I Like Warm Hugs! - Mommy/Toddler Trip ~ Updated 6/20: New Trip Report Link!

[Jackiemarie21]

I'm super impressed eith your toddler travel skills! You should write a book!

Looks like a fun mother daughter trip so far! I can't wait to read more about your adventures!

 

[TheMaxRebo]

That's pretty good that you got that snack credit with your flight vouchers - and sounds like a smart way to get your lunch on the go on Magical Express at a cost efficient rate

Other than the "no sleeping" thing, oh, and the throw things on the ground that roll under the seat thing, sounds like Izzy was pretty good on the flight - hope that non-nap doesn't catch up with her later though

I'd say traveling cross the country and only being 10 minutes behind schedule is pretty good ... we are pretty much at least 10 minutes behind scheduling going somewhere down the street

I think you've seen the arch before so having the 3-seater in the back of the bus to yourself is probably a good exchange. Interesting about the seatbelts - you are obviously not the only one with a baby/toddler that travels via magical express so they are going to have to do something to the seatbelts so they would fit small kids or have everyone bring car seats or something as you can't have them cutting into the kids necks like that

That's a bummer about the CM who checked you in. I mean, maybe it was an off day for her but the check-in CMs should be some of the most upbeat of all and really get you excited to be staying at Disney World - and if they couldn't accommodate your requests they should be much more understanding about it

Was the only (reasonable) way to get to your room past that smoking section? If so that is definitely not cool and I would have considered asking to move rooms for it (though, given how short your stay was probably not worth the delay)

That is definitely a downside of FP+ - that you can't just stop and enjoy something if you are trying to get to your window. Like "look you have to stop having fun as we need to get to this other area to have different fun, ok?"

Glad things seem to still be not too strict with the rider swap - I had heard rumors they were trying to close that "loop hole" before our trip but had no issues -> they just had to physically see the other adult and the child before handing out a swap card

Oh gosh I can imagine how you felt. Hi Lauren, great to see you! here is an upset little person for you, gotta run!

 

[AKL_Megs]

In response to your question (my "quote" isn't working): You're "supposed" to do a 'silent review' at each takeoff where you go over in your head what you'd do and say in an emergency. Other than that, I rarely referenced my manuals. Haha, now I'm so curious to know what happened! You are tested once a year, so maybe the FA was studying? Lol!

 

[Dugette]

In response to your question (my "quote" isn't working): You're "supposed" to do a 'silent review' at each takeoff where you go over in your head what you'd do and say in an emergency. Other than that, I rarely referenced my manuals. Haha, now I'm so curious to know what happened! You are tested once a year, so maybe the FA was studying? Lol!

Hmmm, then I guess they thought there was a real chance we'd need to evacuate. Short version (spoiler alert!): pilot said that there was a "strange indicator" with the flaps and we'd be circling around for 10 minutes while they reviewed their checklist. Due to my front row seat, I was the only one in the plane who could see over the flight attendants' shoulders in their seats...and they were carefully reviewing a sheet entitled "emergency evacuation checklist". Luckily, all was fine, but whew...little heart attack there!

 

[Dugette]

I'm super impressed eith your toddler travel skills! You should write a book!

Ha, thanks! I don't know about that...I guess this is my "book." I have to say, I learned all kinds of things from these boards that helped...I really had no clue what I was doing, but I'm really good at stealing helpful ideas from others.

Looks like a fun mother daughter trip so far! I can't wait to read more about your adventures!

It really was SUCH a fun trip! We both just had the best time. Can't wait to share more!

That's pretty good that you got that snack credit with your flight vouchers - and sounds like a smart way to get your lunch on the go on Magical Express at a cost efficient rate

Yes, I love using FlexPerks miles to get flights, especially on Delta. You can get up to a $400 flight for 20k miles, which is pretty reasonable PLUS you get a $25 statement credit for in-flight spending PLUS we still get one free checked bag each for having a Delta AmEx also (even though we didn't use it). I made sure to use up all but 3 cents of my allowance - we had no shortage of snacks!

Other than the "no sleeping" thing, oh, and the throw things on the ground that roll under the seat thing, sounds like Izzy was pretty good on the flight - hope that non-nap doesn't catch up with her later though

She was a pretty good little seat mate. But, yeah, she was a bit of a beast later. Kid really needed a power nap!

I'd say traveling cross the country and only being 10 minutes behind schedule is pretty good ... we are pretty much at least 10 minutes behind scheduling going somewhere down the street

Very true! Of course, I didn't have much control of the airplane's speed...

I think you've seen the arch before so having the 3-seater in the back of the bus to yourself is probably a good exchange. Interesting about the seatbelts - you are obviously not the only one with a baby/toddler that travels via magical express so they are going to have to do something to the seatbelts so they would fit small kids or have everyone bring car seats or something as you can't have them cutting into the kids necks like that

I guess because they aren't legally required to wear, they just kind-of "recommend" it? I was just surprised they had them - we'd never seen an ME with seat belts before, at least not that I noticed. I think only some of the (newer) ME buses have them.

That's a bummer about the CM who checked you in. I mean, maybe it was an off day for her but the check-in CMs should be some of the most upbeat of all and really get you excited to be staying at Disney World - and if they couldn't accommodate your requests they should be much more understanding about it

That's what I thought - they should be exuding magic upon your arrival. Good thing I'd been there before and was in a hurry - other than rubbing me the wrong way a bit, it wasn't really a problem. But, yeah, it wasn't her most magical day on the job, I'm guessing.

Was the only (reasonable) way to get to your room past that smoking section? If so that is definitely not cool and I would have considered asking to move rooms for it (though, given how short your stay was probably not worth the delay)

I just searched maps of Pop Century and I think that was the most reasonable way to go to the 90's from the main building. And the maps seem to have the smoking areas outdated - it was further down the path, strangely near the playground. I found some random blog that mentioned that too, so I don't think I'm misremembering. You'd have to go quite a ways around to avoid it. But, yes, given only a 2-night stay, I just didn't bother with it.

That is definitely a downside of FP+ - that you can't just stop and enjoy something if you are trying to get to your window. Like "look you have to stop having fun as we need to get to this other area to have different fun, ok?"

That is totally true! I felt so bad just cruising down Main Street on our arrival day. I wanted to show her the castle and sit in awe with her...next time, I guess.

Glad things seem to still be not too strict with the rider swap - I had heard rumors they were trying to close that "loop hole" before our trip but had no issues -> they just had to physically see the other adult and the child before handing out a swap card

Yes, glad it was no trouble at all. We did each have a FP+ (at different times), just in case, but that ended up just allowing us a second ride each.

Oh gosh I can imagine how you felt. Hi Lauren, great to see you! here is an upset little person for you, gotta run!

That's just it - so awkward! She was so great, though, and took it all in stride. At least Aria was happily sleeping, so only one toddler to deal with. But I felt so bad just ditching a crabby kiddo with her.

 

[Dugette]

Ah, finally walking into the Mine Train queue:



That gal up there looks excited – probably enjoying the nice, cool air in there. I know I was, after having bolted through the MK on a hot day. Ah, there it is:



I was on the ride pretty quickly:



It was so nice to ride it on a perfect, sunny day! On our June trip, we got to ride a couple times, but it was a very rainy trip. This was much more pleasant.

Into the mine:



The clock in the mine sounded to start the Heigh-Ho song:



Wheeee, fun:



The views of New Fantasyland aren’t bad either:



For some reason, the ride actually stopped twice. Once was at the top of the hill coming out of the mine. The other was towards the end of the ride. Both were sudden stops, but fairly brief.

I rode in the middle of the train and was near some nice people that were saying they think this is a great ride, even though some people think it is boring. I agree that it’s a great ride – I had a blast.

At 1:32pm, I was on my way out:



I went to the Pooh shop and sat down with the strollers while Lauren went to use her Rider Swap on the Mine Train. I tried to give Izzy a pouch, since she normally loves them, but she wasn’t interested:



She was just too upset (tired). I ended up eating the applesauce pouch myself – not a bad snack on a hot day!

Even Sleepy Dwarf could not convince Izzy to nap:



We ended up watching videos on my phone to keep her happy. She can watch videos of herself endlessly and just loves it.

We were sitting in a pretty quiet corner of the store, but there were a few shirts hanging above us. Though it had been completely quiet while Lauren was there, a family was super interested in those particular dwarf shirts while I was there. They were climbing over us rather awkwardly to look at them. Wish they’d let me know first so I could have moved, but they just came up and started going through them before I could get out of the way.

After a short bit, Lauren came back from her ride. She had looked at the options for changing her Mine Train FP+ to a different coaster so we could Rider Swap something else, but nothing was available in our time frame. We decided to just do the Mine Train again – nothing wrong with that! Went up with the strollers again and got a Rider Swap with just her scanning her band. Yay, no problems. We took the strollers back to the same spot in the Pooh shop and she rode again. She got the last row and enjoyed it, also getting video. Coincidentally, once we swapped, I did exactly the same thing she did.

Here I am with my Rider Swap, heading in:







I asked for the last row and got to stand here:



It maybe took a bit of extra time, but not much. I really enjoyed the extra speedy feeling in the back row. Plus, I had nobody in front of me or next to me, which was great for video (not sure why nobody was seated there, though). We still stopped towards the end, just like last time. I'd post the video, but Photobucket just can't seem to upload it, so feel free to search the internet for a Mine Train video of your choosing...

I think that Lauren amused Izzy with videos on her phone while I was riding. After I returned, we decided to get moving, so that Izzy could be lulled to sleep with the motion (usually helps). We decided to go to the Fast Pass+ kiosks near Philharmagic. So, I already had 3 FP+ reservations on my band. However, last trip, we had discovered that other bands can be used at the kiosks too. Like Izzy’s. On a quick trip like this, with a toddler, having a few extra FP+ would be nice. I know that it’s taking advantage of a loophole, but until it’s closed, I felt okay making the most of it to avoid long lines for our short time in the parks. Happy toddlers make everyone’s visit more pleasant, after all. Izzy had her little pink band on already, but I had her other band, a full-sized green one that we’d gotten when we booked this trip (her pink one was from December, as was the blue one I wore).

I had a list of must-dos that included using my existing FP+, Izzy’s Magic Band, and Dug’s Magic Band (I’d brought his December one along). I only wanted to make reservations with one band at a time, though (didn’t want to look too strange pulling out multiple bands all by myself), so I picked out the three that made the most sense to get with her band.

I chose:

3:30pm – Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin

4:30pm – Meet & Greet in Ariel’s Grotto

5:30pm – Under the Sea ride

The Cast Member suggested I take a picture so that I remember my selections. That was a good idea that I continued to use throughout the trip:



I later learned that I could not modify these selections via the My Disney Experience app, as Izzy did not have a valid ticket. But I could still use her band at the kiosks without issue. Funny how the two things seem to operate independently of each other.

After loading up on Fast Passes, we had a little bit of time to fill before either of us needed to be anywhere. Lauren suggested we head into Gaston’s to sit in the cool restaurant and enjoy a Lefou’s Brew. That sounded great to me, as I was really thirsty and a cold drink sounded great on a hot afternoon (and the cool air would be good for the kids to nap in).

Before going in, we stopped for Photopass in front of the fountain:







Izzy finally fell asleep while we were waiting in line at Gaston’s. Between the cool air and the boring scenery, I guess it finally did her in. Whew! That was a rough nap-intro. It was 2:30pm by then – much later than I thought she’d go down.

We both ended up getting a beverage-only (no fancy cup) Lefou’s Brew for $4.79:



I also got a glass of water to fill Izzy’s cup with for later. It ended up being about twice as much as fit in her cup, so I drank the other half. Good to stay hydrated.

We found a table inside and this was a pleasant sight next to me:



The drinks hit the spot, but I found the Lefou’s Brew to be a bit too frozen – it was hard to drink through the straw at that consistency and it was giving me brain freeze (which I don’t often get – but Dug is prone to – and Izzy seems to get a lot too). Still tasty, though.

We enjoyed just sitting and sipping and chatting about things, mostly Disney-related, while the girls slept in their strollers. It was a really nice way to spend the unscheduled time. Especially on a trip that would be mostly go-go-go for us. It’s so fun to talk to another person who “gets” Disney too. Multiple trips in a year? Of course! Not strange at all. Gotta love other DIS-ers!

We stayed and chatted until I had to head over to the reserved area for my Festival of Fantasy Parade Fast Pass+ (reserved in advance on my Magic Band). We parted ways with plans to keep in touch and maybe meet up later, if our paths crossed (we had different priorities and reservations the rest of the day, but would both be in the Magic Kingdom for several hours).

Up next: the Festival of Fantasy parade!

 

[LuvEeyore]

Glad Izzy finally went to sleep. Can't wait to ride Mine train in January. We are hoping to use rider swap for a couple of things with Mom. I've been told I can with an adult in a wheelchair that does not wish to ride. We shall see.

 

[AprilRenee]

Glad she finally crashed!! And nice to get to chat with another diser. That's how I feel when I get together with jackiemarie21 it's nice to be understood

Cool that you got to ride 7dwarves twice in a row!! And nice to have a friend to babysit. Lol

Ok so this magic band thing. Sooo can we do that with cadens band? Or is that loophole closed now? Lol
Probably isn't much help with 2 of us and a baby. But a nice perk for you!

 

[Dugette]

Glad Izzy finally went to sleep. Can't wait to ride Mine train in January. We are hoping to use rider swap for a couple of things with Mom. I've been told I can with an adult in a wheelchair that does not wish to ride. We shall see.

Hope you have a great time on the Mine Train! Interesting, I didn't know about the Rider Swap working with wheelchairs...good luck!

Glad she finally crashed!! And nice to get to chat with another diser. That's how I feel when I get together with jackiemarie21 it's nice to be understood

Yes, it's nice to not have people look at you funny when you talk about all of your trips and hopes for more trips.

Cool that you got to ride 7dwarves twice in a row!! And nice to have a friend to babysit. Lol

Yes, worked out pretty well. Worth rushing down Main Street for.

Ok so this magic band thing. Sooo can we do that with cadens band? Or is that loophole closed now? Lol
Probably isn't much help with 2 of us and a baby. But a nice perk for you!

That's a good question. I don't have any experience since this trip. If you can't find out before then, I'd recommend going into the City Hall building just after entering the Magic Kingdom - there are a couple of unmanned FP+ kiosks in there and that will give you a chance to try it out without a CM being all over you. And it could definitely help you guys - 3 extra FP+ you can use for Rider Swap.


ETA to both of you - will you be at WDW at the same time as each other?!

 

[Joyciemc]

Izzy's just like all of us- who can sleep in Disney?

Love that you and Lauren were able to meet up to get to ride Mine Train!

 

[mirandaperez10]

Hey ladies jumping in love this Report I think I am the only one with out kids lol but I have a lot of experience with them. My name is miranda and I am about to start my training as a disney travel agent in the next year or so!! Just like you I love disney hope I can fit in the experience here

 

[Denovagirl]

I'm here!!!!

Wow what a great start to the trip! Love your travel day and how quickly you got in the park! So far everything looks great! I loved the mine train and agree, its much better in the last row!

 

[amazingact21]

Busy, busy start to your trip! I gotta say, if have been exhausted and wanted to pass out in my room after that long flight with a toddler. Kudos to you for booking it to the MK to use your 7DMT Fastpass.


Pop is a fun value to stay, especially with toddlers. They love the bright colors and open running room. That was probably the perfect place to stay that weekend. But bummer about getting the complete opposite of what you requested.



Seatbelt a on DME? Wow, that's a new one. I can't see young ones liking that much.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Glad you got to take a spin (or 2) on the Mine Train with some nice weather. I think one of the best things about the ride is the views you get while riding it. It might not be the most thrilling ride but just the concept of zipping around Fantasyland and seeing multiple castles, etc. I liked a lot.

I think the people that are really down on the ride were expecting more. But it is pretty much what I was expecting so I enjoyed it. I would prefer if it was a tad longer (hard to justify the non-FP+ waits it seems to get) but overall love the theming and think it fits in well in Fantasyland

Glad Izzy finally got to sleep and that you and Lauren had some chatting time.

Cool that you got some extra FP+ that work for you. I think it is up to Disney to close the loop if they don't want people doing it. I mean, they didn't have to issue a Magic Band for Izzy, not like she needed it. (well, I mean, she thinks she needs it, but you know what I mean)

 

[amazingact21]

All caught up now!


It's great that you and Lauren could meet up and ride 7 Dwarves. Pretty convenient to have a DIS friend nearby when you're doing the parks solo.


Speaking of, how great that you both could sit and cool off for a bit together and relax in the MK. It's pretty awesome that Izzy will grow up knowing she had a Disney friend before she entered grade school!



I had no idea about that Fastpass loophole! Oh man, I wish I'd known about that in August. In my mind, all the really popular attractions are gone by the time you make it to a kiosk in the afternoon, so why not make use of it. If you're willing to do the work...


Glad Izzy finally gave in and got some sleep!

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

I love the animatronics of the Mine Train. I just wish there was more. It really fits in nicely with the area though. I certainly don't think it's boring.

Maybe not earth shattering, but definitely not boring. I need to ride at night.

Awww, the rider swap looks like old school FP. <3

I'm confused about the FP's. You were able to book on all the bands? I understand Izzy's and yours, but was Dug's attached to an AP or something? Inquiring minds and all.

Mmmmmm Lefou’s Brew.

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

Hello! Saw the title of your post and had to follow along, my DS turned 3 on our trip and he and I had a blast but DH wasn't a fan - so I see a mommy and me trip in our future or else we will have to wait at least 3 years until DH is willing to go again. I think it might be best for everyone, especially if we keep it to a short trip like you did.

Some travel notes: That awesome carseat strolling attachment you saw is called the go go babykidz travel mate, and it is amazing. If we are going somewhere we won't need a stroller, we just take this and the carseat. If we will need the stroller, but not the carseat (like when we stayed onsite at WDW) we used the kids fly safe travel harness on the plane. I hate lugging both the carseat and stroller and avoid it if I can, especially if I'm traveling with DS solo. And you're right, it is so much easier now that DS can stand and follow instructions! The hardest was when he was too big for the infant carrier but too small to stand. Don't miss those days!

 

[courtneybelle]

Joining in!!! You and Izzy are adorable, and I'm still OBSESSED with Frozen (seems like the sicker everyone else gets of it, the more I love it…). We did a similar thing last year: got APs for our August 2013 and July 2014 trips…and ended up going for Thanksgiving because "we already have the APs!!!"

I laughed out loud at Izzy "reading" the flight safety card!!!

Pop is one of my favorites too. We usually have to stay value and I think Pop is a lot nicer than the All-Stars. Plus it's so colorful and fun!

So awesome that you got to do Mine Train twice!

 

[ashw100]

Hi joining in. I have to say I am very impressed with your maneuvering all that stuff through the airport alone. I don't know why I haven't heard about this awesome glitch but I hope it is still there when I go in June. Can't wait to read more.

 

[Dugette]

Izzy's just like all of us- who can sleep in Disney?

Love that you and Lauren were able to meet up to get to ride Mine Train!

True, it's hard to sleep with all there is to take in at Disney - until you have no choice but to crash from exhaustion!

Hey ladies jumping in love this Report I think I am the only one with out kids lol but I have a lot of experience with them. My name is miranda and I am about to start my training as a disney travel agent in the next year or so!! Just like you I love disney hope I can fit in the experience here

No requirement to have kids - I know you're not the only one here without. But, yes, I guess I have managed to gather up a lot of DIS-ers with toddlers here. That is awesome that you will be training to be a Disney travel agent! Sounds like a lot of fun! I kind-of felt like one tonight - a friend called for advice on taking a daddy/son (3 years old) trip - in two weeks! So fun to help others plan their trips!

I'm here!!!!

Yay!!!

Wow what a great start to the trip! Love your travel day and how quickly you got in the park! So far everything looks great! I loved the mine train and agree, its much better in the last row!

It was so strange to travel so early and then have a good chunk of the day in the park - very different than the evening arrivals I'm used to. Glad we got there in time to use the FP+ I had. Yes, that last row of the Mine Train is worth waiting an extra couple minutes for (as it is on Big Thunder and as is the first row on Rock 'n' Roller Coaster - in my opinion).

Busy, busy start to your trip! I gotta say, if have been exhausted and wanted to pass out in my room after that long flight with a toddler. Kudos to you for booking it to the MK to use your 7DMT Fastpass.

Well, you gotta do what you gotta do to ride the Mine Train, right? I had hoped to nap along with Izzy on the plane, but that didn't work out so well. We both slept well at night, though.

Pop is a fun value to stay, especially with toddlers. They love the bright colors and open running room. That was probably the perfect place to stay that weekend. But bummer about getting the complete opposite of what you requested.

Yes, it worked out really well for us. The bummer was that we didn't really get to enjoy the resort because we were having so much fun in the parks. I'd hoped to use the playground and the pool and that didn't happen.

Seatbelt a on DME? Wow, that's a new one. I can't see young ones liking that much.

Yeah, I was really surprised by that. No idea they made those. I guess I'll have to check if they have them and maybe bring the carseat on next time.

Glad you got to take a spin (or 2) on the Mine Train with some nice weather. I think one of the best things about the ride is the views you get while riding it. It might not be the most thrilling ride but just the concept of zipping around Fantasyland and seeing multiple castles, etc. I liked a lot.

Totally agree! It's a fun little ride in an awesome area. Kinda like what Dumbo once was - a nice enough ride with a great view.

I think the people that are really down on the ride were expecting more. But it is pretty much what I was expecting so I enjoyed it. I would prefer if it was a tad longer (hard to justify the non-FP+ waits it seems to get) but overall love the theming and think it fits in well in Fantasyland

I am with you on all of that! I tried to keep my expectations very low, as I knew there were mixed opinions and some people were expecting a lot. It was about exactly what I'd hoped. But, yeah, a bit longer would be nice.

Glad Izzy finally got to sleep and that you and Lauren had some chatting time.

It was a struggle getting her to accept the nap, but sure nice to have that down time after a busy day of running. Not something we'd planned, but the perfect way to pass that bit of time together.

Cool that you got some extra FP+ that work for you. I think it is up to Disney to close the loop if they don't want people doing it. I mean, they didn't have to issue a Magic Band for Izzy, not like she needed it. (well, I mean, she thinks she needs it, but you know what I mean)

Haha, yes, she *needs* it, in her world. Just like she needed her room key at Aulani every time we left the room (no Magic Bands there yet!) Of course, they might be able to use the baby/toddler bands to track down lost children and that sort of thing? At any rate, I figured that - so long as it worked - might as well utilize that tool. I know some people frown on it, but it's not like we were snagging sought-after reservations before others got a chance - this was later in the day and the stuff that was still open (so, not as "desirable", I guess).

All caught up now!

It's great that you and Lauren could meet up and ride 7 Dwarves. Pretty convenient to have a DIS friend nearby when you're doing the parks solo.

It worked out really well! I hadn't planned to be able to do any "big" rides this trip, but when we compared plans and managed to snag passes, it worked out well.

Speaking of, how great that you both could sit and cool off for a bit together and relax in the MK. It's pretty awesome that Izzy will grow up knowing she had a Disney friend before she entered grade school!

It was really nice. I needed that "off-duty" time that day! I love that Izzy has a Disney friend already - it's super cute - just wait until we get to posting that June report! I think it would be awesome if we could all have a toddler DIS-meet sometime.

I had no idea about that Fastpass loophole! Oh man, I wish I'd known about that in August. In my mind, all the really popular attractions are gone by the time you make it to a kiosk in the afternoon, so why not make use of it. If you're willing to do the work...

Oh, sorry, guess I should have mentioned it earlier. We found out before our June trip and tried it and it worked! I agree - you can't get the headliners later in the day, but you can get things that Izzy likes!

Glad Izzy finally gave in and got some sleep!

Me too!

I love the animatronics of the Mine Train. I just wish there was more. It really fits in nicely with the area though. I certainly don't think it's boring.

Maybe not earth shattering, but definitely not boring. I need to ride at night.

Agreed. It's a nice combo of animatronics and coaster. In fact, kind-of like two rides in one, really - a dark ride and a coaster. I guess kind-of the way Splash is (but water). Yes, night would be cool!

Awww, the rider swap looks like old school FP. <3

I know, it does! Makes me wonder if they will change that soon to suit the Magic Band/Fast Pass+ world?

I'm confused about the FP's. You were able to book on all the bands? I understand Izzy's and yours, but was Dug's attached to an AP or something? Inquiring minds and all.

So, sometime before Lauren and I went in June, she came across a long DIS thread about Magic Bands that were NOT used for park entrance but that DID work at the kiosks. Old bands, baby bands, bands of AP holder-friends that didn't come with, etc. We figured we'd just try the girls' bands and see what happened (they are both under 3, so have no park ticket - just a band). And they worked! But only at the kiosks - not in advance on MDE. But you can do 3 at the kiosk. We later tried our DH's bands (not along on the trip and bands were from past trips/tickets) and they worked too. On this trip, I don't think I ended up using Dug's band, as mine and Izzy's kept us plenty booked. I'm not sure if they've closed this loophole yet, but it really surprised me that it existed - the old Fast Pass machines knew if you tried to use something that you did not use to enter the park - but the kiosks don't?!?

Mmmmmm Lefou’s Brew.

Mmmm, I could go for some right now!

Hello! Saw the title of your post and had to follow along, my DS turned 3 on our trip and he and I had a blast but DH wasn't a fan - so I see a mommy and me trip in our future or else we will have to wait at least 3 years until DH is willing to go again. I think it might be best for everyone, especially if we keep it to a short trip like you did.

Sorry your DH didn't have a blast, but glad that you and your DS did. I ended up LOVING this trip - the solo time with Izzy in such a fun place was awesome! And the short trip was great, as we didn't have to be away from Dug for long and I didn't burn out on being solo with a toddler. I recommend it! I actually was just talking to an old friend tonight about the daddy/son (3 years old) trip that he is planning - I think they will have so much fun!

Some travel notes: That awesome carseat strolling attachment you saw is called the go go babykidz travel mate, and it is amazing. If we are going somewhere we won't need a stroller, we just take this and the carseat. If we will need the stroller, but not the carseat (like when we stayed onsite at WDW) we used the kids fly safe travel harness on the plane. I hate lugging both the carseat and stroller and avoid it if I can, especially if I'm traveling with DS solo. And you're right, it is so much easier now that DS can stand and follow instructions! The hardest was when he was too big for the infant carrier but too small to stand. Don't miss those days!

Okay, I figured it was something like that - I know I've seen them mentioned. First time I got a close look in person, though. So far, we have always needed the stroller at our destination, so it has worked well attaching the carseat to the back of the stroller. But I can see that thing being handy if you don't need the stroller. I have looked into getting a CARES harness for the plane, but bringing our carseat hasn't been too much trouble and she's very comfortable in it (it's light and easy to install). I totally agree about how hard it was to travel (or really just leave the house at all) with the not infant/not walker age situation. Don't miss that either!

Joining in!!! You and Izzy are adorable, and I'm still OBSESSED with Frozen (seems like the sicker everyone else gets of it, the more I love it…). We did a similar thing last year: got APs for our August 2013 and July 2014 trips…and ended up going for Thanksgiving because "we already have the APs!!!"

and thanks for joining! Ha, Frozen is pretty awesome! Those darn APs, forcing you to take extra trips! I am fighting myself constantly to keep from booking another trip. Heck, with my friend who is going in a couple weeks (mentioned in earlier comments), I had to bite my tongue to keep from offering up Izzy and I as travel companions. Having admission covered really does make it possible to do a short trip for cheap, though!

I laughed out loud at Izzy "reading" the flight safety card!!!

She loves that thing! I think she's played with it on almost every flight. At least she didn't rip it up or hit me in the face with it this time!

Pop is one of my favorites too. We usually have to stay value and I think Pop is a lot nicer than the All-Stars. Plus it's so colorful and fun!

I really love Pop - just recommended to my friend that he stay there, if possible. Of course, my only experience with the All Stars was a 2-night stay at Music, which was perfectly nice. But Pop is special...

So awesome that you got to do Mine Train twice!

It was great to have the chance to do that and have someone trustworthy watch Izzy while I did. Great way to kick off the park time!

Hi joining in. I have to say I am very impressed with your maneuvering all that stuff through the airport alone. I don't know why I haven't heard about this awesome glitch but I hope it is still there when I go in June. Can't wait to read more.

I admit that I still don't like airports with a toddler, but at least I've gotten used to it and figured out what works and what doesn't. Strapping the carseat to the stroller is a big winner!

Yeah, there was a big long thread about the glitch quite some time ago and we figured we'd try it out. Not sure if it still works (and not sure where the thread is), but good luck! It was a nice bonus!

By the way, you said June - did your dates change from May (I peeked at your PTR intro)? I was thinking we may overlap, but maybe not now? We are planning 5/14-5/26 (cruise in the middle, Star Wars Weekends (and more) on the weekends).