Heat, Humidity, and Our Favorite Disney Dog Was a Thug! LINK TO NEW PTR!!

[RGirl]

More Steak?​

After our exciting Orange ride on M:S, we needed to hurry over to Canada for our second Family Day ADR of the day!

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I think Canada is one of the most beautiful areas of any of the WDW parks.

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We arrived at Le Cellier about 10 minutes late for our ADR, but no one seemed to mind. We did not wait long at all to be seated.

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Willow had salad, steak, and a moose.

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I had the cheese plate, filet, and creme brulee:

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(Terrible picture - it did not have a slice of cheese melted on top or a dollop of mayo - this looks terrible, but it was NOT terrible. )

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We enjoyed our lunch here. Food was good, and it was such a nice, COOL break from the park. I’m not going to say we were hungry or ate much of our meal, but we enjoyed the cool down, the calm of the place, and a chance to sit down.

Willow had a little photo-taking celebration during lunch. Seriously, there were about 50 selfies taken during this meal.

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Inside of a light fixture maybe?

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Up Next: Get Us Out of Here!

 

[shan23877]

Here for my pre-comment comment!

Loving those selfies!!! She is adorable, and definitely has an eye. I really like that light fixture photo.

Too tired to remember what else I wanted to comment on or that I've missed commenting on. I'm a terrible DIS friend.

 

[RGirl]

Here for my pre-comment comment!

Loving those selfies!!! She is adorable, and definitely has an eye. I really like that light fixture photo.

Too tired to remember what else I wanted to comment on or that I've missed commenting on. I'm a terrible DIS friend.

Well, at least you make up for it by being an awesome non-DIS friend!

 

[hstrickland]

It's so hard to get caught up when you step away, isn't it???

Aw - thanks! I have WAY too many pics - I swear I'm only posting a tiny percentage of them.

Well....once again I'm behind Surprising, I know And listen, can ya ever have too many pictures???!! Remember, between my dad and I, we had around 3000. Ridiculous!!!!

If only we had taken better advantage of said pools. I have learned my lesson - next time, we will have built-in resort days. For sure!

Absolutely!!! After many trips, we finally learned our lesson. It's nice sometimes to just do nothing at Disney - if that's possible.

Oh, I hope you do! We really loved AP - probably our best signature meal of the trip. I think that's right about the rooms - I have seen some pics lately that look really nice. I am seriously thinking we would like to stay there - Willow loved it.

Well, my ticker has changed once again but this time I'm 99% sure it will stick. We decided on WL Club Level. My parents have never stayed there, and it's the husband's favorite resort - so - since he's footing the bill, that's where we're going. Glad to hear AP was so good. We have it on our list to do.

Just as we were arriving at the gates, however, a security CM was walking down to open them. And we were at the roped-off bag-check area at 7:30 - why are we always so early????

Is there any other way to do it?? The earlier the better, right??!! Loved the fact that you were the only one in the park. Awesome!! It's a totally different feel, ya know, and so peaceful.


By the way, your scrapbook is fabulous. Faith loves it! Of course she said she wants one just like that. Not sure it's gonna happen - looks very time consuming. Time being something I don't have much of. Perhaps I'll just copy yours She also wants dresses like Willows for each day of Disney I'm thinking Faith won't be reading along with me anymore!

Garden Grill is also a place we are thinking about. We've never been but I hear the character interaction is fabulous, just like you said. And it's one table service, right? Is it just dinner or do they have characters at lunch, too?

Your TR is getting me so excited about our upcoming trip. So, by all means, drag yours out as long as possible Gives me something to look forward to and pass the time. I have 7 months!!

Happy Sunday!
Heather

 

[RGirl]

Well....once again I'm behind Surprising, I know And listen, can ya ever have too many pictures???!! Remember, between my dad and I, we had around 3000. Ridiculous!!!!

I think between WDW and the cruise, PP+ and the DCL photos, I have over 5000!!!

Absolutely!!! After many trips, we finally learned our lesson. It's nice sometimes to just do nothing at Disney - if that's possible.

I think you are totally right. I was kind of bummed after this trip because we were so overwhelmed by the heat and crowds. But now I'm thinking we could do it again in a year or two and just take a very different approach. As I think back on our most successful days, they were the ones that we threw out our plans and just did what we felt like doing.

Well, my ticker has changed once again but this time I'm 99% sure it will stick. We decided on WL Club Level. My parents have never stayed there, and it's the husband's favorite resort - so - since he's footing the bill, that's where we're going. Glad to hear AP was so good. We have it on our list to do.

Oh, I hope you stick with that - I REALLY want to read that TR because WL is high on my list for possible resorts for our next trip (whenever that is )

Is there any other way to do it?? The earlier the better, right??!! Loved the fact that you were the only one in the park. Awesome!! It's a totally different feel, ya know, and so peaceful.

I do love that feeling! Coming from the West Coast though, it's kind of idiotic that I always have us up and out so early. The time change is a killer!

By the way, your scrapbook is fabulous. Faith loves it! Of course she said she wants one just like that. Not sure it's gonna happen - looks very time consuming. Time being something I don't have much of. Perhaps I'll just copy yours She also wants dresses like Willows for each day of Disney I'm thinking Faith won't be reading along with me anymore!

I am so sorry!!!! The autograph pages were incredibly time-consuming and hard to make. I doubt I will ever do it again, but it was really fun for this trip.

Garden Grill is also a place we are thinking about. We've never been but I hear the character interaction is fabulous, just like you said. And it's one table service, right? Is it just dinner or do they have characters at lunch, too?

They only serve dinner, which makes it hard to fit in on the DxDDP when you are looking to do two-credit dinners. (Yep - it's just one credit.) For us, it was well worth it though, and we will definitely be doing it again. Every trip if it continues to be as fun as it was this time!

Your TR is getting me so excited about our upcoming trip. So, by all means, drag yours out as long as possible Gives me something to look forward to and pass the time. I have 7 months!!

Well, this trip report will definitely be going for a while. I'm on, what? Day 3? And we had a two-week trip! I'm really glad you are enjoying it and reading along.

Happy Sunday!
Heather

You too!!!

 

[RGirl]

Well, for anyone still reading along on this thing, I thought I would share a little Planning Update! Note my new ticker.

So I have been toying with this plan for quite a while. But I'm a federal employee (attorney with a DoD (mostly civilian) agency), and the constant fear of furloughs and budget worries has made me a little hesitant to make any plans. I finally decided that I can't just keep our lives on hold forever. So I will continue to be very thrifty in our day-to-day lives but go ahead and plan some fun for the year as well.

So my plan is to do away with the huge pile of Christmas presents that don't really get used this year and instead spring for DLR APs for me and Willow! Then, we will head down in January for her 7th birthday!

But APs wouldn't be worth it for one little trip, right? So we are making plans with my mom for the three of us to do a summer trip in July - fly down to San Francisco to visit friends and family and enjoy my prior home (moved here from there in 2007) for several days, then rent a car and drive the Pacific Coast (spending a few days checking out various attractions and towns), and then end the journey at DLR for 4 or 5 days. Doesn't that sound fun????

And then I'm thinking, we can play it by ear and maybe sneak in a Fall trip for the Halloween party and/or squeeze in an 8th birthday trip before the APs expire. So excited about this fiendish plan!!!!

 

[dizneeat]

That sounds like an awesome plan to me!

You are so right - what is an AP good for if you do not get several trips out of it.
Yeah for a 7th birthday trip - keeping fingers crossed for the summer trip and more fingers crossed for an 8th birthday trip.
Hm, have to be honest ....... not just rooting for you and Willow to go there three times, but also really looking forward to three trip reports.

 

[dismagiclover]

The dangers of APs! They don't really save much money do they? I can't wait for all the trip reports though!

 

[IheartDDuck]

We haven't eaten at HBD in over 10 years. It just never ends up on our list again. And our meal was good, so I can't say why.

Carrots and ketchup? Yikes.

Awww, more Willow and Baby Goofy selfies. Utterly priceless.

Streetmosphere is one of our favorite things at DHS. We don't always plan on seeing it, but every time they're in the area, we stop to watch.

Woah, that was a lot of people waiting to get into the Garden Grill! Crazy!

The meal sounds great. We've always enjoyed our meals there.

Wow, look at you getting up all early in the morning. Troopers you are.

Hmmm. Odd princesses never bode well.

Hahahaha. Maybe we should all start taking random hand pictures in honor of Willow.

The queue for TT is super boring, I agree. We spent so much time in that queue in July. Felt like a lifetime.

Go Orange or go home. That's our family motto for Mission Space.

The last time we ate at Le Cellier, it was disappointing, and it honestly hasn't made it's way back onto our list since then. I can't justify the cost for it anymore, or the fact that dinner is 2 TS credits.

Nice plans! Anything to get ourselves back to Disney, right?

 

[STLMickeyMom]

the moose! too cute!!! I'm so impressed that willow will eat steak! our oldest is just starting to try it, but our youngest will only eat hot dogs, or sliced deli meat. she drives me crazy sometimes! she ate so much better when she was a baby!

your AP plans sound awesome to me! you're right--you can't put life on hold...better go enjoy some Disney!

 

[RGirl]

That sounds like an awesome plan to me!

I think so too! Now that I am done agonizing over it and have just booked the plane tickets, I'm starting to get excited about it! It's going to be hard not to tell Willow anything about it for the next couple of months.

You are so right - what is an AP good for if you do not get several trips out of it.

Exactly! DLR is nice for that - you can really enjoy a 3 or 4-day trip and not feel like you have missed everything. It is very low-stress!

Yeah for a 7th birthday trip - keeping fingers crossed for the summer trip and more fingers crossed for an 8th birthday trip.

We did a trip to DLR for her 5th birthday, and it was honestly 3 of the best days of my life. I am really excited to return!!!! Several times!

Hm, have to be honest ....... not just rooting for you and Willow to go there three times, but also really looking forward to three trip reports.

Awww - thanks Karin! It's so nice to know that someone is enjoying my silly little TR. I know I always love reading yours and following along!

The dangers of APs! They don't really save much money do they? I can't wait for all the trip reports though!

No - they really don't! However, I think I will actually spend less going to DLR with APs 4 or 5 times this year than doing another trip like we did this August. So that's kind of like saving money. Right? Right????

We haven't eaten at HBD in over 10 years. It just never ends up on our list again. And our meal was good, so I can't say why.

Wow - 10 years??? That's crazy! We have only been to WDW three times, but we have eaten there every time. Something about DHS makes me crave a serious, cool, quiet, semi-fancy break from it all

Carrots and ketchup? Yikes.

Yeah - I won't even eat ketchup on fries. You can imagine how that sight was turning my stomach.

Awww, more Willow and Baby Goofy selfies. Utterly priceless.

What can I say - the child is enamored with her own image.

Streetmosphere is one of our favorite things at DHS. We don't always plan on seeing it, but every time they're in the area, we stop to watch.

Oh, we LOVED it! I am so glad that we actually stopped and participated in it. It was such a good time. And now we know - so maybe we will make time again next time.

Woah, that was a lot of people waiting to get into the Garden Grill! Crazy!

It really was! And yet, while we were dining, I kept thinking that the place was totally empty. It wasn't until I saw that pic that I realized our "alone-ness" was a complete illusion.

The meal sounds great. We've always enjoyed our meals there.

It really was one of the best times we had the whole trip. Just total joy - we will definitely be back.

Wow, look at you getting up all early in the morning. Troopers you are.

Yeah - it was too much. I have to stop pushing us so hard. It's supposed to be a vacation!!!!

Hmmm. Odd princesses never bode well.

It was very weird. But we still had a good time.

Hahahaha. Maybe we should all start taking random hand pictures in honor of Willow.

It will sweep the inter-webs!

The queue for TT is super boring, I agree. We spent so much time in that queue in July. Felt like a lifetime.

You know, I used to think the old queue was boring - it now seems riveting in comparison.

Go Orange or go home. That's our family motto for Mission Space.

Of course it is!!! And we totally agree!

The last time we ate at Le Cellier, it was disappointing, and it honestly hasn't made it's way back onto our list since then. I can't justify the cost for it anymore, or the fact that dinner is 2 TS credits.

Lunch is two credits now too! It was fine - probably not worth two credits. But we definitely had more credits than we knew what to do with, so we weren't complaining.

Nice plans! Anything to get ourselves back to Disney, right?

It's a DISEASE.........

the moose! too cute!!! I'm so impressed that willow will eat steak! our oldest is just starting to try it, but our youngest will only eat hot dogs, or sliced deli meat. she drives me crazy sometimes! she ate so much better when she was a baby!

Willow had become a really picky eater this last year. It drives me NUTS! She was a way better eater as a baby too. She has always been a meat-eater though, so steak still works for her. Or at least it did the last time we had it. It's hard to tell day by day.

your AP plans sound awesome to me! you're right--you can't put life on hold...better go enjoy some Disney!

You know, now that I've finally flipped the switch and purchased the plane tickets, I'm over my angst (well, mostly :laughing) and super-excited about a year of DLR!!!

 

[Luvchefmic]

Caught up again Roni...okay I'll be honest I keep checking for 2 things when I get here Willows selfies always makes my day and STILL waiting to hear how my beloved Pluto ( ok OUR beloved Pluto ) was a THUG you big tease...part of me really doesn't want to know

What a great car she ended up making and boy my hat is off to the 2 of you not just MS green but orange I have never done either, call me chicken I can't deal with the enclosed space I keep reading about

The meet greet with Chip Dale really nice pictures Poor Dale I did the same thing to Goofy at the meet greet in Dinoland then felt really badly and invited him into the shots shame on me at my age !

yeah for the APs and the plans If I have learned one thing in my life its this do NOT put your life on hold waiting for something to happen, whatever is going to happen will/might anyway, so grab life and enjoy every second

MUST meet when in WDW again whenever that ends up happening but I have faith it will !

Ruthie

 

[RGirl]

Caught up again Roni...okay I'll be honest I keep checking for 2 things when I get here Willows selfies always makes my day and STILL waiting to hear how my beloved Pluto ( ok OUR beloved Pluto ) was a THUG you big tease...part of me really doesn't want to know

Hi Ruthie! Glad to see you back. Don't worry - you will hear about our boy's bad day before tooooo long.

What a great car she ended up making and boy my hat is off to the 2 of you not just MS green but orange I have never done either, call me chicken I can't deal with the enclosed space I keep reading about

Willow's car was very much her kind of car! I was so nervous about M:S - imagine my surprise when it didn't phase us at all. I was freaked out about the enclosed space too because everyone had made it sound really claustrophobic, but it wasn't bad at all. Phew!!!!

The meet greet with Chip Dale really nice pictures Poor Dale I did the same thing to Goofy at the meet greet in Dinoland then felt really badly and invited him into the shots shame on me at my age !

Hey - it's hard to resist the draw of Pluto! (Or Plute-y as Willow likes to call him.)

yeah for the APs and the plans If I have learned one thing in my life its this do NOT put your life on hold waiting for something to happen, whatever is going to happen will/might anyway, so grab life and enjoy every second

You are right - it's good to be responsible and careful, but you also can't put life on hold for fear of what might or might not be. It's a tough line to walk sometimes. But we all just have to do our best to do what's best for us and our families.

MUST meet when in WDW again whenever that ends up happening but I have faith it will !

Definitely! I'm pretty confident we will be back after our DLR year - so 2015. I know we want to cruise on the Fantasy again, and we can't go all the way to Florida and not hit up WDW!

 

[RGirl]

Get Us Out of Here!​

After our fancy lunch at Le Cellier, Miss Willow and I had FPs to use! So we headed on over to The Land - it was about 1:45 at this point.

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The FP line moved very quickly.

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We had a great flight! (BTW, the last time we were at WDW, big black smudges were very noticeable and distracting on the Soarin’ screen. I didn’t really notice them this time. Have they fixed it, did we get a different screen, or was I just so dazed from the heat that I couldn’t see black anymore? )

So our plan after Soarin’ was to go back to the BW and rest because DD was dragging and HOT. We did stop and use a SC (because we had 4,852,291 of them and had used TWO so far) for a blue raspberry slush. This revitalized us so much that we decided to check out the World Showcase - maybe meet some characters and possibly do the Agent P game!

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We headed out. Isn’t it beautiful???

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We stopped here:

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However, the CMs told us not to get a mission there but to go to a country to get one because they timed out or something if it took you too long to get there. So we thought we’d head to Norway for a mission.

On the way there, we noticed that Duffy was out! Well, of course, we had to meet him. Of course, par for the course in this heat, as soon as we got in line he had to leave for a cookie and drink of water, but he was back quickly. It was a very fun meet - all commercialization aside, a giant teddy bear? CUTE!

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He even danced with Miss Willow:

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Duffy’s page:

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Duffy is conveniently placed right across the path from a shop that features TONS OF DUFFIES!!! Of course, we went there next.

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I had promised DD that if her behavior improved today, I would get her a Duffy (what is WRONG with me????). Now, I’m not going to say her behavior was fantastic today, but it was a LOT better than yesterday. And, let’s face it, my own attitude had been pretty bad yesterday too. So, yeah, I bought her the dang stuffie.

So, next we went to Norway to do an Agent P mission and make our way around WS meeting characters.

Oh, wait, that’s not what happened! After the store, DD was DONE with Epcot. All she wanted to do was head back to the resort. Knowing that she was hot and tired, I couldn’t very well keep her out in the sun longer if she wasn’t up for it. So we started walking back towards the IG.

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I think this picture shows how very happy (and hot!) she was to be on the boat and heading back to the resort. I think we made the right call, although I’m sad to say that we basically never really “did” Epcot (one of our favorite parks) on this trip.

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When we got back to our room, our lovely Mousekeeper had arranged all of DD’s stuffies and blankies for her.

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We were back at the resort a little before 3:30. DD played with her bow and arrow for a few minutes, watched Stacey again (of course!), and was asleep by about 4:30. The child was tired - she was still asleep at 6:30!!!

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Up Next: A Family Day Dinner

 

[Jackiemarie21]

Your Le Cellier lunch sounds nice! I really think in the hot humid summer ADRs are the way to go!

Your AP plans sound good! I only went to DL once but I loved it! I would love to get to go again. My dad also works for the DOD (quality control), so I understand how you feel! He has been spending a lot of his time off hanging out with me and Charlotte. Tea parties, coloring all things I have never seen him do before!

I love the napping Willow pics! It's amazing how worn out they get at Disney! Can't wait to hear about dinner!

 

[dizneeat]

No wonder Princess Willow was wiped out after a hot day at Epcot. Your lunch looked really yummy and fit in quite a few rides.
Brave girls for riding MS orange team. We love it, but it can be overwhelming for kids.
Can't wait for more!

 

[dismagiclover]

When you suggested you were going to spend an August afternoon doing Phineas & Ferb missions and meeting characters around the World Showcase I heard a sound of doom in my head. Been there and tried that. We always hang out in World Showcase in the summer evenings not the afternoons. The resort is a better idea. I'm glad that is what you decided. Willow was just plum tuckered out. Excited to hear about your evening.

 

[Tiggerrn2]

Great early afternoon! It definitely got HOT on those EPCOT sidewalks this summer!

 

[wiigirl]

Great update!

 

[Luvchefmic]

response to post # 273


you know I live here, August this year was a BEAST ! considering all the running around, the princess dresses and the sit down meals I think you two did AWESOME and weren't cranky at all There were times this August I was very glad DH was over the road and NOT home I KNOW the tempers would have been flying more than usual Good Job Ladies !