"I think I need my head examined" A camsmomE TR in AUG 2010 <<Updated 11/02/10>&g

[camsmomE]

After six months of planning ("plan? what plan? do YOU have the plan?") we arrived back home in Daytona last night, and less than 24 hours later, the photopass CD has been edited and ordered, and I'm beginning this trip report So, why wait any longer? Here we go.

For those of you who do not already know me and my family, I will post the link to my PreTrip Report in post #2, and I will do a very short introduction of the "Cast" and "Setting," before beginning the "Plot" with "Director's Commentary" and the "bloopers."

First... Me. I'm Stacey, 31 year old wife and mother of one.


Next, we have the most awesome husband and father EVER... Mike, my 35 year old DH


Finally. She's the reason DH said yes to "Can we vacation in Disney World this year, honey?" Our 22month old daughter, Cameran.


Setting: Disney's Wilderness Lodge. August 2-7, 2010

Disclaimer: The following trip report will contain MANY MANY pictures, graphic details of embarrassing moments, lots of opinionated food critiques, and in all likelihood hours of belly cramping laughs! Hang on tight and enjoy the ride! Your ride vehicle will be taking off momentarily......

What to look forward to:
The chapter links post
"Top Ten Reasons you know you've just returned from vacationing at Wilderness Lodge (or WDW in general)
"Update #1"

[camsmomE]

save for adding chapters

#1. A STACE Mountain of Plans- the PTR that started it all
#2. TOP TEN reasons you know you've just returned from vacationing at WL! (or WDW in general!
#3. Day ONE: Arrival and Epcot, PART ONE
#4. DAY ONE: Arrival and Epcot (Part TWO)
#5. DAY ONE: Arrival and Epcot (Part THREE)
#6. DAY ONE: "Bye Bye Epcot, HELLooooo Wilderness Lodge!, Hello? Hello?"
#7. DAY ONE: "Our Room, LOL-Pops, and new friends"
#8. DAY TWO: "MK Day or BUST! part ONE"
#9. Playing Photopass Catch-Up
#10. Day TWO: "MK Day or BUST! part TWO"
#11. Day TWO: "Ohana means Lapu lapu... I mean family!"
#12. Day THREE: "Lines, and tired, and stares, oh my!" Part ONE
#13. Day THREE: "Lines, and tired, and stares, oh my!" Part TWO
#14. Day THREE: "Lines, and tired, and stares, oh my!" Part TWO cont...
#15. Day THREE: "Lines, and tired, and stares, oh my!" Part THREE
#16. Day THREE: "Downtown Disney- Oh Spit!"
#17. Day FOUR: Resort Day- "Stacey's First Slide"
#18. Day FOUR: RESORT DAY- "Stacey's First Slide Continued"
#19. Day FOUR: Resort Day- "Dinner at Whispering Canyon Cafe"
#20. Day FOUR: Resort Day "Cami's first parade."
the continuation to chapter 20 is in post 249.
#21. Day FIVE: Hollywood Studios -Part ONE

[dolfinjuls]

Yay! Am I first??? So glad you've started! Can't wait to hear all about it!

[oboedm]

Can't wait to hear about everything-- especially the top 10!

[camsmomE]

TOP TEN reasons you know you've just returned from vacationing at WL! (or WDW in general!)

#10. your husband tells you you're running late for work and you reply "It's ok- I'll take the monorail."

#9. When you hear thunder at night, the whole family screams in unison "FIREWORKS!"

#8. You ask your husband what's good on T.V. and he says "nothing... there's no Stacey."

#7. You're still looking for hidden Mickey's around the house.

#6. You're scared to death to ask for ketchup!

#5. You go through the Taco Bell drive-thru and they won't take the dining plan.

#4. Every time you walk by your daughter's stuffed Humphrey, you HAVE to rub his nose.

#3. Your husband asks "how much longer before dinner?" and you hand him a pager.

#2. You start referring to the speedy checkout line at Publix as "the FastPass Return."

and the #1 reason you know you've just returned from vacationing at WL (or WDW in general)....

You make a fresh pot of coffee... and pour it into your refillable mugs.

Stay tuned for "DAY ONE- ARRIVAL and EPCOT"

[camsmomE]

Originally Posted by dolfinjuls

Yay! Am I first??? So glad you've started! Can't wait to hear all about it!

Yes you are! Here we go...

Originally Posted by oboedm

Can't wait to hear about everything-- especially the top 10!

Posted the TOP TEN just now, enjoy! Thanks for joining me!

[PinkEars]

Joining in!

LOVE your top 10!

[Simba22]

Yay! I'm here!! Glad to hear that you guys had a great time! I can't wait to read all about it! Your Top 10 is awesome! And BTW, I have refillable mugs from CBR from 2004 that I still use for coffee almost every day!

I can't believe you've gone and come back already, though! That means our trip will be here before we know it!

[therussells08]

I'm here! I'm here!! And I'm ready!

I love the list! It had me cracking up!

[camsmomE]

Originally Posted by PinkEars

Joining in!

LOVE your top 10!

Originally Posted by Simba22

Yay! I'm here!! Glad to hear that you guys had a great time! I can't wait to read all about it! Your Top 10 is awesome! And BTW, I have refillable mugs from CBR from 2004 that I still use for coffee almost every day!

I can't believe you've gone and come back already, though! That means our trip will be here before we know it!

I know I'll be using it everyday too! (I'll pour my Starbucks in it!)

Originally Posted by therussells08

I'm here! I'm here!! And I'm ready!

I love the list! It had me cracking up!

The sad thing is 9 out of 10 things on that list have happened already! (I've not been running late for work yet... )

[camsmomE]

Monday, Aug. 2, 2010

3:30 AM. Yup. Alarm clock was set for 4AM to get us out and on our way by 5:30, but I really didn't sleep much, so at 3:30 I raised the white flag of defeat and just got up and going. It worked out well though because I had been packed for weeks, the car was loaded already, so I had LOTS of time to clean the house.

At 3:45AM I realized I forgot to freeze water bottles, so put them in right away and prayed they'd freeze in an hour or so. I packed the cooler with all our refrigerated foods and woke Mike up at 5AM. This is where we started running late... Instead of just moving Cam (this is how I will be referring to Cameran throughout this report), she WOKE UP! and HAPPY!!! It was way after 5:30AM (our original leave time) so we decided not to change her clothes yet, and just put her in the car. We got the last of the stuff in the car, then loaded Cam into her seat, and as I'm closing the car door, Mike says "Did you freeze water?" It's still in the freezer! So he runs in and gets it and we are on the road. 6AM ...half hour behind schedule. but HEY, we're on our way to Disney! and this is what we looked like on I-4 at 6:15AM



Around 7AM we realized we were ONE EXIT from our exit and Cam still looked like... well... that. So I pulled into a McDonald's and ordered the world's worst smoothie and got Cam looking a little more "arrival picture appropriate"



Pretty soon (like 5 minutes later) we were seeing THIS

that picture I TOOK while driving because Mike wasn't paying attention and I didn't want to have to slam on my brakes and reverse... because I would!

Mike took this progression of entrance pictures (great job Baby!)

and...

and...


Ok, I know you won't believe me, but the lady who was working the gate... was named STACEY! When we got our parking permit the woman said "welcome home." and I started crying- literally! Here's the gate, and here's me crying...



(I'm such and ugly crier, but for some reason, my husband thought it was "cute." then he laughed at me- all the way to the bell stand.)


Cam and I waited for Mike to self-park, so while we were waiting, we gave Jose (our bellman) an appreciation pin card, and took some pictures of the entrance. Oh, and Cam started eating her Mister Fan. [Pause for funny story... The night before, Mike was reading off my list and said "Remember to bring Mister Fan" but he read it as ..."Mr. Fan" Think about it! Like Mr. Potato Head, Mr. Fan! I think I snorted and cry-laughed for 20 minutes!]



Here's Mike, so we're ready to go to "Online Check-In Line" which didn't matter AT ALL because there were 5 CMs working the desk, and we were the only guests standing at it. Ok, I'm going to make this next park as "nice" as possible... Our CM didn't smile at all, only said necessary words, and grunted, yes people she grunted when I spoke to her nicely. Mike kept whispering "she's training, go easy" and attempting to get me to walk away from the counter and let him check us in. HA! fat chance, even with Cam screaming her butt off from the boredom. She hands Mike a packet and an envelope containing two KTTW cards. The envelope has 1135 written on it. She said "Your room is 1135, when it's ready, but it's not. We'll text you when it is." Ummm... THEY CAN'T DO THAT? They're not supposed to tell us the room number until it's ready, even I know that, but I don't care, I am running late for Epcot rope drop (it's now 8AM and we still have to buy Mike sunglasses and change Cam (again). Let me stop now to fill you in... You will see MANY outfit changes in the middle of our days because Cameran, well, had MANY accidents... Ok, this is what I kept staring at to get my mind off of our "less than magical welcome" from this chick.


STAY TUNED FOR DAY ONE- part TWO

[therussells08]

YAY! On the way to Disney!!

Can I just mention that I am beyond jealous that you left your house at six and got to WDW at like 7?! That's amazing!

You look lovely in these pictures! I wish I could show you a picture of what I look like A.) anytime before 9 am and B.) when I cry. I really don't want to break my camera, though, so I'll just let you imagine it!

Cam is SO CUTE. I know I will probably say that a million times while I read this TR, but I don't care because it's true!

Ugh, I'm sorry you had a rude CM right at check in. That's not a very nice way to start someone's vacation. Well, it's her own fault she didn't get a pin appreciation card!

Mr. Fan had me doing this:

I can't wait for more!!!!

[Queenofallthings]

Great start....joining in

[Overexcited]

I am so happy you started your trip report so quickly, I have been looking forward to reading it. I can't believe you have come and gone from your trip already!

[stitch teacher]

Hi there!

Joining in the fun!

We'll be staying at the Wilderness for the first time in November, so I'm really looking forward to hearing your insights on the resort.