The Quest For 15K & 18 FP+ ~ A Marathon Weekend 2016 PTR - TR Link, Page 18

[kathleen27]

Yay! For having flights booked!
Your trip plans sound good!

The new sneakers are so pretty! Hope you start to like them more.
I have been looking at the raw threads website a lot recently, I will probably be getting something soon. I am looking for some running shirts, but also some cute Disney shirts for next year.
The Kohl's shirts are cute! I have not been to Kohl's in a while, I did not realize they had a line of Disney clothes!

Your training sounds like it is going well. It's so hard in the heat!!

 

[SarahDisney]

Yay! For having flights booked!

It's very exciting!

Your trip plans sound good!

Thanks!

The new sneakers are so pretty! Hope you start to like them more.

Thanks! They've gotten better with every run, and I'm optimistic that I'll start loving them soon!

I have been looking at the raw threads website a lot recently, I will probably be getting something soon. I am looking for some running shirts, but also some cute Disney shirts for next year.

I looked at their site a lot, but didn't buy anything until they had a sale. They really have some cute stuff, and I thought the shirt I got was great for running ... and it would probably be just as great for wearing to Disney!

The Kohl's shirts are cute! I have not been to Kohl's in a while, I did not realize they had a line of Disney clothes!

Thanks. I think they've had some Disney stuff for a while, but a few months ago they started doing special collections with Lauren Conrad (who is a former reality TV star and current designer whose stuff they sell at Kohl's) - first there was a Cinderella one (based on the new movie), then the Minnie Mouse one came out a few months ago. She's really done some great Disney stuff ...it's just expensive.

Your training sounds like it is going well. It's so hard in the heat!!

Thanks! It's definitely been hot - I've been going out on days when it's a little cooler or earlier in the day. For me it's really just been a matter of trying to get out there and not overheat ... when it's cooler I'll push myself more, but when it's really hot (which is what we've had the past few weeks), I just go out there and take it slow and see how much I can do. Thankfully I've been able to do a lot when I remember to take it easy and drink a lot of water.

 

[Elevationist]

First of all... SARAH, WHERE ARE YOU?! YOU'VE GONE MISSING!

And also as I was scrolling through to see how far behind I am (because I'm always behind on my friends threads), I came across something I needed to comment on...

As an aside - I've been watching the latest season of Orange is the New Black on Netflix and there's a whole arc about Kosher meals at the prison. It made me think of you.

SAME SAME SAME! I was totally thinking of Sarah and her Disney World kosher meals!

It was one of my favorite storylines because one of the inmates ends up legitimately converting and I liked seeing her character develop.

SAME SAME SAME! Actually, a lot of people grumbled about Season 3 not being as good as the first two, but I disagree. It was just different. Less plot and action, but a LOT of insight into the characters, both their backgrounds as well as progression. I dug it, and am looking forward to Season 4!

Okay, now that I got that bit of OITNB geeking out of my system...

I love shirtboo! It's so cute!

And I love shoeboo(tm), too! Love the colors! So pretty!

 

[SarahDisney]

First of all... SARAH, WHERE ARE YOU?! YOU'VE GONE MISSING!

I've been here, just very quietly. It's not so easy to DIS from my phone, and most of my DIS time has been on the phone while doing something else or on the train. Today is the first day in like 2 weeks that I haven't had a meeting, a scheduled phone conversation, or something else that takes up half of my day.

SAME SAME SAME! I was totally thinking of Sarah and her Disney World kosher meals!

Who knew a show about prison would make everyone think of me?

SAME SAME SAME! Actually, a lot of people grumbled about Season 3 not being as good as the first two, but I disagree. It was just different. Less plot and action, but a LOT of insight into the characters, both their backgrounds as well as progression. I dug it, and am looking forward to Season 4!

I didn't like season 3, but that's only because it's hard for me to like things I've never seen. I've never watched any OITNB.

I love shirtboo! It's so cute!

Thanks! They make a lot of really cute stuff, and I'm very happy with the shirt I bought!

And I love shoeboo(tm), too! Love the colors! So pretty!

Technically they're not shoeboo ... you only get to add "boo" to the end if there's bamboo involved. And bamboo shoes are just weird.
But thanks ... I love the colors too! The salesperson suggested them because of the color (well, sort of ... she brought me three different types of shoes in varying shades of pink/purple). They actually make a pinker version of this shoe that I like better ... but they didn't have it in my store

 

[SarahDisney]

Religious Issues Relating to a Trip to Disney​

This is probably going to be one of my more "controversial" posts, because, well, religion, but I figured it was easier to lay it all out in one place that I could refer to later rather than going into long-winded explanations every time something comes up.


If you've been reading along, you've seen me slightly touch on two religion-related topics that are relevant to our trip planning, Kosher and Shabbos. Since we're in the "lull" portion of planning, it seems like now is as good a time as any for me to go into a little more detail about those two issues and their effect on our Disney trips, as well as one other topic, which affects what we wear at Disney (and every day) and our running clothes.

So, without further ado, I give you a brief overview (or at least I tried to make it brief) of religious issues relevant to our trip to Disney. Please remember that what I am saying here applies only to Beth and me and our trips to Disney, and should not be taken as a blanket statement about Jewish observance. If you have any questions, ask your local rabbi.

Originally I had this written out as long paragraphs, but I figured a Q&A format might be more readable.

Food:
Q: We all know from the ADR post what the story is for meals. But what do you do about snacks?
A: Disney sells a lot of snacks that are certified kosher, including Chip & Dale pretzels, Mickey Ice Cream, and some pre-packaged cookies. We’ll also buy uncut fruit (cut fruit is a different story). Mostly we bring our own snacks anyway because it’s cheaper.

Q: What about beverages?
A: All Coca Cola products are kosher certified (in the US at least), so we can get bottled or fountain soda at any location. I’m not a soda drinker, but Beth will usually get some soda.

Q: Are alcoholic beverages kosher?
A: Some are. All unflavored domestic beers are acceptable, as are many imported beers. Some flavored beers are kosher, but not many. Mixed drinks are a little more complicated depending on the ingredients, so that decision is made on a case-by-case basis. Wine needs to come from a Kosher vineyard, and I have yet to find Kosher wine at Disney.

Q: What about the most important beverage of all, coffee?
A: Disney uses Joffrey’s coffee resort-wide, and Joffrey’s is kosher. We will also frequent the Starbucks locations in the park, where we will get plain coffee and some flavors of lattes, but not cappuccino, macchiato, or baked goods of any sort.

Q: Are there any kosher foods for you at Downtown Disney/Disney Springs?
A: There sure are! Erin McKenna Bakery is kosher-certified (although we have yet to visit because it opened in the middle of our last trip). We’ll also get ice cream, sundaes, chocolate, and coffee at Ghirardelli because the components are all kosher-certified, even though the store itself is not.

Q: Is there anything that you bring from home because you can’t get it kosher at Disney?
A: We often bring bread, peanut butter, tuna, cereal, oatmeal, and some snacks from home. Some of this can be bought in the resort gift shop or food court, but it’s cheaper to bring it from home.

Q: Anything else we need to know about kosher?
A: There are a lot of tiny little details that I’m not even going to begin to discuss. One thing I do want to mention is that we don’t eat meat and dairy together (fish is not considered meat for this purpose, and we eat it with dairy, but not everyone does). There is a waiting period after we eat meat before we can eat dairy (it varies based on family custom, but our custom is 6 hours), but not the other way around (meaning that we can eat dairy, have a glass of water, and then have meat right away). So no ice cream dessert after a meat dinner … but we do have non-dairy options.


Shabbos:
Q: What’s a Shabbos?
A: Shabbos (or Shabbat) is the Jewish Sabbath. It goes from Friday evening to Saturday night, lasting approximately 25 hours.

Q: When/how does Shabbos start?
A: Shabbos starts 18 minutes before sunset (5:27 PM at Disney on January 8th). In order to formally start Shabbos, we light candles (we use tea lights at Disney) and say a blessing over the candles. In some households all women over age 12 light their own candles, while in others (like mine) only the senior female (or male if there’s no senior female) lights (Beth will most likely do this while we’re at Disney).

Q: So, the candles are lit and it’s Shabbos. What happens next?
A: If we were at home, I would most likely be at a prayer service at synagogue. Since there’s no Orthodox service I can attend within walking distance of Disney, I’ll just pray in the room.

Q: When does the eating happen?
A: Soon! At the beginning of the meal, we make a blessing over wine (or grape juice), followed by ritual handwashing and a blessing over challah bread. After that, the meal is business as usual. We finish the meal (and technically any meal with bread) with Grace After Meals.

Q: Okay, so what’s next?
A: SLEEP! Depending on how early/late it is, we’ll either go straight to sleep, or stay up and hang out/play games/read for a little bit.

Q: Wait – once you’re done with the prayers & meal, why can’t you just head back to the park?
A: One of the restrictions associated with Shabbos is no electronics – which includes no driving or riding in cars, and no MagicBand use. So, no way to get to the parks, and no way to get in once we get there. And we can’t go on any rides (again, electronics). Or get our pictures taken with any characters (no cameras). Or shop (no money use).

Q: No MB use? Does that mean you can’t leave the room all of Shabbos?
A: It’s not so much that we can’t leave the room as that we can’t get back in. Leaving the room doesn’t involve the MB. I do usually wear it as a bracelet (I choose the color that matches my outfit best, no matter whose it is – last year I wore one of Beth’s MBs all day), so if we end up going out and coming back after Shabbos, I can let us back in.

Q: Can’t you just call the front desk (or a friend) and have them let you back in?
A: Nope, no phones. As I already said, no cameras. And no watching TV or computer use. Nothing electronic.

Q: Wait – does no electronics include no lights? How can you see?
A: Lights can be left on over Shabbos (or can be set to go on/off with a timer), but can’t be turned on or off. Motion-sensitive lights are not acceptable for Shabbos use (neither are motion-sensitive doors).

Q: Is Saturday the same as Friday night?
A: Pretty much. It starts with morning prayers (although I usually eat breakfast first), and then a meal much like dinner. We’ll either hang out after lunch or take naps (which is not a requirement so much as an awesome tradition). A third meal is required, but this one doesn’t have the blessing over wine and bread isn’t required, so we’ll just have snacks or leftover side dishes.

Q: When/how does Shabbos end?
A: Shabbos ends at nightfall (6:29 PM at Disney on January 9th). Once Shabbos is over, I’ll say the nighttime prayers, and then we have to say a special prayer called Havdalah to formally end Shabbos. Havdalah consists of blessings over wine (or grape juice or beer or orange juice), smelling salts (called b’samim) and fire (we’ll probably do it in the stairwell again like we did last year … no smoke detectors there).

Q: So what happens after Havdalah?
A: After Havdalah it’s officially after Shabbos! We can do whatever we want, including using electronics, heading to a park, etc. This year’s plans are currently MK area resort hopping (and Wishes/Electrical Water Pageant) and/or Downtown Disney (subject to change), but last year we left for Magic Kingdom within a few minutes after Shabbos.


Dress Code:
Q: Are there any restriticions on what you can & can't wear?
A: Yes, but I’m not going to go into everything because there are many different opinions and some complicated nuances. But the overall theme is modesty.

Q: So what do we, as your loyal readers, need to know?
A: I generally don’t wear pants; Beth does (it’s a little complicated). So if you can’t tell us apart in a picture (not that we look alike), I’m the one in the skirt (if we’re both wearing skirts, you’re SOL). Skirts are usually at or below the knee, but sometimes a drop higher if we’re wearing something underneath.

Q: Any restrictions relating to shirts?
A: Neither one of us wears sleeveless or very short sleeves. More often than not we’re both wearing long sleeves, but that’s more comfort than religion. We don’t wear super low necklines, and I generally prefer crew neck shirts.

Q: Do these rules apply to running clothing too?
A: Yes, although I often wear v-necks while running because they’re more comfortable, and Beth runs in (longer) short sleeves during the summer.

So … there’s your not-so-brief religious overview. There’s a lot I didn’t cover, but I think this touches on the basic issues that affect our vacation, our scheduling, and planning. If you have any questions, you can ask ... but might answer might be "ask your local rabbi."
More on this in a few weeks when we start working with running costumes (do you know how hard it is to find a knee-length running skirt?????).

 

[shaynar]

Religious Issues Relating to a Trip to Disney​

This is probably going to be one of my more "controversial" posts, because, well, religion, but I figured it was easier to lay it all out in one place that I could refer to later rather than going into long-winded explanations every time something comes up.


If you've been reading along, you've seen me slightly touch on two religion-related topics that are relevant to our trip planning, Kosher and Shabbos. Since we're in the "lull" portion of planning, it seems like now is as good a time as any for me to go into a little more detail about those two issues and their effect on our Disney trips, as well as one other topic, which affects what we wear at Disney (and every day) and our running clothes.

So, without further ado, I give you a brief overview (or at least I tried to make it brief) of religious issues relevant to our trip to Disney. Please remember that what I am saying here applies only to Beth and me and our trips to Disney, and should not be taken as a blanket statement about Jewish observance. If you have any questions, ask your local rabbi.

Originally I had this written out as long paragraphs, but I figured a Q&A format might be more readable.

Food:
Q: We all know from the ADR post what the story is for meals. But what do you do about snacks?
A: Disney sells a lot of snacks that are certified kosher, including Chip & Dale pretzels, Mickey Ice Cream, and some pre-packaged cookies. We’ll also buy uncut fruit (cut fruit is a different story). Mostly we bring our own snacks anyway because it’s cheaper.

Q: What about beverages?
A: All Coca Cola products are kosher certified (in the US at least), so we can get bottled or fountain soda at any location. I’m not a soda drinker, but Beth will usually get some soda.

Q: Are alcoholic beverages kosher?
A: Some are. All unflavored domestic beers are acceptable, as are many imported beers. Some flavored beers are kosher, but not many. Mixed drinks are a little more complicated depending on the ingredients, so that decision is made on a case-by-case basis. Wine needs to come from a Kosher vineyard, and I have yet to find Kosher wine at Disney.

Q: What about the most important beverage of all, coffee?
A: Disney uses Joffrey’s coffee resort-wide, and Joffrey’s is kosher. We will also frequent the Starbucks locations in the park, where we will get plain coffee and some flavors of lattes, but not cappuccino, macchiato, or baked goods of any sort.

Q: Are there any kosher foods for you at Downtown Disney/Disney Springs?
A: There sure are! Erin McKenna Bakery is kosher-certified (although we have yet to visit because it opened in the middle of our last trip). We’ll also get ice cream, sundaes, chocolate, and coffee at Ghirardelli because the components are all kosher-certified, even though the store itself is not.

Q: Is there anything that you bring from home because you can’t get it kosher at Disney?
A: We often bring bread, peanut butter, tuna, cereal, oatmeal, and some snacks from home. Some of this can be bought in the resort gift shop or food court, but it’s cheaper to bring it from home.

Q: Anything else we need to know about kosher?
A: There are a lot of tiny little details that I’m not even going to begin to discuss. One thing I do want to mention is that we don’t eat meat and dairy together (fish is not considered meat for this purpose, and we eat it with dairy, but not everyone does). There is a waiting period after we eat meat before we can eat dairy (it varies based on family custom, but our custom is 6 hours), but not the other way around (meaning that we can eat dairy, have a glass of water, and then have meat right away). So no ice cream dessert after a meat dinner … but we do have non-dairy options.


Shabbos:
Q: What’s a Shabbos?
A: Shabbos (or Shabbat) is the Jewish Sabbath. It goes from Friday evening to Saturday night, lasting approximately 25 hours.

Q: When/how does Shabbos start?
A: Shabbos starts 18 minutes before sunset (5:27 PM at Disney on January 8th). In order to formally start Shabbos, we light candles (we use tea lights at Disney) and say a blessing over the candles. In some households all women over age 12 light their own candles, while in others (like mine) only the senior female (or male if there’s no senior female) lights (Beth will most likely do this while we’re at Disney).

Q: So, the candles are lit and it’s Shabbos. What happens next?
A: If we were at home, I would most likely be at a prayer service at synagogue. Since there’s no Orthodox service I can attend within walking distance of Disney, I’ll just pray in the room.

Q: When does the eating happen?
A: Soon! At the beginning of the meal, we make a blessing over wine (or grape juice), followed by ritual handwashing and a blessing over challah bread. After that, the meal is business as usual. We finish the meal (and technically any meal with bread) with Grace After Meals.

Q: Okay, so what’s next?
A: SLEEP! Depending on how early/late it is, we’ll either go straight to sleep, or stay up and hang out/play games/read for a little bit.

Q: Wait – once you’re done with the prayers & meal, why can’t you just head back to the park?
A: One of the restrictions associated with Shabbos is no electronics – which includes no driving or riding in cars, and no MagicBand use. So, no way to get to the parks, and no way to get in once we get there. And we can’t go on any rides (again, electronics). Or get our pictures taken with any characters (no cameras). Or shop (no money use).

Q: No MB use? Does that mean you can’t leave the room all of Shabbos?
A: It’s not so much that we can’t leave the room as that we can’t get back in. Leaving the room doesn’t involve the MB. I do usually wear it as a bracelet (I choose the color that matches my outfit best, no matter whose it is – last year I wore one of Beth’s MBs all day), so if we end up going out and coming back after Shabbos, I can let us back in.

Q: Can’t you just call the front desk (or a friend) and have them let you back in?
A: Nope, no phones. As I already said, no cameras. And no watching TV or computer use. Nothing electronic.

Q: Wait – does no electronics include no lights? How can you see?
A: Lights can be left on over Shabbos (or can be set to go on/off with a timer), but can’t be turned on or off. Motion-sensitive lights are not acceptable for Shabbos use (neither are motion-sensitive doors).

Q: Is Saturday the same as Friday night?
A: Pretty much. It starts with morning prayers (although I usually eat breakfast first), and then a meal much like dinner. We’ll either hang out after lunch or take naps (which is not a requirement so much as an awesome tradition). A third meal is required, but this one doesn’t have the blessing over wine and bread isn’t required, so we’ll just have snacks or leftover side dishes.

Q: When/how does Shabbos end?
A: Shabbos ends at nightfall (6:29 PM at Disney on January 9th). Once Shabbos is over, I’ll say the nighttime prayers, and then we have to say a special prayer called Havdalah to formally end Shabbos. Havdalah consists of blessings over wine (or grape juice or beer or orange juice), smelling salts (called b’samim) and fire (we’ll probably do it in the stairwell again like we did last year … no smoke detectors there).

Q: So what happens after Havdalah?
A: After Havdalah it’s officially after Shabbos! We can do whatever we want, including using electronics, heading to a park, etc. This year’s plans are currently MK area resort hopping (and Wishes/Electrical Water Pageant) and/or Downtown Disney (subject to change), but last year we left for Magic Kingdom within a few minutes after Shabbos.


Dress Code:
Q: Are there any restriticions on what you can & can't wear?
A: Yes, but I’m not going to go into everything because there are many different opinions and some complicated nuances. But the overall theme is modesty.

Q: So what do we, as your loyal readers, need to know?
A: I generally don’t wear pants; Beth does (it’s a little complicated). So if you can’t tell us apart in a picture (not that we look alike), I’m the one in the skirt (if we’re both wearing skirts, you’re SOL). Skirts are usually at or below the knee, but sometimes a drop higher if we’re wearing something underneath.

Q: Any restrictions relating to shirts?
A: Neither one of us wears sleeveless or very short sleeves. More often than not we’re both wearing long sleeves, but that’s more comfort than religion. We don’t wear super low necklines, and I generally prefer crew neck shirts.

Q: Do these rules apply to running clothing too?
A: Yes, although I often wear v-necks while running because they’re more comfortable, and Beth runs in (longer) short sleeves during the summer.

So … there’s your not-so-brief religious overview. There’s a lot I didn’t cover, but I think this touches on the basic issues that affect our vacation, our scheduling, and planning. If you have any questions, you can ask ... but might answer might be "ask your local rabbi."
More on this in a few weeks when we start working with running costumes (do you know how hard it is to find a knee-length running skirt?????).

Great post Sarah!
We're also observant Disney-goers - we've done Shabbos in Disney 5 times (with number 6 coming up!)

 

[huggybuff]

Very interesting and readable post on your religion as it relates to Disney, Sarah! Some things I was aware of WRT to Shabbos in general, but I'd never thought of how it impacts a Disney vacation. So many things to consider! Thank you for sharing.

 

[stacy~**]

Thank you for the very interesting and informative post on your religious practices. While I've been able to gather bits and pieces from your posts over time it was nice to see it laid out. It's great that you and Beth have such a good system for keeping true to your beliefs while at Disney!

 

[SarahDisney]

Great post Sarah!
We're also observant Disney-goers - we've done Shabbos in Disney 5 times (with number 6 coming up!)

Thanks for stopping by!
I never would have thought of doing Shabbos at Disney before last year, but it really is nice. It may not be the same as Shabbos at home (for me at least), but it's a really relaxing place to spend Shabbos!

Very interesting and readable post on your religion as it relates to Disney, Sarah! Some things I was aware of WRT to Shabbos in general, but I'd never thought of how it impacts a Disney vacation. So many things to consider! Thank you for sharing.

Thanks for your kind words! It's definitely a lot to think about, but much of it is second nature to us by now. I did want to write it all out because I knew that even some people who are familiar with Shabbos or Kosher may not think about how it impacts Disney trips.

Thank you for the very interesting and informative post on your religious practices. While I've been able to gather bits and pieces from your posts over time it was nice to see it laid out. It's great that you and Beth have such a good system for keeping true to your beliefs while at Disney!

Thank you for commenting! I've mentioned bits and pieces here and there, but I figured it would be a good idea to lay it all out in one place. It's definitely a lot to think about, but we manage pretty well!

 

[Elevationist]

Sarah, you know I find this stuff fascinating, and I loved your Q&A! Thank you so much... You made the information very accessible and easy to understand how it effects your vacation!

 

[afwdwfan]

This is probably going to be one of my more "controversial" posts, because, well, religion, but I figured it was easier to lay it all out in one place that I could refer to later rather than going into long-winded explanations every time something comes up.

I just wanted to say that I think that was a fantastic post and I didn't see anything even remotely controversial about it. I always enjoy learning about others' beliefs and I appreciate you sharing some explanations in basic terms.

 

[SarahDisney]

Sarah, you know I find this stuff fascinating, and I loved your Q&A! Thank you so much... You made the information very accessible and easy to understand how it effects your vacation!

Thanks! I know that many of my readers (including you!) like to learn about my religion and lifestyle, so I try to share the information in an understandable way (even though some of it makes no sense, even to me).

I just wanted to say that I think that was a fantastic post and I didn't see anything even remotely controversial about it. I always enjoy learning about others' beliefs and I appreciate you sharing some explanations in basic terms.

Thank you for the kind words!
I've been exposed to some environments where any mention of religion is considered controversial (which makes no sense in a world where the majority of people identify with some religion), so I wanted to cover my bases. But I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed learning more about my beliefs and appreciated the info!

 

[NYHeel]

As for coming back into hotel rooms, I usually either tape the bolt down or just use the do not disturb sign to get between the bolt and the hole. I then put another do not disturb sign on the handle so the maid doesn't come in and ruin the setup.

Of course the door then isn't locked but I just make sure to put all valuable away in the safe before Shabbos. Keep in mind that the door looks closed and locked. This way we're not forced to be in the hotel room all Shabbos.

This and a low floor has always helped make hotel shabbos stays slightly less unpleasant.

 

[SarahDisney]

As for coming back into hotel rooms, I usually either tape the bolt down or just use the do not disturb sign to get between the bolt and the hole. I then put another do not disturb sign on the handle so the maid doesn't come in and ruin the setup.

Of course the door then isn't locked but I just make sure to put all valuable away in the safe before Shabbos. Keep in mind that the door looks closed and locked. This way we're not forced to be in the hotel room all Shabbos.

This and a low floor has always helped make hotel shabbos stays slightly less unpleasant.

Thanks for the tip! I had totally forgotten that we could do that (others have mentioned it to me in the past). I don't know that I'm wild about leaving the door unlocked, but it's good to remember that it's an option (especially because nobody but us will know it's not locked, so there isn't really much to worry about).

 

[NYHeel]

Thanks for the tip! I had totally forgotten that we could do that (others have mentioned it to me in the past). I don't know that I'm wild about leaving the door unlocked, but it's good to remember that it's an option (especially because nobody but us will know it's not locked, so there isn't really much to worry about).

Even on a short January Shabbos I can't imagine sitting in a hotel room all day when the weather is typically reasonably nice in Orlando in January. Granted I have 3 kids to deal with.

We're also planning on being in Disney in January (during winter break) and will include a Shabbos stay, though we won't be staying onsite. There's nothing even remotely reasonable for a family of 5 in the Disney hotels, especially when I really want a kitchen. We last came in January of 2012 and also spent a shabbos. We learned a little about dealing with food for Shabbos in Orlando. Was actually pleasantly surprised by the frozen kosher food available in regular supermarkets.

Haven't booked flights yet. Waiting a little longer to see if they'll get to the low $200 range. Right now I'm just learning about the new fast pass system.

 

[SarahDisney]

Even on a short January Shabbos I can't imagine sitting in a hotel room all day when the weather is typically reasonably nice in Orlando in January. Granted I have 3 kids to deal with.

I think it's easier for us because we nap much of the afternoon ... you can't always get kids to nap. We may still get a bit of cabin fever, though, so it's good to have strategies for leaving the room.

We're also planning on being in Disney in January (during winter break) and will include a Shabbos stay, though we won't be staying onsite. There's nothing even remotely reasonable for a family of 5 in the Disney hotels, especially when I really want a kitchen. We last came in January of 2012 and also spent a shabbos. We learned a little about dealing with food for Shabbos in Orlando. Was actually pleasantly surprised by the frozen kosher food available in regular supermarkets.

Yeah, Disney for families is not so affordable, and I think the only options for a kitchen are DVC rooms (super expensive when booking with cash) or Art of Animation Suites (a value resort at deluxe prices). When we went as a family (many years ago) we stayed somewhere in Kissimmee, which was much cheaper.
I actually thought about going to Publix or something like that last year, but since we don't have a car, it's harder for us, so we just brought food from home.
One tip: I don't know if you were planning to get any food at the parks, but apparently the quick service places do run low on Kosher food during Yeshiva Break. My parents went last year and said that one night Cosmic Ray's at Magic Kingdom was out of almost everything.

Haven't booked flights yet. Waiting a little longer to see if they'll get to the low $200 range. Right now I'm just learning about the new fast pass system.

Good luck finding flights - I hope you're able to find something in your price range!
The new fastpass system definitely takes some getting used to, but you can learn to make it work (I happen to be a big fan of the new system, mostly because I use it and I rarely used the old system). Just be sure to do your research and I'm sure you'll figure it out!

 

[SarahDisney]

Miscellaneous Updates, Take 2
​

Running Notes:
A few running notes:

- I hit 6 miles on August 17th. Remember when I hit 5.5 miles and I said I wanted to just push myself and do 10K, but I knew pushing too hard too fast was a bad idea? This run was what happens when I push too hard too fast. I had some minor chest pain at the end of the run, and I once I finished, I was too exhausted all day to do anything. It was a bad run and I should have stopped at 5.5 miles. Oh well. Now I know not to push myself too hard to hit 10K, and when I do eventually hit it, hopefully it will be a better run.

- I got me a shiny “new” Garmin Forerunner 10 GPS Running Watch. For my non-runners, what it does is use satellites to track the distance of my run (which I had previously done with my phone, using lots and lots of battery) and gathers some statistics. It also gives me my pace, and can serve as my interval timing (I do run/walk, not straight running), and does lots of other things I have yet to discover. One of the many awesome people on the WISH boards had an extra Garmin that she wasn’t using anymore (she upgraded to a newer/better one), so she offered to send it to me. Yay! Plus, it’s pink, so … perfect. Here’s a picture with the stats from today’s run:


- runDisney announced that they’re adding a Star Wars race weekend at WDW (they already have one at DL) in April. I would be excited (WDW desperately needed a new race weekend), but I’m getting sick of Star Wars Mania. It is exciting for Star Wars runners, though, and I hope this means they’re open to adding another awesome race weekend at WDW (after all, I think Star Wars and Avengers were both added to DL in the same year … or at most, a year apart).

My Thoughts on D23, An Overview:
Originally I was going to write out my detailed thoughts on all the parks-related stuff announced at D23, but then I changed my mind because that’s a lot to read, and even I don’t care that much. So here’s a summary.

Things I Am Most Excited For:
(only slightly in order)

• Slinky Dog Coaster
• Toy Story Land (although I would have preferred a general Pixar theme)
• Frozen Ever After
• Rivers of Light
• Nighttime Kilimanjaro Safaris

Things I Am Least Excited For:
(all equally unexcited)

• Anything Star Wars. I am sick of Star Wars everywhere. People think Frozen is taking over … but it’s nowhere near what’s happening with Star Wars
• Hyperspace Mountain at DL
• Pandora

I’m a little torn on Soarin’ Over the World … on the one hand, I love California, so I love the current video. On the other hand, I think I’ll enjoy the new video and seeing some cool new places.

Crafty (or Not) Sarah:
So, this came…


That is three yards of Poly Spandex fabric (it’s gray with pink and very shiny). If I’m lucky, it will become a running skirt (either for general use or for an Ariel’s pink dress (or something else if I think of something better that I want to do) DisneyBound). More likely it will just frustrate me (I’ve never made a skirt from scratch before). But we shall see. I’m in the process of trying to figure it out … I’ve got a piece of the fabric marked off so that I can cut it out, and from there I’ll try to sew it together to make a circle and then attach the top to an elastic or something. We shall see.

Oh, and I don’t need all three yards for the skirt, it was just the minimum amount I could buy of this fabric. Not sure what I’ll do with the other yard and a half or so.

Sad News:


All of the pictures above have one thing in common – my favorite denim skirt (I know that it looks different in every picture, but that’s a combination of lighting and wear & tear). This skirt, which I have had and loved since 2010, has been to WDW 4 times and DL once. Unfortunately, it has made its way to the big giant laundry hamper in the sky. I wore it to a baseball game and discovered a hole, and it was in bad enough shape that I decided not to try patching it.

I know it probably sounds ridiculous, but I am sad. I loved this skirt. I wore it once or twice a week even after I got a new denim skirt to “replace” it. It was comfortable, had great pockets, and matched pretty much everything. I’ve had it for so long that it feels like it’s become a part of who I am, and I feel like I lost a part of myself. I’m definitely adjusting to a new normal when I pick out my clothing in the morning.

Life Update:
Nothing too exciting going on. I'm in one of my periods where I'm alternating really busy days with not at all busy days and hating it. I'm hoping the pattern changes soon, but we'll see.
Beth’s back in school. Chemistry. Hopefully she’ll do as well in this class as she did in Physics!

And ... there's your update. I'm currently working on my pre-Disney to-do list, so I may share that in a week or two when I've got it all figured out.

 

[rteetz]

Great update. You are ahead of the game hitting 6 miles this far out already. When I ran the 10k last year I never hit 6.2 the most I trained at was 5.5. When it came to race day tho I had an amazing race. You'll do fine just don't push too hard.

I thought about buying a garmin but opted for an apple watch instead. I am an apple geek and the apple watch can do more than just track running so that was the biggest reasons.

 

[huggybuff]

I had some minor chest pain at the end of the run, and I once I finished, I was too exhausted all day to do anything.

Eep. I don't like hearing about chest pains. Never a good sign. Take care of yourself, Sarah! No more pushing yourself when you know you shouldn't!

Congrats on your 'new' Garmin!!! It is a very pretty pink.

I have to part ways with you on the Star Wars expansion. I'm super excited! The only thing I'm going to be sad to lose is the petting zoo at DL. I hope they can just relocate it maybe? The baby goats are just the cutest.

Sorry for the loss of your skirt.

 

[NJlauren]

Just joined in! Let me say I feel you on losing a favorite item of clothing, it is really the worst feeling especially when it's such a staple!

Congrats on your running! Amazing accomplishments!!!