Those are just some of the questions that swirled in my mind before I packed my family for our first Disney cruise. Now that I’m on my third one — right in the middle of it, actually, as I write this — I think I’ve learned what to pack that my family will actually use on board. Here are some Disney cruise packing tips:

1. Packing for dinner: There are no formal nights, semi-formal nights, etc. Unless you are planning to dine at one of the adults-only restaurants, Remy or Palo, you will do fine at dinners in sundresses, khakis, even jeans. The only thing truly prohibited in the dining rooms is swimwear. That said, I do enjoy the rhythm of returning to our stateroom in the evenings to relax, shower and dress for dinner, so I typically do wear a dress or slacks, and so does the Theme Park Kid.

2. Formal occasions: My strategy for dining at Remy and/or Palo is to bring my trusty little black dress (which doesn’t wrinkle and just be thrown in my suitcase with my shorts and tees), sandals and some of my beloved sparkly jewelry to dress things up. I haven’t felt the need to bring a truly formal dress on board; perhaps I would on a couples cruise or if I were celebrating a romantic occasion. Just remember that no flip flops are allowed in the dining room, and flip flops are a subjective term these days. If they have a toe bar like a flip flop, even if you consider them a high-heeled sandal, I would avoid them for a Remy or Palo night. I was asked to change my shoes at Disneyland’s Club 33, which has a similar flip flop rule, even though my shoes were truly a much more formal sandal with a heel.

3. Daywear: Consider what you plan to be doing during the day on your cruise. Swimwear is generally the daytime choice, as you will likely either be on the pool deck or on a beach in port. If you are planning to go out on excursions, appropriate clothing will be necessary, but otherwise, swimwear and some casual shorts/capris and tees should suffice.

4. Swimwear: You need two swimsuits, at least. I repeat, you need at least two swimsuits. Your swimsuit likely will not completely dry hanging in your cabin overnight, and there’s nothing worse that putting a wet swimsuit back on. So bring two and keep them in rotation.

5. Swimsuit cover-ups: The most important things I overlooked when packing for my first Disney cruise were comfortable swimsuit cover-ups. My family does most of our swimming at home, where we walk from our rooms to the pool, and we just didn’t invest money in cover-ups we would wear for only a short time on vacation. But on a Disney cruise, you will likely want to disembark on Castaway Cay in just a swimsuit and cover-up. On sea days, you may spend all day on the pool deck, even eating breakfast and lunch there. So, cover-ups you can feel, well, covered up in are important. And again, you may want to bring two.

6. A day bag: You will want a tote, beach bag or other small bag to keep items in when you are on the pool deck or off the ship in ports. It’s easy to overlook this when trying to consolidate into as few bags as possible when packing. Personally, I love the Large Resort Tote by Vera Bradley, which has plenty of room to fit all of a family’s daytime necessities, is light, and wipes clean.

7. Comfortable shoes: Sure, you’re on the same ship most of the time, but it’s a BIG ship, and there’s a surprising amount of walking involved. So be sure you’re comfortable walking in the shoes you pack. And don’t forget closed toe shoes that you may need for excursions.

8. Medicines/first aid kit: It costs a million dollars to get sick on a cruise. OK, that may be a slight exaggeration, but the prices at the health service on board might as well be a million dollars to my wallet. I like to get on the ship with painkiller/fever reducer, cough medicine, cold medicine, antihistamine and the like in both adult and kid versions, in case anyone needs anything. Of course in a real medical situation, I will spend the money to go to health services, but if you need to treat a sniffle or a cough, plan ahead so that you can do it yourself – it’s all stuff you will use after the cruise anyway, right?

9. Hats: I have a ton of ball caps. Why? Because it’s the thing I almost always forget to pack and wind up buying in whatever locale I end up. Even on the ship, you will be out in the sun on the pool deck, etc., and you will want a hat. Likewise for port days. So be sure you’ve got one for every member of the family. Unless, of course, you like collecting hats as souvenirs. There are certainly some fun ones for sale on a Disney cruise.

10. Don’t overpack. I repeat, don’t overpack. Packing for a cruise should really be one of the simpler trips anyone ever packs for, but many of us make it complicated. I have read tons of advice on packing water bottles, beach towels, even laundry hampers for a Disney cruise, and I’ve just never felt the need for any of those things. Soft drinks are readily available 24 hours a day. Towels are readily available, as well. And we always just designate one of the suitcases for the dirty laundry. If there’s something important to you, bring it. But otherwise, I would keep it as simple as possible. That’s really my best tip.

I am cruising on the Disney Fantasy as part of a media preview, as an invited guest of Disney Cruise Line.

Top 10 packing tips for a Disney Fantasy cruise is a post from Family travel blog Theme Park Mom

However, if your beach holiday is temporarily suspended because of a lobster-coloured burn, which is bound to happen in Florida’s powerful sun, then Miami is the place you want to find yourself. If you need to put away your snorkel gear or jet ski for a few days, here are a couple of alternatives to a day on the beach.

1. Explore the food, music and culture in Little Havana. Founded in the 1960s, this section of Miami became an enclave for Cuban immigrants during the Communist revolution. Today, it is composed of all sorts of cultures and ethnicities, as many people from the Caribbean and Latin America have settled in Little Havana. Little Havana is where the foodies go to find international flavours at affordable prices. Be sure to check out Viernes Culturales. It is a block party held in Little Havana on the last Friday of every month.

2. South Beach, which is located in the southern part of Miami Beach, is world-renowned for its glamorous restaurant scene, celebrity chefs, designer boutiques and glittering VIP nightclubs. This is the Miami that everyone knows and recognizes. South Beach is like Nice and Ibiza blended into an American cocktail. However, if dancing to house music and Kim Kardashian glamour is not your thing, then visit the Art Deco Historic District. This is the largest collection of Art Deco architecture in the world, and the numerous galleries, murals and exhibits in this area has cemented its reputation as art lover’s paradise.

3. When you think of Miami, you probably do not envision a zoo or an opera house. However, Miami has both. Zoo Miami has been a mainstay in the city for over twenty years, and it is considered one of the leading zoos in the United States. While not technically an opera house, the Adrienne Arsht Performing Arts Centre, in downtown Miami, puts on operas, symphonies and ballets throughout the year.

By the time you explore everything Miami has to offer, chances are the sunburn will be feeling better, and you will be able to catch some rays before heading home.

Find a deal to suit you with escapes to Florida from Virgin Holidays and see how much you could
save on holidays in 2012!

Getting to know Miami, Florida: Highlights and Alternatives is a post from Family travel blog Theme Park Mom

Tonight’s entertainment starts at 6 p.m., with guest entertainers Murphy’s Law & The Irish Rogues, Creel and the Raglan Road Dancers.

And on St. Patrick’s Day, doors will open at 11 a.m., with all-day entertainment starting at noon. Elevation, a U2 tribute band, will perform inside Raglan Road at 10 p.m. Saturday night.

I checked out the food and entertainment last night at Raglan Road, and here are some tips for enjoying your weekend there:

1. Bring the kids. While the words “Irish Pub” and “family friendly” typically don’t go together on St. Patrick’s Day, Raglan Road is a family friendly place. Kids were having a fabulous time last night interacting with the Raglan Road Dancers, and some even got up on the stage to dance themselves.

2. Plan for a wait. Raglan Road is not taking reservations this weekend, so expect big crowds. Plan to come and get on the list, and then enjoy the music and other entertainment happening outside the restaurant while you wait. Warn the kids so that they’ll know to expect it, too.

3. Cover charge. There will be a $10 cover charge per adult (18+) on St. Patrick’s Day itself. No cover charge on Friday.

4. Wear green. Really. Just do it.

5. Eat this:

Tart Art - Asparagus & goat cheese tart with garden peas, leeks & lemon oil dressed arugula.

And this:

Keen Eye for the Shepherds Pie - We give the traditional shepherd’s pie a little makeover with our contemporary twist to this favorite dish.

And, most importantly, this:

Ger’s Bread & Butter Pudding for dessert. (This you can share.)

Well, actually, eat anything you want, because at my table of 10 last night, every single thing brought out looked amazing.

Thanks to the lovely Amanda Tinney of Disney Every Day for the photos.

Tips for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day at Raglan Road is a post from Family travel blog Theme Park Mom

Here’s the press release from Disney:

The Happiest Place on Earth will get even happier June 15, 2012, with the grand opening of Cars Land, Buena Vista Street and the Carthay Circle Theatre at Disney California Adventure park. The exciting, new additions will complete the five-year expansion of Disneyland Resort, a premier, multi-day vacation destination in Southern California with two theme parks, three hotels and the Downtown Disney shopping and dining district.

With four new attractions opening at Disney California Adventure park, full day-to-night experiences at both parks, and the magical transformation of the Disneyland Hotel with new pools, themed suites and remodeled rooms, guests of all ages will enjoy more fun and adventure than ever before at the Disneyland Resort.

Cars Land expands Disney California Adventure by 12 acres and immerses guests in the thrilling world of the Disney•Pixar blockbuster “Cars.”  Guests will feel as if they have stepped into the town of Radiator Springs as they enjoy three family attractions showcasing characters and settings from the movie, plus “Cars”-themed dining and shopping locations such as Flo’s V8 Café, Ramone’s House of Body Art and Radiator Springs Curios.

One of the largest and most elaborate attractions ever created for a Disney park, Radiator Springs Racers is a twisting, turning, high-speed adventure through Ornament Valley and the town of Radiator Springs. Luigi’s Flying Tires invites guests to glide on air aboard special tires, whirling around with their pals. At Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree, guests will whip around behind a baby tractor and enjoy tunes from a giant jukebox built from Mater’s most prized possessions.

Starting June 15, guests will enter Disney California Adventure along Buena Vista Street, a place that transports them to an era when Walt Disney arrived in California with new dreams:   1920s Los Angeles. Buena Vista Street features Red Car Trolleys, inspired by the transportation system that once served Southern California, and the Carthay Circle Theatre, modeled after the site of the 1937 world premiere of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” Carthay Circle Theatre will include a lounge and the elegant Carthay Circle Restaurant, designed to be the premier dining location in Disney California Adventure.

Adding to the fun at Disney California Adventure this summer will be the new Mad T Party in Hollywood Land, the return of Pixar Play Parade, and the new Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop at Pacific Wharf.  Mad T Party will feature nighttime, family fun inspired by the wild and whimsical world of Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland.”

The summer debuts of Cars Land, Buena Vista Street and Carthay Circle Theatre complement previous additions to the park, including the 4D fun of Toy Story Mania; the spectacular after-dark “World of Color” show; The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure; Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta and Paradise Garden Grill restaurants, plus the re-themed attractions Mickey’s Fun Wheel, Silly Symphony Swings and Goofy’s Sky School.

To accommodate a media preview and make final preparations for the exciting debuts, Disney California Adventure will be closed June 14. The fun, new attractions, locations and entertainment will open to the public June 15.

Cars Land and other Disney California Adventure additions to open June 15 is a post from Family travel blog Theme Park Mom

The newly introduced LEGO® Friends – Olivia, Andrea, Stephanie, Emma and Mia –are coming to LEOGLAND® Florida to host a weekend of fabulous fun geared to girls March 24-25, 2012. A first-ever event, LEGO Friends Weekend is a daytime party that includes a LEGO Friends building event, live entertainment, games and activities. This event celebrates girls and their personal individuality, just like the LEGO Group’s newest line of construction toys.

Event details include:

• Olivia’s Girls Just Wanna Build: Girls can get empowered and inspired to build masterful LEGO creations with an opportunity to meet Master Model Builder, Adora. Once the building bug has taken hold, girls (and boys!) can build a portion of a Heartlake City LEGO model.
• Andrea’s Heartlake Café: The Market Restaurant will be transformed into the iconic Heartlake Café. In front of the restaurant guests will be able to sing their heart out with a karaoke performance.
• Stephanie’s Lakeside Party: Guests will be able to dance till dusk at the end-of-day LEGO Friends dance party.
• Emma’s That’s So You Fashion Show: Saks Fifth Avenue is putting on the glitz to show ways to transform girls into their favorite LEGO Friend.
• Mia’s Mad About Animals Scavenger Hunt: Kids will hunt through the historic Cypress Gardens using clues to find Mia’s favorite animals. Once completed, guests will turn in their list at the LEGO Friends Shop to receive a prize.

Participation in LEGO Friends Weekend is included in park admission.

If you are planning a trip to the LEGO Friends Weekend, check out all my LEGOLAND Florida tips.

LEGO Friends Weekend activities announced at LEGOLAND Florida is a post from Family travel blog Theme Park Mom

Universal Orlando has been working on some major upgrades to their popular Spider Man ride, and the theme park has announced that the new Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man will reopen on March 8.

The ride has been reanimated in high-definition. In addition, Spider-Man now has a new musical score, and the sets and ride vehicles have been upgraded, too.

Some specifics about the new ride:

1. Spider-Man co-creator Stan Lee makes a cameo appearance in the new film animation.
2. The action is more life-like than ever.  Guests will actually see the movement of the characters’ muscles and the changes in their facial expressions.
3. The ride vehicle audio system has been upgraded from 8-channel to 16-channel.
4. Lighting, sets, graphics, props and even scenic detail have been updated with hundreds of new details.
5. And there are some cool, new 3-D glasses to wear when riding, too.

Here’s a sneak peek at the new animation:

New Spider Man ride at Universal to open March 8 is a post from Family travel blog Theme Park Mom

Mariah Carey was chosen as the Disney Fantasy’s godmother, and she led the audience in a countdown that triggered a 6-foot tall bottle of champagne in the Atrium Lobby to erupt and shower onlookers with confetti and streamers as a traditional bottle of champagne broke against the ship’s hull.

The evening also included performances by Jerry Seinfeld, Neil Patrick Harris, Nick Cannon and Heather Headley.

“From stem to stern, the Disney Fantasy was designed and built with the singular purpose of surprising and delighting our guests, helping them make memories to last a lifetime,” said Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Tom Staggs.

When the Disney Fantasy begins sailing on March 31, 2012, it will continue the innovative approach Disney Cruise line brought to family cruise vacations with a collection of new guest experiences specifically developed for the ship’s seven-night itinerary.

Highlights include:

Technological Wizardry. . .

• Animator’s Palate on the Disney Fantasy brings the magic of Disney animation into the dining room with a new show called “Animation Magic.”  At dinner, families are encouraged to draw a character of their own on a specially designed placemat.   Once the placemats are collected, the magic begins as Mickey takes to the screens and brings the guests’ characters to life as they march across screens around the dining room and even step into scenes from beloved Disney movies side-by-side with characters such as Mickey Mouse, Jiminy Cricket, Cinderella and Snow White.
• The Muppets are coming to the Disney Fantasy!  Guests can join the world-famous Muppets for interactive adventure quest to find missing show props by uncovering clues via more than a dozen pieces of Enchanted Art around the ship.   Guided by a map and holding a unique game card in front of select pieces of Enchanted Art, guests unveil games and clues to find the missing items.  “The Case of the Stolen Show” is a self-paced adventure game that features several possible endings and multiple randomized events – so each time a guest plays, they have a different game experience.

Splashtacular Family Fun. . .

• Soaring above the upper decks of the Disney Fantasy, guests will find the AquaDuck a 765-foot long, twisting-and-turning water coaster that has been a huge hit with guests sailing on the Disney Dream.   Several new water surprises are set to debut on the Disney Fantasy including AquaLab — a water play area on the upper deck filled with a variety of water “experiments,” created by Donald Duck’s nephews, designed to drench, soak and saturate guests.  This fanciful 1,800-square-foot space features pop jets, geysers, bubblers, falling water, squirting walls and more.
• On Deck 13 forward, guests 18-years of age and older will find a new relaxing respite. Satellite Falls is a circular splash pool with benches and a gently falling rain curtain that provides cool comfort and is surrounded by ample deck space where adult guests can soak up the sun in loungers or relax in the shade under a canopy.

World-Class Entertainment. . .

• The launch of a new Disney ship includes the premiere of two new Broadway-style stage spectaculars in the lavish Walt Disney Theatre. The signature show “Wishes” is a 45-minute musical journey about three best friends who discover the secret to being a grown-up is staying connected to their inner child. “Disney’s Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular” is a fast-paced musical comedy where Aladdin, the “street rat” of Agrabah, meets a Genie who grants him three wishes, battles the evil Jafar and falls in love with Princess Jasmine.

Club Hopping Across Europe. . .

• Nightlife takes a European twist with Europa – an entertainment district of high-energy, sophisticated clubs and lounges inspired by the night spots of Italy, France, Ireland and London. Europa is a continent of adult nighttime fun without borders. La Piazza is a lounge that draws inspiration from stylish Italian plazas. Skyline is a chic bar that provides ever-changing birds-eye views of European cityscapes. O’Gills Pub is a rollicking Irish bar and Ooh La La is an elegant French champagne bar. The Tube transports guests to a vibrant metropolitan club reminiscent of swinging London.

The Disney Fantasy will sail from Port Canaveral, Fla. on seven-night Caribbean itineraries that alternate eastern (St. Maarten and St. Thomas) and western (Grand Cayman, Costa Maya, Cozumel). All itineraries will include a stop at Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay.

Mariah Carey christens the Disney Fantasy cruise ship is a post from Family travel blog Theme Park Mom

Add to that the top-notch service you get at the Gaylord Palms and the great dining available there, and it’s an all-around winner.

But every hotel needs regular facelifts to stay fresh. So when I discovered last summer that the Gaylord Palms was planning to refurbish all 1,406 guest rooms, I was curious to see what the new decor would look like. That made my recent stay even more of a treat.

The majority of the rooms refurbishments are complete, with the remaining rooms on a schedule to be completed by the end of May. There are two different styles of rooms, which look similar in design with divergent color schemes. I stayed in a Sunset Room, and what follows are pics of the new decor in the actual room I stayed in.

The decor in the Garden Palms rooms looks like the photo below, which was provided by the resort.

I was given a free product or sample because I’m a Klout influencer. I was under no obligation to receive the sample or talk about this company. I get no additional benefits for talking about the product or company.

Gaylord Palms newly refurbished rooms ~ In photos is a post from Family travel blog Theme Park Mom

The park says the celebration will include all-new holiday attractions, shows and shopping. Christmas Town will happen on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights Nov. 30 through Dec. 23.

“When Christmas Town opens in November, it will be the beginning of a unique holiday tradition for
Tampa Bay area,” says Jim Dean, Busch Gardens Tampa’s park president.

Christmas Town will require a separate ticket for admission, similar to the way Busch Gardens’ Halloween event – Howl-O-Scream – is handled.

Fun Cards, annual passes and regular Busch Gardens admission tickets will not be accepted. The theme park says ticket discounts will be available for annual passholders and for children ages 3 to 9.

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay – $10 off Single Day Ticket – Resident/Child

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay announces Christmas Town is a post from Family travel blog Theme Park Mom

AR Flashcards – Animal Alphabet are a new way to interact and make Flashcards more entertaining for toddlers and preschoolers. With AR Flashcards, learning the alphabet will be fun!

When you point your device at the printed flashcards, a beautifully rendered 3D animal will pop up on the screen! Tap the animal to hear the letter and the animal name!

Features include:

• 26 beautifully rendered Animals to help your toddler or preschooler learn!
• Tap on each Animal to hear the letter and name of the Animal!
• Print out the flashcards or use two iOS devices to access the flashcards from within the app in a swipeable gallery!

AR Flashcards uses Augmented Reality, which is cutting edge technology that superimposes computer generated technology over a live view of the world.

Check out the video below to see AR Flashcards in action!

It’s easy to enter, just fill out the Rafflecopter form below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Check out the new AR Flashcards app ~ and enter to win an iPad 2 is a post from Family travel blog Theme Park Mom