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

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

AND- the macaroni and cheese was hands-down the best I had during the trip (tied with Homecomin’!) Who knew??

Intresting!! We went to Chef Mickey on our very first trip and have never gone back. I am glad the food was good. There is no reason for it not be good.

So cute!!!

She stood in this pose like a statue the entire time, took the 5 seconds to pose for a picture, didn’t even HUG the kids, then walked away!!!!!! We were all in shock honestly!!

I mean maybe found out that Mickey was cheating on her with Daisy and she was just having a bad day... Ha. That is a bummer. I always think how hard it must be to do that job and be happy and personable all day every day.

Can you say HOT MESS?? We all look so exhausted and disheveled!

This is one of Andy's thing... A pic from the first day and last day and see how tired we look.

Ollie was absolutely hilarious in the bathroom; he was acting like such a goon and was basically delirious. He kept saying in his raspy little voice; “MAGIC KINGDOM PARK. GO BACK TO MAGIC KINGDOM PARK. I WANT MAGIC KINGDOM PARK.”

He was tipsy on Disney Magic.

These became quick hits, the kids absolutely LOVED them! These are pretty expensive, but totally worth it to us because it kept the kids so entertained!

They are so worth it. Bubbles are like magic to kids. I know it's annoying to adults sometimes but whatever enterains them.

This was sooooooo sweet; I was so touched that she thought of me!!! The planning process is so fun for me and I was so happy to do it, but it also felt amazing to be so appreciated!!!

It is nice to get a thank you for your hard work. That was so nice!

Evie was STILL DRY!

YEAH Evie!!!!

d Evie ended up literally peeing her pants while running into the Jambo House lobby. We blamed it on the giant glass of chocolate milk she chugged at Akershus.

Oh poor kid. It is hard when that happens and they know they didn't want to do it.

That was our niece’s doing.” All of the CM’s all immediately started cracking up, they said, “That picture is definitely one for the photo album!!!”

Ha! Haven't we all taken a picture and a CM or someone near by look at you like you are crazy for taking a picture.

but Auntie Molly had some other plans. Stay tuned!

Ohhh!! Can't wait to hear what!

 

[SimplyGoofy]

I was also pleasantly surprised by Chef Mickey’s! It was our first character meal (what a great way to kick off our trip!) and I thought the food was above-average for a buffet. I loved the stir-fried noodles the best, but the mashed potatoes and peel-and-eat shrimp were also very good.

Thankfully we had five good character interactions. I’ve had occasional lackluster character meets on past trips, but that Minnie was in poor form to not even offer hugs to kids.

He kept saying in his raspy little voice; “MAGIC KINGDOM PARK. GO BACK TO MAGIC KINGDOM PARK. I WANT MAGIC KINGDOM PARK.”

This is ADORABLE. You’ve created a major fan! I’m glad to hear the “real life” Minnie didn’t scar him too much since he wanted the stuffed version from the Emporium.

And poor Evie! I’m 150% impressed your sister did potty training for two kids while pregnant (the first few days of potty training were perhaps my least three favorite days of parenting ever - and M caught on quickly!). Good for Evie that she was able to hold it that long when she was still fairly new to using the potty, but poor thing on your September trip. That picture is hilarious though! That sweet girl’s bladder was FULL.

I can’t wait to see how you spend your gift card…

 

[scrappinginontario]

Thank you so much for sharing your trips with us! Love reading all the updates and have gone back to reach some of your others.

 

[missjackiemcg]

Chef Mickey's isn't everyone's favorite, but Jimmy loves it, so we've been there a few times, too. They always seem to run behind, and the meals do tend to take a long time, but they are some of our favorite memories. I love a blue martini with glow cube and waffles for breakfast, LOL. Shame on Minnie!

So much other stuff to comment on, but I don't know where my comments went!!!! and my brain is failing me. I love finishing up my last night with fireworks, so that part gave me tears in my eyes. And I'm glad your sister got pictures with little Ethan on Main Street. I have just one perfect nighttime pictures on Main Street with Jimmy from his first trip, and it's my most favorite of his entire life. Ha!

 

[Woth2982]

I was BLOWN AWAY by the options at Chef Mickey's.

We were too! My dad said it was better than Topolinos when we went there for dinner. He is not a character guy so that says a lot!

I even got seconds of the mac and cheese. It was that tasty!

This photo makes me hungry!

posed for a picture. And… that’s it.

Rude! She knew what job she was signing up for! I get it if people are mobbing in a park, but not at an expensive CHARACTER meal!

We took this priceless picture as we headed out! Can you say HOT MESS??

I love this photo! Looks like everyone is having the best time!

He kept saying in his raspy little voice; “MAGIC KINGDOM PARK. GO BACK TO MAGIC KINGDOM PARK. I WANT MAGIC KINGDOM PARK.”

So funny story, about a month ago, I walk into our living room and Jackson says to me "Mama shall we go to Magic Kingdom today and ride all the rides?" I had to laugh. He knows his mama too well! This reminded me of that.

We were entering MK just in time, because Happily Ever After literally started as soon as we arrived!!

Great timing! Your fireworks photos are great too!

bought both twins their own Little Mermaid bubble wand!

Worth their weight in gold! My kids play with them all the time! I had to take them away and put them in our Disney box so they don't break and got them cheap ones from Walmart.

Cici appeared and presented me with a $150 Disney gift card to thank me for planning the trip.

Oh wow! That was so sweet!

 

[cindianne320]

Glad you enjoyed Chef Mickey's! We have been a few times, and have always had good experiences.
Poor Ollie, having to be woken up, but it looks like he enjoyed his new toys.
And good for Evie for making it- we had one bad accident at wdw- on the millennium falcon. LOL

 

[Mollydolly334]

Haha I think you guys look great in your Chef Mickey picture but the kids looked DONE. I couldn’t believe you went back to MK and they totally rallied. Troopers! Ethan is like the happiest baby I think I’ve ever seen. That sucks about Minnie blowing you guys off at dinner. Rude!

Ethan really is such a gem! All of the kids were troopers on this trip, but that kid is just bred differently!!! He just had his first birthday party yesterday, and the theme was "One Happy Dude"... sums him up pretty perfectly

Minnie how rude! I love that you shared the pee pee story and all the towels hilarious
It looks like a really wonderful last evening.
The photo at Chef Mickey is a true end of vacation picture

It's one of our very favorite vacation stories to this day!!! We were laughing so hard... that night in general was just a comedy of errors due to the catastrophic rain... it was the cherry on top to a crazy day We all have those days on vacation right???

Oh that towel trail is hilarious!

We couldn't believe it... Jake and I almost peed OURSELVES laughing so hard!!!

Intresting!! We went to Chef Mickey on our very first trip and have never gone back. I am glad the food was good. There is no reason for it not be good.


So cute!!!


I mean maybe found out that Mickey was cheating on her with Daisy and she was just having a bad day... Ha. That is a bummer. I always think how hard it must be to do that job and be happy and personable all day every day.


This is one of Andy's thing... A pic from the first day and last day and see how tired we look.


He was tipsy on Disney Magic.


They are so worth it. Bubbles are like magic to kids. I know it's annoying to adults sometimes but whatever enterains them.


It is nice to get a thank you for your hard work. That was so nice!


YEAH Evie!!!!


Oh poor kid. It is hard when that happens and they know they didn't want to do it.


Ha! Haven't we all taken a picture and a CM or someone near by look at you like you are crazy for taking a picture.


Ohhh!! Can't wait to hear what!

Right?? I always hear horror stories about Chef Mickeys and never understand why, since most Disney buffets are great?? It was one of our favorite meals of the trip! I'm hoping that Minnie just had an off night. It sounds like all fun and games to be a character performer but it is HARD work!! I would have such a hard time thinking on my feet like that!!

I've been following along on your PTR... have SOOOOO much fun on your trip and soak up all the alone time with Andy!! I cannot WAIT to hear about your cruise and all of your thoughts!!!

I was also pleasantly surprised by Chef Mickey’s! It was our first character meal (what a great way to kick off our trip!) and I thought the food was above-average for a buffet. I loved the stir-fried noodles the best, but the mashed potatoes and peel-and-eat shrimp were also very good.

Thankfully we had five good character interactions. I’ve had occasional lackluster character meets on past trips, but that Minnie was in poor form to not even offer hugs to kids.




This is ADORABLE. You’ve created a major fan! I’m glad to hear the “real life” Minnie didn’t scar him too much since he wanted the stuffed version from the Emporium.

And poor Evie! I’m 150% impressed your sister did potty training for two kids while pregnant (the first few days of potty training were perhaps my least three favorite days of parenting ever - and M caught on quickly!). Good for Evie that she was able to hold it that long when she was still fairly new to using the potty, but poor thing on your September trip. That picture is hilarious though! That sweet girl’s bladder was FULL.

I can’t wait to see how you spend your gift card…

Just read your TR update on Chef Mickey's- what a perfect way to start off a trip!! I'm so glad that you had a good character experience as well! We had the exact same situation at Crystal Palace as well- only met Tigger and Piglet??? So strange!

I still can't believe to this day that Haley managed to potty train 2.5 year old TWINS in a week WHILE IN THE PROCESS OF BIRTHING THEIR SIBLING Haley and Ryan are superhero parents for sure!!

Thank you so much for sharing your trips with us! Love reading all the updates and have gone back to reach some of your others.

Thank you so much for reading along!! I love looking back on my old TRs from time to time- it's fun to see how much life has changed over the years of being on the DIS

Chef Mickey's isn't everyone's favorite, but Jimmy loves it, so we've been there a few times, too. They always seem to run behind, and the meals do tend to take a long time, but they are some of our favorite memories. I love a blue martini with glow cube and waffles for breakfast, LOL. Shame on Minnie!

So much other stuff to comment on, but I don't know where my comments went!!!! and my brain is failing me. I love finishing up my last night with fireworks, so that part gave me tears in my eyes. And I'm glad your sister got pictures with little Ethan on Main Street. I have just one perfect nighttime pictures on Main Street with Jimmy from his first trip, and it's my most favorite of his entire life. Ha!

I totally agree- character meals can be expensive and a time suck, but they are invaluable with kids!!! We really have grown to love character meals so much and they give you a lot of bang for your buck if you have kids who love characters (like ours!).

I'm so happy that Haley has those special pictures with Ethan! Proof that Disney World is totally do-able with a 3 month old!!!!

We were too! My dad said it was better than Topolinos when we went there for dinner. He is not a character guy so that says a lot!

This photo makes me hungry!

Rude! She knew what job she was signing up for! I get it if people are mobbing in a park, but not at an expensive CHARACTER meal!

I love this photo! Looks like everyone is having the best time!

So funny story, about a month ago, I walk into our living room and Jackson says to me "Mama shall we go to Magic Kingdom today and ride all the rides?" I had to laugh. He knows his mama too well! This reminded me of that.

Great timing! Your fireworks photos are great too!

Worth their weight in gold! My kids play with them all the time! I had to take them away and put them in our Disney box so they don't break and got them cheap ones from Walmart.

Oh wow! That was so sweet!

Wow!! That's quite the statement about Chef Mickey's- I love it! I personally agree with your dad; I've been to Topolino's for breakfast twice, and I think it's overpriced and overrated.

Hahaha Jackson!!! Definition of a Disney Kid. I have a similar story; the family went to eat at a rustic-looking pizza place that looked like a cottage with stone on the walls, etc. (just like Akershus). About halfway through the meal, Evie looked at Haley and asked "Ok, when are the princesses going to come out??" Haley was like, "Sorry kid, not at this restaurant"

Glad you enjoyed Chef Mickey's! We have been a few times, and have always had good experiences.
Poor Ollie, having to be woken up, but it looks like he enjoyed his new toys.
And good for Evie for making it- we had one bad accident at wdw- on the millennium falcon. LOL

Ohhhhh nooooooo!!! Having an accident on a ride sounds like a nightmare!!! I bet you were all so stressed! Luckily I'm sure the CMs were amazing- I bet they've seen it ALL!!!

 

[Mollydolly334]

Day 11 (The One Where Molly Turns Into a Disney Soccer Mom, The Magic is Over for Haley, and We Leave The Bubble)- Part 1


Hi DISfriends! Sorry for the delay in posting… the flu absolutely knocked me out last week. I have an extremely strong immune system due to working with kids, so when I do get sick, it’s usually a doozy! I’m finally feeling about 90% back to normal today.

Saturday, February 1st was Ethan’s first birthday! This is absolutely crazy to me; he was born when I was in the middle of writing the PTR for this trip!! Yesterday, we got together with family to celebrate our “Baby E.”



(I’m fully aware that I look ROUGH here. The flu absolutely kicked my booty!)

I think that Ethan got his Auntie Molly’s sweet tooth. He loved his birthday donut breakfast and smash cake for dessert!





He is truly our sunshine boy. We love you Baby E!



Now, let the final day of our WDW May 2024 Extravaganza Commence!

Good morning! Except, it wasn’t a good morning, because we leave Disney World today.

Although it had been an amazing trip, to be honest, I was REALLY missing Jake and I was ready to get back to my routine. This is why I love long vacations like this. You feel a lot more satisfied when it comes to an end, and it doesn’t feel as sad when you leave! Plus, our flight home wasn’t until 6:50 PM, so we still had the whole day ahead of us.

I was up SUPER early at 6:45 AM. My mom was also awake to do her walk, but I wasn’t going to join her or the others at the pool today. Instead, I was going to…

MAGIC KINGDOM!



Those who read my PTR know that I played with the idea of adding another day to my park hopper... juuuust in case I had FOMO or wanted to do some solo time. And, today, I was definitely in the mood to have a solo day! So, I purchased Genie + right away in the morning and made a LL for BTMRR at 9:25 AM!

However, I had completely forgotten to check Mom and I into our flight at 6:50 PM tonight, so I also did that and ended up getting C24 and C25 boarding group. Luckily, Haley, Ryan, the kids, Thomas, and Mel were all going to be on the same flight as us, so we were hoping that they’d save us some seats.

Despite the early hour, I was pretty chipper!



My mom returned from her walk all excited, exclaiming, “I bet Miss Disney Expert has never seen THIS before!!”



Hahaha, I regretfully informed that I DID in fact know about Mr. Smiley (we saw him on our last trip to CBR in 2015), but that I was proud of her for giving me good documentation for my TR.

I packed up all of my stuff and my lovely mom stated that she’d check out of the room for us and keep everything with bell services for me. She was debating on doing some solo time at Disney Springs herself!



I made my way over to the Aruba bus stop at 7:45!



Last day feels.

A bus came quickly, and I was entering the park by 8:05!



I took my time walking down Main Street USA and grabbed some PhotoPass shots! The line was super empty since everyone was rushing off to rope-drop.



I sent this picture to Jake, and he immediately responded, “You look like a Disney Soccer Mom. But, like, a sexy one.”



OMG. Once I saw it, I couldn’t unsee it!!!! It was EVERYTHING!! The long bike shorts, the preppy tank top, the tennis shoes, the hair, the fanny pack, the sunglasses… What in the WORLD was I thinking when I dressed myself that day????

I decided to embrace it; I had been helping out with the kids all trip like a true soccer mom would, and it was time to have some time for myself!!

It was only about 10 minutes until EMH park opening, so I (begrudgingly) got in line with the masses at the Tomorrowland/Fantasyland rope. I was NOT in the mood for crowds this morning, so when everyone turned left for Fantasyland, I made a right for Tomorrowland!



It was much better over there. I got on Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin…



No too shabby!

And the Peoplemover!



Can you say claustrophobia??

Since I loved my Shakin’ Jamaican Cold Brew so much yesterday, I decided to get another one today! This one had Irish Cream flavoring instead of caramel, and it hit the spot.



I decided to head on over to Fantasyland to try and get on The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, but it was down. So, I headed off to my breakfast spot early!



I got to Gaston’s Tavern pretty much right when it opened at 9:00 AM. It is SO like me to rope-drop a QS restaurant.

I went with (surprise surprise), a cinnamon roll with extra icing on the side!! Despite being a baked goods connoisseur, I had not had this snack since 2016!! I was excited, since I love cinnamon rolls, but don’t love how they always come with cream cheese frosting. This one came with plain vanilla icing!

\

I was immediately suspicious by the look of this. If it looks dry and unappetizing… that’s because it was. This cinnamon roll was super dry and hollow, especially around the edges. Even the middle (the best part) was so dry and dense!! It honestly tasted like a hunk of white bread with a tiny bit of cinnamon on top. Even drenching it in the extra icing didn’t help, and I ended up throwing most of this away. Such a bummer too, but at least I know now that this isn’t a snack I ever need to try again! Maybe next time I’ll try the Creme Brulee Croissant.

It was just about time for my BTMRR Genie +, so I headed on over to Frontierland!





Tiana’s Bayou Adventure was still all boarded up!



After my ride, I made another Genie + for Winnie the Pooh for 11:05- 12:05. However, I wasn’t really feeling like doing many rides! I moreso just wanted to wander the park and take in the last of the scenery. Since we were so busy with the kids the last couple days, I really just wanted to stop and smell the roses and enjoy the ambience.

I walked through the Swiss Family Tree House! I don’t always love this one (wayyyy too many stairs ), but the view from the top makes it *almost* worth the calories burned!



Then, I decided to do some shopping on Main Street. I peeked in the Main Street Confectionary, but didn’t see any treats that I wanted.



I hate Skittles, and these “Skittles Fudge Bites” sounded absolutely GROTESQUE. Has anyone ever tried these before??

I also stopped at the Emporium to use up some of my gift card from last night. I got this tee shirt that I had been eying up all week!



Kind of a weird picture (I laid it out on a circular table back at the CBR lobby), but you can see the logo at least. I love this shirt and wear it all the time!!

I meandered about the Hub and grabbed a few more shots.







As I was just chilling out on Main Street, I noticed the Omnibus pass by!!



I had never done this before, and I thought that it would be a perfect way to continue my “stop and smell the roses” tour! Luckily, I was one of the first ones in line, and I got a spot up on the top deck!





This was so much fun, I’m so glad I stopped to do this! The weather was perfect and it was great for people-watching. Jake and I actually did this again at Disneyland back in October, and I loved it just as much at that park!

Since it dropped me right off by the train station, I decided to end the trip with a ride on a classic- The Main Street Railroad.





It was so adorable; there was an elderly couple sitting behind me on the train, and I could hear their sweet conversation. They had decided to go home after the train ride and make spaghetti for lunch. This would be my retired dream life!

I rode the train for one full loop, and got off when we returned to Main Street. I still had a Genie + available for Pooh, but I didn’t feel like walking back to Fantasyland to ride this. Plus, I felt super satisfied with my time in MK this morning and was ready to move on out! I felt kinda silly; I had bought Genie + this morning for the sole privilege of riding BTMRR today.

I decided to head out of Magic Kingdom, but my day was far from over!! Where was Auntie Molly off to next on her solo adventures??



​

 

[ThreeBoyMama]

You are kind of giving soccer mom vibes in that picture but you look super cute!

 

[cindianne320]

I think you look cute! I LOVE quiet time in the magic kingdom! Can't wait to hear where you end up next!

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

I've been following along on your PTR... have SOOOOO much fun on your trip and soak up all the alone time with Andy!! I cannot WAIT to hear about your cruise and all of your thoughts!!!

Thanks!!! I am so excited!!! Today is going to be hard to focus at work.

Although it had been an amazing trip, to be honest, I was REALLY missing Jake and I was ready to get back to my routine. This is why I love long vacations like this. You feel a lot more satisfied when it comes to an end, and it doesn’t feel as sad when you leave!

That is a sign of a good trip!

Hahaha, I regretfully informed that I DID in fact know about Mr. Smiley (we saw him on our last trip to CBR in 2015), but that I was proud of her for giving me good documentation for my TR.

I love it! She was trying! We found those guys on one of our trips as well.

I sent this picture to Jake, and he immediately responded, “You look like a Disney Soccer Mom. But, like, a sexy one.”

It's a cute outfit, soccer mom or not. At least it's a Disney Soccer mom... ha

was excited, since I love cinnamon rolls, but don’t love how they always come with cream cheese frosting. This one came with plain vanilla icing!

\

Oh no!!! Morgan always says the cream cheese frosting is the best part... I hope that was just a fluke that day...

Then, I decided to do some shopping on Main Street. I peeked in the Main Street Confectionary, but didn’t see any treats that I wanted.

The Confectionary just isn't the same anymore. I feel like we go in and I never find anything we want to get.

I had never done this before, and I thought that it would be a perfect way to continue my “stop and smell the roses” tour! Luckily, I was one of the first ones in line, and I got a spot up on the top deck!

YEAH!!! the bus is still one of my favorite things.

Jake and I actually did this again at Disneyland back in October, and I loved it just as much at that park!

Ohhh I need to do that next time.

there was an elderly couple sitting behind me on the train, and I could hear their sweet conversation. They had decided to go home after the train ride and make spaghetti for lunch. This would be my retired dream life!

Me too!!! So sweet.

 

[missjackiemcg]

the flu absolutely knocked me out last week.

Ugh! It's a doozy this year! Jimmy had Flu A last week, too. We got him on Tamiflu in the first 36 hours though and that was a game changer! He actually made it back to school fever free after missing only 2 days. I was so relieved because it's SO hard to catch up on missed days of high school!

I hope you're feeling better!!

“You look like a Disney Soccer Mom. But, like, a sexy one.”

LOL it is giving soccer mom vibes a bit, but you're adorable!!

I hate Skittles, and these “Skittles Fudge Bites” sounded absolutely GROTESQUE.

Grotesque is the perfect word LOL When I saw the picture my first reaction was EWWW.

Luckily, I was one of the first ones in line, and I got a spot up on the top deck!

We did this a few years ago, and I was SOOOOO excited to get to ride on top!! I know we were talking about Volo Auto Museum on one of my FB posts a few weeks ago--they have the old Epcot Characters Around the World bus there! On certain weekends in the summer, they do free rides on it, and it's the perfect little bit of magic when you can't get to WDW to ride!!

 

[ambula603]

This is the kind of soccer mom I aspire to be! Isn't a day alone in the park SO refreshing after navigating your big family!? I have never done it, but some day...I hope to end up there on my own!

 

[Sarahh1027]

Your TR has me so excited for my upcoming May trip with my toddlers, husband and extended family! Huge group like you guys! I’ve definitely read your TRs in the past too, I’m usually a lurker but as your TR comes to a close I just wanted you to know I enjoyed it a bunch and appreciate you taking the time to share!

 

[piglet1979]

the flu absolutely knocked me out last week.

I had influenza A last week. The fever was no joke with it. I still have a cough and some congestion that are lingering but finally feeling much better. We all got it except for Elizabeth (the diagnosed with a really crappy immune system) because she is the only one that got a flu shot this year. Note taken. I will get the flu shot next year. Thankfully I was the last to get it and was able to make it my grandfathers funeral. I got the fever that night. Jeff's grandmother was in the hospital as well but we weren't able to go see her. It has been over a week since I have seen her but Jeff went on Sunday to visit and I will go this weekend since I am finally better. It was one crazy January and ready for a much better February.

I got to Gaston’s Tavern pretty much right when it opened at 9:00 AM. It is SO like me to rope-drop a QS restaurant.

I went with (surprise surprise), a cinnamon roll with extra icing on the side!! Despite being a baked goods connoisseur, I had not had this snack since 2016!! I was excited, since I love cinnamon rolls, but don’t love how they always come with cream cheese frosting. This one came with plain vanilla icing!

I was immediately suspicious by the look of this. If it looks dry and unappetizing… that’s because it was. This cinnamon roll was super dry and hollow, especially around the edges. Even the middle (the best part) was so dry and dense!! It honestly tasted like a hunk of white bread with a tiny bit of cinnamon on top. Even drenching it in the extra icing didn’t help, and I ended up throwing most of this away. Such a bummer too, but at least I know now that this isn’t a snack I ever need to try again!

I got this on our last trip. Mine was very soft and fresh. For how fast they seem to go I am shocked your was not. I loved being over there in the morning. It was so peaceful that early with only a few people in that area.

I love this shirt and wear it all the time!!

That is a great shirt. I love how it has so many characters.

 

[SimplyGoofy]

I still can't believe to this day that Haley managed to potty train 2.5 year old TWINS in a week WHILE IN THE PROCESS OF BIRTHING THEIR SIBLING Haley and Ryan are superhero parents for sure!!

Seriously. The woman deserves a reward. Or a medal.

Sorry for the delay in posting… the flu absolutely knocked me out last week.

I’m so sorry! Influenza has been terrible this year! Thankfully, we haven’t caught it (yet), but my husband is pretty nervous about it considering how many cases he sees at work. I’ll be glad when flu season is over!

Instead, I was going to…

MAGIC KINGDOM!

I 100% support this decision! Magic Kingdom is my favorite park - it’s the perfect choice to soak up all the last bits of Disney ambiance.

And the Peoplemover!

Ahhh, the Peoplemover! I still can’t believe I missed it last time… just 38 more days until I have another shot!

I’m sorry your cinnamon roll from Gaston’s Tavern was bad. My husband really enjoyed his when he ate it for breakfast. I’m surprised you’d get a dud roll so early in the day!

I walked through the Swiss Family Tree House!

I actually love the tree house! I agree it’s a ton of stairs, but it’s rarely busy and the views are amazing. It’s particularly fun to do at night because NO ONE is there in the dark!

I was one of the first ones in line, and I got a spot up on the top deck!

Super fun! I’ve never been on a Main Street vehicle but it’s such a fun idea. You were killing it with all the classic transportation this morning - Peoplemover, runaway railroad car, actual railroad car, omnibus… nice work!

I think you had such a nice morning meandering and doing what you wanted! It must’ve been a nice change from the go-go-go of the previous days.

 

[Mollydolly334]

You are kind of giving soccer mom vibes in that picture but you look super cute!

Hahahahah thank you!! All I need is a minivan with a little Mickey head antenna topper and I'll be good to go!!

I think you look cute! I LOVE quiet time in the magic kingdom! Can't wait to hear where you end up next!

Hahaha thank you!! Our other MK days were super crazy and jam-packed, so it was amazing to really take it slow today and just drink in all the magical vibes

Thanks!!! I am so excited!!! Today is going to be hard to focus at work.


That is a sign of a good trip!


I love it! She was trying! We found those guys on one of our trips as well.


It's a cute outfit, soccer mom or not. At least it's a Disney Soccer mom... ha


Oh no!!! Morgan always says the cream cheese frosting is the best part... I hope that was just a fluke that day...


The Confectionary just isn't the same anymore. I feel like we go in and I never find anything we want to get.


YEAH!!! the bus is still one of my favorite things.


Ohhh I need to do that next time.


Me too!!! So sweet.

I can't wait to read all about your trip and watch some of your vlogs!! Maybe this will help me pull the trigger and book a Disney Cruise...

You are like the third person to say that I got a bum cinnamon roll!!! It makes me feel better that they are usually good... I'll have to get a re-do next trip. Jake loves cinnamon rolls so I know he'll share it with me!

YES about the Confectionary changes!!! They used to have such amazing treats (gingerbread cookies, giant peanut butter cups, chocolate-covered pineapple...), now it's all just generic M&M/Twix/Skittles stuff

Ugh! It's a doozy this year! Jimmy had Flu A last week, too. We got him on Tamiflu in the first 36 hours though and that was a game changer! He actually made it back to school fever free after missing only 2 days. I was so relieved because it's SO hard to catch up on missed days of high school!

I hope you're feeling better!!


LOL it is giving soccer mom vibes a bit, but you're adorable!!


Grotesque is the perfect word LOL When I saw the picture my first reaction was EWWW.


We did this a few years ago, and I was SOOOOO excited to get to ride on top!! I know we were talking about Volo Auto Museum on one of my FB posts a few weeks ago--they have the old Epcot Characters Around the World bus there! On certain weekends in the summer, they do free rides on it, and it's the perfect little bit of magic when you can't get to WDW to ride!!

Oh no!! So sorry to hear that the sickness hit your house too I'm lucky that I didn't have an Influenza diagnoses- I think I may have actually had Norovirus Fever and stomach issues are no fun but I'm feeling much better now and surprised it didn't get me sooner! You know exactly what I'm talking about; those germs kids really help build up our immune systems.

Ahhhh OMG that is so cool about the Epcot bus!!! I'm hoping we can make it over to Volo soon... we're going to the children's museum in Glenview this weekend and I'm so excited!

This is the kind of soccer mom I aspire to be! Isn't a day alone in the park SO refreshing after navigating your big family!? I have never done it, but some day...I hope to end up there on my own!

It felt soooo good to get a break! I did my first solo park day back in 2017 at Epcot- I was such a baby (only 22) and so nervous since I had never really done something like that by myself before! I remember being kind of self-conscious about eating and riding rides alone at first, but I ended up loving it so much and haven't looked back!

Your TR has me so excited for my upcoming May trip with my toddlers, husband and extended family! Huge group like you guys! I’ve definitely read your TRs in the past too, I’m usually a lurker but as your TR comes to a close I just wanted you to know I enjoyed it a bunch and appreciate you taking the time to share!

OMG hi thank you so much for popping in!! Looking back through your past TRs- I totally remember reading yours as well So crazy how time flies and life changes- hope my TR gave you some tips and also some reassurance that you CAN travel with a huge group and still have fun

I had influenza A last week. The fever was no joke with it. I still have a cough and some congestion that are lingering but finally feeling much better. We all got it except for Elizabeth (the diagnosed with a really crappy immune system) because she is the only one that got a flu shot this year. Note taken. I will get the flu shot next year. Thankfully I was the last to get it and was able to make it my grandfathers funeral. I got the fever that night. Jeff's grandmother was in the hospital as well but we weren't able to go see her. It has been over a week since I have seen her but Jeff went on Sunday to visit and I will go this weekend since I am finally better. It was one crazy January and ready for a much better February.


I got this on our last trip. Mine was very soft and fresh. For how fast they seem to go I am shocked your was not. I loved being over there in the morning. It was so peaceful that early with only a few people in that area.

That is a great shirt. I love how it has so many characters.

Ugh, I'm so sorry that the sickness hit your house too, but it's such a blessing that Elizabeth didn't get sick at least! I luckily didn't have an influenza diagnoses- I'm pretty sure it ended up being Norovirus because I had a low grade fever and terrible stomach issues. Still not fun, but I was fortunate that all I needed was a little RnR.

I definitely have to give the cinnamon roll another try!!! And I love all the characters too- it definitely gave me "vintage vibes" and reminded me of all the graphic tees I'd see when we went in the early 2000s!

Seriously. The woman deserves a reward. Or a medal.



I’m so sorry! Influenza has been terrible this year! Thankfully, we haven’t caught it (yet), but my husband is pretty nervous about it considering how many cases he sees at work. I’ll be glad when flu season is over!



I 100% support this decision! Magic Kingdom is my favorite park - it’s the perfect choice to soak up all the last bits of Disney ambiance.



Ahhh, the Peoplemover! I still can’t believe I missed it last time… just 38 more days until I have another shot!

I’m sorry your cinnamon roll from Gaston’s Tavern was bad. My husband really enjoyed his when he ate it for breakfast. I’m surprised you’d get a dud roll so early in the day!



I actually love the tree house! I agree it’s a ton of stairs, but it’s rarely busy and the views are amazing. It’s particularly fun to do at night because NO ONE is there in the dark!



Super fun! I’ve never been on a Main Street vehicle but it’s such a fun idea. You were killing it with all the classic transportation this morning - Peoplemover, runaway railroad car, actual railroad car, omnibus… nice work!

I think you had such a nice morning meandering and doing what you wanted! It must’ve been a nice change from the go-go-go of the previous days.

Ahhhhh your girl's trip is coming up so quickly!! That's the amazing thing about having another trip booked so soon- even if you missed something last trip, it's no big deal and soothes a lot of those nerves associated with the "first trip" feeling!!!

I definitely prefer the WDW Treehouse; Jake and I just did the DL one a few months ago and it was CRAZY crowded; I got a little claustrophobic

This slow day was muuuuuuuch needed and the perfect end to the trip!

 

[Mollydolly334]

Day 11 (The One Where Molly Turns Into a Disney Soccer Mom, The Magic is Over for Haley, and We Leave The Bubble)- Part 2


Where I last left off, I was exiting MK at about 11:10 AM and heading off to my next solo adventure! I strolled towards the resort monorail; although we had visited the Contemporary to eat at Chef Mickey’s last night, I wanted to complete my monorail tour!

First stop was Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.





I had a certain snack in mind for some early lunch (since that Gaston’s cinnamon roll was NOT satisfying), so I put in a mobile order at Captain Cook’s and perused the grounds while I waited.







The Poly has always been one of my favorite resorts. It’s very nostalgic to me and I’m always a sucker for Hawaiian music and decor! But, I have to say… after visiting the real Hawaii, this resort has actually become quite underwhelming. I still love it, but it doesn’t really scream “tropical paradise” anymore!



Look at this… um… gorgeous view of some weeds and a murky lake. It doesn’t help that it is actually cheaper to stay at a 5-star resort in Hawaii than stay at the Poly!





Next time I’m in WDW, I really want to visit the new Island Tower and maybe eat at the new pool bar. I love the look of the tower, but I don’t think it really goes with the original longhouse decor. They seem more like two separate resorts instead of one cohesive resort. What do you guys think of it??

After strolling for about 15 minutes, my food was ready!

I ordered The Pulled Pork Nachos with an iced tea and enjoyed them at an outside table. I wanted to soak up the last of the beautiful Florida weather!





I’ve had these before, and each time, they absolutely hit the spot!!! I’m not really a fan of more traditional nachos that have ground beef, tortilla chips, and plastic cheese. The crunchy kettle chips, savory BBQ pork, and sweet-but-spicy pineapple salsa give a huge upgrade to this snack! This portion is huuuge though, definitely meant for sharing. I got through about half of this until I called it quits!

After my lunch, I took one more lap around the pool and beach. I almost got a little frozen cocktail from the pool bar, and I eventually regretted not getting one! These looked like such fun options!





I had one more resort to visit, so I hopped the monorail over to the Grand Floridian.





It’s been a while since I’ve stayed at this resort, but it’s still one of my favorites as well. I remember the first time I stayed here back in 2016; it was like a dream to be able to stay at such a fancy and beautiful place. I was pretty much walking on clouds the entire trip! We have so many special memories from staying here and I really want to stay here again now that the rooms are all renovated!

Walking through this lobby always reminds me of the Full House WDW episode. Sing to me, Uncle Jesse!



I checked out the gift shops and Basin White, then found this adorable PhotoPass set-up on the second floor! Of course I had to participate!



Looking slightly rough… it was a no makeup day and all of the walking was catching up to me.

It was cute, a pair of older ladies walked by as I was posing, and they yelled out, “Don’t lose your shoe!” I shouted back, “It’s ok, I already found my Prince Charming anyways!”

I was really just in a “wandering” mood. I really didn’t get to do that the past week since we were so focused on the kids. It was really nice just to stroll around with no direction or destination in mind and just take in the beauty of this resort!





Hopefully someday they bring back the Princess Tea Party. Evie would be ALL OVER that!





I’ve been to Enchanted Rose many times. I don’t always love their drinks there- but the atmosphere is gorgeous and very princess-y!

It was a perfect day outside. I don’t remember being too hot!







Haha, the OG trip report readers will remember this; the title of one of my very first TR’s was called “Even The Garbage Cans Have Flowers!”



Had to check out the Wedding Pavilion too! It was always a “pipe dream” for young Molly to get married here, but honestly after Jake and I got engaged, we never even considered having a destination wedding. I feel like getting married here would have added so much stress (and extra cash) to the planning process! But, you can’t deny the beauty of this place.

There was actually a wedding going on inside, so this was as close as I got!!





I also peeked around the Villas!





All the walking had me craving a sweet treat. So, I grabbed a Mickey Premium Ice Cream Bar from Gasparilla Island Grill, and enjoyed it at a table overlooking the marina and Cinderella’s Castle. Perfection.



What a peaceful way to end the trip!

After I finished my treat, I figured it was time to see what the fam had been up to back at CBR. We only had a couple more hours left and I wanted to soak up ALLLL the Disney time!


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[Mollydolly334]

Day 11 (The One Where Molly Turns Into a Disney Soccer Mom, The Magic is Over for Haley, and We Leave The Bubble)- Part 2 (Continued)!


I hopped a monorail to Magic Kingdom, then took a bus back to Riviera. I wanted to have one last mooch around that resort as well!

We were pulling into Disney’s Riviera Resort at 1:50 PM!

I perused the gift shop.. I wanted to buy this candle sooo bad, but I was worried about how it would travel back in my luggage.



Since then, I’ve found two candles at Bath and Body Works that I feel really capture the lobby essence of the Riviera- they are called Eucalyptus Tea and Greenhouse Fern!

I wandered back by Bar Riva and debated getting an alcoholic beverage. But, the heat was starting to get to me, and I didn’t want to be tipsy, especially with our flight home being tonight. So I decided to just take the walk back to CBR and get a non-alcoholic beverage at Banana Cabana.



I found the family at the Splash Pad!!





Kahla had already flown back to Nashville, and Chief, Mel, and Thomas were back at the Marriott, but everybody else was there!



Soaking up the last of these baby smiles. I had been so used to seeing them every day, and I was sad to think about going back home and having them live over an hour away again!

I caught up with Nana; she had also just returned to CBR. She had spent a solo morning doing some shopping and wandering at Disney Springs! I was so happy that she got to do this; she had really been such a stellar Nana and helper this trip and deserved some solo time too!

However, I could tell that poor Haley was exasperated; the kids were all wound up, and Ollie in particular was really pushing her buttons today. She lamented, “Vacation is OVER!”

I offered to get her an alcoholic beverage to cheer her up, and that did seem to help. I don’t have a picture of what I got her (probably some sort of margarita or other frozen concoction), but I decided on a non-alcoholic “Bubbles of the Sea” drink!



This was iced green tea with lemon, pineapple, and guava juices, and green apple boba pearls on top. I knew I’d enjoy this; I had this at DHS back in July 2023 and loved it then as well! It was refreshing and surprisingly not too sweet.

Luckily, Haley’s drink cheered her right up. Our time was running out; we only had about 45 minutes left to enjoy the pool. We stuck some lifejackets on the kids and spent the last of our time enjoying the main feature pool. I didn’t have my swimsuit, but I waded my feet and enjoyed my beverage!





At 3:30, we made the painful decision to pack up our stuff and start getting ready to leave. Cici and Chief had SO generously offered to drive Mom and I to the airport on their way home; they had rented a car today to drive back home to Hilton Head Island, SC. Then, Haley, Ryan, and the kids would leave at the same time and drop their rental car at MCO.

We took the kids potty, got them all rinsed off and changed, and watched some cartoons in the lobby while we waited for Chief to arrive from the Marriott with Thomas and Mel.





The bathroom mirrors and tile in the CBR lobby are SO cute!! I’d love these for my bathroom at home!



Oliver was SO excited about his “Ghost Lightning McQueen” toy that Haley had bought him earlier today at the gift shop. Haley promised that if Ollie behaved at the airport, he could open it and play with it on the plane!

This guy was matching his siblings!



Chief, Thomas, and Mel arrived at 4:25 PM, and not gonna lie, I was getting a little nervous. Even though our flight wasn’t until 6:50, I was having flashbacks to Jake’s warning texts earlier in the week. It seems like forever ago , but if you remember, Jake barely made it onto his flight home 6 days prior due to crazy crowds at MCO!

We stopped at a Speedway just outside of WDW property to gas up the rental cars, and ended up making it to the airport by 5:00. Despite the short ride, this one managed to PASS OUT!



Clearly, the morning of swimming got to her... how in the WORLD was this comfortable???

Luckily, Evie was easily woken up, and we started the process of lugging all of the bags, car seats, and strollers to curbside check them. It was a process; I’m pretty sure we had some crazy number like 18 items or something. We gave big hugs goodbye to Cici and Chief, who were continuing on to South Carolina, and thanked them for such an incredible trip.

TSA was a bit crowded, but nothing even close to what I was anticipating. Since we had the kids and carseats, we were sent to a separate line and that was very efficient. The kids did amazing and were so patient, and we were on the Fake-O-Rail by 5:45!



It was so convenient that all of us (Haley, Ryan, the kids, Nana, Thomas, Mel, and me) were all on the same flight back to Chicago. We didn’t even plan it out for Thomas and Mel to be on the flight; they were last-minute secret additions so it was pure coincidence! Extra hands are always a good thing.

We all scattered like cockroaches once we found our gate to grab some food. Nana took the kids to Starbucks to get some croissant sandwiches, Haley and I grabbed pizza slices, and Ryan, Thomas, and Mel got Jersey Mike’s.

The flight was right on time, and we were boarding by 6:25!



This picture looks sweet… but knowing Evie, she was probably trying to rough Ollie up.

We sat in the middle of the plane, with Haley, Ethan, Ollie, and me on the right side, and Nana, Evie, and Ryan across the aisle on the left side. Then, Thomas and Mel took the row behind us.



Off we gooooooo! Bye Mickey!

Overall, the flight was smooth and went by extremely fast; it honestly felt like one of the quickest flights ever! Since Oliver was pretty preoccupied with his iPad and Ghost Lightning McQueen, Haley and I just chatted for most of the way. It was nice to talk with Haley without the added distraction of park touring with 3 kids under 3 years old!

I enjoyed my very nutritious dinner, which was a slice of cheese pizza from the airport and my Mickey sugar cookie that I had gotten from Bay View Gifts at the Contemporary the night before.



Ollie was a lucky duck; Nana bought him a cake pop from Starbucks!



This guy napped for a bit! I always love my Ethan snuggles.



We landed at Chicago O’Hare airport right at 8:45 PM. On our way to the baggage claim, we passed by this Polly Pocket vending machine. I was OBSESSED with Polly Pockets as a kid; young Molly would have gone CRAZY over this.



We said goodbye to Thomas and Mel after they grabbed their bags; they live in the city, whereas Haley and Ryan live in the suburbs. While we were getting our bags, Ryan mentioned that he had ordered us a big car to get back to Haley and Ryan’s house (Mom had parked her car over at their house last week when they all flew out to WDW together). I was expecting a minivan of some sorts for all of the luggage. What I was NOT expecting was…



THIS!!!

Oh my goodness, it was SO fancy!!! The leather seats were so plush, there were small tables to set our stuff, and we each had a chilled bottle of water waiting for us! I didn’t DARE ask Ryan how much this cost!! We certainly ended the trip in style! The driver was SO friendly and played Disney music for the kids the whole way home.

It was about a half-hour drive back to Haley and Ryan’s house, but I could have stayed in there for hours. I wished that they would have driven Mom and I back home to Milwaukee!!

Mom and I helped Haley, Ryan, and the kids unpack all of the luggage and briefly get things settled in the house. Mom excitedly showed me her loot from Disney Springs earlier today. She had gotten the kids a few cute shirts!





We didn’t stay long though; we still had to drive back home to Milwaukee!!

Mom and I left Haley and Ryan’s at about 11:00 PM, and Mom was pulling into my apartment complex at 12:30 AM. Mind you, this was a Sunday night… I had a whole week of work starting tomorrow!!!

Even though I was eager to get to bed, I was SOOOO excited to see Jake!!! My lovely husband had stayed up so he could help me get my bags from the car and bring them upstairs. We did end up staying awake until about 1:30, just talking about the trip and catching up about our weeks!

My mom texted me when she got back to her house (she lives about 20 minutes away). It was a little later than I thought it would be, so I texted her, “Did you get lost?” She responded, “Nope, I got pulled over!”



She was literally less than a mile from home when it happened; I guess one of her tail lights had been burnt out for a while, and she hadn’t gotten them fixed yet. Luckily I grew up in a super safe suburb where the cops are always really nice. She explained her situation to the female cop who pulled her over… she was like, “I’m going to get them fixed in the next few days, I promise! I was just in Disney World with my family this past week and wasn’t using my car!”

The cop responded, “OMG, no way, I am going to Disney World in 2 weeks with my coworker!!” Then, she proceeded to go back to her squad car, grab said coworker, and then all 3 of them gabbed about Disney World for the next 10 minutes. I love it- Disney bringing people together and saving my mom from a ticket! They sent her on her merry way without so much as a slap on the wrist.

And that, my friends… ends our May 2024 WDW family trip!!!

Oh my goodness, where do I even start with this???? It was such a great trip, and I really learned a lot from this vacation.

1. Things will always take double the amount of time anticipated when you are traveling with a group this large. Seriously. If you think it will take you 5 minutes to walk from It’s a Small World to Peter Pan’s Flight, it will probably take 10. Or 15.
2. ADRs help keep everyone on track and provide structure to a daily schedule. Dinner ADRs in particular are a great built-in time where everyone can come together at the end of the day and debrief! With a group this large, I would rather book too many ADRs than not enough!
3. Traveling with toddlers and babies is a heroic effort, but we ended up not needing or using at least HALF of the crap we ended up bringing.
4. Lightning Lane was worth the price when traveling with toddlers, but not as useful if your group likes to split up or people are off doing different things
5. When one person has to go to the bathroom, EVERYONE should also go to the bathroom.
6. RELAX and don’t be married to the plan. If things don’t go to plan, breathe, go with the flow, and know that EVERYTHING WILL BE OK.

As far as future trips, this is… to be determined. Next month, Mom, Haley, Ethan, and I are doing a little girl’s weekend in Nashville to attend Kahla’s baby shower (can you believe?? Another little girl is joining our crazy crew!). Then, Jake and I are doing a 4-night trip to Arizona with his parents in May. Summer will be filled with little weekends here and there up in Northern Wisconsin.

But, no big trips on the docket for us… yet. Briefly, Jake and I had a trip to France/DLP booked. We were going all out, spending two nights at the Disneyland Hotel, 4 nights in Paris, then 3 nights in Nice. But, as we were pricing everything out, it just got, well, really really expensive. Paired with some unfortunate issues that we have been experiencing in our current apartment complex, this seemed like a sign that we should really buckle down and focus on getting our finances in order/buying a house this year. Although cancelling the trip wasn’t fun, it honestly didn’t sting as much as I thought, just because we were both so sure that this was the right decision. After all, “We’ll always have Paris!!”

Haley and I have been scheming on a way to get back to WDW… but we’re not sure when that will happen. We have briefly mentioned November/December 2025 to see the Christmas festivities. But, Haley and Ryan have a lot of travel coming up in 2025, so we’re not sure if we can swing it. Maybe 2026 will be our year? Anywho, you guys will be the FIRST to know if we do end up booking a Disney trip.

Regardless, I am so blessed to be able to travel to Disney destinations so much and share all of our fun antics with you guys. THANK YOU SO MUCH for reading along, commenting, and laughing with me as I reminisce!! I’ll still lurk around the DIS to follow everyone else’s trips, but until further ado…






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[ambula603]

Oh Molly! Why am I actually tearing up at the end of this!? I just love reading about your trips! You guys did so well managing such a big group. I know it had moments of frustration but can you imagine if you just all showed up with no ADR or real plans and tried to make it work? It would be a disaster. I think that is why some of my IRL friends hate Disney, they don't plan enough!

I got tickled at your comments about Poly after being in Hawaii. I can definitely see that. I do love it, though. I think I will like the tower but since I don't have a long history staying there, I don't feel attached to how it always has been. I am dying to try those nachos! When we stayed there we didn't have enough time to eat a quick service meal. We did do a monorail crawl at Christmas to see the trees. Yours seems perfectly relaxing and a smart way to spend some time on the last day.

I do love the smell at Riviera so I need to check out those candles! Have you been able to smell any of the new Princess line at Bath and Body Works? I haven't. But what we really all want is hotel scents! If they could add a cruise smell I would give them all my money!

I cannot believe your mom got pulled over but it ended up being a Disney fan! Pixie dust back home!!

My final suggestion is to start saving for a Disney cruise. I think you guys would LOVE it. Start with a 4-5 day one and go from there!!