Bear Hugs & Piggy Kisses - Baby's 1st Trip ~ Updated 12/6: Aulani TR Started!!!

[TheMaxRebo]

wow that seems very hectic getting on the ME bus ... I feel I always over-estimate how long it takes to eat - but I know the one time I didn't do this would be a time like this and everyone would be waiting on us

Surprised you didn't hear someone on the bus say "So, did you bring enough Dole Whips for everyone?"

Glad the flight itself went smoothly and Izzy slept most of the time.

Definitely have to have a day before going back to work just to rest and get settled and out of the Disney bubble.

I actually think it would be super entertaining if you didn't replace the pictures of Landon

 

[amazingact21]

Whoa! That's a crazy ME experience!!!

Talk about stressful. I couldn't imagine trying to hold a baby, fold a stroller, gets the bags, and balance Dole Whips. But hey...you got to enjoy a Disney treat one last time. Silver linings, right?


How nice that Izzy slept most of the trip. Gave you some time to rest before the business of leaving the airport and getting back home.


And smart idea about having a pre-cooked meal in the freezer! I'll have to steal that idea.


Looking forward to your wrap-up!

 

[Joyciemc]

Was definitely feeling your stress with the ME boarding craziness!

I am jealous that you can leave food/water out for your cat. I have two overeaters who would snarf everything all at once, and spend the rest of the time starving.

 

[Dugette]

Oh my gosh! What a crazy exit! Hahaha
And yeah, I probably would have spent most of the ME ride glaring at Andrew for that! Haha. Did he ever tell you WHY he took so long getting his tasks done? Lol

I just assumed that he was walking slowly (as he often does) and that Captain Cook's was slow. But, seeing the pictures as I have now, I think he was taking his time getting artsy shots. And watching the trolley show and the hula. I guess I should have known - my rationalization of running off to ride Splash made a lot more sense when I thought he had everything else covered and I just needed to show up on time (which I did!)

Sad to leave Disney but it's always a little nice to be home. izzy looks pretty content.
Good idea on the frozen meal!

I think Izzy was happy to get home and see her doggie and kitty. And sleep in her own bed. Yeah, the frozen meal was a thought I had while writing up those pre-trip detailed daily plans - worked out well!

Aw your last bit of time in the MK sounds fun but oh my on the exit!! glad you got on and still got to enjoy your dole whips. Yay for a mostly sleeping baby on the flight.

It was a pretty dramatic exit. So nice that Izzy slept for most of the flight! Having flown with her a lot of times since, she doesn't always do that! (but she's generally a good flyer)

Cute pics of the craziness of being home. We just experienced that sunday! Our lab Annie was nearly on the kitchen counter with excitement at seeing us, and our grey cat Max got a LOT of love from Aria. SO fun!

Ah, kids and pets reunited! Glad that Aria and her furry friends had a happy reunion!

I hate being late for anything, so your departure had me really nervous as I was reading! I'm glad you guys made it and got to eat your Dole Whips, though! That sounds just like something my husband would do.

Probably surprising after this story, but I also hate being late. Dug, eh, not so much. Clearly. The whole Dole Whip thing just made it even more crazy. I was literally about to dump mine in a trash can and Dug just couldn't stand that thought. With all the drama, it wasn't really as enjoyable as usual, though.

Yay for Izzy sleeping most of the plane ride home! Again, she needs to give lessons to Rory.

I'm sure she'd be happy to help! She's had a lot of different flying experiences since then and some have been awake the whole time, but she's generally pretty good. My favorite flight was the one that she slept through in her carseat, though (back from Oregon, I think?) So nice!

wow that seems very hectic getting on the ME bus ... I feel I always over-estimate how long it takes to eat - but I know the one time I didn't do this would be a time like this and everyone would be waiting on us

Yeah, it was crazy. I really thought that Dug would be able to take care of things during the time I walked to Splash, rode, and got back to the Poly. Not so much.

Surprised you didn't hear someone on the bus say "So, did you bring enough Dole Whips for everyone?"

I don't doubt someone probably did say that. And some other things about us. If they did, I didn't hear, though. I'm sure I would have been making comments to Dug about us if we were in that position.

Glad the flight itself went smoothly and Izzy slept most of the time.

Me too!

Definitely have to have a day before going back to work just to rest and get settled and out of the Disney bubble.

It was nice to have that. We actually were not used to doing that, as we would use every moment of vacation we had prior to having Izzy. Leave right after work and come back late the night before work. We purposely planned the first with-kid trip with a buffer on both sides, though, and it worked out well. Though it did kind-of pain us to not take advantage of that potential extra Disney day. It was a great day for recuperation. If I recall correctly, Izzy slept a lot that day.

I actually think it would be super entertaining if you didn't replace the pictures of Landon

Oooh, I could leave Landon's pics in and just ADD Izzy. Cutest update ever!

Whoa! That's a crazy ME experience!!!

Talk about stressful. I couldn't imagine trying to hold a baby, fold a stroller, gets the bags, and balance Dole Whips. But hey...you got to enjoy a Disney treat one last time. Silver linings, right?

Super stressful! I was willing to throw out a Dole Whip over all that (but somehow managed). I think I must have made Dug hold the Dole Whips while I folded the stroller. I don't know how we did it, really.

How nice that Izzy slept most of the trip. Gave you some time to rest before the business of leaving the airport and getting back home.

I was really happy that she fell asleep so quickly and was so good. I don't think most people realized there was a baby seated near them. Until she woke up screaming.

And smart idea about having a pre-cooked meal in the freezer! I'll have to steal that idea.

Go for it! I probably subconsciously stole it in the first place! It was really nice because we got home around Izzy's bedtime, so we wanted to have something quick all ready to pop into the microwave. Worked great! No need to go grocery shopping right away.

Looking forward to your wrap-up!

Thanks! I'm looking forward to putting it together!

Was definitely feeling your stress with the ME boarding craziness!

You would think we'd learn to be on time to the ME. I was actually reading my old 2009 TR last night (first trip Dug and I took together to WDW) and we were nearly late for the ME on that one too. Not quite as bad, but cutting it too close. Guess that's just the way we roll.

I am jealous that you can leave food/water out for your cat. I have two overeaters who would snarf everything all at once, and spend the rest of the time starving.

You know, our cat is actually quite the pig. She LOVES food. So, I know that she is gorging herself early on and eventually realizes she should conserve some food. I just give her way too much and hope for the best. And, if we're gone for more than a long weekend, we have someone stop by once or twice to refill everything (which we did on this trip). It all seems to work out.

 

[Leshaface]

I love the way this ends! And with a Dole Whip no less

Sounds like such an easy flight, aside from Izzy waking up a bit scared. How long is the flight? A few hours right?

Wow what a superwoman you are with all that luggage and the stroller! I couldn't do it. I mean I could, but I wouldn't look good doing it

Such a great idea about having a casserole ready to go! Does it go straight from freezer to oven, no defrosting? We usually always get a late flight home (to maximize Disney time that last day) but this time i'm thinking it will be an earlier flight home, which could mean dinner at home possibly

I LOVED reading about Izzy's first trip to WDW! So much fun and i'm looking forward to the rest of your adventures

 

[SimplyGoofy]

What a crazy end to your trip! I could totally see something like that happening to me so I completely understand how frazzled you must've been. I'm impressed you managed to juggle baby gear, Izzy, and your Dole Whip during your journey to MCO.

What an excellent idea to freeze a meal in advance!

Despite the crazy ending, it appears you had a very magical first Disney vacation with Izzy. I look forward to your wrap up post!

 

[Dugette]

I love the way this ends! And with a Dole Whip no less

Funny ending now, but a bit traumatic at the time. Dole Whips were just not meant to be a source of stress.

Sounds like such an easy flight, aside from Izzy waking up a bit scared. How long is the flight? A few hours right?

Yeah, a little over 3 hours. It was a good flight, minus the screaming incident, of course.

Wow what a superwoman you are with all that luggage and the stroller! I couldn't do it. I mean I could, but I wouldn't look good doing it

Nobody said I looked good doing it. It was probably pretty comical, but I got it done! My solo trips with Izzy were actually more challenging (and comical).

Such a great idea about having a casserole ready to go! Does it go straight from freezer to oven, no defrosting? We usually always get a late flight home (to maximize Disney time that last day) but this time i'm thinking it will be an earlier flight home, which could mean dinner at home possibly

I think we had just frozen part of a previously cooked one (and probably ate the rest at the time we made it), so we just popped it into the microwave, straight out of the freezer. Quick and easy! I have a handful of other freezer recipes from when I was pregnant with Izzy - I filled up the freezer so we'd have food while she was a newborn. Nice to have some easy homemade meals ready to go!

I LOVED reading about Izzy's first trip to WDW! So much fun and i'm looking forward to the rest of your adventures

Thanks! Can't wait to recount our more recent trips!

What a crazy end to your trip! I could totally see something like that happening to me so I completely understand how frazzled you must've been. I'm impressed you managed to juggle baby gear, Izzy, and your Dole Whip during your journey to MCO.

I don't know how we pulled it off. I was most definitely frazzled by the whole ordeal.

What an excellent idea to freeze a meal in advance!

Thanks, it worked out well. Just came to me when I was doing the PTR and planning out our days and meals.

Despite the crazy ending, it appears you had a very magical first Disney vacation with Izzy. I look forward to your wrap up post!

It really was a magical trip! And that was only the beginning of fun times in Disney with Izzy. She's so much fun.

 

[cindianne320]

Loved catching up on your trip!

I can't wait to hear about your 2 other summer trips and Aulani!

 

[Dugette]

Loved catching up on your trip!

I can't wait to hear about your 2 other summer trips and Aulani!

Thanks! Can't wait to share those ones! And 3 weeks till Aulani!

ALSO, congratulations to you on baby #3 on the way!!!

 

[Dugette]

Just looking back through my whole TR to put this together really makes me realize what a great trip we had. Such fantastic memories (even if they weren't all ideal). We had so many new experiences and so many firsts for Izzy. It was such special family time for us!

First off, we were SO happy to be back at the Poly! It's such a beautiful resort and the monorail is so convenient. Of course, we were there when the construction was not a big deal yet, so we lucked out. I'll always remember that magical feeling of arriving:



Realizing that we were back in our paradise from 3 years earlier, only with the baby that we didn't know if we'd ever have. PLUS, our week in WDW was just beginning! Doesn't get much better than that, while walking through the peaceful Poly grounds at night by tiki torch.

Ah, the Poly that was:





So glad we were able to do a professional photo shoot there too:



And, of course, we also discovered that they had a full-featured toddler playground in each room:







Also, a big plus was that the monorail was really convenient with the stroller (except when it wasn't...):



We got to experience a lot of new things on this trip, as we had been away for over 2 years. In the meantime, Disney had introduced things like Magic Bands and Fast Pass+. Izzy enjoyed wearing a Magic Band the whole trip:



We were so happy to finally see "new" Fantasyland! It was great to be able to explore something new and unfamiliar in the Magic Kingdom. We really enjoyed the new attractions and lunch at Be Our Guest.

It was our first trip utilizing Baby Care Centers:



They worked out great for baby changing, but also just to get out of the crowds and noise. A quiet place for the whole family to take a breather.

We also got to do some real-life meets on this trip, which was fun. Seeing the Osborne Lights and having dinner at Sci Fi with friends and their kids. Chatting with my old boss in Downtown Disney. Just nice to know Disney people and see that it is indeed a "small world after all".

The other thing that was very new to us was NOT just being a couple at WDW. Our other trips, things like this were common:



This trip, that only happened since Izzy was stroller-napping at the time. No complaints, though. It was super fun to have a tiny travel companion join us!

And, of course, going in early December is great for a number of reasons. Low prices and low crowds are high on my list. Weather is pretty nice (not hot, not cold) - we didn't even have any rain during this trip! But, most importantly, all the holiday decorations are out in full force!

We took advantage of all the opportunities to enjoy them:















Despite all the firsts, as with past trips, Dug was silly and over-dramatic.

Enjoying his solo night:



Back pain while walking (dramatic, though):



Gaston's chair:



Sad to leave:



We had so many magic moments throughout the trip. Showing Izzy the castle for the first time:





And coming across the parade and seeing Izzy light up when she got the chance to get close to Minnie on her float:



So many sweet unexpected moments like that sure can make your heart soar.

Continued in next post...

 

[AprilRenee]

Castle pic totally made me choke up!!

 

[Dugette]

Continued from last post...

Traveling with a baby/toddler was a whole new ball game for us at the time. Since then, we've done quite a bit of traveling with Izzy, but it was new and challenging back then. I'd say it's gotten easier, but it was never terribly difficult - just NEW.

I am very happy with the age we chose for her first trip. She was 14.5 months back then. Old enough to walk (toddling, really - she'd only started walking a month or so beforehand). But not old enough to run away (much). Pretty agreeable and not terribly opinionated yet. Old enough to not be nursing around the clock (just at night). At a great age, in general, to be enthralled with the magic - the characters, the sights, the rides, etc. She was very young, but she had a blast! And so did we! We met many people throughout our trip that strongly endorsed the concept of "they're never too young". Disney with a young one is a great time for the whole family to bond and have fun together - just as Walt had dreamed of.

But that's not to say that things didn't go wrong. They did. Absolutely. Things like:

*We forgot stuff, like our diaper changing kit and insulated sippy cup.

*We ran behind schedule, causing us to miss things and change ADRs.

*We ran across several unhappy Cast Members, possibly due to frequent Magic Band and Fast Pass+ issues occurring at the time.

*Rides broke down, but what's new? Always happens to us.

*We had monorail mishaps, ranging from getting on the wrong one, to having a driver-training (slow at park opening), to having them all completely shut down for an emergency when we most needed them.

*We learned things like "never transfer a sleeping baby out of a stroller" (the non-nap).

*I lost my driver's license (and got it back!)

*I had to stand on a bus while holding Izzy.

*We had the typical couple miscommunications and squabbles. Lack of iMessage functionality did not help with that.

*We were wrong about our schedule and I missed out on my solo night at the MK.

But enough about those things!

We have so many great memories with Izzy. Funny things, like her random sleep moments:









And, who could forget her special relationship with Siri:







One of the best parts of the trip was seeing Izzy meet the characters. She had some amazing interactions.

First meet of the trip was Ariel and it only got better from there:



She got to meet her favorite mouse:



And my favorite dog:



Pooh Bear:



She got piggy kisses:



And bear hugs:



Not to mention a special moment with Snow White:



She even got to see Big Bird (ha! our Sanaa tablemate):



The cool thing about spending a week straight with your kid is seeing all the little moments and experiencing all their firsts. And Izzy had so many during this trip.

She learned how to give us kisses when she was supposed to be napping. So sweet. And, speaking of napping, she took her first of many stroller naps right before that:



She made a ton of friends during the trip. Such a little flirt!

She also learned to drive:



She learned that there are places where all the stuffed animals MUST be freed (all by her):



And she got angry when we put all the Minnies back in their prison and she had to settle for her Mickey dog:



She learned to stick out her tongue at me, which was so fun:



She learned how to go down slides:



She even survived her first (and only) haircut:



So many memorable moments! In it's own imperfect way, this was the perfect first trip for us as a family of 3.

I've been back to WDW twice since this trip - and Izzy has just gotten more and more fun! As happy as I was with this age for the trip, I don't think there's a bad age to take a little one. I know some people love bringing very young babies because they're easy and portable. I had a great time with Izzy at 21 months and an awesome time with her at 23.5 months. Yes, she's more active and has opinions, but that's not always a bad thing. When her opinion is that characters are incredibly huggable and her activity is running up to them for hugs, it's pretty sweet. Bringing a toddler to Disney is pure, unbridled joy. For everyone involved.

I will for sure be doing TRs for those two trips - just a matter of when. Lauren and I will do June's TR together and I already have pages of detailed notes ready for August (some would call my notes a TR, I think! like 34 pages...) And, of course, in three weeks, we'll be here (also will do a TR):



Aulani! The one we're going to is not made of chocolate, though (this was the model in the Land pavilion's holiday decorations). I'll update this thread (so long as it stays open) when anything new starts (don't know if I'll do multiple ones at once or not). And, if you're interested in Hawaii, that PTR is going strong on the DVC TR board, so feel free to pop in if you haven't already. Hope you've enjoyed sharing this magical trip with us, but there is a lot more still to come for this family of Disney fans!

 

[Dugette]

Castle pic totally made me choke up!!

Aw, sorry to do that to you! Only a few more months until you can have your own moment there with Caden!!

 

[amazingact21]

Oh, what a great wrap-up! I loved it!
I've really enjoyed reading your entire trip report and following along on Izzy's first Disney trip, but this was probably my favorite post. It was so fun to see all the great character interactions, napping adventures, and smiles Izzy experienced.

Thanks so much for writing this report and sharing your Disney memories. I can't wait to read about your summer trips and see how much Izzy's changed between each one.
And I am especially looking forward to hearing about your Aulani trip! I can't remember if I've commented on that PTR yet or not. If I haven't, I have been reading and following along!

 

[cindianne320]

Thanks! Can't wait to share those ones! And 3 weeks till Aulani! ALSO, congratulations to you on baby #3 on the way!!!

Thank you!

We've taken both kids at 14 months and it was great both times!

 

[khertz]

Ouch, that's a rough way to cap off the trip with a hectic ME experience. BUT, on the bright side, it seems from your wrap up posts that you all 3 had an amazing time on Izzy's first trip! I swear, every time we have taken Paxton, it has felt like the perfect age by the time we left. When they are so growing so fast and learning so many new things at such a rapid pace, every trip is something different for them & for us as parents! Look forward to reading about the rest of Izzy's Disney adventures!!

 

[Denovagirl]

Wow! Just finished catching up and I'm so sad your report is over! lucky that you have other trips to start now though!!!

Loved your last day! You managed to squeeze every second out of it!

Fyi- I was just as the Poly an the photo of the tiki man with the drums, good news, he is still there! He was right outside the gift shop! So I assume he's staying?!?!!?!! Man I really wish I could have seen the Poly in all its glory in person, it was sad even for a person who hadn't got to see it originally, to see it all walled up! But the outside is gorgeous!! I loved walking around. And it did look like they were taking the volcano down, there were men disassembling it while we dined at Ohana!

I think this trip was just wonderful, I know exactly what you mean about the bad moments and the good ones, but it still just being perfect for you. I absolutely can't wait to read more and especially hear all about alunai! Will you be linking your next TR here? I don't want to miss it!

 

[Imagineer5]

Awesome wrap uP!! It really was a magical trip. So neat to see how much she has changed between that one and her June & August trips! side note, I loooked up airfare just for kicks and it's about 600 to honolulu...soooo have a blast and can't wait to see your photos!

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Thank you for the great wrap-up and re-posting the wonderful pictures!

You had such a wonderful and magical trip! You squeezed in so much fun and experienced so many holiday experiences - even while traveling with a toddler. It's always good to start those Disney World fans young!

I'm glad you and Dug had such a fun time with Izzy. I'm also glad you had a chance to stay at the Poly again before it was a construction disaster.

I can't wait for your next trip reports - especially Aulani! Have a phenomenal time!!!

 

[Leshaface]

What a perfect wrap up! Loved seeing all the pictures..I got a good chuckle out of a few of them including Izzy's nap with a snack still in her mouth

Just when you couldn't think the next trip could be more fun, it get's so much more fun! That's what I think i'm most excited about this next trip. Now that he's walking and is of a particular height, he can do some fun rides.

Thank so much for doing this TR! Gave me some tips to use on our next trip (stroller napping at night, PJ change at the park) so thanks for that and TOTALLY looking forward to your Aulani trip!