I'm ready to go now!!! Is it vacation time yet?

[JDailey]

Oh my......I would have had a hard time keeping the secret then!! I can't wait to see how she reacts. I still haven't really thought of how we are going to tell our kids. I think we are going to keep the suit cases in the basement and pack them down there. I have to think of a great way to tell them though.

 

[johnsonginad]

Moving right along here! On Wednesday, April 4th, we will be getting up pretty early again. On this day, we're headed to Animal Kingdom! My first visit to Animal Kingdom was in 1999, and let me tell ya, I was not impressed. I don't think that it really fit my vision of what Disney World was supposed to be like. But, I digress. When we went to AK last year, we had a spectacular time! It's amazing how I didn't realize just how beautiful this park really is, and how much detail it has to offer. We loved Camp Minnie Mickey, and It's Tough to be a Bug ranked high on our list too. The safari was awesome, and Kali River Rapids was a blast and a half! We didn't get to spend as much time here as we wanted to, because we "assumed" from our previous experience in 1999, that we would be through with this park by lunchtime. Boy were we ever wrong! We didn't get to do half the things we wanted to in the short time we were there! So, we plan on making up for it this time. Last year, we didn't get to the park until about 9:30 had to leave by 12:30 or so because we had ADRs at Akershus at 2pm. This time, we are going to participate in the park's EMH's that morning, and we don't have an ADR to go to until 4:50. So here's our plans for this day.

AK has EMH's that morning from 8am-9am. We are going to definitely be there for that. We will have a little over an hour to get some things accomplished. We're going to head to the safari first, because it's one of our must do's, and it's in the aread of the park we need to be in for our first ADR of the day. So, we plan on riding the safari, and then either grabbing a fastpass for it when we get off, or possibly sending Prince Charming to get fastpasses for Expedition Everest. We didn't get to do this one last time, because we ran out of time, so we just HAVE to experience it this time! I don't know if we'll be able to get Emma to do it or not, but at least we can do a rider switch on it if necessary.

At 9:30, we have ADRs here:

We've never eaten here before. I haven't had a chance to read many dining reviews, but I would assume that it's your basic standard breakfast buffet, but with some really cool characters sprinkled in! (and apparently, some really good juice too! )

From there, we'll have a good amount of time for touring available. I have several things that I want to do there too. I have a list of must do's, and most of them, I've never gotten to do before!

My first, absolute must do is to see Festival of the Lion King. I was so disappointed that we didn't get to see this last year, so it's at the top of my list to do this time.

Also, Finding Nemo-The Musical, is ranked high on my list. This will be another first for us as well.

Rounding out the list for after breakfast are a bunch of the "givens" or the things that we know we like, and have to do again. Those things would be:

1. It's Tough To Be a Bug
2. Kali River Rapids
3. Visiting Camp Minnie Mickey
4. Finding as many Characters as we can!

One thing that I don't mind missing here? Flights of Wonder. Birds scare the crud out of me. I don't like them. I never will. Ever since that time Prince Charming and I went into a pet shop and that big stupid bird that was OUT OF IT'S CAGE squawked at me and flapped it's big ole wings at me, I've been terrified of them. Just the thought of a great big bird swooping over me is enough to start tremors. Yep, I'm a wuss.

It won't be necessary for us to leave the park until at least 3:45 or maybe even 4:00. At that time, we'll catch a bus over to the Grand Floridian for dinner at:

I am so excited to see what this ADR has in store for us! What could be better than dinner with Cinderella, Prince Charming (her's and mine ) and the step family? This has some serious potential to be an EXTRA fun time!

I'm not sure what will do after dinner. We will either head back to the resort for a rest, or head out to a park. I already know that the park will be MK, it just remains to be seen if a break will be in order before we head that direction. You see, this particular night is our last night there. (Wow...just typing that makes me sad.) We ALWAYS go to MK on our last night. It's a night to take it all in and watch MSEP and Wishes one last time before going home.

Have no fear though! The next day promises even more fun for us!

 

[johnsonginad]

Oh my......I would have had a hard time keeping the secret then!! I can't wait to see how she reacts. I still haven't really thought of how we are going to tell our kids. I think we are going to keep the suit cases in the basement and pack them down there. I have to think of a great way to tell them though.

I know...getting to come up with an idea of how to tell them is so much fun! You can be so creative with it! I just don't know how much longer I can hold out though. LOL!!!

 

[Lidian]

Sorry that your DH's iPhone died. We just recently upgraded from 3GS to 4 and 4S (I got the 4S). We kept insurance on ours, and even though mine was trying so hard to die, I could have had mine replaced -- however, I so wanted the 4S, so we just upgraded. The 4 was $99, which wasn't bad at all for a new phone. The 4S, however, was $199, so that hurt a little. But it was worth it. Glad you're liking your new phone!

I had issues with the Disney app all week. It kept telling me I was in a different park (or at a resort). Like, I'd be at Epcot (Future World) and it would tell me I was at Wilderness Lodge. I'd reset the app and then it would usually work, but it was really getting on my last nerve. Also, the app said Mission Space was 10 minute wait, so sent DH and DD over. It was 40 minute wait for Orange and 60 minute wait for Green. I even checked the app again when they text me and reset it, and it still said 10 minutes. But when it was working, it worked and it was epic! It was really nice to not have to trek all the way across the park to find out the wait was longer than we were willing to handle. (And for the record, others who used the app did NOT have issues.)

Can't wait to hear about the surprise!

We did lunch at TH, and dinner at 1900 on our recent trip! (Really wishing we were back.) Hope your love TH as much as we did!

 

[johnsonginad]

Sorry that your DH's iPhone died. We just recently upgraded from 3GS to 4 and 4S (I got the 4S). We kept insurance on ours, and even though mine was trying so hard to die, I could have had mine replaced -- however, I so wanted the 4S, so we just upgraded. The 4 was $99, which wasn't bad at all for a new phone. The 4S, however, was $199, so that hurt a little. But it was worth it. Glad you're liking your new phone!

I had issues with the Disney app all week. It kept telling me I was in a different park (or at a resort). Like, I'd be at Epcot (Future World) and it would tell me I was at Wilderness Lodge. I'd reset the app and then it would usually work, but it was really getting on my last nerve. Also, the app said Mission Space was 10 minute wait, so sent DH and DD over. It was 40 minute wait for Orange and 60 minute wait for Green. I even checked the app again when they text me and reset it, and it still said 10 minutes. But when it was working, it worked and it was epic! It was really nice to not have to trek all the way across the park to find out the wait was longer than we were willing to handle. (And for the record, others who used the app did NOT have issues.)

Can't wait to hear about the surprise!

We did lunch at TH, and dinner at 1900 on our recent trip! (Really wishing we were back.) Hope your love TH as much as we did!

Ugh...it did hurt to have to spend $199 on the 4S, but I do like it.

I hope we love TH too!!! SO...when are you starting your TR? I'm ready to hear all about it!

 

[wakica]

First of all I have to say WOW!!!! I cannot BELEIVE you still didn't cave in and tell her after that!!! lol. You are AMAZING!!!! and Sssooooo strong. I could never do it. She's going to be SSOOOO surprised and happy!!

As for the phone - ugh But in the end i'm glad you got something out of it too

I love AK! It's usually a shorter day for us too b/c we are there mostly for Expedition Everest, Kali River Rapids and a show or two but it's a really nice park. We will be watching FOTLK too this time b/c Dd was so young when she saw it that I feel she needs to experience the awesomeness of it now that she can appreciate it more.
And on the birds! But don't feel bad! You are not alone! Everyone here loves to go to the park to feed the geese except for me! I'm absolutely TERRIFIED of those nasty pointy sharp beaks! We even had a parrot for some time and he was a nasty little thing who would get out of his cage from time to time and if you go near him he would ruffle up his feathers, make this AWEFUL horrible deathly sound from his throat and try and get you with his beak. We often would just close the door on the room we had his cage in and peek in ocassionally to make sure he wasn't near the door of the cage and if the coast was clear we would go put some grapes in his cage. That would lure him in and we could rush over and shut the cage. Oh man - I had nightmares about that bird for SO many years!!! I am PETRIFIED of beaks!!!!! I do have to say i like flights of Wonder show though - i may hate to be near birds but I still find them amazing creatures and have SO much respect for their handlers.

I think that's all i wanted to say. sorry i've been awol for awhile - lots going on. You'll have to pop over to my little pre trip report world and see some day. I don't think you've actually been over yet.

 

[johnsonginad]

First of all I have to say WOW!!!! I cannot BELEIVE you still didn't cave in and tell her after that!!! lol. You are AMAZING!!!! and Sssooooo strong. I could never do it. She's going to be SSOOOO surprised and happy!!

As for the phone - ugh But in the end i'm glad you got something out of it too

I love AK! It's usually a shorter day for us too b/c we are there mostly for Expedition Everest, Kali River Rapids and a show or two but it's a really nice park. We will be watching FOTLK too this time b/c Dd was so young when she saw it that I feel she needs to experience the awesomeness of it now that she can appreciate it more.
And on the birds! But don't feel bad! You are not alone! Everyone here loves to go to the park to feed the geese except for me! I'm absolutely TERRIFIED of those nasty pointy sharp beaks! We even had a parrot for some time and he was a nasty little thing who would get out of his cage from time to time and if you go near him he would ruffle up his feathers, make this AWEFUL horrible deathly sound from his throat and try and get you with his beak. We often would just close the door on the room we had his cage in and peek in ocassionally to make sure he wasn't near the door of the cage and if the coast was clear we would go put some grapes in his cage. That would lure him in and we could rush over and shut the cage. Oh man - I had nightmares about that bird for SO many years!!! I am PETRIFIED of beaks!!!!! I do have to say i like flights of Wonder show though - i may hate to be near birds but I still find them amazing creatures and have SO much respect for their handlers.

I think that's all i wanted to say. sorry i've been awol for awhile - lots going on. You'll have to pop over to my little pre trip report world and see some day. I don't think you've actually been over yet.

Beaks, wings squawking, I don't care what it is, I'm terrified of it all!! LOL

Oh...I finally visited your PTR last night. Good stuff! I need to run. Nah...I'm not in the mood. LOL

 

[johnsonginad]

Even though I don't want to, it's time. It's time to talk about our last day in Walt Disney World. I swear, typing this out makes me want to cry!!! Sniff...Sniff...And it's a horrible feeling to be this sad before you've even gotten there!

But...I digress...

Even though it's the saddest day ever, we always have an absolute BLAST that day. (I mean, really...who doesn't on ANY day they're there?)

We always go to MK on our last day too. Our plans this time are no different for any other time we've been. We'll open up MK that morning, just so we can see the opening show one last time, and so we can have the most time possible before we have to meet the Magical Depress, er, Express to head back to the airport for home. Emma will smile, and dance during the show, and Prince Charming will watch her and attempt to be very manly. (i.e. not cry) Me? I'll most likely do what I do best. I'll cry. And then I'll cry some more.

We never have any ADRs on this day, and we just play, play, play! So after we open up the MK that morning we'll spend some time riding some rides. We'll most definitely head for Dumbo first, because it's Emma's favorite! After riding some rides, we'll head somewhere in the park for a quick breakfast. We usually go to the Main Street Bakery and have something extra yummy, but we may actually try out Sleepy Hollow. I have heard some great things about the breakfast there! We'll mainly play it by ear and just go wherever the wind takes us I suppose!

After breakfast, we'll do even more touring. We want to ride every ride as many times as we can. LOL. We want to also make sure that we see all the day parades and the shows too. (I know...we probably won't get it all in, but it'll be fun trying!)

Now for lunch, or a late lunch, we sort of started a new tradition last year. We ate at Columbia Harbor House last year for lunch on our last day, and it was spectacular! I had the tuna sandwich, and it was AMAZING. Best tuna sammy I've ever had!!! Prince Charming loved the fried fish, too. Little Emma had a kiddo standby of chicken nuggets and grapes, but she loved it too! So, needless to say, this is probably where we'll eat lunch.

We'll end the day with some more rides, and some shopping down Main Street. When we left the park last year, we sat on one of the benches outside the turnstiles, stared at the opening of MK, and we all cried. Yep, we're all a big bunch of babies. We'll finally sulk over to the buses, and ride back to the resort and take a stroll around the property. This is the time the Prince Charming takes a bunch of pics of the resort, and of Emma playing on the playground there. Then we'll sadly slink over to the waiting aread to board the bus back to the airport. Sad, sad, sad.

On the bright side though, Prince Charming and I are hoping for a bounceback offer, so we can book it for sometime in the near future. This will make me really happy, because then I can start planning another vacation! Fingers crossed!!!

 

[wakica]

awe The last day IS sad!!! It's nice you can end off in the park though. I think we'll try that this time for our first time EVER. We normally have really early fly out times so need to wake up at ungodly hours to get to to the airport but as you get older there are just some things you aren't willling to do anymore and that was one of them!!! So since we are staying onsite at Universal this time we will take advantage of our express passes to breeze through our favorite rides one last time at each park before we leave. It won't be Disney unfortunately but we will be happy b/c some of our fave coasters are at this park. I'm wondering if it'll make it even more sad to leave when we head to the airport right from a park??? but usually by the end of our trips i'm honestly theme parked out and ready to be home.

your last day sounds wonderful
oh and thanks for popping over!! Even if you did laugh at my falling incicent! j/k. It's definitely funny!

 

[johnsonginad]

awe The last day IS sad!!! It's nice you can end off in the park though. I think we'll try that this time for our first time EVER. We normally have really early fly out times so need to wake up at ungodly hours to get to to the airport but as you get older there are just some things you aren't willling to do anymore and that was one of them!!! So since we are staying onsite at Universal this time we will take advantage of our express passes to breeze through our favorite rides one last time at each park before we leave. It won't be Disney unfortunately but we will be happy b/c some of our fave coasters are at this park. I'm wondering if it'll make it even more sad to leave when we head to the airport right from a park??? but usually by the end of our trips i'm honestly theme parked out and ready to be home.

your last day sounds wonderful
oh and thanks for popping over!! Even if you did laugh at my falling incicent! j/k. It's definitely funny!

LOL...Bless your heart! I'm sure it hurt so much! I couldn't help but get tickled though. It SO sounded like something I would do too! I have this uncanny knack for being an extreme klutz sometimes. I swear...If anyone can fall, it's gonna be me. This past fall, we were going to the beach, and a week before we left I fell in a parking lot and banged myself up pretty good. I scraped my knee so badly that it hurt to get into the ocean. LOL. I can't help but laugh about it, even though it was so darn painful! My poor knee had a bruise that was so deep that you could barley see it, but it hurt for months before it finally healed. You would've cracked up at me if you had seen it happen. As soon as my butt hit the pavement I was laughing hysterically at myself. I didn't even realize I had scraped myself up that bad until I changed clothes later, and my pants were stuck to the skin that was still intact on my knee. They made fun of me at work for a week.

We LOVE going to a park on our last day. We always try to get a later flight out, and we're so excited, because this time we don't leave out of Orlando until 7:20 pm. That's a big change from our 4:30 flight from last year!!

17 more days! I'm so ready!!!!

 

[wakica]

Well, on a good note - two days ago I sneezed and it finally didn't hurt!!!!! That's when I knew I was finally over the painful part. Now i can bend, sneeze, cough, lift, and push myself a bit on the treadmill without suffering. YAY me!!!

I can't beleive you have only 17 days left!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Are you packed yet?? and where are you going to hide that???

 

[johnsonginad]

Well, on a good note - two days ago I sneezed and it finally didn't hurt!!!!! That's when I knew I was finally over the painful part. Now i can bend, sneeze, cough, lift, and push myself a bit on the treadmill without suffering. YAY me!!!

I can't beleive you have only 17 days left!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Are you packed yet?? and where are you going to hide that???

WOO HOO!!!!! YAY YOU!!!!!!!!! LOL

I can't believe it's only 17 days either!!! I think I've got most everything together for packing. Prince Charming and I are going to work on it tonight after Miss Emma goes to bed. Hopefully we can get it all done and out in his truck. That way he can go on and take it to his mom and dad's house tomorrow and stow it away. We figure that will be easier since they are going to take us to the airport.

Gotta get it all organized! My plan is to have it ALL done before Friday. We'll see if it actually happens.

 

[Crazy Mother of Two]

The last day in the best place in the world is sooo sad!
How funny that we can be sad just thinking about the last day of a vacation that is yet to happen!!!
So happy for you guys! Cannot wait to hear all about your trip!

 

[Lidian]

Ugh...it did hurt to have to spend $199 on the 4S, but I do like it.

I hope we love TH too!!! SO...when are you starting your TR? I'm ready to hear all about it!

I'm hoping to start my TR soon ... but right now, I have some personal and school stuff to deal with.

Your trip is getting so close! Just a little over two weeks! How exciting!

 

[johnsonginad]

The last day in the best place in the world is sooo sad!
How funny that we can be sad just thinking about the last day of a vacation that is yet to happen!!!
So happy for you guys! Cannot wait to hear all about your trip!

I know...it's hillarious! Typing that post on the last day there made me so depressed! LOL

I'm hoping to start my TR soon ... but right now, I have some personal and school stuff to deal with.

Your trip is getting so close! Just a little over two weeks! How exciting!

Yuck...dealing with stuff like that is NO FUN. I hope all is ok, and whatever it might be gets resolved for you soon!

I still can't believe that it's getting so close! 16 days and counting!!!

 

[johnsonginad]

This has been a pretty eventful week for us here! We've been spending a lot of time after Emma goes to bed getting stuff together and doing some packing. We are finally almost done! We HAD to get it done this week, because Emma was really asking alot of questions about why the suitcases were out. We had told her that Memom and Poppy needed to borrow them, and that's why they were out. SO...I grabbed my handy dandy packing list, and we started marking things off. Three suitcases, a backpack, and a carryon bag later, I think we're finally almost finished. Prince Charming took them and hid them in the garage for now. There's really not too much to pack now. Just the few last minute things, that I can't pack until that morning. You know...those things like my hair dryer (gotta have my ion hair dryer to help ward off the frizzies! ), my makeup, my contact solution, and my face wash, toner, and moisturizer. Wow...I just realized that all of this stuff is mine!! LOL...

Prince Charming and I have also been going to the tanning bed lately. I haven't been to one in FOREVER. We decided after our sunburn fiasco from our last vacation at the beach, that it would be a good idea to go with somewhat of a tan, so we could keep from burning. Last year when we went to WDW, I got burnt on the very first day. I remembered to put sunblock on my face, but forgot about my shoulders and my chest. Boy were they ever red! This still doesn't hold a candle to the Great Sunburn Fiasco at San Destin, Florida. It was BAD. Prince Charming and I literally bathed Emma in sunblock, but didn't put much on ourselves. She was perfectly fine. Us on the other hand? We were so sunburned that it hurt to sleep. It was HORRIBLE. So we decided to try to keep that from happening again. Already having somewhat of a tan will help immensely. At least I hope so.

Right now, most everything is done. We're just trying to decide on whether or not to do Online Check-In. What do you guys think? I need to decide ASAP, because online check-in day is Tuesday! I can't believe it! We're almost down to single digit dancing!!!

 

[JDailey]

I can't believe it's almost time to go!! Your last day talk made me sad. I always cry on the last day too!!

 

[johnsonginad]

I can't believe it's almost time to go!! Your last day talk made me sad. I always cry on the last day too!!

I can't believe it either! Now, I just have to figure out how to make these next 11 days go by as fast as the last several have! LOL

 

[johnsonginad]

I just had to share this with you guys. It is so incredibly sweet!

Just to bring everybody back up to speed, Prince Charming and I just got new cell phones. He ended up going with the Samsung Galaxy II, which he really likes. It has a "personal assitant" on it much like Siri on the iPhone 4S. He's been playing with it alot lately, but found something on Friday that REALLY made his day!

Prince Charming is a major electronics guru, and can do ANYTHING with ANY type of gadget there is. Anyway. He was playing with his phone Friday, and was seeing if he could hook it up to our surround sound system in the living room like he could his old iPhone. He could! So he hooked it up, and tested the personal assitant out.

"Hi Galaxy." he said.

Galaxy responded with "How can I help you today?"

"Play music." he said.

Galaxy immediately started playing the top song on his song list, and what do you think it was??? Yep...One Republic...Good Life.

He was so excited! Then he got to thinking about us surprising Emma the day we leave, and about incorporating that song with it, and he sat down on the couch and started to cry!

Awwwww....My sweet Prince Charming. He's so excited! We've been texting each other back and forth ALL DAY. His vacation starts when he gets off from work on this upcoming Sunday, so we're trying to get through the week as best as we can. LOL. I know it's probably gonna DRAG by, because we're getting so close!

OH! And tomorrow is D-Day! Or C-I Day in this case. Tomorrow we can officially do online check-in! I think we've decided to do it. Maybe we'll have a better chance of our room being ready since we will be getting there so early. What do you guys think? Any of you done online check-in before?

Guess what else? We added ANOTHER ADR to our list too. LOL. Prince Charming and I were killing some time yesterday, and were looking at some dining reviews when we stumbled upon a few from Tony's Town Square. I know it's had some negative reviews too, but the pictures of the food looked SO YUMMY! So we've added it as an early lunch on our last full park day! We aren't sure yet if we're going to actually keep it or not. We're going to wait and play it by ear. We may keep it, then again we might cancel it. I'm not sure yet. I guess we'll see!

 

[Lidian]

OH! And tomorrow is D-Day! Or C-I Day in this case. Tomorrow we can officially do online check-in! I think we've decided to do it. Maybe we'll have a better chance of our room being ready since we will be getting there so early. What do you guys think? Any of you done online check-in before?

Guess what else? We added ANOTHER ADR to our list too. LOL. Prince Charming and I were killing some time yesterday, and were looking at some dining reviews when we stumbled upon a few from Tony's Town Square. I know it's had some negative reviews too, but the pictures of the food looked SO YUMMY! So we've added it as an early lunch on our last full park day! We aren't sure yet if we're going to actually keep it or not. We're going to wait and play it by ear. We may keep it, then again we might cancel it. I'm not sure yet. I guess we'll see!

We always do online check-in. Except we didn't do it this year (because I was hoping that DH would upgrade us when we checked in, but he changed his mind). Our room has almost always been ready when we've done online, and the one time it wasn't, she found us a ready room. And this year, we didn't do online, but when we checked in, she found us a ready room.

I do know that it helps speed up the check-in process, and it does increase your chance of having a ready room, but it never guarantees it.

I enjoy doing online check-in because it's another milestone in our trip!

You mentioned Tony's ... and I got some "heat" when I made an ADR there last year. I thought it was one of our better meals of the trip. We would go back in a heartbeat to Tony's. The food was good, the service was good ... I don't think I had anything to complain about with Tony's. So I highly recommend it!

Oh, and have some food pics for good measure!

New York Strip Steak

Braised Lamb Shank

Cheesecake

Gelato (Pistachio, I think)