Disney Oopsies and Reviews

Looking back to before our trip, I tried to prepare for it...and Isaac's needs too. I forgot shirts, I didn't pack enough juice, and it still came out wonderful. Do I think I over thought? Over planned? Over did it? No. When it comes to taking little ones to Disney, especially for as long as we did, it needs to be planned out. Almost by the hour. As my mom said though, you just have to roll with any punches that come your way. Like D getting sick. Thankfully we didn't fly and didn't lose the day and had the opportunity to stay another day.
Some new things that I absolutely love...magic bands. You get used to them after about a day and a half, link your credit card up...and other than diapers and extra clothes we didn't need to carry tons of crap. Like wallets. If I had actually read the stuff I could've linked our photopass thing to it. You have to have a pin, and can regulate if the kids can charge anything on it, so if you lose it, no one can rack up tons of bills or use your dining plan unless they know your pin.
Fast pass plus. Wonderful for reasons of can plan your day out. Example: Hollywood studios.... get fast pass of tower of terror at 10 (months in advance) get there are 9 and book it for rockin roller coaster. You'll be right there for when you get off for your fast pass at Tower. Always, Always always get fast pass for Toy Story Mania. That line is beyond scary. First thing in the morning, stand by line is 40 min. By afternoon it's 120 min. No joke.
Bad news on fast pass plus, and regrettably I had an argument with cast member over this...when setting them up on internet (or there in the park on ipads) you can only pick 3 per day. (NOT PER PARK. 3 PER DAY EVEN IF PARK HOPPING). Now, since people still actually had paper tickets (keycards) and could get paper fast passes, I was livid. They could still get an new fast pass ever hour and half. So if they planned their day right they could get up to 5 or 6. Hence the "not so nice" conversation I had with cast member. Another downside we really only came to in HS and not another park...they now have the rides to choose from on Fast Pass in categories. That's right... if you fast pass Toy Story you can't fast pass Rockin Roller coaster in the same day...but you can do Toy Story and Tower of Terror in same day. Choose wisely my friends if you only have one day at a park. There were times when Tower's line was only 20 min, so not bad at all. You cannot get another fastpass signup even once you use one. Boo.
All in all, even though it was really expensive and rough on the little ones...we had just the right amount of time on this trip. I really don't know if I could try to go for under 10 days if we were taking the kids. We really do have to plan to do a big kid thing, then a little kid thing, and then every once in a while we did a mommy thing. Too bad I'm too old for the Bibbity Boppity Boutique...cause I sure would have gone.
Photopass plus. Just do it. Wonderful photos, we are all in them, they are almost everywhere. Wait times for taking pics is about 2 min or none (not including Osbourne Light photos...sheesh!)
Guests with disabilities...like autism: if they are young...get the red tag for the stroller. Saved us more than once. Isaac does not like being still or rather not moving. Waiting in the character lines or trying to hold 37 lbs of non stop wiggling for shows is frustrating, painful, and will downright drive you nuts. With the stroller is wheelchair tag we were able to keep him in the stroller til the last min or for the entire show when strollers normally aren't allowed. We did not use this for Landon's stroller. We parked his for everything and he walked like every normal child. The first 2 times, we parked Isaac's stroller and put him in the monkey harness....we learned really quick this is a bad idea. I just wish that one of us could've stayed in the line while the other pushed isaac around then came to the exit when it was our turn. He still wasn't too happy in the stroller, with it not moving, but it was better than him being out. I don't know why Disney couldn't do this. After all, we'd be waiting our turn in line, just like everyone else...only the stroller wouldn't have to go through the line too. Happier Isaac. We did the best we could, and it worked out cause he loved the characters! Best bet of all...character dining. For our next trip, all character dining I can plan or we can pay for in addition to the dining plan...so we won't have to stand in the lines for those characters and we can plan on only going to see those who we can't see in character dining. Also...Garden Grill wouldn't let me seat all of us together...only one that wouldn't...so no more of that place. Chip and Dale have the shortest lines of all in the parks, especially Epcot.
After going twice during the Christmas Holiday season, and once getting to go to the Very Merry Christmas Party, I am not sure I can quite bring myself to plan to take the kids any other time of the year. It is absolutely fabulous. I'm sure Disney is always magical, but y'all....absolutely amazing. The scents, the seasonal snacks...oh my. And the Very Merry Christmas Party is worth it. The crowd is not that much thinner than normal...the parade is scent/sight/sound overload on the best level possible. I cried. Now, for my little man who loves Toy Story...the dancing with Woody and Jessie were the best. They have Woody's dance party during the Christmas party. There are at any given time about 20 little ones in there dancing with them and they make sure to get to everybody. And Landon danced with Jessie for a while! He loved it! Woody tried to get him to dance with him, but Landon needed to warm up first. Woody is larger than life too. In our pics on FB you can see just how tall Woody is...his hip is as tall as D's shoulder. So he talks more now about getting to dance with Jessie. :)

Although I'm wanting D and me to go for the Not so scary Halloween party, as I love the Villians, I do think in 2 years it's back at Christmas time!