Why, My Little Guppy Has Groupies! - A Dec. 2013 TR *Completed

[DisneyKid4Life]

I have to admit Alicia, as much as I adore Wishes, the waiting for Illuminations and the peacefulness it brings is truly unique. This was also the night I was sitting in a boat docked in World Showcase lagoon.

Your summation of Landon and Alex enjoying those moments, just beautiful.

Gah, your whole final night just sounds so perfect.

"the temperature has been around 66 degrees". Maybe where you are, lol. It was boiling in Disney

Awww there's a real sweetness with your mom getting teary. And yeah, I get it.

Final ride on Peter Pan with CM pixie dust sprinkled on top. Perfect.

There was definitely something extra in the air last December that made leaving that much harder. I couldn't agree more.

 

[Dugette]

Wow, it was warmer today in Minnesota than in Florida?! It was in the ‘70’s and supposed to be about 80 this weekend.

Glad you got a little more Magic Kingdom time in before leaving.

Yeah, Izzy didn’t mind the Haunted Mansion or the Stretching Room at all on the Dec. 2013 trip (14.5 months). We haven’t done it since, though. I wanted to, but just didn’t have time – plus, as you said, I wasn’t sure how she would react to it now. I figured she’d like the singing and such, though. Not sure when we’ll go again.

Aw, Landon looks so cute waiting for his lunch!

Yum, good call on using your quick-service credits at Be Our Guest. I hadn’t even though about how that was a dining plan QS – what a deal!

Glad they were flexible with your Fast Passes!

Looks like Landon liked the ice cream. He almost looks like, “WHAT just happened in my mouth?! And could we do it again?”

Ah, you beat me to the Dec. 2013 finish line!! Nice work!

 

[MEK]

Wonderful ending to your trip report. You really captured that ambivalent feeling everyone gets when they leave. You're happy because you've had a great trip, but sad because its feels like such a long time until you are going to return. *sigh*

That pic of you and Landon in the bathroom is just TOO cute.

Glad that Alex got his trade in before you left.

That turkey sandwich looks so great! Love it!

How great that your mom really enjoyed her trip and how nice that you could load her car down with some of your belonging.

And What???? 66 degrees in Florida?????

 

[Joyciemc]

Alicia, I read your whole report yesterday and enjoyed it so much! Landon is adorable, and deserves his groupies!

While traveling with a baby dis sound different, it seems to have been well worth it!

 

[blabbermouth]

Great last chapter It's so nice to get a little bit of park time on leaving day. I've never got to experience that being from the west coast as it pretty much takes a whole day to get home

I can't wait to see some updated pics of Landon and how he's changed! I like to think I still look the same as I looked in my first TR, but kids change much faster than we do

I'm really on the fence about BOG, it seems like way too much work now, but everyone likes it so much! Have you been back since?

 

[khertz]

What a great TR, Alicia! It's so fun to watch Disney through a baby's eyes. Reading this TR brought back so many memories of Paxton's first trip, and what a special and amazing trip that was. There is just nothing like a baby's first trip!

 

[Marsheliz]

Aww Alicia! What a sweet little morning you guys had!

My Landen wasn't a fan of the Haunted Mansion either but Lawson loves it.

I am so glad you enjoyed BOG. We are going to HAVE to make that a priority on our next trip. I could never get a FP for it but I have heard normally the wait isn't too terrible.

Departure Day is always sad. I always cry. The vacation takes FOREVER to get here and when it finally does, it's just gone, like that. The only place on earth that once you go under that heavenly arch, your cares seem like miles away.. You get to forget reality, even for just a few days...

I even miss the purple signs.

 

[UGAFan0829]

Y'all are a lot like us in that we normally try and delay our departure from Disney property for as long as possible!

I absolutely love that y'all spent the morning in MK...I honestly don't think it can get any better than that.

I'm thrilled that you were able to get in a BoG and even more glad to hear that you loved it. We were super lucky and got to eat there too, but have been reading that lots of people don't like it and think it's overrated. Not me though!

I also learned about a totally new person thanks to you--I'd never heard of Scoops before. Of course I don't pin trade either, but still. How cool that both you and Alex were able to trade with him!

You will get absolutely no judging from me for stopping for some ice cream. I mean there is just too much food and snackage to partake in, in Disney, so why not!?

I adore the selfie of you and Landon...he looks totally comfy in his carrier! I bet that has to be handy to have!

BTW, is that ticker new? I don't remember seeing it before! How super duper exciting!!!

 

[amazingact21]

I have to admit Alicia, as much as I adore Wishes, the waiting for Illuminations and the peacefulness it brings is truly unique. This was also the night I was sitting in a boat docked in World Showcase lagoon.

Your summation of Landon and Alex enjoying those moments, just beautiful.

Gah, your whole final night just sounds so perfect.

"the temperature has been around 66 degrees". Maybe where you are, lol. It was boiling in Disney

Awww there's a real sweetness with your mom getting teary. And yeah, I get it.

Final ride on Peter Pan with CM pixie dust sprinkled on top. Perfect.

There was definitely something extra in the air last December that made leaving that much harder. I couldn't agree more.

I'm sorry it was still so hot in Central FL last week. While only 6 hours away, we actually live a significant distance from WDW as far as weather patterns go. So we tend to get colder weather sooner.


It was very difficult to leave Disney that December. Not as hard as you had it, but yeah, definitely sad.

Wow, it was warmer today in Minnesota than in Florida?! It was in the ‘70’s and supposed to be about 80 this weekend.

Glad you got a little more Magic Kingdom time in before leaving.

Yeah, Izzy didn’t mind the Haunted Mansion or the Stretching Room at all on the Dec. 2013 trip (14.5 months). We haven’t done it since, though. I wanted to, but just didn’t have time – plus, as you said, I wasn’t sure how she would react to it now. I figured she’d like the singing and such, though. Not sure when we’ll go again.

Aw, Landon looks so cute waiting for his lunch!

Yum, good call on using your quick-service credits at Be Our Guest. I hadn’t even though about how that was a dining plan QS – what a deal!

Glad they were flexible with your Fast Passes!

Looks like Landon liked the ice cream. He almost looks like, “WHAT just happened in my mouth?! And could we do it again?”

Ah, you beat me to the Dec. 2013 finish line!! Nice work!

Yeah, we had bad weather out in the Gulf, and that always causes some crazy weather in the fall. I'm not a fan. My grandmother and uncle live in MN and I always shudder when I see pictures of their house buried in snow in, like, April.


He did love that ice cream. Unfortunately, he only gets frozen yogurt now, because the last time he got ice cream was the night before Alex deployed and he got sick all over the car. So no more rich food for him!


I don't think my trip was as long as yours, plus I started mine earlier because I returned home sooner than you. So there's reasoning. Of course, now we both have 2 more trips to write about...

Wonderful ending to your trip report. You really captured that ambivalent feeling everyone gets when they leave. You're happy because you've had a great trip, but sad because its feels like such a long time until you are going to return. *sigh*

That pic of you and Landon in the bathroom is just TOO cute.

Glad that Alex got his trade in before you left.

That turkey sandwich looks so great! Love it!

How great that your mom really enjoyed her trip and how nice that you could load her car down with some of your belonging.

And What???? 66 degrees in Florida?????

Thanks. That last day was really special. I think it was for no other reason that Alex, Landon, and I got time to just hang out in the MK. Plus, we covered about three new firsts in the span on one morning. Impressive!


It has been strangely cool here in North FL. I'm worried about what this winter will be like.

 

[afwdwfan]

So you decide to work on the TR because you need a Disney fix... and it is departure day.

I think your plan to head to MK for a few hours was a great idea. We usually try to build in a somewhat flexible day to the end of our trip, yet it seems like that is always what we do too. The BOG lunch was a great idea. I'm glad you enjoyed it. It is definitely my go to counter service lunch now.

Your picture of Landon at the end was great! He looks thoroughly happy. I'm sure the ice cream helped with that.

 

[amazingact21]

Alicia, I read your whole report yesterday and enjoyed it so much! Landon is adorable, and deserves his groupies!

While traveling with a baby dis sound different, it seems to have been well worth it!

Thank you, Joyce. I'm happy to see you back on the DIS with a PTR of your own. Sometimes, we all need a break from the boards, but it's good to see you came back to write more.

Great last chapter It's so nice to get a little bit of park time on leaving day. I've never got to experience that being from the west coast as it pretty much takes a whole day to get home

I can't wait to see some updated pics of Landon and how he's changed! I like to think I still look the same as I looked in my first TR, but kids change much faster than we do

I'm really on the fence about BOG, it seems like way too much work now, but everyone likes it so much! Have you been back since?

I'm very fortunate in that we drive to WDW so we can leave when we want. And, really, it's gaining that extra hour that helps tremendously.

If I can get Landon to take a nap longer than 30 minutes during the day, maybe I'll be able to wrap this report up and start my May trip. It is sort of mind boggling how much kids grow in such short periods of time.
I was telling my mother that even though Landon was in Disney in August, he's already changed and grown and he'd have yet another different experience at WDW if he went now. (Not that we are. )

What a great TR, Alicia! It's so fun to watch Disney through a baby's eyes. Reading this TR brought back so many memories of Paxton's first trip, and what a special and amazing trip that was. There is just nothing like a baby's first trip!

Thanks. A baby's first trip really is something special. You can't beat the first time your kid sees the castle or Mickey or fireworks. And now that he's completely in that toddler age (terrible twos included ) I'd love to see his reaction to everything again.

 

[amazingact21]

Aww Alicia! What a sweet little morning you guys had!

My Landen wasn't a fan of the Haunted Mansion either but Lawson loves it.

I am so glad you enjoyed BOG. We are going to HAVE to make that a priority on our next trip. I could never get a FP for it but I have heard normally the wait isn't too terrible.

Departure Day is always sad. I always cry. The vacation takes FOREVER to get here and when it finally does, it's just gone, like that. The only place on earth that once you go under that heavenly arch, your cares seem like miles away.. You get to forget reality, even for just a few days...

I even miss the purple signs.

Those purple signs are iconic, I miss them too.

I'd say if the weather wasn't bad and there wasn't something pressing you had to do, then waiting for BOG isn't bad at all. The line moves pretty consistently.
And just an FYI, I've never been able to get a FP until 30 days or less before my reservation. I don't think they work the same as ride FPs in that the website realeases the FP windows shortly before your trip.
One time, I got one only 17 days out.

Y'all are a lot like us in that we normally try and delay our departure from Disney property for as long as possible!

I absolutely love that y'all spent the morning in MK...I honestly don't think it can get any better than that.

I'm thrilled that you were able to get in a BoG and even more glad to hear that you loved it. We were super lucky and got to eat there too, but have been reading that lots of people don't like it and think it's overrated. Not me though!

I also learned about a totally new person thanks to you--I'd never heard of Scoops before. Of course I don't pin trade either, but still. How cool that both you and Alex were able to trade with him!

You will get absolutely no judging from me for stopping for some ice cream. I mean there is just too much food and snackage to partake in, in Disney, so why not!?

I adore the selfie of you and Landon...he looks totally comfy in his carrier! I bet that has to be handy to have!

BTW, is that ticker new? I don't remember seeing it before! How super duper exciting!!!

I think BOG definitely deserves all the hype it got at opening. Just the fact alone that you can dine in the restaurant during the day if you didn't manage to get a dinner ADR is great enough. I wish a few other restaurants would do that.

I loved my baby carrier. Eliminates the trouble of getting him in and out of the stroller and lets him sleep. A win-win.


The ticker is a tentative one, unfortunately. Alex's parents want to go on a cruise with us when Alex gets back, and we are hoping to do a day trip/potentially a short Disney stay following the cruise. But we don't have an exact date as to when Alex will be home so we can't book anything until about 2 weeks out.

So you decide to work on the TR because you need a Disney fix... and it is departure day.

I think your plan to head to MK for a few hours was a great idea. We usually try to build in a somewhat flexible day to the end of our trip, yet it seems like that is always what we do too. The BOG lunch was a great idea. I'm glad you enjoyed it. It is definitely my go to counter service lunch now.

Your picture of Landon at the end was great! He looks thoroughly happy. I'm sure the ice cream helped with that.

It might have been departure day, but it was one of my favorite parts of the trip, so I didn't mind. I really felt like we were feeling the Disney magic, and we accomplished so many cool firsts that I didn't mind.
Now, May's trip...that departure sucked.

I'm sure the ice cream made Landon extremely happy. His favorite moment of the trip? Probably right there.

 

[teekathepony]

Ahhhh yes, I absolutely love the atmosphere waiting for IllumiNations! Especially with the old music. What a magical evening for you.
Cute story about Landon's groupies! They sound like a hoot.
Love that you got to spend your last morning in MK and did BOG for lunch. I'm with you, absolutely awesome and probably my favourite qs too.
A fantastic trip, thank you for sharing it with us!

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[amazingact21]

Ahhhh yes, I absolutely love the atmosphere waiting for IllumiNations! Especially with the old music. What a magical evening for you.
Cute story about Landon's groupies! They sound like a hoot.
Love that you got to spend your last morning in MK and did BOG for lunch. I'm with you, absolutely awesome and probably my favourite qs too.
A fantastic trip, thank you for sharing it with us!

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

I loved the old music! I was heartbroken to hear they changed it. Why mess with a good thing?
BOG is delicious!

 

[amazingact21]

Final Thoughts and Wrap-Up:


How do you effectively sum up your baby’s first trip to Disney in a few simple words? I’ve been wracking my brain all morning trying to answer that question, and all I’ve come up with is: I can’t.

Most of you have read my trip report in its entirety; you saw Landon’s eyes light up with wonder at the characters, sympathized with my mother’s head cold throughout the trip, rolled your eyes and laughed at Alex’s shopping extravaganzas, and remembered your own magical moments at Disney while you read about my experience at the Osbourne Lights.

I’ve shared with you all the moments that made my family laugh, made us cry, and the moments that reaffirmed our love in the magic of Disney. Anyone who has traveled with a child before understands that there’s not one single moment on the trip that made the vacation memorable. It was simply an accumulation of tiny events that snowballed together until they made one lasting memory of Baby’s First Trip.

Those little things, the stuff that I couldn’t plan or imagine no matter how long I prepared for the experience, was what I took away from last December. It’s what I believe everyone remembers the most and what’s really the defining factor in convincing our subconscious to return time after time.

My mom has her favorites, Alex has his, and I have my own. While I can’t speak for them, I can share my own highlights and favorites and what set apart this trip from all the others.


The trip began with my son’s first pair of Mickey ears:






This trip was my mom’s first time being at Disney World with a grandchild:



And seeing her (at the time) favorite Disney resort decorated for the holidays.




Every once in awhile, the littlest thing pulls on a mom’s heartstrings. For example, having Landon and his dad wear their favorite Epcot t-shirts for the first time:






Getting a Rider Swap for the first time ever. Officially welcoming you into the crazy world of Touring Disney with a Child.




And then getting the opportunity to sit with said kid while everyone else rides Test Track. The ability to step back and enjoy the sights and sounds of Epcot due to being forced to slow the heck down.

Living in the Disney moment, essentially.


Meeting up with old friends and getting the opportunity to see their kid for the first time.


Experiencing that age-old Baby Melting Down in a Restaurant Moment.




My son’s first Disney ride ever was quite obviously a huge highlight for me:






As was seeing my mom in her own pair of Mickey ears.


We were able to experience the Candlelight Processional, which ended up being my mom’s absolute favorite part of the trip.

It was narrated by the legendary Neil Patrick Harris:



And was interrupted for everyone seated on the right hand side of the stage by Landon’s baby squeals.



We laughed on rides.

And began a tradition that, unbeknownst to us, might end pretty soon.



We got to see an empty Main Street for the first time ever.
And took some of the most memorable pictures of our vacation on that street.











Continued in Next Post:

 

[amazingact21]

Continued From Previous Post:


I got to see my son’s face light up with recognition and delight when he met his favorite character:





Hands down, the best part of the Disney trip for me was the Osbourne Lights. I think the update I wrote on that part of the night covers the emotions and joy I experienced pretty well. It was everything I thought it would be and more. Easily the one memory I recall the moment when my thoughts turn back to last December.





It was a pleasure for me to be a witness to my mom and Alex’s excitement as they brought Landon to meet their favorite characters.



And who could forget the fangirl moment Alex and I shared when we saw Neil Patrick Harris eating a couple tables away from us at 50’s Prime Time Café?





It was certainly cool to think about my mom taking Landon on a Disney attraction by herself.


Landon’s first Dumbo ride was a huge milestone in the Disney experience handbook, but what made it even better were my mother’s epic photographs.






I got to see Landon fall in love with the princesses.









And then there was that one moment when Alex had to ride the carousel….






We visited (and napped at) Animal Kingdom Lodge for the first time, and I subsequently fell in love with the resort.






All of us attended our first Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and ALMOST got into a street brawl while there.






I got my favorite picture of Alex and I at Animal Kingdom:






In addition to witnessing a beautiful father/son moment on Triceratops Spin.

Landon and Alex went on their very own adventure, exploring Art of Animation.


And all of us took a step on the wild side and tried out a new attraction, resulting in us discovering a new gem at the Magic Kingdom.
 

Landon had an iconic meet and greet.

And then shared a magical moment with his dad in front of IllumiNations.




Even on the last day, I managed to stumble upon some great moments.

I got to meet the famous Scoop.

See the Tangled bathrooms.

And eat at Be Our Guest.



If I could go back and do it all again, return to Disney with an 8 month old Landon during the holidays, I wouldn’t do a single thing differently. Each positive and negative moment made the vacation the memorable trip that it was. For every MagicBand issue, there were half a dozen smiles shot at the princesses from my son. For every cough drop my mom had to take, there were hilarious photographs that cold medicine caused. For every sleepless night I had at Disney, there were a thousand hugs and baby giggles given to me.


You can never have another first Disney trip, and my only hope is years down the road Landon can hear and read about his and be happy with the one we gave him. I hope he understands that his parents tried to show him all the magic that was to be had within the parks, how much his grandmother enjoyed experiencing Disney with him, and how entertaining he was to all who met him. I hope we set the foundation down for a lifetime of love for the Disney company, and I can only dream of going on dozens more trips with him as he grows up.



Speaking of more trips, now that this one is completely written and posted, I can direct you over to my next report:
Let's Watch the Hallucination Show on the Castle - A May '14 TR


I’d love and appreciate you all following along on this one, as well. I can’t tell you how much fun it is to read all your replies, and sometimes it overwhelms me how many good friends I’ve made by sharing Disney experiences. You guys are the greatest, and I can’t wait to continue our Trip Report journeys.



Best wishes to you all and farewell for now!

 

[marDgreen88]

Alicia, I loved this trip report. I think it was my favorite that I've read from you! It was so cool (and also a little scary, hahaha) to hear about all the firsts with a baby and see his excitement in all the photos. He's such a cutie. Thanks for writing this and I'm excited for the next one!

 

[Marsheliz]

I may or may not have teared up a little...

I totally agree with every point!

Love the wrap up Alicia and all the walks down memory lane with you. I feel like we are real life friends.. I guess that's just the power of the DIS.
Hopefully one day we can meet " in real life". You just get it. <3

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

Aww Alicia, I so loved reading your summation of a trip that can't be broken down into just one moment. Disney is a collection of moments that together create one magical vacation. Your entire story captured that so well and it was a true pleasure to follow along. I'll admit, I was initially wary of reading a TR with such a young child as a focus, but you completely changed my mind. Just fantastic!!! Plus as an added bonus, I got to know you and Alex which is something I am very grateful for. One of these days our paths will cross.

 

[Disney9.9.10]

Great report Alicia! I read even if I didn't always make it to comment. I found a lot of useful information for our upcoming trip with a baby! I loved seeing how excited Landon was, he's such a cutie