Well, after a mini holiday from the DIS, I'm back - thanks for your patience and well wishes everyone. I finally created the slide show and it made me recall so many memories (good and bad). Although looking at the finished product with all the "stuff" edited out, it looks like it was roses from beginning to end. I won't go into the details (I'm trying to forget the bad myself and focus and remember the positive) but I do have some tips for other people planning large gatherings.
1. Most important - DON"T LOSE YOUR TEMPER! No matter how ungrateful anyone seems or how crazy they drive you, this is your holiday too - do not wreck it by letting them get to you and having a fight in the happiest place on earth. Trust me on this one - you'll remember it forever if you do.
PS: If you think that they are going with you to get a free trip out of you, you are probably right - try to get out of it. Or do nothing together. Not even meals.
2. If you are taking teenagers (or preteens) who are too cool for Disney or little kid stuff - make sure their parents schedule lots of time for them to be on their own, even off at Universal, or with another kid their own age. This one is important too, especially for the first few days when they are raring to go.
3. If you have a child who is anaphylactic to nuts DO NOT TAKE THEM TO THE HALLOWEEN PARTY! There are peanut treats everywhere and kids eating them and smudging their hands on EVERYTHING! I have written a couple of letters to Disney asking them to consider making it a nut-free event but no word so far. I'd love to do a "Re-do" of this night (I was SO looking forward to it!) but we won't be back until they make it nut-free.
4. If your husband is your rock - do not let him leave you on your own with the kids for two days to go fly-fishing - help one another and save that stuff for regular trips. I really missed him.
5. If little ones get sick, encourage their parents to take the whole day and spend it at the hotel - relax and let them rest and get better.
Now - about the good stuff:
I had the best time with my sister, my mum and her little ones. If you are at Artist's Point, get the palette cookies - huge hit! At MK - things that were a blast: the speedway racers with my boy, the honey pots, buzz, the barnstormer, the jungle cruise and pirates, Aladdin's carpet, Splash mountain, the railroad (again with my boy). The kids loved it here so we spent most of our time at this park. Characters as usual were 5-star - the step sisters at Park Faire are hysterical!
We saw the Lion King and the Finding Nemo shows this year - both were new for us and just great. My girl was in the parade! The Boneyard is fun too, the kids loved it, but if you are playing there make sure it is sunny - we were soaked to the bone almost instantly when we got stuck there during a sudden storm. The kids had fun dancing in the rain though! Once it was obvious that there was no saving the situation and that they could not get any wetter even though we were under a "shelter" I just set them loose!
The wonder and imagination lighting up the kids eyes was magical as always. It's why we will be back this fall sometime. On our own!
Here it is!
Thanks for being there with me!
back!!!
