**Kids First WDW trip** September 2022 Pre-Trip Report -- Updated 8/25

[MamaMouse0920]

Hello & welcome to all on this beautiful summer morning!

My first ever Pre-Trip Report and I'm nervous and excited all at once. I've been an avid Disney lover for as long as I can remember and I can't WAIT to get back to the magic. First things first, introductions.



That's me, Bethany AKA Mama Mouse. I'm 30 years old, and work at the VA Hospital in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I went to school for Physical Therapy (which is where I met my DH!) but sadly the pandemic (+ one surprise pregnancy- looking at you DS2!) had other plans for my future and I now facilitate the onboarding of Residents & Fellows entering the VA. My favorite park is Magic Kingdom, my favorite Disney character is Olaf but my favorite princess is Belle. I'm sarcastic and LOVE witty banter. I have the sense of humor of a 12 year old boy, and a matching potty mouth. I am a HUGE planner, very Type A, and love carbs & coffee.



That handsome fella on the right is my DH, Matt. He is about to turn 40 (read: OLD) and is the love of my life. We met 10 years ago in college- I walked up to him one day, introduced myself and the rest is history. We moved in together after 2 months of dating, got engaged after 11 months, and were married the following year. We share a love for Harry Potter, Pirates of the Caribbean, the Minnesota Vikings, and now our 2 perfect kids. He has only been to WDW once when he was around 10, and doesn't remember much of the trip at all. His favorite Disney movie is Ratatouille & his favorite princess is Merida. Side note: see that super cool looking robot between us? That is called a ReWalk and it is a robotic walking device intended to allow paralyzed individuals the ability to walk again. Pretty cool, huh? We worked on a research study at the VA together for 3 years and in this picture, we're showing it off at the Minnesota State Fair in 2018 (yes- me large & in charge about 7 months pregnant at the time. This time looking at you, DD3!).



Which brings us to our DD3 and DS2. They are the light of our lives (I know, everyone says that but it's really true!) and are as big of Disney fans as they come. Every birthday party (see DS2's Two Infinity & Beyond party from a few months ago!) and Halloween is centered around Disney, and we do weekly themed "dinner & a movie" night, all of which are Disney movies. DD3 switches her favorite Disney movie every 5 seconds so I can't even list one, but DS2's current winner is Monster's Inc. Character wise, DD3 loves Princess Belle and DS2 loves Buzz and Elsa. They both are huge fans of Mickey but when I ask who they are most excited to hug they both answer Goofy. They know we are going to Disney World, but are too young at the ages of 3.5yo & 2yo to truly understand the concept of time or plans. I can't WAIT to see their reactions- especially to The Big Cheese himself!



Also joining us on this trip is my MIL & FIL, pictured above on our wedding day (which was 9 years ago so they have aged a bit since this photo was taken - and mobility is a bit of an issue.. more on that later). They aren't big Disney fans BUT I suppose more importantly they are huge fans of our kids and are mostly coming along just for that reason. What nice grandparents! They've already admitted to not planning on riding any rides, but I expect they will at least do It's a Small World and similar 'no height requirement' rides. I don't think they could probably even list a favorite character so I'm not bothering to ask them

Stay tuned for the "when" "why" and "where" of the trip in my next post!

 

[MamaMouse0920]

As promised, the obligatory what when where & why.

• What: 5 park days. No Park Hopper. 2 rest days for the kids & in-laws (Matt & I will be taking one park day by ourselves as a date-day!
• When: September 7th-14th, 2022. Schools are back in session at that time and our kids aren’t school age yet so we are crossing fingers that crowds will be low.
• Where: Staying offsite at Wyndham Bonnet Creek (needed the space for 2 rambunctious toddlers & 80 year old in-laws)
• Why: This seems like the silliest of all the bullet points. Does one ever need a reason to visit Mickey & his pals?! Me thinks no, but I will humor all of you anyway. We were initially supposed to go September 2021. My husband and I, working for the government in a hospital were among the first to be vaccinated back in December 2020. Our kids were obviously too young to get the vaxx, but cases were looking good when we booked and we were feeling somewhat ready to bring our kids back into the world. In a way, they both are COVID babies (DS2 is the definition of a COVID baby, since he was born in the thick of it- late May 2020, but even DD3 has lived a pretty sheltered life since she was only a little over 1yo when the world shut down) and as a result have not explored much of the world. The month before COVID (Dec 2019) we were able to take just DD3 (I was about 4 months pregnant with DS2 at the time) on her first vacation- to good ol’ Florida. Not Orlando, but Sanibel Island where I spent a lot of my summers as a child/teen. See, Florida holds a special place in both mine & my DH hearts. For him, it is because he used to live there when he was in his early 20’s (Ft Myers Beach area). He didn’t go the typical college route, and instead on quite a whim decided to just up and move to Florida after a friend bet he wouldn’t. Single, 21, no real responsibilities… why not?! He moved home about 3 years later after 3 family members pass away in quick succession and felt he needed to be home with his parents. For me, Florida has always felt like home. My grandma lived in Orlando (has since moved further south, but is still in FL), worked for Northwest Airlines, and even had a part time job working at The Disney Store in the airport. So, seeing as we stayed for free, flew for basically free, and got into WDW at a discounted rate… My mom, being the absolute saint that she is, brought me and my 3 younger siblings to Florida, including WDW, probably 5-7 times a year. I grew up at Disney World, quite literally. Aside from Disney trips, we’ve done countless stays on Sanibel Island, trips to the Everglades and the Keys, Daytona/Cocoa Beach, cruises out of Ft. Lauderdale… pretty much everywhere except Miami (I would love to go!). Since turning into a grown-up (10/10 do NOT recommend, by the way), I’ve still made at least yearly trips to Florida, but I have not been to Disney in 10+ years. So, this trip will be not only my first time in over a decade, but my first time as an adult and even more importantly – as a mom! Of course there have been MASSIVE changes, but I’ve done my research (remember, Type A mega planner) & I can’t stress enough how excited I am to be coming home, and to be able to pass along the magic of Disney to my sweet babies.

Anyway, WOW I’ve gone off topic here. The point I was trying to make is that we were SUPPOSED to visit the castle in September of 2021. COVID numbers were looking halfway decent, we were feeling like the pandemic was finally at an end (HA! Jokes on us) and we figured why not? We love to travel and our poor, sheltered kids were way overdue to join us. Then, a few short months later, the Delta variant reared its ugly head. Orlando was the epicenter. We watched the cases in Orange County go up, and up, and up. By the thousands. We could not justify bringing our unvaccinated kids, or our at-risk elderly parents, there. So, after LOTS of soul searching, LOTS of phone calls, LOTS of tears (seriously, lots of tears), we made the gut-wrenching decision to postpone. In a sick, twisted turn of events, we all 4 ended up with COVID the entire month of November 2021 anyway, so in hindsight we should have just gone and not lost out on all that money ☹ It was not funny at the time, and DD3 was very sick and nearly hospitalized after countless doctors visits, needle pokes, chest x-rays, and a 14 day straight high fever, but we can look back and shake our heads chuckling at the irony. We opted to nix our trip to the Happiest Place on Earth to avoid the ‘vid, and then ended up getting it from our daycare provider less than 2 months later. Sigh. That’s life for ya!

Before I sign off, enjoy strolling down memory lane with me as I reminisce on my extremely wonderful (and fortunate) childhood:


There's no tired like Disney Tired, amiright?

Yes I was (and still am) a total ham, though not all that photogenic LOL, and just as Disney obsessed now as I was then. Note: the other two girls in the pictures are my childhood best friends, Hannah (redhead) & Cassidy (brunette). Our moms are all still best friends, but sadly as life happens we've all moved away and drifted apart. Still in each others lives and follow closely on social media, just not nearly as good of friends as we were growing up. But I still have the memories (and the pictures!) and am super lucky to have grown up with them by my side.

Up next: our current/tentative plans! 54 days til Disney!

 

[Isabelle12345]

Following!
Your kids are adorable!
Our two kids were about the same age when we went to Disney for the first time in 2019 - we have been hooked ever since!
Can’t wait to read more about your plans!

 

[MamaMouse0920]

Tentative Plans
​

9/7/22 Day Zero: Travel Day

The Flights: The flight cancelations & endless delays that have been happening around the country have me paranoid. I check flights almost every day (and we’re 53 days out, people) and can feel my BP rising if I think about it too much. Okay, yes it would suck to have any flight canceled, no matter where you are going or who you are going with. But for us… the thought of being stuck in a car with 2 toddlers (one is potty trained but does not give us much warning when she has to go, the other one is just starting potty training now) for 24+ hours… it’s enough to make me want to vomit. And not just me – DS2 vomits any time we’re in the car for more than 30 minutes unless he’s sleeping. Do you know what it’s like to repeatedly clean vomit out of a car seat?! So putting any of the 4 of us through that would honestly be considered cruel and unusual punishment.

Don’t get me wrong, we are GOING to Disney this year. So if we have to, we’re going to do it. It’s just going to take about 3 years to get there since we’d have to stop every 30 minutes. Doom & Gloom aside, hopefully my paranoia is all for nothing and our flights are A-OK. In that happy case, here’s what Day Zero will look like:

• 7:00am – depart our house (being picked up & dropped off at airport by my parents)
• 7:30am – arrive at MSP
• 10:00am – depart MSP > MCO via Delta
• 2:15 – land, I assume we won’t be off the plane until closer to 2:30/2:45 since we did not pick seats and will likely be at the wayyy back of the plane (grab stroller & DD3 car seat at gate)
• 3:00 -- get lunch if needed to kill time/kids are starving
• 3:30 -- picked up by MIL/FIL
• 3:45 – check in at hotel. Drop kids, DH, & FIL off - swim from 4-6pm. Me & MIL pick up groceries, beer, Target run
• 5:00 – stroller & ECV dropped off at bell services, me & MIL pick up after grocery shopping
• 6:00 – eat dinner (planning to use resort’s grill)
• 7:00 – After kids are asleep, adults: practice collapsing stroller/ECV. Unpack, hang up everyone’s park outfits. Slice fruit/veggies & prep snacks in ziplock bags for next 2 park days. Get park bags ready for the next day (our first park day!)

The Rentals: My in laws are Snow Birds (in the winter they live in FL and in the summer they live in MN) and I rented a mini van for them to pick up in Fort Myers, where they live, and drive the 3 hours to Orlando. They are picking up the mini van at noon so the timing should be perfect for them to get to MCO around 3/3:30. We then plan to use that mini van throughout the week transporting all of us to and from the parks. My FIL has a handicapped parking permit so we will be able to use that at the parks, woot woot! Looking at a map of MK parking lots, handicapped parking is juuuuust behind Preferred Parking so we get some of the perks without having to pay the moola. Win/Win (or, win/win/win – any Office fans on here?!)

As hinted, my FIL has some mobility issues. On his birthday 2 years ago, he was crossing the crosswalk and a car hit him out of no where- they think she was texting. By some absolute miracle he didn’t break any bones (I mean it when I say miracle – this guy turned 81 that day, gets smoked by a car and has no broken bones?!) but he did have some muscle and tendon tearing and due to his age and poor heart quality he was not a candidate for surgery. Enter: pain and limited ability to walk distances. Sounds like a perfect combo for 25,000 step days at 4 parks, right?

So renting an ECV has always been a part of the plan. What was not part of the initial plan… renting two. My MIL is 9 years younger than her husband, and when we invited them to join us for our initial trip (2021) her mobility was vastly better than it is now. In one year, it has taken a sharp decline. She can be unsteady on her feet and walks at turtle speed. Not super conducive to rope dropping next to this power walker, let me tell you. So first and foremost, I need to get my expectations in check. I need to bank on going slow and not racing around the parks. I need to prepare myself now so that when the time comes, my Type A crazy self doesn’t go nuts and turn into “that” mom crying about how none of this is as magical as she hoped it would be. Basically, bottom line: anything above a total disaster should be considered a massive success- because that’s life with kids. I learned that as we survived those early days having two kids under 2 years old.


It's fine. I'm fine.


We will also be renting a City Mini Double stroller from Kingdom Strollers (+ child snack trays, rain cover, small cooler bag, stroller hook) as well as the planned ECV for my FIL (+ cup holder, saddle bag, rain cover, small cooler bag). For my MIL we will have to rent a scooter in the parks because I’m fairly certain no mini van trunk will be able to hold a double stroller, all our park stuff, and TWO scooters.


So there you have it my fellow Disney lovers, those are our tentative plans for Day Zero: travel day! Next I will go through my super loose, tentative plans for our first park day- assuming no flights were canceled or delayed.

I'd love to hear any tips, tricks, or advice you may have for me based on what you've read thus far!!

 

[MamaMouse0920]

Sorry for the delay between posts - my baby sister was married this past weekend!! She of course hasn't gotten any of the professional pictures back yet, and I didn't know where my phone was 3/4 of the weekend and didn't get many pictures as a result, but here are two:


Me and the bride at the Rehearsal Dinner



My sister, her husband (eek!) and DD3, who was the flower girl (DS2 was ring bearer, but again - waiting on professional pictures to come back since I was too busy to take pictures!). Hoping DD3 learns how to smile for pictures in the next 40 days Note the super adorable Rey dress? My new Brother In Law is a huge Star Wars fan and we had to surprise him with this cute dress after the ceremony! DD3 would not let me do her hair in the infamous 3 bun Scavenger style, but the dress was still cute and everyone was happy.

ANYWAY, back to Disney planning.

Here are our tentative daily plans:

September 7th, 2022: Travel day, see post above

September 8th, 2022: As I’m sure most people do, I love starting and ending my Disney trips with Magic Kingdom, so of course that’s where we’re headed first! We have Genie+ for this day, and plan to use the old “tap & grab” FP method just to try to knock out as many rides as we can- not necessarily going for the big hitters. This will likely result in lots of zig-zagging around the park, but my DH and I are willing to put on the miles so our kids don’t have to wait in line much (translation: so we don’t have to deal with our crazy kids waiting in line much)

September 9th, 2022: While I technically have park reservations for Magic Kingdom this day as a “just-in-case-our-flight-gets-delayed-or-canceled-emergency-Plan-B-that-guarantees-us-two-days-at-MK”, my true plans are for us to visit Animal Kingdom this day. We also have Genie+, though my research says it may not be needed/worth it. I'm planning to keep a super close eye on AK availability the weeks leading up to our trip, and if the days before start showing limited availability I will probably bite the bullet and purchase park hopper tickets for all of our days so we can Park Hop between AK & HS (see HS day below for more reasoning).

September 10th, 2022: Rest Day for kids & in-laws, EPCOT day date for me & DH! We have Genie+ and plan to rope drop, come back to visit the kids and swim for a while, and then head back to the park around 4:00 to eat/drink our way around the world!

September 11th, 2022: Rest Day for all. Wyndham Bonnet Creek has great pools and splash pads, and I know the kids will not want to leave!

September 12th, 2022: Probably the day I’m dreading the most: Hollywood Studios. I love this park, I really truly do, but #1 it is SO. DANG. HOT. And #2 there is SO. LITTLE. TO DO. Which results in #3, massive crowds and crabby sweaty stinky people all crammed into what feels like the smallest park with limited shade and just…. Blah! Also I feel like it’s the park with the least amount of kid-friendly options so I feel guilty making this a full park day (I did toy with adding Park Hopper for the sole purpose of this day) but I love ToT and RnRC so much I can’t NOT go! Yes, I'm selfish. No, it doesn't bother me enough to skip this park. We are not Star Wars fans so ROTR and all those are not high on my priority list (nor worth 3 hour waits) but I’m sure we’ll at least walk around Galaxy's Edge. We do have Genie+ but I’ve read it’s the least successful park for the Genie so we’ll see. I just foresee us all being miserable this day, wah! We plan to leave around 1 for a mid-day nap/break back at the resort which should help.

September 13th, 2022: Magic Kingdom (last day ☹), bought Genie+ and plan to re-do all the favorites from Day 1 as well as the things we may have missed. Unfortunately this is a MNSSHP day so we will have to be out by 6, another bummer but I hope the crowds are low as a result, and I really do love having MK be the "book ends" to our trip so I don't want to switch our reservations around.

September 14th, 2022: Departure ☹

 

[MamaMouse0920]

Eeeek current countdown is 21 days, 11 hours, 14 minutes, and 57 seconds!! 3 WEEKS AWAY, PEOPLE!!!

Anyway, here is what I’ve been working on lately. The iPhone background was inspired by the lovely @jrmint427 (who I think was given the template from @StarWarsMomofGirls!) and I just LOVED the idea so much I had to steal it. So BIG thanks you two for the inspiration! I am not nearly as savvy with PowerPoint as I am with Canva, so I went that route instead for designing the templates but I’m happy with how they turned out.



I've edited a few details out just in case there are any weirdos out there (not that any of my fellow DISers could possibly be psychos but... better to be safe than sorry!) but you get the gist of what the wallpaper of my phone will look like on our travel day. I like to include the flight number for quick reference in case anything happens at the airport so I don't have to dig through emails!

For our park days, given the fact that we are traveling with 2 kids under 4, 2 elderly grandparents, and have Genie+ I really don't think we can have too sturdy of plans. I included the "meat & potatoes" of our plans/goals for Park Day 1 (see below) and outside of what you see listed the rest we will just be winging... which isn't really my strong suit but I'm trying here! I tried to include things that I knew I wanted to remember- like our Lightning Lane strategy, any ADRs, "must try" snacks, and a few notes about that specific park that could be helpful to have at my fingertips. I also included a few indoor dining areas with lots of seating if the heat becomes too much. The Steakhouse 71 ADR was timed specifically with the hottest part of the day in mind, plus I'm hoping my kids will be napping in the stroller at that time as well! I figure MK is the hardest park to leave and come back (when not staying onsite) so we don't plan to take midday rests back at the resort on our MK days. The other parks we will, which is why I didn't make ADRs for those days. So we'll be sticking to mostly QS meals this go-round until my kids are a little older and maybe more used to being in restaurants



The rest of my park days follow a similar pattern, & I'll share them below in case anyone finds them interesting. I will say they aren't nearly as cute as jrmint427 or starwarsmomofgirls versions but they work for us!









A few notes:

Animal Kingdom: I really can't decide what to do. Do I go for Safari for our 7am first LL of the day? Or do I go for Na'vi River Journey & rope drop safari instead so we can ride it twice (once at rope drop & once with LL)? If you have any insight please share!

Epcot: this is our day date and I am SO STINKING EXCITED. My husband and I can throw back beers like the best of them but I still plan on us sharing a drink in each country so we don't get absolutely hammered If you have favorite drinks that I missed, let me know! The ones I put on my wallpaper are ones I've heard either here on the DIS or in one of my many Disney Facebook groups. We're planning to get there early in the AM (likely not rope drop, but close), trying to focus on rides & a few countries, then head back to the resort around noon to rest with the kids. Then head back to Epcot around 4pm.

Magic Kingdom (day 2): You may see that we have 2 reservations for Steakhouse 71- no we aren't THAT obsessed, I just made two reservations out of an abundance of caution in case our flight is canceled or delayed flying out to Orlando So if all goes according to plan, I will be canceling the 2nd reservation. Which I certainly do hope happens because that is a Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party (note the shortened hours) and I want to maximize our time in the park!

The only thing left I have to figure out is 1) how the HECK I'm going to pack all our stuff and 2) when we are going to squeeze in Disney Springs. My husband is determined to get his hands on some Gideon's cookies but I'm not sure where we'll fit it in! Any suggestions let me know

 

[MamaMouse0920]

Oh, and just for fun... here are a few of the "sneak peeks" my sister got back from her wedding photographer. It seriously was the best day!

DS2 & DD3 did SO good walking down the aisle! They were absolute hellians all day (well all weekend really) but were perfect little angels walking down that aisle. I'm sure it had something to do with 150 pairs of eyes looking at them as they entered the room



My full family - left to right is my brother, sister, dad, mom, other sister (bride), her husband, me+DS2, my husband + DD3.


My sister, her new hubby & my kids


And lastly just a fun "behind the scenes" photo of the original crew. We call ourselves the Swanson's after staying in a camper one time that had "The Swanson's" written on the back and are known (after several cocktails) to randomly shout out "SWANSON'S... ASSEMBLE!" a la Anchorman ("News Team... Assemble!" anyone? anyone? no? just us? okay) & that's what we're doing here. You can't really see my parents because they're hidden behind myself & my brother but I just really love my family so much & love this picture!!

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

we all 4 ended up with COVID the entire month of November 2021 anyway, so in hindsight we should have just gone and not lost out on all that money ☹ It was not funny at the time, and DD3 was very sick and nearly hospitalized after countless doctors visits, needle pokes, chest x-rays, and a 14 day straight high fever, but we can look back and shake our heads chuckling at the irony. We opted to nix our trip to the Happiest Place on Earth to avoid the ‘vid, and then ended up getting it from our daycare provider less than 2 months later. Sigh. That’s life for ya!

That is terrible. Glad that everyone is ok know!

And not just me – DS2 vomits any time we’re in the car for more than 30 minutes unless he’s sleeping. Do you know what it’s like to repeatedly clean vomit out of a car seat?

Morgan is / was a puker! So, I know exactly what that is like!!!

the moola. Win/Win (or, win/win/win – any Office fans on here?!)

Love the office!!! I work in a small office and there are days I feel like I am living the show.

So there you have it my fellow Disney lovers, those are our tentative plans for Day Zero: travel day! Next I will go through my super loose, tentative plans for our first park day- assuming no flights were canceled or delayed.

Good Luck with the flights. It sadly sounds like things haven't gotten any better. I was paranoid for our flight as well. FIngers crossed for you guys!!!

Also I feel like it’s the park with the least amount of kid-friendly options so I feel guilty making this a full park day (

Hollywood Studios has gotten a little better for small kids. It def still needs a few more options, for sure.

as well as the things we may have missed. Unfortunately this is a MNSSHP day so we will have to be out by 6, another bummer but I hope the crowds are low as a result, and I really do love having MK be the "book ends" to our trip so I don't want to switch our reservations around.

In the past, crowds do seem lower when there is a party that day. Fingerscrossed that, that is the case for you guys. You can shop and get photos after 6. to extend the day a bit.

Anyway, here is what I’ve been working on lately. The iPhone background was inspired by the lovely @jrmint427 (who I think was given the template from @StarWarsMomofGirls!) and I just LOVED the idea so much I had to steal it. So BIG thanks you two for the inspiration! I am not nearly as savvy with PowerPoint as I am with Canva, so I went that route instead for designing the templates but I’m happy with how they turned out.

YEAH!!!! I love it that everyone is finding my cheat sheets helpful! They really do help!

This looks great!!!!

The rest of my park days follow a similar pattern, & I'll share them below in case anyone finds them interesting. I will say they aren't nearly as cute as jrmint427 or starwarsmomofgirls versions but they work for us!

I love them all! And I will admit, DH cleans up what I put together. He is really the master of making them look clean.

Animal Kingdom: I really can't decide what to do. Do I go for Safari for our 7am first LL of the day? Or do I go for Na'vi River Journey & rope drop safari instead so we can ride it twice (once at rope drop & once with LL)? If you have any insight please share!

So, when we were there in April, I grabbed the Safari as our 7am LL. We decided to not rope drop that day, so I had to wait till 7:45 to make the Safari reservation and got a 1:20 - 2:20 reservation. So, it took 45 minutes to get that late in the day. And then I was still able to grab a na'vi LL after the wait time for a second LL but it was for 4:15 - 5:15. Both seem equal in how hard or not hard to get if that makes sense. But you should be able to do both.

If you want to ride the Safari twice, def rope drop the Safari. I don't think Navi is worth rope dropping. Too many people going into that land to get on FOP. It will be a more enjoyable morning to go not with the mass of people.

My husband and I can throw back beers like the best of them but I still plan on us sharing a drink in each country so we don't get absolutely hammered

The heat really kills you with drinking around the world. But a break in the day will help! And sharing is helpful. We did an eating around the world with the girls this trip and even that was hard. It adds up! But fun to do!

1) how the HECK I'm going to pack all our stuff and 2) when we are going to squeeze in Disney Springs. My husband is determined to get his hands on some Gideon's cookies but I'm not sure where we'll fit it in! Any suggestions let me know

I personally think the best way to get Gideon's is afternoon. They build a line first thing in the AM. And they have to work through the build up. I think there is a sweet spot where they finally catch up on the morning rush and before the dinner crowd shows up. We went middle of the week a little before 5 and they were just doing stand by and we waited 10 minutes to get in!

 

[MamaMouse0920]

If you want to ride the Safari twice, def rope drop the Safari. I don't think Navi is worth rope dropping. Too many people going into that land to get on FOP. It will be a more enjoyable morning to go not with the mass of people.

Yes I think you are definitely right on wanting to avoid Pandora at rope drop! I'm just torn because our Genie+ strategy is to get as many rides done with as little wait times as possible, so the old FP "tap & grab" method makes sense.. but if I get a LL for Safari for early, say 9am, then that means we are rope dropping Safari & then getting back on like 30 mins later.. seems counter productive! UGH I hate the uncertainty of this new program.

The heat really kills you with drinking around the world. But a break in the day will help! And sharing is helpful. We did an eating around the world with the girls this trip and even that was hard. It adds up! But fun to do!

We do NOT plan to take this "challenge" too seriously if we only make it to 5/11 countries, oh well!! We're just counting any time together & apart from the kids as a wonderful date opportunity!

I personally think the best way to get Gideon's is afternoon. They build a line first thing in the AM. And they have to work through the build up. I think there is a sweet spot where they finally catch up on the morning rush and before the dinner crowd shows up. We went middle of the week a little before 5 and they were just doing stand by and we waited 10 minutes to get in!

This is super helpful, thank you so much!

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

This is super helpful, thank you so much!

Fingers crossed you get to try them! They are good!

We do NOT plan to take this "challenge" too seriously if we only make it to 5/11 countries, oh well!! We're just counting any time together & apart from the kids as a wonderful date opportunity!

Time by yourselves will be sooo nice no matter what! Enjoy it!

UGH I hate the uncertainty of this new program

YES!!! That is what I don't like about it, you just don't know how things will work out. Probably fine, but it's hard to know.

 

[MamaMouse0920]

A few thoughts/updates as we are 12 days out...​

Firstly, did everyone hear about the Disney+ Day Early Entry perk they are offering to Disney+ subscribers??? Now normally I would scoff & say "seriously, an extra 30 minutes of park time ONE RANDOM DAY ONLY and we're supposed to act grateful?!" but......... THIS ONE DAY HAPPENS TO BE A DAY THAT WE ARE VISITING! So, yes, I am very thankful! September 8th, 2022 is "Disney+ Day" and we have been subscribers since their initial launch.. in fact, I pre-paid for a 3 year package (It was only $140 for 3 years.. so less than $4/month. No brainer!) and we watch it literally every day so I'd say we are avid Disney+ members and what are the odds that it is while we're there?!?! September 8th is our very first park day, and I'm so excited to be able to get in 30 minutes early!! I had to shift our morning timeline a bit to account for the early entry us off-site guests aren't used to getting, but I think the early wake up will be worth it. I'm so happy with our luck!!

Secondly, also on that day (Sept 8th) .... I was FINALLY able to get our kids in at Harmony Barber Shop!!! I had been trying for SO LONG when finally my email alert came in for the save! Initially I only scheduled DD3's, since it will be her first haircut EVER and I wanted the cute hat that comes with it (+ the pixie dust and keepsakes & everything!). I then did a little bit of price comparing.. and realized DS2's haircut I had scheduled for the Monday before we leave.. literally cost $1 more than doing it in Disney World...... say what?! Something is actually CHEAPER in WDW than it is in the "real world"? So, uh, yeah. I canceled DS2's haircut in Minnesota & scheduled him for right after his sister. Our loose agenda for the first half of that day looks like this:

• 5:55am – mom wakes up
• 6:10am – dad wakes up
• 6:30am – mom & dad wake kids up
• 7:15am – leave hotel
• 7:30am – arrive at MK parking lot
• 8:30am – early entry opens
• 9:00am - park opens
• 9:00-11:45am - Adventureland & Fantasyland
• 12:20pm - DD3 FIRST ever haircut
• 12:40pm - DS2 haircut (not his first but still exciting )
• 1:25pm - ADR at Steakhouse 71 for lunch

The early afternoon is a little bit of a tight squeeze but honestly with the Barber Shop being located juuuust inside the gates, and it only being a 10ish min walk from the gates to The Contemporary... And since I HIGHLY doubt either haircut will take more than 15 minutes, I think we will be safe. If not, I'm hoping they have a tiny bit of empathy since the reservations were so close together (not my choice! that was all there was available) and maybe give us a break. To be safe, we do plan to arrive at the Barber Shop at noon to see if they can sneak us in early. Either way I am way too excited for DD3 to get that cute little Mickey ear hat that says "My First Haircut" (even though I'm sure they're intended for kids a little younger than her )

What else have I been working on?
I've been really trying to organize all of my "to do" lists & packing/organization lists so that I don't forget anything. Right now I have a 30 page (yes, 30, and I've narrowed it down quite a bit I'll have you know!) Word Document that is used for me to keep track of our various plans, tips/tricks, itineraries, outfits, Genie+ strategies, packing lists, confirmation numbers, etc. It's all organized (are you surprised?) but I just want to make sure something I have on List A doesn't get forgotten or left of of List B. For example: my packing list contains alllll of the little tidbits and items I know we need to remember to bring. But then my "Park Days" document that spells out what all will be on our person, what will be in the stroller, what will be in the cooler, what will be in the park bag, etc. So I have List A (packing list) and List B (park days), and then have our "to do" list... & the "to do" list obviously will need to contain a number of items from both List A & List B. SO I am working on combining the three & making sure nothing is left out. Does that make sense? It makes sense in my head but as I try to type it out and explain it.. I feel like it's coming off confusing LOL. The gist is that I am organizing my lists.

I'll share my "Park Days" page in the Word document in the next post. This one has gotten quite long enough, don't you think?

 

[MamaMouse0920]

So first let me preface a few things so you have some context. I've listed most of this info previously in this Pre-Trip Report but I'll say it again anyway.

1. We are renting a double stroller for the kids.
2. My FIL is renting an ECV.
3. We are planning on bringing in: 1 mini backpack (ironically it is Minnie themed so it is a mini Minnie bag ) & 1 regular size backpack. It actually used to be my "pump bag" from when I was still nursing/working/pumping with the kids so it is SUPER handy. It has tons of zippers & pockets and is an organized mama's dream, so it was an easy decision to make this our park bag. It is a Sarah Wells bag, if anyone is familiar and while it cost an arm & a leg it has MORE than gotten it's moneys worth throughout the years. It now sports a few coffee stains & has had a few minor rips but it's still beautiful to me.
4. The stroller basket will have 2 reusable grocery bags in it, as I've heard this makes it easier for emptying (& collapsing) the stroller for the monorail/bus/ferry etc. as well as going through security. Much easier to grab a bag than it is to lift 15 random objects out of the bottom of a stroller!
5. I took an "over the door shoe organizer" & cut in half, sewed the two halves together and plan to zip tie them to the stroller handle. The goal here is to have the most frequently accessed items in the stroller basket/park bag more easily accessible. I got the idea from a Disney Facebook group and immediately got to work making it since I knew it would be a life (and back) saver. Here is a pic I found from google that shows what I mean:

6. Any time you see listed "strap", I'm referring to these sippy cup straps: I plan to use them to fasten everything that can be fastened to our stroller. I don't want 1) thieves (which apparently is a big problem at WDW these days?!?) coming up to our stroller and walking off with one of our stroller fans etc. or 2) my kids to accidentally drop it and have my FIL run over it with his ECV. So things like stroller fans, my kids' water bottles, a little pouch filled with snacks, will all be clipped to the stroller. NOTE: I understand that someone who wants to steal something is not going to be deterred by something minute like a sippy cup strap but it will at least slow them down enough to give them pause. I am hopeful that people wouldn't be messing around with loosening straps & figuring out how to take it off for fear of it taking too long and getting caught. Who knows, could be wishful thinking but it doesn't hurt to try! Also, see reason #2 because that is




Everything else should be pretty self explanatory And so, without further ado..... here is my "park days" list. One of many lists, I assure you.

PARK DAYS​

Security: DH & FIL (on ECV) take bags & stroller. Me, MIL & kids go through “bag free” line. Most commonly “pinged” items in security: portable chargers, sunglass cases, umbrellas, batteries, Air Tags, stainless steel water bottles. Have these items out OR on top of bag. Have all zippers unzipped!

ON OUR BODIES: Walking in the doors- Everyone wearing tennis shoes, hats/ears, and Magic Bands (DS2 wearing Air Tag wrist band) DD3’s Air Tag on her Magic Band or shoes. Dad has park bag on his back & hidden fanny pack. Mom is wearing Minnie backpack, fanny pack, and Mickey wallet attached to waistband or inside fanny pack.

FANNY PACKS: small wallet with ID & CC, Kleenex, hand sanitizer, sunglasses, Dum Dums (for emergency melt downs in line), Wet Ones wipes, stickers (we bought 100 Disney themed stickers - the big kind people put on laptops & water bottles - and plan to give them out to people we see throughout the day as a way of "Pixie Dusting" them!), mini misting fan (can also go in Minnie Bag), mask lanyard for phone (using this to attach to my phone for filming on rides. My phone has a little finger loop on the back of it & I figured out that if I attach the clips to the loop and fasten the other half of the lanyard around my wrist, it provides more security in case my phone gets knocked out of my hand. Now I obviously do not plan on filming Test Track or RnR, but this should be totally fine for Barnstormer or Dumbo. I can't wait to see my kids faces!)

MINNIE MOUSE BACKPACK: N95 masks + mask lanyards; kids entertainment items (apple sauce, granola bars, small activities, fidgety toys etc.) - AIR TAG inside Ziploc baggie, zip tied to bag

STROLLER: Comes with- drink holder/parent console (holds 3 beverages), child snack trays, stroller bag hook, cooler bag, rain cover. Hanging shoe organizer (16 pockets- 8 on front + 8 on back) – empty until inside park. Once inside, use to hold: sunscreen (avoid direct sunlight), ponchos, stroller rain cover (if it fits), plastic water bottles (avoid direct sunlight), wipes, non-melting snacks; Large misting fan attached via stroller strap

• CHILD SNACK TRAYS: Kids water bottles attached via stroller strap; Stroller fans x2; Grey snack pouch filled with pre-portioned snacks that kids can manage independently (granola bars, Ziploc baggies of pretzels, cheerios, & craisins) – attached via stroller strap to bar in middle of stroller so both kids can access
• ADULT CUPHOLDERS: resealable mug for coffee; adult water bottles
• COOLER BAG: bananas, cuties, sliced apples/cucumbers/carrots, yogurt + applesauce pouches, string cheese, halved hard boiled eggs, sliced breakfast sausage + a few empty Tupperware + Ziplock’s for any park treat leftovers + ice packs
• IN STROLLER BASKET: Reusable grocery bag #1: Everyone’s sandals + Ziploc baggie with 1 pair of socks per person; Clear trash bag #1 with rain jackets/ponchos; Clear trash bag #2 with Bubble wands/glow sticks/light up toys + bubble solution. Reusable grocery bag #2: FROZEN plastic water bottles

ECV SCOOTER: comes with- front mounted basket, cup holder (x1), saddle bag, rain cover, cooler bag. Bringing with us: saddle bag. Use to hold whatever my in-laws are bringing to parks

(SARAH WELLS) PARK BAG:

• AIR TAG
• Clear bags
• Ears + Electronics (today’s Mickey Ears, phone & fan chargers/cords, headphones, batteries)
• Elements (kids’ sunglasses + lanyards, sunscreen, rain ponchos, cooling towels, hand towel from hotel to wipe seats/stroller if it rains, sarong)
• First aid (Tylenol, Tums, band aids, antibiotic cream, hydrocortisone, Dramamine, moleskin/Body Glide, scissors etc)
• Personal Care (Chapstick, hairbrush, hair binders, deodorant, Wet Ones wipes, sanitizing/Lysol wipes, hand sanitizer, Tide to Go/shout wipes, small bag of make up for touch ups)
• Food (plastic cup lids for Mickey Bars, silicone reusable straws, muslin blankets + clothespins to use as bibs, wipes)
• Wet/dry bag with kids’ swimsuits
• Diapers/wipes for DS2
• Packing cube with back up/spare outfits in case of spill

Oh I guess one more thing to clear up: the bolded titles inside the Park Bag list: I bought these super handy mesh zipper pouches and use them for EVERYTHING. I am seriously obsessed.

I use them for board game storage, puzzle storage, lego/Duplo storage (boxes don't seem to last long in our house), I use them for travel, I use them in my diaper bag. I seriously use them all the freaking time. They are great, and I am a walking advertisement for them.

Anyway, those are what I have inside my Park Bag. I have 5 of these mesh bags & each are labeled accordingly with their contents: Ears & Electronics; Elements; First Aid; Personal Care; & Food.

A few other things that I had listed/referenced, in case you wanted to see:


This fan is so tiny, it's perfect! Fits in that Minnie Bag & actually has a decent fan strength. Great for lines!





(for some reason my husband doesn't want to wear a regular fanny pack?! Sigh. He did agree to this "hidden" one though LOL)

We knew we wanted the kids to wear Air Tags since this will really be their first experience with crowds, & it just made us feel a little better. We also knew DS2 would be jealous of DD3's Magic Band (he does not need one since he is under 3 and doesn't have a park ticket!), so we figured if we put his Air Tag in a fancy wrist band... maybe he wouldn't feel so left out. So we'll let him "tap in" to the tapstiles too

I don't think I'm allowed to share links but if anyone wants to know where I got anything, send me a message and I'll try to help you! I would love it if my crazy Type A planner tendencies helps another person

 

[OurLuce]

Love a person who does good lists. When we travel we end up with a meta list. .

And i just remembered why i didnt take small people to disney, that is a lot of stuff.

My small(!) People are 14 and 16, our rule is if you can't carry it yourself after 20,000 steps in the heat don't bring it.

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

That was some detailed lists!!! Makes me feel like a non-planner! Ha!

bout the Disney+ Day Early Entry perk they are offering to Disney+ subscribers??? Now normally I would scoff & say "seriously, an extra 30 minutes of park time ONE RANDOM DAY ONLY and we're supposed to act grateful?!" but......... THIS ONE DAY HAPPENS TO BE A DAY THAT WE ARE VISITING!

It is so exciting when something like this lines up with your vacation! I get it! Last year I think they had some different meet and greats out as well. Maybe you will get lucky!

. I was FINALLY able to get our kids in at Harmony Barber Shop!!!

That will be so fun!!!!

12:20pm - DD3 FIRST ever haircut

And for an actual first haircut!!!! I love it!!! I wish I knew about the barber shop when my girls were little!

porary... And since I HIGHLY doubt either haircut will take more than 15 minutes, I think we will be safe. If not, I'm hoping they have a tiny bit of empathy since the reservations were so close together (not my choice! that was all there was available) and maybe give us a break. To be safe, we do plan to arrive at the Barber Shop at noon to see if they can

I am sure it will be fine. They have to expect people to be late. Espcially at that time for lunch,,, I wouldn't worry too much about it.

The stroller basket will have 2 reusable grocery bags in it, as I've heard this makes it easier for emptying (& collapsing) the stroller for the monorail/bus/ferry etc. as well as going through security. Much easier to grab a bag than it is to lift 15 random objects out of the bottom of a stroller!

That is def a good idea! Folding up the strollers to get on the bus was always a huge stress. I would just say, try and not over pack. We got rid a lot of stuff after our first park day when they were little. It's great when in the park but transitioning becomes a headache.

I took an "over the door shoe organizer" & cut in half, sewed the two halves together and plan to zip tie them to the stroller handle. The goal here is to have the most frequently accessed items in the stroller basket/park bag more easily accessible. I got the idea from a Disney Facebook group and immediately got to work making it since I knew it would be a life (and back) saver. Here is a pic I found from google that shows what I mean:

This might be annoying when you go to fold the stroller. Those reuseable cups can be a pain too since they don't really close. The water bottles, I struglle with still. I want to bring my own for each of us but I also really hate carrying them all day.

1) thieves (which apparently is a big problem at WDW these days?!?) coming up to our stroller and walking off with one of our stroller fans etc.

What is wrong with people!!?!?!

& FIL (on ECV) take bags & stroller. Me, MIL & kids go through “bag free” line. Most commonly “pinged” items in security: portable chargers, sunglass cases, umbrellas, batteries, Air Tags, stainless steel water bottles. Have these items out OR on top of bag. Have all zippers unzipped!

I will say Security is not nearly as bad as it used to be! It is sooooo much better now with scanners.

DD3’s Air Tag on her Magic Band or shoes.

I would say to NOT put it on the magic band. Especially for little kids, those magic bands can fall off.

stickers (we bought 100 Disney themed stickers - the big kind people put on laptops & water bottles - and plan to give them out to people we see throughout the day as a way of "Pixie Dusting" them!),

Love this idea!

We knew we wanted the kids to wear Air Tags since this will really be their first experience with crowds, & it just made us feel a little better.

The stroller is great for big crowds. I made it very clear to the girls when they were little, if it ever got to crowded they had to get in the stroller. It was like a protective barrier. Ha.

We also knew DS2 would be jealous of DD3's Magic Band (he does not need one since he is under 3 and doesn't have a park ticket!

You could get DS2 one and not activate it. Or even ask really nicely at the front desk, maybe you could get a free grey magic band for DS2.

 

[Woth2982]

6. Any time you see listed "strap", I'm referring to these sippy cup straps: I plan to use them to fasten everything that can be fastened to our stroller. I don't want 1) thieves (which apparently is a big problem at WDW these days?!?) coming up to our stroller and walking off with one of our stroller fans etc. or 2) my kids to accidentally drop it and have my FIL run over it with his ECV. So things like stroller fans, my kids' water bottles, a little pouch filled with snacks, will all be clipped to the stroller. NOTE: I understand that someone who wants to steal something is not going to be deterred by something minute like a sippy cup strap but it will at least slow them down enough to give them pause. I am hopeful that people wouldn't be messing around with loosening straps & figuring out how to take it off for fear of it taking too long and getting caught. Who knows, could be wishful thinking but it doesn't hurt to try! Also, see reason #2 because that is

I am OBSESSED with the cup straps. I call them cup leashes and tell EVERYONE with kids they are a MUST HAVE! I got them for like $10 at Kohls and was like my mom is gonna give me crap for this and tell me I wasted my money. Complete opposite! She went out and got some for her house! I now buy them for every baby shower or little kids birthday. I wish I invented them!

I also love your organization bags. I am the same way. A bag for everything. People are constantly messing up my diaper bag. Hello! I have the size 3 and size 1 diapers in separate zip lock bags for a REASON! I also pack my kids clothes for each day in zip lock bags. Makes packing and dressing them so much easier.

 

[grapefruitjellybean]

Do you plan outfits too? I want to create a look book for my upcoming trip.

 

[MamaMouse0920]

Do you plan outfits too? I want to create a look book for my upcoming trip.

You're sweet! My general rule of thumb for our family's outfits is just to pick a general theme (related to the park we're going to that day) and try to find outfits within that theme that compliment each other. I try to think about if Matt & DS3 take a picture together how they will look, same with DD5 & me, etc. so that they are all pretty cohesive. I also generally tend to go for a more "understated" look compared to the loud in-your-face graphic tees etc. I find that it's harder to find clothes in that category for the men - it seems graphic tee's are pretty much all they make for males! Taylor Joelle & Etsy tend to be my go-tos.

Do you have a PTR for your upcoming trip? I'd love to follow along!!!

 

[grapefruitjellybean]

You're sweet! My general rule of thumb for our family's outfits is just to pick a general theme (related to the park we're going to that day) and try to find outfits within that theme that compliment each other. I try to think about if Matt & DS3 take a picture together how they will look, same with DD5 & me, etc. so that they are all pretty cohesive. I also generally tend to go for a more "understated" look compared to the loud in-your-face graphic tees etc. I find that it's harder to find clothes in that category for the men - it seems graphic tee's are pretty much all they make for males! Taylor Joelle & Etsy tend to be my go-tos.

Do you have a PTR for your upcoming trip? I'd love to follow along!!!

I want to be more clothing organized for our upcoming trip. I tend to overpack and I’ll only end up wearing half of the clothes I picked out. I’m one of those people that will pack 20 pairs of undies for a 7 day trip. I just don’t know what kind of mood I’ll be in so I like to have options. For the kids I pack their shorts and shirts together so it’s one less thing to think about. My daughter picks out her own clothes but my son doesn’t care. My partner will wear whatever he wants and wouldn’t be caught dead in anything Disney. He’s not a Disney person.
I don’t have a planning report but maybe I’ll get a very brief one going just for you!

Edit: I started one! Yay me.