No Request was too Extreme: A Post-Deployment Disney Trip *Completed

[amazingact21]

I love that your mom went down the slide with Landon... and seemed to have as much fun as he did! Your trip reports always put a smile on my face!

Thank you! That means a lot.
Whenever someone brings up the slide moment to my mom, her response is, "The lengths I'll go for my grandkids..."

Disney... In July... while pregnant. You're brave, but yeah, I guess any time you have a chance to go, might as well! Looks like a fun start to things.

It sounds crazy, but I was from Florida. The heat was something I was already conditioned to. And that turned out to be our last "real" trip before our move to Germany, so it holds a special place in my heart.

 

[Dugette]

There's lots to do in Germany! And the country is very kid friendly. 90% of the restaurants have playgrounds attached to the buildings, and a lot of castles have "kinder" days that have shows geared to younger kids.
And then, we have Disneyland Paris just right down the road...

Sounds like fun!

I wish I could say Landon’s breakfast buffet tastes have expanded now that he’s a year older, but sadly his plate would still resemble that if we were there today.

Yeah, Izzy was a great eater when she was about 1, but it's gone downhill and stayed there after that.

Our plan seemed to be working well. Landon even spotted Minnie at the table before ours and started to show some interest in her. By the time she arrived at our table, he was willing to turn and smile at her.

Minnie is hard to resist.

We’re not sure what made Landon so happy to see Pluto, but whatever it was, Alex and I weren’t complaining. The interaction went great, with Landon giving Pluto a high five and pointing out his nose and evening giving him a hug.

Aw, so sweet! Glad he was feeling the Pluto love.

I love how the family in the background is happily watching the encounter.

Honestly, we felt a little jipped. Sure, it was nice to have a place to eat that was right inside our resort, and yes, seeing Mickey and Co. was a nice perk, but to pay the same price as we would at a massive dinner? No way.

We have never eaten at Chef Mickey's, so we finally decided to do dinner there this trip. I hope it's better than breakfast!

To say we had a magical time would be the understatement of the century. It was all we’d hoped it would be and more. Between the amazing resorts, Landon pulling the sword from the stone, getting to see Wishes every single night of our stay, the low crowds, and Landon showing an interest in an attraction for the first time, it was a special experience. And of course, add to it the newfound knowledge that we were about to be a family of four, and it was a vacation like no other.

So glad that you had such an amazing trip!

Obviously, after the tragedy at the Grand Floridian this summer, the photo takes on a whole new meaning. I can tell you, though, I hated seeing the fellow even then. Bleck.

I remember reading there were a lot of gators near Shades and I guess that's the case!

and extra grumpy when a bunch of guests cut in line to get ahead of us because there’s no actual areas at the Poly for each park.

Ugh, I HATED that part of staying at the Poly!

Landon LOVED the kid section.

Looks like a lot of fun! I've heard good things about it!

 

[Gracefulskinny]

Finally all caught up! What a wonderful February trip you had!!!! And you are brave for hitting up disney in July while preggers!

 

[amazingact21]

Yeah, Izzy was a great eater when she was about 1, but it's gone downhill and stayed there after that.


I love how the family in the background is happily watching the encounter.


We have never eaten at Chef Mickey's, so we finally decided to do dinner there this trip. I hope it's better than breakfast!


So glad that you had such an amazing trip!


I remember reading there were a lot of gators near Shades and I guess that's the case!
Ugh, I HATED that part of staying at the Poly!

Looks like a lot of fun! I've heard good things about it!

I hope Chef Mickey's dinner is better than their breakfast. And at least Izzy will be older when you go and probably appreciate the characters a little more.

The bus area at the Poly is crazy! We didn't take a bus when we stayed there in Feb. so we didn't realize how unorganized it was. I'm sure they didn't set up any kind of signage because they assumed it wouldn't be that congested with most guests taking the monorail to MK/Epcot.

Finally all caught up! What a wonderful February trip you had!!!! And you are brave for hitting up disney in July while preggers!

The Feb. trip was magical. One of our best vacations...

 

[amazingact21]

Before I get into this next update, I feel like I should just put a small PSA here. I dived right into this trip report without really talking about my pregnancy. And it wasn’t until it was posted and I re-read it that I realized how bad it sounded…going to a theme park in the dead of summer while more than halfway along.

I promise, I did talk with my doctor before I left and got it cleared with her first. She said I was good to go.

And, while the heat at Disney is terrible…I lived in Florida. It was virtually the same exact temperature at my house as it was in the parks. So, I was used to the humidity, the bright sun, the afternoon showers. My body was accustomed to it, and I knew how to handle it. The way I looked at it, I could have been hot and sweaty at our local splash pad or playground or I could have been hot and sweaty at Disney.

I chose the latter, but I don’t think I’d recommend the trip to someone who didn’t live in the south. It would have sent me into complete shock had I not been ready for it.

Okay, moving on…




Day 3 – July 14th, 2015:


My little band of Disney goers actually did something a little differently on this morning. My mom went to Epcot by herself. She rode Soarin’ walk on and then with a FP, then she got herself a Starbucks and spent some time watching the fish in the Living Seas aquarium.


Alex, Landon, and I, meanwhile, went to the Magic Kingdom.

Alex had made a very special appointment that he was thrilled about…me not so much.





We were getting Landon his first haircuit!

(Yet another “reason” for this July trip.)

I did not think Landon needed a trim yet, but Alex wouldn’t let it go, so I relented and agreed.

And, of course, in true Disney fashion, we knew we wanted to get it at Harmony Barber Shop.


The barber who cut Landon’s hair did a fantastic job, and he was wise enough to have a fun light up toy to give to Landon so he’d sit still through the cut.










Not going to lie, that was a bittersweet moment for me. There I was, about to pop out another baby while my first baby did such a grown up task. It felt like I was just at the MK with him in my belly, how could he already be old enough for a haircut?!


Surreal.


As we were getting ready to leave, some of the Main St. performers popped up and began to entertain Landon.

f1 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr


f2 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr


Landon was getting a little tired by that point, so he wasn’t his usual engaging self, but it was still a fun encounter. The girl was mimicking everything he did while the male struck up a conversation. All the while I just stood back and thought to myself, “THIS is why we love Disney.”

Such a small detail – some performers paying attention to us – but one of the things that makes Disney so wonderful. Sometimes it’s not about going on Thunder Mtn 5 times in a trip or about snagging a pre-park Crystal Palace breakfast. Sometimes, it’s about being in the right place at the right time and getting to experience that fantastic Disney customer service.



Alex and I were feeling peckish, but we’d eaten both lunch and dinner in the MK the day before, and seeing as we’re not big fans of the food in MK to begin with, we were looking for other food options.

We agreed to go to Captain Cook’s over at the Polynesian, because I wanted to try the pork nachos. They ended up being okay, not bad by any means, but I had tried their pork sandwich on our February trip and was disappointed the nachos didn’t match to their amazingness.


Near the end of lunch, Landon had had enough and passed out:



I love that photograph so much, because that was one of the last times Landon fell asleep in my arms. Pregnant, hot, and uncomfortable as I was, it was a really sweet moment for me. He hadn’t wanted to nap on me for several months, so when he started to doze I was estatic.

One more chance to have my baby be a baby…


Unfortunately, Landon being asleep meant poor Alex had to carry him back to our room at Shades. Earlier that morning, we were feeling pretty confident we’d get back before naptime, and since the stroller was virtually a waste on our Feb. trip, we left it in the room.


Poor Alex….


My mom was beat us to the resort by a few minutes. She had eaten lunch at Sunshine Seasons and then caught a bus back. She told me she had enjoyed the chance to ride her favorite attraction, but she felt Disney just wasn’t as much fun by herself.


Now, me? I wouldn’t mind a solo trip, at all. A long weekend to do absolutely everything I wanted? Sign me up!

However, I’m a much more introverted person than my mom.

And, at this point in my life, I can’t even go to the bathroom break without an entourage. (Dog included…)

So of course a little me time is high on my priority list.


The afternoon was spent at the pool, and then in the early evening Alex’s brother and sister showed up to go to dinner with us.


And, fortunately, dinner was just a walk away.

f3 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr


If you can believe it, I managed to get a 5:05pm O’hana reservation for 6 people only a few weeks out.

Hooray!


f4 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr



It was a very pleasant meal, and I really enjoyed experiencing it with first timers. It was interesting to hear what my family thought was good and bad, and let them have a little bit of that Disney magic.

Although, I will say, by that point in time I had eaten there in August of ’14, February of ’15 and then in July.


I was kind of over O’hana’s.

Sssshhhhhh….don’t tell Alex. He’d disown me.


But, I mean, 3 times in less than a year is a lot of bread pudding and a lot of pot stickers.

Now, if it was Via Napoli….sign me up! I could eat there once a week and be perfectly content.


After dinner, Alex and I had Fastpasses to use in the MK, so our siblings rode the monorail with us, then stayed on to go back to the TTC and their car while we got off.


When we walked on to Main St. I realized we had yet to get any pictures from that spot. This was our fourth time there, we needed some photographs!












A Photopass photographer saw us taking pictures and came over to talk to us, and then offered to get a family shot.








(I’m not going to lie, as I look at these pictures, I really REALLY wish I was back in Disney. It’s approximately 45 degrees out, I had to turn the living room’s radiator on for the first time this year, I’m washing thick pajamas for the kids that I had to order because we owned none, and battling a very fussy 11 month old who is teething. What I wouldn’t give to be back in my home state with some warm sunshine!)


Pictures taken, we all walked over to the PeopleMover. We had all ridden the attraction for the first time together back in December of 2013. It was new to everyone, my mom, Alex, me, and Landon.

So we felt we needed to all go on it together again. One more time before there would be a new little one with us.

Plus…it was something seated.


f5 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr


f6 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr



My mom, the saint that she is, noticed one of my feet were sore so she gave me a foot rub while on the ride.


Not my husband.

My dear mama.


That’s just how awesome my mother is. I’ll never stop needing her…



We all walked over to Fantasyland after that (not without stopping to get me a water to demolish) and prepared ourselves to use our Dumbo FPs. My mom walked up to the entrance with us to tell us where to meet up with her (she had used her passes at Epcot that morning and none of felt the desire to go to a kiosk and check if we could match an availability with ours) when the Cast Member working noticed her and gave her a pass!

It was so nice and we were sure to stop by Guest Services and fill out a compliment card for the worker.

f7 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr




Our turn finished, Alex wanted to see if Landon was tall enough for Barnstormer, so my mom and I planted ourselves by the splash pad area and….you guessed it, drank another bottle of water.

Landon didn’t make the cut (I think he was half an inch short) but Alex did take him on Dumbo again, so he was happy.

We then all went to the train station and hopped aboard the last train of the night (that would stop there). Landon had a field day – what little kid wouldn’t have? – and it gave us a nice respite from walking.


We got off at the front of the park, and Alex and I took Landon to use our Mickey meet and greet FPs. (My mom stayed back this time around.)



The Cast Member working there spoke with me while Landon and Alex got their picture taken, and she was so excited to learn I was waiting to find out the gender of the baby. She was just the sweetest lady, and her enthusiasm brightened my evening. Her reaction was one of the reasons I loved keeping the gender a secret. It was always so fun for people to make their guesses and speculate. I just felt like all my friends and family were more involved that way.


We exited the Mickey meet and greet location right before the Celebrate the Magic show was about to begin. Alex kind of wanted to see it since we’d missed it the night before, so we found an open spot near the back of Main St. to watch. (While we waited we chatted with a friendly Cast Member. They seemed to be out in abundance that day.)


In the end, we were so glad we stayed to watch, because Landon LOVED it. Specifically, the Frozen part. That boy started belting out to Let it Go, using his hands and throwing his head back to sing.

It was the cutest thing.

Made his Nana cry…





Oh, the memories…


Together, all three of us adults made the decision to leave after the show and beat the crowds. We were tired and didn’t want to push it staying for Wishes.


So it was another Disney day in the books for us!

 

[rdkeim]

Loved the update! I've heard the crowds aren't too bad in July/Aug. because the heat keeps people away. Wondering if that's true? First haircut - how fun! Our first trip our boys were 5 and 7 so too late for first haircuts. Would love to take our grandson who should make his arrival early Dec. But, my daughter-in-law is anti-Disney. Doesn't look likely she can be converted. What the heck?? Your son singing Let it Go - adorable.

 

[Heidi Lou]

The man who did Landon's first hair cut is the man who did my nephew's... and has cut his hair twice since. He is amazing! So patient! What a fun memory. The part about Landon falling asleep in your arms made me cry.... why cant they stay little ( well sometimes that's my wish ) Great update as always!

 

[vamassey1]

Obviously, that wasn’t a difficult thing to do. Add in Alex and his persuasive powers, and before I knew it, the three of us had booked 5 nights for the middle of July!

Never pass up a chance to do Disney

We all stayed at Shades of Green:

I'm so happy you shared some pictures. I've never really seen any. We have a family member that may stay there next year. I'll actually have something to tell her.

Earl of Sandwich.

One day I’ll get Alex away from there…

I feel that way about Dennis and WP.

But hey, a Disney dessert, i

Best looking deserts if not always the best tasting.

“Well, if you’d read the paper that was placed IN YOUR ROOM you would know it’s under maintenance right now.”

How Rude!

No luck that morning.

Sorry, but that just makes the last time that much more special.

(And, about a month after the trip, I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes, and I think a lot of my bad moments were due to my sugars being off. I just didn’t realize it at the time.)

I had this with my first child, but not with the girls. No sugar was very hard to do while pregnant.

We sat there for an hour as he forgot to eat because he was so into looking at the guests.

We've done this before. It's so neat to people watch from here.

Landon LOVED the kid section.

Very cool kiddy pool.

He even convinced her to go on the slide with him:

This is just too funny. I hope I can sacrifice myself for my grandkids some day.

Landon seemed to really enjoy the parade, which made us feel good about our decision to stay and watch. My mom and I didn’t really care too much about MSEP. We both feel like if you’ve seen it once, you’re good. But now that it’s going away, I’m glad we all got to see it one final time.

I'm glad we saw it when we did, but wish I could have done it one more time.

We were getting Landon his first haircuit!

Best place for a first haircut. And looks so handsome.

I love that photograph so much, because that was one of the last times Landon fell asleep in my arms. Pregnant, hot, and uncomfortable as I was, it was a really sweet moment for me. He hadn’t wanted to nap on me for several months, so when he started to doze I was estatic.

What a sweet moment.

If you can believe it, I managed to get a 5:05pm O’hana reservation for 6 people only a few weeks out.

Great catch!

I was kind of over O’hana’s.

I've felt this way before. I'm now ready to go back.

 

[Dugette]

Before I get into this next update, I feel like I should just put a small PSA here. I dived right into this trip report without really talking about my pregnancy. And it wasn’t until it was posted and I re-read it that I realized how bad it sounded…going to a theme park in the dead of summer while more than halfway along.

I promise, I did talk with my doctor before I left and got it cleared with her first. She said I was good to go.

And, while the heat at Disney is terrible…I lived in Florida. It was virtually the same exact temperature at my house as it was in the parks. So, I was used to the humidity, the bright sun, the afternoon showers. My body was accustomed to it, and I knew how to handle it. The way I looked at it, I could have been hot and sweaty at our local splash pad or playground or I could have been hot and sweaty at Disney.

I chose the latter, but I don’t think I’d recommend the trip to someone who didn’t live in the south. It would have sent me into complete shock had I not been ready for it.

Okay, moving on…

Makes sense to me - didn't question it at all.

My little band of Disney goers actually did something a little differently on this morning. My mom went to Epcot by herself. She rode Soarin’ walk on and then with a FP, then she got herself a Starbucks and spent some time watching the fish in the Living Seas aquarium.

Sounds like a nice way to start the day!

I did not think Landon needed a trim yet, but Alex wouldn’t let it go, so I relented and agreed.

Yeah, Izzy definitely did not NEED a trim yet - at all! But it's fun to do and we didn't know when we'd be back (had we known, we might have waited).

Not going to lie, that was a bittersweet moment for me. There I was, about to pop out another baby while my first baby did such a grown up task. It felt like I was just at the MK with him in my belly, how could he already be old enough for a haircut?!

Very true - they grow up SO quick. Though, Izzy actually has not had (or needed) another haircut since her MK one at 14 months, so I guess she slowed back down in that area.

Now, me? I wouldn’t mind a solo trip, at all. A long weekend to do absolutely everything I wanted? Sign me up!

However, I’m a much more introverted person than my mom.

And, at this point in my life, I can’t even go to the bathroom break without an entourage. (Dog included…)

So of course a little me time is high on my priority list.

Totally relate to all of this.

In the end, we were so glad we stayed to watch, because Landon LOVED it. Specifically, the Frozen part. That boy started belting out to Let it Go, using his hands and throwing his head back to sing.

Aw, cute!

 

[afwdwfan]

Sometimes it’s not about going on Thunder Mtn 5 times in a trip

It's ALWAYS about going on Thunder Mountain 5 times in a trip.

Sometimes, it’s about being in the right place at the right time and getting to experience that fantastic Disney customer service.

But you're right, I get your point. I'm glad you had so many magical cast members that day!

Now, me? I wouldn’t mind a solo trip, at all. A long weekend to do absolutely everything I wanted? Sign me up!

However, I’m a much more introverted person than my mom.

I'm right there with ya. I'm perfectly happy going off and having fun by myself.

Now, if it was Via Napoli….sign me up! I could eat there once a week and be perfectly content.

 

[khertz]

To say we had a magical time would be the understatement of the century. It was all we’d hoped it would be and more. Between the amazing resorts, Landon pulling the sword from the stone, getting to see Wishes every single night of our stay, the low crowds, and Landon showing an interest in an attraction for the first time, it was a special experience. And of course, add to it the newfound knowledge that we were about to be a family of four, and it was a vacation like no other.

Thanks so much for sharing this TR! What a great wrap up. The best thing about going with kids is that even if you have been to Disney World a hundred times before, going with your kids at different stages of their lives and development yields different but wonderful memories.

When Alex asked if the monorail was down that morning, his response was, “Well, if you’d read the paper that was placed IN YOUR ROOM you would know it’s under maintenance right now.”

Wow, what a great way to start off the morning! Geez.

The barber who cut Landon’s hair did a fantastic job, and he was wise enough to have a fun light up toy to give to Landon so he’d sit still through the cut.

He has cut Paxton's hair before! We loved him!

So handsome!

Now, if it was Via Napoli….sign me up! I could eat there once a week and be perfectly content.

Same, girl. Same.

I have been there done that pregnant in Disney World in the middle of summer. It's so tough, but worth it!

 

[amazingact21]

Loved the update! I've heard the crowds aren't too bad in July/Aug. because the heat keeps people away. Wondering if that's true? First haircut - how fun! Our first trip our boys were 5 and 7 so too late for first haircuts. Would love to take our grandson who should make his arrival early Dec. But, my daughter-in-law is anti-Disney. Doesn't look likely she can be converted. What the heck?? Your son singing Let it Go - adorable.

Yeah, the crowds were a lot lower than we expected. I was anticipating massive wait times, but I actually think it was busier when I went in December the year before. It was definitely manageable!
I wish you could sweet talk your daughter in-law to getting your grandson's first haircut at Disney. But, I could see that being a really hard sell to a non-Disney fan. They do get a certificate, a pair of ears, and a little keepsake bag for the locks, though. And it really wasn't expensive, so if she ever is looking for some Mickey ears for her son, there's points in your favor!

The man who did Landon's first hair cut is the man who did my nephew's... and has cut his hair twice since. He is amazing! So patient! What a fun memory. The part about Landon falling asleep in your arms made me cry.... why cant they stay little ( well sometimes that's my wish ) Great update as always!

He is a great barber! I could tell just from watching him that he knew his craft. I sort of hope he is still there in 2 or so years when we'll take Evie for her first cut.
There are days when I'm grateful Landon's older and more independent, and then I see pictures like that one and miss my little guy! He's growing up too fast.

Never pass up a chance to do Disney

I'm so happy you shared some pictures. I've never really seen any. We have a family member that may stay there next year. I'll actually have something to tell her.

I had this with my first child, but not with the girls. No sugar was very hard to do while pregnant.

Very cool kiddy pool.

This is just too funny. I hope I can sacrifice myself for my grandkids some day.

I really like Shades of Green. It's definitely NOT a Disney resort, but as far as places to stay goes, it's great. If your family member has any questions, I'd be happy to answer them if I can. We have stayed there twice now and that's where we plan on staying whenever our next trip happens.
That kiddie pool was so great, and there's something about being a grandparent that brings out the kid in adults. I have seen my mom and dad and mother and father in-law do, act, and say things I never thought they'd do all in the name of love for Landon and Evie.
The special diet while pregnant was REALLY hard. But once I got a system down it became so routine I stopped thinking about it. And, fortunately for me, at night my sugars stayed really low so I was able to get away with eating a serving of dark chocolate as my 3rd and final snack of the day. So, I still got SOME chocolate and sugar. Hooray!

 

[amazingact21]

Makes sense to me - didn't question it at all.

Yeah, Izzy definitely did not NEED a trim yet - at all! But it's fun to do and we didn't know when we'd be back (had we known, we might have waited).

Very true - they grow up SO quick. Though, Izzy actually has not had (or needed) another haircut since her MK one at 14 months, so I guess she slowed back down in that area.
Aw, cute!

Oh wow. That's convenient, at least. Landon has had to get one since the MK cut, and he's getting pretty close to needing another. Evie's hair is actually pretty long in the back that I'm worried we won't make it until we're back in the Magic Kingdom for her first cut. Girl's gonna be rocking one heck of a ponytail if we do...

It's ALWAYS about going on Thunder Mountain 5 times in a trip.

But you're right, I get your point. I'm glad you had so many magical cast members that day!

I'm right there with ya. I'm perfectly happy going off and having fun by myself.

I actually cannot remember the last time I went on Thunder Mtn. How sad is that?! I think it was December of 2014. Even the one in DL Paris was a no go because it was closed for refurb!

I would love a day or two in the parks to myself. I am the type of person that needs my space, so to be able to just hop on and off my favorite attractions and hit up the eateries I like....maybe one day!

Thanks so much for sharing this TR! What a great wrap up. The best thing about going with kids is that even if you have been to Disney World a hundred times before, going with your kids at different stages of their lives and development yields different but wonderful memories.

Wow, what a great way to start off the morning! Geez.
He has cut Paxton's hair before! We loved him!

So handsome!



Same, girl. Same.

I have been there done that pregnant in Disney World in the middle of summer. It's so tough, but worth it!

Our February trip was so fantastic. It makes me want to stay at a deluxe again to see if we would have another great trip. Maybe since there will be a 2 to 3 year gap between our last visit and our next one I can convince Alex to splurge again.

He was a great barber. Very obvious he knew his job inside and out!

I feel like if you're used to the harsh summer conditions, doing Disney pregnant in the summer is manageable. In my opinion, LA has more humidity than FL so I have no doubt you handled it fine! (The most brutal summer I ever experienced was my first one in LA after moving from there from Central FL. I was not prepared for that level of moisture in the air with no ocean breeze to move the air!)

 

[vamassey1]

I feel like if you're used to the harsh summer conditions, doing Disney pregnant in the summer is manageable. In my opinion, LA has more humidity than FL so I have no doubt you handled it fine! (The most brutal summer I ever experienced was my first one in LA after moving from there from Central FL. I was not prepared for that level of moisture in the air with no ocean breeze to move the air!)

We did the end of June in Disney one year. I was cooler in Disney then back home in Baton Rouge. I believe the humidity here was worse too.

 

[amazingact21]

Last July trip report update, you guys! You know what that means…I get to move on to my 2016 vacations. Mainly, the Feb. and April ones. Looks like there’s hope for me yet. I might actually get to catch up before my next Disney trip.


July 15th and 16th, 2015:

After several days (i.e. ALL our days) in the Magic Kingdom, Alex and I tagged along with my mom to go to Epcot.




It was a beautiful morning. I remember it being pretty mild for a July in Florida, and the crowds were really light.

I couldn’t resist taking a photo in front of Spaceship Earth as we passed:





Alex went and rode Test Track right away, while my mom and I hung out in the car showroom with Landon. He really enjoyed climbing into all the vehicles, and we appreciated the cool indoors.



Our little chauffeur.


Hope he enjoyed it…that’s gonna be his chore in about 14 years!


After Alex was done riding TT, we all made our way to the WS. It wasn’t 11 o’clock yet, but we had an early lunch reservation at the Beach Club, and we wanted to take our sweet time getting there.

Because, well…I waddled and Landon has short legs.

Along the way, we stopped to buy an infamous cronut. We were curious to see what all the hub bub was about.




And Landon played around, of course.



My thought on the snack?

Meh.


I really did not see what the fuss was about, but then again I don’t like sweet breakfast foods so I was a bad choice to judge. To me, it was just a cinnamon sugary dough that was warmed up. However, I am glad that I gave it try and can mark that off my food bucket list.


My clan made it to the Beach Club early, so Alex and I took my mom to the lobby so she could explore a bit. She’d never seen it before, and it’s one of those resorts she dreams of staying at, so this was a great opportunity.

Alex, sitting in the nice air conditioning, in a comfy chair, took Landon’s lead and fell asleep:


Don’t they just look like father and son?


Our reservation for the day was at Beaches and Cream.


I had been CRAVING a sundae from the restaurant for a few weeks, which was yet another excuse to make the trip happen. With Landon, I craved apples…with Evie I wanted chocolate and hard boiled eggs. And what better chocolate than one drizzled over Disney ice cream?

I needed it back in my life.


But first…actual food.

Alex and I both ordered the grilled cheese sandwich without the soup that usually accompanies it. It was way too hot out for soup, plus I knew I’d fill up on a liquid and not be hungry for dessert had I gotten one.



The sandwich was really good, and it was the perfect size for a lunch. During our meal, Landon was being a bit of a bear. It was the only time of the trip that he really misbehaved, and I recall I was getting a little frazzled with his attitude. He was putting a major damper on my ice cream enjoyment, but it wasn’t the end of the world. My mom and I just figured the week and the heat were starting to catch up to him, and he just needed some down time at the resort to reset his nerves.


Plus, when his very own ice cream was served he magically lightened up.





And here was my beauty:



A work of art…

I loved it.

The Milky Way Sundae.


I could not finish it; although I did put a nice dent in it. My mom got the same thing as me, and Alex was the smartest one of the bunch as he ordered a basic sundae with mint ice cream and chocolate and peanut butter syrup. His was a lot more manageable of a size while still getting all the yummy flavors he desired.

Next time I go to Beaches, that’s the route I’m going to take.



After our meal, we went to the Beach Club bus stop, hopped on the first park bus that showed up, and waited for a Shades bus to take us back to the hotel.


My mom did laundry that afternoon while Alex’s parents came over for a visit. We all went to the pool so Landon could spend yet another day cruising down the kiddie slides.





And then that evening it was back to Epcot for dinner at Sunshine Seasons.

Alex and my mom had Fastpasses for Soarin’ that they used after our meal, and Landon and I hung out killing time by taking silly photos.




Alex really wanted to watch IllumiNations that night, since we never seem to work it into our schedule, so we all staked out a spot near the Baby Care Center and waited for the show to start. There was a Brazilian tour group in front of us that sang for 30 minutes straight, and Landon had a “protein spill” on the sidewalk.

Yikes!

Alex ran into the Baby Centre and told a Cast Member about, but it actually took someone a good 20 minutes to come out and clean it up. It put a damper on the nighttime show, because I was then freaking out thinking Landon had caught a stomach bug. We had gone through that madness back in November. I did not want a repeat.


(I’m sure most of you guys know the irony in this….)


Fortunately, he didn’t have a fever and he was acting normal. We eventually chalked it up to him just having too much sugar that day and being a kid. He didn’t get desserts or sweets at home, so a bowl full of ice cream was probably too much on his poor stomach.


Oops.


At least that was the extent of it.


And then:
Our final morning arrived way too soon. The week had truly flown by.


Alex actually left property that morning and went and volunteered at the Give Kids the World Village House. He was gone from about 10 to 1, delivering pizzas to guests’ rooms. He said it was an amazing experience; he wishes he could do it every trip.


My mom and I had an easy going morning. We swam with Landon at the pool for a little bit, packed up our suitcases, then went to the Polynesian for lunch. Landon finished out a nap in his stroller in the Poly lobby. I was extremely grateful for the new additions to the seating area, because I was able to sit on a couch, use the hotel wifi, and charge my phone in one of the lamp outlets. Very convenient.


Lunch over with, the three of us took the monorail to the Magic Kingdom. We wanted to stay for awhile, but a nasty rainstorm was headed in, so we didn’t make it past Starbucks. I was actually supposed to meet with Kathy, who was there on a girl’s trip, but I was too worried about the weather to risk going farther into the park.

My mom and I decided the smartest thing to do would be to go to Hollywood Studios, where we were meeting up with Alex, and stake out a dry spot to wait out the rain in.


We ended up under an overhang past Toy Story Mania. It wasn’t ideal, but we made due and eventually the bad weather moved on. Alex arrived later than he expected to, so I was a little perturbed with him. (That was mostly the heat and pregnancy talking.) I was worried we were going to miss our Fastpass window, which at the time was a hard to get item.

We were there during the Frozen Summer Fun craze, and I managed to snag passes for the Sing Along show. At the time, it was a big deal and near impossible to get into without a FP. Luckily, everything worked out and we made it into the theater.


Landon seemed to enjoy himself, and my mom thought the jokes were funny.
f1 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr




Once we were done with Frozen, we all went and saw the Disney Jr. Live show. It was such a success on our last visit, Alex and I were sure Landon would love it a second time.

f2 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr

He most definitely did.

A good choice in activities…


Except for the part where I had to get up off the floor.


Man oh man, what a sight.

Alex took my right arm, my mom took my left and they both kind of hefted me up, my big belly throwing me off balance. I’m sure I looked ridiculous, trying so hard to get up off the floor.

Note to self: If ever there again while pregnant, bite the bullet and go stand in the back. Getting stuck on the ground is not worth seeing your child’s smile…



My family all ate a simple dinner at ABC Commissary and then got in line to meet Buzz and Woody right before they closed the attraction for the night.

It was about a 20 minute wait, and the Cast Members working the line were really grumpy. They were trying to rush families through as quickly as possible, because obviously that was their last gig for the night. And while I get wanting to be finished with your shift (you should see me flying through the kids’ bathtime at night. I’m always silently willing the kids to fall asleep quickly so I can go downstairs and celebrate my few kid-free hours before bedtime.) However, being grouchy and short with guests is not the way to go about your business.


Thankfully, Buzz and Woody did not share their handler's impatience and took a ton of time with Landon and us. They let Landon point out their noses:
f3 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr



And took photos with just my mom and Landon and with all of us as a group:

f4 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flick



During our wait, Alex had texted his friend to let him know we were in Disney, and the guy managed to swing by after he got off work. We’d met Dan on our Disney Cruise and stayed in contact with him over the years. He has actually gone out of his way to visit us almost every time we’re at Walt Disney World. He saw us in the fall of 2012, the spring of 2014, and now in the summer of 2015.


The Frozen dance party was happening at the front of the park, so we met up with Dan and let Landon party his little behind off. My mom and I mostly manned the stroller while Alex and Dan caught up and watched Landon.

f5 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr



My son was having a blast shaking his tail feathers until…


He was in his own little world, one with the music, when out of nowhere Daisy Duck came up behind him and started joining in on his fun. Landon didn’t notice. Just kept rocking away…


Then he turned around and slammed right into Daisy’s stomach.


He got SO SCARED!


Out of nowhere this big duck appeared in his personal bubble and scared the bejeebus outta him.

We all felt bad, but we also all laughed our heads off.

Poor Daisy felt really bad and tried to give him a hug but Landon was having none of it. He came running over to me and grabbed onto my legs like they were a life preserver. Other adults were trying to be sweet and kept coming up to him telling him it was okay, but that just freaked him out even more.


It was very clear Landon was done with the dance party and Hollywood Studios.


I told Alex he could stay behind with Dan and watch the Frozen fireworks if he wanted or Dan could come back to Shades and check the place out, but he had to get up early for work the next morning, so we all said our goodbyes and went our separate ways.


My mom and I had been eyeballing a coconut flavored ice cream that was available at Shades’s coffee/snack station, but unfortunately when we got there they were all sold out. Bummer.


It was still fairly early in the night, but we all knew we had a long drive ahead of us the following morning, so we made it an early bedtime and hit the sack.


And just like that, yet another Disney trip was wrapped up.


We left out early the next morning and were back home by the afternoon.



All right! Stayed tuned, I should hopefully be starting my 2016 report in the next few days. I’ll be sure to post a link here when it’s up and ready to go!

Thank you again for reading and following along. It was so much fun to recount these fun trips.

 

[afwdwfan]

After Alex was done riding TT, we all made our way to the WS. It wasn’t 11 o’clock yet, but we had an early lunch reservation at the Beach Club, and we wanted to take our sweet time getting there.

Because, well…I waddled and Landon has short legs.

My thought on the snack?

Meh.


I really did not see what the fuss was about, but then again I don’t like sweet breakfast foods so I was a bad choice to judge. To me, it was just a cinnamon sugary dough that was warmed up. However, I am glad that I gave it try and can mark that off my food bucket list.

Makes me feel better to see others who have similar feelings about it. Maybe I'm not just weird.

At least not for my lack of cronut love.

Plus, when his very own ice cream was served he magically lightened up.

Every. Time.

Fortunately, he didn’t have a fever and he was acting normal. We eventually chalked it up to him just having too much sugar that day and being a kid. He didn’t get desserts or sweets at home, so a bowl full of ice cream was probably too much on his poor stomach.


Oops.

Hey, that's what vacations are for! I'm glad it didn't end up being a bug or something.

Except for the part where I had to get up off the floor.

That.

And I've never even been pregnant.

Then he turned around and slammed right into Daisy’s stomach.


He got SO SCARED!


Out of nowhere this big duck appeared in his personal bubble and scared the bejeebus outta him.

We all felt bad, but we also all laughed our heads off.

Poor Daisy felt really bad and tried to give him a hug but Landon was having none of it. He came running over to me and grabbed onto my legs like they were a life preserver. Other adults were trying to be sweet and kept coming up to him telling him it was okay, but that just freaked him out even more.


It was very clear Landon was done with the dance party and Hollywood Studios.

Aww... poor guy! It was nice of Daisy to try to give him a chance to dance and hang out with her. It's just too bad that he wasn't feeling it.

 

[Disneycampfan]

I'm ready for the next one! Can't wait to hear all about your adventures!

 

[vamassey1]

He really enjoyed climbing into all the vehicles, and we appreciated the cool indoors.

What boy doesn't enjoy "driving"! My oldest loved to drive when he was little.

Along the way, we stopped to buy an infamous cronut.

Haven't had this yet either. Danielle loves donuts so she would most likely love it.

Alex, sitting in the nice air conditioning, in a comfy chair, took Landon’s lead and fell asleep:

This is what makes the Disney resort lobbies so great.

And here was my beauty:

Now I really WANT ice cream.

And then that evening it was back to Epcot for dinner at Sunshine Seasons.

Favorite counter service in Epcot!

and Landon had a “protein spill” on the sidewalk.

Poor Baby!

At least that was the extent of it.

Good to hear.

Alex actually left property that morning and went and volunteered at the Give Kids the World Village House. He was gone from about 10 to 1, delivering pizzas to guests’ rooms. He said it was an amazing experience; he wishes he could do it every trip.

Thank you Alex for being great and doing this.

Landon seemed to enjoy himself, and my mom thought the jokes were funny.

We enjoyed this a lot more than we thought we would. Dennis even sang along.

Except for the part where I had to get up off the floor.

I'm sorry but this made me laugh.

Then he turned around and slammed right into Daisy’s stomach.


He got SO SCARED!

Laughing some more!

And just like that, yet another Disney trip was wrapped up.

They really do go by too fast.

 

[Grumpy's Wife]

The ice cream you had at Beaches and Creams looked so good. I'd love to try that.

Thanks for sharing your vacation with us. I look forward to reading along with your next one.

 

[natebenma]

Read through your July trip in one sitting. And now I have to get up. Not pregnant, but not easy when one is an old-timer, either.

Thanks for reporting about Shades of Green. I have friends who are considering staying there and I don't know a lot about the resort. I'll have her read about your experiences there. The splash area looked perfect for Landon (and grandma, too).

You had a nice start to the trip at DTD and then at MK. Peter Pan is a fantastic ride to start with and then it looks like It's a Small World just had a Small Line, after all.

Too bad the heat and the hormones were getting to you, but an hour of sitting and relaxing smack dab in the middle of Fantastyland doesn't suck!

How was Landon during Haunted?

Pinocchio's is a genius dining location, especially with a little one who loves Small World!

I understand about Landon's first haircut being bittersweet. But I'm glad it was done at Disney. When Ben had his first haircut, it was bye-bye to the cute little curl in his hair. forever. What a fun interaction with the Main Street performers afterwards, though! Priceless!

You are not wrong about how magical solo time at Disney is. I have been fortunate to spend many hours alone recently in the parks and as wonderful as a trip is with my kids or with my husband, alone time is pretty special!

Even if you were a bit lukewarm on 'Ohana, I bet everyone else enjoyed their meals.

That was very magical of the CM to include your mom at Dumbo!

What a precious moment you described during the Celebrate the Magic show. I can't even imagine how cute Landon is belting out Let it Go!

Sounds like your mom doesn't need any convincing about the attributes of a stay at the Beach Club, but if she or you ever need any info, I hope you know where to go...

I have had a few reservations at Beaches & Cream that have been cancelled for a variety of reasons. We had one a couple of weeks ago for our anniversary trip. Did we make it this time???

Sorry to hear about some of the headaches (and tummyaches) leading up to Illuminations. Did Landon like the show?

That is awesome that Alex volunteered for a bit at Give Kids the World. What an emotional time that must have been.

Cute interaction with Buzz and Woody, even though the CMs were more like Stinky Pete!

Finally, Landon got Daisy-bombed. That is hilarious! Poor guy.

Great report of your July trip!