So, this is just the wrap up. Things and theories floating around in my head... Not quite wanting to be done...
The trip was just fantastic all around.
I don't know if it was when we went, or having the touring plans, or a combination of the two, but we really didn't get frustrated by lines or feel crazed.
We went to a party yesterday -family friends who have a little girl whose birthday was actually yesterday, so birthday party/Independence Day cookout combo! - and I was talking to several other moms and dads about Disney. One family said that they hated it
and have no desire to go back - two hour lines and huge crowds. I think that they said they went during NH's spring break week at the end of April, so that surprised me some, as it's not spring break for the whole country or even the whole East Coast that week...
Another mom was like me, used the UOG plans, and had a ball - but also went the first week in May instead of the last week in April. I did also share that I spent 5 months planning and all that, and maybe the DIS is the most important difference!
I was so smug at the beginning of my pre-TR - "I won't be planning too much, or laminating ride plans..." Umm...
I might next time - there was no laminating, but there were plans, for sure!
D. has mentioned several times since returning that he thought he might be weary of the whole Disney deal - he's not a fanatic, as I am, and he was afraid the Disneyfication would get to him. He ended up being impressed by how they handle amazing numbers of people, hotels, etc. He has also declared that when we go back, we will not be staying anywhere but the AKL. He was so funny and kind of cute about it - rushing out to see the animals, etc.
He's also loaned our UOG to a co-worker, and is praising the planning to no end! I figured he'd be a little more like some other DH's I've read about - "What do you mean we have to plan everything?" but instead he has just been touting my planning skills (love that man!) and telling everyone that you have to have a plan to succeed.
I actually think that if we'd had more time, or had the DVC where we knew we'd be going back very regularly, we might be a little less rigid with the plans; but for a short trip and one that we don't know when we'll return, it was the way to go!
I stressed so much about the stroller issue. It worked out great that we didn't have one, but only because I am nowhere near "dainty." We did do a LOT of shoulder rides, but that's OK because I can take a kid, too. Another year, and the boys will probably be too big, or if I was smaller in general (not just weight, but bone type, etc.) we probably would have had to use at least one stroller. I imagine that we're probably not going to be going back until the stroller will be a moot point - the boys nearing 7 at least. Sigh.
The shoes worked out great, too! The boys still wear the Crocs every day. My flips were super-comfy, even though they weren't what I planned on wearing.
Side note: I bought myself a pair of the Athens Crocs flips before my NYC trip. I tried them on in the store, but with tags and so forth, it was hard to tell. I got them home and wore them for an evening before deciding that they really were still just way too wide.
Dr. Belle tried them in NYC, and though her feet may not be as narrow as mine, she wears a smaller shoe, and she couldn't wear them either. D. is wearing them now.
(They are navy and khaki - fine manly colors...) I still want to at least try some Mary Janes for myself.
As far as the parks go, we just had such magical days in MK, and there is so much to do there for the younger set, that it still ranks as our favorite park overall. I think there was more to be done at MGM than we did, but it worked out fine and the boys loved Star Tours and seeing the Red Ranger. Epcot was a little odd for us this time, and I don't know if it was the EMH crowds or the fact that I really wanted to be in the WS more, but the kids had little interest. Still, we stayed all day and they loved Soarin', M:S, and Test Track. AK was less of a hit than I expected, but they really liked Kali, and we got a great safari experience. Again, I think if we had a few more days, we'd have found some more things that we loved in the parks that weren't MK.
I just took some pictures of our Dream prizes. Here are the pins on the lanyard from our first Dream encounter:
And here is the Dream Fastpass. There are still 3 tabs attached:
I thought about giving the FP to someone as we left, for the last three rides, but you had to have both the card and the little tabs, and I wanted the cards for a souvenir. Is that selfish?
Speaking of rides, one of the tabs we had left was the one for Philharmagic. We never did see it, and that's something I kind of regret. I'm not sure why we didn't go, either.
Ah, well - next time.
If you have more than one day scheduled in any park, and you see someone with a Dream FP or lanyard, ask where and when they got them. We picked up both prizes at nearly the same time, coming off the same ride, but one on Monday and one on Friday. I wouldn't be surprised if they change the rides where they hang out, weekly or something, but it struck me that there was a pattern there...
The pixie dust was huge, and in fact continues to be really helpful! Buzz fell down in our driveway two weeks ago, and he was still complaining that it hurt when he went to bed that night. I put a single piece of pixie dust on his pillow, and he settled right down.
Surely someone sells Mickey Head confetti - I may just keep replenishing our supply...
So...
I guess that's about it.
I think I'll take my ticker down -it's just depressing now.
I'll definitely still be on the boards all the time, even if I won't be planning a trip for another two years. I may start a general thread on the community board for just telling funny "real time" stories and so forth - things that happen to us that might not belong on other people's TRs. If I do, I'll post a link in my signature.
With D. gone, sometimes, it is just fun to share that kind of thing with other grown-ups, and I need a place to do it. If there's already such a thread and I just don't know about it, somebody let me know!
Lastly, thanks so much to everyone for reading. I think I remember the trip so much better because I took notes in order to be able to write a trip report, just meaning to have something to put in a scrapbook. I never dreamed to make such great friends from the experience.
Thanks again!
C.E.
I hope I've kept it entertaining. Glad to know I'm not the only one with the Space Mountain issue. Oops! 
You got so much done we normally have time but just spend it by the pool don't want to be all sweaty for a 9 hour flight 
Can't wait to read the rest!!
I enjoyed your TR. You may want to print out your individual posts for a keepsake. I have started to do that to mine so I have my written TR along with pics printed out for the future in case I forget certain little things...
