An obsessive planner learns to go with the flow... Finished and a Link to new PTR

[-Hope-]

Afternoon breaks don't really work for us either. We just go until we are done and call it a day. Trying to leave and come back always seems to take us forever and we never get any rest. So, your husband is not interested in going back to WDW? How about your kids?

Of course the kids are ready to go back! They had such a great time. However, we can only afford one big vacation per year and we do it as a family. The kids and I did a vacation without Robbie a few years ago (he had to work) and while we had fun there was definately a cloud over the whole thing. Everytime the kids would have a big reaction to something I would feel sad that he was missing it. After that we decided that we all go together if at all possible.

I LOVE the pics of the kids looking at the fountain. I really enjoyed that singing/dancing fountain. It was so pretty, I could have watched it for hours.

Thanks, I loved that fountain too!

First, I'm glad you're not actually updating every day, because I would never get caught up!

It's a good thing because I have been SUPER busy lately!

I'm sorry that your Epcot day did not go as planned. It sounds like things were just frustrating and that all the little things kept going wrong! I too, have cried at WDW. It's okay. Still better than having things go wrong at home and crying there. You can cry at home any day!

So true!

I like the inside of Mexico too. It's so very pretty! I'm sorry the cantina was horrible. No one should eat on top of a trash can!

Taking a break can be exhausting, in my opinion. All that bus time, it's just really hard. If my kids didn't NEED a nap, I wouldn't do it at all. And by kids, I mean J.J., because Syd will sleep anywhere. J.J. is too big to take a successful nap in a stroller! The last trip I took was the first time that I went back to the room for naps, and I found it frustrating. But, what needs to be done needs to be done!

When we went on our honeymoon, my feet hurt so badly. I had to roll up socks and place them under my arches and then tie my shoes as tightly as I could just so I didn't feel like my arches were collapsing. It was so brutal. I just tried not to cry as I limped from place to place. And I couldn't find inserts for my shoes anywhere on property. So I have felt your pain!

Umm...my upcoming trip is totally to do-over last trip and make it better. Well, it was, since I wanted to go without anyone else, but now my mom is coming. And she needs to come more than I need to go alone. But one of these trips will be to re-do my other trips and do them better!

I hope that your next day turns out better! Can't wait to read about it!

Thanks for commiserating with me- it helps to know others have been there!

 

[-Hope-]

I'm so sorry that I haven't updated in so long! Last weekend I shot a wedding on Saturday and my niece's senior pictures on Sunday. The response for both was so overwhelming that I decided it was time to launch my photography business. So... it has just been crazy busy but I've also been having lots of fun!

I'm going to try to do shorter updates so it will be easier to squeeze them in.

When I last left off we had just finished up a day at Epcot that took a toll on me. I wanted nothing more but to sleep in the next day but that wasn't possible. It was our DHS day and Jace really wanted to do the Jedi Training Academy so we were up at 7 AM. We had a quick breakfast...

and then were to the bus stop by 8. We made it to the park and through the gate by 8:40 (DHS was VERY close to our resort so this should give you an idication of how slow the buses were all week). I was happy that we'd actually made rope drop for the first time but I could tell the crowd was overwhelming for Robbie.

The rope drop ceremony was cute but doesn't involve characters so I could really take it or leave it. The kids did seem to enjoy it though. As soon as the rope dropped we headed straight to the Star Tours area so Jace could get in line. As soon as we rounded the corner and you could see the top of Star Tours Jace started running. When we got there there were already several people in line. I was trying to count heads but I wasn't sure how many of these kids were in line and how many were just waiting with siblings. I knew they'd only take 15 per show and I really wanted him to be in the first show so we could enjoy the rest of the day. At this point though there was no way to tell so we were just going to have to wait...

Up next: Will Jace make it into the first show??

 

[lexmas]

Congrats on starting your photography business!

I can take or leave DHS's opening show. I didn't realize it was so close to Pop though!

What a cliffhanger. I hope he makes it in!

 

[-Hope-]

Congrats on starting your photography business!

Thank you!

I can take or leave DHS's opening show. I didn't realize it was so close to Pop though!

We were at ASMusic. AK was closest to us but DHS was a close 2nd.

What a cliffhanger. I hope he makes it in!

Stay tuned...

 

[lexmas]

Whoops, sorry I got confused! I will try and remember where you actually stayed from now on!

 

[-Hope-]

I last left you wondering if Jace would make it into the first JTA show of the day...

He got in line and I kept trying to count kids and it seemed like he was doing okay when a group of kids came up and joined the people in front of us! I was really mad at first but then I heard a CM explain to someone else that they allow parents to hold a place in line as long as the child is there 20 minutes before the show to be checked in. That made sense and I figured it could benefit us as well if he didn't make it into the first show. At this point it was about 9:20 so check-in for the first show would be coming up in about 15 minutes, not enough time to do anything.

Kya was getting a little bored so Robbie took her to some shops and I went to get Jace an ice cream. He'd only had three pieces of bacon for breakfast and was getting hungry. Thankfully there was a cart in view of the line so I just popped over and got it for him while he waited. At this point I noticed how long the line was and I was so thankful for the DIS! I wish I'd taken a picture because it was just unbelievable. At 9:30, 25 minutes before the first show of the day, the line was already so long that I'm sure some people didn't make it into a show at all! I heard one family walk up and ask what this was and the little girl wanted to do it but it was really too late. I thought, "Well, at least some of my planning paid off!"

We were in line for a long time and I snapped a few pics while we waited...

Finally it was time for check in. There were more than 15 kids in front of us but I thought maybe some of the little ones were just waiting with siblings so we thought maybe there was still a chance. Well, all of these kids were doing it and it looked like we were going to have to do the 2nd show when...

The family in front of us would have been number 15. However they had three kids and there was only room for one in the show. The dad really wanted all three kids in the same show so they let us go in front of them! Woohoo we made it into the first show!!

He was so excited and just all smiles. When it was time to go up on stage he was just so into the moment that he wasn't even looking for me.

The CMs in this show do a great job. Jace loved the corny jokes and just had so much fun! They really get into character and it makes it so much better for the kids...

The trainees learned a sequence of steps before Darth Vader came out and then each got to battle him one at a time while he tried to entice them to come over to the dark side...

After Darth Vader was defeated each trainee received a certificate that was rolled up and tied with ribbon like a diploma. Jace walked away looking at his declaring that he never thought he's be able to say that he battled Darth Vader and won!

Why I love the DIS: We never would have made it into a show at all much less the first show of the day without the DIS. I'd never heard of JTA and we would have been one of those families that happened upon it and discovered it too late. But thanks to the DIS Jace got to have a magical start to his day.

What I wish we'd done differently: If I had known parents could hold places in line Robbie or I would have waited while the other took the kids to do something else so the time wouldn't have just been wasted. Waiting wasn't that bad though so this is really just a little thing.

Up next: Muppet Vision 3-D...

 

[-Hope-]

I'll be out of town this weekend so I won't be checking in or updating! I hope you all have a great weekend!

 

[lexmas]

SO exciting that you got in because that other family wanted to do it together! That's great!

JTA looks SO amazing. I'm too impatient to stand in line like that though. Good to know parents can hold the place in line though, maybe if DS wants to do it some day I'll make DH wait!

Jace looks so happy, and like he had such a great time! I'm so glad he got to do that! What a great start to the day!

Have a great weekend out of town!

 

[MagicShell]

How exciting for your son! So, do they choose the kids for all shows through the day early in the morning? If he had not made the first show would you have had to wait in line all over again?

 

[pookersmom]

That's so awesome! My son can't wait to try and do that when we're there in January... also, he got the idea from your TR of the "build your own Lightsaber".

 

[Scampi]

Great trip report. I've added a few things to my list for the next trip!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!!!!

 

[DrMomof3]

That's awesome that JTA worked out! Nathaniel is too shy.
I totally know what you mean about doing it right. I feel like it's taken us several trips to figure out what works for us.

Amanda

 

[OhioDisneyLover]

Great update. So glad that he made it into the first show! I am deathly afraid of Vader and won't go anywhere near that part of the park!

Great pictures!

 

[-Hope-]

SO exciting that you got in because that other family wanted to do it together! That's great!

JTA looks SO amazing. I'm too impatient to stand in line like that though. Good to know parents can hold the place in line though, maybe if DS wants to do it some day I'll make DH wait!

The wait wasn't so bad. We were exhausted at this point so it was nice to have a reason to slow down.

Jace looks so happy, and like he had such a great time! I'm so glad he got to do that! What a great start to the day!

Have a great weekend out of town!

The weekend didn't work out, sick kiddo.

How exciting for your son! So, do they choose the kids for all shows through the day early in the morning? If he had not made the first show would you have had to wait in line all over again?

No, everyone lines up and 20 minutes before show time they sign up 15 kids. If you don't get in you have to stay in line until they start taking kids for the next show, 20 minutes before that one.

Show times are: 9:55, 10:50 & 11:45am, 12:40, 1:30, 2:20, 4:00 & 4:45pm

I think some people were probably standing there from 9:30 until late in the afternoon to get into a show. Being there at rope drop to get into the first or 2nd show of the day is really the best way to go.

That's so awesome! My son can't wait to try and do that when we're there in January... also, he got the idea from your TR of the "build your own Lightsaber".

That's so great. If he really wants to do it be there at rope drop and I'd suggest having him run to the line! They also have the build your own lightsaber at Tattoine Traders next to Star Tours in DHS. It looked exactly the same as the one at Downtown Disney.

 

[-Hope-]

Great trip report. I've added a few things to my list for the next trip!

Thanks! I'm glad I could help.

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!!!!

Glad you haven't completely given up on me.

That's awesome that JTA worked out! Nathaniel is too shy.
I totally know what you mean about doing it right. I feel like it's taken us several trips to figure out what works for us.

Amanda

Kya was too shy also, she doesn't like getting up in front of people unless it's a dance recital and she can't see the audience because of the stage lights.

It's so funny because I feel like I know what works for us on a regular vacation but Disney was completely different!

Great update. So glad that he made it into the first show! I am deathly afraid of Vader and won't go anywhere near that part of the park!

Great pictures!

Don't worry, there are plenty of Jedi to hold Vader back.

Thanks, I really enjoyed taking the pics!

 

[-Hope-]

Well, the weekend plans fell through. About two hours before I was supposed to leave Kya started throwing up! A few hours later I started getting body aches and stomach cramps. So, we are recovering today.

I may try to update later if I feel like it.

 

[heaven2dc]

Jace is SO cute up on stage! (I'm sure he wouldn't appreciate being called cute but I think he is adorable!) I'm so glad he made it in the first show.

 

[-Hope-]

Jace is SO cute up on stage! (I'm sure he wouldn't appreciate being called cute but I think he is adorable!) I'm so glad he made it in the first show.

Aww, thanks! He may not appreciate it but I sure do!

 

[Victoriasmom98]

are you and Kya feeling any better today???