Quack
What do points make..........?
- Joined
- Feb 2, 2006
Well it is 11.40pm and we are finally home!
Today we did the usual breakfast - this morning we had Suzy and Perla plus a few other characters we had already seen. Geppetto was also outside for professional pics and when my DS went to see him he was very excited and looked like a little puppet on a string with wobbly arms - Geppetto (and the other parents waiting in line for pics) found this really funny and Gepptto mirrored his moves and then pointed out that DS has glasses just like his - good 'ole Geppetto!
We took our time with packing and checked out at 11am. We decided not to use the Disney Express service for luggage and left our luggage at the hotel. Then it was out into the cold air (another coat day today).
We plodded up to Lake Disney in hope of taking DS's ice-skating at the HNY - we got there too early and decided to return later if we had time (we didn't as it turned out). Today is St Patricks day and the park is HEAVING with Irish and it seems, many more additional visitors. We get FP for BTM and then take the boys to Pochontas play area to let off some energy. DH and I watch the boys play for a while and then we all take a ride on BTM. DH gets more FP's at the end.
I persuade DS 8 to come on Phantom Manor with me (he cried last year with DH) - I think because he and DH had told me all the secrets, there was no element of surprise for me and therefore I found it a little dull (so I wont give away any secrets here!). DH took DS4 onto the Mark Twain (this is the first day it has been operating this week).
Next onto Main Street to watch the Bag-pipers - they were very good and then we stayed to watch the Irish dancers on the specially set up green stage on Central Plazza. The Irish dacers were very good (a mostly girl team from Ireland). At the end of the routine they are joined by Chip and Dale who are wearing Irish costumes. (Mickey was also decked out in Irish costume today) Then they ask the audience to participate (at which point we make a run for it!).
The noise of the Irish music has sent DS 4 to sleep - so DH and other DS ride BTM again while we wait. Then we go in search of hot food. Every restaurant we try is heaving with big queues of waiting people (again MANY Italians today). Eventually, we give up and go to Market Cafe for a toasted sandwich and mickey pizza's - it was warm food and that was about all. While there, I buy baguettes and cakes for our return journey on the Eurostar. We use the toilets in Discovery Arcade - I only mention this because they really were badly maintained today.
By this time we are really all feeling all disneyed-out (in retrospect we feel we had a day too long here this time) and just can't face standing in another line for a ride. We take a look at the gift shops and buy a few more items. I buy something for DH and he buys something for me (this does little to counter-balance the huge amount of goodies we have already bought for the boys!).
Then we leave the crowds of Irish pom-poms and hats behind us and head to the hotel. A drink in the Fantasia bar (and the boys being bribed with gameboys) gives us a little breather and DH chance to use his laptop (it did not work in the bar - seems to only work in the lobby area). Then we head for the lobby and find a comfy sofa to sit on while we wait for the 4pm characters to appear. Today it was Mickey, Pluto and Eeyore.
Here is what I LOVE about the characters in the hotels and the meet n greet meals. You see all these pushy parents who ram their children into the face of the character just vying for attention. I hate to say this but most of these are of a certain nationality!! We, being reserved Brits, have found this particularily irritating and rude. They have physically pushed my boys (who wait quietly) out of the way so their children can get squashed by the character. So we often now just sit and wait (as you actually 'should' do at the meet n greet meals) at our table if having a meal, or hold back out of the way at the 4pm sessions at the hotel. And you know what??? These characters just seem to take it all in - because they always, ALWAYS wind their way round to those children that have waited patiently without the need to scream, jump up and push others out of the way. And what is more, they often seem to give a little more 'special' and playfull attention that those pushy kids!! Gotta love the all-knowing disney characters.!!!
When all the excitement was over we collected our luggage and made our way to the train station. I was sad to leave the DLH - it really is a special hotel (the only two things that let it down are the pool (too deep for little ones) and the fact that people smoke everywhere- euuuughhh). Our stay here was super but we really were ready to go home!
And so we began our 6hr journey back to the land of normality.
I will be back tomorrow with some pics (I took almost 550 this time!!! - I may need some time to sort through them!)
Thank you everyone for taking time to listen in to me
Today we did the usual breakfast - this morning we had Suzy and Perla plus a few other characters we had already seen. Geppetto was also outside for professional pics and when my DS went to see him he was very excited and looked like a little puppet on a string with wobbly arms - Geppetto (and the other parents waiting in line for pics) found this really funny and Gepptto mirrored his moves and then pointed out that DS has glasses just like his - good 'ole Geppetto!
We took our time with packing and checked out at 11am. We decided not to use the Disney Express service for luggage and left our luggage at the hotel. Then it was out into the cold air (another coat day today).
We plodded up to Lake Disney in hope of taking DS's ice-skating at the HNY - we got there too early and decided to return later if we had time (we didn't as it turned out). Today is St Patricks day and the park is HEAVING with Irish and it seems, many more additional visitors. We get FP for BTM and then take the boys to Pochontas play area to let off some energy. DH and I watch the boys play for a while and then we all take a ride on BTM. DH gets more FP's at the end.
I persuade DS 8 to come on Phantom Manor with me (he cried last year with DH) - I think because he and DH had told me all the secrets, there was no element of surprise for me and therefore I found it a little dull (so I wont give away any secrets here!). DH took DS4 onto the Mark Twain (this is the first day it has been operating this week).
Next onto Main Street to watch the Bag-pipers - they were very good and then we stayed to watch the Irish dancers on the specially set up green stage on Central Plazza. The Irish dacers were very good (a mostly girl team from Ireland). At the end of the routine they are joined by Chip and Dale who are wearing Irish costumes. (Mickey was also decked out in Irish costume today) Then they ask the audience to participate (at which point we make a run for it!).
The noise of the Irish music has sent DS 4 to sleep - so DH and other DS ride BTM again while we wait. Then we go in search of hot food. Every restaurant we try is heaving with big queues of waiting people (again MANY Italians today). Eventually, we give up and go to Market Cafe for a toasted sandwich and mickey pizza's - it was warm food and that was about all. While there, I buy baguettes and cakes for our return journey on the Eurostar. We use the toilets in Discovery Arcade - I only mention this because they really were badly maintained today.
By this time we are really all feeling all disneyed-out (in retrospect we feel we had a day too long here this time) and just can't face standing in another line for a ride. We take a look at the gift shops and buy a few more items. I buy something for DH and he buys something for me (this does little to counter-balance the huge amount of goodies we have already bought for the boys!).
Then we leave the crowds of Irish pom-poms and hats behind us and head to the hotel. A drink in the Fantasia bar (and the boys being bribed with gameboys) gives us a little breather and DH chance to use his laptop (it did not work in the bar - seems to only work in the lobby area). Then we head for the lobby and find a comfy sofa to sit on while we wait for the 4pm characters to appear. Today it was Mickey, Pluto and Eeyore.
Here is what I LOVE about the characters in the hotels and the meet n greet meals. You see all these pushy parents who ram their children into the face of the character just vying for attention. I hate to say this but most of these are of a certain nationality!! We, being reserved Brits, have found this particularily irritating and rude. They have physically pushed my boys (who wait quietly) out of the way so their children can get squashed by the character. So we often now just sit and wait (as you actually 'should' do at the meet n greet meals) at our table if having a meal, or hold back out of the way at the 4pm sessions at the hotel. And you know what??? These characters just seem to take it all in - because they always, ALWAYS wind their way round to those children that have waited patiently without the need to scream, jump up and push others out of the way. And what is more, they often seem to give a little more 'special' and playfull attention that those pushy kids!! Gotta love the all-knowing disney characters.!!!
When all the excitement was over we collected our luggage and made our way to the train station. I was sad to leave the DLH - it really is a special hotel (the only two things that let it down are the pool (too deep for little ones) and the fact that people smoke everywhere- euuuughhh). Our stay here was super but we really were ready to go home!
And so we began our 6hr journey back to the land of normality.
I will be back tomorrow with some pics (I took almost 550 this time!!! - I may need some time to sort through them!)
Thank you everyone for taking time to listen in to me
