One Day You'll be a Runner

This post originally appeared about a year ago as a guest blog. I reworked it a little, and it's been getting a little love from some essay contests I've entered it in so I thought I would share it here on my blog. 

Dear Smart Girl,

Hey! Yeah, I’m talking to you. You in the corner of the library, with your nose stuck in a book.

 The girl who always gets picked last for the team. The girl who gets winded going upstairs. The girl who joined the marching band for the sole purpose of getting out of gym class.

I know you. I know you really well—better than anyone. Because I am you, a decade in the future. I know you feel awkward, that you’re not really chubby but you’re not skinny either. I know you’re shy and you’re clumsy.

And since I know you so well—we are, after all, the same person--I know how you watch the track team running around the track and admire them.  I know how you secretly wish you had a Letterman’s jacket, and that you could be one of the sporty girls. That you’ve won lots of awards—deans list, honor society, academic achievements—but that you really wish one of those awards was a little sports trophy.

Everyone understands that good athletes are good athletes—it’s finite. If you’re good at basketball, it’s a definitive good that everyone agrees on. If you’re good at something like writing or painting—well, it’s a subjective good. One person might think you’re a genius and other person might just cock his head and say, “huh?”

It all boils down to this—athletes get noticed. Athletes have power. Know what girls with big books have? A big vocabulary.

What if I told you that in the future, you would have more than a big vocabulary?

What if I told you that one day you swallowed your fear, purchased your very first pair of running shoes and trotted along for a (very slow) mile? And after that very slow mile, you added another? Day after day, week after week, until you could put one foot in front of the other for 13.1 miles? Would you believe me?

Well, you should. Because, little bookworm, you did it. You finally let go of your fear and became the thing you never had the nerve to be: an athlete. And at the end of that half marathon—your very first real race—you got your very first medal. An award. For something you did not with your mind, but with you body.

And it was a good day.

Here’s the thing about being a runner. For every mile you run, every medal you collect, every T-shirt you fold and tuck into a drawer, a little bit of fear melts away. You start to think about doing things you've never done before. Go rock climbing. Go whitewater rafting. Taking a salsa class doesn't feel so daunting because while you might still be clumsy, you know you can make it through the class without passing out. When you run 13.1 miles, you can do anything—even maybe begin to dream about the 26.2.

I’ll leave you with this: just the other day, I was running a race and talking about a running challenge I was training for with some ladies I met in the starting corral.

“So you’re a long distance runner?” one of them asked me. I immediately started to shake my head, and then I stopped myself.

“Yes,” I answered. “Yes, I am.”

So hang in there, smart girl. It’s okay to be a bookworm—but one day you’ll be a runner, too.

Love,

Your Future Self

A penny for your thoughts: what would you tell your former self in a letter?

Running on a Budget

Whoever said, "all you need to run are two feet and an open road" clearly never went to get fitted for shoes in a specialty running store. Or needed energy gels and KT tape. Or had an unexplained, undying need for shiny medals.

Since registering for the Glass Slipper Challenge last week and thinking about all the things that go along with it (race retreat! costumes! hotel reservations!) my credit card is feeling a little beat up. I'm in awe of people who run all the Disney races or any type of major destination races--how do they afford it all?!? I've definitely had to prioritize and keep my races and running purchases in check knowing that the bigger registrations were coming. Here are some things I've found helpful to keep me on my budget:

• Actually have a budget. Know how much you can spend on gear, race registrations and shoes. I've also been known to ask for races for Christmas and my birthday, or gift cards to my favorite shops. 
• Sign up early. My race calendar is planned a year in advance. Sure, there are some smaller races that pop up, but long distances and destinations are planned well in advance. As race dates get closer, prices go up. 
• Have a race "wish list". Knowing what my dream events are allows me to plan and save up. 
• Follow race organizations on Facebook, twitter, instagram--everywhere I can. A lot of organizations offer flash sales or holiday discounts. I also watch my favorite bloggers for discounts and add-ons. Races like the Rock N Roll series, the Color Run and the Hot Chocolate 15k series often have bloggers representing them that can save you a little money.
• Volunteer! A lot of organizations offer free race entries when you volunteer. Even if they don't, volunteering can be a great way to get that race day "fix" even if a race isn't in the books for that month. 
• Join a running club. My membership to the Atlanta Track Club gives me a discount on races and at local running stores. By the end of the year, my membership has more than paid for itself. 
• Run local! If your budget is tight, don't get down about not being able to do a destination race. Find a local race that takes you through an area of town you're not familiar with. 
• Do some virtual runs. Get a shiny medal and t-shirt and run in the comfort (and price range!) of your own neighborhood. I'm really looking forward to running the Celebration Half in Florida virtually. 
• Check your local running store for free clinics. My favorite Atlanta based store offers free yoga some weekends and has a full calendar of free group runs. 
• Get your running gear at a discount. I buy at end of the season clearance sales for the next season and try not to make spur of the moment purchases unless it's something I really need. I'm really bad about impulse buys at Expos, so I try and bring cash in the amount I have budgeted and when it's gone, I'm done. 

A penny for your thoughts: how do you save money on the run?

Disney Dreaming: It's Princess Half Marathon Registration Day!

Last night, thousands of women lay awake in bed, too excited to sleep. When they finally got to sleep, their dreams were full of running shoes, tutus, and the familiar outline of a famous mouse.

Despite the lack of sleep, these over-caffeinated women sat perched on the edge of hysteria, laptops and iPads at the ready, for the moment the clock struck 12. And as soon as those numbers turned to noon, all the women aimed their browsers at active.com in a frenzy that crashed the website and caused many of these women to pull out their own hair.

What is it, you may ask, that cause women who normally have the patience of a saint to go ballistic? That caused them to call in "sick" to work so they could be in front of their computers at noon? That flooded social media with cries of "I made it! WOOHOO!" once all had been righted in the internet world?

Why, they Princess Half Marathon, of course.

I was one of those women, although I didn't feel the pressure that most out there trying to register felt today. Since I deferred my Glass Slipper Challenge last year, all I had to do was register for the 5k, which I successfully did after an hour of filling out the same form on active.com.

It was a little crazy there for awhile, but we should have expected it--the Princess Half weekend is enormously popular and any time you have that many people trying to do the same thing at the same time, the internet is bound to crash. I hope everyone that wanted to register today had their running dreams come true and got a spot in the race of their choice.

A lot of people come down hard on the Princess Half--they call it crowded, they call it full of slow beginning runners and walkers, they call the expos a madhouse. They're all right, but I love it anyway. And here's why:

The PHM is "home" for me--it's where it all started. It was my first real finish line, my first long distance, my first shiny medal. It was my first runner's high, my first "mile 11"--my own personal point of half marathon hell--and my first experience into what my body could do if I believed it hard enough.

The first time I signed up for PHM, I did it weeks after registration opened--there was none of this computer stalking on registration day that goes on now. It's definitely a little stressful doing a registration like what today turned out to be, but it's also exciting. The worst part, I think, is getting all worked up and waiting 7 months. I won't even start thinking about training until October.

Until then, I'll keep working on my 10k time to send in for a good corral spot and daydreaming about the 3 costumes I get to come up with. See you at the start, princesses!

A penny for your thoughts: will you be running a Disney race this year? Have you ever missed registering for one because it filled up too quick?

When Someone Pees in Your Cheerios

Today, I am a grouch.

I'm having a downhill day of first-world problems. I woke up groggy and late because of some cold meds. My usually wonderfully-tempered son threw the world's biggest tantrum in the middle of the peaceful botanical gardens. I dropped a six pack of yogurt on the floor, which exploded like a grenade. I'm going to be cleaning up the drips for the next three weeks. A person from my past cropped up unexpectedly--and not so welcome. And finally, as I was sitting down to write this, the Thomas the Train video my (finally calm) son was interrupted by a Trojan condom commercial. 

"Mom, what's safe sex?" 

Aaaaaaand face plant. 

It's days like this that I  have to step back, take a breath, and remind myself it's okay to have a bad day. But it's not okay to let it take over. 

It's not quite 3:00 here in my corner of the world. I still have time to turn this day around! Commencing immediately, I will:

--Snatch the iPad from my child's hands and begin researching kid-friendly tablets. 

--Put on the Magic Kingdom entrance music. Instant happy.

--Sit on my giant workout ball and breathe. Breathe, breathe breathe. I always find focus on my balance ball--mainly because my kid thinks it's hilarious to try and knock me over, so all other thoughts melt away as I put all my energy into staying upright. 

--Go for a walk and soak up some sunshine. 

--Make a happy list of all things I have going for me at the moment. Nothing gives you a little perspective like remembering why you're thankful. 

A penny for your thoughts: what do you do when you're day is not going according to plan?

Red, White and 6.2

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and long weekend! I ran my favorite race, the Peachtree Road Race--the biggest 10K in the world!

I love everything about the Peachtree. It's put on by the Atlanta Track Club, so it's (usually) very organized and streamlined. I know some people had some complaints about it this year, but I'll get to those in a moment.

I picked up my number at the expo on Wednesday, and had fun looking around. I visited the Sparkle Skirts booth, chatted with Jeff Galloway, and--as usual--came home with more than I intended to. I

We had amazing weather in Atlanta on July 4th. It wasn't even 70 degrees when I got into my corral and it was cool and breezy as I crossed the start line. The humidity caught up with us, of course, but for July in Georgia I couldn't have asked for a better start.

The best thing about the Peachtree? The spectators and the volunteers. They line the course with hilarious signs, food, beer, cupcakes--you name it, I probably saw it on the route.

 I got so many cheers and high-fives--and I didn't know anyone. And of course, my favorite spectators are the wheelchair athletes and patients at the Shepherd Center, a rehabilitation center for spinal cord injuries. My dad was a patient there and stopping to shake hands and chat with those people always inspires me.

I finished the race both happy and frustrated. This was my "comeback" race--I haven't raced since March. Heck, I've hardly run since March. I was happy that I kept a steady pace through the race, and that my foot didn't swell up or anything weird like that. But the theme for me was definitely "slow and steady"!

Despite my slow speed I finished strong and collected my coveted T-shirt. The Peachtree shirt is a big deal--it's a finishers shirt and the design is kept secret until race day. I also ordered the commemorative medal.

Overall, I had a fantastic race experience. I only have a couple of issues.

The first thing is just something that I thought was tacky. Like I mentioned, people and local businesses were all over the course handing out all sorts of things. And then there's Chick-Fil-A--who started out in Georgia, by the way--out on the course with a register, selling food. Really? I just thought that was super cheesy of them.

My other complaint has to do with some questionable runner etiquette that was going on. For starters, people all over the place were stopping smack in the middle of the road to take photos. I'm not talking runner selfies--I'm talking big group photos where they spanned half the street. Sidewalks, folks! I know that the Peachtree is kind of a giant block party, but stopping and starting and dodging started to get a little old.

Then there was the food issue.

When I finished the race, I headed over to the hospitality tents and grabbed a banana and a powerade. Publix was there with fruit and Coke had lines of coolers with an assortment of drinks. As I walked to my car, I noticed people with bags absolutely stuffed full of fruit and drinks. And now I'm hearing lots of reports of finishers who didn't get anything because these greedy people had taken it upon themselves to stock their pantry for the week. It just makes me really sad that people do things like that. What happened to common courtesy?

Despite those downers, I had a blast. Can you tell by the happy look on my face?

I don't have any races planned until September. In the meantime, I'll be working on getting stronger and working on my 10k time on weekends. It was hard not to come home and sign up for a bunch of summer races--I love that runner's high!

A penny for your thoughts: do you run a July 4th race? What did you do on your long weekend?

July Goals: Plan & Prioritize

Okay, I know I start out every new-month post with something like, "can you believe the month has ended?" But...seriously. Where did June go?!? The spring has disappeared into a hot, hazy, southern summer (which, for the record, I love).

After writing my mission statement earlier this month, I decided I would change up my monthly goals. My mission statement focuses on finding balance, so this month I'm going to plan and prioritize.

At the beginning of each week I'm going to:
--Meal plan, to support eating healthy food and keeping my sugar/junk food intake in check
--Prioritize 4 things for each day: 2 things I have to do (like laundry or cleaning the bathroom), 1 thing to do with my family (something as adventurous as a day trip or as simple as an extra bedtime story) and 1 thing to do for myself (
--Plan out my workouts. I'm focusing more on strength training and less on cardio this month because race season is reaaaalllly slow (see hot, hazy southern summer above). I want to be ready to jump into half marathon training in a few months.

This may be overkill planning for me. I don't know yet. But I do know that I every week I end up with a to-do list a mile long and nothing ever gets checked off, because nothing on it is ever fun. So I'll try this and see how it works. Of course, I want to make sure I don't get too rigid--the best summer memories happen on a whim, and I don't want to take that spontaneity out of my life.

A penny for your thoughts: Are you a planner? Or do you go with the flow each day?

Disney Dreaming: My Disney Wedding

Today is my seventh wedding anniversary, so I thought I'd share some of my Disney Wedding photos. We got married at the Wedding Pavilion, had our reception at The Grand Floridian, and did a photo session at Magic Kingdom at dawn the next morning.

A penny for your thoughts: if you could have a photo shoot anywhere at Disney, where would it be?

The Happy List: Week of June 23

Happy Tuesday! I meant to post this yesterday but the day got away from me. Here are some things that are making me happy this week.

I love this picture I found on Pinterest a couple days ago. Summer always makes me dreamy and nostalgic. This picture reminds me of long, carefree summer days at the beach with my best friend when we were teenagers.

All the awesome press I'm seeing about The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios. I've been a Harry Potter fan since it was just a book no one had heard of. I haven't been to the Wizarding World yet, because I'm the only fan in my family and Disney always wins out on Florida vacations. But I'm loving all the news I'm seeing about the additions, so I think it might be time to think about a visit.

Unpacking! It's a long story, but we've decided to stay put for another year until we're ready to buy a house. This will be the longest we've stayed in one place since I met my husband. I know he's itching to move, so I'm trying to change things up and redecorate a little bit in our current spot. This move was also going to be the transition to a "big boy" room for Little Man, and I'm excited to be making those changes for him here. I'm really happy we're staying another year--I love this place and our neighborhood.

A penny for your thoughts: what's your summer story?

Creating A Healthy Living Mission Statement

Now that we've hit the midpoint of the year, I've been thinking a lot about my goals. When I got sick--and most recently brought down by a fire ant--I had to readjust my thinking to what I would accomplish. I started feeling overwhelmed by my goals. There just seemed to be a lot of them, and they were all over the place: personal goals, fitness goals, literary goals. But the underlying theme is that I want to live an overall healthier life. I've just felt really off balance lately--when I find a good pattern in running, my writing slips. When I find a good groove in writing, my healthy eating goes out the window. So I decided to write a Mission Statement to help guide myself and figure out the million dollar question of finding balance. Here's what I came up with:

When I lay it all out there, it seems a little corny and more than a little obvious. But I feel like if I base my short term, monthly goals on those four things I'll find more balance, instead of making goals that are all over the board each month.

A penny for your thoughts: do you have a mission statement? How do you find balance in your life?

Running Into Another Obstacle (And Looking on the Bright Side)

I ran four miles this weekend, and I felt great. It was my longest run since March, but I recovered well and was looking forward to adding mileage before my 10k on July 4th.

Then I took Little Man to Stone Mountain, got bit by a fire ant, and my foot swelled up to epic proportions.

"Wow," my doctor commented yesterday when I went hobbling into the exam room. "I've never seen an allergic reaction quite that impressive." And then he called his buddies in to take a look.

"Do you think I'll be able to run a five mile training run this weekend?" I asked me. He gave me a look.

"Okay..." I tried again. "Will I be ready for a 10k in two weeks?"

"As long as you're not planning on winning it," he said, handing me a prescription for a week of steroids and antibiotics. "And if your foot starts to swell, take your shoe off or it will get stuck."

I pictured myself hobbling down Peachtree Street with one shoe on and 60,000 other people. And I cringed.

I'm just not having much luck on the running front, guys. What is going on? I'm frustrated, but I'm trying to look on the bright side. At least it's my foot that's swollen, and not my spleen anymore. At least it's not half marathon season. At least I have a couple of weeks before my race and not a couple of days. Being off my feet for another few days means more time to read and write, and more time to plan some summer fun--although perhaps this time with sneakers and a healthy dose of bug spray.

A penny for your thoughts: How do you look on the bright side when an unexpected road block pops up?

How I'll Spend My Summer Vacation

How I'll Spend My Summer Vacation
By Allyson Brandt

I know it's customary to write this essay at the beginning of the school year, but I thought I would get a jump on things this year. I'm planning on having a really great summer.

To start things off, I want to be outside. The winter was long and cold, and I'm welcoming the heat with open arms. 90 degrees by 11 AM? Bring on the sunscreen and wide-brimmed hat. I want to swim and splash in the fountains. I want to see outdoor movies and live music. I want to pack away my jeans until October and wear nothing but flowy skirts and sundresses. I want to eat outside--find one of those adorable picnic baskets and a shady spot and eat fresh berries, corn on the cob and maybe even a hot dog or two.

Speaking of food--I want to make homemade ice cream this year. I have a fancy ice cream maker that we received as gift when we got married and I've never used it. Time to brush the dust off and churn away. I also want to spend time meandering through all the farmer's markets that have popped up in my area.

I want to get reacquainted with the morning. I've been sleeping so much recently, and I want to be up earlier in the day. Watch the sunrise, do some yoga, and start summer days off refreshed.

I want to read and write. They are my two favorite things, after all--so why aren't I doing more of them? I have a whole wish list of books to read this summer. You can check it out here.

I want to introduce Little Man to some summer traditions, like sparklers, water balloons and fireflies. Do you remember the first time you caught a firefly?

But most of all this summer, I'm going to--as an old friend like to put it--put stress in a bubble and blow it away. It's time to slow the pace, take time to explore, walk barefoot in the grass, and build sand castles. It's time to ride a Ferris wheel, run through a sprinkler and drink lemonade. It's time for summer.

A penny for your thoughts: do you get a summer break? How will you spend it?

Things I've Learned (So Far) About Eating at Home

One of my goals for this month was to cut WAY back on my eating out and to make and eat more meals at home. I've been at it for a little over a week, and I've already learned a lot:

• Making a plan is essential, but you have to be flexible. Last week, I made a menu for each day. Then on Wednesday, life happened and I didn't feel like making the dinner I'd planned. Then on Friday I came home later than intended and the home-cooked meal I'd planned for would have made our dinner time close to 9 PM. I guess I'm a little type-A about following lists, and not following my meal plan made me cranky--plus both nights I didn't make the planned dinner we ended up eating giant bowls of pasta. This week I made a list of 7 meals with no assigned days, prepped everything I could on Sunday, and halfway through each day I'm picking the meal I'm going to make depending on how our day is going. It's working out much better for us.

Breakfast for dinner is a big hit at my house!

• I'm learning about my snack habits. For example, I like something crunchy after lunch, and I crave sweets after dinner. I plan ahead for my cravings and pre-package snacks--cut up carrots for when the need to crunch hits and little boxes of raisins and 100 calorie packs of cookies for my sweet tooth. I was surprised at how much I liked the raisins!

• Eating at home doesn't automatically mean healthy eating. Sure, I might know exactly what ingredients are in my lasagna and I can make an entire one for less than I would spend on one portion at Olive Garden--but that doesn't make the piles of cheese I put on it any better for me. 

Making homemade pizza dough was fun!

• I need to invest in a little cooler--one that is big enough to carry a meal for an adult or two but small enough that bringing it out and about with me isn't a Herculean effort. 
• Every meal does not have to be a gourmet meal. When you're eating at home and  you're the only one doing the cooking, it can get pretty time consuming. I need to find some more quick, tasty recipes. 

A penny for your thoughts: what are your favorite things to make at home? Are you well known for a certain dish?

June is Bustin' Out All Over

Hello June!

I'm excited about this month. I spent most of April and May sick, but I'm finally back to myself and just in time for summer!

I did pretty well on the goals I set for myself in May. I took the month off to think about how I was going to focus on getting healthy again, and now I'm ready to implement my plan. I did a lot of research, some trial and error with eating, and now I'm ready to embark on an immune-boosting, energy-producing lifestyle.

I was very good at Disney--my husband and I kept our phones stashed away and I did not live the trip looking through a camera lens. It meant I didn't have a ton of photos to share, but I did have a really good, relaxing trip. And the world did not end while I was taking a mini break from social media. Shocking, I know.

I'm still in the process of purging before I pack, but I've donated a ton of stuff already. My rule of thumb was that if I hadn't worn it in a year, it went out the door. My closet is looking pretty bare, which I suppose is a testament to how much I was hanging on to.

Here are my goals for June:
I'm going to make memories by...working on my "to do" list for a fun summer.
I'm going to focus on...eating at home. I did a meal plan for the whole month and spent yesterday prepping food for the week--I made a big pot of homemade marinara sauce (I snuck in TONS of veggies), cut up veggies and fruits and pre-made lunches. I'm hoping that having a plan will help us eat healthy and cut back on eating out, and free up some time for me to write and exercise.

I'm going to do good by...continuing to donate items as I pack.

A penny for your thoughts: do you meal plan or prep your weekly food?

Disney Dreaming: May Trip Review and Thoughts

We took a trip to Walt Disney World the week before Memorial Day weekend, and it was the perfect time. The weather was warm but not scorching yet, and the crowds were light--even at opening weekend of Star Wars Weekend.

In my quest to stay at all the Disney Vacation Club resorts, we tried out Saratoga Springs for this trip. It's very scenic, well-themed, and BIG. We stayed in the Congress Park section, which is closest to the walkway to Downtown Disney. It was a nice walk, but the sounds of Downtown carried right over the water and into our room every night. If you're looking for quiet, I'd avoid this section. The other downside to Congress Park was that it isn't close to the main pool, the restaurants, and the gift shop. The walk was too much for Little Man after a long afternoon in the pool, so we ended up driving back and forth a lot. The recreation was pretty great--the main pool has a graduated entry (perfect for little swimmers), a big slide and a little slide, and a Donald Duck themed fountain. There are a couple other quiet pools on property, as well as a water playground and another spray area for kids. If you're looking for room to stretch out and play in the water, Saratoga Springs would be a good pick for you.

A view of Downtown Disney!

We spent a day in Hollywood Studios for Star Wars weekend, and I have to admit--I had so much fun! I'm not a huge Star Wars fan--my husband is-- but I really enjoyed the atmosphere and the characters that walked around interacting with the guests.

Then there was Boba Fett. He's quite the charmer.

And this dark chocolate and peanut butter cupcake totally made me go over to the dark side.

The Star Wars events helped keep the lines at the rest of the park to a minimum, which was a nice perk.

Goodnight, Hollywood Studios!

Our other park day was at The Magic Kingdom, because I can't go to WDW and skip seeing my castle, right?

Little Man was into the rides this year, which was fun--he had memories from past trips and had his own requests and agenda for the day. He was finally tall enough to ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, which we walked on first thing that morning. The verdict? "That ride was too crazy for my head, mom!" Turns out my boy isn't much into the thrill rides.

We visited Mike Wazowski at the Monsters Inc Laugh Floor, where Little Man's joke was featured: what did a mother train say to her baby train at lunchtime? Chew Chew!

I missed the soft opening of The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train by ONE DAY. Oh, the agony...but I wouldn't have wanted to wait in a three hour line, which is what the wait was the next day.

We discovered something new at the Magic Kingdom--A Pirate's Adventure: Treasures of the Seven Seas. It's an interactive treasure hunt around Adventure Land and Frontier Land, and it's awesome. There are five different maps that lead to animated, animatronic clues from Captain Jack Sparrow and friends. We did it after dark and had a blast--clues emerge from under water, tucked in alcoves--hidden in plain sight. I never noticed them until we did the treasure hunt. There are five maps in all, and they make for fun keepsakes.

We spent the rest of our trip relaxing. We played in the pool, rode the monorail, ate our body weight in bacon at the Polynesian. It was just what the doctor ordered, and I came home ready to start packing and preparing for our July move.

Some thoughts on some of the hot button issues that I've noticed cropping up in the online world recently:

Cast members: I've seen a lot said about crabby cast members recently. I didn't encounter a single grumpy cast member on this trip--in fact, most of them went out of their way to make our trip special. I think people forget that even though working at Disney is awesome, it's still a job--and cast members get hot and tired just like we do. Cut them some slack and be kind to them, too.

FastPass+: Disney changed the way FastPass+ works, allowing you to collect more fastpasses once you're in the park and allowing for extra fastpasses if you have a parkhopper. I did see loooooong lines for the fastpass machines inside the parks, but I didn't have any issues getting the fastpasses for the rides I wanted the night before on My Disney Experience. In fact, the only fastpass that was gone the night before our Magic Kingdom Day was the visit with Anna and Elsa.

Speaking of Anna and Elsa--I'm sure none of my readers are the type that would knock people down  in an attempt to storm Fairy Tale Hall as the Magic Kingdom opens, but watch out for these people! The Magic Kingdom has changed the way they do the rope drop in effort to slow the stampede, but there are still those folks who are hellbent on getting there first. The standby line reached 100 minutes while I was there on a slow week. Disney just announced that Elsa and Anna will be greeting guests from open to close, so hopefully this will help cut down on the crazy lines.

There is a lot of construction going on! The Vacation Club resorts that are under construction at the Polynesian have a lot blocked off, and there are big sections of the Magic Kingdom that are fenced off. Downtown Disney is well underway with renovations for the new Disney Springs and there are a lot of walls up and sections closed off.  Remember to check ahead of time for closures and construction, especially if you're travelling off season.

A penny for your thoughts: do you like to travel off season, or do you prefer to travel on holiday weekends?