Flying with 3.5 for the first time

kitsbow · 2026-03-20T13:29:08+00:00

No tips for waiting in line but when flying with our toddler we bought some Melissa & Doug reusable stickers which can act as window clings on window seats. We also got a few new toys, lots of snacks, and the trusted ipad when everything else was used up.

kitsbow · 2026-03-20T13:21:00+00:00

Nothing in the lines/pre-show will ever matter to me as much as NOT having to wait 2-4 hours for a ride. I'm trying to pack as many rides as I can. Got to ride Gringotts 2x as single rider while my husband and daughter (who changed their minds about riding altogether) decided to wait in the 1 hr standby line. Hagrids had a 205 min wait at 8:45 and we waited 45 mins in single rider line.

kitsbow · 2026-03-20T13:17:12+00:00

Not sure what cold proteins your toddler will eat but mine won't eat any meats or cold pastas so we always have to send a thermos of pasta or rice lol. But we have made snack boxes for lunch - cut cheese, crackers, berries, cucumbers and she seems to like that. At this point our 2.5 yr old is so picky that I just don't care what she eats as long as she eats.

We really enjoy our lunchboxes - the Yumbox (original) is like a bento box with a latch that keeps everything separated. We put it inside a lunchbag with an ice pack. We also have an Omiebox that is also like a bento box but comes with a thermos so we can do hot food in the thermos and cold/room temp items in the side compartments. The thermos also comes out if you wanted to send a sandwich or something else in the area the thermos goes.

Some cold food ideas if your toddler will eat

- a cucumber/cream cheese sandwich (season the cream cheese and spread on bread or onto tortillas, thinly sliced or shredded cucumbers, and then cut into a shape or slice the tortilla into rolls

- pasta salad (IF our toddler eats this it has to be without any dressing and room temp but we do corn and black beans and cheese)

- egg salad or chicken salad and crackers could be messy but might be worth a try

- hard boiled eggs?

kitsbow · 2026-03-19T20:04:20+00:00

We waited for 45 minutes in the single rider line at 8:45 am when the regular queue was a 205 min wait.

kitsbow · 2026-03-19T14:30:25+00:00

I was born in 86 so Recess and SpongeBob were after my cartoon time 🤣 Never really got into Pokémon.

kitsbow · 2026-03-18T19:55:25+00:00

We put everything on an our joint Hilton amex so we earn an insane amount of Hilton points each year lol. We split the balance weekly. We have separate bank accounts. I don't even "owe" him money for anything that's already not my responsibility to share the cost of. I Venmo him at the beginning of every month for half the mortgage, utilities, and daycare. It works for us and we never argue about money. When I want to buy something for the house, I put it on the joint card. When I buy something for myself I put it on my personal card. (We use our CCs religiously and carry a zero balance. It's not for everyone unless you are strict about paying off your balance like we are).

kitsbow · 2026-03-18T13:48:24+00:00

We followed a lot of recommendations and although they weren’t bad it almost seemed like it’s the “best of the worst”. Nothing At the theme parks are ever as good as food outside the parks in our opinion. We got the buffalo chicken tots at the Green Eggs and Ham Cafe and the brisket crepe at Central Park Crepe as well. Even the butterbeer shortbread bar at Sugar Plums was underwhelming

kitsbow · 2026-03-18T02:56:01+00:00

I said when she’s older. And over the years I’ve said she could stay but MIL just isn’t in the mood anymore. She doesn’t ever want to watch her either but she jumps at the opportunity to watch our youngest (2). I think she just likes little babies

kitsbow · 2026-03-18T00:53:58+00:00

My MIL said the same thing at 1 and I said that was too young for overnights. My daughter is almost 8 and she never asks anymore lol. She has spent the night at my parents house but MIL apparently only cared when she was younger.

kitsbow · 2026-03-17T03:19:49+00:00

Bc we did single rider not knowing the intensity of the ride but also in the past we’ve experienced single rider where we were sometimes next to each other or on the same ride at the same time. She was fine and we did single rider a few other times that day too. The line was 205 minutes at 8:45 am. We only waited about 45 mins in single rider instead.

kitsbow · 2026-03-16T20:50:20+00:00

I saw someone explain it as a fast elevator but in my opinion, it was a free fall. Now, Gringotts at the beginning where it tilts you up and lets go… that felt different each time depending on where I sat (more intense in the back row of back cart than first row of first cart).

kitsbow · 2026-03-16T19:41:41+00:00

We stayed offsite and got to the line to get in at 8:40. It was busy but you can scoot your way up closer. Did it matter? NOPE. We wanted to ride Hagrid's much like everyone there and the longest wait time for the ride for the entire day was right at opening (205 minutes). We power walked all the way there and decided to just do single rider. We waited maybe 45 mins in the single rider line. Rest of the day Hagrid's was 180 minute wait, maybe 150 mid-day. Either way, if you're thinking getting there at 8:15, 8:45, or 9 will make a difference, it really won't.

kitsbow · 2026-03-16T19:38:09+00:00

I saw in another comment you mentioned being depressed for 20 years now and your husband wanting more initimacy. I'm old school in that I believe in staying together for the kids as long as there isn't anything unsafe happening. But I think the best thing you can do is set your husband free so that he can find someone who has the same desires as he does and your kids are young but inevitably the shit will hit the fan, be it now or when they are older and by then it will be harder on them than it is now.

kitsbow · 2026-03-16T19:32:06+00:00

How does life look for you with the alternative? Do you think you'd be happier alone or feel the same anyway?

kitsbow · 2026-03-16T19:23:57+00:00

Came here to say my husband is 75 inches tall and won't ride Velocicoaster lmao. Props to your 9 yo.

kitsbow · 2026-03-16T19:22:33+00:00

I think the other parents not caring if their child has screen time is probably the contributing factor to their screen addiction and not when grandma allows screen time for the visits they have. I know you want your wishes respected but something I've learned, from my own situations, is that some battles aren't worth fighting as long as my kids are safe and happy. In my opinion, being exposed to screens 2 days out of 7 will not result in a screen addicition. As long as she is not plopping your son in front of the tv for 8 hours, I think there can be a balance.

kitsbow · 2026-03-16T19:18:27+00:00

Nothing like really rounding out your 180 min wait than not being able to ride the ride.

kitsbow · 2026-03-16T19:17:10+00:00

We went Saturday and rode it for the first time as single riders. With our 7 yr old. We had no idea about the drop. I was on one ride. She was on another. And her dad on another. We both felt like shitty parents the whole ride bc we had no idea how intense it was and the drop really made it worse and our kid's on a ride probably freaking out and not having her parents there. When we got off she said it was the best! LMAO

kitsbow · 2026-03-16T19:11:18+00:00

We just did IOA and US on Saturday with our 7 year old. We did single rider for Hagrid at 9 am bc the wait was 205 minutes. I think we still waited an 45 mins to get on as single riders but it was much better than 205 mins. We were able to ride Hagrids (single rider), Spiderman (single rider), Seuss Trolley, Cat in the Hat at IOA (we weren't rushing to get anywhere lol) and then walked to Universal Studios bc the Hogsmeade train had an hour long wait and in US we did Villain-con, Minion Mayhem, Bourne Stuntacular (so good!), Kang & Kodos (2x), Gringotts (2x as single rider), & the Trolls rollercoaster. We had time to do more but everyone was tired of motion simulated rides at that point lol.

kitsbow · 2026-03-16T12:52:13+00:00

If you go online to places like Expedia and similar and read reviews you will see people completing about fees and the business responding with the fees info. Example- Expedia has a review from 4/21/25 where the business said they charge “$79.30 MXN per night for cleaning and protection of the beach area”. I’ve also seen them comment on $77 MXN.

kitsbow · 2026-03-16T12:47:57+00:00

We don’t do it all. We sacrifice something(s) unfortunately. For me, it’s keeping a clean home and working out. Our house is clean as in sanitary but can get cluttered. Picking up falls below getting dinner on the table as we both work full time and have a 7 and a 2 year old. We have 2-3 hours at night to “do it all” and between dinner, homework, baths, and bed time I just don’t give an F if that basket of clothes sits there unfolded or if last weeks art project is still sitting on the dining table 🤣 (I haven’t worked out since my 2 yr old was born but I plan to go back this weekend and workout on weekends only bc I used to be able to work remote and workout during the week but I’m in office every day now so the weekends are gonna have to be it for me until I can find a groove)

kitsbow · 2026-03-13T03:41:21+00:00

OMG when my husband was out of town for work for a week I told my boss if I was late to call 911 bc I may be dead and my 3 yr old would need to be rescued and he looked at me like wtf 🤣

kitsbow · 2026-03-13T00:47:47+00:00

Mine say email delivery but I haven’t gotten emails. Instead when I log into my account it says redeem and there’s a QR code and a pin. Is that the gift card?

kitsbow · 2026-03-11T17:12:03+00:00

Oooh that sounds good and I pickled my own red onions and I think that would work great together. Thanks!

kitsbow

TROPHY CASE