Completed PTR - California or Bust!... But first we WDW! Last Change 3/10

[NJlauren]

It's official I am starting my 2nd PTR!

This trip will just be Me, DH and DD, a little bit of a change from my last PTR/TR. I wanted to go back to WDW in 2016 but we like to take other trips aside from WDW, so i knew if i used up WDW in 2015 and 2016 i would be skipping 2017 and maybe 2018 for sure. So I then i had the idea that i would do WDW trips every 18 months or so, which isn't to bad. With all the planning for a WDW trip that would mean I would either be Planning (PTR) or Revisiting (TR) at almost all times. However for 2016 I had a hybrid idea! <--- this is me cooking up a scheme.

DH has a trip out west for work in May, and every year when he has this trip he asks me if I want to come, or make a vacation out of it. (location changes every year still waiting for the WDW year). Well this year I said yes! But instead we would do Cali and Disneyland!

This leads to the plan... WELL this is why I hadn't started a trip report yet since its all still up in the air... But tentatively his work trip is May 12-14.

DH fly's to AZ on the 11th, DD and I fly to San Diego on the 14th, meet up with a friend for the day/night. DH fly's to San Diego the morning on the 15th.

San Diego 14-16
Drive to Disneyland late the 16th when DD is ready for bed
Disneyland 17-19
Los Angels 19-21
Fly home 22

Much more to come in future posts I swear!

Flights!​

 

[NJlauren]

Links!

Flights & RL Update
General Outline San Diego Days 1-3
Disneyland Day 1 (Day 4)
But first we WDW!
Living on the edge
Changing it up.. again
33 Days and Counting down!
One Month to go! - Arrival Day
Back up for a back up for a back up
Magic Bands & This is obviously my kid
Day 3 - HS & Epcot (WDW)
Quick DL Flight update
Single Digit Dance!
How Many hours till we leave?
Finalizing my plans!
New Park Bag!
Finally flights!
Reorganizing
Double Digit Dance Party
Pin Code
More Changes

 

[cinderkelly]

Oh I'm first!! Excited to read along!!

 

[Gracefulskinny]

 

[TheMaxRebo]

joining in! We have a similar trip planned for this October (San Diego and Disneyland) so definitely interested in thoughts you have.

Great that you can combine this trip into a work trip for your husband

 

[JoshAndEvsMom]

Sounds like a fun trip!!

 

[Elevationist]

I'm here, I'm here! Reporting for duty!

<--- this is me cooking up a scheme.

I like where this is going!

Well this year I said yes! But instead we would do Cali and Disneyland!

Yaaaaasssssss!

WELL this is why I hadn't started a trip report yet since its all still up in the air...

Dude, tentative PTRs totally still count.

 

[NJlauren]

Oh I'm first!! Excited to read along!!

Special prize for being first!

joining in! We have a similar trip planned for this October (San Diego and Disneyland) so definitely interested in thoughts you have.

Great that you can combine this trip into a work trip for your husband

I am totally following your PTR and looking forward to a TR (I hope!) So I can get as many tips as possible from you!

Sounds like a fun trip!!

I hope it is as fun as i am imagining it to be!

I'm here, I'm here! Reporting for duty!

I like where this is going!

Yaaaaasssssss!

Dude, tentative PTRs totally still count.

! Tentative PTR's do count! So here I am!

So happy to have you all here!

 

[kaoden39]

I'm in!

 

[NJlauren]

Flights!

There are a few options for us. I will be flying alone to Cali with a 22 month old (all ready stressing about this ). DH will fly home with us.

We live in northern NJ so we can realistically fly from Newark, JFK, or Laguardia. I prefer JetBlue and have been known to fly from JFK just so I can fly them. I can count in the last 5 years the amount of times I've flown other airlines 2 times, honeymoon and Europe. That's it. JetBlue flys from Newark but not direct to Cali. I am not connecting by myself with a 22 month old....

Options after I eliminated connecting flights on the way there:

JetBlue to San Diego home from LA in and out of JFK
Virgin America from Newark to LA round trip
Virgin America in to LA home from San Diego (layover or stop over) to Newark
United/Continental to San Diego home from LA in and out of Newark.

Those are the options I narrowed it down to.

I have pretty much decided to go with the United/Continental option. I don't love this airline and my husbands last two experiences were less than stellar . However given my dates, flying alone one way and that I really want to do San Diego first is making that option the best. The JetBlue option was in the lead for a long while. However I just got back from a trip to and from San Diego out of JFK and with my DD I just didn't feel the extra time it takes to get to JFK was worth going with JetBlue, I am sorry JetBlue I still love you I just wish you flew more places out of Newark .

I hope to book my flight in the next few weeks. We are waiting till they officially post my DHs work trip. It's been announced but no other info has been given. I don't want to book only to find out they moved his dates or location. HURRY UP please! I also need to figure out my husbands flight options, but to be honest as long as he is on our flight home I'm good.

Now I'm already stressing about flying alone with DD. Even thought she will be under 2 we are going to get her a seat, which means I will need to have a car seat with me, which means car seat and stroller and carry on bag..... What am I forgetting oh that's right the TODDLER! I guess I have some options here, ship a stroller, don't have a car seat for the plane (I don't think this is smart, can you even do that?), put the car seat on the stroller and DD walks or is held. This is probably the thing that is stressing me out most about flying with her alone. Can I check the stroller? Suggestions, tips, words of encouragement all welcome!

Tentatively my friend will pick us up at the airport and we will spend the day with her, if she can't pick us up I'll get a car service, I don't think I could make it with all our luggage to a car rental place. DH will pick up the rental car when he lands.

Now a short RL update, partly because this update has NO pictures and partly because well why not...

Last week DH and I took a day off from work, I had an appointment in the morning and then around 9:30 we picked DD up from day care and took her to Sesame Place! I was checking out the pricing to go and it was $55 for a one day ticket with a 2nd day free, or $113 for a season pass that was good till December of 2016! (DD is free till she is two next July). Sesame Place is about an hour and fifteen minutes from us so I said why not and got the season pass! I have never owned a season pass to anything so I am rather excited about this!

Overall it was a lot of fun, we did some rides, no water rides, Sesame place is about 60% water rides, but I didn't think we needed to do them this trip. So we did a show, some rides and a character meal. Now I actually liked how they did the character meal here, you pick a seating, (11:30 or 1:30 for lunch), and everyone gets a table number and everyone shows up at the same time, the characters wonder around, then go to each table and do some shows/singing etc. I just felt like we were in and out faster and it was just smooth. It was a buffet and the food was just ok, but with 30% off for having a season pass, it wasn't a bad price at a TOTAL of $36 for 2 adults (DD is free). HOWEVER DD was not feeling the characters this time around, I wasn't shocked by this actually, and was ok with it.

Some pictures from our day!


Carousel


The Count is not my friend (Last time she liked him, or didn't know what was going on, he was the first Character she ever met!)


The Count wasn't so bad last time!


Elmo, you aren't to bad!


OH now this is an Elmo I like!

Till next time!

PS - If I am behind on your TR I am still catching up I swear I haven't forgotten you!

General outline & San Diego ​

 

[NJlauren]

I'm in!

! Happy you are here!

 

[JoshAndEvsMom]

Now I'm already stressing about flying alone with DD. Even thought she will be under 2 we are going to get her a seat, which means I will need to have a car seat with me, which means car seat and stroller and carry on bag..... What am I forgetting oh that's right the TODDLER! I guess I have some options here, ship a stroller, don't have a car seat for the plane (I don't think this is smart, can you even do that?), put the car seat on the stroller and DD walks or is held. This is probably the thing that is stressing me out most about flying with her alone. Can I check the stroller? Suggestions, tips, words of encouragement all welcome!

Personally, i've never flown with a car seat. We've CHECKED a car seat but never had our kiddos in one for the ride. I think it really depends on your DD's temperment. Do you think she'll tolerate being strapped in for that long? Our kids always did better when they had a little more room to move around. Both our kids have flown as babies and toddlers and we never felt like we needed one but every kid is different.

For your stroller, definitely gate check it!! It is SO nice to have in the airport. And don't skimp and bring an umbrella stroller! Bring her regular, big stroller whatever that may be! You can just wheel it right up to the door of the plane, they take it below, then it's waiting for you right when you get off. It's wonderful! It's a bit of a hassle going through security with it but once you're past that you'll be glad you have it.

You're goinot to do great! My MIL just flew across the country with my 15 month old nephew all by herself and if she can do it, ANY one can! Lol!

Sesame Place is about an hour and fifteen minutes from us so I said why not and got the season pass! I have never owned a season pass to anything so I am rather excited about this!

Oh my gosh! How fun! That will be so nice to be able to go whenever you feel like it. Poor Count! He does have some scarry looking fangs Haha!

 

[kaoden39]

I would love to go to Sesame Place! How fun!

 

[Gracefulskinny]

Yikes I don't envy you alone with a toddler in the airport. I also don't fly a heck of a lot so I will be no help in advising you how best to do it. However there maybe airport attendants that can assist you if needed.

 

[Elevationist]

Your little nugget is so CUTE!

Also, your link in your signature says "California OF Bust."

 

[BibbitybobityLu]

I'm here!!! So excited for your West Coast adventure!
Also your DD is still just too adorable!

 

[TheMaxRebo]

we debated flights/airlines a lot as well and also wound up going with United (mostly as it was the cheapest direct option). I fly them a lot for work and find them ok (not the best but not the worst) - hope it works out for you.

As far as travel, for the youngest we usually use a car seat - just easier to keep them strapped in that in our mind and then you have it. You can strap it to the stroller or we actually strap it to the back of a rolling suitcase and then have the kid in it and just wheel him/her around the airport that way:



Try to board during the family boarding time - generally the flight attendants will help you out if you need.

As mentioned, definitely bring your stroller to the gate and gate check it. I know it will be stressful but things will work out and people will help if they see you need help

Sounds like a fun time at Sesame Place! Congrats on the Annual Pass!

 

[NJlauren]

DD's temperment. Do you think she'll tolerate being strapped in for that long? Our kids always did better when they had a little more room to move around. Both our kids have flown as babies and toddlers and we never felt like we needed one but every kid is different.

For your stroller, definitely gate check it!! It is SO nice to have in the airport. And don't skimp and bring an umbrella stroller! Bring her regular, big stroller whatever that may be! You can just wheel it right up to the door of the plane, they take it below, then it's waiting for you right when you get off. It's wonderful! It's a bit of a hassle going through security with it but once you're past that you'll be glad you have it.

You're goinot to do great! My MIL just flew across the country with my 15 month old nephew all by herself and if she can do it, ANY one can! Lol!

You give me hope! I think i would be more open to know car seat if it was me and DH but with just me.... I'm not sure i can swing it, she loves to MOVE! She likes the stroller and car just fine, but when we aren't moving she wants to be moving her self, walking, or running, or whatever....I was totally leaning towards the umbrella stroller.... EK!

Oh my gosh! How fun! That will be so nice to be able to go whenever you feel like it. Poor Count! He does have some scarry looking fangs Haha!

HAHA he is a little scary! I am hoping we use it enough to make t worth it, it inst to far and it gives us something different and fun to do.

I would love to go to Sesame Place! How fun!

Its a cute little park, but not worth a special trip from to far, just my opinion

Yikes I don't envy you alone with a toddler in the airport. I also don't fly a heck of a lot so I will be no help in advising you how best to do it. However there maybe airport attendants that can assist you if needed.

I am kinda hoping she is an expert flier by then, she has flow 3 round trips already and has another one coming in Sept, and probably one in Jan or Feb. I fly enough but adding a kid in to the mix really threw me for a loop... so much more planning!

Your little nugget is so CUTE!

Also, your link in your signature says "California OF Bust."

Thank you!

I mean California is a Busty state isnt it? I mean come on? haha! No I am just not a good proof reader, or speller, this is why I am an accountant!

I'm here!!! So excited for your West Coast adventure!
Also your DD is still just too adorable!

Thank you!

we debated flights/airlines a lot as well and also wound up going with United (mostly as it was the cheapest direct option). I fly them a lot for work and find them ok (not the best but not the worst) - hope it works out for you.

As far as travel, for the youngest we usually use a car seat - just easier to keep them strapped in that in our mind and then you have it. You can strap it to the stroller or we actually strap it to the back of a rolling suitcase and then have the kid in it and just wheel him/her around the airport that way:

View attachment 118037

Try to board during the family boarding time - generally the flight attendants will help you out if you need.

As mentioned, definitely bring your stroller to the gate and gate check it. I know it will be stressful but things will work out and people will help if they see you need help

Sounds like a fun time at Sesame Place! Congrats on the Annual Pass!

SO much good info! Thank you!

I guess if I bring the full stroller and not the umbrella the car seat may fit (awkwardly) under the stroller.

Now a follow up question if you don't mind, what car seat or seats have you flown with? I am so worried my car seat wont fit! We have the Britax Marathon and the Maxi Cosi Pria... but was looking into getting the Cosco Scenera for travel, we go to Florida to visit family about 2-3 times a year so it would get pretty decent use.

 

[kaoden39]

I can't see making a long trip for it either.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

SO much good info! Thank you!

I guess if I bring the full stroller and not the umbrella the car seat may fit (awkwardly) under the stroller.

Now a follow up question if you don't mind, what car seat or seats have you flown with? I am so worried my car seat wont fit! We have the Britax Marathon and the Maxi Cosi Pria... but was looking into getting the Cosco Scenera for travel, we go to Florida to visit family about 2-3 times a year so it would get pretty decent use.

We've used a few but most recently we used a Britax Marathon 70 and it was fine so you should be good with that