Our Spectacular FIRST Disney Vacation! An August 2011 UK TR- Morning at DTD Update!

[meggiebeth]

Hello there!
Well, I'm kind of new to the DISboards, but I have been looking at it for a long time. After just returning from our trip in August, I thought I might try to write a trip report. I love writing and this might be a fun thing to do for me. :thumbsup2

Our trip: 11th August- 25th August

Why did we have this trip? Well, we all had a pretty hard year I guess. I had always wanted to go to America, Orlando specifically, and finally convinced my parents to look into it. We thought it would be a once in a lifetime vacation- we thought wrong! :lmao: We want to return as soon as possible. We are from the UK though, and this significantly bumps up the cost. We found flights in August (after much searching!) for $5232 for all of us. We had to fly into Miami, because flights to Orlando were about $1500 more expensive. That seems like a lot to us. As long as airfare prices stay fairly reasonable, we hope to be returning soon. :cool1:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/m081911_00_0491.jpg

Now I'll introduce us, left to right. This was our day at Discovery Cove (Which was really amazing :goodvibes )

Me (Megan)- that's the thing- I'm fourteen years old! I planned most of the trip and have found my favourite place in the world since being there. :goodvibes I really like Disney, I just think it's magical. I know I might seem young but I thought I might give this a try. ;) I love planning holidays and WDW is a holiday that you just have to plan! I really enjoyed planning it. :goodvibes

My mother Tracey- Mum doesn't really particularly like Disney, but she doesn't dislike it. She helped me plan some of the trip too. I think she was most excited about the food we were going to eat on the Deluxe Dining Plan.

Rory (6)- Rory's my brother and he really likes Disney. He enjoyed the trip a lot and loved meeting all of the characters. His favourites are Stitch, Pluto, Goofy and Mulan I believe. Because he has two older siblings (one of who'm persuades him that Disney is lame) he has probably grown up more quickly than me and my other brother... which I think is a little sad.

William (12)- William is my other brother and he believes that Disney is tacky and babyish... unlike the rest of us! :rotfl: He stayed back at the hotel a couple of times during our stay- I don't think he enjoyed Disney quite as much as the rest of us. Not to say he didn't enjoy it though! ;)

My father Will- Before we left for WDW, it was very obvious that dad was skeptical about the concept of a Disney World vacation. He absolutely loved it though, and wants to return as soon as we can afford it again! :cheer2: That really surprised me. :laughing:

Okay then- I guess I'll try to start. Thanks for reading! :)

[Zarabear]

First in to subscribe! Great picture and I can't wait to read your report. :)

~Zara

[meggiebeth]

Right- here we go! We woke up at about 5am in order to drive to London Heathrow Airport in time for our flight. We had to leave our lovely dog, Oscar, behind. Our cousins were coming to look after him while we were gone.
We parked our car and got a bus to terminal 3. Seeing as we had checked in online, we didn't have to join the regular queue (which was very long) and we could just walk through virtually, and check in our luggage with no wait at all.
When the time came for our flight, we hopped on the plane and checked out our seats. They were alright for economy. We had to walk through business class to reach our seats which was a little depressing. But IMHO, business class is very expensive for what it is, and unless you have money to waste, I just couldn't justify spending that much... especially if you are a family of five like us. ;)
I don't think we will fly American Airlines again if I'm being honest. :confused3 The aeroplane was quite old and run down, my entertainment system would not work properly and nor would my mums.
Is it just me or are the cabin crew not as smart as other airlines in the UK? The flight to Florida, they weren't even wearing a uniform for some reason, is this normal? However, on the flight back to the UK, they were a lot smarter. The return flight was a lot easier than the outbound, even though it was overnight.
The food was pretty awful, even for airline food. We had some sort of pasta, which was really not great. I don't really get why they try to give you more... fancy and complicated dinners... when it's only an aeroplane. Do you know what I mean? We had another meal just before we landed, pizza, which was simple but filling and such a relief after lunch. I was surprised that they don't have a selection of food that you can buy, I guess maybe longhaul isn't like that. The cabin crew certainly didn't seem surprised when they saw how many people hadn't eaten! :rotfl2:
We arrived in Miami around 2pm EST, 7pm GMT. We were very tired and had a long drive ahead of us. I was really surprised that things in the airport (and at WDW) were in Spanish too. It was really great to be on holiday in a place that spoke English, so we didn't have to speak French, Italian, Dutch, German, or whatever we would have to in Europe. :thumbsup2
We arrived at our first hotel at about 8pm EST, which was amazing. Coming up, what we thought of Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa, and after that... photos! :dance3: Thanks for reading! :yay:

[meggiebeth]

First in to subscribe! Great picture and I can't wait to read your report. :)

~Zara

Thanks for joining in! My first subscriber! Yay! :cheer2:

[meggiebeth]

At around 8:30pm (1am British time though- we were pretty exhausted! :upsidedow ) we finally reached WDW. We headed to Downtown Disney Resort Area, seeing as we knew this was where SSR was. My parents were worried about whether we'd get lost, but we found it no bother in the end. Disney sign-posts the roads really well! :thumbsup2
Saratoga Springs is a really beautiful resort, and it took our breath when we drove through it that first time. Lights lit up the buildings and the lake was stunning in the dark. It looks really smart. We found the Carriage House Check-in and the lobby is beautiful too! Rory, who was sound asleep when we arrived, awoke and caught sight of the gift shop. The next thing you knew, he was bouncing with energy and in seventh heaven as he caught sight of all the Disney merchandise.
Before we left for WDW, Rory was very much anti-Disney (partly because of the reluctance of his brother towards it) and wanted nothing to do with it. I got him sat down and watching some Disney movies, and ever since then, he really likes it! He really likes Mulan and Stitch, and found the Three Musketeers movie with Mickey, Donald and Goofy hilarious! It's great to have another family member interested in Disney, seeing as before the holiday, William, my mum and my dad had no interest in it at all. Funny how a two week holiday can change you! :laughing:
Me and Rory were reluctantly dragged out of the gift shop, and we went to find our room. We got a room in the Springs, which we were pleased about, as we had requested this. We were very close to the pool and restaurants.
I was a little nervous about what our villa would look like, seeing as a lot of reviews on Trip Advisor had said they were very aged and worn. However, our room was awesome! Clean, great decor, and not worn at all! :banana: It was great to have so much space. It would've been great to have a three bedroom villa, but they were so expensive that we settled for the two bedroom. It was loads of space and we were thrilled with our hotel, room, and... well... just everything! :woohoo:
I took some good pictures before all our luggage and stuff was unpacked, but my dear, lovely brother William decided to delete them. Actually, he deleted the first 100 pics from the vacation. :sad2:
I did take some more on the last day of our SSR stay, but we were in a rush getting to MK for an ADR, so I didn't get a photo of everything and the quality isn't as good. :confused3
Btw, I had seen many photographs of SSR before we actually saw it for ourselves, and I have to say, none of the photos give it justice! It is a beautiful resort, and I guess you just can't capture the full extent of how nice it was in a picture. (Same for the other Disney resorts we visited for meals) :yay:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_6106.jpg

This was the vanity area in bedroom two. Me, Willum and Rory loved it. Well... maybe just me. ;) It was great to have that extra space.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_6105.jpg

This was, again, bedroom two. Sorry that the beds aren't made, we were in a massive rush! We aren't morning people either. :rotfl:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_6104.jpg

This was the table adjacent to the kitchen. It was really handy to keep all our essentials for the parks on. We never ate on it though, seeing as we were on the DDP.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_6103.jpg

Ermmm, bad photo of half the television and seating by the kitchen. The T.V was awesome, we loved watching it after an exhausting day in the theme parks. The kitchen was really handy to have, for making drinks and things like chocolate milk.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_6102.jpg

The sofa and coffee table. :thumbsup2

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_6101.jpg

Bedroom one. Sorry again about the unmade bed. ;) We loved this room. I wish I had it! We spent a lot of time in the bathroom next door- the jacuzzi was a great touch. :love:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_6099.jpg

The bathroom. It was really nice, spacious, and I've already mentioned the jacuzzi! We really liked the layout... and how there was a door seperating the actual toilet to the bath and sink.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_6107.jpg

The table and mirror you see in the foyer of the villa. It was nice to put things on here ready to leave.

So- what did we think overall of Saratoga Springs? Here are our ratings-
Exterior Appearance- 9-10/10
Interior Appearance- 9/10
Our Villa- 8/10
Counter Service Restaurant- 7/10
Value- 8/10 (We had a 45% off deal, and in addition to this got a free Dining Plan, which we later upgraded to Deluxe) :thumbsup2
Atmosphere- 9/10
OVERALL- 9/10

The atmosphere was lovely. The pool at night was full of it. Our second hotel had absolutely no atmosphere whatsoever, and we spent the whole time missing SSR. (Minus William, who was loving having his own room ;) )

That's it for now! Next up, our awesome day at Epcot, our first Disney Park ever! Thanks so much for reading! :upsidedow

[saintstickets]

Great start to your TR. Are you sure you're only 14? :thumbsup2 I'm looking forward to the rest, especially your day at Discovery Cove since we will travel there next May. Can't wait for your next post.

[dismagiclover]

Great start! I love hearing about first trips!

[meggiebeth]

Great start to your TR. Are you sure you're only 14? :thumbsup2 I'm looking forward to the rest, especially your day at Discovery Cove since we will travel there next May. Can't wait for your next post.

Haha thankyou! I am fourteen ;) Unfortunately, my parents hate planning holidays, they like going with the flow, which means to me you don't get as much out of your holiday. So I plan- I just love it! :thumbsup2
Discovery Cove is really good. Are you doing the dolphin swim? All my family would say it isn't worth it unless you include this. It was just really amazing. We spent about $1500 for our family's tickets, and I would love to do it again, however, my father thought it was a little too expensive. Make sure you wear wetsuits, the water is freezing, both in the Grand Reef and the Dolphin Lagoon! :rotfl:

[jelloarms]

Does anyone actually make the beds while on vacation? I always thought that was the housekeepers job.

[meggiebeth]

Great start! I love hearing about first trips!

Thankyou for joining in! Our first trip was magical ;)

[meggiebeth]

Does anyone actually make the beds while on vacation? I always thought that was the housekeepers job.

Haha, yep, we could never be bothered to make our beds, it was great to come back from the parks to have everything cleaned, the beds made, etc. We are messy people! ;)

[saintstickets]

Quote:
Originally Posted by saintstickets
Great start to your TR. Are you sure you're only 14? I'm looking forward to the rest, especially your day at Discovery Cove since we will travel there next May. Can't wait for your next post.

Haha thankyou! I am fourteen ;) Unfortunately, my parents hate planning holidays, they like going with the flow, which means to me you don't get as much out of your holiday. So I plan- I just love it! :thumbsup2
Discovery Cove is really good. Are you doing the dolphin swim? All my family would say it isn't worth it unless you include this. It was just really amazing. We spent about $1500 for our family's tickets, and I would love to do it again, however, my father thought it was a little too expensive. Make sure you wear wetsuits, the water is freezing, both in the Grand Reef and the Dolphin Lagoon! :rotfl:

Yes, we will do the dolphin swim. DD has wanted to do something like that since she was your age. We are all really looking forward to it. Keep the TR posts coming!

[Microcell]

Great trip report! There is only one hour difference between Missouri and Florida and we are usually quite jetlagged, I cannot imagine 6 hours (isn't it?)!

Tuning in for more spectacular vacation reporting!

[ZFamily5]

I'm in! I'm 14 too! Can't wait to read more! I have a TR too if you want to come check it out. Link is at the bottom...

[RDP]

Great TR so far, we stayed at SSR in a 1 bed last year and loved it, looking forward to the rest of the report.

[meggiebeth]

Quote:
Originally Posted by saintstickets
Great start to your TR. Are you sure you're only 14? I'm looking forward to the rest, especially your day at Discovery Cove since we will travel there next May. Can't wait for your next post.



Yes, we will do the dolphin swim. DD has wanted to do something like that since she was your age. We are all really looking forward to it. Keep the TR posts coming!

Oh good. Hope you enjoy it- we sure did! :)

Great trip report! There is only one hour difference between Missouri and Florida and we are usually quite jetlagged, I cannot imagine 6 hours (isn't it?)!

Tuning in for more spectacular vacation reporting!

Awww thanks! :thumbsup2 There's a five hour time difference from the UK to Florida. It was easy adjusting to the Floridian time, we were all so excited, but it has been more difficult adjusting back to British time. We're exhausted! You're very lucky being so close to Disney! :goodvibes

I'm in! I'm 14 too! Can't wait to read more! I have a TR too if you want to come check it out. Link is at the bottom...

Hello there! It's great to meet another 14 year old. :woohoo: Can't wait to check yours out! :)

Great TR so far, we stayed at SSR in a 1 bed last year and loved it, looking forward to the rest of the report.

Thanks for joining in! SSR is really great, eh? :lovestruc

[TinkerbellBby]

I'm subscribing popcorn::. Can't wait to read more about your trip :goodvibes.

[meggiebeth]

So- our first day was at Epcot! We were planning to get there for morning EMHs, but, as I have already said, we are not morning people. :laughing: We managed to get to Epcot for park opening at 9am... which was a shame, but it was our first day.
As we drove along the road in excitement, we finally caught sight of the Epcot ball. It was great seeing the Disney icons like this for the first time, in person, and not just images on the computer.
As we entered the park, the boys seemed keen on doing Test Track first. However, we decided to try Soarin' first. So we headed over and got a fastpass for it. It was for around 10:30am, which was when our breakfast reservation for Akershus was, though. We didn't yet know though that you could use a fastpass after it's expiration time. I had read on here that some people did it, but I didn't know whether it was actually allowed or whether they just got away with it. We were told by a CM later in the week that it's a great Disney secret that apparently not many people know about, and it was allowed. Things got a lot easier from then on! :thumbsup2
However, on the first day, we didn't know this, and seeing as we were starving hungry already, we decided to head up to Akershus early and see if we could get seated. Surprisingly, 10 minutes after we asked, we were taken to our table. Akershus is really beautiful, we loved it.

Here are some photos taken while we were waiting to be seated. It was very hot and humid even though it was only 9:30am. Unfortunately, most of these photos were also deleted by my 'thoughtful' brother. We had a problem with the memory on our camera, we had one memory card, which was full after 3 days. So we then had to delete as many photos and videos as we could until we had time to go and buy a new one. We bought one from Walmart which didn't work, which was extremely frustrating. It was day 8 of our vacation when we finally bought a memory card from Publix. So I apolagise in advance for the lack of photographs that there may be. :confused3

Anyways...

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_4917.jpg

Me and Rorsie by the statue in Norway. :thumbsup2

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_4918.jpg

Us again! These were the only pictures we had before Akershus. I took Rory into the small shop in Norway whilst we were waiting to be let in. We just aren't used to the head and humidity in Florida! (Despite that, we really loved it! We had... about a day and a half of actual 'hot' days in the UK this year. We're in the south, so it's even colder in the north! :scared1: )

Anyway- part of the shop is open, I believe in relation to the Princess Breakfast? It sold things like Princess dresses, accessories and merchandise. Rory saw some sheilds and swords and wanted these. He also liked the polar bear plush toys. He's going through that age where he can't take no for an answer. However, just then, we were called in, and Rory, who was looking forward to meeting his favourite princess, Ariel, excitedly ran off. :rotfl:

Breakfast at Akershus!

As we entered, we were invited to go and meet Belle, who was in an alleyway where everyone would get their picture with her. Belle is one of my two favourite princesses, so I really enjoyed it. Rory was totally in awe! He was so excited to meet the 'real' Belle. He used to think princesses were just for girls, but since meeting them, he really likes them! :laughing:
Here is the photo we took ourselves, more to come though, I just haven't got them at the moment. William considered it babyish and stupid, I guess teenage boys do think that. It was a shame to not see him in the family photo with Belle. But... there's no point forcing him to do something he doesn't want to do- it's his holiday too I suppose! :thumbsup2

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Here's me and Rors with Belle. The photos that the photographer took were so much better, I'll put them on when I can find them. Our camera is really basic, we aim to get a new one for our next WDW vacation.

We had a family photo after this (minus William) and then were seated at our table. The actual restaurant was really beautiful. We were pretty much all in awe. Disney really leaves no detail out! :laughing:
It's really cool how the people working in each country are from that specific country! It feels really authentic. Our waitress was very friendly. I did take pictures of our plates here, but all of them except for mine were... wait for it... deleted!!! :laughing:

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Here's my plate. As you can see, I'm not a very adventurous eater. :rolleyes1 I am also a vegetarian, so the fish and meat were not much good for me either. And... the truth is... I only ate the banana. Just after we got our cold plates, the hot plate was brought out. I believe there was bacon, sausages, potato casserole and scrambled eggs? I can't quite remember. The reason I didn't eat much of my cold plate was because the potato casserole was really delicious. I completely filled up on it... it was very moreish. :thumbsup2

I can't remember the details on what the others said about the food, but they really liked it. I do remember them saying that they really liked the bacon, which I was surprised about. I had heard quite a few people say Disney bacon wasn't good at all. It was very thin, however, and quite crispy, I believe? Mummy and daddy wouldn't stop saying 'Wow, well done, Meg, this is awesome. This place is great! Can we come back?!' :rotfl: I do have to say, Akershus is very smart.

So- the first princess to come round was Aurora. She wasn't quite as friendly as the other princesses. She didn't spend much time with us at all... signed mine and Rory's autograph books and took a photo with Rory. We didn't really mind though, because she isn't one of our favourite princesses. :thumbsup2

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Here they are! Rory really enjoyed meeting the princesses... and surprisingly wasn't afraid to admit it!
Then, Ariel came over. This was Rory's favourite princess and he was really in awe of her. It was so priceless to see the expression on his face as she said hello to him. Here's the pic.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_4939.jpg

Next up was Cinderella.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_4940.jpg

Then, the waitress brought over a cute little cupcake and card signed by all the princesses for daddy's birthday. He was really pleased. Considering everything else at Disney is so expensive, it's awesome that they add little touches like this. Here he is smiling away:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_4941.jpg

Of course- we still hadn't seen Snow White yet! My dad likes Snow White. Snow White was by far the most talkative princess, she spent quite a bit more time with us than the others. She talked to Rory and my dad about the seven dwarfs and what they were up to. Rory just sat in his seat, mesmerised. His favourite princess used to be Snow White, until I showed him a video of Akershus on YouTube. (Oops!) He saw her kiss a little boy on the cheek, went 'Ewwww!' and then refused to like her anymore. So now his favourite is Ariel. :laughing: Here's the picture: (not the best I'm afraid!)

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_4942.jpg

Well, that was the end of our meal at Akershus. I remain admanant that that was one of the best meals of the trip. It doesn't get mentioned as much as some of the other restaurants, which surprises me. It was a great place to eat and avoid the long character greeting queues. Of course, we didn't try Cinderella's Royal Table, but Akershus was so good it would be hard to beat it! (Besides, it was 1 credit as apposed to the 2 credits CRT requires)

Oh... also, we recieved two photos in the Akershus cover (not sure what they're called) for free which was a pleasant surprise. I thought you had to pay for things like that. When we ate at 'Ohana, Chef Mickey's and Tusker House, you had to pay for photos. The photos at Akershus were really good too! The one thing I wish would be different was that some character meal would have Mulan in. She is my other favourite 'princess' (well she isn't really one but she is marketed as one.) I know she appears in China, but the queues were so long and there was so much to do we just didn't have time to see her. Even in the Disney shops, they had lots of Cinderella, Ariel, Snow White, Aurora, Sleeping Beauty and Tiana dolls, but Mulan was virtually non- existant. I guess she just isn't as big.

Our Ratings:
Me- 9/10
"The food was very good, character interaction was good, and value was good... The atmosphere was really magical, and the service was friendly too.

Will (Dad)- 8/10
"Asked for the potato casserole, and the chef was more than happy to come out and give us the recipe."

Tracey (Mum)- 8/10
"The breakfast was delicious, especially the potato casserole. As it was our first one, it's difficult to rate it. The atmosphere was nice, and the service was good too."

William- 3/10
"I didn't like it." :confused3

Rory- 9/10
"I thought I liked all of the princesses. My favourite princess is Ariel because she is a mermaid. The food was really great. The bacon was delicious!"

That's it for now! Next update coming really soon!

[broadwaybookworm]

I'm subscribing! Sounds like an awesome trip!

[meggiebeth]

I'm subscribing popcorn::. Can't wait to read more about your trip :goodvibes.

Thanks so much for joining in! :lovestruc

I'm subscribing! Sounds like an awesome trip!

Thanks for joining in. It really was! :cloud9:

[teacherlady8]

I am really enjoying this trip report! We have never been either.

[meggiebeth]

I am really enjoying this trip report! We have never been either.

Oh really? If you ever do get the chance, go. It's great, and worth every penny! :goodvibes

[PrincessCharlie]

Love the report, Glad you was able to convert your family into Disney freaks, well most of them anyway! :goodvibes

[RDP]

loving the trip so far, we are going to Akershus in October so its great to hear you enjoyed it, DS 4 and DD6 are going to love it, and the food looks great, we have been to CRT and it certainly compares well. DS 4 loves the princesses and DD 6 just loves all of it! Your pictures are great BTW

[Zarabear]

Great report!! I wasn't able to get a Akershus breakfast in, I was traveling with my son and husband so I was totally outvoted. I was able to get the CRT in, because they thought it would be neat to eat in the castle and it was SO not worth the 2 TS credits. Next time, we'll be giving this a try instead. :)

~Zara

[meggiebeth]

Love the report, Glad you was able to convert your family into Disney freaks, well most of them anyway! :goodvibes

Thanks for reading! Haha, I agree, now even they want to return to WDW! :cool1:

loving the trip so far, we are going to Akershus in October so its great to hear you enjoyed it, DS 4 and DD6 are going to love it, and the food looks great, we have been to CRT and it certainly compares well. DS 4 loves the princesses and DD 6 just loves all of it! Your pictures are great BTW

Awww thanks! You and your kids will love Akershus I'm sure. It's just such a great atmosphere. The princesses did a parade around the restaurant every so often with all the 'princes and princesses'. I don't know whether they do this at CRT but it looked like all the kids were having so much fun. :thumbsup2

Great report!! I wasn't able to get a Akershus breakfast in, I was traveling with my son and husband so I was totally outvoted. I was able to get the CRT in, because they thought it would be neat to eat in the castle and it was SO not worth the 2 TS credits. Next time, we'll be giving this a try instead. :)

~Zara

Such a shame you couldn't get Akershus in, at least you tried CRT. I wanted to do that but no one else wanted to because of the princesses- the only reason we settled for Akershus was because we needed a TS breakfast in Epcot. I'm sure your husband and son will like it though, as long as they are not totally against princesses ;) Hope you enjoy it! :yay:

[gallmcduck]

Great TR so far joining in, I totally get the tiredness when you first arrive we are from Scotland, the long flight is so worth it though, look forward to reading more.

[meggiebeth]

Hello again! Nearly time for bed (timezones really mess up my sleeping pattern!) but I decided to do one more update.

So- after we ate at Akershus, we headed over to Test Track to get a FastPass. It was about 10:45am so we could now head over to Soarin'. Even though we had FP, there was about a 10 minute wait, but boy was it worth it! I had read how some people loved it, but I just didn't know what to expect. It was so much better than I was expecting it to be. Our whole family screamed as we smelt the oranges! I just don't know how they do it, but Soarin' was just magical. Only Disney could do that, right? ;)

Then we went to Living with the Land, which had absolutely no queue. It was interesting, especially to see all of the different plants. Here are my mum, Willum and Rory enjoying the ride:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_4947.jpg

When we got out, there was a queue! It was quite funny, we felt very lucky. Rory was in a massive strop because he was so thirsty, and yes, we had water, but no, Rory would not accept the water we had, stating water was 'gross' and demanded some coke. Seeing as we had a ton of snack credits, we all got a drink from Sunshine Seasons.

Test Track Incident
We headed over to Test Track, and William was very excited. This was the ride he was most looking forward to in the whole of WDW. But just as we were in the room watching the video prior to the show, Rory got a massive nose bleed. Daddy, in an attempt to stop it so that we would not miss TT, let Rory use his shirt as a tissue, hoping it would end quickly. Unfortunately, it just got worse. As we were in the queue, about to board a car, a really kind man offered us his hankercheif. It was so sweet! Pretty much everyone is nice at WDW, the CMs and guests! This wasn't enough to let Rorsie get on the ride though, and he started crying. Not because of his nose bleed, but because he was so distraught that he was missing Test Track!
Me, Willum and Mummy rode TT while Daddy and Rors were hurried away by cast members. Test Track was really good... far better than any of us had expected! We headed through the gift shop, and looked for Rory and my dad. They were nowhere to be seen. :confused3
We sat out by the Test Track entrance, hoping that we'd see them walk by. We were increasingly worried that we would be late for our late lunch ADR at Tutto Italia. I said "Do you think they'll have let them ride? Maybe that's why they're late."
"No, I shouldn't think so." my mum said. "He won't be let on again. We'll have to get another FastPass for him and Daddy."
Suddenly though, Rory dashed towards us from the gift shop shouting how much he'd loved Test Track. They'd let him ride again! Disney is awesome.
But that wasn't it. Because their shirts were both covered in blood, Disney gave them both a voucher entitling them to a shirt! They could choose whatever shirt they liked, and they had $30 each to spend to choose one. My dad chose one with Grumpy on and Rorsie chose one with Pluto, one of his favourite Disney characters. Disney's customer service is the best, like, ever. I mean... where else would they virtually put $60 in someone's pocket?! I guess that's why people return to Disney. I suppose they didn't want people patrolling around Epcot in shirts covered with blood- considering everything else is so clean! :laughing:
It was one of the things that made our day. We were 1/2 an hour late for our ADR at Tutto Italia, but we were still let in.

That's it for now... coming up next... Tutto Italia for lunch!
(P.s. there will be more pictures... sorry for the lack of them in this post! ;) )

[jenrose66]

I'm enjoying your trip report very much. I love your dress too, so pretty.

[RDP]

Our 14 yr old niece will be staying with us on our Oct trip, can you let me know the 'must do' things in your opinion!

[teekathepony]

I'm joining in! Sounds like quite a trip!

[meggiebeth]

I'm enjoying your trip report very much. I love your dress too, so pretty.

Awww thanks! And thanks for joining in too :goodvibes

Our 14 yr old niece will be staying with us on our Oct trip, can you let me know the 'must do' things in your opinion!

Well, it depends on whether she likes Disney or not I guess. I love Disney, so I really enjoyed Wishes, the Magic, the Memories and You and Illuminations. To me they were more 'unforgettable experiences' than the rides were. But I also really enjoyed the thrill rides- Space Mountain, Expedition Everest, Test Track, Splash Mountain and Thunder Mountain. Oh, she'll love Soarin'! Star Tours is a great ride too. If she's into eating and looking round places, a trip to the Grand Floridian and a meal at GFC would be awesome! :thumbsup2
If she's never been to WDW before, I would say MK is the most important park to try. IMHO, it just 'feels' more Disney than the others, and has more rides and things to do. ;)
(Oh- almost forgot- a character breakfast or meal with Mickey and Co., even my anti-Disney brother loved posing with Goofy! Meeting the characters is something that virtually everyone enjoys the first time, I think! :) )

I'm joining in! Sounds like quite a trip!

Thanks for joining in! :thumbsup2

[meggiebeth]

So, welcome back everyone to my TR!

When I left off, we had just bought the boys shirts with the vouchers that Disney gave us, and were headed to Italy.
Rushing over to WS, we were terrified that we would not be let in because we had missed our ADR time. However, Tutto Italia was virtually empty! I was shocked, I thought pretty much all of the Disney restaurants were booked up and full, especially in August.

Lunch at Tutto Italia

We waited about five minutes in the lobby (don't really know why considering how quiet it was!) and then were called in. There were two or three other occupied tables... not many at all.

The decor is nice in here... although the paintings on the wall aren't really what they'd be like in Italy. It was one of the more upmarket places we ate at on our vacation.
(Sorry about the quality, our camera isn't very good at taking pictures in the dark!)

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_4949.jpg

Here are Willum and Rory...

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_4950.jpg

Rory enjoying himself...

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_4953.jpg

Me, Daddy and Rory (Please ignore my face, I was yawning!)...

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_4957.jpg

Me and dear old father...

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_4960.jpg

Oh dear...

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_4961.jpg

The food was good, and the service was really good. This is one of the only restaurants that we actually believed the staff deserved the tip we gave them. They really worked for it! I had the Minestrone Soup for my app, which I really liked. I would highly reccommend. I can't remember much more I'm afraid, we have lost all the photos, but I do remember my parents loving the platter full of meat.

Our Ratings for Tutto Italia-
(Sorry, I only had time to ask myself! Time for bed soon. :sad2: )

Rating- 7/10
"I really liked the decor, food and service. The appetizers were better than the entrees and desserts IMHO. I would reccommend this place if you are on the DDP, but if you aren't... it's pretty expensive for one TS credit- and I'm not sure it would be worth the full amount that we paid."

That's it for now! Our evening at Epcot coming up soon, hope to update tomorrow! :thumbsup2

Thanks for reading! :lovestruc

[meggiebeth]

Welcome back to my Trip Report!

Now, where did we leave off?! Oh yes, we had just left Tutto Italia and had a good meal. We were exhausted, hot and sticky, and decided to go back to the hotel for a swim. Here are a few photos we took on our way back through WS!

Here's Mulan. We saw her numerous times in China and I was a little disappointed that I never got to meet her.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5070.jpg

And some pictures of WS...

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5072.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5074.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5075.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5077.jpg

We loved this shop. It's where we bought the t-shirts for Rory and my dad that I mentioned in a previous post. It had so much stuff!

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5079.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5080.jpg

HOWEVER, when we got back to SSR, a torrential downpour started, and it was obvious that we weren't going to be swimming that afternoon. Rory was grumpy about it- a few weeks prior to the holiday he had learnt to swim under water and now loves swimming. So our little 'water baby' was a bit cross that we wouldn't make it.
I literally walked into the villa and went straight to my bed for a much needed nap. When I woke up, the rain was still going, but was merely a drizzle now. We noticed the time was getting dangerously late to get to EPCOT for our ADR at R&C on time. We tried to get ready as quickly as possible... but- our family is one of those families that take ages to just get out of the door and on their way! If you're a family, you'll probably know what I mean by this. We had to get ready, cream up, pack what we were taking with us, and of course, the major distraction for Willum and Rory was the television. So as me and my parents were rushing around trying to get to R&C on time, the boys lazed around in our room without a care in the world, let alone being worried about missing an ADR. It really enfuriates you sometimes, I'm sure some of you will know what I mean! :lmao:

Well, eventually when we got out, we hurriedly drove to Epcot, we were going to be late though and we couldn't really do anything about it! Luckily, because we were late for our Tutto Italia ADR and they hadn't blinked an eyelid, we weren't as stressed that we were late this time round.

We were about 40 minutes late when we finally checked in for our meal. We had to wait for our buzzer to go off, so we decided to check out the shops in the UK while we were waiting. They didn't really represent Britain. Well, they did sell football (soccer) shirts... our country is football mad for some reason. The UK was the most boring country in Epcot IMHO, I guess that's just because I live there! The shops sold all the stereotypical British things. ;)

The Rose and Crown Pub and Dining Room!

Our buzzer went off after about 20 minutes. We were taken in and had a nice, friendly waitress from Ireland. I'm ever so sorry that we don't have any photos of this meal. :sad2:

We were quite disappointed by the food, as we had heard good things about it. I had the vegetarian sheperds pie, which I didn't like at all- but I guess that is a matter of taste. My father had the sausage and mashed potato I believe, and the potatoes were so buttery, I really liked them. I didn't realize that there was bacon in it though... and when I did, I felt sick. There was bacon in pretty much all the mashed potatoes we ate in WDW, I don't really get why, it doesn't happen much in the UK. (Which is the restaurants theme!)
I seem to remember the rest of the food was just average from what the rest of my family told me. (The scotch chocolate cake was nice though, I really enjoyed that.)

What did we think of the Rose and Crown?

Me (Megan)- 5/10
"The food wasn't very nice, with the exception of the chocolate cake at the end. The atmosphere was nice though, because of it's size. It felt more personal.

Tracey (Mum)- 7/10
"I didn't think the food was that good- certainly wasn't English. We did have good seats for Illuminations though, which made up for it." (I will explain later)

Will (Dad)- Is out at drama club, so couldn't comment.

Willum- 3/10
"They gave me the wrong stake... was too chewy."

Rory- Is in bed sleeping... sorry.... ;)

Now... we had a reservation in the Preferred Fireworks Viewing Area in Morocco. However, we were going to be late for this, and our waitress said 'You can have a table in our outdoor seating area- because of the storm earlier it's been closed off.' It was virtually empty! We got a spot right in the middle of the deck and the best view ever. Illuminations was awesome. And we were viewing it from a virtually empty deck! There were two or three other families I think. I had heard it got really busy for the fireworks so it was awesome to have that unexpected surprise. The only picture we got from the show was this...

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5083.jpg

Our camera is rather tame in the dark. I really wish we'd have taken more pictures, or not as deleted as many!
Illuminations is really good and we all really enjoyed it. We haven't ever seen anything like it!
Here's some photos we took whilst leaving the park:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5094.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5095.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5098.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5099.jpg

These things were really interesting...

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5102.jpg

Little Rorsie was in deep sleep! :thumbsup2

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5107.jpg

What a great and magical day. And a great start to an amazing WDW trip!

Our ratings for EPCOT:

Me (Megan)
Rating- 7/10
Favourite ride- Soarin'

Will (Dad)
Rating- 6/10
Favourite ride- Soarin'

Tracey (Mum)
Rating- 7/10
Favourite ride- Soarin'

William
Rating- 5/10
Favourite ride- Test Track

Rory
Rating- 7/10
Favourite ride- Test Track

Thanks for reading! Coming up tomorrow- our day at Disney's Hollywood Studios! Bye bye! :thumbsup2

[lbuzz52]

Great Report so far!
My first trip with my family as an adult was at SSR. I agree, its very pretty and great when it comes to having some space. Sounds like you got a pretty good deal on the trip! Don't worry about your brotehr sometimes not enjoying it- when he has a family of his own it will come full circle and mean that much more to him because he gets to share his childhood memories with his family.
looking forward to hearing more!

[teekathepony]

Great update! I've always wanted to try Tutto Italia. Glad to hear you had a good fireworks spot!

[broadwaybookworm]

Nice update! I'm actually on one of those walls.

[15isto2]

Nice to see a UK trip report :goodvibes

[meggiebeth]

Great Report so far!
My first trip with my family as an adult was at SSR. I agree, its very pretty and great when it comes to having some space. Sounds like you got a pretty good deal on the trip! Don't worry about your brotehr sometimes not enjoying it- when he has a family of his own it will come full circle and mean that much more to him because he gets to share his childhood memories with his family.
looking forward to hearing more!

I'm glad someone else likes SSR. :goodvibes That sounds really sweet about my brother... if that happens I will be very glad! I'm sure he really does enjoy it but is too embarrassed to admit it! :laughing: Thanks for joining in!

Great update! I've always wanted to try Tutto Italia. Glad to hear you had a good fireworks spot!

You should try Tutto Italia- one of the better restaurants of our trip. Thanks for reading! :thumbsup2

Nice update! I'm actually on one of those walls.

Really? I was fascinated looking at them... and sad I couldn't have our family put on them! Some of them were empty :confused3 But we heard it was for the Millenium celebration. Thanks for reading! :thumbsup2

Nice to see a UK trip report :goodvibes

Haha, thanks! And thank you for reading! :)

[rebecca06261]

Subscribing! I love your fresh view on the Disney vacation experience. Most of my friends, myself included, have been so many times that we forget how magical Disney truly is. Thanks for sharing your holiday with us :goodvibes

[meggiebeth]

Subscribing! I love your fresh view on the Disney vacation experience. Most of my friends, myself included, have been so many times that we forget how magical Disney truly is. Thanks for sharing your holiday with us :goodvibes

Thanks for reading! And haha, thanks- I guess we've never been somewhere like WDW, where everything is well maintained, friendly and... magical! :laughing: That is actually what makes it feel so 'out of this world'. :thumbsup2

[meggiebeth]

Hallo again! Well, we left off at the end of our day at Epcot... exhausted but happy. Of course, we just had to go to bed near to midnight... knowing us... which made getting to DHS for EMHs in the morning very hard to do. Did we make it? In one word- no. We got there for 9am, standard opening time. I was annoyed... but I couldn't really get mad- after all it is a holiday!

So- as soon as we got through the turnstiles, I suggested we headed straight over to get a FP for TSM. I had read many trip reports saying how early the FPs run out. William and Rory moaned at this of course, because they were determined to try out Tower of Terror first. I had shown Rory the list of rides in WDW on the Disney website- and his two musts were Haunted Mansion and ToT. He loves the video for ToT... and how spooky it seems. However, my parents agreed that we should head over to TSM first, because a CM at SSR had told them that this ride is VERY popular. When Rory heard, he got annoyed and grouchy because Toy Story is stupid according to him (despite the fact he watches the movies and loves them :laughing: ) but... we dragged him over anyway. Our FastPasses were for about 4pm! :scared1: And we got to the machines at 9:10am... we were very surprised. So after getting FPs we headed over to ToT, and there was a 10 minute queue I think. So we all went in and joined the short queue. The theming in ToT is awesome, and it was so cute to see Rory's reaction to everything. When we got to the loading bit, my dad was thinking about getting off. He didn't like Mission:Space in Epcot the day before because the safety bar thing squashed him and he couldn't breathe properly. He got off when a CM came to check on him, and as I was scared too I leapt off with him. So William was left all on his own in the pod. (My mother and Rory were on the tamer version together.)
However, the CM at ToT said that it wasn't claustraphobic like Mission:Space and all you did was move forwards and to the side and then go up and down a few times. So my dad eventually did try it. We eventually got in the elevator, me sitting next to Mummy and Rory next to her. Willum and Daddy were behind us. It was magical- the beginning bit anyway. When we went up and down- I was TERRIFIED. This was the one ride in WDW I was too scared to go back on. My legs were shaking as we fell down the tower. And it didn't go down once, more like 10 times! You know that feeling you get when you go down a ride fast- like... your stomach jumps up? I had that- but ToT was so fast that it was just unpleasant for me.
Naturally, everyone else in my family loved it and went on again... while I had to wait in the gift shop. When they finally got off again, Rory wanted to buy a ToT keyring... and took forever to persuade my parents to get it for him. Eventually, we were done and we headed up towards Sci Fi Dine In, where we had an ADR for lunch. We made it up there and seeing as we still had a while to go until lunch, we hopped in the Star Tours line, only 20 minutes long. We all loved this ride, it was great! And very realistic. We were surprised it wasn't as popular as the other big rides in WDW. The waiting area is cool too.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Hollywood%20Studios/IMG_6342.jpg

When we got off, we got a FP to ride it again, which was around 1:30pm. Then we headed back over to Sci Fi Dine In. We had to wait for about 15 minutes after checking in... one of the longer waits in our holiday.
Unfortunately, we did have photos but they were deleted. Let's just say that the food was bad... to us anyway. The onion rings were the best part of the meal. Rory had a chocolate milkshake which was gross- you couldn't even drink it- it was like a lump of hardened jelly or something. We tried to let it soften but then it started overflowing and making a huge mess on the table. The food was average to bad. We didn't want desserts, so we just left. It was a disaster because we went in expecting average food but a good experience. We chose it because we thought Rory would enjoy it. However after seeing a clip from Frankenstein, he had nightmares for a while after eating there. It was for me probably one of the worst restaurants of our trip, next to the Rose and Crown in Epcot.

We went out and headed over to Star Tours for our second ride. Then we went over to Indiana Jones Stunt Show which was good. We went down to Rock n' Roller Coaster to try and get FPs but the return time was too late. (We were planning to leave and go swimming straight after dinner.) Here are some photographs of DHS I randomly took:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Hollywood%20Studios/IMG_6352.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Hollywood%20Studios/IMG_6353.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Hollywood%20Studios/IMG_6354.jpg

Me and my Mum went to see the Beauty and the Beast show and Willum, Rory and my Dad went to ride Tower of Terror again. The Beauty and the Beast show was really good- I wish it showed the whole story though. The boys rode ToT 6 times I believe, and they walked on each time with little to no queue. Good luck, eh? :thumbsup2

Then it was time for Toy Story Mania, and we headed into the FP queue. We ended up waiting 20 minutes anyway. We got on the ride and while it was fun and a cute little ride, I didn't get why the queue was so terribly long or why the FPs run out so early. IMHO, rides like Soarin' and Star Tours were a little better. Rory loved TSM and got cross when we couldn't ride it again. He said 'Just get another FastPass! For goodnesses sake!' :rotfl:
We were unwilling to wait in the 70 minute queue though! ;)

We headed over to Mama Melrose's for dinner. We got seated in about 10 minutes. Our waitress was nice and friendly and the food was good too. Rory lost his Stitch pin in the restrooms and was very upset. The waitress gave us one of her manager's ones. We were given a Fantasmic Dining Package Pass but we weren't going to use it so we ended up giving it to another family when we were leaving the park. Now, the suggested tip for Mama Melrose's was around $33 I believe, but my dad refused to give that amount. Towards the beginning of the vacation he found it hard giving the 18% gratuity, but he decided to just give in after the first few days.

Our waitress got really annoyed with us because we only gave her a $20 tip. I felt guilty, but I didn't think it was fair that she got upset because of it. In England we only give a tip when someone really deserves it, so it WAS difficult giving tips to people who didn't deserve them. In this case, she did, but probably in half the restaurants, the service wasn't nearly good enough to actually deserve a tip. I know that they receive less than the minimum wage... and are taxed in accordance to tips and all that... but I just don't get why you should reward someone when they haven't even tried.

So... we left the park and headed back to SSR for an evening swim. We headed to the Springs pool which had a lovely atmosphere at night. Rory, who was almost asleep when we got there, burst with energy when he started swimming. He loved swimming in Florida, in the heat. We never tried out the Paddocks Pool which was new, much to my disappointment! ;) My parents couldn't be bothered to go and find it... they were tired.

That's it for now! I'm so sorry about the lack of pictures, there will be a lot more in the next update, I promise! Thanks for reading! :)

[joy13]

Joining in - sounds like a great trip! I'm glad you liked the food at Mama Melrose's, we are eating there on our trip. Sorry the waitress was rude about the tip - that's pretty bad form :(

[broadwaybookworm]

Totally agreeing with you about TOT: that was the one ride I would not go on!

[RDP]

Looking forward to the next instalment! Sorry to hear about the 'tip' thing. there is a lot of pressure to tip well and it seems to be expected regardless of the level of service in some cases!

[RDP]

Joining in - sounds like a great trip! I'm glad you liked the food at Mama Melrose's, we are eating there on our trip. Sorry the waitress was rude about the tip - that's pretty bad form :(

We also had a great meal there last year, although we had a long wait to get seated.

[meggiebeth]

Joining in - sounds like a great trip! I'm glad you liked the food at Mama Melrose's, we are eating there on our trip. Sorry the waitress was rude about the tip - that's pretty bad form :(

I'm sure you'll like Mama Melrose's... it has a lovely atmosphere! Just be sure to tip! :laughing: Thank you for joining in too :)

Totally agreeing with you about TOT: that was the one ride I would not go on!

Thank goodness I'm not the only one! No one ever said how fast and scary it was... never setting foot in it again! ;)

Looking forward to the next instalment! Sorry to hear about the 'tip' thing. there is a lot of pressure to tip well and it seems to be expected regardless of the level of service in some cases!

It's good to hear other people think that too. Most of our servers were very polite, but only the one we had at California Grill really stood out. We were happy to tip her... and servers at other restaurants that tried hard. We found it weird to have to tip at buffets where all they do is literally get your drinks and hand you your bill. :lmao:

We also had a great meal there last year, although we had a long wait to get seated.

We also waited quite a while... was a very popular restaurant. ;)

[meggiebeth]

Welcome back to my TR! Now finally, I have more pictures to share with you... we took lots at MK. This was probably one of the two best days of the trip. So without further ado, let's get started!

Breakfast at Chef Mickeys!

We left our hotel at about 7:00am :scared1: Exhausted... hungry and grouchy... a great combination! We were up at about 6:00am in order to get to the CR on time. We left our lovely hotel, and were on our way! I was very excited, and so was Rory!

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5117.jpg

And soon... we reached...

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5161.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5120.jpg

We excitedly walked (or ran!!!) through the restaurant to check in. We were given a buzzer and sent to have our photo taken. Our buzzer went off just as we were about to have our photo taken... so we posed and then went straight over to get our table.

My dad really enjoyed this restaurant... and yet I thought this would be one of his least favourites! He said it was 'buzzing' and had a great atmosphere. I also think he enjoyed meeting his childhood Disney friends.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5123.jpg

This is my first plate. The pancake was nice, the potato bite things were okay, (they would've been nicer if they weren't just lukewarm) the hash brown was gross and a bit burnt and dry. I didn't eat the peaches... I found something much more delicious...

MICKEY WAFFLES! :mickeyjum party: They were delicious! Better than the pancakes because they were crisp on the outside, yet spongy and soft on the inside. And the syrup just made them taste... (Well- let's just say Mickey Waffles are one of my favourite foods now!) I'm heartbroken that they don't sell Mickey Waffle Makers... well not ones that make the waffles like they serve in WDW.

Anyway- my plate: (I got a plate of waffles later)

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5124.jpg

I also got a photo of Rorsie's first plate too. He loved the bacon, and had a croissant too. He loved the pancakes but refused to try a Mickey Waffle.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5125.jpg

Then along came Mickey!

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5126.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5127.jpg

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http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5129.jpg

At this point my parents got their Happy Anniversary Cupcakes. We were so excited about the characters, the candle burnt down till the cupcakes virtually caught on fire. Whoopsies!

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5130.jpg

Along came Goofy! We LOVE Goofy in our family. He's such good fun!

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5132.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5133.jpg

Of course William was being grumpy about meeting the characters, but Goofy sorted that out! He insisted that William should come up and get a boys only photo!

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5134.jpg

Over came Minnie. She didn't stay for as long as Mickey and Goofy, but she was still very sweet!

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5135.jpg

Then Donald came over.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5136.jpg

A very kind family asked if we wanted our photo taken, as a family.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5137.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5139.jpg

Awww, next up was Pluto! Me and Rory think Pluto is adorable... and very funny!

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5140.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5141.jpg

So, after a lovely and filling breakfast we headed right over to MK for our very first day there! We were offered a photo package for something ridiculous like $30 but we said no. After all- we got them for free from Akershus and were going to get more photos later in the holiday for free.

What did we think of Chef Mickeys?

Me (Megan)Rating- 9
"The food was good, especially the Mickey Waffles! The characters were so friendly and the atmosphere was very lively."

Will (Dad)
Rating- 9
"Loved the buzzy atmosphere with the characters walking round the tables- food was good too."

Tracey (Mum)
Rating- 8
"Really good fun- particularly the napkin twirling."

William
Rating- 7
"Goofy was very good fun and the food was good."

Rory
Rating-8
"The food was yummy and Pluto and Goofy were cute!"

So as you see, Chef Mickeys is one of our favourites. For breakfast, you can't go wrong. If you haven't tried it- do. It's a great experience. :dance3:

That's it for now folks! Coming up next, our day at Magic Kingdom! Thanks for reading and see you real soon!

[broadwaybookworm]

Yay for Chef Mickey's breakfast!

[jelloarms]

I'm glad that Goofy was able to bring your brother out of his "too cool for Disney" funk! Gotta love that Disney magic.

[dismagiclover]

Chef Mickey's is so much fun! I'm glad that even William liked it. Those teenage boys can be tough to please.

[saintstickets]

So glad you enjoyed Chef Mickey and his waffles! You're TR is fantastic and we finally get to see you smile!!! :lmao:


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[meggiebeth]

Yay for Chef Mickey's breakfast!

I agree :thumbsup2

I'm glad that Goofy was able to bring your brother out of his "too cool for Disney" funk! Gotta love that Disney magic.

That's what I love too. William liked posing with Goofy for photos after that- it's so good that the characters make that extra effort. :goodvibes

Chef Mickey's is so much fun! I'm glad that even William liked it. Those teenage boys can be tough to please.

LOL! Tell me about it! :rotfl: I guess Goofy is one of the 'cooler' characters in his eyes. ;)

So glad you enjoyed Chef Mickey and his waffles! You're TR is fantastic and we finally get to see you smile!!! :lmao:

Thanks! And haha, yeah! :laughing: Chef Mickey's was something we really enjoyed as a family. :goodvibes

[joy13]

Great Chef Mickey's pictures and when I saw your broghter William in the pictures I thought "he looks like he's having a pretty good time" I think this "I don't like Disney" is all an act :)

[teekathepony]

Great update! Love the Chef Mickey's pictures!!

[meggiebeth]

Great Chef Mickey's pictures and when I saw your broghter William in the pictures I thought "he looks like he's having a pretty good time" I think this "I don't like Disney" is all an act :)

Thanks! And yes, I do too. I think he's just too embarrassed to admit Disney might just be fun! ;) He was a bit 'Disney'ed out' at the end of our holiday though... :laughing:

Great update! Love the Chef Mickey's pictures!!

Thanks! :thumbsup2

[meggiebeth]

What Rory Thought of Our First Few Days

Rory was eager to tell everyone what he thought of the things I have covered so far. (And a chance to use the Smilies!) Sorry about the spelling mistakes... he is six after all! ;)

epcot was :stitch: y. sorin was grate it was real :banana:

tower of terer was :scared1: the sci fi dine in was scery dont take your little boys ther. they will get night mares. :maleficen

my favorrate resturent was chef mickys :rainbow:

Translation

Epcot was Stitchy*. Soarin' was great. It was real(istic). Tower of Terror was terrifying. The Sci Fi Dine In was scary. Don't take your little boys there- they will get nightmares. My favourite restaurant was Chef Mickey's.

*Stitch is Rory's favourite Disney character. He is complementing Epcot by calling it 'Stitchy' :lmao:

[dinglefitzberry]

Your trip sounds lovely so far. Can't wait to hear about Discovery Cove. We want to go there in Feb 2012.

[meggiebeth]

Your trip sounds lovely so far. Can't wait to hear about Discovery Cove. We want to go there in Feb 2012.

You'll love Discovery Cove. Make sure to book the dolphin swim, that is what makes it worth the money. ;) The swim is a totally unforgettable experience. Thanks for reading! :thumbsup2

[vfalkner]

Your trip looked like so much fun! We are just planning ours for February and will definitely consider Sarasota Springs!

[meggiebeth]

Your trip looked like so much fun! We are just planning ours for February and will definitely consider Sarasota Springs!

It was a lot of fun! You should definitely consider Saratoga Springs- it's a lovely hotel. If you live in the UK, it has a great deal going for a lot of dates in 2012... 45% off and a free dining plan. Hope you have a great trip! :yay:

[joy13]

I love Rory's input into your report -very cute!

[meggiebeth]

I love Rory's input into your report -very cute!

Thanks! And Rory says "thank you verry mutch :) "

[indychristine]

Just started reading your TR! Thanks for sharing!! You're doing a wonderful job!
I love that Goofy got your brother to join in on the pics! And he looked like he was having fun! :)
Thank you to Rory for sharing!! I think EPCOT is " Stitchy" too! Lol
Looking forward to more!
Oh btw.... Akershus was my families favorite breakfast! The food is great and princesses do a good job. We have been to CRT and prefer Akershus! :)

[meggiebeth]

Just started reading your TR! Thanks for sharing!! You're doing a wonderful job!
I love that Goofy got your brother to join in on the pics! And he looked like he was having fun! :)
Thank you to Rory for sharing!! I think EPCOT is " Stitchy" too! Lol
Looking forward to more!
Oh btw.... Akershus was my families favorite breakfast! The food is great and princesses do a good job. We have been to CRT and prefer Akershus! :)

Thanks! And thanks for reading too! :lovestruc
I was very glad Goofy did that too... And I'm glad that others like Akershus too. I was thinking about CRT for our next trip but it's two credits as opposed to one... and a couple people have said it isn't worth it.
Rory is very pleased! :laughing: He says thankyou and he is very happy that someone else agrees that Epcot it 'Stitchy'! :lmao:

[meggiebeth]

Hallo there and welcome back to my Trip Report! Now, I left off after our Chef Mickey's breakfast- a great start to the day!
We headed over to the Magic Kingdom, and got lost about 10 times... oh dear. We couldn't work out how to get off the Contemporary road and into the MK parking lot. So... we arrived after rope drop.

I like this photo of the monorail, taken from the CR.

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We walked up the middle of Main Street USA with awe on our faces... it was just beautiful and magical!

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Then the Main Street Trolley came along. We love the song they sing!

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Then, we reached the castle. Although I had seen so many photographs of the castle prior to our trip, seeing it in real life simply doesn't compare. It was a great moment for all of us.

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And here me, Willum and my Mum are standing by Walt Disney's statue:

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We headed over to Splash Mountain to get Fast Passes. It was already so hot that we looked forward to it and wanted to waste no time in getting a FP!

Us by the stalls.

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Walking through Frontierland... all the shops were very tempting to me! However, we wanted to make the most of our time at MK and that means... RIDES!

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That's us in the rocking chairs, if you hadn't noticed.

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I believe that we got FPs for Splash Mountain and Thunder Mountain had a very short queue. So, we hopped right on! We have been on Thunder Mountain in DLP, but William was about Rory's age then and barely made the height requirements. My dad didn't want to come on that trip, thinking the worst. Rory wasn't even born yet I don't think. I can't remember much, I think I was eight. But Mummy did tell me that it was quite fast in DLP.
It was quite fast but as usual... the Disney theming just made the ride. When we got off, we decided to head over to Space Mountain. We could claim another FastPass soon. We walked past it's a Small World though and I was eager to try it. This was the one ride I remembered well in DLP. And my mum did too. It was like I remembered it. William was annoyed because he wanted to do a thrill ride. Boo sucks to you, William!

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One of the rides Rory was most eager to do was the Haunted Mansion. We headed over there and it was obviously closed down. Suddenly though, someone yelled... 'It's opening!' There were some CMs opening up the gates. There were only four or five other people there... so we just walked right on the ride. Good luck, eh? The HM was very crowded some of the other times we visited so it was pleasant having the ride quiet and uncrowded.

Daddy took this photo:

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But then a really kind family offered to take one so my dad could be in it. (It's awesome how we got asked loads at WDW, it's just great how kind and thoughtful people can be!)

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William and my Mum went to the restrooms and me, Rorsie and my Dad checked out...

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My Dad liked the sweets. Mmmmmmm.

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Rory was running around like a hooligan, as usual!

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I loved the stuff they sold... except American popcorn is GROSS. The salt flavour is nice but when it's coated in toffee and other odd sweet things... it's just TOO sweet! LOL.

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I'll leave you with this photo for now! I'll try to get another post up, either today or as soon as possible.

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Thanks for reading! Look out for more MK adventures in my next update!

[Jenzerbenz]

This is such fun to read! Thanks for sharing all your 1st timer insights!

[teekathepony]

Then, we reached the castle. Although I had seen so many photographs of the castle prior to our trip, seeing it in real life simply doesn't compare. It was a great moment for all of us.

Oh I love that feeling, and you describe it so well.

Great update! I love the Haunted Mansion, it's my favourite ride! And I hate popcorn with toffee on it too. :rotfl:

[saintstickets]

Keep up the great TR! I love it when 1st timers or someone that hasn't been in a long time visit WDW and tell their tale of the trip. It's great to see the awe and wonder on their faces and to read your TR is the next best thing when not there in person. Can't wait to read more. :thumbsup2

[meggiebeth]

This is such fun to read! Thanks for sharing all your 1st timer insights!

Thanks! And thank you so much for reading! :goodvibes

Oh I love that feeling, and you describe it so well.

Great update! I love the Haunted Mansion, it's my favourite ride! And I hate popcorn with toffee on it too. :rotfl:

It is a great feeling. :lovestruc Awesome! The Haunted Mansion is great! They have put so much effort and detail into it. Haha, thank goodness my family is not the only one that thinks toffee popcorn is gross! :rotfl: We do have toffee popcorn in England, however, in Florida the popcorn is DRENCHED in toffee. I was surprised that there was no 'sweet' popcorn anywhere we looked. Not drenched with toffee or caramel but just sugary. :yay:

Keep up the great TR! I love it when 1st timers or someone that hasn't been in a long time visit WDW and tell their tale of the trip. It's great to see the awe and wonder on their faces and to read your TR is the next best thing when not there in person. Can't wait to read more. :thumbsup2

Thanks! MK was just amazing. We really weren't expecting it to be jaw-dropping like it was. It was the park I was least looking forward to. Yet I loved it and so did my dad (surprisingly!). To us, it didn't really feel like a theme park, more like another world. It's great to be doing a trip report, because WDW is all I can think about at the moment! We have been lots of holidays but this one is the one that we just can't forget about! I really miss it. :sad2: Oh well! Nothing that a Disney movie can't solve! :laughing:

[fromscratchmom]

Oh I love that feeling, and you describe it so well.

Great update! I love the Haunted Mansion, it's my favourite ride! And I hate popcorn with toffee on it too. :rotfl:

I don't know that I hate it, but I'm definitely a fan of savory popcorn and never really want the sweet versions or any other "flavored" versions either. :cutie:

I LOVE good plain popcorn made right and with salt on it, or at the most salt plus a tiny bit of garlic powder once in a blue moon. But I am also very picky about what I think is made right. I just really need the kind of popcorn popper my parents had for 20 years that my mom had bought with green stamps in the 60s and no one makes them in the last thirty years and probably longer. :lmao:

I bought one at a thrift store a few years ago and within two weeks my son broke the glass lid. :eek:

[RDP]

Great pictures, we love MK as well, its a great feeling being there around rope drop time, we always try and get an early ADR at CP to get in before rope drop and walk the streets while they are quiet.

[pinkle]

Loving your TR!!!!!!

[meggiebeth]

I don't know that I hate it, but I'm definitely a fan of savory popcorn and never really want the sweet versions or any other "flavored" versions either. :cutie:

I LOVE good plain popcorn made right and with salt on it, or at the most salt plus a tiny bit of garlic powder once in a blue moon. But I am also very picky about what I think is made right. I just really need the kind of popcorn popper my parents had for 20 years that my mom had bought with green stamps in the 60s and no one makes them in the last thirty years and probably longer. :lmao:

I bought one at a thrift store a few years ago and within two weeks my son broke the glass lid. :eek:

I agree about popcorn being made right, and also about plain popcorn. The salt popcorn in America is very salty and the toffee and other sweet flavoured popcorn is very sweet. We love our popcorn maker but when we use it, piping hot popcorn explodes literally everywhere. We stick to microwave popcorn now. :laughing:
Oh dear about your popper and the glass lid! :rolleyes:

Great pictures, we love MK as well, its a great feeling being there around rope drop time, we always try and get an early ADR at CP to get in before rope drop and walk the streets while they are quiet.

Great idea- I hope to do that next time. We were so focused on making it to EMHs this trip that we mostly had late breakfasts. (Despite the fact we didn't make ANY of the morning EMHs. :confused: ) I think for our next trip, we will definitely get an early ADR at Crystal Palace. :thumbsup2

Loving your TR!!!!!!

Thanks! And thanks for reading! :upsidedow

[FosterA]

I've really enjoyed your report so far. You write great considering you are so young:goodvibes

My daughter is also 14 and I'll be taking her (and my son and husband) to Disney for their first time ever this November. I like to hear your point of view so I will know what things she will enjoy or not enjoy since you are similar.

I can't wait to hear more!

[meggiebeth]

I've really enjoyed your report so far. You write great considering you are so young:goodvibes

My daughter is also 14 and I'll be taking her (and my son and husband) to Disney for their first time ever this November. I like to hear your point of view so I will know what things she will enjoy or not enjoy since you are similar.

I can't wait to hear more!

Awww thankyou! And thanks for reading!

Your daughter is so lucky! I think 14 is the perfect age to go because you actually remember all those vacation memories when you're an adult.

:dance3:

[meggiebeth]

Welcome back to my Trip Report! Let's get started again!

We headed over to Tomorrowland to get a FP for Space Mountain.

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We saw the Astro Orbiter and thought about going on it but it didn't look too exciting, and there was a queue.

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These things were awesome! We saw things like this in all the Disney Parks. They're so clever and much appreciated in the Floridian August humidity.

So next, where did we head to?!

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Space Mountain! We got a FP but the queue time was 'apparently' 30 minutes. We decided this could be bearable.

The queue was very long however and the line was very decieving. We thought we were at the ride and then there was a whole maze of people infront of us!

It turned out that it took us about 1 hour 20 minutes to get to ride. Wasn't helped by the fact that it broke down for 20 minutes. At least they got it fixed and working, so that our queuing wasn't all for nothing! :)

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Rory loved looking at all the pictures on the walls, and the interactive games were awesome. The queuing area for SM is quite elaborate.

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Say hello! (Lame photo)

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So we then took one last look at Main Street and hopped on the monorail for our lunch ADR at the GFC! (Our FP time for SM was not due until later in the day.)

Passing BLT on the Monorail...

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William and Rorsie on the monorail:

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Passing thru the CR:

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Getting bored :confused:

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And phew, we finally reached the...

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Grand Floridian! Goodness gracious, this was a beautiful hotel. When you walk into the lobby, your eyes widen and your jaw drops. Luckily we were about 20 minutes early so we could sit and appreciate the beauty and magnificence of the GF.

I'll leave you with this photo... gotta go to bed!

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Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for our photos of the GF and the amazing GFC! :cloud9: :love: :hug:

[teekathepony]

Another great update. I agree, the GF is amazing and breathtaking.

[WDWRids]

Megan, your trip report is awesome!!! We are leaving to go in 3 days and I am so excited!! The pics are great that you have posted and make me feel like I am already there.

What was your one most favorite thing about your trip?

Ever thought of being a writer? You may have career in the making!

[meggiebeth]

Another great update. I agree, the GF is amazing and breathtaking.

Thanks! The GF is just stunning and I dream of staying there someday. :lovestruc

Megan, your trip report is awesome!!! We are leaving to go in 3 days and I am so excited!! The pics are great that you have posted and make me feel like I am already there.

What was your one most favorite thing about your trip?

Ever thought of being a writer? You may have career in the making!

Thanks! And thanks for joining in too!
Have a great trip! I'm sure it'll be amazing! I'm so jealous- we have a couple years to wait. Let me know how it goes when you're back. :thumbsup2
I couldn't really single it down to one ride or show, so I would say that our evening at MK watching the Electrical Parade, the Magic, the Memories and You and Wishes was my favorite part of the trip. They are such great experiences, that just added to the Disney magic.
Thanks! I have thought about being a writer, but I'm not too sure what I want to do yet. You don't really know at my age. But I'd love to be a writer, or a reporter, something like that. :goodvibes

[joy13]

Great updates! What did you all think of Space Mountain? I haven't been on it in 4 years because they were doing the refurbishment last time we were there in 2009.

[meggiebeth]

Welcome back to my TR. I'll get right back on track now! Sorry for the lack of updates, Rory's birthday party is coming up very soon and I've been very busy planning it. And it will no doubt be a DISNEY PARTY! party:

So, back to reporting. We had a look round the Grand Floridian, and were taken in by its grandeur and beauty. What an amazing hotel. We never got a chance to look in all the shops, sob sob.

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I was in seventh heaven looking around the GF- I've never been in a hotel like it before... nor had any of our family I think. :cloud9: But, Rory was grouchy and hungry and William was not enjoying sightseeing or browsing the stores (what surprises you there?!) So we headed over to the GFC a little early.

Our Meal at the Grand Floridian Cafe

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It was very quiet. We loved the restaurant and the atmosphere. It felt quite upmarket for 1TS credit, and very light and airy.

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Because I'm a vegetarian, the Chef came out and asked me what I would like. This was the only restaurant in the trip that really did that, and it made me feel really special. Back at home, only very expensive restaurants do that.

I honestly didn't know what to ask for! I said "Do you have vegetarian sausages?" But he looked at me blankly and shook his head. I didn't know whether Americans call them something different. They aren't like frankfurters though. Eventually I just asked for what I KNEW vegetarian Americans ate, and settled for a veggie burger with fries and sugar-snap peas.

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The veggie burger was burnt so not that nice, but the fries were delicious and crispy. The sugar-snap peas were one of my favourite foods of the trip strangely. They were coated in some sort of sauce that made them taste delicious. I had never tried sugar-snap peas before and so it was a nice surprise.

Some photos we took whilst waiting for our food: (My food came out before everyone elses)...

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Then- the food came! Everyone loved this restaurant. (Well... almost everyone.)

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My mum had a medium rare steak, and said it was delicious. All the other steaks she had in the holiday were too well done, so she was very pleased to have a nice one at GFC.

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William had the same as Mummy, except his steak was well done. He also really liked his meal.

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Rory had the child's meal, fries, broccoli and salmon I think, and... he didn't eat it. Honestly, the amount of food that child left on his plate this vacation could have fed a whole army! :rotfl:

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Daddy had the burger, which he really liked. He claimed it was delicious. It was right up on the top 3 of his favourite restaurants, I think.

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William showing how much he loved his meal:

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Rory wanted a photo with his puffle pins: (And his food!)

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Daddy enjoying his burger:

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Mummy showing how much she liked her meal:

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Willum being the rather strange boy that he is:

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That's it for now! I have to go to bed now, but I will finish off our meal at GFC and our first visit to the GF in the next update. Thanks for reading!

[meggiebeth]

Great updates! What did you all think of Space Mountain? I haven't been on it in 4 years because they were doing the refurbishment last time we were there in 2009.

Thanks! We loved Space Mountain. It was one of our favourite rides and we rode it a lot during our vacation. I would say it was probably my favourite ride out of everything, but I haven't decided yet. Rory loved it, and going at the front. :laughing:

[jelloarms]

Your brother didn't eat any of it? Not even the fries? Was he just not hungry or he didn't like it?

[disneymd33]

I'm glad you enjoyed your first trip! And I'm really envious that you were able to convert other members of your family! If only I had some of that magic... I'd be living down there again!

[dismagiclover]

The Grand Floridian Cafe looks great! Now you've got me thinking about my ADRs for January.:rolleyes1

[meggiebeth]

:laughing:Your brother didn't eat any of it? Not even the fries? Was he just not hungry or he didn't like it?

He didn't eat any of it. :confused3 Rory is getting very picky about what he eats and at home has pasta with gravy a lot. He wasted a lot of food this holiday- thank heavens we weren't paying for it, or it would bug us! He is a stubborn boy, and when he says no, he means no. :rotfl:

I'm glad you enjoyed your first trip! And I'm really envious that you were able to convert other members of your family! If only I had some of that magic... I'd be living down there again!

:welcome: It was great! I thought my parents would hate the Disney atmosphere, but I was pleasantly surprised. Don't yours like the Disney magic? I can't imagine that... But living there?! My, you were lucky!

The Grand Floridian Cafe looks great! Now you've got me thinking about my ADRs for January.:rolleyes1

You should definately consider it! It was probably my favourite 1 TS restaurant of all, I'm pretty sure my parents would agree. The food was great and it was a really pretty restaurant. :thumbsup2

[TheThomsLuvDisney]

Great Trip Report, Subbing In!!

I love seeing younger people writing TR's. My oldest is 14 and am hoping she will get the TR bug!

How long was your flight from England? Just curious as we are the state of Washington (west coast) and it takes us about 6 hours and that's if we are lucky enough to get a direct flight (we always have a layover somewhere because it's typically $250 cheaper per ticket).

Your family is super cute and I loved you little brother's update. I can't wait to read more!

[lbuzz52]

i agree, the GF is breathtaking!

[joy13]

Looks like a wonderful meal (sorry your veggie burger was burnt though :( )

[meggiebeth]

Hallo everyone! Sorry that I haven't updated in simply ages! :guilty: I'm about to do another update hopefully!

Great Trip Report, Subbing In!!

I love seeing younger people writing TR's. My oldest is 14 and am hoping she will get the TR bug!

How long was your flight from England? Just curious as we are the state of Washington (west coast) and it takes us about 6 hours and that's if we are lucky enough to get a direct flight (we always have a layover somewhere because it's typically $250 cheaper per ticket).

Your family is super cute and I loved you little brother's update. I can't wait to read more!

Thankyou! And thanks for joining in too! I'm sure your daughter will love writing a TR. Especially if she loves English at school, and writing full stop!

Our flight was about 9 hours I believe. It was much more difficult than I was expecting. We were thinking about getting an indirect flight to save money but 9 hours is difficult as it is! :laughing: We saved about $250 per ticket too, but that was by flying into Miami as apposed to Orlando. My father bumped into a colleugue on the plane (We were like :scared1: ) And they were flying into Miami BUT getting a connecting flight to Orlando?! I couldn't believe that. It's only a four hour drive. But it did suck to get off the plane, and know that there was a four hour drive ahead of us. Next time, we want to fly into Orlando. :surfweb: Better get a good price!

Thanks for reading! Rory is longing to write a bit more and use the smilies again. He also has his birthday party in about a week (Disney of course :wizard: ) and wants to put up a photo of him and his friends in their Disney costumes.)

:dance3:

i agree, the GF is breathtaking!

It is lovely! Thanks for joining in! :thumbsup2

Looks like a wonderful meal (sorry your veggie burger was burnt though :( )

It was a lovely meal. I don't really like meat alternatives much anyway. :cutie: I never came across ANY Quorn in Florida. It left me wondering whether it exists in America. Lol. :goodvibes Thanks for reading!

[meggiebeth]

Ciao and welcome back! Sorry I haven't posted in a while... school has been really hectic! GCSEs now... and lots of coursework and things to think about. It doesn't seem that long ago that I was 5 or 6... as my mother tells me anyway. :rotfl:

I tried to take a photo of the restaurant... and failed miserably.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5333.jpg

My list of things I want for Christmas:
1) A holiday to WDW in October/ November
2) £500 to buy a new camera! :lmao:

Rory wanted some more puffle pin photographs:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5334.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5335.jpg

We tried to take a photo of all of us with the timed snapshot function (or whatever it is called). The second one isn't as bad as the first... Haha.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5337.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5338.jpg

Then Daddy took another one.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5339.jpg

The next one he must've taken without my noticing. Or anyone noticing, apart from Willum! Mummy looks like she was telling me off for irritating Rory. Haha. It makes me laugh.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5340.jpg

This one was meant to be a funny faced one of all of us (minus my dad) but it seemed he was actually focusing on one specific person. (Note mine and Willum's faces.)

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5341.jpg

Instead of a proper dessert, me, William and Rorsie caught sight of a tray of deserts. One of them was a chocolate Mickey- which looked delicious! So we asked for 3 instead of regular dessert. It was my only taste of American chocolate. I had heard so many stories before leaving about how disgusting American chocolate is; especially Hershey chocolate. So I wasn't too keen on trying any. This was nice chocolate however- quite dark and rich. We have Cadburys chocolate a lot in the UK, and we bought a bar in Florida to see how it compared. My dad tried it but not me. He said it wasn't anywhere near as nice as UK Cadburys. William bought a big bar of Hershey chocolate sometime in the trip and really liked it.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5342.jpg

We said goodbye and left a tip (the FULL tip, after what we learned in DHS!) and walked back out into the GF, our bellies full, and looking forward to returning to MK.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5348.jpg

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The flooring is lovely in the GF, really pretty, smart and polished.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5352.jpg

I saw this, and I had heard of the tea party before. It's the kind of thing I'd have loved to do when I was younger. It sounded really good- quite a price tag though!

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5353.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5362.jpg

After that we headed up to the monorail. I really wanted to look around the GF a bit more- but my family didn't want to. I told my parents other people like looking around the Disney Resorts- and they didn't seem convinced. Luckily the DDP meant that we could visit most of the Deluxe resorts.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5363.jpg

We said au reviour to the Grand Floridian- happy with the knowledge that we WOULD return.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5364.jpg

We passed the CR on the way to MK...

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5365.jpg

And we watched as we left our dream resort... to go to our dream park!

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5366.jpg

Honestly, if money was no option then we would stay at the Grand Floridian in a heartbeat. It is beautiful, and very central. You're on the monorail line too! Magic Kingdom was by far our favourite park, and so staying in our favourite hotel near our favourite park would be lovely. We could have stretched to stay in the GF but it would mean sharing a room- which would not go well in our family! :rotfl: At least in SSR we had a 2 bedroom villa.
We were really surprised after visiting both the Grand Floridian and the Polynesian, that they are similar prices to stay in both places. The Poly doesn't really have a 'feel' as nice as the GF- although it it nice to feel like you are in a tropical paradise. The GF just felt more impressive and luxurious to us. :love:

Thankyou for reading! I hope to update real soon! It's just so nice reliving vacation memories. I drive my parents nuts when I talk about WDW the whole time. They do love talking about it but not every minute of every day, like me! They think I'm the only person in the world who has an obsession with Disney. I think visiting WDW makes you love the characters, the movies and the Disney ethos even more, and of course, feel more appreciative of what Disney actually IS.

See you soon! :beach:

[dismagiclover]

Love all of your GF photos. I've never actually visited this resort. Just seen it from the monorail and boats. In January I have 2 meals scheduled there so I'm excited to explore:goodvibes

[meggiebeth]

Love all of your GF photos. I've never actually visited this resort. Just seen it from the monorail and boats. In January I have 2 meals scheduled there so I'm excited to explore:goodvibes

Thanks! It's a great resort- it was one of my highlights of the holiday. What meals do you have scheduled there? I'm sure you'll love the GF and your meals! :goodvibes

[meggiebeth]

So, welcome back! After hopping off the monorail, we went back into MK. I had completely forgotten that the parade would be on- but the streets were lined with people. We surprisingly found a space on Main Street, a really good space.

We passed these guys on the way up Main Street.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5371.jpg

And we were facing these buildings here:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5374.jpg

Then... finally! :laughing:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5375.jpg

5 minutes passed... then 10... then... well it seemed like ages- you get the picture. My parents wanted to ride Splash Mountain. It had been broken down all day and was apparently open again. I was annoyed. All first timers have GOT to see the parade, right?! My parents literally dragged us all up, and we left our lovely spot on Main Street. They insisted we would bump into the parade on the way to SM. Yeah- we did... but would we get a good view? I wanted to get some decent photos too.

Of course, we did run into the parade- but there were masses of people watching and me, William and Rory had no chance of seeing over the adults. I was shoved to the front, where I could at least see. William had no interest in the parade, and Rory was influenced by his older brother and said he had no interest in it either. So they walked on to find a better viewing spot, while I stayed where I was. Joy of joys, although I could see, the photos I took had lovely views of peoples heads, hands, and cameras. If only my parents would have let us stay on Main Street. :sad2:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5378.jpg

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http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5426.jpg

Thanks for reading! I hope to get another update up REALLY soon. Bye!

[ZFamily5]

Love love love that parade! Great pictures!! Out of curiosity, what time is it in England right now? It's 11:40 AM here (almost lunchtime) and we got out of school early today, so I was just wondering what time it was there...sorry for the odd question!

[meggiebeth]

Love love love that parade! Great pictures!! Out of curiosity, what time is it in England right now? It's 11:40 AM here (almost lunchtime) and we got out of school early today, so I was just wondering what time it was there...sorry for the odd question!

It's nearly 6pm here- time for dinner! So you're six hours behind us? That's really cool! I finished school at 3:30. When you normally finish? I'm always curious about what life is like in America. :)

[WDWRids]

Great parade pics! Yes, everyone must do the parade. Didn't you just love the 4 guys with the chimes. They were so funny to watch. Have a great day!!

[ZFamily5]

It's nearly 6pm here- time for dinner! So you're six hours behind us? That's really cool! I finished school at 3:30. When you normally finish? I'm always curious about what life is like in America. :)

Wow! Yeah, a six hour time difference! I usually finish school at 2:30, but our teachers had meetings this afternoon, so we only had school for 3 and a half hours. What time does your school start? I'm in high school this year, so school starts at 7:30 and goes until 2:30. I don't like how early it starts, since my bus comes at 6:40! Thing2's school (the junior high) starts at 8 and goes until 3. Thing3's school (the elementary school) goes from 8:40-3:30. Funny, I'm always curious about life in England! Maybe we should each do a "day in the life" type thing! :)

[meggiebeth]

Great parade pics! Yes, everyone must do the parade. Didn't you just love the 4 guys with the chimes. They were so funny to watch. Have a great day!!

They were really funny- yeah! The parade was awesome- and great to see some of the 'rarer' characters! :thumbsup2 Thanks for reading- you have a great day too! :goodvibes

[meggiebeth]

Wow! Yeah, a six hour time difference! I usually finish school at 2:30, but our teachers had meetings this afternoon, so we only had school for 3 and a half hours. What time does your school start? I'm in high school this year, so school starts at 7:30 and goes until 2:30. I don't like how early it starts, since my bus comes at 6:40! Thing2's school (the junior high) starts at 8 and goes until 3. Thing3's school (the elementary school) goes from 8:40-3:30. Funny, I'm always curious about life in England! Maybe we should each do a "day in the life" type thing! :)

Wow- you finish school REALLY early! I don't think any schools in England finish that early! 6:40 is unbelievably early! You must have to get up at like, 5:30 or something! I wake up at 7:15 on school days. :lmao: My school starts at 8:45- so not that early! My brother William starts at 8:35, and finishes at 3:15. I think he's in junior high, or middle school, or something like that! Rory starts at 8:45 like me- and finishes at 3:15. He's in elementary school I think. In England, we only have Primary school (Years reception- year 6) and Secondary school (Years 7- 13.) Years means grades. ;) I'm in year 10 at the moment- and I've just started my GCSEs. What year/ grade are you in? Are you doing GCSEs, or do they call them something different in America? In England we grow up watching American movies and TV programmes, so America is really interesting to me. It was really weird being in WDW and hearing American accents everywhere! But I loved it! I want to move to America. Lol. I don't think my parents are convinced on how amazing it is! Besides, there's better weather there, right? It's FREEEEEEZING here right now. A day in the life thing would be really fun I think! It's fascinating talking to an American 14 year old. I've always wondered how different life is in the US. :) Btw what state do you live in? Is it really hot where you live? I don't know many states, apart from the obvious ones like Florida, California, New York... etc. :laughing:

[fromscratchmom]

It's FREEEEEEZING here right now. A day in the life thing would be really fun I think! It's fascinating talking to an American 14 year old. I've always wondered how different life is in the US. :) Btw what state do you live in? Is it really hot where you live? I don't know many states, apart from the obvious ones like Florida, California, New York... etc. :laughing:

Hehe, my husband who grew up in Berlin tells me he thinks its funny how people in America have an idealized version of Germany in their heads which equates just with Bavaria and how people in England have similar issue with thinking all American's are from Texas, according to him ;)

Srry, to intrude on your conversation! That just gave me a good smile. Personally I think its funny that he has had the blessing of knowing two different cultures but he's a total stick in the mud about wanting to travel. I'd love to go and see places a lot more frequently.

Oh, and your comment about it being freezing where you are made me think of being in history class as a kid and being taught about the pilgrims coming here and not being prepared for the harsh winter temperatures. If you move here to be warm be sure you do move to Florida, or Texas or Southern California. :rotfl:

This time of year, I'm thinking about the problem of how many inches or feet of snow I'll be shoveling in a January and February this year! Brrrrr....I'm turning blue with cold just thinking of it.

[joy13]

Great updates! You got some nice parade photos even though your parents made you move :)

[ZFamily5]

Wow- you finish school REALLY early! I don't think any schools in England finish that early! 6:40 is unbelievably early! You must have to get up at like, 5:30 or something! I wake up at 7:15 on school days. :lmao: My school starts at 8:45- so not that early! My brother William starts at 8:35, and finishes at 3:15. I think he's in junior high, or middle school, or something like that! Rory starts at 8:45 like me- and finishes at 3:15. He's in elementary school I think. In England, we only have Primary school (Years reception- year 6) and Secondary school (Years 7- 13.) Years means grades. ;) I'm in year 10 at the moment- and I've just started my GCSEs. What year/ grade are you in? Are you doing GCSEs, or do they call them something different in America? In England we grow up watching American movies and TV programmes, so America is really interesting to me. It was really weird being in WDW and hearing American accents everywhere! But I loved it! I want to move to America. Lol. I don't think my parents are convinced on how amazing it is! Besides, there's better weather there, right? It's FREEEEEEZING here right now. A day in the life thing would be really fun I think! It's fascinating talking to an American 14 year old. I've always wondered how different life is in the US. :) Btw what state do you live in? Is it really hot where you live? I don't know many states, apart from the obvious ones like Florida, California, New York... etc. :laughing:

Yeah, 5:45 is the beginning of my day! Much too early! You wake up at 7:15! Lucky! Thing2 is already on the bus then! So I guess schools in England start later then schools in the U.S.! Unfair! :laughing: We have elementary school (kindergarden-5th grade), middle school/junior high (6th grade-8th grade) and high school (9th grade-12th grade). I'm a freshman right now (9th grade). What is GCSE? I've never heard of it before...:laughing: We love hearing English accents here! Ehh...the weather here is interesting. We live in Illinois, so we have all kinds of weather. Really really really cold winters and really really really warm summers. Usually it's cold this time of year, but today it's 85 degrees! I think it's fascinating talking to an English 14 year old!

[meggiebeth]

Hehe, my husband who grew up in Berlin tells me he thinks its funny how people in America have an idealized version of Germany in their heads which equates just with Bavaria and how people in England have similar issue with thinking all American's are from Texas, according to him ;)

Srry, to intrude on your conversation! That just gave me a good smile. Personally I think its funny that he has had the blessing of knowing two different cultures but he's a total stick in the mud about wanting to travel. I'd love to go and see places a lot more frequently.

Oh, and your comment about it being freezing where you are made me think of being in history class as a kid and being taught about the pilgrims coming here and not being prepared for the harsh winter temperatures. If you move here to be warm be sure you do move to Florida, or Texas or Southern California. :rotfl:

This time of year, I'm thinking about the problem of how many inches or feet of snow I'll be shoveling in a January and February this year! Brrrrr....I'm turning blue with cold just thinking of it.

Haha! I guess the grass is always greener somewhere else. ;) I do know that parts of America are cold- but I just want to move somewhere that gets hot summers. I have heard that places like Pennyslvania (Spelling?) and the Carolinas are cold in the Winter but hot in the summer. England is cold during Winter, but summer is never hot. This year was apparently one of the coldest summers in the UK. We tend to get 2 or 3 days of 30 degrees celcius weather. A typical summer day would be 17- 20 degrees. (Sorry, I don't really know fareinheit, however you spell it! :lmao: ) Accompanied by drizzly rain all day, low clouds and harsh winds, well... England just has fairly awful weather! :rotfl: I just want to move somewhere that has warm summers. I don't really mind about the cold winters- I have that already! ;)
It's a shame your husband doesn't like to travel much. We don't either- but we would if we could! We would love to do a 3 month tour of America, but I don't think we ever will. :confused3
Thanks for reading! :thumbsup2

Great updates! You got some nice parade photos even though your parents made you move :)

Thanks! It was really great seeing the parade for the first time. I just wanted to watch it over and over! :rotfl:

Yeah, 5:45 is the beginning of my day! Much too early! You wake up at 7:15! Lucky! Thing2 is already on the bus then! So I guess schools in England start later then schools in the U.S.! Unfair! :laughing: We have elementary school (kindergarden-5th grade), middle school/junior high (6th grade-8th grade) and high school (9th grade-12th grade). I'm a freshman right now (9th grade). What is GCSE? I've never heard of it before...:laughing: We love hearing English accents here! Ehh...the weather here is interesting. We live in Illinois, so we have all kinds of weather. Really really really cold winters and really really really warm summers. Usually it's cold this time of year, but today it's 85 degrees! I think it's fascinating talking to an English 14 year old!

Oh okay! I guess if I were in America, I would be in your grade. I'm in year 10, but I think I would be in 9th grade. What is a freshman? Lol. In the UK, you start doing GCSEs in year 10 (9th grade). We got to choose 3 subjects we wanted to study. We normally do way more than that. I chose French, history and art. But everyone has to do maths, english and ICT. We have exams at the end of year 11 (10th grade) and they are quite important. If you get at least a C, then it's a pass, and you can go to sixth form- year 12 and 13. (11th and 12th grade). But ontop of GCSE subjects, we are forced to do PE, RS and WR (Work Related). Not fair. :sad2: I hate PE. In sixth form we do A levels which are even harder! You need to get really good A level results to get into university. I think the best you can get is A*. Don't you do exams like that? I guess the US is pretty different! Haha, we love American accents. We don't meet many Americans where I live though. :guilty: I live in a tiny village, which looks typically English. I hear lots of Americans in London though. In WDW, I had quite a few Americans come up to me and say 'I love your accent!'. I felt like saying 'I love yours too!' :rotfl:
I looked up Illinois on Google Maps. It's quite northern! How cold are your winters? You're so lucky- 85 degrees! I wish I was there! It's cloudy, cold and drizzly here.
It's weird- America seems so different to England now! I didn't know you don't even have GCSEs. Lol. :)

[fromscratchmom]

Haha! I guess the grass is always greener somewhere else. ;) I do know that parts of America are cold- but I just want to move somewhere that gets hot summers. I have heard that places like Pennyslvania (Spelling?) and the Carolinas are cold in the Winter but hot in the summer. England is cold during Winter, but summer is never hot. This year was apparently one of the coldest summers in the UK. We tend to get 2 or 3 days of 30 degrees celcius weather. A typical summer day would be 17- 20 degrees. (Sorry, I don't really know fareinheit, however you spell it! :lmao: ) Accompanied by drizzly rain all day, low clouds and harsh winds, well... England just has fairly awful weather! :rotfl: I just want to move somewhere that has warm summers. I don't really mind about the cold winters- I have that already! ;)
It's a shame your husband doesn't like to travel much. We don't either- but we would if we could! We would love to do a 3 month tour of America, but I don't think we ever will. :confused3

Maybe you will get to at some point. You just never know what might happen. I've only been to Britain once and the only reason I got to go was that my mother won an all expense paid trip. In the whole of my life I've never known anyone else to win anything quite so nice but I got the blessing of getting to with her.

I guess I was doubly blessed since the weather was quite nice most of the days of our trip which was in October. :laughing: I actually had no idea how chilly your summers normally are. wow. The lack of heat and the large amount of rain fall sounds like our Pacific Northwest. The states of Oregon and Washington are somewhat infamous for having so much rainy drizzly weather and a lack of sunshine. But you are right about Pennsylvania and the Carolinas. In our East we have quite a number of state that have very cold winters and very hot summers.

I hope you get to have your tour at some point. There just isn't anything quite like getting to travel. :goodvibes Right now I'm feeling especially lucky because we have a vacation starting in a few days,,, going to Virginia, which is the state I lived in from the time I was born up until I was twelve to share some of the sights there with my daughters. It's an amazingly beautiful state, imo. AND I am planning a trip with my girls and a friend to Prince Edward Island in Canada for next summer.

I'm also working on DH to start planning our next Disney vacation. Hopefully that one is not too much to hope for on top of the other two. I'm sure everyone on the Dis can tell better then DH that I've become completely Disney obsessed just here lately and am about dying to start planning that next trip there. :rotfl:

[meggiebeth]

Maybe you will get to at some point. You just never know what might happen. I've only been to Britain once and the only reason I got to go was that my mother won an all expense paid trip. In the whole of my life I've never known anyone else to win anything quite so nice but I got the blessing of getting to with her.

I guess I was doubly blessed since the weather was quite nice most of the days of our trip which was in October. :laughing: I actually had no idea how chilly your summers normally are. wow. The lack of heat and the large amount of rain fall sounds like our Pacific Northwest. The states of Oregon and Washington are somewhat infamous for having so much rainy drizzly weather and a lack of sunshine. But you are right about Pennsylvania and the Carolinas. In our East we have quite a number of state that have very cold winters and very hot summers.

I hope you get to have your tour at some point. There just isn't anything quite like getting to travel. :goodvibes Right now I'm feeling especially lucky because we have a vacation starting in a few days,,, going to Virginia, which is the state I lived in from the time I was born up until I was twelve to share some of the sights there with my daughters. It's an amazingly beautiful state, imo. AND I am planning a trip with my girls and a friend to Prince Edward Island in Canada for next summer.

I'm also working on DH to start planning our next Disney vacation. Hopefully that one is not too much to hope for on top of the other two. I'm sure everyone on the Dis can tell better then DH that I've become completely Disney obsessed just here lately and am about dying to start planning that next trip there. :rotfl:

That's great that your mother won a trip to England! Out of interest, where did you go... and what did you think of it? I am always interested in what people think when they visit our country. popcorn::

Sounds like you got lucky when you visited! Usually Octobers are quite chilly. We had a strange change in weather on October 1st this year- it was about 85 degrees. It is usually FAR colder than that. It was my birthday too- so I guess I got lucky! :rotfl: We went into London and Chinatown- I have to say London is more enjoyable to me when it is warm. But- it's back to Autumn now... and the weather is getting colder. :sad2: However, we don't get snow much. It's either too cold or too hot. When it snows here, it's mass chaos. Especially where I live, in a small village with winding roads... it gets very dangerous to drive. I guess England isn't used to coping with snow. ;) I remember you saying you have to shovel lots of snow during Winter- so I'm guessing you have it quite a lot!

Travelling is great. :goodvibes You're so lucky- have fun in Virginia! AND Canada?! I am jealous! :lmao: I would do anything to see a little more of America. It's like a completely different world to me. What's Virginia like? As for Canada, my mum grew up there in her early childhood and said it was beautiful. I would love to go there sometime. My dad has been to the US a few times with work, I believe Miami, Toronto, Chicago and San Francisco. I think he takes all his travelling for granted though! :laughing: He was VERY impressed with San Francisco though, and always talks about wanting to return there. I would love to visit a different state, but we're not done with Florida yet! ;)

Good luck with persuading your DH to start planning a Disney trip! Who couldn't love Disney, after all? Planning is half the fun! Oh, and have a great time in Virginia- I'm sure it will be a fantastic holiday for you and your daughters... and it's always great to visit the place you spent your childhood in! :cloud9:

[dismagiclover]

Thanks! It's a great resort- it was one of my highlights of the holiday. What meals do you have scheduled there? I'm sure you'll love the GF and your meals! :goodvibes

We're going to eat at Narcoossees and go for afternoon tea in the tearoom. I'm excited about both! Loved the parade photos! We don't see the parade every trip, but I always love it when we do.

[fromscratchmom]

That's great that your mother won a trip to England! Out of interest, where did you go... and what did you think of it? I am always interested in what people think when they visit our country. popcorn::

Sounds like you got lucky when you visited! Usually Octobers are quite chilly. We had a strange change in weather on October 1st this year- it was about 85 degrees. It is usually FAR colder than that. It was my birthday too- so I guess I got lucky! :rotfl: We went into London and Chinatown- I have to say London is more enjoyable to me when it is warm. But- it's back to Autumn now... and the weather is getting colder. :sad2: However, we don't get snow much. It's either too cold or too hot. When it snows here, it's mass chaos. Especially where I live, in a small village with winding roads... it gets very dangerous to drive. I guess England isn't used to coping with snow. ;) I remember you saying you have to shovel lots of snow during Winter- so I'm guessing you have it quite a lot!

Travelling is great. :goodvibes You're so lucky- have fun in Virginia! AND Canada?! I am jealous! :lmao: I would do anything to see a little more of America. It's like a completely different world to me. What's Virginia like? As for Canada, my mum grew up there in her early childhood and said it was beautiful. I would love to go there sometime. My dad has been to the US a few times with work, I believe Miami, Toronto, Chicago and San Francisco. I think he takes all his travelling for granted though! :laughing: He was VERY impressed with San Francisco though, and always talks about wanting to return there. I would love to visit a different state, but we're not done with Florida yet! ;)

Good luck with persuading your DH to start planning a Disney trip! Who couldn't love Disney, after all? Planning is half the fun! Oh, and have a great time in Virginia- I'm sure it will be a fantastic holiday for you and your daughters... and it's always great to visit the place you spent your childhood in! :cloud9:

We stayed at a hotel in London called the Strand Palace which was nice enough but not nearly so grand as it sounds as far as the luxury of the room. It was kind of small and dark and worn out. We spent some of our days seeing the sights in London. We saw Cats and Brighton Beach Memoirs in the West End. Is that what that theater district is called? I have such a poor memory. :guilty: Anyway, I remember I went shopping in London and bought myself a new black dress in some tiny little hidden store that was fun just to find and explore. Then wore my new fab dress to Cats. I remember how much I loved my dress and how much I loved both of the shows we saw.

I loved wandering in the city, shopping, people watching, etc. And I remember getting a hand held, street-food pastry thing in Piccadilly Circus that had onions, apples and cheese inside and was crazy yummy. Most of the food we had on the trip was actually not very good. Not sure what was up with ALL of our restaurant choices turning out so poorly, but you always used to hear bad things about English food and now in the last couple of years I've been hearing that there is a new and much better restaurant trend in the UK. Also I love to look at buildings. (Today in Charlottesville, Virginia we toured Monticello, the home built by Thomas Jefferson that he called his essay on architecture and a historic tavern called Michies. Plus we have tickets to tour another "presidential home" that is very near to it, but we'll tour that one on Sunday afternoon.) And of course back when I was in England that love of architecture was fully satisfied.

We also took at least two tours out into the countryside that I remember, maybe three. Each was a "day tour" not a night in a different hotel. I really enjoyed them. What I remember from them is Warwick Castle, Leeds Castle and it's amazing grounds, and Stratford-upon-Avon although I also remember I had no idea where I was in relation to London or anyplace else. I'm also a lover of gardens and naturally any castle, palace or historical home with a nice garden is just double the beauty for me to drink in.

The only time I've been to Canada before was when I was really young, so young that I don't remember much. We were just over the border on the Canadian side for some camping after seeing Niagra Falls. (That was back when we didn't need passports to go to Canada.) So I remember the falls and I remember that there were millions of mosquitoes where we were camping. :laughing:

From pics I've seen and descriptions I've read Prince Edward Island sounds truly picturesque. AND its the setting for Anne of Green Gables. Of course I don't know if that book is known in Britain, but it is a favorite of mine from way back and now it is a favorite with my DD13. In fact, I've been learning that it is a favorite with a lot of people I know including the friend who asked me if I want to go on that trip. So we will have a blast there for sure.

Luckily this trip is going really well so far for hubby, who isn't that much of a traveler, so that will help with my Disney scheming. :lmao:

edited to add... Oh about our snowfall. Some years we get lots and sometimes much less. You just never know till you are into that winter and see it. The thing about snow is sometimes it just keeps coming. You can keep having to shovel a few inches at a time over and over every day or every two or three days so it becomes quite a chore some years!

[Rudi610]

I just wanted to say that I have enjoyed reading your trip report. I think it is interesting to see Disney and the U.S. from the perspective of someone who lives outside this country. And I also like to find the differences in your use of the Queen's English versus our American English (such as the difference between the use of "line" and "queue"). I also want to say the for a 14 year old, your reports are well written. I have a 13 year old daughter, and she does not write like you do (although her passion is reading, not writing). But she does have the same passion for Disney that you possess (she gets it from her mom, but I too like things Disney and WDW). We went to WDW in August 2010 and stayed at the Poly resort, and loved it. The theming was great and it was convenient to everything. This was also my kids first time to WDW and watching their reactions was amazing. I look forward to reading the rest of your reviews. Keep up the good work.

I hope you get to come back to the U.S. someday and visit what this country has to offer. Just today, my son and I visited Gettysburg, PA, the site of a decisive battle during the American Civil War 150 years ago. Some of my favorite places (besides Disney World) would be Williamsburg, VA, the Outer Banks in North Carolina, and the Grand Canyon in Arizona.

Good luck in your studies and keep the Disney spirit alive!

[meggiebeth]

We're going to eat at Narcoossees and go for afternoon tea in the tearoom. I'm excited about both! Loved the parade photos! We don't see the parade every trip, but I always love it when we do.

Sounds like you've got some great ADRs! I'm curious what you will think of Narcoossees... I was considering it for our trip, but we chose Citricos instead. Afternoon tea sounds like great fun! I've always wanted to do that! Thanks! The parade is great- thank goodness I'm not the only one who thinks it is wonderful! :goodvibes

We stayed at a hotel in London called the Strand Palace which was nice enough but not nearly so grand as it sounds as far as the luxury of the room. It was kind of small and dark and worn out. We spent some of our days seeing the sights in London. We saw Cats and Brighton Beach Memoirs in the West End. Is that what that theater district is called? I have such a poor memory. :guilty: Anyway, I remember I went shopping in London and bought myself a new black dress in some tiny little hidden store that was fun just to find and explore. Then wore my new fab dress to Cats. I remember how much I loved my dress and how much I loved both of the shows we saw.

I loved wandering in the city, shopping, people watching, etc. And I remember getting a hand held, street-food pastry thing in Piccadilly Circus that had onions, apples and cheese inside and was crazy yummy. Most of the food we had on the trip was actually not very good. Not sure what was up with ALL of our restaurant choices turning out so poorly, but you always used to hear bad things about English food and now in the last couple of years I've been hearing that there is a new and much better restaurant trend in the UK. Also I love to look at buildings. (Today in Charlottesville, Virginia we toured Monticello, the home built by Thomas Jefferson that he called his essay on architecture and a historic tavern called Michies. Plus we have tickets to tour another "presidential home" that is very near to it, but we'll tour that one on Sunday afternoon.) And of course back when I was in England that love of architecture was fully satisfied.

We also took at least two tours out into the countryside that I remember, maybe three. Each was a "day tour" not a night in a different hotel. I really enjoyed them. What I remember from them is Warwick Castle, Leeds Castle and it's amazing grounds, and Stratford-upon-Avon although I also remember I had no idea where I was in relation to London or anyplace else. I'm also a lover of gardens and naturally any castle, palace or historical home with a nice garden is just double the beauty for me to drink in.

The only time I've been to Canada before was when I was really young, so young that I don't remember much. We were just over the border on the Canadian side for some camping after seeing Niagra Falls. (That was back when we didn't need passports to go to Canada.) So I remember the falls and I remember that there were millions of mosquitoes where we were camping. :laughing:

From pics I've seen and descriptions I've read Prince Edward Island sounds truly picturesque. AND its the setting for Anne of Green Gables. Of course I don't know if that book is known in Britain, but it is a favorite of mine from way back and now it is a favorite with my DD13. In fact, I've been learning that it is a favorite with a lot of people I know including the friend who asked me if I want to go on that trip. So we will have a blast there for sure.

Luckily this trip is going really well so far for hubby, who isn't that much of a traveler, so that will help with my Disney scheming. :lmao:

edited to add... Oh about our snowfall. Some years we get lots and sometimes much less. You just never know till you are into that winter and see it. The thing about snow is sometimes it just keeps coming. You can keep having to shovel a few inches at a time over and over every day or every two or three days so it becomes quite a chore some years!

A shame about the hotel! A lot of hotels in London are worn out, unfortunately. And the prices don't necessarily reflect that- even Holiday Inns far out from the centre of London are over £150 a night! We DID look at a weekend away in London, but the hotels we liked were probably £200 a night, at least. The Hilton in Trafalguar Square looks nice. Once, we were in Leicester Square (a part of central London) and we walked into a hotel... which looked quite upmarket. My dad asked at the desk how much a room would be in mid-November. The lady then checked on her computer- each room is $1000 a night! And for us, needing 2 rooms, that would mean $4000 for a 2 night break. :eek:

Yes, the theatre district is called the West End. We were there just the other day. You're very lucky seeing those shows- I have been once in my life- and it was great fun. Great job with the dress! Out of interest- did you find there was much difference in price buying things in England? The one thing that is FAR cheaper in the US is petrol and diesel. (Don't you call it gas?) I think it was a third of the price of fuel in the UK. But... to us... not much else was noticably cheaper than back at home. Although everyone raves about how buying clothes in America saves you a fortune... it seemed a REALLY similar price to us. :confused3

To be honest- where we live... the food isn't too great. It's mostly chain restaurants which don't tend to stand out. In London, obviously, there are better options... but still a lot of chain restaurants. Did you try the famous 'Fish and Chips'? Although they sell them in England in Epcot, they aren't like normal British chips. Our chips aren't like fries... they're more like fried potato... sometimes a little soggy. But DELICIOUS with salt and vinegar. By the way, do you eat baked potatoes in America? I think they're a British thing, lol. But one of my favourite foods is baked potato with baked beans and cheddar cheese. We're about 20 minutes away from Cambridge (beautiful city) and I love going to the baked potato restaurant there and treating myself.

Did you like Stratford-upon-Avon? It's lovely and quaint isn't it? :lovestruc That's what it's like where I live. We have a lot of houses... Noticably Tudor and Victorian. I love living in such a pretty part of England, considering a lot of cities and towns here are rather ugly. :rotfl: If you ever come here again... come to Essex! ;) About 5 minutes away from where I live, there is a tranquil stately home called Audley End House and Gardens- absolutely beautiful! I think it is several hundered years old- and was originally a horseshoe shape, but the house was neglected and in such awful condition that they had to demolish most of it, and now all is left is about a third of it! But there's lots of actors and things to see... I just love it! And the closest town to us, Saffron Walden, is very pretty too. My grandmother from Scotland loves to look round it when she comes down to see us. It's full of little boutique shops and... well... English things!

Goodness- what is Niagra Falls like? I don't know much about it... it's just one of those really famous things I know about! Prince Edward Island looks LOVELY. :cloud9: And yes- very picturesque! I just looked it up on the internet... and I would love to go there myself! I am curious to find out what you thought of it when you come back! My mother always tells me how beautiful Canada is... and I think Canada is well known for it's natural beauty anyway. :laughing: I asked my mum about Anne of Green Gables. I myself haven't heard of it but apparently it is very famous here too. It was a favourite of hers when she was 12 or 13 apparently. All I picked up was that it was about a girl with freckles. popcorn::

Sounds like you're having a great time on holiday! I have heard of Charlottesville- what's it like? And I don't mean to sound completely stupid, but was Thomas Jefferson a president? I'm sorry, I don't know much about American history. :lmao: Are your children on holiday from school at the moment, or have you taken them out specially for the trip? Do they let you in the US? The past few years here, schools have stopped almost all people from taking time off... unless it's for really special circumstances. If you choose to go anyway, you're fined £100 per child, I believe. :scared1: Oh and great that your hubby is really enjoying the trip too! Sounds like prospects for a Disney trip are looking more likely! :thumbsup2

Eek about the snowfall! I had no idea it snowed that much! How does where you live cope with it? 'Snow days' in the UK cost us millions. It stops us from going to school... work... or even 10 metres down the road! But snow only falls once or twice a year here so it's bearable! :rotfl:

I just wanted to say that I have enjoyed reading your trip report. I think it is interesting to see Disney and the U.S. from the perspective of someone who lives outside this country. And I also like to find the differences in your use of the Queen's English versus our American English (such as the difference between the use of "line" and "queue"). I also want to say the for a 14 year old, your reports are well written. I have a 13 year old daughter, and she does not write like you do (although her passion is reading, not writing). But she does have the same passion for Disney that you possess (she gets it from her mom, but I too like things Disney and WDW). We went to WDW in August 2010 and stayed at the Poly resort, and loved it. The theming was great and it was convenient to everything. This was also my kids first time to WDW and watching their reactions was amazing. I look forward to reading the rest of your reviews. Keep up the good work.

I hope you get to come back to the U.S. someday and visit what this country has to offer. Just today, my son and I visited Gettysburg, PA, the site of a decisive battle during the American Civil War 150 years ago. Some of my favorite places (besides Disney World) would be Williamsburg, VA, the Outer Banks in North Carolina, and the Grand Canyon in Arizona.

Good luck in your studies and keep the Disney spirit alive!

Thankyou! :goodvibes And thanks for joining in too! Our views on the US changed when we visited the Florida Mall though. So far we'd been in the 'Disney Bubble' and hadn't really seen the 'real' Orlando. I do think Americans are AWESOME though! It was great hearing their lovely accents everywhere. Really- do you not say queue? I thought Americans said that! :rotfl: After two weeks, we were calling toilets restrooms and petrol station gas station! ;) Great that your daughter loves Disney! Not many girls that age do... but most've never been to WDW. :rotfl: I think that really does affect you.
Great that you stayed at the Poly! I liked that resort... it had a lovely tropical feel to it! And the location really is a plus. IMHO, MK is the best park to be close to. :) I can just imagine their reactions! Seeing the expressions on my brother Rory's face was priceless- he really believes in the Disney magic!
Thankyou for all your kind words, and I do hope to get back to the US very soon! Hope you liked Gettysburg! That kind of town sounds fascinating to me! I learnt about the civil war in history last year, and found it very interesting. :surfweb:

[meggiebeth]

Hello there! Well, I haven't much time... but Rory had his seventh birthday party yesterday and I thought I would share some photos- seeing as it IS Disney related! :rotfl:

party: Rory's 7th Birthday Party! party:

(Disney themed, of course!) :bday: :mickeyjum :goofy: :tigger: :sulley: :dumbo: :donald: :ccat: :simba: :stitch: :maleficen

It always helps me forget how much I miss WDW when I have some other Disney project to plan. :surfweb: Unfortunately, now that it's over, I know what Disney project I would like to plan next! *Hint, hint to my parents!* :rotfl:

Anyways, here is a group photo of the party guests! Most of them were dressed up as their favourite Disney character... the girls obviously took to this more!

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Rory%207th%20Birthday%20Party/Roryparty2011018.jpg

Rory is the one in the Mario costume... second to the right of the back row I believe. He was dressed in a Toy Story Green army man costume for the first 10 minutes of the party... but then insisted to change into Mario. :confused: I actually ordered the Army man costume from America and had to pay a fortune for postage to the UK. :eek: So I was a little disappointed that he wouldn't wear much.

We had four teams competing for a prize at the end. The Mickey Mouses, the Minnie Mouses, the Toy Storys and the Disney Princesses. Would you believe, I put one girl in the Minnie Mouse group, and she said 'Who is SHE?!' I thought most little girls had heard of her... but there we go.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Rory%207th%20Birthday%20Party/Roryparty2011036.jpg

Dear William helped out, surprisingly. Except I put on Disney music, and he changed it to the horrible loud rap music that he likes. :headache:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Rory%207th%20Birthday%20Party/Roryparty2011035.jpg

This is Rory's friend who moved away several years ago. It was great for Rors to see him again!

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Rory%207th%20Birthday%20Party/Roryparty2011033.jpg

I believe this is the Snow Queen from Narnia.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Rory%207th%20Birthday%20Party/Roryparty2011032.jpg

And Rapunzel from Tangled. I loved her costume, it was very well made and looked lovely.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Rory%207th%20Birthday%20Party/Roryparty2011031.jpg

Continued in part 2.

[meggiebeth]

Continuing on from my last post...

Captain Hook... Argh Mateys! :lmao:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Rory%207th%20Birthday%20Party/Roryparty2011030.jpg

Beware fellows- tis CAPTAIN JACK SPARROW! :worship:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Rory%207th%20Birthday%20Party/Roryparty2011028.jpg

3 of Rory's friends... 2 dressed up. 1 the same as Rory! But not Disney. :confused:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Rory%207th%20Birthday%20Party/Roryparty2011027.jpg

The birthday boy! :hug: Being a bit cheeky though!

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Rory%207th%20Birthday%20Party/Roryparty2011026.jpg

And this is Minnie Mouse, Snow White and Rapunzel!

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Rory%207th%20Birthday%20Party/Roryparty2011025.jpg

Adorable! Sleeping Beauty and Ariel!

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Rory%207th%20Birthday%20Party/Roryparty2011024.jpg

And Rory and his best friend. They were very close but his friend moved away too.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Rory%207th%20Birthday%20Party/Roryparty2011022.jpg

In ACTION! Musical Chairs! :dance3:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Rory%207th%20Birthday%20Party/Roryparty2011016.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Rory%207th%20Birthday%20Party/Roryparty2011015.jpg

Pin the Star on Mickey Game! (Equivilent to Pin the Tail on the Donkey) :cutie:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Rory%207th%20Birthday%20Party/Roryparty2011014.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Rory%207th%20Birthday%20Party/Roryparty2011012.jpg

Now, who won? The... :wizard: MINNIE MOUSES! :wizard:

We also had prizes for the best costumes. We had picked up some bargains from the Disney Store- backpacks with crayons and pens, stationary etc in them. A Mickey one for the boy winner and a Minnie one for the girl winner. They were £15 but reduced to £3! :eek:

Unfortunately, some of the girls were a bit disappointed that they didn't win the best costume prize. Rory was annoyed with some of the girls and chose the winner rather unfairly. I think Sleeping Beauty, Snow White should have won. However. Results... (Sorry the photos don't show much of their costume)

Boy winner: JACK SPARROW!

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Rory%207th%20Birthday%20Party/Roryparty2011028.jpg

Girl winner: SNOW QUEEN!

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Rory%207th%20Birthday%20Party/Roryparty2011032.jpg

So... it was a good party, and I enjoyed planning it. However, it gives me even more excuse to start planning another trip to WDW! ;)

I hope to get another update of the holiday up soon. But I thought that you would all enjoy seeing our little Disney party! Bye for now and thanks for reading! :wizard:

[TheThomsLuvDisney]

Great Update!

I love that you are so sweet with your little brother, I wish my daughters were a little more loving with each other:laughing:!

Do they have many (or any) Disney Stores near you?

[fromscratchmom]

... Out of interest- did you find there was much difference in price buying things in England? The one thing that is FAR cheaper in the US is petrol and diesel. (Don't you call it gas?) ... Although everyone raves about how buying clothes in America saves you a fortune... it seemed a REALLY similar price to us. :confused3

... Did you try the famous 'Fish and Chips'? Although they sell them in England in Epcot, they aren't like normal British chips. Our chips aren't like fries... they're more like fried potato... sometimes a little soggy. But DELICIOUS with salt and vinegar. By the way, do you eat baked potatoes in America? I think they're a British thing, lol. But one of my favourite foods is baked potato with baked beans and cheddar cheese. We're about 20 minutes away from Cambridge (beautiful city) and I love going to the baked potato restaurant there and treating myself.

Did you like Stratford-upon-Avon? It's lovely and quaint isn't it? :lovestruc That's what it's like where I live. We have a lot of houses... Noticably Tudor and Victorian. I love living in such a pretty part of England, considering a lot of cities and towns here are rather ugly. :rotfl: If you ever come here again... come to Essex! ;) About 5 minutes away from where I live, there is a tranquil stately home called Audley End House and Gardens- absolutely beautiful! I think it is several hundered years old- and was originally a horseshoe shape, but the house was neglected and in such awful condition that they had to demolish most of it, and now all is left is about a third of it! But there's lots of actors and things to see... I just love it! And the closest town to us, Saffron Walden, is very pretty too. My grandmother from Scotland loves to look round it when she comes down to see us. It's full of little boutique shops and... well... English things!

Goodness- what is Niagra Falls like? I don't know much about it... it's just one of those really famous things I know about! ... I asked my mum about Anne of Green Gables. I myself haven't heard of it but apparently it is very famous here too. It was a favourite of hers when she was 12 or 13 apparently. All I picked up was that it was about a girl with freckles. popcorn::

Sounds like you're having a great time on holiday! I have heard of Charlottesville- what's it like? And I don't mean to sound completely stupid, but was Thomas Jefferson a president? I'm sorry, I don't know much about American history. :lmao: Are your children on holiday from school at the moment, or have you taken them out specially for the trip? Do they let you in the US? The past few years here, schools have stopped almost all people from taking time off... unless it's for really special circumstances. If you choose to go anyway, you're fined £100 per child, I believe. :scared1: ...

Eek about the snowfall! I had no idea it snowed that much! How does where you live cope with it? 'Snow days' in the UK cost us millions. It stops us from going to school... work... or even 10 metres down the road! But snow only falls once or twice a year here so it's bearable! :rotfl:

I don't remember which things I noticed being cheaper and which things were more in London compared to what we were used to. But I do remember that there were some differences. And I do remember that my dress was a great price, or seemed like it to me. ;)

Maybe the people who are saving a fortune buying clothes in America are getting better bargain shopping here? Do y'all have good bargain shopping? We have expensive stores but we also have lots of other options, like "factory outlet stores" which are named for a time in the past where they were literally stores attached to factories but nowadays are just called that and are grouped together in outdoor shopping malls, or strip malls in remote locations. :lmao:

Sadly, I have never gotten to eat fish 'n chips anywhere because I am allergic to fish. :guilty: And I'm rather attached to the idea of breathing. ;) Now that I think of it, I'm surprised that I didn't at least send Mom into a shop to get the "chips" for me to try. Maybe we were afraid I'd get a reaction if they were fried in the same oil or something. I'm a fan of American french fries as well as just about every kind of potato dish, including baked potatoes. I've only seen baked potato restaurants here in America maybe twice, which surprises me because I think they are a great idea! Now I'll have to fix my family baked potatoes with baked beans and cheddar cheese just to see if they love it too. We do regular ones fairly plain, just salt and pepper and butter or with lots of sour cream, or we do them with chili or with cheese and broccoli. Also I have a recipe for "twice baked potatoes".

I did LOVE Stratford-upon-Avon. It is really quaint isn't it? Now I would just love to come and see your Essex. It sounds like a lovely place for a vacation to me!

Niagra Falls are truly impressive to see, at least imho. There is a boat tour that takes you right up close so that you get wet and people wear rain coats on the deck of the boat, which I think is called The Maid of the Mist. And there is also a place you can walk through under the cliff and look out at the falls from behind them, which is also a raincoat type thing to do. lol. I was super super young when my family did that but I remember it, AND I remember my dad's corny sense of humor that he was holding me and pointing and claiming that he could see a fish falling in that crazy harsh downward flow of water, but even at that young age I knew that was nuts and that he had to be just being silly.

Charlottesville is absolutely beautiful. I love that just about everything there is built with these lovely dark bricks made from local clay.

You do not sound dumb, not on this topic and not in any of your writing! I'm sure I'm terribly lacking in British history myself! DD11 and I have been watching a mini-series on Netflix called Elizabeth R a bit at a time over the last few months learning a little about Elizabeth I and I've always been interested in the story of Jane Grey, but aside from a bit about the monarchy and the succession from just before to just after that stretch, I know very little. While we were touring Jamestowne settlement today, my husband and I were both at a loss trying to remember , wouldn't the founding be sometime after Elizabeth? and knowing that should have been ready info in our minds. Yes, of course. DD13 reminded us the date of the King James Bible. :lmao: Maybe senility is setting in early!;)

Yes, Thomas Jefferson was our third president and also the author of our Declaration of Independence, which he wrote when he was only 33 years old. But he is also known for a number of other things including writing the state level law called the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom. I almost bought a book in the gift shop there called "Flight from Monticello" about him having to leave and hide when British troupes came with orders to get everyone that had had anything to the Declaration. Although it seems to me that the title shows a bit of creative license more than an accurate reflection of what happened and where it happened from. ;) He is a terribly interesting figure in large part because he was one of those people who had such an active mind that he never stopped designing and reinventing things, not to mention recording data and writing letters, etc.

One of my favorite things in his house is this clock that he had in the front hall where he made it reflect the days of the week with this giant mechanism with weights on chains that extend across the room and down the walls and... he ran out of room, obviously his calculations were off, but he just had the workman cut holes in the floor and the weights go into the basement for the last day and half of each week.

My kids don't actually attend school. I teach them at home,,, or on vacation. :lmao: I think that the situation at schools across America really varies as to how hard they try to prevent people from temporarily removing their children from classes for vacations. Our schools tend to be governed by local government organizations, each state containing tons of different "school districts" each of which might handle all the schools in a particular town, city, country or even a small portion of a county or city.

Well, snowfall varies depending on how far north or south your location is. The further north you go the more likely you will be in a location where the local governments are prepared to get the snow off the roads with snowplows. I live in central Ohio and we do pretty well at it, but each local government is different. Our town, Westerville, does a far better job than the city we are near which is called Columbus. So our roads can be very clear very quickly and then we can drive down the road and run into very bad roads when we get to the spots that have to wait on Columbus snowplows to come through. :lmao: Although any place will have a plan for a set amount of snowfall and can then have an occasional extra bit they can't handle well every few years.

I figure we don't have it too bad; I have a friend who lives in Canada where they had so much snow a few years ago that they began to run out of places to put it as they removed it from the roads and some of the giant mountains of snow they made while moving it around had not completely melted before the following years winter snows started. In Ohio I've never see leftover un-melted snow by summer. :rotfl2:

[WDWRids]

Wonderful birthday party for your brother!! You are a super sister to plan this for him!! Can't wait to hear more about your trip. Keep up the great writing!!:flower3:

[meggiebeth]

Great Update!

I love that you are so sweet with your little brother, I wish my daughters were a little more loving with each other:laughing:!

Do they have many (or any) Disney Stores near you?

Thankyou! :goodvibes
Me and my brother don’t always get along- quite the contrary! However since going to WDW we have gotten a LOT closer, which I love. I guess it depends on the age difference of 2 siblings, seeing as me and my 12 year old brother William don’t get along AT all. It’s sad- when we were little we were quite close.
Our nearest is Cambridge, about 20 minutes drive away. There are lots of Disney Stores in the UK, but only in the big towns and cities. There are big ones in London which are fun to visit too. Nothing compares to the one at Downtown Disney though! :cloud9:

I don't remember which things I noticed being cheaper and which things were more in London compared to what we were used to. But I do remember that there were some differences. And I do remember that my dress was a great price, or seemed like it to me. ;)

Maybe the people who are saving a fortune buying clothes in America are getting better bargain shopping here? Do y'all have good bargain shopping? We have expensive stores but we also have lots of other options, like "factory outlet stores" which are named for a time in the past where they were literally stores attached to factories but nowadays are just called that and are grouped together in outdoor shopping malls, or strip malls in remote locations. :lmao:

Sadly, I have never gotten to eat fish 'n chips anywhere because I am allergic to fish. :guilty: And I'm rather attached to the idea of breathing. ;) Now that I think of it, I'm surprised that I didn't at least send Mom into a shop to get the "chips" for me to try. Maybe we were afraid I'd get a reaction if they were fried in the same oil or something. I'm a fan of American french fries as well as just about every kind of potato dish, including baked potatoes. I've only seen baked potato restaurants here in America maybe twice, which surprises me because I think they are a great idea! Now I'll have to fix my family baked potatoes with baked beans and cheddar cheese just to see if they love it too. We do regular ones fairly plain, just salt and pepper and butter or with lots of sour cream, or we do them with chili or with cheese and broccoli. Also I have a recipe for "twice baked potatoes".

I did LOVE Stratford-upon-Avon. It is really quaint isn't it? Now I would just love to come and see your Essex. It sounds like a lovely place for a vacation to me!

Niagra Falls are truly impressive to see, at least imho. There is a boat tour that takes you right up close so that you get wet and people wear rain coats on the deck of the boat, which I think is called The Maid of the Mist. And there is also a place you can walk through under the cliff and look out at the falls from behind them, which is also a raincoat type thing to do. lol. I was super super young when my family did that but I remember it, AND I remember my dad's corny sense of humor that he was holding me and pointing and claiming that he could see a fish falling in that crazy harsh downward flow of water, but even at that young age I knew that was nuts and that he had to be just being silly.

Charlottesville is absolutely beautiful. I love that just about everything there is built with these lovely dark bricks made from local clay.

You do not sound dumb, not on this topic and not in any of your writing! I'm sure I'm terribly lacking in British history myself! DD11 and I have been watching a mini-series on Netflix called Elizabeth R a bit at a time over the last few months learning a little about Elizabeth I and I've always been interested in the story of Jane Grey, but aside from a bit about the monarchy and the succession from just before to just after that stretch, I know very little. While we were touring Jamestowne settlement today, my husband and I were both at a loss trying to remember , wouldn't the founding be sometime after Elizabeth? and knowing that should have been ready info in our minds. Yes, of course. DD13 reminded us the date of the King James Bible. :lmao: Maybe senility is setting in early!;)

Yes, Thomas Jefferson was our third president and also the author of our Declaration of Independence, which he wrote when he was only 33 years old. But he is also known for a number of other things including writing the state level law called the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom. I almost bought a book in the gift shop there called "Flight from Monticello" about him having to leave and hide when British troupes came with orders to get everyone that had had anything to the Declaration. Although it seems to me that the title shows a bit of creative license more than an accurate reflection of what happened and where it happened from. ;) He is a terribly interesting figure in large part because he was one of those people who had such an active mind that he never stopped designing and reinventing things, not to mention recording data and writing letters, etc.

One of my favorite things in his house is this clock that he had in the front hall where he made it reflect the days of the week with this giant mechanism with weights on chains that extend across the room and down the walls and... he ran out of room, obviously his calculations were off, but he just had the workman cut holes in the floor and the weights go into the basement for the last day and half of each week.

My kids don't actually attend school. I teach them at home,,, or on vacation. :lmao: I think that the situation at schools across America really varies as to how hard they try to prevent people from temporarily removing their children from classes for vacations. Our schools tend to be governed by local government organizations, each state containing tons of different "school districts" each of which might handle all the schools in a particular town, city, country or even a small portion of a county or city.

Well, snowfall varies depending on how far north or south your location is. The further north you go the more likely you will be in a location where the local governments are prepared to get the snow off the roads with snowplows. I live in central Ohio and we do pretty well at it, but each local government is different. Our town, Westerville, does a far better job than the city we are near which is called Columbus. So our roads can be very clear very quickly and then we can drive down the road and run into very bad roads when we get to the spots that have to wait on Columbus snowplows to come through. :lmao: Although any place will have a plan for a set amount of snowfall and can then have an occasional extra bit they can't handle well every few years.

I figure we don't have it too bad; I have a friend who lives in Canada where they had so much snow a few years ago that they began to run out of places to put it as they removed it from the roads and some of the giant mountains of snow they made while moving it around had not completely melted before the following years winter snows started. In Ohio I've never see leftover un-melted snow by summer. :rotfl2:

Oh, well good that you saved on your dress! There are lots of outlet shopping centers here but they don’t really have bargains- just slightly reduced prices. I think they sell the last season’s clothes and products… and they just want to get rid of them.

It’s such a shame you didn’t get to try fish and chips! Maybe next time though. They don’t usually fry the chips in the same oil as the fish, so I think you will be fine! Really, we call fries chips here. In Mcdonalds, they are marketed as ‘fries’ but everyone in the UK calls them ‘chips’. Of course in WDW when we asked for chips without realizing, the servers were confused, and thought we wanted crisps! (I believe you call them potato chips?) So we learnt to start using American terms for things. ;)
It doesn’t surprise me that there aren’t too many baked potato restaurants in the US. I have always thought they seem to be more of a British thing. I don’t think cheddar cheese is the same in America though. I tried some and it was plainer and plastic flavoured. The cheddar we eat is quite rich. But try baked beans and cheese on your potatoes anyway- it is delicious! I am like you- I love anything potato! American fries, and those other things… are they called tater tots? The potato casserole at Akershus was just wonderful- we tried the recipe at home and it went very wrong though. :guilty:
Essex is pretty- but I take it for granted. I guess that’s what I’m used to- the same scenery and all. I have always thought though that Americans would really enjoy looking around here. Everyone says that there is not nearly so much history in the US, whereas the UK goes back thousands of years.
Your talking about Niagara Falls makes me really want to go there. I would love to see the ‘natural’ parts of America. I did sense that it was rather a ‘wet’ excursion. Lol! And that’s funny about your dad when you were little! My father has exactly the same corny type sense of humor. He is always saying jokes that no one really finds funny! I have also added Charlottesville on to my (long) list of must do’s in the US! It sounds beautiful. To be honest- I would visit virtually everywhere in America if I could! There’s just so much to explore and see. It’s rather overwhelming. ;)
It’s great that you know even that much history! Considering no one I know knows that much about American history… Elizabeth I is very interesting to learn about. Her father Henry VIII is a VERY famous king. Rory loves learning about his six wives. Lady Jane Grey is very interesting too- but very sad. And there was lots of trouble with Elizabeth’s half sister Mary. Her nickname is ‘Mary, Queen of Scots’ or ‘Bloody Mary’ I believe because she beheaded lots of people or she was killed herself. She was also locked in a tower by Elizabeth I think. Goodness- I certainly need to scratch up on my knowledge of history! ;)

Thomas Jefferson sounds like a very interesting person to learn about. I have heard of the Declaration of Independence, but I haven’t a clue what it is! Isn’t it something to do with the British and freedom? I also hadn’t had any idea that he was such a good inventor- and I looked up that clock you mentioned. If I have found the right one, it looks pretty impressive! :eek:

Really- you home school your kids? That must be such hard work! Aren’t the schools too good in your area? I can see the benefits of homeschooling- unfortunately with both of my parents working I could never have that opportunity. But school is fine- as long as it’s a good one! (Education wise.) My school is rather awful… and was rated as ‘failing’ by OFSTED until very recently. I think only 30% or 40% of people got a pass (A*-C) at the end of their GCSE exams. I’m not sure if you have the equivalent in the US, but you do GCSEs here for the last two years of compulsory education. If you get good enough results, you can go onto sixth form, for two years, and complete you’re a-levels. And if you get good enough a-levels, then you go to university/ college.
I don’t really like the atmosphere of school at all and would far prefer to be homeschooled. School is a very controlled environment, and they don’t trust you much. In fact… at my school, (sorry if this sounds ridiculous!) they treat you like tramps. I don’t deal with the pressures too well either! I wish I was working. (I know… I know… don’t wish your childhood away!)
Our schools are like that. But they are under tremendous pressure to make average attendance go up at the school, so they aren’t letting people off. Oh well- if that happens to us- I’m paying the fine!

You are lucky in the US- you have lots of holidays. 4th July sounds wonderful to me. And America has such pride in its country. We noticed that in Florida- driving from Miami to WDW- American flags popped up everywhere! That doesn’t happen here much. There’s a lot of ‘political correctness’ involved. But still- it seems that most Americans are proud to be Americans which I love. I wish our country had more pride- like it used to. :sad2:
I have no idea what Thanksgiving and Mardi Gras are, but I know that Thanksgiving is very big in America. Is it being thankful for food or something? And then you have days like Labor Day, Memorial Day… you have loads of public holidays! :worship:

It’s good that your town is well prepared for the snow. I can imagine it could be quite frustrating if they were not! I’m surprised that Columbus is that badly prepared compared to Westerville! We don’t use snow ploughs much… not near me anyway! Salt and grit on the road is what we have. So usually, by late afternoon, the roads are ‘drivable’ again. If it’s really bad, we can’t get about for a day or two. :mad:
That sounds awful about Canada! I know it is cold in winter, but I thought it was rather hot in summer- so the fact that the snow would not melt by next winter! That does sound awful! I went up to Scotland last Christmas, and although it was not as bad as that, the heavy snow had been moving it into piles virtually two stories high. It was the worst snow I’d ever seen personally. It had snowed a day or two before we got there and by the time that we arrived, the big mounds of snow had turned into treacherous ice. It was really scary walking on the pavements because there would be ‘black ice’, that was on the ground but you couldn’t see it.

An American girl started at my school today. She’s really nice, but she misses Montana a lot. We spent lunchtime yesterday bent over an atlas, and she was telling me all about her home and her pets. She lived really close to Canada and the Rocky Mountains. She’s having a hard time settling in here, sadly. Ironically, one of the things she misses most is the food from the US! She told me you can get dough in a can?! And some sort of instant cinnamon rolls?! I have to say, American supermarkets are rather different, regarding some of the products they sell. I came across something like ‘Pizza with Wyngz’?! I had no idea what they were but it was certainly interesting! :laughing:

Wonderful birthday party for your brother!! You are a super sister to plan this for him!! Can't wait to hear more about your trip. Keep up the great writing!!:flower3:

Awww thankyou! :goodvibes I love planning things for him, and seeing him smile. And it’s great being a ‘big sister’. I seem to remember you mentioned earlier in the TR you were going to WDW. How was it? I hope you had a wonderful time! :yay:

[meggiebeth]

Hello again! Well, I hope you all liked the pictures of Rory's party in my last update! But... back to the Trip Report!

So... after the parade- where did we go?! Why...

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This was one of the longest wait times in MK. And the drop... :scared1:

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I am the kind of person that gets really scared about a ride that looks scary- then I go on it and I say to myself 'Well that wasn't that bad!' So I was nervous about this ride... just because of the drop. And I didn't want to walk around SOAKING for the rest of the day.

The queuing area that wasn't being used really showed to us how busy this ride could get. It must be a nightmare queuing for that long!

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So after that wonderful ride (great theming!) we headed back to Main Street, ready to go back to SSR for a break. Of course- we were easily distracted...

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And me, Willum and Rory headed into the...

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Whilst Mummy and Daddy went to get ice cream!

The MANY Stylings of Rory! :artist:

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Thanks for reading! Next up... look out of our meal at California Grill and EMHs at MK until 2am!

[fromscratchmom]

...It’s such a shame you didn’t get to try fish and chips! Maybe next time though. They don’t usually fry the chips in the same oil as the fish, so I think you will be fine! ...In Mcdonalds, they are marketed as ‘fries’ but everyone in the UK calls them ‘chips’. Of course in WDW when we asked for chips without realizing, the servers were confused, and thought we wanted crisps! (I believe you call them potato chips?) So we learnt to start using American terms for things. ;)
... I don’t think cheddar cheese is the same in America though. I tried some and it was plainer and plastic flavoured. The cheddar we eat is quite rich. ...
Essex is pretty- but I take it for granted. I guess that’s what I’m used to- the same scenery and all. I have always thought though that Americans would really enjoy looking around here. Everyone says that there is not nearly so much history in the US, whereas the UK goes back thousands of years.
...Rory loves learning about his six wives...Goodness- I certainly need to scratch up on my knowledge of history! ;)
Thomas Jefferson sounds like a very interesting person to learn about. I have heard of the Declaration of Independence, but I haven’t a clue what it is! Isn’t it something to do with the British and freedom? I also hadn’t had any idea that he was such a good inventor- and I looked up that clock you mentioned. If I have found the right one, it looks pretty impressive! :eek:
Really- you home school your kids? ...but you do GCSEs here for the last two years of compulsory education. If you get good enough results, you can go onto sixth form, for two years, and complete you’re a-levels. And if you get good enough a-levels, then you go to university/ college.
I don’t really like the atmosphere of school at all and would far prefer to be homeschooled. School is a very controlled environment, and they don’t trust you much. In fact… at my school, (sorry if this sounds ridiculous!) they treat you like tramps. I don’t deal with the pressures too well either! I wish I was working. (I know… I know… don’t wish your childhood away!)
...You are lucky in the US- you have lots of holidays. 4th July sounds wonderful to me. And America has such pride in its country. We noticed that in Florida- driving from Miami to WDW- American flags popped up everywhere! That doesn’t happen here much. There’s a lot of ‘political correctness’ involved. But still- it seems that most Americans are proud to be Americans which I love. I wish our country had more pride- like it used to. :sad2:
I have no idea what Thanksgiving and Mardi Gras are, but I know that Thanksgiving is very big in America. Is it being thankful for food or something? And then you have days like Labor Day, Memorial Day… you have loads of public holidays! :worship...
An American girl started at my school today. She’s really nice, but she misses Montana a lot. We spent lunchtime yesterday bent over an atlas, and she was telling me all about her home and her pets. She lived really close to Canada and the Rocky Mountains. She’s having a hard time settling in here, sadly. Ironically, one of the things she misses most is the food from the US! She told me you can get dough in a can?! And some sort of instant cinnamon rolls?! I have to say, American supermarkets are rather different, regarding some of the products they sell. I came across something like ‘Pizza with Wyngz’?! I had no idea what they were but it was certainly interesting! :laughing:

Now that I know I'll certainly try the chips. I like vinegar. I know what you mean about the different lingo. I knew before visiting England just a few words would be different, but I was surprised by how many. About the cheddar cheese, it would be fair to say that we have a lot of "cheese" here that is not like it should be. I put it in quotes because a good bit of it isn't even really cheese and is pretty yucky by taste and texture besides reading on the label as something strange like "processed cheese food product". We like real cheddar and my husband especially likes really sharp ones. I'm a label reader so I avoid most of the "cheese" in the grocery store but I know where to buy the good stuff.

Hehe, good for Rory. The stories of the six wives are kind of fascinating aren't they? I'm a history lover. My husband used to want to become a history teacher until he realized he was already making more money in computers over the summer during his college years than he could make as a teacher and that if he ended up teaching high school rather than teaching at the college level he'd have to deal with the behavior of kids and the crowd control issues that he saw with his little sister and her friends, who were all pretty wild at the time when he made that decision. :laughing: But anyway, while I've been chatting with him as he drives and working offline on correspondence I mentioned our conversation and Jefferson and the Declaration... he started telling me about how there are a good many people who think all of the ideals of the Declaration of Independence are imitations from other thinkers such as Locke and Hobbes and Montesquieu, but that while many of our founding fathers were influenced by those same men there are some crucial differences and the Declaration of Independence is truly unique and pivotal in world history. And he gave me an interesting little refresher on the comparative philosophies of Jefferson and the three others I just mentioned.

The Declaration of Independence was essentially the result of the political problems that were going on in the American colonies just before the revolutionary war. It was the culmination of the landed men of the colonies having been discussing the seriousness they saw in those issues and debating between loyalty to the crown and the need to stand up for their rights as British citizens which they saw as being trampled. As the political tide turned and more and more decided the King would not reverse course but would oppress them and misuse them Thomas Jefferson was asked to draft this document which proclaimed to the King that they now saw themselves as independent of him and why.

Oh and DH says to say that while many schools dumb it down to the point of saying the whole thing was over the issue of "taxation without representation" that was actually number 14 on the list of reasons given on the document itself.

56 men signed the Declaration between August 2, 1776 and January 22, 1777, including two future presidents, three vice presidents, and ten members of the United States Congress.
There had been plenty of letters to the King before that time anyway, but obviously this one was different.
When he got this news he didn't exactly like it. ;) A fair percentage of the signers of the Declaration ended up dead for having signed, some penniless, some with their families dead. But they are true American heroes, they and their sacrifices are the foundations of our country. We have one famous "founding father" who is mostly only famous to most people as a name, because his is the most prominent signature that can be read on the document. And his name has become synonymous with the word "signature". So sometimes when people here want you to sign something like perhaps your loan papers when you are buying a house or a car, they will say, "put your John Hancock right there".

The schools in our district our somewhere between average and very good, not the tops in the state but not at all bad by public school standards. My oldest child, my son, had a lot of learning challenges and he was basically "falling through the cracks". So I had to do something to help him. I pulled him out of school when he was mid-way through the fourth grade, but was two years behind in math, struggling with reading and having enormous social problems with kids and teachers too. I didn't know it yet at the time, but it turned out that he had Asperger's Syndrome. It was truly a hard job teaching him and I could see why the schools would have a hard time being equipped to handle every special need they run into. But without going into the rest of the story of his education before and after that point, that was how we found homeschooling. We just found it to be a really lovely lifestyle for our family and to have tons of amazing benefits. We love it. My daughters have never been to a school.

One of the strengths of homeschooling is the ability to individualize the education to the child completely. However that can also be seen as a drawback to homeschooling; any area where a child has a weakness becomes an area where you have to work harder, be diligent, find a way for them to succeed or even pull ahead in that subject. My kids are all great readers and the older two were both reading on a college level by the time they were twelve. (and that was after the public schools couldn't teach my son to read until I did it for them when he was the seven and eight years old.) I am weak in math and none of them seem to like math so that is where we have to have the most self-discipline and really work to make it happen.

But here is the great thing: It is all about letting your child (or helping them to) learn how to learn, to love to learn, to respect education and to be self-disciplined and independent. And while homeschooling as a movement or a personal choice is wonderful and I'd highly recommend it to just about anyone, it isn't really just about those can do it the way we do it. One of my favorite home school moms who lectures to other moms and sells a curriculum she wrote herself, is a woman who has her children in public schools and does what she calls "after-schooling" with them. She is supplementing their eduction essentially. Another person, a father, who I have bought curriculum from is a man whose wife had put together the materials to be used and had been homeschooling their children and then passed away suddenly. As a widower, he actually kept on homeschooling his kids right through until they all got accepted at excellent colleges and universities, even though he worked full time and they had to work mostly independently. Not to mention American History is full of amazing figures who were taught at home or were self-taught---world history for that matter. If you bone up on your history, you'll be doing the same wonderful thing!

We do not have an equivalent of the GCSEs, or I should say the GCSE test here. Our schools all have compulsory schooling right up to what we call twelfth grade. I think by design, our eleventh and twelfth grade are meant to be at the same level as your two years that you call second form. I remember back a million years ago when I was a teen participating in some and listening to a good deal of debate about whether the British system or the American system was superior as to that particular difference. If I got to decide I'm sure I'd switch us over to the British system. But many Americans tend to think that if everyone is not University-bound they have been wronged, where I think that to assign people privileges without equivalent responsibility is to do them wrong, and is quite probably a part of the reason for the continued decline in educational excellence that we have been experiencing here since before I was born. I've been aware of some of the facts about that situation in the past but I was recently horrified to learn that even the SATs and a huge percentage of college courses have been dumbed down since I took the SATs back in the 1980s.

Our SATs are tests that many students who want to go on to college or university have to take depending on which schools they are applying to. There are other similar tests that some schools ask for. The acronym stands for Scholastic Aptitude Test. And people also sometimes refer to them as "the college boards". Here if a student wants to go on to college after twelfth grade, they have to contact the schools they are considering attending and find out about the requirements for admission. Then if they still want to try to get in, they fill out an application and send it in along with all other requirements, such as official scores from the SAT or some other test. Then they wait to hear if they get accepted. Some schools will take nearly anyone no matter how poor of a student and some are extremely tough to gain entrance to.
I know what you mean about the environment in the schools, that certainly had an influence on me during my schooling and in my future ideas about schools in general.

I love the 4th of July. It is a fun holiday for sure. Unfortunately we do have plenty of people here who are into "political correctness" and don't seem to be aware of the problems associated with it or who let it inform their opinions way more than they should. But at least we also still have the other.

Mardi Gras is a holiday associated with the practice of lent, I believe. It seems like most people only celebrate it as a giant wild party or don't celebrate it at all; but I believe it started out as and may still be to some people a thing where they "party hard" before going on a fast or giving something up for lent. I'm not a catholic so those particular religious traditions could probably get a much better explanation from someone else.

Thanksgiving is a national Holiday now and has its roots back in the colonial era when the pilgrims of the Massachusetts Bay Colony had a several days long feast and celebration where they thanked God for the harvest. Although for the first hundred years or more after that there were different times and places that the same thing happened without uniformity, it is now always at the end of November (a good bit after the harvest for some of the states) and is generally celebrated with a feast and Thanks given to God for the food and for good things in life.

About the girl from Montana, maybe next month her family will at least be able to get a turkey and have a regular Thanksgiving the way they would have back home. I wonder if they could mail order just a few items that aren't available in the UK? I know the shipping is outrageous but you can often mail order foreign specialty foods here.

Haha, pizza and wings are a restaurant fad of the last ten or so years here. The "wings" are chicken wings with a spicy sauce on them. In restaurants part of the process of making them includes deep frying, but then that isn't the end of it. I can't imagine that getting them in the grocery store would be the same, but then again how many grocery store convenience foods are ever the same as what they mimic? :laughing: They are often called Buffalo wings because of a restaurant in Buffalo, New York that made them. And for some strange reason lots of restaurants offer special deals for ordering pizza and wings at the same time. Well, I guess they are both the kinds of foods that people like for having a movie night or for having friends over to watch sports on the television. I like both things, but I've never actually had them in the same meal.

Now that you see how badly I can go on and on about history and then get told to put more in by DH, you'll be afraid to ask anything about it. :lmao: But it is just a great subject to us. I'm glad you see the good in people liking their own country. I think the reasons that people decide we are all supposed to be ashamed of ourselves because of the past are rarely very well thought out and the emotionalism involved certainly prevents people developing a proper understanding of their own history and therefore ironically makes it all the more likely that if they get there way they are dooming the future to repetitions of those same past mistakes they are so upset about. Plus as with many other countries, Britain and America both have a lot of good things to be happy about in their histories along with the rotten things. Plus the British flag is great. I think that would be awesome if it was out in front of people's houses all over your beautiful country. And all the more so if I got to come and see it happen. Patriotism and TRAVEL. How could that be wrong? :lmao:

[WDWRids]

Awww thankyou! :goodvibes I love planning things for him, and seeing him smile. And it’s great being a ‘big sister’. I seem to remember you mentioned earlier in the TR you were going to WDW. How was it? I hope you had a wonderful time! :yay:

We had a GREAT time. I just love WDW. It truly is the happiest place on earth!! We stayed for a week w/ my DHs sister and her husband. Was so sad when we had to leave. Wasn't sure when we would make it back (went the last two years in a row) but now have found out I get to go for work in March 2012!!! So excited. I'll work during the day but DH will play. Then we will meet up and have the nights. Probably will take a day or two extra.

[meggiebeth]

Now that I know I'll certainly try the chips. I like vinegar. I know what you mean about the different lingo. I knew before visiting England just a few words would be different, but I was surprised by how many. About the cheddar cheese, it would be fair to say that we have a lot of "cheese" here that is not like it should be. I put it in quotes because a good bit of it isn't even really cheese and is pretty yucky by taste and texture besides reading on the label as something strange like "processed cheese food product". We like real cheddar and my husband especially likes really sharp ones. I'm a label reader so I avoid most of the "cheese" in the grocery store but I know where to buy the good stuff.

Hehe, good for Rory. The stories of the six wives are kind of fascinating aren't they? I'm a history lover. My husband used to want to become a history teacher until he realized he was already making more money in computers over the summer during his college years than he could make as a teacher and that if he ended up teaching high school rather than teaching at the college level he'd have to deal with the behavior of kids and the crowd control issues that he saw with his little sister and her friends, who were all pretty wild at the time when he made that decision. :laughing: But anyway, while I've been chatting with him as he drives and working offline on correspondence I mentioned our conversation and Jefferson and the Declaration... he started telling me about how there are a good many people who think all of the ideals of the Declaration of Independence are imitations from other thinkers such as Locke and Hobbes and Montesquieu, but that while many of our founding fathers were influenced by those same men there are some crucial differences and the Declaration of Independence is truly unique and pivotal in world history. And he gave me an interesting little refresher on the comparative philosophies of Jefferson and the three others I just mentioned.

The Declaration of Independence was essentially the result of the political problems that were going on in the American colonies just before the revolutionary war. It was the culmination of the landed men of the colonies having been discussing the seriousness they saw in those issues and debating between loyalty to the crown and the need to stand up for their rights as British citizens which they saw as being trampled. As the political tide turned and more and more decided the King would not reverse course but would oppress them and misuse them Thomas Jefferson was asked to draft this document which proclaimed to the King that they now saw themselves as independent of him and why.

Oh and DH says to say that while many schools dumb it down to the point of saying the whole thing was over the issue of "taxation without representation" that was actually number 14 on the list of reasons given on the document itself.

56 men signed the Declaration between August 2, 1776 and January 22, 1777, including two future presidents, three vice presidents, and ten members of the United States Congress.
There had been plenty of letters to the King before that time anyway, but obviously this one was different.
When he got this news he didn't exactly like it. ;) A fair percentage of the signers of the Declaration ended up dead for having signed, some penniless, some with their families dead. But they are true American heroes, they and their sacrifices are the foundations of our country. We have one famous "founding father" who is mostly only famous to most people as a name, because his is the most prominent signature that can be read on the document. And his name has become synonymous with the word "signature". So sometimes when people here want you to sign something like perhaps your loan papers when you are buying a house or a car, they will say, "put your John Hancock right there".

The schools in our district our somewhere between average and very good, not the tops in the state but not at all bad by public school standards. My oldest child, my son, had a lot of learning challenges and he was basically "falling through the cracks". So I had to do something to help him. I pulled him out of school when he was mid-way through the fourth grade, but was two years behind in math, struggling with reading and having enormous social problems with kids and teachers too. I didn't know it yet at the time, but it turned out that he had Asperger's Syndrome. It was truly a hard job teaching him and I could see why the schools would have a hard time being equipped to handle every special need they run into. But without going into the rest of the story of his education before and after that point, that was how we found homeschooling. We just found it to be a really lovely lifestyle for our family and to have tons of amazing benefits. We love it. My daughters have never been to a school.

One of the strengths of homeschooling is the ability to individualize the education to the child completely. However that can also be seen as a drawback to homeschooling; any area where a child has a weakness becomes an area where you have to work harder, be diligent, find a way for them to succeed or even pull ahead in that subject. My kids are all great readers and the older two were both reading on a college level by the time they were twelve. (and that was after the public schools couldn't teach my son to read until I did it for them when he was the seven and eight years old.) I am weak in math and none of them seem to like math so that is where we have to have the most self-discipline and really work to make it happen.

But here is the great thing: It is all about letting your child (or helping them to) learn how to learn, to love to learn, to respect education and to be self-disciplined and independent. And while homeschooling as a movement or a personal choice is wonderful and I'd highly recommend it to just about anyone, it isn't really just about those can do it the way we do it. One of my favorite home school moms who lectures to other moms and sells a curriculum she wrote herself, is a woman who has her children in public schools and does what she calls "after-schooling" with them. She is supplementing their eduction essentially. Another person, a father, who I have bought curriculum from is a man whose wife had put together the materials to be used and had been homeschooling their children and then passed away suddenly. As a widower, he actually kept on homeschooling his kids right through until they all got accepted at excellent colleges and universities, even though he worked full time and they had to work mostly independently. Not to mention American History is full of amazing figures who were taught at home or were self-taught---world history for that matter. If you bone up on your history, you'll be doing the same wonderful thing!

We do not have an equivalent of the GCSEs, or I should say the GCSE test here. Our schools all have compulsory schooling right up to what we call twelfth grade. I think by design, our eleventh and twelfth grade are meant to be at the same level as your two years that you call second form. I remember back a million years ago when I was a teen participating in some and listening to a good deal of debate about whether the British system or the American system was superior as to that particular difference. If I got to decide I'm sure I'd switch us over to the British system. But many Americans tend to think that if everyone is not University-bound they have been wronged, where I think that to assign people privileges without equivalent responsibility is to do them wrong, and is quite probably a part of the reason for the continued decline in educational excellence that we have been experiencing here since before I was born. I've been aware of some of the facts about that situation in the past but I was recently horrified to learn that even the SATs and a huge percentage of college courses have been dumbed down since I took the SATs back in the 1980s.

Our SATs are tests that many students who want to go on to college or university have to take depending on which schools they are applying to. There are other similar tests that some schools ask for. The acronym stands for Scholastic Aptitude Test. And people also sometimes refer to them as "the college boards". Here if a student wants to go on to college after twelfth grade, they have to contact the schools they are considering attending and find out about the requirements for admission. Then if they still want to try to get in, they fill out an application and send it in along with all other requirements, such as official scores from the SAT or some other test. Then they wait to hear if they get accepted. Some schools will take nearly anyone no matter how poor of a student and some are extremely tough to gain entrance to.
I know what you mean about the environment in the schools, that certainly had an influence on me during my schooling and in my future ideas about schools in general.

I love the 4th of July. It is a fun holiday for sure. Unfortunately we do have plenty of people here who are into "political correctness" and don't seem to be aware of the problems associated with it or who let it inform their opinions way more than they should. But at least we also still have the other.

Mardi Gras is a holiday associated with the practice of lent, I believe. It seems like most people only celebrate it as a giant wild party or don't celebrate it at all; but I believe it started out as and may still be to some people a thing where they "party hard" before going on a fast or giving something up for lent. I'm not a catholic so those particular religious traditions could probably get a much better explanation from someone else.

Thanksgiving is a national Holiday now and has its roots back in the colonial era when the pilgrims of the Massachusetts Bay Colony had a several days long feast and celebration where they thanked God for the harvest. Although for the first hundred years or more after that there were different times and places that the same thing happened without uniformity, it is now always at the end of November (a good bit after the harvest for some of the states) and is generally celebrated with a feast and Thanks given to God for the food and for good things in life.

About the girl from Montana, maybe next month her family will at least be able to get a turkey and have a regular Thanksgiving the way they would have back home. I wonder if they could mail order just a few items that aren't available in the UK? I know the shipping is outrageous but you can often mail order foreign specialty foods here.

Haha, pizza and wings are a restaurant fad of the last ten or so years here. The "wings" are chicken wings with a spicy sauce on them. In restaurants part of the process of making them includes deep frying, but then that isn't the end of it. I can't imagine that getting them in the grocery store would be the same, but then again how many grocery store convenience foods are ever the same as what they mimic? :laughing: They are often called Buffalo wings because of a restaurant in Buffalo, New York that made them. And for some strange reason lots of restaurants offer special deals for ordering pizza and wings at the same time. Well, I guess they are both the kinds of foods that people like for having a movie night or for having friends over to watch sports on the television. I like both things, but I've never actually had them in the same meal.

Now that you see how badly I can go on and on about history and then get told to put more in by DH, you'll be afraid to ask anything about it. :lmao: But it is just a great subject to us. I'm glad you see the good in people liking their own country. I think the reasons that people decide we are all supposed to be ashamed of ourselves because of the past are rarely very well thought out and the emotionalism involved certainly prevents people developing a proper understanding of their own history and therefore ironically makes it all the more likely that if they get there way they are dooming the future to repetitions of those same past mistakes they are so upset about. Plus as with many other countries, Britain and America both have a lot of good things to be happy about in their histories along with the rotten things. Plus the British flag is great. I think that would be awesome if it was out in front of people's houses all over your beautiful country. And all the more so if I got to come and see it happen. Patriotism and TRAVEL. How could that be wrong? :lmao:

Yes, I agree, although England and America both speak English, there are many different phrases. Me and my brothers have grown up watching so much American television that we know a lot of American jargon. :laughing:

That's great then- if you can get hold of some 'mature' cheddar cheese, then that would taste wonderful with a baked potato and beans. My mum roasts them in the oven with sea salt, I think. :cloud9: I guess we were just tourists, but we weren't impressed with the cheese we bought in Florida. We must've bought the wrong stuff. Do you have red leicester cheese? That is also a really nice cheese.
Speaking of red leicester, I used to have it in a sandwich with marmite. I have always wondered whether you can get that in the US. You either love it or hate it! :rotfl: It is very strong- and some people have been known to spread it on very thickly, believing it is chocolate spread. Which... well... it chokes them. Literally. ;)
I am also a history lover. Well, I have to say, it sounds like your husband made a good decision by not becoming a history teacher... for more than financial reasons. Both of my history teachers have a very difficult time managing some of the more 'reluctant' to learn students- and by that I mean they don't want to learn at all! Is he a college level teacher? I have to say that sounds more enjoyable than teaching at high school level. High school is compulsory, so I guess you would have to deal with kids who just DON'T want to be their- and their awful behaviour. I can't wait till college/ university, when pretty much everyone wants to be there and behaves.
I hate to say it... but I really don't understand much about the Declaration of Independence. I know that it was sent to the King of England... and the US wanted freedom... but that's about it. Lol. We talk about it rarely here- and the only time I have heard it mentioned in the UK is when I was about 7 or 8 and watching an episode of 'Fairly Odd Parents'. :laughing:
It's embarrassing how controlling the British seemed. We had a huge empire, right up to the Victorian times, I think. Queen Victoria found presentation and image very important, obviously, and made her soliders wear bright uniform... red I think. Which obviously wasn't much of a disguise when invading other countries!
We have done a lot of work on Native Indians and the slave trade though, for the last three years. I would like to move on now. ;) I am truly interested in American history, but it's hard for me to start learning it considering I know so little. The slave trade looked horrific. We watched a video at school of lots of black people on the ship tied to a chain, with rocks, I believe. Then they threw the rocks off the ship first, and the poor people were dragged off one by one and drowned. :eek: (And of course, that was by the British, right?!) AND the British sailed over and forced the Native Americans onto reservations. Doesn't sound like we were very nice to the US! We used to be very powerful until the first world war. Then... we kind of got overtaken. Lol.
Obviously, though, the Declaration was part of the reason America got freedom, right? It's a shame people had to die for it though.
Were there just the Native Americans in America when the British came? Doesn't that mean that most Americans are actually British? :confused: Sorry, I guess Pocahontus isn't exactly the best source to go by!
It sounds like your decision to take your son out of school was a great move!Understandably, it must have been hard for his school dealing with all of his learning challenges... but I thought they were meant to deal with things like that anyhow. But I think that you taking him out was great in the respect that he will get a lot more attention and help. And it sounds like you're a great teacher anyway! :thumbsup2 I am interested in seeing how well my school teaches... and I do notice that the students who find learning a challenge DO fall through the cracks. And most of them are badly behaved too, I think because they don't really see themselves improving much. And they don't get the help that they need, either. I find it really sad. :confused3
If only most challenged children had the opportunity to be homeschooled by their parents. It sounds like your son has a far more positive future because of it. As for the college level reading- that IS impressive! So your son could not read much until you homeschooled him? I guess it just goes to show that even when the school 'can't'... it sounds like they can! Did they not give your son 'individual' help? Some children at my school have one or two hours help a week individually with a teaching assistant or teacher.
Who does like maths?! I have always disliked it, and I am struggling now that we are learning GCSE level things. To go from E, D and C level things to A and A* things is very difficult!
So do you teach your kids together, or split up your time individually? I can't imaging my mother teaching me and my brothers. She would be shouting at us after 10 minutes! :lmao:
If you don't mind my asking, I have always been told that homeschooling means your social skills are not as developed as they would be if you were in school. (I have seriously asked my parents if I can be homeschooled... for... like 3 years!) How did your kids make friends if they didn't go to school? I have been told a lot that homeschooling is lonely and you don't interact with people your own age much.
That is a great idea about the mother who supplements her kids' education after school. I think that is a great idea! Your second story is really sad! But it sounds like the father never gave up- and having a full time job must have made it very challenging! My parents both work full time and come home exhausted each day, so I can't imagine how challenging it must've been for the father. I'm not sure if it's legal to be 'self-taught' here- otherwise I would have tried it.
Infact, when we were in FL, we were driving in the car listening to the radio when an advert came on for school on the internet?! Something like that anyway. So instead of homeschooling, you can go to school on the internet. I suppose you have to apply yourself well to be able to do that successfully, but it sounded interesting to me. I wish SO much we had that here! It always seems like there are more opportunities in America... and I'm missing out! :sad2:
I do think GCSEs are a good idea. I am very surprised that there is not an equivilent to them in the US! If you have GCSEs you are more likely to get a better paid job than someone with no GCSEs (or should I say, someone who hasn't passed them.) School is compulsory up until year 11... (isn't that the 10th grade?) and then we have the choice to go onto sixth form... only if we have good enough GCSEs though! When my parents took them, they were called O-Levels and A-Levels. And there were two different O-Levels- one for more 'capable' students, and one for academically challenged students. But then they were combined to make GCSEs... which are meant to suit everyone. But recently, they have been relatively easy to pass, and if you didn't do very well in your test, you were allowed to re-do it until you passed! Infact, our last government, labour, were apparently to blame for this, and claimed there were better results since them coming into power, when infact they had just made them easier to pass! Our new coalition government is changing this though, I think, which is good... but it also means GCSEs will be harder for me! :rotfl:
So if you have no GCSEs or A-Levels, can anyone get into university? When my dad was in uni, only about 5% of students went to university/ college after school, but since labour has encouraged more people to go, and helped more people to pass GCSEs, even students with A grades haven't gotten a place in university. :confused3 And people come out of university or college to find there are no jobs for them!
Really? We do SATs here too! However they don't sound as serious as yours. We don't do them at the end of school either. We do them in year 2 (first grade, right?) year 6 (fifth grade?) and we used to do them in year 9, but this was abolished a few years ago. So SATs define whether you get into university in the US? Are they as important as GCSEs?
The 4th July sounds great. It's one of your BIG holidays, isn't it? I would love to experience it, and have heard there are lots of celebrations, parades and fireworks.
We have too much political correctness too. Aparently, having a British flag on display in public might offend ethnic minorities. And we are not supposed to call the green man on the traffic light that anymore, but instead a 'green person', because it might offend those who aren't men!
I suppose political correctness is linked to sueing. (I think I spelt it right?) When we drove up to WDW, there were huge billboards saying things like; 'HAVE YOU HAD AN INJURY AT WORK?' and other circumstances that you could sue people for. When we stereotype America, we think 'sueing' and 'guns'. We have to have guns registered here, but there is a lot of knife crime in and around London and other large cities.
Oh, so THAT'S what Mardi Gras is! We don't have that, but we do have pancake day! I think it's meant to be so you use up all the 'nice' foods ready for Lent. Our pancakes are different to the thick fluffy ones in the US though. They are like the French crepes... if you have ever tasted them? And heavenly with lemon juice and sugar. :lovestruc
I don't mean to sound offensive, but is America very religious? My mum's friend used to live in Jacksonville, Florida, and said most people were religious, and the church communities were very friendly and accepting. I think it's lovely that you all say 'blessed'... and I have actually caught on and started to say it too! It sounds like such an appreciative, positive thing to say.
Oh, I kind of sensed that Thanksgiving was to do with food because of the turkey. Is it almost as big as Christmas? It sounds quite festive!
I always knew that 'wings' were popular in America! In Walmart or Publix, they advertised wings as 'wyngz' and they came with pizza in a box. In Walmart, they sell tea in petrol cans. I could spend hours looking at all the 'interesting' food in Walmart especially. They have started selling Hershey Kisses in our local supermarket here, and although I think they are disgusting, I will buy anything to remind me of WDW and America!
The girl from Montana's mother is actually English, and I believe she married an Englishman in the US... so I don't think they celebrate Thanksgiving. She has just told me that they go to a special place in the UK to get American foods... at a price of course! Tell me about it in regards to the expensive postage costs from the US... I want to get a CD from WDW but the postage is something ridiculous like $30.
You and your DH sound awesome when you talk about history! You know so much about it! You both sound so passionate- and proud of your country's history! :thumbsup2 Patriotism is great- I wish the British were proud to be British again! Oh well... it gives me more excuse to go to America again to see it!
There are lots of British flags in London and touristy places... just not in normal towns and cities. I wish we could be more like America in that aspect! It sounds like you love to travel! Well we have that in common too! What could be better that seeing new cultures, experiencing different places and learning all the while! popcorn::

We had a GREAT time. I just love WDW. It truly is the happiest place on earth!! We stayed for a week w/ my DHs sister and her husband. Was so sad when we had to leave. Wasn't sure when we would make it back (went the last two years in a row) but now have found out I get to go for work in March 2012!!! So excited. I'll work during the day but DH will play. Then we will meet up and have the nights. Probably will take a day or two extra.

It's fabulous that you had a great time! We were also in awe when we first went to WDW. We have been on holiday to lots of other places, but not one has had people as polite, happy and curteous as Disney! So you didn't go with kids? I'm so glad that adults love it too- my parents think Disney is for children and I'm the only person who misses WDW every day of the year! :laughing:
What great luck that you're going for work... and only about 1/2 a year away too! I'm guessing your DH has been bitten by the Disney bug too! I never quite understood people before our trip when they said 'You WILL be back.' But now I do! WDW is addictive! :lmao: Are you staying on property? You're so lucky- you have so much planning to do! That's half the fun, after all! :cloud9:

[meggiebeth]

Welcome back!

Dinner at California Grill

So, after a rest at SSR and a much needed trip to Walmart for a buggy for Rory, we headed out to the CR for our 9:30 ADR at California Grill. We parked at the CR and walked right up. We didn't get seated until about 9:50, which wasn't good- because we were still waiting for our server when everyone else rushed out to the viewing area to see Wishes!
William was being a spoilsport and said he had no interest in seeing Wishes- and refused to come out. This influenced Rory too, who said he would rather sit and watch William play on his iPod!? I was disappointed and ready to DRAG Rory out, because I knew it would be something he'd enjoy. But... my parents didn't let me. *Sob*. Unfortunately, Rory didn't see Wishes at all on the trip, which was one thing I certainly regret... but fortunately one of the only things.
By the time we got out to the viewing area, there were SO many people that we couldn't see at all. I had no idea that it would be sooooo crowded, and couldn't help being disappointed. And I am very short for a fourteen year old, so I could barely see at all.
I am embarrassed to say it, but I was close to tears. :rolleyes1 I was embarrassed because I had been telling my parents for months that California Grill was one of the BEST restaurants at WDW, and the view of Wishes was to die for. Unfortunately, only a quarter of the people eating there were at the front of the balcony, most other people had a restricted view.
My parents saw I was sad and I couldn't see much, and shoved me to the front. A kind lady said she didn't mind me going infront of her. However, my parents couldn't see well which made me sad, as I wanted to enjoy it WITH my family. I don't think it was our fault we had a bad view, seeing as we had not much choice and had been stuck at our table while everyone else virtually ran out.
As if anything else could go wrong, the music was not piped in! I was confused because I knew it was meant to be. Halfway through, it suddenly came on though. Better than nothing, right?! The rest of the display WAS magical, even though I wasn't enjoying it near my parents, and my brothers didn't get to see it.
So, we went back in and sat down... with some photos!...

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5456.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5457.jpg

Our waitress came back with our appetizers. I think she was from Maryland? But I couldn't remember her name. She was BY FAR the best server we had all holiday, and me and my parents loved her! She was very attentive, sat for the longest time ever and gave advice and detailed descriptions on each of the courses, and was very friendly. We needed to charge our camera which she also had no problem with.

She convinced my mum to try sushi. Unfortunately, my mum didn't like it. Not because it wasn't good... but she just discovered she was not a sushi person at all.

I had some sort of flatbread. It would be nice to a 'foodie' but I found the cheese WAY to strong. I'm not an adventurous eater at all!

For entrees, me and my parents all had the same thing. It was some sort of pasta with mushrooms. Forgive me, I can't remember the name of the dish! It was nice and full of flavour. I can't remember what William had, but Rory was brought out salmon and something else? It looked nice, but Rory was fast asleep by then, bless him, and didn't eat it.

I had made sure my parents put on the ADR that it was their anniversary and my father's birthday... mainly because I had heard and seen a photo of the chocolate cake they give out that isn't on the menu. Okay... okay... my parents don't really like chocolate cake. But... I was willing to be kind and helpful... and volunteer! Haha! Unfortunately, we were not brought out anything at all... which really surprised me seeing as I thought signature restaurants would be more likely to do this.

Although my family were full... I was not! I saw the chocolate pudding thing on the menu... and ordered it. One of my favourite puddings of the trip! Mmmmmmmmmm.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5460.jpg

Okay, that's an embarrassing photo. Here are our last photos of the CG before leaving:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5461.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5464.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5465.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5468.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5471.jpg

We were one of the last people out. We gave the waitress a big tip... we were very impressed with her.

Afterthought on CG:

Although it was a unique restaurant and the service was very good, as well as the dessert, we weren't very impressed with the restaurant as a whole. For one of the most expensive restaurants in WDW, we were expecting a bit more.
I don't mean to sound negative, but it just wasn't our thing. And if we didn't have the dining plan, and were paying OOP, we would definately feel it wasn't worth the money. For people who think they will have an amazing view of Wishes and a quiet, peaceful time, I think they would be disappointed with how crowded the balcony is and how not everyone can see very well (especially when you factor in the price of eating at CG!)
If you haven't tried it and are into sushi, etc, this could be a good place to eat. But for us, it just wasn't one of our favourites.

EMHs at Magic Kingdom!

So after CG, we walked right over to MK, anxious for our first EMHs! I was very excited! I can see why people love the CR and BLT, because of their convenience to MK.

We headed in at about 11:30, and walked up to Space Mountain. Instead of the hour wait during the day, we waited about 15 or 20 minutes. Rory woke up, realized he was in a buggy and was extremely embarrassed, so hopped out. Besides, who could say no to MK with barely any queues?!
We went on the SM track to the right, which definately seemed faster than the other one! It did to us anyway!

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5486.jpg

It was mostly people coming out of MK. After about 20 minutes, it was far more empty, but, oh my, what a wonderful atmosphere!

Then... we rode on...

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5489.jpg

Which to my parents, me and Willum was 'meh'. But as Stitch is Rory's favourite Disney character, it was well worth it, seeing the smile on his face and the excitement as he saw the 'real' Stitch! The ride was virtually empty. There were a few other families, but most seats were empty. It was funny when Stitch licked you... hahaha!

Then, it was time for...

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5495.jpg

YAY! We had ridden this in DLP... which is one of the few rides I can remember. This ride was virtually empty... no queue at all. As we were walking in, I saw a ginormous cockroach on the floor. I virtually screamed. It was the first cockroach I have ever seen in person. So for the rest of the ride, I was scared there would be lots of cockroaches in the ride. I kept scanning the boat floor for them. Ikr, I am paranoid. :laughing:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5515.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5516.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5518.jpg

Awwww, lovers! My parents are so cute together.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5520.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5526.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5528.jpg

When we got back to SSR, we saw this little guy! CUTE!

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5536.jpg

There were always frogs hanging around near our villa. There were lots of lizards too... but I preferred the frogs! LOL!

So, MK EMHs are a MUST for us! We loved them. We felt like VIPs, being let in when the park was closed to the public.

Thanks for reading! See you soon!

[fromscratchmom]

... Do you have red leicester cheese? That is also a really nice cheese.

Speaking of red leicesteeicester, I used to have it in a sandwich with marmite...

The thing about finding and purchasing nice cheese here is that you have to live in a place that has a nice cheese shop and not all towns or cities have them. There are some here where I live, but then there is also a new and very small, but growing thing where people are learning the craft of making cheese at home and some who do this and then sell their cheeses in farmers markets. So any town or city that has a farmer's market has the possibility that there might be a little bit of really nice cheese in some of the stands there. So I was thinking that the next time your family vacations in Orlando, just go to a nice cheese shop, thinking Orlando would be big enough to have one, but then, I looked it up on the internet and couldn't find that there is one there. I'm so surprised by that given that I thought it was a fair sized city. I found this foodie link with people discussing it. :laughing:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/351250

So I guess what you will need is a dismeet with a disser who can bring cheese from Tampa or some other location in a cooler on their trip. :lmao:

Well, since I am blessed to live in a place where we have a few good places to go for cheese, I am going to make it a point to try to find some red leicester to try. I'm sure I can get some even if it isn't always stocked. For that matter I can probably get some marmite to try to if I make some effort. (They have a US website and it was sooo funny.) Its been a kind of hobby of mine on and off again over the years to try new recipes with interesting ingredients and to find a way to track the ingredients down. Quite a few years ago I made something with some greek yogurt and at first it seemed like no one had ever heard of it until I finally found a specialty shop way downtown that did carry it regularly. Now its a big fad here and every grocery store in the country seems to have greek yogurt in multiple brands and with added flavors too. I think I should be able to claim to be a trend setter! LOL ok, maybe not, but I'm allowed to be amused with myself anyway. right?

I am also a history lover... Is he a college level teacher?...

I hate to say it... but I really don't understand much about the Declaration of Independence... an episode of 'Fairly Odd Parents'.

It's embarrassing how controlling the British seemed. We had a huge empire, right up to the Victorian times, I think. Queen Victoria found presentation and image very important, obviously, and made her soliders wear bright uniform... red I think. Which obviously wasn't much of a disguise when invading other countries!
We have done a lot of work on Native Indians and the slave trade though, ...but it's hard for me to start learning it considering I know so little....

Obviously, though, the Declaration was part of the reason America got freedom, right? It's a shame people had to die for it though.

Were there just the Native Americans in America when the British came? Doesn't that mean that most Americans are actually British? Sorry, I guess Pocahontus isn't exactly the best source to go by!

He doesn't teach at all. He just went into a computer career when he and I were married, which has worked out well financially. Although I admit I sometimes wonder if he is happy in it. His job is pretty high-stress and has some unique non-computer related problems for him to be faced with unlike what I would think most IT jobs would be. So sometimes I worry that it would be better for him to get out of it. But he is a man who just goes on stolidly day in and day out.

That is too funny that the Declaration of Independence was mentioned in that show. I think I know the right way to break it down to its real simplicity... people miss it and think it is complex because it in a language style from the past and it has been made a big deal in people's mind as a big part of history, etc. Oh and it was handwritten of course and there is can be a quite an issue with looking through modern eyes at Thomas Jefferson's handwriting and spelling. :laughing:

But just think of it this way. Start with the definition of the word declaration. Say you feel really strongly about something and you are determined to communicate it properly to your parents and so you decide to write a letter to them and be careful of your wording to not only correctly communicate exactly what you mean to but also to make sure to let them know how serious you are about it or to convince them to agree with you. That is the first half of what happened. You can make a personal declaration to someone in your life that effects you and those colonists made a political declaration to their King. And yes, they were all British subjects at that point. And then the second part is just what you have already said that they wanted to be free and that was what the whole declaration they were making was about. They had decided to be free of Britain and they just went and wrote their King and said, We are free now whether you like it or not and here is why we have decided this.

I can see how its embarrassing, but on the other hand it was a different time and therefore literally a different culture and people saw things through the paradigm of their time. Just as we do now, I might add. And every society so far has had its good and its bad. None of them have been perfect, just as none of us are perfect as individuals. I really prefer to look to the good that various societies have produced and the older times in Britain were foundational to have what you have as Britain today as well as America. I think you have plenty to be proud of!

You know how most of us, on a personal level, are our own worst critics? And there are things we don't like in ourselves that we would readily overlook or forgive in others? I think we do that a lot with history right now. Like I recognize the ills of the past in America but I don't necessarily look down on other countries even if the ills I know of them seem just as bad or worse or might be fairly recent.

Oh and about the bright red uniforms. They had those back before Victoria as well. They had them when they were fighting us in our Revolutionary war. We have a few famous references that most American's have heard about "the redcoats" which was the term for the British soldiers when the colonists had just suddenly stopped thinking of themselves as British people or British subjects and were walking around calling themselves Americans and getting excited about it. I suppose it wasn't unique to the colonists here calling them that though.

The thing about the slave trade and the way it is presented now days is that it is out of context. It used to get glossed over or ignored which was wrong and now in reaction to that it gets taught as if it was the biggest evil in world history and as if it was all one-sided and that isn't good either. I wish there were more of a happy medium so to speak where we could recognize it for what it was without ignoring the other parts of the story. There were actually more white slaves taken to Africa by the Moors than there were black slaves taken out of Africa to Europe and America. Only generally the European slaves that were taken to Africa were worked to death or killed outright so much more consistently that in the long run there was never a matter of very many continuing generations that came from those slaves. Also the majority of people involved in capturing African slaves and selling them to the European slave trade ships were Moors and other African tribal peoples. Sadly those pesky little facts don't appeal to the people who are so successfully trying to sell us on political correctness and "euro-white-guy-guilt" There is a very interesting book about the topic of the Europeans who were carried away into slavery called White Gold by Giles Milton. Its a biography of a specific slave that was taken there so not an overview of all white slaves, but fascinating nonetheless. I actually really like biographies and find them to be great help in studying history for a lot of different reasons.

I have 2 recommendations for you related to your interest in history. Try asking for a good Atlas for Christmas (either a historical Atlas or one that includes a decent historical section) and then you'll have it in your personal library to refer to when a map will help you understand what you are reading up on. And then also start making yourself a timeline. You could make your own in some sort of blank binder. Then just fill in some of what you already know on it about British History and about World History. You don't need to put a lot of details, just a basic outline of a few events, making sure that the design of your notebook allows for the addition of new pages anywhere within it. Then when you get the chance and feel like reading up a bit, pick a book about someone's life that interests you or about a specific event or time period and then as you read or after you finish a book just fill in a little here and there along your outline with basic dates and captions and occasionally tiny tidbits of what really interested you in what you read. Over time you'll get a bigger and better understanding of how things fit together. Really all of history is too overwhelming for anyone to take in all at once. It sounds like you may always be a history lover, but you never know; you might be fascinated by American history right now, the last tsars of Russia next year and any number of other topics in quick order in some other year further in the future. For some people it would just be a school project, albeit a useful one, but for a history lover it has a bit more potential... You're likely to really capitalize on the potential it has to help you with your overall understanding of history and at some point your personal timeline might even be a treasured possession to keep on the shelf with your scrapbooks. And scrapbooking utilizes similar crafting skills. lol.
If you want to make one here is what I bought for my girls for them to make theirs, and there may be similar things available from other sources: http://www.homeschoolinthewoods.com/HTTA/RecordofTime.htm

http://www.homeschoolinthewoods.com/HTTA/timeline.htm

I bought the notebooks and one of those computer discs in advance of the year we would have needed them. And now both of my girls love to draw. Had I known how very artistic they would turn out to be I wouldn't have bought that disc. In the end most of the visuals on theirs might turn out to be stuff they draw themselves.
and here is a link where you can get ideas for making your own from the pics: http://www.squidoo.com/homeschooltimelines

and here is a really good one if later you really want to purchase a pre-printed timeline to supplement what you make and to compare to it: http://rainbowresource.com/product/Adams%92+Chart+or+Map+of+History+Panels+Only/027760/10d8cc0c9a6294f81176cbf0?subject=14&category=1907


Understandably, it must have been hard for his school dealing with all of his learning challenges... but I thought they were meant to deal with things like that anyhow. ... I find it really sad.

...Who does like maths?! I have always disliked it, and I am struggling now that we are learning GCSE level things. To go from E, D and C level things to A and A* things is very difficult!
So do you teach your kids together, or split up your time individually? I can't imaging my mother teaching me and my brothers. She would be shouting at us after 10 minutes!

If you don't mind my asking, I have always been told that homeschooling means your social skills are not as developed as they would be if you were in school. (I have seriously asked my parents if I can be homeschooled... for... like 3 years!) How did your kids make friends if they didn't go to school? I have been told a lot that homeschooling is lonely and you don't interact with people your own age much.

That is a great idea about the mother who supplements her kids' education after school. I think that is a great idea! Your second story is really sad! But it sounds like the father never gave up- and having a full time job must have made it very challenging! My parents both work full time and come home exhausted each day, so I can't imagine how challenging it must've been for the father.

I'm not sure if it's legal to be 'self-taught' here- otherwise I would have tried it.

Infact, when we were in FL, we were driving in the car listening to the radio when an advert came on for school on the internet?! ...seems like there are more opportunities in America... and I'm missing out!

School is compulsory up until year 11... (isn't that the 10th grade?) ... But recently, they have been relatively easy to pass, and if you didn't do very well in your test, you were allowed to re-do it until you passed! Infact, our last government, labour, were apparently to blame for this, and claimed there were better results since them coming into power, when infact they had just made them easier to pass! Our new coalition government is changing this though, I think, which is good... but it also means GCSEs will be harder for me!

So if you have no GCSEs or A-Levels, can anyone get into university? When my dad was in uni, only about 5% of students went to university/ college after school, but since labour has encouraged more people to go, and helped more people to pass GCSEs, even students with A grades haven't gotten a place in university. And people come out of university or college to find there are no jobs for them!

Really? We do SATs here too! However they don't sound as serious as yours. We don't do them at the end of school either. We do them in year 2 (first grade, right?) year 6 (fifth grade?) and we used to do them in year 9, but this was abolished a few years ago. So SATs define whether you get into university in the US? Are they as important as GCSEs?


Yep, the schools are supposed to deal with any learning challenges no matter how difficult or rare. But you know, for every sorry story of how badly some teacher or administrator behaved or did something wrong there is another someone out there that really cares and really does try to help kids. There are all sorts in the world and in the schools. I have a bit of a prejudice now against mandatory public school systems for lots of different reasons, but I also try to recognize the good people trying to work within those systems and how difficult their jobs are.

Some subjects I teach the girls together (history and geography come to mind) and somethings we have to divide up (math for sure). And there are parts of their work that they do mostly independently anyway, more and more each year in fact. For highschool level math I'm likely to buy a video or online curriculum for them where they have access to a teacher and I won't have to do it. lol.

I don't mind. A lot of people who don't know many homeschoolers feel like the "lack of socialization" as they tend to call it would be a naturally occurring problem and it can be in rare cases. But for the most part it isn't a problem for us or for hardly any of the other homeschoolers we have known. For one thing, on a level of where that thinking comes from and how valid is it... Really if you think about it, the way that children are put into mandatory schooling and divided up by strict age segregation is a bit unnatural compared to what they will face in the workforce some day and it is a relatively recent modern phenomenon. While it has created a good bit too much of a society of conformism and peer pressure it hasn't fundamentally changed or improved human development. I think it just worries us all before we try homeschooling because we came up in that system and so that is what we know. Secondly, most homeschoolers here now have loads of other homeschoolers and homeschooling group opportunities that they may participate in as well as opportunities where they might mix with kids from the public schools too. For my kids the most consistent extra has been church attendance, Bible classes and social times with their friends from church. But they have also had public service projects, swimming classes at the local rec center, ice-skating lessons at a local ice-rink, and other similar things. Since we don't regularly participate in a homeschool coop group, most of their extra activities are with both homeschooled and public schooled kids mixed together.

Ah well. I can understand that. I'm sure I would have felt the same way if I had ever heard of homeschooling back when I was struggling through the public schools. But we all have our difficulties in life and I'm a great believer in human potential. You could be anywhere, doing anything in the future. And what you go through now will just be the past to look back and think "well, I might as well not regret it since it was part of what got me to where I am now."

Yes, I think your year 11 would be our 10th grade. It sounds like Britain has had some political shenanigans within education that are very similar to some of the things that go on here! lol. People will always try to get away with stuff won't they?!

And it sounds like your SATs are probably equivalent to another type of testing we have here. Depending on what state you live in or which district within that state most kids here have testing periodically after certain school grades, tests to make certain the kids are on tract or tests to grade the school as a whole, or other reasons too. Our SATs are pretty important. Well they are not important at all to kids who aren't interested in college, but they are to everybody else. I guess the only way that those non-college bound kids previous schooling effects what type of job they can get is whether or not they graduated from high-school; some kids "drop-out". Its sort of mandatory up through graduation, and dropping out is certainly frowned upon by society, but after a certain age if someone chooses to take themselves out of school and work at a low level job there won't be any ramifications for them or their parents legally speaking as long as they let the school know and maybe sign a paper about it.

And yes, anyone can get into college. However not anyone can get into just any college. Better schools can be very competitive to get into. And lesser schools can be easier to get into. Some community colleges might even take people who never graduated highschool under very special circumstances, if they later went through the proper steps to make up some of that education or show that they learned the materials that would have been taught.

The 4th July sounds great. It's one of your BIG holidays, isn't it? I would love to experience it, and have heard there are lots of celebrations, parades and fireworks.

It sounds like you need to get to come to the U.S. for the 4th some day! Make sure if you get the opportunity to do that that you plan to be somewhere with a really spectacular fireworks display or at least a decent one. ;) I love fireworks! Almost every small town has a display it seems like, but some of them are very small displays. The big fireworks that are required for public displays are very expensive apparently. But bigger cities sometimes have big shows. I'd imagine the one at the capital in D.C. is huge although I've never watched that one myself. When I was a kid the ones at the big military bases were the best local ones where I lived but I'm not sure if the public can get into those since 9'11. I think if I were taking a trip for the 4th I would go either to one of our largest cities, to D.C. or to Stone Mountain in Georgia. (I lived in that area when I was in high-school.)

We have too much political correctness too. Aparently, having a British flag on display in public might offend ethnic minorities. And we are not supposed to call the green man on the traffic light that anymore, but instead a 'green person', because it might offend those who aren't men!

I suppose political correctness is linked to sueing. (I think I spelt it right?) When we drove up to WDW, there were huge billboards saying things like; 'HAVE YOU HAD AN INJURY AT WORK?' and other circumstances that you could sue people for. When we stereotype America, we think 'sueing' and 'guns'. We have to have guns registered here, but there is a lot of knife crime in and around London and other large cities.

I supposed the political correctness is sometimes linked to law-suits. Isn't that sad? And yes, we have way to much of people sueing going on here. Its outrageous. And it is becoming a big political issue as to whether there should be laws to limit the insanity and if so what type of laws. I'm not surprised that people in other countries know how nuts that has gotten here. But its pretty sad isn't it? I'm definitely pro-gun. I don't want one for myself, or never have so far. But I appreciate the philosophy behind the right to bear arms, as its stated in our constitution. And I guess that would be noticeable to people in other countries where they don't have that. Related to your comment on knife violence, some pro-gun people here have a slogan "guns don't kill people, people kill people" and I've always appreciated that. I find it so odd that a lot of people so strongly connect the willingness to commit personal acts of violence with a particular weapon. But on the other hand I also find it odd that so few American's even know why our forefathers included "the right to bear arms" in our constitution. It was to say that people have the right to refuse to be governed to protect themselves from tyranny. So essentially they would look at how many of the freedoms that they fought and died for that we have lost over the years from apathy, lack of understanding or outright ignorance since the revolution and say to us to rise up and fight the current government again with our guns. Lucky for our government, I don't actually want to do that. Of course I want for some of the loss of freedom to be reversed and I still have hope that it will be.

... but we do have pancake day! I think it's meant to be so you use up all the 'nice' foods ready for Lent. Our pancakes are different to the thick fluffy ones in the US though. They are like the French crepes... if you have ever tasted them? And heavenly with lemon juice and sugar.

I think I would like your pancake day! I've had crepe's before. I can't imagine anyone not liking that holiday. :cloud9:


I don't mean to sound offensive, but is America very religious? My mum's friend used to live in Jacksonville, Florida, and said most people were religious, and the church communities were very friendly and accepting. I think it's lovely that you all say 'blessed'... and I have actually caught on and started to say it too! It sounds like such an appreciative, positive thing to say.

I'm not offended by religious questions. And the answer is yes, I am religious. I believe in the God of the Bible and I believe that the Bible is his word. It's pretty central to my life and my decisions. I think where I live maybe between 50% and 70% of the people are religious to some extent. And when I lived in other places I saw different amounts of it. More in Georgia and Florida and less in Maryland, or it seemed that way to me. I agree with you about saying "blessed". I don't think I used to say that when I was younger. I sort of grew into an appreciation of the idea.

Oh, I kind of sensed that Thanksgiving was to do with food because of the turkey. Is it almost as big as Christmas? It sounds quite festive!

In one sense Thanksgiving is as big as Christmas. Pretty much everyone that can get off of work for a holiday gets it off, just like Christmas. All the schools let out. Nearly everyone celebrates it just like Christmas. But I guess I'd have to say that we spend less money and less time on it, since Christmas seems to take so much planning and all the presents and decorations and Thanksgiving doesn't have as much of those things. The decorating tends to be a lot more basic and it isn't necessarily a gift giving occasion

You and your DH sound awesome when you talk about history! You know so much about it! You both sound so passionate- and proud of your country's history!...

Aww, thanks! Its a pleasure to correspond with a fellow history buff!

...And I am very short for a fourteen year old...

So now I can't help feeling curiosity. How tall are you? Are you done growing? I'm such a butisnsky! :rolleyes1 My DD13, is 5'3" and we found out that she is basically done growing so she has been verra frustrated about wanting to be taller and getting teased mercilessly about being short by her 6 foot tall father. But I'm not quite 5'5" and I'm fine with being less than average height, plus after we found out she was done growing I started noticing that we know plenty of women who are just as short or even more short but I had just never noticed it about them before. I guess it isn't something that matters to me much. Oh wait, I have to think about what those heights would be if I was more used to thinking in metric.... DD is 1.6 and I'm not quite 1.651 meters. Is that how y'all tend to express height? in meters and decimals? We usually say it in feet and inches since we are so old school on measurements. :laughing:

[fromscratchmom]

Oh, and I meant to mention about your question about if we had been British... I said yes, and that is true that most of the colonist that were the foundation of what we have as America today were British. But there were also groups from other countries that came here all along. The first British settlement here that lasted was Jamestowne in the Virginia colony, but there is a town in Florida called St. Augustine that is older from when the Spanish tried to colonize there. There is a lot of French influence in the Louisiana area and of course the French are the folks we bought the land from in the big "Lousiana purchase". There is some Dutch history associated with New York City. And slightly later than the earliest colonial times quite a few Germans settled in Pennsylvania and there are still communities of their descendents there known as the "Pennsylvania Dutch" people. From that time on out America received so many immigrants from so may different places that some people like to refer to our whole country as one big "melting pot". :grouphug:

For my husband and myself we both are aware of very similar family backgrounds. We both have some German and some Irish in us. And as is the case with a lot of Americans we have reason to suspect plenty of English blood in us but don't know all the details of where it is in the family trees. :happytv:

[WDWRids]

It's fabulous that you had a great time! We were also in awe when we first went to WDW. We have been on holiday to lots of other places, but not one has had people as polite, happy and curteous as Disney! So you didn't go with kids? I'm so glad that adults love it too- my parents think Disney is for children and I'm the only person who misses WDW every day of the year! :laughing:
What great luck that you're going for work... and only about 1/2 a year away too! I'm guessing your DH has been bitten by the Disney bug too! I never quite understood people before our trip when they said 'You WILL be back.' But now I do! WDW is addictive! :lmao: Are you staying on property? You're so lucky- you have so much planning to do! That's half the fun, after all! :cloud9:

We went several times when I was young - once to Disneyland but I was too young to remember that. We would camp at Fort Wilderness (in a motorhome). Had so many great memories w/ my parents, grandparents and friends. Then when I got older we didn't go as much and did beach vacations. DH went his first time at the age of 19 (20 yrs ago:scared1:). We went once for a one day trip when I was in town for work in early 2000. So we really enjoyed going for a week last year and planned and went this year. Now I have the blues and ready to go back for another week. Which makes it so exciting that we will be able to go in March for a few days.

You see things differently going once you are an adult. It's really funny but you notice alot of things I would say the adults notice more than kids/young adults. Most are interested in just the rides and characters not the scenary or the food or the decorations like you do. I admire you for that!! You have a great eye!

No, we do not have kids but become big kids ourselves at Disney. I love to see how the kids react to characters! Can't wait until my nephew gets old enough we can go with him.

Looking forward to the planning - looking at restuarants now to make ADRs. Hey - which resturant do you recommend? What was your favorite?

:flower3:

[meggiebeth]

The thing about finding and purchasing nice cheese here is that you have to live in a place that has a nice cheese shop and not all towns or cities have them. There are some here where I live, but then there is also a new and very small, but growing thing where people are learning the craft of making cheese at home and some who do this and then sell their cheeses in farmers markets. So any town or city that has a farmer's market has the possibility that there might be a little bit of really nice cheese in some of the stands there. So I was thinking that the next time your family vacations in Orlando, just go to a nice cheese shop, thinking Orlando would be big enough to have one, but then, I looked it up on the internet and couldn't find that there is one there. I'm so surprised by that given that I thought it was a fair sized city. I found this foodie link with people discussing it.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/351250

So I guess what you will need is a dismeet with a disser who can bring cheese from Tampa or some other location in a cooler on their trip.

Well, since I am blessed to live in a place where we have a few good places to go for cheese, I am going to make it a point to try to find some red leicester to try. I'm sure I can get some even if it isn't always stocked. For that matter I can probably get some marmite to try to if I make some effort. (They have a US website and it was sooo funny.) Its been a kind of hobby of mine on and off again over the years to try new recipes with interesting ingredients and to find a way to track the ingredients down. Quite a few years ago I made something with some greek yogurt and at first it seemed like no one had ever heard of it until I finally found a specialty shop way downtown that did carry it regularly. Now its a big fad here and every grocery store in the country seems to have greek yogurt in multiple brands and with added flavors too. I think I should be able to claim to be a trend setter! LOL ok, maybe not, but I'm allowed to be amused with myself anyway. right?



He doesn't teach at all. He just went into a computer career when he and I were married, which has worked out well financially. Although I admit I sometimes wonder if he is happy in it. His job is pretty high-stress and has some unique non-computer related problems for him to be faced with unlike what I would think most IT jobs would be. So sometimes I worry that it would be better for him to get out of it. But he is a man who just goes on stolidly day in and day out.

That is too funny that the Declaration of Independence was mentioned in that show. I think I know the right way to break it down to its real simplicity... people miss it and think it is complex because it in a language style from the past and it has been made a big deal in people's mind as a big part of history, etc. Oh and it was handwritten of course and there is can be a quite an issue with looking through modern eyes at Thomas Jefferson's handwriting and spelling.

But just think of it this way. Start with the definition of the word declaration. Say you feel really strongly about something and you are determined to communicate it properly to your parents and so you decide to write a letter to them and be careful of your wording to not only correctly communicate exactly what you mean to but also to make sure to let them know how serious you are about it or to convince them to agree with you. That is the first half of what happened. You can make a personal declaration to someone in your life that effects you and those colonists made a political declaration to their King. And yes, they were all British subjects at that point. And then the second part is just what you have already said that they wanted to be free and that was what the whole declaration they were making was about. They had decided to be free of Britain and they just went and wrote their King and said, We are free now whether you like it or not and here is why we have decided this.

I can see how its embarrassing, but on the other hand it was a different time and therefore literally a different culture and people saw things through the paradigm of their time. Just as we do now, I might add. And every society so far has had its good and its bad. None of them have been perfect, just as none of us are perfect as individuals. I really prefer to look to the good that various societies have produced and the older times in Britain were foundational to have what you have as Britain today as well as America. I think you have plenty to be proud of!

You know how most of us, on a personal level, are our own worst critics? And there are things we don't like in ourselves that we would readily overlook or forgive in others? I think we do that a lot with history right now. Like I recognize the ills of the past in America but I don't necessarily look down on other countries even if the ills I know of them seem just as bad or worse or might be fairly recent.

Oh and about the bright red uniforms. They had those back before Victoria as well. They had them when they were fighting us in our Revolutionary war. We have a few famous references that most American's have heard about "the redcoats" which was the term for the British soldiers when the colonists had just suddenly stopped thinking of themselves as British people or British subjects and were walking around calling themselves Americans and getting excited about it. I suppose it wasn't unique to the colonists here calling them that though.

The thing about the slave trade and the way it is presented now days is that it is out of context. It used to get glossed over or ignored which was wrong and now in reaction to that it gets taught as if it was the biggest evil in world history and as if it was all one-sided and that isn't good either. I wish there were more of a happy medium so to speak where we could recognize it for what it was without ignoring the other parts of the story. There were actually more white slaves taken to Africa by the Moors than there were black slaves taken out of Africa to Europe and America. Only generally the European slaves that were taken to Africa were worked to death or killed outright so much more consistently that in the long run there was never a matter of very many continuing generations that came from those slaves. Also the majority of people involved in capturing African slaves and selling them to the European slave trade ships were Moors and other African tribal peoples. Sadly those pesky little facts don't appeal to the people who are so successfully trying to sell us on political correctness and "euro-white-guy-guilt" There is a very interesting book about the topic of the Europeans who were carried away into slavery called White Gold by Giles Milton. Its a biography of a specific slave that was taken there so not an overview of all white slaves, but fascinating nonetheless. I actually really like biographies and find them to be great help in studying history for a lot of different reasons.

I have 2 recommendations for you related to your interest in history. Try asking for a good Atlas for Christmas (either a historical Atlas or one that includes a decent historical section) and then you'll have it in your personal library to refer to when a map will help you understand what you are reading up on. And then also start making yourself a timeline. You could make your own in some sort of blank binder. Then just fill in some of what you already know on it about British History and about World History. You don't need to put a lot of details, just a basic outline of a few events, making sure that the design of your notebook allows for the addition of new pages anywhere within it. Then when you get the chance and feel like reading up a bit, pick a book about someone's life that interests you or about a specific event or time period and then as you read or after you finish a book just fill in a little here and there along your outline with basic dates and captions and occasionally tiny tidbits of what really interested you in what you read. Over time you'll get a bigger and better understanding of how things fit together. Really all of history is too overwhelming for anyone to take in all at once. It sounds like you may always be a history lover, but you never know; you might be fascinated by American history right now, the last tsars of Russia next year and any number of other topics in quick order in some other year further in the future. For some people it would just be a school project, albeit a useful one, but for a history lover it has a bit more potential... You're likely to really capitalize on the potential it has to help you with your overall understanding of history and at some point your personal timeline might even be a treasured possession to keep on the shelf with your scrapbooks. And scrapbooking utilizes similar crafting skills. lol.
If you want to make one here is what I bought for my girls for them to make theirs, and there may be similar things available from other sources: http://www.homeschoolinthewoods.com/HTTA/RecordofTime.htm

http://www.homeschoolinthewoods.com/HTTA/timeline.htm

I bought the notebooks and one of those computer discs in advance of the year we would have needed them. And now both of my girls love to draw. Had I known how very artistic they would turn out to be I wouldn't have bought that disc. In the end most of the visuals on theirs might turn out to be stuff they draw themselves.
and here is a link where you can get ideas for making your own from the pics: http://www.squidoo.com/homeschooltimelines

and here is a really good one if later you really want to purchase a pre-printed timeline to supplement what you make and to compare to it: http://rainbowresource.com/product/Adams%92+Chart+or+Map+of+History+Panels+Only/027760/10d8cc0c9a6294f81176cbf0?subject=14&category=1907




Yep, the schools are supposed to deal with any learning challenges no matter how difficult or rare. But you know, for every sorry story of how badly some teacher or administrator behaved or did something wrong there is another someone out there that really cares and really does try to help kids. There are all sorts in the world and in the schools. I have a bit of a prejudice now against mandatory public school systems for lots of different reasons, but I also try to recognize the good people trying to work within those systems and how difficult their jobs are.

Some subjects I teach the girls together (history and geography come to mind) and somethings we have to divide up (math for sure). And there are parts of their work that they do mostly independently anyway, more and more each year in fact. For highschool level math I'm likely to buy a video or online curriculum for them where they have access to a teacher and I won't have to do it. lol.

I don't mind. A lot of people who don't know many homeschoolers feel like the "lack of socialization" as they tend to call it would be a naturally occurring problem and it can be in rare cases. But for the most part it isn't a problem for us or for hardly any of the other homeschoolers we have known. For one thing, on a level of where that thinking comes from and how valid is it... Really if you think about it, the way that children are put into mandatory schooling and divided up by strict age segregation is a bit unnatural compared to what they will face in the workforce some day and it is a relatively recent modern phenomenon. While it has created a good bit too much of a society of conformism and peer pressure it hasn't fundamentally changed or improved human development. I think it just worries us all before we try homeschooling because we came up in that system and so that is what we know. Secondly, most homeschoolers here now have loads of other homeschoolers and homeschooling group opportunities that they may participate in as well as opportunities where they might mix with kids from the public schools too. For my kids the most consistent extra has been church attendance, Bible classes and social times with their friends from church. But they have also had public service projects, swimming classes at the local rec center, ice-skating lessons at a local ice-rink, and other similar things. Since we don't regularly participate in a homeschool coop group, most of their extra activities are with both homeschooled and public schooled kids mixed together.

Ah well. I can understand that. I'm sure I would have felt the same way if I had ever heard of homeschooling back when I was struggling through the public schools. But we all have our difficulties in life and I'm a great believer in human potential. You could be anywhere, doing anything in the future. And what you go through now will just be the past to look back and think "well, I might as well not regret it since it was part of what got me to where I am now."

Yes, I think your year 11 would be our 10th grade. It sounds like Britain has had some political shenanigans within education that are very similar to some of the things that go on here! lol. People will always try to get away with stuff won't they?!

And it sounds like your SATs are probably equivalent to another type of testing we have here. Depending on what state you live in or which district within that state most kids here have testing periodically after certain school grades, tests to make certain the kids are on tract or tests to grade the school as a whole, or other reasons too. Our SATs are pretty important. Well they are not important at all to kids who aren't interested in college, but they are to everybody else. I guess the only way that those non-college bound kids previous schooling effects what type of job they can get is whether or not they graduated from high-school; some kids "drop-out". Its sort of mandatory up through graduation, and dropping out is certainly frowned upon by society, but after a certain age if someone chooses to take themselves out of school and work at a low level job there won't be any ramifications for them or their parents legally speaking as long as they let the school know and maybe sign a paper about it.

And yes, anyone can get into college. However not anyone can get into just any college. Better schools can be very competitive to get into. And lesser schools can be easier to get into. Some community colleges might even take people who never graduated highschool under very special circumstances, if they later went through the proper steps to make up some of that education or show that they learned the materials that would have been taught.



It sounds like you need to get to come to the U.S. for the 4th some day! Make sure if you get the opportunity to do that that you plan to be somewhere with a really spectacular fireworks display or at least a decent one. I love fireworks! Almost every small town has a display it seems like, but some of them are very small displays. The big fireworks that are required for public displays are very expensive apparently. But bigger cities sometimes have big shows. I'd imagine the one at the capital in D.C. is huge although I've never watched that one myself. When I was a kid the ones at the big military bases were the best local ones where I lived but I'm not sure if the public can get into those since 9'11. I think if I were taking a trip for the 4th I would go either to one of our largest cities, to D.C. or to Stone Mountain in Georgia. (I lived in that area when I was in high-school.)



I supposed the political correctness is sometimes linked to law-suits. Isn't that sad? And yes, we have way to much of people sueing going on here. Its outrageous. And it is becoming a big political issue as to whether there should be laws to limit the insanity and if so what type of laws. I'm not surprised that people in other countries know how nuts that has gotten here. But its pretty sad isn't it? I'm definitely pro-gun. I don't want one for myself, or never have so far. But I appreciate the philosophy behind the right to bear arms, as its stated in our constitution. And I guess that would be noticeable to people in other countries where they don't have that. Related to your comment on knife violence, some pro-gun people here have a slogan "guns don't kill people, people kill people" and I've always appreciated that. I find it so odd that a lot of people so strongly connect the willingness to commit personal acts of violence with a particular weapon. But on the other hand I also find it odd that so few American's even know why our forefathers included "the right to bear arms" in our constitution. It was to say that people have the right to refuse to be governed to protect themselves from tyranny. So essentially they would look at how many of the freedoms that they fought and died for that we have lost over the years from apathy, lack of understanding or outright ignorance since the revolution and say to us to rise up and fight the current government again with our guns. Lucky for our government, I don't actually want to do that. Of course I want for some of the loss of freedom to be reversed and I still have hope that it will be.



I think I would like your pancake day! I've had crepe's before. I can't imagine anyone not liking that holiday. :cloud9:




I'm not offended by religious questions. And the answer is yes, I am religious. I believe in the God of the Bible and I believe that the Bible is his word. It's pretty central to my life and my decisions. I think where I live maybe between 50% and 70% of the people are religious to some extent. And when I lived in other places I saw different amounts of it. More in Georgia and Florida and less in Maryland, or it seemed that way to me. I agree with you about saying "blessed". I don't think I used to say that when I was younger. I sort of grew into an appreciation of the idea.



In one sense Thanksgiving is as big as Christmas. Pretty much everyone that can get off of work for a holiday gets it off, just like Christmas. All the schools let out. Nearly everyone celebrates it just like Christmas. But I guess I'd have to say that we spend less money and less time on it, since Christmas seems to take so much planning and all the presents and decorations and Thanksgiving doesn't have as much of those things. The decorating tends to be a lot more basic and it isn't necessarily a gift giving occasion



Aww, thanks! Its a pleasure to correspond with a fellow history buff!



So now I can't help feeling curiosity. How tall are you? Are you done growing? I'm such a butisnsky! :rolleyes1 My DD13, is 5'3" and we found out that she is basically done growing so she has been verra frustrated about wanting to be taller and getting teased mercilessly about being short by her 6 foot tall father. But I'm not quite 5'5" and I'm fine with being less than average height, plus after we found out she was done growing I started noticing that we know plenty of women who are just as short or even more short but I had just never noticed it about them before. I guess it isn't something that matters too me much. Oh wait, I have to think about what those heights would be if I was more used to thinking in metric.... DD is 1.6 and I'm not quite 1.651 meters. Is that how y'all tend to express height? in meters and decimals? We usually say it in feet and inches since we are so old school on measurements. :laughing:

It sounds like you are a big cheese lover! It's such a shame you have to go to that much effort to get some decent cheese in the US. Although it is well known for its 'plastic' cheese, I had always thought Walmart and the likes would have had some decent cheese. In the UK, most of the cheese sold in the supermarkets is nice. You do get the processed cheese, but there's cheddar, and another popular cheese here is stilton. Which to me is disgusting. Have you tried it? It has mould in it I think, but is apparently 'tasty'. It is very strong- my parents love it, and whenever my grandmother comes down, we have a cheese platter filled with cheese you're meant to taste. Including stilton. I have to say, although I am not into food much, I like strong cheese without being TOO strong. Stilton and cheeses like it have just way too much flavour for me. If you have never tried it (but I assume you have!) I would reccommend trying it. If you are anything like my parents, you will love it! :rotfl:

I am surprised that there are no cheese shops in Orlando! Isn't that one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world?! As for marmite, you should try it! It is rather different from anything you will have had before!

You should try some British recipes, definately! Our dishes don't tend to be sophisticated, but they are tasty! Cottage pie and sheperds pie are delicious. Of course fish and chips are not exactly something you can replicate on your own... frying and stuff. Toad in the Hole is delicious too. Here is a link to a really good website if you are interested in trying any recipes:

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/recipes/cuisines/british/

LOL about the greek yoghurt! What IS greek yoghurt? My guess would be yoghurt from Greece. :laughing:

Oh, an IT job? Oops, I thought he was a history teacher! :rolleyes1 My uncle used to work at a bank in 'the city' (London), and whilst he was highly paid, he really did not like it, apparently. He finally left and now he and my aunt are running a fairly successful chain of cafes in London- which he enjoys a lot more. If your husband is not always happy in his job- I suppose he could always try a different career. But I can see why people find that hard to do... especially nowadays when the economy is so bad and there is a massive lack of jobs. My other uncle works in IT and has been made redundant many times. I guess his IT job isn't exactly 'in demand' at the moment.

The Declaration of Independance sounds fascinating. I had always thought that it seemed rather complicated, but your explaining it has made it much clearer. I had no idea that it was about freedom from Britain. Haha- I can see what you mean- 'declaration' is a rather strong word in the sense of 'declare'! I can see why the King was angry, but it was still a brave thing to do.

Yes, I guess I (and many people) do forget how different people's principles and expectations were in the past. Like you say, it was a whole different culture! I would love to time travel back to the Victorian times for a day- that is my favourite era. I am watching a great drama called Downton Abbey on television with my parents at the moment. Have you heard of it? An episode was on the aeroplane on the way to Florida. If you like television dramas and history it is a great programme. It shows a great insight into the huge gap between the servants and employers in a stately estate.

Unfortunately at schools, they only teach you a small amount of history. In primary school, they tend to teach about the Victorians, the Tudors and the Egyptians. In secondary school it is the plague, the slave trade, medieval times, the two world wars and Native Americans. So I don't get to learn much American history at all. America seems like such a great country to me, and so does the history of it! Unfortunately, look up a topic on the internet and it is just so overwhelming and complicated.

Yes, I am very proud of Britain and being from Britain. :cloud9: It has so much history... and was once really powerful, right? It's just recently that we are not as good a country as we used to be, because of the government and political issues, etc. I know America has it's own problems- it was on the news a few weeks ago that the government were being silly about debt or something? I can't remember. Apparently the US was close to being bankrupt. Whenever I say I would rather live in America, people say 'But it's so DANGEROUS! And it hasn't much history, either!' Still, Celebration near WDW would be a great place to live, I remain convinced!

Goodness- how much history do you know? It sounds like as well as American history you know British history, what about European history? I suppose you must know a lot about Asia too! :lmao: Did you study it in university? I think you know more than my history teacher! Lol. I didn't know that the red uniforms were around before Victoria's reign. I guess it's only fair that Americans want to be called that rather than British. It's all about power... Britain wanted lots of it! Have you been to Italy... Florence... Rome... Pompeii? I have always wanted to go there. Pompeii especially because of those bodies that have just been frozen in their positions by the lava. The one that touched me the most was a photo of a mother clutching her young child, and they were still in that position. On the other side of Mt Vesuvius I believe there was another town... was it Herculanium? There are many buildings there, including an enormous villa, that cannot be escavated (spelling?) because of the risk of collapse. And there are priceless items, like scrolls, trapped in there that aren't retrievable.

I didn't know there were white slaves taken to Africa from Europe. That is shocking. I thought that it was just black people. It is one of the most cruel things in world history isn't it? The way they were packed in on those ships, and whipped and lashed. To be honest, it is pretty shocking and evil. I can't believe we did that as a nation to people! Wasn't there a big problem and lots of segregation in the US in the 1960s?
In relation to slavery, I am interested in WW2, but mainly the holocaust. I find that shocking. Have you seen the movie 'Schindler's List'? It is shocking but a good movie. At least the ending is happy in a way. It is a very long movie, but it tells a story. (And a sad one at that!) I also like the Anne Frank movie, I know it isn't exactly historical, but the end made me cry. I am reading the book at the moment and am nearly at the end. It is scary to me that she died at the age of 15- the same age that I am now!
'White Gold' sounds very interesting. I honestly had no clue that there was such a thing as a white slave- treated as badly as they treated black slaves! I definately want to read it- but I will probably wait a year or two... if something is really horrific I have nightmares about it. :rolleyes1

Thank you for the reccommendations! I already have an atlas but it is more geographic than historical. I shall look in a book shop to see what they have. The 'Record of Time' Timeline Notebook looks really interesting. I really want to buy it. What do you do exactly in it? Is it a timeline or a notebook where you write in details that sort of form a timeline? Anyhow, it looks really interesting. The postage is 'only' $25- not that bad considering it's from America. That's about £17 I think. I paid $50 would you believe for a cardigan and skirt to be sent over. :scared1:
You certainly make history sound interesting! I have always found it fascinating, but after talking to you about it I have realized how much I enjoy talking about it and learning new things. The other links on the timelines are very interesting too- so thankyou!
Yes- I agree that there are lots of good teachers that go out of their way to help a child- and I really respect them for it. My aunt is head teacher/ principle of a school and although it is very hard work and stressful, she really loves it. I can see how challenging it must be for teachers- especially teaching those with behavioral problems. I have seen myself a teacher dealing with a particularly challenging pupil, and it was rather uncomfortable to watch. The teacher was trying very hard to get him to work, but all he did was make rude faces, swear and do absolutely no work whatsoever. I think learning issues can be easier to deal with than behavioral issues…
How old are your two girls now? If they are only a few years apart then teaching them the same things I’m guessing are easier. Maths is hard to teach, and IMO to learn too! I see maths as a chain; and you have to learn one thing to know how to do the next. I couldn’t imagine teaching high school maths! That would be too challenging. I can see why you would get someone/ something else to teach them at high school level! Do you not teach your son anymore? Is he an adult? Lol.
Oh, so your kids socialize a lot in clubs and groups! I have a very religious friend who likes Bible classes too, and studying the bible. I think the way you teach them at home and then let them attend clubs and groups as well are a great combination. It takes away the pressures of school and the controlling atmosphere. Lol. I’m sure they don’t get into trouble for being late to ‘school’ or not doing homework. I would like that! Do you have a set timetable like school does, or do you just do whatever comes to mind? And do you get up really early for home school? I’m guessing that homeschooling would take less time than going to school- right? Because your kids get your attention and help a lot easier than at school. I guess you can ‘tailor’ the lessons to your kids, rather than at school when a student just has to ‘like’ the teaching methods or ‘lump it’. I agree about dividing people up by their ages- it creates such a barrier between people of different ages. It sounds stupid, but at my school a year 9 would never be friends with a year 10. And there could be just 1 month between their birthdays.

It sounds like your SATs are similar to A-levels then! Applying for jobs can require you putting down you’re a-level results and they determine whether you can get into university or college at all. We used to have ‘colleges’ as you call them, but our government changed them all into universities, I’m not sure why. I’m guessing that college in the US is the same as university here. Yes, like you say, the year 6 SATs here can determine how good the school is. OFSTED comes to schools and inspects them, and SATs make it more likely to get an ‘outstanding’ rating. My primary school was rated outstanding, but mainly because of the SAT results. And the reason there were such good results was that the school spent a whole year forcing children to revise and train. I had never heard of a school doing that before. So the SATs results weren’t exactly representing how good the school was at teaching- they just essentially trained children to pass the SATs.
Yes about the 4th July- I would love to experience it! The fireworks in Washington D.C. would probably be overwhelmingly busy- I would love to just go to a ‘normal’ town or city as long as the display was good. Thanksgiving and Halloween are things I would also love to be in the US for. I have never heard of Stone Mountain in Georgia. Is that a nice place to be on 4th July? It certainly sounds it!
The law suits sound scary. I heard about the woman who got a fortune when she sued Mcdonalds because the coffee cup she had did not state that it was hot… and she got burnt. A year or so ago, a girl broke her heel off her shoe at her prom/ dance and she got tens of thousands of £s.
I had heard that lots of women carry around guns in their handbags in America… a bit scary! I can imagine how dangerous parts of America are but surely that isn’t helped by the public carrying around guns all the time! Knifes scare me too- I think you have to be over 18 to buy them here but over 18s misuse them too!
Religion sounds nice. I guess it points you and a lot of others to the right path. I’ve always thought it nice that God is meant to look after you and protect you, and how when you don’t know what to do you can rely on religion. Goodness- that’s quite a large percentage! I would say 20- 30% of people where I live are religious. Most people are either Christian but don’t really believe in God or religion, or have no religion. Wow- you’ve lived in a lot of places! And they’re all quite far away from each other, right?
Thanksgiving sounds a lovely holiday. And quite different to Christmas, obviously, but it seems just as festive. Christmas is stressful in the aspect that you have to spend an absolute fortune on presents and other ‘Christmassy’ things. We probably spend about £1000 each Christmas. Eeek. That is a lot on money for one day! I do like the idea of celebrating food and being thankful though. Sounds like such a fun time.
I am about 5”. So not tall at all. I hope I haven’t stopped growing, I don’t want to be this small forever! Lol! My mother is 5’5” and my father is quite short… being Scottish. Whenever we go to Scotland I feel at home- people tend to be shorter for some reason! Tell your DD 5’3” is a good height! Better than mine! ;) Your height is good too. I definitely wouldn’t consider 5’3” or above to be ‘short’. Hahaha, I never use the metric system. My parents were raised using the imperial measurements and raised me like that too. I have to use metric measurements at school but as a family we always use inches and feet for height. I do know the US uses mostly imperial, right? We still use miles for the roads… and we weigh babies in pounds and ounces. But everything else we mainly use metric. People my parents’ ages use imperial still though! I suppose you can’t get out of the habit. Lol.

Oh, and I meant to mention about your question about if we had been British... I said yes, and that is true that most of the colonist that were the foundation of what we have as America today were British. But there were also groups from other countries that came here all along. The first British settlement here that lasted was Jamestowne in the Virginia colony, but there is a town in Florida called St. Augustine that is older from when the Spanish tried to colonize there. There is a lot of French influence in the Louisiana area and of course the French are the folks we bought the land from in the big "Lousiana purchase". There is some Dutch history associated with New York City. And slightly later than the earliest colonial times quite a few Germans settled in Pennsylvania and there are still communities of their descendents there known as the "Pennsylvania Dutch" people. From that time on out America received so many immigrants from so may different places that some people like to refer to our whole country as one big "melting pot". :grouphug:

For my husband and myself we both are aware of very similar family backgrounds. We both have some German and some Irish in us. And as is the case with a lot of Americans we have reason to suspect plenty of English blood in us but don't know all the details of where it is in the family trees. :happytv:

Yay so I may be talking to someone with English blood! Lol. It doesn’t really surprise me, but I love that Americans tend to have European blood in them. St Augustine?! I DESPERATELY wanted to go there when we went to Florida, but my parents weren’t as interested as me and we didn’t have time anyway. My parents are convinced Florida is boring history-wise, but when I found St Augustine I thought it would be a great place to visit. Have you ever been there? If so, did you like it? I am determined to get back to WDW in the next year or 2, and when we go I will make a big effort to get to St Augustine. :rolleyes1

We went several times when I was young - once to Disneyland but I was too young to remember that. We would camp at Fort Wilderness (in a motorhome). Had so many great memories w/ my parents, grandparents and friends. Then when I got older we didn't go as much and did beach vacations. DH went his first time at the age of 19 (20 yrs ago:scared1:). We went once for a one day trip when I was in town for work in early 2000. So we really enjoyed going for a week last year and planned and went this year. Now I have the blues and ready to go back for another week. Which makes it so exciting that we will be able to go in March for a few days.

You see things differently going once you are an adult. It's really funny but you notice alot of things I would say the adults notice more than kids/young adults. Most are interested in just the rides and characters not the scenary or the food or the decorations like you do. I admire you for that!! You have a great eye!

No, we do not have kids but become big kids ourselves at Disney. I love to see how the kids react to characters! Can't wait until my nephew gets old enough we can go with him.

Looking forward to the planning - looking at restuarants now to make ADRs. Hey - which resturant do you recommend? What was your favorite?

:flower3:
So you have been to Disneyland California? That’s lucky! We would love to go there, obviously not just for DL but to see other parts of California. A bit too pricey though! ;)

Fort Wilderness sounds lovely. We were actually going to stay there for our holiday but there was a 45% off deal at SSR. I can imagine how annoying it might have been having beach holidays. I don’t want a beach holiday next year… I want… (wait for it! ;) ) to go to… DISNEY WORLD! Haha, that was predictable, right?! :rotfl:

You and your DH are lucky going when you were young. I had to persuade my parents, and when I say persuade, I mean force! :rotfl: It’s great going for a week, ikr. I can’t imagine having just a day, or a couple of days. We had two weeks and still didn’t have enough time! And you have to take the time to enjoy the resort you’re staying at. :cloud9:
Aww thanks, I take that as a compliment! :) I love appreciating the atmosphere and décor in Disney. It wouldn’t be Disney without those things! My brothers are only interested in the rides and characters, so I see what you mean about kids and what they like about Disney. Being on the DISboards has made me appreciate Disney more, seeing likeminded people who are in love with WDW. My parents , although they really like Disney, don’t really appreciate or notice all the little things you see in WDW.

I love how adults become big kids at WDW. In the real world, you can’t really act like that unless you’re a kid! I’m sure when you get to go with your nephew it will make you love Disney even more! It is great seeing someone you love enjoy the characters and experiences. :hug:
Honestly, how surprising that of all places you could go to with work, you get to go to WDW! You must be so excited! Definitely stay an extra couple of days, the more time, the better! :surfweb:
What restaurants have you eaten at before? We loved Akershus, Chef Mickey’s, Citricos and GFC. Ok, we loved most of them but those were our favourites! Have you tried the Hoop de Doo Revue? It’s great fun! :cool1:

[meggiebeth]

Hello there! And welcome back!
Word of warning: I just learnt how to edit photos on Photobucket. So quite a few photos will now be edited!

Breakfast at 'Ohana

So, we were exhausted after EMHs until 2am, and had an ADR at 'Ohana for about 10:00am I think. We headed out and arrived at the Poly- beautiful resort, definately! I felt like I was in Polynesia or Hawaii.

Rory was very excited for this meal; Lilo and Stitch is one of his favourite TV programmes. And Stitch is one of his favourite characters full stop! Anyways...

So, we had a very short wait, surprisingly! We had our photo taken and were given our leis, before sitting down and waiting for our table. Here's my lovely Mommy, sitting down waiting for our table:

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So we were called in, and seated.

Willum and Mummy:

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First, along came Mickey! He was very friendly and I liked his Hawaiian outfit!

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Rory brought his Stitch I had bought him in MK the day before. It was just too cute how much he loved him, and talked to him on the monorail from MK, like he was a person, and cuddling him every 10 seconds. I wish that he was that loving with me!

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Okay, a little bit of the food is eaten, but this is what we were served. It is making me hungry!

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We were each served one Mickey waffle! This was after my obsession and love for them started at Chef Mickey's, and I was thinking 'meh'. But I got another one, so it didn't really matter that they only gave 1. The nice thing was that they were served fresh, whereas in the buffets, there were lots but they could be just lukewarm. Nothing better than a freshly cooked, piping hot Mickey waffle! I swear they taste better just because they are in the shape of Mickey! Haha!

Rory ensured his Stitch did not leave hungry:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5570.jpg

Then, Pluto came along! Me and Rory LOVE Pluto. He's so cute! (Note: Please excuse the fact I'm looking down.)

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Okay, then Lilo came around soon after Pluto. PLEASE excuse my horrible face- I didn't know the photo was being taken! Whoopsies!

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5579.jpg

And then the much anticipated STITCH! YAY! Stitch saw Rory's Stitch and played with him, throwing him up in the air. He was very playful. Oh, I love Stitch, he's so cute!

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Our table full of food:

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A really kind family offered to take our photo:

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William looking happy with a Disney character for a change!

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When we left the restaurant, Rory did a Mario pose. (Mario is his favourite character, like, ever, sadly not Disney.)

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5600.jpg

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Beautiful...

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5620.jpg

And of course Stitch was included in all the family activities:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5617.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5621.jpg

That's it for now! Thanks for reading! If any of you are thinking about 'Ohana for breakfast, I would definately reccommend it- especially if you love the tropical atmosphere or Lilo and Stitch.

[TheThomsLuvDisney]

Great update!

Was breakfast at O'Hana a buffet breakfast?

I have been reading your TR while answering the door to Trick or Treaters. Is Halloween as big in England as it is here in the states? So much candy! My husband just told our two daughters that Halloween was actually for the parents and it was the job of the kids to bring us LOTS of candy!:rotfl:

[fromscratchmom]

...another popular cheese here is stilton. Which to me is disgusting. Have you tried it?

...You should try some British recipes, definately! Our dishes don't tend to be sophisticated, but they are tasty! Cottage pie and sheperds pie are delicious.

...LOL about the greek yoghurt! What IS greek yoghurt? My guess would be yoghurt from Greece. :laughing:

...I would love to time travel back to the Victorian times for a day- that is my favourite era.

Yes, I am very proud of Britain and being from Britain. :cloud9: It has so much history... and was once really powerful, right? It's just recently that we are not as good a country as we used to be, because of the government and political issues, etc. I know America has it's own problems- it was on the news a few weeks ago that the government were being silly about debt or something? I can't remember. Apparently the US was close to being bankrupt. Whenever I say I would rather live in America, people say 'But it's so DANGEROUS! And it hasn't much history, either!' Still, Celebration near WDW would be a great place to live, I remain convinced!

Goodness- how much history do you know? It sounds like as well as American history you know British history, what about European history? I suppose you must know a lot about Asia too! :lmao: Did you study it in university? I think you know more than my history teacher! Lol. I didn't know that the red uniforms were around before Victoria's reign. I guess it's only fair that Americans want to be called that rather than British. It's all about power... Britain wanted lots of it! Have you been to Italy... Florence... Rome... Pompeii? I have always wanted to go there. Pompeii especially because of those bodies that have just been frozen in their positions by the lava. The one that touched me the most was a photo of a mother clutching her young child, and they were still in that position. On the other side of Mt Vesuvius I believe there was another town... was it Herculanium? There are many buildings there, including an enormous villa, that cannot be escavated (spelling?) because of the risk of collapse. And there are priceless items, like scrolls, trapped in there that aren't retrievable.

... Wasn't there a big problem and lots of segregation in the US in the 1960s?
In relation to slavery, I am interested in WW2, but mainly the holocaust. I find that shocking. Have you seen the movie 'Schindler's List'? It is shocking but a good movie. At least the ending is happy in a way. It is a very long movie, but it tells a story. (And a sad one at that!) I also like the Anne Frank movie, I know it isn't exactly historical, but the end made me cry. I am reading the book at the moment and am nearly at the end. It is scary to me that she died at the age of 15- the same age that I am now!
... if something is really horrific I have nightmares about it. :rolleyes1

Thank you for the reccommendations! I already have an atlas but it is more geographic than historical. I shall look in a book shop to see what they have. The 'Record of Time' Timeline Notebook looks really interesting. I really want to buy it. What do you do exactly in it? Is it a timeline or a notebook where you write in details that sort of form a timeline? Anyhow, it looks really interesting. The postage is 'only' $25- not that bad considering it's from America. That's about £17 I think. I paid $50 would you believe for a cardigan and skirt to be sent over. :scared1:
You certainly make history sound interesting! I have always found it fascinating, but after talking to you about it I have realized how much I enjoy talking about it and learning new things. The other links on the timelines are very interesting too- so thankyou!

...How old are your two girls now?
...I’m sure they don’t get into trouble for being late to ‘school’ or not doing homework. I would like that! Do you have a set timetable like school does, or do you just do whatever comes to mind? And do you get up really early for home school? I’m guessing that homeschooling would take less time than going to school- right? Because your kids get your attention and help a lot easier than at school. I guess you can ‘tailor’ the lessons to your kids, rather than at school when a student just has to ‘like’ the teaching methods or ‘lump it’. I agree about dividing people up by their ages- it creates such a barrier between people of different ages. It sounds stupid, but at my school a year 9 would never be friends with a year 10. And there could be just 1 month between their birthdays.

... So the SATs results weren’t exactly representing how good the school was at teaching- they just essentially trained children to pass the SATs.

Yes about the 4th July-... I would love to just go to a ‘normal’ town or city as long as the display was good. Thanksgiving and Halloween are things I would also love to be in the US for. I have never heard of Stone Mountain in Georgia. Is that a nice place to be on 4th July? It certainly sounds it!

...Wow- you’ve lived in a lot of places! And they’re all quite far away from each other, right?

...I am about 5”. So not tall at all. I hope I haven’t stopped growing, I don’t want to be this small forever! Lol! My mother is 5’5” and my father is quite short… being Scottish. Whenever we go to Scotland I feel at home- people tend to be shorter for some reason! Tell your DD 5’3” is a good height! Better than mine! ;) Your height is good too. I definitely wouldn’t consider 5’3” or above to be ‘short’. Hahaha, I never use the metric system. My parents were raised using the imperial measurements and raised me like that too. I have to use metric measurements at school but as a family we always use inches and feet for height. I do know the US uses mostly imperial, right? We still use miles for the roads… and we weigh babies in pounds and ounces. But everything else we mainly use metric. People my parents’ ages use imperial still though! I suppose you can’t get out of the habit. Lol.

Yay so I may be talking to someone with English blood! Lol. It doesn’t really surprise me, but I love that Americans tend to have European blood in them. St Augustine?! I DESPERATELY wanted to go there when we went to Florida, but my parents weren’t as interested as me and we didn’t have time anyway. My parents are convinced Florida is boring history-wise, but when I found St Augustine I thought it would be a great place to visit. Have you ever been there? If so, did you like it? I am determined to get back to WDW in the next year or 2, and when we go I will make a big effort to get to St Augustine. :rolleyes1:

I'm not sure if I have tried Stilton or not, but I did know it was one variety of what we call "bleu cheese", which is something that I am generally not a fan of. A few of the milder ones when used in small amounts in a recipe are good, but most are too strong for me. My DH likes most of them being the fan of strong cheeses that he is. :laughing:

And I agree that I should try some British recipes. Or I should say, should try some more of them. I've been making shepherd's pie for years and years. I love it. Thanks for the link!

Oh, btw, I found out a shop that has some of the red leicester. Now I just need to drive down there and get some! Yay. I'll check out if they have any marmite while I'm there too. ;)

Greek Yoghurt is essentially yoghurt has been strained for a super long amount of time, so it is quite firm compared to regular yoghurt. I like it being so thick, but I also like what they sell in the grocery stores for being more tart rather than icky sweet. Most yoghurts that we can buy in the grocery store have a ton of sugar added, but I've learned to make my own and learned to like it for its own flavor and not to want so much "added sugar". So now that greek yoghurt is being sold, sometimes I buy that, even though I still make my own yoghurt at times too. I know that probably sounds odd to a lot of people, but I guess I'm a foodie and add to that I keep getting a little more and a little more into healthy eating with each passing year. Everyone's got to have their interests and hobbies, right? ;)

To get to time travel back to an era like that sounds awesome doesn't it? And I have to say the Victorian era sounds like a great pick to me. As much as I'd like to see colonial Jamestowne or go back and help them with "the starving time" can you imagine going back to a time when people thought it was unhealthy to bathe more than twice a year? :laughing: I'd have to join up with the Indians rather than the colonists; the colonist thought it was just absolutely amazing and crazy that the Powhatans got into the river and bathed twice a day! :lmao:

Britain was very powerful and I believe it still garners a good bit of respect. I suspect that at some point in the future history will recognize Britain's huge influence over the world and liken it to the Romans and the Greeks. Yep our country is getting into a really bad situation with our national debt. But some people just keep thinking that the government has to pay for so much stuff with no realistic understanding of the connections between the government and the citizenry. I pray it gets reversed before we really do lose our economic power. It would be sad to see all those well meaning people, who want to pay for everything for everybody have to learn the hard way how spoiled we've been here and what it would be like to live in a less affluent nation after running our economy into the ground. That is one of those things that we could pay attention to history to see that it really could happen! It was just... what... just over 50 or 60 years ago that Britain had had the world's currency for so long and then lost it. So people wouldn't have to go that far back in history to study it. But instead most people just think, "that will never happen", if they bother to become informed about the concept of the global currency at all. I'd be surprised if even 20% of Americans know that the U.S dollar has been the global currency since Britain lost it or that other countries have already started dumping U.S. dollars and taking measures to protect themselves from our collapse. Would you believe we let our government vote in a bill to spend 787 billion dollars that it didn't even have in order to "create jobs" accept that it had nothing in it that could realistically be expected to actually do that and that it included spending 3.4 million dollars on building a tunnel for turtles to cross under a road in Florida among many other absurd pork projects. It made my heart ache to think of the waste and corruption involved. As a person who has stopped her car and moved a snapping turtle across a road to keep it from getting smashed, I believe I have a right to be offended. :rotfl: It is ironic too that one of the things the people who push the wrong messages about these things do is they tell people how we are so backward and how the Europeans hate us just like peer pressure among kids and that actually works on adults :sad2:, but anyway... the ironic part is how many other countries that we have been told we should be more like are now getting upset about the fact that our irresponsibility in supposedly becoming more like them is endangering the global economy. Oh well, I wasn't terribly susceptible to peer pressure on a personal level as a kid either, but I understand why a lot of people are so susceptible to it and at all ages I suppose. About it being dangerous here, it is very easy to do a bit of research and choose where to live to avoid high-crime areas. Just as a person moving to France would not want to move into one of the neighborhoods where their rape statistics have gone through the roof, there are places here that should be avoided too. I looked up Celebration really quickly and it doesn't seem like the crime statistics are too bad there. I'd be willing to go there if that was the only consideration. And heck, I'd want to go too if I could! :rotfl:

To be honest I know a lot more about the parts of history that caught my interest than about the rest. I suppose that is human nature or at least I have a lot of company in my weakness in being that way. :laughing: I know some Asian history but I don't have nearly a strong enough grasp of it to converse about it much. And I know some French history simply because certain parts of it are fascinating, mainly just about Marie Antoinette (she seems to fascinate a lot of people doesn't she) and then about the French revolution because its like not being able to look away from a train wreck how bad things got there during that period. I'd like to learn a bit more about Napoleon than what I know about him and more about their earlier history. I have some knowledge of ancient history too, but I'd love to learn more of the histories of other European countries.

I would love to go to Italy! And Pompei is very interesting. I agree it is touching.

Yes, there was a big problem with segregation and trying to get past it. Since I was born in 1970 and I wasn't exposed to very much biggotry, its kind of astonishing to me to realize how close the dates are between all that going on and my early memories. I suppose it is like anything else. There were differences between individual experiences as well as the general mood or social climate in various areas. I just recently saw the movie, The Help. That movie did a better job than any other I've seen in helping me to see more of how it really was in certain places where it was bad and to see the human faces on the various types of people. It was truly outstanding.

I also really got into the story of Anne Frank and studied more about WWII. It was an amazing and horrifying chapter in human history. I have not seen Schindler's List and I've always intended to see it "one day" as they say. I almost did one time when I thought I was up for serious drama and my DH said not to. He was afraid it would be too much for me. You are not the only person who is effected by how horrific stuff is. If you get nightmares definitely be careful. It is pretty bad news how much all the atrocities we have stored in our heads can effect us, even years later. I always tell my kids to be careful of how much "yuck" they exposed themselves to in the name of entertainment, because in the long run you can't scrub it out of your head and it all adds up and has an impact. So stories like that which have importance but can be hard to take, I try to be careful of. I have to be in a great place emotionally and not having any leanings towards depression, which I can be prone to. On my short list of movies that are truly great movies that also have that type of importance that I'm glad I saw are things like Amistad and Amazing Grace both of which were phenomenal films.

Your welcome for the recommendations. :goodvibes The 'Record of Time' Timeline Notebook is a notebook formatted to make it easy for you to make your own timeline. So you make the entries yourself after you get it, but it comes with pages with a bold line across the middle and lots of closely spaced lines above and below for your notations. And there are some dates to get you started, which is good. Even though you'll still be writing in the majority of your dates it just helps you get started without being nervous or overwhelmed about how far apart to space things.

There is a two and half year difference between my girls. Gwyneth turned 14 a few days ago and Anneliese is 11. We joke sometimes about getting to go to school in our pajamas. But then again at times I have to be the bad guy and make us all get back on track if we get too lax about getting stuff done. For the most part we are very laid back and I let the girls have influence over things way more than could be logistically possible with going to a traditional school. Liese is a morning person and wakes up before me at times. So I try to encourage her to follow a routine in the mornings and not just take free-time. But I'm not necessarily up as early as she is. Gwyneth is not a morning person and sometimes she sleeps later than is really healthy. Since she can be prone to insomnia I have to be the mom and insist she get up and get going around 7:30 or 8 in the morning if she starts sleeping really late and having trouble getting to sleep at night.

Yes, it does take less time than regular school especially in the earlier grades. And of course that can be effected by a persons powers of focus. Liese is a daydreamer like I was as a kid so that is a challenge. The way we can tailor the teaching methods and the materials to the girls learning styles is a tremendous advantage of homeschooling. Liese really benefits from being allowed to fidget or get up and have a little exercise. She is strong as a kinetic learner. My son and I are both that way too. My son is 20 now to answer your later question.

I've heard of lots of situations here where schools that were not successfully teaching switched to just training for the testing. So sad. Sometimes I think if I wasn't busy teaching my own children I'd like to become a volunteer for other children. Maybe I'll be able to do some of that later in life. I adore reading one on one with a younger child who is just learning it and wants to be read to and to read to the adult in turn.

So for the fourth of July you would probably love to come here to Ohio. There is a town not too far from me called Dublin, Ohio where they have a nice 4th of July celebration every year with a concert and fireworks. You would enjoy Stone Mountain just as much. There is a town called Stone Mountain there, but there is also the actual mountain and a state park surrounding it. It is a great place.

http://www.stonemountainpark.com/

They have a show there every night all summer long which is great to see anyway. And on the fourth they add fireworks on at the end.

I was born in VA and where we lived there was a three hour drive from where my Mom had grown up in Maryland. At one point later I lived in that area in Maryland for a bit. But the other places were much longer drives apart. Still for all the places I've lived, I've still always been in the eastern states, all coastal states accept here in Ohio.

hehe. I'm glad you use imperial for heights. Silly of me probably but it is what I'm used to. Yeah, Americans tend to use imperial for everything. Although sometimes people run into metric at work if it is being influenced by products or information from other countries. I can see how helpful metric could be but it is just so hard to grasp the real meaning of the measurements when you aren't used to them. Like with height I immediately know exactly what 5' and 5'5" looks like where if you had said it in metric, I'd have had to convert it to have any clue how tall you are. :lmao:

I have been to St. Augustine. But just for a day and it was a really long time ago. I remember I enjoyed it and was glad to see it, but I do not remember a lot of details. I was more focused on socializing that day, I think. :rotfl:

Maybe if the rest of your family is not as into Disney as you they will let you plan them a trip to tour across a few other places and you could get a couple of Disney days in at the beginning or the end? :wizard:

Are your parents foodies? Do they read a lot? Do they like history? sports? art? Think of their hobbies and you may be able come up with places they would enjoy. Even if you just incorporate one other state besides Florida. You could think of all the stuff in Atlanta. There is a great Aquarium, a zoo, a professional baseball team, tons of restaurants, underground Atlanta, world of coca-cola, lots of shopping opportunities, and the list goes on for miles. Or north of Atlanta you could camp in the mountains, or stay in a mountain cabin. Oh and Atlanta is so close to Stone Mountain and there is a hotel right in Stone Mountain Park! Then there is Savannah GA if they would like to stay by the Ocean. Might be fun to take a trip with at least one day devoted to each family member and that person's interests.

In my book, even if it is just all dreaming, the trip planning is a blast. :lmao:

[WDWRids]

Just popping in to checking on any updates. Hope you are having a great week! Turning cold here in North Carolina. Got down to 32degrees last night - BURR!!!! How's your weather?

[meggiebeth]

Just popping in to checking on any updates. Hope you are having a great week! Turning cold here in North Carolina. Got down to 32degrees last night - BURR!!!! How's your weather?

Goodness- I didn't know it was that cold in North Carolina! I have heard there is a lot of snow in some places on the East coast though. Our weather is surprisingly hit and miss here. Yesterday it was 40 degrees, but today it is warmer. It gets really chilly at night though... I'm missing summer! :rotfl:

Great update!

Was breakfast at O'Hana a buffet breakfast?

I have been reading your TR while answering the door to Trick or Treaters. Is Halloween as big in England as it is here in the states? So much candy! My husband just told our two daughters that Halloween was actually for the parents and it was the job of the kids to bring us LOTS of candy!:rotfl:

Hello there! No... 'Ohana wasn't. I think it was what you call 'family style'. They brought out a big platter with food on... and we each had a little. And then they brought out the Mickey waffles seperately. What would I do for one of them right now? :rolleyes1 You don't get waffles like that here often, and especially not in a Mickey shape! :rotfl:

Hope you had a great Halloween! Mmmm candy! We call candy 'sweets', lol. I like the word candy better though! ;)
Halloween isn't very big here, not as big as the US anyway! Me and my brother went trick or treating and most people were not celebrating it or giving out sweets. Some trick or treaters can do things like throwing eggs and pulling pranks on the people that don't give them anything- so the police got involved and anyone that doesn't want to have trick or treaters at their house puts up a sign made by the police. Is it as bad as that in America? Of course the shops and supermarkets have lots of Halloween costumes and pumpkins, etc, but that's just to make money! :laughing:

Nice trick with your kids! :rotfl: I'm just guessing they didn't buy it and ate the candy all by themselves? If so... they are like my brother. He told me the opposite- that little children should get more candy than big children and adults. And forced me to hand over my candy. :lmao:

I'm not sure if I have tried Stilton or not, but I did know it was one variety of what we call "bleu cheese", which is something that I am generally not a fan of. A few of the milder ones when used in small amounts in a recipe are good, but most are too strong for me. My DH likes most of them being the fan of strong cheeses that he is.

And I agree that I should try some British recipes. Or I should say, should try some more of them. I've been making shepherd's pie for years and years. I love it. Thanks for the link!

Oh, btw, I found out a shop that has some of the red leicester. Now I just need to drive down there and get some! Yay. I'll check out if they have any marmite while I'm there too.

Greek Yoghurt is essentially yoghurt has been strained for a super long amount of time, so it is quite firm compared to regular yoghurt. I like it being so thick, but I also like what they sell in the grocery stores for being more tart rather than icky sweet. Most yoghurts that we can buy in the grocery store have a ton of sugar added, but I've learned to make my own and learned to like it for its own flavor and not to want so much "added sugar". So now that greek yoghurt is being sold, sometimes I buy that, even though I still make my own yoghurt at times too. I know that probably sounds odd to a lot of people, but I guess I'm a foodie and add to that I keep getting a little more and a little more into healthy eating with each passing year. Everyone's got to have their interests and hobbies, right?

To get to time travel back to an era like that sounds awesome doesn't it? And I have to say the Victorian era sounds like a great pick to me. As much as I'd like to see colonial Jamestowne or go back and help them with "the starving time" can you imagine going back to a time when people thought it was unhealthy to bathe more than twice a year? I'd have to join up with the Indians rather than the colonists; the colonist thought it was just absolutely amazing and crazy that the Powhatans got into the river and bathed twice a day!

Britain was very powerful and I believe it still garners a good bit of respect. I suspect that at some point in the future history will recognize Britain's huge influence over the world and liken it to the Romans and the Greeks. Yep our country is getting into a really bad situation with our national debt. But some people just keep thinking that the government has to pay for so much stuff with no realistic understanding of the connections between the government and the citizenry. I pray it gets reversed before we really do lose our economic power. It would be sad to see all those well meaning people, who want to pay for everything for everybody have to learn the hard way how spoiled we've been here and what it would be like to live in a less affluent nation after running our economy into the ground. That is one of those things that we could pay attention to history to see that it really could happen! It was just... what... just over 50 or 60 years ago that Britain had had the world's currency for so long and then lost it. So people wouldn't have to go that far back in history to study it. But instead most people just think, "that will never happen", if they bother to become informed about the concept of the global currency at all. I'd be surprised if even 20% of Americans know that the U.S dollar has been the global currency since Britain lost it or that other countries have already started dumping U.S. dollars and taking measures to protect themselves from our collapse. Would you believe we let our government vote in a bill to spend 787 billion dollars that it didn't even have in order to "create jobs" accept that it had nothing in it that could realistically be expected to actually do that and that it included spending 3.4 million dollars on building a tunnel for turtles to cross under a road in Florida among many other absurd pork projects. It made my heart ache to think of the waste and corruption involved. As a person who has stopped her car and moved a snapping turtle across a road to keep it from getting smashed, I believe I have a right to be offended. It is ironic too that one of the things the people who push the wrong messages about these things do is they tell people how we are so backward and how the Europeans hate us just like peer pressure among kids and that actually works on adults, but anyway... the ironic part is how many other countries that we have been told we should be more like are now getting upset about the fact that our irresponsibility in supposedly becoming more like them is endangering the global economy. Oh well, I wasn't terribly susceptible to peer pressure on a personal level as a kid either, but I understand why a lot of people are so susceptible to it and at all ages I suppose. About it being dangerous here, it is very easy to do a bit of research and choose where to live to avoid high-crime areas. Just as a person moving to France would not want to move into one of the neighborhoods where their rape statistics have gone through the roof, there are places here that should be avoided too. I looked up Celebration really quickly and it doesn't seem like the crime statistics are too bad there. I'd be willing to go there if that was the only consideration. And heck, I'd want to go too if I could!

To be honest I know a lot more about the parts of history that caught my interest than about the rest. I suppose that is human nature or at least I have a lot of company in my weakness in being that way. I know some Asian history but I don't have nearly a strong enough grasp of it to converse about it much. And I know some French history simply because certain parts of it are fascinating, mainly just about Marie Antoinette (she seems to fascinate a lot of people doesn't she) and then about the French revolution because its like not being able to look away from a train wreck how bad things got there during that period. I'd like to learn a bit more about Napoleon than what I know about him and more about their earlier history. I have some knowledge of ancient history too, but I'd love to learn more of the histories of other European countries.

I would love to go to Italy! And Pompei is very interesting. I agree it is touching.

Yes, there was a big problem with segregation and trying to get past it. Since I was born in 1970 and I wasn't exposed to very much biggotry, its kind of astonishing to me to realize how close the dates are between all that going on and my early memories. I suppose it is like anything else. There were differences between individual experiences as well as the general mood or social climate in various areas. I just recently saw the movie, The Help. That movie did a better job than any other I've seen in helping me to see more of how it really was in certain places where it was bad and to see the human faces on the various types of people. It was truly outstanding.

I also really got into the story of Anne Frank and studied more about WWII. It was an amazing and horrifying chapter in human history. I have not seen Schindler's List and I've always intended to see it "one day" as they say. I almost did one time when I thought I was up for serious drama and my DH said not to. He was afraid it would be too much for me. You are not the only person who is effected by how horrific stuff is. If you get nightmares definitely be careful. It is pretty bad news how much all the atrocities we have stored in our heads can effect us, even years later. I always tell my kids to be careful of how much "yuck" they exposed themselves to in the name of entertainment, because in the long run you can't scrub it out of your head and it all adds up and has an impact. So stories like that which have importance but can be hard to take, I try to be careful of. I have to be in a great place emotionally and not having any leanings towards depression, which I can be prone to. On my short list of movies that are truly great movies that also have that type of importance that I'm glad I saw are things like Amistad and Amazing Grace both of which were phenomenal films.

Your welcome for the recommendations. :goodvibes The 'Record of Time' Timeline Notebook is a notebook formatted to make it easy for you to make your own timeline. So you make the entries yourself after you get it, but it comes with pages with a bold line across the middle and lots of closely spaced lines above and below for your notations. And there are some dates to get you started, which is good. Even though you'll still be writing in the majority of your dates it just helps you get started without being nervous or overwhelmed about how far apart to space things.

There is a two and half year difference between my girls. Gwyneth turned 14 a few days ago and Anneliese is 11. We joke sometimes about getting to go to school in our pajamas. But then again at times I have to be the bad guy and make us all get back on track if we get too lax about getting stuff done. For the most part we are very laid back and I let the girls have influence over things way more than could be logistically possible with going to a traditional school. Liese is a morning person and wakes up before me at times. So I try to encourage her to follow a routine in the mornings and not just take free-time. But I'm not necessarily up as early as she is. Gwyneth is not a morning person and sometimes she sleeps later than is really healthy. Since she can be prone to insomnia I have to be the mom and insist she get up and get going around 7:30 or 8 in the morning if she starts sleeping really late and having trouble getting to sleep at night.

Yes, it does take less time than regular school especially in the earlier grades. And of course that can be effected by a persons powers of focus. Liese is a daydreamer like I was as a kid so that is a challenge. The way we can tailor the teaching methods and the materials to the girls learning styles is a tremendous advantage of homeschooling. Liese really benefits from being allowed to fidget or get up and have a little exercise. She is strong as a kinetic learner. My son and I are both that way too. My son is 20 now to answer your later question.

I've heard of lots of situations here where schools that were not successfully teaching switched to just training for the testing. So sad. Sometimes I think if I wasn't busy teaching my own children I'd like to become a volunteer for other children. Maybe I'll be able to do some of that later in life. I adore reading one on one with a younger child who is just learning it and wants to be read to and to read to the adult in turn.

So for the fourth of July you would probably love to come here to Ohio. There is a town not too far from me called Dublin, Ohio where they have a nice 4th of July celebration every year with a concert and fireworks. You would enjoy Stone Mountain just as much. There is a town called Stone Mountain there, but there is also the actual mountain and a state park surrounding it. It is a great place.

http://www.stonemountainpark.com/

They have a show there every night all summer long which is great to see anyway. And on the fourth they add fireworks on at the end.

I was born in VA and where we lived there was a three hour drive from where my Mom had grown up in Maryland. At one point later I lived in that area in Maryland for a bit. But the other places were much longer drives apart. Still for all the places I've lived, I've still always been in the eastern states, all coastal states accept here in Ohio.

hehe. I'm glad you use imperial for heights. Silly of me probably but it is what I'm used to. Yeah, Americans tend to use imperial for everything. Although sometimes people run into metric at work if it is being influenced by products or information from other countries. I can see how helpful metric could be but it is just so hard to grasp the real meaning of the measurements when you aren't used to them. Like with height I immediately know exactly what 5' and 5'5" looks like where if you had said it in metric, I'd have had to convert it to have any clue how tall you are.

I have been to St. Augustine. But just for a day and it was a really long time ago. I remember I enjoyed it and was glad to see it, but I do not remember a lot of details. I was more focused on socializing that day, I think.

Maybe if the rest of your family is not as into Disney as you they will let you plan them a trip to tour across a few other places and you could get a couple of Disney days in at the beginning or the end?

Are your parents foodies? Do they read a lot? Do they like history? sports? art? Think of their hobbies and you may be able come up with places they would enjoy. Even if you just incorporate one other state besides Florida. You could think of all the stuff in Atlanta. There is a great Aquarium, a zoo, a professional baseball team, tons of restaurants, underground Atlanta, world of coca-cola, lots of shopping opportunities, and the list goes on for miles. Or north of Atlanta you could camp in the mountains, or stay in a mountain cabin. Oh and Atlanta is so close to Stone Mountain and there is a hotel right in Stone Mountain Park! Then there is Savannah GA if they would like to stay by the Ocean. Might be fun to take a trip with at least one day devoted to each family member and that person's interests.

In my book, even if it is just all dreaming, the trip planning is a blast.

I'm guessing you won't like stilton then! :lmao: It is very strong. I have heard of bleu cheese and stilton being linked together, so they probably are very similar. You'll have to get your DH to try some!

You've tried sheperds pie? Is that famous in America or is it just you that cooks it? Lol. It is nice... I always liked it when I ate meat. It's really irritating- I love the smell and taste of meat but I hate eating it knowing that it is... well... meat. Lol. I am not too sure about the difference between sheperds pie and cottage pie, but they are really similar. One American dish I have heard of is 'meatloaf'. It doesn't look too nice but it must be for so many people to like it! By the way, does quorn exist in America? I tried tofu for the first time and literally choked. This was actually in 'Ohana. :lmao: It is absolutely disgusting. In the Rose and Crown pub I ordered the vegetarian sheperds pie, which tasted nothing like sheperds pie! I think it was mainly mushrooms, carrots, peas, etc. I was expecting it to be mainly quorn, but... lol.

Yay- you've found red leicester! It's rather similar to cheddar- and not very strong at all. When I was in primary school I used to take in sandwiches with red leicester cheese and marmite. I am can not handle strong cheeses either... lol. I tried the goats cheese flatbread in California Grill and it was WAY too strong. So cheddar and red leicester are as far as I go! Do try marmite if you get hold of it in the shop- but spread it on very thinly... or you may choke when you eat it! :rotfl:

What a great idea! Yoghurt making! It sounds like fun. And anything (unless the baker is really awful) homemade generally tastes better than shop bought foods... and they are a lot fresher! I'm sure your DH and girls appreciate all this cooking that you do for them!

In relation to cooking, do you teach your girls 'food tech' or similar? I had that up until last year when we went into a big kitchen and had to bake pointless things, and had only 40 minutes to do everything, including actually cooking them! I love baking and cooking at home, but at school it isn't as fun. I'm guessing you only teach the main subjects, and not things like food tech, drama, design and technology. They sound pretty hard to do in homeschooling.

I'm not sure I'd like to be with the Indians- weren't they really violent sometimes? And some of the rituals they did were pretty gruesome. I'm not sure I would want to be involved in any! Hehe. What is colonial Jamestown and 'the starving time'? I have heard of Jamestown but not the latter and I have no idea what they are about! Lol.

That's bad with America's debt. I didn't think America would get that badly into debt... it is one of the most powerful countries in the world and I thought would have a fairly good income too. I assume that 'congress' is like your government, or parliment or something, but it was on the news a lot not too long ago, with Americans saying they were embarrased because polititians were bickering like children about agreeing a new limit for the amount they could borrow from the banks. It would be sad to see America be in the same position as Greece... who are in a very bad financial situation at the moment. There's riots, protests... and not enough jobs.

In the UK we have the same problem... debt. But since our new government, BIG spending cuts have been made and lots of people are suffering because of it. Lots of services are being lost, libraries closed, important facilites let go. Although I have heard Americans think the NHS (National Health Service) is a dream come true because it is free... it really isn't. I had to wait 2 or 3 months for an appointment. And there aren't enough staff anyway, let loads of them are getting made redundant! :confused3 I guess there just isn't enough money. Lots of people working for the public sector are being told to work longer hours and recieve a lower pension and salary increase. It isn't really fair.

I had no idea that the US$ was the global currency. Still, I guess it is one of the biggest and most powerful countries in the world. I still haven't gotten the hang of American currency. Quarter, dime,... all so confusing! Okay, a quarter is 25 cents, I'm guessing. But the coins are confusing for my little mind! Lol.

A tunnel for turtles crossing the road?! That is silly! You think about what else that money could have bought... and they spend it so carelessly on something for turtles. It does make me laugh. It's like that here too, pointless projects, wasted money, etc. European countries don't really hate America, although there is a little dislike. I think America has a reputation here for being powerful (almost too powerful) and for pushing into things. I think everyone does have respect for the US, and it has done many good things, which we are aware of.

Yes, some parts of America must be safe. I am just scared about the guns- but I'm sure people exaggerate when they say that women casually carry them around in their handbangs. :rolleyes: Celebration looks lovely, of course I want to go- I'm fairly sure my parents don't though. Lol.

I have never heard of Marie Antoinette- but if you say it's fascinating it probably is! ;) We used to go to France every summer when I was younger and it's a beautiful country. We visited lots of 'chateaux' in France, as they are called, and the stories are fascinating. One man had built a chateau, only for his wife to want it in a different place, so he knocked the whole thing down and rebuilt it a mile down the road!

Segregation did look bad, and it only ended a few decades ago in the US, right? It must have been hard. I don't understand why it lasted so much longer in America than the UK, but it still puzzles me!

WW2 is fascinating... Anne Frank and all that. You should try watching Schindler's List- I found it shocking but not TOO shocking and it was a touching story. Especially the end. It has people being shot and beaten, but if I can cope with it, you probably can. The end is sad but happy in a way. The thing that shocked me more than the violence was how cheap life seemed when people were shot for no reason at all. I know what you mean about being careful about what films you watch. Have you seen 'Slumdog Millionaire'? It isn't historical but it horrified me, and 20 minutes in I turned the TV off. I had nightmares for weeks. The bad things you see in some movies don't seem to escape your mind for a long time.

That timeline book sounds great. I'm going to put it on my Christmas list... and hopefully I will get it. I'm completely bankrupt at the moment, so either I earn more money or wait until Christmas! ;)

Oh, what beautiful names! They are lovely! I especially like the name Anneliese. They're very pretty, and not like normal names like Megan, Lucy, Lily, Phoebe, etc. If I went to school at home in my pyjamas I would probably fall asleep at the table. Lol. It sounds like you enjoy homeschooling your kids and don't have a hard time with keeping on track with the work. I can't imagine waking up early on purpose... I am like Gwyneth. If I sleep in too late, then I can't get to sleep for a long time. Lying in is so tempting and nice. :cloud9: My parents are like you, they get me out of bed early so I can go to sleep at a fairly reasonable time at night! ;)

I'm not surprised that it takes less time than regular school. I think about how much time of each lesson is wasted because of how many kids there are in the class. It just takes more time. I wish they let us get up and walk around at school, like you do with Liese. It just shows how homeschooling can bring so much more out of someone. And tailoring the teaching methods to a particular person sounds just as you put it- a tremendous advantage! You must bring so much more out of your kids. They are lucky to have a mother and teacher as dedicated as you! Goodness, your son is 20? Well, I take it you don't homeschool him anymore then! ;) It must have been so nice to have helped him in the way that you did.

Being a volunteer would be great! And you'll probably make a difference in some kid's life that couldn't afford private tutoring or homeschooling. It's great reading with a young child- I agree! You’d make a great homeschool teacher! It’s very rewarding contributing to children’s educations too.
Ohio sounds lovely. It is one of the states I have heard of, and I have heard many good things about it! If we get to the US for 4th July I will probably come to Ohio or somewhere like it. It is apparently very beautiful. Travelling is just lovely… I would love to travel more. Thanks for the link! Stone Mountain looks awesome- in fact it really appeals to our family. Lots of things to do there certainly! I looked on the website and at the hotels there and they look really tempting. I’ll show my family and see what they think. Of course, it would involve some ‘waiting’ seeing as any holiday in the US is expensive for us!

It’s good you’re quite close to some of the places that you’ve lived in. Is Ohio not coastal? I didn’t realize until recently that some Americans might not even have seen the sea- most likely those living in the middle of America. In the UK, you’re never more than 2 hours literally away from the sea. But I have just noticed America is not like that!

Metric is very easy for me. I find inches and feet confusing. Lol. 10 mm is 1cm, 100cm is 1metre, 1000metres are 1km. I know that there are something like 12 inches in a foot, but not much more than that! Lol. I’m like you, if someone told me their height in metric, I would be like ‘Huh? Can you give that to me in feet?’ Of course we use grams and kilograms here, sometimes ounces, but the one US measurement I don’t get is ‘cups’. When I try to convert American recipes, I always get too confused with the ‘cups’.

Yes, I was thinking about reducing the Disney holiday time and adding on some time in other parts of America. It all comes down to money- I am doing my best to save up for another holiday to the US, I am absolutely desperate go back! I love to travel, and I hate staying in the same village day after day, dreaming of travelling. We don’t go for weekend breaks or short holidays- our summer holiday is the only one we take. So it is important that we have spent the money well. And… a holiday to the US is money well spent! :cloud9:
Atlanta sounds great! I will look up that too and get some research done. It all depends on how expensive it is- and so the closer to Florida the better. My parents didn’t like Florida itself at all- only Disney. So Ohio or another east coast state would definitely be something I want to do. Atlanta is a possible option- and the cabins and camping sound great! Do you visit Atlanta much? Do you really like it? I went on Google Images and the photos of it look wonderful to me- just what America is like with all the big skyscrapers. I saw none of that in Florida. And Atlanta is quite close to Florida! Thanks for the idea! Good idea too about how each family member gets a day to do what they want. That will go down well with William. On most holidays we have been on he is a total killjoy, being negative about wherever we go!

I agree… travelling and the planning is wonderful. It is one of my favourite things at the moment. Especially when you go to places you could only dream of visiting. Going to Florida was the first time I’d ever set foot on another continent. I’m guessing you adore planning trips and of course taking them too! It’s great talking to people like that. My family hates the planning, and me nagging them about it. So for the most part, I plan, find the best hotel and the cheapest rates. And it is surprisingly fun! :surfweb:

[meggiebeth]

Welcome back! So, after our lovely breakfast at 'Ohana, we headed over to

party: Typhoon Lagoon!

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5625-1.jpg

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http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5628-1.jpg

It was very busy and we couldn't find any sunbeds. So we had to make to with chairs. My dad sat and read but the rest of us hit the wave pool! Which was awesome, but the waves were really intimidating. Rory was a little scared of it, and I was wary of cutting myself on the rough floor, so I didn't go in too deep. William swam in very far though, and went right under the waves as they came.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5631-1.gif

Some more photos:

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http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5638-1.jpg

Unfortunately, after a few hours in the intense heat, we needed to go back to SSR and rest before dinner at Citricos. Being out in the heat for that long really is exhausting. William was fairly sunburnt too... and in pain. The pain didn't set in until we had left TL though...

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5635-1.jpg

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Time to go! Thanks for reading! Be sure to look out for my next update- our meal at Citricos! :cloud9:
Hope you liked the update!

[fromscratchmom]

...You've tried sheperds pie? Is that famous in America or is it just you that cooks it? Lol. It is nice... I always liked it when I ate meat. It's really irritating- I love the smell and taste of meat but I hate eating it knowing that it is... well... meat. Lol. I am not too sure about the difference between sheperds pie and cottage pie, but they are really similar. One American dish I have heard of is 'meatloaf'. It doesn't look too nice but it must be for so many people to like it! By the way, does quorn exist in America? I tried tofu for the first time and literally choked. This was actually in 'Ohana. :lmao: It is absolutely disgusting. In the Rose and Crown pub I ordered the vegetarian sheperds pie, which tasted nothing like sheperds pie! I think it was mainly mushrooms, carrots, peas, etc. I was expecting it to be mainly quorn, but... lol.

...In relation to cooking, do you teach your girls 'food tech' or similar? ... I love baking and cooking at home, but at school it isn't as fun. I'm guessing you only teach the main subjects, and not things like food tech, drama, design and technology. They sound pretty hard to do in homeschooling.

I'm not sure I'd like to be with the Indians- weren't they really violent sometimes? And some of the rituals they did were pretty gruesome. I'm not sure I would want to be involved in any! Hehe. What is colonial Jamestown and 'the starving time'? I have heard of Jamestown but not the latter and I have no idea what they are about! Lol.

That's bad with America's debt. I didn't think America would get that badly into debt... it is one of the most powerful countries in the world and I thought would have a fairly good income too. I assume that 'congress' is like your government, or parliment or something, but it was on the news a lot not too long ago, with Americans saying they were embarrased because polititians were bickering like children about agreeing a new limit for the amount they could borrow from the banks. It would be sad to see America be in the same position as Greece... who are in a very bad financial situation at the moment. There's riots, protests... and not enough jobs.

In the UK we have the same problem... debt. But since our new government, BIG spending cuts have been made and lots of people are suffering because of it. Lots of services are being lost, libraries closed, important facilities let go. Although I have heard Americans think the NHS (National Health Service) is a dream come true because it is free... it really isn't. I had to wait 2 or 3 months for an appointment. And there aren't enough staff anyway, let loads of them are getting made redundant! :confused3 I guess there just isn't enough money. Lots of people working for the public sector are being told to work longer hours and recieve a lower pension and salary increase. It isn't really fair.

I had no idea that the US$ was the global currency. Still, I guess it is one of the biggest and most powerful countries in the world. I still haven't gotten the hang of American currency. Quarter, dime,... all so confusing! Okay, a quarter is 25 cents, I'm guessing. But the coins are confusing for my little mind! Lol.

...I have never heard of Marie Antoinette- but if you say it's fascinating it probably is! ;) We used to go to France every summer when I was younger and it's a beautiful country. We visited lots of 'chateaux' in France, as they are called, and the stories are fascinating. One man had built a chateau, only for his wife to want it in a different place, so he knocked the whole thing down and rebuilt it a mile down the road!

Segregation did look bad, and it only ended a few decades ago in the US, right? It must have been hard. I don't understand why it lasted so much longer in America than the UK, but it still puzzles me!

...Oh, what beautiful names! They are lovely! I especially like the name Anneliese. They're very pretty, and not like normal names like Megan, Lucy, Lily, Phoebe, etc.

Ohio sounds lovely. It is one of the states I have heard of, and I have heard many good things about it! If we get to the US for 4th July I will probably come to Ohio or somewhere like it. It is apparently very beautiful. Travelling is just lovely… I would love to travel more. Thanks for the link! Stone Mountain looks awesome- in fact it really appeals to our family. Lots of things to do there certainly! I looked on the website and at the hotels there and they look really tempting. I’ll show my family and see what they think. Of course, it would involve some ‘waiting’ seeing as any holiday in the US is expensive for us!

It’s good you’re quite close to some of the places that you’ve lived in. Is Ohio not coastal? I didn’t realize until recently that some Americans might not even have seen the sea- most likely those living in the middle of America. In the UK, you’re never more than 2 hours literally away from the sea. But I have just noticed America is not like that!

Metric is very easy for me. I find inches and feet confusing. Lol. 10 mm is 1cm, 100cm is 1metre, 1000metres are 1km. I know that there are something like 12 inches in a foot, but not much more than that! Lol. I’m like you, if someone told me their height in metric, I would be like ‘Huh? Can you give that to me in feet?’ Of course we use grams and kilograms here, sometimes ounces, but the one US measurement I don’t get is ‘cups’. When I try to convert American recipes, I always get too confused with the ‘cups’.

...I agree… travelling and the planning is wonderful. It is one of my favourite things at the moment. Especially when you go to places you could only dream of visiting. Going to Florida was the first time I’d ever set foot on another continent. I’m guessing you adore planning trips and of course taking them too! It’s great talking to people like that. My family hates the planning, and me nagging them about it. So for the most part, I plan, find the best hotel and the cheapest rates. And it is surprisingly fun! :surfweb:

I don't think very many people here cook shepherd's pie, but I can't be the only one. I got it from an American cookbook when I was only about 20 years old, the first time I cooked it. I should get on the Jamie Oliver website and ask on the forums about the difference between cottage pie and shepherd's pie. All those foodies on there will be sure to have something to say about that. :lmao:

I don't usually like American meatloaf even though I do like meat. I used to have a recipe that made a good one, but I found out that one of the pre-packaged ingredients that I used in it contained msg, so I stopped making it. I have found that I can improve most meatloaf recipes a little by making certain changes to them based on some of the force meats found in French cooking. But it hardly seems worth it since no one in my house was really into meatloaf to begin with. ;)

I've heard of quorn and seen it, several years ago. You might have to go somewhere other than a regular grocery store to get it here. We have lots of little stores that people call "health food stores" that tend to sell more things like vitamin supplements, organic foods, gluten-free foods, and more foods especially for vegetarians than most of the large chain grocery stores. I might of even tried quorn back then but I couldn't eat it now since now I know about gluten and that it contributes to the health problems that I've had. That is sort of the barrier for me to vegetarianism. So it is a good thing that meat doesn't bother me. With all my food allergies, I'd almost starve. :laughing: I know quite a few vegetarians through my food coop and the majority of them rely pretty heavily on foods that I avoid. I guess even without my food allergies and my gluten problem, I would still not eat a lot those "substitute" foods though because I've been trying to move my family towards a more whole foods diet, believing that (for the most part) the less processed foods are the more likely they are to be truly nourishing and not have any "side effects" or cause any new food allergies to develop. Although right now I'm doing a juice fast so I am sort of temporarily a vegan. ;) Do you like just eating veggies? I don't mean being a vegetarian, I mean did you like your veggies before that and everything... like just a side of a simply cooked vegetable? I've always been a veggie eater and I still am. Yesterday, I cheated on my juice fast and ate a salad at lunch and a bunch of steamed broccoli and cauliflower at dinner. But that's OK. It's not about doing it perfectly. It is just about giving my body a big boost of the micro-nutrients that come in fresh fruits and vegetables.

I have been teaching the girls to cook since they were very small. (And my son knows how to cook too.) We have a class here in schools, well we had it when I was younger, called home-economics, which taught what I would guess British schools must teach in food-tech. And I'm definitely getting my kids to know much more than that in our home kitchen. I couldn't teach them certain "extra" subjects simply because they might be things I don't know. A lot of American homeschoolers get around that by participating in homeschooling coops where each parent teaches a class to the kids in the coop for one afternoon a week or some similar schedule; with all the parents in a large group together they can cover lots of different subjects. Some do it by enrolling in classes part time and some do it by buying a curriculum and the parents and children learning it together. My husband is teaching my girls some advanced computer stuff. My children and I all do Spanish together through a computer curriculum and I hope some day to enroll us in a group thing to get to practice it and maybe do some travel in Spanish speaking countries. My mom taught my daughters to knit before she passed away. My son was interested in wood-working and after he finished up high-school, I got him an apprenticeship with a cabinet maker to learn some of that. So... almost all things are do-able one way or another.

It's true, the Indians were pretty bad in certain ways and I wouldn't actually be able to be a part of that society. We Americans tend to forget about the gruesome parts and the other bad things since the American Indians are always being painted with a "politically correct" brush, where we pretend that they were perfect and Europeans were evil. There are all sorts of lies taught in schools about how perfect their culture was supposed to be and how we purposefully set out to commit genocide. It drives me batty. Wonderful true stories like the story of Pocahontas are hardly taught anymore and then people only know the fake versions. And the truth of there having been a far larger and more cohesive society of Indians hundreds of years before "white men" came to this land but having mostly self-destructed and broken up into smaller tribal cultures gets pushed aside too. Not to mention the "starving time" which effected the colonists and the Indians alike, but you would almost have to actually go to Jamestown, Virginia to learn about it.

The original Virginia Company colonists that founded Jamestown had a really rough time. They had landed on an Island in the James River where there was no fresh water and they didn't bring any farmers with them or try to grow their own food at all. Unlike the Disney version of what happened there, they came with orders from their parent company to do this and to only trade with the Indians for food so that they wouldn't be too threatening to the Indians. They were looking for profit but not looking to settle down permanently and take over from the Indians. But as it happens that was a very bad decision. And sadly, they had landed in the new world during a very bad drought that lasted for many years. What the histories refer to as "the starving time" came at the end of that several years when many more colonists died than survived, which had been true throughout the drought years anyway but even much more so around 1609-1610. There are just awful personal accounts that you can read of it, of the people eating rats and snakes and their pet dogs and mostly dying anyway. They even ate all of their shoe leather. And that late in those drought years the Indians didn't have any food to trade to them anyway. Since at one point one of the people in charge had made the bad decision to "teach the Indians a lesson" for not trading they got to be on very bad terms with the local Indians and couldn't safely leave their fort to hunt or anything. But, as I mentioned they didn't even have any farmers there. And apparently the people who were there were ignorant of the type of information they would have needed to see the drought for what it was and realize how it was effecting the Indians. Being on a river you might think they would have fished and they did. The year that the histories refer to as "the starving time" is also the year that the lower level of water in the river and its increased salinity had made it so that there were hardly any fish to be caught.
Although it is a shame that schools never teach it, while they are busy pretending that the downfall of the Indians was completely caused by "white men" with no other factors, I think it is good to know more of the truth. Before that several years drought there were over 17,000 Powatans in what is now called Virginia. After that there were only about 2,000. They know a lot more about the drought and its effects now than ever before. The Indians didn't keep written records. And the white men at Jamestown didn't understand it. But now through what few records there are, through archeology and most of all through the study of tree rings they can see what really happened to add up to it truly being a time when there just was no food to be had.

I don't know if I mentioned before about the souvenirs I bought after our day at Jamestown. I bought two books, but I also bought myself a sweatshirt/hoodie that says "Jamestown 1607 when survival wasn't a game." (We have an American television show called "Survivor" where people compete against each other that involves survival skills, but I wasn't sure if it was ever seen in Britian.)

Yes, congress is similar to parliament. And they do bicker all the time. There was always that going on in congress and in parliament too. And the press tends to make a big thing about the arguments or discussions that go on when they want to make the politicians look bad. lol. Also, I think it looks worse to people now than ever before. Mostly they appear as though they are worse to us now because the things that leaders and politicians argue about are the things that divide us all and they are the things we care about right now. But it is also partly due to the nature of the issues being different than they were in the past. But you know, people always either ignore politics or are passionate about it, really believing in what they want to see happen. Also, it is one thing to be setting up a new government after a revolution and to disagree about the finer points within it such as how much power to give the state governments vs. the federal government. It is quite another to be over 200 years down the road and disagree about if the entire nature of the type of government and economy that got set up was a good foundation or if that needs to be changed into something entirely different. We used to be a laissez-faire capitalist republic but we have moved pretty far down the road to a very regulated economy that is something in between a true capitalist economy and a socialist economy and we are still sort of a republic but the foundations of why it used to work so well here have been altered over time and there are now some fairly large problems that override the principals that made it great. So people argue bitterly over that shift and whether to fix it or to embrace it and move over to socialism. Sadly you rarely hear anyone present any alternatives to the corruptions that have been the bane of past and present socialist and communist economies, they just gloss over them, pretend they don't exist. Even in my state, in less than a week, we have a big election coming up where there have been all sorts of things said from both sides to gloss over the underlying corruptions that brought the issue up to begin with. The irony for me is that I would not back any particular form of government based on it being morally superior which most backers on both sides seem to believe about what they are backing. I would consider socialism if I could see examples of it working better or alternative solutions to make it possible that this time it would be different. But since all past socialist and communist societies have turned out to be bad for the majority of the people who lived under them and eventually self-destructed and most current ones seem to be reforming to add in either more freedom or more personal incentive or both... and since no one has any real plan for making it a more viable form... well, you can see where my leanings are. I wish we could revisit the state power vs. federal power issue instead. :laughing: Oh well, elections are a one day thing for a lot of people and then we move on. As much as I care about them and try to stay informed in between, I know God will still be in his heaven and I can still serve him with or without a good government in place.

Want to hear something funny? We've already tried communism here and it failed. Isn't that a hoot? But also a true story, I swear. Both the Massachusetts Colony and the Virginia Colony in their earliest days gave communism a try and both had to give it up after things started going very badly. Then in both cases after they re-instituted personal ownership (personal incentive) their little economies reversed course and they started thriving. But you know, I can see why they gave it a shot. It sounds so nice and giving and lovely in theory. Even the example of the first century Christians seems to back it up. But you have to study history with a heart and an eye for wanting to truly understand it. And the difference was those first century Christians did what they did by choice not by having rules or laws that told them they had to or by government systems that simply did it for them. And many Christians today still have a heart to give of their own belongings to others whether they have millions of dollars to give from or barely anything. And that is where true good deeds come from, from good hearts not from laws and bureaucracies.

Hehe,,, I'm the same way. I had a terrible time with the coins when I was in Britain. But I've heard they have changed all their coins since then and now they are much easier. Is that true? I can tell you the parts of our currency that are easier, (easier for the same reason that metric can be easy). A penny, a dime and a dollar... if you ignore the nickels and the quarters you have base ten math at its best. A penny is a 100th, a dime is a 10th and a dollar is a whole unit. Base ten is always easiest for just about everybody. I know the hours of they day and imperial feet and inches are both base twelve but then again I also don't know very many people who can manipulate them easily in their heads without taking a bit of time over it. I surely can't. My husband is good with math and numbers like that. He can even do hexidecimal math at the drop of a hat... :eek:I had never even heard of that before I met him! :sad2: I think it is base sixteen. But who knows.:confused3 Just math people I guess and I am definitely not one of those. My husband tells me I am good for his computer career because knowing me has taught him that a person can be bad with computers even if they are generally intelligent. :lmao: He has to work with a lot of end-users and help them, mostly women. I know it was hard for him at first. And I can understand. It is always hard to see why other people don't understand something if you understand it easily yourself. Poor guy. Patience, patience, patience. ;)

Marie Antoinette was the youngest of the sixteen children of Maria Theresa empress of the Hapsburg empire and Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor. I don't know much of anything about her father, but I know a little bit about her mother and some of the politics of her coming into her reign. Marie Antoinette married Louis XVI and they became King and Queen of the French. She had a roller coaster life of trying to please and trying to fit in and always being subject to being a public personality with almost no personal power within the political sphere within which she had to live. At the end after many horrible accusations had been made against her, she was beheaded on the guillotine during the French revolution. By some accounts she is a pitiable character and by others nearly a monster and I've always been so curious wishing I could know which sources come closer to showing who she really was.

Do you have a good library where you live? Do your libraries do inter-library loans? I was just thinking you might be able to get ahold of American books you are interested in that way if some library in Britain has them rather than paying shipping for them from America. At least go in and ask the librarian about it. They might not, but it never hurts to ask. A lot of libraries here do it. So I have sometimes gotten books like that. It helps if you have all the right information to get the books looked up on the computer or even more if you already know of a specific library that owns a copy.

My DD14, Gwyneth, really recommends a series of books I bought her called The Royal Diaries. And there is one entitled: Marie Antoinette; Princess of Versailles by Kathryn Lasky, published by Scholastic, Inc. in New York, copyright 2000. I asked her which was her favorite of the series, expecting her to say the one on the Hawaiian princess, but she said it was between Marie Antoinette and Eleanor. That one's subtitle was Crown Jewel of Aquitaine. Author Kristiana Gregory. Its publishing info is the same except copyright 2002. They aren't the height of scholarly writing, but they were informative and entertaining. They are actually historical fiction, meaning there are a few things in them made up by the author. When reading historical fiction you can learn some history but you have to go to other sources to be sure. As a general rule, little details are best to be taken as most likely made up and the biggest things and the important dates are often correct. When we got them a few years ago, she read them so quickly! :rotfl:

Most of the stories of the American civil rights movement and integration (or the end of segregation) are from the 1960's. Although it had been happening before that in some places. That was when places where it had been resisted and racial tensions existed got forced to do it anyway. It was very bad. But then similar tensions have been continuing for racial, ethnic and religious reasons all around the world in every decade since. You can never erase human faults altogether. I'm just going to be thankful that particular one has been worked on as much as it has been here and that they got through the worst of it before I was born.

Thank-you for the compliment. :goodvibes I was very picky about names while I was pregnant each time and ended up thinking about names names names all the time. When I had my first child, my son, I wanted to pick a name that was a real name already and very solid but not overly common. I picked Alexander. I didn't know anyone with that name, and never had except one guy in school who I didn't really know when I was kid. I remember saying to people "I don't want him to have the same name as two or three other people in his class at school" which is what it was like when I was a kid, several Mikes in my year, three Melissas (and two of those girls had the same middle name as well!), two Jennifers, etc. Then that was the nine months that half the expectant parents in this country picked that name out. There were five born in the same week in same operating room where I had him and when he first got to school he was in a class with four others plus an Alexandra. So you can imagine how much more obsessed I was during the next two pregnancies wanting to succeed at my goal. :lmao:

After you mentioned hearing about Ohio and how pretty it is, it got me to thinking about Malabar Farm. That is a place that I took my kids for a day trip. We actually went two or three time back when my son was still able to go on our outings. Now he works of course. It seems to me that we are due to go again. I might wait till spring but the girls and I should definitely go back. It used to be owned by an author who had a bunch of his books made into movies way back in the earlier days of Hollywood. But now it is a state park.

http://www.malabarfarm.org/

So here are some image links for you, one of malabar where you might have to double click on the pic to get the internet to show you a bigger version of the pic and one of the image carved on the side of Stone Mountain then two pictures taken during the laser show at Stone Mountain. (They project lasers against the side of the mountain!)

http://www.mansfieldtourism.com/members/malabar-farm-state-park

http://www.destination360.com/north-america/us/georgia/atlanta/stone-mountain

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/3560374

http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotos-g60898-d620746-Lasershow_Spectacular_at_Stone_Mountain_Park-Atlanta_Georgia.html

For me to get to the Atlantic coast I would have to drive across Pennsylvania and New Jersey. From my house to actually look at the ocean would be about a 9 1/2 hour drive.

I can see how cups would be confusing if you are not used to them. A cup is 8 ounces, but how is that helpful when ounces don't equal anything metric exactly and they aren't even base ten math. Nothing in the imperial system is. :sad2: If I were you I'd just use conversion calculators through the internet, such as these:

http://www.calculateme.com/Volume/Cups/ToOunces.htm

http://www.metric-conversions.org/weight/ounces-to-grams.htm

[WDWRids]

Great pics, girl!! How did you do all the edits with the flashing writing? Gotta do that with my pics. Haven't done the water parks....will have to look into that. About how long did you stay that day? Would you recommend and do again? Have a great weekend.

[fromscratchmom]

While I've been on the computer waaaayyy to much lately while resting up, I did jump on the Jamie Oliver forums and they gave me the scoop about the Shepherd's pie I thought I was making actually being Cottage pie!

http://www.jamieoliver.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=75199

I knew someone there would have something to say. :rotfl2:

[meggiebeth]

Hi fromscratchmom! Sorry for not replying sooner... been really busy. I put the replies in red this time. :goodvibes

I don't think very many people here cook shepherd's pie, but I can't be the only one. I got it from an American cookbook when I was only about 20 years old, the first time I cooked it. I should get on the Jamie Oliver website and ask on the forums about the difference between cottage pie and shepherd's pie. All those foodies on there will be sure to have something to say about that.

We actually had shepherd's pie tonight. It is a very filling dish for sure! So much better than the readymade meals the supermarkets sell. I didn't even know there was a Jamie Oliver website- but he actually lives very near to us... about 10 minutes away. He also went to the school I attend- although he apparently hated it! :rotfl: His parents own a pub about 5 minutes away from us- and my cousin did work experience for them. She was lucky enough to get to go to his big house and his vegetable gardens.

I don't usually like American meatloaf even though I do like meat. I used to have a recipe that made a good one, but I found out that one of the pre-packaged ingredients that I used in it contained msg, so I stopped making it. I have found that I can improve most meatloaf recipes a little by making certain changes to them based on some of the force meats found in French cooking. But it hardly seems worth it since no one in my house was really into meatloaf to begin with.

A shame you had to give up meatloaf. I have only seen photographs of it and it looks disgusting... to me anyway! :lmao: Isn't MSG an addictive? Apart from that I don't know much else about it. At least none of you liked meatloaf enough to miss it. There's nothing worse than having to give up what you love!

I've heard of quorn and seen it, several years ago. You might have to go somewhere other than a regular grocery store to get it here. We have lots of little stores that people call "health food stores" that tend to sell more things like vitamin supplements, organic foods, gluten-free foods, and more foods especially for vegetarians than most of the large chain grocery stores.

That is very surprising- here Quorn is a lot more popular than tofu. Quorn actually is meant to look and taste like meat- which is why I guess it is so popular. The texture of tofu is like eating rubber. And I actually like the smell and taste of meat, so Quorn is great for me. Sometimes I wish I could eat meat, but... the thought that I'm eating animals grosses me out. Lol.

I might of even tried quorn back then but I couldn't eat it now since now I know about gluten and that it contributes to the health problems that I've had. That is sort of the barrier for me to vegetarianism. So it is a good thing that meat doesn't bother me. With all my food allergies, I'd almost starve. I know quite a few vegetarians through my food coop and the majority of them rely pretty heavily on foods that I avoid.

That must be really hard for you being limited in what you can eat. I think being allergic to gluten and having lactose intolerance are some of the 'harder' allergies to live with, considering gluten and dairy are in SO many different foods! To be honest- meat is better than quorn, so you aren't missing much. Quorn is only an imitation of meat and so obviously will not taste like it. Meat has a far richer taste. So at least you can eat meat!

I guess even without my food allergies and my gluten problem, I would still not eat a lot those "substitute" foods though because I've been trying to move my family towards a more whole foods diet, believing that (for the most part) the less processed foods are the more likely they are to be truly nourishing and not have any "side effects" or cause any new food allergies to develop. Although right now I'm doing a juice fast so I am sort of temporarily a vegan.

I agree, things like wholemeal bread, meats and even nuts are very healthy for you- and simply must be better than subsitutes like quorn and tofu. What is a juice fast? Lol. Is being a vegan hard? I have always thought it must be, having to avoid so many foods.

Do you like just eating veggies? I don't mean being a vegetarian, I mean did you like your veggies before that and everything... like just a side of a simply cooked vegetable? I've always been a veggie eater and I still am. Yesterday, I cheated on my juice fast and ate a salad at lunch and a bunch of steamed broccoli and cauliflower at dinner. But that's OK. It's not about doing it perfectly. It is just about giving my body a big boost of the micro-nutrients that come in fresh fruits and vegetables.

I don't love vegetables, but I do really like some of them, like petit pois, sugar snap peas, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, etc. I couldn't make a meal out of a salad or anything... I would still be really hungry afterwards. Sounds like you're a big food lover! That's a good thing... I wish I was... but maybe I'll change into one when I get older. By juice fast- do you mean literally just drinking juice all day? That must make you starving! If I don't eat anything by 10am, I usually feel nausious. Lol.

I have been teaching the girls to cook since they were very small. (And my son knows how to cook too.) We have a class here in schools, well we had it when I was younger, called home-economics, which taught what I would guess British schools must teach in food-tech. And I'm definitely getting my kids to know much more than that in our home kitchen.

That's great that you do that! I always baked with my grandmother when I was younger... and it's one of the things I remember well. Oh yes- that is exactly the same as food tech. My parents did it when it was called 'home economics'. Now it's just 'food technology'. That's great you're giving them skills like that for later life. I'm sure they must enjoy it too, if they take after you!

I couldn't teach them certain "extra" subjects simply because they might be things I don't know. A lot of American homeschoolers get around that by participating in homeschooling coops where each parent teaches a class to the kids in the coop for one afternoon a week or some similar schedule; with all the parents in a large group together they can cover lots of different subjects. Some do it by enrolling in classes part time and some do it by buying a curriculum and the parents and children learning it together. My husband is teaching my girls some advanced computer stuff. My children and I all do Spanish together through a computer curriculum and I hope some day to enroll us in a group thing to get to practice it and maybe do some travel in Spanish speaking countries. My mom taught my daughters to knit before she passed away. My son was interested in wood-working and after he finished up high-school, I got him an apprenticeship with a cabinet maker to learn some of that. So... almost all things are do-able one way or another.

I can see how extra subjects would be difficult for you to teach. For 'resistant materials' you would need a work bench, saws, drills and machines of all kinds! It sounds like your son would have really enjoyed resistant materials if he were in the UK. I hated it personally- all of that 'building' stuff! That's great! Is your son a cabinet maker now, or something like it? Awww, my grandmother taught me to knit too. :guilty: That's a good idea- about how homeschool parents get together and teach the kids different subjects. And I'm sure your husband teaches your kids for computer stuff than my ICT class at school! Is that what you call it... ICT? So you all speak Spanish relatively well? I have never had the opportunity to learn it. I have have learnt French for 3 years, Italian for 1 year and German for 1 year. German is a very difficult language to learn- for me anyway! ;)

It's true, the Indians were pretty bad in certain ways and I wouldn't actually be able to be a part of that society. We Americans tend to forget about the gruesome parts and the other bad things since the American Indians are always being painted with a "politically correct" brush, where we pretend that they were perfect and Europeans were evil. There are all sorts of lies taught in schools about how perfect their culture was supposed to be and how we purposefully set out to commit genocide. It drives me batty. Wonderful true stories like the story of Pocahontas are hardly taught anymore and then people only know the fake versions. And the truth of there having been a far larger and more cohesive society of Indians hundreds of years before "white men" came to this land but having mostly self-destructed and broken up into smaller tribal cultures gets pushed aside too. Not to mention the "starving time" which effected the colonists and the Indians alike, but you would almost have to actually go to Jamestown, Virginia to learn about it.

It isn't just taught like that in the US... it is also taught like that here! :rotfl:
Yes, we are always taught at school to believe that the Indians were hard done by and it was all the 'white man's' fault. I'm glad that you agree that a part of their culture was pretty gruesome. Is Pocahontus a true story? I had read on the internet that it was historically inaccurate. I think it's such a wonderful story though- one of my favourite Disney movies. So the Indians destroyed their own society? I didn't know that. I'm shocked that my history teacher hasn't told me anything like that- you have taught me far more!

The original Virginia Company colonists that founded Jamestown had a really rough time. They had landed on an Island in the James River where there was no fresh water and they didn't bring any farmers with them or try to grow their own food at all. Unlike the Disney version of what happened there, they came with orders from their parent company to do this and to only trade with the Indians for food so that they wouldn't be too threatening to the Indians. They were looking for profit but not looking to settle down permanently and take over from the Indians. But as it happens that was a very bad decision. And sadly, they had landed in the new world during a very bad drought that lasted for many years. What the histories refer to as "the starving time" came at the end of that several years when many more colonists died than survived, which had been true throughout the drought years anyway but even much more so around 1609-1610. There are just awful personal accounts that you can read of it, of the people eating rats and snakes and their pet dogs and mostly dying anyway. They even ate all of their shoe leather. And that late in those drought years the Indians didn't have any food to trade to them anyway. Since at one point one of the people in charge had made the bad decision to "teach the Indians a lesson" for not trading they got to be on very bad terms with the local Indians and couldn't safely leave their fort to hunt or anything. But, as I mentioned they didn't even have any farmers there. And apparently the people who were there were ignorant of the type of information they would have needed to see the drought for what it was and realize how it was effecting the Indians. Being on a river you might think they would have fished and they did. The year that the histories refer to as "the starving time" is also the year that the lower level of water in the river and its increased salinity had made it so that there were hardly any fish to be caught.

Oh, so THAT is why Pocahontus is historically inaccurate! I had no clue it was based on a true story. Wow, the starving time sounds awful! It is fascinating to me as well as being horrific. Why was there such a bad drought with so little food? Surely there must've been food somewhere. Eating rats and snakes is just disgusting, but eating your pet dog must've been such an awful thing to do! I could never ever eat my dog, even if I were starving. So did the Indians get most of the food- seeing as you said the white men couldn't go out and hunt because of their bad relationship with the Indians. I'm going to go onto the internet and see what information I can find about the starving time. It sounds really interesting.

Have you heard (I assume you have) about the Russian royal family that got killed during the revolution? I believe 'Maria' and 'Anastasia' were two of them. I looked it up on the internet but it really complicated so I couldn't really understand much of it. But I don't think they deserved to die... it didn't seem like they had done anything wrong!

Although it is a shame that schools never teach it, while they are busy pretending that the downfall of the Indians was completely caused by "white men" with no other factors, I think it is good to know more of the truth. Before that several years drought there were over 17,000 Powatans in what is now called Virginia. After that there were only about 2,000. They know a lot more about the drought and its effects now than ever before. The Indians didn't keep written records. And the white men at Jamestown didn't understand it. But now through what few records there are, through archeology and most of all through the study of tree rings they can see what really happened to add up to it truly being a time when there just was no food to be had.

Wow- if my maths is correct doesn't that mean over 80% of Powatans died during the drought? That sounds like a disaster. At least historians have been able to piece things together even when there aren't many records. Did you get the great plague in the US? I have always found that topic interesting. Despite the Great Fire of London being bad in many ways, it killed of the plague I think. Lol, all because a baker left his oven on.

I don't know if I mentioned before about the souvenirs I bought after our day at Jamestown. I bought two books, but I also bought myself a sweatshirt/hoodie that says "Jamestown 1607 when survival wasn't a game." (We have an American television show called "Survivor" where people compete against each other that involves survival skills, but I wasn't sure if it was ever seen in Britian.)

Souvenirs! Great sounding hoodie! The 'quote' on it is pretty funny. I'm pretty sure we must have that show in the UK, or at least a similar show. Most of our programmes are American anyway, apart from channels like the BBC and ITV. I can't imaging having to fight to survive- must've been awful. I guess my generation is lucky in that way too!

Yes, congress is similar to parliament. And they do bicker all the time. There was always that going on in congress and in parliament too. And the press tends to make a big thing about the arguments or discussions that go on when they want to make the politicians look bad. lol. Also, I think it looks worse to people now than ever before. Mostly they appear as though they are worse to us now because the things that leaders and politicians argue about are the things that divide us all and they are the things we care about right now. But it is also partly due to the nature of the issues being different than they were in the past. It is one thing to be setting up a new government after a revolution and to disagree about the finer points within it such as how much power to give the state governments vs. the federal government. It is quite another to be over 200 years down the road and disagree about if the entire nature of the type of government and economy that got set up was a good foundation or if that needs to be changed into something entirely different.

Sounds like you're into politics too! In the UK, MPs don't come across as being the most trustworthy people. They just bickey like school children! Our press make politicians look bad. But it's all about getting votes here- obviously the same in the US, but our government doesn't want to make changes that would improve the country because they might loose votes over it. I don't know anything about America's government, or what the difference is between state government and federal government. I'm guessing that state governments are governments for individual states? We certainly don't have that problem here- seeing as the UK is so small. We do have counties though, and we have to pay tax to the government and also council tax. Infact we get taxed on everything- literally. The government don't want to ban smoking because they would lose so much tax on it. They seem to forget that smoking related diseases cost the national health service billions ever year though! Infact, a few years ago, some people had dustbins with chips on them to measure how much waste you threw out, presumably to tax you more on it or something. Naturally, when the press found out... everyone knew and I think they scrapped those plans. Many people call our country a 'nanny state' in the way everything is controlled. Although it isn't so bad with our new government.

We used to be a laissez-faire capitalist republic but we have moved pretty far down the road to a very regulated economy that is something in between a true capitalist economy and a socialist economy and we are still sort of a republic but the foundations of why it used to work so well here have been altered over time and there are now some fairly large problems that override the principals that made it great. So people argue bitterly over that shift and whether to fix it or to embrace it and move over to socialism. Sadly you rarely hear anyone present any alternatives to the corruptions that have been the bane of past and present socialist and communist economies, they just gloss over them, pretend they don't exist. Even in my state, in less than a week, we have a big election coming up where there have been all sorts of things said from both sides to gloss over the underlying corruptions that brought the issue up to begin with. The side that defends the corruption have to lie about it and mislead people to hide that and they are very good at it and very slick. The side that is fighting it has to try like crazy to look as positive as the liars and not as evil as the liars make them look. lol. you have to laugh to keep from crying. ;) The irony for me is that I would not back any particular form of government based on it being morally superior which most backers on both sides seem to believe about what they are backing. I would consider socialism if I could see examples of it working better or alternative solutions to make it possible that this time it would be different. But since all past socialist and communist societies have turned out to be bad for the majority of the people who lived under them and eventually self-destructed and most current ones seem to be reforming to be a little less like themselves and a little more like us... and since no one has any real plan for making it a more viable form... well, you can see where my leanings are. I wish we could revisit the state power vs. federal power issue instead. :laughing: Oh well, elections are a one day thing for a lot of people and then we move on. As much as I care about them and try to stay informed in between, I know God will still be in his heaven and I can still serve him with or without a good government in place.

Is 'socialist' to do with lower incomes or something? Here, if someone is a socialist, I think it means you support labour, the party that supports working class people. Good luck with your election choice! What are the elections like in the US? Is this upcoming one quite important? Don't you find it annoying that before an election, all the different parties are trying to convince you to vote for them, and making eachother look bad. And they promise things and then go back on their word. I agree- just because their isn't a good government in place doesn't mean life will be awful or more difficult.
By the way, I heard on the news that Barrack Obama had said something embarrasing to the French president. It was all over the news the other day! All the news presenters were talking about it.

Want to hear something funny? We've already tried communism here and it failed. Isn't that a hoot? But also a true story, I swear. Both the Massachusetts Colony and the Virginia Colony in their earliest days gave communism a try and both had to give it up after things started going very badly. Then in both cases after they re-instituted personal ownership (personal incentive) their little economies reversed course and they started thriving. But you know, I can see why they gave it a shot. It sounds so nice and giving and lovely in theory. Even the example of the first century Christians seems to back it up. But you have to study history with a heart and an eye for wanting to truly understand it. And the difference was those first century Christians did what they did by choice not by having rules or laws that told them they had to or by government systems that simply did it for them. And many Christians today still have a heart to give of their own belongings to others whether they have millions of dollars to give from or barely anything. And that is where true good deeds come from, from good hearts not from laws and bureaucracies.

I didn't know that parts of the US had tried communism. I have heard it's an awful thing- but I don't know much about it. All I know is that it is quite controlling to be ruled by a communist government. Wasn't Russia communist? Oh wait it still is isn't it? Yes, Christians are very generous, it's wonderful that we still have people like that. Our church community is lovely in our village, everyone is so kind and gets on well.

Hehe,,, I'm the same way. I had a terrible time with the coins when I was in Britain. But I've heard they have changed all their coins since then and now they are much easier. Is that true? I can tell you the parts of our currency that are easier, (easier for the same reason that metric can be easy). A penny, a dime and a dollar... if you ignore the nickels and the quarters you have base ten math at its best. A penny is a 100th, a dime is a 10th and a dollar is a whole unit. Base ten is always easiest for just about everybody. I know the hours of they day and imperial feet and inches are both base twelve but then again I also don't know very many people who can manipulate them easily in their heads without taking a bit of time over it. I surely can't.

I didn't know that the US currency had pennies- I thought that was just the UK! So a dime is 10 cents, or 10 pennies? Hmmmm. Lol. Here it sounds more simple than that. We have a pound, and there's 100 pennies in a pound. But then there's a ten pence coin as well as a twenty and fifty pence coin, but they say their value on them, so it's really easy to understand.

When did you come to the UK? Our currency changed but I don't know when. We used to have things like 'shillings' and 'twopence' but I wasn't alive when they were around. My mum says they were gotten rid of in 1968 or 1969... something like that. The thing is with dimes is that they don't say how much they are in relation to dollars. I stood by the till in a shop in DHS looking really stupid because I couldn't find the right change. The cashier just ended up showing me all the different values... which I forgot. :laughing:

My husband is good with math and numbers like that. He can even do hexidecimal math at the drop of a hat... I had never even heard of that before I met him! :sad2: I think it is base sixteen. But who knows. Just math people I guess and I am definitely not one of those. My husband tells me I am good for his computer career because knowing me has taught him that a person can be bad with computers even if they are generally intelligent. :lmao: He has to work with a lot of end-users and help them, mostly women. I know it was hard for him at first. And I can understand. It is always hard to see why other people don't understand something if you understand it easily yourself. Poor guy. Patience, patience, patience.

I have never heard of hexidecimal math either. :eek: Sounds pretty complicated for my little mind! I agree about that- rather than a math person, you are definately more of a historian/ chef. ;) Maybe it's just me, but those are great things to be good and knowledgable at, if you ask me! :lmao: Ikr, my mum doesn't know as much as me on the computer and I can get a little annoyed with her. I guess it's just confusing for people that grew up without computers... which is a lot of people. Good on your DH for being patient, I think we both know how hard that can be! :laughing: You must come across that a lot homeschooling, right? No one can be patient all the time! Lol.

Marie Antoinette was the youngest of the sixteen children of Maria Theresa empress of the Hapsburg empire and Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor. I don't know much of anything about her father, but I know a little bit about her mother and some of the politics of her coming into her reign. Marie Antoinette married Louis XVI and they became King and Queen of the French. She had a roller coaster life of trying to please and trying to fit in and always being subject to being a public personality with almost no personal power within the political sphere within which she had to live. At the end after many horrible accusations had been made against her, she was beheaded on the guillotine during the French revolution. By some accounts she is a pitiable character and by others nearly a monster and I've always been so curious wishing I could know which sources come closer to showing who she really was.

What horrible accusations were made against her? It sounds like she was one of the more unfortunate historic figures that we know about. Why was she considered a monster? I'm guessing that it's due to the accusations that were made against her. I'm going to research her too! You inspire me too much! Tut tut! :rotfl: I'll also ask my history teacher, she probably knows some things about Marie Antoinette. She's very passionate about history, which is great. There's nothing worse that loving a subject but getting a teacher that doesn't teach it particularly well. Did you study history in college or something? You are so knowledgable about it. Either that or you must study it every day. Lol.

Do you have a good library where you live? Do your libraries do inter-library loans? I was just thinking you might be able to get ahold of American books you are interested in that way if some library in Britain has them rather than paying shipping for them from America. At least go in and ask the librarian about it. They might not, but it never hurts to ask. A lot of libraries here do it. So I have sometimes gotten books like that. It helps if you have all the right information to get the books looked up on the computer or even more if you already know of a specific library that owns a copy.

Yes, I have a wonderful library near me- I'll go and look for some American books there at the weekend. I'm sure they must have a few... and it's worth a try. In the UK, apparently if they don't have the book you want, you can order one in or something. I might try that if they don't have any that I want.

My DD14, Gwyneth, really recommends a series of books I bought her called The Royal Diaries. And there is one entitled: Marie Antoinette; Princess of Versailles by Kathryn Lasky, published by Scholastic, Inc. in New York, copyright 2000. I asked her which was her favorite of the series, expecting her to say the one on the Hawaiian princess, but she said it was between Marie Antoinette and Eleanor. That one's subtitle was Crown Jewel of Aquitaine. Author Kristiana Gregory. Its publishing info is the same except copyright 2002. They aren't the height of scholarly writing, but they were informative and entertaining. They are actually historical fiction, meaning there are a few things in them made up by the author. When reading historical fiction you can learn some history but you have to go to other sources to be sure. As a general rule, little details are best to be taken as most likely made up and the biggest things and the important dates are often correct. When we got them a few years ago, she read them so quickly!

Thanks for the reccommendation! I'll look into where they sell them. Do you know it they are sold in the UK? We get Scholastic books here so I'm sure they will be.
Do you mean these books?

http://www.amazon.com/All-The-Royal-Diaries-Books/lm/28XXHRZ3QLWB8

It looks like they are sold only in America and Canada- I'll look into shipping costs, and see if they are reasonably. It's good they are easy to read, I struggle understanding some of the adult history books.

Most of the stories of the American civil rights movement and integration (or the end of segregation) are from the 1960's. Although it had been happening before that in some places. That was when places where it had been resisted and racial tensions existed got forced to do it anyway. It was very bad. But then similar tensions have been continuing for racial, ethnic and religious reasons all around the world in every decade since. You can never erase human faults altogether. I'm just going to be thankful that particular one has been worked on as much as it has been here and that they got through the worst of it before I was born.

It sounds so sad. I'm glad in that way I live in the UK, because segregation was a far bigger thing in America. What made everyone get on in the end? I thought America was meant to be known for 'freedom' and stuff, so the whole segregation scenario sounds confusing to me. Humans always seem to make mistakes, right? They also do a lot of good things, but for the most part people remember the mistakes more than the good things. My parents were born in the 1960s, so it's scary for me that they might have had to go through things like that had they lived in the US.

Thank-you for the compliment. :goodvibes I was very picky about names while I was pregnant each time and ended up thinking about names names names all the time. When I had my first child, my son, I wanted to pick a name that was a real name already and very solid but not overly common. I picked Alexander. I didn't know anyone with that name, and never had except one guy in school who I didn't really know when I was kid. I remember saying to people "I don't want him to have the same name as two or three other people in his class at school" which is what it was like when I was a kid, several Mikes in my year, three Melissas (and two of those girls had the same middle name as well!), two Jennifers, etc. Then that was the nine months that half the expectant parents in this country picked that name out. There were five born in the same week in same operating room where I had him and when he first got to school he was in a class with four others plus an Alexandra. So you can imagine how much more obsessed I was during the next two pregnancies wanting to succeed at my goal.

I think all parents are picky with names. My parents argued about what I was to be called but my dad gave in and I was called Megan. I think Megan is a nice name... especially shortened to Meg or Meggie. Great choice calling your son Alexander! It's such a nice name. My brother Rory was almost called that. But my parents chose 'Rory' instead... Alexander IS his middle name though! I think you have to see your child before deciding, to see if they actually suit the name though. I mean what happens if you choose a name and then the baby doesn't suit it at all? :rotfl:
Good try with naming him though- even though there were lots of Alexanders AND an Alexandra in his school! :lmao: That is a little amusing. I think Gwyneth and Anneliese are rather uncommon names- although I have heard of them! I only know one Gwyneth, my grandmother. But I have never met anyone called Anneliese. You're certainly good at choosing pretty names... Alexander, Gwyneth and Anneliese are all very pretty.

After you mentioned hearing about Ohio and how pretty it is, it got me to thinking about Malabar Farm. That is a place that I took my kids for a day trip. We actually went two or three time back when my son was still able to go on our outings. Now he works of course. It seems to me that we are due to go again. I might wait till spring but the girls and I should definitely go back. It used to be owned by an author who had a bunch of his books made into movies way back in the earlier days of Hollywood. But now it is a state park.

http://www.malabarfarm.org/

I had a look at the sight- looks lovely and a great day out! I'll show it to my parents. Infact my mum reads the TR so she'll might see the link anyway. We love day trips to places like that. And it looks VERY American! (Which I LOVE!) Okay, sorry I may sound like I love the US, but it is like a different world to me. I normally only see places like Malabar Farm on television. I just couldn't get it out of my head when we were in WDW that I was actually hearing American accents in person! Lol.
You must miss spending time with your son. Does he live near you? You should go back with your girls anyway! As long as it isn't too cold in Ohio at the moment. The cold can make trips less enjoyable sometimes, I find.

So here are some image links for you, one of malabar where you might have to double click on the pic to get the internet to show you a bigger version of the pic and one of the image carved on the side of Stone Mountain then two pictures taken during the laser show at Stone Mountain. (They project lasers against the side of the mountain!)

http://www.mansfieldtourism.com/members/malabar-farm-state-park

http://www.destination360.com/north-america/us/georgia/atlanta/stone-mountain

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/3560374

http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotos-g60898-d620746-Lasershow_Spectacular_at_Stone_Mountain_Park-Atlanta_Georgia.html

Thanks for the links! Malabar Farm looks so beautiful and quaint- and the carving in Stone Mountain is pretty breathtaking to me! The laser show looks impressive too. Before talking to you I had never been that inspired to visit Ohio but it looks like a beautiful place to visit and I am determined to try and go there. I know I live in Europe, but I am SO jealous of Americans being close to... well... America! :lmao:

For me to get to the Atlantic coast I would have to drive across Pennsylvania and New Jersey. From my house to actually look at the ocean would be about a 9 1/2 hour drive.

Eek. That is a LONG drive! We get to the beach in about an hour! I thought Ohio was a coastal state? Okay... I have bad geography skills! Lol. I feel bad that some Americans have probably never seen the coast in their life- especially if they life in central America. And I'm very surprised that it's nearly a 10 hour drive to the coast for you. That's why if I ever live in the US, I'm staying near the beach!

I can see how cups would be confusing if you are not used to them. A cup is 8 ounces, but how is that helpful when ounces don't equal anything metric exactly and they aren't even base ten math. Nothing in the imperial system is. :sad2: If I were you I'd just use conversion calculators through the internet, such as these:

http://www.calculateme.com/Volume/Cups/ToOunces.htm

http://www.metric-conversions.org/weight/ounces-to-grams.htm

Oh, thankyou! I didn't know cups were as simple as that. I had heard they were different for different things, like flour and milk and potatoes, etc. Thanks for the link! Now I can try out some American recipes a lot more easily! I see what you mean about the imperial system, that's why I like metric so much. It's basically base ten maths, right? And easy to understand once you get the hang of it.

Oh, by the way, have you heard of 'Bonfire Night' or November 5th? When Guy Fawkes tried to blow up the houses of parliment? That was a few days ago. It's a historical event so I assume you will know! My family went to watch the fireworks and I stayed back with my dog. He was SO terrified and ran around the house whining. It was better than last year though, when we all went out to watch the fireworks and returned to find poor Oscar hiding behind the toilet! :rolleyes1

Great pics, girl!! How did you do all the edits with the flashing writing? Gotta do that with my pics. Haven't done the water parks....will have to look into that. About how long did you stay that day? Would you recommend and do again? Have a great weekend.

Thanks so much! I use PhotoBucket to edit my photos- you have to upload your photos but the editing it awesome! :thumbsup2 I would try it if I were you! Oh, Typhoon Lagoon was wonderful! We stayed about 4 or 5 hours I think. But because of the August heat, we couldn't really stay longer than that. I would definately reccommend it... a great break from the parks. Just get there early and you'll have a great day!
Thanks! Hope you had a great weekend too... and that it didn't get too cold! :rotfl:

While I've been on the computer waaaayyy to much lately while resting up, I did jump on the Jamie Oliver forums and they gave me the scoop about the Shepherd's pie I thought I was making actually being Cottage pie!

http://www.jamieoliver.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=75199

I knew someone there would have something to say.

Hahaha! So all this time... you weren't making shepherd's pie at all? So your cookbook actually got it wrong?! I think that happens in the UK too. I checked out the link... it looks like the people that posted on your thread were pretty passionate about sheperd's pie! At least you finally got an answer... and now I know too! :goodvibes

[meggiebeth]

Sorry that I haven't updated in a while! The thread's been quite quiet recently... So I'm here and ready to add in another installment in the TR!

After our nice trip to TL, we went back to SSR for another swim and a rest before Citricos, our 8pm ADR. We got a few photos- not many... but I hope you enjoy what I have! :)

We were thrilled to be back at the Grand Floridian... but this was our last ADR there I believe, so I was sad already. However... I was excited to be trying our second 'Signature' Disney Restaurant!

Dinner at Citricos

My parents got personalized anniversary menus, and my dad also got a special birthday menu, which we have in our house at the moment! What a wonderful touch, and it really surprised my parents too.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5648-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5650-1.gif

This was Rory's appetizer- very good for a kids menu! I think he'd already eaten some of it... but better late than never! :rotfl:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5652-1.gif

The bread and butter was also very nice...

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5653-1.gif

Unfortunately, that's all the food photos I have! I wasn't too good at taking them... and my family were very good at deleting them!

We got this wonderful card with a photo in. It was such a 'magical' touch.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5658-1.gif

The restaurant was SO empty! I was really surprised... it shouldn't be as quiet as this!

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5662-1.gif

We by far preferred it to CG, but that's just us. I was so surprised at how empty it was... maybe only two or three other tables were occupied.

The fireworks went off and seeing as we were seated very near to the windows... that just made it even more outstanding. Definately try Citricos... it was wonderful. And if you are celebrating anything near to your vacation, add it onto your reservation and you will probably get a beautiful personalized menu.

We reluctanly left... saying goodbye to this beautiful restaurant.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5667-1.gif

We walked out of the GF for the last time... :guilty:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5668-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5669-1.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5671-1.gif

Thanks for reading! Sorry it was a fairly short update. Here's a photo that hints what my next update will be about:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5680-1.jpg

Well... now I've made it obvious, stay tuned to read about our trip to AKL for breakfast! And after that... EPCOT! :woohoo:

[fromscratchmom]

Nice update! I was in Frankenmuth, Michigan last night... DH and I took a little overnight trip. I thought I would take pictures and share them here on the Dis boards. There are forum sections for non-Disney stuff. :rolleyes1 And I know there are folks here who would love to go there and shop in Bronner's Christmas store. I had a good time and I bought some really great Christmas ornaments. But my DD14, had absconded with my camera! She took it along on her trip to Maryland. I know she is getting good pics there, but I was not so happy with her when I realized that! :confused:

Maybe I can at least remember to show pics of the specific ornaments I bought some time after little miss gwyneth gets home from her trip next week. :rolleyes1

[fromscratchmom]

We actually had shepherd's pie tonight. It is a very filling dish for sure! So much better than the readymade meals the supermarkets sell. I didn't even know there was a Jamie Oliver website- but he actually lives very near to us... about 10 minutes away. He also went to the school I attend- although he apparently hated it! His parents own a pub about 5 minutes away from us- and my cousin did work experience for them. She was lucky enough to get to go to his big house and his vegetable gardens.

So does your school have better food now like the schools where he has managed to revamp the lunch programs?!

Hahaha! So all this time... you weren't making shepherd's pie at all? So your cookbook actually got it wrong?! I think that happens in the UK too. I checked out the link... it looks like the people that posted on your thread were pretty passionate about sheperd's pie! At least you finally got an answer... and now I know too! :goodvibes

yep! :lmao:

...Isn't MSG an addictive?...

...That must be really hard for you being limited in what you can eat. I think being allergic to gluten and having lactose intolerance are some of the 'harder' allergies to live with, considering gluten and dairy are in SO many different foods! To be honest- meat is better than quorn, so you aren't missing much. Quorn is only an imitation of meat and so obviously will not taste like it. Meat has a far richer taste. So at least you can eat meat!

What I know about MSG, is that it is a naturally occurring amino acid, but in the way it is gotten into such a strong and pure form and added to foods, it is reputed to be bad for you causing many different possible reactions in different people. I personally know a guy who always seemed very withdrawn and unfriendly (knew him for a couple of years that he was like that) who gave it up and turned into a completely different person, happy and outgoing. He's had a far better life since he gave it up, something like 5 years ago. My dad's wife gets headaches when she has it. And I personally just decided with all the health things I've had to deal with, I should just play it safe and stay away from it. I would not be surprised if it is addictive. It certainly is known to have an effect on the nervous system.

Yes, the food problems can be pretty difficult to deal with at times. But I guess you can get used to anything when you have no choice. ;) The biggest thing is just that I know it is difficult for other people just like it can be for me at times and so it effects eating out and going to friend's homes quite a bit.

If I were only allergic to fish that would be easy enough for people to cope with but when there are multiple things and when some of them can be "hidden ingredients" it's pretty much impossible to put that burden on others not to mention, then would you be able to trust they can get it right and you won't have some sort of anaphylaxis, that they would never stop apologizing for? Oh, well. Everyone has different stuff to deal with in life, right?

I agree, things like wholemeal bread, meats and even nuts are very healthy for you- and simply must be better than subsitutes like quorn and tofu. What is a juice fast? Lol. Is being a vegan hard? I have always thought it must be, having to avoid so many foods.

Yes, it's just juice all day. I have an appliance called a juicer and for the juice fast you are supposed to make the juice fresh and drink it right away. I'm not doing it so well right now partly because things keep coming up like a friend needing to go out and talk so at the restaurant I got food. lol. And as mentioned in my previous post, my DH took me on an overnight trip, so I didn't try to do it 100%. I took juice with me for breakfast and lunch and I ate at the restaurant at the hotel last night. Then we had today to deal with lunch today before we got home in the afternoon. Anywho. :rolleyes1

It was not hard when I did a juice fast last summer. As long as I made my juices 80% veg and 20% fruit and always started with something green and leafy I had no food cravings or hunger or anything. And when I did it for fifteen days last summer, I lost 15 pounds and I never gained them back. :yay:

Now that I've said the juice thing isn't hard, I have to say I don't think it would be the right choice for a permanent way to eat. There are lots of people who think being vegan is perfectly healthy, but I can't say they have me convinced, not by a long shot. Not that I'm inviting debate, I just want to be clear that for your health I, personally, don't recommend veganism. I'm just full of opinions, I know. *blush*

Is your son a cabinet maker now, or something like it?

Actually, no. He ended up deciding to get a paying job and end the apprenticeship. I can't blame him, but I hope he can get back to learning that on the side at some point, especially since he is not interested in college.

Is Pocahontus a true story? I had read on the internet that it was historically inaccurate. I think it's such a wonderful story though- one of my favourite Disney movies.

Yes, there was a real Pocahontas but her real life story doesn't really bare much resemblance to the story Disney told. Being a person who loved her story for years before the Disney movie came out I couldn't really understand why Disney stole her name to tell their tale of the evil white man coming in for profit and mayhem. :confused3 The part of her story that people know and that they sort of worked with in the movie is the part where she saved John Smith's life. Outside of including a version of that Disney didn't really have anything going on in the movie that had anything to do with reality. But since you loved the movie and you love history you might enjoy this site:

http://pocahontas.morenus.org/

I used to love it when The History Channel would show a movie based on a historical event and then do an episode of "history vs. hollywood" about it. Good Stuff. ;)

I didn't know that the US currency had pennies- I thought that was just the UK! So a dime is 10 cents, or 10 pennies? Hmmmm. Lol. Here it sounds more simple than that. We have a pound, and there's 100 pennies in a pound. But then there's a ten pence coin as well as a twenty and fifty pence coin, but they say their value on them, so it's really easy to understand.

When did you come to the UK? Our currency changed but I don't know when. We used to have things like 'shillings' and 'twopence' but I wasn't alive when they were around. My mum says they were gotten rid of in 1968 or 1969... something like that. The thing is with dimes is that they don't say how much they are in relation to dollars. I stood by the till in a shop in DHS looking really stupid because I couldn't find the right change. The cashier just ended up showing me all the different values... which I forgot.

Ah, ok. I get it. So a U.S. penny is to a dollar as a U.K. penny is to a pound. And a dime is just like a 10 pence piece. I could deal with that, since y'all have the value on yours unlike our dime, which you just have to memorize.

Wow, I didn't know it was in the 60's when they stopped minting those other coins. No wonder it was so confusing when I was there in the 80's. I remember thinking that it was crazy to have so many different coins. I'm supposing there were still coins in circulation from the old system all those years later. But on the other hand, I might be remembering incorrectly. Maybe it was just the new coins and I was just being really dense with them. :lmao: To be serious for a moment, I'm pretty sure it was the old ones because there weren't any that had the values on them any of the times I had trouble. I was there in 1986. So not quite twenty years later. That is a good bit of time!

...Why was she considered a monster? ... Did you study history in college or something? You are so knowledgable about it. Either that or you must study it every day. Lol.


It seems like the French people were predisposed to dislike or even to hate Marie Antoinette even when she was still essentially a child just before being sent to France to meet her intended. It must have had to do with the political climate of the time, rather than with her personally, stuff like French attitudes's towards Austria and the poorer people's of France and their feelings about the ruling class.

Here is a passage from an article I found on her trial:

"On 14th October, when the galleries had filled with expectant crowds (including the diehard groups of women who attended so many trials and executions that they now brought their knitting with them to do while they watched), the trial commenced. As expected Foquier-Tinville began with a lengthy, vitriolic speech in which he outlined the charges, and placed Marie Antoinette in a long line of infamously wicked women ‘like Messalina, Brunhilda, Fredegund and Medici’. He described her as ‘the scourge and the blood-sucker of the French’, and in language reminiscent of witchcraft accusations talked of the ‘creatures’ and ‘midnight meetings’ she employed.

From the outset then it was clear that the trial was to proceed along familiar lines of character assassination, the rationale seemingly being that proving Marie Antoinette’s complete moral degeneracy would show her capable of committing any crime, thereby absolving the need to prove her guilty of actually committing particular ones."

I didn't study very much history in college, but I did take a few history courses just during my freshman year of college. Good stuff. Mostly I'm just interested in it and I read a lot. And since I can't seem to hold much math in my head, there is lots of good space there for my high reading comprehension and retention. :lmao: Actually I have pretty good comprehension and retention for listening to lectures as well, if I'm being serious. And that is a good thing, because I do NOT have good note-taking skills!

My parents argued about what I was to be called but my dad gave in and I was called Megan. I think Megan is a nice name... especially shortened to Meg or Meggie

I agree. I've always liked the name Megan. In fact, I have a niece named Megan. And I love your screenname here! :goodvibes It's true that my girls have uncommon names. They are ahead of the trend I guess. :rotfl: Since we picked the names we see them more so we know they are becoming a bit more used. But Anneliese is still very rare even with a bit of increase. And the people who use it all seem to make up new spellings for it. We went with the traditional German spelling for it, knowing it was a German name. When I was still pregnant, my brother in law who was stationed in Germany at the time told his elderly neighbor about our expecting a girl and choosing that name and the old fellow said (in German) "They can't name that little baby that! That is an old woman's name!" :rotfl2: I recently learned that although it is a German name and not terribly common there among the young folk, there was some famous German lady with it who had an influence in certain hispanic cultures for some reason and that it is currently very common among Spanish speaking people. I wish I knew who she was and what she was famous for with them!

You must miss spending time with your son. Does he live near you? ...

He lives with us, in fact. He gets to pay low rent and save up some money from his job while he figures out what he is going to do with his life.

Oh, thankyou! I didn't know cups were as simple as that. I had heard they were different for different things, like flour and milk and potatoes, etc. Thanks for the link! Now I can try out some American recipes a lot more easily! I see what you mean about the imperial system, that's why I like metric so much. It's basically base ten maths, right? And easy to understand once you get the hang of it.

OH, I forgot about liquid cups vs. dry cups. But that is OK. They aren't actually different amounts. They are just differently shaped containers for holding the amount. Its because when you are measuring flour and the like, if you aren't going to put it on a scale, which a lot of American's don't, the best you can do to be precise with your measurement is to fill your container to the brim and then level it off across the top, but when you are measuring liquids you need to have a larger container and a line to fill to for the measurement, so that you don't spill.

Oh, by the way, have you heard of 'Bonfire Night' or November 5th? When Guy Fawkes tried to blow up the houses of parliment? That was a few days ago. It's a historical event so I assume you will know! My family went to watch the fireworks and I stayed back with my dog. He was SO terrified and ran around the house whining. It was better than last year though, when we all went out to watch the fireworks and returned to find poor Oscar hiding behind the toilet!

Oh your poor dog, the timid thing! I have a tiny little dog and he might be scared of fireworks too, but somehow I picture him just getting obnoxious barking at them.

I had heard of Guy Fawkes and I thought I knew that he had been behind some sort of rebellion, but I didn't know about the holiday. I'll have to look into it. So see you have inspired me too!

[jelloarms]

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5340.jpg

I love candid photos! They are much more interesting than frozen smiles.

[WDWRids]

Great update!! Loved hearing about Citricos. What did you have to eat? What made the food there better than GS? Great pics of GF!! Can't wait to explore there in March. How are the shops? Any good ones that I need to check out?

Are you getting ready for the Christmas holidays? What types of traditions do you do during the holiday season?

Have a great day!!:flower3:

[meggiebeth]

Nice update! I was in Frankenmuth, Michigan last night... DH and I took a little overnight trip. I thought I would take pictures and share them here on the Dis boards. There are forum sections for non-Disney stuff. And I know there are folks here who would love to go there and shop in Bronner's Christmas store. I had a good time and I bought some really great Christmas ornaments. But my DD14, had absconded with my camera! She took it along on her trip to Maryland. I know she is getting good pics there, but I was not so happy with her when I realized that!

Maybe I can at least remember to show pics of the specific ornaments I bought some time after little miss gwyneth gets home from her trip next week.

Oh wow! You always seem to be getting away for little trips and vacations! Must be nice to get away with your DH... my parents always moan about wanting a weekend away someplace nice! :laughing:
Oh, you didn't get any photos? Waah! I'd have loved to see them! And anywhere you go has to be remotely interesting or historic, right? Lol. If you go anywhere else and get photos, be sure to post the link to me! I'd love to see them!
Christmas store? :lovestruc We don't have many of them here and when we do, they sell really tacky plastic decorations. Sounds like you had a great time! And who doesn't like shopping?! ;)
Ooh! Where is Gwyneth going in Maryland? I've heard that's a nice state to visit. Is she going with one of her clubs? I had a day trip to France in year 8, but it was so awful, because all we did was literally visit a French supermarket, lol.
Looking forward to hearing how Gwyneth's trip was! popcorn::

So does your school have better food now like the schools where he has managed to revamp the lunch programs?!

No my school has awful food still. And I don't think he would try to help the school he hated so much when he was a child... lol. Our school cafeteria is GREAT though if you want cold pizza or rock-hard cakes! :rolleyes1

What I know about MSG, is that it is a naturally occurring amino acid, but in the way it is gotten into such a strong and pure form and added to foods, it is reputed to be bad for you causing many different possible reactions in different people. I personally know a guy who always seemed very withdrawn and unfriendly (knew him for a couple of years that he was like that) who gave it up and turned into a completely different person, happy and outgoing. He's had a far better life since he gave it up, something like 5 years ago. My dad's wife gets headaches when she has it. And I personally just decided with all the health things I've had to deal with, I should just play it safe and stay away from it. I would not be surprised if it is addictive. It certainly is known to have an effect on the nervous system.

That's bad. I'm not sure if MSG is in anything I eat- I certainly hope not! Different foods obviously do have different effects on different people... I steer clear of chocolate in the evening seeing as I can never get to sleep if I eat it too close to going to bed. Do you have Lucozade where you live? I'm sure you do. Apparently looking at the list of ingredients in that drink is enough to make you feel sick and never drink it again. :sick: I don't drink soft drinks (don't you call them soda?) as I find them disgusting. And they are addictive too! Lol.

Yes, the food problems can be pretty difficult to deal with at times. But I guess you can get used to anything when you have no choice. ;) The biggest thing is just that I know it is difficult for other people just like it can be for me at times and so it effects eating out and going to friend's homes quite a bit.

Oh yes, that must be difficult. It can be hard getting people to cater for your dietary requirements when you're out and stuff. At WDW they are SO accommodating with people's allergies though... maybe you can use that as your excuse for moving over there... :rolleyes1

If I were only allergic to fish that would be easy enough for people to cope with but when there are multiple things and when some of them can be "hidden ingredients" it's pretty much impossible to put that burden on others not to mention, then would you be able to trust they can get it right and you won't have some sort of anaphylaxis, that they would never stop apologizing for? Oh, well. Everyone has different stuff to deal with in life, right?

Yes, it must be scary. Nowadays there are so many hidden ingredients in food that you wouldn't expect to be there! Can you eat nuts? Because that is the one ingredient that is in lots of foods even when you wouldn't expect it. Do you not eat out with friends and family then? I would find the risk of falling ill worrying and that would stop me. At least you can cope with it, even if it's hard or challenging. I guess it must make you a stronger person too!

Yes, it's just juice all day. I have an appliance called a juicer and for the juice fast you are supposed to make the juice fresh and drink it right away. I'm not doing it so well right now partly because things keep coming up like a friend needing to go out and talk so at the restaurant I got food. lol. And as mentioned in my previous post, my DH took me on an overnight trip, so I didn't try to do it 100%. I took juice with me for breakfast and lunch and I ate at the restaurant at the hotel last night. Then we had today to deal with lunch today before we got home in the afternoon. Anywho.

How can you do that? If I were doing a juice fast I would be starving by midday! Do you puree lots of fruit and make juice and smoothies? They must be a little more filling than just juice. Ah yes, the good thing about trips is that you get to eat out and enjoy nice food! Who could say no to delicious food and a fun overnight trip?! :rotfl:

It was not hard when I did a juice fast last summer. As long as I made my juices 80% veg and 20% fruit and always started with something green and leafy I had no food cravings or hunger or anything. And when I did it for fifteen days last summer, I lost 15 pounds and I never gained them back.

Wow! That sounds great! I hear so many things about how hard it is to lose weight... but it looks like it was easy for you! Vegetables in a juice? Wouldn't that taste a little odd? I always thought it was just fruit. Lol. Vegetables are more filling than fruits though, that's something! And losing that much weight is great too!

Now that I've said the juice thing isn't hard, I have to say I don't think it would be the right choice for a permanent way to eat. There are lots of people who think being vegan is perfectly healthy, but I can't say they have me convinced, not by a long shot. Not that I'm inviting debate, I just want to be clear that for your health I, personally, don't recommend veganism. I'm just full of opinions, I know. *blush*

Surely you'd be malnourished if you did a juice fast all the time... because compared to the big meals you're meant to eat it sounds like nothing. I agree- I would find being a vegan so difficult to stick to and a challenge to prepare meals too. And vegan foods surely just can't be as good as dairy and meat? Some people with allergies to meat or lactose intolerance might have to be vegans, but I wouldn't do it by choice. I know it must be good for some people, but for me... and you!... it probably isn't. Everyone's got opinions... lol... You should hear some people at my school. But in the end opinions are great! :thumbsup2

Actually, no. He ended up deciding to get a paying job and end the apprenticeship. I can't blame him, but I hope he can get back to learning that on the side at some point, especially since he is not interested in college.

Oh, well he can always go back to it! It's always good to have some sort of qualification or skill... but as long as he enjoys what he's doing! (Okay... who actually DOES enjoy work?! Lol.) Apprenticships are a great way to go if you aren't interested in college apparently, as you must know, being a homeschool teacher! ;)

Yes, there was a real Pocahontas but her real life story doesn't really bare much resemblance to the story Disney told. Being a person who loved her story for years before the Disney movie came out I couldn't really understand why Disney stole her name to tell their tale of the evil white man coming in for profit and mayhem. The part of her story that people know and that they sort of worked with in the movie is the part where she saved John Smith's life. Outside of including a version of that Disney didn't really have anything going on in the movie that had anything to do with reality. But since you loved the movie and you love history you might enjoy this site:

http://pocahontas.morenus.org/

I used to love it when The History Channel would show a movie based on a historical event and then do an episode of "history vs. hollywood" about it. Good Stuff.

I didn't know that there was a real Pocahontus! It is a great story though, even the way Disney tells it! Disney makes everything seem magical- even when in real life the stories must have been more gory. I guess Disney movies can't be too realistic to history, because of the audience they are aimed at. Thanks for the link- it's really interesting! I think the history channel is also in England- so I'll look and see if anything like 'history vs. hollywood' is on. Is it discontinued? It must be on youtube or something. I love documentaries like that- they're fascinating.

Ah, ok. I get it. So a U.S. penny is to a dollar as a U.K. penny is to a pound. And a dime is just like a 10 pence piece. I could deal with that, since y'all have the value on yours unlike our dime, which you just have to memorize.

Wait- don't you have 'cents' anywhere? I thought that the US had dollars and cents. Shows how little I know! Lol!

Wow, I didn't know it was in the 60's when they stopped minting those other coins. No wonder it was so confusing when I was there in the 80's. I remember thinking that it was crazy to have so many different coins. I'm supposing there were still coins in circulation from the old system all those years later. But on the other hand, I might be remembering incorrectly. Maybe it was just the new coins and I was just being really dense with them. To be serious for a moment, I'm pretty sure it was the old ones because there weren't any that had the values on them any of the times I had trouble. I was there in 1986. So not quite twenty years later. That is a good bit of time!

Ah yes. That is confusing! I'm not sure when they stopped circulating, but it was well out of my lifetime. Well... there are a few coins I missed out when I last mentioned British coins. We have a 1pence coin, 2pence coin, 5pence coin, 10pence coin, 20pence coin, 50pence coin, £1 coin and £2 coin. So we do have a lot... whoops! To be honest, there are far less coins in the US dollar currency, and also in the Euro currency most of Europe uses. I guess British coins are so simple to me because I have grown up with them- like US coins are probably simple to you.

It seems like the French people were predisposed to dislike or even to hate Marie Antoinette even when she was still essentially a child just before being sent to France to meet her intended. It must have had to do with the political climate of the time, rather than with her personally, stuff like French attitudes's towards Austria and the poorer people's of France and their feelings about the ruling class.

That's such a shame. She obviously didn't really deserve it then... all the hate directed at her! It usually is because of political climate or relationships with other countries. Did the French public dislike the Monarchy like other countries did at that time?

Here is a passage from an article I found on her trial:

"On 14th October, when the galleries had filled with expectant crowds (including the diehard groups of women who attended so many trials and executions that they now brought their knitting with them to do while they watched), the trial commenced. As expected Foquier-Tinville began with a lengthy, vitriolic speech in which he outlined the charges, and placed Marie Antoinette in a long line of infamously wicked women ‘like Messalina, Brunhilda, Fredegund and Medici’. He described her as ‘the scourge and the blood-sucker of the French’, and in language reminiscent of witchcraft accusations talked of the ‘creatures’ and ‘midnight meetings’ she employed.

From the outset then it was clear that the trial was to proceed along familiar lines of character assassination, the rationale seemingly being that proving Marie Antoinette’s complete moral degeneracy would show her capable of committing any crime, thereby absolving the need to prove her guilty of actually committing particular ones."

That does sound bad- like they hated her so much! She was beheaded, right? Or was she hung? It's like what Henry VIII did to his wife Anne Boleyn (spelling?) in a way- didn't he accuse her of witchcraft and adultery? She was beheaded- no one realised that it was Henry's way of getting rid of her!

I didn't study very much history in college, but I did take a few history courses just during my freshman year of college. Good stuff. Mostly I'm just interested in it and I read a lot. And since I can't seem to hold much math in my head, there is lots of good space there for my high reading comprehension and retention. :lmao: Actually I have pretty good comprehension and retention for listening to lectures as well, if I'm being serious. And that is a good thing, because I do NOT have good note-taking skills!

Well- if you studied a little history in college that must be partly why you're so knowledgable about the subject as a whole! And considering there is so much history to learn, that is a really good thing. You must read a lot even now... to know so much and remember everything. At least you can learn from lectures... the word 'lecture' to me sounds so dull and long! (As does the actual thing!) My parents say there are a lot of lectures in university and college. So... I'm not exactly looking forward to that!

I agree. I've always liked the name Megan. In fact, I have a niece named Megan. And I love your screenname here! It's true that my girls have uncommon names. They are ahead of the trend I guess. Since we picked the names we see them more so we know they are becoming a bit more used. But Anneliese is still very rare even with a bit of increase. And the people who use it all seem to make up new spellings for it. We went with the traditional German spelling for it, knowing it was a German name. When I was still pregnant, my brother in law who was stationed in Germany at the time told his elderly neighbor about our expecting a girl and choosing that name and the old fellow said (in German) "They can't name that little baby that! That is an old woman's name!" I recently learned that although it is a German name and not terribly common there among the young folk, there was some famous German lady with it who had an influence in certain hispanic cultures for some reason and that it is currently very common among Spanish speaking people. I wish I knew who she was and what she was famous for with them!

Oh thanks! :goodvibes Well my middle name is Elizabeth (shortened to 'Beth') and my grandmother used to call me Meggie Beth. I'm guessing 'fromscratchmom' means you do everything from scratch? That's an awesome nickname too! :banana: Anneliese is a great name- it sounds quite elegant and pretty. If I had an uncommon name I would feel quite 'special' seeing as you don't feel particularly special when there's 10 people in your school with the same name as you! Anneliese isn't so uncommon that I haven't heard of it, but I don't know anyone with that name. Haha, Anneliese doesn't sound like an 'old' name to me! :rotfl: Names like 'Gertrude' and 'Margaret' do. I'm pretty sure that you could find out who this german person was that made it so common with Spanish speaking people! To me, Anneliese sounds more French than German. German sounds like quite a harsh language to me, and Anneliese doesn't sound harsh at all. As for Gwyneth, my grandmother is called that but spells it 'Gwynneth'. Personally I think 'Gwyneth' is more pretty than it with 2 'n's. Do you know what country Gwyneth is from? I have always wondered that seeing as it is quite an unusual name.

He lives with us, in fact. He gets to pay low rent and save up some money from his job while he figures out what he is going to do with his life.

Oh that's nice! You must be enjoying spending time with him. It must be hard for a parent to say goodbye to their grown up child, moving out. Especially seeing as America is so big- he could go anywhere.

OH, I forgot about liquid cups vs. dry cups. But that is OK. They aren't actually different amounts. They are just differently shaped containers for holding the amount. Its because when you are measuring flour and the like, if you aren't going to put it on a scale, which a lot of American's don't, the best you can do to be precise with your measurement is to fill your container to the brim and then level it off across the top, but when you are measuring liquids you need to have a larger container and a line to fill to for the measurement, so that you don't spill.

Oh, really? I though cups were a weight. Whoops! So they are like ml and litres then... you measure upto a line. I've always thought that must be just a little innaccurate. Do you not use grams or kilograms at all? I know your country uses imperial but I thought the metric system was spreading across the world. Lol.

Oh your poor dog, the timid thing! I have a tiny little dog and he might be scared of fireworks too, but somehow I picture him just getting obnoxious barking at them.

Hehehe! He's actually a labrador, so quite big, but he gets scared at big bangs and little dogs too! Lol! He's so playful and most other dogs get cross with him and bite him, especially little ones. What kind of dog do you have? I can just imagine a tiny dog barking at fireworks. :rotfl:

I had heard of Guy Fawkes and I thought I knew that he had been behind some sort of rebellion, but I didn't know about the holiday. I'll have to look into it. So see you have inspired me too!

It isn't really a holiday... there's still school and work! But there are lots of fireworks and things. Schools usually make a guy fawkes model and burn it on a bonfire.

http://i1129.

photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5340.jpg

I love candid photos! They are much more interesting than frozen smiles.

I agree! This is one photo I laugh at every time! It really describes my family well! :rotfl:

Great update!! Loved hearing about Citricos. What did you have to eat? What made the food there better than GS? Great pics of GF!! Can't wait to explore there in March. How are the shops? Any good ones that I need to check out?

Are you getting ready for the Christmas holidays? What types of traditions do you do during the holiday season?

Have a great day!!:flower3:

Thanks! :goodvibes I had some sort of pasta, I can't remember what kind. Or my parents... :rolleyes1 I have such a bad memory! What's GS? Do you mean GF? The food and atmosphere was just so nice, so it was definately one of the best restaurants. It was just better quality than the other restaurants. :cloud9:
I didn't get into any of the shops. I really wanted to... and they all looked to interesting! I would definately check some out when you go there in March! You must be so excited! :dance3:
Yes- getting into a Christmassy mood! It's a shame it's so cold though! All the shops are decorated and it does put me in a good mood. :goodvibes We don't do much, hehe. We usually have Christmas dinner with our family... that's it. What do you do? And it's getting pretty close to Thanksgiving, right? You must be getting excited about that! We don't have it here, sadly, but I wish we did! :santa:

[meggiebeth]

Hello and welcome back to my TR! Where I left off, it was our second Epcot day! We were headed up to Boma for our 8am ADR. I was excited about seeing AKL for the first time.

Breakfast at Boma

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5677-1.gif

The lobby was big and majestic and beautiful.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5679-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5680-1.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5681-1.jpg

We had a quick glance and then headed over to Boma (running late, as usual!)

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5682-1.jpg

The theming was great. I could hardly believe I was in WDW, or central Florida for that matter! :rotfl:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5683-1.gif

Rory loved all the little ornaments and statues:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5686-1.gif

And of course the restaurant itself did NOT disappoint! :cool1:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5687-1.gif

My mum was very hungry... and the pancakes were calling her name! :lmao:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5688-1.jpg

I was a little surprised that this place was missing a little something... :rolleyes1

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5706-1.jpg

Rory was excited to hit the buffet!

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5708-1.jpg

The two boys actually got on in WDW!

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5714-1.jpg

After our nice breakfast we had a look round AKL...

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5715-1.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5716-1.jpg

All we could see were birds. It was a little disappointing we didn't see any giraffes or other animals. It was early too so I was surprised!

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5719-1.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5721-1.jpg

A kind man offered to take our photo. He had such an awesome American accent! Sorry about the quality of the photo- blame the camera!

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5723-1.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5722-1.jpg

That's it for now! Thanks for reading! If you are considering Boma- I would definately try it. The food had a slight African tint to it. It wasn't as good as Chef Mickey's or Akershus, but it was still good. It's especially convenient if you're going to AK for the day.

Next update: The morning at Epcot and then Chefs de France!

See you then! :santa:

[tsme]

love your trip report! We were at DW in Sept. & I can't wait to go back. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of your TR.

[fromscratchmom]

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5708-1.jpg


That kid is too cute! :grouphug:

[meggiebeth]

love your trip report! We were at DW in Sept. & I can't wait to go back. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of your TR.

Awww thanks, and... :welcome: I hear September is a great time to go! I take it your trip was wonderful? ;) Hopefully you will be back really soon! :goodvibes

Thanks for reading, too! :santa:

That kid is too cute! :grouphug:

Lol, thanks! I wish he wasn't growing up so fast... I remember when he was just a little baby! Time has gone by so quickly! :rotfl:

[meggiebeth]

Hello! Before I continue with the TR, I thought that some more 'background' information would be fun to give!

Disney Land Paris, France, and Past Holidays

When I was about 6 and William was 4 (Rory would not be born until a year later!) my mum entered a competition to win a short holiday to France. It turned out we won- and stayed quite near to Disney Land Paris! Me, William and my Mum went, with our aunt and cousins. Unfortunately, my dad couldn't come because he was up seeing his very ill father in Scotland. I think that was the last time he saw his father, so he had no regrets about staying back in the UK.

I asked my mum "Do we have any photos of DLP?" (Quite hopefully!)

She replied "No, no- mobile phones were barely around then!" I'm not sure why anyone would rely on their phone to take photos, but there you go.

Who couldn't take a photo of the iconic castle?!

Anyway, instead of photos of DLP, I have at least photos of what we were like back then:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/dis1.jpg

This was Willum's first day at school- 7 or 8 years ago! :scared1: Look at how close we are... we used to be such good friends! :sad1:

And this was actually later that year, I think, when we were camping in France with some friends. (You can guess who me and Willum are!)

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/dis2.jpg

So they give you an idea of how young we were. I have very little memories of that trip- just a few things here and there.

Just to show you what Rory would've been like at that age:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/dis3.jpg

Please forgive how I look, but also how William looks! That was actually his first day at Secondary/ High school, and he looks nothing like that now. He has gotten 'cooler' and truly turned into a teenager. :eek:

After that, we took quite a few trips to France, and other parts of it too. Here is a video clip of us when Rory was 2 years old. He's cute, especially at the end! (Sorry if the link doesn't work!)

http://s1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Video%20Christmas%202006/?action=view&current=Christma****oMa06.mp4

When you click on the link, Photobucket should ask you to enter in a password for the album. The password is 'disney'.

We went to France year after year, but as I grew up, I asked my parents if we could travel more.

We went to Hungary with friends, which was probably the worst holiday I've ever had. We stayed in an apartment with no air conditioning in really hot weather. And everytime we left the owners dog would try and bite us. :rolleyes:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/hungary2.jpg

That's Rory, my Mum, Willum and me up on the tower, by the way!

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/hungary.jpg

And last year, we went to Sardinia, which was a wonderful change:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/sardinia.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/sardinia3.jpg

Sardinia is off the coast of Italy, if you don't know. It is a beautiful country, definately.

I am the family holiday planner and when I saw Florida and the options, I desperately wanted to go there. I begged my parents and we worked hard to afford it. They weren't expecting much, actually, from WDW.

First I wanted to do Universal, Seaworld and Busch Gardens, but then I realized that Disney was far more exciting... to me anyway! :rotfl: I found out about the DDP and I begged my parents again to spend a little more money staying onsite. I also asked them to try Discovery Cove, so we sold a few things and got enough money to book that.

It turned out all to be worth it. It was the most amazing holiday any of us has ever had, even my dad. He was convinced Disney World would never rank higher than his trip to San Francisco and Alcatraz! :lmao:

Okay, now back to the TR! Sorry for the off-topic update! But hope you enjoyed that little backstory! :rolleyes1

[mrtoffee]

Just found your trip report, hope you dont mind some fellow brits tagging along :)

[fromscratchmom]

hmm, I wrote a day or two ago, but it seems I did not post it properly so I'll write part of it again now. lol

Oh wow! You always seem to be getting away for little trips and vacations! Must be nice to get away with your DH... my parents always moan about wanting a weekend away someplace nice! :laughing:
Oh, you didn't get any photos? Waah! I'd have loved to see them! And anywhere you go has to be remotely interesting or historic, right? Lol. If you go anywhere else and get photos, be sure to post the link to me! I'd love to see them!
Christmas store? :lovestruc We don't have many of them here and when we do, they sell really tacky plastic decorations. Sounds like you had a great time! And who doesn't like shopping?! ;)
Ooh! Where is Gwyneth going in Maryland? I've heard that's a nice state to visit. Is she going with one of her clubs? I had a day trip to France in year 8, but it was so awful, because all we did was literally visit a French supermarket, lol.
Looking forward to hearing how Gwyneth's trip was! popcorn::


We have had a lot of travel going on here lately, which is odd. Over the years we have been married we usually have done very little traveling together of any kind. But I'm so glad we did this weekend trip to Michigan. I really enjoyed it. Here are two links for you to show where we went:

http://www.bronners.com/

http://www.bavarianinn.com/

Your parents should totally make that a priority to get an overnight away from home together once or twice a year, even if just to go camping. :hug:

And of course I'm thankful that we could get Gwyneth the plane tickets to take her trip to Maryland. I know it meant a lot to her. She was with a friend who used to babysit her. When Gwyneth was born Reba was 14. When Reba got married and moved to Maryland it was pretty hard on poor Gwyn. But now Reba has just given birth to her first child and just a few days before Gwyneth's 14 birthday too! So its a lovely blessing that Gwyneth got to go so shortly after the baby was born.

Here ... I'll get Gwyneth to come write you a bit about her trip...

-------------------------------------
Hi this is Gwyn. Not too much happened to make it exciting to write about. Reba's baby was too little to go out much. On the way to her house from the airport we stopped to buy diapers and got some lunch at a fast food place. Then Reba's sister and her daughter who's five visited, and I played with her. We went during Reba's church's gospel meeting so we went to that most nights. On Thursday we went to Chuckie Cheese's with her sister and her sister's daughter.

On Friday, Reba's father-in-law visited for dinner so we made nacho's and he brought pizza. On Saturday, since Reba's husband was home we left him with the baby and went on some errands, and made cookies, that did not turn out right.

I spent Sunday Afternoon with Reba's sister and played with her daughter the entire time, she's just too cute. And aside from a few errands we just stayed at home on Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday I went home.

So lots of "hanging out". :goodvibes
-----------------------------------------
That is too funny about the cookies. I remember always trying to make cookies with my friend, Kira, when we were in high-school and they always came out wrong. Either one of us could bake cookies alone at home and get together to share, but, when we did it together we always paid more attention to talking and goofing off and managed to mess something up with the cookie making!

Oh, by the way, her trip was to Glen Burnie, Maryland which is basically a suburb of Baltimore. And there are tons of great things to do if you visit the area. Gwyneth has gotten to do some of the things on other visits to the area at other times. I've always had relatives and friends in the vicinity. Reba's sister who Gwyn mentioned is married to my cousin. We introduced them one time when he came here to Ohio. And because of that Reba later married a man in Maryland who was friends with my cousin there. :cloud9:

We love them all and sometimes joke about getting the relationships right according to the old rules about naming such things. By the way, that makes Reba Gwyneth's second cousin twice removed if I understand the rules correctly which I probably don't. :rotfl:
-Sheril

[meggiebeth]

Just found your trip report, hope you dont mind some fellow brits tagging along :)

Hallo! Thanks for joining in! I'm so glad to have some Brits joining the TR! :goodvibes

I read some of your TR. It's great! Your two girls are adorable! :)

hmm, I wrote a day or two ago, but it seems I did not post it properly so I'll write part of it again now. lol



We have had a lot of travel going on here lately, which is odd. Over the years we have been married we usually have done very little traveling together of any kind. But I'm so glad we did this weekend trip to Michigan. I really enjoyed it. Here are two links for you to show where we went:

http://www.bronners.com/

http://www.bavarianinn.com/

Your parents should totally make that a priority to get an overnight away from home together once or twice a year, even if just to go camping. :hug:

And of course I'm thankful that we could get Gwyneth the plane tickets to take her trip to Maryland. I know it meant a lot to her. She was with a friend who used to babysit her. When Gwyneth was born Reba was 14. When Reba got married and moved to Maryland it was pretty hard on poor Gwyn. But now Reba has just given birth to her first child and just a few days before Gwyneth's 14 birthday too! So its a lovely blessing that Gwyneth got to go so shortly after the baby was born.

Here ... I'll get Gwyneth to come write you a bit about her trip...

-------------------------------------
Hi this is Gwyn. Not too much happened to make it exciting to write about. Reba's baby was too little to go out much. On the way to her house from the airport we stopped to buy diapers and got some lunch at a fast food place. Then Reba's sister and her daughter who's five visited, and I played with her. We went during Reba's church's gospel meeting so we went to that most nights. On Thursday we went to Chuckie Cheese's with her sister and her sister's daughter.

On Friday, Reba's father-in-law visited for dinner so we made nacho's and he brought pizza. On Saturday, since Reba's husband was home we left him with the baby and went on some errands, and made cookies, that did not turn out right.

I spent Sunday Afternoon with Reba's sister and played with her daughter the entire time, she's just too cute. And aside from a few errands we just stayed at home on Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday I went home.

So lots of "hanging out". :goodvibes
-----------------------------------------
That is too funny about the cookies. I remember always trying to make cookies with my friend, Kira, when we were in high-school and they always came out wrong. Either one of us could bake cookies alone at home and get together to share, but, when we did it together we always paid more attention to talking and goofing off and managed to mess something up with the cookie making!

Oh, by the way, her trip was to Glen Burnie, Maryland which is basically a suburb of Baltimore. And there are tons of great things to do if you visit the area. Gwyneth has gotten to do some of the things on other visits to the area at other times. I've always had relatives and friends in the vicinity. Reba's sister who Gwyn mentioned is married to my cousin. We introduced them one time when he came here to Ohio. And because of that Reba later married a man in Maryland who was friends with my cousin there. :cloud9:

We love them all and sometimes joke about getting the relationships right according to the old rules about naming such things. By the way, that makes Reba Gwyneth's second cousin twice removed if I understand the rules correctly which I probably don't. :rotfl:
-Sheril

Ahh, I hate it when that happens! It’s so frustrating when you spend ages typing something and then it gets lost. You kind of lose inspiration to retype it. Lol.
You’re really lucky to travel so much, with your DH and your whole family! How far away is Michigan from you? And was it really cold?
Thanks for the links! The WORLD’S LARGEST CHRISTMAS STORE?! :santa: I really wish I could go there! I’m guessing you got some decorations? After all, Christmas is just over a month away! Goodness- how time flies! Bavarian Inn looks wonderful! Tempting! I would fly over there right now if I could. It goes to show that the east coast has many interesting places to visit. My parents think the west coast is far more exciting, but the east coast has lots of stuff to do IMHO, like Bavarian Inn, Stone Mountain, etc. :rolleyes:
Oh that’s great about Gwyneth getting to see Reba! I thought she was away on an educational trip or something. It’s so nice to catch up with old friends. What a nice treat for Gwyneth to get to go so soon after the baby was born. Airfare can be so expensive, too! Did she fly on her own? I would find that terrifying! :rotfl:
----------------------------------------------
Hi Gwyn! Happy Birthday, firstly! I hope you had a great day! It’s so great that you got to go and see Reba and her baby so soon. :cloud9:
How old was Reba’s baby? Was she only a few days/weeks old? That’s a shame that you couldn’t go out much… but it’s fun playing with 5 year old girls though! Is Chuckie Cheese’s a restaurant or something? I’ve never heard of it! Lol. ;)
You can make nachos? I didn’t know you could! Lol. They aren’t very popular here, apart from in cinemas. About the cookies! My baking never turns out right either. :upsidedow
I guess ‘hanging out’ is the best part of visiting friends. Hope you enjoyed it though! Travelling is always fun. :goodvibes
-----------------------------------------------
LOL about the cookies! Most of my baking ends up going wrong, even if I’m not doing it with a friend. Out of interest, what exactly are cookies in the US? Here we have ‘chocolate chip cookies’ and the like, but for most things we say ‘biscuits’. Although don’t you have a different meaning for that, too? I have a little guidebook of language in America, and things like ‘biscuit’ and ‘scone’ mean completely different things, apparently! :surfweb:
Oh, I have heard of Baltimore! It is quite well known here, and apparently a good place to visit. I’m not quite sure where it is though, lol. Reba’s sister is married to your cousin? Small world, right? :lmao: Sounds like you and your family are all very close, and get on really well most of the time! That must be nice. :goodvibes

[fromscratchmom]

...How far away is Michigan from you? And was it really cold?

... I’m guessing you got some decorations? ...Bavarian Inn looks wonderful! ...My parents think the west coast is far more exciting, but the east coast has lots of stuff to do IMHO, like Bavarian Inn, Stone Mountain, etc. :rolleyes:

... Did she fly on her own? I would find that terrifying! :rotfl:

... Out of interest, what exactly are cookies in the US? Here we have ‘chocolate chip cookies’ and the like, but for most things we say ‘biscuits’. Although don’t you have a different meaning for that, too? I have a little guidebook of language in America, and things like ‘biscuit’ and ‘scone’ mean completely different things, apparently! :surfweb:

Oh, I have heard of Baltimore! It is quite well known here, and apparently a good place to visit. I’m not quite sure where it is though, lol. Reba’s sister is married to your cousin? Small world, right? :lmao: Sounds like you and your family are all very close, and get on really well most of the time! That must be nice. :goodvibes

The place in Michigan we went to was about a 4 1/2 hour drive for us from our house in central Ohio, roughly the same as the drive from London to Edinburgh. ;) It was somewhat cold our first night there, around 2 celcius. Brrr. But a weather front moved through and it was a little warmer the next day around 10 celcius if I remember correctly.

Yes, I did get some decorations. I'm so happy with them, I'm going to put my tree up early this year. :goodvibes

Don't forget the west coast has the original Disneyland! Not a bad place for a vacation, I'm sure. :rotfl:

Gwyneth did fly on her own. That was her second solo flight. However the first time, I got the airline to escort her. This time she felt like an old hand at it. ;p

Our cookies are the same as your biscuits. We make all kinds, chocolate chip and every thing else too. I guess I'll have to do some experimenting this year and see what I can do with converting some of my recipes to using gluten free flour alternatives. :eek: I just wasn't up to it last year for the holidays so we did a cookie-free holiday. ;)

Baltimore is a cool place to visit. You'll have to look in an atlas. :laughing: I didn't really like living in Maryland though. :rolleyes1 I do get on well with my cousin who still lives there and his wife and her sister. Gives me a smile when I think of introducing him to the sisters, considering how nicely it has worked out for him. :goodvibes

Here is a link for my Mom's favorite place to take kids site-seeing in Baltimore. (My mom grew up in Baltimore.)

http://www.nps.gov/fomc/index.htm

[fromscratchgirl]

Hey, this is Gwyn, my mom suggested I make an account.
Reba's baby is only three weeks old. Chuckie Cheese's is kind of a cross between a resturant and an arcade I guess (sorry I'm really bad at explaining things) you can get pizza and get tokens to play games and stuff like that :banana: it was really fun.
Yup I can make nacho's completely by scratch but we just bought some nacho chips and baked them in the oven with cheese and chicken :yay: so yummy. I used to be pretty good but a couple years went by that I didn't bake hardly at all and now I mess up all the time :guilty: all well I guess it's not a big deal right now if I can't bake since my mom can't have gluten anyways, but I'm going to try to make a pie for thanksgiving this year :cool1: .
Yeah it was a lot of fun, I love to travel.

[meggiebeth]

The place in Michigan we went to was about a 4 1/2 hour drive for us from our house in central Ohio, roughly the same as the drive from London to Edinburgh. ;) It was somewhat cold our first night there, around 2 celcius. Brrr. But a weather front moved through and it was a little warmer the next day around 10 celcius if I remember correctly.

Yes, I did get some decorations. I'm so happy with them, I'm going to put my tree up early this year. :goodvibes

Don't forget the west coast has the original Disneyland! Not a bad place for a vacation, I'm sure. :rotfl:

Gwyneth did fly on her own. That was her second solo flight. However the first time, I got the airline to escort her. This time she felt like an old hand at it. ;p

Our cookies are the same as your biscuits. We make all kinds, chocolate chip and every thing else too. I guess I'll have to do some experimenting this year and see what I can do with converting some of my recipes to using gluten free flour alternatives. :eek: I just wasn't up to it last year for the holidays so we did a cookie-free holiday. ;)

Baltimore is a cool place to visit. You'll have to look in an atlas. :laughing: I didn't really like living in Maryland though. :rolleyes1 I do get on well with my cousin who still lives there and his wife and her sister. Gives me a smile when I think of introducing him to the sisters, considering how nicely it has worked out for him. :goodvibes

Here is a link for my Mom's favorite place to take kids site-seeing in Baltimore. (My mom grew up in Baltimore.)

http://www.nps.gov/fomc/index.htm

Oh, 4 1/2 hours isn't too far! I thought Michigan and Ohio were further apart. :eek: I really ought to get to know the states more! 2 degrees celcius is cold! Almost freezing temperature! Thanks for using celcius- I am hopeless at using farenheit! I don't understand it at all. At least nowadays there are conversion things on the internet! :surfweb:

Isn't it bad luck to put up your tree early? Oh or take it down late? I'm hopeless with facts. :rotfl: Do you have a real tree? We used to have an artificial one, but real ones are so much nicer- and I love their smell.

Oh yes- Disneyland! Have you ever been there? I think there's one park. I've looked into prices... :rolleyes1 ... let's just say it's expensive. :laughing:

I didn't even know under 15s were allowed to fly on their own- I thought you had to be escorted until you were 16. Obviously Gwyneth is braver than me! I can barely get the bus. I have been on the train on my own a lot though- except today they weren't running properly- again! People keep stealing wires from the tracks or something. So annoying!

Definately try cooking gluten free! It will make your Christmas more 'Christmassy'! Whoever heard of a Christmas without gingerbread biscuits and cookies? ;) Do you have mince pies in the US for Christmas? Sorry if that sounds silly- but I know you don't have all the same things as us. Apparently you guys don't have Christmas crackers either!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_cracker

Speaking of that, I have also heard you don't have chocolate eggs at Easter.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chocolate_Easter_egg.jpg

Thanks for the link! Baltimore does look good fun! Why didn't you like Maryland much? Is it really different to Ohio? At least you get to visit and see your family! :goodvibes

Hey, this is Gwyn, my mom suggested I make an account.
Reba's baby is only three weeks old. Chuckie Cheese's is kind of a cross between a resturant and an arcade I guess (sorry I'm really bad at explaining things) you can get pizza and get tokens to play games and stuff like that :banana: it was really fun.
Yup I can make nacho's completely by scratch but we just bought some nacho chips and baked them in the oven with cheese and chicken :yay: so yummy. I used to be pretty good but a couple years went by that I didn't bake hardly at all and now I mess up all the time :guilty: all well I guess it's not a big deal right now if I can't bake since my mom can't have gluten anyways, but I'm going to try to make a pie for thanksgiving this year :cool1: .
Yeah it was a lot of fun, I love to travel.

Hi Gwyn! Love your username! :goodvibes
Oh, 3 weeks is very young. I hear it's getting cold on the east coast- apparently there was lots of early snow recently. :eek:
Oh, whoops- I assumed from it's name that it had something to do with cheese! That sounds fun playing games while you eat and stuff. We don't have stuff like that here. :upsidedow
I've never tasted nachos. Do they taste like crisps?
Maybe you'll get better at cooking again! Practice makes perfect! You will get a chance to make gluten free cookies at Christmas though, with your mum!
Oh yes, thanksgiving! When is thanksgiving? I thought it was mid November- but that's already gone by! :rotfl:

[meggiebeth]

Hello everyone! Back to the TR!

After our breakfast at Boma, we headed over to Epcot. We got there at about 10am I think.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5724-1.gif

We got a FP for Soarin' I think, and after that we decided to head over to Test Track and see what the wait was.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5725-1.jpg

However it was quite long. It said a 50 minute wait- and we all queued up. I didn't want to wait that long though. I took Rory off to WS to look at the countries. We signed up for the Kim Possible mission but never actually did it- much to Rory's disappointment! We got to WS at about ten to eleven. Maelstrom was opening at 11am, so we got in with a 10 minute wait. It was really busy the rest of the day, so I was glad we did it! It's such a cute little ride! We managed to get to China and Germany too, and did a Kidcot. By then, my parents and Willum had been on Test Track and we met up at Soarin'. They had actually queued for an hour and a half! Eeek.

After we had ridden Soarin', we headed over to WS for our ADR at Chefs de France. We looked around beforehand.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5736-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5737-1.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5738-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5741-1.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5742-1.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5743-1.jpg

Such a pretty 'country'! Anyway, Chefs de France was really busy, but we got let in eventually.

Lunch at Les Chefs de France

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5780-1.jpg

We were all very hungry, and couldn't wait to eat. Our waitress was quite friendly too.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5749-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5752-1.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5753-1.jpg

Here is the food we had. It was yummy- especially the onion soup! Definately try it- seriously!

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5754-1.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5756-1.jpg

Kids' appetizer:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5758-1.jpg

Our entrees: (Sorry for the ones that have been slightly eaten!)

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5770-1.jpg

Kids' entree:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5771-1.jpg

and...

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5775-1.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5772-1.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5774-1.jpg

Remy came along- but his friend thought we wanted his photo:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5763-1.jpg

Then- Remy!

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5765-1.jpg

We used to be big fans of the movie when Rory was younger (we still are!) so meeting Remy was pretty awesome!

Of course, someone walking past seemed to be interested in little Remy...

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5761-1.jpg

After that, we left the restaurant and went on with our day at Epcot.

Definately try Chefs de France if you haven't before. We will consider it when we return to WDW, but there are so many restaurants in Epcot that we may want to try a different one.

If you have Remy fans- do go! We got in at about 1pm and he came out soon after.

Thanks for reading- see you soon!

Megan

[meggiebeth]

Just to say...

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! :santa: :jumping1: :dancer: party: :charac2: :rockband:

What's everyone doing to celebrate? :cool1:

I have never celebrated it in my life, although I wish I had. I told my friends today it was Thanksgiving and they got cross with me and told me there was no WAY is was Thanksgiving!!! Urmmmmmm?! :confused3

Here in the UK there are no signs to show that it is Thanksgiving. It just isn't done here at all! Sometimes I REALLY wish I lived in America! Oh well, I guess I'll just have to wait until the 25th December for some festive fun and turkey!

(Sorry if I have got the dates wrong and it isn't Thanksgiving at all!)

I'll post some photographs of what I have been doing this Thanksgiving day later. Nearly 7pm and I'm exhausted!

Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving everyone,

Megan :yay:

[suzannem]

Thank you! It IS Thanksgiving! We are staying home, cooking, watching movies and just hanging out with the family. :yay:
I love this time of year! :cheer2:
You are so kind to wish all the Americans here a Happy Thanksgiving!

Enjoy your day!
Suzanne and family :banana:

[fromscratchmom]

And Happy Thanksgiving to you, Meggie Beth! We had a really good day. But I had a bunch of details in the message I sent you and some in the post I put on eat at home thread yesterday. So you'll have to read those. tehehehe. I hope you are going to eat something turkey just to participate a little, even if just a turkey sandwich! You can close your eyes and say to yourself, this is my Thanksgiving leftovers! :wizard:

[meggiebeth]

Thank you! It IS Thanksgiving! We are staying home, cooking, watching movies and just hanging out with the family. :yay:
I love this time of year! :cheer2:
You are so kind to wish all the Americans here a Happy Thanksgiving!

Enjoy your day!
Suzanne and family :banana:

Hello there! It's really nice to hear from you! :goodvibes

Thank goodness I actually got the date right! I wasn't sure if it was a fixed date every year or different dates like Easter. :rotfl:

That sounds so nice- watching movies, cooking, hanging out.... I hope you had a great day! I love this time of year too... Just a bit cold for my liking! ;) What's the weather like where you are? I've heard it's reasonably warm most of the year. :cloud9:

Aww, thanks! I love thanksgiving even though I've never actually celebrated it. I still love wishing everyone that does celebrate it a happy day though! I've never had the opportunity before though, so it's nice! :goodvibes

Looking forward to Christmas? Everyone's getting excited here! I'm casually looking on the Disney Store and Amazon for any Disney things I can ask for. :rolleyes1 less than a month now!

Say hi to your family for me! :)
-Meg

And Happy Thanksgiving to you, Meggie Beth! We had a really good day. But I had a bunch of details in the message I sent you and some in the post I put on eat at home thread yesterday. So you'll have to read those. tehehehe. I hope you are going to eat something turkey just to participate a little, even if just a turkey sandwich! You can close your eyes and say to yourself, this is my Thanksgiving leftovers! :wizard:

Hello there! It's great you had a good day! I've read your message- sounds like the parade was great fun! That is something I would love to see- I'll have to look it up on YouTube. Sound like you were busy cooking too! A great excuse to cook something more 'special'. :goodvibes

I have almost finished replying to the message- so hopefully you'll actually get it tomorrow! I've been quite ill since Thanksgiving but I'm mostly better now- thank goodness! I'll check out the posts you put up tomorrow hopefully! It's almost midnight here... And I'm not even tired. I think I'd better go to bed soon to avoid falling asleep at school tomorrow! :rotfl:

Hehe- turkey is pretty expensive- but I'm sure they must sell it sliced like ham. Turns out we aren't having turkey at all this year- we are going up to Scotland and spending Christmas with my grandmother. I think she's planning steak. :lmao: so you will have to enjoy your turkey for me- lol. I thought you guys didn't have turkey at Christmas- only thanksgiving. Can't wait till Christmas- haven't spent it in Scotland for 10 years- so it will be great. I'm pretty sure you must have your Christmas tree up by now- with those lovely decorations you bought on your weekend away. :cloud9:

[fromscratchmom]

Hello there! It's great you had a good day! I've read your message- sounds like the parade was great fun! That is something I would love to see- I'll have to look it up on YouTube. Sound like you were busy cooking too! A great excuse to cook something more 'special'. :goodvibes

I have almost finished replying to the message- so hopefully you'll actually get it tomorrow! I've been quite ill since Thanksgiving but I'm mostly better now- thank goodness! I'll check out the posts you put up tomorrow hopefully! It's almost midnight here... And I'm not even tired. I think I'd better go to bed soon to avoid falling asleep at school tomorrow! :rotfl:

Hehe- turkey is pretty expensive- but I'm sure they must sell it sliced like ham. Turns out we aren't having turkey at all this year- we are going up to Scotland and spending Christmas with my grandmother. I think she's planning steak. :lmao: so you will have to enjoy your turkey for me- lol. I thought you guys didn't have turkey at Christmas- only thanksgiving. Can't wait till Christmas- haven't spent it in Scotland for 10 years- so it will be great. I'm pretty sure you must have your Christmas tree up by now- with those lovely decorations you bought on your weekend away. :cloud9:

Aww, I'm glad you are feeling better now.

Hehe, steak for Christmas. Yeah, here most people do turkey for Thanksgiving, but not all. Some families also do turkey for Christmas but not nearly as many. Some families do a big ham for x-mas and others just have there own special family traditional meal. My husband's family was military and stationed in Germany for most of his childhood and they do Bratwurst for Christmas. :lmao: I've done just about everything under the sun for that meal, myself. We are overdue to buy some pork for the freezer so I guess I'll have a nice ham that comes with that deal, once I get in touch with the farmer and put in my order. I really need to get on that!

Yep, my tree is up now. And I took pics of the ornaments on it tonight. :happytv:

[fromscratchmom]

OK, I'm going to go learn how to download pics from my camera and maybe even do stuff with 'em online. ... or I'll get my daughter to do. :lmao:

[fromscratchmom]

OK, after spending way too much time on this photobucket thing...

I have a bunch of stuff uploaded and separated out into three or more different albums. Some of the Christmas ornament pics have comments added to tell where they were purchased or if they are a "favorite" or what have you.

There is still LOTS to do with the pics I downloaded from my camera to my computer. So DD14's recent trip pics are not there yet. Hopefully I'll actually getting around to doing it all at some point. :rolleyes1

So I'll try giving you a link to one of the pics or to the album. Let me know if you are able to use the link and if you can see everything else too. I know I have my albums marked as "public" currently, but I'm basically ignorant of how it all works beyond that. :flower3:

http://s51.photobucket.com/albums/f391/fromscratchmom/2011/Christmas/?action=view&current=1038.jpg

They don't all have notes and I was working from the back to the front for some reason so more of the later ones have them. :rolleyes1

[meggiebeth]

Aww, I'm glad you are feeling better now.

Hehe, steak for Christmas. Yeah, here most people do turkey for Thanksgiving, but not all. Some families also do turkey for Christmas but not nearly as many. Some families do a big ham for x-mas and others just have there own special family traditional meal. My husband's family was military and stationed in Germany for most of his childhood and they do Bratwurst for Christmas. :lmao: I've done just about everything under the sun for that meal, myself. We are overdue to buy some pork for the freezer so I guess I'll have a nice ham that comes with that deal, once I get in touch with the farmer and put in my order. I really need to get on that!

Yep, my tree is up now. And I took pics of the ornaments on it tonight. :happytv:

Thanks! :goodvibes

Oh- I didn't know that you had whatever you liked for Christmas in the US. You are expected here to have turkey. What is bratwurst? I'm not good at German, lol. Ham sounds delicious! Better order it! Surely everything gets booked up.

Yay! I wish our tree was up already. My parents put it off, mainly because they don't like buying the tree! We definately need new decorations, so I'm going to persuade my parents to get some... I don't think we'll get to Bavarian Inn though. :sad2:

OK, I'm going to go learn how to download pics from my camera and maybe even do stuff with 'em online. ... or I'll get my daughter to do. :lmao:

Yeah- go for it! It's easy once you get the hang of it! Although I have to admit it is pretty confusing at first. ;)

OK, after spending way too much time on this photobucket thing...

I have a bunch of stuff uploaded and separated out into three or more different albums. Some of the Christmas ornament pics have comments added to tell where they were purchased or if they are a "favorite" or what have you.

There is still LOTS to do with the pics I downloaded from my camera to my computer. So DD14's recent trip pics are not there yet. Hopefully I'll actually getting around to doing it all at some point. :rolleyes1

So I'll try giving you a link to one of the pics or to the album. Let me know if you are able to use the link and if you can see everything else too. I know I have my albums marked as "public" currently, but I'm basically ignorant of how it all works beyond that. :flower3:

http://s51.photobucket.com/albums/f391/fromscratchmom/2011/Christmas/?action=view&current=1038.jpg

They don't all have notes and I was working from the back to the front for some reason so more of the later ones have them. :rolleyes1

Great photos! So nice! I love your Christmas tree- so many pretty and unique decorations!
I've gotten through half the album- lots of photos and descriptions! :surfweb:
Your dog is adorable! I didn't know you had a poodle! :cloud9:
I love the Stitch decoration! I didn't know you'd been to WDW at Christmas! I really want to go there that time.
I have commented on some of them, lol.
I also looked at your Quilting album... I hope you don't mind. :rolleyes1 You're all so good at it! Gwyneth and Anneliese look very similar, lol. :goodvibes
You should definately put up the photos from Gwyneth's trip when you have time! Have you tried editing your photos on photobucket? You should- its so easy and fun! :woohoo:

[meggiebeth]

Sorry- but I can't update today- my PhotoBucket keeps freezing and I have no idea why. :confused3

Sorry for not updating in a while... been really busy. But expect an update tomorrow!

Coming up: Epcot and dinner at Planet Hollywood + EMHs at Epcot!

[fromscratchmom]

Thanks! :goodvibes

Oh- I didn't know that you had whatever you liked for Christmas in the US. You are expected here to have turkey. What is bratwurst? I'm not good at German, lol. Ham sounds delicious! Better order it! Surely everything gets booked up.

Yay! I wish our tree was up already. My parents put it off, mainly because they don't like buying the tree! We definately need new decorations, so I'm going to persuade my parents to get some... I don't think we'll get to Bavarian Inn though. :sad2:



Yeah- go for it! It's easy once you get the hang of it! Although I have to admit it is pretty confusing at first. ;)



Great photos! So nice! I love your Christmas tree- so many pretty and unique decorations!
I've gotten through half the album- lots of photos and descriptions! :surfweb:
Your dog is adorable! I didn't know you had a poodle! :cloud9:
I love the Stitch decoration! I didn't know you'd been to WDW at Christmas! I really want to go there that time.
I have commented on some of them, lol.
I also looked at your Quilting album... I hope you don't mind. :rolleyes1 You're all so good at it! Gwyneth and Anneliese look very similar, lol. :goodvibes
You should definately put up the photos from Gwyneth's trip when you have time! Have you tried editing your photos on photobucket? You should- its so easy and fun! :woohoo:

Bratwurst is a German sausage traditionally made from a blend of pork and veal and served with sauerkraut and potato salad. I don't know that DH's family does the potato salad but they do serve good sauerkraut and crusty rolls with theirs. mmm. DH just leaned over and looked and said, "We do potato dumplings, the really bad cheap ones because those are the best!" :lmao:

Yep a tiny little toy poodle. :rotfl:

We went in the early part of December and there were such light crowds that my kids kept wondering what the mazes in front of the rides were for. :laughing: I would highly recommend that timing to anyone as a great time for a trip!

I don't mind people looking at my other albums. I love the bears album, but its probably boring for other people since its pretty repetitive. Its fun for me because we got to be right there with the bears. Definitely a "favorite" kind of experience. ;) That's the funny thing about public photo bucket albums you get to kind of nose around in someone else's stuff. :lmao:

[meggiebeth]

Bratwurst is a German sausage traditionally made from a blend of pork and veal and served with sauerkraut and potato salad. I don't know that DH's family does the potato salad but they do serve good sauerkraut and crusty rolls with theirs. mmm. DH just leaned over and looked and said, "We do potato dumplings, the really bad cheap ones because those are the best!" :lmao:

Yep a tiny little toy poodle. :rotfl:

We went in the early part of December and there were such light crowds that my kids kept wondering what the mazes in front of the rides were for. :laughing: I would highly recommend that timing to anyone as a great time for a trip!

I don't mind people looking at my other albums. I love the bears album, but its probably boring for other people since its pretty repetitive. Its fun for me because we got to be right there with the bears. Definitely a "favorite" kind of experience. ;) That's the funny thing about public photbo bucket albums you get to kind of nose around in someone else's stuff. :lmao:

Mmmmm... sounds nice! Sausages are delicious. Aren't the Germans very famous for sausages? Oh yes, I forgot your DH was from Germany! (He is... isn't he? :rotfl: ) You must've gotten to cook lots of nice German foods! Delicious- cheap potato dumplings! :lmao: I've never had them before but they actually do look very tasty.

Awww- it's adorable! I thought all poodles were quite big- similar to the size of my labrador. We have met a few poodles on walks and they look a lot bigger than yours. Does your dog get on with other dogs? My dog is way too friendly... and he reminds me of Marley from 'Marley and Me'.

That sounds great! I would love to go in December. You must have had a great trip! What was the weather like? Living in a country where you can't get a nice, warm summer... my parents would probably want to go at a warmer time. I was thinking of going at the end of October for nearly three weeks so we catch some of the decorations at WDW. Although sadly that doesn't look possible at the moment. Maybe we could go some place else on the East coast... :rolleyes1 But during summer of course.

Oh, that's good. Just checked out the bear album. It looks like a pretty good experience! How close did you get to them? I have heard they are very violent... I couldn't go very near one. But then again I have never had that opportunity before. You're very lucky! Was that in Ohio or on holiday somewhere?

Yeah... I agree! Sometimes looking at other peoples photos is very interesting. I didn't know you could actually do that on Photobucket- but now I know it's great! :cool1:

[meggiebeth]

Hey Everyone!

Sorry I haven't updated in a while- but here's the next update! Happy 1st December! I had the first chocolate in my advent calendar today. :cloud9:

We were leaving Chefs de France when Rory asked for something that he'd seen in China earlier. It was a 'golden' dragon figure and he thought it was the Golden Dragon of Unity from Mulan. "Just $10! I won't ask for anything else!" he said. However, I know Rory well enough that he would ask for something else literally 10 minutes later.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5783-1.jpg

And of course... when I said no...

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5788-1.jpg

He knows that I love him and have a lot of saved up money with me! So there was a lot of sucking up to me on his part all through our trip. But it WAS cute! :rotfl:

We said goodbye!

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5800-1.jpg

Passed through Morocco...

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5802-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5805-1.gif

Japan...

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5808-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5811-1.gif

It was so beautiful!

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5812-1.gif

Me and Rory have just been editing some photos. He insists I put up the one he made... which he thinks is very cool! (He's so sweet!)

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5450-1.jpg

And then we got to the AMERICA Pavillion! :banana: It looks awesome!

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5813-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5814-1.gif

We didn't get to look around any of these countries, sadly. It was so hot anyway! We stopped for a short time in America though, although I can't remember why. We sat and watched the marching band guys. :goodvibes

Thanks for reading! Sorry about the lack of updates!

Coming up: More Epcot, Planet Hollywood and EMHs at Epcot!

[dismagiclover]

I always love seeing pictures of the World Showcase! And I really like all your embellishments.

[partyof2]

I LOVE this trip report.

I really need to stop reading them on empty stomachs though because all the food pictures are killing me. Out of everywhere you've eaten I think I'd like to try the Grand Flordian Cafe the most, I'm a girl of simple tastes.

How did you find eating as a Vegetarian in Disney? Was there plenty of options or did you find yourself eating the same sort of thing over and over? When did you become a Vegetarian and what do you normally eat at home? Sorry for so many questions, I am super nosy.

[fromscratchmom]

Awww- it's adorable! I thought all poodles were quite big- similar to the size of my labrador. We have met a few poodles on walks and they look a lot bigger than yours. Does your dog get on with other dogs? My dog is way too friendly... and he reminds me of Marley from 'Marley and Me'.

That sounds great! I would love to go in December. You must have had a great trip! What was the weather like? Living in a country where you can't get a nice, warm summer... my parents would probably want to go at a warmer time. I was thinking of going at the end of October for nearly three weeks so we catch some of the decorations at WDW. Although sadly that doesn't look possible at the moment. Maybe we could go some place else on the East coast... :rolleyes1 But during summer of course.

Oh, that's good. Just checked out the bear album. It looks like a pretty good experience! How close did you get to them? I have heard they are very violent... I couldn't go very near one. But then again I have never had that opportunity before. You're very lucky! Was that in Ohio or on holiday somewhere?

Yeah... I agree! Sometimes looking at other peoples photos is very interesting. I didn't know you could actually do that on Photobucket- but now I know it's great! :cool1:

Poodles actually come in different sizes according to the Kennel Clubs, toy, miniature and standard. The standards are the big ones. I've never owned one of the big ones, but I'm sure they are awesome. :p

The weather when we did our December trip was awesome. It stayed in the 70s and was never too hot nor too cold once you got to 9 or 10 in the morning. In fact the temps didn't even drop much at night every night. A couple of the nights we were there. One night my Gwyneth and I both happened to wake up in the middle of the night and we went out and explored the resort grounds in the wee hours while everyone else slept; it was warm and humid at 2 in the morning! But I know that it can be unpredictable and it is possible for central Florida to have cooler winter temps in Dec, not every year, but how are you going to predict it on any given year? ;) In December of 1989, while I was living in the Tampa area there was an actual ice storm with freezing temps, but that is not common for that area.

The bears are at my Dad's house. He lives in a community on a mountain that is a nature preserve. It's in north Georgia. Most of those pics I took standing 10 to 15 feet from the bears, but I was up on a deck so they would have had to climb or go around a good distance to get to me. I have been that close to them on ground level but I don't stay that way on purpose, I'm sure it is not safe. Also when I was on the deck I was in a good position to get inside the house really quickly if they looked like they wanted to start climbing or otherwise coming towards me.

My dad got chased by a bear while he was out hiking once. He had a sandwich he was eating while he walked and he had to throw it down and run. Of course that worked because the bear stopped to eat the sandwich. :lmao::lmao::lmao:

My dad is a little bit nutty about not being afraid of stuff that all us sane people are afraid of. I know he just runs the bears off when he wants to use his grill. He taught me a bit about how to handle that kind of situation and would you believe it actually came in handy the next week. I had gone to see my dad just before going on a campout in TN with a bunch of homeschooler. And there were bears in the park. The rangers warned our whole group that there had been some sitings of bears getting closer to campers than they usually do. And sure enough when I was walking from my cabin up to the dining hall by myself at 5 in the morning to help get the group breakfast ready I almost ran smack into a bear that was trying to make a mess of a broken open trash bag. You are not supposed to leave trash in a trash can overnight in bear country, but someone who didn't know made a mistake. So just once, I have run off a bear as well. :yay:

[fromscratchmom]

OK, these links are here because of the volcanic ash Christmas ornaments we were talking about. AND because it bugs me the way photobucket display links put in the comments section. ;)

You were right it blew the side of the mountain. I never thought about that angle on it before, but that was pretty significant scientifically and historically that they got to see the situation and knew it was likely to blow and then there was, probably for the first time, video footage of the first blast of a newly formed volcano!

short eruption vids:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgRnVhbfIKQ&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=bgRnVhbfIKQ

another eruption vid with some commentary from a man who fled and lived:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBm9kTSrxio&feature=related

This is a good one. It is documentary style:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xP2dreOI8gI

This one is stills set to music and gives God the glory. The person who put it together said that it was the "most devasting" volcano, but it seems to me Vesuvius has it beat by a long shot for infamy and for lives lost. That is just wild that it has been an active volcano since what was it 69 A.D.? maybe 79? And I know it has gone off during the last century. I guess that must have been only a smaller blast. Can you imagine with how many people live close to it in that area, what the death toll would be if it had another major blast?! And what must that be like getting homeowners insurance when you live close to an active volcano?! Anywho...:rolleyes1 This video is very impressive visually and it has one of the coolest shots I've seen of Mt. St. Helens.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwLYFwjhgaw&feature=related

[WDWRids]

Hi, Megan!! Catching up on your TR. Great photos!! We had a wonderful Thanksgiving, thanks so much for asking!! Mostly we eat the same foods you eat at Christmas (turkey, ham, dressing, etc) and watch LOTS and LOTS of football!! Then we have Black Friday - this is when all the sales and deals traditionally start for Christmas gifts. Most places now open at Midnight or even late in the evening on Thanksgiving. DH and I got out at 10 pm on Thanksgiving and shopped until 5 am on Friday!!! Then we crashed in bed and slept a few hours and right back at it. All our gifts were bought. Kindof crazy but so much fun. So, what are you asking for Christmas? Has your family started decorating yet? We will start this weekend. Take care!!!

[MrsSparrow..]

Hi there, I just started reading your trippie! Excellent - can't wait for another update.

I'm from Essex too! :goodvibes: and like you, I have always been the planner in my family. When I was your age, I used to edit photos like that too! I probably got really into theme parks in general when I was about 13/14 and now I am a proper enthusiast. Your passion will never go - trust me. My family always thought I would eventually get 'over' Disney, but here I am nearly 19 and will be working at Disney next summer!

My parents love it, but not as quite as much as me, they love Vegas a little more! Your oldest brother sounds a lot like mine - he finds Disney boring. He prefers Universal parks and Busch (My favourite park is a Universal one but shh, don't tell Disney ;) not by much though!) He would always moan about everything at Disney, particularly in Magic Kingdom. We went this year, but as he is now 17 he stayed behind and thought that V-Festival sounded much more exciting (I don't think so!!). I have my 8 year old step-sister though so I use her as my excuse of getting really involved with all the character greets etc :rotfl:

Just thought I'd say hi and look forward to your next update! I will say though that on your next trip, consider Universal, Seaworld and Busch. You will love them! Generally the Brits I have spoken to (all also Disney lovers) prefer the Universal/Busch parks, the humour there is much more 'British style'. If you ever go to these parks during August, you would think you were in Britain. SeaWorld also is filled with Brits! They each have their own kind of magic and you should try them at least once :goodvibes

Jealous that you stayed on-site though! Me and my family stay off-site in villas and eat outside of the parks. It works out way cheaper and then we can justify the returning year after year. However I know some people would much rather go every other/every 3 years and stay on-site with the DDP.

[meggiebeth]

I always love seeing pictures of the World Showcase! And I really like all your embellishments.

Hello! Thanks! :goodvibes It's quite fun adding things to photos. Thanks for reading! popcorn::

I LOVE this trip report.

I really need to stop reading them on empty stomachs though because all the food pictures are killing me. Out of everywhere you've eaten I think I'd like to try the Grand Flordian Cafe the most, I'm a girl of simple tastes.

How did you find eating as a Vegetarian in Disney? Was there plenty of options or did you find yourself eating the same sort of thing over and over? When did you become a Vegetarian and what do you normally eat at home? Sorry for so many questions, I am super nosy.

Thanks for joining in! :goodvibes

LOL! Before we went on this trip, I was reading all the dining reports here on the Dis. They certainly made me hungry too. You should definately try the Grand Floridian Cafe- it is great. I was worried originally because I don't think there were any vegetarian entrees on the menu. But it was the only place where the chef came out and said he'd cook anything for me.

I found eating at TS restaurants as a vegetarian great. Most of the restaurants served different dishes- even if something wasn't on the menu- they always had a couple of vegetarian options. There weren't very many options at each restaurant, but they were delicious in most places. There were lots of different pasta dishes at different restaurants, but if I didn't like any of the veggie options on the menu, I would ask what else they could cook. The only places I really struggled were the Rose and Crown and 'Ohana. I tried the vegetarian sheperd's pie at the R&C and it was disgusting. So then I started tucking into my dad's mashed potato until I realised it had bacon in it. Of all meat- I dislike bacon the most. :rotfl: At 'Ohana there was only one vegetarian option and I didn't like it- a rice and tofu dish of some sort. That was my first taste of tofu and it was disgusting! :lmao:

I started disliking some meats probably about 5 years ago. Then I gradually stopped eating it. It was about 2 & 1/2 years ago that I stopped eating meat full stop. I eat a lot of quorn- which is a meat alternative like tofu but it's meant to look and taste like meat. I also eat lots of cheese and milk, and of course lentils. :cloud9:

Are you a vegetarian? Sometimes I don't stick to it very well. I can eat sweets with gelatin in them and some meats (the smells are irresistable!) ;)

Thanks for reading!

Poodles actually come in different sizes according to the Kennel Clubs, toy, miniature and standard. The standards are the big ones. I've never owned one of the big ones, but I'm sure they are awesome. :p

The weather when we did our December trip was awesome. It stayed in the 70s and was never too hot nor too cold once you got to 9 or 10 in the morning. In fact the temps didn't even drop much at night every night. A couple of the nights we were there. One night my Gwyneth and I both happened to wake up in the middle of the night and we went out and explored the resort grounds in the wee hours while everyone else slept; it was warm and humid at 2 in the morning! But I know that it can be unpredictable and it is possible for central Florida to have cooler winter temps in Dec, not every year, but how are you going to predict it on any given year? In December of 1989, while I was living in the Tampa area there was an actual ice storm with freezing temps, but that is not common for that area.

The bears are at my Dad's house. He lives in a community on a mountain that is a nature preserve. It's in north Georgia. Most of those pics I took standing 10 to 15 feet from the bears, but I was up on a deck so they would have had to climb or go around a good distance to get to me. I have been that close to them on ground level but I don't stay that way on purpose, I'm sure it is not safe. Also when I was on the deck I was in a good position to get inside the house really quickly if they looked like they wanted to start climbing or otherwise coming towards me.

My dad got chased by a bear while he was out hiking once. He had a sandwich he was eating while he walked and he had to throw it down and run. Of course that worked because the bear stopped to eat the sandwich.

My dad is a little bit nutty about not being afraid of stuff that all us sane people are afraid of. I know he just runs the bears off when he wants to use his grill. He taught me a bit about how to handle that kind of situation and would you believe it actually came in handy the next week. I had gone to see my dad just before going on a campout in TN with a bunch of homeschooler. And there were bears in the park. The rangers warned our whole group that there had been some sitings of bears getting closer to campers than they usually do. And sure enough when I was walking from my cabin up to the dining hall by myself at 5 in the morning to help get the group breakfast ready I almost ran smack into a bear that was trying to make a mess of a broken open trash bag. You are not supposed to leave trash in a trash can overnight in bear country, but someone who didn't know made a mistake. So just once, I have run off a bear as well.

I've seen normal poodles but I think yours is far cuter. When we took my dog for dog training, there was a labradoodle, which was really weird because it was like a labrador with curly hair!

December sounds amazing! As long as it's warmish, I would love to go at that time of year! We're at freezing temperatures at the moment so I would gladly pack up and go somewhere warmer! I'd love to explore a resort in the middle of the night. Which hotel did you stay at? I'm always interested in things like this for some reason... :rolleyes1 We're still trying hard to afford WDW next year, but the 45% off deal we got on SSR this year has just ended. So either it comes back, or we'll have to downgrade to a moderate. I looked up the moderates and they look really nice! Especially CSR and POR. I can't believe it's reached freezing temps! Tampa is about an hour away from Orlando, right? I wouldn't like to visit WDW if it was that cold.

Wow! I didn't know your dad lived in a nature preserve on a mountain! That must be a great place to live. Are bears really unsafe? I know polar bears are very vicious but I don't know much about bears. I don't think I've ever seen one in real life- you're so lucky being so close to them. Okay, lol, by the way you're writing I get the impression they are unsafe. Would they attack without a reason? I would just love to watch them from a platform, seeing as nothing like that has ever happened to me. Infact I don't think there are any bears living in England at all- unless they're in a zoo. I don't really like visiting zoos because I find it really sad- unless the animals aren't in tiny cages.

Was your dad scared? I would be! Was the bear after him or the sandwich? :rotfl: Do you have any other awesome animals in the US? All ours are... a bit lame. Lol.

How do you run off a bear? Surely it would just chase you and try and kill you? I'd have been terrified if I was camping and almost ran into a bear! Maybe they're more interested in trash bags than humans. :rolleyes1 I don't think, even if there were bears here, we'd be allowed to camp near them. Weren't you just really scared that one would attack you while you were sleeping? It's ironic that the most famous stuffed animal is the teddy bear and yet they don't seem as 'cuddly' as that in real life.

OK, these links are here because of the volcanic ash Christmas ornaments we were talking about. AND because it bugs me the way photobucket display links put in the comments section.

You were right it blew the side of the mountain. I never thought about that angle on it before, but that was pretty significant scientifically and historically that they got to see the situation and knew it was likely to blow and then there was, probably for the first time, video footage of the first blast of a newly formed volcano!

short eruption vids:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgRnVhbfIKQ&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=bgRnVhbfIKQ

another eruption vid with some commentary from a man who fled and lived:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBm9kTSrxio&feature=related

This is a good one. It is documentary style:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xP2dreOI8gI

This one is stills set to music and gives God the glory. The person who put it together said that it was the "most devasting" volcano, but it seems to me Vesuvius has it beat by a long shot for infamy and for lives lost. That is just wild that it has been an active volcano since what was it 69 A.D.? maybe 79? And I know it has gone off during the last century. I guess that must have been only a smaller blast. Can you imagine with how many people live close to it in that area, what the death toll would be if it had another major blast?! And what must that be like getting homeowners insurance when you live close to an active volcano?! Anywho... This video is very impressive visually and it has one of the coolest shots I've seen of Mt. St. Helens.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwLYFwjhgaw&feature=related

Thanks for the links to the videos! I like the one where the guy escaped, and the documentary style one. But the first one is awesome too because it shows what the eruption really did to the volcano. It's amazing how powerful nature can be, and we could never stop an eruption like that! Like the Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, and the Haiti one. I seem to remember my teacher saying no one expected Mt St Helens to have an eruption the size it did. The videos look pretty scary, but still, I love how amazing nature can be, and how powerful, even if it is destructive. I think Mt Vesuvius was pretty devastating, but did any of the residents of Pompeii or Herculanium actually know what a volcano was? At least people living near Mt St Helens knew the risks, Pompeiians probably had no idea what was going on. But I think the cool thing about that eruption is that so many things have been preserved- frozen in time. Isn't there a volcano in that National Park in the US that is a 'super volcano' and could apparently split the country in half when it errupts? Sorry, I've forgotten the name of it, lol. Apparently it blows every 100,000 years (I think?) and it last erupted about 100,000 years ago. Does that mean it could go off any minute? Me neither, and I wouldn't want to live near a volcano... I'd just be worrying the whole time! :lmao:

Hi, Megan!! Catching up on your TR. Great photos!! We had a wonderful Thanksgiving, thanks so much for asking!! Mostly we eat the same foods you eat at Christmas (turkey, ham, dressing, etc) and watch LOTS and LOTS of football!! Then we have Black Friday - this is when all the sales and deals traditionally start for Christmas gifts. Most places now open at Midnight or even late in the evening on Thanksgiving. DH and I got out at 10 pm on Thanksgiving and shopped until 5 am on Friday!!! Then we crashed in bed and slept a few hours and right back at it. All our gifts were bought. Kindof crazy but so much fun. So, what are you asking for Christmas? Has your family started decorating yet? We will start this weekend. Take care!!!

Hi there! Nice to hear from you again! :goodvibes

Wow- your thanksgiving sounds fantastic! So you have mostly the same food at Christmas and Thanksgiving? Thanksgiving seems like such a fun holiday! :cloud9: That's so cool about Black Friday- and leaving late on Thanksgiving night to get some bargains! I didn't know you could leave that early! So your DH likes shopping? My dad and brothers hate it. :eek: All the Christmas shopping is done by me and my mum.

Me and my mum went Xmas shopping last week when all of the teachers and healthcare workers were on strike, so I got a day off school! We bought me a warm woolly jumper, which is one of my presents, but I wish I had it now seeing as it's so chilly! I'm also asking for some arty stuff. What are you asking your family for? Have you started decorating yet? We put our tree up this week and now I feel really festive! I can't wait for Christmas!

Hope you had a good weekend! :)

Hi there, I just started reading your trippie! Excellent - can't wait for another update.

I'm from Essex too! :goodvibes: and like you, I have always been the planner in my family. When I was your age, I used to edit photos like that too! I probably got really into theme parks in general when I was about 13/14 and now I am a proper enthusiast. Your passion will never go - trust me. My family always thought I would eventually get 'over' Disney, but here I am nearly 19 and will be working at Disney next summer!

My parents love it, but not as quite as much as me, they love Vegas a little more! Your oldest brother sounds a lot like mine - he finds Disney boring. He prefers Universal parks and Busch (My favourite park is a Universal one but shh, don't tell Disney not by much though!) He would always moan about everything at Disney, particularly in Magic Kingdom. We went this year, but as he is now 17 he stayed behind and thought that V-Festival sounded much more exciting (I don't think so!!). I have my 8 year old step-sister though so I use her as my excuse of getting really involved with all the character greets etc

Just thought I'd say hi and look forward to your next update! I will say though that on your next trip, consider Universal, Seaworld and Busch. You will love them! Generally the Brits I have spoken to (all also Disney lovers) prefer the Universal/Busch parks, the humour there is much more 'British style'. If you ever go to these parks during August, you would think you were in Britain. SeaWorld also is filled with Brits! They each have their own kind of magic and you should try them at least once

Jealous that you stayed on-site though! Me and my family stay off-site in villas and eat outside of the parks. It works out way cheaper and then we can justify the returning year after year. However I know some people would much rather go every other/every 3 years and stay on-site with the DDP.

Hello there! Welcome and thanks for reading! :goodvibes

Nice to see someone from Essex! Who knows, we may be nextdoor neighbours! :rotfl: It is great to hear someone else loved Disney at my age and has never grown out of it. My parents don't think that's possible for some reason! Have you left school yet, or are you in upper sixth? What are you going to do when you work at Disney? Are you gonna be a waitress or work in a shop or something? :rolleyes1

Wow- you've been to Vegas? My parents say they've never been that inspired to go, but then again, they have never been inspired to go to WDW and look at how much they loved that! My brother moaned the most at MK too, but that was the best park! I loved all of the performances there. I can't believe your brother stayed behind because of the V Festival! Maybe I'm just not a festival person, but I would far rather go to Florida than stay behind for a festival. ;) You're lucky having a younger sister- I have pretty much always wanted one but I guess I got out of luck!

We actually did go to SeaWorld but not Universal or Busch Gardens. We got tickets for free with our Discovery Cove passes. I wish we'd have tried Busch Gardens because we actually were disappointed with Seaworld. It seemed run down in comparison with the Disney parks, and the animals were in tiny enclosures. What is Universal like? We have friends that have been there and say it is amazing. We probably should have tried it but it wasn't in the budget after what we'd spent on DC. I have heard our sense of humour is very different to the American sense of humour, but I'm not sure why. :rolleyes: When we were at Discovery Cove, it was probably 90% Brits- I felt like I was back in England! :rotfl:

You should honestly stay onsite! It is so much better! We stayed at SSR at a 45% off deal and with the free dining plan- it actually turned out cheaper than staying in a villa offsite! It's so magical, and I can honestly say it made the holiday 10 times better! We stayed offsite the second week and it just didn't feel the same. Next time we are thinking about staying offsite first and then onsite afterwards. :cloud9:

Thanks for reading! It's really nice to have you onboard! :cool1:

[meggiebeth]

Hello to all and Happy December! Let’s get started:

When we were leaving the America Pavillion, we bumped into this:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5816-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5817.gif

It was awesome- and really entertaining! I would love to spend more time in this Pavillion… especially at Christmas.

We had seen the park bring out the Illuminations equipment onto the lake our last day at Epcot. My parents wanted to see it again. They wanted to see the globe, but it didn’t come out this time. We headed back to SSR for a rest and changed, ready for our dinner ADR at Planet Hollywood.

Dinner at Planet Hollywood- 8pm

We had a 20 minute wait to get into the restaurant. Rory and I looked in the outside souvenir shop, but it was very adult oriented. When our table was ready, we were on the ground floor in the middle of the restaurant. It was very busy and all the tables were quite close to each other.

The food was nice, although not up in the same league as the Disney restaurants. It was very much an 'adult' atmosphere, with lots of movies I'd never heard of. We were quite near Dorothy's dress from the Wizard of Oz, which I thought was pretty cool.

Rory spilt his coke in his meal and then told the waiter he didn't want another meal. The waiter nicely took his meal off the bill, although it didn't really matter because we were on the DDP. This is a restaurant we have always wanted to try in London, but the queues are CRAZY and so are the prices. So it was fabulous trying it in Florida- not having to queue or anything! I don't think they accept reservations in the Planet Hollywood in London... maybe they want to make it seem more exclusive by making people queue up! :laughing:

My dad really liked this place for the atmosphere. He, myself, Willum and Rors had a look around the higher floors. My dad knew a lot of the movies featured in the displays, but me and Willum didn't, Rory definately didn't. One guy in a display case terrified little Rorsie and he refused to look at anything else.

I got bored and went down to the table, and sat there so my mum could go and have a look. They didn't return for ages- so I paid for them! :lmao: With one of my parents KTTW cards.

I definately think you should try this place, especially if you like movies, memorabillia and alcohol! Lol. It is family friendly, but it isn't- I can't really explain it. It is far more aimed at adults. And the clubs are really near the restaurant too- away from the 'Disney' part of DTD.

Here are some of the photos we took-

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5871-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5872-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5874-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5875-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5878-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5880-1.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5889-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5890-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5892-1-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5899-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5904-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5908-1.gif

I did take some photos of the whole restaurant... but they mysteriously disappeared... hmmmm...

Anyway, after that, we headed to the Lego Store in DTD. Willum and Rorsie really like Lego, so this was a must. We were in a rush to get back to Epcot for EMHs though, and it was 9:30pm anyway. If we could get there for 10pm, we'd still get a lot of ride time.

I can't remember if we bought anything though. I know we came back from the trip with Lego, but I'm not sure if we bought it then.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5912-1.gif

I loved the figures and Lego models. We didn't get photos of all of them though. Here's another one...

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5913-1.jpg

It was pretty busy, considering how late it was. Well... it is WDW, I realised! DTD must get busier at night-time!

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5914-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5915-1.gif

We got lost on the way to Epcot, went out of WDW, had no idea how to get in again, then found ourselves at the Alamo Car Centre, I think it was, then managed, after some panicking, moaning (on my part, of course, that we'd miss the EMHs) to finally arrive at Epcot.

EMHs at Epcot
http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5919-1.gif

Future World and all the rides were SO busy. The waits were about as long for the rides as normal park hours! I was shocked, seeing as MK EMHs were amazing and quiet. I had just assumed Epcot would be the same. Me, Rory and my mum went to World Showcase and my dad and William stayed in Future World to ride some rides. I think they'd managed to ride one ride by the time we got back.

I thought WS would be open and buzzing just like Future World. It was completely desserted. I was so disappointed, this was my last day in Epcot, and I wanted to go shopping in WS! My mum promised to take me later in the holiday, but I decided I didn't mind if we didn't go back.

Rory was fast asleep but we rode Maelstrom. It was open, but we were the only ones on the ride. The CM looked pretty bored. I don't know WHY World Showcase was empty when it had some rides in it... which were really busy during the day. When we were riding Maelstrom, we were franticly trying to wake up poor Rory, but he was fast asleep. I was like 'Errr... is he going to fall out the boad at the drop or something?' I can't believe we rode that ride and he didn't wake up one little bit.

I didn't know all the shops closed for EMHs. I thought they would still be open. I wanted to ride the boat ride in Mexico but Mummy didn't want to. We were tired, and the EMHs didn't work out the way we wanted them to.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5924-1.gif

We met up with Willum and Daddy and went home. Bye bye Epcot... for the last time... (this holiday, at least!)

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5925-1.gif

The car park was pretty empty. Surprising seeing as all the rides had such long waits for EMHs. I wasn't that sad because I thought we'd be returning to Epcot, but... goodbye Epcot... until next time... :guilty:

Thanks for reading! Hope you all had a great weekend!

Next Update- Animal Kingdom and Tusker House!

[MrsSparrow..]

Hello there! Welcome and thanks for reading! :goodvibes

Nice to see someone from Essex! Who knows, we may be nextdoor neighbours! :rotfl: It is great to hear someone else loved Disney at my age and has never grown out of it. My parents don't think that's possible for some reason! Have you left school yet, or are you in upper sixth? What are you going to do when you work at Disney? Are you gonna be a waitress or work in a shop or something? :rolleyes1

Wow- you've been to Vegas? My parents say they've never been that inspired to go, but then again, they have never been inspired to go to WDW and look at how much they loved that! My brother moaned the most at MK too, but that was the best park! I loved all of the performances there. I can't believe your brother stayed behind because of the V Festival! Maybe I'm just not a festival person, but I would far rather go to Florida than stay behind for a festival. ;) You're lucky having a younger sister- I have pretty much always wanted one but I guess I got out of luck!

We actually did go to SeaWorld but not Universal or Busch Gardens. We got tickets for free with our Discovery Cove passes. I wish we'd have tried Busch Gardens because we actually were disappointed with Seaworld. It seemed run down in comparison with the Disney parks, and the animals were in tiny enclosures. What is Universal like? We have friends that have been there and say it is amazing. We probably should have tried it but it wasn't in the budget after what we'd spent on DC. I have heard our sense of humour is very different to the American sense of humour, but I'm not sure why. :rolleyes: When we were at Discovery Cove, it was probably 90% Brits- I felt like I was back in England! :rotfl:

You should honestly stay onsite! It is so much better! We stayed at SSR at a 45% off deal and with the free dining plan- it actually turned out cheaper than staying in a villa offsite! It's so magical, and I can honestly say it made the holiday 10 times better! We stayed offsite the second week and it just didn't feel the same. Next time we are thinking about staying offsite first and then onsite afterwards. :cloud9:

Thanks for reading! It's really nice to have you onboard! :cool1:
Indeed we may well be! Haha, it definitely is :goodvibes I have left yep, I'm in my first year at Uni, so *technically* my location should say Nottingham, but I'm back in good ole Essex for a month in 10 days. And I will be working in merchandise, so in a shop! I have never been so excited to work in retail in my life!

I haven't unfortunately! As an under 21, it would hold my parents back from doing what they enjoy. But they've been a few times and love it, it is like Disneyworld for adults aha! Likewise - I would never pick a festival over Florida. I'm not much of a festival person, I've been to a few gigs but for the most part they are overrated. Would much rather go visit a theme park, but I am a secret nerd ;)

Universal is amazing. It seems to have a bit of a negative vibe here on the DIS but that is because a lot of posters are really loyal Disney fans. It is different to Disney, much more 'tongue-in-cheek' humour and the new Harry Potter island at Islands of Adventure is jaw-dropping!

Haha, yep the Busch parks are full of British! They do quite a lot of advertising in the UK which may be why. Busch Gardens is great, however, if you don't like coasters and don't love animals, I'd say give it a miss.

My family will probably stay on-site next year when they visit me because I will be able to get them a sizeable discount. Typically the year I can't actually stay with them! Have you got any plans to return back soon?

Great update! I will say Planet Hollywood in London isn't worth it. They do take reservations but it's a totally different vibe from in Orlando. The food is way overpriced and it just looks and feels like a pretty average restaurant. Stick with Orlando ;)

[meggiebeth]

Indeed we may well be! Haha, it definitely is :goodvibes I have left yep, I'm in my first year at Uni, so *technically* my location should say Nottingham, but I'm back in good ole Essex for a month in 10 days. And I will be working in merchandise, so in a shop! I have never been so excited to work in retail in my life!

I haven't unfortunately! As an under 21, it would hold my parents back from doing what they enjoy. But they've been a few times and love it, it is like Disneyworld for adults aha! Likewise - I would never pick a festival over Florida. I'm not much of a festival person, I've been to a few gigs but for the most part they are overrated. Would much rather go visit a theme park, but I am a secret nerd ;)

Universal is amazing. It seems to have a bit of a negative vibe here on the DIS but that is because a lot of posters are really loyal Disney fans. It is different to Disney, much more 'tongue-in-cheek' humour and the new Harry Potter island at Islands of Adventure is jaw-dropping!

Haha, yep the Busch parks are full of British! They do quite a lot of advertising in the UK which may be why. Busch Gardens is great, however, if you don't like coasters and don't love animals, I'd say give it a miss.

My family will probably stay on-site next year when they visit me because I will be able to get them a sizeable discount. Typically the year I can't actually stay with them! Have you got any plans to return back soon?

Great update! I will say Planet Hollywood in London isn't worth it. They do take reservations but it's a totally different vibe from in Orlando. The food is way overpriced and it just looks and feels like a pretty average restaurant. Stick with Orlando ;)

That's good you're coming home for Christmas! We broke up from school today so I'm finally feeling really Christmassy! Do you know what shop you're working in? I'd like to work in the Main Street Emporium, or maybe a waitress in a restaurant.

Oh yeah, I forgot you have to be 21 to drink in the US. Maybe it's just because I'm fifteen, but I've never really wanted to go to Las Vegas, although the hotels do look pretty amazing. Still, I wouldn't say no to a trip to America! I've heard Vegas is all gambling, alcohol and casinos... but you're not far from Disneyland California and Six Flags! :cloud9: My friend is crazy about festivals and every year goes to Latitude- have you heard of it? She posted pictures and it looked really horrible though. Latitude is probably similar to the V Festival- she goes on about that too. :confused:

I would love to go to Universal Studios- and the Harry Potter extension does look amazing. I'm guessing you've seen it? We've never been Harry Potter fans- infact I don't think I've even seen any of the movies. :rolleyes1 But it would be impressing to anyone I think. Are there shows like there are at Disney? I think my dad and brother would be impressed with Universal with all the movie themed rides. William hated all the 'Disney' stuff in the parks so I think he'd love Universal.

We'll probably try Busch Gardens next time then. We like animals- most of them anyway! But I'm a bit of a wimp when it comes to big rides- I managed all the Disney ones apart from Tower of Terror which I hated. I wimped out of Kraken and Manta at Seaworld- they were way too scary for me lol.

I didn't know CMs got a big discount! What resort are your family hoping to stay at? If it were me, the Grand Floridian- but that's way too expensive and I've never gotten a discount for it lol.

We want to come back next October/November- it looks like such a nice time of year. It looks 'unlikely' at the moment but I'm determined we go. It's pretty much all down to whether my dad gets bonus and if my mum gets enough money from private patients. We really want to stat onsite of course! :goodvibes

That's such a shame- I looked up the reviews on Trip Advisor and they're pretty awful. I wouldn't pay those prices for burgers and chips anyway lol. The Orlando one was nice- but we didn't eat in one restaurant in Florida with bad service- everyone was so lovely! We ate in Ask a few days after getting back to England and it was so depressing seeing the change in service.;)

[WDWRids]

Hello!!! Catching up and loving your pics from DTD. We would go several times and mostly at night. I think you are right - it gets busier the later in the day/night. Ready for Christmas? I think I am. Got all my shopping done - now need to wrap the presents. We are really excited this year that we have a new baby in the family (my great nephew) My niece is not that much younger than us so I get to enjoy the next generation while I am still young and can play with him. Going to really be nice when the family all gets together.

What does your family do on Christmas day? We gather at my Mom's Christmas morning for breakfast and open presents. Then more family comes and more presents then we have lunch. Late afternoon we leave and go across town to my in-laws for Christmas gathering. A great day!!!

[meggiebeth]

Hello!!! Catching up and loving your pics from DTD. We would go several times and mostly at night. I think you are right - it gets busier the later in the day/night. Ready for Christmas? I think I am. Got all my shopping done - now need to wrap the presents. We are really excited this year that we have a new baby in the family (my great nephew) My niece is not that much younger than us so I get to enjoy the next generation while I am still young and can play with him. Going to really be nice when the family all gets together.

What does your family do on Christmas day? We gather at my Mom's Christmas morning for breakfast and open presents. Then more family comes and more presents then we have lunch. Late afternoon we leave and go across town to my in-laws for Christmas gathering. A great day!!!

Hallo there! You're lucky going to DTD several times. My parents didn't like it as much as me- so I missed out on browsing thru the shops. ;) We were ready for Christmas quite early this year... all the presents bought and wrapped in early December. Normally we do last minute shopping which can be pretty chaotic! Did you have a good time with your family, and meeting your great nephew? We have a new cousin, a girl, which is great because my aunt has been trying for a girl for quite a while. (The baby has 3 older brothers!) That's a nice idea you opening presents at your mum's house. We always open ours at home before meeting up with family. William and Rory are so impatient waiting to open their presents! :laughing:

We do different things each Christmas- well we meet up with different people actually. This year we went up to Scotland to stay with my grandmother. It was very nice- we haven't done it in 9 years. We also saw our aunts, uncles and cousins that live up in Scotland- which was a treat. William had spent the whole of December looking at his presents and shaking them. He had it all sussed out what he was getting after a week. :rolleyes:

Your Xmas day sounds like great fun! Do you do the same every Christmas? We ought to try that sometime- but we don't live close to much of our family. Do your family, your in-laws and you live pretty close to one another? That's awesome- our family is scattered across the country.

My, I'm sad Christmas is over. It was a memorable one though- and back to work and school now! Sorry I took so long to reply. The festive season does get you busy! :goodvibes

[meggiebeth]

Hello and welcome back. I'm sorry I haven't updated my TR in quite a while, the festive season does leave you busy. I hope everyone had a good Christmas. After coming back from Scotland and my parents saying it's unlikely we'll get back to Disney this year, I'm feeling rather depressed. I can't bear to wait two years until our next trip! :sad1:

Anyway, back to the TR. We slept in late after getting back from Epcot at about midnight the night before. We were running quite late for our ADR at Tusker house, and got there at about 11am I think.

We liked this breakfast buffet, of course, but it didn't stand out to us. Of course I loaded my plate up with Mickey waffles. :rotfl: Rory traded his Chip and Dale pin he got from the waitress at Mama Melrose's with the waiter at Tusker House, for a monorail pin. He said he'd lost a pin earlier in the trip and the kind man gave him another one! :goodvibes

Here are some photos:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5926-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5932-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5938-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5939-1.gif

Sorry it's a short update- but I hope to post again soon. And ahhhh- what do we see in the next installment? Only one of our favourite rides in the whole trip?!

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5946-1.gif

DUH DUH DUH! (Dramatic music.)

I loved riding the rides for the first time. I'm a bit of a wimp so was terrified of EE, as well as SM in MK and RnR in DHS. OH and ToT... now that was just... :scared1:

[Maikel1983]

Nice tripreport, unfortunately we didn't saw ourselve on the pictures :rolleyes1

[meggiebeth]

Nice tripreport, unfortunately we didn't saw ourselve on the pictures :rolleyes1

Thankyou so much! :goodvibes It's a shame we don't have any pictures of you in, however it's still cool to think that we could have been within metres of eachother on a totally different continent. :woohoo:

Which part of Saratoga Springs did you stay in? We were in the Springs, which we loved, being so close to the pool and restaurant. :lovestruc

[coltsfanatic]

What a nice trip report, I just found it this morning! I'm a veggie, too (and also love Disney)!

We're trying out some of the restaurants you tried in June. What did you have at Citricos? The tofu dish looks amazing! :cloud9:

I couldn't imagine spending over $5000 to fly...that's more than twice the cost of our whole Disney trip!! :)

[meggiebeth]

What a nice trip report, I just found it this morning! I'm a veggie, too (and also love Disney)!

We're trying out some of the restaurants you tried in June. What did you have at Citricos? The tofu dish looks amazing! :cloud9:

I couldn't imagine spending over $5000 to fly...that's more than twice the cost of our whole Disney trip!! :)

Thankyou so much, and thanks for joining in! :goodvibes Glad to meet another vegetarian... and Disney lover ;)

Most of the restaurants were lovely. Citricos is amazing, you will love it. :lovestruc I can't remember what I ate there, but unfortunately it wasn't the tofu dish. I tried tofu for the first time at 'Ohana and I hated it- well, mostly the texture. Have you tried Quorn? I love it. It's very popular in England, but I didn't see any in the US. :confused3

It's fascinating to find out that we spend more than double on flights than you do on the whole holiday! :eek: It's sad that the flights are so expensive... even flights to Europe for us are getting expensive. We normally go to France on the Eurotunnel to avoid the expensive airfare. :laughing:

Thanks for reading! :)

[coltsfanatic]

So glad you loved Citricos!! I'm not a plain tofu person, but I love it fried with sauces. popcorn::

I actually just started buying Quorn a few weeks ago and I love it. My grocer only sells the chicken products, though, but it definitely tastes just like chicken. :cool1:

...ugh, I know about the flights and pricing! To keep costs low, I checked and checked and finally found a great deal from American Airlines(on the way) and Southwest (going back) and we booked a value resort and aren't doing the dining plan or any tours, etc.

The Eurotunnel sounds great! Ah, I would love to go to France someday. :cloud9: Can't wait to read more!

[meggiebeth]

So glad you loved Citricos!! I'm not a plain tofu person, but I love it fried with sauces. popcorn::

I actually just started buying Quorn a few weeks ago and I love it. My grocer only sells the chicken products, though, but it definitely tastes just like chicken. :cool1:

...ugh, I know about the flights and pricing! To keep costs low, I checked and checked and finally found a great deal from American Airlines(on the way) and Southwest (going back) and we booked a value resort and aren't doing the dining plan or any tours, etc.

The Eurotunnel sounds great! Ah, I would love to go to France someday. :cloud9: Can't wait to read more!

You're in for a treat when you try Citricos. :goodvibes I tried tofu with sauces in 'Ohana and I just hated the texture. My dad said he would give my brother $20 if he ate a piece, but William never got it- he spat it out straight away! :rotfl:

You should definately look for more Quorn. I love Quorn mince- I can eat spaghetti bolegnese and sheperds pie with my family that way. Here we have loads of different types of Quorn- burgers, steaks, Sunday roasts, sausage rolls and lots of pretty yummy ready meals. :cloud9:

Are you on the East coast of the US? I can see why flights would be more affordable then. ;) I know flights are more expensive in some parts of the US, but I think generally they must be cheaper. Good job on the flights! It's so satisfying when you find a good deal. We love the dining plan- don't you get it for free staying at a value resort sometimes in the US? We only get it free with Moderates and Deluxes. We don't really want to go at a time they aren't offering free dining! :laughing:

You really ought to visit France. It is a great place- me and my family love it. It's considered here as a 'cheap' holiday. The Eurotunnel is great. Before it was built a couple years ago we had a six hour ferry ride over to France. Have you been anywhere in Europe? It's great- each country is totally different and has a unique culture. :goodvibes

[meggiebeth]

Hello there! Sorry it's been so long since my last update. I've been really busy with school. I've been spending ages learning French verbs. :headache:

We walked through Animal Kingdom and got a Fastpass for Killimanjaro Safari.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5948-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5949-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5950-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5951-1.gif

We came across a cheeky animal that decided to go to the bathroom as we and many other vacationers walked past. :scared1:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5952-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5953-1.gif

Suddenly... a massive thunder storm started up and it was pouring. We ended up sheltering in the outside eating area of Tusker House. All the seats were taken and we had to stand... for an HOUR and a HALF! :eek:

It was pretty horrible. I wished we'd have gotten to a show like the Lion King to use our time more wisely. The crowds were really getting to us- this park was SO busy.

As soon as it stopped raining, everyone made a dash to get on the rides first. We dashed over to Expedition Everest to get our next Fastpass and then back to the Safari.... to use our first Fastpass.

The Safari was fun- I think the drizzle ruined it a bit. BUT it was nice and cool and there were quite a lot of animals about.

Here are some of our better photographs:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5954-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5955-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5956-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5957-1.gif

I like this photo- Mummy took it.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5971-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5972-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5976-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5977-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5978-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5980-1.gif

Ahhhh

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5981-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5982-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/IMG_5983-1.gif


Well- that's all I have time for today! I hope you enjoyed reading my update! I will update more soon. :yay:

Thanks for reading- and bye bye!

[coltsfanatic]

You're in for a treat when you try Citricos. :goodvibes I tried tofu with sauces in 'Ohana and I just hated the texture. My dad said he would give my brother $20 if he ate a piece, but William never got it- he spat it out straight away! :rotfl:

You should definately look for more Quorn. I love Quorn mince- I can eat spaghetti bolegnese and sheperds pie with my family that way. Here we have loads of different types of Quorn- burgers, steaks, Sunday roasts, sausage rolls and lots of pretty yummy ready meals. :cloud9:

Are you on the East coast of the US? I can see why flights would be more affordable then. ;) I know flights are more expensive in some parts of the US, but I think generally they must be cheaper. Good job on the flights! It's so satisfying when you find a good deal. We love the dining plan- don't you get it for free staying at a value resort sometimes in the US? We only get it free with Moderates and Deluxes. We don't really want to go at a time they aren't offering free dining! :laughing:

You really ought to visit France. It is a great place- me and my family love it. It's considered here as a 'cheap' holiday. The Eurotunnel is great. Before it was built a couple years ago we had a six hour ferry ride over to France. Have you been anywhere in Europe? It's great- each country is totally different and has a unique culture. :goodvibes

Haha about William and tofu! :laughing: The dining plan sounds so great but because my mom's a teacher we can basically only go over the summer and it's usually not offered then. :headache: I really should look for more Quorn products; the steaks sound especially good. popcorn:: I live in the Eastern section of the U.S. in Ohio-within a few hours drive to the Midwest's largest cities like Indianapolis, Chicago, Columbus, Detroit, Cleveland etc. so there are plenty of airports to choose from. What's Essex like? England sounds like a fantastic country!!! Unfortunately, I've never been to Europe but because it's finally 2012 I can say next year I get to go to Ireland with my grandparents and mom for my graduation present! :cheer2:I'm trying to convince them that we should venture to France...

GREAT update, cant wait for the next installment!! I'm glad you had luck on the safari finding animals. I know it'll be in a later update, but did you do Expedition Everest, Kali and Dinosaur?

[meggiebeth]

Haha about William and tofu! :laughing: The dining plan sounds so great but because my mom's a teacher we can basically only go over the summer and it's usually not offered then. :headache: I really should look for more Quorn products; the steaks sound especially good. popcorn:: I live in the Eastern section of the U.S. in Ohio-within a few hours drive to the Midwest's largest cities like Indianapolis, Chicago, Columbus, Detroit, Cleveland etc. so there are plenty of airports to choose from. What's Essex like? England sounds like a fantastic country!!! Unfortunately, I've never been to Europe but because it's finally 2012 I can say next year I get to go to Ireland with my grandparents and mom for my graduation present! :cheer2:I'm trying to convince them that we should venture to France...

GREAT update, cant wait for the next installment!! I'm glad you had luck on the safari finding animals. I know it'll be in a later update, but did you do Expedition Everest, Kali and Dinosaur?

That's strange, here we get the free dining plan all through the summer holidays- July and August. I guess they are the cheap seasons here. Wow- you're close to ALL those cities? I've heard of them all but I doubt I'll be seeing them any time soon.

Essex is a pretty beautiful county. It has lots of quaint villages, like the one we live in. We're also about an hours drive from London, which is lovely. :cloud9: London is a place everyone should go to once.

Here are some photos of my village I got off the internet:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Newport_Essex_Monks_Barn.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/142329_1368ec51.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Newport_Essex_church.jpg

We have to go to our nearest market town to go shopping and get food. Here are some photos of that:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Castle-Street-Saffron-Walden.jpg

An old one (You can tell by the cars!)

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/85114.jpg

And here's a beautiful mansion that is open to the public. Our family love spending time here in the summer! We also caught Jamie Oliver there with his wife and kids once.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/audley-end-front-of-house.jpg

You'll have a great trip to Ireland! How long are you going for? I would DEFINATELY go to France too. It is so worth it. The culture, atmosphere, food and buildings are all great to experience.

If you could do it this way... although it may not be to everyones taste- here's how I'd do it. I'd go to Ireland for a week or two, then get a ferry to England... drive down to London... spend a few nights there (you would not regret it!) and then drive to Folkestone where the Eurotunnel is, which would take you directly to France. Northern France is cooler than the south, but still has some beautiful scenery. And of course there's Paris! :lovestruc But drive a bit further and you will get warmer weather. I think Cote d'Azur would be a bit too far though, that's where Nice is.

Thankyou! :goodvibes We did Expedition Everest, which we LOVED, except my mum didn't like the backwards bit. Dinosaur was awesome but terrifying. Even Rory loved it- he normally gets nightmares about that sort of stuff. We didn't get to do Kali River Rapids, unfortunately. The queues were so long and Fastpass had run out. :) That's something to do next time!

[coltsfanatic]

That's strange, here we get the free dining plan all through the summer holidays- July and August. I guess they are the cheap seasons here. Wow- you're close to ALL those cities? I've heard of them all but I doubt I'll be seeing them any time soon.

Essex is a pretty beautiful county. It has lots of quaint villages, like the one we live in. We're also about an hours drive from London, which is lovely. :cloud9: London is a place everyone should go to once.

Here are some photos of my village I got off the internet:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Newport_Essex_Monks_Barn.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/142329_1368ec51.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Newport_Essex_church.jpg

We have to go to our nearest market town to go shopping and get food. Here are some photos of that:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Castle-Street-Saffron-Walden.jpg

An old one (You can tell by the cars!)

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/85114.jpg

And here's a beautiful mansion that is open to the public. Our family love spending time here in the summer! We also caught Jamie Oliver there with his wife and kids once.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/audley-end-front-of-house.jpg

You'll have a great trip to Ireland! How long are you going for? I would DEFINATELY go to France too. It is so worth it. The culture, atmosphere, food and buildings are all great to experience.

If you could do it this way... although it may not be to everyones taste- here's how I'd do it. I'd go to Ireland for a week or two, then get a ferry to England... drive down to London... spend a few nights there (you would not regret it!) and then drive to Folkestone where the Eurotunnel is, which would take you directly to France. Northern France is cooler than the south, but still has some beautiful scenery. And of course there's Paris! :lovestruc But drive a bit further and you will get warmer weather. I think Cote d'Azur would be a bit too far though, that's where Nice is.

Thankyou! :goodvibes We did Expedition Everest, which we LOVED, except my mum didn't like the backwards bit. Dinosaur was awesome but terrifying. Even Rory loved it- he normally gets nightmares about that sort of stuff. We didn't get to do Kali River Rapids, unfortunately. The queues were so long and Fastpass had run out. :) That's something to do next time!

Yep, with Columbus being the closest! (It's my favorite city in Ohio, you would love it!)

Those pictures are AMAZING!! :goodvibes OMG about Jamie Oliver!!! When I figure out how to upload pictures to disboards, I'll have to do it so you can see what a typical American suburb looks like! :rolleyes: It's very different from Essex! Did you go to London for the royal wedding?

We're thinking about two weeks as we want to see County Cork (where my great great grandpa lived), Dublin and Belfast (I'm obsessed with the Titanic). I love, love, love your idea! I'll have to run it by my family and see what we can do. :love:

Everest and Dinosaur look great; I'm just such a chicken...:rolleyes1 but I really want to! Too bad about Kali but I'm sure you'll be back!

Can't wait for the next update!

[meggiebeth]

Yep, with Columbus being the closest! (It's my favorite city in Ohio, you would love it!)

Those pictures are AMAZING!! :goodvibes OMG about Jamie Oliver!!! When I figure out how to upload pictures to disboards, I'll have to do it so you can see what a typical American suburb looks like! :rolleyes: It's very different from Essex! Did you go to London for the royal wedding?

We're thinking about two weeks as we want to see County Cork (where my great great grandpa lived), Dublin and Belfast (I'm obsessed with the Titanic). I love, love, love your idea! I'll have to run it by my family and see what we can do. :love:

Everest and Dinosaur look great; I'm just such a chicken...:rolleyes1 but I really want to! Too bad about Kali but I'm sure you'll be back!

Can't wait for the next update!

What's Columbus like? Is it quite historic? I love history, I took it as a GCSE... but we're just doing the American West at the moment. I would love to study more American history.

I know a lot more about America than my friends but I still don't know much about Columbus... or many cities for that matter! I'll have to look it up on google earth. :surfweb:

I would love to see some pictures of a typical American suburb. I'm fascinated about America. popcorn:: I use photobucket for my photos. It's free and it gives you a link that you can put in your post... which then magically turns into a photo! :wizard:

I couldn't imagine America looking anything like Essex lol. I'm not sure about New England though. The scenery there looks kind of English.

Everyone had the day off school and work but we didn't go into London. I'd have loved to... but I don't think my parents were that inspired. We watched it on television though... and it was nice that lots of people put up British flags for the occasion. :goodvibes

When are you coming over? The summer, I'm guessing? I've actually never been to Ireland... although I do know that Dublin and Belfast are great cities. I just mentioned it to my parents and they said Ireland is 'very wet' (as is the UK generally!) and they also said they would not spend 2 weeks in Ireland. But if you're planning to visit lots of different places, maybe that would be fine. I think Dublin and Belfast are both 'city breaks' needing a couple of nights.

I would spend a week to ten days in Ireland, depending on what you want to do. England has lots to offer too- London is a must... and we live near Cambridge which is quite popular with tourists.

If you can possibly go for more than 2 weeks, I definately would. If you're spending all that money flying over to Ireland, it's only a little bit extra to visit a few other places too.

What would you want to do in France? Paris is great but a city break. We used to have lots of family holidays on the French coast which is another great option. It's very relaxed, and if you like the beach and sun then... :cool1:

I would probably do 7- 8 nights Ireland, then 3- 4 nights London, then a week in France. What a perfect holiday! :woohoo:

Sorry... I just love giving way too much pointless advice! :rotfl: Planning holidays is one of my favourite hobbies. :cloud9:

I would say Everest is about equivilent to Space Mountain thrill wise. Dinosaur isn't really thrilling- just one or two dinosaurs pop out and give you a fright! :lmao:

I'll try to update tomorrow- hopefully... hehe. It's nice being busy- just not when you're busy with stupid school work! :headache:

:rotfl:

[coltsfanatic]

Columbus is actually quite a modern-looking city, but for Ohio it has a lot of history. It has the state's largest university and is home to our state government (basically all of our state's bills get signed there). The buildings on campus, which is downtown, are amazing! There is a lot of diversity and there's actually a large vegan community-with an all-vegan bakery, restaurant and salon on the outskirts of downtown. It's truly an all-American city.

I will have to use photobucket! Yes, New England does. I just started taking this online course and I'm the only one from the Midwest, so it's funny seeing all of these pictures on the ocean, countryside, rolling hills, etc. Definitely different. :happytv:

Yes, the wedding WAS amazing! How neat! As for Ireland, we're going next summer. I've heard it's always kind of dreary. 7-10 days sounds about right and then if I can add on an England and France trip then I would be :cloud9:. You read my mind about the beach! The cafes, museums and little shops also sound really appealing.

I know about the schoolwork! I think reading trip reports gets me in a good frame of mind, though, so I can work harder on my papers! :surfweb:

[meggiebeth]

Columbus is actually quite a modern-looking city, but for Ohio it has a lot of history. It has the state's largest university and is home to our state government (basically all of our state's bills get signed there). The buildings on campus, which is downtown, are amazing! There is a lot of diversity and there's actually a large vegan community-with an all-vegan bakery, restaurant and salon on the outskirts of downtown. It's truly an all-American city.

I will have to use photobucket! Yes, New England does. I just started taking this online course and I'm the only one from the Midwest, so it's funny seeing all of these pictures on the ocean, countryside, rolling hills, etc. Definitely different. :happytv:

Yes, the wedding WAS amazing! How neat! As for Ireland, we're going next summer. I've heard it's always kind of dreary. 7-10 days sounds about right and then if I can add on an England and France trip then I would be :cloud9:. You read my mind about the beach! The cafes, museums and little shops also sound really appealing.

I know about the schoolwork! I think reading trip reports gets me in a good frame of mind, though, so I can work harder on my papers! :surfweb:

That's awesome about the state bills. Do you go to university in Columbus then? It sounds really smart. I actually live quite near Cambridge University which I'm sure you've heard of. Those buildings are also very impressive but in a historic sort of way- they're very old.

Is Columbus filled with skyscrapers then? That's what I think of when I imagine a modern American city. We have them in the business part of London, the 'city' (where all the banks are, etc) and they are very impressive. I'd love to see American cities with the tall skyscrapers.

Are you a vegan then? It must be quite challenging. Don't most foods have dairy in? I love milk too much to be a vegan- it's just meat I don't particularly like.

Does Ohio not have rolling hills and countryside? Is it quite dry? I thought it was one of the greener states- grass wise lol.

Are you going summer 2012 or 2013? If you're going in 2012 then that's when the Olympics are on in London. It is being really hyped up here... even though most people will not be going.

Ireland is quite dreary and rainy- it's the same with Scotland. Southern England has far better weather- although is still prone to rain.

Airfare will probably be very expensive from Ireland to France- especially during summer. So driving thru England and stopping off at London would be a bonus! And cheaper. :woohoo:

Honestly, France is wonderful, and now I know that you are interested in cafes, museums and little shops it would be exactly your cup of tea (I'm not sure if you use that expression lol). You should look into what part of France you'd like to stay in- because there are really nice parts and not so nice parts. Lol. :laughing: Can you speak French? That'll generally make it easier, haha. :goodvibes

Hehe- I think if I read trip reports before doing my schoolwork and coursework, I'd probably never end up actually doing my work. :lmao: Although I don't have to do essays like you must at uni. ;)

[coltsfanatic]

Nope, I'm at a community college north of C-bus. There are quite a few skyscrapers, especially the university medical buildings, banks, etc. Yes, Cambridge sounds like an amazing school!

Other than a few vegetarian "meats", I am. It's actually pretty easy at home, I just hate going out to eat and ordering "without cheese." People look at me like I have four eyes. :rotfl: I used to hate milk so that made it a lot easier, and now I use almond milk all the time and it's delicious! My family says they prefer it to regular milk, actually. Down south Ohio's pretty hilly, but it's not the extremely beautiful type, if that makes any sense?! Up where I live, it's pretty flat, although we do have quite a few trees.

I would absolutely love to go to the Olympics, but we're not scheduled until 2013. Driving does sound better than flying, price-wise. Oui, tres peu le francais! :idea:Sorry if I'm hijacking your threads! You can PM me if you want instead. I was just so excited to see another teen vegetarian Disney fan!

That's awesome about the state bills. Do you go to university in Columbus then? It sounds really smart. I actually live quite near Cambridge University which I'm sure you've heard of. Those buildings are also very impressive but in a historic sort of way- they're very old.

Is Columbus filled with skyscrapers then? That's what I think of when I imagine a modern American city. We have them in the business part of London, the 'city' (where all the banks are, etc) and they are very impressive. I'd love to see American cities with the tall skyscrapers.

Are you a vegan then? It must be quite challenging. Don't most foods have dairy in? I love milk too much to be a vegan- it's just meat I don't particularly like.

Does Ohio not have rolling hills and countryside? Is it quite dry? I thought it was one of the greener states- grass wise lol.

Are you going summer 2012 or 2013? If you're going in 2012 then that's when the Olympics are on in London. It is being really hyped up here... even though most people will not be going.

Ireland is quite dreary and rainy- it's the same with Scotland. Southern England has far better weather- although is still prone to rain.

Airfare will probably be very expensive from Ireland to France- especially during summer. So driving thru England and stopping off at London would be a bonus! And cheaper. :woohoo:

Honestly, France is wonderful, and now I know that you are interested in cafes, museums and little shops it would be exactly your cup of tea (I'm not sure if you use that expression lol). You should look into what part of France you'd like to stay in- because there are really nice parts and not so nice parts. Lol. :laughing: Can you speak French? That'll generally make it easier, haha. :goodvibes

Hehe- I think if I read trip reports before doing my schoolwork and coursework, I'd probably never end up actually doing my work. :lmao: Although I don't have to do essays like you must at uni. ;)

[meggiebeth]

Nope, I'm at a community college north of C-bus. There are quite a few skyscrapers, especially the university medical buildings, banks, etc. Yes, Cambridge sounds like an amazing school!

Other than a few vegetarian "meats", I am. It's actually pretty easy at home, I just hate going out to eat and ordering "without cheese." People look at me like I have four eyes. :rotfl: I used to hate milk so that made it a lot easier, and now I use almond milk all the time and it's delicious! My family says they prefer it to regular milk, actually. Down south Ohio's pretty hilly, but it's not the extremely beautiful type, if that makes any sense?! Up where I live, it's pretty flat, although we do have quite a few trees.

I would absolutely love to go to the Olympics, but we're not scheduled until 2013. Driving does sound better than flying, price-wise. Oui, tres peu le francais! :idea:Sorry if I'm hijacking your threads! You can PM me if you want instead. I was just so excited to see another teen vegetarian Disney fan!

Oh, a community college! :goodvibes Do you still live with your parents? One thing I'm not looking forward to about University is moving away from home and living on my own, lol.

I didn't think there were universities in the US, I have only heard Americans talk about college.

Well, even pasta has egg in it doesn't it? Our supermarket only has a small vegan section, with stuff like soya milk and dairy free things. Doesn't almond milk taste more like almonds than milk? Why are you a vegan, if you don't mind me asking? I just don't like eating animals- the thought of eating them kind of grosses me out. Although my family love meat, they don't like to eat halal meat.

I just typed 'ohio' into google images and aside from loads of maps, the photos looked quite nice and green. There were also a few of skyscrapers.


Well in a lot of ways it is better that you are going in 2013. The prices of flights and hotels will probably be a LOT cheaper. Ah so you can speak French! A little bit anyway. Most schools here teach french- it is the most common foreign language I guess. It's so much easier than German! :laughing:

You aren't hijacking my thread, lol! :goodvibes I don't mind whether it's on here or in a PM. popcorn:: I'm excited to meet a teen vegetarian Disney fan that's American! :cool1:

[meggiebeth]

Sorry it's been a while since my last update, but here we go! :cool1:

We walked over to Expedition Everest, and somehow Rory took this... interesting photo...

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%20TR/Florida1608-1.gif

We got some photos of EE on the way:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%20TR/Florida1609-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%20TR/Florida1611-1.gif

William took a photo of us:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%20TR/Florida1612-1.gif

And I took some:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%20TR/Florida1613-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%20TR/Florida1614-1.gif

I really like the next three photos:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%20TR/Florida1615-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%20TR/Florida1616-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%20TR/Florida1617-1.gif

And EE:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%20TR/Florida1620-1.gif

The ride was amazing! I loved it! I was really nervous, being a bit of a wimp, and Rory reached out for my hand and said 'Don't worry Meggie, I'll look after you!' :hug: It was so cute!

All through the ride I could hear Rory scream 'this is awesome!' He loved it when the yeti came. When we got off, my mum felt sick and said she didn't like the backwards bit. I liked it but I had to press my head back to stop it going all over the place. :rotfl:

We then decided to ride Dinosaur and loved that too! After that we decided to head back to SSR to have a swim, get changed and get ready for the HDDR.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%20TR/Florida1618-1.gif

Next update- HDDR! One of the best meals of the week! (And such good fun!) Thanks for reading. :goodvibes

[WDWRids]

Hello!! Your pics from Animal Kingdom are great! When we went in September it was the most crowded of all the parks and the hottest!!! We mostly walked around, went to the Conservatory, rode the Safari and Mount Everest. I loved the Safari and Mount Everest. I have to admit, I thought it was a lame ride until we start going backwards. That was GREAT. Wow, you got some great photos during the Safari - lots of animals out and close.

OMG, I LOVE your villiage!!! The buildings are so neat. If okay with you, I may save one to have as a wallpaper on my computer.

How's school going? French, huh? I took French in college and honestly, I can't remember more than yes, no and please. But it is such a beautiful language.

Study hard!!

[coltsfanatic]

It's very confusing, but I'm actually enrolled at a local high school but I take all of my classes through a community college. Ohio (and a few other states) has a program called post-secondary enrollment options. It permits high school students to enroll at any participating college to gain credit. The great thing is: my high school pays for everything-tuition, books, etc. :dance3: I don't have to pay a penny and my family has already saved about $10,000. So, basically, when I graduate high school in spring of 2013, I'll also be graduating with a 2-year degree. That fall, I'll transfer to an actual university and go there for another two years and I'll be done!

In the U.S., a lot of pastas don't have egg because we prefer dried pasta, which basically just has flour and water. Most pizza doughs in the U.S. are also vegan and if they're not, I'll make homemade dough! popcorn:: Almond milk is delish! It doesn't really taste like almonds. It's very good.

I couldn't imagine learning German!

I love those pictures by EE (and the random gorilla one)! I don't know; I feel compelled to try it now! :scared1:

HDDR review will be great! Can't wait for that one. :)

[meggiebeth]

Hello!! Your pics from Animal Kingdom are great! When we went in September it was the most crowded of all the parks and the hottest!!! We mostly walked around, went to the Conservatory, rode the Safari and Mount Everest. I loved the Safari and Mount Everest. I have to admit, I thought it was a lame ride until we start going backwards. That was GREAT. Wow, you got some great photos during the Safari - lots of animals out and close.

OMG, I LOVE your villiage!!! The buildings are so neat. If okay with you, I may save one to have as a wallpaper on my computer.

How's school going? French, huh? I took French in college and honestly, I can't remember more than yes, no and please. But it is such a beautiful language.

Study hard!!

Hello there! :yay:

Thank you! :goodvibes It's interesting to know that AK was also very busy when you went. All the long winding paths probably don't handle crowds as well as MK, Epcot and DHS. I haven't heard of the Conservatory and we didn't do it to my knowledge- something to do next-time! popcorn:: I'm glad you enjoyed the backwards bit on EE- I loved it too! I think it was the rain that got all the animals out, after the long storm the temperatures dropped considerably.

Thankyou! :hug: I love my village- it's very pretty. The buildings are pretty historic and fascinating. Some of the houses are from as early as the 1400s I believe. That's fine- of course! I'm glad you like the photos! :)

School is going well, thanks! I have a few big exams coming up... including a French speaking exam. I'm trying to get to grips with all the irregular verbs and endings. It's quite overwhelming! That's funny you can't remember much of what you learnt! I'm determined to keep my French going- it's pretty handy seeing as I live quite close to France- and it's always good to know some vocab! :woohoo:

It's very confusing, but I'm actually enrolled at a local high school but I take all of my classes through a community college. Ohio (and a few other states) has a program called post-secondary enrollment options. It permits high school students to enroll at any participating college to gain credit. The great thing is: my high school pays for everything-tuition, books, etc. :dance3: I don't have to pay a penny and my family has already saved about $10,000. So, basically, when I graduate high school in spring of 2013, I'll also be graduating with a 2-year degree. That fall, I'll transfer to an actual university and go there for another two years and I'll be done!

In the U.S., a lot of pastas don't have egg because we prefer dried pasta, which basically just has flour and water. Most pizza doughs in the U.S. are also vegan and if they're not, I'll make homemade dough! popcorn:: Almond milk is delish! It doesn't really taste like almonds. It's very good.

I couldn't imagine learning German!

I love those pictures by EE (and the random gorilla one)! I don't know; I feel compelled to try it now! :scared1:

HDDR review will be great! Can't wait for that one. :)

Oh, so you're in highschool? :rotfl: Sorry... I get confused easily! So you're... 16...17...? That's so neat that you can get a 2 year degree at the same time you're finishing high school! And that you get it all for free is AMAZING! :cloud9: I wish I had some sort of opportunity like that here. As far as I know... we don't, lol. My school ends in year 11 (I guess 'year' is like your 'grade'). Then I have to move to sixth form at another school because my school doesn't have it... thank goodness! Sixth form is basically year 12 and 13. After that, we get to go to university! :banana:

My school would probably never pay for college like yours... this year they aren't even letting us do work experience... to save a little money. :sad2:

Oh yeah, we have dried pasta here... a lot of people like it because it's a lot cheaper than fresh pasta with egg. I love the way you pronounce it in America... like 'paahsta'. :lovestruc You sound like a fan of cooking! It's something I'd love to try but... my brothers refuse to try anything vegetarian... yet alone vegan. My parents love quorn though- It has so much less fat than real meat. I'll have to look at the supermarket and see if there's any almond milk. They might sell it in a health store even.

German is the most confusing language (at least to me!) and I don't find it as attractive as French. We are forced to learn it through year 7 to year 9- thank goodness I'm in year 10 now and don't have to suffer it anymore! :lmao:

Thanks! Oh, lol, is that first one a gorilla one? Rory's sitting next to me and he says thankyou for liking his photo. :upsidedow You should definately try it- it's not that bad! If you can last thru ToT, EE is nothing! ;)

Hehe! Have you been to the HDDR? I'll just upload the photos to Photobucket now... they didn't turn out that great :scared1: :rotfl:

[coltsfanatic]

It's so interesting to learn about England's education system! :goodvibes Yes, the gorilla one! No, never been to HDDR before. I'll have to check out your review of it. :)

[meggiebeth]

It's so interesting to learn about England's education system! :goodvibes Yes, the gorilla one! No, never been to HDDR before. I'll have to check out your review of it. :)

Hehe :goodvibes the HDDR is fab. You should definately go! I guess we liked it more because of how patriotic it was to the US popcorn::

[meggiebeth]

Hello! Sorry I've been away for a while. We've just had half term and I've been all around the country for some reason. :cool1:

We had a swim and got ready for HDDR. I was curious what it would be like, but not sure how much we'd like it.

We went to the 9pm performance and it wasn't very busy. We were seated RIGHT at the front and had an amazing view! :love:

Of course miserable William decided this show was above him and stayed back at SSR. I think he was admittedly tired, but if we'd have paid for the dining plan, rather than getting it for free, I think my parents would be annoyed at the money that would have been lost.

Because of how ... well... un-busy it was, everyone was seated on the ground floor. We met another British family that had been staying at SSR, and they reccommended a shopping centre/mall in Orlando. We decided to check it out sometime.

Here is a photo of HDDR just as we got seated.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%20TR/Florida1622-1.gif

Here is Rory looking at the menu and thinking 'There's nothing I like here!' He is way too fussy. Turns out he loved the food in the end. :rotfl:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%20TR/Florida1624-1.gif

This picture is a 'fail' as William would say. However the cornbread was DELICIOUS and my mouth is watering right now just thinking about it!

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%20TR/Florida1626-1.gif

My mum's half eaten salad...

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%20TR/Florida1627-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%20TR/Florida1628-1.gif

Mmmm... someone's enjoying cornbread popcorn::

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%20TR/Florida1633-1-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%20TR/Florida1635-1.gif

The chef came out to speak to me about what food I would like. He basically just said 'I will cook pasta with tomato sauce' and I went with it. When it came out, it looked like there was more sauce than pasta! :lmao:

When the show started... a certain little boy was absorbed. He spent the whole night chuckling away at all the funny things the actors did. :rotfl2:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%20TR/Florida1631-1.gif

Infact this was the only meal of the week during the evening that Rory stayed awake for. That's gotta mean something! :surfweb:

Anyway, without further ado, here are some of the photos we took during the show!

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%20TR/Florida1638-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%20TR/Florida1639-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%20TR/Florida1643-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%20TR/Florida1647-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%20TR/Florida1648-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%20TR/Florida1644-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%20TR/Florida1650-1.gif

Well that's it for now! I'll update the rest of HDDR soon. Thanks for reading! :banana:

[tdzaleski]

Great Review! Yea, My mom was pretty anti-Disney at first. Since she hasn't gone since she was 7 (besides our last trip) she thought it was really babyish. But, I managed to convince her through many of the disney park movies they have on netflix.

[meggiebeth]

Great Review! Yea, My mom was pretty anti-Disney at first. Since she hasn't gone since she was 7 (besides our last trip) she thought it was really babyish. But, I managed to convince her through many of the disney park movies they have on netflix.

Thanks! Weirdly, so was my dad. He thought it was going to be tacky, and not good value for money. You must be very convincing and persuasive, like me! :rotfl: At least you managed to go, and experience it all :goodvibes

[lilaurora]

I am a huge lurker and don't post very often, but wanted to let you know that you are doing a great job at your trip report. I've been to WDW 3 times in the past few years, but haven't had the gumption to do a TR myself, so kudos!

I always find it interesting to hear people from the UK say how interesting they find the states because I am really interested in the UK! My husband is originally from New England and his ancestors on both his mom and dad's sides came to the colonies back in the 1670's from England. They have been able to trace his dad's family tree all the way back to the time of William the Conqueror about 1000 years ago. (my DH is so lucky!)

For our 10th wedding anniversary, we had always dreamed of visiting the UK (England and Scotland for sure and maybe Wales, too). However, our 10th is this year and we didn't want to deal with the Olympics in London. So, we're going to go next year, probably in June once DD is out of school for summer break.

On a Disney note, I had dreamed of visiting WDW since I was pretty small. I think around 10 (and I'm 33 now) I started asking my mom to buy me guide books on WDW and I would spend so much time reading them and desigining my "dream" trip. Unfortunately, my parents never took me and I finally went on my first trip with a close cousin when I was 28! I'm taking my DD7 on a surprise mommy & me trip in June this year. It will be my 4th trip overall and I plan on having many, many more! :cloud9: There is no such thing as outgrowing Disney!

[meggiebeth]

I am a huge lurker and don't post very often, but wanted to let you know that you are doing a great job at your trip report. I've been to WDW 3 times in the past few years, but haven't had the gumption to do a TR myself, so kudos!

I always find it interesting to hear people from the UK say how interesting they find the states because I am really interested in the UK! My husband is originally from New England and his ancestors on both his mom and dad's sides came to the colonies back in the 1670's from England. They have been able to trace his dad's family tree all the way back to the time of William the Conqueror about 1000 years ago. (my DH is so lucky!)

For our 10th wedding anniversary, we had always dreamed of visiting the UK (England and Scotland for sure and maybe Wales, too). However, our 10th is this year and we didn't want to deal with the Olympics in London. So, we're going to go next year, probably in June once DD is out of school for summer break.

On a Disney note, I had dreamed of visiting WDW since I was pretty small. I think around 10 (and I'm 33 now) I started asking my mom to buy me guide books on WDW and I would spend so much time reading them and desigining my "dream" trip. Unfortunately, my parents never took me and I finally went on my first trip with a close cousin when I was 28! I'm taking my DD7 on a surprise mommy & me trip in June this year. It will be my 4th trip overall and I plan on having many, many more! :cloud9: There is no such thing as outgrowing Disney!

Hello! Thankyou so much! And thanks for reading! You should definately do a TR... they are such fun to do! I love writing and was missing WDW so it seemed like the perfect thing to do. :cloud9:

That is interesting you are interested in the UK! I think people here generally do think America is big and great. Although we speak the same language and all, since visiting the US I think we are quite different countries. That's really neat about your husband being able to trace back his family history to the medieval times! I haven't done anything like that. Won't your family history date back that far? I thought lots of American's ancestors came from Europe and the UK.

You should definately come to the UK! You're making a good decision not coming this summer. We live very near London and it's extremely busy even now because of the Olympics. The Olympic village look very impressive though! Luckily we'll be on holiday in Scotland for 2 weeks of the Olympics so we'll avoid the business.

What kind of holiday were you intending to have in the UK? You'd probably just be moving around a lot- where in England and Scotland are you planning to visit? If you need any advice feel free to ask! England is marvellous, especially London and there's a city near me... Cambridge. I'm sure you've heard of it, but that's lovely too. As for Scotland, my dad is Scottish and so we have spent quite a lot of time up there over the years- I can assure you you will have a great time there! They are very patriotic, like Americans, except the Scottish culture is VERY different. Scottish dancing is fantastic too- you have to try it! (All the men wear kilts lol.) :dance3:

By the way, June is a great time to go. The weather is good by British standards and UK schools aren't on holiday yet, so it won't be nearly as busy as July and August. :goodvibes

That's quite sad that you didn't get to go to WDW as a child. Especially after buying guide books and planning your dream holiday! I think as long as your parents can afford it, it's good to push for a WDW holiday at least once. My parents thought it would be very tacky and awful- my dad was miserable on the flight over. But they fell in love with it, and now I don't even have to beg for another one- they are desperate to go back in 2013! I hope you have fun on your mother- daughter trip- your daughter is incredibly lucky! I wish I could see her face when you surprise her with it! Infact that's what I want to do with my brother Rory next time, the expression on his face would be priceless! :cloud9:

Thanks so much for reading! :goodvibes

[meggiebeth]

Hello! I'm so sorry I haven't updated in ages, I've been so busy. But back to trip reporting!

We were having great fun at the HDDR and enjoying the meal but mainly the show which was such good fun and well done!

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%20TR/Florida1662-1.gif

Near the end they came out and asked a few lucky people to come up on the stage. Surprisingly Rory was asked! We all got very excited... but Rory wasn't willing to do it and was very shy. Honestly that is one of my biggest regrets of the trip. It would have been wonderful to get some photos of him up on stage. Anyway, in the end, they chose another little boy.

Each volunteer from the audience went up, and did their little thing. One of the things the boy did was get kissed by the lady in the purple dress. He cringed and went 'EWWWWW' up on stage. It was so funny and cute! :rotfl:

That was the reason Rory used for not going up (although he didn't know he would be kissed beforehand) but I guess he's just a little shy.

So here's some photos of the volunteers from the audience.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%20TR/Florida1666-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%20TR/Florida1669-1.gif

The little boy...

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%20TR/Florida1671-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%20TR/Florida1672-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%20TR/Florida1673-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%20TR/Florida1674-1.jpg

That part was very good fun. Well... the whole show was! And it was coming to an end sadly... :confused3

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%20TR/Florida1675-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%20TR/Florida1676-1.gif

We were given one of these (only one per table sadly...) and Rory and my Mum were enjoying making some noise...

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%20TR/Florida1681-1.gif

The show came to an end... the cast bowed...

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%20TR/Florida1685-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%20TR/Florida1686-1.gif

And we left. The one thing that was awesome about this place was that no tip was expected! Everyone just left! So we left quickly, got on a bus and were soon back at our car. This was the one time (surprisingly) we used a Disney bus. It was very efficient. Disney is so well connected!

Overall I would highly reccommend HDDR. One of our favourite meals of the week! Although the food is not spectacular to us (although the cornbread was YUM) I think Americans would probably like it more. We aren't used to ribs and beans with bacon in, etc. The show was so patriotic and amazing!

I've managed to get my mum's and Rory's opinions of the show.

My mum-

"It was a very entertaining evening, great fun, didn't really want it to finish! Food was okay- not really our kind of food- but it didn't matter because the entertainment was so good!"

Rory-

"10/10. The food was good and I really liked the bit when that funny dude was saying 'put your backside in, your backside out, in out, in out and you shake it all about!' It was great! I didn't like going on the stage thing. I didn't want to get kissed by that lady on the stage."

(Sorry about Rory's strange comment, he insisted I write it... that song was honestly his favourite part of the show!)

Well I hope to update soon! Thanks for reading! The weather is getting better, it's sunny, and I can't wait for summer!

[coltsfanatic]

Sorry I didn't see your review!! :scared1: Great update! HDDR sounds really good! Sorry the chef wasn't more accommodating, though. He could have done more than pasta and sauce. This was the one show we were going to do in 2000, but it was just too pricey for us with doing Cinderella's Castle breakfast, too.

Glad to see it's warming up in England. It's as dark and dreary here as ever! I keep dreaming of the warm sunshine in Florida! Are you thinking of going back to Disney World anytime soon?

[lilaurora]

Hello! Thankyou so much! And thanks for reading! You should definately do a TR... they are such fun to do! I love writing and was missing WDW so it seemed like the perfect thing to do. :cloud9:

That is interesting you are interested in the UK! I think people here generally do think America is big and great. Although we speak the same language and all, since visiting the US I think we are quite different countries. That's really neat about your husband being able to trace back his family history to the medieval times! I haven't done anything like that. Won't your family history date back that far? I thought lots of American's ancestors came from Europe and the UK.

You should definately come to the UK! You're making a good decision not coming this summer. We live very near London and it's extremely busy even now because of the Olympics. The Olympic village look very impressive though! Luckily we'll be on holiday in Scotland for 2 weeks of the Olympics so we'll avoid the business.

What kind of holiday were you intending to have in the UK? You'd probably just be moving around a lot- where in England and Scotland are you planning to visit? If you need any advice feel free to ask! England is marvellous, especially London and there's a city near me... Cambridge. I'm sure you've heard of it, but that's lovely too. As for Scotland, my dad is Scottish and so we have spent quite a lot of time up there over the years- I can assure you you will have a great time there! They are very patriotic, like Americans, except the Scottish culture is VERY different. Scottish dancing is fantastic too- you have to try it! (All the men wear kilts lol.) :dance3:

By the way, June is a great time to go. The weather is good by British standards and UK schools aren't on holiday yet, so it won't be nearly as busy as July and August. :goodvibes

That's quite sad that you didn't get to go to WDW as a child. Especially after buying guide books and planning your dream holiday! I think as long as your parents can afford it, it's good to push for a WDW holiday at least once. My parents thought it would be very tacky and awful- my dad was miserable on the flight over. But they fell in love with it, and now I don't even have to beg for another one- they are desperate to go back in 2013! I hope you have fun on your mother- daughter trip- your daughter is incredibly lucky! I wish I could see her face when you surprise her with it! Infact that's what I want to do with my brother Rory next time, the expression on his face would be priceless! :cloud9:

Thanks so much for reading! :goodvibes

I may just do a trip report yet - stranger things have happened!

Sounds like our plans for June trip are going to work out well. I would love to spend a couple of days in London and do super touristy things like Stonehenge. I also am very anxious to explore Scotland. I've been reading a book series over the past several years and the first couple of books mainly revolve around the Highlands in the 1740's. The second book also has a lot of action in Edinburgh, so I would LOVE to visit there and Inverness at least. My DH also wants London and touristy locales, but he would also really like to seek out the area where his ancestors lived.

As for my family ancestry, I am adopted, so I don't have much into on my birth parents. I do know that their background (collectively) was mostly Polish, Czech, and German. My adoptive family.....their are some family members who have been able to trace my grandparents to Germany, but we only can really trace back to the generation that came to the US back in the late 1800's.

I really like your review of the HDDR. It's something that I think my DD would really enjoy. We may go, but it depends on what resort we end up at on whether or not it would be in the budget.

Can't wait to read more!!

[meggiebeth]

Sorry I didn't see your review!! :scared1: Great update! HDDR sounds really good! Sorry the chef wasn't more accommodating, though. He could have done more than pasta and sauce. This was the one show we were going to do in 2000, but it was just too pricey for us with doing Cinderella's Castle breakfast, too.

Glad to see it's warming up in England. It's as dark and dreary here as ever! I keep dreaming of the warm sunshine in Florida! Are you thinking of going back to Disney World anytime soon?

Hi there! :yay:

Thank you! HDDR is really good fun. I'm not sure whether it's worth the price... we were on the DDP so didn't worry about that.I probably would not pay out of pocket for it. Ikr, the pasta and sauce was a little disappointing. So was the regular food- very basic, meaty and coated in some sort of sauce. I guess it's meant to be quite basic, theming wise. We drank out of jam jars. :rotfl:

What'd you think of Cinderella's Royal Table? We are looking at going there on our next trip.

It's a shame it's not so good weather where you are! When do things start to heat up for you? Yeah, we are determined to go back next October (2013) and are saving up as much as we can! So excited! I didn't even have to push for it this time. Are you planning to go back to WDW anytime soon then? :goodvibes

I may just do a trip report yet - stranger things have happened!

Sounds like our plans for June trip are going to work out well. I would love to spend a couple of days in London and do super touristy things like Stonehenge. I also am very anxious to explore Scotland. I've been reading a book series over the past several years and the first couple of books mainly revolve around the Highlands in the 1740's. The second book also has a lot of action in Edinburgh, so I would LOVE to visit there and Inverness at least. My DH also wants London and touristy locales, but he would also really like to seek out the area where his ancestors lived.

As for my family ancestry, I am adopted, so I don't have much into on my birth parents. I do know that their background (collectively) was mostly Polish, Czech, and German. My adoptive family.....their are some family members who have been able to trace my grandparents to Germany, but we only can really trace back to the generation that came to the US back in the late 1800's.

I really like your review of the HDDR. It's something that I think my DD would really enjoy. We may go, but it depends on what resort we end up at on whether or not it would be in the budget.

Can't wait to read more!!

You definately should! I would love to read it- I love reading TRs! :cool1:

London is a wonderful place to go- you will love it. Have you heard of the London Eye? That is a wonderful way to see the city skyline. Also the Tower of London is a great day out- they keep all the crown jewels there. Stonehenge is great! You aren't allowed to walk through the stones anymore though, sadly. Have you considered Cambridge? It's a beautiful city- infact the universities are beautiful too. You could also look at an English Heritage property. English Heritage basically looks after lots of old buildings, mansions and palaces which the owners give up. There's one near me called Audley End House and Gardens which is fascinating.

Scotland is great- as is Edinburgh as you say. Edinburgh castle is really neat attraction. There's also Loch Ness- we are planning to go there this August. And if you're into nature Glencoe is stunning too.

I would definately look for the area your DH's ancestors lived. Has he traced which part of the UK he is from yet?

Wow- I've never met an adopted person before! That's a shame you don't know much of your origins, but fascinating to think that your ancestors lived in a place as different as Poland, Germany and the Czech Rebublic! Apparently I have some Norweigan and French in me but I'm mainly Scottish. (Although I sound very English, weirdly!)

Thank you! :) HDDR was great fun, one of the best meals of the week! I think your DD will LOVE it, all of our family did. I wouldn't pay for it OOP... (it seems a little too expensive even though it was very good) but if you are on the dining plan (especially if it's the free one) it's better value. :goodvibes

Thanks! Here comes the next update! popcorn::

[meggiebeth]

Hallo! Welcome back to my TR!

After the late night at HDDR, we still had to get up pretty early for our ADR at Crystal Palace the next day. But... ontop of that... it was a VERY sad day :sad2:

Why? We were checking out of SSR that day! I was feeling really depressed, of course we were still in Florida for a week but we fell in love with SSR and didn't want to move to an offsite resort. Also it meant EMHs, the DDP and whole Disney resort experience was coming to an end.

So we had to get up early, pack up our things, check out, say our goodbyes to our wonderful resort, and rush off to MK.

Naturally, we were a little late. William dashed off to get FPs for Splash Mountain as we queued up to check in for our ADR at CP. This is probably the first time (except for the Mama Melrose incident) that a cast member was a little rude to us during the whole time of our holiday in Florida. We got to the front of the queue, which took 20 minutes, (I guess someone had a problem at the desk and it took a while) and when we finally asked to check in, the lady said quite harshly, "You CAN'T check in until all of your party is with you! Get back in the line when you're all together!" Of course Willum was still out getting FPs for SM. So we had to rush over to get him, line up again and it took another half an hour to get seated.

Me and Rors also forgot our autograph books. We got some paper from our kind waitress and used that instead.

What a pretty restaurant! Light and airy, with good food too! We loved the Winnie the Pooh theming.

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The buffet area was spacious and had quite a bit of choice, but not as much as a selection of some of the other buffets. They had a different version of the potato casserole I fell in love with at Akershus. Although I preferred the Akershus version this was still nice.

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First to come round was Piglet!

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After that we got some food. I got some photos of some of our plates.

My dad's plate...

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And (predictably) Rory's plate...

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Tigger was very good fun and bouncy!

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Winnie the Pooh!

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And cute little Eyore (I forgot how miserable he was until I watched the Winnie the Pooh movie the other day!)

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What a pretty restaurant!

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I loved the little display in the foyer of the restaurant. Beautiful!

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Again, the fabulous theming...

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Rory and William started messing around at the table, impatient to start exploring MK.

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We said goodbye to Crystal Palace, and headed outside...

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...to be greeted by this irreplacible view...

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Thanks for reading! I shall update more about our final day of the first week very soon!

[giantstoindy]

I'm so happy you're probably going to go again in 2013!! I definitely think everyone needs to try Cinderella's at least once. The food is not the best, but the atmosphere is amazing!

I love your pictures at Crystal Palace. It is such a nice restaurant! They have a lot of veggie choices, too. :banana: Silly hostesses and their seating policies.

Sorry you had to check out of SSR, it looked really nice. :) But glad you had a week left!

[coltsfanatic]

^^Oh my goodness I'm a dork, I posted under my other username!! ^^ It's still me! :)
I'm Jules by the way!

[lilaurora]

You definately should! I would love to read it- I love reading TRs! :cool1:

London is a wonderful place to go- you will love it. Have you heard of the London Eye? That is a wonderful way to see the city skyline. Also the Tower of London is a great day out- they keep all the crown jewels there. Stonehenge is great! You aren't allowed to walk through the stones anymore though, sadly. Have you considered Cambridge? It's a beautiful city- infact the universities are beautiful too. You could also look at an English Heritage property. English Heritage basically looks after lots of old buildings, mansions and palaces which the owners give up. There's one near me called Audley End House and Gardens which is fascinating.

Scotland is great- as is Edinburgh as you say. Edinburgh castle is really neat attraction. There's also Loch Ness- we are planning to go there this August. And if you're into nature Glencoe is stunning too.

I would definately look for the area your DH's ancestors lived. Has he traced which part of the UK he is from yet?

Wow- I've never met an adopted person before! That's a shame you don't know much of your origins, but fascinating to think that your ancestors lived in a place as different as Poland, Germany and the Czech Rebublic! Apparently I have some Norweigan and French in me but I'm mainly Scottish. (Although I sound very English, weirdly!)

Thank you! :) HDDR was great fun, one of the best meals of the week! I think your DD will LOVE it, all of our family did. I wouldn't pay for it OOP... (it seems a little too expensive even though it was very good) but if you are on the dining plan (especially if it's the free one) it's better value. :goodvibes

I have heard of the London Eye :) It looks really, really neat. And thanks for the info about English Heritage properties. I've made a note of it to inquire when we visit our travel agent to start getting our plans together. We do happen to know where my DH's ancestors came from - Dutton in Cheshire (nice when the place matches the family name). However, from what I've been able to find online, there really isn't anything there anymore, though. If I can believe Google Maps, it looks like it's not too far away from a city called Runcorn?? At the very least, it's quite a long way from Cambridge! It will be interesting on how to fit it into our itinerary.

I enjoyed reading the rest of your family's time at HDDR. DD and I will not be on the dining plan. I will plan a very few sit down meals, but want to keep our schedule pretty flexible. When we went last fall we were on the dining plan and had a great time (lots of character meals including 3 princess meals!). I might still think about it, though. I wanted to do it last time, but it didn't fit in the schedule.

Can't wait to hear more - especially what hotel your family moved to and what you all thought about it!

[meggiebeth]

I'm so happy you're probably going to go again in 2013!! I definitely think everyone needs to try Cinderella's at least once. The food is not the best, but the atmosphere is amazing!

I love your pictures at Crystal Palace. It is such a nice restaurant! They have a lot of veggie choices, too. :banana: Silly hostesses and their seating policies.

Sorry you had to check out of SSR, it looked really nice. :) But glad you had a week left!

I'm so happy about it too! Yeah... I can imagine the food not being particularly good but I think eating in the castle is something I can't pass up. We also want to do the Keys to the Kingdom tour, not sure if you've done that. I'm longing to get a peek at the utilidors underneath MK! popcorn::

Yeah, there were lots of veggie options at CP. I liked all the casseroles too! I'm not sure I'd go back for the restaurant itself, but I have heard about people with an early before park opening ADR getting into an empty MK! Gotta try that!

SSR was AMAZING! At first I thought we were 'settling' for it because of the big discount we got, but we actually preferred it to AKL, WL and the Poly which I was not expecting. :rolleyes1

^^Oh my goodness I'm a dork, I posted under my other username!! ^^ It's still me! :)
I'm Jules by the way!

Lol! That's funny having two accounts. You must get them confused all the time! :lmao: Wow what a nice name! I've heard of the name 'Jules' but never actually met anyone with that name. I would say my name's Megan but you would probably know that from reading my TR lol. :rolleyes1

I have heard of the London Eye :) It looks really, really neat. And thanks for the info about English Heritage properties. I've made a note of it to inquire when we visit our travel agent to start getting our plans together. We do happen to know where my DH's ancestors came from - Dutton in Cheshire (nice when the place matches the family name). However, from what I've been able to find online, there really isn't anything there anymore, though. If I can believe Google Maps, it looks like it's not too far away from a city called Runcorn?? At the very least, it's quite a long way from Cambridge! It will be interesting on how to fit it into our itinerary.

I enjoyed reading the rest of your family's time at HDDR. DD and I will not be on the dining plan. I will plan a very few sit down meals, but want to keep our schedule pretty flexible. When we went last fall we were on the dining plan and had a great time (lots of character meals including 3 princess meals!). I might still think about it, though. I wanted to do it last time, but it didn't fit in the schedule.

Can't wait to hear more - especially what hotel your family moved to and what you all thought about it!

Unfortunately I'm not very familiar with Cheshire- it's ages away from where I live... but it looks like Runcorn is quite close to Manchester- which my parents say is a fun city to visit. I would do some research on Runcorn and see whether it would be a nice place to stay- otherwise, you could find a nearby town to stay in and make a day trip to Dutton or Runcorn. I'm not sure how you'd want to do it- but London is pretty far from Chesire I think too, so you might have a few days in Cheshire and then move on to London.

If you're into history, some parts of England are very historical, but in a more modest way than London. Although our area is not that touristy apart from Cambridge, our nearby town has a medieval castle and all-sorts. You might want to give Cambridge a miss if you're pushed for time, but another great city to see is York. If you're planning on visiting London, you could drive from there to Cheshire and then from Cheshire to York, and then from York to Scotland. Oh and there is also Hadrian's Wall up on the border which is fascinating.

I guess I'm not really sure how I'd want to do it if I were visiting from another country. It's not a sunbathing holiday at all, so you'd probably be moving around a lot. Some day I want to do a tour of California or the East Coast of the US... they are... kind of similar. :lmao:

If you want to try out HDDR and you think the price is OK, I would definately go for it! It's great fun! One thing I would advice is to get category 1 seating, if it's not too much more. You feel far more 'involved' in the show and you are very close to the stage. I can't imagine being up on the balconies... I don't think the view would be nearly as good. :)

We actually moved offsite. The condo was fantastic but the location and atmosphere just didn't compare to SSR. Update coming up!

[meggiebeth]

Hello and welcome back! Well I left off just as we had left Crystal Palace and somehow... I'm not sure how far along in the day this was... but we came across the Dream Along with Mickey Show! AMAZING as usual!

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After enjoying the show we queued up for... urmmm... Splash Mountain I think.

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Again, one of our favourite rides... such great theming and attention to detail!

After that, we had another go on the Haunted Mansion. Earlier in the week it was quiet but today they were JAM PACKING you into the room where the roof stretches. I'm not claustaphobic and I still found it scary. You could actually not move much, and when we moved on to lining up to get on the ride, it was like everyone was pushing in on you... AWFUL. I thought back to England and how some people were crushed to death in a packed football stadium. Okay, Megan, not the best thing to do, but I was wondering if it was safe to pack people into a small space like that. If there was a fire, like at the football stadium, it could be dangerous.

Okay, that was just me being paranoid! :rotfl:

Anyway... I have these two photos...

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I believe that after this we got on the monorail ready to go home to our new condominium.

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What resort were we staying at?.....

Reunion Resort! :dance3: :cool1:

Reunion is an upscale golf resort in Kissimmee. We did not book via the hotel, but with a private owner. This made it a lot cheaper (we could not have stayed here otherwise) and the condo was luxurious and brand new!

There were 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms and a beautiful kitchen and living room. My parents had a room, William had his own room, and me and Rory shared a room. Although it was more upscale and bigger than SSR... there was something missing. I missed SSR quite a bit.

I'm not sure if you're allowed to do this, but here is what our condo looked like. I didn't take any photographs so here is the link to the condo.

Reunion Condo Link (http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p482131)

We had a huge balcony with fantastic views out onto the golf course. This resort wasn't really to our taste- it was very 'adult' feeling. But the price for the condo was great value and it was a great choice for the money and quality of the place.

Of course this new condo presented us with some new problems. William, now having his own room and flat screen television for the second week was quite reluctant to come anywhere with us. But we let him stay home and relax for some of the second week- I think he was pretty exhausted from all the early mornings, long days and late nights that we had during the first week of our holiday.

Well that's it for now! I have to upload more photos to Photobucket now. :)

Thanks so much for reading! :dance3:

[vdub322]

I just found your trip report and caught up on reading the entire thing. You've done a great job! I have a daughter who is a little younger than you (almost 13) and it's great reading about Disney from your perspective. Thanks for taking the time to write it even though your trip is over! And I've also enjoyed reading about your culture and traditions in the UK! Keep up the great reporting!

[meggiebeth]

I just found your trip report and caught up on reading the entire thing. You've done a great job! I have a daughter who is a little younger than you (almost 13) and it's great reading about Disney from your perspective. Thanks for taking the time to write it even though your trip is over! And I've also enjoyed reading about your culture and traditions in the UK! Keep up the great reporting!

Hello! Thanks for joining in! :goodvibes

Thank you! That's interesting- I always enjoy hearing about people who are are around my age who like Disney. I guess I love to hear their perspective on WDW too! :yay: I also find it interesting how adults find Disney. That's why I love following TRs here on the TR thread :cool1:

Thanks! I love being on the Disboards for the very same reason! Learning about American culture and all the phrases that are different to what we say. popcorn::

I hope to update very soon. Thanks for reading! :goodvibes

[giantstoindy]

:scared1: about the stretching room at HM! It looks like a neat ride, I can't wait to try it out. Did you do the queue before you went inside the attraction?

Clicked your link and the resort looks BEAUTIFUL!!! Oh my. So nice. :cool2:

It's great you still have a little time left on your trip report. I really think breaking up the vacation helps make it seem longer.

[meggiebeth]

:scared1: about the stretching room at HM! It looks like a neat ride, I can't wait to try it out. Did you do the queue before you went inside the attraction?

Clicked your link and the resort looks BEAUTIFUL!!! Oh my. So nice. :cool2:

It's great you still have a little time left on your trip report. I really think breaking up the vacation helps make it seem longer.

It's not scary at all, HM, it's just such a cute ride! Have you not ridden it before? Yeah we did- you can choose whether to go through the quick queue or the queue that enters the ride via the graveyard. Really neat! Everything is interactive. popcorn::

It was pretty beautiful! Just didn't feel like 'home' like SSR. Lol.

Yeah, I think so too! I think next time I will stay offsite first and then onsite so I don't miss being in the middle of Disney afterwards. Next year we plan to have a week offsite, and then 12 nights onsite. If my parents will just go along with it. :rotfl:

[meggiebeth]

Hello and welcome back! Well here is our dinner at 'Ohana! I'm afraid the photos of our meal are awful so I'll just include a few of the 'better' ones.

Here are some of the foods we were offered:

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I tried the vegetarian dish which was... well... I didn't like it at all. My first taste of tofu and EWWWWWWWW! :rotfl:

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Here's photos of some of us...

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I know 'Ohana is many people's favourite but it was one of our worst meals of the week. I'm not sure why- whether the food was bad or if it just wasn't to our tastes.

The entertainment was a little tacky for Disney. Even though we would not return to 'Ohana for dinner we loved breakfast there and cannot wait to go again!

Next up- Discovery Cove day!!! :dance3:

[giantstoindy]

No, I haven't done HM :laughing: but I will lose my chicken (no pun intended) tendencies this summer!

Oh, wow!! Ohana looks Yum, yum and yum! ...even though you didn't like tofu!

12 nights onsite :dance3:

I can't wait for your Discovery Cove update!

[meggiebeth]

Hello and welcome back! Now for one of the most special days of the trip-

DISCOVERY COVE! :dance3:

Let's just say to start with that our 1 day ticket for Discovery Cove was almost as much as 14 day Disney tickets! :eek:

However this made me more excited. We weren't originally going to Discovery Cove, but I begged my parents. Well... my mum didn't need persuading... just my dad... who loves saving and hates spending. When I told him it would be £180 a person... he was just like 'NO WAY!!! :mad: ' But he came around and we decided to book. On Trip Advisor all the reviews were pretty good and my dad spoke to some friends who are Florida addicts who found DC amazing.

We got up early and arrived at DC around 8:30am I believe. There was actually quite a long queue to check in. We had our bags checked and then eventually got to a desk where we had our photos taken and printed on plastic ID badges that were attatched to lanyards which we then had to wear around our neck for the whole day.

After that we had our complimentary photo taken and were advised, I seem to remember, to have breakfast before putting our swimming costumes, wetsuits and vests on. I guess it made a lot of sense seeing as it was hot and humid! :rotfl:

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Breakfast was yummy. I think it was help yourself- sort of in a cafeteria fashion. A very smart cafeteria though! ;) Not as good as a Disney breakfast buffet (I would say mainly because there was FAR less choice) but still very nice. I remember having milk and diced potatoes among other things. I can't remember what you call diced potatoes in the US... is it teetertotters... or tatertots or something? Okay, I'd better stop embarrassing myself. :rolleyes1

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We walked over to the place where you get your wetsuits. First we chose snorkels. They were all in little bags with goggles and suncream I think. They came in adult and kid's sizes. Although I'm quite small I didn't fit the kid's size, nor did William.

You were then given the choice of wearing a vest or a wetsuit. I think at first most of us went for vests rather than wetsuits. They also provide different sizes of life jackets for children and adults who aren't great swimmers. The lazy river, Grand Reef and Dolphin Lagoon all got pretty deep.

We got changed into our swimming costumes and put our vests and wetsuits on and then went to find some loungers to set up base. We found a nice spot at the opening of the lazy river.

We spent more time than I'd have liked in the lazy river. There was so much else to see at DC and we weren't seeing it! Rory's mask kept leaking and we went back to get one mask after the other. I don't think it ever got sorted out properly in the end.

We finally headed out into the Grand Reef. There is a shallow end for people to paddle where the smaller stingrays would swim out. Lots of children were chasing them- you could kind of tell the stingrays didn't like it. Then there was a deeper end... very deep... with lots of coral and tropical fish and HUGE (and I mean HUUUUGE!) stingrays. There was also a separate shark enclosure that you couldn't get into. (Unless you jumped... EEK!)

I tried to get in the deeper end... there was sort of a zero entry bit that allowed you to work your way in. The water is FREEZING so it was difficult to stay in the water for too long. When I finally braved going out deeper I made it a metre before I panicked and swam back out. It's a sudden drop and all I could see was HUGE stingrays lying on the bottom of the sea bed. Sure, they were still, but I was terrified they would start moving. Also it was so cold I didn't enjoy it as much as I should have done.

A little stingray brushed past my leg and gave me a little fright. I just felt a bit uncomfortable of the stingrays. The fish were quite big and I saw lots of them... amazing.

William and my dad swam over. My dad at some point got attacked by a huge stingray. OK- when I say 'attacked' I don't mean attacked but the stingray swam right into him and my dad (who is hard to scare) was terrified. popcorn::

Meanwhile my mum was with Rory who was sitting on a rock in the shallow end refusing to go in. Apparently he found it too cold too. They were chatting to a little American girl from Queens in New York. Ironically we were in the same dolphin swim as her I believe.

Then we went off to have lunch. The food was really yummy actually. You got to choose a main course and a dessert. I chose pasta with tomato sauce and a chocolate cake drizzled with strawberry sauce I think. I can't remember anyone elses though. There was a band playing/singing Caribbean themed music which added to the atmosphere.

After lunch myself, my mum and William (I think...?) decided to swap our vests for wetsuits. The cold water in the Grand Reef was quite unpleasant- to us anyway. :lmao:

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We then headed to the cabana we'd been assigned where we got a brief talk from a dolphin trainer, telling us of all the precautions, etc. Then we headed out to the dolphin lagoon.

Here's a little 'preview' of our dolphin swim...

(I'm loving it you can see... unlike a certain someone in the next photo... haha!)

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And here, little Rory (who was reluctant to do the swim anyway because of the cold water) is showing what he thinks after an experience kissing a dolphin... :rolleyes1

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... Says it all, eh?! :rotfl:

My next post is coming soon! I will include all the photos taken during our swim (I still look back at them thinking how wonderful it was... and smile!)

Thanks for reading! Bye!

[meggiebeth]

No, I haven't done HM :laughing: but I will lose my chicken (no pun intended) tendencies this summer!

Oh, wow!! Ohana looks Yum, yum and yum! ...even though you didn't like tofu!

12 nights onsite :dance3:

I can't wait for your Discovery Cove update!

Hehe! When are you going in summer? Haunted Mansion is cute, you'll love it. ToT is WAAAY worse :rotfl:

Are you quite an adventurous vegetarian then? Wish I could say the same about myself! :lmao: Maybe I'll catch on to tofu... the texture was the bad thing about it.

Thanks! I just posted part of the Discovery Cove day above. I've got so many photos from the swim though that I'll have to update the rest later. (10:30pm here and... ughh school tomorrow. But it's the Easter holidays next week! Are you off school yet? :)

[saintstickets]

Yea!! I've loved your TR but this is the part I've really been looking forward to reading...Discovery Cove! DW and I along with DS, DDiL, DD & DDbf are going in May and we are really looking forward to it.

Another reason I like this post - Your best smile yet in any picture you've posted! :thumbsup2 Can't wait for more.
(I'm loving it you can see)

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[giantstoindy]

Hehe! When are you going in summer? Haunted Mansion is cute, you'll love it. ToT is WAAAY worse :rotfl:

Are you quite an adventurous vegetarian then? Wish I could say the same about myself! :lmao: Maybe I'll catch on to tofu... the texture was the bad thing about it.

Thanks! I just posted part of the Discovery Cove day above. I've got so many photos from the swim though that I'll have to update the rest later. (10:30pm here and... ughh school tomorrow. But it's the Easter holidays next week! Are you off school yet? :)

EEP! Dolphins are so amazing! You have so convinced me to try dolphin swimming in the near future. I know Miami Seaquarium has one so I'll have to check that out for that part of our Florida trip :cloud9: starting June 20th! The ocean is calling my name now-it's only 50 degrees out.

Yea it's quite funny. I'm not crazy regular-life wise, but I'll try basically try any food. Before I was a veggie, I used to love frog legs, liver and onions, etc. I guess I take after my grandpa. :laughing:

Congrats on the Easter holidays! Maybe you'll have time to plan more of your trip!! (I just had a quick break last week but other than that our schools go strong until the beginning of May.)

CanNOT wait for more of the dolphin pics!! (oh and we call those potatoes tatertots :))

[meggiebeth]

Hello and welcome back! Before I update more on discovery cove, Rory would like very much to share his thoughts on the day and also a little on what he thought about the HDDR.

"breakfirst was amaizing :banana: The sting rays were very scary :scared1: the water was freasing :dancer:

lunch was awsome. popcorn::

the dolphin swim was Epic i loved it but the water was cold too :lmao: and :littleangel:

the lazy river was cool i ceped diveing under :rolleyes:

by the way, i want to talk about the hoopdidorevue the hoopdidorevue was so funny :happytv: my faiveret food was the cornbread :santa: my werst food was the pudding :sad2: "

[meggiebeth]

More coming up soon on Discovery Cove! Rory wanted to do another little update on what he thought first though.

Yea!! I've loved your TR but this is the part I've really been looking forward to reading...Discovery Cove! DW and I along with DS, DDiL, DD & DDbf are going in May and we are really looking forward to it.

Another reason I like this post - Your best smile yet in any picture you've posted! :thumbsup2 Can't wait for more.

Thanks! You're so lucky going in May! You will LOVE it! :cloud9: Especially if you have not been before. Just remember to wear a wetsuit :rotfl:

Thanks haha :lmao: I have to admit, that is probably my most genuine smile of the whole trip. Or of my whole life actually. Such a priceless feeling that you just can't help smiling :love:

More coming up soon!

EEP! Dolphins are so amazing! You have so convinced me to try dolphin swimming in the near future. I know Miami Seaquarium has one so I'll have to check that out for that part of our Florida trip :cloud9: starting June 20th! The ocean is calling my name now-it's only 50 degrees out.

Yea it's quite funny. I'm not crazy regular-life wise, but I'll try basically try any food. Before I was a veggie, I used to love frog legs, liver and onions, etc. I guess I take after my grandpa. :laughing:

Congrats on the Easter holidays! Maybe you'll have time to plan more of your trip!! (I just had a quick break last week but other than that our schools go strong until the beginning of May.)

CanNOT wait for more of the dolphin pics!! (oh and we call those potatoes tatertots :))

I didn't love dolphins before DC and now I am a BIG dolphin fan! :banana: You will love it, I would definately try a dolphin swim! You are SO lucky going on all these trips! I would love to live in the US and get to explore the country. :cloud9:

We've had great weather this week up until yesterday. Late 60s and low 70s which is fab for the UK, really unusual. How's the weather going to be near you?

Frog legs?! :eek: I have never tried them and they sound a bit... disgusting lol. You should try haggis- that's sheep intestine. But the vegetarian version is delicious too. So why are you a veggie? Out of principal or because you just dislike meat?

We'll just be planning Scotland this easter holiday... I drive my parents crazy with my Florida ambitions :rotfl: That's strange! I thought you had 'spring break' in the US. Which is apparently like a month long. Do you finish the school year in May then? That's really early :scared1: We finish at the end of July. Waah! :headache:

Update coming soon! And ahh thanks, I thought they would be tatertots. Aren't teetertotters the ride thing at the park? Seesaws? Lol :)

[Karabee]

You just posted on a thread I started about SSR and you should have just had me read your trip report - its fantastic! Thanks for the great pictures of the room.

Keep up the good work on this TR - I usually don't read alot of these because I get restless but I'm really enjoying this one! :thumbsup2

I'm also going to London next spring with my best friend for our birthdays so I enjoy seeing the different English words and spelling ;)

[PatchPixie]

My daughter and I are enjoying your trip report very much. She just informed me that she would like to swim with dolphins on our next vacation to Florida. She also thinks you are very pretty! :butterfly Looking forward to your continued story...Thanks for sharing!

[giantstoindy]

Rory's comments are so cute! He sounds very intelligent! Dolphin swimming might have to wait for another trip, but we'll have to see! I really wish we could explore alot of the US but money is pretty tight :rolleyes: especially with me going off to college soon.

Awesome weather. Yeah, just after I said that the weather has been getting pretty cold again! Haggis, hmm. I'm a veggie mostly for ethics. You?

Wow, Scotland! You'll have to update about that too. Most schools have a weeklong spring break here, but because I go to school online my instructors don't give us a break, really. :rolleyes1 That's why I can't wait to go off to college.

The end of July??! CRAZY

[catherinen]

Hi Meggie

I just came across your trip report and love it! Our family (me, 40, DH 44, DD12 and DD6) are going to WDW for the first time this August and we're staying at SSR!

Your writing is very engaging and your enthusiasm is infectious! Your family reminds me of my own mum and dad and my two younger brothers and our trips when I was young, as we went to France a lot too. A trip to Florida was totally out of the question back then, but now I have my own family and I'm so looking forward to enjoying our holiday together. Your report's giving me an idea of how my own 12 year old might feel about it. Also, I think having Rory contribute is genius, and if he can be persuaded to add some more I'd love to read it as it'll give me an idea of how my own 6 year old will find it!

Catherine

[catherinen]

Hi again Meggie

I should have mentioned we're from the UK too - Wiltshire. I love reading reports from fellow UKers as, despite us and the Amercians sharing a language, there's still a lot that gets lost in translation!

[meggiebeth]

Hey there again! Here comes the next update... on Discovery Cove!!! :cool1:

As we made it over to the lagoon, we discovered we were in a group with the little girl from Queens and her family. It was so strange meeting people from places we'd only ever dreamed of seeing in the movies!

Our first dolphin was Stella. She was very young and still in the process of being trained. Our dolphin trainer got her to do a few little tricks, some of which she didn't do (reminds me of our labrador back at home who is very naughty but obsessed with food at the same time...) but it was adorable watching her. Afterwards the trainer got us to kiss the dolphin. I went first (surprisingly!).

We were told to hold her under the chin and then kiss her. It was such an amazing experience! You can see from these photographs that I was in heaven. Such a wonderful experience! It does leave you feeling so happy... I had no idea I would love the dolphin encounter as much as I did. (Before DC I wasn't that keen on dolphins... afterwards is a different story!!!)

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/m081911_00_0446.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/m081911_00_0447.jpg

This is the most genuine smile from the holiday I think. Well actually, the most genuine smile from me that I have seen in a long time!

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/m081911_00_0449.jpg

Next up was my mum. I didn't know what she was thinking but it was obvious she really enjoyed it too. (Me and my mum love spending money on things like DC and shopping...!)

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/m081911_00_0450.jpg

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And here is little Rory. He (as a 6 year old boy) is incredibly reluctant to kiss anyone apart from his parents. He won't even kiss me... his lovely big sister! So as you can see he was a little apprehensive to kiss Stella.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/m081911_00_0454.jpg

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Look at his reaction! :rotfl:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/m081911_00_0457.jpg

Afterwards it was my dad's turn. He really enjoyed it too but he wasn't as estatic as me. I think he was thinking about the money side of it.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/m081911_00_0458.jpg

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And William, surprisingly loved the experience. Strange because he is really funny about animals. (Well mainly stuffed animals but still!) I think Stella reminded him of our playful little doggie at home. As soon as he got back to the UK he put a picture of him at the dolphin swim in a frame on his bookcase.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/m081911_00_0462.jpg

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That's it for now! Coming up next is MORE of our day at DC (even more...?... :rotfl: ) We had the dolphin SWIM and the rest of the day to look forward to afterall! :)

Here's a preview:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/m081911_00_0471.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/m081911_00_0477.jpg

[meggiebeth]

You just posted on a thread I started about SSR and you should have just had me read your trip report - its fantastic! Thanks for the great pictures of the room.

Keep up the good work on this TR - I usually don't read alot of these because I get restless but I'm really enjoying this one! :thumbsup2

I'm also going to London next spring with my best friend for our birthdays so I enjoy seeing the different English words and spelling

Awww thanks! :goodvibes I hoped the pictures might've helped someone! You are in for a treat when you stay at SSR. It's very different to other Disney resorts but the upscale theming feels a little like BC with a New York influence. :goodvibes

Thanks! I'm incredibly glad you are enjoying it :cloud9: I hope you have a good time in London! It's my favourite city ever- I'm sure you will love it. The amount of things to do there are pretty overwhelming though :lmao: How long are you going for? If you need any info or advice I'd be glad to help :)

My daughter and I are enjoying your trip report very much. She just informed me that she would like to swim with dolphins on our next vacation to Florida. She also thinks you are very pretty! :butterfly Looking forward to your continued story...Thanks for sharing!

Thanks for joining in! :goodvibes You should definately swim with dolphins... it is an unforgettable experience! Imho the dolphin swim makes the cost of the DC ticket worth it... it's something everyone should do once! Aww thanks! I don't hear that very often. *Megan blushes* :hug: Thanks for reading :)

Rory's comments are so cute! He sounds very intelligent! Dolphin swimming might have to wait for another trip, but we'll have to see! I really wish we could explore alot of the US but money is pretty tight :rolleyes: especially with me going off to college soon.

Awesome weather. Yeah, just after I said that the weather has been getting pretty cold again! Haggis, hmm. I'm a veggie mostly for ethics. You?

Wow, Scotland! You'll have to update about that too. Most schools have a weeklong spring break here, but because I go to school online my instructors don't give us a break, really. :rolleyes1 That's why I can't wait to go off to college.

The end of July??! CRAZY

Hehe Rory is very cute :goodvibes I'm not sure about intelligent but it's great having a little brother writing his perspective on the trip popcorn:: If you can save the money I would try dolphin swimming... although I know what you mean about money being tight! Everything is getting more expensive too :rotfl: At least you're coming to Europe soon. I can assure you it'll be very different from the US... I wonder how you'll like it. When we came to the US it felt like we were in a movie to me lol... although that sounds a bit silly :rolleyes1

The weather has gotten bad here too. 70s last week and this week there's snow! :eek: Ughh I hate the cold. Oh yeah, me too. I watched a video on Facebook of how they treat animals... made it 30 seconds in and then turned it off. Absolutely horrible! :scared1:

I'm looking forward to exploring the Highlands but Scotland has even worse weather than England :sad2: You're in Ohio right? You get quite warm summers I have heard.

Really? I thought spring break was way longer than a week. We have two weeks... Easter in two days! Did you have a bank holiday today? Everyone here had the day off... my parents too. WOW you go to school online?! That's awesome! I've heard of that but we don't get to do it here :sad2: Doesn't it ever get boring? What lessons must you do?

Is the end of July good or bad... lol. We do have two weeks of at Christmas and Easter... plus a week off every half term. But compared to your long summer holidays... 6 weeks sounds rubbish (that is how much we get off in the summer)

Happy Easter!

Hi Meggie

I just came across your trip report and love it! Our family (me, 40, DH 44, DD12 and DD6) are going to WDW for the first time this August and we're staying at SSR!

Your writing is very engaging and your enthusiasm is infectious! Your family reminds me of my own mum and dad and my two younger brothers and our trips when I was young, as we went to France a lot too. A trip to Florida was totally out of the question back then, but now I have my own family and I'm so looking forward to enjoying our holiday together. Your report's giving me an idea of how my own 12 year old might feel about it. Also, I think having Rory contribute is genius, and if he can be persuaded to add some more I'd love to read it as it'll give me an idea of how my own 6 year old will find it!

Catherine

Hello! Thanks for joining in! You are going to LOVE SSR! It is the most wonderful resort! Are you on the dining plan at all? You are going to love WDW... it's just amazing! Although the heat in August does get a little unbearable midday. One thing you must try is the main pool at SSR at night. After it's gotten dark it's heavenly... and the atmosphere is lovely too.

Thank you! :goodvibes If you're used to France (depending on what your accommodation was- we used to stay in 3 bedroom mobile homes) Florida and SSR will be a real treat. The whole resort feels so upscale and friendly. And if you get a villa in the Springs you will be close to most things.

Your daughters are the perfect age to enjoy it. If your 12 year old DD is anything like me she will love it! I sometimes wished I had a younger sister, like your DD6, to show the princesses to and things lol :rolleyes:

Have you been to the US before? If not it will be even more amazing! All the different words they use, and all the patriotic flags, etc. And when you eat in a restaurant... they top up your glass again and again for free! Okay... that's not big but it was neat to us! The service is incomparable to most places in the UK. :love:

Thanks! I will get Rory to write some more soon... I'm sure a bar of chocolate will persuade him :rotfl:

Hi again Meggie

I should have mentioned we're from the UK too - Wiltshire. I love reading reports from fellow UKers as, despite us and the Amercians sharing a language, there's still a lot that gets lost in translation!

Oh, great! I love to meet fellow UKers too! We live in Essex now but used to live in Buckinghamshire which was closer to Wiltshire I think. I totally agree! It was after visiting Florida that I realised how different the US and its language is compared to the UK and British English.

:)

[saintstickets]

More GREAT pictures at Discovery Cove! :cool1: I can't wait to go!!!

[ZFamily5]

I have not been here in way too long! Sorry about that!

Going way back into the TR, the Ohana breakfast looks amazing! We've only done the dinner there, but I think you've officially put the breakfast on my list!

Love your obsession with Mickey waffles! We have a Mickey waffle maker and that's what we're having for dinner on Monday night! Yum! :cloud9:

Typhoon Lagoon looks lovely, as usual! In the beginning of March, it was 80 degrees here, when it is usually 40 degrees or colder, but it's gotten chilly again! I can't wait for summer!

The Boma breakfast looked great too! I don't think we'll be there anytime soon, as my family didn't really like the dinner buffet!

Les Chefs de France...I have a love/hate relationship with that place and I've only been there once! :rotfl2: The French Onion soup was amazing! However, I thought the mac n' cheese tasted a little off because of the nutmeg in it...maybe it's just me?

I just love Animal Kingdom...everything about it! Although, it does seem to get hotter than the other parks!

I love the pictures of your town! I'll try and find some of our town to put up! They are quite different!

Love Crystal Palace! It's one of our must dos every time we are at Disney World!

Wait, you're probably coming back in 2013?! How did I miss this??

Discovery Cove looks great too! Everytime we go to Orlando I think we'll do that or visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, but we always end up staying at Disney the whole time!

Great updates! Hope to hear more soon!

[meggiebeth]

More GREAT pictures at Discovery Cove! :cool1: I can't wait to go!!!

Thanks! :goodvibes You will love it! Not long for you now! :cool1:

I have not been here in way too long! Sorry about that!

Hallo! Great to here from you! I'd better go back and look for updates on your TR too! :goodvibes

Going way back into the TR, the Ohana breakfast looks amazing! We've only done the dinner there, but I think you've officially put the breakfast on my list!

Yeah, the breakfast was great! The food was delicious and the characters were great. :goodvibes to Stitch! You should definately try it!

Love your obsession with Mickey waffles! We have a Mickey waffle maker and that's what we're having for dinner on Monday night! Yum! :cloud9:

:eek: You have a Mickey Waffle Maker?! :woohoo: And having waffles for dinner...? Sounds AMAZING! :lovestruc I've looked for a Mickey waffle maker but apparently they don't sell proper ones anymore. :(

Typhoon Lagoon looks lovely, as usual! In the beginning of March, it was 80 degrees here, when it is usually 40 degrees or colder, but it's gotten chilly again! I can't wait for summer!

Typhoon Lagoon was great! Have you been to Blizzard Beach? That's next on our list... the family raft ride looks great fun! Wow, 80 degrees... that is warm. 40 degrees is pretty cold right? Near freezing I think? I'm so bad with farenheit. :lmao: I'm glad I'm not the only one looking forward to summer! Do you get hot summers? Well, to be honest we don't... but I'm fed up of the cold lol.

The Boma breakfast looked great too! I don't think we'll be there anytime soon, as my family didn't really like the dinner buffet!

Hmm, well I wouldn't put it at the top of my list either. All the breakfast buffets were great and Boma was one of our least favourites. It was quite spicy. (And NO Mickey waffles! :scared1: ) If your family didn't like it for dinner I'm not entirely sure breakfast would be that different. popcorn::

Les Chefs de France...I have a love/hate relationship with that place and I've only been there once! :rotfl2: The French Onion soup was amazing! However, I thought the mac n' cheese tasted a little off because of the nutmeg in it...maybe it's just me?

Me too! The onion soup was yummy! (But I had the macaroni cheese too and left most of it I think. It's very different to the stuff we have in England but I thought maybe that's what American macaroni cheese tastes like. :lmao: Glad to hear it wasn't just me!

I just love Animal Kingdom...everything about it! Although, it does seem to get hotter than the other parks!

Really? AK was probably our least favourite, but I think the weather that day made it worse along with the crowds. A 2 hour downpour of rain is not pleasant when you are stuch standing outside Tusker House! :rotfl:

Although Expedition Everest was great, and Dinosaur was pretty cool too.

I love the pictures of your town! I'll try and find some of our town to put up! They are quite different!

Thanks! And I would love to see some photos of your town, can't wait to see them! :goodvibes

Love Crystal Palace! It's one of our must dos every time we are at Disney World!

Me too! Hopefully we will do it next time, for breakfast of course. Nothing beats an empty park!

Wait, you're probably coming back in 2013?! How did I miss this??

Haha! I can't wait! We're just going to Scotland this year which will be cold and... unDisneyish. But I can't wait to go back! Do you have any more trips to WDW in the works? I remember you said your parents like you to experience different places.

Discovery Cove looks great too! Everytime we go to Orlando I think we'll do that or visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, but we always end up staying at Disney the whole time!

Discovery Cove was great, although it wasn't good value for money at all. You should definately try it if it's in the budget! The dolphin swim is unforgettable! Me too, I could easily stay at Disney the whole holiday, it's just so big and fun!

Great updates! Hope to hear more soon!

Thanks! Update coming now hopefully :)

Replies are in red above :)

[meggiebeth]

Okay, so after we kissed young little Stella, she was taken away to rest, being so young and still in training. The trainer then brought out a much older, more experienced dolphin, who's name escapes me.

This new dolphin was lovely, and very good at tricks. He was very scratched- apparently this is what dolphins do to eachother.

We all made our way out to deeper water two at a time.

First me and my mum headed out. It was very deep (you cannot stand) but we weren't hovering for long. First was my mum...

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/m081911_00_0471.jpg

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Next it was me...

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I really enjoyed the swim although it is VERY short and lasts about 5 or 10 seconds. I think if I had to choose which was better, kissing the dolphin would be my answer. I can't really remember but I think we had to hold his fin and get pulled by that. It was wonderful.

Next up was Willum. He keeps this first picture up in his room in a frame. He loved the experience.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/m081911_00_0481.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/m081911_00_0483.jpg

Afterwards was my dad...

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/m081911_00_0487.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/m081911_00_0490.jpg

...who enjoyed the experience very much I believe!

And after this, Rory and a boy from the other family in our group, both who could not swim in deep water, were taken up to shallow rocks I think, so they did not have to swim. Rory enjoyed his dolphin swim, although he was being miserable for the rest of the dolphin session. It was a little depressing that we had paid a fortune to go to DC and Rory was moaning all through the wonderful experience.

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And afterwards, the final part of our dolphin encounter... we gathered together to get a family photo with the dolphin. You can tell Rory is enjoying himself ( :laughing: ) but honestly the rest of us loved the experience.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/m081911_00_0496.jpg

These photos are priceless to our family and it is lovely looking back on them! Of course after the dolphin swim we were ushered to the photo viewing area. I didn't think my dad would want to buy any photos, but when we saw them, we fell in love with them! It would be awful to not get any photos to commemorate the occasion. The package we got was over $100 I think, and got us a CD with all of the photos on, plus two keyrings with photos in, and several mounted prints which are lovely, plus some smaller prints. We also got a lovely free photo frame which is in my room as we speak and of great quality.

Afterwards we went to laze around in the lazy river for the rest of the day. It was very relaxing although Rory kept picking up stones from the bottom lol. Me and my mum went to the aviary but the birds were very full and there were lots of people there. I would reccommend going to the aviary at the start of the day. When I eventually got a bird on my arm, it was ADORABLE and I loved it! I wish we had a photo taken, it was just lovely!

We went to pick up our photos before the park closed. This turned out to be a great decision because as we were leaving, the photo collection area was absolutely packed!

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Then, we left the park, with a few final photos :(

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Rory wanted to take one of the rest of us...

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida2029-1.gif

After we left, saying goodbye to DC, we thought of where we could go to eat dinner.

More coming soon, thanks for reading!

[giantstoindy]

What a GREAT experience!! I'm glad you bought that photo package and shared...it was worth it. :goodvibes Tell Rory he's a great photographer. What a fun day...wonder where you went for dinner?!

[catherinen]

Hello! Thanks for joining in! You are going to LOVE SSR! It is the most wonderful resort! Are you on the dining plan at all? You are going to love WDW... it's just amazing! Although the heat in August does get a little unbearable midday. One thing you must try is the main pool at SSR at night. After it's gotten dark it's heavenly... and the atmosphere is lovely too.

Thank you! :goodvibes If you're used to France (depending on what your accommodation was- we used to stay in 3 bedroom mobile homes) Florida and SSR will be a real treat. The whole resort feels so upscale and friendly. And if you get a villa in the Springs you will be close to most things.

Your daughters are the perfect age to enjoy it. If your 12 year old DD is anything like me she will love it! I sometimes wished I had a younger sister, like your DD6, to show the princesses to and things lol :rolleyes:

Have you been to the US before? If not it will be even more amazing! All the different words they use, and all the patriotic flags, etc. And when you eat in a restaurant... they top up your glass again and again for free! Okay... that's not big but it was neat to us! The service is incomparable to most places in the UK. :love:

Thanks! I will get Rory to write some more soon... I'm sure a bar of chocolate will persuade him :rotfl:

Hi Meggie

More fabulous pictures. We're not doing DC - not enough money or time!

We have been to New York nefore, but nowhere else in the States. And yes, we've got the dining plan and ADRs all done. We've gone for lots of 2TS places (Le Cellier, Brown Derby, Spirit of Aloha, Fultons, Wolfgang, CRT) as I couldn't figure out how we'd have time for more, as we're spending quite a few days offsite at Universal, Seaworld and KSC.

Looking forward to more updates from you and your family!

[meggiebeth]

What a GREAT experience!! I'm glad you bought that photo package and shared...it was worth it. :goodvibes Tell Rory he's a great photographer. What a fun day...wonder where you went for dinner?!

It was worth it to us too. Lovely photos of the swim! Rory is very pleased and he says thankyou. Lol. Well we went somewhere really... lame for dinner lol. We eat there sometimes in the UK. Chicken nuggets and chips is not the most... inspiring meal we have had on the trip. :lmao:

Hello! Thanks for joining in! You are going to LOVE SSR! It is the most wonderful resort! Are you on the dining plan at all? You are going to love WDW... it's just amazing! Although the heat in August does get a little unbearable midday. One thing you must try is the main pool at SSR at night. After it's gotten dark it's heavenly... and the atmosphere is lovely too.

Thank you! :goodvibes If you're used to France (depending on what your accommodation was- we used to stay in 3 bedroom mobile homes) Florida and SSR will be a real treat. The whole resort feels so upscale and friendly. And if you get a villa in the Springs you will be close to most things.

Your daughters are the perfect age to enjoy it. If your 12 year old DD is anything like me she will love it! I sometimes wished I had a younger sister, like your DD6, to show the princesses to and things lol :rolleyes:

Have you been to the US before? If not it will be even more amazing! All the different words they use, and all the patriotic flags, etc. And when you eat in a restaurant... they top up your glass again and again for free! Okay... that's not big but it was neat to us! The service is incomparable to most places in the UK. :love:

Thanks! I will get Rory to write some more soon... I'm sure a bar of chocolate will persuade him :rotfl:

Hi Meggie

More fabulous pictures. We're not doing DC - not enough money or time!

We have been to New York nefore, but nowhere else in the States. And yes, we've got the dining plan and ADRs all done. We've gone for lots of 2TS places (Le Cellier, Brown Derby, Spirit of Aloha, Fultons, Wolfgang, CRT) as I couldn't figure out how we'd have time for more, as we're spending quite a few days offsite at Universal, Seaworld and KSC.

Looking forward to more updates from you and your family!

Thanks! DC is great for everyone to do once but it is really bad value for money IMO. :rolleyes1

Wow! What'd you think of New York? My cousin went there on her honeymoon and said she was disappointed. You'll have to tell me how you got on with Spirit of Aloha, Le Cellier and CRT. We were considering them for our last trip but chose different ones.

I also hope to hear how you liked Universal and KSC. We have not done them yet but REALLY want to. It sounds like you are doing lots of things! Are you going for two weeks? You will be soooo busy doing WDW, Universal and Seaworld, but busy is great for Orlando! :goodvibes

Thanks! Hope to update soon. Waiting for photos to upload on Photobucket. Thanks for reading! :goodvibes

[meggiebeth]

Welcome back! Before I go on further, let me mention that soon I will have an update up explaining what each member of our family thought of Discovery Cove and ratings on the experience and value.

After we left Discovery Cove, we drove down to... Mcdonalds! Original right?! :rotfl: We have Mcdonalds in the UK too, and eat there quite a lot... whenever we travel to be honest. I think I was determined to eat NO Mcdonalds in the US, but there we go, lol :groom:

Rory was happy in the car with his (unDisney :confused3 ) friend, Luigi, who I'm sure you have heard of...

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida2032-1.gif

We drove on... :drive:

Until we arrived and got out the car. William and Rorsie posed for the camera...

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida2033-1.gif

We certainly don't get these in our Mcdonalds back at home!

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida2034-1.gif

The food was Mcdonald-y and I have to say, me and my parents vastly preferred the food at Disney to here! :scratchin

We went back to Reunion afterwards to rest and get ready for the next Disney Day! pixiedust:

The night before, while eating at 'Ohana, we popped into the convenience store there and used up our remaining snack credits. :worried:

So tonight, I decided to take photos to commemorate the occasion... ::yes::

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida2040-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida2041-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida2042-1.gif

We ended up getting 22 'snacks' ( :hyper: ) most of which I believe we took home and used as presents for our friends. Rory gave some of the chocolate bars to his teachers along with the biscuit Mickey and Minnie.

That's it for now! Coming up, our next Disney day, starting with a fun filled morning at Downtown Disney! Bye! :wave2:

[giantstoindy]

Fast food is always nice on vacation! Those snacks look really good! My relatives are chocoholics so I have to find the Por Favor box! :cloud9: We'll have to chat on facebook to share food ideas!!

[Tinkerbell1989]

Hi :wave2:

Just thought I'd pop in and let you know what a fab job you're doing with your TR! You guys all looked like you had a great time!

SSR looks beautiful, as does the villa (I've only stayed at villas, but am staying at Coronado Springs in October!)... and I loooooved looking at your DC photos! It brought back some amazing memories from my December trip (see my signature for my TR!)

Can't wait to hear about your second week!

Steffi xx

[meggiebeth]

Welcome back! I'm so sorry I haven't posted in ages! I've just had lots of mock examinations, but thankfully, all that is passed, and I can get back to my trip report! :artist:

The next day, we decided to visit Downtown Disney properly. We had seen some of it from when we went to Planet Hollywood, but hadn't really looked around. Finally I got to see all the wonderful lego sculptures in person! Some were really impressive.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida2043-1.gif

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida2044-1.gif

I decided to go into the World of Disney store. I knew it was pretty big, but I wasn't expecting it to be as huge as it was! I was in heaven! Because I was the only person in my family who took a considerable amount of money with me to spend, everyone else was getting rather bored waiting for me to choose what to buy. And of course I had to browse EVERY corner of the shop! I couldn't miss anything.

Thankfully, (!) a thunderstorm came about and we COULDN'T leave, or we would get absolutely soaked! So we HAD to stay in the World of Disney store, much to my satisfaction!

I took ages trying to choose a photo frame. I liked the blue coloured one but it had A Whole New World lyrics printed on it. I was wondering whether to get another coloured one with lyrics that I liked more, like a song from Cinderella. Too bad, I just went with the blue one because I liked it so much. :goodvibes

I wanted to get another frame with figures of all the princesses on. But my mum said 'No, it's a bit tacky, and it's for little girls' so I gave in. I saw a beautiful photo album that looked like leather and had a beautiful gold centre. I had to get it! But to this day, I still haven't put photos in it. I'm bankrupt. Haha!

I also bought some souviners for friends, a set of the Disney Princesses (they all had sparkles on them!) and who knows what else- I can't really remember. I guess I never got to buy things like this when I was younger so now will make up for it! :lmao:

Rory tried on some special edition ears:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida2046-1.gif

The rain stopped, and my family were tired of standing around watching Disney cartoons. Okay, I love Disney more than any of my family, but they could've looked round and bought things! ::yes::

So we said goodbye to the World of Disney...

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida2045-1.gif

We had a look round and admired some more lego figures:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida2049.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida2050.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida2051.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida2052.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida2053.jpg

Dunno what this is:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida2054.jpg

I really like this photo (and I took it!)

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida2055.jpg

We then walked around some more and admired the pretty rivers and buildings.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida2056.jpg

I sniffed as we walked past our 'home' :worried:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida2057.jpg

I just couldn't help missing good old SSR!

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida2058.jpg

And then we ventured to the T-Rex restaurant- just to have a look around...

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida2059.jpg

That's it for now! Thanks for reading!

Next up: More on our trip to DTD, our look around T-Rex and the Harley Davidson shop, with lots of photos! Be sure to tune in! :)

[meggiebeth]

Fast food is always nice on vacation! Those snacks look really good! My relatives are chocoholics so I have to find the Por Favor box! :cloud9: We'll have to chat on facebook to share food ideas!!

It's always nice, but I do prefer table service! We eat enough fast food at home :rotfl2: Oh yeah, that's a great idea! We bought our Por Favor box at some shop in the Poly. Yeah I would love to chat on facebook to share food ideas! It's great to know another vegetarian! :goodvibes

Hi :wave2:

Just thought I'd pop in and let you know what a fab job you're doing with your TR! You guys all looked like you had a great time!

SSR looks beautiful, as does the villa (I've only stayed at villas, but am staying at Coronado Springs in October!)... and I loooooved looking at your DC photos! It brought back some amazing memories from my December trip (see my signature for my TR!)

Can't wait to hear about your second week!

Steffi xx

Hello! :) Thank you so much! We certainly had a wonderful time!

Oh, have you stayed at SSR then? I would love to try some other DVC properties, but they are so expensive I don't think we can. I hope you like Coronado Springs! We are considering it for our trip in 2013 so can't wait to hear what you thought about it! :goodvibes

Thanks! I'll definately come and check out your TR. I love looking at other people's Florida TRs! :cloud9:

Thanks! Sorry it took me so long to update. Been soooo busy! :laughing:

Thanks for joining in! popcorn::

[giantstoindy]

Downtown Disney is so fun, isn't it?! The World of Disney has to be my favorite store ever!! I'll have to get that photo frame. :lmao: about the thunderstorms keeping you shopping!!

[Mkbnoc]

Thank you for the update on the trip. Love all the pictures. Looks like it was a great trip.

[meggiebeth]

Downtown Disney is so fun, isn't it?! The World of Disney has to be my favorite store ever!! I'll have to get that photo frame. :lmao: about the thunderstorms keeping you shopping!!

I love Downtown Disney! So many shops and so much Disney! :cloud9: Me too- the World of Disney is amazing- and a great place to have a shopping spree! I love Floridian thunderstorms! And how convenient we got stuck in the World of Disney and not the Lego shop! :rotfl:

Thank you for the update on the trip. Love all the pictures. Looks like it was a great trip.

Thanks for joining in! It was a great trip, and we cannot wait to go back! Thanks for reading! :goodvibes

[meggiebeth]

Welcome back! We had a peek in T-Rex restaurant for a while. We actually visited the Rainforest Cafe in London a few weeks ago and it really reminded us of T-Rex for some reason!

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida2060.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida2063.jpg

We walked past Planet Hollywood- where we had eaten earlier in the trip:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida2065.jpg

We popped into the Harley Davidson shop. My dad and brothers were certainly in awe here. Some photos:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida2066.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida2067.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida2068.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida2069.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida2072.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida2073.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida2074.jpg

Then- off we trotted to go and do something very important! (To me... :rotfl: )

Some scenery on the way:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%202/Florida2081.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%202/Florida2082.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%202/Florida2083.jpg

Now- that's it for now! Can you guess where we were going next? Here's a little clue... popcorn::

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m510/meggiebeth96/Florida%202/Florida2084.jpg

Thanks for reading! Stay tuned! :cloud9: