Business Trip Excuse, Pre-Trip -- Now with pictures!

[jlindley9]

First of all, let me introduce myself. My name is John and I’m 30. I am married (Lesley) and we have a 2.5 year old daughter (Amelia). I have lived in California my whole life, first in Northern California, and now in SoCal for the past 4 years.

I grew up going to Disneyland every couple of years with the family and loved it. In high school, I went every year with my sister and her college friends. Since we’ve been in SoCal, we’ve gone about once a year. Amelia has been twice, and loved her last trip this past Christmas.

I work in IT and Lesley is a doctor. I found out about a computer conference in Orlando from 6/9-6/13. This would be very useful for me and a great excuse to finally make it to Disneyworld, and partly on the company’s dime.

Lesley has a pretty brutal schedule, but she just got approved for the time off (she’s still a resident). However, she works at a clinic on Fridays and simply cannot get out of it. So, we’ll be flying out of Ontario, CA, Friday night, 6/6, at 10 PM, arriving in Orlando at 7:30 am, local. We’re hoping this is a good idea and that we’ll be able to sleep on the flight. We’ll be coming back on Thursday, 6/12, at 5:30 pm.

Here is our tentative daily plan:

Saturday – I figure we’ll get to the hotel around 9-10 am. We’ll just rest in the room and head to MK sometime in the afternoon/evening, depending on how much sleep we got on the plane.

Sunday – This is our main day for the parks. Amelia loves Mary Poppins and the princesses, so I have breakfast booked at 1900 Park Fare for 10 am. I figure we’ll go to MK for a few hours and head back to the room after lunch. We’ll then head back to 1900 Park Fare for dinner with Cinderella at 8:20 pm. We’re not telling Amelia about the character meals, and I can’t wait to see how excited she gets! After dinner, we’ll head to MK for however long Amelia wants. It’s the extra hours night, so it’ll be open until 2 am. I figure she’ll be good until at least 11 (8 pm pacific time) and then we’ll see from there.

Monday – I have an all day workshop at the conference (9-6). I figure Lesley and Amelia will mostly explore that day – DD, Boardwalk, other resorts, etc. This day also happens to be our 7th wedding anniversary. I’m trying to figure out something nice to do after the workshop. I’m thinking possibly taking the boat to DD and having dinner at Rainforest Café? Not necessarily romantic, but good for a 2 year old!

Tuesday/Wednesday – The complete schedule for the conference hasn’t been released yet, so these days are up-in-the-air. I figure I should have at least one morning or afternoon free, and I will definitely have evenings free. We’ll just play it by ear.

Thursday – I’m not sure if we’ll have time for a park. The flight leaves at 5:30 pm and I don’t know the conference schedule.

Other notes:

• we’ll be renting a car
• bringing Amelia’s car seat and her big stroller
• staying at POFQ
• not using the dining plan since we’re not sure how much we’ll be in the parks​

Since this is a combo trip with the conference, and since we’re going with a 2 year old and a mommy who doesn’t like crowds or standing in long lines, we’re trying to make this a relaxed trip. We know we won’t see everything, and that’s fine. I chose POFQ because I thought it would be quiet and more relaxed. My sister and brother-in-law have 2 daughters right around Amelia’s age. We would like to take a big, long trip with them sometime in the future, when the girls are older and we have more time/money! Then we can plan on seeing everything!

So, I think that is about it right now. I’d love to hear suggestions, or related experiences of traveling cross-country with a 2-year old! I’ll update any changes or additions! Thanks!

 

[Melissa]

POFQ is a good choice, with a little one and wanting a more relaxed pace. Hope you have a great time.

 

[jlindley9]

Thanks, I made my decision based mostly on the information I found here on the boards. I really appreciate all the great info here!

 

[jlindley9]

My only all-day seminar at my conference falls on our anniversary. I wanted to have something delivered to the room while I'm away. Does anyone know if/how I can get something like chocolate covered strawberries delivered to the room in POFQ? Thanks!

 

[jlindley9]

I want to post some pictures on another thread, but I need to get my post count up to 10 first. So, pardon me while I add a couple of posts here.

 

[jlindley9]

3 more posts until I can add pictures.

 

[jlindley9]

2 more

 

[jlindley9]

Last one, sorry!

 

[WendyO]

My only all-day seminar at my conference falls on our anniversary. I wanted to have something delivered to the room while I'm away. Does anyone know if/how I can get something like chocolate covered strawberries delivered to the room in POFQ? Thanks!

You can check here for stuff available for delivery to your room... I've used them in the past and haven't had any problems... great way to welcome people with a gift basket! Sometimes when my cousin and I plan itineraries for friends, we'll send a little welcome gift for them. Good luck...

http://www.disneyflorist.com/

 

[jlindley9]

You can check here for stuff available for delivery to your room... I've used them in the past and haven't had any problems... great way to welcome people with a gift basket! Sometimes when my cousin and I plan itineraries for friends, we'll send a little welcome gift for them. Good luck...

http://www.disneyflorist.com/

Thanks Wendy! I also found this place that looks promising:

http://www.farrisandfosters.com/

 

[WendyO]

Thanks Wendy! I also found this place that looks promising:

http://www.farrisandfosters.com/

ooooh, yummy yummy.

 

[jlindley9]

Wendy, do you have any suggestions for traveling cross-country with a little one? Have you ever taken a red-eye?

 

[jlindley9]

So, I thought I would post some pics from my daughter's trips to DL. This one was her first trip ever! We went on 10/12/06, her first birthday.


I think these were waiting to go into the park:

Shopping for fairies in the princess shop in the castle:

We were watching a girls dance troupe perform just outside the castle:

Delicately eating her food at the Plaza Inn:

Photo-ops near Big Thunder Ranch

Amelia's first ears!!!

 

[jlindley9]

This is from Amelia's second and most recent trip. We went on 12/28/07.

Photo-ops in Downtown Disney just after getting off the tram:

Waitng for the Carrousel:

Riding the Storybook Boats:

Heading to lunch at the Village Haus:

Watching the clock show at Small World:

I'm pretty sure this is in Minnie's house:

 

[WendyO]

Wendy, do you have any suggestions for traveling cross-country with a little one? Have you ever taken a red-eye?

Hi sorry - hadn't check the DIS for a bit. We have traveled quite extensively with our kids from when they were 2 months old... (Erin's first trip was to MD at 2mo, then HI at 3mo; Dylan's first trip was to WDW at 5mo)... but have never done the red-eye. Mostly because my fear is 1) Mommy will be really tired and not be able to sleep because of crying baby and 2) we'll have a crying baby on our hands and others will not be able to sleep... ha ha. Most of the times the kids have been pretty good on the plane, but you just never know with the air pressure, or whatnot, how your child will travel on that particular trip. So for me, I didn't want to chance it because unless you're going to hole yourself away in the bathroom the entire trip, there's really not a lot of places you can go with your child...

We went to Europe last summer and I had to entertain Dylan in the galley for many hours because he didn't want to sit still... he just climbed up and down the stairs in the plane, over and over and over and over... sigh.

However, we're going to HI next month and it'll be the first time we're taking a red-eye - so we'll see how that goes. But they're older so hopefully I can reason with them a little more - and also, it'll be on the return flight so 1) they should be pretty tired after the trip and 2) it'll be around their normal bedtime anyway so hopefully they'll just konk out and then we can bring them home and they can sleep some more...

But that is just my $0.02... you know your baby better than I... also before they banned cold medicine for kids, I also used to give Erin children's Benadryl and that would knock her out for a few hours... ha ha. However, they also said to test that out beforehand because for some kids it has the opposite effect - like for Dylan, it didn't affect him at all... yikes. Some kids it makes MORE hyper... ha. But we don't do that anymore because I think there was some warning sent out about that. C'est la vie.

So, I thought I would post some pics from my daughter's trips to DL. This one was her first trip ever! We went on 10/12/06, her first birthday.

What? You made her wait a year!?!?!?! Ha ha ha ha ha.

I was actually AT Disneyland ON my due date with Dylan. Was hoping to deliver right there but no such luck. Ha.

 

[jlindley9]

Thanks for the travel info. Amelia is 2.5 and she has been on a 2 hour flight before, so we're hoping the 4.5 hour flight won't be too bad. I figure, worst case, she doesn't sleep and watches DVDs most of the way.

What? You made her wait a year!?!?!?! Ha ha ha ha ha.

I was actually AT Disneyland ON my due date with Dylan. Was hoping to deliver right there but no such luck. Ha.

Actually, this was technically her first trip:

Funny story, we also went to talk to Stitch when my sister was about 8 months pregnant. Her due date was 10/15 and we asked Stitch when the baby would be born. He said 10/8, and sure enough that is when my niece was born. So, we went again when my wife was about 4 months pregnant. Her due date was 10/17 and we again asked Stitch. He said 10/12 and Amelia was born at 4:47 AM on 10/12/2005!

Stitch knows all!

 

[WendyO]

Thanks for the travel info. Amelia is 2.5 and she has been on a 2 hour flight before, so we're hoping the 4.5 hour flight won't be too bad. I figure, worst case, she doesn't sleep and watches DVDs most of the way.

Yeah - shouldn't be too bad probably... just bring changes of clothes and stuff to snack on or entertain her. You might want to make sure you have something to drink in a sippy cup or something before you take off (you can probably ask a flight attendant for something while boarding) to help with the ear pressure, since they don't normally serve drinks until after you take off, unless you get something in the airport after going through security.

Funny story, we also went to talk to Stitch when my sister was about 8 months pregnant. Her due date was 10/15 and we asked Stitch when the baby would be born. He said 10/8, and sure enough that is when my niece was born. So, we went again when my wife was about 4 months pregnant. Her due date was 10/17 and we again asked Stitch. He said 10/12 and Amelia was born at 4:47 AM on 10/12/2005!

Stitch knows all!

Ok, that is just the freakiest story (Stitch)... maybe his head should be in the ball on the floating table in the Haunted Mansion instead of Madame Leota's. Maybe I should go find Stitch and ask him about #3 for me.

 

[jlindley9]

The full schedule for the conference I'm going to was finally released. Unfortunately, it looks like I'm going to be busy from about 9-6, M-W. So, this leaves Saturday and Sunday as our only real days for the parks. I figure at least 1 or 2 of the other days, we can go in the evening for a bit.

The only sessions at the conference on Thursday that pertain to my job are late in the day. I wouldn't be able to attend them and still make our flight. At least this means that Thursday morning is free. I'm leaning toward using that morning for our only trip to DHS.

Another note is that we will be joined by one of DW's best friends from high school, Angelique, at the beginning of the trip. Angelique's boyfriend will also be coming. They are both doctors. They live in Washington DC, so they can get a cheap flight. They'll also be staying at POFQ, arriving Friday, June 6 and leaving Monday, June 9.

I need to call today to see if I can add them to our ADR's.

The next news is that we have a binder!!!

Here is our ultimate packing list:

And our customized maps:

I also have pages for our plane, hotel, rental car, and my conference schedule. I still need to add the ADR info. I'm also planning on adding info on park hours, show times, etc. Because of my conference, I'm not planning on doing a detailed itinerary.

I think that is all for now. As always, I'd always appreciate any comments/suggestions. Thanks!

 

[jlindley9]

Sorry I haven't updated this in awhile. Busy at work and turning 30!

I did call to try and change our ADRs to accomodate DW's friends that will be coming too. At first, I struck out trying to add 2 adults to our ADRs. I was told that there were no tables available to seat 5. DW had the idea to see if we could book a separate table for the 2 of them and then try to get seated by each other. I called the next day to see if I could do this, and magically, there was a table for 5 available for breakfast with Mary Poppins. It's 10 minutes later than our original ADR, which is no problem, but I wonder if this is why I was told the day before that one wasn't available. Perhaps they were trying to keep it at exactly the same time?

Anyway, all 5 of us will be going to 1900 Park Fare at 10:10 am and just the 3 of us will be going back for dinner at 8:20 pm.

Nothing else too new. We leave a week from tomorrow night.