A Hop, NO Skip, and Many Mishaps to a Disney Dream!

[dekkerdisneydreamer]

Sorry I haven't been updating lately. I got my photopass CD on Friday evening and since I led the share, I've been working on getting the CD's made. I got them all sent out today, so I will be able to work on a new installmetn later. I am also trying to clean up the house. I just seem to not be able to keep up with it lately. I swear I spend an hour in a room and then the next day it looks like I haven't touched it. I have been working on the hurricane of toys in the basement today and actually made it look halfway decent. Not great, but we can now walk with out tripping. I have a storage side that I have been starting to go through too, and it is very overwelming. I plan to do a little more today on that task, then get back to here and get to work and finish this TR up!

I hear you about housework!! I honestly don't have the energy at the end of the day, and playing with Madelyn seems to be more of a priority for me.

Also, do you know/think Disney may perhaps send an offer for a discounted PP CD to me? We received one in April and we're going again in October and I was kind of hoping they'd be sending something. We're going with another family, so it'll be cheaper to split the cost, but I want to pre-pay for it so I don't have to worry about it when I get home. Thanks Jen!

 

[jenseib]

Great updates! Love the pearl thing, that was my fave at Sea World too. I loved watching those ladies dive so far down! I have a necklace, and my mom still has my loose pearls from all the other times i begged to do it!

Love the topiary photos. Claire's obviously in a good mood today!

She was in a great mode. It was a fun afternoon.

Housework can be so overwhelming!!!!!Want to know what I do instead...check out the dis!!

I got most of what I wanted to do done, but I still need to sweep, but I am putting that off.

I can totally relate on the housework. It's never ending! We also have construction still going on with our patio so that is majorly adding to the mess and I'm about to just throw in the towel. Sometimes I think maybe my Disney money would be better spent hiring someone to clean the house and do the yard work!

Contruction would make it so hard to keep it clean.

I hear you about housework!! I honestly don't have the energy at the end of the day, and playing with Madelyn seems to be more of a priority for me.

Also, do you know/think Disney may perhaps send an offer for a discounted PP CD to me? We received one in April and we're going again in October and I was kind of hoping they'd be sending something. We're going with another family, so it'll be cheaper to split the cost, but I want to pre-pay for it so I don't have to worry about it when I get home. Thanks Jen!

Do you know about the preorder for $99. I don't think any other deal is really better than that one.
This is the link. You just have to preorder before any pictures are taken.

http://www.disneyphotopass.com/previsitoffer.aspx

 

[dekkerdisneydreamer]

Do you know about the preorder for $99. I don't think any other deal is really better than that one.
This is the link. You just have to preorder before any pictures are taken.

http://www.disneyphotopass.com/previsitoffer.aspx

Thanks Jen, I was trying to find a link and didn't. Last time, Disney just sent me an email with it.

 

[jenseib]

Thanks Jen, I was trying to find a link and didn't. Last time, Disney just sent me an email with it.

 

[jenseib]

We quickly made a potty stop and went back into the fast pass line.
We had a little wait, even with fast passes, but not too bad. Nothing like the Soarin’ wait was.

I think we were moving at a fairly decent pace and that’s why my pictures are so crappy…or at least I’m gonna blame it on that reason.

Soon we were in our car and off to race around the track. We had a young girl in our car with us. She had said she rode the ride about 10 times in a row. She just kept going back in the single rider line and getting right back on. Claire was a little nervous. She couldn’t remember riding the ride from the last trip too much.

And here we go!

After Test Track, Claire decided she wanted to ride spaceship earth one more time. We went to cut through Mousegears and Claire spotted a swirly pop and I had told her she could eventually get some sort of sucker on the trip, so now was the time.
We also started doing a little more shopping. I had realized that I still had quite a bit of money left. I guess I over budgeted (not a bad thing) and I started eyeing the Dooney and Bourke purses. At first I just kind of casually looked at them, then I started touching and feeling…and THEN I got a sales lady involved and I was hooked. I had a real hard time deciding. The ones I liked best, I wasn’t impressed with the style or texture. Well I really like the 40th anniversary ones best, but those prices were much higher. I was in there forever looking at stuff and Claire was very patient.

I went through the purses and I finally decided on this one. At first I didn’t like the pattern at all, but REALLY liked the style….but after looking a bit, the pattern grew on me and I decided on it.

The lady went to the back for a minute and that was a bad thing. I started looking again and then found another on a top shelf that I liked as well. It was bigger…..really big actually, but I liked the pattern more. The price was only about $5 difference, so I couldn’t really decide by price. When the lady came back she laughed and we started the process all over again. We had a male CM come and look at the purses and tell me which he liked better. He liked the bigger one. I decided to ask Claire and she liked the bigger one, so that is what I got.

Now if you remember WAY back to Easter, I ended up ordering the other one when I got home and Easter Bunny brought it to me!

I have to say I REALLY love the big bag….so much so that I have yet to switch over to the black one yet. I think I will do it soon. I just love all the room in the big one. I can just throw stuff in it and go. I kind of use it like a tote at times.

So back to Mousegears. I bought the big white purse and then I threw my camera bag inside of it and used it right then and there. My Mom called and after I figured out how to answer her dang phone, she asked where we were. I let her know that we were going to take a spin on Spaceship Earth and then head to World Showcase for Illuminations. They had a spot in Canada already.

Claire and I got right on Spacehsip Earth and enjoyed our ride. I took no pictures that time around. I just enjoyed the ride.

When we came out, Claire found a Daisy topiary and had to have a picture.

We made our way towards World Showcase.
We stopped for one last photopass.

We could smell popcorn and it smelt soooo good. Claire wanted some, but the line was long and we were running late.
As we got closer to Canada, I pulled out the phone and tried to figure out how to dial it. I just couldn’t get it. Luckily it rang and it was Mom. She told us how to get to them and soon we found them. They did have an excellent spot for viewing.

 

[bubba's mom]

Here woulda been my logic for the purse.... You already had the darker bag from the Easter Bunny, go for a different pattern

...OR (to complicate things), you like the pattern of your smaller purse (from Easter) SO much, you got the same pattern with the bigger bag

win-win situation

 

[jenseib]

Here woulda been my logic for the purse.... You already had the darker bag from the Easter Bunny, go for a different pattern

...OR (to complicate things), you like the pattern of your smaller purse (from Easter) SO much, you got the same pattern with the bigger bag

win-win situation

Yes, that is good logic...except this day was before Easter.....so I didn't actually buy the 2nd till after I got home. ......Yes, it's been that long since I've been on this trip. I am very glad I waited and bought the darker bag after I got home, because I got it on sale with free shipping too. I saved a lot on it buy buying it online. But the bigger bag was not on sale then, so it was a win win for me!
It was a LOT for a purse....but I really do love it and people notice it all the time.

 

[dekkerdisneydreamer]

DH and I spent a lot of time looking at the Dooney & Bourkes in HS in April. I didn't want a big purse, just a wristlet. I hemmed and hawed, and finally ended up with.....nothing. Now I don't think I'll be getting anything this trip because I'll see everything I could possibly get for Madelyn, not to mention Christmas shopping. I'm doomed.

I really do like the bag that you ended up with. That was the pattern I'd been eyeing.

Question, in all of your research and all of your visits, where would you choose to watch Illuminations? I really want to get a good spot this year.

 

[jenseib]

DH and I spent a lot of time looking at the Dooney & Bourkes in HS in April. I didn't want a big purse, just a wristlet. I hemmed and hawed, and finally ended up with.....nothing. Now I don't think I'll be getting anything this trip because I'll see everything I could possibly get for Madelyn, not to mention Christmas shopping. I'm doomed.

I really do like the bag that you ended up with. That was the pattern I'd been eyeing.

Question, in all of your research and all of your visits, where would you choose to watch Illuminations? I really want to get a good spot this year.

Brook would be better to ask. She has seen it many times. In 97 and 99 I think we just sat on the ground where world showcase and future world meet. Back then there wasn't the globe. I saw it twice this year and both spots were good. Canada was great and in Aug we had a private dessert party in France and had fabulous seats there as well.

 

[bubba's mom]

Yes, that is good logic...except this day was before Easter.....so I didn't actually buy the 2nd till after I got home. ......Yes, it's been that long since I've been on this trip.

that's right...I forgot!

Hard to remember this trip was SO long ago.... Better not let me finish mine before you finish yours

 

[LuvEeyore]

For Illuminations viewing, We were in front of Germany. there were benches nearby. We staked out our spots just before 8pm and had snacks, drinks and walked through Germany a couple at a time.

 

[jenseib]

that's right...I forgot!

Hard to remember this trip was SO long ago.... Better not let me finish mine before you finish yours

I am almost done...believe it or not! I am so behind on yours again. I did start catching up today though.

For Illuminations viewing, We were in front of Germany. there were benches nearby. We staked out our spots just before 8pm and had snacks, drinks and walked through Germany a couple at a time.

I think that there probably isn't too many bad spots to watch it right?

 

[jenseib]

The spot they chose was not crowded at all. I knelt along the railing so anyone behind us could see and also to use the railing to steady my camera.

I haven’t seen the show since 1999. It’s very different than from what I remember. It was awesome, I must say.

After the show we all started our way up front. Now I knew it was going to be a mad rush, so I told Mom and Dad that Claire and I were going to go slowly and also shop a bit more. Claire still had money burning a hole in her pocket and I told her we could look one last time…..after all she was patient with my shopping.

This was the last picture I took that night.

Claire and headed into Mousegears once again. She looked around and picked a stuffed baby Bambi and a stuffed Dug that talked. We paid for the purchases and saw “our” sales lady and she came over to talk and ask how I was liking the bag so far…EXCELLENT! I told her!

After we worked our way out of the store (it was a mad house) we walked over to the lockers and got my backpack out and then went and had the $5 deposit refunded.
At this point in time I was just dead tired. I had the last day blues now. Nothing more to look forward too, the lack of sleep was catching up. I totally just gave in. Little did I know that my biggest mishap was about to unfold.
It’s hard to be happy when you have to get up bright and early the next day to go home. The only good thing at home was my husband.

Claire and I headed towards the tram. I must say I really dislike the tram. It just doesn’t have the same feeling to me as riding the buses back to the resort. We got on, with my arms filled. Claire had her new purchases; I had a big Dooney, a backpack and a stroller. I crammed myself into a row and just went into a daze.
A few minutes later I realized a CM was talking to me. Claire was sitting on the outside of the tram and she needed to switch with me. I didn’t even know this was a rule. So I tried to move, but it seemed next to impossible as I was wedged in and the people to my right weren’t moving either. Luckily the guy in front of us grabbed the stroller so we could switch. We made the short trek out to the parking lot and got off.
Mom and Dad had moved the van from where I had originally parked it earlier in the day. So I searched for the new number and walked down that row. We got almost to the end with no luck. We started walking back and still couldn’t find it. We finally got a call from them and they told me the row number again…same row I was in…but no van. So they flashed the lights and I found them….several rows over.
We moseyed over there and I got in the van and immediately looked for my missing phone. It was NOT to be found. I used Moms phone to call my phone and it went to voicemail immediately. NOT Good. That meant someone had turned it off. I panicked!
I told Mom we had to go back into the park to report it lost and then I started crying….not just crying…..but sobbing like a big baby. The week had caught up to me and I was wiped out.
We decided to drive up to the front, but I had no clue where to go…and the whole time I am trying to figure this out my Dad is sitting next to me saying things like “Why are we going to the front”, “We need to get back to the hotel”, “Whats going on?”. My Mom just yelled at him….”She’s LOST her $250 phone and we NEED to find it” How he missed this piece of info, I have no clue.
So then they start to tell me to drive towards a security car. Where? I don’t see one. Mom tells Dad he should drive since I am upset and I shouted a big NO! That would make me more upset. LOL! So they keep telling me to go to the security car and I couldn’t still see it. Well it was behind a big truck and pole, so from where I was sitting it was next to impossible to see it.
We did make it over to him and through my tears I told him my story and he basically had no clue what to do. He said go to the gates and ask there, so we did.
As we got up there Mom told Dad to go with me, and again I said no. I parked in a handicap spot and jumped out and made my way up to the gates and talked to another security officer. These 2 guys were much more knowledgeable. They told me where to go and what to do. The one asked me if I had an Iphone and I said, no, a Droid, and he said, he wanted to warn me that it was very likely I would never get it back. Those kinds of phones are very popular and people will find them and keep them to sell or convert to their own use. So of course I cried some more.
They got me in the gates and then directed me to guest services. I went there and tried to dry my tears as I made the walk. But that was useless…the week had caught up to me and I just couldn’t stop. I went in and a guy asked if he could help me. I first said I was sorry that I was crying, but it had been a long trip traveling with my parents…he seemed to understand. LOL! I told him I lost my phone and wondered if it had been turned in. He asked the color, and I was at a blank. I spitted out that it was black or grey, a droid, Nextel, and it had a white sleeve on it.
He said he would go to the back and look. I waited only a minute and her returned holding my phone in the air~! I could’ve jumped over that counter and kissed him! He had me turn it on to be sure it was mine…and of course it was. He said it had been turned in that morning and was found in the parking lot…which meant that someone found it within minutes of me dropping it. It also had no water damage( remember it had been raining that morning), so whoever found it, found it fast! I was so happy that that person took the time to turn it in. There are some honest people out there!
The guy told me not to feel bad because there were several phones back there from just that day!
I had to sign a form that said I picked it up and then I made my way back out to the parking lot. I called Mom on my way back out and she was soo happy that it was found. She said that Claire had said a prayer that it was found. Claire was worried why Mommy was so sad. Aww….my wonderful little angel!

We drove back to the hotel and Dad was pretty quiet. I think My Mom might’ve given him a little lecture while I was gone. LOL!
We were exhausted when we got back, but we hadn’t eaten any supper, so I warmed up the leftovers from The Cheesecake Factory and we finished those off. Claire ate a bit of her cheesecake too and then I put her to bed. We told her she had to get right up the next day, no fussing, because we had to get to the airport and then we would be seeing Dad.
I went and took a walk outside and called Skip. I told him about the days events and all about my phone. (which he thought was funny) He was missing us a lot and couldn’t wait for us to get him.

I finished off my cheesecake and a little bit of Claires too and did the final packing and crawled into bed as well.
I set my phone alarm for around 6 and was out pretty fast.

And that’s the end of Day 7. It was a very fun day with a few bits of Drama. Even though I lost the phone, it all worked out for me in the end…and I probably needed that cry. LOL!

 

[annmarieda]

I am so glad your phone was turned in! It is so frustrating when things get lost. My dd lost her KTTW card last September and her cell... luckily it all worked out, but the stress is about enough to send you over the edge....and after a week of being the one to keep everyone going, I know how much a needed cry is. I think I had my good cry on our last night of our trip last September too. I sat in the bathroom and let it out.

 

[Caretames1]

Kadence loves test track too, so that is a definate in our book! Love the B&B purse(s) I'm thinking about getting a wristlet, we'll see.

You got some nice pics of Illuminatons! To be honest, it didn't catch me the Wishes does, bit we did enjoy it.

Sometimes you do need a good cry, it releases all that built up stress. I bet you felt better afterward!

Finding the phone was the best luck What a sweetie Claire is for praying for her Momma! It must have helped!


Okay, if you start your new TR while I'm gone, be kind and keep it under a 100 pages by Monday!

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

You're right, that cry probably did you some good. I know exactly what you mean about being dog tired and mentally exhausted by the end of a Disney trip. It happens to all of us. In fact, reading all this makes me realize why so many people do the cruise AFTER Disney to try to recoup and relax some. I'm going to have to remember that for next time. I'm so glad you found your phone though.

 

[bubba's mom]

Glad you found your phone and there ARE honest peeps out there....sorry you ended up in a mommy melt down tho

Is it normal for Moms to cry at some point during a Disney trip?

Your pix of Illuminations are beautiful. Just like I remember from 4 yrs ago!


NEVER be sad a vacation is coming to an end. You have pictures and a trip report to keep you busy when you get home.

Besides...THEN it's time to plan the next vacation...and, well...THAT's the fun part!!!
(....since I don't have anything but air/rental car to plan for next year, I'm working on 2013 already! )

 

[Kathy Jetson]

That sounds like a long mostly fun day not counting the misshaps. I think I remember the phone story was it in your ptr? How wonderful was it that someone found it right away AND turned it in?

I had my meltdown and cried in Epcot too. We were watching the fireworks and River was NOT feeling the Disney magic and being a brat. It wan't going according to my magical plans and I lost it and started crying and told him thats it we are going home in the morning (yeah right).

Thats great you got both purses you wanted. I have 2 Disney purses but not Dooney and Bourke mine were about $25 each but I love them.

 

[mickeystoontown]

Well, I was going to say that grabbing a good place to watch Illuminations was a good way to end the day. Until.....I read about the crying spell. Sometimes, it makes me feel lots better when I get the crying out and over with. Sounds like that's what you needed. Yay for finding your phone! I'm sure that helped to dry the tears up.

 

[mom2rtk]

Well, Claire thought you were crying because you lost your phone. We all know the real reason............. the Disney trip was over.

We've all been there.

To be honest, I was wondering how you were coping with so little sleep. I guess it finally caught up to you.

I'm knew you got the phone back, but it felt good to read it after living through the experience with your story..........