Adventures of a DisneyWORLDholic! Updated1/24 I was an unofficial WDW tour guide.

[JPFamilyMom]

Jack stopped what he was doing to come over and see all the lego pictures. Thanks for sharing all that with us. Guess I'll be making a trip to that lego store next year

 

[dismagiclover]

The Star Wars stuff looks just awesome! My boys would be in heaven with all of those Star Wars Legos. I'm like you. I would have spent all my money at the Disney booth even if it was a Star Wars convention

 

[carissanboys]

What an amazing event! Wonderful pictures, Melissa. My boys would have LOVED the Legos! That was a neat chess board.

Thanks for sharing with us!

 

[Finkelstein's Hubby]

Hi Melissa

Finally made it here after your prompting on FB. Read through every page and the stories and pics are brilliant.....but the Star Wars stuff is brilliant. Di has been saying no every few seconds as I pointed out more lego stuff I want, never mind I am getting a Slave 1 regardless at DTD As I have already indicated I thought the Jabba pic was your best image yet

Di will be reading and commenting under her own steam soon but your posts have raised my anticipation for our jaunt across the pond in October to fever pitch and I look forward to the rest of your posts for the next few weeks.

Gordon

 

[jmskinner]

WOW!!!! That was so very cool! It is fun to see how commited people get to this. The Lego stuff was incredible! I think the Star Wars sets are my boys favorite kind.

In November, I am chairing my 4th PTA Mother-Son dance. This year's theme is 2010: A Space Odyssey. I will have to carefully look through your photos to see if I can come up with costume ideas. Maybe Ben can be Jabba and I could be one of the slave girls. NOT!

Thanks so much for sharing this wonderful event with us!

I enjoyed sharing it with everyone. Thank you for reading. There are all kinds of characters the two of you could dress up as. Sounds like a cool theme for a Mother/Son dance.

Hi! SOOO enjoyed your Celebration V posts! My son & I were supposed to be there, but my elderly Mom fell & broke her hip & we couldn't leave her alone. So we're trying to live vicariously through others' experiences. Glad you had a good time!

The model ship you ask about above - I think it was post 111 - is a Trident starfighter, the kind used by Asajj Ventress & the Seperatists. It has it's solar fins folded up.

We especially wanted to go to Last Tour to Endor. We've been hearing some great things. Anyone here attend? I vote that they add this party to Star Wars Weekends! I'd love to hear about the Star Wars fireworks display!

I hope your Mother is healing well, so sorry to hear you couldn't make the trip. Thanks for the info on that ship. You can see the fireworks from the Star Wars party on Youtube. Along with a clip of George Lucas being seated at the Indy/SW show. I would have had to reach out and touch him, see of some that magic rubs off on me. Very smart man!

Jack stopped what he was doing to come over and see all the lego pictures. Thanks for sharing all that with us. Guess I'll be making a trip to that lego store next year

Your welcome. Glad Jacob enjoyed the pics. I would say all little ones need to go to the Lego store, but I guess it is everyone needs to go check it out. Think I will email the group that built all that to see if Jacob could join them.

The Star Wars stuff looks just awesome! My boys would be in heaven with all of those Star Wars Legos. I'm like you. I would have spent all my money at the Disney booth even if it was a Star Wars convention

It really was a fun event to attend. I was happy just walking around looking at all the people.

What an amazing event! Wonderful pictures, Melissa. My boys would have LOVED the Legos! That was a neat chess board.

Thanks for sharing with us!

Your welcome! I think I need to forward these comments to the group that built all of those Lego's, they seemed to have stolen the show.

Hi Melissa

Finally made it here after your prompting on FB. Read through every page and the stories and pics are brilliant.....but the Star Wars stuff is brilliant. Di has been saying no every few seconds as I pointed out more lego stuff I want, never mind I am getting a Slave 1 regardless at DTD As I have already indicated I thought the Jabba pic was your best image yet

Di will be reading and commenting under her own steam soon but your posts have raised my anticipation for our jaunt across the pond in October to fever pitch and I look forward to the rest of your posts for the next few weeks.

Gordon

Glad you signed on, hope to see Di out here soon, but I understand she was enjoying a nice fire. Hopefully, there will be a chapter with ya'll in it. Hope to meet you during your trip. Just right around the corner. How many empty suit cases are you packing for all the Lego stuff?

Jonas liked that Jabba pic himself. One Slave Leia was on a Speeder at one point and Jonas tried to get a pic, but some guy stepped in his way.

 

[jmskinner]

Oops, double post.

 

[Mickey's Sister]

I hope your Mother is healing well, so sorry to hear you couldn't make the trip. Thanks for the info on that ship. You can see the fireworks from the Star Wars party on Youtube. Along with a clip of George Lucas being seated at the Indy/SW show. I would have had to reach out and touch him, see of some that magic rubs off on me. Very smart man!

Thanks for your kind words. Yes, she's healing well - the doctors are pleased. Thanks too for sharing the Youtube info. Looks like it was pretty incredible. Everything seems to have been very successful. Hope that means they come back to Orlando for Celebration VI! Also, since Disney spent money creating the Star Wars fireworks, maybe they will incorporate them into Star Wars Weekends. There was a rumor before our trip last year that there were fireworks coming. A Star Wars blogger insisted he had a friend who was actually on the team working on them, but everyone thought it was something to to do with Star Wars Weekends. We kind of had our hopes up, but then there was nothing like that at the event.

I'll just start planning for the next one & keep my fingers crossed! Thanks again!!!

 

[TinksThree]

I just noticed you had a TR! I haven't read any yet but I will!! Subbing now!!

BTW: I noticed your 1st TR the other day and realized that it was actually one of the first I read when I first discovered the DisBoards! That was when I lurked and did not even have a screen name!! So I am coming clean that I lurked on your TR!!!

My DH was in the Air Force too and retired a few years ago!!!

 

[DFD]

have some catching up to do!!!

 

[let'sgo]

Wow, I never realized that those Star Wars events were so large. I have a nephew and grandson that would love them. I really liked all of your pics!

 

[SimmerBaggins]

Hey, I caught this CNN article about some Star Wars artists that came up with some unusual Stormtrooper helmet art for the Make A Wish foundation -- pretty neat!

http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/08/16/ost.stormstroopers.helmet.auction/index.html?hpt=Mid

 

[jmskinner]

Thanks for your kind words. Yes, she's healing well - the doctors are pleased. Thanks too for sharing the Youtube info. Looks like it was pretty incredible. Everything seems to have been very successful. Hope that means they come back to Orlando for Celebration VI! Also, since Disney spent money creating the Star Wars fireworks, maybe they will incorporate them into Star Wars Weekends. There was a rumor before our trip last year that there were fireworks coming. A Star Wars blogger insisted he had a friend who was actually on the team working on them, but everyone thought it was something to to do with Star Wars Weekends. We kind of had our hopes up, but then there was nothing like that at the event.

I'll just start planning for the next one & keep my fingers crossed! Thanks again!!!

Good to hear that your Mother is doing well. During SWW this past Summer, I spoke to a CM about the stage and he said they were looking into moving it to the front of the hat, where Hyperspace Hoopla was held for the Last Tour to Endor, so I'm guessing that is a done deal. Maybe they will hold it at night and then have fireworks afterwards. I told the CM having a stage in front of the hat was ok, but the problem was still no shade and nowhere to sit. We had suggested using the Indy stage, since it wasn't being used at night. I also filled out a very long survey about Star Wars Weekends. Guess we will have to wait and see what changes are made next year.

I just noticed you had a TR! I haven't read any yet but I will!! Subbing now!!

BTW: I noticed your 1st TR the other day and realized that it was actually one of the first I read when I first discovered the DisBoards! That was when I lurked and did not even have a screen name!! So I am coming clean that I lurked on your TR!!!

My DH was in the Air Force too and retired a few years ago!!!

You lurker! I did that myself for a long time. Very cool that you read my first one. Is your DH enjoying retirement?

have some catching up to do!!!

Yes you do, especially since you will be here soon and be a part of my addiction.

Wow, I never realized that those Star Wars events were so large. I have a nephew and grandson that would love them. I really liked all of your pics!

This particular one is a big thing. I was very excited when I heard it was going to be so close. And thanks for the compliment on the pics.

Hey, I caught this CNN article about some Star Wars artists that came up with some unusual Stormtrooper helmet art for the Make A Wish foundation -- pretty neat!

http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/08/16/ost.stormstroopers.helmet.auction/index.html?hpt=Mid

Thanks for posting. I saw that in the program guide and was hoping to see them, but I think we all finally hit a wall.

Sorry for not doing an update everyone. I have been sick since Monday and still don't feel well. Going to go lay down again in a few minutes, but have to take the kiddo to a doctor appointment this afternoon.

Hope you all have a great week!

 

[jmskinner]

I'm still fighting what ever virus decided to attack me, but have decided I am tired of laying in the bed, so thought I would do a quick post.

When I left, we were at SeaWorld and had just left the Penguin Encounter. We were starving at this point and looking for somewhere to eat, but came across the Clyde and Seamore Take Pirate Island Show, which was about to start.



This guy was our entertainment before the show:

He was fantastic!





I know I am weird, but I would love to take this guy home:


Click on the below pic for a little video, watch the Walrus shake his booty:

Just love Walrus', Sealion also.

After the show, which was very cute, we were on the hunt for food.

We found a very nice place with air conditioning. Sorry, I don't remember the name of it, but will say for a quick service it was very nice. I have to be honest, nicer than anything Disney as when it comes to this food. Jonas and I got burgers and the kids both got Chicken Nuggets. We decided to get refillable mugs, which I was trying to tell Jonas to get the smaller ones. They were cheaper, but still just a $1 to refill. Does he pay attention to me, NO! By this time, Kara didn't realize what we were doing and had already ordered herself a drink. This meal ended up being $63! I guess that wasn't too bad since we did get into the park for free and I do have two more mugs...that I have no room for.

After this, we thought we would give the sky tower a try:




The park is beautiful:


Of course, we didn't realize we had to pay extra, another $16 ($4 each). Here is my crew waiting:


At least we were in the shade.





Shamu Stadium:


Our car, its the silver one.


In this picture is the convention center, the big flat building on the left is where the Star Wars Celebration was held:


If you look really hard, you can see Disney:


Click on the picture below (its a video) to see a 360 degree view:

 

[dismagiclover]

Sea World looks like such a nice park! And what a great view! $63 does seem a bit steep for a CS lunch, but at least the food was decent.

 

[heaven2dc]

I hope you get to feeling better soon - those nasty summer viruses are no fun!

I love the walrus!! How cute - we haven't been to Sea World since 1983 in California.

 

[jmskinner]

Sea World looks like such a nice park! And what a great view! $63 does seem a bit steep for a CS lunch, but at least the food was decent.

It really was a beautiful park and wasn't crowded at all. The food was good, think I forgot to mention my complaint about the burger. Too much bread, those buns were beautiful, but I'm not really a bread person.

I hope you get to feeling better soon - those nasty summer viruses are no fun!

I love the walrus!! How cute - we haven't been to Sea World since 1983 in California.

Thanks, I now seem to be experiencing the true allergy symptoms of itchy watery eyes, etc.

Wow, I'm sure that Seaworld has changed quite a bit.

 

[jmskinner]

After our tour from above, we headed over to a dolphin area. Snapped this pic on the way:


Now, the Dolphin area we went to was a training area, just a large pool with 10 or so dolphins swimming around:


We stood there for a few minutes just watching the Dolphins (we had found a nice spot under an umbrella, we weren't going anywhere.) The dolphins were just swimming around when an employee came up in an electric wheelchair and those dolphins went crazy.
]

We thought maybe it was feeding time or something. Here is a little video of them before this employee arrived (click on the pic):


And after:


Turns out it was time for a training session, which of course meant food for rewards, so I guess the feeding thought was right. They don't post times for this, and explained we were lucky to be here to catch it.





















A couple of videos:




This was probably the best part of the day. If you can catch it, I highly recommend you do so. There were trainers and different dolphins all around the pool so you could see from anywhere.

Next up, Jacob gets sucked into the Aquarium and we learn about the Soaked Zone.

 

[dismagiclover]

That looks so cool! It's like you had your own private show! At least it looks like there aren't many people around.

 

[TinksThree]

You lurker! I did that myself for a long time. Very cool that you read my first one. Is your DH enjoying retirement?

It was hard coming out of lurkdom but I felt like a stalker...reading about people's lives and they do not know you exist!!

He is loving retirement! He misses it sometimes but then he thinks about hos things were changing and is glad he made the decision to retire. He likes the memories from the 80s and 90s. He still keeps in touch with friends he amde though and they ahve all moved on as well, so it makes it easier!

 

[TinksThree]

Man! Now I am really wishing we had gone to Sea World! We went to the one in San Antoino a few years back and used the free military entrance...it was awesome! We had the best time and I think it being free added to the excitement! If we had had that option this time (or better military rates) I know we would have gone to Sea World! I just love watching dolphins!

Everytime I see a walrus, it makes me think of the movie 50 First Dates...that walrus is hilarious!! But the upset stomach is not!!

Oh, and I think I found your silver car in that pic!!