Earmuffs in June? Update 7/5 Trip Report Link!

[Becc1]

Joining in on your report. Your kids are adorable, I thought my kids had long eyelashes but wow your kids are just gorgeous! Looking forward to reading more of your report!

 

[teachermommy78]

I thought it might be fun to post a mini TR about our trip back in June 2008. I hope this doesn't break any PTR "rules" because we all know how I feel about "rule breaking."

Background...our trip in 2008 was a joint trip with my BIL/SIL and their two girls, along with my MIL and FIL, and of course, us. We stayed at All Star Music. I actually wrote this up after I got back on a mommy board I belong to. I'm glad I did, because I probably wouldn't have remembered details! Sophie was 4 (almost 5), Ethan was 2 (almost 3), and Finn was 6 months.

Day 1: Left Chicago around 3 pm and arrived somewhere in Kentucky at 11:30 pm.

Day 2: Left Kentucky at about 7 am and arrived just past the Florida border at 10 pm.

Day 3: Left hotel at about 8 am and arrived at Disney's All Star Movie Resort at about 11 am. Then we headed straight to the Magic Kingdom. Weird itinerary. BIL and family was due to arrive late afternoon and we were meeting them at the park. MIL's friends booked a room for the night to see the kids and brought her grandchildren as well. Wanted to eat dinner and swim, etc. But, um....we're at Disney World on our first night. No one wanted to spend time with random people. We felt bad, but didn't know the plans until last minute. MIL and FIL left with heavy hearts (they were bummed that they couldn't be with the grandchildren, ESPECIALLY the ones from MA on the first night). We all agreed to meet them for breakfast in the morning. Sophie rode space mountain and liked it! Ethan adored Buzz Lightyear. Here are Sophie and Ethan on the monorail for the first time. I LOVE the picture of Sophie. She was in awe and SO excited, especially when seeing the castle. Then it poured as soon as we entered.

Day 4 of mini TR (Animal Kingdom) is next!

 

[teachermommy78]

Joining in on your report. Your kids are adorable, I thought my kids had long eyelashes but wow your kids are just gorgeous! Looking forward to reading more of your report!

Thank you for joining and for the compliments! They really DO get their long eyelashes from their daddy. He was voted "prettiest eyes" back in elementary school. I hear about it all the time. Ethan has my blue eyes, and Sophie and Finn have hazel eyes. Scott has AMAZING eyes. They are green with flecks of aqua and gold. In fact, around the pupils are little golden suns. On his Driver's License, there wasn't an "AMAZING" option, so he just chose "hazel."

 

[PirateKate]

It is so important to let people go their own ways at Disney World. I remember how when my niece and nephew were babies, before I had any kids and it used to take forever to do things with them at Disney. It seemed like we were always stopping to change diapers or feed or whatever. It would have been very frustrating, had I not felt free to go ride some thrill rides and catch back up later.

Of course, now, I have the babies and take forever to do anything, and the others get to go off and ride some rides.

POR is very nice. I think it is a good choice. Perhaps not as swanky as the Yacht or Beach Club, but still perfectly magical. When we were in college, Jeremy and I got to go to London on a study program and it just so happened that my dad was going on a business trip to London around the same time. Our group was going to see Les Miserables one night, and my parents showed up at the same show, to surprise us. I was very happy to see them, until I learned they had much better seats than us. For some reason, half of your family staying at Yacht or Beach reminded me of that story.

I am enjoying your mini TR. I like the picture of Sophie wearing the poncho in front of the Castle.

 

[teachermommy78]

It is so important to let people go their own ways at Disney World. I remember how when my niece and nephew were babies, before I had any kids and it used to take forever to do things with them at Disney. It seemed like we were always stopping to change diapers or feed or whatever. It would have been very frustrating, had I not felt free to go ride some thrill rides and catch back up later.

Of course, now, I have the babies and take forever to do anything, and the others get to go off and ride some rides.

POR is very nice. I think it is a good choice. Perhaps not as swanky as the Yacht or Beach Club, but still perfectly magical. When we were in college, Jeremy and I got to go to London on a study program and it just so happened that my dad was going on a business trip to London around the same time. Our group was going to see Les Miserables one night, and my parents showed up at the same show, to surprise us. I was very happy to see them, until I learned they had much better seats than us. For some reason, half of your family staying at Yacht or Beach reminded me of that story.

I am enjoying your mini TR. I like the picture of Sophie wearing the poncho in front of the Castle.

The theater analogy is perfect! I'm not too worried, though. When we stayed at WL back in 1999/2000, I was too over the moon excited with the honeymoon and upcoming cruise to even really take in the "deluxeness." My clearer memories come with all star music. That stay was perfectly fine. I honestly didn't think It could have been better. Therefore I figure that POR will just be added bonuses.

 

[ash-n-brensmom]

Hey!! I followed you over from my PTR. You've got a great looking family!! AND I agree with you, that is a great pic of your DD looking out the window of the monorail in AWE!!!!
I personally think you are Certifiable for traveling with so many people But at least you are staying separate...I don't think it would have been a good idea to stay at the same resort with that many people trying to stay together so much...very frustrating!! I'm gonna be following along with your plans..can't wait to read more!

BTW... to the DIS!!!

 

[teachermommy78]

Hey!! I followed you over from my PTR. You've got a great looking family!! AND I agree with you, that is a great pic of your DD looking out the window of the monorail in AWE!!!!
I personally think you are Certifiable for traveling with so many people But at least you are staying separate...I don't think it would have been a good idea to stay at the same resort with that many people trying to stay together so much...very frustrating!! I'm gonna be following along with your plans..can't wait to read more!

BTW... to the DIS!!!

Thank you for joining! I don't deny being crazy. Or obsessive. Or a little emotional. We'll see where this gets me.

 

[teachermommy78]

Let's continue on my mini TR from 2008!

Day 4: We had breakfast and the kids swam while my mom and I went to walmart. That was a bad trip. It was so far and took too long. When we got back, the visiting family was ready to leave, so we took some pictures and then headed to Animal Kingdom for the day. Personally, Animal Kingdom isn't my favorite park, but it was OK. It was super hot and didn't rain at all. Biggest mistake was made this day. We took the kids into the Bug's Life 3D movie. They were fine for 1/2 of it and then it got REALLY scary. I mean terrifying. Ethan was crawling up Scott, Sophie was SCREAMING in terrror. They were literally traumatized. For the rest of the week Ethan wouldn't sit in a 3D movie. I felt SO bad. So word to the wise, don't see that with the little ones. I've heard the Stich thing at Magic Kingdom is similar. Then they both freaked on the River Rapid ride too, but I think there was residual fear left within that. We rode Everest which I LOVED LOVED LOVED!!! Dinner was at Tusker House which we all really liked. We missed the Safari and planned to do it the next morning. My mom, Griffin, Ethan, and I went back to the hotel (my mom got REALLY sick from Everest) and E and I went swimming. Here are some highlights from day 4!

Up next: Sophie has a date at Bibbity Bobbity Boutique!

 

[PirateKate]

I think I'm going to wait a long time before taking the boys on It's Tough to Be a Bug.

 

[teachermommy78]

I think I'm going to wait a long time before taking the boys on It's Tough to Be a Bug.

Good plan. The kids STILL don't want to see it!

 

[shocky5]

Good plan. The kids STILL don't want to see it!

I can relate! Our first trip - the kids were 4, 6 and 9. And while they didn't come out as freaked out as I think I did (I was in a seat with the virtual 'wasp sting') - when we went back a couple of years later - we literally had to identify for them which seats had holes in the backs of them that would allow the 'stinger' to poke them and they would not sit in one of those, so I had to!!! But I did just sit up on the edge of my sit when I knew that part was coming and felt really smart for doing so.

 

[teachermommy78]

I can relate! Our first trip - the kids were 4, 6 and 9. And while they didn't come out as freaked out as I think I did (I was in a seat with the virtual 'wasp sting') - when we went back a couple of years later - we literally had to identify for them which seats had holes in the backs of them that would allow the 'stinger' to poke them and they would not sit in one of those, so I had to!!! But I did just sit up on the edge of my sit when I knew that part was coming and felt really smart for doing so.

Oh my goodness. I had no idea they had the wasp stingers! Do they hurt? I mean, I know they don't injure you, but what do they feel like? Considering my kids were sitting on my head by that point, probably, they wouldn't have felt that!

 

[BMC423]

Hi Stacey,

Nice to meet you . You're kids are very cute, I love the idea of a big family trip I' have been trying to get our families to plan one of those but no one is interested. Oh well looking forward to your updates.

~Bicki

 

[teachermommy78]

Hi Stacey,

Nice to meet you . You're kids are very cute, I love the idea of a big family trip I' have been trying to get our families to plan one of those but no one is interested. Oh well looking forward to your updates.

~Bicki

Hi!!! Thanks for joining in! And thanks for the compliment about the kids! We'll see how good of an idea this really was. Being laid back seems to be the #1 piece of advice I get from those who have done similar groups before. I think we will be laid back. We'll have to be, considering the fact that my list of things I want to do after reading these boards is getting a bit ridiculous. I will be seriously slowed down if I have all those people with me 24/7!

 

[shocky5]

Oh my goodness. I had no idea they had the wasp stingers! Do they hurt? I mean, I know they don't injure you, but what do they feel like? Considering my kids were sitting on my head by that point, probably, they wouldn't have felt that!

YES! And I hope I'm not spoiling this for anyone! It didn't hurt - but was a totally freaky sensation/thought that you are being attacked by wasps and suddenly you are poked in your back. Was a great effect with the desired outcome, I'm sure, but I could not let myself sit back in that chair and get poked again... mind over matter thing. I'll let ya know if I try it again this Dec!! I think it was just a flexible plastic small rod (but in my mind it's much bigger!! ) that just quickly pokes you. But you can run your hand over the backs of the seats and see that some have small holes and some do not... if yours has small holes, you will be poked in that portion of the show unless you scoot forward in your seat. Chaos. It's mid-way in the back of the seat.

 

[lnk1229]

You all aren't going to be dressing in bright yellow and pretending to be Brazilian, are you?

LMAO, PirateKate you're amazing!!- We HATED the large groups of brightly-clad, rude foreigners!! I am sorry, but if you have a group of 30 teenage kids DO NOT stop in the middle of a busy walkway to take a group picture or decided then where you are heading... ugh!! Usually I am all for kids getting the experience of Disney but there is a right and wrong way to do it!!

 

[disneygma11]

Hello! Thanks for the invite! Congrats on booking your trip. Are you doing all the planning by yourself (haven't read all the posts here yet)? I am going to say you must be Superwoman if you are, I am overwhelmed and there are only 8 of us going. This will be our first trip to Disney ever and my whole families first time flying (with the exception of me, I flew when I was 16) lol Looking forward to hearing more about your plans.

 

[teachermommy78]

Hello! Thanks for the invite! Congrats on booking your trip. Are you doing all the planning by yourself (haven't read all the posts here yet)? I am going to say you must be Superwoman if you are, I am overwhelmed and there are only 8 of us going. This will be our first trip to Disney ever and my whole families first time flying (with the exception of me, I flew when I was 16) lol Looking forward to hearing more about your plans.

Thanks for joining!!! Planning is a loose term. I am learning a lot, and have made ADRs, but not so much actual planning yet. I did order the Passporters book today from their website. I got the 2010 version for 50% off. They said since it was ordered from the site it was updated with all the most recent updates and was very similar to 2011. For $11, I figured I couldn't go wrong! We'll see how this all unfolds!

 

[teachermommy78]

Day 5: We went back to Animal Kingdom for the safari then high tailed it back to Magic Kingdom where we would meet everyone at Cinderella's Castle for dinner later. Sophie had an appointment at Bibbiti Bobbiti Boutique, in Cinderella's Castle. She was on the verge of a tantrum, not wanting to leave her cousins. Once we got there, she was very overwhelmed, but literally shaking with excitement. We ran while my mom, Scott and the boys walked and checked bags, etc. Sophie decided on the princess hair do (this was her bday present). My mom came in and asked in a whisper which dress she would like. We had planned on bringing her Cinderella dress, but she had an accident on it around Halloween and the smell woulnd't come out. Sophie was admiring the Belle dress, and my mom bought it secretly. The worker there told Sophie that Tinkerbell left a surprise for her and led her to a dressing room where the dress hung. Sophie was trembling. She was SO excited. She put it on and we decided to surprise daddy who was watching a show out front. We put the apron on her and the lady did her hair. Daddy came in halfway through and then unveiled her. It was quite the moment. I was holding back tears. Sophie really did look like a princess. All day people were commenting about how adorable she was and asking about the makeover. It was too fun. I did wipe off most of the eye makeup, however. The hair was enough! The rest of the day was super. We at at Cinderella's castle (it was a character meal). Then we stayed and went on more rides. My mom and Finn went back to the hotel and Sophie and Ethan crashed in the stroller. The rest of us enjoyed the short lines and got on everything we missed.

My favorite picture that I think should be in Disney Ads This is my FIL and Sophie (Tom Sawyer's Island???)

Up Next: Day 6 Hollywood Studios

 

[micandminforever]

Sophie truly was a princess in her Belle dress.