A Tale of 3 Duffys - a March 2011 TR - update 8/11: Finished!

[ksl5f123]

Once upon a time in a kingdom way too far away from Walt Disney World, a family embarked on an adventure. You might think they were going to see some princesses or maybe meet my friend Mickey Mouse, but, no, not on this great voyage. This trip was all about me – Duffy the Disney Bear. Let me introduce you to our travelers:

First, there is the mama bear, Karen

She is the organizer in the bunch and brought the first Duffy into the family. Her favorite rides are Kali River Rapids, Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin, and Soarin'. She avoids anything that moves faster than she can walk. This was her 12th trip to WDW.

Next there is papa bear:

He has been to WDW more times than he can count. He loves Space Mountain and will generally ride anything but the teacups. He is happy that one of the cubs now enjoys BTMRR so he has someone to ride faster rides with him. He rolls his eyes at mama bear's obsessive need to plan things, but loves how easy things work with a good touring plan.

The eldest cub – age 7 – and owner of Mexican Duffy

This was her 6th trip to WDW. She has unbounded energy. Her favorite rides are Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Kali, and Toy Story Midway Mania.

The middle cub who we will call the princess cub – age 5 – and owner of Chinese Duffy

This was her 5th trip to WDW. She is the consummate princess. She could care less about riding anything and was totally focused on meeting Rapunzel. She does love Soarin' and Spaceship Earth.

The youngest cub – age 2 – and owner of Buzz Duffy

This was his 3nd trip to WDW. He is a busy little guy who was in the midst of potty training on this trip. He loves Lightning McQueen and Buzz Lightyear. He found many of the rides a little scary, but really loved meeting all of my friends.

Along the way, our merry band of travelers met up with:
Grandma Bear

and Grandpa Bear

Now, just in case you thought that I was just changing clothes in the pictures with the cubs, here is one more:

Up next, departure day!

Chapter 1: The adventure begins...
Chapter 2: Mommy, I makin' pee-pees
Chapter 3: We missed the exit!
Chapter 4: The return of princess hair
Chapter 5: Wake up! Now, go take a nap
Chapter 6: Scary Dinosaurs
Chapter 7: Digging up bones
Chapter 8: Mommy, I win! I'm the wettest!
Chapter 9: Duffy Revealed
Chapter 10: Take a picture of my toes
Chapter 11: Duffys multiplied
Chapter 12: A race to the Magic Kingdom
Chapter 13: What? No purple!?!
Chapter 14: Time to dance!
Chapter 15: 8 Rides in 2 hours
Chapter 16: Come back, Eeyore!
Chapter 17: Crazy line cutting
Chapter 18: Finally liking a ride
Chapter 19: Will we ever get to Epcot?
Chapter 20: Ducks, bears, and butterflies
Chapter 21: I'm on your hairbow!
Chapter 22: Meeting our narrator!
Chapter 23: I like the white buildings better.
Chapter 24: Toy Story Mania
Chapter 25: A DHS character hunt
Chapter 26: A plan thwarted
Chapter 27: The final meal
Chapter 28: Final thoughts

 

[lexmas]

I'm here! You said you would probably come home with three duffy's next time you went! You weren't kidding! Can't wait to read more!

 

[pinkxray]

I just saw your link. I couldn't believe I missed the beginning I noticed you started it in the middle of the night. No chance of being first when you start past my bedtime, you know.

Anyway, can't wait to hear all about it.

 

[ksl5f123]

I'm here! You said you would probably come home with three duffy's next time you went! You weren't kidding! Can't wait to read more!

Yep, we are a very Duffy family. and congrats on being the first reader!

 

[ksl5f123]

I just saw your link. I couldn't believe I missed the beginning I noticed you started it in the middle of the night. No chance of being first when you start past my bedtime, you know.

Anyway, can't wait to hear all about it.

I think 2nd is very good! I have to post in the middle of the night, my kids keep me busy the rest of the day.

 

[ksl5f123]

Our voyage begins on the afternoon of Friday, March 19. The two eldest cubs had school that morning. Mama bear spent the morning buying some last minute supplies and getting everything ready to load into the minivan. Here is the princess cub's Duffy ready to go:

The princess cub is in preschool and her day ends at 11:30 so papa bear checked the eldest cub out of 2nd grade at that time and picked up some lunch from McDonald's. While the cubs ate, mama bear and papa bear loaded the minivan and by 1:20 PM our adventures began!

By 4 PM, we were crossing the Mississippi River. Mama bear noted that the river was very full – probably the highest they had seen in years.

By 5 PM, the cubs were hungry. Somewhere in northern Mississippi, the family stopped at a cute restaurant called Old Venice Pizzeria. There were a lot of people sitting outside eating, but it was pretty empty inside. Mama and papa bear ordered Caesar salads and margherita pizza. The salad's were fine although slightly over-dressed (an unfortunately common problem in mama bear's opinion). The margherita pizza tasted fine, but was not authentic at all. Basically it was cheese pizza with tomato slices and a little shredded basil. Oh well. The cubs had chicken tenders, mac & cheese, and cheese pizza. After a refueling stop, the family was again on its way reaching the Alabama state line by 7:15 PM.

At 9 PM, the family arrived at their den for the evening. Mama bear tried something new and booked a hotel using hotwire.com. For $62, our travelers spent the night in the Hyatt Place in Hoover, Alabama (a neighborhood of Birmingham). They had two nice double beds and a sectional sofa that the two older cubs used as their bed for the night. It also had a full size desk, a flat screen tv with every imaginable kind of port on the side, and a little kitchenette. The youngest cub has a really hard time settling down - especially in a new place. He spent an hour or so bouncing from one bed to the other before finally drifting off to sleep.

Mama bear's comments: All in all, it was a good day. Leaving in the afternoon rather than the early morning was challenging because we always felt like we were “behind”. The kids also asked “Are we there yet?” a lot more than they usually do. DS2 did really well with the potty stops. We only stopped a couple of times, but he stayed dry all of the time. He did choose to go about 4 times at the restaurant, but that is mostly because he is fascinated with flushing toilets. It was nice to have a room reserved in advance because we knew we would have a stopping point. We had a goal. Once we arrived, it really paid off because we had an absolutely beautiful room.

Up next, driving day 2!

 

[lexmas]

I am impressed that all 3 of your kids tolerate driving so well! Plus, making all those potty stops is great!

What a great price on a hotel room! It sounds like it was a beautiful one as well!

We're thinking about driving down in the fall, but that 24 hour drive time is intimidating.

Can't wait to hear about day 2!

 

[TinksThree]

Hooray!!! I'm here but just subbing...will come back later and catch up! Can't wait for the details!!!

 

[ksl5f123]

I am impressed that all 3 of your kids tolerate driving so well! Plus, making all those potty stops is great!

What a great price on a hotel room! It sounds like it was a beautiful one as well!

We're thinking about driving down in the fall, but that 24 hour drive time is intimidating.

Can't wait to hear about day 2!

They do really well. Although I have to admit it got a lot easier when they got TVs and DVD players.

It was one of the best hotel rooms we have stayed in in a long time. It was really big and beautiful. I couldn't believe the price. I guess there isn't that much demand in Alabama in March.

24 hours is a LONG drive! My kids really start to max out at 10 hours on the road, so that would either mean pushing them to their limits (slightly beyond) for 2 days in a row or taking 2.5 days. Yikes!

 

[ksl5f123]

Hooray!!! I'm here but just subbing...will come back later and catch up! Can't wait for the details!!!

Yeah! You are here!! I was hoping you would find me.

 

[ksl5f123]

Saturday March 20 dawned bright and cool in central Alabama. Our family awoke at 7 AM which is actually “sleeping in” as they usually arise at 6:30 to get the cubs off to school. After getting dressed, they headed downstairs for the complimentary breakfast. Everyone enjoyed the yogurt, fruit, toast, and juice that awaited them although papa bear missed the hot breakfast options that other hotel chains offer.

By 8 AM, they were checked out of the hotel and making a dash to the minivan. Mama bear had packed shorts for the cubs in anticipation of Florida weather and let's just say the girls were a little chilly! Departure occurred at 8:16 AM. Upon leaving Birmingham, they family was met immediately by construction on I-65 that lasted for about 10 miles. It slowed them down a little, by they still made it to Montgomery by 9:32 AM.

Their first stop of the day was at a McDonald's in Ozark, Alabama. Mama bear had planned to have lunch in Dothan, Alabama, but at 10:50 AM the youngest cub said, “Mommy, I makin' pee-pees” which is code for “Find a place to stop because I need to go to the bathroom.” Just then, a McDonald's with an outdoor play area appeared on the left and mama bear and papa bear took the hint. After a potty stop for everyone, mama bear took the cubs outside to play while papa bear got lunch for himself and mama bear. They ate while the cubs played. When they were done, papa bear bought food for the cubs while mama bear got them back in the minivan. Then the cubs ate while the drive continued. It worked perfectly.

By 12:33, the family crossed the state line and entered Florida. They then entered the Eastern time zone at 1:19 PM suddenly transitioning to 2:19 PM. The youngest cub requested more potty stops in Tallahassee at 2:50 PM and in Gainesville at 5:03 PM. Mama bear and papa bear now had a decision to make: Do they get on the turnpike, drive to Orlando, and try to get seated at a Downtown Disney restaurant on a Saturday night without a reservation or do they stop at the next reasonable looking place before getting on the turnpike? What do you think they did?

 

[Jazzabelle508]

I'm in I love how you are telling the story from duffy's point of view. it is a fresh take on everything.

 

[TinksThree]

It sounds like your travels down to Orlando were pretty uneventful....a good thing in my book!!

hmmmm...wonder where you choose to eat?!?!

 

[lexmas]

Sounds like a fast and uneventful trip! I think you stopped sooner rather than later, because you seem reasonable. We, however, would have gone straight to DTD, because we would be so close we could smell it, and we would be unable to be rational!

 

[ksl5f123]

I'm in I love how you are telling the story from duffy's point of view. it is a fresh take on everything.

Thank you! I am glad that somebody is enjoying it.

Welcome!

 

[ksl5f123]

It sounds like your travels down to Orlando were pretty uneventful....a good thing in my book!!

hmmmm...wonder where you choose to eat?!?!

It was pretty straightforward - although long and tiring.

Where to eat....why is it always such a difficult choice?

 

[ksl5f123]

Sounds like a fast and uneventful trip! I think you stopped sooner rather than later, because you seem reasonable. We, however, would have gone straight to DTD, because we would be so close we could smell it, and we would be unable to be rational!

Thank you for playing along. You guess well....

 

[ksl5f123]

As guessed correctly by lexmas, our family stopped in Ocala (the last city before the turnpike) and ate at a Bob Evans. It was a tough call, but it was getting late and the cubs don't like to be hungry. So, papa bear made the reasonable choice. Now, mama bear being from Ohio (and not having Bob Evans in the state where they currently live) was very happy with this choice. She got the exact same thing she had been ordering at Bob Evans for the past 30 years – the one piece chicken dinner with green beans and mashed potatoes with the brown gravy. Papa bear had the potato crusted flounder which he really enjoys. Mama and Papa bear both LOVE the children's menu at Bob Evans – so many choices and REAL food! Macaroni & cheese with a side of steamed broccoli, a grilled cheese sandwich with a fresh fruit cup, and chicken strips with applesauce were eaten and shared by the cubs.

Now, mama bear did have one small problem – they didn't bring the bread. For the past 30 years, mama bear has always gotten one roll and one biscuit. The roll is eaten with the meal, and the biscuit is split in half, drizzled with honey, and eaten with a fork for dessert (YUM – that sounds like something that can make a bear VERY happy! ) But, no, there was no bread of any sort delivered to the table. Oh, and the youngest cub dropped his Sprite causing the styrofoam cup to explode and stickiness to fly everywhere. Maybe the lack of bread was our punishment for flying sticky soda?

Oh well, back to the road. Our family reached the Florida turnpike at 7:22 PM and they were making pretty good time. The plan was to reach Orlando by 8 PM and they got to the proper turnpike exit at 7:56 PM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . and …
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
drove right past. No, it wasn't a mistake or an oversight. It was part of the plan. You see, first our family had to go on to Vero Beach to meet up with Grandma and Grandpa bear (who live in Vero).

The drive from Orlando to Vero, while actually not that long felt like an eternity. Everyone wanted to be done in the car. By the time they reached their destination, they had been on the road for 13 hours (and anything past 10 doesn't go well with the cubs). But, alas, at 9:45 PM our family reached their den for the next two days. Only the essentials were unloaded into the condo that night. The cubs had a snack and headed off to bed. Mama bear and Papa bear had a glass of wine and called it a night.

The next two days were spent relaxing at the pool and the beach and the beach and the pool.

Up next, the return of princess hair!

 

[pinkxray]

Wow, you make Bob Evans sound so good. I have never been there. We might have to check it out next time we are near one.

Two days at the beach sounds like a great way to start a vacation.

 

[lexmas]

See, I knew you were reasonable! Bob Evans sounds yummy. We have some around here...maybe I'll have to try them out!

I would cry driving by the exit! Big, sobbing tears!

I can't wait for the return of princess hair!!!