Trip Report December 9-13, 2004
Cast:
Me: (35) The Disney person of the family. Successful in the indoctrination of my DD5 in the magic of Disney. Lucky enough to have been to WDW at least 2-4 times a year since it opened.
DH: (32) King Louie: Not a Disney person. Will grudgingly go once a year if forced and then only to see the happiness it brings our daughter. Does enjoy the Jungle Book. Wonderful husband and father just not a Disney person. Gives in to my whims and wishes quite often.
DD (51/2): Miss Daisy: Amazing. Could direct us to BuzzLightyear at 2 yrs old upon entering the park.
Day 1 - December 9, 2004
So the day is finally here. By the time my DH and I get up DD is already picked out an outfit (totally inappropriate shorts and halter), dressed and packed her Tinkerbelle roll on suitcase with toys, books etc Very important things no five year old should be without. I, of course, had been up until around 3AM the night before packing so I could not begrudge DD of her suitcase. Now where to put it all in the car? We are only a family of three but it seemed like we had suitcases for 10. Understand that we are from Miami so even 60-70 degrees is winter for us. I had to pack for going north! I kept it to two Pullman rolling suitcases and two carpet bags and DD's bag and a cooler and 3 winter coats and a stroller and a backpack and a partridge in a pear tree (hey its Christmas right?). Actually, no partridge but a beta Fish in a bowl that we dropped off at Granny and Pa's house to be fish-sat.
So we actually hit the turnpike at 12:15pm. Not an early start I grant you but I have not revealed that we went back to the house no less than 3 times for various forgotten things.
The drive is pretty uneventful. DH actually starts to get over his going-to-Disney funk. I am toning down my going-to-Disney celebration and we are meeting in the middle singing goofy 80's songs to the great annoyance of my music critic daughter.
I am the type that just wants to get there when driving to WDW. My DH and DD are the types to stop at the plazas and get snacks, lunch, coffee, toys etc So a drive that may take me 3 hours will take 4-41/2 with them along. So 4 1/2 hours later we get to Osceola Parkway. Yippee. My daughter very importantly tells DH that this is Mommy's new secret cool shortcut to get to WDW. We just started using this exit rather than the Kissimmee exit this year. My DH had not been this way yet. So Dh thought I was cool for finding a "secret way" and DD thought I was the coolest Mommy ever because I found a faster way to get her to Mickey. Sometimes it is good to be Mommy.
We went straight to POP to check in as it was now close to 5pm and we had plans for the evening. DH seemed to be keeping an open mind and even commented that the hotel has some neat things. I sent them to look around as I checked us in. I needed to put some money on the room key for expenses and to check on the policy for changing hotels. I did not want them hanging around and learning of my surprises to come. I believe the CM who checked me in was Ana (?) I am terrible on remembering names. She was great though. Apparently she was originally from Animal Kingdom Lodge but had been brought to POP because of the POP Warner overflow (???!!!) I had booked POP specifically because I thought it would not have overflow as I had heard bad things about the POP kids as far as being loud etc (Remember, I did not want any little thing to give DH cause to dislike this trip.) I had originally put on my resssie that we would like the 50's building. Ana, being the wonderful person she was, informed me that I did not want the 50's building as that was where the Pop Warner kids were. So we quickly came to agreement that the 70's were a much better decade. That done, DH and DD returned after DD gave DH the grand tour of the pool, arcade and gift shop. She really knows this hotel well after 3 trips. We piled back into the loaded down car and headed to the 1970s.
Our mistake was parking in the 70's lot. Man, oh man, the walk with all our stuff was incredible. Luckily I had packed for the hotel switch and could leave one big bag in the car but what a walk. Our room was a third floor corner room. (6316 I want to say. I will try and find my paperwork and check that out.) Great room. Could see Potato heads to the right and foosball to the left. No fridge in the room as I had asked for but it was brought up immediately. We were worried that it would be a hike to Classic Hall but it really was not bad at all. We went ahead now to have dinner at Everything POP. DH and I had Mom's special of meatloaf and green beans. DD had chicken nuggets and fries. Everything was very good. I love green beans but these were cooked sort of oriental and I was not crazy over them but overall a good meal.I will admit it now that I brought one of my POP refillable cups from last trip and bought an extra one this trip to cover our needs. Flame me if you must but I was on a budget. I saw so many people filling up any type of cup from all hotels that I did not feel guilty at all. In the middle of the meal, I think around 6 or 6:30, all the CM got together and did the hustle. It was great. I love weird stuff like that. Even DH had to admit that it was cute.
We had to be at the Yacht club at 8:30 to meet up with our Illuminations cruise so we had a little time. I finished my dinner while DH took Daisy to the pool. Sometimes I think she would rather swim than go to the parks. She was looking forward to the pool since we told her about the trip and today would probably be the only day weather wise she would have. I finished up, took a quick tour through the gift shop, bought DD a Cinderella pin (as a surprise way of telling her we would be having dinner with Cindy the next night) and relieved DH at the pool. Sent him to go relax and change while I watched DD. While she was swimming my friends who were also staying at POP called to say they arrived and give me the room number. After Daisy's swim we went to say hi to them as they were heading out to Downtown Disney. We made plans to have breakfast together the next day and we went on to our room.
I think that I have made it clear that while a wonderful person, husband and father my husband is not a Disney person. He is not a cutsie person either. I normally am not either but I did do something that was both cutsie and Disney so my DH was guaranteed to hate it. I bought us all matching Disney logo shirts for the cruise. His bright red. Mine was white with red sleeves and DD's was white. I really wanted a family picture. As testament to what a good guys he is he wore it. If I can figure out how to post pictures I will add them in here. http://wwallberg.photosite.com/disalbum/40600010.html So after DD's bath we leave for the yacht club in our matching T-shirts. Yes, we are the Dork family. I have to admit that I was also feeling a tiny bit silly in our matching shorts but would never admit it since he was actually not complaining too much. Here is the picture: http://wwallberg.photosite.com/disalbum/40600017.html
We got to the yacht club in time. I have to take a minute here and say the security guards at, POP, yacht club and AKL later were all so friendly and helpful. Thank you. The fellow at the yacht club was downright chatty. We make our way to the dock and meet up with the Mousefest participants who we were riding with.
On our boat there was a lovely family from Scotland. Our host was Mark and there was Sharon, his wife and their kids Kirsten and Andrew and their friend Helen. Also, another nice couple Rob and Peggy. http://wwallberg.photosite.com/disalbum/40600013.html Aaron was our captain. http://wwallberg.photosite.com/disalbum/40600008.html Great Guy. Aaron was going to be leaving WDW in the next year to take a job for a baseball team. Good luck Aaron! DD had brought some light up Mickey key chains for the kids and made instant friends. http://wwallberg.photosite.com/disalbum/40600015.html. (Daisy is on the left) My little girl can be both a charmer and a busybody all at the same time. Daisy met Andrew and Kirsten and it was like "Mommy, Daddy who?" She moved right in to sit with their family and left DH and I to the back of the boat by our selves with the captain.http://wwallberg.photosite.com/disalbum/40600016.html There went my hopes for a sweet meaningful family moment memory. Don't you love kids? From what I could hear she kept up a running commentary spilling all our dark, family secrets and then moved on to giving a narration of everything she knew about the parks and illuminations. I tried to shush her so everyone else might have a chance to enjoy the ride with out narration but they assured me that she was doing fine and very cute. I am still wondering what all she told them.
Anyway. Mark our cruise host determined through some earlier e-mailing that chocolate would be the theme for our cruise. He brought some wonderful chocolate from Scotland. I brought hot chocolate for everyone so we were all pretty wired up on the sugar by the time the fireworks started. Captain Aaron took us on a lovely cruise of the lake around Boardwalk, up to MGM and over to Epcot. After some fancy boat working and a last mad dash he got us what I think was the best position we could have been in. We were second boat from the right under the bridge between England and France. As Illuminations started maybe 60 yards away I even heard my DH say the words I was hoping for "Wow, this is incredible" Pixie dust is already starting to work on him I just know it!
Watching the fireworks from here was really amazing. I sat back with my DH and listened to my DD give commentary about what will happen next "now the world will come out " and all was right in the World.http://wwallberg.photosite.com/disalbum/40600012.html I even managed to tape some of them to watch back home. How perfect it was. We also got to see the extra added ending of "Let there be Peace on Earth". Just spectacular! I can't even describe what a perfect first night it was. It is always our tradition to go to Epcot first and see Illuminations and this cruise continued our tradition perfectly. I find the music of Illuminations and Epcot in general just beautiful and calming. If we have the opportunity I will do it again in a heartbeat. After the cruise we took pictures with our Scottish friends. http://wwallberg.photosite.com/disalbum/40600018.html Thanked our captain and we were off. We tried to get a look at the pool area but much of it seemed covered for construction. We will have to go back at some later date. Got back to POP after getting a little lost leaving the Yacht club ("No, honey turn left your other left.") DD is asthmatic so she had to have her breathing treatment and then off to bed. I was up a little longer just organizing and getting everything ready for the next day. I had told DD and DH earlier that we had a tour the next day of all the garbage cans and water fountains in the Magic Kingdom so neither was very excited over what was to come. We all finally settled in and got to sleep a little after 12. All of the sudden fireworks start going off. No not the romantic kind. Outside. We could not see them from our room but they sounded so loud that we though it must be very close. We never found out what they were but heard them again the next night as well. A Disney mystery... Good night.
Pre-Trip: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=703026
Cast:
Me: (35) The Disney person of the family. Successful in the indoctrination of my DD5 in the magic of Disney. Lucky enough to have been to WDW at least 2-4 times a year since it opened.
DH: (32) King Louie: Not a Disney person. Will grudgingly go once a year if forced and then only to see the happiness it brings our daughter. Does enjoy the Jungle Book. Wonderful husband and father just not a Disney person. Gives in to my whims and wishes quite often.
DD (51/2): Miss Daisy: Amazing. Could direct us to BuzzLightyear at 2 yrs old upon entering the park.
Day 1 - December 9, 2004
So the day is finally here. By the time my DH and I get up DD is already picked out an outfit (totally inappropriate shorts and halter), dressed and packed her Tinkerbelle roll on suitcase with toys, books etc Very important things no five year old should be without. I, of course, had been up until around 3AM the night before packing so I could not begrudge DD of her suitcase. Now where to put it all in the car? We are only a family of three but it seemed like we had suitcases for 10. Understand that we are from Miami so even 60-70 degrees is winter for us. I had to pack for going north! I kept it to two Pullman rolling suitcases and two carpet bags and DD's bag and a cooler and 3 winter coats and a stroller and a backpack and a partridge in a pear tree (hey its Christmas right?). Actually, no partridge but a beta Fish in a bowl that we dropped off at Granny and Pa's house to be fish-sat.
So we actually hit the turnpike at 12:15pm. Not an early start I grant you but I have not revealed that we went back to the house no less than 3 times for various forgotten things.
The drive is pretty uneventful. DH actually starts to get over his going-to-Disney funk. I am toning down my going-to-Disney celebration and we are meeting in the middle singing goofy 80's songs to the great annoyance of my music critic daughter.
I am the type that just wants to get there when driving to WDW. My DH and DD are the types to stop at the plazas and get snacks, lunch, coffee, toys etc So a drive that may take me 3 hours will take 4-41/2 with them along. So 4 1/2 hours later we get to Osceola Parkway. Yippee. My daughter very importantly tells DH that this is Mommy's new secret cool shortcut to get to WDW. We just started using this exit rather than the Kissimmee exit this year. My DH had not been this way yet. So Dh thought I was cool for finding a "secret way" and DD thought I was the coolest Mommy ever because I found a faster way to get her to Mickey. Sometimes it is good to be Mommy.
We went straight to POP to check in as it was now close to 5pm and we had plans for the evening. DH seemed to be keeping an open mind and even commented that the hotel has some neat things. I sent them to look around as I checked us in. I needed to put some money on the room key for expenses and to check on the policy for changing hotels. I did not want them hanging around and learning of my surprises to come. I believe the CM who checked me in was Ana (?) I am terrible on remembering names. She was great though. Apparently she was originally from Animal Kingdom Lodge but had been brought to POP because of the POP Warner overflow (???!!!) I had booked POP specifically because I thought it would not have overflow as I had heard bad things about the POP kids as far as being loud etc (Remember, I did not want any little thing to give DH cause to dislike this trip.) I had originally put on my resssie that we would like the 50's building. Ana, being the wonderful person she was, informed me that I did not want the 50's building as that was where the Pop Warner kids were. So we quickly came to agreement that the 70's were a much better decade. That done, DH and DD returned after DD gave DH the grand tour of the pool, arcade and gift shop. She really knows this hotel well after 3 trips. We piled back into the loaded down car and headed to the 1970s.
Our mistake was parking in the 70's lot. Man, oh man, the walk with all our stuff was incredible. Luckily I had packed for the hotel switch and could leave one big bag in the car but what a walk. Our room was a third floor corner room. (6316 I want to say. I will try and find my paperwork and check that out.) Great room. Could see Potato heads to the right and foosball to the left. No fridge in the room as I had asked for but it was brought up immediately. We were worried that it would be a hike to Classic Hall but it really was not bad at all. We went ahead now to have dinner at Everything POP. DH and I had Mom's special of meatloaf and green beans. DD had chicken nuggets and fries. Everything was very good. I love green beans but these were cooked sort of oriental and I was not crazy over them but overall a good meal.I will admit it now that I brought one of my POP refillable cups from last trip and bought an extra one this trip to cover our needs. Flame me if you must but I was on a budget. I saw so many people filling up any type of cup from all hotels that I did not feel guilty at all. In the middle of the meal, I think around 6 or 6:30, all the CM got together and did the hustle. It was great. I love weird stuff like that. Even DH had to admit that it was cute.
We had to be at the Yacht club at 8:30 to meet up with our Illuminations cruise so we had a little time. I finished my dinner while DH took Daisy to the pool. Sometimes I think she would rather swim than go to the parks. She was looking forward to the pool since we told her about the trip and today would probably be the only day weather wise she would have. I finished up, took a quick tour through the gift shop, bought DD a Cinderella pin (as a surprise way of telling her we would be having dinner with Cindy the next night) and relieved DH at the pool. Sent him to go relax and change while I watched DD. While she was swimming my friends who were also staying at POP called to say they arrived and give me the room number. After Daisy's swim we went to say hi to them as they were heading out to Downtown Disney. We made plans to have breakfast together the next day and we went on to our room.
I think that I have made it clear that while a wonderful person, husband and father my husband is not a Disney person. He is not a cutsie person either. I normally am not either but I did do something that was both cutsie and Disney so my DH was guaranteed to hate it. I bought us all matching Disney logo shirts for the cruise. His bright red. Mine was white with red sleeves and DD's was white. I really wanted a family picture. As testament to what a good guys he is he wore it. If I can figure out how to post pictures I will add them in here. http://wwallberg.photosite.com/disalbum/40600010.html So after DD's bath we leave for the yacht club in our matching T-shirts. Yes, we are the Dork family. I have to admit that I was also feeling a tiny bit silly in our matching shorts but would never admit it since he was actually not complaining too much. Here is the picture: http://wwallberg.photosite.com/disalbum/40600017.html
We got to the yacht club in time. I have to take a minute here and say the security guards at, POP, yacht club and AKL later were all so friendly and helpful. Thank you. The fellow at the yacht club was downright chatty. We make our way to the dock and meet up with the Mousefest participants who we were riding with.
On our boat there was a lovely family from Scotland. Our host was Mark and there was Sharon, his wife and their kids Kirsten and Andrew and their friend Helen. Also, another nice couple Rob and Peggy. http://wwallberg.photosite.com/disalbum/40600013.html Aaron was our captain. http://wwallberg.photosite.com/disalbum/40600008.html Great Guy. Aaron was going to be leaving WDW in the next year to take a job for a baseball team. Good luck Aaron! DD had brought some light up Mickey key chains for the kids and made instant friends. http://wwallberg.photosite.com/disalbum/40600015.html. (Daisy is on the left) My little girl can be both a charmer and a busybody all at the same time. Daisy met Andrew and Kirsten and it was like "Mommy, Daddy who?" She moved right in to sit with their family and left DH and I to the back of the boat by our selves with the captain.http://wwallberg.photosite.com/disalbum/40600016.html There went my hopes for a sweet meaningful family moment memory. Don't you love kids? From what I could hear she kept up a running commentary spilling all our dark, family secrets and then moved on to giving a narration of everything she knew about the parks and illuminations. I tried to shush her so everyone else might have a chance to enjoy the ride with out narration but they assured me that she was doing fine and very cute. I am still wondering what all she told them.
Anyway. Mark our cruise host determined through some earlier e-mailing that chocolate would be the theme for our cruise. He brought some wonderful chocolate from Scotland. I brought hot chocolate for everyone so we were all pretty wired up on the sugar by the time the fireworks started. Captain Aaron took us on a lovely cruise of the lake around Boardwalk, up to MGM and over to Epcot. After some fancy boat working and a last mad dash he got us what I think was the best position we could have been in. We were second boat from the right under the bridge between England and France. As Illuminations started maybe 60 yards away I even heard my DH say the words I was hoping for "Wow, this is incredible" Pixie dust is already starting to work on him I just know it!
Watching the fireworks from here was really amazing. I sat back with my DH and listened to my DD give commentary about what will happen next "now the world will come out " and all was right in the World.http://wwallberg.photosite.com/disalbum/40600012.html I even managed to tape some of them to watch back home. How perfect it was. We also got to see the extra added ending of "Let there be Peace on Earth". Just spectacular! I can't even describe what a perfect first night it was. It is always our tradition to go to Epcot first and see Illuminations and this cruise continued our tradition perfectly. I find the music of Illuminations and Epcot in general just beautiful and calming. If we have the opportunity I will do it again in a heartbeat. After the cruise we took pictures with our Scottish friends. http://wwallberg.photosite.com/disalbum/40600018.html Thanked our captain and we were off. We tried to get a look at the pool area but much of it seemed covered for construction. We will have to go back at some later date. Got back to POP after getting a little lost leaving the Yacht club ("No, honey turn left your other left.") DD is asthmatic so she had to have her breathing treatment and then off to bed. I was up a little longer just organizing and getting everything ready for the next day. I had told DD and DH earlier that we had a tour the next day of all the garbage cans and water fountains in the Magic Kingdom so neither was very excited over what was to come. We all finally settled in and got to sleep a little after 12. All of the sudden fireworks start going off. No not the romantic kind. Outside. We could not see them from our room but they sounded so loud that we though it must be very close. We never found out what they were but heard them again the next night as well. A Disney mystery... Good night.
Pre-Trip: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=703026
For some reason they were not. I will get to it in my next installment. Thanks for reading.
