The day had finally come. It was time to say good-bye to WDW and made our way home. But first we still had a few hours to play with. Magic Express was coming to pick us up at 2:00pm and we had Chef Mickey's at 9:10 for breakfast. Plus it was Extra Morning Magic Hours at MK so we could squeeze in an extra hour of rides this morning.
We made it to MK by 8:10. So we missed rope drop but we didn't let that bother us. We decided to split up into our child/adult pairs. Eeoyre (DS8) went with Nanny and Poppa. They went on the teacups and the car ride. Here are Poppa's pictures of that morning.
DH and DS5 (remember he had his birthday yesterday) went on Stitch's great escape. This morphed into a great fondness for Stitch over the next year. He suddenly though Stitch was a hoot and started hiding and disappearing around the house. Very disturbing when it is time to head off to dance or hockey or piano and you are running around the house trying to find him. Obviously he finds it much more entertaining than I do. Yet another thing to thank my hubby for. Introducing Stitch and consequently DS5's great disappearing act for the next year.
Cindy and I had a master plan. We had discussed it on the bus. Definitely Mickey's philharmagic (hands down her most favorite ride of all) and the teacups. I really thought that we would only be able to fit in those two. However, we managed to squeeze in Winnie the Pooh and IASW as well. When we were exiting the park there was a photopass photographer. I knew we were late but I though what the heck and Cindy and I got our pictures taken.
I was so glad we did because he did the Tinkerbell picture for us. It's our favorite picture of the trip. I wasn't very photopass savvy so I hadn't known that I could actually ask for certain poses or pictures. Do check out Brad's site and familiarize yourself with the whole photopass system for your next trip.
http://www.stitchkingdom.com/disneysphotopass/
So naturally we were late for our reservations and had to wait for the next seating. We all flopped out on the couches and waited. Here is a shots of that.
Breakfast was great. We are a family that loves our breakfasts. Besides who doesn't love a Mickey Waffle?
Here are some other photos' of the breakfast. We all really enjoyed Chef Mickey's even though it was our second time round this trip. I even got Nanny and Poppa doing the napkin twirl.
And here is me twirling and smiling which can't quite be said of Cindy who is twirling and trying NOT to smile and be happy. Poor thing I am still working on her with the whole the glass is half full philosophy.
She's smiling here with Minnie.
Adam was pretty tired after breakfast. I figured he was Disney parked out. I doubt if I will ever get to that point but he was really done. So hubby took Eeoyre and Cindy back to the park. I had picked up two peter pan fastpasses so that was their goal. Nanny and Poppa and DS5 and I went back to the resort to pack it all up.
Nanny and I made a beeline to our rooms to pack while Poppa used up some snack credits in the store with DS5. Here is the proof that Poppa got DS5 hopped up on sugar.
We checked out of our rooms and headed down to the pool for one last lazy afternoon. DH and the other two kids were back by now and we ate lunch and played in the big pool. With a heavy heart we got changed in the pool changerooms and loaded ourselves onto the magic express bus. We had one last "oh my gosh I still have 10 snack credits left" frenzy and while the bus was waiting we were jamming the Mickey shaped rice crispy treats in which ever piece of luggage had some space left.
Nanny was taking a different plane that the rest of us. She went directly to Toronto while the rest of us were heading to Buffalo on southwest. We lied when we boarded. They let you pre-board with kids 4 and under. At least they used to. Technically DS5 was 4 when we bought the tickets so we took advantage of the pre-boarding and secured our seats. We left a seat open between the older two kids for Poppa. Who in their right mind would choose to sit between a 6 and an 8-year-old? Our plan worked and Poppa although he was one of the last one on board was able to sit with us.
We landed in Buffalo around 7 pm. We called our hotel transit Van and picked up our own van. We were pretty hungry so we went to the Olive Garden for dinner and since Krispie Kreme is right beside it we picked some of them up too.
It was a quiet drive back to Toronto. We dropped Poppa off around 11:30pm and arrived at our home in Port Hope an hour later. All the kids slept from the border to Port Hope except DS5. He had napped on the plane so once we dropped Poppa off he was wide awake and talking a mile a minute. "Remember when we rode Buzz lightyear Mom? I you that first time you know. Do you think that the Dinosaurs we say were really real? (referring to Ellen's Energy show) Remember the monkeys in the lion king mom? I want to do that too when I grow up. Mom where is the chocolate I got at the Pirate and Princesses Party?"
I tried to enjoy his chatter. But I was so tired. I look back and see that I missed that moment to really talk to him about our trip. Luckily we have had other opportunities to do so later. When Mom wasn't so gosh darn tired. Like the next morning.
In my trip journal my entry for the next day read like this….
Home Again!
It is morning now and we are all in our PJ's surrounded by our mountains of luggage starting to explode in all directions around it. I know the luggage needs to be unpacked but I am enjoying watching the kids dig through it for whatever memorabilia they are searching for and sharing with me their "Mom remember when…"
I have asked each child what they liked best about the trip.
DS8 my Eeoyre says "I liked Splash Mountain the best"
DD6 my Cindy says "I liked IASW best and I did like Space Mountain."
DS5 my jedi-in-training says "I liked Big Thunder Mountain-acutally I liked Splash Mountain best-or no… I think it was Buzz lightyear I liked the best".
If I was to answer what I liked best about our Disney trip I would have to say it was watching my children battle their personal dragons and going on the Splash mountain ride or Space mountain or Big Thunder Mountain that originally scared them but they went on anyway. I liked watching their faces during the Nemo show and the Lion King Show. I loved the moments of quietness while I sat with one of them on the bus ride home, or on the lounge chair at the pool or holding them while they were sleeping on a park bench. The moments of just me and kids that happened outside of the rides or the show when I didn't have to worry about getting piano practiced or supper on the table when I had time to listen and share with them.
I asked the three kids if they would like to go back again next year they all said "YEAH!" But for now they just want to know which bag all their new things are in.
Our 2008 trip report begins here.
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=27728796&postcount=202
It really makes you stop and realize what is really important in life. Sorry you lost a friend so young. Thanks for sharing. My best wishes go out to you and her family.
