A Gem of a trip-quality, clarity, color and "Cut that out!" completed 8/4

[DisneyJo]

Wooohooo you're in the line

Your plans look good BTW

 

[scottny]

your plans look good

great update

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

Thanks for the sweet comment about that last installment Maplegirl.

I'll be sure and get the sign of the year I was born. I might not post it though because then everyone will know which birthday this is!

Is it a big one?

 

[Diamondintheruff]

Wooohooo you're in the line

Your plans look good BTW

your plans look good

great update

Thanks.

Is it a big one?

Well it is two digits.

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

Well it is two digits.

Well then...Happy 10th!

 

[DearDaisyinDurham]

Toy Story Mania Toy Story Mania!

 

[Diamondintheruff]

We all rode TSM. Eeoyre wasn't that fond of the ride. As I mentioned earlier in the trip report, he made clear his feelings of 3D rides. He didn't like them. None of them. He never gave this one a chance. He wouldn't wear his glasses, but he did try to shoot at some of the targets. The rest of us all enjoyed the ride immensely, even Nanny who had to ride alone. I was surprised they didn't put her with another single rider like they do on other rides.

I know lots of people talk about how great the queue is but I was still feeling too overwhelmed and guilty to enjoy it. I do remember being cold. They had the AC on full blast and we were all a bit soggy from the rain. Did I mention it rained a lot on this trip? We were glad we had the windbreakers to change into again.

Here is mine and Cindy's score. I had looked up cheats but when the time came I really couldn't remember them. I should of printed the page out.

We booted it to the Jedi Training, which was scheduled for 10 am. Unfortunately due to rain it was cancelled. My Jedi was not happy.

A CM told us that Darth Vader and the other characters were doing a meet and greet inside star tours. DH really wanted to see lights, cameras, motorcars so he decided to go for fast passes and left us. Nanny and Poppa had no interest in seeing Darth Vader so I took the three kids and entered Star Tours.

In retrospect I'm not sure why all three kids came with me. I think they thought the meet and greet would be in a large open space and that they wouldn't have to be right beside Darth Vader if they didn't want to. They might have thought it was some type of show and that they would be safe in the audience far away from any actual face to face meeting. It was such a quick decision as my Jedi was about to lose it at hearing the training session was off that I just ran into star tours with all the kids without really thinking it through. Well, boy was it a disaster.

Eeoyre and Cindy were taken back by the décor of Star Tours and immediately began to balk at following Jedi and I any farther.

For those of you who haven't ridden Star Tours before the queue is quite dark and plays futuristic music. It's a bit dated and although it doesn't freak me out it was doing quite a number on Eeoyre and Cindy.

"Jedi!" I yell up into the queue way ahead of me. I can just barely make out his mop of curls and his yellow T-shirt. The queue is pretty empty. It was a walk or in Jedi's case a run on.

" Jedi!" I try to project my voice a little louder now.

" Slow down and wait for your brother and sister"

"What Mom?" He barely looks over his shoulder as he barrels forward in his quest for Vader.

"Stop right there young man and wait for us to catch up!"

"Aww Mom. I'm going to miss him. Why are they so slow? Hurry up, hurry up, hurry up!" He's pacing on the spot frantically.

I have to double back and turn a corner to pick up Cindy and Eeoyre. They are both stopped dead looking freaked out. I'm thinking I'm in for the whole Haunted Mansion episode again with Cindy again. I make sure not to stand in directly in front of her.

"I'm not going on this ride" Eeoyre declares arms crossed and foot stamping.

"Me neither" says Cindy mimicking her big brother and his stance.

I can see I am in for another standoff. It's barely been an hour since my last one with Nanny. I don't know if I have the stamina. Why did Dh have to go get those fast passes? I sure could use backup now.

"I haven't asked you to go on the ride. We are just looking for the characters that do the Jedi training so your brother can see them." Notice I don't actually say Darth Vader out loud.

I tried the guilt approach next. "You know how much your brother likes Star Wars and he has been to enough of your dance and piano recitals that I think this is the least you two can do for him. "I solemnly swear that you don't have to ride the ride." I even hold up my palm.

Then I go for the logic approach "But your 6 year old brother is up there alone and that is not safe. We have to go and get him."

Just at this moment another family finally passes us in the queue. I use the presence of other people around us to appeal to them again.

"It really isn't safe for him up there by himself. What if somebody takes him?" I had to pull out the big guns and play the fear card.

"Can we go back and wait with Nanny and Poppa?" Eeoyre speaks for both of them.

"I don't know exactly where they are and it's not safe to send the two of you out into the park alone". Here comes another fear card. "What if somebody tries to take the two of you?"

"Well then we will wait here"

"That's not safe either."

"HURRY UPPPPPP!" We hear faintly from around the corner, which I assume is Jedi. Phew I think, at least he stayed put.

I'm feeling pulled in all directions again. I get that Eeoyre and Jedi don't want to be here. I'm sorry to put them through it. I hate doing this to them but then; there is Jedi to consider. He is so looking forward to seeing Darth Vader that I can't let him down either. Who do I choose?

It's the never-ending question when you have more that one kid. Whose turn is it to have their needs meet today? Sometimes I get lucky and I can meet them all but usually it works on a rotating basis. Who was I going to choose?

I know that all three kids are deep into "flight or fight" mode with their hearts pounding and their ears finely tuned to any unusual noises but really it's not a life or death question here. I am not Sophie being asked to choose which of my children will live or die.

I make my voice firmer and repeat.

"You will not have to ride this ride but we do have to be together as a family to keep safe. This hand is for you and this hand is for you. Let's go rescue your brother." I don't give them a choice I pull them forward.

We walk slowly but we do walk. Eeoyre pulls his hand out of mine angrily and gives me his best pre-teen glare.

"Have you been in here before Mom?' Cindy asks meekly.

"Not since my honeymoon. You enter the ride on this white ship things up ahead that have sliding doors like an elevator. We will not be going in them. Once we find the characters we will turn around and leave."

"Leave? But I want to go on this ride" Jedi says as we have finally caught up to him.

"You will. There is no lineup right now and since Eeoyre and Cindy don't want to ride we need to drop them off with Nanny and Poppa first. Then I'll bring you back and we will ride it."

Jedi takes off in front again. He's running. He starts to go around another corner and just as he is about to go out of my view and I'm ready to yell at him to stop again he freezes dead in his tracks. I can see the profile of his face. He looks alike he has seen a ghost.

Why is he not moving?

As we get closer I realize it is not a ghost but one of the characters.



Darth Vader is standing 20 feet away from Jedi.


Click here to find out how Jedi fares when faced the the "Dark Side". http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=29851453&postcount=533

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

You and your darn cliffhangers!!!

 

[purplepeg]

oh this is going to be good, I can tell. Can't wait for more. You are amazing at dealing with all the confrontations you've had. How do you do it?
I can't help but laugh. I know that's mean but when you are at home and it's someone else.....it's funny. If it was me, I'd have sent the lot of them back to the hotel and done the parks alone

 

[Diamondintheruff]

You and your darn cliffhangers!!!

The installment before this ended with a warm fuzzy instead so I had to go big with this one.

oh this is going to be good, I can tell. Can't wait for more. You are amazing at dealing with all the confrontations you've had. How do you do it?
I can't help but laugh. I know that's mean but when you are at home and it's someone else.....it's funny. If it was me, I'd have sent the lot of them back to the hotel and done the parks alone

I'm glad it gives you a giggle. So go ahead and laugh. I'm laughing with you just not until days later. I don't usually find it funny in the moment.

The meltdowns and confrontations don't just happen in Disney with my family. They have been know to make daily appearances it's just that Disney increases the frequency and intensity of them.

But I am looking forward to visiting the parks without the kids in April!

 

[lazydoxy66]

Sorry to have been absent. We had a medical Emergency with one of the furbabies. Everything is OK now.

I think you need to do WDW alone, soon! You are such a patient mom.

So Darth is waiting for you. I can't wait to hear about this.

 

[Nemo32]

TSM is ssooooo great!

And Darth Vader is super scary...I woulda stopped dead in my tracks too.

I must tell you that while boarding HM this past week I thought fondly of you and your episode w/ Cindy in the loading area.

 

[Diamondintheruff]

The last chapter ended at Disney Studios in the star tours ride queue with just me and the three kids. Dh was off getting fast passes for lights, camera, motorcars and Nanny and Poppa were wandering somewhere undetermined outside the ride.

Jedi had just spotted Darth Vader and they were having a stare down. You could see the loading area from where they were. There was one CM in sight but that was it. It was just my Jedi facing down his arch nemesis. The classic battle between good and evil and the outcome was all resting on the shoulders of a newly turned 6-year-old boy.

VS

Eeoyre and Cindy were lagging behind me so they haven't noticed Darth Vader yet. I just know they will both shut down when they do.

I'm surprised that Jedi is so still. He's still just staring at Vader, looking him up and down and taking him in.

I can hear Vader's breathing as I get closer. I notice that Vader doesn't have a handler, but then I guess he doesn't need one. Jedi must have been rounding the corner and seen Vader walking towards him. Well, I guess that would have caused me to stop with a start too.

The queue feels small in Vader's presence and I am a little taken back as well. There is no getting around him. He is taking up the roped in aisle. To pass into the ride you need to pass him and he is not looking friendly.

I finally reach Jedi and put my hand on his shoulder. I feel a small tremble from him.

I start to worry that he's about to have a breakdown and as I know his brother and sister are guarenteed to lose it as soon as they see this I don't know how I'm going to handle all three of them. Isn't that why I bought Nanny and Poppa with us? So I wouldn't have to handle all three of them breaking down at once. This is not the time for a Mommy meltdown though. Trust me there is one coming up soon. One I'm not very proud of.

I feel Jedi take a breath. He starts to make a sound like he's about to say something to Vader. But it's too late. We hear a loud "AWWWWW!"

Eeoyre and Cindy have arrived and as I predicted gone into panic mode.



Their skinny limbs are twisting and shaking, theirs eyes like saucers and while Eeoyre screams, Cindy's mouth is open in a silent gasp. They are too afraid to run towards me and consequently closer to the danger and they are too afraid to run away from me. They are just convulsing on the spot in their fear.

It's a moment I regret for Jedi. For his chance to interact with Vader was gone. Jedi looked back towards the noise and then turned around to face Vader again. But he had disapeared. Jedi saw Vader's cape disapear behind a door disguised as a wall. Vader had taken off as soon as he realized Eeoyre and Cindy were upset. Who knew Vader had a heart?
Jedi's head bobbed forward in despair.

I didn't have much time to dwell on Jedi as Eeoyre and Cindy so obviously needed some comforting. Lots of hugs and reassurance were immediatley administered by me.

Eeoyre's scream actually bought about a few reactions. The CM's at the loading of the ride came around to see what was the matter and so did a face character dressed up as an actual JEDI KNIGHT (Herein refered to in capitol letters so as not to be confused with my DS6 I'm calling Jedi). Also Dh appeared. He was looking awfully red faced as he must of recognized Eeoyre's scream and hussled his behind to rescue us.

Because the JEDI KNIGHT came to my Jedi's side fairly quickly and sized up the situation (ie my Jedi wanted to see Vader while the other two did not) she saved the moment. The JEDI KNIGHT started interacting with my Jedi right away. She (yes, the JEDI KNIGHT was a woman) asked him if he had been to the training session, talking about the force and weapons and such. I missed most of it as I was still calming down the other two and filling Dh in on all the details.

Dh took the other two to a galaxy far far away (okay I just couldn't resist-really they just went to the gift shop). I stayed with Jedi and took some pictures. There was hardly anyone around so we weren't rushed at all. I was really hoping Darth Vader would show up again but he didn't. Shame.

Here is my Jedi with the JEDI KNIGHT.

Here is my Jedi with a STORM TROOPER who never talked but waved his gun a lot.

Jedi and I went on the ride after our picture session. I haven't ridden this ride since 1997 when I was at a convention in Orlando. They really need to update it. Or perhaps dust it. I enjoyed watching Jedi on it. He rode it last year with Dh and surprised me with how much he remembered. He kept whispering to me what was going to happen next.

It was just nice to spend some alone time with Jedi. Since I'm usually partnered with Cindy I hadn't done many rides with him. It was probably all of 15 minutes between the pictures, waiting for more people to arrive and ride the ride with us and the actual ride. But Jedi was talking a mile a minute the whole time with his blue eyes twinkling with merriment. I'm sure those few people around us thought he was just the cutest thing. And at the moment he was.

Up next- Cindy sees Leia and we all experience some Florida sunshine! Click here.http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=29893532&postcount=548

 

[Diamondintheruff]

I know I've been slacking a bit lately! I've picked up another day of teaching a week which has really been cutting into my time on the dis (not to mention housework).

I've also been trying to work out more to get ready for my big birthday trip coming up in April (92 days to go). And try as I might to type and run on the treadmill at the same time it just hasn't been working out for me. The good news is that I'm down three pounds and you already know what the bad news is. I'm here less. But I am still here.

TSM is ssooooo great!

And Darth Vader is super scary...I woulda stopped dead in my tracks too.

I must tell you that while boarding HM this past week I thought fondly of you and your episode w/ Cindy in the loading area.

Yes he was intimidating in person.

I'll tell you Cindy you were thinking of her. Actually we just had a family giggle about it last weekend when we all had the stomach flu.

Sorry to have been absent. We had a medical Emergency with one of the furbabies. Everything is OK now.

I think you need to do WDW alone, soon! You are such a patient mom.

So Darth is waiting for you. I can't wait to hear about this.

Glad to hear that all is okay with your babies! I have a 12 year old dog who is starting to show signs of her age. She was my first baby. It breaks your heart when something is wrong with them I know. My dog (Abby she is a maltese and weighs 4 pounds on a good day) got sick a few years ago in that tainted dog food scandal. Her kidneys will never be the same and I feel awful that I poisoned her (inadvertantly but still).

The patience is really just a ploy to control and get everyone to do what I want them to do. I do have a major breakdown two days from this. I'm a bit afraid to write about it I'm so ashamed by my behaviour but I think it's important you all know that I'm no angel.

 

[Nemo32]

Finally an update! I wouldn't feel too bad about Vadar...in a way its like your Jedi scared him off as in good triumphant over evil.

Glad you got some alone time with Jedi. Kids are always more enjoyable when not around their siblings. I know this because I've three (much younger) and they're always better when alone.

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

You did it!!! You handled all 3 of them losing their minds I'm so proud of you. And yet at the same time, do NOT envy your situation!!!

I'm a "suck-it-up" kinda mom so 3 kiddos freaking out at once would have sent me over the edge!

 

[Diamondintheruff]

Finally an update! I wouldn't feel too bad about Vadar...in a way its like your Jedi scared him off as in good triumphant over evil.

Glad you got some alone time with Jedi. Kids are always more enjoyable when not around their siblings. I know this because I've three (much younger) and they're always better when alone.

It's only been 5 nights between updates. That's not so bad is it?

I hadn't thought of spinning Vadar leaving that way for Jedi.

Sounds like you must be an awesome big Sis if you can 1)spin things like that and 2)spend alone time with them.

You did it!!! You handled all 3 of them losing their minds I'm so proud of you. And yet at the same time, do NOT envy your situation!!!

I'm a "suck-it-up" kinda mom so 3 kiddos freaking out at once would have sent me over the edge!

I'm already over the edge. Way over.

 

[lisalonglash]

Great update! Oh, I so hope that my boys will be able to meet Darth Vader up close & personal - they'd be in seventh heaven (and they'll probably give him an earful about being so mean to Luke too ). Good for you for keeping it together - I think I would've cracked for sure

 

[mollyseven]

Wow...characters...my kids would've loved that.
I remember our very first disney trip with the kids we happened to be there star wars weekends and Matthew was thrilled. He lives and breathes star wars and they were all there. I even had my photo taken with Darth Sidious....very creepy. They were even on the rooftops.!
Glad they got out safely with their dad and you got to stay with Jedi. He'd have been totally bummed if he had missed that I bet.
Hey....I have been running on the treadmill the last month at the Y also....this body was not meant for running.....but I wanna to a triathlon this summer so I figure I have to be able to run at least 2.5 km without stopping.....I've got the swim and bike down but I have to keep working on the run...... Are you planning one?

 

[Diamondintheruff]

Great update! Oh, I so hope that my boys will be able to meet Darth Vader up close & personal - they'd be in seventh heaven (and they'll probably give him an earful about being so mean to Luke too ). Good for you for keeping it together - I think I would've cracked for sure

My Jedi thought he was going to give Vadar an earful as well but it was just so surprising to run into him like that and really and truly it felt scary even to me.

I just got a great deal on a flight from Buffalo to Seattle just the other day. So I'm coming out your way to visit my BFF for our birthdays. Of course I'll be in Disney for our actual birthday so I'm coming out another weekend.

Wow...characters...my kids would've loved that.
I remember our very first disney trip with the kids we happened to be there star wars weekends and Matthew was thrilled. He lives and breathes star wars and they were all there. I even had my photo taken with Darth Sidious....very creepy. They were even on the rooftops.!
Glad they got out safely with their dad and you got to stay with Jedi. He'd have been totally bummed if he had missed that I bet.
Hey....I have been running on the treadmill the last month at the Y also....this body was not meant for running.....but I wanna to a triathlon this summer so I figure I have to be able to run at least 2.5 km without stopping.....I've got the swim and bike down but I have to keep working on the run...... Are you planning one?

No runs for me. I've done them before and unless it is a Disney Run I've lost interest. I did them in my university days and then went through a burst of them again in 2005. I beat my old records even though I was almost 15 years older. After that I sort of lost interest. I've only done mini triathalons and again that was in my university days.

We belonged to the Y for a couple of years and I used to teach aerobic classes for them. We had a few friends with kids that used to work out with us but now we all go down south for the march break together instead. As the kids got older and invovled in more things it was just too hard to go to the Y anymore. I just emailed them to take me off their volunteer database email list today. The Y usually has a fun run in early May. That might be a good one to start with.

But good luck and keep me posted on your progress.