Dakoda Turns 3 At Disney World! ~ May/June 2010 ~ FINISHED! 8/31 Post#72

[Mommy2LittleVols]

Hmm, I will be interested in seeing Living with the Land definitely now! I liked it before and would like to see the updates.

I didn't know you could get the pretzel bread to go...hmmm

Yes! I read somewhere (Disney Food Blog, maybe?) that you can order a cup of soup and bread at the check-in podium!

Hey Julia . I finally made it over, and I have to say I am loving your report . First let me say I am glad, in a not happy way, that my family is not the only ones who have had the diaper disasters . Oh the stories I could tell..... I HAD TO buy a couple of new outfits at Mouse Gears for Dallas when he was little .

Glad to know I am not the only one that has happened to!

Did you like All Star Sports? We are staying there next weekend when we go and that is the only All Star resort we haven't stayed in yet.

I'm looking forward to more .

It wasn't our favorite resort, but we liked it. The beds were comfortable and the room wasn't so humid that it made my hair frizz, which is more than I can say for some other hotels I've stayed in recently. In all seriousness, though, I would stay there again.

Since you're not using this....can I have it???? Sounds like my family

You are more than welcome to it!

Despite the few bumps in the road I think you're doing great!

I really admire all the moms who tackle The World with little ones... I admit I was a wuss and didn't take my kids to Disney until they were out of diapers!!

Looking forward to more!


Kathy

I think Darren would prefer if we had waited until they were out of diapers (especially after the Le Cellier debacle ), but I couldn't stand the wait. We are really hoping to have at least one of them out of diapers by the next time we go (March '11), but what Darren doesn't realize is that then we'll have to deal with last second potty runs and (most likely) lots of accidents.

 

[Queila]

All caught up. Great posts so far.

I love your daughters outfit for Animal Kingdom. And the little pink bathing suit is also to die for. She is adorable.

I am so sorry you had to rush during your Le Cellier meal. Don't you hate when that happens? It is just too bad. I noticed during our trip that all the excitment made my daughter behave differently than she normally would. I guess you can't blame them.

Anyways, I cannot wait to read more.

Q

 

[Mommy2LittleVols]

All caught up. Great posts so far.

I love your daughters outfit for Animal Kingdom. And the little pink bathing suit is also to die for. She is adorable.

Thanks!

I am so sorry you had to rush during your Le Cellier meal. Don't you hate when that happens? It is just too bad. I noticed during our trip that all the excitment made my daughter behave differently than she normally would. I guess you can't blame them.

Anyways, I cannot wait to read more.

Q

I think the excitement probably did affect my kids' behavior. I think when (if) we go back to LC, it will either be without the kids, or when they are much older so that we can really enjoy it.

 

[Mommy2LittleVols]

Day 5, Part 3

We woke up from our nap a little after 6 and let the kids run off some energy at the hotel before heading back to the park. Darren and Dakoda played with his big balloon ball that we had gotten the day before at AK. Sarah Kate cheered for them.

We arrived back at Epcot around 7:45 and decided to have dinner at the Electric Umbrella. Darren got a bacon double cheeseburger with fries and I got the chicken nuggets with fries. Our desserts were strawberry cheesecake and a chocolate chip cookie. We had more than enough food to share with the kids, and although it wasn't anything special, Darren and I agreed that we really liked this restaurant and would be coming back.

After dinner, we began walking around the World Showcase to find a spot to view Illuminations. We ended up right behind a roped VIP area, and I wish I could remember what country we were in, but for the life of me, I can’t. It was the first time that Darren and the kids had seen Illuminations, and the first time for me since 2002. We liked it, but both agreed that it wasn’t our favorite of the nighttime shows. I didn't even try to take any pictures of the show. My favorite part was watching Dakoda and Sarah Kate's reactions to everything.

After the fireworks, we leisurely continued our stroll around the World Showcase. Epcot had evening magic hours until midnight, so no one was rushing us out, which was nice. We decided to try another first-time attraction for our family – Journey Into the Imagination with Figment. We walked right on and thought it was a cute ride. That earworm of a song, however, I could do without.

When we were getting off of the ride, we heard someone shout out behind us, “Um, I think you might have a little problem!” Of course, we turned around to see if they were talking to us. They weren’t, but we saw who they were talking to – a little girl who couldn’t have been more than 3 or 4 years old was holding her bottom and had poo dripping down her legs. There was also some on the ground nearby. The poor thing looked so embarrassed! I guess it was just a poopy day at Epcot.

After Figment, we decided to ride Test Track again since neither of us had ever ridden in the dark. It was awesome! We both went through the single rider line and it didn’t take very long. Then Darren wanted to ride Mission Space. While he rode, I let Dakoda run through the pop-up fountains just outside the ride. He had a blast! Sarah Kate was content to just sit with Mommy. I tried to take pictures, but the water droplets messed with my lens and they came out all weird-looking.

When Darren came out, we decided to head back to the hotel since we had an early morning meeting with Pooh and friends!

We really enjoyed our day at Epcot, much more so than last year. I think we are going to try and do 2 days there on our next trip, and possibly devote one entire day to explore World Showcase. I hope the kids are up for that.

Up Next: Breakfast at The Crystal Palace - Will we be on time??

 

[Mommy2LittleVols]

Day 6 – Wednesday, June 2 - Our Last Day

It was another early morning for us, with a wakeup call at 5:30. We made it out of the room around 7 am and arrived at the TTC at 7:15. We had to wait a few minutes for the monorail, but not too long. We arrived at the Magic Kingdom around 7:45 and stopped to take a few pictures on Main Street.

While I checked us in at The Crystal Palace, Darren and the kids watched the ducks and took a few more pictures of the castle.

We were seated at 8:10 – our exact ADR time! Darren sat with the kids while I went through the buffet line and got plates for them and for myself, and then he went through. Mmmm…just thinking about the yummy food on that buffet makes me hungry. Wish I was there now!

Here are some pictures of the kids with our visitors that morning.

I just love how Sarah Kate is looking at Pooh in this one!

And twirling their napkins during the parade.

We finished breakfast and left CP right at 9 am. We knew exactly which ride we wanted to hit first – Dumbo! And there was practically no line! Darren sat with Dakoda, and I sat with Sarah Kate. She wasn’t too sure about it.

Darren and Dakoda were a couple of elephants in front of us.

(Yes, I realize this picture is out of focus. )

I snapped a picture of Darren with both kids before they got out of their elephant. Unfortunately, the sun was really bright, and the kids were ready to move on to something else, so it's not the greatest picture in the world.

Our stroller was blocked in at Dumbo, so we decided to leave it there for the time being and walk over to Snow White (all of our valuables were with us anyway).

Dakoda was having a good morning, but still needed his binky.

A few SW pics.

Next up was Peter Pan. Cute picture of Darren and Sarah Kate in line.

After visiting Neverland, we decided to grab some Space Mountain fast passes.

Continued in next post.

 

[Mommy2LittleVols]

Day 6, Part 2

We retrieved our stroller from Dumbo and walked over to Tomorrowland, where we saw a couple of characters.

Stitch!

Chip! (Or was it Dale? )

More Tomorrowland pictures.

After we got our FP's, we really wanted Sarah Kate to get to meet Tiana and Naveen. It was nearly time for them to come out, so we headed over to Liberty Square. I stopped to take a picture of the castle and these cuties.

There was a Photopass Photographer nearby and he asked if we’d like a picture in front of the castle. Sure!

We continued our trek across the park in the HOT morning sun and eventually made it to:

Our little princess had passed out by this point.

We debated letting her sleep, but Darren really wanted her to meet T&N, so we decided that we would wake her up. It ended up that we stood in line long enough that she woke up on her own anyway.

When it was almost their turn, Darren got Sarah Kate out of the stroller. I asked Dakoda if he wanted to meet them, and he said no, so we didn't force it.

Darren and Sarah Kate waiting their turn.

Meeting the Princess and Prince.

They both made over Sarah Kate and went on and on about how cute she was. Darren said that she just kept staring at Prince Naveen and Tiana said something like, “Sorry, he’s taken!”

They were pointing at me trying to get Sarah Kate to look at me, and then she started pointing at me and wouldn't stop, so they all did it.

After we left the Garden Glen, we visited The Haunted Mansion and then decided to grab some fast passes for Splash Mountain. We walked over to Frontierland only to discover that we couldn’t get more passes until 11:25 (since we had gotten them for Space Mtn earlier). Since we had a little while to wait, we visited The Country Bear Jamboree. After that we did get the Splash FPs and decided to go use our Space Mountain passes. We stopped at The Lunching Pad for frozen cokes on the way and they really hit the spot.

While I rode, Darren took the kids into the arcade to escape the heat. When I came out, both kids were ready for naps, so I walked them around for a few minutes and miraculously, they both fell asleep! I then discovered the wonderful massage chairs between the gift shop and the arcade and spent about 15 minutes just relaxing there. I told Darren that was the best money I spent all week!

By the time we had both made it through Space Mountain, we were ready to head back to the hotel, but Darren wanted to ride Splash first. So we crossed the park AGAIN, stopping for an ice cream sundae at The Plaza on the way. Can we say YUM?!? While I waited in line for our ice cream, Darren stood on the porch with the kids (who were still sleeping) and watched a little bit of the parade. I joined him with our ice cream and we ate it while we watched. We were able to get a few pictures.

I don’t know how the kids slept through all that noise, but they did. (Yet they wake up from naps at home at the slightest peep. )

We eventually made it back over to Splash Mountain and I sat with the kids under the train tracks while Darren rode. Dakoda woke up while we were waiting and was NOT in a good mood. When Darren got back to us he was pretty wet, and with Dakoda's mood, we decided to head back to the hotel for a rest.

Up Next: Rollercoasters and Wishes!

 

[Charlefours]

I love EP, especially the WS part. I hope DD cooperates for us and likes it too so we can spend the full day I have blocked off for it.

Wow, 45 minutes to get to MK in the morning. So I am not crazy for wanting to leave about an hour before our morning appointments. Good to know!!

Where is the Garden Glen? T&N are a big goal for us on our first Saturday, if possible.

Great morning at MK!!

 

[Mommy2LittleVols]

I love EP, especially the WS part. I hope DD cooperates for us and likes it too so we can spend the full day I have blocked off for it.

Good luck!! I really hope she loves it, too!

Wow, 45 minutes to get to MK in the morning. So I am not crazy for wanting to leave about an hour before our morning appointments. Good to know!!

Nope, you are definitely not crazy! It would definitely have been quicker to use the bus transportation, but it is such a hassle for us with the double stroller, etc. Waiting for the monorail, and then the actual monorail ride, is what took the longest.

Where is the Garden Glen? T&N are a big goal for us on our first Saturday, if possible.

Great morning at MK!!

It is in Liberty Square. I *think* (and someone, please correct me if I'm wrong) that it is behind the Christmas Shop.

 

[Mommy2LittleVols]

Day 6, Part 3 - Dinner with Sonny Eclipse and Dakoda's 1st Rollercoaster Ride!

We got back to the room around 2:00. Since the kids had napped in the park, we knew they weren’t likely to go down again so soon. We decided to head down to the pool for a little bit. I left my cameras in the room because I was worried about getting them wet, so no pictures.

We first tried the kids in the big pool. Sarah Kate loved it; Dakoda, not so much. So we switched to the kiddie pool and they both enjoyed it. It was a little more relaxing for Darren and I than the big pool anyway. We let the kids play in the water for a while, but it was SO HOT and I didn't want my pasty pale kiddos to turn into lobsters, so it wasn't long before we headed back to the room. Darren tried to get them to nap a bit while I started packing, but they weren’t having it. After a couple of hours, we decided to just go ahead and head back to MK.

We arrived at the TTC around 6 pm and it was PACKED. We had to park really far out and thankfully I was able to convince Darren to ride the tram to the front (which usually he refuses to do). We waited for the monorail for a few minutes and then were allowed to board. The CMs were directing everyone to certain cars and we ended up being packed in like sardines while other cars were left completely empty. Not sure what was up with that, but it wasn’t pleasant.

By the time we made it back inside the park, we were burning up, so we headed back over to The Lunching Pad for our favorite treats – frozen cokes. We were also starving, so we decided to have dinner at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café. Darren took the kids to find a table while I ordered our food. After I received our food, I went looking for them and found them in the lounge, right up front next to Sonny Eclipse. The kids enjoyed Sonny’s “routine” while we ate.

We had missed Toontown earlier, so we decided to head over there after dinner. We wanted to tour Mickey and Minnie’s houses, but the wait time was crazy, so we opted to skip them. Instead, I showed Dakoda Goofy’s Barnstormer and asked him if he wanted to ride it. At first he said no, but we stood and watched it for a few minutes and then he said yes. So off we went to ride. A pic of us in line.

And some of us on the ride. (We are in the 3rd car.)

Ha! I just noticed that in the last one it looks like I have him in a headlock.

I think the poor thing was scared to death. As soon as we started moving, he latched onto me soooo tightly. I just kept telling him how fun it was and saying Woo! And Whee! He wasn’t impressed. But he did really well and didn’t cry, and when it was over he said he had fun. Since he had done so well, we decided to let him play at Donald’s Boat for a while. He loves those pop-up fountains, so he had a ball.

When he found the rocks lining the area and started throwing them, we decided it was time to leave. We headed over to Adventureland for another family favorite.

A few more pictures of Adventureland.

It was nearing time for Wishes, so we decided to stake out a spot. We found a really good one near The Crystal Palace and Darren went to get us some ice cream. I took a few more pictures of the castle. You can never have too many, right?

And then one of The Crystal Palace. I just think it is so pretty at night!

Not long after Darren left, a really bad storm rolled in. At first it was just sprinkling here and there. Then we heard some pretty loud thunderclaps. Then came the lightning. And then came the big, fat, hard raindrops. I quickly got out the ponchos and rain cover for the stroller and then checked the radar on my phone. It showed a big red storm cell right over top of us. I tried calling Darren several times and he didn’t answer, so the kids and I headed over to Main Street to find him. I made it all the way across and was standing under the shelter of the roof of The Plaza, and then I saw him coming back across the street towards us. We must have passed each other in the crowd and not even have seen each other. It was a very frustrating few minutes. He was upset with me for leaving our spot. I was upset with him for wanting to keep the kids out in the storm. We had a little bit of an argument in front of The Plaza.

It was starting to rain even harder and people were stampeding towards the exit. Thinking of how horrific it would be fighting for a spot on a monorail, I suggested we head over to the Baby Care Center. I knew that I could nurse Sarah Kate there, and also that they would have some toys and things to keep Dakoda entertained. We ended up waiting in the Center for almost an hour before the storm finally passed through.

When it was over, a CM told us that they were still going to have Wishes if we wanted to stay and watch. Darren was still annoyed with me for losing our spot, so he just wanted to head back to the room. I convinced him to stay, though, and we were both glad that we did. I’ll never forget holding my son in front of the train station and hearing that wonderful song…”Starlight, staarbright, first star I see tonight…” And hearing my baby girl’s gasps of wonder and joy when she saw Tinkerbell fly and the beautiful fireworks in the sky. It was definitely a magical moment and a wonderful way to end our trip.

Up Next: Final Thoughts

 

[CommandoDawg]

I have enjoyed your pictures and know that you and your family will enjoy them for years. Love the smile on your face in several of these pictures as you enjoy WDW with them.

 

[Mommy2LittleVols]

I have enjoyed your pictures and know that you and your family will enjoy them for years. Love the smile on your face in several of these pictures as you enjoy WDW with them.

Thank you! I'm so glad that you have enjoyed reading about our crazy adventures!!

 

[Mommy2LittleVols]

Final Thoughts

Though we had a few stressful moments and the heat was almost unbearable at times, overall we had a wonderful trip. I will always be thankful that we were able to celebrate my precious boy's 3rd birthday in such a special and magical way.

All Star Sports Resort: It was by far not the worst hotel we have ever stayed at, but it wasn't the best, either. Of the Values, we definitely prefer Pop Century over Sports. The important thing is that DS LOVED it there. All of the oversized sports equipment was right up his alley. I only wish that we had taken the time to let him explore the resort a bit more.

Dining: As always, we were very glad that we bought DDP. We love having most of our meals paid for beforehand so that we aren't worrying about the cost while we are there. I think not having to think about the price of food just adds to the magic.

When I think back on all that we were able to accomplish on this trip - seeing all of the shows at DHS in one morning, getting to see all of the nighttime shows, Dakoda's 1st rollercoaster ride, getting to meet Tiana and Naveen, making it through the entire week without DH and I killing each other - I definitely think that someone sprinkled us with some extra pixie dust.

Thank you all for following along and sharing our adventures with us! I hope that you have enjoyed reading about it as much as I have enjoyed writing about it.

I invite you all to join me on my new PTR - Yo Ho, Yo Ho, A PIRATE ROOM For Us!

 

[racefanof88]

What a great update . We love to eat at Cosmic Rays . I have some fond memories of my first trip to Disney and eating there.
I know what you mean about the gasps of wonder too. Every time I watch Wishes I think about the first time we took the kids, and how special it was to share that with them. I still tear up when the lights go down and the Intro starts.

 

[racefanof88]

Final Thoughts

Though we had a few stressful moments and the heat was almost unbearable at times, overall we had a wonderful trip. I will always be thankful that we were able to celebrate my precious boy's 3rd birthday in such a special and magical way.

All Star Sports Resort: It was by far not the worst hotel we have ever stayed at, but it wasn't the best, either. Of the Values, we definitely prefer Pop Century over Sports. The important thing is that DS LOVED it there. All of the oversized sports equipment was right up his alley. I only wish that we had taken the time to let him explore the resort a bit more.

Dining: As always, we were very glad that we bought DDP. We love having most of our meals paid for beforehand so that we aren't worrying about the cost while we are there. I think not having to think about the price of food just adds to the magic.

When I think back on all that we were able to accomplish on this trip - seeing all of the shows at DHS in one morning, getting to see all of the nighttime shows, Dakoda's 1st rollercoaster ride, getting to meet Tiana and Naveen, making it through the entire week without DH and I killing each other - I definitely think that someone sprinkled us with some extra pixie dust.

Thank you all for following along and sharing our adventures with us! I hope that you have enjoyed reading about it as much as I have enjoyed writing about it.

I invite you all to join me on my new PTR - Yo Ho, Yo Ho, A PIRATE ROOM For Us!

I guess you can tell from my last post that I was posting while you were posting . I loved being along for your trip. You have a beautiful family.

I may be calling Disney today to see about changing our room to Pop . I have been kinda uneasy about Sport as it is the oldest of the values, besides we really liked Pop last September.

I can't wait to join in on your PTR .

 

[Mommy2LittleVols]

What a great update . We love to eat at Cosmic Rays . I have some fond memories of my first trip to Disney and eating there.
I know what you mean about the gasps of wonder too. Every time I watch Wishes I think about the first time we took the kids, and how special it was to share that with them. I still tear up when the lights go down and the Intro starts.

Yes! The Intro gets me EVERY time! Heck, I'm tearing up right now just thinking about it! What a sap I am!

I guess you can tell from my last post that I was posting while you were posting . I loved being along for your trip. You have a beautiful family.

Thank you, Dana!

I may be calling Disney today to see about changing our room to Pop . I have been kinda uneasy about Sport as it is the oldest of the values, besides we really liked Pop last September.

If I had the choice between the two...I would definitely choose Pop. But if you can't change, you will probably still be fine with Sports. Especially for a short stay.

I can't wait to join in on your PTR .

I got a little ahead of myself thinking that no one would read about it until I had started the thread (which I'm in the process of doing). It will be up very shortly!!

 

[jc040404]

Oh no! I fell behind and now you're finished! What a wonderful trip though. I really enjoyed reading and seeing the pics. You have beautiful children and the looks on their faces in so many of these are amazing. Your MK day sounded like so much fun, even if there were a few issues. I think we all have these moments anyway. I know my family does! So glad you have another trip in the works already, and that it's at CBR! We just tried that one out this last weekend and it's now my favorite resort so far! Have a wonderful time planning!! It only gets better as the kiddos get older, I think!

 

[leamom2princesses]

Hi Julia! I just read through your report and it sounds like you had a really great trip overall. Your pictures are beautiful as is your family. I'm sad that it is ending but I will most definitely find my way over to your PTR. I can't wait to follow along as you plan your next trip. Thanks for sharing your experiences with us!

Leanne

 

[Mommy2LittleVols]

Oh no! I fell behind and now you're finished! What a wonderful trip though. I really enjoyed reading and seeing the pics. You have beautiful children and the looks on their faces in so many of these are amazing. Your MK day sounded like so much fun, even if there were a few issues. I think we all have these moments anyway. I know my family does! So glad you have another trip in the works already, and that it's at CBR! We just tried that one out this last weekend and it's now my favorite resort so far! Have a wonderful time planning!! It only gets better as the kiddos get older, I think!

Thank you for your sweet words about my family! We are so excited to be trying out CBR on our next trip. It will be our first time at a mod.

Hi Julia! I just read through your report and it sounds like you had a really great trip overall. Your pictures are beautiful as is your family. I'm sad that it is ending but I will most definitely find my way over to your PTR. I can't wait to follow along as you plan your next trip. Thanks for sharing your experiences with us!

Leanne

Hi Leanne! Thanks for coming over! Look forward to seeing you on my PTR!

 

[ladybugmom]

Hi Julia!! I realize I am WAY behind but I just finished up your TR and loved every minute of it!! Off to checkout your PTR!!