Tag Archives: Animal Kingdom

Walt Disney World 2018 – New to Me Rides

06 Friday Apr 2018

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Readers will know that we have been to Walt Disney World before.  But, I have often been pregnant, and always with small children, so there are a number of rides I have never been on.  While we still had children not big/old enough to go on all of the rides, I was not pregnant so I took the opportunity to go on both some of my favorites I have not been on recently (eg. Big Thunder Mountain) and many I had never been on.

I still have not made it onto Splash Mountain or the Kali River Rapids.  I prefer water rides when it is very warm.  It was nice, but not super warm, and because we cannot all go on those rides together my going on them means it takes a big chunk of the day.  So, I passed in favor of other things.

The Pandora rides were new for all of us.  I wrote about them in my Pandora post.  To summarize our feedback on the rides:

  • Na’vi River Journey is a good ride and I appreciate that it is family friendly.  But, I’m not sure it is worth a fast pass for us.  When we were there the lines were running around an hour, so the fast pass was nice to have.  But, as the years go by hopefully these will go down.
  • Avatar Flights of Passage is a fabulous ride, maybe the best at Disney currently, and well worth a fast pass.  Lines were over four hours and as long as six when we were there.  Again, hopefully these will go down as the years go by, but right now you are getting serious bang for your buck using a fast pass here.

Staying in Animal Kingdom, I was also able to go on Everest and Dinosaur for the first times.

  • Everest is great – as real a roller coaster as you can get at Disney.  Because there are only two to a seat anyway, its a good ride to use the single rider option if your group is all tall enough to ride alone (ours was not).  I am definitely looking forward to riding this one again.
  • I quite enjoyed Dinosaur.  However, it is not for everyone.  First warning: the height limit is very low but that does not take the “scare factor” into account.  I would not recommend this ride for young children even if they meet the height limit, elementary age is a good starting point.  Second, it does rock you around quite a bit, but not in a classic roller coaster or motion sickness inducing way.  It’s more like Star Tours, but on a track.  I was hoping to go on this again before we left, but it didn’t make the cut.

There were two new to us rides in Epcot, both relative new to everyone and therefore having long lines.

  • We all loved Frozen Ever After.  As a family we agreed it was better than the Na’vi River Journey, and we have seen neither Frozen nor Avatar.  We did have fast passes, but we were able to get on two additional times because the line was quite short.  So, this may or may not be on your fast pass list, depending on the interests of your party.  I would use a fast pass if you have a true Frozen fan (you can always go extra times if the line is short) or if you are looking for a great ride for the entire family to enjoy together.
  • We also enjoyed the new Soarin’.  Everyone went, including the five year old.  If your child meets the height limit, take them.  You can grab a fast pass, or just walk for it first thing in the morning.  Because it has relatively high capacity it takes some time for the lines to build.  We walked for it no problem with a stroller.  It is not as spectacular as Avatar Flights of Passage, but that also means it does not present problems for people who might get motion-sick.  The ride refresh made it feel new and more interesting as we had seen the previous version more than once.

There were two new-to-me rides in Hollywood Studios; the older kids had been on both before.

  • I loved the Rock ‘n’ Roller coaster.  I enjoyed the music and I appreciated that the dark made it feel less like you were just being knocked around like a typical roller coaster.  In fact, those who get mild motion sickness should consider this one.  It has a similar feel to Space Mountain.  I’d go on this one repeatedly, if possible.
  • On the other hand, while I’m glad I went on the Tower of Terror once, I don’t need to go again.  It was fine, but not really fun, in my opinion.  If I was part of a big group, I would join them.  But, I’m not using a fast pass or otherwise pushing my group to go.

The only new-to-me ride I went on in the Magic Kingdom was the Dwarf Mine Train.  It was fun, a sort of tamed down version of Big Thunder Mountain.  I also appreciated the theme-ing, which was well executed throughout.  The lines were still quite long for a ride that has been out for a number of years so you may want to use a fast pass here.  If you get in for Extra Magic hours, you might be able to walk for it, but expect it to fill quickly and stay full all day.

I’m glad I had the chance to go on so many new rides.  While I don’t feel the need to go on Tower of Terror again, I did appreciate all of the rides and understand why they are crowd favorites.

Walt Disney World 2018 – Pandora

30 Friday Mar 2018

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This was our first visit to Pandora as it had not yet opened when we were last in Florida.  Because Pandora is still relatively new, we opted for two days in Animal Kingdom so that we could get Fast Passes to both Pandora rides.  This turned out to be a good idea as even the Na’vi River Journey line was over an hour.  The line for Avatar Flight of Passage was at least four and sometimes six hours!

Next time I would not feel the need to use a fast pass for Na’vi River Journey.  It’s not a bad ride, but there are a few reasons.  First, I expect the lines in Pandora to decrease with time and it will be at least two years before we are back.  Second, I suspect if you kept an eye on the app you could find a time with a relatively short line; forty-five minutes would be reasonable.  Third, it was not our favorite indoor boat ride and, because one cannot book Avatar Flight of Passage and Na’vi River Journey fast passes on the same day, it would require a second day in Animal Kingdom which we probably won’t do next time.  Of the two new family boat rides (both with movies we have not seen), we strongly preferred Frozen Ever After in Epcot to Na’vi River Journey in Animal Kingdom.  We’ll use our extra day next time in Hollywood Studios after Star Wars and Toy Story lands open.  We only spent one day there this year since so much of it was closed.

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Avatar Flight of Passage is fabulous!  It is like a modern, more intense Soarin’.  People who get motion sick should keep this in mind.  Even without seeing the movie it was a great experience that we would have been happy to go on multiple times.  We were able to appreciate both the unique ride motion and the graphics/storyline.

Another great addition to Animal Kingdom in Pandora is Satu’li Canteen.  The menu is a bit daunting when you first look at it.  But, between all of us we tried most everything, in many combinations, and everyone came out happy.  We will definitely be back.  It was substantially less crowded than any other Disney quick service restaurant we experienced.  I also appreciated that, while you were not allowed to claim your seat until you had your food, the lines were wide enough for double strollers and large groups.  Plus, tables were reserved for parties of six or larger, which can be very hard to find throughout Disney.

The only bad thing we found in Pandora was the Night Blossom drink.  We all found it to be far too sweet and generally just not good.

Even if you do not choose to ride anything in Pandora, it is worth a visit.  The scenery is spectacular and not something you see every day. And, Satu’li Canteen is worth the hike all the way in.

Disney with Kids – Disney with Strollers

20 Thursday Apr 2017

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Today is the last of a six part Disney with Kids series.  I hope you enjoyed the practical stuff, and found some new info.

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I wrote an overview of our experiences at Disney, as well as about the Fast Pass System (twice), our hotel, and the Meal Plan before.

The 2017 Disney with Kids series:
Disney while Pregnant
The Magic Kingdom
Epcot
Animal Kingdom
Hollywood Studios
Disney with Strollers

Disney Stroller Basics

In my opinion, strollers are a necessary part of the Disney experience for anyone six and under.  Even if your child gave up the stroller years ago, there are big advantages to having one at Disney.  First, and foremost, there is a lot of walking.  I cannot say that enough.  Your small child will get tired.  And, you might be tired too.  They can get some variety being carried, but nobody wants to do that all day.

A stroller also gives you a place to put things.  For example, you will want water for everyone in your party.  You might want snacks, sunscreen, sweatshirts, dry shoes (hello Kali River Rapids), guide books, park maps, or other items.  You might purchase items in the park (though, make everyone’s life easier if you have those items sent to your on-property hotel or the park pickup location if you are staying off property).  While there is always a chance of theft, we have never had anything stolen from our stroller.

The first thing you need to understand at Disney is that your stroller will rarely be where you left it.  If you do not leave it in a designated stroller parking area, a Disney employee will move it to the closest one.  Depending on where you are, this may not be obvious.  Do not assume your stroller has been taken; ask a Disney employee where stroller parking is.  If you do leave your stroller in stroller parking, it will still move.  Disney staff are constantly rearranging strollers to pack more in.  Or, it might be moved by a fellow guest needing access to their stroller.  If you can’t find yours ask.

Many people choose to flag their stroller with a balloon.  Personally, we have not found this to be necessary, even when using a Disney stroller.  That being said, even our orange stroller has been tricky to spot in the inevitable ocean of strollers so if this would be stressful for you, a balloon might help.

If you enter a building, you will generally need to leave your stroller outside.  This is true for most restaurants, even the quick service ones.  It is also true for most of the shops as they just aren’t spacious enough inside.  I’ll try to point out the few exceptions to this on a park by park basis.

Your Stroller (or outside rental) vs a Disney Stroller

This is a common question.  You can run the numbers, but you should also consider the pros and cons of both options.  We have done both; it highly depends on your needs.

Disney strollers

Contrary to what you may read, my children have never found these strollers uncomfortable.  The doubles are reasonably easy to steer and have plenty of storage.  They are neither lighter nor heavier than typical double strollers.  I assume the singles are similar, but we haven’t used those.  We have brought our double stroller and rented one from Disney to hold all the kids when we had many little ones.

Disney strollers are picked up and dropped off inside your park each day.  So, you do not have them on the bus/boat/monorail or through security.  If you ride the train around the Magic Kingdom you will leave them at your boarding point and pick up a new one when you disembark.  Remember to take your name card and belongings with you.  The disadvantage of this is that you are less able to race for a ride to start the day as you will be waiting in line to pick up your stroller.  You can send one person to pick up the stroller while those who want to ride go ahead.  I recommend this approach even if the rest of the group waits outside as the stroller pick up and drop off areas are somewhat small and can be congested.

Your own (or outside rental) stroller

Your stroller will be with you all the way from your car or hotel.  This means you will have it on Disney transportation and through Disney security and ticketing.

Your stroller must fold in an umbrella fashion to go on Disney buses, parking lot trams, and the Magic Kingdom train.  Sorry, the big Bob-type joggers don’t work well.  Essentially, it needs to fit like a single person, or in the case of the buses, fit under the seat.  Because even double umbrella strollers will fit under most seats on the buses, I prefer using my own stroller.  This way, you can roll your smallest children all the way to the park, and your sleepy children home at the end of the day.  The stroller will need to be unpacked and folded, but it still dramatically reduces the amount of carrying you will be doing.  For the parking lot tram, it may make sense to walk with the stroller while the non-strolling members of your party take the tram.  Many times I have arrived at our car at about the same time this way.

The stroller does not need to be folded to go on the monorail or boats.  However, the monorail compartments are small and usually jammed full.  If you have a stroller it is much easier to take a boat across the lagoon to your car or Magic Kingdom resort.  You do not have to cross the lagoon if you are using the Disney buses.

Disney security is pretty stroller friendly.  Specifically, you do not need to remove your children from the stroller for either the bag check or Magic Band stations.  You will need to remove any bags from underneath.

Park by Park

Magic Kingdom

As you might expect, the Magic Kingdom is full of strollers.  But, there are obstacles.  First, you will find Main Street USA is narrow and has real curbs.  You must also watch for the trolley tracks, which can easily catch a wheel.

Strollers can go on the Liberty Square Riverboat, but they cannot go on Tom Sawyer’s Island. If you choose to take the Walt Disney World Railroad, you will bring your stroller, but leave a Disney stroller behind and pick up a new one when you disembark.  During the parade, the boardwalk is the only way to move between Frontierland and Liberty Square (rest of Magic Kingdom).  While this is technically possible with a stroller, I do not recommend trying to enter or leave Adventureland or Frontierland during the parade.  It is just too congested and too many access points are closed.  Plan your day around the parade schedule.

The only buildings you might be able to bring a stroller in in the Magic Kingdom are Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe and Starlight Ray’s Cosmic Cafe.  Even then, probably only at off hours.  Both can be crowded, especially at dinner when dining options in the Magic Kingdom are limited.

Epcot

Counter-intuitively, Epcot is the most stroller friendly park at Walt Disney World.  The walking paths are largely open and smooth, and the crowds are not as packed in as other parks.  You don’t even need to fold your stroller to take a boat across the lake.

Unlike the other parks, strollers can go in many of the buildings.  You can explore Project Tomorrow and Innoventions in FutureWorld East. You can go in Imageworks, the Land Pavilion, and the Seas Pavilion in FutureWorld West.  In the Land Pavilion you can go to the Sunshine Seasons food court with your stroller.

In the World Showcase, you will find opportunities for al fresco dining.  You can also take your stroller in the Circle-Vision films inside the China and Canada pavilions.

Animal Kingdom

Animal Kingdom doesn’t have the curbs and trolley tracks of Magic Kingdom.  But, the walkways are similarly narrow, if not more so, and they are both hillier and bumpier.  That being said, Animal Kingdom is likely to be your most relaxing day so definitely take advantages of all the paths through the animal viewing areas.  They are all stroller accessible.  You can even take your stroller (not a Disney one) on the Wildlife Express Train.

Stroller parking does seem to be farther from the attractions.  In many cases this is because it is at the exit of the attraction and you have to walk back to the beginning.  At Kilimanjaro Safaris, you will hand your stroller to a cast member who will bring it to the stroller parking area.

I don’t believe any of the buildings in Animal Kingdom are stroller friendly.  But, most of the dining is al fresco and spacious enough to accommodate strollers.

Hollywood Studios

Despite being much newer, Hollywood has many of the same stroller problems as the Magic Kingdom.  Namely, curbs and narrow streets.  Therefore, it is not as stroller friendly as one would think.  Sunset Boulevard is shockingly narrow, especially with the vendor carts, and has actual curbs (as many Disney “streets” do, unfortunately).  It is also easy to get stuck in the Center Stage area also as it is mostly accessed by stairs.

Be prepared to walk/stand in line with your normally stroller bound children for the rides.  Stroller parking is clustered and therefore not really near anything.  Unlike other parks, it can sometimes be covered, which is nice on rainy days.  And, because the shows are rather long, they all have some level of line so your small children will be free or carried more often than at the other parks.

The only building you can go in with a stroller is Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream.  Frankly, though, unless you’re looking for stroller friendly AC, it’s not worth the time.

Summary

If you are traveling with kids (for admission purposes Disney kids are under 10), you will probably want a stroller.  This does not limit what you can do.  If you don’t need it much, use it as a home base.  In most parks, you can leave the stroller in one parking area and do multiple attractions around it.  If you would normally leave a baby/toddler in it all the time, realize that to experience most parks you will need to take them out.  Disney definitely tries to accommodate strollers.

 

Disney with Kids – Animal Kingdom

06 Thursday Apr 2017

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First, a disclaimer, which will be at the top of each park review.  There are plenty of websites that will give you the top rides or restaurants in each park.  So, I will cover three topics for each park: over-rated attractions, under-rated attractions, and nap strategies.

The 2017 Disney with Kids series:
Disney while Pregnant
The Magic Kingdom
Epcot
Animal Kingdom
Hollywood Studios
Disney with StrollersDisney with Strollers

Overview of Animal Kingdom

Animal Kingdom is one of the newer parks.  It is a great change of pace from the Magic Kingdom.  It feels like there is more space (though you find out quickly the main paths are still quite narrow).  It is shady, less hectic, and just generally more relaxing.  Plus, Animal Kingdom closes earlier than the other parks so it forces you to have a big of a slower day.  Consider a day in Animal Kingdom to recharge instead of taking a day off.

Over-rated Attractions

It’s Tough to Be a Bug! is a Fast Past attraction, but its definitely not what I would use my Fast Passes for in Animal Kingdom.  The description on the brochure says “Some creepy crawly moments in the dark.”  They are not kidding!  While the show is ok when the lights are on, the dark and creepy crawlies make this an unfriendly show for adults and kids alike.  Steer clear!

DINOSAUR is a good ride and one I definitely recommend for older elementary on up.  However, its height restriction of 40″ implies younger kids can ride.  They technically can, but this might be the scariest ride in all of Walt Disney World.  If you choose to take a preschooler or early elementary child on this ride be prepared for some seriously scary moments with the dinosaur animatronics.

Finding Nemo – The Musical is well executed.  However, don’t use your Fast Pass here unless you have a Nemo loving child in your group.  And, if your children are not fans of Nemo or unfamiliar with the story this may not be your best choice.  The musical covers the entire plot very quickly which can be confusing to those who haven’t seen the movie.  It also spends a high percentage of its time on the sadder/scarier parts of the story for plot development, which can be hard on a young viewer.

 

Under-rated Attractions

My top recommendation in Animal Kingdom is to use your time to explore the animal trails.  Even if you live near a large, well populated zoo, the Maharajah Jungle Trek in Asia and Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail in Africa are well worth your time.  If you do all of the animal explorations (and you should) there is more in Animal Kingdom than you can do in one day.  It takes about a day and a half to see everything.  Or cull some of my over-rated attractions off your list to fit in the good stuff.

Flame Tree Barbecue is a not-to-be missed stop in Animal Kingdom.  The excellent food provides a welcome respite from the so-so hamburgers and chicken nuggets found at so many of the quick service restaurants throughout the parks.  Also, grab some onion rings or other sides on the menu as they are very good and can count as snacks for those of you on the meal plan – ask the cashier about that option.  There is usually plenty of seating, but it is a big spread out so you may have to head a bit farther in than you realize.

The Kilimanjaro Safaris and Festival of the Lion King are our family’s must see attractions in Animal Kingdom.  If you are not using your Fast Passes for the thrill rides (Expedition Everest and Kali River Rapids can have very long lines without Fast Passes), use them here.  Otherwise, head for Kilimanjaro Safaris first thing in the morning to stay ahead of the line.  You can also check the app for wait times during the day also, but Animal Kingdom is big enough that you will prefer to make an organized loop vs criss-crossing the park to go to and from rides.  A Fast Pass for the Lion King gets you closer to the action, but the theater offers good seats for everyone so just jump in line if you don’t have a fast pass.

 

Nap Strategies

 

Animal Kingdom does not have built in nap options.  But, it is much quieter and shadier than the other parks.  It also generally opens earlier and closes earlier.  Treat Animal Kingdom as a relaxing day.  If you have young children who still nap, you will not be racing for the big name rides.

If you can get there promptly at opening, the timing generally works to hit the Kilimanjaro Safaris and then go directly to the Festival of the Lion King.  From there, explore the animal trails and you take a relaxing loop around the Discovery River.  Head in a clockwise direction and you will end up in DinoLand U.S.A. where you can ride the TriceraTop Spin and then play in The Boneyard until they run out of energy.

If you choose to head counter clockwise, just realize that not all the seats at the Festival of the Lion King have backs so you may end of supporting your sleepy child.  That being said, that show is a good way to end your day also.

Note than Animal Kingdom is a long way from any resorts, even those in the Animal Kingdom area.  This, combined with its relatively short open hours, make it the least favorable park for returning to your hotel for a rest during the day.  However, if your child will sleep in the stroller, the miles of shaded walking trails make it a good place to keep the rest of the party entertained.

 

 

Disney World with Kids – Disney while Pregnant

16 Thursday Mar 2017

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Today is the first of a six part Disney with Kids series.  I realize there are plenty of recommendations out there already.  This is the truly practical stuff.  Not the top rides (which get plenty of press), but the rides that aren’t worth it.  Recommendations on where to get naps in without having to go back to the hotel.  That sort of thing.  Hopefully, you’ll find my take a bit different from the others.

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I wrote an overview of our experiences at Disney, as well as about the Fast Pass System (twice), our hotel, and the Meal Plan before.

The 2017 Disney with Kids series:
Disney while Pregnant
The Magic Kingdom
Epcot
Animal Kingdom
Hollywood Studios
Disney with Strollers

Today will be an overview of the cons of being at Disney World while pregnant.  The next few weeks will cover each of the major parks.  I’ve been pregnant at Disney twice with other kids in tow.  Frankly, I can’t think of any advantages of being pregnant.  And, you need to consider your specific circumstances.  But, assuming you are up for travel and a lot of walking, you don’t have to sit on the sidelines.

Let’s start with walking.  You will walk a lot.  You need comfortable shoes.  Benches are not as frequent as you might like and are often taken.  How comfortable are you on a low wall or grassy surface?  All that being said, you will not be alone.  There are always lots of pregnant women at Disney.

Similarly, Florida is usually hot.  Not always, but often.  Hot and pregnant are not the best combination.  You will need lots of fluids and more breaks than usual.  But, there is shade fairly readily available so that’s a plus.  If you have the meal plan you can use your snack credits on bottled water and other beverages in the parks.  Personally, even having drunk regular municipal water for years in many parts of the US I think the tap water in Florida tastes terrible so I’m going with bottled.  You may read tips on maximizing the snack credits by bringing your own drinks and/or using the refillable cups they give you.  Nothing beats a cold drink, which is what you will get with a snack credit.  Since the regular meals have plenty of food, often some you can hold for later, and you’ll have lots of snack credits consider using them for drinks.

Sticking with meals, if you are at a nauseous stage of your pregnancy you may have a hard time.  Most Disney quick service food is mid-level fast food.  And the volumes are huge.  I recommend a sit down restaurant for lunch if you can schedule one (this is particularly tricky in the Magic Kingdom where choices are limited and they book up fast).  This will offer you a natural break in an air conditioned environment with a bathroom.  All very handy while pregnant.

Now for the parks!

Magic Kingdom

Disney recommends against Big Thunder Mountain, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Barnstormer, Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, and Tomorrowland Speedway.  The first four I totally understand and agree with as they are roller coasters.  Splash Mountain has a bar that may be an issue for pregnant women.  However, I rode Tomorrowland Speedway with no issues.  There is some bumping and gasoline smell.  If either of those would bother you, don’t ride.  It’s also a little tricky to get down into the cars.  But, I found it totally fine.

There are also two rides that Disney lists as fine for pregnant women that deserve comment.  First, I’m not prone to motion sickness, but the Astro Orbiter makes me queasy  even when I’m not pregnant.  I would not recommend this or the Mad Tea Party.  Also, the Swiss Family Tree House is fun.  But, its a lot of stairs, some of which are narrow and crowded so you should keep that in mind.  In contrast, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin is a great ride and doesn’t actually involve much spinning so there’s definitely no need to avoid it.

Epcot

Disney advises against Test Track and Mission Space.  You definitely need to abide by those guidelines.  Both are great rides, but not while pregnant.

Disney says you can visit both O Canada! and Reflections of China while pregnant.  But, they’re both standing movies and the picture motion coupled with standing can be difficult.  Definitely the bottom of the list.  If you’re looking for a movie style option, The American Experience is better.  Soarin’, on the other hand, is a great ride that you might not think you can do while pregnant.  You definitely can!

Hollywood Studios

Disney recommends against Star Tours, Tower of Terror, and the Rock ‘n Roller Coaster.  I have to agree with all three.  Nothing else even needs a warning.  Hollywood Studios is a rather show oriented park so on most things you’ll have seats.  They don’t always have backs, but at least you’ll be sitting down.

Animal Kingdom

Disney recommends against Expedition Everest, Primeval Whirl, Dinosaur, Kali River Rapids, and Kilimanjaro Safari.  I’ve actually not been on the first four because someone always had to stay with the kids who were too small and the pregnant lady seemed an obvious choice.  But, based on what I know I don’t recommend any of them.  Kilimanjaro Safari, on the other had, I’ve been on multiple times while pregnant with no issues.  It is somewhat long (especially if the line is considered) with no bathroom breaks available.  It is also somewhat bumpy, but not worse than some potholed city roads in the springtime.  I think it deserves consideration.

The animal viewing trails are shady and generally uncrowded.  They can take a lot of time and add many extra miles of walking.  But, they would be a good option if you’re up to it.  There are a number of shows also, many of which (The Lion King aside) have seats with backs.  Even if you can’t go on many of the rides, I wouldn’t skip Animal Kingdom just because one is pregnant.

Summary

Disney can be fun while you’re pregnant; it doesn’t need to be avoided.  But, consider how you feel and any guidance from your doctor.  Set reasonable goals and expectations for yourself.  Schedule time for meals and drinks.  Since many of the rides you won’t be going on have FastPass+, you’ll have more flexibility than the average guest to change things up if you need to.  Finally, enjoy the vacation before baby!