Bonus Holiday Trip 2015! Wrapped up 8/6 and Real life update

[NJlauren]

Bonus Holiday Trip 2015!​

Who, what, where, when, and why

Who (cast): (I am really bad at intros so I'll keep them short!)



Me: Moma or Elmo as my daughter calls me sometimes, half the time she says Elmo, but when she says Moma its the best! ! I love Disney and was really happy I got to squeeze in this trip!

DD: 17 months at the time of the trip, loves Donald and Daisy apparently!

DH: Dada, lets me run with vacation plans, and seem to never catch on to my schemes to plan more trips!

What: Bonus holiday trip to WDW!

Where: WDW, POP Century

When: Nov 30-Dec 1, but I'm going to start this trip report with a quick update on the day before we left (Hope you don't mind)

Why: Last year of the Osborn lights at Hollywood Studios! (And why not??)

Day 0: Black Friday! Still had not packed a thing, luckily I had laid out a few things for DD. My husbands cousin has two girls a little older then DD and his wife had given me a whole bunch of Disney themed clothes in DDs size! I was a little bummed she had some great 12 month stuff but most of the 12 month stuff was to small! Anyway DH was really helpful and watched DD for most of the morning so I could get me and DD packed!

DD did find the Magic Band Box during the process and we had to quickly pack it away to avoid any melt downs! Girl loves her Magic Bands!

Around 11am DD was pretty much packed and I had most of my items set out. I had zero interest in going shopping today, but didn't really want to stay in the house all day it was 60 and gorgeous out! So we decided to head to Sesame Place!

We got there right as it was opening and had a lovey day! We went right to Santa and Elmo. I thought this would help me judge how DD would do in WDW with characters. She was screaming Elmo Elmo but then freaked as we got a little closer, no picture as I didn't pay for it and didn't get one on my phone. We had lunch, rode the carousel, saw a show, played games and saw the parade, we were back in the car around 430. During the show she was screaming Elmo Elmo HI HI the whole time! So that was a positive, from a far we are doing good. We did get a balloon which is still hanging out in the house! I always hate getting them at Disney since we fly and I can't bring it back.


Selfie At Sesame Place!



Balloon still living!

Anyway once we got home, 530ish we picked up pizza for dinner and after we put DD down we finished packing and cleaning up the house. Nothing like last minute packing!

Day 1 Part 1 - Travel ​

 

[NJlauren]

Intro Day 0
Day 1 Part 1 - Travel
Day 1 Part 2 - We have Arrived!
Day 1 part 3.1: Hollywood Studios (Epcot?)!
Day 1 part 3.2: Hollywood Studios (Epcot?)!
Day 2 Part 1 - MK Morning!
Day 2 Part 2 - Some more Magic Kingdom
Day 2 Part 3 - Still MK!
Day 2 Part 4 - Epcot!
Day 3 Part 1 - HS round 1!
Day 3 Part 2 - Epcot
Day 3 Part 3 - Back to HS
Day 4 - We head home
Day 5 - Short Real Life Update

 

[tabrizia]

First!

 

[SarahDisney]

Yay! TR Time! I'm really excited to read about your bonus trip (and hopefully see lots of awesome Osborne Lights pictures)!

 

[Gracefulskinny]

Yay you've started!

 

[cinderkelly]

Checking in! Beautiful family photo!!

 

[KathyM2]

I'm here!! Looking forward to hearing about it!!

 

[NJlauren]

Day 1 part 1 - Travel!

Leading up to this day I debated switching to the 11:05 flight, we were booked on the 12:50 but I didn't want to pay the change fee so we kept the 12:50. Originally the 11:05 was more expensive.

As usual a rushed morning! Last minute packing, taking the fur baby to the vet for drop off! I really need to get better about packing ahead of time, no matter what i do i am running around like crazy in the morning.


At the Vet one woman loves my little man and she happened to be upfront when I arrived so it was kinda nice! He got all excited to see her and was not at all sad to leave me. It makes me few good that he likes it there.

After the Vet drop off we packed up the car and last minute items and did some more double checking for things like Magic Bands (most important)!

We almost always fly JetBlue but United was significantly less expensive this trip so United it was! (Prior experiences with United haven't been great). We got to the car drop off place and loaded on to the van. We arrived at terminal C (we normally get A with JetBlue which stinks! I mean horrible). I was pleasantly surprised at how nice terminal C was and frankly if we had a good United experience I would consider switching to them as my preferred carrier just due to how much nicer this terminal is.

Now DD had slept about 20 minutes in the car on the way to the airport, ugh, this totally screwed her nap schedule! The 11:05 would have been better arranged for napping.


Still not going to sleep MOM! (You were right @SarahDisney )

Anyway, we got some snacks and let DD walk a round a bit in hopes she would get tired (spoiler alert nope!). A few minutes before boarding we did the bathroom routine. Then DH boarded with DDs car seat, I put DD in the stroller and did some laps. I then boarded as close to last as possible. The flight was mostly family's so this was good.

Now the next bit is mostly my fault DD was exhausted so I tried to force a nap on her, that didn't work at all, once I let the nap go and let her play with her books, watch TV (I put Mickey on and she got so excited 'Mickey Mickey') etc she was pretty good. The boy in front of us a few months older the DD was standing up and playing with us too. Overall the flight was ok. Next time don't try to force a nap! Did I learn my lesson for the way home??

We landed deplaned, bathroom stop and time for luggage, our car called (we used Mears) and he was waiting in the luggage area for us. We opted not to use DME this trip, I am really happy with this decision, I just think with DD it was smoother to take a car (and hopefully quicker?).

I noticed he had a NJ phone number, turns out he lived two towns over from where we currently live, so we chatted about that for a bit. He was really nice, he wanted to show us the alligators hanging out, he went out of the way to show us, which was cute but annoying I just wanted to get to the POP!

At this point I also realized I lost my sweater ugh!!

Overall I would recommend Mears, I like DME but last trip it took a while and DD wasn't the best on the bus. Its hard to fly for 3 hours, and then expect a toddler to sit on a bus for another 30-40 minutes. I just think this was better for us this trip.

We have Arrived!​

 

[KathyM2]

I then boarded as close to last as possible.

I had to laugh at this. I think the whole "preboarding with small children" thing is such a crock. Who wants to get on a plane even earlier, and force their young kids to sit still for longer??? *** were they thinking when they invented that. Why not have all the little kids board last?? I always tried to wait it out with my kids and they always got impatient to get on the plane...but then they had to sit there...ugh!

 

[SarahDisney]

I warned you that she wouldn't sleep!! Kids and planes ... it just never works out well.

I love meeting all the former NY/NJers who have moved down to Florida. We always run into one or two every trip ... it's like a small taste of home on vacation!

 

[tabrizia]

I had to laugh at this. I think the whole "preboarding with small children" thing is such a crock. Who wants to get on a plane even earlier, and force their young kids to sit still for longer??? *** were they thinking when they invented that. Why not have all the little kids board last?? I always tried to wait it out with my kids and they always got impatient to get on the plane...but then they had to sit there...ugh!

Oddly enough, it works really well for my kids, even when they were infants and toddlers. They liked getting settled in and ready to go in their seats, and they were generally happy to sit there while others boarded. My kids are also amazing car travelers (other than occasional car sickness for one, she is still a great car traveler though). I really lucked out there.

Mine also would nap on planes, though often not until 15 minutes before we landed, which meant getting a sleeping baby and all out stuff off the plane, which is never fun, especially since I often was flying solo with at least 1 other kid.



Anyways yay travel day and I'm glad Mears worked for you. We are trying DME for our upcoming trip, but my 3 are all older then your DD.

 

[Gracefulskinny]

Now the next bit is mostly my fault DD was exhausted so I tried to force a nap on her, that didn't work at all, once I let the nap go and let her play with her books, watch TV (I put Mickey on and she got so excited 'Mickey Mickey') etc she was pretty good. The boy in front of us a few months older the DD was standing up and playing with us too. Overall the flight was ok. Next time don't try to force a nap! Did I learn my lesson for the way home??

Yeah in my experience all trying to force a nap accomplishes is frustration for the parents. Thankfully Little Miss is now at an age where she can have things somewhat explained to her.

At this point I also realized I lost my sweater ugh!!

Oh no!

 

[NJlauren]

I was so excited yesterday to do an update, i hardly ever update back to back days(may make it 3 days in a row??) That i forgot my replies.. So sorry but I am doing them now!

Welcome everyone, happy to have you!

First!

YOU GO GIRL! Thanks for joining in!

Yay! TR Time! I'm really excited to read about your bonus trip (and hopefully see lots of awesome Osborne Lights pictures)!

Yay you've started!

Thanks for following along!

Checking in! Beautiful family photo!!

Thank you!

I'm here!! Looking forward to hearing about it!!

Happy to have you!

I had to laugh at this. I think the whole "preboarding with small children" thing is such a crock. Who wants to get on a plane even earlier, and force their young kids to sit still for longer??? *** were they thinking when they invented that. Why not have all the little kids board last?? I always tried to wait it out with my kids and they always got impatient to get on the plane...but then they had to sit there...ugh!

I am not sure who thought of it, but I do think at one time it probably made sense, when people didn't take huge bags, and boarding was quick.... was this ever a thing?

I warned you that she wouldn't sleep!! Kids and planes ... it just never works out well.

I love meeting all the former NY/NJers who have moved down to Florida. We always run into one or two every trip ... it's like a small taste of home on vacation!

You did warn me, and well it didn't work out on this leg of the trip......I agree its nice to meet people who used to live by you, this won't be my only encounter this trip.

Oddly enough, it works really well for my kids, even when they were infants and toddlers. They liked getting settled in and ready to go in their seats, and they were generally happy to sit there while others boarded. My kids are also amazing car travelers (other than occasional car sickness for one, she is still a great car traveler though). I really lucked out there.

Mine also would nap on planes, though often not until 15 minutes before we landed, which meant getting a sleeping baby and all out stuff off the plane, which is never fun, especially since I often was flying solo with at least 1 other kid.



Anyways yay travel day and I'm glad Mears worked for you. We are trying DME for our upcoming trip, but my 3 are all older then your DD.

ONE time we boarded early with her, she was still an infant and we were delayed and she needed to eat and i didn't feel like getting all set up and then having to board, so we boarded ealry, she ate during boarding and she slept the whole flight.....

MDE is great, and frankly even if she was a little older (easier to explain it to her), or it was a longer trip (had more time to spare, maybe sometime to stretch before boarding), I may have taken it. I am sure we will take it again soon (this implies there is another trip soon)

Yeah in my experience all trying to force a nap accomplishes is frustration for the parents. Thankfully Little Miss is now at an age where she can have things somewhat explained to her.

Oh no!

Yeah the forcing the nap thing doesnt seem to work well... It is hard as a parent to not try, especially when you KNOW they need a nap!

 

[kadrachb]

I'm here, joining in! Can't wait to hear about the lights!

 

[NJlauren]

I'm here, joining in! Can't wait to hear about the lights!

So happy you're here!

 

[NJlauren]

Day 1 part 2: We have arrived! (sorry a very wordy post with not many pictures)



We pulled into the POP around 4:45! Pretty good IMO! We had already received our room number and our Garden Grocer order had arrived. We picked up the mattress for the Pack and Play. We ordered a better mattress from Amazon we have one at my dads house and it makes it so DD will sleep in it. Regular Pack and Play mattresses have no cushion, and sh hates it (and I imagine 99% of other kids)!

We head to our room 60's section (my only request) room 5214 facing the lake! I really liked the locations short walk to the classic hall, not to loud, very happy. Room was clean and had extra pillows, but no Pack and Play, which I had requested, I decided to call and ask them to send it up and DH was going to go pick up the Garden Grocer order.

They came really quick with the Pack and Play and extra towels! Very happy! DH got back but no Garden Grocer order??? He said the woman at the luggage area said it was a lot and they would drop it off. I was slightly worried they wouldn't put the milk in the fridge.

We decided to go to the food court and get something to eat, we really hadn't eaten much today and figured it's better then trying to get food at Hollywood Studios.

We shared the turkey sandwich with chips which I don't have a picture of (I don't take lots of food pics) but it was very good, I also got the tie dye cheesecake, a yogurt and juice for DD.

The cheesecake was so so (i could have sworn i had a picture of it, but cant find it), I'm really happy I got it but wouldn't necessarily get it again. We also got a water, this annoyed me since I had water coming from Garden Grocer!

We got back to the room and no Garden Grocer order... But it was 545ish at this point and we really wanted to head to the park! So we headed to the bus, we stopped at the luggage room the woman my husband spoke to earlier apologized, I asked if they took the food to the room to just put the milk in the fridge. I was feeling good we had FP for Toy Story from 645-745 and we are heading to the bus right around 6!

Next up Hollywood Studios.... I need to work on my MM pictures before I get to the park days... Hopefully in the next few days!

Hollywood Studios part 1!​

 

[tabrizia]

I had that cheesecake last time we were there I think, or maybe the time before, it was good. There were a ton of great options though so I don't think I ever got it a second time.

Yay bus to the park. Waiting for pictures .

 

[KathyM2]

Great report so far!!! I never even thought of putting an extra mattress in the pack n play when my kids were little lol.

I also got the tie dye cheesecake

I wanted to go there just to try this...but...you didn't seem that enthused...sorry it wasn't worth all the hype lol.

 

[SarahDisney]

Yay! Arrival at Pop Century!

I've heard a lot of conflicting reports on the tie dye cheesecake. Sad that you didn't enjoy it ... but it's definitely a good thing you tried it!

I was feeling good we had FP for Toy Story from 645-745 and we are heading to the bus right around 6!

This sounds like foreshadowing...

 

[cinderkelly]

Arrival time is so exciting! Too bad the tie dye cheesecake has changed to the little container from the actual wedge of cheesecake it used to be . People used to rave about it!

Interested to hear how you liked Garden Grocer.

Glad you got a room facing the lake! Such a pretty view over to AoA!