Making Decisions: What Should You Be Doing Right Now? (November)

   Welcome November! We are now a whole month closer to Disney than we were yesterday! (And yet, only one day closer...) As the number of days between then and now shrinks, I find myself itchy to start getting ready. I want to pack, plan, and go! But we still have 71 days until the first check in (mine!) and there isn't a lot you should be doing. So what CAN you do right now?

1. Make Your Hotel Reservations.If you haven't already, you need to make your hotel reservations now. You don't want to risk losing out on a room, or that the price might go up. Reservations can always been changed or canceled, and Disney will fully refund your room up to five days in advance.
2. Book Your Flight/Rental Car. If you are flying to Orlando or renting a car, now is the time to book. Make sure you always search incognito mode, so that it's not storing your cookies and increasing the price every time you search. Check all of the different websites and search for promo codes before you purchase your plane ticket. 
3. Make Dining Reservations. If you are planning on doing any dinning at Disney before check in (or during that week) now is the time to make ADR's (Advanced Dining Reservations). Talk with your roommates, see if they want to do dinner when you first get there and make a reservation! Some places book quickly, and ADR's can be booked up to 180 days in advance.
4. Pack Your Summer Clothes In Space Bags. If you live in a cold weather climate, like me, you're headed into winter! While everyone else is still enjoying Fall, PSL's, and cool weather, you know it's time to break out the winter coat. So, instead of putting your summer clothes away until it's time to pack, why not go ahead and START packing? Wash your clothes with those awesome fresh protect beads, dry them, and pack them into a space bag. Take a fabric softener sheet, put it into a Ziploc baggie with holes poked into it, and place between every few items of clothes. Putting it into the baggie prevents the fabric softener from staining your clothes. Suck the air out and store it somewhere it will be ready to go! TIP: DCP housing has vacuums on loan, but these vacuums do not have the hose attachment needed to suck the air out of your space bag on the way home. This is a cheap, easy, simple solution, but takes a while to come in the mail, so order at least a month before you need it!
5. Find Roommates! If you haven't already, now is the time to be finding roommates! Check Facebook for groups specific to your dates and role! They are a great way to find roommates and friends! I've posted the standard blank roommate survey on my side bar, to be found here, for anyone who might be looking for it! Finding roommates can be daunting, but don't lose faith! The perfect roommates are out there for you if you're just willing to put in the time! 
6. Start Swimming. If you've been chosen for the lifeguard role, now is a good time to begin swimming! Try visiting your local Y or school pool to practice for your swim test! All lifeguards must pass a swim test before they can go through training. Anyone who cannot pass the test will be assigned a different role, usually QSFB. So, practicing before you get there is always recommended. There are separate tests for deep and shallow guards, but since you won't know your location until you get to Disney, it's best to be prepared for the deep water test. For Disney's certification you need to be able to swim 200yds continuously without stopping or letting your feet touch the ground. Swim 25yds, surface dive (meaning from inside the pool), retrieve a 10lb brick, and swim 25yds on your back without your hands. And finally, you'll need to be able to tread water with your hands above your head for 2 minutes. TIP: Almost all pools have a 10lb brick at easy disposal for in-service training. If you ask nicely, they should allow you to use the brick for practicing!
7. Make Sure You Have Proper Identification. This means your drivers license AND social security card (or birth certificate) OR just your passport. If you do have them, put them someplace safe until it is time to go. If you do not have them, make sure you are going through the process of getting a replacement as soon as possible so that you have it on time!

   Unfortunately, that's all you really can do for now. As long as the wait to find out is, it's nothing compared to the wait to get there! While we wait, feel free to stop by and say hi, let me know if you have any questions, or just come be friends.