Houston, We Have A Secret: A TX Vacation With A WDW Surprise ...aaand Done! Page 43

[dvc4life]

Welcome Home Barry and family!

Glad you had another great trip down south. Can't wait to read about that one.

And I guess a Mickey Bar on a stick is close enough to the mickey ice cream sandwich. At least they are both ice cream!

 

[FreezinRafiki]

Welcome home! I'm glad you had fun, I looked at a few of your pictures on FB last night and I can't wait to read the TR. I, personally, enjoy Busch Gardens, so I'm curious to find out what you didn't like about it. It does fall short of Disney standards though.

I think that catching up on a TR should be your priority before catching up on work, but then again, you're probably not going to make a living off writing about your Disney trips. How awesome would it be if you could though???

If anyone here wants to donate to my vacation fund, I'd be more than happy to quit work and spend all of my time at Disney World and write about it every day. These are the sacrifices I will make for my readers.

Just out of curiosity, how many Dole Whips did you get to enjoy?

Not enough. (But really, is there ever enough Dole Whips?)

Welcome home, Barry. It was fun following the trip on Facebook with pictures posted by you and Bambi. Looking forward to the finish of this report and the start of the new one.

The boss it out today, so I think I feel a new entry coming on...

Welcome back Barry! I'm glad you had a great trip!

Thanks! As much as I hated to leave, it sure was nice to sleep in my own bed again!

HEY! Glad you're finally back so you can finish this up and start on your new TR! Hope you all had a great time! Now hurry up!

I had a pay it forward opportunity recently at the mall. There was a little girl that reminded me of Madison and she was with her older brother. There was a bank where you put in a coin and it rolls around. Well the brother was not sharing the change with his sister so I gave her a couple of pennies so she could play too. Anyway, just wanted to share that story.

Welcome Home Barry and family!

Glad you had another great trip down south. Can't wait to read about that one.

And I guess a Mickey Bar on a stick is close enough to the mickey ice cream sandwich. At least they are both ice cream!

Thanks! I was going to comment something about all ice cream is good ice cream, but then I remembered one time buying an ice cream sandwich from one of those street vendors with the threewheeled bike and freezer. It must have been sitting right on the cooling element because it was hard as a rock. I'm not sure what that story has to do with anything, so I'll just move on.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

If anyone here wants to donate to my vacation fund, I'd be more than happy to quit work and spend all of my time at Disney World and write about it every day. These are the sacrifices I will make for my readers.

Do you need an assistant? Where do I submit my resume?

 

[E3yore]

I believe you failed to provide the update as promised.

 

[KatMark]

I believe you failed to provide the update as promised.

Bambi, you beat me to it. I was catching up on all my threads and saw I didn't have an email indicating this one had a new post.

 

[Poolrat]

Gee I see the word UPDATE and actually think there might be one.
Oh well, I totally understand having to catch up at work and I respect you for that.

So when you are ready I will be ready.

 

[E3yore]

Bambi, you beat me to it. I was catching up on all my threads and saw I didn't have an email indicating this one had a new post.

I am very sorry. I felt that it needed to be said. Please forgive me.

 

[KatMark]

I am very sorry. I felt that it needed to be said. Please forgive me.

You have no reason to be sorry; but, Barry, on the otherhand has some explaining to do. I asked him the size of the kids for t-shirts...I hope he didn't mislead me there too.

 

[FreezinRafiki]

Do you need an assistant? Where do I submit my resume?

I have room for an unpaid intern. I do offer a comprehensive dental plan though - you get all of my toothbrushes and dental floss once I'm done with them.

I believe you failed to provide the update as promised.

Bambi, you beat me to it. I was catching up on all my threads and saw I didn't have an email indicating this one had a new post.

Even though she beat you too it, you're still the first to pile on. So I guess you at least won that race.

Gee I see the word UPDATE and actually think there might be one.
Oh well, I totally understand having to catch up at work and I respect you for that.

So when you are ready I will be ready.

Thank you! Some of the people around here just love to give me a hard time. Can you believe that?

I am very sorry. I felt that it needed to be said. Please forgive me.

You have no reason to be sorry; but, Barry, on the otherhand has some explaining to do. I asked him the size of the kids for t-shirts...I hope he didn't mislead me there too.

The sun was in my eyes, so I couldn't see my keyboard. I actually had the entire thing typed up, but when I went to save it, I realized I was typing on my desk and not the keyboard. How's that for an explanation?

 

[KatMark]

The sun was in my eyes, so I couldn't see my keyboard. I actually had the entire thing typed up, but when I went to save it, I realized I was typing on my desk and not the keyboard. How's that for an explanation?

That has to be one of the worse excuses I've ever heard. You are lucky I already bought Madison and Evan their little gifts, or I'd be getting them a t-shirt that says "I'm with Dopey."

 

[middlepat]

That has to be one of the worse excuses I've ever heard. You are lucky I already bought Madison and Evan their little gifts, or I'd be getting them a t-shirt that says "I'm with Dopey."

They need a t-shirt that says that?

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

The sun was in my eyes, so I couldn't see my keyboard. I actually had the entire thing typed up, but when I went to save it, I realized I was typing on my desk and not the keyboard. How's that for an explanation?

Not bad for an excuse, but this one would have been more convincing:

“I ran out of gas. I... I had a flat tire. I didn't have enough money for cab fare. My tux didn't come back from the cleaners. An old friend came in from out of town. Someone stole my car. There was an earthquake. A terrible flood. Locusts! IT WASN'T MY FAULT, I SWEAR TO GOD!”

Of course, I haven’t finished my TR yet either so I probably need to toss another update out there.

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

They need a t-shirt that says that?

Naaaaa… That’s common knowledge (and the same can be said for the other folks in my house as well).

 

[KatMark]

They need a t-shirt that says that?

I guess I wasn't thinking.

 

[FreezinRafiki]

I'll admit, I had to go back and read up on my previous updates to see where I left off. But I'm caught up now, so I'll bring you up to speed on everything I know. Don't bother finding a chair - this won't take long.


Friday morning had arrived and we woke up in our Animal Kingdom Lodge Studio and fixed up some breakfast. The arm and a leg I had spent in the resort convenience store was supplying another meal, so I guess it was like only spending an arm. One more meal out of this and I'll have all my limbs back!

Today was early Extra Magic Hours at Hollywood Studios, so we planned to catch the bus over there and enjoy it for a while until Bambi's parents (who were staying at home) could join us with the rest of the unwashed masses at 9am.

We missed rope drop by about 30 minutes, which allowed for the first wave to head off to Toy Story Midway Mania, which in turn emptied out the streets for this cool, yet slightly eerie family picture:

Really, how many times can you get a shot of Hollywood Blvd completely empty without having to wait until midnight?

As we were having that picture taken, I started to feel a rumbling under our feet. We jumped back just in time as Stitch popped out from under the pavement.

Then to completely rip off the Intellectual Property of another studio, he started chewing a carrot, pulled out a map and commented that he must have taken a wrong turn in "Al-ba-koy-kie".

The plan was to head back to Toy Story, but something tall, dark and handsome caught Bambi's eye. She got a flutter, and just like in the cartoons, little heart bubbles starting forming and popping around her head as little angel wings sprouted out of her back and gently carried her over to the man...er...donkey... of her dreams.

My initial blinding rage gave way to acceptance and I remembered that he was her first love, long before I came around. That and he eats thistles and lives in a lean-to make of sticks. I don't have much to be worried about.

So basically, we got there after the first wave of resort guests, but right before the first wave of off-site guests. Which lead to quite an aberration -the stand by line for Toy Story Mania was 20 minutes. 20 Minutes! We have never done this ride without a fast pass, so we were glad to finally be able to walk around and see Mr. Potato Head. Unfortunately, he wasn't very animated that morning, but pretty cool to see none the less.

(you'll have to excuse the blurriness. I just grabbed the little point-and-shoot and left the fancy Canon in the bag for the ride)

I included that last picture not only to show everyone that Evan looks cool with 3D classes and messy hair, but it also gave me a good opportunity to remind people that the Packers won the Super Bowl.

Scores!

By the time we got off the ride, Grandma & Grandpa had showed up (shown up?) Either way, they got there. We asked the kids if they wanted to go on Tower of Terror, but both refused. Which was odd, because both of them used to love that ride. So why did they refuse? Because of all of the people that have told them that they're too young for that ride and that it's soooo scary. They forgot their own experiences and let other people's opinions take root in their own heads. So next time you hear someone talking about young, impressionable minds - its true. And it ticks me off.

So, the kids went off with their Grandparents while Bambi and I walked to ToT. Based on what we saw with Toy Story, I was expecting a 20-30 minute wait. The sign read 45 minutes and the line was all way down to where the bathrooms are outside of the gate! Why was this, you ask?
Cheerleaders, Brazilians, and school groups. Yes, we were at Disney World smack dab in the middle of some kind of International Cheerleading competition - we saw teams walking around from all over the US, China, Canada, etc.
Also, since it was Easter Week, there were tons of school and community groups there. Church Youth Groups, High Schools, Middle Schools - you name it, they were there. And in matching shirts.
Also, since it was basically any day of the year - there were Brazilian tour groups. That kind of goes without saying.

But, ToT is one of our favorite attractions, and so we toughed it out. We'd never been around the queue area in the garden before, so we decided that since Disney was giving us the opportunity to see it, we might as well take some pictures.

Notice something missing in those pictures? Yeah, a 45 minute wait with NO back and forth zig zaging lines of posts and chains. Sure, you're still in line for 45 minutes, but it makes it so much more bearable. Nice Job, Disney!

Then as we made it into the hotel, Bambi noticed something we hadn't seen any of the other times we rode this. Or, again, noticed the lack of something. For as dusty, dirty and cob-webby as the lobby is, the ceiling looked like it was recently mopped and waxed. It was spotless! The picture doesn't do it justice, but we were both amazed by that. I know, I know, it's pretty hard for dust to collect on a ceiling, but no cracks? No cobwebs? It was just odd.

Not sure what odd trance the girls behind us are in, but we had a good time on the ride without the use of mind altering drugs.

Meanwhile, Madison, Evan and the Grandparents were making their way over to our rally point - Lights, Motors, Action. They were making their way down San Francisco Street, when who comes driving around the corner? Mater! Yup, driving! He drove down the block a bit, honked his horn, then parked for a meet & greet! I wish I could have been there for that!

The next post will be a bunch of pictures from Lights Motors Action, because I'm running pretty high on my picture count for this one. Soo...

Up Next: Read that last sentence again.

 

[dvczerfs]

great update barry!! love the pics and the shirt!!!!

 

[petals]

I loled at the trance girls in your ToT pic! Also nice stitch pin! Cool that you got a family pic when the park was so empty as well.

 

[Poolrat]

Thanks for the update.


Good timing on being between the waves to get that empty park pic.
Looking forward to Lights, Motor, Action.

 

[kaileighbug]

Great update. People need to just let kids like what they like and not make them think its scary if they don't think it is We were able to get our 5 year old on TOT and when we asked if she wanted to ride again it was NO. We have been taking her to Cedar Point and Michigan adventure and she really wants to ride the coasters but she is about an inch too short, but the ones she can get on its front seat or bust....

 

[Dugette]

Sounds like the timing worked out well for your arrival at DHS. Well, except for ToT. I had no idea there was a driving Mater meet and greet...very cool!