Monday, May 14, 2007
When we woke up this morning, I made a call to WDW-DINE to make some changes to our ADRs. After cancelling Boma the night before, we had 2 TSs each left and I really did want to try Kona for dinner. I cancelled Spoodles and had no trouble getting Kona Café. I tried to get Cape May Café for breakfast the next (and last full) day so Max could say goodbye to his new best friends, Chip and Dale, but it was fully booked. I shrugged and went with my first choice, Boma. Lots of availability, no problem!
Max wanted to go to MGM again so we dragged him out of bed (he had crawled in the big bed and joined us in the early hours of the morning). We shared his fruit plate from the Boardwalk Bakery that we bought the night before it was delicious! Lots of fresh fruit: strawberries, oranges, cantaloupe, honeydew, grapes, kiwi, pineapple and strawberry yogurt for dipping. I mentioned this over on my dining review thread, but this is one of the best NON dining plan values. A huge plate full of fruit and yogurt for $3.49. (On the
DDP, it comes with a dessert and drink too).
Max started playing Chuzzles on the laptop while Goofy went up front to check on my clothing (aka underwear and nighties). I sat and watched the Weather Channel. Im a weather geek. It fascinates me. I saw that WDW was going to get lots of storms coming in the upcoming week. We had talked the night before and decided that even though wed love to live at WDW for a long time, we were getting ready to go home. The last two days or so of a long trip always have that going home doom on them. I hate to think about going home until the very last minute, but its still there. Early in the trip there is the well be back here again on this trip, so we can do it again feel
but in the last few days you start to wonder was that the last time wed go to Magic Kingdom? Am I going to make it all 4 times on Soarin
? We really havent done World Showcase yet do we want to squeeze them in? We are done with DAK, right? And the fatigue sets in a little too. It had been hot and humid for most of the trip and wed done an enormous amount of walking, swimming, playing. It really does get tiring.
I think having the last three nights at the Boardwalk made it feel more final as well. It was a new experience and it was harder to settle in to home like we do at the BCV and VWL. If we stay at the BWVs again, it will be at the beginning of a trip. The Boardwalk is vibrant and exhilarating and alive. It is a fun and exciting place to stay. Its best when youre in the beginning and the thick of your trip, rather than the end.
DH came back my clothing had not arrived, but while he stood up there they actually thought someone had already claimed it
.!!! Perhaps TMI but when on vacation I am partial to non sexy boyfriend type cotton undies and I cant imagine anyone thinking they were theftworthy. While Goofy was up there talking to a front desk person about my unmentionables, he saw the rude guy from the day before a ways down on the front desk, talking animatedly to a CM. Goofy mentioned him to the CM he was talking to saying something about how much time the man must have been wasting complaining while he was on vacation. The CM was very professional, but he did kind of grin and did tell Goofy that the CM the rude guy was talking to was assistant front desk manager. More complaining.
Side note: I truly do understand getting upset when things dont go your way and I do understand making your concerns known, but from what we heard yesterday this guy was just very entitled and his demands were really not realistic. I mean, do they even have quiet rooms on the Boardwalk next to the elevators with handicap accessible available at a moments notice? And youve see our view, right? Right behind the Libations bar and next to the pool
and it was plenty quiet when we had the patio doors shut. And it became a joke to us, because every time we were in the lobby it seemed like this man was there complaining. Why???
Anyway, when Goofy came back and gave me the bad news that my panties were still vacationing at VWL (thank God I had extras in the carryon!!!) we all packed up and got ready to head down to the boat to go to MGM Max wanted to walk and wasnt thrilled about the boat, because it stops at Y&B and then S&D before MGM. (And does the same thing on the way back not fair, if you ask me!. Y&B and S&D get double duty and the BW gets once.)
Anyway, we got to MGM and it was warm, but not that humid and lots of wind. Max aka Map Boy grabbed a map, looked at it, and made a beeline straight to ToT.
Goofy being led by Max to the Tower of Terror:
He and Goofy rode while I waited. And here is where I saw and photographed The Great Disney Meltdown Not Involving My Son.
Oh how I wish I could post my photos!!! I was subtle, I promise. In fact, I took all kinds of unnecessary photos around the outside of Rockin Roller Coaster where I was waiting, solely so I wouldnt be obvious. I would so love to post these photos, but I know Disney Karma will come back at me and I will show up on someone elses TR someday with photos of me having a meltdown with Max with the caption: What a horrible mother/child! or a photo of me all alone with three CS meals waiting for the boys with the caption No wonder this short little lady is so round she eats THREE meals!!! or a photo of me sniping at DH with the caption Happiest Place on Earth??
This wont stop me from describing the scene though. The best part of it? It wasnt me!!! I was so filled with empathy for the mom and gratitude that it wasnt me that I simply enjoyed the whole scene.
Picture it: I am sitting right outside Tower or Terror. I am across from the CS food areas. I look over to the street we came down on our way to ToT and see a little girl about Maxs age laying in the middle of that street on the corner.
Heres a photo of Max coming off the ride
no go over to the right of that snack cart about 8 feet and that is where The Meltdown took place about 5 feet into the middle of the street:
I have no idea what started it, but this little girl was not happy! She was lying down behind her rented stroller, pounding the pavement in a full out temper tantrum. She had a sister sitting in the stroller calmly ignoring her while her mom stood there, trying desperately to keep her patience. And kudos to her she did it! The little girl did her thing for probably a good 10 minutes. It was long enough for her Dad to go and buy a turkey leg, stand over the stroller using the canopy as a table for his napkins, eat the turkey leg, throw away the turkey leg and come back to the family. Mom spent the entire time standing with her hands on her hips, waiting. The tantrum started out full on the ground
escalated and then ebbed. Soon the little girl was sitting up, pouting. Then finally stood up and stood eye to eye with Mom. I believe she got a wee talking to and then the family left together.
Not ONCE did the mom or dad yell kudos to them!!!
It was a nice little diversion while I waited for my guys, and I was full of compassion and admiration for the calm mom. WOW!
After the ride which they both liked Max showed me his new ToT pin Goofy had purchased for him in honor of their maiden trip on the ToT. We decided to have lunch at Rosies and Catalina Eddies. We had a great time sharing three CS meals. Max especially loved the chocolate cake:
Goofy and Max with the ToT in the background:
And Max, cleaned up from the chocolate:
After lunch, we began walking back away from ToT and Max made a pin trade with a CM outside one of the carts. This is where he discovered monorail pins. He traded one of his lesser exciting pins and took great joy in picking up one of the monorail collection. The CM saw how excited Max was and reached into his pocket and pulled out another YOMD Tinkerbell pin set. This one was different than the dark blue pins Max had already received it was Tinkerbell and said something about where dreams come true! but it was white. He gave Max two: one to keep and one to give.
Next we went through the Starring Rolls and stopped a moment to watch a CM make Caramel nut apples. After a few minutes, she came out and asked if Max wanted to trade he traded for yet another monorail pin, which he and Goofy had been dying to find.
We walked out and saw (can you hear the angels singing???):
A HUGE map!!!
Max enjoyed finding everything on the map and then he walked over and stopped at another CM right outside times chart and traded for yet one more monorail pin. I wasnt thrilled with this new collection. He had such great pins that really meant special memories and such and he was giving them away to get these little matching monorails. I worried that he was trading for these because Goofy liked them, not because he wanted them. I had to force myself to let it go. Later I realized that Max really did like the monorail pins.
After the flurry of pin trading, we went to Animation Avenue and it was 15 minutes to the Little Mermaid, 30 to Playhouse Disney. Goofy really wanted to do the Animation Tour so we went in and did that. We stood in line behind the cutest little 4 year old boy. He had the cutest chubby cheeks and was so shy. He also had strawberry blonde hair, which I have a weakness for since Max has auburn hair and my nephew has strawberry
love those cute redheads!!! The little boy was intrigued by Maxs lanyard and his parents said he didnt collect pins yet. Max decided this was his chance to give away his new white Tinkerbell one to give pin. The little boy was very happy and it made Max feel good. We did the Mushu part of the tour, then the color a character, Disney karaoke, and which character are you?
Max coloring in Flounder:
Then we did the Animation Academy and it was great!! There werent many people in there and when they were asked who they wanted to draw, everyone other than Max said
Donald. Max wanted Mickey, but was a good sport. He did a really decent job drawing Donald and took it so very seriously it was adorable. The cute little redhead was in there and got very frustrated with his drawing and began to cry. The animator kept telling him it was okay and then would comment on how he made another kid cry. At the end, he gave the little boy his signed copy of Donald and then the little boy and his dad left. He then asked us if we were with them we said no so he gave Max a signed copy of Mickey from his last show. Max was so excited!! So was Goofy the drawings were available in the shops for $25 on up and he had always wanted to buy one for Maxs bedroom wall. Now he had one that was even more special!! We stopped in the shop to get a rubber band and bag for both the animators and Maxs drawings and Max was so excited about his drawing that he decided he wanted the How to Draw books instead of the Pirate treasure chest from DTD (thank God). Goofy and I jumped on this decision and he went to buy them while Max and I went to charge some drinks.
Outside getting drinks, my room key did not work. This is a horrible phobia of mine I am always terrified there will be something wrong in a computer system and I will be told Im sorry, your card is denied. I knew there wasnt anything wrong with our room charge, but it wasnt a good feeling. I went back to find Goofy to see if maybe mine was declined because he was using his at the same time
but he had used his debit card instead so he didnt know. We went to another ice cream stand to try drinks with Goofys room key and had no problems whew!!!
At this point, we decided to go back to the villas for veg and Max was dying to start drawing. One of his books included a sketch pad and markers and he was itching to get going. We took the long boat ride back and Max and I went to the room while Goofy went to the front desk to check status on my undies.
Max and I walked into the room and saw the bag of undergarments as soon as we got in. We also had a voice mail from earlier and it was the Boardwalk Mousekeeping telling me my clothing had arrived and they would deliver. I assumed the front desk would tell Goofy they had delivered my package and hed be right back.
And now I would like to point out how subtle and respectful the VWL Mousekeepers were in handling my private items. I had expected them to arrive in one of those white and yellow Mickey laundry bags. I thought that would be fine I wasnt expecting anything fancy. So youll be so impressed by what they did
.
The delivered my undies in a SEE THROUGH bag!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nice.
I shoved them into a drawer and settled back to watch Kim Possible (a guilty Disney pleasure) while Max practiced drawing. Goofy came back about 25 minutes later they had looked for my undies and no foundie. They called VWL, who told them they thought theyd been delivered. I let Goofy know they were here, and once he got over his giggles at the clear Look! Panties!! bag, he went back to the front desk to let them know. I sat back and watched Kim Possible, simply delighted in how many people had helped track, recover, and probably touch my bras, underwear, and nighties. I almost wanted to get myself a button like the First Trip to WDW! and Happy Birthday! ones that said, Had my Non Sexy Underwear Travel Across WDW!
In a SEE THROUGH BAG!! (I can only IMAGINE what the delivery guy thought!!!)
And no, I didnt take a photo of the bag. Enough people saw them I dont need to share them with my Internet friends. But I would like to take this opportunity to thank God that they were clean!
So enough about my underwears exciting journey once Goofy came back again, we snacked on the desserts from the night before that we had gotten at Boardwalk Bakery while Max practiced drawing Mickey and Minnie from his new book. Once we were finished eating our delectable sugary treats, we changed and went out to the pool where the boys practiced Maxs swimming while I sat with a drink and a book.
Max learning to swim without his life jacket:
He did great!!!
We went in around 6:00 to get ready for dinner at Kona Café.
And here is where I stop for tonight I had downloaded my photos that afternoon and forgot to put the memory card back into the camera so I had to take photos at the Poly directly to the camera and Goofy hasnt downloaded them yet although he promises to do it tonight or soon.
So next up: Dinner at the Poly and an evening on the Beach!
How embarassing that you forgot your undies! What a great DH to make the phone call for you! 
My daughter came home from college in May and after being home for about 3 hours (and a 3 1/2 hour drive) she said in the middle of a sentence, "Oh my gosh all my socks and underwear are in a drawer at Naz!"
It's not good enough you know, you'll have to write faster. Thing is, I know you're getting to the end and you don't want to finish it - but you're keeping your loyal readers waiting 
scared1: ) for a Magical Gathering with my Brother, SIL, niece nephew, dad and dad's wife so we won't be there in May for the first time in 5 years. 
I'm thinking of slipping a quickie trip in April before our AP's expire though, if we have enough points...
HA!! Love the Appliane Direct photo!!! I showed DH and he just grinned. And yes, Max got lots more cooking experience at the Mother's Day Brunch and Goofy's than the lesson we paid for...
