"Let's See What We Can See!"- Surviving WDW With Three Under 3! - And now... A CRUISE?! Updated 4/19!

[Mollydolly334]

Greatly enjoying your trip report!!

TIP for future visits - you can arrive late for your VQ if you can provide proof of an ADR during the time your BG was called.

Hope this helps in the future!

Loving all the fun and stories!! Excited to keep reading as you're able to post.

Thank you so much for reading along and for this tip!! I had no idea that this was a thing and I GREATLY appreciate you chiming in to help out will definitely have to use this in the future!!

Hi! I am working on getting caught up!!!


Isn't that the worst, seeing soemthing in your picture that you wish you had noticed at the time! Ha! you survived to tell the tale, at least.


I was slightly under whelmed by these. I might have gotten a bad batch.


I have learned to buy things when I see it if I really want it, since you may never see it again. But I know what you mean about not sure which to get.


We got that as well. It def didn't look good. very brown! blek.


When Andy and I went to food & wine by ourselves, we got in the waiting area to see the show and I remembered that you had to stand the whole time and we bailed.


At least you had decided to go back after.


It is soooo long! And they make you do all of it even in the extended hours.


YEAH!!!!!!!


I love it!!!


I don't think I could ride it more than once in a day.


I am made I didn't this...


That is a mom of 3 kids if I ever heard one. So non-challant about it.


Man! Kids!!! they keep things intresting for sure!

I am all caught up!!!


That jacket is adorable!


I love the way this area looks, but itsn't that the one the farthest away?


I think that is where we were and it was a good area to be location wise.


It is cute!


ha! He is trained well.


Poor mom


I am sure she loved every minute of the trip!


This looks soo cute.


Interesting. they are def not cheep rooms!


Someone in a trip report here said they found out they stopped doing it. Lifeguards couldn't tell if someone was drowning or just trying to listen to the music.... possibly....


We had this problem too! The one night was packed and then the next night it was empty!!! The convention was gone!




I had this as well! So good! And totally not what you would expect to eat at Disney.


YEAH!!!!


I HATE boarding groups for this reason!!! I am looking forward to the new system. But wish they would get rid of boarding groups. You wait to wait in line.


I don't love ACTUALLY rope dropping


Why are people so rude!


Great photo!


And also a great photo!!!!

Hi Ariella!!! Hope you are having a good summer and that the girls are doing well!!! Any Disney trips coming up??? Jake and I are getting excited for DLR in October- hope I don't catch the plague like I did last time!! I know that you guys weren't feeling well on that trip either!

Haha, Haley has definitely relaxed about things now that she has a third kid. When she just had the twins, she was SO paranoid about everything. But, as they get older, she's coming to realize that sometimes things just happen, and you can't control it

Although CSR was crowded, it definitely had the best food options of all of the resorts we stayed at (and honestly, one of the best of any resort I've ever stayed at...). I'm so glad we checked out Dahlia Lounge- I know you guys love it there! It was so relaxing and super fun to try something we've never done before at Disney, which is few and far between nowadays!

I'm really glad we got some good photos during the first couple days... as the trip goes on, everyone turns into more and more of a hot mess

Molly,

I'm thoroughly enjoying your trip report! It's a walk down memory lane for me in lots of ways. I went back to read your pre-trip report and when I saw the Hilton Head tag on your wall I thought, "These are my people!" but when you showed the car rental for your multi-family trip, that sealed it. I raised 3 kids and had one of those 3 row Suburbans, and I loved that thing SO much. With 2 bench back seats, if needed, I could have the oldest sit with me up front (once he was old enough) and each kid would have his own row. I would take out the 3rd row seat and pack us all up to spend 2 weeks in Hilton Head, bicycles included, with plenty of space. It was fantastic.

My kids grew up going to WDW regularly and we've stayed at the Disney resort in HHI, also. I'm beginning to plan a trip for next July for my bonus-granddaughter's 13th birthday - it will be her first trip to WDW. My daughter and I are planning a trip for this October and will be going to MNSSHP. We've not been to once since before the pandemic.

Making memories with the teeny family members is so, so wonderful.

Awwww- I love it!!!! HHI is one of our absolute favorite places. Ryan's family has a few homes there and we try to go there at least once every couple of years! It is where Haley and Ryan got married- so it's very special to all of us We've always stayed at the houses, so I've NEVER been to the Disney resort down there- can you believe??? Jake and I are hoping to get there soon!! Sea Pines (Harbourtown in particular) is one of my favorite places on Earth; so tranquil and leisurely!

That is SO exciting!! Wow- lots of change since the pandemic but you guys will have such a blast. Definitely need to do something big for the milestone teenage birthday!!

Yeah DCL Is so pricy, but so worth it! I am going with three friends. My hubby and kids are staying home lol. My mom went on Holland and it was an "older" crowd, so that is the only downfall with them, and probably why it is half the price!

Nose is doing ok. They got the bump out, but it still isn't straight. So I have to wait 6 months and see how it is then. I may need a full rhinoplasty. The good news, since it is injury related, insurance should cover it.

Probably my favorite Disney food!

Awww poor little guy. Jackson gets red easily too, thankfully he isn't too bothered by it, but we are trying to do better with the sunscreen with him.

This sounds soooooo good!

I have one for both kids lol. We attach Savannah's to the stroller and she holds it while walking beside it since I can't hold her hand. Jackson however, despite the CP will probably want to walk this next trip and he WILL have that thing attached to his wrist and mine!

This was what S made a BEE LINE towards when we did BBB! I say this is why I had a daughter, to get her all the princess stuff I could not have when I was a kid and does not fit now

That's great that insurance will cover it!! I hope it's not too painful for you!

We'll have to do our research on cruise lines!! I'm a grandma and don't really like to be out late or party, so I'm totally fine with the older crowd But Jake is a little more adventurous!

We're definitely going to lather Ethan up with sunscreen; I guess Haley asked the doctor before the trip, and he said that Ethan was too young for sunscreen (they need to be at least 4 months I guess)!!

Evie started to get the hang of the stroller handles later in the trip.... but I would feel so much better even if we had a simple wrist leash like you guys do!! It just gives us peace of mind since she's little Miss Independent (and it sounds like Savannah is the same way)!!

This LOOKED amazing! I also love onions!


He is a keeper. He knows what matters.


This made me sad for you! Where were they!? I would have been more sad but then again, you had a whole trip ahead of you so no sense in letting it bring you down.


Same. They are all so realistic!


This made me laugh. You are even wearing a sort of plaid!

Looks like a wonderful morning at MK!

Honestly- I have no idea where they were?? They might have been close but honestly we were DONE waiting! We wanted to do some RIDES!

OMG- I didn't even realize I was wearing plaid It was meant to be!! I was able to go on a VIP tour once back in 2019 (it was gifted to our large group of DISboarders) and it was one of my favorite Disney experiences ever- I felt so lucky and special! Definitely a once in a lifetime thing. Honestly, a VIP tour guide is one of my dream jobs. It would be SOO fun to spout off my Disney knowledge! I'm also nosy and would love to see famous or super rich people

That food looks delicious! My kids are big now, but I still might need to bring them there again! (Actually, I don't think my youngest *has* been there...

One time my oldest threw a fit in the Little Mermaid line. We still don't know if he was scared or what, but I still think of it every time I'm in that line. I can just picture Evie running amok!

Ah, stroller nap days. <3

Crystal Palace has a REALLY great set-up!! I love sweet things for breakfast (like pastries, muffins, pancakes, waffles, etc.) and they had a REALLY good variety of that stuff here. Plus, they're the only place (besides DCL) that has the Churro Mickey Waffles!

She DEFINITELY ran amok That line is so dark and winding too... it was a bit rough

I'm caught up again! I'm glad your CP brunch had a lot of great food offerings and that the kids loved the characters! It's such a hit or miss on whether or not it goes well. I'm relieved that it wasn't a situation where one liked them/the other didn't.

Little Mermaid is a nice first ride choice! But definitely sounds like Genie Plus was a good call. It's hard for adults to stand in line, much less a little one.

Loved the coffee to-go cup full of Gideon's cookies. That's the stuff of dreams.

Hi Alicia!!! Glad to see you back after your vaca I followed along with your DLR trip on social media and it looks like you guys had a blast!!! Makes me so excited for our trip in October!! Will you be doing a TR for it??

 

[Mollydolly334]

Day 4, (“The One Where We Almost Lose a Kid, Meet ALL The Characters, And Turn The Twins Into Marathon Park-Goers!”) - Part 3


Where I last left off, we were going to try our first attempt at a “nap time” while in a Disney park. Nana and Cici offered to take the kids into Cosmic Ray’s Starlite Cafe so that they could be in the AC, and that way Cici could also grab some lunch for herself. Haley headed to the Baby Care Center to feed Ethan and get him some AC as well.



Sweet Oliver fell asleep immediately! WDW is tiring.

This meant that Jake, Ryan, and I were on our own! Jake and I were getting kinda toasty, and I was in the mood for a caffeine fix! Ryan decided to try and get in line for Space Mountain, while Jake and I headed to Auntie Gravity’s Galactic Goodies for a pick-me-up. There was a snack that I had seen on DisneyFoodBlog that I thought would be perfect for this very moment- the Salted Caramel Cold Brew Float!

Well, when Jake and I went up to the counter, the CM informed me that the salted caramel soft serve machine wasn’t working and that the ice cream was “pure liquid.” Bummer!! I decided on chocolate-vanilla swirl instead.



Jake doesn’t like coffee, so he got a strawberry smoothie!





This was a 10/10 decision and was the perfect thing to cool us down! My float was a little messy at first (I needed to chug some of the cold brew to keep the float from overflowing), but it did wonders for the heat and gave me a nice little kick!

As we were finishing up our treats, Ryan returned, stating that the line for Space Mountain looked really long. So, we decided to all go on the People Mover together!



Silly smiles on the People Mover



This is always a classic! This is usually my top choice for “first ride of the trip” if we’re starting at MK.

When we were on the People Mover, I got a room-ready text for our room at POFQ!



We were placed on the third floor in Building 3. After a quick peek at the map, I was very pleased with our room location and so excited to check it out later!

Our Genie + for Peter Pan’s Flight was coming up, so we decided to all meet up at Cosmic Ray’s Starlite Cafe once we were off the People Mover. Mom and Cici were still there with the kids; apparently, Oliver napped for a little bit, but Evie was awake (but quiet) the whole time... we’ll see how that plays out!! Chief had also arrived at the park when we were on the PeopleMover, and we were happy to have the whole crew together again

We headed over to Fantasyland to ride Peter Pan’s Flight! Haley and I got to ride with Evie, and she loved the mermaids While in line, I booked us another Genie + for Pirates of the Caribbean from 4:15- 5:15.



Had to get a picture of our favorite bathrooms!

Since we had some time to kill before our ride on Pirates, I suggested Mickey’s Philharmagic! The kids had never seen a 3D movie before, and I was excited to see their reaction!



Fancy girl posin’



Jake and I didn’t sit near the twins for this one, but apparently, they LOVED IT! Nana said that Evie had a sweaty death-grip on her hand the entire time out of excitement. As we disembarked, Evie exclaimed, “It was awesome, I love it!” Then, Nana started crying again.

We took some bathroom breaks and then did a slow walk towards Adventureland. We still had a couple minutes before our Genie + at Pirates of the Caribbean was valid, so we kind of milled about the entrance and talked for a few minutes.

I got to hold this sweet boy! He doesn’t look impressed...



Finally, about 10 minutes later, we were able to enter the LL queue. However, as we were entering, Haley said, in a panic, “Where is Evie?!?!?!?”



About 10 seconds later, Nana noticed her playing about 50 feet away over by the standby queue (she was spinning around and hanging on the sign). Let me tell you, those were the longest 10 seconds of our lives. Luckily, this was the only time this trip that we ever lost track of a kid. But it was NOT FUN and gave us quite a scare. Since I was still holding Ethan, I immediately stated, “It’s not my fault, I’m in charge of Ethan right now.”

I will say- today (and Magic Kingdom park in particular) was a struggle for Evie in regards to walking/staying with the group. She was soooo excited and wanting to constantly run ahead, but then at the same time, fiercely independent and SEVERELY fighting being in the stroller or holding anyone’s hand. In other parks where there was more open space and less crowds, we were more ok with her walking on her own since she was always in our line of sight. But, Magic Kingdom has narrow paths and is usually jam-packed with people, so we just felt really nervous and constantly had one eye on her at all times.

Thank goodness all was well, and we were able to ride Pirates. This was our first semi-spooky ride and the kids did great! I figured they would; they love Halloween-themed stuff and generally don’t scare easily! Haley had been playing Disney music in the car with them before the trip, so they sang along to “A Pirate’s Life for Me!"



After our ride, Jake and I split up from the group. Our Individual Lightning Lane for Tron was just about due!! We set the rest of the family up with some Genie + reservations to meet Tiana and Rapunzel, and set off on our merry way.

We were soooo excited to ride this and also get a little bit of alone time. It was about 4:45 PM at this point, and I was getting a little peckish, but also didn’t want to spoil our big dinner at 7:30 PM. So, I decided to get a little snack to hold me over. Firstly, I got a Sweet Tea Slush from Golden Oak Outpost!



This was pretty much an Arnold Palmer slushy, and it quenched my thirst! Then, we walked towards the hub to get in line for these little beauties…



Cheeseburger Spring Rolls! In the past, I never understood the hype for these… that is, until @chunkymonkey generously bought these for the group on my Disney Bachelorette party last year. I literally couldn’t stop eating them, but felt terrible because I’m pretty sure they were for everybody and I just took them all for myself. So I wanted to enjoy these without the guilt! Jake wasn’t too hungry, so I got these allll to myself. They were amazing as always; the sauce just elevates them even more!

Jake and I sat on one of the ledges in the hub and chatted while I ate my snack.



It was so glorious and peaceful, and a nice way to unwind after our busy day so far. Jake turned towards me and said, “My favorite way to do Disney is when it’s just us two."



I let my stomach rest for a couple minutes, then it was off to Tron!



The PhotoPass CM was so sweet and complimented me on my dress. I got SO many compliments on it throughout the day! It’s from HerUniverse.com and it comes in tons of different patterns. It’s super comfortable and perfect for the parks when you want to be a little dressier, but still comfy!

Jake was super excited to experience this ride; he’s a big coaster and thrill ride person, and I know that one of his biggest “cons” with WDW is that there aren’t enough thrill rides.

With our Individual Lightning Lanes, we scanned in at 5:20 and were led straight into the pre-show. That is almost worth the cost of ILL alone; the first time Mom and I did the VQ with Tron last year, we still ended up waiting in line for almost an hour and a half! In contrast to Cosmic Rewind, I enjoy the pre-show here. It’s short, sweet, and gives you nice dramatic preview of what’s coming!

Unfortunately, no ride picture again I left my phone in the locker because I didn’t want to risk forgetting it in the ride compartment. I love Tron and prefer it to Cosmic Rewind (note- if Cosmic Rewind didn’t use any screens, it would definitely pass up Tron). Jake loved it too but preferred Cosmic Rewind; Tron is so smooth and fast but just too short!!

We were happy to be able to sneak away, but I was starting to get FOMO and wondering what we were missing! While we were on Tron, Chief and Ryan took the kids on Tomorrowland Speedway



Hahah- Ollie’s so little that you can’t even see him over the steering wheel!

And Haley and Nana grabbed a selfie.



We texted the fam when we were off, and they were in Fantasyland getting in line to meet Tiana and Rapunzel! We tried to speed-walk so we could make it, but we just missed it (their LL was going to expire in a couple minutes). Boooooo! So we just waited by the carousel with Ryan and Chief.

I was pretty bummed to miss this; Tiana and Rapunzel are some of the kid’s favorites! According to Nana, the kids ADORED them both and the interactions were 10/10. Their pictures with Rapunzel didn’t show up on MDE, but we got some gems with Tiana.









For some reason, Evie’s “sweet smile” quickly manifests into “evil demon stare.”

Ryan also tried his hand at the Sword in the Stone!



After everyone was done with their meet and greets, we got a Genie + for Dumbo and decided to ride the carousel!! The crowds had really cleared out by now… it had been quite crowded this morning and afternoon due to it being Mother’s Day! (Remember how Journey of the Little Mermaid had a posted 45-minute wait?) But, we figured that all the locals were probably going home early to have dinner/celebrate Mom.



Had to get a picture with two of my favorite moms (just missing Jake’s mom ).

Haley sat on a bench outside the ride to feed Ethan, and the rest of us jumped on the carousel! I rode with Oliver!





Behind the scenes of the selfie!

He was soooooo sweet, every time we passed by Haley, he would point and yell “Hello Mama!!” It was the cutest thing! I loved getting to ride this with my little buddy.

Our Genie + for Dumbo was due, so that’s where we headed next! I got some adorable shots of Ollie in line! Why so serious, dude??



That’s better!!



Jake and I rode with Ollie this time! He chose a green Dumbo.





We were all SO. HOT. You can really see it on our faces at this point- we look rough. Jake gave Ollie his sunglasses since it was so sunny!



Posin’ with Daddy!



As we headed back towards Fantasyland, Oliver ran up to Jake and said “Carry me, Jake!” Of course, Jake couldn’t resist. If it was up to Jake, he would have carried Oliver all day long! I love their bond so much.



(Side note; doesn’t he look good carrying my girly backpack? #Disneyhusbandprobs).

Since the crowds were so light, we figured we had time for one more ride before our dinner reservation at Cinderella’s Royal Table for 7:30 PM. So, we jumped on Journey of the Little Mermaid again since it was one of the kid’s favorites from earlier!

In the meantime, I booked us a Genie + for Haunted Mansion that we could redeem after dinner. We knew that this was optimistic, but wanted to have this option in case we were still going strong! We were so impressed with how the kids were doing; especially Evie, who didn’t have any sort of nap! We had been jumping from ride-to-ride today like true park commandos! Would this last throughout the week??

After riding JOTLM, it was finally time to head over to Cinderella’s Royal Table! This was our first time dining here, and we were PUMPED to meet some princesses!


​

 

[ThreeBoyMama]

Your entire family is seriously adorable. I especially love the carousel and Dumbo pictures! I’ll admit Evie’s smile in that one pic is borderline scary

 

[cindianne320]

Looks like a great, albeit hot, Disney afternoon! (PS- my favorite times at Disney are still when it's just me and my hubby...)

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

Any Disney trips coming up???

Sadly nothing real yet. MAYBE we will be headed back to Disneyland for Spring break next year.... We have been twice and Andy has been sick both times! Third time is a charm, right? I wanted to go over Christmas break but hotels are BEYOND $$$$$.

Nana said that Evie had a sweaty death-grip on her hand the entire time out of excitement

That is so cute!

As we disembarked, Evie exclaimed, “It was awesome, I love it!” Then, Nana started crying again

I feel like this would be me one day...

I got to hold this sweet boy! He doesn’t look impressed...

He looks like he is thinking. "What IS this place?!?!"

About 10 seconds later, Nana noticed her playing about 50 feet away over by the standby queue (she was spinning around and hanging on the sign). Let me tell you, those were the longest 10 seconds of our lives. Luckily, this was the only time this trip that we ever lost track of a kid. But it was NOT FUN and gave us quite a scare.

That is the worst and I know exactly the feeling! The time we thought we lost Morgan and Gwen was the worst 5 seconds ever!!! Thank goodness she was close!

Since I was still holding Ethan, I immediately stated, “It’s not my fault, I’m in charge of Ethan right now.”

Ha! Such an Aunt statement! My sister would have said the same thing.

that is, until @chunkymonkey generously bought these for the group on my Disney Bachelorette party last year. I literally couldn’t stop eating them, but felt terrible because I’m pretty sure they were for everybody and I just took them all for myself.

It was your bachelorette after all! It's ok! ha!

Jake turned towards me and said, “My favorite way to do Disney is when it’s just us two.

So sweet!

We were happy to be able to sneak away, but I was starting to get FOMO and wondering what we were missing! While we were on Tron, Chief and Ryan took the kids on Tomorrowland Speedway

Well, you didn't miss much... then.

For some reason, Evie’s “sweet smile” quickly manifests into “evil demon stare.

ha!

He was soooooo sweet, every time we passed by Haley, he would point and yell “Hello Mama!!” It was the cutest thing! I loved getting to ride this with my little buddy.

This made me slightly teary eyed, since my girls are way past that phase.... so sweet.

Why so serious, dude??

He takes his princess security serious!!!

(Side note; doesn’t he look good carrying my girly backpack? #Disneyhusbandprobs).

Looks like a natural disney husband!

We had been jumping from ride-to-ride today like true park commandos! Would this last throughout the week??

I am gonna guess no.... the odds are against you with 3 kids... but I can't wait to hear if it lasted or not!!!

 

[ambula603]

After a quick peek at the map, I was very pleased with our room location and so excited to check it out later!

This is SUCH an exciting part of any trip. Even if you have already been there a few days at a different resort, learning your new room location is the best!

Let me tell you, those were the longest 10 seconds of our lives

We lost Scarlett when she was almost 7 at Cosmic Rays at a Halloween Party and it was AWFUL. Jason was sprinting around, frantic. I think some people yelled at him because he was running. Turns out she was focused on her Halloween treat from Auntie Gravities and followed another mom into a different door from us. So she was inside the restaurant, but in a different section but Jason assumed she never came in and was running around outside. It was scary but thankfully we found her quickly. Longest few minutes of my life, though!

They were amazing as always; the sauce just elevates them even more!

DROOL! Yes, the sauce is a necessity!

“My favorite way to do Disney is when it’s just us two.

This made me smile. But if I know you guys like I think I do, it will get exponentially better when you decide to add some little ears. But yes - ENJOY IT NOW because as you can see, it is so much easier with just two!

For some reason, Evie’s “sweet smile” quickly manifests into “evil demon stare.”

Hehehehe... this makes me laugh. She may be a Slytherin like my Scarlett!

 

[missjackiemcg]

We rushed down Main Street USA, and I was so excited, I could hardly stand it. FINALLY! After all of this planning, we were here!! I excitedly tried to grab a picture of their reaction to Cinderella’s Castle…

Oh, I could just feel this moment again as I was reading this....and then the picture LOL!! Cinderella has always been Jimmy's favorite--I video taped his first reaction to the castle, when he was two, and he just kept pointing at it yelling, "'ella! 'ella!!" I'm like, yes, this is where she lives!!

At 11:15, Jake disappeared for a few minutes and came back up with a plate of desserts for us all to sample, saying that they had started setting out the lunch food!

Mmmmmm!! I always try to book our buffet reservations as close to the end of breakfast as possible, so you get the best of both worlds--breakfast and lunch--true brunch, LOL!

Despite being there for almost an hour and a half, Pooh and Eeyore never came by

This has happened every time we've dined at Crystal Palace! There is always some character that comes nowhere near our table despite how long we are there. When it's just been Rob and I, I let it go, but when Jimmy's with us, I always track down a CM to scoot the missing character over to see us before we leave.

 

[amazingact21]

Hi Alicia!!! Glad to see you back after your vaca I followed along with your DLR trip on social media and it looks like you guys had a blast!!! Makes me so excited for our trip in October!! Will you be doing a TR for it??

We did have a great time! Once I get around to finishing my April race weekend trip report, I'll probably write about DL.
After visiting DL and seeing how amazing the character interactions are there (and I'm not even a character person!) I'd love to attend an Oogie Boogie Bash. I cannot wait to hear how it goes for you!

Well, when Jake and I went up to the counter, the CM informed me that the salted caramel soft serve machine wasn’t working and that the ice cream was “pure liquid.”

That's a bummer, but I'm glad you enjoyed the swirl and cold brew combo.

Evie exclaimed, “It was awesome, I love it!” Then, Nana started crying again.

Sounds like the kids were having an amazing time in the MK.

Let me tell you, those were the longest 10 seconds of our lives. Luckily, this was the only time this trip that we ever lost track of a kid. But it was NOT FUN and gave us quite a scare. Since I was still holding Ethan, I immediately stated, “It’s not my fault, I’m in charge of Ethan right now.”

Oh gosh! I think it might be the name. Our Evie took a detour in TSL when she was 3. Scariest moments of my life! Glad she was spotted quick and that was the only time it happened.

But, Magic Kingdom has narrow paths and is usually jam-packed with people, so we just felt really nervous and constantly had one eye on her at all times.

MK is sooo difficult with toddlers/preschoolers. I know exactly the frustrations you're talking about. Which is kind of ironic since the MK is the park with the most attractions that young ones can go on.

“My favorite way to do Disney is when it’s just us two."

Aw. That sounds just like my DH. He has told people he's not sure if he likes Disney, or if he just likes going to Disney with me. That time together in such a magical place can really create some happy memories.

his was our first time dining here, and we were PUMPED to meet some princesses!

I mean, after the adventure it took to get this reservation, I think we're all anticipating this update.

 

[Mollydolly334]

Your entire family is seriously adorable. I especially love the carousel and Dumbo pictures! I’ll admit Evie’s smile in that one pic is borderline scary

Thank you so much!!!! We had so much fun anytime we got to ride with the kids; most of the time, they wanted to ride with Mama and Dada, so it was a nice surprise when we could sit next to them

Looks like a great, albeit hot, Disney afternoon! (PS- my favorite times at Disney are still when it's just me and my hubby...)

It was hot, but today was actually the coolest day of the trip (if you can believe it)!! There were some really sticky days coming up!!!

I have a feeling that Jake and I will be the same as you and Z I love doing Disney with groups once in a while, but trips always go smoother when it's just me and one other person, haha!

Sadly nothing real yet. MAYBE we will be headed back to Disneyland for Spring break next year.... We have been twice and Andy has been sick both times! Third time is a charm, right? I wanted to go over Christmas break but hotels are BEYOND $$$$$.


That is so cute!


I feel like this would be me one day...


He looks like he is thinking. "What IS this place?!?!"


That is the worst and I know exactly the feeling! The time we thought we lost Morgan and Gwen was the worst 5 seconds ever!!! Thank goodness she was close!


Ha! Such an Aunt statement! My sister would have said the same thing.


It was your bachelorette after all! It's ok! ha!


So sweet!


Well, you didn't miss much... then.


ha!


This made me slightly teary eyed, since my girls are way past that phase.... so sweet.


He takes his princess security serious!!!


Looks like a natural disney husband!


I am gonna guess no.... the odds are against you with 3 kids... but I can't wait to hear if it lasted or not!!!

Oh no!! That really is terrible luck... manifesting a healthy DL trip for you guys this spring!!! UGH I can imagine that Christmas time is crazy expensive (and crowded). I'm already worried about Halloween crowds!!!

I remember reading in your past TRs about the time Morgan and Gwen got lost (and also that period where they were obsessed with Tomorrowland Speedway ). It always makes my heart sink reading about that. One time, we saw a distraught mother looking for a child at MK... he was found quickly but I was not ok for a good half hour after that!! I felt so bad for her!

I love the age that they are at SO MUCH. They are just so happy and delightful to be around! That's why we knew they had to go back soon- everything is just so REAL for them. I know that as they get older, trips will change drastically, both in good and not-so-good ways. Traveling is so much harder at this age in general, but there's also those heartwarming things too

This is SUCH an exciting part of any trip. Even if you have already been there a few days at a different resort, learning your new room location is the best!


We lost Scarlett when she was almost 7 at Cosmic Rays at a Halloween Party and it was AWFUL. Jason was sprinting around, frantic. I think some people yelled at him because he was running. Turns out she was focused on her Halloween treat from Auntie Gravities and followed another mom into a different door from us. So she was inside the restaurant, but in a different section but Jason assumed she never came in and was running around outside. It was scary but thankfully we found her quickly. Longest few minutes of my life, though!


DROOL! Yes, the sauce is a necessity!


This made me smile. But if I know you guys like I think I do, it will get exponentially better when you decide to add some little ears. But yes - ENJOY IT NOW because as you can see, it is so much easier with just two!


Hehehehe... this makes me laugh. She may be a Slytherin like my Scarlett!

I LOVE the feeling of getting a new room. I have no idea why; it activates the dopamine in my brain!! I feel like its caused me to book so many unnecessary split-stays!

Evie is DEFINITELY a Slytherin... I can already see it now!! She's so driven, determined, knows what she wants (bossy.... ahem). I wish I had half the confidence that she does!!

You are so sweet Jake and I are 100% fence-sitters but I know in time we'll have clarity... we both love kids so much, but we want to get every last second of our couple time too!! Luckily... we still have time (but I am turning the big 3-0 on Tuesday which is making me have so many feelings, haha!!!).

Oh, I could just feel this moment again as I was reading this....and then the picture LOL!! Cinderella has always been Jimmy's favorite--I video taped his first reaction to the castle, when he was two, and he just kept pointing at it yelling, "'ella! 'ella!!" I'm like, yes, this is where she lives!!


Mmmmmm!! I always try to book our buffet reservations as close to the end of breakfast as possible, so you get the best of both worlds--breakfast and lunch--true brunch, LOL!


This has happened every time we've dined at Crystal Palace! There is always some character that comes nowhere near our table despite how long we are there. When it's just been Rob and I, I let it go, but when Jimmy's with us, I always track down a CM to scoot the missing character over to see us before we leave.

Awwwww so sweet!! I think this next time around (now that the kids know what to expect and look for), we'll get much bigger reactions to things

Now that I'm thinking about it- I'm pretty sure we missed Pooh and Eeyore the last time we were at CP too! I don't really like character meets (I'm wayyy too awkward haha), so I don't care too much, but the kids would have loved to see them! Luckily, we met LOTS of characters this trip so I don't think they were missed

We did have a great time! Once I get around to finishing my April race weekend trip report, I'll probably write about DL.
After visiting DL and seeing how amazing the character interactions are there (and I'm not even a character person!) I'd love to attend an Oogie Boogie Bash. I cannot wait to hear how it goes for you!





That's a bummer, but I'm glad you enjoyed the swirl and cold brew combo.





Sounds like the kids were having an amazing time in the MK.





Oh gosh! I think it might be the name. Our Evie took a detour in TSL when she was 3. Scariest moments of my life! Glad she was spotted quick and that was the only time it happened.





MK is sooo difficult with toddlers/preschoolers. I know exactly the frustrations you're talking about. Which is kind of ironic since the MK is the park with the most attractions that young ones can go on.




Aw. That sounds just like my DH. He has told people he's not sure if he likes Disney, or if he just likes going to Disney with me. That time together in such a magical place can really create some happy memories.





I mean, after the adventure it took to get this reservation, I think we're all anticipating this update.

I'm not a character person either, but I'm really curious to see all of the obscure characters at OBB!! I like watching them from a distance, which seems to be how they set things up during the party, so I'm grateful for that

The more I read about your Evie, the more I think about how our Evie is very similar!! Two very strong-willed and determined girls Evie is definitely Miss Independent!! And YES we were talking about the same thing with MK! For being the most "kid-friendly," it's also the most chaotic, crowded, and hard to maneuver with strollers and small children!

Jake and your DH sound very similar Jake has actually grown to really love Disney, but I think what he likes the most is just seeing me so absurdly happy and in my element

 

[Mollydolly334]

Day 4, (“The One Where We Almost Lose a Kid, Meet ALL The Characters, And Turn The Twins Into Marathon Park-Goers!”) - Part 4


Hello DISfriends! Hope you are all having a great Friday!

I have an exciting week coming up... my birthday is on Tuesday, and I am turning the big 3-0! In addition, it's also my Golden Birthday (30 on July 30th), so Jake and I are going to take a trip to Chicago next weekend with some of our friends! I'm super pumped; it feels a little weird because it's such a milestone birthday, but I'll NEVER be one to complain about my age. It's ALWAYS better to have more birthdays Plus, I'm lucky in the fact that I don't really look my age (although it's both a blessing and a curse sometimes)!

I also book ADRs for our September WDW trip TOMORROW! That came up soooo fast! I'll be sure to plug in a RL update in the next couple weeks to keep you guys in the loop

But, let's get back to WDW on May 12th, 2024 at 7:25 PM Hello from Cinderella’s Royal Table! We checked in for our dinner ADR right on time.



Now, if you read my PTR, you know the absolute CHAOS that ensued when I tried to book this ADR. Basically, I was able to book us 2 reservations (one for 6 and one for 4) at the 63-day mark, woohoo!! But, when I tried to make a change to one of them, the CM on the phone accidentally canceled one of the ADRs and it didn’t show up until the next day. I noticed in the nick of time and was able to re-book, but that was wayyyy too close for comfort! Needless to say, this experience better be worth the headache I had to endure in order to eat here

When we checked in, they let us know that it would be a bit of a wait. We looked around in Sir Mickey’s for a bit and just milled about the castle!

Ethan is the smiliest little guy!! Check out those leg rolls!!



We were let inside about 15 minutes after our ADR time at 7:45!



We waited around for a second, since I remember reading that Cinderella comes out and meets guests as they check in. I double-checked with the CM, and she insisted that it was time for us to head upstairs and get our table. Hmmm… Cinderella’s Royal Table, but Cindy herself is nowhere to be found??



I was immediately impressed as we were led up to the table. This dining room was BEAUTIFUL!



Unfortunately, even though we had two linked reservations, they couldn’t seat us together. But, our tables were across from each other at least! Ryan, Chief, Cici, and Evie sat at one table, while Nana, Jake, Haley, Ollie, Ethan and I sat at the other table.



As long as this boy has his cars, he’s happy!!

We got our drink orders in right away. I went with my standard Diet Coke, but my mom got this cool Castle Flight! It had a mimosa, a bellini, and sangria!



Cheers to an amazing first park day!



Right after we got our drinks, Aurora came over!!






She was so sweet and had a nice old fashioned Mid-Atlantic accent, which the theater geek in me loved!



She had a really precious moment with Evie where she stroked her hair. Evie was mesmerized and loved touching Aurora’s dress!

We were able to order our full meals right away, which was really nice. Since the twins are under 3 years old, they didn’t get a full-scale “child’s meal”, but they got a choice between mac and cheese or chicken nuggets. As we were ordering our food, Cici let us know that their server had allowed them to order both options for Evie to have a more well-rounded meal. We tried to do the same for Ollie; with Haley saying, “He will have the mac and cheese and the chicken.”

The waitress replied, “No ma’am, he will have mac and cheese OR chicken.” I don’t think she meant it to come off as rude, but it definitely sounded a little sassy! After she left the table, we had a good laugh about being “scolded.” He will get mac and cheese OR chicken and LIKE IT.

Our appetizers came quickly. I decided on the seasonal soup, which was Butternut Squash!



I did a pretty good job at taking pictures of everyone’s food tonight! Moving forward, though, most of the food pictures will just be of my choices! Nana got the soup as well. Haley got the Castle Salad.



And Jake got the Braised Beef!



I was really considering the Braised Beef as well, but switched to the soup when I found out that it was Butternut Squash; that’s one of my favorite soups! The soup was kind of lukewarm, but the flavor was great (plus I didn’t mind because it had been a hot day today). I’m really glad that I didn’t order the Braised Beef. I had a bite of Jake’s and it was awful. Super tough and not that great of flavor. Bleghhh!!

All of the boys got plastic swords, and the girls got wands, then we had a “wishing ceremony!” Evie took this VERY seriously.



It was so funny; right after the wishing ceremony, Cici waved her wand and said jokingly, “Now, I’m going to turn Daddy into a frog!” Evie immediately started crying and screaming, saying “NOOO, MY DADA!” Poor thing!! The lack of nap was definitely starting to catch up to her...

What makes pretend frog curses all better?? More princesses!! Merida was next!



We only have this one picture, probably because we were just soaking up this amazing interaction. She was GREAT! So engaging and chatty with the kids. The kids are still so little, so we understand that sometimes they are difficult to talk to, since they don’t always talk back! But Merida just chatted right along without a second thought! We mentioned that her and Oliver had the same hair, and she responded, “Uh oh, I don’t need any more brothers!”

As Merida was finishing up, we got our entrees! Haley and I ordered the Marinated Grilled Chicken with Wild Mushroom and Parmesan Risotto and Black Truffle Butter.



Mom ordered the Grilled Filet Mignon with Olive Oil Whipped Potatoes, Roasted Seasonal Vegetables, and Garlic Butter.



And Jake ordered the Crab-Topped Catch of the Day! Which, I actually have no idea what kind of fish it was.



Oliver ordered JUST MAC AND CHEESE, thank you very much. No picture sadly. Our waitress was really nice; she did bring him extra green beans after he inhaled his first order. Oliver is a vegetable fiend!

Almost immediately after we got our food, Ariel came out!! Evie was all ready to show Ariel her new Little Mermaid figurines that she had gotten at AoA this morning.




Wait a second… that’s YOU!!





Once again, Ariel had a really good interaction with both children. They LOVED her!!





Look at Oliver cheesin’! We joked that his favorite princesses of the night were the ginger ones!

We were finally able to dig into our food. The princesses were very efficient tonight, unlike our long stretch at Crystal Palace this morning!

We all really enjoyed our entrees. My chicken was very juicy and well-seasoned; sometimes I avoid ordering chicken dishes because they tend to be bland and/or dry. I also LOVED the mushroom risotto!! I can’t stand whole mushrooms and never eat them, but the earthy mushroom flavor paired with the parmesan and chicken was delicious. Jake also really enjoyed his fish dish; even he can’t remember what the fish was! He said that it was a very random fish that he had never heard of, but it tasted good, so that’s all that matters!

As we were finishing up dinner, our final princess arrived- Jasmine!





For some reason, Evie’s “princess pose” involves tilting her head and looking down (see “evil demon face” in the last update) We kept telling her all trip, “Look up, look up!”

Jasmine was a bit more reserved than the other princesses, but still very sweet. Overall, we had GREAT interactions with all princesses tonight!! We didn’t feel rushed at all and they interacted as best as they could (for two kids who just mostly smiled and giggled the entire time). Score for Cinderella’s Royal Table!

Finally, our desserts arrived! Haley and I ordered CRT’s signature dessert- The Clock Strikes Twelve (chocolate ganache tart topped with salted caramel-coffee mousse).



Nana and Jake ordered the Jaq and Gus Cheesecake (vanilla cheesecake with fresh fruit).



We thought it was sooooo funny that the cheesecake looked like a literal cheese wedge with holes and everything! It threw Jake off so much! Desserts were just ok. I maybe ate half of mine? Nothing super special or memorable; the entrees were definitely the star of the meal!

Overall, though, I was pleased with the food at CRT! I had heard some horror stories about the food quality so I went in with low expectations, but I was pleasantly surprised! The portions and flavors were great and we felt that it was worth the money. Princess interaction was 10/10 (although we did miss Cinderella which I don’t think is the norm). We would definitely eat here again, but only with the kids. I am very awkward with face characters and like having kids there as a buffer! In September, we are planning on trying dinner at Akershus in Epcot to compare the two!

We had to hightail it out of there- it was 9:00 PM and Happily Ever After was starting in 15 minutes! It was kind of chaotic; the CMs were rushing us along, but it was with good intentions because they didn’t want us to miss HEA! Time to see some fireworks!






​

 

[piglet1979]

my birthday is on Tuesday, and I am turning the big 3-0!

Mine is Monday but I will be 45. Happy Birthday. I hope you have a great trip. My day might be with a sick kid. Elizabeth has pneumonia and if she is not getting any better by Monday we will be back at the doctors. I will get my DQ ice cream cake and that is all I ask for.

 

[amazingact21]

Happy early birthday! 30 is a tough pill to swallow, but it sounds like you've got a great attitude and should have a lot of fun, hanging with friends.

I'm glad to hear your CRT experience was a good one! The kids look enamored with the princesses, and it's nice to read a review where the food isn't too bad here. The cheesecake looking like actual cheese would throw me off, too!

I just realized the kids got to hang with Winnie the Pooh friends and princesses in one day. They were living a kid's dream Disney day!

 

[Mollydolly334]

Mine is Monday but I will be 45. Happy Birthday. I hope you have a great trip. My day might be with a sick kid. Elizabeth has pneumonia and if she is not getting any better by Monday we will be back at the doctors. I will get my DQ ice cream cake and that is all I ask for.

Happy birthday Stephanie!!! Hope you are having a great day I hope Elizabeth is feeling better too- something is going around like crazy because a bunch of my kids at work are sick too!!! Enjoy your cake- I get mine tomorrow (Funfetti with vanilla buttercream- just how I like it. I even found some Ube ice cream from Trader Joe's to go with it!) and I also booked an 80-minute massage which I am SO excited for!!!

Happy early birthday! 30 is a tough pill to swallow, but it sounds like you've got a great attitude and should have a lot of fun, hanging with friends.

I'm glad to hear your CRT experience was a good one! The kids look enamored with the princesses, and it's nice to read a review where the food isn't too bad here. The cheesecake looking like actual cheese would throw me off, too!

I just realized the kids got to hang with Winnie the Pooh friends and princesses in one day. They were living a kid's dream Disney day!

Thank you so much!!! The food was very good (I for one was shocked, since I've heard so many scathing reviews). I was expecting it to be mostly just fun for the kids but the adults all really liked it too!

Haha I definitely did that on purpose- I wanted to make sure their first full day was jam-packed with lots of fun so that they'd want to keep coming back to the parks!!! I'd say we succeeded

 

[Mollydolly334]

Day 4, (“The One Where We Almost Lose a Kid, Meet ALL The Characters, And Turn The Twins Into Marathon Park-Goers!”) - Part 5


Where I last left off, we just finished our fantastic dinner at CRT. It was time for Happily Ever After!! We found a spot on the backside of the castle.

I actually prefer watching it back here! It’s way more of a chiller vibe and not crowded at all. But the energy was electric! People were dancing and goofing off; I think the crowd was mostly made up of Disney vets. I definitely didn’t get the stressed out mentality of “I can only see HEA once, it needs to be on Main Street.”

Evie and Ryan showed off their dance moves!



Then, we got all settled in to watch the show! There may or may not have been a sword-wand battle going on...





So, that means that Auntie Molly gets to hold the wand.



The kids were mesmerized by the fireworks. I love Happily Ever After so much, and I’m so glad they brought it back after the disaster that was Enchantment. I think this was a good intro to the fireworks, and we vowed that we would watch the show from Main Street sometime later in the week. You do miss a lot without the projections!





Jake got this INCREDIBLE shot of Ollie!! We keep saying that it needs to be framed!



Ethan loved it, too!



After the show, we figured that we would just head out with the masses. It was LATE! But, we remembered that we had a Haunted Mansion Genie + that was currently valid, BEGGING to be used!! Do we push it??

Are you kidding??? YES!!!

Haunted Mansion was, by far, the most anticipated ride of the trip for Evie and Ollie. Back when the twins were about 15 months or so, Haley bought them a Little Golden Book of the Haunted Mansion, since Halloween was coming up.

WELL. This single book sparked a huge passion in both kids for everything “spooky.” Ghosts, skeletons, witches, bats, pumpkins… you name it!! They read the book so many times, that the spine is currently hanging on by a thread.

Haley had a pretty good feeling that the kids would like Haunted Mansion; they are obsessed with the “Grim Grinning Ghosts” song and she had showed them videos of the ride leading up to the trip. But, she wanted to try it at the end of the night just to be sure it wouldn’t scar them from riding further rides that day.

These pictures were taken in the Stretching Room at 9:55 PM- going on HOUR 12 in Magic Kingdom for these kiddos. You can tell.





This was the only ride pic we got (Cici and Ryan rode with Evie)!



But, the verdict?? Once again, the kids LOVED IT. Pointing and talking about everything, not scared one bit… they were so brave! This was definitely the most “vocal” ride for Ollie- his poker face went away and he was so excited! We knew that this would turn into a favorite for them. I think their love of Haunted Mansion single-handedly sparked the idea in Haley’s head for a MNSSHP trip!

After Haunted Mansion, the kids were absolutely DONE. This was the cue to head out!!



They were SUCH champs today and we were so proud of them!! Not one meltdown and they rallied till the very end! They fit right into our Disney family

As we were heading back through Fantasyland, I spotted the Tangled photo op, which I REALLY wanted to do with Jake. It was 10:15ish, and the park was open until 11:00. So, we made plans to split up.



Haley, Ryan, the kids, and Cici would board the bus to AoA, while Chief grabbed the car. Then, they would grab their bags from bell services at AoA and Chief would drive them all to Marriott Grande Vista Resort (their home for the next 3 nights). Nana decided to head out with them and help them board the bus, then do some shopping around Main Street USA. She encouraged Jake and I to take our time and enjoy the park, and she would wait so that all 3 of us could take the bus back to POFQ together.

The line was estimated to be 25 minutes, but Jake was willing to wait. Ugh, he is just the best! I know that I’m lucky in that regard and not all men would want to wait that long for just a silly photo.

We ended up only waiting 15 minutes or so, and I’m SO glad we did. We got some really nice shots.









“You are my new dream."

Since the park was closing relatively soon, we decided to just take a slow walk back towards Main Street USA and “see what we could see.”

Crystal Palace was showing off tonight!



What’s the best thing to do after taking PhotoPass shots?? MORE PHOTOPASS SHOTS!!





I love all of our pictures from this day. Just two crazy kids happy to be in Disney World!

I was having a hankering for something sweet, since my dessert from CRT was just ok. I peeked around at the Main Street Confectionary, but nothing really caught my eye.

Side note- I feel like ever since COVID, the quality of treats at the Confectionary has gone wayyyy down. I don’t know if it has something to do with their partnership with M&Ms? But I feel like I used to leave with like 349308248 things from here, and now, nothing looks appetizing. Bring back the giant Mickey peanut butter cups and chocolate-covered pineapple!!!



We meandered back down Main Street. We took a pivot into Center Street, since I had written that I wanted to spend time here on my PTR!



We did a small loop but didn’t stay long. I took a picture of Jake as proof that I had checked it off my “bucket list."



I peeked in a couple shops but didn’t even touch the Emporium- that place always seems to be mass chaos at park close! Then, we stopped at the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor to end the night. Jake is crazy and doesn’t really like ice cream, so I was just getting something for myself. I texted my mom to see if she wanted anything (she was hanging out and people-watching over by the bus stops), and she said she wanted a Coke.

I grabbed Mom’s Coke and a treat for myself- 2 scoops of Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream in a Waffle Bowl! I love Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream and associate it with Disney; I always seem to get it at least once a trip.



What a perfect end to the day!!

We didn’t want to keep my mom waiting too much longer, so we decided to head out of the park while I enjoyed my treat. We saw Mickey and Minnie waving at guests up at the train station! Jake took this very awkward photo of me.



We met my mom over by the bus stops, caught a bus, and arrived at Port Orleans French Quarter at 11:35 PM!



I was PUMPED to finally check this place out. I had heard nothing but good reviews about this resort all over the DIS and social media. This had always been #1 on my list to try, but it kept getting bumped aside whenever I’d find a good deal for a Deluxe. When we were looking for a resort for these 3 “in-between days” and found a great bounceback offer, it was never a hesitation- I was ready to cross POFQ off my list!

For my very first trip to WDW at age 6, my family and I stayed at POR (it was called Dixie Landings back then), and we used the pool over here. But, I’m counting this as my first “real” visit!!





Scat Cat’s Club looked so cute!

It was funny; this was another resort lobby that looked much smaller in-person than it did on video! Immediately, it reminded us all of the Savannah, GA airport. If you’ve been inside this place, you’ll know what I’m talking about. It’s one of the cutest airports ever and has little cobblestone “streets” just like the POFQ lobby!

We were kind of meandering about the lobby, when someone asked us if we needed help. We did need to get our bags from bell services at some point, so we decided to check at the desk. We had the sweetest CM ever named Toni who helped us out! She pulled up my MDE, and when she saw all of the deactivated MagicBands linked to my account, she commented “Wow, someone here comes to Disney a lot!”

Understatement of the century!

I really should have done a Cast Compliment for Toni, she was amazing. So warm and inviting! You could tell that she really loved working for Disney. She said that she would get bell services to our room straightaway!





We took a quick walk around the grounds, but it was super late and dark so we couldn’t see much. We were excited to check the resort out tomorrow! Once again, the grounds of this resort reminded us SO much of Savannah! Which is funny, because Jake has been to the real New Orleans before, but even he said that this gives him way more of a “Savannah” vibe vs. NOLA.

Bell services beat us to our room, so we were able to get settled immediately! Here was our room! We were located in room #3304 on the third floor in Building 3.



Mousekeeping had laid out some Mardi Gras beads to greet us, which was a fun touch!









Overall, our room location was absolutely wonderful. It was maybe a 3 minute walk to the lobby and pool! And although the room wasn’t as fancy or nice as CSR, it was a perfect size for us and we had absolutely no issues during our stay! Beds were comfortable, sink space was good… as weird as it sounds, it was very pleasantly “average.” Exactly what we were expecting with the price point we paid! But didn’t “wow” us or anything.

Although Jake and I had been planning on rope-dropping Animal Kingdom tomorrow morning, a 6:00 AM wake-up DID NOT sound pleasant. We were BEAT! So, we decided to sleep in a little bit tomorrow and set our alarm for 8:00 AM.

It felt a little strange splitting up tomorrow, since the rest of the crew was over at the Marriott, but I think we were all looking forward to a more leisurely-paced day tomorrow. We hit the hay at 12:30 AM!


​

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

Happy Birthday Tomorrow!!!

After she left the table, we had a good laugh about being “scolded.” He will get mac and cheese OR chicken and LIKE IT.

yikes

Cici waved her wand and said jokingly, “Now, I’m going to turn Daddy into a frog!” Evie immediately started crying and screaming, saying “NOOO, MY DADA!” Poor thing!! The lack of nap was definitely starting to catch up to her...

Ha! That is how you know they are in full on believe phase!

Our waitress was really nice; she did bring him extra green beans after he inhaled his first order. Oliver is a vegetable fiend!

well that is nice at least!

Nana and Jake ordered the Jaq and Gus Cheesecake (vanilla cheesecake with fresh fruit).

Love that it looks like cheese!

rincess interaction was 10/10 (although we did miss Cinderella which I don’t think is the norm).

Totally not the norm. Wonder is Cinderella was sick that day or something, she wasn't even down there as you left? strange

ver since COVID, the quality of treats at the Confectionary has gone wayyyy down. I don’t know if it has something to do with their partnership with M&Ms? But I feel like I used to leave with like 349308248 things from here, and now, nothing looks appetizing. Bring back the giant Mickey peanut butter cups and chocolate-covered pineapple!!!

I think it's the set up. Ordering somehow isn't the same. And I LOVE the chocolate covered pineapple!!!

We took a pivot into Center Street, since I had written that I wanted to spend time here on my PTR!

we really have weird bucket list items some times! I had the same thing at one point. I wanted to hear the dance lessons!

 

[piglet1979]

Happy birthday Stephanie!!! Hope you are having a great day I hope Elizabeth is feeling better too- something is going around like crazy because a bunch of my kids at work are sick too!!! Enjoy your cake- I get mine tomorrow (Funfetti with vanilla buttercream- just how I like it. I even found some Ube ice cream from Trader Joe's to go with it!) and I also booked an 80-minute massage which I am SO excited for!!!

After a trip to the ER Friday night, Elizabeth started to do better. She does not have pneumonia and all her tests came back negative. Her pediatrician told us her inhaler (she has mild asthma) and cough meds would not help so we did use them. The ER doc was like yes use them they are only going to help. He was surprised that we were told not to use them. I also put in the vapor plugins and all of this really helped her. She turned the corner on Saturday. She is still couching but not as bad as Friday.

Yesterday was a relaxing day because on Sunday Elizabeth surprised me with a horseback riding lesson. She had been planning this since January. I was clueless until she told me after getting to the barn. She knows I have been missing riding so this was the best gift ever. I almost cried. So yesterday I was, still am, pretty sore. But it was all worth it. I loved the ice cream cake too and will have it for days since Nick went to get it and got the biggest round cake for really only him and I that eat it.

I am glad you had a great birthday. I am going to have to try Ube. Funfetti is one of my favorites too. Massages are the best.

Jake is crazy and doesn’t really like ice cream,

My husband is the same. I don't understand it. He did get a piece of ice cream cake last night. I think this is the first time I have ever seen him eat a piece in the almost 20 years we have been married.

I can't believe the kids made it that long in MK. That is such a long day. I did this with my kids the first and second trip but they were a bit old. Nick was in Kindergarten so was used to not having naps and Elizabeth would nap anywhere. She slept in my lap through the old Cars stunt show at HS and for a full ride around MK on the train.

 

[cindianne320]

Happy 30th Birthday, Molly! I hope you have a wonderful day and trip!

 

[vamassey1]

Where I last left off, we were going to try our first attempt at a “nap time” while in a Disney park. Nana and Cici offered to take the kids into Cosmic Ray’s Starlite Cafe so that they could be in the AC, and that way Cici could also grab some lunch for herself. Haley headed to the Baby Care Center to feed Ethan and get him some AC as well.

We used the AC for nap time too. The 2 littles never napped at the same time so we did lots of splitting up.

I'm so impressed with how much you did on your MK day with 3 littles.

This was a 10/10 decision and was the perfect thing to cool us down! My float was a little messy at first (I needed to chug some of the cold brew to keep the float from overflowing), but it did wonders for the heat and gave me a nice little kick!

A cool treat with Caffeine sounds perfect.

We headed over to Fantasyland to ride Peter Pan’s Flight!

This is my favorite FL ride. I hope they kids loved it too.

Had to get a picture of our favorite bathrooms!

These are our favorite too!

Jake and I didn’t sit near the twins for this one, but apparently, they LOVED IT! Nana said that Evie had a sweaty death-grip on her hand the entire time out of excitement. As we disembarked, Evie exclaimed, “It was awesome, I love it!” Then, Nana started crying again.

So many great memories made!

About 10 seconds later, Nana noticed her playing about 50 feet away over by the standby queue (she was spinning around and hanging on the sign). Let me tell you, those were the longest 10 seconds of our lives. Luckily, this was the only time this trip that we ever lost track of a kid. But it was NOT FUN and gave us quite a scare. Since I was still holding Ethan, I immediately stated, “It’s not my fault, I’m in charge of Ethan right now.”

So scary. I'm relieved she was found so fast.

I decided to get a little snack to hold me over. Firstly, I got a Sweet Tea Slush from Golden Oak Outpost!

This sounds good too.

Cheeseburger Spring Rolls!

Love these! DD had these for her lunch on our MK day.

. I love Tron and prefer it to Cosmic Rewind (

Me too!

And Haley and Nana grabbed a selfie.

Great photo!

Had to get a picture with two of my favorite moms (just missing Jake’s mom ).

Even better!

I have an exciting week coming up... my birthday is on Tuesday, and I am turning the big 3-0!

Happy belated Golden Birthday! We do Golden Birthdays too. My youngest had hers last month on the 25th.

We waited around for a second, since I remember reading that Cinderella comes out and meets guests as they check in. I double-checked with the CM, and she insisted that it was time for us to head upstairs and get our table. Hmmm… Cinderella’s Royal Table, but Cindy herself is nowhere to be found??

This is so strange. Cindy must have been sick this day.

We didn’t feel rushed at all and they interacted as best as they could (for two kids who just mostly smiled and giggled the entire time). Score for Cinderella’s Royal Table!

You had some really great character interactions and the twins looked like they loved it.

I actually prefer watching it back here! It’s way more of a chiller vibe and not crowded at all. But the energy was electric! People were dancing and goofing off; I think the crowd was mostly made up of Disney vets. I definitely didn’t get the stressed out mentality of “I can only see HEA once, it needs to be on Main Street.”

I really wanted to try this too, but we didn't make it that late. Someday.

But, the verdict?? Once again, the kids LOVED IT. Pointing and talking about everything, not scared one bit… they were so brave! This was definitely the most “vocal” ride for Ollie- his poker face went away and he was so excited! We knew that this would turn into a favorite for them. I think their love of Haunted Mansion single-handedly sparked the idea in Haley’s head for a MNSSHP trip!

I'm so impressed they really liked HM.

 

[David G Farr]

For my very first trip to WDW at age 6, my family and I stayed at POR (it was called Dixie Landings back then), and we used the pool over here. But, I’m counting this as my first “real” visit!!



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We stayed there when I was a kid too. I was probably 10 or so when we did my only family WDW vacation, so we are talking about circa 1992.

 

[disneyAndi14]

It looks a wonderful first day with everyone, so many experiences for all!
I’m glad you liked POFQ! It is top two of mods for Andi and I! I love the smallness of FQ and the beignets!
Destino Tower is my second favorite