HMP Clan travels to the WORLD and Beyond!

[friendswithdave]

What follows is our trip report ot the world. I'm no great writer, but I'll do my best to let you know who we are, why we went, and what we did. Hopefully you can use this to make your trip that much better.

HMP is a play on our names, which includes the first letter of the last name of our bunch.

We went to all four Disney parks, Seaworld, Aquatica, and Busch Gardens Africa. Whew, it was a full week +!

First:
Who we are: We are a blended family of six. Two adults age 38 and 41 recently married. My two children are DS7 and DD5 . Her two children are my stepsons, DSS10 and DSS7 (more on that later).

About our children: DS7 is your average 7 year old boy. Full of energy, likes to run, play, and just have fun all the time. He isn't all that brave, but is getting better at doing the big rides. He tends to misbehave more than the others because he is sometimes too full of energy . DD5 is a typical 5 year old girl. Loves princesses, pretend play, and all the normal girl stuff. Despite being young and petite, she is the bravest of the bunch. She will pretty much ride anything if she can ride with her dad .

DSS10 is a great kid. He likes to read, watch TV, and play video games . He tends to be more of a low energy kind of guy, preferring the indoors to the outdoors. Reece also has issues with anxiety and was recently diagnosed as borderline Asberger's Syndrome. This makes him sometimes obsessive about things (Pokemon) and he has an incredible memory for dialogue from TV Shows and Movies. He also has sensory issues which I will try to describe as they become an issue during our trip.

DSS7 is also a wonderful child. He is usually upbeat, happy, and well-behaved . He is also high functioning ASD. This makes him very prone to sensory issues. He also likes routines and tends to avoid new things or things which may upset him. However, he upsets easily over issues which many may see as minor.

We arrived on 10/4 and returned on 10/12. If you would like to follow along, hop aboard! I promise I will get you all the way through our trip in a week, or two, tops. (These trip reports that go on for months annoy me - sorry if you are offended!)

I'll be back soon!

 

[friendswithdave]

Why we went? All of us had been to the World, but separately. I went with my ex-wife and kids 3 and 4 years ago, DW went with her ex and kids 4 years ago. My experience was very good, hers was not. Neither of her children had been diagnosed with Aspie or ASD until after the trip, and both had sensory overload big-time. She swore never to return. However, I convinced her this trip could be better: 1) It would not be as hot in October. 2) It would not be as crowded (she went during Spring Break) 3) We would get a GAC for DSS7 to help with our experience. 4) We would have a plan to avoid the crowds! After convincing DW that the World can be a wonderful place, we agreed to go. This was back in February, 2008. I did most of the planning back in March and April.

Planning: I am a planner by nature and studied mostly an unofficial guide and TGM to do plan our Disney trip. I studied the rides, the parks, talked to the kids, chatted online, the whole nine yards. We made lists, of food, snacks, clothes, etc. We planned where we would go each day, and what we would do at each park pretty much every day. Here is our itinerary, at least what we planned to do before we left:


Sat 10/4: Magic Kingdom
Sun – Seaworld
Mon – EPCOT
Tues – DHS
Wed – MK
Thur – EPCOT
Fri – DHS
Sat – AK
Sun – Seaworld

This would change – a little – during our trip.

Final preparations: I took Friday 10/3 off so I could sleep during the afternoon to prepare to drive all night. That worked pretty well, although I didn’t get good sleep because of too many interruptions. So we left home around 8:40 PM from Raleigh, NC. We got dinner at Quiznos and picked up two kids at Gram and Poppy’s house. We went from there and picked up the other two at their mom’s house. Then we were off!

The drive down got off to a rough start. When we were getting DSS10 into the car, the seat belt would not buckle! We tried and tried, but could not get it. SO, he had to sit on the back bench with two other children. Not ideal sleeping conditions. Next we had to deal with the gas shortage. You wouldn’t think we would have this problem weeks after the Texas hurricane, but we pulled into and out of 3-4 stations before we finally found one with gas.

Once we got gas, there were no more issues the rest of the drive down. I didn’t get too tired like I was afraid I would. We pulled into a Disney Hess station at 6:45, got the kids clothes changed and headed to the MK. Josie even changed into her cute Tinkerbell outfit. Our first day was about to begin! We could not wait!!!

 

[friendswithdave]

The kids are all giddy as we exit the van. We parked close using the AAA Diamond parking pass my parents gave us when they bought the tickets. A short walk later and we're boarding the monorail. We walk through the front gates around 7:50, plenty early for our 8:05 reservation at Crystal Palace.

We wait around a bit, and are called in. The kids are pleased with the buffet, and all were hungry. We got our vittles and it didn't take long for piglet to come by. DSS7, who was terrified the last time he was here four years ago, was fine and excited to see piglet and the other characters. DD5 was the only one too shy to have her picture taken. Only when the last character came did she work up to go give them a hug .

Great! We're up and on our way out by 8:54. We should be the crowd to rope drop and be first in line! But DW needs to make a bathroom stop. I got all the kids in there during the meal, but she didn't go. We head out at 8:57, and just miss rope drop, heading into Frontierland to the left of the castle right just after the first wave.

We head straight to Dumbo and still figure we'll get on the first ride. Well, no. We should get on the second ride. No. We finally get on the third ride. This is when I come to my first "do different" for next time. If you aren't there in time to catch the first Dumbo ride, skip it and come back 30 minutes later. Why? Because riding Dumbo first is what ALL people in the know do. And although there aren't that many people following those guidebooks, there are more than enough to make a long line there at 9:05, which will actually be shorter at 9:30. SO, if you miss Dumbo, ride 2-3 other rides in the area, and come back to Dumbo. The line may just be shorter a half hour later.

Anyway, we ride Dumbo. It was fun, and we head to Peter Pan. Also fun. No wait here. We head to Snow White, not as fun. A little scary for the youngins. We won't ride that again. No wait there either. Next is Winnie the Pooh. Line was 3-4 minutes to get on. Very fun for all, DSS7 wants to ride again, so we get Fastpasses. Teacups were fun. We convinced the kids to ride together so we could avoid their insane spinning. In retrospect, this might have been a mistake. You will see why later.

So we get off and look over into Toontown. It's 9:45 and its still closed. So we backtrack to ride the carousel. It's DD5's favorite ride. We ride that, then head to Toontown. On the way, DSS7 and DSS10 are both starting to drag already. I take DS5 and DS7 to the Barnstormer while they take a break. DS7 loves this, its his favorite ride! As it finishes I see the train and the station and hope we can catch it to Frontierland. Alas, it pulls out as we are walking off. Gotta wait 20 minutes for the next one. However, DSS7 was not doing well. He went to the bathroom and got sick. The 1-2 combination of the Teacups, followed by the carousel, must have been too much for him.

However, after he gets out he seems to be OK, so we all head into Toontown Fair for some character time before the next train. The line is longer than you would expect this time of day, and then DD5 has to go while we are in line. So I take her while the rest of the clan stays to meet the characters. We walk back just as they are leaving the tent, and the train is in the station again! We hotfoot it over and board just before it leaves. Whew!

Well, DSS7 is still not doing so well. We get off and head to Splash Mountain. Some of the kids were worried about this, but we told them before the trip that we would ride the kids rides together. We would not make any of them ride the scary rides, but we would all ride fun kids rides. Again DSS7 is not going well, so DW takes him off soon after we get in the queue. DSS10 takes the opportunity to jump ship as well. He tends to stick with Mom no matter what. So I stay on with DS7 and DD5. I really enjoy this ride, as did DD5. DS7 does not like the big drop, and he did not want to do it again. Fine. No problem.

We meet the gang off the ride, and DSS7 is continuing to feel worse and worse. He does not want to walk and is getting sick frequently. Now we're in a pickle. We can't just leave because we can't check into our room until 4:00. I try to call the guy we are renting from to see if we can get in early, and can't get him on the phone. We decide to get a stroller for DSS7 to see if that will make it tolerable for him. Poor guy. So the gang does the Enchanted Tiki Room while I trudge over to the entrance to get a stroller. So I do, forking our $31 for a double stroller (DSS7 is big for his size), and head back. That brings me to "Do different" #2: If child transportation is required, save $20 and get a wheelchair instead. We do this the rest of the trip. By the time I get back, they are out of the ride and waiting for me. DSS7 gets in and we head for lunch.

We head for the saloon in Frontierland, but we don't have the patience for counter service with a sick child. We head to the Liberty Tree Tavern, getting there about 11:30. Luckily, they weren't full and we were seated in 5 minutes. The food and service there were OK, not the best value in the World, that's for sure. I got the turkey and dressing, which was OK. So now what? He decide to head on over to the condo. It's early, but I figure we can get in early anyway. We get a Guest Assistance Card (GAC) for DSS7 on the way out, so we will have it for the rest of the week.

Now our crowd is sad, tired, and a little depressed having to end our day early because of a sick child. We had planned to leave around 4:00. We trade in the stroller for a wheelchair and wheel him to the car. We find our way to the condo, and are able to get in around 2:00 without a problem.

Next up: My team loses, but there's still some fun left in the day!

 

[ireland_nicole]

Enjoying your report. One tip for next time. You can rent a "special needs" stroller (the Baby Jogger Liberty) from www.orlandostrollerrentals.com They fit up to 100 lb. are very easy to maneuver and comfortable. But offer a nice "nesting" and a canopy which my kids really need and appreciate. Plus, a whole lot cheaper than the disney double and a lot more comfortable than an adult w/c.

 

[friendswithdave]

Here's hoping we won't need a "sick kid" stroller again!

 

[friendswithdave]

Our gang, taken from the Crystal Palace. From left to right, Reece DSS10, Riley DS7, Birch DSS7, Josie DD5.

We get in to the condo and unpacked the car. We put all the kids directly to bed for a nap, and DW took one too. I rested on the couch and watched my beloved NCSU Wolfpack drop another football game. Bummer. I wouldn’t let it keep me down, though.

Well, my two kids napped, but Reece and Birch just played quietly in their room. When Riley and Josie got up, I got restless. I knew Birch wouldn’t be up to doing anything, but I would take the rest of the crew somewhere. Aquatica it is! Reece didn’t want to go , but Riley and Josie were all about it! So off we went!

I think one of the manifestations of Reece's anxiety, and possibly the Asperger's syndrome, is his fear of new things. When in an new situation, he gets anxious and tends to stick closer to Mom than he usually would. I know he wanted to go to Aquatica, but wasn't brave enough to go without Mom. Nobody pushed it.

We got there around 4:15, and saw a mostly empty parking lot. I had heard that it was packed every day, but cleared out most afternoons. Sure enough, if it was packed earlier, it was not packed now.

We headed in and wandered around some. It is easy to get lost in here, with winding paths and so-so maps here and there.

We rode both of the big 3-person slides. Riley was a little scared, but he got through it and enjoyed it immensely! Next we headed to the kids play area. However, it was temporarily closed due to a cleanliness issue, but would reopen soon. I know what that means! I did reopen in a bit and the kids and I both had fun frolicking around in there, practically by ourselves. This is easily the best kids water play area I have ever seen! Lots of everything in there, and all was very fun and colorful. Lots of slides, too. Teeny ones for the little ones, and medium size ones for the bigger kids.

Before we left, Josie and I did Tassies Twisters. That is a slide that takes you down a brief slide, then into a toilet-bowl shaped thing, where you go around the bowl a few times before sliding into the whole. Lots of fun, we both loved it.

One last thing before we left. They have dolphins there and a good viewing area to watch them. At 5:45 we got to see them feed the dolphins! It was great, and they even did a few jumps and tricks for us. I love to watch these animals.

So, although it was a brief trip, still a lot of fun was had in less than two hours. I definitely recommend Aquatica, especially if you can go on a not-so-crowded day, like this one.

We headed out and back to the condo. The boys were asleep in bed. However, those of us who were awake were very hungry, so we rousted them up and headed to Cracker Barrel for a meal, then off to bed. Poor Birch was still feeling bad and did not eat a thing. I felt so bad for him. Hopefully a good night’s sleep would make him better for tomorrow. Haley thought he would be OK tomorrow, I wasn’t so sure.

Next up: Will Birch Feel Better? Will we make it to Seaworld?

 

[friendswithdave]

The next morning we all woke up around 7:30 and got ready to go to Seaworld! I think the kids were looking forward to this park more than any other! Birch seemed to be feeling fine, so off we went! We left about 8:30, arriving at 8:50 and heading through the gates just before 9:00. Our plan was to hit the big rides first, then see all the exhibits and shows we could, working our way through the park until we got to the Shamu area.

We started with Kraken. This is a fun one, kind of a classic, fast, roller coaster. Only Reece, Haley, and I went on, the other three waited at the ride exit. We showed our Platinum Passes and were able to ride twice in a row without getting off. Awesome! Next up was Journey to Atlantis. I liked this one, but Reece and Haley not so much. We only rode once.

Next we headed to the Stingray Tank. Riley loves these, and actually got to touch one. He was pleased, except he wanted to stay here longer. We moved on after about 10 minutes, knowing we had a full day ahead. From there we moved to the dolphin area. How can you not love these animals? We went to the side to try to touch them, but I was the only one lucky enough when I moved away from the gang about 30 feet over near the shallows area. It was just a hunch of mine, but sure enough, after about a minute there, a dolphin came right up to me, rolled over, and just layed there while I got to pet him. It was amazing! I bet he was still for a good 15 seconds, just so I could rub his belly.

Of course I called the gang over soon after, but none came close any more. It was just one of those things, I guess. We also spent some time viewing the dolphins from there underwater viewing area. I think I could spend all day watching those animals! But alas, there was more to see.

We headed to the manatee and alligator area. (No they are not together, silly! That wouldn’t work!) We looked at those for awhile, then headed into the dolphin show. Seaworld does a great job on their shows, and this was no exception. Fun for all, and my parents came and joined us half-way though the show. They would have been there sooner, but they got lost. Not unusual for them, but Seaworld can be hard to navigate, especially since a big area is roped off for construction of the new roller coaster.

Anyway, after the show we all headed to the smokehouse for food. They have this kind of food at all the A/B parks, and I absolutely love it! I got the smoked beef, ribs, and chicken, and split this platter with my kids. It is great food and a great value when split this way. I absolutely recommend it!

From there we saw the Pets Ahoy show. Very similar to the show we see at Busch Gardens Europe, but still enjoyable to the kiddies. From there we headed for the penguin area and Pacific Point to see the seals and sea lions. Again, I just love these animals. We got fish to feed the sea lions, but they didn’t all find their way into the mammals mouths. In this area are dozens of hungry herons, who are very opportunistic. They will swoop down and swipe a fish in a heartbeat. Still, all the kids got a plate of fish to throw, and they enjoyed it. After that we saw the Sea Lion show, a very cute Pirate themed show starring Sea Lions Clyde and Seymore.

Us near the penguin area. My mom and Josie can be seen between Haley and Reece.

Next was breaktime. We sat down and had some snacks we brought with us and various frozen and non-frozen drinks. Refreshing, ahhhhhhhhhh. Next up was the shark building. Lots of mean, scary looking sharks. Also very well done. We headed down the street to the brand new show, Allure! This opened yesterday and I was excited to get to see a new show. It was very good, on par with other shows at Disney and Busch Gardens parks. It had a little of everything: dancing, singing, acrobats, gymnastics, and a nice story about the allure of the sea. I got to see 98% of it. Right near the end, Riley said he had to go. When Riley says he has to go, then he HAS TO GO!

So we headed out quickly, looking for a restroom and not finding one. We ran down the street towards the beer building. I don’t know what this place is really called, but it is the place where you can get free beer. I knew they would have a bathroom in there. He made it in, just barely in time. Now we had to find the rest of the crew. It took me a few tried to get Haley on the phone, but I finally got through. We had cell phone signal issues all week. Verizon let us down.

Anyway, they headed our way and strolled into the Shamu / kids play area. Here we discovered they were doing Halloween! They had booths setup in the area with costumed characters giving out Halloween candy to the kids. Of course, they ate this up (literally!) We rode a bunch of the kiddie rides, then headed into the Shamu show. The kids rides were all pretty and nice. Not the most exciting, but were made for younger children, age 9 and down I think.

The park was still not crowded and we got good seats for the show. Birch had been saying for weeks he wanted to be in the Splash Zone, so we brought a clear plastic tarp with us. If you don’t know, the Splash Zone covers about the first 20 rows of seats in Shamu Stadium. If you sit here, you may get splashed by Shamu during the show.

We got in about 20 minutes early, and soon got one of my highlights of the trip. They let the killer whales into the main tank early just to swim around. Well, just swimming around was not in their plans. They had to show off! There were two adults and a juvenile, and they took turns flopping up on the stage in the front where they could show off. It was so cute! See the pics below. Again, this was before the show started! No one was prompting them to do this at all.

The show was good, of course. Watching these animals is just amazing. They have one Shamu who is much larger than the rest. He is a sight to see jumping out of the water and splashing the crowd. Shamu splashed the crowd, but none of the water got near us. Just bad luck (or good, depending on your perspective) for us!

Show picture

After it was over, we slowly headed out, stopping at every candy booth to get candy from the costumed characters. It was a great day at Seaworld! We left and had dinner at Pacinos, an Italian place on 192. It was good, but a little overpriced I think.

Next: EPCOT! I have never been before! I'm so excited!

 

[friendswithdave]

So we get up the next morning and Birch is under the weather again. He had started to go downhill a little last night. I was thinking we might have overdone it on Sunday. So we all have a heart-to-heart as to what to do. We decided that Haley would stay home with Birch, and I would take the other three to EPCOT with me. Reece really didn’t want to go, but we said he had to go, and knew he would get over missing mom and have fun.

So we got ourselves ready and headed out. Reece grew more and more upset as we went, and we did all we could to cheer him up. Eventually it was too much for him and he had a little cry before we got there. He misses his mom so much!

We got there and, just like the last two days, were just seconds after the opening bell, rope drop, whatever it is. We decided to join in the Soarin Stampede to get that ride knocked out before the line got too long later in the day. We only waited about 20 minutes in line, and got on. Of course, it was wonderful. It really is a great ride, worthy of the “top 5” status in all of Disneyworld. The sights, the wind, the smells, it just puts you right there. You only wish it could last longer!

From there we headed over Mission Space. On the way over I noticed I had a message. It was Haley! Birch was feeling better and they were taking a cab over to EPCOT to join us! Joy Joy! We rode the Orange (not so wild) side of Mission Space. I was surprised at how much motion it did have! There was rumbling and shaking and so on. I can’t imagine what the green side would be like. Everyone seemed to like that, and there was no line too. Woo hoo!

Over at Test Track we get in the stand-by line. Looks like about 15 minutes, not too bad. Well, a few minutes in and the boys want to bolt. Looks too scary for them. Then Riley has to go to the bathroom. Sounds like a ploy, I tell him to hold it. Then the ride breaks down for who knows how long. OK, I give, you win. We walk our way out through the line without riding while it is still down.

I take Riley to the bathroom, and he gets out, Haley and Birch are there. Yay! Let’s all ride Test Track! It’s working now. So we get in line, which still isn’t too long. We are getting pretty close, when it breaks down again! We wait for awhile, but don’t have much patience for this. Again. We ask to be let out the nearby exit door, and the staff complied. They even gave as fastpasses to use later. Arghh, 0 for 2 so far on Test Track.

Birch is in a wheelchair to save his energy and get him through the day. We see it is getting close to 11:00, so we head towards the World Showcase. We ride the Mexico ride (what is that thing called?). It was pretty good. The kids enjoyed it. By the time we got off, it was almost time for our lunch with the PRINCESSES AT AKERSHUS HOUSE! Josie was all excited that she would get to see all the Princesses!

When we first got in, she had her picture taken with Belle. The kids also all got together for a picture with her. We sat down, ordered, then out came the Princess Parade! Josie was so cute! A few times during the meal, she exclaimed, “I’m So Happy!” She glowed! The boys also were smitten, with Riley saying at one point that he was breathless! We saw Princess Aurora, Jasmine, Ariel, and your favorite and ours, Cinderella!

Reece was also smitten with the princesses , but tried to be more coy. When Princess Aurora came out for a picture, Reece tried to put his arm around her. She subtly shot him down however, putting her arm in his (see pic below). Ariel was a little friendlier, and he was able to get his arm around her. That sly dog! Somehow, Reece happened to be next to the princesses in every picture!

Once we got calmed down, we went on the Norway ride. What is that thing called? Oh yeah, Maelstrom. No line here. Anyway, it was pretty fun. Another neat boat ride. What’s next? It’s getting hot, but I think we have one more ride in us. Let’s do Test Track, since we didn’t get to do it before. The line wasn’t too bad, and we had the FastPasses from before. So we get in the line, this time keeping the wheelchair with us. After 10 minutes, we get up there, and they as us to wait in this dark room right before we get on. Before long, Birch starts doing a little dance and running around the room. I wasn’t sure what was going on, but Mom knew. Before long, we all knew. We had to leave and get to a bathroom. NOW.

So, we quickly made our way out. I had to bang on the door we came in, because it was a one-way door. But I knew we needed out now. Unfortunately, we knew the way to the next door, we went out the same exit door we used three hours earlier. We had an extra boys bathing suits in the bag, but we figured Riley would need it, not Birch. Riley is accident prone, not Birch. Anyway, Haley takes Birch into the bathroom and gets him cleaned up. Still getting over his stomach virus. Riley and Josie take the opportunity to play in the fountain. I chill outside with Reece. When they finally come out, we decide it’s time to take a break and maybe come back later.

Up next: Would we make it back?

 

[friendswithdave]

We got back to the condo, and everyone went in their rooms to sleep except Riley. He and I worked on his homework some. He didn’t like it, but understood this is what was required to go on the trip.

After awhile, we could see that Birch and Haley weren’t up to going back. Since they weren’t going, Reece didn’t want to go. So I took Riley and Josie, grabbed a bit to eat at the pub next door, and headed back to EPCOT. It was raining, but no matter! We liked the idea of the wheelchair earlier to save the energy of the little ones, so we were going to pick it up on the way in since it was already paid for. I saw one alone in the parking lot with another tag on it, so PRESTO, we have a wheelchair! The kids hopped in and we were on the express lane into the park. The rain wouldn’t get us down one bit!

We first went in and head to The Seas. We did the Clam-mobile ride, which was cute and fun. I also liked the queue of that ride, very neat. From there we went in to do Turtle Talk with Crush. Also very cute, and neat. The kids really liked that.

From there they hopped back in the wheelchair and over to the Imagination Pavilion to see Honey I Shrunk the Audience. We did this because we knew Reece and Birch would not ride it. ASIDE…. Birch has a terrible fear of 3-D rides and shows. It started on his last trip to the WORLD 4 years ago at the Muppets 3D Adventure. Apparently that was a nightmare, complete with kicking, screaming, and uncontrollable crying. Since then, it freaks him out to even see 3D glass going onto a ride. Reece also has an aversion to 3D as well. He will tolerate 3D rides and shows however, by not wearing the glasses. He says he likes it better without them. I think the 3D is just a sensation overload for both children, but Reece is able to handle it better than Birch. SO, we knew we would not do many 3D events during our trip.

Anyway, we did HISTA. It was pretty good. It freaked out the kids a little. The pre-show was long and boring. That was a complete waste of my time.

When we got out we heard good news! Haley and Birch were feeling better, and all three were on their way in! Yippee! So we met outside of Soarin so we could all ride it this time. Haley loved it. Birch said he loved it, but didn’t want to do it again. Translation: I didn’t like it, but don’t want to say so since you all liked it so much.

It was getting close to 8:00 by now. We had just enough time to get a bite to eat in the Land and get a good spot for the fireworks show. ASIDE… We also had concerns for fireworks, and anything that involved fire effects. Birch doesn’t mind the fireworks, but the bangs do scare him sometimes. He also has a strong aversion to fire. We have a hard time going to a Japanese Steakhouse because of this. I also remembered that some of the shows had fire effects that could be a problem.

So we head to the lagoon and get a place for Illuminations. Birch, and to a lesser extent, Reece, start getting anxious and worried about the show. We try to calm them as best we can, but eventually the show starts. Reece handles it OK by covering his ears. This is common for him when he is overstimulated or simply for loud noises. We give them both earplugs, but they don’t like them. Birch doesn’t do as well, crying and trying to hide. We get through it though, and head out as soon as they are over. In the end, I’m glad we were all able to spend much of the evening together. We had fun, but it’s not the same when we’re not all together.

Oh yeah, Illuminations was very good! Definitely recommended!

 

[friendswithdave]

We get up the next morning and it appears that all are well. Hooray! Haley isn’t 100%, but she doesn’t feel bad enough to keep her from her favorite park: Disney Hollywood Studios! So we get up and get ready and head out the door around 8:30. We arrive in short time, get a good parking spot with our Diamond Parking Pass, and head in. The wheelchair is cheap and works well, so we get one again to conserve Birch’s energy. For the fourth day in a row, we head into the park seconds after rope drop, just after the crowd. Our plan for the beginning is for Haley and Reece to ride the Rock N Roller Coaster, and for me to take the rest to Voyage of the Little Mermaid. I hear that the first show isn’t until 9:20, so we have a little time to kill. We stop for a few pics.

Then I look over and see characters on our way in! Cool. We meet all of them (well, most of us. Birch is afraid of Minnie Mouse.)

Then we get in line for VoTLL. However, five minutes before showtime, Birch says he has to go. With him still getting over being sick, I don’t want to risk it, and we quickly head for the head. We return at 9:21, one minute after the show starts. Bummer.

What now? The kids were psyched about the Jedi Training and we planned to make that first show at 9:50. I know, we will ride Star Tours, then be out in time for the first show. We head over there and get right in to the front. Inexplicably, we have wait what seems like an eternity before we get in to our starship. Now I’m worried we might miss it again! AND, to top it off, Birch is scared of this too. Luckily, the ride operator sensed his fear and used a little of the Force to calm him down (and a reminder that Yoda was nearby). After that, he was fine with it and we all had a fun ride.

When we got out, Haley and Reece were already seated waiting for the show. We joined them, hoping that one of our children would be chosen to participate! Now, we made sure the children did not get their hopes up for the show. We knew most children would not be chosen. However, since they first heard about this, it was the most anticipated event of the entire trip!

Would anyone be chosen? Tune in next week for....Return of the Jedi!!! (Queue suspenseful music now!)

 

[friendswithdave]

So the Jedi Training show begins with the Jedi Master asking for volunteers from the crowd. Of course the boys all stand and raise their hands enthusiastically. Most children are chosen, then he points to that youngling in the blue shirt. It's Birch!!!

Immediately my thoughts go to what might happen next. How will Birch react? Will he know what to do? What if he gets scared? What if he panics and falls off the stage? Well, I calm down quickly and figure he'll be fine. I get my camera out and start taking pictures. I figure we would have our share of Kodak moments here. I was right!

So Birch gets up there no problem, dons his cape, and waits for his light saber. He handles it about like I expected (not so well, he isn’t the most coordinated chap ).

Maybe this story will best be told with pictures:

Here is Birch on stage. Trying to get his light saber retracted. A common problem for him.

All goes OK in the first part of the training program.

Then guess what happens:

Yes, Lord Vader himself appears to take on the Jedi trainees.


Well, this didn't go over to well with our Youngling on stage:

Birch is putting as much distance as he can between himself and the Sith Lord.

The Jedi assistant notices and tries to use the force to calm the anxious Youngling:

However, the Force is too strong, and he won't go anywhere near Lord Vader:

That's Birch on the back right looking for an escape route.

Eventually the show ends. Birch avoids facing Darth Vader by deftly moving to the end of the line over and over again. The show ends, Darth Vader leaves, and all is well with the Force. Birch is relieved it is over, and appears OK with it all once he is off the stage.

Up Next: I don't know - what do we do next?

 

[friendswithdave]

Whew, what’s next? We had heard a lot about Toy Story Mania, so let’s do that next! Yay! We head over there and get in line. However, as we move through the queue, Burch gets very anxious and does not want to ride since he sees the . Even though we tell him he does not have to wear the glasses, he still is very afraid and does not want to ride. Reece wants to ride, but sans the 3D glasses. And only if he can ride with mom. OK. So we get on, and Birch waits in his wheelchair while we ride.

Uh-oh. Just as we get into the practice shooting area, the ride stops. After a few minutes we hear the announcement: the ride is closed, and they will have to come manually let us out of our sets. Now we become scared for Birch. How long would we be here? Would he be scared? After what seems like an eternity (and what is really about 10 minutes I guess), we get let off the ride. We find Birch, who is fine. The operators were apologetic, and gave us fastpasses, but we were losing our patience, especially Haley. So far we had been there almost two hours, and she hadn’t ridden anything. The RnRR she tried to ride earlier also broke down while she was in line. The park was not having a good day.

Arghh, now what do we do? The gang was getting hungry and it was getting close to 11:00. Haley remembers a good place to eat near Star Tours and Indi Jones, so we head over there. Great. It does not open until 11:30. Now what? I guess we could eat at Pizza Planet Arcade. Does not impress me at all, but the kids will like it I guess. It is Reece's recommendation.

We trudge over there and order our pizzas and salad for Haley. The kids are happy with that. The pizza is just blah. The good news is, I can see the queue for Muppets 3D from our seats. I decided if it started to move near the end of our meal, we would dart in without a wait, see the show, and come back out to meet the gang. (Only Riley, Josie, and I would do this. Reece and Birch are both afraid of Muppets 3D.) So that’s what we did. About when we got done eating and using the bathroom, the line moved and we hopped in, sat through the pre-show, and went in the show. It was pretty good; the kids enjoyed it. While they waited for us, Reece and Birch spent their Disney money on souped up light sabers from the Star Wars store. They were very happy with their purchase. The show had a strong effect on them.

While waiting for the show, I check the times log and notice that if we are quick, we can hit the Indiana Jones show next, then head straight over to the Lights Motors, Action stunt show. So I call my parents to let them know the plan. As we are leaving Muppets, they tell me they are already waiting for us in Indiana Jones, saving us seats, but it is getting crowded. Getting crowded? 25 minutes before the show? Comeon! We head straight over and notice it is not really crowded, except where the GOOD seats are in the middle. They could only save enough seats for three of us, so me and my kids sat with them, Haley and her kids sat in the back wheelchair section. I enjoyed the show, and the kids did too. It was the first time for all of us.

In the end, it worked out well. Birch and Reece were much happier in the back farther from the fire and loud noises of the show. Once it ended, we all headed out towards Lights, Motors, Action. However, Haley et al got out quickly, while we were the last to leave the Indy show. I tried to call Haley to tell her we would not make it in time, but could not reach her. So we mosied that way, just to see what we could see. We even stopped to see a little of Mulch, Sweat, and Tears. Pretty good. When I finally got her on the phone at 1:21 (show started at 1:20), she said for us to come on because people were still streaming in! So we headed over ASAP, getting there halfway through the first stunt sequence. Luckily, we sat in the shade. It was a good show, one we had all seen on our last trip. Riley really likes it, it is is one of his favorite things in all of Disney!

After that we decided to meet up at Toy Story Mania, to give that another shot. Birch got fretful again, but this time we told him up front he would not have to ride. However, when we got in there, the ride manager spoke to him a few minutes, and convinced him to ride. Even with the glasses on!!! WOW! Of course, we all loved it, even Birch! I had the high score – woohoo! It is definitely a super ride, top 5 in all the WORLD for sure.

When we got out, it was raining cats and dogs. We came up with a plan. Gram and Papa would take all the kids to see Disney Playhouse Live, and Haley and I would ride the RockNRollercoaster. That was fine with everyone. After waiting for the RnRR, Reece wasn’t quite ready for it yet. So we did, riding it twice, once in the singles line, which was very fast. Loved it, as usual. Intense and fun for a Disney ride. That start is unforgettable!

We met back up with the gang, who mostly gave a thumbs-up to Playhouse. Birch and Josie liked it best of all. After that, the rain had ceased and it was time to go. We went out casually, stopping to take some pics and see the end of the street show. Very slapstick, which the boys enjoy very much. The day had a rocky start, but a great finish. We were happy to retire early, eat dinner, and get to bed early!

Up next - A second shot at the Magic Kingdom!

 

[friendswithdave]

Up next – our second shot at the Magic Kingdom!

The next morning was the Magic Kingdom! We got up earlier than usual so we could get there by rope drop. Our plan worked, and we got to rope drop by 8:50 with wheelchair already in hand. We headed to City Hall to get a replacement GAC for Birch, and headed to Adventureland to start our day. We rode Alladin (fun), Jungle Cruise (Birch was kinda scared at the beginning), Pirates (everyone was a little scared, it was dark!), and BTMRR. Again they were scared of BTMRR, but after riding, it was an instant hit! They wanted to ride again and again! However, we had a date with Captain Jack!

Then we headed back near Pirates catch the first Pirate Tutorial of the day. We got there early, asked where it was, ate a snack, and then Mac came out to prepare for the show. Since we were the only ones who knew it was coming, Mac asked RILEY to help him set the rope out. COOL!

Captain Jack comes out soon after. The first person chosen for the show: JOSIE!!! Isn't she beaming!

Three are chosen, then Mac says his rope holder did so well that he should also participate. Guess who Mac is pointing to in this picture?

Yes, RILEY!

Both RILEY AND JOSIE get to learn the pirate trade from Captain Jack Sparrow himself!
Josie goes first and narrowly escapes by pointing and saying "Look, it's the Governor's daughter!"

Riley also gets to take on Mac.

Of course, they both enjoy it immensely. In the end, even Reece is allowed to be an honorary pirate and get a certificate like the other children!

After that we met up with my parents and continued our tour. The kids all wanted to do BTMRR again, so off we went! Everyone rode and it was fun for all! From there we were getting hot and tired. We headed to the Hall of Presidents, and a show was just getting ready to start. Finally, some good timing for a change. The adults really enjoyed the show. Very moving to hear about (and from!) our founding fathers.

Now we’re hungry and its time for lunch. I remembered that Pinnochios Villiage Hous was nearby, so off we went. What I didn’t remember is they didn’t have much besides pizza. Blech. We had our token MK food, and then looked for more to do. In no particular order, we did It’s a Small World, Mickey’s Philharmagic, and Winnie the Pooh (again). All were fun. I especially like Philharmagic. Very enjoyable. Reece and Birch thought it was a little much, again they are more sensitive to the loud noises. Birch resisted going in, but he got through it.

Next we headed over to Tomorrowland for a few more rides before we headed out for our afternoon break. We did Buzz, TTA, and Mike’s Comedy Show. All were very fun. TTA seems slow, but is a welcome break from the hustle and bustle that is the MK. I really enjoy Buzz and Mike’s, which was new to all of us!

Now it’s time to head out. We leave the gate around 2:45, get some ice cream at Baskin Robbins, and head home. Haley naps and the kids rest. We leave to go back at 5:30.

Up next: Our evening in the Magic Kingdom!

 

[Flossbolna]

Hi, I really like your report! It sound like you managed to have a great time despite some problems because you did not let those ruin your trip!

 

[friendswithdave]

Tonight I must admit we tried to cram in a little too much into one evening. We got in the park around 6:15 to do some more in Tomorrowland. We rode Buzz again, did a little shopping, and rode Space Mountain. Well, everyone but Riley rode Space Mountain. Most liked it, but it was a little jerky. I had a moment of panic when Riley was not at the ride exit. Turns out he took the conveyor out to the store and was waiting just outside. Whew!

When we left Buzz, it was almost 7:00 and I saw the line for Mike’s moving. I figured we could jump in, see the show, and be out in time to catch a bite and see the 8:00 parade. What I didn’t figure was that we had to sit through a full pre-show before we could get into Mike’s. I should have known this. Anyway, we head over to Cosmic Rays around 7:30 for a really quick bite so we can get to the parade. We eat hurriedly, then try to scamper out to get near the parade.

Well, wouldn’t you know it would start raining. Hard. We don our ponchos, which have gotten plenty of wear already, and head to the parade route. Looks like it is still on, but the crowd is so large, we really can’t see well. Josie stands on the wheelchair and Riley finds a place to see. Reece and Birch can’t see, and Haley gets tired, so they head back to Cosmic Rays to get out of the rain.

The parade is OK. It would have been much better had it not been raining and had we gotten there earlier. By the time it ends, we are all tired and wet, and Haley is starting to feel worse. We decide to head out and try to catch the fireworks near the boat docks. Finally we get a break. The rain subsides and we are able to hop on a boat that arrives right at 9:00. We watch the fireworks from the boat as it cruises across the lagoon. The end just after we get to the other side. The view from the boat is good, but not great. The smoke from the fireworks obscures some of the fireworks from our view. We’re very tired by now. We take my mom back to her condo, and head home to get some much needed rest.

That's the train station in the lower left.

Next up: Would Haley feel up to going to EPCOT tomorrow?

 

[friendswithdave]

Busch Gardens Africa!

After being up late the night before, we slept in the next morning. Now understand, sleeping in for me is staying in bed until 7:30. I usually get up at 6:00! Once everyone was up and we had a little time to relax, it was clear Haley didn’t feel well enough to spend a day at the parks. However, she didn’t want to miss our EPCOT day either. It was decided that those who wanted to go to Busch Gardens Africa could go, and those who wanted to stay in the condo all day could stay.

The rest of this entry is devoted to Busch Gardens Africa.

Aside: We all had Platinum Passes to the Busch Gardens and Seaworld parks. This gave us unlimited admission to all the parks. We went to Busch Gardens Europe in Williamsburg, VA a few times this summer and knew that BGA would be similar to that. We made BGA a back-up park on this trip.

Reece and Birch didn’t want to leave their mom , so Riley, Josie and I headed to Tampa, leaving at 9:30. We got there at 10:38, a 68 minute trip. I knew the park wouldn’t be too crowded, but I had no idea how empty it would be. There were times and places in the park that it appeared the employees outnumbered the guests. Almost everything we walked right on, and the longest wait we had all day was the Congo River Rapids.

First we headed to Jungala via the skyride. The skyride was very cool, with lots of animals to see below. I was worried Jungala might get long lines later in the day. We stumbled upon a street show as we went in. There were a total of 8 people watching. I felt bad for the actors, performing essentially without an audience. This show at Disney would attract well over 100 guests to watch! Anyway, we meet a few performers, then head to the zip line ride. Unfortunately, Josie is not big enough to ride. Riley is, but it looks scary to him. He will ride if I ride, so we get on and ride it. Twice! It was pretty fun, but not as cool as I hoped for. After that the kids wanted to play in the water-play area. I said, what the hey, go ahead! They splashed around for 10 minutes, then we moved on to the other ride in Jungala.

We did the “bouncy” ride, whatever that thing is called. It was similar to one we did at Seaworld, but a good bit higher and more intense. Enough so that Josie didn’t like it at all, and Riley didn’t want to do it again. Oh well, I thought it was fun!

We tour around Jungala some more, and see the tiger and monkey exhibits. The tigers were somewhat active, which made them fun to watch. The kids wanted to shop, so they both bought stuffed animals in the Tiger Store. They were happy with their purchases. Josie especially loves stuffed animals.

Next we headed to the Congo River Rapids. Again, we had to wait about 5 minutes before we got on. The ride was fun, but there was an annoying 7 minute wait or so after we got on the boat before we got going. At the end, a similar wait before we could get off. This 4 minute ride ending up taking almost a half hour, despite there not being much of a line. Perplexing. Anyway, we were gonna to the bumper cars, but saw it was closed to make it into a haunted house for Halloween. Oh well.

We head to a new area. Josie and I ride the carousel while Riley rides the Cheetah Chase by himself. This is a big step for Riley. He usually scared of these, but showed how brave he was by riding a new coaster by himself! Josie enjoyed the carousel, like she always does.

From here we back-tracked over to the Zambia Smokehouse to get lunch. I figured this would be liked the smoked meat we get a Seaworld and Busch Gardens Europe, and it did not disappoint! I love that stuff, and all of us could eat, get drinks, and dessert for about $20. You can’t beat that!

Our bellies full, we look for something a little relaxing. We head towards the animal exhibits down the trail. We see the flamingos, some birds in a huge cage, and then a komodo dragon! Riley’s loves those and he was in heaven!

I let them play in the Land of the Dragons area for awhile. They both really enjoyed that. From there we saw a few more animal exhibits, rode a little ride near Gwazi, and worked back towards the front of the park. We looked at the alligators again. They were cool when two of them got into a fight, with one biting the other. You don’t often get to see alligator fights! Then we saw the monkey exhibit, the Myombe Reserve. It was just OK. The gorillas were lazy in the heat, and the chimps were also pretty sedate.

We left there and saw we had about 20 minutes before the train came. We headed over to Rhino Rally to see if we could ride that before the train came. Sure enough, no wait at all! That was cool, kind of a poor man’s Safari from Animal Kingdom, but with a fun twist. Very enjoyable.

We got out, ate a lemon slushie thing, and waited for the train, which would show us some more animals. The train ride was fine. I especially liked the giraffes, who galloped in front of the train to keep from being “cut-off” as we went by. After we saw the animals, we got off the train and took the skyride back, because it dropped us off right near the other animal exhibit. We took in the rest of the animals, including the lions, then went to see the 4:00 showing of Katonga.

The show was very good, I think just as good as the Disney Shows like Lion King or Finding Nemo. Great singing, dancing, acrobatics, and showmanship. The show ended and we strolled out. It was a very good day. Especially enjoyable to avoid the Disney crowds. Turns out Reece and Birch enjoyed their relaxing day at home watching TV and playing video games. Haley got to rest in bed. Everyone had a good day!

I picked up Boston Market so the kids would have something to eat while my parents watched them. This was our night to go out on a date. We went to Emerils. It was a very enjoyable dinner, with both the service and the food absolutely top notch. I must also admit, it was the most expensive meal I have ever had, so it should have been good! We left there, got some cinnamon rolls for the morning, and headed back to the condo. The kids were fine with my parents, like I knew they would be.

Up next: Would DHS be any better this time?

 

[friendswithdave]

We wake up the next morning and it appears everyone is doing OK and looking forward to finishing up Disney Hollywood Studios!

We have a slow, relaxing morning in the condo, since we are planning to be at DHS all the way through Fantasmic! We end up leaving around 10:00 and getting in at 10:25 or so. We figured we would take in a street show and maybe ride ToT before our 11:30 reservation with Uncle Bill at 50’s Prime Time Café. We head towards to ToT, and we do find a street show, a cute one with the “filming” of a scene with a classic director and a has been starlet. Cute, we all liked it. From there, we rode Tower of Terror. When I say we, I mean only the brave ones. That would be me, Haley, and our youngest, Josie. It was very fun, but Josie didn’t like it too much. A little too intense for her.

So by the time we get out, it is close to time for lunch. We head over to 50’s, get our table, and sit down. Lunch was good, but our waiter, Uncle Bill, wasn’t as involved in our lunch as I had hoped. I have never been before, and at $100 for our clan, don’t think we will go again. The food was good, but not great. I had the pot roast. The kids make-your-own sundaes was a hit though.

From there, the girls head to meet my Mom and watch Beauty and the Beast. I take the boys to see the Jedi Training Academy and the stunt show again. Now, I figured at the Jedi show, Reece and Riley would raise their hands wanting to participate, and Birch would sit quietly and wait for the show. Boy was I wrong. Birch started throwing a huge fit, wanting to be nowhere near the Jedi stage. We need to leave, and NOW! Well, I knew how much Riley and Reece wanted to be up there showing off their skills, and I wasn’t about to deprive them of a second chance. So, I left them there and led Birch back towards the eatery and behind the bushes. This made things a little better, but he was still very upset. Reece and Riley weren’t picked, and Birch gradually calmed and stopped crying towards the end of the show. Whew. Goodness. Lesson learned: Never underestimate the power of the Force!

From there, we still had about 20 minutes until the stunt show. I took the opportunity to take Reece’s light saber into the Star Wars store to exchange it. It did not make the noises that Birch’s did. So I went in there, asked for an exchange, and sent the boys to find an identical one. What I expected to take 3 minutes, took 15!!! The lady had to get the new one, take it out, open it up, put batteries in, and test it out. During this whole time I am asking her, “Are you sure you have batteries?”. “Oh yes.” End the end when she finally got it out and opened, guess what? No batteries. Yeah I was pissed. I finally took the light saber, shoved it in the backpack, and we quickly headed to the stunt show.

That delay, along with the slowness of the line getting into the stadium, set us back enough that we missed the very beginning of the show. Again. That was frustrating. Still, the kids liked it, especially Riley. From there we head out and over to Toy Story Mania for another ride. This time everybody rode without issue, and all had fun! I sat next to Josie, who had her own shooter this time. She liked it better with her own shooter.

By now it is getting close to the parade time. We ask a guy, and he gives us a recommendation for where to go. We go there, find a place in the shade, and wait about 25 minutes for the parade. I go across the way to get a couple of frozen lemonades for us to share. The place is very slow, and I barely make it across the street before the parade comes by. The parade was OK. They had what looked like a trampoline thing, but it must not have been working because no one was jumping on it. They also had to bring a “tow truck” for one of the floats in front of us that must not have been moving properly. The parade was good, but not great. The heat was wearing on everyone, I think.

Now what? We see we are near the Great Movie Ride. No one has ridden that before, so we give it a shot. We got to sit right up in the front near the narrator. I was worried this would make it too scary, but everyone survived it just fine. I thought it was a good ride, Haley just so-so. After got out we saw Pocahontas and took some pics:

Now the stomachs are grumbling, it is just after 4:00. I have the idea of us eating an early meal now with no crowds, then getting a heavy snack later while we wait for Fantasmic. We head into the ABC Commissary for a meal and some cool AC. It was empty, and we had our vittles. I had the curry chicken, which was good, but just not enough. Haley had a salad, which she liked. We relaxed in the cool for awhile, then headed over to the Animation Studios where we could learn to draw a character.

This didn’t do anything for me, but the kids wanted to go, so hey! I figured we would get in and out in 45 minutes, then see a street show or two before Fantasmic. We had some more bad queue luck in here. We walk up and get in the front of the line to get in. This means we just missed a show and we will be here sitting for 15 minutes. So we do. Then we go in and hear a lame spiel about animation from someone who had a speech impediment and was difficult to understand. Now, I’m all for giving people with disabilities an equal chance at work. But you give them a job where their disability isn’t a hindrance to the customer’s experience. So, another 15 minutes wasted.

Next we’re let into the main area, which still isn’t the place where you draw! This is where you can see a few minor exhibits, meet a few characters, and then get in line for the drawing class. There’s no one in line for the class, so we do a few character greetings. First we meet Frozone from The Incredibles, then Mickey in his sorcerer’s outfit.

After we wait in these lines we go to get in line for the drawing class. What? You’re kidding! The line is full, we won’t get in the next class, and we will have to wait ANOTHER HALF HOUR to get in! Good grief! This 45 minute jaunt ends up taking two hours. The only good part was Mr. And Mrs. Incredible came out, and Riley got to go meet them before the drawing class.

Eventually we get in, draw Pooh, then head out. Of course, its pouring when we get out at 7:00. What’s new? We wait under the awning to see if it will pass, and it eventually slows. We don our ponchos, for the 47th time , and head for Fantasmic!

We get in about 7:30 for the 8:00 show. I take the snack order and go get snacks for everyone. Let’s see, three churros, two popcorns, and a water. The lines are long, I get the food, then go back. As I get back, Birch’s anxiety is growing. He is worried about the show. And he has to go. Haley takes him, and returns with much more food and drink. The show begins, and Birch goes downhill. It is probably a combination of his anxiety for the show and the end of the long day that send him over the edge. He just can’t take it, worrying constantly about what happens next, crying through most of the show. Reece gets through it OK by covering his ears, and Riley, Josie, and I really enjoy it. Haley is frustrated though at another event she could not enjoy.

It ends, we head out and back to the condo. A good day overall, with some notable hiccups.

Up next: Our only day at the AK!

 

[wvdislover]

Great report! Enjoying it so far. As a mom with an Aspie DD11, I can relate to a lot of what you are talking about. I've had a couple of Ah Hah moments, too, as I better understand some of my DD's reactions to things. Sometimes it works better to hear it from someone else, than to try to figure it out on your own.

 

[friendswithdave]

Reece's Aspergers really only minifests itself in minor ways during our trip. The covering of the ears, the avoidance of 3D shows, and the clingyness to Mom I think are all related. This is all a general avoidance of strong sensations (sound, 3D), and he tends to be more risk averse than other children his age. But like most kids, once he gets up the courage to do a ride once, he enjoys it and wants to do it again.

 

[friendswithdave]

We get up and attum, excited about our only day at the Animal Kingdom! We arrive around 8:40, again before rope drop. It seems very busy with long lines and what appears to be a huge crowd waiting on the bridge for rope drop. However, all indications are the park wasn’t too crowded during the day, it just seemed that way.

The rope drops, and we head to our first ride: Triceratop Spin. Despite getting to AK early, we are so far back in line that we miss the first cycle, which has one family aboard. We get on the next cycle and enjoy our ride aboard these little dinos! From there we head to Dinosaur! I knew this would be a little scary, but I thought most everyone would enjoy it. We sit through the ubiquitous preshow, and then directly onto our time travel vehicle. The ride is scary, as expected. Of the children, only Reece had a mild enjoyment. The rest, not so much. I think Haley was disappointed that this ride made our list. OK, OK. We won’t ride it again!

From there we head to the first Nemo show of the day. We arrive 15 minutes early, get great seats and wait for the show. We all enjoy it, especially Haley and I. Next we cross the bridge to ride Expedition Everest. Like the RockNRoller Coaster, only the adults wanted to ride this one. I think the kids were all still reeling from the Dinosaur ride. Haley and I rode. I really liked it, but not quite as much as I thought I would. We meet up with the kids afterwords, and head to Kali River Rapids. The gang was looking forward to this; they enjoy these raft rides. Most of us don our ponchos (for the 187th time), and enter our raft. None of us got really wet. The big drop drenched this poor lady across from me who was wearing blue jeans. Those won’t dry any time soon!

It was near 11:30 and the gang was hungry. I had planned to eat at Tusker House since I heard good things about it. So we headed there. Now, what I didn’t know was this was a reservation place. As we approach, the lady tells us that the wait will be a half hour. A half hour? You’re kidding. It is not open yet, there are only a few people here waiting, and we can’t get into this huge restaurant? Good grief. So we sit, somewhat entertained by the African drum show. Eventually we get in, after about a 40 minute wait. Guess what we find inside? A half empty restaurant! You’ve got to be kidding me! Why were we waiting for 40 minutes to get into a half empty restaurant. What is the matter with these people. Well, what are we gonna do now? Eat.

We sit down, our drink orders are taken, and we head to the buffet. Now, I must say the food was very good. A wide variety, and everything was very tasty. Our best meal on Disney property during the entire trip. Not cheap either, though. About $120 for the whole gang including tip.

After our big meal, we need to walk it off. We head down the trail in Africa. Kind of disappointing, I must say. Not much to see, and most of the animals were resting. I heard the monkeys were gone because they just had a fight. Bad timing for us again, I guess. From there we rode the safaris. This was enjoyable. The wait wasn’t too bad, and the driver was very good. He was very personable and interacted with the crowd a lot. The animals were so-so. Again, resting in the heat of the day. I thought the animal experiences at BG Africa were better.

OK, what’s left to do? The Asia walk, the bird show, the parade, and the Lion King show. We head to Asia to see those animals. However, the heat and fatigue is getting to Josie, and she gets a little sick as we are heading into the Asia walk. That means we need a break. We sit for about 20 minutes just to rest up and rehydrate. We end up skipping the Asia walk and head to the nearby bird show for some more resting up time.

The kids enjoy the owl outside, then we head in for good seats. The show was good, but for me, the highlight was just after the end of the show. While the handler was talking with us at the end, the blue macaw went to pick a fight with one of the two red macaws. The red macaws wouldn’t back down, and there was a showdown between the macaws. The bird handler, with a helper, had to go break up the fight and try to calm the birds. There was 2-3 minutes of tension when you wondered if there would be an attack or ambush. Eventually, the ruffled feathers were settled, and all was well. Fun to see, though. It’s these unplanned interactions that I really enjoy when watching animals.

Since Josie still isn’t feeling well, we decide to forgo the parade and head to the Lion King show. We get some ice cream on the way and head in. Almost. Riley has to go. Bad! I take him ahead as we rush to the bathroom. Would he make it? In the end, no. Those underwear had to be sacrificed, and Riley went commando the rest of the day. We were running early enough, though, that we still had time to get in a picture with Brother Bear, and get in plenty early for the show. We got good seats again, and enjoyed the show. I think the kids liked this one better.

When it’s over, Josie is feeling better, so we decide to take in a few animals and trails around the tree. We also got some pics with Stich and a few other characters. We start at the front, then head around the back where the Its Tough to be a Bug lets out. This was a highlight of our day. Back behind the tree, by ourselves, pointing out all the different animals we can find carved in the tree. We also got to see a few real animals in the exhibits around the tree. I recommend this quiet time to all families in the Animal Kingdom.

The last thing to do is to find some frozen lemonade for me and Riley. We skipped ice cream earlier, holding out for frozen lemonade. It was around 5:30 and we found a few places that sold it, but none that would sell it to us. All were closed. That also frustrated the *&^*^$% out of me. In a theme park, wanting to spend money on food, and we couldn’t. It wasn’t until we left the park that we saw a cart selling frozen lemonade. However, it was blue and overly sweet. Not good and priced even higher than inside the park. $10 wasted there.

We won’t let that bum us out though. Despite Josie not feeling well for awhile, we all still had a great day. We stopped at IHOP for dinner and headed home for our last night in the condo. I do a little packing and laundry, mostly we put it off to the morning.

Up next: EPCOT? Maybe not.