Pixie Dust in Your Eye Hurts! -- Aug. 2010 -- update on 2/25: Epcot Photopass!

[portobello_rd]

Really enjoying your trip report! also, thanks for the tip on the photopass cd- i probably would have signed my code up the second in came in the mail! i look forward to more posts!

 

[wlake]

Really enjoying your trip report! also, thanks for the tip on the photopass cd- i probably would have signed my code up the second in came in the mail! i look forward to more posts!

Thanks and ! I got a little panicked when I got the "your photos are expiring" email from PP! I had registered the card about 2 weeks before our trip and then made sure to use it while we were there hoping it would trigger some offers. No such luck!

 

[wlake]

When we went to Epcot in 2001, DH and I loved the chocolate croissants from France. We’ve talked about them for 9 years now, as in “well, it’s not as good as from France.” Last year we just weren’t able to get there with the rain and two cranky boys, so it was a must do for this trip. Guess where we decided our first snack should come from?

We wander into France, park the stroller, head into the bakery. A ham and cheese sandwichy thing catches our eye, so we buy one of those and one of the coveted chocolate croissants. We find a seat inside by the Kidcot stop and pull out our water bottles. (In one of my brighter moves, I brought a water filtration pitcher so we could use our own water bottles and save our snack credits. Mine is covered with pictures from last year’s trip so I might have had some extra motivation!) The boys look at the two things and start to try to figure out how that’s going to be lunch for all of us. We explain yet again how we’re not going to have lunch, just lots of snacks and this is a snack so we each get a small piece. This does not go over well, so I have the brilliant idea of calling it our first lunch. It can be small because we’re going to have a second lunch and maybe a third! The concept of multiple lunches is a huge hit!

Which was a good thing because while the sandwich was wonderful, the croissant was not. It was a plain croissant with some chocolate chips at the ends, no better than the one I had tried the day before at Tusker House. Once that memory was shattered, we trooped out of France. (I think DH was more upset by this than he admitted.)

On the way out of France, I saw Marie the cat with a huge line of people waiting to see her. After I scoffed at them for waiting to see a cat, I notice a tall pink princess way back, on the path between the edge of France (the canal side) and the hedge garden (which I know has a real French name but I can’t remember it). I’ve been trying to take pictures of princesses this trip because I have a niece who is 3 and loves princesses and worms. Strange combo, but hey, she’s three, plus, she’s not my kid to explain. So I decide to head on up to the crowd and get a picture of a pink princess with some other kid.

That’s when pixie dust didn’t just settle gently on us, but landed with a thump! I realized there was NO LINE to see the pink princess! There was one family finishing up their photo and that was IT. So, I was going to be able to get a great photo of the pink princess without some other little girl in it! That’s when it dawned on me -- how rude it would be to say, “No, I don’t want my picture with you; just one of you on your own.” Then I got in real trouble -- who the heck is the pink princess?!? It’s even ruder to decline to be in a photo with someone you can’t even name!!!

The only solution? Take my photo with the pink princess and hope against hope that I can bluff my way through not knowing who she is. No one, and I mean no one, from my family is willing to visit the pink princess with me. They camp out along the railing about 50 feet away from her while I approach and chat. She kindly asks me where my young dragon slayers are, so I point to the now-cringing boys (and I include DH here!) of my family. Doesn’t the pink princess head right towards them!!! I probably would trade all of my WDW photos from this trip for a photo of their faces at that moment! I’m not sure what she says to them, but somehow DS8 gets dragged back up to the photo spot with her. She starts to ask him, “Are you a dragon slayer?”
DS8: “No.”
P. Princess: “Are you a prince?”
DS8: “No.”
P. Princess: “Are you a knight?”
DS8: “No.”
P. Princess: “Are you an enchanter?”
DS8: “No.”
And so on, until the pink princess finally asked, “Then what are you?”

And here is where my son’s disdain and dislike for fantasy and fairy tales and other imaginative pursuits comes through loud and clear. With a look that clearly says I’m-not-sure-who-you-are-lady-but-you’re-nuts, DS8 says “I’m a person.”

The pink princess earned her paycheck and then some that day, because she simply said “A person” in the same light, friendly tone and suggested a photo. She showed him how to hold her arm and away the PhotoPass person clicked. After that, I was comfortable asking DH to take a picture of just her, explaining it was for my princess loving niece.

And so ends my most embarrassing and most hysterical moment of the trip. By the way, there was still no one waiting to see her when we left! We saw her again a little while later and she was by herself, chatting with her handler and the PP person. I still don’t understand why she didn’t have a line!

Here’s the pink princess (yes, I’ve since learned that she’s Sleeping Beauty, but she'll forever be the pink princess to me!) quizzing DS8 on what he might possibly be.

And the pink princess posing:

 

[TinksThree]

I loved your pictures of POR...it really makes me miss it more!

Also the Epcot pictures make me wish I was there! I just love Epcot! I had planned on us doing the snack around the world but our day got cut short, plus we were full from Le Cellier!

I love the pink princess...my DH (who is 16) called her "some chick in pink" but I immediately knew it was Sleeping Beauty! She sounds like a good one!! The first time we met her she had not come out yet but the handler was there. He asked who was from France...I went through several and then Madison said "Sleeping Beauty"! He told her she was correct and I turned to her and said "Wow you are good" and she said "Mom ,she's standing right there!"...Oh well!!

 

[tankgirl427]

So is it bad that I don't address her as Sleeping Beauty but as Princess Aurora everytime I meet her? I'm coming up with some little extras to throw into my TR of strange and funny things after reporting on my trip. Like the funniest character photos and who I met multiple times, and the funniest pictures I took the whole trip.

Keep posting I love reading your updates.

 

[lexmas]

Alright, well I caught up, and I'm sure I had plenty to say, but that last story was the best thing I've ever heard. I can only imagine the looks on their faces! "A Person". I love it so very much!

Now I will have to go back and see what else you posted, because I completely forgot!

That picture of them with Stitch is GREAT! That is certainly a keeper!

I'm sorry your croissant didn't live up to your expectations. I hate when you have such a great memory of something and then when you do it again it's not nearly as good. Guess you'll have to find a recipe!

Good idea calling it first lunch. First lunch even sounds more appealing to me. Mmm...second lunch and third lunch...that is a good day at Disney!

I can already tell you that once DS hits 40 inches we will "against our better judgment" be taking him on some rides that he won't like. It's so HARD just sitting back and letting them not participate. Because he probably won't like it, but what if he does? Then it would be completely worth it!

Whew, so glad to be caught up!

 

[natebenma]

I'm just getting to the party, but better late than never, right?

I'm on page 2, so I need to go back and catch up.

But just a few comments:

Thank goodness your flight wasn't ridiculously delayed! I can't imagine the panic you must have been feeling waiting to find out what time you were going to get out of there!

Great photos! I love the shot of the Big Thunder Mountain train- you don't see many from that perspective.

I'll take a shot at the towel creation- basket with a colorful case of the measles?

Your DS5 looks a lot like my son Nate did at 5, right down to the mushroom cut and same color of hair. I tried to find a photo of him to post, but it was before I went digital, so I will have to dig. I totally have to show you!

Nate also had some minor sensory issues- loud sounds bothered him, he didn't like unusual textures (finger painting and barefeet in the grass were out), very picky eater (getting better), doesn't ride bike (probably never will) and he has the weirdest pencil grip I have ever seen. He was also pretty tentative about rides. But he has shown a ton of improvement in the past few years.

Finally- the fruit bat comment cracked me up. My boys devour all kinds of fruit, too. I used to call myself the only mother in America who tells her kids "Stop eating fruit!"

Amazing safari photos!!! The giraffe pictures are beautiful!

I look forward to getting back to the story. Hope your school year is going well so far!

Dee

 

[wlake]

I loved your pictures of POR...it really makes me miss it more!

That's how I feel when I look at other people's pictures of it too!

I love the pink princess...my DH (who is 16) called her "some chick in pink" but I immediately knew it was Sleeping Beauty! She sounds like a good one!! The first time we met her she had not come out yet but the handler was there. He asked who was from France...I went through several and then Madison said "Sleeping Beauty"! He told her she was correct and I turned to her and said "Wow you are good" and she said "Mom ,she's standing right there!"...Oh well!!

"Chick in pink" -- I love it!!!

So is it bad that I don't address her as Sleeping Beauty but as Princess Aurora everytime I meet her? I'm coming up with some little extras to throw into my TR of strange and funny things after reporting on my trip. Like the funniest character photos and who I met multiple times, and the funniest pictures I took the whole trip.

Keep posting I love reading your updates.

Really, I need to travel with you -- you know everyone's names!

Alright, well I caught up, and I'm sure I had plenty to say, but that last story was the best thing I've ever heard. I can only imagine the looks on their faces! "A Person". I love it so very much!

Now I will have to go back and see what else you posted, because I completely forgot!

That picture of them with Stitch is GREAT! That is certainly a keeper!

I'm sorry your croissant didn't live up to your expectations. I hate when you have such a great memory of something and then when you do it again it's not nearly as good. Guess you'll have to find a recipe!

Good idea calling it first lunch. First lunch even sounds more appealing to me. Mmm...second lunch and third lunch...that is a good day at Disney!

I can already tell you that once DS hits 40 inches we will "against our better judgment" be taking him on some rides that he won't like. It's so HARD just sitting back and letting them not participate. Because he probably won't like it, but what if he does? Then it would be completely worth it!

Whew, so glad to be caught up!

I like the idea of multiple lunches, too. We only ended up with two, but it was just too hot to be very hungry.

It is hard not to drag them on rides. Wait 'til you hear what I ended up doing at the pool that night!

I'm just getting to the party, but better late than never, right?

I'm on page 2, so I need to go back and catch up.

But just a few comments:

Thank goodness your flight wasn't ridiculously delayed! I can't imagine the panic you must have been feeling waiting to find out what time you were going to get out of there!

Great photos! I love the shot of the Big Thunder Mountain train- you don't see many from that perspective.

I'll take a shot at the towel creation- basket with a colorful case of the measles?

Your DS5 looks a lot like my son Nate did at 5, right down to the mushroom cut and same color of hair. I tried to find a photo of him to post, but it was before I went digital, so I will have to dig. I totally have to show you!

Nate also had some minor sensory issues- loud sounds bothered him, he didn't like unusual textures (finger painting and barefeet in the grass were out), very picky eater (getting better), doesn't ride bike (probably never will) and he has the weirdest pencil grip I have ever seen. He was also pretty tentative about rides. But he has shown a ton of improvement in the past few years.

Finally- the fruit bat comment cracked me up. My boys devour all kinds of fruit, too. I used to call myself the only mother in America who tells her kids "Stop eating fruit!"

Amazing safari photos!!! The giraffe pictures are beautiful!

I look forward to getting back to the story. Hope your school year is going well so far!

Dee

The Big Thunder picture was taken at the picture spot near the top exit. We often hang out up there and wait to see DH and DS8, but there's usually just a couple of other people there.

Your Nate and my older son have some of the same sensory problems. Taking him hiking so he would learn to walk on uneven surfaces was actually part of his therapy program for a while. He's still not happy about grass under his feet and lives in shoes! 4 years of PT did wonders for him, though.

I would love to see that picture, too!

There are now three mothers in America who shoo their children away from fruit -- you, me, and my sister (her three are just as bad). My father still can't figure out why the fruit platter he cuts up for picnic dinners is gone before dinner despite the fact that he left it out, uncovered, and within reach of the children! The kids are 3, 5, 6, 8, and 10. You'd think he would have figured it out by now!

 

[wlake]

I promise more pictures and fewer words for this next update!

At some point in our morning, we had gotten FPs for Soarin’. DH and I really wanted to ride and we talked the boys into as well, athough I was really unsure about either of them. Visually processing movies and TV is very hard for DS8, especially when the picture jumps around from scene to scene, and it often leaves him frightened. You just never know what’s going to go over well with DS5. We boarded (middle row, middle seat, last 4 seats on the left -- sorry, I don’t know the numbers!), and he immediately gets a bit upset. I wasn’t really sure why, but as the movie starts I pulled his hat low and talked about covering his eyes. He got really mad then and pulled his hat back up to watch, loving it! I gave up.

Both boys ended up loving it, with the exception of the fireworks at the end which were too loud for DS5. However, when given the option of another Soarin’ ride or TT, Test Track won out with DH and DS8.

We headed back to World Showcase and decided to have a second lunch in the UK. Surprisingly enough, both boys will eat fish and chips, so we got a CS meal of those and headed back to Tigger’s maze to eat them and have some quiet running time.

We decided to tackle the first half of the WS today and do the rest on Friday, when we came back for our Garden Grill ADR. So we walked around Canada, where DS8 put me to shame by finding several hidden Mickeys, even without us reading the clues. I also like to look at the gardens there, because our honeymoon was to Vancouver and Victoria, and my favorite spot from that whole trip was the Butchart Gardens. We like the waterfall in the back too.

Next up was Morocco, where even I saw this hidden Mickey!

In Japan, we heard little rumblings of discontent, which we answered with gummy candy from Japan. (Most of the meals/snacks there wouldn’t have gone over well with the boys!) I have no pictures from Japan! We also wandered through the America pavilion, but didn’t really stop. We were more than ready to go, as it’s about 2:30.

Somehow, though, we ended back up in Germany at the trains, and then I went on one of my PP sprees, stopping each time I saw one. Then I decided to drag them over to Mission: Space so I could get some photos of DS8 in the pavilion for his room. None of them were worth the trip. Oh well.

On the way out, we stopped for one last PP guy. Best stop of the trip! The PP guy was super nice and got this great shot of us:

When his computer froze, he dragged another PP guy over to do the Soarin’ one for us:

I didn’t catch his name, but luckily (as you’ll see on Friday), my DH did! The bus ride back to POR was, as usual on this trip, fairly short and very uneventful.

up next: pool hopping makes for happy boys!

 

[lexmas]

Great tour of world showcase! I will have to take my kids to that maze to run off some energy! I have seen it, but I have never been in it.

Those photopass pictures are amazing! Great photopass stop! You could never tell that it was time to leave the park!

 

[wlake]

Great tour of world showcase! I will have to take my kids to that maze to run off some energy! I have seen it, but I have never been in it.

Those photopass pictures are amazing! Great photopass stop! You could never tell that it was time to leave the park!

The best part about the maze is that there are benches very close, so you can sit and watch them run. We played in there for awhile and were the only family there. I'm just amazed that these quiet spots are always so empty.

The boys frequently grab each other for hugs when they get their pictures taken which makes for very cute photos!

Hope you're having a good weekend and are keeping most of the anxiety at bay! (Not that I was ever able to, but I'm holding out hope for you! )

 

[tankgirl427]

No more princesses? Boo! I watch way too much Disney stuff. I'm watching the Princess and the Frog right now. When are we going?

 

[lexmas]

The best part about the maze is that there are benches very close, so you can sit and watch them run. We played in there for awhile and were the only family there. I'm just amazed that these quiet spots are always so empty.

The boys frequently grab each other for hugs when they get their pictures taken which makes for very cute photos!

Hope you're having a good weekend and are keeping most of the anxiety at bay! (Not that I was ever able to, but I'm holding out hope for you! )

I'm trying my best to keep the "bad" thoughts at bay! It's going better some moments than others!

 

[wlake]

No more princesses? Boo! I watch way too much Disney stuff. I'm watching the Princess and the Frog right now. When are we going?

I think going with two boys makes it a very different experience! Not better or worse, just different! I did try to take pictures of each princess we came across for my niece. I'm going to be the best aunt this birthday -- I got her a bunch of princess things while we were there!

I'm going to start saving my pennies for the next trip!

I'm trying my best to keep the "bad" thoughts at bay! It's going better some moments than others!

I'm sure it is! I'll try to help with another installment this weekend!

 

[wlake]

Boy I can make a day last forever!

One of the things the boys really wanted to do this trip was to swim at French Quarter (you’re allowed to pool hop between the two Port Orleans resorts), so we decided this was the perfect night. We put on swim things and took the boat down to POFQ. It’s a 10 minute walk, if that, but the boat’s fun.

We had an awfully early dinner at FQ’s food court, filled our mugs, and headed out to the pool! While we always choose POR for the quiet themeing (it’s much easier for DS8 to manage there), we did have fun just getting to the pool with these guys around:

We found a chair for our stuff and jumped in the pool over by the water slide. DS8 really didn’t get off the slide much!

DS5 likes the fact that he can touch the bottom and got brave enough to stick part of his face in.

Proving that I don’t always learn from my mistakes (see Test Track from that morning), I decided to bribe DS5 with some candy if he’d go down the water slide. It’s a short, fairly straight, very slow slide, so I thought he might like it. Wrong. He did it once and didn’t seem to mind it, but refused to go again and reminded me that I said I’d let him have a piece of candy every two minutes from then until we arrived back at the room. At least I didn’t traumatize him.

We decided to walk back to POR when we were done swimming, and it was early enough that DH took the boys to the Old Man Island playground for a bit, while I went back to the room and worked on getting everything ready to get out the door first thing for our MK day. Too bad their pretend waterwheel doesn’t spin -- the boys would have been just like hamsters!

After the boys went to sleep, DH headed over the food court and got me my favorite Disney treat -- a magic cookie bar! I’m sure he got something for himself, but I guess I didn’t really care what it was as long as I got my bar!

up next: morning EMH at MK -- will we finally get to “ride Dumbo with Mama?”

 

[tankgirl427]

up next: morning EMH at MK -- will we finally get to “ride Dumbo with Mama?”

I hope so! I thought it was so touching he wanted to do that with you.

I think its good you lightly push for him to do things, otherwise he might end up like me and be too scared to try anything!

 

[wlake]

I hope so! I thought it was so touching he wanted to do that with you.

I think its good you lightly push for him to do things, otherwise he might end up like me and be too scared to try anything!

Here's your post, then!

Hey, you rode EE and I chickened out!

 

[wlake]

After our now daily wake up call from Mickey and Stitch, we head to the buses to climb on the first MK one. Waiting for the buses in the morning makes me nervous, as people keep piling into the bus stops and moving in front of the people who’ve already been waiting. This happened once this trip with a huge gathering of about 20 people -- they came up just before the bus arrived and squeezed out most of the people who had already been there. Sometimes I wish there was a queue for the buses here.

But this morning we got on uneventfully and were through the turnstiles at MK in time for the EMH morning show. I got this cool shot of the streamers coming out of the cannons. (Watching the people setting them up in the mornings entertains us: “So, what do you do?” “I set up streamer cannons at WDW.”)

We picked up some of the Mickey head confetti thrown at us and rushed down Main St. with the rest of the crowds. Dumbo, the most important ride of the trip for me, was almost a walk on! We had to wait for the first ride to stop before we could get on, but I got my “ride Dumbo with Mama” trip!

I would just like to add that I spent our entire wait trying to get a good picture of flying elephants, but all I ended up with were a lot of pictures of elephant butts. Next trip, I’ll take the pictures from somewhere else. I also got construction photos. Curious as to what’s behind the huge wall? Ride Dumbo!

By 8:20, we were on my second favorite ride, the teacups! There were so few people waiting when our ride was over that the CM announced that we could stay on if we wanted to! Pixie dust for me (not so much for DH)! Fifteen minutes later, after stopping to play with that big marble spinning star map in Tomorrowland (the one with the water -- does it have a name?), we were on Astro Orbiter. This is not my favorite ride, that’s for sure. The height, the angle, and the speed all combine to make me a little unsure that it’s safe. I’m not sure DS8 likes it either, but he loves space, so I believe he thinks he ought to like it. DS5 is the smart one in the family. See how low he kept his rocket? I’m riding with him next time.

By 8:45, we were in line for the Speedway. We ended up waiting about 10 minutes because when the time came to decide to turn down the ramp or go across the “road,” the across line was shorter... until the cars didn’t get going like they should have. Oh well. It was an uneventful trip around the Speedway, but the boys really, really like driving. This would be the rest of my family trying to look innocent after bumping us.

Then we backtracked over to Pooh. I raced ahead to grab FPs for it, but the line was less than 10 minutes, so I just stopped there and waited for the rest of the family to catch up. We spent most of our wait time in the construction ramp area, which was not air conditioned. I was awfully glad we were doing that early in the morning, because I suspect it got unbearable later in the day!

By this point it was after 9, so DH ran off to get us FPs for BTMRR (no, I’m not sure we used FPs to our advantage this day, but we got to do what we wanted to, so I’m going to simply take notes from everyone else here on the boards so we can do it right for our next trip!). The boys and I camped out at those little wrought iron tables in Liberty Square to have a snack.

We decided we needed a break from rides, so I dragged everyone down Main St. on yet another picture taking spree. I have a photo (or more accurately, a slide) from 1973 of my mother and me standing outside the Plaza. I wanted to recreate that photo, so I told a cheerful PP person about it. He got all excited, so I told him what I thought it looked like (turns out I was wrong; I should have taken a copy with me, but oh well) and he took this:

And here’s the original:

So I forgot which hitching post we were by! I’ll try again next visit and take the original picture with me so I don’t rely on my faulty memory next time! Still, I’m very pleased with this one, too. The Plaza hasn't changed much in almost 40 years, has it?

And it’s only 10:00 AM!

 

[TinksThree]

Wow, I got way behind! I think you did great on the EMH at MK. I love going to the early EMH there. I always feel like we accomplish so much with very little waiting! The pictures behind the wall were very cool!

And I loved the picture re-make! Even if it wasn't exactly right it was very close! Things haven't changed too much have they?

 

[lexmas]

Yay for updates! Reading is much better than sitting here worrying about my long night ahead and surgery tomorrow!

The pool at French Quarter is so well themed, it's beautiful!

Well, bribing him to go down the slide isn't too bad since he didn't hate it. Rough that he just begged for candy the rest of the night though!

The playground seems cool! I've never been to any of the playgrounds at the resorts. It's something on my "to-do list"!

Wow, great morning! I LOVE that picture of the streamers, great shot!

So glad you got the dumbo ride in, great picture too!

Interesting pictures of the construction! I don't know how I feel about the expansion, but it is interesting!

I don't mind astro orbiter, I just mind the slow line and load time! Next time, staying with DS5 sounds like a good idea!

That picture in the cars is too funny! I never even thought of the possibility of bumping the other cars! I am totally not going to be the parent that takes DS on that ride. It is going to be a rough one!

We have a picture that we always replicate incorrectly as well. I don't know where the original is anymore, so it might be a moot issue at this point. But I think the new picture looks great, and next time you can get the placement right. It's the thought that counts!