Let's Watch the Hallucination Show on the Castle- A May '14 TR *12/3 PTR Link to Real Life News

[amazingact21]

That is fantastic! I'm so happy that you guys had such a great trip, and I look forward to the TR when you get around to it!

I feel like I come back from each trip thinking, "That was the best one yet," and while it wasn't my most memorable one, it was definitely one of my favorites. What helped a lot was Landon being older and not so dependent on naptimes and being held, etc etc. A lot more freedom this time around.

That's always a relief. Being stuck and waiting is never fun, but it is so much easier if the kid isn't bored!

Wow! Lucky random dismeet!

Wow... yeah, that doesn't give you much time to take a nap or relax if you have any late afternoon/evening plans.

That's great! I'm glad that you were able to meet up with him and that he got to meet Landon... and see him awake, finally.

That was exactly our problem. We had big plans for the evening that left us with no relaxation time. It was a little disappointing, but seeings as we went to bed at 8 the night before it wasn't detrimental that we missed a nap.

I'm going to be a stereotypical northerner here, but it's been in the 40s and 50s here for the past week (after we just got some snow) and people have been wearing short-sleeves everywhere. We hit -35 with windchill for a couple days in January and we still had school. If I ever move to Florida, why should I even bother to bring pants or long sleeves? But then again I can't handle the humidity (or scary bugs for that matter) so I guess it even out.

The humidity can be pretty rough at times. And yeah, we have some crazy wildlife here. I've had no less than 6 snakes on my back porch in the last 8 years. For Christmas last year, my mom sent a box of gifts to my brother and his family in Nebraska, and when they opened it up a palmetto bug flew out of it at them. I can't say I've come to like all the creepy creatures, but the constant exposure has just made me accept them.

 

[amazingact21]

I can't wait until you start the next TR...it sounds like it was amazing.

Ahhh...the Florida rain. You either get that drizzle for 5 or 10 minutes or you get the downpour that will never end. I'm glad you finally were able to get back to DHS to get your car.

And how exciting that you thought to text your friend and he was able to come and visit.

Ironically enough, I haven't gone on many trips to Disney where it's just been an afternoon shower. I suppose the weather is like, "You live in FL, you know how to handle a 5 minute rainstorm. You need to be put out of your element with a long lasting shower." The only perk to that situation, though, is that the parks tend to clear out and you feel like you have the place to yourself.

Super duper glad to hear that the trip went so well Alicia. You and Alex really deserved this, so to have it turn out even better than planned is just marvellous.

No worries about pictures either Alicia. I've seen enough Disney rain.

OMG that is too funny running into Mary Ellen and Cynthia. I swear there must be something about the IG that draws DISers.

You are an expert at Disney rain, Rob. You probably win the award for rain on most days of a Disney trip, that's for sure.
Our trip really was fantastic, but it makes me miss the parks even more. The post Disney depression is still running strong in our household!

Glad to hear the trip went well.

Yay that you were able to make the most out of the rainy day.

The rain really could have put a damper on the day, but thanks to our friend, that wasn't the case. Although, I was a tiny bit bummed, because that was going to be my one chance to try out the pool at AKL. I really wanted to go down that slide! Ah well...can't win them all.

 

[amazingact21]

Wednesday, May 14th, 2014:


Our friend, Dan, parted ways with us close to 4 p.m. that afternoon. That gave Alex and myself just enough time to go back to the room and take turns getting ready for our evening festivities. About a month prior to the trip, I was messing around on the Disney website. I had gotten on just to check out what dining reservations had popped up for this night of our trip, because we didn’t have any and weren’t going to book anything unless it was an amazing restaurant.

Alex had been out for a run and by the time he came back into the house (maybe 15 minutes later…gotta be quick in the military) I was waiting for him in the kitchen. I had managed to stumble upon an O’hana's reservation for 5:00 p.m. Man, I flew to my bag to get my credit card.

I don’t think I’ve ever typed faster in my life.

I couldn’t let that opportunity pass by!


Alex had been wanting to try O’hanas for a few years now, but every time I tried to book it, there was no availability. I couldn’t even get it 6 months out for our December trip!
I thought about not telling Alex about the reservation and letting it be a surprise, but with the new MDE app, he would have seen it on either his plans or mine.

That new handy dandy site definitely takes away any secrecy.


Naturally, Alex was ecstatic and I dare say he’d been looking forward to this dinner the whole trip.

He drove us over to the Polynesian at 4:30 and eventually found an open parking space for us to use. The Polynesian might be an amazing resort, but its parking is horrendous. Compared to Animal Kingdom Lodge and all the value resorts, it’s tiny. I don’t see how everyone can find a spot.

I guess Disney assumes most people are going to valet park? Or fly in?

I don’t know.

But it made the AKL lot look good, and that’s saying something.


Alex and I had never walked into the resort through the front before. We’d always taken a monorail and been dropped off upstairs, so it was fun to see the water features at the entrance.









A nice Cast Member saw me trying to take pictures of Alex and Landon and offered to take a photo of all 3 of us.



We really appreciated her kindness, and as it turns out, that ended up being one of my favorite pictures of the trip.



We managed to get to the resort several minutes early, so Alex wandered into the gift shops to browse. In his defense, when we visited with his family the week before, he didn’t get to go inside any of them.

So.


I watched Landon as he roamed around and explored.



The tiki statue with the drum was a big hit with him.



In fact, the whole resort was Landon’s cup of tea. He loved the fact that he could make a big square around the lobby and walk out the back doors.

Thank you automatic doors.



Landon was fascinated at how the farther you walked outside, the more the ground changed beneath him. It went from flat concrete to rough rock and back again. He wanted so badly to run along the pathways, especially when every guest passing him stopped to tell him, “Oh, you are adorable!”

He had this group of three females – a mom and 2 teenage daughters- freak out over him.

The girls saw him and yelled, “Awwww!”


And that’s like drawing a moth to a flame for Landon. He stopped running and went, “Oh, people are paying attention to me, time to lay on the charm. Cue smiles and stomping feet. Throw in a baby babble for good measure.”

The little showman.

After the girls left, Landon took off running again.




And those rocks finally got the better of him and BAM! Down he went, right on his forehead.
What’s more memorable than crashing on your face on a Disney trip?
Doing it TWICE, of course.


Bringing a new walker to Disney was clearly a dangerous act.

After the fall all fun and games were over, and Landon just wanted to be carried around.
I took that as my queue to hunt down Alex and go check in for dinner.



There was a couple minute wait between checking in and our buzzer going off. All the seats and chairs in the lounge area were taken, so we just set up camp by the window and let Landon look out.

All memory of his earlier crash was clearly forgotten.

Right at 5 o’clock, the restaurant played some music from Lilo and Stitch and did a little opening spewl. It was cute and kind of fun to listen to.



Then our buzzer went off, and we were led to our table for the evening.

We picked up some bread along the way, which didn’t last long with us.


Pineapple coconut bread. Pretty tasty.



Although, if I’m being honest, I prefer the Kona Café version with their macadamia nut butter.
Just saying.

(But, really, that’s like comparing chocolate to vanilla ice cream. Both are amazing.)


When we first sat down, I thought our table shape was extremely odd. It was in the shape of a really long rectangle, where Alex seemed way far away from me on the other side.

After the food began coming, I quickly realized why they are the way are, but for right then I found it strange.


We were sat next to a window with a view of the boat docks.





We got to see guests walking back from the MK boat, which was kind of fun. Plus, when it began raining halfway through our dinner, it gave us a great gauge of what kind of weather we were going to be met with once we finished our meal.


And our view of the restaurant look like this:




Lots of hustle and bustle went on around us in the restaurant. It was definitely a lively place with lots of noise and music and boisterous servers. The place wants to emphasis family and togetherness, and I think they really pull that feel off. Everything was hectic, but not chaotic, if that makes sense. Right around the corner, at Kona, you get a quiet but laid back meal; whereas at O’hana it’s loud and together.

You definitely shouldn’t plan to have a nice quiet meal at O’hana’s.



Right away, the food began showing up. Our server was bringing them out one after another. To the point where we had no idea where to set the dishes.


The salad was first.


This was the salad with the mandarin oranges in it. Not the new one they have now.


I preferred this salad, and thanks to Dugette (I’m 90% sure) I knew to ask our server for extra oranges on the side for Landon.

Those were a lifesaver. Most certainly his favorite dish of the night.

Next came these lettuce wraps that neither Alex and I were too crazy about.

Then came chicken wings and pot stickers.



Alex requested another plate of pot stickers:




Hands down, the best pot stickers we’ve ever had before. We could have gotten just them, the noodles (which came out next) and the beef and been good.

Once all the plates were brought to us, a few servers began walking around the room with skewers, offering various meats. I’m not a pork or shrimp fan, but I tried both and if that’s what you like then you’d enjoy them.


That brisket though…. Man oh man. Once you dip that into the peanut sauce you’ve got yourself an amazing combination of flavors. The sweetness of the sauce combined with the smoke from the fire pit blends together perfectly.


I didn’t think our food could get any better.

f1 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr

And then…


Then they brought out dessert.

f2 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr


The pineapple coconut bread pudding with vanilla ice cream and a caramel banana sauce.

Alone, I wouldn’t be crazy for this dessert, simply because I’m not a big bread pudding fan, but after eating all those other dishes it was the perfect finishing touch.
It wasn’t too sweet, which was a nice way to end the meal after all the other rich flavors and seasonings.


However, I was sure that I couldn’t eat more than a bite or two. I had eaten too much already!

To which Alex declared:

“Look, we all have 2 stomachs. Our regular stomach. And our dessert stomach. Dig deep, Alicia.”


This was a play on an earlier comment we’d made about no matter how full Landon was, he would always eat these little Puff snacks if we offered them. Alex had said, “Landon has two stomachs, his regular one and his Puff stomach.”

So from then on out, whenever I was full, Alex always reminded me of my dessert stomach.

By the time the last bite of bread pudding was taken and the bill was paid, it was nearing 7 o’clock. This was by no means a quick meal to eat.

But was it worth it?

Absolutely.


Without a doubt, this became Alex’s favorite restaurant on property. He would have gone to it the following night if he could, and we hadn’t even left the table before he insisted I add it to my “Must Do’s” list for future trips.

No Disney trip would ever be complete without a dinner at O’hana’s from here on out.


During dinner, the rain from earlier in the day had returned and remained pretty steady for an hour or so. Luckily, because our meal took so long, by the time we were gathering our stroller in the waiting area, the front that was carrying all that rain had finally moved on and it looked like the rest of the night was clear.

There really wasn’t any question on what we wanted to do next.

We were just a monorail ride away from the Magic Kingdom, after all.




Up Next…Sometimes Doing Nothing is the Best Decision of All

 

[Gracefulskinny]

A nice Cast Member saw me trying to take pictures of Alex and Landon and offered to take a photo of all 3 of us.

Gotta love when you get pics of everyone together!

In fact, the whole resort was Landon’s cup of tea. He loved the fact that he could make a big square around the lobby and walk out the back doors.

Thank you automatic doors.

gotta keep you on your toes!

And those rocks finally got the better of him and BAM! Down he went, right on his forehead.
What’s more memorable than crashing on your face on a Disney trip?
Doing it TWICE, of course.

poor Landon!

Not the new one they have now.

Why did they have to change it?

Alex requested another plate of pot stickers:

Mmmmmmm Pot Stickers! drool.....

To which Alex declared:

“Look, we all have 2 stomachs. Our regular stomach. And our dessert stomach. Dig deep, Alicia.”

 

[KatMark]

Great update, Alicia. Love the family photo out in front of the Poly. Oh and the parking...a nightmare. Especially when you get people who park there and leave their car there for hours even though they are not staying at that resort.

What a little ham that young man is of yours! How cute that he put on the charm for the girls. Sorry that he hit his head again but he seems to have recovered very quickly.

I'm glad you enjoyed your meal at Ohana. We ate there a couple of years ago and we won't go back. Probably the second worse meal we have ever had at Disney (and service was just as bad). But I know a lot of people love it. We did love the bread and potstickers though. The meat...not so much. And they did not have the brisket when we were there (or they forgot to give it to us). My husband would go back ONLY if he could JUST order that dessert.

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

Congratulations on snagging this obviously much desired reservation. I've never tried but clearly it sounds like a good "get".

Aww, why aren't people that polite and helpful and giving in non Disney life? People just constantly offering to take photos and stuff. We'd be so much better off a a society.

Haha I have to wonder about the mom in that trifecta when her daughters ooh-ed and aww-ed over Landon. I'm sure there was a bit of "Don't you get any ideas!!"

A dessert stomach?? Given the audience (i.e DISboards) I think that is a concept that could very easily catch on.

 

[Dugette]

Hi guys! My family is back from our latest Disney trip, and I’m having a hard time not beginning a trip report for it. It was such a memorable experience with more magical moments than we deserved, and I already wish we could take Landon back. Our resorts were fabulous, the Cast Member interactions were spectacular, and best of all there was no shadow of a deployment hanging over our head like last time.

Yay, I'm so glad you had a great trip and am excited to hear about it when you are ready!

Landon had long since fallen asleep and was so tired he stayed that way through the car to stroller transfer.

Wow, impressive!

The rain could have turned the day upside down, but instead it was just a tiny bump in the road. In fact, without it, we might not have thought to text Dan and might never have seen him, so I guess it was a blessing in disguise.

How great that you were able to turn a disappointment into a special memory. It's so fun to meet up with long-lost friends at Disney! And yay for him getting to meet an awake Landon!

We really appreciated her kindness, and as it turns out, that ended up being one of my favorite pictures of the trip

That is a great family picture!

And those rocks finally got the better of him and BAM! Down he went, right on his forehead.

Awwww, poor Landon! Ack, those early walking days were so nerve-wracking with all the wobbliness and scary falls. I'm glad that doesn't happen as often anymore here.

I preferred this salad, and thanks to Dugette (I’m 90% sure) I knew to ask our server for extra oranges on the side for Landon.

Yes, that's right - I remember you commenting on it when I showed Izzy munching on them in my Dec. 2013 TR. Great toddler treat!

Hands down, the best pot stickers we’ve ever had before.

I love those potstickers too! Mmmmmm. I always eat way too many of them.

“Look, we all have 2 stomachs. Our regular stomach. And our dessert stomach. Dig deep, Alicia.”

Love it! Way back when on my PTR for a Food & Wine trip, I think I named it something like, "Don't Forget to Pack the Extra Stomachs". You need those things at Disney!

No Disney trip would ever be complete without a dinner at O’hana’s from here on out.

Glad it was such a win with Alex! Take him there with a window seat during a Wishes show sometime and it will blow his mind!

 

[amazingact21]

Gotta love when you get pics of everyone together!

I have found that family pictures are hard to come by once kids enter the picture. This last trip...we have 1. 1! That's just sad...

poor Landon!

Usually, he was a pretty good walker, that's why we let him roam around so much. But on this trip he kept getting too distracted by his surroundings. Silly kid.

Why did they have to change it?

I have eaten there 3 times now and each visit the menu had changed. One day they'll figure out what they like and keep everything the same.

Great update, Alicia. Love the family photo out in front of the Poly. Oh and the parking...a nightmare. Especially when you get people who park there and leave their car there for hours even though they are not staying at that resort.

What a little ham that young man is of yours! How cute that he put on the charm for the girls. Sorry that he hit his head again but he seems to have recovered very quickly.

I'm glad you enjoyed your meal at Ohana. We ate there a couple of years ago and we won't go back. Probably the second worse meal we have ever had at Disney (and service was just as bad). But I know a lot of people love it. We did love the bread and potstickers though. The meat...not so much. And they did not have the brisket when we were there (or they forgot to give it to us). My husband would go back ONLY if he could JUST order that dessert.

That photo was acually one of the ones Alex and I looked at while he was deployed whenever we started missing each other. I think Alex even made it his profile picture while he was over there so he could have a nice little reminder of this vacation. I know a lot of times I take senseless pictures, but every once in awhile I get one that makes me appreciate lugging around the big camera everywhere.


I'm so sorry your O'hana dinner was bad. I think people swing one of two ways with that restaurant. They either absolutely love it or think it's way overrated. And from the sounds of it, I can see why you won't be going back. Once you recieve that kind of service and don't even part of the main dish, it's really hard to convince yourself to spend that kind of money there again. All us DISers have those restaurants that tons of people love and that we just don't see the fascination over. (Mine is Chef Mickey's breakfast.)

 

[amazingact21]

Congratulations on snagging this obviously much desired reservation. I've never tried but clearly it sounds like a good "get".

Aww, why aren't people that polite and helpful and giving in non Disney life? People just constantly offering to take photos and stuff. We'd be so much better off a a society.

Haha I have to wonder about the mom in that trifecta when her daughters ooh-ed and aww-ed over Landon. I'm sure there was a bit of "Don't you get any ideas!!"

A dessert stomach?? Given the audience (i.e DISboards) I think that is a concept that could very easily catch on.

O'hana's was oe of those restaurants that Alex and I had read so much about on the DISboards that we felt we had to give it a try one day. That much hype has to account for something, right? And clearly, the people don't lie, because it was just as delicious as everyone said. If our trips ever overlap, you can always join us for O'hana. Alex might not feel so ridiculous ordering extras of everything if there's someone else helping eat it...


The dessert stomach comes in handy when you're in Disney. I had to use it a lot when it came to late night Zebra Domes runs.

Yay, I'm so glad you had a great trip and am excited to hear about it when you are ready!

I'm hoping I get to it relatively soon. I don't want to be writing it when Landon's in preschool!

Awwww, poor Landon! Ack, those early walking days were so nerve-wracking with all the wobbliness and scary falls. I'm glad that doesn't happen as often anymore here.

They really were! I don't miss following right behind Landon with my arms outstretched, just waiting for him to trip. Of course, now it's evolved to running after him once he decided to sprint in any given direction.

Yes, that's right - I remember you commenting on it when I showed Izzy munching on them in my Dec. 2013 TR. Great toddler treat!


I love those potstickers too! Mmmmmm. I always eat way too many of them.


Love it! Way back when on my PTR for a Food & Wine trip, I think I named it something like, "Don't Forget to Pack the Extra Stomachs". You need those things at Disney!


Glad it was such a win with Alex! Take him there with a window seat during a Wishes show sometime and it will blow his mind!

Those oranges were a big hit with Landon; I'm so glad I read your TR and remembered to ask for them. The DISboards to the rescue!

We had a window seat with the castle view on this last trip, and we both commented that it would make for a fantastic Wishes view. I couldn't imagine...

 

[teekathepony]

A little late, but welcome back and I'm glad to hear it was such a great trip!

Yikes, that rain really threw a wrench in things. Glad you got to meet up with Dan, and that he got to see Landon awake!

'Ohana sounds really, really amazing. I'm so picky that I've never really considered it, but you make me wish I liked more foods. Sounds yummy!

To which Alex declared:

“Look, we all have 2 stomachs. Our regular stomach. And our dessert stomach. Dig deep, Alicia.”

HA! That's hilarious, and so true.

 

[mickeystoontown]

Landon is going to be heartbreaker that's for sure! He knows how and when to turn on the charm for the ladies. LOL! I agree that Ohana is one of THE best restaurants on Disney property. Last year, I didn't book it because the family said that it didn't matter if I booked it and then they turned around and asked why I didn't. Thank goodness for last minute ADR grabbing.

 

[khertz]

Got caught up on the last few updates tonight!

Man, that rain. It really does slow down a day in Disney! I'm glad though that it led to y'all getting to meet up with a friend. That's great he was able to come meet up with y'all and spend some time hanging out.

Woo hoo for getting an 'Ohana reservation after trying for so long! And even better that it was everything you'd hoped for and more. I can TOTALLY get on board with the dessert stomach concept! That cracked me up.

Excited to read about your night in MK. I hope the rain did indeed stay away!

 

[afwdwfan]

That new handy dandy site definitely takes away any secrecy.

That's what gmail is for... set up a second, unlinked account!

We really appreciated her kindness, and as it turns out, that ended up being one of my favorite pictures of the trip.

That is an awesome picture... and so were the 2 you took of Alex and Landon!

In fact, the whole resort was Landon’s cup of tea. He loved the fact that he could make a big square around the lobby and walk out the back doors.

Thank you automatic doors.

Oh no... automatic doors. Just when you think you've got him cornered...

And those rocks finally got the better of him and BAM! Down he went, right on his forehead.
What’s more memorable than crashing on your face on a Disney trip?
Doing it TWICE, of course.

Oh no... I'm glad it wasn't any worse than it was though!

Although, if I’m being honest, I prefer the Kona Café version with their macadamia nut butter.
Just saying.

(But, really, that’s like comparing chocolate to vanilla ice cream. Both are amazing.)

Great analogy!

“Look, we all have 2 stomachs. Our regular stomach. And our dessert stomach. Dig deep, Alicia.”

I love it! I'm going to file that one away for future reference.

I'm glad you had such an amazing dinner at Ohana. That's not one we've ever gotten around to yet. DW doesn't think we'd like the flavors that they have there. I truthfully don't know. I'd like to try it sometime though since I always see great reviews of the place.

 

[amazingact21]

A little late, but welcome back and I'm glad to hear it was such a great trip!

Yikes, that rain really threw a wrench in things. Glad you got to meet up with Dan, and that he got to see Landon awake!

'Ohana sounds really, really amazing. I'm so picky that I've never really considered it, but you make me wish I liked more foods. Sounds yummy!


HA! That's hilarious, and so true.

'Ohana definitely as aunique taste, and if you're not a fan of teriyaki/soy sauce, then it's probably not the best place to eat. It's about the only restaurant in WDW that has a pre-fixed menu we will eat at. Typically, we like choices!

Landon is going to be heartbreaker that's for sure! He knows how and when to turn on the charm for the ladies. LOL! I agree that Ohana is one of THE best restaurants on Disney property. Last year, I didn't book it because the family said that it didn't matter if I booked it and then they turned around and asked why I didn't. Thank goodness for last minute ADR grabbing.

I used to think I'd be doomed if I didn't book 180 days out, but on my last 3 vacations I've had better luck nabbing ADRs last minute. Thank goodness for people who change their mind on eateries last minute!

Got caught up on the last few updates tonight!

Man, that rain. It really does slow down a day in Disney! I'm glad though that it led to y'all getting to meet up with a friend. That's great he was able to come meet up with y'all and spend some time hanging out.

Woo hoo for getting an 'Ohana reservation after trying for so long! And even better that it was everything you'd hoped for and more. I can TOTALLY get on board with the dessert stomach concept! That cracked me up.

Excited to read about your night in MK. I hope the rain did indeed stay away!

Alex definitely caught on to something with that dessert stomach theory. We've implemented quite a few times in WDW.

 

[amazingact21]

That's what gmail is for... set up a second, unlinked account!

True, but I still think I'd be miserable at keeping something like that a secret. I'd get excited and slip up.

Oh no... automatic doors. Just when you think you've got him cornered...

Back then it was automatic doors, now it's pushing the elevator buttons...

I love it! I'm going to file that one away for future reference.

I'm glad you had such an amazing dinner at Ohana. That's not one we've ever gotten around to yet. DW doesn't think we'd like the flavors that they have there. I truthfully don't know. I'd like to try it sometime though since I always see great reviews of the place.

'Ohana is hit or miss. People either love it or hate it. If you like shish ka bobs, pineapple, teriyaki sauce, and pot stickers in general, you'll probably be all right. I'd say try Capt. Cooks first and get a sense of the flavors before booking an ADR at Ohana's.

 

[amazingact21]

Before I begin, I want to apologize for all my short replies to comments. For some reason, every time I type the DIS lags and half the letter keys I press don’t show up. It gets pretty irritating, because I end up pecking at the keys one at a time. It takes me five minutes to write one sentence, and I just get exasperated with it after awhile. I think in the future I’ll have to type up my replies in a word doc and paste them into the box. Bleck…




Wednesday, May 14th, 2014:

The best post-dinner activity one can do at Walt Disney World is visit the Magic Kingdom. That is, at least, if you’re dining at one of the monorail resorts and still have some daylight hours left.

f1 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr


The Move It Shake It Celebrate It parade was underway when we made it to the hub, and out of tradition I had to stop and watch. I know the show wasn’t earth shattering with its spectacularness, but I still don’t see why they had to change it.





Normally one for dancing, Alex put Landon down to see if he’d get in to the music.

But he saw a curb and was good with that…






Although, he did notice a Cast Member standing nearby and decided he should go talk to him.



And by talk, I mean he screamed his little baby squeal and hopped around from foot to foot.

He was prolific at that age…



The rain had emptied out the park, so when Landon took off in the direction of Tomorrowland, Alex and I let him run. There weren’t crowds of people we needed to navigate around, and if that’s what he felt like doing, far be it from us to stop him.

He was in the Magic Kingdom, gosh darn it. If running around the lands was what made him happy, then that’s what we, as parents, were going to let him do.




And we were going to stick to that philosophy.

Until we made it all the way around the backside of the castle and to It’s a Small World.
Then I was the meanie who picked him up dragged him and Alex onto the attraction.


Back in December, Small World was closed for refurb, so we never got to take Landon on the classic Disney ride. So this time around, I wasn’t playing around. Landon was going to experience the happiest cruise that ever sailed, like it or not.






And, as I suspected he would, Landon loved it!




He couldn’t peel his eyes away from the animatronics and the lights. I think he spent the entire time trying to comprehend why there were all these tiny people surrounding him. Unlike on other rides, where he would get antsy near the end, Landon stayed stock still in my lap. Even after we were walking out the exit he was pretty motionless. I do believe his little brain was trying to process what he’d seen and heard long after the show was over.


It was getting close to Landon’s normal bedtime by that point, but Alex and I were hoping to catch the nighttime shows since the crowds were pretty light, so we decided to throw the dice and take a gamble. He took the stroller and found a spot on the curb of Main Street to sit and wait for the shows while I took Landon into the baby care center and went through most of his nighttime routine. Then I brought him back to his dad who rocked him to sleep.

Rocking the pjs in the MK…



We were worried he wouldn’t want to keep the earmuffs on, but he was so exhausted that he did not care. He just wanted to sleep.


It wasn’t more than ten minutes after we got Landon settled into his stroller that an announcement came on stating that due to the ground being so wet the MSEP would not be running that evening.

Alex and I had some thinking to do.


Our choices were to forget Wishes and head back to AKL for an early night.

Take turns riding some coasters until Wishes o’clock.

Or just stay where we were and wait the two hours for the fireworks to start.


I know most people probably think our decision was crazy, but I opted to stay where I was. I told Alex he could go ride anything he wanted, but I was comfortable, the rain had dropped the temperature several degrees, and I wasn’t really in a ride mood.

Whether Alex really liked my choice or not, I don’t know but he stayed with me.

And you know what?

That turned out to be my favorite part of the entire vacation.

It kind of ended up being a date for us. We just sat on Main Street and talked and people watched.

Back at home, Alex has to work really long hours on top of working out and attending briefings and doing volunteer work and taking college classes, and then when he is home he’s helping with the parenting. We get to talk, sure, but it’s usually in short bursts mixed with a lot of “Landon the food needs to stay on your tray, please.” And “Be gentle with Buster, Landon! You pet him not grab him.” And “Have you seen where his shoes are? No, the brown ones not the black ones. Because I don’t want the black ones. I know it doesn’t matter. Please just help me find the brown ones…”


So, to get two hours of uninterrupted conversation was a gem. Usually that kind of treat comes at the cost of a babysitter.

The two of talked about everything. We talked about nothing. We didn’t even have to talk at all; just sitting in companionable silence was enjoyable enough.
Neither of us brought up the deployment. We didn’t feel like breaking the relaxed and happy setting we’d created by being reminded of it. Which was a gift in and of itself.
Alex and I just sat on Main Street and soaked up the Magic Kingdom for a few hours.

There are tons of worse ways to spend an evening.


Eventually, the Celebrate the Magic Show began on the castle and we stood to watch.

Then…Wishes.




Wishes was spectacular, as always. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of seeing the show or hearing the soundtrack. Hands down, it’s my absolute favorite nighttime show in Disney.

After the last firework disappeared, Alex and I went into the Emporium to wait for the majority of guests to leave. Nobody likes standing in those long exit lines.
Especially when the alternative is shopping.
(Clearly that was Alex’s opinion.)

The two of us were browsing near the pins when we overhead this lady shout to the rest of her party “Hey! Guys! If we go out on Main St in ten minutes we can catch the hallucination show on the castle! Yeah, it’s a hallucination show!”


Uh, what?

Alex turned to me and whispered, “Did you hear that?”

I nodded, cracking up.

I wasn’t aware the projection show was a hallucination, but if that’s the case, then I don’t want anyone to fix my mind. I’ll hallucinate Disney every day of the week.

Right after THAT happened, an unfortunate sound started emanating from the stroller below.

Landon had woken up.

Nooooo!

“It’s okay. He’ll get up now, and then be ready to fall back asleep once we get back to the room.”

Sounded logical.

And he seemed to have woken up in a good mood. I took him out of the stroller and he was giggling and smiling at everyone around.

Alex looked at me. “Hey, since he’s up, let’s go watch the hallucination show on the castle.”


Landon was in favor of that option.



He seemed to really enjoy the show, and it was nice that he got to the opportunity to see it, but it was getting late and I was ready to go.



Alex was too…but not before he ran into the Emporium one more time.



This.


This was the face of a 13 month old who was wide awake at 11 o’clock at night and was watching all the moving displays in the shop windows.

I was worried.



We got back to Animal Kingdom Lodge at about midnight (after talking to a nice family staying at Shades of Green) and Landon was still up and moving. The car ride back didn’t knock him out which really surprised Alex and me.
In the room, we began pulling out all our bag of tricks to get the little man to crash, but absolutely nothing was working! No amount of cuddling in our bed, listening to lullabies, or being rocked around the room was closing those tiny eyes.

Midnight turned into 1 a.m., and we were becoming desperate. How the heck was this kid still awake?!?

I was so tired.

Alex offered to put him in the stroller and walk him around the lobby for a little while, and I gladly accepted.

With them gone, I sat down on my bed.

Then I laid down. Just to get more comfortable, you know.

Then…the next thing I know I was hearing the room door crash open.

Oh gosh, what time was it?


2:30 in the morning.


I’d fallen asleep.


Alex came into the room holding a sleeping Landon and gave me a VERY agitated look.

“What? What happened?”


All he said was, “You have to go get the stroller. It’s outside on the viewing deck.”

So out I went to retrieve the stroller. The resort looked eerie so late at night. Like a ghosttown.
When I returned, Alex had put Landon in his pack and play and started explaining what had happened.

“The stroller method wasn’t working, so I took him out on the deck and sat in one of the rockers. It took about forty five minutes, but he finally fell asleep. Then, when I came back to the room, I couldn’t unlock the door and push it open and hold the baby at the same time. So I knocked. And knocked. And knocked.”

Oh…oopsies.


“Thankfully a maintenance guy was walking by and was willing to hold the door open for me.”

Yikes.

Apparently, me falling asleep on the job had effectively locked Alex and Landon out.


Needless to say, Alex was NOT a happy camper.

He was pretty irritated with me at that moment.

It’s a moment we’ll bring up even to this day. Definitely one of the most memorable parts of the trip.


What do you remember most about your first ever deluxe stay?

Getting locked out of my room at 2 o’clock in the morning with my 13 month old son…




For what it was worth, I did feel really bad about what happened. I promised to deal with Landon if he woke up again. Since, you know, I’d already gotten an hour long power nap.





Up Next…Let’s Be Special, Let’s Go Again

 

[Gracefulskinny]

Back in December, Small World was closed for refurb, so we never got to take Landon on the classic Disney ride. So this time around, I wasn’t playing around. Landon was going to experience the happiest cruise that ever sailed, like it or not.

There you go! Parenting is a dictatorship not a democracy after all!

Rocking the pjs in the MK…

Gotta let them do it while they still can.

He took the stroller and found a spot on the curb of Main Street to sit and wait for the shows while I took Landon into the baby care center and went through most of his nighttime routine. Then I brought him back to his dad who rocked him to sleep.

This so would never in a million years fly with Little MIss. SHe wouldn't even go for the pjs.

That turned out to be my favorite part of the entire vacation.

I think the quiet and still moments always end up being some of the most memorable.

So, to get two hours of uninterrupted conversation was a gem. Usually that kind of treat comes at the cost of a babysitter.

Parenting gold right there.

“Hey! Guys! If we go out on Main St in ten minutes we can catch the hallucination show on the castle! Yeah, it’s a hallucination show!”

Right after THAT happened, an unfortunate sound started emanating from the stroller below.

Uh oh!

Alex looked at me. “Hey, since he’s up, let’s go watch the hallucination show on the castle.”

In the room, we began pulling out all our bag of tricks to get the little man to crash, but absolutely nothing was working! No amount of cuddling in our bed, listening to lullabies, or being rocked around the room was closing those tiny eyes.

Midnight turned into 1am, and we were becoming desperate. How the heck was this kid still awake?!?

For future reference... in situations like these our method is to turn on something just barely interesting to get their attention but not enough to keep them awake and turn the volume down to almost unable to hear levels. Super Why works well Disney Junior works in a pinch. It gets them still enough to stop fighting the sleepyness and eventually they will fall asleep. In the mean time you get to dose off next to them.

Apparently, me falling asleep on the job had effectively locked Alex and Landon out.

Hehehe Oops

Getting locked out of my room at 2 o’clock in the morning with my 13 month old son…

Well at least you can laugh about it.

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

Don't feel bad Alicia. If I didn't have notepad, I'd be screwed. Copy and paste always for me.

Ugh Move It Shake It. This was kind of "earth shattering with its spectacularness" to me. The new one... not so much.

dragged him and Alex onto the attraction

Yeah, that sounds about right. No way that would ever in a million years happen to me.

It does sound like Landon enjoyed Small World though. Either that or the dolls possessed him. One of those.

Wishes o’clock

Your decision sounds amazing Alicia. Sitting on Main Street together, enjoying the atmosphere, this is something too few have experienced.

"hallucination show!" I'm so glad she said it more than once and that you both heard it.

 

[Dugette]

Those people in the background look like they're enjoying watching Landon run!

Landon was going to experience the happiest cruise that ever sailed, like it or not.

Glad that he did indeed like it! I agree that it just overwhelms their little brains when they see all the dolls everywhere.

So, to get two hours of uninterrupted conversation was a gem. Usually that kind of treat comes at the cost of a babysitter.

Totally understand what you mean. How nice that you had that time to just enjoy being together.

I wasn’t aware the projection show was a hallucination, but if that’s the case, then I don’t want anyone to fix my mind. I’ll hallucinate Disney every day of the week.

Alex looked at me. “Hey, since he’s up, let’s go watch the hallucination show on the castle.”

Midnight turned into 1am, and we were becoming desperate. How the heck was this kid still awake?!?

Oh no! That's the worst when bedtime gets mistaken for nap time. Glad Alex finally got him back to sleep.

So I knocked. And knocked. And knocked.”

Oops. But, you know, mommies need naps too.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Our resorts were fabulous, the Cast Member interactions were spectacular, and best of all there was no shadow of a deployment hanging over our head like last time.

So glad to hear the latest trip was a success and the last part about your statement really is wonderful and I am sure just made things a bit easier and lightened the spirits a bit

****************

Sorry to hear about all of the issues with the rain but it is definitely funny how things turn out sometimes as if it wasn't for that rain you probably wouldn't have met up with Dan and that sounds like such a nice time. Gotta love unexpected pixie dust