Spending Christmas at Christmas Town - Day 2

On Day 2, we woke up and my parents were on their way to the timeshare presentation. The rest of us got ready for the day while we waited. For breakfast, we headed to Denny's and then to Busch Gardens to get in line before the park opened at 2 p.m.

We parked in handicap because Uncle George had his permit and it was right at the entrance of the park which was helpful in the cold with a toddler in our party. We headed in with our pre-purchased tickets, but certain areas opened later than the entrance, so we had to find our ways through certain countries to get to all of the open areas. We started in England and headed to Scotland, then Ireland, then France and Oktoberfest (Germany). We also made stops in Italy and Santa's Workshop.

Tom got a Guiness Hot Cocoa as we passed through Ireland and didn't really love it. I purchased a Peppermint Hot Cocoa in a souvenir mug and it was very tasty and warm. At one point, we stopped in a couple stores asking for toddler clothing and there was none to be found in the whole park. So, I got a Busch Gardens stein ornament and we headed over to a show.

Jax ended up falling asleep as we walked to the show in Das Fest Haus in Oktoberfest. They sang Christmas Carols and he slept through the whole thing. I eyed a towering slice of cake that someone bought and it must have been like a 10-layer cake. It was enormous and I was very upset that I didn't try it.

After the show, we headed to Italy to watch Miracles which included hymns and ballet. Jackson woke up during the show and enjoyed some snacks to keep him quiet. We had reservations for Santa's Fireside Feast, so we headed right over there. The food was like a Thanksgiving meal with the addition of Swedish Meatballs, Rotini Pasta and Tomatoes, Macaroni and Cheese and Chicken Nuggets. It was all served on a buffet with styrofoam plates and plastic cutlery. During dinner, we were able to get up and take photos with Santa before he read A Night Before Christmas to everyone.

We headed back over to Santa's Workshop to get in line to take our photo with Santa. In that area, they made is snow and that was pretty cool. The whole family was able to get in the photo, but Jackson was super grumpy, again, which made for an interesting photo.

After the photo, we headed over to a shop to scoop up some hot cocoas and a couple treats for the way out. We were cold and tired at that point, so we looked at all of the lights and decorations as we headed out and back to the hotel. 

On Our Way to Christmas Town - Day 1

In 2012, my parents, Jackson and I visited Christmas Town at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Virginia and thought it was a really festive and fun way to start the Christmas season. At that time, Jax was only four months old, so we weren't able to do much, but we did get to see their amazing and serious Santa Claus. Since we thought is was so lovely, we decided to head back when Jackson was a little older, and that was this year. We also added a few people to our trip. Our travel party included my parents, Aunt Rosie, Uncle George, Tom, Jackson and I.

We left at 5 a.m. to hit the road for Virginia. By 10 a.m. we were ready to stop at the Chesapeake House in Maryland to have a bite to eat. Everyone ordered their breakfast at the Earl of Sandwich because we love their sandwiches whenever we eat them at Downtown Disney. Well, I think we should stick to lunch and dinner sandwiches because my sandwich was a little odd. I had a bacon, egg and cheese and there was an interesting sauce on it that tasted like a buttery mayo. That threw my taste buds off a little bit and I wasn't a fan. After we all made our pit stops, we were back on the road and heading to our resort. At one point, Jackson was fussy, but I was prepared with a new book of stickers, a portable DVD player and my iPhone.

It rained all day, so when we arrived at Kings Creek Plantation and our room wasn't ready, we decided that we shouldn't go to Busch Gardens because the rain just kept getting worse. We went for lunch at Cracker Barrel and of course, we did a little shopping. They have the coolest items in their store, especially around the holidays. Then, we headed over to Target to get some hotel room essentials because we were supposed to have a kitchen and dining area in our room.

By the time we returned to the resort, our room was ready and we headed in with all of our luggage and supplies. At one point, I made my father, husband and uncle go out and pick up Sonic for dinner. That's pregnancy for ya! We played cards and just hung out in the room while it poured.

Since our first day was a wash-out, we made sure that the next day would be a theme park day and we were ready. 

Traveling with a Toddler

My son Jackson is 23-months-old and he has been to Busch Gardens in Virginia, Walt Disney World and on a Caribbean cruise already. He even has a passport because he needed one for the cruise. I didn't have a passport until I was 19 and my husband didn't have one until he was 37, but we love to travel, so we bring him with us and we love it. Lucky kid! I have a few tips that I found while I was researching how to travel (kind of) easily with a toddler. I am not trying to patronize anyone or act like I know everything; these are just a few things that worked for me and my family.

The first thing I will advise you to do is to travel with more adults than children, if you can. We have traveled with my parents, my Aunt Rosie and Uncle George, and my cousin Georgie, his girlfriend Paige and her son Garrett. By having a bunch of adults, we are able to take turns walking him around and keeping an eye on him. At WDW, we even took turns taking him on rides, so that each of us could get in a picture and he had plenty of people to play with. 

When we went to WDW, I sent a box of my son's supplies to the resort because they accepted packages two weeks before the reservation. By sending the box, I didn't have to figure out how to get all of his diapers, food pouches, sippy cups, bath toys and towels on the plane. Keep in mind, a toddler averages six to eight diapers per day, so that's a lot of diapers for one week. All of his stuff that would be used on the trip was already at the resort in the box when we got there. We just had to ask for it at the reception desk when we checked in. Fortunately, we were able to take a quick trip to the grocery store for milk, water and extra pouches, as well.

If you are flying, you are allowed to keep small electronic devices on throughout the entire flight from take-off to touch down. This was great to hear after sitting down in our seats. So, I suggest bringing a portable DVD player with a few of your child's favorite movies. Jackson was able to watch Cars for the entire flight to Orlando, have some snacks and then he actually fell asleep about an hour and a half in. It was glorious, and I was very nervous about how he would act on the plane because he has a lot of energy. It was a breeze! On the cruise, we were able to watch movies on my father's laptop at the end of the night because there was nothing for a toddler to do after 8 p.m., and my kid stays up late.

My son loves cars and planes, so we make sure to take a few of his toys and small board books from home with us. I keep them in a Ziploc freezer bag, so I can throw them all in a bag or underneath the stroller when we are on the move. They are lifesavers for when we are waiting in line or hanging out in the hotel room with nothing to do. Also, bath toys are important for your child to enjoy their bath in a new place. We even bought some new bath toys while in WDW because we found a package of Cars ones and Jax LOVED them. He still does.

For a toddler to stay happy, I've learned that you have to keep their bellies full and their bodies rested. So, I made sure to take a snack pod everywhere and two or more pouches, just in case he won't eat the food we buy him at a restaurant. The snacks I bring for my little man are Goldfish, toddler cheese curls, Cheerios and puffs. I also make sure to have at least two sippy cups while out and about, one with a water/juice mixture and one empty to be filled with a new, cold water/juice mixture or cold whole milk, depending on the time of day. Having sippy cups means having to clean them. In some resorts, they supply dish soap, but on the cruise, I brought the bottle brush and a Ziploc of dish soap so I could wash the cups every night.

To each destination, we bring one of our little guy's strollers. He is able to nap whenever he gets tired and we have pockets for everything he needs in the day. We also can strap a fan, a bag or a cooler to it and it makes it so much easier to transport everything. A stroller also adds some shade to the hot, steamy summer days, thankfully. However, at WDW they make you park your stroller outside of every ride, so if your child falls asleep in his or her stroller, it is a good idea to take a baby carrier. When we got on line for the Kilimanjaro Safari at Animal Kingdom, Jax was asleep. I picked him up and put him in the carrier and parked the stroller outside. He slept against me in the carrier and I didn't have to struggle with holding him as I walked through the queue. It was easier on my back and my arms to have a carrier, and he slept soundly. Unfortunately, he slept through ALL of the animals, so we will just have to go back ... Also, tie a noticeable ribbon on the stroller so you can spot it in a sea of strollers at a theme park. You would be surprised how similar they all look.

Everyone makes fun of the way I pack clothing for trips with my toddler, but I read it online once and was hooked. OK, so I put every outfit, complete with socks and an undershirt, if needed, in a labeled gallon Ziploc bag. The bag says the day and date, so it is easy for whoever is dressing Jax on that day. I make sure he has an outfit for the daytime and one for the nighttime for each day, with pajamas to sleep in. It makes it much easier to find everything when in a rush, and I am always in a rush.

If you are taking an airplane to get to your destination, it is a good idea to take your child's pacifiers, bottles or lollipops, if they are old enough. It will save your child from the ear pressure that may drive them to screaming on a plane full of strangers, and who wants that? Just bring them to be safe.

Also, to be safe, you should bring medications that you think your child might need. An infant or toddler might need teething gel or Tylenol while you are away. Wouldn't you rather have it than need it? 

I want to preface this paragraph by saying that I know it is not for everyone and I used to think negatively of child harnesses (AKA child leashes), but while we were in Walt Disney World, we wanted to give our son his freedom, but there were WAY too many people there for us to do that. So, one night, I gave in and my cousin and husband went to Walmart and got my son a child harness. They spent $10 and came back with a stuffed elephant. Honestly, it was the best $10 I've spent. He had the cute elephant strapped to his back and he was able to walk around and discover everything that Disney had to offer, but we could still keep him close to us. We've also used the harness at the mall and on the cruise. The way I see it, a harness allows him the freedom and activity that he needs without the worry of getting lost or kidnapped. I could not explain the idea of strangers, kidnapping or staying close to mommy to a one-year-old, so I will stand by my decision everyday and it works for us.

The final thing I will tell you about traveling with a toddler is that you should bring your own sheets, blankets and if your child has a favorite stuffed animal, bring that too. The hotels or resorts will supply you with sheets for the crib or pack n play that your child will be sleeping in, but they don't have the comfort of home. I found that my child slept soundly while cuddled up in a pack n play with the blankets he is accustomed to.

I wish you luck on your travels and I hope that you create hundreds of memories with your little guy or girl. Take tons of pictures and enjoy the adventure.