Disney with a Preteen: What’s Cool, What Isn’t

It’s been less than two years since our last Disney trip. My daughter, Lola, was almost ten when we visited Disneyland in California and was all about Princesses, Princess outfits and Princess autographs. (And maybe some Jedi Training thrown in!! LOL!) Fast forward just two years and my almost-teen has let me know in no uncertain terms that A. I’m uncool. and B. She is. Therefore, our upcoming trips to Disney World would need some tweaking…

Ahhh…the good old days. Princess dresses and big smiles!

Here are a few of my biggest offenses of being an uncool Disney Mom. Take heed…because in just a few years your adoring, Ariel-clad toddler will be begging you to please stop crying during the Happily Ever After fireworks because you’re embarrassing her.

Uncool – Princess Dresses. Princess Anything. Dresses in General.

Cool – Ripped jean shorts. The ears her mother happens to be wearing.

Okay, this one hurt!! Nothing makes me happier than planning coordinated family outfits for our trips. And she LOVED wearing those Princess dresses to Bibbibi Bobbibi Boutique and Cinderella’s Royal Table! We had them all-Rapunzel’s wedding dress, Elsa’s famous Snow Queen dress, Anna’s Coronation ballgown. Not even the Zarina pirate outfit??? Nope!

Tiaras, glitter and face jewels…living the life!

This last trip, Lola (begrudgingly) agreed to wear some “matching” outfits, but only because we already had them. I got her to wear our matching Orange Bird tanks to Epcot (where we were rewarded with an Orange Bird magic shot!) and matching Rock -n-Roller Coaster tanks to Hollywood Studios. But-she definitely did not want to borrow one of my Sparkle Skirts! (Not entirely true…she did borrow one for the Dark Side 5K!) She did, however, manage to borrow my cutest ears for every pic and look adorable doing so!!

Orange Bird magic shot to match our tanks and ears!
Mickey Rocks! So does the Rock-n-Roller Coaster!

Lola was a good sport at the run Disney 5K in her Leia buns!

Uncool – Posed Pictures. Magic Shots. Pictures hugging her mom.

Cool – Photobombs. Character pics NOT with Princesses.

When we go to Disney we take a lot of pictures. I mean A LOT of pictures. Pictures from the Photopass photographers, iPhone photos, character photos, runDisney photos, magic shots and of course selfies for Instagram! And Lola loves photos. You know-the kind of photos where she photobombs people, sticks out her tongue and makes ridiculous faces. Not exactly Christmas card worthy. 😉

More material for my Instagram bloopers reel…lol!
We all channeled our “inner-Lola” for this group photo!

However, Lola was a good sport and dutifully posed for each shot, gamely holding out her hand for Figment or Tinkerbell or whatever cool graphic the photographer would later superimpose. She hugged me in front of the castle and during fireworks. She smiled in front of Spaceship Earth. But she reached her limit at the Photopass Studio at Disney Springs. Our photoshoot for two turned super corny and we got the best shots of the trip, the two of us cracking up over the absurdity of the loving gazes we were instructed to give each other at close range.

Sure, Mom, I’ll do another magic shot.
Bonding time??? Laughs were had and memories made at the Disney Springs Photopass Studio.

Uncool – Anything your mom does, says, collects or wears.

Cool – Anything your mom’s friends do, say, collect or wear.

Let’s face it-moms are uncool. We’re always blathering on about things like deodorant (You forgot again?), sunscreen and if you’ve remembered to wear your magic band. According to my daughter, I also own too many ears, too many Sparkle Skirts and too many Disney-themed tops. I have inspired eye-rolling on more than one occasion.

Fine Mom…I’ll wear my Epcot shirt but NO EARS!!

That is, until my Slinky Dog ear wearing, Sparkle Skirt sporting, pin trading fabulous friends show up! Then all of a sudden, everything that is uncool is cool again! Mugging for photos! Celebration buttons! Magic shots! Selfies! Trading with Cast Members for Orange Bird pins!

Living it up with my friend Meghan in Toy Story Land!
Trading for Orange Bird pins with Kerry!
I love wearing celebration buttons and ears when Jenn is, Mom!!
Mickey Bars with brother, Luke, and Mom’s much cooler friend.

I have to face facts. My baby is growing up and our Disney trips are changing! The good news is that some things have stayed the same. She still loves roller coasters, especially Expedition Everest. She still loves Mickey Bars and Dole Whips. And by the end of our trip, she barely noticed that she was once again, still holding my hand. Shhh! Just don’t tell her friends!

She’ll always be my baby…


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4 thoughts on “Disney with a Preteen: What’s Cool, What Isn’t”

  1. Great…. as soon as your friends show up everything that was once uncool is once cool again! That’s classic 😀

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