A Whole New World: An October 2012 Trip Report

Alternately titled the “We’re those people now!” trip report!

Well hello there, wdwmagic, please allow me to introduce myself. I’m hollybelle. And, once upon a time, I was not the mother of a little pint sized pirate baby. And in those days (despite what I may have thought then), I had all the time in the world to write trip reports, stalk trip reports, comment on trip reports, and daydream about trip reports; in other words, overdose on all things trip reports. It was one of my daily addictions.

These days, I delight in small personal victories when it comes to “free” time. Showers and sleep (and laundry and cleaning) almost always win out when those heavenly little slices of quietness drift my way. So to all my wdwmagic friends, please accept my humblest of apologies for not commenting on each of your reports over the last year. It is seriously shocking to think I dropped off the face of the trip reports forum that long ago. While I may not be commenting, I have at least been lurking in the shadows, like the creepiest of creepers. Violet (my iPad) has been my trusty sidekick lately and while she makes it easy to peruse the interwebs during all those late night feedings with Lucas, typing up comments is another thing entirely.

Luckily for me, during a couple slow days here and there at work I was able to carve out some time to write this trip report {{that was in December – sadly it took another two months to find the time to upload photos and post}}. It was very important to me that I find the time to write it, because it feels like a big milestone in the story that is our lives. I mean, I wrote about our engagement, our wedding, and Lucas’ birth. Writing about his very first trip to the World certainly qualifies as a “must” in my book!

Who: The handsome little Ohana pictured above (taken in November when Lucas was around four months old)
Where: Port Orleans French Quarter
When: October 12-16, 2012
Why: Because we couldn’t wait to introduce our little man to the happiest place on earth

::SPOILER ALERT:: It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows! Even though we thought we had adjusted our expectations accordingly prior to the trip, we quickly learned they needed further adjusting upon arrival. This trip was about small victories for us. And I hope you enjoy sharing in those, as well as getting a good laugh out of our missteps in parenthood, as you read along. Brett and I like to think we’re Disney veterans and know all there is to know about our happy place, but with a three month old baby in tow… it was a whole new world!

I had all intentions of photographing every single second of this trip. But, you know, best laid plans and all that. Instead, I’m now doing my best to string together enough shots to tell the story. I’d say it’s a regret, but in truth, we were just trying our best to survive. Hah. Let the adventure begin.

 

[HollyBelle]

Thursday, October 11: Everything but the Kitchen Sink

Does this photo even need explaining? And to think, I packed “light.” Surprising even ourselves, we fit all of that (plus a car seat carrying a tiny human) into a mid-size sedan. Luckily, Brett’s parents graciously offered us the keys to their SUV, so we were only going as far as their house (an hour away) for this leg of the trip.

In other horrible, terrible, no good, very bad news… Lucas was running a fever and braving a very bad cold. My mom had picked him up from daycare that afternoon only to find that one of the ladies in the infant room had, knowingly, come into work sick. This was just one of many things that led to us finding a new daycare upon our return the following week… a story for another place and time.

Day 1 – Friday, October 12: A Disastrous First Day!

Unsure of what to expect from the drive down, we planned to take off around 3-4 am after feeding Lucas, hoping that he would then fall back asleep for the first 3-4 hours of the drive. But of all nights to do so, our little human alarm clock slept through his 3:00 am feeding, waking at 5:00 am instead, so it was around 6:00 am before we got on the road.

Never having had him in the car so long, we were really unsure of what we were getting ourselves into. But he slept. And slept. And slept some more. We woke him somewhere in Georgia for a quick feeding, grabbed ourselves some breakfast, and then hopped on the road again. We managed with only one more stop (at the outlets just before exiting I-95 and heading down I-4).

Mirror shot!

While we were thankful he was being so good, I was getting concerned that he may be getting his days and nights mixed up. But other than that, I didn’t think much of it. Looking back at these pictures, it tells a completely different story though. I don’t know why I couldn’t really see it at the time, but it is so obvious he was sick when I look at these now.

We arrived on property around 2:30 pm, filled with excitement over finally being there after 8 long months! I realize it isn’t really all that long in the grand scheme of things, but considering I had been trekking to the world every 2-3 months for the previous 1-2 years, it felt like FOREVER!

As you can see, I was in the backseat – we had a fussy boy on our hands in the home stretch. Granted, had we not gotten caught in I-4 traffic coming through downtown Orlando, I think he would’ve made it the whole way. He ended up putting himself to sleep just as we crossed the threshold onto sacred ground…

 

[HollyBelle]

French Quarter… a first for us!

Our room was located in Building 3, just around the corner from the main hall. Hello! I’d never been further than the entry area, and it had been years since I’d made it that far. Considering POFQ no longer has a table service restaurant (for shame), there isn’t much reason to visit unless you are staying there, which is sad because it is so quaint and picturesque.

Now that's the face of a boy who doesn't feel good. The face below, not above. What you see above is the face (or rather, faces) of a boy who is just plain creepy!

First things first upon arrival… room pictures, of course. Right?! WRONG. It was past time to change a diaper and feed a tiny, but very loud and very hungry, Lucas! The pictures would have to wait. In fact, you’ll have to wait until someone else checks in and does a trip report from the French Quarter because I didn’t take any. #hangsheadinshame

While I was feeding Lucas, Brett schlepped an obscene amount of stuff up to our room from the car. After which he headed off to Sassagoula Floatworks to pick up our mugs. We decided to try something completely new for this trip… the Disney Dining Plan. It’s never appealed to us (for good reason and we’ll get to that a little later), but thanks to some number crunching and exciting things on the horizon for this little Ohana (as you’re reading this it’s no longer on the horizon and indeed in the very present), we realized it didn’t make sense to buy annual passes for this trip. Therefore, Tables in Wonderland wasn’t an option, so we decided if we were ever going to try the DDP, now was the time. Don’t knock it, until you try it, right?

Brett returned from Sassagoula with freshly made beignets. OM NOM NOM NOM! If you’ve learned one thing about me through these reports, you know that I’m all about unique food items at the restaurants and resorts across property. So score two more points for French Quarter.

While we were trying to get ourselves together and figure out exactly what needed to go to the park with us, Lucas imploded. He was inconsolable. None of the tricks in our Sooth-the-Little-Man toolbox were working. NONE of them. Not even a … and let me tell you, that one ALWAYS works! Desperate times call for desperate measures. Brett ran outside to get the car seat – Lucas’ sleep kryptonite when paired with a little swinging and a babbling giraffe. Five minutes later we were left with this little ball of goo:

What to do? What to do?! We considered cancelling our dining reservations, but decided to brave it instead. So off to Epcot we went! With a stowaway in tow…

Yes, that's a Duffy Bear. Yes, we have two of them. And yes, after all attempts to remain unswayed by his charms, the Duff man finally won us over. What? It's all Lucas' fault. How was I supposed to say no when he asked for a teddy bear?!

 

[HollyBelle]

It was busy at the turnstiles, so I wasn’t able to get a good shot of Lucas entering his first park, but he did it with much fanfare and a bit of snoring. I feel certain he’ll remember it never forever.

We were kinda, sorta, on cloud nine… it was a beautiful evening and we had just strolled into Epcot for the first time with our little guy. Family mirror shot for the win!

We wanted to get Lucas a “first visit” button so we swung by Guest Relations. While standing in line, Lucas started waking up, so Brett took him outside to wheel him around for a bit and I continued to wait. He wasn’t out there thirty seconds before I heard wailing. Through the glass wall. Uh-oh. I hopped out of line and went to see if I could help. When I did, I noticed a lady, probably in her mid fifties, just staring at Brett in amusement. She had this look on her face, as if to say, “this is what you get for bringing a little baby to Disney World.” Now sure, maybe that is my own overactive imagination talking, but in my mind this complete stranger was standing there so openly judging us. And it irritated me to no end. Sadly, it was the first of many such feelings over the course of the trip.

We contemplated heading out, but decided to keep moving forward instead. Busting out the Baby Bjorn, Brett strapped Lucas to his chest and we forged on towards Mexico. We parked the stroller and checked in at La Hacienda about 20 minutes early for our reservation. No sooner than we got our buzzer, Lucas started melting down again. Unsure of what to do, and near tears myself, we found a bench to sit down on and tried to feed him a bottle. Our buzzer went off at about the same time and, even though neither of us wanted to do it, we figured it would be best to give up our table. Feeling a bit defeated, I went to the check-in stand to let them know and then I returned to this little corner of World Showcase.

Let's title this one, “uhhh... how’d we get here?!"

Seriously. There was a time when we carried absolutely nothing into the parks with us (no backpack, no purse, no camera case, nothing). And when I started carrying a DSLR, I sometimes felt burdened by the simple camera bag on my arm. We now have stuff, stuff, and more stuff. Lots of stuff. Check out that photo… we’re those people now!

But this, this is a reminder that it is oh so very worth it…

 

[HollyBelle]

When he was done eating, we put Lucas back in the carrier and promptly left World Showcase (it was a F&W Festival weekend, and the drunkfest was afoot). We were exhausted and feeling sorry for ourselves for having to give up the one meal we were looking most forward to. Add to that the guilt we were feeling for being so selfish, and I was becoming quite overwhelmed. When we got to the Fountain of Nations I just stopped. I felt at a loss for what to do next, so I collapsed onto the ledge near the Electric Umbrella. Lucas chose this moment to look up at me and coo like the little dreamboat that he is.

And we decided, hey, maybe it’s not so bad. He seemed to be feeling better, so we made our way to the Land to partake in some Sunshine Seasons for dinner. Of course, being Disney Dining Plan newbies, and only going based on knowledge gleaned from others on the forum (without doing any actual “research”), we had to ask some questions along the way. Can we pick any dessert? Do drinks come with counter service points? Can this be subbed for that? And so on. Disney veterans were surely shaking their heads all around us, and kicking themselves for getting in line behind the DDP people who had no clue what they were doing. OMG… We’re those people now!

This is what we ended up with…

Two full meals, two drinks, and two desserts… way more food than we could ever eat. Proof that the DDP is not for us. Had we paid for it out of pocket, this would’ve been a $40+ meal. And there are a lot of table service restaurants we frequently eat at for approximately the same amount (or less). AND we enjoy them. Whereas, with this meal we had to fight the crowds, serve ourselves, and hawk a table. And the worst thing about it is after all that effort, it tasted like mall food. Not even glorified mall food. Bad mall food. Blech.

Just a note… I was really surprised our receipts didn’t show what the meal would have cost, if we weren’t using points. I’m kinda shocked Disney doesn’t take it as an opportunity to remind folks what a “savings” the plan is.

After we found a table, Lucas started freaking out again so I got up to walk with him while Brett ate. You know the area along the far wall near Soarin’ where you’re supposed to “enter” Sunshine Seasons? Well, I think Lucas and I wore a hole in the floor over there, pacing back and forth, and back and forth. But eventually he fell asleep and I sat down to eat. I shoveled a couple handfuls of food in my mouth, not really enjoying a bite of it, and then we called it a night. As we were leaving the Land I saw a couple come in with bride and groom ears on. And as much as I’m chagrined to admit it, I may have actually turned green with envy. It was a flashback to my own wedding trip and how easy everything was then. Honestly? A part of me longed for it.

I experienced a gamut of emotions that night. Looking back at my evernote for this first day of the trip, this is what I typed: out of control :: overwhelmed :: tearful :: defeated :: selfish :: guilty :: stressed :: saddened :: sleep-deprived :: mad as hell (at daycare) :: exhausted :: spent :: in love :: humbled :: thankful :: hopeful.

Talk about being all over the map.

Despite us both feeling completely deflated, I told Brett we should stop for the Photopass photog on our way out, and I’m so glad we did. I look at this picture, which is anything but perfect, and all of those feelings come rushing in. And I smile. Hooray for Lucas Gray’s first day at Disney World!

The photographer said something hilarious, I can’t even remember what, and we broke into a fit of laughter, which for me turned into tears as we exited the park. And I proceeded to sob all the way to the car!

On our way back to the resort, we made a costly wrong turn and Lucas started crying again, which lead to us crossing over three lanes of traffic to make our next move. It always used to grate my nerves when people did that, but when there’s a wailing baby in the backseat, you do what you’ve gotta do, right?! Say it with me now… we’re those people now!

We were back in the room around 8:30 pm, watching some tv, reading some status updates about the New Fantasyland “dress rehearsals,” and playing with this little man, who was just happy to be rolling around on his favorite quilt.

 

[HollyBelle]

Day 2 – Saturday, October 13: The Sweet Taste of Victory

It was a rough night, to say the least. In fact, my notes say we were up from 3 am – 7:45 am. YIKES! Lucas’ internal clock was all out of whack. Sleeping the majority of the trip down, coupled with being sick and in a strange environment made for a brutal combination. Nevertheless, we woke up hopeful, with one thing on our agenda for the day. New Fantasyland. We were shooting for the moon, my friends. And because all good goals need a “stretch” goal to accompany them, if we’re being really honest, we had high hopes of riding the Voyage of the Little Mermaid, too. Hey, go big or go home, right?!

Brett checked in with the social media outlets and found out New Fantasyland was indeed open again that morning, so we got ready and left the resort around 9:30 am. Lucas seemed in good spirits, so we skipped our breakfast plans in an effort to get to the Magic Kingdom. While we’re putting it all on the table, guess what we did next? We rolled up to the Contemporary and parked the car there. Go ahead, flame me… after all, we’re those people now! We entered the park around 10 am with the masses. Something we never used to do. So one more time for the folks in the back… we’re those people now!

Not wasting any time, we high tailed it to Fantasyland to find my love Gaston take in all the new sights. I was totally beside myself, secretly wishing I could take my time with the camera and photograph the area in all its shiny new glory. Luckily, we did manage a couple of shots on our way to Ariel’s new ride.

 

[HollyBelle]

You should’ve seen us though. Here we were juggling a sleeping baby, two iPhones, Monstro (my DSLR), and an enormous diaper bag as we tried to see all that was shiny and new and make it to the ride… racing against what we feared was a little time bomb in Brett’s arms. Let’s not forget we were also trying to instagram and tweet our experiences in real time. Duh. Obviously. Who doesn’t feel the need to let everyone know exactly what they are doing each and every minute of the day? It’s a wonder we soaked in any ambiance at all.

Hey, hey… a family shot!

A big thank you goes out to the CM who saw me struggling with the family self-portrait.

FAVORITE…

 

[HollyBelle]

All the discussions we had had before the trip, mulling over which ride should be Lucas’ first, fell by the wayside. The decision had been made. And, color me shocked, it wasn’t going to be Dumbo. We’re thinking our little starfish probably has a crush on Ariel anyway, though. After all, check out that hair of hers! He’s smitten.

What’s the verdict? He slept through the entire thing! And I do believe we high fived afterwards. Small victories taste so sweet! We accomplished what we’d set out to do for the day, so we were pretty happy with ourselves. And it took the pressure off. Anything else we managed to do was just a cherry on top of our proverbial sundae.

We set off to Gaston’s Tavern next. Mama couldn’t leave New Fantasyland without a visit to her man’s place, you know?!

Lefou’s Brew was goooooood. And since it’s the thing to do, let’s compare it to butterbeer, shall we? Tastier than butterbeer, in my humble opinion, but I’m a big fan of apple-inspired drinks so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that I prefer it. Although, butterbeer gets the win for originality. After all, it was inspired by an "actual" drink from the wizarding world. Lefou's Brew on the other hand, just has a nice ring to it and no history. Ooooh... Disney loses points for the lack of back story? For shame!

 

[HollyBelle]

“Wait, who’d you say my dad is?! That strapping fellow in the portrait above the mantle!? Now THAT is more like it, Ma.”

It was really fun to be there for the dress rehearsal. I realize sharing experiences about the opening of New Fantasyland is kind of old news now, but it was fun being part of something so few had seen yet. I’ve been rather preoccupied this past year, therefore, I hadn’t spent a lot of time anticipating New Fantasyland or scouring the interwebs for information and pictures of what was to come. And this was great because I really got to take it all in without a boatload of expectations based on what “everyone” was saying.

So here’s to you, New Fantasyland, for being a truly new and refreshing experience!

 

[HollyBelle]

We left New Fantasyland, stopping by the restrooms outside of Pinocchio’s, so we could change Lucas. And since we tend to review every last little bit of Disney World here on this forum, let me just say, this particular restroom was one of the best we found with regards to the changing area. Clean, large, and somewhat separated from the stalls. While we’re on the subject, lemme just suggest you avoid the ones in Tomorrowland (outside Auntie Gravity’s), like the plague. You can go ahead and thank me now for that little bit of wisdom!

From there we strolled on over to the Baby Care Center. Another first. My initial reaction was that it was pretty nice, but that was before seeing the one at the Animal Kingdom, which put MK’s to shame. For those who are uncomfortable with the topic of babies and breastfeeding, feel free to move on, as this portion of the TR isn’t for you. However, for those of you who are thinking about toting a baby around the World, I’m sure you’ll be visiting the baby care centers and may be interested in this info. The changing area has 4-5 huge padded changing tables, with large sheets of clean paper you can put down for sanitation reasons. There is also a room set aside with a tv and lots of high chairs for feedings, a room where you can purchase essentials you may need, and a room for nursing mothers.

The nursing room was an experience in and of itself. The lights were super dim, and after coming in out of the sunlight, it felt as if I was entering a cave. A dark and quiet cave with four wooden rocking chairs, all facing the wall at an angle. Once my eyes adjusted to the lighting, I realized the room looked like it hadn’t been updated since the park officially opened back in 1971. I was secretly wishing to take a photo for your viewing pleasure, but didn’t figure the other mothers would be too pleased with me! Luckily though, we did end up alone in there for a split second and I took the opportunity to snap a few photos on my phone.

See… 1971. Down to the creepy old photos on the wall and fringe on the lampshades! I'm guessing the idea was to keep the "Main Street" theming in tact, but I'm not so sure that idea shouldn't be revisited!

All kidding aside, I really enjoyed my time spent in the nursing room with Lucas. It was a nice calm break from the hustle and bustle of the day. Of course, while Lucas and I were stuck in a time warp, Brett instagrammed these photos from present day…

Ahh Splash! I didn’t make it anywhere near that part of the park the whole time we were there!

 

[HollyBelle]

Lucas just let me know it's time to wrap up for the night - the little man is hungry. And to think, I intended to post the report in one fell swoop. We'll get back to your regularly scheduled programming tomorrow!

 

[disneysince71]

Wow! that was a fun filled 24 hours... Cant wait to see how it ends...

 

[Howe]

Great report so far! Austin and I often think about what our WDW trips will be like once we have a baby, so I really appreciate hearing your perspective! And as always, Lucas is stinkin' adorable!!!

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Yay Holly!!!!! First and foremost, congrats on such an adorable baby boy!!! Love Lucas' hair color too! Such a cutie!!! So mega congrats to you and Brett!

I feel for you with the daycare situation. We had so many medical issues with Kendall back in 2007 because of daycare issues. Funny how all of her nasty colds and ear infection issues cleared up as soon as we moved her to a different facility.

I love the "we're those people." It really is amazing how much stuff you find you have to bring along, but I promise you- as he gets older...that extra baggage will decline. I also give you so much credit for braving the parks with an infant. I wish we had. I know people do it every day and most people who have been there understand that babies sometimes cry...sometimes a lot- part of the human experience. I always hated the cranky people who'd give you those "are you nuts?" looks for bringing a baby here or there. It's hard enough on the parents just trying to juggle it all.

I can't wait to read more, but I think we'll all understand if it takes longer.

 

[darthspielberg]

A Holly Report! Hooray!

The little one is so adorable, and that photo of him smiling at you in Epcot is just too precious. Seeing the photos and hearing the stories reminds me of my first trip. I was six, but my sister was about 8 Months Old. She was fascinated by everything. She tried to steal the glasses right off the White Rabbit's face. So cute now that I think back on it. Of course at the time, I liked her being there, because it meant I got ride everything twice in a row thanks to Child Swap.

I am eager to read more!

 

[DisneyPrincess5]

Ooo I am so enjoying your report so far! It's so interesting to see how different you (and all oother mammas and daddas) view and experience your first trip with a little one. Can't wait for more!!

 

[HollyBelle]

Wow! that was a fun filled 24 hours... Cant wait to see how it ends...

It was a rollercoaster... the whole trip!

Great report so far! Austin and I often think about what our WDW trips will be like once we have a baby, so I really appreciate hearing your perspective! And as always, Lucas is stinkin' adorable!!!

Thanks, Courtney! I was shocked by how little we "accomplished" in the parks. Being people who go to the World often, this wasn't a big deal, but I couldn't imagine taking a trip with an infant when you haven't been in years.

Yay Holly!!!!! First and foremost, congrats on such an adorable baby boy!!! Love Lucas' hair color too! Such a cutie!!! So mega congrats to you and Brett!

I feel for you with the daycare situation. We had so many medical issues with Kendall back in 2007 because of daycare issues. Funny how all of her nasty colds and ear infection issues cleared up as soon as we moved her to a different facility.

I love the "we're those people." It really is amazing how much stuff you find you have to bring along, but I promise you- as he gets older...that extra baggage will decline. I also give you so much credit for braving the parks with an infant. I wish we had. I know people do it every day and most people who have been there understand that babies sometimes cry...sometimes a lot- part of the human experience. I always hated the cranky people who'd give you those "are you nuts?" looks for bringing a baby here or there. It's hard enough on the parents just trying to juggle it all.

I can't wait to read more, but I think we'll all understand if it takes longer.

Thank you so much! We're pretty smitten with the little guy!

Uggghhh... daycare. Once we switched over to a new one, things got a lot better, but it's still hard taking him in every morning. And the colds/ear infections? I keep telling myself it's good that he's building immunities now, but it still wrecks me.

Yes! We found ourselves making that statement over and over again. Like, when we just stopped in the middle of Main Street, instead of moving off to the side before stopping. I know if I had been behind me I would have been like, "seriously?"

A Holly Report! Hooray!

The little one is so adorable, and that photo of him smiling at you in Epcot is just too precious. Seeing the photos and hearing the stories reminds me of my first trip. I was six, but my sister was about 8 Months Old. She was fascinated by everything. She tried to steal the glasses right off the White Rabbit's face. So cute now that I think back on it. Of course at the time, I liked her being there, because it meant I got ride everything twice in a row thanks to Child Swap.

I am eager to read more!

You know, he was there again at 7 months and it was totally different. He was so much more interactive, and reaching for things. During this first trip, it wasn't like that at all. Love that your sister was trying to get the White Rabbit's glasses. We haven't tried Child Swap yet, but I can imagine it's an older sibling's dream!

Ooo I am so enjoying your report so far! It's so interesting to see how different you (and all oother mammas and daddas) view and experience your first trip with a little one. Can't wait for more!!

Oh yeah... there were definitely new experiences and we were moving at a totally different pace, which I expect will be the case for the foreseeable future. That being said, we've taken so many non-kiddo trips to the World, so it's fun to experience it in a different way now.

 

[disneysince71]

When you look back try to remember this... Nothing else matters...

 

[Disneyfalcon]

Holly!!! Welcome back! I'm so excited you are here and we will now have more trip reports to read!!
Of course your report does not disappoint so far. I love that you became "those people" who bring too much, stop in the middle of Main Street, and the list goes on. I think recognizing you are "those people" is the first step of the program. Lol!
Of course we are all "those people" sometimes.
How completely appropriate that your first family picture in park was a mirror shot?
And I'm so glad you were okay with not doing as much. You did what was important!

 

[meganw1985]

So avoid Tomorrowland's changing station. Have only one goal for the day (do if you don't get it done you aren't too disappointed, and if you do more, you are ecstatic). Vacation is a bad deal for a sick baby, and don't let him sleep the whole way. Got it However, Luke is gonna be 10 months old than we go so it will probably be a completely different story. I love all your pictures of little Lucas. He is adorable. You guys are way brave to take him so little. Who cares what other people thought. Really, how many 3 month olds get to go to Disney?! He's now in with an elite crowd! (My hubby is 30 and has never been). The farthest I have taken Luke is Tennessee to my sister's softball tournament. LOL. I could have never done it!