Small but mighty
On our second full day at the park we were TIRED. We ran on adrenaline during our first day at Epcot, and all of it plus the previous travel day definitely caught up to us. That being said, we could not wait to get to Animal Kingdom! It was our first early morning at the park, and even though the time change was a 2 hour difference, our girls were rockstars. I was so excited for them to see the Christmas Tree at the entrance of Animal Kingdom. It was always one of my favorite things to see when I was a kid.
We strategically picked Animal Kingdom for our second full day since it is a smaller park than Magic Kingdom, so we were hoping to be able to call it an early-ish night and get some rest before our big last day. We also did significant research into what rides we should head to first (see Under Cover Tourist’s One Day Park Plan) to avoid the longest lines and maximize our time with minimal meltdowns. One of the benefits of pandemic-Disney is that attendance is capped at 30%, so you are automatically competing against less people. However, that also means no fast passes. Thanks to a few really helpful sites and monitoring the Disney Experience App for a few days prior, we knew that absolutely everyone would be headed to Pandora as soon as the gates to Animal Kingdom opened.
We also knew that even though we arrived early (we got there 15 minutes before the gates opened), there was no way we could get to Pandora with the necessary speed toting 6 kids with 2 strollers. So we went straight to Africa! This was the absolute best decision we made all day as Kilimanjaro Safari is one of my very favorite rides in all of the parks and had ZERO wait. Animals are also most active early in the morning – and they certainly put on a show for us! Our toddler STILL talks about the big hippos she saw that morning.
Boat parades are better
After Safari, we headed to ride Everest! We figured all the big crowds were still at Pandora, so let’s hit the next most popular ride. This is also the first ride where we tried out the Rider Switch program which was literally life changing for us. If you aren’t familiar with it, essentially, it allows whoever is watching the too-small-to-ride kids a chance to go to the front of the line instead of waiting in the entire line again. GENIUS. After we scanned our bands, my husband and I took ALL of the babies to the arena area on the water right across from Everest. This is the perfect waiting spot since you can sit MASK FREE as there is no one within 500 yards of you. While we waited for our group (about 30 minutes), we saw 3 boat parades go by! They came right up to where we were sitting, music blasting, and all of the characters dancing in their safari-wear. It was wonderful. No crowds, no crowding, just a casual VIP character experience.
These were so fun to see throughout the day as well! Our family really ended up preferring the new, sporadic and frequent parade initiative Disney adopted in all of their parks. Not only did this reduce crowding, it ensured we didn’t have to keep multiple babies and toddlers stationary and entertained “holding our spot” for an hour before the parade actually came by.
Our first Disney meltdown
After hitting Dinoland, another toddler favorite, we headed to Bugs Life which coincidentally was TRAUMATIC for our toddler. We thought the show would be a major hit, and I almost laughed when during the intro we were informed of the emergency exits for those kiddos who thought the show “too much.” Well, this was us within the first 30 seconds. I guess there isn’t anything more frightening to a toddler than a million bugs and bees flying in front of your face in 3D paired with bugs “running” under your seat. We had to evacuate. On a positive, our first (and only) Disney toddler meltdown was short lived as soon as we escaped the Tree of Life. If you were curious, the babies loved it. No fear.
Finally ready for Pandora, we stopped for lunch to fuel up before braving the lines and ended up at the highly-recommended Satu’li Canteen. It did not disappoint. Cheese quesadilla for the kiddos, and I had the Cheeseburger Steamed Bao Buns which were both equally as delicious as easy to eat with one hand. This last feature is KEY when you are trying to eat and wrangle squirmy babies. I would also like to mention what makes Disney different – the people. As soon as I went to the counter to pick up our waiting order, I was immediately asked by 2 employees if I needed assistance carrying the trays and drinks to our table. I had a baby strapped to me, but still. Above and beyond in every aspect.
After lunch, we braved the full 45 min wait for the Na’vi River Journey. Thankfully (or not) there was an ice cream cart by the line which was a big win for all the kiddos as they braved post-lunch fatigue in a LONG line. The ride did not disappoint – even our 9 month old loved it given all of the lights and sights. It was amazing.
We saved the best ride (and longest line) for last. Flight of Passage is everything you read about – the hype is real. We did the Rider Switch again for this ride since most of the kiddos were too small to ride. After waiting for group one to go through the line and ride, my husband and I almost passed on it since our kids were tapped out. I’m so glad we didn’t. This was literally the best ride I’ve ever been on. It was wonderful. Literally no other way to put it. Do it! And maybe take a Dramamine beforehand. Thankfully I took one while waiting an hour for our group just to be safe…
Where to eat at Disney Springs
We called it a day after this and went back to the hotel around 3 to regroup and get ready for dinner. I should note both baby and toddler passed out between Pandora and the gate entrance. Thankfully, they were able to get in a nice nap ahead of our first night at Disney Springs. I didn’t know what to expect, and it certainly didn’t disappoint! Similar to the parks, you were temperature screened upon entry (all entries into the Springs were controlled by police). We ate at The Edison, and I can honestly say I would have eaten here every night. The menu was perfect for our large group of 11 including our group of picky kiddos. It was also very trendy without being annoying. The ambiance was perfect. There was live music, every dish was delicious, and the drinks were divine. Eat here. I would recommend every night. It was a nice break from overpriced, edible-at-best park and hotel food.
While Disney Springs has a lot of basic generic shops you would find in any mall, there’s something about it. Disney has sprinkled the magic here as well. I loved walking through here at night with it all lit up for Christmas and music is coming through the speakers. It’s magical. The numerous dessert stands and shops don’t hurt either – hello churros!
How are we not prepared?
Epcot was our first day at Disney, and we were NOT prepared. First off, as much as I love our Uppababy Vista, it is NOT the stroller you should bring to Disney (See Volume 1). Unfortunately, we realized this Day 1 trying to get on the bus from the hotel to the park. Although it folds well, it does not fold tightly, nor is it “carry friendly” once it is folded. Especially when you are having to carry the diaper bag, Disney day bag, and wrangle 2 squirming babies all while other families are waiting on you battling the same battle. I was incredibly envious of my SILs Uppababy double-umbrella stroller that was instant fold and so light to carry PLUS the sealing deep pockets that eliminated the need for the Disney Day bag. Next time… Anyways, although there are a lot of big and fun rides at Epcot, our whole purpose for visiting Epcot was singular. We were at Epcot to see Elsa and ride Frozen in Norway.
The hours at the parks are different than normal right now thanks to COVID, but we were there 15 minutes after the park opened at 11am. We had the baby in the stroller, and our toddler was pumped. She had no idea where we were (yet), but she was excited to be there and was loving that every employee she saw said, “Hello Princess.” Already the Best Day Ever, and we hadn’t even made it through the entrance! It took my husband and I a bit to get our bearings once we got into the park given the construction. Thanks to the Disney app, seriously, we were able to map out walking directions to the Frozen ride, our first and most important destination.
Elsa and Santa!
Right when we got to the line, which happened to be where parades started, we were stopped by Elsa and Anna leading a parade! It was literally the most magical opening we could have ever imagined. Toddler was beyond excited and could not believe she was almost arm-length from her most favorite queen and princess. They saw her and smiled and waved right at her – I would have paid to stay at the park 5 extra days at that point to recreate that moment over and over again.
Even though we were at the line 20 minutes after park opening, it was a 1.5 hour wait to ride Frozen. Thankfully, being next to the parade entrance and exit, we were able to watch 3 parades go by which was so fun. After seeing Elsa and Anna, there was a parade coming back towards us and it was Santa! He was in a giant sleigh getting pulled by 2 gorgeous draft horses. For our horse-crazy toddler, the joy was overwhelming. She was speechless. I don’t know if the horses are a result of the current COVID environment so characters are not interacting with visitors, but every parade seemed to have at least 2 horses included. Double win!
Worth the wait plus many snacks
The Frozen ride was definitely worth the wait, and we were so glad it was the first ride both of my girls experienced (ever). Although you can carry babies on the ride to hold the, I’m so glad I kept ours in her ErgoBaby! While it’s not an intense ride by any imagination, there are a few quick drops and I was glad for the containment.
Our toddler is still talking about this ride, and the Scary Snowman in particular! Disney does things so well, and this ride is no exception. We would have gladly waited in the line again if we had the snacks to support the wait!
No Reservations – Epcot Edition
We knew that deciding to make a last minute trip to Disney would have it’s challenges. Primarily, the lack of restaurant reservations. While this may seem lackluster, and it is, it did pose some issues for us throughout our trip. That being said, it was nice to have the freedom not to be tied to a certain time. The app made things easier as far as waitlist walk-in times, and we were able to secure a 1.5 hr waitlist for a walk in at the Rose&Crown Dining Room.
We took our time walking from Norway to England, and we still had to pause and carry our toddler part of the way. After a long day of travel the day before, we were tired and ready to sit and take a break. While waiting for our table, we paused at a garden bench to eat more snacks and rest. A lot of people watching went on while we waited, and I will say there were a lot of people eating snacks along the sidewalk which didn’t look enjoyable. If you’re able to make a reservation – Do it. If not, plan accordingly to make sure you’re on a walk-in waitlist. Once we were called in, we were so thankful to have secured a real table where we could take off our masks and enjoy a relaxing meal. Great food, highly recommend when you’re at Epcot.
The real winner
After lunch, we went to ride Nemo’s Undersea Adventure. Baby had fallen asleep during lunch, so husband volunteered to stay outside with her while toddler and I rode Nemo. While I can’t speak much to Nemo’s actual ride, the most incredible experience waits for you at the end. The ride ends in a giant aquarium where a greeter met us with a sticker-book scavenger hunt for my toddler to use as we explored the aquarium. It was definitely one of the highlights of my toddler’s day and also our entire trip! She couldn’t stop talking about the sea turtles and dolphins she saw at the aquarium! It also led to some explaining once we reunited with my husband and baby almost an hour later. Probably should have anticipated that better! We could have easily spent 2 hours in there.
We headed back to the hotel after Nemo to meet our arriving family. Even though we only rode 2 rides in almost 4 hours, passed on the “cool rides” like Test Track and Soarin, it was the best visit to Epcot I’ve ever had. I can’t wait to go back when the girls are a little older so we can spend the day and see the new evening watershow Epcot is planning to unveil next year.
Tips and Tricks: Snacks, Water, Sunscreen and Patience
