Visiting Walt Disney World During COVID-19 (With and Without Kids)

 I've been asked a lot and been promising to write this post for some time now. Two months after Walt Disney World officially opened back up since closing down during the Coronavirus pandemic of 2020 (March-July), here it is. 

I've visited the various theme parks and resorts around 20 times since reopening, and have seen some changes and learned a lot through the process. 

I could write a short novel on the subject, but instead will just jam out the major points and then maybe ramble on a bit after that...

- Masks are required for all guests aged 2+. Yes, the masks add to the heat and are not enjoyable, but are a fair tradeoff for being able to be at Disney and enjoy a small break from reality. Wear them correctly and use common sense.

- I prefer the disposable masks myself; they are lightweight and I don't have to wash them. My four year old likes the official Disney masks the best. He wears a size Medium. (Disney masks run smaaaaaaallll). 

- Bring at least two, if not three masks per person per day. It's nice to put on a fresh mask after sweating, eating, etc halfway through the day.

- If you bring a stroller:

    - bring a rain cover. Pack it and it won't rain ;) (More Rain Tips to be linked here...)

    - Don't overload it just because you can. The more stuff you schlep, the more you'll have to do to get through security, fold it up if to get on a water transportation, bus, escalator, etc. Diaper bag, rain cover, stroller fan, Yeti of ice water, and a misting water bottle are our must-haves).

    - if you have a young baby, bring a carrier. Plan to park the stroller in one 'land' and explore it all using the carrier. Then move on to the next. 

-The lines are going to look long due to social distancing. The wait times are sometimes inflated, but better to be safe than sorry, and it makes for a happy feeling when the actual wait time is much lower. You know what I mean. 

- Speaking of lines, PICK ONE LINE AND STAY IN IT!!! When you arrive at security or the turn stiles, there will be lines. Choose one and relax. Don't start a long day on a hectic note. You'll get it, I promise (as long as you have your ticket media and Park Pass...)

- The parks are closing early in the evening, but there are ways to extend the magic. Just think, when Walt Disney World opened in 1971, it was dubbed as The Vacation Kingdom of the World, and the ONE park, Magic Kingdom, closed at 6. People shopped, dined, danced, enjoyed water activities, etc. Try to reframe it as old school and retro, but with masks! Ha!

- Remember, at the end of the day, you are choosing to be there and experience Disney during this unprecedented time. You can choose to enjoy it or not. Try to make the best of it and understand that the Cast Members are there for you to escape and play. They're doing more than their original job description asked. We all are because PANDEMIC. 

- Be nice, smile, and HAVE FUN! 

(Also, contact me when you're ready to book a trip. There are so many little pointers, ins and outs, that I can't possibly write here but love to pass along as we 'talk shop' and plan your trip.)

(PS It's free- Disney pays me. Doesn't cost you a penny more. Disney bakes in commission to every price/vacation. When you book through me, I get that. When you book straight through Disney, they keep it.)

(PPS have you SEEN the wait times on hold for Disney lately?? Trust me, you don't want to be doing that unless you're being paid to. So let me!)

Ok but seriously the rules still apply as always: don't over schedule, play to take it slow and/or take a break, try to enjoy the moments and make the best of them. Now there's just an extra layer of stuff to add to the experience. 

Hope this helped. I'm sure I'll add more as things pop into my head. Any questions you have, please ask below. 

As always, thanks for reading. Can't believe some of y'all are still around this here space. XXXOOO

XO, 

Ashley

Ashley@believevacations.com

My Two (Official, Paying) Jobs

Well hello. Long time no see.

I found myself up early today and with a few extra hours on my hands combined with a persistence to FINALLY WRITE SOMETHING on here and, well, here we are.

Today's post may not be what you're *hoping* to see after a few month hiatus, but it's what's on my heart right now. Trust me, I've got a juicy, doozy of a post that's been sitting in my draft folder for a few months, so the intent to share is there, but at the end of the day sitting down to write takes a back seat to everything else. Which leads me to the topic of this post...

In addition to being a full-time stay at home Mom (which, come on, we know encompasses pretty much every job title under the sun and if we actually got paid in $dollars$ for the hours we put in we'd be rich), I'm fortunate enough to have two paying jobs that I can do from home. One is brand-spanking new to me, the other I've been doing for a few years now.

Let's start with the latter.

Wellness Advocate for doTerra essential oils

I know, I know, many of you will see that and roll your eyes and keep scrolling. I get it. We oily ladies (and men) are everywhere nowadays, but with good reason! These things actually work! So before you dismiss it as a pyramid scheme or snake oil or or or, please read on.

Here's the gist in a nutshell: essential oils are oils derived from plants and nature. Humans and animals have been utilizing the medicinal powers of plants since the beginning of time. Suddenly the market is saturated with essential oils, and that's awesome, because they can and have made a difference in so many lives, ours included (I'll get to specifics in a sec).

BUT here's where the scary part comes in. Not all essential oils are the same. Most of what you'll find in Whole Foods or health stores are diluted substitutes for the real thing. You may have a few drops of REAL lavender essential oil in a bottle that is topped off with synthetics, alcohol, fragrances, and more. Kind of like orange juice from concentrate or Aunt Jemima syrup; a dash of the real thing and lots of other crap. And tell me there's not a noticeable difference between fresh squeezed oj and real maple syrup compared to their mock counterparts?

That's how it is with essential oils! They may smell similar, but until you experience pure grade essential oil, you're missing out. Plus, you won't get the therapeutic benefits from fake oils, either. Lavender helps to calm and destress the nervous system AND the skin; you may have tried another brand in vain and don't think essential oils work for you, or that you're allergic to them (often what you're allergic to is the synthetic fragrances and chemicals), etc. These oils do work! There is scientific evidence and studies and research and publishing that backs it. It's *literally* a chemical reaction between your body systems and the compounds in the essential oils. Ok, I'm getting goosebumps just writing that because it's so FREAKING AWESOME!

Speaking of scientific evidence: let's say you've found a brand of essential oils that are pure (or claim to be); how are they tested for purity? Is the company open with their research? Do they have doctors and universities and hospitals using the oils and putting them to the test? Without this crucial element of testing and implementing in a real-world setting, how do you *really* know what you're getting?

Ya'll, doTerra does. We're the ONLY essential oil company that is researched and used in professional medical settings. We're the ONLY essential oil company that uses our Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade testing protocol, where we send our oils out to third-party companies who have no affiliate with or idea that these oils are doTerra, so they don't have a bias in the results. Either an oil passes as pure, or it doesn't. doTerra only markets the ones that pass, which is part of why our selection isn't as vast as others. We don't sell pasta or cookware or makeup because the goal is to focus on the purest, most powerful, most sustainable essential oils. Quality over quantity.

And lastly, speaking of sustainability, doTerra sources our oils from their native growing locations rather than greenhouses and the like because doesn't it just make sense that you'll get a better product from it's natural source? Again, oranges and maple syrup. Florida and Vermont. But what *really* makes that special is that doTerra partners with farmers and people living in these native areas and empowers them to make a living by growing our product. It's what we call Co-Impact Sourcing and ya'll, it is so amazing. I could easily write a lengthy post on all the good it's done, but I'll save that for another day. And this may be a little too hippy dippy crunch for some of ya, but think about this: the vibes or intention put into creating something has a huge impact on finished product. You've heard the phrase 'made with love.' It's because you can taste, smell, feel the energy that goes into a product or job well done. Our oils are lovingly grown and tended to because our growers are grateful for the opportunity to make a living providing the product. Plus we give back so much in our Healing Hands foundation.

(Ok, I've got to give a quick example that I just learned and find so cool. Our Green Mandarin oil comes from the unripe fruit of the mandarin tree, which is harvested for it's red fruit in Brazil. A mandarin tree needs to be thinned heavily while the fruit is still young and unripe; approximately 60-70% of the unripe fruit is removed in this process (the green mandarin!). What used to be left on the ground to decompose and become organic matter is now harvested and cold pressed to create our Green Mandarin essential oil. The income from this allows the farmers to cover the basic costs of farming for that season, which in turn leaves all of the income derived from their normal fresh red mandarin fruit sales to be 'all-profit.' Amazing! Win-win! Good juju and vibes, man.)

Whew, ok, you still with me? Thanks. I've been using doTerra oils since Will was an infant and honestly can't imagine our home without them. It can be daunting to know how to even start, since oils can help with health, cleaning, and more, but that's where I come in. I can help you narrow down your focus and get started on your journey, whether you dabble, go all-in, want to try the business side and make some income, whatever! I'm here for you.

Click here to take a look and get started, or please reach out to me!

For my family, this has been too good an experience not to share. (For the next few days, until October 1 2018, save 20% on select starter kits- the easiest way to get enrolled and started using essential oils!)

Disney Travel Planner with Believe Vacations

Onto the newest of my ventures! I am honored to have been invited to join Believe Vacations to help plan all your Disney travel needs!

Long story short, it's a free service to you- seriously, you'll pay no extra than if you were to sit at your computer or on the phone and book the trip yourself- but instead of Disney pocketing the commission, they kick a bit back to me. There's no trip too big or too small. Need tickets to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party but already have an Annual Pass and aren't planning to stay over in a Resort? I can do that. Want to book a long weekend at an awesome Florida Resident rate and have a staycation? I can do that. Globetrotting to Asia with Adventures by Disney? I can do that. Plus, I inject my love of Disney and sprinkle a little bit of history into my services.

So please, keep me in mind for friends or family or even better YOURSELF! I'd love to help.

Ok, that hour went really quick. Time to start my most important job of the day. Oh wait, nope. He's still sleeping (thank the Maker!!)

Have a wonderful day!