We may laugh at the days where we were all in a jumble in the back seat, with nary a seat belt fastened let alone a 5-point harness, but I recently learned some alarming statistics. Three out of every four child car seats in the United States are not used or installed correctly. And almost 50 percent of the children fatally injured in motor vehicle crashes were unrestrained. To address this and encourage greater safety for child passengers everywhere, Toyota and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center have teamed up to launch a national, online education campaign on Causes.com.

The campaign invites people to take action online:

• Watch a short video with tips to properly install a child car seat
• Share the video with your friends and family

The campaign will build on the success of Toyota’s and Cincinnati Children’s groundbreaking Buckle Up for Life child safety program in communities, and in recognition of everyone who participates in the campaign, Toyota will donate 10,000 child car seats to families in need.

I’m pleased to be hosting a live Twitter chat to help parents learn valuable tips about child passenger safety. The event will start on Tuesday Jan. 22 at 2:00 p.m., ET, with certified child passenger safety technicians from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. The technicians will be available to answer questions, in English and Spanish, about proper car seat installation and other ways to keep child passengers safe. Join me @hvbabywilltrvl and follow @Toyota and @causes and learn some great tips on how you can #BuckleUpforLife.

The post Buckle Up For Life – Car Seat Safety For Travel And At Home appeared first on Have Baby Will Travel.

And here are five quick tips for traveling with a baby or toddler this Holiday Season…

1. Be Organized! Pack according to a detailed packing list, and don’t leave it to the last minute.

2. Make sure to follow bedtime routines while you’re away (or even flying on a red-eye!) to encourage good rest!

3. Save sugary treats or juice for the end of a flight. No sugar rush at 30,000 feet and lollipops or a sippy of juice during landing do double duty – reward for good behavior during a flight AND sucking helps prevent ear pain.

4. You don’t need to buy all new toys and distractions for the flight. Hide a few favourites before your journey so kids will be happy to see them mid-flight.

5. A stroller is not just a stroller. It is a high chair, a bed, a luggage trolley and a baby jail. Never underestimate the power of a stroller!

Win This UPPAbaby G-Luxe Stroller!

The best part is that you can win the UPPAbaby G-Luxe Stroller shown on the show!

We’ve found the UPPAbaby G-Luxe Stroller to be an excellent choice for an umbrella stroller, and if you’re going to be doing a lot of travel, it may well be worth the investment to buy a stroller specifically for travel. The UPPAbaby G-Luxe is super light, easy to push, easy to fold, and so easy to carry. We were late to the umbrella stroller game, and while we do adore our full-sized UPPAbaby Vista – for gate-checking and other travel circumstances an umbrella stroller is just easier.

This giveaway is for Greater Toronto Area residents only! Follow the instructions in the good ol’ Rafflecopter widget below and start 2013 with some new wheels!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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My Kids And Their Vacation Nannies on FDR’s Beach…

We only spent three days there, but our stay at Jamaica’s FDR Resort & Spa, in Runaway Bay, Jamaica, is one of our most memorable. In fact, my daughter, OFTEN asks to go back. This intimate and casual resort includes one incredible feature that is probably the single greatest asset for a traveling family – a vacation nanny. She is that extra pair of hands you always wish you had, she stocks your fridge and takes care of your room, and most importantly, she helps you with your child or children (as much or as little as you feel comfortable) so you can have some grown up time together too.

Bub With The Lovely Nanny Loraine

And now you have a chance to win a 5-day/4-night stay for a family of four (2 adults & 2 children) at the Franklyn D. Resort & Spa, in Runaway Bay, Jamaica!

This prize includes all meals, all beverages (bar drinks included) nightly entertainment, tennis for day and night play, a wide variety of water sports, all hotel taxes, service charges and much more!!

To enter, drop by and say hi at my booth at the Babytime Show in Toronto, November 9, 10, and 11, 2012, at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre! I’ll also be speaking about planning your first family vacation on the Fun & Fitness Stage on Saturday November 10 and Sunday November 11 at 11am (after the minute of silence on the 11th, of course). I’ll be competing with Barney, so I will appreciate any audience I can get!

The prize for the stay at FDR is valid for travel by May 31, 2013. To make reservations, please call our Reservations Department at (876) 973-4124/6720 within three weeks of your preferred date of arrival. Keep in mind that your trip is based on space availability at the time of your request and blackout periods are applicable. Flights to Jamaica are not included.

The post Win A Stay At FDR Resort In Jamaica At Toronto’s Babytime Show! appeared first on Have Baby Will Travel.

He Was Born A Travelin' Man...

This Spring, Have Baby Will Travel will turn five. I created it because I was looking to find information and support on traveling with babies before our first trip with our daughter, and was surprised not to find it. Since then, a bunch more adventurous and wonderful parents have created their own websites and blogs about family travel, and all of our combined experiences, I think, will help encourage parents to keep traveling with their kids. Have Baby Will Travel’s mission is to inspire, motivate, and help families travel with babies, toddlers, and young children. Sadly, for the most part, the mainstream media’s mission seems to be to alienate and inspire fear into those hoping to travel with kids.

This CNN article in particular, has caused my family travel community to say “enough”! Elaine Ee’s bio says she is a mom of three, but not that she has traveled extensively with them. My guess is that she hasn’t, because while that first trip may be a challenge, it truly does get easier and easier – even once they become toddlers.

I think rules are meant to be broken, so now I’ll break Ms. Ee’s rules one by one…

What Ms. Ee says:

1. The younger the child, the bigger the suitcase:
…So the favorite stuffed giraffe that takes up a third of the suitcase is brought along, as is an entire library of “Dr Seuss and Eric Carle” books and, not to mention, the space-consuming nappies, wet wipes and milk bottles needed for the really young ones.

While you may not be traveling as lightly as you used to, and I often joke about my mammoth packing list, the reality is most parents are wise enough to choose a few select items for baby that truthfully don’t take up too much room. Plus, the younger the child, the more easily distracted they are by you or by the in-flight magazine, and most certainly don’t require an entire library of books. You can sterilize bottles in a hotel room, so you don’t have to bring many baby bottles, and for travel consider purchasing a few Diaperbuds to take up less room in your carry-on.

What Ms. Ee says:

2. The younger the child, the harder it is to get over jet lag:
Very young children cannot force themselves to go to bed or wake up just because local time says it’s the right to do so. Kids will sleep when they’re tired and be up when they’re not. So your young child may be raring to go at 3 a.m., just when your dose of melatonin has kicked in, and of course promptly fall fast asleep when you arrive at Disneyland. Babies who haven’t yet regulated their sleep pattern fall outside this, so in this respect traveling with infants is easier than traveling with young children, although you may be curious as to what wonders of Tokyo/San Francisco/Paris/the Maldives can be appreciated by a little one whose world has barely extended beyond his mother’s breast.

Her tone is most offensive to me here, in addition to being actually incorrect. Whatever you think of sleep training, Dr. Ferber is the director of The Center for Pediatric Sleep Disorders, at Children’s Hospital in Boston and has been researching sleep and sleep disorders in children for over 20 years. He mentions that kids’ circadian rhythms are more flexible, and that jet lag in children is easier to cope with than in adults. And Ms. Ee’s quip about what a young infant can possibly appreciate about being in a foreign city? Probably nothing, but who cares? The memories and photographs will last forever, and traveling young instills a love of travel that’s hard to extinguish.

What Ms. Ee says:

3. Travel to a destination that serves French fries:
Unless your kid has an abnormally educated palate, hold off on that culinary tour of India. Do not attempt to travel to a place where there isn’t kid-friendly food. This seemingly small detail is essential for a successful holiday with young children. French fries, nuggets, pizza and the like will save your holiday. If you’re the type of traveler for whom the most worthy destinations are places where there isn’t a basket of fries to be found, then you have some compromising to do. While sampling local cheese, wild curries and exotic meats may be exciting for you, all a young child wants is some fried, fast food or at the very least, a bowl mac and cheese.

While this “Rule” is most upsetting mostly because of what it says about Ms. Ee’s children’s eating habits, I seriously doubt there’s anywhere in the world that does not serve “kid-friendly food”. Although I bristle at the use of that phrase because it suggests that all kids want to eat is junk. Even the pickiest of eaters would find food in India just fine. Ever heard of Basmati rice or Naan bread? Also, last time I checked (ie: GOOGLE) they have McDonalds in India, they just don’t serve beef. They do, however, serve deep fried pizza.

Ms. Ee says:

4. You can’t have too much inflight entertainment for young children:
If you wonder why parents of young kids travel with five pieces of luggage, it’s because three of those five bulging bags are filled with toys, books, games and gadgets lest junior gets bored for more than a second and all hell breaks loose. The extra bags are filled with several changes of clothes (for when junior throws up all over himself), a mountain of wet wipes (to clean junior and everything within a five-metre radius), children’s drugs (we’re not using them to get the kids to fall asleep, promise) and a bottle of whiskey for mum and dad hastily bought at duty free.

Even my extensive carry-on packing list only suggests items that can easily be packed in the usual luggage allotment. Generally I save the electronics until all other means are exhausted, but the iPad has seriously help my kids develop from good travelers, to absolutely no trouble at all. A few new shows and apps uploaded before our last trip, and my kids were silent for the entire duration of our last flight. No joke. Also? Kids clothes are small, changes in case of accidents don’t take up that much room.

Ms. Ee says:

5. Strollers are as much a bane as a boon:

Skip your morning workout and push a fully loaded stroller across the beach instead. Being able to strap a child into a stroller and load it with stuff that would otherwise be on your back is huge relief for an exhausted parent. But when on the road other considerations come into play that sometimes thwart this:
1. It is not humanly possible for one adult to push a luggage trolley laden with four suitcases (remember the stuffed giraffe) and a stroller at the same time (yes it’s okay to balance your child on top of the suitcases)
2. While airline staff swear on their life your stroller would be waiting for you when you got off the plane, it is often found at the baggage carousel, a good 15-minute walk away
3. Your exotic destination is likely to be non-stroller friendly so your buggy sits folded up in your hotel room for most of the trip.
So you end up only going as far as your young child can walk (to the nearest restaurant that serves French fries and back); or as far as you can carry them in your strap-on carrier (yes the Wat-of-500-steep-steps is too much); or you spend most of your holiday by the hotel’s baby pool.

Here’s the thing, when you’re traveling with a stroller-aged child, a stroller is not just a stroller, it is a high chair, a bed, a baby jail, and also a luggage trolley. A stroller that’s easy to travel with plus a good lightweight carrier or sling means baby has options and so do you. Also, savvy parents know what type of stroller their destination is most suited towards. Here, Ms. Ee is just being kinda insulting. (And no, the Wat-of-500-steep-steps is not too much, if you’re prepared with an appropriate child carrier and realistic expectations of what you’re trying to accomplish. Sheesh.)

Ms. Ee finishes with:

Despite all of the above, traveling with young children is great fun and terrific bonding time for busy parents; but it is hard work. So make it easier by choosing travel options that the more intrepid of us would recoil at (that’s right, no backpacking around India), but the young one would love (Club Med, theme parks, all-in-one resorts win).

While I would never disparage Club Med, theme parks, or all-inclusive resorts, (well maybe I would, back in my travel snob days), the idea that doing India with kids – or anywhere else for that matter – is not an option, is ridiculous.  Today’s parents are well-traveled and well-researched, and can and should plan for the type of travel they want to do and are prepared to do. Ms. Ee’s article comes off like a woman disparaging feminism, thinking it will make her more attractive to men. And I think it’s unfair to let articles like this go unchecked, because if parents want to travel, they should and they can and it’s really not as hard as the mainstream media would have you believe.

I wasn’t the only one annoyed by this article, check out what some others in the family travel online community had to say!

• A King’s Life: The Surprisingly Easy Truth of Traveling with Kids http://www.akingslife.com/2012/02/the-surprisingly-easy-truth-of-traveling-with-kids
• The “Secret” to Traveling with Children by Susan W http://familytravelbucketlist.com/the-secret-to-traveling-with-children
• Worst Family Travel Advice I’ve Ever Read http://www.thenomadicfamily.com/2012/02/worse-family-travel-advice-ive-ever.html by Gabi Klaf @The Nomadic Family.com
• Debunking cnn’s rules for traveling with kids by Mary @Bohemiantravelers http://www.bohemiantravelers.com/2012/02/debunking-cnns-rules-for-traveling-with.html
• How Do you Travel with Children? by Alisa @ Living Outside of the Box http://livingoutsideofthebox.com/2012/02/15/how-do-you-travel-with-children/ ‎
• 5 Rules of Travel With Kids: A Traveling Child Responds by Jennifer Miller http://edventureproject.com/5-rules-of-traveling-with-kids-a-traveling-child-responds/
• Shocking Tips on Traveling with Kids That Went Unnoticed…It is Time to Demystify The Five Rules of Traveling with Kids by Claudia Looi @travelwritingpr http://travelwritingpro.com/shocking-tips-traveling-kids-unnoticedit-time-demystify-rules-traveling-kids/
• 5 Amazing Reasons To Travel With Your Kids! http://travelexperta.com/2012/02/5-reasons-family-travel-is-a-must.html
• French fries and chicken nuggets are travel essentials: The worst family travel advice ever by Nancy Sathre-Vogel @familyonbikes http://familyonbikes.org/blog/2012/02/the-worlds-worst-family-travel-advice
• More Than French Fries by lisa Shusterman http://aroundtheworldineasyways.com/2012/02/more-than-french-fries/
• Rules are What You Make Them: Paving Your Own Way Through Family Travel by Jessica @Suitcases and Sippy Cups  http://wp.me/p1B5LL-Fb
• Why “Easy” Travel Options Aren’t Always the Best for Kids- a Rebuttal to CNNGo “5 Rules of Traveling With Kids” by Jody Halsted @iatraveler http://familyrambling.com/family-travel-tips-5-rules/travel-resources/
• CNNGo Five Rules of Travelling With Kids Are You For Real - http://www.newlifeontheroad.com/five-reals-of-travelling-with-kids/
• Myths, NOT rules, of traveling with kids by Kate Rehkopf @experientialfam http://experientialfamily.com/myths-not-rules-of-traveling-with-kids/
• My Reality (Not Rules) When Traveling with Kids by Keryn Means @walkingontravel http://walkingontravels.com/2012/02/15/my-reality-not-rules-when-traveling-with-kids/
• “Yes ! It is possible to travel with children of all ages” by Susus 7 http://growingracelife.wordpress.com/yes-you-can!/
• Forget the Rules of Travel – Try Backpacking with Kids in Yellowstone National Park by @sandrafoyt http://albanykid.com/2012/02/15/yellowstone-national-park-backpacking-with-kids
• 5 Rules of Traveling with kids NOT to Follow http://www.motravels.com/2012/02/5-rules-of-traveling-with-kids-not-to.html

The post CNN’s Ridiculous “Rules” About Travel With Kids appeared first on Have Baby Will Travel.

An "Entitled Parent" and her "Screaming Brats"

A recent article in the Wall St. Journal by Travel Editor Scott McCartney was the first in a long time that nailed the experience of traveling with children without an underlying tone of negativity towards it. Of course the comments made my head want to explode, but it was refreshing to read a large piece in the mainstream media that told it like it is. Traveling with kids is tough. The addition of extra fees and removals of “privileges” makes it tougher. Putting the onus on parents instead of airlines to confirm they’re seated with their toddlers is silly. And the requisite hostile comments about “entitled parents” and their “screaming brats” displayed the current North American your-kids-must-be-perfectly-behaved-in-public-without-ever-going-out-in-public attitude that prevails towards parents who deign to take their babies on airplanes, their toddlers to restaurants, and their pre-schoolers to coffee shops.

I created Have Baby Will Travel to inspire, motivate, and help parents travel with their babies, toddlers, and young children. To inspire, by showing beautiful places in the world to share with your baby. To motivate, by sharing stories and tips from parents who’ve been there. To help, by giving family friendly destinations and travel products and services the opportunity to connect with family travelers.

Going on Fox & Friends Weekend is an opportunity to spread the word about how my first-hand experiences traveling with children have been wonderful. Strangers have been friendly and supportive. Flight attendants have been helpful and kind. In the combined over 30 flights my kids have been on, I can count on one hand the number of times we’ve been shot dirty looks, or had someone be overtly rude. Maybe there have been more, but in the few times my kids have had “moments” I’m so busy looking after them that I have no idea if we’re getting the stink eye.

One of the biggest arguments against traveling with kids is that they won’t remember it. To that I say “who cares?” My children won’t remember lots of things i do with them while they’re small, but it all helps shape them into the curious and creative people I hope they will become. Travel expands the mind and exposure to new cultures helps develop tolerance and acceptance.

Don’t let anonymous bullies behind keyboards put you off seeing the world and sharing it with your little ones. And kudos to Scott McCartney for penning a fair article on flying with kids that tells it like it really is. Flying to get there is only a tiny percentage of the travel experience, and it’s worth it.

It’s totally totally worth it.

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Babies Not First Class Citizens?

Recent headlines suggest Malaysia Airlines is the first airline to ban babies on flights. In fact, it was a twitter exchange between Malaysia Airlines’ CEO Tengku Azmil and an Australian travel writer that “confirms” Malaysia Airlines will not be installing bassinets in the first class cabins of their 747-400 and upcoming A380 aircraft – alluding to the possibility that infants will not be allowed in first class. Hardly banning babies on flights at all, and actually, not even saying with certainty that all babies will not be allowed in first class.

I may not have a journalism degree, but something tells me confirming a story on Twitter is not the pinnacle of journalistic excellence… but I digress.

Bassinets are sometimes offered by airlines in the bulkhead rows of seats. Typically they are not allowed for infants over a certain weight, and should not be used once baby is old enough to sit unassisted. However, flying with babies is a pain, so if you manage to reserve a bassinet, having that extra space just to hold stuff while you hold the baby is a bit of a luxury.

Bassinets are not offered for ticketed infants. Bassinets are customarily reserved for parents flying with a lap infant only. This is where the whole Malaysia Airlines thing has (possibly) been blown out of proportion. The aircraft mentioned are used for long-haul flights, a full-fare first class return ticket from London Heathrow to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia is over £5000. If a parent wanted to purchase a full-fare first class return ticket for their infant, to use with an approved-for-flight car seat, I have a hard time believing that Malaysia Airlines would refuse to sell that ticket. I think what Malaysia Airlines is saying, is that lap infants will be discouraged in their first class cabins on long-haul flights, as parents won’t have access to bassinets.

**Hardly as exciting as saying babies are banned from first class**

I’ve emailed Malaysia Airlines for confirmation that infants are, in fact, banned from these first class cabins. I’ve also “tweeted” CEO Tengku Azmil as well. Seeing as such outlets as The Globe And Mail, and the LA Times are willing to accept tweets as credible sources, who am I to argue?

EDITED TO ADD:
So Tengku Azmil tweeted me back this morning: “We do not take infants in 1st Class whether on their own seat or on the lap. We do lose some revenue but many ppl complained”

Malaysia Airlines may want to update their online booking process, as this was not mentioned when I tested booking a flight from London to Kuala Lupur.

Oh well. Wouldn’t handing out noise-cancelling headphones to 1st class passengers than restricting potential revenue?And doesn’t Tengku realize that toddlers are way more annoying than infants?

The post Flying With A Baby On Malaysia Airlines? appeared first on Have Baby Will Travel.

We all know about those surveys that say they’d rather us NOT travel with little ones, or be relegated to our own section of a plane… Well, I’m here to help you survive the journey with tips and tech that will hopefully keep baby so busy, most won’t even know there’s a babe in their midst!

As with most live TV spots, there wasn’t time to show everything, but here’s what was featured:

Vector 22 Carry-On by Osprey:
A good piece of luggage is essential. It needs to be lightweight, and have pockets to keep you organized but not so many that you can’t find anything. With a back pocket for laptop and tablet, plus a special pocket for the baggie of liquids, getting through security was a breeze.

Blackberry Playbook & Torch:
Never in my life would I have thought I’d let grubby little hands handle expensive gadgets, but the power of the tablet and smartphone is hard to refuse when you see just how quickly they can quiet little travelers. The Playbook is great because its petite size and light weight makes it easy for little hands to hold, and the HD picture is pretty impressive. Even the HD demo movie enthralled my toddler.

Motorola Xoom & Atrix:
The Xoom has the largest screen and the longest battery life of most tablets on the market, and the number of apps available for Android is  now over 100,000. The Atrix phone is essentially a hand-held computer, that can be plugged into a lapdock that turns it into a fully-functioning laptop.

Cute Headphones:
I wrote about these adorable toddler headphones a while back, because I think they’re great. Inexpensive, cute, adjustable, and external volume control means my kiddos are happy to wear them. And when kiddos are happy while traveling, everyone is!

Bottle Warmer:
Although I’m a huge proponent of having babies get used to room temperature food and bottles, there’s nothing quite like a warm bubba of milk to send a baby off to sleep. The Prince Lionheart On-The-Go Bottle Warmer provides instant heat at the push of a button – no batteries or electrical supply needed. It stays warm for hours and simply boil in water to reuse. It’s completely non-toxic.

Knot-It roll of bags:
This is a nifty little invention that ensures you always have a plastic bag to put laundry or yucky stuff in. Extra plastic bags seem to be the one thing I always forget, so popping this in your bag means you don’t have to worry about it.

Cubbie Cup:
It doesn’t fit in a cup holder, but for travel days it helps to keep everything contained. The Cubbie Cup offers a spill-proof way for your toddler to enjoy a drink and snack without managing a bunch of different containers.

Boon Squirt Spoon:
If your journey’s not too long, loading up the Squirt spoon helps keep mess to a minimum and leaves you with a hand free – necessary when you’re en route.

Bibagogo:
A nifty, wipeable bib with a pocket on the back that holds a spoon and washcloth.

Diaperbuds:
While more expensive than your usual diapers, Diaper Buds are worth the splurge for the bit of extra square footage in your carry-on bag.

Apps:

If your smartphone is anything like mine, most of your apps have been downloaded to keep your kids happy. Here are a few free ones that will make your life easier while you’re traveling with tots:

CAA TripTik Mobile:
Remember the paper TripTiks from your family road trips? Of course CAA has entered the 21st century and now all that information is in the palm of your hand. All the information is compatible with AAA as well, for your cross-border road trips.

Bravado Breastfeeding Friendly Locator:
Find local and international breastfeeding-friendly locations.

Nappy Station Location:
Find local and international locations to safely change your baby’s diaper in a welcoming environment.

Aloqa:
Recently purchased by Motorola, this app ties together location and social media, to show you preferred restaurants, and shops no matter where you are.

*** if you purchase something from here, Have Baby Will Travel will receive a small commission***

The post Tips & Tech To Survive Travel With Tots on GlobalBC appeared first on Have Baby Will Travel.

Suffice to say, it’s no picnic getting sick when you’re away from home, but what’s kind of funny is that it happened in probably the cleanest place I’ve ever vacationed.  If we had been in Mexico or Cuba, people would have been surprised if we hadn’t been sick. (And for the record, I’ve never been sick in either Mexico or Cuba. Hope I didn’t just jinx myself

On our previous visits to Walt Disney World, we only visited Magic Kingdom and Epcot, so I was delighted to experience Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios.

The Awesome Crew At The Tree Of Life...

Our safari at Animal Kingdom was on one of our chillier mornings, but seeing the incredible animals quickly warmed us up. While a dream of mine is to one day take the kids on safari in Africa, being able to see these amazing creatures up close is a good substitute in the meantime. Loved the *little* baby giraffe – he seemed to be playing peek-a-boo with us from behind the tree.

The Lion King Show was pretty spectacular. The animatronic characters look JUST LIKE the characters from the movie, and the kids were entranced. My favourite performance (and Megan’s) was the peacock ballet dancers. Seriously. The Lion King Show is a must do. That afternoon Bub slept through his third parade – Mickey’s Jammin’ Jungle. Poor little guy – he loves parades but on this trip he loved his naps more!

He Refused To Pose In A Neck Lift. My Husband Was Disappointed.

At Hollywood Studios, we all loved Disney Jr. – Live On Stage! The Playhouse Disney Channel has not yet re-branded to Disney Jr., but I’m glad to see the kids’ favourite shows like Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Little Einsteins will still be on come May. Bub adores Mickey Mouse, he calls him Yickey.

The Lights! Motors! Action! Show at Hollywood Studios was really exciting and very well done. The noises and smells were a little startling at times for the little ones, but everyone was wowed by the fast action and believable explosions.

Staying For The Fireworks On Our Last Night. Worth It.

In spite of being a little sad that our vacation is over, the memories left behind will be cherished forever.

The post Have Baby Will Travel’s Magical Memories On Playhouse Disney Channel appeared first on Have Baby Will Travel.

Bub & Stitch - Mutual Respect!

I learned in business school recently that Walt Disney’s mission statement was and is “To make people happy”. And our trip to Walt Disney World courtesy Walt Disney Parks & Resorts (Canada) and Playhouse Disney Channel definitely made someone we like to call Bub very happy. At 20-months-old, many would say that Riley was too young to bring to WDW for any number of reasons, but judging from his reactions, it’s pretty safe to say that he really enjoyed himself!

Watch Bub’s installment of our trip to Walt Disney World here…

The only real concern I had was his reaction to the characters in costume. You never know how they’ll react when they see them for the first time. To top it off, Bub had not yet been introduced to many of the characters, but that seemed not to matter – he loved them all completely. The only snag we ran into was that he was not thrilled when his turn with Chip and Dale was finished, but other than that he loved meeting everyone! Sadly he slept through the entire Princess lunch at the Norway Castle in Epcot, but his enthusiasm at the Cinderella dinner at 1900 Park Fare more than made up for it!

Princess vs. Pirate... I Know Who My Money's On!

My husband was a good sport and went for the full pirate makeover, as Bub was a little young for the makeup. The experience was very fun, and Disney has thought of everything when it comes to the full experience. My new pirate husband “Jason” now sported a few extra pairs of eyes! Just a quick word of warning – the makeup is hard to take off.

Some experiences really stand out. Bub loved the shows! The Lion King show at Animal Kingdom was amazing, and Turtle Time With Crush at Epcot seemed to be particular favourites. With Cars being a new favourite, seeing Lightning McQueen and Mater at Hollywood Studios was a definite Bub highlight. (So looking forward to Cars Land opening at Disney California Adventure Park in 2012!) We loved that Bub could come on so many rides with us, and that there was never an issue or worry about there being high chairs in the restaurants or change tables in the washrooms.

Early Call Helping The Crew, No Wonder He Napped So Well!

Probably the most surprising thing about Riley’s first visit to Walt Disney World, is the fact that he napped so well in his stroller. We fully anticipated having to split up our days and head back to the hotel after lunch for his naps (staying on property, especially on the monorail line, makes this a breeze) but we didn’t have to. Every day, without fail, he would pass out in his stroller and sleep for three hours. Every day. This made our afternoons fun and it was so lovely to stay up and watch the fireworks every night.

Even though he likely won’t remember it, my memories of Bub’s first visit to Walt Disney World are definitely magical.

The post Princesses and Pirates and Bub, Oh My! On Playhouse Disney Channel appeared first on Have Baby Will Travel.

Getting Bibbidi Bobbidi Booed!

Watch the second installment of our trip here…

A definite highlight of our trip to Walt Disney World courtesy Walt Disney Parks & Resorts (Canada) and Playhouse Disney Channel was our stop to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique at Cinderella’s Castle in Magic Kingdom. It was an early start on this cool January morning, but Megan was beyond psyched. Not only did we get to go inside the castle, she was getting a full princess makeover! While I can fantasize about getting a makeover one of these days, I was happy to live vicariously through my daughter for a morning of sheer princess pampering.

Work It!

The Fairy Godmothers in training are all so lovely, and regale their little princesses with tales of Ariel’s shenanigans and Snow White’s preferences. Actually, it was quite reminiscent of the good gossip your own hairdresser usually spills about their other clients Megan chose the “fairy princess” ‘do – a tight bun with a small tiara and a special sparkly Mickey clip at the back. Her choice of wardrobe was initially surprising… I was certain Megan would choose a complete princess ensemble – most likely Cinderella – but I was wrong. She selected a Snow White gown, Aurora crown, and Jasmine shoes. It took me a while to realize she was quite strategic in her selections; she picked things she didn’t already have.

Bibbidi Bobbidi Bub

Bub enjoyed getting fawned over by his adoring public, and showed his appreciation by creating a diaper most vile – a perfect weapon in keeping evil fairies and wicked queens at bay. Walt Disney World parks have a baby care centre for a quiet place to feed and change baby, but all restrooms there offer change tables as well.

Magic Kingdom truly is our favourite park at Walt Disney World. We now have a routine down pat when we arrive. It helps to arrive early and have your route plotted out in advance, so line time is kept to a minimum and you can squeeze everything in. After a great morning, Bub passed out during the Move It! Shake It! Celebrate It! parade and street party, slept through lunch, and right through The Celebrate A Dream Come True parade. In fact, almost every day of our Walt Disney World visit saw him passed out in his stroller for at least three hours. That was a surprise, as we were fully planning on heading back to our room for a bit as Disney World toddlers often need a break. Not ours!

Bibbidi Bobbidi Pooped...

So as Bub slept, we took turns going on the rides with Megan, who fully embraced spending the day in her princess gown. She decided on her mouse ears, instead of a tiara, for our second day at Magic Kingdom. Yup, we had enough time at WDW to do MK twice!

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