How "just one trip" became three (babies)... update 6/29, huge triplets photo update

[Code]

Day 9 Part 1 - THE RE-HAUNTING!!!

It was time for our last day in the World

We packed up the car, checked out of our room, and headed for EMH at MK. It was time for the RE-HAUNTING! (Haunted Mansion reopening from refurbishment). While the park opened at 8, HM didn't open until 9, so we wandered around the castle and Fantasyland for a little bit...

... before heading to the Fantasyland / Liberty Square rope to wait for the rope drop. We definitely weren't the only ones with this idea, we arrived 30 minutes before 9, and there was already a crowd. I used the Xshot to grab a shot of the crowd, and it turns out that another DISer actually ended up in my photo. And also, we ended up in one of hers! It was 2angelsinheaven, and you can see the thread about the rehaunting with our pics here.

Pretty soon, the Haunted Mansion butlers came out and started warming up the crowd...

... and right at 9am, they dropped the rope and we walked quickly into the queue. I was snapping photos as I walked ...

Many of the gravesites had fresh roses on them, including several on Master Gracey's...

The Fantasyland rope drop group was the first to make it to HM, and we were in just the second group to be let in to ride the newly refurbished Haunted Mansion! And it was SOOOOOO GOOOOOOD! Neither of us had ridden HM in over a decade, but even still we could tell the difference in the audio, and thoroughly enjoyed the changes. I kept poking Lease and saying things like "That's new!" or "Wow, so much better!"

It was a great experience to feel the excitement, energy, and anticipation while waiting for the rope drop, and being one of the first to see the awesome changes and improvements.

The original plan was to ride it twice, but the line was VERY long after our first ride, so we bought our limited edition "Re-Haunting" pins and left Liberty Square.

A few more pics on the way past the castle...

Next up... a bit more MK, and Crystal Palace...

 

[Code]

Day 9 Part 2- Soaking up the Magic

It was a hot day and we decided it was time for a Dole Whip, but sadly we got to Aloha Isle only to find it closed. Since we were so close, we jumped in a very short line for Jungle Cruise...

Still no Aloha Isle after JC, so we wandered towards the hub for some picture taking and just to soak in as much Disney magic as we could before saying goodbye. The Dream Along with Mickey stage show was going on, so we took some time to watch it. The show was fun, but the worst part was the plane writing messages in the sky during the entire performance, it really distracted from the magic...

Disney needs to install some AA batteries or something (I kid, I kid!)... Thank you Photoshop! (on the previous shots)

A few more shots around the hub...

Finally our patience was rewarded! It was Dole float time... YUMMMMM. This was one of the few days on the vacation that we felt truly overwhelmed by the heat and the floats really helped cool us down.

We took our time people watching and absorbing more magic while we waited for our Crystal Palace time to come up. Once it did, we had a pretty short wait for lunch. It was a good meal, and we had our pictures with all of the characters and waved our napkins for the parade through the restaurant...

Next up.. mozying down Main Street for the last time, and hitting DTD one last time...

 

[Code]

Day 9 Part 3 - All good things...

After finishing lunch, as much as we hated to admit it, it was time to head out. We wandered down Main Street, and I wanted one last picture from the train station...

LOOK HAPPY!

now look sad as can be...

As we walked under this sign, I was already plotting for how we could make it back MUCH sooner than we thought we would (and you know what that led to! haha!)

I told Lease to look as depressed as possible for a photo...

and me too...

We boarded the ferry...

... and I took photos like crazy as we headed across Seven Seas Lagoon ...

One last look at the Magic Kingdom from the ferry dock...

... and of course, Lease took a picture of me taking pictures!

And that was it for the Disney theme parks for the trip

We still needed to make a stop at DTD to pick up souvenirs we had spotted the previous night. Lease got a t-shirt, I tried to find a shirt that was long enough for me to no avail. We got a stuffed Tigger for our nephew, and went back to Goofy's Candy Company to get another crispy Mickey to go. While I was wandering around Goofy's, Lease made an excuse to leave the store, sneaking over to the Christmas store to buy the Eeyore stocking as a Christmas surprise (and on Christmas, I was surprised!)

Two last pictures from DTD...

We had one last stop at Discovery Cove on the way to the airport to exchange a t-shirt Lease had bought for a better size, and before we knew it, we were falling asleep waiting to board the plane. There is nothing quite like sitting in the airport after a Disney vacation, letting the fact that it is over catch up to you, and all the emotions and exhaustion catching up with it...

Thank you so much to everyone that has stuck with us on our report. I can almost feel post-Disney sadness again after writing this last entry... it was such an awesome, amazing, magical trip!

How appropriate then, that we are going back in less than 24 hours!!!!! WOOOHOO!!!! We don't even care that the hurricane situation might try to put a damper on our fun.. WE ARE GOING BACK TO DISNEY!!!!

It only took me 364 days to finish the TR for Trip #1

I know I still need to get trip #2 started, but coming up is a LIVE REPORT for trip #3. I am taking my laptop and plan on doing a short blurb with a few photos at the end of each day as I can. Stay tuned everyone!

 

[Hedy]

Congrats on finishing.

Have fun!

 

[abbybeth]

Great wrap up guys - man those pictures make me feel "homesick" ..


love the owl shots - he looks SO intense! As always, all of the pictures are wonderful. I loved the HM too - I obviously hadn't ridden it before so I didn't have anything to compare it to, but I loved it.

Loved Fauna's cameo too - she is a tricky one though, first the wine at CG, then your Mickey treat ... that croc had a nose for trouble for sure.

1 finish down, 2 to go - can't wait for the live report! Hope you guys have a safe trip there and back and manage to dodge rain drops. Say hi to everyone at the TOT meet ....

and I think we'll have to plan a 3 Bears/ Lease&Code joint adventure at some point down the road ....

 

[Abby's Dad]

DONE! The tough part about waiting in between installments has been the fact that this has been such a good TR, with great pictures and interesting commentary from a couple that "gets Disney." Not to mention that we always love hearing from friends . I really like that you got yourself, Lease, or both of you in many pictures - that really adds a lot, now and later on when you are going through this with kid(s) on your knee. We'll be here, anticipating the live updates - almost like being there (well, as close as it gets this year). Be safe, and I don't even have to tell you to enjoy.

 

[pl'smama]

Congrats Code and Lease, on the completiong of TR #1!! It was awesome and well worth the wait. Your latest batch of photos are just breath-taking Code. I especially love the Castle ones. The photo of the two of you at the train station with the Castle in the back is lovely. I would have that framed.

I am so happy for you two that you are headed back!! Good luck with everything and have a wonderful time. I am looking forward to the live report!

Suz

 

[Code]

Really great updates Code! Among my many thoughts, yes, we do miss WDW!, but also you have confirmed what we already felt, i.e., that we didn't spend near enough time in Epcot, and intend to remedy that in a major way next trip. You also confirmed what I suspected about Primeval Hurl - and I was glad that I had avoided that. And I really need to remember to volunteer at the bird show - and be ready for the owl! Great shots of the owl coming down the aisle.

What in Epcot did you miss? I can't wait for some more Soarin and Spaceship Earth. And Test Track. And World Showcase ... and ... and.... and....!!!

We gave Primeval Whirl a second chance on trip #2 and found it sort of fun as long as you keep a DEATH GRIP on the bar so you don't get tossed around. Though we're not too broken up about it being down for refurb on this trip.

I wanted a second chance at the owl on trip #2 so I was ready to jump up and down like a crazy person when they asked for volunteers, but it seems they've removed this from the show.

Praying for the weather to work out for you guys. It would be nice if some sort of high pressure system would come along and force Hanna out into the Atlantic, and that Ike will dissipate (though the projected path, at this point, for Ike is south, similar to Gustav). Too early to tell about Josephine. If you haven't got trip insurance, is it too late?

I was worried for the past few days that Hanna was going to give us flight problems but it doesn't look like it, maybe just a bit of rain and clouds on arrival day. Ike has the potential to be a real problem, though. This vacation could be a hurricane trifecta if Josephine heads toward Florida too

And we have every intention that those goodbyes were only "see-you-laters," and we are going to find some way, some time, to continue the saga.

Hope so

Your pictures are amazing! Wow!

Thanks! Stick around, many more to come from trip #2, and hopefully even more from trip #3!

Great pictures! Looks like you guys had a great time. I am crossing my fingers that the weather cooperates for you both next week! I must say your review of the 50's Prime Time has me rethinking our ADR there....Im wondering if we should try to switch it to somewhere else.

We're giving Prime Time another try for this trip, hope we don't regret it!

Wow, that was great reading all of those posts in one sitting!! Code, your Epcot photos are amazing! With the clouds and the bright, crispness of everything. You should enter some in a contest of some sort. They are great!

Thanks! Glad you liked them I actually just won one of the contests here on the DIS Photo Board here. No prizes or anything, just a warm fuzzy feeling to win.

We had an awful expereince at Prime Time this past January.

Yikes... I sure hope we don't regret giving them a chance at redemption on this trip.

Congrats on finishing.

Have fun!

Thanks!

Great wrap up guys - man those pictures make me feel "homesick" ..


love the owl shots - he looks SO intense! As always, all of the pictures are wonderful. I loved the HM too - I obviously hadn't ridden it before so I didn't have anything to compare it to, but I loved it.

Loved Fauna's cameo too - she is a tricky one though, first the wine at CG, then your Mickey treat ... that croc had a nose for trouble for sure.

1 finish down, 2 to go - can't wait for the live report! Hope you guys have a safe trip there and back and manage to dodge rain drops. Say hi to everyone at the TOT meet ....

and I think we'll have to plan a 3 Bears/ Lease&Code joint adventure at some point down the road ....

Thanks Abby! We'll represent you guys at the ToT meet for sure. And I certainly hope there is a reunion someday.

DONE! The tough part about waiting in between installments has been the fact that this has been such a good TR, with great pictures and interesting commentary from a couple that "gets Disney." Not to mention that we always love hearing from friends . I really like that you got yourself, Lease, or both of you in many pictures - that really adds a lot, now and later on when you are going through this with kid(s) on your knee. We'll be here, anticipating the live updates - almost like being there (well, as close as it gets this year). Be safe, and I don't even have to tell you to enjoy.

Thanks Fred! Sorry it took so long. I hit a groove on photo processing in the last week, hopefully it will carry over after trip #3 so I can get #2 and #3 done in less than a year

Congrats Code and Lease, on the completiong of TR #1!! It was awesome and well worth the wait. Your latest batch of photos are just breath-taking Code. I especially love the Castle ones. The photo of the two of you at the train station with the Castle in the back is lovely. I would have that framed.

I am so happy for you two that you are headed back!! Good luck with everything and have a wonderful time. I am looking forward to the live report!

Suz

Thanks Suz And thanks for the well wishes for this trip!

 

[pl'smama]

A well deserved win Code! You had some stiff competition, but your photo is just beautiful. THAT should be a postcard!

Suz

 

[Villainess]

I just read your entire thread! Whew! I'm in for the rest of the ride! Have fun Code and Lease!!!!!!

 

[Lease]

I just read your entire thread! Whew! I'm in for the rest of the ride! Have fun Code and Lease!!!!!!

Hope you enjoyed what you seen/read so far.

We just attempted a nap before we leave and found that taking a nap just hours before going to back to the world is near impossible. To excited to sleep. Final packing checks are done and we are anxiously waiting for our ride to come pick us up. It won't be long now.

 

[Code]

Live Trip Report, Day 0 - Sept 4, 2008

Let the live trip report begin!!! This is day 0 since we don't arrive in Orlando until tomorrow at around 8:30am, but we're getting on a plane at 11:59pm in Salt Lake.

First of all, here is our itinerary, though of course Ike could be mucking with it...

So originally our countdown calendar looked like this...

And here it was today!

We're just sitting at the airport waiting to board for the first leg to Atlanta. I'm pretty amped up on adrenaline, but I really need to get some sleep on this flight.

Lease is enjoying her new Amazon Kindle reading The Last Lecture...

See you in Atlanta!

 

[Code]

Fred, I just realized that I never told you about my photo gear.. here it is:

I switched to Sony, I have an A700, and 6 lenses:

Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6
Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8
Minolta 70-210mm f/4
Sigma 30mm f/1.4
Sony 50mm f/1.4
Sigma 105mm f/2.8 Macro

I imagine the macro lens will be left in the room most days, but all 5 others will be with me daily.

I almost went with Pentax, but it struck out with me for various reasons. Can talk about that later.

 

[disneyholic family]

wow - that's some camera...

i guess that's why your pictures are so beautiful!!

 

[Code]

So much for sleep on that flight. The plane was pretty much completely full, and being a redeye it was probably 95% adults. So of course we got stuck right in front of the only 2 young children we saw on the plane, traveling with their dad only, and he had no control over his kids. Shortly into the flight he told them in no uncertain terms that "daddy wants to go night night" and then... he did, leaving his kids to be loud almost the whole way. Here's hoping for 30 minutes of sleep on the next flight. I'm sure the adrenaline will flow freely once we get to Orlando, but some sleep would be nice

Oh, and Starbucks.

 

[Pinky166]

I'm subbing....I love trip reports!

Hope you have a great time and manage to get a little bit of sleep on your next flight!

 

[Glendamax]

Good Morning! I just wanted to pop in and thank you for the Haunted Mansion pics! They were GA-RATE!!!!! I can't wait to ride it again soon!

OHHHH!!!!!! I hope I run into you! Will be there tomorrow!!!!

 

[Code]

I'm subbing....I love trip reports!

Hope you have a great time and manage to get a little bit of sleep on your next flight!

Same here.. looks like it will be some rainy weather when we arrive. Go away Hanna!

Good Morning! I just wanted to pop in and thank you for the Haunted Mansion pics! They were GA-RATE!!!!! I can't wait to ride it again soon!

OHHHH!!!!!! I hope I run into you! Will be there tomorrow!!!!

We'll watch for you! Where are you staying?

 

[Glendamax]

We'll watch for you! Where are you staying?

I'm staying at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. On Sunday, I'm going to AK early to hit the rides. If you can, come on by so I can have someone to cry to b4 I get on EE and Dino . . .

 

[Abby's Dad]

Fred, I just realized that I never told you about my photo gear.. here it is:

I've been waiting patiently, and I suspected that maybe you had made a big change - INDEED! I strongly considered Sony, partly because my film camera had been a Minolta Maxxum, and I could have moved some very nice lenses over. Unfortunately, they were also very heavy lenses, and I decided to start from scratch, whichever system I chose. Looking forward to the pics and a full report. We already know that you have the photographer thing down - let's see if the equipment lives up to you! (and while you are probably right about the macro lens, I am envious, as that one is probably going to be my next addition).