For the Love of Lists

Engineering life one step at a time

How to Set Up Your Summer Bucket List

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Summer Bucket List

If New Year’s is for resolutions, then summer is for fun.  Make the most of your summer by listing out your goals in the following lists:

  • Activities to try (surfing, painting, dancing)
  • Projects to work on (organize garage, catalog books, write a book)
  • Places to go (museum, Grand Canyon, planetarium)
  • Things to see/photograph (sunset on the beach, family portrait, fireworks)
  • Foods to make/eat (ice cream cake, BBQ chicken, s’mores)
  • Things to create (homemade scrub, scrapbook, DIY throw pillows)
  • Places to help out (Habitat for Humanity, letters to soldiers, toy donation)
  • Things to do (marathon a TV show, go for a hike, host a reunion)

One of my big goals for this summer is to make a homemade ice cream cake (I’ve already completed my goal of finishing all 10 seasons of Friends).  What are your fun plans for this summer?

10 Weekend Activities to Get You Moving

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Active Weekend Activities

For those of us trying to use this summer for both fun and healthy changes, here are some ideas for weekend activities to get you moving:

  1. Go for a hike
  2. Spend the day swimming at the beach
  3. Take a group fitness class
  4. Get involved in recreational sports (ex. tennis, softball)
  5. Take on household chores (they burn more calories than you think)
  6. Take your family to the park and enjoy the playground with them
  7. Walk around a museum
  8. Build a family obstacle course
  9. Go bowling with friends
  10. Go out dancing for the night

Let me know what other ideas you have for fun, healthy activities!

10 Free Ways to Boost Your Disney Vacation

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Disney Celebration ButtonsIn honor of Disneyland’s Diamond Celebration and its 24-hour kickoff (which starts tomorrow at 0600), here are 10 free ways to boost your Disney vacation:

  1. Scavenger Hunt – enhance your transit/queue time with a fun scavenger adventure (like this one for the Disneyland’s 60th anniversary!)
  2. Hidden Mickeys – Mickey ears are hidden all throughout the parks and resorts, so compete to see who can find the most
  3. Celebration Buttons – go to City Hall (or equivalent) to pick up free buttons for birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, graduation, or just to celebrate
  4. Imagineering Field Guides – while you can buy park field guides at bookstores/Amazon, you can also browse Wikipedia while waiting in lines to learn fun facts about the development of the rides (could be a fun trivia game)
  5. Photo Ops – if you ask, the professional photographers will take photos of you and your family using your personal phone/camera for no cost
  6. Ride Times App – search for a simple app that will keep you updated on estimated queue lengths (so you’ll know if it’s worth it to trek across the park)
  7. Autograph Book – decorate a notebook with your child to bring when they meet all the characters in the park
  8. Ride Souvenirs – supposedly if you ask a skipper on the Jungle Cruise they will give you a free map, but otherwise you can always make your own ride tokens to give to your kids if they brave some of the larger rides (like a printable death certificate for surviving the Haunted Mansion)
  9. “Broadway” Shows – At several parks you can see a 45 min Broadway quality show (included with admission): Aladdin at California Adventures and Beauty and the Beast at Hollywood Studios
  10. “DisneyBound” – Create an outfit based on your favorite Disney themes/characters using suggestions from DisneyBound (great for kids’ outfits that are more functional than princess dresses)

For an automatic enhancement, visit Disney during one of the holiday seasons, particularly around Halloween (Sep – Nov) or Christmas (Nov – Jan).  These times include special edible treats, holiday overlays of several rides, and added shows.

10 Ways to Boost Your Disney Vacation

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Going on a Disney vacation is a treat in itself, but, if you’re looking to enhance your trip, here are 10 ways to make it truly special:

  1. Pin Trading ($10+) – buy pins at the parks or purchase a bulk package on Amazon to trade with cast members
  2. Personalized Ear Hats ($15+) – purchase a set of classic Mickey ears and have names embroidered on the back
  3. Birthday Cakes ($35+) – celebration cakes can be purchased through Disney to be delivered to table service restaurants or hotel rooms
  4. Character Dining ($15-60+pp) – from the simple fun of Plaza Inn to a formal feast at Cinderella’s Royal Table, spend time with your favorite icons
  5. Tours ($25-100+pp) – follow professional guides as they show you the highlights and secrets of the Disney parks
  6. Show/Dinner Packages ($40-65+pp) – get a package deal for Fantasmic! or World of Color, including some of the park’s best restaurants
  7. Costumes/Princess Makeovers ($60-200) – buy your own costumes or get a complete makeover at the Bippity Boppity Boutique
  8. Photo Pass CD ($70-200) – this CD lets you take unlimited photos at the parks and keep the digital copies
  9. High-End Dining ($60-150+pp) – for a memorable evening, make a reservation at the Napa Rose or Victoria & Albert’s
  10. Disney Hotels/Resorts ($100-500/night) – Disney offers a wide selection of hotels that provide early access to the parks and free transportation
World of Color - Disney California Adventure
A view of the setting for the World of Color from the Carthay Circle Dinner Package section.

Quick 10: The Top 10 Educational Disney Attractions

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“I would rather entertain and hope that people learned something than educate people and hope they were entertained.” – Walt Disney

Top 10 Educational Disney Attractions
Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln at Disneyland

Who says you can’t learn something on vacation?  And, better yet, who says that learning can’t be just as fun?  Here is my list of the top Disney attractions that will both educate and entertain your entire family.

  1. Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln & The Hall of Presidents (Disneyland & Magic Kingdom) – Listen to Abraham Lincoln recite some of his most famous speeches amidst a history of the Civil War and celebrate the United States with 43 animatronic presidents detailing the entire history of how America came to be what it is today
  2. World Showcase (EPCOT) – Tour themed areas of 11 countries, including food, architecture, music, and exhibits
  3. Kilimanjaro Safaris & Maharajah Jungle Trek (Animal Kingdom) – Explore the lands of Africa and Asia filled with real-life animals for you to encounter
  4. Mission: Space & Advanced Training Lab (EPCOT) – Train as an astronaut for a mission to Mars and compete in your own space race
  5. Test Track (EPCOT) – Learn about vehicle design and testing as you strap in for a ride around a high-speed track.
  6. Ellen’s Energy Adventure (EPCOT) – Join Ellen DeGeneres and Bill Nye the Science guy as they explore the Big Bang and the history of energy in this 45-minute show
  7. SeaBase (EPCOT) – An aquatic wonderland filled with aquariums, dive experiences, marine exhibits, and Nemo.
  8. Spaceship Earth (EPCOT) – Ride through history as you explore the origins of communication, and don’t forget to get a peek at your future at the end.
  9. Rafiki’s Planet Watch: Conservation Station & Habitat Habit! (Animal Kingdom) – An area of activities focused on the preservation and care of animals
  10. Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress (Magic Kingdom) – One of the infamous rides Walt Disney presented at the 1964 World’s Fair, this animatronics show presents the progression of technology throughout the years.

Honorable Mentions:

  • It’s Tough to be a Bug! (Disney’s California Adventure & Animal Kingdom) – Learn about the world from a bug’s point of view and get some new perspective on our tiniest neighbors
  • Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable (EPCOT) – A 20-minute film about environmental conservation starring the cast of Lion King
  • Living with the Land (EPCOT) – Get a tour of Mickey’s greenhouses and learn where your food comes from.

Do you have a favorite that’s not on this list?  Add it in the comments below!