Photo Flashback! Four Things I Love

This week's Wordless Wednesday theme is "4 Things."  Here's what came to mind.

Friends (Finally!)

Firsts (Favorites)

Fun (Fairytales, Fantasyland)

Family (and Food and Festivals!)

Happy 6th Anniversary Growing Up Disney!

Growing Up Disney is 6 today.  In 2010, we took "Tink" to Walt Disney World to celebrate her first birthday.  We splurged on Disney Vacation Club points to book a Grand Villa at Old Key West.  I planned character meals for the whole group and a 5th anniversary date night.  My parents baked a Mickey birthday cake and smash cake and drove them down from Alabama.  Andy, Tink and I flew to Orlando from Oklahoma.  Even though I had been visiting the World since I was three, I had lots of questions when I first started traveling with my own children.  I went to many different resources to find the answers and when I returned home from our trip, I decided to share what I had learned and Growing Up Disney was born.

The Growing Up Disney family at 1900 Park Fare in April 2010

We have shared some really good kiddo tips over the years but I am glad the blog has grown well beyond that one focus.  DisneyDad offers his thoughts as a lifelong WDW fan, old school DVC member, and grandfather.  Ridge has entertained us with stories of his travel.  We have been honored that friends from across the United States, Canada, and England have graced us with their own memories and special travel tips.  

My own family has grown to include Minnie since we started the blog and the girls have been to the World 9 and 7 times.  My husband and I just celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary at Aulani.  So as often our busy real world life allows, we will continue to share our Disney adventures for many years to come.  

Many thanks to the Growing Up Disney family and all of the friends we have made over the last 6 years.  Our "World" is a better place because of you all.

Wishing you love and magical memories, 

Amy

Magical Blogorail: Updated Disney Bucket List

Welcome to those of you joining me from A World View and those of you just hopping aboard. I am the 4th stop on our Magical Blogorail.

This month, Magical Blogorail Red is sharing our Disney bucket lists.  I wrote about this in March 2011 when I was on the original Blue Line.  It's been over two years, another daughter, and four WDW visits since that post so it's time to review.  I am planning our trip for November 2013 and could honestly use some inspiration.  

I've marked through any items that were completed as of the 2011 version and will add notes to anything new we have accomplished.  


1. Watch my first daughter walk down Main Street hand in hand with her Granddaddy. Check.
2. Watch my second daughter walk down Main Street with Granddaddy.  Check.
3. Marry my Prince Charming at Disney’s Wedding Pavilion. Check.
4. Dine at Victoria and Albert’s chef’s table. Check.
5. Spend a night in a honeymoon suite at the Grand Floridian. Check (but I want to repeat this one.)
6. Go on a Disney cruise. Check (again, this one needs to be repeated.)
7. Spend a night in the suite in Cinderella Castle. (I’m wishing, I’m wishing…)
8. Dine at Citrico’s and Narcoosee’s.  Considering one of these for a date night during this November's trip.  But a stroll around World Showcase during Food and Wine sounds pretty tempting too.
9. Take an Illuminations Cruise.
10. Stay at Animal Kingdom Lodge (savannah view.)  Have tried but couldn't get a room for the full trip.

November 2012

11. Take one of the special Animal Kingdom tours.
12. Take my girls to tea with Granny at the Grand Floridian.  Once they are about five years old...
13. Ride Dumbo with my girls.  Check!
14. Attend Party for the Senses.
15. Be Grand Marshal of a parade at Magic Kingdom. (With my family of course.)
16. Meet Julie Andrews. (I know this one is really reaching, but it’s my wish list.)
17. Plan a family/friends trip for our wedding anniversary.  Ten years is in 2015.  Who wants to join the party?
18. Dance with my girls during a Magic Kingdom parade.  Move It, Shake It, Celebrate It seems to be going on constantly, so check.  :)
19. Get first haircuts for the girls at Harmony Barber Shop.  Had to bail on this one and cut their hair at home.  (Grumble, grumble.)
20. Run a Disney marathon and be cheered on by my family. Check.

January 2013 with my BFF on our Girls' Trip

21. Run a Disney marathon and be cheered on by my family, including "Go Mom!" signs from my daughters.
22. Surprise my parents for their anniversary at Cinderella's Royal Table. Check.23. Send my husband on one of the fishing excursions.
24. Get a massage at the spa at the Grand Floridian. Check. (Must repeat!)
25. Dance with Mickey on my wedding day. Check. (Total surprise! Thanks DisneyDad!)
26. Finally break down and buy a Disney Dooney. (After the diaper bag years.)  Check.  I bought a 40th Anniversary tote in 2011.  It's a rotten diaper bag but it's sooo pretty.
27. Go to Disneyland and get a tour from Chad at Days in the Park.
28. Try a Grey Goose slushie once I am finally not pregnant on a WDW trip.  One very delicious check!
29.  Attend a Wishes dessert party.
30. Never stop adding to this list.

We are HUGE fans of Akershus

In the spirit of the last point, here are a few new ideas...
1. Attend the D23 Expo
2. Visit Disneyland Paris
3. Dine at Cinderella's Royal Table with my girls (Saving this one until maybe next year. Since we go so often, you have to pace yourself with "special" moments.)
4.  Aulani!
5. Go on an Adventures by Disney trip

When we wrote about Disney bucket lists in 2011, I had my dad and brother post their own lists the following day.  Once you've finished today's blogorail loop, please check out our other lists too.  The guys came up with some REALLY good ideas.

Thank you for joining me today. Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is My Dreams of Disney.

Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail should you happen to have to make a stop along the way and want to reboard:

1st Stop ~ Disney Donna Kay
2nd Stop ~ Colorado Mountain Mom
3rd Stop ~ A World View
4th Stop ~ Growing Up Disney
Final Stop ~ My Dreams of Disney

Photo Flashback! The Letter M

This week Deb at Focused on the Magic suggested we share photos that represent the letter M.  

Five Photos: Radiator Springs at the Flower and Garden Festival

The Radiator Springs area at the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival was a must-see for us.  Why? The playground.  It had a nice double slide for the smaller kids, a rock climbing area for the bigger ones, and some bouncy half tires that they all seemed to enjoy.  I didn't get many shots of the playground itself because I was busy helping Minnie on the tires, photographing the topiaries and visiting the nearby restroom for a diaper change for Minnie...you know, basic mom blogger stuff.  We visited this area after dinner at Garden Grill and both girls loved having some time to play after being at the table for over an hour.  I believe I had to remove Minnie from the area actually kicking and screaming (her, not me.)

The Mater Topiary is the star of the area.

Another shot of our friend, Tow Mater.

Lightning McQueen looks like he is mid-conversation with Mater.

The only picture I could find of both Tink and Minnie on the playground.

Somebody spied my camera....

He cracked me up.

Thanks for joining me on this lookback at Radiator Springs from the 2013 Epcot Flower and Garden Festival.  

Photo Flashback! Anticipation

Tink and Minnie excitedly looking for a bus to the Magic Kingdom.

Flying Alone with a Toddler and a Preschooler....Again

In January my girls and I flew to Walt Disney World to meet my best friend for a girls' vacation.  In May we repeated the journey, this time to visit with Granny and Granddaddy at their second home.  With a little planning and a little luck, flying went well.  May was Tink's fourth flight to WDW and Minnie's second (sixth and fourth trips, respectively.)  My husband couldn't join us on either holiday but is a good sport to go to work while we play.  He thinks we should travel while we can before the girls are tied down to school.  But I digress....(and aren't I lucky?!?)

Here are my top ten tips on flying with small children.

1. Think Outside of the Box

We live in Eastern North Carolina and there are a few small regional airports available to us.  However, I book us on flights with Southwest out of Raleigh/Durham.  For one, their prices tend to be a little lower and the lack of bag fees helps since we are absolutely checking luggage.  Secondly, from this larger airport, we can get a direct flight from RDU to MCO.  Yes, we have more travel time on the road but driving in the van is much easier than flying in terms of the girls.  We leave nice and early and with any luck, at least one of them will nap on the way over.  My husband and I used this trick before kids as well.  We lived in Tulsa but drove to Kansas City for a direct and less expensive flight.
  

2. Stick to the Schedule

If you have multiple flight times available, I find that working around mealtimes and naptimes is helpful.  For older kids, killing some time on the flight with lunch might be good, but I'd avoid it with the little set if you can, too messy. We get to the airport in time to have a meal right before we leave so we don't board with empty tummies or low blood sugar.  And I've been fortunate that Minnie napped on both return flights so those were easy after take-off.

{I started this article prior to our trip in May.  That journey that makes me giggle a bit at my previous advice.  It's good advice but there weren't as many flight times this go-round so we ended up with a 10:30 am departure, landing just after noon in Orlando.  That doesn't sound so bad but we all were up earlier than usual and it just didn't work for meal or nap times. We were all in meltdown by the time we boarded Magical Express.  They behaved well on the flight but it fell apart later and honestly it was as much me as them.  Thankfully, Minnie finally got a nap and I let Tink play with some electronic device while I enjoyed the relative quiet. Given the options, we did the best we could but I shouldn't have planned a dinner for that evening.  I'll chalk that up to being overly excited and optimistic.  May just proved that a good flight time can really help.}

3. Cheat

Yes, I know children aren't supposed to have much "screen time" but if you have any electronic device, load that bad boy up with kiddo stuff.  Thanks to getting direct flights our time in the air is pretty short and I see no harm in watching a movie or playing a game or two.  I look for new games and shows prior to our trip.  The girls each have a set of headphones and I bought a splitter so they could both listen to the same show.  We should practice with the headphones at home more before the trip.  Neither of my girls has been all that interested in headphones as a toddler but Tink did well with hers.  We are an iFamily and I traveled with an iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch as well as Tink's LeapPad loaded up with a new TinkerBell book she had not seen previously.  And just to cover my bases, I pack an external battery in my carry-on.

I also carry candy.  Desperate times call for desperate measures.  Ha ha.  Kidding.  My stash of Smarties and some small clearance priced Easter packs of jelly beans saved the day on several occasions.

And lest you think I just fill my kids with sugar and give them electronics, we do carry healthier snacks (natural applesauce and raisins), paper, pens, stickers, and a new trick in the old diaper bag...pipe cleaners.

4. Use All Available Resources
My preschooler is quite easy on an airplane but the toddler is a bit more of a challenge.  It's a strange environment and she doesn't want to follow the "get on the plane and sit down" rule.  When we managed to score a free seat for my lap child, that little extra bit of space was really nice.  While the rest of the plane was finding seats, Minnie was rearranging the magazines from one seat back pocket to another and getting out some last minute wiggles.  In May we had full flights both directions so we had tighter quarters.  I tried my best to keep her occupied before takeoff with a faceless air-sickness bag puppet (note to self: have a pen ready next time) and looking for puppies and kittens in the SkyMall catalog.  And that box of jellybeans may have come out...

5. Cups and Snacks
I carry a sippy cup on the plane for each girl that is about half filled with water, after security, of course. They can drink from them during takeoff to relieve ear pressure and when the apple juice comes around later, I have lidded cups ready to go. And it goes without saying but pack plenty of snacks.  Goldfish, raisins, cheese sticks, applesauce pouches, Mickey fruit snacks and peanut butter cups (jif to go, not reese's) have all worked well for us.  Be sure to carry something for yourself too.  That tiny pack of pretzels won't improve anyone's mood.

6. Stroller
My husband thinks I should check our stroller with the luggage.  Granted I don't particularly need it in Raleigh since so far they have been kind enough to let him have a pass to help us to the gate.  But I know the baggage crew is working fast and furious and I prefer not to have my stroller among the items they are throwing about so I gate check our strollers.  Plus, it's REALLY nice to have the ability to corral one or both of the kids.  My sanity is worth lugging carrying the stroller with me.  The line for security in Orlando can be a half hour and having the toddler safely in her stroller is a big help.  I would be a wreck if I had to fight to keep both girls in line for that long plus deal with our luggage, paperwork, etc.  My strollers fold easily and go through the x-ray machine without issue.

In January, we had a City Mini Double from Simple Stroller Rental waiting at Old Key West for us so I took my smallest stroller, a Maclaren Volo.  Minnie had a place to sit in the airport and it turned out to be a great back-up to the full-sized double.  Last fall, I broke down and bought ANOTHER stroller.  It's a Joovy Caboose Ultralight and was a steal at nobetterdeal.com.  This is a fantastic Disney stroller for my girls and worked great in the airport.  For the trip home, I made the stroller smaller by putting the canopy and snack tray in my checked suitcases.  Tink didn't need to ride after we arrived at RDU which allowed the stroller to also be a handy luggage cart.

7. Go for the Burn
We all know keeping kids cooped up for too long is a recipe for disaster so I try to let them burn off a little energy when they can.  Going for a walk in our terminal and finding an unused gate for some playtime have worked for us.  Also, don't forget that most, if not all, of the WDW resorts have places for kids to color and/or watch movies.  My kids enjoy coloring at Community Hall or watching old cartoons in Papa's Den at Old Key West while waiting for Magical Express.

8. Ask for Help
I don't know what the rules are on this but so far Southwest Airlines has allowed my husband to go to the gate with us on the three times I have flown alone with one or both girls.  I'm fairly sure we have reached the limit since Minnie will soon be two, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

This was just offered to me, but Southwest also allowed me to skip the main line at ticketing in Orlando since all I needed was a boarding pass for Minnie.  Our luggage had been checked at Old Key West.  I was sent to the upgraded area and only waited a minute or so for the next employee to be available.  If someone is working at the beginning of the queue, ask very nicely and see what happens.

9. Deputize Your Older Children
Tink has recently turned four and wants to do things for herself and be a helper.  I told her that I was going to need her to be a good listener and help me at the airport.  She carried her preschool backpack with a few toys for herself and little sister.  Tink held Minnie's hands while I was putting the stroller on the security conveyor belt.  I really appreciated my little assistant.

10. Take a Deep Breath
Even if the kids are going nuts and you can't wait to get to your destination, know that in the grand scheme of things, this is likely a very small portion of your trip.

That's my list.  What did I miss that works for you?  Please share so we can all learn from one another. Thanks! ~Amy

Photo Flashback! Carousel Fun

We are leaving for another Walt Disney World adventure in a few short days. Last May, Tink and Minnie had a blast on their first carousel ride. 

Sanity Saver: Toy Rotation

Sometime last year, I had enough of my daughters' toys. I mean, you can only pick up little pieces of plastic so many times before you lose it. It was time to get organized.

Minnie's bedroom is where we keep most of the toys and it has two narrow closets. The one in the corner is for more long term storage and our book rotation. In the easier to access one, I have a toy rotation system that helps keep our house a bit less cluttered and means clean up time is much quicker.

The girls' favorite toys, such as the princess castle and dress up supplies, stay out all the time. The rest has been divided into 6 groups. 5 bins are stored in the closet and the other set is out for play. Even if they drag it all out, the smaller quantity of toys at any one time keeps me calmer since I know it won't be a huge project to put away.

It works best when I swap out for a new bin every week but I don't always get around to it. The girls love getting "new" toys and it is fun for me to see the new ways they play with things they haven't seen in a while.

We have a bunch of Fisher-Price sets and those are one set per bin. I also try to put together toys with a similar theme, for instance, most of the instruments are in one box.

If you're crafty, you could label the bins but I don't. When I put away this week's toys, the bin goes to the bottom of the stack. Without labels, I can dump them all out and re-sort after a birthday or Christmas.

When I'm on my game, I'll pull out toys they've outgrown while I'm switching them out, but that doesn't always happen either.

In the top of the closet, I have books I'm saving for when the girls are older and toys require some sort of supervision or parental help. The Potato Heads are up there because I don't want those small pieces all over the house. I get that box out when I need a little more time to finish up dinner and the girls will play nearby but not right underfoot while I'm cooking.

Hope this idea helps you and if you already do this, I'd love to hear your tips to make it work even better!
-Amy

Girls' Trip Day 5: The Day We Had All Been Waiting For

Finally an awesome day on our Girls' Trip! Check out the other days of this unique vacation here.

Once everyone was up and at 'em on Thursday morning, we decided to try to get a reservation somewhere for lunch since Tink was feeling much better after a full day of medicine and a good night's rest.  We had already passed up on breakfast with the princesses at Akershus.  Chris suggested Biergarten and while that sounded like fun, Amy S. and I decided to take a chance on a lunch at Akershus.  I'll spare you the painful process of trying to get a reservation, suffice it to say computers and apps are great but sometimes things become more difficult than they should be.  I called Disney Dining and ended up with an 11:00 reservation for Akershus.  Well, that was at 9:00.  We hustled and got ourselves out the door toward the bus stop at 9:30.

(Old Key West tip: If your room is close to the front of the resort and it isn't a very busy time of the year, walk to the Hospitality House to catch the bus.  From there, you immediately leave the resort and don't have to ride to all the other stops.  By the same token, when you return to Old Key West, get off the bus at Peninsular Road, the first stop, and save the extra time riding around the resort.)

We arrived at Epcot and this time we were very thankful for the MyMagic+ testing.  Since they wanted Amy and her Key to the World card to go to the trial area, I convinced the Cast Member giving directions to let me go with her.  I knew to go straight to the Cast Member in plaid who scanned my family's annual passes.  This bypassed the huge lines of Brazilian tour groups that were crowding the regular entrance area.  

Once at Akershus, I checked us in, we parked the stroller and we were almost immediately called into the restaurant.  With no further waiting, we were greeted by Belle.  Tink was ecstatic and ran right over for a hug.  Minnie is only 19 months old, so while she loves Belle at home, she wasn't quite as sure about her in person.  The PhotoPass Cast Member had asked if I wanted the photo to be just of the little girls but this was a special girls' trip celebration and I wanted a picture of us all.  We were wearing our matching "I Am Queen" t-shirts from Design-a-Tee and the photo package is included with this meal.  I'm going to cut this part short for now because this experience was so much fun that it deserves its own post.  LOVED IT!

Tink was Aurora's buddy during the Princess Procession

My littlest one was more interested in breakfast than the princesses and really enjoyed her meal

And this moment, my friends, was worth it all

Grinning like a bunch of very full Cheshire Cats, we moseyed to Mexico and rode Gran Fiesta Tour.  Tink was still milking her situation and insisted on being carried into and out of the pavilion.  (She's three with a flair for the dramatic, which some would say she comes by honestly.)

It was a stunningly gorgeous day weather-wise.  Beautiful skies for photography and just a pleasure to be outside.  

On our way to Future World, we saw that Duffy had a short line for his meet and greet.  Of course, as soon as we were in the queue, he left for milk and cookies.  His break was brief and we only waited through two or three other families before it was our turn.  Minnie had been less than impressed by the princesses but her little toddler heart about jumped out when it was time to see Duffy.  (This is also going to get a separate post later.)  Both of the girls loved giving Duffy big hugs.  DisneyDad got them each a Duffy bear for Christmas this year.

After saying 'bye bear' we made our way to Future World and the Imagination Pavilion.  We all enjoyed saying hello to Figment and the girls liked the games at the end.  Aunt Amy said her favorite part was letting the girls play in the fountains outside.

Next was the required ride of Living with the Land.  I've always liked this but with the kids it is now a must do.  We almost always eat at Sunshine Seasons now too.  Guess those go hand in hand.

By this point, the kids were tired.  Tink even asked to skip Nemo so she could rest.  So we loaded up the truck and moved to Beverly. Oh wait, wrong story.  Anyway, it didn't take long for Tink to nap but Minnie was a different story.  I sent Amy S to France and I took the girls toward International Gateway.  Minnie got a quick snack of cheese crackers and she would only eat the Mickey shaped ones.  If I gave her a goldfish, she just put it back in the box.  After snacktime, I turned on the Beauty and the Beast soundtrack on my iPhone, placed the phone on the stroller canopy and walked in big circles by the water until Minnie was snoozing.

With two sleeping kiddos, I made my way over to France and a Grand Marnier orange slush.  I've wanted to try one for years but it seems like I have been pregnant or too busy chasing kids every trip since I learned of this frozen concoction and its pal, the Grey Goose Lemon Citron slush.  Oh, man.  It's good.  I met up with Amy S and she got the lemon one.  Can't go wrong with either but I wouldn't suggest both as they pack a moderate punch.

I had been trying to meet up with Chris all day to give him a cup to take home to DisneyDad.  We finally met up with him and Shelley Caran (YAY!!!) near Morocco where we had found a quiet bench and were letting the girls nap.  Honestly, Amy and I were thankful for a few minutes off our feet too!

Tink woke before Minnie so she and I headed in to the pavilion for some coloring time at the Kidcot stop.  They currently have Duffy or Agent P on a stick for children to color.  One of the Cast Members wrote Audrey's name on the back of her bear in Arabic.  I let her color until there was a rush of kids.  I do have to complain about this experience for just a moment.  There were lots of permanent Sharpie markers in the basket.  Really?  How about we just stick to washable so the kids don't ruin their clothes.  Rant over.

Next was a quick early dinner at Liberty Inn.  Yes, I know it's the most boring place to eat in World Showcase but it's a good bet for feeding the kids.  We'll get back to the more interesting places in time.  My girls are only 3 and 1 now.  The black bean veggie burger for me was pretty tasty.

When we left Liberty Inn, Shelley's daughter, Zoe, and husband, Dave, had arrived.  Tink and Zoe had watched fireworks together in November and were so cute.  Once again, they hit it off famously.  Tink likes hanging out with a big girl (1st grade) and Zoe gets to be the big girl.  It's a win-win.  The girls had a blast playing as we walked around toward Spaceship Earth.  Shelley had a great idea and loaded them up in our double stroller.  The girls were happy to catch a ride and we didn't have to chase them.  Minnie was being toted by Uncle Chris and Dave.  Tink got to ride Spaceship Earth with Zoe, which she thought was awesome.  Minnie was still hanging out with Dave so he and I sat behind the girls.  Dave held her up so that Minnie was in the future video.  Based on the "Greetings from the Future" image that I emailed after the ride, the future will be beautiful, spunky, and stylish.

Uncle Chris and Baby Minnie

We had time for one more activity so Chris and Shelley took the older girls to Habit Heroes.  I know they have to complete activities related to good health but Tink was most excited about the colorful wristbands she exited wearing.  Thanks to Chris and Shelley for sharing theirs so Tink could have one of each color.

It was a pleasant surprise to see another friend, Dana, inside Innoventions and have a chance to catch up a bit while we chased Minnie through a playhouse.

After some playtime on the fiber-optic, I mean magic, sidewalk, it was hugs all around and time for my crew to head for the buses.

Me & Tink

We had a really terrific day and I just know it would have been a wonderful week if everyone had been healthy.  A big thanks to all the friends who made it such a special day! 

~Amy