(WDW is a place for families and so is my blog. I write with my brother and father and posed this question to my team to get you several perspectives.)
Knowing that not everyone has the luxury of going to WDW every year and have grandparents along to babysit, how old should a child be before you take them to WDW for the first time?
Amy: This is a question where the right answer varies for each family.
Does anyone else have to look carefully when you type the word “buffet”? I am a Parrothead as well as a Disney fan and have to make sure I don’t subconsciously start talking about Jimmy. While I am sure he can set out a great spread, this story is about Tusker House, which I think is a great restaurant for little ones.
Tusker House is a buffet restaurant located in Africa in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. It has been renovated within the last couple of years. In its former life, this was a quick service dining location. To access the restaurant now, you wind around to the left and back of the building. Here you check in with the hostess and you’ll be given a buzzer. There is plenty of space to wait in the outdoor seating area. My brother wants me to be sure that I mention the Dawa Bar located within this outdoor area. He recommends this little oasis. There was an African drum group playing during our brief wait and somehow Tink (12 months at the time) slept through the band. Once our buzzer went off, we returned to the hostess stand and were taken indoors to one of the restaurant’s dining rooms. Our server was very helpful and gave us a good idea of what we’d find at the buffet.
You’ve decided to take the family to Walt Disney World. Where is the little prince or princess going to sleep? You have some options.
There are a few full-sized cribs available on request at Walt Disney World resorts, but it’s a very small number and they aren’t that great. Generally, when you request a “crib” at WDW, you will be given a basic Graco Pack ‘n Play and one fitted sheet for it. The sheet is Disney-made and not an official Graco one, so the fit isn’t quite as good. However, it was clean and Tink seemed to think it was comfy. If you get the sheet dirty, just call Mousekeeping for another one. We have the travel size Pack ‘n Play at home so I don’t have any of the larger sheets, however lots of people do bring their own sheets. The Pack ‘n Play we used last trip looked almost new but I felt better after giving it a good cleaning with some disinfecting wipes. Keep in mind that these portable cribs do not include a bassinet insert.
Strolling down the path that leads to Tomorrowland, I see the very thing to beckon Elle to my side . . . a mobile trash can. Although this is the first time I have ever laid eyes on the traveling waste receptacle, I immediately recognize it as PUSH. Reports on the internet of PUSH have frequently intrigued me, and I feel a rush of excitement over finally spotting it.
“Elle,” I call out in wild enthusiasm, “Quickly come here!” Elle’s eyes widen at my antics. She knows that I have made a magical discovery and rushes to me. “Look,” I direct, “Do you see that trash can?” She nods. “It’s a walking trash can,” I explain. Elle giggles while she watches PUSH zig-zag across the path ahead of us. I continue, “Its name is PUSH. It is a real, functioning trash can. Do you know why it is called PUSH? You can push its door to throw trash inside,” I elaborate. “Can I try?” my eager waste manager inquires. I respond with a crisp, “Sure!”
CLOTHES THAT DON’T MAKE THE MAN
The introduction to the twins has been a little rough. Angel, my precocious niece, has developed a way to look down her nose at people who aren’t “acceptable” even if they stand three and a half feet above her. Unfortunately, I have discovered that I am amongst the “unacceptable.” This would not normally be so disheartening considering that we only just met, but DH—who is drastically less interested in procuring the affections of munchkin snobs—has immediately secured a place in her clique.
LIVING THE NIGHTMARE
For a week and a half I have succeeded in keeping our check-in day a secret from my little Disney investigators. It was not easy, but I cleverly avoided pointed questions from them by appearing momentarily preoccupied and unable to answer. Surprisingly, Grammy did not become an obstacle either. She did not make any attempts to foil my plans by revealing our arrival date to my mouseketeers, and—as far as I know—she did not discuss the trip at all with them. This made it quite easy to pack and prepare for our vacation under the guise of “visiting Pop-Pop and B-Mom”.
DISNEY DINING BOOT CAMP
There is a bit of advice often tossed out to parents: Pick your battles carefully. The idea is that you can’t force your way upon your children in every situation, so choose the scenarios that are of the most importance to stand your ground. Let the “less important” matters go by the wayside because they aren’t worth the fight and can actually cause you to lose the greater battles.
Recently, I found a pancake recipe that uses almond flour rather than the digestively forbidden wheat flour. It spurred me into action. Finding an organic, raw almond distributor online, I ordered these savory nuts in bulk and patiently waited for their arrival. The delivery was made a couple days ago. Since then, I have been looking for a day that affords the time I need to test the new recipe. Perhaps today is that day.
ON THE JOB TRAINING
The basic itinerary for our week has been set. The few dining reservations that we needed have been made. It is time for the task that all NDMs live for – designing a strategy for conquering the theme park.
I gather my three mouseketeers into our living room. As a NDM, one of the responsibilities I hold is to teach my children the various facets of living The Disney Driven Life. Among these, vacation planning is paramount, and this is a perfect opportunity to begin instruction in this crucial life-skill.
It is decided that we will only spend one day in a theme park during our upcoming trip. Although I have been doing my best to not allow my newly acquired Disney phobia to get the best of me, it has been hard for me to entirely shake it. Traveling with our special dietary needs is a concept that still makes me very uneasy, so I decide not to set our expectations too high. We will brave one park for one day, and we will remain content within that limitation.
