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

[natebenma]

Missing TSM and Osborne at the end of the night?

OH NO!

 

[FosterA]

oh man...such a cliffhanger! How disappointing to not be able to see the lights!
However.....knowing you, you probably have a plan B, C, and D up your sleeve so I assume you'll get to see them sooner or later. i hope anyway!

I also wanted to say that Fantasmic was not all that great to us either. if i had to see it again, i would just slip in the last minute before it started and just stand up near the top where they sell the drinks and glow sticks and stuff and just find a little ledge to lean on or something, and then i would leave that place about a minute before it ended to just to avoid the mass exodus.

can't wait to hear more!

 

[momabaarjo]

Dancin’ for Joy Under the Lights​

I think the poor CM that pointed the way to the exit saw my face and knew that I was about to cry right then and there, maybe it was the cold (nah…another mess up to my touring plan and really wanting to see the lights) that she immediately gave us an alternate route to the lights, “Try going this way…maybe they will let you through!” I wanted to hug and kiss her right then, while my family grumbled about being in the cold longer. I forget how we got to Streets of America…but we made it with out being told to exit and when we got there we basically had the place to ourselves (until the last F! show let out). I can’t even begin telling you how cool the Osborne Lights were, it is something you just have to experience yourself!

Between the festive music and lots to see everywhere…only thing that would have made it better was one of those adult drinks that I had read were being sold in the area…too late for that but we did manage to get some hot cider. The snow falling was a neat effect, although we had to question whether it was fake or real snow thanks to the temperatures.

About 20 minutes later my family had had enough and was ready to go…but I had not heard Transiberian Orchrestras music and the lights dancing to that…I tried to stall but they were done and I had to leave, of course we could hear the song as we exited DHS for our walk back to BWV, always my luck. Jeff decided he was thirsty as we were exiting and stopped for a coke, really a cold coke? But it gave me time to snap a few pictures

and then the entire way back the boys battled it out…

yes, my brain was frozen when I agreed to let them build and buy those light sabers. Back at the BW, it was a warm shower for me, while Ab enjoyed that big jetted bathtub (I was too tired to wait for the tub to fill)...then it was off to bed, but not before I agreed to give up my last breakfast ADR I had planned so no dreamin of Tonga Toast for me. So where will tomorrow find us?

 

[momabaarjo]

I'm with Goo about wanting to be bigger before I ride ToT again!
I haven't heard very many good reviews about Sci-Fi, so i think I will avoid it for now.
I adore Fantasmic, but sitting for an hour in the cold ? I don't know maybe not.

I think I will blame a lot if not all of the disappointments on the weather it really was a miserable day! But I know there was no way that I could have been sitting back in the hotel room either, so we just pushed through.

It sucks that it was so cold and you waited so long. I think it's an enjoyable show if you're not miserable when you're watching it.

I think had we not waited so long in the cold, because I was following touring plan directions that it would have not been so bad!

At least your DS likes cars still my DN7 tells me cars and Disney are for babies and only football and legos are cool now! It's ok though he has a brother who is only 1 and a half maybe I can instill a love of Disney in him

I know you can brainwash (oops instill) Disney into the little one, and I am sure there is always hope for the older one...mention Florida and trip when he gets older and he will love it.

I probably would have done the same with the going early in fairness.

While I completely agree with you on Sci fi, it being dark and unable to talk to anyone, my family loves it. It is a must do for them on every trip. This past trip I didn't book it and almost got in big trouble with my family. We happened to be at MK eating at Cosmic Rays and dh mentioned that he couldn't wait for Sci fi the next day and I said I didn't book it and everyone flipped out on me! I pulled out my phone and pulled up Mobile Magic and was able to get a lunch ADR booked for the next day. I was shocked it was availble! But happy to please my family!

I am glad you were able to get the ADR!

Not only do I think its dark and after you've seen the videos once its boring. I also don't find the food to be great, the burgers are just ok and I don't care for anything else on the menu. I think thats my biggest turn off is the food there.

OMG what a bunch of bad luck at the end of the evening! Did you get to see Osbourne Lights at all?

Yep, a bunch of bad luck...

Sorry to hear the Sci Fi meal was not a smashing success. This is pretty much where we have lunch when we go to HS (unless we are done with the studios and go over to EPCOT).

On our first trip, I think we were late for our ADR, and they said it would take us awhile to be seated unless we sat at a table instead of a car. We took that, and now we request a table.

We had wished we knew about the tables, because we would have requested one of those...

Sitting in a car is a nice novelty for about 5 minutes, then as everyone has discovered, it is more fun being able to TALK to your family.

I just like sitting face to face with people that I eat with...

Bummer on the long, cold wait for F!

Is anyone ever really comfortable for that show?

The first time I saw it was in the July heat, really crowded stadium filled with chanting Tour Groups for an hour.

I also saw it (solo) in June, in the rain, after being soaked all night.

It is not my favorite night-time show.

Missing TSM and Osborne at the end of the night?

OH NO!

oh man...such a cliffhanger! How disappointing to not be able to see the lights!
However.....knowing you, you probably have a plan B, C, and D up your sleeve so I assume you'll get to see them sooner or later. i hope anyway!

I also wanted to say that Fantasmic was not all that great to us either. if i had to see it again, i would just slip in the last minute before it started and just stand up near the top where they sell the drinks and glow sticks and stuff and just find a little ledge to lean on or something, and then i would leave that place about a minute before it ended to just to avoid the mass exodus.

can't wait to hear more!

 

[vleeth]

I think I would have cried if I missed TSM and Osborne because of One Man's Dream. Not that I don't love One Man's Dream...but it was part of another days touring plan. So glad you got to see the lights. So sorry you didn't talk your boys our of lightsabers. I'll be trying to talk my dd7 out of getting one in November.

We really need to think of a way to get our families on board with our touring plans.

 

[momabaarjo]

I think I would have cried if I missed TSM and Osborne because of One Man's Dream. Not that I don't love One Man's Dream...but it was part of another days touring plan. So glad you got to see the lights. So sorry you didn't talk your boys our of lightsabers. I'll be trying to talk my dd7 out of getting one in November.

I joke about the lightsabers...they are something they wanted and built with their own money...

My touring plan was really messed up all day, it should not be surprising that it ended the way it did...

We really need to think of a way to get our families on board with our touring plans.

On our next trip I am not going to be so rushed into getting everything done and I am going to set Ridemax to slow paced and see what happends. I now know what we can skip and what it a must do.

 

[lovethattink]

DHS Touring Plan Ended Because of a Mouse and a Husband?​

I'm sorry!!

Everyone agrees, this is not the ride tonight and we hand our FP spreading a little magic to someone elses night! Next up we decide to head to TSM, but before we get there Jeff spots

Which Tink’s husband and son tell him it is not to be missed I'm sorry!!, I try to explain to him that I have it scheduled for Friday, but he feels the warmth from inside luring him and the kids in…so much for a plan. We spend some time looking at the displays before the movie…I have to say that I which that I would have had longer to look and the movie was really good about the man himself. Afterwards, Jeff catches the CM manning the movie and begins asking her 100 questions….while I am trying to drag him out of there to accomplish my last 2 things for the night TSM and Osborne Lights. Finally, he is somewhat happy with his new knowledge of Walt Disney and we make our way to TSM with our FP in hand…

only thing is when we get there it is 8:01 pm and the park closed at 8:00 pm. Major sin, holding fast passes for TSM in hand and the park closed.

Feeling disappointed, we make our way towards the Streets of America for Osborne Lights because everywhere I have read they are open after the park closes. I can hear the music and see the lights dancing, but a CM stops us and tells us the park is closed that we need to exit…

I'm so sorry that my dh told him not to miss One Man's Dream. I was shocked to find out they talked about more than fishing. Hopefully good will come of this and he will become a Disney fan too?!

 

[momabaarjo]

Please bear with me while I do some NTR rambling...

Here I sit when I really should get next week's trip planned and ready to go...plus all the work I need to get done for work. But I feel so unmotivated.

I am meeting my mom next Tuesday at Mesa Verde National Park with the kids for a couple of days of site seeing and grandma time, but I am so unmotivated to even plan out a schedule, packing list, and grocery list. It is about a 10 hour drive, which I am going to break up with an overnight stay at our cabin in NM (about 1/2 way point).

I have a huge staff development coming up that I am presenting, but my partner is out of town this week and me next week, then I have staff development for my position the following week...and then the next week bang our training...plus the following week I am doing a training for Goo's teachers, then it is staff development time for my staff at school when they return and our new prinicpal has yet to tell me what he wants presented at this time. I am starting to really feel stressed, but I am unmotivated to do anything about it...I see lots of sleepless nights in my future.

I applied for a new position last week and I have not heard whether I got it or not...I am assuming not. Which in the long run is really the best thing...the new position is lots more hours and lots more days then what I am currently working let along a lot more work. I really have it good where I am at and what I am doing, plus it is good for my family but I can't seem to feel disappointed that I did not get it.

 

[lovethattink]

Glad you got a chance to see the Osborne Lights, whew! Am I off the hook?

I know what you mean about those light sabers! At least it was just the young boys and my dh didn't corrupt yours into that too. (Another Star Wars costume arrived at the house today for dh.)

 

[momabaarjo]

I'm so sorry that my dh told him not to miss One Man's Dream. I was shocked to find out they talked about more than fishing. Hopefully good will come of this and he will become a Disney fan too?!

It so was not your guys fault...we were seeking warmth and I was not watching the clock...plus the fact that Jeff actually was interested and I could not pass that moment up. I really want to go do One Man's Dream again, we did not nearly have enough time looking at everything...

 

[momabaarjo]

Glad you got a chance to see the Osborne Lights, whew! Am I off the hook?

You never were on the hook...I would have come up with another plan.

I know what you mean about those light sabers! At least it was just the young boys and my dh didn't corrupt yours into that too. (Another Star Wars costume arrived at the house today for dh.)

Luckily for me my guys are not that much into Star Wars like yours...now lightning is another story! I now am the proud owner of 2 REAL Hudson Hornets that dh swears he is going to restore and Goo and him are going to drive!

 

[lovethattink]

When it rains, it pours. You sure have alot on your plate right now. Praying everything works out just fine. I hope you get a call back one way or the other on the job.

 

[momabaarjo]

Those Bags in Mission Spare are for REAL​

Touring Plan Day 10 (Wednesday, January 4) started differently than what I had planned. Last night I let my freezing brain and frozen family talk me out of a Tonga Toast breakfast for a little more sleep at RP via the International Gateway. The weather forecast today was still to be cold, but warmer in the day than yesterday at least today we were to make it to the low 50s. So right on schedule we made to the International Gateway. During our walk to Future World, I gave instructions to Jeff to take the kids and ride Test Track while I pick up FP for Soarin. He looked at me like I was talking some foreign language (you would think after 9 days of this he would understand), thankfully Boo stepped up and told me he got the plan and ushered the family off to TT while I went to The Land.

Normally, I would never let Boo be in charge because most of the time he simply a tween aged boy who never listens or seems to know what is going on…but at WDW we was totally into what was around him that I knew he could safely get them there and on the ride. I quickly made my stop and then made it to test track, with no family in sight…they had made it so fast through the first ride that they decided to take a second so I waited for what seemed like forever (probably 15 minutes) for them to get done so we could all ride together (the entire time pacing and starting a touring plan pout). Of course they come off all smiles, to my look of disapproval and then to my lecture about what the plan was before we all head back onto TT for another trip around the track (but this time with a much longer wait time of 30 minutes).

After TT the kids want to try out Mission Space again and Jeff decides that he wants to try the Orange side. I look at him, really Mr. No Stomach?

Ab and Boo assure him that he can do it, while I know this may sideline my touring plans for the entire day. But instead of arguing I let them go, while Goo and I do the green side. Goo and I finish first and we wait for the other 3 in the arcade area. When they emerge, Ab and Boo are laughing with each other. Apparently those bags found in the compartment in front of you are real, because they announce that dad had to use one. I give Jeff the “I told you so” look without any sympathy and march the troops to the Seas

and when we get there Jeff decides that he is just going to lie on a bench outside for a while. Thank goodness there are not a lot of people yet in the parks to witness my husband in this position and we leave him there… (Sure wish I had taken a picture). The kids and I make our way through the dark queue of Nemo and are loaded instantly into our clam shells for our journey with Nemo. I have to say of all the recent Disney movies, this is on the one I hate the most and Ab loves the most. I cannot stand Marlin and his whiney voice and Dory is so annoying…but of course my daughter loves it so I endure. The ride comes to and end and we are all left with the feeling of, that is it? I call Jeff and he is still lying on the bench and tells us to continue on with the plan, just meet him outside when we are done. The kids and head into the aquarium area and quickly walk through. We have gone to much better aquariums that the lack of color in this area really is a downer and does not hold our attention.

The dolphins were not out into the main tank area, which was a disappointment. Next we headed to Turtle Talk with Crush, which I knew we would all love…he is probably (along with Squirt) the only character I like in Finding Nemo. During our wait for Nemo Ab tries out the trivia game,

which of course she does well on and then she and Goo watched the stingrays in the tank (which Goo thought literally stunk, notice him holding his nose).

Soon it was time to head in and talk with Crush. I love the seating arrangements with the kids on the floor, but some parents need to teach their children manners and how to act when seated on the floor. It was chaos on the floor, but I was proud of my boys just sitting politely waiting

(even the CM pointed out their behavior to the rest of the kids, hoping that some positive modeling would affect the others…good teacher move, but it did not work). During the show the CM had to stop a couple of times and ask kids to stop hitting others, standing up, talking, etc. I felt like I was in a classroom with no classroom management. I can’t believe parents would allow their children to act like this…if it had been my boys I would have yanked them off the carpet and out we would have gone for a “Come to Jesus” meeting of the minds. The behavior really made the show unpleasant and as we left the CM apologized to us. I smiled and told her I understood, I am a teacher. She told us that we if wanted to come back for the next show that she would put the boys on the front row again and handed us a fast pass ticket for any ride in Epcot. After our crushing experience with Crush we made our way into the Shark exhibit area for a few pictures

(Can You tell he always pushes the limits and tests the boundries?)

before departing the Seas to find dad, hopefully his stomach has returned to earth.

 

[Tiggerrn2]

I can feel your hubby's pain now. Before there was such a thing as Green and Orange, I rode this ride. Have vowed NEVER to try it again. It ruined the rest of the morning for me. I did find I felt better after a mild lunch, though. I spent a few moments lying on a bench myself.

 

[reelmom]

I get queasy on the Green side, I cannot imagine trying the Orange side. I love the movie Nemo, however, I think the ride stinks.

 

[vleeth]

My dh and I rode Mission:Space before there were to sides and before they toned it down. We were both sick and haven't been on it since. Now dd7 wants to ride in November. DH will have no part of it, but I'll take her on the green side ONLY.

Hope your dh recovered quickly.

 

[debrapagliasotti]

I'm so glad you were able to go a different way and still see Osbourne lights. Looks like some amazing pics w/o other people in the background.

How much do those make your own light sabers cost? I know my oldest DS will be wanting one in Dec.

 

[lovethattink]

Luckily for me my guys are not that much into Star Wars like yours...now lightning is another story! I now am the proud owner of 2 REAL Hudson Hornets that dh swears he is going to restore and Goo and him are going to drive!

Oh wow, big toys! Do you have a large garage?

That's great that Boo was able to demonstrate his leadership abilities at WDW. He must have really enjoyed WDW.

At least Jeff tried it once and knows it's definately not for him.

Sounds like the tanks all needed some cleaning when you were there at the Living Seas.

That's such a shame about Turtle Talk. I have seen that mass chaos on the floor a couple times, but the majority of times we've seen it, the children have been well behaved. Where we have problems is after the show. It's mass chaos as the children find their parents, the doors are opened and people are leaving. Anakin almost left the theater once without us. He just followed everyone else. Dh and I having the eagle eyes we do, were able to keep an eye on him. Dh couldn't get through, but since I'm small it was easy to squeeze between people and get to him quickly to stop his exit. Had we been seated on the other side of the theater, he would have exited without us. After that I either sat with him on the floor or I sit on the benches closest to the exit. We have also waited to be first for a next show, so that he can sit on a front bench with us.

I can't wait to find out what you used your FP for.

 

[natebenma]

First on getting in to the Osborne Lights show! I was so disappointed in your update when you were stopped!

The picture of your family in front the Peace on Earth area is spectacular. Most of the time when I have seen these pictures, either the lights, or everyones faces, are blurry.

I also like the end of the photo at the hat with the lighted sabers. We have a couple of those. They now play a part in the finale shows for the theatre group my youngest son is in. We have used them in the finale of Robin Hood and Bye Bye Birdie.

Ah, Mission Space Orange (which for obvious reasons, I am convinced should actually be called Green )

One of my favorite memories from our 2010 trip is from M:S. My DH has always wanted to ride it, but I can't do spinny and my oldest son has a sensitive stomach. So 9 year old Ben rode with him. Ben had a huge grin coming off the ride

"I puked. 3 times!"

Yes, the bags are real!

 

[momabaarjo]

Finishing Up the Plan in Future World​

When we found Jeff he was a little less green around the gills and the kids decided that it was time for our Disney Breakfast, Mickey Bars!

To their good luck a cart was close by, which gave dad a little more time to recover.

Afterwards it was time to use that fast pass I had gotten earlier for Soarin (and then a second ride thanks to the surprise FP from the CM at Turtle Talk).

After riding Soarin, I decided to take my family on a little cruise via Living with the Land. I was excited to show them all the cool things growing in the greenhouses, which I hoped they would find as amazing as I did when I stumbled onto this ride last trip. While waiting we enjoyed reading the quotes and then it was off to the gardens.

I was right; they thought it was cool too! Upon exiting the kids wanted to know why we were not going to see Circle of Life. I got by with telling them it was an environmental movie that did not get good reviews. I know that Epcot is all about learning, but I really did not come to Disney to get an environmental message. Our next stop was supposed to be Figment and Captain EO, but my family decided that they were getting hungry and ready to start my plan to Snack around the World for the day. But first we had to make a stop in Club Cool,

where I devised a scheme on how to get a Beverly face out of my children all at the same time without tipping each other off. I told them that we were going to save the best for last and began testing each one, until we reached the Beverly…1-2-3 Drink.

Not much of a reaction out of Ab, but I got a face out of the boys! Afterwards, they picked their favorite, which for the first time of the trip they were all in agreement.

We left Club Cool and headed for the World Showcase, stopping to admire the fountain, taking a few pictures and picking a Kim Possible Mission.

Which way to start on our snacking…Mexico or Canada?