Going from Friday the 13th to Enchanted- Day 9: 'Round Midnight update 7/19/11

[Moira222]

Poly does have CL and that would be a perfect way to celebrate 20 years

Next time we go back I would like to do 2 days at Poly before we move over to AKL, but I priced out a weekend in 2012 in Oct. and it is like $1200 for 2 nights. Don't think so. We'll see if any discounts are available in a few years but if they don't have any we will never pay that much to stay in a room.

Good luck getting Joe to agree to going back. I know DH will never agree for us to go back alone again. I have a hard enough time convincing him we need to go back for Caitlin.

I priced out a couple nights at the Poly too- my eyes popped out so far they needed their own sound effect. I think I'd have an easier time talking DH into a trip if it was just he and I. Sure we would
spend our mornings on Splash and our evenings drinking through Epcot- but hey, whatever it takes, right?

We have been so busy the last two weeks - vacation bible school at night, camping out at a baseball game, and enjoying a few evenings out on the deck loving the mild weather.

You ladies would be so proud of me...I have been planting the seeds of a June 12 adults only trip.

Last week my prints arrived from Snapfish....all 273 of them. so of course DH has to look through them, we all do! Then a few days later my photo book arrives - its a hard bound book containing the photos I selected along with the captions I wrote. I got a free one from mycokerewards.com and knew it would be a perfect Disney book. anyway, DH has looked through it on a few different occasions, and has heard me telling our friends about how much fun we had at the parks. It didn't take too much for him to admit that we really did have fun in the parks.

Naturally I have already been playing with saved trips for next year (is anyone else amazed that next years rates are already available?) so the other night (over a glass of wine of course) when he admitted that he really enjoyed himself outside of the resort mix up, I sort of "threw out there" what I would plan if we were to do a trip next June for our anniversary. Hypothetically speaking of course. Oh I had him. He was laughing at me of course, but I got him thinking. YEAH Then....he does it....he pictures himself there in June. Suggests asking our friends if they'd like to go to (my BFF who could not do this fall and her hubby) and imagining "hypotheticals" like what he & his friend would do if we parted ways in the parks for a bit. I am that good! I thought it would be harder than this...Not that my work is done but I have layed a very good foundation for my little seed. Hopefully I'll have a new ticker soon!!!

 

[Moira222]

Thursday was a rush free enjoy ourselves day. Joe got up to run, and I enjoyed some quiet time on the balcony while Katie slept in. When she woke up, Katie had some homework to do before hitting the pool. Breakfast was peanut butter, jelly & a banana for me, Joe had a big muffin from Roaring forks, and Katie had a cherry Danish from RF as well after she finished her homework-- Home work took quite a long while. (I think she had a banana and yogurt while doing her homework)

Finally done with homework, Katie and I headed down to the beach – she with a bucket, me with a book! We saw a few families come through, a few kids came to play ( I was really hoping to run into Diane here!) and a few people were using bikes (another thing that just didn’t make it into our days).

We lost Joe for a little while – I think we just kept missing each other. Finally Katie and I were having a snack (maybe this is when she had her Danish) on the outside patio when I looked up and saw him on our balcony. LOL

(I have to apologize here because my father in law pointed out that we did not have a single “at the pool” photo, even though we had bought a water proof camera. DOH! Joe apparently took video….of Katie and I coming down the slide. Can’t wait to see that!)

We hit the pool for a while, finally having time to use the slide quite a bit – until now most of our pool time had happened at night when the slide was closed off. The pool was fun! We swam for a little while but I was getting antsy. I really wanted to hit Downtown Disney and Wolfgang puck express!
It took some coaxing to get Katie dressed and on a bus. but I had a mission. We were hungry, and we knew exactly where we wanted to eat lunch.


As soon as we got off the bus we found Wolfgang Puck Express, and it was

…..CLOSED! NOOOOOOO! We were so disappointed! and we were seriously hungry. If you read my PTR you know that TRex was so NOT an option for us for lunch, and we had already done Rainforest Cafe so we were not going to repeat it....that left the only place around -- Earl of Sandwich.

We did not enjoy this a lot in the past and had no intentions of going there. Curse you Wolfgang Puck Express!!! (read that with a quazi German Deufenschmirtz accent)

We waited in a long long long line and found the whole ordering process to be very confusing. No clear markings for the DDP and paying OOP was a lot! We did use DDP – but if we had to pay for it, I noted that it was $6 for a small sandwich with no sides. I had a greek salad – which was fine but they were heavy on the dressing which was NOT a greek dressing but some creamy dressing more like a caesar but not so peppery. confused? me too.

I totally forget what Joe and Katie ordered, and remember only that Katie had a huge brownie for dessert.

We walked around a bit – it was hot. Really hot. And there is hardly any shade at DTD We stopped in to check out the Lego Store and the amazing lego builds outside.

We were still looking for that pipe, and Joe had seen a smoke shop/cigar bar on the map in Pleasure Island so we headed down to see if we could find one. While Joe went into the cigar bar to ask, Katie and I headed to the Harley Davidson shop. We are not motorcycle riders, nor are we Harley folks. Well, some of the stuff is just cool to look at…mostly we were just amazingly hot and it looked like a good place to cool off. And it was! Katie loved hopping on the bikes and looking like a big girl.

We wandered around for a little bit in DTD and into Pleasure Island. While we enjoy adult beverages with friends, we don't go to bars or clubs--never did outside of the first year I was legally allowed to go in them. so not PI was not a whole lot appealing us here. and it was hot. Did I mention the shadeless areas of DTD where you wander with the sun beating down on your head? ugh.

I remembered the never before used $15 voucher for Planet Hollywood so we decided to head in for a treat.

I thought we were just getting something cold and yummy – Joe had picked a humongous appetizer assortment. man was it big! tasty…. but big!

Katie had some fruity frozen concoction, Joe and I stuck to diet coke so as to not dehydrate.

Thought this was cool bathroom décor:

We headed back out into the heat and headed back toward the main shopping area (I’m sure it has a name but I don’t know it) and did some window shopping and a little real shopping.

funny store about the Little MissMatched store - if you don't know it, it sells mismatched socks, which is apparently a popular thing with little girls. Katie, however, has serious sock issues - she hates them. she hates wearing them, hates the sock seams rubbing her toes or her foot anywhere. BUT she thought this store was neat so in we went. She found a pack of little ankle socks that seemed comfy to her - all black with different colored top edges, three socks in a pack. What do you think Katie did?

Bought two packs of the same mismatched set so that she would have three pair of matched socks! silly girl.

I loved the Arribas store there. A little nerve wracking with Katie in there, she just wants to touch everything. Happily I left having to buy no broken items and a few cute kid shots.

My FB friends were bugging me about posting a photo of all of us, you know, to prove that DH and I are really with DD. DH however is quite adamant about not having his photo on FB. (actually he is grumbly about this TR too but I sort of told him to deal with it) So we took this new “Family photo”… you know, for inquiring minds.

I put a call in to Feisty Fairy who was planning to be in DTD as well, but, well, her DH answered the cell and had no idea who I was, why I was calling, or what in the world I was talking about. OOPS! Oh well, that didn’t work out so well! We had 6 pm ADR at Raglan Road but really we were totally stuffed, and hot, and could not imagine either being hungry again in 2 hours or wanting to stay in or return to DTD in 2 hours. So we decided to head back to WLR and try our luck elsewhere.

 

[tinacaplan]

Hope you have a new ticker soon, too, but it sounds like you will! I know once I've got my husband actually talking "hypotheticals" that its just a matter of time before he agrees!

 

[KatMark]

MaryEllen, I love the Hawaiian dress Katie picked out -- she looks so cute.

Great photos at DTD. That's a cool looking Katie on the motorcycle in her shades; and Joe has every reason to be hiding his eyes...it's heck when your kids get their license.

 

[Moira222]

Hope you have a new ticker soon, too, but it sounds like you will! I know once I've got my husband actually talking "hypotheticals" that its just a matter of time before he agrees!

I love how that works! I think I hooked him with first returning to the Coronado Springs and then with talking about doing some of the back stage tours that we just can't do with Katie.

MaryEllen, I love the Hawaiian dress Katie picked out -- she looks so cute.

Great photos at DTD. That's a cool looking Katie on the motorcycle in her shades; and Joe has every reason to be hiding his eyes...it's heck when your kids get their license.

Thanks Kathy, of course I am partial to thinking she always looks cute but i do love that dress. I tried to find one that looked as nice on me but couldn't find anything I'd be willing to leave the dressing room in.

I can totally wait the 8 more years till she has a real drivers license - a Mickey License and sitting on a motorcycle is enough for me!!

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Joe and the photo thing, is it a privacy issue with his work? I liked your "family" picture though.

 

[pinkxray]

I love that tiara Katie has in in the pictures. Is that at the Miss matched place? Any idea of how much it costs? Caitlin would love that and her aunt is luck enough to be going to Disney in a few months and might have to pick it up.

I love that Katie got 2 sets of socks. Very smart. Caitlin has always been the opposite. She hates going without socks. She is a crocs with socks girl. Finally this year she has been wearing sandals with no socks but it took 6 years for that to happen. I have pictures of her when she was around 3 going down a waterslide with socks b/c she refused to walk on grass in barefeet

DH isn't a big fan of having our pictures online either, but he doesn't mention it anymore. I guess it is just the norm these days.

Planet Hollywood looks tasty. I have been to other PH so usually skip the one in DTD. Maybe we'll just have a snack like you.

I was so sad to see WPE was closed. I had been looking forward to it for so long. I was there Thursday night and EOS seemed to heavy with the heat.I would like to try Raglan Road one day, didn't you go there this trip?

I can't wait to have a new ticker. I think I have settled on Oct of 2013 since I have to give the summer of 2012 to DH's plans. I just have to pick a week so I can get my ticker up. As much as I wish I was going back in 2012 I think 2013 will be here quickly and with my family insisting on going all out every trip I need to start saving now.

Love the pictures of Katie on the Harley

 

[lbuzz52]

I love the way you used your skills to let Joe "come up with the idea" of am adults only trip!

I'm with Katie. Hate shoes and socks!

EOS is a bit confusing; I think the sandwiches come with either a side or dessert.

We didn't go into little mismatched; we have enough socks without pairs around here I didn't see the point

 

[blessedmom4]

LOVED your DTD trip...Did you see the House of Blues by any chance??? And a hypothetical trip...I think I like your prospects on this!!!

 

[Moira222]

Joe and the photo thing, is it a privacy issue with his work? I liked your "family" picture though.

yes it is definitely tied to his work, and its his way of also protecting his family....so that bad people don't see especially Katie but also me and tie us to him. Its a lovely world we live in.

I love that tiara Katie has in in the pictures. Is that at the Miss matched place? Any idea of how much it costs? Caitlin would love that and her aunt is luck enough to be going to Disney in a few months and might have to pick it up.

I love that Katie got 2 sets of socks. Very smart. Caitlin has always been the opposite. She hates going without socks. She is a crocs with socks girl. Finally this year she has been wearing sandals with no socks but it took 6 years for that to happen. I have pictures of her when she was around 3 going down a waterslide with socks b/c she refused to walk on grass in barefeet

DH isn't a big fan of having our pictures online either, but he doesn't mention it anymore. I guess it is just the norm these days.

Planet Hollywood looks tasty. I have been to other PH so usually skip the one in DTD. Maybe we'll just have a snack like you.

I was so sad to see WPE was closed. I had been looking forward to it for so long. I was there Thursday night and EOS seemed to heavy with the heat.I would like to try Raglan Road one day, didn't you go there this trip?

I can't wait to have a new ticker. I think I have settled on Oct of 2013 since I have to give the summer of 2012 to DH's plans. I just have to pick a week so I can get my ticker up. As much as I wish I was going back in 2012 I think 2013 will be here quickly and with my family insisting on going all out every trip I need to start saving now.

Love the pictures of Katie on the Harley

The tiara was at the Arribas Brothers store - the same place with the awesome mugs. I believe it was between $20 and $30. There were a few there, and really they were not ridiculous if you wanted it for a prom or something. i am just leary of spending that much for a dress up item. Though some times i look at the photo and wish I had bought one for her. Maybe if we to to WDW next June without her, I will get her one.

We never did make it to Raglan Road - after lunch and that huge app at PH we were stuffed, and hot....and we had over two hours to kill before our ADR so we skipped it. i really did want to eat there but did not anticipate both the heat that day and the fact that there really was not 6 hours worth of stuff to occupy us. (we're not really gamers, so Quest would be a waste, and i just couldnt' see us going to a movie when we are at Disney!)

Sounds like we were just missing each other all over the World! We were at DTD on Thursday till about 4 pm or so.

I love the way you used your skills to let Joe "come up with the idea" of am adults only trip!

I'm with Katie. Hate shoes and socks!

EOS is a bit confusing; I think the sandwiches come with either a side or dessert.

We didn't go into little mismatched; we have enough socks without pairs around here I didn't see the point

yeah, we have that lovely basket here, too. maybe i should just tie dye them and then they will 'match'

LOVED your DTD trip...Did you see the House of Blues by any chance??? And a hypothetical trip...I think I like your prospects on this!!!

Judy I don't remember seeing the House of Blues....maybe a destination for our hypothetical trip?

OH! yesterday I caught Joe saying "WHEN" not "IF"

I will update shortly I need to go catch up on a few pages!!

 

[blessedmom4]

Judy I don't remember seeing the House of Blues....maybe a destination for our hypothetical trip?
It is supposed to be down near La Nouba (we saw La Nouba, how I wish we could see it again, it is SOOOOOOOO good)!
OH! yesterday I caught Joe saying "WHEN" not "IF"
WHEN!!!! That is music to my ears! Good for you!
I will update shortly I need to go catch up on a few pages!!

I am waiting...

 

[tinacaplan]

Cute pictures at DTD. Love the one of Katie on the motorcycle and I'm totally with her on the sock thing!

 

[Moira222]

I am waiting...

oh my goodness time just flies! I was on the dis boards for a good chunk of the early afternoon reading up. Then Katie wanted to make cake with her easy bake oven, so how could I say no? then we ended up at my sister's for a few hours. We are finally home, watching the DC fireworks and show on tv while the dog barks madly at the random fireworks shot off in our area.

honestly, as much as I love my country, and I love celebrating our Independence and the hard work and struggles of generations of Americans to keep us free, I hate the random fireworks that happen here in NE PA ....some nights it sounds like i live in a war zone.

ok i will stop being grumpy.

Cute pictures at DTD. Love the one of Katie on the motorcycle and I'm totally with her on the sock thing!

she just cracks me up sometimes!

 

[Moira222]

We headed back and freshened up a bit. As we traveled, I looked online and saw a dinner opening at Teppan Edo at 7 ish, which worked out well because we needed to go back to japan so that Katie and I could pick a pearl. (I saw the pick a pearl booth at DTD but heard that the pearls were not as nice/big in DTD as in Epcot, so I did not point it out.) We took the ferry to the Contemporary, and then headed to the monorail to the transportation center. It was crowded. really crowded. we picked up the first leg on the monorail but when we got to TTC we switched gears and instead of Epcot, took the monorail to MK instead.

We headed in with no plan at all. We took a ride on

and Katie got an "Official" Mickey Driver’s license. It was neat driving it at night. She rode with Joe and totally loved it. They were ahead of me or I would have gotten a shot.

After riding, Joe grabbed a strawberry smoothie at Auntie Gravity’s which was quite yummy!

and we wandered over to

DD & DH rode, I sat that one out.

After this, we were hungry. We thought we’d try Pinochio Haus, but alas, they stopped serving. darn. A food place whose name escape me that is over by snow white? also closed. uh oh. We asked and were told that Starlight Café was still open. Okeydoke! So as much as we said we were not going to eat here this trip (because we always end up here), here we ate! Joe headed right in to order (he was getting pretty grumpy) and Katie and I decided to go wash our hands first, then order. I ordered a cheese burger, with carrot cake for dessert. Katie I believe had peanut butter and jelly. Joe ordered a huge BBQ chicken and ribs plate, which he was pretty well into by the time I found him. Sorry. I don't get between the man and his meal.

(ok I do have a picture of Joe's dinner & carrot cake but its an icky picture so I decided to spare you all)

I did like the fact that since they had a “fixins” bar, I could fix myself a nice little salad next to my burger. mmmm. The burger was yummy, though in truth I’d not had a burger in months so it could be that I missed having them. I liked it! By the time we finished our dinner, Katie & I had to wash hands again. Joe plopped down at a table to wait for us, and caught the beginning of Memories. It was cool to watch. But we didn’t stay. Once again Joe's sense of urgency to ride every ride kicked in and we kept moving.

(side note: I find it funny now when I think about this: at home, I am go go go go ---I don't sit down til about 9:30 pm and he is usually found on the floor watching tv & playing with the dog. At WDW, its me who wants to slow down the pace and see all the little shows and wander through every little store and corner, and he who has to power walk through the parks so we can do every ride. what gives??)

When we passed it in search of food, we promised Katie that we’d go back to ride

The line was only about 15 minutes, so DD and I got in line, DH was passing on Dumbo. While we were waiting for Dumbo, Wishes started. It was like being the net in the middle of a tennis match – we kept watching from left to right as the fireworks burst into stars over our heads. It was really cool, but I didn’t take any photos. sorry.

After Dumbo, its only natural to go right over to Prince Charming’s Carousel

(sorry, major hat head)

We had to get one more ride on Snow White (but no pics) and while I did a little shopping in the store there, Joe and Katie went over to see if they could still find Tinkerbell in the shop there. No Tinkerbell there, though I did find Minnie:

We were about done, so we slowly made our way out of the park, having enjoyed the rides we fit in during a short time.

 

[pinkxray]

You did get a lot done in a short amount of time. It looks like a very enjoyable night.

Any progress in getting Joe to agree in an adult only trip? I tried to get DH to agree to a girls only weekend in Sept or Oct but he told me I was out of my mind

 

[Moira222]

You did get a lot done in a short amount of time. It looks like a very enjoyable night.

Any progress in getting Joe to agree in an adult only trip? I tried to get DH to agree to a girls only weekend in Sept or Oct but he told me I was out of my mind

Oh I am almost there. I would make reservations but we have a few things up in the air right now so we need for that dust to settle....but I fully plan to have a June ticker!!

 

[pinkxray]

Okay, I have a totally OT question. I am going through some serious vacation withdrawl over here. DH shot down my idea to take Caitlin back to Disney in Oct. so I guess WDW is totally out.

I got the idea to head to your neck of the words and check out Hershey Park. At first I thought of going in the summer but then remembered they have a whole xmas thing going on in Nov/ Dec. Have you ever been there for the xmas stuff?

DH didn't say no

 

[Moira222]

Okay, I have a totally OT question. I am going through some serious vacation withdrawl over here. DH shot down my idea to take Caitlin back to Disney in Oct. so I guess WDW is totally out.

I got the idea to head to your neck of the words and check out Hershey Park. At first I thought of going in the summer but then remembered they have a whole xmas thing going on in Nov/ Dec. Have you ever been there for the xmas stuff?

DH didn't say no

Hershey at Christmas is so much fun, we have done it almost every year since Katie was born. The park is decorated for Christmas, there are carolers out in certain areas, rides are open, though not all of them - and many of them are geared toward the younger set. Caitlyn would have a ball. Santa and his reindeer can be found there up until 12/24 - after Christmas you can find the reindeer but not Santa.

While no place is DisneyWorld, we just love Hershey - compared to some of the other big parks here in the North east it is probably the cleanest, and definitely a very family oriented park.
I'll post a few shots from years past:

these are a little old and I gotta go but they show a little of the park.

 

[KatMark]

I love this picture of Katie and Joe.

You guys got quite a bit accomplished in a short amount of time.

I have never figured out why Pinocchio's Village Haus closes so darn early.

 

[Moira222]

I love this picture of Katie and Joe.

You guys got quite a bit accomplished in a short amount of time.

I have never figured out why Pinocchio's Village Haus closes so darn early.

Well I read a review that was sort of iffy on the salad so now maybe I am glad we went to Stardust instead.