OK, it took me a year to get this posted. I just summarized the highlights, but hopefully you will find it full of lots of helpful and money saving tips. Too bad, there are no longer meal vouchers.
Cast
ME Mom36 Big Disney Fan, Planned this trip to the letter with DISboards for the last year
DH 38 Likes Disney too, not a planner. Always said Just surprise me
DD14 Does not thinks shes too big to do any of the little kid stuff. Loves Tink, Eyeore and JOJO
DD12 Has been a Cinderella Fan for 11 years.
DS7 (Had a birthday on the trip) Likes Disney but wasnt sure about the Baby Stuff or Girl Characters
I dont think I could manage to give you a trip report word for word from our 10 day trip, but thought Id divide it by park and experience and give you the highlights. We arrived May 24th and went home June 3rd.
Magic Express
First of all, this went so smoothly. Our plane landed at 9:45 PM and the check in process went very quickly and we were on our way. I cant for the life of me remember our drivers name, but he was a pain. DS immediately hopped in the front row and the driver decided he needed to talk exclusively to DD. She is a very quiet child and he would not leave her alone. Besides the fact it was getting close to 11:00 and we were all tired. He didnt put the movie in. Although thats not too bad considering it was our only complaint about ME.
Once we were checked in, I sent DH to buy our refillable mugs and I started getting the kids to bed. I had packed PJs and toothbrushes in a carryon and planned to get the luggage first thing in the morning. We hadnt been in the room more that 20 minutes and there was a knock at the door with the luggage. We were very pleased.
Check out went just as smoothly; although we didnt see the movie then either.
DS liked the coupons they put in our packages that got him a lanyard and pins. (2 because a family of 5 gets 2 packages) He enjoyed pin trading.
POR
We loved it. It was beautiful. Old Man Island was lots of fun, not too crowded.
We rented a fishing pole for DS but he was having more fun playing with the worms. DD12 caught a fish by accident, and he flopped off the hook on the deck. DS had fun picking him up. The pictures are so cute.
We rented a Surry Bike. There was a spot in the front for smaller children with a bell to ring. DS got a big kick out of that.
Refillable mugs are the greatest. We ran to fill them up every time we went back to the room. I miss the pink lemonade.
We went to see the Piano man in the River Roost lounge. I think it was DH favorite part of the trip. Piano man made the girls get up with the little kids. DD14 is going to be going to highs school this fall. I dont think they were as impressed. DS was cute when he went up. The kids loved the Zippity Do Das (Shirley Temples)
The kids enjoyed mousekeeping. DH couldnt believe I was packing stuffed animals for each of the kids to that mousekeeping would play with them. It was a highlight as we walked back from the bus stop to see what they did. It turned out to be a way to help exhausted children get back to the room. The first day was the best. All animals were surrounding the bible on the bed and having their own little bible study. We called it the Build A Bear Bible Study. We thought it was great, but I can imagine others might not feel the same. Once they built a slide out of pillows and they were having fun sliding down. Other than that, they mainly sat up and were watching TV. One day we had a towel animal Bunny. A larger version of a Boo Boo bunny that you put ice in for toddlers. This one had all of our toothbrush holders poking out of the middle. The kids were happy. We saw several animals watching out the windows for their families to return, but ours preferred to be couch potatoes and watch TV.
We thoroughly enjoyed riding the boat to DTD. It was so pretty and relaxing at night.
DH told them it was DS birthday at check in. Check out was on his birthday, but on the day before we found a 5x7 of Mickey in front of the castle signed Happy Birthday from your pal Mickey.
MK
We used to unofficial guide and didnt wait long for anything.
Had breakfast with Pooh at the Crystal Palace using breakfast vouchers. Im so glad I ordered those literally on New Years Eve before they were unavailable. Everyone was so informative about the path of the Characters and letting us know who would be coming to our table. DS protested when I made the PS, but got so excited when the Characters came around. Food was good. We did a 10:30 seating and considered it brunch.
Dinner at Pecos Bill again using quick and casual vouchers. This was a family favorite. We loved the toppings bar. Both DDs love grilled onions and mushrooms so it was quite a hit. DH got the barbeque sandwich and said it was very good. DS and I shared and DDs shared. We ordered 2 double cheese burgers with extra buns. No one had room to eat the Chocolate pie more than a couple bites. We wanted to go back but never made it again.
Dumbo was the longest ride of the whole trip. Probably about 45 minutes. There seemed to be having mechanical problems because they kept running it with no one on it. Thought about getting out of line but didnt want to start again later.
Never made it to see Cinderellabration. We were always in the middle of something when we should have been heading that way.
Saw Alice, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum and the White Rabbit by the teacups. The lines werent too long. DH would hold a place in the longer line while the other took the kids in the shorter and then get in line with Dad. It worked well and we saw them all. These were the only characters we saw in MK.
MGM
This was the only place that did not have their own Birthday pin. They use the same one as Magic Kingdom.
The kids are all daredevil riders so
Rockin Roller Coaster was everyones favorite ride. Dad took the kids for a 2nd ride.
We all did Tower of Terror, but DS (and mom) said they wouldnt do it again.
Saw JO JO and Goliath at her trailer and DDs got pictures. DS didnt get signatures with anyone girley or babyish. Sorcerer Mickey was inside just across from JO JO with no line. Mickey sang Happy Birthday to my son by directing the music like a conductor. We all had fun in there with him.
Saw Buzz, Woody and Jesse by Als Toy Barn. DH and I stood in different lines again, so it went quickly.
We loved the Indiana Jones Show and the Lights, Motors, Action Stunt Car show. Didnt make it to Beauty and the Beast. Mom seemed to be the only one that wanted too.
Had PS at 50s Prime Time and we all enjoyed it. The Onion Rings appetizer were wonderful. DH had meatloaf, DDs shared chicken and I had pot-roast. DS had kids mac-n-cheese, but wanted all of Dads meatloaf. We shared smores for desert, YUM. We had a babysitter; I think her name was Vivian. She had to get onto DH several times about his elbows, and DS of course loved to point out what everyone did and she labeled him as a tattle tale. She kept telling people at other tables that they better be good or he would tattle tale on them. Overall, everyone enjoyed it.
We also ate at Hollywood and Vine for the Fantasmic package. (On a different night) The buffet was OK. DH said it was not worth it when the bill came. DDs still usually order from the kids menu or split a meal, so $25 each was high. He did appreciate the good seats at a very crowded Fantasmic. DH and one DD and DS had seen Fanstasmic last year at Disneyland. I took a very tired DD back to the hotel, so I booked the package and said I wasnt missing it this year. I think overall they loved it, but felt Disneylands was slightly better.
Bought Pal Mickey a T-Shirt at the gift shop in the Animation Area. It is really for a very small dog, but is fits him perfectly. Its royal blue with something about the 50th celebration. I think it was $5 or $6 but I only saw them in one other store (dont remember where) Mickey got lots of compliments!
Epcot
Cute Birthday Pin. Mickey with Happy Birthday in all of the languages. This park definitely pays the most attention to the pin.
We went to Test Track first and it wasnt open yet because it was raining. A very nice CM gave my son a Fast Pass for any time of the day for the entire family for later since it was his birthday. Another nice surprise.
Be sure to bring email addresses. There are lots of places to send free funny email with photos of yourself. We sent them to the few we knew off the top of our head, but had the kids known they would have jotted down a few to send to their friends. The people that received them loved them. None of the ones we sent after the Figment ride arrived to the recipients, but look for them there, in the kids station in Mexico and after Mission Space. I dont remember seeing this mentioned on the Free Stuff thread.
Loved Crush, we werent picked, but it was amazing to watch.
DS and DD made cookies at the Nestles place in The Land. It was very cute to watch, and they had fun. And of course cookies, YUM!
We started to Eat Around the World, but after the 3rd country, we were traveling incredibly slow and were not hungry any more. We ended up just getting food when it sounded good. First day We had Combination platter in Mexico, Berry Tart in Norway, Orange Chicken Bowl in China (all shared). 2nd day in France, DH had Crème Brule, I had a strawberry tart, DDs shared a chocolate chip croissant and DS had Cake of The Day. It is now a family joke that this is a French Delicacy. DH travels to France a few times a year, so we want to be sure he gets it. In Germany we shared a pretzel.
The kids all did the Masks and DS got a passport. Most everyone wrote Happy Birthday in their language.
We made it to the Candy Lady in Japan. A MUST DO! We were about 15 minutes early and the first ones. The kids stood right in front of the kiosk and did not move. A mom with a little girl came for her 3rd try and some newlyweds for their 2nd try. A dad with 2 came by and asked what we were waiting for and my DH filled him in and they stayed. When the candy lady came and the crowd grew to 50 immediately all of the parents tried to push their kids in. She let it be known that those of us that were waiting before she got there were getting the candy. She made suckers for those 7. The Dad that stayed thanked us a million times. I think this was one of my kids favorite things. Thanks DISfriends!!!
Made sure to meet the Character Bus; since we had PS at Chef Mickeys I asked the CM who would not be there. We skipped Minnie, Mickey, Chip and Dale, Donald, Goofy and Pluto. They all had really long lines, and we had just enough time to get the rest. About 5, I believe Turk, Gepetto, and a few others I cant remember at the moment.
Saw Mulan and Meeko in China, Aladdin and Genie in Morocco and Belle and Sleeping Beauty in France. The lines were fairly short.
Had great seats for Illuminations next to the water near Canada where it steps down close to the water. It was beautiful.
On the way out we saw the lights on the sidewalk and when I said Oh, Ive read about these. My DD14 said, You mean they even told you about the sidewalk on the Disboards? I thought I was going to crack up. I told her I was going to tell you all.
Animal Kingdom
Ran to the Safari first thing. It said there was a 20 minute wait so we got in line. I think we boarded about 50 minutes later. While on the trail we stopped for quite a while on 2 different occasions. Our driver said that a lot of animals had been standing in the road that morning and that the whole ride just stops until they move. We did enjoy seeing the animals, they were up close and plentiful, but it was 11:30 when we got off the ride. It had taken 2 ½ hours total and we were ready to move on.
We were able to walk right onto Kali River Rapids. The kids loved it and wanted to do it again, but the line had quickly gotten very long.
Rode Dinosaur, DS and I didnt want to do it again. It was a bit too intense for me.
DD had read about Lucky in Family Fun and wanted to see Lucky. We ran when we realized it was time for him to be out. His helpers were walking him and hurried past to get a picture. Once I got there he stopped and began talking to his keeper. He told him I dont know Lucky, Ill have to see if she speaks Dinosaur He came over and addressed my daughter by name (because I ordered the Name Tags from Laughing Place Store like my DIS friends told me to) and said Lucky would like to talk to you; your sister can come too When he realized DS was also part of our family, he motioned him too. He let them pet hem and told them to tickle under his chin like he likes. When they were finished, Lucky began to walk again. A mother asked if her son, about the same age as mine, could pet him and she was told that Lucky picks who he wants to talk to. Evidently Lucky likes the name tags too. Several cast members greeted the kids by name, and once character even wrote in their books by name, but this was the most magical thing that happened with the tags.
Ate at Flame Tree Barbeque. We got 3 of their vouchers and got 2 ribs and 1 chicken to share. It was wonderful! We got our ice cream and Propel drink bottles on our way out of the park and had the Propel for a different day.
Came back on another night for PS at Rainforest Café. We had Vouchers for this also. DH and I split Steak and Lobster and DDs shared Steak and shrimp. DS ordered from the kids meal. They let the girls get 2 Icee Water bottles with a snack compartment underneath with toy figurines. They also let us put the two vouchers together for a Volcano and sang Happy Birthday to DS. We enjoyed our evening. Afterward we went to Lion King. It was my favorite show. When we came in, all of the front rows were empty, but since the 2nd rows were for handicapped it seemed like the seating was for the handicapped family members. Later as things filled up, those seats also filled. The children in the front of all 4 sections were chosen to take part in the pre show and later throughout the show. Try to get those seats. Also they sang to a girl in the front with a Birthday Button.
After the show we rode the train to Rafikis Planet watch to see Stanley. He was my DS favorite a few years ago, and hes still special at our house. We found his and he was coming out after his air-condition break and took my DS had and walked him to where they signed autograph books. So sweet!
We went out to see the petting area, and the animals had been put away for the night. This was one of the first days that AK was open until 8:00 and the CM said they were not adjusting well because they were used to being put away and fed at 5:00. The CM spent a lot of time with DS who was very interested and took him to the stalls and told him about the personalities of each one. It was very nice of them.
On our return train, the CM had everyone on the train sing Happy Birthday to DS.
Downtown Disney
Had a very cute birthday pin.
As a last minute plan, DH expressed interest in Cirque de Sole. For the price I did not just love it, but it is now something that I have experienced for myself. I preferred Lion King at Animal Kingdom.
We had lunch at Earl of Sandwich. Everyone thought it was great! DH and DD had roast beef, DD had Caesar Salad, DS had a meatball sandwich and I had Hawaiian Ham. We all tried each others and liked it all. I wish we had one near home.
We went to Once Upon a Toy to add to our Potato Head Collections. Each of the kids got one (plus a 4th box of things we had to have!) I heard a CM telling someone that if you do the scavenger hunt that is on the back of the computer printout where you design your own Potato head, you can take it up to the counter for a prize. All 3 kids did it and they received a die cast pirate ship with Goofy and Captain Hook. Perfect souvenir for little ones. I dont remember seeing it mentioned on the freebie thread. DD also got a My Little Pony box. You can stuff a lot more in those boxes. There was a lot furniture which we didnt get. She got 4 princess outfits, a raincoat, shoes, sunglasses, a tea set and a CD player that you can push and it plays a song. She also got a pink Mickey balloon and Mickey mouse ice cream that are really for Potato Head, so if your daughter is getting Potato Head stuff, be sure to go to the Pony area and pick those up. There was still plenty of the room in the box so her sister threw in a few things and then they managed to squeeze in 3 more Cinderella outfits complete with slippers for the girls they baby-sit.
We had signed up on the Ghiradelli web site and printed out the coupons, but were way too full from Earl of Sandwich.
Chef Mickeys
Had PS for breakfast our last day. We took the bus to MK and the monorail to the contemporary. It was the only time we made it to the monorail, so it was also a nice last morning thing.
Again, we were very impressed how organized they had the Characters path. On our 2 character meals we have ever done at Disneyland, we had to practically hunt the characters down ourselves to get them to our table.
Minnie gave the birthday boy lots of attention. I had made him a Mickey Mouse Birthday shirt, because this was the actual day. We were hoping to have them sign the shirt, but Minnie signed that she couldnt unless he took it off. Oh well, he had his book and the nice placemat that they had all signed before we got there. The napkin dance was cute and they brought him a cupcake.
Ohanna
We checked the time for Wishes and booked our reservation for one hour ahead. When we arrived we requested a window seat and it worked perfectly. They dimmed the lights and played the music and we had a wonderful view. Everyone enjoyed the food, and DS enjoyed the coconut races. DDs are proficient hula hoopers, and it was funny to watch an older couple videoing my daughter.
Clearwater Beach
We chose the Memorial Day to go to the beach. I know it sounds crazy, but I was sure the parks would be a madhouse and at least at the beach we wouldnt be waiting in line. We chose Clearwater over Cocoa Beach because weve heard so much about the beaches on the gulf side. One Diser said Clear water was the best, so off we went. The drive went very quickly and the minute we got there and saw it, I knew it was worth it. It took quite a while to find a parking place, but after that we had no problem. The beach was busy, but there was plenty of room for everyone. The white sand was beautiful and there were so many shells! The kids spent most of their time looking for shells, and it seemed like we were the only ones that were even picking them up. You can tell were from Oklahoma; it was a first for us.
Kennedy Space Center
We really enjoyed our time there, but we didnt have enough. I had only built in about 5 hours because we had a PS for dinner. You really need all day. Once we waited for the bus for the tour and did the bus tour, we didnt have much time left. Plan a whole day from open to close. There is so much to do.
The shuttle had been taken off of the pad because they had something to fix, so we didnt get to see it. I think it will be neat for the kids later this summer when it does launch to be able to say we saw that.
Lots of smashed penny opportunities here also. We used the M&M containers throughout the trip, and it worked great.
Beaches and Cream
Went over to the Beach Club resort one night for dinner and used vouchers.
We ordered the roast beef, but they were out of it. We instead had burgers and I had a chicken sandwich. They were alright, but the ice-cream was worth the trip. DS and I split a No Way Jose, DD had one also, DD had a banana split and DH had a milkshake. I wish I could have another No Way Jose now, YUM!
Sheraton Vistana Resort
We did 4 days off property. We got the offer for a condo for 4 nights $250 prepaid and $100 cash back at check in. It made for an inexpensive 4 days and allowed us to lengthen our trip by having a split stay. My favorite feature was having my own washer and dryer, thus I was able to pack a bit lighter than I would have otherwise. We felt the condo and the resort overall were very clean and well kept. We chose to do the condo over the Memorial Day weekend and had a rental car at the time. We did enjoy getting off property and going to Kennedy Space Center and Clearwater beach. They did ask us to do the time share tour, although it wasnt required. They did leave messages on the phone that the offer was still available, but we chose not to do it. All in all, it was a nice resort, but ..it just didnt have that Magic feeling that POR did. In future trips we plan to stay on site.
Cast
ME Mom36 Big Disney Fan, Planned this trip to the letter with DISboards for the last year
DH 38 Likes Disney too, not a planner. Always said Just surprise me
DD14 Does not thinks shes too big to do any of the little kid stuff. Loves Tink, Eyeore and JOJO
DD12 Has been a Cinderella Fan for 11 years.
DS7 (Had a birthday on the trip) Likes Disney but wasnt sure about the Baby Stuff or Girl Characters
I dont think I could manage to give you a trip report word for word from our 10 day trip, but thought Id divide it by park and experience and give you the highlights. We arrived May 24th and went home June 3rd.
Magic Express
First of all, this went so smoothly. Our plane landed at 9:45 PM and the check in process went very quickly and we were on our way. I cant for the life of me remember our drivers name, but he was a pain. DS immediately hopped in the front row and the driver decided he needed to talk exclusively to DD. She is a very quiet child and he would not leave her alone. Besides the fact it was getting close to 11:00 and we were all tired. He didnt put the movie in. Although thats not too bad considering it was our only complaint about ME.
Once we were checked in, I sent DH to buy our refillable mugs and I started getting the kids to bed. I had packed PJs and toothbrushes in a carryon and planned to get the luggage first thing in the morning. We hadnt been in the room more that 20 minutes and there was a knock at the door with the luggage. We were very pleased.
Check out went just as smoothly; although we didnt see the movie then either.
DS liked the coupons they put in our packages that got him a lanyard and pins. (2 because a family of 5 gets 2 packages) He enjoyed pin trading.
POR
We loved it. It was beautiful. Old Man Island was lots of fun, not too crowded.
We rented a fishing pole for DS but he was having more fun playing with the worms. DD12 caught a fish by accident, and he flopped off the hook on the deck. DS had fun picking him up. The pictures are so cute.
We rented a Surry Bike. There was a spot in the front for smaller children with a bell to ring. DS got a big kick out of that.
Refillable mugs are the greatest. We ran to fill them up every time we went back to the room. I miss the pink lemonade.
We went to see the Piano man in the River Roost lounge. I think it was DH favorite part of the trip. Piano man made the girls get up with the little kids. DD14 is going to be going to highs school this fall. I dont think they were as impressed. DS was cute when he went up. The kids loved the Zippity Do Das (Shirley Temples)
The kids enjoyed mousekeeping. DH couldnt believe I was packing stuffed animals for each of the kids to that mousekeeping would play with them. It was a highlight as we walked back from the bus stop to see what they did. It turned out to be a way to help exhausted children get back to the room. The first day was the best. All animals were surrounding the bible on the bed and having their own little bible study. We called it the Build A Bear Bible Study. We thought it was great, but I can imagine others might not feel the same. Once they built a slide out of pillows and they were having fun sliding down. Other than that, they mainly sat up and were watching TV. One day we had a towel animal Bunny. A larger version of a Boo Boo bunny that you put ice in for toddlers. This one had all of our toothbrush holders poking out of the middle. The kids were happy. We saw several animals watching out the windows for their families to return, but ours preferred to be couch potatoes and watch TV.
We thoroughly enjoyed riding the boat to DTD. It was so pretty and relaxing at night.
DH told them it was DS birthday at check in. Check out was on his birthday, but on the day before we found a 5x7 of Mickey in front of the castle signed Happy Birthday from your pal Mickey.
MK
We used to unofficial guide and didnt wait long for anything.
Had breakfast with Pooh at the Crystal Palace using breakfast vouchers. Im so glad I ordered those literally on New Years Eve before they were unavailable. Everyone was so informative about the path of the Characters and letting us know who would be coming to our table. DS protested when I made the PS, but got so excited when the Characters came around. Food was good. We did a 10:30 seating and considered it brunch.
Dinner at Pecos Bill again using quick and casual vouchers. This was a family favorite. We loved the toppings bar. Both DDs love grilled onions and mushrooms so it was quite a hit. DH got the barbeque sandwich and said it was very good. DS and I shared and DDs shared. We ordered 2 double cheese burgers with extra buns. No one had room to eat the Chocolate pie more than a couple bites. We wanted to go back but never made it again.
Dumbo was the longest ride of the whole trip. Probably about 45 minutes. There seemed to be having mechanical problems because they kept running it with no one on it. Thought about getting out of line but didnt want to start again later.
Never made it to see Cinderellabration. We were always in the middle of something when we should have been heading that way.
Saw Alice, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum and the White Rabbit by the teacups. The lines werent too long. DH would hold a place in the longer line while the other took the kids in the shorter and then get in line with Dad. It worked well and we saw them all. These were the only characters we saw in MK.
MGM
This was the only place that did not have their own Birthday pin. They use the same one as Magic Kingdom.
The kids are all daredevil riders so
Rockin Roller Coaster was everyones favorite ride. Dad took the kids for a 2nd ride.
We all did Tower of Terror, but DS (and mom) said they wouldnt do it again.
Saw JO JO and Goliath at her trailer and DDs got pictures. DS didnt get signatures with anyone girley or babyish. Sorcerer Mickey was inside just across from JO JO with no line. Mickey sang Happy Birthday to my son by directing the music like a conductor. We all had fun in there with him.
Saw Buzz, Woody and Jesse by Als Toy Barn. DH and I stood in different lines again, so it went quickly.
We loved the Indiana Jones Show and the Lights, Motors, Action Stunt Car show. Didnt make it to Beauty and the Beast. Mom seemed to be the only one that wanted too.
Had PS at 50s Prime Time and we all enjoyed it. The Onion Rings appetizer were wonderful. DH had meatloaf, DDs shared chicken and I had pot-roast. DS had kids mac-n-cheese, but wanted all of Dads meatloaf. We shared smores for desert, YUM. We had a babysitter; I think her name was Vivian. She had to get onto DH several times about his elbows, and DS of course loved to point out what everyone did and she labeled him as a tattle tale. She kept telling people at other tables that they better be good or he would tattle tale on them. Overall, everyone enjoyed it.
We also ate at Hollywood and Vine for the Fantasmic package. (On a different night) The buffet was OK. DH said it was not worth it when the bill came. DDs still usually order from the kids menu or split a meal, so $25 each was high. He did appreciate the good seats at a very crowded Fantasmic. DH and one DD and DS had seen Fanstasmic last year at Disneyland. I took a very tired DD back to the hotel, so I booked the package and said I wasnt missing it this year. I think overall they loved it, but felt Disneylands was slightly better.
Bought Pal Mickey a T-Shirt at the gift shop in the Animation Area. It is really for a very small dog, but is fits him perfectly. Its royal blue with something about the 50th celebration. I think it was $5 or $6 but I only saw them in one other store (dont remember where) Mickey got lots of compliments!
Epcot
Cute Birthday Pin. Mickey with Happy Birthday in all of the languages. This park definitely pays the most attention to the pin.
We went to Test Track first and it wasnt open yet because it was raining. A very nice CM gave my son a Fast Pass for any time of the day for the entire family for later since it was his birthday. Another nice surprise.
Be sure to bring email addresses. There are lots of places to send free funny email with photos of yourself. We sent them to the few we knew off the top of our head, but had the kids known they would have jotted down a few to send to their friends. The people that received them loved them. None of the ones we sent after the Figment ride arrived to the recipients, but look for them there, in the kids station in Mexico and after Mission Space. I dont remember seeing this mentioned on the Free Stuff thread.
Loved Crush, we werent picked, but it was amazing to watch.
DS and DD made cookies at the Nestles place in The Land. It was very cute to watch, and they had fun. And of course cookies, YUM!
We started to Eat Around the World, but after the 3rd country, we were traveling incredibly slow and were not hungry any more. We ended up just getting food when it sounded good. First day We had Combination platter in Mexico, Berry Tart in Norway, Orange Chicken Bowl in China (all shared). 2nd day in France, DH had Crème Brule, I had a strawberry tart, DDs shared a chocolate chip croissant and DS had Cake of The Day. It is now a family joke that this is a French Delicacy. DH travels to France a few times a year, so we want to be sure he gets it. In Germany we shared a pretzel.
The kids all did the Masks and DS got a passport. Most everyone wrote Happy Birthday in their language.
We made it to the Candy Lady in Japan. A MUST DO! We were about 15 minutes early and the first ones. The kids stood right in front of the kiosk and did not move. A mom with a little girl came for her 3rd try and some newlyweds for their 2nd try. A dad with 2 came by and asked what we were waiting for and my DH filled him in and they stayed. When the candy lady came and the crowd grew to 50 immediately all of the parents tried to push their kids in. She let it be known that those of us that were waiting before she got there were getting the candy. She made suckers for those 7. The Dad that stayed thanked us a million times. I think this was one of my kids favorite things. Thanks DISfriends!!!
Made sure to meet the Character Bus; since we had PS at Chef Mickeys I asked the CM who would not be there. We skipped Minnie, Mickey, Chip and Dale, Donald, Goofy and Pluto. They all had really long lines, and we had just enough time to get the rest. About 5, I believe Turk, Gepetto, and a few others I cant remember at the moment.
Saw Mulan and Meeko in China, Aladdin and Genie in Morocco and Belle and Sleeping Beauty in France. The lines were fairly short.
Had great seats for Illuminations next to the water near Canada where it steps down close to the water. It was beautiful.
On the way out we saw the lights on the sidewalk and when I said Oh, Ive read about these. My DD14 said, You mean they even told you about the sidewalk on the Disboards? I thought I was going to crack up. I told her I was going to tell you all.
Animal Kingdom
Ran to the Safari first thing. It said there was a 20 minute wait so we got in line. I think we boarded about 50 minutes later. While on the trail we stopped for quite a while on 2 different occasions. Our driver said that a lot of animals had been standing in the road that morning and that the whole ride just stops until they move. We did enjoy seeing the animals, they were up close and plentiful, but it was 11:30 when we got off the ride. It had taken 2 ½ hours total and we were ready to move on.
We were able to walk right onto Kali River Rapids. The kids loved it and wanted to do it again, but the line had quickly gotten very long.
Rode Dinosaur, DS and I didnt want to do it again. It was a bit too intense for me.
DD had read about Lucky in Family Fun and wanted to see Lucky. We ran when we realized it was time for him to be out. His helpers were walking him and hurried past to get a picture. Once I got there he stopped and began talking to his keeper. He told him I dont know Lucky, Ill have to see if she speaks Dinosaur He came over and addressed my daughter by name (because I ordered the Name Tags from Laughing Place Store like my DIS friends told me to) and said Lucky would like to talk to you; your sister can come too When he realized DS was also part of our family, he motioned him too. He let them pet hem and told them to tickle under his chin like he likes. When they were finished, Lucky began to walk again. A mother asked if her son, about the same age as mine, could pet him and she was told that Lucky picks who he wants to talk to. Evidently Lucky likes the name tags too. Several cast members greeted the kids by name, and once character even wrote in their books by name, but this was the most magical thing that happened with the tags.
Ate at Flame Tree Barbeque. We got 3 of their vouchers and got 2 ribs and 1 chicken to share. It was wonderful! We got our ice cream and Propel drink bottles on our way out of the park and had the Propel for a different day.
Came back on another night for PS at Rainforest Café. We had Vouchers for this also. DH and I split Steak and Lobster and DDs shared Steak and shrimp. DS ordered from the kids meal. They let the girls get 2 Icee Water bottles with a snack compartment underneath with toy figurines. They also let us put the two vouchers together for a Volcano and sang Happy Birthday to DS. We enjoyed our evening. Afterward we went to Lion King. It was my favorite show. When we came in, all of the front rows were empty, but since the 2nd rows were for handicapped it seemed like the seating was for the handicapped family members. Later as things filled up, those seats also filled. The children in the front of all 4 sections were chosen to take part in the pre show and later throughout the show. Try to get those seats. Also they sang to a girl in the front with a Birthday Button.
After the show we rode the train to Rafikis Planet watch to see Stanley. He was my DS favorite a few years ago, and hes still special at our house. We found his and he was coming out after his air-condition break and took my DS had and walked him to where they signed autograph books. So sweet!
We went out to see the petting area, and the animals had been put away for the night. This was one of the first days that AK was open until 8:00 and the CM said they were not adjusting well because they were used to being put away and fed at 5:00. The CM spent a lot of time with DS who was very interested and took him to the stalls and told him about the personalities of each one. It was very nice of them.
On our return train, the CM had everyone on the train sing Happy Birthday to DS.
Downtown Disney
Had a very cute birthday pin.
As a last minute plan, DH expressed interest in Cirque de Sole. For the price I did not just love it, but it is now something that I have experienced for myself. I preferred Lion King at Animal Kingdom.
We had lunch at Earl of Sandwich. Everyone thought it was great! DH and DD had roast beef, DD had Caesar Salad, DS had a meatball sandwich and I had Hawaiian Ham. We all tried each others and liked it all. I wish we had one near home.
We went to Once Upon a Toy to add to our Potato Head Collections. Each of the kids got one (plus a 4th box of things we had to have!) I heard a CM telling someone that if you do the scavenger hunt that is on the back of the computer printout where you design your own Potato head, you can take it up to the counter for a prize. All 3 kids did it and they received a die cast pirate ship with Goofy and Captain Hook. Perfect souvenir for little ones. I dont remember seeing it mentioned on the freebie thread. DD also got a My Little Pony box. You can stuff a lot more in those boxes. There was a lot furniture which we didnt get. She got 4 princess outfits, a raincoat, shoes, sunglasses, a tea set and a CD player that you can push and it plays a song. She also got a pink Mickey balloon and Mickey mouse ice cream that are really for Potato Head, so if your daughter is getting Potato Head stuff, be sure to go to the Pony area and pick those up. There was still plenty of the room in the box so her sister threw in a few things and then they managed to squeeze in 3 more Cinderella outfits complete with slippers for the girls they baby-sit.
We had signed up on the Ghiradelli web site and printed out the coupons, but were way too full from Earl of Sandwich.
Chef Mickeys
Had PS for breakfast our last day. We took the bus to MK and the monorail to the contemporary. It was the only time we made it to the monorail, so it was also a nice last morning thing.
Again, we were very impressed how organized they had the Characters path. On our 2 character meals we have ever done at Disneyland, we had to practically hunt the characters down ourselves to get them to our table.
Minnie gave the birthday boy lots of attention. I had made him a Mickey Mouse Birthday shirt, because this was the actual day. We were hoping to have them sign the shirt, but Minnie signed that she couldnt unless he took it off. Oh well, he had his book and the nice placemat that they had all signed before we got there. The napkin dance was cute and they brought him a cupcake.
Ohanna
We checked the time for Wishes and booked our reservation for one hour ahead. When we arrived we requested a window seat and it worked perfectly. They dimmed the lights and played the music and we had a wonderful view. Everyone enjoyed the food, and DS enjoyed the coconut races. DDs are proficient hula hoopers, and it was funny to watch an older couple videoing my daughter.
Clearwater Beach
We chose the Memorial Day to go to the beach. I know it sounds crazy, but I was sure the parks would be a madhouse and at least at the beach we wouldnt be waiting in line. We chose Clearwater over Cocoa Beach because weve heard so much about the beaches on the gulf side. One Diser said Clear water was the best, so off we went. The drive went very quickly and the minute we got there and saw it, I knew it was worth it. It took quite a while to find a parking place, but after that we had no problem. The beach was busy, but there was plenty of room for everyone. The white sand was beautiful and there were so many shells! The kids spent most of their time looking for shells, and it seemed like we were the only ones that were even picking them up. You can tell were from Oklahoma; it was a first for us.
Kennedy Space Center
We really enjoyed our time there, but we didnt have enough. I had only built in about 5 hours because we had a PS for dinner. You really need all day. Once we waited for the bus for the tour and did the bus tour, we didnt have much time left. Plan a whole day from open to close. There is so much to do.
The shuttle had been taken off of the pad because they had something to fix, so we didnt get to see it. I think it will be neat for the kids later this summer when it does launch to be able to say we saw that.
Lots of smashed penny opportunities here also. We used the M&M containers throughout the trip, and it worked great.
Beaches and Cream
Went over to the Beach Club resort one night for dinner and used vouchers.
We ordered the roast beef, but they were out of it. We instead had burgers and I had a chicken sandwich. They were alright, but the ice-cream was worth the trip. DS and I split a No Way Jose, DD had one also, DD had a banana split and DH had a milkshake. I wish I could have another No Way Jose now, YUM!
Sheraton Vistana Resort
We did 4 days off property. We got the offer for a condo for 4 nights $250 prepaid and $100 cash back at check in. It made for an inexpensive 4 days and allowed us to lengthen our trip by having a split stay. My favorite feature was having my own washer and dryer, thus I was able to pack a bit lighter than I would have otherwise. We felt the condo and the resort overall were very clean and well kept. We chose to do the condo over the Memorial Day weekend and had a rental car at the time. We did enjoy getting off property and going to Kennedy Space Center and Clearwater beach. They did ask us to do the time share tour, although it wasnt required. They did leave messages on the phone that the offer was still available, but we chose not to do it. All in all, it was a nice resort, but ..it just didnt have that Magic feeling that POR did. In future trips we plan to stay on site.
