Our biggest WDW vacation yet (but with the littlest guests)- A May PTR! FINAL UPDATE 5/8!

[Mollydolly334]

She was SO easy it was amazing. I wore her a lot in the Ergo which was helpful in lines when we couldn’t bring the stroller. I even wore her in the Ergo on several rides. We rented a City Mini stroller because it lies nearly flat and got her a stroller fan to keep her comfortable. She only fussed on 1 ride (Spaceship Earth, of all things!) and otherwise was just happy to be along for the ride (with the occasional well-timed bottle). Your sister could check out the baby care centers too - we didn’t need them but heard they’re great.

The one challenge was the flights - we had 2 lap kids (the baby and my then-2 year old) plus my 4 year old son. Most airlines only allow 1 lap baby per row because of the number of oxygen masks so my husband and I each had to sit separately with our own lap kid - we just didn’t have enough hands to go around! In retrospect I would’ve held the baby and gotten the toddler her own seat (with a TSA approved harness, which keeps them so much more secure than just a seatbelt). Hopefully your sister will have some extra hands on her flights!

I'm so glad to hear that it was easy for you!! We are also planning on the baby being worn 90% of the time! I will say that I'm excited to check out the baby care centers- that's one part of Disney I've never seen before My mom will be on the flight down with them, and I'll also be there on the flight back so they will have some help!!! Off to read your TRs now!!

This sounds like it's going to be an amazing trip! Going with littles is so special. Evie and Oliver are adorable and are going to be so mesmerized by everything in the parks. (I have an Evie, as well, so I think your sister picked a great girl's name.) And 3 months old is easier in some regards than an older baby. We took our Evie when she was 4 months, and it was calmer than when we took my son at 9 months. Just because they are way more portable and go with the flow. And with lots of family around to help hold and carry, the newest addition will get lots of cuddles.




Definitely a must with little kids!





It's got so many great food options. And being in the MK is really convenient with kids.





Another great choice. Plus, with it being a darker restaurant it might give the kids a chance to decompress and relax after the loud surroundings of Epcot. Well, I say kids but that also applies to adults.

Hiiii Alicia yay thanks for commenting!! VPR is the perfect show to binge-watch; especially the earlier seasons because things are so dramatic and fast-paced!! My current treadmill shows are all of the Baking Championships on Food Network (Spring, Summer, Holiday, Halloween...). They are fun to watch but get a bit monotonous... Like, how many times can you watch somebody over-bake their pat a choux or scramble the eggs in their lemon curd??

That's right- I remember you have an Evie too!! That seems to be the common theme- littler babies are easier, whereas older babies (but under 1) tend to be a harder age. I'm really hoping this new baby is mild-mannered, since Evie and Ollie are CRAZY!!

I loved Tom Schwartz on Winter House this past season, which is the only reason I even checked out Vanderpump Rules! I started on Season 1 a few weeks ago, and have just been binging my way along since then! LOL I started season 6 last night, so I've got a lot of catching up still to do, but I can't stop!


We have really enjoyed both, but I would say T-Rex is a bit "rougher" with the meteor coming, etc. It gets much darker, louder and strobe-lightier than Rainforest Cafe does.


Jimmy's #1 girl is Cinderella, so we have been to her royal table many times, as well as Akershus. It's hard to choose for sure, but they are both SO wonderful! There's nothing like getting to eat inside the castle, BUT the price is much easier to swallow at Akershus. They also do a parade with the princesses, which doesn't happen at CRT. The breakfast cheesy potato hash thing they have there is one of our favorites, too. I think Rob would choose to have breakfast there forever LOL

We went the first week it was open last spring, and had the best time!! It was a bit pricey, but we loved all of the food and the portions were generous but we could have had refills on anything if we weren't so full!! The ambiance can't be beat. I would 1000% go again!

Ughhh I have such a love-hate relationship with Tom Schwartz. He's so lazy and doesn't take accountability for anything, yet he's so happy and like a little puppy dog- like it's impossible to be mad at him!! VPR is a perfect binge-show. The first few seasons in particular are so addicting and dramatic!! It's definitely slowed down now but I have such a soft spot for the whole cast.

Thank you so much for the tips!! I think we have 100% decided on Rainforest Cafe (instead of T-Rex) and Roundup Rodeo!! I'm REALLY hoping we can get an ADR for CRT. It will be a big group (12), and it's on the first day of our vacation. That's one way that the split-stays really mess things up; we have 3 ADR days instead of just one But eating in the castle just sounds SO magical, and their dinner menu looks a lot better than Akerhus!

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

I like having one scheduled meal per day to keep us organized and also guarantee a break to sit down and relax.

This is pretty much why we do one sit down meal a trip. One year we decided to do mostly counter service and we were just running ragged because we wouldn't stop and rest.

Chef Mickey’s OR Tusker House OR Garden Grill OR Topolino’s Terrace OR Cape May Cafe

Of these... I recommend Tusker House!! The food is good here! It's like BOMA on training wheels. And I love the Fab 5 in safari outfits.

Speaking of BOMA, that is not a bad option, buffets mean you don't have to wait long to get food for the kids and you could see the animals before or after dinner.

Crystal Palace

I booked this for Easter for us this coming trip! We have never been. I am debating to keep it or not...

Cinderella’s Royal Table OR Akershus

Hmmm, our first trip we did both and never again. There is nothing compared to eating in the castle but princess wise, Akershus is the same and cheaper. But Akershus food is Norwegian and not exactly my cup of tea. I do think you need to do Cinderlla's Royal Table at least once!

Storybook Dining at Artist Point

Also a really good choice! And you guys have to go if Snow White is a favorite character!! The food is good and the dwarves are so fun!


Hmmm.. other places.... Morgan and Gwen really enjoyed Via Napoli as a kid. Obviously because it's pizza but I think it is also low key in there. They also have those long tables to seat all 10 of you.

We haven't done it but Beirgarten might be good too. It has the show that the kids might enjoy.

My last thought would be Sci-Fi Drive Inn, you would probably need to do 3 reservations with the amount of people you have but the kids would love watching tv with dinner.

 

[keh422]

You're going to have so many good (and fun!) meals! I think you're wise to schedule a lot of sit-down meals with the heat. We've had some of our very best character interactions at Garden Grill. We have a HUGE Pluto fan, and we just love it there. One thing I really like about it is that the food comes to you, so you don't have to worry about timing buffet trips around character visits.

 

[Newsies]

Hi friends! We are officially doing the double-digit dance today!!

DOUBLE DIGITS!

Had to include a Vanderpump Rules GIF since the new season premieres TONIGHT!! Any others on here obsessed with that show?? Funnily enough, JAKE was the one that got me hooked on it way back when we first started dating!

It's so crazy you mention Vanderpump because my entire team at work is obsessed with this show and trying to figure out how we can book some of the people on this show for a partnership! I don't watch reality TV but everyone is so invested and keeps talking about it during our lunch break -- I think I need to jump in!

I have never done either of these places! I’m excited to try finally try a princess meal Those who have, is one better/more worth your money than the other??

I think there are benefits and drawbacks to both. CRT has a more appealing dinner menu IMO but the prices are so absurd now I don't think we'll be back. We haven't been to Akershus in a hot minute but Akershus breakfast always sounds like a good plan with kids -- book an early Akershus breakfast and you can get Frozen Ever After and the m&g with Anna and Elsa knocked out pretty quickly afterwards. We're trying to book Akershus breakfast for our May trip!

Any obvious toddler-friendly ADRs on this list that I’m missing??

You have a really solid list! I think you nailed it for must-dos with little ones! I think Biergarten might be another fun one with toddlers. This is our favorite buffet on property and the kids in the restaurant really loved it because there were moments where they could dance on the floor while the band played on stage.

 

[jrmint427]

We decided on May 2024, just before they turned 3 years old, to make sure we could still eek out all of the perks of them being “free” in Disney!

Following along! We took a trip a few days before each of my DDs turned 3 to take advantage of those perks - it's a great time to go when they're almost 3 and everything is so magical while they're still free!

And since I’m the “master planner” of all of our Disney trips, it’s up to ME to make it happen.

It's so hard to plan for larger groups! I am also the master planner, only planning for 7 on our next trip but it's more of a challenge when you have to split dining reservations and take more preferences into account.

I HATE making ADRs for large groups, because it’s not as simple as just going online at 6:00 AM. You usually need to make 2 reservations for the same time instead of one giant reservation (so, for example, you’d need one reservation for 6 people and one reservation for 4 people, instead of one large reservation for 10 people).

Yes! Even with 7, I had to split some reservations to be 4 and 3 for our upcoming trip.

You have to call Disney so that the CM can override the system, since they usually don’t let you have 2 reservations for the same time if you book online.

To avoid having to call Disney, my mom shared her login information so I made a reservation for 4 in my account and a reservation for 3 in her account. It still took a little longer to be switching between our accounts and trying to get similar times, but I was able to get two of the reservations just 5 minutes apart and the longest gap between our reservations was 15 minutes. Since we're sharing plans as friends and family, I'm able to see both reservations when I log into my own account now.

Chef Mickey’s OR Tusker House OR Garden Grill OR Topolino’s Terrace OR Cape May Cafe

We haven't one Chef Mickey's or Cape May but my vote is for Topolino's! It was really great food, a beautiful setting, and fun character interactions. It felt less crowded and less rushed than the experience we had at Tusker house, and we like not having to worry about anyone being away at the buffet when characters might come by.

Evie is our resident princess-lover, so we NEED a princess meal at some point! I have never done either of these places! I’m excited to try finally try a princess meal Those who have, is one better/more worth your money than the other??

We have one both CRT and Akershus and we liked Akershus better; but CRT is something everyone should do at least once! It's a fun experience to know you're eating in the castle. But we liked the food and had a better experience with the princesses at Akershus.

 

[suse66]

That’s right- the whole family is coming this time!! The first time I went to Disney World, I was 6 years old. Me being the baby of the family, I have always been the youngest on the trip and I have never had the experience of traveling the Disney with small children.

Until now!

Pretty much as soon as my twin niece and nephew were conceived, my sister Haley and I began to plot and plan for their first trip to Disney World. This trip has been 3 years in the making! We decided on May 2024, just before they turned 3 years old, to make sure we could still eek out all of the perks of them being “free” in Disney!

But, of course, life happens, and 2 kids turned into 3!! Haley and Ryan are due with their third child in February So, if you’re good at math, you’ll have figured out that this new baby will be 3 months old at the time of this long-awaited trip.

That’s right- 7 adults + 2 toddlers + 1 infant = one memorable trip to Disney World!

That’s a big group!

Now, I’ll introduce the stars of the show here- my niece and nephew! I couldn’t choose a favorite picture of them- so you get a whole bunch

Cuties!

Nana (Haley and I’s mom)! If Haley is super-mom, Nana super-Nana! She lives and breathes her grandchildren, and it’s super easy for her to visit, since she only lives about an hour away from Haley and Ryan! My mom is a pediatric dentist, and the most inspiring person in my world. She is my very best friend and is also one of my favorite people to travel to Disney with! Nana is happy to let me do all the planning and loves to join for the ride She has boundless energy and is a rope-drop to park-close Disney guest!

Your mom is great!

However, the more we thought about it, we actually came to the conclusion that Jake should come up for the first weekend. Two of his big “musts” for the trip were 1. Hanging out with Oliver at the Cars hotel and 2. Spending the day at Magic Kingdom. Well, both of those things were happening that first weekend (May 11 and May 12).

Perfect!

WHEW! That was exhausting! Overall, I think it’ll be perfect for our trip. I love doing split-stays and experiencing lots of hotels during our trips. We are already planning on lots of resort/pool time and checking out all of the resort-specific activities during our stays (Scat Cat Club at POFQ, Dahlia Lounge at CSR, Banana Cabana at CBR, etc.). I LOVE going to Disney in May (it’s one of my absolute favorite months of the year to go), because you are guaranteed to have perfect pool weather, but it’s not to the point where it’s oppressively humid and you’re dehydrated and frustrated and DONE. So, you best believe that we are checking out ALL of the pools during our trip!

Love pool time!

Disney on Ice! Myself, Jake, Haley, Ryan, and the twins tagged along for the fun! This was kind of our “last hurrah” event before the new baby is born (Haley is scheduled for her C-Section on February 9th)! We also thought it would be a good test-run to see how they would do with the characters, shows, etc. that we would see at Disney World! We weren’t really sure how they would do; two and a half is such a weird age and I feel like the twins are always surprising and testing our expectations.

So cute!

Also obsessed with your cute sweatshirt! Definitely on point for the event!

It was such a fun day! We went to the 11:00 AM show at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, IL, then headed back to Haley and Ryan’s house to have some lunch, read stories, and put the kids down for nap. Then, Haley and I were able to brainstorm some aspects of the Disney trip and jot down some plans, while Ryan and Jake watched some football! It was a very fun, Disney-filled day

Love this!

I’m not going to lie, I miss being an annual passholder! I was an AP holder from 2019-2021 and I literally lived my BEST Disney life.

I feel this. I miss my AP so much!

But that’s not to say I couldn’t do some girl’s trips/solo trips on an annual pass too?? Ahhhh, decisions, decisions!

Right??? Then we could meet in person!

One thing that we wanted to prioritize this year was character meals. Again, I’m excited about this, since character meals are not something that we usually do (maybe one every couple trips, and usually it’s a breakfast). We also wanted to increase our ADR frequency a bit and schedule at least one ADR, if not maybe two some days (a breakfast and a dinner) per day so that we have those guaranteed breaks. This will also allow us to tour more slowly so we don’t burn the kids out and we can also keep the baby out of the sun.

Good plan!

This would be another new restaurant for us! The theming looks so fun and very kid-friendly, plus, everyone loves BBQ! I figure that this is the best bet for DHS; the kids aren’t really into the Disney Junior characters yet so Hollywood and Vine wouldn’t be a first choice, they won’t get the “shtick” of 50’s Prime Time Cafe, and Sci-Fi just looks a little too dark/scary for them right now.

Great choices!

 

[Mollydolly334]

This is pretty much why we do one sit down meal a trip. One year we decided to do mostly counter service and we were just running ragged because we wouldn't stop and rest.


Of these... I recommend Tusker House!! The food is good here! It's like BOMA on training wheels. And I love the Fab 5 in safari outfits.

Speaking of BOMA, that is not a bad option, buffets mean you don't have to wait long to get food for the kids and you could see the animals before or after dinner.


I booked this for Easter for us this coming trip! We have never been. I am debating to keep it or not...


Hmmm, our first trip we did both and never again. There is nothing compared to eating in the castle but princess wise, Akershus is the same and cheaper. But Akershus food is Norwegian and not exactly my cup of tea. I do think you need to do Cinderlla's Royal Table at least once!


Also a really good choice! And you guys have to go if Snow White is a favorite character!! The food is good and the dwarves are so fun!


Hmmm.. other places.... Morgan and Gwen really enjoyed Via Napoli as a kid. Obviously because it's pizza but I think it is also low key in there. They also have those long tables to seat all 10 of you.

We haven't done it but Beirgarten might be good too. It has the show that the kids might enjoy.

My last thought would be Sci-Fi Drive Inn, you would probably need to do 3 reservations with the amount of people you have but the kids would love watching tv with dinner.

Thank you so much for the tips!!! It's really nice having some back-up options too if our ADRs don't work out (since a lot of them are those "hard to get" reservations combined with the large number in our party)!!

We are definitely leaning towards CRT instead of Akershus. The food looks better AND how magical to eat in the castle?? I'm so excited to try out Storybook Dining- reading your TRs I remember you guys have done that one a couple times and it always looks so fun! Plus, it's a good excuse to explore WL

Biergarten is a great idea!! I never even thought about the show/dancing aspect but you are totally right- they would LOVE that!!

You're going to have so many good (and fun!) meals! I think you're wise to schedule a lot of sit-down meals with the heat. We've had some of our very best character interactions at Garden Grill. We have a HUGE Pluto fan, and we just love it there. One thing I really like about it is that the food comes to you, so you don't have to worry about timing buffet trips around character visits.

I've never been to Garden Grill and have always been dying to visit!! I have a soft spot for Living with the Land and I love the fact that you are overlooking that ride. Plus, the rotating aspect would be so fun, haha!

DOUBLE DIGITS!



It's so crazy you mention Vanderpump because my entire team at work is obsessed with this show and trying to figure out how we can book some of the people on this show for a partnership! I don't watch reality TV but everyone is so invested and keeps talking about it during our lunch break -- I think I need to jump in!



I think there are benefits and drawbacks to both. CRT has a more appealing dinner menu IMO but the prices are so absurd now I don't think we'll be back. We haven't been to Akershus in a hot minute but Akershus breakfast always sounds like a good plan with kids -- book an early Akershus breakfast and you can get Frozen Ever After and the m&g with Anna and Elsa knocked out pretty quickly afterwards. We're trying to book Akershus breakfast for our May trip!



You have a really solid list! I think you nailed it for must-dos with little ones! I think Biergarten might be another fun one with toddlers. This is our favorite buffet on property and the kids in the restaurant really loved it because there were moments where they could dance on the floor while the band played on stage.

OMG Vanderpump is the BEST!! You definitely need to start at the beginning though; it's good now with all the recent drama but the first few seasons were PEAK drama. They were just young, scrappy waiters/waitresses with real problems!! Now they're a little less relatable because they're all older and richer but still acting like petty teenagers

If we went with Akershus we would definitely do breakfast; overall the food looks better at CRT! The kids do love Anna and Elsa so that's a really good point about going right to Frozen Ever After at park opening...

Ariella mentioned Biergarten too and I LOVE this idea!! I love this restaurant and you are so right- Evie and Ollie would absolutely EAT UP the dance floor!!!

Following along! We took a trip a few days before each of my DDs turned 3 to take advantage of those perks - it's a great time to go when they're almost 3 and everything is so magical while they're still free!

It's so hard to plan for larger groups! I am also the master planner, only planning for 7 on our next trip but it's more of a challenge when you have to split dining reservations and take more preferences into account.

Yes! Even with 7, I had to split some reservations to be 4 and 3 for our upcoming trip.

To avoid having to call Disney, my mom shared her login information so I made a reservation for 4 in my account and a reservation for 3 in her account. It still took a little longer to be switching between our accounts and trying to get similar times, but I was able to get two of the reservations just 5 minutes apart and the longest gap between our reservations was 15 minutes. Since we're sharing plans as friends and family, I'm able to see both reservations when I log into my own account now.

We haven't one Chef Mickey's or Cape May but my vote is for Topolino's! It was really great food, a beautiful setting, and fun character interactions. It felt less crowded and less rushed than the experience we had at Tusker house, and we like not having to worry about anyone being away at the buffet when characters might come by.

We have one both CRT and Akershus and we liked Akershus better; but CRT is something everyone should do at least once! It's a fun experience to know you're eating in the castle. But we liked the food and had a better experience with the princesses at Akershus.

Hi!! Thank you so much for joining along I am definitely warming up to the idea of taking the littles- Disney on Ice really solidified that they will absolutely have a blast and soak up all of the magic!!

Great tips!! I'm going to try to book some ADRs off of Jake and Haley's MDE too so that I can avoid calling if I have to. I might just end up calling for convenience sake... I do love hearing the hold music

Topolino's is definitely up there, considering we are staying at CBR for part of the trip and it's right next door!! And yes- if we can snag an ADR we are definitely leaning towards CRT. Eating inside the castle will be so magical!!!

That’s a big group!

Cuties!

Your mom is great!

Perfect!

Love pool time!

So cute!

Also obsessed with your cute sweatshirt! Definitely on point for the event!

Love this!

I feel this. I miss my AP so much!

Right??? Then we could meet in person!

Good plan!

Great choices!

Hi Susan!!! Great to have you here

I feel like you and my mom would get along SO well- just reading your TRs I feel like you two are very similar!! If I do get an AP, I'd definitely try to do a little weekend getaway with my mom. You and @disneyAndi14 could join and we could have some girl time!!!

 

[Mollydolly334]

Songs That Remind Me Of Disney World!


Hi everyone! This is going to be a REALLY silly little post. But I thought it would be fun to share and start a conversation

Are there any songs for you that, as soon as you hear them, immediately bring you back to Disney World? They don’t even necessarily have to be Disney songs; they just transport you back to the magic ?

One of these songs came up on my Spotify while I was walking the other day, and it gave me the idea to do this post! I am a HUGE music person and music is a very emotional thing for me. I’m excited to hear what your “Disney-Mode" songs are There are definitely a few of these for me- and some of them are super random!

Check Yes Juliet- We the Kings



An extremely random song to start the list off! I loved this song in my “emo phase” in 2008-2009, but hadn’t properly listened to this song in at least 10 years. Then, all of a sudden, while at the Boardwalk Inn pool in 2021, this song started playing . It was the weirdest and most random thing and I started laughing to myself. Then, later in the trip, Jake and I ended up hearing this song TWO MORE TIMES, both also at the BWI pool! THEN- in 2023, I heard this song AGAIN, at Stormalong Bay at the Beach Club!! There must be some angsty ex-emo kids on the staff at these hotels

Everywhere- Michelle Branch (and really, the entire The Spirit Room album)



On our trip in 2002, we rented a car, since my dad really liked to golf and venture off-property during the week while Mom, Haley, and I hit the parks. I remember riding in the rental car a lot that trip, which is funny, because we stayed at the Poly (which has one of the most convenient locations of any Disney resort). Haley and I were allowed to bring exactly one CD to keep in the car this trip, and The Spirit Room by Michelle Branch was the one we chose. Thus, every time we were in the car, this album was playing. This CD will always bring me back to Disney vibes!! I still know every single song on this album completely by heart.

A Star is Born- Hercules



They used to play this at DHS during park-close (not sure if they still do? I haven’t been to DHS at closing time in a while)! I loved jamming out to this song as we exited the park!

Miracles Happen- Myra



I always seem to hear this song in WDW gift shops, especially at MK! The Princess Diaries is one of my comfort movies

Hey, Soul Sister- Train



This song was super popular during our 2010 trip, when I was a sophomore in high school. I was able to bring a friend along on that trip, and we BLASTED this song on our iPods the entire time we were there!

Burning Love- Wynona



This is another “gift shop” song- I hear this song pretty much EVERY SINGLE time I’m in BouTiki at the Poly . Lilo and Stitch is also one of my very favorite Disney movies- this song is played during the end credits!

Get a Clue- Simon and Milo



Another very random and “niche” song that probably not a lot of people know about. This song (and music video) was played CONSTANTLY on the Disney Channel in 2002. I remember they played this song (and music video) while in line for RNRC on our 2002 trip, and thinking “I can’t even escape this song when I’m on vacation” .

On Top of the World- Imagine Dragons



They like to play this song by the pools/in resort areas; I feel like I hear this song at least once per trip!! It’s such a happy, uplifting song- perfect for Disney!

The Man with the Bag- Kay Starr and A Marshmallow World- Darlene Love



A couple Christmas songs to add to the mix… these are played CONSTANTLY at MK and DHS during the Christmas season

Good Life- OneRepublic



Pretty self-explanatory I can’t help but feel happy when I watch this iconic Disney commercial!

The Tiki Tiki Tiki Room- Hilary Duff



This brings me back to Tropical Storm Dorian back in 2019. I had vivid memories of this song being played, and the Fab 5 doing the Macarena in the lobby of the Grand Floridian . I absolutely LOVE the Disney Mania CDs and play them in the car all the time. They play a lot of the songs on these CDs at the parks too!

Jumpin' Jumpin'- Destiny's Child



I’m going to age myself a little bit here… living in Milwaukee, we didn’t get Radio Disney as a radio station until about 2004 or so. Before that, the only way that we could listen to Radio Disney was as a TV CHANNEL at Disney resorts!!! They literally just had a TV channel dedicated to playing current Disney pop hits, but only at the WDW-owned resorts (it was like a version of resort TV at the time)! I have many fond memories of this screen Jumpin' Jumpin' was played CONSTANTLY on Radio Disney at that time; I feel like every time we were in the hotel room, this song would come on!!

I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing- Aerosmith



They are always playing this song in the courtyard outside of RNRC!

Give Me One Reason- Tracy Chapman



Another kind of random choice, but it’s part of a cute little memory. During our Epic DISBoards Girl’s Trip back in 2019, I was chilling at Ale and Compass Lounge at the YC with @Steppesister and @missjackiemcg (and a few others too). It was such a peaceful, quiet vibe in there. This song started playing, and we got talking about Tracy Chapman/music in general, and it was just a really nice memory that sticks with me I love my DISfriends so much!!!

This sparks another topic of conversation- what is your favorite ambient/background music at WDW?? I love listening to these music loops when I’m driving, doing admin work, and walking on the treadmill!

Even though this is outdated and this music isn’t played in the parks anymore, I LOVE this vintage background music from the Land pavilion! The Land is one of my favorite areas in WDW, and listening to this loop just gives me such a sunny, happy feeling.

During Jake and I's first visit to Aulani back in 2022, we realized that they played Hawaiian versions of Disney music in the elevators!! We became obsessed with the loop and would try to guess the Disney song as soon as it started It made riding in the elevators so much more enjoyable!

This video (and the next video) is one of my most-played videos on YouTube. This is the absolute perfect mix of old-timey music and it literally transports me right to Main Street USA. I can practically smell the popcorn and cotton candy!! I love the songs on here so much that I actually made a Spotify playlist of the entire list of songs (with lyrics, rather than just instrumental), and I listen to it when I’m down

This is another one I listen to all the time!! We always have these Resort TV loops on when we’re getting ready for the day in the hotel room; it definitely brings back that anticipatory excitement of preparing to have another great day in the parks!!

I love the French music they play at Disney’s Riviera resort, it’s so relaxing. It makes me think of sitting on the Riviera’s porch swings on a quiet morning, enjoying an almond cold brew and a piece of house-made banana bread


What are the songs that just INSTANTLY transport you back to that pixie-dust feeling??

​

 

[jrmint427]

Great tips!! I'm going to try to book some ADRs off of Jake and Haley's MDE too so that I can avoid calling if I have to. I might just end up calling for convenience sake... I do love hearing the hold music

I would never want to keep someone from that hold music But it definitely helped with getting some of those harder to book ADRs quickly at the times we wanted!

I love the playlist! I've been building a playlist of songs for the drive to the airport... for me it's a lot of classic Disney songs and I looked up the playlist for Art of Animation where we'll be staying. I also associate Sugar Ray with Disney now because we saw them at a Food & Wine Festival in 2017!

 

[Woth2982]

Oh I love your music post! My friends and I always talk about how music really brings you back to a specific time and place more than anything else. Back in 2008 when my best friend and I planned our first Disney trip we were board in our sorority study hours and instead of studying, we made an entire Disney playlist designed to last the whole flight. We each took turns writing down songs, crossing them out etc. I went home and downloaded it all on iTunes and made us each a CD copy to put on our iPods. Here we are in 2024 and I STILL play that same playlist (though there are additions to the list)! I play it even more now that I have kids. I tell my mom I am lucky my kids would rather listen to my Disney playlist than Wheels on the Bus on repeat! In case you were wondering, BFF and I did our first family trip in 2022 and we have another planned for November! Her whole family is joining us so it will be a HUGE trip! She has made it clear though, only her mom has "priority" to be with us because we are the originators lol.

 

[ambula603]

Found your new pre-report and am happily reading along! Sounds like the baby is about to arrive very soon which is so exciting!

I don't have a ton of tips on ADR, other than to say we had a big family trip and we were actually tired of character dinners about 5 days in because we tried to do ALL of them! So keep that in mind, sit down may be good, but lots of music and characters might be too much. My girls were a bit older (4 and 6.5) so maybe it won't be the same for you guys. Not sure if that helps your planning or hurts it! We just tried Woody's Round Up and it was SO good. I know some people don't love the food there, but we did. Such a miss to not have the characters there, but I would still return just for the decor and fun vibes.

As for music, I listen to srsounds.com non-stop when I am at work. It is the perfect background music because it doesn't require thinking or paying attention for me. It just gives me the warm fuzzies! I especially love the "Seasons" channel during Halloween and Christmas!

I have bookmarked some of your YouTube playlists. I am a sucker for those, too. When I am at home and I need a pick-me-up, I light a candle that smells like Disney and get a good playlist going! But what my husband knows is that I reserve the WDW Today playlist for my most sad or stressed times. That is when I pull out the big boy, ha! I also love to watch Disney vlogs on Youtube. Blair Lamb is a personal favorite and she has littles (and just did a big trip) so I recommend her! She has a relaxing tone and demeanor.

This sounds like SUCH a fun trip. Memories that will last a lifetime, no matter where you stay or what you eat. But seeing everything through the eyes of a child is like no other!

 

[Newsies]

Are there any songs for you that, as soon as you hear them, immediately bring you back to Disney World? They don’t even necessarily have to be Disney songs; they just transport you back to the magic ?

OMG, such a good question! I have so many and they're all truly soooo random A lot of them stem from our epic 20-hour drives down to the Mouse and back.

1. Quarter to Three (Gary U.S. Bonds) -- my dad listens to all the weird 40s/50s radio stations, that's his music, and on our 2021 trip to WDW, this came on the radio relatively early on the drive down and got stuck in my head. I went searching for it on Spotify that night and accidentally fell asleep with this playing on repeat. We stayed at POP Century on this trip so it fit with all of the other nostalgic songs we heard at the resort!

2. All Star (Smash Mouth) -- on my family's first ever drive to Florida when I was 5 years old, we had a portable VHS player and my parents loaded me in the car and surprised me with a VHS copy of my favorite movie at the time, Shrek. Instead of cycling through the arsenal of 5-10 movie tapes we had, we literally watched Shrek on repeat for possibly the entire drive down. So for as long as I can remember, All Star has reminded me of Walt Disney World and Orlando in general!

3. Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride (Jump5) -- THE anthem for all WDW resort pools, I hear this no less than 5 times on every vacation. Every time I walk past the pool it's playing. Every time I go to the pool I hear it. Also an anthem for the Poly in general, I hear it every time I'm in the lobby.

4. That's How You Know (From Enchanted) -- Another banger at the WDW resort pools, and it appears in the mix for that amazing Resort TV station! Nothing like listening to the instrumental version of this song while everyone else finishes getting ready for the day.

5. Mele Kalikimaka (Bing Crosby & the Andrews Sisters) -- reminds me of our Thanksgiving vacation to the Poly in 2018!

6. Theme from the Halloween Movies -- reminds me of the bus ride to DHS because it's part of the DHS bus loop soundtrack and I remember the first time I heard it I thought it was so random

 

[Mollydolly334]

I would never want to keep someone from that hold music But it definitely helped with getting some of those harder to book ADRs quickly at the times we wanted!

I love the playlist! I've been building a playlist of songs for the drive to the airport... for me it's a lot of classic Disney songs and I looked up the playlist for Art of Animation where we'll be staying. I also associate Sugar Ray with Disney now because we saw them at a Food & Wine Festival in 2017!

Ahhhh love it!!! Jake and I love Sugar Ray and we always associate them with Hawaii because of their chill vibes We watched the live-action Scooby Doo movie a few months ago, and were SO surprised to see Sugar Ray make an appearance; we couldn't stop laughing It had been so long since I'd seen that movie (pretty sure the last time was in the actual movie theater) and we both totally forgot that they were in it!

Oh I love your music post! My friends and I always talk about how music really brings you back to a specific time and place more than anything else. Back in 2008 when my best friend and I planned our first Disney trip we were board in our sorority study hours and instead of studying, we made an entire Disney playlist designed to last the whole flight. We each took turns writing down songs, crossing them out etc. I went home and downloaded it all on iTunes and made us each a CD copy to put on our iPods. Here we are in 2024 and I STILL play that same playlist (though there are additions to the list)! I play it even more now that I have kids. I tell my mom I am lucky my kids would rather listen to my Disney playlist than Wheels on the Bus on repeat! In case you were wondering, BFF and I did our first family trip in 2022 and we have another planned for November! Her whole family is joining us so it will be a HUGE trip! She has made it clear though, only her mom has "priority" to be with us because we are the originators lol.

Ahhhhh thank you!! I love that you and your BFF made a playlist and burned CDs- the friend I took on our 2010 trip also did that and now I associate so many of those songs with WDW I definitely do not miss the time and effort it took to download and burn songs onto CDs

LOVE that you guys still do Disney together!! What a great friendship!!

Found your new pre-report and am happily reading along! Sounds like the baby is about to arrive very soon which is so exciting!

I don't have a ton of tips on ADR, other than to say we had a big family trip and we were actually tired of character dinners about 5 days in because we tried to do ALL of them! So keep that in mind, sit down may be good, but lots of music and characters might be too much. My girls were a bit older (4 and 6.5) so maybe it won't be the same for you guys. Not sure if that helps your planning or hurts it! We just tried Woody's Round Up and it was SO good. I know some people don't love the food there, but we did. Such a miss to not have the characters there, but I would still return just for the decor and fun vibes.

As for music, I listen to srsounds.com non-stop when I am at work. It is the perfect background music because it doesn't require thinking or paying attention for me. It just gives me the warm fuzzies! I especially love the "Seasons" channel during Halloween and Christmas!

I have bookmarked some of your YouTube playlists. I am a sucker for those, too. When I am at home and I need a pick-me-up, I light a candle that smells like Disney and get a good playlist going! But what my husband knows is that I reserve the WDW Today playlist for my most sad or stressed times. That is when I pull out the big boy, ha! I also love to watch Disney vlogs on Youtube. Blair Lamb is a personal favorite and she has littles (and just did a big trip) so I recommend her! She has a relaxing tone and demeanor.

This sounds like SUCH a fun trip. Memories that will last a lifetime, no matter where you stay or what you eat. But seeing everything through the eyes of a child is like no other!

Thanks for joining along Amber!!! We are SO excited

I've heard so many good things about Roundup Rodeo BBQ- you're like the 5th person who's said they've had a great experience there!! Great tip on limiting the character dining- DEFINITELY don't want to overwhelm the kids (or myself, sometimes interacting with characters can be stressful and awkward )

I love "seasonal" playlists too- you should check out Jake Westbrook on Youtube- he has a whole bunch of "vintage" seasonal playlists and the songs totally give off a WDW vibe (think Grand Floridian, Main Street USA, etc.) I've watched a couple of Blair Lamb videos too!! As far as Disney vlogs, I also love bosox2001 (he actually used to be a DISer), Jeff Smith, Jade Billington, and of course DisneyFoodBlog and SeeYaReelSoon Jake and I also really love watching Magic Journeys for Disneyland content!! I love having someone to nerd out with over Disney media

OMG, such a good question! I have so many and they're all truly soooo random A lot of them stem from our epic 20-hour drives down to the Mouse and back.

1. Quarter to Three (Gary U.S. Bonds) -- my dad listens to all the weird 40s/50s radio stations, that's his music, and on our 2021 trip to WDW, this came on the radio relatively early on the drive down and got stuck in my head. I went searching for it on Spotify that night and accidentally fell asleep with this playing on repeat. We stayed at POP Century on this trip so it fit with all of the other nostalgic songs we heard at the resort!

2. All Star (Smash Mouth) -- on my family's first ever drive to Florida when I was 5 years old, we had a portable VHS player and my parents loaded me in the car and surprised me with a VHS copy of my favorite movie at the time, Shrek. Instead of cycling through the arsenal of 5-10 movie tapes we had, we literally watched Shrek on repeat for possibly the entire drive down. So for as long as I can remember, All Star has reminded me of Walt Disney World and Orlando in general!

3. Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride (Jump5) -- THE anthem for all WDW resort pools, I hear this no less than 5 times on every vacation. Every time I walk past the pool it's playing. Every time I go to the pool I hear it. Also an anthem for the Poly in general, I hear it every time I'm in the lobby.

4. That's How You Know (From Enchanted) -- Another banger at the WDW resort pools, and it appears in the mix for that amazing Resort TV station! Nothing like listening to the instrumental version of this song while everyone else finishes getting ready for the day.

5. Mele Kalikimaka (Bing Crosby & the Andrews Sisters) -- reminds me of our Thanksgiving vacation to the Poly in 2018!

6. Theme from the Halloween Movies -- reminds me of the bus ride to DHS because it's part of the DHS bus loop soundtrack and I remember the first time I heard it I thought it was so random

AHHH I love your playlist!!!! YES to Jump5- they were the Disney cover kings/queens back in the day!!! I always hear that song at the Poly as well! Jake has that version of Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride on his Spotify and says he prefers it to the original, haha!

Shrek is STILL one of my favorite movies, haha. It's so quotable!!

 

[missjackiemcg]

Oh my gosh, LOVE LOVE this idea!!! I have to think and put my list together, but also wanted to thank you for reminding me of this awesome night!

Another kind of random choice, but it’s part of a cute little memory. During our Epic DISBoards Girl’s Trip back in 2019, I was chilling at Ale and Compass Lounge at the YC with @Steppesister and @missjackiemcg (and a few others too). It was such a peaceful, quiet vibe in there. This song started playing, and we got talking about Tracy Chapman/music in general, and it was just a really nice memory that sticks with me I love my DISfriends so much!!!

I still cannot believe we actually pulled that amazing group of us together and made such incredible memories with our group internet strangers turned friends. I LOVED every minute of that trip, but I must agree our evening at Ale and Compass was definitely a special part of it.

 

[Woth2982]

LOVE that you guys still do Disney together!! What a great friendship!!

It really is a great friendship. We want to do adults only to Aruba to celebrate our 20th Friendaversary in 2026 lol. Luckily our husbads get along too.

Thinking of your sister and your family right now! Hoping to find out if I have a birthday twin tomorrow!

 

[Mollydolly334]

Oh my gosh, LOVE LOVE this idea!!! I have to think and put my list together, but also wanted to thank you for reminding me of this awesome night!


I still cannot believe we actually pulled that amazing group of us together and made such incredible memories with our group internet strangers turned friends. I LOVED every minute of that trip, but I must agree our evening at Ale and Compass was definitely a special part of it.

That trip was just so special start to finish. I'm not kidding when I say it was a highlight of my 20's, if not my life!!! It really is just so amazing to meet "your people"

It really is a great friendship. We want to do adults only to Aruba to celebrate our 20th Friendaversary in 2026 lol. Luckily our husbads get along too.

Thinking of your sister and your family right now! Hoping to find out if I have a birthday twin tomorrow!

NEWS COMING SOON!!

 

[Mollydolly334]

Now it's time to say (hello), to ALL our company!


I am DELIGHTED to finally announce that… the littlest member of our trip has arrived!!!

Introducing…







Ethan Robert

His arrival was definitely surprising! Since Haley had a C-Section with the twins, the doctors had proactively scheduled for her to have a C-Section on February 9th (tomorrow!). However, last Wednesday night around 10:30 PM (1/31), Haley bent over to pick up the TV remote off the floor, and her water broke !! So, she called my Mom, and my mom sped down to Chicago to watch the already sleeping twins (she only lives about 1 hour and 15 minutes away from them). Haley and Ryan left for the hospital around 12:30 AMl!!

Jake and I were chilling out and watching Lost (our newest show we’ve been binging), and I got a call from my mom at about 11:30 PM. As soon as I saw the phone ring, I said to Jake, “I bet Haley is in labor.” . My mom NEVER calls me at that time of night!

Ethan was born at 2:30 PM on February 1st, 2024. Honestly, we weren’t too surprised that he was a boy; Haley had a feeling all along that it was a boy!! He weighed 7 lbs 8 oz and was 22 inches long! Both Ethan and Mama are doing absolutely perfect We are very happy that Haley was able to have a natural birth so that she doesn’t have the crazy recovery of a C-section.







Hanging with Dad!



My mom watched the twins Thursday and Friday, and Haley and Ryan came home on Saturday. The twins (and my mom) were finally able to meet Ethan on Saturday, February 3rd!









Even Birdie (Haley and Ryan’s Labradoodle) was smitten!

THEN, Jake and I drove down for the day on Sunday 2/4 and had the pleasure of meeting our newest nephew





He is absolutely perfect and SO chill, which is great because the twins are CRAZY!! He is also Ollie's twin- it is insane to compare photos of the two of them at this age. Haley literally just copied and pasted baby Oliver I wonder if he'll be a redhead like Ollie, too!



Oliver is on the left, and Ethan is on the right.

The twins are so curious and always asking to hold “Baby Ethan.” Ollie is the epitome of a “Mama’s Boy,” but he is being such a big boy and taking the change in stride. Evie especially is being such a little helper and trying to be a mother hen.









Proud brother and sister

They also try to feed him with plastic food, which I think is hilarious . Hey, nothing says “love” like sharing your food!

Haley is recovering well at home. She is super-mom FOR SURE! Ryan’s mom, Carla, is visiting this entire week to help out. My mom went back to work this week, but will then be staying with them for 2 weeks from February 12-26 to help out, so Haley and Ryan will have a lot of support. We are so blessed that everyone is doing so well, and that we have a healthy and happy little boy to join our crew





​

 

[jrmint427]

Ethan Robert

He is adorable!! Congratulations to your sister and the whole family! So exciting to meet the youngest member of your trip And now your sister can book that flight!

We are very happy that Haley was able to have a natural birth so that she doesn’t have the crazy recovery of a C-section.

That is awesome! I had 2 c-sections and likely would have struggled with a Disney trip a couple months later, wishing her a quick recovery!

 

[Newsies]

Molly!!! This is SUCH happy news! Happy birthday and welcome to the world, Ethan Robert! He is so perfect and the photos of him with the twins are just too precious! Congratulations to Haley, Ryan, and the rest of the family -- hope you can all enjoy some precious time together while you celebrate and get to know Ethan

 

[amazingact21]

Congratulations on the newest nephew! He is precious and does look so much like Ollie when he was a newborn! Glad to hear everything went well with the delivery and your sister is recovering quick. It's great that there's so much family around to help. And I'm happy to hear the twins are adapting to life with a new sibling. It definitely rocks their little worlds!