OMG, Disney is exhausting.

[krystee]

I have been here like 10 times. I should know this.

But I have never been here with a nearly 30-lb toddler who suddenly wants to be carried everywhere. And how is it 86 degrees in nearly December?! And it used to be empty the week after Thanksgiving! Why is it so crowded?! We did seven rides in an entire day at Magic Kingdom (minus a quick nap back at the hotel.) So far at Epcot, we've done three in five hours.

Okay, enough whining. I am LOVING J's reaction to the character meals. And he is learning so many new words! Chip, Dale, Goofy, space and monorail are a few he picked up yesterday and has been repeating like crazy. He studies everything so intently. Most people probably think he's not happy since he's not smiling a ton, but we can tell it's his really curious look.

I am loving how adaptable he is. We ate breakfast at 10 am, lunch at 4, and dinner at 10 pm yesterday, and he was happy as a clam. He went to bed at 11 and was up at 7:30, raring to go. We are so lucky. He is stroller napping right now while H rides Mission Space.

Next time we do this, I want to come for a week instead of five days so we can have a hotel day and a day to catch up on everything we missed at the parks on our full days. Also: no Memory Maker (we have like two pictures I like from MK and we've taken none at Epcot). And maybe no park hopper (I don't think we'll end up using it at all).

Anyone else find Disney tiring with a toddler? Or am I doing this wrong?

[daisyfay25]

Ohhh I'm gonna be you next week. I'm getting a little scared lol. I have a 30 lb 18 month old who is used to going to bed at 7pm every night. The only thing that gives me hope is my mom is coming to babysit and give H and I some free time. How old is your kid? Older than mine, right? Does he enjoy the rides?

[ilikedonuts]

Its exhausting. I always feel like I need a vacation from my vacation after. BUT its mainly because we really don't like to spend full afternoons or days at our hotel. My kids want to be in the parks and want to go go go so our days are very full.

The parks are slammed these last few days according to all the reports. I'm wondering if more schools went back late after thanksgiving or something.

Are you only doing character meals but no character meets? I feel like the character meets are what get you the value out of the memory maker. You can get a refund if you aren't happy with what has been taken.

[ilikedonuts]

And my kids are so flexible too (didn't go to bed until 1am 2-3 nights during our trip and were still fine getting up at 7 the next morning) which I think hurts us because then I feel like I have absolutely no excuse and we should be getting stuff done in the parks. (which is laughable because we were just there for 12 days and DD1 and I are going for 4 in May and then all 4 of us are back for another 8 days in October so its not like we NEED to do everything).

[lala]

It is exhausting. Usually my saving graces are: rests/naps/pool time every afternoon, follow a touring plan for the morning or at least have a game plan & monitor wait times, arrive 30 min before rope drop, and park hoppers.

We did Disneyland for 5 days with an 8, 5 & 2.5 year old and we were WIPED. Lot's of stroller sleeping.

[minniemouse]

I am exhausted too. I was not expecting the crowds either.

[krystee]

Yes, we've been doing only character meals so far. I think we have a meet and greet scheduled for a fast pass at each of the next two parks, though.

[revolution]

It is exhausting! I've only been with a toddler. We go in 2 months again and the youngest will be 5. I don't know if that is good or bad! We normally go from rope drop until the kids are done (which can be between 4PM and 8PM) so we are in bed at a decent time. BUT, I have a feeling this trip the 2 kids (5 and 9) will be raring to go the entire day all day long.

[Deleted]

Oh man this is putting checks in my buying a toddler tula column.

I'm nervous because my kids sleep til 8 on a regular day. How are we gonna do rope drop at 7?

Have fun!

[julianabixby]

We head there on Friday! I'm trying to recover from an ear infection now and hope it clears up soon because I know I'm going to be exhausted after our disney trip! I can't believe there are so many crowds now - I hope they lighten a little next week!

[krystee]

Trying stroller nap only today was a bad idea. Bad.

But I don't know how you go back to the hotel room for a nap AND see more than three things. I am beginning to see why people pay through the nose for monorail hotels.

[lala]

If you get there at 7:30 for 8am rope drop and have a good solid plan & fast passes, you can get a ton ton by 1. Maybe we always luck out. We also pick the park w/ morning EMH to get there super early w/ less crowds and when we go back in the evening, we choose a park w/ low crowd predictions.

We have yet to stay at a monorail resort. Stroller naps do usually work for our kids, but not always. We also prefer the rest b/c I refuse to miss the night stuff and my kids are usually asleep by 7:30 at home, so we need them to get back out & hold it together until 9ish!

And yes - the 2.5 year old rode in the ergo almost every day!

[lala]

If you get there at 7:30 for 8am rope drop and have a good solid plan & fast passes, you can get a ton ton by 1. Maybe we always luck out. We also pick the park w/ morning EMH to get there super early w/ less crowds and when we go back in the evening, we choose a park w/ low crowd predictions.

We have yet to stay at a monorail resort. Stroller naps do usually work for our kids, but not always. We also prefer the rest b/c I refuse to miss the night stuff and my kids are usually asleep by 7:30 at home, so we need them to get back out & hold it together until 9ish!

And yes - the 2.5 year old rode in the ergo almost every day!

[Deleted]

It is! We only were at the parks from 9/10 to 5pm. Then we went back and let the kids get a solid 12 hours sleep at night. We never would have survived rope drop or late nights.

[beeks]

I have taken my daughter each year since she was 3 (she is 6 now) and even a couple weeks ago it was exhausting with her! It's so much walking and stimulation for kids...it does get easier each year at least. As for the crowds, we always went the week before Thanksgiving and it has become ore and more crowded each year during the "slow" weeks. I miss when it was actually slow...it just feels so busy all the time now!

[Deleted]

I think the most exhausting trip ever was when DS was almost 4. It was HOT and he was JUST exiting the " I just want to watch the world burn" 3-year-old phase and it we ended up with not enough time due to stupid flight delays and it was just exhausting.

I have to say we went back 4 months later and it was the easiest trip I have ever taken. He was older, wiser and we had more " down time" where he could just play in the hotel room or by the pool and relax.

Our next trip is scheduled for January 18 and I am seriously looking at booking 8 nights 9 days. I just want to be able to take our time with a 6 year old and a 14 month old and have some space to decompress. We usually do a 5 night trip, but even having 6 nights last January was PRICELESS.

[lala]

@savestheday - definitely do it if you can. We did 9 last time and it was amazing!!

[katiescarlett]

We are here too and in the same boat. The lines and crowds are not fun. I can't even imagine the busy season.

[krystee]

We had a much more pleasant day today. We did Hollywood Studios and saw everything we wanted to see (ToT, Toy Story Mania, Disney Junior, Frozen Ever After, four character meet and greets, and lunch at Sci Fi Drive-In). We were done by four so I added a Soarin' FP.

We went back to our hotel and let DS run around like a crazy man on the empty patio outside the hotel's main building, and then went back to Epcot at 6:30. We walked onto Spaceship Earth, did the Soarin' FP and loved it (DS watched YouTube videos of Frozen songs while we took turns), and then went to Living Seas and were almost the only ones in the whole building. It was awesome to not be surrounded by crowds! We saw the Illumination fireworks on our way back to the car. DS fell asleep in the car and slept through a diaper change and PJs.

DS is subsisting on pouches, goldfish and pizza. That is basically all he wants to eat.

[krystee]

Today is our first full day home, and DS was up last night throwing up and is on hour four of a nap right now. Poor guy.

We ended up having a really good time, but based on the total cost of the trip, I think it will be awhile before we do that again.

One of my favorite things was hopping on a boat at Wildnerness Lodge at 9:15 pm and seeing the electrical parade on Bay Lake from about 10 feet away. It was fun! We could have stayed and had a great view of fireworks too, but DS was getting exhausted.

I also loved resort hopping, so I think we'd rent a car again. We went to Beach Club for Beaches and Cream, saw the animals at AKL, went to WL to recreate a photo we took with DS in front of the Christmas tree there last year and took the boat ride, went to GF to see the gingerbread house, etc.

Eating took up SO much time with all of the character meals we did. J loved them, but did not love sitting in one place for so long. I think we'll do a lot fewer of those next time. I was glad we did BOG while on the free dining plan because I wouldn't have been super thrilled with paying $25 for a mediocre roast beef sandwich and the same fries they serve at all the other QS places! But the theming was nice.

I really liked the new Soarin'. The footage of all the various places around the world was beautiful. I do think they need to have more cool technology/futuristic stuff at Epcot to live up to its original name. I hope the changes they make to it will be to add more of that, and not to incorporate Disney characters into everything.

The Christmas decorations everywhere were great. The lines got better as the week went on, and the weather dropped to 73 one day, which was so refreshing.

J was obsessed with Triceratops Spin, Dumbo and Magic Carpet ride (probably because they are the same ride!), but there wasn't anything he disliked. I was pleasantly surprised that he was entertained for the whole 35-minute Frozen show. My favorite ride remains Tower of Terror. If they change to Guardians of Galaxy, I will be so sad.

Overall, we had a great time but felt really rushed and like there was so much we didn't do (we had five nights there). We have been there before and will be there again (ILs live 40 minutes away), but when you are spending $3,000 on a five-night vacation (I don't even know how since we stayed in a moderate and J was free!), it's kind of frustrating when a day gets by with much less accomplished than we'd hoped. I think we will get Touring Plans next time. We miss being there already!

[daisyfay25]

Sounds like fun! We leave for our trip this week, I'm excited. Why was he throwing up? Did he catch something? I'm worried about my toddler catching something.

[krystee]

Dec 4, 2016 20:17:48 GMT -5 daisyfay25 said:

Sounds like fun! We leave for our trip this week, I'm excited. Why was he throwing up? Did he catch something? I'm worried about my toddler catching something.

Yes, we think it's a mild stomach bug since he pretty much ate my meals for the last day or so, and I'm fine. It was just the twice overnight, but he's barely eaten a thing today. Fingers crossed for tomorrow. Fortunately he hasn't had a fever and he's drinking pretty normally.

[Deleted]

Thanks for your report Kristi!  Sounds like a fun trip.  I am glad your son enjoyed all the rides.  Ben loved Dumbo and the Carpet ride when we went last time too.  I predict I'll be riding those multiple times.

[ilikedonuts]

Glad you had fun! Hope DS feels better soon!

We were there 11 nights this past trip and still had like 20+ things we wanted to do and didn't get to! My kids still have never seen things like Country Bears, Tiki Room, Ellen's Universe of Energy (will be gone by our next trip). I always want to play mini golf and we never get to it. We've still never made it to Beaches and Cream.

[daisyfay25]

Dec 4, 2016 20:48:56 GMT -5 krystee said:

Dec 4, 2016 20:17:48 GMT -5 daisyfay25 said:

Sounds like fun! We leave for our trip this week, I'm excited. Why was he throwing up? Did he catch something? I'm worried about my toddler catching something.

Yes, we think it's a mild stomach bug since he pretty much ate my meals for the last day or so, and I'm fine. It was just the twice overnight, but he's barely eaten a thing today. Fingers crossed for tomorrow. Fortunately he hasn't had a fever and he's drinking pretty normally.

Aw, hope he's better soon!

[lala]

Yup, no matter how much time we have there is always stuff we don't get to. That's just how much there is! Though, I'm a huge touring plans fan.

[Deleted]

Dec 4, 2016 20:48:56 GMT -5 krystee said:

Dec 4, 2016 20:17:48 GMT -5 daisyfay25 said:

Sounds like fun! We leave for our trip this week, I'm excited. Why was he throwing up? Did he catch something? I'm worried about my toddler catching something.

Yes, we think it's a mild stomach bug since he pretty much ate my meals for the last day or so, and I'm fine. It was just the twice overnight, but he's barely eaten a thing today. Fingers crossed for tomorrow. Fortunately he hasn't had a fever and he's drinking pretty normally.

Ahh bummer, hope he feels better soon. Both my kids got a stomach virus while we were there a few weeks ago.