and we're back. [Walt, Wizards, and....Woolungasaurus?]

[kaoden39]

Oh the miniature golf sounds like a great idea. We have one here in town but it is so close to the highway and so windy it kind of cuts down on the fun imho.

 

[QueenDoOver]

So it seems the Poly idea is not going to work for two reasons.

1. it's not Epcot's Illuminations (which makes so much more sense when looking at the maps!), but the MK fireworks, that you can see from the beach at Poly.

2. MK is closing at 7pm that night, and there are no fireworks on the schedule. Thanks to MVMCP. Though...they have fireworks too, so I bet we could watch *those* from the beach.


But I did find out that you can have a bit of a view of Illuminations from next to the Dance Hall on the Boardwalk. Options are good!


picture an hour or so going by with just the above written.....




Went through the calendar and highlighted the days that R has been gone on trips. It's a bit overwhelming when you look at it like that. Was getting a bit depressed there earlier. So I threw myself into researching, got some calendars printed so I can have, you know, options on how to see the days... Found out about the various miniature golf places at WDW (4 of them...2 are Fantasia themed near Boardwalk, the other is a Santa-themed "if Santa had a summer house" type set of courses, one "snowy" and the other "sandy" (am suddenly seeing a whole Nightmare Before Christmas thing there with Sandy Claws, LOL))... That sort of thing.

The mini golf is always good fun. Nightmare Before Christmas just reminds me of my nightmare exit from the haunted mansion with strangers yelling at me! I think you made the right decision about the red eye! I did that last time and it about killed me. I swore never again, and yet, I was thinking about booking it, because it gives you a free day, sort of...

 

[bumbershoot]

my nightmare exit from the haunted mansion with strangers yelling at me!

OK I've totally forgotten that story. Doesn't sound fun, though! I'm thinking it had to do with an unhappy child? Similar to me and DS doing the walk of shame out of there...man oh man that's a long dark hallway.

 

[bumbershoot]

Ugh. I'm trying to make some Crystal Palace reservations, and for two evenings now the site won't let me!

 

[Silly Little Pixie]

We used RideMax for our first trip to DLR. It was a life saver. We ended up at DLR over fall break for Utah and Arizona schools without realizing it. I hadn't found the DIS yet, but had found Ridemax. It was a real time saver and it came with some really helpful tips about DLR. The best tip, by far, was disregarding the return window on FP. So, without knowing it, we used them in the best possible way - it also included info on child swap, too.

It wasn't very much money, but I felt like it was really worth the $20. Other people use Tour Guide Mike, have you looked into that?

I see that other people on the DIS swear by Tour Guide Mike. One of my BFFs though is a total WDW vet- has 2+ trips per year, all with maxed ADRs, rides etc. She used TGM ONCE over spring break last year - hated it- and returned to Ridemax! She and I used Ridemax together at DLR and loved it. Last year she pre-printed for me all my *possible* ridemax start times at WDW and emailed them to me. I used them and it was great! so for me, I'm going to purchase a Ridemax again for this trip. I've used Ridemax for at least the first half of the day our last two trips and found it helpful.

Molly, are you bringing a laptop on your trip? if you're not, you can just email me your ridemax plans/parks and I can send them to you, since I am going to WDW 11/13-11/28 (when we come home from the cruise and Universal).

Christine

 

[Silly Little Pixie]

I'm crying all over again, sharing this news with you guys. I love animals, even if I have my own varied issues with actually owning them... And she's just a peach of a cat.

Oh, I am so the same way. We have 3 cats and (now) 3 dogs. Last weekend we spent at the Grand Cal (courtesty of a dear friend who booked the 5-for-3 deal , and insisted we bunk in). DH went home on Sunday instead of Monday, and our dear Bulldog, Lily, died in his arms Sunday night. So awful to sit and watch Fantasmic, when our DS really just wanted to melt and cry. She was 13 and LONG past a Bulldog's lifespan- but oh so sweet and well-loved. It's hard. Our Golden died almost 2 years ago also at 13 and it was awful for all of us. Our oldest kitty is 18 (!!!) and I don't think I'll be able to work for a day or two when it's his time. He is the coolest cat.

"Disneyland, Disneyworld...I don't know, sometimes I just think they're the same park." -Robert

sometimes I swear I don't even know him...

Okay, I so totally relate!!!! My DH (even after 3 completed WDW trips with me) still refers to the Magic Kingdom as "Disneyworld"!! Oh, the heresy. Even my kids tsk-tsk and roll their eyes at him. At least he just smiles and lets me make all my plans .

Clearly, raised in a non-Disney family!! I have converted his parents now. Can you believe they NEVER took him to WDW although they were only in Kentucky?!? My family, we drove from Louisiana, and later made three trips from California to WDW before I even went to college... IJS...

Christine

 

[bumbershoot]

Okay, I so totally relate!!!! My DH (even after 3 completed WDW trips with me) still refers to the Magic Kingdom as "Disneyworld"!! Oh, the heresy. Even my kids tsk-tsk and roll their eyes at him. At least he just smiles and lets me make all my plans .

Clearly, raised in a non-Disney family!! I have converted his parents now. Can you believe they NEVER took him to WDW although they were only in Kentucky?!? My family, we drove from Louisiana, and later made three trips from California to WDW before I even went to college... IJS...

Christine

I'm so sorry about your dog... Your cat is 18, my goodness!

Robert's family went to Disneyland a few times when the kids were littler. And he even took a solo one-day trip there when he was 20ish and working in Long Beach. But...he didn't really become a FAN until a few trips into it with me and E. Which was once I went on a solo trip or two and chilled out during the family trips.

His mom and dad took the trips "for the kids", and therefore they were never much FUN for the kids, as the parents were hating it all and not being fun. Our trips are different, especially since Robert became a fan, because they are for everyone!

That said, he still called MK Magical Kingdom, and stands by the "I think they are all one park" statement. I wonder if he'll feel the same whenever we get ourselves out to Tokyo!



I've been playing on tourguidemike this evening. Joined the yahoogroup of the mouse for less, and there's a code on there to get TGM for $4 less than normal, so that was fun.



E had a triathlon for PE today. He swam the length of the pool 4 times! The second two were with one of those square float things that sits on your back and has a strap around your chest. He also was given a kickboard, but I think, no, I KNOW, that the kickboard slowed him down. When he doesn't have to focus on keeping his torso up, he's quite a fast swimmer, but the kickboard makes him rely solely on his legs, and he still bends his knees when he kicks. If they hadn't given him the kickboard (all of us were biting our nails as he swam the first two lengths, because he's the youngest in the class and is nowhere near that level officially) he would have gone faster.

After that he got onto a recumbent bike as well as he could, and biked a mile. He did not fit that bike, and almost "racked" himself a few times. Older boys and men walking by would scrunch up their faces in anticipatory pain for him. But he always held himself up just at the last minute.

And then he ran two laps around the soccer field! All of that, plus changing clothes (he did have assistance in the form of me for that), in under 40 minutes. For a 6 year old! Pretty good!



OK, back to tourguidemike (aka TGM)!

 

[kaoden39]

Yay E!! It sounds like he did great!!

 

[bumbershoot]

I'm just so proud of him.



Your trip is so close!!!!!

 

[kaoden39]

You should be proud of him. Being a triathlete is not easy at any age. Lance Armstrong got his start as one. There is talk that after this year he is going to go back to it too.

Yeah it is just around the corner. I feel like I will never get done in time. Good thing we are going to be there for 6 days this trip.

 

[bumbershoot]

6 days, nice!


What's really sad about the PE is that I don't think we're going to participate next year. The program at this Y has been fully staffed, with no need for much parental participation. But now I guess some moms have been pushing HARD to get a carbon copy of the co-op program that the other Ys around here do.

I don't want a co-op. I might be a total hippie, but I'm not a co-op type person. Though if this group of people actually decided "yeah man, let's make it happen" and WE came up with the program, it would be better. But what has happened is that poeple have pushed and pushed for it. That started after the Y said "we cannot fully staff a TWO hour program and make it as good as we want to make it", and dropped it down to an hour....of course, I've only joined since it has been an hour, and I think it's a perfect amount of time, especially for a younger kid.

So anyway, people have pushed, so now the Y is taking the program from the nearest Y with a big co-op program, and they are plunking down all the rules that THEY have come up with for THEIR group, over time.

And it's just not OK with me. The attendance policies are *ridiculous* for a HOMESCHOOL program...for many people, the freedom is right up there in why they homeschool. I understand the clothing policies, as some of these kids arrive in near dress clothes, or wearing flip flops for running days...etc.

But background checks, when the room is going to be FILLED with parents (each parent must volunteer at least one of the two hours each day!), the kids' own parents...I can't get behind that. Especially because we are the SAME parents who have been there this whole time!

It just doesn't make sense. We are a relatively small group, and two of the moms are the reason for the existance of 20 kids...yeah, it's great for THEM...they are already used to watching over a large group of kids...for them to spend an hour helping is nothing! For me, or my friend who also has just one kidlet (and, like me, that's not her choice), it's plunking us down into craziness.

Not to mention, there's NO chance I'm going to not be there while he swims, b/c I feel that would be unsafe (and I love watching him swim). So then I'm there for 40 minutes, help him change, and then I volunteer for an hour...where the heck is my BREAK????? I have been told by the staff that t is MORE than OK for me to go work out, they have encouraged it...and now...impossible.


So he'll be in normal, lottery-based, YMCA swim and gym classes most days. Perhaps I'll sign him up for a team sport, so he learns it. Who knows? I'll make my own little program. And I won't take attendance.

Stupid homeschool PE changing their perfect wonderful splendid program with terrific people (many of whom were homeschooled themselves!).....

 

[kaoden39]

I think that co-op idea sucks. I have a friend who has four kids, ranging from like 12 to 4. She was going to home school but decided that she would put her kids into this co-op program instead. When she became major pregnant with her third child it became hard and then when he was born bedlam started. Let's not even talk about the fourth child. It just didn't work and there is always a parent that doesn't pull there weight.

I think that you will be able to do a fine pe course on your own. The great thing about doing your own is you can use things like riding a bicycle in the park. You could even ride with him. It has all sorts of possibilities.

 

[bumbershoot]

and there is always a parent that doesn't pull there weight.

And that would totally be me! But hey, I know it, and so I don't sign up for things like this.


I'm just mystified as to where the change is coming from. As far as I can tell, only ONE woman is really for it...2/4 staff members are very much against it, and I don't think the other 2 are FOR it... Drives me crazy to think that this very complainy woman is causing all of this change... sigh.


Continuing to check out TGM! It's fun.

 

[kaoden39]

I'll bet TGM is fun. I find that Ridemax is really kind of boring. I am wondering how affective it is.

 

[Brady's Mom]

I like RideMax. BUT I only used it once. We just found that we couldn't stick to that rigid of a schedule. It did give us some really great tips but seemed clunky and hard to use. I am a whole day planner and it would give me huge 3 or 4 hour spaces that I couldn't seem to fill - no matter what I tried. If I were going in a busy season again, I would probably use it. But, I have more info on how to make it work better now, than I did when I first used it.

Now I just go with the tips on the DIS and am a much more laid back, easy going park tour(er). We have discovered that we are totally off-season people. We like shorter hours and less shows and don't really mind if a ride is closed. We like eating a more leisurely breakfast and getting to the parks by 9:30-9:45 instead of having to get up at 5:30 or 6 am (ON VACATION??) in order to get to the parks by 7:30 am. It makes it harder for a more relaxed breakfast and morning and my family (esp. DH) get very touchy and cranky, even though my littler kids are early risers.

 

[kaoden39]

This is our first on season trip in a decade. Our kids are in high school now and I am not as willing to take them out of school. It will most certainly be an experience. I found while playing with Ridemax it had us running from one end of the park to the other and back and forth. Honestly I would think that with the large party that we are it is going to take us more time to go from one end of the park to the other and slow us down. We shall see. I think we will attempt to follow their schedule for a day and see what happens.

 

[bumbershoot]

The main reason I'm using TGM is for his crowd calendars, and best park days.

And I found that, in most cases, I had it right, just by avoiding morning EMH parks...he often had different reasoning, and some of the parks I was "wrong" on, but still, I was pretty close!

And his site IS fun. I know that things are just generated by his software, even long long explanations, but still, at one point he sat there and wrote up the sentences (certain sets to be auto-generated based on what I enter), and they are amusing to me.



Remember, I was at DLR last year in June, twice! Ugh! So hot, so crowded. Put extra in your budget for water, lots and lots of water... But it was still tons of fun! If only my poor brother hadn't had a not-yet-diagnosed hernia...poor guy was in massive pain and barely showed it (my sis in law and I knew he was hurting, but DS didn't, and no one looking at him would have known...he's just really stoic).

 

[kaoden39]

I am hoping that we are before the big crowds but I am not too sure that this is going to happen. All of the weather forecasts don't look too terribly bad. I am planning on water. I think that we are going to take water with us too. I figure that we are there for enough days that even if it is busy we have plenty of time to see and do what we want.

 

[bumbershoot]

I hope you have excellent weather and lowish crowds!!!!!!!




Augh, how do I choose, how do I start? On the days when more than one park is recommended...how do I start.......


And do we want to go to Coral Reef? Pricey for veggie dishes.

Ack, almost forgot Brown Derby! Totally want to go there on a DHS day.

Tusker house for breakfast or lunch? aughhhhhhhh!


Might have to break down and put the hopping option onto our tickets (if we don't upgrade all the way). Otherwise how will I get all the meals we want????


Obviously I'm dining-centric right now b/c ADRs are being made. Later I'll obsess about the actual rides.

 

[bumbershoot]

Stuck stuck stuck stuck......


time passes


OK the reservation system is good, but it also is awful. It bogs down, as a Disney site will do, so you'll back up and start again, and then it will tell you that you have an existing reservation. Well, I don't. I haven't gotten an email about it, so I don't. Please stop lying to me, Disney Dining Reservations website, please.