2400 pictures! Beach Club, Universal, and Bay Lake Tower Grand Villa-COMPLETE!

[dr&momto2boys]

Upon entering the Magic Kingdom, the first order of business was to pick up Ella's Mouse Ears (that we bought in the morning and left to be personalized) at the Chapeau.


They just leave the personalized Ears out on a big book shelf to go in and retrieve. Unfortunately, Ella's weren't there. There was another set of Ears with "Ella" on it, but not the ones we bought. Maybe the other Ella's parents liked ours better? A CM quickly helped us get another pair and had her name put on them right away.


She couldn't get them off fast enough!


Next we stopped for some family pictures on Main Street. I bought the photopass CD so I'll have to get around to getting them onto my computer. While we were stopped on Main Street, MIL wanted to look in a shop for some Hannah Montana souvenir for Avery. My boys had been eyeing the balloons on Main Street for the last few trips. When Kyle and Avery asked for them too, DH and I decided to treat them all. So we bought 4 balloons for about $40! We knew this would be the best day to buy them because at least they'd have them for 5 days before we had to go home.


We had time for a couple of attractions before Spectromagic, so first we did Mickey's Philharmagic and then our first, but certainly not last, ride on It's a Small World.


We found a good spot for Spectromagic and waited quite a while for it. As always, it's annoying when people try to get in front at the last minute. I felt bad for a couple of kids whose parents had planned well and were stuck way in back, so I let them come and sit in front of me. It made an uncomfortable squeeze for me, but it made the kids happy and I think that's what Disney is all about.

The balloons were annoying during the parade. We tried to hold them down so they wouldn't block anyone's view. They were even worse on the mass exit from the park--always bopping into us and others. Oops!






That's it for our 6th day! Coming up next: Animal Kingdom and Whispering Canyon Cafe

[podsnel]

Hi! Just wanted you to know I am thoroughly enjoying reading your TR!! I just have a LOT of catching up to do!!!

Ellen

[Lisa29]

Really enjoying your report.

Thanks for mentioning the balloons getting in the way at the parade and when you were leaving - this is something that would never occur to me!! My DD loves balloons so will have to get her one on a day we are going back for a nap!

Can't wait for the rest.

[MadiMouse]

Okay I'm all caught up now!! I cannot wait to get an icecream cookie sandwich in a few weeks! Lol. I think we will break down and buy a balloon for DD this trip, too.

[dr&momto2boys]

Originally Posted by podsnel

Hi! Just wanted you to know I am thoroughly enjoying reading your TR!! I just have a LOT of catching up to do!!!

Ellen

Thanks! I appreciate you commenting. It keeps me motivated to continue, even though it takes hours to upload pictures, change the sizes, and get things posted. At least with trying to keep three kids happy too, it does.

Originally Posted by Lisa29

Really enjoying your report.

Thanks for mentioning the balloons getting in the way at the parade and when you were leaving - this is something that would never occur to me!! My DD loves balloons so will have to get her one on a day we are going back for a nap!

Can't wait for the rest.

We hadn't thought about that either, obviously! Buying it on the way out would make a lot more sense! Don't forget to bring cash, they don't take CC or KTTW.

Originally Posted by MadiMouse

Okay I'm all caught up now!! I cannot wait to get an icecream cookie sandwich in a few weeks! Lol. I think we will break down and buy a balloon for DD this trip, too.

I'm envious! I'm ready to go back! I just finished making ADRs for our December trip!

[dd50]

You brought back the memories of the balloons. I remember they were always in the way. We drove home with them also. My cats use to love them as they start to go lose helium they would come down a little and go back up on the ceiling.

[dr&momto2boys]

I'm uploading pictures for Day 7, but my son's birthday is today and we're having his party on Saturday. I bet I'll get something added tomorrow though in between prep for the party. I'm anxious to get this finished!

[Me&3]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUR SON

[dr&momto2boys]

Originally Posted by Me&3

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUR SON

Oh, that's so nice! Thank you!

The funny thing is we're having a Toy Story party and plan to take everyone to see Toy Story 3 after the party, but Max is scared to go to the movie! He's afraid it's going to squirt water at him or that the seats are going to move. I guess we traumatized him at Disney World!

[dr&momto2boys]

Day 7:
Have I mentioned yet, that with this group of 11, we go nowhere fast? This is especially true this morning! Our immediate family is used to getting up early, making it to rope drop, and knocking out lots of attractions before the crowds show up. This morning our group of 11 left the room in time to get to the bus and get to Animal Kingdom for rope drop. But then before we even made it to the elevator, BIL had to return to the room to get something. We told him we'd meet him on the first floor. We waited, and waited, and no BIL.




Eventually SIL went back to look for him but couldn't find him. He didn't have a cell phone on him. She looked on the fifth floor too, where you would get off to go to the monorail, but he wasn't there. Finally DH went to the bus stop to see if BIL had somehow gotten there, and there he was. The crazy part was that BIL would have gotten on the bus had it come, thinking we just left him there. I'm sure glad we caught up to him before that or I can't imagine what would have happened!





So no rope drop after all, but that was okay. We sent DH to get fast passes for Expedition Everest, so we didn't have to rush off anywhere anyway. The kids liked looking at the creatures being shown at the entrance. I think they're looking at a tarantula here. They also saw some kind of frog. I like how the CM teaches the kids about whatever is in their cage and asks them questions too. The kids really liked it!





MIL rented a stroller again. She did every day we were there. It was really nice of her! Those double strollers rent for $30/day! I think there is a discount for multiple days, but it must still be quite expensive!


Of course we had to take a few pictures in front of the Tree of Life.




Avery got mad for some reason and sulked during the pictures. Too bad, she would have been adorable in the picture where the photopass people add a baby Simba later. Instead Jacob posed holding an invisable Simba with Kyle behind him looking at Simba too. I'll eventually post the photopass pictures too. For now, here's a pic I took...


We headed to Dinoland. The kids love Triceratops spin of course and my boys had been talking about getting their faces painted there for months. Jacob and Kyle did that on our last trip together, so I knew there was a stand in Dinoland.





Coming up next: AK attractions and adorable face painting!

[smidgy]

how funny! (well, I'm sure it wasn't funny at the time)
hubby and I have "lost" each other a few timjes. I can't imagine trying to keep together a group of that size!
hubby would be the "p;anner", I would be the "organizer" and the rest of the family would probably call us "commandant"!. (but someone has to step in and take charge, or you'll go nowhere, fast! (or, nowhere, very slowly!)

[dr&momto2boys]

I like Dinoland first thing in the morning because it is not at all busy. Everyone went on Triceratop Spin first.







Jacob was anxious to get his face painted so I went to do that with him while Max and Ella and various grown-ups went on Triceratop Spin again.
Jacob saw Primeval Whirl and wanted to go on it. He checked his height. You can see the disappointment in his face.


Jacob picked out the scariest face he could find.


It's amazing how quickly they can do the make-up! It starts out looking like nothing, but the final results are cool!


He didn't even look like himself anymore! In case you can't tell, he's a dinosaur. It's easier to tell on an adult face.


The others finished their rides and brought Max over to paint his face too.


Ella wanted to do it too! Maybe next time!


Max did great sitting for the face painting too. He picked the perfect design for himself. He's only three so I was hoping he didn't pick something scary like Jacob did.






Somewhere in here, the grown-ups took turns riding Primeval Whirl. Kyle went on it too, but didn't like it.

Next we went to see Finding Nemo. It was the first time we saw this show. I thought it was quite good!






Two years ago, when we all came to WDW together, we saw the Lion King show, so we skipped that this time. It is a very good show too though. We just didn't want to see two long shows in the same day.

[camsmomE]

Subbing! I am loving your trip report- it is helping me get even MORE excited about our upcoming vacation in August! (if that's even possible) Your litle Ella is SUCH A DOLL BABY!!! Everytime I see a picture of her, I hug my own little munchie!

P.S. The picture of her looking back at you through her stroller with those big eyes should be on a magazine cover!!

[dr&momto2boys]

Originally Posted by camsmomE

Subbing! I am loving your trip report- it is helping me get even MORE excited about our upcoming vacation in August! (if that's even possible) Your litle Ella is SUCH A DOLL BABY!!! Everytime I see a picture of her, I hug my own little munchie!

P.S. The picture of her looking back at you through her stroller with those big eyes should be on a magazine cover!!

Thank you! Thank you! She has a personality to match her cuteness too! I can't get enough of her!

I know every mom thinks their kids are the cutest. And I've seen really cute kids all over these boards! But here is a funny story...

The other day, DH and the kids were in front of a museum in Chicago and a Japanese lady asked to take Ella's picture, then the boys, then asked DH to take her picture with them! That would be funny enough on its own, but that is NOT the first time that has happened! We were on a beach somewhere when 2 Japanese young ladies asked to take Ella's picture, then asked us to take their picture with our kids! Some day we'll visit Japan and see Ella plastered all over their billboards or something. Maybe there's a doll in Japan that looks like her.

[dd50]

He looks so sad that he isn't tall enough for the ride. Maybe next year he will be tall enough. Love the face painting.