Down the Hole: A Pre-Trip Report w Alice, Madhatter, Cheshire Cat, & Queen of Hearts

[PracPerfPatricia]

Welcome to Down the Hole: A pre-trip report w/ Alice, the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat and the Queen of Hearts. (The White Rabbit, the Caterpillar and Dweedle Dee and Deedle Dum make appearances also.) The tricky bit is that the parts are not always played by the same person but change day to day and sometimes hour to hour or even minute to minute...

Planning a trip to WDW tends to bring out my inner Alice as I feel that I am surrounded madness and absurdity...

First OnH-more often than not the Mad Hatter... (He is honestly quite a awesome dad and husband...)

DH is normally quite lovely (presuming things are running smoothly and on time... ie. the way he likes them to run... He usually humors my personal eccentricities and those of our children. (Oddly enough he thinks that a am a "Disney Maniac" but it was actually he that initiated this trip, as well as the one who has kept his old much loved Pooh Bear from when he was a toddler in his box of childhood treasures...- well actually 2 Pooh Bears...

Second Up: Me-Think of a blend of Alice, the Cheshire Cat and a bit of the Queen of Hearts-(your author-Mom, Wife, Unique Individual w/a serious coffee dependency. )

I am generally curious, slightly sarcastic but very good natured and kind hearted. I am constantly searching for a 12 step programs to break my book habit-they are all over the house and I do mean- all over-new ones, old ones, ones from the library-give me a good cup of coffee and a good book=pure bliss...(this is one of the things that DH generally humors me with-the books hidden all over the house part) I also love to travel more than anything expect perhaps trip planning... Alice and Peter Pan are easily amongst my favorite Disney characters as well as their original incarnations as created my Lewis Carroll and J. M. Barrie...

Next up: My DD who is 14 and whose first trip to DWD was when she was 3 1/2 (She is most certianly an Alice, but slips into the role of Queen of Hearts and Mad Hatter with her outrageous laugh)

She is an awesome daughter and great big sister...She is also a very Minnie Mouse kind of girl-really sweet, smart, mature for her age, occasionally a bit diva-loves to act, sew, plays cello-also really likes nice clothes, good food, travel, history, and literature. (It is good that she is very smart-she needs to go to good college and get a very good job to support the lifestyle she wished to be accustomed to...) Baloo from the Jungle Book is a childhood favorite of hers but we have yet to meet him...but this time we will track him down...

Last Up: My DS-whose birthday is in August and will be 7- He's a little bit Cheshire Cat and little bit March Hare...His first trip to WDW was when he was 6 months old or as he would say 1/2 a year old.

DS is cute, kind, clever and constantly questioning. His favorite phrases are "Can I tell you something..." or "Do you know...". He has many interests which this month include Legos, Star Wars, reading, snacking, karate and swimming. His favorite Disney Character is Goofy and he also thinks Donald is pretty funny as well as Stitch. He and I both love the old silly symphony cartoons from the 30s.

Well our cast is is place...next we'll go back for a little history leading up to this trip down the hole...


Next Up: Our History with All things Disney and How this trip came to be.

 

[PracPerfPatricia]

WHEN ONE NIGHT IN MID APRIL:
How This Trip Came to Be:

We (I) really wasn't supposed to be planning a trip to WDW this year. Our last Disney fix took place during Spring Break of March 2008 when we spent three really amazing days at the Disneyland Resort in California during a trip that included San Diego and Los Angeles.

When we came back DH stated (kind of out of the blue) "I think we've had more than enough Disney at this point for some time. I see no reason to go back to either California or Florida for a least 5 years..." (He sometimes makes blanket statements like this which I usually just kind of ignore...) but I decided to probe this a little bit...since we had a 13 yr. old and a 5 yr. old who had fallen head over heels for Disney...

"Oh, didn't you have a good time?"

"No-I had a good time-it's just we've done a lot of Disney-I think we should take a break..." It kinda sounded like he wanted a trial seperation with Disney...(like it was a marital relation in crisis :-(...)

Ok-I guess he had a little bit of a point...we had logged in 7 Disney trips in the previous 10 years-including 5 to WDW and 2 to DL ...it isn't like we hadn't gone anywhere else however- we had also been fortunate enough to have gone on other amazing vacations during these past 10 years as well-Paris & London, NY & Washington DC (these are pretty close-NY is a day trip-we are outside Philadelphia), Boston, Maine, NH, Vermont...and quite a bit of California (3X) ...so I just sort of let it go for the time being...(even though Disney is my "safe, happy place...:-(

Really London-not World Showcase

Fire Engine Tour of San Francisco-over the Golden Gate Bridge

San Diego in Balboa Park

UNTIL...

This past April, we had just come back from a 4th trip to California (I've fallen in love with California-I'd love to move to the San Francisco Bay area) which sadly did not include a stop at Disneyland...

(We had originally planned a spring break in Mexico but due to the drug cartel wars and swine flu situation we decided it might not be the best time to go- especially with the kids -so since DH had free hotel nights (due to traveling for work-we booked 3 nights in LA-including a day trip to Legoland-2 nights camping in the Santa Barbara area and 3 nights in San Francisco...road trip...

We had also starting planning a road trip leaving from our house during the summer to include Washington DC and Williamsburg...(I already had the travel books on the night table and was starting to plan...)

WHEN ONE NIGHT IN MID APRIL:

I am starting to slowly doze off in the bedroom when I hear DH's voice floating out from the office...

DH: "Are you asleep honey?"

Me (or honey): (yawning) "not yetttttt...yawn."

DH: "Did you know about free dining..."

Me: not putting it together yet ("free dining where...?")

DH: "You know-free dining at Disney..."

Me: waking up slowly "I've heard something about it-(rolling eyes)"

DH: "Oh well you know they're running the free dining when you book at AKL starting in August..."

EXCUSE ME BUT WHERE IS THIS HEADING... THIS IS THE SAME MAN WHO GAVE ME A STERN LOOK WHEN I HAD SUGGESTED A FEW DAYS AT DISNEYLAND AFTER WE HAD CANCELLED MEXICO AND THIS IS THE SAME MAN WHO HAD SAID WE'D BEEN TO DISNEY A BIT TOO OFTEN-NOT GOING FOR 5 YEARS-SOUND FAMILIAR?

I'm sorry but does this man look like he has an issue with Disney? DH enjoying a beverage at the Poly

DH: "You know we have some airline credits and with the free dining a trip to Disney staying at the AKL won't really cost anymore then the DC/Williamsburg trip..."

Me: Silently smirking...letting him talk...

DH: "Are you still awake?"

Me: "yes"

DH: "Well what do you think about switching trips?"

Me: Oh-this is too good! "Well, I think you'd better ask the kids in the morning-we've already told them about the DC trip-you might want to make sure they won't be disappointed to change..."-HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE

DH: "Oh well I didn't think about that....hmmm-do you think I should book this now and if the kids don't want to go I can cancel?..."

Needless to say the next day I had reason to be returning my Williamsburg Guidebook to Barnes and Noble...

 

[Charleston Princess]

I'm here to join in the fun!!! You have a lovely family!!!

I love Alice in Wonderland -- I know exactly what you mean about feeling like a blend between Alice, the Cheshire Cat, and the Queen of Hearts! Me too!

I am also addicted to books and coffee -- I found myself squinting trying to read the titles of the books in the stack you had photographed!

Hurray for free dining and AKL (and it was all DH's idea! )!

 

[Native NYer]

California is amazing!!!

Can't wait to read more.

 

[Lady Lallie]

I'm here!

I'm giggling over your husband bringing up a trip to Disney to you. Isn't that always the way!?

Your family looks lovely!

 

[TINKERIFIC]

I am in on this one....I AKL and love to hear reports about it!!!

 

[PracPerfPatricia]

MY UNCOMMON ROUTE TO FEELING THE DISNEY LOVE...



(this is actually my first trip report so please be patient till I get my mojo...) I have been lurking and delurking on these boards for about three years when I began planning a December Holiday trip to WDW and the AKL. Believe it or not I didn't even know these boards exisisted before then . I have read many others trip reports-in fact have become somewhat addicted to reading them...and I thought it only fair to share one of my own...


(Me + dis trip report = addiction


just like


Me + coffee = addiction

so together me+dis boards + coffee=


(but I suppose there are far worse addictions...)


It was probably just about that time that I realized that I was in fact a Disney maniac ( Hmm-sounds negative) Dis-a-phile sounds much nicer...


I had fallen in love hard and fast in Spring of 2003 when we had a stay at the Wilderness Lodge but I had refused to fully acknowlege the depth of my feelings . Unlikely many people I didn't grow up in a DIS home- although I know I must have seen some of the movies and cartoons.


My first glimmer of the magic that some people feel came on a trip with DH who was actually DB at the time-unlike me he had grown up knowing all the old cartoons and movies. We went on our first trip our senior year of college staying offsite. The castle made a huge impression on me as did World Showcase-corny though it may be- I remember going around the showcase somewhat mesmerized thinking that I had to go to some of these places...especially England and France-and we did in fact go to London for the first time the following year on our Honeymoon or "Londonmoon."


We eventually went back to the World in 1998 when our dd was 3 1/2. She realllllyyyy loved the pool at the POFQ-in fact I thing we could have told her that was a park and she would have been fine... but she also found out she reallllllyyyy loved It's a Small World on the Trip...(hmmm-how many times do you think you can ride that without going completely mad...maybe that's one of the reasons I identify sometimes with the Mad Hatter...)

Several years later DH was working for a firm that sent its employees for training to the corporate training center attached to the Boardwalk Inn-(tough gig-huh?). He went three times in two years and one of those times DD and I went along for the ride...but poor daddy had to work most of the time...but we added on a couple of days so he could play in the parks too...


(trip pictures 2001)

But my momentous moment happened in 2003 when the Wilderness Lodge walked into my life. I wasn't planning for it to happen but I fell, hook, line and sinker. I walked into that lobby and WOW-I got the whole "Disney" thing...It was such an amazing space...it looked good, it smelled good, it sounded good, it felt good. (I wanted to LIVE there.) That was also a very special trip because we now had DS, DD got to be a princess at CRT and we all got to be the Flag Family at the Wilderness Lodge. And I became really interested in Disney-the cartoons, the films, the parks.


(A lot of Disney detractors argue that Disney isn't real, it is commercial, that it portrays history inaccurately and they may have a bit of a point. But I think they are missing the larger point. Disney is all about the art, the entertainment, the magic. Artists portray their vision of reality. Some are more realistic, others are impressionistic. Disney's art isn't entirely realistic and that's the point. It is a distillation and synthesis and optimistic portrayal of history, literature and art. But that's where the magic is and that's why people love it. It isn't necessarily such a bad thing to see the world in a good and magical way. In fact I think it can be a very needed and good perspective to take.)


Ok -philosophical interlude over...

Unfortunately I can't find a good photo of the lobby of WL-but you've probably all see it. Peter Dominick is the architect who designed it. Sadly he passed away early this year at age 67. He was also the architect for the Grand Californian and the Animal Kingdom both of which are brilliant as well.

Two years after our WL trip we went on trip to California traveling down the coast from San Francisco to LA via Big Sur...-We included a three day stop at Disneyland...which though smaller is worth it for all of the nostalgia-you know Walt's original park- New Orleans Square, the Matterhorn, the Alice themed ride...,the Indiana Jones ride in Disneyland alone is AWESOME I love it as much but different than WDW...

Anyhow all the Disney nostalgia sealed the deal become at the WL and now the madness could really begin...

COMING UP: PLANNING FOR AKL HOLIDAY TRIP 2006 AND THE DISCOVERY OF THE DISBOARDS...

 

[PracPerfPatricia]

I'm here to join in the fun!!! You have a lovely family!!!

I love Alice in Wonderland -- I know exactly what you mean about feeling like a blend between Alice, the Cheshire Cat, and the Queen of Hearts! Me too!

I am also addicted to books and coffee -- I found myself squinting trying to read the titles of the books in the stack you had photographed!

Hurray for free dining and AKL (and it was all DH's idea!
)!

Thanks for coming over Jackie! Thanks for the kind words about my family. I feel that way too most of the time...

Alice is the best-I hope we have a chance to get some photo ops with the Alice characters at the park next month...In addition to rereading the book, I've been listening to it on tape-it's read by Jim Dale, an English actor who also read the Harry Potter books for CD-he's fabulous at the voices...I laugh aloud in the car-probably looks pretty bizarre when I'm driving alone...

& oh yes absolutely- this whole trip next month was all DH's brilliant idea...

I'm here!

I'm giggling over your husband bringing up a trip to Disney to you. Isn't that always the way!?

Your family looks lovely!

LL-great to see you hear! As much as it hurts as I'm biting my tongue-DH is welcome to think all the brilliant Disney ideas are his (he's actually even been talking about buying into DVC recently...So who is this man and where as he taken my real husband?..

California is amazing!!!

Can't wait to read more.

Welcome NYer! Thanks for reading. Oh California -how I love you...let me count the ways...San Francisco, Muir Woods, the Pacific Ocean, Santa Cruz, the redwoods, Monterey, Big Sur, the Pacific Ocean, Santa Barbara, San Diego, the Pacific Ocean, the seals, the sea lions, the food, the climate-no humidity...oh and lets not forget Disneyland...

 

[Lady Lallie]

Oh, thanks for the tip on Jim Dale reading Alice in Wonderland! I adore him reading the Harry Potter books, I was wondering what else he has done! He is so wonderful at all the different voices. Thanks.

I'm loving the pictures from your past trips.

 

[dismagiclover]

Great Start! I just love the sentiment (He sometimes makes blanket statements like this which I usually just kind of ignore...) I can so relate to that! Can't wait to go along for the ride

 

[Charleston Princess]

Alice is the best-I hope we have a chance to get some photo ops with the Alice characters at the park next month...In addition to rereading the book, I've been listening to it on tape-it's read by Jim Dale, an English actor who also read the Harry Potter books for CD-he's fabulous at the voices...I laugh aloud in the car-probably looks pretty bizarre when I'm driving alone...

Oh, I love Jim Dale -- you know he is in Pete's Dragon as well!

I loved hearing about how your love affair with Disney began!

 

[Lady Lallie]

Oh, I love Jim Dale -- you know he is in Pete's Dragon as well!

I loved hearing about how your love affair with Disney began!

I totally need to re-watch Pete's Dragon now! I just looked him up on imdb and he was the narrator for Pushing Daisies too. I never realized that but I guess I should have.

 

[Charleston Princess]

I totally need to re-watch Pete's Dragon now! I just looked him up on imdb and he was the narrator for Pushing Daisies too. I never realized that but I guess I should have.

That's right -- I forgot about him as the narrator of Pushing Daisies -- how I loved that show!

 

[PracPerfPatricia]

MY DISCOVERY OF THE DIS BOARDS AND OUR COMPLETELY DETAILED, TOTALLY ORGANIZED, BUT SLIGHTLY MAD AND OVER THE TOP HOLIDAY TRIP TO AKL, DECEMBER 2006

Sometime around March 2006 I discovered DisBoards when we started planning our December trip to AKL.(You have to go at least once to see the Christmas decorations-right?...plus that week right before the Christmas rush is an awesome time-pretty manageable crowds and nice temps...)


We had had a dinner on an earlier trip where we met friends who were staying at the AKL for dinner at Jiko....I remember being really, really tired that night-we had had a really, really long day in the parks( and DS was only 6 months and DD 8-so they had really different needs) and when we the bus pulled under the portic-I remember being really impressed but almost so tired in that dreamy slap- happy way that we really only made it into Jiko to eat dinner and didn't really explore the Lodge...


ut -I must have been impressed enough to know I had to stay there on a later trip and when we decided to go in December '06 I knew that's where I wanted to stay...


I began planning about a year a head but started to get really serious about 9 months a head...I diligently headed to B&N pouring over all the books they had. I bought a Passporter. I did numerous google searches and found Tour Guide Mike and found out where my family should be standing, riding and eating minute to minute when touring the parks. And then somewhere along the way either through one of the books I had been reading or through a google search-I found DisBoards...


It was great! It was a revelation! This was like a combo of a great travel website combined with a reality tv show...(but without the meaness...) I mean -you actually got to live vicariously through other people's trips till yours came up, you got all these great tips in the process...real restaurant and resort reviews from people who had just stayed and eaten there and largely everyone was really kind and funny and helpful and got the whole "Disney thing"-no one to say "oh- haven't you been there before? or oh its so commercial." (I often thought & still think you could write a book themed around the the Disboards-a kind of Bridget Jones Diary type of book where the heroine would be less concerned/upset with her alcohol intake the previous evening and more upset about the amount of time she had spent on Disboards the previous night...


I mostly lurked in those days although I did visit the AKL thread which was an amazing source of info about the resort-everything from describing the goodness that is a zebra dome to knowing what the best rooms to ask for were...I learned all about the restaurants, the children's activities-anything I wanted to know someone knew. In addition- it was a very funny and social place...


I was now prepared. I was uber prepared. I had my ressies lined up and DH was on the phone for me (he's got faster phone reflexes) at 6:59-180 days out. I had my binder where I was collecting info like the times of the activities at AKL, where the different characters where likely to be in the parks, the menus of all the restaurants we were eating in, a list of all the pressed penny machines and what character/attraction pennies they made. I knew how to get a package delivered to the resorts and I had my menus all printed out so we could decide what we wanted ahead of time-you know so you weren't eating the same king of meal every night.


(In other words-I had acquired the basic skill set that all Disers have...only in my case- it started to get a little "Vacation as a competitive sport" flavor to it-I needed for every moment of every day and evening to be totally filled with the goodness of Disney Vacation magic...


And it was an amazing, magical trip and we did so many amazing things that I won't ever forget. But looking back I think I could have been really well prepared and not quite so intense...& left a little room for relaxation and serendipity. (Something I will definately make sure I make time for next month in the heat of the August Florida sun...perhaps a little more Alice and a little less White Rabbit "We're late, we're late-Tour Guide Mike says we're supposed to be at BTM at 11:08...(Btw-I actually do think TGM is a really valuable resource)




Some of the magical things from that trip that really stay with me:


-How truly amazing the AKL is-it is a stunning resource that really transports you to another place. It has great restaurants, kids (and adult) activities and a lovely pool...


-Seeing Disney decorated for the holidays-I mean everything, everyone (the characters!), everywhere-Truly lovely...


-Character Breakfast at Donald's Breakfastausuras and 1900 Park Fare-the last time I think I'll ever get DD dressed up :-( -she was Wendy and DS was Peter Pan- (a very teeny and cute Peter Pan)


-eating at Flying Fish-so yummy-(I sadly got sick for my Jiko dinner but that will not happen this time (As God as my witness...)


-going to the MVMCP-unbelieveably magical-seeing snow on Main Street during the parade and meeting some of the characters that you don't normally see-like Aurora and her Prince Philip


-Doing the Family Magic tour and meeting Peter Pan and Wendy towards the end-DS riding next to Peter during Its a small world while DD rode next to Wendy...)


-Taking an Illuminations Cruise...

NEXT UP: PLANNING FOR AKL & WDW IN AUGUST WITHOUT GOING MAD IN THE FLORIDA SUN...& GOING INTO STARBUCKS W/DD AND SEEING AFRICAN TRAVEL MUGS...HMM...WHAT A COINCIDENCE...;-)



Btw...since I just brought up that Aurora is my favorite traditional princess - I love Sleeping Beauty-great princess, great prince and possibly the best Disney Villianess of all time-Maleficent...and I used to sing the song to lull DS to sleep- I must have been watching Sleeping Beauty when he was a baby with DD who was turing 8 at the time...


I know you
I walked with you once upon a dream.
I know you
The gleam in your eyes is so familiar a gleam
Yes, I know it's true
that visions are seldom all they seem
But if I know you, I know what you'll do
You'll love me at once
the way you did once upon a dream

 

[Lady Lallie]

Your 2006 December trip sounds wonderful. I dream about going to Disney in December with all of the Christmas decorations, I think that will be my all out trip where no expense is spared!

How cute that your kids were dressed as Wendy and Peter Pan. You don't see many kids dress like that and I think it's adorable.

 

[lisalonglash]

I'm in! Your PTR looks fantastic - I'm looking forward to the rest

 

[Flossbolna]

What a wonderful start to your PTR! You really are a very talented writer and I am greatly looking forward to more on the PTR and then the TR!

I love your mini-recaps of your past Disney trips. It really looks like your family had a lot of fun! Ans I see that you really are a dedicated DISer since you made your DH wear a tie-dyed Mickey shirt. I guess your whole family had matching ones?? I was so tempted to do those for my 2008 trip, but didn't. And my sister already has informed me that no way is she going to wear matching t-shirts with me!

I can absolutely understand what you say about WL and AKL being breathtaking, they are! I think it is amazing how the architect was able to create such an impressive space while still making it look like a place where you can feel at home.

 

[PracPerfPatricia]

NEXT UP: PLANNING FOR AKL & WDW IN AUGUST WITHOUT GOING MAD IN THE FLORIDA SUN...& GOING INTO STARBUCKS W/DD AND SEEING AFRICAN TRAVEL MUGS...HMM...WHAT A COINCIDENCE...;-)

I might have mentioned that I have have a little coffee addiction...-and I probably visit Starbucks a little more frequently than I should... well-a couple of weeks ago DD and I stopped in for my beloved Cafe Americano and image my surprise when I found they were carrying a free trade African line including travel mugs...well it seemed kind of serendipitous-I mean wouldn't it be lovely to have them during the summer before our trip to AKL? (and go back right before our trip to pick up some of the African coffee to make in the room...?) I thought I'd take a picture to share:

"HEY GUYS-PUT DOWN THE MUGS- YOU KNOW YOU CAN'T HAVE CAFFEINE IN THE AFTERNOON-IT MAKES YOU TOO WIRED! Donald- I don't want to hear it-go to your room!"


OK-here are the travel mugs photographed with somethings I collected from the last time we were at AKL...the napkin from Jiko was taken by accident-the night we had ADRs for Jiko I felt ill......so I sent the others down without me...DH sweetly brought sometime back for me (he wound up eating it... & they must have given him the napkin...I don't think they need it back at this point...)

Anyhow with my trusty coffee mug in hand, computer in front of me and books, paper and pens by my side...I've gotten closer to finalizing my plans...although they seem to change day by day-although I can't play with my ADRs as much as I usually do since we're going to be there during Free Dining...the restaurants are pretty booked-but I pretty happy with what we've got...

I've also promised myself that I will protect myself and my family from the Florida sun and heat of August...therefore this trip will have lots of down time...My mantra will be: you don't need to do everything...you've been here before...God willing you'll be here again...relax and breathe (say 3 x every morning...)

So tentatively my itinerary looks something like this:

Mon. 8/17-Spend day in NY (flying out of Newark airport early the next morning...)
-Do tour of Radio City Music Hall, (maybe Top of Rock too)
-NY City World of Disney Store-largest outside the parks and sadly closing in October...,
-Have lunch at Alice's Tea Cup,
walk through Central Park-maybe go into the Central Park Zoo, See the Alice Statue and hopefully walk over to Strawberry Fields.
-Get really good NY pizza for dinner (cause sadly that is one thing hard to find at Disney (& Coffee)...
-Go to hotel for a good night's sleep

Tues. 8/18 Early but mercifully short (about 2 hour) flight to Orlando.
-Take Magic Express to AKL...Welcome Home......Check in if possible--at least get something to eat at Mara...
-Perhaps take part in some of the activities offered at Lodge
-Check out Kindani or swim
-Head to DTD so DH can burn through his birthday money...Lego, Once upon a toy, Goofy's Candy co., etc...
-Early Dinner at Wolfgang Puck's
-Back to Hotel-stories and Animal Nightviewing


Wed. 8/19-Magic Kingdom-there at room drop, swim late afternoon-Jiko for dinner

Thurs. 8/20-Character Breakfast at Tusker House before AK open-then AK day, Dinner at Yak and Yeti...

Fri. 8/21-Epcot-dinner at Chefs de France

Sat. 8/22-Disney Studios-lunch at Sci Fi, Dinner at Boma

Sun. 8/23-Blizzard Beach-morning, Dinner at the Wave and Pirates and Pals Wishes Cruise

Mon. 8/24-MK early morning-finish any rides we missed, Lunch back at AKL-Sanaa and then sadly fly out in the late afternoon...
-Early Dinner at Wolfgang Puck's
-Back to Hotel-stories and Animal Nightviewing


NEXT ETAILING EACH DAY, MAKING SURE WE PACK LIGHT BUT RIGHT & DS PRACTICES PACKING A SUITCASE-BUT WHERE ARE THE CLOTHES? HOW MANY STUFFED ANIMALS CAN YOU GET INTO A SUITCASE???

 

[Charleston Princess]

Your plans look great! Just remember it will be easy to have a lot of downtime since the activities and atmosphere of AKL are so appealing!

 

[Lady Lallie]

I love Resort downtime, so relaxing and normally peaceful.

How did I not know that the World Of Disney in NYC is closing! How sad, there is another reason for me to go to NYC soon!