Hot Dog, Hot Dog, Hot Diggity Dog! LINK TO TRIP REPORT!!!

[KatMark]

Happy Holidays to you, Mark and Max. I hope it is a wonderful day.

 

[dizneeat]

Merry Christmas, Tina, Mark and Max!

 

[that's nice]

Merry Christmas to you and your family!

Get ready for the white stuff tomorrow!

 

[tinacaplan]

I love the count down calendar. You ARE crafty.

I am sorry I have not been around. A lot has been going on here...and it has just kept me away from DIS. I have been thinking about you though.... I figured you had to have some more planning going on since your trip was getting so close. It really will be here soon!!

BTW, I LOVE the pic of Max with Lotso. Max looks so happy and the semi raised eyebrow on Lotso makes it look as though he is putting up with Max. Too cute!

Have a Merry, Merry Christmas!!!

No worries, Ann Marie. December is a busy time for everyone. I probably wouldn't be on here half as much if I didn't have a trip coming up (in just under 55 days!!) I hope that you and your family had a very Merry Christmas and that all is well out there.

And thanks for the compliments. Don't know why Max wanted Lotso, but when we went to the NYC Disney store, he was there, and Max wanted to take him home. I have to admit I did suprise myself with his calendar...although scrapbooking supplies certainly help!

Happy Holidays to you, Mark and Max. I hope it is a wonderful day.

Thanks, Kathy!

Merry Christmas, Tina, Mark and Max!

Thanks, Karin! Hope you had a very Merry Christmas in Austria!

Merry Christmas to you and your family!

Get ready for the white stuff tomorrow!

Thanks, Tim! I hope your family had a wonderful Christmas and it is snowing as I type this. Not sure how I feel about that. Its a day late! Oh well, guess that's better than nothing, right?

Thanks for the glad tidings everyone and I hope that everyone had a very Merry Christmas. We sure did! A trip-related update and a Christmas update will be coming soon... the trip update probably a bit sooner, as I'll hold off really getting into Christmas until I can post some pictures and I am just horribly lazy about uploading pictures.

 

[tinacaplan]

...I take the WORST pictures. I shouldn't even say that I take the worst pictures...that would imply that I actually take pictures, and therein lies the problem. I don't take nearly as many pictures as I should. I seem to always take a few and then I loose interest pretty quickly. Kind of sad, really. How can I get over this before our next trip?

Anyway, here are my (carefully edited) Christmas pictures...

My incredibly shy son meeting Santa and Mrs. Claus the weekend before Christmas. He held court with Santa for at least five minutes, and wouldn've stayed longer, had a line not developed behind us. He told him all about the car set he wanted for Chirstmas! Love that kid so much! There was no hesitation on his part whatsoever, no crying, nothing. He just got right up there and started talking.

Our Christmas was very nice. We spent a couple days with my parents. The whole family (my aunts, cousins, and uncle) came for Christmas Eve and we opened presents and my mother cooked a wonderful meal. Christmas Day began with Max sleeping in to a respectable seven a.m., before we got up to see if Santa had come. Indeed, he had. Max was not quite as impressed by the whole thing as I had hoped, but I also think he might have been a bit overwhelmed by then. Its also tough (I have since realized) for a three and a half year old to tear open tons of packages, only to find the toys he had been hoping for wrapped up in yet another layer of plastic and cardboard.

Max got his "car set," which turned out to be a Piston Cup 500 racing set, as well as, it seems, the entire cast of "Cars." I think we could re-stage the entire movie in our living room at this point. I still can't get over what a marketing gold mine that movie is, especially when you consider that the movie came out in 2005! I can't imagine what will be available once Cars 2 comes out this summer. It makes me wonder why Disney hasn't done more with that movie at Disneyworld...or Toy Story, for that matter. I know there is any entire Toy Story land at DLRP, but why not in Orlando???

My parents also ordered him a Lightening McQueen bed, which has yet to arrive, and a "Cars" sheet and comforter set, as it appears that my little baby will be making the transition to a big boy bed this week, as soon as the bed gets here. Hard to believe... I know its a cliche to say this...but, seriously, where does the time go?

After we opened out gifts with my parents, we hung out, took naps and relaxed. Later in the day we watched "The Little Mermaid." Max wasn't completely into this one and he was, I think, genuinely scared of Ursula and Flotsam and Jetsam. They are scary! Probably scarier than anything he's yet seen in a movie. Its funny...he really enjoyed "Beauty and the Beast," and even "Snow White." Next up on the agenda for Disney movie watching are "Peter Pan" and "Dumbo," both of which I feel we MUST see before our trip.

Which is coming up so quickly... He loves his countdown calendar, by the wa, even though he wants to take off whatever circles he feels like. He is enjoying discovering what stickers he reveals every morning.

I am going to try and work on a trip update later, as we try and shovel out from under a foot and a half of snow. Thankfully, its over and may it only snow again if it results in a snow day! I could seriously live quite happily without this white stuff, that's for sure...

 

[tinacaplan]

So, following what I am sure will be an exhausting day one...herewith are my updated plans for our second day.

This is lovely picture I found of Coronado Springs:

I remember being there last year and looking out across the lake, thinking, wow, am I really here?


We have an early ADR at the Crystal Palace. So looking forward to puffed french toast and meeting these guys:

This is also a new restaraunt for us, as we've never eaten here before.

After what I am sure will be a memorable breakfast and character experience, we will head to Fantasyland!

More in my next update...Max wants to look at the CSR video again!

 

[annmarieda]

Sounds like a nice Christmas. I love the pics with Mr. and Mrs. Claus.

I wish my boys had been able to enjoy Cars just a bit more, but they were too old when it came out. (10 and 12) For us now...it is all princesses and fairies cause dd is only 5.

Love your update. I really like how you find pictures to highlight what you intend to do.

 

[tinacaplan]

Sounds like a nice Christmas. I love the pics with Mr. and Mrs. Claus.

I wish my boys had been able to enjoy Cars just a bit more, but they were too old when it came out. (10 and 12) For us now...it is all princesses and fairies cause dd is only 5.

Love your update. I really like how you find pictures to highlight what you intend to do.

I thought that I had hated the Princesses...and then we started working our way through some of the Princess movies and well, beyond all the pink, plastic, marketing ickiness, they are great movies. I still can't get over how much Max enjoyed Beauty and the Beast and he watched the Little Mermaid for a second time this evening.

I think I might let him watch too many Disney movies.... Am I bad a mom?

 

[KatMark]

What a great Christmas! And lucky Max getting ALL the Cars.

Your Day 2 plans sound great. CP is our FAVORITE character meal and the puffed french toast...all I can say is

 

[tinacaplan]

When I last left you, faithful readers, I had to pause so that Max could watch the thirteen minute tour of Coronado Springson allears.net. If you haven't seen it yet, and have any interest in the beauty that is CSR, I strongly urge you to check it out. They even put in a snazzy soundtrack that never fails to get me in the mood and makes me want to be right there, right now...

Now, I know that I have to do a lot more research, but I think, based on what we' heard, perhaps we'll try and get FPs for Pooh and then head over to Dumbo and the Teacups. We can work our way through the rest of the Fantasyland rides.

Depending on where we're at for time, I think we'll mosey on over to Tomorrowland...

I know we want to get on the Tomorrowland Transit Authority, as well as Buzz Lightyear. I'm also hoping that Carousel of Progress is open. I know that Max probably won't be all that entertained by this, but I found it enthralling when I was at Disney as a kid. I was a weird kid. I know.

After that, I am assuming it will be close to lunch time-ish and we'll be at that point during the day when it will be time to assess what we should do with the rest of our afternoon. We might grab snacks or a light lunch and then...who knows? We could head back to the resort, certainly. Or we could decide to carry on. It will depend, mostly, on Max's mood and the overall crowd situation. I have time scheduled back at MK later on in the week, so there are things I'm not worried about getting to right away, like Pirates, the Hall of Presidents, or BTMRR. More on that later...

More than likely, we will head back to CSR for some time here:

Yes, I am really hoping we catch some pool weather. You have to understand that we're from New England and there is currently over a foot of snow outside my door. Sunny and temps above sixty will be enough to get me into at least the hot tub and I know Max is looking forward to the incredibly playground. After that, it will probably be time for at least an attempt at a nap before out evening out.

We're headed to Animal Kindgom Lodge.

I LOVE AKL!!! In fact, some day, I will stay here. I think I'll wait a couple years for Max to be a bit older, though. I also think it would be my dream resort for my dream Christmas stay because it absolutely wouldn't bother me to spend some serious time at the resort if we stayedh here. It is so beautiful and you really do feel like you're transported someplace else. I could also see staying here if we ever drove down in the summer. Again, more time and having our own car would lessen any concerns about being so far out and relying on Disney transportation. Who knows?

In the meantime, we can dine here and tour the resort, and that's the plan. We have an ADR that evening (around six-ish, I think) at Jiko. I had originally planned on doing the dinner buffet at Boma, but when I really thought about the fact that we are doing the Deluxe dining plan, I figured...hey, why not do Jiko, instead? Especially since I'm not a major buffet fan, esepcially with a three year old. And, as I think I've mentioned previously, the warm hand towels made a huge impression on my often indifferent husband. This was not one of my favorite meals on our last trip. It was fine. But I probably would've enjoyed it a bit more had I been more adventerous in my choices, which I plan to be this time out.

After dinner, I'm hoping we can take some time to look around the resort a bit more than we did last time, when we were overwhelmed first-timers.

We'll then head back to the resort, where I will be a good mommy, tuck both of my boys into bed, and hit MK for a solo tour of evening EMHs. Well...hoping I'm not too solo, as Dizneeat, Tom and Karin, should be around to accompany me. I loved evening EMHs at MK last year and I have high expectations again this year. It was truly a trip highlight for me and will give me ample opportunity to ride BTMRR and Space Mountain as many times as I want! Yay for me!

...of course, I realize, I'm setting myself up for a tough morning the next day...but, hey, I'm going to be at Disney....I can sleep some other time, right?

 

[tinacaplan]

What a great Christmas! And lucky Max getting ALL the Cars.

Your Day 2 plans sound great. CP is our FAVORITE character meal and the puffed french toast...all I can say is

Max is very lucky! Now I need to get him to understand that there will be no more presents for awhile!

I have to say that you are a big part of the reason I'm so excited for our CP breakfast. Both of your TRs have made it look like so much fun and the food sounds really good, too. Although, I have to admit that the ability to get into MK ahead of everyone else is pretty enticing, too.

So, perhaps in addtion to you getting some referral perks from CSR, you should get something from CP, as well?

 

[dizneeat]

We'll then head back to the resort, where I will be a good mommy, tuck both of my boys into bed, and hit MK for a solo tour of evening EMHs. Well...hoping I'm not too solo, as Dizneeat, Tom and Karin, should be around to accompany me. I loved evening EMHs at MK last year and I have high expectations again this year. It was truly a trip highlight for me and will give me ample opportunity to ride BTMRR and Space Mountain as many times as I want! Yay for me!

...of course, I realize, I'm setting myself up for a tough morning the next day...but, hey, I'm going to be at Disney....I can sleep some other time, right?

We sure hope to spend some time with you, Tina! And riding SM and BTMRR is right up our street!

Plus all three of us will be in for quite a tough morning on President's Day! But this is Disney ...... you are even refreshed with half the sleep you get at home! ........ or so they say!

........... I love your Christmas photos! So cool to see a little glimpse of your real life as well! Max is just so cute!

Your plans look good, Tina. I can't believe you are so ahead of me ........ I still haven't done any in-depth planning! YET

 

[tinacaplan]

We sure hope to spend some time with you, Tina! And riding SM and BTMRR is right up our street!

Plus all three of us will be in for quite a tough morning on President's Day! But this is Disney ...... you are even refreshed with half the sleep you get at home! ........ or so they say!

........... I love your Christmas photos! So cool to see a little glimpse of your real life as well! Max is just so cute!

Your plans look good, Tina. I can't believe you are so ahead of me ........ I still haven't done any in-depth planning! YET

I can't wait to meet you and spend some time with you. Glad to hear you and Tom enjoy SM and BTMRR. Its so funny, too, because I can't/won't ride thrill rides anywhere but Disney!

Whatever rough shape I'm in Monday morning will definitely be worth it, I think. I love feeling like I'm someplace that would otherwise be jam packed with people and I'm one of the only ones there... Same time last year and MK was pretty empty by about one that morning. So cool.

I'm glad that you enjoy the pictures. I like sharing all of that on here. The Dis has also become a place for me to break out the mommy pictures in a big way.

Believe me, once I start planning our AK day, I won't seem all that together. I know I need a solid plan for that day so we don't end up missing everything, like Mark and I did last year. Plus, I've had a long time to plan this one week...someone else I know had a month long excursion to plan in between, not to mention a trip to DLRP!

 

[tinacaplan]

I am hoping that I will wake up at a reasonable time and we can make rope drop at EPCOT this morning. After evening EMHs at MK, that will be a bit dicey... but how can you deny a bouncy three year old?

We'll grab something for breakfast at Pepper Market and hit the busses to head to EPCOT. Of the thrill rides at EPCOT the only my husband and I really care about is Soarin'. TT is cool and I know Max would love it, but there is just no way (short of a miracle) that he's going to make the height requirement before our trip.

So, we'll head to Spaceship Earth, which is one of our favorites. After that, we could head over to the Land and ride Living with the Land. We'll see about Soarin'. Maybe try the single rider line? I don't think the whole baby swap think would work, to be honest. I also don't know how Max is going to react to one of us going on a ride that he can't. I have plans to slip away for EE and the RnRC, but I think doing Soarin' might be a bit more dicey.

After that, we'll hit Nemo and Turtle Talk with Crush. Max is very much looking forward to meeting Crush. He loves Nemo. It was the very first movie Max ever sat through all the way.

Once we're done we might go through Innoventions, where there is apparently more to see than I had realized.

After that, we'll head to World Showcase to grab lunch. I had originally planned on lunch at Via Napoli, but decided to hold that off for Friday night's dinner, instead. We already have an ADR at Biergarten and another one later in the week at Le Cellier for lunch (all I could get!) and believe it or not there wasn't any other TS place I was dying to go to. I had considered Teppan Edo, but then decided it might be fun to keep it loose for once. I would love to try the CS in Morrocco, but we'll see.

I know we'll be heading back to CSR by one because we're meeting up with Tom and Karin at the Dig Site (hopefully...even if the weather isn't super warm, I know Max will enjoy the playground) and my mom will have arrived!

That's here on Christmas Eve this year...she looks fantastic! I hope I look that good when I'm her age. Sadly, my legs will never, nor have they ever, been as outstanding as hers. Oh well. I take after my dad's side much more.

After all that fun...we have a dinner ADR at O'Hana. I am so looking forward to this. I think Max will really enjoy it and I can't wait to check out the Poly. Afterwards, I hope we can make it to MK for the Main Street Electrical Parade and Wishes. This is probably the only time my mom will make it to MK. She decided to come long after I had planned our week out, so...

Sometime after Wishes we'll head back to CSR for some much needed rest! We have another really early morning the next day!

 

[tinacaplan]

Well, as if it weren't enough being Christmas and all...

1. Max started potty training and hasn't had a diaper on during the day in the past forty-eight hours!! We didn't think this kid was ever going to go in his potty!

2. Max got his big boy bed. Its red. Its in the shape of a car. Its Lightening McQueen!!

3. Our trip is PAID IN FULL!

I know I should feel nostalgic or sentimental about my baby growing up, but actually, I'm just totally excited! Yes, I miss holding that little lump of love in my arms and having him sleep on my chest... but I love how he talks and his personality and the way he can make people laugh and light up a room a lot more! I am so enjoying watching him grow up. Its the best thing ever.

 

[annmarieda]

VERY COOL!!!! Congrats to both you and Max!

 

[tinacaplan]

​

 

[tinacaplan]

This past year has been, by far, one of the most trying of my life thus far. I was not prepared for some of the not so nice things that can happen when you're a responsible adult. I am hopeful that most of the drama and chaos are behind me, but there are still some bumps in the road ahead. I have been having a hard time getting psyched up to go back to school tomorrow, as I would love to be able to stay home and spend more time with my little boy. He is growing into a charming, hillarious little man and he is a blast to hang out with. I've even been questioning my decision to leave the traditional public school I had taught at for a charter school, where the school day is about three hours longer! I know that in the end I did the right thing but right now I'm feeling a tad overwhelmed by it. I know it will pass...in about seven weeks! Right about the time our plane takes off from Bradley!

I am very thankful for everyone I've gotten to know on the Dis and, believe me, reading about all of your adventures in Disney has put a smile on my face more times than I can count. It has been a blessing...

And now for some input for all you more seasoned travellers out there... As you know, this is our first plane flight with Max. He was very good on the train to NYC (about an hour and a half long) and he is generally very good in the car. We are debating whether or not to buy a portable DVD player for the plane so that he's occupied. I hate to think this is what its come down to, but I'm anxious about how Max will do during the flight.

Beyond that, I would love to hear any and all tips and information you all have for travelling with an almost potty trained toddler!

Thanks again!

 

[eandesmom]

I'm so behind!

Congrats on paying off the trip and big boy beds, very exciting! Adorable xmas pics of Max

On the portable DVD...how long is the flight? and what airline are you flying? Some have them for rent in-flight and that can be a far cheaper way to go.

For me at that age it was always hard to tell what would capture interest so I remember packing a variety of things so that we could switch if they got bored. Never had a DVD player but did have a leapster and if memory serves, that mixed with coloring books, story books, plenty of snacks, generally seemed to get us through.

 

[KatMark]

Well, as if it weren't enough being Christmas and all...

1. Max started potty training and hasn't had a diaper on during the day in the past forty-eight hours!! We didn't think this kid was ever going to go in his potty!

2. Max got his big boy bed. Its red. Its in the shape of a car. Its Lightening McQueen!!

3. Our trip is PAID IN FULL!

I know I should feel nostalgic or sentimental about my baby growing up, but actually, I'm just totally excited! Yes, I miss holding that little lump of love in my arms and having him sleep on my chest... but I love how he talks and his personality and the way he can make people laugh and light up a room a lot more! I am so enjoying watching him grow up. Its the best thing ever.

This past year has been, by far, one of the most trying of my life thus far. I was not prepared for some of the not so nice things that can happen when you're a responsible adult. I am hopeful that most of the drama and chaos are behind me, but there are still some bumps in the road ahead. I have been having a hard time getting psyched up to go back to school tomorrow, as I would love to be able to stay home and spend more time with my little boy. He is growing into a charming, hillarious little man and he is a blast to hang out with. I've even been questioning my decision to leave the traditional public school I had taught at for a charter school, where the school day is about three hours longer! I know that in the end I did the right thing but right now I'm feeling a tad overwhelmed by it. I know it will pass...in about seven weeks! Right about the time our plane takes off from Bradley!

I am very thankful for everyone I've gotten to know on the Dis and, believe me, reading about all of your adventures in Disney has put a smile on my face more times than I can count. It has been a blessing...

And now for some input for all you more seasoned travellers out there... As you know, this is our first plane flight with Max. He was very good on the train to NYC (about an hour and a half long) and he is generally very good in the car. We are debating whether or not to buy a portable DVD player for the plane so that he's occupied. I hate to think this is what its come down to, but I'm anxious about how Max will do during the flight.

Beyond that, I would love to hear any and all tips and information you all have for travelling with an almost potty trained toddler!

Thanks again!

1. Hooray on the potty training going well!

2. Hooray for the trip being paid off.

3. Horray for the big boy bed. And I know what you mean about enjoying this time/Max's age. I loved when my boys were baby's, but I had so much fun with them when they started showing their true personality and spending the day with them listening to them or watching them interact with others.

How long is your flight? What airline? I know a lot of the airlines have the free headphones and you can listen to the radio and they do have a Disney station. I wouldn't go with the expensen of a portable DVD player if it's a short flight or Max can just listen to music and color or something.