Not Okay

I sat there looking across the table at my sweet 4-year-old daughter's face, the Princess Aurora replica crown sitting on her head resting up against the tiara she had gotten from her Nana. The shimmery pink of the princess dress catching the sunlight through the lights of the tearoom windows and the shine of the glitter brightening up the table. I watched as she carefully sipped her "tea" (apple juice) and set it down on the saucer. She encouraged me to drink my tea and gave me a half-smile while she did so.

I picked up my teacup and pretended to look away while I sipped on my fancy hibiscus something-or-other tea. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her shoulders slip and the smile fade. I saw her eyes let their tired out and relax for a minute while gazing off in the distance.

We sat there in the Disney Grand Floridian Tearoom surrounded by many other little princesses and their moms & dads, sipping from fancy teacups and awaiting our fancy plates of teatime food listening to Princess Rose Petal tell us the story of Sleeping Beauty. I had been waiting for this special surprise time with my little girl for 6 months since we booked and paid for the experience ahead of time not knowing that a boy sitting behind my daughter on the plane would cough non-stop for 3-hours and likely be the one to give her a cold accompanied by a mild fever. We didn't know that we'd be debating whether or not to swallow the cost and let her spend her morning flopped in hotel room to rest or give in to her begging for her very special Mommy & Evie surprise and allow her to go anyways. We didn't know we'd ACTUALLY be using the thermometer to check for fevers and nursing a 100.5 temperature with ibuprofen instead of just holding them to the side hoping we wouldn't have to use them.

I looked at my sweet girl sitting across the table from me and watched as she gave a little sniffle before picking up her cup and sipping on her juice again. She caught me watching her and put the big smile back on her face, not knowing that her eyes were giving her away.

"Sweetie," I said, "you know... I know you're not feeling 100% today. That's OK. We can just enjoy the tea relaxed. Don't feel like you have to sit super tall, OK? It's OK to not be OK."

"OK, Mom. Thanks. I'm OK."

And the smile stayed on for the rest of the tea.

My 4-year-old daughter had already begun to learn the fine art of pretending everything is A-OK.

My heart. My heart broke a little bit in that moment.

Why do we think that being "not-OK" is not allowed? Why do we walk around and cover up the hurt, anger, sadness, and negative emotions we carry? Why do we not allow ourselves to be vulnerable and honest?

How are you? "I'm fine." It's part of our culture, the answer is almost reflexive. But how many of us say "Oh, I'm fine..." when really - we're not fine at all? Or maybe we're just enough not fine that it saddens us to say those words when really we just want to say "You know... I could use a hug/encouragement/break"?

My 4-year-old had already learned this skill, the art of being "fine".

It's OK to not be OK.

Say it out loud, right now. Stop what you're doing and say it out loud: It's OK to not be OK. It's absolutely alright to be a little down, to be grieving, to feel a little off, to have a grouchy day.

And say this: It's OK for other people to not be OK. It's OK to have that awkward not knowing what to say feeling for a few minutes just to allow someone else the freedom to be not OK if that's what they're feeling at that given moment. It's alright to allow someone else the ability to be vulnerable and to let their feelings show.

Imagine a world where people felt like they could be honest with their feelings 100% of the time. Where we didn't feel like we'd have to hide when we weren't OK lest we be judged for being discontent or intentionally miserable. A place where those feelings were allowed to be discussed and processed and FELT.

A world where my 4-year-old daughter didn't have to feel like she had to sit tall and proper in a Disney tearoom even though she had a cold annoying enough to be functional but make her stuffed up and a little sleepy.

Why does my 4-year-old know this skill already?

Then I realized... I am guilty of practicing this. Of putting on the smiling, put-together face on days when I'm exhausted, anxious, angry, or otherwise. Of saying that everything is fine or that I'm OK - even to my own kids and husband - when really, I'm off a bit.

When I realized this, that I had taught her the fine art of "being OK"... my heart broke a little bit more. The worst is coming to the realization that you're part of the problem - especially when it comes to your kids.

I challenge all of us - myself included - to be a little more honest with ourselves. To be a little more vulnerable to those who care about us. To allow ourselves the ability to NOT be OK. To share when we're tired. To be raw when we feel raw.

And I challenge all of us to support one another. To love on each other and to not judge and to allow each other the ability to share our true feelings when "fine" isn't ACTUALLY what we're feeling.

I want to live in a world where I feel like I can just be all the shades of me - the good, the bad, the sad, the ecstatic - and not just have my highlight reel define me. I want to live in a world where my kids can feel like they can be sad freely, be joyous without abandon, and feel and display ALL of their emotions to the world. Where they can inspire others to do the same.

I think we can start by being honest and vulnerable with ourselves. Once we can do that, we can be honest and vulnerable with others as well. Allow yourself the freedom to feel whatever it is that you're feeling, then allow yourself to share that with others. If you're fine - be the best fine you can be. If you're down - allow yourself to work through that. If you're tired - allow yourself to be honest about that and rest. If you're full of joy - spread it.

It's OK to not be OK. It's OK to be OK.

It's OK to be.

So... how ARE you?

Moana is Missing...

Anyone who knows our family knows of our love of Walt Disney World. I wrote a post last year on how incredibly magical it is there and right now our family is in the throes of entering the home stretch to our next trip. I just spent 2.5 hours of my evening fine-tuning our dining reservations (or "ADRs" for those that use the lingo) and plotting out our desires for our "FastPass+" preferences. As I was going through our list of desires for lines we wanted to shorten the time we waited in, I heard these little voices in the back of my head asking me "Mom, when we go to Disney World can we meet Moana? And Maui?"

With the popularity of this movie, one would assume that the answer to this question would be "Sure, why not. Let's wait the 20 minutes in that line for a 1 minute meeting because gosh-darn-it, it will make you happy." However: there isn't a spot anywhere in Walt Disney World that you can meet Moana.

There was a brief period of time when the movie was released for home viewing that you could meet Moana at the "One Man's Dream" attraction/Walt Disney Shrine at Disney's Hollywood Studios. That stint ended in April 2017 when Disney stopped promoting the Moana release and started promoting "Guardians of the Galaxy 2", inserting a meet with Starlord and Baby Groot in place of the headstrong teenager turned wayfinder (sorry... guess I should have warned you about that spoiler). And so, the star of the movie that was the source of the biggest earworm since "Let It Go" was left with nowhere to meet her - that is unless you are heading to Disney's Aulani Resort in Hawaii.

Source unknown: But source is a genius.

So I look at my sweet children and give them the disappointment that no, they will not be able to meet Moana or Maui and instead will have to be content with just swinging their pretend hooks around and flying like pretend hawks around my kitchen only to end up standing in front of me while swinging their hooks again to turn back into a pretend demi-god and ask if I want to meet them.

This may or may not have happened a few times. And they may or may not have been absolutely content with this answer because it's fun to say "I'm Maui! I'm not going on your boat" and making your sister scream because she's Moana.

I digress.

Disney - I think you've got to make this happen. Let's face it: you like making money and Moana... Moana can make you some serious bank. Set up that meet & greet space, put up a Moana gift shop beside it, and sit back and watch the money roll in.

Where? Where on your obscene amount of acreage should you put this meet & greet? Well... I have a few ideas for you.

Will is sad because this is Stitch and not Hei-Hei. 

1. 'Ohana (Disney's Polynesian Resort): This one is probably the most obvious. Right now, the only character meal at 'Ohana is Lilo & Stitch (with Mickey & Pluto) at breakfast. While this makes sense to have this duo as a primary character draw ("Ohana means family and family means no one gets left behind" - I get it), why not further bank on the Moana Mercantile that you've already set up next door? Character meals are a great way to meet characters without needing to wait in lines - you've gotta eat anyways, right? - and a wonderful way for Disney to make more cash since these meals always cost more money. In this scenario, I would carry over Lilo & Stitch and I would add in Moana and Maui (or Hei Hei). In fact while we're at it, let's remove Mickey & Pluto from the breakfast and just make all 3 meals Lilo & Stitch and Moana & Maui. It keeps with the theme of the resort and gives guests a place where they can meet these popular characters. Plus - who wouldn't want to drink some of that time-honored Disney POG juice out of a souvenir Kokamura cup? AMIRIGHT?

Seriously - WHAT IS THIS PLACE?
(Source: Wikimedia Commons)

2. The Outpost (Epcot): For as long as Steve and I have been going to Epcot together, we have yet to figure out what this area is besides a place for small children to bang on Bongo drums and to buy a floppy hat if you forgot yours at home or the hotel. Oh - and to buy a Coke (for those who haven't been, there is/was a "Coca-Cola Outpost" sign somewhere in this area). Why not revamp this a bit? Toss in a Kidcot stop, learn about Oceania a little, set up a Moana gift shop, and make an area with a backdrop setup that looks like something from the movie where you meet Moana and/or Maui. For that matter, if you look at the satellite of The Outpost area, there's a "beach" with "boats" across from it already - just replace the canoes that are there with Moana's boat. This could be a simple refurbishment of an area of World Showcase that not many people understand and an easy way to add an area of the world that's not really represented back there either. Since Disney seems to be in the business of renovating areas of World Showcase to fit whatever movies are popular at the movie anyways (I'm looking at you, Norway turned Arendelle and soon-to-be updated France for "Ratatouille") - why not make a better use of The Outpost. I'm just sayin'.

No idea who took this screenshot, but I'm pretty sure it's
from Google Maps. This is the space I'm talking about.

3. Between/Behind the Rafiki's Planet Watch train station & the Maharajah Jungle Trek (Animal Kingdom): If you look at a map of Animal Kingdom, there seems to be a fair amount of dead space kind of along the tracks/path heading up to Rafiki's Planet Watch and the Maharajah Jungle Trek. Maybe I'm wrong and this is some sort of animal training area or extra parking/staging for props or parade equipment - but on the satellite view it looks like a poorly groomed semi-grassy/semi-dirt area. We've got Africa, Asia, prehistoric times, and the fantastical world of Pandora represented at Animal Kingdom - why not use this space to represent the Oceanic part of the world? This could easily be tied into the existing Finding Nemo: The Musical (why not build it a new theater and put a new show in the Finding Nemo space?), maybe a "Return the Heart to Te Fiti" ride, followed by a meet & greet area to meet various characters from Moana (OK... just Moana and Maui), and you know what - since we're all about cultural learning at Animal Kingdom - an area where there's an interactive hula performance at various times throughout the day. And a Dole Whip stand. Because Dole Whips.

While I am sure there are lots of other places you could just stick a booth and a kiosk and let kids meet Moana - I've heard rumors of "somewhere" in Adventureland at Magic Kingdom, for example - why not make this something a little more. Use your imaginations and use the wave (pardon the pun) that Moana is riding on, invite Dwayne Johnson and Auli'i Cravalho to come to the opening and make a big deal out of it. And you know what, if it's in one of these spots invite me along too because I suggested it in the first place - heck,  you can even give me a free Dole Whip.

By the way, Disney. For these ideas of how to showcase Moana in your flagship resort & theme parks...

(Also, you totally knew I was going to do that last bit there. Admit it.)

Magical

Sometimes I wonder if there will be a time when my family will want to take our annual vacation to someplace other than Walt Disney World.

Then I realize that it is a magical place, a place where childhood knows no number, where dreams can come true, where comfort comes in many ways, where encouragement is boundless.

Maybe to you this sounds far-fetched. Maybe to you Disney is just a big corporate monster who use impeccable marketing to suck dry the wallets of those who are too weak to withstand the forces that are at work. Maybe Disney is something you avoid on principle, or maybe you think it's just too corny. Maybe you think that the stories that Disney presents are unrealistic fairy tales and you want to protect your children from the stereotypes perpetuated in every Disney film.

Or maybe none of that is you. Maybe you're just indifferent to Disney. Maybe your thoughts on Disney are different than what I've listed or you have no opinion whatsoever. Or maybe like me, you have found the magic at work in Walt's timeless kingdom. The heart of a man who was known for calling his employees to perfection, wanting to make sure that all of those who walked through the gates of his theme parks were able to relax, be or become children, to make the experience worth the money that they doled out at the ticket window.

The first time I went to the Magic Kingdom as an adult I was skeptical. I had only been one other time in my life at 17 years old and the only memory I had was blisters from jelly sandals and getting yelled at by a grouchy dad while clapping at the doll-acrobats with friends as we were stuck on "It's A Small World". At his insistence we arrived at the park for the opening ceremony and we waited outside the Main Street Railroad station, staring upwards waiting for the train to arrive that would signal the opening of the park.

Me at Epcot pre-kids: 2010

As Casey came down the track, as the faces of so many favorite characters came into view, as the early 1900's-era dancers sang out the refrain of "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Da" while Mickey waved to the onlookers below, as streamers and confetti and fireworks came popping out of strategically placed locations - I froze. I watched. I got chills.

They had me at "Here comes Casey comin' down the track..." 

Over the years until we had kids, Steve and I enjoyed many magical moments over the years at Walt Disney World theme parks. Getting close enough to the Illuminations: Reflections of Earth night show at Epcot to feel the heat of the fireball on our faces. Overcoming my life-long fear of heights on the Tower of Terror. Getting giddy with excitement waiting in line to meet the Genie and bouncing like a child when I saw him pop out of a box in the "Move it, Shake it, Celebrate it! Street Party". Inviting friends to join us for trips not once but twice and making memories there with them as well. Discovering the wonderful world of Disney cuisine and making sure we planned our meals around a stop at the French bakery in Epcot.

Then... the kids came. That was when we really started to see what is meant when people say Disney is "magical".

If you want to know what magic is - I mean really and truly - you need to see things of wonder through the eyes of your children. The first time they see Santa in the mall and make your mind up for you about whether or not you'll incorporate him into your Christmas celebrations. The first time they see fireworks light up the night sky. The first time they really understand what happens when they begin to tear back wrapping paper on a birthday gift. The first time they look up at the skies during a snowstorm and let the flakes fall and melt on their faces. The first time they realize they can gain speed on their tricycle by pushing back with their feet and then lift their feet up to let the breeze hit their face. The first time they throw an armful of leaves in the air.

And if you're insane like our family - the first time they go to Disney world.

Meeting Mickey for the 1st time

We thought for certain that the first time our shy guy saw Mickey Mouse he would cling to our legs, curl into our shoulders, and maybe even cry. Instead the first time we stood in a meet & greet line to see the Mouse he stared intently at Mickey, patiently waiting for his turn. As soon as the words "Go ahead, Will" left our lips, he quietly and with determination made his way to Mickey Mouse and opened his arms for a big hug. Tears came to our eyes as we watched all of our little guy's inhibitions melt away and he hugged and got excited for character after character like they were old friends.

Our daughter has never been one to sit still for anything. She's constantly moving, always looking for something to climb or listening for music to dance to or chasing after her brother or imagining something that lets her move about freely. The first time we brought the kids to the "Festival of the Lion King" show, she was completely mesmerized. Her high-gear motor was brought to an abrupt halt as she listened to the songs, watched the "tumble monkeys", stared at the fire-spinner, and was enraptured by the various dancers.

Or maybe the time that Will eagerly ran to Chip & Dale during the "Move it, Shake it, Dance it, Play it! Street Party" and then a day later I had to follow him through a crowd as he hunted down Pluto to dance with him at a holiday dance party. Or when Evie only opens herself up to see Sofia the First, confessing to Sofia that she is "so special" to her, rubbing her arm and hugging her only to politely decline every other character she encounters with an air high-five and a blown kiss. 

Maybe it's the way that chefs treat my 4.5-year-old son like an adult as they talk to him about the foods he likes when they come out of the kitchen to discuss his food allergies with us. Maybe it's the way that cast members treat Steve and I like joyful children when they see us pushing a stroller with napping actual children inside of it.

Maybe it's the excitement you feel when you're picked for the Indiana Jones show or one of the shows in Epcot or one of the participants for the Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor show (which Steve has done the first two and I've done the second - twice).

The look on your kid's face when they see the "Eiffel Tower" and recognize it from their monthly "Little Passports subscription, and thank you for bringing them to see it with a look of wonder on their face. Even your explanations of it not being the real one can't ruin that moment as they look and tell you "No, no - that's the Eiffel Tower... it's RIGHT THERE."

This is me cursing myself for not getting an embarrassing
picture of my mother squealing like a child when she saw
Winnie the Pooh. Instead, this is us that day
in front of the Grand Floridian Christmas Tree.

Maybe it's the way my own mother - who had never met a Disney character in her life before she came to a character breakfast with us - squealed with delight when Winnie the Pooh and Tigger walked into the room. And the way she casually dismissed it later like it was "just excitement for her grandchildren" and laughed when I called her on it. And the way her face lit on on the way to said breakfast when she saw Cinderella's Castle for the first time from the monorail - because the wonder of Walt Disney World knows no age limits.

Or perhaps it's the customer service. The way a cast member will chase you down with a full bucket of popcorn after you spill your almost empty one or they give you 2 "FasterPasses" and $10 on the rare occasion when you've been let down by their service or when they see that you're getting frustrated on the phone with an airline so they give your kids tiaras/hats/stickers to entertain them or when - just because you were nice to them - they ask their manager to give you an uber-FastPass to be able to do a kid-switch on a popular ride without waiting in line.

Or the way you feel the first time you watch that opening show at the Magic Kingdom with your kids on your shoulders, hoping they can feel the magic as the fireworks explode after the countdown to open the gates.

Even going to one of their local ice or stage shows is a sight to behold, with costumed characters' mouths moving, perfected choreography, and making sure that Disney Magic is accessible to those around the country who may never have the opportunity to make it to one of their theme parks. The faces of the children when Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and the rest of the Disney favorites come out from behind curtains and wrap the audience in their favorite songs, stories, and fantasies of the Disney "universe".

I get it. I get that whatever Walt Disney's original intents of the experience provided to his customers were may or may not still be there. I get that Disney overcharges you for waters (but let you bring your own into the parks) and the price of park admission is incredibly high and that you can get Disney t-shirts so much cheaper at Walmart, Target, or JCPenney. I get that they seem to be taking over all of the things with their hands in ABC, ESPN, Star Wars, Marvel... etc.

And I honestly don't care. 

THIS IS MAGIC! Pure magic!

This last trip, my kids who normally either get incredibly excited for or politely decline with an air-high-five interactions with characters both physically recoiled at the sight of the boisterous Drizella (one of Cinderella's wicked stepsisters) bounding around the room. "Mom! I don't like her! She's MEAN!" my son declared - loudly. When she reached our table, I ran interference and quietly said to the actress "The kids are nervous". She nodded, looked at the kids, put her hands on her hips, and declared "Well! It's a good thing I'm good at this!". She toned down her volume, gently approached the kids, gave me a hug, and went on her way.

Normally when this has happened at a breakfast - usually with Evie with a character that has come up behind her - the character actor/actress has given the child space and does not return to the table.

Not Drizella. She kept making sure she stopped at our table every time she walked by. She talked with the kids, checked in with them, asked if they'd seen Cinderella, made sure she was near us when the Prince walked into the room, and by the time we were ready to leave she had Will out of his chair on the floor with her checking out the knee-length bloomers she wears as part of her costume, comparing them to his shorts. Evie was even willing to give her a real high-five by the end of the meal.

Disney Magic.

I subscribe to it, I believe in it. On small levels like imagining at home in princess dress or watching movies with microwave popcorn to large levels like watching your kid melt into Cinderella's eyes when she asks if he will give her a kiss (then yelling at his 4-year-old self for the missed opportunity when he doesn't).

Disney... please... take my money. Thank you for using it remind me of the childlike parts of myself. Thank you for creating nostalgia and joy in the heart of my husband. And thank you for helping my kids uncover and grow parts of themselves with every interaction.

Here's another $20. Just take it for existing. Seriously.

(Disclaimer: No, Disney did not pay me to write this post. They didn't ask me to - I'm not a famous blogger, I have an average audience of 80-100 reads per post - and they don't need to. Enough people buy into what they're selling on a daily basis that people like me write about it anyways. Would it be nice if they saw this and invited me to a Disney Bloggers or Social  Media event - sure - but it's not likely to happen. Let's be honest. Maybe they'll send me a coupon for a free Tsum Tsum or something though... nah, that won't happen either. Free Dole Whip? Churro? Mickey ice cream bar? No? Ok, I'll stop now.)

Thoughts on Bringing Babies to Walt Disney World

I am a nervous person.

I try not to let it show, but I am. In fact, it's part of why I ended up experiencing a bout of mild post-partum depression after our son was born - I was nervous to go just about anywhere because he might cry/need to nurse/do anything that wasn't sleeping. It's part of what sometimes makes me a "wet blanket" - I play out the many scenarios of whatever it is and decide it's better to just avoid it rather than risk anything bad happening.

I'm a nervous person.

So when faced with the idea of heading to Walt Disney World with a still-nursing infant and a toddler, complete with their needs for scheduled naps and constant diaper changes - you can imagine that I took some time to pause and really think about whether or not it was a good idea. After talking with some friends of ours that went when their youngest daughter was 9 months old and doing a bit of research, we decided to book the trip.

Yeah, I was still a little nervous.

I did lots of research into what parks were best for toddlers, I bought bathing suits, I did a mental fit of all of our luggage PLUS the double stroller (because like heck I wasn't bringing the portable nap mobile), I way overpacked clothes for the kids and ordered half of a month's worth of diapers to be delivered.

And I was still nervous... and excited. As time passed I became excited for our son who LOVES Mickey Mouse and all the Finding Nemo characters, and continued to stay nervous about our 10-month old daughter who would be just as happy staying home for a week with a cupboard full of pots as she would be going to Walt Disney World.

It turned out that bringing our infant daughter to Disney was a lot more fun and easier than I was anticipating. Here are a few of the reasons why.

1. She was Free. Kids under the age of 3 do not have to pay for admission into the parks nor do they have to pay for a plate at a buffet. As far as the buffet goes - joke was on Disney there, since she eats as much as I do some days - but that's besides the point. At any rate, since it costs about $100 to get into a Walt Disney World park for a day and anywhere from $25-60/person to eat at a buffet - this cost savings was nothing to sneeze at. Incidentally, since Will isn't quite 3 yet this applied to him as well. This made us feel better about Evie not doing much in the parks or eating as much as an older kid because we didn't pay for her - so we clearly got our value.

Meeting the characters is something that our baby girl loved - not all babies will be as willing to check these guys out though, and in fact Evie wasn't at first either. But you never know - so give it a whirl!

2. So Much to See! Babies LOVE bright colors, music, things that light up and blink and move, and new things/places to explore. Everywhere we went was something new to see, and for our little Evie girl who LOVES music there was always a new show to see or music to hear/dance to. Even some of the longer shows like Finding Nemo: The Musical or Festival of the Lion King were great for Evie because there was enough to see and enough that changed that it kept her attention for the majority of the performance. I'll admit that entertainment of the baby and boredom were things I was worried about - and it turned out that this wasn't an issue either.

3. The Amenities. Every single restroom was equipped with a changing table, and for the first time ever we were out in public and Steve didn't mind taking the kids to the men's room for diaper changes. Why? Because he was blown away by the fact that they were immaculate - at least in the changing area (seriously, he's complained to management at restaurants before because their changing area in the men's room was horrendous). As if that wasn't enough - every park has the wonderful accommodations of a Baby Center. These are spots that have a big, clean changing area, a quiet nursing room, a spot where your kids can take a timeout and relax, and a sort of gift-shop full of baby-related items incase you find you have run out (think diapers, formula, changes of clothes, etc.). For me this was amazing because Evie still nurses twice during the day; it gave me a place I could just nurse her without distractions or needing to find a discreet place to whip out the old milkbag and feed the babe.

The Baby Center at Epcot. Clean, well stocked. I was impressed.

4. The Cast Members are There to Help. I cannot say enough about how patient, kind, loving, and understanding the Cast Members were when it came to Evie. The Character Spot at Epcot "technically" doesn't want you to bring your stroller through and will move it to the end of the line for you to pick up. As soon as I told them there was a sleeping baby in the stroller - they had big smiles and let me keep the stroller (as long as they could peek at the sleeping baby first to coo over her). Hyper baby at dinner? Server will bring you an empty cup and lid for her to play with - as well as 15 spoons to replace the ones she will inevitably throw on the floor. Need help getting on or off a ride with the baby in your arms because your spouse is chasing the other one? Cast Members will help you there too. I have always been impressed with Disney's staff, but bringing my kids to "The World" really gave me a deeper appreciation for how willing they are to help.

But... In full disclosure I have to say that there was one thing that was kind of a pain but completely understandable. I mentioned in my post about traveling with little ones that our double stroller was the single most useful tool that I brought with us. Having said that, it also turned out to be our biggest inconvenience. A lot of the places in the parks require that you leave your stroller outside of the building/attraction before entering. It's totally a space thing (and you'll understand that once you see the sea of strollers at various locations throughout the parks), but sometimes I wasn't mentally prepared for needing to unload the kiddos. The Cast Members that oversee the stroller parking, however, have it down to a science. As people leave, they move strollers down to fill the empty spaces and have steel trap memories for where they move them to. They chase down birds that try to take up residence in stroller buckets and make sure that no one is stealing things (like lunches and backpacks) from strollers that aren't theirs.

I had to disrupt a nap on more than one occasion... annoying, but necessary. Learn from me and plan appropriately.

So I guess the stroller thing was really a minor inconvenience and at the end of the day it's not like I wouldn't have brought the stroller even if I knew that. It's just one of those things you need to plan for, just like everything else that comes along with bringing a baby anywhere that's not... well... home.

I'll say this - when we left, I realized how silly I was to be nervous about bringing Evie down to Walt Disney World. It was seriously easier to bring an infant and toddler to Disney for a week - for me - than it was to bring them both to the beach for a day. It turned out to be one of the best experiences we've had so far since we've had the kids, and it made me excited to see how much more they both enjoy about WDW as they grow. If you're hesitant about bringing your little ones, let me reassure you - as our friends reassured us - that it is well worth going when they're little. Let them be little, let them explore, let them wonder, and enjoy watching them take it all in.

Traveling to Walt Disney World with Food Allergies

When you travel with a kiddo that has food allergies, you put yourself on high alert. Everything gets wiped down, extra epi-pens are packed, menus are scoured, reviews are... well... reviewed. You prepare as best as you can and steel yourself to become your child's food advocate, protector of all that may enter the mouth of the babe.

Then you go to Walt Disney World.

Prior to heading down, we checked in with the Disney Moms' Panel and asked them about what to expect. We did some checking into menus on the Disney Food Blog and All Ears and read up online about experiences others had before us. From what we could tell, it looked like we would be able to go just about everywhere and not stress (too much) about the food that we brought or had brought to our table. We made our ADR's (Advanced Dining Reservations), made the note on our reservations that we had a peanut/treenut allergy, and headed off to Florida.

As it turned out... our worrying about Will's allergies basically went away with the wind as soon as we stepped onto Walt Disney World property.

Since finding out that Will has peanut and walnut allergies in the fall of 2013, we have been nervous just about everywhere we go. We read labels on sample carts, we avoid foods that servers and managers are "unsure" about, we don't go into places that fry their food in peanut oil (gosh how we miss Chik-Fil-A). We brought every Epi-Pen in our possession with us (including 2 that had just recently expired) because we are so worried that our little guy is going to get an unwanted surprise out somewhere that we wanted to make sure we were as prepared as we could be.

The folks at Disney, as it turns out, are pros. No. Let me retype that. They're PROS. All caps, baby.

We ate at a restaurant for most of our meals (a couple of lunches were had in our room with groceries we had purchased), and were blown away by the attention to detail and knowledge of allergens that the staff had. Here are some of the things that we experienced while we were dining out at the Walt Disney World Resort:

Special Attention. As soon as we sat down to eat at almost every restaurant we went to (with the exceptions of T-Rex and Raglan Road, which are not "technically" Disney restaurants), our server notified the chef in charge of allergens for the evening - and that chef came to our table. From the mouth of the source we would hear what menu items to avoid to keep our little guy safe and what items could easily be altered if we wanted to try them within the bounds of the allergies. Buffet? NO PROBLEM. The chef - not a sous chef, not a server, but the chef - would walk us through the line and explain what dishes had what nuts in them and would then personally take our requests for any menu items located near nuts that we would want brought to our tables. Oh - the restaurants that we didn't see the chef? No worries there either; the servers were pretty darned knowledgeable and were able to give us the same rundown as a chef would have.

"This duck best not take my Mickey waffle..." - Evie

Off-Menu Items. As you can imagine, there are some things that are just too risky for us to attempt with our little man at the table. The biggest problem we ran into were desserts regardless of whether or not we were eating at a buffet. The fine Disney chefs were prepared for this, however, and would immediately ask us if we were interested in a plate of Enjoy Life cookies or whatever other special nut-safe dessert they may have had on-hand. For my husband and I this was awesome because we kind of really enjoy desserts. And for the kids... well... who doesn't love special cookies? This also resulted in my son getting basically a bottomless bowl of blueberries at every meal - which he totally loved too.

Counter Service Chaos? No Problem. Anyone who has ever been to Disney (or really any amusement park's counter service) during a high-volume meal time knows how incredible chaotic it can get. Hungry kids and frazzled parents and service staff trying their best to keep up with all of it are common sites at any counter service dining option during these times. This was the most nerve wracking ordering scenario for me because it seemed like the highest risk for cross contamination (if any was possible) due to higher-volume repeat orders. Turned out - not to worry. Disney has this down pat too. Oh, you have a food allergy? No worries. Our manager will personally handle your order which will be delivered to you on a tray a completely different color than everyone else's tray so that you can be assured our staff knew that your tray was an allergen-safe tray. Seriously. Don't stress it.

Stress-free Corn Dog Nuggets & Fries for our Will!

Extra Goodies. Knowing that the small purchased snacks throughout the parks and hotels tend to be made in a facility with allergens present, the fine folks at Disney dining have made sure to cover that for you as well. There were at least 2 different occasions where the chef (again, not a runner - but the CHEF) brought us out some extra Enjoy Life cookies or Babycakes in to-go containers. The day of our flight home, the chef brought us EVEN MORE so that we would have goodies on the plane for our little guy (which - side note - JetBlue has Skeeter nut-free cookies - score!).

To say that we were impressed with how the Disney Dining crew handled allergy issues is an understatement. At one point, Steve (who did the bulk of talking with chefs and servers) even said that he was close to tears because for the first time in over a year and a half it truly felt like we didn't have to worry about Will while we were out eating in restaurants. The Cast Members were beyond helpful, incredibly understanding, and super well-versed about their menus in ways that I always wish other places would "just get". We were about as relaxed about eating out as we had been in a long time (you know... taking a toddler and an infant out to eat aside...).

So if you are a parent of a kid with food allergies and you're wondering if a Walt Disney World vacation is something that you can consider - the answer is yes. Yes yes YES. Walt Disney World Cast Members have shown us that they take their food allergy training VERY seriously and want to make sure that folks can have a safe, enjoyable vacation.

As such - I can't wait for Will to outgrow this toddler eating phase and start to get more adventurous so we can show him our favorite foods at WDW... stress free.