Epcot is my favorite park. I love daydreaming that I've traveled to a far-off country in the World Showcase. I set my silly fears aside to ride Soarin' and Frozen (no, I don't have the guts to ride Test Track or Mission:Space!) And EVERYONE should ride Spaceship Earth and Living with the Land at least once in their life!

There are several great times throughout the year to be in Epcot - especially during their annual festivals. After all, no one knows how to throw a party like Disney!

​In January and February, the newest festival that offers a lot of fun is the International Festival of the Arts. Statues come alive. Paint a picture along the water. Catch a Disney Broadway music stage show. Plus there are Disney animators and artists on hand to discuss, sell, and autograph their work for you to take home. 

A big hit are the (FREE!) paint-by-numbers murals that get recreated every day with a fresh canvas and guest artists - you! 

​Grab a paintbrush and find your numbers in the grid to be a part of the creation. Brushes up!

The murals start to come to life - can you imagine what the picture will be in the end?

One of the most beautiful - and best-smelling! - times to go to Epcot is during the Spring when the whole park is full of gorgeous gardens and topiary plants trimmed into the shape of your favorite Disney characters. My first trip to Walt Disney World was during the International Flower & Garden Festival so it will always hold a special place in my heart!

Stop by the flower-filled butterfly tent to see all the stages of a butterfly's life! This is located right behind the building for Club Cool and the Character Spot. On your way to the World Showcase, check out the colorful landscaping around the ponds below the Monorail.

Wander around the World Showcase and throughout Future World to see all the creative topiaries and fragrant floral displays.

And let's not forget the fresh-grown garden food to sample - after all, it wouldn't be an Epcot festival without it!

Personally, this is where I spend most of my fall weekends and look forward to it every year! The International Food & Wine Festival is a fabulous way to eat and drink your way around the world, without flying across an ocean. World Showcase is home to 11 countries year-round, but during the fall, this grows to represent delicious food, wine, beer, and other delights from 30 countries!

Samples are served tapas style, perfect portions to share with a friend. Food bites typically cost between $4-8 each, alcoholic beverages run $4-14 each, and nonalcoholic beverages are about $3-6 each. I'm a fairly cheap date... usually after 3 kiosks, I'm full! 

One of my first stops is usually in Future World West, where you'll find some lick-the-plate-clean farm fresh delicacies. I also love to swing by the Islands of the Caribbean... they're Jamaican me hungry for a bite, mon!

For years, Disney fans have flocked to Epcot for the Christmas season to see all the countries decked out in their holiday best! The main attraction - Candlelight Processional - has been a crowd favorite for decades! It has been one of the most popular performances in the park throughout the holidays. Running from Thanksgiving to New Year's, you will find the American Adventure pavilion bursting at the seams with holiday classics at the America Gardens Theatre.

With three performances every evening, the air is filled with beloved Christmas carols and hymns by a 50+ piece orchestra and 300+ person choir, including the Voices of Liberty representing a shining Christmas Tree, topped with a star. 

I even passed Whoopi Goldberg while she was shopping in Disney Springs and on her way to Rivers of Light in Animal Kingdom, where she was seated in the VIP section.

The warm weather in Florida isn't as noticeable with the Christmas decorations around the World Showcase, decked out  in all the finest traditional trimmings of the holidays for each country. There are also a number of Epcot's famous food kiosks to fill you with the Christmas spirit and a few holiday treats from around the world. 

There seems to be about a billion hotels to consider when you come to visit Orlando in Florida. But if you're planning to spend most of your time playing at Walt Disney World, the value of staying at a Disney resort hotel far outweighs any cost savings of staying at something nearby.

7. Nothing is actually "nearby" when you don't stay on property. 
Walt Disney World takes up about 25,000 acres - or 40 square miles - which is geographically the same size as the city of San Francisco! By staying at a Disney resort hotel, you are right in the heart of the parks and all there is to do! Considering there are at least 5 miles of exits off I-4 for Walt Disney World, and you still have to drive a way to actually get to any of the park entrances, plus traffic ... you'll save a lot of heartache and time by just staying at a Disney resort hotel.

6. You save by not needing to pay for a taxi, Uber, or rental car.
When you stay onsite, the Disney Magical Express offers complimentary air-conditioned motorcoach bus transportation to and from your hotel from the Orlando airport (MCO). One of the best things - you don't even need to stop and wait for your luggage! Disney takes care of it for you and it just magically ends up in your room after you arrive! Plus, all the transportation onsite is also complimentary between theme parks, hotels, Disney Springs, water parks, miniature golf, and more!

5. You get FREE Magic Bands!
So these little rubber bracelets don't seem like a big deal - until you've ever stayed "nearby" and not at a Disney hotel. You literally feel lost without it! Besides being a cute fashion accessory - it has a little RFID chip in it that is programmed in to be your hotel room key, dining plan, park tickets, Fast Pass+, Photo Pass or Memory Maker, and even attach a credit card to charge back to your room (you set up a PIN so no one can steal your Magic Band and go on a shopping spree!) By the time your vacation is over, you'll be trying to use it to unlock the front door of your house when you get home! At $13-35 a piece, that can really add up for a family when you stay offsite.

3. You qualify for the Dining Plan!
If you're going to eat at least one or two sit-down meals a day during your vacation, especially any all-you-care-to-enjoy buffets or character dining experiences, you could easily save money by adding a dining plan to your Disney resort hotel stay. This option is ONLY available if you stay on property - not available if you're at a "Good Neighbor" or other "nearby" hotel. The Dining Plan package usually costs about the same as a buffet dinner plus a snack... so your other meal(s), snack, and refillable drink mug for each day of your visit is pretty much free! You pay a set price per night of your visit and the dining "points" (entitlements) can be applied to any of your meals and snacks during the calendar days that you are checked in to your resort hotel. AND they make you eat dessert! I'm not going to argue with them on this one!

Got food allergies? Not only is Walt Disney World one of the happiest places on earth, it's also EXCELLENT when it comes to dining out with food allergies - without the fees that most restaurants upcharge (why should you pay $2 more for a gluten free bun or pizza crust?) The chefs and restaurant managers are well trained in food allergies and preventing issues like cross-contamination that can take place in "regular" restaurants. In the Disney "bubble", they typically have a separate, dedicated kitchen area that is just for preparing allergy-friendly meals. And they can modify or whip up just about anything your heart desires. Trust me on this - I pretty much cried the first time I had the gluten free fried chicken at 50s Prime Time Cafe!

2. More time to play in the theme parks!
Hate crowds and lines? Me too! What if you had an extra hour or two every day where there's less than 40% of the normal number of people in the park? Enjoy Extra Magic Hours when you stay at a Disney resort hotel! Every day, one or two theme parks will either open an hour early or stay open a few hours late JUST for resort guests staying on property! Less time in lines and less people to deal with = more fun for you!

1. You are surrounded by the "magic" for your entire vacation!
There's just something about being in the "Disney bubble" when you stay on property - the Mousekeepers are super sweet, the front desk people are friendly, the bus drivers are hilarious, and the chefs will wow you! Everywhere you turn, there is a Cast Member that wants to add some magical moment to your vacation and create memories to last a lifetime!

It's been a little over a month since I drove across the country and moved to Florida for a new job. You will be seeing me post a lot about the most magical place on earth, as I have a new pass that allows me entrance anytime I want... and I will admit I've been going just to eat some of the wonderful gluten-free food sometimes!

Today I visited the Magic Kingdom, despite the forecast calling for a rainy day. Yes, it rained. It's Florida in the middle of summer - it happens. EVERYDAY.

But I know there are many families who save up - sometimes for years! - to go to Walt Disney World and no one wants the weather to spoil their plans. So I'm here to help reassure you that there are a lot of fun things you can do here on a rainy day!

It's a Small World
Yes, the song plays the entire ride... however I was more mesmerized by the colorful representations of countries from around the world that I tuned it out after a few continents! It was my first time getting to take in this iconic Disney experience! The mellow boat ride takes you across the globe and gives you some time to dry off. Be sure to get a FastPass+ set up for this ride to avoid the long wait line (some of it is under cover but not the very end... and it can get to be a long wait!) The FastPass+ line will get you indoors for shelter from the rain quicker.

The Liberty Belle
All aboard for a relaxing ride along the riverway, passing the route of the Festival of Fantasy parade, Big Thunder Mountain's rollercoaster ride, as well as some other hidden gems along the way - things you wouldn't otherwise see walking through the park. There's plenty of shelter on this lovely old steamboat - mostly standing room, but there are several areas where you can sit down as well. The only parts that aren't really covered are the back of the top deck and the front of the bottom deck.

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Take a winding ride with Pooh and pals on a blustery day - there will be a lot of twists and turns, bumps and twirls, just so you are warned! (I was expecting a calm ride and it definitely was not relaxing!) There is a refreshing blast of air here and there on the ride to dry you off too!

Haunted Mansion
I'll admit that going on this ride was a first for me because I typically don't like anything creepy, scary, or dark. But I am slowly conquering some fears that had given me anxiety over the years - including large crowds and traveling on my own - which I've also been able to calm my nerves with these trips to Walt Disney World so far. I wandered the dark hallways of the mansion with the group of mortals in the FastPass+ line (also highly recommended to avoid the wait, even though the majority of this standby line waits under awnings) and was almost ready to grab the arm of a nearby dad when they put you in a room and all the doors close and the lights go out... but I restrained myself... and lived to tell about the experience at the end of the ride! Yes it's dark and creepy so I am not sure I would take small children on it (though there were plenty on my ride and no one screamed!) but that's just my personal opinion - you can base it on your child's personality and perceptions! Again, this is a longer ride so you can abandon the rainfall and enjoy the dry indoors on a stormy day!

Along with the activities above, there are plenty of other rides, character meet & greets, shops, and restaurants that will allow you to duck inside and stay out of the elements. Enjoy your Disney vacation - rain or shine - and stay dry! Have a magical day!