Child Bricker’s first go to to Walt Disney World was considered one of our greatest ever holidays, and this journey report continues the first installment of ‘What Went Proper’ throughout that household journey. This options pictures & ideas from Port Orleans Riverside, in addition to our strategy to ADRs, fireworks, darkish rides, and images. Plus, the way it helped that we did WDW pre-baby, full circle moments, and why (for us) it’s higher to be vacationers within the “Disney Bubble” than locals who can go to freely.
As mentioned in half one, this was enjoyable and immensely satisfying as we rediscovered Walt Disney World as dad and mom. It was additionally an enormous studying expertise. This and the primary installment of the journey report give attention to the highlights and our successes, however make no mistake–we made loads of errors and quite a bit went incorrect! That’ll be coated within the third and possibly/hopefully ultimate a part of the journey report.
Within the meantime, right here’s extra of our “wins” as a household taking Child Bricker (Megatron) to Walt Disney World for the primary time. That is going to be one other lengthy one, so let’s dig proper in…
Port Orleans Riverside – There have been just a few full circle moments, and a kind of began the second we stepped off the airport shuttle, which was like being transported again to November 2007. Besides this time, the Mears bus didn’t have the Disney’s Magical Categorical wrapper and value us cash.
That was the Christmas journey throughout which we acquired engaged, and though the proposal itself occured on the seaside of the Poly reasonably than at Port Orleans Riverside, we had been staying on the later. I nonetheless bear in mind being a ball of hysteria as we took the boat down the Sassagoula River to Downtown Disney for Earl of Sandwich, nervously getting dressed for dinner, and celebrating post-proposal (spoiler: she stated sure) again in our room at Riverside.
We tried to duplicate a few of our engagement pictures at Riverside throughout this journey, which was a surprisingly straightforward since not a lot has modified and our engagement pictures had been rapidly shot with a degree & shoot. It was the primary of a number of instances that Sarah cried throughout this journey. (Out of happiness, to be clear.)
Royal Rooms – Megatron is just too younger for princesses and stereotypically girly stuff. Proper now, her high curiosity is stuffed animals; the primary draw to these is colours, textures and–for causes past me–lengthy tags. I do assume she has an innate attraction to precise princesses, however that’s not the identical as footage on the wall or regal decor. To be trustworthy, I don’t assume she even noticed any of that–it may be troublesome to inform what catches her consideration and what’s simply background noise.
One factor I do know she liked is the light-up headboards within the Royal Rooms at Riverside. These had been an enormous hit. She turned completely enraptured when the fiber optic fireworks began lighting up, bouncing herself on the mattress, laughing, and getting all wound up. These fireworks rank proper up there with pretend fart sounds when it comes to the extent of amusement provided. I solely want there have been an “all the time on” mode so I didn’t need to press that button each ~30 seconds!
Normally, the Royal Rooms at Riverside are nonetheless in shockingly good condition. They’re a one and achieved for us for some time, however that’s an “us problem” reasonably than an issue with the rooms themselves. They’re actually enjoyable and reminder that Disney can do lavish and elaborate design–even at a Average–that immerses friends in Disney magic. I’d like to see Imagineering have the possibility to do extra just like the Royal Rooms.
Doing Disney Pre-Child – This one is a given for us since we have now this weblog and all. We’ve been visiting Walt Disney World since we had been children and have gone numerous instances as each locals and out-of-state Annual Passholders as adults. Suffice to say, I believe it was vastly advantageous that we’ve been to Walt Disney World pre-baby.
The truth is, if I may make only one advice to future dad and mom, it might be to go to previous to having children. You don’t need to be like us–even one journey will do the trick! And should you aren’t capable of accomplish that, positively attempt to go when your children are nonetheless infants and the whole lot is straightforward. (Or so I’m instructed. It doesn’t appear straightforward proper now!)
The purpose is {that a} Walt Disney World journey earlier than having children, or at the least earlier than they attain their childhood, is familiarizing your self with the place and resetting expectations. Regardless of the expectations of fogeys planning a first-time journey, they’re most likely unrealistic. This isn’t to say that Walt Disney World will underwhelm or disappoint. Fairly the opposite, and I say that with renewed emphasis after seeing the place via our daughter’s eyes for the primary time.
Relatively, it’s that you will set expectations at an unrealistic degree. Considering you’ll accomplish greater than you’ll and setting the stakes too excessive, all resulting in disappointment when issues inevitably don’t go to plan. We’ve seen (many instances) that one of the best laid plans typically go awry. That’s simply true basically, however particularly so with children.
The large factor you need to study from doing Walt Disney World pre-kids is that none of this issues. You’ll be disabused of the notion that you are able to do the whole lot. You’ll get the impulse to perform an excessive amount of out of your system. You’ll understand that being there is what counts, and it doesn’t matter if that point is spent using E-Ticket sights, marveling at a Goofy statue, or enjoying on the pool.
Forming these coveted ‘core reminiscences’ is what issues, and that may occur wherever, at any time. Maybe most significantly, you can not plan once they’ll be fashioned. Attempt choreographing the whole lot an excessive amount of or forcing core reminiscences and it’s more likely to backfire.
It is a long-winded approach of claiming that we didn’t got down to accomplish a lot. Even just a few of the issues on our very brief lists of stuff to do didn’t find yourself occurring. And but, we achieved a lot extra on the identical time. Issues we by no means knew we’d like to do.
So I suppose what I’m saying is that having expertise and thus the posh of low expectations helped us immensely. That freedom to roll with the punches was one thing that went proper, as a result of it led to sudden moments of pleasure and fond household reminiscences. (I hope that final half is actionable even when the primary half isn’t.)
Pictures – I took like one good panorama photograph throughout our whole week at Walt Disney World. And I wouldn’t have it another approach. Regardless of that lack of ‘epic’ pictures, I can safely say this was my most impressed journey for images in a very long time. That’s as a result of, unsurprisingly, the overwhelming majority of the time, my digicam was firmly centered on Sarah and Megatron.
I’m nonetheless going via all the pictures, however there are already dozens–if not a whole bunch–that I like. And I don’t simply love them as a result of I like my spouse and daughter (though that most likely does make me a tad biased). It’s as a result of I put in effort to seize these magical moments and liked each second of doing it.
Child images additionally presents a brand new studying expertise for me, particularly since I need a first rate share of the pictures to not present Megatron’s face. Portraiture has by no means been my robust go well with, and on high of that, infants–lovely as they could be–aren’t precisely often called cooperative fashions. All of this combines to pose a brand new problem–and one other kind of images for me to grasp.
I’m actually happy with lots of the pictures, however equally as necessary, I need to get higher. I need our daughter to have the ability to look again at these sometime and see the love in them, realizing that her dad and mom assume the world of her.
Final-Minute ADRs – As talked about over time, we’re not significantly eager on Advance Eating Reservations. We do it as obligatory for absolute must-dos, corresponding to when a restaurant is reopening (or opening for the primary time…however in the previous few years, largely reopening). On this case, that meant the return of 1900 Park Fare.
Past that, we spent lots of time fixating on ADRs, making and modifying (and in some instances, cancelling and remaking) reservations after we discovered one thing “higher” or modified our minds. That occurred quite a bit, and the tip consequence was hours of ADR-making; simply probably the most for any journey since our honeymoon almost 15 years in the past.
In the long run, we didn’t follow-through and do a single ADR made previous to the beginning of the journey. Not one. Our plans saved “evolving” (as a result of child), so I saved cancelling, rechecking, and modifying. To my shock, this labored out flawlessly. We acquired each single reservation we needed, together with Area 220 Lounge, 1900 Park Fare Breakfast, and 1900 Park Fare Dinner. That’s 3 of the 5 most troublesome ADRs at Walt Disney World proper now.
Not solely did we get the ADRs we needed, however we acquired instances that we needed. Granted, the instances that we needed are most likely among the many least fascinating (first or final seatings) for many friends, however the level nonetheless stands that we acquired what we needed at difficult ADRs, all same-day or the evening earlier than. We may’ve achieved many different meals this fashion, and had been tempted by ADRs for Topolino’s Terrace Breakfast and Artist Level, too.
This has lengthy been our strategy as a pair (or for me as a solo traveler), however we frightened it’d be completely different on the tail finish of spring break season and as a celebration of three (that means a desk for 4 as an alternative of two). Breakfast at 1900 Park Fare and Area 220 Lounge had been positively difficult, however we had nice success throughout the board based mostly on what labored with our extra spontaneous schedule. It was actually nice not being tied to plans we made months upfront, particularly with a child!
Fireworks – Going into the journey, I used to be sort of dreading the nighttime spectaculars. We had no intentions of watching any of them. Even with protecting child earmuffs, we had no need to topic ourselves to the mass exodus at Magic Kingdom post-fireworks. I’ve seen too many seems of dread within the eyes of fogeys attempting to navigate the chaos and crowds over time to need to topic us to that simply but.
My concern was that we’d inadvertently find yourself needing to exit round fireworks time, and I used to be anxious about inadvertently having to take care of that congestion. Fortunately, that was by no means the case. We prevented all of them of our nights within the parks, whereas additionally “rediscovering” simply how a lot you may accomplish whereas everybody else is watching the exhibits. (One thing we actually “discovered” with Disney Enchantment, which we seldom made a degree of seeing.)
Whereas it didn’t make sense from a purely strategic perspective, I’ve few higher reminiscences from the journey than after we looped “it’s a small world” repeatedly throughout Fortunately Ever After and acquired our personal boat every time. Doing Peter Pan’s Flight with no wait was additionally nice, as had been the opposite Fantasyland darkish rides.
Megatron has an affinity for brilliant lights and sounds, so we did find yourself watching as soon as from the commentary space on the Modern after dinner at Contempo Cafe, and that was a very enjoyable expertise. Megatron’s eyes lit up and she or he saved gazing up or again at us–I’d prefer to assume it was a “do you guys see this amazingness within the sky, fairly loopy, proper?!” response.
It was additionally Sarah’s first time seeing Fortunately Ever After shortly, and it was an emotional expertise for her. That fireworks present has grow to be significant for us over time, particularly upon its return in 2021. Again then, it felt like we (collectively) had made it to the opposite aspect. On this evening in 2024, it felt like our household had.
Darkish Rides – As talked about above, we rode “it’s a small world” repeatedly. It seems that Child Bricker is a giant fan of darkish rides (yep, she’s ours!) She liked each single darkish experience that we did, together with Haunted Mansion. (She’s fearless…for now!) This wasn’t an enormous shock–Megatron is a giant fan of colours, shapes and sounds, so darkish rides actually have all of it from her perspective.
We discovered “it’s a small world” and Dwelling with the Land to be one of the best darkish rides for our household, as they’ve quite a bit that’s visually partaking, are brilliant sufficient that we will see her reactions to the present scenes, they usually’re additionally boat rides. Whereas the PeopleMover constantly put her to sleep (it’s identical to being within the automobile for a child!), the water beneath the boat appeared to assist stimulate and preserve her consideration…and not put her to sleep.
Now watch, our subsequent half-dozen rides on “it’s a small world” at Disneyland will all grow to be nap classes. (Few issues appear extra constant or predictable with infants than inconsistency and unpredictability about how their reactions “evolve” over time.)
Skipping Genie – We had been open to purchasing Genie+ for Magic Kingdom going into the journey, however that was actually about it. In the long run, we didn’t purchase it wherever and had been very happy with that call. Just about each single attraction that we needed to do as a household is unpopular, in order that definitely helped. Megatron isn’t fairly tall sufficient to do TRON Lightcycle Run, Mission Area, and even Seven Dwarfs Mine Prepare. Give her just a few extra months.
It additionally helped that we had no need to do sights individually. I’d think about that’ll change sooner or later, however I’ve achieved sufficient rides on my own within the final yr for a lifetime, and this journey was all about experiencing issues collectively as a household. (Another excuse why it’s good to do Disney pre-baby.)
On high of that, our schedule was very dynamic and dictated by the wants of Megatron. (Additionally, we tried to do rides whereas she was awake.) Shopping for Genie+ and weaving that into our schedule would’ve been tilting at windmills, and I’m glad we didn’t trouble with it. We are going to once more sooner or later, I’m positive, however not for now. (I’m additionally now trying ahead to pre-arrival Lightning Lanes much less–I can’t think about that with small children.)
Trip Vibe – Having lived in each Orange Counties (California and Florida), we choose experiencing Walt Disney World like vacationers. To make certain, there are main benefits to being an area, however on steadiness, I’d reasonably expertise the Trip Kingdom of the World as a trip. Even my solo month-to-month analysis journeys have been extra satisfying (and actually, extra fruitful) and extra encompassing now that I’m experiencing the parks once more like a vacationer.
Having the ability to pop in for just a few hours at at time positively has its benefits. Greater than anything, I miss going to EPCOT for dinner, watching the fireworks, and doing laps of World Showcase because the park closed. Don’t get me incorrect–we had an incredible time residing in Florida and loved experiences we by no means may’ve as vacationers.
But in addition, there’s a level to which the whole lot turns into routine and begins dropping its luster. I believe that’s most likely why some locals fixate on faults and issues–they’re simpler to identify when Disney is interchangeable with the mall, and stops being a really particular place.
Clearly, I can’t converse for everybody–however Walt Disney World simply “hits in another way” for us when skilled as an entirely immersive multi-day trip vacation spot divorced from the actual world. The Disney Bubble is unquestionably a factor, and it’s improbable. (To not discourage anybody from changing into an area, as that’s a novel and distinctive expertise in its personal proper.)
There are a few explanation why this Walt Disney World journey resonated much more than regular. The primary is just because it was Sarah’s and my first trip collectively since November 2022. Whereas I have traveled quite a bit (completely to Walt Disney World) within the final year-plus, she erred on the aspect of warning throughout a (dangerous) being pregnant.
So this journey was a very long time coming, and was a very welcome aid. That might’ve been the case even when it had been simply us–it’s true that absence makes the guts develop fonder. On high of that, seeing the parks via the eyes of our child simply dialed the whole lot as much as 11.
The second motive is that there’s actually no straightforward “popping in” to Disneyland. There have been instances when it has taken us almost an hour from the time we arrived at Mickey & Buddies till we entered the parks. That’s simply the parking and strolling time, and doesn’t embody our commute, which can also add lots of time if we get unfortunate with site visitors. (Is it actually thought of “unfortunate” if it’s the rule reasonably than exception?) Most likely stating the apparent, however that may set a sure tone for the go to to come back.
Don’t get me incorrect, we’ve had some completely improbable days at Disneyland. Our first in the course of the vacation season stays the high-water mark to today, and I’m so grateful that went so effectively. Most of nowadays and nights within the park have been enjoyable, however there’s nonetheless simply one thing completely different about Disneyland as an everyday native versus Walt Disney World as a vacationer. I believe it’s a kind of “if , ” issues and additional clarification isn’t going to maneuver the needle by hook or by crook.
In the meantime, our first trip to Walt Disney World with Child Bricker–and first in over a yr for us as a pair–was nothing wanting magical. We had been totally current all through the journey, with out distractions of the actual world contained in the Disney Bubble–we went totally into “Trip Mode.” There have been a variety of goosebumps moments, flashbacks to previous journeys, and the aforementioned full circle experiences.
I do know I’m rambling at this level, and it’s troublesome to articulate what this implies. One particular instance is a favourite reminiscence of mine from our second journey collectively as adults again in 2007. We acquired dressed up, took the monorail to the Modern, and loved a fantastic feast at California Grill. We had been broke school college students on the time, and this was our first actually fancy date evening.
Leaving on the monorail after that unimaginable meal and seeing the lights and sights out the window, we felt the magic. That was the evening that acquired us perpetually hooked on Walt Disney World. I knew, proper then, that this was the place my future spouse and our future children could be coming for the remainder of our lives. Clearly, I didn’t know the specifics or how issues would play out (or wouldn’t) within the intervening years…however I simply knew.
Quick ahead over 15 years, and we’re leaving the Modern after child’s first character meal at Chef Mickey’s. We board the monorail and have a cabin to ourselves, and our hearts simply really feel full. I look over at my daughter and spouse, and it’s like a kind of jump-cut flashbacks in films, like the current flickering and merging with the previous or one thing. I couldn’t assist however get choked up just a little. Anyway, this whole journey was full of moments identical to that.
That is one other a kind of “if , ” issues. Besides the distinction right here is that I’m betting that most of precisely what I imply right here. Walt Disney World is a really magical place, with glorious sights, unimaginable eating places, exemplary Solid Members, and a lot extra.
However it’s the indelible reminiscences we make with household and buddies, and a eager for these nostalgic journeys down reminiscence lane, that maintain so many people coming again. A decade from now, I received’t bear in mind how the meals tasted that day at Chef Mickey’s. However seeing the look on my daughter’s face as she was decided to seize some mouse nostril or when she started laughing uncontrollably (for no motive?) at Pluto or that full circle feeling as we had been sitting alone collectively on that monorail…I couldn’t neglect these moments even when I attempted. The uninitiated who don’t “get” Disney won’t ever perceive, however you do. And it’s why all of us maintain going again dwelling to Walt Disney World, repeatedly.
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Study resorts on our Walt Disney World Accommodations Critiques web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Critiques. To save cash on tickets or decide which sort to purchase, learn our Ideas for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets publish. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys publish takes a singular have a look at intelligent objects to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Experience Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, one of the best place to begin is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for the whole lot you might want to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Ideas on what went proper throughout Child Bricker’s first journey to Walt Disney World? The rest you’re desirous about studying about with regard to Megatron, infants within the parks, and many others? Anecdotes of your individual about first visits to the Disney parks? Every other questions? Listening to your suggestions is all the time appreciated, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
