Challenged Accepted! Our Year of Disney with a toddler 2/27 x2

Yay! Way to go! :cheer2:


Aw, that's sweet. Funny to think how exciting staying at a value is when you've never stayed on-site. I remember our 2009 trip at Pop and how exciting it was to sleep on Disney property (vs. the Motel 6 when I was a kid...) And I love that, despite staying at and enjoying deluxe resorts, I feel totally good about staying at Pop sometimes too. And Sports and your room look really nice!


Yeah, it's so much easier to get around in the King rooms. I had a double at Pop in August and could barely get the stroller in the door without ramming the bed. Otherwise, it was fine, though.


Of course. Toddler playground. :rotfl:


Me too. Pretty soon they'll all be "Disney kids" who need tickets and such nonsense. :sad2:

That's exactly how I felt! Staying at Pop on our honeymoon was living the dream! I sometimes regret not staying somewhere fancier for our honeymoon like a deluxe but I'm so glad we didn't.

Oh I forgot about that... that was the only negatives on the space. You open the door and hit the first bed. The bathroom door was really close to the toilet too but I don't think that's just a value thing... our deluxe bathrooms that trip with just the toilet/tub in the room were probably the same size.

Not looking forward to that. Planning for Disney beyond our July trip "uhhhh I have to pay for him?" :smooth:

Yay to leaving 5 minutes earlier than planned. I am glad your room was ready so Gavin could have a nap. Sounds like your first day was a success.

5 minutes early is a huge success for us! So far so good!
 


Meeting characters is his favorite thing to do!
I can tell! You have so many awesome pics of him with the characters. Adorableness overload! :lovestruc

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He looks so much like you here! Same smile and everything. :goodvibes

Too sweet! He certainly has no character meet shyness issues. :rotfl:

About an hour wait.
Ugh, that would be really tough with a toddler. We met the 7 dwarfs way back when at a party (pre-Izzy) and I think we only waited maybe half that time and it seemed long. And our pics weren't very good either!

I definitely get this parade song stuck in my head.
It's a catchy tune for sure. Dug still randomly sings it and we haven't been there for that parade since 2011.

Just so cute! He looks so happy. And the Pooh characters in costume are just adorable!
 
You accomplished most items on your list. Love all of the character photos. You have a very photogenic family.:rainbow:

We definitely had a good night. I was glad we decided to splurge and do 2 parties so we didn't feel rushed to do the special party things we wanted to do. Aww thank you! :)

I can tell! You have so many awesome pics of him with the characters. Adorableness overload! :lovestruc


He looks so much like you here! Same smile and everything. :goodvibes


Too sweet! He certainly has no character meet shyness issues. :rotfl:


Ugh, that would be really tough with a toddler. We met the 7 dwarfs way back when at a party (pre-Izzy) and I think we only waited maybe half that time and it seemed long. And our pics weren't very good either!


It's a catchy tune for sure. Dug still randomly sings it and we haven't been there for that parade since 2011.


Just so cute! He looks so happy. And the Pooh characters in costume are just adorable!

Thank you! :) He really doesn't have any issues with the characters. The only time I can think of he even hesitated was on this trip with Pluto at Characterpalooza but I think it was because Pluto was on all 4s and he was confused?
 
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This is pretty darn good for "the worst TR ever" ... I think most of us largely use the pictures as a guide and make up the rest in between - or maybe that is just me ;) :thumbsup2

DHS is tough with the FP+ when you have a little one - I think that is part of the reason for the lines with TSMM - it is the one "big" ride that everyone can do.

Nice that you got all those PP pictures with the Hat that no longer exists - collectors items!

He has the entire story memorized and it's not the short version either.
That is very cute! Though I know if it was me, some nights I'd be thinking to myself "can we just hit the highlights kid? I' a bit tired here" :rotfl2:

Like good parents we enjoyed our sugary treat while Gavin had fruit
oh yeah, been there.

We love the Minnie meet spot in DHS - so much stuff to see in her room and I love the fake movie posters! Plus, with it kinda being tucked away in the back, it never seems to get much in the way of lines - so I do think that makes it easier for them to spend more times per guest

We also love the Frozen show a lot. I loved how there were definitely some lines/jokes aimed more at the adults too. And nothing like a room full of people singing out the songs and just seeing how happy many of the kids are

Wow, that rain really did come down! Sounds like Gavin got a good nap in and then a nice evening at EPCOT as well. Great family picture by the fountains in France - I love that spot for photos! And love how you all have your Mickey Mouse shirts on :goodvibes

Definitely a big fan of Les Glaces - I want to try that drink they make next time though

What are we teaching him about strangers?
This TR is full of good parenting tips! Though, I guess in reality most kids probably separate characters at Disney World to real "strangers" ... and least I hope they do

That is a really cute picture with Bert (not Ernie) and Mary. Also love the one with Woody and Buzz with Gavin's hat backwards! I do enjoy that queue though the line can take a while some times. This is definitely not the first TR I have read that said eating with the highchair next to the car table at Sci Fi is awkward - glad it turned out to be such a great meal though and your waitress sounds great! Always good when they understand the challenges of having a toddler.

We've never stayed at more than one resort so the idea of 6 in 14 days does stress me out a bit :rotfl:

Wow, last day already! Time flies when reading a fun TR :goodvibes
 
I'm sorry this is the worst trip report ever. I wish I would've known I was doing a TR I would've taken more notes. So much guessing. I'm not surprised I have no readers, lol. Oh well cute toddler pictures at least?
Ha, not a bad TR at all! Love it! :thumbsup2 I think you are doing a good job of putting things together from the pictures and memories you have. And you probably have more readers than you think - I know that I had trouble just keeping up with all these updates, so probably not the only one. And you do indeed have massive quantities of cute toddler pictures! Gavin is just TOOOO cute! :lovestruc

Hey, I have that shirt too! :goodvibes

Pretty soon Gavin will be able to sit by himself next to one of us and play. It's just a little too jerky for me to feel comfortable with that yet.
I did that with Izzy in August - I just made sure that she was snug under the lap bar and I hung onto her around every corner. Though the ride is jerky, it's basically between the scenes, so you know when it's coming and can hold onto them without missing gameplay.

I was afraid she was getting annoyed but after they posed for pictures to our surprise she took him around and showed him everything and insisted they get some sitting pictures.
Aw, what a sweet meet with Minnie! I never made it into her dressing room and I think I heard that location is going or went away? :confused3 :sad1:

We all LOVED LOVED LOVED the show. A big highlight of this trip. I'm glad my brother finally watched Frozen and likes it because we have to do this again in July.
It is a great show and I think it has a lot of re-watch-ability. I can't wait to see the WHOLE thing in a couple months! :rotfl:

I love that Mickey is also napping in that position. :rotfl2: Izzy has those sleep sacks too (not that pattern), however, she has been refusing to wear them the last few weeks. But maybe that is good, as I think she's about to outgrow them anyway. :confused3

The other day, I skimmed your pictures on my phone before reading and saw this and thought, "Wow, a plate full of brains!" Guess I had the Halloween party in mind still. :lmao:

Our last F&W stop was for the pulled pork sliders from the Hawaii booth. We got them without the mayo. I was feeling full but managed to finish mine. It was SO good.
Mmmmm, yummy! :thumbsup2

Mickey did the same pose with Izzy in August. I wonder if that's what they always do there or if it was the same friend of Mickey? At any rate, Gavin is just so cute with all the characters!

One of the mom's complimented Gavin's hair. I don't get that like, ever. He was called princess so many times on our December trip and everyone that knows us comments on how he still hasn't had a haircut every time we see them.
We have the opposite problem. Gavin has way more hair than Izzy and she gets called a boy, even when she's decked out in pink.

I really tried to limit him kissing the characters in October & December with no luck. Being a germaphobe, a nurse, and a mom is hard work. It's no wonder though. He must kiss those mice!
They should have one of the handlers sanitize noses between meets. :rotfl:

We headed right first this time and grabbed the famous Cronut.
I definitely need to try a fresh one in May. Glad you liked it!

What are we teaching him about strangers?
I think that if they have a tiara/crown and/or are a princess, that he should kiss them. Seems reasonable. ::yes::

Gavin really loves these guys.
Izzy is crazy about them lately too. Back in August, she barely knew them, but she is currently asleep in her Buzz pajamas and her Woody and Buzz dolls are sleeping on the floor next to the crib. Pretty sure we will be doing this meet again! :thumbsup2

Gavin was talking on the phone. The buzzer made a great pretend phone apparently!
He probably was calling Izzy - she knows that they are phones too. :goodvibes

She herself was mom to a little girl that was just a few months older than Gavin.

Our waitress had brought us a big cup of goldfish and he had filled up on them I'm sure.
Makes me wonder if you had the same server that we did back in Dec. 2013. I know she had a little girl close in age and she also was wonderful and brought out a cup of Goldfish.
 

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