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Jeneba Jalloh Ghatt

21 More Spring DIY Nail ideas

Posted on April 10, 2016

diy nails


 In case you missed out last Spring Nails DIY post, we have 21 more awesome design ideas

Unlike the past when you had to pay extra at the nail salon to get a nail technician with a good eye and precise touch to hand paint on designs, peel and stick designs are more common and much cheaper!

Here are 21 of my fave designs. For source, check out our DIY Nail Board on Pinterest piand get connected to where you can buy these nail designs for as low as $7.99 per pack!

We even made up new names for them:

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p style=”text-align: center;”>sunflower

<

p style=”text-align: center;”>ladies under an umbrella 

azteca

marble

fiberglass ombre

<

p style=”text-align: center;”>country sunflower  

strong>

<

p style=”text-align: center;”>lightening  

  cat’s meow

<

p style=”text-align: center;”>1950s

pearls and lace 

<

p style=”text-align: center;”>i heart you  



native   

<

p style=”text-align: center;”>gold glam  

roaring 20s

 

<

p style=”text-align: center;”>Meshell My Belle

<

p style=”text-align: center;”>brand whore

 polka dot

  

romanc

1940s

unicorn

 

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Celebrity Mom and Baby Yoga on Instagram is a Trend

Posted on April 9, 2016

celebrity yoga

A couple of years ago  yoga instructor mom Laura Kasperzak and her then 4-year-old daughter Mini were all the rage on Instagram (and they still are). The duo wowed social media audiences with their fantastic yoga poses.

In the interim and since then, Elsta Patakay,  Gisele Bundchen and Hilaria Baldwin and others have shared photos and videos of themselves performing video with their kids.

Recently, Drew Barrymore trended today when a photo of herself with daughter Olive doing yoga started catching attention.

Princess Elsa came to our mother daughter yoga class. #magicdays #iloveolive

A photo posted by Drew Barrymore (@drewbarrymore) on





“Princess Elsa came to our mother daughter yoga class. #magicdays #iloveolive,” Barrymore captioned the pic.

And 3rd time mom-to-be Hilaria Baldwin takes it one step further with videos with instructions for other moms! Nice! I love it! 

 

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You Need Date Night Ideas: We got 25 of Them for you!

Posted on April 9, 2016

 

Whether you are pregnant, have a new baby, or a vet parent, going out with your partner or spouse without the children (if you already have them) is essential to keep the spark in your relationship alive!

Here are 25 Date Night ideas of things to consider for a night soon with your sweetheart!

  1. Go dancing at a night club
  2. Get Dinner and a go to a movie at the cinema
  3. Go shoot some pool and grab beer at a local watering hole and chill
  4. Plan and go out for dinner with other couples
  5. Go see an exhibit at the art gallery and grab lunch afterwards
  6. Find a drive in or second run theater and catch an old movie on the big screen
  7. Go Rollerskating or Iceskating (if its’ winter) at a rink
  8. Go to the Driving or Shooting Range
  9. See an outdoor concert on the lawn when a favorite act comes to town
  10. Go Bike Riding (or Running, Jogging or Kayaking or whatever active sport you both enjoy)
  11. Check out a local jazz club and sip wine while enjoying the performance
  12. Test our your own vocal skills and go to Karaoke night
  13. Go Bowling
  14. Go on a road trip to a nearby town, book a room and stay overnight (if you have a sitter for that long of course)
  15. Check out a Comedy Show, Order the 2 drink minium
  16. Go Miniature golfing
  17. Go Go-Kart racing
  18. Check out a professional sports game like Baseball, Basketball, Hockey or Soccer
  19. Have a picnic in the living room after the kids are asleep
  20. Go for a walk on a beach
  21. Have a movie night in the basement and pop your own popcorn
  22. Use a Living Social or Groupon deal for a cooking class or rock climbing or something else you wouldn’t ordinarily do unless you got it at a really good price
  23. Go RockClimbing in an inside rock climbing center
  24. Go for drinks at a lounge and chill
  25. Find one of the highest elevation points in the city, get out a blanket and star gaze

There you have it! Plenty of ideas to get you thinking! Enjoy!

 

 

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Names You Give Your Baby if You Want Her to be a Musical Greatness

Posted on April 8, 2016



Posted on April 7, 2016 by Laura Woods

From Dizzy Gillespie’s expertise with the trumpet to Dick Van Dyke’s memorable performance on Mary Poppins, music pervades every corner of our culture. 

Using data from MusicBrainz, MooseRoots identified the names that, up to the present, are most common among musicians relative to the general population. 

While a name is by no means a predictor of musical success, patterns certainly exist among artists leading up to today.

To do this, MooseRoots analyzed the names of 249,549 male and 65,442 female musicians to find the top names of each gender. After comparing the frequency of the top musician names with the frequency of those names in the general population during 2014, we compiled a list of names more likely to appear among musicians, and ranked the list from lowest to highest frequency relative to the general population.

Note: All values are rounded to the nearest tenth.

Download MooseRoots’ app on the Google Play Store for information on thousands of baby names.

Mary

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 3.2

Musicians per 1 Million: 5,598.7

Babies per 1 Million: 1,346.9

Held by Mary J. Blige, Mary ranked No. 120 among baby girls in 2014.

Maria

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 3.5

Musicians per 1 Million: 6,384.4

Babies per 1 Million: 1,413.4

The Latin version of Mary — shared by the late singer Maria Callas — ranked No. 115 among female newborns in 2014.

Amanda

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 3.9

Musicians per 1 Million: 2,652

Babies per 1 Million: 537.5

Meaning “lovable” and “to love,” and held by Dresden Dolls singer Amanda Palmer, the name ranked No. 314 among girls in 2014.

Jane

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 5.2

Musicians per 1 Million: 3,241.3

Babies per 1 Million: 525.1

Shared by actress and singer Jane Powell, the feminine form of John ranked No. 322 in 2014.

Julie

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 6.1

Musicians per 1 Million: 2,848.4

Babies per 1 Million: 400.3

The French form of Julia only ranked No. 409 among baby girls in 2014, but it is shared by the legendary Julie Andrews.

Helen

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 7.2

Musicians per 1 Million: 3,339.6

Babies per 1 Million: 408

Defined as “Greek,” “ray,” and “sun,” the name held by singer Helen Vita ranked No. 404 among female newborns in 2014.

Laura

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 7.3

Musicians per 1 Million: 4,420

Babies per 1 Million: 535.5

Laura, a name meaning “laurel,” is held by Broadway star Laura Benanti and ranked No. 318 among baby girls in 2014.

Karen

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 8.7

Musicians per 1 Million: 3,143.1

Babies per 1 Million: 325

Shared by the late Karen Carpenter, the name ranked No. 492 among girls in 2014.

Christine

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 9.3

Musicians per 1 Million: 2,160.9

Babies per 1 Million: 210

Shared by former Fleetwood Mac singer Christine McVie, the French form of Christina ranked No. 689 among female babies in 2014.

Mara

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 10.3

Musicians per 1 Million: 2,357.3

Babies per 1 Million: 208.4

Held by singer Mara Carlyle, Mara ranked No. 695 among newborn girls in 2014.

Marie

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 11.7

Musicians per 1 Million: 3,437.8

Babies per 1 Million: 269.8

Marie, the French version of Maria, ranked No. 579 among baby girls in 2014, and is held by a number of luminaries, including singer Marie Osmond and the Australian operatic soprano Marie Collier.

Sandra

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 12.1

Musicians per 1 Million: 2,357.3

Babies per 1 Million: 179.5

Held by musicians like Sandra Chambers, the nickname for Alessandra ranked No. 800 among female newborns in 2014.

Linda

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 12.5

Musicians per 1 Million: 3,241.3

Babies per 1 Million: 240.4

The name meaning “pretty,” “soft,” and “tender,” is shared by Linda Ronstadt and ranked No. 615 among baby girls in 2014.

Sharon

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 12.6

Musicians per 1 Million: 2,160.9

Babies per 1 Million: 159.4

A Biblical name, Sharon ranked only No. 879 among female babies in 2014, even with the star power of singer Sharon Cheslow behind it.

Jenny

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 14.4

Musicians per 1 Million: 2,652

Babies per 1 Million: 172.3

A nickname for Jennifer and shared by singer Jenny Lewis, the name ranked No. 822 among baby girls in 2014.

Anne

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 14.8

Musicians per 1 Million: 4,518.2

Babies per 1 Million: 286.8

Anne, shared by music industry heavyweights like Anne Murray, was a unique choice for girls in 2014, ranking just No. 553.

Susan

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 15

Musicians per 1 Million: 2,652

Babies per 1 Million: 165.6

Susan, the vernacular form of Susanna and the name of singer Susan Boyle, ranked No. 851 for female newborns in 2014.

Ann

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 18.6

Musicians per 1 Million: 2,848.4

Babies per 1 Million: 145.5

Held by jazz singer Ann Richards, this alternate spelling of Anne earned the rank of 945 among baby girls in 2014.

Louise

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 21

Musicians per 1 Million: 2,259.1

Babies per 1 Million: 102.7

Shared by singers like Louise Griffiths, the feminine form of Louis ranked just No. 1,219 in 2014.

Betty

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 21

Musicians per 1 Million: 2,160.9

Babies per 1 Million: 98

Held by singer and actress Betty Buckley, the short form of Elizabeth ranked just No. 1,254 among female babies in 2014.

Rita

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 21.9

Musicians per 1 Million: 1,964.4

Babies per 1 Million: 85.6

Rita, a pet form of Margarita, is held by Rita Quintero, and ranked only No. 1,382 among girls born in 2014.

Anita

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 22.2

Musicians per 1 Million: 1,964.4

Babies per 1 Million: 84.6

Originally a nickname for Ana, the name Anita ranked only No. 1,390 among female newborns in 2014, but is held by jazz musician Anita Baker.

Lisa

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 27.2

Musicians per 1 Million: 5,402.2

Babies per 1 Million: 191.4

Lisa, a variant of Liza and held by Lisa Marie Presley, only ranked No. 750 among baby girls in 2014.

Barbara

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 34.7

Musicians per 1 Million: 5,795.1

Babies per 1 Million: 162.5

Derived from the Latin word meaning “foreign woman,” the name shared by Barbara Mandrell ranked No. 863 in 2014.

Kim

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 71.8

Musicians per 1 Million: 2,553.8

Babies per 1 Million: 35.1

Held by reality star and singer Kim Zolciak, the short form of Kimberley ranking just No. 2,577 for newborn girls.

Greg

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 106.5

Musicians per 1 Million: 1,429.1

Babies per 1 Million: 13.3

Held by famous saxophonist Greg Banaszak, the name Greg ranked No. 3,805 in 2014.

Dave

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 121.8

Musicians per 1 Million: 4,653.9

Babies per 1 Million: 37.9

Held by famous jazz musician and trombonist Dave Panichi, the name Dave ranked No. 1,883 in 2014.

Friedrich

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 134.2

Musicians per 1 Million: 1,136

Babies per 1 Million: 8.4

Meaning “peace” and “power” and held by the composer Friedrich Cerha, Friedrich was a rather unique choice among male newborns in 2014, ranking just No. 5,280.

Dieter

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 134.7

Musicians per 1 Million: 732.9

Babies per 1 Million: 5.4

Although Dieter, a name meaning “army and people,” is shared by cabaret artist Dieter Hallervorden, it only ranked No. 7,132 among boys in 2014.

Philippe

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 138.4

Musicians per 1 Million: 1,575.7

Babies per 1 Million: 11.3

The name held by singer Philippe Katerine is very distinctive, earning the rank of No. 4,325 among male babies in 2014.

Art

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 141.9

Musicians per 1 Million: 842.8

Babies per 1 Million: 5.9

Though shared by legendary artist Art Garfunkel, the name defined as “bear and champion” ranked just No. 6,615 among boys in 2014.

Michel

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 148

Musicians per 1 Million: 1,832.2

Babies per 1 Million: 12.3

Uncommon for boys in the U.S., the name Michel — held by composer Michel Legrand — earned the rank of No. 4,059 among male newborns in 2014.

Stan

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 156

Musicians per 1 Million: 769.5

Babies per 1 Million: 4.9

Shared by saxophonist Stan Harrison, the name remains uncommon among male babies in 2014, ranking just No. 7,981.

Bill

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 160.4

Musicians per 1 Million: 3,664.5

Babies per 1 Million: 22.7

Held by singer Bill Hudson, the name ranked only No. 2,605 among baby boys in 2014.

Chuck

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 176.5

Musicians per 1 Million: 1,136

Babies per 1 Million: 6.4

Despite being held by the renowned artist Chuck Berry, the pet form of Charles was a distinctive choice for male newborns in 2014, ranking just No. 6,321.

Georges

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 182.2

Musicians per 1 Million: 806.2

Babies per 1 Million: 4.4

Held by the late composer Georges Bizet, this unique name ranked No. 8,300 among boys in 2014.

Werner

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 205.7

Musicians per 1 Million: 806.2

Babies per 1 Million: 3.9

Defined as “army,” the name of famed jazz musician Werner Neumann was a very distinctive choice for boys born in 2014, ranking No. 9,512.

Rob

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 216.7

Musicians per 1 Million: 1,502.4

Babies per 1 Million: 6.9

Shared by rock stars like Rob Zombie, the short form of Robert is a rather unique choice as a given name, earning the rank of No. 6,195 among male newborns in 2014.

Ernst

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 266.6

Musicians per 1 Million: 952.8

Babies per 1 Million: 3.6

The name held by the late singer Ernst Busch, Ernst — derived from the German word meaning “serious business” and “fight to the death” — hasn’t been given to more than four baby boys in the U.S. since 2013.

Hermann

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 292.2

Musicians per 1 Million: 732.9

Babies per 1 Million: 2.5

Meaning “army” and “man,” and shared by multitalented musician Hermann van Veen, the name ranked No. 12,676 among male babies in 2014.

Phil

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 315.8

Musicians per 1 Million: 1,868.9

Babies per 1 Million: 5.9

The short form of Philip and held by iconic rocker Phil Collins, the name only ranked No. 6,912 among boys in 2014.

Rolf

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 321.5

Musicians per 1 Million: 806.2

Babies per 1 Million: 2.5

Rolf, meaning “fame and wolf,” ranked only No. 13,566 among male newborns in 2014, and is shared by musician Rolf Harris.

Pat

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 321.5

Musicians per 1 Million: 806.2

Babies per 1 Million: 2.5

Shared by singer Pat Boone, the nickname for Patrick ranked just No. 13,431 among baby boys in 2014.

Doug

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 338.7

Musicians per 1 Million: 1,209.3

Babies per 1 Million: 3.6

Though held by musicians like Doug Sahm, the name remains uncommon — no more than four baby boys have received the name since 2013.

Al

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 338.9

Musicians per 1 Million: 2,345.3

Babies per 1 Million: 6.9

Held by the late Al Jolson — an actor and singer — the name Al is used more as a nickname than a given name, ranking just No. 5,963 among male newborns in 2014.

Franz

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 440.1

Musicians per 1 Million: 2,381.9

Babies per 1 Million: 5.4

The German form of Francesco, the name held by composer Franz Waxman earned the rank of No. 7,160 among male newborns in 2014.

Georg

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 440.9

Musicians per 1 Million: 1,502.4

Babies per 1 Million: 3.4

Georg, a name held by musicians like Georg Ots, remains uncommon and ranked No. 9,924 in 2014.

Ed

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 487.6

Musicians per 1 Million: 1,465.8

Babies per 1 Million: 3

Ed, a nickname for Edward and shared by rapper Ed Skrein, is seldom used, and ranked No. 11,018 among baby boys in 2014.

Dick

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 711.8

Musicians per 1 Million: 1,722.3

Babies per 1 Million: 2.4

The name Dick, held by icons like Dick Van Dyke, ranked only No. 11,466 in 2014.

Bob

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 1,354.9

Musicians per 1 Million: 4,067.6

Babies per 1 Million: 3

Made famous by the great Bob Marley, the short form of Robert wasn’t commonly used as a given name for male babies in 2014, ranking just No. 10,796.

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Cousins 2-year old North West & 3-year old Penelope Disick Rock Braided Hair Extensions

Posted on April 7, 2016

extensions

I think it is so cute that cousins Nori West and Penelope Disick got extensions added to their braided cornrows (or Dutch braids or “Boxer Braids” as they’ve been called or re-named in the fashion press).

Mom Kim Kardashian West shared a snapchat of her first born in the style while the entire family is on a ski vacation in Vail, Colorado.

Her sis Khloe Kardashian, who was sporting the same hairstyle,  shared an Instagram photo of Penelope with the caption, ““I made her my mini me.”

So adorbs.

Braided extensions worn on children hair has been controversial and is seen as a no-no in some communities for  a variety of reasons.

angelina jolie

Angelina Jolie with then 6-year old Zahra Jolie-Pitt – RadarOnline.com

When Angeline Jolie put braided extensions on her Ethiopian-born daughter Zahra‘s hair, some said they would “put a strain on her tender locks” and create “insecurity” in her daughter and be made to think she “is not good enough,” celebrity stylist DaRico Jackson told Radar Online.com in 2011.

I disagree. Braided extensions don’t have to be installed in a way that pulls the hair and a temporary hair style once in a while does not have to have a mental negative consequence on a child or have any other meaning. I say so long as they don’t damage a child’s hair and they aren’t in there too long, go for it!

btw: don’t read the comments on Khloe’s pic of people fighting over Penelope’s hair because it will make you lose a few brain cells. I might be able to get the few I lost skimming them. ha!

h/t Celebrity Baby Scoop

Photos: screenshot, Instagram

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Small Biz Aren’t Happy with San Francisco’s New 1st in the Nation Parental Leave Law

Posted on April 7, 2016

 

New-mom1

The rich BIG TECH companies in the San Francisco/San Bernardino/Silicon Valley area are revolutionizing parental leave and leading the country in that area, but is their trailblazing also weighing down smaller companies who don’t think they should be forced to bear the burden of paying for leave?

Most of the big tech companies, like Netflix, Google, Facebook and others, many headquartered in Silicon Valley, have the most generous leave policies among all private employers. Some even pay for egg freezing.

Twitter announced Tuesday that it would offer up to 20 weeks of fully paid leave for new parents in the U.S. starting May 1.

new-mom-w-baby-girl1

Their local government is taking cues from their efforts and changing the laws to require all companies to offer paid leave.

This week, the Board of Supervisors in San Francisco unanimously approved a new regulation that would require businesses to provide fully paid leave for new parents. The measure was created to address “income equality,” a new buzz term in policy.

Currently, the U.S. lags other countries in providing parental leave and is the only major industrialized nation that doesn’t require paid leave.

After another formal vote next week, Mayor Ed Lee said he will be happy to sign the legislation into law.

But small business owners think that this is but the latest in a long history of city mandates that are dragging them down. First paid sick leave and health coverage and now this.

Also, San Francisco approved a $15 hourly minimum wage for workers in 2014. California Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation Monday mandating that amount for the entire state.

“They don’t necessarily have the resources, they can’t absorb the increases in cost, and they feel like it’s kind of relentless, it’s one thing after the next,” San Francisco Chamber of Commerce vice president Dee Dee Workman told AP.

Indeed, California is known for being a trailblazer and their consumer protection laws are always very protective.

In law school, I recall that for each nationwide law or standard we learned, California was always the exception.

Federal law grants workers up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave. California, Rhode Island and New Jersey provide partial pay, with the money coming from employees. Legislators in New York last month approved up to 12 weeks of partial pay.

The state of California currently allows workers to receive 55 percent of their pay for up to six weeks to bond with a new child. The money comes from a state insurance program funded by workers.

Employees with at least 20 employees make up 45% of the state’s 6-weeks paid leave mandate and the state’s insurance program funds the rest. This new law will start with workers with at least  50 workers beginning in January 2017.

Businesses with 35 to 49 workers must comply starting in July 2017 and businesses with 20 to 34 workers have until January 2018.

Google and Facebook support the measure, AP reports.

“Paid parental leave increases the probability that employees will return to work, be more productive, and earn higher wages,” said Jim Wunderman, president and CEO of the Bay Area Council. “That is good for business and for families.”

As a small biz owners who also supports families and mothers, I’m torn.

 

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Draya Michele has Elevated the Elegant Maternity Standard…and She Knows It

Posted on April 7, 2016

Draya Michele maternity

So…in case you ever wanted to know what an elegant maternity shoot looked like, reality TV star and swimwear designer and entrepreneur Draya Michele shows you.

The beautiful model who has starred in the VH1 docu-series Basketball Wives the longest of all cast members recently shared videos from a recent photo shoot on her Instagram page.

draya michele

draya6

And it appears the Mint Swim creator is aware that she as elevated the standard because she captioned her last video, “So who wants to get pregnant next ????? Cuz um, the bar has been set.” 

Bloop!

Draya Michele drayamichele • Instagram photos and videos
And about a week prior, she posted some other pics from her last shoot we talked about in a previous post. Get it Draya, beautiful and healthy mom-to-be personafied!  

draya2

draya3
We also love that she is humble and is not ashamed to let her fans know she went low-budget on a dress and still looked fab in the process.

“Next time I need@angelbrinks to make mea dress……but in the mean time, this little $11.99 number from Ross did the trick. ?,” she captioned a photo of a red carpet event where she wore a cute lace, empire cut mini dress. 

 

photos: Von Jackson, Instagram

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20 Solid Tips for Saving Money and Beating Long Lines at Disney World

Posted on April 6, 2016

disney

An online friend recently asked for tips on Disney vacations and instead of retyping my thoughts from past blog posts, I’m sharing them here for her and you! There are 20 tips here from my personal experience and from researching what others have shared.

On Saving Money

Nearly every kid dreams of going to one of the Disney theme parks during their childhood years, but parents are usually a little more hesitant to book the trip because of the hefty price tag that accompanies it. If you are thinking about taking a trip to a Disney park and are looking to save money, check out the following ways to save hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars on your trip. Keep in mind that Disney would like you to think that buying their packages is the best way to save money, but often you can save more by buying things separately.

  • Stay off the Disney campus. Surrounding hotels have lower pricing to entice travelers away from staying at Disney. Keep in mind that you will need to have a way to travel back and forth from Disney if you stay off campus.
  • Book your trip during the off season. Disney has many seasons ranging from “Value” to “Peak”. Unfortunately there isn’t a 3 month period that is considered to be the off season. Weekdays during the fall months are cheaper, and the period after Thanksgiving and before December 21st, when “Holiday Season” starts, is cheaper to book as well.
  • Book a hotel that includes breakfast. While breakfast is one of the least expensive meals to eat out, it can save you a surprising amount of money by eating at the hotel. Before heading back to your room, grab some extra fruit for a snack later in the day.
  • Bring along a soft sided cooler. You are allowed to bring in soft sided coolers to the park, and the ones that will fit in a backpack or are a backpack are ideal. This allows you to bring in both snacks and lunch. Plan to stop at a discount store or a grocery store to stock up on some food to take in for when family members start to get hungry.
  • Plan to eat your evening meal outside of the park. By dinner time you’ve spent the majority of the day at Disney and everyone is probably ready for a break. Take this opportunity to head back to your hotel and let everyone rest a bit and freshen up. Then, before going back to the park, stop and eat something.
  • Bring a refillable water bottle and flavored packets. There are water sources around the park that you can fill up a water bottle with, but it’s well water and doesn’t taste very good, so plan on bringing some flavored packets to sweeten up the water. Staying hydrated at the park is very important since you will be outside much of the time.
  • Check out local ticket hubs for discounted tickets. Disney wants you to think that you can’t buy tickets anywhere except through Disney and their affiliates, but this isn’t true. Keep your eyes open for ongoing deals. Sometimes you can make a donation to an Orlando hospital and the hospital will give you tickets to Disney for your family. Different programs like this pop up all year long so keep your eyes open for deals. Local ticket hubs can save you 5 to 10%, which may not seem like much, but once you do the math it starts to add up.
  • Join the Cirque club to receive 35% off of tickets. Joining the club is free and you must buy your tickets 30 days in advance to receive the discount. The discount is only offered for the Cirque de Soleil performances that are during the Tuesday through Saturday shows. Check the online club for applicable dates.
  • Go to Disney Quest for half price. If you’d like to check out Disney Quest (a virtual-reality theme park in downtown Disney) you can check for a manager’s special. Often if you go within 2 hours or less of closing you can save half off the ticket price. It would be something different to do and if you can go for half price it might be worth it. This discount isn’t always offered so check while you are there.
  • When renting a car don’t get stuck on size. If you plan on renting a car once you reach Disney make sure to check rental sites often, because specials do change. Rebooking your reservation could save you a bundle. Compact cars tend to rent out first so check the next size up; you can still end up saving because the rental companies may have a bunch of bigger cars they need to rent out and as such will give you a free upgrade.

On Beating Long lines

  • Go late in the evening.  The benefits of going after 5pm are numerous. First, the sun has set so it is cooler. Second, by then the crowds have thinned.  The last time I took my family to Disney World in Florida, we went to Space Mountain around 8pm and timed it the exact time the nightly Electric Parade was going on along Main Street. Most people skipped off to see that. Our wait was 15 minutes flat. We were in and out.
  • Use the “Fast Pass” option. Disney’s amusement parks actually have a system that lets you skip the line legally. It’s called Fast Pass. You go to your ride of choice and are given a pass with a specific later time stamped on it for you to return to the ride.  Go grab a bite, go on a ride with no line or explore other sites and return at the time on the pass. You get to go straight to a special no-wait line – your reward for patience and using the system. Essentially, you just have time and schedule your visit right to get the benefit of this option.
  • Go early in the morning. The other alternative to going late is going very early when the parks first open. There are usually very few families that can get their kids up and out that early so then again, you will be faced with shorter lines. Also, for beating the heat purposes, since the temperature is usually hottest mid day, you can beat the glaring sun by starting your day super early.
  • Go during off peak times. March thru May and Early June, and hurricane season in October  (for Disney World in Florida) are the times of the year when the crowds are less. Combine the other tricks with going during an off peak time of the year, and you’re almost guaranteeing a seamless ride process.
  • Go during the middle of the week. Many people who travel incorporate the weekend and choose Saturday or Sunday to fraternize the parks. That is when locals also are likely to also visit. If you are staying in the area for at least a week, go in the middle of the week to save lines and ensure fewer crowds.
  • Bonus from a commenter: Take advantage of the single rider option. You also get a chance to go through the line faster if you don’t mind riding in a car alone or with someone else you don’t know.

On Dealing with Small Kids

  • Pack small snacks: A lot of irritability from long strolls from attraction to attraction can be caused by slight hunger. Offer goldfish crackers, cereal, or another fave snack.
  • Opt for the umbrella stroller: A bulky stroller will be hard to maneuver in tight spaces. If you have one, bring a smaller umbrella stroller. Also, for rides when you have to park the stroller, it is easy to fold them up and put them aside than finding a space among a sea of strollers.
  • Take Plenty Breaks: Avoid the urge of wanting to get everything in. Keep your eye on the clock and the attraction map, but make sure you schedule in mini breaks too.
  • Put a cap or Hat and Sunscreen on baby. The sun can be unbearable and the heat would make a small child fussy. Make sure you keep them cool and hydrated and protect them from sunburn by applying plenty of sunscreen before and replenish the application mid-way through. Sweat lessens the effect of some sunscreen lotions.

I hope these tips are helpful! Good luck parents! Let me know if you use any of these tips and if they work out for you!

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