Ops!
My journal pages were stuck together and I wouldn't have noticed if it weren't for Cindy.
Miss Cindy and I were upon a picture of her that was taken that day but I didn't include in my report. That's when I realized that I had left stuff out in my last chapter. I can't believe I forgot it because it involves my favorite Disney Character.
Ariel. (Why is there not a smilie of her? Who do I complain to about that?) Remember I was Ariel at the family magic tour? Ariel was the first Disney princess that Cindy noticed. Just before she was two it was her favorite movie and naturally we had to watch it over and over and over and over and well… if you have ever been around a two year old obsessed with something you know what I mean.
We did go back to POR and I did do two loads of laundry in a coconut rum induced haze but before that Cindy and I split from Dh and Jedi. They went to check out toontown and the barnstormer while Cindy and I went into Minnie's house. Shocking I know but I kept the existence of toontown from my family last year so it was a new place to explore for them.
After Minnie's house Cindy and I then headed to the Grotto to see our girl Ariel and to do some shopping because that's what the two of do best together much to Dh's chagrin.
We waited in the rain for Ariel for 45 minutes. Cindy was great about it. Whenever she is having alone time she is always great. And yes, there are more pictures of Cindy than anyone else from our trip because I am the holder of the camera and Cindy is paired up with me. It is not because she is our favorite. In fact today after the Haunted house scenario I think I can safely say that she was not even on Dh's good list.
But back to the Grotto. Whenever I see pictures of it in people's trip reports there are kids in bathing suits jumping around giggling. Not so much today. It was raining on and off again. There was a wind. And of course there was the whole tropical storm threatening to appear anytime again. It is a pattern for the first five days of our vacation.
In front of us there were a couple of families who dropped out the line was so long. It was always the Dads who didn't want to wait anymore. The Moms and the kids were willing to wait. It was also close to lunchtime so I guess the Dads were getting especially hungry.
I had an umbrella with me but I felt bad for the British teenagers behind us who didn't. Who were wearing white tank tops and were already self conscious about their "blossoming" bodies. Apparently in England there aren't many occasions to wear white tank tops without jackets so it never really occurred to the girls. I would have given them my rain poncho but since it was clear it wouldn't have really helped. I suggested to them to wear their backpacks on their fronts. They thought I was a miracle maker. Sadly no, but I had been an unprepared teenager in a white T-shirt in the rain before.
We finally make it up to the entrance. I was a bit worried that there would be a huge line inside as well so was glad to see that Ariel is right there at the entrance.
Her handler told the family behind the teenagers that Ariel had a lunch date with Sabastian and would be gone for an hour. Thank goodness Cindy and I made the cut. Yeah grumpy hungry Daddys! There was no way I would have waited another hour. Why they wait until you get up to the front to announce that. You'd think they would let the crowd know a half an hour ahead or something. Anyhow, we made it in.
Ariel spent a fair bit of time talking to us. I was impressed. She does a lovely job. But since we've now seen her I don't think I would wait to see her again.
Here are our photopass shots. I didn't bother to take any with my own camera.
After Ariel we popped into Tink's Treasures. Here is Cindy posing with a Cinderella Cookie. It was awful.
Cindy got to wake up Tink and was quite enthralled by it. A lovely CM told her all about it.
"Mommy did you know Tinkerbelle is in the shop?"
Yes, I knew about it but I never dreamed that Cindy would be excited by it so I neglected to tell her. Of course I couldn't exactly say that to her could I? So I put on my fake but appearing to be genuine teacher's smile and exclaimed.
"What a wonderful surprise!"
We did buy Cindy a pair of shoes there. They were covered in a rainbow of sequins and well, I just couldn't resist. So yes if you are starting the count Cindy has one cookie and one pair of shoes ahead of the boys so far. She has worn the shoes once. Again to Dh's chagrin.
Then we found Snow White's wishing well. Nemo32 had a picture of it in her report and it was on my list of places to look for this trip.
I had to kick a couple who were using it as a drink holder while they were having a smoke break out so I could take the picture. I was a bit afraid to do it (they were rough looking) but there was another family behind me that wanted to take pictures there too. I asked them to stand with me if I went over and politely asked the smokers to move over. They said they had my back homey (LOL but that is what it felt like). Thankfully the smoking couple moved over to the side and grabbed their drinks off the fountain no problem. Potential gang territorial fight averted.
On our way to the buses I stopped in at City Hall to check on the status of the Luau that night. It had been cancelled the night before and I was nervous they would do it again. I tried to change our ADR's for another restaurant-you know one that has a roof and four walls to protect us from the storm but they wouldn't let me. So I left crossing my fingers that the Luau would go on tonight after all.
After that we headed back to POR and I did the laundry.
When I got back I found out that Dh had asked at the baby services area about our stroller. He was hoping someone would be able to fix it.
Finally some pixie dust because he got issued a free stroller for the day. Unfortunately it was dated today and we were done in the parks but I appreciated the idea behind it.
Dh was busy talking to people about the stroller. He called building services and they sent Dave from France up to see our stroller. Big shout outs to Dave because he wouldn't accept a tip from us and he fixed our stroller likity-split.
So the kids all played
Lego (even Cindy because they had gotten these flower pieces so she made a garden), I did laundry and the other adults rested.
Notice my green mickeyhead in my window!
At some point Poppa pops his head in and wants to know if anyone wants to go swimming with him.
"Okay" says the other two.
"I'm not going to the big pool," says Eeoyre. He had told us he thought the big pool was too busy, too big, too far away and he doesn't do water slides. So in other words the "big Pool" had become a source of anxiety for him. We had some work to do on him before we could get him there.
I get the bathing suits out but Jedi won't change. Apparently he wants to go swimming and he wants to play Lego and he works his way into a fit deciding between the two. This shows Dh and I that he is really too tired to go swimming so we sneak Cindy through the connecting doors and Poppa and her take off themselves to swim.
We console Jedi by telling him he can go again later and start making "ohh" ing noises at his new Lego concoctions. It sounds easier than it actually was. Naturally there was a meltdown but I managed to get a small Lego man and Jedi into cuddle mode on the bed with Dh and watch some mind-numbing Stacy on TV.
Since he won't nap anymore this was the next best thing.
After 30 minutes or so Dh and I took the boys swimming too. Eeoyre was not happy about it. There was lots of muttering coming from him.
"The storm is coming and no one should be swimming. It's dangerous you know."
"You can't make me do this."
I took the reins on Eeoyre and I slowly eased him in the pool.
"I'll sit on the side but you can't make go in"
"Okay I'll put my feet in but you can't make me go all the way in"
"I'm only going in on the stairs here. You can't make me go near the water spray or the water slide"
A few minutes later I left him happily splashing away with Dh and Poppa while I popped down to the concierge desk to pick up our Luau tickets.
Up next did the Diamond clan make it to the Luau or did the weather shut the show down again? Click here to find out.
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=28942944&postcount=395
Thank you for writing. I really enjoyed hearing about your trips and seeing the pictures. You have a beautiful family. How is the dance school stuff going for Eeyor? Can't wait to read more.
It really is a great place for a photo and (most of the time) is pretty quiet and un-crowded.
