Yes We're Taking the Baby & No, We're Not Crazy! PTR - Page 3 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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Thank you for the photos, Jenny! What handsome boys! Owen is a doll, looks a lot like Sean, and it's so sweet that he's a mama's boy right now. I can't believe how Sean has changed into a big boy! He's so cute, but doesn't have any of the toddler look any more. I guess it had to happen! He made out really well at the egg hunt. Your plans are looking great. I agree that the big plus of FP+ is being able to have a FP for rides like Toy Story without getting to the park at rope drop. Also agree that the downside to the new ability to add more FP is having to use the first three up first. Has Owen ever slept away from home before? Hoping he's an easy traveler!
I know what you mean about losing the toddler look. I find myself just staring at him sometimes and wondering when my baby boy grew up, and how did I miss it? I swear one day he was tiny and now he is a little man! Owen has spent the night at my mom's house before when we went to visit for a weekend. He did fine, which was a huge relief.
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Originally Posted by CheerDisney
So excited to ready your trip report! I am pregnant with my first (due in July) and we are thinking of going to Disney in February when the baby will be about 7 months old so I am very excited to see what I can learn from your Experiences!
Hi Lindsay and welcome along! Congratulations!!!! I hope I can give you some good information. When we get back if there is anything you were wondering about, feel free to ask
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Originally Posted by Cam22
Looks like a great Easter! Your first day plans look very doable!
Easter was wonderful. It was really nice spending time with family and we had beautiful weather too.
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Originally Posted by Thomhazel
You are absolutely not crazy these are the days when you create the memories you will have for the rest of your lives. I'd love to have the so called hassle of a little one at Disney now.
Glad to see you had a lovely Easter
Thank you! I think some people just really don't understand. They seem to assume it would be like taking a baby to an amusement park, which the ones around here aren't very accommodating for someone his age.
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Originally Posted by Colexis Mom
Great plans! Glad everyone enjoyed Easter!
Thank you! I think Sean enjoyed Easter a little too much. Aside from what he got at his grandparents house, he also got baskets from the Easter bunny at our house, his other grandparents house, and his aunt's house. There is no way he can eat all that candy. Well, he'd like to, but we won't let him
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Originally Posted by mcc0313
Love the plans and great score on a 1-bedroom villa near the hospitality house (that is my favorite spot). I have also found great luck with walk up reservations at Oliva's so depending on what time you get in - you can always see if there is a table available.
I remember having good luck with a walk up at Olivia's too, of course it's been probably 10 years. I'm happy to hear that it's still an easy place to get into.
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Originally Posted by dutchdisneyfamily
Love the pictures of the kids!!!
I have some tips for you on your Star Wars Weekends plan. We'll chat later. But there are a few things you might need to adjust. Oh, and are you doing a Star Wars weekends meal there? I don't remember reading that.
That 24 hour thing will be nuts. But I still would want to go. With you.
We are doing one of the SWW meals later in the week. I like that the special dining events are held all week long and not just on the weekend. I'm curious now on what I need to adjust, you can't just dump that little nugget on me and run off
Remember how excited I was about the 24 hr announcement? I would love to try to do it from the start of the event and see how long I could last. Since we're driving now, it's lost the appeal for me. It would no longer be a challenge, more of an annoyance with all the people.
We are going to start the morning off with Animal Kingdom. I made an early morning ADR for breakfast at Tusker House. Having breakfast here has become a tradition with our family for every trip. The food is good, the juice is AWESOME, and the characters are always so fun to interact with. I did try changing things up a bit and booked a brunch time reservation for this trip. I liked the idea of having both breakfast and lunch options. The ADR was kept this way until Touring Plans emailed me with an alert that they changed their crowd forecast from a 6 to a 9 for this day. I don’t exactly know what that means in terms of how many people are expected, but 9 is bad on their scale. In fact, pretty much every park jumped up to a 9 for attendance Once I got that notification, I decided we’ll try brunch on another trip and go with our regular tradition. I checked online and was able to get an ADR for right after the park opens I figured breakfast would have been a long shot considering we are getting so close to the trip. Sometimes it pays to check again (which you’ll hear me repeat later in the week too)! After breakfast we have a FP+ for the safari, followed eventually by a FP+ for Dinosaur and the Nemo Musical. Sean isn’t tall enough yet for Expedition Everest, but next year he’ll be ready.
Last year we were going to have Sean ride Dinosaur, but he was getting tired and cranky, plus the heat was starting to get to him. I remember we tried giving our FP tickets to other people, but no one wanted them. This year we are riding it much earlier and it will be his first time on the ride. Actually, it will be Chris’ first time on too, which surprised me. I really wish we had my parents coming long to watch Owen, just so I could be there to watch both of their reactions the first time around. Although I’m sure the picture at the end will tell enough of the story This is actually my most favorite ride in the whole park (aside from the safari) so I hope my little dinosaur lover enjoys it as much as I do.
I’m not sure if I’ll end up keeping the FP+ for the Nemo musical. I reserved it because Sean loves Nemo and we’ve never seen the show. However, by the time we get to that FP+ time, the park may be really crowded. If the level 9 prediction comes true and it’s too packed, we may make the afternoon a pool day. I don’t want to try to push the stroller through a mob of people. Plus if everyone is in the park, a nice pool break could be a wonderful refresher.
Aside from the safari and Dinosaur, I’m also hoping to go see the gorillas, tigers, and those huge bats. Sean was amazed with the bats last year and has asked to go see them again this time around. I’m just glad their wings are too wide to fit through those bars It’s Tough To Be a Bug and the petting zoo are a couple other attractions we’d like to go see, but they can wait for another day if we do the afternoon pool break instead.
Because of the buffet breakfast, we’ll do a light lunch somewhere. If we are still in the park, we’ll probably split something from Flame Tree BBQ. Whatever we decide, it will be small because we need to save room for dinner at ‘Ohana! We really enjoyed dinner here last year so I’m excited to be going back. I have no shame, I’ll admit I’m extra excited about the pina coladas here. I couldn’t drink one last year because of baby Owen, but Chris said it was the best pina colada he had ever had. I just hope this year they are just as good as he described.
After dinner we are open to anything that comes our way. Like I mentioned before, I don’t like planning out every little detail. I do prefer to have some spontaneity in the trip. I know we are going to be extra full though, so whatever we do, we’ll need to do lots of walking!
Your AK day sounds good - going with the flow..........depending on the crowds. 9 does sound kinda scary Hopefully all those people will be heading to some of the rides while you are viewing Lily and family and the tigers!!! But I also think a nice afternoon pool break sounds good!
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I've never been at AK when levels were that high! This is actually a situation where FP+ is a really good thing. It wouldn't be pleasant to have to dash in the crowds to go to the FP machines for every ride. You're probably right that you'll need to leave early for some pool time, but that's not a bad thing!
Great plans so far!! You leave the day we're supposed to arrive (but that's still up in the air right now). I love Tusker House too - hope you get to try lunch sometime.
Great AK plans! We've been there when Touring Plans ranked it at a 9, and it was very crowded. I think your idea to be flexible and leave for the pool if it's bad is a good plan.
The Easter photos are so cute. The boys are both getting so big! I miss the baby/toddler stage. Your plans are all sounding so wonderful!
They do grow up fast. I feel like Owen is getting through the baby stage much faster than Sean did. Probably because we have some sort of idea what we're doing this time around
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Originally Posted by lfredsbo
Your AK day sounds good - going with the flow..........depending on the crowds. 9 does sound kinda scary Hopefully all those people will be heading to some of the rides while you are viewing Lily and family and the tigers!!! But I also think a nice afternoon pool break sounds good!
I'm definitely heading for Lily as soon as we exit the safari. Saying hi to her is a must do for us!
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Originally Posted by lauriep
I've never been at AK when levels were that high! This is actually a situation where FP+ is a really good thing. It wouldn't be pleasant to have to dash in the crowds to go to the FP machines for every ride. You're probably right that you'll need to leave early for some pool time, but that's not a bad thing!
If we didn't already have FP+, I would be tempted to skip the park all together. I'm definitely grateful we don't have to dash to the machines. I wonder how hot it's going to feel with all those people?
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Originally Posted by OhToodles!
Great plans so far!! You leave the day we're supposed to arrive (but that's still up in the air right now). I love Tusker House too - hope you get to try lunch sometime.
I hope you guys are able to make the trip. It's a shame we'll just miss each other. I bet Sean would have enjoyed meeting Dylan and Lukas!
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Originally Posted by dutchdisneyfamily
Wow, 9 is pretty high! Your AK day sounds like a lot of fun and great plans! I can't wait to hear how Sean and Chris like Dinosaur!
I'm still surprised Chris hasn't been on Dinosaur! The more we talk about it though, I think he is right. Crowds or not, we're getting on it this year.
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Originally Posted by iwonathomas
Glad that you had such a great Easter. Love your plans for AK
Thank you! It helps to have a head's up about the park having a high volume.
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Originally Posted by JKnott17
The boys look like they had a lot of fun on Easter. They're both getting so big!! All of your plans sound great so far!
Thanks, Jenn! I swear I think Sean has a growth spurt every couple of months. I should buy stock in kid jeans.
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Originally Posted by Cam22
Great AK plans! We've been there when Touring Plans ranked it at a 9, and it was very crowded. I think your idea to be flexible and leave for the pool if it's bad is a good plan.
As long as we get a few of our things done, I'll be happy. I'm kind of looking forward to the pool. We tend to spend all our time in the parks and rarely swim. This will be the perfect excuse for some down time.
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I guess it had to happen! He made out really well at the egg hunt. Your plans are looking great. I agree that the big plus of FP+ is being able to have a FP for rides like Toy Story without getting to the park at rope drop. Also agree that the downside to the new ability to add more FP is having to use the first three up first. Has Owen ever slept away from home before? Hoping he's an easy traveler!
Once I got that notification, I decided we’ll try brunch on another trip and go with our regular tradition. I checked online and was able to get an ADR for right after the park opens 
I figured breakfast would have been a long shot considering we are getting so close to the trip. Sometimes it pays to check again (which you’ll hear me repeat later in the week too)! After breakfast we have a FP+ for the safari, followed eventually by a FP+ for Dinosaur and the Nemo Musical. Sean isn’t tall enough yet for Expedition Everest, but next year he’ll be ready. 
This is actually my most favorite ride in the whole park (aside from the safari) so I hope my little dinosaur lover enjoys it as much as I do.
It’s Tough To Be a Bug and the petting zoo are a couple other attractions we’d like to go see, but they can wait for another day if we do the afternoon pool break instead.
Your plans are all sounding so wonderful!
Disney Magic - Oct 2015
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