A fearless trip report- May 12-18th 2011

[teachermommy78]

Finally all caught up!!! Ahhh, the joys of a toddler! Your pictures make me wish I still had a little one around! Finn isn't so far removed at 3.5, but they grow so incredibly fast.

 

[afwdwfan]

Thank you for confirming that the swim diapers do, in fact, keep everything contained. Even if it is a sloppy mess... FIngers crossed that we won't find out first hand, but I'm pretty sure it is a matter of time as much as DS loves the water. By the way, when you described how Everett loved playing on the steps in the water and would just dive in if you don't hang on... you just described our DS. I'm glad he enjoys the water and isn't afraid of it, I just wish he was as capable of swimming as he seems to think he is.

 

[ladylyons]

You have one tough DS! I can't imagine how surprised you must have been to find your son on the floor, instead of safe in bed!

Yeah it was a surprise. This is also the kid at 19 months old did a summersault down my stairs that go into the garage. I had just had my daughter and we were going somewhere and before I could grab his hand he took a step and down he went. Luckily the stairs are kind of padded and he landed on the the landing (which is also kind of padded) and not the cement. Thanks goodness he has a hard head. No injuries whatsoever and when we saw the doctor for my daughter's 1 month well check the next day he looked him over and said he was perfectly fine. Yes I can laugh about it now but at the time I was sooooo scared and just tried to remain calm so he wouldn't flip out. Oh and he still falls out of his toddler bed but thankfully that's close to the ground.


That's great that he loves the water. All 3 of mine do too. I've never had the poop pool test thankfully!! Glad to hear that the swim diapers do the job they are supposed to do.

 

[khertz]

Pool Poop! God bless who ever invented swim diapers. I worry about Paxton with those just because the smalls are still kind of big for him. I can understand not really wanting to hang at the pool anymore after that experience!

 

[DisneyMomma09]

Thank you for testing out those swim diapers for us all!! Colby is doing very well with potty training, but I am not brave enough to use a public pool without swim diapers yet! I would not want to be responsible for the pool being closed!!

Everett sure has good poop-timing! Or maybe you would not agree...but it sure does make for some entertaining stories for the rest of us!

 

[CandleontheWater]

Oh no, not the pool poop! At least it was contained!

Luckily the swim diapers work as advertized. However, I could have done without the product demonstration.

I was lucky enough to never find out if Little Swimmers really worked or not. But, I'm glad they worked for you! It would've been a whole lot messier (& embarrassing) if they hadn't!

I know exactly what you mean about Everett being fearless around the water. Reid has always been the exact same way. Those 2 sound so much alike - they'd have a great time playing together. But, I think you & I would be exhausted afterwards!

Yes, I think they would have a great time together! What we should do is leave them with our DH's and we should go to the spa for pedicures! Now that is my idea of a perfect playdate!

Finally all caught up!!! Ahhh, the joys of a toddler! Your pictures make me wish I still had a little one around! Finn isn't so far removed at 3.5, but they grow so incredibly fast.

Everett is at a really fun age, and it seems to just get better every day!

Thank you for confirming that the swim diapers do, in fact, keep everything contained. Even if it is a sloppy mess... FIngers crossed that we won't find out first hand, but I'm pretty sure it is a matter of time as much as DS loves the water. By the way, when you described how Everett loved playing on the steps in the water and would just dive in if you don't hang on... you just described our DS. I'm glad he enjoys the water and isn't afraid of it, I just wish he was as capable of swimming as he seems to think he is.

Funny that our DS are the same! I have heard that babies are born knowing how to swim from floating around during the 9 months of gestation, but I'm not about to let Everett test that theory.

 

[CandleontheWater]

Yeah it was a surprise. This is also the kid at 19 months old did a summersault down my stairs that go into the garage. I had just had my daughter and we were going somewhere and before I could grab his hand he took a step and down he went. Luckily the stairs are kind of padded and he landed on the the landing (which is also kind of padded) and not the cement. Thanks goodness he has a hard head. No injuries whatsoever and when we saw the doctor for my daughter's 1 month well check the next day he looked him over and said he was perfectly fine. Yes I can laugh about it now but at the time I was sooooo scared and just tried to remain calm so he wouldn't flip out. Oh and he still falls out of his toddler bed but thankfully that's close to the ground.

That's great that he loves the water. All 3 of mine do too. I've never had the poop pool test thankfully!! Glad to hear that the swim diapers do the job they are supposed to do.

Yikes! We haven't had a stair fall yet (knock on wood) but it is something I do worry about. I always thought I wanted a two story house, but after living in one with a baby, I'd be much happier all on one level!

Pool Poop! God bless who ever invented swim diapers. I worry about Paxton with those just because the smalls are still kind of big for him. I can understand not really wanting to hang at the pool anymore after that experience!

Yes, the pool had sort of lost its luster after that incident! It was time to move on to something else.

Thank you for testing out those swim diapers for us all!! Colby is doing very well with potty training, but I am not brave enough to use a public pool without swim diapers yet! I would not want to be responsible for the pool being closed!!

Everett sure has good poop-timing! Or maybe you would not agree...but it sure does make for some entertaining stories for the rest of us!

Luckily this is the last poop story for the vacation- hopefully I can get back to talking about more magical experiences!

 

[afwdwfan]

Funny that our DS are the same! I have heard that babies are born knowing how to swim from floating around during the 9 months of gestation, but I'm not about to let Everett test that theory.

Well, I almost hesitate to publicly admit this, but DS managed to wiggle away from us before and test that theory. It is a myth.

 

[PirateKate]

Poor Everett, falling out of the bed. That's such an unpleasant way to wake up. I usually put the pillows on the floor by the bed, when one of my boys is in a big bed without bed rails, just in case.

I have had the misfortune of testing the swim diapers as well. They work, but it isn't pretty.

 

[basketkat]

Oh no! Swim diapers are not super fun...but especially not with a poo! The diapers do work, but the clean up isn't great.

 

[amandaw]

Yes, I think they would have a great time together! What we should do is leave them with our DH's and we should go to the spa for pedicures! Now that is my idea of a perfect playdate!

Now you're talking! Although, I might be scared to see what the DH's let the boys get into!

 

[CandleontheWater]

Episode 28- the update with the poor people at POR

Since we were done with swimming for the day, we headed back to the room to get changed and ready to head over to DTD for lunch. DH took a quick shower, and I fed DS a PBJ for lunch. My plan was for DS to take a stroller nap while we walked around DTD, so I wanted to make sure he had a nice full tummy to help lull him into dreamland.

Once we were all cleaned up and ready, we made the walk over to the boat dock. I just love that POR and POFQ have boat access to DTD, I think that gives them a leg up over the other moderates (even though I prefer the pool at CBR). I can never remember what the boat schedule looks like, but luckily we managed to walk up right before a boat was scheduled to pull up to the dock. There was one other family in front of us, so I knew we would have no trouble getting on.

Within no time the boat arrived and a few other families had lined up on the dock as well. We boarded and the captain carefully counted all of us, asking us more than once if anyone was planning on disembarking at POFQ. I thought this was a little odd, and I thought it was even more odd when he stopped letting people in the boat when it was half full. I quickly realized that it was because the captain wanted to leave space for people at POFQ, but that didn’t mean I didn’t feel bad for the poor families left stranded on the dock, who now had to wait another ½ hour for the boat to come back.

I felt even worse for those families when we pulled up to POFQ and only two people got on the boat. The poor people left on the dock at POR totally got the shaft. Everyone could have gotten on the boat, and no one had to be left behind. I thought that this was very poor planning, and there has to be some way to radio to the other dock and find out how many people are waiting to ride.

Happy that I was one of the lucky boat goers, I sat back and enjoyed the ride to DTD. We glided past the mansions, and I was a little sad that we weren’t staying there this time around, but there is always next trip. We also went by the Treehouse Villas, where we stayed when DS was 4 months old for his first trip (and incidentally where I spent MY first trip when I was 9 months old!), and our beloved SSR.

Before long we were pulling up to the DTD boat dock, and as an added bonus, we had one sleeping passenger. I’m really glad that the captain didn’t make me fold up the stroller, or else I’m sure Everett would have been still awake.

After we disembarked the first order of business was lunch, DS was asleep, and I wanted to maximize his precious nap time to have an uninterrupted meal. We had discussed where we were going to eat, and decided to try out Wolfgang Puck express. I had heard on the DIS that it was very good, and I have eaten at and enjoyed the main dining room, so I figured it would be a safe bet. The only problem was that I didn’t know exactly where it was located. I thought it was right next to the main restaurant so we headed over to the West Side. Apparently there is a WPE in the Marketplace, although I still can’t picture exactly where it is located, so I guess we didn’t actually eat at the place everyone raves about.

There is a to-go place right next to the main restaurant, so we went and ate there, and I was none the wiser until I returned home from our trip. Does anyone know if they have the same menu? Was I completely off base?

Anyway, it was a serendipitous move, because not only was it completely empty, but because I learned some very important information from the CM who took our order. DH and I were perusing the menu, and of course we picked the same thing. I think it looks silly when we order the same food, so I took some extra time to pick something else, and I asked the CM what he would suggest. We got to chatting, and it came up in conversation that one of his CM friends worked at Star Tours, and according to the friend, they were going to do soft openings both today and tomorrow. This was very prized information! I had really wanted to get on a soft opening, since we were leaving the day before the ride was scheduled to open back up to the public, and now it looked like my wish might come true.

It did actually cross my mind to ditch DH with DS, and head over to the studios right then and there and sit out in front of Star Tours until someone let me in, but I was a good wife and mother and stuck with my family.

After we ordered we went and sat outside, and I kept talking about how excited I was about Star Tours. DH humored me for a while, but then let me know that all this Disney nerd talk was getting on his last nerve and to please change the subject. Some people just don’t understand.

When the food came out, we dug right in, and it was super yummy. I ordered some sort of Thai chicken wrap (I think?) and DH ordered the 4 cheese pizza. DH’s food looked much yummier than mine, and I really wish I had just gone ahead and ordered the same thing, despite looking silly. DH was very nice about it, and we traded half way through, so he got half my sandwich and I got a slice of pizza.

doesn't this look good?

Well, despite accidentally going to the wrong restaurant, it all worked out rather well, the food was excellent, and I’d highly suggest trying out the wrong WPE to anyone.

After we finished with lunch it was time to go shopping. DH wasn’t thrilled about the prospect, but I did promise we could check out the new Lego store, and being the big kid that he is, that took the sting out of shopping monotony.

Walking back over to the Marketplace means that we have to pass through the wasteland that was Pleasure Island. It is so depressing to look at the shuttered clubs, and think about all the fun we could be having there, if the Disney bean counters hadn’t been so stingy. It especially stings when we walk by the Adventurers Club, which still looks like it could host the new member open house, and we could walk inside and be reunited with our old friends. I take heart in that it has not yet been bulldozed, and maybe at some point Disney will realize what it lost and the club will be back. It’s just so sad that the “bold new vision” that Disney was touting when it closed the clubs was actually three years of stagnation. It really is a black eye for the whole Disney resort. If they had no ideas and nothing new to go into PI, they really should have just kept the clubs open. I’m sure having the clubs open for the past three years would have resulted in more money made, then just letting them sit there and languish.

Kungaloosh, Adventurers!

Anyway, off my soap box. Our first stop in the Marketplace was to check out the new Lego sculptures. They are really impressive, and I wonder just how long it took to make each of them. I remember being really impressed by the Lego sculptures they used to have at FAO Schwarz in NYC, and these are even better.

DH and a sleeping DS

how come dopey has a face, but snow white doesn't?

This one was my favorite! I'm a big Sleeping Beauty fan.

We headed inside and DH was like a kid in a candy store

He was checking out all the Lego sets (spending the most time at the Star Wars section) and then he decided that we should buy Everett his first Lego set. We decided on one of the Cars themed Duplo sets, and are planning on giving it to him for Christmas. Its hiding in my closet right now, and there are days when I’m tempted to break it out early, but I still don’t think he is quite ready for it yet, and I don’t want him to get frustrated with the Duplo blocks.

Here is the set that we got him

After we made our purchase we headed over to my favorite store (and I’m sure a favorite of most of you reading) WOD!

I thought that DH would balk at going inside, since he categorically hates shopping, and completely hates the crowds that amass inside that store, but to my surprise, he not only wanted to go inside, but wanted to buy himself something too!

He was in the market for a new Disney shirt, so we headed right over to the men’s clothing section. He checked out a few, and then made his decision.
He really likes the color and that it is a Disney shirt, but not one that screams Disney. Its something that he would be comfortable wearing out in public. I liked it because it was from the 40th anniversary collection, so it appeals to the nerd inside.

I think this was a good choice!

We then wandered around a little more, checking out some clothes for Everett, but ultimately deciding not to buy anything else.

I took a quick picture with Aurora on the way out

DH took a still snoozing DS and pushed him around outside while I ducked into the Pin Traders and Trend-D. I bought the 40th anniversary ear hat pin, and ogled the new Minnie bow design Dooney and Bourke purses. I think the new design is really cute, and I have it on my mental list of “Disney Dooney’s I like to own in the future.”

This is the one I would like, I have a big one, and a smaller one, and I think this one would be a good middle size. (photo courtesy of Zannaland, www.zannaland.com)


Well after my little shopping diversion, my little rip van winkle woke up, and we decided it was about time to head back to the resort. We made a quick stop in Once Upon a Toy so DH could check out lightsabers (for Everett, of course ) and then we made our way back to the dock.

Next up- Dinner with friends

 

[CandleontheWater]

Well, I almost hesitate to publicly admit this, but DS managed to wiggle away from us before and test that theory. It is a myth.

Yikes! I figured it was probably one of those old wives tales, but I'm sorry you had to find out the hard way!

Poor Everett, falling out of the bed. That's such an unpleasant way to wake up. I usually put the pillows on the floor by the bed, when one of my boys is in a big bed without bed rails, just in case.

I have had the misfortune of testing the swim diapers as well. They work, but it isn't pretty.

Pillows on the floor would have been a smart move! I'll remember that for next time!

Oh no! Swim diapers are not super fun...but especially not with a poo! The diapers do work, but the clean up isn't great.

Yes, I'm going to try and avoid all pool poops in the future! We're almost done with swim lessons for this summer, and I'm happy to report that we've been poop-free! (knock on wood!)

Now you're talking! Although, I might be scared to see what the DH's let the boys get into!

Out of sight, out of mind- right!

 

[PrincessBetsy]

Great updates! That's too bad that all those people at POR got left behind. We have gone to DTD quite a few times on that boat and never have had that happen before.

It's nice that Everett took a nice long nap, so you could enjoy eating lunch and shopping! I really love the new Lego sculptures they have outside - they must have taken forever to build. I love the shirt you are wearing in the picture with Aurora . Did you get it on Disney property?

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

I really like the new Dooney designs as well. I saw them out on one of my last days in Disney and I was so tempted!

 

[amandaw]

Sounds like y'all had a very nice, relaxing time in DTD. That's great that Everett took such a good nap for y'all to have some "down time". That Cars Duplo set is really cute. That made me think that I probably need to get Reid some more Legos as a Christmas present. And I really do like the shirt that your DH got.

 

[shan23877]

Just found your trip report and wanted to join in! Very fun to read so far, and that's one cute boy you've got!

 

[mamaboogie]

Really enjoying your report!

My children are older teenagers now, but your report really sends me back to the days of holidaying with little ones! Great fun but a masterpiece of organisation!

Can't wait to read more

 

[MeMom]

I'm surprised your hubby wanted to buy a Disney shirt, even if it wasn't 'slap you in the face' Disney. That's at least a step in the right direction. John will wear the polos with a tiny Mickey on the front, but neither of my boys would wear any kind of Disney shirt anywhere.
If I get them a shirt in WDW as a souvenir, it has to be from Team Mickey or a gift shop that sells regular clothes.

It was nice that the little man was asleep and you were able to enjoy shopping without tending to him. He was very thoughtful.

I agree about the boat. Too bad for the people having to wait for the next boat when it wasn't necessary.

The pizza does look good.

 

[Thadine]

Since this was our scheduled rest day, what was the first order of business, get everyone moving and out of the hotel room, of course! It might be a non-park day, but resting wasn’t on my itinerary. I hate hanging around hotel rooms, I never know what to do with myself and frankly, if I just wanted to watch TV and stay in bed, I could have just stayed home.

My sentiments exactly. I am always in a clinch with my SIL. She is one of those persons who will pay tons of money to go to Disney and then spend the half day sleeping in and in the afternoon she and her family will decide what they are going to. She thinks I am crazy of doing ropedrops and having my itinerary planned for every vacation

Thank you for the second poop story

I am sure your DH will be eager for the Legopark that's opening in Winterpark.
I know my son's are and we have one day planned there during our vacation in December