I feel like I’m fumbling through my days, sucking down vitamins and lots of water… trying to recover whilst hitting the ground running. It’s like finals week in college. Except I didn’t really stay up all night, I’m a good twelve years older, and I certainly didn’t party (unless acting like a dork with my kids counts). I have shin splints and need a good detox, y’all.
We just spent a full week at the happiest place on earth, and when people ask me how it went, I kind of feel like that chick from The Ring. I’m all, Seven days with a scary hiss while I do the creepy out-of-a-well, bed-head water ghost crawl across the ceiling. Because that’s really all I can muster right now. Maybe they should ask me again in a few weeks because I sound like an ingrate in recovery mode.
I just surpassed status don’t talk to me until I’ve had my coffee, so I should be good in a few more days.
Because let’s be honest… Disney is exhausting amazing.
My friend Erin nailed it on the head when she asked if we’d recovered yet. Then she said that going to Disney is like having babies. We go, come back absolutely exhausted, and when enough time has passed, we forget. And we go again.
Because it’s all about the memories.
The truth hurts. I need a vacation from my vacation.
So we’re bringing it back: Keys to the Kingdom… so many things have changed since we did this series on Disney Vacations a few years ago. We received such great feedback from it all, and recently received so many questions, that we thought it was time to update a few things from a parent-with-kids perspective.
We’ll be revamping some old points and covering aspects of a Disney Vacation in a series of different posts. So if you have any questions or know of something you’d like to see covered, be sure to leave it in the comment section below. We’d love to address them as we can in the upcoming series!
We’ve been twice with our family, and to be honest, this time it was a little more challenging. I think it was a lot of different elements, and a few of them we’ll-know-better-next-time kinda things. It was interesting, for sure. I think that every time is a different experience, and that’s the magic of Disney.
A little claim-to-fame nerd fact about moi in a nutshell: I worked at the The Magic Kingdom in college. I was there for an internship, and they even asked me to be “good friends” with Cinderella. But I had broken up with my own real-life prince charming {I know. You’re either gagging right now over the drama or laughing at the screen – I still do both} and I went home, instead. And the rest, is history. I guess you can say I knew what I wanted.
So romantical.
My point? I thought I knew the parks. This in no way qualified me, because then I had kids. And brought them here.
Jamin and me circa 2000: {Me rocking the Birks + him those tube socks, pre-breakup. He came down for a little visit} Then Circa 2011 {Our first trip with offspring} And last week. {Don’t blink. It’s blowing my mind and I’m twenty kinds of sentimental.}
We’re like a fine wine, no? Okay fine. I feel really old and this is what I tell myself while rocking a-la fetal position in the corner.
A few fun things:
Our kids were totally into the characters this time. I was under-prepared for meeting. All. The. Characters. Last time {ages 6, 4, + 2} They just kind of smiled and stared at the camera while I snapped a few pics. This time {8, 6, + 4} we had to get all of the autographs. And all of the pictures. With all of the princesses. Don’t let Aiden’s face fool you in these. He apparently just doesn’t know how to smile, and I think he was just as excited as Emerson. The sad part? I still left some of the characters out. But I’m documenting it here. So you can appreciate all of our hard work.
This was hard work. If you’ve been there, you know. Admire it. Love it. Be happy looking at them.
A few things of note: 1. Doc McStuffins has amazing shoes. 2. Sofia kinda creeped me out (but her cartoon version does too- I have no idea why-maybe its the over the top makeup large head thing?) 3. Aiden said he doesn’t like Jasmin because she shows her belly button. 4. Jack Sparrow was in full-on character hilarious 5. Darth was so cool, and the kids were so excited, I could have cried. No judging.
A lot of times, our photos ended up looking like this. Because if they had to wait in one more line they just. may. die.
And then there were epic moments like this.
And can I just say that when the (usually agreeable, fairly quiet) 4 year old put on that makeup on the first day, it was the beginning of the end? He didn’t know what to do with A. The sugar. B. The excitement. C. The absolute overstimulation. Out of control, freakout hysteria ensued.
We were those people when he just took off into a cast-only area and we didn’t even realize it until someone brought him back. He wrestled out of our arms and threw himself into strangers. It was honestly so funny… I just kept saying it was memories. And laughing. While crying. Wondering what on earth was happening. And apologizing.
And then there were sweet moments – little reminders of why we were doing this.
Moments like this, when Jamin made fun of the adults participating in Belle’s Story Time, until they called him to the front and he was “forced” to take part. Then he suddenly wanted to make sure I got his picture with Belle.
He was so excited. Bless it.
Or this. Snow White said she was familiar with the Auburn area, and may or may not have given us a “War Eagle.”
I always thought she was kind of a wimp with the apple thing, but I take it back. Snow White is our new favorite.
And moments like this.
And this.
And then the rides: We were all acting like dorks but had no idea we were all doing the same thing. Good times.
You’ll never forget your first time on Space Mountain.
And I’ll never forget that moment where I realized I’m too old for this nonsense.
And this.
Classic.
{Note Malone’s glasses. Note that I will never ride Star Tours again. Hashtag Ialmostralphedoneveryone.}
If we look completely spent, it’s because we were.
In the best possible way.
PS. Yes, I wore my hair in a braid nearly every day because I ran out of Moroccan Oil. It’s my post baby hair miracle product. And let’s be honest, I would probably do that anyway. Promise I washed it. Totally unrelated but the all-braids in all-the-pictures thing was bugging me.
Precious hugs from random people in costumes Dale.
Memories to last and laugh at and relish for a lifetime. That’s why we do it.
Because crazy crowds, a good dose of fun and Mickey-shaped ice cream is just good for the soul.
Thanks for letting me flood your computer screen with family photos under the guise of an upcoming series! Wasn’t that fun?
Seriously, we can’t wait to start our first {volume 2!} installment. If you hate Disney, you’re dead to us and you have no soul no worries because we post often so we will have something fresh and totally non-mouse related the next day. But our hope is that it may help anyone in planning a trip.
So tell us your burning thoughts and questions + be sure to give us your input! Fire away. We’d love to include it… coming soon!
Have an inspired day, y’all!
Kaki says
I loved your honesty in this post. We live just outside Orlando, so we have the luxury of just dropping in for a day here or there. It truly is a luxury. Nearly every time I’m there, I think “I can’t IMAGINE doing this for a WHOLE week!!” đ Bless you, for powering through, I know it was a great, but LONG time. đ
ashley @ the handmade home says
HOW WONDERFUL that must be! I love it. I can’t imagine how great! ;}
Julia T says
Ashley!!! I am completely freaked out by this postâŚbecause WE spent last week at Disney. We too went to Hollywood & Vine, Cinderella’s Royal Table, Chef Mickey’s. We too rode Dinosaur, the Kilamanjaro Safari, and Space Mountain. We too did the Jedi Training with the very same Jedi Master as in your photos. And we too had an amazing time. Tiring, yes. But FUN! I bet we passed each other a time or two last week, or maybe even rode a Disney bus together. I confess that I scoured the background of your photos to look for my own kids’ faces. đ How funny! Glad you had such a good time. (Oh, and my husband used to work at Disney as well. Great memories!) Thanks for your fun post.
ashley @ the handmade home says
That’s crazy! Maybe we should both dig through each other’s photos and see if we’re in the background. Have you ever wondered how many people’s photos you could possibly be in, in the background? That’s amazing! ;} I wonder if we just missed each other in different parks on different days!
Tonya says
Yeah! I read and pinned your first series! I’m in the beginning stages of planning our first trip…I NEED HELP! I feel like the whole thing is extremely overwhelming! Where do you stay? Meal plan? What are must-do activities? Where should we eat? How did you manage with the three little ones? Nap time or no? See what I mean? Full of questions! It looks like you guys had a great time!
Jessica Anderson says
Yay! Love disney! I actually first found your blog through your keys to the kingdom series when we were planning our trip in 2012! Lucky for me I found my absolute favorite diy home blog at the same time đ Cant wait for your next disney posts!
ashley @ the handmade home says
Awe yay! You are too sweet, Jessica! ;}
Kyla F says
These pictures are precious!! Disney is so dear to my heart so I’m really excited that you are bringing this series back đ I think you rocked the braid just fine! I just finished my bottle of Moroccan Oil as well and I will be sporting a braid over the next week during my recovery, so I am right there with you đ
Dallas Henderson says
“you’re dead to us and have no soul”-hahahahaha! yes ma’am, i agree. you MUST love Disney. my ring tone is the electrical parade song. maybe over the top? i don’t care.
Kelly says
Love it!! We took our kids in November and I have turned into a huge Disney Dork! I, who always swore no character anything in my home, maybe thinking of redoing my kids bathroom Mickey Style. But classy. đ Bring on the Keys to the Kingdom! I am in Ohio surrounded by snow- so if any of your pictures contain sunshine- make em really big. Kay?
Katrina | hurricane sandwich and the casita says
I love how you can take it all in with a grain of salt, and then report back with an extra dose of humor. This post makes me want to plan a Disney visit!
Shala says
I’m excited for this series! I’ve been to Disney a ton (got engaged there!) but never with kids of my own. We have a 10 month old and although I know it will be a while before we go, I’m already getting excited! I was wondering what the crowds were like in February?
Lori says
I loved reading your post about Disney… my kids are now 17 and 20 but since we live 3 hours from Orlando, they grew up going to Disney, in fact their first Disney experience was at the age of 1. At times I felt like you did, the hectic schedule, all the autograph lines and the pure exhaustion, but you are so right about all the memories that come out of those times. I look back at those pictures now and somehow wish I could have one more trip with them when they enjoyed all those things! We still go once a year but our itinerary is different and has changed over the years. But nothing says “I am still a kid” like watching the parade while eating a Mickey Bar!!
Ida says
I went through it all hoping there was at least one Mickey Ice Cream picture!!! Mickey Ice Cream rocks!
Wendy says
I’m a Disney nut! We’re DVC owners at Animal Kingdom Lodge, so we know a bit about the place. It is so exhausting when the little ones are little. I may or may not have napped on Haunted Mansion and Stitch’s Great Escape a time or two.
I think breaks are important with little ones, a little pool and/or nap time then hit the parks again in the evening. Or if you’re doing a week there, take a day in the middle to chill then maybe hit the parks at night. The kids do so love the resort pools!!
I look forward to seeing your tips for my favorite place on earth. đ
Kathy lopez says
I’m so excited for this series. Too bad it wasn’t like a month sooner, we’re leaving for a 3 day trip on Sunday with our 4 girls, ages 3-12. It will come in handy though because we’re splurging and buying passes for the year. I look forward to reading, and some of your pics brought happy tears, I can’t wait to experience this with my family for their first time. Thank you.
becca h says
We live in AZ so it’s a quick 6 hour drive to Disneyland for us and we have relatives that live close so we don’t have to pay for lodging. We’ve taken the kids twice now, once with just a 3 year old, and most recently with a 7 and 3 year old. We have purchased 3 day passes the two times we’ve been and it’s been a great time. My question is given that it would be much more costly for our family to fly there and get hotel rooms, is Disney World really that much better than Disneyland and in your opinion worth going there next time instead of Disneyland? Great idea and I look forward to all your tips!
Becca
Pam Ekker says
We went to Disney World for the first time with 3 kids last May. I had no idea how exhausting it would be. But I love what you said, because now almost a year later, I am thinking it would be fun to go again. We stayed offsite in a condo close by. I loved having space that a condo gives, but wonder if staying at Disney helps with any of the exhaustion at all. I originally thought I’d take our 2 year old back to nap, but never did – we stayed from morning til late night and just let her take cat-naps in the stroller. My older boys went strong all day. Did you stay at Disney?
cindy the cottage chick says
Toooo funny….we were there last week too, out 20-something-th trip. We didn’t even go to the parks this time (had our 2 youngest with us, boys 12 and 14, a very awkward age for Disney). We did lots of Disney-esque stuff though, like riding the monorail just ’cause. Dinner at Wilderness Lodge. Character goofiness with Chef Mickey and gang at the Contemporary. Downtown Disney and boats. We had a view of MK and Epcot fireworks everynight from our balcony. It was all good. Next time we go, all the offspring will be with us including spouses and grandbabies….and you’ve not done Disney until you’ve done it with a crowd of 16-ish ranging in ages from 9 months to 48. Just sayin’.
Autumn says
We were just there in January so I can so relate to the exhaustion! And the character lines. Our girls were not as into the characters (thankfully for us) as on prior trips but just had to see Anna & Elsa. The line was 4 hours the first day we attempted it and 2 hours the 2nd day when my husband actually waited in it. Insanity! Those precious photos though are worth it in the end.
Jennie says
Cannot wait for the series! My husband and I are taking our almost 3 year old this Fall for the first time. It is my first time as well, so I need all the tips you can give! And your pictures & kids are adorable.
Dana says
OK, the Star Wars ride picture seriously cracks. me. up.
I’m so glad you are doing this. We are taking a trip to Disney in October, and we are just starting to plan. We are staying at a timeshare off site, and that is already booked. Our kiddos will be 2 and 4.5 when we go. We will have other family members with us as well. What parks do you recommend if we only have 3 park days? Naps or no naps (this probably depends on the kids’ personalities)? What to do that’s fun but doesn’t cost WAY too much? Which character meals? Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party? Any suggestions would be great!!
Kristin says
Hi there…
We live in Australia and we’re planning a trip to the US in September with our 6 year old and my mother in law. We’ve only got 3 nights in Anaheim and we were planning to do California Adventure first day, Outlet shopping (Outlets at Orange) & Downtown Disney second day (so our boy can have a rest while the mother in law and I shop!) and Disneyland the third day. Is it mad to expect to do both parks in two days? (We’re mostly interested in the kids rides, not thrill rides – we live in the theme park capital of Aust so we can do the thrill stuff anytime, but not the ‘Disney experience’ if you know what I mean)….. Would you skip the Outlets/ Downtown Disney, and do an extra day of Parks? I went to Disneyland 25 years ago (as a 15 year old) and loved it, my mother in law has been before – but my hubby and son have never been and not likely to get back anytime soon.
I’d be really interested to hear your opinion and looking forward to your upcoming series! Love the photos đ
Thanks
Kristin
Kristin says
Sorry!! Just realised you must have been to Disney World not Disneyland…. d’oh! Still looking forward to reading all about it though đ
Erin @ Two Story Cottage says
Ha!! I love that you included my childbirth comment. It sounds dramatic but it is true!!
Looking at your pictures was crazy fun since we were just there and I can visualize every single thing!! I can’t believe you did a week. We were there 4 full days this time and that was almost too much for us. Or too much for Mr. CrankyPants almost 4 year old.
I think part of it is that the kids are tall enough to do almost everything now but you still want to do all of the little kids things too.
Your pictures rock!! I thought I was going to die on the Tower of Terror. Getting old sucks.
Daisy says
I DIED when I saw this! I absolutely loved your first Disney series, which I read last year right before our trip. And low and behold, we are going again this may, and BAM, here you are again! Woo hoo!
1) how were the fast pass+, and did you make reservations for them online ahead of time? 60 days out seems awfully micro managing for ride times…but I’m excite about it too…
2) no matching tees this time?
3) did you do dining plan? This is our first experience with it, and I’ll tell ya I’ve been trying to make dinner reservations online and it feels like a huge task…what are some of your favorite Disney restaurants?
4) thinking about Bibbity boppity boutique this time for Soph (almost 5), would you recommend the pirate thing for Beck (7)? Looks like your boys did it?
ashley @ the handmade home says
HA! I will address the rest as we go – but on #2: I had no time! I guess things are a little crazier nowadays than last time. Kind of regretted it but kind of didn’t. Our 8 year old is a little less tolerant these days. ;} So excited for y’all! I hope these are helpful!
Danielle says
Definitely makes me want to go back! And then plan a resort vacation without the kids…
Jenna says
My hubs and I have been to Disney twice-yearly for the last few years… we love it SO MUCH. My only question for you is how young do you think is TOO young to take kids to Disney? I gave birth to our baby girl 10 days ago… hubs wants to take her this summer. LOL Literally, I laughed out loud at him. I’m thinking maybe we’ll go next year, when she’s 14-16 months. That’s probably still too young but the thought of waiting any longer to experience the happiest place on Earth just makes us too sad for words. I can’t wait to read your series!
Renea B. says
We are going in 2015 for the first time!!
What do you suggest to carry with you at the park in your bag?
Did you ever consider a stroller?
Did you buy any of the souveniers? Can you send them back to your room without carrying them?
Amber says
I just laughed and almost cried at this post! đ You are awesome! I’m in the verrrry early stages of planning our second Disney trip with our 2 and 4 year old…..EEK! Our first trip was last year, and strategically planned AND paid for, by my inlaws…. but this time, we are on our own…..MWAHAHAHAHAHHAAAAAA
Andrea says
LOVE that you’ve brought back this series! We go in November (with our 7 and almost 4 y/o) and arrive on a Thursday, so our first day at the parks will be on Friday. I was thinking we might start with Epcot over the weekend and hit MK early the next week. What are your thoughts on the crowds at each of the parks on specific days? Less crowds early in the week, maybe?
jamin says
Andrea, I think there are so many variables that it is hard to say. MK is always the busiest and Animal kingdom seems to always be the least busy. I personally would hit Animal Kingdom and Epcot on the weekends when locals are out at the park and hit MK and HS on other days. I would also highly suggest the park hopper, and hit MK most nights as crowds thin out. If you are taking little ones, nap during the day and take advantage of the extra magic hours late at night. We may or may not have stayed out with our kids till 1am, they loved it and the lines are shorter. Hope that helps!
Danielle says
I am planning our first trip and I’ve read this entire series. Very helpful! We are doing five days, which is not your recommended six but still one more than our original plan of four. We are also wanting to hit up Universal while we’re in Orlando (our boys super-dig Harry Potter) and maybe even the beach a day or two so ya know, we’ll basically want to die once we get home. Anyhow, I just wanted to ask, I noticed you didn’t mention either waterpark. Did you guys just skip them?