A Northern Family's Southern Getaway -Take 2 Jan 2010 PTR Updated 1/15 SNACKS

[Northern Disney Girl]

I was noticing that you drive down from Thunder Bay. Have you ever looked into the airline Allegiant Air? They have a direct flight from Duluth and like any airline they sometimes have some pretty good deals. It would save you some drive time if your planning on anymore trips in the future.

Thanks for the tip! I will definitely look into it!

 

[cdhale]

SIGH More cool 80's movies to watch with the kids. Both Indiana Jones movies: Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade. Thank goodness they only made two, and they were both great.

Are you refusing to acknowledge the existence of the other two movies?

 

[Firestarter]

Are you refusing to acknowledge the existence of the other two movies?

Yes. Yes I am. Let us never address them again...

 

[danceintherain]

Great plan, and alternative based on reality.

 

[Firestarter]

Apologies on behalf of the slowness of the next installment. My wife has been busy being an awesome wife and mother.

And being distracted by atonal music being pounded out on the piano

I'll nag her until she posts it later, tonight possibly, tomorrow for sure.

 

[Northern Disney Girl]

So sorry my friends! I failed to post Day 3 as I said I would and I apologize! Today was a bit more crazy than I had anticipated! I will get that chapter up either later tonite or at the latest, tomorrow!

Today was a day full of grocery shopping, laundry, dishes, garbage and doctors appointments! Emily is going to a birthday party sleepover soon and then Ken and I are taking Natalie out for dinner and shopping for a new Christmas tree! We have decided to go fake because of my unavoidable allergies to trees!

Until then, my friends,

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

So sorry my friends! I failed to post Day 3 as I said I would and I apologize! Today was a bit more crazy than I had anticipated! I will get that chapter up either later tonite or at the latest, tomorrow!

Today was a day full of grocery shopping, laundry, dishes, garbage and doctors appointments! Emily is going to a birthday party sleepover soon and then Ken and I are taking Natalie out for dinner and shopping for a new Christmas tree! We have decided to go fake because of my unavoidable allergies to trees!

Until then, my friends,

OOOHHHH a new tree!! How exciting!!! Try to find one that's pre-lit...they are the best!! Just ask me and Meghan...we will both testify to it!!! ha!!

 

[Northern Disney Girl]

OOOHHHH a new tree!! How exciting!!! Try to find one that's pre-lit...they are the best!! Just ask me and Meghan...we will both testify to it!!! ha!!

Well we didn't end up getting one last night! We shopped around and decided on what we want exactly! Pre-lit, Pine tree, at least 6 ft with between 500-600 points and branches that we DON'T have to hook on! We also do not want to pay more than $250! So....we will wait for abit and watch the sales! We don't usually get a tree until the week before Christmas anyway so we have a bit of time!


DAY 3 coming up........

 

[Northern Disney Girl]

DAY 3 - EPCOT

This day will begin just as the previous day did! You can choose my version or Ken's! Either way, we WILL be at the POFQ bus stop by 7:45 am! I have great aspirations of being able to actually shake the hands of the characters when they open the park! Last year we were about 4 rows deep and could only see the tips of Mickey's ears!

After the rope is dropped, we will join the stampede to acquire Fast Passes for Soarin'! The girls and I are all VERY eager to ride this ride! It was our second favourite of our trip last year! (TSM being the first) Hopefully we will also be able to ride it standby at that time! However, if the line to ride it Stand By is more than 20 mins, we will probably just go back later!

Our third fave is Test Track and Natalie is actually excited about riding this one this time! We kind of tricked her into riding it last year and as you can see in the photo below, she wasn't actually thrilled to be on it!

After riding TT, I think we will probably head over to Mission: Space so Ken and Emily can do their Father/Daughter Space bonding thing! I am just not interested in doing this one - not even the green team! Not sure if Nat will be brave enough to try this one or not!

By this point we might be able to acquire more FPs so we will probably decide on TT or Soarin'! I think from here on in we will just play it by ear and see how the crowds are and do what we want. Possibilities are Living with the land, Circle of Life, Nemo, Turtle Talk, Spaceship Earth, Imagination, Universe of Energy (which was closed for refurb last year) or we might even check out Innoventions! Who knows where the day will take us?

At some point we will stop for a bit to eat - most likely close to 11am at Sunshine Seasons! I have been so eager to try this place out. We had some treats from there last time but I want to try some of their REAL FOOD! We have an early ADR for supper so I think there is the possibility of maybe sharing some food and having a snack a bit later!

We will probably head into the World Showcase at some point AFTER lunch, maybe around 2ish! The main focus for this day is Future World and doing all that we missed last trip! We actually did very well in WS last time and saw and did quite a bit! I think that we will most likey try to see the American Adventure this day because it broke down half way through the presentation we tried to see last year. I would really like to explore The Chinese and Canadian pavillions a bit more thoroughly and see the Chinese Acrobats and the Canadian Celtic Music show!

We have an ADR at 4:30pm for Le Cellier! I know that my dear sweet husband doesn't fully comprehend just how important this ADR really is! This was my #1 ADR choice! I am so happy that I was able to get in here! The original ADR was for a different time on a different day and then I decided to switch things up a bit and found this one ADR still available! SO HAPPY!!!

I think that after supper we will probably be ready to head back to POFQ for some down time! The girls will probably be ready for some playground time OR if it is nice weather , maybe an early evening swim! We shall see! I think that this will be an early to bed night for all of us!

Here are some more photos of our Adventures at Epcot last year!

UP NEXT : DAY 4 - AK

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

This day sounds great!!! Loads of fun!! I looooove World Showcase!!!

 

[Mndisneygirl]

Looks like a fun day!! I think World Showcase is my favorite place to be in all of WDW! I never seem to get enough time there. Hopefully our next trip since the holiday storytellers will be there - that will interest the girls. I felt pretty lucky that they liked the Kidcot stations and getting their passports signed last time so I could spend some time in WS.

 

[Firestarter]

DAY 3 - EPCOT

********

Ok, so I wanted to do this visually, so I drew up our Day 3 plans in Google Maps. Check it out!:Epcot - Day 3 - My Map!

This day will begin just as the previous day did! You can choose my version or Ken's!

I choose the one where we ALL get Rocket Boots.

Either way, we WILL be at the POFQ bus stop by 7:45 am! I have great aspirations of being able to actually shake the hands of the characters when they open the park! Last year we were about 4 rows deep and could only see the tips of Mickey's ears!

I can not see her get distracted by characters on the way to Soarin'. She'd drop kick Donald if he was in the way. In Hollywood Studios last year she bolted ahead to get fast pass while I trudged with the kidlings. I stopped to let Nat meet Minnie since Nat wanted to, and Minnie was lonely in the river of people desperate to get to Toy Story Mania.

After the rope is dropped, we will join the stampede to acquire Fast Passes for Soarin'! The girls and I are all VERY eager to ride this ride! It was our second favourite of our trip last year! (TSM being the first) Hopefully we will also be able to ride it standby at that time! However, if the line to ride it Stand By is more than 20 mins, we will probably just go back later!

Last year I had, as I always do, a cup of black coffee in the morning. When we got to Epcot there was not a chance to go pee from the Monorail until we were done Soarin'. I thought I would provide a different aromatic experience to that ride. Never again.

Our third fave is Test Track and Natalie is actually excited about riding this one this time!

We tricked her by forcing her into the only exit in the ride, the car. She had a "got to go pee" panic attack right at the end of the line. Another time to leash the kids I figure.

By the way, whenever I think of Test Track, I think of this video clip. It's from the 50th anniversary of the IIHS, and it pits a 1959 Bel Air against a 2009 Malibu.

We kind of tricked her into riding it last year and as you can see in the photo below, she wasn't actually thrilled to be on it!

She didn't mind it too much once she was on it, although she didn't go back on it again.

After riding TT, I think we will probably head over to Mission: Space so Ken and Emily can do their Father/Daughter Space bonding thing! I am just not interested in doing this one - not even the green team! Not sure if Nat will be brave enough to try this one or not!

Mmmm, ride with multiple health warnings. I wish there was a "Red" option. I took it as a note of pride that I was one of the few grown ups skipping off the Orange ride saying "Can we go again!?!"

By this point we might be able to acquire more FPs so we will probably decide on TT or Soarin'! I think from here on in we will just play it by ear and see how the crowds are and do what we want. Possibilities are Living with the land, Circle of Life, Nemo, Turtle Talk, Spaceship Earth, Imagination, Universe of Energy (which was closed for refurb last year) or we might even check out Innoventions! Who knows where the day will take us?

I'm fine with a revisit to each. If Future World has a 4th dimensional flux adjuster we could revisit them ala GroundHog Day. Or a modded out DeLorean.

At some point we will stop for a bit to eat - most likely close to 11am at Sunshine Seasons! I have been so eager to try this place out. We had some treats from there last time but I want to try some of their REAL FOOD! We have an early ADR for supper so I think there is the possibility of maybe sharing some food and having a snack a bit later!

Sharing food usually means I eat the kid's stuff too.

We will probably head into the World Showcase at some point AFTER lunch, maybe around 2ish! The main focus for this day is Future World and doing all that we missed last trip!

Maybe Future World will have Rocket boots and a cyborg pets too!

We actually did very well in WS last time and saw and did quite a bit! I think that we will most likey try to see the American Adventure this day because it broke down half way through the presentation we tried to see last year.

Yes, the American show became a horror when the animatronics folk singer was effectively decapitated. I thought "How peculiar, he's singing at his shoes." Then the ride ended. Hmph.

I would really like to explore The Chinese and Canadian pavilions a bit more thoroughly and see the Chinese Acrobats and the Canadian Celtic Music show!

Hear Hear!

We have an ADR at 4:30pm for Le Cellier! I know that my dear sweet husband doesn't fully comprehend just how important this ADR really is! This was my #1 ADR choice! I am so happy that I was able to get in here! The original ADR was for a different time on a different day and then I decided to switch things up a bit and found this one ADR still available! SO HAPPY!!!

We can eat Steak here in Canada already, right?

I think that after supper we will probably be ready to head back to POFQ for some down time! The girls will probably be ready for some playground time OR if it is nice weather , maybe an early evening swim! We shall see! I think that this will be an early to bed night for all of us!

Yeah, walking Epcot is tiring. I want a segway like Gob in Arrested Development.

UP NEXT : DAY 4 - AK

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

Love the google map!!! Very nifty!!!

 

[Northern Disney Girl]

This day sounds great!!! Loads of fun!! I looooove World Showcase!!!

Me too! I could so totally arrive at Epcot at 11am, stay in World Showcase ALL DAY, watch Illuminations and still feel like I had missed something! It is definitely my second favourite "park" at WDW! (MK being 1st)

Looks like a fun day!! I think World Showcase is my favorite place to be in all of WDW! I never seem to get enough time there. Hopefully our next trip since the holiday storytellers will be there - that will interest the girls. I felt pretty lucky that they liked the Kidcot stations and getting their passports signed last time so I could spend some time in WS.

Our girls were amazingly enough pretty into the whole WS experience! They enjoyed seeing the different "countires", loved the Kidcot stops and especially the fountains! We had to visit EVERY Fountain in EVERY "country"!

Love the google map!!! Very nifty!!!

That's my sweetie - he's such a visual guy! Good job babe!

 

[Mndisneygirl]

Nice job Ken!! I would have NO clue how to do that with Google maps! I can barely read one!

Love the crack about steak in Canada!! Hope you're making that for dinner soon!

 

[bc_butterfly]

Awesome PTR you two, very funny. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading it so far and am looking forward to your next installments.

 

[Monny2AE]

Love the Epcot plans- might want to rethink the part about drop kicking Donald though. Just a thought.

 

[Northern Disney Girl]

Nice job Ken!! I would have NO clue how to do that with Google maps! I can barely read one!

Love the crack about steak in Canada!! Hope you're making that for dinner soon!

I'll let HIM deal with this comment later! In his defense though, He does do a VERY GREAT job with steak on the BBQ! Always delicious!

Awesome PTR you two, very funny. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading it so far and am looking forward to your next installments.

Thanks! And Welcome here! Glad you found your way over! How is YOUR planning going?

Love the Epcot plans- might want to rethink the part about drop kicking Donald though. Just a thought.

ME? Little ole ME? Why, I would never..... Let's just say that I can be extremely focused on what I want sometimes and good fortune to anybody who gets in between me and my goal!


Feelin' a teensy bit under the weather right now so I truly hope to have the next day's plan up before too long! Please bear with me as I cough and sneeze and blow my nose and drink hot tea and eat through a bag of cough drops!

Trust me, it will be worth the wait!

 

[Northern Disney Girl]

DAY 4 - Animal Kingdom/Downtown Disney

I don't think we will have such an early start on this day. We should be able to sleep in a bit, say to around 7:30 or so! If we don't quite make RD for AK, I don't think our day will be ruined!

The plan for this day is first to get FPs for anybody that wants to ride EE. Definitely Ken, quite probably me, maybe Emily but, again, our little monkey Nat is just a teensy bit too short. She most definitely wouldn't ride it even if she was tall enough!

Next I think we will go over to Dinoland and try out Triceratops Spin. This was closed on our last trip. The refurb was only announced a week and a half before our trip. The girls were in the know by that point and were both pretty disappointed that this one would not be available to ride. Also, I think maybe, just maybe I will have a crack at Primevil Whirl this time! Perhaps Ken will want to ride Dinosaur! but I don't think he will convince any of us to ride with him!

Our FPs for EE may have opened by now so perhaps we will do that next. After an encounter with the Yeti, I think maybe we will go and procure some FPs for the Safari ride and then hop the Train to Rafiki's Planet Watch and Conservation Station! We just did not have enough time to do this last trip. I think the girls will love it! They do love animals and trains and characters and are actually quite good at speaking to adults so I believe that they will very much enjoy the veterinary clinic!

When we arrive back in Africa I think we will head over to grab some lunch. The girls are begging for Pizzafari again but Ken and I really want to try Flame Tree BBQ. I think that Daddy + BBQ ribs is going to win this battle hands down! I guess it will also depend on the day too. I really am not one for eating outdoors so if it is a cold nasty day (heaven forbid) we may choose to eat inside where there is warmth!

After eating we will probably go have a turn on the safari and then try to catch the first afternoon showing of Festival of the Lion King! This is the ONLY show the girls have asked to see again! I don't balme them - I think it was my fave too!

At this point we will have pretty much done all that we came to do at AK. If the girls want to play at The Bone Yard for a bit that will be fine - Ken may want to try to catch another ride on EE! We will most likely try to leave the park BEFORE the parade starts! We saw it last time and enjoyed it just not super interested in seeing it again.

I think we will head back to POFQ for a bit and then catch the boat to DTD! We have an ADR @ 6:30 at Raglan Road. Ken and I are both quite excited about this one! We will probably shop around a bit before and after and let the girls play in the fountains a bit! I will definitely be making a trip to Goofy's Candy Co.! Also I read that their is a new shop opening soon - Little MissMatched! It's the 3 to a pir sock place that sells really funky socks! Gotta check that out!

We will all probably be pooped by then so back to the Resort we go to shovel ourselves into bed!

Here are some pics from our last trips to AK.....

up next: Day 5 - a full day at MK

 

[disney<333]

Love the AK plans! I think you guys are going to have a blast!!
If I don't talk to you before I leave for Disney on Saturday- I hope you have a great thanksgiving and I can't wait to hear more plans when I get back.
Barbara