scanne
<font color=blue>OK, I must have really small ears
- Joined
- May 13, 2000
- Messages
- 5,365
We just got back from a weekend at the shore with parents. Why did we go with my parents? Didn't I learn my lesson!?!?
Trip Report Day 8 August 1, 2005
Cast:
Me 31
DH 35
DS 2
DD 1
My parents (Ill refer to as M&D for Mom and Dad)
My grandmother (MM for MomMom thats what my kids call her)
My aunt (AK for Aunt Karen)
My in-laws (ILS)
Todays title is Battle of the Parents Part 2
Today was welcomed because my ILS were checking out and renting a car to go visit some friends in Melbourne. So my stress level dropped by 2 or so I thought. The evening would prove otherwise.
So we saw my ILS off and DH and I went to MGM with the kids. Alone. Ahhhhhhhhh.
The first thing Chase and I did was share a Mickey bar. I had been holding out all week, so I gave in and we shared one on a bench in MGM. It was a nice way to start the day. I also ran and got FastPasses for RNRC for later. I got to witness first hand the Brazilian Tour Group leaders getting tons of FPs in one shot. On one hand, I think its ok because everyone with a ticket has a right to a FastPass, but on the other hand, when it takes 10 minutes for the leader to get 100 FPs, thats just a little too much. Some of the guests behind me were yelling at these guys and I just felt so bad for them, getting all that slack. But I guess they brought it on themselves.
Next, we took the kids into the Animation Tour. They took out the movie and had an animator talking with Mushu from Mulan. It was entertaining and nice to be in the A/C. Then we were let out into the building that used to house the Disney animators. Now they have a meet and greet area, some computer activities for kids and lots of artwork. The meet and greet was Chicken Little and Abby Mallard. We got a really cute picture with them!
DS enjoyed playing with the digital Ink and Paint activity and the voice over activity. We sang Bare Necessities and Hakuna Matata together. There was also a game that asked you several questions and then told you which Disney character you were most like. DSs was Peter Pan and I was the Queen of Hearts. DH got a kick out of that one!
We met my parents in the Animation Courtyard after this. They agreed to take the kids for a while so that DH could go ride RNRC. So they took them back into the Animation Tour and we went on our first coaster the whole trip! I do love this ride! It is one of my favorites at WDW, but I have a sneaky suspicion that once Expedition Everest is open, that will take the cake.
After our thrill, we got FastPasses for TOT for me, DH, my mom and AK. Then we met them back in the Animation Courtyard.
We took the kids to Playhouse Disney Live Onstage while my parents, MM and AK went to Who Wants to Be A Millionaire. BTW, splitting up here and there while at the park was a great idea. One I wished I had implemented sooner. PHD was a lot of fun. Both kids loved the music and Bear from Bear in the Big Blue House. When the bubbles started floating down, my kids were squealing with excitement. Bubbles are a big thing in our house so my kids were delighted by this part of the show.
After the show we met everyone again and decided to go to the ABC Commissary for a light lunch. It turns out that they didnt get into Millionaire and were planning to go back after lunch. We had a light lunch of vegetable noodle bowls and a tabouleh wrap. Pretty good. Not your average counter service fare.
After lunch we split up again. We took the kids to Muppet Vision 3D. On the way, we stopped and took a picture of DH and DS on the speeder bike from Star Wars. We do this on every trip and I have a scrapbook page that is a timeline of DS through the years. Its one of my favorite traditions!
DS and DD loved the Muppets, which was a change from the past. When DS was 18 months, he screamed and cried in the movie, so I was a little worried, but I guess he has since matured because he really enjoyed it!
Afterward, we met with everyone by Millionaire and DS got to meet JoJo and Goliath.
We then went over to TOT and my, DH, AK and my mom rode together. My aunt isnt a thrill rider, so I was very surprised that she wanted to go on this. My dad and grandmom watched the kids who had fallen asleep in the stroller.
I love TOT, but this time wasnt the best sequence. We never fully dropped the full 13 stories, but I guess as an intro to my aunt, it was just fine. I think this ride has some of the best theming in all of WDW.
It was now around 3pm so we decided to head over to the MK. We were having dinner at Crystal Palace, which is a favorite! I thought we could take a bus from MGM to the MK, but you had to take a bus to the TTC. So we simply got a bus to the Polynesian because I figured we could quickly swing by the room then catch the monorail to the MK. We made it to MK in about 45 minutes. We were able to stroll along Main Street before dinner and have our pictures taken in front of the castle. We used PhotoPass for these pictures and have had a lot of fun looking at them on line.
We went over to CP for our dinner and were seated within 5 minutes. Now on every trip to WDW I always run into to someone I know. One year I ran in to a friend that I graduated college with both at Downtown Disney and at Epcot. Another year I ran into a voice student of mine. So why was I surprised when I saw director of community recreation of my school at Crystal Palace? I knew he was in WDW because a friend of mine is a friend of his wifes and she told me they would be there.
So of course I went over and said my hello to him and his wife. They have a little boy and I think this was his first trip. Apparently his wife and her family are Disney crazy, too! So it was nice to see them and their new baby. Ah, another tradition kept!
Now back to our dinner. The food was great, as usual. Most of the dishes I have had and I do have some favorites, like the chicken and mushroom pasta in a cream sauce. And the chef was nice enough to cut me a piece of prime rib and place it on the grill to cook it more thoroughly. I also enjoyed the salads and desserts. DD really like the macaroni and cheese and the cupcake they brought out for my birthday.
Ok, so the food was good. And now to the characters. Character interaction was better than Chef Mickeys but it still wasnt what I was used to. The best interaction we had this trip was at Liberty Tree Tavern our first night. The characters there were playful and spent lots of time with the kids. Here they were a bit playful, but it also felt rushed, but not like Chef Mickeys. Well go back, but probably in a few years. I think were getting tired of the Pooh characters. (Time for a boy themed meal Buzz, Aladdin, Peter Pan, Tarzan and Hercules. Call it the Heroes Adventure Meal!)
One more thing about CP. The poor service! Our waitress greeted us when we sat down and brought us our drinks but then we didnt see her for 45 minutes. We either had to ask another server for refills or hunt her down. I did tell the manager and she was very kind and thanked me. I hope it helped
And here is where the battle ensues.
After dinner I wanted to do some rides in Adventureland then get a great spot in Frontierland for Spectro Magic. We met Aladdin and Jasmine by the Magic Carpets and then DS was playing in the Tikis that shoot water. He LOVED LOVED LOVED this!
He was in there for about ½ an hour! I realized it was 8.30pm and knew that we were out of luck for a good parade spot. L But we moseyed into Frontierland anyway. We got a spot right where the parade ends. Its kind of up a little hill outside the exit of Pecos Bills. My mom and grandmom sat on a bench while my dad, DD, AK and I sat and held the spot. DH took DS to see the Haunted Mansion.
I go over to check on my mom and she asks where DH is. I told her he took DS to the HM to look around and she got all upset that it was dark and that there were lots of people and that DS could get lost. Now, I was very upset by this because 1. Is she saying she doesnt trust my DH to watch DS and make sure he stays with him? And 2. Her mood was starting to decline rather quickly and when shes in a bad mood she always takes it out on me. Then she started in with the bugs and that I should put bug repellant on my kids. Then the crowds. Then the humidity and on and on and on. Oh, and it didnt help that DD was crying at that moment. DD rarely cries and if she is crying its because she is hungry, has a dirty diaper or has a burp that is stuck. I knew it was #3 since she just ate and had just been changed. So I picked her up, she burped and was fine.
As the parade gets closer to starting more people move in. My mom and grandmom decided to stay on the bench and watch DD (who fell asleep) instead of watching the parade. Fine. I thought the air had cleared, but wait folks. Theres more.
DH, DS (oh, they came back just fine, by the way!), my dad and my aunt watched the parade. These spots turned out to be great and DS really loved the lights and the music. I enjoyed it too, but my heart belongs to the Main Street Electrical Parade and its high time they brought it back!
After the parade we meet up with my mom and grandmom. I was excited because DS really had a great time as did the rest of us, but as soon as I saw my mom the mood dissipated. She was fuming. She went on and on about how hot it was and how many bug bites she got (um, wasnt she the one who told me to put bug repellant on the kids?) and how some woman almost crushed her and my grandmother when she sat down next to them.
OK, now I understand the heat and crowds and bugs, but I was almost in tears over her mood. I had tried so hard on this whole trip to make sure everyone had a say in what was going on. Im not some group-leading maniac! And she lays into me like I run everyone ragged! When I told everyone what the plan was, I also said, If you want to do something else, feel free. Well plan on a meeting spot at a certain time.
Anyway, this was a turning point for me. I know that any future trips to WDW with my parents will be VERY different. DH and I will do our thing with the kids and my parents can do their thing and well meet for meals. I dont think I can handle another full time trip with them.
If you havent closed this post yet, hang on. Theres more!
DH and I were planning on staying for EMH tonight. But I could tell my mom had had enough, so we were willing to bag it. We went back to the resort, got the kids settled in for the night and were getting ready to do the same when my mom came in and asked why we werent going back to the MK. We told her that we thought she was tired and needed a break and we were going to skip it. Well, I dont know why she told us to go. We only got grief for it the next day. But we ended up back at MK. What a joke EMH is! Bring back e-ride nights! Id rather pay $12.00 than deal with the crowds at EMH. We only got to ride the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean. The lines were horrible!!! Never again!
We got back to the Polynesian late close to 1am. My mom went to her room and we thanked her for watching the kids (who had been sleeping). We went to bed thinking everything was fine. Little did we know Battle of the Parents Part 3 was brewing!!!
Trip Report Day 8 August 1, 2005
Cast:
Me 31
DH 35
DS 2
DD 1
My parents (Ill refer to as M&D for Mom and Dad)
My grandmother (MM for MomMom thats what my kids call her)
My aunt (AK for Aunt Karen)
My in-laws (ILS)
Todays title is Battle of the Parents Part 2
Today was welcomed because my ILS were checking out and renting a car to go visit some friends in Melbourne. So my stress level dropped by 2 or so I thought. The evening would prove otherwise.
So we saw my ILS off and DH and I went to MGM with the kids. Alone. Ahhhhhhhhh.
The first thing Chase and I did was share a Mickey bar. I had been holding out all week, so I gave in and we shared one on a bench in MGM. It was a nice way to start the day. I also ran and got FastPasses for RNRC for later. I got to witness first hand the Brazilian Tour Group leaders getting tons of FPs in one shot. On one hand, I think its ok because everyone with a ticket has a right to a FastPass, but on the other hand, when it takes 10 minutes for the leader to get 100 FPs, thats just a little too much. Some of the guests behind me were yelling at these guys and I just felt so bad for them, getting all that slack. But I guess they brought it on themselves.
Next, we took the kids into the Animation Tour. They took out the movie and had an animator talking with Mushu from Mulan. It was entertaining and nice to be in the A/C. Then we were let out into the building that used to house the Disney animators. Now they have a meet and greet area, some computer activities for kids and lots of artwork. The meet and greet was Chicken Little and Abby Mallard. We got a really cute picture with them!
DS enjoyed playing with the digital Ink and Paint activity and the voice over activity. We sang Bare Necessities and Hakuna Matata together. There was also a game that asked you several questions and then told you which Disney character you were most like. DSs was Peter Pan and I was the Queen of Hearts. DH got a kick out of that one!
We met my parents in the Animation Courtyard after this. They agreed to take the kids for a while so that DH could go ride RNRC. So they took them back into the Animation Tour and we went on our first coaster the whole trip! I do love this ride! It is one of my favorites at WDW, but I have a sneaky suspicion that once Expedition Everest is open, that will take the cake.
After our thrill, we got FastPasses for TOT for me, DH, my mom and AK. Then we met them back in the Animation Courtyard.
We took the kids to Playhouse Disney Live Onstage while my parents, MM and AK went to Who Wants to Be A Millionaire. BTW, splitting up here and there while at the park was a great idea. One I wished I had implemented sooner. PHD was a lot of fun. Both kids loved the music and Bear from Bear in the Big Blue House. When the bubbles started floating down, my kids were squealing with excitement. Bubbles are a big thing in our house so my kids were delighted by this part of the show.
After the show we met everyone again and decided to go to the ABC Commissary for a light lunch. It turns out that they didnt get into Millionaire and were planning to go back after lunch. We had a light lunch of vegetable noodle bowls and a tabouleh wrap. Pretty good. Not your average counter service fare.
After lunch we split up again. We took the kids to Muppet Vision 3D. On the way, we stopped and took a picture of DH and DS on the speeder bike from Star Wars. We do this on every trip and I have a scrapbook page that is a timeline of DS through the years. Its one of my favorite traditions!
DS and DD loved the Muppets, which was a change from the past. When DS was 18 months, he screamed and cried in the movie, so I was a little worried, but I guess he has since matured because he really enjoyed it!
Afterward, we met with everyone by Millionaire and DS got to meet JoJo and Goliath.
We then went over to TOT and my, DH, AK and my mom rode together. My aunt isnt a thrill rider, so I was very surprised that she wanted to go on this. My dad and grandmom watched the kids who had fallen asleep in the stroller.
I love TOT, but this time wasnt the best sequence. We never fully dropped the full 13 stories, but I guess as an intro to my aunt, it was just fine. I think this ride has some of the best theming in all of WDW.
It was now around 3pm so we decided to head over to the MK. We were having dinner at Crystal Palace, which is a favorite! I thought we could take a bus from MGM to the MK, but you had to take a bus to the TTC. So we simply got a bus to the Polynesian because I figured we could quickly swing by the room then catch the monorail to the MK. We made it to MK in about 45 minutes. We were able to stroll along Main Street before dinner and have our pictures taken in front of the castle. We used PhotoPass for these pictures and have had a lot of fun looking at them on line.
We went over to CP for our dinner and were seated within 5 minutes. Now on every trip to WDW I always run into to someone I know. One year I ran in to a friend that I graduated college with both at Downtown Disney and at Epcot. Another year I ran into a voice student of mine. So why was I surprised when I saw director of community recreation of my school at Crystal Palace? I knew he was in WDW because a friend of mine is a friend of his wifes and she told me they would be there.
So of course I went over and said my hello to him and his wife. They have a little boy and I think this was his first trip. Apparently his wife and her family are Disney crazy, too! So it was nice to see them and their new baby. Ah, another tradition kept!
Now back to our dinner. The food was great, as usual. Most of the dishes I have had and I do have some favorites, like the chicken and mushroom pasta in a cream sauce. And the chef was nice enough to cut me a piece of prime rib and place it on the grill to cook it more thoroughly. I also enjoyed the salads and desserts. DD really like the macaroni and cheese and the cupcake they brought out for my birthday.
Ok, so the food was good. And now to the characters. Character interaction was better than Chef Mickeys but it still wasnt what I was used to. The best interaction we had this trip was at Liberty Tree Tavern our first night. The characters there were playful and spent lots of time with the kids. Here they were a bit playful, but it also felt rushed, but not like Chef Mickeys. Well go back, but probably in a few years. I think were getting tired of the Pooh characters. (Time for a boy themed meal Buzz, Aladdin, Peter Pan, Tarzan and Hercules. Call it the Heroes Adventure Meal!)
One more thing about CP. The poor service! Our waitress greeted us when we sat down and brought us our drinks but then we didnt see her for 45 minutes. We either had to ask another server for refills or hunt her down. I did tell the manager and she was very kind and thanked me. I hope it helped
And here is where the battle ensues.
After dinner I wanted to do some rides in Adventureland then get a great spot in Frontierland for Spectro Magic. We met Aladdin and Jasmine by the Magic Carpets and then DS was playing in the Tikis that shoot water. He LOVED LOVED LOVED this!
He was in there for about ½ an hour! I realized it was 8.30pm and knew that we were out of luck for a good parade spot. L But we moseyed into Frontierland anyway. We got a spot right where the parade ends. Its kind of up a little hill outside the exit of Pecos Bills. My mom and grandmom sat on a bench while my dad, DD, AK and I sat and held the spot. DH took DS to see the Haunted Mansion.
I go over to check on my mom and she asks where DH is. I told her he took DS to the HM to look around and she got all upset that it was dark and that there were lots of people and that DS could get lost. Now, I was very upset by this because 1. Is she saying she doesnt trust my DH to watch DS and make sure he stays with him? And 2. Her mood was starting to decline rather quickly and when shes in a bad mood she always takes it out on me. Then she started in with the bugs and that I should put bug repellant on my kids. Then the crowds. Then the humidity and on and on and on. Oh, and it didnt help that DD was crying at that moment. DD rarely cries and if she is crying its because she is hungry, has a dirty diaper or has a burp that is stuck. I knew it was #3 since she just ate and had just been changed. So I picked her up, she burped and was fine.
As the parade gets closer to starting more people move in. My mom and grandmom decided to stay on the bench and watch DD (who fell asleep) instead of watching the parade. Fine. I thought the air had cleared, but wait folks. Theres more.
DH, DS (oh, they came back just fine, by the way!), my dad and my aunt watched the parade. These spots turned out to be great and DS really loved the lights and the music. I enjoyed it too, but my heart belongs to the Main Street Electrical Parade and its high time they brought it back!
After the parade we meet up with my mom and grandmom. I was excited because DS really had a great time as did the rest of us, but as soon as I saw my mom the mood dissipated. She was fuming. She went on and on about how hot it was and how many bug bites she got (um, wasnt she the one who told me to put bug repellant on the kids?) and how some woman almost crushed her and my grandmother when she sat down next to them.
OK, now I understand the heat and crowds and bugs, but I was almost in tears over her mood. I had tried so hard on this whole trip to make sure everyone had a say in what was going on. Im not some group-leading maniac! And she lays into me like I run everyone ragged! When I told everyone what the plan was, I also said, If you want to do something else, feel free. Well plan on a meeting spot at a certain time.
Anyway, this was a turning point for me. I know that any future trips to WDW with my parents will be VERY different. DH and I will do our thing with the kids and my parents can do their thing and well meet for meals. I dont think I can handle another full time trip with them.
If you havent closed this post yet, hang on. Theres more!
DH and I were planning on staying for EMH tonight. But I could tell my mom had had enough, so we were willing to bag it. We went back to the resort, got the kids settled in for the night and were getting ready to do the same when my mom came in and asked why we werent going back to the MK. We told her that we thought she was tired and needed a break and we were going to skip it. Well, I dont know why she told us to go. We only got grief for it the next day. But we ended up back at MK. What a joke EMH is! Bring back e-ride nights! Id rather pay $12.00 than deal with the crowds at EMH. We only got to ride the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean. The lines were horrible!!! Never again!
We got back to the Polynesian late close to 1am. My mom went to her room and we thanked her for watching the kids (who had been sleeping). We went to bed thinking everything was fine. Little did we know Battle of the Parents Part 3 was brewing!!!
hoping that you and your mum have made up since.
...well won't say it). 
Thanks for the report
