"Cars, Buzz Lightyear, and the Mommyrail" Caden's first trip to Disney World UPDATE 6-20

[AprilRenee]

Hi everyone! I'm finally getting this trip report started. It might be slow going at first but it was time to get moving!

We traveled from Jan 4th through the 10th and stayed at Art of Animation and Pop Century.
Here is my PTR if you'd like to see my trip prep...and see just how much we got off the plan!
http://www.disboards.com/threads/fo...lly-get-to-go-back-a-pre-trip-report.3224380/

This was a long awaited trip for us! We started planning it 3 years before, after our "babymoon" trip in Jan 2012 while I was pregnant with my now 2.5 yr old Caden. I had a lot of pictures in my mind of how things would go and with 3 years to plan, made a lot of plans! Sadly, a stomach bug really put a damper on my plans and energy and there were a lot of things we just didn't get to do. On our second to last day I had a little meltdown and told DH that I wasn't going to plan a trip ever again. We would pick dates, parks, and a hotel and that's the extent of my planning from here on out. No more custom shirts (that get covered up by jackets cause of cold weather), no more touring plans (that get thrown off by a mommy who took 2+ hrs to get the nausea under control enough to get out of the room in the morning), no more dining ADRs (that can't be canceled when half the dining party can't or won't eat). lol now I may be a bit over dramatic about this...but I certainly will be toning it all down in the future.

So I have a mixed bag of emotions going into this trip report. We had a lot of really great times! But there is a lot of disappointment and I've needed a few weeks to kinda grieve the trip that I dreamed of that didn't happen. But I had a few sob fests and I'm starting to feel better and ready to start re-living the awesome parts!!

So please don't let that pull you down or deter you from reading because I've got a cute kid who had the time of his life and this momma was mostly able to push down her sick feelings and enjoy every minute watching him enjoy himself!


So lets get moving!! Let me introduce the traveling party! First we have me...April!
IMG_4185 by aprilrenee12, on Flickr
I am a musical theater teacher/director and a (mostly) stay at home mom.
My favorite park is Magic Kingdom
Favorite Movie: Beauty and the Beast
Favorite Character: Belle
Favorite Ride: Soarin'


Then we have DH, Andrew
IMG_4248 by aprilrenee12, on Flickr
Andrew works as a project manager for an event decor company (they do custom decor for fancy weddings and corporate events)
His favorite park is Magic Kingdom or Epcot
Favorite Movie: Aladdin
Favorite Character: Genie
Favorite Ride: Toy Story Mania

Finally we have Caden
IMG_4273 by aprilrenee12, on Flickr
He was 2 yrs and 9 months on our trip (will be 3 in April) and is all about planes, trains, and automobiles!!! If it moves, he loves it!
His favorite park was "Disney World" (aka Magic Kingdom)
Favorite Movie: Cars
Favorite Character: Doc (from Cars)
Favorite Ride: Tomorrowland Speedway


Chapter Links:
Day 1
Lets get this show on the road
Welcome to Orlando

 

[princessbelle2015]

Joining in. I read some of your per so I know how much planning you put into Caden's first.trip. I look forward to reading the TR and seeing all of the good memories you made.

 

[AprilRenee]

And thanks for joining in!!

 

[Dugette]

Yay, you've started! I know it wasn't your "dream" trip, but I can't wait to hear about it anyway. Sounds like you found plenty of magic, despite the unfortunate twists.

 

[MagentaMulan]

Following!

 

[ssmurphy28]

Following along!

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Joining in!

Sorry to hear that you didn't get the trip you dreamed of - but sometimes I think you get what you needed rather than what you wanted. Plus, if you son had the "time of his life" that can make up for a lot of disappointments (sorry to hear your felt sick at times though - that is never good)

Our last trip we too had a 2.5 year old boy so definitely understand the attraction to planes, trains, and automobiles ... heave emphasis on the trains.

I think there is definitely an art to balance the level of planning - enough that you feel prepared, but not so much that you can't be flexible.

 

[AprilRenee]

Yay, you've started! I know it wasn't your "dream" trip, but I can't wait to hear about it anyway. Sounds like you found plenty of magic, despite the unfortunate twists.

Following!

Following along!

everyone!! Thanks for joining in!!

Joining in!

Sorry to hear that you didn't get the trip you dreamed of - but sometimes I think you get what you needed rather than what you wanted. Plus, if you son had the "time of his life" that can make up for a lot of disappointments (sorry to hear your felt sick at times though - that is never good)

Our last trip we too had a 2.5 year old boy so definitely understand the attraction to planes, trains, and automobiles ... heave emphasis on the trains.

I think there is definitely an art to balance the level of planning - enough that you feel prepared, but not so much that you can't be flexible.

Yes I agree! There is an art to it...and as our trip got closer I really tried to mentally prepare for things to NOT go according to plan...and I really was ok with my touring plans going out the window and following his lead (in fact, after the first day I stopped even taking them along to the park) but I wasn't mentally prepared to feel like puking for several days and nothing but crackers and toast for most of our trip (I lost almost 5 lbs during our trip. LOL walking 8-9 miles a day plus not eating will do that!).
I also wasn't prepared for my son to be totally weirded out by being off his schedule and take 2-3 days to warm up to the whole disney world thing. However, I feel like I will be better prepared for all future trips (not prepared to be sick again...though I will likely always have the fear of that happening again!) but I'll be prepared to go slowly the first few days while Caden warms up to things.

We actually have almost definitely decided that our next trip will be at Disneyland. It requires much less planning and it will be a fun new experience for all of us. And we can have a little more down time and throw in a beach day too.

 

[AprilRenee]

Sorry to hear that you didn't get the trip you dreamed of - but sometimes I think you get what you needed rather than what you wanted. Plus, if you son had the "time of his life" that can make up for a lot of disappointments (sorry to hear your felt sick at times though - that is never good)

As I was writing this next update this part of what you said really stuck in my mind. And I believe that everything happens for a reason...but I hadn't even had that thought until now. And already as I'm writing I'm noticing some good things that came of our trip that may not have happened had i not gotten sick. So thanks for reminding me of that. I think I'll notice more as I keep going!

 

[AprilRenee]

Okey dokey!! I'm a little nervous that I'm not going to remember big chunks of this...however, the only way to find out is to start...so here we go!

Little background…so the week before our trip we went to Topeka KS to visit Andrew’s family. We had a nice time but it was a lot of car time (5 hrs to Topeka, stayed there 2 nights, drove 3 hrs further into KS and stayed a night there, then drove 3 back to Topeka, and 5 the next day back to STL). It was also a lot of Caden being off his schedule. He had several late nights but he handled it very well….at that point. One of Andrew’s cousins’ kids was sick and of COURSE Caden spent 1 morning watching a movie on the ipad with the sick kid. I kinda freaked out but by the time I noticed it was too late to prevent germ exposure so I decided to just chill. Oh well.

Anyway, so we got home from that visit on Friday evening and Andrew and I de-christmasified our house after Caden was in bed (I was DONE with the decorations and mess involved and couldn’t imagine trying to put things away and pack with that mess in the house too). I also pulled out clothing and got stuff organized and pulled to the living room that evening, Andrew worked Saturday while I finished unpacking from our Topeka trip and finished packing for Disney. Caden vegged with the ipad and played with all his new toys.

Saturday night I got all guilty cause I hadn’t finished painting Andrew’s second magic band so I pulled out my paints and whipped out this little beauty

IMG_3450 by aprilrenee12, on Flickr
It’s the Rebel and Imperial symbols from star wars. I was really glad I did it cause he liked it a lot and wore this one most of the trip

Departure morning started nice and smooth! Our flight was at 10:30a and my dad was picking us up at our house at 8a.

IMG_3449 by aprilrenee12, on Flickr

We were fully packed from the night before (^ see? lol) and Andrew and Caden both got showers that night too so our morning was easy. We got up at 7 and I took a quick shower (my back had been really bothering me the last week or so and I knew if I didn’t shower I’d be in pain all day and didn’t want to deal with that on a plane all day). Then we threw the last minute things into our bags and got Caden up and dressed. Dad got there on time and we were off!


IMG_3459 by aprilrenee12, on Flickr

Caden was pretty excited!!! He knew we were going to Disney World and on an airplane!!

When we got to the airport we were really glad that we had gone ahead and aimed for arriving 2 hrs early. There was a HUGE line at curbside check in!! We had checked in online the day before but we were flying Southwest and had 2 free checked bags per person. We had 3 total to check so Andrew went ahead and got in that line with our bags and told me to go ahead and take Caden inside and see how the line was inside/stay inside and stay warm. When I got inside there was a HUGE line that I thought was the line to check in so Caden and I had a seat to wait for Andrew. While we were in there we chatted with a lady who was waiting for her son to drop of his kids to fly home. Caden hung out and listened and played with some of his toys.


IMG_3462 by aprilrenee12, on Flickr

IMG_3463 by aprilrenee12, on Flickr

See that huge “check in” line that went all the way down the length of the lobby before going into the zigzag ropes? Yeah, after sitting here for 10ish min chatting while my husband froze his tail off outside (while wearing sandals…haha oops!), I took this picture and then overheard someone say “yeah this is the security line”

*blink blink*

OMG!!! I felt TERRIBLE!!! Andrew was outside freezing and I was sitting doing nothing while the GIANT security line got longer and longer. At that point I jumped up and got in the line. A few min later I moved past the actual check in line…with 4 people in it. Epic fail on my part. After standing in the security line for a while, Andrew walked into the airport and I caught his attention and he joined us in line. We were probably in that line for at least 30-45 minutes…maybe longer. The girl in front of us had already missed 1 flight and her make up flight was in 5 minutes…she wasn’t gonna make that one either! She didn’t really seem to care though…it was kinda odd.

We finally got thru the security line without issue (thanks to my excellent “security ready” packing skills…lol) and headed to find a dunkin donuts for breakfast.

IMG_3465 by aprilrenee12, on Flickr


IMG_3466 by aprilrenee12, on Flickr

IMG_3467 by aprilrenee12, on Flickr

This is about the point where Caden lost his marbles. I don’t even know what happened. He wanted a different donut or something and a full meltdown happened. Not only that, but our flight was delayed!!! UGH!!! I mean, that’s better than missing it…but I had a finely tuned and timed out plan for that evening that relied on us being on time. So we sat there while our toddler acted like a crazy and our pool time ticked away lol


IMG_3469 by aprilrenee12, on Flickr

Fruit Snack bribe that back fired when he then wanted ANOTHER package of fruit snacks cause he saw them in the bag…but I needed them for takeoff so his ears wouldn’t hurt. (this one falls under bad mommy planning…should have hidden those packages!!) Then I ran to the restroom and he completely fell apart. I think he was feeling pretty insecure and unsure about this whole thing. I had told him we’d be going on an airplane and I thought I had prepared him for that pretty well but I guess I didn’t prepare him for waiting at the airport. I certainly didn’t tell him that he was gonna have to wait in an hour long line.


Finally I convinced him to chill out and cuddle with me and watch the ipad

IMG_3471 by aprilrenee12, on Flickr

Pretty sure he was watching Wreck it Ralph… you can pretty much assume any time you see the ipad that it’s playing Wreck it Ralph. He was suddenly obsessed with it this week!!

After a bit of mommy snuggles he had relaxed again and we went over to look at the planes and luggage carts


IMG_3473 by aprilrenee12, on Flickr


IMG_3475 by aprilrenee12, on Flickr

Hey! Look who’s happy again!


IMG_3478 by aprilrenee12, on Flickr


IMG_3479 by aprilrenee12, on Flickr

And crabby again…I had no idea what was going on with my kid!!


IMG_3481 by aprilrenee12, on Flickr

I get it kid…I was pretty tired of being at the airport waiting too!!


IMG_3484 by aprilrenee12, on Flickr

Then some teenage boys sat down behind us and heard Caden crabbing and started talking to him. Totally made friends with him and chatted with him til it was time to board!

IMG_3485 by aprilrenee12, on Flickr

They were angels!! Cause this momma was starting to wonder what we had gotten ourselves into!! Caden is normally a super docile child who goes along with whatever we’re doing. This crying and crabbing was very unlike him!


Finally it was time to board! We were leaving about an hour late :-(

IMG_3486 by aprilrenee12, on Flickr

He knew about this part (I had found a great book about traveling on a plane at a library sale and we had read it several times!) and he was super excited to be getting on the plane finally!!




IMG_3488 by aprilrenee12, on Flickr

IMG_3489 by aprilrenee12, on Flickr

He immediately pulled down the tray and thought that was pretty cool! He liked figuring how to put it up and down and lock it.


IMG_3490 by aprilrenee12, on Flickr

Family selfie on the plane!!! Yay!!!!


IMG_3491 by aprilrenee12, on Flickr


I told Andrew to make a “what the heck have we gotten ourselves in to” face…this picture accurately portrays what we were feeling at this point! lol




IMG_3492 by aprilrenee12, on Flickr


Lovey and Caden checking out the outside as we taxied away from the gate




And then we were up in the air! I had Caden eat the fruit snacks as we took off and he did fine.


He did try to get out of his seat once, he wanted to play on the floor and take off his seatbelt but I firmly told him that he was NOT allowed to be on the floor and showed him the seatbelt light and told him that the pilot said we had to stay buckled when that light was lit up. I said he could take off his buckle when the light went off (knowing he’d be distracted by then). Success! If the PILOT said he had to be buckled then obviously that was the gospel truth. Didn’t have a single issue the rest of that ride or the ride home!




And from that point on this is what happened on the plane!


IMG_3493 by aprilrenee12, on Flickr




IMG_3494 by aprilrenee12, on Flickr




He just hung out and played on the ipad, watched some wreck it ralph (again), ate some snacks, drank his apple juice that I got him when they brought around drinks. Not a single problem! THAT’S the kid I was expecting to take on this trip! lol




Andrew, however, did NOT have as good of a trip. When we boarded we had to go back past the wings of the plane to find 3 seats together. Andrew has pretty bad motion sickness and was kinda panicing about it being too rough back there. Well it wouldn’t have mattered WHERE we sat because that ride was INSANE!!! We were bouncing all over the place and they had to suspend drink service so although thankfully we got our drinks there were some people in the plane who didn’t and we had to hang on to our trash for the whole trip. They didn’t come by with trash bags til the very end.




Another mommy planning fail was that I didn’t bring ANYTHING for myself to do on the 2 hr flight. lol oops! I was so preoccupied with having everything ready for Caden that I didn’t even really think about what I’d do. I kinda thought I might be busy keeping him happy but I didn’t have to do anything. I had a book on my phone that I was reading and when I momentarily thought about what I’d do on the plan I figured I’d read that but I forgot that I really struggle to read on a plane. I’m too excited and wound up and can’t focus and get into a book. And I forgot headphones so I couldn’t listen to music or watch the free online tv. Oops!! I ended up just forcing myself to focus and read and it was fine but it felt like a very long flight, especially after killing an extra hour at the airport.

Continued in next post...

 

[AprilRenee]

Finally we landed and we were in ORLANDO!!!! Yay!!! We were right over the luggage door so we watched them unload our luggage while we waited to get off the plane. We saw all of our bags while we waited. It was kinda cool to see.


IMG_3494 by aprilrenee12, on Flickr




The guy had 2 carts, one was going into the airport to luggage claim and the other one was where he put all the bags with the yellow Magical Express tags. I kinda had wondered how that all worked so it was cool to see! I’d guess then that cart’s bags went to Disney and they do the rest of the sorting?






Then we were off the plane! Yay!!


IMG_3496 by aprilrenee12, on Flickr




Caden didn’t want to ride so I told him he could walk if he held on to the stroller. This was the rule the whole time and he did pretty well with it.




Onto the fake-o-rail!


IMG_3497 by aprilrenee12, on Flickr


He had to hold the pole like daddy




There was a family on there and dad was wearing the young toddler in an ergo and that kid was NOT happy. Andrew and I both had a “whew! at least ours isn’t doing THAT” moment lol


You can see the unhappy kid in this next photo off to the left




IMG_3499 by aprilrenee12, on Flickr


I had to snap a pic of Caden walking with his daddy! I really loved how much he copied Andrew on this trip. They really had some good bonding time. Andrew has been working so much recently that it was really nice for Caden to have him around and have his attention so much. And (hey! Here’s an up side) with me being sick later on, Andrew really had to step up and take on some of the parenting that had to happen and that further strengthened their bonding.




Everyone was feeling better being in Orlando, Caden was done being crabby (although he was TIRED!!!) and we were all thrilled to be on the Magical Express!! Yay!!


IMG_3500 by aprilrenee12, on Flickr




IMG_3501 by aprilrenee12, on Flickr




After about 5 minutes of the ride it was obvious that he wasn’t going to last til we got to the hotel so I pulled him in my lap and told him it was ok to sleep. He was out almost instantly! lol


Untitled by aprilrenee12, on Flickr




Untitled by aprilrenee12, on Flickr




We snuggled while I watched the video and Andrew snacked on some pretzels and we rode toward our awesome hotel for the night!!




Up Next: We get some AMAZING pixie dust and see a surprise trip reveal!

 

[Jax1023]

Ooh, following! We're headed down in 3 weeks with our 2.5 year old son, so it'll be good to see how this goes. Flight delays are the worst, killing time in an airport with a toddler is a killer.

It's not his first trip, we went when he was 7 months old, and we had a trip like you seem to have had. We were one the ground for like 3 hours when he got a stomach bug, fever (first ever ugh). Then my husband and I both got colds and the babies gi upset lasted all week. I was doing laundry at pop everyday.

I'm trying to be chill about this trip, but I'm hoping we accomplish a bit more. We went to sesame place at christmas and he was cool with the characters (except Santa, haha) and loved the rides.

 

[AprilRenee]

Ooh, following! We're headed down in 3 weeks with our 2.5 year old son, so it'll be good to see how this goes. Flight delays are the worst, killing time in an airport with a toddler is a killer.

It's not his first trip, we went when he was 7 months old, and we had a trip like you seem to have had. We were one the ground for like 3 hours when he got a stomach bug, fever (first ever ugh). Then my husband and I both got colds and the babies gi upset lasted all week. I was doing laundry at pop everyday.

I'm trying to be chill about this trip, but I'm hoping we accomplish a bit more. We went to sesame place at christmas and he was cool with the characters (except Santa, haha) and loved the rides.

Oh NO!!!! That's horrible!! Thankfully I never puked and although Caden spiked a fever at one point, he never got horribly sick...just kinda out of sorts, nothing a good dose of tylenol couldn't fix lol

Ok so I have a few tips for you in case you leave before I get very far on this report!
I think my biggest tip would be to throw out your plan lol and pick the 3 MUST do things for each day and let anything else be gravy. Maybe it will be wonderful and you can add your plan back in...but if you go in with 3 things that you have to get done that day you hopefully won't be disappointed. That's my plan for our next trip. After those 3 things, let him pick. The best times we had were when we said "Caden what do YOU want to do?" and then rode tomorrowland speedway over and over lol But he was having the time of his life and we loved watching it!! Way better than seeing "everything" with a crabby toddler!

I bought a few cars over the course of the trip and occasionally would pull out a new one and bribe him. Yep! I don't do that at home, but I'd go "Caden I have something for you! If you are happy and well behaved for XYZ then you can have a present!" It was a miracle tool!!

Even if your son is a miracle stroller napper (like mine) plan to go back to the hotel. I don't know why but he woke up from his stroller naps there in a FOUL mood. It was horrible. We bailed on that plan and went to the hotel for all other naps and it made a world of difference!!

Following that tip, if you have an ADR for each night, I would HIGHLY consider switching those to lunches! With dinners, we would wake up from naptime, travel to our ADR (wouldn't have enough time to hit a park first), finish eating, and then we either wouldn't have time to go back to the park before closing or Caden would be such a hot mess that we would just give up and go back to the hotel to get to bed on time so that we didn't ruin the next day. The day that we had a lunch, we had plenty of time in the am (or would have if I had been able to get there for rope drop..that was the day I got sick), ate lunch, then hit the hotel for a nap, and got to come back to the parks and have a FANTASTIC evening!! I will definitely be doing lunches from now on until my kids are much older. We aren't big lunch eaters at home but it worked MUCH better at Disney!!

 

[princessbelle2015]

It is never fun waiting at airports when the flight is delayed. I get overly anxious and don't want to get out of my seat in case I miss an important announcement.

Once he got on the plane it looks like he did great. Did the turbulence bother since it was a rough flight? I always try to read on the airplane but I can never seem to concentrate enough as my mind is on getting the fun p art of vacation started.

The picture of Caden and his father walking together is cute.

 

[AprilRenee]

It is never fun waiting at airports when the flight is delayed. I get overly anxious and don't want to get out of my seat in case I miss an important announcement.

Once he got on the plane it looks like he did great. Did the turbulence bother since it was a rough flight? I always try to read on the airplane but I can never seem to concentrate enough as my mind is on getting the fun p art of vacation started.

The picture of Caden and his father walking together is cute.

Oh man! Me too!! Every time someone started talking over the loudspeaker I would freeze and listen lol It's stressful!

The turbulence didn't seem to even phase him. But it was really getting to Andrew and even bothered me and normally I'm not bothered by stuff like that. But it was like driving over a bumpy dirt road with busted shocks lol

 

[Jackiemarie21]

Yay! I am so excited you started and I love your title!

Boo for airport delays. I have heard the Magic house had plans to put a super cool playground in the airport for just such instances (although by the time it get done our kids will probably have kids). I think all airports should follow that idea!

Looks like a good start. i love the sleeping pics so sweet! I love a sleeping kiddo!

I know we have talked about this and I know parts of this trip did not live up to your expectations, but I think that is normal when you take a 2.5 year old. The thing about that age is they are old enough to have their own ideas, but don't really understand the world around them yet. It's a challenge. I think what you are feeling is normal and I think have the right idea for future trips

 

[Dugette]

Nice work on the Magic Band – I had no clue what I was looking at, but I showed Dug and he recognized it right away. (haha, I've been looking for an excuse to use this smiley and at least it's Star Wars related!)


Yikes on the airport lines! I don’t think I’ve ever seen much of a line at curbside check-in before. And that security line is nuts!


Not sure which is worse – a meltdown or a flight delay. But both at once? No fun.


Aw, those “happy again” pictures are adorable! What a great little smile!


I was nervous when you said teenage boys sat down behind him, but how awesome that they turned out to be so great with him!


Love how he’s charging down the jetway!


Haha, that’s awesome that he takes the rules so seriously when they come from the “pilot”.


Yay for iPads with Disney movies on flights!


Sorry for the rough flight! Especially for poor Andrew!


Ha, in all my flights with Izzy I don’t know that I’ve ever brought much of anything for myself to do. I have some books on my phone and I always want to sleep – between that and her needs/demands/requests, that’s about all I need.


That’s cool that you got to watch them unload your luggage and send it to the ME.


Aw, that’s cute with Caden and Andrew walking together (with the cool bag, of course). So nice that they had good bonding time on the trip.


Awwww, tired little guy! Too cute! You know that a 2-year-old is tired if they actually fall asleep ON you!

Can't wait for more!

 

[Pesky]

Man do I feel for your DH! I also have terrible motion sickness and it is a bear on those kind of flights. Hence I always have bonine on hand and between that and morning sickness when pregnant, I know the tricks of the trade as it were. Poor little DS -- tough to not be anxious and/or impatient about travel at that age. And yes, I tend to pack for the kids and forget me too! I've been lucky that DH has had an extra pair of ear buds stuffed in his backpack and used my earphones for my phone before in a pinch. Love the cuddle pictures and looking forward to seeing what is next!

 

[AprilRenee]

Yay! I am so excited you started and I love your title!

Boo for airport delays. I have heard the Magic house had plans to put a super cool playground in the airport for just such instances (although by the time it get done our kids will probably have kids). I think all airports should follow that idea!

Looks like a good start. i love the sleeping pics so sweet! I love a sleeping kiddo!

I know we have talked about this and I know parts of this trip did not live up to your expectations, but I think that is normal when you take a 2.5 year old. The thing about that age is they are old enough to have their own ideas, but don't really understand the world around them yet. It's a challenge. I think what you are feeling is normal and I think have the right idea for future trips

Thanks! It took me like 5 different tries to find one I liked. Like I typed in 5 different things and this is the one that looked "right" haha I'm a weirdo.

Yeah! I actually think that Magic House thing DOES exist. However we were in the small southwest terminal and I think it's in the main terminal that would have been AWESOME!!

Nice work on the Magic Band – I had no clue what I was looking at, but I showed Dug and he recognized it right away. (haha, I've been looking for an excuse to use this smiley and at least it's Star Wars related!)

lol I'm glad Dug liked it! I was pretty darn proud of myself! painted that think with a toothpick! haha it was the only thing I could use that was tiny enough to do the small small details! and nice smiley lol

Yikes on the airport lines! I don’t think I’ve ever seen much of a line at curbside check-in before. And that security line is nuts!

right?!?! I've never stood in a line like that! But it was the Sunday after new years so I guess everyone was going home? I felt bad for Andrew...he stood outside for probably 30 min. It was in the teens or low 20s and he had on sandals! poor guy!

Not sure which is worse – a meltdown or a flight delay. But both at once? No fun.

Both suck quite a bit lol

Aw, those “happy again” pictures are adorable! What a great little smile!

I love those too!!

I was nervous when you said teenage boys sat down behind him, but how awesome that they turned out to be so great with him!

They were super sweet. Talking to him and it was one of the boys' first flight. They were heading to universal so we chatted about the new harry potter area too.

Love how he’s charging down the jetway!

he was ready to GO!!

Haha, that’s awesome that he takes the rules so seriously when they come from the “pilot”.

right?! Stroke of mommy brilliance!

Yay for iPads with Disney movies on flights!

Yep yep! He was such a grown up on his tablet just chilling like he flies every day.

Ha, in all my flights with Izzy I don’t know that I’ve ever brought much of anything for myself to do. I have some books on my phone and I always want to sleep – between that and her needs/demands/requests, that’s about all I need.

See I've read so many of your trip reports I was in that mind set. And then no one needed me and I was SOOO bored lol

That’s cool that you got to watch them unload your luggage and send it to the ME.

It was super cool!! loved that!

Awwww, tired little guy! Too cute! You know that a 2-year-old is tired if they actually fall asleep ON you!

Can't wait for more!

Lol he was SO tired. He crashed on me a few other times too lol we like to wear em out!

Man do I feel for your DH! I also have terrible motion sickness and it is a bear on those kind of flights. Hence I always have bonine on hand and between that and morning sickness when pregnant, I know the tricks of the trade as it were. Poor little DS -- tough to not be anxious and/or impatient about travel at that age. And yes, I tend to pack for the kids and forget me too! I've been lucky that DH has had an extra pair of ear buds stuffed in his backpack and used my earphones for my phone before in a pinch. Love the cuddle pictures and looking forward to seeing what is next!

He did go looking for dramamine for the ride home but it was expensive or something, I don't know why he didn't buy it. However on our honeymoon he took dramamine for the flight to NYC and was out of it the rest of the day, so I know he doesn't like to take it on our way TO our destination cause he wants to be present once he gets there.

Thankfully? Caden decided after a while that he hated his headphones and handed them to me, so I did use those for a little while. and on the ride home i used them. So I was saved...forgot about that while I was typing above!

 

[NotTheBatesMotel]

Following along! Heading to DW with my 2.5 year old in 3 weeks. So sorry you were sick!