How Much Do You Ladies Charge to Haunt the Castle? -- Departure Day up (See index

[KatMark]

After all those wild rides, fighting Zurg, etc., we were starving...good thing it was time for our ADR. We slowly strolled to reach our destination and took a few photos along the way:

And soon were checking in here:

As many of you know, this is always our last meal of the trip when we go to Disney...it's become one of our little traditions. Nice comfort food after all the heavy meals we've eaten most of the week.

We have had this same table three of our last four trips and our waitress graciously took a picture of us:

Mark had an iced tea and I had a diet coke...we were both extremely thirsty:

Mark got the reuben and I got the cheeseburger (I made him get french fries and I got the potato chips so we could swap/trade/share):

When at The Plaza, you must always save room for dessert.

Mark's --

Mine --

After settling up the bill, we headed to Adventureland to try to fit in a few more things before we had to leave.

Along the way, we stopped for one more set of photopass pictures:

The next showing of the Enchanted Tiki Room was about to start, so in we went:

We wanted to do the Pirates one more time. But guess what? Yep, it was down too. We knew this was our clue to exit the park and start our drive to Marco Island.

As my longtime followers know, there is one thing we do before we exit and head home (or the last few years...to Marco Island).

My dad passed away four years ago this past August and was truly my best friend and the love of my life. He was only able to do one Disney trip with us and that was when Andy was about 2 years old (he never got to go with Markie because his health would not allow it). But he would take the kids to the zoo, etc., and would always buy them a balloon. In my dad's memory, Mark and I buy a balloon and pass it along to a child in his memory every Disney trip. Although I think of my dad every single day, this is my way of letting him know I remember how great he was with his grandkids and how much we all loved him.

We picked a purple Mickey Mouse balloon and passed it on to a little girl this trip. The parents were very grateful that we chose their daughter and thanked us and said my dad was very lucky to have me as his daughter to do such a nice thing in his memory.

We took our last photos that we take every trip

Picked up my popcorn to go with a diet coke and were headed out of the MK

We walked to our car and we were on our way off property:

And soon we will see you...just 16 days until the epic surprise trip.

We had a wonderful time at the World despite the loss of Mark's mom and the health issues in my family. We were able to make the best of it and just relax, have fun and celebrate life.

Up next, our drive to and arrival on Marco Island.

 

[Terkina]

What a lovely ending of the trip. Buying a balloon to remember your dad is a great tradition. I hope you will write a trip report from your next trip. It was so much fun reading your trip report.

 

[PhoenixStrength]

That is such a wonderful tradition, and I'm sure the kids that get those balloons think so too! A great way to remember your father.

 

[Minnie&Nana]

Always enjoy seeing the photos from The Plaza - our family has the same tradition... and as you know, we have the balloon tradition in honor of our Toby (also an August angel day). Always makes me tear up when I read your last day...even though I know you are off to Marco and more fun.

 

[MEK]

Cute picture. Love it! Glad you had such a nice visit!

I think this has to be one of my all time favorite hats. Seriously - who thinks of these things?????

Yummy lunch.

You know how I feel about the balloon. It's such a lovely and touching tradition!

 

[wigdoutdismom]

Kathy, I just read the part of your post about the memory balloon aloud to Marc. Oh my goodness, I was choked up.
What a wonderful way to honor the memory of your father.

We have had the Plaza for our heading home meal more than once. It really is good, I adore the meatloaf there and Marc the cheeseburger...

Have you been able to pack anything for next month? I guess it will be hard to get it done with Mark not figuring something out.

 

[Poolrat]

Awww your last day, meal and the balloon tradition. So touching Kathy.

16 more days

 

[heartpooh]

Love the last day tradition! Very touching!!!


My hubby and I are eating at the Plaza for the first time this trip, although this is our 12th trip to the world! I guess we are really behind!! Looking forward to leaving in 3 days!!!

 

[Woth2982]

Finally caught up! Work keeps taking priority to my Dis-ing. For some reason they think I should give them my 100% attention after a vacation!

I had a tear in my eye reading about the balloon. Such a wonderful tradition! What a great way to end a wonderful Disney trip! I cannot believe you are going back in 16 days! So exciting! I cannot wait to hear how Mark reacts!

 

[that's nice]

Don't mind me...

Just catching up from page 33.

After we finished trying on hats, it was time to hit the World Showcase. I love this part of Epcot and could just spend an entire day here. Unfortunately, we only had an afternoon and evening to get everything done we wanted to do. Would we succeed? Unfortunately, not, but we did get a lot done.

We decided this year to start via Mexico.

We were now ready to move on. And as we approached the exit we saw all these people standing about, shaking off water, wearing ponchos, etc. You guessed it...it was pouring. The skies literally opened and we stood in that entryway for 40 minutes.

So you didn't want to drink tequila to stay on schedule but you just stood there for 40 minutes? You should of went back and did some tequila shots!

 

[that's nice]

From there, we strolled to my favorite country for this reason alone:

You look so happy to be there...

You should be smiling after drinking that.

 

[that's nice]

Continuing on....

Great pictures from the WS…

Loved your do nothing day… LOL Seems like you did a lot!

And then I told Mark we were doing this ONE TIME only as a favor to my friend, Marv (yes, I did it in January with the girls so that Cayley would do it, but Mark and I had never done it together). We saw Marv's favorite:

I can't believe you took this picture!!!

[/QUOTE]
Nice crane!

 

[that's nice]

It was now, Friday, September 21, and our last day at the World. I used to cry when we left the world. I don't mean just a couple of tears, I MEAN CRY!!!!!!!!!!!! I hated leaving our happy place and having to go back to the real world. But then an amazing thing happened on the DIS! I met Nicki and life has never been the same. And I mean that with ALL of my love. Nicki and Todd are the best things that ever happened to us, besides our two sons. We love them to pieces and they make leaving Disney a whole lot easier now because we get to go spend a week with them. Now, I only get a little teary eyed when leaving our magical place.

You should be crying that another trip went by and you didn't get to meet me.

It was soon 7:30 and we were being seated here:

The first thing ordered was:

Mark got the Big Kahuna this time:

That looks sooooo good right now.

And I got the french toast and bacon (nope, no tonga toast for me...I hate bananas):

I wonder if you could order the Tonga without bananas?

Everything was excellent yet again and this will remain on the list of a must-do every trip. In fact, can't wait to eat there next month with Nicki and Todd.

You're welcome!

 

[that's nice]

I had hoped to talk Mark into getting some princess pictures taken, but he wasn't "feeling it" (I think he's been hanging with Todd too much). So I let it go, but plan to make him do it next month...I mean he is turning 60 and shoudl be seen with beautiful, young princesses (and although I may be beautiful, I'm certainly not young and NO COMMENTS FROM YOU MARV!).

Seriously, we probably should have just stayed in the room.

 

[that's nice]

"We walked through the castle and as we were discussing where to go first, Kathy saw the Evil Stepsisters and suggested we hop in line to keep with the theme of meeting new characters this trip. We watched as some of the little Cinderella's didn't seem to thrilled with meeting the Evil Stepsisters."

"Soon it was our turn and we walked up and received the "evil" looks from Drizella and Anastasia and the I'm bored with you look from Lady Tremaine. I then asked them "How much do you ladies charge to haunt Cinderella's castle? And this is when all heck broke loose."

"Lady Tremaine informed us that the castle was not haunted, but the Haunted Mansion was haunted. And the stepsisters stepped in and literally, in unison said, but Mother we could haunt the castle."

It was absolutely hysterical. These characters stay true to form throughtout. The people waiting in line seemed to be getting a little impatient with us; even the Castmember who escorts the characters said to wrap it up, but the three of them would not quit. We were literally with them for 10 minutes. A few pictures from one of our best character interactions ever:

That is so funny. We love the stepsisters!

Practicing to be a ghost to haunt the castle:

We then hit It's a Small Boat to China so Mark would stop bugging me about it:

AWWWW... poor Mark. We LOVE IASW!!!!!!!!

 

[that's nice]

As my longtime followers know, there is one thing we do before we exit and head home (or the last few years...to Marco Island).

My dad passed away four years ago this past August and was truly my best friend and the love of my life. He was only able to do one Disney trip with us and that was when Andy was about 2 years old (he never got to go with Markie because his health would not allow it). But he would take the kids to the zoo, etc., and would always buy them a balloon. In my dad's memory, Mark and I buy a balloon and pass it along to a child in his memory every Disney trip. Although I think of my dad every single day, this is my way of letting him know I remember how great he was with his grandkids and how much we all loved him.

We picked a purple Mickey Mouse balloon and passed it on to a little girl this trip. The parents were very grateful that we chose their daughter and thanked us and said my dad was very lucky to have me as his daughter to do such a nice thing in his memory.

What a wonderful thing to do Kathy.

You guys really took a lot of great PP pics this time! They really came out great!

OK... well I skipped all the witty banter and I am not officially caught up!

 

[shan23877]

Kathy, the story of your balloon tradition made me cry. What an amazing way to honor your dad.

On a lighter note, those stepsisters sound like an absolute hoot! Love that the one had her skirt over her head! We've always really enjoyed them at 1900, but the Maddie never seems to want to meet them at MK. May have to over-ride her next time.

 

[emmysmommy]

Oh the smile on a mama's face.... that's an adorable photo of you and the kids.
What a wonderful tradition with the balloon to memorialize your dad, that is so touching and special.

I think I will be starting a new tradition with ending our WDW trip with Plaza Restaurant.. It's our last stop before we leave too.

Can't wait to hear how the surprise turns out. And of cours all the antics and fun of your upcoming trip.

 

[WDisneyMom]

I know your tradition with the balloon at the end of the trip and yet I still get teary eyed reading about it! Great update, Kat.

 

[pas130]

My dad passed away four years ago this past August and was truly my best friend and the love of my life. He was only able to do one Disney trip with us and that was when Andy was about 2 years old (he never got to go with Markie because his health would not allow it). But he would take the kids to the zoo, etc., and would always buy them a balloon. In my dad's memory, Mark and I buy a balloon and pass it along to a child in his memory every Disney trip. Although I think of my dad every single day, this is my way of letting him know I remember how great he was with his grandkids and how much we all loved him.

We picked a purple Mickey Mouse balloon and passed it on to a little girl this trip. The parents were very grateful that we chose their daughter and thanked us and said my dad was very lucky to have me as his daughter to do such a nice thing in his memory.