"I'm NOT a Princess, I'm Izzy!" - May '15 Land/Sea ~ Updated 6/4: Link to Disneyland TR!!!

[Dugette]

Any general recommendations for cruising with a toddler?

Overall, I felt like cruising with a toddler was much easier than WDW with a toddler. I'd say that making time for naps in the room (for the toddler) is an important consideration. We had hoped she'd nap in the nursery sometimes and that didn't happen...she was too revved up for playtime in there. Um, what else? For viewing shows like the Sail Away Party or the Pirate Night character show, we followed the advice of finding a spot along the rail on the deck above the pools so that she could have a clear view with nobody in front of her. We weren't super close, but it worked out pretty well and was less crazy than being on the main floor. Hmmmm, we ordered room service one night and asked for several cartons of milk and kept that in the fridge to fill her thermos throughout the day. We participated in a Fish Extender group (from our DIS thread on the cruise boards) and Izzy LOVED coming back to the room to find gifts each time. Each kid is different here, but Izzy MUCH preferred the Nemo's Reef splash pad to the Mickey pool. Oh, the in-room TV has Disney Junior shows (like Mickey Mouse Clubhouse) on demand - this was a HIT with Izzy! We did the early dinner seating and went to the shows after dinner and that worked well for us...Izzy did well at dinner and enjoyed the shows (we put her in the nursery for the Villains one, though, since I'd heard it could scare young kids). The divider curtain in the room is great for naps and night sleep to give the toddler their "own room". Lots of character meets you can plan for if your kid is into them. Sorry for all the randomness, but there's some tips off the top of my head.

We're going to give the DVC Points Rental option a try on our trip next October as we want to get a 2-Bedroom since my Mom will be coming with us. Since these are soo expensive, this seems like the best option. Any help you can provide a first time points rental? I know you've had really good luck so far. Thanks!

Sounds like Lauren is getting your hooked up with her point guy, so that's good. Otherwise, I wrote up a little tutorial for a couple people that asked me about renting for Aulani. But most of it applies to any DVC rental. I'll try to cut and paste here and clean up the irrelevant stuff (and add a few comments):



There are two main forums to find DVC owners that are renting out their points. (They generally do so either because they are not vacationing that year or they are not using all of their points in the allotted time frame). This is where we found the person we rented from for both Aulani and our upcoming Disney trip (Boardwalk):

http://www.***********.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=63 (since the DIS is editing this, it's Mouse Owners - another forum, has a rental page)

The other main place is here:

http://www.disboards.com/forums/dvc-rent-trade.29/

Both boards have a mix of members that are renting out reservations they already have and can’t use (probably won’t find what you need with those) and members that have points to rent in general and will book what you are looking for (there are some that are offering transfers and that won’t help, as it’s just to other DVC members). One note is they everyone has a home resort(s) and they can book at their home resort up to 11 months in advance. They can book at any other resort up to 7 months in advance.

There are also two reputable companies that rent out points on behalf of DVC owners. It costs more to go through the middlemen, but some find it to be an easier process. Those companies are:

https://www.dvcrequest.com

http://dvcrentalstore.com (DVC Rental Store)

We actually tried to use these companies last time, but both did not have enough Aulani points to make our reservation over 7 months in advance. Could be different now, though, as their inventory changes all the time. Good customer service from both.

You can find the Aulani point chart for 2016 here:

http://advc.disney.go.com/media/dvc...vcresorts/2016-AULANI-Pt-Cht-FINAL-121614.pdf

(I'm sure you can find the other resorts with a search...the points charts should be available on several sites).

The chart shows you how many points a night is needed for each of the types of villa offered. My advice would be to estimate about $12/point from a DVC owner directly or about $15/point from one of the rental companies. There is some variation, especially with the individual members, but that is a good price to shoot for. Generally, there is no cancellation once you’ve booked. I do see that the second point rental company does have something where you can pay extra and have cancellation options, which is new. So, you probably want to be pretty certain that you want to go ahead before signing a contract.

The member we rented from provided a very fair and thorough contract. I don’t know if all members do, but hopefully most.

I’m sure there’s probably more to say, but that’s a good start. I think this is also a good write-up of the process in general and things to look at if you rent directly from an owner:

http://www.mousesavers.com/other-disney-vacations/disney-vacation-club/#rentpoints

 

[Dugette]

Wow, I can't believe the characters came around AGAIN!

I know! They were just working their tails off that night!

Reading about all the trips to the bathroom with Izzy is making me scared to push the potty training with Rory. He's been working on it a little, but now with the baby here it's going to be hard for me to put her down (especially when I'm nursing her) to take him to the bathroom.

Ah, good point! That would be hard to deal with both at once. And I've heard that a big change (like a new baby) can sometimes set a potty training child back a bit too. I don't know what to tell you, but GOOD LUCK!

I like the Illuminations pictures from a different view. I think we might skip Epcot next trip (only doing the parks one day before and after the cruise), and the thought of missing Illuminations makes me sad!

Gosh, it would be so hard to have to skip a park! Maybe you can see Illuminations from outside of the park somewhere? (well, the fireworks part)

I LOVE and NEED that hoodie Izzy was wearing during your flight. I will be on the hunt for it for my LO for our December trip. Where did you get it?

Interestingly enough, I actually got it on our trip to Aulani (since Izzy's fleece went missing on our layover). So, I got it at the Old Navy Outlet on Oahu! Towards the end of this update is the actual purchase: Happy in Hawaii –- Aulani & Oahu with a Toddler ~ Updated 8/9: Character Meet Spree Hopefully they still sell them, but I haven't looked (that was last November). Good luck tracking one down! They are too cute!

Okay no problem! Just let me know cause i'd love to meet up with you guys

Will do! Would be so fun to meet you!

This makes me laugh cause DS just sang this a few days ago and I started laughing!

Great minds!

Trust me, I didn't want to admit! But geez, they look exactly alike.

I know, it's scary how similar they look (especially in that picture - he showed me a couple others later and it was easier to tell them apart).

It's like you can't get away from them even if you try!

Pretty much!

We've been dealing with this for a while now When will it stop?!

I hope soon! It happened when we met Dug's DS & DBIL for dinner a couple nights ago. Izzy wanted to go potty, so I took her and she DID go. Five minutes later, she is desperately pleading to go again, so Dug had to take her too. Cause, you know, she had to see the boys room (but not actually use it).

At least we can trade off on taking her. Slightly less frustrating that way.

Yay for character selfies!

So fun! Gotta thank the DIS for that idea!

Good job Dug!

Mmmmm.

Of course.

I'm sure they were monitoring my progress.

She even knew it was character overload.

Indeed.

WOW! That is kind of cool though. All four of them at once.

I agree, not often you get that.

That is some thick whipped cream.

It's almost like they are trying to trick you into thinking it's ice cream.

Same here

Only a little over a month until we have official Disney "kids".

Good find!

So cool that it was there!

Those lucky ducks They don't even know!

Pretty good life, if you have to be a duck.

I need this!

I know, isn't that cool-looking?! Maybe Disney will sell it off, since they don't tend to re-use those, it seems. Then it can be YOURS!

 

[Dugette]

Errands and Stuff

We left off as we made our way to the International Gateway:



We happened to catch the boat at the dock, so we decided to ride back instead of walking. This was 9:28pm:





I like that the lady behind us is also participating in the selfie.

And I had to get a shot of Dug too, so he would not be left out of the fun:



When we got back to the room, our mission was to get Izzy ready for bed right away. Once she was in the pack ‘n’ play and reasonably settled, I headed out to get groceries, bringing her empty stroller with me as a cart :



It was 10:07pm as I made my way to the elevator:



We were on the 4th floor and we usually went down to 1 to go out, but I think I stopped at 2 tonight to take care of one thing at the front desk. I followed the amazing DIS thread devoted to Star Wars Weekends and the related SWW Roll Call thread for quite some time prior to this trip. At some point, the topic came up of how to identify fellow DISers at DHS. The answer was "I’m Celebrating" pins with the name of each weekend’s garrison on it. We’d be attending both Weekend 1 (Guinea Pig DISers) and Weekend 2 (DISers Strike Back). I found the front desk empty (except for CMs) and asked for buttons and a Sharpie, letting her know we were using them to meet up with a group. I followed a suggestion by another two-weekend DISer and wrote, “Guinea Pig DISers Strike Back” on each of our buttons (just me and Dug, didn’t get Izzy one). Thanked the CM, tucked them away, then headed down to the store (Screen Door General Store in the Boardwalk). Oh, here’s a picture of one of the buttons:



I made my selections and tried not to throw up at the Disney-fied prices on food staples. I was happy to at least get my AP holder discount on everything. The stroller worked out really well for transporting the groceries back to the room:



I apparently was admiring this light fixture while waiting for the elevator:





I was back in the room by 10:25pm, stocking up the fridge:



Despite the limited food selection in the shop, I was able to find all of the key ingredients to make our own breakfast sandwiches. If you haven’t heard me rave about it already (in my Aulani report), let me just say that our little microwave egg sandwich maker is one of the best things I’ve ever spent like $3 on. We actually own two now, just to always have one clean, as we use them at home often too. (It’s the Nordicware one: http://www.amazon.com/Nordic-Ware-Microwave-Muffin-Breakfast/dp/B001B2MRSE - I just picked them up at Target). So, I had packed our egg cooker and I bought muffins, eggs, bacon, and sliced cheese to make the sandwiches. Tasty, satisfying, and quick breakfasts with only a microwave and toaster, so perfect for a Studio DVC unit! (At home, I prefer to buy the thin Sandwich Rounds bread and I like the Jimmy Dean sausage crumbles just mixed right into the egg – super easy! But Screen Door General Store didn’t have that much variety, so muffins and bacon were just fine). Sneak preview from the next morning:



I got milk and yogurt for Izzy and some creamer for Dug’s coffee:



You can also see my pop (soda for you non-Minnesotans ) selection there. I had fully intended to just buy like a 12-pack and call it good. My mind has now blocked out the specifics of the prices, but I do remember that they were INSANE! To the point where it would have made more sense to buy a refillable mug than the cans of pop (probably what they are trying to do ). However, I decided to think out of the box a bit. The two liter bottles were actually pretty reasonable compared to the cans (maybe $2.39?). The 20 oz. bottles were more expensive than the two liters, if I recall correctly, but not by much ($2.59?). (ETA - I found the receipt and it turns out the 2-liter was $3.50, but I was right that the 20 oz. bottles were $2.59/each. For all prices, see comments below this post). But we’d need something to drink out of and bottles are nice in the stroller cupholders, since they don’t slosh around/spill like cans do. So, I got one 20 oz. Coke Zero and one 20 oz. Diet Coke (so we could tell our bottles apart), then a 2-liter of Diet Coke to refill them each day. I have to say, this worked great and cost far less than the cans would have (on a side note, since the trip, Dug’s personal trainer convinced him to give up pop (we only drank diet, but even that) and he has done great! I can’t say that I’m to that point yet – I used to only drink water at work, but I’m having a hard time giving up my little “indulgences” – I am upping my water and cutting them down slowly, though).

Oh, also, I got some beef jerky for Dug to munch on and some dried blueberries for Izzy to munch on. I know I also bought a big bag of Mickey pretzels at some point, but maybe that was later? All I know is that we are STILL eating it (and they are still yummy).

Anyway, I unpacked our things and then tried to do whatever still needed to be done that night so that the morning would go smoothly. It was going to be our early rope-drop Chewie Run DHS morning, so we needed to be ready. I showered, did some unpacking, and got everything packed and ready that we’d need for the next day.

I also ran across our Disney Visa meet print:



That’s currently on my desk at work.

I also set up my “traditional” (since Aulani) DVC Studio “nightstand”. Since there is only a nightstand on one side of the bed (and not mine!), I stole an idea from someone on the DIS and flipped over a trash can, then covered it with a towel. Voila, a “nightstand”:



Aw, look who was sleeping:



And, yes, I do believe she was still wearing her clothes. We have a jammie-resistant kid on our hands these days. Despite starting her time in Orlando with a meltdown over that outfit, she just HAD to wear it to bed to end the day.

I finished my chores by washing out Izzy’s milk thermoses:



Then it was bedtime for me, about quarter after 11pm. Despite starting our vacation with a massive tantrum, this had ended up being a really enjoyable first day!

Up next: The Chewie Run!

Bonus Content: Since I haven’t reached the photo limit yet, please enjoy some of Photopass’ Stock Photos of Epcot:

 

[Imagineer5]

I lost track of where we were in the TR and didn't realize this was all on the 1st day! LOL wow! No wonder Izzy passed out!

That is cute about the buttons, I wonder if anyone saw them?! Guess I'll find out soon

Sometimes you have to choose convenience vs $$ and in this case going to the boardwalk shop sounds like the best option for saving time but spending a little more. Oh well!

ETA: it is funny how opposite we are with timing. I always get up way too early and have tons of time before we have to head out, and use that time for all those things like milk cup cleaning and packing the park bag and such. I remember that from our June trip that you were always up cleaning up Izzy's milk cup and then I was doing Aria's the next morning lol!

 

[Gracefulskinny]

I headed out to get groceries, bringing her empty stroller with me as a cart :

Good thinking!

I also set up my “traditional” (since Aulani) DVC Studio “nightstand”. Since there is only a nightstand on one side of the bed (and not mine!), I stole an idea from someone on the DIS and flipped over a trash can, then covered it with a towel. Voila, a “nightstand”

We have a jammie-resistant kid on our hands these days.

Little Miss is starting to swing the opposite way. She is starting to LOVE her jammies and sometimes doesn't want to get dressed!

she just HAD to wear it to bed to end the day.

Of coarse. Duh!

 

[mousehappync]

Can I be nosy and ask about the prices on your breakfast sandwich making stuff? I have never had a problem getting a microwave delivered to the room (at BC/YC,anyway) and I am thinking about breakfasts for our next trip. We often buy a couple of sandwiches from Les Halle's and reheat them for breakfast, but that gets expensive. I know we can't have a toaster, but I like your breakfast sandwich idea. Wondering if garden grocer, the hotel commissary or (gasp) a late night run off property is best. My kids get sick of pb&j for breakfast in the room and we are always rushing too much for the quick service area.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Not surprised how expensive groceries were - though that doesn't make the sticker shock any easier. Definitely interesting though about the price of soda cans being so high promotes the sale of refillable mugs. Glad that did have what you needed thought

Your breakfast sandwich looks rather good - will have to look into your microwave sandwich maker. Random question - have you made them and then frozen them? We have thought about starting to make these but the plan is to make a whole bunch at once and then freeze them and then just reheat in the morning as needed

I don't think I had seen a photo of this one before - very cool!

 

[amazingact21]

Groceries cost a crazy amount at Disney. It's scary what convenience costs. Alex is stubborn and usually drives to a local grocery store rather than pay the Disney prices. But at the end of the day like your situation was, I'd be like you and just hit up the gift shop.


Those egg sandwiches are really good. My father in-law makes something similar and as someone who's not a big egg fan, even I like them. Very smart of you to make them in the room as a quick and filling breakfast!


I love how you let Izzy sleep in her clothes. I don't blame you one bit. After the meltdown that happened getting those clothes on, it would not have been worth another fight changing her again. Every parent has done it.

 

[Leshaface]

That lady was like, "Well, i'm going to end up in their photo, might as well make it decent by smiling!"

The answer was "I’m Celebrating" pins with the name of each weekend’s garrison on it. We’d be attending both Weekend 1 (Guinea Pig DISers) and Weekend 2 (DISers Strike Back).

Such a fun idea!

I made my selections and tried not to throw up at the Disney-fied prices on food staples.

I KNOW! I was debating about just grabbing groceries at the resort, rather than having it delivered and checked out the prices and couldn't believe it! We needed more items anyway so we went with the delivery service, but yikes the prices are crazy.

There's something about Disney light fixtures. I'd love to own a few someday! I'd love to replace our outdoor lanterns with these.

Despite the limited food selection in the shop, I was able to find all of the key ingredients to make our own breakfast sandwiches. If you haven’t heard me rave about it already (in my Aulani report), let me just say that our little microwave egg sandwich maker is one of the best things I’ve ever spent like $3 on.

Such a perfect idea.

You can also see my pop (soda for you non-Minnesotans )

Don't hate me for this but around here, only the older people call it pop

Yes! I always have water and my phone with me when I go to bed and I hate putting it on the floor.

 

[hokieinpa]

I'm glad Izzy went down nice and easy after such a busy day!

I agree the Disney prices on grocery items is crazy! We needed to supplement our milk supply at the end of the trip in October and it was so expensive! But it's nice to have the convenience of being able to shop just steps away from your room!

Love the MacGyver nighstand! You are full of handy tips on these TRs!

 

[Dugette]

I lost track of where we were in the TR and didn't realize this was all on the 1st day! LOL wow! No wonder Izzy passed out!

I know, I can't believe how much we did on the first day! Pre-Izzy, we used to work all day, then fly in at night, so much different!

That is cute about the buttons, I wonder if anyone saw them?! Guess I'll find out soon

You'll find out, but short answer is that they did not get too much attention.

Sometimes you have to choose convenience vs $$ and in this case going to the boardwalk shop sounds like the best option for saving time but spending a little more. Oh well!

Yep, that was exactly it! I had researched beforehand and found that we could get better prices going across the street to the Hess station, but I just didn't think that was the best idea for me after a long day. And we weren't buying that much stuff, so it wasn't going to be a giant difference no matter what. But some of those prices sure made me cringe.

ETA: it is funny how opposite we are with timing. I always get up way too early and have tons of time before we have to head out, and use that time for all those things like milk cup cleaning and packing the park bag and such. I remember that from our June trip that you were always up cleaning up Izzy's milk cup and then I was doing Aria's the next morning lol!

I agree - we have a lot in common, but early bird/night owl is not one of them. I was actually thinking about that with your update where you all were just hanging around waiting for the Wake Up with Disney Junior thing - I think we chose not to wake up for it. But I remember that in June too - I'd be up getting things all set and you were (presumably) already asleep. Of course, I did keep an early schedule for 2 years before Dug was able to work from home, relieving me of daycare pick-up duties that forced me into working 7am-3:30pm to get there (which meant leaving the house around 5:45am most days) - that was rough for me to keep that up for so long! (Now I work 8/8:30am-4:30/5pm most days...much better).

Good thinking!

Thanks! I knew I was going to be getting milk and pop, so didn't want to have to carry it all back. Originally, I'd thought of bringing a piece of rolling luggage, then realized the stroller would be much easier.

It worked, but I really don't get why there is only one nightstand in these rooms! I don't want to put my glasses and phone on the floor and fall out of bed trying to reach them.

Little Miss is starting to swing the opposite way. She is starting to LOVE her jammies and sometimes doesn't want to get dressed!

Ha, funny! I can totally see that, though. Izzy has worn jammies like 2 nights all summer. It's one of those pick your battles things and we let her have that one.

Of coarse. Duh!

Pretty solid example of toddler logic - hated the outfit when it was forced on her, then wouldn't take it off at jammie time.

Can I be nosy and ask about the prices on your breakfast sandwich making stuff? I have never had a problem getting a microwave delivered to the room (at BC/YC,anyway) and I am thinking about breakfasts for our next trip. We often buy a couple of sandwiches from Les Halle's and reheat them for breakfast, but that gets expensive. I know we can't have a toaster, but I like your breakfast sandwich idea. Wondering if garden grocer, the hotel commissary or (gasp) a late night run off property is best. My kids get sick of pb&j for breakfast in the room and we are always rushing too much for the quick service area.

Absolutely, you can ask! And, better yet, I actually found the receipt for this visit, so here's what it shows for everything:

English Muffins (6 pack) = $4.29
White American Sliced Cheese = $5.89
Bacon (8 oz.) = $6.49
Eggs Large Grade A Dozen = $1.95
2 Liter Diet Coke = $3.50 (oops, guess I should correct that in my post!)
20 oz. Diet Coke = $2.59
20 oz. Coke Zero = $2.59
Coffeemate French Vanilla Creamer = $2.95
Half Gallon Skim Milk = $3.49
Greek Yogurt Cup Vanilla = $3.19
Thinkfruit Dried Blueberries = $2.95
Beef Jerky = $6.99
10% Passholder Discount = ($4.69)
Subtotal = $42.18
Tax = $2.75
Amount Due = $44.93

For your situation, without a toaster, I'm not sure what to do with the bread/muffin/etc...maybe just warm in the microwave? You can see how those prices compare to what you're doing...they are not cheap! We didn't have a car, so our options were limited. If you will have one, I'd stop at a grocery store off property and get stuff there. We had a car to drive back from the cruise and stopped at Target on the way to get food for the second part of our WDW stay.

Not surprised how expensive groceries were - though that doesn't make the sticker shock any easier. Definitely interesting though about the price of soda cans being so high promotes the sale of refillable mugs. Glad that did have what you needed thought

Since I had mentally blocked out the price that made me go , I just searched the internet and I found someone (on the DIS, of course) saying that the 6 packs of Diet Coke cans were $8.00. So, 12 cans would have been $16. Considering I won't buy them for more than $3 at home, that was not something I could bring myself to do. My calculations are showing that would be 72 ounces for $8 and I got 107 ounces for $8.68 (before AP discount). Still a lot, but a better deal, plus bottles do a lot better than cans in the stroller's cupholders.

Your breakfast sandwich looks rather good - will have to look into your microwave sandwich maker. Random question - have you made them and then frozen them? We have thought about starting to make these but the plan is to make a whole bunch at once and then freeze them and then just reheat in the morning as needed

Honestly, I've thought about freezing them, but have never bothered because a.) They only take a few seconds longer to make fresh than I think they would to reheat and b.) They taste so fresh vs. the frozen pre-made ones we used to buy. For what it's worth, microwave times can vary, but it takes 55-60 seconds in ours. I toast the bread while it's in there and toss together after. So, it's very quick and easy. Lots of variations too - if we have leftover ham, I throw on a slice of that, I've made them on bagels, etc. I had one this morning, as a matter of fact.

I don't think I had seen a photo of this one before - very cool!

The Photopass stock photos made me realize all the topiaries that I missed out on.

Groceries cost a crazy amount at Disney. It's scary what convenience costs. Alex is stubborn and usually drives to a local grocery store rather than pay the Disney prices. But at the end of the day like your situation was, I'd be like you and just hit up the gift shop.

Yep, driving was not an option for us at that point in the trip. We did stop at Target on the way back from the cruise and picked up a few things there at more reasonable prices.

Those egg sandwiches are really good. My father in-law makes something similar and as someone who's not a big egg fan, even I like them. Very smart of you to make them in the room as a quick and filling breakfast!

They really are good. They are a lot more filling than a bowl of cereal and more protein to start the day is good. Plus, quick and easy and tasty.

I love how you let Izzy sleep in her clothes. I don't blame you one bit. After the meltdown that happened getting those clothes on, it would not have been worth another fight changing her again. Every parent has done it.

Yep, we were not having another showdown over what she was wearing that day. Since she is weird about it, we've been letting her sleep in her clothes most nights - she just can't bear to trade them in for jammies at night.

That lady was like, "Well, i'm going to end up in their photo, might as well make it decent by smiling!"

So thoughtful! Actually, that reminds me of one of my favorite WDW photos ever...the CM just cracks me up! :

Such a fun idea!

Seemed like fun, but we didn't see ANYONE else wearing one.

I KNOW! I was debating about just grabbing groceries at the resort, rather than having it delivered and checked out the prices and couldn't believe it! We needed more items anyway so we went with the delivery service, but yikes the prices are crazy.

Yeah, if we'd wanted more than a few things, I'd have looked into delivery too. Talk about sticker shock.

There's something about Disney light fixtures. I'd love to own a few someday! I'd love to replace our outdoor lanterns with these.

Oooh, that would be really nice!

Such a perfect idea.

It is serving us well on our Disney trips. Gone are the days that I ate Reese's Puffs every morning of a Disney trip. (I was looking at one of my old TRs recently and was reminded of that!)

Don't hate me for this but around here, only the older people call it pop

Well, the older the wiser, right?

Yes! I always have water and my phone with me when I go to bed and I hate putting it on the floor.

I almost fall out of some of those high beds reaching for the floor. This makeshift table has served me well.

I'm glad Izzy went down nice and easy after such a busy day!

Me too! I pretty much got her settled and bolted, leaving Dug to deal with any issues, but I think she was fine. She had to be exhausted!

I agree the Disney prices on grocery items is crazy! We needed to supplement our milk supply at the end of the trip in October and it was so expensive! But it's nice to have the convenience of being able to shop just steps away from your room!

Yep, convenience definitely comes with a cost. But we just considered it part of our grocery budget for the month and it was fine (though a bit painful to pay over $40 for 12 small items).

Love the MacGyver nighstand! You are full of handy tips on these TRs!

Thanks, I've picked up most of them from the DIS at some point, so happy to pass them along!

 

[alrushton]

sorry for this having nothing to do with your trip but just had to tell you how much fun we had doing "blue Tuesday" yesterday with the shopkick app you introduced me to. It is like a scavenger hunt. I wish I lived closer to some of the bigger walk-in stores but for all the extra points I had to make the 20 minute trip yesterday. I even got into a conversation with the lady checking us out at Target about it. She said she was actually 5 minutes later for work because she was running around getting all her bonus points. LOL Just a couple weeks in and I am already up to $12 of free money.

Loving the TR and can't believe how much you got done on your 1st day. Just all the character visits from GG is more than some get during the entire trip.

 

[schmass]

I love it when the boat just happens to be there at the right time. At the end of the night there is always the debate of whether to walk back or take the boat.

I think I would have had a heart attack waiting for the total of all the groceries, but your total doesn't actually seem that bad considering all you got!

That is such a great idea for the makeshift nightstand - I am always on the side without the nightstand, as well, and will have to remember this trick next time!

 

[pkondz]

We left off as we made our way to the International Gateway:

Never been there. Hope to rectify that on this trip.
We'll see.

We happened to catch the boat at the dock, so we decided to ride back instead of walking.

And that's part two of what I hope to do, too!

I like that the lady behind us is also participating in the selfie.

Mom! What are you doing there?!?!

And I had to get a shot of Dug too, so he would not be left out of the fun:

What? No one wants to photobomb Dug's shot?
How rude!

I headed out to get groceries, bringing her empty stroller with me as a cart :

Smart.

I apparently was admiring this light fixture while waiting for the elevator:

I love that one. I like how it almost tells a story with the lighthouse, boat and moon.

I was back in the room by 10:25pm, stocking up the fridge:

Less than 20 minutes. Not bad.

If you haven’t heard me rave about it already (in my Aulani report), let me just say that our little microwave egg sandwich maker is one of the best things I’ve ever spent like $3 on.

I checked out the link. I like it! I don't think I'd use it at home, but I can definitely see it as being really useful on the road.

You can also see my pop (soda for you non-Minnesotans )

Pop for us just slightly North of you, too.

But we’d need something to drink out of and bottles are nice in the stroller cupholders, since they don’t slosh around/spill like cans do. So, I got one 20 oz. Coke Zero and one 20 oz. Diet Coke (so we could tell our bottles apart), then a 2-liter of Diet Coke to refill them each day.

Everything about that is smart. From the no-spill bottles, to differentiating them, to refilling them.

Dug’s personal trainer convinced him to give up pop (we only drank diet, but even that) and he has done great! I can’t say that I’m to that point yet – I used to only drink water at work, but I’m having a hard time giving up my little “indulgences” – I am upping my water and cutting them down slowly, though).

I should give up the stuff too... but I like it so much!
Nothing like a nice, ice cold coke when you're thirsty.

Plus, I don't like plain water, so that sucks too.

Plus, plus, I hate the taste of diet drinks.

All I know is that we are STILL eating it (and they are still yummy).

Holy smokes! Just how much did you buy???

I stole an idea from someone on the DIS and flipped over a trash can, then covered it with a towel. Voila, a “nightstand”:

That is a good idea! Might have to use that if we need the extra one.

Aw, look who was sleeping:

Awwwww.... I remember those days!

Despite starting her time in Orlando with a meltdown over that outfit, she just HAD to wear it to bed to end the day.

Despite starting our vacation with a massive tantrum, this had ended up being a really enjoyable first day!

Good! Glad it turned out so well in the end!

Of all those pics, this one is far and away my favourite.

And that would be second.

 

[MrsSaraG]

Just got caught up on your TR! Izzy is so adorable but I can tell the trips to the potty are going to be interesting! We are holding off on potty training our DD until, after our trip to WDW next month to hopefully avoid the false trips to the potty and avoid "standing in line but we have to leave NOW to go to the potty". Which is just as well since she doesn't seem interested in potty training yet.

Can't wait to see what you do on your second day since you managed to do all that on your first!

 

[afwdwfan]

When we got back to the room, our mission was to get Izzy ready for bed right away. Once she was in the pack ‘n’ play and reasonably settled, I headed out to get groceries, bringing her empty stroller with me as a cart

I've never taken a stroller shopping, but I've definitely used it as a luggage cart before!

I made my selections and tried not to throw up at the Disney-fied prices on food staples.

You're not supposed to look at prices. That's why they give you that magic band so you can just wave it and not have to look at the price.

If you haven’t heard me rave about it already (in my Aulani report), let me just say that our little microwave egg sandwich maker is one of the best things I’ve ever spent like $3 on.

We've got one of those at home. I use it to make a toast and egg sandwich for breakfast once in a while. It is almost rare that we have eggs on hand though.

(on a side note, since the trip, Dug’s personal trainer convinced him to give up pop (we only drank diet, but even that) and he has done great! I can’t say that I’m to that point yet – I used to only drink water at work, but I’m having a hard time giving up my little “indulgences” – I am upping my water and cutting them down slowly, though).

I'm trying to quit. But it is so hard... I actually did give pop up about 10 years ago. Then started drinking it again. And now I have about 1 or 2 per day. Not horrible, but I'd like to just quit drinking it altogether. Congrats to Dug for being able to do it!

I also set up my “traditional” (since Aulani) DVC Studio “nightstand”. Since there is only a nightstand on one side of the bed (and not mine!), I stole an idea from someone on the DIS and flipped over a trash can, then covered it with a towel. Voila, a “nightstand”:

Great idea!

Aw, look who was sleeping

Thank goodness!!!!!

And, yes, I do believe she was still wearing her clothes. We have a jammie-resistant kid on our hands these days. Despite starting her time in Orlando with a meltdown over that outfit, she just HAD to wear it to bed to end the day.

There's nothing wrong with that. Our kids often sleep in their clothes. I mean, if they fall asleep, why wake them up to put something on that you're just going to change them out of in the morning anyway???

 

[Gma2lillybean]

I just wanted to pop in to tell you that your trip reports with Izzy have been so enjoyable and helpful, as we are heading "home" for a 10-day trip next month (AKV, BLT and AoA) with an almost 2 year old; and I've learned a lot about what to potentially expect and some awesome opportunities reading your trip reports! Thank you for taking the time to put them together!!

 

[deedee2177]

I'm joining in late, but I'm all caught up. I can totally relate to toddler melt downs when trying to get them dressed. I have a 3 year old son and I swear it is a battle every morning!! UGH! I'm hoping by our next family trip in Spring 2016 he will have grown out of this stage a bit. I have to admit I watched all your wonderful videos except for the head smacking one...I just couldn't bring myself to watch...poor baby, I'm glad she was fine though. I agree at that age they are accustomed to bumping heads (and other body parts) I think it is harder on Mommy and Daddy.

Loving the updates!

 

[Grace W]

Love reading your reports. We have an almost 2 year old who is full of personality and reminds me a lot of Izzy! We took alot of ideas from your reports when planning this years trip!

 

[ashw100]

I'm so glad you were able to turn your day around. It can be hard coming back from a tantrum but it sounds like a fun night. I love that she slept in toutfit she refused to put on, kids righ? Looking forward to hearing about your first full day, maybe I'll make a cameo in the next one .