Scottish Highlands and Harry Potter-inspired trip

This year marks our 25th wedding anniversary.  After going to Alberta, we really saved and planned for this trip to Europe. After all, this is a special celebration and the destination is different from the rockies.

As I was planning, I asked the kids what they would like to see in Europe and they just said - related to Harry Potter. So we ended up with 3 cities as our bases - Edinburgh, London and Paris. The last city was for my youngest kid's request to go to Euro Disneyland and also my top choice. After all, lovers visit the city of love during honeymoon or anniversaries. I will post a separate one for the Parisienne stories. 

Scotland

Highlights were the Glenfinnan Viaduct, the bridge featured in Hogwart's Express. These are the places we visited during the Highlands tour - Loch Lomond and Trossachs, Glen Coe, the Skyfall filming location, Fort William, a glimpse on Ben Nevis, Pitlochry where we tried the whisky Ice cream. Also on other days we tried a DIY tour to Stirling, Kelpies and Falkirk Wheel. I fell in love with the beautiful city of Edinburgh where J. K. Rowling penned the Harry Potter books. We joined a free Harry Potter tour around the city and had fun when the guide told and showed us interesting facts about the HP and the Kirkyard (graveyard) where the HP character's names were taken. 

London and Oxford

The mega city of London got lots of Harry Potter filming locations but our visit to the Warner Bros Studio was a blast. The kids had fantastic time celebrating while browsing through the many artifacts used in the movies. The 9 3/4 platform in King's Cross station caught our attention as soon as we got off the train from Edinburgh. Then there's the Renaissance Hotel where Ron Weasley parked his car before they tried getting on the Hogwart's Express. The Leadenhall, St. Paul's Cathedral and Millennial Bridge had appeared in the HP movies. We chose a Stonehenge, Windsor and Oxford tour to explore and recall more Harry Potter scenes from the Oxford University. We love the old buildings and cloisters but those that stood out were the Bodleian Library, Bridge of sighs and Christ Church college.

I only mentioned all relevant sites and scenes from Harry Potter but we had other amazing experiences from this trip - the Stonehenge, the London Eye, walking along Royal Mile, Victoria Street and hiking to Calton Hill, visiting the museums and galleries. I will include those in another blog, maybe. We really had a very hectic schedule. I would say we jam-packed our days with activities, with rests sa parks or just staring at a painting in a gallery. We tried to cover most of the attractions for the 15-day trip. Sinulit talaga namin ang euro spent and the time to be together as a family enjoying the vacation. Hindi ito yung tipo ng trip Na mema lang - Me masabi lang na nagpunta sa Europe. Pinaghandaan at pinag isipan talaga to Get all the money's worth. We worked hard but also deserved a value-for-money enjoyable vacation.

On this note, I am sharing some of the travel tips I followed to save time, money and effort (from reading other travel vlogs and friend's recommendations, shout out to Gwen Carag :) 

1. Buy tickets early - airfare, attractions, train tickets. I booked everything in advance. Very significant ang cost savings sa transport kung bibilhin ng months before. i.e. Yung Eurostar ticket na dodoble ang price kapag on the day binili. 

2. Buy Rail cards - (Family and Friends ung kinuha namin sa Scotrail) 30% discount sa train tickets. Nag apply ito sa lahat ng train tickets sa Scotland (Stirling, Falkirk) at sa London (Watford Junction going to Warner Brother studios), bawi na ang ibinayad sa rail card at ang daming discounts, more on number 3. 

3. Avail the 2-for-1 or days out in Scotland or London. The train ticket that you bought discounted from the rail card also gives you discount to participating attractions, we used this in buying Stirling castle tickets, sa London Eye, we even had a timed entry meaning no need to line up. 50% discount ito, we are 5 in the family so malaking tulong ito to Save. 

4. DIY your tours - research the places you want to go and how to get there, then compare the price and consider the complexity or effort vs. The comfort when joining a bus tour. Kung pwede mag rent a car, you have more flexibility and can explore more, pero dahil right-hand drive sa UK, public transportation na lang kami :). 

We joined tours going to Highlands in Scotland, also the Stonehenge-Windsor Castle-Oxford University as these are longer trips and tour guides gave more information about the attractions. 

But DIY ang trips namin going to Stirling, Kelpies and Falkirk in Scotland using trains and bus. Ganun din ang mga attractions in London-combo ng underground and Double-decker bus. Sa Paris, we did a lot of walking like 20k steps every day and sa Edinburgh din with uphill and downhill pa. 

DIY din ang pagpunta namin sa Warner Bros. Harry Potter Studios using overground train to Watford Junction, there's a free shuttle bus na going to the Studios. Just show your etickets To WB HP. Book and buy those tickets early. Spots are filling up fast. 

We rarely used an Uber or never joined a Hop on, Hop off bus because we wanted to be adventurous and to save the fare to something else like souvenirs. Can you guess how much is the fare per person to the Official Shuttle going to Warner Bros Harry Potter Studios from London? I'd rather save that for butter beer and HP merchandise. 

5. Rent Airbnbs - accommodation with kitchen and washer/dryer saves lots of £ and €.  All the Airbnbs and aparthotels we rented had 3 bedrooms each or 2rooms plus sofa beds perfect for our family. We saved on food as we cooked our breakfast and dinner. Had extra € to try the local foods.  We also had access to laundry facilities.  We only brought carry-ons as this saves $, time and effort in lugging those in cobblestone-paved roads (sometimes uphill pa). 

6. Use bank credit card vs oyster to tap on underground stations, do not buy travel cards or day pass if you will not have more than 5 trips per day. Plan the destination per day to reach more with one trip or route. 

7.  Buy Esim with a local provider. We used Orange eSim that covered both UK and Paris. The package includes data, calls and texts worldwide. Kahit nasa gitna kami ng bundok sa Highlands meron signal at sulit sa tawag at text. Gamit na gamit ko siya sa citymapper, transport apps. 

I hope this helps you in planning for your next trip to Harry Potter locations and other Scotland-London attractions. 

Our Canadian Rockies Trip 2022 Tips and Tricks

After 2 years of not being able to travel outside of Ontario, we were able to finally took off and visit the Canadian Rockies for my advanced birthday celebration and Alexus graduation plus the honors / academic achievement. I am going to share here all the tips and tricks for a smooth, relaxed and value  for -money travel for a family of 5 - 

This is what we've accomplished, our Canadian Rockies Trip details

Time: 10 days - June 30 to July 10, 2022

Scope:  Lake Louise, Lake Moraine (hiked Rock Pile), Takakkaw Falls (and other Yoho National Park viewpoints, Johnston Canyon, Golden, BC (Skybridge /Adventure Package),  Kicking Horse Whitewater Rafting Exciter Level 2, Banff (Canoeing, Gondola / Sulphur Mountain and other viewpoints), Canmore, Drumheller, Royal Tyrrell Museum, Calgary Stampede Parade and Rodeo Show

Out of Scope: Columbia Icefields Parkway and Jasper National Park (as the parkway closed due to an accident on the highway) we missed getting on the Skywalk, riding the big Red Bus to go to the Glaciers, Athabasca Falls, Maligne Canyon, Pyramid Lake, Maligne Lake and other mountains to climb like Edith Cavell etc.

Cost: I will share high, average and low cost options so you can plan better.  

Like our Disneyworld Trip in Orlando in 2018, we followed the Project Management Principles to focus on the 3 major constraints - Time, Scope and Cost and be successful in our trip.

Tip no 1.  - Book flights early and buy your tickets for activities online.  Cost of budget airlines are cheaper on sale months.  Note that everything in a budget airline will cost - Carry-on bags (choose to check in and max the luggage space, bring backpacks for each passenger),  do not use counter service that is +$25  (buy seats, pay for luggage and check-in online), bring food or eat before flights.  The lines to buy activity tickets onsite are longer especially during peak season.  We skipped many lines and enjoyed the attractions immediately than those who opted to line up.  Our companions do not like waiting so that will also change the mood of the party if you hear complaints from impatient teenagers. 

Tickets to attractions that you can buy online ahead of time:

1. Discovery Pass - each time you go and park to a national park like YOHO, JASPER, BANFF, Johnston Canyon, Lake Louise, Lake Moraine, Emerald, Peyto, you will have to pay $20 per car.  Buy the annual pass of $145/family if you plan to go to all of these parks and other national parks in Canada, also valid for a year.

2. White Water Rafting Exciter Level 2 - Wild Water Adventures http://www.wildwater.com

3. Banff Gondola, Golden Skybridge / Adventure Package, Columbia Icefields Adventure Skywalk / Glacier - https://www.banffjaspercollection.com 

4. Park and Ride tickets to visit Lake Louise and Lake Moraine - https://www.banfflakelouise.com/explorethepark/lake-louise-moraine-summer-shuttle

Note that in the crazy days at Pearson Airport nowadays, all airlines were either delayed or cancelled regardless if you are budget airline or not.

Tip no. 2  HOTEL Find a location that suits whatever activity your family plan to do or likes to do.  We stayed in a variety of locations to be close to the attractions and maximize the travel time. Canmore is 20 minutes to Banff, Banff is 30 minutes to Lake Louise and Lake Louise is 3 hours to Jasper via Columbia Icefields Parkway,  30 minutes to Yoho National Park, 1 hour to Golden, BC.  Do the math and find out the duration of your travel to and from the locations mentioned.  We stayed at Lake Louise during the dates we planned for the visit to the 2 lakes, Yoho, Golden and Columbia, then moved on to Banff for the attractions near Banff, then Canmore to get closer to Calgary, then stayed in Calgary near the airport for the Stampede and Drumheller days.

High Cost but very nice locations :  Fairmont Lake Louise (when I inquired the rate at the time we are going -> $1,800 / night phew!  Lake Moraine Lodge is another - very serene location.  Moose Hotel and Suites along Banff.

Average to Midrange - the hotels along Banff Avenue, walking distance to everything.  Lake Louise Inn or the Post Hotel in Lake Louise. Holiday Inn Express in Canmore

Low / Budget - Hostel International at Lake Louise - this is where we stayed for the first 3 nights, first timers using a hostel, we liked it.  very clean, 24 hours check in, with clean kitchen and utensils, with restaurant if you don't like cooking.  Try the HI in Banff or try camping at the campgrounds near Lake Minnewanka, OTenTiks are inviting but too difficult to book.  There is a shuttle bus from Banff going to the campsite.  There is another campsite in Tunnel Mountain near Banff.  There are Airbnbs and townhouses available but you have to book early and trust that the rental will proceed because we experience cancellation at the last minute.  I do not trust Airbnbs now.  Canmore Airbnbs are newer and bigger but consider the additional travel time.

Tip no. 3 FOOD Prepare meals and packed lunches especially if the activities call for energy like Hiking, walking, Rafting and there might not be any food places in your destination, better be prepared than starved.  Stopover at Walmart near YYC then buy essentials - bread, cold cuts, eggs, bananas, apples for your packed lunches.  Buy water, oil if you are cooking also dishwashing soap and laundry soap.  I brought my French Press to brew my own and save on coffee :)

Foodies must try (High):  Sky Bistro at top of Sulphur Mountain for a date nite, Chuck's Steak in Banff,  Balkan (Greek), The Elk or Bison meat Burger at Eddie's Burger in Banff, the Ramen Arashi (ramenarashi.com) Place at Sundance Mall in Banff  (the line up is still long at 2:00 pm, must be good). Fire and Rain, for Jasper I heard, Something Else is something to try. Golden - Reposados tacos in a unique setting and the Korean resto,. We ate at the Old Spaghetti Factory, the menu is the same as other locations, same as BP and other resto / chains in Banff.

Low-cost:  Food stalls in malls at Banff - Cascade Mall (Popeyes, Subway, there is also a Chinese and Bento place), you can order from Domino's Pizza to deliver at your Hotel, it was raining one night and we did this.

FOOD TO TRY near CALGARY ->  BIG SKY BBQ PIT in OKOTOKS, AB

Tip no. 4 - SAVE TIME by planning on your activities per day - no spaghetti diagram - that means going back and forth, go one direction.  Which activities are close to each other?  We did Golden and Whitewater Rafting in one day, the 2 Lakes in one day, all Banff attractions at the same time.  Estimate the travel time and TRY TO LEAVE EARLY, you can do so much when you start early, when the others are still sleeping LOL.  We left for the Lake Louise very early and arrived there at 5:40 am and guess what? the area is packed, the boardwalk where you can take nice photos are full of people posing!  After savoring the moment, move on to the next.  We would have not been able to enter Lake Moraine in our rental car if we arrived there after 8:00 am.  We were one of the few who arrived at the Lake Moraine parking lot at 7:00 am and made it.  ARRIVE EARLY and accomplish more, less hassle finding a parking spot, less people, more time to enjoy the view.  Summer is when all the people decide to visit the Canadian Rockies so be out when they are still in lol.  Yes, our kids complained for waking up early but when we are back to our hotels by 3:00 pm to nap, relax or enjoy the WIFI to connect with friends, our vacation is really considered a vacation, no stress just lounging and enjoying the cool weather and each other's company.

Tip No. 5 - CLOTHES  Pack light and do laundry there.  Bring winter clothing - single digit in the morning and in the evening, some hotels don't have aircons and they open the windows so expect the cold lol.  Check the weather.

Tip No. 6 - ACTIVITIES Whitewater Rafting is a must, Golden Skybridge and the Adventure package will make your heart flutter - Treetop trekking aka Canyon Edge, Ziplining, Axe-throwing. Hiking is expected, so be prepared and be fit - savor the mountain air and enjoy the view. You can see how great and creative our God is coming up with all those different lake colors.  Different lake, different color - visit and take note of the color of Lake Louise, Lake Moraine, Peyto Lake just to name a few. 

When you go in July be sure to watch the Calgary Stampede Parade.  The downtown roads will be closed by 7:30 am so be sure to hit the road early and park close the Calgary Tower because that's where the parade starts. The early bird Parking fee is only $13, if its beyond 9:00 am it's $25.  Watch the Rodeo Show and wear Cowboy outfits just to feel the vibes.  Buy Western hats at a western store (high) or at Dollarama (low) along Stephen's Avenue.  After leaving Banff and before Calgary, try the Skyline Luge or Downhill Karting at the Olympic Park.  It's a must-try for kids and adults.

 

Tip No 7. -  Download the Gypsy guide app  - the tours are amazing, we learned a lot while driving and viewing the mountains.  The guide also give tips on where to stop and what to look for.  I thought we will be bored during the long drive to Drumheller but the guide was very entertaining, we learned a lot about dinosaurs even before arriving at Royal Tyrrell Museum to see the fossils and bones.

Car Rental - choose the one with gas-inclusive, bring your own GPS because that is a add-on.  Book online early.

Tip No 8 - Shop in Calgary - the outlet Mall is Crossiron Mills and it's on the way back from Drumheller the Tax is only 5%. buy a new luggage or throw away old clothing lol.

All these tips are for saving Money, Time and Energy. We tried and experienced it so I hope this helps.

It's already my birthday now Ciao!

My Disney World Trip VOP Project - VOC Rides and Shows (Part 4 of 4)

VOC or Voice of the Customer is the term used to describe the stated and unstated needs or requirements of the customer.  The objectives of a project depend on what the customers requirements are.  In this case the customer are my kids, my main stakeholder and project sponsor is my husband.  All of their “voices” need to be heard. Before the trip, I asked my children what rides they wanted to do, shows they wanted to see or even characters to meet.  Since they are all in tweens and teens, their memory of the Disney Channel days is dim so we had to watch the Disney movies again so they will be familiar with the stories and characters.   Our trip went well, based on the three constraints (cost, time, energy) although not 100% in the scope were done.  

Liked Best

It took a while before I can complete this post (this is part 4 – previous parts link above)

because my kids just handed me their feedback today, 2 weeks after the trip.  Well, they said it was hard to choose their favorite rides, attractions and shows from all the 4 parks. I only asked 5 from each park and rank per level of likeness (ranked by all 5). Here is the verdict:

Magic Kingdom

1. RANK #3 Splash Mountain - they remembered that 50-ft drop
2. Space Mountain – the dark rollercoaster ride that really scared me
3. Big Thunder Mountain – the drops and fast turns were exciting
4. Pirates of Caribbean – they liked all the animatronics rides but this one stood out
5. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train – the kids were not thrilled anymore after experiencing all the mountains, but they all liked it anyway
6. Astro Blasters – shooting is our favorite
7. Monsters – “we were already laughing but Mom is still staring at the screen” (slow or couldn’t get the joke, or just needs to be ready to be focused on camera LOL)

Hollywood Studios

1. Fantasmic Show – because this is included in a dining package at Hollywood and Vine, we were in a good spot and walked in a VIP lane
2. Star Tours
3. Toy Story Mania
4. Indiana Jones
5. RANK #4 Jedi Training and meeting all the Star Wars Characters

EPCOT

1. RANK #2 Soarin
2. RANK #5 Mission Space
3. Test Track
4. Frozen – only Mom liked it. This is where Alexus asked, “How come this is called Fastpass lane when the line is slow?” he was so loud that the cast members heard it to say this is a popular ride and new.

Animal Kingdom

1. RANK #1 Avatar’s Flight of Passage
2. Kali Rapids
3. Festival of Lion King

I used Fastpass to book most of these rides and shows but for some of them we rope drop or line up as soon as we arrive.  Definitely, FOP, Slinky Dog, Soarin, Test Track and all roller coasters for me are worth the fastpasses.  Shows and meet and greets, you can rope drop or wait for  low wait times.  I’ve observed that during lunch time and when there is a parade, the wait times are shorter so check MDE app often.

Liked least

In as much as I liked meeting the characters up close and have a photo with them, the kids didn’t like it.  We lined up for Cinderella and Elena meet n greet near the Castle because it says on the My Disney app that it only takes 10 minutes to wait but it ended up 60 minutes. Of course, my Alexus complained. “Why are we lining up this long?” “Can we not use a Fastpass for this?” “Who is this character we are meeting?”  Meeting Star Wars characters was a different story.  The kids didn’t mind waiting and the area where we are standing in queue are all decorated with Star War’s elements and Storm troopers are walking around so I think it kept them interested.

What would you do better or try next time?

The following are the rides that we really liked but were not able to go to. We either missed it during our FP schedule (we are only given a 1-hour window), we didn’t get a FP reservation (all schedules were taken) or it broke down while we were already lining up:

1. Slinky Dog – Hollywood Studios
2. Rock n Roller starring Aerosmith – Hollywood Studios
3. Everest – Animal Kingdom
4. Navi River – Animal Kingdom
5. Mission Space (Mars) – EPCOT
6. Tower of Terror – Hollywood Studios
7. Beauty and the Beast live – Hollywood Studios
8. Dinosaur – Animal Kingdom
9. Illuminations – EPCOT
10. Watch the March of the First Order in full – Hollywood Studios

Notice we missed rides and attractions at Holllywood Studios because of too much time waiting in line to meet and greet Kylo Ren, BB-8 and Chewbacca.  This means that there is a need to go back after the Star Wars Land is completed and more rides are available.  I hope the Project Sponsor /CFO will agree to the Phase 2 of the Project LOL!

Meet and Greets to do

Because the kids didn’t like to wait in line for the meet and greets, the next time will need to include character breakfasts or dinners to meet them and get more personal interaction.  Dining plan is a must in the next trip because each character dining will make you fall off your chair after seeing the bill. This is something for the CFO to consider.  

1. Winnie the Pooh and Friends – Crystal Palace
2. Cinderella’s 2 sisters – Back of the Castle
3. Princess Jasmine and Aladdin – Morocco
4. Mulan - China
5. Belle and Beast – book dinner at Be our Guest
6. Rapunzel and Flynn Rider – Trattoria Al Forno
7. Ariel and Prince Eric – Trattoria Al Forno
8. Or dinner at Akershus to meet all Princesses – I hope he agrees because he liked the encounter with Cinderella– kinikilig pa nga eh hahaha
9. 
   

   

Overall, I would say since the kids enjoyed and were happy, we are all happy – project was successful.  Our experience was not the same as how younger kids would describe it. Yes, we can call it fantasy land but we have a more mature outlook now that the kids have grown. There is a certain experience that I couldn’t put in words but earns my respect and admiration for Disney.  All the theming, processes, planning, communication geared towards ultimate customer satisfaction.  Service was impeccable – every cast member is knowledgeable, helpful and ensured that we are safe, informed, satisfied, served right.  One of my sons who has an entrepreneurial spirit told me that “Disney is very good Mom, all the shops are in the right locations – after each popular ride to keep the guests buying stuff. I wonder how much Disney earns daily.” The Disneyworld experience is an eye opener for us. I know we already tried our best to make it memorable and maximized our investments, but we gained more. The Innovations stirred our creative minds, new plans and upcoming attractions we saw opened our eyes to how vast and endless possibilities there are.  Disney gave us insights more than the fantasy.  Magical if you would say, yes, we had a Magical Disney Experience.

We thank the Lord for this answered prayer.

My Disney World Trip VOP Project - FASTPASS (Part 2 of 4)

Before I continue the part 2 of my Disney World Travel Story,  I will share some of the Lean terminologies and how I was able to apply these to the project. The word "value" is familiar to you, you want to get the most value for the money you spend, the time and effort you exerted. We live by these principles and my kids know that whatever we do, we get something of "value" out of it. VOP or Value Optimization Project is a term we use in the workplace for all the Lean Six Sigma projects we are doing. Going to Disney is a VOP that is why in my first blog post, the title included Project.  I don't think this will end up completing the DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control ) cycle but you will get the picture when in one way or another you will see the phases in each scenario.  The intent is for you to understand that not only in this trip but in any situation, you can do process analysis, continuously improve and achieve results.  

2. TIME CONSTRAINT

Today, I'm going to talk about FASTPASS, some ride description and what to do (and not to do) at the parks to save time.

Wastes and how to prevent them

I hope you are already familiar with the 7 types of wastes .  The types of wastes we encountered the most in our trip were: Inventory, Motion and Waiting.  

Inventory (COST) - the food servings are huge. On our first night,  our dinner orders came with fries and for the leftovers from all the 3 children combined, I think there was a big platter of fries. To think, they were fries eaters. We couldn't finish them because Lito and I ordered adult entrees which we couldn't finish either.  Maybe we are really small eaters but I think the food leftovers are a huge waste.  It could have fed more children with those fries. Sayang talaga.  So in the following days, either I ordered a kids meal for myself or Lito and I shared an adult entree.  

Motion (TIME, ENERGY) - before we go to each park, I make it a point to study the map and review the plan for the rides or attractions we are going to do. We don't want to end up doing a Spaghetti Diagram (right picture) as there will be lots of Motion waste. 

One of the perks of staying inside the Disney World hotel is the FASTPASS reservation for popular rides 60 days before the trip.  If you are staying outside WDW, you are also given a fastpass opportunity but only 30 days before.  Imagine I already have made plans for the parks and the rides we are going to 60 days before.  The timing, duration and wait times on the Fastpass ride and the next rides need to be considered.  

Fastpass Tip #1 - Make your last day the Animal Kingdom Park day, and Second to last day is Hollywood Studios Park day.  Why?  Because the most popular and difficult to reserve (if you are on wrong timing) rides are from these parks.  Avatar's Flight of Passage (FOP) in Animal Kingdom and Toy Story Slinky Dog in Hollywood Studios are too popular (and probably still new) that even if they don't have a Fastpass reservation, people will still line up for it (yes, we saw people on stand by lines with wait times of 160 minutes)  I will discuss other rides worth your Fastpasses in another paragraph but for now I will focus on these 2.

When your Fastpass Day arrives, you should have a list of the rides in each park and the timing (AM or PM) handy.  There will be more chances of you getting the Fastpass if you start on your last day then backwards because not all reserving for Fastpasses will even have that park in that day in their list.  Example:  We went to 5 parks during our trip (November 12-16).  My Fastpass day was September 13. On that day, I was to reserve for all the days during my trip. People usually think that they need to start Fastpass reservation on their first park day when in reality they can start with any day. I am saying to focus on the last day because not all have that day in their plan. Some people will only have 3 park days, some 2 and so on and so forth.  So start with your last day and choose Avatar's Flight of Passage right away.  If you have small children, you need to consider height restrictions (should be 44 inches tall) because this is a single ride or choose among you who will watch over the kids while you are taking this ride which is a must by the way :) This is highly recommended and our family's favourite, one of my kids even said, "This ride beats them all". I hope you take my word for it.  Do the same with Toy Story Slinky Dog.  We didn't get a FP for this ride because there was nothing available on our Fastpass day and we can only choose 1 FP from Toy Story land.  We waited in Stand By line but the wait time was 90 minutes but eventually we did not get the chance because the ride broke down. Have a back up plan when ride breakdowns happen.

Fastpass Tip #2 - Choose between Rides, Shows or Character Meet and Greets.  Because our family already agreed that we will all do roller coaster rides, my Fastpass list consisted all the Mountain Rides at Magic Kingdom, and all other roller coaster rides from other parks.  Character Meet and Greets also take up most of your time and getting good seats in shows like Fantasmic merit a FastPass for those who are not into thrill rides.     

Fastpass Tip #3 - Choose all the morning fastpass schedule, if you can, select the rides that are close to each other so you can prevent spaghetti diagram, finish right away and you can add more Fastpass after you finish all 3.  You are only given 3 FP in a day but if you finish them all, you can get another one after you entered in the last one, then you can get another one again and so on.  Example: Magic Kingdom - We had our Big Thunder Mountain Roller Coaster Fast Pass ride after Splash Mountain which are both located in the same area - Frontierland and were able to finish right away, had more time to find a good spot in watching the parade between Frontierland and Adventureland. At Epcot - Fastpass at Mission Space and Test Track, Magic Kingdom Day 2 - choose Space Mountain and Tomorrowland Speedway.  These are only examples, you can choose based on what your family prefers.

After you completed all your Fastpass reservations, the next thing you should plan is where are you going next after each Fastpass ride.  Look at the Magic Kingdom map below:

Depending on where your Fastpass ride is, you should focus on that area. Example; Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is at Fantasyland where you want to go next is probably the next attraction with the least wait time in that area (use the My Disney Experience app for this). To prevent Spaghetti diagram, just go One Direction - remember the boy band? LOL.  Our last stop at Fantasyland was the Barnstormer roller coaster ride which was near the Train Station (see arrow). We took the train going to Frontierland which was on the other side. This saved us time and restored our energy while resting our feet from walking.

You can find other touring plans on the internet, on Pinterest, and from other Disney frequent visitors.  I actually checked them out but I created my own because I really want to save on energy and time (remember our Time and Energy constraint?). Below was our touring plan for the Magic Kingdom park Days.  The arrows indicate which way we are supposed to go to reach our destination. The check and cross marks are based on priority or if it was a Must-do or can-be-skipped activity:

 

In the next blog post, I will discuss some waiting game strategies and how we tried our best to avoid waiting (there is always waiting in line at Walt Disney World).  More on the ENERGY / EFFORT Constraint. Stay Tuned. Meanwhile, @ Animal Kingdom

Reunited in London - meeting long-time friends Day 6-7 (Lalaine)

This post is long overdue. The continuation of Reunited in London (Part 1)


My family remembers her as the "Chinita" (chinky-eyed) friend of mine - my dear Lalaine or Leny as how RAJGILC fondly calls her. At last, after 20 years, we are reunited and the 2 days that we were together were not enough to fill the gaps. Somehow, we managed to catch up in between sips of English tea and nibbling on delicious macarons and trips to The Stonehenge, the Roman Baths, The Windsor Castle, Cambridge and back to London.  Oh, I suddenly miss my friend.  I just want to recall our short-lived but wonderful moments together during this trip.  Thank you for the warm hospitality, the drive to all those famous places, for a moment there I felt like a princess because I was treated like one. Of course, my blog post will not be complete if I won't mention about the gorgeous pictures you took and the make up tips from your lovely daughter. I love them all. I am proud to post some of our pictures here. as you always say "Love you Bes!"

Do not forget the incident that took everyone at Bath by storm, hahaha. Here on these streets. Scene-stealer!

Reunited in London - meeting long-time friends Day 5 (Liza)

After I heard the news that I was going to UK, it only took me a few seconds before I contacted my friends based in London.  I was so excited to see two of my closest friends - one is my high school very close friend - Lalaine and my college buddy Liza, both have been in London since their kids were babies. My trip planning was easy because they recommended the attractions I needed to see. This extension of my business trip is already charged to me so I have to scrimp on the spending and as we all know London is one of the most expensive tourist destinations in the world.

Since I already did some touring around the City on my own and with the Sandeman tour, Liza brought me to the places I need to have my photo taken.  The highlights were the changing of the Royal Guards at Buckingham Palace, our Tea time at Harrod's and the rainy photo shoot at the Tower Bridge. She was as excited as I am as we were about to reach Buckingham Palace, we had to find a good spot in order to see the changing of the Royal Guards up close and we were successful.

 

 

After being entertained by the marching guards, we walked around to see Big Ben and Westminster Abbey. I had a good time teasing Liza about fearing that we might get lost and her opting to ask for directions, which I disagreed because I had never done it. I relied upon my map and instincts and thank God I'm always able to find my way.

 

My photos at the Big Ben reflect my happiness as I have a photo in one of the icons of London. Liza and I traveled towards east of London and have caught up with our stories and updates during the long trip. When we reached their place, I was in for a gastronomic surprise prepared by John. I had ginataang alimasag, pakbet and maja blanca for late lunch and early dinner. So busog! I met my godson after more than 15 years I believe and boy was he so handsome and so tall. Liza was saying he is an independent boy and working hard to finish his studies. I'm so proud of you, Nathaniel!

We went back to the city with their little girl - Christine Faith (same age as Candy) and had photo ops at London Bridge or Tower Bridge. It was short lived because it rained hard and we were really wet. Our next stop was at posh Harrod's to have some afternoon tea. This is the only time I remembered to bring out the flat doll that Candy sent me to take pictures with while I was on tour. I had our only picture together with candy's new friend Tin. Heading back to the Victoria station to claim my luggage, it took us longer as it is now rush hour - tubes and stations were so full of people.

My one day with Liza was not enough but both of us had nice stories of God's love, provision and faithfulness in our lives. That is enough for us to be reconnected as we were not only college friends but also sisters in Christ.

My Molson Burton UK Adventure - UK Trip Day 2-4

After travelling for almost 3 hours from London, I finally reached my destination.  The Taxi driver toured me around Burton On Trent before I checked in the hotel. I had an appointment for a tour around the Brewery at 3:00 pm and I was late. I still went to see my contact person and after some interview with the Quality staff about document control, OWD and other issues, I was so excited to go inside and around one of the oldest breweries of Molson. 

As expected, I found the brewery very clean and world-class looking and the people all aware of the rules (i.e. PPE). I took pictures for our own brewery to see as inspiration.  Learning about its history and how it transformed to what it is today, I was amazed.

I ended day 2 with dinner at a fancy restaurant - The Dial. Because this week is going to be a string of drinking sprees,  I had champagne on my first night here.

I was excited and nervous at the same time to meet my counterparts in Europe and Canada.  On breakfast time the next day, I met them one by one.  I felt like I'm in a beauty pageant, they are all equally beautiful and smart people and I found myself fitting in.

Day 3 - Today was a get-to-know-each-other day and we had workshop on influencing.  I am so proud of myself that I conquered my fears and broke down the walls.  I easily made friends that on dinner time and the tour (Yes, I went to another tour with them), it was like we've known each other for a long time. we had dinner at The Dial again.  I was so ashamed to face the waitresses because I forgot to give tip the previous night.  The night was awesome. I enjoyed the chatting and the beer.

Day 4 - It was presentation day.  I knew the content of the material but because I thought that National would report for all Canada, I didn't bother preparing, I was told yesterday and I thought I forgot about it while drinking but it dawned on me that it was happening.

So consider this the swimsuit, formal wear and question and answer portion of the pageant rolled into one. Good thing I didn't speak first or last.  I spoke in the middle and I had ideas on how to enliven the presentation.  When they were talking about how beautiful and gorgeous their countries were, I also felt proud that I am from the beautiful nation called Canada. So I took the opportunity to tell them about how the country is not only beautiful with its natural resources but also with its people.  With the diverse population and culture making up Toronto (I am one of the immigrants who moved to Canada) and also we are all people-oriented, it was but timely to say that Toronto boasts of its people from wide variety of cultures. It really felt like how Pia Wurtzbach of the Ms. Universe fame nailed the QA. hahaha. I was glad it went well. I admit speaking in front of an audience is not my forte but I think I was able to relay the message.

Today was the beer champion day and we had lots of beer to taste and match with food.  We were treated like kings and queens at another fancy restaurant by the river and before we started, we took lots of "selfies" in a picturesque setting.  This was one of my most favorite nights because this is where we really shared and connected.  Those I was seated next to were amazing, we shared and talked about government, religion, places, people (kinds of and Molson people whom we knew) and everything under the sun without qualms. I really felt that I belong to a family. Our pictures show how amazing this night was (and how great our beers are).  I intentionally made the photos look small because I didn't want to share my colleagues faces, I didn't ask their permission.

 

 

 

 

    

My unexpected UK Travel Story Day 1

My first travel on my own this year was just recently when I visited my sister and her family in Mississippi, USA.  I had a good time as a tourist and explored Elvis Presley's Graceland and other attractions nearby.  Last month, I had the opportunity to travel again but this time because of work and it is outside North America -> United Kingdom.  Backtracking two months,  I found out about the Global Meeting through my counterparts in Canada.  My boss was promoted and they thought that while they haven't selected a replacement yet,  I could come and join them,  But of course, I didn't have the nerve to ask my boss because I knew he wanted to go too.  I knew it was impossible but I wished that I will be able to go there and in other European breweries too someday.

On April Fool's morning, I received a call from my boss and asked me a favor, and that is to represent the Toronto Brewery to the Global Meeting.  Of course, I said yes and am very thankful for the unexpected news.  Everything happened so fast, I was very busy at work, have to prepare for the Global Meeting while still attending my Lean Six Sigma course at U of T.  The clincher was when I found out that I had to take my final exams without finishing the remaining lessons and I had to write the test on the day I was flying. So exciting, right?

After I handed in my final exam to my professor, that's when I started to feel relieved and accomplished and the excitement of going to see my global counterparts and long-lost friends started to kick in.  

Day 1 - I arrived very early at Heathrow Airport and managed to explore it to get to where I'm supposed to go - to Heathrow Express, the non-stop train going to Paddington Station which is just across the hotel my friend booked for me.  I was given instructions by my friends from London to find Heathrow Connect - the cheaper version - only 9 sterling pounds compared to 22 in Heathrow Express.  Travel time was only 15 minutes.  There are discounts if you book the tickets early.  This is something to remember when I go back with the family on our next travel goal.  Anyway, when I arrived at the station, I bought the Oyster Card to use for going around the city I did it using an ATM style kiosk, I arrived before 8:00 am on a Sunday and there are few ticket sellers at the counters.

AM - Check-in at Hilton, Attend SCM Service 
I was able to meet my friend at Hilton Edgeware Road and checked-in early.  After dropping off my luggage, I headed to The Shard - the tallest building because that is the landmark nearest to SCM London - My former church family counterpart in UK.  I walked cause they said it was only a block away but then I realized that I've been walking miles and still couldn't find it. The Lord was with me and the weather was great so I didn't mind but then I remember the service starts at 10:00 am.  With God's provision and miracle, I arrived just in time before the Pastor's sermon.  I was so happy to see fellow Filipinos worshipping the Lord.

PM - The London Tube System, Sandeman's Walking Tour and Hillsong London Service
I did some research and I found out about the Sandeman's London Free Walking Tour.  The meeting place was at Covert Garden, this is a market place where there are lots of people - tourists and places to eat.   That's where I bought some lunch - German Hotdog to eat while walking - my schedule was tight and the going around the Tube was "challenging".  

The underground subway stations here are deep. Sometimes, there are more stairs and tunnels to pass before transferring to another line.  I found that walking on the road is cheaper and faster and lots of people and stores to see.  If you are just going from Leicester to Covert Garden - don't use the Tube, This is the shortest distance in the Underground.

Here are some of the busiest or deep stations that I remember and you may want to avoid:
Oxford Circus, King's Cross and Pancras - this is where the 9 3/4 platform of Harry Potter is, Piccadilly Circus, Earl's Court, Embankment, London Bridge, Baker Street and Victoria.  Well, these are the stations that I remembered going to and getting lost in hahaha.

When I reached Covert Garden, it was not that hard to find the free Walking Tour guides because they are wearing red shirts and they wait under RED umbrellas. I was able to eat lunch and register for the tour - again -> just in time.  These are the areas we went to and I found out interesting facts and some history about London:

SANDEMAN's  2.5 HOUR WALKING TOUR COVERED

• Buckingham Palace
• Churchill’s War Cabinet Bunker
• The Houses of Parliament
• St. Martin-in-the-Fields
• Westminster Abbey
• Trafalgar Square
• Nelson's Column
• St. James’s Park
• 10 Downing St.
• Horseguards
• Big Ben

I knew I was doing the walking tour so I wore comfortable shoes but maybe I lack sleep (because of excitement)  and the change of time - London time is 5 hours ahead of EST and got really tired of walking for 2 hours, I doze off at the Tube.  Before I fell asleep,  I counted the stops to go to my hotel and I thought that that was my last stop.  I ended up going to Richmond on the Green line which is the opposite of where I was going and I had to go back and spend another 30 minutes "touring around" the other zones. What an adventure!  

Finally, after arriving in Zone 1, I went straight to Tottenham Court Road station to attend Hillsong London last worship service schedule at Dominion Theatre.  I had a breath-taking experience, the singers are very close and the service is like a concert.  The songs played were new ones but that they also sang old songs.  I loved Hillsong- always does and I was blessed that night.

Going back to my hotel, I decided to explore and find the famous English Fish and Chips and took it to my room to rest my tired feet and eyes.  Day 1 was amazing.  Thank you Lord.