Content Testing

November 11, 1969 by cryan.com

Testing some new functionality, please ignore for now.

Content Testing

November 11, 1969 by cryan.com

Start thinking of what to write...

Content Testing

November 11, 1969 by cryan.com

Start thinking of what to write...@@

Monday Morning Commute

November 11, 1969 by cryan.com

This morning's commute wasn't great for the Worcester/Framingham line. The 6:35 train was running 45 mins late and the 7:00 train never really made it out of Worcester to be rush hour train. Thus leaving only two trains for today's rush hour. Not good at all.

While waiting for the 8:45 (P514) train out of Framingham, several people told me how they had to work from home this pass week because of the serious train delays. The MBTA was going to use the same schedule this week.

It took 45 minutes to get from Framingham to Back bay this morning. The biggest surprise of the morning was that there weren't as many commuters in the Wellesley stops. I was surprised because the earlier train couldn't pick up any passengers and yet we only picked up 20 passengers in Wellesley Hills. Where did the commuters go?

Evening Commute

This evening commute wasn't any better. I arrived at the train station hoping to catch the late 5pm train. I missed the train because they couldn't get any more passengers in the train.

The next train arrived about 10 minutes later and I was fortunate to get a seat. It wasn't as crowded as the 5pm train, but there were about 20 people standing in the car I was in. The train moved slower than normal because of the earlier train.

Art of Animation Tips

November 11, 1969 by cryan.com

If your going to stay at the Art of Animation hotel, here are some non-conventional ideas on what to bring with you to make your stay a bit more enjoyable than the average traveler. Note: Some of these may apply to other hotels on the Disney Property too.

You may not escape the need to do laundry during your vacation stay. Be sure to pack laundry soap and dryer sheets. You can measure the amount of laundry detergent you need and put it in a travel travel size shampoo bottle.

The dryer sheets act as a advantage and will make your clothes smell nice in your suitcase. Put some in a sandwich size bag and throw a couple in the suitcase.

This is a cool tip. Some of the rooms in the Art of Animation have sinks. You can spend $4 at the store to get dish washing detergent or fill some in another shampoo bottle. You'll need the soap to clean out the Rapid Fill mugs and anything else that you plan to reuse.

You can just take some soap from your own sink, as you probably won't need a lot for a weeks stay. Just think of how much dish washing soap you go through a week and decide on how much you need.

Pen/Stickers to customize the Rapid Fill mugs

The Rapid Fill mugs are great idea but for some reason Disney only have four colors available. This is a slight problem with large families or if your staying with a bunch of people.

Having a marker or sticker will help you customize the mug to your own likening.  If your a Haunted Mansion fan, you can find plenty of water proof stickers - and for cheap too. Permanent markers will be good since you may find other uses for them during your trip. Just remember to bring a couple of different color markers.

The cleaning staff will put a new shampoo bottles and soap in your bathrooms each day they clean your room. If you brought your own, simple put the bottles from the hotel in your suitcase (in a zip lock bag) and you'll get a new one tomorrow. Make for a cute souvenir.

Don't forget to tip the cleaning people too! They work hard to make sure the room is clean. If you get extra service make sure to tell someone about it. Depending on your experience, about $2 to $4 a day would be fair amount. You can brighten their day with a personal note thanking them for their service.

If your on the dining meal plan, it is critical that you check your balance at least 2 days before you leave. Don't' make the mistake that hundreds of travels do each year - wait for the last day to check the balance.

If you check it a couple of days in advance you can plan your purchases better. Wouldn't you rather get Popcorn on Main Street USA or a Snicker bar from the hotel gift shop? You can get more practical snacks in the parks than in the Hotels.

You can check your meal plan balance at any hotel desk or at the City Hall on Main Street in the Magic Kingdom.

We basically don't carry much cash with us since we had the dining plan and a Disney Credit Card. However there are times when you'll need cash.

It cost $3 for a soda at the hotel vending machines. Some of the machines do take credit cards, but I found that one's that did also had the most drinks sold out. Having $3 in cash would have been super handy. You'll need this especially after the gift shop and cafe closes after midnight and you are looking for ginger ale. Have at least $10 in ones.

You will find a penny souvenir machine between the cafe and store. This is a cool way to get a special souvenirs of your trip. Just pack some pennies and extra quarters - bring at least $2 worth of quarter.

If your planning on doing laundry at the hotel, pack a washable laundry bag. You can carry the dirty laundry to the laundromat throw the bag in with the clothes and use the bag carry the clean clothes back to the room.

If doing laundry is something you frequently do on trips, why not get a custom laundry tote bag? Simply keep the bag in your suitcase between trips so you know where it is on your vacation.