Some PhotoPass photos that came through since last time I posted them:
I live how in every pic DS is holding on for dear life! The little one in the front of FEA 
so precious!
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I like the first Splash pic where you’re playing it so cool. And all the men folk on HM … what are looking at? DAunt always with the girls. 
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I think that picture is taken with the hitchhiking ghosts - our first one was on the roof of our doombuggy. So we’re probably looking at that.
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If you right click an image and choose open in new window, it makes it full screen and you can zoom if you want.
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…are you taking adoption requests before your next trip? I have my own income and generally can resolve my in park meltdowns with a drink or Casey’s. Look at how much fun everyone is having!
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Don’t worry @Jeff_AZ, I have a nearly identical picture of my now DD6 from when she was about the same age. Let me see if I can find it!
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I found it! 
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Who knew FEA could be so traumatic! 
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Ha ha. I took DS on a water tube chute at Schlitterbahn when he was almost 2. They had those inner tubes with the bottoms for littles as they wouldn’t let them sit in your lap. So I would just hold on to the handle of his. But theres this one part where there is a huge slide in the chute. And I’m of course holding onto his tube and looking back at him…the look on his face was just like that. No tears or screams. Just shock. Poor kid. I created his anxiety disorder that day maybe.
This was the part:
(Darn it didn’t save the time stamp let me try again). Okay fixed.
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Ok so I started reading once your trip was already complete and managed to power through in two sessions to finish it all (I did skip 300 posts from Universal because I only care about Disney ha).
You managed to do a great job of doing so much while at the same time planning breaks and rest time so that the little ones don’t completely melt down. The food pictures were amazing and to lice trip report with that many in your group is amazing on its own.
A couple of things that stood out to me that I totally agree with:
-skyliner best form of transportation
-boardwalk area is nice because u are so close to parks
-kids don’t eat enough food for it to be worth it at restaurants but it is still worth it when they are in a good mood and enjoy the setting
After reading all you did I told my wife we need to get on planning something for 2022. I wanted to wait until nighttime shows were back, character greets were back, masks were removed, and AP came back.
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It is one of those pictures that you feel bad about in the moment it is happening but absolutely howl about years later. And is one of the examples of my answer to “why do you bring your kids to Disney so young? They won’t remember.”
They might not (but DD remembered more of this trip than we expected her to, she was two months shy of 2 years old) but I sure remember a lot about taking her!
And she gladly got on FEA a few years later!
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Yeah, I’ve been bringing my kids to Disney and Universal and Schlitterbahn (my fave water park) since they were about 20 months old. There were always things they liked about it even if they don’t remember it. DD loved iasw and they loved all the play areas and omgoodness I had a problem with DD and giant fuzzy characters. She adored them after her first tentative encounter. Went to six flags right after Disney and Universal and she ran off because she saw Tweety Bird. So who cares if she remembers that. She had fun and I remember it and smile.
Some of our first WDW trip character meal pics. Crystal Palace and GG. Kids were almost 2 and 5 (went in March and they had summer bdays). 
These are 12 years ago now.
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So cute! You look the exact same!
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Look at those smiles!
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Thanks I’ve gained 30 lbs but I think the fat has just replaced the lost collagen. So win? Lol
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If this post drags on or gets off topic feel free to move it, it just brought back memories for me.
Anyone with kids traveling with younger ones may have challenging times here and there. Still, when my friend said why did you do want to travel with the kids that young, they won’t even remember, I say no kidding it’s for me, not them. That being said the last time I traveled with a younger child to Disney was way back in 1997. I went many times since, I just didn’t take the little ones after that.
I’ll never forget letting go of my daughters hand for a second, turning around while we were in the Christmas store and my heart sank, it was one of the worst 2 minutes of my life to that point. The kid was gone. I was frantic for that 2 minutes(possibly it was 30 seconds felt like a year) until realized she was siting playing with a Santa not 5 feet from me. In that moment I just didn’t look low. I was scared out of my mind and still a younger parent, though it was my second child. I didn’t yell, but when I picked her up my look must of scared the heck out of her. She started crying and it was a pretty big melt down. Would I bring her again, in a heart beat. It turns out I didn’t return with kids for many years though.
Flash forward about 20 years and my youngest daughter kept saying my sisters and brothers went to Disney why not me, you promised, when do I get to go. By this time the twins were 16. Me being dad and finding it tough to say no to my youngest girl(there is a 19 year age difference youngest twins to the oldest)I relented. I booked the typical 2 week dream vacation, stayed on property, the whole nine yards. Once we arrived I made the twins do all the little kids stuff(of course I had everything reserved and planned way ahead of time, they didn’t know that). We did three different character meals, stood in line for the character greets, things most teens would probably roll their eyes at, We also did the Hoop De Doo - twice, the Polynesian show, both versions at that time, etc, etc. My twins love Disney so they didn’t complain one bit. They joined in the character meals with the little kids and at Chef Mickeys my daughter led the parade just behind the characters leading all the small kids through the restaurant. The smaller kids gravitated toward my older twins, it was fun stuff. I am so lucky the twins didn’t act like some of their older brothers and sisters would of, they definitely would not have been happy to be at these things at that age.
As this particular meal was happening and the kids were parading around I remember thinking in that moment, I blew it. Why didn’t I take these kids when they were younger. I made a mistake holding off so long.
My thoughts on parents bringing little kids, if you are thinking about it and going back and forth rather than a firm no, just do it. The good outweighs the bad, then go back when they are older too!
That trip in 2018 led me to buying a little vacation home 6 minutes from AK’s door. It’s not the greatest thing(it is a 3 bed 3 bath on a pond though). It’s not on property and it’s a bit basic, but it was easy to convince my wife to buy it when she saw what we spent on that 2 week dream vacation. She was shocked. 8 months of payments and costs at the new place is what we spent in 16 days onsite going all out.
The newest issue is the kids asking if they can go down without mom and dad and the answer is nope. As long as I can I am holding out for them to go to Disney at least one or two more times so mom and dad can enjoy them as kids. I think I may be trying to get back what I lost by not bringing them when they were little. Just to see a hint of that gleam in their eyes of wonder one more time that the smaller kids get I guess is what I am after. Most parents know what I am talking about, parents that take their small kids to Disney even more so. With the twins pushing 20 already I am not sure how much longer I have a chance. I am still hoping for them to do a character Dinner next trip!
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1st ride of 1st time at WDW. 4 years later, and he swears that he will never ride it again! LOL
(FYI - he was trying to crawl out of the boat so I had a grip to keep him in)
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I laughed at both the picture and your username! And read it in Ray’s voice of course.
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