Disney World Hotel Tips

If you have ever planned a Disney trip, you know it is so expensive.  We go to Disney pretty regularly (2 or more times per year, and have gone on every form of budget!  A typical family of 4 spends on average almost $4,000 on a 5 day trip to Disney.   There are so many factors that can impact that price (hotel, food, tickets, time of year, etc).  If you are going to Disney, you can expect to spend thousands of dollars; however, making some minor adjustments can give you a GREAT vacation for less money!  Today, we will focus on resorts!  

This is where a large part of the Disney cost comes from.  I am going to break it down based on the resort category.  You can save the most money if you choose to stay off property.  Let’s look at each category.  

Disney Deluxe Resorts

These are the most expensive of the Disney resorts and includes Animal Kingdom Lodge, Boardwalk, Contemporary, Grand Floridian, Polynesian Village, Wilderness Lodge, Yacht Club and Beach Club, and the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin.   These resorts are the most expensive for a variety of reasons: close proximity to the parks, dining options, transportation options, elaborate themed lobbies, and other features.   

A typical deluxe resort holds up to 5 people, so if you have a larger family, this may be a cheaper option than reserving two rooms.  However, reserving adjoining rooms in a moderate or value resort may be a better option in terms of cost.

Transportation at these resorts are awesome!  Most offer multiple forms.  Transportation to the Disney parks includes the monorail, bus, boat or Skyliner.  Transportation can be incredibly frustrating - waiting in long lines to board (especially after the parks close).  There’s nothing worse than having tired, cranky kids that have to wait in one more line at the end of the day to get back to their resort.  These resorts offer multiple options, which is helpful in giving you options (choose the option with the shortest line)! 

 

Being on the monorail is a huge plus for access to many of the Disney parks.  The Contemporary, Grand Floridian and Polynesian resorts all are located on the monorail.  This can be a huge time saver with easy access to both Magic Kingdom and Epcot.  Guests who board the monorail do so right in their resort.  Additionally, security screens you prior to boarding the monorail.  This means you bypass the long security lines at the park entrance!  

A few of the resorts even are within walking distance to some of the parks.  There is nothing worse than having to wait for a bus or other mode of transportation at the end of a long day at the parks.  Guests staying at the Yacht Club and Beach Club and the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin are within walking distance to Epcot.  You will enter directly into the World Showcase.

The Animal Kingdom Lodge is the only resort that only offers bus transportation.    

Each of the resorts, excluding The Animal Kingdom Lodge, have boat access as well.  

If the pools are an important feature for you, the Deluxe resorts offer the best themed pools.  The pools are equipped with water slides and other special features and these resorts offer a “quiet” pool for those guests that want to relax.  You can even see the fireworks from Magic Kingdom while night swimming.  They even pipe the music in over the speakers!  

You can view the fireworks at Magic Kingdom right from the Polynesian Resort pool!

Resorts in this category offer concierge service level, which cast members refer to as “club level”.  Guests staying on this level get the added perk of priority seating at restaurants and shows and booking help!  Additionally, guests on this level get to enjoy a lounge that includes a continental breakfast, snacks at lunchtime, hors d'oeuvres, dessert and cordials every evening.  Of course, these rooms come with an added cost.  

One more thing to consider, guests of these resorts get exclusive extended Magic Hours.  This is great because the lines will be less and you can maybe jump on that hard to get ride that always has a ridiculously long wait time (Rise of the Resistance, Ratatouille, or Seven Dwarfs Mine Train)!

My Pick: Disney’s Beach Club Resort.  The rooms are spacious and have a very bright feel to them!  The pool is absolutely fantastic!  There is nothing better than having a beach themed pool with a sand bottom, space to build sand castles and numerous waterfalls.  The slide is spectacular and not too scary for even your younger riders.  Disney’s Beach club is located within walking distance to Epcot and has plenty of variety of transportation.  You can also take the boat to Epcot if you don’t feel like walking and the boat also provides service to Hollywood Studios.  You would need to take the bus to Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom.  

Disney's Beach & Yacht Club is the right combination of convenience and luxury.  The pool is the best on Disney property.  Located within walking distance to Epcot and easy access to the Skyliner, you will be a short distance to some of the parks.  

Moderate Resorts

These resorts are my favorite because they are more affordable than the Deluxe resorts while still giving you some luxuries.  They are a great mix of luxury and affordability!  Resorts included in this category are  Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Coronado Springs Resort, The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort, Port Orleans Resort – Riverside, and Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter.  Each of these resorts has their own character and charm.  

These resorts still offer plenty of amenities, transportation and have great pools!  The one thing that is a huge downfall of these resorts is how spread out they are.  They are constructed differently than the Deluxe resorts.  Each of these resorts consists of several smaller buildings that are spread out around the property.  As a result, depending which building you are located, you could have a further walk to the amenities (ie: pool, food, transportation pickup).  This can be frustrating, especially for the little travelers in your party.  While you can make a request at the time of booking for a specific building, they don’t always honor that request.  

None of these resorts are located on the monorail; however, they do have other forms of transportation that are very much preferred.  The Skyliner is an awesome form of transportation and is located at Disney’s Caribbean Beach.  My kids absolutely love this (and even think of it as another ride)!  Often you will only be seated with your family and can get beautiful aerial views of Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  Because the Skyliner only has hubs at a few resorts, there are limited stops and will get you to your destination quickly with a view.  The Skyliner goes to both Epcot and Hollywood Studios and will only have one resort stop on your way at Disney’s Riviera Resort (Disney Vacation Club property).

The remaining resorts only have bus transportation.  Bus transportation can get frustrating as you can sometimes have multiple stops before arriving at your destination.  You can expect to take longer than you would expect to arrive at the parks so be sure to allow plenty of additional time!          

 

Each of these resorts have great pools equipped with adorable themes and water slides.

My Pick: Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort.  The Skyliner is a game changer!  Our family loves this mode of transportation.  It never has a long line.  Even if it looks like it at the end of the night, it constantly moves!  The pool is great and food options are also plentiful.  This is the most convenient and has the best transportation of the moderate resorts.

Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort is in a great location as it has a Skyliner Hub on property.  The Skyliner is the best way to travel around Disney and has direct access to both Epcot and Hollywood Studios.

Value Resorts

These are the least expensive of the Disney property resorts.  They all have themes and are great for kids.  Value resorts include Disney's All-Star Movies Resort, Disney's All-Star Music Resort, Disney's All-Star Sports Resort, Disney’s Pop Century and Disney’s Art of Animation.  These are popular for families who want to save money, while getting the benefits of staying on Disney property.  The value resorts lack a lot of the bells and whistles that the Moderate and Deluxe resorts offer.  They do offer tons of colorful, thematic fun with tons of characters.

The buildings, pools and grounds are full of Disney character icons.  They are definitely kid friendly, with each resort offering arcades, playgrounds and kid friendly pools.  

Unfortunately, these resorts do not suit larger families well as their rooms are 260 sq ft smaller than rooms offered at the Deluxe and Moderate resorts.  Additionally, their beds are smaller and the rooms contain quite a few less amenities.

Value resorts do not have any sit down dining options.  They do have plenty of quick service options and a food court.  Personally, I don’t think that is a bad thing as there are plenty of sit down options throughout Disney.  You can eat at any of these.  I will do a whole blog post on Disney Dining later this week.  But for now, our family favorite is Ohana at the Polynesian Resort (reservations book up fast so book as soon as the 60 day window opens up).    

Because these rooms are accessed from the outside, some people complain that they are much noisier.  However, it could be perhaps because there are a lot of kids that stay at these resorts.  

Transportation is very limited to mostly bus services, with the exception of the Art of Animation resort, which has the Skyliner option.  An insider tip, for a much cheaper per night price, Disney’s Pop Century guests can walk to the Skyliner located at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort.       

If most of your day is going to be spent inside the parks and all you need is a place to see, these are a good choice to save money.

My Pick: Disney’s Pop Century Resort.  This resort is much cheaper than Art of Animation and offers basically the same amenities.  This resort still has access to the Skyliner with a little walk plus bus service.      

Disney's Pop Century Resort is very colorful and sure to capture the children's attention.  It's fun colors make for a fun place to stay for kids.  Also, located within walking distance to the Skyliner Hub located at the Art of Animation resort. 

 

When planning a Disney vacation, each family has to decide what is best for them based on what they value in a vacation.  We often choose to stay at Moderate because it gives our family everything we need in a resort, while not breaking the bank.  These resorts are the perfect mix of luxury and affordability.  If you don’t have a budget, the splurge for a Deluxe resort for the ease of transportation and extended Magic Hours is worth the extra money if you have it.  For ways to do Disney on a Budget, I will be doing a separate blog post on this topic in the future.   

Deciding on the BEST College for YOU

College Decisions

How am I supposed to know what I want to do for the rest of my life at 18 years old?  I have no idea where I want to go to school.  How am I going to afford it?  As a high school teacher, I get these questions almost daily.  The problem is most schools do not equip students with the answers to any of these questions.  

There really isn't a right answer to any of these questions, but here is what I tell my seniors...

You don't have to know what you want to do for the rest of your life at 18.  It is important to figure out what you are interested in or the subject matter you enjoy.  I changed my major 9 times when I was in college and only lost a total of 3 credits...Not Bad!  I did however know I enjoyed science and biology and my major changed all within that realm (pre-med, pharmacy, bioengineering to name a few).  I also advise my seniors to research the colleges they are applying to.  If it is a large school with several branch campuses, be SMART!  Pick a major that is only offered at MAIN CAMPUS.  After all, who wants to attend a branch campus?  Once you get in, you can always change your major.  It is not a big deal to change it, and counselors deal with these changes often!  

College loans are the cheapest money you will ever get!  With interest rates lower than 5% (mine are
actually 1.6%), you won't ever find money any cheaper.  This is essentially free money.  Mortgage companies actually consider student loans "good debt."  Money you spent to further your education and essentially make you more money down the road.  You can defer all of your loans until after you graduate and find your dream job.  Defer means you will not make any payments until after you have completed your degree and start making money.  

Are scholarships always good?  One of my current students, received a full ride for academics to a school in the city (bad location, high crime rate).  But it is free!  He has also got accepted at some of the top universities in the country.  He asked me my opinion this week.  I told him my advice...go to one of those top universities and skip the free ride.  Why you may ask?  I said to him, "if you got offered a house for free in the worst part of the city (high crime, bad location), would you move in to that house just because it was free?  Wouldn't you rather a have a nice house in a good location where you know you will be safe and have good living conditions?"  Free isn't necessarily better!  When you are competing against the best in the world, you need to be the best and go to the best schools.  Applying to graduate schools, medical schools, law schools and even jobs are extremely competitive.  These applications ask where you graduated from for a reason.  The name matters!  Consider this when picking your school! 

 

Lastly, know yourself well enough to put yourself in the best position possible.  Were you the kid who couldn't spend the night at a friends house and had your parents pick you up at midnight so you could sleep in your own bed?  If this was you, going to school halfway across the country probably isn't a good choice.  The last thing you want is to get that weird feeling and drop out!  

I wish you the best of luck as you decide which college or university is best for you!  These will be the best years of your life!  Enjoy the moment!  It goes by so fast! Before you know, you will be tossing your cap in the air and entering the real world.  Good Luck!    

Get Your Child Kindergarten READY!

Preparation Is key

Reading, writing, arithmetic…

How do you help your child become a good student?  When is the right time to begin their 
learning? How do you prepare your child for school? Preschools all over the country begin
teaching our children letters, numbers, social interaction, rules etc.  Is this enough to prepare 
our children for school? As parents, it is our responsibility to help reinforce these skills at 
home with our children.  Your child should know all of their letters, numbers, colors, how 
to write their name, and begin reading simple words prior to entering kindergarten.  If you 
want your child to be prepared and gain confidence in school, these skills need to be 
practiced at home.

There are numerous apps and games to help your child practice these skills OR you can go 
the old-fashioned pencil and paper route, which works just as well. Children as early as 3 
years of age can begin this practice.  3 year olds love to trace! The tracing will teach them 
proper letter formation and reinforce the skills of letter writing.  

The 3 year old:

• 

  Create a notebook for your child where they can practice writing their letters (capital 
  
  and lower case).  Devote a page to each letter. As their 4th birthday approaches, begin 
  focusing on the sounds of these letters.  This will help you transition your child to early 
  reading during year 4.
• Should be able to recognize their name and the letters in it.  Try writing the letters of their 
  name in the driveway with chalk.  Have them hop on the letters as you call them out. This 
  will teach them to recognize the individual letters of their name.  We also use this same game 
  with numbers (start with numbers 0-5)
• Have them trace the letters/numbers of their name as well.  You can do this on paper OR for 

  

  
  
  more fun try spraying some shaving cream on a table and have them write their letters in the 
  shaving cream!
• Colors - there are many ways to practice this...my kids loved the game Gumball Grab!  This 
  game is a color-based game that also focuses on the fine-motor skills of holding a pencil properly 
  as well.  Coloring helps to foster this skill at an early age and children usually have a favorite color 
  by age 3 (or even earlier).  

The 4 year old

• Should have letter recognition mastered and be able to write most of the letters.  Continue the 
  practice of this so they are pros by the time they enter kindergarten at age 5.  
• Child should also be practicing writing their name and fine-tuning the writing of their name on 
  a line.  Kindergarten teachers expect your child to be able to write their name on their papers 
  on the line. If you have not been practicing this skill, start!  A child that is prepared, is a 
  confident child. Fostering a healthy attitude toward learning and school will not only help 
  your child, but make your life much easier!
• Start practicing early sight words (colors, numbers, simple 3 letter words).  Consider 
  purchasing flashcards to help drill those sight words or create your own flashcards 
  with pre-k site words.  There are many free sites on the internet that will provide you 
  with free printable sight word flash cards. Your child should begin early reading.  Purchase 
  “See Spot Run” or early reader books to help foster these skills. Practice for about 15 minutes 
  a day. Start with sounds, then transition to blending those sounds into 3 letter words.     

Following this simple advice will help you ensure your child is ready for kindergarten.  By providing 
your child with some attention toward education early on will help your child feel confident in the 
classroom. Having a positive self-esteem in school will help your child gain the confidence they need 
to be successful in life. Research shows if your child is not reading well by 2nd grade, they struggle 
in school.  Reading is essential to being successful in the classroom and in life. Help give your child 
the tools to be successful!

Active Studying Technique That WORKS!

The Whiteboard Method

 How to teach your students to actively study

 

 

A teacher's job is to help their students grow.  For years, I would receive emails from parents and questions from students asking how they can improve their test scores.  I would hear things like, "I studied all of your notes, used the review sheet and read the textbook."  My response was always, show me what you did.  The response was usually the same, they would flip through their notes, read through the review sheet questions and sometimes they read the textbook.  

Now, I start my year giving the same speech to my students.  I ask them from Day 1 that if your preparation for tests is flipping through your notes and reading through review questions, does that really mean you are learning it?  I can take your notes home to my 8 year old son and get him to memorize your notes just like he memorizes lines to a movie or lyrics to a song.  Does that mean he understands your notes?  No, and you are no different than my 8 year old son if that is your preparation for a test!  You see there is a HUGE difference between memorizing and understanding.  My job is to get you to understand!  

This is where the Whiteboard Method comes into play!  Those that buy in to this method, succeed and often thank me!  They even Instagram post about it long after they graduate high school!  In order to move from memorizing to understanding, you must convert your study habits to active engagement.  The white board method pushes you to do this.  Here's how it works: 

1. Pick a topic you are going to be tested on (ie: Cell Transport) 
2. Use a small whiteboard and start by writing down everything you know about Cell Transport (before you even look at your notes).  If they don't own a small whiteboard, pencil and paper work just as well!
3. After writing down everything you know about the topic, then look at your notes and compare what you wrote down to what your notes actually say.  Science says you are less likely to make the same mistake twice, and better to make it during "practice" and not on the actual test. 
4.  After reviewing your notes, put them away and add/adjust your whiteboard to be more accurate on the topic of cell transport.  Many of my students do these additions/corrections in a different color. 
5. Continue this process for each topic that is going to be covered on your next exam, and I have no doubt that you will do much better on your next exam!  

 The Whiteboard Method forces you to become actively engaged in your studying rather than passive.  This active teaching style as a means for studying forces you to explain the processes and not just memorize.  When you teach these concepts to the stuffed animals on your bed or just aloud to yourself, you demonstrate a level of understanding that moves beyond basic memorization!  Hopefully, you can urge your students to actively prepare for tests using the Whiteboard Method in the future.  Soon, your students will be thanking you, just as my students do me! 

An email from a former student regarding the Whiteboard Method: 
Hi Mrs. _____!
I hope that all is well and this school year is shaping up to be a good one! I just wanted to check in because I took my first bio exam yesterday and made a 94!  Studying the way you urged us to (whiteboard method) & making my own study guides was so essential. Seriously, if there’s one piece of advice I’d give to my senior self, it would be to actually put forth lots of effort into doing the assignments you gave us. I find it funny that now those exact ‘assignments’ are exactly what i need to do to study and make a good grade. But thanks so much for all of your help and advice, it is proving to be so valuable.

<......@crimson.ua.edu>

Wed, Sep 26, 2018, 1:32 AM

         

BiologyMama

February 15, 2019

Welcome to State of the Art Science Blog!!!

I am a mom of 2 beautiful children and a wife to a fantastic husband.  A graduate of Penn State University in 2005 with an M.S. in Biology and an M.Ed in Curriculum & Instruction. Currently, a high school biology teacher for the past 13 years.

I am so excited to share with you my teaching style, lessons, advice and a little about me on this blog space!  I look forward to sharing with you my life as a teacher, mom and give you a snapshot of all the fun things I do and hopefully help a few people along the way!  

If you love any of the lessons I share, feel free to visit my Teachers Pay Teachers site to snag a few lessons and make your life a little easier!!!   I believe students learn best through doing.  It is my goal to teach my students to love learning and gain an understanding of the material not memorize.  I will share with you the study techniques I teach my high schoolers in order to prepare them for life after high school and the challenges that college presents.  Also, you can follow me on Instagram at teachermomblogger!

Additionally, I am a mom to two incredible kids.  They are my world!  We play, we travel, we craft, we dance and we love life.  I will share with you some of the cool things we do and the places we go.  Football is a huge part of our life as my brother is an offensive lineman in the NFL.  We go to many games and visit many places because of football.  Stay tuned to football season to see our travels!  

A mom, a sister to an NFL football player, a daughter, a wife, a teacher…

We all wear many hats in our life.  How do you balance it all? How is it 
possible to wear all of these hats and do them all well? Do you often find 
yourself feeling guilty because you can’t?  You are not alone. This blog 
will focus on all these “hats” and how to improve your role in each. We 
all have good days and bad days, but at the end of the day we must survive!

“She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.”
— Proverbs 31:25