Disney - Part One

I don't even know where to begin. Wyatt was the most AHH-MAZE-ING toddler at Disney World. I'm not even exaggerating. I expected a few minor meltdowns over a toy or a long line. Or an "Ohh Momma, but I NEED it" moment. But there was nothing. He was fine with eating dinner at all hours of the night, going to sleep ridiculously late, screwing nap times. He was fine waiting on line for almost 2 hours for a 20 second ride. He was fine with delays at the airport, long car rides, buses, monorails, trams, airplanes and ferry boats. Hell, he was more patient then I was most of the time. The child even ate a cucumber and a raw tomato. He is the world's best traveler. I'm convinced.

I had been talking up the plane ride for a while now figuring that it was going to be the worst part of the trip. No one really "likes" commercial flying and I thought that with turbulence, the shaky take off and landing, plus being cooped up for 3 hours might break his usually perfect demeanor. But despite all odds, he thought it was "pretty cool man." During take off, Rebecca, on my left, was white knuckling the arm rest and Wyatt, on my right, was yelling "wheeeeee" and playing with the window shade. Totally at ease and loving every minute. He asked to go for a "little walk" during the flight and meandered the aisle making friends. Gammy bought him a new backpack chocked full with new (and silent) toys and was supplemented with snacks and a binky. It was pure genius and kept him occupied, happy, and most of the time in his seat. Did you know that the airplane bathroom has a changing table? Well, it does!! There was no way I was going to change his diaper ON the plane but then Wy had to take a huge stinky crap that needed assistance immediately. (Too much information???) Anyway, its this little piece of plastic that folds over the toilet part and hooks onto the wall. Its a good thing neither one of us are claustrophobic. Poor thing didn't fit and his head was kinda stuck in the corner. Plus the stink and I'm surprised we both made it out alive. On our flight home he even fell asleep during the landing. Like the actual LANDING he passed out and that was after taking a 2 hour nap.

I am sure that he had no idea where we were taking him. After meeting up with Nana and Grandpa, the 8 of us headed off to Disney. (The count includes Nana, Grandpa, Gammy, Pa, Lizzy, Rebecca, Wyatt, and I). Every sign with Mickey Mouse on it, no less then 7 of us pointed it out. Everyone was so excited! And then there was parking, the tram ride, the lines for buying tickets, then the monorail ride, then going through security, and then finally entering the park to a huge parade down main street. Poor Wyatt had NO IDEA what was going on. There was so much to see. Total sensory overload but it was nice that he got to see most of the characters right off the bat in the parade. He was perched on my Dad's shoulders with a look of awe and confusion. I think he would have been content to ride the monorail all day. We headed off to the "Its a Small World" ride which is a family favorite but not before I had to buy him a Mickey Mouse ice cream pop that he proceeded to get all over himself and Pa.

I think his favorite was the Jungle Cruise. You get to ride on the little boat and see all these mechanical animals which, as a child, I remember being real. Every time the boat turned a corner Wyatt was narrating and exclaiming about what he saw. The elephants were "cool man!" The giant butterflies go "flap, flap, flap way up to the sky!" And the poor Jeep that got turned over by monkeys was "Dadda's jeep!! Oh no!!" He also enjoyed Aladdin's Magic Carpet ride which he got to control the up and down motion that almost gave us all motion sickness. He is still talking about magic carpets and pretending his trains are going on the jungle cruise.

Out of all the magical Disney moments, of which there were many, I think my most favorite was when we were in the Winnie the Pooh play area. Wyatt was obsessed with the water squirting up from the ground. There was a little girl, probably around 5, who was dressed full head to toe as Tinkerbell. (A girl after my own heart!) Wyatt took a liking to her and she couldn't be bothered with a silly toddler. She sat down on this little bridge and Wyatt sat down next to her just staring at her smiling. Wyatt followed her around the entire Pooh park until she started running and Wyatt couldn't keep up. He was so smitten. Adorable.