Disney Trip March 2013
We ultimately decided to go on this trip to go to my friend's wedding. Then we decided maybe we need to bring Cooper since he's a little older and he might enjoy it more than he did when he was 9 months old. Not that he'll remember either trip but this time he can both enjoy it and hate it. You know he'll be throwing fits, crying and whatever else he can do to get his way. Also, before you go download this app- "My Disney Experience Walt Disney World." It is updated with ride waiting times and all park information you need to know. You can also make dining reservations through it.
Day 1: Saturday- the plane ride went pretty well. We flew on Southwest. If you fly on Southwest I recommend buying the Early Bird check in for $12.50. You won't have to go check in online in order to get a good seat. It automatically checks you in 36 hours before. If you don't want to spend the extra money don't worry all families with small children can board after the A boarding passes. You can also leave your stroller to check in right before you board the plane and it will be waiting for you when you get off the plane. We find our seat and of course someone sits with us. The plane was full like it usually is going to Orlando. Cooper didn't want to sit on our laps at all. So he stood in front me looking at the iPad for an hour and a half. If you download movies from Itunes before you leave you can watch them in airplane mode. I was able to find a few free kids shows. I wasn't sure about that before we left. So of course he decided he wanted to poop on the plane. I couldn't believe it. I was hoping to make it through the flight without having to squeeze past someone with a kids smelly butt. Well Cooper wanted otherwise. Okay so the bathroom is small for an average sized person but is even smaller when it's you and a 2 year old who is too tall for any type of changing table. So Cooper's legs are in the air and he is screaming cause he's scared. I'm not too happy either since I had to go and do this. Once I finished I had to have him stand up and then hit his head on the curved part of the bathroom. It was definitely something I don't want to experience again. Oh and I threw the diaper in the garbage in the bathroom. I have no idea how bad it must've smelled in there after that. Sorry peeps. All in all the plane ride wasn't too bad.
Orlando airport is insane and renting a car sucks. We rented a car because we were going to my friends wedding. I will NOT rent a car again. It is the biggest pain in the ass. It takes at least 30 minutes for them to do God knows what. Disney's Magical Express is so much easier to deal with then renting a car. But having a car makes things go a lot quicker once you are at your resort. You don't have to pay for parking at the parks if you are a resort guest which is was good. You also don't have to wait around for the bus.
We finally got to Disney's Boardwalk! Since we did online check in we didn't have to wait in line to get our room keys. There was someone waiting outside with all of our info and keys. They had me verify my credit card and type in a PIN number to use and that was it. It was so easy. If possible try to check in online before you go. It's available 10 days before your trip.
We decided to buy annual passes. It was time for us to grow up and buy some passes. My Disney friends have been so great to us over the years but now that we have kids things have changed. So we forked out the obscene amount of money for the passes but saved around $100 a pass because we are Disney vacation club members. We know we'll be going back this year and maybe at the beginning of next year so we are going to get our money's worth. Passes are around $600 per person. It's worth it if you are planning on going 2 times in one year. A one day pass is around $89 and that's not even a park hopper pass.
On the 1st night we went to Hollywood Studios where Cooper got to meet Woody and Buzz. There was of course a 30 minute wait to meet them but we decided to go ahead and wait. He did great. It was so cute to see him meet them.
Day 2- We went to the Polynesian resort for the character breakfast at O'hanas with Mickey, Pluto, Lilo and Stitch. We hopped on the monorail after breakfast and headed to Magic Kingdom (MK). I decided I did like having the rental car because we could park at the resorts around MK and not have to wait for a bus or park far away. Each time we went to MK we parked at the Contemporary or Polynesian. You're not supposed to if you aren't a guest there. We just told them we wanted to go eat at a restaurant and they usually let us through.
O'hanas breakfast is great because its a buffet that is brought to your table. You don't have to keep getting up to get food. The character breakfasts are always fun but expensive. Be sure they don't charge you for kids under 3 especially if they don't eat, like Cooper.
(Side note- Any bathroom that says companion does NOT have a baby changing area. I don't understand why but they don't. I was very mad when I found this out.)
We tried to find the shortest lines because we knew he wouldn't last long. We started with the Jungle Cruise, then Mickeys Philharmagic and then the Merry Go Round. I was going to my friend's wedding that afternoon so we just went to the park for a little while. It was enough to wear Cooper out. We did go back to the resort hotel everyday for him to take a nap and I usually took one too.
Day 3- We went to Animal Kingdom early in the day. Anytime you go to Animal Kingdom go and get a fast pass for the safari ride first then go do a some other rides. The good thing about fast passes is that you can go to other things while you're waiting to ride it and you can go get another fast pass about an hour before you use the other one. It will tell you on the fast pass when another one will be available. We headed to it's Tough to be a Bug inside the Tree of Life (3-D show), then to Dinoland to go on the Triceratops ride. Once we finished those rides it was time to go on the Kilimanjaro safari. We didn't go to too many shows because we knew that Cooper would not sit still long enough. Then went to our favorite place for lunch- Pizzafari. They give you so much food that we just split a few things. We don't ever buy the dining plan because it's too much food for the money you spend. Another way to save is to buy something on the kids menu. It's more than enough food for an adult.
We went to MK that night.We first got a fast pass for the Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger spin ride. Sam loves the People Mover so we decided to go on that first. Every time we come to Disney we have to do the Mad Tea party or AKA the Tea Cups. Sam and I always love that ride. Cooper seemed like he liked it but seemed a little bit confused when we got off of it. He may have been a little dizzy. We didn't meet Donald and Goofy until later that evening in the new part of Magic Kingdom, Fantasyland under the Big Top. We didn't do any new rides in the new Fantasyland. It is mostly for older kids so we figured Cooper wouldn't enjoy too much. Some of it may be a little better when we go back when he's a little older. We stayed to see some of the Main Street Electrical parade and then the fireworks show Wishes. Cooper seemed to like the parade since all the floats were lit up. Side Note- make sure you get a place to watch the parade early. There is no where to stand or sit or push your stroller once it starts. It is a huge pain. After the parade was over people cleared out and some waited for the fireworks which you can see anywhere. There is a story that goes along with it so you might want to be where you can see the castle. Cooper was more interested in all the plush toys in the shops than the fireworks. I think the fireworks scared him a little. It was pretty loud.
Day 4- This was our last day to go to the parks so we figured we would go to Magic Kingdom one more time. MK really is the best place to go if you have small children. We finally tried out the Monkey leash. It went over pretty well. Most of the rides are boat rides or shows that the entire family can enjoy. You can't do MK without going on these two rides: It's A Small World and Pirates of the Caribbean. We ate at Pinocchio Village Haus, they have flatbread pizzas and some sandwiches. It was actually really good. That was the first time we've eaten there.
We spent the evening at EPCOT. First thing was to go get a margarita in Mexico. It's always a must for us on our Disney trip. There are not too many rides that small children can go on in EPCOT but we did go on the Nemo ride at the Living Seas. There is also an aquarium in there with dolphins and manatees. The Seas with Nemo and Friends is a slow moving ride through the aquarium with all the Nemo characters popping up through out. We were hesitant about going on Spaceship Earth since it is all in the dark but since they updated it with the new screens it wasn't too bad. Cooper wanted to play on the screens the entire time. For dinner we ate in France. It was good but wasn't great. Most of those sit down restaurants are pricey even if you have the dining plan.
Going home became the plane ride from hell when landing. If you want to try and get a row to yourself make sure you ask if the plane is full. It's usually full going to Orlando so you can't usually do that. On the way back I asked if the plane was full and it wasn't so I just left the middle seat open with Cooper in it and no one sat next to us. So it worked out pretty well, at first. When we were landing they made Cooper get in the seat with a seat belt and that didn't work too well. Sam and I ended up yelling and holding Cooper down. It was so embarrassing but there was nothing we could do about it. By time we drove back to BR we were all worn out.
All in all the trip was pretty good. Cooper did great for a 2 year old. We let him walk around when ever we felt it wouldn't bother people. Of course there was so much more that we did that is not included in here. The next time we go I'm going to be sure to have rides and parks planned out. We just kind of did whatever since we've been there so many times. We plan on going back in December with both kids so we will definitely need to have a more detailed plan.
Day 1: Saturday- the plane ride went pretty well. We flew on Southwest. If you fly on Southwest I recommend buying the Early Bird check in for $12.50. You won't have to go check in online in order to get a good seat. It automatically checks you in 36 hours before. If you don't want to spend the extra money don't worry all families with small children can board after the A boarding passes. You can also leave your stroller to check in right before you board the plane and it will be waiting for you when you get off the plane. We find our seat and of course someone sits with us. The plane was full like it usually is going to Orlando. Cooper didn't want to sit on our laps at all. So he stood in front me looking at the iPad for an hour and a half. If you download movies from Itunes before you leave you can watch them in airplane mode. I was able to find a few free kids shows. I wasn't sure about that before we left. So of course he decided he wanted to poop on the plane. I couldn't believe it. I was hoping to make it through the flight without having to squeeze past someone with a kids smelly butt. Well Cooper wanted otherwise. Okay so the bathroom is small for an average sized person but is even smaller when it's you and a 2 year old who is too tall for any type of changing table. So Cooper's legs are in the air and he is screaming cause he's scared. I'm not too happy either since I had to go and do this. Once I finished I had to have him stand up and then hit his head on the curved part of the bathroom. It was definitely something I don't want to experience again. Oh and I threw the diaper in the garbage in the bathroom. I have no idea how bad it must've smelled in there after that. Sorry peeps. All in all the plane ride wasn't too bad.
We finally got to Disney's Boardwalk! Since we did online check in we didn't have to wait in line to get our room keys. There was someone waiting outside with all of our info and keys. They had me verify my credit card and type in a PIN number to use and that was it. It was so easy. If possible try to check in online before you go. It's available 10 days before your trip.
We decided to buy annual passes. It was time for us to grow up and buy some passes. My Disney friends have been so great to us over the years but now that we have kids things have changed. So we forked out the obscene amount of money for the passes but saved around $100 a pass because we are Disney vacation club members. We know we'll be going back this year and maybe at the beginning of next year so we are going to get our money's worth. Passes are around $600 per person. It's worth it if you are planning on going 2 times in one year. A one day pass is around $89 and that's not even a park hopper pass.
On the 1st night we went to Hollywood Studios where Cooper got to meet Woody and Buzz. There was of course a 30 minute wait to meet them but we decided to go ahead and wait. He did great. It was so cute to see him meet them.
Day 2- We went to the Polynesian resort for the character breakfast at O'hanas with Mickey, Pluto, Lilo and Stitch. We hopped on the monorail after breakfast and headed to Magic Kingdom (MK). I decided I did like having the rental car because we could park at the resorts around MK and not have to wait for a bus or park far away. Each time we went to MK we parked at the Contemporary or Polynesian. You're not supposed to if you aren't a guest there. We just told them we wanted to go eat at a restaurant and they usually let us through.
O'hanas breakfast is great because its a buffet that is brought to your table. You don't have to keep getting up to get food. The character breakfasts are always fun but expensive. Be sure they don't charge you for kids under 3 especially if they don't eat, like Cooper.
(Side note- Any bathroom that says companion does NOT have a baby changing area. I don't understand why but they don't. I was very mad when I found this out.)
We tried to find the shortest lines because we knew he wouldn't last long. We started with the Jungle Cruise, then Mickeys Philharmagic and then the Merry Go Round. I was going to my friend's wedding that afternoon so we just went to the park for a little while. It was enough to wear Cooper out. We did go back to the resort hotel everyday for him to take a nap and I usually took one too.
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| Cooper and Mickey at O'hana's |
Day 3- We went to Animal Kingdom early in the day. Anytime you go to Animal Kingdom go and get a fast pass for the safari ride first then go do a some other rides. The good thing about fast passes is that you can go to other things while you're waiting to ride it and you can go get another fast pass about an hour before you use the other one. It will tell you on the fast pass when another one will be available. We headed to it's Tough to be a Bug inside the Tree of Life (3-D show), then to Dinoland to go on the Triceratops ride. Once we finished those rides it was time to go on the Kilimanjaro safari. We didn't go to too many shows because we knew that Cooper would not sit still long enough. Then went to our favorite place for lunch- Pizzafari. They give you so much food that we just split a few things. We don't ever buy the dining plan because it's too much food for the money you spend. Another way to save is to buy something on the kids menu. It's more than enough food for an adult.
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| Kilimanjaro Safari |
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| People Mover |
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| Tea Cups! |
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| He didn't know what to do with all the Mickey's! |
Day 4- This was our last day to go to the parks so we figured we would go to Magic Kingdom one more time. MK really is the best place to go if you have small children. We finally tried out the Monkey leash. It went over pretty well. Most of the rides are boat rides or shows that the entire family can enjoy. You can't do MK without going on these two rides: It's A Small World and Pirates of the Caribbean. We ate at Pinocchio Village Haus, they have flatbread pizzas and some sandwiches. It was actually really good. That was the first time we've eaten there.
We spent the evening at EPCOT. First thing was to go get a margarita in Mexico. It's always a must for us on our Disney trip. There are not too many rides that small children can go on in EPCOT but we did go on the Nemo ride at the Living Seas. There is also an aquarium in there with dolphins and manatees. The Seas with Nemo and Friends is a slow moving ride through the aquarium with all the Nemo characters popping up through out. We were hesitant about going on Spaceship Earth since it is all in the dark but since they updated it with the new screens it wasn't too bad. Cooper wanted to play on the screens the entire time. For dinner we ate in France. It was good but wasn't great. Most of those sit down restaurants are pricey even if you have the dining plan.
Going home became the plane ride from hell when landing. If you want to try and get a row to yourself make sure you ask if the plane is full. It's usually full going to Orlando so you can't usually do that. On the way back I asked if the plane was full and it wasn't so I just left the middle seat open with Cooper in it and no one sat next to us. So it worked out pretty well, at first. When we were landing they made Cooper get in the seat with a seat belt and that didn't work too well. Sam and I ended up yelling and holding Cooper down. It was so embarrassing but there was nothing we could do about it. By time we drove back to BR we were all worn out.
All in all the trip was pretty good. Cooper did great for a 2 year old. We let him walk around when ever we felt it wouldn't bother people. Of course there was so much more that we did that is not included in here. The next time we go I'm going to be sure to have rides and parks planned out. We just kind of did whatever since we've been there so many times. We plan on going back in December with both kids so we will definitely need to have a more detailed plan.
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