bachelorette party Archives | An Aspiring Heroine - Cincinnati Lifestyle & Travel Blog

Disney World Bachelorette Scavenger Hunt

June 10, 2015

Nearly six months ago, Spencer and I got married. About two months before that, I had the best bachelorette party ever at Walt Disney World. I’m still not over it.

We spent a lovely Saturday in October drinking around the world at Epcot, which is the most fun, unofficial park experience for adults! We also worked to complete this bachelorette scavenger hunt, designed especially for the happiest place on Earth.

Know a bride-to-be who knows all the words to “Let It Go” and balks at the idea of a typical bachelorette scavenger hunt, complete with taking shots and doing uncomfortable things with strangers? Then this Disney World bachelorette scavenger hunt is just for you!

Receive a proposal from a character

But perhaps not from Chip or Dale since the odd one out will get jealous, and it will cause this whole big thing.

Recreate an old photo with a character

On my very first trip to Disney World, I got to meet Mickey, and I kissed him on the nose. Therefore, when my mother helped my sister with this scavenger hunt, I just had to recreate my “first kiss” with the mouse himself!

Have your first dance with a character

Tigger is my bro. Always has been, always will be. And the spring in his step (or tail) was perfect for shaking a leg!

Take an “awkward prom” photo with a character

Please tell me you’ve seen people do “awkard prom” poses before? I don’t think Flynn Rider was technically allowed to grab me awkwardly by my waist, but I appreciate his effort. Also, matching awkward expressions? Better watch out, Rapunzel.

Be serenaded by a cast member

Or a whole group of them! The lovely servers at Via Napoli were happy to oblige.

Find another bride and buy her a drink

Since we were there during the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival, it wasn’t too difficult to find another bride. Plus the ears made us easy to spot!

Receive marital advice from a character

I know what you’re thinking: How could Minnie possibly give me words of marital wisdom? Well, she rubbed her stomach and mimicked eating, then pointed to her shoes, which I took to mean “A man’s stomach is the way to a closet full of shoes.” Words to live by.

Take a selfie with a character

Oh Belle, my very own princess who loves books and doesn’t judge people how much hair they have on their face. Like I could ever use my selfie with a character on anyone but you!

Be “carried across the threshold” by a character

To be honest, this one kind of backfired! If Flynn wasn’t allowed to grab my waist, Goofy definitely wasn’t going to pick me up and carry me bridal style. But he did do this awkward little dip with me, and I was satisfied.

Take a photo with a tiny princess

I’m pretty sure I ended up adding this one to the end of my list. I just couldn’t resist going up to a little girl in a princess outfit and calling her Cinderella. This interaction was priceless because Cinderella’s older sister was way more into it than she was!

Find a cast member with the groom’s name

We looked everywhere (but especially in the United Kingdom area) for a cast member named Spencer, but alas we did not come across one the entire day! I think this is a great idea, though, and I’d love to see photos of any brides who do find “their man.”

Have you ever taken part in a Disney scavenger hunt? What would you add to my list for bachelorettes?

Drinking Around the World at Disney’s Epcot

October 29, 2014

Earlier this month, I accomplished something that I had only ever dreamed of doing: I went “Drinking Around the World” at Walt Disney World’s Epcot park. 11 countries in 11 hours with 8 of my favorite people as part of my insanely wonderful bachelorette party. Needless to say, I had a blast. So here is my itinerary for use by the few, brave souls who believe they are up to the challenge!

First of all, I should say that we didn’t follow the World Showcase in either order around the circle. We rode rides, met characters, ran to meal reservations; the whole experience was more important to me than sticking to any prescribed order. (Plus I was trying to get every item on my Disney bachelorette scavenger hunt!)

Secondly, it’s also important to note that we completed this challenge during the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival, which ran from mid-September to mid-November this year. Therefore, we had a more diverse number of drinks to choose from, although we tried to stick to the drinks available year-round whenever possible.

So let’s dive into my day of “Drinking Around the World at Epcot!”

Norway

We began the day in Norway at 11am on the dot. I’ve always thought this pavilion was especially charming, and the Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe is no exception. The most obvious choice here is a Carlsberg, which they pulled for me while a few of the girls supplemented our hurried breakfast with amazingly flaky pastries.

Tip #1 – Eat a good breakfast. Your body will thank you for it.

Carlsberg is basically your run-of-the-mill pilsner; it was light and refreshing on a hot, Orlando morning. One of my bridesmaids went a little out-of-the-box, ordering an iced Viking Coffee that she seemed to enjoy. You can also get an Aquavit Glacier Shot, but I wouldn’t recommend it.

Tip #2 – You might want to consider not taking shots today. You have a very boozy day ahead!

Mexico

After taking a quick stroll through a mini museum dedicated to Frozen, we backtracked to Mexico where La Cava del Tequila opens each day at noon. Yes, you can get sugary frozen margaritas outside of the replica Mayan pyramid, but for a few extra bucks, you can get very authentic drinks with legitimate tequila.

Tip #3 – Enjoy slowly. These can knock you on your butt if you aren’t careful!

If tequila isn’t really your thing, or you’re worried about making it to all 11 countries, order your margarita frozen instead of the assumed on the rocks; there is a noticeable difference between the two. I enjoyed a frozen Blood Orange margarita with a spicy rim and a hint of sweetness. Of the group, we ordered a variety of flavors (Wild Passionfruit, Pineapple, Hibiscus), and they were all fantastic albeit strong!

Germany

From Mexico, we hopped back in a clockwise direction and stopped for lunch at the German pavilion’s Biergarten Restaurant.

Tip #4 – Eat regularly. (This one is pretty self-explanatory)

The lunch buffet is a much better value than the dinner buffet in my opinion plus they have the best, most interactive hourly entertainment in the entire World Showcase, and after sucking down that margarita, you’ll need a little something on your stomach. They also have ample German alcohol to choose from, including a beer list (I went for the Schöfferhofer Weizen because I am such a wheat beer girl), shots of Jägermeister and Apple Berentzen (see Tip #2), and flights of beer and German white wine. Prost!

China

After lunch was when our country order started to get a little squirrely: we backtracked again to China on our way back to Future World for some FastPass+ fun! My sister and I shared the Canto Loopy because when else would we ever be able to find a drink with cantaloupe juice as the main ingredient? The cantaloupe juice actually did a really good job of masking the bitterness of the vodka, and it was one of my favorite drinks of the day! The Joy of Tea stand also offers a Mango Gingerita made with vodka and rum and a Peach Snap! with schnapps, but I personally thought my choice was the best.

France

Between meeting Belle (my favorite of the princesses) and waiting in line to see Aurora, we stopped at Les Vins des Chefs de France to imbibe. In my humble opinion, France has the best drinks in the World (Showcase)! For such a small food stand, it has a great variety of alcohol, and every option is spot on. I decided on the Grand Marnier & Grey Goose Orange Slush, but the Grey Goose Citron Lemonade Slush was equally fantastic. Are they a bit pricey? Yes. Is there a ton of alcohol in them? Probably not. Would I still encourage you to try it? Wholeheartedly. But if the slush doesn’t sound like your kind of drink, I would also highly recommend the Kir Royal, a champagne cocktail. Basically, it’s hard to go wrong in the France pavilion.

Tip #5 – At this point, you’re almost halfway through! Make sure you’re staying hydrated throughout the day, especially with that gorgeous Florida sun beating down on you.

*Canada

Perhaps the opposite of France as far as drink options are concerned was our next stop: Canada. The Popcorn in Canada stand has some beer selections, both draft and bottled, as well as something called a Torontopolitan. This is where Canada’s International Food and Wine Festival stand got the better of me.

Tip #6 – The drinks are too expensive to buy something you don’t want to drink. There are always other options!

I love ice wine, which is why I immediately gave up on Canada’s usual drink options for a chance to try a La Face Neige Apple Ice Wine. I will say it was slightly disappointing in size. However, to be fair, it was very crisp and sweet like its cousin, apple juice.

Tip #7 – Items sold at the International Food and Wine Festival stands are meant to be bite- and sip-sized. Expect to pay way more than usual for these mini plates and drinks!

United Kingdom

Now, I know, we’d just passed the UK pavilion to get to Canada on our way back to Future World, but Winnie the Pooh and Tigger were too much to pass up, so we tromped back, took our photos, and stopped inside the Rose & Crown Pub. Yes, you can get drinks outside at the beer cart, but don’t! The inside of the pub has such a noisy, old, authentic feel that it’s worth the wait, plus you can get a lot more inside than Guinness in a can. You have to get a pub blend in the United Kingdom whether it be a Black & Tan (my dad’s drink of choice) or a Snake Bite (the drink I lived on during my month-long stint in Ireland).

Morocco

After our final venture to Future World of the night, we started back at Morocco. If you want an alcoholic slush, the Spice Road Table is the place to be. However, it had a line, and I had a dinner reservation to make, so instead I settled for a sangria at the Tangierine Cafe, something that I would not recommend you do if you’ve done a better job of sticking to your schedule. I’m almost positive the sangria came out of a bottle, meaning there were no fruit pieces, no authentic sangria flavor, and an okay glass of wine.

Tip #6 – Come up with a “one drink an hour” schedule and stick to it! It will make the end of your day so much easier to manage.

Japan

Our experience a short walk away at the Japan pavilion was much more rewarding. You can get sake cocktails at the outdoor drink stand, but I would definitely suggest heading inside the Mitsukoshi Merchandise store. In the corner, they have a little sake bar set up that gives you a more complete drink experience. Plums have never been my favorite fruit, but I felt like I had to try the plum wine, and it actually wasn’t too bad. Very sweet, a little tart, overall not a bad drink. I also had a taste of the plum wine sake, which was obviously very similar but had more of a kick at the end. And similar to Canada, the portions were very small here.

Italy

We had dinner reservations at Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria, which was our main reason for skipping the Italy pavilion all day. For my drink with dinner, I stayed very much inside my comfort zone and went for a bellini. It’s a classic, and if you’ve been here for a while, you know that it’s my favorite drink! It was the perfect time for some amazing pizza and a chance to regroup with everyone about the day that we’d had. Italy has tons of options, including a huge selection of wine, a few beers, and much-better-than-Morocco sangria, which the rest of the table enjoyed during dinner.

*America

Let’s just say I deeply regretted saving the American Adventure pavilion for the very end of the night. We’re talking I ran up right before the IllumiNations fireworks show began, which was such a mistake. I had waited all day for a Red Stag Lemonade, and when I got to the window, they were only able to coax a few sips out of the slushie machine. What I had was great, which just made it even more depressing. However, International Food and Wine Festival to the rescue! They were able to give me an Mmmhops, which I don’t have a picture of because they wouldn’t let me take the glass bottle. For those of you wondering, yes, that is Mmmhops as in a play on Mmmbop because HANSON BREWS BEER NOW. Who knew? I certainly did not. Disney only sells it during the International Food and Wine Festival, so I was extremely lucky!

And that finished off my epic adventure “Drinking Around the World!” I am such a Disney fanatic (also on the ABC’s of An Aspiring Heroine!), and this whole experience just goes to show how much Disney has to offer everyone, from toddlers to over 21’s. I would seriously recommend drinking through Epcot’s World Showcase to anyone who even remotely enjoys alcohol. With so many countries, there is a drink for everyone!

So what do you think? Would you be up to “Drinking Around the World at Epcot?” Leave a comment with any questions or comments about your own experience.

P.S. We did this little excursion as part of my amazing bachelorette party, complete with Disney-themed scavenger hunt!

How to throw the bachelorette party of your bride’s dreams

October 24, 2014

FULL DISCLOSURE: I have never planned a bachelorette party.

However, I am a soon-to-be-bride who recently had the most amazing bachelorette party planned for her, and luckily for you, I took some notes (and photos, lots of photos!) to help you throw a bachelorette party to end all bachelorette parties!

Don’t push your bride outside of her comfort zone.

This is my rule numero uno for a reason: if you plan something that your bride isn’t comfortable participating in, she won’t enjoy herself, her friends won’t enjoy themselves, and you will have gone through a whole lot of trouble for nothing! It’s so important that the first step in planning the big day before the big day is discussing your ideas with the bride and hearing what she wants out of a bachelorette party.

Your idea of a great weekend might be hitting up all of the best clubs in a certain city. But that’s not exactly what I would call a fun time. Luckily for me, my maid of honor (who also happens to be my sister!) knows me like no one else and thought nothing of getting all of my friends together at Walt Disney World!

Make a budget… and stick to it!

Bachelorette get-togethers are expensive. It’s just the nature of the beast. So when you and your bride decide on a guest list for her little soiree, be sure you immediately begin to talk budget with your bride’s friends. Nothing ruins a vacation more than people getting angry about travel costs, having to miss out on activities they can’t afford, or being blindsided by the expectation that they would pay for something. Money talk sucks; it’s uncomfortable, and it probably always will be. So do yourself a favor and get it out of the way pre-party!

Keep your bride in the loop, but don’t reveal all your secrets!

Since I’m big into budget travel planning (check out how I planned our honeymoon!), my sister let me handle all of that with Disney. That meant I knew where we were staying, when my girls would be coming in/leaving on flights, and what we would be eating (and drinking!) throughout the day. Basically, I thought I knew everything about the trip…

And that was completely false! When my sister picked me up at the airport, I was presented with a goodie bag, a t-shirt, a scavenger hunt for the next day, a souvenir book, MY BRIDE MICKEY EARS, so many things that I hadn’t expected or even known to hope for! It was such a great feeling. So make sure that you keep some cards hidden up your sleeve for your bride as well. It’ll make the experience even more exciting!

Focus early on bringing the group together.

I was fortunate with my bachelorette party attendees: almost all of them were sorority sisters from college who had all just graduated. However, that did leave out my sorority little sister who graduates this year and my actual, biological little sister. 🙂

In an effort to have one cohesive group at the party, my sister started a group text with all of the girls a few weeks beforehand where she relayed all of the important information about the weekend and got to know everyone a little better.

She also made these awesome shirts for our group to wear in the park because it’s a law of nature that matching shirts bring people closer together.

Be flexible and enjoy the day!

My maid of honor could not have been more wonderful throughout the weekend. She had done all of this planning beforehand, but when things started to change she was completely willing to do whatever I wanted to. We added some items to my scavenger hunt (including my selfie with Belle)? No big deal! We changed, changed, and then completely skipped one of our FastPass+ reservations? Didn’t bat an eye! The group got separated when our checks at dinner took a while to arrive? We all met up after the fireworks, and everything was fine! She was seriously cool as a cucumber the entire day, and it kept me from stressing because she wasn’t stressing.

If you’ve done everything that you can to make this day special for your bride (which I’m sure you have!), she’ll appreciate and enjoy every minute! And so should you!

And last, but definitely not least…

Safety first.

9 times out of 10, a bachelorette party is going to include some form of alcohol at some point in the day. (If yours doesn’t, who cares? It’s your bride’s big day, and she can do what she wants!) With that little fun fact comes the necessity of being safe, both in your drinking during the day and your getting home from said drinking later in the day.

Even though it was more expensive than spending a second night in my friend’s apartment, we decided to stay on property at a Walt Disney World resort on Saturday night. We all took the complimentary bus transportation to and from Epcot, which meant we could drink throughout the day and not have to worry about anyone driving unsafely. Take cabs, ride public transportation, stay within walking distance of your hotel, do whatever it takes to keep what should be a wonderful celebration from turning into a tragedy. Cheers!

I hope these tips will be helpful for all of the new MOHs out there! Have a question about something that I didn’t cover? Please leave me a comment below!

P.S. You’ll probably want to check out the full bachelorette scavenger hunt I did and our routine for “Drinking Around the World” at Epcot!

whimsical moments of magic

October 20, 2014

Have you ever been so full of emotion that you felt like you literally could not contain it all for one second longer? Like it was all going to burst from you, tears and smiles and laughter in one confusing mixture of feeling? If not, I hope it’s something that you’ll get to experience at least once in your lifetime. It’s a blissfully disorienting sensation that I have been unable to shake since yesterday.

This past Friday began my bachelorette weekend (honestly, it was more like a weekend’s worth of fun packed into one day), and I truly could not have asked for a more amazing time. But you’ll hear more about that later in the week (and probably next week, and the week after that one, too)!

Right now, I would like to celebrate the nine women who made my day and who continue to impact my life even though I no longer get to see them on a daily basis:

One who opened her home (and her cats) to our group and made multiple trips to and from the airport and Disney World.

One who sacrificed her final Reading Days of college to celebrate with the group.

One who drove hours to meet us, knowing she would only get to spend the evening and Sunday brunch with me.

One who made the trip a joint celebration of my imminent wedding and her passing of what I can only imagine was a ridiculously different semester of med school anatomy.

One who forewent preparing for a grad school presentation to spend her hard earned coaching assistant salary on a day at Epcot.

One who finished a day of student teaching only to tackle a four hour drive to the airport plus a two hour plane ride plus a thirty minute car ride to see me.

One who took the day off work and did some of her own weekend planning just so she would be sure to get there with enough time to truly enjoy it.

One who scrimped and saved and dealt with multiple flights as a standby passenger to afford celebrating with me.

One who made the drive down from southern Georgia with a slight detour to pick me up at a completely unexpected airport despite having had very little sleep the night before due to preparing gift baskets and other goodies for our trip.

In summary, I have the most amazing friends who are so precious to me in their own ways that I could never have imagined them up to ask God to send them to me.

As I sit here on a Monday back at work, eating a leftover Subway sandwich and drinking tea from my Tigger mug (I guess my subconscious misses Disney, too), it almost seems like the entire thing was a dream. And I suppose if it was, that’s okay. It was certainly full of the whimsical moments of magic that dreams are made of!