An Unforgettable Finish- Oct 2011 TR **Happily Ever After (Completed 5/3)

[jc040404]

What a great picture! Landon would make an adorable little fireman, too. Love the look he's giving you in the "back in the stroller" pic. Such a cutie!

Unrelated to the update.. If you don't mind sharing, how did the stroller story end back at home? I need to get a new single before starting WDW again and checked out the city mini at Babies r Us tonight. Would you buy one again? I've never read of anything like this happening, except for in your TR! It really looks like the best option for us(weight limit, size, canopy, etc), but you've got me nervous about it now!

 

[PirateKate]

I only have one thing to say,,,,
Wow, those kids are cute!

Reading your last chapter makes me even more excited about finally getting to Disney with our Grandson,,,,thank you!

Thanks! I'm sure you all will have a great time with Jackson. Disney with grandkids would be awesome!

Sounds like the boys were having fun at Innoventions. I really need to do that this year with Reid. We didn't really do anything there on our last 2 trips.

Love the pics with Minnie & Goofy! Disney Visa Character Spot....yet another thing we need to do. We were going to do it in May but I wasn't exactly sure where it is & then we never got around to finding it.



The race does sound cool! Ed wants me to start training & to run it with him. But, I was like, "Hello! You want our 4 year old to wait at the finish line by himself?" So, he will be running by himself. I'm worried about the race being so late. It'll be our 1st day of the vacation & I do want to see him finish. I figure I'll buy Reid & myself tickets to be at the finish line. Although, Reid will be fast asleep in his stroller.

I'm so darn worried about the rain. Sounds like y'all had pretty good weather, except for that 1 day. I told Ed that if we go & it pours everyday, we are still staying in the parks. I guess I just need to make sure to bring ponchos & a stroller cover (I usually don't bring these things).

I'm glad to hear you would go again that week. That makes me feel somewhat better about the crowds. I looked at the crowd calendars for that week last year (on easywdw) and it seems like most days they had the crowd level at a 4. Does that sound true to what you experienced? I can handle 4's!

Y'all should definitely go that week again! Y'all could race with my DH & I could sit with all of the sleeping stroller boys!

Innoventions is one of our favorite places to go with the boys. It's always air conditioned and seldom crowded and there's plenty of places to play.

The Disney Visa character meet and greet is kind of subtle. You have to be paying close attention to notice it. It's just a curtain and a line of people, hopefully not many. You'd almost think that Disney doesn't want to give away free photos to all the cardholders...

I can just imagine Carter and Landon waiting at the finish line by themselves. Too bad you can't run it with Ed, though. Jeremy and I always find things like that more fun together, which is always trickier when it's something the boys can't do. At least you can all be together at the party afterward.

I've found that one way to guarantee it won't rain is to buy expensive ponchos and stroller covers and carry them around at the parks all day. It never fails. It only rains when you're unprepared.

4's sound about right, except for the night of the 40th anniversary, which was definitely an 11 and the day it was rainy and there was about twenty other people in the park.

It would be a lot of fun to run the race, but instead of you waiting with all the sleeping boys, I bet it would be you waiting with Reid sleeping nicely and Carter and Landon both awake and grumpy and doing their best to wake Reid up, too.

 

[amandaw]

I've found that one way to guarantee it won't rain is to buy expensive ponchos and stroller covers and carry them around at the parks all day. It never fails. It only rains when you're unprepared.

Note to self: buy nice ponchos & a stroller cover!

4's sound about right, except for the night of the 40th anniversary, which was definitely an 11 and the day it was rainy and there was about twenty other people in the park.

That's good to know that crowds seemed at about a 4. To me, that is still pretty light so we should be able to get a lot done. *knock on wood*

It would be a lot of fun to run the race, but instead of you waiting with all the sleeping boys, I bet it would be you waiting with Reid sleeping nicely and Carter and Landon both awake and grumpy and doing their best to wake Reid up, too.

I don't know! Reid has bouts of insomnia, so it could very easily be the other way around!

 

[afwdwfan]

It looks like they had another great experience with the characters. I'm glad they seemed to have so much fun with them.

That line to get the free 5X7 is the worst part of the deal. You can be 3rd or 4th in line and be there for quite a while. They really need to put in some self service kiosks somewhere for it or something.

 

[KTgE]

I'm a little late but I'm here. I've enjoyed reading about you and your family...we leave two weeks and it'll be our first trip with two kids.

Stroller issues are the worst! We have a nice single Maclaren stroller but I haven't splurged for a double yet. We are renting one for the week we are down there so we can decide between something larger (like what we are renting) or getting the double Maclaren. Did you get your stroller fixed when you got home?

 

[Shannon84]

Awww looks like they had a great time with Goofy and Minnie!! the picture came out so great!!

 

[PirateKate]

What an adorable picture!

Glad the boys had fun on the fire truck!

Thanks! I thought it turned out pretty well.

They love that fire truck! We live close to a fire station, so fire trucks are super cool for them.

That picture is fantastic! Definitely worth the wait and the many readings of Time to Paint, Biscuit.

Thanks! I was glad we waited for it, when I saw how it turned out. Time to Paint, Biscuit works every time.

That was a cute picture from the meet and great. Camera center is slow especially when people use to come in with over 100 pics and it was often

Thanks! I framed it and the boys love looking at it now. I can't believe how slow the camera center is. If we weren't getting a free photo, I'd never spend vacation time looking at pictures.

Well, I did it! I got Ed registered for the Tower of Terror race on 9/28 & got our package booked. So, we will be there 9/28 - 10/6. I don't think I've ever seen my husband so excited about a Disney trip! If that's all it takes to get him excited to go to Disney, he can do every stinkin' race there is.

Congratulations! That will be awesome! I really did think it was a great time to go. And while the rain might be a concern, at least you won't have to worry about it being too cold, like it could be in December. There's plenty of Disney races throughout the year...sounds like the perfect excuse to me.

Time to Paint, Biscuit! Hahaha what a precious name for a book.

THAT PICTURE IS ADORABLE. So cute! I love how Minnie is peeking around Landon's head!

It's a semi-cute book the first time, but I've found it doesn't hold up well over multiple readings.

Thanks! I can't believe we got a picture where they're both looking at the camera like that. I suspect Minnie and Goofy really know how to set up a good photo.

I don't know the difference between the Innoventions either, in fact, I've never been in either one of them! It's so cute that Carter and Landon like the characters so much! I love the picture you got of them with Minnie and Goofy!

If nothing else, Innoventions can provide air conditioned short cuts! For some reason, once I step inside one of the parks, I lose track of all the directions. I know how to get anywhere, but I couldn't tell you which way was North. I'm really glad Carter and Landon enjoy the characters. It's a very fun addition to our trips.

What a great picture! Landon would make an adorable little fireman, too. Love the look he's giving you in the "back in the stroller" pic. Such a cutie!

Unrelated to the update.. If you don't mind sharing, how did the stroller story end back at home? I need to get a new single before starting WDW again and checked out the city mini at Babies r Us tonight. Would you buy one again? I've never read of anything like this happening, except for in your TR! It really looks like the best option for us(weight limit, size, canopy, etc), but you've got me nervous about it now!

Thanks! Landon was sold on it as soon as he heard he could drive the truck and once he learns he'd get a cool helmet and maybe a dalmatian, I'm sure he'd be hooked! I'm sure Landon thinks he's too old for a stroller, but I'm not convinced he's right about that.

I would buy one again and I don't think there's anything to worry about with it. Most likely what happened to us was an aberration and doesn't happen to most people. And if it hadn't have happened at Disney, it really wouldn't have been a big deal. I'll sum up how it all ended pretty soon here.

 

[PirateKate]

Awww looks like they had a great time with Goofy and Minnie!! the picture came out so great!!

They loved meeting Goofy and Minnie, again! It was so exciting for them to go through that curtain and find characters waiting for them. I love that picture of them.

Note to self: buy nice ponchos & a stroller cover!


That's good to know that crowds seemed at about a 4. To me, that is still pretty light so we should be able to get a lot done. *knock on wood*

I don't know! Reid has bouts of insomnia, so it could very easily be the other way around!

You can try to cheat the system with cheap ponchos, but that doesn't have as high of a success rate.

I think we got a fair amount done that week. Of course, if we're having fun, then we don't worry too much about what we get done, but it seemed like it was easy enough to do what we wanted to.

It could be all three of them awake and crazy at the same time!

It looks like they had another great experience with the characters. I'm glad they seemed to have so much fun with them.

That line to get the free 5X7 is the worst part of the deal. You can be 3rd or 4th in line and be there for quite a while. They really need to put in some self service kiosks somewhere for it or something.

Carter and Landon really love meeting the characters. It's kind of weird, since Jeremy and I have never been that interested in it, but it really is fun to watch.

I was worried about the line for the meet and greet and never even considered how bad the line would be to actually get the picture. Self service kiosks would wonderful!

I'm a little late but I'm here. I've enjoyed reading about you and your family...we leave two weeks and it'll be our first trip with two kids.

Stroller issues are the worst! We have a nice single Maclaren stroller but I haven't splurged for a double yet. We are renting one for the week we are down there so we can decide between something larger (like what we are renting) or getting the double Maclaren. Did you get your stroller fixed when you got home?

Welcome! Only two weeks left til your trip, that's exciting! I was a little nervous the first time we went with two kids, but it ended up being a lot of fun. It just keeps getting better the older the boys get, too.

Renting a stroller is for the week will be a good chance to try it out. I don't know much about Maclarens, but I do know that the City Mini Double is a great Disney stroller. And that's what matters most, right? I'll post the ending of the stroller saga after this.

 

[PirateKate]

I was planning on saving this for part of the TR's happy ending, but I'll go ahead and post it now, so that anyone thinking of getting a City Mini can do so fully informed.

The straw Jeremy had used to fix the stroller held up throughout the rest of our trip and we had no further problems with it. We never even had to use our back up straw, which we carried diligently throughout the parks.

About two weeks after we got home, I went to the Baby Jogger website and it turned out the stroller actually was under warranty still. I filled out an online form and they mailed me a new wheel in about a week. It was really easy to switch out the wheel and the whole process was no trouble at all.

The warranty is good for one year after purchase and it helps to save the receipt.

To this day, the stroller is living happily ever after and has suffered no more malfunctions, much to Landon's disappointment. He was hoping for a new Sit N Stand.

 

[jc040404]

I would buy one again and I don't think there's anything to worry about with it. Most likely what happened to us was an aberration and doesn't happen to most people. And if it hadn't have happened at Disney, it really wouldn't have been a big deal. I'll sum up how it all ended pretty soon here.

Uh oh.. I feel like I ruined your TR ending by asking, after seeing that update! I'm glad you were able to get things fixed so easily. I was guessing that it must not happen much. I know the stroller rental companies in Orlando seem to love them. I also now know to search for straws if anything should happen anyway. Thanks for sharing your story!

 

[amandaw]

It could be all three of them awake and crazy at the same time!

Thank goodness for harnesses on strollers!

 

[PopArtGal]

I have to agree with you. The Scandinavia platter doesn't look as good as it could have.

 

[PopArtGal]

When I see a kid run-off, my first instinct is to stop the kid. But most of the time I always swerve as I'm scared of the parents reaction: "let my kid go", "don't touch my kid", "who do you think you are", etc..

 

[PopArtGal]

The Visa picture is one of my fave so far.

 

[PirateKate]

Uh oh.. I feel like I ruined your TR ending by asking, after seeing that update! I'm glad you were able to get things fixed so easily. I was guessing that it must not happen much. I know the stroller rental companies in Orlando seem to love them. I also now know to search for straws if anything should happen anyway. Thanks for sharing your story!

No worries! I wouldn't have posted it if I hadn't have wanted to. It's not always easy keeping quiet about the way a trip is going to end and I still have plenty of happy ending material coming up. I've never heard of anyone's City Mini wheel having problems, so I'm guessing we were just unlucky. It's really a great stroller for Disney.

Thank goodness for harnesses on strollers!

I keep telling Landon that the stroller has a five point harness system and is virtually inescapable by toddlers, but he still manages to wiggle free sometimes. He's like Houdini...or maybe Landini.

I have to agree with you. The Scandinavia platter doesn't look as good as it could have.

I wish it had been better. Maybe we'll get the meatballs next year.

When I see a kid run-off, my first instinct is to stop the kid. But most of the time I always swerve as I'm scared of the parents reaction: "let my kid go", "don't touch my kid", "who do you think you are", etc..

Yeah, I can see how a stranger catching a runaway would just make the parents more nervous. The fact that someone could grab them is always in the back of my head in a situation like that. Luckily, I'm still faster than Landon.

The Visa picture is one of my fave so far.

Thanks! I thought that turned out really cute.

 

[PirateKate]

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[IheartDDuck]

OMG, I love the Duffy meet and greet! They just look so happy. I mean, who wouldn't want to meet a big, fluffy bear? Tearing them away must have been difficult. Action shots were the way to go. So much cuter than posed.

 

[amandaw]

The pictures of the boys with Duffy are some of the cutest pictures EVER!!! That's just so sweet!

Can't wait to hear if dinner in the stroller went well or not. I could see that going either way....

 

[shan23877]

Your boys are turning into character hounds! Such cute pictures with Duffy.

Glad you got to sample some more food and wine treats! (or at least I think that you did )

 

[Shannon84]

You know I always thought Duffy was a pretty silly idea, but the more I see of him...I realize he is a pretty cool bear!!