Babymoon
Around the end of October/beginning of November Mike and I started talking seriously about taking one last trip together before the baby arrived. Mike actually brought it up but I had been thinking about it off and on too. We started by talking about a weekend away but then ultimately came to the conclusion that this trip should be more extravagant. We knew the trip would have to happen sometime during the school year leaving us a limited time we'd actually be able to be away for longer than a weekend. Winter break and spring break were really our only options with winter break sounding more appealing because I'd be 18ish weeks along which meant I'd be out of the 1st trimester blahs but still far away from the 3rd trimester blahs and hugeness. When it came time to nail down location, I definitely wanted to go somewhere warm but tropical wasn't necessary (mostly because then I'd want a tropical poolside cocktail and I didn't need anymore reminders of the fact that you can't drink while you're pregnant). We were torn between exploring a new city or going somewhere we'd been before and after a few days of checking Expedia and going back and forth we finally landed on Disneyworld. Do not adjust your screen, you read that correct, our final trip before parenthood was a trip to Disneyworld and honestly, we couldn't have been more excited.
Why Disney?
1. The biggest reason we wanted to go was to see the Wizarding World of Harry Potter which is not in Disney but has been a goal of ours since its opening. I know this makes us sound like huge dorks but honestly, we were giddy with excitement as soon as the tickets were booked.
2. I love Disneyworld. Mike does too but I think I love it more. As a couple, Mike and I have actually been to Disney twice but never just the two of us and we liked the idea of having the memories of being there before having kids of our own.
3. Even though there are lots of rides and rides and pregnancy don't exactly mix, I felt very comfortable with the idea of being pregnant at Disneyworld when compared to being pregnant in other vacation destinations. I'm actually not a huge thrill ride enthusiast myself so no matter what my state, I would've ended up waiting for Mike to go on rides which didn't bother me in the slightest. Plus, Disney is so family friendly so I figured it would be pregnancy friendly too. Turns out, I was right.
So without further ado... allow me to recap our Babymoon. Get excited :)
We stayed at Disney's Wilderness Lodge which admittedly was a big splurge on our part but it was totally worth it. We didn't want to bother with a rental car so we knew we wanted to stay on Disney property to take advantage of their shuttle service (to and from the airport and to and from all Disney parks and properties, can't beat that!). It also makes your whole trip that much more magical. We had a ground floor "woodland view" room and it was magical. I'd stay here for every Disney trip if financially possible :).
I had also read this is the prettiest Disney hotel to visit around the holidays and it was.
What could be jollier than a 4 million foot Christmas tree to welcome you to the most magical place on earth?
The first day we left Disney property to enjoy Harry Potter World. The weather was not great but we didn't care. It was rainy but warm and much better than what we left back home.
We enjoyed some Butter Beer which was very sweet and loved walking around Hogsmeade village. I even bought the baby a little Gryffindor onsie as a souvenir. It was crazy expensive but SO worth it :).
Day 2 was Magic Kingdom day. We woke up bright and early with the plan to leave the park around 2 for an afternoon nap and then head back for dinner and nigh time festivities. It worked perfectly and we actually didn't end up waiting in any ridiculous lines at all. This was my favorite day activity wise because 90% of the rides here are perfectly acceptable for pregnant ladies. I also have a wonderful husband who does not mind riding Pirates of the Caribbean or The Haunted Mansion 4 times in one day :).
On our last day we started at Disney's Hollywood Studies and ended the day at Epcot. Epcot is my favorite park but it's not Mike's favorite so we only spent a half day there. We finally got some sun on this day too so in between parks we actually lounged by the pool at the hotel and soaked up all the sunshine and 75 degree weather we could. Our final activity was the Epcot fireworks and I really can't think of a better way to end a fantastic vacation.
It was such a great trip and I'm so happy we went. The timing worked well too because we were at Mike's family's house anyways for the holidays which mean we could fly in and out of Chicago and leave Jackson with his grandma and grandpa while we were away. Truthfully, it was a splurge but that was part of the fun and we made sure to enjoy everything as much as we could. Hard to believe the next time we go it'll be with kids of our own, crazy!
Why Disney?
1. The biggest reason we wanted to go was to see the Wizarding World of Harry Potter which is not in Disney but has been a goal of ours since its opening. I know this makes us sound like huge dorks but honestly, we were giddy with excitement as soon as the tickets were booked.
2. I love Disneyworld. Mike does too but I think I love it more. As a couple, Mike and I have actually been to Disney twice but never just the two of us and we liked the idea of having the memories of being there before having kids of our own.
3. Even though there are lots of rides and rides and pregnancy don't exactly mix, I felt very comfortable with the idea of being pregnant at Disneyworld when compared to being pregnant in other vacation destinations. I'm actually not a huge thrill ride enthusiast myself so no matter what my state, I would've ended up waiting for Mike to go on rides which didn't bother me in the slightest. Plus, Disney is so family friendly so I figured it would be pregnancy friendly too. Turns out, I was right.
So without further ado... allow me to recap our Babymoon. Get excited :)
We stayed at Disney's Wilderness Lodge which admittedly was a big splurge on our part but it was totally worth it. We didn't want to bother with a rental car so we knew we wanted to stay on Disney property to take advantage of their shuttle service (to and from the airport and to and from all Disney parks and properties, can't beat that!). It also makes your whole trip that much more magical. We had a ground floor "woodland view" room and it was magical. I'd stay here for every Disney trip if financially possible :).
I had also read this is the prettiest Disney hotel to visit around the holidays and it was.
What could be jollier than a 4 million foot Christmas tree to welcome you to the most magical place on earth?
The first day we left Disney property to enjoy Harry Potter World. The weather was not great but we didn't care. It was rainy but warm and much better than what we left back home.
We enjoyed some Butter Beer which was very sweet and loved walking around Hogsmeade village. I even bought the baby a little Gryffindor onsie as a souvenir. It was crazy expensive but SO worth it :).
Day 2 was Magic Kingdom day. We woke up bright and early with the plan to leave the park around 2 for an afternoon nap and then head back for dinner and nigh time festivities. It worked perfectly and we actually didn't end up waiting in any ridiculous lines at all. This was my favorite day activity wise because 90% of the rides here are perfectly acceptable for pregnant ladies. I also have a wonderful husband who does not mind riding Pirates of the Caribbean or The Haunted Mansion 4 times in one day :).
On our last day we started at Disney's Hollywood Studies and ended the day at Epcot. Epcot is my favorite park but it's not Mike's favorite so we only spent a half day there. We finally got some sun on this day too so in between parks we actually lounged by the pool at the hotel and soaked up all the sunshine and 75 degree weather we could. Our final activity was the Epcot fireworks and I really can't think of a better way to end a fantastic vacation.
It was such a great trip and I'm so happy we went. The timing worked well too because we were at Mike's family's house anyways for the holidays which mean we could fly in and out of Chicago and leave Jackson with his grandma and grandpa while we were away. Truthfully, it was a splurge but that was part of the fun and we made sure to enjoy everything as much as we could. Hard to believe the next time we go it'll be with kids of our own, crazy!
Comments
Post a Comment