I should stop saying I’m going to try to be better about posting on here because I’m the worst at it. To be honest my next series of posts will probably months down the road, despite my best intentions.
There are a few travel tips I learned as a travel agent that I didn’t take advantage of the first time we went to Magic Kingdom... at WDW, you can book your fast passes months in advance online. Although we rode everything we wanted to except Space Mountain our first trip, we swore we would be better prepared next time.. When we went to Animal Kingdom, we booked our fast passes two weeks in advance and ALL OF THE PANDORA ONES WERE GONE FOR THE WHOLE DAY. We should have known to decide on a date and book at least a month before but we didn’t and we weren’t waiting 3 hours each so we missed out on those. We did however hit everything else. We got fast passes for the Kilimanjaro Safari which we all enjoyed (and enjoyed not waiting even more), hit the single rider line for Expedition Everest and each only waited 5 minutes, and Tatum loved the Triceratop Spin and Finding Nemo live show! She wasn’t sure what to think of the Wildlife Express Train but when we got to the Affection Section (petting zoo) she was obsessed with brushing the goats haha.
My mom and stepdad were able to come down starting the day after we got back from Disney, Brian’s parents came into town on Tatum’s actual birthday Thursday, and my dad and stepmom made it in town for the weekend. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday were all spent at the beach. My mom and stepdad and Brian’s parents both stayed in hotels or condos right on Clearwater Beach so we had free parking and a short walk to the beach all week. On Tatum’s birthday we had our parents over for a spaghetti dinner (Tatums favorite) and her first smash cake. Friday, Brian and his dad and my stepdad went parasailing while my mom and I and Brian’s mom prepped for Tatum’s party the next day which we held at my grandma’s house! It was an Under the Sea theme for my little mermaid and we had a piñata, cotton candy maker, bounce house, and pin the tail on the mermaid! We’re so grateful for all our friends and family for making her first birthday so special and showering her with love and sooo many presents! She is definitely a lucky little girl and we loved having all her grandparents fly in from different corners of the country to be there for it! My mom also made Brian and I the cutest "Mer-Mama" and "Mer Daddy" shirts for the party so we could correspond with the birthday girl in her shell onesie and tutu.
The next few days after that we’re filled with more family time and beach time, with yummy Clearwater Beach restaurants thrown in! I’m happy we live in such a beautiful place, it makes more people want to come visit us! :) I can’t believe my baby girl is ONE. Time has flown by and I’m trying so hard to document as much as I can!
*images below are scrambled between birthday party, Animal Kingdom, and family time with grandparents here!*
January wasn’t that exciting but February was jam packed full of fun! In January, we took advantage of a discount Walt Disney World was having for Florida residents and bought 4 day passes that can be spread out through mid-June. I am LOVING that Tatum is still free for so many fun things! Brian and I laugh that she's been to Disneyland and Disney World before she turned one. We used our first day at Magic Kingdom in January, and hit Animal Kingdom on February 19 to kick off Tatum’s birthday week!
There are a few travel tips I learned as a travel agent that I didn’t take advantage of the first time we went to Magic Kingdom... at WDW, you can book your fast passes months in advance online. Although we rode everything we wanted to except Space Mountain our first trip, we swore we would be better prepared next time.. When we went to Animal Kingdom, we booked our fast passes two weeks in advance and ALL OF THE PANDORA ONES WERE GONE FOR THE WHOLE DAY. We should have known to decide on a date and book at least a month before but we didn’t and we weren’t waiting 3 hours each so we missed out on those. We did however hit everything else. We got fast passes for the Kilimanjaro Safari which we all enjoyed (and enjoyed not waiting even more), hit the single rider line for Expedition Everest and each only waited 5 minutes, and Tatum loved the Triceratop Spin and Finding Nemo live show! She wasn’t sure what to think of the Wildlife Express Train but when we got to the Affection Section (petting zoo) she was obsessed with brushing the goats haha.
My mom and stepdad were able to come down starting the day after we got back from Disney, Brian’s parents came into town on Tatum’s actual birthday Thursday, and my dad and stepmom made it in town for the weekend. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday were all spent at the beach. My mom and stepdad and Brian’s parents both stayed in hotels or condos right on Clearwater Beach so we had free parking and a short walk to the beach all week. On Tatum’s birthday we had our parents over for a spaghetti dinner (Tatums favorite) and her first smash cake. Friday, Brian and his dad and my stepdad went parasailing while my mom and I and Brian’s mom prepped for Tatum’s party the next day which we held at my grandma’s house! It was an Under the Sea theme for my little mermaid and we had a piñata, cotton candy maker, bounce house, and pin the tail on the mermaid! We’re so grateful for all our friends and family for making her first birthday so special and showering her with love and sooo many presents! She is definitely a lucky little girl and we loved having all her grandparents fly in from different corners of the country to be there for it! My mom also made Brian and I the cutest "Mer-Mama" and "Mer Daddy" shirts for the party so we could correspond with the birthday girl in her shell onesie and tutu.
The next few days after that we’re filled with more family time and beach time, with yummy Clearwater Beach restaurants thrown in! I’m happy we live in such a beautiful place, it makes more people want to come visit us! :) I can’t believe my baby girl is ONE. Time has flown by and I’m trying so hard to document as much as I can!
*images below are scrambled between birthday party, Animal Kingdom, and family time with grandparents here!*
