I really wanted today’s Friday Photo to be a pic of our packed car. It is a thing of beauty, if I do say so myself. (Have I mentioned that I scored very high in “Spacial Relations” on my achievement tests in school? As far as I can tell, the only time this “gift” comes in handy is when packing the car for vacation.) For technical reasons, it simply isn’t possible for me to provide you with this particular shot (have packed my chords, etc., that are necessary for uploading pics to my computer), so you’ll have to settle for this instead:

I call it “Disney in September.” Yes, this trip was also in September. It was my oldest daughter’s first visit. And my husband and I hadn’t been to Disney for about 5 years either. It was a very special trip for us, seeing Disney through little eyes as never before. So excited to be heading that way again today!

I’ll be back in earnest with a trip report on Monday, September 13, but I have scheduled several posts in my absence. Can’t wait to tell you all about our latest trip when we return!

In place of our regular “Thursday’s Tip,” please enjoy this first in a series of “How I Pack” posts.

Packing is a very personal process. Most people like to do it their way. And I am no different. But when beginning the process, I decided that rather than re-invent the wheel, I would begin with someone else’s packing list and edit it to suit my needs. You can find several of these online. The one I typically use has more items than I would personally take, but because of these “extra” items I’m forced to think outside the box as to what my Disney packing needs may be. Sure, everyone needs clothes, shoes, and personal hygiene items. But perhaps you didn’t think to pack “small electronic toys” for your kids or even a “lanyard and pins” for trading. Well, my packing list is just that detailed. Unfortunately, mine isn’t exactly high-tech, so I can’t share it here with you. (I go “old school”–crossing out and adding items manually on the page…maybe someday I’ll get it together and do my own electronic list.) Instead, I’ll point you to a few items that are Disney-specific and let you decide for yourself what personal items you’ll need. Here are some of my family’s must-have items for Disney:

• Child-size fanny packs for each kiddo. (We found cute Disney-themed ones in one of the character outlets.) Keeps Mom and Dad from playing the part of the pack mule.
• Hand-held mister fans, small enough to fit into aforementioned fanny packs.
• Glow bracelets. These cost about $1 for a whole pack. Take them to the night parade and share them with the kids around you! Keeps you from spending $15 on the light-up toys the vendors sell just before the parade.
• Snacks, cereal, and water. We take a large box full, saving both time (waiting in line for an afternoon pretzel) and money (paying nearly $5 for said pretzel). The kids each carry their own snacks in their fanny packs and can eat while waiting in line.
• Cheap rain ponchos. At a cost of about $1 and the size of a deck of cards, these can be invaluable when the little pop-up storms hit Central Florida. And you don’t feel bad about tossing them when the shower is over, since the investment is low. Or, you can pay upwards of $5 for the same flimsy plastic at any WDW gift shop. (We carry our heavy, plastic ponchos on days where the forecast calls for lots of rain.)
• Two pairs of comfortable shoes for everyone, so that you can alternate pairs if you get caught in one of those FL showers. (We’re athletic shoe people, although I know some folks swear by Crocs or even–heaven forbid!–flip-flops. Most important, stick to what your feet like and don’t try out new shoes on a WDW vacation!)
• A clear backpack. First, Disney security will love you and wave you through the line with a quick glance. And when you find yourself smack dab in the middle of a Polaroid moment, you won’t have to fumble through your bag searching for a camera…because you can see exactly where it is! Despite the possible drawback (it’s all laid out there for everyone to see, for example), we still swear by this item.
• Ziplock bags. For everything. More on that later.

I could go on and on…but then I would have duplicated my regular packing list here. Instead, we’ll call it a day. Tomorrow will be our regularly-scheduled “Friday Photo.” Check back Monday for “Packing the Kids’ Clothes.”

If you own a previous version of Beauty & the Beast and are a member of Disney Movie Rewards, you can now access a coupon for $10 off the Diamond Edition DVD/Blu-ray Combo Pack that releases October 5! Just log into your DMR account and enter the full UPC code from your current edition in the space where you would usually enter codes. This will bring up a banner that you can click to print your coupon.

Some of the features of this new Diamond Edition are:

• Digital restoration with enhanced High-Def picture and sound
• Enchanted Musical Challenge game
• Bonjour, Who Is This? game
• Making of Beauty and the Beast
• A new Beauty and the Beastmusic video featuring Jordin Sparks

This will make a great holiday gift for kiddos–or nostalgic adults!

I’m finally packing in earnest this week, and I can honestly say that the process gets easier with each trip. Case in point: before previous trips I might have panicked if I found myself with less than a week to do the actual “nuts-n-bolts” packing for a Disney vacation. But because I have done this so many times, and because I use a very detailed packing list, and finally because I keep some essential (and Disney-specific) items tucked away in our “Disney tub” between trips, the process is less daunting than it could be. Don’t get me wrong–we take a LOT of stuff and it’s still a lot of work. But I guess I’m a pro at it by now.

This week, instead of my usual “Thursday’s Tip,” I’ll be sharing a special “How I Pack” segment. I hope you’ll find it helpful. Then, after a final “Friday Photo” as we leave town, I’ll bid you adieu for a week. IF (and that’s a capital IF) I happen to squeeze in some time with free wifi (perhaps at the McDonald’s near the All-Star resorts!), I’ll try to drop by and report how the trip is going. And again, IF I find time between now and Friday, I’ll try to have a couple of posts scheduled through next week, so I don’t loose all my readers while I’m away for a week. But if the stars don’t align and this doesn’t happen, I promise to make up for it with loads of trip report posts when I return!

Look what we found at Target this past weekend:

We also saw a Rapunzel doll in our local Kroger store! Though the movie won’t be out until November 24, Tangled is making its mark on stores already. My girls were thrilled to see a new princess adorning the shelves of their favorite toy section. My oldest, especially, was entranced by this Rapunzel wig:

She’s planning to save the dimes she gets for feeding and taking out the puppy! (At $19.99, she’ll be saving for a while.) I hope to report back next week with some Disney Parks exclusive merchandise!

Trail’s End, the Ft. Wilderness eatery best known for its down-home buffet, will be switching it up for lunch, beginning today. Instead of its traditional buffet, they’ll be offering a lunch menu that includes many of their popular items: grilled pork chops, fried chicken and waffles, chili, and sauteed catfish. Wilderness S’mores and warm sticky buns are among the dessert offerings.

It is uncertain if this is a temporary change. But if you’re a fan of all-you-care-to eat, you’ll be glad to hear that breakfast and dinner will remain buffet meals.