Groundhog Day at Walt Disney World - New 5/2 - pg. 20 - 3 Updates/new PTR link

[perugiagirl]

Can't wait to hear about your vacation!

 

[mrsksomeday]

Hi Amy, I love the pictures. I can't wait to read about your trip.

 

[Cory's Gal]

Hi Amy!! Looking forward to reading about another one of your great trips!!!

~Beth

 

[DisMomAmy]

Hello,

I found your report and the title intrigued me. You boys and super cute! I can't wait for you to get started!

Thanks for reading!!

Can't wait to hear about your vacation!

Glad to have you reading along.

Hi Amy, I love the pictures. I can't wait to read about your trip.

Hi Tracy!! Yay you found me!! I've fallen a bit behind on your report... I'm sure I'll be caught up soon!

Hi Amy!! Looking forward to reading about another one of your great trips!!!

~Beth

Hi Beth! I'm so happy to hear from you! Thanks for reading!

 

[DisMomAmy]

Thursday 2/24 was our departure day. DMIL had spent the night at our house so she could drive us to the airport at 5am. DH was up at 4:00 so he could shower, I dragged myself out of bed around 4:15. As excited as I was to go, after tossing and turning all night, it was hard to pull myself from bed. Alex was up not long after us – his room is right across the hall from us and he is a really light sleeper so there was no stopping him. We woke DMIL around 4:40 and Zach around 4:45. We got ourselves organized, packing away the last minute items and headed out right at 5:00. We got the airport around 5:45 and dragged all of our bags to the Southwest counter. There was actually a pretty good sized line for that early on a Thursday morning. We waited it out and had our bags checked within 15 minutes then it was off to security. We made it through security without any trouble. Alex’s bag had to be checked – but I’m not sure what they were looking at because the boys’ liquid medication had to be checked too so I was focused on that. The boys take a protein prescribed by their GI doctor to help with some of their potty issues. The security guy had to hold a test strip over the top of each bottle.

We found our gate, took a couple runs for food & a bathroom break and before we knew it, it was time to board. We found our seats and had a pretty uneventful flight to Tampa. I did have one cup incident… The boys have those stainless steel water bottles with straws & we knew they would explode upon opening due to the pressure change. If the boys sip frequently there’s no problem – somehow Alex didn’t sip enough and his cup exploded all over me… again!

After landing in Tampa, we found the restrooms. Tim stayed out with the boys & bags while I ran in. Then we switched & he took the boys in. They came out and Alex was acting like he was about to throw up! I rushed him over to a trash can but fortunately nothing came up. He is very sensitive to smells & I guess the bathroom smells were a bit much. After that we moved on to the mini-monorail (yes they have one in Tampa too) toward the luggage area. We got our bags then ventured over to the rental car area hoping to find Alamo at the airport. (It was off-site at the time I booked the reservation so our paperwork said we needed to take a shuttle, but I'd heard they had moved on-site since then.) And guess what? There it was. We walked right up to the row of minivans and saw a super shiny gold Toyota Sienna. I told Tim we had to take that one & we hopped inside to find it only had ten miles on it. After a quick change from pants to shorts in the car (luckily it had tinted windows) we were on our way to the little booth. A few minutes at the booth, then a stop at McDonalds for lunch and we were on our way to Jeff’s. When we arrived in his town we stopped at a grocery store & I ran in to pick up a few quick items, including popsicles! We made it to Jeff & Karen’s by noon. Jeff was at work but Karen was there babysitting her granddaughter, Jordyn. She’s about six months old and is the cutest, tiniest little baby. We spent the afternoon swimming. Jeff arrived home with some food – he cooked us up some filet (& chicken for Alex).

These are the only pictures I have from the first day:

Zach had me take pictures of the lizards on our way to the pool but the camera never made it out at the pool.

Day Two – Friday 2/25: Busch Gardens!

First – It took forever to get there! We got off one exit too early and had to drive through a very congested, very bad part of Tampa. We finally made it only to encounter a REALLY long line for tickets. It seemed like we waited forever to get into the park so we assumed it would be packed. After getting into the park we stopped at Guest Services to get a special access pass for the boys. It was a very complicated process – they had to take a bunch of information and put it all in the computer. She did say that if we visit again we wouldn’t have to go through that again because they would be able to look it up. As it turns out we didn’t need to do that because the park was empty. Everyone must have been arriving all at once because there were little to no lines for anything.

We were all starving as it was approaching lunch time but Alex NEEDED a ride! A recurring theme of this trip was that instead of laying down the law, we did what we needed to do to appease Alex and found a ride, then found lunch. If we’d known what would lie ahead we would have told him no, you will do what we want to do, but we were trying to be fun parents. Lesson learned…

After lunch Alex wanted to go home – I’m not kidding! I think he was overwhelmed by a new place so we continued on to find another ride. In the end I think we only rode about 4-5 rides including the train that goes around the park through all of the animals. We did walk through one monkey exhibit too. Tim took the boys on a wet ride toward the end while I got to go on Sheikra with Jeff & K (Dniece). (K got to skip school to come along but J (Dnephew) didn’t come because he had to work.) Sheikra was the craziest rollercoaster I’ve ever been on!

This is the ride vehicle – three rows – we were in the back.

This is the ride:

The coaster is going down – almost straight down – but first, it stops at the top, just as you hang over the edge, and it holds there for five seconds then drops, very, very fast! CRAZY! I was happy Tim took the boys so I could ride it. I’m not sure he would have liked it.

Here are a few pictures from our day at Busch Gardens:

Building a new ride... unlike Disney, they just do it right out in the open.

Sheikra in the distance:

Continued next post...

 

[DisMomAmy]

Giant turtles:

After we got home we had another nice dinner. Karen & I took the boys to the pool while Tim & Jeff ran to the store & made dinner.

Continued next post...

 

[DisMomAmy]

Saturday 2/26:
Today was the big basketball day. Tim & Jeff took the boys to play basketball, one of their favorite memories from our trip last year. I spent that time getting the suitcases reorganized for our departure on Sunday. This was also Tim & Jeff’s golfing day. J was joining them. However, Jeff hadn’t made a tee time so they couldn’t play until 2:15. Baby Jordyn would be coming back over for the afternoon then Karen’s daughter & her husband (Jordyn’s parents) would be back over for dinner. It was Karen’s daughter’s birthday but Karen had a surprise up her sleeve – she bought little cakes for the boys too! We spent the afternoon at the pool again, then after the boys got home from golf & Jordyn’s parents arrived, he had another great dinner. Zach was sad at bed time because he knew we would be leaving in the morning and tonight’s good-byes would be the final good-byes, except for Jeff who would be home in the morning – Karen had to leave super early to work a 12 hour shift at the hospital (she’s a nurse). Here are some pictures from the day:

The boys with baby Jordyn:

Karen's daughter & SIL, Zach, K, J & Alex (Jordyn in the front):

Karen & the boys:

Jeff & the boys:

I bribe them with a silly picture if they pose for a nice picture first:

The boys saying their good-byes:

Zach cried himself to sleep that night. This was the first night we weren’t so tired that we had to follow the kids to bed. Tim & I stayed up for a while with Jeff & Karen and got to enjoy their company. We had a great visit but decided that next time we won’t plan any outings. Luckily the Busch Gardens tickets are good for a year so Jeff, Karen & K can go back and fully enjoy themselves. Next time we’ll just swim, play basketball and hang out together.

Up next: Our arrival in Orlando & our first Disney park!

 

[MRYPPNS]

Good Times in Tampa!

How did you think the Tampa airport compared to MCO? I want to keep it in my radar if there are super low fares to Tampa instead of MCO.

 

[DisMomAmy]

Good Times in Tampa!

How did you think the Tampa airport compared to MCO? I want to keep it in my radar if there are super low fares to Tampa instead of MCO.

It was good - only about an hour away so if you have a car already, it's not a big deal at all. We haven't encountered traffic yet. It's a straight shot up the highway. But if you do try Tampa, don't wait to get gas until you are right near the airport... last year we ended up having to turn around and head back away from the airport to find some.

The airport itself is easy to get around, has a mini-monorail... We don't usually hang out long before going through security so I can't compare the dining/shopping options. There are the usual quick service & kiosk-type shops & restaurants once you go through security. Our flights were $79 pp each way so it was well worth it for us.

 

[disneyfan61]

You got some updates up.

Glad to hear Alex did not get sick at the airport!!

Yay to the Alamo counter being right there & a nice new rental car.

Sounds like a nice visit with K & everyone.

Glad to hear Busch Gardens was not too busy. Wow you are brave riding that roller coaster. I am still not sure when we get to Universal which coasters I will be riding..

Sad about Zach crying himself to sleep!! It is always tough saying goodbye to family even though fun times are ahead.

Looking forward to next update!!

 

[Mickey_Mom]

Poor Zach crying himself to sleep Love the silly poses pictures

That roller coaster looked nuts! I love crazy rides but I think I'd need a little hand holding in the line for that one.

 

[irish dancer]

Aw, poor Zach crying himself to sleep. It's so hard saying goodbye.

Wow, that coaster looks crazy. Haven't been to Bush Gardens in a long time, last time I went I was very pregnant with Deirdre so I didn't ride anything. I was the official bag holder.

We too have flown into Tampa and always check if there are cheaper flights there. We think it is a bit smaller and easier to get in to/out of so the time difference between it and MCO isn't huge.

 

[mommytothreeboys]

Great updates Amy!

That roller coaster looks amazing! I'm glad you got a chance to ride it.

I love the pictures of the boys with the monkey/gorilla statues. Too cute! And those turtle are HUGE!

It's so sad that Zach cried himself to sleep. Good-byes can be so hard.

We had to fly into Tampa last May due to a weather issue and found that it is definitely an option if prices are right. The drive to Orlando is a straight shot, like you said. NO problem. I'm glad it all worked out with the rental car for you guys...I know you debated that decision!

Looking forward to more....Bring ON DISNEY!

 

[DisMomAmy]

You got some updates up.

Glad to hear Alex did not get sick at the airport!!

Yay to the Alamo counter being right there & a nice new rental car.

Sounds like a nice visit with K & everyone.

Glad to hear Busch Gardens was not too busy. Wow you are brave riding that roller coaster. I am still not sure when we get to Universal which coasters I will be riding..

Sad about Zach crying himself to sleep!! It is always tough saying goodbye to family even though fun times are ahead.

Looking forward to next update!!

Hi Doreen!! We had a nice visit with Jeff & the gang but it felt like it was over before we got there! I'm looking forward to just hanging out next time.

Zach cries every time we have to say good-bye to them.

Is this your first visit to Universal? You need to start a PTR!

Poor Zach crying himself to sleep Love the silly poses pictures

That roller coaster looked nuts! I love crazy rides but I think I'd need a little hand holding in the line for that one.

The coaster was nuts! I definitely needed hand holding in line! The part where we hung over the edge really freaked me out!

Aw, poor Zach crying himself to sleep. It's so hard saying goodbye.

Wow, that coaster looks crazy. Haven't been to Bush Gardens in a long time, last time I went I was very pregnant with Deirdre so I didn't ride anything. I was the official bag holder.

We too have flown into Tampa and always check if there are cheaper flights there. We think it is a bit smaller and easier to get in to/out of so the time difference between it and MCO isn't huge.

Definitely a crazy coaster!

I agree about Tampa - if you plan to rent a car, it's no big deal to make the drive to & from Orlando.

Great updates Amy!

That roller coaster looks amazing! I'm glad you got a chance to ride it.

I love the pictures of the boys with the monkey/gorilla statues. Too cute! And those turtle are HUGE!

It's so sad that Zach cried himself to sleep. Good-byes can be so hard.

We had to fly into Tampa last May due to a weather issue and found that it is definitely an option if prices are right. The drive to Orlando is a straight shot, like you said. NO problem. I'm glad it all worked out with the rental car for you guys...I know you debated that decision!

Looking forward to more....Bring ON DISNEY!

It was fun seeing all the monkeys... and yes, those turtles were gigantic!

Glad you had a good Tampa experience too.

 

[DisMomAmy]

We interrupt this TR to introduce.....































My new ticker!

DH has given me the green light to plan an anniversary, F&W, MVMCP, Osborne Lights November trip!! We're looking at sometime the second week of November. Probably late Tuesday 11/8 - Sunday 11/13. We'll be there for the last week of the F&W Festival and our 15th anniversary is 11/9. We're hoping, based on last years dates, that we'll be able to attend a Christmas party and see the Osborne Lights.

But this isn't your typical anniversary trip... we'll have the kids with us! I know, not very romantic, but we'll do something special back at home before or after to celebrate with just the two of us. Maybe a night away in the summer or earlier fall. I also have a special Disney anniversary dinner on my list of must-dos... I've been looking into the kids clubs as a possibility. The kids don't have school Thursday & Friday and have a half-day on Wednesday so they'll probably only miss a half day. It's going to be a complete secret until the day we leave, or shortly before. It's so hard for me to do, but after our October 2007 trip I swore I wouldn't plan a trip early in the school year because Alex had a really hard time settling into his school routine that fall. So mum's the word!

I'm not sure where we'll be staying at this point. Tomorrow I'll figure out when we can book our flights on Southwest (tomorrow they open through 11/4 and announce the date of the next booking window).

I'll share more as our plans start to come together.

 

[mousescrapper]

If the boys sip frequently there’s no problem – somehow Alex didn’t sip enough and his cup exploded all over me… again!

Oh no seriously...maybe don't bring those cups next time


Day Two – Friday 2/25: Busch Gardens!

After lunch Alex wanted to go home – I’m not kidding! I think he was overwhelmed by a new place so we continued on to find another ride.

this has happend to us too...get to some place new or not and ... it can be tough.

Sheikra was the craziest rollercoaster I’ve ever been on!

This is the ride vehicle – three rows – we were in the back.

This is the ride:

The coaster is going down – almost straight down – but first, it stops at the top, just as you hang over the edge, and it holds there for five seconds then drops, very, very fast! CRAZY! I was happy Tim took the boys so I could ride it. I’m not sure he would have liked it.


that is a sweet looking coaster...not exactly but our Great America has something slightly similar

this is the best picture

well glad for the most part (except the crying to sleep part) that your mini visit w/ Jeff and family was a good one. glad you had a fun evening visiting too

 

[mommytothreeboys]

My new ticker!

DH has given me the green light to plan an anniversary, F&W, MVMCP, Osborne Lights November trip!! We're looking at sometime the second week of November. Probably late Tuesday 11/8 - Sunday 11/13.

YAY! We're heading to Florida the weekend after Thanksgiving to take the boys on a cruise. Too bad we'll miss each other!

I'm waiting for SW to open flights too.....let me know what you find out!

 

[Mickey_Mom]

Tomorrow I'll figure out when we can book our flights on Southwest (tomorrow they open through 11/4 and announce the date of the next booking window).

Woo hoo for your ticker!

I've been stalking SW for my flights too and the new booking window is open now.

 

[DisneyCrafter]

for the new ticker! I love Christmas time in the world. However, I also love F&W, so you will be getting the best of both worlds!

SW's new booking window is out for our dates today but definitely not worth booking right now. 2 RT tickets are over $600! Considering the last 2 trips we've paid less than $400 RT, I'll wait. Plus, DH just started his new job today so we need to make sure those dates are 100% okay before we purchase airfare.

 

[Stasieki]

I found your TR!!! Looking forward to following along. It was so nice to meet you guys and the stickers you brought for all the Dis kids was so thoughtful.

Yeah for a new ticker. We went that same week in 2009 - it was a great week!