4 gigs of pics, 3 blisters, 2 pairs of new shoes, 1 bleeding toe = our great trip!

[crocko]

Great finish to the day!

Looks the girls still had a little bit of energy left for that final picture.
Sad to see departure day coming.....

 

[WillowBelle]

Great finish to the day!

Looks the girls still had a little bit of energy left for that final picture.
Sad to see departure day coming.....

That energy disappeared COMPLETELY once we couldn't find the van. Of course, we were in such a hurry when we arrived that I didn't take a picture of the end of the row. Had I done that it wouldn't have taken 15 minutes to find the van. At least the parking lot wasn't PACKED, it would have been a nightmare to find the car in a full lot .

I'm sad to see the trip end also. I took a fare amount of photos at AK also, so there is still a good bit of story to tell/see.

 

[Dylan_&_Blake's_mom]

Love the pics of SE or course. Too funny about you forgetting your spot. Sounds like something I would do. That's why I always take a digital photo of our spot so I can look back and find it...my memory is terrible. So sad that your trip is almost over. Can't wait for more though.

 

[LOVEMY3KIDDOS]

Oh no!!!! It's almost over!!! That first picture of SE (from the outside) is great the way you can see the purples and blues reflected in it!

 

[momsavealot]

Great pics inside Spaceship Earth!!!! I wasn't able to get any good ones this last trip. Can I get original size copies of those for my scrapbook?

 

[tinkgurl]

Wow, those are great pics inside SE! WDW could use those for sure!

 

[WillowBelle]

Love the pics of SE or course. Too funny about you forgetting your spot. Sounds like something I would do. That's why I always take a digital photo of our spot so I can look back and find it...my memory is terrible. So sad that your trip is almost over. Can't wait for more though.

Funny thing is that when this trip started I WAS taking pictures of spots. I remember this day we chanted the spot number all the way up to the enterance. Lotta good it did us , live and learn I guess.

Oh no!!!! It's almost over!!! That first picture of SE (from the outside) is great the way you can see the purples and blues reflected in it!

SE is soooo pretty at night. I know, I don't want it to end either .

Great pics inside Spaceship Earth!!!! I wasn't able to get any good ones this last trip. Can I get original size copies of those for my scrapbook?

Sure can - PM me (because as you know from other pm's) I have a terrible memory. Someone, at the beginning of this TR wanted a full size of the Donald photo in the Philharmagic shop. I have forgotten who that person was and was never able to get it to her.....was it you???

Wow, those are great pics inside SE! WDW could use those for sure!

Thanks TG - it helped that for part of the ride we were stopped . Made "snapping away" much easier. I could actually somewhat compose the shot.

 

[topdog]

And waiting...and waiting...and waiting...

 

[WillowBelle]

And waiting...and waiting...and waiting...

I know, I feel so bad. My mom became a casualty of the economy a few weeks ago. Her dept. was closed at her job, she ended up moving from FL to NJ.

DH and I flew out last Weds. from Nashville to Jacksonville, FL. We drove 850 miles (me in her car and DH in a 24' UHaul) in 2 days through 2 tropical depression storms. It was miserable. We just returned home late last night. I should be able to get more photos up and start our day at AK tomorrow (crossing fingers).

So sorry for the delay !

 

[annnewjerz]

I know, I feel so bad. My mom became a casualty of the economy a few weeks ago. Her dept. was closed at her job, she ended up moving from FL to NJ.

DH and I flew out last Weds. from Nashville to Jacksonville, FL. We drove 850 miles (me in her car and DH in a 24' UHaul) in 2 days through 2 tropical depression storms. It was miserable. We just returned home late last night. I should be able to get more photos up and start our day at AK tomorrow (crossing fingers).

So sorry for the delay !

Naaah, I think we should take a break from the regularly scheduled programming and you should give us a mini photo TR from your trip to my home state!!

Welcome back! Sorry to hear you had such a cruddy drive, but at least it's all done with and you guys are back home safe and sound. Something tells me you won't be interested in a road trip for at least a few months.

Just think---DH and I were going to drive from NJ to WDW and back in 3 days for our trip in October. Thank goodness we found $49 each way flights on Southwest. I have a feeling that would have been one of the most exhausting weekends on my life.

 

[topdog]

I know, I feel so bad. My mom became a casualty of the economy a few weeks ago. Her dept. was closed at her job, she ended up moving from FL to NJ.

DH and I flew out last Weds. from Nashville to Jacksonville, FL. We drove 850 miles (me in her car and DH in a 24' UHaul) in 2 days through 2 tropical depression storms. It was miserable. We just returned home late last night. I should be able to get more photos up and start our day at AK tomorrow (crossing fingers).

So sorry for the delay !

Sorry to hear about your mom. I hope everything work out for her after the move. My department just went through the same thing. 3 close friends of mine just got layoff last week. I worked with them for 5 years. I gave the ladies a hug before they go. One of them held on me so tight, she wouldn't let go. All she did was cried and cried and cried. It was no picnic.

I know how you felt with the long drive. I have one coming up soon driving to North Carolina from Pennsylvania, half of what you just went thru.

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

I know, I feel so bad. My mom became a casualty of the economy a few weeks ago. Her dept. was closed at her job, she ended up moving from FL to NJ.

DH and I flew out last Weds. from Nashville to Jacksonville, FL. We drove 850 miles (me in her car and DH in a 24' UHaul) in 2 days through 2 tropical depression storms. It was miserable. We just returned home late last night. I should be able to get more photos up and start our day at AK tomorrow (crossing fingers).

So sorry for the delay !

So sorry to hear about your mom. Saying a prayer that things will turn around for her

 

[WillowBelle]

Naaah, I think we should take a break from the regularly scheduled programming and you should give us a mini photo TR from your trip to my home state!!

Welcome back! Sorry to hear you had such a cruddy drive, but at least it's all done with and you guys are back home safe and sound. Something tells me you won't be interested in a road trip for at least a few months.

Just think---DH and I were going to drive from NJ to WDW and back in 3 days for our trip in October. Thank goodness we found $49 each way flights on Southwest. I have a feeling that would have been one of the most exhausting weekends on my life.

I couldn't imagine pulling that drive for a 3 day visit. How many total hours is that? Holy cow . We got to the boardwalk in the day and then went back in the evening so I could take fun photos of all of the amusment rides. Maybe I will to a mini-TR .

As for no more road trips, we're actually headed to Illinois this weekend (only 3.5 hours) to go camping. After that we don't go anywhere until October when we do TX, LA and GA. I could do TRs until the end of the year .

Sorry to hear about your mom. I hope everything work out for her after the move. My department just went through the same thing. 3 close friends of mine just got layoff last week. I worked with them for 5 years. I gave the ladies a hug before they go. One of them held on me so tight, she wouldn't let go. All she did was cried and cried and cried. It was no picnic.

I know how you felt with the long drive. I have one coming up soon driving to North Carolina from Pennsylvania, half of what you just went thru.

I think everything is going to be just fine. She is in good hands and has a very wide security net up there, whereas in FL she was all alone - no family, no husband/boyfriend, only a handful of friends with their own problems.

Is it your sister that you're going to see? Don't you have family there? That is one heckuva drive. Pace yourself.....

So sorry to hear about your mom. Saying a prayer that things will turn around for her

I think that things will be good. She worked for a media company in FL. One of her clients actually forwarded her resume to a company in NJ. She had gotten an email from someone offering an interview before she even left .

 

[aprilisis]

AWESOME SE photos!!! I lost our car once, too, in the AK parking lot on a very hot day. I was almost crying by the time we found it! I'm looking forward to reading about your last day.

 

[mansionterror]

So sorry to hear about your Mom's job situation. Sending positive vibes her way.

Your SE pictures are phenomonal (Spelling?). I know what you mean about not being able to find your van...that happened to us once at the other park (Not Disney) and we eventually had to get security to help us out.

 

[WillowBelle]

AWESOME SE photos!!! I lost our car once, too, in the AK parking lot on a very hot day. I was almost crying by the time we found it! I'm looking forward to reading about your last day.

Angelina was so funny.....'WHY (said with emphasis on the 'Y' with a twist of whine) can't I just sit down here why you find the van . That'll teach me to think I can actually remember where we parked. We were in the correct general area, just not far enough back. Next time there WILL be photos taken of our parking row.

So sorry to hear about your Mom's job situation. Sending positive vibes her way.

Your SE pictures are phenomonal (Spelling?). I know what you mean about not being able to find your van...that happened to us once at the other park (Not Disney) and we eventually had to get security to help us out.

AHHHHH security . I didn't even think of that. I just had my clicker out and aimed real high (well, as far as my arm would stretch) trying to get over the cars so our lights would go off. You'd have thought I found the gold at the end of the rainbow when those lights blinked and we knew where the car was.

Going to try to upload more pictures today. Seems like it should be a slow work day, but that is all subject to change .

 

[WillowBelle]

Up early this morning from an "early" night at EP....that is if you call climbing into bed around 1:30a.m. early. Peeked out the window to rain. BAH! But, what'r you going to do. It was our last day and we had set out to enjoy it - no if's-ands-or-butts.

Last night I'd partially packed the car. This morning we each grabbed a suitcase and few remaing items and off we went. Saying goodbye to the Pop Century and our noisy corner room. Climbed into the van and headed off for AK. We are slated to only be here until 2:00. DH is flying in from Nashville to Orlando today. We're headed to mom's in Jacksonville Beach for the 4th of July today.

Arrive to AK with pretty good timing. The park is already open, but only by a few minutes. Good thing we're at AK today, I think I'll blend since I look like a cammel with everything that I'm carrying (lmao). We have an ADR for Tusker House this morning, but not until 9:30. Did I mention that the park opened at 8:00 today? EMH's RULE!

Power walked to the Safari:

Figured it was damp and cool(ish) maybe I'd get a few photos. PLUS the line wasn't long at all - we walked straight on.

And we were off.....

This guy slowed us down a bit. He did give us a big smile though.

Apparently his mom was too busy eating to tell him to get out of the road:

Saw some:

So we knew we were close to:

This guy wasn't in to giving a grin like the giraffe:

Know what comes after this:

YUP:

Time for breakfast at Tusker House. We'd never eaten here before but read many rave reviews.

Angelina patiently waited:

Then the girls compared pins:

While the girls were comparing pins and Gabriella was wrapping up her CM trading for this visit I'd gotten a text from a friend from another board. I had told her about the mean lady who snookered G out of her Tink pin. We went back and forth with a description of the pin. Imagine my surprise when I got a picture of THE pin from her - SHE'D FOUND IT!!! I have no idea how she pulled that one off - Gabriella was on cloud 9, she was so happy to know her pin would be replaced. I wish I could have given her a great big hug. Gabriella was all misty eyed which made me misty eyed......we were just one great big mushy mess.

Angelina wanted to take a picture:

Took a real quick one of the foilage and then we were in:

Breakfast was sooooo yummy! We were sat about 20 minutes after our ADR time. They were quite busy. Luck would have it though, that once we were sat the characters had just finished in our area so we cuold go and get breakfast without watching the table so we didn't miss anyone.

Grub:

Last morning for my build-your-own yogurt:

Right after we came back to the table with all our food the characters started coming by:

the TALLEST Goofy I have ever seen!

Wrapped up breakfast and decided we'd go on KRR. No pictures here - due to the fact that it's already raining figured I'd keep the camera as safe and dry as possible. I wore the camera bag around my neck sitting on my lap under my poncho.

We had the cutest little girl on the ride with us. She was TERRIFIED of water???!!! We tried to tell her that Gabriella was in the seat that was going to get soaked. She did alright until about 10 seconds into the ride, then she started SCREAMING for her mom (who wasn't on the ride). We all tried to entertain her, especially when Gabriella got stuck under the waterfall for a few and drenched. Near the end we "found" her mom. She was at the overlook taking a picture. Everyone in the raft gave a big wave and a smile to her. I'm sure the picture turned out great.

Up next......I beg the girls for just ONE live show! Do they cave or is it rides from here on out?????

 

[crocko]

Great update.....and man, some of those pictures are so amazing and vibrant!

 

[WillowBelle]

Great update.....and man, some of those pictures are so amazing and vibrant!

Glad you liked them . If memory serves I still have a TON of photos to go through to wrap up this day.

 

[mansionterror]

Safari photos = AWESOME!! I really like the photo of you and Gabriella after hearing about the pin. Speaking of...what wonderful news that your friend found it!