A $10 Balloon

The standard Mickey balloon at Disney World in early 2012 was $10.  That isn't the light up Tinkerbell one that my daughter chose...that was $15.  We spent $25 on two balloons.  But if you get suckered into buying them like we did, here are some tips about Disney balloons.

1.  Tie them on your stroller.  You don't want to have to buy them again as your child bursts into hysterics because they let go of it.  They come with weights but make sure they are tied tightly as well.  If you tie them on your stroller it will be another good way to find your stroller (although probably not the only stroller with $25 worth of balloons).

2.  They are a fantastic toy to play with at the hotel while you get things situation for the day, or night.  My kids never tire playing with the balloons - especially when they are younger. 

3.  You CAN bring it on the airplane home with you.  Every flight I've been on coming home from Orlando has someone with their balloon(s) in the overhead bins.  I'm still too scared it will pop and they'll think I'm carrying a bomb...or worse yet, terrify for my children and have them scream the rest of the flight.  My daughter is scared of fireworks...from a distance...can you imagine if a balloon popped in the small, enclosed airplane?!  But if you are brave, try it.  It's a nice souvenir that will remind everyone of your vacation.

4.  While I don't bring the balloon home all blown up, I use nail clippers to pop a hole at the very bottom.  I put the balloon in my toiletry bag so I don't lose it and use a little personal helium tank we have for parties to blow them up as a treat for the kids. 

There you go...how to stretch that $10 balloon to make it a little more worthwhile!

Pacifier holder

Quick post for a packing reminder if you have babies still using their pacifiers.  Pack a pacifier holder - one of those clips that attach to their shirt.  It may seem obvious but I brought a cute Pooh bear clip on our last trip...that Cooper loved to throw.  It didn't clip onto his shirt well and I'm pretty sure a newborn could pull it off.  While cute, not functional.  So we drove to the local Babies R Us and they only had plastic clips that were actually worse. 
Here is a rare moment that the clip was working...

After the trip, I immediately went to purchase clips that have a strong clip on them.  Amazon had them for around $8.  Before purchasing I went on etsy.com and found a much better option!!!  This woman sells amazing clips for half the price!!!  And it is handmade so she has awesome designs - some even Disney related!!!  The clip came fast and we use them every day!  Highly recommend!
Pacifier Clips
*Please note, this is just my opinion.  I have not been paid for the recommendation.  This is from my personal experience only.

Up, up and away!

Obviously, it's really hot in Disney almost every time of the year.  We've been in December where I was in tank top and shorts (although I was pregnant so maybe it was the hormones!).  I love to wear my hair down, as does my little girl.  Almost every day we start off with our hair styled down and within a couple hours in the parks it is thrown into a pony tail.  So keep that hair up, up and away!  Experiment with new hairstyles that will keep hair out of their and your face and shoulders.  It may take some extra trip getting ready but well worth it. 
Here is my standard go-to hair for Disney. 

And if your daughter is anything like mine and insists her hair be down, bring a brush and hair ties in  your day bag.  She will thank you later in the day.  :)

Ribbons

There are LOTS of strollers in Walt Disney World!  And you will probably pass a dozen or so of your stroller each trip....probably each day!  Many times we would get out of a ride or show and be faced with searching for our stroller among hundreds.  My tip is to add a bright colored ribbon to the handle of your stroller.  Big, thick, bright ribbon will not only alert you to where your stroller is....but alert OTHERS that is not their stroller!  Seriously, we've almost grabbed someone else's stroller accidently many times. 

Another use for ribbons is in your little girl's hair.  That's an obvious one.  But it seems like in Walt Disney World or on the cruise, we saw big, beautiful ribbon bows everywhere!  So don't forget to pack them!

Don't fall!

When my daughter transitioned from the crib to her toddler bed and now full size bed, we put a secure bed rail on her bed.  But we travel often and didn't know what to do.  Our first trip, we lined the bed with pillows, stacked two high!  And maybe a few on the floor...just in case.  I didn't get any sleep that night.  Every time I heard her move, I jumped up to make sure she was OK.  So the next trip we ordered inflatable bed rails from One Step Ahead.
One Step Ahead - Travel Inflatable Bed Rails
For some reason it won't let me post a picture.  It was an excellent purchase as they pack up small, stay on the bed, and keep her safe.  It allows everyone to get a good night sleep!
One note, we were at a hotel this month that the mattress cover was slippery and the rails would slide.  I had to go under the mattress pad and it worked perfectly.

*Please note, this is my recommendation and I have not been compensated by the above company in any way.  This is truly from my own experience.