A Walk in the Park with Colleen

09/11/2026

09/11/2026

JUST ANNOUNCED: After Hours Dates for 2027 in Disney World

09/11/2026

What makes you feel like you have arrived at Disney? What is it you look to see first that brightens your heart??

Is it the castle, the globe, the tree of life, the Disney sign or Something else??

For me it really is seeing the sign when entering Disney property and it grows from there. When I arrive at my Disney resort and get my room brings a smile to my face. Getting on to a Disney bus to go to a park or to Disney Springs.

So much magic to be found and joy to experience. What is yours??

09/08/2026

Dancing isn’t just fun — it’s also exercise. A living room dance session counts toward your movement goals. What do you listen to when you get your groove on?

(518) 331-5779 https://www.laceyhartman.com

09/08/2026

Thriving at Disney during the summer months! September is included.

I truly never thought I would be going to Disney during the hottest months of the year! When I was first asked I said an adamant NO! Then it was brought to my attention that I needed to experience this so I could better advise my clients on how to enjoy this time of the year at Disney.

It is DEFINITELY hot and humid in the summer months. Not only that you want to be prepared for the rain. If you are lucky it is only the afternoon shower that is over in less than 30 minutes, if not then too much rain.

The most important, and I cannot stress this enough, is to HYDRATE! If you think you are drinking enough then you need to still drink more. Think of it this way, if you are not in the restrooms every hour then you are not drinking enough. Water is the key, plain water!! You can also bring water into the park with you as long as it is not in a glass container.

With that being said you need to watch your electrolytes as well. I usually have one Gatorade (you pick which electrolyte beverage works best for you) after 2 waters as this works well for me. I carry the packets into the park with me and pour into a water bottle. I find it is lighter and it gives me options. Again, find out what works best for you BEFORE going to the crazy heat!

Another great tip is to know which rides or attractions you can stop into to cool off. If you can go inside to a show and be seated in the AC it is totally refreshing!! Also, do not underestimate the importance of a table service dining experience to refuel your food, sit in the AC, re hydrate yourself and thus recharging yourself.

I am making sure to say not to forget about the all important sunscreen!!

Try these different choices before you go, find out what works best for you. If I had to pick the top 3 things to utilize it would be:
1-WATER, WATER, WATER!!!
2-Sunscreen
3-Breaks into cool, sit-down rides/attractions or dining for breaks

You can THRIVE in the heat and humidity at Disney in the summer . I did and so can you!

09/04/2026

Labor Day weekend at Disney, yes or no??

Things to look at:
1-It's the last official weekend of summer
2-It's a long weekend off for A LOT of people, they want to go to Disney too
3-September tends to be one of the rainiest months in Florida
4-You can probably get a good deal on resort and ticket prices
5-Many of us can use a get away before going back to school or sending the kids back to school
6-It's still hot
7-Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Parties are going on
8-Food and Wine festival is going on

Are you ready to be there now??

09/01/2026

Quick thoughts here:

Know your travel group!!

What this means is:
1-Does someone need a stroller
2-Does someone need a scooter or wheelchair
3-Does someone do much better sleeping in
4-Can everyone go from park opening to closing without a break
5-Is dining important (DO you have picky eaters or allergies)
6-How important are the parades and/or fireworks
7-How is everyone on spinning rides or roller coasters

I want to emphasize how important it is to talk about and know these things before you get to Disney. It will bring the magic to your Disney adventure!!

08/28/2026

I am off to Disney next month and getting all prepared. Things to make sure to pack for September are:
-Ponchos
-Extra Socks (due to rain)
-Sunscreen
-Gatorade packets
-Spare sunglasses

I could go on and on with the list but wanted to make sure you have these.

Also, Due to ankle injury I have not been since January so am looking forward to updated or new attractions like:
-Soarin 250 at Epcot
-Buzz Lightyear at Magic Kingdom
-Big Thunder mountain railroad at Magic Kingdom
-Animation Courtyard at Hollywood Studios
-Millennium Falcon with The Mandalorian and Grogu at Hollywood Studios
-Muppets Roller Coaster at Hollywood Studios (maybe)
-Meet and Greet with Bluey at Animal Kingdom
-Progress on Encanto Area at Magic Kingdom

New dining of Grand Floridian Tea Lounge.

What do you want to hear and see about??

08/25/2026

THE IMPORTANCE OF WALKING

Weeks before your magical adventure begins, I personally recommend that you start walking 30 minutes a day as soon as you make the decision to go to Disney. Think of it as training for a big race like a 5K or a marathon; the sooner you start the more your body will get used to it. You may even want to start walking more than 30 minutes, which is great too! Just don’t over-work yourself! (the hospital is MUCH less magical than Disney, I promise.)

This is one of those topics that nobody really considers before a trip like this; It’s amazing how much walking you can do at Disney. The park is 40 square miles large! Magic Kingdom is 107 acres, Epcot is 300 acres, Hollywood Studios is 154 acres and Animal Kingdom is 500 acres (the animals need the space). The distance around Epcot’s World Showcase is 1.3 miles!!

If you’re traveling with children, keep in mind that they do not go in a straight line from point A to point B, they tend to zigzag. This obviously means they are walking MUCH farther than us. Keep this in mind as you walk and wander through the parks. This also means they will get tired faster than you.

Walking is a part of your life at Disney. You walk from your resort/hotel to the bus/monorail or to your car. After you park or get off the bus/monorail you now walk to the park. This is after you have gone through security for bag checks and metal detectors (yes everyone gets screened).

Congratulations, you now have arrived in the parks!! Even with the best of planning and use of Lightning Lanes you will be doing some back and forth across the park you are in. This is not to even mention if you decide to Park Hop-more walking. Then at the end of the day you get to reverse all this walking to get you back to your resort/hotel.

I cannot overstress the importance of rest. It will save you for melt downs and discontent among your travel group (this goes back to know the group you are traveling with). Remember, we want this to be fun!!

I hope this helps you with your planning and trip to Disney.

08/22/2026

🗓️ Planning a trip to Disney World in December 2026?

December offers incredible holiday magic, but crowd levels shift a lot throughout the month. Picking your park days strategically is important! 🎄✨

Quick Highlights:
🟢 Early December: Dec 1-12 offers fantastic options across all 4 parks with full holiday decor before school breaks begin!
🟣 Christmas Party Days: Magic Kingdom closes at 6:00 PM on party nights, resulting in significantly lower daytime standby wait times for major rides.
🎄 Holiday Peak: The last week of the month sees high crowd levels everywhere so prioritize Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom on their "Best Pick" days!