A No Snooze Bar Christmas, Harry & Mickey are Waiting..it is done

[jdd]

Oh no - poor Boo! Give him a break Ab, he can't help it if he's sick

I really hope this didn't go through your whole family while you were away!

 

[reelmom]

I have to admit that I am a horrible person. I got a little chuckle that you took a picture of Boo with his head in the trash can. I am so sorry that he was sick but how funny that you documented it. I love it.

 

[BrerMama]

Ack. This trip just is not going too smooth, is it?

 

[momabaarjo]

Oh no - poor Boo! Give him a break Ab, he can't help it if he's sick

I know...but mom was not nice either...the boy was messing with my touring plans!

I really hope this didn't go through your whole family while you were away!

Just have to stick around and see what happens...

I have to admit that I am a horrible person. I got a little chuckle that you took a picture of Boo with his head in the trash can. I am so sorry that he was sick but how funny that you documented it. I love it.

I had a really good picture of his head in the trash can...but I think he erased it. Ab was so relieved that we were in the very back corner where no one could see us!

Ack. This trip just is not going too smooth, is it?

I am thinking we need to do a Universal do over...what do you think?!

 

[petals]

Poor Boo. Hope he wasn't sick for to long

 

[momabaarjo]

Working on learning digital scrapbooking...here is my latest tweaks and creations...I see a few things to fix but for my first attempt at doing this I am pretty happy. I have completed more pages this last week then I have done in almost a year (that is not saying much, hence the reason to go digital).

These pages will go along with my TR Chapters:
Christmas Eve Night
Reveal Phase 1: Part 1
Reveal Phase 1: Part 2

 

[momabaarjo]

Digital Scrapbook Pages for TR Chapters:
Will This Flight Leave
Boo & Goo's First Flight
DIA Preparing Us
After a Year of Planning

 

[momabaarjo]

Digital Scrapbook Pages for TR Chapters:
Bye-Bye Plane, Hello MCO

 

[momabaarjo]

Digital Scrapbook Pages for Trip Report Chapter:
From Snow to Palm Trees in 8 Hours

UGH...I just noticed I forgot to color frames on the 2nd page and no frames on the 4th page...looks like I have some editing to do!!!

 

[Mom&RN]

I'm so impressed with your digital scrapbooking. I'd never heard of it before but now you have me interested. Though I don't really have time right now for a new hobby, its definately on my list of stuff to check out once I've graduated.

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

Oh geez about Boo getting sick now! But I really can't blame Ab... I would have been looking at my brother the same exact way!!!!

I love all the scrapbook stuff Tammie! It is looking amazing!!!

 

[momabaarjo]

A Fond Farewell to Harry​

I ask the attendant where the entrance to the castle only tour is and she points me back through Filchs to the entrance.

We head up some stairs and into a different portrait hall then what is in the ride line.

I think it is cooler with the staircase and all, more like the movie. From there we head down a narrow hallway which opens into Dumbledore’s Office along side the ride line.

We spend some time hear watching Dumbledore emerge, give his speech, and disappear again…although it feels weird because we are standing in front of those going through the ride line. We also check out all the theming details and what a lot there are that we had missed when we were walking through the ride line. From Dumbledore’s Office we follow alongside the ride line and into the Dark Arts Classroom.

Where again we watch the show with Harry, Hermione, and Ron emerging, give their speech, disappear under the cloak of invisibility and making it…

We leave the classroom and this is where the tour ends with a set of stairs back down into Filch’s. The castle tour is neat and you get time to enjoy all the little things that you don’t have time to stop for when you are in the ride line, but you also miss so much and don’t have the AHHH of going through the greenhouse to the entrance of Hogwarts.
My suggestion is that even if you are not riding FJ, do the rider line (if the wait time is reasonable) and take the chicken exit once you get to the sorting hat. Depending on how fast the rider line went, go back and do the castle only tour so you can enjoy the 2 large rooms at your own pace.

Back outside of Hogwarts (forgive me for a moment when I post one of my favorite pictures of Ab on the trip)

Ab and Boo both decide it is time for some Butter Beer and I have some unfinished business in Honeydukes, so we make our way down the street in Hogsmeade and into the Boar’s Head Tavern where we order a round of Butter Beer and take it out to the patio to enjoy the view of Hogwarts and talk about our touring plan.

Ab and Boo decide that they have done everything they want in WWofHP (and it is only about 7:45 am) and are ready to move on, since the rest of the park is about to open and we have no real plans until 9:30 am. The Butter Beer seems to have done the trick and Boo acts for the time being that he is over his Moaning Myrtle impression so we head back out onto the street in Hogsmeade where we see the conductor has arrived and stop to take a picture with him and see if we can stump him with some HP trivia.

Honeydukes is still calling my name...I had promised myself a cauldron cake so in we go and pick up a little treat.

Back outside we take a look at the crowds and decide that we are done in WWofHP and bid Harry a fond farewell.

Once we step outside of the arch way leading into WWofHP we are asked "Are you sure you want to leave? There is no re-entry once you leave?" What, looking at my watch it is 8:15 am and we realize that WWofHP is now standby entrance over in Jurassic Park. Really the park has been open 15 minutes to the general public and it is now at capacity...this is not looking good for our touring plan today.

 

[momabaarjo]

I'm so impressed with your digital scrapbooking. I'd never heard of it before but now you have me interested. Though I don't really have time right now for a new hobby, its definately on my list of stuff to check out once I've graduated.

Don't be impressed, I am learning (it is pretty easy)...you should see some of the amazing layouts that are on mousescrappers.com. The overall goal to to have a completed album. I can't tell you how many I have going with the traditional paper scrapbooks, and how far I am behind...I am like the digital...Jeff loves it because there is not paper scraps everywhere and I am not strung all over the house with my supplies.

Oh geez about Boo getting sick now! But I really can't blame Ab... I would have been looking at my brother the same exact way!!!!

I love all the scrapbook stuff Tammie! It is looking amazing!!!

Thanks Ashley...I know big sisters are not so nice and have no understanding when we get up at 5:30 am and now we let the crowds pass us!

 

[FosterA]

LOVE the scrapbook pages so far!! The nice thing with digital is you just now have to print ea. page 3x so each kid can have a book. Can you just imagine how long it would take to paper scrap 3 disney vacation books. yikes! I print all my pages at Costco on 12x12. Is that where you will print?

Anyway....I've LOVED your report so far even though you haven't had the best restaurant luck! I can't wait for you to start getting into your Disney days. How many times TOTAL did ya'll do the Harry Potter ride while you were in Universal?

 

[momabaarjo]

LOVE the scrapbook pages so far!! The nice thing with digital is you just now have to print ea. page 3x so each kid can have a book. Can you just imagine how long it would take to paper scrap 3 disney vacation books. yikes! I print all my pages at Costco on 12x12. Is that where you will print?

I have not even thought about printing. I looked at Sams and they do not do a 12x12 size print and we do not have a costco...I need to check into Walgreens and CVS for prices, but I am sure I will end up printing from CM.

I am thinking of getting this done as a hardbound book, if the size is not too large...and only printing one book. The kids can fight over it when I die...

I can't even imagine the time this album would take me traditional wise...thinking that all my traditional stuff will be on ebay before we know it.

Anyway....I've LOVED your report so far even though you haven't had the best restaurant luck! I can't wait for you to start getting into your Disney days. How many times TOTAL did ya'll do the Harry Potter ride while you were in Universal?

If I counted right we rode 8 times over the 3 mornings! I am hoping to have Unviersal wrapped up by the weekend...or at least that is what I am aiming for. I have a week long conference in St. Louis next week and that would be a great break until I start up with Disney...not thinking Disney will take me months since most people know about the rides and such more!

 

[Enchanted88]

Hi, there! I'm a little late to the party, but I just wanted to let you know I'm reading along!! I've really enjoyed your TR so far!! Discovery Cove looks so amazing! DH and I will have to check that out sometime!

I also love hearing about your trips to WWofHP!! I really want to go there on our upcoming trip to WDW in October, hopefully I can fit it in!!

I noticed that you are from the TX panhandle, which is cool, because I am too! I'm glad to know I have a Disney freak around, and it's not just me! hahaha

I can't wait to read what else your trip with your family has in store!

 

[Disneychix]

I hope that's the end of th sickies!! Oh gosh!

I can't believe the crowds! That is unlike anything I've ever seen-and I'm used to Easter break DisneyWorld crowds!

 

[momabaarjo]

One Last Time Around to All the Islands​

With Caledron cake safely inside a box we decide to head off for Jurassic Park to find someplace to sit down and share it, and then make the big loop around IOA. We have a little less than 2 hours before we meet Jeff and Goo for breakfast at Confisco Grill back at the Port of Entry. Since we had not really checked out the Jurassic Discovery Center we went in there and found the place to be completely empty so we found an empty table and shared the little cake.

Boo is still complaining that his stomach hurts and passes on a bite. Ab and I both agreed that it was pretty yummy…we loved the chocolate mousee that it was filled with. With the cake eaten, I suggest that we head down the stairs and explore the Discovery Center…but Ab and Boo decide that they have seen enough dinosaur exhibits and want to pass on this. I am a little shocked, but I can understand I do tend to drag them to lots of museums. We head back outside and pass on the Jurassic River Adventure, no body really feels like getting wet nor do they want to ride the Flyers. Next up we enter into Toon Lagoon and Boo is really moaning and groaning, so I suggest that he goes into the bathroom to see if that helps while Ab and take a little closer look at the theming. Boo emerges some 10 minutes later, not looking any better but he says he can continue on. I have to say that both JP and TL are desserted, there is literally no one anywhere in sight of us so we are really taking the time to look around and take some fun pictures.

There is really nothing in Toon Lagoon that does not entail getting wet so we continue on until we cross over into Super Hero Island where I start in on begging, pleading, and trying to bribe someone to ride the Hulk with me. But first there is Spiderman, which both of the kids love and we decide to stop and ride a few times.

After our last ride, Boo begins moaning again and just wants to sit down. Well, I am riding Hulk whether the two of them do or not. About the time I make my decision Jeff calls and he and Goo are on their way to the park. I tell him where we are and where to meet us and I head off to ride the Hulk, by myself! The wait time is about 60 minutes according the sign, so I opt to do the Express Pass line…could not find the single rider line entrance.

It takes me about 15 minutes before I am on board and whisked away through the loops and drops. While riding I can see that Jeff and Goo have arrived and are standing with Ab and Boo below…yes, I could see them while I rode and they actually caught me riding. I love the Hulk, it is a smooth coaster with lots of fun twists and turns. I meet them and find that Goo has discovered the super hero phones and is playing around, while Boo is still sitting there moaning.

Looking at my watch we have about 20 minutes before our reservation and I decide it would not hurt to go and see if we can get in early and we head back towards the Port of Entry to Confisco Grill where I check in and the hostess doesn’t think there will be a problem.

With Boo moaning loudly by now we send him to the bathroom while we sit (and wonder if we will have a good restaurant experience) and wait to be called for our table.

 

[momabaarjo]

Hi, there! I'm a little late to the party, but I just wanted to let you know I'm reading along!! I've really enjoyed your TR so far!! Discovery Cove looks so amazing! DH and I will have to check that out sometime!

Never late to this party...we are only on day 4...have 8 more to go!

I also love hearing about your trips to WWofHP!! I really want to go there on our upcoming trip to WDW in October, hopefully I can fit it in!!

I noticed that you are from the TX panhandle, which is cool, because I am too! I'm glad to know I have a Disney freak around, and it's not just me! hahaha

Glad to have a neighbor around! I live in the big city of the Panhandle...hmmm, what would that be?

I can't wait to read what else your trip with your family has in store!

I LOVE YOUR TICKER, and going to head off later to find your TR...a group of DIS friends are I are planning a girls trip right about that time too...see its not too early to plan!

I hope that's the end of th sickies!! Oh gosh!

I can't believe the crowds! That is unlike anything I've ever seen-and I'm used to Easter break DisneyWorld crowds!

This stomach bug is giving me a bad case of Trip Pouting...my family NEVER gets sick and here we are with 3 with it...that leaves just us girls yet...

I notice you are doing the Terror Run this fall...a couple of DIS friends are doing it too! Watch for AnnMarie...

 

[Enchanted88]

The Hulk looks like a lot of fun! I love rollercoasters like that!! Too bad your family didn't want to ride it, but I'm sure you still had fun!

I think I've been to Panhandle when I was in Highschool for band! haha I grew up in Tulia, but now I live in Amarillo! So, we're not that far away from each other! lol

I'm so excited for our upcoming trip, the time can't pass by fast enough!
I've never been in Oct, so it should be a lot of fun!

Enjoying your TR! Can't wait for 8 more days of fun!