First Trip Report - 2 year old's 4th trip, Staying at POR

[penguincrazie]

My first trip report!

Cast of Characters……

Me (31) grew up in South Florida, 3 hours from “the World” (which was just MK and Epcot at the time). Took many day trips but didn’t fully experience everything until staying onsite for the first time in 2004! DH and I have been going together at least once a year since 1998, except for the year we had our daughter in 2005.

DD (2) just turned 2 in July, a typical 2 year old emotionally with the temper tantrums to prove it! Verbally and size wise though she is closer to a 3 year old. This is her 4th trip to Disney World (first time she was 9 months, yep, we’re those people you hate). I have her Disney brainwashed already!

DM (62) My mother, who is coming along on this trip mainly because I forced her to! She will be there from Saturday (Oct 20), which is also her birthday, until Wednesday (Oct 24).

DH (31) He is arriving on Wednesday, the day my other leaves. He has a strange love for Disney. He doesn’t get into planning or the DisBoards , though I do encourage it. He makes fun of me for my love of Disney, yet when we get there you’d think he was a bigger fanatic than I was! I think he is a closet Disney addict. He also took many trips as a child, but unlike my day-trips, his trips always included over night stays at the Contemporary.

This trip was planned very last minute, as are most of our Disney trips. I just can’t plan far in advance. I’ve known since last January that we were going to Disney either October or December 2007, but I couldn’t commit. So when the AP rates came out for this time I made two reservations; One for December and the other October! I did a pro and con list; well I guess just a pro list since there are few cons about going to Disney! October had – Halloween Party (never been), Disney Concert Series, and Food and Wine Festival. Then December had well, everything Christmas! I have only been once during December and it was only for one day in the Magic Kingdom and I’ve always wanted to go back that time of year. So I guess that trip will be saved for next year as we chose October, obviously since I am writing a trip report.

We are staying at Port Orleans – Riverside, we love this hotel, I mean, they have CHERRY COKE in the food court , that’s a deal clincher for me. Eventually (soon?) we hope to move to the Grand Floridian ! I sent in my request for Alligator Bayou building 14 or 15 on the first floor (with a 2 year old, a stroller, and no elevator, it’s a must!)

Flight – 6:30am (What was I thinking??) on Oct 20.
Wednesday – DM leaves and DH arrives
Sunday, Oct 28, Myself, DD, and DH come home on a 7:55pm flight.

 

[blue_river]

We are staying at Port Orleans – Riverside, we love this hotel, I mean, they have CHERRY COKE in the food court , that’s a deal clincher for me. Eventually (soon?) we hope to move to the Grand Floridian ! I sent in my request for Alligator Bayou building 14 or 15 on the first floor (with a 2 year old, a stroller, and no elevator, it’s a must!)

I can't wait to hear all about your stay at POR! That's where we ended up this year. It wasn't for the Cherry Coke though

Great start! Looking forward to reading more

 

[Avivasmom]

You must have grown up near me if it was south..I am in Broward County---Plantation.

What a cool thing for your dd...both grandma, mommy and daddy.

Oy that early flight!

 

[englishrose47]

Can't wait to hear about your trip!!

 

[KYCruiseCrazy]

going to be a fun trip report i hope. love last minute trips

 

[penguincrazie]

Thanks for the replies!

Avivasmom - Yep! I grew up in Margate! My in-laws live in Boca so we are down there quite a bit too.

Okay.... I am working on the next installment.

 

[Avivasmom]

Yep! I grew up in Margate! My in-laws live in Boca so we are down there quite a bit too

Small world...bet you miss it here in the winter. Aviva wants to see real snow.

 

[penguincrazie]

October 20, 2007
Wake up at 3:00am (went to bed at 1:30am) . Get dressed, get all the bags into the car and pack our last minute things like toothbrush and deodorant, etc. Woke up DM (she stayed over) and DH since he was driving us to the airport. Woke up DD, got her dressed.

3:45am – In the car, heading to the airport. YAY, 15 minutes ahead of schedule!

4:45am – Arrive at the Airport, check-in curbside. Say good-bye to DH until he joins us on Wednesday. He heads home and goes back to bed.

6:30am – Plane in on time and we take-off!

9:30am – Arrive in Orlando. Make our way to Magical Express, the first line! YIKES! Its really long! Who in their right mind takes such early flights to get there!?!? It was only about 9:50am! Oh yeah, we do. Okay, I can do this, I just hope its not a sign of things to come with the crowd levels. The line actually moved pretty quickly, about 10 minutes. I got my booklet stamped and then went to grab my DM and DD so we could head to the bus line. I finally get them then DM needs to use bathroom. Ok, so I wait, more and more people are getting in front of us for the bus line. Finally she comes out and is ready, okay; this is our line, POR! DM asks what’s the hurry? Ummm…. We’re in DISNEY! We need to hurry to wait in lines! We waited about 10 minutes again, not too bad. We are shuffled onto the bus. By this time, DD is acting 2 and doesn’t want to sit still. Our bus made 4 stops! Us being the last, of course! First Saratoga Springs, then OKW, then French Quarter, finally, RIVERSIDE ! By the time we got to our resort, DD was jumping and wiggling and was getting very restless! I hussle to check-in leaving DD with DM, it was actually the fastest check in I’ve experienced there. Although, of course they didn’t have building 14 or 15 available as I had requested, but they did have building 18 reserved for us and it was first floor. Okay, I am happy, I am at the world, all checked it and it was about 11:20am. Our room wasn’t ready yet, but I wasn’t expecting it to be anyway. They gave us the number to call for our room number after 3pm so we didn’t have to come back to the front desk.

We got some lunch in the food court and purchased our mugs. Cherry coke, here I come They made DD a plain turkey roll up since she is allergic to dairy and eggs. I asked for the pinwheel sandwich without cheese because my DD was allergic to dairy they asked, “Oh, and cheese too?” UGH! Yep, I said, cheese too. Not sure what food group cheese is in at POR so for the sake of this meal, DD is allergic to dairy and cheese! I got a regular turkey sandwich and DM got the roast beef. None of us particularly liked it but whatever, it was lunch, and we were hungry and the Cherry Coke was perfect!

We head to Magic Kingdom! DD notices the castle and her whole face lights up! “Mommy, ook….Sastle! Cinda-lella lives there!” This is what it’s all about folks! She was so excited! She wanted to touch the castle, so we did that. We planned to just walk around and take it easy on the first day since we had so little sleep. We don’t really plan out our days; our trips aren’t see everything types. They used to be but not with a little one. We know we’ll be back and plan to take her at least once a year so she’ll do everything in due time. Just being there, in the whole Disney atmosphere is what we like the most. It was crowded, but not as much as I would have expected for a Saturday. Lines in Fantasy Land were very doable, 10-20 mintes, except Dumbo which was like a gazillion minutes so we saved it for another day.

We noticed Snow White only had a 15 minute wait! Perfect! DD LOVES Snow White, in fact, that is what she is being for Halloween! We hop in line. I haven’t been on this ride in so many years, I don’t even remember it (wish I did)! My DM casually mentions just before we get on it that my sister was petrified of it when she was younger , I said oh, is it that scary? She doesn’t remember! We get on and sure enough, my DD is scared and shaking. I cover her eyes and tell her its okay, blah, blah, blah…. She handled it okay for a petrified 2 year old, didn’t scream or anything and was fine as long as I covered her eyes. As she says, “Cover you eyes, mommy” she gets her I’s and you’s mixed up!

So after that, we wanted to do something we’d know she’d like so she didn’t end up being afraid of all rides. So we did the carousel, she loved it! As it turned out, she didn’t like ANY themed ride or indoor ride! As mentioned above, she’s been 3 other times her first time at 9 months, then 17 months, 23 months and now this trip at 27 months. The best trip with her was the 9 and 17 month ones. The past two, in June and this one, she has been afraid of characters. I am so glad we have awesome picture of her with the characters before she became afraid of them because who knows when she’ll get over that, hopefully soon! My 7 year old niece is still afraid of characters!

We then headed over to Epcot to check out the F&W festival. Got DD McDonalds Fries and headed for Australia for some lamb chops and shrimp on the Barbie. Lamb chop was awesome! Shrimp on the Barbie, not so much. I had this a few years ago at the F&W and it was much spicier and better. I was at Epcot for F&W in 2004, just about the same time too and it wasn’t very crowded, in fact I remember all the booths being walk-ups. Maybe I hit it just right back then or maybe it wasn’t as popular but this time it was crowded! I have never seen so many people at Epcot before walking the World Showcase! Wall to wall people, but was also a Saturday evening. We decided to head back to the hotel and get an early start the next day at MGM.
We head back to the hotel around 8pm. DD is in bed by 9:15pm, excellent! After only sleeping an hour and a half, traveling, and it being SO DARN HOT it was nice to relax in the room with some more CHERRY COKE!

Tomorrow, Sunday October 21 – MGM for the Johnny and the Sprites concert for DD! He is a hottie (Johnny, not the Sprites), but he’s gay and I’m married so it’ll never work out between us.

 

[penguincrazie]

Checking out our airplane.....

Sleeping on the airplane

With Nanny, stylin' in her new tinkerbell sunglasses or "sungasses" as she calls them......

=

 

[blue_river]

Although, of course they didn’t have building 14 or 15 available as I had requested, but they did have building 18 reserved for us and it was first floor.

How did you manage to get a closer building than us and first floor too!! Lucky duck

We head to Magic Kingdom! DD notices the castle and her whole face lights up! “Mommy, ook….Sastle! Cinda-lella lives there!”

Awwwwwwww..........that's so sweet

Lines in Fantasy Land were very doable, 10-20 mintes

Not bad at all

We get on and sure enough, my DD is scared and shaking. I cover her eyes and tell her its okay, blah, blah, blah…. She handled it okay for a petrified 2 year old, didn’t scream or anything and was fine as long as I covered her eyes. As she says, “Cover you eyes, mommy” she gets her I’s and you’s mixed up!

OH NO.

Tomorrow, Sunday October 21 – MGM for the Johnny and the Sprites concert for DD! He is a hottie (Johnny, not the Sprites), but he’s gay and I’m married so it’ll never work out between us.

I can't wait to read the next chapter

 

[blue_river]

I love the Tink sunglasses!!!!!!!!

 

[OhMari]

Looking forward to the next chapter.

 

[blue_river]

MERRY CHRISTMAS

FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS​