Mommy, Daddy, Baca, Mimi, Mickey's Castle!!!--THE TRIP!!! - UPDATED 5/19 About This Page:

[KimandMark]

Okay, we're back and as usual, life is nuts. For the pre-trip see here. I didn't quite finish it, leaving out the planning and last minute FP+ changes but I'll cover all of that in this report.

I know that people usually write this chronologically, but I'm going a thematic route as there are just some elements of this trip that need to be told altogether. So, a bit willy nilly I guess, but bear with me, I think it will all make sense in the end.

To give some context, its my parents and my husband and just turned 3 son; two bedroom at AKL Jambo house; one scooter for broken down mom; on stroller for the kid who won't go in a stroller anymore; $250 of groceries from GG; two ADRs for date nights (Jiko/CG); two ADRs for characters breakfasts (CP/Ohana); one wine tasting; and lots of hope that my ever sensitive boy will love Disney more than he did last year.

As for the recently elevated level of nutty, its not Disney related, but Disney threw a wrench in the works. I have been very lucky to work from home on a variety of projects for some well-known organizations. Most recently I spent nine months working with who I consider the guru of what I do; he's a legend in the field. It was supposed to be a 2-3 year gig but the client had a change in leadership and as such, a change in direction that included paying off the first portion of our contract and firing us. So I've been layed off for about 6 weeks, with my employer asking me to please wait as they hammer out details with another very big client. Well, that client is brilliant but also unrealistic and it became more and more clear that we could not make time stop for this guy. Also, as much as my immediate boss wants me to wait (and I love her and would follow her through fire) I can't really put myself on hold for too long. That said, I sent one resume in the time off. One. I'm very picky about my employment and I have the luxury of enough experience to be selective about the mission/vision of an organization; how they spend profits; the related experience of their high level employees and the like. So, one resume. They responded three days before Disney, with some push back about remote work (did you notice this job is in our office? in this place, far from you?). I replied that I had worked remotely for reluctant employers for a few years and that I hoped they would take my experience and expertise into consideration before deciding that we could not make any arrangments. Then they want an interview and in addition to sample work from the past, an entirely new sample created just for them. I've got two days and packing to do!!! I got my samples, stayed up all night to create new material and then went to Disney. The day after we returned I went to the interview five hours away and frankly, killed it. After an hour with a VP and 15 minutes with the CEO the CEO said to the VP "make this happen."

And now I have a new job, still working in my home office, traveling 1-2 per month to the real office. And a raise. When I decided that I would try to make my career work in this non-traditional way I had to take some very serious pay cuts and work on very short term projects. The first two years I think I made 25% of my former salary, but Adam only went to daycare 2x a week and I worked those days and some nights--so for the first two years of his life he stayed with me mostly and I'm grateful for it. Early last year I finally got an offer for a full time but short term gig (6 months) and then days from that ending got the next one that was supposed to be 2-3 years. Adam goes full time to daycare, but I can be very flexible about how long those days are and I love our daycare (Reggio method--look it up, totally rocks). So in the last year I've been able to move into better jobs and am now makeing 75% of what I made when I worked in an office. The tangible benefits aren't as good, but the intangibles like a more flexible schedule, the ability to work from anywhere (when Jake and I went to Key West for a week I only took three days off--I use airport internet, inflight internet and did work for two hours every morning--my location becomes irreleveant), and the lack of conflict for sick kid or late morning, or even getting dressed. But I digress...

That's why I'm a few days late getting started on this!

This trip ended up, as I should have suspected beforehand, focused 100% on Adam's likes and dislikes. I couldn't be arsed to figure out where my mother was on her scooter when I had a very excited and active boy to attend to. I think we saw my parents very little in the parks, but Adam loved having them at breakfast and visiting their balcony to look at animals. Of course, we loved that they go to bed at 8:30 most of the time and we could put Adam to bed and then go have dinner or a drink or swim.

Last year, Adam loved the fireworks but hated pretty much everything else. He also loved Pooh Bear, the character, not the ride. All rides were pretty bad, except Small World and Living with the Land. He was just turning 2 then; now he's got opinions, has seen more of pictures and videos (seriously, thank god for youtube--you can find ANYTHING) but he's also got new fears. So I hoped for loving the fireworks and maybe liking rides. I got loving some rides and hating fireworks. But he loved Disney, and was sad to leave, sad for two days when we got back, and wants to know when we can go to the pool with the slide again. Success!!!!

Things that went better than planned for Adam:
-the flight
-teacups
-dumbo
-sleep
-speedway
-fountains in epcot
-pool

Things that went worse than planned for Adam:
-Disney Jr
-HISTK playground
-fireworks
-FP+ (seriously, we managed to use two)

The day before we left we took Adam to Target to look at 'earmuff' style headphones for the plane ride. He wears noise cancelling muffs in Jake's shop (he hates the sound of the machines) so wearing them isn't the problem. Convincing him that they have sound inside and he can listen to videos was more challenging. Target as the super expensive ones out, with sound options, to 'practice' with and Adam loved them! We bought a cheap ($20) pair and as soon as we got on the plane the next day he wanted to put them on. For 90 minutes he sat and stared at his videos before I figured out the volume was too low to hear. I have no idea what he thought about that, did he think the plane was super loud? I should have by listening rather than just setting the volume very low. But success!! Those and the fact that the attendents bring crackers, peanuts and apple juice had him in heaven. And Duplo blocks. Best idea ever.

Our flight wasn't until 1PM, and all morning he was itching to go, he woke up asking if we could leave now. We went early to the airport, and checked everything, including our carseat (I know, sorry, not sorry to carry that thing--its well packed and we use a CARES harness on the plane). I had a small backpack with two diapers, a change of clothes, paper/crayons, two books, tablet, earmuffs, and a few snacks. And a small track bag with Duplo blocks. Adam loves the blocks and will build for a long time given his age. Jake thought I was nuts to bring so many little parts with us, but it was the best idea ever. After eating lunch at the airport and looking at planes, Adam and I dumped the block out in a corner and played for 45 minutes, quietly. After the 90 minutes of video we got some out in my lap on the plane and he played for the remaining hour of the flight. Really, one track bag of blocks had already got us through nearly two hours of just waiting. He played with them in the room all week too. We had other toys--an airplane that comes apart with a toy drill, a few small trucks he likes, a tub toy (actually, a plastic syringe Jake had from some dental work, to rinse his gums--Adam loves that thing in the tub), and the Hess helicopter. But the blocks win.

We landed, it was bumpy, Adam was concerned, but his first words when we got off the plane, after looking around?

"Mama, where's the Castle? Where's Mickey?"

I die.

Next post--more on Adam's view of the trip.

[MayraLR]

Can't wait to read all about your trip!

[lfredsbo]

Awe!!! So cute when Adam got off the plane looking for Mickey and the castle!!! Can't wait to hear more!!

And Congrats on the new job!

[Colexis Mom]

Great start! Congrats on the new job!

[Cam22]

Congrats on the new job! Thank goodness for Duplo Blocks! Wise decision! How cute of Adam to look for Mickey and the castle as soon as the plane landed.

[OhToodles!]

Congrats on the new job! Glad everything worked out!
Overall it sounds like Adam did well and hopefully next time he'll like the fireworks. Great job on the Duplos!

[crythomas]

Great Start! Congrats on the new job and raise

[KimandMark]

So sorry!! I think the new job will take a bit out of me for awhile. But, back to Adam's trip.

I used to wonder about people who went to the Magic Kingdom, several times and actually didn't visit other parks much, if at all. I don't now. On the first day I scheduled us to go to MGM becasue touring plans etc all said that's the least crowded park. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't a hit either. Adam is very slow to warm up to things and I'm not sure he was thrilled about MGM. Our first stop was the Disney Jr Show, where he got his head stuck in the fence waiting in line.

Not stuck stuck, but stuck enough that he got upset.

As for the show, well, he watched, but I think he expected it to be more real. He was critical (as critical as a three year old can be) about the clubhouse not coming out fo the ground. He did like the 'snow' and bubbles and totally grabbed for dubloons. Overall, I'd say he wasn't impressed. I really just wanted to ease him into the crowds and characters and riding on Daddy's shoulders, so in a way this was good. Our only other planned stop was the HISTK playground. For the first 20 minutes he was unhappy about the number of kids and the noise, then I left him with Daddy so I could find a restroom and they disappeared for an hour.

Jake says he was sure he was going to die in the anthill. The tunnels are about 3 feet high, its a million degrees and its dark. He was sure this was Disney hell. Also, he lost Adam. Only for a minute or two, but enough to give you a heart attack.

So, do I recommend either of these? I don't know, our kid wasn't enthused. He asked to go back to Disney Jr and we did, but he was grumpy by then.

It was then that I decided we had to change tactics. FP+ be damned, we were just doing what Adam felt like for the rest of the trip. So rather than go back to MGM for TSMM FP+ after nap, we went to Epcot to see what Adam calls the "up water." I did rebook for a SE FP as well as Soaring, and also considered trying to get him to stay awake for Illunimations. SE went well, but he refused to get on The Land. Dinner at Sunshine Seasons was great for us, but my kid who lives on beige food only ate a cookie and some apple slices from my bag.

But the fountains at Imagination. Awesome. That pavilion closes at 7 I guess, and they tried to stop us from going up to the fountians but we just walked by. In the end, it was Adam and two other kids running and running and running for about 90 minutes. He LOVED this. Total success.



We swam a bit (rather than bathing...) and he was asleep at 9:30. Two hours late but really in a great mood the whole time. As much as he loved those fountains, he never wanted to go back, the pool would be come the winner every time. MK was a strong contender after the next day, but the pool and slide is for sure the highlight of his trip. More on that next time.

[lfredsbo]

Sorry Adam didn't like DHS so much, but he seriously looks like he is having a blast in those fountains!!! Love the multi exposure photo!

[Colexis Mom]

Great picture of Adam at Epcot! Sorry he wasn't impressed with DHS! Yes, the pool usually wins everytime at that age (BTDT)!

[KimandMark]

Based on Adam's comments off the airplane (where's Mickey...) we should have gone to MK first. No matter, we still spent two full days there. My only regret is that we didn't do it first thing and I'll be very happy when we get APs next year to take him right away!

[note: we are DVC but are using up some old, non-expirey tix for this trip and the next, in oct, after that we'll work the AP as follows: Use first week of May for family trip, Oct for FWF mommy/daddy trip, then again in last week of april family trip. We may just buy non-hopper passes for the FWF and repeat the AP every other year, but I need to do the math on that]

We had a 8:05 ressie for CP and my hope was that we'd blow through that and be quickly to Fantasyland. We didn't blow through anything, but really, for the whole week crowds were a non-issue. The last week of April is a golden time, no line over 20 minutes (except Toy Story), Fantasyland was not a zoo. Hot, but not ridiculous. Anyway, we caught a bus rather than drive and I apologize for my mother's scooter to anyone who may have had to witness the debacle that is my mother parking that thing on a bus. She claims its easy, but I'm pretty sure the bus driver would like to do it himself everytime.

But a smooth trip to MK, we were in line for ADRs at 7:40 and then signed into CP being the third or fourth table sat. We did a bit hurry up and wait during this, but only a few minutes. That few minutes was a valuable moment for Adam though, and not in a Disney magic way. He's been hitting, mostly me, but sometimes other kids. We've started a pretty strict timeout policy, one warning then timeout, or if I can see it coming (and often I can) I tell him he will get a timeout immediately. While sitting on the benches at CP, outside, waiting, he, for reasons I don't know, hit me. I told him he'd get timeout if he did it again and then he put on his defiant face and hit me again. So I took him to an empty bench, said you're in time out for 3 minutes, we'll talk when its done. Then I stand there, but sort with my back turned. He wails. WAILS. I'm sure I looked like the biggest ass in the world, but I swear he thought he wouldn't get timeout at Disney and then he knew he would. We had no problems for five days after that. None. We're working using our words when we're made, and by we I mean him. We talk about saying how mad you are and stomping your feet. The words aren't always nice, but they are step forward from actually hitting--he usually tells me that he wants to hit me and kick me and spit on me because "I'm mad" and I tell him that words are good and hitting is not nice.

Again, off I'm off track. CP. Characters were achingly slow to get to the tables. Tigger came first and Adam loved him, hugged him, grinning from ear to ear. But then Piglet, Eeyore, and Pooh were forever away. Pooh didn't come until we'd been there for 80 minutes, much too long to keep Adam really excited about it. And we didn't leave the restaurant until the park had been open for 30 minutes. The food is the food (I'll address all food in another post) and I do these meals to make it easy to see characters. And because my mother, who claims she's never hungry, likes a buffet. Where she gets 10 plates full of food and picks one bite from each, driving waiters insane with her "no, I'm still eating from that one" schtick.



After CP, Adam was really interested in walking through the castle, he wanted to walk through anytime we could see it and was always sad when I would remind him it closes after the morning. We started with Dumbo but when Adam saw the Indy Cars through the bushes Dumbo was off and we left the non-existant line for Indy Cars. Five trips on the cars. Five. He could not get enough. Then Dumbo and Tea Cups and even Barnstormer, which he hated. Pooh was a hit too, we did it twice-once in line and once with FP+. The thunder and lightening bothered Adam but he insisted he like the funny parts with Tigger and Pooh.

Really, I couldn't be happier with how this morning went and we decided to just repeat it at night. He took a great nap at the room and went swimming, and then back to MK for rides. He even asked to do Barnstormer again, and again, he hated it. We intended to stay for the fireworks but Adam said he didn't want to see them. HOwever, as we were walking out, through the Noodle terrace thing, the show started on the castle. We watched and Adam insisted we not stay, that he didn't like it. We tried to encourage him, but no go.

I sat with him after putting him to bed and we talked. He told me that the castle was going to fall down, that the bricks were falling out and the fireworks would hurt it more. I didn't realize how real the projection on the castle could look to little eyes, but he continued to bring this up and need a lot of reassurance that the castle was fine.

Also, no stroller. Really. We only have one kid, so this is probably easier and I'm a minimalist with him anyway. Why carry all that crap? I don't know what people have with them that takes up so much space, but for a morning out like this I carry one diaper, one ziploc with wipes, and maybe a snack like an applesauce pouch and sport bottle of water. For Disney I added a change of clothes for him in a ziploc and sunscreen. That's all. It fits in a small backpack. So, no stroller for MK at all this day. We did take it to MGM and Jake was so annoyed by the epic treasure hunt for your stroller once a CM moves it during a show or ride that he said he'd carry him on his shoulders all day. So we did.

And here's our annual castel photo, complete with my awkward hand posed, senior portrait style on Jake's hand, unfortunate armpit view (really, its too damn hot so its a battle between armpits out or in), and what Jake calls the 'angry V' on his forehead. But our kid looks happy, so there's that.

[OhToodles!]

I have never taken my kids to HISTK play area, but I've heard plenty of others say they almost lost their kids in there. Something about one way in, but 2 ways out maybe?
Glad MK was a success! And kudos to you on no stroller!

[lfredsbo]

Wow! Sounds like Adam is understanding that you certainly mean business with the timeouts! That's great! I hear you about CP being super slow with the characters, and we are still constantly going there You certainly are brave to face all that walking with no stroller, but seriously, Kudos to you - as it is great that you make it work!

[MayraLR]

Congrats on keeping up with the discipline even at Disney! And glad Adam got the message!

[Colexis Mom]

Great pictures! Sorry about the timeout, but glad it worked!