We're Back, Baby...with a baby!? Baby's First Visit! July 2022 PTR *UPDATE 2/16

[emma212010]

I'm baaaaaaackkkkkk!!!! I have been away from the boards for far too long, aside from the sporadic "lurky" visits here and there. This is mostly due to the fact that I haven't been to Disney in WAY TOO LONG!!! I can't believe how long it's been since I've stepped foot on Disney property. I think the last time was August 2019 when I was in Orlando for a conference! My mom and I snuck away to the Villains After Hours event in MK for one of the evenings. My last proper Disney trip was December 2017 when I went for a quick trip between Christmas and New Years to visit my mom who lives in Florida.

Needless to say, IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME!!! Since my last few trips, I've gotten married and had a baby! So, things have been busy. Oh, yeah, and there's this whole pandemic thing going on year 3 that we're all dealing with! SO, with all that being said, let's talk about our trip!!!!!!!!

Oh, and if you're craving some "retro" TR reading, I have all of my previous ones linked in my signature!

The Cast:
Me-
Hi! I'm Emma, and I am a kindergarten teacher in New England, currently freezing my cheeks off. I am married to my high school sweetheart, and we just welcomed our first baby in March of 2021. I am the Disney nut of the family, while currently training my daughter to follow in my footsteps. However, I think I'm slowly convincing my DH who is taking small sips of the Kool Aid!

DH- My sweet hubby is the rock of our family. He works so hard to provide for our growing family! He's a sports guy and enjoys playing, watching, listening to, and talking about any type of sport. He also makes me laugh so much but has quite the dry and sarcastic sense of humor. Like I said, we are high school sweethearts and have truly grown up together! Our relationship has lasted 12 solid years, and this last year we were blessed with a little bundle of joy!

DD- My darling baby girl, M, was born in March of 2021 and turned our world upside down in the best way. She is the sweetest (not so little) baby, and we absolutely love her to pieces. It has been so much fun watching her grow, learn, and develop over the last 10+ months. She has been obsessed with the soundtrack to the Happily Ever After fireworks for months now, and it's on all the time at home! Luckily she seems to enjoy Enchantment, but I wish she could see HEA in person!! I am beyond excited to introduce her to the magic and my happy place!

Here is our most recent family picture from Christmas!


Oh, and a proposal pic from 2017 for good measure!
​

(really wish I had done a TR for this one! It was so good!)

SO, please keep your arms, legs, feet, and hands inside the vehicle, be sure to watch your kids, and ENJOY your ride (reading)! ​

 

[emma212010]

Table of Contents
The When
The Where​

 

[lvcourtneyy]

Following! M is so cute.

 

[emma212010]

Following! M is so cute.

Thank you so much! Welcome aboard!!

 

[rdkeim]

Following!

 

[emma212010]

The WHEN:

Ok, so let's talk details! Our plan is to fly down to MCO. We have done the drive a few times in the past, but it's a solid 24 hour trip, and with a baby, flying may be easier. NOT easy, but easiER! LOL (Currently searching for travel tips with a baby!) As a teacher, I have the summers available for travel, so we usually do any vacations during that time. I had also wanted to celebrate our anniversary while there as well since we weren't able to swing a Disneymoon like I had wanted to. SO, we booked our dates!!

July 10-July 17
8 days, 7 nights


I had wanted a solid length of time since we were traveling with a baby, but I also didn't want to make it too long. I feel like a week is a good amount of time to make the travel worth it financially as well as realistically! We all know that Disney math can tack on those extra nights!!

I'm also super excited because my mom lives in southern Florida, and she is planning on joining us for some of our trip! She is zuzu03 here on the boards! We haven't worked those dates out yet, but it will be so good to see her again and for her to see baby M in WDW!! I'm also hoping it falls over our anniversary (the 13th), so we can go out to dinner just the two of us for the first time since she was born!

SO, now I am currently looking up flights for us which is always my least favorite part of booking any vacation!

Stay tuned for the WHERE!!!​

 

[emma212010]

Following!

Yay!! So glad you're here!!

 

[beckyx3]

Following!

Ok, so let's talk details! Our plan is to fly down to MCO. We have done the drive a few times in the past, but it's a solid 24 hour trip, and with a baby, flying may be easier. NOT easy, but easiER! LOL (Currently searching for travel tips with a baby!) As a teacher, I have the summers available for travel, so we usually do any vacations during that time. I had also wanted to celebrate our anniversary while there as well since we weren't able to swing a Disneymoon like I had wanted to. SO, we booked our dates!!

Middle school teacher here! We’ll be there at the end of July.

We flew in 2019 with our then 5 month old. She cried and cried in the airport! I could feel every eye on us but when we got in the plane I nursed her for take off (I read that bottles and binkies do the trick! Anything they can suck on) and it worked well. She passed out and slept most of the time. We had a flight attendant who didn’t even realize she was there because she was so quiet

We drove from outside of Philly last summer and we delayed potty training so we didn’t have to stop even more than we already did. It was awful. I vowed never again but now our little guy is here and with Covid we can’t decide if we should fly or drive. Bought refundable tickets a few weeks ago so we can make a last minute call.

I love going with the little guys. It wasn’t nearly as stressful as people make it out to be. I‘m excited to read your plans!

 

[ZeeWP]

Sounds like so much fun! Good idea to avoid a road trip with a baby. It is way too much hassle IMO! I don't even know if I like it now that I have older kids (5 and 7).

 

[Woth2982]

Following! Fellow New Englander here! We have a 17 month old and traveled to Los Angeles and Orlando with her at 14 and 15 months. We flew, I have never made the drive, I do not have that kind of patience! My best tips for flying with a baby, bring some new toys she has not played with before. We have a Kindle Fire Kids we got for like $60 and I put some Minnie's Bow Toons episodes and a puppy game on it. My kid has no clue how to use the tablet, she likes to just hit the screen, but it keeps her entertained. We have ONLY given her the tablet on the plane. I know it is an added expense, but we bought her her own seat, and it was a GAME CHANGER. She sat near the window and given she was at a restless stage, having her strapped in was comforting. DH and I have decided if we cannot afford a seat on the plane for our kid, we cant afford the trip. Lastly, SNACKS! We had soooo many snacks. She loves puffs and Munchkins, does not understand the concept of drinking her water while the plane descends, so feeding her on the decent was key. She would eat then need a sip of her water. I also got some "Leashes" for her sippy cup and snack cup. They attach one end to the cup and another to whatever object you can strap it to, and when she throws or drops it, they do not hit the ground. I wanna say it was $10 and I swore my mom was going to say I wasted my money, but it was legit the best $10 I have ever spent! Mom agrees!

 

[emma212010]

Following!



Middle school teacher here! We’ll be there at the end of July.

We flew in 2019 with our then 5 month old. She cried and cried in the airport! I could feel every eye on us but when we got in the plane I nursed her for take off (I read that bottles and binkies do the trick! Anything they can suck on) and it worked well. She passed out and slept most of the time. We had a flight attendant who didn’t even realize she was there because she was so quiet

We drove from outside of Philly last summer and we delayed potty training so we didn’t have to stop even more than we already did. It was awful. I vowed never again but now our little guy is here and with Covid we can’t decide if we should fly or drive. Bought refundable tickets a few weeks ago so we can make a last minute call.

I love going with the little guys. It wasn’t nearly as stressful as people make it out to be. I‘m excited to read your plans!

Hi!! Welcome!!! That is so exciting!! Yay for summer trips!!

Oh, that sounds great! I'm really hoping M does well with the flight itself. Luckily it's a nonstop, so we don't have to worry about more than one take off and landing!! I am sooo excited to travel with her! I am constantly reading toddler travel tips!!

Sounds like so much fun! Good idea to avoid a road trip with a baby. It is way too much hassle IMO! I don't even know if I like it now that I have older kids (5 and 7).

Following! Fellow New Englander here! We have a 17 month old and traveled to Los Angeles and Orlando with her at 14 and 15 months. We flew, I have never made the drive, I do not have that kind of patience! My best tips for flying with a baby, bring some new toys she has not played with before. We have a Kindle Fire Kids we got for like $60 and I put some Minnie's Bow Toons episodes and a puppy game on it. My kid has no clue how to use the tablet, she likes to just hit the screen, but it keeps her entertained. We have ONLY given her the tablet on the plane. I know it is an added expense, but we bought her her own seat, and it was a GAME CHANGER. She sat near the window and given she was at a restless stage, having her strapped in was comforting. DH and I have decided if we cannot afford a seat on the plane for our kid, we cant afford the trip. Lastly, SNACKS! We had soooo many snacks. She loves puffs and Munchkins, does not understand the concept of drinking her water while the plane descends, so feeding her on the decent was key. She would eat then need a sip of her water. I also got some "Leashes" for her sippy cup and snack cup. They attach one end to the cup and another to whatever object you can strap it to, and when she throws or drops it, they do not hit the ground. I wanna say it was $10 and I swore my mom was going to say I wasted my money, but it was legit the best $10 I have ever spent! Mom agrees!

 

[emma212010]

Following!



Middle school teacher here! We’ll be there at the end of July.

We flew in 2019 with our then 5 month old. She cried and cried in the airport! I could feel every eye on us but when we got in the plane I nursed her for take off (I read that bottles and binkies do the trick! Anything they can suck on) and it worked well. She passed out and slept most of the time. We had a flight attendant who didn’t even realize she was there because she was so quiet

We drove from outside of Philly last summer and we delayed potty training so we didn’t have to stop even more than we already did. It was awful. I vowed never again but now our little guy is here and with Covid we can’t decide if we should fly or drive. Bought refundable tickets a few weeks ago so we can make a last minute call.

I love going with the little guys. It wasn’t nearly as stressful as people make it out to be. I‘m excited to read your plans!

Hi!! Welcome!!! That is so exciting!! Yay for summer trips!!

Oh, that sounds great! I'm really hoping M does well with the flight itself. Luckily it's a nonstop, so we don't have to worry about more than one take off and landing!! I am sooo excited to travel with her! I am constantly reading toddler travel tips!!

Sounds like so much fun! Good idea to avoid a road trip with a baby. It is way too much hassle IMO! I don't even know if I like it now that I have older kids (5 and 7).

Thanks!! I'm so excited!! And yes, I think a quick, 3 hour nonstop flight is wayyyy better than a 24+ hour road trip!! Maybe someday when she's MUCH older!! I teach 5&6 year olds, and I don't think I would want to take any of them on a long car ride either!!!! LOL!

Following! Fellow New Englander here! We have a 17 month old and traveled to Los Angeles and Orlando with her at 14 and 15 months. We flew, I have never made the drive, I do not have that kind of patience! My best tips for flying with a baby, bring some new toys she has not played with before. We have a Kindle Fire Kids we got for like $60 and I put some Minnie's Bow Toons episodes and a puppy game on it. My kid has no clue how to use the tablet, she likes to just hit the screen, but it keeps her entertained. We have ONLY given her the tablet on the plane. I know it is an added expense, but we bought her her own seat, and it was a GAME CHANGER. She sat near the window and given she was at a restless stage, having her strapped in was comforting. DH and I have decided if we cannot afford a seat on the plane for our kid, we cant afford the trip. Lastly, SNACKS! We had soooo many snacks. She loves puffs and Munchkins, does not understand the concept of drinking her water while the plane descends, so feeding her on the decent was key. She would eat then need a sip of her water. I also got some "Leashes" for her sippy cup and snack cup. They attach one end to the cup and another to whatever object you can strap it to, and when she throws or drops it, they do not hit the ground. I wanna say it was $10 and I swore my mom was going to say I wasted my money, but it was legit the best $10 I have ever spent! Mom agrees!

Yay! Hopefully you are staying warm!!! Thank you SO much for those tips!!! I appreciate it all!!!

 

[emma212010]

Hi!! I'm alive!! Our household got hit with COVID a couple of weeks ago, but we are all recovered and getting back to normal. Then, I came back to work (as a kindergarten teacher) on the 100th Day of School and THEN it was Valentine's Day!!! Talk about a couple of crazy weeks! Things are starting to slow down as we look ahead to our February break coming up next week. The good news is: lots of Disney planning happened while I was home sick with my baby girl!! I can't wait to share!!!

Here are some pics of the last few weeks to help with the text-heavy update!


The kindergarten teachers all dressed up as 100 year olds for the 100th Day of School!




Happy Valentine’s Day!!

Now, let's get back to the plans!

The WHERE:

The resort was actually a bit of a challenge to settle on. We LOVE Coronado and have stayed there a couple of times before. However, we wanted a second mode of transportation other than buses as we will be having our stroller. We also love Pop, and have stayed there most of all! Now that there's the skyliner, it was definitely high on our list. I had originally booked us at CBR for the skyliner access and a new-ish resort to check out for us, but after more consideration, we have landed on.....

ART OF ANIMATION!!!!


I am SO excited to stay there again, and I just know little M is going to LOVE the colorful characters!! We will be in the Little Mermaid rooms which I know is a bit of a hike to get to, but I'm still so happy to still be on the skyliner.

My mom has also booked at AoA in the LM rooms, so that will be sooo nice to have her close!!

We've also made some changes to the WHEN as well...as we were looking at pricing, we needed to trim back a little. Our new plan is still arriving on July 10th but we will fly out July 16th. Our park days have also changed a bit, but we'll get to that in a later update! ​

 

[emma212010]

​

 

[beckyx3]

Hi!! I'm alive!! Our household got hit with COVID a couple of weeks ago, but we are all recovered and getting back to normal.

Glad to hear you’re all well! That can’t be fun with a little one and then going back to school during such a hectic time! Sounds stressful!

We also love Pop, and have stayed there most of all!

We LOVE Pop! We used to stay almost every trip. Our last trip there was right before the skyliner opened but it seems so convenient. I love the ability to go back and forth between AoA and Pop for food or even buses. I hope M loves AoA!