joedisney
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Sep 1, 2000
- Messages
- 70
HereâÂÂs Episode 7. As a reminder: I'm Joe, the Dad and 38. Kathy, the Mom is 34. Christopher is 8, Connor is 5 and the famous "Octopus" from Episode 1 is 18 month old Alex.
Why is it that about half way through any vacation I begin to feel that dreadful pit in my stomach? Here we are five days into our vacation with five glorious daysâ left and that inevitable feeling of doom begins to set in. Totally subconsciously and beyond my control, I begin to sense the end. There are still five days left. Many vacations are only five days long. We still have Disney Quest, Sea World, MGM and the Yacht Club to explore. None of this mattersâ¦The pit remains. As I wake the gang for breakfast, the impending excitement of another day at Disney fills the air and, for now, the rumblings of hunger overtake the pit in my stomach. Today we will start our day at Park Fare for another Character Breakfast. As we walk across the beautiful Grand Floridian grounds, we cannot believe that we are met by yet another perfect day. We are right on time for breakfast and as we take our seats at Park Fare, Connor notices Alice, of Wonderland fame, making her way towards our table. I notice the look panic on ConnorâÂÂs face at about the same instant that I realize we have forgotten the autograph books back in our room. Springing into action, I incoherently blurt out my intentions as I pull away from the table and begin my sprint back to the room. Poor Alice looks like a squirrel in my headlights as I blow by her, Geppetto and Pinocchio on my way through the restaurant. Leaping over small children, dodging golf carts and chaise lounge chairs, I make it to the room and back in about the same amount of time that it took Alice to greet four tables. Unfortunately, ours was the fourth table. As you may have guessed, however, neither of my boys is overly concerned about missing AliceâÂÂs signature. They would probably have been just as happy missing Mary Poppins as well. Both boys paste on their best forced grin as the regal Miss Poppins hugs them each in turn. Although they like adding those coveted signatures to their books, the characters at this breakfast are not quite their style. While the characters may not have been to their liking, the food rated highly in all of our books. The made to order omelets were light and fluffy and the large selection of fruits, cereals, muffins, fresh juices, hot coffee, bacon, sausage and waffles more than adequately fueled our tanks for the busy day ahead.
After breakfast we return to the room to gather our stroller and the myriad of supplies needed to sustain our needy crew. Today we are off to Downtown Disney where Mom and the babe get to shop while the big boys and I give Disney Quest a try. As we head down on the elevator I chuckle at what is now the inevitable. Connor and Christopher stand side by side in front of the elevator door. The elevator goes down and the door opens. Nobody moves. We have reached the ground floor. There is no where else to go. The doors are open. Full paralysis. This behavior is not unique to elevators. I have noticed the same phenomenon on the monorail. Even when they know the next stop is ours, when the doors open, no one moves. Then, when they do move, itâÂÂs in slow motion. The speed of their exit is definitely inversely proportional to the size of the crowd behind us. The bigger the crowd behind them, the slower they move. The lesson to be learned from this? When you have a big stroller, stay in front of your other children.
Since it is such a beautiful day, we have decided on a condensed visit to Downtown Disney. The boys and I will do Disney Quest, mom and the babe will shop, weâÂÂll meet at Wolfgang PuckâÂÂs for lunch, weâÂÂll stop back at the hotel for some pool time then weâÂÂll spend the rest of our day at the Magic Kingdom. The big boys and I rush over to Disney Quest and are soon riding the elevator to the entrance of this virtual theme park. I take turns lifting each boy so that they can see the GenieâÂÂs introduction as we ride the elevator up. We start our day at AladdinâÂÂs Magic Carpet Ride. Connor is a bit unsure about trying this ride, but with a little reassurance, he is ready to give it a go. Soon we are all fitted with the bulky helmets and are whizzing our way through the streets of Agraba. This is the first time I have tried one of these devices and I am quite impressed. A neat feature of this ride is that you experience this virtual reality as a group. Looking to my left, I see the Connor Abu and the Christopher Abu traveling along beside me on their magic carpets. IâÂÂm a bit worried about my Connor man. I picture tears running down from beneath his helmet and soon begin thinking that IâÂÂm a terrible Dad for not ripping off the helmet and checking on the little guy. The ride is neat, but IâÂÂm too concerned about Connor to really enjoy the experience. As the ride ends, I take off my helmet to find a delighted little five-year old basking in the glory of his bravery. Although we all enjoyed the ride, we all agree that virtual rides have a long way to go before they can compete with the real ones.
Our next stop is the virtual jungle cruise. Atop our rubber raft, we float on an airbag as the screen in front of us provides the illusion of white water rapids. Armed with sensor-laden oars, we paddle our way through many dangers and are soon deposited safely back on shore. The boys and I have a lot of fun exploring the five floors that make up Disney Quest. Christopher is impressed with the many video games that require no coins. We also spend a short amount of time in the create zone where you can electronically build toys, draw cartoons and ride roller coasters of your own creation. Up in the Replay Zone we play several midway type games (these you have to pay for) and find a replica of the claw game that Sid uses to grab Woody and Buzz in Toy Story. Like the movie, this game is filled with tiny space aliens and Connor decides that he must have one. IâÂÂm thinking that this will be a futile effort as is the case with most of these machines. In true Disney fashion, however, these toys are eminently attainable. On my second try I am able to snag one of the little green dudes and drop it down the exit chute. The look on ConnorâÂÂs face as he grabs his new toy is priceless. Although we havenâÂÂt been here long, Connor and I have had enough of Disney Quest. Christopher, like most eight-year old boys, could have hung around and played the video games for the rest of the afternoon and well into the night. Back outside, we hook up with mom and the babe for a nice lunch at the Wolfgang Puck Express. Kathy and I both get sandwiches, Connor gets macaroni and cheese and Christopher gets a pizza. The portions are huge and this is way more food than we can eat.
Back at the hotel we spend some time at the pool then head out for the Magic Kingdom. By the time we get to the park, itâÂÂs almost 5:30 and we only have time to ride the Pirates of the Caribbean and Peter PanâÂÂs Flight. We also force the boyâÂÂs on ItâÂÂs a Small World one last time. I can still hear my dad laughing every time I go on this ride. Although I miss the big guy dearly, I am always comforted when some of his mannerisms pop up in one of my own boys. Christopher often taps his hand on his leg when heâÂÂs nervous, Connor has that contagious belly laugh and Alex just loves to tease his older brothers. These are all pieces of my dad that live on through my boys. As we stroll back towards Main Street, we watch the fireworks from behind the castle. Although you do not have the impressive backdrop of the castle, this turns out to be a pretty good spot to watch. There arenâÂÂt many people around and the fireworks go off right over our heads. As the park prepares to close, we take our time and enjoy the unseasonably warm night air. We decide to get some ice cream. I tell everyone not to worry since I remember reading that the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor stays open for an hour after the official park closing. At about 7:45, Kathy heads over to the family center to take care of the fountain of poop. The big boys and I get in line for our ice cream. Just as we enter the store, the doors are closed behind us and the deadbolts are latched. Fate has definitely turned our way. Had the babe pooped a few minutes later, we would not have gotten our ice cream. As we chomp on our cones, we watch as the last few stragglers find their way down Main Street. I take the opportunity to snap several pictures of the boys in the empty park with the castle at their back. Alex struts down Main Street stopping several times to bend over and peer through his legs. AlexâÂÂs silly antics catch the eye of a street sweeper who offers to take our picture. After several poses, we thank her for her kindness and she tells us that, "this is the favorite part of my job." IâÂÂm sure Walt himself is smiling as this lovely street sweep strolls along beside us as we make our way to the exit. As our heads sink into our soft pillows, we enjoy the memories of another magical day at Disney as we drift off to sleep.
Coming someday:
Episode 8: The Octopus meets Shamu.
Why is it that about half way through any vacation I begin to feel that dreadful pit in my stomach? Here we are five days into our vacation with five glorious daysâ left and that inevitable feeling of doom begins to set in. Totally subconsciously and beyond my control, I begin to sense the end. There are still five days left. Many vacations are only five days long. We still have Disney Quest, Sea World, MGM and the Yacht Club to explore. None of this mattersâ¦The pit remains. As I wake the gang for breakfast, the impending excitement of another day at Disney fills the air and, for now, the rumblings of hunger overtake the pit in my stomach. Today we will start our day at Park Fare for another Character Breakfast. As we walk across the beautiful Grand Floridian grounds, we cannot believe that we are met by yet another perfect day. We are right on time for breakfast and as we take our seats at Park Fare, Connor notices Alice, of Wonderland fame, making her way towards our table. I notice the look panic on ConnorâÂÂs face at about the same instant that I realize we have forgotten the autograph books back in our room. Springing into action, I incoherently blurt out my intentions as I pull away from the table and begin my sprint back to the room. Poor Alice looks like a squirrel in my headlights as I blow by her, Geppetto and Pinocchio on my way through the restaurant. Leaping over small children, dodging golf carts and chaise lounge chairs, I make it to the room and back in about the same amount of time that it took Alice to greet four tables. Unfortunately, ours was the fourth table. As you may have guessed, however, neither of my boys is overly concerned about missing AliceâÂÂs signature. They would probably have been just as happy missing Mary Poppins as well. Both boys paste on their best forced grin as the regal Miss Poppins hugs them each in turn. Although they like adding those coveted signatures to their books, the characters at this breakfast are not quite their style. While the characters may not have been to their liking, the food rated highly in all of our books. The made to order omelets were light and fluffy and the large selection of fruits, cereals, muffins, fresh juices, hot coffee, bacon, sausage and waffles more than adequately fueled our tanks for the busy day ahead.
After breakfast we return to the room to gather our stroller and the myriad of supplies needed to sustain our needy crew. Today we are off to Downtown Disney where Mom and the babe get to shop while the big boys and I give Disney Quest a try. As we head down on the elevator I chuckle at what is now the inevitable. Connor and Christopher stand side by side in front of the elevator door. The elevator goes down and the door opens. Nobody moves. We have reached the ground floor. There is no where else to go. The doors are open. Full paralysis. This behavior is not unique to elevators. I have noticed the same phenomenon on the monorail. Even when they know the next stop is ours, when the doors open, no one moves. Then, when they do move, itâÂÂs in slow motion. The speed of their exit is definitely inversely proportional to the size of the crowd behind us. The bigger the crowd behind them, the slower they move. The lesson to be learned from this? When you have a big stroller, stay in front of your other children.
Since it is such a beautiful day, we have decided on a condensed visit to Downtown Disney. The boys and I will do Disney Quest, mom and the babe will shop, weâÂÂll meet at Wolfgang PuckâÂÂs for lunch, weâÂÂll stop back at the hotel for some pool time then weâÂÂll spend the rest of our day at the Magic Kingdom. The big boys and I rush over to Disney Quest and are soon riding the elevator to the entrance of this virtual theme park. I take turns lifting each boy so that they can see the GenieâÂÂs introduction as we ride the elevator up. We start our day at AladdinâÂÂs Magic Carpet Ride. Connor is a bit unsure about trying this ride, but with a little reassurance, he is ready to give it a go. Soon we are all fitted with the bulky helmets and are whizzing our way through the streets of Agraba. This is the first time I have tried one of these devices and I am quite impressed. A neat feature of this ride is that you experience this virtual reality as a group. Looking to my left, I see the Connor Abu and the Christopher Abu traveling along beside me on their magic carpets. IâÂÂm a bit worried about my Connor man. I picture tears running down from beneath his helmet and soon begin thinking that IâÂÂm a terrible Dad for not ripping off the helmet and checking on the little guy. The ride is neat, but IâÂÂm too concerned about Connor to really enjoy the experience. As the ride ends, I take off my helmet to find a delighted little five-year old basking in the glory of his bravery. Although we all enjoyed the ride, we all agree that virtual rides have a long way to go before they can compete with the real ones.
Our next stop is the virtual jungle cruise. Atop our rubber raft, we float on an airbag as the screen in front of us provides the illusion of white water rapids. Armed with sensor-laden oars, we paddle our way through many dangers and are soon deposited safely back on shore. The boys and I have a lot of fun exploring the five floors that make up Disney Quest. Christopher is impressed with the many video games that require no coins. We also spend a short amount of time in the create zone where you can electronically build toys, draw cartoons and ride roller coasters of your own creation. Up in the Replay Zone we play several midway type games (these you have to pay for) and find a replica of the claw game that Sid uses to grab Woody and Buzz in Toy Story. Like the movie, this game is filled with tiny space aliens and Connor decides that he must have one. IâÂÂm thinking that this will be a futile effort as is the case with most of these machines. In true Disney fashion, however, these toys are eminently attainable. On my second try I am able to snag one of the little green dudes and drop it down the exit chute. The look on ConnorâÂÂs face as he grabs his new toy is priceless. Although we havenâÂÂt been here long, Connor and I have had enough of Disney Quest. Christopher, like most eight-year old boys, could have hung around and played the video games for the rest of the afternoon and well into the night. Back outside, we hook up with mom and the babe for a nice lunch at the Wolfgang Puck Express. Kathy and I both get sandwiches, Connor gets macaroni and cheese and Christopher gets a pizza. The portions are huge and this is way more food than we can eat.
Back at the hotel we spend some time at the pool then head out for the Magic Kingdom. By the time we get to the park, itâÂÂs almost 5:30 and we only have time to ride the Pirates of the Caribbean and Peter PanâÂÂs Flight. We also force the boyâÂÂs on ItâÂÂs a Small World one last time. I can still hear my dad laughing every time I go on this ride. Although I miss the big guy dearly, I am always comforted when some of his mannerisms pop up in one of my own boys. Christopher often taps his hand on his leg when heâÂÂs nervous, Connor has that contagious belly laugh and Alex just loves to tease his older brothers. These are all pieces of my dad that live on through my boys. As we stroll back towards Main Street, we watch the fireworks from behind the castle. Although you do not have the impressive backdrop of the castle, this turns out to be a pretty good spot to watch. There arenâÂÂt many people around and the fireworks go off right over our heads. As the park prepares to close, we take our time and enjoy the unseasonably warm night air. We decide to get some ice cream. I tell everyone not to worry since I remember reading that the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor stays open for an hour after the official park closing. At about 7:45, Kathy heads over to the family center to take care of the fountain of poop. The big boys and I get in line for our ice cream. Just as we enter the store, the doors are closed behind us and the deadbolts are latched. Fate has definitely turned our way. Had the babe pooped a few minutes later, we would not have gotten our ice cream. As we chomp on our cones, we watch as the last few stragglers find their way down Main Street. I take the opportunity to snap several pictures of the boys in the empty park with the castle at their back. Alex struts down Main Street stopping several times to bend over and peer through his legs. AlexâÂÂs silly antics catch the eye of a street sweeper who offers to take our picture. After several poses, we thank her for her kindness and she tells us that, "this is the favorite part of my job." IâÂÂm sure Walt himself is smiling as this lovely street sweep strolls along beside us as we make our way to the exit. As our heads sink into our soft pillows, we enjoy the memories of another magical day at Disney as we drift off to sleep.
Coming someday:
Episode 8: The Octopus meets Shamu.
Thanks again for a great report of your day. 
