MermaidMom
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2001
- Messages
- 137
Cast of Characters
Me, 31, Mom, trip imagineer
Nana, 58, worlds best grandmother, corporate sponsor
Julia, 2 ¾ , little princess, worlds youngest expert on Disney characters
We decided in April 2001 that a trip to Disney with Nana would be a great idea. My husband is in his last year of graduate school now and had planned on taking his comprehensive exams in October 2001. Plus hes not a big Disney fan so the chances of a family trip to Disney in the next few years were unlikely. After a little research he found out the date of the exam would be October 27. We thought it might be a nice idea for Julia and me to be out of the house that week to give him some quiet study time. Weve made many family trips to Disney World in the past so it was a great choice. Also, Julia will be turning three next January kids under 3 get free park admission at Disney! When I found out in mid-September that I was pregnant, this trip became even more important because I figured it would be my last true vacation for at least a year! I began by doing some hotel research on the internet and several guidebooks.
DAY ONE - SATURDAY
We left home early on Saturday morning, October 20, 2001. My husband was kind enough to get up early and drive us even though he wasnt the one getting a vacation ( or was he? ) We arrived at the airport around 6:10am and found long lines at the counter that moved quite slowly. By the time we made it through the line at the security for the gate area, our flight was already boarding. Both flights and changing planes in Houston went smoothly. When we arrived at the baggage claim area in Orlando, Nana was waiting for us. We had a little confusion in finding Nationals Emerald Aisle but once we did we found a cute Suzuki Esteem station wagon and were off to Disney World. Checking out is very simple with National. We made a quick stop at Albertsons (just off 417, very easy) for snacks and drinks.
We arrived at the Yacht Club around 3:30. Our room was great not too far from the elevators, on the 4th floor, facing the Boardwalk with a nice view for Illuminations. We overlooked the wedding pavilion and saw our only wedding that first evening there. What a beautiful setting for them. We decided Julia would sleep on the daybed since she tends to roll around a lot. After unpacking most of our things we headed out in search of an early dinner. We debated eating at the Yacht Club Galley (its last night open) or at Beaches & Cream in the neighboring Beach Club. We decided on Beaches & Cream which turned out to be a mistake. The service was very slow and the burgers were overcooked processed meat patties. It had ruined our appetite for ice cream so we left. Meal cost was about $34 with tip. (Thankfully our meals were mostly excellent the rest of the week.) We took a quick look around Stormalong Bay and were really looking forward to swimming later in the week. We spent a quiet evening in our room going over the plan for the week and watching the Disney Toon channel (a big hit with Julia).
Day Two Sunday
Magic Kingdom & Epcot
We were up early and excited for our first morning at the Magic Kingdom. We decided to take the bus this morning and it was an easy ride. Since we were so early (arrived MK around 8:10, park opened at 9:00) we took a quick ride on the monorail which is one of Nanas favorite treats at WDW. At about 8:40 we went through our first bag search which went quickly and entered the Magic Kingdom. Our first priority was Fantasyland but we made a quick stop to visit with Chip & Dale just outside the castle. At first Julia seemed to want to meet them but as we got closer she got scared. They playfully stole her stroller. It was cute but she spent the next few days very concerned that they might steal it again! After the rope drop, we headed straight for Dumbo and got on the second ride of the day. Julia was not happy. She whimpered through most of the ride. Ok, maybe things will get better so we head for the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh what could be scary about that? Well, it turns out plenty in Julias opinion! She did ok at first but got very unhappy during the dark parts and the Heffalumps & Woozles were scary even to Mommy & Nana! None of us had ever been on that ride before so we decided to try one that we knew
and loved Peter Pan. Julia loves the Peter Pan movie but she had figured out that these little cars take you to dark and scary places! She held onto me the whole time and would not even look up.
Things were definitely not going as planned! Ok, time for a change of pace how about Cinderellas Carousel? Shes been on carousels before and she loves it. Its outside and bright. So we try that and voila! happy child! Phew! I was getting worried there for a minute. By this time Ariel was in her grotto so we thought wed try to see one of Julias favorite characters (and Moms). Believe the advice of starting kids off with face characters. This worked like a charm. Julia was entranced with the beautiful Ariel and got her first autograph. Ahh now I am feeling the Magic. Then we headed for another favorite character Belle. The little fairytale garden is adorable and we all enjoyed the story. Julia was so cute meeting Belle after the show and also wanted the autograph of her helper, Sarah. I think Sarah was quite flattered. We decide that we should stay away from indoor rides for the rest of the day and headed toward Liberty Plaza. Since there was no wait for the Haunted Mansion, I took a solo spin on that one. Its creepy and funny as always.
Then we decide its time for an early lunch so we head into the Columbia Harbor House. Nana loves fish & chips and Julia and I enjoyed the yummy chicken strips. And much needed cold soda was enjoyed by all. We were just ahead of the lunch crowd at about 11:30 so it was a nice cool break for us. Ill mention here that the weather was HOT very hot even for Florida in late October. It was in the mid-upper 80s each day and very humid which only made matters worse. A ponytail and hat was the only choice for my hair each day! (Hence I look awful in most of the pictures!) It was also at this meal that Julia discovered her favorite activity for the week drawing in her Ariel book with the purple pen. This was the fat character pen Id bought for autographs (with Eeyore on the top). She loved to doodle in her small Little Mermaid activity & sticker book Id bought at Target. This combo saved the day many times during the week. I cant find the receipt for lunch but it was around $15 for the two combo baskets and two sodas we shared.
At this point we realize we arent going to get much else done at MK this morning, so why not head back for our nap. Julia fell asleep in the stroller on the way out of the park, slept on the bus and was totally awake by the time we reached our room. So much for the nap theory. I guess 40 minutes in stroller & bus are enough for her. So we rested in our room for an hour or so and headed out to Epcot. I knew that Julia would enjoy the Living Seas so we went there first. She loves the aquarium at the zoo at home so I thought this would seem familiar to her. We skipped the movie (so glad you can do that now) and headed for Seabase Alpha. We love to see the manatees and Im not sure Julia realized they were animals until they started to move a little. They do look like big rocks! We also had fun visiting the sharks and other fish. Since there really isnt much to do at this pavilion, we only spent about 40 minutes and then headed to the Land. Our first stop was for ice cream. We thought Julia might like Food Rocks and Nana wasnt sure if she had seen this one. She still mourns the loss of veggie fruit fruit, veggie veggie fruit fruit.
When we came out of The Land, it had begun raining so Julia and I put on our ponchos, Nana had an umbrella (which I think was a pain in the butt because I didnt have her extra pair of hands!). We walked over to the World Showcase to see if we could see Aladdin or Jasmine and book a table for Restaurant Marrakesh. We did get to see both Aladdin and Jasmine. Julia brought her Jasmine doll and she was very impressed. Before we ate dinner we stopped off in Japan for some shopping (got 3 lucky cats) and saw the American Adventure show. The main reason for this was that we were hoping Julia would nap a little in the dark but no such luck.
We headed to Restaurant Marrakesh for what was the best meal of the week. Nana and I shared the Marrakesh Feast which allowed us to sample many dishes. At $27.50 per person its a great deal if you come hungry and clear your plate! All the dishes were wonderful. The belly dancer was incredible! She danced on her own and then invited kids to come dance with her. Even my normally shy girl went out on the floor and had a great time. They were all so adorable. I highly recommend this restaurant! Total cost was about $75 with tip.
Me, 31, Mom, trip imagineer
Nana, 58, worlds best grandmother, corporate sponsor
Julia, 2 ¾ , little princess, worlds youngest expert on Disney characters
We decided in April 2001 that a trip to Disney with Nana would be a great idea. My husband is in his last year of graduate school now and had planned on taking his comprehensive exams in October 2001. Plus hes not a big Disney fan so the chances of a family trip to Disney in the next few years were unlikely. After a little research he found out the date of the exam would be October 27. We thought it might be a nice idea for Julia and me to be out of the house that week to give him some quiet study time. Weve made many family trips to Disney World in the past so it was a great choice. Also, Julia will be turning three next January kids under 3 get free park admission at Disney! When I found out in mid-September that I was pregnant, this trip became even more important because I figured it would be my last true vacation for at least a year! I began by doing some hotel research on the internet and several guidebooks.
DAY ONE - SATURDAY
We left home early on Saturday morning, October 20, 2001. My husband was kind enough to get up early and drive us even though he wasnt the one getting a vacation ( or was he? ) We arrived at the airport around 6:10am and found long lines at the counter that moved quite slowly. By the time we made it through the line at the security for the gate area, our flight was already boarding. Both flights and changing planes in Houston went smoothly. When we arrived at the baggage claim area in Orlando, Nana was waiting for us. We had a little confusion in finding Nationals Emerald Aisle but once we did we found a cute Suzuki Esteem station wagon and were off to Disney World. Checking out is very simple with National. We made a quick stop at Albertsons (just off 417, very easy) for snacks and drinks.
We arrived at the Yacht Club around 3:30. Our room was great not too far from the elevators, on the 4th floor, facing the Boardwalk with a nice view for Illuminations. We overlooked the wedding pavilion and saw our only wedding that first evening there. What a beautiful setting for them. We decided Julia would sleep on the daybed since she tends to roll around a lot. After unpacking most of our things we headed out in search of an early dinner. We debated eating at the Yacht Club Galley (its last night open) or at Beaches & Cream in the neighboring Beach Club. We decided on Beaches & Cream which turned out to be a mistake. The service was very slow and the burgers were overcooked processed meat patties. It had ruined our appetite for ice cream so we left. Meal cost was about $34 with tip. (Thankfully our meals were mostly excellent the rest of the week.) We took a quick look around Stormalong Bay and were really looking forward to swimming later in the week. We spent a quiet evening in our room going over the plan for the week and watching the Disney Toon channel (a big hit with Julia).
Day Two Sunday
Magic Kingdom & Epcot
We were up early and excited for our first morning at the Magic Kingdom. We decided to take the bus this morning and it was an easy ride. Since we were so early (arrived MK around 8:10, park opened at 9:00) we took a quick ride on the monorail which is one of Nanas favorite treats at WDW. At about 8:40 we went through our first bag search which went quickly and entered the Magic Kingdom. Our first priority was Fantasyland but we made a quick stop to visit with Chip & Dale just outside the castle. At first Julia seemed to want to meet them but as we got closer she got scared. They playfully stole her stroller. It was cute but she spent the next few days very concerned that they might steal it again! After the rope drop, we headed straight for Dumbo and got on the second ride of the day. Julia was not happy. She whimpered through most of the ride. Ok, maybe things will get better so we head for the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh what could be scary about that? Well, it turns out plenty in Julias opinion! She did ok at first but got very unhappy during the dark parts and the Heffalumps & Woozles were scary even to Mommy & Nana! None of us had ever been on that ride before so we decided to try one that we knew
and loved Peter Pan. Julia loves the Peter Pan movie but she had figured out that these little cars take you to dark and scary places! She held onto me the whole time and would not even look up.
Things were definitely not going as planned! Ok, time for a change of pace how about Cinderellas Carousel? Shes been on carousels before and she loves it. Its outside and bright. So we try that and voila! happy child! Phew! I was getting worried there for a minute. By this time Ariel was in her grotto so we thought wed try to see one of Julias favorite characters (and Moms). Believe the advice of starting kids off with face characters. This worked like a charm. Julia was entranced with the beautiful Ariel and got her first autograph. Ahh now I am feeling the Magic. Then we headed for another favorite character Belle. The little fairytale garden is adorable and we all enjoyed the story. Julia was so cute meeting Belle after the show and also wanted the autograph of her helper, Sarah. I think Sarah was quite flattered. We decide that we should stay away from indoor rides for the rest of the day and headed toward Liberty Plaza. Since there was no wait for the Haunted Mansion, I took a solo spin on that one. Its creepy and funny as always.
Then we decide its time for an early lunch so we head into the Columbia Harbor House. Nana loves fish & chips and Julia and I enjoyed the yummy chicken strips. And much needed cold soda was enjoyed by all. We were just ahead of the lunch crowd at about 11:30 so it was a nice cool break for us. Ill mention here that the weather was HOT very hot even for Florida in late October. It was in the mid-upper 80s each day and very humid which only made matters worse. A ponytail and hat was the only choice for my hair each day! (Hence I look awful in most of the pictures!) It was also at this meal that Julia discovered her favorite activity for the week drawing in her Ariel book with the purple pen. This was the fat character pen Id bought for autographs (with Eeyore on the top). She loved to doodle in her small Little Mermaid activity & sticker book Id bought at Target. This combo saved the day many times during the week. I cant find the receipt for lunch but it was around $15 for the two combo baskets and two sodas we shared.
At this point we realize we arent going to get much else done at MK this morning, so why not head back for our nap. Julia fell asleep in the stroller on the way out of the park, slept on the bus and was totally awake by the time we reached our room. So much for the nap theory. I guess 40 minutes in stroller & bus are enough for her. So we rested in our room for an hour or so and headed out to Epcot. I knew that Julia would enjoy the Living Seas so we went there first. She loves the aquarium at the zoo at home so I thought this would seem familiar to her. We skipped the movie (so glad you can do that now) and headed for Seabase Alpha. We love to see the manatees and Im not sure Julia realized they were animals until they started to move a little. They do look like big rocks! We also had fun visiting the sharks and other fish. Since there really isnt much to do at this pavilion, we only spent about 40 minutes and then headed to the Land. Our first stop was for ice cream. We thought Julia might like Food Rocks and Nana wasnt sure if she had seen this one. She still mourns the loss of veggie fruit fruit, veggie veggie fruit fruit.
When we came out of The Land, it had begun raining so Julia and I put on our ponchos, Nana had an umbrella (which I think was a pain in the butt because I didnt have her extra pair of hands!). We walked over to the World Showcase to see if we could see Aladdin or Jasmine and book a table for Restaurant Marrakesh. We did get to see both Aladdin and Jasmine. Julia brought her Jasmine doll and she was very impressed. Before we ate dinner we stopped off in Japan for some shopping (got 3 lucky cats) and saw the American Adventure show. The main reason for this was that we were hoping Julia would nap a little in the dark but no such luck.
We headed to Restaurant Marrakesh for what was the best meal of the week. Nana and I shared the Marrakesh Feast which allowed us to sample many dishes. At $27.50 per person its a great deal if you come hungry and clear your plate! All the dishes were wonderful. The belly dancer was incredible! She danced on her own and then invited kids to come dance with her. Even my normally shy girl went out on the floor and had a great time. They were all so adorable. I highly recommend this restaurant! Total cost was about $75 with tip.
