A Tale of [family madness in] Two Cities - Final Thoughts & PTR Link!

[brookelizabeth]

We left off as Joe and I made our way to MK. At night. Without bags.

Kidani bus stop decorations.

See, we weren't the only goofballs headed to the park that late night!

I don't have words for how good it felt to walk in bagless. It was liberating. Camera around the neck. AP and room key in my pocket.

And while you know I love my little boy to pieces, it felt good not having to push a stroller. Real good.

I love the popcorn garland!

It was snowing on Main Street.

I had already had my share of snow, but like frozen pizza in WDW, snow is better there too! (mostly just because it's fake though...)

It was pretty. So, so pretty.

And then I heard a few cords of a very familar tune, I grabbed Joe's arm and said, "That's Spectro!"

In my planning for the trip I hadn't expected we'd get to see Wishes (in the park) or Spectro. So this was a very sweet unexpected surprise!

It was cooling off quick outside, so before we grabbed a spot we went into my beloved Casey's and purchased hot cocoa.

The best food pic EVER! I laughed as I took this in my sleep-deprived delirium. I sincerely meant to take another sans lid...but....

Nope, I walked out WITHOUT corn dog nuggets. For those of you who know me, you know I love me some corn dog nuggets and was determined this trip to get them since I missed out in September. But...I was full. But, I knew we would be back to MK, so I still had time to get the CDN.

We found a nice spot to stand, just up from Casey's. I stood in awe of the Castle

I really like the orange.

and sipped my hot cocoa and very soon Spectro started. Love this parade. The music just makes me happy!

Continued in next post

 

[brookelizabeth]

Continued from previous post

When the last float went by, we walked into the street, joined the crowd and followed it, kinda felt like we were part of the parade.

I did my best princess wave.

We followed it to Tomorrowland where we had one goal.

Space Mountain.

We zigged our way through the crowd and got to the queue.

It was out the door.

90 minutes.

Ah. No. I'm tired.

TTA?

Sure!

No wait there. We took our spin through Tomorrowland and talked about how we liked the old announcer better. This one isn't bad, it's just different. He's cheesier.

For Jordan! Please excuse the BAGS under my eyes!

Joe's mission this night was dessert. And the location of choice, Main Street Bakery.

Chocolate chocolate chip muffin

Chocolate croissant. Also known as "alkdjflkajsdlkf, drool!"

Apple turnover - Jill, I thought of you while snapping this one!

Banana bread pudding....Joe's choice!

It was yummy.

They were giving coupons away on the receipts, which I found interesting.

We slowly walked down Main Street heading for the exit.

I like this.

Continued in next post

 

[brookelizabeth]

Continued from previous post

We were exhausted. It was past midnight by this point and we were surviving on very little sleep. So, one quick dip into the Fire House, since we had never been and it happened to catch our eye that night,

and then another pit stop into City Hall

City Hall light fixture for LL

to get Joe a Guest Assistance Card. It's 12:30 am here and my brain is slowly fading...so if I explained this before, forgive me! For the new readers - Joe is legally blind, very sensitive to light (you'll see him in sunglasses a lot), and color blind. He can see and see clearly, but he sees everything teeny. Kinda like if you were looking through a telescope the wrong way. So, it's nice for him to have a GAC for the shows, so he can sit closer and see the show easier. For shows he's seen he's not quite as concerned-since he's seen the details before, and he does carry binoculars in case we don't bother with it.


After we had the GAC in hand we made our way back "home" to Kidani Village.

Of course I had to get a few more pictures before leaving!

At Kidani

The butterfly ornaments had moving wings!

In the hallway

we both rolled into bed quite quickly, grossly aware of the early time we planned to be up - 6:30 am. But in our sleepy fog no alarm was set...

Did I mention we aren't morning people? And that the king bed in the villa was huge, beautiful and really comfortable?

 

[brookelizabeth]

I don't yet have the files for our Photopass, or for my FIL or SIL's pictures and video...however, my FIL did email a few...so I'll share some up until where we are in the trip.

MIL on her first real flight!

Bye Minnesota! Bye snow!

I like his room shots - he used the flash that night, unlike us, so his pictures came out much more crisp.

Artwork in the hallway

 

[Flossbolna]

What a wonderful evening!! Once again, your pictures are just great and I love it that you take pictures of things that others (including me) don't think of. Perhaps it's me getting excited about our trip (13 days!!), but your bus picture was wonderful. It really got me in th mood of thinking that in two weeks time and another 4 hours later than now we will hopefully be sitting on our first WDW bus to take us to AK!

And I love your late night updates - which then are early morning updates for me when I read them!

 

[Charleston Princess]

I just love the Christmas decorations at both Kidani and the Magic Kingdom! So pretty!

Laughed out loud this morning over your pic of the hot chocolate! Nice lid! Where did you buy it? Was it just at a kiosk?

What a great way to start your trip with Spectro, TTA, and goodies from the Main Street Bakery.

With no alarm set, it sounds like it is up to Henry to make sure you wake up on time.

 

[MeMom]

Hearing the Spectro music starting up is a perfect way to start your trip - definitely a nice surprise!

It was interesting to see a 'snow-covered ground from airplane window' picture.

I took a picture of those Mickey vases, too. They are unique.

Your pictures are not helping my urges and efforts to make a spring break trip happen, even on a shoestring budget. I have no business (NO WAY, NO HOW!) going, and yet I have been eyeing those $94 flights daily. I talk myself out of a two day trip daily, and then I am stupid enough to come here and look at pictures like yours! It's not a good thing that I do.

After Jill gets over here and sees those apple turnovers and chocolate croissants, maybe she'll beg me to go on a two day spring break trip.

I'd have to do it, of course, because I love her so much.

It is great that you and Joe got to have such a nice start to this trip. I know that big Kidani bed felt good that night.

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Kidani looks so beautiful! I hope I can stay there someday.

Hot cocoa (love the lid!), Spectro, snow (of the fake variety) and NO BAGS, on Main St sound like the perfect way to kick off your tip!!

I am sensing some foreshadowing for the morning. A 6:30 wake-up?? My goodness that is early.

 

[jenjolt]

Spectro!! What a gorgeous parade and what amazing photos!!! I just love Spectro...I'm so glad you were able to see it!! Hmmmm...no alarm set...are we going to start taking bets on what time you guys woke up the next morning LOL!!!

Great update Brook!

 

[jenseib]

I love your spectro pics. I wish I was there right now watching it! DH says he doesn't want to to any vacation this year. The nerve of him!

 

[BrooklynnsMommy]

Starting my day at work with Spectro and an apple turnover! THanks for the happiness. Love those apple turnovers.

On a side note I tossed the idea out to MeMom last night about possibly visiting the Mall of America for a long weekend in October. We aren't one hundred percent sure yet. We have to wait and see what flights look like and that kind of thing. But we thought a girls trip up your way would be fun.

 

[KathyRN137]

Kidani bus stop decorations.

Ah! I see they finished the bus stop (they were still working on it when we were at Kidani over Halloween.) And those decorations are so beautiful... kinda makes me sorry I missed them.

(They probably started going up in the resort the week after we left!)

What a fun, romantic night at MK... with Spectro as an amazing bonus!


Kathy

 

[disneydusted]

Wonderful update, Brook! I am taken by the Spectro pictures you posted and the one that looks like 2 people that are spinning??? Very fun that you and Joe had that surprise when you went over to MK!
It is hard to stop and realize that the grandmother wants to be helpful and she wants to do all of those little things... it was a new idea to me when I went through that too.
That chocolate croissant is the best!!! We ate them everyday! Walking the miles and miles around the parks I figured it was ok!

 

[Charlefours]

wonderful updates! gorgeous pictures as usually. Looking forward to the next chapter...

 

[MHTeacher]

Great update---I'd been waiting to hear about your's and Joe's visit to the MK while "Henry-less" for the evening. Sounds like you had fun.

Beautiful pictures...I LOVE those butterfly ornaments with the moving wings.

 

[brookelizabeth]

What a wonderful evening!! Once again, your pictures are just great and I love it that you take pictures of things that others (including me) don't think of. Perhaps it's me getting excited about our trip (13 days!!), but your bus picture was wonderful. It really got me in th mood of thinking that in two weeks time and another 4 hours later than now we will hopefully be sitting on our first WDW bus to take us to AK!

And I love your late night updates - which then are early morning updates for me when I read them!

13 days!!!!! where did the time go?!

Thank you for the compliment on the pictures! It's kinda fun to find things we don't yet have pictures of--like the inside of buses. And there is something about that picture that makes me wistful for a trip (even though we just returned ). It's such a familiar sight that you KNOW you are in Disney World when you see it, yet not photographed often.

Even with trying to find things we don't have pictures of yet, I still managed to snap at least 100 of the Castle.

I just love the Christmas decorations at both Kidani and the Magic Kingdom! So pretty!

Laughed out loud this morning over your pic of the hot chocolate! Nice lid! Where did you buy it? Was it just at a kiosk?

What a great way to start your trip with Spectro, TTA, and goodies from the Main Street Bakery.

With no alarm set, it sounds like it is up to Henry to make sure you wake up on time.

The Christmas decorations were beautiful! I loved them at MK - it just created the lovely atmosphere...snow falling, the lights...so so pretty!

Nice shot of the food, eh?! It was purchased at Casey's.

It really was a wonderful way to start the trip, MK to see the Castle, Spectro a ride and FOOD. I was smiling when I fell asleep that night!

We'll see if Henry does his job.......

Hearing the Spectro music starting up is a perfect way to start your trip - definitely a nice surprise!

It was interesting to see a 'snow-covered ground from airplane window' picture.

I took a picture of those Mickey vases, too. They are unique.

Your pictures are not helping my urges and efforts to make a spring break trip happen, even on a shoestring budget. I have no business (NO WAY, NO HOW!) going, and yet I have been eyeing those $94 flights daily. I talk myself out of a two day trip daily, and then I am stupid enough to come here and look at pictures like yours! It's not a good thing that I do.

After Jill gets over here and sees those apple turnovers and chocolate croissants, maybe she'll beg me to go on a two day spring break trip.

I'd have to do it, of course, because I love her so much.

It is great that you and Joe got to have such a nice start to this trip. I know that big Kidani bed felt good that night.

I cannot even tell you how many trips I have priced since we've been home. The Disney blues have hit me really, really hard this time. And I have a girlfriend asking about a "girls trip". Last night I priced Pop Century for 5 nights, with food, tickets and a flight it would probably cost us each around $1,000 still (my AP expires in 6 days ). $1,000 just isn't feasible for us right now since we are trying to put all extra money toward the house so we can sell it. And we don't have enough points left for this year for 2 trips...unless we chomp big time into next years...which we don't want to do.

So.........I feel your pain! I keep telling myself I can wait, I can wait. And I know I can. It just won't be easy!

Of course you would have to go on a Spring Break trip if Jill begs. A Mother's work is so difficult sometimes, isn't it? (If it helps I can go post the pictures on your thread....)

 

[brookelizabeth]

Kidani looks so beautiful! I hope I can stay there someday.

Hot cocoa (love the lid!), Spectro, snow (of the fake variety) and NO BAGS, on Main St sound like the perfect way to kick off your tip!!

I am sensing some foreshadowing for the morning. A 6:30 wake-up?? My goodness that is early.

It really is a beautiful resort! The lobby is stunning, and cozy feeling, which I really like. Lots of warm colors and big plush furniture. Plus, the animals.

Our trip to MK really was a wonderful way to start the trip! We enjoyed being together, just he and I, no bags...and I have to say the Nestle hot cocoa is much better than their Nescafe Coffee!

6:30 is insane for us. Even at home we don't get up that early! But, I was determined to get a wheelchair and a FP for TSM.....

Spectro!! What a gorgeous parade and what amazing photos!!! I just love Spectro...I'm so glad you were able to see it!! Hmmmm...no alarm set...are we going to start taking bets on what time you guys woke up the next morning LOL!!!

Great update Brook!

Thanks Jen! I love Spectro too. Love the floats, love the lights, love the music! It's so unique and beautiful.

I think taking bets might be a fun idea...what is your guess?!

I love your spectro pics. I wish I was there right now watching it! DH says he doesn't want to to any vacation this year. The nerve of him!

I call a Girls Trip!

Starting my day at work with Spectro and an apple turnover! THanks for the happiness. Love those apple turnovers.

On a side note I tossed the idea out to MeMom last night about possibly visiting the Mall of America for a long weekend in October. We aren't one hundred percent sure yet. We have to wait and see what flights look like and that kind of thing. But we thought a girls trip up your way would be fun.

Ah! You made it over here already to spy out those turnovers! (Are you begging MeMom for a trip yet?)

That sounds WONDERFUL about a trip up here to the Mall of America! October can be a bit iffy on the weather, sometimes it's beautiful and sometimes it's cold. Early October is probably best, then you can see the fall leaves as well, which are stunning! Keep me posted if things start to pan out!!

Ah! I see they finished the bus stop (they were still working on it when we were at Kidani over Halloween.) And those decorations are so beautiful... kinda makes me sorry I missed them.

(They probably started going up in the resort the week after we left!)

What a fun, romantic night at MK... with Spectro as an amazing bonus!


Kathy

Back in September when we quickly toured Kidani we were left off at that bus stop, so I wonder what they had to finish in October? Hmmm...who knows! They are really kinda neat, like little huts.

The decorations were very pretty - we've never seen the parks and resorts fully decorated either. When we went in mid-November last year they had just started to put some up in the parks.

Wonderful update, Brook! I am taken by the Spectro pictures you posted and the one that looks like 2 people that are spinning??? Very fun that you and Joe had that surprise when you went over to MK!
It is hard to stop and realize that the grandmother wants to be helpful and she wants to do all of those little things... it was a new idea to me when I went through that too.
That chocolate croissant is the best!!! We ate them everyday! Walking the miles and miles around the parks I figured it was ok!

Yep! Those are 2 people spinning, the fairies with the big glowing wings. They were spinning down Main Street and it looked really neat - I'm glad my camera picked up on it the way it did!

I wasn't hungry at ALL when we were at the Bakery, but that chocolate croissant was still calling my name. I almost stuffed it in!

And don't worry about the calories...Disney food has none!

wonderful updates! gorgeous pictures as usually. Looking forward to the next chapter...

Great update---I'd been waiting so hear about your's and Joe's visit to the MK while "Henry-less" for the evening. Sounds like you had fun.

Beautiful pictures...I LOVE those butterfly ornaments with the moving wings.

It really was a very fun night! It was lovely to walk around without pushing the stroller. We felt a tad guilty, but Henry is also two, so he doesn't quite know what he's missing.....YET! I'm sure that will change very soon.

Aren't those butterfly ornaments incredible?!

 

[SoonerGirl]

Great pictures as usual Brook! I love the one from Spectro of Chip & Dale where you see their reflection in the mirror - very cute! Can you believe I've still never seen that parade

I'm guessing that you did NOT make the 6:30am wake up time....

 

[TravelBug86]

Wow, I totally did the EXACT SAME THING on my first night! Went to the MK for Space Mountain only.. line was 80mins so we did the Haunted Mansion and then stopped at the Main St. Bakery on the way out- I even had the chocolate croissant you pictured Scary, huh?!

Hi, Henry!!!

 

[moparop]

What an awesome first night! Catching Spectro on the fly with your honey-- you can't beat that! Whenever I look at your photos it makes me want to get my camera out and play some more. Certain things I feel very confident with - others, not so much!