I'm thankful for...MICKEY!!! My Thanksgiving '08 TR!: TR Update, Last Day!

[Charleston Princess]

Yeay! You finally reached Pop Century, ate your Thanksgiving dinner (that pumpkin pie looks delish), and are headed to Disney Hollywood Studios!!!

 

[KathyRN137]

Sooo...I'm going to go search for my trip journal. And I'm going to get started on catching up on all of your TRs and PTRs!

Well, good luck with that! (I still havn't found mine!)

Congrats on the new house; I'll bet your family is thrilled to have you back!


Kathy

 

[JaxJags08]

Hello!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

And impromptu trip sounds wonderful! How long will you stay?

1 night! Can that even qualify as a "trip"? I just have to take advantage of the get in free on your birthday promotion! We have other commitments on the days surrounding it, but I wanted to spend my big 30th birthday in the Magic Kingdom!

I'm trying to finagle another (longer) trip before summer. We just found out that we have another little one on the way. So once he or she arrives it will be a while before our next trip!

 

[DisMomAmy]

Great updates!! It must have been strange, but fun, to be at Disney at Thanksgiving.

Can't wait for the next update.

PS - We lived in CT for 2 1/2 years before moving home to NH. (Although CT was actually "home" for DH - but his brother was moving away to Florida so it worked out OK with my desire to move back to NH.)

 

[SwansLoveDisney]

Yeay! You finally reached Pop Century, ate your Thanksgiving dinner (that pumpkin pie looks delish), and are headed to Disney Hollywood Studios!!!

FINALLY!!!

Well, good luck with that! (I still havn't found mine!)

Congrats on the new house; I'll bet your family is thrilled to have you back!


Kathy

Surprisingly, I found my trip journal very quickly! That was one thing I made sure not to pack in a box that went into the storage facility!

Thank you!

1 night! Can that even qualify as a "trip"? I just have to take advantage of the get in free on your birthday promotion! We have other commitments on the days surrounding it, but I wanted to spend my big 30th birthday in the Magic Kingdom!

I'm trying to finagle another (longer) trip before summer. We just found out that we have another little one on the way. So once he or she arrives it will be a while before our next trip!

That's awesome that you're going for your birthday! I'm still trying to figure out how I can get there for my 30th in August.

And CONGRATULATIONS to you!!! How exciting! When are you due?

Great updates!! It must have been strange, but fun, to be at Disney at Thanksgiving.

Can't wait for the next update.

PS - We lived in CT for 2 1/2 years before moving home to NH. (Although CT was actually "home" for DH - but his brother was moving away to Florida so it worked out OK with my desire to move back to NH.)

It didn't really feel like Thanksgiving. Even with the Thanksgiving dinner!

2.5 years was when I got the itch to move back home as well. Thank God for husbands who are willing to move for their wives!!!

 

[JaxJags08]

FINALLY!!!

That's awesome that you're going for your birthday! I'm still trying to figure out how I can get there for my 30th in August.

And CONGRATULATIONS to you!!! How exciting! When are you due?

Thank you! I'm due sometime in mid-November. We just found out 2 days ago!

You should definitely try to go for your birthday! Your birthday probably falls during free dining so that's just an added bonus.

 

[Roxychica7]

Julie!! Wow, has time flown! So happy that the move went well, sounds like you two are doing great! Excellent update so far, can't wait to read more!

 

[SwansLoveDisney]

Thank you! I'm due sometime in mid-November. We just found out 2 days ago!

You should definitely try to go for your birthday! Your birthday probably falls during free dining so that's just an added bonus.

Yay! I'm very excited for you! How old will your DD be when the baby arrives?

I didn't even think about free dining...

Julie!! Wow, has time flown! So happy that the move went well, sounds like you two are doing great! Excellent update so far, can't wait to read more!

Hello! Thanks for joining me again!

 

[SwansLoveDisney]

Shall we head to a park?

Let’s go!

We (I) chose Hollywood Studios for our first night because Tower of Terror is my favorite ride in the whole wide world.

So we got on the bus after a very short wait. I had forgotten just how close DHS is to Pop Century. It was such a nice, short bus ride. But it was just long enough for me to be absolutely bursting with excitement by the time we pulled up to DHS.

I got off the bus and I pretty much ran to the bag check, then to the turn styles. I had a little trouble with the fingerprint thing, but I got through eventually. Then, the rest of the group tried to get through. So I waited. And I waited. And I waited some more. They ALL had trouble with the fingerprint thing too! And my dad had the most trouble. He works with chemicals for his job and his fingerprints are all pretty much burned off! The machine couldn’t read a fingerprint on him. Finally, a very nice cast member helped him through.

I took some pics while I waited for everyone.

Is that Mickey up there?

I headed over and said hello to Bo. Shout out to CharlestonPrincess’s daughter Chelsea!

Just look at that lovely hat!

Then we checked out the waiting time board. Tower of Terror had a 70 minute wait and no fastpasses left, so we decided against that for now.

We walked around the park and enjoyed some streetmosphere. My sister in law really wanted to do the Great Movie Ride. That is the one ride in Disney World that DH said he didn’t want to do again! But DH took one for the team and went on the ride anyway! Well…DH was asleep after about 4 minutes. My sister in law was FREAKED out by the alien, which was pretty entertaining. Our cast member was pretty lame, but we got the gangster side and our gangster was really good.

After the Great Movie Ride, it was time for one of my favorites…The Animation Academy! The people in our group chose to draw Tinkerbell and the cast member wasn’t kidding when he said she was hard to draw! All of our group’s drawings looked like aliens. And not cute aliens like Stitch. Scary aliens like the one from the Great Movie Ride! We all had a good laugh at each others’ expense. Unfortunately, those drawings are packed away somewhere right now. I saved them so I could share them with all of you, but I have no idea what box they are in!

After Animation Academy, I couldn’t wait any longer. I just HAD to go on Tower of Terror. It was calling out to me! So we headed over and the wait time was….ONE HUNDRED MINUTES! What?!?!? However, as we were looking at the sign, it changed to 70 minutes. Still pretty bad, but better than 100! So DH, my bro, my SIL, and my dad (!) got in line. I was so happy that my 68-year-old dad was going on Tower of Terror!

As soon as we entered the line, I was in my own little slice of heaven. I love that music, the fountain, the foliage. And I got more than my fill of the ToT atmosphere because after about 50 minutes of waiting and not moving ANYWHERE, a cast member told us that both sides of the ride were broken down with no indication on when they would be up and running again. A bunch of people left the line at that point, but we stuck it out. I was not about to give up on my favorite ride in the World! Well, about 20 minutes later we were finally in the lobby of the Hollywood Tower Hotel. Oh, how I love that lobby, dust, cobwebs, and all.

Anyone want to play a game?

Looks like their housekeeper does about as good a job as I do!

And 20 more minutes later (for a grand total of 90 minutes), we were strapped into our seats on the Tower of Terror!

How do I describe Tower of Terror? The giddy excitement on the way up the elevator shaft, the frightened anticipation as you wait for that first drop, the feeling those drops give you in the pit of your belly. I love every minute of that ride each and every time I go on it!

This was my dad’s and my SIL’s first time on Tower of Terror and they both said they loved it too! I was so happy! Despite the rocky wait, our trip was off to a great start!

Here is a happy me and a dorky DH after Tower of Terror. I took about 4 of these pics and he kept closing his eyes on purpose!

Next up was Rockin Roller Coaster. The wait was 60 minutes, though, and we were all COLD and tired, so we decided to hold off on that. We all decided to head back to Pop and eat something.

DH ran and got our mugs and then he and I ordered the Chicken Mediterranean flatbread. It was delicious! But only if you love olive tapenade, which I happen to love!

We chowed down on the flatbread and got some hot chocolate in our mugs (did I mention that it was COLD outside?), and headed back to the room.

Our suitcases were in the room when we returned. I was very excited to see them there as I had been worrying about that quite a bit! This was my first Magical Express experience. I got into my pajamas and opened my suitcase. And I discovered that…

What horror awaited me in the suitcase? You’re going to have to stay tuned to find out!

 

[mrsksomeday]

JULIE!!!

I am so happy you are back, I have missed reading about your adventures. It is great you got your old job back, congrats on the house. Bill was just asking me last week if you were back on the boards yet. He said hello and thanks again for the help with his ankle.

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Nice Start! I'm glad the TOT ride was worth the wait! I am one of the only people I have read about who likes TGMR. I guess I could live without it, but I think it's just fun - I love to see newbies get surprised!

 

[Charleston Princess]

Ahhhh, I can't wait to show Chelsea the picture of Bo -- I know she misses him terribly!

I can't believe the wait for ToT and RnRC! Glad you got to ride ToT though! I am still too scared to go on it.

 

[JaxJags08]

Here is a happy me and a dorky DH after Tower of Terror. I took about 4 of these pics and he kept closing his eyes on purpose!

That's a great picture! You look so happy! Too funny that your DH slept during TGMR! How could he fall asleep on his first ride of the trip?!

Yay! I'm very excited for you! How old will your DD be when the baby arrives?

I didn't even think about free dining...

She should be 3 by then. I say "should be" because the due date is a little over a week after DD's birthday. But DD was born 2 weeks early, and I have a feeling this little one will as well.

 

[SwansLoveDisney]

JULIE!!!

I am so happy you are back, I have missed reading about your adventures. It is great you got your old job back, congrats on the house. Bill was just asking me last week if you were back on the boards yet. He said hello and thanks again for the help with his ankle.

Hi Tracy!!!

I'm happy to be back too. I feel like I have finally transitioned to life here, so I am able to resume my normal activities, like obsessing about Disney World!

Tell Bill I said hi and he is very welcome! How is his ankle doing?

Nice Start! I'm glad the TOT ride was worth the wait! I am one of the only people I have read about who likes TGMR. I guess I could live without it, but I think it's just fun - I love to see newbies get surprised!

ToT was so worth the wait.

It was definitely fun to see my SIL's reaction to the Great Movie Ride. But I don't think I need to go on that ride for a long, long time!

Ahhhh, I can't wait to show Chelsea the picture of Bo -- I know she misses him terribly!

I can't believe the wait for ToT and RnRC! Glad you got to ride ToT though! I am still too scared to go on it.

I tried not to get to close to Bo because I know he's Chelsea's main man!

Yeah, those wait times were nuts. I guess that's what you get in the evening on Thanksgiving day!

That's a great picture! You look so happy! Too funny that your DH slept during TGMR! How could he fall asleep on his first ride of the trip?!



She should be 3 by then. I say "should be" because the due date is a little over a week after DD's birthday. But DD was born 2 weeks early, and I have a feeling this little one will as well.

Thanks!

I think maybe DH fell asleep on purpose to try to prove that the Great Movie Ride was boring. He may or may not have a little bit of a 3rd grader left in him!

3 sounds like a good age to get a little brother or sister. Will you find out the gender of the baby?

 

[mrsksomeday]

Tell Bill I said hi and he is very welcome! How is his ankle doing?

For the most part very well. He can wear regular shoes now and has a pair of Jordans, which he loves, and another pair of sneakers I can't remember the kind.

I stretch his ankle (using the techniques you sent me) at least twice a day to keep it loose. Again thank you so much .

 

[JaxJags08]

3 sounds like a good age to get a little brother or sister. Will you find out the gender of the baby?

Yes - as soon as we find out, I'll be sure to let you know! It will be a while, though.

 

[KathyRN137]

It was such a nice, short bus ride. But it was just long enough for me to be absolutely bursting with excitement by the time we pulled up to DHS.

I got off the bus and I pretty much ran to the bag check, then to the turn styles.

Julie, you are so cute! I can feel your excitement at finally beginning your long-awaited Disney trip!

What's in the bag, I wonder??

Kathy

 

[DisMomAmy]

I hope it isn't anything messy...

 

[MeMom]

I got a chance to sneak away to the computer for a second, and I'm very excited to find out that I can see your pictures form here at school! There are very few that show up here, so that is an exciting thing.

I'll be walking those same streets of Hollywood next Wednesday. I cannot wait!
I know I have to wait, but you know what I mean.

 

[SwansLoveDisney]

For the most part very well. He can wear regular shoes now and has a pair of Jordans, which he loves, and another pair of sneakers I can't remember the kind.

I stretch his ankle (using the techniques you sent me) at least twice a day to keep it loose. Again thank you so much .

That's wonderful that Bill is able to wear regular shoes now! I think Jordans would be my first choice too!

You are so good to Bill! You're such a great couple.

Yes - as soon as we find out, I'll be sure to let you know! It will be a while, though.

Well, I can't wait to find out, even if it is 15 weeks away or whatever!

Julie, you are so cute! I can feel your excitement at finally beginning your long-awaited Disney trip!

What's in the bag, I wonder??

Kathy

I get excited just thinking about those moments!

In the bag is nothing good.

I hope it isn't anything messy...

Not really messy, but gross nonetheless.

I got a chance to sneak away to the computer for a second, and I'm very excited to find out that I can see your pictures form here at school! There are very few that show up here, so that is an exciting thing.

I'll be walking those same streets of Hollywood next Wednesday. I cannot wait!
I know I have to wait, but you know what I mean.

I use Picasa for my pics, so I wonder if that's why you can see them? I just can't figure out how to get them to show up bigger!

I am so jealous of your upcoming trip!!!

But I am very happy that I will get to read and see all about it.