Hot Dog, Hot Dog, Hot Diggity Dog! LINK TO TRIP REPORT!!!

[jonesephus]

Any tips on plane travel with toddlers would be much appreciated.

Hello! I have been "skimming" your trip report, as I am just starting mine!
We have a 4yo DD and a 15 month old DD, and we have travelled quite a bit ODD.
-the best/easiest distraction device are videos-- be it laptop, portable dvd, smartphone, whatever. It's like magic, I tell ya! At 3, I am guessing his attention span is more suited to a "show" than a full length movie, but whatever works!

-before you can turn your device on, have some other distractions-- mine love the mini aquadoodle type books--- great for trips because as soon as they are "dry" you can re-color them!

-Snacks- definitely bring suckers for take off and landing. Also, one thing I learned the hard way-- don't put all the treats in one bag because if the child should see there is a bag full of treats, much whining and begging will ensue!

-I think the "waiting" part is hardest for my girls. I hate to say it, but my iphone is a fabulous distractor-- they love the flashcards, doodle app, and just looking at the pics and videos I have taken.

Hope that helps!!

 

[KatMark]

Tina, I'm happy you are sticking with the CSR. And I love the first day plans...they sound great. We've not done Garden Grill since our boys were little--probably about 14 years ago.

 

[tinacaplan]

Tina, I'm happy you are sticking with the CSR. And I love the first day plans...they sound great. We've not done Garden Grill since our boys were little--probably about 14 years ago.

WOW! And I always knew I'd end up back at CSR. Knowing how great it is there, its pretty hard to justify the steep price increase to stay deluxe, even if a lot of the chatter on these boards is often tempting. I read things sometimes that can make you think you'd be crazy not to stay at a monorail resort if you have a small child. I seriously doubt that's true.

Hello! I have been "skimming" your trip report, as I am just starting mine!
We have a 4yo DD and a 15 month old DD, and we have travelled quite a bit ODD.
-the best/easiest distraction device are videos-- be it laptop, portable dvd, smartphone, whatever. It's like magic, I tell ya! At 3, I am guessing his attention span is more suited to a "show" than a full length movie, but whatever works!

-before you can turn your device on, have some other distractions-- mine love the mini aquadoodle type books--- great for trips because as soon as they are "dry" you can re-color them!

-Snacks- definitely bring suckers for take off and landing. Also, one thing I learned the hard way-- don't put all the treats in one bag because if the child should see there is a bag full of treats, much whining and begging will ensue!

-I think the "waiting" part is hardest for my girls. I hate to say it, but my iphone is a fabulous distractor-- they love the flashcards, doodle app, and just looking at the pics and videos I have taken.

Hope that helps!!

and thanks for the tips! Max enjoys checking out pictures on my blackberry, for sure. And I really do think we'll spring for a portable DVD player for the trip. They're not that expensive, considering, and that way I don't have to worry about anything happening to our laptop. And he actually loves Disney movies, especially anything Pixar.

 

[Mindy5767]

WOW! And I always knew I'd end up back at CSR. Knowing how great it is there, its pretty hard to justify the steep price increase to stay deluxe, even if a lot of the chatter on these boards is often tempting. I read things sometimes that can make you think you'd be crazy not to stay at a monorail resort if you have a small child. I seriously doubt that's true.



and thanks for the tips! Max enjoys checking out pictures on my blackberry, for sure. And I really do think we'll spring for a portable DVD player for the trip. They're not that expensive, considering, and that way I don't have to worry about anything happening to our laptop. And he actually loves Disney movies, especially anything Pixar.

I never did spring for a portable DVD player. I usually bring low tech stuff like coloring books & crayons, drawing paper, magna-doodle, etch a sketch, books, stuffed animals friends. I will caution against pringles. We were on a plane to somewhere, and the only snack item that they weren't sold out of that my DD would eat were pringles. So we paid like $4 for a canister. Within 10 seconds, DD had overturned it, and pringles were everywhere. Now, you know how hard it is to bend over and pick up anything off the floor of the seating area!! Especially if the seat in front of you is reclined!! ugh!! What a mess! Now, I bring granola bars everywhere. Luckily DD8 loves my Fiber One bars. I also like to bring a sports bottle/travel cup, sippy cup... anything with a lid. The little drink cups on planes .... just consider them spilled! I hand the stewardess my cup when request my child's beverage. My daughter is 8 and drinks gets spilled. On those little angled tray tables is guaranteed. Especially when they get whacked by a coloring book.

Our upcoming trip... we leave in 13 day!! We're driving from Northern Virginia, in my older model van, with our VHS tape player build-in. I bring lots of old kids tapes. Have tons of Disney. Its a shame they take up so much space, but since the kids don't really watch them at home since no VHS player is currently hooked up, its fresh and new to them on trips. I still have over 100 children's video choices.

 

[tinacaplan]

I never did spring for a portable DVD player. I usually bring low tech stuff like coloring books & crayons, drawing paper, magna-doodle, etch a sketch, books, stuffed animals friends. I will caution against pringles. We were on a plane to somewhere, and the only snack item that they weren't sold out of that my DD would eat were pringles. So we paid like $4 for a canister. Within 10 seconds, DD had overturned it, and pringles were everywhere. Now, you know how hard it is to bend over and pick up anything off the floor of the seating area!! Especially if the seat in front of you is reclined!! ugh!! What a mess! Now, I bring granola bars everywhere. Luckily DD8 loves my Fiber One bars. I also like to bring a sports bottle/travel cup, sippy cup... anything with a lid. The little drink cups on planes .... just consider them spilled! I hand the stewardess my cup when request my child's beverage. My daughter is 8 and drinks gets spilled. On those little angled tray tables is guaranteed. Especially when they get whacked by a coloring book.

Our upcoming trip... we leave in 13 day!! We're driving from Northern Virginia, in my older model van, with our VHS tape player build-in. I bring lots of old kids tapes. Have tons of Disney. Its a shame they take up so much space, but since the kids don't really watch them at home since no VHS player is currently hooked up, its fresh and new to them on trips. I still have over 100 children's video choices.

It's kind of funny, my generally frugal husband is the one who wants to get the DVD player! I will absolutely be bringing a sippy cup along for the ride, no question. I can't even imagine Max trying to drink out of one of the airline plastic cups. And probably no pringles... Max actually loves nutrition/cereal/granola bars and they certainly travel well.

 

[tinacaplan]

Well, now that I'm on break, I actually plenty of extra energy to do lots of updating before school starts up again and I'm back in the swing of things. Plus, I am quickly approaching my ADR window, so I'm happy to have my plans set.

For day two, we will be off to the MK for the early ADR at Crystal Palace. Pooh isn't my son's favorite, but he does like them, and it will be nice to get into MK ahead of the major crowds. Besides, I've read too many wonderful things about the puffed french toast to pass that up.... From there, it will be off to Fantasyland! I plan on checking out Ridemax before we go, so I'm not going to get super detailed here about what rides we'll do when, but we'll try and do as much of Fantasyland as we can before we head back to CSR for some RnR...

That evening, I would like to do a five thirty or six o'clock dinner at O'hana. I think Max will really enjoy it and I am dying to check out the Poly. Of the deluxe resorts, I'd say its probably number three on my list, after CR and AKL. Mark and I had a breakfast reservation at Kona last year that we cancelled. I'd be tempted to have dinner there, instead, but I think Max will enjoy O'hana a lot more. As I've said, he is generally good in restaurants, but he doesn't love waiting for his food and any diversions will certainly help.

If we time it right, we can watch Wishes from the beach, as the fireworks are generally early this time of year. I believe they were at eight last February. Of course...if Max is up for it, we can always go over to the MK, as we'll be super close.

I will have to put an I'm touring-with-a-three-year-old-clause in here. I just never know for certain how Max is going to handle a given situation; he might get super cranky, or he could be wonderful. : Who knows?

And then it will be back for another night at CSR.

 

[dizneeat]

Hi Tina!

I LOVE those first two days! Very well planned out! Max is going to love it!

And I am quite happy you stick with CSR ...... that's where we are planning on staying too!
So I bet we will see you there this time! I am NOT taking Max's chocolate back home!

 

[KatMark]

You will LOVE Crystal Palace. A trip for us is NOT complete without having breakfast here. I love the puffed french toast and I love Pooh, Tigger and Eeyore (and Piglet too). Be sure one of you gets the made to order omelets--excellent.

 

[tinacaplan]

Hi Tina!

I LOVE those first two days! Very well planned out! Max is going to love it!

And I am quite happy you stick with CSR ...... that's where we are planning on staying too!
So I bet we will see you there this time! I am NOT taking Max's chocolate back home!

Hi, Karin! There are just so many things we're excited to show Max. Really, when we went in February I had no idea what Mark's reaction was going to be. He's not a big Disney fan, or so he claims. But we both fell in love with it and started planning our return trip with Max right away.

And believe me, I am not going to miss you on this trip. And if we're both staying at CSR that makes it that much easier. We will have to make plans, for sure!

You will LOVE Crystal Palace. A trip for us is NOT complete without having breakfast here. I love the puffed french toast and I love Pooh, Tigger and Eeyore (and Piglet too). Be sure one of you gets the made to order omelets--excellent.

Kathy, part of the reason I'm so looking forward to the CP is because of all the great things you've had to say about it. And, well...who doesn't LOVE Winnie the Pooh?

 

[tinacaplan]

For our third day, we will make our way to EPCOT for rope drop!

Doesn't my husband look thrilled to be there?

We'll grab breakfast somewhere, probably at Pepper Market's window, before we catch the bus. We will then be part of the large pack on the right hand side that will makes it way toward the Land! I am desperately hoping against all hope that Max hits forty inches by February so he can ride Soarin'. Its one of the few rides that Mark and I BOTH really love that has a height restriction. Pretty much all of the roller coasters, Mark is happy to see me get on alone!

After we ride Soarin', we'll grab Fastpasses on our way out. We did not do this last year and I regret it because we never got to ride Soarin' again...the waits were always in the 180-190 minute range!

If we didn't ride Living with the Land the first night we were there, we'll do it now. Although, I really kind of like this ride and wouldn't mind doing it again.

Then we'll probably head off to Nemo...either for the first or second time. I think the seagulls outside will blow his mind, forget about the ride itself!

Then onto Imagination!

For lunch we'll head to World Showcase. I would love to go earlier, as we walked through at around eleven one morning last year and had the whole place to ourselves. It was beautiful.

Not sure where we'll have lunch, but it will be CS somewhere in World Showcase. Again, I have to say that this is one of the good things about the regular dining plan and counter service, in general...we have the freedom to decide what we want, when we want it! That said, I am looking forward to possibly trying Yakitori House or the CS place in Morrocco or even the Fish and Chips in England.

On our way out, we can hit the American pavillion, which we missed on our last trip! Then the ride in Norway or Mexico, if we don't do it before lunch.

Sitting here, typing this up, I realize how much I LOVE EPCOT! I joked with Mark last time about building a small house under the monrail in Futureworld. Do you think anyone would mind?

One of the great things about Max is that he is incredibly curious. He wants to know what everything is, all the time, and he is rarely, if ever, bored. He loves going out and just taking in the scenery, whether it be people, cars, or nature. So I'm pretty hopeful that he'll like EPCOT, too.

We'll head back to the resort for our afternoon downtime.

That evening is EMH's at DHS, so I want to make a 5 or 5:30 ADR at Sci-Fi, which Mark and I loved last year. We probably loved it as much for its atmosphere, as anything else.

Then we'll see what rides we can ride. I also really loved DHS. I think the theming is absolutely brilliant. And, again, Max will decide when we head back to the resort.

 

[KatMark]

Great plans for Day 3, Tina. We, too, love Soarin'. I hate to make you jealous, but we rode it 3 times in one day last September.

Mark and I could spend days in World Showcase. Be sure you take Max to the toy shop in United Kingdom if he wants to see Pooh, Tigger and Eeyore again (this way he can get a pic with all three at the same time); also, be sure to stop at the Kidspots with him...they make masks, etc.

 

[annmarieda]

Love your plans! Epcot is one of my favorites too. I love how World Showcase can be so empty early in the day. On my last girls only trip in 09, we stayed at YC and walked in through the back entrance of Epcot. (International gateway?) It was always like we were going to our own special park, through our own entrance. I LOVED it. Next time dh and I go together I want to make sure to stay at one of the resorts within walking again. (YC, BC or BW)

 

[ljcrochet]

Sounds liek a great EPCOT plan.

 

[chunkymonkey]

We love Epcot too! It's my and DH's favorite park. I've loved it since I was young. And we too head straight for the Land when we enter the park to get on to Soarin' and also grab FPs as well.

I love your pics of Epcot too!

Sounds like you have a great plan for your park days.

Happy Anniversary as well!

 

[tinacaplan]

Great plans for Day 3, Tina. We, too, love Soarin'. I hate to make you jealous, but we rode it 3 times in one day last September.

Mark and I could spend days in World Showcase. Be sure you take Max to the toy shop in United Kingdom if he wants to see Pooh, Tigger and Eeyore again (this way he can get a pic with all three at the same time); also, be sure to stop at the Kidspots with him...they make masks, etc.

THREE TIMES IN ONE DAY? I'm not jealous...that's fantastic!

Love your plans! Epcot is one of my favorites too. I love how World Showcase can be so empty early in the day. On my last girls only trip in 09, we stayed at YC and walked in through the back entrance of Epcot. (International gateway?) It was always like we were going to our own special park, through our own entrance. I LOVED it. Next time dh and I go together I want to make sure to stay at one of the resorts within walking again. (YC, BC or BW)

I would love to stay at one of the EPCOT resorts, I just wish they appealed to me a little bit more. No doubt that they are lovely, but they're trying to re-create something I actually experience for real and when I go to Disney, I'm looking for something different. Of course, when you're not from the Northeast, the YC/BC and BWI probably seem a bit more interesting. I would def. consider BWI, though. I thought the Boardwalk area was just stunning, especially once the sun went down and that location! Can't be beat.

Sounds liek a great EPCOT plan.

Thanks!

We love Epcot too! It's my and DH's favorite park. I've loved it since I was young. And we too head straight for the Land when we enter the park to get on to Soarin' and also grab FPs as well.

I love your pics of Epcot too!

Sounds like you have a great plan for your park days.

Happy Anniversary as well!

Thank you! EPCOT has always been my favorite. I remember when Futureworld seemed really futuristic, if that makes sense.

 

[annmarieda]

I would love to stay at one of the EPCOT resorts, I just wish they appealed to me a little bit more. No doubt that they are lovely, but they're trying to re-create something I actually experience for real and when I go to Disney, I'm looking for something different. Of course, when you're not from the Northeast, the YC/BC and BWI probably seem a bit more interesting. I would def. consider BWI, though. I thought the Boardwalk area was just stunning, especially once the sun went down and that location! Can't be beat.

I had not thought of that. I guess that is exactly why I do like it. It is sooo different from where I live. Mountains...lodges...rustic. Now that is more what I am used to so don't find that all that appealing.

 

[tinacaplan]

I had not thought of that. I guess that is exactly why I do like it. It is sooo different from where I live. Mountains...lodges...rustic. Now that is more what I am used to so don't find that all that appealing.

Well, what you said about the EPCOT resorts got me thinking and the truth is that there are two right there that REALLY appeal to me! The Swan and the Dolphin, of course. As both my husband and I are teachers (and AAA members) you can get some pretty deep discounts that put the rooms in the moderate range, even with their silly resort fees. I seriously considered it for my anniversary trip, but decided against it for the simple reason that my husband wanted the dining plan. This time, I just figured that the Disney packages make so many things SO easy... Having said that, I put yet another Excel spreadsheet together and worked out the cost of paying for what we'd really want to eat, as well as the additional transportation costs, and I came out about even with the Dining Plan. I was genuinely shocked.

So, who knows? And, again, it'll probably stay CSR, but its going to be a little bit before we're able to make our reservations, so... And I'm anxiously waiting for Disney to release their new info for 2011 so I can start messing around with that.

 

[tinacaplan]

I just got word today that I will soon be passing another major milestone on my road back to financial sucess and stability. Don't want to get too into details here... and you might ask yourself how I am possibly able to afford a trip to Disney in the midst of all of this, but we have been able to put a lot of money in the bank recently and are building quite the nest egg for ourselves. It just feels good to know that we are, indeed moving forward, even if it often feels like we're doing it at a snail's pace.

 

[dizneeat]

Day 3 sounds great, Tina!
I love your Soarin strategy, might try that myself!

Sorry I am late again - I am playing catch up again - at least it was only a page I had to catch up on! Tom and I finally started on our personalized, "hand-made" Fish extender goodies yesterday and it kept me REALLY occupied. Esp. when you remember that we are doing it for 48!! people! Quite a bit of cutting and glueing and .... and .... and.

 

[tinacaplan]

Day 3 sounds great, Tina!
I love your Soarin strategy, might try that myself!

Sorry I am late again - I am playing catch up again - at least it was only a page I had to catch up on! Tom and I finally started on our personalized, "hand-made" Fish extender goodies yesterday and it kept me REALLY occupied. Esp. when you remember that we are doing it for 48!! people! Quite a bit of cutting and glueing and .... and .... and.

Thanks, Karin! I'm wondering if a pair of workboots will make Max 40 inches by February! I'd really love for him to be able to do Soarin', Test Track, and Thunder Mountain Railroad. I think he would love all of them, particuarly because he's so into trains and cars right now.

I haven't started any of my Disney crafts yet, despite having purchased things to start my trip binder many weeks ago. I'm not a super crafty person and all that cutting and glueing would drive me crazy. Hope you're enjoying it. Must be passing the time 'till your trip.