Pirate Peril: Part Two

My daughter's trip to the Pirates' League had begun with such promise.  Sadie has absolutely LOVED our trip to the League on our first Disney World visit the previous year, and she could hardly wait to be transformed into a pirate empress once again.  We arrived about ten minutes early for her appointment, and we were called in almost immediately to begin the pirate-naming ceremony.  After a few rolls of the dice and a spin of the super-secret pirate-naming wheel, Sadie was officially christened Pirate Empress Kat Gunskull, and we were directed to the seating area to await her pirate makeover.

I'd assumed that Sadie would be thrilled at this point, considering she'd been counting down the minutes to her appointment.  Within seconds of being called in to the Pirates' League, however, Sadie's mood had changed drastically.  I could tell that she was already unhappy with the experience, and she was trying hard to hide her disappointment.  By the time her "pirate guide" called her to the makeover chair, she wasn't even smiling.  For the rest of the appointment, I could tell that she was just going through the motions; at times, it even appeared that she was fighting back tears.

Tip Time: Just because your child enjoys a special experience on one trip to Disney World, don't assume that she will like it as much the second time.  The novelty will have naturally worn off, making the experience inherently less magical.  It's nearly impossible to replicate a memorable moment exactly, so it's sometimes best not to try.  Trying a brand-new experience is almost always better.

After a lackluster appointment at the Pirates' League, we stepped out into Adventureland just in time to catch the next showing of Captain Jack Sparrow's Pirate Tutorial, a fun live show featuring the scoundrel Jack Sparrow himself.  As we wandered over to the Tutorial's stage, the Captain's eyes locked on Sadie, and he called on her to be his assistant for the show.  Sadie did not even hesitate for a second; she bounded right up to that stage, a huge smile on her face.

Sadie on stage at the Tutorial

For a moment, I let myself believe that this whole Pirates' League experience might just be memorable after all; at the very least, Sadie would have an amazing story to share with the boys when we met up again.  For a few moments, Sadie actually appeared to be enjoying herself...and then, Captain Jack Sparrow made direct eye contact with her...up close.  And the terrified tears started flowing.

Captain Jack graciously helped Sadie off the stage and back to my waiting arms, but there was very little I could do to console her.  She was completely over the entire pirate experience, and she begged me to wipe her face off and take off her costume.  I'd learned from previous experience that it is crucial to "pick my battles" with my kids, especially when we are someplace that is highly stimulating to begin with.  If Sadie didn't want to keep her pirate costume and make-up on, this was not a battle that I was interested in fighting.

Tip Time: While Disney World is one of the "happiest places on Earth", it's important to have realistic expectations for your trip, especially if you are traveling with small children.  The theme parks are full of stimulating sights, sounds, and smells; children can easily fall victim to sensory overload.  Since kids are not capable of fully expressing themselves verbally, this "overload" often results in tears.  To avoid a complete meltdown, try to pick your battles. Of course, it's important to correct unacceptable behavior, regardless of where you are.  On the other hand, it's probably not that important that your kids keep a bandanna on all day if they don't want to.

By the time we met up with the boys a few minutes later, Sadie looked almost exactly as she had before her Pirates' League appointment.  My husband and I locked knowing glances.  We shook our heads, let it go, and continued on.  Because we'd decided to "go with the flow" as much as possible that morning, there was no major meltdown to recover from, and the rest of the day was simply wonderful.  In fact, that evening brought some of the most memorable moments of our entire trip!!

Next Up: Dinner with Mickey, a Fireworks Dessert Party, and Isaac Hits!

Meredith McCutcheon
Disney Specialist, Ginger's Getaways
Personalized Disney Itineraries and Touring Plans
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Pirate Peril, Part One

I cannot believe that this is our last full day at Disney World, I thought to myself as I poured milk into my daughter's cereal bowl. As I joined the rest of my family at our table in the lounge, the poignancy of the moment swept over me.  I glanced around at the most important people in my life and realized what a wonderful experience this vacation had been.  It hadn't been perfect; we'd had our share of meltdowns, childhood angst, and irritation.  Our kids had whined, complained, and fought with each other at times.  We'd occasionally gotten on each others' nerves.  And we were all beginning to fatigue.  But we'd created memories that we will be able to share for the rest of our lives, and my children got to spend an entire week with their grandmother...uninterrupted...in the most magical place on earth.  It doesn't get much better than that.

Tip Time: When we invited my mother to accompany us on this trip, we realized that we were going to need a little extra space, so we opted to book a larger room on the Club Level at Disney's Beach Club Resort.  When you book a room at Club (or Concierge) Level, you have access to a private lounge that offers a daily continental breakfast, afternoon snacks, and an evening cocktail service.  Although it was a fun experience, I would probably not stay on the Club Level again.  Unless you plan to be at your hotel to take advantage of the afternoon/evening offerings every day, I don't think that it's worth the extra cost.

Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a "Breaking News" bulletin flashing across the television screen in the corner of the lounge.  The bulletin was followed by a gigantic radar image of Hurricane Isaac, barreling on a trajectory that was now certain to graze the east coast of Florida.  Although Orlando would not sustain a direct hit from Isaac, forecasters were warning that the storm would bring sustained, torrential downpours to the area, beginning the next day...the very day that we were planning to depart Disney World and drive east to Vero Beach for two days of relaxation before heading home.  Nevertheless, I'd made a commitment several days earlier to enjoy every day of this vacation, hurricane or no hurricane.  I will admit that it is against my very nature to "go with the flow", but I knew that, in this case, I was going to have to adapt to whatever came our way.

Sadie and Rapunzel

So, we soldiered on, arriving early to begin our second day of fun at the Magic Kingdom!  The day dawned with promise; the skies were gloomy, but they were dry.  And we had SUCH an amazing day ahead of us.  The plan was to split up for most of the morning.  The boys would tackle some of Magic Kingdom's "thrill rides" like Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.  Meanwhile, the girls would head to the Town Square Theater to meet Sadie's favorite princesses.  After reuniting briefly to visit with Peter Pan, the boys would head off on their own again while the girls would take a trip to the Pirates' League, where Sadie would be transformed into a pirate empress! 

Tip Time: Although the fundamental purpose of a family vacation is to spend time with family, do not be afraid to split up occasionally at the theme parks, especially if you have children of different ages and genders.  Parting ways for a few hours allows all family members to enjoy favorite attractions that may not appeal to others in the group.  It also provides a wonderful opportunity for each parent to spend quality time with one or two children.

Our first visit to the Pirate's League; note the happy expression

On our first trip to Disney World, we'd visited the Pirates' League with both children (I wrote about it in a previous blog post). Although both kids had enjoyed the experience at the time, Jack decided that he'd rather spend his time riding attractions.  Sadie, on the other hand, could not WAIT to be a pirate empress again.  The name-picking ceremony, the nail polish, the sparkly tattoo...she loved all of it.  She even saved her money to pay for half of the makeover.

Tip Time: It's easy to get caught up in the moment and overspend at Disney World, so set clear expectations for what you will and will not pay for...before you even leave home.  We give our kids $20 each to spend how they wish on vacation; if they want to purchase a more expensive souvenir or book a pricy "experience", they must save their own money (weekly allowance, birthday money, etc.) to pay for it.

Our second visit; note the change of attitude

As our Pirates' League appointment drew nearer, Sadie could barely contain her excitement.  By the time we walked up to the check-in desk, she was literally vibrating.  Thirty minutes later, this positive attitude had completely disintegrated, as Sadie morphed into a barely-recognizable version of her previously happy-go-lucky self.  And we'd all learned a very important lesson.

Next Up: Pirate Peril, Part Two   

Meredith McCutcheon
Disney Specialist, Ginger's Getaways
Personalized Disney Itineraries and Daily Touring Plans
Find me on Facebook or e-mail me at disneymadeeasy@yahoo.com.