Trip Report Never tell me the odds! ***Completed***

Extreme temperatures, toddler tantrums and family tension- what could go wrong?

Pre-trip is here. I think I’ve reached that sweet spot where it’s been enough time where I’ve recovered from the trip it not too much time where I’ve forgotten it.

Let’s get this rolling.

When: August 4th-10th 2023
Where: Pop Century
Cast:

• Me (BES)
• My 2yo daughter (Lil BES)
• My parents
• My 24yo brother
• My 12yo nephew (son of another brother who is passed away ~7 years ago)

Supporting Cast:

• My husband (DH)
• My brother’s dog (Elly)
• My brother’s rabbit (Bambi - don’t even get me started on the name…)
• Our dog (Maeby)

Spoiler: Track #1:

I really enjoyed the accompanying soundtrack last TR so I plan on doing it again.

 

[Back!Elbow!Shoulders!]

Wednesday August 9th (Day 6) Continued :

After lil BES woke up and the rest of the group returned from DHS it was decided we would go to MK for dinner as mom wanted to try Columbia Harbor House.

As we left for the bus I noticed our crew was a little short. Nephew wanted to stay at POP and rest and my parents decided it was fine.

Brother wasn’t ready yet and would meet us at MK later.

We got to MK about 6:30. There was some sort of parade/ cavalcade thing. Lil BES couldn’t see anything and didn’t seem interested.

My dad took some video of it and even now she doesn’t seem to care. I really hope her apathy towards parades continues because they aren’t my thing either.

We made it back to CHH, ordered and went upstairs to eat.

You didn’t think lil BES would let us pass up these primo stairs, did you?

I *think* I had chicken strips. I know lil BES had the kids salmon and green beans. She loved it.

She also scammed some of the donut that was on the special shake my mom ordered.

My brother joined us at some point in the meal and after everyone was done we set off to Fantasyland.

We all went on IASW and then, per lil BES’s request, got in line for Under the Sea aka “the one with the little crab”

My dad got a cute video of bro and I walking with lil BES in the queue. Here’s a still:

The posted wait was 30 min. We all figured that was a lie. Every other time we’ve been on it’s been a minimal wait. Today it was indeed a lie. In the other direction!

We waited longer than 30 mins. We went to sections of the queue I hadn’t seen before.

Lil BES was a champ in line and didn’t get scared by the Ursula scene.

Another Dad shot. It’s blurry but great:

Lil BES also wanted to ride the carousel but unfortunately by the time we were done with UtS the carousel was temporarily closed due to the impending fireworks.

We made the call not to wait until the carousel was reopened. Brother decided to get in another ride or two.

Parents and I decided to book it out of MK before the fireworks were done.

My parents ended up waaaay ahead of lil BES and I. The fireworks were starting as we exited the park and lil BES wanted to see.

So the two of us stopped and watched the fireworks from right before the bus area.

“You’ll be in My Heart” was playing. Lil BES was mesmerized by the fireworks. It felt like we were the only two people in WDW.

Spoiler: Track #20:

 

[Swissmiss]

lol. Glad you enjoyed it. I feel like some of the big advantages to being an “older” parent is the increased patience and decreased caring about what others think.

Sometimes that works out in lil BES’s favor- like me doing the Hot Dog Dance in the middle of Target to amuse her. Sometimes it means me being confident enough to wait out a tantrum.

You could be right, as I never negotiated with terrorists either . Once we had gone down to the neighborhood grocery store (which means all the employees knew us) and since it had been raining my daughter had on her rain boots; she wasn’t yet in school so she must have been 3ish. We walk inside, she sits down and takes them all. I ask calmly that she put them back on, she replies no, and of course you know the spiral. She‘s eventually having a full on tantrum on the flow and I’m just waiting it out. Then a little boy comes up - he couldn’t have been older than 7-8 - and as he slips her rain boots back on her flailing feet says "little girl you need to put your boots back on". And with that she stood up and we started our shopping

 

[Back!Elbow!Shoulders!]

Wednesday August 9th (Day 6) Continued :

Back at the POP the family wanted to stop in the store for some last minute gifts.

Lil BES was tired but not too tired to shop.

She talked me into a giant Chewbacca pen:

(After getting home I super glued the cap on because: toddler)

She also found a Disney coloring book. I let her get that too but told her it was something we would save for tomorrow.

Back at the room lil BES went to sleep pretty quickly. I started to pack anything I could pack ahead of time.


Thursday August 10th (Day 7) Departure Day

My alarm set for 630am but I was up by 6am.

I got ready and packed everything besides lil BES’s morning stuff.

Our stroller pickup was scheduled for 8am and the bus to airport was at 835am.

The plan was for everyone to be leaving with everything to be to stroller drop off by 8am.

Spoiler: Track #21:

 

[Back!Elbow!Shoulders!]

Thursday August 10th (Day 7) Continued:

Alarm set for 630. I was up by 6am.

About 655am my mom said she would send my dad to get luggage cart. He didn’t leave to get it until 715am.

At 740am the stroller guy text to say he was here. I didn’t see it til 750am. (I’m glad he was there promptly but with a toddler and herding my family every minute counts.)

My bro was not ready.

My mom decided to stay and move him along.Nephew, dad and I started to bell services with stroller crib and most of luggage on cart.

It ended up being just me and nephew with the crib and stroller and lil BES. Dad doing who knows what with the luggage cart.

Kingdom Strollers was wonderful once again. Worth every penny. AJ picked up stroller and checked in crib. I’m pretty sure he’s who did our pick up and drop off last time too.

Eventually dad showed up with luggage cart. Already an earlier mears bus picking up. Told dad to wait until that bus left then put luggage in pick up area and then drop off luggage cart.

Mom still apparently waiting for bro to finish getting ready.

I went into food court holding lil BES to get milk. I ended with with milk; apple juice, a muffin and cookie.

Found dad and nephew not at bus pick up. Redirected them. Got lil BES on bench with her breakfast. Got nephew situated. Mom showed up. No brother yet.

Eventually bro showed up. Then left to go to the bathroom as we had “plenty of time”.

The Mears bus was on time. Pop was first stop then Gaylord palms. Great bus driver. Appreciated that she wasn’t too chatty (but still pleasant). Would not have been it ready for a hamming it up driver.

Once at airport, no one knew what to do. Not exaggerating. I had to guide them that step one was checking in luggage.

My parents don’t fly often but they have flown many times. But they were acting brand new today.

There were long lines for delta kiosks. I went to a generic airport one. Only got 5 of 6 boarding passes. No bag tags.

So now I had to go wait in line for Delta kiosk. Got the last boarding pass and bag tags. Now we all had to get online to check our bags.

Now lil BES, nephew and I went to precheck. Again with all carryons, stroller and car seat. The rest headed off to regular TSA.

Again Precheck was great. I had to get swabbed and lil BES was getting cranky.

Lil BES: “Put me down. I want to gooooooo!!!!”

TSA agent: “Oh me too sweetie. Me too.”

Gathered up our stuff and decided to take the train to terminal instead of waiting for the others. Nephew hadn’t had breakfast yet and wanted Burger King.

Nephew was so sweet and helpful. Lil BES was out of stroller and wanted to stand up to ride train and we let her.

Spoiler: Track #22:

 

[LSV]

Excellent Spoiler tracks today!

 

[Swissmiss]

Oh no … it can’t almost be over. How am I going to get exposed to different musical styles?

 

[cgersic]

Agreed - your spoiler tracks are soooo good and the way they fit your post...

 

[Back!Elbow!Shoulders!]

Oh no … it can’t almost be over. How am I going to get exposed to different musical styles?

Well there might be a reason I’m in a rush to finish this TR…

Agreed - your spoiler tracks are soooo good and the way they fit your post...

Good to know people are enjoying the spoiler tracks. I’ll keep that in mind for any future TRs that perhaps might be weeks away…

 

[rshell68]

Well there might be a reason I’m in a rush to finish this TR…

Good to know people are enjoying the spoiler tracks. I’ll keep that in mind for any future TRs that perhaps might be weeks away…

Another trip!?!?

 

[Back!Elbow!Shoulders!]

Another trip!?!?

 

[rshell68]

 

[Back!Elbow!Shoulders!]

Thursday August 10th (Day 7) Continued:

Once in the gate area we found Burger King was closed for renovations. Nephew ok with it.

We wrangled lil BES to terminal map and nephew reselected. Aunt Anne’s. I gave him a $20 and got lil BES to a table so she could color.

Rest of fam still not through TSA. We colored and ate pretzel bites. Nephew gave me my change and I told he could keep it. He insisted I take it since I already paid for the whole trip.

Eventually others got off train and mom and brother immediately went off to do… something?

I really had to pee. Lil BES needed something more substantial to eat. I was in desperate need of a coffee and something to last me until dinner time.

I realized my best option was mobile order Starbucks. A lot of food stuff was out. I ordered coffee.

Got a chicken egg maple sandwich for me. Ham and cheese croissant for lil BES (And cake pop for potential bribery for her later.)

When I thought order would be ready asked my dad if he would watch lil BES. Went pee and picked up the order. Triple checked that it was mine.

Got lil BES situated with sandwich. Slammed some coffee and went to give lil BES her juice box from the diaper bag.

Where was diaper bag?

Oh no. Oh no.

I fonorailed back to security. TSA was super helpful and understanding. They found bag and rescreened it.

Back to terminal with a little time to spare. Once the bag was re-acquired my journey back to the gates was dare-I-say peaceful. It was probably the most alone time I had all week.

Spoiler: Track #23:

 

[Bullseye1967]

Rest of fam still not through TSA. We colored and ate pretzel bites. Nephew gave me my change and I told he could keep it. He insisted I take it since I already paid for the whole trip.

Good parents there!!!!!

 

[Back!Elbow!Shoulders!]

Good grandparents there!!!!!

FTFY My parents pretty much raised him.

 

[Back!Elbow!Shoulders!]

Thursday August 10th (Day 7) Continued:

Back at the gate side atrium area I shoveled in my breakfast and gave lil BES her re-acquired juice. She immediately spilled some on her.

Oh well. I wanted to put pants on her and change her diaper anyway. After we did that I declared it time for everyone to head to the gate.

Well everyone but my brother. He decided now was a good time to look for a snack.

I got the gate tag for stroller and told we could all board with family boarding.

Once family boarding was announced my parents rushed to board. Once again they left me, nephew and lil BES behind. Bro was still MIA so I texted him that he would have to board regular and soon.

By the time lil BES, nephew and I got to back of plane Dad was already installing car seat. But not in right seat location. I showed everyone where our seats were.

Lil BES requested to sit by Papa again. Once situated she started watching Peppa Pig. She fell asleep before takeoff.

Bro made it on the plane just fine. Parents were very stressed about it but… technically they were the ones that left him behind. He’s the one who shoulda been stressed.

Since my dad was driving home I got a whiskey and coke on the flight. I felt like I earned it. It was jack daniels though so a little (I guess I’m a little boujee with whiskey.)

The flight was uneventful. The gate we landed at was at the far end of the terminal so we had quite the trek to get our luggage.

You all will be shocked to learn my parents took off and let the rest of us try to get lil BES into her stroller and then when that failed, walk with her.

Bro, nephew and I gave zero bothers about my parents irritated looks from way ahead of us and let lil BES have grand and slow time on the moving sidewalks.

Eventually we made our way to luggage and then to my parent’s car. We were grateful that no KIA boys took it while we were gone.

Dad was incredulous about using google maps while driving home. The rest of us kinda side-eyed him and he decided to take the google maps route- and loved it.

Nephew did a fantastic job entertaining lil BES during our drive. Lil BES and I were dropped off first and the rest of the family continued home.

DH and our dog were very excited to see us. And we were very excited to home.

Spoiler: Track #24:

 

[Tuvalu]

For being an amazing mom, daughter, sister and aunt.

And for a great TR!

 

[Swissmiss]

For being an amazing mom, daughter, sister and aunt.

And for a great TR!

@Tuvalu said it all; I can only add: ditto!

 

[cgersic]

You all will be shocked to learn my parents took off

I laughed out loud at this comment. Please do another trip report soon, you are really really good at it!

 

[rshell68]

You are an amazing Mom, daughter, sister, aunt AND Trip Reporter!!! Thank you for taking us with you!!

 

[LSV]

You are an amazing Mom, daughter, sister, aunt AND Trip Reporter!!! Thank you for taking us with you!!

And music curator! (Just had to google Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros)