A Mother-Daughter Trip! Now with BONUS BIRTHDAY Trip! (Final Thoughts Coming Soon!)

[amandaw]

Your DD is too cute - you can just look at her big smile & tell she was having the time of her life! That salad at HBD looks really, really good!

 

[pas130]

My DD4 is the same way with eating...she is even smaller than her younger brother ...but good things come in small packages. I am changing the date for our Fantasmic package, so it's nice to hear your review of the Brown Derby!!! IDK if I should book MM or HBD....the kids like Chicken Parm so that might be the safer bet for us. Willow is so ADORABLE in those pics....

YAY for a great update

and Hi Amanda!!!

 

[amandaw]

and Hi Amanda!!!

Hi!

I've been lurking enough on the RC thread to see that you are still making Resort changes for the next trip. You are still the Queen of Resort Changers! I want to hear about Vero Beach when y'all get back!

 

[pas130]

Hi!

I've been lurking enough on the RC thread to see that you are still making Resort changes for the next trip. You are still the Queen of Resort Changers! I want to hear about Vero Beach when y'all get back!

But of course

 

[bbnursie]

Loved your Stitch story! He did the same thing to my son this past May lol. I didn't think he would ever let go.

 

[RGirl]

Your DD is too cute - you can just look at her big smile & tell she was having the time of her life! That salad at HBD looks really, really good!

Thanks! We were definitely having a great time - and it was somewhat unexpected given how little we found to do at DHS last year. I love that salad so much - I wish I could have one right now.

My DD4 is the same way with eating...she is even smaller than her younger brother ...but good things come in small packages. I am changing the date for our Fantasmic package, so it's nice to hear your review of the Brown Derby!!! IDK if I should book MM or HBD....the kids like Chicken Parm so that might be the safer bet for us. Willow is so ADORABLE in those pics....

YAY for a great update

and Hi Amanda!!!

Good things definitely come in small packages - I have always said little babies/kids are the best; it's so much easier to carry them around.

Hmm, if you know the kids will eat at MM, that is probably the safer bet. But I do LOVE HBD. I think there are a lot of people who don't love it though. I will say that our service this time was just really not great, and part of the reason I love it so much is because we got such amazing service there last year. Also, I have never tried anything other than the cobb salad, so my review is pretty limited!

 

[RGirl]

Loved your Stitch story! He did the same thing to my son this past May lol. I didn't think he would ever let go.

Welcome! What an adorable pic of your DS with that crazy Stitch!

 

[RGirl]

20. A Quiet Evening at Home
At this point, we had been in this “half day park” for over 8 hours!!!! We were ready to go. I figured after all those rides on ToT, I deserved a treat, and of course, if Mommy’s getting a treat, so is DD. She was THRILLED to get some Cheetohs (which I think she may have only ever had at WDW - her first Cheetoh was at WDW last year!). You can also see DD's ToT souvenir in the stroller tray.

And I picked up a frozen margarita for the walk home.

Snapped one more pic of DD’s beloved ToT.

Almost the minute we exited the park, DD and Lotso were happily snoozing in the stroller. And I was enjoying the beautiful walk back to the BW.

I took the walk as an opportunity to give my mom a quick call and see how things were at home. My dad’s best friend had been hospitalized shortly after we got to WDW, and he was now clearly dying. Very sad for his family and for my father.

When we got back to our villa, we found that Mousekeeping had carefully set out all of DD’s little blankies.

DD enjoyed another soak in the whirlpool tub. She then practiced her handstands with Lotso.

And then Minnie and Moosie the Reindeer (yes, you read that right) wanted to join in.

(BTW - DD can now do headstands with no support. So cool!)

At this point, we both just wanted to stay in for the night. We canceled our Tutto Italia reservation - sadly, we canceled a LOT of ADRs on this trip; we just didn’t have it in us to go out for big meals after such long and crazy days.

DD just wanted to watch PotC. (We had plenty of food in the kitchen that I had cooked up the other day, so there was really no need to go out.)

I took the opportunity to take a few pictures.

Another of the view from our balcony.

The bonus cookie from the nice CM at Starring Rolls:

Some of the goodies that were in the pumpkin surprise DD received when we arrived:

Hidden Mickey carpet in our villa:

The world’s most evil stuffy!

Later, I took some pretty bad pics from my bedroom balcony.

Up next: 21. Surely We Must Need Another Princess Meal

 

[amandaw]

What a great ending to the day! I love how DD was practicing her headstands with her fuzzy friends....too cute! You really had a great view from your balcony.

 

[bbnursie]

The headstand pictures crack me up! That was me when I was a kid. Every where you turn, I would be standing on my head lol.

 

[pas130]

Good things definitely come in small packages - I have always said little babies/kids are the best; it's so much easier to carry them around.

Hmm, if you know the kids will eat at MM, that is probably the safer bet. But I do LOVE HBD. I think there are a lot of people who don't love it though. I will say that our service this time was just really not great, and part of the reason I love it so much is because we got such amazing service there last year. Also, I have never tried anything other than the cobb salad, so my review is pretty limited!

I did end up keeping MM after comparing the menus. And I am so glad we can walk back after F! since we are at BC now.

LOVE the new pics! We saw the fireworks from our YC suite last month.. Just such a cool experience

 

[shan23877]

All caught up! LOVE the headstand pics. Those are too cute. Sounds like a full and fun day at DHS. Can't wait to hear about the next princess meal! (I think we did them all )

Glad everything worked out with Willow's preschool. I'm sure it was incredibly stressfull.
And, Merry Chirstmas to you and Willow. I hope Santa is very good to her!

 

[RGirl]

What a great ending to the day! I love how DD was practicing her headstands with her fuzzy friends....too cute! You really had a great view from your balcony.

It was a really fun day, and ending each day with that view was always great!

The headstand pictures crack me up! That was me when I was a kid. Every where you turn, I would be standing on my head lol.

Too funny!!! I am really so proud of her - she decided one day that she really wanted to stand on her head and got quite upset that she couldn't. I explained to her that no one could stand on her head without practicing it a lot. From that day on, she has been practicing, and now she can do it!

I did end up keeping MM after comparing the menus. And I am so glad we can walk back after F! since we are at BC now.

LOVE the new pics! We saw the fireworks from our YC suite last month.. Just such a cool experience

LOVE that walk back from DHS!

I hope you enjoy MM and the BC!!!!

All caught up! LOVE the headstand pics. Those are too cute. Sounds like a full and fun day at DHS. Can't wait to hear about the next princess meal! (I think we did them all )

Glad everything worked out with Willow's preschool. I'm sure it was incredibly stressfull.
And, Merry Chirstmas to you and Willow. I hope Santa is very good to her!

You can never have too many princess meals!!!

Thanks. I am still a little stressed and anxious about the whole mess, but I know she's safe, and that is what is most important. I am meeting with the director of the organization that oversees her prior daycare/preschool tomorrow. I hope that she takes some action to ensure the safety of the children who are still there. If not, I will take it up with the state.

Merry Christmas to you too!!! I hope you and your family have a wonderful day. I'm sure Santa will be good to my kid and yours.

 

[hstrickland]

Hi Roni!

Sorry to hear the service was less than great at the Brown Derby...and no dessert! Unfortunately, service can be hit and miss at WDW, as you know. We did the Fantasmic Package a couple of years ago and had a great experience (in my opinion) The reason I say "IMO" is because DH said it wasn't his favorite...who knows I've heard wonderful things about the Cobb Salad, but we didn't try it, nor did we try the Grape Fruit Cake. At least you fulfilled your sweet tooth with a cupcake

Again...I'm loving your view from BWI! Don't blame you one bit for staying in and taking a break! My dad and I are total people watchers, so sitting on the balcony while on vacation is part of our experience. Nice way to end the evening....fireworks!! And if you like fireworks from the balcony, you must try the Poly, GF or CR Put those resorts on your list

Heather

 

[pas130]

LOVE that walk back from DHS!

I hope you enjoy MM and the BC!!!!

I am sure it will be a FANTABULOUS trip. My DD4 wass looking at a pic of BC and said it's the perfect place, and DS3 said he needs the kiddie pool

Merry Christmas to you and your Princess Willow

 

[RGirl]

Hi Roni!

Sorry to hear the service was less than great at the Brown Derby...and no dessert! Unfortunately, service can be hit and miss at WDW, as you know. We did the Fantasmic Package a couple of years ago and had a great experience (in my opinion) The reason I say "IMO" is because DH said it wasn't his favorite...who knows I've heard wonderful things about the Cobb Salad, but we didn't try it, nor did we try the Grape Fruit Cake. At least you fulfilled your sweet tooth with a cupcake

Again...I'm loving your view from BWI! Don't blame you one bit for staying in and taking a break! My dad and I are total people watchers, so sitting on the balcony while on vacation is part of our experience. Nice way to end the evening....fireworks!! And if you like fireworks from the balcony, you must try the Poly, GF or CR Put those resorts on your list

Heather

We will definitely go back to HBD - it is still one of my favorite WDW restaurants. Service at our first visit was unbelievably great, and the food was still good this second time. Most importantly, I just love the feel of the place - it seems like such an oasis in the middle of a very hot and urban park; to me, it is the perfect break in the middle of (what will apparently from now on be) a very long park day.

Oh, man, there is no better people watching than at the BWV! But I would love for us to experience all of the resorts you named - I am totally sold on WDW resorts!

I am sure it will be a FANTABULOUS trip. My DD4 wass looking at a pic of BC and said it's the perfect place, and DS3 said he needs the kiddie pool

Merry Christmas to you and your Princess Willow

Merry Christmas, pas!!! I am excited for your next trip - even before our first trip, BC was a dream destination for me, so I can't wait for your TR!

 

[RGirl]

I hope you all will stick with me. I know that I have been pretty lame in getting updates done recently. The last few weeks with everything that went down at DD's daycare have really had me down, and it has been hard to channel that Disney spirit. I am working really hard to make real life better for DD right now, and I know that I will be ready to relive our amazing trip again very soon - hopefully, during our wonderful week and a half of stay-cation! Please bear with me, and I will get this thing moving again soon!

And MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!! I hope you all have a wonderful time with family and friends over the next few days. I am getting ready to host Christmas Eve dinner here tomorrow night and breakfast on Christmas morning. DD is super-excited to see what Santa brings (unfortunately, she did not come up with anything to tell him until, um, today!, so needless to say, he is not bringing what she is now requesting - hopefully, I can plant the seed for what he is actually bringing in the nest day... ). This is my niece's first Christmas, and I am excited to include her in some of my traditions with DD. I always get DD a new pair of jammies and a tree ornament for Christmas Eve, so I have done the same for my baby niece. Can't wait to get pictures of the two cousins in their matching Christmas jammies!!

If you have the time, share some of your Christmas traditions! I always love to hear about everyone else's Christmas celebrations.

 

[partyof2]

Joining the party a little late!

Merry Christmas to you and Willow, Roni. I hope you have a wonderful day.

 

[pas130]

Merry Christmas, pas!!! I am excited for your next trip - even before our first trip, BC was a dream destination for me, so I can't wait for your TR!

Except we are at WL...for now

Hope you had a magical Christmas.......can't wait to hear the NYE "Leap Year Disney surprise announcement"

 

[S'sMom]

I have enjoyed your TR with your beautiful daughter. I am seriously considering a trip for my dd(9) in May for the RunDisney Event. Only thing is that she will probably leave me in the dust

Great job