Our biggest WDW vacation yet (but with the littlest guests)- A May PTR! Updated 5/2!

[KathyM2]

Wow your plans sound fantastic!! Especially all the resort hopping!! I love POFQ but that's the only one of your pics that I've been to so I can't say much about the others. I'm sure you have all the moving between your resorts down to a science lol..I've never tried a split stay but seems like fun!! I think I'd be excited to try several different restaurants at the resorts too lol.

 

[missjackiemcg]

They were seriously so engrossed in the entire show! Big smiles, pointing, laughing, naming characters! I don’t know WHAT in the world got into me, but I was a crying, emotional mess the entire time!!

You're not alone!! I have sobbed at some point in every Disney on Ice show we've ever been to! LOL In fact, my Mom, Dad and I went to the Disney 100 Exhibition on Sunday, and my Mom and I were sniffling through many parts of it. There's just something so magical about anything Disney!! (PS If you get a chance while it's here, you would absolutely LOVE the exhibition!!! Some of the artifacts were just SO cool to see. Like the telegram Walt sent to Roy on the train back from losing the rights to Oswald--when he drew Mickey Mouse! And the chimes used to make Tinkerbell's twinkly fairy dust sound. I think my most favorite was getting to see the actual Feed the Birds snowglobe used in Mary Poppins!)

 

[Newsies]

Hi hi hi!!! Okay, I am FINALLY here and OBSESSED with these plans. Evie and Ollie are just the cutest -- and we're so close to meeting Baby! Your whole family just looks like too much fun, this is going to be such a crazy, epic vacation and I'm so glad we can read about it here!

You really are doing a whole tour of the Mods! The split stay plan looks great. We stayed at CBR in 2022 and we really enjoyed it. We also had the 5th sleeper room -- the sleeper is tiny, but the room itself was larger than we anticipated it would be. We were on a ground floor in Aruba and it was heaven. We were actually as close as possible to Riviera, which meant we used Riviera's QS (Primo Piatto) and their Skyliner hub throughout our stay. We couldn't have asked for a better location. We ate at the pool bar/lounge (Banana Cabana?) twice and really enjoyed that, too, super casual walk-up for light bites and drinks while sitting by the pool.

So excited to read more!!

 

[keh422]

Ahhhh hi Katie! So glad to see you here Thank you so much!!! Married life has been great so far (4 months down, haha!)

Shoot, so sad I'm missing you!! That sounds like so much fun though- which 3 resorts are you trying out??

4 months down, a lifetime to go! It sounds (and looks) like you've already made a lot of good memories. We just celebrated our 21st anniversary, and I finally finished a little video I started for our 20th. The photos and memories from our earliest days...

We are staying at Saratoga Springs, Bay Lake Tower (our home resort) and Boardwalk. Only Boardwalk is new to us, but I am SUPER excited to stay there! In 2013 we did an Illuminations cruise, and I fell in love with that area. I am determined to finally get to POFQ for beignets this time. Then I'll at least get to see another new (to me) resort. I'm thinking while we're staying at SS is my best bet.

Disney on Ice looks like so much fun! I love that the twins were so into it. I can't wait to hear what they think of the characters up close!

 

[Mollydolly334]

Wow your plans sound fantastic!! Especially all the resort hopping!! I love POFQ but that's the only one of your pics that I've been to so I can't say much about the others. I'm sure you have all the moving between your resorts down to a science lol..I've never tried a split stay but seems like fun!! I think I'd be excited to try several different restaurants at the resorts too lol.

Ahh thank you we’re so excited!! I’ve never even visited CSR before, and the only time I saw POFQ was back in 2000 when I was 6 (and all I remember was the pool haha). I love to wake up early and walk while I’m at Disney so it‘ll be fun to get my bearings that way!!

You're not alone!! I have sobbed at some point in every Disney on Ice show we've ever been to! LOL In fact, my Mom, Dad and I went to the Disney 100 Exhibition on Sunday, and my Mom and I were sniffling through many parts of it. There's just something so magical about anything Disney!! (PS If you get a chance while it's here, you would absolutely LOVE the exhibition!!! Some of the artifacts were just SO cool to see. Like the telegram Walt sent to Roy on the train back from losing the rights to Oswald--when he drew Mickey Mouse! And the chimes used to make Tinkerbell's twinkly fairy dust sound. I think my most favorite was getting to see the actual Feed the Birds snowglobe used in Mary Poppins!)

We did visit it back on December 30!!!!! It was amazing and we loved it so much

Hi hi hi!!! Okay, I am FINALLY here and OBSESSED with these plans. Evie and Ollie are just the cutest -- and we're so close to meeting Baby! Your whole family just looks like too much fun, this is going to be such a crazy, epic vacation and I'm so glad we can read about it here!

You really are doing a whole tour of the Mods! The split stay plan looks great. We stayed at CBR in 2022 and we really enjoyed it. We also had the 5th sleeper room -- the sleeper is tiny, but the room itself was larger than we anticipated it would be. We were on a ground floor in Aruba and it was heaven. We were actually as close as possible to Riviera, which meant we used Riviera's QS (Primo Piatto) and their Skyliner hub throughout our stay. We couldn't have asked for a better location. We ate at the pool bar/lounge (Banana Cabana?) twice and really enjoyed that, too, super casual walk-up for light bites and drinks while sitting by the pool.

So excited to read more!!

Thank you so much for joining in Kait!!!! It will be a wild ride for sure!!!

Thank you so much for the tips!!! I really hope we get a refurbished Little Mermaid themed room- those are the 5th sleeper ones I think!!

I would love to be close to Riviera (and that amazing almond cold brew) if we can- I love their bar and QS restaurant there!! Banana Cabana also looks so fun and very vacation-y!

4 months down, a lifetime to go! It sounds (and looks) like you've already made a lot of good memories. We just celebrated our 21st anniversary, and I finally finished a little video I started for our 20th. The photos and memories from our earliest days...

We are staying at Saratoga Springs, Bay Lake Tower (our home resort) and Boardwalk. Only Boardwalk is new to us, but I am SUPER excited to stay there! In 2013 we did an Illuminations cruise, and I fell in love with that area. I am determined to finally get to POFQ for beignets this time. Then I'll at least get to see another new (to me) resort. I'm thinking while we're staying at SS is my best bet.

Disney on Ice looks like so much fun! I love that the twins were so into it. I can't wait to hear what they think of the characters up close!

That is AMAZING- I bet that picture collage was so fun to make!! We are celebrating our 3-year dating anniversary on January 26th by going to the same restaurant we went to on our first date (we go every year on 1/26 ). It feels like it’s been wayyyy longer than 3 years!

I’m excited to try beignets at POFQ too! We tried the classic ones at DLR and liked them fine but I’m hoping they have a fun seasonal flavor to try!

OMG you’ll love the BWV- it’s hands down my favorite resort area. It just feels like “home” and you can’t beat the convenience!! I have to make it over to SSR and BLT soon- the rooms at SSR are so cute!!

 

[keh422]

That is AMAZING- I bet that picture collage was so fun to make!! We are celebrating our 3-year dating anniversary on January 26th by going to the same restaurant we went to on our first date (we go every year on 1/26 ). It feels like it’s been wayyyy longer than 3 years!

I’m excited to try beignets at POFQ too! We tried the classic ones at DLR and liked them fine but I’m hoping they have a fun seasonal flavor to try!

OMG you’ll love the BWV- it’s hands down my favorite resort area. It just feels like “home” and you can’t beat the convenience!! I have to make it over to SSR and BLT soon- the rooms at SSR are so cute!!

It's so much fun to look back and remember. 1/26 is our engagement anniversary! What a great day. Happy early anniversary to you!

About the beignets: same. We had them at DLR last summer, but we didn't really have time to sit and savor them. I'm looking forward to see what POFQ has to offer!

I've never even been to BWV! We loooove Beaches and Cream, but that's as far as we've made it from the International Gateway except in passing from a boat. I love BLT, but my kids seem particularly attached to it. It's actually very sweet. SSR is the biggest resort we've ever stayed at, so it feels a little different, but I do like it. Being able to walk to Disney Springs is a nice perk.

 

[Mollydolly334]

It's so much fun to look back and remember. 1/26 is our engagement anniversary! What a great day. Happy early anniversary to you!

About the beignets: same. We had them at DLR last summer, but we didn't really have time to sit and savor them. I'm looking forward to see what POFQ has to offer!

I've never even been to BWV! We loooove Beaches and Cream, but that's as far as we've made it from the International Gateway except in passing from a boat. I love BLT, but my kids seem particularly attached to it. It's actually very sweet. SSR is the biggest resort we've ever stayed at, so it feels a little different, but I do like it. Being able to walk to Disney Springs is a nice perk.

YESS I thought I remembered that today was also special for you Have a GREAT day today celebrating your engagement-versary

 

[Mollydolly334]

Tickets, transportation, and other miscellaneous information!


Figuring out hotels and lodging was kind of a puzzle this year, so that’s pretty much the only thing we have booked at this point! Here are our thoughts/progress on other bookings…

This update isn’t going to be very picture-heavy, so I’ll pepper in some Disney throwback pictures just for fun



My very first PTR Written by 6-year old Molly! Should I bring back the drawings??



The whole fam at Epcot in 2002! We are definitely channeling our “early-2000s tourist-chic” here

Tickets

Since our bounceback offer was a room-only discount, we didn’t need to buy tickets right away, and these are still yet to be bought Haley and I were able to get some planning in after Disney on Ice, and we have a rough itinerary started. I’m guessing that most people will decide on 5-day park hoppers for the week. I think that 5 park days for 8 nights will be plenty for the twins and the baby! Jake will probably do 3-day park hoppers since he’s not there for that long. I’m currently juggling between getting a 6-day hopper (since Jake and I will have an extra park day before the rest of the family arrives), or just biting the bullet and getting an annual pass.

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.



But, an AP is incredibly expensive, and I’m not sure I would get good use of it. If I was smart, I would have purchased one back in the summer to use on my bachelorette in July and this trip now in May. But, I’m not

In the past, this would have been a no-brainer, GET AN AP! When I was a single lady, I went to WDW 6 times in the span of a year and a half!!!! But, my traveling priorities have changed, and although Jake and I love Disney, I also want to see the rest of the world with him! We are tentatively planning a DLR trip for October 2024, and I don’t anticipate us going to WDW again before May of 2025 if we do take that trip. But that’s not to say I couldn’t do some girl’s trips/solo trips on an annual pass too?? Ahhhh, decisions, decisions!

We are for sure hitting up all 4 parks, some more than once! Also, I feel like this is implied, but no water parks this trip. I have not visited a Disney water park since I was 10! I will get back there someday though, I’m intrigued since that is one part of Disney that I am very inexperienced in!



Haley and I at Blizzard Beach in 2000
(Upon further inspection, I think this picture was actually taken at Sea World. But I'll include it anyway )

Transportation

Since Jake, Mom, and I will be on property for the whole time, we will be solely relying on Disney transportation, with Ubers to and from the airport. I’m still bitter that they took DME away, and I’m not doing any other shuttle transportation in protest Plus, Uber is way more convenient and gets us on property quicker!



Me on DME in January 2020

However, Haley, Ryan, and the kids are going to rent a car. It is the only way that makes sense- having 3 kids who need car seats really complicates things! Haley, Ryan, Mom, and the kids will grab their rental car from the airport on the 11th when they land in Orlando, and Haley/Ryan will use it throughout the entire week. They’ll utilize Disney transportation when they can of course, but the car will really come in handy during the time that they’re staying at the Marriott timeshare. They’ll probably get a super-stylish minivan (haha) so that Mark and Carla can tag along at times as well!

Flights



Haley, Mom, and I on the plane headed to WDW in 2000! This picture is like a time capsule- with dressing up in fancy dresses to go on a plane and those awesome airfones

This is another thing that I hope to book sometime soon! Jake and I really try to primarily fly Southwest airlines if we can; I usually over-pack wayyy too much and I love their free checked bag policy . Currently we are looking at a 12:45 PM direct flight out of Milwaukee on 5/9, which gets us to Orlando at 4:30 PM. Jake is then eying up a 8:00 PM flight out of Orlando on Monday 5/13, so that he can get the most out of his last day and go to a park with us.

Mom, Haley, Ryan, and the kids will be flying out of Chicago on 5/11 (Haley and Ryan live in the Chicago ‘burbs). I’m guessing they’ll do an early flight- there’s a 9:10 AM flight that gets them to Orlando at 1:00 PM. That also means that me, Mom, Haley, Ryan, and the kids will be flying back into Chicago on 5/19, since my mom’s car will be at Haley and Ryan’s house. There’s a 6:50 PM flight that gets us back to Chicago at 8:55 PM, otherwise there’s also another direct flight at 11:55 AM that gets us home a little sooner! I’m hoping to book these soon! I mentioned this to Haley during our planning sesh, but she made a great point- she can’t book the flights until the new baby is born, because she doesn’t know their gender or name .



Haley and I on the plane ride home in October 2000

Even though Mark and Carla live in Florida, I believe that they will be flying into Orlando as well on 5/12 since they have a wedding on the east coast to go to on 5/11!

Genie +

Ahhhh, the age old question. This tends to be a hot topic on the DIS. I’m not going to get into the politics of Genie+ and the fact that we now need to pay for something that was once included (it is absolutely and obviously unfair)! But, for me, convenience usually wins out over cost. And for this trip, I could definitely see Genie + being convenient!

I have been perusing all of the planning websites, and it sounds like the time that we are going is a pretty slow time crowds-wise. This will be a welcome change; the past two times I have been to WDW (July 2023 and November 2021), the crowds have been on the more moderate to heavy end. That being said, the twins are two years old. Waiting is… not their strong suit . We took them to ride the carousel at the zoo this summer, and even waiting for one carousel cycle to finish was very hard! The twins are way more high-energy than the average 2-year old and are always moving and trying to get into things, so keeping them contained in lines could be tough.



Haley and I in line for Mickey’s Philharmagic in 2005 (stupid Photobucket watermark)!

I’m guessing that we will probably get Genie + for most, if not all, of the days that we do parks with the kids. Especially Magic Kingdom- I will always get Genie + at that park. There are so many rides and opportunities to use it on! I feel like this will really help keep our day more “scheduled” and make sure we get to do our must-do’s before we have to take a break. And that way, we can also schedule rides in the evening after nap time!

I’m generally against the Individual Lightning Lanes, but will use them in a pinch if that’s the only way I can get on a ride. We will try to do the virtual queue for Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure (the twins will love this), Tron, and Guardians of the Galaxy- Cosmic Rewind. Haley especially is so excited to experience Tron and Guardians, since she was pregnant during our last trip and couldn’t ride. I have never ridden Guardians before; I chickened out in July because I’m prone to motion sickness when moving screens are utilized. Even FoP and Remy’s can bother me at times! I’m hoping to bite the bullet and try it out this trip, closing my eyes if I need to.

Now, you may have noticed that I left out my favorite topic…



Coming up soon… food, glorious food!


​

 

[Newsies]

This update isn’t going to be very picture-heavy, so I’ll pepper in some Disney throwback pictures just for fun

https://www.flickr.com/gp/156301885@N04/989v4r879H]

This drawing is SOOOOOO ME you were so real for this one

But, an AP is incredibly expensive, and I’m not sure I would get good use of it.

This was a hot topic for me this year, too! Because I'm doing two week-long trips this year, I debated getting an Annual Pass, but the Sorcerer pass being $1k plus PLUS the fact that you STILL have to make park reservations, even with a hotel reservation, kept me away from it. I don't know what the breakeven point would have been for me this year would have been to make Sorcerer pass worth it -- I'm sure I would have passed it -- but the continued need for Park Reservations even with a hotel room reservation didn't sit right with me.

I’m still bitter that they took DME away, and I’m not doing any other shuttle transportation in protest Plus, Uber is way more convenient and gets us on property quicker!

I'm so upset about DME, too!!!

More great plans and loved all the photos of this update!!! #Vintage. Can't wait to hear about dining!

 

[elsbit]

I am also prone to motion sickness on the same rides. For GoG, I wore my sea bands and took otc motion sick med. it is the only ride I've ever had to take motion sick meds for and I'm so thankful I did. I closed my eyes when it got too bad and it helped. I still loved it.

 

[Disney102015]

Love your TRs and so excited for a new one! Loving the split stay - we did a Poly/AKL Split stay last year with my sister and her 3 kids and my family and my 3 kids including my 3 month old. It was so fun!! We planned the trip for ages just like you guys, you’re going to have so much fun!

 

[missjackiemcg]

Loved all the throwback pictures!!! So fun to look back and to see how much things have changed! LOL, those airphones!!

I have not visited a Disney water park since I was 10! I will get back there someday though, I’m intrigued since that is one part of Disney that I am very inexperienced in!

You live near the water park capital of the world!!! That's always my excuse for never having been to a Disney water park anyway! I'm like, I've been to Noah's Ark, I'm good

 

[Mollydolly334]

This drawing is SOOOOOO ME you were so real for this one



This was a hot topic for me this year, too! Because I'm doing two week-long trips this year, I debated getting an Annual Pass, but the Sorcerer pass being $1k plus PLUS the fact that you STILL have to make park reservations, even with a hotel reservation, kept me away from it. I don't know what the breakeven point would have been for me this year would have been to make Sorcerer pass worth it -- I'm sure I would have passed it -- but the continued need for Park Reservations even with a hotel room reservation didn't sit right with me.



I'm so upset about DME, too!!!

More great plans and loved all the photos of this update!!! #Vintage. Can't wait to hear about dining!

Hahaha with every trip we took as a kid, I wrote a little “journal” all about what we did every day, with pictures included it’s such a fun little keepsake to look back on!

YES- the park reservations is another thing that’s giving me pause too. Like- what if all my family can get into a park except me?? So weird that we even still have to think about these… I thought they’d be gone ages ago.

I am also prone to motion sickness on the same rides. For GoG, I wore my sea bands and took otc motion sick med. it is the only ride I've ever had to take motion sick meds for and I'm so thankful I did. I closed my eyes when it got too bad and it helped. I still loved it.

We were briefly considering a Disney cruise a couple months back- and SO many people recommended sea bands for that too!! I don’t really like taking meds as they make me drowsy- so this could be a great option, thanks for the tip! I also sometimes have ginger candy/ginger ale on planes and this helps a lot too.

Love your TRs and so excited for a new one! Loving the split stay - we did a Poly/AKL Split stay last year with my sister and her 3 kids and my family and my 3 kids including my 3 month old. It was so fun!! We planned the trip for ages just like you guys, you’re going to have so much fun!

Yay, thank you so much for following along here!!! I love doing split stays- it feels like multiple vacations in one!!

Wow- sounds like we are in the exact same boat with kids situation!! How did your 3-month old do in the parks??

Loved all the throwback pictures!!! So fun to look back and to see how much things have changed! LOL, those airphones!!


You live near the water park capital of the world!!! That's always my excuse for never having been to a Disney water park anyway! I'm like, I've been to Noah's Ark, I'm good

Disney has changed so much since then!! The big thing we notice is the lack of crowds back in the early 2000s (especially our 2002 trip, probably due to 9/11). The parks are deserted!

HAHA very true!!! Omg I haven’t been to the Dells in sooooooo long! Jake and I have to go back there- I love the Wilderness resort and water parks!!

 

[Woth2982]

biting the bullet and getting an annual pass

Im torn on this with my DH. DD and I have APs and we can get the discounted one with DVC. 4 day park hoppers are almost as much as the Sorcerer's pass, so with like one additional trip for DH we would come out ahead, plus we are staying a bit longer than our friends and could potentially do 6 park days. Ughhh! Math!

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

100% I think next year I am doing a quick trip for a weekend to do Festival of the arts alone. I feel like I wont be able to enjoy it with other people as Id feel pressured to keep moving, unless i go with my friend Anne, she and I are perfectly happy to separate and do our own thing.

They’ll probably get a super-stylish minivan (haha)

Rented one in November for California, it was so worth it!

she can’t book the flights until the new baby is born, because she doesn’t know their gender or name

So I booked a flight on SW and at the time I was going to lap sit Jackson. You don't need the name or bday until check in on SW. Then I decided I wanted to get him a seat because I did not feel comfortable not having him in a car seat (personal choice) so I decided to bite the bullet and got him a seat after we had bought our tickets and they just link it to the main bookers reservation. So she could book now if she wanted to.

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

Hi!!!! I am following along!!! I can't wait to hear all about the trip!

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!

Just before turning 3, in my oppion is the best time! They will believe everyone they met is that character! Gwen was this age on our very first trip. It is exhausting with them being toddlers, but you have a good ratio of adults to kids!

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.

Congrats to Haley & Ryan!! Do you know Chloe? She just went with her 3 month old girl. I am sure she has advise for you!

Problem is, they haven’t been born yet!! New baby is due on February 9th, 2024

It's soon!!! How is she doing?! Does she feel like it is easier with only cooking 1 baby instead of 2?

Finally, we have Cici and Chief (Ryan’s parents)!

Well, we priced out a week at the Poly in May 2024, and that dashed our dreams REAL quick Those rack rates are actual insanity! We could have rented points… but that whole process makes me nervous since it’s non-refundable

It is crazy rack rates these days!!!

We just have to expect a lot of walking, which is ok for us

Depending on where you are, it doesn't have to be a ton of walking... Granted we didn't go to the main lobby much, but we were closer to the Skyliner station and it was perfect.

Disney’s Art of Animation Resort! We booked a Cars Suite for the night of May 11th, so that Ollie could get his Cars fix. I am SO excited for this. They will already be excited to arrive at Disney, but to be transported into a land of Cars??

That will be perfect! Art of Animation is made for toddlers I think!



Ugh, this already makes me miss the girls being that little!!! Can I come and just re-live that time frame. Ha.

 

[Mollydolly334]

Im torn on this with my DH. DD and I have APs and we can get the discounted one with DVC. 4 day park hoppers are almost as much as the Sorcerer's pass, so with like one additional trip for DH we would come out ahead, plus we are staying a bit longer than our friends and could potentially do 6 park days. Ughhh! Math!

100% I think next year I am doing a quick trip for a weekend to do Festival of the arts alone. I feel like I wont be able to enjoy it with other people as Id feel pressured to keep moving, unless i go with my friend Anne, she and I are perfectly happy to separate and do our own thing.

Rented one in November for California, it was so worth it!

So I booked a flight on SW and at the time I was going to lap sit Jackson. You don't need the name or bday until check in on SW. Then I decided I wanted to get him a seat because I did not feel comfortable not having him in a car seat (personal choice) so I decided to bite the bullet and got him a seat after we had bought our tickets and they just link it to the main bookers reservation. So she could book now if she wanted to.

That's nice that you can get the discounted pass with DVC!! I'm all about #disneymath and I say go for it!! I'm the same way with food festivals- I don't like going with a big group because I have a method to my madness and make spreadsheets like weeks beforehand with all the foods I want

Ohhhh good point on the flights- I didn't realize that it was different for a lap child! Thanks for the tip!!

Hi!!!! I am following along!!! I can't wait to hear all about the trip!


Just before turning 3, in my oppion is the best time! They will believe everyone they met is that character! Gwen was this age on our very first trip. It is exhausting with them being toddlers, but you have a good ratio of adults to kids!


Congrats to Haley & Ryan!! Do you know Chloe? She just went with her 3 month old girl. I am sure she has advise for you!


It's soon!!! How is she doing?! Does she feel like it is easier with only cooking 1 baby instead of 2?




It is crazy rack rates these days!!!


Depending on where you are, it doesn't have to be a ton of walking... Granted we didn't go to the main lobby much, but we were closer to the Skyliner station and it was perfect.


That will be perfect! Art of Animation is made for toddlers I think!



Ugh, this already makes me miss the girls being that little!!! Can I come and just re-live that time frame. Ha.

Hi Ariella!! So glad you're here

Ahhhh, new baby will be here before we know it! Haley is feeling good- she's really lucky and hasn't had too many crazy pregnancy symptoms (no morning sickness, no crazy heartburn or anything like that). She says that it's easier with 1, but she can feel the baby move SO much more because they're not crammed in there like the twins were!!! She is READY to have this baby though and be more comfortable.

I'll have to reach out to Chloe and pick her brain!! I think I'm the most worried about the little baby- it's such uncharted territory for us! I know the twins will have a blast and we'll be able to handle any meltdowns they have. But 3 months old is just so LITTLE!

 

[Mollydolly334]

Double-Digit Dancing and Disney Dining!


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



99 days sounds like a long time, but if you think about it, it’s just over 3 months!! That’s not long at all! I had a mini-meltdown while working out last night (I do all my best thinking on the treadmill) when I realized that I’m going to need to make at least 8 ADRs for 10-12 people.



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!

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). 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.

However, this isn’t my first rodeo, and I’m confident that I’ll be able to make it work. On that note, it’s time to talk about one of my favorite things in the world- Disney food!



Obviously, having the twins and baby with us changes a lot about our typical touring pattern! And that includes ADRs!

Typically, when I’m traveling with Mom or Jake, we schedule about one ADR meal a day- at most. I’m definitely more of a snacker/grazer when it comes to Disney food, but I like having one scheduled meal per day to keep us organized and also guarantee a break to sit down and relax.

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.

Here are some ADR ideas that we have been tossing around! Nothing confirmed yet, but these are on the “maybe” list! We still have some time before we need to make a concrete plan, since we can start booking ADRs on March 9th.

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



Basically, any character meal that involves the Fab 5 has to be in the mix!! We’ll probably just choose one of these, maybe two at the most depending on park plans!

Crystal Palace



The kids are sort of getting into Winnie the Pooh shows/characters, but they aren’t necessarily their favorite… I just love this meal! This may be a meal purely for me/Haley This is one of my favorite breakfast buffets in WDW and I just love the look and vibe of this restaurant in general!

Rainforest Cafe OR T-Rex



This one is a maybe; I feel like these places have the opportunity to either be super cool and engaging, or kind of scary for the little ones With kids this young, it’s always a toss-up! Evie and Ollie generally don’t scare easily, but all of the lights/noises may be sensory overload for them. They both love dinosaurs and animals in general, so I do think that there would be interest in this!



Cinderella’s Royal Table OR Akershus



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??



Storybook Dining at Artist Point



This was one that Haley suggested. I adore the WL and it would be so fun to visit there again! Evie also really likes Snow White (she has a costume at home that she wears all the time), so she in particular would love all the characters here.



O’hana OR Kona Cafe



If we can’t stay at the Poly, we for sure at least need to visit! O’hana is my mom’s all-time favorite meal at WDW, so it’s always in the mix for our trips. However, we’ve done dinner multiple times; and on my bachelorette party, we found dinner here to be not as good as it normally is. Maybe the character breakfast could be fun and something new? We also haven’t eaten at Kona Cafe in a while, and it could be fun for a more chill and relaxing spot.

Coral Reef



This was one that Haley specifically mentioned. I think the kids would love looking at the aquariums and fish! We also haven’t eaten here in a while (it’s been since 2015 for me), so it will be nice to try this out again!!

Roundup Rodeo BBQ



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.

Plus, the kids LOVE them some Toy Story!



Summer House on the Lake



This is a random choice; but it’s directly tied to home. One of our go-to restaurants that we eat at when we visit Haley and Ryan is called Summer House Santa Monica in Lincoln Park. The new Summer House on the Lake at Disney Springs is one of their sister restaurants! We always have great luck with the food and service at the Chicago location, so it may be fun to try this new restaurant out. Their cookies are delicious!

Again, this is just a brainstorming list for now! I’m hoping once we figure out park schedules, that we can tweak this as needed and see which locations will be best for ADRs on particular days/etc. Any obvious toddler-friendly ADRs on this list that I’m missing??


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[Disney102015]

Wow- sounds like we are in the exact same boat with kids situation!! How did your 3-month old do in the parks??

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!

 

[amazingact21]

Hi! I've been following along just haven't replied yet. Had to remedy that when I saw your Vanderpump Rules gif. I've only recently started watching (I'm on season 5) but it's my treadmill watch. So ridiculous but so addictive.

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.

Basically, any character meal that involves the Fab 5 has to be in the mix!!

Definitely a must with little kids!

This is one of my favorite breakfast buffets in WDW

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

I think the kids would love looking at the aquariums and fish!

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.

 

[missjackiemcg]

Had to include a Vanderpump Rules GIF since the new season premieres TONIGHT!! Any others on here obsessed with that show??

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!

Rainforest Cafe OR T-Rex

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.

Cinderella’s Royal Table OR Akershus

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

Roundup Rodeo BBQ

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!