It'll Be All Right -A May 2012 TR Closing Thought and PTR Link 8/12*

[CandleontheWater]

I'm so glad you were having an awesome morning at AK. I agree, stopping to take in the details is the best way to do that park, there are so many wonderful things to see!

It is so nice you got some one-on-one time with your mom! I understand what you mean, growing up with two brothers myself, but I assure you, Mom, Daughter and baby time is equally fun!

 

[BennyFedora]

They sat me with this boy who, I swear, was so incredibly uncomfortable I don’t see how he could have enjoyed the ride at all. You could just tell he was looking at me thinking, “Stranger Danger! Stranger Danger!” I got the sideways eye stare the whole time. I mean, my major is education, I know how to read kids’ cues and know when they are stressed, and this kid was certainly not over the moon at being sat next to this adult woman with a 5 pound lanyard around her neck.

A few trips ago Joyce and I had just finished an adult beverage filled long series of Kim Possible missions in Epcot when we decided to go through the single-rider line at Test Track. There was a family of 5 in front of us that took up the 3 front seats and then the 2 outside seats in the second row. Joyce was supposed to get in that car as well, but one of the kids tried to buckle his backpack into the middle seat. Joyce then says, "single rider line"....the child looks confused..."Single Rider Line"......."SINGLE RIDER LINE!" as Joyce starts climbing in the car. The boy moved to the middle seat with his bag and Joyce won.

OK, so it may not have been as crazy/creepy as that, but it was something like that, and whenever we see or get in a SRL, I always yell "SINGLE RIDER LINE!"

 

[Mom&RN]

I just found your TR and was hooked after reading the first post. My DS (17) and I will be going on our 7th trip to WDW Jan 2013 but for THE FIRST TIME EVER my hubby is coming along. It has just never been his thing and he has been happy to stay home and let our trips be Mother-Son time. I have been seriously stressed out that I will spend the whole vacation worrying whether or not my hubby is having a good time! I've only read a few posts so far but I'm really enjoying it and eventually I'll get caught up (maybe even today, I have the day off ).

 

[MEK]

I can't believe I missed two updates! Boo. And now I am reading without pictures so I can't see the MEK relfection in the mirror picture. Double boo!

So - wait - the lion was out and no one was excited. what is wrong with people?

Yeah for riding EE twice in a row! Fun day in AK.

I'll check back later today for pics.

I almost forgot - woo hoo for a 1 day trip! Love that you are getting to use your AP again.

 

[PirateKate]

I love how strollers are allowed through most of the queue of the Safari! It's always too bad when other people aren't as interested on that ride. Maybe there were a lot of foreigners? Once on the Safari, there were some kids who kept standing up and the CM eventually told them to sit down in Spanish.

 

[CandleontheWater]

Alicia- I was searching for more lion king themed baby stuff on amazon (seriously, I can't get enough of the cuteness!) and I found these lion king themed baby shower plates, cups, and napkins! I thought of you, and they would be perfect if you are planning a baby shower!

You can see them here

If you scroll down you'll see the plates and cups and table cloths and the cute decorations!

 

[teekathepony]

I walk around with no lens cap all the time, lmao. And I work at a camera shop. I should have a sign on my desk that says "Do as I say, not as I do."

Looks like a really fun day at AK so far! Love walking right onto EE. Had a laugh at the poor stranger danger kid. I get a little weirded out when I'm sitting by strangers too. Although less so in Disney.

 

[MEK]

Back to see pictures and they all turned out really cute. You got great pictures of you and your mom and the tree of life. Plus I love your FOTLK pics.

But, of course, my favorite is the side view mirror picture! That turned out GREAT! I'm so jealous since mine are all purple.

 

[amazingact21]

Oh man. I wish I could sit and watch Festival of the Lion King right now. And all the time. Why is that show so stinking good?

Sorry about your camera troubles.

I don't know. There's just something about the way they combined the acting/dancing with the singing that makes it so incredible. I want to put the soundtrack on right now...again.

Your mother daughter time sounds great! I wish my mom would be able to go to Disney with my sister and I someday, but I just feel like it will never happen, she refuses to fly for one thing, and she's just not really healthy enough right now either.

Yay FOTLK!!! I love it so much! I always leave wishing I could sing and dance too. Well, the dancing part isn't the problem, I took dance lessons my whole life, but I can't sing to save my life!

Ugh sorry about your camera, but at least it wasn't anything important, right?

I don't think my dad will ever go back to Disney, so I understand how it is. I think we all just want to share the Disney magic with loved ones as much as possible.

I think alex would've killed me if I had broken anything important on the camera!

I'm so glad you were having an awesome morning at AK. I agree, stopping to take in the details is the best way to do that park, there are so many wonderful things to see!

It is so nice you got some one-on-one time with your mom! I understand what you mean, growing up with two brothers myself, but I assure you, Mom, Daughter and baby time is equally fun!

AK is the one park that I feel like I don't have a long To-Do list when I enter it in the morning. With places like DHS, I'm wanting to go on TSM, RNRC, Star Tours, etc etc. With AK, I do whatever I want to at that moment, and that can be really fun at times.


I know my mom and I will still have fun once the baby is in the picture, but we are grateful we got adult time, as well. I'm sure things like stopping for a drink in WS will become different once there's a baby strapped to me.

A few trips ago Joyce and I had just finished an adult beverage filled long series of Kim Possible missions in Epcot when we decided to go through the single-rider line at Test Track. There was a family of 5 in front of us that took up the 3 front seats and then the 2 outside seats in the second row. Joyce was supposed to get in that car as well, but one of the kids tried to buckle his backpack into the middle seat. Joyce then says, "single rider line"....the child looks confused..."Single Rider Line"......."SINGLE RIDER LINE!" as Joyce starts climbing in the car. The boy moved to the middle seat with his bag and Joyce won.

OK, so it may not have been as crazy/creepy as that, but it was something like that, and whenever we see or get in a SRL, I always yell "SINGLE RIDER LINE!"

Haha, maybe that's what I should do in the future. I think it'd eliminate a lot of problems. I can't count the number of times people freak out when a stranger's seated next to them, because they had no idea about the single rider line.

I just found your TR and was hooked after reading the first post. My DS (17) and I will be going on our 7th trip to WDW Jan 2013 but for THE FIRST TIME EVER my hubby is coming along. It has just never been his thing and he has been happy to stay home and let our trips be Mother-Son time. I have been seriously stressed out that I will spend the whole vacation worrying whether or not my hubby is having a good time! I've only read a few posts so far but I'm really enjoying it and eventually I'll get caught up (maybe even today, I have the day off ).

Welcome! Thanks for reading. Adding a new member to a Disney trip can be just as exhausting as it can be exciting. On one hand, you get to experience Disney with someone new, watch their reaction, create new memories, etc. On the other, you're terrified they'll not have fun or "get it."
It took me several days to relax and stop asking my mom every five seconds, "Are you okay? Tell me if you're not enjoying yourself." It's hard, but I promise, when you stop worrying, the trip gets easier. Tend to one your husband will be content to be on vacation, be spending time with his family, and watching them do stuff they love.

I can't believe I missed two updates! Boo. And now I am reading without pictures so I can't see the MEK relfection in the mirror picture. Double boo!

So - wait - the lion was out and no one was excited. what is wrong with people?

Yeah for riding EE twice in a row! Fun day in AK.

I'll check back later today for pics.

I almost forgot - woo hoo for a 1 day trip! Love that you are getting to use your AP again.

I know! Those people were crazy. I made sure to tell my mom that the lion sighting was pretty rare and that we got lucky.


I was really worried after our October trip that we wouldn't get to use our passes again. They expire in May, and I've gotten my money's worth our mine, but alex hasn't. If I'd known about this little change in our life, I wouldn't have invested in the, but now that we are Passholders, I never want to give that up!

I love how strollers are allowed through most of the queue of the Safari! It's always too bad when other people aren't as interested on that ride. Maybe there were a lot of foreigners? Once on the Safari, there were some kids who kept standing up and the CM eventually told them to sit down in Spanish.

Hmm, I didn't consider that. Maybe that was the case. Would make sense as to why nobody was talking or answering questions.

Alicia- I was searching for more lion king themed baby stuff on amazon (seriously, I can't get enough of the cuteness!) and I found these lion king themed baby shower plates, cups, and napkins! I thought of you, and they would be perfect if you are planning a baby shower!

You can see them here

If you scroll down you'll see the plates and cups and table cloths and the cute decorations!

Ahh! Thank you for sharing! Those are adorable!! I am DEFINITELY ordering those.

I walk around with no lens cap all the time, lmao. And I work at a camera shop. I should have a sign on my desk that says "Do as I say, not as I do."

Looks like a really fun day at AK so far! Love walking right onto EE. Had a laugh at the poor stranger danger kid. I get a little weirded out when I'm sitting by strangers too. Although less so in Disney.

I'm so clumsy with my camera that I'm always accidentally banging it around. I don't even want to think about the condition it'd be in after so many trips to Disney without a lens cap. Yikes...

Back to see pictures and they all turned out really cute. You got great pictures of you and your mom and the tree of life. Plus I love your FOTLK pics.

But, of course, my favorite is the side view mirror picture! That turned out GREAT! I'm so jealous since mine are all purple.

For some reason, I'm like you and have to try and get a picture of the side view mirror on the Safari. It's just such a cool angle!

 

[amazingact21]

May 8th Lunchtime:

My mom and I left Festival of the Lion King hungry and a teensy bit concerned about my camera. Since it was so hot out and the park was beginning to fill up, we thought grabbing a bite to eat would be our best bet.

I'd heard so many good things about Flame Tree Barbecue, but Alex doesn't like barbecue, so I wanted to eat there while I was with someone who'd be all right with the decision.

We dragged the map out of our bags, figured out the general location of the restaurant, and began making our way in what we thought was the right direction.

We passed these two guys along the way:


As it turns out, my mom and I made a wrong turn or took an incorrect path, so we had to circle back once or twice. When we eventually did find the front of the restaurant, there was a CM holding a large pin board along the sidewalk.

Naturally, I had to stop for a few minutes and look. The CM made my day by complimenting my lanyard, saying he wished he had my Scar pin. I was so happy that I wore that particular pin set that morning.

Nothing on the board really appealed to me, so I moved on and stared and the Flame Tree lunch menu.

Lots of pork.

And chicken.



Oh.

"You're not going to want any of this, are you?" My mom asked me.

I threw her a guilty look. It had taken us awhile to find the darn place; I didn't want to just leave now that I saw the majority of the food sold was pork. (Side note, in case it's not obvious, I don't like pork. Barbecue or not.)

My mom could tell I was in a dilemma. Stay there and eat something I didn't particularly care for, or turn around and hunt down another eatery. She eventually made the decision for me and said we should go back to where we were and eat at Pizzafari.

Oops. I know Flame Tree probably would've been a lot tastier than regular old pizza, but I just couldn't pick something worth the 12 bucks it would have cost at Flame Tree.


The two of us managed to get turned around...again, as we were headed to Pizzafari.

Ugh.




There's something about the turns around the Tree of Life that just confuse the heck out of me. Animal Kingdom is the ONLY park I get lost in. I can navigate all 3 other parks no problem.

Just not Animal Kingdom.


Somehow, my mother and I ended up near a gift shop, and while we were in there I looked for the coffee mug I'd had my eyes on since seeing it in Nermel9's TR.

I looked around, saw about a million things I wanted to buy, then heard my mother calling my name. She had discovered the location of the mug! The cup was a lot bigger than I thought it was, and I knew I wouldn't be using it to drink coffee. I mean, this thing was twice the size of a normal cup. I could shove my whole fist in the sucker!

Just take a look for yourself:




I couldn't even hold it properly.

Maybe I'm just a wimpy coffee-drinker. Either way, the mug now sits on display on one of my entertainment stands and will mostly likely become a catch-all in the near future.

Size aside, it's an awesome cup. I love all the Mickey heads and the animal prints, there's even a head on the bottom of the inside of the cup. Whenever I'm dusting or putting something down next to it, I see it and the mug instantly takes me back to Disney and this trip. What any good Disney souvenir should do.


After paying for my purchase and having them wrap it up in about four feet of paper, my mom and I got our bearings straight and FINALLY made it to Pizzafari.

I ordered the cheese pizza with the Caesar salad and my mother got the vegetable pizza.



The pizza was pretty standard, nothing spectacular about it. The same could be said about the chocolate mousse. The salad was actually pretty good; it was the one thing that stood out about the restaurant when Alex and I went there in 2010.

The only thing that I don't like about Pizzafari is their conservation measures with the straws.

Don't get me wrong, I get it.

The whole park's goal is to educate guests on animal/wildlife/natural conservation, preserving the planet, etc. So, of course, the park is going to enforce those ideas and measures.

But those wooden straws...

I just don't like them.



I'm not saying I want to be a terrible person and use plastic and be wasteful and anti-green yada yada yada, I'm just being honest when I say, I don't like drinking from the wooden straws they give out. They dry my mouth out really bad and change the taste of the drink, in my opinion.

Nothing major to complain about, just an observation I made while eating. One of those tiny details that stick out in my mind when I think back on our lunch.


With fuel in our system, my mom and I were ready to explore a little bit more of Animal Kingdom before the heat drove us away.

For some reason, I have this photo on my camera. I guess I liked all the greenery.



I love the colors of the Pizzafari building, so, naturally, I made my mother stop for a quick photograph.




The two of us headed towards the Tree of Life, intending to look at the structure for a bit, relax, take in some scenery. Then, as we approached the trunk, I remembered It's Tough to be a Bug and suggested we get out of the sun and watch the show.

My mother, always one to go with the flow, said sure and in we went.

There was about a ten minute wait, but my mom and I didn't mind. We looked at the posters, talked about the highlights of the day, and posed with our "bug eyes."





They're just so stylish.


The doors opened and we walked down to almost the end of the row. The theater was about half full, so once the lights dimmed, my mom and I scooted towards the middle then settled in.

Now, Alex has actually never been to ITTBAB, so I don't want to give any spoilers or say anything that'll ruin it for anyone, in the case that there's DISers on here who haven't seen it, either.

But, I will say that the show is "interactive" and involves special effects. I remembered this from when I saw it in '98, though I couldn't recall precisely what each one was.

Because of that, my mom and I were on edge, preparing ourselves for the "surprises."

The same could not be said for everyone else in the audience, though.

When the scene came involving our chairs and "poking" this one guy in the back of the room jumped straight up, shouted, "Holy..!" And did a little dance in place.



I thought I was going to pass out from laughing, ya'll.

I know I shouldn't have gotten so much amusement from someone else's fear, but it was too funny not to. This big, burly man got completely freaked out by a Disney show.

I told my mother that being a CM for that attraction must be great.
"It's like free entertainment."

After that incident, I couldn't even concentrate on the show, I was trying too hard to compose myself.


Once it was over, and the two of us were back outside in the blazing May heat, we agreed we'd seen enough of Animal Kingdom.

Our goal was complete. We saw FotLK, bought my super-sonic-sized mug, spent the morning relaxing.

Mission accomplished.




Nobody was around the entrance when my mom and I made our way out of the park. Then again, it was only around 1 o'clock, not a big heavy traffic time.


I left AK seeing these lamps, wishing I could own one.


Aren't they the coolest things???


Getting into our car and heading back to Sports, my mom and I had one thing, and one thing only, in mind. To spend the rest of the afternoon doing absolutely nothing.



Up Next: It'll Be All Right

 

[PracPerfPatricia]

I love that you live close enough to Disney to day trip there...

owww... I love that you loved your mom time... you should make sure you tell her... (or does she Dis too...

I think people become a little jaded during the Safari- they're so used to the Animatronic figures... that maybe they aren't even totally getting that those animals are real live animals... and just how special that is...

I love, love, love Animal Kingdom... but think it could benefit for some different food options...

I love your mug... & unfortunately I'd have no problems drinking coffee out of it...

 

[teekathepony]

Love that AK mug! I would fill it up with hot chocolate and whipped cream and candy cane sprinkles. Mmmmm
I won't do ITTBAB. I've heard too much about it and know I would very much NOT enjoy it. I don't like being poked and uh... "interacted" with. Ironically, I don't mind real bugs.

 

[MEK]

Just take a look for yourself:

I couldn’t even hold it properly.

Just to set the record straight, you may have seen this on Jen's TR, but I think I may have been the first DISer to own this mug. I got it quite a while ago and I now declare it the official mug of the DIS boards because so many DISers have purchased it. You are now added to the list. Let's see eandesmom, nermel, charleston princess, mndisneymom, and I am sure there are many more. It keeps showing up on TRs!

I love mine and I use it as soon as it is clean. Everyone else in my family thinks it's "too big", so its always there waiting for MWAH!

Pizzafari always seems to be the AK "go to" place. I agree with you that the colors are fantastic. It's so cool in there.

Too funny that someone overreacted to his "ants in his pants" at Bug's Life. I always sit there and wait for the reaction.

Another fun update!

 

[IheartDDuck]

Animal Kingdom can be a little bit confusing when you have to get to restaurants. I feel like it took me forever to get used to where I was going when we were there.

That is a completely normal sized coffee cup for me. Actually, a little on the small side.

The straws in the Animal Kingdom actually have nothing to do with conservation. It's for the safety of the animals. They can't risk having plastic straws get into the open areas with the animals. They can choke on them. When AK first opened, they actually didn't have straws at all. That being said, they're not my favorite either.

ITTBAB is my favorite thing to go to at AK. I just love laughing at other people's expense. Hahahaha.

 

[marDgreen88]

Believe it or not, lots of the Disney mugs are really big! My dad has one that's even bigger! The trick is to not fill it up all the way! I've been wanting that mug for over a year now. It has eluded me for far too long!

It's tough to be a bug is just way too much fun, for the attraction itself and the audience reaction! I just have so much love for that show.

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

I know I am ridiculously late....but still joining in!!!! (AND I'm all caught up, if that makes my tardiness any more excusable! )

Congratulations on the new addition to your family!!!! How exciting!!!! (And I love the criteria you were using for baby gear shopping! )

Can't wait to read more about your trip!

 

[amazingact21]

I love that you live close enough to Disney to day trip there...

owww... I love that you loved your mom time... you should make sure you tell her... (or does she Dis too...

I think people become a little jaded during the Safari- they're so used to the Animatronic figures... that maybe they aren't even totally getting that those animals are real live animals... and just how special that is...

I love, love, love Animal Kingdom... but think it could benefit for some different food options...

I love your mug... & unfortunately I'd have no problems drinking coffee out of it...

I set up the link to my TR so my mom could read this report, but I have told her how much I enjoyed our time together. We daydream about the day we can go back and redo it.

Huh, I never thought that people not realize the safari has real, live animals on it. I could see where some might mix that up, thinking it's another Jungle Cruise attraction.

Love that AK mug! I would fill it up with hot chocolate and whipped cream and candy cane sprinkles. Mmmmm
I won't do ITTBAB. I've heard too much about it and know I would very much NOT enjoy it. I don't like being poked and uh... "interacted" with. Ironically, I don't mind real bugs.

I'm sure I could handle the mug being filled with hot cocoa. The only issue is it got extremely hot here again. I'm sitting here in shorts, 15 days before Christmas. Ugh.

Just to set the record straight, you may have seen this on Jen's TR, but I think I may have been the first DISer to own this mug. I got it quite a while ago and I now declare it the official mug of the DIS boards because so many DISers have purchased it. You are now added to the list. Let's see eandesmom, nermel, charleston princess, mndisneymom, and I am sure there are many more. It keeps showing up on TRs!

I love mine and I use it as soon as it is clean. Everyone else in my family thinks it's "too big", so its always there waiting for MWAH!

Pizzafari always seems to be the AK "go to" place. I agree with you that the colors are fantastic. It's so cool in there.

Too funny that someone overreacted to his "ants in his pants" at Bug's Life. I always sit there and wait for the reaction.

Another fun update!

I have seen this mug on so many TRs it's not even funny, but my first encounter was Jen's report. I will make a note that you set the trend, though, MEK! Look what you started....a wave of Disney mug-owning fans.


I agree that Pizzafari is the "go to" place. Probably because people like the familiar, and you can't get more bland and boring than pizza.

Animal Kingdom can be a little bit confusing when you have to get to restaurants. I feel like it took me forever to get used to where I was going when we were there.

That is a completely normal sized coffee cup for me. Actually, a little on the small side.

The straws in the Animal Kingdom actually have nothing to do with conservation. It's for the safety of the animals. They can't risk having plastic straws get into the open areas with the animals. They can choke on them. When AK first opened, they actually didn't have straws at all. That being said, they're not my favorite either.

ITTBAB is my favorite thing to go to at AK. I just love laughing at other people's expense. Hahahaha.

Huh, I did not realize that about the straws. Thanks for filling me in, now I can pass that tidbit on during my next AK visit.

Other people's reactions are just too priceless on ITTBAB. I mean, I thought that guy in the audience was going to need to change his pants after it.

Believe it or not, lots of the Disney mugs are really big! My dad has one that's even bigger! The trick is to not fill it up all the way! I've been wanting that mug for over a year now. It has eluded me for far too long!

It's tough to be a bug is just way too much fun, for the attraction itself and the audience reaction! I just have so much love for that show.

How in the world can there be a bigger mug?? Like I said, maybe I'm a mug wimp, but I just can't do all that coffee in one sitting. Then again, I drink mine really slow, so halfway through my coffee would be ice cold.

I hope you can find it on your next trip! I found mine in the gift shop between FotLK and Pizzafari. (Wish I could remember the name.) And it wasn't with the other mugs, it was on a stand on its own, which is why I didn't see it at first.

I know I am ridiculously late....but still joining in!!!! (AND I'm all caught up, if that makes my tardiness any more excusable! )

Congratulations on the new addition to your family!!!! How exciting!!!! (And I love the criteria you were using for baby gear shopping! )

Can't wait to read more about your trip!

Thanks! Yes, we had very specific criteria for picking out a stroller. We needed it to fit through the gift shops and manuever through AK!

 

[MEK]

I'm sure I could handle the mug being filled with hot cocoa. The only issue is it got extremely hot here again. I'm sitting here in shorts, 15 days before Christmas. Ugh.

And that is bad because......? It was just so nasty and gloomy yesterday and probably today (no windows here) that shorts sounds like heaven to me.

I have seen this mug on so many TRs it's not even funny, but my first encounter was Jen's report. I will make a note that you set the trend, though, MEK! Look what you started....a wave of Disney mug-owning fans.

Yes - I am just so the trendsetter! I am just so psyched to see that mug showing up on more and more TRs. It's awesome! The best part is when you get to the bottom and the mug and there is that cute little mickey head. I love that!

 

[amazingact21]

And that is bad because......? It was just so nasty and gloomy yesterday and probably today (no windows here) that shorts sounds like heaven to me.

I am grateful for the shorts and flip flop weather, but I do wish we could get a few cold days. It's hard to get in the holiday spirit when I'm adjusting my A.C.

 

[amazingact21]

Hi everyone, hope you all are having a good week. I feel like here lately I'm posting more real life updates than trip report ones, and I apologize for that. I just had to write one more before I leave for my family visit to Central Florida (which also includes a Disney day in 5 days!!!).


Last Tuesday, I had my big ultrasound and the rule of thumb at the hospital I go to is if there's time and the baby's cooperative, then (and only then) will the techs try to find the baby's gender. Well, Alex and I were extremely lucky that day and got an awesome tech. She was incredibly nice and the very first thing she did was look for our little one's identity.


Unfortunately for her, the baby was only willing to work with her for that one task. A 30 minute procedure turned into 2 hours, during which I had to take walks around the hospital, roll back and forth on my side, and lay feet in the air. Our tech had to call in a second person to help, and all that resulted in was a second confirmation as to what we're having. So, I have to go back for another appointment, however, I can't say I really mind since I now know what the baby's gender.

Sooooo...


Pirate???


Princess???


Will I be spending all Alex's hard earned money at Bippity Boppity Boutique?

Or rather the Pirates League?




Am I going to be seeking out Cinderella costumes for Halloween?

Or Buzz Lightyear?


The answer...


...........








We're having a boy!






Alex and I are so thrilled to know we'll be adding a little boy to our family, and it's especially nice to be adding some variety to my side of the family. Between my two cousins, we have 4 girls in the family already, so we can't wait to throw a boy into the mix.


The Vinylmation in those previous pictures actually has an interesting story behind it.

When Alex and I went to Disney for Epcot's 30th Birthday, we did a lot of pin and Vinylmation trading. At the time, I was only 11 weeks along, so there was no way of knowing what the heck I was having. Well, in MouseGears one afternoon, Alex went to make a Vinylmation trade.

He picked his number, handed over what I think was a Cutester, and was given the It's a Boy Vinylmation.

The CMs told him he could trade again if he wanted, since that was such an obscure Vinyl to get. The two of us thought it was hilarious, though. We told the two CMs how I was pregnant, and that this Vinyl just HAD to be a sign.


And since then Alex joked around that if the baby was indeed a boy, he'd use a photo of that souvenir to tell everyone on Facebook. He held on strong to the belief that the trade was a sign and in the end he turned out to be right.

All I know is it made that weekend trip's memories just a tiny bit more special for us.


Both sides of our family were happy with the news. Being in the military, our loved ones are kind of spread out all over the United States, so we had to get creative with the reveal. We sent Alex's family packages a few weeks beforehand (the envelopes you can see in the picture) and the night of the appointment, we called and FaceTimed with them and told them which package to open. We did similar things with my parents and older brother. Then, for our friends, we told them to be on Facebook at a specific time and wait for Alex's post with the picture.

It was a feat trying to figure out how to do that long-distance, but in the end it worked out well.



Okay, okay, enough about non-Disney related things.

Was anyone on Disney Movie Rewards the 6th and claimed this pin?
Alex made sure to get it, and even though it wasn't the same as being there for the Grand Opening of Fantasyland, it was still cool to get a piece of the celebration.


As I've said a million times before, Alex and I will be going to Disney for the day on Sunday, and we're trying to figure out just what to do with limited time and 4 other non-fans.


Magic Kingdom opens at 8:00 am that morning, and Epcot closes at 9:30 pm, so we have a maximum of 13 hours to utilize.

I know for a fact we'll be in DHS around 6 o'clock to see the Osborne Lights, and then we'll most likely meander over to Epcot to catch IllumiNations. I can't go to the world and not see some kind of fireworks display! That's just impossible.

If Alex had his way, we'd stay in Epcot after it closes and shop in MouseGears for awhile. That way we wouldn't have to waste ride/show time shopping, and so we won't have to leave before we absolutely have to.

However, I'm not sure how our traveling companions will feel about that. I'm sure by that point they'll be Disney-ed out and ready to go back home.


This whole day has been difficult to pin down, because none of the other people going are the type to consider what they want to do until the day of. They aren't the Fastpass using, park hopping, table service kind of folks. Which is fine, but it makes it near impossible to do planning.
I have a sneaky suspicion Alex and I will break away a few different times during the day and do one or two things we want. Like pin trade or hop on a dark ride.


The whole ordeal makes me look forward to the day when I can take a longer Disney vacation with the munchkin.


Okay, my goal is to post another trip update before I leave Friday morning, but if I don't I apologize in advance. There will be one before Christmas, that I can assure you!