While I’ve visited Disney with friends many times, I’ve never planned a Disney with KIDS and friends trip before. Nor have I gotten to experience a First Visit with someone else’s kid before either 🙂 Sign me up for alllll the different varieties of Disney trips, right?
Summer was already down at SeaWorld with her oldest, Kennedy, and her classmates on a field trip so we planned it out for me to bring Kye and Asher down to meet up with them!
I try my best to “save” my kids absences during the school year and Kye had some days left that he was allowed to miss so it was a great way to get a little break 🙂
I scooped Asher up from school and we hit the road! We met up with the rest of the group at Cheesecake Factory – a first for Kye. I died laughing when he ordered a MILKSHAKE at Cheesecake Factory!
I am a very hardcore planner when it comes to mapping out trips and experiences for my kids or family. But when there is NO pressure? I’m super down for whatever!
Going into the trip I had thought it was gonna be just like a moms and sons thing – like me and Kye and Summer and Asher and assumed since it was Asher’s first visit we’d be with him for everything. It was totally NOT that kinda Disney trip and, instead, was something totally different and new for Kye and I and a trip that has opened up a whole new world of Disney experiencing!
A bunch of the crew that were on the field trip were ALSO Disney people so we ended up having a big group experience but in the most chill way ever. Sometimes we were ALL together. Sometimes all the kids were together. Sometimes all the moms were together. Sometimes all the kids were in smaller groups. Sometimes the moms were in smaller groups.
No one was really having to be THE planner. It just flowed and we did whatever came to us in the moment and just let the day lead us.
It was a day that will probably go down in Parker Family History Books as Kye’s FAVORITE Disney day EVER. He LOVED every single second of it and I am so thankful to have had the experience as it provided ME with a new way to keep my KIDS loving Disney as they enter the teen years – bring other KIDS!
Kye also loved getting to be at the parks not just with friends but especially with a first visit friend! I was SO PROUD of how Kye made sure Asher got the full experience – alllll the rides but even smaller details like Casey’s hot dogs in the hub 🙂 I also loved all the selfie updates I received throughout the day!
I have a post to come regarding giving Kye his first phone but I will say it was a HUGE perk this trip – I felt totally comfortable being split up. It also allowed him to use the app and even do mobile ordering with my card via my Disney account. Plus I also just loved all the pics!
Kye also got all the kids into the staged ride pics 😉 So pro! The rode Space Mountain SIX times in one day!!!
I wasn’t feeling my best and was kinda out of it a lot of this trip so I felt bad that no one was really getting the REAL Disney Emily. It was funny bc I took wayyyy less pics than normal but Summer kept saying how glad she was that I was so good about getting pics. If she only had normal Emily with her 😉
Liz and I have known each other since we were in the early days of motherhood. I’ve always known she grew up on Disney and it was so fun to experience it with her – girl knows ALL about the DISNEY FOOD! That’s def not an area I have a ton of knowledge in and it was a delicious day for sure!
I also loved getting to know Alaina and Michelle better as well and all of the kids got along so great. Kye was a bit older than everyone which I think helped him feel comfortable and his Disney knowledge helped him feel confident as well. It was so fun!
I was so proud that Kye made sure Asher even experienced It’s a Small World! So adorable and Asher had a ton of fun!
While I felt bad that I wasn’t 100% I was also meeting up with the group AFTER they’d been on a field trip to SeaWorld so NO ONE was really 100% haha. We did all the chill things – People Mover and Carousel of Progress? Yes. Please.
It was also crazy the weather difference – I had been at the parks the week prior with the girls for our character meet and greet challenge trip and it was PERFECTION but this trip? SO HOT.
Summer and I were the only takers for the fireworks (she doesn’t do thrill rides either). While we didn’t secure my favorite Magic Kingdom fireworks viewing spot we were able to walk up just minutes prior and have a great view!
Kye loved a LOT of elements of our day but some of his favorite parts were skipping the fireworks to ride rides during them and getting to stay until wellllll after the park closed.
We’re always fireworks then head out people and getting to be in the park until almost 1 am with friends was pretty epic!
On his way to meet up with me he called and said he had a surprise 🙂 So fun getting to run into fam at the park! Lindsay is Zach’s cousin (like his Dad’s cousins daughter so whatever kinda cousin that makes em haha). So great to give her a sweaty, end of day, Disney hug!
I have not seen Kye this crunk at Disney in YEARS. He had THE time of his LIFE running around the parks and riding all the rides late into the night with friends. It filled my Disney heart in a HUGE way.
Sure, he and I may not have had a super magical Disney day together but HE had a magical day and therefore so did I!
As my kids get older I really hope to foster their love for Disney but make it their own and this trip was an awesome step in that direction 🙂
After 16 hours at Magic Kingdom we all needed REST.
We decided to have a super chill morning and some swim time and soooo thankful we made that call.
There was a mixup at the resort where we were staying and when we got back from the pool we were literally locked out! They’d messed up our reservation for that night and it was a MESS. SO thankful we weren’t at the theme parks because we wouldn’t have been back until late that night which would have been horrible!
Instead, we just chilled some more while it all got situated and worked out. Thankfully it DID get worked out (shout out to Liz for handling it all so wonderfully!). The kids were STARVING by the time we got in at 1:30 and all we had was a bag of popcorn haha
The big group headed back home and Summer’s crew and Kye and I stayed one more night to hit up Hollywood Studios!
We arrived at the park at almost 3 PM – who even am I right!?!?
Kye really embraced the “Disney Tour Guide” role this trip which makes sense as he’s a lot like his mama and I find a LOT of joy in helping OTHERS experience the Disney Magic.
Asher is a little bit younger than Britt and he was so precious and kept thanking Kye and I over and over again for coming with him. I love that HE had such a fun first trip and that Kye and I got to be a small part in that.
I think Asher being a little younger also helped Kye to be even more comfortable and relaxed as he’s an oldest sibling and I know as a first born I’m always more comfortable with people a little younger than I am 🙂
Had our first meal of the day at 3:30 pm haha
First time having PizzeRizzo’s and it was delicious! Kye LOVED the meatball sub!
Naturally just after we arrived it DOWNPOURED rain. We waited it out a bit but ultimately made the call to not let a little rain…or thunder and lightening…dampen the day
I use our own rainjackets at the parks but when it’s CRAZY bad weather I do think Disney ponchos are a worthwhile investment. They are thick and really cover everything!
Kye really wanted to make sure Asher and Kennedy got to have the experience of Batuu (even though they’ve not seen any of the Star Wars movies). So they rode Star Tours, walked through Batuu to ride Smugglers Run and had to try blue milk too!
Toy Story Mania is my personal favorite at Hollywood Studios. I don’t even mind riding solo 😉
Such a fun day together!
First time having the Jack Num Num Cookie (SO YUMMY) and we also shared a pineapple and coconut slusher and whhhhhewwww soooooo delicious!
The rain started coming back down strong so we gave up trying to stay dry and just made a run for it! Summer and I ran into watch Frozen Sing Along (so adorable) to dry off a bit and then met up with the kids to race through the rain to Rise of Resistance.
Being soaked through paid off – it was posted an 85 minute wait time for Rise but we WALKED RIGHT ON. I mean HOW AMAZING IS THAT?!?!? So so awesome!!!
Epic Disney magical moment for sure – even though none of their crew understood the epicness of it haha
Kye was so cute messing with the First Order and he and I both kept the secret drop to ourselves 😉
As we finished up the rain cleared and it was SO pretty and so nice to walk through an empty park!
The kids ran to do Rock N Rollercoaster and Summer and I took our time meeting back up with them at Tower of Terror for the last ride of the night.
Parked closed at 9 so at 8:45 we hopped in line for Tower of Terror which was THE attraction Asher was most excited about experiencing.
Fun fact: this was my first ever time going through the Tower of Terror line and it was really need to get to see it all firsthand!
It had crazy long wait times allllll day but at the end of the day? Posted wait was 85 min (they like that number apparently) and only took us 15 min to get through the line!
Perfect way to end the night!
When your first and only meal of the day is at 3:30 you grub HARD at 10 pm! That post-park Steak and Shake just hits different!
Kye really just makes travel SO EASY. I love that he’s old enough where I can trust him so much to be truly helpful. He went to get the luggage cart from the lobby, did the final room check and got the full luggage cart to the cart for me.
Then we headed to do a little shopping! First up the Vineland outlets and a stop at the Disney Character Warehouse
Then I took the boys to Disney Springs while Summer and Kennedy did a bit more shopping. At the time the NBA Experience location had a set up by Meta Quest 2 and was offering a free chance to try out their new Star Wars game.
Duh. Had to happen!
I felt SO bad though that you had to be 13 and older to play so Asher wasn’t allowed. He and I enjoyed watching Kye get to have the experience though and Kye LOVED it.
He tried begging me for one but it’s a hard no right now for us for sureeeeee.
We met back up and walked around a bit and did some shopping (I picked up the monorail for Spear as that’s what he wanted as his “staying dry and clean all through the night” gift so I went ahead and got it and put it up to wait until that time came).
We ended the day at the Coke location – a first visit for us. The rooftop is super adorable and they have all sorts of fun Coke options! It ain’t cheap but it’s a vibe for sure 🙂
So thankful for sweet friendships, fun experiences and quality time with my oldest baby! I never take these opportunities for granted and am excited about our future friend Disney trips!
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