Starring Rolls Cafe Lunch Review

Our day at Disney Hollywood Studios went by very quickly, but we still managed to ride all of our top choices. Between Rockin' Roller Coaster, Toy Story Mania, and strolling through the exhibit before "Walt Disney: One Man's Dream" (you can take the girl out of the museum...) we managed to squeeze in lunch at Starring Rolls Cafe. My husband and I are big sushi fans and I knew they served sushi as well as cafe style sandwiches, which would appease my non-sushi eating in-laws. Plus, they are known for their cupcakes. Hard to go wrong there!

Big River Grille & Brewing Works Lunch Review

During our trip to Walt Disney World in August we stayed at the Boardwalk Inn. My husband and I arrived (via Magical Express) just after noon, and my in-laws pulled in around 1:30. Before jumping into the parks, we decided to start with our bellies full. As a family we like to visit craft breweries, so my father-in-law voted that we visit the Big River Grille & Brewing Works, located right on the Boardwalk next to our hotel.

Also, I managed to take exactly 0 pictures while we were at lunch, so my apologies for not having images to go along with this review. You'll have to channel your inner Figment and use your imagination!

Which Park, When?

The second step for planning your Disney trip, after purchasing your park tickets and signing up for your My Disney Experience account, is deciding which parks you will want to go to on which days. This allows you to begin making dining reservations (180 days in advance of your trip) as well as Fastpass+ reservations (30 days in advance of your trip, 60 days for resort guests).

Planning Your Disney Trip in 10 Simple Steps

I am probably weird, but one of my favorite parts of any trip is the planning. My mom is the exact same way. I love having spreadsheets and comparison charts, and our upcoming Disney World trip is no different. In fact, I am probably a little more obsessive about planning this time around, dealing with both the reality of my surgery recovery, the fact that in August, Florida is a bit toasty and humid, and also that this is my first time traveling with my in-laws.

My mom and I were discussing it a bit, and as she said, planning for our own family is easy because we all travel the same way and enjoy the same things (what, isn't it normal to ride Buzz Lightyear eight times in a row?). But, when traveling with anyone with whom you have not vacationed before, there is a period of time during which you'll have to get used to each others style. Talking in advance about what our respective priorities are and what we'd all like to get out of the trip will eliminate some frustration and confusion on the ground.

Right now, this is how my planning plan (don't laugh at me) looks:
Step 1 - Identify days we'll be traveling
Step 2 - Book hotel rooms
Step 3 - Decide which parks we'll be in and when
Step 4 - Make dining reservations (up to 180 days in advance)
Step 5 - Make first round Fastpass+ reservations (up to 90 days in advance)
Step 6 - Make daily touring plans
Step 7 - Plan out outfits
Step 8 - Packing list for suitcases
Step 9 - Packing list for in-park bag
Step 10 - GO TO DISNEY

Don't worry, I will catch you up on steps 1-3 in future posts, and you'll probably see multi-post breakdowns of steps 4-7.

What do you think? Anything I am missing here?

An Exciting Announcement!

Ladies and gentlemen, exciting news...

All American Surgery Recovery - Week Three Update

Merry Christmas! Christmas Day was the three week mark for me. I hope any of you who read had a wonderful Christmas holiday spent in whatever way makes you happiest, and if you don't celebrate the holiday hopefully you had a great and relaxing day off :)

This week was full of ups and downs. If I am realistic, I can see that there has been improvement, but it feels like there is still so far to go. I know there is a light at the end of the tunnel, but it isn't even January yet and I spend 3/4 of the month still in my hard cast!

Last week's goal of successfully managing the car ride to my in-laws in Connecticut went really well. We had me propped up in the back with lots of pillows and blankets, plus extra crackers, ginger ale, and ice packs. Since I was behind my husband, conversation was a little tough, but we had Amy Poehler's "Yes, Please" on audiobook to keep us company. I highly recommend it! Plus, when we got to the house, I got to spend most of my time on the couch cuddling with the family's two basest hounds. Pretty hard to complain about that!

Surviving the Holidays While You're Laid Up

This year is a little different for us in terms of holidays. The last couple of years, my now husband and I have split time between my family in Iowa and his family in Connecticut. Usually we drive to his parents house, fly from Hartford to Des Moines, spend a few days with my parents, then fly back and stay with his folks. It has worked pretty well, until I decided to throw a wrench in it and get my foot chopped open.

Because of my inactivity and limited movement, I am considered a higher risk for blood clotting. Part of this means I've been instructed to take an asprin every day, but I also am restricted from flying for the three months after the surgery. And since I definitely can't manage the 18+ hour car ride it'd take to drive home, this will be the first year that I don't go home for Christmas.

It is definitely a bummer, and I am really not happy about it, but luckily my in-laws are awesome and have completely welcomed me into their home. Even then, maneuvering around with my foot in a cast has been pretty tough. Here are some tips that so far are helping me manage, and hopefully will help you as well.

How to Find Your Disney Age

The "can we fit four people all over 5' 7" into one teacup" tradition

A friend asked me why I'd decided on a Disney half marathon as my recovery goal. Why not one of the many, less expensive races closer to where I live?

Hi, my name is Jenna, and I am a Disney addict. My family loves Disney. Even stating that seems silly, because anyone who knows us understands this to be true. My mom visits the parks annually, with the rest of us tagging along as often as possible. Quotes from various movies get thrown around the house, and anyone with a shred of wisdom quickly realizes that a game of trivia will not end well for them. Depending on my mood, I have different Disney movies that are my go-tos, or that are associated