Turkey Lurkey
DIS Dad #551 - All Lurkey, All Turkey
- Joined
- Sep 9, 2010
Episode 2: Which Way to the Akershus? NORWAY! (Original Air Date: Sunday, January 23, 2011)
"There'll be no escape for the princess this time." -- C-3P0
I know, I know, two C-3PO quotes in a row? Have I already run the well dry? NO I HAVE NOT, YOU SHUT YOUR MOUTH!
...
Sorry about that. Where was I? Oh, right, trip report.
So I soon figured out why we were out in the boondocks of ASMu, there was a group of students there, a group called Forza, and they apparently filled up every single other room in the place. And they liked to run. A lot. In the middle of the night. Between that and the excitement of the upcoming week, sleep did not come easy that night. But sleep did come, as did morning. YAY MORNING!
We had ADRs for 8:15am for the Akershus. When DW and I went to WDW in '04, I surprised her with breakfast there on our 1st day, because Aurora is her favorite princess, and at the time, the Akershus Breakfast was considered "her meal". What better way to start this new trip than with the same breakfast. (A note about that other visit. When Aurora got around to our table, DW burst out crying and hugged the princess as fiercely as any 5 year old girl. Aurora looked rather startled by this, and looked at me with fear in her eyes that said, "Save me from this madwoman!" I just smiled and said, "You're her favorite." Resigned to her fate, Aurora nodded and got back into character.)
DW had no problem getting up, but DD was a little groggy. But we got her going enough that we got her in her Snow White dress and I carried her down to the bus stop.
"Daddy, get that camera out of my face! It's too darn early for that beverly."
A note about the dress. DD wanted to dress up as Snow White for Halloween last year. DW is friends with a seamstress that has done costumes for Broadway and Vegas, and owed DW some favors, so she offered to create the dress for us . As we planned out Disney Trip, we had decided that DD should wear the dress to the park. When DW's friend found out, she felt she needed to go all out. We think she did pretty darn good.
We waited a while for the bus, and were joined shortly by three old ladies that also had ADRs for the Akershus. To say they were a little put off by the lateness of the bus would be an understatement. They were like the Golden Girls, only there were three of them, and they were all Sophia. It made made the bus ride to EPCOT feel like an eternity. How I wished one of them was a Rose.
Despite the Ladies' worries, we made it to EPCOT with plenty of time to spare...to wait at the turnstiles some more. They did finally let us in and we made a beeline back to Norway...while the three old ladies headed for guest services. Guess they weren't in such a big hurry to make their breakfast afterall.
As we got closer to the Akershus, my pace quickened. It was our first day in the parks, and this would be DD's first character meet. I heard a shout behind me, DW was practically jogging to keep up with me and DD. I slowed just as we crossed the border into Norway. We were the second family there and basically walked right in.
And there she was, Belle of Beauty & the Beast fame. DD's eyes grew wide, Belle commented on her pretty dress, and ZOOM! behind me she went. This did not bode well. Of all the characters, I figured she would have the easiest time with the Princesses. No amount of cajoling could convince her to come out from behind me and talk to Belle or get her picture taken. The Photopass Photographer said not to worry, happens all the time, and handed us a slip and said to come back if DD warms up to the characters and she'd get us in right away.
We thanked her and were taken to our seats. We hit up the cold bar and quickly received our drinks and hot breakfast plates. The usual fare, eggs, bacon, sausage, the cheesy potatoes. OMG THE CHEESY POTATOES!!! I LEEEEERRRRRRRVE them cheesy potatoes (the secondary reason I wanted to go to the Akershus). I am from Wisconsin after all.
It wasn't long before the door near us opened....
"Hey...whazzat over there?"
It was her 2nd character DD ever met, and DW's favorite...Aurora. Now that we were seated, we were able to get out DD's princess poster which we intended to get autographed and hang on DD's bedroom wall (and let me tell you, finding a poster with all the princesses on, including Tiana, would have baffled Indiana Jones). This, we discovered, was the key to overcoming DD's shyness (I would recommend it to anyone with shy kids). She had a task to accomplish. As long as she had to get her poster/autograph book signed, she was okay with approaching any of the characters. After that, it was pretty much a carpshoot to see if she would stick around for pictures. As Aurora approached, DD eagerly whipped out the poster and marker for the princess to sign. DD still wasn't too keen on getting her picture taken yet, but I could tell DW was....
"Be grateful she's not squeezing you within an inch of your life!"
Next out was Cinderella. DD still was not all that interested.
"Sorry, you're commercially overexposed, I'm not impressed."
Then came the moment DW was waiting for. Snow White arrived. DD's eyes got wider yet. Finally, she was getting excited, and was more than happy to get a picture with the princess.
But of course she wouldn't put on her bow for the twin shot. Alas.
Looking at this picture, I realize that DD's dress was more movie acurate than the actual character's dress. HA! Snow stayed and chatted a bit, of course remarking on the dress, and all too soon, she was on her way. But that's okay, because that made room for DD's other favorite princess, Ariel. She spotted the finless fish lady come out of the door and started panicing. "What's the matter?" "My glasses! My glasses! I have to show Ariel my glasses!" Of course, her new sunglasses. So daddy came to the rescue and pulled them out of the back pack just in time.
"Say, do you have a spare dinglehopper?"
Ariel was pleased with DD's "goggles", but was absolutely blown away by the dress. Ariel stayed with us longer than any of the other princesses, and when it came time for the princess parade, she came from the other side of the restaurant to take DD by the hand and lead her around the parade route. You could have knocked both DD and DW over with a feather, they were on cloud nine. Ariel instantly shoved Snow White out of top spot in DD's list of favorites and DW talked about that the rest of the trip. I wish I had a chance to shake Ariel's hand and let her know how much that meant to us. If she or anyone who knows her is reading this, you're/she's AWESOME!
Now DD was in a Princess mood, and we asked her if she'd want to go meet with Belle now. A quick nod and DW took her off to Belle meeting attempt #2 as I helped myself to more cheesy potatoes. This time it worked out and they got a great picture. I'm so glad they did, because it's an awfully cute picture (and one we were stoked to receive "free").
The picture so nice I posted it twice...in this thread.
With princesses met, autographs and pictures obtained, bellies full, and assurances that, no, I could not have a pan of cheesy potatoes for the road, we were off to our first day in the park!
Next time on A Very Turkey Trip Report: More EPCOT!
"There'll be no escape for the princess this time." -- C-3P0
I know, I know, two C-3PO quotes in a row? Have I already run the well dry? NO I HAVE NOT, YOU SHUT YOUR MOUTH!
...
Sorry about that. Where was I? Oh, right, trip report.
So I soon figured out why we were out in the boondocks of ASMu, there was a group of students there, a group called Forza, and they apparently filled up every single other room in the place. And they liked to run. A lot. In the middle of the night. Between that and the excitement of the upcoming week, sleep did not come easy that night. But sleep did come, as did morning. YAY MORNING!
We had ADRs for 8:15am for the Akershus. When DW and I went to WDW in '04, I surprised her with breakfast there on our 1st day, because Aurora is her favorite princess, and at the time, the Akershus Breakfast was considered "her meal". What better way to start this new trip than with the same breakfast. (A note about that other visit. When Aurora got around to our table, DW burst out crying and hugged the princess as fiercely as any 5 year old girl. Aurora looked rather startled by this, and looked at me with fear in her eyes that said, "Save me from this madwoman!" I just smiled and said, "You're her favorite." Resigned to her fate, Aurora nodded and got back into character.)
DW had no problem getting up, but DD was a little groggy. But we got her going enough that we got her in her Snow White dress and I carried her down to the bus stop.
"Daddy, get that camera out of my face! It's too darn early for that beverly."
A note about the dress. DD wanted to dress up as Snow White for Halloween last year. DW is friends with a seamstress that has done costumes for Broadway and Vegas, and owed DW some favors, so she offered to create the dress for us . As we planned out Disney Trip, we had decided that DD should wear the dress to the park. When DW's friend found out, she felt she needed to go all out. We think she did pretty darn good.
We waited a while for the bus, and were joined shortly by three old ladies that also had ADRs for the Akershus. To say they were a little put off by the lateness of the bus would be an understatement. They were like the Golden Girls, only there were three of them, and they were all Sophia. It made made the bus ride to EPCOT feel like an eternity. How I wished one of them was a Rose.
Despite the Ladies' worries, we made it to EPCOT with plenty of time to spare...to wait at the turnstiles some more. They did finally let us in and we made a beeline back to Norway...while the three old ladies headed for guest services. Guess they weren't in such a big hurry to make their breakfast afterall.
As we got closer to the Akershus, my pace quickened. It was our first day in the parks, and this would be DD's first character meet. I heard a shout behind me, DW was practically jogging to keep up with me and DD. I slowed just as we crossed the border into Norway. We were the second family there and basically walked right in.
And there she was, Belle of Beauty & the Beast fame. DD's eyes grew wide, Belle commented on her pretty dress, and ZOOM! behind me she went. This did not bode well. Of all the characters, I figured she would have the easiest time with the Princesses. No amount of cajoling could convince her to come out from behind me and talk to Belle or get her picture taken. The Photopass Photographer said not to worry, happens all the time, and handed us a slip and said to come back if DD warms up to the characters and she'd get us in right away.
We thanked her and were taken to our seats. We hit up the cold bar and quickly received our drinks and hot breakfast plates. The usual fare, eggs, bacon, sausage, the cheesy potatoes. OMG THE CHEESY POTATOES!!! I LEEEEERRRRRRRVE them cheesy potatoes (the secondary reason I wanted to go to the Akershus). I am from Wisconsin after all.
It wasn't long before the door near us opened....
"Hey...whazzat over there?"
It was her 2nd character DD ever met, and DW's favorite...Aurora. Now that we were seated, we were able to get out DD's princess poster which we intended to get autographed and hang on DD's bedroom wall (and let me tell you, finding a poster with all the princesses on, including Tiana, would have baffled Indiana Jones). This, we discovered, was the key to overcoming DD's shyness (I would recommend it to anyone with shy kids). She had a task to accomplish. As long as she had to get her poster/autograph book signed, she was okay with approaching any of the characters. After that, it was pretty much a carpshoot to see if she would stick around for pictures. As Aurora approached, DD eagerly whipped out the poster and marker for the princess to sign. DD still wasn't too keen on getting her picture taken yet, but I could tell DW was....
"Be grateful she's not squeezing you within an inch of your life!"
Next out was Cinderella. DD still was not all that interested.
"Sorry, you're commercially overexposed, I'm not impressed."
Then came the moment DW was waiting for. Snow White arrived. DD's eyes got wider yet. Finally, she was getting excited, and was more than happy to get a picture with the princess.
But of course she wouldn't put on her bow for the twin shot. Alas.
Looking at this picture, I realize that DD's dress was more movie acurate than the actual character's dress. HA! Snow stayed and chatted a bit, of course remarking on the dress, and all too soon, she was on her way. But that's okay, because that made room for DD's other favorite princess, Ariel. She spotted the finless fish lady come out of the door and started panicing. "What's the matter?" "My glasses! My glasses! I have to show Ariel my glasses!" Of course, her new sunglasses. So daddy came to the rescue and pulled them out of the back pack just in time.
"Say, do you have a spare dinglehopper?"
Ariel was pleased with DD's "goggles", but was absolutely blown away by the dress. Ariel stayed with us longer than any of the other princesses, and when it came time for the princess parade, she came from the other side of the restaurant to take DD by the hand and lead her around the parade route. You could have knocked both DD and DW over with a feather, they were on cloud nine. Ariel instantly shoved Snow White out of top spot in DD's list of favorites and DW talked about that the rest of the trip. I wish I had a chance to shake Ariel's hand and let her know how much that meant to us. If she or anyone who knows her is reading this, you're/she's AWESOME!
Now DD was in a Princess mood, and we asked her if she'd want to go meet with Belle now. A quick nod and DW took her off to Belle meeting attempt #2 as I helped myself to more cheesy potatoes. This time it worked out and they got a great picture. I'm so glad they did, because it's an awfully cute picture (and one we were stoked to receive "free").
The picture so nice I posted it twice...in this thread.
With princesses met, autographs and pictures obtained, bellies full, and assurances that, no, I could not have a pan of cheesy potatoes for the road, we were off to our first day in the park!
Next time on A Very Turkey Trip Report: More EPCOT!
group of students are those dreaded Brazilian tour groups. We dodged them as much as possible. 
