A grand adventure of a lifetime! May 2014 ( THE FINAL)

aww this looks like such a great start to a trip!!!!

I was a bit worried about our room not being ready until so late but everything really turned out PERFECT! Watching how happy my boys were that first day and the day to come will stay with me for a very long time. Watching my dad tackle that lobster was priceless!
 
oh gosh - that issue with the gate being moved and not knowing sounds so nerve racking!

As someone who travels a bit for work I always forget how exciting airline travel can be ... it's definitely more fun when you get to do it vs. having to do it :rotfl:

glad they still had the Nemo decor and everyone was happy with the rooms
 
oh gosh - that issue with the gate being moved and not knowing sounds so nerve racking!

As someone who travels a bit for work I always forget how exciting airline travel can be ... it's definitely more fun when you get to do it vs. having to do it :rotfl:

glad they still had the Nemo decor and everyone was happy with the rooms

Yes VERY nerve racking! Wow you travel for buisness! Now most people would think its fun to travel often but when you actually do it and HAVE to do it I bet it gets very old really fast.
Having those Nemo rooms will mean more than ever since the rooms are getting a whole new look.
 

Do you know my Noah by any chance? That is him to a T. He saves EVERYTHING LOL! We flew out of Peoria. Never had any problems before. I can laugh about it now but man we came sooooo close. I have learned a valuable lesson from that experience. I actually have the opportunity to go to Tampa in October for a confrence for work if I would like to go. I was hoping to do a small two day side trip at WDW. Not sure what is going on but flights are higher then when we went in May plus the times are awful! It does not seem to be much better through Springfield or Bloomington. Bloomington seems to have the best rate but in order to get that price you have to fly out at 4pm and arrive at MCO at 12:55am. Most are 11 hour flights due to lay overs. You would think they would have better flights to MCO! Have my Disney Resort reservations but not sure if I will go due to the flights avilable plus not sure how I feel about going solo. Any ideas on what is going on with flights?:confused3
Not a clue about the flights! My nephew flew from Bloomington to MCO in May and timing was really good, so who knows? I've taken a couple trips to WDW and it's a lot of fun. So if you can make it work, do it!
 
I am so glad your boys loved the Nemo rooms! With all that worry about where to stay, it looks like it all worked out! Can't wait to hear about your MK day!
 
Not a clue about the flights! My nephew flew from Bloomington to MCO in May and timing was really good, so who knows? I've taken a couple trips to WDW and it's a lot of fun. So if you can make it work, do it!

Well it looks as if I will be going for sure!!!! I am pretty excited but still feel bad about not being able to bring the kids this time since half of it will be buissness related. Will be my first trip any where going solo so I am a bit nervous but should be a good experience for me. I actually found a great price on a flight the other night. Times are not great but price can not be beat! So now it is a done deal and looks as if I will be returning in October.
 
I am so glad your boys loved the Nemo rooms! With all that worry about where to stay, it looks like it all worked out! Can't wait to hear about your MK day!

Yeah actually it worked out great! Some day though I still would like to stay at the Poly WITHOUT construction of course . It will be on my bucket list!
 
I was the first to awake on our first official park day. After all today was the day my son and I had a FP+ for the Elsa and Anna meet and greet and it would take me a while to get ready. I wondered in my mind would Magic Kingdom truly be MAGICAL for ALL of us? It was not long before I heard the boys in the other room attempting to wake my parents. About 6:30 our Garden Grocer order had arrived and just in time for the boys were ready to pounce on anything edible. With a quick grab of a cereal bar and a drink in hand our family set out to attack our plan for the day. Rope Drop at Magic Kingdom!

Our Magic Kingdom Day One Itinerary:
Get to the park at Rope Drop
Under the Sea: Little Mermaid ride
Peter Pan
The Adventures of Pooh
It's a Small World
Mickey's Philar
11:30am Lunch at Tony's
FP+ Buzz Light Year
Monsters Inc
Stiches Great Escape
FP+ Elsa and Anna (Noah and I)
FP+ Speedway Race Track (mom, dad. Jaden, Alex, and Bill)
FP+ Fantasy Parade
Spirit of Aloha Dinner show

Just a quick walk from our building and we were at the bus stop. Not sure if this was just beginners luck but our bus was just pulling up when we arrived. We had no problems finding a seat since our building was the first stop.
Once we arrived there was already a decent line waiting to get in. I managed to take the boys out of line to sneak in a picture while the rest of the family held our spot. Jaden was getting a little attitude since he thought this park would be geared more for small children. No matter what we told him his mind was made up. I could not wait until he got inside for I knew he would quickly change his mind!
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As the time got closer to rope drop it seemed to get tigher with people closing in all around us. This actually got me more and more excited! Than as if magic the pre show started. As all of the dancers came out and started to sing the train arrived and brought Mickey and all the princess to greet the visitors. I looked around as my children watched the show and tears formed in my eyes. That would be the second time that happened on this trip. It was finally time to enter the park. I could hardy stand the excitment! As people rushed in and were tight all around us I felt the adrenaline start to move through my veins. Mom and I grabed Alex and begin to quicly lead the way. I stoped for a moment and looked behind me as my husband had Noah and Jaden by the hand. He was walking pretty slowly and continued to get slower as we moved along. I started to think to myself; GOOD GOD MAN DON"T YOU KNOW WE ARE ON A MISSION??? Didn't he feel the magic as all of us were feeling? Why in the world was he moving so slow? Than I saw his face turn white. I quickly approached him only to hear him say, " Kathy I can not do this! I just can't do this! The axiety was building but the people around us keep coming. It was at that moment I reralized my husband would not surive rope drop! He applogized and at that moment we knew it would be best for him to head back to the resort to relax. He assured me he would contact me when he made it back and that we should continue with our plan since the kids were looking forward to this. A little uncomfortable the rest of our family pressed on to explore the newest ride; Journey of the Little Mermaid.
I had planned on hitting the rides in Fantasy Land first and to save steeps we would go to each ride in the order they appeared in location. As we passed Elsa and Anna there was already a HUGE line forming. I wondered how long our wait would be for our 1st ride. Once we made it to the Little Mermaid Ride it was basically a walk on. I had to slow down a bit to take everything in. The walk through the areas where the line would normally be was just georgeous! Such detail! I enjoyed walking through as much as I did the ride itself.

Jaden was really starting to get excited! He was already in better spirts about having his picture taken.
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Of course I had to take many pictures!
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Each boy made a different discovery along the way. Jaden was just amazed at the sea shells with in the walk way.
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Noah fell in love with the treasure chest and wanted one of his own!
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Alex could not take his eyes of the bird.
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Once inside I was only able to get this picture to come out half way decent since most came out really blurry.
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Before heading to the next ride the boys requested to have their picture taken.
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Considering the morning started out a bit rough it was really starting to brighten up. We were able to get on our first ride without waiting and the boys were memorized. I could only hope the rest of rides would go as well.
 
I have been reading along but just now had a minute to actually stop and post. (Darn job taking up my Dis time. :() Too much to comment on so I'll just start with this latest update. Oh your poor husband, rope drop crowds can be super overwhelming to some. It's probably best that he went back to the resort and came back later.

How funny that your son thought that the park would be mostly for little kids. I'm betting that he realized quickly that Disney is for all ages!
 
I have been reading along but just now had a minute to actually stop and post. (Darn job taking up my Dis time. :() Too much to comment on so I'll just start with this latest update. Oh your poor husband, rope drop crowds can be super overwhelming to some. It's probably best that he went back to the resort and came back later.

How funny that your son thought that the park would be mostly for little kids. I'm betting that he realized quickly that Disney is for all ages!

Yes MK at rope drope can be very over wheming for people that don't normally have an issue little lone an axiety problem. I am sorry to say that Bill did not end up not coming back that day. I had left him a message informing him where are ADR's were for the day if he wanted to meet us. When we returned that evening he was sooooo worried I would be upset or that he had disappointed the kids. Once I told him I understood he felt much better. I have learned from this vacation that it will be important to set the first day for relaxing at the resort to help him settle in more. What can I say I learn as I go. Although thinking this was a once in a life time trip we both agreed that we would have a lot to fit in. The following day he did join us and did much better!
Jaden is such a funny kid! He actually reminds me of how I was growing up. I would show on the outside that it was not "cool" to be with your parents on vacation or that I was too "grown up" for most things we did but you know to this day I can not stop talking about how much fun I had on my family vacations:thumbsup2
 
It sounds like a really magical time for everyone but your poor husband! I am sorry he felt overwhelmed. Rope Drop is pretty intense, and you have to squeeze through the dark tunnel before things open up some. I hope he was able to join you guys again soon!
 
It sounds like a really magical time for everyone but your poor husband! I am sorry he felt overwhelmed. Rope Drop is pretty intense, and you have to squeeze through the dark tunnel before things open up some. I hope he was able to join you guys again soon!

It's funny you mentioned the famous "dark tunnel" which I am assuming is going through the castle. We were close to that point when he had to turn around. Now that I think about it I am pretty sure that explains why is face turned white.
 
I was so surprised at how quickly we had got on The Little Mermaid ride and wondered if we would manage to knock out Fastasy Land before our 11:30 ADR at Tony's. Since I wanted to make less back tracking as possible in order to say steps for mom we headed to The Adventures of Pooh next. I was a bit worried that this ride may prove to Jaden what he had originally thought, that MK was for small children. Once we got in line we came upon a small house that the kids could go into. Well I have to say this picture says it all. Jaden's attitude about Magic Kingdom being childish was a thing of the past. Jaden was actually the first one to head inside and not one complaint about taking his picture was made:thumbsup2
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Just as The Little Mermaid, Pooh for us was basically a walk on with a very small wait. The boys found the ride to be fun. I tried to take pictures but none of them had come out well. Next was Peter Pan. Once again no luck in the picture department but Jaden scored Peter Pan as his number one ride so far. The wait for Peter Pan was not longer than 10 minutes. I was really liking this rope drop tecnique. On ward to It's a Small World. I could not believe it! Once again barely any wait! Alex just fell in love with this guy.
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I could not wait for the boys to ride Haunted Mansion! I had been introduced to Haunted Mansion when I was little and mom and dad took me to Walt Disney Land in California. I hoped it would be as I remebered and that the boys would love it as much as I did! The whole way there our family was singing "It's a Small World After All." I was actually glad once we got there that there was at least a short line so I could take my time looking at all the props out side. Bill and I are big into Halloween and some day would LOVE to open our own haunted house. Two of the three children are born in October so was laugh and say we are breeding future haunters! I am constantly looking for ideas for our future haunt and I just loved the detail in the line!
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The boys really loved the interactive tombstone but I found it ASSUME! Each area you touched would give a different response. For instance if you pet the cat it would Meow! I thought that was the coolest thing!
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I did not even attempt to take pictures inside. For one I did not have any luck with the last few rides and for two my big brave Noah made sure I held him tight until the end of the ride!Now that was fun! Even better than I had remembered! The boys found the hurse pretty cool! Of course Noah was still a bit upset since the boys laughed at how afraid he was during the ride.
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Of course we I had to take a group shot with this lovely spirit! Loved getting the Haunted Mansion in the background!
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We did not make it to Mickey's Philimar but stoped along the shops instead. I found a few great photo opps along the way. I thought it was pretty cool how the castle was in the background and thought it may make a great Christmas card. Of course the boys had other plans and made a funny face instead.
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In one of the shops Noah found a Disney photo book and an autograph book that he just had to buy. Seeing that we would be meeting Elsa and Anna in the afternoon I did not hesitate to purchase it for him. Of course we all had to find a place to sit while he tore open the packaging and attempted to organize it. This actually worked out great for us. Mom got off her feet and we were treated to an unexpected show with the castle in the background!
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A few rides back I got a text from Bill informing me he had made it to the safe zone, our resort. I sent a text back with information on our Lunch ADR at Tony's in case he wanted to meet us. After seeing pictures of Tony's I was pretty excited to head over there for lunch. I was looking forward to the restaurant's Lady and the Tramp theme but would I be the Lady without Tramp?
 
I'm really enjoying your trip report.

I luckly read a post where one man explained that there was a trick to use to get to a live person whom connected you to dining. I tried it and successfully got a person right way. I did not even wait for her greeting....

ok, so you peaked my interest (and maybe others too). What's the trick?
 
I'm really enjoying your trip report.



ok, so you peaked my interest (and maybe others too). What's the trick?

Oh so sorry but apparently Disney must have caught on because it does not work anymore. You are welcome to try it if you wish. What you have to do is when the promt comes on say, "cast member" keep saying it after each prompt. After about the third or 4th time a live CM comes on the line. You then ask for dining. You are put on hold for may be a minute to two minutes max and the wola your in!!!! Unfortunity I have tried it since then and can not seem to get through:( If you have any luck let us know:thumbsup2
 
Oh so sorry but apparently Disney must have caught on because it does not work anymore. You are welcome to try it if you wish. What you have to do is when the promt comes on say, "cast member" keep saying it after each prompt. After about the third or 4th time a live CM comes on the line. You then ask for dining. You are put on hold for may be a minute to two minutes max and the wola your in!!!! Unfortunity I have tried it since then and can not seem to get through:( If you have any luck let us know:thumbsup2

Well I have to say I just tried it and I did manage to get through so apparently it may still work!
 














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