We simply returned from among the finest Walt Disney World holidays ever, and the primary one of many subsequent chapter of our lives. It was immensely satisfying doing WDW as newly-minted mother and father, extremely joyous to see our daughter react to every little thing, and in addition a large studying expertise.
That final half might be what’s most fascinating–what went mistaken and the errors we made alongside the way in which. And I received’t sugarcoat or current our lives as picture-perfect or sanitized for social media; we screwed up rather a lot. However such is the character of being mother and father, proper? (Or so I’m instructed?) We’ll cowl all of that quickly, so you possibly can probably study from our errors…or snicker at/with us, because the case could also be.
For now, as we journey the post-trip excessive, I wish to concentrate on an inventory of the highlights. Consider this as a quasi-trip report of every little thing that went proper on Child Bricker’s first journey to Walt Disney World and our first trip collectively as a household in over a 12 months. Even with some points alongside the way in which, the nervousness and fears we felt whereas planning all melted away as soon as we stepped off the Mears Join shuttle. We have been collectively at Walt Disney World once more, with our daughter. Holy cow. That’s when the euphoria kicked in.
Crowds – As mentioned in our Pre-Journey Report for Child Bricker’s First Walt Disney World Go to, we deliberated lengthy and laborious on dates. For probably the most half, this was looking for the fitting stability of crowds and climate.
We selected properly. It was a calculated determination to go down earlier than the unofficial finish of spring break season (Tax Day), as we strongly suspected that–even with some faculties within the Midwest and Northeast having later breaks–that crowds would get significantly better instantly after Easter.
That proved appropriate. Most of our days have been 1/10 to three/10 crowd ranges, with “looks like” crowds to match. Sarah (snarkily) commented that for as a lot as I’ve complained about crowds at EPCOT, it certain felt fairly blissful to her. And he or she was proper–our days at EPCOT have been the least busy that park has felt since my visits final August and September through the low season lows. Fairly the distinction to each single go to in 2024.
It was an analogous story at each different park, save for a few localized areas of congestion in Magic Kingdom. All in all, the crowds have been nonexistent and this laid the muse for a improbable first go to with Child Bricker (Megatron).
Climate – Whereas we selected properly with crowds, we flat-out acquired fortunate with climate. As a lot as I like the low crowds of August and September, the warmth and humidity might be brutal. And as satisfied as I used to be/am that attendance and wait instances will likely be even decrease by the primary week of Could, I used to be additionally nervous concerning the accompanying threat of worse climate.
I used to be thus very happy with the climate this journey, which ranged from the excessive 50s to mid-80s. Highlighting the climate as a energy might sound ineffective for planners, however that is an underrated side of visiting round spring break. March and April are much more more likely to have gentle and nice temperatures than are different college breaks. Throughout the vacation season, it’s usually too chilly; in summer season, it’s too sizzling. Spring break climate is normally excellent.
Extra to the purpose, if we visited even one week later (which is why this was flat-out fortunate), the forecast highs can be within the low to mid-90s, roughly 10° hotter than our dates. I’ll fortunately take barely increased (however nonetheless very low) crowds for cooler temperatures; it’s a simple tradeoff, particularly provided that we deliberate on doing lots of babywearing. Talking of which…
Babywearing – We’ve change into massive babywearing followers. Child Bricker is worn on one in all us in a child service for a number of hours per day, and we’ve already logged a dozen Disney visits sans stroller–completely in a smooth structured service. That works splendidly the place we stay and at Disneyland; it’s been chilly or at the very least snug since Megatron’s arrival.
We have been nervous Walt Disney World was going to be an entire totally different babywearing ballgame. Opting solely to babywear at Walt Disney World looks like strolling a tightrope with out a security web. It was presumably going to be hotter and can also be an extended timeframe. It’s one factor to babywear for 4-5 hours as soon as per week at Disneyland, one other fully to double that period of time for a full week.
Within the lead-up to the journey, our stroller plans modified rather a lot. Because of reader suggestions, a positive climate forecast, and the sensible actuality that we have been taking our personal automobile seat, we referred to as a comparatively last-minute audible and opted to take our personal stroller. The plan was for it to be a backup, and one which we’d use if/when babywearing grew to become insufferable.
That by no means actually occurred! We solely took the stroller to the parks a few instances, and it spent most of that point parked. The stroller was extra of a hindrance than a assist, however we’re nonetheless glad we introduced it. Had our backs began hurting or it babywearing have been uncomfortable after so many hours, it was good to have the stroller as insurance coverage.
As for babywearing, it was improbable. Megatron likes to sleep within the service, so it made naptime a breeze. And though our stroller has nice dealing with, nothing beats the agility of merely strolling round like regular. She will go anyplace we go within the service, which means stairs and escalators, in addition to weaving by the parks with ease. No worries about curbs, queues, or tight areas in reward retailers. We are able to additionally transfer nimbly and stroll briskly with the infant service–do this whereas pushing a stroller and also you flip the factor right into a makeshift battering ram, dealing severe harm to the ankles of anybody strolling too gingerly.
Greater than that or anything, it’s so satisfying to have the infant at eye stage and see as she reacts to this or that, will get excited or furrows her forehead. A lot of the enjoyment of this journey was seeing Walt Disney World mirrored in her eyes and I simply don’t suppose that might’ve been doable to the identical diploma together with her “so distant” within the stroller.
Clearly this journey was for us since she received’t bear in mind it, but it surely was largely for us to expertise Walt Disney World vicariously through her. Seeing her uncover and react to the parks whereas at eye stage with us within the service made for priceless reminiscences. All three of us love the service–there’s actually nothing fairly like her guffawing as she gazes up at us or having her spontaneously begin nap time utilizing our chests. (I may in all probability do with out these little fingers hooking my mouth like a largemouth bass, although.)
Character Eating – Nowhere have been these discoveries and reactions higher than at character eating experiences. We ended up doing a number of of those, and I can already see why some mother and father love them a lot. I preferred them earlier than (at the very least those with fur characters), but it surely was only a completely totally different ballgame with a child.
Megatron has met Mickey and buddies many instances at Disneyland. She was asleep for over half of these encounters, and the opposite half have been comparatively transient albeit cherished reminiscences together with her going into “Dolphin Mode.” Her eyes get actually extensive and fill with happiness as she flaps round her legs and arms, making a high-pitched chirping noise to echolocate the character.
Nearly throughout the board, the Walt Disney World fur characters at meals spent extra time together with her. They lingered and did issues to facilitate good interactions, like purposefully leaning in so she may contact them. Mouse nostril immediately catapulted to the highest of her checklist of favourite toys–it was so fashionable together with her that it actually made me marvel if Walt knew mice can be an enormous hit with children and that’s a part of why he selected such a seemingly odd animal. (This in all probability sounds loopy, just like the rantings of a sleep-deprived lunatic.)
Face characters, at the very least the princesses, have been much more fashionable. We had each breakfast and dinner booked at 1900 Park Fare, and I used to be actually form of dreading that many interactions with the royalty. I’ve at all times been awkward and fumbled these interactions prior to now, however once more, completely totally different ballgame with a child.
The princesses (and Aladdin) did the entire work and 90% of that was aimed toward Megatron somewhat than us. She had rather a lot to say to Tiana and the way in which her eyes lit up when gazing at Cinderella was past heartwarming–I can now see why mother and father drop ridiculous quantities of cash on all issues princesses. (Yikes for our future selves.) Aladdin was a lot much less fashionable, however he did evaluate her to Abu (ironic since she has a Grumpy Monkey e-book and the comparability generally isn’t far off).
I’m already anticipating lots of character meals through the subsequent…decade, perhaps? It’s laborious to articulate till you’ve skilled, but it surely’s simply such a extra nice expertise to take a seat down, take pleasure in a meal, and let the characters come to you. It’s much less tense and rushed than a meet & greet, an opportunity to loosen up and decompress for a bit. Clearly that is solely our first journey with Child Bricker, however I’d think about that character eating experiences change into our #1 splurge going ahead–or we begin utilizing the Disney Eating Plan rather a lot extra.
Forged Members – At all times the center and soul of Walt Disney World, we discovered that Forged Members are particularly nice with infants. That is one thing we’ve really seen in the true world, as random strangers are extra personable. Folks smile at us extra and make small discuss as an alternative of ignoring us. Staff exit of their technique to supply help and are extremely pleasant. (“Us” on this situation is de facto simply me; folks have at all times been pleasant in the direction of and talked to Sarah.)
I actually anticipated the reverse of this. Maybe it’s the dormant Midwesterners in us, however we’ve been nervous about doing issues in public with the infant and err on the aspect of being apologetic (to a fault) for being intrusive to others. To be clear, I’ve at all times felt that infants have a proper to exist in public and wouldn’t apologize for that (nor would we take her to a bar or locations which are very clearly not child-friendly). However I nonetheless anticipated some sid-eye and curt attitudes. We’ve but to come across that in any respect.
That clearly wasn’t going to be a problem at Walt Disney World. Nonetheless, it was nonetheless stunning simply how a lot nicer and chattier the already pleasant Disney Forged Members grew to become within the presence of child. In all probability as a result of it’s a simple and obvious space for widespread floor. Like a staff hat, however extra common. A excessive share of the inhabitants is mother and father, and 99.99% of all folks have been infants. (Benjamin Button syndrome afflicts lower than .01% of the inhabitants, proper?)
Having a pretext for interacting with Forged Members was nice, and jogged my memory of what we used to like a lot about pin buying and selling. It was enjoyable to listen to tales or life classes about their children. We additionally loved chatting with Disney lifers who have been grandparents and had raised two generations on Walt Disney World.
And I’d be mendacity if I didn’t admit that it warms our hearts to listen to compliments about our child. She’s so cute/lovely; she appears identical to the Gerber Child; she certain is social; such a well-behaved child; and so on. The logical and rational a part of my thoughts is aware of that is faint reward–nobody goes to say anybody else’s child appears like a hairless troll. However I assume I’m superficial and straightforward to please, as a result of I like this. Why sure, my child is the very best child ever; thanks for recognizing this!
Journey into Creativeness – I remorse to tell you that I now love the present model of Journey into Creativeness and can not be the top cheerleader for its overdue demise. Kidding…kinda. However I do have a newfound appreciation for the terrible attraction after seeing it anew by my daughter’s eyes.
Journey into Creativeness didn’t find yourself being her first journey, as deliberate, for causes that’ll be mentioned in our ‘what went mistaken’ follow-up submit. However it was the primary attraction for which she was awake and engaged, and it was past something I may’ve imagined.
The look of wide-eyed wonderment the primary time she noticed that dancing Figment Audio Animatronics determine alone made all of it value it. Subsequent scenes proved this wasn’t only a fluke, as she was captivated all through…together with a bit an excessive amount of through the skunk stench phase.
Look, I’m totally conscious that the journey in all probability simply struck the fitting sensory excessive notes and that these have been reactions to the fitting mixture of colours, sounds, shapes, and so on. Past that, there’s undoubtedly projection on my half, as seeing Figment by my daughter’s eyes is the last word shot of nostalgia for after I was a child.
However her reactions have been additionally actual and her personal, and regardless of the underlying rationales, it was such an emotional expertise. This was one in all many ‘full circle’ moments for us on this Walt Disney World journey. I can not wait to observe her evolving reactions to Figment and Journey into Creativeness, together with the inevitable ‘section’ when she writes a dissertation on why Journey into Creativeness 4.0 (coming in 2034) is pales compared to its predecessor and isn’t what Walt or Tony Baxter would’ve needed.
Joking apart, it ought to be no shock that Figment resonates with kids; there’s a purpose followers waited in line hours for popcorn buckets, and it’s not that individuals actually love popcorn. It’s as a result of he represents the imaginative and inquisitive youngster in all of us, actually within the case of precise children. It actually will likely be enjoyable to observe Megatron develop up on Figment–she already loves the character, listening to his story and track, and seeing him each day at dwelling.
Up to date – We’ve at all times appreciated resorts inside strolling distance of the parks or that supplied non-bus transportation. That was true when it was simply us, and is doubly true with a child in want of nap or bedtime. With the ability to stroll from Magic Kingdom to and from the resort is big, and never subjecting others on transportation to fussiness is good. (Once more, I do know it’s only a truth of life and that is Walt Disney World, however we nonetheless really feel uneasy about being a ache to others.)
The benefit of the placement was utterly unsurprising–and we’ve change into greater followers of the Backyard Wing (nice bang for buck) even earlier than this. The stunning half was the dimensions of the room, and the way necessary that was for us. Actually, regardless that room measurement and cupboard space are issues we take note of when reviewing accommodations, that’s solely as a result of we all know they’re necessary to others. Up to now, I’ve by no means actually cared all that a lot about these issues. We pack mild, not needing a lot cupboard space or big rooms.
Because it seems, including one child that’s lower than 10% of the dimensions of an grownup human doesn’t improve what you should pack by 10%. Normal logic would dictate that, since child garments are fairly small, that might roughly be the case. It is rather a lot not the case. Megatron just isn’t a lightweight packer, and this one child doesn’t simply want as a lot stuff as one grownup, however actually, greater than each of us mixed.
Up to now, we’ve additionally been fairly effectively organized (sometimes not even needing Mousekeeping!). Not this time. As oft-overwhelmed new mother and father, it seemed like a hurricane made landfall in our room roughly 7 minutes after our arrival, and it by no means actually acquired any higher. The above photograph is not consultant of how our room really seemed through the journey. It’s a carefully-crafted phantasm.
Suffice to say, I now utterly perceive why cupboard space and sq. footage are such massive offers for households. Up to date supplied us respiratory room and a little bit of a buffer, and that was very a lot welcome (and mandatory).
Child Care Facilities – Everybody says this, but it surely actually can’t be overstated: Disney’s Child Care Facilities are improbable. We already knew this from Disneyland, however generally issues are, ahem, “totally different” at Walt Disney World. Very joyful to report that’s not the case with the Child Care Facilities. They’re improbable coast-to-coast.
For anybody who craves the exclusivity of the DVC or Membership 33 lounges however can’t abdomen the fee, Child Care Facilities are an awesome various. Positive, the underlying membership into the mother and father’ membership will in all probability value you extra over time than Disney Trip Membership or Membership 33…but it surely’s a improbable and fulfilling expertise.
I don’t have anything to say concerning the Child Care Facilities that hasn’t already been stated hundreds of instances, which might be for the very best. This has already gotten actually lengthy and I’m solely midway completed. So I assume it’s stopping level; we’ll choose up with the conclusion of ‘What Went Proper on Child Bricker’s First Walt Disney World Trip’ subsequent week. Together with what went mistaken–so keep tuned!
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Find out about accommodations on our Walt Disney World Accommodations Critiques web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Critiques. To save cash on tickets or decide which kind to purchase, learn our Suggestions for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets submit. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys submit takes a singular take a look at intelligent objects to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Journey Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, the very best place to start out is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for every little thing you should know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Ideas on what went proper throughout Child Bricker’s first journey to Walt Disney World? Anything you’re all for studying about with regard to Megatron, infants within the parks, and so on? Anecdotes of your personal about first visits to the Disney parks? Some other questions? Listening to your suggestions is at all times appreciated, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!