Trip Report I want to stay here forever.

Those words came straight from Nemo's mouth and into my heart. Let's just say that my children have more than bought in to the magic and wonder that is Walt Disney World, and we are proud parents. I'm doing exactly what everyone joked that I'd do when I had kids, and that is taking them to Disney World "every year", and proving to them that I am, in fact, true to my word.

Who: Me, Husband J, Nemo (4yo, almost 5, son), and Boo (2yo, almost 3, daughter)

What: Our 3rd trip in 365 days (May to May counts!)

When: April 29th - May 6th

Where: Pop Century Resort, because if we didn't have Skyliner, hearts would be broken.

Why: Our last big off-season hurrah before we become of school age, Flower & Garden Festival, Tron, the Walt Disney World Railroad, and because my kids ask me every single day when we're going back to Disney.

As always, I am writing this trip report to preserve my memories of this whirlwind of a week. There is nothing like going back through all my pictures and videos and remembering how each moment made me feel. Sometimes, writing something down unlocks a new memory that I would've otherwise forgot. I gave myself 48 hours to settle and am so eager to dive in because I'm still holding on to every bit of magic I can possibly grasp. If you can't tell, I am very emotional about this trip for so many reasons and you bet I'm going to let it all out in my writing. So with that forewarning, I hope that you enjoy a few more tales of the Adventures of Nemo and Boo.

We had a 6am flight. That's just how we do things around here. And the kids are all for it! Nemo asked me before bedtime, "Are we going to Disney after sleep?" You bet, bud. When I woke him up at 3:45am, I said, "Disney" and he smiled in his sleep. When our plane was taxing, Nemo looked out the window and said, “Look! That guy has a lightsaber!” Big Star Wars fan on our hands here. Both Nemo and Boo gave me several glowing smiles on the plane whenever they were pleased with something: the view, the iPad, or the orange juice. Boo fell asleep on the Sunshine Flyer wearing her conductor hat and holding her Frozen book. We arrived at Pop Century around 10am and it immediately hit me: Pop was our home. It used to just be the cheapest place for us to stay, but it has become so much more than that now. I wanted to bottle up that lobby smell, but instead, settled for huffing it very deeply... Our room was unsurprisingly not ready, but I went to Guest Services anyways to make sure we could get a room on the Ground Floor and get the crib/bed rails and all the jazz, and was surprised when the Cast Member assigned me a room right then and there. A Preferred Room in the 60's Building, no less. I'm not one to complain about walking, but our room last time was at the very edge of the 90's and it was prohibitively far. Like, so far that we packed our swimsuits to change into after park days because we didn't want to hike back to our room to change. We skipped outside and told the kids, "Welcome home!"

Room 4146. Could not have been better. It was in the hallway adjacent to the Skyliner, so when we walked under the giant Playdoh can (became a thing we had to do every time), we were hit by the gentle breeze from Hourglass Lake. Furthermore, there was no noise from the pools, yet they were just a hop, skip, and a jump away. We were thrilled.

The kids sat at the table and watched some Mickey cartoons while we unpacked a little, but eventually ended up jumping into the "pillow pit."

And the walk to the Skyliner station? 45 seconds, tops.

All four of us were giddy with excitement over our first Skyliner ride of the trip. Walking into the station, hearing the "doon, doon" sound, watching them run into the cabin, hearing them go "woahhh" as we took off...

It was all very familiar, and yet I have been craving these little things so much.

 

[belledream]

It was time for the Walt Disney World Railroad. During Nemo's baby trip in 2019, we got to sit on the train, but it wasn't running. Though he's never been on it before, we had the model set at home and he was thrilled to learn he would actually be able to ride it this year. So was I. It's been way too long, and I'm ready for Magic Kingdom to feel complete again. We boarded for more than a round trip around Magic Kingdom, going from Fantasyland to Fantasyland and then to Main Street station. The kids felt so cool to be on a real train. The familiar motion, sights, and sounds made my heart so happy. While waiting at the Frontierland station, Boo started singing Show Yourself (she repeats one verse over and over) and Nemo fell asleep sitting straight up between J and I.

We got off at Main Street stop #2 and he woke up and immediately asked, "Where's my leaf?" Boo, on the other hand, was now asleep. Everyone was secured in the stroller (which we brought along with us this time) and we walked down Main Street to the beat of the Main Street Philharmonic.

We were headed to Adventureland, where J took Nemo up the Swiss Family Treehouse while I waited in the shade with Boo. It was so comfortable and breezy and I soaked in my surroundings.

Then J took Nemo on Jungle Cruise, which I booked a LL for a little while back. According to J, Nemo was having so much fun pointing all the animals out. "Look Daddy, lion! Elephant! Gazelle!" Then he came out and tempted these tikis a little bit, but ended up keeping dry.

With Boo still fast asleep and Nemo rejecting Pirates, it was time for an early dinner at Columbia Harbor House where I promised Nemo hush puppies. He ate all six of them that came with his and Boo's Grilled Salmon. I don't think she'd mind. She's more of a french fry kinda girl. She was still sleeping like a rock on J's chest while he downed his Trio Platter, and I thoroughly enjoyed my New England Shrimp Boil. SO GOOD. I drank every last drop of the spicy broth. We sat with a perfect view of the Haunted Mansion and ate in glorious peace and quiet. Eventually, Nemo had to use the bathroom and J and I swapped Boo and she immediately woke up, grabbed the half piece of salmon in front of her, and started eating the chunk with her bare hands. Didn't even say anything. It was hilarious.

After a great meal, we were ready for our next adventure around Tom Sawyer Island.

They went straight for the water wheel. J even discovered a "bird" in the wheel which we had never seen before and the kids were intrigued. I had to take a video for Nemo to watch later.

The barrel bridges are another highlight, and so was the view. A pretty half moon was showing. We walked on the slanted path and Nemo warned us "Be careful! This path is sideways." Walked into the windmill where they wanted to be held up so they could see the blades pass by the window every few seconds.

But the caves were the coolest. They were so excited to find "treasure" and see stalagmites. My children are braver than me. Those caves are dark, and my heart was pounding. J made fun of me.

Then we stumbled upon Fort Langhorn. I truly had no idea it was there though apparently I have photos of it when I was a kid. Nemo was so entertained by the shooting gallery. He kept aiming for Big Thunder Mountain. This was a good discovery for us, and we knew we'd have to come back again.

We explored what felt like every nook and cranny of Tom Sawyer Island, and now it was time to book it to our next LL on the other side of the park. Let's go!

 

[belledream]

Now that Ariel's Grotto was back, I knew we did not want to miss this. In fact, I haven't done this since I was a kid. Clearly Meet & Greets were not on our radar pre-kids. Like it's ride counterpart, the queue was lovely.

And Ariel was so lovely herself. She was the best character interaction of the whole trip. Nemo darted forward and placed the autograph book on the space next to her, and she called him "tiger shark" which he liked. Boo showed off the Ariel on her dress and was in general awe. Then Nemo noticed the seashells on the ground and exclaimed "seashells!" and slid off the clamshell so he could examine them. Of course, Boo copied. "Don't you always find such cool things under the sea?" Ariel asked. Then she gave each of them a hug. Boo leaned in to reciprocate. Nemo was just like, wut.

We exited and hung out with the DVC area for a few minutes and J noticed that this map had the Disney Cruise ships on it. It's a sign!

We danced through the Little Mermaid queue. This ride is underrated. It represents the movie well, it's innovative and vibrant, and it's long! I always look forward to boarding the clamshell for a substantial ride. This picture was taken by J.

We flew on Dumbo next, which is Boo's favorite. We had to get the pink and green Dumbos that are right next to each other, and she was very strict about controlling the Dumbo herself. Then J took her to the bathroom and I watched Nemo strategically wander through the Casey Jr. area without getting wet. I let myself relax and then I saw him standing with his back to the elephant and getting soaked, shoes and all. I hope he learned something today, but in true Nemo fashion, all the issues just rolled off his back.

It was about 7pm and although we were tempted to stay for two more hours to see our beloved Happily Ever After, it had been a very eventful day and I wasn't sure that even I could make it. Getting old. I decided to leave it up to them. I asked if they wanted to stay and watch fireworks or go back to the resort and roast marshmallows. They both screamed "marshmallows!" Decision was made and we were all happy with it. And it must have been fate, because we walked all the way to the Pop bus stop to see a double bus just waiting for us. It was literally Nemo's dream come true. He sat right in the middle and observed every single inch. When the bus made it's first turn away from the stop, his face was like -> . So many darling, beaming smiles on the ride home. And Boo kept exclaiming, “I see it!” regarding various landmarks and transportation vehicles.

We got back to Pop with 5 minutes to spare before marshmallow time was over and got in on the action. Nemo has become somewhat of a picky eater and is not really a sweet tooth. He just wanted to roast it and then gave it to J, who was happy about that. Boo, however, is our little eater and she ate the whole thing and her face was just plastered with marshmallow. When Nemo got back from inspecting Goofy and his red car, he saw Boo's face and laughed so hard.

We walked back to our room to one of my favorite views of the trip. It's actually more than a view. It's a feeling. I feel the wind and hear the quiet.

After bathtime, we all laid on the beds together and watched bedtime stories. After such a long, successful, happy day, there’s nothing better. It was a great start, and there was so much more to come.

 

[Isabelle12345]

Thank you for your report
Love hearing about your adventures
It will be an awesome way for your kids to remember their Disney trips in the future
Can’t wait to read more!!

 

[cgersic]

Oh my goodness your writing style is so immersive and I'm smiling as I read along!

 

[Spash007]

Love your report so far! Your style of writing is great!!

 

[Wicked Sisters]

I agree with the above two magicians that the way you write your reports are wonderful. You are getting so much done in your day. Looking forward to the next instalment.

 

[belledream]

In and enjoying your report!

Hi there! Glad to have you

Happy to have YOU here!

Thank you for your report
Love hearing about your adventures
It will be an awesome way for your kids to remember their Disney trips in the future
Can’t wait to read more!!

Thank you so much! That is the hope.

Oh my goodness your writing style is so immersive and I'm smiling as I read along!

Aww, that makes me so happy to hear. I find myself grinning while I'm writing too.

Love your report so far! Your style of writing is great!!

Thank you! Sometimes I feel like it's a big word salad, but it's a good representation of my actual brain at the time haha.

I agree with the above two magicians that the way you write your reports are wonderful. You are getting so much done in your day. Looking forward to the next instalment.

Thank you for the kind words! The kids are definitely up for being on-the-go and we are not complaining!

 

[belledream]

5am was my new wake up time for this trip. I don't know what has come over me. But I literally lie in bed for two hours thinking or reading about various things while the rest of my family snores away. This morning, I was wondering if I really needed to buy Genie+ for Animal Kingdom today. The general consensus is usually no, right? But the thing is, on our November trip, we got to the park only a little after Early Entry had begun and the wait for Kilimanjaro Safaris had soared to 40 minutes. As wonderful and one-of-a-kind that ride is, I cannot fathom a 20+ minute wait for anything with these two, and so we ended up skipping the ride that day. Our kids weren't the ones who were bothered... I was. While trying to will myself to go back to sleep, I convinced myself that I was just going to do it so we could guarantee a full experience at AK today. I opened the app to see that Genie+ cost $22 again today. I quite literally thought, eff that. I woke J up a little bit later to share the news and he pretty much echoed my sentiments. MK is one thing, AK is another. We were going to chance it today and just not mention it to the kids until we decided if it could be done or not. Early Entry was at 8am, and we rolled up to AK around 8:15am. I checked the app and it said 10 minutes for Safari. I expected the wait to increase by the time we got there, so I wasn't getting my hopes up just yet. Also, I did not want to rush through the Oasis. My eyes ate up the sights of the lush greenery, and the sounds of the waterfall filled my ears. And we saw an anteater!

I know I was tempting fate, but we stopped in front of the Tree of Life for a picture (have to take these while everyone still looks fresh), and then we saw kangaroos hopping around! It was actually so exciting and we couldn't help but stop and watch for a little while. I couldn't believe my eyes when I checked the app and it still say 10 minutes for Safari. Let's move!

Promising sign: Empty Africa. Actual sign: 10 minutes. As we entered the line, I finally revealed to the kids, "we get to go on Safari this time!" Nemo: "We always go on Safari." Me: "Well, I'm glad you think that." They didn't even collect our stroller at the normal spot, but at a spot closer to the loading area, which we walked straight to. While we waited for our number there, both of the kids thought it would be funny to put their heads between our legs and pull on them. See, I can't do that for 40 minutes.

Very soon, our safari truck rumbled up. Our guide had the best movie voice. We were off, seeing a rhino, hippos, pelicans, and DUCKS (Nemo's observation). We saw wildebeest which the kids remembered from Lion King (let's not think about that scene right now, please).

In the savanna, the Ankole cattle were right up next to our safari truck.

And a bunch of giraffes were out in the morning sun as well. Boo had her arm on the ledge, wind in her hair, and gazed out the side like there was nowhere else she'd rather be. She took a great interest in all the animals we saw. I think Nemo was more interested in things like the ride vehicle and the bumpy bridges.

Everyone knows the lions are the highlight. Not the best shot, but we saw the male lion prowling around a bit, and a few lionesses on the rock.

Boo noticed that one seemed to be staring right at her as our truck had stopped. "It's looking at me." As we drove away, we even heard some lion sounds.

We saw the cheetah walking around, a couple elephants, rhinos, and the goats which Nemo deemed, "so cute!" and then we were driving in the mud and water which is the coolest part. I couldn't believe our luck. This had worked out better than I could've hoped for. We moved on to Gorilla Falls since it made logistical sense.

You know what doesn't make sense? Closing the gorilla exhibit and not putting up any signage at the front, and then having people double back to exit once they reached the closure area. The whole time we were walking through the trail, I was wondering, why is it so crowded? Sadly, no gorillas today, but Nemo thought this was hilarious, so there's that. We also grabbed our Wilderness Explorer booklets here and did a few of those.

We came out to play some drums. It was almost 9:30am and the first Festival of the Lion King show was at 10am. We missed our opportunity twice last trip and leading up to this trip, Nemo kept saying, "Maybe we can get there earlier and we'll be able to get in this time." Just rip my heart and stomp on it, will ya kid? I failed him! But yeah, he's a smart kid. And that's what we planned to do. We got prepared with bathroom breaks and squeezable applesauce snacks. We were stopped in our tracks by this display. All four of us were mesmerized by all the shiny, spinning, colors. I really considered buying one, but got sticker shock. Then we started making our way to Harambe Theater.

 

[belledream]

It. Is. Time. We have not seen this show since Nemo's baby trip and I was beyond ready to experience it again. I remember coming to Animal Kingdom for the sneak peek opening with my family. We saw this show and they didn't even have all the complete costumes for the performers, and it was spectacular. Like nothing we've ever seen before. And then we saw it year after year and it was always as captivating as the first time you saw it. Obviously, Nemo does not remember it, and Boo has never seen it, so I was feeling all the feels. Nemo's eyes were wide and his mouth agape during the opening. Boo's eyes followed the monkeys swinging from one side to another and she laughed so hard at their antics. Both didn't move a muscle during Be Prepared. And then, it happened. I started crying during Can You Feel the Love Tonight. Not just tearing up, but full on tears running down my cheeks and my nose was all sniffly and runny afterwards. Gah. I have always loved this act so much. The beautiful singing and dancing, the flying, gives me shivers and goosebumps and now, tears. I didn't want it to end. What a great show.

What does one do at 10:45am at Animal Kingdom? Well, me and 4 other parties lined up at Yak & Yeti Local Foods Cafe to order lunch. This was J's request and to be honest, I wasn't not in the mood for mall food. He got the Korean Fried Chicken Sandwich which was "vaguely Asian-flavored" and he likes that stuff so he was happy. I got one Honey Sesame Chicken for me, and one for the kids to share. We sat under some shade and ate by that rectangular fountain, which provided the ambiance.

Our goal was to minimize walking so we backtracked a little to Rafiki's Planet Watch since we wouldn't be passing through Africa again. We caught the Wildlife Express just in time and sat in the last car so Nemo could see the tracks. He also became enamored with the signals this time. Seeing the backstage area seemed to click a little more for them this time around.

We were mainly here to get the Habitat Badge because Nemo remembered how much he enjoyed the scavenger hunt from last time. But let's be real, we did everything. We went into Conservation Station and saw all sorts of reptiles that we recognized from a book at home, so that was great to see with our own eyes.

And we pet some goats and a pig. Nemo was very caring and gentle, and Boo followed her brother's lead.

We boarded the train back to Harambe and waved at all the friendly Cast Members. I am constantly in awe of how dedicated each of these people are to their roles and to the Disney way. We headed to Maharajah Jungle Trek and saw the tiger sleeping on her side with all fours pointing against the wall. It strongly reminded me of how Boo sleeps in the crib.

In the Aviary, I was having a grand ol' time and then GOT POOPED ON. Luckily it was my shoulder, but still. Bleghhhh. Was it you!?

It was 12:30pm and we wanted to catch the 1pm Finding Nemo show so we hurried past Expedition Everest, which I was hoping to take Nemo on, but he didn't want to and I didn't want to miss the show either, so we said we'd save it for next time. Finding Nemo is another favorite movie in our household, and all the kites, bubbles, and theatrics were a treat.

We continued on our path towards Dinoland, but we skipped Dinoland completely. I had found out the Boneyard was closing for refurbishment the day before our Animal Kingdom day and had seriously considered switching our MK and AK days just so I wouldn't have to explain why they couldn't go to the Dig Site. Surprisingly, when I told them, they took it well. I think Boo was fading, and I distracted Nemo with the idea of going to Pandora.

While we stopped here for a picture, I got a flashback to Camp Minnie-Mickey. That's a real blast from the past.

 

[belledream]

All day, Nemo kept saying, "I want to see the Flaska Reclinata!" There you go, kid. Have at it. He ran up to it and touched it and steam came out right away. He expected it to glow, so that was a little surprise for him.

Boo was not pleased with me that I took her out of the stroller to take a picture in front of the floating mountains. So yeah, she was crying in it. That can only mean one thing... NAPTIME! I sent J and Nemo to look around Windtraders and I pushed Boo around in the stroller (it's much lighter without Nemo) and soon after, she fell asleep. It was another low 80 degree day. I don't even think I sweated today. I sat under one of the mountains in front of the big waterfall and relaxed. Boo was asleep holding her Wilderness Explorer book open still, and it was too cute.

J and Nemo rejoined us shortly after. J said Nemo had a good time with the flapping-banshee-on-a-stick and playing with the beads in the shop. We swapped and I took Nemo to bang on some drums and he really enjoyed moving those weird coconut-like things. It was too early for our early dinner, and we were married to the idea of eating at Satu'li Canteen, so we decided to walk around Discovery Island some more and then come back later. Saw a friendly face on the way out. Nemo cheesed hard.

Saw some flamingos dragging their beaks through the water for food. Nemo earned another Wilderness Explorer badge and according to the CM, Boo "really earned hers."

We wanted to get close to the Tree of Life to see the detail up close. We stopped to see some lemurs. Nemo sat there working feverishly on one of the Wilderness Explorer activities of drawing stripes on his tiger. He had colored it so much, it was all gray now. He proudly held the book up to the lemurs and screamed, "I DREW A TIGER!"

We got as close as we could get to the tree and stared up in awe. It's really a work of art. We stood here for a long time, scoping animals out. Boo slept comfortably in the breeze and the sounds of the waterfall.

One of my favorite moments.

We wandered back to Satu'li Canteen. Before our trip, J and I always devote a night to poring over menus to see what we want to eat every day. It's a longstanding tradition that we are carrying on, even if it is Satu'li Canteen instead of California Grill nowadays. Anyways, we discovered the Ocean Moon Bowl and J was immediately fixated on having that. For reference, it is comprised of Blue Noodles, Tuna, Watermelon Radish, Pickled Daikon, Rainbow Carrots, Avocado, Cucumbers, and Red Cabbage with Miso and Sweet Soy Drizzle topped with Micro Cilantro. It sure looked pretty and was very fresh and healthy for his standards. His verdict? He'd rather get his trusty beef next time. I liked the bites that I had. I got the Chili-Garlic Shrimp Bowl which I've never tried before and I loved the shrimp. The rest of it was too drowned in sauce. I split the Chopped Wood-Grilled Chicken Bowl between the kids. Well, Nemo ate first. Boo was in very deep sleep. When I finally got her up, Nemo was like “Oh hey Boo, wanna see my tiger?”

Got her to eat, and then it was time to leave so we could have plenty of pool time. As we exited, I kept glancing back at the Tree thinking it’ll be more than a year when I see it again. Why am I so dramatic? As we headed to the buses, Nemo noticed the poles on signs by the bus stop were “giraffe print” and the backs of the benches were turtles. His attention to the Disney details make me so proud.

We were in the splash area before 5pm and they went straight for it and started standing on the water jets and playing with each other and the other kids. They loved pressing the flower shower button and demanding that J or I get our heads wet. They also love pressing it, and darting underneath it themselves and running to the water area. There, they ran through the water jets and got it all up in their faces. Nemo also thought it was funny to let the water shoot up his shirt so he had a bubbly tummy. He did it for 10 minutes straight.

Finally he told me “I want to go to the Hippy Dippy Pool.” I can’t believe he remembered the name. We all put goggles on and Boo and I looked at each other underwater and she giggled. She also wanted to walk up and down the stairs and hold the railings a bunch of times. Nemo rejected the safety vest and said he wanted to practice swimming. He has been taking lessons for a few months and has been doing so well. It was kind of surreal to go underwater and see him floating and treading right in front of me. He has that sort of motion and confidence down. It was a blissful, fun 20 minutes but when we got it out it was so cold because of the wind. We were all shivering like crazy. We ran back to the room and cranked the hot water on in the tub to soothe them right away and soon, they were splashing about again. I also gave them two souvenirs I brought from home because I’m a genius. A Buzz Lightyear car and Rapunzel figurine. They played with those, ate snacks, and watched TV. I sat on the Pluto bed with Boo, and Nemo made his way over too at some point. When I tucked him in, Nemo said, "I love you, Mommy. I like Disney with you."

 

[Bullseye1967]

When I tucked him in, Nemo said, "I love you, Mommy. I like Disney with you."

Got a little dusty in here all the sudden!

 

[Spash007]

“I like Disney with you” - All the feels!

 

[joshsprincess921]

Loving your report and your writing style, as always!
I feel like I'm right there with you.

Nemo said, "I love you, Mommy. I like Disney with you." My momma heart loves those little moments! That is so sweet!

 

[cgersic]

Your description of the Festival of the Lion King was soooo good it made me weep right along with you. I haven't seen it in a few trips, so I'm making it the priority on this next one. Keep this report coming!!

 

[belledream]

Got a little dusty in here all the sudden!

“I like Disney with you” - All the feels!

SO many feels. <3

Loving your report and your writing style, as always!
I feel like I'm right there with you.

Nemo said, "I love you, Mommy. I like Disney with you." My momma heart loves those little moments! That is so sweet!

Holding on to these precious moments for sure. I hope he knows how much I like Disney with him.

Your description of the Festival of the Lion King was soooo good it made me weep right along with you. I haven't seen it in a few trips, so I'm making it the priority on this next one. Keep this report coming!!

Pop and FotLK! Recipe for success

 

[belledream]

I have never been as nervous for a day at the parks as I was today. It was our one and only Hollywood Studios day, and our one and only shot to make all of Nemo's Star Wars dreams come true. In November, he rode Smuggler's Run and we told him about the "other Star Wars ride" that he will be able to ride next year. And since that trip, his love for Star Wars has exploded. Books, TV shows, vehicles that I'm pretty sure are for ages 8+, and many, many screams in public about "THE MILLENIUM FALCON" have infiltrated my home and my life. So yeah, it was a big day. Had to secure the biggest ticket of them all for a grand total of $44, but in my mind, it was the easiest $44 I will ever spend. My biggest fear was that the ride would go down. This was our insurance.

Walking outside our room and being able to see Hourglass Lake and the Skyliner station right there was truly a feel-good sight. It’s the only way to travel. As we dipped lower over Hollywood Studios parking lot with all the empty spaces, we saw Tower of Terror, Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway, and Galaxy's Edge, the excitement really kicked in. Nemo gasped dramatically, "Star Wars Land. The only thing I've been looking for."

Our ride took 10 minutes, and were walking right in at 8am for Early Entry.

I grabbed park maps for both of them for entertainment and as we walked down Hollywood Boulevard, Nemo goes, "Hey Mommy, look. Ronto Roasters!"

Runaway Railway was a walk on, and this was a nice relief for me, as we had a few large LL goals later on, and this knocked one off the list. Nemo remembers everything. He knew right away to look at the lighting fixture and the tree on the screen for the Hidden Mickeys. Boo was very excited for this ride. While waiting to board, she held both our hands and looked like she was breakdancing with how fast her legs were going. We sat in the last car and were able to see the next train coming behind us. It's a crazy little ride, and we all love it. We spent a little time at the pop up shop at the end of the ride and suddenly seemed to remember the concept of souvenirs.

Over in Toy Story Land, they both yelled, "Woody!" as we approached.

We hung around another little shop right where Slinky Dog zooms by. I didn’t tell Nemo that he was going on Slinky Dog until he started perusing the shop. I said, “We’re going and then you can pick a souvenir." He said “Yes.” Then when it was time to go, he said, “But it’s too fast,” which makes me think the only word he heard originally was "souvenir". But he held my hand and swung it back and forth and walked merrily along as we entered the queue. He made an observation about the drawing of the map on the wall. "It's a map of the ride." When we reached the peak, I saw J and Boo (still at the shop) very clearly and made eye contact with Boo. I tried to get Nemo to see the view of Star Wars Land from Slinky, but I don't think he did because he was keeled over the whole time. But I told him I was proud of him for doing it! Then he asked, "What's the souvenir?"

I told him to wait until we got to Star Wars Land so he could get a special souvenir there. But while we were still here, we walked over to see Buzz and I asked them if they wanted to do Alien Swirling Saucers. The answer was a couldn't-care-less-no. Now that tells you something about that ride.

They did want to do Toy Story Mania, however. We walked straight to the tent overpass area, which is my favorite with the view of the ride below me. Nemo said “it looks like our home!” with all the toys around. We had a blast. After every scene, Boo would say, “I did it!” She scored 1,700 points! And look at that accuracy.

And Nemo scored 20k with accuracy not too much worse than his father's.

Morning at Toy Story Land was complete and it was time for the ever so important Rise of the Resistance.

 

[belledream]

"STAR WARS!!!" Nemo screamed, as we approached. I checked the app as we approached. Rise was listed with a wait time, so that was a reassuring sign.

We had about 20 minutes to go, so we stopped at the Droid Depot, and Nemo had a blast looking at all the artifacts moving in every direction.

While he looked, I found a little wind up droid that only cost $12.99 and showed it to him. It was love at first sight. He declared it was "Chopper" and held on tightly as we strolled back outside. A CM was playing with a RC droid outside, and Nemo bent down and played with his Chopper next to it. It was very adorable. Meanwhile, J was trying to burst everyone's bubble and pointed out that this wasn't actually Chopper.

We walked slowly through the Marketplace and looked at some Star Wars owls.

I checked the app again and all still looked well. We walked with purpose and hyped Nemo up for the big event. Then, as we approached, we saw the dreaded line of CMs standing in formation in front of the entrance. Rise was down. My heart sunk. I went to talk to a CM and she said it just went down and they were working on updating the app. I turned away and swore out loud. Who knows if/when it would come back up? Nemo was disappointed. "Awww." Not to mention that this also messed with my perfect SWL itinerary. J calmed me down, and we assured Nemo we would come back later (please, God, please) and that we would go ride THE MILLENIUM FALCON instead. That cheered him up easily.

What's more, is that just for fun, I measured Boo at 38 inches and the CM said she was good to go. She said, "I'm taller now. I ate breakfast this morning." We walked into the first room with some animatronic figure, and then moved into the hallway where a CM measured her again. He said she wasn't tall enough. Then he (rightfully, but still, kind of rudely) assumed that I would be the one not riding and said, "So you two can exit that way." Well ok then, sheesh. I was really hoping we could all experience the ride together, especially after the disappointment of Rise, but she didn’t mind and in fact, I think she was relieved because she tried to run out of there. We waited outside in the shade and she asked for snacks. While she ate, I tried to rearrange our lunch/LL plans assuming Rise would be down for a while. J and Nemo came out shortly after, to the sight of Stormtroopers and Kylo Ren wandering around. From far away, I could see him pointing and yelling, "There's Kylo Ren!" I asked how the ride was and J said they got to be Pilots this time. That made me so happy because he had only done Engineer before and with the MILLENIUM FALCON obsession going strong, he could now say that he flew it. And J said Nemo was "actually pretty good" and only crashed into a few things, but did what he was supposed to do. I checked the app again and RISE WAS BACK UP. I told J, "We gotta go. RIGHT NOW."

Sending Nemo and J through the gates, I breathed a huge sigh of relief, but it was temporary. Now I was holding my breath and praying that the ride would not go down while they were on it. Boo seemed tired so we just took a stroller walk all around the land again. She had been very patient and unbothered, really. She had crackers all over her face, and a personal fan to play with, and just seemed very content and happy to be here. We passed by Rey and Chewbacca, who leaned over and made that noise at Boo, and Boo said “No.” Meanwhile, I did not receive any updates from J, which made me nervous. Boo and I parked it right outside the exit of the ride because I wanted to see Nemo's reaction. Of course, he didn’t talk to me, and just ran right past me to the shop. J said Nemo was really into it, screaming "X-wing!", jaw dropped at the Stormtroopers, and holding on for dear life at the drop. At the end he gave a fist pump and said “Yeah! We beat him!” (Re: Kylo Ren)

We stopped by to see the famous Ronto Roaster for the happy boy.

And the Den of Antiquities, where Nemo was given a demonstration on holocrons and kyber crystals, and Boo eagerly waved a lightsaber around. Nemo found one and said, "It's Kylo Ren's lightsaber. It has a crossguard."

We were one of the first parties inside Docking Bay 7 for lunch. It was our first "new" dining experience so far and were very interested in the theming. I enjoyed the respite from the hustle and bustle. No food pictures because we all chowed down immediately, but I got them the Fried Endorian Chicken Tip Yip to split, I got myself the Fried Chicken Tip Yip Youngling Meal so they could have milk, and J got the Pirjanad Hot Chicken Tip Yip, which turned out to be too hot for him. Mac and cheese and the biggest chicken nuggets ever? It was an easy meal.

And with that, our Star Wars mission had concluded, and I could breathe again. I'm just glad that everything worked out and that everyone was happy. That's all a parent wants.

 

[belledream]

We exited through the tunnel and did a quick lap around Muppets Courtyard. Nemo ran his Chopper all over the ground and snow. They also liked sitting on the little snow hill and sliding down it. When I told them it was time to go meet Olaf, Boo said, "This is Olaf."

We met actual Olaf, where they both ran to give him simultaneous hugs, and Nemo held on for a little extra. The entire room went, "Aww!" Then they both tried to climb on the sand and start rooting through Olaf's possessions. I could see Olaf being like, oh no, uh please don't do that.

After that, we had to visit...

They both climbed on top of the box and held on to the potato and chanted, "Potato-land! Potato-land!" I asked J, why are they just like us. We had timed it perfectly so we could walk into the next Indiana Jones show. We enjoy sitting in the back with the fresh air coming through.

We exited to the cool truck and tank, but then to see a just forming line to meet Chip and Dale in Rescue Ranger gear! Boo gave Chip the nicest hug and smiled at me, Nemo faceplanted in Dale's stomach and just stood there while Dale wrapped his arms around his head.

Afterwards, we asked Nemo if he wanted to go on Star Tours while we were in the area, and he was up for it. So the boys headed off again, and Boo and I hung out in the Frozen shop for basically the whole time. She picked up a pink suitcase toy with Anna in it and gave me a purple one with Rapunzel and we walked around the shop “going on vacation.” Then she made sure we each got a sparkly silver Frozen purse and we “went to school." She would sit down on the bottom shelf display and start pulling allll the suitcase toys out and lining them up (I put them back of course), and then when she had her fill, she said “talk about something else" (usually a different princess toy on display). The boys came back and Nemo liked Star Tours. He thought the glasses were cool, recognized what episode the show was from, and gave J a smile and his approval when it was over.

We headed toward Sunset Boulevard. While I had booked Star Tours for J and Nemo, I decided to book Tower of Terror for myself. I paid for it and I'm gonna do it! We intended to do that, and then Lightning McQueen's Racing Academy, and then wait for the next Beauty and the Beast show, but the current show was just starting and I thought, might as well catch it now so we don't have to wait around later. It was definitely a light crowd day. Whole sections of both Indiana Jones and Beauty and the Beast had been empty. Boo loves this show. She is my daughter, after all. Nemo brought Chopper along and rolled him along the bench and held him up so he could see the show. After the show, I walked down the ramp and got in line at the ice cream cart without a second thought. That's some strategic placement right there. The kids appreciated the afternoon pick-me-up and I left them with J to enjoy their Mickey Ice Cream Bar while I headed to Tower of Terror.

The LL queue was stopped pretty far outside, so I told J to take the kids to the Racing Academy so they wouldn't be waiting on me. The line moved slower than I'd like, but I received a text a few minutes later of the three of them sitting right next to that 95, so I felt more relaxed. It felt weird to be on my own and I was definitely experiencing some FOMO, but when I got to the boiler room and they asked if there were any Party of 1s, I felt special and therefore, better. I do enjoy some freefalling feelings.

When I was done, I walked over to the Racing Academy but didn't see them in the courtyard. I waited another minute, then I saw the three of them stumble out of the bathroom. I have a super husband. Boo ran towards me and said “Mama! I missed you.” And Nemo said, “Did you have fun on your ride, Mom?” As we left the area, he showed me a very exciting upside down car.

We came across Donald with a watering can near Brown Derby and the kids waved enthusiastically. We were headingto Star Wars Launch Bay to see the museum, where Nemo recognized a lot of the vehicle displays and they got to see the table and blue milk stand.

Even Boo got excited when the main theme song came on. She let Nemo know it was Star Wars.

 

[belledream]

To cap off a very full day at Hollywood Studios, J suggested that we do the Frozen Sing-Along Celebration before dinner. We had been eyeing it, but I also kept forgetting about it. It's been years since I've seen it. We walked in with less than 10 minutes to go and found good seats on those nice soft theater chairs where Boo could see without sitting on a lap. Though the chair tipped her back because she was too light. I had to hold it down with my leg. She saw the big snowflake on the curtain and looked over at me and gave me her goofy grin. She knew what was coming. I forgot how funny this show is. “It was a dark and stormy night.” “No it wasn’t.” "Sing along if you know the words." "I think everyone knows the words by now." J and I were thoroughly entertained. Boo was mesmerized. After all, it is basically watching TV. The kids didn’t really sing, but when Let it Go came on, Nemo shouted, “Boo, are you ready?!” And when Elsa came out and made it snow, they were stunned and captivated, and lifted their arms up to catch it. It was a magical moment.

I was very pleased with how we really planned the shows today. We got it all done with very minimal waiting. And it led us right to dinner at ABC Commissary. J got the Chicken Club Sandwich, I got the Mediterranean Salad with Chicken, and I got a Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwich for the kids. No pictures again. Boo vetoed the sandwich and ended up eating my chicken and flatbread that came with it, and I made Nemo eat the whole sandwich, so it actually worked out. Boo finished early and started hanging on to a nearby palm tree like a koala.

We were ready to leave Hollywood Studios, but realized that we forgot to stop by One Man's Dream. We asked the kids if they wanted to go and the answer was yes, so that's just what we did. Nemo found the Disney Cruise Line display and called, "Boo!" to come here. Our family's recent interest in DCL has been both so exciting and tormenting. A Disney Cruise is a huge commitment in many ways, and it definitely won't be an annual thing like WDW will be for us. I want to do it right. It took all my willpower to not book a last minute Disney Cruise this summer. I want them to be taller, so we can ride the AquaDuck or AquaMouse together. I want to feel comfortable taking them around ports. I want them to participate in the Oceaneer's Club and excursions. And all of that is telling me I need to hold out a little longer. But I also know I want to capture these moments during this stage in their lives, and the next one, and the one after that. I have to find other ways to constantly satiate this neverending desire of mine! One thing is for sure. We will go on one within the next two years before Boo goes off to school. It will all work out someday.

As we were heading out, we passed by Brown Derby and saw Daisy this time. She waved and posed a lot for Boo.

And of course, we had to stop and inspect the tow truck before leaving. We had a fulfilling day at Hollywood Studios. Nemo will be talking about it for the next year. We hopped on the Skyliner and enjoyed a peaceful ride. When the narrator said "Caribbean Beach Resort", Nemo said “Caribbean?!" It wasn't our plan to hang out here tonight, but it was now.

We went on a slow and scenic walk around Caribbean. We walked alone on the path and watched the Skyliner glide over the yellow and blue, pink and green buildings, listening to the quietness of the humming sound.

We found a little cabana for the kids to relax in before Boo said she had to go potty. So we went to the lobby and did that, then watched TV there. I was again, just overtaken by that sweet lobby smell!

Eventually, we Skylinered back to Pop and Boo curled up against me… I just took it all in. Today was one of those days that reminded me of how much I love Disney. Why I love Disney. Everything is so beautiful and well taken care of. I feel at ease, safe, happy, and peaceful. And the magic is well and alive through the eyes of my children. Nemo said “I love Disney World. I want to stay here forever.” I feel that. Just seeing the colorful hippy flowers on our building or the orange POP sign and hearing the sounds from the pool. It’s home.

At bedtime, Nemo kept mumbling around Rise. He would occasionally mention “we got Kylo Ren.” Boo immediately fell asleep, snoring away as I knew she would. She powered through today because she didn’t want to miss the fun. I don't blame her. It was a great day.

 

[belledream]

Everyone was stirring around 7am, and the allure of Epcot gets us up and moving, regardless of what time the park opens. Today, we got to Epcot with 30 minutes to spare before Early Entry thanks to the best Skyliner ride ever. We love going through Riviera ("RR! Riviera Resort!"), we love the turning station, and we love gliding over France and seeing all the architecture.

It was a bright clear and breezy morning. The good weather continues. Epcot was in bloom and it was such a happy, familiar sight. It made our Christmas trip feel like it was all a dream, because this is just how it's always been.

While everyone else headed towards France, we walked to the United Kingdom listening to "Greensleeves" playing in the background. Empty World Showcase is truly one of the best things in the world.

The kids ran to see the Winnie the Pooh topiaries, and then proceeded to talk to each other in the phonebooths for 10 minutes. I was really taken by the willow trees in the Shakespeare Garden display. The sound of the fountain completed the mood, of course.

Once we were finally able to get the kids out of the phonebooths, we moseyed on down a little further and excitedly identified the Peter Pan topiaries and requested to have pictures taken in from of them.

We were near the front of the line being held at Canada, and in a few minutes, we were walking quickly to Norway and into the Frozen line right at 8:30. Early Entry has been so good for us this trip. It has saved us from thinking we needed to buy Genie+ to experience some attractions, but also more importantly, it gets us out and about while the air is cool and the parks are empty. In my mind, feeling like we have the place to ourselves and not rushing to be anywhere is more enjoyable for all of us.

The kids love this queue. I pointed out the little Kristoff above the entrance, and then Nemo saw Oaken in the window and got a kick out of that. A quick 15 minutes later, we were in the gift shop. They both ran around there for a little while, checking out the three-way mirror together, and Boo tried on a lot of necklaces at once. She hasn't asked for any souvenirs yet this trip as she just thinks everything is there for her to look and play with, but I had a surprise up my sleeve for her. I had a brought a Frozen bubble wand from home that I was waiting to give to her on this day, in this very spot. I made the kids pose for a picture, and we took a video of me handing her the bubble wand. She was surprised and intrigued, and Nemo smiled and encouraged her. They knew exactly what it was. Then Boo had the most pleased look on her face as she pressed the button and bubbles started shooting out. As we walked back to the stroller, she proudly left a stream of bubbles behind her and said, "Mommy gave me present." As we walked toward Future World, she and Nemo were laughing madly as she blasted him in the face with bubbles. J caught a lot of it in the face too. They've always called out the bubble wands whenever we saw them, and now they had one of their own, and they even shared it surprisingly well. It helped that Chopper joined us at Epcot today, I'm sure.

At the spur of the moment, Nemo said he wanted to go on Mission: SPACE. He had done it in May, and opted to skip in November. So it wasn't on our radar, but we were more than happy that he wanted to do something that he found to be scary last time. I sent J with him, and Boo and I wandered around the area. We walked by Guardians (which I totally forgot we got Boarding Group 9 for this morning). J told me it's amazing and I should do it, but I honestly would rather be outside with the family and can wait another year or so.

We watched Donald and Daisy get pruned, but I was more interested in the plants. There were beets, swiss chard, carrots, and some other herbs, and I really enjoyed how those were all sprinkled in with the flowers.

Eventually, Boo and I wandered back to Mission: SPACE and went through the gift shop. We created a few postcards from space. This post-ride area brings back so many memories. My family and I would compete so hard at the Mission Space Race game with Triton vs Orion. I got so good and took it so seriously.

One thing that was unfamiliar was the Space Base play area. I felt like I had never seen this before. The things you never notice until you have kids. And when J and Nemo rejoined us, Nemo and Boo immediately noticed it and were off. Boo needed some rescuing, so J was basically up there the entire time too. I listened to their happy shouts and Nemo even got to the very top and I heard lots of, "Hi Mommy!"