Ever, Ever After: The TR Formerly Known as Wishing You Were Here- May 2011

[PirateKate]

It looks like a nice relaxing dinner in CHH! I'm glad that Carter was able to keep napping and Landon got to meet all of his calcium needs.

I love a good apple crisp, so if we make it to CHH, I will definitely keep that tip in mind. Your trip reports are worth reading for the dessert/snack recommendations alone.

Great idea to take Landon to ride POTC now that he's awake. I'm sure he'll appreciate getting the same opportunity Carter had earlier. Maybe he can get a cute girle to flirt with him on the boat since he was unsuccessful at dinner.

It was a very relaxing dinner at CHH. Any meal with one toddler seems so easy. I thought for sure Carter would wake up as soon as he smelled food, but I guess his swimming had worn him out. I always worry the boys won't get enough milk at Disney, so I was glad to see Landon drinking his milks.

Oddly enough, it's not a very crispy apple crisp, but I thought it was really good. We probably eat too many desserts at Disney, but I'm glad it's helpful to others.

I was happy to take Landon on PotC. That was one of my favorite rides before the movie. I liked pirates before pirates were cool. Poor Landon...it's hard to realize that not every girl is going to stop to flirt with him.

Apple crisps sound so nice (and I see no issue drinking sweet tea while eating them).

I think it's nice that since you got some one-on-one time with Carter at the pool, you got to spend a nice dinner with Landon. Even though, he was letdown by the blonde, it sounds like he had a nice time slurping down some milk. Hope he managed to ride PoTC and enjoyed the little drop at the beginning.

I suppose, really sweet tea isn't much different than drinking coffee with desserts. I'm glad we got two apple crisps.

It was kind of nice to get some time alone with each of my boys. I think they like getting a break from each other sometimes. I think Landon still had a good meal, even though the blonde didn't notice him. I'm sure she mistakenly thought he was just a baby. Landon's going to love the thrill rides when he gets tall enough.

What a wonderful dinner at CHH! Yay for Landon's magical milk. I love it when DD makes a special friend like that.

I think CHH is my favorite MK counter service place. We always have a good time there. I love it when Landon makes friends with people. He always seems so happy with himself. And I thought that magical milk was really nice.

I wanted to get Ridley Pearson to sign a book, but the line was out the door and AROUND the store. I didn't realize then that he was so popular! It would make sense that that would be the crowded day too because DTD doesn't require admission. This is the update from my 2010 report about it: here and here. By the end of the week, I wasn't that disappointed that we only got to see him because Howard and I met and talked to 2 other Disney "celebrities" for a long time ... Lou Mongello and Jim Korkis! I haven't gotten up to that part in my TR yet.

Mmm, I've only had the fried fish at CHH. I really want to try the shrimp too! Maybe we'll be able to order 1 of each and share next trip! Yum.

Aww, too bad that Landon had to face the harsh realities of life with that girl. At least he got magical milk! He makes it look so tasty in that picture that I want some, and I'm lactose intolerant!

I guess that makes sense, that everyone would go see Ridley Pearson at DTD and not a a park. Even aside from admission, I think I'd rather spend DTD time meeting an author than park time. Thanks for the links, I'll check those out. That's so cool that you got to meet the other two, though.

I like the fried fish at CHH, but I like the fried shrimp even better. I like the idea of ordering two things and sharing. Maybe Jeremy and I will do that in October, to try some of the new items.

I think Landon thought his magical milk was a great consolation for the girl not talking to him. I think it would be really hard to be lactose intolerant. I love a nice cold cup of milk.

Ahh, Landon, you win some, you lose some. Drowning your sorrows in milk is always a good choice!

Glad you had such a nice meal in CHH; it's such a great place!

I think that was Landon's first loss. He loved his milk that night, though.

I love CHH. Can't wait to get back there again.

Yummy!! We had the fried shrimp from CHH one night on our trip. Colby did not get any Magical Milk, though. Colby has trouble understanding how girls, or anyone in that case, can walk past him without saying hello. I hope Landon likes Pirates! It was not Colby's favorite ride.

Isn't the fried shrimp good there? I thought that was a great addition to the menu so I'm eager to try the new items now. Magical Milk is probably a once in a lifetime occurrence. Landon's just the same- if he wants to say hello to someone and the other person doesn't see him, he can't understand it. Colby didn't like Pirates? I'm surprised at that. I thought all little boys loved Pirates.

CHH is the best! We love that place and I really think the CMs in here are some of the best. Loved the magical milk. I felt so bad that little Landon wasn't appreciated by blonde girl, but I'm sure that made up for it. He's too cute.

I sure thought that CM was among the very best. I love it when people are nice to my boys. I was a little surprised Landon was unsuccessful in getting the girl's attention. He usually manages to get everyone to talk to him. I think he felt better after he made friends with the CM. That way, he knew it was wasn't him, it was her.

 

[fi46re129]

Your first two days are our last two days!

Sorry to hear about the camera! Search some you tube videos for it.. may be a easy tutorial on there!

The Mickey shirts sound adorable!!! I also love the survivor idea.. I would vote for the boys in the shirts and then you and Jeremy in the survivor duds!

 

[PirateKate]

Y'all are going to have so much fun on your upcoming trip!

I only have input as far as the shirts & costumes are concerned. For the costumes, I would stick with the Survivor theme for the whole family. I do like the idea of using glow sticks on the torches! And then just have the boys wear the Mickey shirts sometime during the vacation. But, that's just my opinion. And you know what they say about opinions.....

Are you going to do a TR for this upcoming trip? If so, please let me know when you start it. I'd love to hear about MNSSHP & the 5K.

I think it's going to be a great trip. It seems like so long ago that we were there in December, freezing and planning a perfect October trip.

An opinion is just what I was hoping for, thanks for giving me yours. I do like the idea of having all of us be Survivor people. I thought the boys would look cute in bandanas. And I thought the stroller would be cool with the torches. I suppose the boys could always wear their shirts on another MK night.

I am planning on doing a TR for our October trip. Hopefully, it will be an awesome trip with lots to report. I'll make sure to let you know when I start it.

Your first two days are our last two days!

Sorry to hear about the camera! Search some you tube videos for it.. may be a easy tutorial on there!

The Mickey shirts sound adorable!!! I also love the survivor idea.. I would vote for the boys in the shirts and then you and Jeremy in the survivor duds!

Cool! It's always fun to hear about other trips at the same time as ours. I can't believe it's September already.

I guess it provided a good excuse to get a new camera. Thanks for the idea of looking on youtube. I've found there's nearly everything on there, so there probably is a tutorial.

I love the Mickey shirts, too! Maybe when the camera arrives I'll take a picture of them. It would be kind of nice to have the boys in the Halloween shirts and Jeremy and I in Survivor stuff so I could use all the Survivor stuff and the shirts.

 

[KatMark]

I LOVE the fried shrimp at Columbia Harbor House--so yummy. Poor Landon; that girl obviously had NO taste whatsoever.

As for the MNSSHP, I think I would have the boys wear the shirts and how about getting them little pirate hats at the MK to go with them? And you and DH do the Survivor thing?

Sorry to hear about the camera.

 

[PirateKate]

I told Jeremy he could take Landon on Pirates of the Caribbean first and I found a comfortable bench just outside of the building. The sun was nearly down and the evening air felt cool and breezy.

I had abandoned my sociological study of swords in favor of sitting outside and enjoying the fresh air. It was pleasant.

Adventureland at dusk. It was beautiful.

Jeremy and Landon had only been gone about ten minutes when I heard rustling in the stroller. I looked in time to see Carter stretching and awake.

"Hey, Carter! Did you sleep good? Ready to start your night?"

Carter was ready. I let him get out of the stroller and we did some piratical exploring.

"Who's on your shirt today, Carter?"

"Mickey!"

Carter had fun playing until Jeremy and Landon came out. As long as the boys were out of the stroller anyway, we figured we might as well go one more time.

Pirates of the Caribbean was the most fun the last time when we all rode it together. Landon giggled when he went down the drop and Carter pointed out several pirates.

After the ride, it was time to quickly make a plan for the rest of the night. Carter still needed his dinner and we wouldn't have a ton of time after he ate to ride as much as we possibly could.

We didn't care too much about watching the parade or the fireworks, since the boys would have more fun going on rides, so we didn't factor them into our plans at all, an amateur mistake that would cost us later.

I considered the Fastpasses we currently had and suggested we ride the Jungle Cruise now, stop at Casey's for Carter's dinner and then head to Tomorrowland and work our way around counterclockwise, while riding as much as possible.

Jeremy agreed to my half-baked plan and we set off for Jungle Cruise, letting the boys walk over instead of riding in the stroller.

Despite our Fastpasses, there was a short wait. I was holding Landon and talking with Jeremy, when Landon suddenly dove forward and reached out and grabbed the shirt of the lady in front of us.

Oh, Landon. I pulled him off the lady as fast as I could.

"Landon, we don't touch people we don't know while we're waiting in line. Or ever, actually. That's a good general rule for you. You don't touch people you don't know."

The lady turned around to see who had grabbed her shirt.

"It was him. Sorry about that."

"Why? I loved it. He's adorable. Nothing to be sorry about."

It was very kind of the lady to say so, but Landon turned to me to gloat. Clearly, I had been wrong and he had been right and we do touch people we don't know and then they're our new friends and talk to us.

I told Landon he got lucky and it doesn't usually work like that.

We finally got seated on the boat and I thought we had good seats. Really, I like any seats but the middle bench and this time, we were on the outside.

Landon's new friend ended up on the middle bench, sitting right across from us and she let Landon play with her watch and bracelets during the ride. Landon looked at me, to make sure I was learning how many good things happen when you touch people you don't know.

Our driver was a good one and although the jokes were all familiar, they were still good. All ones I had heard before, of course.

Until we reached the famous backside of water, one of my favorite parts of the Jungle Cruise.

"Kids, don't try this at home, you will hit your head on the faucet."

I had never heard that variation before and I laughed which made Carter laugh, which made Landon laugh. My boys have the best laughs.

We docked and got off and I felt it was one of the best Jungle Cruises I'd ever taken.

 

[basketkat]

Your October plans sound great!!!!

Your evening in the Magic Kingdom sounds nice.... lovely family memories!

 

[amandaw]

Pirates & a jungle cruise....it doesn't get much better than that!

Can't wait to hear what else y'all did....or didn't do.

 

[afwdwfan]

Ok... about the October trip.
1. I love POP. I think that is a great move, especially if Carter is excited about it!
2. I like the Survivor idea for MNSSHP. I don't see why the boys couldn't wear their new shirts and still be "Survivors." The people on the show can really wear whatever they want whether it is a Mickey shirt or a Red Sox cap.
3. I know nothing about the 5K, and I've never done one. I wish you luck!
4. I love the Ziplock bag idea. We just might have to steal that one. I like to get to the parks about 30-45 min before RD. I think you'd be fine letting the boys out and run a bit, as long as you're not near the front right by the rope. Everyone kind of crowds forward, but if you're willing to stay back a bit and don't feel the need to be the first rider of the day on TSM, I think that would be fine. Personally, in any park, I like to hop on for a quick ride and then grab an FP for that ride or another close by ride after I exit. Everyone has their own strategy about that, but I think either way is fine.
5. Sorry about the camera... I know nothing about them though.


I'm glad Carter woke up and got to ride Pirates again. One of these days you'll finally figure out that Landon is always right.

The faucet joke is a new one for me too. I don't think I've ever heard of that one.

 

[Shannon84]

I think the survivor idea is great! I think it would be fine with the Mickey shirts, or if you want to save those for another day it would be fine without, but I dont think it would be too confusing...the only thing that may happen is someone may confuse the survivor bandana as a pirate theme (with the shirt), and thats still great too

I love the advice of we dont touch people we dont know...I had to laugh because my mom LOVES when children are social with her,especially babies...I think its her deep seeded desire for grandchildren

I have never heard that joke on the Jungle Cruise, that is too funny

 

[KatMark]

We have never done Jungle Cruise at night...we really need to try and do that. Landon certainly knows how to charm the ladies; well, despite the one at Pecos...but we'll just leave it that she had no taste.

 

[jc040404]

Love the Survivor idea for costumes. I'd definitely stick with that and save the shirts for another day. Worn together, I'd guess they were going for a pirate theme though. Either way, I'm sure they'll be adorable!

Good luck on the 5k! I have no desire at all to do something like that, but they do sound like they have fun endings. I'm sure the boys will be fine running around at RD at AK. I wouldn't worry about letting them down at any of them except DHS. That's just madness! I'm constantly reminding Blake to keep his arms and legs inside the ride as we wait/walk at that one. You'd have to stay back pretty far to let them down, I'd think. Hope your early plans work out. It's so nice to be in the parks at the start of the day. Have a great trip!!


Sounds like a fun ride on the Jungle Cruise! I've never really cared for it myself, but we've only tried it in the heat of the day. I might have to give it anothet chance once the sun is down someday instead. Interested to see how this mistake is going to change your evening..

 

[PirateKate]

I LOVE the fried shrimp at Columbia Harbor House--so yummy. Poor Landon; that girl obviously had NO taste whatsoever.

As for the MNSSHP, I think I would have the boys wear the shirts and how about getting them little pirate hats at the MK to go with them? And you and DH do the Survivor thing?

Sorry to hear about the camera.

I love the fried shrimp there, too. It'll be a hard deciding what to order next time. I almost thought that if the girl had seen Landon she would have liked him, but then, as his mother, I can never understand how anyone wouldn't like Landon.

Oh, the boys would look adorable in some pirate Mickey hats! What a great idea! I'd be tempted to skip the Survivor them altogether and go piratey.

I guess cameras and toddlers aren't a good mix. I'll make sure Landon never gets the new one.

Your October plans sound great!!!!

Your evening in the Magic Kingdom sounds nice.... lovely family memories!

Thanks! I think it's going to be a fun trip this time.

It was a wonderful evening in the MK. We were having a lot of fun.

Pirates & a jungle cruise....it doesn't get much better than that!

Can't wait to hear what else y'all did....or didn't do.

Pirates and Jungle Cruise are two of my favorites. I love Adventureland, especially in the evening, when there's not so many people there.

I think we ended up doing more than we didn't do.

Ok... about the October trip.
1. I love POP. I think that is a great move, especially if Carter is excited about it!
2. I like the Survivor idea for MNSSHP. I don't see why the boys couldn't wear their new shirts and still be "Survivors." The people on the show can really wear whatever they want whether it is a Mickey shirt or a Red Sox cap.
3. I know nothing about the 5K, and I've never done one. I wish you luck!
4. I love the Ziplock bag idea. We just might have to steal that one. I like to get to the parks about 30-45 min before RD. I think you'd be fine letting the boys out and run a bit, as long as you're not near the front right by the rope. Everyone kind of crowds forward, but if you're willing to stay back a bit and don't feel the need to be the first rider of the day on TSM, I think that would be fine. Personally, in any park, I like to hop on for a quick ride and then grab an FP for that ride or another close by ride after I exit. Everyone has their own strategy about that, but I think either way is fine.
5. Sorry about the camera... I know nothing about them though.


I'm glad Carter woke up and got to ride Pirates again. One of these days you'll finally figure out that Landon is always right.

The faucet joke is a new one for me too. I don't think I've ever heard of that one.

Carter is excited about Pop Century. That and I told him he was going to eat lunch with Tigger, Pooh, Piglet, and Eeyore and they'd be really, really big, but very nice. Carter asked if Rabbit would be there, too and I told him probably not. I kind of hope Rabbit does show up now.

That's an excellent point, people on the show do tend to wear whatever they want. I don't watch the show often, but I think I even heard about some guy who wore nothing but his bandanna. I suppose we could even be a gang of Survivor Pirates.

Thanks! I guess I'll know a lot more about running a 5K this trip.

I'll let you know how the ziplock bag plan works. I have high hopes for it. It always seems to take us forever to restock the diaper bag in the mornings. 30-45 minutes before rope drop doesn't sound too bad. Actually, I have no desire whatever to be the first person on TSM, so we're good there. If the boys can get out and play, they'll be much happier. Maybe I could pack some bubbles to amuse them while we wait.

Thanks. The new camera came today and Jeremy seems to know instinctively how to use all its features. If he's a camera genius, why I have been taking the pictures on all these trips?

I think Carter was happy he got to go on Pirates again. It was nice to ride together, too. When is Landon going to figure out that he's not always right?

I thought that faucet joke was really funny. And I wasn't at all expecting it.

I think the survivor idea is great! I think it would be fine with the Mickey shirts, or if you want to save those for another day it would be fine without, but I dont think it would be too confusing...the only thing that may happen is someone may confuse the survivor bandana as a pirate theme (with the shirt), and thats still great too

I love the advice of we dont touch people we dont know...I had to laugh because my mom LOVES when children are social with her,especially babies...I think its her deep seeded desire for grandchildren

I have never heard that joke on the Jungle Cruise, that is too funny

I guess it doesn't really matter if people are unsure if we are Survivors or Pirates. The boys' shirts are long sleeved so I could hang on to them and see what the weather will be like that week. I don't want them in long sleeves if it's eighty degrees, but if it's nighttime and more like sixty-five, it would be okay.

I think I was giving Landon some great advice there, but I don't think he bought it. I guess there are a lot of baby people out there. Maybe Landon can sense who's going to want to socialize with him.

I thought that joke was great!

We have never done Jungle Cruise at night...we really need to try and do that. Landon certainly knows how to charm the ladies; well, despite the one at Pecos...but we'll just leave it that she had no taste.

I love Jungle Cruise at night. We just happened to ride at night one trip and now we would never ride it during the day. Landon certainly thinks he knows how to charm the ladies. I guess he's been right every time but one.

Love the Survivor idea for costumes. I'd definitely stick with that and save the shirts for another day. Worn together, I'd guess they were going for a pirate theme though. Either way, I'm sure they'll be adorable!

Good luck on the 5k! I have no desire at all to do something like that, but they do sound like they have fun endings. I'm sure the boys will be fine running around at RD at AK. I wouldn't worry about letting them down at any of them except DHS. That's just madness! I'm constantly reminding Blake to keep his arms and legs inside the ride as we wait/walk at that one. You'd have to stay back pretty far to let them down, I'd think. Hope your early plans work out. It's so nice to be in the parks at the start of the day. Have a great trip!!


Sounds like a fun ride on the Jungle Cruise! I've never really cared for it myself, but we've only tried it in the heat of the day. I might have to give it anothet chance once the sun is down someday instead. Interested to see how this mistake is going to change your evening..

I do like that the Survivor stuff might be more unique. I bet there will be quite a few little boys sporting the Mickey pirate shirt from Target and even more dressed like pirates in general. That's true, Carter and Landon usually look cute, regardless of what they wear.

Thanks! I'm hoping the 5K is fun, but I guess if it isn't we won't do it again. I'm very curious what the ending is going to be. Whatever it is, it's promised to be unforgettable.

I have heard DHS rope drop is crazy these days. We're only going there one day anyway, so maybe the boys will be okay with waiting in the stroller that day, if we even make rope drop. Everyone seems to recommend being in the parks early, so it'll be interesting to see what that's like.

Jungle Cruise isn't my favorite during the day either, especially without Fastpasses. That line can be so long and I always think I'm getting close and then I'm not. I think it's worth trying it at night. It's kind of fun to be out in the jungle in the dark.

 

[Thadine]

That little Landon, one smart fellow!!

I would go with the pirates shirts for the boys, I think pirate is much cooler for little boys then the Survivor theme.
You and your husband can do the Survivor theme then.

 

[CandleontheWater]

I don't think I'm going to write a PTR for our October trip. It's coming up so fast that it's nearly too late already.

I do have a few plans I'd like to share and maybe get some second opinions.

1. We're staying at Pop Century, Sept 30th through Oct. 9th. I had booked us originally at CBR, which is the only moderate resort I haven't stayed at. I was feeling very uneasy about it and I thought the boys would prefer Pop Century any way and it would be so much cheaper that I switched. Carter's been talking about taking his suitcase to Pop Century, so I think it was a good move.


I think the boys will LOVE Pop! It will be a tighter fit than a moderate, but since you will only be using one pack n' play it won't be too bad. Your City Mini folds up pretty small, so that won't be taking up a lot of floor space either, so you really should be fine. If you guys are driving, you could also store the suitcases in the car (after you unpacked them, of course) to free up more space in the room

2. We're attending our first ever MNSSHP. I can't wait to see the headless horseman and take the boys trick or treating. The tricky part, of course, is what to wear. Above all, we must be comfortable. After weeks and weeks of careful thought and consideration, I chose our theme- Survivor. I bought two small Tiki torches that can be rigged to the stroller unobstructively. Of course, they will remain unlit, but I think I may be able to use some glow sticks for a lit up effect.

I also found a place online to buy Survivor bandanas, which I haven't ordered yet. I figured I'd get one for each of us and we could wear them with whatever clothes seem comfortable and weather appropriate. I also was planning to make myself an immunity necklace.

I was happy with my theme. It would be cheap and practical and still somewhat festive and unique.

And then it happened. I was shopping at Target and found the coolest Halloween shirt for little boys. It has Pirate Mickey on it and he's trick or treating and it says "Surrender Yer Loot". I loved it immediately and bought two.

Now, I'm not sure whether the boys should wear their Mickey shirts to the party or if they should be Survivor people and wear the shirts another day or if they should wear the Mickey shirts and Survivor bandanas. Would that be too much of a juxtaposition?

I could scrap the Survivor idea, since all I've bought for it is the torches. Or I could save the shirts for something else. Or the boys could wear the Mickey shirts and Jeremy and I could be Survivor people. What do you all think?

I think Survivor is a really fun costume idea, and the stroller torches sound so cool! Maybe you can wait and see what the weather is like that day before you choose? I would say that you and Jeremy should be Survivor people regardless, and then Carter and Landon could join your tribe if it is not too hot. I've been down for MNSSHP when it has been brutally hot, and ones where I was freezing in capris, so it really is hard to plan.

3. A) We're also running the 5K, stroller division. I've heard rumors that people dress up for that, too. Does anyone know if that's mostly true or mostly not? I suppose it would be easy enough to bring our Survivor bandanas and put them on if everyone else is dressed up. Of course, that would be harder, if I decided not to do the Survivor theme.

B) I'm trying to plan what to do after the race and not sure exactly what would be best. I've never run a 5K before and all I know is that it has an unforgettable finish. How long do most people spend at an unforgettable finish?

I was thinking we would spend some time at AK after the race, since we'd be right there and would have a great chance of making rope drop. But, I know that the boys would be miserable sitting in the stroller doing nothing for an hour while we wait for the park to open. A early ADR at Tusker House would be perfect, but of course, nothing is available. I have an ADR at RFC at 8:30, but I'm afraid we'd still be eating when the rope dropped and that would be a shame.

I don't know anything about running in Disney, but I wish you the best of luck! I do think that you wouldn't be able to get out of Rainforest before 9 am, because that place is notoriously slow. I'd keep trying for an ADR at Tusker, have you tried different combinations of group size? If four is not working, have you tried two, or six? I know FOR SURE that they will seat you if you show up with and ADR, even if you do not have the right amount of guests. I do it all the time Maybe even try a later ADR and "show up early", that has worked for me also. If worse comes to worse, you could always just let the boys out of the stroller, they could browse the shop outside, run around in the courtyard outside of AK or even check out the rainforest cafe. Maybe you could just sit at the bar and get a breakfast drink like a smoothie or something?

4. Rope Drop. Never been. I'm working on a grand scheme to make it to Rope Drop this trip. We won't go so far as to set an alarm or anything, but I'd like to try to get out of the room faster in the morning.

I'm thinking of using large Ziplock bags to streamline the process of getting ready. I can have one with extra diapers and clothes and toys for every day and just grab one on our way out the door. I could have a separate Ziplock bag filled with snacks and breakfast food, so we don't waste time eating in the room. Eating breakfast while we wait for the park to open might also help pass the time with the boys.

A few rope drop questions- How early is too early to get to the parks? What is the ideal time to arrive? Is it possible to let 2 well behaved toddlers out of the stroller to play while we wait or would they be trampled by the rest of the crowd? Generally speaking, is it better to get a Fastpass first or to ride first?

I think the ziplock idea will work well. I pack all of Everett's clothes in ziplock labeled with the day he will wear them, that really saves time. I also make sure my park bag is packed for the next day before I go to bed at night, no matter how late we get back to the room, that way the diapers and wipes are refilled, snacks are packed and extra clothes are all set, and I can just grab the bag and run. Bringing breakfast is a good idea too, you can definitely eat while you wait to multi-task. As for rope drop, one of you can stand in the rope drop line (outside the turnstyles) with the stroller, and the other can walk around with the kids. It is pretty orderly before they let you in the gates. At about 15 mins before park opening, I'd get everyone back in the stroller to go through the gates, and from there it is just a short wait (with entertainment) until you can start riding things. Ideally I like to get there about 30-40 mins before rope drop, but even if you are there 5 minutes after rope drop, you will notice a big difference in crowd level and you will be able to get a lot done that first hour the park is opened.

5. Somehow, Landon had a few seconds alone with my camera and managed to demolish it. I don't know how he did it. If I had my camera, I'd take a picture of the boys' Pirate Mickey shirts, but as it is, you'll have to imagine them.

Since the old camera is out of order, we decided to purchase a new camera- the Canon S95. I'm hoping it will be able to take some beautiful Disney pictures, especially at night. I'm also hoping I can figure out how to use it. Does anyone have any experience with a Canon S95? Any tips for me?

Overall, I'm so excited about this trip. It's going to be our best trip ever with the boys. 4 weeks left!

Good luck with the new camera! I can't wait to see it in action in your next TR!


OK, I also wanted to say that night Jungle Cruises are the BEST! I'm so glad you guys had such a wonderful cruise! Landon was too funny with his "reaching out and touching someone", we have problems with that too. Today Everett grabbed some random lady's butt while we were waiting in line for the train at the park. DH was supposedly "watching" him. The lady thought it was hilarious! Its a good think little boys are so cute- or they'd get in a lot more trouble!

 

[Mommy2BnB]

I'm all caught up. I had really gotten behind. Sounds like your family is having a great trip. Glad Landon's tooth came through. Hopefully he will be a much happier baby now. Can't wait to read about your October trip when you get back. Have fun!

 

[Queenofallthings]

Hey Kate!

We're back and now I'm all caught up on your TR! I thought of you so many times when we were there...especially when I saw any mommy with a double stroller with 2 boys! I can't believe that blond girl in CHH missed Landon...was she completely blind not to see that beautiful boy making eyes at her.....well, I say, her loss!!

 

[PirateKate]

That little Landon, one smart fellow!!

I would go with the pirates shirts for the boys, I think pirate is much cooler for little boys then the Survivor theme.
You and your husband can do the Survivor theme then.

Landon is smart, that's for sure. He knows it, too which isn't always a good thing with a toddler.

I'm sure the boys would enjoy being pirates more than Survivors, since they've never watched Survivor. I just wonder if they would understand that they were dressing up at all or care what they were wearing. If they did care, I should get Carter a Buzz Lightyear costume. He'd think he was cool as Buzz.

Good luck with the new camera! I can't wait to see it in action in your next TR!

Thanks! I hope the pictures look better than with our old camera. I think this one even has a fireworks setting.

I think the boys will LOVE Pop! It will be a tighter fit than a moderate, but since you will only be using one pack n' play it won't be too bad. Your City Mini folds up pretty small, so that won't be taking up a lot of floor space either, so you really should be fine. If you guys are driving, you could also store the suitcases in the car (after you unpacked them, of course) to free up more space in the room

I think the boys will love Pop, too and Jeremy will like it since we're saving so much money. I think I was the only one who was really into CBR, so it seemed like the right thing to do. I haven't decided for sure whether or not to even use a Pack N Play for Landon. I htink he might be getting too big and he's never liked sleeping in there. Unfortunately, storing the suitcases wouldn't be an option for us, as we never actually unpack and prefer to live out of our suitcases the whole week.

I think Survivor is a really fun costume idea, and the stroller torches sound so cool! Maybe you can wait and see what the weather is like that day before you choose? I would say that you and Jeremy should be Survivor people regardless, and then Carter and Landon could join your tribe if it is not too hot. I've been down for MNSSHP when it has been brutally hot, and ones where I was freezing in capris, so it really is hard to plan.

I am excited about the torches. Maybe I'll still use those no matter what costumes we pick. I hope it's not freezing in capris weather this time. I guess it won't be too much longer until the forecasts are out for the trip, not that that really helps too much. The last two years we went in May, it was much hotter than originally predicted. I figure I'll bring hoodies and blankets for the boys, whatever costumes we use, just in case.

I don't know anything about running in Disney, but I wish you the best of luck! I do think that you wouldn't be able to get out of Rainforest before 9 am, because that place is notoriously slow. I'd keep trying for an ADR at Tusker, have you tried different combinations of group size? If four is not working, have you tried two, or six? I know FOR SURE that they will seat you if you show up with and ADR, even if you do not have the right amount of guests. I do it all the time Maybe even try a later ADR and "show up early", that has worked for me also. If worse comes to worse, you could always just let the boys out of the stroller, they could browse the shop outside, run around in the courtyard outside of AK or even check out the rainforest cafe. Maybe you could just sit at the bar and get a breakfast drink like a smoothie or something?

Thanks! I'm pretty excited about our run. Carter and Landon seem to enjoy training for it, too. You're probably right about the Rainforest Cafe. Tusker House would be better. I haven't tried different combinations of party sizes. I'll look into that sometime. The boys would probably have a lot of fun playing in the gift shop at the Rainforest Cafe, too. That's a good plan. And I'm sure a smoothie would be great after the run, but I might feel silly sitting at the bar with two toddlers.

I think the ziplock idea will work well. I pack all of Everett's clothes in ziplock labeled with the day he will wear them, that really saves time. I also make sure my park bag is packed for the next day before I go to bed at night, no matter how late we get back to the room, that way the diapers and wipes are refilled, snacks are packed and extra clothes are all set, and I can just grab the bag and run. Bringing breakfast is a good idea too, you can definitely eat while you wait to multi-task. As for rope drop, one of you can stand in the rope drop line (outside the turnstyles) with the stroller, and the other can walk around with the kids. It is pretty orderly before they let you in the gates. At about 15 mins before park opening, I'd get everyone back in the stroller to go through the gates, and from there it is just a short wait (with entertainment) until you can start riding things. Ideally I like to get there about 30-40 mins before rope drop, but even if you are there 5 minutes after rope drop, you will notice a big difference in crowd level and you will be able to get a lot done that first hour the park is opened.

I hope the ziplock thing helps. Maybe I'll pack their daily outfits in ziplocks, too. That's going to be a lot of ziplock bags. I always sort of mean to repack the bag the night before, but then we never seem to actually do it, no matter how early we get in. I think we'll save a lot of time by eating breakfast while waiting for rope drop, too. Carter and Landon have been very slow breakfast eaters lately.

So you actually get inside the gates before the rope drops? Somehow I was picturing everyone lined up outside the gates. Inside sounds a lot better. I'm glad to hear that even a little early for rope drop is still helpful. I'm sure there will be some days when we just barely make rope drop.

OK, I also wanted to say that night Jungle Cruises are the BEST! I'm so glad you guys had such a wonderful cruise! Landon was too funny with his "reaching out and touching someone", we have problems with that too. Today Everett grabbed some random lady's butt while we were waiting in line for the train at the park. DH was supposedly "watching" him. The lady thought it was hilarious! Its a good think little boys are so cute- or they'd get in a lot more trouble!

I love Jungle Cruising at night! It was one of our best Jungle Cruises. I don't know what it is about little boys wanting to reach out and touch people they don't know. It's a very good thing they're cute.

I'm all caught up. I had really gotten behind. Sounds like your family is having a great trip. Glad Landon's tooth came through. Hopefully he will be a much happier baby now. Can't wait to read about your October trip when you get back. Have fun!

I'm glad you had time to catch back up. We were having a great trip, especially once Landon's tooth came through and he wasn't quite as miserable. I can't wait to go on our October trip. I think it's going to be one of our best trips yet.

Hey Kate!

We're back and now I'm all caught up on your TR! I thought of you so many times when we were there...especially when I saw any mommy with a double stroller with 2 boys! I can't believe that blond girl in CHH missed Landon...was she completely blind not to see that beautiful boy making eyes at her.....well, I say, her loss!!

Hi, Queen!

Welcome back! I hope you all had a great trip! I can't wait to hear about it. I bet you saw a lot of double strollers full of little boys, so that's a lot of thinking about me. Landon agrees that it was her loss completely. I really think she just didn't happen to see him. It was probably just as well. If she had seen him and liked him, Landon might have gotten a big head.

 

[tinacaplan]

I'm thinking of using large Ziplock bags to streamline the process of getting ready. I can have one with extra diapers and clothes and toys for every day and just grab one on our way out the door. I could have a separate Ziplock bag filled with snacks and breakfast food, so we don't waste time eating in the room. Eating breakfast while we wait for the park to open might also help pass the time with the boys.

We packed all of Max's outfits in ziploc bags this past trip and it was great to just open the suitcase and toss out a complete outfit for him, including underwear! Seriously, though, ziploc baggies saved us this trip!

A few rope drop questions- How early is too early to get to the parks? What is the ideal time to arrive? Is it possible to let 2 well behaved toddlers out of the stroller to play while we wait or would they be trampled by the rest of the crowd? Generally speaking, is it better to get a Fastpass first or to ride first?

We do rope drop several times a trip, or we have an early ADR and are inside the park anyway. We have done nearly everything we' wanted to do in Fantasyland (twice!) by eleven a.m.. The ideal is to grab a FP as you line up, particularly for TSM.

There seemed to be plenty of room to sort of hang out. We got there at eight for rope drop at MK, which was way too early. I'd plan on 8:30; even if you're toward the back, once the rope drops, you're going to see that crowd dissipate real fast.

Good luck with that.

 

[DisneyMomma09]

Yes, I know...How could Colby not like Pirates?!?! I think it might have been too dark for him. We will try again next trip and maybe he will change his mind!

Your Magic Kingdom evening sounds like it is going well. You said you did not consider the parade or fireworks in your planning, so I am guessing you get stuck in parade/firework traffic as you stop in Casey's and try to get to Tomorrowland. I hope I am wrong, though!

Your plans for October sound like the are coming together nicely! I think the switch to POP will be a good one. Isn't it so fun when the kids start remembering things about Disney!!! Colby is still talking about our trip.

I don't know what to tell you about your costume delema...but I do know we will be making a trip to Target this week to search out that Mickey shirt!! I think the boys could be survivors while wearing the Mickey shirts. How fun to be going to MNSSHP! Someday I want to go to that one!

Good luck with your 5K! I don't have any advice specifically for the 5K, but tons of people were dressed up for the Princess 1/2. And people did hang around the finish for a while. I think your plan to stick around for rope drop is a good one. You could always show up for your RFC ressie early and see if they can seat you early. Or you could pack breakfast and have a 'picnic' while you wait for rope drop at AK.

As for getting to Rope Drop...we usually get to the park abou 10-20 minutes before the park opens. We used ziplock bags for Colby this past trip and it worked out great! I could let DH get Colby dressed while I was getting ready and I did not have to worry about what sort of outfit Colby would end up in!! It was also super easy to pack extra outfits for the day. At Epcot, our favorite thing to do is hit the Character Spot first thing. On our trip in 2008 we were the first family there and we got pictures with Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Chip & Dale all together! It was really cool!

Sorry this was so long...but I hope some of it helps! Yeah for getting so close to your trip!!

 

[PirateKate]

We packed all of Max's outfits in ziploc bags this past trip and it was great to just open the suitcase and toss out a complete outfit for him, including underwear! Seriously, though, ziploc baggies saved us this trip!

I'd love to be packing underwear instead of diapers! I don't think we'll make it this trip, but maybe the next one. I think I will do ziplock bags for the boys clothes every day, too.

We do rope drop several times a trip, or we have an early ADR and are inside the park anyway. We have done nearly everything we' wanted to do in Fantasyland (twice!) by eleven a.m.. The ideal is to grab a FP as you line up, particularly for TSM.

I know the boys would love to ride Dumbo and I bet rope drop is going to be the best way without a long wait. It would be so cool to do everything in Fantasyland twice by eleven. Maybe we'll have a designated Fastpass runner to get Fastpasses right away.

There seemed to be plenty of room to sort of hang out. We got there at eight for rope drop at MK, which was way too early. I'd plan on 8:30; even if you're toward the back, once the rope drops, you're going to see that crowd dissipate real fast.

Good luck with that.

That's good to know, that eight is too early. It should be possible to make it out by 8:30, assuming we're ready fast enough. I'm glad the crowd dissipates. I would hate to be stuck in a traffic jam and waste time fighting the crowds.

Thanks!

Yes, I know...How could Colby not like Pirates?!?! I think it might have been too dark for him. We will try again next trip and maybe he will change his mind!

Pirates is kind of dark, at times, I suppose, especially during the drop. I bet Colby will like it next time, especially if he learns the song. Carter and Landon like to sing Yo Ho.

Your Magic Kingdom evening sounds like it is going well. You said you did not consider the parade or fireworks in your planning, so I am guessing you get stuck in parade/firework traffic as you stop in Casey's and try to get to Tomorrowland. I hope I am wrong, though!

The evening was going great. The lines were short, and we were having fun. And we should have considered the parade and fireworks and made other plans. That's all I'll say on that at the moment.

Your plans for October sound like the are coming together nicely! I think the switch to POP will be a good one. Isn't it so fun when the kids start remembering things about Disney!!! Colby is still talking about our trip.

I have high hopes for our October trip. It should be a lot of fun, now that the boys are older and the weather should be pleasant. I think Carter will be happy to be at Pop Century. It is a lot of fun when he remembers things from Disney. I'm sure it'll be even better when they're Colby's age.

I don't know what to tell you about your costume delema...but I do know we will be making a trip to Target this week to search out that Mickey shirt!! I think the boys could be survivors while wearing the Mickey shirts. How fun to be going to MNSSHP! Someday I want to go to that one!

I was so excited to have found those shirts! I thought they were perfect for MNSSHP. I think MNSSHP will be a blast. I can't wait to see the parade and Hallowishes and go trick or treating and maybe even meet some characters in costume. Of course, the thing I'm most excited about is seeing the Headless Horseman. (Apparently, there's no Headless Horseman smiley...what's up with that?)

Good luck with your 5K! I don't have any advice specifically for the 5K, but tons of people were dressed up for the Princess 1/2. And people did hang around the finish for a while. I think your plan to stick around for rope drop is a good one. You could always show up for your RFC ressie early and see if they can seat you early. Or you could pack breakfast and have a 'picnic' while you wait for rope drop at AK.

Thanks! I can't wait to run the 5K. It's good to know people were dressed up for the Princess. Maybe we'll do some sort of costumes, too. Maybe we'll try to hang around the finish line, too. It would be cool if there were characters the boys could meet. I wonder how many racers will be trying the same thing, to get in early at RFC. A picnic would be fun while we wait.

As for getting to Rope Drop...we usually get to the park abou 10-20 minutes before the park opens. We used ziplock bags for Colby this past trip and it worked out great! I could let DH get Colby dressed while I was getting ready and I did not have to worry about what sort of outfit Colby would end up in!! It was also super easy to pack extra outfits for the day. At Epcot, our favorite thing to do is hit the Character Spot first thing. On our trip in 2008 we were the first family there and we got pictures with Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Chip & Dale all together! It was really cool!

Ten to twenty minutes early doesn't sound bad at all. Maybe we'll make it. I'm definitely thinking ziplocks for the boys' clothes, too. I'm often surprised at what Jeremy comes up with when he picks out the boys clothes. I know we'll need extra outfits at the parks, too. Character Spot first thing is a great idea. We've never done that, but I bet the boys would like it. They both love the Chick Fil A cow. And there's really not a lot of little kid rides that will be in high demand at Rope Drop.


Sorry this was so long...but I hope some of it helps! Yeah for getting so close to your trip!!

That's okay, I never mind long posts, and it was very helpful. Our trip is getting so close, isn't it?