Cass, Rob and Kira back in Disney! Toddlers' tempers and tantrums PTR NOW LIVE !!!

[Alice28]

I'm in! I love your trip reports, Cass!!

 

[Timon]

I'm in! I love your trip reports, Cass!!

Freaky, we must have hit the submit reply button at the same time Nice to have you on board Alice

 

[minnieandmickey]

That video is a crack up. Sean and I are amazed on how well she talks! Your doing a great job, Disney Mom!

 

[Walt & Di]

Well, I wanted to wait till we were about 30 days out from our trip but I am way too excited so I am starting this pre-trippie now.


WHEN: October 15th, 2009 - November 1st, 2009

Let's just jump right in.....


Shall we start with the introductions then?

Cast of Characters

Cass…that would be moi. Disney fanatic since I was 3 when my parents first took me to WDW in 1975, ( Thanks mom & dad wherever you are! )
DIS junkie since 1997 (anyone remember this place when it was a one- page thread index?) and SAHM to Kira, my little princess who will be one month shy of her third birthday when we make this trip. I also take care of my beautiful 2-year-old niece Dani during the week and I work part-time running my own diaper cake business.

Rob, my amazing hubby who works way too hard and who desperately needs a break from all his jobs! He is an electronic engineer during the day but on weekends he turns into DJ Darkrobe, owner and president of Quests End Mobile Disc Jockey, a company he started when he was just 16 years old! Together with his best friend Sean, they spin tunes and entertain the masses 30-40 times per year. They are the best at what they do and although the hours are very long, I think they both enjoy being the best DJ’s in Calgary!

Kira, the archetypal 2 year old whom I am currently brainwashing into loving Disney as much as I do. She is a huge princess and by princess I don’t mean the cute, sweet, loving, generous kind of princess. No, no. I mean the I-tell-you-what-to-do-and-you-follow-all-my-rules-or-else-I-will-throw-a-huge-tantrum kind of princess.

Her favourite sayings are “NO!” and “I don’t think so!” and “Don’t touch me!” with a few “Don’t sing mommy!” and “Stop talking to me’s” thrown in for good measure. To say she has a bit of a ‘tude is an understatement. She has a lot of meltdowns and tantrums at home where everything is safe and familiar so I have a feeling there will be a good amount of them during this trip, hence the title of this report.

At the same time, she is so smart and loving and incredibly amazing and we love her to bits and we are extremely lucky and blessed to have her in our life.

I’m sure those of you who have two-year-olds (or are still sane enough to remember when your kids were 2) know exactly what I am talking about!

Here she is doing what she loves best...bouncing!

Supporting Cast

We are also traveling with some great friends, Sean & Bernie and their 2 kids Gary and Bailey so you will see them mentioned quite a bit in this trippie too.

Trip Highlights

We will be spending 8 days in WDW and then we will be boarding the Disney Magic for a one-week Eastern Caribbean Cruise, then back to Disney for Halloween Night and then home on November 1st.

Our first two nights will be spent at Animal Kingdom Villas courtesy of a very nice DISer (Hi Ellen!) who has rented us some points. Ever since I heard they were building a DVC resort at AKL, I knew I needed to stay there! Although we are not DVC members, we always rent points for each trip. We both fell in love with DVC resorts many years ago and have a hard time staying anywhere else. One day we will become DVC owners but until that happens, I am happy to rent points.

We are also spending 6 nights at a condo in Windsor Hills, which we rented from http://www.vacationcentralflorida.com/ Windsor Hills is a gated community very close to Disney and although I am sad we can’t afford to stay at AKV for the entire 8 nights, I am looking forward to the space and amenities we will have at the condo.

We will be spending the night before the cruise at The Radisson at the Port, in Port Canaveral. Even though the condo is paid up till the Saturday that we cruise, I prefer being at the port the morning of the cruise instead of making the trip early that morning. I don’t travel well in a car sometimes so I prefer to make that journey to the port at my leisure the night before. Besides, we are meeting up with a whole horde of BOBers that night at the Radisson!

Which brings me to the cruise….

Back when I was 19 weeks pregnant with Kira, I booked a Disney Cruise for October 2007. I joined the DIS Cruise Meet thread for our cruise known as the Konked Kruisers and we all chatted for well over a year. We got to know each other pretty well and we had a blast cruising with each other. As soon as we got back, a very large group of Konked Kruisers all decided to sail again together in October 2009. So we started another cruise meet thread but since there would be more than just KKers on this cruise we needed a new name. Now, the reason a lot of us cruised in October was because we were celebrating something, whether it was a birthday, anniversary or a bash of some sort. So, the name Bash on the Boat became our slogan for this cruise, which eventually was shortened to BOB, which then got nicknamed “I’m with BOB”. So since November 2007, we’ve been chatting on the BOB meet thread. We are a pretty chatty bunch and currently we are on thread # 25!!! Over the past 2 years, we added a great many new BOBers to our group and unfortunately, we’ve also lost some BOBers too.

I’m really looking forward to the cruise. It’s going to be awesome because everywhere we turn, we will see BOBers! That’s what it felt like with the KK cruise and we have even more BOBers than KKers!!

Since we disembark the ship on Halloween, there was no way we were going to fly home!! Halloween is the only holiday I like (I know, bah humbug!) and it is also Rob’s favourite so there was no question, we HAD to spend Halloween Night at the Magic Kingdom for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party!!! We spent Halloween Night 2005 there and it was AMAZING!!!! The excitement and atmosphere that night was electric! We are also doing MNSSHP during our week at WDW (told ya it was our fave!) so the Halloween Night party will be our 6th time attending MNSSHP and we are looking forward to every second of it!!!

To top it all off, we rented points from Ellen (what a doll she was trying to get us booked here!) for that night to stay at Bay Lake Tower. This DVC resort just opened a couple of days ago and it looks amazing!!! For those of you who don’t know anything about DVC, the BLT (Did Disney NOT think of this when they named it???) is situated right next to the Contemporary Resort. It’s actually located where the old North Wing was and is a 3-minute walk to Magic Kingdom!!! How cool is that!! I tell ya, it sure will be handy with a very tired, and more than likely, cranky toddler, to just walk back to the resort after the party!


Well, I will end this chapter here before you all fall asleep on me. I have several more chapters to add to this pre-trippie….I warn you now, I am long-winded and I like photos and details so I will bore you all with all those things during the next 69 days.

Great so far Cass. really enjoyed your trippie.

 

[Timon]

Our new camera


http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-cameras/canon-powershot-sd970-is/4505-6501_7-33529019.html

We recently bought a new Canon Powershot SD 970 IS. It is the newest in the long line of Canon Powershot cameras. We've owned a PS ever since our very first foray into digital cameras back in 2003. We've been really happy with every single version so I was stoked when I found out that this one came with HD video!

I use the video function quite a bit on my old PS camera but the quality isn't that great but I have been looking forward to using the video function on the new PS!

However, having played with it for a couple of weeks now, I am rather disappointed in it. Sure when it's nice and bright out it works and looks great! But if it's even slightly dark, it looks horrible! It comes out all grainy and well it just looks bad

I had hopes of leaving my camcorder at home this trip and just be able to use the PS for all my video recording in WDW but it looks like that dream will not turn into reality because I'm just not happy with it. Watching the videos I make from our trips is something I do often and look forward to doing for many years to come so quality is too important to me.

However, I am rather happy about the rest of camera and its' features. So far the photos have turned out great, it's faster than my old PS and the screen on it absolutely huge! Of course, nothing is as fast as my Canon Rebel XT Digital SLR but for a point and shoot camera, it's pretty darn good!


I am going to upload some videos from the new camera and post some photos we took this morning from the zoo in my next chapter

 

[Timon]

Here's some video I took with the new camera.

This was taken in a very brightly-lit mall. It's actually not bad but it's still a little too choppy for my liking.

http://cassworld.ca/videos/sealions.wmv


And here's a video taken in our dimly-lit hotel room in Edmonton last weekend. It looks dark and grainy and just plain bad! And when I zoom in, it gets even worse!! However, the strange part is that every single review I've ever read about this camera tells me that you cannot zoom while recording video. Clearly you can, but I would not recommend it

http://cassworld.ca/videos/bedjump.wmv

 

[Timon]

Ok, time for some zoo pics


These have been cropped in Photoshop but I haven't done anything else to them, no sharpening, no filters...just some compression when I saved them into jpg's and uploaded them.

Not bad huh?


I tend to sharpen my pics a little while I am editing before I print them or use them in a photobook so they would look a little better than that but overall I am pretty happy with them.

I tend to take about 6000+ photos when I go to WDW, so let's hope this camera works out

 

[Michelle2]

I need a good point and shoot camera, so I will definitely be looking into that one before we go. Mine tends to be a little more blurry than I want at times!

Have you and Kira seen this WDW video?? It sure gets me excited, and I think you would both love it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLOJ9HMkgAE

 

[Timon]

I need a good point and shoot camera, so I will definitely be looking into that one before we go. Mine tends to be a little more blurry than I want at times!

It's a pretty good camera but a wee bit expensive.

Have you and Kira seen this WDW video?? It sure gets me excited, and I think you would both love it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLOJ9HMkgAE

LOL, have we seen it??

Only about 50 times

I found it about a month ago and showed it to her and she loved it! Just like the girl in it, she kept saying "Again!!!" And then every day for the next 2 weeks, she asked for the "Castle" video. It took me a minute to understand what she meant but as soon as you see Cinderella Castle, she said really loudly "CASTLE!!!" and I knew this is the one she meant

I even saved it and put it on my netbook so we can watch it on the plane

It's such a great video

 

[Dyerneeds]

She looks drugged doesn't she?

that pic of kira with the ice cream is too funny.
i have visions of her hanging around the ice cream machine all week to get her "fix".
"mom...hook me up with another cone will ya?...come on, just one more."

 

[Dyerneeds]

http://cassworld.ca/videos/dizzyworld.wmv[/url]

Normally she goes on for 10 minutes but she got distracted with climbing and then running but you get the idea

that video is too cute.

wish we could go to wdw with ds and family to see addison and brady this xmas..but it wasnt meant to be i guess.
we'd love to see wdw through the eyes of the grandkids.
maybe next trip.

 

[GOS]

Here's a little video of her talking about "Dizzyworld"

May take a few minutes to load.

http://cassworld.ca/videos/dizzyworld.wmv

Normally she goes on for 10 minutes but she got distracted with climbing and then running but you get the idea

She has really grown up hasn't she? uh hu!

I did laugh when I heard her.

 

[Bashful in TN]

I've lurked on your other trip reports but thought I would come out of "lurkdom" to let you know how much I really enjoy reading about your trips.

We took our 18 month old son on a 4-night Disney Cruise in June and he had a blast! He loved Flounder's and all the characters. I can't wait to take him to WDW next year. He'll be about Kira's age when we go so I'm really interested to see how she does.

 

[Tart Annihilator]

OMG Cass!!!

Our baby is growing so fast. She's a smart little girl.

Can't wait to see her again.

 

[cntkg1]

She looks drugged doesn't she?

She's got that "This-icecream-is-so-stinkin'-good-I-get-the-eye-rollie-in-the-back-of-the-head-thingy" going on there.


Love the video Cass. That's just too cute.

 

[Timon]

that pic of kira with the ice cream is too funny.
i have visions of her hanging around the ice cream machine all week to get her "fix".
"mom...hook me up with another cone will ya?...come on, just one more."

LOL!!! Yeah, if you see her hanging around the machine, don't give into her ok?

that video is too cute.

wish we could go to wdw with ds and family to see addison and brady this xmas..but it wasnt meant to be i guess.
we'd love to see wdw through the eyes of the grandkids.
maybe next trip.

I know, it's sad you won't be there for their first Disney trip what if you just accidentally bumped into them at the MK??? Chalk it up to a nice little coinkidink

She has really grown up hasn't she? uh hu!

I did laugh when I heard her.

uh hu!!!

Yeah last time you saw her she was bald and barely walking

I've lurked on your other trip reports but thought I would come out of "lurkdom" to let you know how much I really enjoy reading about your trips.

We took our 18 month old son on a 4-night Disney Cruise in June and he had a blast! He loved Flounder's and all the characters. I can't wait to take him to WDW next year. He'll be about Kira's age when we go so I'm really interested to see how she does.

I'm so glad you came out for me Bashful!!!! I can't wait to see how she does too

OMG Cass!!!

Our baby is growing so fast. She's a smart little girl.

Can't wait to see her again.

I know eh!! A little too smart for her own good methinks

She knows you guys well because we've been watching our trip videos from last time and she always says "there's Mike and Wobin!" when she sees you.

 

[GOS]

Yeah last time you saw her she was bald and barely walking

Yep...but you have been keeping us up to date on her progress with pictures.

 

[oybolshoi]

Hiya Cass! Finally had a chance to check out your newest trippie ... and I've gone so far as to pimp you on the Bendy thread so expect some of our friendies to show up sooner or later.

Looking forward to seeing you guys in October!

 

[Jillpie]

Its a CASS report!!!!omg I am so excited, can you tell? That means seeing cruise chicken fingers and Castaway Cay hammocks and Rob eating his third ice cream cone of the day and cutie patootie Kira and all KINDS of food pics!!! Yahoo she's back!! How did I miss this report??!

Okay, Kira almost three?? No wait a minute, you're kidding me, right? When did THAT happen? You were pregnant yesterday, weren't you? I cannot believe it.

You are so smart btw to rent points. We have to get you to become one of us Cass, us DVC'rs. How do we do that? In the mean time, renting is your next best thing. And you're going to be at BLT and AKV (which you will absolutely love), wow, very cool!

I will follow this every single day, I cannot wait!!

 

[Timon]

Yep...but you have been keeping us up to date on her progress with pictures.

Moi??? Post pictures of my little princess???? Never!

Hiya Cass! Finally had a chance to check out your newest trippie ... and I've gone so far as to pimp you on the Bendy thread so expect some of our friendies to show up sooner or later.

Looking forward to seeing you guys in October!

Thanks hun, a good pimp is hard to find these days

Yes, we shall hunt you down in Epcot Beware

Its a CASS report!!!! I am so excited, can you tell? That means seeing cruise chicken fingers and Castaway Cay hammocks and Rob eating his third ice cream cone of the day and cutie patootie Kira and all KINDS of food pics!!! Yahoo she's back!! How did I miss this report??!

Okay, Kira almost three?? No wait a minute, you're kidding me, right? When did THAT happen? You were pregnant yesterday, weren't you? I cannot believe it.

You are so smart btw to rent points. We have to get you to become one of us Cass, us DVC'rs. How do we do that? In the mean time, renting is your next best thing. And you're going to be at BLT and AKV (which you will absolutely love), wow, very cool!

I will follow this every single day, I cannot wait!!

Jillpie baby!!!!! I knew you'd find me

Trust me, as soon as I win the lotto, I will be in Disney buying a plethora of DVC points

Chicken fingers?

Check!

Hammocks?

Check!


Food porn?

Check!

Rob eating his third helping of ice cream?

Probably not this trip


He thinks his high level of sugar intake during our trips contribute to him getting sick and I tend to agree with him.

Last trip I told him to cut back on his ice cream intake and he didn't get sick.




However, this just means he won't be eating ice cream THREE times a day

I'm sure he can struggle with ONE ice cream a day, you think?


And yes, my little princess is almost 3 How did that happen????

She's a little cutie, full of P&V and drama and she's gonna have a blast!!!


And fear not, you have not missed much. And there's still 64 more days to bore you poor people with my thoughts and plans and photos



.





Tomorrow is Rob's birthday, which is bittersweet for me because I love to celebrate the day my baby was born but it also happens to be my Dad's birthday too, and this will be the first one since he passed. Just gonna try to keep myself busy all day and we have some great friends coming over to join us for a dinner celebration and then talk Disney (right Sean & Bernie? ) so that should keep my mind off of things


I will try to write another chapter on the weekend