scholl. Jo is also a first time grandma to a new Disney fan, Reese Ann! And she resides with a small black dog named Mickey Mouse!

With the exception of a 5k as part of the virtual Disney running shorts, I’ve just completed my first RunDisney event! It was quite the experience and I haven’t yet decided if this will be a one time event, or if I’m going to become addicted (like many others) and want to participate over and over.

Let me just say first…. it was fun, fun, FUN! I also think that it just about killed me, but I absolutely had a wonderful time!! Last spring I completed one leg of the virtual race with Shelley on the trail between Wilderness Lodge and Wilderness campground. I really enjoyed it, primarily due to the beauty of our surroundings. It was also fun to see the woods and the campground from a different perspective than normal. The day was hot and I did have to take two short rests, but I did make it and felt wonderful about myself.

I’ve mentioned before that due to a full joint knee replacement and a second knee waiting to get done that I’m not actually allowed to run, but my feeling was who can’t walk a 5k. Even though, I was worried about several things; holding Shelley and our friend Adriana back (since they are both runners), being the last to cross the finish line and GASP! being swept from the course! Shel assured me that they don’t sweep runners from the 5k, but that didn’t really stop me from worrying about it.

However, back to the beginning. We spent two and a half days in WDW prior to the race, walking everywhere all day long as we typically do in WDW. The day before the race we went to the race expo and I think we walked several 5k’s there. That place is huge! The expo was fun though with my highlights being getting my bad knee taped for the first time ever and (drum roll here!!!!) the RawThreads booth! Shelley fell in love with this brand after her first RunDisney event and I couldn’t wait to see their product in person. I was not disappointed. I love their gear and will surely become a constant wearer of this terrific clothing. Between the walk into the expo from the parking lot, picking up our bibs and race packets, walking around the expo and walking back to the bus stop I really felt like I had run a race! I kept joking with Shel and Adriana saying “don’t they know I need to conserve for tomorrow”!

Race day dawned bright and early and I believe we caught our bus about 4:30 AM; maybe 5. I know it was darn early. But the adrenaline was already pumping as I was so excited to get started. Standing around waiting for the race to get started wasn’t the most fun I’ve ever had, but there is definitely an excellent sense of energy surrounding everyone as they wait to begin. I was afraid I would freeze at that time of morning so I brought a hoodie that I intended to drop along the way. It was totally unnecessary, but I was really grateful I did bring it when I passed it along to a young girl who was huddled up on the ground trying to stay warm. Shel and I were assigned to the second to the last corral and although Adriana was assigned to an earlier corral she stayed behind in order to walk with us. Yay Adriana!

Our race started in the parking lot of the Animal Kingdom and ended there as well. There was a lot of entertainment at the beginning of the race including snow being blown over all of the participants as they started. There were characters too, but we were too far away and I’m too short to have really seen any of them. We were the fifth group to leave the corrals with only one behind us. The race looped through Discovery Island, past the Tree of Life, into Harambe, through several back stage areas and out through Asia and Dinoland. This wasn’t anything we hadn’t walked many times before whenever we are in Animal Kingdom. Of course the difference is a constant pace and never stopping, although I did take one very quick restroom break. I did feel really bad for the girls as my stubby little legs just couldn’t walk at the pace they could but they were wonderful about staying with me. The final backstage area was the toughest though as we had a switchback loop covering the last mile that just seemed to go on forever!

I loved doing it, but it was hard. I didn’t train they way I should have and I think I was more prepared for our trek at the Wilderness Lodge last spring than I was now. Without a doubt if I choose to do another race I want to really focus on building up my endurance. 3.1 miles is nothing when I think about how many miles we do every day we visit one of the parks within WDW but we stop, we eat, we sit in shows, ride attractions, etc. I’m completed three previous 5k’s utilizing a treadmill and in some ways that was easier. BUT, nothing beat the energy and the vibe that this race offered and THAT is where the possible addiction to RunDisney events comes in.

Secret to me until shortly before the race was the fact that Shel had planned outfits for us to race in. Dressing up was a huge part of the fun, as was watching some of the elaborate and amazing outfits others appeared in.

I’m grateful I wasn’t in the last corral as I think that may have actually caused some of my fears to come true. I wasn’t fast! I was dragging through the last third of the race, but I WASN’T LAST! Yay me! It was exhilarating!!! Will I do it again? It depends on the outfit!

Jo Scholl is a long time Walt Disney fan, grateful Disney Vacation Club (DVC) owner, and proud mom to three amazing adult children, one of whom is fellow columnist Shelley Scholl. Jo is also a first time grandma to a new Disney fan, Reese Ann! And she resides with a small black dog named Mickey Mouse!

Although Christmas is just a few days away and it’s definitely going to be a white and frigid Christmas where I live, I find I can’t get myself into the mood. I know the one thing that would cheer me up would be to be in Walt Disney World right now. Unfortunately that’s a fantasy that’s not going to happen this year. I keep hoping for a new holiday tradition; Christmas in WDW every year! In the meantime today I was reflecting on some of my favorite memories there.

So here’s my top five!

5. The decorations on Main Street. I don’t think anything else needs to be said… there is just nothing to compare.

4. Visiting all of the hotels and seeing not only all of the amazing decorations, but also all of the incredible gingerbread creations. If you’ve never ventured beyond the Grand Floridian with the giant gingerbread house, do yourself a favor and take a tour around the other properties. See how many you can find!

3. The weather (big sigh inserted here!) and the snow falling on Main Street when we’re in short-sleeved shirts. There are been plenty of times where we’d had to bundle up in Florida, but I have very fond memories of Christmas in balmy weather, not the 19 below zero it’s going to be here tomorrow!

2. Enjoying sharing this wonderful place with Shelley all the times we have been able to, but especially during the holidays.

1. And my number one memory, having a family reunion there during Christmas week. Other than my parents, my branch of the family has the only Disney fanatics. We were worried how the crowds would be, would everyone have a good time, and would we miss our Christmas decorations in our respective houses. My sister solved that dilemma by bringing a fully decorated tree with and having it there for us to share presents under! Although the crowds were crazy and I’m not sure I’d actually want to be in the parks for Christmas Day ever again, having so many relatives get together for the holiday in such a magical place was just amazing. One of my daughters missed the trip and I’ll always be a little sad about that, but it was also the last time we got to visit with my mother there and that was very, very special. Just like me, she turned into an eight year old every time she visited WDW and I’m very grateful to have had that final trip with her.

Happy Holidays to all of you!

Jo Scholl is a long time Walt Disney fan, grateful Disney Vacation Club (DVC) owner, and proud mom to three amazing adult children, one of whom is fellow columnist Shelley Scholl. Jo is also a first time grandma to a new Disney fan, Reese Ann! And she resides with a small black dog named Mickey Mouse!

I’ve just received my Magic Band for my upcoming trip and was very excited to receive the new style. Until I’m actually utilizing it in the parks, I’m not exactly sure what I’m going to think about it, but it’s always fun to try something new.

Here are some of my thoughts regarding the new design of the Magic Bands:

– It seems to weigh less than the previous version. Although I don’t own a scale that will actually weigh anything this small, it definitely feels lighter to me.

– When measuring the new band against the old one, the new band appears to be just a smidge smaller in diameter. Since the bands are adjustable anyway, and for quite a range of wrist sizes, I don’t see this to be a problem at all.

– They seem more stylish to me. Just my opinion I realize, but with the new oval face they appear to look more like a watch or some other piece of jewelry.

– Of course the biggest change in the Magic Band design is actually the ability to remove the chip and insert it in another band, necklace, lanyard, etc. I don’t officially know if this is true, and honestly didn’t do any research of my own. But I’ve heard that this ability to remove the chip was something people were asking for. Please put this under the rumor column since I’m unclear of the actual facts.

Overall I like the bands. You’ll see from my picture that I have saved every band I’ve received (though there really didn’t seem to be enough there!) and was very excited that I had every color and could therefore change my band every day to match whatever I had on. The negative here was that I was bringing more than I actually needed. Even though my MB’s had their own storage bag, bring them all goes against my constant intent to bring less every trip and not overpack.

Another rumor I heard regarding the bands is that because the chip is removable, it will no longer be necessary to receive a brand new band for each trip; when your chip wears out (stops working) you would simply replace the chip itself; not the entire MB. Although I loved having multiple colors of bands, it always seemed wasteful to receive a new band for each trip, particularly when the old one worked just fine. On our last trip in November, the first MB I ever received worked just a good as the latest one I received.

I’ll hold out in making a final decision what I think until actually using the new style on my upcoming trip, but it’s not like Disney would change it back just for me if I don’t like it! Seriously though, I’m not resistant to change, and Disney normally does so much research before implementing something new that I can only assume there were excellent reasons behind making the change.

If you’ve used the new style already, please comment and let us know what you think.

Jo Scholl is a long time Walt Disney fan, grateful Disney Vacation Club (DVC) owner, and proud mom to three amazing adult children, one of whom is fellow columnist Shelley Scholl. Jo is also a first time grandma to a new Disney fan, Reese Ann! And she resides with a small black dog named Mickey Mouse!

On on most recent trip to WDW during Princess Marathon weekend we had the pleasure of dining at Frontera Cocina. It was amazing!

I’ve always loved, Downtown Disney, The Marketplace, Pleasure Island (whatever you remember it as!) and now Disney Springs. One of the most exciting things to me about the revamp was the addition of so many new dining choices. I love trying out new restaurants and flavors; Shel not so much. But she sucked it up and agreed to try Frontera Cocina. I think, no I know, that she enjoyed her dinner even more than I did.

First the atmosphere is wonderful. Simple and very colorful. There are walls that are decorated simply by using bottles of alcohol. I know it may not sound like much, but it really gave a beautiful effect. There is a gorgeous tile mosaic and beautiful lighting, and a display of plates I just adored.

The menu is vast with many names that will sound familiar to you if you are currently a fan of Mexican food. But even if you don’t typically care for this type of cuisine, I’d suggest you give this restaurant a try.

We started our dinner with Guacamole – Bacon. Yes, bacon with your guacamole! Could it get any better than that? Yes it could, because in addition to the bacon all over the top, there were also toasted pipits which gave the guacamole a crunchy element you weren’t expecting. Served with homemade tortilla chips, I’m sure we could have made a meal out of just this. Struggling a little with what to order because everything sounded so good we decided on Carne Asada for Shelley and a special of the day for me, Cochinita Pibil. Other than this dish being pork, I really wasn’t even sure what it was, but I was not disappointed. The pork was probably the most tender I had ever had and it was served in a rich and flavorful sauce over a bed of rice. Delicious!! But the hands down winner of the night was Shel’s Carne Asada. It was supposed to come with beans, but since that is not something that Shelley typically eats, she was able to substitute Quesco Anejo mashed potatoes; basically yukon gold potatoes with aged Cotija cheese. I love beans myself, but I would switch to these mashed potatoes anytime! But back to the Carne Asada itself. Shel graciously gave me a pretty substantial slice to taste and it was probably the most tender and flavorful piece of steak I have ever eaten. And Shel made happy sounds all during the meal! One of the funniest things was she didn’t want to stop for a cupcake after dinner because she said she had to keep that flavor on her tastebuds as long as possible.

We’re batting a thousand with the new dining choices at Disney Springs because we’ve now tried Morimoto’s, D-Luxe Burger and Frontera Cocina and loved them all. Add these to our list of current favorites which include the Earl of Sandwich and Raglan Road and the new venues we’ve yet to enjoy and I think we could eat here every day and still not get tired of the choices. Yesterday I booked The Boathouse for my next trip, and we’re also hoping to get over to Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar. Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ is still on my list too!

So branch out…. try some new places. You won’t be disappointed

Jo Scholl is a long time Walt Disney fan, grateful Disney Vacation Club (DVC) owner, and proud mom to three amazing adult children, one of whom is fellow columnist Shelley Scholl. Jo is also a first time grandma to a new Disney fan, Reese Ann! And she resides with a small black dog named Mickey Mouse!

I wasn’t all that excited about rushing out to see the latest version of Beauty and the Beast, staring Emma Watson as Belle. But opening weekend a friend came over for a visit and we ended up deciding to go give the movie a try.

We got to the theater almost 40 minutes in advance on a Saturday morning and were very surprised there were only a handful of seats available, and that the theater was filled with adults; there wasn’t a child in sight. As if often the case, the theater was filled with noise from patrons during the pre-show and even the previews, but when the movie’s first scene appeared a hush fell over the crowd. And from that point on the only noises you heard with oohs and ahs, or someone softly singing along.

I wasn’t prepared to like Emma Watson as Belle, but from the first moment she appeared on screen she captivated me and the rest of the audience. I don’t know why I thought she was miscast prior to seeing the film because I believe she was simply perfect. She seemed to embody the essence of Belle; smart, a little different from the others in the village, kind and fearless. Another surprise for me was Kevin Kline as Maurice. He brought Maurice more into the forefront for me than the animated classic as a less flighty version of Belle’s father. It’s obvious she gets her kindness and gentle nature from her father, but we learn her fearlessness comes directly from her Maman.

The Beast was also perfect with just the right mixture of gruffness, shyness, anxiety over his plight, and awe that anyone (especially Belle) could ever care for him. I know this will seem like a terrible pun, but the characters were so much more “human”.

The only minor flaw for me was that I didn’t really like the characterizations (facially) of Lumiere, Mrs. Potts and Chip. I thought Cogworth was done well, but there was just something that bothered me about the other three. I though Mrs. Potts and Chip were a bit cartoonish, and Lumiere’s facial features seemed rather harsh. This wasn’t really a flaw at all; minor or otherwise, just something not particularly to my liking.

Gaston and LaFou were also perfect (obviously, my favorite word when describing this picture). I know there had been a lot of controversy over the sexual orientation of LaFou’s character with a country or two banning the film as unsuitable. I can only say that Josh Gad was hysterical; stealing most of his scenes from Gaston.

One of the highlights for me at the conclusion of the film was The Beast’s transformation. I couldn’t believe how well it emulated the scene from the original. I also thoroughly enjoyed seeing Mrs. Potts, Chip, Cogsworth and Lumiere morph into their human forms. And the credits were done just the way I wanted to see them.

So another hit for Disney! I’ve already told at least a dozen non-Disney (eek!) fans at work that they really need to go see this one. For now, au revoir!

P.S. I loved it so much…. I saw it twice! The week after seeing the film for the first time, I decided I just had to see it again. I think I loved it even more the second time! I even liked the animations that I didn’t care for the first time around. I’m really happy that I saw it a second time on the big screen because it’s so visually stunning! I may even go for number three!

Jo Scholl is a long time Walt Disney fan, grateful Disney Vacation Club (DVC) owner, and proud mom to three amazing adult children, one of whom is fellow columnist Shelley Scholl. Jo is also a first time grandma to a new Disney fan, Reese Ann! And she resides with a small black dog named Mickey Mouse!

As I get older, I think a lot about minimizing things in my life. I’m not always successful in this regard, but I certainly do think about it often. Then something new comes along that I just have to have!

In this case, it was the new Mickey collection for Coach. For several years I was obsessed with Coach products. I always thought they were very expensive but somehow always managed to talk myself into a bag, or two or three. That obsession ended when I decided I really liked Vera Bradley; and it didn’t hurt when they came out with Disney themed pieces!

But last weekend Shelley told me Coach was coming out with new pieces, and at the Coach Outlet stores! Well of course I just had to go look….. on the very first day, because you know things could sell out!

I think it was a couple of years ago that Coach came out with a full price line of Mickey themed items. There were very expensive, but I did buy one thing; a small cross body bag, which has become my dedicated cruise purse. Now that we can use the Disney Navigator app on our phones on board, I do carry my phone with me most of the time. And for dinner every night I might also have my glasses, kleenex and maybe lipstick. This bag has been perfect! Luckily that has extinguished my guilt over buying something that was definitely too expensive and unnecessary. But it will be my go to bag for the rest of our cruising life so I’ve ended up being very happy. I particularly like the different characterizations of Mickey, both front and back!

Now comes this new collection. What to do, what to do. There were two pieces I wanted the first time around and although she had tiny little changes made to them, they are still in the new collection. I went to the store, picked up these two items, and a a third and debated for at least half an hour before deciding what to do. Practicality prevailed and I walked away with only the two bags I initially went to look at. The two items I purchased with a full size accordion wallet (something I carry around everyday), and a cell phone folder which holds not only my iPhone 6, but also a few credit cards and a stash of cash. This cell phone case is perfect when I don’t really want to have a purse with me, but do need the absolute essentials. I struggled not to also get the red wristlet, but controlled myself.

So Disney has gotten me in trouble again! But truly, I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to have a piece of Mickey with me at all times. All I have to do is open my purse and I smile.

So if you are a Disney fan, a Coach fan, or definitely if you are both…. go see the collection. Some of the bags are just too cute! Several items have ears! I was soooooo tempted, but the practical side of me won. But seriously, even the shopping bags are cute!

If you want to see more, check out Shelley’s next article which will be available on Wednesday. She took great pictures of many more items than what I purchased.

Jo Scholl is a long time Walt Disney fan, grateful Disney Vacation Club (DVC) owner, and proud mom to three amazing adult children, one of whom is fellow columnist Shelley Scholl. Jo is also a first time grandma to a new Disney fan, Reese Ann! And she resides with a small black dog named Mickey Mouse!

That might be all I can say….. WOW! I am completely blown away by the announcements made recently at the D23 Convention.

For a full rundown of all the announcements you should visit the D23 or Disney Parks Blog pages. This brief article will focus on Walt Disney Work and simply talk about a few of the attractions that I will be anxiously awaiting.

Magic Kingdom

Tron coaster

I’m not a huge fan of Tron, but I am certainly one of coasters! And, although I love everything Disney does, I’ve always wanted more thrill rides. This looks like it’s going to offer plenty of thrills and will be a welcome addition to an area of the park that hasn’t quite kept up with the Tomorrowland theme. The artwork released looks very futuristic and fits in amazingly next to Space Mountain. This one’s going to be a big undertaking and is not slated to open until 2021; in conjunction with the 50th Anniversary of Walt Disney World.

Main Street Theater

I’m not sure how I feel about this one. Very little has been released so it’s unclear yet what type of show will be housed in this new venue. It’s a little sad to think that Main Street will be changed, but I’m anxious to know more about what is being planned.

Hollywood Studios

Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway

This new attraction will take place where The Great Movie Ride is now. The description states something about being immersed in a “short” with Mickey and Minnie. I don’t have a fertile (or creative enough) mind to imagine this one, but I love anything themed Mickey!

I will dearly miss the classic attraction being replaced, but it has become very dated and without a complete overhaul of all the classic movie clips, not very relevant to the younger crowd. Having been born in the 50’s, I remember almost all of the movies and stars shown in The Great Movie Ride, but with every decade that passes, fewer and fewer people are familiar with the classics.

Galaxy’s Edge

The new name of the Star Wars expansion. I’m not a huge Star Wars fan (gasp!), but everything about this looks incredible. Slated to open sometime in 2019, I simply can’t wait! Did I say I’m not much of a Star Wars fan? I bet that’s going to change!

Toy Story Land

Not a new announcement, but a date was released for the opening, and caught most people off guard because it’s going to happen in 2018! Yes folks, just about a year away!! It will definitely be fun to see a few new attractions in this underutilized area of Hollywood Studios.

Epcot

These were perhaps the most exciting announcements for me since I’ve been wishing for some changes or additions to Epcot for quite some time.

Guardians of the Galaxy

This highly anticipated addition to the park will be taking over the pavilion currently housing Ellen’s Energy Adventure. I loved the Universe of Energy at one point in time, but now can’t remember the last time I took a chunk of time out of my day to visit it. Over the years it became more a place to cool off for the length of the attraction than a must-do event. I’m beyond excited at the edition of this attraction. Not only will it bring some excitement to Future World and that particular corner of Epcot, but I simply adore this part of the Marvel Universe and can’t wait to see how they incorporate it.

Out of This World Dining

I’m unclear exactly where this is going to be (possibly on top of Mission Space?), or exactly what type of dining it will be, but again, I’m just excited for another addition to this area of Epcot. However, whether this will be a quick serve option, table service, or fine dining, it will expand the options in this section of Epcot, and it sounds like it will be really fun!

Ratatouille

To be honest, I glossed over the description of this one. Is it a movie, a ride, a restaurant? I don’t know! But, I loved the movie and think whatever it is, the theming will be great! I’m hoping for a ride through the kitchen!

Around the World

Minnie Vehicles

Disney’s answer to Uber. How cute! We’ve personally begun to take advantage of Uber within WDW when we just wanted to get someone directly from Point A to Point B. Disney transportation is amazing, but some time you just don’t want to take the extra time. What a great addition this is going to be.

Disney Skyliner

Who hasn’t missed the sky cars that were originally part of the Magic Kingdom?! Not only is this going to give guests another mode of transportation, but it’s going to be transportation with wonderful views! I’m pretty excited about this one.

And last, but not least…. Perhaps my favorite announcement of all………

A third new Disney Ship!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bringing the fleet to a total of seven!

I’m sure you can tell by this article that I’m not one of those individuals resistant to changes at Disney. Although, like many of you, I will always miss some attractions, I can’t help but be excited by all of the changes taking place. Walt’s vision was to have a park that is always changing and giving us something new and these new announcements certainly seem to fit the bill. I can’t wait for my next trip, and the one in 2018, 2019, 2020, etc., etc., etc.!

Jo Scholl is a long time Walt Disney fan, grateful Disney Vacation Club (DVC) owner, and proud mom to three amazing adult children, one of whom is fellow columnist Shelley Scholl. Jo is also a first time grandma to a new Disney fan, Reese Ann! And she resides with a small black dog named Mickey Mouse!

This article is specifically for anyone who owns Disney Vacation Club (DVC) properties. I’m not a lawyer and this most definitely is not a legal opinion, just my personal observation about the transfer of your DVC property to another owner. The last paragraph of this article is the nugget of information I really want you all to have.

Let me start by stating that when I first bought DVC in 1993, when it was originally known only as Old Key West, I remember talking with the sales rep about passing the 50 year lease down to my children. They were very specific about the ease of keeping the property in the family, but no legal requirements of doing so were discussed. I even remember them telling me you could transfer the property for $1.00. At the time I really believed it would be that easy.

Fast forward 15+ years to when close friends (P&J) brought DVC for the first time. They went on to buy at multiple locations; I think they have four properties in total. Then another friend (DS) brought into DVC the same year and went on to purchase at three different locations, over three states – Florida, California and Hawaii. Then a couple years back Shelley also purchased points. She did so while we were on a cruise and we both sat down with the sales rep regarding the specifics. We were told that we would be able to simply list each other on the other’s accounts as joint owners, and the only limitation was doing so directly at the time of purchase, OR owning your property directly (with no outstanding loans). Because of the loan provision, we were unable to initially both be on the title, but we didn’t worry about it because of how easy Disney said it would be to do later. What we did do immediately was to make each other an associate on our respective accounts. Being a listed associate on the account gives you all the same vacation planning, points transfer, banking, etc. as the listed owner.

When P&J decided a couple of year ago that they wanted to add their two adult children to their DVC account as owners (not associates), they were told that this needed to be done through a change in title; something that was going to cost approximately $2,000-$3,000 per DVC property. Boy! We were all really surprised by this. What happened to that simple transfer of property to children, and keeping the DVC ownership in the family?

Unfortunately the sad part of this story, and the reason I’m writing on the subject, is my dear friend DS just died unexpectedly last month. She passed away three days before our next scheduled trip to WDW and on The Disney Dream. Trying to let Disney know we were not going to be there was a nightmare, because she had made our reservations through her DVC points. I was listed as a guest and passenger, but didn’t have any rights to make changes. Believe me, I wasn’t worried about any return of points at the time; I simply wanted to let Disney know we wouldn’t be there. Let me just say that the DVC rep was very nice, kind and considerate… but he was not able to cancel any of the arrangements.

DS’s son has since spoken with DVC. He was her only child and was listed in her will as his sole beneficiary. But, because he was not listed as a beneficiary specifically with Disney (which I’m not even sure is possible), nor was he an associate member on her account, her three properties are going to go into probate in three different states. He was already dealing with the sudden death of his mother and now he’s embroiled in a long process of trying to transfer her property to himself. When I spoke with his yesterday he stated that the most frustrating thing was that no one at Disney seemed to know exactly how to do this. So that “simple” transfer of property to your children that was a selling point to me when I originally purchased, may have actually been a fairy tale.

I certainly don’t fault Disney for any legalities that need to happen, and I’ll absolutely state that I’m not dealing with them, but simply listening to the frustration of my close friend’s son. I just wish it wasn’t happening.

Here’s my nugget of information I’d like all owners to take away though….. If your children are already adults, at the very least put them on your account as an associate member. Otherwise, if you haven’t already done so, name your children as direct beneficiaries of your DVC properties, or better yet put them on the title at the time of purchase, create a living trust, or do whatever a lawyer recommends NOW, long before it becomes an issue.

Jo Scholl is a long time Walt Disney fan, grateful Disney Vacation Club (DVC) owner, and proud mom to three amazing adult children, one of whom is fellow columnist Shelley Scholl. Jo is also a first time grandma to a new Disney fan, Reese Ann! And she resides with a small black dog named Mickey Mouse!

If you’ve visited WDW on multiple occasions, it’s probably inevitible that you’ve seen your share of rain. On our trip last February, Shelley and I encountered the worst, absolutely worst weather we had ever had there. It occurred on our first day, so of course we didn’t want to stay inside or miss doing anything. After a couple of hours we were drenched through to the skin, and our gym shoes were completely soaked through as well. We slogged out in ankle deep water, stranded in bus lines getting absolutely poured on, and were shivering with the cold. But that was our choice. It may have been the worst weather we had ever experienced there, but we still had options. The parks didn’t close down, and Disney Springs was open, allowing us all sorts of entertainment and dining experiences.

That was not the case for all the poor individuals trying to have the vacation of their dreams during the onset of Hurricane Irma. First, I have to say that my heart goes out to all Floridians who were affected by this terrible storm. My prayers are with you all for recovery and repair. But for those staying on WDW property, I think Disney went to extraordinary measures in virtually no time to try to accommodate everyone as best they could. From everything I was able to see via social medial, Disney held crafts and games in lobbies, put on extra movies throughout public spaces of the hotels and genuinely tried to help everyone have a good time and keep occupied when everything was shut down and it was impossible to get outside. In reading about other areas of Florida and the price gouging that was going on, particularly at hotels and restaurants, I was happy to hear that Disney did what I would have expected of them. Of course, some will complain that they can’t get a full refund for their vacation, but a weather event like this is an Act of God.

What was even more wonderful and heartwarming was hearing the stories of guests heading outside after the storm abated, helping Disney Cast Members cleaning up debris. That’s why you’ve got to love people who love Disney!

I looked for a picture of the two of us looking like drowned rats and, not surprisingly, didn’t find one. But I included a picture of what Disney always looks like after the rain!

Jo Scholl is a long time Walt Disney fan, grateful Disney Vacation Club (DVC) owner, and proud mom to three amazing adult children, one of whom is fellow columnist Shelley Scholl. Jo is also a first time grandma to a new Disney fan, Reese Ann! And she resides with a small black dog named Mickey Mouse!

Trying to get some inspiration on what to write about this week, I started to look through old photos. It may be because I haven’t had dinner yet, but every picture that drew my attention was about food. So today, I’m just going to present a very short pictorial down food memory lane.

Be Our Guest
The Master’s Cupcake & The Strawberry Cream Cheese Cupcake

Citrico’s Tasting of Gelato includes Italian Vanilla Bean, Raspberry and Mocha Espresso

The picture above is of a dessert that is not currently on Citrico’s menu, but was basically creme anglaise with fresh fruit and pastry leaves. Yummy! I sure hope they bring it back since it was absolutely one of my favorite desserts anywhere.

Desserts are certainly a favorite of mine, but here now is a full meal at another of The Grand Floridian’s amazing restaurants; Narcoosee’s, starting with a seasonal salad. Make sure and read the menu when there since items can change. All the seasonal salads we’ve had there have been absolutely incredible.

I hope you enjoyed my pictures and are inspired to try one of these amazing restaurants!

Jo Scholl is a long time Walt Disney fan, grateful Disney Vacation Club (DVC) owner, and proud mom to three amazing adult children, one of whom is fellow columnist Shelley Scholl. Jo is also a first time grandma to a new Disney fan, Reese Ann, and her brand new baby brother Camden Joseph! Life is good. Jo also resides with a small black dog named Mickey Mouse!

We just returned from our very first back to back cruises on The Disney Dream. Although we have sailed a couple of four and five-night cruises in the past, we typically always choose a seven-day cruise. The reason for the change this time was timing; Shel was running in the half marathon and booking a four-night and a three-night cruise back to back was the only way to get in a full week of very lovely and relaxing onboard time. We were particularly excited for two reasons; the first cruise was premiering the new Beauty and the Beast stage show, and the second cruise was to be our very first Very Merrytime Christmas cruise. While always excited to cruise, these two items were something to really look forward to.

As always, we had an amazing time, and everything was wonderful, but I don’t think I would book a three-day cruise again, even to extend a stay. This may not make sense to those who haven’t cruised before, but for veterans like us, the vibe was totally different on both cruises. The four-night cruise was most like a longer cruise as we went to two ports and had a sea day. Nothing seemed rushed and we were able to enjoy a much less crowded ship staying onboard in the Bahamas. The sea day was also pretty normal, as was Castaway Cay. One of our initial disappoints though was the lack of activities and movies. Maybe you’ve never watched a movie at sea, but it’s something we do quite regularly. We’ve always been really excited to see several different Disney or Marvel movies playing every day, sometimes two or three times per day. This time the list was very short, and (insert a GASP here!) Thor: Ragnarok wasn’t on the schedule until our third day on the ship! I know this isn’t a life changing event for most, but it was different than what we were used to and expecting. Beauty and the Beast was playing twice on the cruise, the first time opposite Thor, and we chose to go to Thor because of the limited opportunities. Again, if you are not a Marvel or Thor fan I don’t expect you’ll understand this, but it was the right choice for us.

We saw Beauty and the Beast on the second night it played and although done very well as everything on the ships are, it was underwhelming. It was a good show, beautiful to look at and the music was great, but it seemed very “busy”. There was always a lot going on, all at once with pieces of the set moving constantly. It was actually very distracting to both of us. Although not our cup of tea this time, I’m hopeful with feedback from audiences they might change up a few things. I’m sure we’ll give it a try again at some point in the future.

The changeover between cruises was extremely easy with just a short stay in the concierge lounge in the terminal before we were allowed back on board. We kept our same cabin (which is essential to me when sailing back-to-back) so we got off the ship with not much more than our phones, iPads and keycard. Getting back on board was fun because the ship wasn’t magically transformed to Christmas, but was being done in stages with the Christmas tree covering most of the atrium floor. It was interesting to see the boxes loaded with decorations waiting to be displayed. The majority of the decorating was garlands and trees, with the exception of the full size gingerbread house, which was absolutely incredible. However, I didn’t feel that I had stepped into a winter wonderland. I’m wondering if since we were the first holiday cruise of the season, if we actually saw the extent of the décor, or would there be more added over time. Since this segment of our cruise was only three nights, it’s hard to say if it would have been any different later in the week or on the subsequent cruises.

The biggest thing I didn’t like on the three-night cruise was the lack of activities; holiday or otherwise. It felt as if nothing was really planned because we were only going to two ports and then turning around and going back to Port Canaveral. We had lots of rowdy kids and adults on the three-night cruise and we got the impression that it was just a long weekend (the cruise departed on a Friday) for locals. Maybe if I lived in Florida I’d also think that was a wonderful way to spend my weekend, but for someone who was used to the relaxation of a week onboard, it just didn’t feel the same. Even though we were actually onboard for seven days, the two segments seemed quite different and I don’t believe I would book a three-night cruise again.

As with all of my articles, this is just my opinion. If your time or budget only allows for a short cruise, I’d still recommend Disney. The ships are beautiful, the food is wonderful, and the crew members are the best. And, if you are planning a Very Merrytime Christmas Cruise, maybe book one other than the first one of the season.

Jo Scholl is a long time Walt Disney fan, grateful Disney Vacation Club (DVC) owner, and proud mom to three amazing adult children, one of whom is fellow columnist Shelley Scholl. Jo is also a first time grandma to a new Disney fan, Reese Ann, and her brand new baby brother Camden Joseph! Life is good. Jo also resides with a small black dog named Mickey Mouse!

During our last visit to Walt Disney World (WDW) Shel and I had our first opportunity to see Pandora. I was very excited and couldn’t wait, and Shel was good-naturedly going along based on my desire. I’m going to break my impressions up into three areas: The general atmosphere and design, the Na’vi River Journey, and Avatar Flight of Passage.

First and foremost, I’d say that you shouldn’t expect this to be a brief visit, and perhaps your visit will even need to be planned over the course of two days. The primary reason for this is the inability to get a FastPass+ selection for both main attractions on the same day. On this trip we could only obtain a FastPass+ for Avatar Flight of Passage and our initial plan was arrive at opening and try to ride the Na’vi River Journey first. As oftentimes happens (and the beauty of being able to park hop) is our plans shifted slightly and we found ourselves in Animal Kingdom with some time on our hands between our Rivers of Light Dining Package lunch, and actually seeing the Rivers of Light show. Shel kept checking times and eventually over to the Na’vi River Journey we went. But more about that in a minute.

General impression of Pandora…. Just like every individual before me who’s articles I’d might have read before going myself, I was completely blown away! I’d heard a lot about the bridge heading over into Pandora, and this was probably the only thing I didn’t completely have a WOW moment with. As in all of the parks, the bridge between areas transports you mentally (not just physically) into the next realm. Certainly, the bridge accomplished this with the change in lighting, plant life and background sounds, but I just didn’t feel it was as amazing as I had been led to believe. However, once I crossed that bridge, the moment I experienced was WOW, WOW, WOW. I’m not sure that I’ve ever felt quite as immersed at any time, in any Disney park. I really felt transported to another world. I wasn’t sure if they could pull off the floating mountains, but they are an amazing focal point for Pandora and simply took my breath away. Unfortunately, this trip didn’t allow me time to see Pandora at night, nor did I have the luxury of wandering for hours, but next time I’m there (probably alone), that’s exactly what I’d like to do. Everything seemed so other-worldly to me and I wanted to just spend the time walking all of the pathways, looking at the different types of vegetation (both real and imagined) and pretend I was exploring another planet. Alas, that exploration will have to wait for a future visit.

Na’vi River Journey. While over by Expedition Everest, Shel checked waiting times and saw that Na’vi River was only 60 minutes. Normally we wouldn’t wait that long for anything, and typically don’t need to due to the times of year we choose to visit. But, since it was a new attraction and we had some time to kill, we headed over. Unfortunately, by the time we walked the distance the wait had moved up to 90 minutes. We decided to wait anyway. It was not a particularly good choice for us and here’s why. The queue was beautiful; a huge hut of a building covered in a native craft which I can only describe as massive amounts of macramé. The river journey itself is also stunning to observe – visually extraordinary. Where I think this attraction falls short was in story. The queue was long; obviously it needs to be with up to four hour waits. But other than the beautiful hut itself, there was no real progression into the world of Avatar. There were random plaques on the railings of the queue which detailed descriptions of native wildlife; probably not more than 10 or 12 of these. But that was it. There wasn’t any narration along the way, scenes or dioramas of Na’vi life or the ability to meet a Na’vi. Once you are on the you’ll finally meet an animatronic figure, but otherwise it was just pretty scenery. I absolutely thought it was beautiful, but not enough that I’d wait in a (reported) four-hour line. We were disappointed and frustrated after waiting 90 minutes. The bottom line for us is we would not go back without a FastPass, and without the ability to get one for this attraction AND Avatar Flight of Passage, it’s probably never going to happen.

Avatar Flight of Passage was exactly the opposite. Yes, we had a FastPass. But even with the FastPass it probably took 20-30 minutes to get on the ride. In this case, the queue wasn’t particularly impressive, and because we were in the FastPass line we might have missed a better queue experience. But, once we were in the “staging” area, we were quickly engulfed in the attraction and story of this important rite of passage for the Na’vi. The staging area puts guests through a series of tests to match us with our Avatar. Once an Avitar was assigned to you, off we went to meet our banshee.

The banshees (or ride vehicles) are in a narrow room stretched out side to side across the room. There is a screen in front of you and storage bins behind. You are not allowed to keep possessions on you on this attraction. I can’t remember if the screen in front was walled off or veiled in some way, but I think it was because I remember an impression of stepping into the landscape of Pandora. The ride vehicles were surprisingly comfortable; I say surprisingly, because they don’t look like they would be. You sit across the “animal” much as you would a carousel horse, but you lean forward towards the animal’s head and your bent legs stretch out behind you. When the ride vehicle closes, you are tightly positioned in your seat with both your back and your legs highly supported and kept in position. NOTE: I’m not sure how well this attraction can accommodate people of size. I’m not a small adult by any means; petite yes, but fluffier than I’d like, and I used to be much, much larger. I question how large a person the attraction can hold, but Shel seemed to think that the braces that came forward to hold you in place, were adjustable to individual bodies enough that they would be able to support a wide variety of shapes and sizes.

Once the screen was revealed, or went live, we were flying. And I absolutely mean FLYING! The feeling of actually being on the back of a banshee was incredible. The film, though obviously quite different from a scenery standpoint, is very similar to the immersive experience you feel on Soarin. The biggest difference apart from the scenery is that you go FAST! It feels incredibly fast, and much faster than we were expecting. There were both pros and cons to this for me. The pro was the thrill you experienced, and the con was we were traveling too fast to take in all of the amazing scenery. The other thing I missed on the experience, and the one I can’t wait to ride it again for, is that Shel told me she felt her banshee breathing beneath her! I already felt this was real, and I can only imagine how much more so it would have been to feel my banshee breathing! Amazing!

So, two big thumbs up for Avatar Flight of Passage. Although I know we will never choose to stand in the regular queue for 60, 90 minutes or more (last I heard four hours wasn’t unusual), I know this will be a required FastPass every time we visit Animal Kingdom!

Jo Scholl is a long time Walt Disney fan, grateful Disney Vacation Club (DVC) owner, and proud mom to three amazing adult children, one of whom is fellow columnist Shelley Scholl. Jo is also a first time grandma to a new Disney fan, Reese Ann, and her brand new baby brother Camden Joseph! Life is good. Jo also resides with a small black dog named Mickey Mouse!

2018’s Princess Marathon Weekend is only about a month away. My heartfelt best wishes to anyone participating during the weekend, whether you’re doing one race, two or (gasp!) all of them. I’m going to be there, not racing, but supporting my daughter Shelley who I couldn’t be prouder of!

In the past, I’d never really understood runners. In both grade school and high school, we were forced to run, and other than the short sprints, I hated it. Although I was physically fit and participated in other sports, I always seemed to huff and puff when trying to run long distances. And, to be frank, I thought it was incredibly boring.

Fast forward to 2012 when my son Mark ran the Chicago Marathon. I knew of course that he had started to run either as a hobby or simply to keep in shape, but I really had no idea he wanted to run a marathon. Moving throughout downtown Chicago to try to catch a glimpse of him while running was exhilarating and frustrating all at the same time. Never having witnessed a marathon before, it was quite the experience; massive crowds and trying to figure out how to get to various places on the course before he arrived. The highlight of course was seeing Mark after completing the race. He was exhausted but jubilant at having completed his goal! He still runs most every day as does my daughter-in-law Missy, and they even take my grandbabies along for the ride! So proud to be his mom!

Then there’s Shelley…. I don’t know if Shel picked up the running bug from her brother or just decided it was a great way to stay healthy. One big difference is Mark had always been involved in some kind of sport, but Shel…. not so much. What I do know is Disney sponsoring run weekends gave her an extra reason to pursue running. I think most people struggle with exercise, whether they just can’t find the time, or they can’t discover an option they enjoy. But exercise tied in with Disney…. What’s not to love! And Shel making a decision to start running and sticking to her goals has been amazing to watch!

Shelley has taken to this new lifestyle like a fish to water. She ran her first race, the Princess 5k in February of 2016 and Mickey’s Holiday 5k in November of that same year. She even convinced me to WALK Mickey’s Holiday 5k with her. Although physically it was a lot for my old body, it was FUN! I totally understand how easy it is to get caught up in WANTING to run at Disney! In 2017 Shelley completed the Princess 5k, Princess 10k and her first half-marathon with the Wine and Dine Half in November. AMAZING! Even more so because she was sick for the races, having caught a serious cold four days ahead of her first race of the weekend.

This February Shel is signed up for the Princess 10k and the Princess half and I’ll be there to cheer her on. I think this is an incredible feat for someone so new to running. She’s been training religiously since our November trip, and regardless of when she finishes, I’m bursting with pride! Shel, this article is dedicated to you. You are inspiring!!

Jo Scholl is a long time Walt Disney fan, grateful Disney Vacation Club (DVC) owner, and proud mom to three amazing adult children, one of whom is fellow columnist Shelley Scholl. Jo is also a first time grandma to a new Disney fan, Reese Ann, and her brand new baby brother Camden Joseph! Life is good. Jo also resides with a small black dog named Mickey Mouse!

We’ve just booked our first trip to Aulani! Exactly nine months from the time I write this sentence we’ll arrive at Disney’s Aulani for our first visit. I’ve wanted to go here since it first opened, but it’s just never come to pass. Both of my closest friends have been and raved about this special Disney resort in the paradise of Hawaii. I say paradise because I’ve been lucky enough to travel there on three previous occasions, and it’s my favorite destination.

I was mentally planning a trip with all my adult children and their families in the fall of 2019. I say mentally, because although a DVC owner since 1993, I don’t own at Aulani and therefore can’t make plans until seven months ahead of the anticipated arrival date. For that proposed trip in 2019 I was definitely planning on using points, and the BIG question that loomed was would we get in.

Fast forward to last weekend when my son and his wife said they were going this November, and would I like to go too. Well of course I’d like to go too! But would it work? We’re definitely not within the seven-month booking window. I told them I was saving points for 2019 and hoping to go then. My son Mark insisted they had gotten a great deal and I should look into it with his sister Shel, my frequent travel partner. I didn’t think we’d book anything; instead waiting for our booking window. But, I got really, really excited and I think Shel caught that excitement too. Our special incentive is being at Aulani with two little ones, as my grand babies will be one and three when we travel. Since the first advertising of Aulani occurred, prior to the first shovel of dirt being dug, Aulani has been billed as the ultimate family vacation. I can’t think of anything better than being there with my children and their children.

Shel, ever the researcher, took the initiative on looking into other ways to book; specifically buying an owner’s allotment of points, which was cheaper than purchasing a traditional vacation package. Unfortunately, that didn’t work out for us. Although rooms were showing available, the sites she worked with didn’t have the points inventory to sell. Basically, an owner who doesn’t believe they will use their points themselves banks them into a type of clearing house that then sells them to other individuals for use. So, although Aulani had the rooms, when Shel checked, no owners had available points for the dates we needed to travel. Very sad that we couldn’t immediately confirm we would go with, I was trying to resign myself to waiting until our window opened and crossing every finger and toe that rooms would still be available.

Then surprise! I get an email from Shel yesterday that we are all booked to go. Unfortunately, it’s not through DVC so we are paying quite a bit of money; something we don’t normally do. DVC has served me exceptionally well all these years, but in this case good old-fashioned money is taking us there.

Although I hope DVC works out and we are all able to go back next year together, I really feel this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. As much as I’d like retirement to be soon, I don’t think I’d be able to do a trip like this outside of DVC once retired. So, I’m packing my bags (mentally at least, not nine months in advance!) and heading to Aulani!

Nine months from now I’ll get back to you with my review. I can’t imagine it will be anything less than spectacular!

Jo Scholl is a long time Walt Disney fan, grateful Disney Vacation Club (DVC) owner, and proud mom to three amazing adult children, one of whom is fellow columnist Shelley Scholl. Jo is also a first time grandma to a new Disney fan, Reese Ann, and her brand new baby brother Camden Joseph! Life is good. Jo also resides with a small black dog named Mickey Mouse!

I’ve often seen the question posed before in general terms…. Should I buy points at Bay Lake, Saratoga Springs, Animal Kingdom, etc. However, since booking our first trip to Aulani, and joining a Facebook group for Aulani visitors, I’m seeing this question more and more, directly in relation to Aulani; should I buy points at Aulani?

This isn’t a new question as far as DVC goes. Being a DVC owner since 1993, I first heard this question proposed using Vero Beach as the example. A huge amount of people buy DVC points directly at one of the Walt Disney World DVC properties. But, it makes sense that if you want to buy outside of WDW, is it a good idea to buy at a specific report? This group would include Vero Beach, Hilton Head, Grand Californian at Disneyland, and Aulani.

In my opinion, the easiest way to answer that question is how many trips to the intended location are you planning during your ownership? The reason this is a factor is because of the 11-month booking window you get with your home resort ownership and the 7-month booking window for all other resorts. The more popular the resort, combined with the number of rooms at the resort, may limit you successfully obtaining reservations at less than 11 months. So, if you plan to go to Aulani every year, or every other year, its probably worth owning there. If you plan to go once or twice during the course of your 50-year membership, maybe not.

I mentioned in my previous article that we booked directly through Aulani, choosing to pay for our rooms at the hotel and not using DVC points. We did this almost 100% since we didn’t believe we’d get a reservation at the time we needed it. We were not flexible with our dates due to traveling with other family members who had already booked, and we are traveling over a holiday, which is always more difficult in terms of availability. At the time of our booking we were approximately 11 months out, but I am not an owner at Aulani. Our 7-month window was mid-April and we weren’t willing to risk not being able to get a room. I would ALWAYS prefer to use my points, as the very reason I bought DVC in the first place was due to the affordability it allowed me of points versus cash. Perhaps when we get to April I’d see that we could still get in, but everything I’d ever read about this occurring indicated that it probably wouldn’t happen.

So, for me, answering the question is easy. If we fall in love with Aulani and decide we want to go every year, I think purchasing points there would be the only way to ensure availability. I think the same premise would be true if I use the Grand Californian as the example. I’m sure of that one, as I’ve looked countless times for a room there within a 7-month window, and NEVER found one available. Even my friend who owned there had difficulty obtaining a room on points at times.

Think about this one more way. Have you ever tried to get into a non-home resort at WDW and not been able to do so? Was it a holiday season, during a race weekend, or perhaps the Epcot Food and Wine Festival? I know I’ve wait-listed many times and often not been able to get into where I really wanted to stay. I think the home resort 11-month window is the closest you will ever get to a guarantee.

So, if you’re considering DVC ownership, before you buy really think about where you want to travel. DVC offers many, many locations for your to choose from, including using the exchange for locations across the globe. If you want to go to the same place every year, even if it’s not Aulani and just within WDW, you might want to own points at a specific resort.

I have no plans to increase my points with another add-on, but I’m a little worried after experiencing Aulani, I might want to after our stay!

Jo Scholl is a long time Walt Disney fan, grateful Disney Vacation Club (DVC) owner, and proud mom to three amazing adult children, one of whom is fellow columnist Shelley Scholl. Jo is also a first time grandma to a new Disney fan, Reese Ann, and her brand new baby brother Camden Joseph! Life is good. Jo also resides with a small black dog named Mickey Mouse!

Does your Disney obsession extend to the Marvel universe? I would have never thought I would answer that question yes, but surprisingly it a resounding, absolute YES!

With the advent of Avengers: Infinity War in theaters soon, I decided that I needed to go backwards and watch the entire Marvel cinematic universe again, in order from the beginning. This is quite the task to accomplish in the 14 days I gave myself to do this! 18 movies in 14 days! Somehow, I managed to watch six movies between Saturday night and Sunday all day this past week. Incredibly I didn’t just sit on my butt all weekend. Saturday night I didn’t start until 8:00 PM and got two movies down before going to bed. Sunday, I actually slept in a bit, went to the store, did all of my laundry and paid bills, and still managed to watch four movies. I think the theme you may pick up on here is I was thoroughly committed to this cause. Monday and Tuesday nights, I watched two more movies, taking my total up to eight……. I’m almost halfway there!

What I learned was two-fold. I really love these movies! And, boy did I forget a lot! Many of the films I’ve seen multiple times, but initially I saw each of them when they originally came out in theaters. The continuity of storylines when you go right from one film to the next in the series is really quite enjoyable. Also, each movie has a scene, character or line that refers to scenes, characters or lines in other films.

I don’t know if I’ll make my goal, particularly because I haven’t seen Black Panther at all yet. If I managed to get through everything up until then, I’ll still have to go to the theater to see that before I go to Avengers: Infinity War. I wish I could just take off sick for the next several days! I wouldn’t have any problem finishing up then, but that’s definitely NOT going to happen. The worse thing that can happen is I won’t see the latest Avenger film the first weekend it comes out. Oh no! But I will make it through. I will….. I will…. I will.

If you want to attempt this too, here’s the list in order of release:

• Iron Man – May 2, 2008
• The Incredible Hulk – June 13, 2008
• Iron Man 2 – May 7, 2010
• Thor – May 6, 2011
• Captain America: The First Avenger – July 22, 2011
• Marvel’s The Avengers – May 4, 2012
• Iron Man 3 – May 3, 2013
• Thor: The Dark World – November 8, 2013
• Captain America: The Winter Soldier – April 4, 2014
• Guardians of the Galaxy – August 1, 2014
• Avengers: Age of Ultron – May 1, 2015
• Ant-Man – July 17, 2015
• Captain America: Civil War – May 6, 2016
• Doctor Strange – November 4, 2016
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 – May 5, 2017
• Spider-Man: Homecoming – July 7, 2017
• Thor: Ragnarok – November 3, 2017
• Black Panther – February 16, 2018
AND………………..
• Avengers: Infinity War – April 27, 2018

Release dates have been announced for some additional Marvel movies in the works, but we’re hearing that this will be the end of the Avengers as we know them. That makes me very sad, which leads me to believe this won’t be the only time I have a personal Marvel Movie Marathon!

(photo courtesy of Marvel Studios)

Jo Scholl is a long time Walt Disney fan, grateful Disney Vacation Club (DVC) owner, and proud mom to three amazing adult children, one of whom is fellow columnist Shelley Scholl. Jo is also a first time grandma to a new Disney fan, Reese Ann, and her brand new baby brother Camden Joseph! Life is good. Jo also resides with a small black dog named Mickey Mouse!

Pretty much every weekend when I visit my two grandchildren, we’re watching Moana in preparation for going to Aulani in November. I know we should probably be watching Lilo & Stitch (actually set in Hawaii), but I’m happy my son and his wife picked Moana as an introduction to Hawaii for the kids. I know Moana is set in Ancient Polynesia, but at about two and a half, and seven months, the kids don’t know that!

I love Dwayne Johnson in everything he’s been in…. even animated! And apparently my two-year-old granddaughter does too, because she sings and laughs and dances every time the song You’re Welcome comes on. I’m not entirely sure, but I think my son may just play that song and scene over and over again! I don’t think anyone cares though because it’s just so much fun to watch a two-year-old pretending to be Maui while her baby brother watches and laughs his head off.

My only problem is I’d like to learn the lyrics, so I could sing it to them. After all, I can sing almost the whole score from The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and Beauty and the Beast just to name a few. I just simply cannot learn this song! I don’t know if it’s because it’s in the genre of pattern rap, or I’m just getting too old! I didn’t even know was pattern rap was until I discovered that Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote the song; then it made sense to me. But, there are 52 lines in the song and most of them are not repetitive! The best I’ve been able to do is to just keep saying You’re welcome, you’re welcome, you’re welcome. I have to admit that’s pretty catchy though!

I’ve got a little more than five months before our trip. Something tells me I’ll still be singing only those two words! Unfortunately, with using Moana as our introduction to Hawaii, our biggest dilemma upon arrival is going to be explaining why Maui is not there! I guess we better break out Lilo & Stitch after all!

Jo Scholl is a long time Walt Disney fan, grateful Disney Vacation Club (DVC) owner, and proud mom to three amazing adult children, one of whom is fellow columnist Shelley Scholl. Jo is also a first time grandma to a new Disney fan, Reese Ann, and her brand new baby brother Camden Joseph! Life is good. Jo also resides with a small black dog named Mickey Mouse!