One day Tayler skirted around a question.
But the basic gist was she had her Marvelous Mouse Travel Agency Conference in Orlando and she wasn't sure what to do with the kids.
My response was... "before you finish explaining Tay... if you want me to tend the kids here I will... if you want me to come with you... I'd like tending your kids even more!"
...even if it was 9 days after I'd be getting home from Orlando for the Disney Cruise.
It was a no brainer for me... and since Tay is still nursing Max, it was necessary for her if she was going to go to the conference.
Jaden had decided that with all the trips they have planned throughout the year that he would stay home and work.
FOMO got the best of him, and a couple days before we left he booked a flight for the weekend. He made it late Friday night and left super early Monday morning. No work missed + fun days @ Epcot and Magic Kingdom.
We left Tuesday Jan 30th on the direct red eye and returned Tuesday Feb 6th.
Couldn't have been more ideal to have the whole row each on our red eye flight.
We were all still pretty tired, but they let us get in our room at Disney's All Star Sports Resort by 8 am so that was a plus! We got a little organized and thought these two would want to crash again, but they were ready to play.
The nice thing about staying on Disney Property is the transportation provided.
The NOT nice thing about staying on Disney Property is ALSO the transportation provided.
Here's why...
Buses come fairly frequently to the hotels with transfers to all of the parks.
However, if you want to go to other resorts that means you need to wait for a bus to the park... then wait for a bus to the next resort and depending on the time of day some buses don't run where you want them to.
The Skyliner is a great option IF you know exactly which resorts you're going to... but you can't get to the other side of Epcot to ride the skyliner without walking THROUGH EPCOT... only with a park ticket of course.
We figured that out the very first day when it took us about 2 hours to get to the Polynesian for breakfast haha
It didn't take long for that red eye flight to catch up with us.
We went to Saige's old stomping ground for breakfast... Captain Cook's (her first Disney College program job) we both wanted to try the Tonga Toast... and both decided we didn't love the Tonga Toast, so it was a rough start. haha
There's also the monorail... Tay used this a lot because the resort her conference was at was on that line.
We were off to the Art of Animation Resort.
Mia had been doing lots of "research" with Tayler and she knew about these "statues".
She was SOOOO excited to see Ariel
We just had to go... today!
She could have missed the parks and just walked around to see all the statues all day and she would have been QUITE content.
After seeing Ariel and all her friends we headed back to our resort.
Tay was off to her conference.
A little nap for the rest of us was nice.
That night we went to dinner at the Polite Pig in Downtown Disney.
Highly recommend!
Since Tay was off doing her thing, when we met up with her she was ALWAYS nursing.
Nursing on the bus, nursing walking to the bus, nursing while eating, nursing standing in ride lines.
Poor thing, but she was a trooper! What a cute little mom.
The next morning we headed to a character breakfast at Cape May @ Disney's Beach Club Resort.
Another misjudgement of how long it would take us to get there, meant we ALMOST missed our reservation, thankfully they seated us anyway. PHEW!!
We both enjoyed this breakfast.
All character meals are expensive... but this one seemed reasonable... I mean if $50 is reasonable for a breakfast buffet... our logic was that since we were only paying for ourselves and Mia was free til she's 3... it was a no brainer to do it. haha
We had lots of fun.
Mia was so cute and brave with all the characters.
She's a Disney fan extraordinaire!!
So meeting all her favorite characters was what she loved most!!
Max is the happiest little guy.
The omelets and crepe bar were yummy.
and the buffett was great too!
Disney heaven for Mia!
One of several rides on the skyliner.
I love being their "Nanny".
We had to get back to our resort cuz we were moving to a new one.
Just like the transportation system... it seemed like a good idea to try to change resorts so we could experience a variety of decor and different scenery.
So we packed up, checked out and then pushed the luggage cart and stroller (LUCKILY we had a cart or we would never have made it.) Tay had the cart and I had the stroller and we pushed them all the way through the resort, across the parking lot and all the way through All Star Movies to check in.
An UBER would have worked... but loading all our stuff, car seats etc would not have been worth it. We had some good laughs though and decided we were glad we only had to do that change once. Especially since the rooms were IDENTICAL... even the same pictures on the wall haha
The resort "themes were so fun" All Star Movies had a building grouping of Toy Story, 101 Dalmations, Fantasia and Herbie (that's the one we stayed in). Mia LOVED these statues ALMOST as much as Ariel. But Ariel still won for her. She was happy to go back and see them again and again though.
We went for a short swim. The weather was perfect for sweatshirts but a tiny bit cold for swimming haha
Tay was then off to her 'Gala' for the night.
What a babe!
So the kids and I did some exploring.
Roasting marshmallows is one of the resorts complimentary activities each evening... we did that of course.
Then walked around looking at all the "statues" more than once haha
We ate pizza in the quick service restaurant at the resort.
Then went to the outdoor movie Elemental.
Mia thought it was great, a little chilly, but we just bundled up.
Poor Max was getting hungry during it... I always felt terrible telling Tay that he needed her... because it was hard and stressful getting from her conference to the resort. But I was in a bind too cuz there was nothing I could do to help him when he was hungry... the plan was for him to take a bottle. But she could never get him to take it... or even a binky. So we were stuck!
Of course by the time she got to us after leaving the gala he had fallen asleep.
The next morning Tay had her conference all day so the kids and I were on our own.
I had big plans for how the day would go...
When we walked out of our room, we saw these guys just chilling and visiting with guests.
That was super magical. Mia was so happy to see them!
Mr. Max spent a bunch of time in the front pack this day. I couldn't have done it without it.
Getting on and off the buses was a little rough, but I could fold up the double stroller and carry it on the bus still holding Mia's hand. It worked out great.
We took a bus to Animal Kingdom... then another bus to Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Our plan was to see the animals.
They have a great "safari" area outside the rooms with Giraffes, elephants, lions (in a separate area haha). Basically all things Lion King... except guess where the animals are from like 10-12... INSIDE eating.
You've got to be kidding me. haha
He's so adorable :)
But I was getting my steps in I guess. + all 3 of us were still having a fun time.
We had scheduled a character lunch at Ohana at the Polynesian Resort with Lilo, Stitch and Pluto.
Mia was excited about meeting all of them.
To get back to the Polynesian we got back on the bus at Animal Kingdom Lodge to go back to Animal Kingdom (which was late getting there)
Then we got on the bus to Downtown Disney from there (which was also late).
By this time Max was hungry and Mia was tired.
We then stood in line for a bus to the Polynesian... but by the time we waited 20 minutes and it didn't show up there was NOOOO way we would make it for the character lunch.
So I called Tay... who had already arrived at the polynesian :(
She cancelled the reservation, took a bus to us at Downtown Disney where we had lunch @ Blaze Pizza... poor thing arrived frantic to her baby crying and me trying to soothe him while Mia wanted me to cut up her food cuz she was hungry.
We were a sight!
And neither Tay nor I were happy about our transportation problems.
Made even worse by Tay's bus not showing up FOREVER and her missing more than an hour of her conference.
Me and the kids headed back to the resort for much needed naps.
Here is where I'll explain Miss Mia and her naptime ritual.
It involved striping her clothes off to her undies.
All hair elastics are removed.
Then there's hot milk...
I'd been walking down to get hot milk from the quick service at night for her.
Now hot milk is not warm milk... when she says hot milk she means HOT milk!
The first night it was too cold for her before I got back from my 10 minute walk back to her.
The next night she had fallen asleep before I made it back with it.
So I was HOPING she was tired enough to go to sleep without hot milk.
She got all ready for her nap...
was hunkered down in bed.
She was almost asleep.
Max was almost asleep.
When Mia started asking for hot milk.
I kept telling her we'd make sure to get her some tonight... or that they were out of it... etc etc
She was mumbling under her breath that she needed hot milk, and that Nanny wouldn't let her have any hot milk and that she wouldn't be able to nap without it etc.
So... finally I said OK Mia let's go get hot milk.
I wasn't going to get her redressed, do hair etc.
I just told her she'd have to wrap up in her blanket.
She thought I was crazy.
But I got them both loaded in the stroller and we headed off on our 10 min walk to the lobby.
I bought the $4 carton of milk (like a school lunch milk haha) stood in line for the microwave, got her milk JUST how she likes it...
.... yep dead asleep.
But look at that Max! (heart eyes)
So I woke her up to have some of her hot milk.
She drank about a tablespoon of it and that was enough.
Back at the room she took her nap... no hot milk needed.
Good thing she's adorable.
We all felt better after the nap. haha
That night we had a reservation for a character dinner at Story Book Dining @ Artist Point in Disney's Wilderness Lodge.
I left with more time this time and we met up with Tay @ Magic Kingdom.
Then took the boat over to the Wilderness Lodge (not to be confused with the Fort Wilderness boat we almost got on) it's so confusing. haha
The food was delicious, I had the pork and loved it. Tay didn't think the chicken was that amazing.
For $70... because I was paying for one it was worth it.
A whole family.... I think not.
Mia wasn't sure she'd like Grumpy... and she definitely didn't think she'd want to meet the Evil Queen. But she made sure to tell her Dad that night... "Dad! They were so NICE!"
The desserts were yummy and cute theming.
No question Snow White was definitely her favorite!
It was a good, long, tiring day for all of us.
I loved being able to get to spend so much time with these cuties this day.
That night Jaden arrived.
The next morning bright and early we were off to Epcot.
This was a hard day for Tay... she came with us to the early entry for the park and we hit a few rides.
But then she was off to her conference and understandably feeling a little sad that she was missing out.
The main downside to today was that EPCOT was CRAZY busy!!
Like ridiculous lines.
It was a Saturday... but the lines at the other parks were not nearly as bad.
We did NOT pick a good day to be there. haha
Jaden and I didn't take the kids on any rides while Tay was gone actually... we just did characters.
It worked out pretty great.
Jaden would wait in line for a character and then I'd leave and go get in line for the next character, then Jaden would bring them to me and go get in line for the next one. etc.
We were able to see lots more of them this way since each line was 30 minutes. GRRR
But we hit almost EVERY princess at EPCOT doing it that way.
Mia was in heaven.
Max was just chill.
This time they didn't make it before our turn. haha
So me and Joy got a picture ourselves.
Look at her just looking at Belle!
Mia was so cute, she would get REALLY shy when she got to the Princesses especially and continuously play with her hair.
She was so star-struck she could hardly even speak to them!
Then of course chatted our ear off about them after.
Jaden's a Disney treat dad.
So cute to see him ask her if she wants this or that.
They are lucky little kids to have such adoring parents.
Tayler found us this way waiting in the Frozen line when she came back to feed Max.
That was a TERRIBLE line.
The ride broke down... it was a 90 minute line anyway.
I think we spent 2+ hours in it.
If we could have pushed the stroller... it wouldn't have been so bad.
But UGH!
PS it's not worth 90 minutes.
Definitely not worth 2 hours.
Mia asked Crush where Squirt was.
Crush was like, "How do you know about Squirt... you are very small."
Mia could have surprised him with LOTS of trivia. haha
The next morning was Magic Kingdom.
We headed straight to Mine Train at early entry time... I stayed off with Max and then parent swapped and rode with Tay and Mia again. Such a cute ride!
You can see Mia was not sure...
but WAS sure she wanted to go again.
I'm so grateful Tay let me join them.
I was worried I'd be an extra wheel.
But it meant they could go on big rides together and parent swap.
So I think it worked out for all of us.
Beignets for breakfast @ Port Orleans was delicious of course.
Then we were off on the Skyliner to explore more resorts.
Pop Century Resort....
Caribbean Beach Resort
Gosh Max is a good baby.
But he does cry.
Mainly when he's hungry. haha
Riviera Resort
Look at that little angel!
The Contemporary
Nachos @ the Polynesian
A few more pictures in the lobby.
One more sleep...
and we were off the next morning for home.
What an incredible week and opportunity it was to spend this time being "Nanny" and nanny to these cute kids.
Love you all so much Wursten's.
You name the date and place and I'll be there to "help" next time!
