A fearless trip report- May 12-18th 2011

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Gosh, I admire all you mothers who travel to WDW with babies and young children, sounds like a lot of work!

 

[amandaw]

I love POR, it is my favorite of all the moderates, and I'd rank it even above some deluxes. You should definitely give it a chance someday. Even though the theming is close to home, I'm sure it will offer some surprises, that is unless you live in a an actual ante-bellum mansion on the Mississippi, in which case I think it would be a disappointment

No, I definitely don't live in a plantation home. I like to visit them, but would not like to live in them. I'm way too much of a modern girl! I'm so glad you were able to get Everett into the crib without waking him up. I was literally holding my breath for you as I was reading that part!

 

[DisneyMomma09]

My SIL is a teacher also, so we have to take our extended family trips during school vacation, so I completely understand!

We took the train to Disney once, all the way from NYC to Sanford, Florida. We were pretty young, and I'm sorry to say my brothers and I were not on our best behavior. There is a reason we only took the train once

Whoops! My DH and his family did this when he was younger as well. Colby is into trains BIG TIME right now. With 6 of us going in August, though, it was cheeper to fly than to take the Autotrain. Hopefully he will still be into trains when we get a chance to go that way!

Great updates! Your camera story made me think of my husband...that is why I am in charge of ALL the packing. Then I can only blaim myself when I forget something!

Congrats on getting Everett into bed! The transfers of a sleeping baby are always risky! I hope he sleeps better in the crib!

 

[pinkxray]

Great thinking ordering the charger from Amazon. I think that if I realized I had forgotten my charged I would have dissolved into a big pile of tears.

I love POR The grounds and mansions are so pretty. I can't wait to see how they turn out of the refurb. We stayed at VWL and I thought I had made a big mistake not booking POR again.

 

[hotveggy]

A fellow CTer here, I grew up in Hamden. We have been having sleep issues with our two yo since the baby was born. I can't imagine us ever going away again at this point... Glad it seemed to be a success for you guys the first night.

 

[cadek]

I love Amazon Prime! I'm hooked with that free 2 day shipping and no minimum purchase. I think I might buy more though, because it's even easier now!

Is that why I do all the packing? I would be so upset if I was missing something for the camera! I think it's easier to pack clothing than all the other accessories! All those chargers...

I miss the baby days sometimes, but you reminded me of something I don't miss, trying to get them to sleep! I often gave in to sleeping in the bed too.

Kids certainly do keep things interesting, and they are always changing!

 

[Kari-B]

I love your writing style, very entertaining. Can't wait for more!!!

 

[Curiouser&curiouser!]

I am enjoying your report. My next trip to WDW will be the first ever with a little one! We have been plenty of times with only adults, but October will be the first trip with out DS. He is turning 2 during the trip, so any and all toddler tips are welcome!

 

[PirateKate]

I'm finally here! The flight sounds like it was rough. I hope the flight home is quieter.

POR is such a pretty resort. It's been a few years since I've been there, but some of your pictures almost made me want to switch from CBR. Almost.

I liked Everett's shirt with the tie that he wore on the plane. That's always a good look.

Oh and I understand all the complications with getting the high chair set up. Two feet in one hole is the worst. No, maybe the strap being broken at the end is the worst.

 

[MarriedToAPrince]

Great trip report! I love your writing style.

 

[awesome6]

I am in love with this place. I want to be here the next season. The party is still on.

 

[CandleontheWater]

Gosh, I admire all you mothers who travel to WDW with babies and young children, sounds like a lot of work!

It is, but its a good kind of work. Our Disney trips pre-baby used to revolve around food and drinks, now they just revolve around Everett.

No, I definitely don't live in a plantation home. I like to visit them, but would not like to live in them. I'm way too much of a modern girl! I'm so glad you were able to get Everett into the crib without waking him up. I was literally holding my breath for you as I was reading that part!

I was very happy I managed to transfer him with no trouble!

Whoops! My DH and his family did this when he was younger as well. Colby is into trains BIG TIME right now. With 6 of us going in August, though, it was cheeper to fly than to take the Autotrain. Hopefully he will still be into trains when we get a chance to go that way!

Great updates! Your camera story made me think of my husband...that is why I am in charge of ALL the packing. Then I can only blaim myself when I forget something!

Congrats on getting Everett into bed! The transfers of a sleeping baby are always risky! I hope he sleeps better in the crib!

I do 99% of the packing, and usually just let him deal with the electronics, I think I'm going to do 100% of the packing from now on!

Great thinking ordering the charger from Amazon. I think that if I realized I had forgotten my charged I would have dissolved into a big pile of tears.

I love POR The grounds and mansions are so pretty. I can't wait to see how they turn out of the refurb. We stayed at VWL and I thought I had made a big mistake not booking POR again.

Count me in as a lover of POR too! I stayed at VWL for one night and they were nice, I hope we can stay longer in the future, but it hard to get in there at the 7 month mark!

 

[CandleontheWater]

A fellow CTer here, I grew up in Hamden. We have been having sleep issues with our two yo since the baby was born. I can't imagine us ever going away again at this point... Glad it seemed to be a success for you guys the first night.

Hi neighbor! My parents and DH's parents still live in Cheshire, so we are up your way frequently! I was really wondering if we made the best choice taking Everett back to Disney after all his sleeping drama, but the truth is, I just couldn't stay away.

I love Amazon Prime! I'm hooked with that free 2 day shipping and no minimum purchase. I think I might buy more though, because it's even easier now!

Is that why I do all the packing? I would be so upset if I was missing something for the camera! I think it's easier to pack clothing than all the other accessories! All those chargers...

I miss the baby days sometimes, but you reminded me of something I don't miss, trying to get them to sleep! I often gave in to sleeping in the bed too.

Kids certainly do keep things interesting, and they are always changing!

I am enjoying the baby days, but there are times when I wish Everett was older and I didn't have to worry about him sleeping in a strange place or eating strange food, but I'm sure a whole new set of worried emerges as they get older.

I love your writing style, very entertaining. Can't wait for more!!!

Thank you, hopefully I'll have another update really soon! I meant to get one going yesterday, but I wasn't feeling well.

I am enjoying your report. My next trip to WDW will be the first ever with a little one! We have been plenty of times with only adults, but October will be the first trip with out DS. He is turning 2 during the trip, so any and all toddler tips are welcome!

I think your prior experience with WDW will make the whole trip much easier. At least you know the lay of the land, so thats one variable you don't have to worry about. Keep reading along, I'm sure there will be lots of toddler info to come!

I'm not sure if you're already on board- but PirateKate (the diser I'm responding to right below you) is also writing a TR about her adventures with her two toddler boys, you should check it out, she's got lots of great advice too!

I'm finally here! The flight sounds like it was rough. I hope the flight home is quieter.

POR is such a pretty resort. It's been a few years since I've been there, but some of your pictures almost made me want to switch from CBR. Almost.

I liked Everett's shirt with the tie that he wore on the plane. That's always a good look.

Oh and I understand all the complications with getting the high chair set up. Two feet in one hole is the worst. No, maybe the strap being broken at the end is the worst.

Glad to have you join in! I do love POR, but I love CBR too, oh its too hard to pick resorts, I think we just need to take lots and lots of vacations so we can stay at all of them!

That shirt is actually a Disney shirt. I thought it was really funny because it has a name tag over the pocket protector that says "Disney Fan". I'm grooming him to be a Disney Geek from a young age!

Great trip report! I love your writing style.

Thank you so much!

I am in love with this place. I want to be here the next season. The party is still on.

I love POR too!

 

[CandleontheWater]

Episode 7- the update in which we meet Barfy

During this time I had been waiting for my Mom to show up. She had a late flight out of Hartford, Connecticut, and I got a call from her before dinner telling me the flight was delayed. It wasn’t too bad, because during dinner she texted me to say that they were on their way, and then during the whole getting Everett to bed routine, I received another text telling me that she had picked up the rental car and was on her way.

Great, that means she should be at the resort within a half hour, 45 mins tops!

Well, the time ticked by, a half hour, then 45 mins, then an hour, and finally at an hour and a half I began to get really worried so I decided to give her a call.
Mom- “Hello”
Me-“So, where are you?”
Mom-“I don’t really know”
Me-(This is not off to a great start) “Are you at the resort, are you still at the airport?”
Mom-“Well….I’m at Disney”
Me- (This is looking better) “Do you know where you are going- follow the signs to Downtown Disney, and then you’ll start seeing signs for Port Orleans”
Mom-“Its hard to read the signs and drive, and I keep missing turns”
Me-“Mom, its Disney, it’s the easiest place on earth to get around, its essentially a big circle, if you miss one turn eventually you will see another sign telling you where to go”
Mom-“Well, OK, I’ll keep going, oh and I brought Barfy with me (Barfy??), he’s naked though so we need to go to Epcot and get him some clothes”

(I ponder a minute what my mother is talking about, but I figure its best to keep her on task, and we’ll sort out Barfy’s (???) wardrobe malfunction when she arrived at the resort)

Me- “Pay attention to the signs so you know where you are going, and if you are not here in 20 minutes I’m going to call you again”

Happily my mom made it to POR before her 20 minute window and got checked in and over to our room block with no trouble. I went over to meet her and to figure out what on earth she was talking about.

She had volunteered to take Everett that night so Mark and I could get a good nights sleep, but since he was already asleep in our room, we were going to switch rooms for the night, and then move the crib over in the morning.

She unpacked the essentials and then began removing surprises for Everett from her suitcase. A new pool toy, some books, and then finally, Barfy.

“Mom, that’s Duffy- Mickey’s teddy bear”

“Barfy, Duffy, whats the difference! Anyway, I got him in November and his clothes were all sold out, we need to go to Epcot and buy him some outfits."


With the mystery of Barfy solved and it closing in on 11:30pm, we decided to all call it a night. We had an 8:10 ADR at Crystal Palace and I wanted to leave the resort no later than 7 am, which meant a 6 am wake up call for me.

I asked my mom one more time if she was sure that she wanted to sleep with Everett, I told her that he would likely be up more than once and probably not too happy.

She didn’t seem at all concerned and told me that if he was up all night, we’d just take turns with him, I’d take him during the day while she slept at the resort and then we’d switch at night. I didn’t think this seemed at all fair to her, but she could not be convinced otherwise.

I settled into bed, but I still could not relax. Even though he was a room away, I was still listening as hard as I could, to see if I could hear Everett through the walls. I eventually drifted off, and before I knew it the alarm was going off. With a heavy heart I picked up my phone to text my Mom and see what the night held.

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

“Mom, that’s Duffy- Mickey’s teddy bear”

“Barfy, Duffy, whats the difference!

My brothers were so confused about why this Duffy bear was all over the place, they kept asking who the heck Duffy was.

Glad your Mom finally found her way to the resort, she sounds like my Mom, she could easily get lost at WDW, that is why I do all the driving.

I'm glad you got a good night's sleep. Did Grandma?

 

[CandleontheWater]

My brothers were so confused about why this Duffy bear was all over the place, they kept asking who the heck Duffy was.

Glad your Mom finally found her way to the resort, she sounds like my Mom, she could easily get lost at WDW, that is why I do all the driving.

I'm glad you got a good night's sleep. Did Grandma?

I don't really get Duffy either. My parent were there the day that Duffy was released and apparently the Japanese tourists went nuts. They bought up all of Duffy's outfits and accessories, and apparently were the only people in line for the meet and greet. I guess he's big in Japan.

You'll have to wait for my next update for the big sleep reveal!

 

[amandaw]

I'm lovin' your updates! So, I have a confession to make, even though I love Disney, I had know idea that Duffy was Mickey's bear until I read this last update! Now, I can finally tell my husband who he is since he asks me every time we see anything Duffy while in WDW. He likes to give me a hard time that I can never answer him as to who Duffy is. Well, that problem is solved now. Thank you!

That was very sweet of your mom to help with Everett in the night. My mom would be the same way. And there's no use in arguing with them, they will get their way.

 

[Thadine]

Your mom is awesome!!!

I don't get the Duffy thing either

 

[MeMom]

I don't really get Duffy either. My parent were there the day that Duffy was released and apparently the Japanese tourists went nuts. They bought up all of Duffy's outfits and accessories, and apparently were the only people in line for the meet and greet. I guess he's big in Japan.

I think the Japanese fervor for Duffy is lost on us Americans. I got both of the girls a Disney Bear when they were just generic Disney bears, long before they became Duffy. Seems like Disney is trying a little too hard to get people to like this Duffy idea. The outfits are cute, but I'd rather see the cute outfits on a real Disney character.

I'm glad your mom was able to help and let you get some sleep.

 

[DisneyMomma09]

Barfy! That is too funny! How nice that your mom was willing to take shifts with you!

I am anxious to hear how Everett's night went!

We have an 8:15 ADR for the Crystal Palace in August. It will be our first time eating breakfast there! I am excited to get some nice pictures with the castle and few people in the background! Can't wait to read about your meal there!