Up early at Disney with 2 little ones

[coachlevy]

Cast of Characters:
Me: 32, SAHM. I think this is my 18th trip to WDW. I'm very laid back in life, but become Type A personality when it comes to planning Disney trips. I love every aspect of Disney, but the parks are my favorite!
DHa 37, teacher. Claims he doesn't like Disney and only goes for me and the kids. I've known him 10 years and this is his 7th trip in that time.
DS: Just turned 4 this month and completed trip number 5. Born and bred Disney boy. Especially likes Minnie. Loves everything Disney, but his latest obsession is Epcot Illuminations and Tapestry of Dreams (so sad it's gone!)
DD: 18 months and 2 trips completed. Loves Mickey and Pooh. Very feisty, often cranky, and seems to always want Mommy.

Background:
A week before the trip I come down with coxsackie virus. Your guess is as good as mine as to how I got it. I had a fever for 5 days, and was totally useless, lying in bed with a 102 fever. Eating and drinking were extremely painful due to the sores in my mouth and throat. Thank goodness for my wonderful mother who helped take care of my kids while I was sick. Now you know how much needs to be done the week before your WDW trip and I was freaking out. How would I pack, go to the dollar store and Walmart, and get everything ready if I was sick? My fever stopped on Friday so I was able to pack a little and finish Saturday. DH went to the stores with my very detailed lists and came home with everything (after many phone calls with questions like, "what size diaper?") But by the time Saturday night rolled around everything was all ready for our departure. Although I didn't have a fever, I still had sores and was unable to eat. What a way to start a Disney trip!

Day 1: 5:55 AM. DS jumps out of bed and shouts, "we're going to Disney today!" It was a great way to wake up and his voice was so loud that the whole family woke up. We had a 10:30 flight so we left the house at 8:15. The plane ride was good, although DD wouldn't sleep (even though it was nap time) and DS kept singing "Tapestry of Dreams" loudly. It was both funny and embarrassing because the part he sang goes something like, "wayla oh wayla wayla", and people were giving him interesting looks. After 2.5 hours we finally landed. Since we used the Magical Express all we had to do was walk to the bus. It was really nice not having to wait for luggage or drag it around the airport. DD fell asleep in the stroller during our trek across the airport. She woke up for a minute when I carried her onto the bus, but thankfully went right back to sleep. DS was pretty tired too. We arrived at the Beach Club and I felt like I home. This was our 5th stay at BCV and I absolutely love it. We hadn't been there for our last few trips because we traveled with DH's track team and stayed at a moderate resort. What a difference! As we entered the lobby a Cast Member was waiting and brought us right to the reservation desk. Check-in was so quick and smooth (we used online check-in which was great). We really noticed a difference from check-in at the Caribbean Beach Resort. It's good to know that when you pay more you actually get a little better treatment. We went to our room, changed into our bathing suits, and headed to Stormalong Bay. This pool is one of the many reasons I love the Beach Club. The kids had so much fun playing in the sand and swimming. DS used the little slide, went around the lazy river, and played in the kiddie pool. He wears a swim vest that keeps him afloat and really helps him swim. We ate an early dinner at Hurricane Hanna's, the counter service restaurant by the pool. The kids ate grilled cheese with grapes, carrots, and milk (I love how healthy the kids meals have become) and DH ate a chicken sandwich. I could not eat anything so I had a mango smoothie. Just as we finished dinner, the wind picked up and we heard thunder. We went back to the room, unpacked our bags, and bathed the kids. Our food order from Garden Grocer as well. Garden Grocer is so convenient...I would highly recommend them. We ordered breakfast foods, fruit, baby food, and lunch items for the kids. It makes life so much easier to eat breakfast on the go and have the kids lunches packed for the parks. Now that everyone was clean and dressed we left the room to walk around the Boardwalk. The rain had stopped and it was a nice night.
Bathing beauty

First we checked out the Dolphin and the restaurant Picabu that we were thinking of eating at one night. DS had so much fun walking through the hotel and loved the big fish on top. On the Boardwalk we stopped to have a caricature drawn of DD. We have one of DS from his first trip and figured it was time to get DD one, being that this was her second trip. She was not very happy sitting there, so DH had to show the artist a picture from his Blackberry. We got the picture with Minnie ears and DD is wearing a Minnie dress. It's very cute. DS enjoyed watching a mime do some juggling. He got a little scared when he was spitting water and acting like a fountain. DS gets anxious in new situations and prefers to observe things. He likes things that are predictable, so once he saw the fountain he was out of there. He actually turned around and ran. We completed our walk around the Boardwalk, stopping to take some pictures with Epcot in the background.

We saw the marshmallow roast by the beach, but we arrived as it was ending. The Cast Members were getting ready to pack up and they wouldn't give DS a marshmallow. Some very kind man gave him two and made his night. Being in Disney is the best...stuff like that never happens in New York. We walked to Beaches and Cream (another reason I love the Beach Club) and ate ice cream. DS has a severe peanut allergy and normally doesn't eat hand scooped ice-cream. We mentioned his allergy to the server and he went in the back to open a new container and scooper for DS. He said they have an allergy kit in the back. I was so touched by this and thought it very Disney-like for someone to go out of their way to make a child happy. DS was thrilled with his ice-cream, although he overheard DH talking to the server and ran out of the shop screaming, "no peanuts!" We assured him that he could eat it and everything was fine. I had a chocolate milkshake which was disappointing, especially since I was really looking forward to it. After our yummy treats we went back to the room and got ready for bed. We listened to the fireworks from our balcony and put the kids down by 9:15. I packed our bags for the morning and DH and I were asleep by 10.
DS enjoys his ice-cream

DD ready for bed

Tomorrow we head to HS for EMH at 8 AM!

 

[kimbo0569]

What a great start to your trip! From one fellow NYer to another...

I would love to stay at the Beach Club someday, just love that area!

Can't wait to read more

 

[coachlevy]

The original plan for today was MK, but DH convinced me to do EMH at HS. I must give him credit because it was a great idea! We actually changed our plans everyday to do EMH. My kids wake up so early that it wasn't a problem. I also loved the early start to avoid the heat. We always left the parks by noon to nap the kids back in the room. So we were all awake by 7, some of us more refreshed than others. DH and DD slept like babies, but DS and I were up a lot during the night. DS kept tossing and turning in our bed so I made him a little bed on the floor using couch cushions. That idea didn't work because he woke up calling my name in the middle of the night. So I conceded to let him sleep with us, even if it meant I wouldn't sleep well. I was also in a lot of pain and concerned that my coxsackie germs would get on DS. DD slept in the pack and play which we placed near the bathroom. She was out of the way and very content to have her own space. Anyway, after waking we quickly got ready, grabbed our breakfast, and headed out the door. We walked to HS and arrived there 10 minutes before opening. It was very crowded and we waited on Hollywood Blvd. for the rope drop. Almost everyone made a beeline for Toy Story Mania. By the time we parked the strollers and got the kids out it was a 15 minutes wait. The queue area is lots of fun and makes the wait go quickly. I think we only waited 10 minutes anyway. DS loved looking at everything, especially Mr. Potato Head and the deck of cards.
Potato Head

Here we are sporting the cool 3D glasses:

The ride was so much fun. I went with DD who was tired and cranky, but DH and DS had so much fun. In fact, we got a fastpass to ride again later. After the ride we took some pictures of the kids outside.
DS with his favorite number card

Kids with Crayon

We walked towards the Muppet 3D Show, but DS did not want to go when we arrived. He was very adamant about not going. Last year he ran out of the theater when they break something at the end of the movie, and I think he remembered it. Not a problem. We took some photos near the fountain and moved on to the next attraction.
Hot and tired kids

Kermit Statue

Next we visited Lightning McQueen and Mater. We were first on line and had to wait for the garage to open. DD enjoyed playing with a stack of tires while DS waited patiently for the curtains to open.

DS was excited to see the cars, but I'm glad we didn't wait on line to see them. He tried to climb on Mater and the Cast Member was not happy. Sorry, we didn't know! They should have a sign or something as I'm sure DS was not the first to try this.
Checking Out the Cars

It was 9:15 AM and already so hot. I hadn't eaten anything yet so we stopped for a smoothie. It was so delicious and refreshing. Both kids saw mine and wanted it so we bought them their own to share, without the coxsackie germs. We decided to go meet the Toy Story gang next. It opened at 9:30 and we waited outside for it to open. There were only 5 families before us, but it took so long to get to the characters. Inside it is set up like Andy's room with all of his toy paraphernalia. This made waiting fun and we got tons of pictures.
Buzz's Spaceship

DS with Green Guys

DD with toys

DD has had enough

We finally reached Woody and Buzz and everyone was happy. It was about 15 minute of waiting from the time we entered. At least it was entertaining, but DD was not happy. She was even less thrilled when she saw the giant characters waiting with open arms. She held on to me and did quite a bit of screaming. Woody is probably not the best choice for your first character interaction since he's so tall. But DS was happy and smiled for lots of pictures with the duo.
DS with Woody and Buzz

Next on our agenda was Playhouse Disney. On our walk to Animation Courtyard we saw Minnie and had to stop. Minnie is DS's favorite and he ran up to her and gave her an enormous hug. This is why I love Disney!

We also saw Donald and Daisy. DS loves them also because they are friends with Minnie.

We finally made it to Animation Courtyard. It was really hot, so I found a shady spot and fed the kids their lunch. I packed string cheese, bread, and fruit so I can give it to them at any time. Handy Manny came out and we went to see him. DS said he didn't want to meet him, but gave him a big hug anyway. DD was in her usual pose for character greetings.

The Playhouse Disney show was about to start and DS was hesitant about going. He wanted to know if it would be loud and who he would see there. This was another show we had a problem with last year and needed to leave. I assured him it would be fine and instructed him to cover his ears if it got too loud. Here he is practicing:

He absolutely loved the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse portion of the show and was singing all of the songs. Little Einsteins and Handy Manny didn't fare so well, but he sat quietly with his ears covered. DD enjoyed the show, but was very tired. Here we are enjoying the show and especially the AC:

After the show we returned to Toy Story Mania with our Fastpasses. I rode with DD again and she had hit her limit. There's only so much a little one can take, especially in the hot Florida sun. We left the park after the ride and caught the boat back to BC. Actually we had to run to catch it, but we made it. Once we were back in the room, I put DD down in the pack n play (she was out instantly), read some books with DS (who very quickly fell asleep), and wrote down some trip notes. DH also fell asleep, so I went to the fitness center and hung out in the lobby for awhile. The BC lobby is so relaxing and a great way to unwind after a hectic morning.

 

[coachlevy]

Sorry for the delay...I'm enjoying being outdoors in the summer! Here is our afternoon/evening for Day 2.

The kids woke up after 2 hours and we went right to the pool. DS went to the little slide and lazy river with DH while DD and stayed in the kiddie pool area.
Walking to the pool

It was incredibly hot out and the pool was refreshing. After almost 2 hours in the pool we were getting hungry for dinner. The plan was to check out Picabu at the Dolphin because they are supposed to have good pizza and they don't use any peanut products in cooking. Picabu is basically a cafeteria, similar to the food courts at moderate resorts. There was a huge rainstorm during our walk to the Dolphin and we were completely soaked. DH and I each grabbed a kid and ran as fast as we could to avoid the enormous raindrops. Unfortunately there is no straight path into the Dolphin so we kept following this winding path and getting more and more wet. I was laughing the entire time and luckily both kids were fine with it. So we finally arrive at the Dolphin and make our way to Picabu. DH orders our pizza and some salads, while I find a table and get the kids set up. Only there was a slight problem...we couldn't pay for the meal! DH only brought his Disney Visa Rewards Card with him and the Dolphin is not a Disney resort. How embarrassing! Now the kids are starving at this point and expecting pizza. It's a long trek back to the BCV for money so we explain our situation to the cashier and leave. DS was not happy at all. He was expecting pizza and did not want to leave. He shouts out, "We have no money for dinner" as we're walking out. It was hilarious. Since DS had pizza on the brain we walked to Boardwalk Pizza in a slight drizzle. DH ordered a pie and the last slice of pizza for our ravenous kids. At least they could eat while the pizza cooked. We split the piece for them and they inhaled it like they hadn't eaten all day. Here is DD with her slice:

Everyone was much happier with full bellies. After dinner we stopped in Seashore Sweets and I got my liquid dinner...a milkshake. I was so disappointed as it wasn't very good. I guess my expectations were too high. Oh well. We walked back to the hotel, showered, changed, and walked to Epcot. We arrived at 6:15 and walked to the Living Seas. First we went on the Nemo ride which was so much fun. Both kids really enjoyed it and we even saw a dolphin swimming by at the end. We also went to Turtle Talk with Crush. DS was apprehensive about the show and became very nervous when Crush came rushing out and banged his head on the glass. Crush knew that DS was nervous and asked to talk to the "dude in the red shell." He asked him his name and gave him some words to repeat: totally, sweet, and dude. DS thought this was funny and calmed down a bit. His calm state ended when the giant whale came out. He jumped up and tried to run out. I sat with him until the show was over. Luckily it was only a few minutes. After the show we visited Bruce, Anchor, and Chum to take some pictures.
Waiting for Turtle Talk

Meeting the Sharks

Outside we took more pictures by Nemo and friends. The kids also enjoyed the seagulls, but we didn't take any photos. Here is a shot with all of us and Nemo:

Next we walked to Spaceship Earth. DS was so excited to go inside the "globe" that he had no anxiety about the dark. I went with DD who loved watching the computer and stars. DS liked everything about the ride. It's so relaxing when you go backwards and see all the stars. Our next ride was in Mexico. We walked the short route there figuring we'd visit the other countries after the ride. DS wanted to see Donald on the boat, but was not so sure about the volcano. DD loved seeing Donald and kept calling his name. After the ride we walked around World Showcase. We didn't visit any countries because it was getting late and we needed to find a spot for Illuminations. We did stop for a little drum session though:

We found a nice spot for Illumnations on the bridge near United Kingdom. I gave the kids some glow sticks and they had fun waving them. My mouth was very painful so I went to get a cup of ice. I can't tell you how difficult this was. I went to several kiosks and finally was directed to the Rose and Crown Pub. It was so hard to get ice there too! I had a few things working against me...no money in my hand, a baby in a stroller, and my first solo trip to a pub. I eventually got my ice after about 5 other people got served ahead of me. I met up with DH with only minutes to spare before the show. Illuminations is one of our favorite Disney shows. We have the music and DS knows every beat. He was so excited. You'd think that the loud noises and fireworks would bother him, but not at all. He kept dancing and playing the beat on air drums. It was too cute. DD stared at the fireworks and kept asking for more. After the show we walked back to BCV and stopped at the Marketplace for dessert. It was so nice to leave the park and be back in our room in 15 minutes. We bought Popems at the Marketplace (DS wanted them and they were peanut free) and ate them back in the room with some milk. I read stories to the kids and put them to bed. I packed our bag for tomorrow, read a little, and went to sleep shortly after everyone else. Tomorrow we go to our favorite park...Magic Kingdom!

 

[WeluvE.Y.]

Great review so far!

 

[addictedtothemouse]

Your kids are so cute. That was a good idea your DH had to go to EMH in the mornings since you got up so early. I can't wait to read more about your trip.

 

[johnsonmatt3]

im here and ready to read.

 

[Wiloughby1]

I'm subbing because I have kids that will be exactly the same age- boy and girl- during our trip in May! Always great to get tips and reflections from same age families!

 

[sahmoftwo]

Enjoying your report...my kids were 4 1/2 and almost 2 on our trip last Oct. Getting sick right before a trip is my personal nightmare...so impressed at what a trooper you were!

 

[disneynewbeemom]

Enjoying your trip report so far! I have two sons with peanut/tree nut allergies, so I can relate with food concerns. Can't wait to read more!

 

[coachlevy]

Day 3:
Since early entry worked so well yesterday we decided to do it again. Everyone was awake by 7:15, so we quickly dressed, grabbed breakfast, and arrived at MK by 8 AM. Amazing! It helped that the MK bus pulled up just as we got to the bus stop. I was so happy to be in the Magic Kingdom. I love walking down Main Street and seeing the castle. Both my kids loved it too. DD pointed and said castle and DS wouldn't stop talking about everything we were going to do that morning. Since we were there so early we walked through the castle. DH didn't know you could do that! Our first ride was Dumbo and there was a 5 minute wait. I rode with DD who enjoyed being up in the air. While up in the air you can see the construction for the Fantasyland expansion. It was basically all dirt, but there is a lot of space. Ariel's Grotto and Pooh's Playful Spot are gone and there is a lot of empty space behind where they were. The big tree from Pooh's playground is being housed in the fastpass area for the Pooh ride. I wonder where that will go. The plans for the three castles look amazing. I can't wait until they open. DD will be older by then and hopefully will be into the princesses.
Riding Dumbo

After Dumbo we went to the Many Adventures of Pooh. We all love this ride. DS loves the Woozles. DD clapped at the end and asked for more. So we went on again. Here are the kiddies with a Heffalump and Pooh:

Next we walked to Tomorrowland and checked out Buzz Lightyear. This was a favorite for DS and we went on twice. He loves numbers and math, so seeing the score was like heaven for him. We wanted to be at Toontown for rope drop, but it was still so early we went on Pooh's ride again. At 9:40 we went by Toontown and waited for rope drop. It was very crowded so I had an idea of parking our strollers by Pooh's ride so we could get on line for Mickey while everyone else parked their strollers outside his house. It worked really well because we carried the kids and saved some time. We followed Mickey to his house and were 5th on line. When we arrived in the room we were surprised to find Minnie there too. DS was so happy. We got great pictures of him and the characters. DD was happy seeing them from afar. She was clinging to me very tightly during the photos.
DS and his mouse friends
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The whole family

DD was not too happy after this encounter so we took a little break in the playground. The kids ran around for a few minutes, but it was very hot. We headed to Donald's Boat to cool off. DS got soaked and had a blast. DD was not too fond of the sprinklers. She's really not too fond of much on this trip! Here are some pictures of them getting wet and having fun:

On all of our previous trips I have taken a picture of DS near the wheel that says Captain Donald Duck and we can see how much he's grown from trip to trip. He didn't look at the camera, but I did get a picture and can see how tall he's gotten. It's great!
Next was Goofy's Rollercoaster which was very exciting because DS was finally tall enough to ride. He chose me to go on with (I hate roller coasters but went for my boy) and we had fun. Of course I was extremely dizzy when we got off and I convinced him to go on with DH for round two. I gave DD lunch and she perked up a bit. After two rides on the roller coaster DS wanted to go on Small World. He has always loved this ride and remembered so much from our previous trip. While on the ride he asked what continent and countries we were seeing. He actually remembered Australia and Europe from last year! DD loved looking at all the dolls. We probably look like a crazy family on this ride because we narrate everything for the kids. DS also asks 100 questions too. It's fun and educational at the same time. After the ride we went on Peter Pan using a fastpass. I always find this ride so relaxing. DS likes the dog Nana because that's what he calls his Grandma. DD enjoyed the ride too. At one point, DS looked like a vampire with purple eyes and teeth from the black light. It was really freaky! It was 11:15 when we finished and so hot. We decided to leave since we already put in over 3 hours. We walked through Fantasyland and near Belle's Fairytale Garden (I'm not sure why we took the long route), and were greeted by Snow White. There was only 1 person on line so we stopped for a picture and autograph. DD was not afraid and I was surprised. I guess a face character is much less intimidating than the others.

We left the park as the crowds were coming in. We waited about 10 minutes for the bus so I gave DS his lunch and DD a snack. The bus ride was actually fun because DD was in a good mood. She looked out the window and was very content. Back at the room I read books and put the kids down for naps. They fell asleep very quickly. I realized that I forgot the diaper bag on the bus so DH went to concierge to tell them. The diaper bag wasn't a big deal, but DS's allergy medicine and epipen were in there. The Cast Member at concierge sent out an all points bulletin to the buses explaining the situation. Within an hour the bag was returned to us. Only at Disney do you get such service. I'm sure the fact that we had medicine surely expedited things, but I was impressed. I went to the Fitness Center while everyone napped. That's all for now! THanks for reading!

 

[luckylady]

I'm in. Just found yor TR. Cute kids. Happy to hear they were able to get you bag and meds back so fast.

 

[coachlevy]

Sorry for such a delay. I've got exciting news...DH booked another trip to Disney and we're leaving tomorrow! He surprised me two days ago. I'm still in disbelief. We're staying at the Contemporary. DS is thrilled and so am I.

Day 3 PM:
E
veryone was refreshed after naptime and ready for a swim. We went to the BCV pool for a quick dip because we had an early dinner at Crystal Palace. It was fun, but I'd rather swim at Stormalong Bay. I put the kids in the bath for a quick rinse and DD decided that was the time she needed to go to the bathroom. She started screaming, DS said, "get me out now", and I had to clean the tub without any real cleaning tools. Antibacterial gel to the rescue! DD was freaking out so I cleaned the soap off of her and got her dressed. Since this incident she hates baths now! DS was able to shower and everything worked out. We left at 4:45 and the MK bus was waiting for us again. What luck! We arrived at MK and took some photos before our reservation.
DS ready for MK

Castle

While we were taking the picture, DD kept saying shoe and I realized that it was missing. So we were frantically retracing our steps to find the missing croc shoe. A wonderful Cast Member came over and pointed it out under the stroller. She was so nice and helpful and she chatted with DS for a little bit. DH went to Crystal Palace to check in, and the kids and I watched the show at the castle. DS thought it would be too loud, but he covered his ears and eventually listened to the whole thing. We all enjoyed the fireworks that shoot out in the air. We went to Crystal Palace when DH called and took our seats. DS sat in the booth and DD sat in her highchair on the outside of the table. Not a good set up considering she is terrified of the characters. Every time one would come by the table she would try to duck under the table. I felt bad for her, but I also thought it was funny. I hope that doesn't make me a horrible mom! DS on the other hand was so excited to see the characters. He ran to all of them and gave them big hugs. He was more excited about the characters than eating his food which is very rare. We got great pictures. The food was also amazing. Granted this was the first meal I ate in over a week, but it tasted so good. No joke I ate like it was my last meal ever. I loaded my plate with so much stuff and then piled on the desserts. DS participated in the little parade and enjoyed dancing. When Pooh visited our table DD was a little scared, but actually touched his nose. DS needed to use the bathroom, but didn't want to miss any of the action. He asked to not wash his hands and he didn't want me to use the bathroom either (he didn't get his way on either request). We got back in time to see Eeyore and Tigger for the second time. We got fruit and ice cream for dessert. DD made a huge mess and was covered in chocolate ice cream. I had to change her clothes and rinse her hair in the bathroom.
Picture with Pooh

Ice Cream Mess

DS with Eeyore

DS with Tigger

After dinner we headed to the Hall of Presidents. DH really enjoys this show and he was even more excited to share it with DS. DS knows all of the presidents by picture, name, and what number president they were. DS was running around looking at the pictures and saying the president name. DD was trying to follow and fell down only to open a scab on her knee. There was blood everywhere and she was screaming. While I was tending to DD, DS had an audience for doing his president bit. He talked with the Cast Member there who actually made a mistake for a particular number president. DS corrected him saying, "No it's Harding, not Coolidge." It was hilarious. Then the CM said there are only 43 presidents because Cleveland was president twice. DS told him what number he was (22 and 24 for any history enthusiasts) and also informed him that there were two Roosevelts and gave their numbers. Everyone got a kick out of the little smarty. We entered the show and all was well until DS needed to use the bathroom and could not wait. He never got to see all the presidents stand up, but didn't seem to mind. DH was a little upset about it, but DS didn't want to go back...he only wanted Small World.
More to come next week! TTFN

 

[coachlevy]

Back from the Contemporary and loved it! DS was so excited that he saw Chef Mickey's every time we walked out of our room. Walking to MK was wonderful and the view of Bay Lake from our room was outstanding. I guess I have to write another trip report once I finish this one. I will try to post more this week.

 

[PetersonFamily]

I love your TR and enjoy looking at all your pictures! The kids are adorable and what a great DH you have to surprise you w/ a trip!

 

[coachlevy]

I'm amazed how many times I can ride Small World and not get bored! DS absolutely loves this ride and it makes it so much more enjoyable for me. After the ride we walked to Tomorrowland and went to the new 626 Dance Party. Stitch and other characters dance along with the crowd while a DJ spins some great tunes. It was awesome! DS loved the music and dancing with Stitch and Pluto. Pluto was wearing a very futuristic costume with a metal helmet and silver stuff on him. I didn't have the camera so I don't have a picture. There was a group of Brazilian teenagers there who were dancing like crazy and having so much fun. It was great. The DJ even got an enormous conga line going with Stitch as the lead. We really had a blast. It was getting late and we needed to find a seat for the parade. Normally we find our spot an hour before, but this year we left only 10 minutes. We found a spot outside of the Confectionary and waited for the parade to start. DS was very nervous (he thought it was Spectromagic and remembered the Big Bad Wolf from a previous trip) and DD was very tired. We actually went inside the Confectionary and watched through the glass. The noise level was good for DS and the AC was very comforting. DD perked up with so much to look at and walked around the store. A cast member gave us some free cotton candy (always a good thing!) and we hung out in the store until the parade ended. I am a big fan of Spectro, but I was looking forward to the Electrical Parade. The floats were amazing too look at, but I prefer the music to Spectro. DH did not like the parade and missed Spectro. We left after the parade and waited 10 minutes for our bus. On the bus, DS was talking nonstop and kept telling everyone what time it was after viewing the clock at the front. He did it every minute for the entire ride! DD was not a happy girl, but we made it back without too much drama. Back in the room I got the kids ready for bed and alseep by 10. Day 4 brings us to the AK for more heat and fun.

 

[coachlevy]

The kids slept late today and it was a scramble to get ready. By late, I mean 7 AM. I actually get excited when I see a 7 as the first number when I wake up! Our plan was to go to Animal Kingdom for extra magic hour so we really had to rush. We got the kids dressed quickly, grabbed breakfast, and left the room by 7:30. As luck would have it, there was a bus pulling up for AK as we arrived. After 20 minutes we were at the park and ready to start the day. Our first pick was Kilamanjaro Safari. We got on line and there was a 20 minute wait time already posted. We were standing there not moving for about 10 minutes when I decided to step off the line and get some fastpasses. A cast member informed me that it's hard for this ride to start exactly when the park opens due to the animals. Of course once I stepped off the line it started moving again. So our total wait time wasn't so bad, but the whole purpose of going early is to avoid the crowds. No biggie. DS liked the ride and all of the animals. DD was very squirmy, but liked seeing the giraffe and rhino. DH took some really great pictures...the best in all of our trips.
Okapi

Giraffe

Wildebeast

Next on our list was Kali River Rapids. DS was very excited because he was just tall enough for this ride. We have a measuring chart at home that tells you the necessary heights for Disney rides and we check it before every trip. DS is on the short side so this ride and Goofy's Rollercoaster were big thrills for him this year. He can't wait until next year when he reaches 40 inches and can ride Soarin, Big Thunder Mountain, Splash Mountain, and Test Track. Anyway, DS went on the ride with DH while DD and I walked through the Jungle Trek. We had to do more waiting at the ride because it didn't open until 9. DH was 7th on line, but he waited for 10-15 minutes. I guess we should have checked what rides were open for EMH. Oh well. DD and I also waited until the jungle trek opened. We saw bats, tigers, and peacocks. DD liked the tigers best. DS LOVED the ride and getting wet. He had a special safety bar attached to his seat which he also thought was cool. Next we headed to Dinoland to ride the Triceratop Spin (Dumbo as a dinosaur I think) and let DD walk around a bit. DS loves watching the Primevil Whirl ride. Nothing too exciting was happening there, but we took a few cute pictures.

Camp Minnie Mickey was our next stop to see Festival of the Lion King. This is one of my favorite Disney shows. One of these days I have to see Nemo though. We saw Chip and Dale first, and DS ran to them and hugged them. DD was not happy, but we snuck her into the picture anyway.

We also saw Goofy and Guitar Dan. So far Guitar Dan has sung about DS on every trip. This year the song was about his baseball shirt and croc shoes (the shoes always make it into the song!). DS was excited about all of this.
Goofy and DS

Guitar Dan singing about DS

The Lion King was not as enjoyable as in the past. Probably because both kids were a little unhappy. DD was very antsy and DS kept covering his ears. He did enjoy it though. We left a little before the end. We were ready to leave the park because it was so hot and DD was done. We stopped to see Lilo and Stitch because DD loves Stitch. Not so much in person though. We tried to trick her by wheeling her stroller without facing Stitch, but she knew what was happening. Interestingly, on our August trip she was much more receptive to the characters and even let Minnie sit next to her at Chef Mickey's. Such progress!
DD and Stitch

DS, Lilo, and Stitch

Before leaving the park we took a picture with the Tree of Life as the background.
http://images2b.photo.walgreens.com/232323232%7Ffp53394%3Enu%3D3265%3E%3A38%3E833%3EWSNRCG%3D34%3A%3A494872329nu0mrj/img]
We left the park by 11:10 and I feel like we didn't accomplish much. I like Animal Kingdom, but always feel like we never do much. We waited 5 minutes for a bus and had a very long ride back to the Beach Club. We stopped at Blizzard Beach, Swan, Dolphin, Yacht Club, and finally, Beach Club. DD was so squirmy. I gave her the camera case to play with and she grabbed a memory card. Here is what she decided to do with it:
[img]http://images2b.photo.walgreens.com/232323232%7Ffp53377%3Enu%3D3265%3E%3A38%3E833%3EWSNRCG%3D34%3A%3A494873329nu0mrj
I was so happy to exit that bus and get back to the room. I read to the kids and put them down for naps by 12:15. I hit the gym while everyone slept. Next post is our evening at the Magic Kingdom in the rain.

 

[coachlevy]

DS was sleeping for 3 hours so I decided to wake him. Not a good move on my part. He was super cranky and didn't want to swim or go anywhere. DD was cranky too because her nap was interrupted by construction outside the window. DH did get her back to sleep but then housekeeping came in and woke her again. We convinced DS to go to the pool and he had a great time. He spent most of the time at the little slide. He realized he could stand in that pool and only wanted to stay there. I also took him to the tide pool which he thought was really cool. DD stayed with DH and played in the kiddie pool area. She was brave today and explored the sprinklers at the tiny kiddie pool. The temperature at this pool is much cooler than the others and very refreshing. After swimming we dried off and went to Beaches and Cream for an early dinner. It was SO good. We ate onion rings, burgers, and fries. DD had to go in a booster seat which was very interesting. She kept standing up and had a great time. When the onion rings came she lunged across the table to grab one. It was hilarious, even though I didn't plan on giving her one. DS ate dessert and was so excited they had peanut free ice cream for him.

DD enjoying some milk:

It was raining when we left dinner so the plan was to stay at the hotel and maybe check out the marshmallow roast on the beach later. We went to the arcade for awhile, but DH decided he wanted to go to Magic Kingdom. He convinced me also so we quickly went to the room, changed, grabbed our rain gear, and caught the bus. It was waiting there again. Such luck! Unfortunately it rained most of the night, but we were well prepared.
DS wondering why he's standing in the rain:

DD all ready to go

Me and my boy

We started at Small World, and then watched Mickey's Philharmagic. DS had never seen it before and he was trying to grab everything, thinking it was only there for him. Next was the carousel and pictures by the sword in the stone.
DH and DD

DS on Carousel

Sword in the Stone

DD gives it a try

Our next stop was Tomorrowland. Stitch and his friends were partying again so we stopped and joined in. DS tried to dance with Stitch but it was very difficult. It seemed like the characters didn't want to interact too much...they were there to dance and lead the crowd. It was still fun though. Next was Tomorrowland Transit Authority or the People Mover as it's now called. The ride is the same, but the narration is totally different. The deep futuristic voice, "now approaching Space Mountain" is gone and replaced by a young man narrating about the various attractions. It's more informative, but I missed the voice! DS loved the moving escalator, seeing the castle with its different colors, and moving fast on the turns. DD loved the stars as you pass though Space Mountain. I felt like we were in Space Mountain for a longer time than in the past, but I'm not sure if they changed the ride or just the narration. DS and I went to Buzz Lightyear again while DH and DD went to get ice cream at the plaza. We also went on the Tomorrowland Speedway because there was only a 10 minute wait. It was parade time so most rides had a short wait. DS liked the ride and kept laughing at my poor driving skills. After the ride we walked to Main Street which took a long time. DD was sleeping soundly in the stroller (thank goodness!) so we ate our ice cream in quiet. DS would not go in his stroller all evening because it was wet so DH put down his shirt for him to sit. He sat and enjoyed his second ice cream of the evening. We waited for the fireworks to start, but moved closer to the park entrance. DS decided this would be a good time to dump his ice cream on the ground. I made him pick it up and throw it out and then did my best to clean it. I was so embarrassed! The fireworks were very cool and covered a lot more sky than in the past. They were above the castle and on both sides as well. The story for the show was good vs. evil with the Fairy God Mother and fairies from Sleeping Beauty versus Captain Hook. I wasn't impressed with the music, even though it was pretty to see. I definitely prefer Wishes. AFter the show we made a mad dash for the bus and waited about 5 minutes. DD woke up very unhappy, but DH got her back to sleep. It was a late night and I finally got the kids asleep by 11. What a fun night, minus the spilled ice cream!

 

[coachlevy]

DS wakes up at 7 saying, "Mommy we need to go to Magic Kingdom and go on Small World." What a fun way to wake up! Of course DD woke up 5 minutes later. DH and I were very tired so we told DS we had to snuggle in bed until 7:30. Surprisingly, he was okay with that. After snuggling (aka trying to close my eyes for a few extra minutes) we got ready and were at the bus stop by 8:30. We waited for 5 minutes and the kids played with the bean bag toss game at the bus stop. We arrived at MK by 8:45 and entered the park because it was an early entry day. We walked towards Adventureland and waited until 9 AM for rope drop. The cast members gave out pixie dust to sprinkle which was fun. DH went to the bakery for an egg sandwich and just made it back in time. We went on Aladdin first, followed by the Jungle Cruise. Everyone enjoyed both rides. DS liked the hippos the most. Next was Small World and the kids loved it. Every time is like their first time. It's great. We tried the Haunted Mansion and it was fun. DS was a little scared but I kept saying it was funny and not scary. He did fine on the ride and liked it, especially the end with the ghost in our cart. Our next stop was Tom Sawyer Island, an attraction which I haven't been to since I was a little kid. DH was never there. DS loved every minute of it, from the raft ride, exploring the caves, and the bridges. DD loved being able to move around and have some freedom. We spent about 30 minutes playing and exploring. When we went back in August, DS remembered the exact route we took in June and replicated it. It was really funny! It was very hot on the island and the rest of the park too. We took the raft back, but had to wait for the Liberty Belle to pass. Standing on the raft with so many people in the heat was not fun. But soon we were back on land and we saw Donald.
DS and Donald

Everyone and Donald

Little Explorers on Tom Sawyer Island

Barrel Bridge

After seeing Donald we ran to the castle to see the Move It, Shake It, Celebrate It parade. DS danced with Jessie, Chip, Mr. Incredible, and saw Minnie in a float. He was ecstatic. It was so much fun to watch him.
DS with Jessie

Mr. Incredible

Minnie on a float

We left after the parade. I fed the kids their lunches on the go and we waited 10 minutes for the bus. We were back in the room and the kids were sleeping by 12:30. After nap time we went for a quick swim because we had early reservations at Chef Mickey's. I stayed with DD in the sand while DH and DS swam in the lazy river. Back in the room I bathed the kids and DD decided once again this was when she needed to use the bathroom. So I grab two soaking wet kids (one of them screaming) and hand them off to DH while I clean the tub. We gave them showers instead (DD still screaming), get dressed, and make it out the door by 4:30. I did manage to snap a cute picture of the kids before we left:

It was raining really hard when we left and DH forgot his bag with his poncho and DS's poncho. Great! The rain was coming down in buckets during our bus ride, along with thunder and lightning. When we arrive at Magic Kingdom DH says we should wait a few minutes for the storm to move. So we are standing in the bus area with booming thunder, lightning bolts, and teaming rain. I am very nervous at this point and we are not staying dry. After 10 minutes the storm passed, but the rain was still very heavy. I suggest we run to the monorail and take it to the Contemporary. DH says we should walk because it's faster and like an idiot I listen to him. He was doing so well up until this point too...lol. I had my poncho, DD was safe in her stroller, and there was an extra poncho that I had. I decided DH would wear it and carry DS under it. To make a long story short, within a minute our shoes, socks, and shorts were soaked. The puddles were incredible! The bottom half of both kids were very wet too. Thank goodness nobody was complaining...they both thought it was fun. Once at the Contemporary we were greeted by cast members handing out towels. Ah, the deluxe life at Disney. I was so grateful for the towels and we dried off as best we could. We went to Chef Mickey's and all was forgotten. This is our favorite place in all of Walt Disney World. It changed a bit since our last visit. The seating area is smaller because of the Contempo Cafe and they moved the picture spot. They even got a new plate and Mickey decoration for the picture.

Dinner was so much fun. DS was so excited for every character, especially his love Minnie. DD yelled the character name when they entered the room, but freaked out when they approached. She tried to hide under the table. However she did touch Mickey and Pluto's noses. The food was really good, especially the chicken nuggets. And dessert is the reason we come here. Ice cream sundaes and cookies. DD grabbed a cookie from my hand to eat it. It was very funny. Here are pictures from the dinner.
DS and Goofy

DD tries to escape

Donald

Pluto

Mickey

A hug from Minnie

Donald and DD (this one cracks me up)

After dinner it was still raining so we wasted some time walking around the Contemporary. We walked to Bay Lake Tower which has an awesome view of Magic Kingdom. They have a rec room for activities and a special lounge, but I wouldn't want to stay there. The pool looked a little boring too. The pool at the Contemporary has nice upgrades since the addition of BLT, especially the kiddie sprinkler area.
Pictures from August trip at Contemporary:

Back to June...We took the monorail to Magic Kingdom and it was very crowded. The rain was very light and not a big deal. We went on Buzz, TTA, and Small World. We saw the parade while walking through Liberty Square and it was practically empty. Much better than Main Street for crowds. DS was so excited that we stopped to watch it. Before leaving, we got some cotton candy (despite being full from Chef Mickey's) and said our goodbyes to our favorite park. The bus was there and we really had to run for it. Everyone was waiting for us to load the strollers and we were moving as quickly as possible. DD was happy because she kept grabbing cotton candy. Whatever works. We got off at the Yacht Club so we wouldn't have to move our strollers which were in the aisle. We walked back to our room and the kids were asleep by 10.
The next morning I woke up at 6:30 to go to the gym. I was back in the room by 7:45. The kids were up at7:15 and there was total chaos in the room. I fed the kids breakfast, packed, and got ready for the pool. It was raining lightly, but we went to the pool anyway. DD played in the sand and sprinkler pool. DS played in the lazy river and sand pool. It was fun. We were back in the room by 10:30. I bathed the kids, got them dressed, and then we checked out. So sad! We walked around the Boardwalk to waste some time. I stopped at Seashore Sweets to buy some fudge which wasn't very good. DD fell asleep in the stroller during our walk. We stopped at the Boardwalk Hotel and DS played on the playground. We walked back to the Beach Club and sat on the big swings. DS was very tired and was sucking his thumb and holding my hair. We talked about our favorite parts of the trip. DS loved the hippo on Small World, Chef Mickey's, Buzz, and Kali River Rapids. We went to the front of the hotel to wait for the Magical Express bus. DS played in the antique car that is in front of the Yacht Club. I only let him look at it, but a cast member said he could go inside it.

The bus arrived, DD woke up and was actually happy. DS was excited to see the video of the characters. We got to the airport at 1:45 and our flight was delayed for 1 hour (now 4:30 departure). We decided to eat at Macaroni Grill to waste time. DS was totally wired and was singing and dancing like crazy. People were staring and laughing at him, but in a good way. We checked out the Croc store which was fun. The shoes are so comfortable...I never knew. After getting through Security, I walked around with the kids hoping to tire them. We get to the gate and my ticket didn't say "infant in arms" so I had to check in again. DH and DS went on the plane and we met them a few minutes later. DS did some math books on the plane and took a 2 hour nap. DD was so cranky. I kept giving her snacks, but at a certain point that stopped working. I walked around with her and she fell asleep with 30 minutes left in the flight. DS woke up around this time and was very cranky. He only wanted me and of course woke up DD. What fun! I couldn't wait to get home. I am going to post a little more from our August trip. Mostly pictures and some highlights of the trip. Hopefully it won't take me too long...I can't believe it took the entire summer to write this TR.

 

[CommandoDawg]

I enjoyed your report. My DW and I took our oldest DD, our SIL, and our GD who was 18 mos old last October and she loved the characters that she knew, but who knows whether she will be scared of them this December when we all go back along with our new GD who will be 9 months old then.