Hi Dugette! I know I've been a lurker on at least two of your other trip reports and just got caught up on this one. Izzy is such a doll and your writing style is just laugh out loud funny!
and thank you so much, you are too sweet!
The food at Garden Grill looks delicious. We've never eaten there because of all the options in WS. We really need to try it soon.
I know, there are just WAY too many good places to eat at Epcot! It's definitely hard to commit to a non-World Showcase ADR when there are so many tempting choices. But it is a great, fun character meal with good food and unique scenery.
Chip and Dale are the best. Always a great interaction. When my youngest daughter was three years old, she happily exclaimed, "There's Chip and Dip!" It's kind of a standing joke in our house.
Haha, too cute! Chip and Dip!
They are great character meets for toddlers - just so playful and fun.
That Mickey interaction was awkward. He should have called off work that day if he wasn't feeling it. A couple years ago we had a similar one at Tusker House. My eighteen month old grandson was trying to touch Donald Duck's bill. Donald kept moving his hands away, not wanting him to touch him at all. This was before we had eaten, so it wasn't like his hands were dirty. It was really weird.
Strange. The only similar one I can think of was last year when Donald and Daisy were both very protective of their eyes. But I understand that - they are fragile and they didn't want them poked out.
But touching Donald's bill seems pretty innocent.
That photo of Dug is hilarious! I love some of the captions by the DISers.
That picture still just cracks me up every time I see it.
That princess cruise looked......interesting. Nice that one princess remembered Izzy.
Haha, yeah, not so authentic, but plenty of fun and some very nice, down-to-earth princesses. I mean, how often can a girl take the dance floor with Cinderella?
I love the early 80's Fisher Price Little People toys in that picture with Izzy. Were those yours as a kid and your mom saved them? Very cool!
You have the right idea, but they were Dug's and his parents saved them. Izzy has quite the collection of 80's toys when she visits Nana and Papa.
Looking forward to hearing about the cruise, as that's something I would love to do with my grandkids.
I highly recommend taking a
Disney Cruise with your grandkids! What a fun time! Not to spoil anything, but our tablemates ended up being a boy Izzy's age, his mom, and her mom (boy's grandma) - all three generations were just having a blast together. So much fun.
Whew... I had to catch up a bit!
I know the feeling of the Trip Report treadmill!
Happy to share.
Chip and Dale look like such a blast! Did you see them on the ship at all?
We did and they were a hit there too! I don't know exactly what it is about them, but they have a great track record of being a standout meet with Izzy.
YOUCH! Glad she recovered quickly!!! Maple has done that on a few occassions... she just forgets her surroundings when she's super excited. Glad that Chip was able to distract her into forgetting the smack and fortunately the table was rounded!
It's scary what these kids do to themselves. I still clearly remember a time when Izzy was not yet walking, but she had "mastered" sitting. She was sitting next to an end table in our living room that had three shelves, including one on the bottom, about an inch off the ground. I was within a foot of her and watching her and she was sitting and playing just fine. Then, out of the blue, she just slammed her head straight down onto that bottom shelf of the table. It wasn't a fall - she sat right back up after - it was almost like she wanted to see what would happen.
Of course, what did happen was that she cried, got a GIANT bump on her forehead, and made me feel terribly guilty for her condition, despite not being able to do anything to prevent it, other than padding the whole house. But she was totally fine and the bump went away and she never head-butted that table again.
Blast from the past! I visited the MoA when I was probably 10 with my mom, back when it was Knott's Berry Farm or something (all Snoopy, anyway). The log chute was the first "scary ride" I ever did... at 10!!! Good job, Izzy!! I'll try and find the photo of me on it. I look TERRIFIED!
Camp Snoopy!
I remember doing the Log Chute way back when too. Of course, we had a similar flume ride at Valleyfair that I'd been on before, so I don't think I was terrified. But it does cruise along pretty good! Izzy was so brave!
Looks like you're having lots of fun summer activities! She's getting so big!
It's amazing how fast they get big.
"Izzy, what was your favorite ride?!" "Tangled Tinkle Spot!!"
Haha, I think that might be the one restroom she missed out on.
Cousin Dug and I have the same food tastes! Holiday sandwiches are my favorite!! We must be related!
Well, it a fact then - you have to be related.
Ha. Maple walks like a drunk sailor right now. It is so funny how crazy they get when tired-sugar-sun-fun collide!
Guess they don't call 'em toddlers for nothing.
I don't usually think of this spot for a meal, but I definitely need to consider it!!
If Maple is into characters, it's great. If not, then probably not the best value.
Aaaah, wish that was my view right now!
A great view. Sometimes Illuminations feels kind of boring to me... I think because it tends to be so crowded/crazy around the WS. We've left a few times and I always like looking back to watch it, but this looks like it would be a nice spot to just sit and watch!
I think that was the best part of the way we watched it - no crowds, no standing-shoulder-to-shoulder, no trying to see the globe around other people's heads, etc. Just leisurely walking along and chatting and viewing it. Very relaxed.
Oh my gosh, I can't believe how many times you saw the characters during your GG meal!! It's hard enough to eat enough at a character meal, but I can't imagine how little you got to eat when they just kept coming and coming. At least the food was family style, because you might never have been able to make it up to a buffet!
That is true, I doubt we would have made it to the buffet without missing some characters. At least the food was right there. It really was insane how often they visited us, though. They might as well have just sat down and eaten with us.
It starts off with Izzy barely able to contain her excitement, then it just continues to be adorable:
Dug mindlessly starting singing, “Drunk baby, drunk baby…” and we giggled. Well, guess who likes to repeat things? 
But it is a really fun dining venue.
Despite begging for the potty just beforehand. 
I need this! 
