Braved the Sept humidity in WDW - We're back! (new pics added 12/2/09)

[jordanyosh]

Welcome to Day 6! This is going to be our last full day in the World and we're still not 100% sure what we're going to do. The last day of your trip is always bittersweet, but this one is going to be tough because we're still torn as to what exactly we're going to do this night. Ali and I both like to spend our last day/night in the Magic Kingdom. To us, it just feels right to end our trip there. However this particular Friday night, the last night of our trip, is MNSSHP. We did MNSSHP two years ago and had a blast, but it's A LOT of money to drop for 4 of us, especially when we've already done it (my inner child voice - "but the rides will have nooooooo waaaaaaaaiiiiiiiitttttttt!). This is a tough one, but I think we're going to forgo MNSSHP this year and spend the morning and early afternoon in the MK, travel back to our room for one quick break and head over to Epcot to finish out the night. After riding some rides in Future World, we need to figure out dinner plans. This is the other night of our trip that we do not have any ADRs (Thursday was the first). I think we're going to try to get into the Coral Reef, we'll see (we haven't eaten there before and I've heard some good things about it). After dinner (wherever it may be), we'll head over to WS to check out the F&W festival and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, who are playing two shows that night, I think. Also, if we happened to miss Illuminations on Wednesday night for whatever reason, this may be our second chance for it. Otherwise, we may finish out the trip with a last burst of rides (whatever we can get on at this point of the night).

Still to come in the PTR... Day 7 - one final quick a.m. visit to the MK (maybe) and our departure from the World. Also, final thoughts about the trip, last minute changes (and you know there will be some), last minute plans, and probably some minor details like what are we doing for park tickets, how/why we picked the VWL, what we pack (and don't/won't pack), and I'm sure I'll lay out the photo gear I plan to carry and take a picture of it for those who may be interested or need a good shock . That should carry us over the next 3 weeks .

Your plans, as always, sound great. Coral Reef is a great restaurant, but I went after hearing about 65% of DISers say it was awful and the other 35% loving it. Maybe I went in with low expectations, but it was a good meal. We were in the farthest section from the aquarium windows, but still had a great view of the sea life....

 

[Todd_H]

Your plans, as always, sound great. Coral Reef is a great restaurant, but I went after hearing about 65% of DISers say it was awful and the other 35% loving it. Maybe I went in with low expectations, but it was a good meal. We were in the farthest section from the aquarium windows, but still had a great view of the sea life....

That's interesting. I haven't heard those stats on the Coral Reef. We'll give it a shot (we'll give any WDW restaurant at least one shot) and see how it goes. Hopefully we can get a table by the aquarium, but who knows . At this point, we'd probably be lucky just to get in.

We still don't have ADR's for Thursday or Friday. We're shooting to get into O'hana on Thursday (or the Plaza if we stay in the MK) and Coral Reef on Friday, but both are going to be last minute if at all. The good thing about Friday is that, worst case scenario, we can fill up on the "street vendor" food of the F&W Festival since we'll be out of TS credits by Friday anyway.

 

[Todd_H]

Sorry I don't have another update, but thought I might share a little scare we had yesterday.

About 10:30am, Ali called me at work crying and in the background I could hear the "ding ding" of her car door being opened and her only words were "I'm o.k." I immediately thought she had been in a car accident so I felt that wave of sheer distress come over me. Then she said "I fell down while I was running, but I'm o.k." She had dropped our DS off at preschool and gone for a jog. About a quarter of a mile away from our house, she tripped and fell on the sidewalk. She used her left hand to break her fall and said she got up and brushed herself off and started running home because both her hand/wrist and knee were pretty banged up and she was bleeding pretty bad. When she got about half way home she looked closer at her hand and noticed her engagement ring had broken and the diamond was gone . She immediately burst into tears and ran all the way back home and hopped in her car and drove back to the site where she fell. Now, let me tell you how awesome my wife is... she actually found her diamond on the ground! That was when she called me, still shaken up. All is well now, her hand and knee look a little better today and she's going to take her ring to the jeweler to get it fixed.

I honestly can't believe she found the diamond. That could have been like finding a needle in a haystack. Anyway, here are a few pictures of the ring:

 

[disneygirlinnj]

Wow, glad you wife is OK! And that is amazing that she found the diamond, it's a gorgeous ring!

 

[annnewjerz]

I would have been so scared if I got a call like that, I'm glad everything is okay. Ali's ring looks like it got put through a garbage disposal the way the prongs are all bent backwards---but I'm sure she's happy she found the diamond.

Personally, I don't get too worked up about losing jewelry, but I would be absolutely devastated if I lost my wedding/engagement rings or any component of them. I hardly wear them anymore (just not big on jewelry) but couldn't imagine not having them simply for the sentimental value they hold, not because I'd be worried about losing a few thousand in diamonds.

Anywho, glad all is well and no one has to go to WDW with a broken bone or anything---I'd imagine that might take a litttttle bit of the fun out of it.

 

[oregonmommyof2]

Oh poor Ali!!! Ouch!

And never underestimate a woman when it comes to her diamonds...

 

[norybell]

Just wanted to say:

(a) Signing on; loving your PTR!

(b) What a beautiful ring! Glad your wife found the diamond...what are the chances?

(c) What amazing photos! I just got a Sony superzoom because I didn't feel quite ready for a "real" camera, and I can only dream of taking photos like yours. Maybe someday? (the laughing head is because I know the true chances of this ever happening!)

 

[oregondaddyof2]

Wow Todd... That is crazy stuff... Ali is macho woman! I think if I would have fell hard enough to do that kind of damage to my ring, I would have rolled up in the fetal position and cried like a baby... Congrats for finding the diamond... That is awesome...

 

[oregonmommyof2]

Wow Todd... That is crazy stuff... Ali is macho woman! I think if I would have fell hard enough to do that kind of damage to my ring, I would have rolled up in the fetal position and cried like a baby... Congrats for finding the diamond... That is awesome...

I am going to vouch for him on the whole fetal position and crying... I have seen him do it... It isn't pretty...

 

[All7OfUs]

Simply amazing! First off, I'm so glad she was not hurt badly; when I first started reading I did think that something much more awful had happened.

Did she say how long she looked for her diamond?? I had one friend who lost a diamond on her floor in the house, and it turned up weeks later, I guess near a baseboard.

 

[jordanyosh]

Wow Todd... That is crazy stuff... Ali is macho woman! I think if I would have fell hard enough to do that kind of damage to my ring, I would have rolled up in the fetal position and cried like a baby... Congrats for finding the diamond... That is awesome...

I am going to vouch for him on the whole fetal position and crying... I have seen him do it... It isn't pretty...

You guys crack me up!

Todd, Glad Ali found the diamond!!!!!!!

 

[Todd_H]

Wow, glad you wife is OK! And that is amazing that she found the diamond, it's a gorgeous ring!

Thanks! I picked it out myself (with a little help from her )

I would have been so scared if I got a call like that, I'm glad everything is okay. Ali's ring looks like it got put through a garbage disposal the way the prongs are all bent backwards---but I'm sure she's happy she found the diamond.

Anywho, glad all is well and no one has to go to WDW with a broken bone or anything---I'd imagine that might take a litttttle bit of the fun out of it.

Yeah, the ring is banged up pretty good. She's going to take it in to have it fixed today. Hopefully they can buff out some of the dings as well. I really got lucky because I just took out an IM insurance policy on it (and some other jewelry and my camera gear) about 2 months ago so it's covered. I insured the ring right after I bought it over 10 years ago and had the policy up until about a year and 1/2 ago and then just got lazy and let it lapse. I decided a couple of months ago that wasn't a good idea to have no coverage (actually limited coverage under our homeowner's policy) so I bought a new policy. Whew! Dodged a bullet there.

Oh poor Ali!!! Ouch!

And never underestimate a woman when it comes to her diamonds...

Amen!

Just wanted to say:

(a) Signing on; loving your PTR!

(b) What a beautiful ring! Glad your wife found the diamond...what are the chances?

(c) What amazing photos! I just got a Sony superzoom because I didn't feel quite ready for a "real" camera, and I can only dream of taking photos like yours. Maybe someday? (the laughing head is because I know the true chances of this ever happening!)

Hi, norybell! Thanks for your compliments and welcome!

Wow Todd... That is crazy stuff... Ali is macho woman! I think if I would have fell hard enough to do that kind of damage to my ring, I would have rolled up in the fetal position and cried like a baby... Congrats for finding the diamond... That is awesome...

She's my hero... seriously. She is an amazing woman.

I am going to vouch for him on the whole fetal position and crying... I have seen him do it... It isn't pretty...

I almost found myself in that position last night watching my Wolfpack put up an abysmal performance against USC (South Carolina, not Southern Cal) in the ESPN NCAA football opener.

Did she say how long she looked for her diamond??

She didn't say, but I think she actually found it pretty quickly once she drove to the exact spot she fell down. Even still, it is amazing to me that she was able to find it having not seen it fall out or anything.

We are very fortunate. Thanks for everyone's comments and concerns!

 

[annnewjerz]

 

[oregonmommyof2]

I was just thinking the same thing...



Hey Todd... You are in single digits now...

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

I can't believe I'm just reading about that ring now, that's NUTS! I'm so glad she found the diamond and even more that she is OK.

 

[Todd_H]

Hi everyone! We're on the home stretch now with 9 days until we leave (10 days until our feet are in the park ).

Sorry I've been slack on my PTR the past few days, but haven't really had any new developments until last night. I was thinking about our trip yesterday and the few things we had left to take care of like purchase the park tix for the kids, to do the DDP or not, etc., and I started doing some math on the DDP and the park tickets. First, we opted to go for the DDP. Not sure exactly how much we'll save by doing it, but it is convenient and I think worst case scenario it's a break-even. As far as tickets go, we usually buy the MYW + park hopper + water park & more option for the kids (Ali and I both have APs), but after looking at our schedule for the week, there wasn't any day we planned on park hopping and we only planned to spend one day in a water park (TL). Therefore, I figured out our most economical option was to just buy the kids a 7 day MYW base ticket and a separate 1 day admission to Typhoon Lagoon. Since their tickets are going to now cost substantially less, we decided to do MNSSHP on Friday the last night of our trip ! This keeps our tradition going of spending our last night in WDW at the MK. Plus the kids love the Boo To You Parade (which is the best parade, IMO), plus all the cool lighting/decorations of the MK during MNSSHP = interesting night photography, plus walk on rides... I'm getting excited just thinking about it!

 

[oregondaddyof2]

Speaking of night photography, I had a few questions for you, aka - the photo genius ...

Where is a good place to be to photograph the Parade? Last year I was on the upper level of the train station at the entrance, and it seemed good, but this year I was hoping for a little different angle, and hopefully better pics... Where is your favorite spot? Also, i was planning on standing near Casey's Corner for the Hallowishes fireworks... Is that a good spot you think? Last year I was way to close and nearly had to shot handheld at a 60 degree angle and couldn't get the fireworks and the castle in the same shots...

 

[Todd_H]

Where is a good place to be to photograph the Parade? Last year I was on the upper level of the train station at the entrance, and it seemed good, but this year I was hoping for a little different angle, and hopefully better pics... Where is your favorite spot?

Actually, I don't have a favorite spot for the parades as I have only tried to photograph one of the night parades, which was the PPP early last year. But this is how I plan to find a place this year: 1) I'm going to try to find an area that's a little better lit with "normal" ambient lighting (i.e. white or yellow lights vs. red or orange or some other off color that you'll see at MNSSHP) and 2) I'm going to try to shoot with as few people in the background as possible (I may try it with the castle in the background). I think this will work because, if I'm not mistaken, the MNSSHP parade runs in the opposite direction of Spectromagic, so the parade should come down Main Street toward the train station. I might also use a monopod... not sure yet. If I use a monopod, I will likely use a 35mm prime lens so I won't have to zoom in and out while holding the monopod.

Also, i was planning on standing near Casey's Corner for the Hallowishes fireworks... Is that a good spot you think?

That's a great spot. Actually, if you go up toward the castle about 20 yards from Casey's and line up with one of the trash cans on the side there, you'll get this view (which was taken at around 40mm I think):

 

[annnewjerz]

Since their tickets are going to now cost substantially less, we decided to do MNSSHP on Friday the last night of our trip ! This keeps our tradition going of spending our last night in WDW at the MK. Plus the kids love the Boo To You Parade (which is the best parade, IMO), plus all the cool lighting/decorations of the MK during MNSSHP = interesting night photography, plus walk on rides... I'm getting excited just thinking about it!

Very exciting news about MNSSHP---although I think seeing BBVD at Epcot would have been fun too. So much to do, so little time!

That being said, now my pictures from MNSSHP are going to be that much less interesting when I eventually post a TR. As you had said previously in this report---it's on like Donkey Kong, Todd. I may not have gear as good as yours, but I don't have any kids to take care of either.

 

[oregondaddyof2]

I think this will work because, if I'm not mistaken, the MNSSHP parade runs in the opposite direction of Spectromagic, so the parade should come down Main Street toward the train station. I might also use a monopod... not sure yet. If I use a monopod, I will likely use a 35mm prime lens so I won't have to zoom in and out while holding the monopod.

The parade does end at the entrance of the park on mainstreet... I am assuming it begins on the road between Splash Mountain and the path to Adventure Land... I took the Keys to the Kingdom Tour last year and we toured the float hangar and saw them all up close... It was awesome... I may try to set up near Casey's Corner for this also... i would also like to get the castle in some of the parade shots... Good idea!