Disney tips

Hello blog, I wanted to make a post about Disney and how to make the trip a little less stressful. We just got back from a short 3 night trip, which was amazingly fun, but hot and tiring. I hope you find my tips helpful!

1. Bring a poncho/umbrella. Ponchos can be very expensive in the parks and you can find ones for less than $10 at Wal-Mart. The weather in Orlando is so unpredictable, so you will definitely be glad that you came prepared. Also in this group of things, bring sunscreen. The Florida sun is blistering, and you will get burned if you don't. Everything at Disney costs more, so if you already come with sunscreen you can save some money. 

2. By the same token, bring comfortable shoes that can withstand miles of walking, and also inclement weather. Your poor feet will most likely get a few blisters by the end of your trip. 

3. Band-aids for those blistered feet will help. I didn't bring any and had to buy some at the Polynesian gift shop. 

4. If you have children that are 7 and younger, I would recommend bringing a stroller. Even if they haven't been in a stroller in years, their little feet will get very tired of walking. I aways rent from Kingdom Strollers. They are so easy and convenient, because they drop off the stroller at the hotel you are staying at, and all you have to do is leave it at your hotel when your trip is over. Plus, the plastic Disney strollers are not comfortable, and you have to return them when you leave the park. It's not convenient if you want to go out shopping or to Disney Springs after a day at the parks. Kingdom Strollers also has an optional rain cover for the stroller, which is necessary. 

5. Get a portable charger. I can't tell you how many times my phone was almost dead after a long day at the parks. A portable charger ensures that your battery will never die. I scrambled to find outlets that didn't exist when we stopped for a little bit. 

6. Do the Disney Dining Plan. It can seem expensive, but when you are spending over $100 a meal on a family of four without the plan, it would have been a good thing to get the plan. 

7. Don't try to do everything. Disney is exhausting, and you won't be able to do it all even if you have the time. Plan what you must do and avoid the rest. Take breaks at your resort and recharge. 

8. Reserve Fastpass + and dining ASAP. These two things will fill up fast, especially for the more popular rides and restaurants. 

9. Bring a fan/mister, especially if you are traveling to Disney in the summer. I don't know if you know this, but Florida is HOT. You will sweat, and it will be miserable. A fan/mister ensures that you can have a little relief during those hot summer months. 

10. Above all, have fun! 

The Legend of Tarzan: Movie Review

It has been years since the man once known as Tarzan (Alexander Skarsgård) left the jungles of Africa behind for a gentrified life as John Clayton III, Lord Greystoke, with his beloved wife, Jane (Margot Robbie) at his side. Now, he has been invited back to the Congo to serve as a trade emissary of Parliament, unaware that he is a pawn in a deadly convergence of greed and revenge, masterminded by the Belgian, Captain Leon Rom (Christoph Waltz). But those behind the murderous plot have no idea what they are about to unleash.

 After a week of trying to see this movie with no success with my fiancé, we finally saw it during a kid free weekend courtesy of my mother. 

I'm going to be honest, I really mainly wanted to see this because of shirtless Alexander Skarsgård  running around the jungle being really badass and sweaty. I didn't expect it to be a cinematic masterpiece, but it definitely had its surprising moments. 

The movie starts out showing Lord Greystoke, AKA, John Clayton, AKA,Tarzan, as an English gentleman in London. It's been 10 years since he left the jungle, and he has fully acclimated to life as an English lord. But, the Congo and its people are in trouble, so John Clayton must answer the call and help. 

By his side during the journey is the fiery Jane, and of course Samuel L. Jackson as Dr. Williams. 

Speaking of Jane, I actually liked Margot Robbie's Jane. She wasn't the scared damsel from the Disney version. LoT Jane was feisty and able to hold her own, even when she was taken prisoner by the creepy Leon Rom. She knew her husband was going to get her so she wasn't worried. 

I also loved the chemistry between Jane and John. You can that their love felt very real. 

Cinematic wise, LoT was visually stunning. The Congolese landscape was so beautiful, and the wide shots added to the beauty. The nighttime jungle scenes were dark and ominous, just like the creatures that inhabited them. 

There was definitely a lot of CGI present but it was done really well. The Mangani, which were the ape like hybrids created by Edgar Rice Burroughs, were positively frightening because of how intelligent and human like they were. 

The only things I didn't really like was how slow it was in the beginning and I wish we had gotten to know what happened in the 10 years since John Clayton left the jungle. How was his period of adjustment? How was the start of his marriage to Jane? It would have been nice to have had that information but all in all it was still a good movie. I will definitely buy it on Blu-Ray when it comes out.