(NEW TR LINK) Mickey MMMouse,McDonald Duck& Memo: 12 Days & 13.1 Miles. Nov 2013 TR

[Jackiemarie21]

Looks like it ended up being an awesome day! The hat pics are too cute. I saw that Its a Small World bath toy and almost got it for Charlotte. So fun!

Love the castle pic! And how nice of your mom to repay you for not selling her to the pirates!

 

[Tinker326]

Wait, no wit? We're allowed to do that? Geez. I guess I can go update my TR too, here I've been waiting for days, putting it off, b/c I have no wit left.

Those hats are ADORABLE and I see why it's one of your favorite shots!

Space Mtn is fun once for me, but that's about it too. I got stuck in the front one night and screamed my head off, the girls enjoyed making fun of me.

It looks like your day ended up being fantastic, even with the poor start. I hope by the end of it you had totally forgotten about your morning!

Yes, by the end of the day- the morning was mostly forgotten......

Space Mountain is so jerky that it actually hurts me to ride it. I'm just getting old I guess. I'll save my roller coaster riding for Everest!!!

wait.....you totally slipped "throw up" in there. did someone really get sick on the tea cups?!?

love the castle picture! so pretty....

No throwing up. Just how I always feel when I get off..........

Looks like it ended up being an awesome day! The hat pics are too cute. I saw that Its a Small World bath toy and almost got it for Charlotte. So fun!

Love the castle pic! And how nice of your mom to repay you for not selling her to the pirates!

I love that little bath toy mostly because it comes with a bunch of cute little characters in the boat. Like Donald and Alice.....

I still say, if I were her, I'd go with the Pirates. I mean it's Capitan Jack for goodness sakes!!!!

 

[skier_pete]

Hey, I like the pictures of the kids on space mountain. The cousins look like they are having a real thrill, while your DD looks sort of like "Yeah, this is OK I guess."

 

[Tinker326]

Hey, I like the pictures of the kids on space mountain. The cousins look like they are having a real thrill, while your DD looks sort of like "Yeah, this is OK I guess."

Well, you know Sarah..........

She was probably saying 'this is lame'.

 

[Tinker326]

So we finally arrive at our final day in Disney. Our grand plan was EPCOT today.

But first- sorting out the ticket mess. Happily, the concierge desk at the AKL could not have been nicer with helping me. She verified I did indeed have 7 day tickets, that I had only used 4 days up to yesterday.. and there was no expiration on the sports tickets noted anywhere. When I told her of my trial the day before she said " I see who helped you. It doesn't surprise me, I know her. She's not nice". She proceeded to reinstate my two days left on my ticket. And give me my FP's back. AND finished up with a 'I lodged a complaint against the CM on your behalf".

I am not one to usually be too hard on people- everyone has bad days. But that lady at the MK has no business working at the happiest place on the Earth. And so like that- my faith in the mouse was restored.......

And off to EPCOT we went.

Goal: To eat at the restaurant my husband insists on eating at every trip even though we have a Benihana 5 miles from our house. Yes, that's right folks- we were going to EPCOT to eat at Tepan Edo.

We arrived in the park and I got this adorable cute pic of my girls.



Did everyone ooh and ahh appropriately? Good.

Then my older two insisted on taking a picture next to the habit they acquired that has cost me hundreds of dollars- collecting Vinyls. Thank you Mickey for yet another addiction......



And slowly we proceeded around the World Showcase towards Japan.

Canada. Eh.



Charlie's "W T F" face again. Classic.

On to Jolly Ole' England. Where my children inquired "What's a phone booth?" "What do you mean you used to have to put a dime in there to call home.. why didn't you just use your cell phone?"



My daughter dreams of going here......



And finally we arrive in Japan.





Ahh. DH is in Heaven.

Always fun. But yet, fun that can be had 5 miles away. Only I guess our Benihana doesn't have frozen beer. Which was gross anyways.





Food is good. Def. good.





Yes, you saw that right. The Chinese girl is using a fork. And the white girl is using the chopsticks. Maybe I'll have Sarah teach her..... Hahahahaha!

Eh. Maybe not.



Tummies Full- we exit.



And head to American Adventure. Why? Because I love history. And I wanted to share my love with my family. What happened was- everyone fell asleep and I cried at the song & movie. So there's reality in my household.



We came out. And we were hungry for funnel cake. The line was long though- because the ducks were hungry too & in line for their funnel cake.



From there we went to show Charlie 'her China'. That is what she calls it.

My beautiful Chinese daughter in front of her 'fake' homeland in Epcot.





We have been to the real Temple of Heaven in Beijing. I had to go back and look at these pictures. It was such a tough time when we were here... you see my girl with a smile on her face- but it wasn't a real smile. It was terror. She was desperately grasping anything she could because she never owned anything (she has a sock & a princess she was holding upside down for sensory input)....





To remember her terror. To remember our terror. To remembering thinking 'what will happen' to seeing her excited to be in 'her China' with her sensory habits long gone... and long hair & healthy body and smile......

Oh, wonderful. Tears, my friends. She has come so, so far. So have we.



Ok, it's still a fake smile. But whatevs.

So of course, after all that emotional toll, we needed... MICKEY BARS.



As we moved into Future World for a spin on Test Track!!!



Where Daddy dreams of the day he can buy cool cars.



And with that, my time allotted to updating is over. And I must go fold clothes. I WILL FINISH THIS TRIP REPORT BEFORE I LEAVE!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

I LOVE that first shot of the girls!

I teared up, you got me there. What a blessing Charlie is! My niece was much younger, just 9 months when my sister went over to get her(years ago, she's in college now!), and she still had some physical issues to catch up with, I cannot imagine what Charlie went through for four years! As a parent, it's the hardest thing to see that your child has suffered. I think your heart must break and then bloom again and again when you see each obstacle she has overcome. I'm so happy you guys have each other!

Now...what's this about frozen beer?? Sounds icky but it's alcohol, so I have to consider it at least. Rey insists on Biergarten. He was born in Germany and lived there for 3 years (remembers nothing) but anything German (including me. LOL) is his favorite.thing.ever.

I'm really impressed with your OCD about getting this TR finished before the next trip! WTG Tweedle, I would do the same...and may, if I don't get to it and start updating my TR more often!

 

[skier_pete]

I'm with you on Teppan Edo. DD loves Hibachi/Teppanaki, but we have several of them close to our home that also a lot less money than the one at Disney.We did try the one at Disney once, and it is very good, but nothing different from the home standard. Same reason we rarely eat Italian at Disney.

 

[Tinker326]

I LOVE that first shot of the girls!

I teared up, you got me there. What a blessing Charlie is! My niece was much younger, just 9 months when my sister went over to get her(years ago, she's in college now!), and she still had some physical issues to catch up with, I cannot imagine what Charlie went through for four years! As a parent, it's the hardest thing to see that your child has suffered. I think your heart must break and then bloom again and again when you see each obstacle she has overcome. I'm so happy you guys have each other!

Now...what's this about frozen beer?? Sounds icky but it's alcohol, so I have to consider it at least. Rey insists on Biergarten. He was born in Germany and lived there for 3 years (remembers nothing) but anything German (including me. LOL) is his favorite.thing.ever.

I'm really impressed with your OCD about getting this TR finished before the next trip! WTG Tweedle, I would do the same...and may, if I don't get to it and start updating my TR more often!

It is hard to know your child came from a hard place. I can't imagine the terror and emotional distress she endured those first 4 years of her life. Knowing what my birth children went through during those first four years of their lives and knowing how much they relied on mommy & daddy for comfort..... it hurts to think- she had no one. No one came when she cried or was scared or was happy. Nothing. She just sat in a crib- forgotten. Her whole first day with us she just sat on the bed. Wouldn't move. Her whole time in China she wouldn't walk (because she was rarely allowed to in the orphanage). The list goes on & on......... you know, if you are ever bored- you can read my blog from when we went to get her............

She's just so amazing with all that she's overcome & how to this day she just smiles and laughes through life. A lesson we should all learn & so many of us (me included) don't..........

Don't waste your money on the frozen beer- it was yucky. Alcohol or not- it's money better spent on other drinks! Blech.

I'm on the wire. Three days left to get my trip report done. With lots of after work stuff (like PACKING) that needs to be in there too! Will it happen?!?! Oh, the suspense is killing you, I"m sure.

 

[Tinker326]

I'm with you on Teppan Edo. DD loves Hibachi/Teppanaki, but we have several of them close to our home that also a lot less money than the one at Disney.We did try the one at Disney once, and it is very good, but nothing different from the home standard. Same reason we rarely eat Italian at Disney.

Yhea. Agreed. But it's usually his only request. So I indulge. Whatever, whatever......... least it's still good food. And my kids love it too. Even Charlie asks 'can we go to that place that cooks the food right on the table'.

 

[Tinker326]

Howdy folks. I know I have lost probably 99.9% of my readership due to the slowest ever moving TR known to DIS-KIND. But I am bound and determined to finish this sucker up because.........

I just returned from my cruise and I feel the strong need to start another never-ending TR for everyone to read. Hahahahaha! Plus, I really am only about 2-3 posts away from being done here. Let's see if I can wrap this up in a few days.

Also, I learned my lesson and took notes on my cruise so in seven months time when I'm still writing that TR, I can actually jog my memory on what happened. As it stands, most of this current TR is probably fiction because my wee little brain retains nada. (What did I eat yesterday for lunch?)

Anyways- we left off in EPCOT. reminiscing about first how I can't spell reminiscing... and then about Charlie's time in China. (Side note- DIS felt bad and auto corrected my spelling. Thanks for looking out for me DIS). Then we had some Mickey Bars. And we were back in Future World.

To meet some of our favorite little furry woodland creatures....

And...............

It won't let me put in pictures . Seriously. Is this a conspiracy? I don't know if it's photobucket. Or my work deciding enough of work time on DIS....

But.... it won't let me insert my pictures. So........... I guess I will try, try again later. Bummer . I was all set to knock this out of the park. And I was feeling witty. And I got up extra early to get in to work to do this.

So, I'll try again later. Sorry for the build up folks.

 

[skier_pete]

Awwwww, dangit!!!

I hate updatus interuptus.

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

It IS a conspiracy! And when you are feeling witty too. That just sucks. I'm clearly NOT feeling witty b/c I just sat here for 5 minutes trying to come up with something witty to respond with. and I got nothin'.

 

[Tinker326]

Ugg. I just tried again because I'm impatient and I really set aside this time to get an update out!

My computer took a big update yesterday and we had viruses go through our work network. I'm wondering if they shut down the ability to do stuff from photobucket.........

Then again, photobucket was acting a little weird too just logging on to the site.

I will maybe see if I can actually take a lunch today and try again. If not, I guess I'll have to do it at home. So bummed.

 

[Victoriasmom98]

Ok, Nicole, you are just being a tease now!!!

 

[Tinker326]

No can do. Just tried again at lunch.

My work must have cracked down on allowances of certain sites...and photobucket must be on the list........... oh well. I will try to update at home.

 

[Tinker326]

OK so here I am at home. Let's try this again.

I most likely lost my wonderful wittiness as I had a cr#ptastic day at work. Corporate America stinks!

Anyways. So let's see. I am now seeing woodland creatures with my children, correct?

Right, I am.

This happened:



Let's check out some pins little furry creatures.

And then, smile.



From here my next pictures are at test track. So I'm guessing that happened. But as mentioned before- all recollection of actual events have fled my mind.....

Sarah and Daddy teamed up to make a car. Which means Daddy took control of it all- hence why it looks like it does.



Becca, Charlie and I teamed up to make a car. Based on the picture that shows a yellow car- this says to me that we let Charlie have control of the car as she loves the color yellow and Becca would have picked Pink.



Love Charlie's face in that picture.

Becca, Charlie & I were thrilled to learn we were a top car of the day. See that yellow one at the front! That's us!!! Woo, eat that Daddy & Sarah!



Next pic is of us on here... so clearly we criss-crossed the park with Fast Passes. Man I'm sure glad pictures are telling the story since I plum forgot.



And then........ here.....





And no pics of anyone trying Beverly. Don't ask me why.

If anyone at all is wondering where the mother is. I may have forgotten to mention that we truly had it with her & ended up selling her to those pirates.

Kidding. She left that morning. She truly had it with us. Her tolerance level of children is amazingly low. Which will relate to some awesome attitude from her while on a confined cruise ship with about a million kids last week.

So anyways. I have no more pictures of EPCOT which means.. well, we left. Where we ate for dinner. I dunno. I know we must have gone to the pool for a bit because... there are pool pictures.

(Really, I promise I took notes on the cruise so this won't happen next round of the 7 month trip report)

I give you... Kidani Pool area. Which was actually very, very cool.







Uh, Charlie- the water is on the OTHER side....



Uh, Charlie- the water is behind you.....



Cleverly placed Disney snakes that hypnotize you when you think you are just watching your children in the pool.



"You will come back to Disney and you will spend thousands of dollars on the mouse and you will go forth and spread the joy of the parks and bring forth other naïve victims into the realm of the mouse to corrupt"

Wait, what happened? Last thing I remember I was watching Charlie swim and now I see two tickers at the bottom of my trip report with new trips!

Fun splash area. Where are the kids?



Oh there they are!





African sunset. In Florida.



You can take the girl out of China. But you can not take the China squat out of the girl.



I promise she was not peeing. For anyone who does not know what the China squat is- put two and two together. Let's just say they don't enjoy actual toilet bowls in most of China.

Let's also just say to those who might be spoiled Americans planning a trip to China.. it is best you start working those leg muscles WELL in advance of any trip to China. Or.. well... we should not go there. Let's just say I didn't master it well. And my solution was to dehydrate myself in August to prevent having to use any squatty potty. It was perhaps not the best solution. Just saying. There - that's my worldly travel advice for spoiled American traveling to Asia that prefer toilet bowls.

Still in the China Squat.



More African sunsets. (I actually wrote sunrises- it's been that long of a day that I forgot I was at the end of the day in the post vs the beginning)



Now. I have one more post of evening entertainment to share. It was, perhaps, the highlight of my vacation with the kiddos.....

So stayed tuned.

(well, don't stay too tuned.. it's not that exciting. I'm sure your life is more exciting).

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Nope, it's really not more exciting. It's sit here and hit reload for your next update or sit and mindlessly stare at the television until Pretty Little Liars comes on at 7pm.

The pool at Kidani looks awesome! But that's no surprise to me as I love all things Animal Kingdom. Sidenote: EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. that I type out Animal Kingdom, I actually type Kindgom and have to fix it. No idea why my fingers go there, but they do.

I'm glad you took notes on the cruise!!

 

[Tinker326]

Nope, it's really not more exciting. It's sit here and hit reload for your next update or sit and mindlessly stare at the television until Pretty Little Liars comes on at 7pm.

The pool at Kidani looks awesome! But that's no surprise to me as I love all things Animal Kingdom. Sidenote: EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. that I type out Animal Kingdom, I actually type Kindgom and have to fix it. No idea why my fingers go there, but they do.

I'm glad you took notes on the cruise!!

Yhea, my life isn't that exciting either. I am working up some sort of ambition to walk out the door in the pouring rain to buy some necessities like the soap I desperately need. And food for my lunches. So far, the thought of the computer is winning over cleanliness & nutrition.

Funny side note that has nothing to do with the trip. But Charlie is taking non-stop on the couch as I type and she just lifted up her shirt and asked me if her b##bs were her brains.

"Are these my brains?"

No, no my dear. That is not your brains. Although in 20 years when guys tell you they are attracted to your brains they really do mean 'those' brains!

That's my life. Computers. And conversations with a 5 year old. And still no soap in my shower. Thank goodness shampoo can double for soap, right?

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

 

[JulieODC]

Hope your cruise was fabulous!! Can't wait to hear all about it!! (Hope the awful head cold that spread all over the May 24th sailing didn't carry over to your cruise...I'm still getting over it!)

Kidani pool is awesome! I didn't realize it had all those kid-friendly features --- I could see DD just loving it!