Houston, We Have A Secret: A TX Vacation With A WDW Surprise ...aaand Done! Page 43

[mom3sonstt]

If nothing else convinces you, there is the matter of Mrs. Knowitall's Key Lime Pie of Awesomeness.

Where's Homer when you need him!

 

[petals]

The festival looks like a lot of fun, but yeah, a little out of our way. Europe is on our bucket list, though, so maybe one day we'll make it over there.
And we actually have pig races here! Every year at the Wisconsin State Fair they set up a pig race track. The pigs start in little starting blocks, just like horse races. They open the gates, and the pig race around the track to the Oreo cookie at the end. Except for one smart pig a few years ago. The gates opened, and after all of the other pig started running, he turned around, walked 3 or 4 feet, and ate the Oreo!

Lol what a clever pig! None of this running stuff for him! Our pig derby is quite famous apparently as it always makes all the national papers the day after!
Ireland is nice though... it's a little cold and wet but it's quite pretty if you did ever get over this far!

 

[E3yore]

Well, my backyard has a playground WITH a swingset, as well as a deck where you can relax with your beverage of choice. And it's definitely warmer than Wisconsin in March, and within a 3-hour flight. And we have room for wiffle ball and Nerf football games as well.

Ok, maybe you want to widen the search just past my backyard. Well, you know what they say about Delaware: So Close To Where You'd Rather Be. We offer a great home base to explore D.C., Baltimore, and Philadelphia. D.C. has great (Free!) museums, a zoo, and a very nice subway system that my kids think is also an attraction in and of itself. Not to mention all the historic spots in the I-95 corridor.

Oh, and did I mention the great beaches? Besides Slaughter Beach, I mean.

If nothing else convinces you, there is the matter of Mrs. Knowitall's Key Lime Pie of Awesomeness.

Mark, you are making a very good argument.

But...warmer than Wisconsin in March is not exactly what I am looking for. Most of the Northern Hemisphere is warmer than Wisconsin in March. What exactly are you talking about, 50's, 60's?

 

[dvc4life]

Ok, no flames here please, but we took a Spring Break one year up to Wisconsin Dells, stayed at the Wilderness Lodge and it was above 70 degrees! I have pictures of us standing outside in our swimsuits gettin ready to head to the waterpark. Haven't even left our room yet. It was so nice up there that year - which I believe was 2003. So, why go anywhere else when you can have excellent weather there in Wisconsin at an indoor waterpark?

Just kidding. If I were you I would be on the first plane out of there to a much warmer climate, which is why we usually go to Florida now for Spring Break time. Because I don't think there will ever be that nice of March for Spring Break again up in Wisconsin.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Mark, you are making a very good argument.

But...warmer than Wisconsin in March is not exactly what I am looking for. Most of the Northern Hemisphere is warmer than Wisconsin in March. What exactly are you talking about, 50's, 60's?

Well, March is one of those...iffy months. We've had snow in March before...and also beautiful 70-degree days that I took advantage of to play golf. So I have no idea.

 

[KatMark]

Hey, Barry. Did you decide to take a scenic route to Chicago and leave early and the reason for no update??????

 

[FreezinRafiki]

What??? Are you trying to tell me Disney is guilty of product placement???

It's true. They also sell Coke products and Orville Redenbocker Popcorn. Did you know that? Did you?

And then you have to go explain it to Bambi.

Nope. When in doubt, blame the dog.

The list of those jobs seems to grow by the minute.

I'd even be the guy with the wheelbarrow and shovel who follows the horses in the parades if they'd pay me in Dole Whip.

Since you're from Wisconsin, you'd better define what jacket weather is. Are we talking cooler than freezing? It's a fine line, because we still need to make sure it is cool enough for Barry to wear his official DISdads meet sweatshirt.

In Wisconsin, we cancel winter survival training if it's -60°F due to lack of cold temps.

Quite so, my good man. Perhaps tea and crumpets after--

*cough* Sorry, I can't keep talking like that. What's a crumpet, anyway?

Not sure. I think it's like a cookie, but it also sounds like some kind of cricket. Let's say it's a cookie made of crickets.

And...um...I picked the Packers to win that game, too.

Ok. I'll make sure he buys your pizza, too!

I'm looking forward to seeing you, Kathy! And making fun of Barry.

So am I. On both counts.

I looked into getting game tickets, then saw I would need a 2nd mortgage to do so. So I looked for an off-day to do the tour, instead. I think my boys will enjoy that more, actually.

Of course, the way they're playing now you can probably find a scalper to pay you to take the tickets.

I wish you could crash the lunch! The more the merrier!

Well, my backyard has a playground WITH a swingset, as well as a deck where you can relax with your beverage of choice. And it's definitely warmer than Wisconsin in March, and within a 3-hour flight. And we have room for wiffle ball and Nerf football games as well.

Hmmm...this sounds promising...

Ok, maybe you want to widen the search just past my backyard. Well, you know what they say about Delaware: So Close To Where You'd Rather Be. We offer a great home base to explore D.C., Baltimore, and Philadelphia. D.C. has great (Free!) museums, a zoo, and a very nice subway system that my kids think is also an attraction in and of itself. Not to mention all the historic spots in the I-95 corridor.

(I hate to break it to you, but this area is already on our long range plans)

Oh, and did I mention the great beaches? Besides Slaughter Beach, I mean.

Why would you go to anywhere but Slaughter Beach?

If nothing else convinces you, there is the matter of Mrs. Knowitall's Key Lime Pie of Awesomeness.

SOLD!

 

[FreezinRafiki]

Thank you, Mark. I'm looking forward to seeing you too. This is going to be sooooooooooooo much fun.

What about me? (wait, haven't we been over this already?)

You'd think one of the big insurance companies would want to get in on that action.

Or Firestone, for all of the tires they burn through.

Maybe it's a LEGO window?

That would be dangerous. While all of the sisters are out playing princess, their brothers would be hanging around trying to build with the window pieces after the shows.

Good job Madison! The rest of us are too buys taking pictures/video of a guy on fire.

Just wait until she sees Saving Private Ryan. She'll be screaming "don't shoot! Let 'em burn!"

Great pictures, Barry! <---Thumb

Thank you, sir!

i didnt know you were anti marshmellow!!!! we also have calandra cheese factory!

Oh no, I love Marshmallows. But when you swirl them to look like a duck, add eyes and make it crunchy, then it's the devil's work.

Have you partaken in said circular awesomeness? Is it as wonderful as it sounds?

 

[FreezinRafiki]

Where's Homer when you need him!

Not eating my pie, that's where!

Lol what a clever pig! None of this running stuff for him! Our pig derby is quite famous apparently as it always makes all the national papers the day after!
Ireland is nice though... it's a little cold and wet but it's quite pretty if you did ever get over this far!

Ireland is also on the long term planning. Unfortunately, it's are the far, far end of the long term planning, but it's there!

Ok, no flames here please, but we took a Spring Break one year up to Wisconsin Dells, stayed at the Wilderness Lodge and it was above 70 degrees! I have pictures of us standing outside in our swimsuits gettin ready to head to the waterpark. Haven't even left our room yet. It was so nice up there that year - which I believe was 2003. So, why go anywhere else when you can have excellent weather there in Wisconsin at an indoor waterpark?

Just kidding. If I were you I would be on the first plane out of there to a much warmer climate, which is why we usually go to Florida now for Spring Break time. Because I don't think there will ever be that nice of March for Spring Break again up in Wisconsin.

No flames what so ever. I love the Dells. A coworker of mine stays at the Wilderness all the time and loves it. But Spring in Wisconsin can very fickle. 70° in March, snow in May.

Well, March is one of those...iffy months. We've had snow in March before...and also beautiful 70-degree days that I took advantage of to play golf. So I have no idea.

Can we bring the pie on the golf course?

Hey, Barry. Did you decide to take a scenic route to Chicago and leave early and the reason for no update??????

Nope. I'm lying in wait, ready to spring an update on you all when you least expect it!

 

[that's nice]

I skipped all the wonderful banter and I have caught up on your report. I loved the video of the kids running up to Bambi's parents (geez.. I feel like I know them too).

The pool area at AKL looks awesome! I know Juliana would love that!

I know what you mean about the Magic, Memories, and You being hard to see.... we were in the hub (about where we stood in December) and it was hard to see... I think you have to be right against the stage to see it perfectly.

I know there is so much more to comment on.... but I will just continue from here.

HI Bambi!

 

[Mrs. Gumdrop]

Well, March is one of those...iffy months. We've had snow in March before...and also beautiful 70-degree days that I took advantage of to play golf. So I have no idea.

I was also going to advocate for the Washington DC area (there are a million things to do with the whole family) but just like Delaware, March is a very unpredictable month.

 

[petals]

Ireland is also on the long term planning. Unfortunately, it's are the far, far end of the long term planning, but it's there!

For now everywhere without a disney park is on long term planning for me and it's actually cheaper for me to go to Florida for two weeks than it is to go to Paris for 5 days so Florida it is

 

[E3yore]

HI Bambi!

Hi Tim. How are you?

 

[KatMark]

Bambi, just wanted to say that I'm sorry I won't be meeting you and Madison when you are here Monday. I am looking forward to meeting Evan. Okay, I guess I'm looking forward to meeting Barry too.

Hopefully, if we get to Milwaukee next month, we'll be able to hook up.

 

[FreezinRafiki]

I skipped all the wonderful banter and I have caught up on your report. I loved the video of the kids running up to Bambi's parents (geez.. I feel like I know them too).

The pool area at AKL looks awesome! I know Juliana would love that!

I know what you mean about the Magic, Memories, and You being hard to see.... we were in the hub (about where we stood in December) and it was hard to see... I think you have to be right against the stage to see it perfectly.

I know there is so much more to comment on.... but I will just continue from here.

HI Bambi!

Welcome to party Tim! I can expect you around for what, another month or so before you get busy again?

I was also going to advocate for the Washington DC area (there are a million things to do with the whole family) but just like Delaware, March is a very unpredictable month.

I'd really like to be able to do a lot longer vacation to the DC area - maybe two weeks - to see everything we'd like to see. When to the cherry blossoms pop? That would be pretty cool to see...

For now everywhere without a disney park is on long term planning for me and it's actually cheaper for me to go to Florida for two weeks than it is to go to Paris for 5 days so Florida it is

I don't know about Paris, but we ran the numbers ourselves on Disney vs. Wisconsin Dells (a city about 3 hours away with lots of water parks, theme parks and other touristy stuff) and Disney actually came out cheaper. Granted, we already had annual passes and the ability to stay at Bambi's parent's house...

Bambi, just wanted to say that I'm sorry I won't be meeting you and Madison when you are here Monday. I am looking forward to meeting Evan. Okay, I guess I'm looking forward to meeting Barry too.

Hopefully, if we get to Milwaukee next month, we'll be able to hook up.

Just make sure you keep us up on when you're coming - I'm sure we'll be able to work something out.

 

[FreezinRafiki]

Bambi blew up the sign in the lower right and hung it on her cubicle wall when went on our last vacation. If we had the money, I think we'd both just scribble it on with marker. Permanent marker.


Here's the kids riding the replica 74-Z Imperial Speeder Bike. (Did I know that, or did I look it up? I guess that's up to you to decide....)

Clearly, Madison drives it faster.

...so fast, that Evan has to hang on for dear life

They should really but handles on there or something. That can be dangerous, especially when whipping in and out of all of those trees.

(Speaking of which....
"What's the last thing to go through an Imperial scout trooper's head when he hits a tree?
His afterburner."
―Joke told by Rebel forces on Endor)


Well, after that little jaunt through the forests of Endor, we decided to get some lunch. The kids tried to fly the Imperial Speeder down the path to the Sci Fi Dine-In, but were told that insurance regulations prevented them from allowing repulsorlift-powered craft into the building. The kids parked it back over by Star Tours and we borrowed on the Disney's Cars for our meal.

This was our first time at Sci-Fi, and it is a really cool restaurant. After you get checked in, they lead you down a hallway that kind of looks like a the unfinished back of set backgrounds with exposed 2x4 framing. You are ushered through an opening in the wall an emerge into a large drive in movie theater, complete with cars, tables and a snack bar.

Disney did an awesome job with the themimg of this place. From the twilight sky to the stars to the hills and trees in the distance, you really feel like you're at a drive in movie. The "movies" showing are hilarious - some are supposed to be scary, but are so cheesy that they aren't. They showed cartoons, documentaries about what life will be like in the future ("in the year 2000..."). The kids got a kick out of them, but the loop was only about 45 minutes long. Between getting seated and finally paying the bill and leaving we saw all of them at least twice, so they could make it a bit longer.

The food was good. Bambi's mom and I both ordered a shrimp pasta, but she didn't want the shrimp. I told the waitress to add her shrimp to mine. Based on what came out from the kitchen, they did put her shrimp on my plate (it was piled with so much shrimp that you could barely see the pasta) but also had a small bowl with nothing but shrimp. Could it be...YES! Triple Shrimp!

After lunch, we headed back around to Toy Story to use our FastPasses that we had gotten earlier in the day. As we passed the hat, the Disney Channel Rocks show was playing, and Bambi's dad pointed out this guy in the crowd.

I get the hat. I get the gloves. But an apron?

As we were walking, the kids were messing around in the stroller like they usually are. All of a sudden, Evan says that he hurt his finger. I asked which one and he showed me. I then grabbed the camera and asked him to show me again, because I didn't see it the first time.

Whatever happened, it wasn't bad enough to keep us off Toy Story Midway Mania again. I rode with Bambi this time.

From there we headed to another attraction that we hadn't done in quite a while and the kids had never seen - the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular.

The show was pretty good, including this guy getting beat up by a girl, which is always fun to watch. But after watching Lights Motors Action! this morning, I realized just how similar these shows are. The story line of each show is that they are shooting a movie - including the "director" setting up camera shots, making tweaks to the script, etc. In between action sequences they explain how stunts are done and how the shots are done. Doing both attractions in a day made that part of it pretty redundant and stale. The explosions were still cool, though.

Right, Evan? I SAID "THE EXPLOSIONS ARE STILL PRETTY COOL, THOUGH. RIGHT, EVAN?"

Cool. And Loud.

Right after the Stunt Show, we were able to squeeze in to watch the new Pixar Pals Countdown to Fun Parade. It was a pretty cool parade, but they recycled a lot of the sets and music from the Block Party Bash parade. And they turned it around, so it started by Star Tours and ended by the park entrance - making it a completely different experience.

AAAA!!! GIANT RAT!!!

Why is it that we happily fork over all of our money to a mouse, but rats still get a bad rap? They need better PR people.

It's good to see Russel, Doug and Carl still around.

Carl doesn't get around very well anymore, so he gets to ride.

That must have been some party last night, huh Potatohead?

Did you see that last picture of Lotso? Well, guess what....


UP NEXT: More Lotso!

 

[afwdwfan]

Bambi blew up the sign in the lower right and hung it on her cubicle wall when went on our last vacation. If we had the money, I think we'd both just scribble it on with marker. Permanent marker.

In a perfect world...

Here's the kids riding the replica 74-Z Imperial Speeder Bike. (Did I know that, or did I look it up? I guess that's up to you to decide....)

I don't know, but let's test your knowledge... How many CC's is it?

This was our first time at Sci-Fi, and it is a really cool restaurant.

I get the hat. I get the gloves. But an apron?

Well, I'll take a stab at it... He was getting ready to head back to his DVC Villa for a cookout and the gloves are the new Mickey Ove Glove.

As we were walking, the kids were messing around in the stroller like they usually are. All of a sudden, Evan says that he hurt his finger. I asked which one and he showed me. I then grabbed the camera and asked him to show me again, because I didn't see it the first time.

Poor Evan. I can see this one getting about as much mileage as his Jasmine picture.

The explosions were still cool, though.

Goes without saying.

 

[petals]

I think Paris is just expensive in general!

You are a bad daddy making your child do that for a pic and yet it's so so so funny Also I loled at your Mr. Potato head pic... I'm actually looking forward to see new parade in DHS mainly because I want to see Dug never seen him in the parks

 

[dvczerfs]

great update and pics barry!!! was that guy part of the act???? maybe he was planted in the crowd for some reason. as for the stroller picture, you asked!!!! i thought maybe you may have said, no mm ice cream sandwiches, and that was the answer you got from the stroller.

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

...so fast, that Evan has to hang on for dear life

Madison: “Your choking me here!”
Evan: “well you fly this thing like an Ewok! Pull over and let me drive!”

The kids parked it back over by Star Tours and we borrowed on the Disney's Cars for our meal.

Sci-Fi is really cool, but we’ve only done it once.
I may need to give that one a try the next time we head down there.

Could it be...YES! Triple Shrimp!

SCORE! Some time you win.

Bambi's dad pointed out this guy in the crowd.

That was a guest?
Not one of the CMs, pulling some kind of stunt, but an actual guest?
Ummmm… Wow.

As we were walking, the kids were messing around in the stroller like they usually are. All of a sudden, Evan says that he hurt his finger. I asked which one and he showed me. I then grabbed the camera and asked him to show me again, because I didn't see it the first time.

As my DW has said to me on many, many occasions: “Bad Daddy…”

From there we headed to another attraction that we hadn't done in quite a while and the kids had never seen - the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular.

We love this show. I’ve seen it just about every time we’ve had the chance
to walk into DHS. You got some really great action shots. I take a lot of
pictures when we’re watching that show, but my camera in limited in ability,
so not many ever turn out.

The explosions were still cool, though.

Explosions rule!!!

Here… lets have another one just for good measure!

OK… some of my action shots are at least decent

Did you see that last picture of Lotso? Well, guess what....

UP NEXT: More Lotso!

All of a sudden, everything seems to smell like strawberries.