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

I'm Going to Disney World!

The whole Growing Up Disney family is preparing for another trip to Walt Disney World this October.  While Old Key West will always be our home away from home, I am really excited to stay at Kidani Village this time.  I always love Animal Kingdom Lodge when we visit for dining.  Speaking of dining, we have reservations at all of the Animal Kingdom Lodge/Kidani Village restaurants—a welcome lunch at Sanaa, both a dinner and a breakfast at Boma, and a date night for my husband and me at Jiko.  

Waiting for lunch at Sanaa in November 2012 and wearing my ever-present camera bag (see below)

I cannot wait to have my morning coffee on our savanna view balcony.  A Disney vacation is filled with so much activity that those quiet moments are extra special.  Tink and Minnie are really looking forward to seeing the animals from our room and checking out the children’s water play area.  At least one night, we plan to enjoy the campfire and some toasted marshmallows.  We did this at Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort but they were much younger then.  I expect the campfire to be a bigger hit this time around.  

Tink with her Daddy and Minnie with mine at the campfire at DVC Hilton Head

My girls are now 6 and 4.  This will be Tink’s ninth WDW visit and Minnie’s seventh.  Tink’s first trip was to celebrate her first birthday and Minnie’s was at 11 months old.  We have been through all sorts of stages during our Disney travels.  I am so thrilled to finally have a trip with no diapers or pull-ups!  My babies are now kids and we are ready to have fun. 

Tink (with DisneyDad) on her first WDW vacation

Minnie's first WDW vacation (with DisneyDad and Tink)

My loves in the summer of 2015

I have posted here in the past about what I have carried in our Disney diaper bag/backpack for infant and toddler stages.  Now that I have a preschooler and a first grader (gasp!) I will be able to carry a lot less.  Using my previous list as a starting point, here is what I plan to take with us in the parks.

•   Sippy cups (I use them mostly for water.  I got burned once when a cup of milk opened in my bag and leaked.  Try cleaning up a moving bus...it's not fun.)

•   Hand wipes

•   Clorox wipes (A must for cleaning tables.)

•   Tissues

•   Band aids (Just a couple. No need for a first aid kit.  That's what the first aid centers are for.)  

•   Comb

•   Ponytail holders

•   Small snacks

•   Notebooks, stickers and multi-color pens

•   Light up toys (maybe)

•   Candy (small packs of M&Ms or Smarties can buy time and aren't messy)

•   Wallet (smaller than I use at home)

•   Camera

•   Sunglasses 

•   Poncho (dollar store variety)

•   Clif bag (This is a small bag that packs into its own pocket.  It's great to be able to throw all those extra things you accumulate into before hopping on the bus. Mine just happens to have a Clif logo on it.)

•   Sunblock

•   Cellphone

•   Phone charger

•   Lip gloss

•   Camera battery

•   Business cards

•   Thin towel

•   Changes of clothes (I have carried these every time, 8 trips with kids, and have never used them.  But I want to let them play in the splash areas if they want so extra clothes go under the stroller.  This is also the thing most likely to be cut from my list.)

•   Visor/hat for me 

•   Light up toys

•   Large thin blanket (great for covering the stroller during naptime)

As for the bag itself, I most often carry a LoweproPassport Sling to Walt Disney World.  It's convenient for my DSLR camera and has plenty of room for other gear.  I've had this bag for over three years and find it to be comfortable to wear.  There are several variations on the bag now, with more options in size and color.  I have tried backpacks both in camera and non-camera styles, but I go back to the sling for both the ease of accessing my stuff and due to the fact it's cooler than having a bag on your back on a hot day.  Since the girls are older, I won’t carry everything on this list around all day.  Some of it will go in a cheap drawstring backpack and stay under the stroller unless needed.  Nothing of real value should ever be left unattended with the stroller. 

As for the stroller, I am pleased to say that I’ll be using a stroller from Amusement Park Rentals.  They rent single and double City Mini GTs and Bob Revolution strollers, as well as cribs, highchairs, and practically anything else you could need for baby.  Amusement Park Rentals also rents scooters and wheelchairs so don’t let a mobility issue keep you from getting out and having fun.  They have a great deal for August on the City Mini Double with a $50 flat rate.  I’ll do a full review post when we return from vacation giving you the scoop on how easy the company is to work with, condition of the stroller, ease of pick-up and return, etc.  Amusement Park Rentals promises excellent service and clean, convenient strollers.  (BTW, I know my 6-year-old is too old for a stroller at home but not at Walt Disney World.  Especially for longer days or larger parks, it will be worth it to have a seat for both kids.)

I bought tickets to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party but I am keeping that a surprise from the girls.  Airline tickets have been purchased and Disney's Magical Express reserved.  Dining reservations have been mostly made and some FastPasses as well.  I think we are in great shape for our upcoming trip, other than actually getting in shape.  I'll be walking/jogging regularly leading up to the vacation.  

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Photo Flashback! Art at Flower and Garden

Today's Photo Flashback takes us back to the 2014 Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival.  While the festival is not specifically created for children, I think it really makes Epcot more interesting for smaller kids.  My girls love the multiple playgrounds added to the park in the spring.  

Dear Walt Disney World, PLEASE keep at least one of these play areas year round.  

Thank you, All Parents who love Epcot

Today's set of photos comes from the Gardener's Palette which was located near Innoventions in Future World.  This area teaches gardeners how to use more color in the landscape.  For kids there was, appropriately, an area to color and a sand art table.  My girls really enjoyed making their sand art and still have them displayed at home.  As you can see, we didn't fill the bottles enough to keep the contents from shifting.  When one of the kids showed her art to a Cast Member near The American Adventure, the CM told us to go into Liberty Inn and add sugar to top off the bottles.  I followed her instructions and the sand art survived the rest of the day at Epcot and the trip home.

What is your favorite part of the Flower and Garden Festival?  (I love Epcot's festivals.  We are wrapping up our plans now for a trip to Walt Disney World in October for the Food and Wine Festival.  I can't wait!)

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.  

Photo Flashback! Stay Cool at WDW and Save Money

Summertime (or honestly, most of the time) at Walt Disney World is HOT!  One great way to cool off is with a mister fan.  My mom has been carrying a very small fan from Brookstone for as long as I can remember.  This past trip, I bought Tink her own Disney fan.  This water bottle/fan creates a nice mist and was about $8 at my local Walmart.  I added a lanyard we had at the house and Tink was all set.  Disney sells their own version for at least twice that.  Disney does tend to chill their mister fans on ice but ours stayed under the stroller (dry!) until we needed it and then I filled it from a drinking fountain.

Now of course, for a four year-old, it is mostly just another way to play with water but I'd call it money well spent.

Thanks to DisneyDad for capturing these adorable photos!
Thanks to Deb at Focused on the Magic for another fun topic! Today's post was inspired by her theme of The Disney Days of Summer.

Photo Flashback! Anticipation

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

Five Photos: Tinker Bell's Butterfly House

Tinker Bell's Butterfly House

Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival

Epcot blooms in spring as the Flower and Garden Festival fills the park with thousands of plantings, special topiaries, demonstrations, and guest speakers.  One of our favorite parts of the festival each year is the butterfly house.  My Tink loved seeing topiaries of her favorite fairies and the tiny fairy houses tucked around the butterfly house.  She was absolutely thrilled to (very gently!) touch one of the butterflies.  Even the Disney butterflies know how to make magical moments!!

Happy little girl.  Only moderately annoyed butterfly.

If you had wings, had wings, had wings...

This butterfly was sweet on Terence.  Sorry, his heart belongs to Tink.

These tiny fairy houses were such a fun touch

Tink, Tink, and Periwinkle

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