Author Archives: tvaldeegan

Star Wars weekend at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Posted on October 21, 2014 by tvaldeegan

Yes, girls like Star Wars, but bringing two little girls who don’t have a passion for all things Tattoine to Disney’s Hollywood Studios didn’t seem like the best idea. But here we were so we made an adventure of it.

Chewbacca signs an autograph

I had planned our Disney dining ahead of time and was dismayed to find out that our reservation was changed just a few weeks before arrival from one meal credit to two, due to a new Star Wars-themed dining event. But we were determined to have our passes to Fantasmic so we kept the reservation.

I’m sure that if you are a dedicated Star Wars fan, you’d see more of the themed weekend. However, as visitors wandering around the park, we only saw a few things that gave us a clue that it was a different kind of weekend.

Star Wars weekend at Disney

Besides the themed dining event, which included Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy dressed up as Star Wars characters, we were able to get in line and have our photo taken with Chewbacca.

Of course, we rode on Star Tours but that’s always a part of the Studios experience. We also had our first experience with Disney’s magic bands and the new fast pass system. It was certainly easy to have our park tickets, dining reservations, fast passes, photo passes and charge cards all on our wrist without needing to carry around any extra items.

Star Wars cookies

The highlight of our visit and the best way to cap off a day at this particular park is definitely Fantasmic. The music, build-up and excitement of the show get me every time, and we always leave the park re-energized and happy.

So if you have any hesitation about coming to Star Wars weekend as a casual movie fan, it’s completely doable and accessible as a “regular” visit to the park on any other day.

Mixing veterans and newbies at Disney World

Posted on October 6, 2014 by tvaldeegan

We have something of a routine when it comes to a visit to Disney World. It involves at least two days at the Magic Kingdom, one day at each of the other parks and depending on the length of the trip, a second day at another park or a hotel (non-park) day.

We’ve seen the parades and fireworks many times, so now we head to the rides and attractions while the hoards of people stop to watch the entertainment. We know to stay at the park if it rains because the crowds are much better when it’s done. If there’s extra magic hours at night, it’s a good bet you’ll have shorter lines.

So when my sister-in-law asked my daughter and I to go to Disney World with her and her daughter, I went into planning mode. They had never been before, and my daughter and I have been several times. I cautioned my daughter early on that we might have to alter our usual routine if her cousin really wanted to see our experience something – it was, after all, a trip for her cousin’s birthday.

Disney’s Art of Animation Mermaid pool

But Disney being Disney, us veterans had our new experiences, as well. We stayed at the Art of Animation in the Little Mermaid area. If you have trouble walking, I don’t recommend it. We were in the building furthest from the check-in and dining area and it was a good hike.

We stayed at the Art of Animation during Memorial Day weekend, and my biggest complaint would have to be with the dining area. Half of it was roped off under construction, making the other half pretty crowded. Near the end of our visit, we arrived one morning to find that everything had been switched overnight – the closed area was open and the other area was now roped off, causing even more chaos and confusion.

Enchanted Tales with Belle

The refillable mugs with electronic sensors are a good idea in theory, except when you are traveling with an independent child who wants to do it herself. When she pushes the button and stops because she slipped, you have to wait two full minutes before she can attempt to fill her mug again.

But those were the only downsides of the trip. The highlight was the new Fantasyland area, where we enjoyed the new rides and attractions. We were thrilled to find the Enchanted Tales with Belle open during late-night extra magic hours. We had a small group of people and my daughter and her cousin were both able to participate. We also had a surprise – the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train was not officially open but they started testing it so we ran to the line. My daughter deemed it her favorite new ride.

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

We included the dining plan and the photo plan on this trip so our new visitors would be able to make the most of their first visit. We had a ball playing with the various poses and loved the ease of having reservations for Cinderella’s castle.

Maybe because they are the same age and gender, but we really didn’t run into many instances where our group wanted to do separate things. Just a couple of times when the newbies wanted to go on a bigger coaster that my daughter wasn’t sure of, we just wandered nearby to another ride and met up again shortly after.

It’s always a good time to go to Disney World, but we had the most fun being able to show and share “our” world with those who have never experienced it before.

Categories: Family Friendly Resorts, Travel with kids | Tags: Art of Animation Resort, Disney magic bands, Walt Disney World | Leave a comment

Yes, we know the way (we’ve moved!)

Posted on September 25, 2014 by tvaldeegan

To our new home in San Jose. It’s been a whirlwind summer as we made the decision for me to take a job offer across the country and to move our family. It’s amazing what a big move can do for your hoarding skills. We sold and donated so many things while cleaning out and downsizing our house.

Moving from a colonial with a basement to a ranch with a boxed-in backyard is quite a change, not to mention the sticker shock in Silicon Valley. On the plus side, our kids are adjusting quickly and making friends.

Welcome to the land of palm trees

I’m also embracing the lifestyle and opportunities here. While Californians complain about the public transit, I’m just thrilled to have public transit at all. I always joke that coming from the Motor City, it was almost a law that you should have more than one vehicle and have a strong aversion to driving with someone else in the car. I’ve been biking to and from the train station and taking the train to work. It’s my first experience commuting without a car and although I’m sure I’ll complain about it at some point, I’m really liking it so far.

I’m learning that like a car, your bike also takes care and maintenance. I have new tires, lights, a rack and still need to get some fenders on the rare chance of rain. I also have callouses on my hands from gripping the handlebars.

I’ve also started my travel list of things to see and do in San Francisco and northern California. Also, it’s not a bad thing to be within driving distance of Disneyland! I also have an entire new home base from which to plan trips, so I’ve been playing with the flight comparisons to figure out where the deals are.

Of course, we had to take the grandparents to see the Golden Gate Bridge and made a stop at the San Francisco Zoo. We also made a trip to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and California’s Great America. But we’ve barely scratched the surface.

It’s hard to leave family and friends behind but it’s really not hard to leave the Polar Vortex behind. Seeing dead, brown grass in the midst of a drought will take some getting used to, but I’ll take that trade over ice and snow.

See you on the West Coast!

Categories: Me and my family | Tags: California, moving family, San Jose, Silicon Valley | 1 Comment

A short sightseeing trip to Paris from London

Posted on August 19, 2014 by tvaldeegan

While we were planning our 10-day trip to London, I kept reading TripAdvisor message boards and other blogs to determine if we should head to Paris for a day or two. Some say it’s not worth it for that short of time because you can’t do it justice and others say it’s easy enough to go back and forth between the two countries.

Because I didn’t know if or when I would ever have the chance to go to Paris again, we decided to go for it. The Eurostar ticket was the same price whether we came back the same day or the next day, so we opted for an overnight stay, giving us about 36 hours in the city of lights.

Pont des Arts or love lock bridge in Paris

Most of the recommendations I read said to stay in the lower number aridonnsements but they were also more expensive. We ended up near the Sacre Coeur (Sacred Heart) at the Hotel Avenir not far from where the Eurostar stops. During the day, it had the hustle and bustle of Paris but in the evening, we never had a problem getting into a local restaurant and enjoyed the slow pace when compared to the sightseeing adventures of the day.

Apologies to the French who may have heard by 9-year-old yelling from the balcony “Bonjour, bon apetit” – her only French vocabulary. (Can you image someone yelling from a hotel in the U.S. “Hello, eat well!”)

Playing catch at the Eiffel Tower.

After learning the London Underground, we decided we could tackle the Paris metro. I had pre-booked a behind-the-scenes tour of Eiffel Tower in order to avoid the long lines and it was well worth it. When we arrived, we saw lines everywhere. Our tour took us a few yards away from the tower, down into the basement where we learned about the inner workings. We then took the short group line to the elevator to the second floor. With one child afraid of heights, we decided not to venture to the top floor, and the second floor views were spectacular enough. As part of our tour, we were able to go up on top of the second-floor restaurant for our own private views. The tour guide let my daughter unlock the gate (you just opened the Eiffel Tower!)

Arc du Triomphe

After the tower, we took the metro stop near the Arc du Triomphe and walked down the Champs Elysee, which boasted crowds similar to Disney World.

Touring the Paris Catacombs

The next day, I was determined to see the catacombs, so we took the Metro there and waited in line more than two hours. It was worth it to see such a stunning display of history and learn about the past and how it came into existence. My husband and I took turns in line while the other would throw a tennis ball with the kids (always pack a ball for diversion!) and maybe a visit or two to the nearby pastry shop (pain chocolat became my son’s new favorite). After, we went back to the Seine and walked by Notre Dame, down to the Pont des Arts bridge (and added our lock of course) and then played in the gardens of the Louvre.

Crepes in Paris

I debated a trip into the Louvre but with our short time frame, we decided that we wouldn’t be able to do it justice, and after our short trip to the science museum in London, we figured the kids didn’t yet have the appreciation for what was inside. The other site that we missed was the Sacre Coeur although we were very close to it. Alas, maybe another trip to Paris is in my future …

Overall, it was worth our time and travels to see another country, get a brief taste (that means lots of crepes in my daughter’s world) of Paris and break up our days in London. The Eurostar was very efficient and easy to get to and from. I’d love to take it again to the other countries that it visits.

Categories: Travel with kids | Tags: Europe with children, London to Paris with kids, travel with kids | Leave a comment

Seeing London with kids

Posted on August 6, 2014 by tvaldeegan

Seeing another old building or castle may not sound appealing to kids, and it might be hard to wrap your head around a castle that was started in 1066, but when you talk about beheadings, getting married six times and starting your own church, things tend to get more interesting.

Before we left, I read the TripAdvisor message boards and learned about the National Rail 241 offers. You need to go to a National Rail stop (there are many in London) and provide them with a small photo (about 1 1/2 inch square) and request a 1, 3 or 7-day travel card. They should also have a booklet of two-for-one offers, or you can search and orient them before your trip. I never had anyone check to see if we had the travelcards while using the offers. These travelcards also work on the London Underground.

Some of our top sights were:

Big Ben clock tower at London’s Parliament

Carriage at Royal Mews

Big Ben: There’s not much to do except look at it, but we made it our first stop of the trip. It’s on the river Thames by the London Eye and Westminster Abbey so you get a good feel of London and the crowds of tourists right away.]

Royal Mews (241): because my daughter and I like horses, we toured the royal horses and carriages. It was fun to see the history, up to present day of the carriage that William and Kate used for their wedding.

Queen’s Guard

Buckingham Palace: it wasn’t open yet for summer but there were still crowds of people at the gates looking at the guards. We had a better photo opp down the street with some more guards. Nearby St. James Park is a great place to let the kids run and play for a bit.

Ripleys Believe It or Not (241): part museum, part activities, it was a little overpriced but an OK way to spend the afternoon. The kids really liked the spinning tunnel and the laser obstacle course.

Greenwich: we took a boat ride (241) on the Thames and I highly recommend it. It’s very relaxing and you can get some great photos of famous sites with a water view. In Greenwich, we had lunch, went to the Royal Observatory and straddled the Hemispheres at the International Dateline. We then played in the large park, walked by the Queen’s Castle and Cutty Sark before taking the boat back to London.

Hampton Court Palace

Hampton Court Palace (241): We took the Underground to a train station and took the National Rail to Hampton Court. The Palace and grounds are huge and you can spend a day wandering around. We got lost in the hedge maze, learned how they made chocolate and explored the rooms. We left the palace and crossed the street and had lunch at a restaurant on the river, then went back and explored some more. They have robes you can put on to become a member of the royalty and some quizzes for kids to find the answers as they tour the palace.

Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens: The Peter Pan statue is not well marked and it took quite a bit of wandering around to find it but it was well worth it to see where history was made. My kids had a great time letting off some steam, seeing some waterfowl on the water and running around in the grass.

Peter Pan statue at Hyde Park

London Tower beefeater

Tower of London (241): We altered my original itinerary because the website said the Tower would be very busy on Easter weekend and we were very glad that we did. The Yeoman Warders were one of the highlights of the trip, and my kids remember the most about this day. It was a fairly short line (under 20 minutes) to see the Crown Jewels, and my kids were intrigued with the torture devices, carvings of Tower prisoners and the former menagerie (zoo).

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey: We arrived fairly late in the day so we only toured a small portion. It’s amazing to think of how many ancient burials have taken place here. My daughter became more interested when I told her kings and queens are married and have coronation here.

The science museum (241): It was raining so both museums had huge lines. We picked the shorter of the two. The museum was packed, but my kids liked the Imax movie and the children’s area. There were a few interesting exhibits but overall it was too crowded to enjoy.

Photo opps

Abbey Road in London

I didn’t schedule every single day in order to maintain some our sanity, so one part of a day we rode the tube around London to get in the photo opps we wanted. My husband wanted Abbey Road, so we made our way there and tried to re-enact the famous Beatles album cover, along with a couple dozen other tourists who were weaving in and out of traffic. We also made our way over to Kings Cross train station to find platform 9 ¾. The Harry Potter store now has a professional photo opp with a line where you can buy your photo in their store but they let you use your own camera, as well

With a lot of research and pre-planning, we were able to see many sights and have once-in-a-lifetime experiences. It was extremely easy to have our children along with us, and my son learned the underground stops much faster than I did.

Tower Bridge

Categories: Travel with kids | Tags: Europe with children, London sightseeing trip, London with kids | Leave a comment

Airbnb is a winner for London family accommodations

Posted on July 21, 2014 by tvaldeegan

I searched and searched and looked again. I read every review and blog and could not find any affordable rooms for a family of four in London. We could do two rooms, we could do a b&b, and I found many triples but no four-person rooms fit within our budget.

When I go on vacation, I like to spend less on the room and more on the sights. A room is a place to rest and lay your head, but the experiences are what makes our trips memorable.

Rented flat in Earl’s Court London

So I started looking at Airbnb and narrowing our choices. I had never used the site before so I did my homework and made sure the place had good reviews and that the owner was responsive. I researched the area (we stayed in Earl’s Court) and the transportation options nearby.

For the same price as one hotel room, or a little less, we had a two-bedroom flat with kitchen, washer and dryer and wifi. It was everything we needed and more for our 10-day stay in London.

Earl’s Court rented apartment

Yes, it was on the third floor and we had to hike our luggage up there, but it was well worth it. Our block was in between to underground stations and bus stops were right outside, too. We never took the bus but always saw many others doing so. The grocery store was a couple of blocks away and we were able to stock our kitchen for some homemade meals and to pack snacks or a picnic.

Restaurants and pubs were close, too, and we felt like we had everything we needed. We met the owner, who lives on the first floor, and one of his employees gave us the key and showed us how everything worked.

We were very pleased with our stay and I’m glad we went with a flat, especially with kids who need snacks and some downtime.

Categories: Travel with kids | Tags: Airbnb London, family hotel in London | Leave a comment

Surviving a flight to Europe with kids (thanks, Delta)

Posted on July 10, 2014 by tvaldeegan

This was a trip of firsts – first time taking the kids overseas, first time using Airbnb and the first time flying business class on delta. All three experiences went off without any major issues and made our spring trip to Europe one to remember.

We used Skymiles to book our trip over the Easter school break and I did it well in advance. I was surprised to find that business class on the redeye to London was only 2,500 miles more per person so we booked that without thinking twice!

Kicking back in Delta business class to Europe

It was well worth it. We were able to visit the sky club for snacks before the flight, and the kids were thrilled with the lie flat seats. Dinner was amazing, especially for an airline meal. Shrimp appetizer, salad, a main course and dessert. The kids thought some of the food was a little too fancy but the adults loved it.

The business class seats also came with a travel pack with headphones, ear plugs, tissue, a comb and some other things you may need while traveling. I have to admit, the lay flat seats were a little strange while flying. I felt like I had to incline just a bit so I didn’t feel like I was sliding around.

During dinner, the attendants come around and ask if you’d like to be woken up for breakfast, and then you place your breakfast order. We had a choice of omelettes or yogurt and granola.

It was a smooth flight, the kids slept well and we were up and ready to explore London.

So many buttons for the seat in Delta business class

Getting through London Heathrow was easy and we were able to find the underground and purchase our passes easily. The trains had plenty of room for luggage and it was a great way to se some of the countryside as we traveled to our rented flat in Earl’s Court. I’m glad I didn’t book a cab – it would have been a lot more expensive and we wouldn’t have had the time to figure out the train system.

Categories: Travel with kids | Tags: Delta business class, London flight with kids, London with kids | 1 Comment

Bringing the Outside In at Mauna Lani

Posted on April 2, 2014 by tvaldeegan

Yoga can be relaxing, but when your view is whales playing in the ocean, it can become hard to concentrate. But I wouldn’t trade Oceanside yoga for any other option.

We stayed at the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows near Kona, Hawaii, on the Big Island in January 2014. A few of the mornings, the locals were cold when the temperature was in the 70s. Coming from the Polar Vortex epicenter in Michigan, 70 degrees felt like a mid-summer 90s.

We had an ocean-view room, which had a great lanai for morning coffee while listening to the waves. The rooms were spacious and had a color scheme that reflects the local area. Getting to the actual room was different than most hotels, because you have to either take an elevator or stairs to a different level than the entrance, walk across another section and then take another elevator or stairs to the hotel area near the ocean. Although a small inconvenience when you have your luggage, it’s a great route during the day to see all of the views of the interior and exterior of the complex.

The hotel has an open concept, with a river meandering through the interior courtyard, stocked with various types of fish. The hotel offers a walking tour for guests to learn about the different types of Hawaiian sea life.

Walking in, one of the first views is a koi pond, and the interior gives you a relaxed vibe with a waterfall cascading over panels of glass. Starting your day with breakfast at Bay Terrace is a great way to linger over a cup of coffee while looking out over the ocean. The breakfast buffet had a large number of choices, including a traditional Japanese breakfast section.

I also ventured out to the fitness center. It’s a little ways away from the hotel itself but makes for a nice morning stroll. Shuttles also take you to the center or shopping areas in the complex. After a pilates workout, I took the path through the Hawaii Mauna Lani Historic Park to walk through the petroglyph fields. It’s a scenic walk and the best way to travel back to the hotel and oceanfront. The walk near Mani Lani also includes fish ponds, where I was able to see an eel playing hide and seek under the bridge.

The pool was nice and cool, a perfect refresher for a hot Hawaii day. Mani Lani also looked to have a new pool under construction, so more swimming options would be available in the future. The trails along the ocean are perfect for strolling or exercising, and you can’t beat the view.

: Mauna Lani pool

: Mauna Lani pool

: Mauna Lani

: Mauna Lani bathroom

: Mauna Lani oceanfront room

Disclosure: I traveled with my husband for this trip and was not compensated for this post.

Categories: Family Friendly Resorts | Tags: Big Island, Hawaii, Hawaii hotel, Kona, Mauna Island | Leave a comment

Hawaii Island sets the scene for adventure lovers

Posted on March 10, 2014 by tvaldeegan

Miles of volcanic rock, waterfalls, steaming craters and lava flowing into the ocean. Everywhere you look, Hawaii Island, commonly referred to as the Big Island, gives you another scene for another adventure.

After spending a week on the island, we found that it wasn’t nearly enough time to explore all of the sites and activities. But we tried. Here’s where our adventure took us:

Volcano: We drove up to (mountain) to see the famous Kilauea crater. Alas, no lava was visible from our national park vantage point and some sections of the road were closed due to previous lava flows. We did see several steam vents, reminding us that the volcano is still active. We had a chance to hike through the Kīlauea Iki Crater, which made us feel like we had landed on another planet. Uneven ground, rocks cracked against each other and steam from the Earth painted an amazing terrain. Right across from the crater, we walked through a tunnel created by a previous lava flow.

Kayak and snorkel: We drove out to the Kona Boys to take a kayak and snorkel tour of the Kealakekua Bay. The waves were a little rough during our day, so no dolphins frolicked near us this time. However,

Ziplining KapohoKine Adventures: I’ve ziplined before but this was my first experience on a dual line. It’s tons of fun to go along side someone, and the sights here are amazing. The staff is fun, which makes it a great experience.

Driving along the coast. We drove from Hilo back to the Kona side by the north coast. Not nearly as twisty as the Road to Hana in Maui, this drive is nearly as spectacular. Plunging cliffs, raging waterfalls and crashing waves give you the sense of the untamed island.

Whale watching. We were on the Big Island in January, so the whales were in full Hawaii mode. We took a catamaran cruise from Ocean Sports, behind the Marriott Waikoloa and were thrilled with the wild ocean show that the whales put on, including lots of tails, a fin slap and a full breach, which we were told is pretty rare.

One thing that we didn’t get a chance to work into our schedule was the observatory and stargazing at the top of Mauna Kea. Since my son says he wants to be an astronomer when he grows up, I hope to bring him to this paradise one day so he can commune with the galaxy.

: Dual zipline in Hawaii

: Fin slap during whale watching

: Steam from Hawaii volcano

: Hiking a volcano crater in Hawaii

: Crashing waves on volcanic rock

: Kayaking and snorkel tour with Kona Boys

: Swimming with the turtles while snorkeling

Disclosure: Many activities were provided to us. Reviews were not required and not endorsed. The opinions are my own.

Categories: Travel with kids | Tags: Hawaii Island, Hawaii volcano, zipline HIlo | Leave a comment

Hawaii Island: Big fun at Waikoloa Marriott

Posted on February 22, 2014 by tvaldeegan

Hawaii Island, sometimes referred to as the “Big island,” is full of big volcanoes, volcanic rock, big beaches and big fun. And a great place to make your home base when visiting is the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa.

Of all of the resorts we visited on our trip, the Marriott ranks first for family-friendly fun. The complex includes an infinity pool, a pool with a waterslide and a pool with a beach sand zero entry point, in addition to a couple of hot tubs. With the beach just a few steps away, this is a perfect location for any water-loving family.

Out of the water, but right next to it, are some great paths to explore Anaeho’omalu Bay beach and ancient fish ponds. An ancient Hawaiian dwelling is partially preserved and in the evening, the fish leap through the air in the fish ponds.

The rooms at the Marriott are spacious. We enjoyed the extra space for a sitting area and the large balcony. We slept with the door open to the ocean, with the crashing of waves as our sound machine. The room came with a fridge to chill our wine and house some leftovers.

When checking in, we received a couple of coupons, which gave us a welcome Mai Tai and a discount for a meal. We had the Hawaii Calls buffet for dinner one night and it was full of seafood, a carving table, salad buffet and tons of dessert choices.

If swimming isn’t your choice, there are a ton of other activities right on site. The activity desk on the beach provides exercise (morning yoga beachside is worth it after a long flight), and the whale-watching tour on the catamaran had us in awe with the active whales who were flipping tails, slapping fins and breaching. A short shuttle ride away, or alternately a paved path through lava rocks, the Marriott spa and fitness center got me moving with pilates, and the tennis courts and lap pool looked like a great way to work off some of the wonderful food.

Speaking of wonderful food, the open air mall Kings’ Shops are across the street, with different restaurant choices and shopping.

We didn’t have our kids on this trip, but if we were go to back, this would be the choice. The resort amenities, location of other activities and spacious rooms would be the ideal location for a family.

Disclosure: I traveled with my husband for this trip and was not compensated for this post.