Tuesday August 26th, 2008
Animal Kingdom Day.
Today was our last full day at Disney. We would be heading home tomorrow. In truth, we were all ready for home. With the weather and the cramped Hotel room we were done. Dh, Poppa and the kids were looking forward to going home. For myself, I had started to feel that panic that us Disney Addicts get when they don’t have another trip to plan.
Then there was the bounceback flyer I found on my nightstand after returning from Sea World. I prayed for it’s arrival the year before. You see I knew during our August 2007 trip that we would be back in August 2008. Everyday I searched for the flyer in my room that summer. I even called Disney to see if maybe it was just a fluke that I was left out. I wish I had mentioned my plight to Poppa. He was staying in a regular room and received a flyer. He threw it out as it didn’t mean anything to him. Since we stayed in a family suite we were never given the offer. Or at least that was the reasoning the Disney agents gave me. I later heard of people on the disboards that stayed in a family suite and still got the offer.
So anyway, after a whole year of wishing for some sort of discount and not getting one, seeing the bounceback flyer was torment for me. Why couldn’t I have gotten this last year when I could have used it?
My mind raced all night trying to figure out a way to convince Dh to come back again next year. I knew I could never convince him to bring the whole family three years in a row. The plan was to return again in 2011 with my brother and his family. I have a firm commitment out of Dh for it. However not so firm out of my brother. Why he doesn’t have the same love for visiting the parks I don’t know? There is only year difference between the two of us so he was with us all those years we camped at Fort Wilderness.
Anyhow, that night the idea of a 40th birthday trip for me was launched. I dared not mention it out loud to Dh but the seed had started growing in my head. Just knowing there was a possibility of another trip next year made me feel better. I still hated the bounceback flyer and the fact that it was a year too late. I took a picture of it but then deleted it because even carrying around an electronic image of it bothered me. I couldn’t let go of the flyer completely and throw the thing out but I did have to turn it around so it wouldn’t mock me.
With visions of a birthday trip dancing in my head I began the daily chore of waking the family up.
“Good morning Darlings, It’s time to get up. It’s a beautiful sunny day out there.” I say in a cheery mary poppins voice as I swing open the window coverings.
“Don’t care” replies Eeoyre.
“I don’t want to get up” states Jedi.
“Five more minutes” murmurs Dh.
“Where are we going today Mommy?” says Cindy brightly.
I’m taken a back a bit. She rarely wakes up in a happy mood. I shake my head to recover from the shock and lift her up from her trundle bed into bed with Dh and I to squeeze in a morning cuddle with her. She grins appreciatively and showers me with hugs and talks of all the things she wants to do today at the animal kingdom park.
By this time Jedi has noticed that someone else is getting all of Mommy and Daddy’s attention. He never likes that. He slinks over and plops himself right in between Cindy and I pushing Cindy away.
“My Mommy” he says in a possessive baby voice.
“Yes, Jedi but I am also Cindy’s Mommy and she was here first. In this family we don’t push each other over to get what we want.”
Jedi lowers his head and bats his baby blues at me hoping that I will be won over by.
I am not moved. I do however move Jedi and welcome Cindy back into her original spot.
“There is room for you here” I say pointing to the spot on the other side of me on the bed.
Jedi puts his chin in the air and walks around the bed to Dh. He settles for cuddling with him instead.
I catch Cindy sticking her tongue out at Jedi.
“Cindy, that was not necessary” I say as Jedi’s hand crosses Dh to swap Cindy. Cindy returns the favor but all the commotion has caused Dh to take action.
He catches Jedi’s arm in mid-attack as he tries to retaliate.
“I am resting here. If you two are not going to rest then I suggest you both get out of MY bed.” He says in such a gruff voice that magically the two listen to him. Or else it was the fact that I had turned the television on at the same time and Stacy was talking about the mountain trifeca.
I don’t know what it is about Stacy that fascinated my kids but they turned into zombies watching her. You don’t think Disney sneaks in some sort of sublimineal messages in there do you?
We all got changed and ate breakfast in the room. We still had lots of cereal and milk and needed to use it up. Just as I imagined we would be able to leave on time I heard Jedi say “I can’t find stitch”.
Each morning I had the kids put their pajama’s under their pillow and put their stuffy on top. In doing so Jedi realized that he couldn’t find stitch.
“Did you have him last night?” I asked.
“No, Daddy said he was under the bed”
So we searched under the bed. I had been keeping the empty luggage under the boys bed. But no stitch. We tore the bed apart but never found stitch.
Well, I’m sure you can all imagine that this caused a meltdown for Jedi. He’s not super attached to Stitch but he bought him on our last trip and wanted to bring him back for a visit.
After much consoling and hugging we came up with a plan. Dh was going to phone housekeeping and see if they had found him.
Jedi thought it was a good idea and calmed down a bit.
“But Daddy, Stitch is always playing tricks on people. I think he’s playing a trick on me now”
Cindy countered with “You know Jedi, maybe Stitch just wants to stay here at Disneyworld. It’s where he came from you know. Maybe he knows we’re going home tomorrow and doesn’t want to leave.”
Jedi thought about this. I was afraid Cindy had gone too far. That Jedi wouldn’t believe her or that he would be mad at Stitch for leaving.
After a few moments of silence Jedi responded with “Yeah, He really likes it here. He told me.”
So that was it for Stitch. Jedi declared him returned to his home here at Disneyworld and we took off for the Animal Kingdom.
We were even on time for rope drop.
Only they didn’t have rope drop today.
The park was already open. It wasn’t an early day or anything. I asked. They just decided to open a few minutes early.
We stopped for a family photo. It's not my favorite but I'll post it for you.
It was a hot day. Our first stop was Kali River Rapids. Only it wasn’t open yet. Technical difficulties. No fast passes working today.
I had to rethink the plan. We headed for Dino world. Jedi wanted to ride the primeaval whirl. Unfortunately unless you counted the curly mop of hair on top of head he was a smidgen too short. For the second time today he took the disappointing news in stride. I was beginning to think this turning six thing had really affected my boy.
We all decided to ride the triceratops. Here is the ever popular dinosaur buttocks pic.
Just as we were getting in line for a second ride we spotted some characters appearing from the back of the park. The kids forgot about riding again and ran to see them.
Next up we finally get to ride the rapids and run into more characters. Click Here
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=31022144&postcount=698
You are going to love it. It's so pretty. And the beds are way more comfy than POP! (Better shampoo and toilet paper too!)
Great update and pictures 
Looking forward to your next update 
I'm just not sure when. 
