Guide to Disney World Parks

Hello, travel beauties!


So, you're planning a trip to Disney World? You've got your flight or your gas money and now you're deciding on parks and fast passes. In my 21 years I have been to Disney World 20 times - you've come to the right place.

Your questions may be: which park is the most fun? Which park is the best for families? I only have time for three of the parks, how do I choose? Well, I won't answer your questions, but I will give you enough information to decide on your own. I will not dictate your vacation, but after reading this, you will be able to confidently plan your own trip. Or at least you will get an idea of good rides to get fast passes for.

Before we start, there is an option to do one park a day or "park hop". As you've probably looked into, park hopping is much more expensive than spending your day at one park. Here's what I have to say about it:
You can absolutely spend an entire day at one park. Especially if you like roller coasters, want to eat in the park, and want to see the shows. Even more especially if you want to sleep in a bit and not go immediately when the park opens.
On the other hand, if you're not going to do most of the roller coasters, maybe want to eat quickly or not in the parks, or want to wake up early to be there right at opening then it would be possible to park hop and do more parks than you originally thought you could. This will involve more time management, though.

Another thing is that you should definitely go on the Disney Parks website and determine what days the parks have "Extra Magic Hours" so you can take advantage of the parks being open later. It also helps you if you're having trouble deciding which days to go to which parks.

Now, finally, I will get to the parks and their highlights!

Magic Kingdom

Probably the best known Disney park, Magic Kingdom is the most popular, crowded, and all-age friendly park. They've recently done quite a bit of renovating, too.

Rides for kids like 'It's A Small World', Dumbo the Flying Elephant, and Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin. A bit more intense rides like Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, and Pirates of the Caribbean. Shows like Under the Sea and Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor. Now, there are three castles (two in addition to Cinderella's Castle). Find a full guide here.

There are more kid-friendly rides at Magic Kingdom than any other park in my opinion and less thrill rides. There are a lot of shows, parades, and seasonal activities that make Magic Kingdom always interesting. This is an iconic park, but that also makes it very crowded.

There's no doubt this is the place for families, children, or to unleash your inner child.

Animal Kingdom

Animal Kingdom is a pretty unique, cool idea for a park. It's a zoo and amusement park. There are many different animals kept within the limits of the theme park. Four of my favorite things to do at this park are the rides DINOSAUR, Expedition Everest, and Kilimanjaro Safaris and the show Festival of the Lion King. The animal shows are fun and engaging as well. Find a full guide here.

They are in the process (hopefully opening Spring 2017) of building Pandora (from 'Avatar'), which I personally am extremely excited about. If you like animals, rides, and tons of fun this is a great park. There are less rides, but there are animals and some cool educational experiences in addition to the very cool rides that there are.

If you're a fan of the Lion King, dinosaurs, animals, and conservation, you will love this park.


Disney's Hollywood Studios

This park has my two favorite Disney World rides: Rock 'n' Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror. If you have kids, they probably will not understand these rides as they are themed for Aerosmith and Twilight Zone. But you will have fun explaining to them or just do this for you. I don't have kids so I enjoy these rides a lot. There are also a few new Star Wars experiences. I also enjoy the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular!, and Beauty and the Beast Live. Unfortunately, two of my other favorite attractions closed down and they did take down the giant Mickey Fantasia hat.

There are performances in the street that go on all day. This is a smaller park than the previous two mentioned, but has, again, my two favorite rides.

This is probably not as much of a park for younger kids, although they did add seatbelts to the Tower of Terror, which makes it a bit more kid friendly.


Epcot

Epcot is a very and yet not at all friendly park for kids. I would say it depends on how much your kids like science. But, it's great for people who want to drink around the world (which I will be writing about next and have for you soon). It's also great for older people who like science, history, and travel.

Epcot contains rides more fun for the older crowd such as Soarin', Spaceship Earth, and Living with the Land. Rides for kids such as The Seas with Nemo & Friends, Test Track, and Mission: Space. Epcot also has attractions such as the aquarium and the World Showcase (12 "countries" to visit). It's also where Disney has set its Imagineers' sights next for expansion and renovation. See a full guide here.

Definitely get to Epcot early as the rides can have longer lines. You will also want to leave a lot of time to explore the World Showcase (a lot a lot of time if you go during the Food and Wine Festival). There is lots to eat, drink, buy, and see in the "countries".

As a child, this was my least favorite park even though I am now a scientist and love history. I still liked it, I just didn't used to mind if we didn't go to it. But, as I got older (18) I started to be able to truly understand everything Epcot tries to teach, instill, and inspire.



Not a park, but the new Disney Springs deserves it

Wow. In the last two years Disney Springs has become less of a meal stop and more of a full day adventure. With what seems like a million new restaurants - highly recommend Portobello's and T-Rex - shops, and attractions. They have most of what used to be there (thank goodness, because that Disney store is Heaven), but have added so much.
You can go to the dine-in theater, movie theater, bowling alley, and/or DisneyQuest (indoor interactive theme park). You can eat at 53 different restaurants (make reservations!). Have dessert at Haagen-Dazs or Ghirardelli Ice Cream & Chocolate Shop and pick up a Disney Springs exclusive Pandora charm. There is so much to do now that I definitely recommend spending more time here than you'd expect to.
Find the full guide here.

Sydney on a Budget

Welcome, travel monkeys!

Here I will talk about the first of three times that I have traveled to Sydney. This first time, we wanted to do everything while saving money where we could. Sounds good, right? Right! Here's what I did, where I stayed, how I ate, and how much money I spent while there.

If you would like to learn about other, more expensive activities I did in Sydney such as skydiving or spending a couple days in the Blue Mountains, you can see my article on luxury travel in Sydney here. You should also check out my backpacking trip itinerary and must-dos on the east coast of Australia.

So, the first time I went to Sydney we spent a total of around $395 USD over five days. That's about $79/day for accommodation, food, drinks, and activities. **Make sure if you stay at a hostel you check out the discounts they have for various attractions in the area.

On the day we arrived we got on the train from the airport and checked into our hostel (Maze Backpackers). After settling in we explored a bit around the hostel and got groceries in order to save money on food. Things like pasta, cereal, eggs, and sandwich fixings were great. We even brought some sandwiches and snacks to the zoo.

Our first full day there we walked to Circular Quay and walked around to find all different sorts of angles to view the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the opera house from. We walked around the shopping part of town and over to Darling Harbour. In Darling Harbour we went to Sea Life Sydney to see some platypus, dugongs, and other sea life. Sydney is known for its milkshakes so we also went and got a milkshake.

Our second day we woke up really early and got on a Hunter Valley Wine Tour (HIGHLY RECOMMEND - it's worth the money). Since this was on a Tuesday, when we got back we headed over to the Soda Factory, a really cool, cheap, prohibition style restaurant and bar that has $1 hot dogs on Tusdays.

Day three we went to the Taronga Zoo (I rave too much about it in my posts, so I'll just say, Go!), the Royal Botanic Garden, and explored some more. At night we went out to a super great Ramen restaurant and then out to some of the bars (Bar Century, Scubar, etc.)

On the fourth day we went to Bondi Beach and at night went and saw a ballet at the Sydney Opera House. Now, I thought the Sydney Opera House would be pretty overrated since it's all you hear about when people talk about Sydney, but I have to say, the show was amazing, the opera house is gorgeous and it was such a cool feeling that not only did we see the opera house, but we went in and saw a show there. I can't even properly describe it.

Our last day in Sydney before our flight we went back over to Circular Quay for one last milkshake and walk around Circular Quay. Sydney is such a vibrant city that we never got bored of just walking around and finding things to look at or do on a whim.

So, it is possible to cut corners on spending even in such an awesome city as Sydney and get the most out of it. Budget travel is fantastic! It's like guilt free carbs. And you'll have so much fun in Sydney, Australia.


"And then there is the most dangerous risk of all - the risk of spending your life not doing what you want on the bet you can buy yourself the freedom to do it later" - Randy Komisar

~The Flighty Blonde

Why date a traveler?

You've met a traveler? Or you're looking for the kind of person you might be interested in? You've come to the right place. You almost can't go wrong dating a traveler (especially not if you start to travel with them). Here are some of the main points of why dating a traveler is such a great decision:

1. She/he is deep
A traveler places more value on travel than on material things. He/she believes in understanding and celebrating different cultures and values. They fill their life with experiences, meaning, and fun rather than possessions.

2. She/he is adventurous
Get your mind out of the gutter. You will never be bored with a traveler. He/she will always be looking for and planning their next adventure even if it's just a day at the park. They know how to make even the most routine things fun.

3. They're an excellent story teller
His/her mind is full of amazing stories just waiting to be told. They've experienced and seen so much. His/her capacity for imagining stories or recapping adventures is endless.

4. He/she is flexible
Again not that way. She/he has learned to adapt to many different environments and situations. Almost anything you throw at them they will catch and move forward with you.

5. Money
A traveler knows how to budget to get the most out of their time on this planet. Not only will they not be buying a bunch of meaningless things, but he/she will know how to make their money go the furthest.

6. She/he is passionate
Passionate about life, love, adventure, etc. This passion spills over into all parts of their life.

7. He/she is a generally great person
A traveller has seen a lot. And they take the best experiences and what they've learned from their adventures and incorporates it into their personality. This will also make you a better person. Learn from them and what they've learned. They are also very happy and that happiness is contagious.

11 Things to do in Miami

Welcome lovers of travel!

As a relatively seasoned Miami resident, I have done a lot here. This is my advice on things to do in the Miami area in no particular order. Enjoy! Sorry I don't have any newer, better photos here, I'll work on it.

1. Go to Ocean Drive
Ocean Drive in South Beach is a fun and lively place to go. There are shops, restaurants, interesting people, and of course - South Beach. Hang out here for a day as it is widely considered a must do. One of my favorite places for breakfast/brunch over here is the 11th Street Diner.

2. Have a Cuban sandwich
As someone who recently came back from Cuba, Miami's Cuba sandwiches are authentic and great. A couple of the better Cuban restaurants to me are Versailles and Miami Smokers.

3. Go to Wynwood
Wynwood has it all - fun bars, awesome art, and great restaurants. Take a walk to see the art on the buildings, sidewalks, and parks. If you're here during Art Walk or Art Basel then come on and join in those festivities.

4. Hit up the clubs
It's no secret Miami is known for it's nightlife. Popular clubs are in Brickell and South Beach including Liv, Story, Space, Club 50, and E11EVEN. Other low key spots are Coconut Grove and Wynwood.

5. Get ice cream
Some of the best ice cream shops are Chill'N Nitrogen Ice Cream, Whip 'N' Dip, and Bianco Gelato.

6. Fairchild Botanic Garden
It's like walking through a tropical paradise.

7. Venetian Pool
Pack up your swim bag and hit up this wonderful spot. It's something you have to see to believe is a real place. Google it.

8. Day trip to the Keys
Key Largo is only 45 minutes - 1.5 hours away!

9. Spend the day at Jungle Island
They turned an island into a zoo! I know. And they do some really fun special events there like Fourth of July concerts. There's also an obstacle course on the ocean.

10. See Flipper!
Flipper is at the Miami Seaquarium. It's not really one of my most recommended things to do, but it's pretty cool. He's in a natural bottom dolphin pool with some of his friends.

11. Have dinner with a view at Whiskey Joe's or the Rusty Pelican
Both of these restaurants lie on Virginia Key and have stunning sunset views of the Downtown Miami skyline.

Please, please, please whatever you do - pick up after yourself!! Tourists come to our beaches and our parks and they think Miami the party city is their trash can. It's not okay and it's not welcome. We are so close to the ocean with frequent floods and rainfall...your trash will be carried into the ocean and hurt the sea like like the cute turtles and dolphins.

Hope you have fun! My home is your home!
~The Flighty Blonde

Travel Tips for Cuba

Hi beautiful adventurers,

If you're an American traveling to Cuba, this list is going to be really helpful. If you're from somewhere else traveling to Cuba, this will still be helpful.

Something to know about traveling to Cuba...in order to book flights, hotels, dives, etc., you have to have one of twelve reasons to travel to Cuba as a U.S. citizen. They're not difficult to figure out, but you need to have one and fill out the affadavit.

Getting into a 1980s Russian car and driving into Havana was surreal. As we drove I watched as beautiful and not so beautiful old cars went by with puffs of black smoke following them. I went by graffiti that said things like, "socialism or die" and "I love this island". Beautiful gardens and a combination of run down and modern store fronts were seen from our little car. It became hard not to question everything I've ever learned about this country. It quickly became clear that this place was different from everything I've heard about it (unless you've heard it's a beautiful country that values its citizen's rights and nature). If you're planning a trip to Cuba, I highly recommend it.

1. Lots of airlines are flying to Cuba now, so do your research
American airlines like American Airlines (hehe), JetBlue, and a few others are allowing flights ($60 for JetBlue in November) from a number of different American airports. Also, there are charter flights from Havana Air (Eastern Airlines) and Aruba Airline. I use Google Flights to research flights, but some of these flights don't show up there yet.
Tip! Turn off Cookies on your browser when researching flights.

2. Bring lots of CASH!
Bring lots of Euros! I found very few places in Cuba took credit cards and a lot of the ones I did find couldn't get their credit card machines to work.

3. You'll be hard pressed to find internet
Some places offer internet if you pay for a card first, but good luck. I'd tell everyone you won't be able to contact them just in case you don't find any internet so they don't worry too much about you.

4. The locals are friendly, so ask them where to go and how to get there
They are so friendly! And they love Americans ($_$). Don't be afraid to ask them where they like to eat, drink, or dance. What events are going on? What's the best place to see the sunset? Ask them!

5. Bring toilet paper
Many bathrooms don't have toilet paper or toilet seats around Cuba. Just in case, bring a roll from home.

6. Don't forget bug spray and sunscreen!

7. Brush up on some Spanish phrases
A lot of people in Cuba speak English, but this is good just in case you run into someone who doesn't, which did happen to us and I was so thankful I'm fluent in Spanish. I'd still recommend to just learn some common things like, "where are the bathrooms?" and "check, please".

8. Food is cheap, but good lodging is not
Although you will hopefully pay for your lodging beforehand (I used AirBNB, but found some hotels I almost wished I'd stayed in (almost because AirBNB was a lot cheaper), there will be a definite trade off when paying for things. Food and drinks are super cheap in Cuba, though!

9. Try to find a ride from the airport
Taking a taxi is fine and all, but if you want some things pointed out to you along the way and someone who will know where you are going exactly...definitely arrange for an airport pickup. Our AirBNB offered us one and I think it was one of the best decisions we made.

10. Go SCUBA diving