Holiday Dreams Do Come True with Pooh-Pooh Too! Family of 14 at WL (COMPLETED 3/23)

[exwdwcm]

Shula's Steakhouse sounds incredible!! Glad you had such a fun evening!!

it is definitely a nice splurge meal for a special occassion and nice to do something different outside the park and official disney resorts!

 

[LOVEMY3KIDDOS]

I got the Grand Marnier...loved it!!!

 

[Pollito916]

Ohh, I would love to be drinking around the world right now!

Last time we did Epcot at night it was so cold that my mom & sister left as soon as dinner was over. I got a grey goose slushie, but it was so cold I couldn't stand holding it and put it in the stroller cupholder! DH wasn't in the mood for drinking and didn't have anything. That is not like him, but he was getting some bad news from work and couldn't relax.

 

[exwdwcm]

I got the Grand Marnier...loved it!!!

YUMMY!!!

Ohh, I would love to be drinking around the world right now!

Last time we did Epcot at night it was so cold that my mom & sister left as soon as dinner was over. I got a grey goose slushie, but it was so cold I couldn't stand holding it and put it in the stroller cupholder! DH wasn't in the mood for drinking and didn't have anything. That is not like him, but he was getting some bad news from work and couldn't relax.

no drinky drinks for you ms. preggo! at least not of the alcoholic nature for another 9 months!

lol at the frozen drink in the cold- hey, sometimes you just gotta do it!


SO GREAT NEWS!!!!! i have mentioned DH and I did the DVC tour on this trip at his recommendation - shocker!!! I've never had an interest in DVC because DH just isn't a disney guy. he has been a few times with me, but never had the passion like me- he just goes to appease me. Well this last trip being our first with our son, i think really left a mark. We did hte tour, he thought it sounded good, which is saying a lot from a guy that works in commercial real estate investments and only wants a return on an investment! but he sees the value if we want to go back and stay in a deluxe.

so i've been pushing the issue ever since our trip. Even Pooh got in on the act- he is always picking up the DVC catalog or DVD cover/booklet and showing it to me or Alan. lol Well Alan said today he was going to surprise me for our 10th anniversary (next year) with DVC, but said we could do it now if I wanted. So it is a go!! he said to call our guide whenever I am ready and get a contract to review!!! yeah. I know we will probably go back and forth ensuring the contract is right (I have heard people find lots of errors). So i'll be making the call in the next week and start our journey to becoming DVC owners. We have decided on 200 points at BLT. I can't wait. Not sure when our next trip will be. I am seeing if Alan will consider early/mid October for 5 days for food/wine and MNSSHP and maybe even bringing his mom with us or something. We will see. But regardless, i'll be DVC, so i know there will always be a trip in my future!!! yeah!!!!!!!

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

Michelle, that is AWESOME news on DVC!!! I'm so excited for you!

 

[k_reile]

awesome news!

 

[Pollito916]

Michelle, that's awesome news! And how great that Will helped out with convincing your DH too!

 

[LOVEMY3KIDDOS]

Congrats on the DVC news!!!! That is awesome!

 

[ladybugmom]

Whooo hooo!! Congrats to DVC, Michelle!!!

 

[praisehisname]

So i'll be making the call in the next week and start our journey to becoming DVC owners. We have decided on 200 points at BLT.

That is awesome news!!! Our 20th is in 2 years, I'll have to start dropping hints!

 

[exwdwcm]

That is awesome news!!! Our 20th is in 2 years, I'll have to start dropping hints!

Yes, start dropping hints!

Thank you all!!! We are so excited. I am probably going to make the call to our guide after work today, probably won't catch him, but i can at least leave a message and get the ball rolling.

Alan and I talked last night and he really enjoyed our December trip, so we might consider going in December this year again. We only need a studio and even for a week with an MK view it is under 150 points the first 2 weeks of December, so we might do that. Alan said he really liked doing early December with the great weather, lower crowds and holiday stuff. Pooh loved the 'snow'.

My only concern is trying to get pregnant. We would like a second child and will need to start by this summer probably (I'm 36 and Alan is 38)......and it will most likely mean some intervention again- we had to use IVF to have Pooh. So we will see. I will just have to plan that i could possibly be preggo when we go, which is fine or plan to not have any fertility treatments etc. in December. But i can't let what 'might' be rule my life and plans.

 

[Pollito916]

Aww, best of luck to you Michelle! You will have a great trip either way. My DH wants to return in December as well, so maybe we'll see you there! My little one (girl!) will be about 2 months by then for the (her!) first trip!

 

[exwdwcm]

Aww, best of luck to you Michelle! You will have a great trip either way. My DH wants to return in December as well, so maybe we'll see you there! My little one (girl!) will be about 2 months by then for the (her!) first trip!

LOL Sara, i am still thinking pink for you too- so 'her' sounds appropriate!

 

[khertz]

Congrats on buying DVC! I hope y'all are able to work it out for another trip in December. Now that we have done it, I can't imagine planning a trip for any other time! (Of course, if an opportunity presented itself, I certainly wouldn't turn it down! ) I tried convincing DH we should go this year for our anniversary (end of Sept/early Oct), but no go. I think we'll be going to D.C. instead, but I'll keep trying to slip Disney in every once in awhile in case he changes his mind.

 

[exwdwcm]

Congrats on buying DVC! I hope y'all are able to work it out for another trip in December. Now that we have done it, I can't imagine planning a trip for any other time! (Of course, if an opportunity presented itself, I certainly wouldn't turn it down! ) I tried convincing DH we should go this year for our anniversary (end of Sept/early Oct), but no go. I think we'll be going to D.C. instead, but I'll keep trying to slip Disney in every once in awhile in case he changes his mind.

thank you!! I made the call to our guide this am actually. he is checking on our choice of a June use year and is going to call me back. The incentives might have changed a bit since it is now February. So just waiting his call and the packet in the mail should be coming soon!

DC is fun too though- i'd like to do a DC trip and check out the smithsonian. I've been on business many times and managed to see a few of the sites, but never with DH.

Been super busy at work and had a Quincenera to go to in Houston this weekend. So i will get the new chapter up in the next day or so! Stay tuned- this trip is only half over!

 

[exwdwcm]

woo hoo, it is official- we put the downpayment down today on 200pts at BLT! ready to book for another December trip next week probably!!!

 

[MadilynnsMomma]

YAY!!! Congrats on DVC! Someday, maybe my 10th Anni I will get that too

I am all caught up and enjoying the trip - I have gone back to school and DIS has been last on my list, but I am here, caught up & ready for more!

 

[exwdwcm]

Sorry for the delay, work has been crazy. they actually expect me to uh, work!

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15, DAY 6

So we are more than halfway through the trip now- bah humbug! Today’s plan was to meet in the lobby early and head to AKL for breakfast at BOMA, followed by a morning at Downtown Disney where the kids had appointments at BBB (sorry, not spelling that one out!). Then it would be shopping, lunch at DTD and MVMCP that night. Remember, we had just completed our Drink around the world the night before, but we got in early enough and no one was hungover! But still, most of the group decided to sleep in.

My parents, Alan, me, Will and Nene met in the lobby at about 8:15am and drove over to the Animal Kingdom Lodge for our 8:55am breakfast. My parents, Nancy and I had dinner here before the podcast cruise in May and it was good. I had heard good things about breakfast, so we had planned to try it out. We made it in plenty of time and were seated pretty quickly.

We were seated near the buffet area, which can be good and bad. It was good for mom since she didn’t have to maneuver through tons of tables with her poor vision. Bad, since people were constantly walking right next to our table. The food was good, but to be honest, I wasn’t that impressed. It wasn’t anything special that I would go back for. The famous juice was good, but not my favorite. My mom did love it. There was a really strange family sitting near us- with another family. The woman was dressed like she was going to a nightclub, it was so odd. She had all this long blonde hair down to hear back and high heels and short dress on with sparkles. To each their own. I was so tempted to take pictures of people like this, but I refrained. I mean, who am I to judge? Maybe she was going to some special event not in the parks or something?

Anyhow, definitely good people watching. I enjoyed the breakfast basics, since I am not an exotic eater. We finished up fairly fast and headed back to the lobby to take some pictures. We had a 12:10 appointment for the kids at DTD BBB, so we couldn’t lollygag long if we wanted to get any shopping in first. So we headed out, paid the bill and were on our way. I wanted to explore AKL more, but mom was tired and no one really wanted to walk around much. I’ve stayed there before anyhow. So off we went to DTD. Once again, it was a nightmare finding parking. It was probably nearing 11am by now, just in time for the lunch crowds. First up, we hit the lego store. Alan wanted to check out the Star Wars stuff to maybe buy for his nephews. He looked a while and I took Pooh outside to play with the legos there. He had fun. That playground there was closed again- I don’t think I ever see it open. He would have loved it though. So we played and ended up in the hot sun. It was very warm that day. Soon Alan was done- he bought two large star wars kits- like $130 for one and $100 for the other!

We decided to head to McDonald's for a quick drink and went in to look around the T-Rex cafe too. I had heard about it, but never seen it, so we went in to just look around. Very cool place. I am not a big fan of Rainforest cafe food- (i think it is overpriced bar food), so we didn't eat here, but maybe we will consider stopping in for an appetizer or dessert sometime n the future.

After that, it was time to head to our BBB appointment. Princess and Mikey had already gotten started. The boys were just getting the ‘cool dude’, which is like $12 or less if I remember right. Ally was getting the full on package where she picks a dress, gets the photoshoot and the whole nine yards. Will doesn’t like having his haircut, so I think he was a bit scared. He sat there and didn’t cry, but didn’t smile much either. They simply put some colored dye gel in his hair, spiked it up, put mickey head confetti in it etc. It was fun. We will probably do it again once he is older.

Mikey and Princess were loving their treatment. It took Princess much longer of course. She picked out a Tinkerbell dress, which is funny since she really likes the princesses, but she has a lot of their costumes at home. They put her hair in a tight bun and she looked gorgeous!

I wanted to get some good shopping done today. We spent some time at the jewelry counter and I found a watch I wanted that mom bought for me! My sister got the same one and Nene got a slightly less Disney one- all ‘boyfriend’ style. My mom also found a gorgeous necklace and some nice earrings too- not the $15 type. Later, I realized she bought the earrings for me. They are so sparkly and cute! We also loaded up on photo albums, picture frames, t-shirts (matching to wear that night!) and more. I got a few Christmas gifts for nieces and nephews back home. Alan stayed outside with Pooh most of the time, so I could shop like crazy. We had most of our purchases shipped home. We all got the special castle fleece blanket they were selling as the ‘special’. We were able to get our Disney visa discounts too. After leaving World of Disney, we headed over the Once Upon a Toy Store and I bought more gifts there, including the big train set for Pooh and Alan got the double sided light saber. We also got the Mr. Potato head too. That was fun. We had it all sent back to the room. We didn’t ship that stuff for some reason, don’t ask me why because that train set box is huge. Not sure how we expected to get it home.

I also toured a few other stores and then we were getting hungry, since it was like 2pm by now. So we hit up our favorite- Earle of Sandwich for the second time this trip. As usual, the line was crazy and finding a table was mission impossible. The big table off to the left with the high bar stools only had two guys at it, so we stalked the other end of the table and then the whole thing once they left. It fit us all. We all enjoyed another great sandwich and tomato soup!

Pooh had a mickey head on the back of his head from his hair do and it wasn’t quite dry and of course got all over his stroller! It was a blue mickey head with red ears. I still can’t get all of the red out of his hair. You can still see a very very faint circle of red back there. I’ve washed it like crazy and it just wouldn’t come out. Mind you, we are now like 45 days past the trip! So beware of that!!! Maybe use a lighter color!

After lunch, we decided to let Pooh play in the fountain outside. It was a warm day afterall. He had a blast. I would have let him play there forever, but there was a problem. It was slick. Even with or without his crocs on, he kept sliding and falling backwards and hitting his head. I was a nervous wreck watching him, waiting for him to slide and fall again. Of course he kept trying to run. Not sure why that area was so slick, some of the other water play areas I’ve seen aren’t like that. I think it was the ‘lights’ they had that were built into the ground, the plastic covers on them were super slippery and there was one of those lights every foot or less. Everytime he hit one of those, boom, he fell, feet out from under him on his back. Scared me to death each time. I finally got out there with him to try and make sure he didn’t fall, but that isn’t any fun for him. His diaper was once again soaked and the insides were running out (if you have ever let your kid in a diaper play in water, you know what I am talking about- it is so gross!).

oh and just a note- i know, we just had his hair done and now we let him play in the water and mess it up? well he kept touching it and rubbing it anyhow and he really didn't get his hair that wet. in fact it was still glittery for that night. but it was our last time at DTD and last chance to do the fountains, so we did! by the way, i hear they might be closing that mcdonald's and adding a POllo Campero instead. the lego store is probably leaving too, since they are building a lego land florida now

So we drug Pooh, kicking and screaming back to the car. It was time for a nap and break before hitting up MVMCP that night! Our plan was to leave by at least 6pm, since the party starts at 7. Hopefully a bit earlier. We were all pooped, this was really our ‘break day’ where we were not doing a park in the morning/afternoon, but we were still busy. One day we will finally manage to have a real break day where we actually sleep in and just relax. WE never did that this trip. Even with 9 days, we felt like we were running out of time and we still missed a lot.

Back to the room and Pooh’s Pooh bears were all lined up.

We got him down for a rest and rested a bit ourselves, although I think Alan actually went and worked out at the gym. I know. i also went and got my mug refilled and a snack- a brownie concoction- oh and some tylenol!

stay tuned, will we make it to MVMCP in time? Will we catch the christmas parade? Find somewhere to eat?

 

[khertz]

I love all the BBB pics! Will definitely looks like a cool dude. But that is crazy about the red spots still in his hair! What the heck do they use for that stuff??

I'll be disappointed if they get rid of the Lego store & the statues. Although I guess I could see why they would.

Can't wait to read about your MVMCP night!

 

[ladybugmom]

YAY!! Great update!! I loved hearing about all of the shopping you did!! Are you going to share any pics of what you bought?! The BBB pics are just precious!!! Can't wait to hear about MVMCP!!!