Dr. Jones and the Spitting Camel - Link to Alaska Cruise TR 9/18

[mickeysmyboy]

So, I spent sometime catching up last night and have now forgotten what I wanted to comment on! Blech!!! Boo!!

I do remember from the point where the CM asked Dr. Jones what he would like to drink!!! I can’t believe I didn’t pick up on that!!!! DS8 used to be obsessed with Indiana Jones! He even has an Indiana Jones hat that my parents gave him for his b-day a few years ago!!!

Your dinner at Ohana sound great!!! One of these days we’ll definitely have dinner there! Although I promised DS8 a breakfast there next family trip!

Oh my goodness it sounds incredibly hot at F! Torturous! I still haven’t seen it but I don’t think I could have stuck that one out!

Sounds like you had a pleasant, but steamy morning in DHS! Any morning with trip to the Writer’s Shop is good to me!

Oh my! I would have been soooo annoyed with the dining credit situation!!! Really?! Did they not understand the 1 per day per person thing?!

I’m glad the walk calmed your and Jeff’s nerves though!

Lunch at Boardwalk Bakery sounds yummy!!! I’m sure a little food helped the nerves too! I LOVE the brownie face pics!!! LOL!!!!!!

Ack!!! I’m sorry Taylor was complaining! Teenagers! I dread the teen years! I really do!

I’m sorry you didn’t get any lazy pool time! I will personally see to it that you get some in May!! Actually lots of it!! And lots of umbrella drinks too!

 

[Sunset Cliffs]

Hi there! I am getting back on to the Dis after a couple of months break, & I am working through your TR. I have read a few updates and was just planning on getting caught up before I commented. But I just read your update about your DHS morning, and the TS credits being used for burgers for lunch... and I couldn't help myself. I had to make a comment.

Are you kidding me??? After all of your work and planning for all the meals. I was about ready to cry for you. I'm sure that they didn't see the big picture, but honestly, I would have been more than annoyed.

You also have me a little concerned about what Dylan will be like as a teenage boy. Is that really what is in store for me? Having no opinion at all, then complaining to Grandma to fix it? No thanks! I think I will keep him 3 years old forever.

That is all for now. Sorry for the rant on an old update, but I am feeling your pain!

 

[eandesmom]

You have relatives there, too? To us on the East Coast, the West Coast just seems like another world. Someday I'll get to see it, I'm sure.

I do, quite a lot of them actually. My uncle, his 5 kids and all their families. My favorite cousins actually.

Visiting Aulani sounds wonderful. But I also think that adults only trips are really important sometimes, too!

And yeah, the pool bar drinks lack a certain kick. I mean, I think its actually kind of smart on their part, but come on...almost ten bucks???

I did one of the drinks you mentioned above, but I'm not saying which one till we get there in my TR!

Happy Birthday to Jeff! Its my husband's actualy birthday this week, too. He's turning 40. And a giant crate in your driveway...sounds intriguing!

The family is only as strong as the couple, I really do believe that! Evan cheered up a bit when I said hopefully next year. Of course he has NO idea about the cruise, that's going to blow them away.

I hope your DH had a great birthday!

I'll try to get some crate pictures up. I do have some uncrated ones too...it's pretty wild stuff in there!

Oh man, now I want to know which one you had. Although I bet if I go back and look at your ADR's one might just out as more likely. Of course you might already be there in your TR and I'm behind. It's been a BAD homework week at my house.

I know what you mean about trying to finish one report before going on the next trip! I really want to finish mine before departing for Paris!! I have seen that your PTR become much more busy again with everyone reporting their shopping! It sounds like such a lovely trip you are planning.

Oh my goodness we've booked some of the COOLEST things this week! We really need to update it on there, the email chatter has been crazy! It is so very very girly and I think we are officially indulging and spoiling ourselves rotten.

Ah....Paris. I can't wait to hear about it!

So, I spent sometime catching up last night and have now forgotten what I wanted to comment on! Blech!!! Boo!!

I do remember from the point where the CM asked Dr. Jones what he would like to drink!!! I can’t believe I didn’t pick up on that!!!! DS8 used to be obsessed with Indiana Jones! He even has an Indiana Jones hat that my parents gave him for his b-day a few years ago!!!

Your dinner at Ohana sound great!!! One of these days we’ll definitely have dinner there! Although I promised DS8 a breakfast there next family trip!

Oh my goodness it sounds incredibly hot at F! Torturous! I still haven’t seen it but I don’t think I could have stuck that one out!

It really was awful but honestly, you are kind of packed in there, once it started it would have been hard to get out. Especially with 8 of us! Ohana is great, I'd highly recommend it.

Sounds like you had a pleasant, but steamy morning in DHS! Any morning with trip to the Writer’s Shop is good to me!

Oh my! I would have been soooo annoyed with the dining credit situation!!! Really?! Did they not understand the 1 per day per person thing?!

I’m glad the walk calmed your and Jeff’s nerves though!

Lunch at Boardwalk Bakery sounds yummy!!! I’m sure a little food helped the nerves too! I LOVE the brownie face pics!!! LOL!!!!!!

I honestly don't know. It was a bit mind boggling to us but I mean really, what was done was done and nothing we could do about it. Something got lost in translation. It reminds me of trying to explain some of the digital media things to my own team...I can tell I'm speaking greek and I realize it's unrealistic for me to expect them to get it maybe as fully as I'd like them to and I have to focus on what they really do need to know and do. I probably provided information overload in my attempt to be clear and as a result, they caught maybe 10%.

Ack!!! I’m sorry Taylor was complaining! Teenagers! I dread the teen years! I really do!

I’m sorry you didn’t get any lazy pool time! I will personally see to it that you get some in May!! Actually lots of it!! And lots of umbrella drinks too!

I dunno, tween is pretty icky in its own way too.

I need to pack umbrella's for the slushies I'm making everyone.

Hi there! I am getting back on to the Dis after a couple of months break, & I am working through your TR. I have read a few updates and was just planning on getting caught up before I commented. But I just read your update about your DHS morning, and the TS credits being used for burgers for lunch... and I couldn't help myself. I had to make a comment.

Are you kidding me??? After all of your work and planning for all the meals. I was about ready to cry for you. I'm sure that they didn't see the big picture, but honestly, I would have been more than annoyed.

Yeah, honestly I'll let adults fend for themselves next time and figure it out. My own fault for trying to help and offer a way to save $$ and prepay for things. Part of me felt bad as they were buying K&T lunch and so there was a little guilt like we should reimburse them somehow either with $$ or our credits but I got over it. It actually did work out but you'll have to wait and see how and why.

You also have me a little concerned about what Dylan will be like as a teenage boy. Is that really what is in store for me? Having no opinion at all, then complaining to Grandma to fix it? No thanks! I think I will keep him 3 years old forever.

That is all for now. Sorry for the rant on an old update, but I am feeling your pain!

Or complaining to Todd instead of you...they try to work it all let me tell you. Tay's never gotten very far with it (tried to play me against his mom once, got nailed by all of us, it's never happened since) and then in this instance, didn't get too far with Grandma either, she bounced it right back to us which was the right thing. If she'd have acted on it, without checking, then we'd have had a real problem but she didn't.

5 forever would be nice. The tweens are killing me this week.

 

[All7OfUs]

Crate, er... I mean GREAT to see you posting today!! Need to get over to the girly thread and catch up!!

 

[eandesmom]

Crate, er... I mean GREAT to see you posting today!! Need to get over to the girly thread and catch up!!

I need to catch up everywhere!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And write an update. AACK!

 

[KatMark]

[Hang on.

Cynthia, I am so hopelessly far behind on commenting, but I have been reading. I LOVE these pictures -- I think they are great. Sorry about the rain and you getting rained out at the pool again; I'm hoping before the end of this trip you get some pool time.

 

[eandesmom]

Cynthia, I am so hopelessly far behind on commenting, but I have been reading. I LOVE these pictures -- I think they are great. Sorry about the rain and you getting rained out at the pool again; I'm hoping before the end of this trip you get some pool time.

Thanks!!!!!!! They are some of my very very favorites from the trip. I really need to frame them. I printed them but haven't actually put them out yet. LOL!

I'm ridiculously behind everywhere myself, I feel your pain.

 

[DisMomAmy]

Hi Cynthia! All caught up... I can't believe you almost got rained out again at the pool! We had a bottle of gin that got left behind too... We left it at Tim's brother's house when we drove over to Orlando. Oops! But he found himself a bottle of rum to make up for it.

I hope you find your lounge chair soon! And Congrats on the Hawaii trip.

 

[eandesmom]

Hi Cynthia! All caught up... I can't believe you almost got rained out again at the pool! We had a bottle of gin that got left behind too... We left it at Tim's brother's house when we drove over to Orlando. Oops! But he found himself a bottle of rum to make up for it.

I hope you find your lounge chair soon! And Congrats on the Hawaii trip.

I had expected it to rain on the trip and the rain itself wasn't a big deal, it was still warm, you're wet, who cares, right? However, I hadn't expected afternoon lightening to be the recurring them that it was and the lightening is what shuts down the pools. It was a little of a no win situation in the sense that you want to hit the parks early before the heat and crowds BUT if you do, you risk no pool time due to the darn lightening.

After this trip I think I've given up the idea of a lounge chair unless I'm on an adult only trip. Not that I won't ever sit in one of course, but I'll never be able to really relax and read, nap...until the last kid is in college I think! Well, maybe when we are down to 2 kids, as they are close in age they can entertain each other maybe but as a teen K sure wants Jeff or I in the pool with her so...it will be awhile!

I was looking at the Alaska excursions today as I got port times and excursion time info so was narrowing down our wish list!

 

[Sleepingbooty]

Hey Cynthia! Just realized it had been a while since I'd checked in over here. So whats this about a Hawaii trip? Someone else's comment about it caught my eye as I scanned through, but I missed where you originally mentioned it. You're still doing the Alaskan cruise, right?

 

[eandesmom]

Hey Cynthia! Just realized it had been a while since I'd checked in over here. So whats this about a Hawaii trip? Someone else's comment about it caught my eye as I scanned through, but I missed where you originally mentioned it. You're still doing the Alaskan cruise, right?

I'm so behind everywhere, even in my own updates! LOL

We are definitely still doing the cruise, just paid a huge chunk on it yesterday, ouch! Still a lot to go though. The good thing about doing that though is I did get our updated port times and found all the excursion times so narrowed down our list of fun port things to do. I think I'm pretty decided on them which is kind of nice actually! They are so pricey that I want to save up so am trying to plan it out ahead of time as much as possible.

I've been looking into FE and pillowcases and all kinds of fun things for the cruise

Hawaii on the other hand is a MUCH needed date trip for Jeff and I. Fairly spur of the moment though we've been talking about an April date trip for several months, just hadn't landed on where until recently. We'd been thinking NOLA for several months but about 2-3 weeks ago the rain and cold got to us and we needed WARM.

So we are off to the Big Island in about 5 weeks for 5 nights and 6 days of beaches and volcanoes.

I am very excited, we haven't been to Hawaii since 2004 and have never been to the Big Island!

 

[eandesmom]

When I left you, Sandie and Paul were relaxing with a G&T on the BC porch, the rest of us were getting wet, finally getting into the pool around 3:30 or so. I’m not sure if it was the way the pool time unfolded or if folks were starving but I don’t recall having a hard time getting everyone out, about an hour later. AK was having EMH, we’d spent no time there at all and Jeff and I (and a few others) really wanted to get a few things in before our 7:10 at Tusker. It’s a blur now but we must have done ok as my first picture stamp was at 5:39. With an hour and 30 minutes before dinner and daylight fading, newbies in the park, what would you do first?

Why, walk as fast as you can of course!

This is what I call a drive by shot. No time to focus

Hi Tusker, we’ll be back soon!

I wanted to stop here, but no time…

This sounded nice as well, I must have been hungry

Jeff was on a mission

But I think someone needed a bio break

Evan thought he knew the way

Or not. He looks like he needs a nap in this picture!

I killed some time taking crappy photos

Why the rush?

Why this of course!

We weren’t trusting the line app and so had booked it, just to be safe. The safari only goes until sundown, EMH or not so there was a time window. Clearly my attempts to catch the return time were for naught.

Amazingly, we made it from the TOL to the Safari in…7 minutes. Not bad for a group of 8 and a man with gout. We moved so fast I didn’t even take the traditional loading jeep shot. Just a bunch of bad blurry bird pictures for some reason. Actually…the reason MAY be that I let Evan use the camera again. I honestly don’t recall but it’s very probable. He had captured a gorgeous shot of the lion the previous year. Sadly, whoever it was operating the camera this year, didn’t do nearly as well.

Here Rhino Rhino….

Bye Rhino Rhino

Here Hippo Hippo

Bye Hippo Hippo

Shiny behinds of some sort

Grey grey crocodiles

Continued in next post

 

[eandesmom]

A tree full of birds

Grainy grazing

No Yak attack here

Sneaking out of the picture

Impressive hornage

Sigh

Looking dusty in the dusk

Yeah. And there you have it. A not so fabulous photo safari. It must have been Evan. We actually did see quite a few animals, though that’s not clear from the pictures. No lion though, maybe in May. Mission accomplished we realized that we really didn’t have time to do anything else. Or enough time at anyrate without risking our ressie, so we checked in, 30 minutes early with hopes of possibly being seated early.

I know what you are all thinking. Tusker. EMH. Seated early?

Cynthia’s smoking crack again.

And you’d be right. I was. So much apparently I put away the camera for the rest of the night. No, not really. I pulled a CLASSIC Cynthia move. I didn’t charge my battery. It died at the end of the safari. Well, maybe the poor picture taking put an early end to it, who knows. I am notorious for this and I blame my camera. It can go for a really really long time without needing a charge, providing me a false sense of security. When it does die, you get virtually NO warning and poof, that’s it. Photo ops over, not willing to risk my phone dying (as the camera on it, while pretty darn good, does drain the batter and it too had not been charged) that was that. Here’s what I recall, not having any photo’s to really confirm it.

While I checked us in, which seemed to take FOREVER, someone went up and got the adults and kids a round of drinks. It was probably Sandie and Paul but I’m not sure. I know I had a Lost on Safari, Sandie a Dawa Colada, Jeff a Safari Amber and Paul…I’m not sure! Kids all had soda’s.

We found a place to sit and enjoy our drink.

I’d never been to Tusker before, and my only Dawa experience had been mid day, in November, when we had the entire place to ourselves. This was the polar opposite of that and frankly, a bit noisy, crowded and overwhelming to me. Thanks to the dead battery I can’t confirm what time we were seated but it wasn’t early, in fact it was late. With AK closing at 9, the idea of anyone hitting additional rides was quickly melting as fast as a Mickey Bar does in Eric’s hand, while in Tomorrow Land standing on the hot pavement without any shade.

We got food. We ate. We had another drink. We asked for our bill. We waited. And waited. And….

I said GET OUTTA HERE to the rest of my family so at least some of them could get some rides in. Our bill was going to take forever, that was easy to see, the place was still jam packed. Paul was in no condition to sprint anywhere. Off they went, all the boys to EE and the girls to Dinosaur. Paul and I hung back at the table, waiting for our bill. Since we were waiting and people would be on rides, I decided I earned one of these and booted up my dead camera enough to get these shots.

Paul got a coffee to go with his dessert. He looks miserable doesn't he.

Honestly it was all good. There was something really nice about shooing everyone away and just hanging with Paul for a little while, chatting away and lingering. What can I say about Tusker? Not a whole lot really. Which sounds like a bad review and it isn’t. But…I’m not a big buffet person and, it is a buffet. The food was fine, a few of the things quite good but what, I can’t recall. I didn’t love the layout of the place, the noise or the ambiance. I didn’t hate it either. The gang all enjoyed it, I’m fairly sure most everyone had seconds at least and certainly didn’t hear a complaint out of anyone. I won’t go out of my way to go again but it wouldn’t bother me either. How’s that for a non-committal review? As for the Lost on Safari. I hate to say it but I liked my Tusker Lager better! It was the pagani punch, just a bit too sweet for me. I didn’t dislike it (clearly, as I had two) but didn’t LOVE it (as I love a grey goose slushie for example).

Continued in next post...

 

[eandesmom]

It was getting close to 9pm, park closing and we heard from our ride racers. Team Expedition had fared MUCH better than Team Dinosaur, riding EE twice in the dark. I was so jealous I was green, but at the same time really happy they’d all gotten to go on it as it had been a bummer to walk away from it the first night of the trip. Team Dinosaur on the other hand had (not unsurprisingly given that neither Jeff or I were with them) gotten lost only to find a SIXTY minute wait. Which of course they had no intention of doing. I’d have gone with them so was rather happy with my choice but sad for K. They’d shopped a little which I’m sure neither of them minded. A meet at the tree was arranged and with that, a final shot. Or two.

Despite the fact that Eric looks overjoyed (not) and I clearly didn’t take the time to dry my hair after the pool (gotta love a messy bun and fake flower, it saved me more than once this trip). I still had fun playing with the borders lol.

Now at least he’s looking at the camera

And now he’s not

Photo’s over, bellies full and parks closing it was time to head back to the YC. I needed to get some E’s in bed as we had plans for the morning. Kendall needed to work out and of course wouldn’t unless Jeff made her (and did it with her) so they planned to hit the fitness club in the morning again while the E’s and I attempted a 7am MK rope drop for EMH. As for the rest of them…I figured it was Jeff’s problem. The thinking was we’d meet for lunch at MK. Earlier would have been nice but we both knew it was unrealistic. It all sounded great with a few rather large exceptions.

1. Sandie and Paul had yet to visit the MK this trip (Sandie ever…the WDW version at any rate).
2. It was supposed to be crowd levels of 9 at the MK. While originally I’d planned to avoid it this day, when Sandie changed their dates, we had to reroute things.
3. If they didn’t meet us till lunch, the E’s and I (who would be ready for a break by then) would have a hard time getting in any pool time or rest. Everyone would have a hard time getting in pool time. Why?
4. Because we had 5:10 dinner ressies at Kouzzina. Why so early?
5. We were booked for a surprise Illuminations cruise at 7:30pm! The adults knew, the kids were clueless but everyone was excited about Kouzzina so making that happen was rather high on the list. Why so excited I'm not really sure but for some reason it really grabbed the E's and Jeff.

Risks noted, we decided to stick with the plan. It would be what it would be, all we could do was try. In that spirit I tried to get the E’s to bed while the big kids hit the quiet pool. Sandie and Paul retired to watch TV and Paul to work on his sermon. I sat on the balcony with my book, watching Jeff and the kids while letting to let the E’s go to sleep in a nice dark room. It had been an interesting day to say the least. Jeff, the E’s and I had done quite a lot. In comparison, the rest of the gang had slept, ate, ate some more, swam, gone into one park, gone on one ride, ate, 1 got an additional ride and then they swam again. But honestly, everyone was pretty happy with their day when all was said and done. Grandparents had some alone time with the teens, we had some fun times with just the little ones and sometimes it is those unplanned for moments that you really remember the most.

That said....this is how Disney makes money….completely wasted park ticket days and poor use of dining credits. I try not to think too hard about it, it’s best for us all and it was vacation after all. At the end of the day, poor TS credit choices aside, there were some really great moments in the day, some not so great but for me, it ended well with me snuggled in the coziest bed in the world, excited for a mama and the e’s kind of morning. Jeff was just happy we’d made it on safari with his mom. Sometimes, it’s as simple as that.

Would we make rope drop? I didn’t know, nor did I care at that point, it still sounded like a darn fun morning and I was looking forward to it. A whatever we want to do kind of morning.

 

[Poolrat]

You are accomplishing things. With a group like that you can't sweat it if everyone doesn't get that they have to move to make it worth it.

I had the same experience with the computer loving DD and the DisHating DH but I vowed to ignore it and even before we left I had the non expiring option added to the tickets so if they chose to stay by the room or pool I could save that day. I am sure if I go back and look we may have had a couple go intothe park for a meal visits but I was not going to worry about it. That saved my sanity.

I hope your MK day is fabulous.

 

[englishrose47]

Great update Cynthia !!!The Safari pix look like all of mine !!!I haven't yet tried TH but think we will in October after our special Safari!!I loved Kouzzini 's and my waiter wasn't bad either Not Italian but Yummy none the less !!!

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Something tells me you will have an opportunity to get some better safari shots in May...

I would like to try a Lost on Safari...for research purposes of course.

Tusker does not sound especially fun. I don't really like buffets either and there is nothing more frustrating than being ready to go and having to wait (and wait) for your bill.

Totally agree with you that some of the best moments end up being the simple and unplanned ones...no matter how much prep work and planning we do!

Hoping your MK day was fun. A 9 on the crowd calendar- yikes!

 

[MEK]

Awesome family PP pics. Everyone looks so happy! I love your shirt!

Denny and I ate lunch at TH in Sept and it was a madhouse - just as you described. When I saw the line to check-in I almost ran away right there.

Glad you got to do the safari together. Better luck with safari pics next trip!

That was really nice that you sent the kids away to do their own thing. Where they able to get on EE before the park closed. And why the heck does that park close so early in the summer. I think it stayed opened until 10 when we where there in June. I guess because its August, but still?

Loved the update.

Did you really try to get to MK at 7am????? Really? Good luck with that!

 

[Happydog]

I have to say it isn't easy making it all fit together, but it seems that in the end everyone is having a good time! So I am glad to see that. Being the gang leader ISN'T fun at times, but at least you are able to keep it together and keep your cool! (drinking helps!!!) I agree that it is important to remember a good Disney vacation shouldn't be based on how many rides you take! It may depend on the crowd, but we have really appreciated and enjoyed the ammenities as much as the parks, and so have our kids! Ironically in the "Unofficial" guide to Disney their ratings for kids, and what kids like best, have pool time as one of the highest items, not necessarily the parks alone. So good times are had when everyone is having fun.

I would tell you to try the Margarita as well at the Dawa bar. That is less sweet. My DH liked it better, too... C can try the Lost on Safari and you the Margarita this time for "research" purposes...

 

[Charleston Princess]

Sorry you weren't thrilled with the Lost on Safari -- it is on the sweet side, but not nearly as sweet as that Sugar Cane Mojito I had this past summer. I always love seeing pictures from the Animal Kingdom even when they are slightly blurry safari shots.