Happiness and HAAAAmony

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Like Varuca Salt's mother's only lines in "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory"....not the Johnny Depp version. Not to offend anyone right off the bat, but he's a little creepy to look at in that movie. He somehow has this Velma from Scooby Doo thing going on and it's just not right. I'm a classics kind of gal, and the Gene Wilder version is much better for me.

I'm already off topic.

Anyway, I have some rules for our family trips. The biggest, most important of them all is repeated to my children frequently in the voice of Varuca Salt's mother. Happiness and HAAAAmony. I don't want to hear any crabbing, complaining, arguing, whining or crying. It's just NOT allowed in WDW. I think that should be posted on a sign as you walk into each park. They have become accustomed to hearing me, and have also turned the tables on their poor, aging mother on those very (did I say VERY) rare occasions when I get a tad bit cranky. I have also experienced the mortification involved in my then 5 year old telling another child, a complete stranger, mind you, that WDW is no place for crying. Only happy tears, please.

I have shed happy tears in the world. We bought APs this year, and around my birthday we took a weekend trip. (We live within 6.5 hours, so the drive isn't terrible.) I realized that I have been fortunate enough to have had several trips as a child, the first one the summer I turned 7. It was summer in Florida...hot, humid, and it was back in the days when there was only one park. To say it was crowded just couldn't do it justice. We were sardines walking through the castle. It was wonderful, scary, and overwhelming for my 7 year old brain. I held my mother's hand, and trudged through with what seemed like the entire human race, all the time looking up at this glorious site. Thirty years later I returned for my birthday with my family. I got to hold all their hands and walk through the castle again. The magic and wonder still there. The awe and wonder of it all to be shared with my family. Happy tears.

.

Me~SharkB8
DH~e-Curb
Little Bite 1~ 9
Little Bite 2 ~ 6
Little Bite 3 ~ 3

We'll be at POR for 8 nights then spend our last night at SOG.

So we are going back in two days. A long trip this time. And there will be only happiness and haaaaamony.

[OhMari]

Hope to hear how you liked POR, let me know which area is near the bus stop.

[PrincessV]

Getting in on this one early. Have a fabulous time in The World! :wave:

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

In less than 24 hours we are set to be on the road. One would think that I would be spilling over with excitement and anticipation...alas, I am not. I am, however, LOSING IT! I am not packed, my house is not clean, my bills are not in the mail, my plants are not watered. So where do I turn? Here, to the DIS, to fellow packers and planners. Those who know the stress within which I am existing right now.

How is it that the list of shorts that "HAD" to be packed for the trip for the 6 year old ended up on him today? TODAY! Read as, "SharkB8 will be doing laundry at 10:00 tonight."

How is it that the lawn that I insisted be mowed at the last possible minutes (we will, after all, be gone for 9 days and we live in a community where if the lawn is just a hair past perfect, we get hate mail) is now buzzing with wasps, out to get me for sure.

So, I keep saying my mantra. Happiness and HAAAAAmony. This time tomorrow, if all goes according to plan, I will be eating some form of food court meal in St. Augustine after having stopped at the outlet for a year old autograph book for the child with the shorts on TODAY that need to be washed TONIGHT so he can pack them.

Wish me luck.

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Thanks, PrincessV, for the wishes. Didn't you just get back?

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Last load of laundry done - check.

Suitcases packed and in the car - check.

Capri Sun's in the freezer for the drive - check.

Lawn mowed - check.

Lime Green Mickey Heads - check.

Custom made t-shirts for the family - check.

Tinker Toys spread throughout the house - check....See, despite my best efforts to keep things tidy so I'll come home to spit-spot, Little Bite 3 has other plans. Having said this, allow me to introduce you.

There's me. I'm rather boring. SharkB8.

My DH, e-Curb is also on the boards, but has yet to post. His first trip to WDW was 7 years ago, when Little Bite 1 was almost 3. It was instant, the love for the world. And since then, while we have attempted to plan vacations elsewhere, we always end up in Disney. We tried to do the educational thing and go to Colonial Williamsburg one year. By the time we tallied up tickets, hotels and food, we figured it would be just as much to go to WDW, and far more enjoyable. So off we went. Anytime I mention going someplace, he says "This is how it all starts". We end up in Florida.

Little Bite 1 is almost 10. He's an awesome kid. SMART. Loves to learn, but loses all focus when we are within a 3 month time frame for a trip. He's my Marlin. A bit of a worrier. But the best big brother going.

Little Bite 2 is 6. He is one of the sweetest people you will ever meet. Just a pure, gentle soul. Loves Everest. And has this uncanny way of memorizing lines from movies after only watching them once. He can quote just about any Disney movie out there.

Little Bite 3 is 3. He embodies 3 like no other child I've ever met. He is so sweet and charming, and can go criminal mastermind quicker than you can say criminal mastermind. His first trip to WDW was when he was 3 months old. This will be his sixth trip (ooh, that sounds bad when you read it.) Anyway, it is Little Bite 3s mission to make me crazy. He loves it. He thrives on it. He thinks its funny. Often, I don't.

SO, there we are. We are armed with t-shirts my DH made for us. Little lime green heads on the back, pictures of characters on the front. I will talk to just about anyone, so if you see us, feel free to come say hi. I know it's a bit awkward, but give it a go. I don't bite!

[UtahMama]

Have FUN Sharkie! (See, I've already nick-named you!)

Our room was in the #14 building. It's the closest to the food court (and free refills!) and the buss stop! Maybe you can request it when you get there!

*Ask the rotten-teethed bell services lady "Where do we go"? and see if I taught her any manners!

Cant wait to read all about it when you return!

Have a wonderful trip!!!!

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

UMama,
You found me! You know we are both going to get into trouble because you have peeps a-waitin' your TR, and you are lingering over my way. I'll take the heat.

It's 6:56 here in the great state of SC, and I've got to wake my boys and get them moving. We are supposed to be A I S at 9 and they have the nerve to sleep. WHAT are they thinking?!? It's DISNEY after all! (side bar ~ Little Bite 1 was still up at 11 last night. Should make for an interesting day.)

I'll keep an eye out for the toothless wonder. Have a blast while I'm gone. And please keep writing. We all enjoy your story.

HooHaHA!

[PrincessV]

Thanks, PrincessV, for the wishes. Didn't you just get back?

Yes, but "back" can be used pretty loosely in this case - I live an hour and a half away from WDW! As you'll soon see, the cold front made it all the way down to Tampa Bay (which is south and west of Orlando) and the weather is jsut BEE UU TIFUL! You'll have a terrific week :thumbsup2

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

I-95.

We've spent far too much time on it over the past 4 months. See, e-Curb was down in Jacksonville on business for 4 months (yup. You read it right.) So I-95 has been guilty of putting many, many miles on our cars this summer. If e-Curb didn't come home on a weekend, I would pack the little bites into the car and we would go down there. We both became very familiar with the bumps, shreaded tires and dead armadillos. ( Funny, when did the armadillo migrate to Georgia? ) BUT, this trip was different. This trip was the reward. This was the journey that was going to pack all of our collective rear-ends into the SAME car and take us TOGETHER down 95. This was the pay off for the endless summer of travel for my DH.

***Warning....mushy, yucky stuff that might get too personal!*****

This time of separation has been very hard on all of us. e-Curb took a job that didn't come with a warning. They didn't tell us at the time of interview/offer/acceptance that the job would require a tremendous amount of travel during the first 2 years. It is a great job, and one that got him out of a field that he needed to get out of. But it has had a heavy price. 16 months of travel. All back to back. Fortunately, he has been able to do many of his trips locally, so we've been very lucky, but he couldn't find something locally that would fit the requirement for the time spent in Jacksonville. So he had to go. He is in Washington, DC right now. So, we went from 4 months in Jax to 2 months in DC. We needed time together as a family. Time to regroup and have fun. We needed a diversion. We needed WDW. My little bites have had a rough time of missing their father. And I miss him terribly. We just needed to be normal for a week. So we headed for the world.

Sleep the night before departure was hard to catch. Funny how dodgey it can be from time to time. But I had everything ready to go for the morning. I had clothes laid out for each bite to wear. I had the car packed. I even managed to manipulate the milk so that there was just enough to pour over 3 bowls of cereal. We were going to be pulling out of the drive way by 9 if it killed me. The alarm didn't need to go off. I had foolishly set it thinking I might get some much needed early morning sleep, but, like the commercial, I was too excited to sleep. I could have even done without coffee if it weren't for the brain-cracking migrane that would have arrived without an invite by 11 am. I was hyper. As was little bite 1.....and 2.......AND 3! e-curb had gotten home at 1:30 in the morning, so he was just slightly less crazed, but we managed to fix that.

Cereal was eaten, coffee consumed, teeth brushed, bladders emptied, lights on, A/C off, doors locked, butts in seats.....and....we're off. AND we're EARLY!

I am elated. Silly, I know, to be elated over the time, but I was. This could only mean one thing. MORE time with the mouse!

As we descend the driveway I do roll call....sunglasses? Hats? DVDs? Juice? Camera? Paperwork? Money?......Money?......Ummmm, money? We had no money. No cashola. Not good. A delay. And I was feeling so good about the early start. But let's face it, you've got to have some cash. If there is one thing I loathe, it's going in the opposite direction from my destination. That is exactly what we had to do. So it's off to the bank we go. Hit the ATM, (I could swear that thing took longer to churn out the bills than usual) and we were officially on our way.

[Nurse_Mommy4]

Good start! :thumbsup2 Can't wait to hear about your stay at POR!

[PrincessV]

Money?......Money?......Ummmm, money? We had no money. No cashola. Not good. A delay. And I was feeling so good about the early start. But let's face it, you've got to have some cash. If there is one thing I loathe, it's going in the opposite direction from my destination. That is exactly what we had to do. So it's off to the bank we go. Hit the ATM, (I could swear that thing took longer to churn out the bills than usual) and we were officially on our way.

I'm so glad to hear I'm not the only one this happens to! EVERY trip anywhere, without fail, I forget to get cash ahead of time. :rolleyes:

Glad to have you back!

[Minniespal]

Enjoying ~ Thanx for posting.

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

It seems AAA managed to name I-75, a once two lane (now 4) road that crosses Florida, "alligator alley". Apparently when the road was constructed, AAA collectively snickered and stated that it was a useless road, and would become nothing more than an alley for alligators. Now it is a frequently traveled road by far more than just pre-historic creatures.

There is your AAA history lesson.

As we headed down 95, I couldn't help but start to take notice of the billboards on the side of the road. I am south of South of the Border, so I have no Pedro to keep me entertained. No gigantic sausages hanging from a sign with the brilliant "you never sausage a place!" What south of South of the Border has is the type of sign that makes you wish you never taught your children to read. "Momma, what do they bare there?" Ugh. I got to the point where I would strain my aging eyes so that when a sign was approaching, I could cause a diversion. "Hey, where is the cooler?" "Has anyone seen the map of the resort?" "Was that the sound of a crayon being dropped?"

I was so relieved when we FINALLY passed the exit.

Then I noticed the next batch of signs.

What is with the roadside tourist/gas station using stuffed alligators as bait? And they increase in size as you head further south. It's the strangest thing. When was this mass killing of 10 to 13 feet long alligators and WHY did these shopes gobble them up? What makes them think that having a 12 foot long alligator on display is going to get me to stop? I have issues. Face it, we all have issues. My issues often manifest themselves in the form of alligators in my dreams. "Repressed anger or emotion will often present itself in the form of an animal or other aggressive creation in your dreams in order to force you to deal with said repressed anger." Thank you Dr. Hill, psych 101 instructor. Needless to say, I was NOT going to stop at the tourist/gas station to have my photo taken beside a stuffed alligator, no matter HOW many times I had the opportunity. And as you head down 95, I think you are given the opportunity 6 times.

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

NurseMommy and Minniespal, thanks for joining me. V, UMama and OhMari, I hope you are still hanging in ... I hope to get back later tonight to add to the mayhem.

Thanks!

[Hound 109]

[QUOTE=sharkB8HooHaHa]Like Varuca Salt's mother's only lines in "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory"....not the Johnny Depp version.....I'm a classics kind of gal, and the Gene Wilder version is much better for me. I agree. (In fact before there was a Gene Wilder movie, there was a book named "Charlie & the Chocolate Factory" that I read 6-16 times....& for me the Wilder movie wasn't "classic" enough. However, Wilder & the Veruca character were portrayed exactly as my mind's eye saw them.)



I have also experienced the mortification involved in my then 5 year old telling another child, a complete stranger, mind you, that WDW is no place for crying. That's hilarious. :rotfl:

(my 6 y/o has heard from me..& has told others "there's no crying in baseball" - thanks Tom Hanks)



It was wonderful, scary, and overwhelming for my 7 year old brain. I held my mother's hand, and trudged through with what seemed like the entire human race, all the time looking up at this glorious site. Thirty years later I returned for my birthday with my family. I got to hold all their hands and walk through the castle again. The magic and wonder still there. The awe and wonder of it all to be shared with my family. Happy tears You really write well. I look forward to reading this.



hound :surfweb:

[NewOrleansLady]

What a wonderful start! Can't wait to read some more :)

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Hound 109 and NewOrleansLady, thank you very much for the kind words. :love: I am glad you joined me.

And Hound....isnt' the book ALWAYS better than the movie?

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

If you will recall, we had to make an early morning run to the ATM for some cash. You can't possibly go on vacation without money, regardless of your prepaid status or teeny, tiny budget. And with that teeny, tiny budget in mind, I had packed lunch for the trip.

Pre-vacation fridge emptying is always a hassle for me. With 3 boys you can never be too sure just how much will be consumed on any given day. So, generally speaking, I either have too much food, or too little. This time I was awesome!(if I may say so myself). I micro-managed my children's eating to the point of the perfect amount of everything. They weren't happy, but I was keeping to the schedule. By Wednesday night, night before departure, night of butterflies in the bellies and evasive sleep, I had just enough in the house for two pepperoni pizzas, 4 bowls of salad and milk all around. My little bites ate almost all of one pizza, leaving the whole plus two slices for lunch on the road. Perfect. Again my micro-management skills, while perhaps creating issues for my bites in the future, were working beautifully. The morning of departure required nothing more than tossing zip-locs full of pizza and some juice boxes into the cooler, and we're off.

Right around lunch time we were in Jacksonville. Familiar territory, as you now know. In the past we have stopped in Jax to eat, but that requires getting off 95 and going out of our way. Time was too precious on this trip. We had a date with a mouse and I wasn't about to be late. So just south of Jacksonville we pulled off I-95 into what was also familiar territory. St. Augustine. The nation's oldest city. A mecca for history buffs. Home to Ft. Matanzas and The Castillo. Famous for the nation's oldest school house, horse drawn trolley rides and white sand beaches. Full of quaint shops and eateries.

And outlet shopping.

[1000thhappyhaunt]

Too.

I love how you started this trippie.

Except for the Johnny Depp thingie.

Just kiddin'.

Or am I?

I liked the original Willie Wonka better, myself.

That IS a classic.


Anywho... looking forward to MORE.

cheers, Melly. :thumbsup2

[Hound 109]

I micro-managed my children's eating to the point of the perfect amount of everything. They weren't happy, but I was keeping to the schedule. By Wednesday night, night before departure, night of butterflies in the bellies and evasive sleep, I had just enough in the house for two pepperoni pizzas, 4 bowls of salad and milk all around. My little bites ate almost all of one pizza, leaving the whole plus two slices for lunch on the road. Perfect. Again my micro-management skills, while perhaps creating issues for my bites in the future, were working beautifully. The morning of departure required nothing more than tossing zip-locs full of pizza and some juice boxes into the cooler, and we're off. They should engage you to streamline our Health Care system.....or at least assist with our Armed Forces procurements. Impressive organizational skills! ::yes::



And outlet shopping. Dagnabit....you had me thinking "what a cool lady"...into history & culture...educating her children on our nation's oldest city. I'll even give her a pass for not stopping for Gator Pics....& then comes the *&%$&%% outlet mall reference. :sad2:



& yes SharkB8, the book is normally better than the movie....but the popcorn tastes better at the theatre. popcorn::

hound

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Hound,
Please read on.....

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

There are those that are born shoppers. People who find it entertaining, exhilarating, intoxicating. My in-laws can make a trip down the East coast a four day event by stopping at every shopping center within sight along the road. I once knew a woman who drove from NY to Florida every fall and stopped at every (EVERY) Cracker Barrel. That's a lot of chicken n' dumplings.

Then there is me. I am not a good shopper. It's not that I lack shopping sense or fail to be a saavy consumer. It's more that I have a built in timer, and once I've reached my limit, I'm done. There is no "Oh, I think I've had enough", or "I'm reaching the point of completion". There is just "GET ME OUT OF HERE!" Some stores have longer time allowances than others, but generally speaking, I loose it rather quickly.

So with that in mind, we headed into the outlet mall off of 95 with a cooler in hand and a plan. We were going to break all rules of society and eat our left over pizza in the food court. The food court not only has easy access to restrooms, which by now we all needed, but it is a mere 25 feet to the Disney Store. See, Little Bite 2 needed a new autograph book. He got his first one at the age of 3 and had filled it on our last trip. He loves to flip through the pages and try to make out the signatures. Rafiki is a favorite. It's very cool how his "i" looks like a tree. And he has a smooch from The Fairy Godmother. That woman has some seriously long lasting lipstick. That company needs to get on that marketing campaign.

SO, we unpack our cooler and pop straws in juice boxes and talk about our plans for the evening. Once we check in we are heading for Downtown Disney for dinner and the much loved Lego store. We'll take the boat over from POR. It will be fantastic. All the while we are getting more than a few looks as we eat our pizza. The mall food court offers Chinese food, gigantic pretzles, subs and salads, ice cream treats and fancy coffee drinks. No pizza. Yet there we sit, pepperoni in hand. Nothing like being obvious.

After we eat we walk the 25 feet to the Disney store where I think I am going to get the deal of the century on a new autograph book. They are right at the counter. I zone in on one like a chameleon on a cricket. Grab it. I stand at the counter waiting for assistance. I just want to get out. Then little bite 2 reminds me that we couldn't find his hat before we left. I searched high and low, but no hat. So, I reluctantly left the counter and headed to the hats. Another deal of the century. A bucket hat for $2.99. I'm again heading for the counter when I notice a stuffed Timon walking across the store. Seems little bite 3 found his way to the stuffed area, and thinks Timon needs to go back to WDW. I stand my ground at the counter and get DH to escort Timon back to the other stuffed stuff when I find I can't find little bite 1. WHAT is going on here? He's been lured by the pins. "NO! Not the PINS!"

It was not my micro-managing skills that got us out of there. It was my timer. I was done. Mayhem was on the horizon and I wanted out. I needed out. If it wasn't in my hand it wasn't coming home. Little Bite 3 had other plans. I often think he micro-manages me far better than I do him. This time it was Stitch who came to the counter with him. It was the Stitch with the hats. He was wearing Mickey ears, holding Goofy's hat in one hand and Donald's in the other. I caved. That's what happens when I want out.

Like speed walkers in training we got to the car. Everyone buckled and secure? Check. Pre-WDW souveniers? Check. Bellies full and bladders empty? Check. I-4 was a mere 30 minutes down the road. Oh, to head westward!

[Hound 109]

That's why the lil' bites were grabbing stuff all at once.....they knew mommie's "timer" was about to go off.

& I bet those folks munching on salad & pretzels were eyeballing your Peperroni Pizza. :tongue:


Great Report.

hound

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

I love how you started this trippie.



Mel,
Thank you. I hope you continue to enjoy.

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

If you've ever driven to Disney World from 95, then surely you've seen the huge parcel of land home to many, many cows as you get onto I-4. It's one of those moments where the smell in the air lets you know you are getting somewhere. Ahhhh.

To make a long drive short, we drove as fast as our collective conscious's would allow, past the cows, past the countless exits, past the WB station with 37 satellite dishes out front, past HolyLand Experience, and started to see signs. I'm like Rabbit in that I don't need signs, I had a map. Besides, we've done this several times, and DH and I brag about our navigational skills.

Side bar : I am the child of a divorce. Said divorce allowed for 2 weeks of vacation with my dad each year. My dad is a gypsy at heart, and we almost always went away for those 2 weeks. I am before the days of Ipods, gameboys, and portable DVDs. I would sit in planes and read the barf bag, then the emergency information, then the backs of the carriers' magazines. In the back was the map. I loved to look at the maps, and while my education failed to provide me with geography skills, my time in planes taught me well.

Having said this, I confess I am a map spinner. My weakness is left vs. right under pressure, and my North/South/East/West is downright pitiful. SO, I spin maps. I determine what direction we are going in, and I spin the map so that I am travelling with the line. Then my left is on my left, not my right, and my North is truly North, not South. Sad, I know.

I know from my map that I want exit 67. Off we go. Happy. Very happy. We've made it. We are approaching property and we are giddy. Under the arch we go and we all let out our traditional (if not obnoxious) yahooooo! Okay, down to the business of getting to Port Orleans-Riverside. We know we are heading toward DTD. Straining my eyes for signs I realize I really need to get a new prescription for my glasses. My little bites are signing in the back and DH and I are searching.

Have you noticed that there are very few actual road signs on Disney property? All I needed was Osceola Highway. Then I could spin my map and get us there.

I saw a blurry sign for DTD resort areas. "There we go" I said. Funny. We were passing the exit.

"Why didn't you get off?"

"Because you said 'NO'" said DH.

I apparently was guilty of what I tell my little bites NOT to do all the time. I was making eye contact with the window and my DH misheard me. Not a problem, we should turn around, right? Impossible. There is absolutely no place to turn around. We are forced to press on down what ever road it is that we happen to be on. I so desperately wanted to just do a U-turn on the manicured median, but I knew that was a recipe for bad pixie-dust. And that's worse than bad Karma.

So on we went until we saw an exit. We took it. Seemed reasonable. It wasn't. I had my map and was learning as I spun that we were heading for AK. That was SO the wrong direction. So we took another exit. Spun my map and found we were going for Blizzard Beach. Ugh.

I was thinking the thing to do was to take a road back off property and get back on properly, when we saw a McDonald's. A familiar McDonald's. We knew where we were, now we just had to get away. For where we were was not where we wanted to be. I said left, DH turned right, and the next thing we knew we were at a gate. NO! Not our gate! "Back! Back! Over the falls!"

The kind woman at the gate told us to turn around and go straight for 13 lights. Thirteen. Then we had to make a left. That was it. We had been wandering the property for 45 minutes and I was a mere 13 lights away? What's with the map? How did my spinning skills fail me so? I suppose it didn't really matter. We were only 13 lights away.

So, we did the U-turn and counted in unison as we passed beneath each and every of the next 13 lights. Even little bite 3 counted. It was on the lucky 13th light that we made our left and saw the sign for Port Orleans. All my map spinning tension was instantly gone. My guilt for talking to the window vanished. We had made it.

Little Bite 1 had stayed at Dixie Landings, back when it was Dixie Landings, on his first trip to WDW. And as we pulled into the parking lot I remembered vividly that journey. We had driven down as hurricane Floyd approached the states. We spent the night before in a hotel in St. Augustine with the windows boarded up and the wind howling through them. The morning brought with it darkness, sticky buns and an almost 3 year old so tired he threw up in the car on the way. But that's a whole other TR.

And with the drive behind us, we had one more thing to do....

Check in.

[kpk89]

You are funny! And ITA about the Wonka thing. I love JD, except in that movie. Creepy-dee, I say.

Thank you for explaining about your timer, too -- I apparently have one too, I just never knew what it was!!! :rotfl:

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Kim,
Yeah! :woohoo: I'm so happy to have another reader. I was beginning to think Hound was my one and only, and happy to have Hound I am, but it's always nice to have company.

How was your Utah salt water taffy?

Oh, and beware the timer...Walmart is the worst!

[kpk89]

How was your Utah salt water taffy?



How did you KNOW about that? Are you stalking me or something?




;)

[Nurse_Mommy4]

Yeah! You made it! :cool1:

Can't wait to hear about POR! :thumbsup2

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

NurseMommy! You ARE still out there. Thanks for letting me know.

And Kim, I read about it on UMama's TR. I'm not stalking you, honestly. Was it yummy?

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Feeling very much like Star-Bellied Sneetches with stars upon thars, we approached OUR gate, not the nameless, faceless gate of 13 lights ago. This one was OURS. We had a room and the paperwork to prove it. No guy in a uniform with a clipboard was going to stand between me and my long overdue moderate resort time. DH approached slowly and I must admit to the thousand of things that went rushing through my mind. What if we weren't one of the chosen? What is something had gone wrong and we were NOT on the clipboard?!? Where would we stay? What would we do? A gate, a clipboard and a uniform stood between me and bliss. I clutched my confimation paperwork and DH said the magic words...."We are checking in".
Yes, we were checking in. Uniform looked at his clipboard, flipped a page, flipped back again .....(WHAT?!?! WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?? JUST STOP FLIPPING!!!!) (That was me in my head ~ advice to the uniform AND myself.)

"Yup, right here. Go ahead."

That was IT? "YUP?" And "GO AHEAD"? No horns? No welcome mat? No tossing of pixie dust into the car? What was the deal with the guy with the clipboard?

Then the gate magically opened and all was well. We were going in.

Parking proved uneventful. We quickly made an entry plan which involved getting little bites to the bathroom as quickly as possible and me to the line even quicker. Unfortunately the urgency of both situations meant that the walk in lacked the awe I envisioned in my head. Honestly, I hardly took a moment to notice the begonias outside.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that at roughly 4 o'clock in the afternoon, just when I thought everyone would be arriving, no one was. I had two people in line in front of me, and there were about 5 CMs working desks. I got to look up, a great thing to do in POR 'cause the big ceiling fans are so cool. I generally dislike the ceiling fan, but living in SC they are a necessity. I only wish I could install POR ceiling fans in my house. ( I digress.)

Heather is my official checker-in-er. She is sweet. Happy. And speedy. All good things. Here's the scoop on our reservations. We, like many fall WDW travellers, took advantage of the free dining. I had originally booked for 6 nights. Once I book, the mouse on my back tends to get loud. At which time I usually add a night or two onto the trip. This was such a trip. The mouse hollered at me, and so DH and I decided to go down a day early. And the mouse on HIS back hollered at him, so we decided to stay a day later. The day early was a room only at POR. Check in was a bit messy with our reservations. But Heather was in control.

I asked about the split reservation and our room being switched. The last thing I wanted to have to do was repack in the morning. So, I smiled sweetly and she "looked into it". She banged away at those keys like Little Bite 3 does when I've asked him not to. She was a machine. After what seemed like 3 minutes, and probably was, she said she arranged it so that we could keep the same room. Fabulous. Now, whether she truly arranged it or not is open to discussion, but really doesn't matter. We were there, we were almost finished checking in, and my little bites found the horse drawn carriage outside. This place was going to be fantastic!

I refused to give my Little Bites charging privledges (I AM cruel, aren't I?), signed what I needed to sign, got my map, keys, welcome kit and we were off to find our room. Building 14. Very good digs.

I walked to the room with bites 1, 2 and 3 and DH drove the car around. We met in an almost empty parking lot and thought "This is the week of free dining that no one booked! We are SO lucky!"

We were SO wrong.

[PrincessV]

Side bar : I am the child of a divorce. Said divorce allowed for 2 weeks of vacation with my dad each year. My dad is a gypsy at heart, and we almost always went away for those 2 weeks. I am before the days of Ipods, gameboys, and portable DVDs. I would sit in planes and read the barf bag, then the emergency information, then the backs of the carriers' magazines.

:lmao: I only got this far and had to stop - you just described my chidlhood! To this day, I'm compelled to read EVERYTHING in the seat-back pocket. Okay, back to reading your TR....

[PrincessV]

Alright, I was feeling all warm and happy with you, about to post my "Congratulations on reaching The World! Can't wait to hear about your days..." etc., etc., but now you've got me a tad worried - that last installment ended on a most ominous note......
Will some pixie dust help at all?! :wizard:

[Hound 109]

I love it when "checker in-er's" bang away at keys. It elevates the suspense & the experience. Glad you're "in".

Great report & writing! :thumbsup2

hound

[Nurse_Mommy4]

Building 14! :woohoo: :cool1: :woohoo:

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Thank you V, Hound and NurseMommy for hanging in there with me. I know it's a bit drawn out, but I tend to be long winded. I'm hoping to get back to you tomorrow. :)

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Our room was on the second floor. I didn't argue with Heather. I was just so blasted happy to finally be off Osceola, beyond those 13 lights, and standing beneath ginormous ceiling fans. In fact, second floors don't bother me, even without elevators. I think I was a sherpa in a past life. I think DH is one in this life.

Unpacking the car was easy. Keeping all our stuff contained for 6.5 hours was the hard part. We opened doors and it poured out, spilling onto the ground like water seeking it's own level. Luggage, hats, DVDs, the cooler, Disney Store bags, sunscreen, empty juice boxes...you get the picture. We looked like the people in the airport that travel with a change of clothes in a used Wal-Mart bag. It was not a pretty sight. So, with much haste, we gathered up just enough to make ourselves fold with the weight of our parcels. Everyone except Little Bite 3, who thinks he should have nothing to do with assisting anyone in any way, shape or form. He had new Stitch with the hats, and he was doing his part.

Up we go to our room. Opening the door was much like when Mike and Sulley find themselves in the Himalayas. The blast of artic air was enough to make each of us pause. Did we REALLY want to go in there?

Well, of course we did. So in we went. DH and I dumped stuff, Little Bites 2 and 3 ceremoniously jumped on the beds (something that is forbidden at home, but highly encouraged at hotels) and Little Bite 1 explored the room. Drawers were opened, curtains pulled and pushed, toilets flushed with a zeal found only at WDW resorts. We had made it. This was our space for the next 8 nights. And it was awesome.

But why were we dilling-dalleying in our room? We had a boat to catch.

The plan was to take the boat over to DTD and eat at Earl of Sandwich, then hit the lego store, then give a very long lecture to little bite 1 about the benefits of saving money. So we left the room in complete shambles, grabbing only what we thought we needed for the evening. We headed for the boat dock and found a short line in front of us. One boat came and went without us, which was fine, for it gave us time to look around at the resort. The turn-around for the boats was impressive, and our wait was no longer than 10 minutes. Our skipper, Scott, welcomed us aboard and we were off.

It was an informative ride to DTD. Captain Scott filled us in on all sorts of resort stuff, like what the Tree House Villas are currently being used for and why. Then he slammed on the boat breaks and told us all to look "over there". A vague request when you have one hand on the wheel and one on the speaker-thing (sorry, what is the technical name for it?) So there we are, all 25 people on the boat, looking aimlessly around for something. I was on the lookout for alligators, what with my issues with them and the fact that we were in Florida and on the water, but nothing. Nothing in the sky, nothing on the water's edge. Nothing. Finally Captain Scott points to one of the Villas and quietly says "It's a wild peacock". Wild peacock? Who knew? I still don't see anything. Then there are those people who start to make "ooooHHHHHH" noises and "LooooOOOOOk" as if they really see it. Now, I know I need a new prescription, but I think I'd see a peacock if there was one. I just figure those people didn't want to make Captain Scott feel bad. Feelings might be hurt if no one sees what the good Captain sees.
Then Capt. starts telling us that someone who lives in the Villas feeds the peacock, so it sits on the balcony until this mystery person comes home. Well, I've watched enough Jeopardy to know that sometimes the biggest clue to the answer is right in the clue itself. ON THE BALCONY!

Lo and behold, there was the peacock. It was brown. It was a brown bird. Maybe if I had had that new prescription....

[Hound 109]

Brown Peacock?!!???? Who knew?

Only peacocks i ever saw were the big multi colored, slow moving kind. (or the one our 1962 RCA Color TV - first color tv on the block - that came on right before "The Wonderful World of Disney" ::yes:: ) ...which dang sure wasn't brown.

hound :smooth:

[Nurse_Mommy4]

Unpacking the car was easy. Keeping all our stuff contained for 6.5 hours was the hard part. We opened doors and it poured out, spilling onto the ground like water seeking it's own level.

LOL!!! :rotfl2: :rotfl2: :rotfl2:

We drove to AL last x-mas; 10 hours in the caravan, and that was exactly what happened!

[Ricky's Girl]

:wave: I'm a fairly new kid on the block when it comes to posting. In bouncing back and forth between UtahMama and DISUNC's TR's I was delighted to come across your reports. You are such a talented storyteller. I'm really enjoying your TR. Our next trip isn't until December of 2008 (unless a miracle occurs) so your tr helps ease my seperation anxiety. I can so relate to being so near your destination but yet so far. One year we circled through the back entrance of the Disney Studios parking lot at least 4 times trying to get to the All Star Resorts (we were supposed to take the second FIRST right not the first FIRST right!) :rotfl2:

[PrincessV]

So we left the room in complete shambles, grabbing only what we thought we needed for the evening.

YES! I can totally picture the scene, since this is exactly what we wind up doing, too :thumbsup2 Drives my mother nutso. Which isn't necessarily a negative thing. :rolleyes:

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

:woohoo: Ricky's Girl! I love to hear from new people who are reading. Thanks for joining me. And thank you for the kind words on the storytelling. I am having a blast!

V, Hound and NMommy4~ You guys are my posse. Thanks for letting me know you are having fun, too.

And to all, I feel I must apologize for the obscure Dr. Seuss reference.

Thanks for reading!

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Captain Scott also stopped the boat to show us an osprey nest. An osprey is big, and it goes for square footage when constructing, and they live here in SC too, so that one wasn't hard for me to find.

So the boat chugs to the dock and off we go into DTD. Torn between the growling in our bellies and the smell of hard plastic, we have a decision to make....well, I don't, for the smell of hard plastic doesn't do much for me anymore, but Little Bites 1 and 2 are Lego fixated. In fact, I am too embarassed to tell you just how many bricks are in our playroom. Suffice it to say:MANY. But, bellies won out, and our royal sandwiches awaited.

We've eaten at Earl of Sandwich before. The location is good, the food is yummy, the price is right, and unlike some posts I've read recently, we've had no issues with rude or nasty people. And seeing as how our dining plan didn't kick in until the next day, we were going for the good food on the cheap plan. Littles Bites did what Little Bites do. They ate pizza on a sandwich. I think the daring one had PB&J. I was beginning to worry that our Little Bites were going to stick to the standards far too much while on vacation. Isn't a vacation a time for trying new things? For experiencing things out of the ordinary? PB&J is a staple. Not out of our ordinary at all. I forsaw a lecture in our near future.

I, on the other hand, was going out on a limb. I was going to have the much raved about here on the DIS All American. Roast turkey, cranberries, lettuce and tomato with buttermilk ranch dressing, all toasted on a scrumptious bun. I was ready. I was eager. I was anticipating. I like Thanksgiving and this was going to be Thanksgiving in September shoved on a roll. AAaaahhhh.

I was delusional.

I don't like my food to touch, especially on Thanksgiving. There is something unsettling about my corn in my mashed potatoes. I discourage the encroachment of my cranberries into my turkey zone. As a kid, my mom had dishes that had separate compartments. Not like the Dixie people do now. These were real plates. They even had little sections for salt and pepper as if you were making thumbprint cookies but put your thumb on the plate instead. These plates were, perhaps, the ugliest things on the face of the earth, but I loved them. They kept food in it's proper zone. Nothing touched. Nothing leaked, spilled or blended. It all stayed put. They were fabulous.

My All American was the anti-fabulous plate.

It was my turkey, cranberry sauce, salad with dressing and a dinner roll in one. I'm sure some people are okay with that. I, unfortunately, am not. I ate it. I was, after all, about to lecture my little bites about trying new things, boldly going where we have yet to go, and all that. I had to save face. I had to get over my countless issues. I wanted to pick it apart and eat it a thing at a time. But mind over matter got me through.

That and the smell of hard plastic.

[Nurse_Mommy4]

You poor thing! :rotfl2:

My DD8 is the same way, and I too have those compartment (real) plates for her! :thumbsup2

She's also a picky eater and will probably eat pb&j for week!

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Mommy4,
Save those plates for her! She might really want them someday.

[PrincessV]

:rotfl: "The smell of hard plastic" :rotfl: At first, I thought you were referencing credit cards! Too funny.

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

After finishing my All American, which really was good, I called a family meeting. Never good news for the little bites. Generally speaking, family meetings involve behavior issues that desperately need adjustment, family illness, or a move to another state that may or may not happen (another story all together). Little Bites looked stunned. I had broken an unspoken rule by calling a family meeting while on vacation. I had bent the laws of nature by insisting that, while sitting at our outside table, surrounded by Disney music and magic, I was calling a family meeting. I was going to be mean and strict Momma, not the fun loving, happy to have my family around me in the best place in the world Momma. I was disrupting the natural forces of nature.

Simply put, I told them not to stick to the "smack n' cheese", to use Utah Mama's phrase, but to branch out into the food pryamid a bit while on this trip. We were on the dining plan. We had all our reservations made and were going to pseudo countries on pseudo continents to eats new and exciting things. I asked them to give it a try.

A massive release of breath came from their collective lungs. They thought they were in for it, and they merely got the "eat new stuff" lecture. It wasn't even a lecture. More like an address. They were happy. And they were ready to move on. After all, the smell had been in the air since we got off the boat, but I think the sirens of the clinks and clanks of plastic were beginning to fog any logical thoughts.

We were off to the Lego store.

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

There are few places that make me feel so outnumbered as the Lego Store.

Little Bites started to salivate as we approached, and DH and I braced ourselves. This is usually a stop that is made at the end of our trip to the world. We spend all week getting our little bites worn out so the bright colors loose some of their mystical powers and they are too tired to fight. At the end of the trip it's easy to persuade them into one or two little sets, something to keep them entertained on the way home, and to get out of there with little impact.

We had NEVER made it a first stop before.

In we go.

Something very strange started to happen. It was as if my little bites could clone themselves. I would have one within sight, look down at Bite 3, and Bite 1 would pop up in front of me with something in his hands. Then Bite 2 would vanish, only to reappear at the wall of mugs. Bite 1 was with me, then he was at the make your own mini-figure station. Bite 3 turned chameleon and was spotted at the wall of bricks. That was dangerous. DH manned 2 and 3 solo and I had Little Bite 1 and a wall of plastic. I have no idea what happened with DH and the older bites, I just know that the poor employees of the Lego Store in Downtown Disney are probably still trying separate pieces.

Bite 3 was building. He was Picasso with plastic. Frank Lloyd Wright would have been envious. Never before were plastic bushes placed on top of window sills. The way in which he built the wall of bricks directly behind the door, amazing. And the color choices? Look out Project Runway, my Little Bite has talent! Problem is, he can't, or won't, put anything back where it belongs. It's a daily issue at home, but one I hoped would be instantly cured in public. No luck. So while he created, I deconstructed and put things in their proper places. By the time I saw DH in line (yes, I said "in line", which can ONLY mean one thing) I was exhausted. I had stretched, ducked, crouched, leaned, bent, tippy-toed and reached my way into and out of almost every brick holder in the place. I often think how cool it would be to have a wall of holders like that for all the countless Lego bricks in my house. No more dumping of bins. No more stepping on bricks in the middle of the night. All 1,000,000 tucked in for the night....That would be nice. Or so I thought until I had to put them all away.

So I woo Little Bite 3 outside to the play area while DH finishes his transaction. It was a small bag. I was happy. But with it came the promise of a return trip later in the week. I had seen that coming.

Little Bite 3 went up and down the slide, up and down, up and down, until I finally convinced them all that we should catch the boat back. We needed to sleep. Tomorrow was a big day. Magic Kingdom...here we come!

So we get a nearly empty boat, which was far too loud, and Captain Scott was nowhere to be seen (or heard). An uneventful ride back, a quick walk to the room, a little more bed jumping, a call to Stitch for an unnecessary wake up, and we were settled in for a good night's sleep...

Wishful thinking!

[PrincessV]

Oh no! And here I was thinking of hitting DTD early in our trip. I believe your Lego story has me rethinking...

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

V,
Does Leo have good self control? How about your Mom? The Lego store early on isn't a bad idea IF you use it as an opportunity to window shop....Just tell your Mom she'll have to wait until the end of the visit to do her shopping :rotfl:

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

I'm sorry. I just noticed I have had over 1000 views to my tale. :woohoo: Thank you. BUT, I'd love to hear from some more of you. Who's out there?????

[Nurse_Mommy4]

Hey Sharkb8HooHaha,

At least you had backup (DH). It's gonna be me against the kids at DTD and I have a feeling I'm gonna lose. :confused3

Thank goodness they have been saving their own money and will have a per/day spending limit! :thumbsup2

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Mommy4,
You have my respect and awe. :cheer2: Maybe the heat of August will slow your kids down a bit.

Thanks for checking in!

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

I sat there in the darkness, listening to Little Bites 1 and 2 do the "we are sharing a bed and can't stand this much closeness" dance. It is an array of steps. A weaving of legs, toes, arms. The accompanying flip, flop, and "get on your own side!" They love each other. They play well together. They look out for each other. They are best friends. They DON'T sleep well together. This, of course, is keeping up bite 3, who is in the "trundle", which is nothing more than an elongated crib mattress on a plate of metal. I'm not complaining. We have a trundle. I am merely pointing out a difference in definition.

So Bite 3 is hungry, thirsty, hot, cold, missing his stuffed fill-in-the-blank, while bites 1 and 2 are like flounders on the other side of the room. It is then that I notice our phone is blinking. What could it be? Do we need to move? Did something happen outside the world that I need to know about?

I listen.

It's Heather, our checker-in-er. She is welcoming. She hopes our stay is magical. She's available if we need her. She reminds me that I brushed over our check-out-check-in for the morning.

So, in the dark, I am replaying our converstation in my head.

"How early can I come down tomorrow to check out and back in?"

"Oh, you can do that whenever you want. There is no rush"

"Last year when we did this I sent DH down around 5:30"

"BAAHAHAHAHAHA! Why did you do that?"

Oh silly girl, doesn't she know? Hasn't she ever vacationed here? Or is she so desensitized from working behind the desk that the lure of the mouse is gone?

"We have to get to the park." This is said with as much decorum as possible. Part of me wanted to scream, the other part wanted to jump over the counter and shake her. I shall resist.

"You can come by the desk at any time. Stop by on your way to the bus."

Again, desensitization at work.

I was not going to risk a line out the door when FantasyLand open at 8. Oh no. I was going to get there before the sun came up.

So as my bites were gradually lured to the land of sleep, I plotted. Stitch was going to call at 5:30. I was going to shower, get dressed, wake DH on my way out the door, and head down to the desk by 6. Check-out, check-in, come back and wake the bites, try to put some food in a butterfly filled belly, and be to the bus stop by 7:15. It was set. I was ready. All I needed was sleep.

Allow me to confess that since having Little Bite 1, I am, perhaps, the world's lightest sleeper. It's a parental thing that I am sure you all can relate to. I am aware of my light-sleepedness. I don't wish it on anyone. Especially when you are checked in to THE room at POR with THE loudest air conditioning unit on property. It went a little like this....

I am falling to sleep to the hum of air blowing out. Then, the air stops, and the fan is spinning...
(clank,clank,clank,clank,clank clank clank clank clank clank clank clank clank clank clank clank)

THEN, just as it slowed, the blower came on again
WWWWHHHHHHHHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR RRRR


Then, shut down and I think I have peace. I am again falling asleep.

WWWWWWWWWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

CLANK,clank,clank,clank,clank clank clank clank

ALL NIGHT!

I figure I logged a grand total of 3 hours.

Not a problem. I knew I had pure adreneline to get me through. And there is something intruiging about the world while punchy from sleep deprevation.

So, Stitch called, but he was unnecessary and almost unwelcome. I was on schedule and down to the desk by 6. There was Bev. Bev looked like I would have looked had I not been filled with caffene and pixie dust. She had clearly worked the 11 to 7 shift and was watching the clock.

I had paper work in hand. I was ready for Bev to me my new checker-in-er.

Bev said no.

"NO?"

"No."

"But Heather...."

"If I check you in now, there is a chance your package won't be on your tickets."

"WHAT?" At this point I am trying to be understanding, kind, and passive.

"If I check you in before 7 am, there is a good chance that your package, including dining, will not be on your ticket."

This is something that might have turned up on the DIS at some point. I missed it if it did. But be advised, don't bother having Stitch wake you too early, you'll have to go back to the desk at 7 anyway.

Back to the room.

Back to the desk.

Christopher was earning his ears. He was as nice as could be, but must have also been desensitized (it happens so early these days.) I had a bus to catch! Didn't he understand. And to make matters more interesting, as he was earning his ears, he had a tutor who didn't teach, she did. She typed over him. She stretched and backspaced on his behalf. She talked through a process that he had already been taught, by someone else, who does things differently, and, in her eyes, wrong. I just wanted to get on the bus. They tore things up. They reprinted. They gave me welcome packages that I already had. He reoriented me to the resort, showing me a map that in the end I was going to have to spin to use. I was patient. I let him learn. I figured it was all part of the process.

He wrapped things up with a "You're finished."

Oh well.

On to the bus, where Fantasy Land awaited.

[Nurse_Mommy4]

I sat there in the darkness, listening to Little Bites 1 and 2 do the "we are sharing a bed and can't stand this much closeness" dance.


Too Funny!!! :rotfl2:

I thought just my kids did that dance! :confused3

Only difference is they dance in the minivan!

"Stop touching me, Stop lookiing at me, I was going to sit there, You always get to sit there."

"Mom!"

Don't you just love Parenthood! :cool1:

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

I am a creature of habit. It's not that I don't enjoy trying new things or going new places, but of the places I go, I tend to approach them with a certain amount of predictability. My local Target switched the aisles on me and I was lost for a few weeks. The Publix near me best not move anything, or when I get to the check out and they ask "Did you find everything you needed?" I won't be able to say "Yes, because I know where everything is." I have enough chaos in my life with my little bites, that predicatbility brings with it comfort. And we all need comfort, or we wouldn't have mashed potatoes.

Approaching the Magic Kingdom is always the same, well, at least almost always. Once we were with my in-laws and they insisted on mixing it up. But that is a whole other story.

We always enter the Magic Kingdom to the left. I don't know why. We just do. We missed the rope drop because of a bike race happening on property, so our bus driver (who was hysterically funny and prefaced many of her statements to anyone who was willing to listen with "oohhhh child." )

DH was standing and was right at the line. He got in trouble.

"Ooohhh, child, you need to back off my line."

Little Bite 3 had a juice box which he refused to drink on the way to the bus and I was holding it. I was also holding him on my lap. I was afraid I was going to grip it too tightly and it would squirt all over the young girl beside me, so I handed it to DH, who thought nothing of drinking the half ounce that was left. He got in trouble.

"Oooohhhh, child, you drank that baby's juice."

Anyway, we got off the bus and heading with the hoards of people we cleared security, despite having more than 50 pounds of water, sunscreen, hand sanitizer (yes, I'm one of those), ponchos..... We head to the left. We always head to the left.

The pure genius of the layout of Main Street is not lost on me. Once I walk under the train track and into the square, I know exactly where everything is. I can tell you the bathrooms, information, Tony's the Kodak store. I have a perfect mental image of the whole thing. I can remember vividly the time we walked in through the left and Genie was sitting on a bench all by himself and we got to visit and take pictures with him. I recall the time we came in and all the big-wigs were in the center square and little bite 2 just yelled and was so happy to see Goofy.

That square on the other side of the train is filled with all of the anticipation and excitement of the day. I am always amazed to look around at the people. I can't help but wonder where they came from. How long have they been here? Is it their first visit? This is the perfect place to consider humanity. We all have issues. We all have problems. We all work hard. We all want one thing more than anything else and that is happiness. Disney World offers that happiness. It is yours for the taking. People sometimes choose not to accept, and that is something I will never understand, but that is their choice, and may become their regret. But in the square, I am always forced to think about the people around me. Time seems to stop in that square as I look around me. I can't see the Castle, or Space Mountain, or Splash Mountain. I can only see the handful of buildings, and the people. It is Disney World's most amazing place to me. It's not a big space, but it somehow holds so much of the world's heart. I love that square.

And then I make my way to the corner. And I love that even more. The Castle stands with such grace, holding such magic. If wishes were bricks, we'd all have castles in our backyards.

And Main Street, where I lose myself every single time. EVERY time. I cannot tell you one single store on Main Street. I know they are there. I've read about them. I smell stuff. I hear stuff. But I haven't the slightest idea what is there. I watch my boys as they see the Castle. I get the honor of witnessing their faces when they see magic, happiness, hope and love come to life in balloons and glowing stuff, horses and trolleys, quartets and dancing. I get to see my DH be a kid again and be an amazing father all at once. The weight of the world disappears on Main Street. And we are left with hope. Not just trivial hope like the hope that we will have a week with less rain than last year, or that the food will taste good, or that we'll get to meet a character we've never seen. It's a hope that goes much deeper than that. Main Street makes me hope that I can bring with me some of the wonder, some of the kindness and joy that I feel there. It makes me want to do better, to be better.

If that isn't magic, I don't know what is.

[CapeCod53]

This is a great report, especially the last part about the magic. 10 nights from now we'll be in the MK for Wishes & Spectromagic. Thanks for writing.

[Nurse_Mommy4]

Now I'm all teary-eyed.

I cannot tell you much I am anticipating feeling the magic for the first time next summer, and when I read an installment like this one; I get butterflies in my tummy! :thumbsup2

[PrincessV]

Beautifully said, SharkB8, beautifully said! :goodvibes

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

CapeCod,
Thanks for reading, and for letting me know you're out there. Have a wonderful time on your upcoming trip...I know you will.

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

NMommy,
Thank you. I didn't mean to make anyone teary. I, of course, get misty every time I think about our trips and the magic they hold. If I were a method actor, all I'd need is Disney World!

Thanks for hanging in there with me.

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

V,
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. :goodvibes

[awesomepinktink]

I am enjoying your trip report so much. I can't wait to hear more! :thumbsup2

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

AwesomePink,
Welcome! :wave2: So glad to have you aboard.

[kathymc]

wow - I am glad this got bumped back up as I hadnt caught it the first time. Having fun reading along and loved your last installment - its all about the magic

thanks!

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Kathymc,
Welcome! I'm super glad you found me and you're enjoying. Stay warm up there in NH!

[hjd0411]

Wow, you write so well! I am loving reading your trip report, and look forward to reading more. How joyous to see it all through the eyes of your little bites! They sound delightful, and like all siblings - loving and fighting at the same time!!
Thanks for taking the time to write.

Heather

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Heather,
Thank you so much for the incredibly kind words. I am glad you are enjoying, and please come back for more....I should get more of day one posted soon.

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

So with a full heart and a quiet promise to myself to be that better person, we headed for the castle. This is not our habitual way in, but it was Friday morning and Fantasyland was open for the little ones. We typically make the right at Walt and Mickey and head over to Tomorrowland, but this morning it was through the castle.

It was a perfect morning by a non-native South Carolinian’s standards. (We moved south to get away from the cold and have adjusted to our climate quite well. I am one of those bizarre people that enjoy the heat and embrace the humidity as an opportunity to have a new hair style each day all summer.) It was warm, but not yet hot, and the humidity was settling in like a blanket wrapped around the world. The cloudless sky gave a false sense of perfect weather, but it was, after all, Central Florida in September, so the chances of afternoon rain were almost certain. But we had our gear, and the day was just beginning, so we walked through that same place I had been as a child and entered Fantasyland.

It was like entering a collection of Disney stories. Peter Pan and Wendy were playing ball with some children. Snow White and Dopey were posing for pictures. Stitch was taking a boy by the hand to get on Dumbo. Pooh and Piglet were on there way to their playful spot to play hide and seek. And then little bite 3 saw them….Chip and Dale.

This child is so in love with Chip and Dale that when we went to the National Zoo in Washington, DC recently, he was so enthralled with the chipmunks running around the zoo that he didn’t even notice the giraffe. Pandas? Who cares! Komodo Dragon? So what! He sat on a bench and watched the chipmunks. He even pointed them out to some fellow pre-schoolers…”Look, it’s Chip!” And when another one scurried by…”And there’s Dale!” We traveled 511 miles to see chipmunks at the National Zoo. Needless to say, when he saw Chip and Dale riding the carousel, he was in line before I knew what was happening.

I don’t ride the carousel. In fact, you will learn if you continue along with me (and I do hope you will!) that I am a bit of a ride wimp. But it is not without good reason. I have left my mark, shall we say, in every theme park/amusement park I ever went to as a kid. The only park I have spared is WDW and I intend to keep it that way. I’m not good at spinning. And I’m really, REALLY not so good at spinning while going up and down. So my little bites and DH rode with Chip and Dale. Little Bite 3 was only two horses away from Dale, which made him very happy, but made for interesting pictures. They all involve him pointing and yelling. You’d never know it just by looking at the pictures, but it was pure bliss.

Then we went over to Peter Pan’s Flight. I don’t understand this ride. Don’t get me wrong, I like it a lot, but I don’t understand why the wait time is always so incredibly long! We were there one weekend in July when EMH were at Magic Kingdom. The park was staying open until 1 o’clock in the morning. We walked passed Peter Pan’s Flight around 5:30 and the fast pass return time was already 12:45 AM. I just don’t get that. It’s a good ride. But I’m not sure why people think it’s SO good. It must have one heck of a whisper campaign.

So we rode it. Twice. Both times we were able to walk right on. Neither time did we get to ride with Peter or Wendy.

We didn’t get to ride with Stitch on Dumbo, either.

We didn’t get to ride with Pooh, Tigger or Piglet.

Or Snow White.

But I’ll tell you, I think what they did for the kids all summer in Fantasyland was really amazing. It was somehow a more personal experience. It gave the littlest bites a chance to play with characters they consider friends. If they are still doing it, I would highly recommend to anyone that they haul their tired selves out of bed an hour early and go play.

Once nine o’clock rolled around, we went to Tomorrowland where my DH broke his zapper on Buzz and I hit my ceiling of Planetary Pilot. I love that Little Bite 2 thinks a number in the thousands is awesome and that Bite 3’s mission is to try and make his mother as dizzy as possible by NEVER letting go of the stick.

There was no need for fast passes at all that day. The crowds were low all day and we were able to walk up to everything. Including (and I know you’re shocked) It’s a Small World. Now, I try very hard to be understanding and not too critical of those around me, but the guy behind us in the boat was too much! When he wasn’t singing at the top of his lungs, he was giving a geography lesson to his family. I did my best to block it all out and enjoy the incessant singing of the little wooden people, but when we entered the last room and he said “Now we’re in Alaska” it was all I could do to keep myself from turning around and commenting on the fact that it is, after all, called “It’s a Small WORLD”, but just as I was craning my neck, we crashed into the boat in front of us. I figured it was payback for the time I was 10 and in Riverside Park in Massachusetts.( I was overheated and had a bad hamburger for lunch.) We were floating along at a VERY slow pace (do you pace when you float?) and I was searching for hidden Mickey’s in an attempt to keep from hearing the guy behind me, when I saw it. Something was in the water. I wasn’t sure what I was looking at, but I instinctively knew it wasn’t supposed to be there. I nudged DH, who looked at it and shrugged. As we got closer I was able to start to make it out. It was hairy. It was bloated. Closer still. It had a tail. A boat in motion stays in motion and we wound up next to the critter. It was hairy, bloated, and had a tail. What it was missing was a head.

I understand things live places. And I understand that Disney does a FABULOUS job of keeping the meat and potatoes of business away from our vacationing eyes. But a decapitated rat bobbing along with the boats was kind of gross. We told the CM as we left, who claimed to already know about the rodent. I can only hope someone but their waders on and when in with a big net.

[DebIreland]

I love your T.R. I actually started reading it some weeks back, before my trip, and I'm so glad to find it again. That's just the best title of any T.R. ever! I can clearly picture and hear Veruca's mom every time I see your TR! I adore the original Willy Wonka movie. It's already on my list for viewing over the Christmas hols (for the 100th time). I hated the re-make.

Lo and behold, there was the peacock. It was brown. It was a brown bird.

Talk about dreams coming true - you got to see a real live "brown bird"???! :lmao:

As a kid, my mom had dishes that had separate compartments. Not like the Dixie people do now. These were real plates. They even had little sections for salt and pepper as if you were making thumbprint cookies but put your thumb on the plate instead. These plates were, perhaps, the ugliest things on the face of the earth, but I loved them. They kept food in it's proper zone. Nothing touched. Nothing leaked, spilled or blended. It all stayed put. They were fabulous.

Oh this is too funny! :lmao: My 10 year old DS would love plates like that! But don't you think perhaps your mom might have, um, unintentionally passed on the ol' 'my food must not touch' phobia to you by using those plates? lol!

There are few places that make me feel so outnumbered as the Lego Store.
Little Bites started to salivate as we approached, and DH and I braced ourselves. This is usually a stop that is made at the end of our trip to the world. We spend all week getting our little bites worn out so the bright colors loose some of their mystical powers and they are too tired to fight.

This is amazing. I had the same worries as you and the Lego store was our first stop too! I did a pre-emptive strike and lectured my 10 year old on the merits of having a cooling off period after seeing the things he wanted to buy. Turned out he didn't know he was allowed to buy anything there *ever* so I just walked myself into it!

Keep up the great writing. Looking forward to more. :)

[PrincessV]

It I am one of those bizarre people that enjoy the heat and embrace the humidity as an opportunity to have a new hair style each day all summer.
:rotfl2: People up North just look at me funny when I explain that I have to check the humidity levels each morning before deciding on a hair style for the day! Under 75% = blow-out. 75-90% = curls. Over 90% = pulled back in a bun.
It was like entering a collection of Disney stories. Peter Pan and Wendy were playing ball with some children. Snow White and Dopey were posing for pictures. Stitch was taking a boy by the hand to get on Dumbo. Pooh and Piglet were on there way to their playful spot to play hide and seek. And then little bite 3 saw them….Chip and Dale.
This is so cool! I totally forgot about the Little Ones EMH when we were there in Sept. and missed all this. :guilty:

I understand things live places. And I understand that Disney does a FABULOUS job of keeping the meat and potatoes of business away from our vacationing eyes. But a decapitated rat bobbing along with the boats was kind of gross. We told the CM as we left, who claimed to already know about the rodent. I can only hope someone but their waders on and when in with a big net.
Eeew, eew, eew!!! We saw a dying rat at POR, too, but this is FAR more disturbing. I wonder if the head was floating around somewhere by itself, too?! :crazy2:

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Deb,
I am glad you found me again. I have been reading your TR as well! I had to laugh about your DH's name...2 of my little bites have middle names that extended family can't pronounce let alone spell! With Bite 2, I actually had a nurse in the the nursery ask my WHY I was naming him what we chose because no one would know how to say it. Too funny.

And we're kindred Lego spirits.

As for mom...The plates are just the beginning! :rotfl:

Thanks for reading.

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

V,
We here in the south have a lot of bun days, don't we?

And a dying rat???? YUCK!!!! I think I'd take a floater over a one on it's way out anyday. Well, I'd rather see no rats at all anyday, but you know what I mean :)

[Backstage_Gal]

Sharkie, (if I may call you that), I just discovered your report today, and may I say, I am thoroughly enjoying it.

Fabulous job, keep it up please!

[DebIreland]

No pressure. popcorn:: :scratchin :charac2: :bored: :guilty:






:lmao:

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

MARITA!
Thank you for posting. It is strange to be writing to what feels like so few people. And I never know if I should just stop. Thanks for letting me know you are out there. :goodvibes

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

I hope all of you who celebrate Thanksgiving had an enjoyable one. I am just coming out of my turkey induced slumber and should get back here with my tale of dinner at Spoodles...hopefully tomorrow.

[Bee]

I am here also! Loving the report!!! :thumbsup2

[Nurse_Mommy4]

Hello SharkB8,

Long time no hear (huh)?

I am too a ride whimp! :rotfl2: I too have left my mark on several theme parks! :thumbsup2

Love your latest, can't wait to read the rest!

Nurse

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Our afternoon was filled with all of the “must do’s” of the first day at Magic Kingdom. Little Bite 3 can finally bash his head into the 40 inch bar, so we were flip-flopping between Splash and “the wildest ride in the wiiiiiiilerness!” I’d get soaked on Splash Mountain, then head over to BTMR to dry off. Back to get drenched. BTMR. And so it went. Until we decided to ride Pirates.

We were fortunate enough to take advantage of a soft opening of pirates over 4th of July weekend, so we were familiar with the updated ride. It’s good. But not worth riding if you are forcing your children to ride something so that you can take pictures of a fake Johnny Depp, as was the woman in line behind us. Some people make me realize that I am not the wicked witch of the west, and she was one of them.

I could not possibly be the wicked witch of the west, because SHE was outside the ride. See, while we had done Pirates before, we had yet to enjoy the pirate tutorial. It was something I really wanted to see, and I thought little bites 1, 2 and 3 would have a blast. And seeing as how I came into the park (through the left) without grabbing a time schedule, I had no idea when we might partake in a parley.

There were 3 CMs lined up outside the ride. To this day I don’t know why they were there. There was no line to manage, and they certainly were not interested in being helpful. BUT, I approached the one on the end who was not engaged in conversation and asked, as I am prone to doing, about “the pirate swash-buckling thing”. I can only assume that it was my lack of proper Disney nomenclature that prompted the look on the CMs face. If dead-pan had blonde hair, it would have been in front of me. She grunted. I kid you not. I had asked if she knew what I was talking about, and she grunted.

“The thing were the kids learn how to be a pirate?” I asked with residual Main Street happiness.

“Yeah,” she said. At least I got more than a grunt.

“Could you tell me when they do it?”

“Yeah, she said with a snap of her gum. This was no ordinary “yeah” followed by the requested information. This was smart mouth “yeah, I COULD tell you, but I won’t, because I have power and you are merely on vacation and you want something and I can keep it from you and tourists come here thinking they own the joint and some of them don’t wear enough deodorant and why didn’t you get the times guide on your way in you stupid old lady!” I saw it in her face. She hated me. She hated her job. She hated her pirate ensemble.

DH persisted with a kindness I must have left on the bus. She caved. But only after I looked at her co-workers and said (with the snide tongue of a seventh grade girl) “She is SO helpful!” I know, not a shining moment for me.

We learned that the “Pirate TUTORIAL” is at twenty past almost every hour. We also learned the hour we were approaching was not one of the “almost”, so we pressed on with our day, vowing to come back another day and look for the wicked witch (oh, and be tutored in the ways of pirates.)

We had dinner reservations at Spoodles. DH is a big fan of Spoodles and an even bigger fan when we are on the dining plan. We took the bus over to the Boardwalk and found it was taking longer than we had planned. We were pushing the ten minute window as we pulled up to the resort. I had some concerns about just how crowded the restaurants were going to be as a result of the free dining, and my lack of sleep was starting to make me a little crabby at the idea of having to beg for a table. I asked DH to high-tail it to tell them we were, in fact, there and ready to eat, and I dealt with bites 2 and 3 and the stroller. Little Bite 1 was told to stay and help his mother, but I think he heard “Why don’t you weigh your options and decide which parent you want to go with” because the next thing I know, he’s off and running to catch up to DH. I think (at least I’d LIKE to think) that he didn’t really hear anything, and panicked, as he is likely to do, and took off for fear he was going to get left behind or forced to ride the bus all night. He has little faith in his parents.

Just as DH was walking out to wait with his light up beeper, I panted up to the door. I think I said “hey” and we were blinking and buzzing. Time to be seated.

Dinner was good. Dinner there is always good. DH loves the seafood stew and I got the lemon chicken. But what I was waiting for was dessert. Okay, it sounds SO gross on the page, but the chocolate/apricot/pistachio cake is FANTASTIC! Last year when we were on the dining plan, I looked over the dessert menu with much hesitation. I am a dessert person. I could easily have a salad, skip the meal completely and make up the calories in dessert (plus some!) I’m not a dessert snob. Ice cream is just as tasty as cheesecake, brownies will work as well as soufflé. It’s all at the top of the food pyramid, and there for good reason. So when we were at Spoodles last year and I was looking for chocolate, this cake was my only option. But the apricot/pistachio thing made me a little nervous. It came with raspberry sherbet, so I figured if the cake was yuck, I could peal off the chocolate frosting and eat the raspberries. I was determined to make it work. But in the end, there was no need.

The cake is chocolate, and dense and wonderful. It’s like a brownie without the crusty top. It is topped with a thin layer of apricot – thicker than a puree but not sticky like preserves. It offers just the tiniest hint of apricot, which is just the right amount. Poured on the top of the three by three inch square cake is the most luscious chocolate frosting…not even frosting but a ganache of sorts. It is rich and thick and scrumptious. The pistachios are incognito, but their flavor is there. It is by far one of the best desserts I have ever had. YUM!

We were happy. Our bellies were full. We had welcomed dinner as a chance to reflect on our day and plan for the days ahead. We broke bread, nearly broke a plate or two, and were ready for Saturday, and all it had to offer.

[missj1975]

I just found your trip report and I think it is great!!! Thanks for sharing :sunny:

[Syds-Mom]

..your trip report. I'm mostly a lurker. I really have very little time to respond, but I wanted to let you know that I am hear and reading and enjoying your trip.

Sandy

[DebIreland]

If dead-pan had blonde hair, it would have been in front of me.

:lmao: You have a wonderful way with words. I'm loving this! Keep up the good work. ;)

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

:wave: YEAH! Welcome to Bee, MissJ, and Syds-Mom! I'm so happy you have let me know you are out there and you're enjoying.

NMommy, isn't it awful to "leave your mark"? Coney Island in NY was the worst for me. It was one of those spinning rides where the centrifugal force pins you to the wall and the floor drops out from beneath you. Ugh. I think they may have outlawed those rides....too many people come off green. I couldn't find the garbage can fast enough. Needless to say, I'm a "less intense" recruit on Mission: Space. (But don't ask the CM for the "woosie" version, they seem to get annoyed).

And Deb! You are too sweet! :goodvibes

[mlill]

Hi! :wave2: I'm a little late, but I made it! I've really enjoyed reading your TR so far! Your last installment is making me re-think my ADRs! :goodvibes I don't have Spoodles on my list and am wondering if I should squeeze it in somewhere!?! It sounds like you had a great meal there. Anyway, keep up the good work! :thumbsup2

Happy Holidays!
-Michelle

P.S. I've got to tell you, I think you have one of the best screen names on the DIS! I love it!

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Michelle,
Thank you, thank you. And welcome! I'm glad you made your way over here.

I would recommend Spoodles to anyone. It's easy to get to by boat if you are in Epcot, the atmosphere is great, and the food is consistently good. It can be a bit pricey, which is why it's a favorite for us when we are on the DDP (that dessert I spoke so fondly of is $7.95 (yikes, but so worth it!)). We also have never had a problems getting ADRs there. Let me know what you decide. I'd love to hear your experience.

Thanks again!

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

To those of you readers waiting patiently, thank you. I have had company all week and as much as I WANTED to sit down and write, I was unable. BUT, company has a 6 am flight out tomorrow (better her than me!) so I hope to get here by Monday with my next bit of babble.

THANKS!

[DebIreland]

Looking forward to the next chapter. popcorn:: :surfweb:

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

I discovered that the cure for my lack of sleep at POR was to compromise with the AC unit. I allowed it to churn all day, making as much noise and artic air as it wanted, and it allowed me to turn it off at night, using only the fan to keep the cool air circulating the room. We were both happy.

So we woke early on Saturday, ready to take advantage of EMH at MGM/Disney’s MGM/Disney Studios. Much like my left sided entry into the Magic Kingdom, I had grown accustomed to calling it MGM and honestly don’t even know when it changed it’s name on me. Again, it’s not that I am adverse to change, but I don’t like it when it sneaks up on me. And that’s what MGM did when I wasn’t looking.

I must confess, of the four parks, this is my least favorite. I have had miserable experiences here in the past, and those experiences have stuck with me. What I dislike most about the Studios is the separation it enforces. Having a ten year old Little Bite who loves Tower of Terror and RnR, and a three year old Little Bite who not only can’t do those things, but insists on seeing Stanley, we are forced to split up. I love my family, and we go on vacation to be together, not apart. But the Studios creates a divide that doesn’t exist in any of the other parks.

Much like me and the air conditioning unit, in Animal Kingdom, while the bigger bites are on EE, Bite 3 and I can look at flowers or play eye spy with the funky bus while we wait. At Epcot, we can play in the Mars tunnels or sit in countless GM cars while the bigger bites ride Mission: Space or Test Track. And Magic Kingdom is full of stuff for everyone. But the Studios makes us pick meeting spots, set watches and plan to reconnect later. I think I resent the park for that. That and how hot it gets. Am I crazy or is that the hottest park EVER?!?!? Those back streets are like an oven on broil. Needless to say, I wasn’t super excited about the day before me.

Our journey to the park was uneventful. We were crammed into a packed bus and the smell of sunscreen was overwhelming. I was already getting irritated. And then it happened. It was one of those moments where all becomes right with the world at one single instant. Little Bite 1, who adores the Studios for it’s rides, announced that today was going to be a family day and he was going to forego his rides so that we could stay together. I was shocked, and proud. I told him it wasn’t necessary, that I knew how much he had been looking forward to Tower of Terror and Rock n’Rollercoaster, but he insisted. He said he knew we’d be back later in the week, and he could ride just as easily then as today, so he’d wait. He wanted to be together as a family. My Little Bite is growing into a thoughtful young man. His decision changed my demeanor immediately. I felt myself exhale. It didn’t even matter that all of those sunscreened bodies on the bus with us would soon be entering a park that was already full of other sunscreened bodies. If he could put off his fun for a few days, surely I could stop crabbing.

And the park was packed. But we got to Lights, Motors, Action! early and got seats out of the sun. We had lower level seats for Indiana Jones which brought us closer than we had ever been. We got to see Beauty and the Beast (one of my favorites which is often put off so rides can be ridden) and had great seats for that, too. It was the day of great seats. The boys rode Star Tours several times because Little Bite 3, who is tall enough, loves the fact that he is tall enough. And I got to sit in the shade and wait for them and watch people go by. I was forever on the lookout for lime green, but saw no one. I got to have my picture taken with the cardboard Roz. We were disappointed by Narnia, but had a great time with Mr and Mrs Incredible. We finally strolled through One Man’s Dream, which is not only inspirational but touching. And no day at MGM/Disney’s MGM Studios/Disney Studios would be complete without the Muppet’s.

We skipped all the big kid stuff and all the little kid stuff and found that there actually is common ground in the park. And common ground we could all be happy with. Much like me and the air conditioner.

[Nurse_Mommy4]

Awwwwwww! :lovestruc

That was so thoughtful of Little Bite 1 to think of his family first.

DS12 will shock me like that once in awhile (when he's not fighting with DD14). :confused3

I always think, now there's a good DH in the making! :thumbsup2

[PrincessV]

I discovered that the cure for my lack of sleep at POR was to compromise with the AC unit. I allowed it to churn all day, making as much noise and artic air as it wanted, and it allowed me to turn it off at night, using only the fan to keep the cool air circulating the room. We were both happy.

So THAT's the trick! I was doing just the opposite - turned it off all day and listened to it turning on and off all night - and it was misery. Thanks for the tip, 'cause I loved this resort and I want to go back :thumbsup2

Our journey to the park was uneventful. We were crammed into a packed bus and the smell of sunscreen was overwhelming. I was already getting irritated. And then it happened. It was one of those moments where all becomes right with the world at one single instant. Little Bite 1, who adores the Studios for it’s rides, announced that today was going to be a family day and he was going to forego his rides so that we could stay together. I was shocked, and proud. I told him it wasn’t necessary, that I knew how much he had been looking forward to Tower of Terror and Rock n’Rollercoaster, but he insisted. He said he knew we’d be back later in the week, and he could ride just as easily then as today, so he’d wait. He wanted to be together as a family. My Little Bite is growing into a thoughtful young man. His decision changed my demeanor immediately. I felt myself exhale. It didn’t even matter that all of those sunscreened bodies on the bus with us would soon be entering a park that was already full of other sunscreened bodies. If he could put off his fun for a few days, surely I could stop crabbing.

Awww! :goodvibes And you know what his actions show? Awesome parenting - you guys rock!

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

After what was one of my better experiences at the park formerly known as MGM, we headed to World Showcase for dinner. We had ADRs for San Angel Inn, a return visit for us because we enjoyed it very much last year. On the issue of seats, last year we were seated in the corner nearest los banos. Not great seats, convenient for our bladders, but too much information about the countless other guests who were in need. But we were a party of twelve last year, so we took what we could get. Last year, the food was good, the staff outstanding, and the desserts were excellent.

This time, not so much. Our seats were much better, but the food was obviously prepared for the masses. But, for those of you who have been reading along, you know I wasn’t there for the entrée.

I ordered one chicken item and my DH ordered a different chicken item but they came to the table looking like fraternal twins. Only the color of the sauce was different. Even the plates were the same. It was a bit disappointing, but I had dessert on the brain and was looking toward the future.

Our table was cleared and we were handed the dessert menu. And there it was, up at the top, the caveat that should have been emblazoned across the archway to San Angel:

MODIFIED DESSERT MENU

My dessert loving world was about to crumble. I pictured a week of modified dessert menus throughout WDW. I was mourning decadent chocolate cakes, longing for mousses that would never happen, crying inside for lost flambes. Then I started to plot. How would I manage to change all of our ADRs for the week to Spoodles, home of chocolate/pistachio/apricot BLISS?

I was so busy plotting that I barely noticed my selection arrive at the table.

Flan.

Remind me never to order flan again.

On the way out of Epcot, we used snack credits to satisfy my dessert demon. Mickey ice cream on a stick. Happiness AND harmony.

[Disneyland_Mama]

I just found this little gem of a trippie! I hate being late to the party! And look... all my fave peeps are here! :cool1:

I love your style! Looking forward to more! :thumbsup2

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

DisMama,
Better late than never! Welcome :wave2: I hope you enjoy.

Mommy4 and V,
Thank you for the kind words about Little Bite 1. Yes, he's a kind soul. And he made my day, that day as well as many others. (But yesterday?...THAT is a different story :rotfl:

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Day three put us back in the Magic Kingdom. Now, I know what you are thinking. Why on earth would we go back to the Magic Kingdom on day three having not ventured into either of the two other parks? Simple. The spread sheet said that Magic Kingdom was where we were going, so we went.

I know that I am not alone in the obsession that comes with planning. We ALL are, after all, registered Disneyophiles. We read whatever we can get our hands on, we sign up for e-newsletters and enter contests, we pride ourselves on our Disney trivia successes, we search every Hallmark Greeting Store within a reasonable driving distance for an Ariel Christmas ornament (but I digress). DebIreland was kind enough to show a snippet of her plan in her TR. V has spoken of planning and replanning and replanning again, and we all know that takes a certain amount of record keeping. I am a sheet(s) of paper kind of gal. I can use reams of paper to plan a week in the world. DH likes the spread sheet.

It’s color coded. At first I laughed. And I was intrigued by his choice of colors. Purple is the Magic Kingdom. Green is Animal Kingdom. Light blue is the park formerly known as MGM, and light green is Epcot. Orange is hotel time. Yellow is Downtown Disney. Red is travel time. White is leisure time at the hotel, although I’m not sure why it isn’t orange. I guess sleep time is different than pool time. All of these colors are broken down into sub-categories of time. So on this particular day, our spread sheet color was purple at 8 in the morning, a full day of purple with lunch scheduled at Pecos Bill’s between 11:30 and 12, and dinner at Tony’s at 5:30 (with the reservation # included in the allotted space). What makes the Magic Kingdom purple is beyond me. Green for AK makes perfect sense, but I don’t get the rest. I don’t know if the colors were intentional or had meaning, but I know that it became our PLAN and there was little to no diverting from it. Not in a tyrannical kind of way, but it just became set in stone.

So we were purple for the day, and off to the Magic Kingdom again. It was crowded but wonderful. An amazing thing happens when you have Annual Passes and are fortunate enough to go several times within a year. Pressure disappears. Urgency is completely removed from the vacation, making just that, a vacation. It’s like being a butterfly in a sea of honey bees. Everyone rushing frantically to get where they wanted to go, doing their busy dance of Disney World, and I was able to sit back on my flower and slowly take in the wonder of it all. I love that feeling. It’s that feeling that makes me want to drop the $400 per person so we all have APs again next year. How’s that for brilliant marketing?

Our day was much like our opening day. We did all our favorites. We had an awesome ride on the Jungle Cruise. Captain Jack (I kid you not) didn’t stick to the script and he was FUNNY. I love it when they are courageous enough to throw in their own material. We got to see Genie by the Magic Carpet ride. And Stitch was running amuck in Tomorrowland. DH maxed out his buzzer on Space Ranger Spin while I (naturally) hit the galactic glass ceiling and remain a Planetary Pilot.

Our knowledge gathered from the scurvy wench outside Pirates two days prior got us to the Pirate Tutorial on time. I won’t spoil it for anyone, but I will tell you that I think you should find time on your spread sheets to see it, especially if you have little kids. The Captain Jack Sparrow we saw was a dead ringer for the film version. He was great, so long as he didn’t speak. He needed to work on his slur a bit. (I never thought I hear myself say THAT about a person). The big kids get left out on this one, a disappointment for Little Bite 1 who is big for his age, but it’s a lot of fun to watch. Someday, when I am smarter and less terrified of technology, I will post photos. We have a great one of Jack.

Our day ended with yet another MODIFIED DESSERT MENU and Tony’s. I love to eat at Tony’s for two reasons. One: the view of the beginning of Main Street and the square is fantastic. Two: It is one of only four sit down restaurants in the Magic Kingdom and after a long day I like to sit on my seat and have someone bring me my food. They do that there. Honestly, I don’t remember what I ordered for my entrée. I seem to have an entrée block. I was, as always, focused on dessert. This time, I was given NO CHOICE. Not even a selection of three or four items as I was the night before. I was presented with a plate, and on that plate was a cannoli, a cheesecake square, and a cookie. The boys were given bowls of vanilla ice cream. This MODIFIED DESSERT MENU was starting to effect my dessert happiness.

We headed to Philharmagic as our last attraction of the day. It had long lines all day, but it was approaching 7 and it was a walk up. What an amazing trip for the senses. I have to look away during Donald’s ride on the carpet….that whole wobbly stomach thing gets to me even while sitting down sometimes. I find it inspiring that there are people in the world whose brains can think so creatively. It is a magical 10 minutes that makes me want to learn to paint or sculpt or sing on key. It makes me want to leave a creative mark on the world. I am in awe.

And it makes me want apple pie.

I had a Mickey Ice Cream instead. Happiness back in balance.

[PrincessV]

Your spread sheet descirption sounds an awful lot like mine! My colors were different though, and I suspect brought about by pat Disney marketing schemes: MK was pink, like the cake/castle from a few years ago; EP was purple, like the logo used to be. Great minds think alike!

An amazing thing happens when you have Annual Passes and are fortunate enough to go several times within a year. Pressure disappears. Urgency is completely removed from the vacation, making just that, a vacation. It’s like being a butterfly in a sea of honey bees. Everyone rushing frantically to get where they wanted to go, doing their busy dance of Disney World, and I was able to sit back on my flower and slowly take in the wonder of it all. I love that feeling. It’s that feeling that makes me want to drop the $400 per person so we all have APs again next year. How’s that for brilliant marketing?
Works for me! I agree – I love that feeling of “Oh well, if the line’s too long, we’ll just do it next time.”

I had a Mickey Ice Cream instead. Happiness back in balance.
:goodvibes :goodvibes :goodvibes

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

We wanted to take advantage of some of the things to do around the resort, so we scheduled some down time(spread sheet white time) and got up at 6:30 to make it to the fishing hole by 7. (How is it that scheduled down time requires a person to get up and out even earlier than if we had been going to the park for the morning?) POR has a designated fishing area where you can pole fish in 30 minute increments. We got there about 7:20, a bit behind spread sheet schedule, but early none the less, and found a yawning young lady who was more than eager to have some business. We each got a pole, we were handed a bucket of worms to share, and we were told the policy of the resort: this was a catch and release fishing spot. Who on earth would want to KEEP these little fish? What exactly would one DO with them? We had a mini-fridge in the room, but it hardly kept leftovers cold, let alone sticking fresh fish in there. Can you imagine?

At any rate, I am the fisher-woman in the family. Not by choice, but by luck. Of the few times we’ve gone fishing, I am the only one who has ever caught a fish. Little Bite 1 caught a blue crab once, but that’s it. Just me. So imagine my delight when bite 2 caught something within minutes of putting his pole in the water! DH hadn’t even put worms on all the hooks and he was rushing over to take a picture and then re-worm. Then I caught one. Then more camera flashes and re-worming. Then bite 1 caught one. Photo and new worm. Even little bite 3 got one. Everyone caught something, except DH, who was so busy taking pictures and putting worms on hooks that I don’t even think he stuck the fishing pole in the water. In 30 minutes we caught 7 fish, none of them to my DH. They were the tiniest little fish, with spikes down their backs to rival a deep water angler fish. But they were fish, vacation fish, DISNEY fish for that matter, and we caught them. The pride with which we returned our fishing poles was obscene. You’d think we wrestled the Kraaken.

And then we were on to the surrey.

The appeal of the surrey is a strange one. As you walk past them as they sit quietly, waiting for passengers, you can’t help but think that they look like a tremendous amount of fun. The romantic idea of riding through the resort as a family on this bicycle built for 6 somehow makes you think that you will befriend every person you pass, waving and smiling as you peddle by. That all anger and hatred in the world will dissipate with every dinging of the bell. It is so worth world peace that the $36.95 for 30 minutes seems like the deal of a lifetime, until you sit your rear end on the seat and realize not only do you have to haul to make it around the path in 30 minutes, but little bite 3 has a hold of the string which rings the bell and he does so INCESSANTLY!

Careful to follow the map and the “Surrey Traffic” signs, we peddled that thing as if we were in a spinning class. Little Bite 2, who was sitting next to me, was having a terrible time keeping his feet on the pedals if he sat properly on the seat, but slid off the seat if he managed to work the pedals. Little Bite 1 was in the front with DH, pretending to drive the fake wheel, and Bite 3 thought that the bell was there for him to use only when he was able to ring it at the last possible minute and startle pedestrians. We hit a traffic jam at the ducks. No one seemed to care that if we went over our allotted time, that we would OWN the surrey, and that was an expense I wasn’t ready to handle. We were ignored completely, until Bite 3 hit the bell. He rang that thing like a cook on a ranch calling the ranch-hands to dinner. He just wouldn’t stop. He got not only the people to move, but he ducks took refuge in the water.

We were back on pace in no time. We made it to the bridge, crossed the river, and headed back to surrey headquarters. We were greeted by the woman who took our life history (and credit card number), who told us we had time to go around again. Off we went. We raced around the lake once again, birds still in the water, Bite 3 still on the bell. Up and over the river, and back. We had time to spare, but not enough to go again. Furthermore, I was exhausted. And I needed another shower.

To think we had a full day of Epcot ahead of us.

As we walked away from our morning of down time, Bite 3 asked if we could buy a surrey when we got home.

Only if we can find one without a bell.

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

I wanted to thank you all who read for following along with me as I write this TR. I know I don't have masses of people, but a handful who are sticking it out with me. Thank you for hanging in there.

I wanted to wish you all a very happy holiday, whatever holiday you choose to celebrate, and health and happiness in the New Year.

Enjoy, and be safe.

[Nurse_Mommy4]

Right back at cha SharkB8!!!! :hug:

[Syds-Mom]

for another great report. I am really enjopying reading it. Hope you have/had wonderful holidays as well.

Sandy

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Okay, the tree is down, the company is gone and school is back in session. I hope everyone had a great holiday season and a very happy New Year. I will get back here tomorrow...at least I better because if I don't finish this one soon, I'm going to be writing my next pre-trip and my old trip at the same time, and that just wouldn't be good:rotfl:

[Nurse_Mommy4]

Hey SharkB8,

I forgot to tell you thanks for the last installment about the activities at POR! :thumbsup2

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Mommy4,
Is that where you are staying when you go? It's funny, I've been taking so long in writing this that I have been able to watch you ticker go down by about 3 months since I started! If you are staying at POR, check out PrincessV's TR. She has great photos of the resort.

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

A quick shower to rid myself of the surrey sludge and we were on our way into Epcot. Mind you, we are on day four (or is it five?) of this trip and I’m newly DISsing and I think I’m part of a secret society. I have been searching the parks for LGMH from Home Depot. I’ve been checking people’s feet for strange, yet comfy, shoes. I’ve been looking for signs of Focking. So far, I’ve only run into one woman, and that was in the restroom, and I think she thought I was dangerous.

“HEY! You’re on the boards, too!” I yelled as I washed my hands.

Her shirt was purple, but it had DIS all over it. She said yeah, added something about a pug, and ran out the door.

So much for my secret society.

But today was going to be different. DH, who is perhaps the most artistic accountant you’ll ever meet, made us shirts to wear for our day in Epcot. He made AK shirts, too, but we’re not there yet. So I’m strutting my stuff in my custom made SharkB8 shirt with Nemo on the front and HooHaHa on the back with a lime green Mickey head up at the base of my neck. He’s in a shirt with Bruce on the front and the back said “I’m having fish tonight!” Each little bite had a shirt as well. They were awesome. Bite 1 had a picture of Bloat on the front and the back read “I’m from Bob’s Fish Mart.” Bite 2 wore Jacques, and the back said “I shall resist!” and Bite 3 had Tad (the yellow guy) and the back said “Bubbles. My bubbles.” We all had lime green Mickey heads at the base of the neck. The shirts were great. I thought for sure they’d get noticed and droves of fellow DISsers would come chat with us.

Nothing.

Not a one.

Perhaps you all saw us and ran the other way. Now that I think of it, perhaps we were a bit scary in our familial Finding Nemo/DIS thing. Maybe that’s why no one came near us.

Or maybe I didn’t wash all the surrey sludge off.

We ate an early dinner in France. We had tried desperately to get into LeCellier, but I can’t eat dinner at 8:45, and neither can little bite 3 (dizzy-hungry-hulk). So we took what we could get, and while I could have had dinner in Germany any time I wanted, I didn’t want, so we ended up with a 4:00 seating in France. The timing was perfect. It was just starting to sprinkle as we walked up to the door, and as we were seated (a great window seat…and the ONLY table with people at it in the ENTIRE place) it started to pour. It rained through the whole meal, which, by the way, was really good, and let up just as we were starting to leave. Yeah pixie dust. You will all be happy to hear that the dessert menu was not modified and I had a delicious strawberry mousse cake. On the whole, one of the better meals we had all week. And the bites were well behaved. Nothing like an empty restaurant to call attention to an ill mannered child, but they all did fine, so there were no hateful looks from the wait staff.

We headed out into the puddles and went straight to NorVAY to go back, back over the falls. We like that ride, but the entrapment at the end is disturbing. I don’t so much care for that 5 minute wait to get out of the ride. A wait to get ON is understandable and expected, but why should I have to wait to EXIT a ride? And our timing is ALWAYS off. It seems no matter how many times we’ve gone back, back over the falls, we always pull up to the little village just as the doors to the theater are closing. And then we wait. And little bites get fidgety, and the people keep pouring out of boats. And just as my claustrophobia sets in, the doors magically open and we’re free to walk through or sit and watch. I like the option. We watch about every fourth time. It looks like a beautiful place. Maybe someday we’ll go there instead of WDW.

Nah.

[mlill]

...at least I better because if I don't finish this one soon, I'm going to be writing my next pre-trip and my old trip at the same time, and that just wouldn't be good:rotfl:


Ah, well... there could be worse fates! ;) Count me in as one of your faithful followers! I love your TR! I'm finally caught up, now that we're back from our 2 week WDW vacation! I loved the part about the Surrey Bikes. We finally did this after much pleading from my youngest. While it was fun, it was not quite as 'picturesque & romantic' as it appears! UGH!

Keep it coming! :thumbsup2

-Michelle

P.S. I color code everything, too! Here's a pic of my Excel spreadsheet! LOL!

http://www.familyphotoquilt.com/wdwspreadsheet.jpg

MK-purple
MGM-yellow
Epcot-blue
AK-green
Transportation-orange

[Nurse_Mommy4]

Mommy4,
Is that where you are staying when you go? It's funny, I've been taking so long in writing this that I have been able to watch you ticker go down by about 3 months since I started! If you are staying at POR, check out PrincessV's TR. She has great photos of the resort.

Yup, that's where we're staying!

I'll be sure to check out PrincessV's TR (shoot, I'm not sure why I haven't already since she visits alot of the same threads I do.:blush: )

PS. I am starting to get kinda excited watching my ticker go down!:cheer2:

[DebIreland]

I'm all caught up and loving it! Terrific job!!

Your DH makes a Disney spreadsheet? I am beyond impressed that a spouse would do that!! You're so lucky that you're not alone in your obsess..., er, love of Disney World. I can't believe how UNinterested my DH is in the whole planning process even though he truly seems to love the place. Believe it or not, he still makes the rookie mistake of referring to it as DisneyLAND in conversations with other people. *Sigh* And you've seen my itinerary (thanks for mentioning it :thumbsup2 ) - I know you know how sick it makes me feel when he gets the very name of the place wrong. :sad2: ;)

Yes, the colour choices are interesting - looks like mlill chose purple too (cool spreadsheet by the way mlill) - maybe it's purple for royalty! That makes a lot of sense!! Personally I chose red, I don't know why, I just felt it was a warm and important colour. Light green for Epcot? No, it's supposed to be blue (light blue for World Showcase and dark blue for Future World) - how did he not know that?? :lmao:

That sucks about the modified dessert menus. :sad2: I don't want to rub it in but when we were at Tony's I had the nicest dessert of the trip - so glad we missed those modified menus. Although almost all the kids menus were the same everywhere we went.

We loved Chefs de France too and also felt it was one of the best meals of the trip.

Can't wait for more!!!! :dance3:

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

MLIIL,
That spread sheet is a beauty. Glad to have you back and reading. I should get more up tonight or tomorrow. We are going again next month, and while there are FAR worse fates than a TR and pre-trip happening simultaneously, my fear is that they will become one big confused blurr in my head. I can't even call my kids by their right names, let alone sort out days of ADRs and the like.

And Deb, yes, not only does DH make the spread sheets, but he keeps them in his pocket the entire time we're gone. We were on the bus one evening going back to POR and I asked where we were going the following day. Out came the spread sheet and the group of people around us just laughed at us. His first trip to WDW was when we were 29 and he's been hooked ever since.

I'm so glad you are all here hanging in with me. :hug:

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Animal Kingdom is one of my favorite places on earth. I know it is not one of the more popular opinions, and I’ve even read that some people don’t like it at all because they find it too hot, but I am a bit of a plant geek, and for plant geeks, it’s wonderful. Living in a sub-tropical part of the United States (zone 8b, if you want specifics) I walk through the park longing to clip branches or gather seed pods and smuggle them home just to fill my yard with exotic flowers from around the world. I wouldn’t. Ever. But I’d love to. So it was with a fresh sense of anticipation that I got on the bus with my DH and little bites and headed to AK.

As I mentioned, DH had made shirts for this day as well. Bite 2, who LOVES Everest, had a picture of the Abominable Snowman from Monsters, Inc. on the front, and the back said “Welcome to the Himalayas! Snowcone?” It was great. And he wore it with pride as he and his father ran from the finger scan to the ride. Little Bites 1 and 3 stayed with me and we leisurely walked to Asia. We figured they could grab fast passes and then wait in the line, holding on to the passes for later. 1, 3 and I were going to meet up with them outside EE and then head over to Kali River Rapids for a soaking.

We strolled, stopping to look at the birds and the lemurs. And as we approached EE, I noticed the benches strategically lined up in front of the ride. I kind of felt like I was walking a reception line for the weak at heart. Those of us not brave enough to ride, or those who are waiting for their turn, are forced to sit on display. We all know why we are sitting on benches. We look at each other and nod sheepishly. We are timid. We are prone to motion sickness. We are scared of big, hairy white things. Or, as in the case of little bite 3, we are too short.

As it happened, we had no time to sit on the benches of shame. DH and Little bite 2 were walking out of the ride as we neared. They had been through the ride twice. The line appeared long, but it was moving fast, so they didn’t need the fast passes at all and were able to get off the first time and get right back in line for a second ride through the mountain. So we handed off our fast passes to someone walking up to get some and headed off to wait for Festival of the Lion King.

An amazing show, no doubt, but they seemed to be pushing it awfully hard. There were CMs spaced about 20 feet apart all the way up the trail, and as we walked we heard over and over again “Come to Disney’s most popular show ‘Festival of the Lion King’.” It was strange to experience a carnival like atmosphere at WDW, and I sort of felt like the next CM was going to offer to guess my weight, but he didn’t, he just kept pushing the show, too. I’m not sure WHY they feel they need to push the show. It’s not like it’s ever empty. In fact, if you are not there early, you might not get in at all. At least, that’s what the map says, and I didn’t even have to spin it to find that out.

We had great seats up front, and while we weren’t asked to stand and be an animal, bites 1 and 2 did get up at the end to join in the fun. Timon was FANTASTIC! I think he either had too much coffee, or he was hoping to be discovered. He pulled out all his meerkat clubbing moves and was amazing. :lmao: He definitely stole the show.

Having never seen the parade at AK, we made it a priority. After Festival, we went to Kilimanjaro and saw the biggest hidden Mickey in all the parks. (PM me if you don’t know where it is and want to!) Then we waited for the parade. We’d have had a great spot were it not for the blazing sun in our faces, but we were next to delightful people who shared what little shade they had. While we waited, a CM named Brett was in charge of the rope. She was right in front of us when a man came over and started screaming at her. Seriously, SCREAMING.:eek: Brett argued back, but only in so far as she was defending herself. It seems that he was ticked because he had wanted to walk across the parade path with his group and she told him that he couldn’t. Then he witnessed other people going under the ropes and walking across the path, so he decided to go under the ropes to yell at her about the fact that he couldn’t go under the ropes.

She was in tears. He threatened to go to guest services and file a complaint about her. We tried to comfort her, but she was a mess. She was simply trying to do her job, but she couldn’t control everything, and while her back was turned, a small group went under the ropes and this guy saw it and was MAD. Brett was convinced she was going to lose her job.

It put such a strange slant on this day for me. We all go to WDW with expectations. We’ve saved. We’ve planned. We hope for the best for our vacations. But it’s just that, a vacation. This young lady was terrified that she was going to loose her job because this man was hot, tired, and not allowed to go under ropes. Now I know there are CMs who are nasty (think dead pan pirate girl) but so many love what they do and depend on the paycheck. They have to deal with us, the vacationers. And all it takes is one wrong move, or one seemingly wrong move, and they could loose their jobs. What then? So I told her I’d go to guest relations and let them know what I saw in an effort to contradict rope man, and the woman next to me said she’d do the same.

By the end of the parade, which was great, rope man came to apologize to Brett. She was gracious, and he admitted to being hot and tired. They shook hands and he went on his way with his family and she with her rope. We headed to the front gate to make our way to the Poly for dinner, but first stopped by guest relations to fill out a comment card for Brett. Rope man had assured her that he wasn’t going to file a complaint after all, but I figured she could use the boost just the same. No one likes to be made to cry.

We left AK and headed (by car) to Kona Café at the Poly for dinner. Dinner was outstanding, so much so that we’ve made ADRs for Valentine’s Day dinner there. Want to consider that my pre-trip for February?

[PrincessV]

An amazing show, no doubt, but they seemed to be pushing it awfully hard. There were CMs spaced about 20 feet apart all the way up the trail, and as we walked we heard over and over again “Come to Disney’s most popular show ‘Festival of the Lion King’.” It was strange to experience a carnival like atmosphere at WDW, and I sort of felt like the next CM was going to offer to guess my weight, but he didn’t, he just kept pushing the show, too. I’m not sure WHY they feel they need to push the show. It’s not like it’s ever empty. In fact, if you are not there early, you might not get in at all. At least, that’s what the map says, and I didn’t even have to spin it to find that out.
That's really, really strange. We did the Fest. for the first time this Dec., but all I've ever heard was "get there early" because it's SO popular. Are they worried folks won't find it?!

By the end of the parade, which was great, rope man came to apologize to Brett. She was gracious, and he admitted to being hot and tired. They shook hands and he went on his way with his family and she with her rope. We headed to the front gate to make our way to the Poly for dinner, but first stopped by guest relations to fill out a comment card for Brett. Rope man had assured her that he wasn’t going to file a complaint after all, but I figured she could use the boost just the same. No one likes to be made to cry.
Coming from one who's worked in retail, hospitality and baking and has been made ot cry to mean customers too many times, I give you an A+++ for taking the time to do this!

We left AK and headed (by car) to Kona Café at the Poly for dinner. Dinner was outstanding, so much so that we’ve made ADRs for Valentine’s Day dinner there. Want to consider that my pre-trip for February?
No way! We want the full-on Pre-Trippie! ;)

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

V,
We are meeting up with my in-laws...it could be one heck of a pre-trip leading to an abandoned trip.:rotfl:

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

After dinner at Kona Café we went to Downtown Disney to do some shopping. Each little bite had their own spending money in hand, and seeing as how they are HUGE Lego fans, I thought for sure that we’d be heading straight for the store.

But I could see in Little Bite 1’s eye that he had a different agenda.

I caught him several times that week looking at people’s necks, a blend of curiosity and wonder across his face. Not quite “car crash on the side of the road” kind of look, but more of a “truck load of chickens spilled onto the highway” stare. Other than noticing face and where his eyes were landing, I didn’t pay much attention. In hind sight, I should have, for Pandora’s box was hanging around the neck’s of countless Disney guests, and 1 was being sucked in.

As I said, I assumed we were headed for the Lego store. If you’ve made it this far in the TR, you know what the Lego store holds for me. It is an exercise in patience and multi-tasking. So when Little Bite 1 said he’d rather go someplace else first, I was okay with that. I know he’d been wanting Ghiardelli ice cream, so I thought that was what he was going to suggest. But then he said it.

“Can we go to the pin store?”:scared1:

Yes, he’s gone to the dark side.

To say that this store is overwhelming is like saying WDW is underwhelming. Countless rows of shining pins hang on an octagonal column in the center of the store. People with briefcases hover around outside, exposing their loot to those who know the secret handshake, secret password, or Focker sign. I was completely out of my element. Yet Bite 1 was hooked, and the awestruck look was beginning to appear on Bite 2’s face.

I looked at pins. I needed to quickly familiarize myself with something that in a few short days Bite 1 knew more about that I. (Don’t you hate it when that happens?) I must admit, some of the pins were fantastic. Until I flipped them over and saw the price tag.

Now, I must confess that I have a tendency to be a bit, dare I say, thrifty. Don’t get me wrong, we all have what we need, but as far as what we want, well…I ask that we ask ourselves if we can live without it before putting cash on the table. This being vacation, I tended to be a little more forgiving. But I figure, if we can do without the t-shirts, stuffed items, balloons, face painting, hair weaving, and PINS, then we might be able to go on vacation again. And I’d rather go again. So I gasped and internal gasp when I saw the price tags on the pins. But it was, after all, Bite 1’s money, and money lessons learned at 9 are better than learning at 29.

SO…

“Can I get some pins?”

I feigned hearing loss.

“I’m sorry. What?”

“Can I get some pins? I’d like to use my spending money to get pins.”

“What about the Lego store?”

“I’d like to get some pins.”

I hemmed. I hawed. DH chimed in.

“Sure, if that is what you want to get.”

And that was it. He was lost forever to the dark side and Little Bite 2 quickly chose his lanyard and pins as well.

They only had enough for a lanyard and two pins each, but they wore them with pride. They now knew the secret password. They could do the secret handshake. Even I succumbed to the lure of the trade, hoping that they would find a kind CM to swap with them and give them a nugget of gold for a cutie Donald Duck. Tomorrow was going to be a new day, a day of trading, a day of wheeling and dealing, a day like Wall Street.

[arizonacolbys]

Loving the trip report!! :thumbsup2 That really stinks about the revised dessert menus - I'm with you there - I could just go & eat dessert & skip the meal! :lmao: We were there in Sept for free dining & luckily didn't run into this where we ate. Spoodles was a first for us on that trip & definitely a favorite - we're returning there next week. :goodvibes

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Emily,
Thanks for joining in the fun. Have a great time on your trip!

[BrerMama]

What a hoot this is! I've got 3 of my own and the youngest has the stomach flu, so I'm sitting on the sofa in my pj's (instead of ya know, working) and reading trip reports. I'm having so much fun reading! We're back to POR for our second visit in a few months and this is really getting me excited (OK, this report and the fact that my sick one is just a fit of giggles over Brother Bear... how much fun is she going to be this summer?). Anyway, keep it up, don't stop now and all that stuff. Really enjoying it; you sure can tell a story!

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

BrerMama!
SO glad you've joined in. I love to know that people are out there reading and enjoying. It makes it much more fun to write.

I hope your little one is feeling better. Belly bugs are the worst...but PJs and Brother Bear are the first step to wellness. And ice cream :)

WELCOME!

[Dooda]

You're report has had me in stitches! Great job- can't wait to read more!

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Dooda! Yeah! TWO new people in one day! You guys are awesome. Thanks for letting me know you are out there. I should get to "the great pin trade" tomorrow.

Thanks everybody!:)

[Nurse_Mommy4]

After dinner at Kona Café we went to Downtown Disney to do some shopping. Each little bite had their own spending money in hand, and seeing as how they are HUGE Lego fans, I thought for sure that we’d be heading straight for the store.

But I could see in Little Bite 1’s eye that he had a different agenda.

I caught him several times that week looking at people’s necks, a blend of curiosity and wonder across his face. Not quite “car crash on the side of the road” kind of look, but more of a “truck load of chickens spilled onto the highway” stare. Other than noticing face and where his eyes were landing, I didn’t pay much attention. In hind sight, I should have, for Pandora’s box was hanging around the neck’s of countless Disney guests, and 1 was being sucked in.

As I said, I assumed we were headed for the Lego store. If you’ve made it this far in the TR, you know what the Lego store holds for me. It is an exercise in patience and multi-tasking. So when Little Bite 1 said he’d rather go someplace else first, I was okay with that. I know he’d been wanting Ghiardelli ice cream, so I thought that was what he was going to suggest. But then he said it.

“Can we go to the pin store?”:scared1:

Yes, he’s gone to the dark side.

To say that this store is overwhelming is like saying WDW is underwhelming. Countless rows of shining pins hang on an octagonal column in the center of the store. People with briefcases hover around outside, exposing their loot to those who know the secret handshake, secret password, or Focker sign. I was completely out of my element. Yet Bite 1 was hooked, and the awestruck look was beginning to appear on Bite 2’s face.

I looked at pins. I needed to quickly familiarize myself with something that in a few short days Bite 1 knew more about that I. (Don’t you hate it when that happens?) I must admit, some of the pins were fantastic. Until I flipped them over and saw the price tag.

Now, I must confess that I have a tendency to be a bit, dare I say, thrifty. Don’t get me wrong, we all have what we need, but as far as what we want, well…I ask that we ask ourselves if we can live without it before putting cash on the table. This being vacation, I tended to be a little more forgiving. But I figure, if we can do without the t-shirts, stuffed items, balloons, face painting, hair weaving, and PINS, then we might be able to go on vacation again. And I’d rather go again. So I gasped and internal gasp when I saw the price tags on the pins. But it was, after all, Bite 1’s money, and money lessons learned at 9 are better than learning at 29.

SO…

“Can I get some pins?”

I feigned hearing loss.

“I’m sorry. What?”

“Can I get some pins? I’d like to use my spending money to get pins.”

“What about the Lego store?”

“I’d like to get some pins.”

I hemmed. I hawed. DH chimed in.

“Sure, if that is what you want to get.”

And that was it. He was lost forever to the dark side and Little Bite 2 quickly chose his lanyard and pins as well.

They only had enough for a lanyard and two pins each, but they wore them with pride. They now knew the secret password. They could do the secret handshake. Even I succumbed to the lure of the trade, hoping that they would find a kind CM to swap with them and give them a nugget of gold for a cutie Donald Duck. Tomorrow was going to be a new day, a day of trading, a day of wheeling and dealing, a day like Wall Street.

OMG!!!! :rotfl:

I can soooooo see my two older children foaming at the mouth over pins.:confused3

The sad part is they'll probably be eating my dust as I hightail it to the "pin" store.:cool1:

[mlill]

Ohhhh Nooooo! Not pins! I'm soooo sorry for you! I totally understand! The dark side, it is! Now you will have to stalk DisneyShopping.com for pin sales like the rest of us. You NEVER, EVER buy pins at retail price! I only buy trading pins for $2 or less. That's the only way we are able to pin trade. It's become a big part of our vacations, and the kids love it. We're dooooomed. :sad2:

Just had to say, that Conner is a HUGE Lego fan, too. We can spend hours in that store! LOL!

I can't wait to read more!!!!!!!!!!!

-Michelle

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Mommy4,
Oh, the pins. Just stay away!
I'm kidding. The boys had a great time with them and I'm sure once they get the hang of the whole trading process, it will get easier and better for them. There is pin etiquette~a lesson Bite 2 learned the hard way...but you'll read about that!


Michele,
Where do you find pins for $2? I'm all over that! Santa was kind enough to put one in each stocking, but Santa doesn't have a vacation budget, if you know what I mean.

Fill me in on the cheap pins please!

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

A new day was upon us. A day, like all other days, full of promise and wonder. A day that held the potential to go down in the history books as a day of bartering, bribing, and, when necessary, begging. It was pin day. And Bites 1 and 2 were as ready as they were going to be. It was as if they were being awarded the gold medal at the Olympics. They lowered their heads respectfully as Bite 1 put the lanyard around the neck of Bite 2. Bite 2 then ceremoniously draped the lanyard around the neck of Bite 1. I thought for sure we were going to have to break into song…

“Oh, say can you see….”

The pride was oozing from my Little Bites 1 and 2, and 3 looked on with amazement. I could see by the look on his face that it wouldn’t be long before he decided his “Baby Buzz” wasn’t the coolest thing on earth and he, too, needed to don a lanyard and many jingly things.

I, however, wasn’t in the mood.

I awoke with flames in my throat.

Some little bugger had been hanging around one of the countless rides and decided to hitch a ride on my hand and take up residence in my throat. I was not happy. There was no HAAAAAmony. I was, dare I say, crabby.

We headed for MK. Honestly, I have no idea what we rode, where we stopped, who we saw, or what we did. With one exception.

I had my first Dole Whip.

If there is anything on the face of the earth that extinguishes, even if it’s only temporarily, the flames of a sore throat, it is the Dole Whip. I felt the vitamin C grabbing hold and preparing for war. The ice cream worked as a wonderful diversion, putting all pain inducing germs into deep freeze while the C put on armor and marched toward the battle field.

It offered me a few minutes of relief and I was able to sit in Adventureland and watch the people go by and take note of all the feral plants I wanted to introduce to the South Carolina ecosystem.

From there we went to Splash Mountain, now on Bite 3’s top 5 favorite rides list. I wasn’t up for it, so I sat this one out on a bench and couldn’t help but overhear a gentleman and his wife talking about how badly his throat hurt.

The bugger had friends.

I was a bit concerned that we’d be spending the last two days of our vacation feeling gross. I figured if I felt like I did, that it was just a matter of time before the boys started to have flames in their throats. I sat on that bench and needlessly worried. The fact of the matter is that there wasn’t anything I could do about the bugger. If they had gotten it, we would have dealt. If they didn’t, super. But fretting wouldn’t change the outcome. I know that….now. But sitting there, I worried.

And when I worry I get crabby(er).

Where is the happiness?

Where is the HAAAAAmony?

(OH! My first cliff hanger!)

[BrerMama]

And when I worry I get crabby(er).


Yeah, me too. And you don't want to be close when I'm crabby. Hope you got some good medicine and the throat thing went buh-bye fast!

[mt mommy]

A new day was upon us. A day, like all other days, full of promise and wonder. A day that held the potential to go down in the history books as a day of bartering, bribing, and, when necessary, begging. It was pin day. And Bites 1 and 2 were as ready as they were going to be. It was as if they were being awarded the gold medal at the Olympics. They lowered their heads respectfully as Bite 1 put the lanyard around the neck of Bite 2. Bite 2 then ceremoniously draped the lanyard around the neck of Bite 1. I thought for sure we were going to have to break into song…

“Oh, say can you see….”

The pride was oozing from my Little Bites 1 and 2, and 3 looked on with amazement. I could see by the look on his face that it wouldn’t be long before he decided his “Baby Buzz” wasn’t the coolest thing on earth and he, too, needed to don a lanyard and many jingly things.

I, however, wasn’t in the mood.

I awoke with flames in my throat.

Some little bugger had been hanging around one of the countless rides and decided to hitch a ride on my hand and take up residence in my throat. I was not happy. There was no HAAAAAmony. I was, dare I say, crabby.

We headed for MK. Honestly, I have no idea what we rode, where we stopped, who we saw, or what we did. With one exception.

I had my first Dole Whip.

If there is anything on the face of the earth that extinguishes, even if it’s only temporarily, the flames of a sore throat, it is the Dole Whip. I felt the vitamin C grabbing hold and preparing for war. The ice cream worked as a wonderful diversion, putting all pain inducing germs into deep freeze while the C put on armor and marched toward the battle field.

It offered me a few minutes of relief and I was able to sit in Adventureland and watch the people go by and take note of all the feral plants I wanted to introduce to the South Carolina ecosystem.

From there we went to Splash Mountain, now on Bite 3’s top 5 favorite rides list. I wasn’t up for it, so I sat this one out on a bench and couldn’t help but overhear a gentleman and his wife talking about how badly his throat hurt.

The bugger had friends.

I was a bit concerned that we’d be spending the last two days of our vacation feeling gross. I figured if I felt like I did, that it was just a matter of time before the boys started to have flames in their throats. I sat on that bench and needlessly worried. The fact of the matter is that there wasn’t anything I could do about the bugger. If they had gotten it, we would have dealt. If they didn’t, super. But fretting wouldn’t change the outcome. I know that….now. But sitting there, I worried.

And when I worry I get crabby(er).

Where is the happiness?

Where is the HAAAAAmony?

(OH! My first cliff hanger!)




Loving your trip report!! Can't wait to eat a Dole Whip!!

13 more days for our trippy!! :cool1:

[PrincessV]

Know what? I think the same old germs hang around WDW and hit us every trip. I had that raw throat in Sept. And in Dec. And I just went to the MK for a day last weekend - sore throat Sun. :sad2: But you're right - there's not a lot we can do to prevent it, I guess.

I love that the Bites enjoyed their pins so much! I'm still working on my DS, but I don't want him to be too into it yet, KWIM?!

Oh oh - is the HAAAAmony about to dissipate?????? Darn cliffhangers. ;)

[nanlou]

I make it all the way to this point, and get stopped by your first cliff-hanger?!? That is absolutely not fair! I want more. I need more! When will you give me more?

BTW, this is a GREAT trip report! Bring on the harmony. :hippie:

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

:goodvibes Look at all these new people joining in! YEAH!!!! Mt. Mommy and nanlou, welcome! I'm on my next to last day of this TR, but I hope you'll join me in my soon to be started pre-trip for February...it should be a doosie:scared:

And V, fear not.

[BrerMama]

I'm on my next to last day of this TR

Noooooooo, say it isn't so! Start that pretrip report, girl!

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

BrerMama,
I thought this upcoming trip was going to be coated with a little stress, not much, but a little. I can handle a little. But my DH called my FIL yesterday, and he's made plans for us. Dining plans. Shopping plans. Park plans. Our spread sheet was just beginning to get the proper colors, and then PLANS.

Like I said, should be interesting. Once I come up with a title, I'll get to it.

(And I promise to finish up with this one.)

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Crystal Palace.

This has got to be one of my favorite places to eat. Not so much for the food, although there are some tasty items on the buffet line. The wild mushroom/chicken pasta with the asiago cheese is a particular favorite of mine. I generally avoid cheese. It's not that I don't like it, it's just that it doesn't like me. Cheese is to me what Zurg is to Buzz, especially on vacation. But the mushroom and chicken pasta is REALLY good. So much so that I will suffer, just a bit, while I digest.

Or is that digress?

I love the building. I love the view. And anywhere you are encouraged to stop eating to march in a parade is good with me.

So we were able to stop and sit, and have a relaxing meal. It was good. All the little bites ate well (an issue with Bite 3 all too often) and I was beginning to feel a bit better. The Dole Whip from hours before was beginning to work it's magic.

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t240/sharkB8HooHaHa/100_2637.jpg
After we ate we decided to go for a boat ride.

The Poly is a dream of mine. I'd love to be able to stay there, but it's just not in the ol' budget of today. Perhaps someday, but not today. So I fake it. Yup, you read it right. I am one of those people that will go to the Poly and sit in the lobby and let people think I am one of them. I am often tempted to offer some unsuspecting kid some disney dollars for their lei, but I can't bring myself to do it.

So we took the boat from MK to the Poly to do some looking. As it was, the boat was packed and the wait was long. We were at the front of the line, and the people behind us were trying to get there to get to the dinner show. Converstation was struck because she asked us if we thought she should bail and take the monorail, which also had a really long line. As we chatted, my boys chatted with her boys. They had a 12 yr old who shared similar interests at Bite 1, and an 8 yr old who had things in common with Bite 2. It was the kind of instant friendship that you wish could happen for your kids in the real world.

Bite 2 traded a pin with thr 8 yr old. It was his first swap, and the older kids thought it was funny that they both traded a "lame" pin for a different "lame" pin. Bite 2 walked away with a Baby Chip. Cute, but in the world of pins, LAMETASTIC! Bite 1 traded for equality, and while I don't remember what he got, I know he was happy. It was a good trial run, and I got to sit back and watch my bites make friends.

The boat finally came and we sat in the front. Bites sat with their new found buddies, and DH and I had a quiet ride watching our bites be kids in WDW. So often we are engrossed in the fun, the activity of the trip. To be able to sit and watch our children was incredible. We eavesdropped and heard things about drum sets and favorite rides. We heard laughter and giggles from kids we didn't know, but we knew they were sharing that laugh with our boys. It was a fantastic ride across the water. One that will provide the kind of memories I didn't expect to have. Memories I already cherish.

We wandered around the resort, took some pictures for the boys' rooms and checked out the gift shop. We always walk through there and leave with design plans for the house. Bamboo walls or banana plants all around. That kind of thing. If we can't move into the Poly, we will try to bring the Poly to us.

After a bit we went back to MK. The plan was to do Wishes, but by the time we got back, we were tired and I despite my Dole Whip, I still wasn't up to par, so we went back to POR for a good night's sleep. The next day was Epcot, and then a morning back in the MK before we were to get back in the car and head up I-95. It was all ending too soon.

[mlill]

Mommy4,
Oh, the pins. Just stay away!
I'm kidding. The boys had a great time with them and I'm sure once they get the hang of the whole trading process, it will get easier and better for them. There is pin etiquette~a lesson Bite 2 learned the hard way...but you'll read about that!


Michele,
Where do you find pins for $2? I'm all over that! Santa was kind enough to put one in each stocking, but Santa doesn't have a vacation budget, if you know what I mean.

Fill me in on the cheap pins please!

Sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you! I just keep an eye on the Disneyshopping dot com sales. They have a huge pin sale about twice a year, and you can get pin sets for around $12 (there's usually 5-6 pins per set). I managed to buy a ton of these clearance sets, there's no sales tax, and I got free shipping, too! You might have to wait awhile for a sale, but it's worth it. I just try and stock up on traders whenever I see a good deal. I don't buy cheap pins off of ebay, but some people do. Hope this helps you! :goodvibes

-Michelle

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you! I just keep an eye on the Disneyshopping dot com sales. They have a huge pin sale about twice a year, and you can get pin sets for around $12 (there's usually 5-6 pins per set). I managed to buy a ton of these clearance sets, there's no sales tax, and I got free shipping, too! You might have to wait awhile for a sale, but it's worth it. I just try and stock up on traders whenever I see a good deal. I don't buy cheap pins off of ebay, but some people do. Hope this helps you! :goodvibes

-Michelle

Michelle,
Thanks for the information. I've been combing Disneyshopping for the past few days and can't find anything for our trip in two weeks (WHOA! Did I just say 2 weeks? I've got to get crackin'!) And thank you for the honesty about ebay. I've considered some pins there, but I'm not a big fan of ebay...it usually gets called oy vey by the time I'm finished bidding/watching/paying. So I decided to stay away. I guess I'll have to hit the outlet store in St. Augustine on our way down (again). Another classy meal in the food court :rotfl: .

Thanks again.

[Nurse_Mommy4]

Hi SharkB8,

Love the Crystal Palace picture, my kids are too excited aout eating there, I think they want to do breakfast though.:confused3

Hurry and write before you have to leave!!!:goodvibes

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Hi SharkB8,

Love the Crystal Palace picture, my kids are too excited aout eating there, I think they want to do breakfast though.:confused3

Hurry and write before you have to leave!!!:goodvibes

NM4,
I've never been for breakfast, but I've heard it's very good. I say go for it.

And thanks about the picture. It took me FOREVER to figure out how to get it here, and it is HUGE! It will take me another forever to figure out how to get them here small :confused3

ENJOY!

[riopooh]

Sharkb8 - Thanks for the great report - I remember reading it when you started and so glad to join back in!!

I also dread the pin trading thing. My DS, then 10, started on our Feb 2005 trip - I had no clue what he was looking out and what it was all about. He ended up buying a few of the bigger pieces - the ones that I guess are supposed to go on the end of the lanyard. He figured they were a better bargain that the littler pins - he set off all sorts of alarms on our flight back! His collection is now affectionately known as his "Disney Bling".

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

riopooh,
Thanks for letting me know you are reading and enjoying. My Little Bite 3 tore off his paperchain count down this morning and I am down to 10 days before we leave. I've got to get to work to get this TR done! It looks like we will just be missing each other. We are leaving to head home again on the 17th and you will be arriving on the 18th? I would have enjoyed meeting a fellow DISser, but I'll leave some pixie dust for you. Have a wonderful time.

I'll be reading your TR along the way!

[Disneyland_Mama]

Crystal Palace.


http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t240/sharkB8HooHaHa/100_2637.jpg


How cute are you? What adorable little bites you have!

I thought I subbed to your trippie, no worries now, I found YA!

Loved your last installments! :woohoo:

Doeth my eyes deceive me??? Are you leaving for the Motherland in a few days??? Ohhhh... I'm lime green with envy!

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

DLMama,
Yep, we're going again. It's a trip that we planned over the summer when we thought DH would be away for 8 months straight...who wouldn't need a vacation after that?!?!?! But, as it turns out, he was able to cut his trip short and has been home for the past 2 months, but we never considered NOT going to WDW!! Go figure. This time we're meeting up with family. A nightmare-ish thing to do. I'm working on a catchy title for my pre-trip, but all I've come up with so far would surely get me banned from the boards :rotfl:

Thanks for the comments on the photo. It's amazing I was able to get it up there.

Glad you found me again!

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Little Bite 3 has this uncanny way of knowing where things are when he’s in WDW. He has some kind of photographic memory for the parks. He can tell you when to hook a right to get to the Barnstormer, or where to find Mike and Sulley. And Epcot is no different. Only, his focus is a bit odd.

We had just passed under Spaceship Earth and were approaching the fountain when he claimed to be thirsty.

“I’ll get you some water,” said his ever terrified-of-dehydration mother.

“I don’t think I want water. I want some Coke.”

“What? What do you mean you want Coke and why do you think you are going to get anything without asking me the right way?” I was oblivious to the magnetic pull being applied to my three year old.

“Can I please have some Coke? I’m thirsty.”

“I don’t know where this COKE thing is coming from….”

Then it all clicked. My son has sold his soul to caffeine.

We had gone in to the Coke store the other day because my DH may be the only person on the PLANET who likes Beverly. You know, the beverage you try to trick your loved one’s into drinking? Well, if my DH could buy cases and bring it home, he would. So we were in there, and Little Bite 3 had his way with the mini-cups. He was one happy and ENERGETIC child. Staying awake for Illuminations was not going to be a problem that night.

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t240/sharkB8HooHaHa/100_2392.jpg

So we got him his little cup o’ happiness and went on our way.

And used just about every bathroom we passed.

[mlill]

What a cutie!!!

BTW, my DH likes Beverly, too. Weirdos! :rolleyes:

-Michelle

[PrincessV]

HA, ha, ha, what a great picture! My DS had never had Coke before the MVMCP and he had about 1/4 of my mother's cup that night. BOUNCING around the MK, I tell you!

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Michele and V,
Thanks for hanging in there with me. I am starting to feel like it's taking an eternity to get to the end of this TR. And I leave in 6 days to go back! I am trying to pull together pirate costumes for all of us, and I'm feeling the pinch of time (if you know what I mean). Not at all complaints, I can't WAIT to go back, but I've procrastinated to the point of feeling overwhelmed. Plus, we're meeting up with my husband's folks :confused: Not sure what I was thinking when I agreed to that one. I can be an optimistic stooge sometimes.

Again, thanks for tagging along.

[Lauralee131]

We had gone in to the Coke store the other day because my DH may be the only person on the PLANET who likes Beverly. You know, the beverage you try to trick your loved one’s into drinking? Well, if my DH could buy cases and bring it home, he would. [/quote]

Ummmm....ok, I don't get it...what's Beverly???:confused3

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Lauralee! You are still here, too! :yay: I was beginning to think I had lost you all.

Beverly is by far the NASTIEST drink in the Coke family. It's like tonic water meets gasoline. It is gross, and DH likes it. I will never understand, but I suggest you avoid it at all costs.

Thanks for reading along.

[Nurse_Mommy4]

Are you all packed and ready to go?

If so, maybe another installment before you leave?:confused3

No pressure or anything.:rolleyes1

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

NM4,
SO completely the opposite of packed and ready to go. But I'm still hoping to get more of this done before we head down.

And I had aspirations about a pre-trip:confused3

[DebIreland]

All caught up. I love it! :thumbsup2 You're doing such an amazing job and I'm really sorry to see you're coming near the end! But wow! You're off to WDW again in 6 days. Please, please, please start a new TR as soon as you return!!!

I'm sorry to hear you were feeling bad. I can relate to the "flames" in your throat. :hug:

There was no HAAAAAmony. I was, dare I say, crabby.

Hmmm, no I can't relate to that. I myself have never been anything but full of the joys of life in WDW. :rolleyes1 Ok, ok, you've read my TR, who am I kidding!! :lmao:

Crystal Palace. This has got to be one of my favorite places to eat.

:thumbsup2 It's the best!!!!


http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t240/sharkB8HooHaHa/100_2637.jpg
Oh wow!! What a beautiful family! You're absolutely gorgeous!!

It was the kind of instant friendship that you wish could happen for your kids in the real world.

Oh yes, I'm nodding my head here. I know exactly what you mean.

It was a fantastic ride across the water. One that will provide the kind of memories I didn't expect to have. Memories I already cherish.

:goodvibes

Ah the pins, the dreaded pins. You know I mentioned in my TR how we were expecting a delivery of pins to arrive at ASMusic? I had ordered them from EBAY. Well they never arrived as I mentioned but guess what? We got them last week!! I still don't know what went wrong but 3 months later, they're here. My eldest DS loves them and he really has some beautiful ones but, honestly, it was a pain through our holiday almost constantly saying "no" each time he saw yet another pin he wanted. It was his own money but man, they are so expensive in WDW. The Premium Outlet Stores had some great ones for just a few dollars and if you do decide to go the EBAY route I can recommend a great seller I bought (successfully) from twice now!

I so hear ya on the coke thing! Over Christmas I was too weak (here we go again) to hide the coke from my 2 year old. The best I could do was water it down a bit. My 12 year old didn't let it pass though. He asked me how come he was almost 10 before I allowed him to drink coke and she was getting it at just 2 years of age! He has a point too! My 9 year old was about 7 when I allowed him to drink it. So thankfully I don't plan on having a 4th child or, no doubt, I'd probably be sticking the stuff in a bottle and 'feeding' it to him in the labor ward. :lmao:

Excellent stuff shark, keep up the great work!! :woohoo:

[BrerMama]

Just wanted to pop in and say I'm still with ya... have a great trip this week!

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Deb,
You are too kind. I am having a great time writing, I just wish I had more time to get this one wrapped up and on to the next. I often wonder if others are reading and enjoying, and it's so nice to hear from people who are.

And the gorgeous thing? You are crazy. CRAZY I tell you! The image must have morphed into something else when it crosses country lines. But my boys are cuties. They look just like DH.

I've got another picture of Bite 3 and his coke that I hope to post with my next installment that I simply HAVE to get done tomorrow. But now, it's to my laundry room to tackle that...

Thanks again.

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Just wanted to pop in and say I'm still with ya... have a great trip this week!

Miss Kim!
So happy you "popped in!" And thanks for the wishes for the upcoming trip. I am really looking forward to getting out of town for a bit.

Thanks for sticking it out with me!:goodvibes

[DebIreland]

And the gorgeous thing? You are crazy. CRAZY I tell you! The image must have morphed into something else when it crosses country lines. But my boys are cuties. They look just like DH.

Oh puh-leaze! They look just like you with their sallow skin, bright eyes and smiles! It soooo did not morph :lmao: I say you're gorgeous and you look just like them so if you say you're not gorgeous then you're saying your children aren't gorgeous and that makes you a mean, horrid momma. :lmao:

Good luck with the :laundy: Only 4 more days and you're back in Disney World. :cloud9:

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Deb,
Thank you. It's the Irish in us. ;) I'm nothing but, and DH is of mostly Irish decent. So it's got to be the Celtic blood, 'cause I've seen your kids!

As for my laundry, it's done, but I know I'll have more to do by tomorrow. :confused: I do need to start packing, but it is my intention to get more of our day at Epcot done and posted today. Wish me luck!

Thanks again for the sweet words. It's stuff like that that gives you an open invitation to the states. Ever been to South Carolina?

[mlill]

:banana: Have a wonderful time!!! :banana: I can't wait to read your new TR when you get back!

Take care,
-Michelle

P.S. Please send some of that Florida :sunny: sunshine up this way. I'm FREEZING! Brrrr...

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t240/sharkB8HooHaHa/100_2391.jpg

Told you he was hooked!

After a jaunt through Future World without much of a delay on anything, we went to World Showcase. As I said, I never feel like I get enough time there. My boys don’t stand for the in and out of shops that I wish to someday do, so most of our time is spend walking back and forth between Norway and Mexico to hit the only “rides” in WS. If we happen upon the acrobats in China, we’ll stop to watch. The same goes for France. But that is only if we stumble upon them. But there is always a jewel we will stand around and wait for.


http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t240/sharkB8HooHaHa/100_2560.jpg

Miyuki in Japan is amazing. She is a candy maker. The only trained female candy maker in Japan, for that matter. And she is as delightful to listen to as she is to watch. She has a very unassuming candy making stand that is always positioned by the front door of the store in Japan. The cart gets pulled forward a bit, and she gets to work. She works with a white taffy-like goo that always starts as a small ball and always becomes the most amazing things. She can make any animal in any color. And while she’s forming her creations, she speaks in this sing-songy voice about the animal she’s making. Her animals are “very fashionable” and often say “Hello” as their arms are put into position. Each bite has had the good fortune of having something made by her. This time it was Bite 3’s turn and he got a panda. He loves pandas and this one was named (as they all are) Pi Shu.
http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t240/sharkB8HooHaHa/100_2562.jpg

It takes her about 1 minute to make her candy for you.



We ate a mid-day lunch at Tangerine in Morocco. LOVE IT! There was so much food that we didn’t need dinner…well, does a Mickey on a stick count? Thank God for pants with spandex!


As the late afternoon was approaching, along with the thunderclouds, we headed back to the front end of the park to do some repeats from earlier. We timed it beautifully and made it to Universe of Energy just as the drips were starting to fall. If ever there was a good place to wait out a storm, it’s there. You get to sit. It’s dark. Nap potential is very high (for me, anyway!) and the bites really like it. (They still walk around the house saying “The ding-dang? The piggy-bank?”) I, personally, find it a bit depressing. And outdated. But it takes a long time, and the storm has usually passed by the time we’re finished. As it did this day.

So we were back to Soarin’ and Turtle Talk. Rode Test Track and sat in the cars in the showroom as if they were our own.

Then it was a ride through time in Spaceship Earth as our last hoorah for the day and off to the hotel. This was the night that we switched over to Shades of Green and had to leave our beloved POR behind. No more free food. No more bus drivers full of trivia. No more towel animals. And the knowledge that we were down to one wake up and a half day before we were forced back into our real lives.

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Michelle,
Thanks for the warm wishes:goodvibes . I am starting to get into panic mode. The house is a mess, I have a gazillion things to do, and the only thing that is ready to go is my mind!:lmao:

But I'll do my best with the warm weather. It's chilly here this morning, too. 24 at my house. That's just not supposed to happen here in SC in February. Seems winters just a bit behind schedule this year.

Keep your fingers crossed for me that we have warm temps down there.

THANKS!

[PrincessV]

We swa the candy-lady for the first time in Dec.! Unfortunately, she was on her last creation before a much-needed break, so DS didn't get one, but I could have watched her all day!

Have an amazing trip! We'll be here waiting and thinking of you in The World...popcorn::

[DebIreland]

Love the latest episode! I know what you mean about never having enough time at World Showcase. We found it a bit frustrating on our trip that we never seemed to get enough done there even though, in theory, we had lots of time. It was great though to just soak up the atmosphere but it seemed we just got a peak at each country. Another excuse to go back!!

Awww, it must have been sad to leave POR - it's that ol' sinking feeling :guilty: but one you don't have to worry about right now of course as your trip draws nearer. Don't do what I did anyway and stay up all night the night before. :rolleyes: Hope to read more soon and can't wait for the new one too!! :thumbsup2

P.S. Never been to South Carolina but who knows! It's on our list. Get out the spare sheets!! lol!! :woohoo:

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

We swa the candy-lady for the first time in Dec.! Unfortunately, she was on her last creation before a much-needed break, so DS didn't get one, but I could have watched her all day!

Have an amazing trip! We'll be here waiting and thinking of you in The World...popcorn::

:goodvibes Thanks for the well wishes. I had hoped to get more of this TR done today, but, as you can well imagine, it just isn't going to happen!

How's the weather down there? I'm obsessing.

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Deb,
Ooohhh, next TR? I don't know if I can do it. The only suitable title I've come up with so far is "Facing the Swirling Vortex of Terror".

You'd have to know my in-laws.:scared:

[DebIreland]

Shark, if you log in before you go I just wanted to say have a brilliant trip!!!! And you certainly will write a trip report young lady http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f258/DebIreland/58.gif Please!! :flower3: ;)

[Disneyland_Mama]

Bumpin' ya, baby! ;)

[DebIreland]

Bumping this while Shark is frolicking through Disney World! :lmao: :thumbsup2

[PrincessV]

HEY, I haven't missed a thing.... sharkB8, where aaaare yooou?!:goodvibes

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

I know, I'm a slacker. Truth is, we brought home an unwelcome guest last week, AS USUAL, and my house is a petri dish right now. Bite 3 has it badly, Bite 1 is on the verge, and Bite 2 has GOT to have the resistence of steel because he's still healthy, but I'm waiting and watching. I took Bite 3 to the Dr. yesterday and the amoxicilin seems to be helping now that it's 36 hours later, but he is the king of sinus schmutz right now. Poor baby hasn't slept all week, and if Bite 3 doesn't sleep, Momma doesn't sleep.

All this to say, I should be able to wrap up Happiness and HAAAAmony by next week.

And dare I attempt another? It was a COOOOOOLLLLLLDDDDD and crowded week in WDW! But there was lots of good stuff, and some not so good stuff. Perhaps I'll give it a go.

And thanks for the bumps while I was away.:goodvibes

[DebIreland]

Oh no Shark! I'm so sorry to hear that your boys are sick. I hope it doesn't last long. It's tough when one child is sick, never mind two. :grouphug:

Looking forward to the next installment and the new report. ;)

[J-rat]

I love your trippie! You're a wonderful writer! Sorry the little bites are sick. Hopefully everyone will be better soon and you can finish this off (and start your next one :) ) !

[Nurse_Mommy4]

HI SharkB8,

Long time no write! :goodvibes

You're not a slacker. It's tough when the kids get sick and pass it to their siblings. (If only they would share everything else so well :confused3 ).

Can't wait for the rest of the trippie :surfweb: , not too mention the BEGINNING of the new one! :banana:

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

J-rat! Thank you for the kind words and welcome aboard. I am composing in my head today...well, that and wiping every conceivable surface of my house with lysol in a futile effort to rid us of the funk that has invaded! With any luck, not only will my home be virus free, but I'll get that last day posted.

Again, welcome, to my TR and the DIS.:goodvibes

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

HI SharkB8,

Long time no write! :goodvibes

You're not a slacker. It's tough when the kids get sick and pass it to their siblings. (If only they would share everything else so well :confused3 ).

Can't wait for the rest of the trippie :surfweb: , not too mention the BEGINNING of the new one! :banana:

Tasha,
I am the only one in the house that has yet to catch this yuck. Of couse, DH goes out of town on Monday for 2 weeks, just in time for me to be solo AND sick:sad2:

Thanks for hanging in there. I will get to posting (haven't I said that before????)

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

It was our last day. No one likes their last day. I always find it hard to focus on the last day in WDW. No matter how glorious the weather, how cheerful the CMs, how short the lines, there is always the ominous feeling of departure hovering out there. It saps the day of a certain amount of magic. It is the anti square at Main Street.

It was September 29th, two days before the YOMD was officially to begin. We went into the Magic Kingdom, as is tradition for us. We hit the favorites; the “must do again” list that we always accumulate with little diversion from the previous trip. Standards. But not standard at all. They are the rides that mean the most to us. The rides we talk about around the kitchen table when we are longing for some connection to the magic and wonder of WDW. Buzz, Small World, BTMR, Splash Mountain, Pirates. We play this silly game where someone will think of a ride and give clues about which one it is.

“The wait is never longer than 5 minutes.” (Well, unless it’s 4th of July!)
“There is a Mickey in the Earth”

That kind of game.

It’s fun. It brings us back and helps us look forward.

But on leaving day, it’s all about saturation. How much of the hope, joy and delight can we squeeze in before it is time to once again jam ourselves into the over-stuffed van and head East on I-4 to 95.

The walk up Main Street has a certain feel on departure day. Knowing that it is the last time, at least for a bit, maybe longer, that the castle will be in front of me instead of behind, makes my heart ache a bit. The lump in my throat is for the memories made there, not just by us, but by all the people around me.

Seems I am one of those sappy people.

It was a good day. We got to see the first presentation of the YOMD show at the castle (sans blinking eyed Mickey and Minnie…a good thing, too. That kind of thing would creep me out!) We had a lametastic Captain on the Jungle Cruise, but he was so bad he was funny. (Kind of like English Bull Dogs ~ So ugly they are cute.) Dead-pan blonde was no where to be found in New Tortuga. So all in all, a good day, despite the smack into reality that I knew was just a monorail ride ahead.

TTA, Blue Line, People Mover, call it what you will, but it is one of my favorite rides in the Magic Kingdom. Here’s the thing. I was, as you know from reading early on, brought to Disney World as a little girl turning 7. I remember, vaguely, the sky ride through the park. It is missed, but TTA is a close second. I love to be able to ride through Tomorrowland and look at the castle and Main Street. It is beautiful. While quietly moving along in your blue car, you can catch glimpses of people coming in and those of us forced to leave. You get snapshot images of laughter and joy, and the occasional tantrum being pitched by an overtired guest. And it’s all done to a “soundtrack” that I love to have going through my head for the ride home.

“Calling all SPACE RANGERS!”

“Paging Mr. Morrow, Mr. TOM Morrow…”

I love it.

So it was our last ride.

We then headed out toward the castle by way of the “Pixie Dust Maker” which proudly stands as the archway to Tomorrowland. My kids and their cousins dubbed this arch, and each and every time we go it’s our first stop, and our last.

So if ever you see a family walking in single file under the Pixie Dust Maker, pausing as each person gets a blast of Pixie Dust to last them until next time, stop and say hello. It’s just me.

[PrincessV]

So if ever you see a family walking in single file under the Pixie Dust Maker, pausing as each person gets a blast of Pixie Dust to last them until next time, stop and say hello. It’s just me.

What a terrific tradition your family created! :goodvibes

How is it that we always seem to update our TR's at the same time?! AND, this time we were both on the last day.... insert Twilight Zone music here... Too funny!

What's not funny is that this TR is coming to an end.
But.
Another is on the horizon, yes?! :yay:

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

This is to CERTIFY and make OFFICIAL, that our dear PRINCESS Vwas the very FIRSTto post on this very updated thread


And as far as posting at the same time...universal writing GENIUS must shoot down, much like the Pixie Dust Maker, and blast us on the same day:lmao:

[Nurse_Mommy4]

Awwwww!

Now look what you did SharkB8, you done gone and made me cry. :sad1:

That ending just touched my heart. (I should mention I cry watching Hallmark commercials) :confused3

So that I don't go through withdrawals; get started on your next TR! (that is once everyone is feeling better.) :goodvibes

[BrerMama]

What a great ending! Thanks for sharing your trip report with us!

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Tasha,
Sorry about the emotional ending...unfortunately, every time we leave the world it's an emotional ending. We had a bit of solace in September, knowing we'd be going back in February, but it's still always hard to face the real world.

As for Hallmark commercials, me too! I live in sap-city! :sad:

Thanks so much for following along all this time. You've been one dedicated reader! :thumbsup2 When can we see a pre-trip from you????

Be on the lookout for a new TR from our trip last month...I should be able to start this week.

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Miss Kim,
I'm so glad you stuck it out with me. And happy you enjoyed:goodvibes

[DebIreland]

Aww Shark, that was terrific! And yet, also so sad. You summed up the last day feeling so well. :( It's a lonely ol' feeling - knowing the World will carry on but not with you as part of it. But knowing it's not going anywhere always helps. I love your Pixie Dust Arch tradition!

Thanks so much for a wonderful read from the beginning to the end! :flower3: Please, when you're ready, and the boys have made a full recovery, get cracking on your new TR! I know it's gonna be a great read! :thumbsup2

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t240/sharkB8HooHaHa/100B2815.jpg

This is a picture of the castle and the Pixie Dust Maker taken from the TTA. Sorry it so huge, but I STILL haven't figured out how to make the photos smaller. A computer genius, I am not.

********

Walking against traffic when leaving WDW produces about as much stress as Deb feels when her DH drives to Cocoa Beach. ;) No fun in that. So as we left the park, not only did we have to deal with impending reality, but we struggled like salmon just to make it to the exit.

We headed for the monorail. It was mid-afternoon and most people were going in to the park, not leaving, so we were the only people on the platform. We asked the CM if we could ride in the front. He explained that it depended on whether or not there were already guests in there, and that only 4 could ride in the front. I told DH to go ahead and take the Little Bites and that I'd be in the car behind, if, in fact, they could get in.

As Monorail green pulled up to the platform, we could see the passengers in the front. Fortunately, the Magic Kingdom was their destination, so DH and my boys climbed aboard.

I sat down with a woeful sigh, ready to take a quiet and thoughtful ride around the Seven Seas Lagoon, when up ran a woman with her toddler. When I say toddler, I mean roughly 18 months. She wanted the front. Bad. She asked the CM if they could ride and he said that there were already people inside. She could wait if she wanted.

"Why should I have to wait?"

I kid you not. She actually said that. As if she had called 180 days in advance and we just took her spot.

To say that this woman was angry is like saying I was a little disappointed that we were leaving. She started yelling and got all red in the face. As the doors closed she started holding her child up to prove, perhaps, that it was a ride for the child and he should be granted said ride in the front. And as we pulled away from the platform, I saw her mouth utter the word "Fudge. Only (she) didn't say fudge."


It was a nice ride. A few moments alone for me to set all the memories in place ~ harden the cement, if you will. Lock them in.

As we got off at the Poly to walk over to SOG and the car, the boys were all smiles and spoke of the cool ride in the front. It was a little extra magic that was unexpected, and unexpected magic is often a little sweeter.



*****
:wave2:
Thanks, everybody. This was fun.

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Aww Shark, that was terrific! And yet, also so sad. You summed up the last day feeling so well. :( It's a lonely ol' feeling - knowing the World will carry on but not with you as part of it. But knowing it's not going anywhere always helps. I love your Pixie Dust Arch tradition!

Thanks so much for a wonderful read from the beginning to the end! :flower3: Please, when you're ready, and the boys have made a full recovery, get cracking on your new TR! I know it's gonna be a great read! :thumbsup2

Deb,
Thanks so much for the kind words.

Fortunately, all Little Bites are better. Bite 1 still has a cough, but the other two are fine (one with the help of amoxicilin!)

DH and I often talk about the continuum that is WDW. People coming and going, vacations being planned or wrapped up, guests on rides RIGHT NOW! It's strange that it all goes on without you. And wonderful, as you said, that it will be right there waiting for when you go back.

Thanks again. And I hope to get the new TR going soon.

[bawsmom]

What a wonderful TR!!:thumbsup2

i have been lurking along and have finally caught up. now just patiently waiting for the next one to start:goodvibes :hourglass :goodvibes

can't wait to hear about the inlaws. you are much braver that I. when we went in Dec MIL went also and wasn't as bad as i thought but.... not sure i want the whole kit and kaboodle going:rotfl: :scared:

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

bawsmom,
How nice of you to come out of lurkdom to let me know you were following along!

The trip with the in-laws went better than it did the last time we went together (which was 7 years ago.) But the trip 7 years ago was the last time because I SWORE I would never do it again. So, as soon as I come up with something to call it, I will get it up and started. Keep an eye out for me.

And, again, thanks for letting me know you read along and enjoyed. :)

[Disneyland_Mama]

Awwww... shark!! That was the sweetest ending!! :cloud9:

I'm so sorry to see your trippie come to an end, I have enjoyed going along with your family and your adventures. I do hope another trip report is on it's way. ;)

Here's to future day under the Pixie Dust Maker! pixiedust:

[Nurse_Mommy4]

Tasha,
Sorry about the emotional ending...unfortunately, every time we leave the world it's an emotional ending. We had a bit of solace in September, knowing we'd be going back in February, but it's still always hard to face the real world.

As for Hallmark commercials, me too! I live in sap-city! :sad:

Thanks so much for following along all this time. You've been one dedicated reader! :thumbsup2 When can we see a pre-trip from you????

Be on the lookout for a new TR from our trip last month...I should be able to start this week.

Thanks SharkB8! :goodvibes

You know I hadn't even really thought about writing my own TR. :confused3

If I did write one when do you think would be a good time to start a pre-trip, since I do have 5 months left before the actual trip?

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Awwww... shark!! That was the sweetest ending!! :cloud9:

I'm so sorry to see your trippie come to an end, I have enjoyed going along with your family and your adventures. I do hope another trip report is on it's way. ;)

Here's to future day under the Pixie Dust Maker! pixiedust:

Thanks, Tracy.

I am glad you read along with me. And as for my future under the Pixie Dust Maker...we've got a surprise (for my little bites) weekend next month. They thought last time was the end of our APs. Little do they know:rolleyes1

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Thanks SharkB8! :goodvibes

You know I hadn't even really thought about writing my own TR. :confused3

If I did write one when do you think would be a good time to start a pre-trip, since I do have 5 months left before the actual trip?

Tasha,
DO IT! I love a TR from a first timer. All that new magic and stuff! And I'm sure I'll need at least one box of tissues:goodvibes

When to start? Well, DisneyLandMama is going in 5 months and she's already off to an awesome start on her pre-trip, as are some others. I think here on the boards they recommend 2 weeks, but that can't possibly be enough time to fill us in on all your plans. We want DETAILS!

Give it some thought...I'll be looking out for it!

[Lauralee131]

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t240/sharkB8HooHaHa/100B2815.jpg

This is a picture of the castle and the Pixie Dust Maker taken from the TTA. Sorry it so huge, but I STILL haven't figured out how to make the photos smaller. A computer genius, I am not.

********

As Monorail green pulled up to the platform, we could see the passengers in the front. Fortunately, the Magic Kingdom was their destination, so DH and my boys climbed aboard.

I sat down with a woeful sigh, ready to take a quiet and thoughtful ride around the Seven Seas Lagoon, when up ran a woman with her toddler. When I say toddler, I mean roughly 18 months. She wanted the front. Bad. She asked the CM if they could ride and he said that there were already people inside. She could wait if she wanted.

"Why should I have to wait?"

I kid you not. She actually said that. As if she had called 180 days in advance and we just took her spot.

To say that this woman was angry is like saying I was a little disappointed that we were leaving. She started yelling and got all red in the face. As the doors closed she started holding her child up to prove, perhaps, that it was a ride for the child and he should be granted said ride in the front. And as we pulled away from the platform, I saw her mouth utter the word "Fudge. Only (she) didn't say fudge."


:wave2:
Thanks, everybody. This was fun.

Sniff, sniff...I'm sad it's over Sharkb8!!

And that lady!! OMG...I can't believe that!! That's the type of person that gets mad at other people for eating in the TS restaurants for ruining her "dining" experience!:sad2:

I'll miss reading your adventures my friend....hurry back! August isn't that far away!!!:thumbsup2

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Sniff, sniff...I'm sad it's over Sharkb8!!

And that lady!! OMG...I can't believe that!! That's the type of person that gets mad at other people for eating in the TS restaurants for ruining her "dining" experience!:sad2:

I'll miss reading your adventures my friend....hurry back! August isn't that far away!!!:thumbsup2

Lauralee,
I'm just bringing my adventures over to your TR and pre-trip comb-o-nation!

But thanks for reading along.

I'm thinking of not doing a TR for the in-law trip of last month. It's all a blurr of stress, anger, and lost children (NOT pretty). I may just do a little thing for the Flower and Garden Fest next month...and that guy in Georgia won my money, so the renewal is not looking good.:eek: So much for Lapu Lapus:sad2:

[bawsmom]

Please do a TR.... not so you can "waller" in the misery but because i am sure there was some magic somewhere...pixiedust: and we want to "hear" about it. you know... some of us have to live for WDW through these TR...:sad1:

you are such a great writer, we would love to hear more!!!:yay:

[PrincessV]

Did I already post to the ending? I thought I did, I remember thinking about it, but now I'm not sure. Oh well, sorry if this is a repeat! :rotfl:

What a terrific finale to a terrific trip! Thank you so much for sharing it with us sharkB8 :goodvibes

Now about the next TR... what if you approcah it like therapy? Getting it all out on "paper" can do wonders for the psyche. And. Provide a little entertainment for us, too. ;)

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Cheaper than psycho-therapy (oh, now I have the Ramones going through my head!)

Okay, be on the lookout:scared:

And thank you to you all who have pushed me along...I'll give it a go.

[DisneyJo]

Wow I've just read all 13 pages and your TR was great I can't believe I found it just as it finished :laughing: Yesterday I did the same with Michelle's only to find all my friends have been busy reading this one too :rotfl2: It was so good to finally put a face to a name and your DS's are so cute. We also love the candy lady and my DD's made sure we staked out our spot before she came out. It worked too as they both got chosen and the candy even survived all the way back to England.

I love your style of writing and hope you do another TR :thumbsup2:

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

:laughing: Wow I've just read all 13 pages and your TR was great I can't believe I found it just as it finished :laughing: Yesterday I did the same with Michelle's only to find all my friends have been busy reading this one too :rotfl2: It was so good to finally put a face to a name and your DS's are so cute. We also love the candy lady and my DD's made sure we staked out our spot before she came out. It worked too as they both got chosen and the candy even survived all the way back to England.

I love your style of writing and hope you do another TR :thumbsup2:

Thanks, Jo! I'm so glad you did find you way over here. It's always great to have people reading, even when you're finished.

Thanks for the complement about my boys. They are cuties (to me, anyway).

Isn't the candy lady the best? I just think she's amazing..."good candy to eat. Candy for you. Just one minute." I would love to be able to do what she does. I'm glad your DDs were able to get selected AND have them bring their treats home. If you take your creation over to the store in the Americas, they will wrap it in bubble wrap and box it for your journey. We did that last time, but Little Bite 3 broke in and had a taste:laughing: Then once the humidity got to it, it was done for. I think he secretly knew this the whole time!

Thanks again for reading!

[tigger536]

I just caught up with your report...and you are done! Sorry for joining in so late, but I loved it!

The pixie dust maker part really made me smile. On our trips to the world our last day tradition is always to get a hand stamp, from whatever park we are in that day. The superstition goes, that if you get the stamp it means you will return shortly. Takes some of the sting off anyway. ;) Last trip though...no hand stamp. Its all electronic now! :sad2: So we'll have to find a new last day tradition, I guess.

Anyways, great TR! Thanks for sharing your trip with us. You have a very lovely family.

[basas]

Thanks for the TR! I loved it- and the pictures were great! Hope you do another one soon!!:)

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

I just caught up with your report...and you are done! Sorry for joining in so late, but I loved it!

The pixie dust maker part really made me smile. On our trips to the world our last day tradition is always to get a hand stamp, from whatever park we are in that day. The superstition goes, that if you get the stamp it means you will return shortly. Takes some of the sting off anyway. ;) Last trip though...no hand stamp. Its all electronic now! :sad2: So we'll have to find a new last day tradition, I guess.

Anyways, great TR! Thanks for sharing your trip with us. You have a very lovely family.

Late is okay! I'm glad you found the TR and enjoyed it.

I really like the hand stamp idea. What a shame that they don't do stamps anymore. I think the traditions definately help ease the pain of departure. And we all know, the leaving is never easy. We need all the help we can get!

Thanks for reading!

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Thanks for the TR! I loved it- and the pictures were great! Hope you do another one soon!!:)

Thanks! I'm glad you found the TR and had a good time reading. Again, sorry the pictures are so HUGE. Someday I will figure out how to size them, but by then the technology will have moved on, and I will be in the dark again:laughing:

As for doing another...just keep an eye out;)

[DISNEYFREAK13]

I really enjoyed your trip report and pictures:thumbsup2
Can't believe the woman and the monorail!:eek:

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

I really enjoyed your trip report and pictures:thumbsup2
Can't believe the woman and the monorail!:eek:

Thanks, DisFreak. I'm glad you enjoyed the read.

As for the woman and the monorail, yeah, she was a piece of work:headache: