We won Disney! Newbies survived their first toddler trip 2/20-2/25

[browneyedgirl1683]

I love reading these so I figured I'd try my hand.

This trip was meant to replace a summer one that we canceled because of Delta. That trip was our 10 day- deluxe stay dream trip. This one? Was not. We were only able to travel during President's week, so that meant moderate was in our budget. Which was fine. We love POFQ. But this was our first time traveling out of our tri state bubble since covid began, and our longest stay away from home with our toddler. Did we survive? Well I guess the title gave it away...

Cast of characters
Me- planner to the max. I literally plan everything I can. I love planning. I even planned out ways to carry a stroller and carseat on the plane.
Brown Eyed Husband (BEH)- not a planner. Loves Star Wars. Loves his family. Loves Mickey bars.
Brown Eyed Primary Schooler- doesn't like when I share about her, so let's just say she's between the ages of "costumed characters" aren't real, but princesses still are.
Brown-ish eyed Toddler- loves running around, loves Vampirina. Will only wear Vampirina. Could only get her on the plane by allowing her to wear her Vampirina jammies to the airport.

Week of the trip
I was a nervous wreck. I counted the hours until BEPS's school days ended, lest I got the dreaded "your child had been exposed to Covid" call. We kept BET home thank goodness, so no worrying about her getting pre-school virus-general-sick-ish. I work from home, and BEH stays in his office most of the time. I made sure I had enough masks, practiced mask wearing with the toddler, who is almost 2.5, and planned and re-planned the ride itineraries, and clothing lists.

Finally it was Saturday. We were within 24 hours of the trip. We did rapid tests, everyone was negative, and I was finally able to focus on the trip at hand.

Day of the Trip- equipment used or items brought? Car seat, strap for toddler's mask to make it go around her head. Lots and lots of snacks and stickers.

We woke up early Sunday morning. 3:30 am to be exact. We all got dressed, save for the toddler. We didn't know how to approach her, but knew no matter what we did she would probably not take it kindly. I was correct. She was so sleepy and so stressed. I still nurse her and wasn't able to nurse her until we got to the airport. We got to the airport and hit our first snag. Our terminal for leaving was changed, so we were arriving and departing from different locations. We parked the car for our Friday terminal and got the internal shuttle to our departing terminal. We checked in, but our toddler was just getting more and more worried about what was to come. We finally made it to our gate with a half hour to spare after being delayed at check in. BET kept trying to get me to leave, taking me by the hand and walking me to whatever looked like a door. Eventually I got her to calm down with a Bluey sticker book, and we boarded the plane. To her credit, she kept it together until we hit cruising altitude then cried a bit and slept. BEPS played on her Switch console, and watched TV. I managed to take a 20 minute nap. It was glorius.

We landed in MCO and heard from our Mears private rental. We figured with the early flight we woudn't do well on a bus transfer, so it was worth every penny. We finally made it to POFQ when I heard the following exchange:
BEPS:Hey brown eyed toddler, we are here! It's a kid's paradise!
BET: nononononono home? Home? HOOOOOME?

Toddler then tries to bolt from stroller.

We had planned to head to MK, but switched up our strategy as to calm her down. We headed to the playground. Kids know what playgrounds are. Its the same comfort I get when I see a Dunkin Donuts sign. I know I'll be OK. We played it out, got donuts, and our room was ready before 1pm.

Will stop here for now. Hope you all join me, as I love thinking back on all the details. It's like planning in reverse!

 

[browneyedgirl1683]

OK. Back to Sunday.
We enjoyed our beignets, did a mobile order for real food, and unpacked. We quickly realized stress #1 for traveling with a picky toddler. We did not have all her specific snacks. While everyone readied themselves for the pool, I pulled together an instacart order for things like goldfish snack bags, cheerios, and cheese sticks. We also added grapes and bananas, and detangler. I was so used to being close to home, or having a car on a trip, I forgot what it was like to truly take an immersive vacation. It was nice to still keep up that "vacation mode" while still getting what we needed.

We still debated going to MK or somewhere. I wanted to make the most of every moment, but also not push my crew too hard. We instead did dinner at the food court, then headed on the boats to Disney Springs. We joined our extended family for this. BET loved it. The music, lights, excitement all caught her attention. BEPS loved the shopping, and quickly added a Rapunzel nuimo to her plushy collection. It was really cute. She was the last nuimo on the shelf, so BEPS protected her with all her might. Meaning I think BET only got a glimpse of her all week. BET meanhile found a new violinist friend. She danced for 15 minutes straight at the live music outside of World of Disney. It was adorable. These are the moments I vacation for. This is what Disney is for me. Watching BET dance around with others her size because the moment took her. I then took BEPS around and I enjoyed every moment of her observations and chatter. I know it won't last forever. We crossed off the most important thing on my list: taking family photos. BET was amazed at how we suddenly magically appeared in front of the Madrigal Family house. Another gorgeous boat ride back (seriously, could do that ride just for fun) and we all collapsed into bed. I don't even think we brushed our teeth, we were so tired. Does wishing you did count?

Day 2
Animal Kingdom: LL- Safari; ILL- FOP. Equipment brought- stroller, SNACKS and cheerios in a silicone pouch, a nursing cover, spare random Disney pins bought off EBay.

This was our first time using Genie Plus. I never sleep on vacations, but that doesn't mean I want think or plan first thing in the morning. I would have preferred cuddling in bed with my kiddos next to me. But alas. We secured some passes for rides, and got ready for the day. I made sure to have plenty of goldfish, and cheerios, which is my child's preferred stroller snack.

We had a quick breakfast of beignets and Mickey waffles, and headed to AK, getting there at 9:30. I made a choice this trip to fully invest in Disney Lore. We headed to Dinoland because I knew the non-riding kids (mine) would love the boneyard, and the while the ride loving extended family could ride Dinosaur. Dinosaur was a prime example of my desire to invest. I marveled at the advances of the institute and shared the backstory with the non-Disney fam. We waited about 35 minutes, 10 minutes shorter than the posted wait time. The line mostly moved the whole time until we got into museum room. We survived our trek through time, and met up with everyone else. I crossed pin trading off my list. I used the spare bag so all the littles in my group could pick and trade as well. For $10.00 everyone got to enjoy, so it was worth it to me.

We selected our mobile order, Flame Tree BBQ, and headed to the safari. BET loved it. I felt a little sorry for the family in front of us, as BET burst into song with every bump of the truck. She takes "if you are happy and you know it" very seriously. If she's happy, she absolutely will belt that out. Everyone was thrilled with the animals. We didn't even mind being held up by zebras crossing in front, as it made it feel totally authentic, and added to the immersion.

Our first hiccup of the day was our stroller hunt- it took a bit of time to find our nondescript stroller among the other ones. And this was after I affixed these glow in the dark pink stars to help us find it in a crowd. If we were in a balloon selling park I would have gladly bought one for stroller finding purposes.

But stroller found, we headed to Flame Tree. I got the plant based entree and it was pretty good. BET enjoyed the live music, and danced with the castmembers trying to keep up with table clearing. That kid is full of pixie dust, and is ready to sprinkle the world! Some of the larger group went back to the hotel, while the rest of us headed to Pandora.

FOP lived up to it's expectations. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would, but really went on it because it was BEPS's choice. While were nervous about what to expect , we settled in as the ride went on. BEPS literally shouted with glee by the end. She was so proud she did it.

We headed back to the room, and got LL's for Epcot rides. After a bit of a break, we headed to Epcot. Most of the family did Mission: Space, while BET enjoyed the flowers, planets, and Epcot atomosphere. She was delighted. After Mission space we all got food at Sunshine Seasons. I got the kid's salmon. I always get a kick out of ordering kids meals, especially when they are the perfect portion. It was good enough, and I swapped some rice with greenbeans from the other kids meals. I love when their plates on vacation look more like what I'd serve at home. It's great when it's not all fries and nuggets.

At this point BET was actually asking for the bus, and this is a kid who can stay up to 11 if you let her. We skipped the Spaceship Earth LL I secured, and got home. BET and I washed off all of Epcot and AK, while BEPS and BEH hit the arcade. BEPS tried to get me to swim but I have a firm rule about only swimming when it's 75F or up. We collapsed again, ready to target more LL's the next day.

 

[browneyedgirl1683]

Onto Day 3
Epcot- equipment: sunglasses for the toddler, Cheerios! Stroller hooks for shopping, diapers and nursing cover

We woke up knowing that the day would be a bit easier. We secured our LL for Spaceship Earth (ok not the most competitive but no one wanted to ride test track after all), then I grabbed for Nemo when we got on Spaceship Earth. Everyone enjoyed Spaceship Earth. BET was enchanted, and BEPS thought it was so beautiful. Songs sung were The Wheels on the Bus, inspired by the NASA scene.

We visited marine life. BET would have stayed the whole day if you let her. She and I then did Nemo. By that time the ride line was decently long, so I was glad for the LL. I think Frozen might have been down. We visited the fountains by Journey into the Imagination. I would have loved to take BET but at that point we we had world showcase on our minds. Our goal was to get to Japan, which was BEPS's choice for the day. BEPS loves Kawaii culture and she was determined to spend all her souvenir money, future souvenir money, money from grandparents and money she could earn on a later date at Mitsukoshi. Aaaaaaaaaand she did. Highlites include the craft project candy box things, a Sailer Moon plushy, and some Pokémon toys. We then spent a good 15 minutes at least at the art exhibit while BEPS got some inspiration for her bedroom.

We wandered a bit but Kakigori was calling us (and sushi was calling me).
We lined up before the line got too long. It was delicious and cooling after the spicy tuna roll. I had cherry and it tasted like muddled cherries. Perfect and not too sweet. BEPS got rainbow, and the melon was so bright. We ended up trading halfway, so more flavors for me BET was asleep at this point. I debated trying to save her some but I had a sneaking suspicion it would not last.

We opted to walk back at that point. It was getting hot and we wanted to hit the pool. BET did wake up and in a MOOD. I took her to the babycare center but she panicked. It looked a bit clinical (didn't help that we walked into first aid by mistake first). I quickly changed her and tried to nurse her but she just became more and more anxious. We ended up at the Epcot Experience room to give a snack, nurse her, and head to the bus.

So far we checked off family rides, family photos, park popsicles, fancy Epcot snacks, shopping, mutiple LLs in one day, and we were about to check off another on my extremely random must-do on my list. We rode a wrapped bus. Yes, I know. Probably not that exciting. But this was a Hawkeye Bus! I quote him constantly. I was ecstatic.

The pool at POFQ was perfect for the kids. As short as their slide is, every single kid told their parents it was awesome. My kiddo went down at least 5x. Heck, even I did. The kids splash area was excellent. Both girls were able to play together. This was time well spent. BEPS actually prefers pool time to park time because Disney pools are so special, so I'm glad she had fun.

Then it was time to dry off and head for Epcot for dinner. The greater group ate at the Italy pavilion at a table service while BET and I got quick service hot dogs and dole whip. Yes my dinner was dole whip. But I got rice cream from
or dessert, so that's well rounded right there. BET loved her hot dog but seemed puzzled by the dole whip. It wasn't ices. It wasn't ice cream. Yet mommy had hers in a cone. She wouldn't let me eat hers, but she didn't eat it herself. Finally she let my husband finish it.

We left before the fireworks started and our bus luck continued. I guess they started the added tour style busses in anticipation of crowds. We got on and BET actually sat the whole time.

We showered and got ready for bed, with Disney Jr on. I managed to get BEPS to do some homework (which anything done at Disney should count for double...) and we headed for bed. Alarms were set. Mickey wake up calls were entered. We were finally going for it. It was almost time to attempt to secure Rise.

 

[MinnieFan4ever]

Sounds like a great vacation!

 

[browneyedgirl1683]

Day 4:
Hollywood Studios- equpiment used: stroller, misting fan and cooling towel (BEH's souvenirs), goldfish crackers, bottles and bottles of water.

This was the day. This day was what I had mentally been practicing for. I was actually pretty confident going in because we had used Genie + all this time. Alas. Disney tech caught up with us. We woke up our usual way. I didn't mention it before but this was my basic routine to prep for our days. I got up around 6:00 am and just worked one need at a time. First I washed out our refillable mugs with travel camping dish soap, as well as wiped down the stroller, then filled up snack bags and packed up water. Then I packed fresh masks for everyone. We all wore ours on the bus except for BET who did try... a bit. BEPS also wores hers on rides, and we wore ours in crowded stores. Then I set a wakeup call from Mickey for the toddler, so she could have her daily chats, and got dressed.

BEH woke up at 6:45 and we opened up the MDE app. We planned to get MMRR for BEPS, TSMM for me, Rise for BEH and do the Vampirina Meet and Greet for BET. BET loves her. BET will only wear Vampirina clothing right now. She calls her "Tina". Well BET slept until 7, but we were still able to get going. My app froze right away. That was new and unfortuante. BEH was able to get a selection but it froze as he hit purchase. I restarted my phone and was able to get an afternoon MMRR and an 11 am TSMM. So far that worked out, but we missed out on the early drop of Rise. BEH was dissapointed but not surprised. We knew it was likely that there would be some kind of tech issue. He resigned to go without the ride, but I kept trying. at 7:30 I noticed more slots opened up and was happy to surprise him with a 3pm ride. With new motivation, we got out the door, got breakfast, and headed to the park.

We got in around 9:30, which was perfect. We use the "go to the left" strategy" for all parks, and it worked here. The kids got Mickey stickers, BET held on to hers for dear life. We booked a dining slot at Docking Bay 7, watched Chip and Dale play in the grass with their acorns, and got in line for Vampirina.

To say this meet and greet was a hit was an understatement. BET was in shock. She was thrilled. BEH had to take her around twice, as she wanted to keep chatting and staring and waving. Pluto also met there, but nope. Only wanted her Tina. Character meet and greets? Adorable charater interactions? Cross those off the list!

We then headed towards Toy Story Land to do TSMM. I have to admit that watching all the videos on Disney Parks paid off. We had only been to Disney a few years back for a quick trip. We didn't really do much, we didn't know anything about fast-passes and we barely had scratched the surface. Here we felt at ease going around, and I hardly even checked a map. We used the awesome themed restrooms, and we headed to the lightening lane.

This ride was a major hit. I played with BEPS, who really loved the ride. She was nervous at first when she realized it the ride car would spin around, but as soon as the ride got started she was completely invested. She was amazed at the details on the ride, and all over the land. On our brief trip in 2019, before we were really invested in Disney lore and culture, BEPS was a total ride skeptic. She did not buy into the idea that we had "shrunk", and didn't understand why the characters she loved were bigger than her. Now she totally bought in, and was open to playing around. BET was just happy we together and couldn't stop smiling. We left the que feeling like we were winning the day. We toasted our success with milkshakes and frozen lemonade from Dockside Diner. Not the greatest milkshake but we were able to split both treats up, and it was still special to have a milkshake before lunch. I will say drinking from a paper straw was not ideal. Next time I'll bring my own.

After that it was time for MMRR. We lined up and were immediately enchanted by the ride. We didn't know where to look first. I'm sure I could ride it another five times and still miss more adorable details. BEPS loved it, and couldn't stop talking about it. She was still in shock that we got on such a new and popular ride. She still asking to go back in a few years so we can ride again. BET was happy that she got to sit next to mommy and daddy this time, and waved at every character.

We took a minute to center ourselves, as we were a bit early for lunch. I grabbed LL's for Alien Swirling Saucer, then we headed to Galaxey's Edge.

I'm not the biggest Star Wars fan. BEH is. But we enjoyed food at Docking Bay 7. Their plant based entree was one of the most filling I had at Disney. Everyone else ordered the chicken, and the kids gladly shared their broccoli with me I did wish I had more veggies to dip in the sauce. We wandered around, and BEPS decided her souvenir of choice was going to be a lightsaber. We decided to head to Tattoine to build some kids ones while BEH was on Rise. This turned out to be awesome--- except that these toys give V-Tech toys a run for their money with their loud and long sound effects. I noted to pack these in our carryons. We also got Mickey ice cream. Apparently, BET likes to eat hers the short way, vs holding it like a sandwich. She does her own thing always. BEH came back from Rise and I was so excited that he got the full experience. I was worried it would have difficulties or something. We caught the Pixar cavalcade, and then got the bus back to the hotel.

BET was content watching Disney Jr, so BEPS and I hit the pool. I loved having special pool time with her. I know she loved it too because she kept finding reasons to come by and give me super soaking hugs. She showed me all the swimming skills she learned, and even got me on the water slide. Although it was hot in the sun, the sun dissappeared behind some clouds at this point. It was actually kind of cool. We shivered our way around the pool, and made sure to try off before going back to the room. Then we headed off to the quick service for dinner.

Although we are admittingly NY Pizza snobs (BEPS actually complained that Via Napoli wasn't as good as NYC pizza) we had a soft spot for Disney quick service pizza. Maybe it was the Mickey on the box? Or that the price was actualy not atrocious? BEPS was sill hungry so we got her a kid's meal, and she ordered it all on her own. Disney was bringing out the big kid in her. We also splurged on a 50th anniversary cheesecake. It wasn't bad, but I didn't realize it was berry flavored. Kind of reminded me greek yogurt? Cross special 50th snacks off our list, though. We were rockin that thing.

We watched Disney XD for BEPS while I got BET ready for bed, and then we all tried to get some sleep for our last park day. We had a goal to do early hours at Magic Kingdom. We were ready.

 

[browneyedgirl1683]

Sounds like a great vacation!

It really was. Although I'm a bit sad to be home, we left feeling content.

 

[WDWNan]

Love reading about your adventures! Thanks for sharing!

 

[champ121523]

Day 4:
Hollywood Studios- equpiment used: stroller, misting fan and cooling towel (BEH's souvenirs), goldfish crackers, bottles and bottles of water.

This was the day. This day was what I had mentally been practicing for. I was actually pretty confident going in because we had used Genie + all this time. Alas. Disney tech caught up with us. We woke up our usual way. I didn't mention it before but this was my basic routine to prep for our days. I got up around 6:00 am and just worked one need at a time. First I washed out our refillable mugs with travel camping dish soap, as well as wiped down the stroller, then filled up snack bags and packed up water. Then I packed fresh masks for everyone. We all wore ours on the bus except for BET who did try... a bit. BEPS also wores hers on rides, and we wore ours in crowded stores. Then I set a wakeup call from Mickey for the toddler, so she could have her daily chats, and got dressed.

BEH woke up at 6:45 and we opened up the MDE app. We planned to get MMRR for BEPS, TSMM for me, Rise for BEH and do the Vampirina Meet and Greet for BET. BET loves her. BET will only wear Vampirina clothing right now. She calls her "Tina". Well BET slept until 7, but we were still able to get going. My app froze right away. That was new and unfortuante. BEH was able to get a selection but it froze as he hit purchase. I restarted my phone and was able to get an afternoon MMRR and an 11 am TSMM. So far that worked out, but we missed out on the early drop of Rise. BEH was dissapointed but not surprised. We knew it was likely that there would be some kind of tech issue. He resigned to go without the ride, but I kept trying. at 7:30 I noticed more slots opened up and was happy to surprise him with a 3pm ride. With new motivation, we got out the door, got breakfast, and headed to the park.

We got in around 9:30, which was perfect. We use the "go to the left" strategy" for all parks, and it worked here. The kids got Mickey stickers, BET held on to hers for dear life. We booked a dining slot at Docking Bay 7, watched Chip and Dale play in the grass with their acorns, and got in line for Vampirina.

To say this meet and greet was a hit was an understatement. BET was in shock. She was thrilled. BEH had to take her around twice, as she wanted to keep chatting and staring and waving. Pluto also met there, but nope. Only wanted her Tina. Character meet and greets? Adorable charater interactions? Cross those off the list!

We then headed towards Toy Story Land to do TSMM. I have to admit that watching all the videos on Disney Parks paid off. We had only been to Disney a few years back for a quick trip. We didn't really do much, we didn't know anything about fast-passes and we barely had scratched the surface. Here we felt at ease going around, and I hardly even checked a map. We used the awesome themed restrooms, and we headed to the lightening lane.

This ride was a major hit. I played with BEPS, who really loved the ride. She was nervous at first when she realized it the ride car would spin around, but as soon as the ride got started she was completely invested. She was amazed at the details on the ride, and all over the land. On our brief trip in 2019, before we were really invested in Disney lore and culture, BEPS was a total ride skeptic. She did not buy into the idea that we had "shrunk", and didn't understand why the characters she loved were bigger than her. Now she totally bought in, and was open to playing around. BET was just happy we together and couldn't stop smiling. We left the que feeling like we were winning the day. We toasted our success with milkshakes and frozen lemonade from Dockside Diner. Not the greatest milkshake but we were able to split both treats up, and it was still special to have a milkshake before lunch. I will say drinking from a paper straw was not ideal. Next time I'll bring my own.

After that it was time for MMRR. We lined up and were immediately enchanted by the ride. We didn't know where to look first. I'm sure I could ride it another five times and still miss more adorable details. BEPS loved it, and couldn't stop talking about it. She was still in shock that we got on such a new and popular ride. She still asking to go back in a few years so we can ride again. BET was happy that she got to sit next to mommy and daddy this time, and waved at every character.

We took a minute to center ourselves, as we were a bit early for lunch. I grabbed LL's for Alien Swirling Saucer, then we headed to Galaxey's Edge.

I'm not the biggest Star Wars fan. BEH is. But we enjoyed food at Docking Bay 7. Their plant based entree was one of the most filling I had at Disney. Everyone else ordered the chicken, and the kids gladly shared their broccoli with me I did wish I had more veggies to dip in the sauce. We wandered around, and BEPS decided her souvenir of choice was going to be a lightsaber. We decided to head to Tattoine to build some kids ones while BEH was on Rise. This turned out to be awesome--- except that these toys give V-Tech toys a run for their money with their loud and long sound effects. I noted to pack these in our carryons. We also got Mickey ice cream. Apparently, BET likes to eat hers the short way, vs holding it like a sandwich. She does her own thing always. BEH came back from Rise and I was so excited that he got the full experience. I was worried it would have difficulties or something. We caught the Pixar cavalcade, and then got the bus back to the hotel.

BET was content watching Disney Jr, so BEPS and I hit the pool. I loved having special pool time with her. I know she loved it too because she kept finding reasons to come by and give me super soaking hugs. She showed me all the swimming skills she learned, and even got me on the water slide. Although it was hot in the sun, the sun dissappeared behind some clouds at this point. It was actually kind of cool. We shivered our way around the pool, and made sure to try off before going back to the room. Then we headed off to the quick service for dinner.

Although we are admittingly NY Pizza snobs (BEPS actually complained that Via Napoli wasn't as good as NYC pizza) we had a soft spot for Disney quick service pizza. Maybe it was the Mickey on the box? Or that the price was actualy not atrocious? BEPS was sill hungry so we got her a kid's meal, and she ordered it all on her own. Disney was bringing out the big kid in her. We also splurged on a 50th anniversary cheesecake. It wasn't bad, but I didn't realize it was berry flavored. Kind of reminded me greek yogurt? Cross special 50th snacks off our list, though. We were rockin that thing.

We watched Disney XD for BEPS while I got BET ready for bed, and then we all tried to get some sleep for our last park day. We had a goal to do early hours at Magic Kingdom. We were ready.

Thank you for the information about the tech issues. I am trying to learn and we really want to do all things Star Wars!

 

[browneyedgirl1683]

Day 5
The biggest day saved for last. Magic Kingdom: equipment- spray mist fan, diaper bag, bubbles

We put everything we had into creating a perfect day at MK. We secured LL for Jungle Cruise at noon. We got Ills for Space Mountain, and I managed to get a 7DMT for 1:50 by checking the tip board on the way. Refresh is your friend! We had a breakfast reservation for Chef Mickey at 10 am. This meant we could snack on what we had in the room (saved strawberry yogurt drinks from other kids meals, fruit, and cheerios). We continued our good bus luck, and got that sweet spot where they sent additional busses to get people to the parks. We got on a tour bus, snuggled us 3 across and stayed to the left. We got to early hours, and split up. BEH did the people mover 2x, we did the Mad Tea Party 2x, and got a Cheshire Cat tail split three ways (delicious).

We grabbed the monorail to get to the Contemporary (cross that off the list. Cross the cat tail off the list). We sat in the back, facing the castle. If we weren't doing a character meal, the view would have been perfect. But we kept turning around to say hi to all the characters. BET was delighted as much with the whipped cream on her food as she was with Mickey I guess she appreciated his cooking. The character handlers kept asking her to turn for a pic, but she was content to just wave. I was able to get a platter of breakfast without any breakfast meat items, and they even made a potato casserole without bacon. So that was delicious (annnnnd I didn't have to share). Always ask, you never know what you'll end up with. The kids loved all their food.

We were able to pick new LLs at 11, so we got one for a princess meet and greet. We finished up breakfast, but were so eager to continue with the day that we forgot to collect our post-cards. Oh well. I did Space, which was fun. Everyone in my group laughed and cheered, which made for an enjoyable ride.

While I did Space Mountain, the rest of the fam met Rapunzel. She's our favorite. We then met up and headed across the park through the hub (terms I didn't know before watching youtubers) to get onto Jungle Cruise. This was my first time on that side of the park, let alone on the ride. It was just as I imagined it would be, corny jokes and all. I'm also probably among a small minority of people nursing a toddler on the ride. Good times but at least she was calm. While waiting to board our adventure cruise we nabbed another LL for a 2nd princess meet and greet. BEH got his Dole Whip after the ride finished, while BET took a nap. Cross that off his list. This time I stayed outside by Sir Mickeys. Unforutnately, BET woke up while we waited (very short nap) but I had my secret weapon. Bubbles. We blew bubbles I kept in my diaper bag. BET perked up instantly.

After meeting up and hitting the Rapunzel bathrooms (cross that off the list) I did 7DMT. The rest of the fam reported to Cosmic Rays for our mobile order lunch. BEH got the featured hamburger (something about Mars), so cross that off his list. I got the plant based burger, and I think the kids got chicken nuggets but they were already done by the time I finished the coaster. We had more spontaneous dancing with Ray from BET. She loved the animatronic. Our last ride was Mad Tea Party once more. This was the hit of the day. Not such a long line, outdoor que, fun to watch as it is to ride.

We ended our stay at the parks with a trip to the confectionary. We picked out several treats for the ride home the next day, and some cookies for teachers. On our way Mickey appeard on the train station balcony, so the kids got to wave goodbye. This was a magical way to end our trip. We left feeling like we VACATIONED.

We finished packing up, and got one last dinner at Sassagula Floatworks. I got a last batch of mac n cheese, the kids shared pizza. We got our last rounds of soda. I treated myself to an ice cream cookie sandwich. Then the kids watched some of the movie on the lawn while I packed. It was a truly magical day.

 

[browneyedgirl1683]

Travel day home... boooo.
MCO-JFK- equipment- cups from the room to contain snacks. Bluey figures finally found at the airport shop in Terminal B. Car Seat.

We woke up at 7:10 so we could intentionally "sleep in" on the vacation. No genie plusses today, but I couldn't help look at the tip board anyway. I packed the kids toys, got everyone dressed. Sort of. Toddler was in a MOOOOOD that even her daily chat with the Mickey wakeup call couldn't fix. So we let her go to MCO in her "Rina" nightgown. At least she was comfortable. It wasn't worth the fight. We had to be picked up at 8:30, so time was of the essence. We had a private van picking us up again. We ordered "special" breakfast items. I got a danish, kids got waffles, and I tried with the coffee machine to get 50th anniversary coffee. We got out the door, and took last minute pics of the beautiful grounds. I soaked in the last few minutes of warmth and sunshine. Sigh. It was going to be hard to go back to winter again.

We got to MCO and hit our last snag. Literally. Our carseat got caught in the X-ray machine. Do not believe the security staff when they say it can fit. It can't. It didn't. It caused delays. It was not a fun time. And we had pre-check. I'm sure we are the topic of someone's rant right now. We tried to get them to look over the seat manually, but alas. Now they learned, but I was also a bit afraid our seat might have gotten broken. We needed it.

We dashed around to our gate and settled the kids by the window. We bought lunchables for them to snack on, as we knew they would be hungry on the plane. We lined up to board annnnnnddddd
nothing. Delays. This was our worst fear. At this point, our stroller was checked, so we basically had to keep chasing after BET to keep her close. Eventually we got to board, I set up the carseat, and turned the entertainment screen to Curious George. BET is funny. She doesn't care if there is no sound. She just babbled along to George. You could hear her "oh no! Oy a yoy!" a mile a way. We took off and headed to NY in 2 short (or long if you have a toddler to contain) hours. We then landed, collected our luggage, and poof. The magic was over.

Last thoughts.

Hotel: I loved POFQ. While I do hope to stay at a deluxe one day, it's not because I think their rooms or theming is superior. POFQ was exactly what we needed, if not more. It's because BET was tough to contain on the busses, and being able to walk to a park would be a bit easier for us. Otherwise it was beautiful, and I would stay again in a heartbeat.

Toddler trip: I now know that I have to really think about things from BET's perspective. She's not thinking "hey. new is great." She's thinking "what the heck? Where am I?" and that was scary. Her sister was more adventurous, so we weren't used to this. But then again, her sister wasn't a covid-Pause-order baby.

Genie +: Not the best fit for a family that has mixed ride interests. I'm sure there's a better way to maximize it. But we got out of it what we needed.

I know the next time we go our kids will be older. Our challenges will change. I'm glad we had these moments. For me, Disney is about cherishing the little things. The silly toppings on a burger. The spontanous dancing. Finding hidden Mickeys. Bonding over all those. That's what I will keep with me.

Lastly-- on my Animal Kingdom day I had a tough time with BET on the bus. A kind stranger sprinkled me with pixie dust, and got me ice cream when she saw me crying. Thank you, whomever you are! Your kindness truly made my day. I will pay it forward!

 

[RedHead77429]

Excellent detailed report!! Great reminder to go with the flow and taking a child’s perspective into account as they are what matters most. Thanks again!!

 

[bravenyc]

I loved your trip report. It brought back fond memories of my first trip with my kids (when they were 2 and 5). It sounds like you guys had a great time. I especially love how you understood that BET was anxious in those moments and how you were able to focus on enjoying the small moments and following your kids' lead. I think I pushed my two a little too hard on our first trip. Each trip I get a little better at the balance. We are also in NYC. Wish we were closer and could visit more often.

 

[btweety04]

Great trip report! We will be in similar shoes with an antsy toddler at the end of April and I'm hoping we can keep him happy and occupied.