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PassPorter Blogs | Tag Archive | Getting in shape

Epcot: a big new world!

Filed under Disney Inspired, Fresh Picked Posts, Getting in Shape for Travel by rescuesk on March 15, 2012 at 12:09 pm {3 comments}

So you are well rested after your adventure in the Magic Kingdom yesterday, and ready to take on Epcot, right? Let’s go!

While the Magic Kingdom is the smallest park on property, Epcot sometimes appears to be the biggest. (It’s not.) Epcot is actually divided into 2 lands, FutureWorld and World Showcase, and both will require some walking!

If you arrive at Epcot via Disney bus or monorail, you will have a relatively short walk to the entrance of the park. If you drive your vehicle, keep in mind that the paking ot is rather large. If you want to save your walking strength for the park, take one of the trams that circle the parking area. They will drop you close to the entrance.

Once you are in Epcot, don’t become overwhelmed by the size. (Save that for Animal Kingdom.) Epcot is laid out, in my opinion, very nicely and very convienently for getting to all attractions. You will start by walking past the fountains and the Leave-a-Legacy towards the park’s icon, Spaceship Earth. From there, you can choose to walk right or left, depending on which attractions you want to see. The walk around the park is beautiful. 

You will be walking towards World Showcase, but the walk will be made easier because you will be stopping to see so many of the attractions along the way, as well as appreciating the beauty that is Epcot. Epcot always gives me the impression that you have stepped into a futue filled with music, sunshine, flowers, birds and fountains. I have seen the future, and it’s good! The attractions in Epcot are set a bit back from the main path, and they are large attractions! Unlike the Magic Kingdon, where you often stand in an outside queue and enter the building at the beginning of the ride, you will enter many Epcot attractions and find a whole story to go with the attraction. For example, if Soarin’ is your goal, you will enter into The Land Pavilion. Soarin is downstairs and to your left, but there are a treasure trove of other goodies to explore before you get there or while you ar waiting for your Fastpass time to come up. Spend some time in all the pavilions in FutureWorld…you’ll d up your walking steps! :)

From here, its on to World Showcase! When you enter the park via the bridge between FutureWorld and World Showcase, you will be facig World Showcase Lagoon. From here, you can walk to the left or the right. The path is a big circle around the circumference of the lagoon, passing by the countries on your way around. This can be a long walk, especially on a hot summer aftrnoon. It can also get very crowded during some of the festivals. Take time to rest. There are benches placed all around the lagoon, as well as tables near the outdoor eateries. And one of the nicest perks is the Friendship boats that run the length and breadth of the lagoon. Climb on one for a relaxing and scenic ride across the lagoon. The ships run in both directions with 2 seperate lanes of travel, so you can cut out some, or all of your walking back.

Remember that with every park adventure comes the walk back. You will get tired in Epcot, and then you will have to get back to your resort. If you stay to watch Illuminations, the night time show that is presented on World Showcase Lagoon, you will have to walk from wherever you are in World Showcase, across the bridge into Future World, and then back to your transportation option. The Friendships do not run after  Illuminations gets set up, around 7 PM, and they do not run after the show. Unlike the Magic Kingdom, your feet are your only option out of the park.

Once back at your resort, time to rest, relax and rehydrate. Our next park is small but mighty…Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Get prepared to do some walking, but alot of standing. You don’t want to miss the Streetmosphere that goes on in this wonderful park!

Disney on foot!

Filed under Fresh Picked Posts, Getting in Shape for Travel by rescuesk on February 25, 2012 at 2:47 pm {6 comments}

Ready to walk?

Hey, that got your attention, didn’t it! :D For one brief moment, you thought I was going to blog about getting to Disney by foot, didn’t you!

No, don’t worry. There are lots of ways to get to Disney, but unless you live in Cinderella’s Castle, walking there isn’t a way most travel journals would recommend.

But we are going to talk about walking in Disney.

Disney is a big place. Its a large place. Actually, its a huge place! 43 square miles, to be exact! Now, don’t fret, you aren’t going to be walking all 43 miles of that. Some of it is resort area, some of it is undeveloped,  and some is downright swamp country! But since you’ve chosen a Disney vacation, walking will be a big part of your daily routine.

If you’ve been following the blog, you know how important walking before you leave is. So, you’re ready for this, right?

The amount of walking you will do each day depends on the park you choose to visit. I’m going to cover the Magic Kingdom today, and address the others in future blogs!

The Magic Kingdom is the quintessential Disney theme park. It might surprise our readers to know that this is also one of the smallest of the parks, approximately 107 acres! Your walking day begins before you get to the park. If you are arriving at the Magic Kinfdom in a car, you will be parking on the other side of the lagoon. You will take either a monorail or the ferryboat to get to the kingdom. When you park, you can proceed to one of the tram stops and take the tram to the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC) and choose your option. There will be a short walk from your car to the tram, and from the tram to the transportation of choice. You cannot walk from the TTC to the Kingdom; there is no path, and it would be quite a hike anyway. Once you arrive at the Kingdom, there is another walk from the boat launch or the monorail station to the main entrance. If you are arriving at the Kingdom via Disney bus, the walk to the Kingdom is slightly windy and slightly uphill. It actually is a little bit further away than you would suspect. If you are staying at the Contemporary Resort or Bay Lake Towers, right next to the Magic Kingdom, you can walk to the park. This walk is a bit more than a quarter mile, but its quite pleasant, and a great way to start your day!

Once you pass through the main gates, you will need to walk up Main Street to access the attractions. The Magic Kingdom is designed around a central hub, Cinderella’s Castle, with all the lands branching out from there. “Walking” might be too broad of a term, You will more than likely meander up Main Street, taking in the ambience of this uniquely Disney area. Pace yourself…you have alot of ground to cover and you don’t want to get tired.

Once you get to the hub, you can choose your land. No matter which direction you travel in, you will be walking, but with so much to see and do, you should be pacing yourself at a nice leisurely pace. You will not have this luxury at every park, so enjoy it now! :D You’ll basically be walking in a big circle, around the back of the park and back to the front. All in all, its a nice easy walk, mostly flat and with plenty of places to rest.

When your touring day is done, walk back to the hub for a final stroll down Main Street. If you are tired, you can wait for one of the transportation vehicles to take you back down to Main Street. If you are still feeling like you can do a bit more wlaking, meander back down Main Street to the main entrance. Keep in mind that the same walk you did to get into the park now needs to be done in reverse. You will need to walk to the Disney buses, the monorail station, the ferry boat launch or the Contemporary Resort. And from there, you will still need to get back to your resort and room. Its always good to save a little energy for this return trip, especially if you are going to be carrying tired children or pushing a stroller.

So, you survived your first big walking adventure at Disney! You are back at your room and ready to take on the next park. Rehydrate at night (water or Gatorade…we’ll talk more about hydration in a future blog) and get a good nights sleep. Tomorrow we take on Epcot…get ready to hoof it here!!

 

Walking your way to a great big beautiful tomorrow!

Filed under Fresh Picked Posts, Getting in Shape for Travel by rescuesk on February 5, 2012 at 12:18 pm {no comments}

Let's walk!!!

When you think of fitness, what comes to mind? Today’s media would have you thinking of beautiful people in spandex, walking on their home (read:expensive) exercise equipment, trying out the latest diet craze (“6,000 grapefruits a week and you’ll lose 10 pounds!!!!!”) or trying an unproven diet supplement with a warning that it is not FDA approved. Advertisements of that sort can turn you off to fitness and improved health. The cost, the technology and the monotony are enough to make you rethink your fitness goals and reach for the TV remote and another bag of chips.

But there is a better way! Trust me, I know it, I do it, it works for me. Ready? Wait for it…wait for it…its…

WALKING!!!

The simple act of getting up and walking can do wonders for your health, your body and your self esteem. Just beginning to walk on a routine basis makes you feel like you are doing something good for yourself.

So how do you start? Of course, the first answer is to get up and take a walk, but its so much more than that. Its easy to make walking part of your daily routine, and I’m going to help you figure out what works best for you.

Your first step is not to figure out your ultimate fitness goals. That will come later. If you set lofty goals for yourself, you’ll be disappointed. Rather, you should start with where you are right now in your fitness life and see what it is you can accomplish that will make you feel good about yourself. In other words, if you haven’t been walking anywhere in 3 years, don’t expect to do a mile your first day out. Start with a small goal. Make it something you like to do. If you enjoy the mall, drive to the mall, and do a lap around the perimeter. If you survive that, do another one. If you are tired after one, rest. If you like the outdoors, find a walking trail. Don’t worry about doing it from one end to the other and back. Walk a quarter of a mile, turn around and come back to where you parked your car. You’ve begun! If you have a treadmill that is living its life as a clothes rack, try this: position it in front of the TV and download a favorite TV show episode. Most half hour shows are really only 20 minutes, and if you can do 20 minutes on the treadmill, that’s a great start. The TV will keep you entertained and maybe even motivated! My preference when I am on my treadmill is my MP3 player, with the fast tunes cranked up LOUD. Its not good for my ears, but its good for my motivation.

The bottom line is that to stick to the walking commitment, you need to make it something you enjoy. If its not in a situation you are stimulated by, you will get easily bored and you will not want to continue.

Take it easy and slow, do a little more each time. You don’t have to walk every day, 3 or 4 times a week is a great goal. By the end of the first 2 weeks, you will begin to see little changes. You will not be so winded anymore. You will not feel the pain in your legs. And you will begin to feel better about yourself.

My own walking regime began in 2010, when I realized that I had signed up to walk 60 miles for a cure, and I couldn’t even walk up the stairs without losing my breath. I also felt that I needed to be healthier to more adequately perform my job duties. It doesn’t bode well if the paramedic is having more trouble breathing than the patient! I began slowly. I did a half mile on the treadmill, and slowly increased it to a mile. Then I picked up the pace. And then, I added some inclines. When the weather got warmer, I began to walk the walking trails in our national park. The first time, I thought I was going to keel over by the end. But after a few weeks, even these were getting easier. And while 60 miles is no walk in the park, I felt I was prepared when I took that first step.

Find what you love! Start with some small steps! And soon, you’ll be asking yourself, why didn’t I start this sooner? :)

Next time, we’ll talk about what walking at Disney is all about, and what to expect!

 

Beginning a Healthy Journey

Filed under Fresh Picked Posts, Getting in Shape for Travel by rescuesk on January 24, 2012 at 9:19 pm {3 comments}

What not to eat!

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

Truer words were never spoken! That simple statement applies to all facets of life, including the journey to better health. And that journey needs to include good food choices, exercise and a healthy lifestyle.

If you are already in preparation for a Disney vacation, then its the perfect time to start your healthy journey. And even if there is no vacation in your immediate future, its never to early to plan!

Good vacation health planning begins at home with the right choices and changes in lifestyle. Now don’t worry, I’m not going to suggest you eat nothing but bean sprouts and cucumber slices to prepare for your vacation. Nothing of the sort! But you can make several simple changes that will help you get ready!

Disney trips involve a great deal of walking. So one of the simplest ways to start is simply to walk! You don’t need to start with a marathon, just take the steps instead of the escalator. Park your car in a far corner and walk to the mall. While you’re in the mall, take a few laps around the perimeter (they even have a name for this…its called “mall walking”!). Do something active at home. Do you know what counts as active? Vacuuming. Dusting the high places. Raking leaves. Cleaning the gutters. Anything that gets you up and moving begins your exercise journey.

You will be assaulted by a wonderful array of food options at Disney, especially if you are on a cruise. Now is the time to begin to get ready for those options.  Switch your regular soda for diet, or better yet, for water. Don’t like diet soda? Squeeze a lemon in it. Don’t like plain water? Try those Crystal Light packets, only 5 calories each! Instead of a donut for breakfast, try a bowl of oatmeal or a piece of fruit. I am a big fan of breakfast smoothies. A little 2% milk, ice cubes, fruit, maybe a packet of Carnation Instant breakfast, whirled in the smoothie maker…yum!! If good habits are already instilled, the choices at Disney become so much easier!

One more thing to start with…portion control. Do you know what a portion size is? I only recently learned, and its a culture shock! We tend to “supersize” everything, and our portions are no exception. Did you know that the meat serving on your plate should be the size of a deck of cards? A serving of cheese is about the size of a pair of dice? And a single serving of pasta should be about the same size as a scoop of ice cream? Take a look at your plate. If you are loading up on high calorie foods, it might be time to rethink your choices.

A healthy lifestyle at home will make it easier to continue a healthy lifestyle on vacation. In our next segment, we’ll talk about beginning a walking regiment and how that will help you get ready for your vacation!

 

Welcome to Getting in shape for travel!

Filed under Fresh Picked Posts, Getting in Shape for Travel by rescuesk on January 16, 2012 at 10:05 am {4 comments}

Hello there!! Welcome to the Getting in shape for Travel blog! I am soooo excited to be here!!

Let me start by telling you a little bit about myself. My name is Sue, and I am a moderator for the best Disney site on the Internet, PassPorter! My husband Steve and I are Disney Vacation Club owners, and we love to travel. I am a paramedic in my “other” life, and I have seen first hand what unhealthy eating and poor choices do for people. Steve and I try to maintain a somewhat healthy lifestyle, in fact he recently lost 40 pounds! I am very proud of him. I walk every October in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the cure, which is 60 miles in 3 days. So I try to train all year round for that. I love to hike, and I am an avid amateur photographer.

But enough about me, lets talk about YOU! You have come to this blog because you want to get in shape, or eat better, or learn how to make good choices. It doesn’t matter why you came here, the point is, YOU”RE HERE!!! :D I’m going to talk about many topics in this blog. We will have two main focuses: one will be getting prepared and in shape for travel, and the other will be healthy choices when you are travelling.

We’ll cover pre-vacation exercise, walking (a big part of any Walt Disney World vacation), planning your meals, healthy eating options both on vacation and at home, and how to avoid the excess that comes with vacations such as a cruise. We’ll also touch on health in general. I am by no means an expert, but I hope to be able to offer some great ideas and insights. And we’ll have fun here, too!!

Whatever your focus or goal is, I hope to cover it here! And please, feel free to suggest anything you may want to see in this blog. I am always open to suggestion, and I love to do research and learn about new things. So even if its something I’m not sure about, we’ll talk about it together!

So welcome aboard! Lets get this healthy party started!!!