There is a blogger code that states when you get free stuff to write about something, you have to mention it up front.  To the extreme, I worked on the redesign of the site for this amazing app, Tales2Go, and while I was 100% focused on the educational advantages of this product, I once in a while I thought “This is perfect for frequent Disney-goers!”

Tales2Go was designed by parents who wanted to make the most of those transitional moments all parents, especially those of kids with special needs, dread. In line at the dry cleaners, on the way a sibling’s soccer practice, waiting at the doctor for an appointment that may end in more ouches than stickers.  Guess what? Other parents loved it too, and parents, as the first teachers of children, shared it with teachers.

Now, teachers, media specialists, and administrators are getting it too and buying subscriptions for schools so iPads become portable listening stations for thousands of audiobooks, which is awesome. One subscription gives access to up to 5 devices. Ideal for small group instruction.

If your small group is a family, prepping for a 7 hour, or 17 hour drive to Florida, audiobooks are a great alternative to DVDs and personal gaming systems.  In my house, screen time is not as limited as the APA recommends. However, I am pretty strict about not watching anything with a battle before school or a party.  Our doctor told us that kids display aggressive behavior within 30 minutes of seeing fighting (even if the good guy wins). Do you want that going on in your car somewhere around Georgia? And with whom will your child battle? Your other child, or you! You can also pause a story and return to it after a bathroom break, or when you are waiting for Space Mountain. Some children may find that listening to the storytellers on the app is much more soothing than the cacophony of sounds that are happening on buses, in the hotel lobby, or in the parks, which can keep those meltdowns at bay. 

Here are a few titles you can find on Tales2Go that will increase the excitement about your Disney trip

• 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea. (Classic ride from DIsneyland that is now Nemo-themed). Listen to the story and ask your family if they have any memories of the story. Also great for the Sea pavillon at Epcot.
• The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.  Listen to the classic tale before visiting the island in the center the Magic Kingdom. Don’t forget to scour the island for the hidden paintbrush for a free surprise from a cast member.
• The Brave Little Tailor. Mickey’s animated short is a cartoon classic. Listen to the story before the story then compare and contrast them. 
• Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz.  While “Wizard” is a children’s movie, I find adults know it and many kids do not. It is long, not animated, and the flying monkeys are pretty intense. They may know Wicked better than the original.  The Great Movie Ride at Hollywood Studios is usually a short wait time ride, in front of the perfect meeting place.  Let your little one appreciate the magic of the melting witch.
• The Double Life of Pocahontas. Pocahontas has meet and greets at Animal Kingdom. My son’s teacher pointed out to me that her Pocahontas book must be inaccurate because he met her and she wore shorter skirts. Sigh.  Wake up call to bring more non-fiction into our library.
• He Lion, Bruh Bear, Bruh Rabbit. The American Black Folktales collected by Virginia Hamilton provides the background knowledge to better appreciate Splash Mountain. Song of the South, the1 946  film on which is the ride is based, isn’t marketed in the U.S. and wasn’t released to video.  It is considered politically incorrect, at best, although many have seen specific scenes and remember them fondly. Better to listen to the audiobook and talk about life in America during the reconstruction, especially if you are traveling across (or over) the Mason Dixon line to get to Walt Disney World.
• How To Be A Pirate.  Are you visiting The Pirates League?  Taking pirate cruise? Riding Pirates of the Caribbean? Take a lesson from the author of How To Train Your Dragon.
• The Inexperienced Ghost.  The Haunted Mansion requires some prep work.  Most important thing-warn your kids the ride begins with a scream in the lobby. 
• Pinocchio. Even though he isn’t doing meet and greets anymore, check out Italy in Epcot to learn about the setting of the story. 
• The Reluctant Dragon.  The Disney dragon trifecta includes the reluctant dragon, Eliot from Pete’s Dragon, and Mushu, from Mulan. Send your kids on a dragon hunt around the World.  Don’t miss the best ones during the Electric Water Pageant or the Main Street Electrical Parade. 

A 30-day trial subscription is free, and you can get a summer full of stories for $29.99. The stories are streaming, so your device will need to be connected to the internet but won’t need a lot of memory. The web site has templates you can download to take the learning a step closer to academia, which comes in handy if a teacher is waiting for an assignment while you are away, but to beat the summer slide, nothing inspires a child’s imagination like a great story. 

At least, that was what Walt thought.