Is it a bad sign for the vacation when you faint on the plane? COMPLETED!

[MagicShell]

Poor Liam, I hope he enjoyed some of his trip. I would hate for him to not like Disney World. I know what you mean about the loudness. When my daughter was four at Disney we had to buy ear muffs for her because EVERYTHING was too loud for her.

I also know how you felt about parking at the end of a new row. That has happened to us so many times. You alreaday have enough walking to do without having to walk what seems like a mile to get to the end of a row.

I hope things do get better for you on the trip. I can't wait to read more.

 

[MRYPPNS]

On our last trip it seemed we always got to the parks shortly after rope drop and I think that's the best time. Like you said, you avoid the long lines that way, but you're still there early.

I now think it's the best time to get there. It's nice to see the little shows if everyone can handle the wait but it's not as important as being there when you can first go in.

I love your Touring Plans!! So, since I have a membership to UG, I can go make those up and print them out?
Yes, some a started from stratch, based on one of their plans, others I just modified.

I'll be curious to see if TSM has calmed down at all by the time we get there!
I doubt it.

That's too bad about Playhouse Disney. I don't blame Liam - I hate when things are too loud! We haven't done that show yet and I'm debating whether or not to do it this time. I think my younger two would like it.

I don't really remember it, but all the other kids seemed to like it.

Me thinks I'm going to need to buy you a new red marker LOL!!!

I think you did just fine as a first time mommy at Disney...I can't even begin to imagine the planning that must go into that. I'm sorry Liam didn't like the loud noises at Playhouse Disney!!!

I still can't wait to hear more...another great update Heidi!!!

All my general planning...like what to bring with us to the parks and what to have in the room went really well. I just had no idea how bably Liam would react to certain things.

I was out of town for a few days and missed your updates! Love the silhoutte of Liam, very very cute, and not at all what I would've expected it to cost!

Great updates, and I think you were doing awesome with Liam and figuring out what he wasn't enjoying - much better than making him stay!

When he was hating something I couldn't enjoy the attraction so it wasn't worth it to stay for everyone concerned.

Your red marker sure is getting a workout.

It sure is.....but I still wouldn't go without plans. I need that base to work from.

 

[MRYPPNS]

Hi,

sorry I got a bit behind...Mae has been sick for the past 5 days (day 3 of missed school) and Margaret has been sick too which =bad naps and restless nights for her and me...I resorted to sleeping on the couch last night when she joined DH & I in our bed

Anyways:

1st on the 90 less days of your pregancy, hope besides the sleep issues for you, things are going well. Can't wait to meet her!

2nd just love the silloutte picture of Liam, that is so precious! Now btwn you and KathyRN, I just may have to check that out in March!

3rd: I'm sorry your plans having been getting the red Xand equally sorry the DHS morning is already starting on a downer. Too bad he didn't like PHDL, I hope the day picks up, and some Disney happens soon!!!!

Scrappie (J-)

Sorry the kids are sick....I know about the no sleep thing....Liam was up at 4am today.
You should so do the sillouttes of the kids....all 4 framed together would look awesome.
I kinda knew we were cooked when he didn't like Playhouse Disney....the one thing that should have been familiar to him.

Sorry you didn't get to enjoy the whole show... no matter how much preparation you put into it, the kids always end up enjoying different things than you expect them to. Alex is pretty predictable about what he will enjoy - anything that moves fast!! But I'm so up in the air about what Zachary will like this time around. He says he wants to ride the Yeti next time we go back, and ToT, etc. But he did not enjoy those rides last time so I just don't know what to expect...

I hope you guys enjoy TSM. I know I can't wait to ride that one.

Looking back I bet Liam would have enjoyed stuff like Test Track....too bad he was too little!

Would Liam have tolerated ear plugs? I am thinking about getting some when we take my son's kinda step kids in December, I don't know if the 5 yr old will tolerate noise well or not.

He is too little for ear plugs. I looked online for noise cancelling headphones for kids (like Scrappie-Do's son wears) before we left for the fireworks but I couldn't find any small enough for him. If you think the 5 year old would wear them, I'd get them. You don't realize how loud EVERYTHING is until you have a child that freaked out by it. Nor did I realize how dark a lot of attractions are.....bring glow sticks for that.

Poor Liam, I hope he enjoyed some of his trip. I would hate for him to not like Disney World. I know what you mean about the loudness. When my daughter was four at Disney we had to buy ear muffs for her because EVERYTHING was too loud for her.

I also know how you felt about parking at the end of a new row. That has happened to us so many times. You alreaday have enough walking to do without having to walk what seems like a mile to get to the end of a row.

I hope things do get better for you on the trip. I can't wait to read more.

Somethings got better, and somethings got worst.

The parking thing just became this whole joke because we would think we scored this awesome parking space and then they would flag us down to the other end. I did really like how the parking is done.....just it's angled and the rows are so long you can get your stuff in and out without really being in anyone way.

 

[TarzansKat]

I totally understand about the dark places / loud noises thing. My DS has a total aversion to fireworks, and it's really only because they're so loud!

At least you had a good exit strategy, that's key.

 

[MRYPPNS]

My DS has a total aversion to fireworks, and it's really only because they're so loud!

My dogs have the same problem!

 

[TarzansKat]

My dogs have the same problem!

Oh, they're even more sensitive, aren't though? Don't dogs have infinitely keener hearing than human beings?

 

[MRYPPNS]

When I left off last we were in the magical hallway outside Playhouse Disney. Our touring plan called for seeing the next showing of the Little Mermaid. I knew that was out. I really wanted to ride Toy Story Midway Mania so that meant we would stay in DHS at least thru lunch then ride. It was really clear to me that the nighttime shows were going to be out for the rest of the vacation. And if that was the case, there wasn’t much sense in staying to see the Block Party Bash Parade as I figured it would be really loud. That didn’t leave us much to do in DHS. But my mind was working for once and I did figure out how we could save our evening….but I’ll get to that later.
So with little that we could do attraction-wise we decided to go to the one thing that had been a hit on this vacation…..a kiddie playground. We headed off to the Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground. Too bad it hadn’t opened up yet! We decided to walk over to Pixar Place and really look around.

In the above picture….see how there looks to be a shuttered window and then a little ledge? Well I read somewhere that the Pixar ball is/was suppose to come out that window and bounce up and down.

Here’s the Pixar ball so you know what I’m talking about.

By the way….the Pixar ball has been in every Pixar movie. Just like the Pizza Planet truck and how John Ratsenberger has been a voice in every Pixar movie.

And to the right in that picture….the round brick work….not brick work…it’s a speaker! Clever Imagineers!

At the little Pixar Gift nook (it’s not big enough to be a store) I spied this guy….one of my all time favorite characters!

You’ll be happy to know that Wheezy’s squeaker works! ($11.95)

And I got this for Liam:

It plays music when you squeeze it. ($7.95)

From there we headed back over to the playground. There were only a couple kids in there and we were able to find a little area that was a dead end and things on a smaller scale so Liam could climb and run around.

I think we had a good 20-25 minutes of that section of the playground basically to ourselves. And Liam enjoyed it very much! A show or something nearby must have ended because the playground got flooded with older kids.

Time for us to move on.

 

[mousescrapper]

Got to love HISTK playset, I can't wait to have some time in there! So glad Liam liked playing there and you had some time for him to enjoy....I suspect if you go to AK, he may like the Boneyard?

I think Micheal will have a new addition to his Toy Story Collection in that Wheezie plush!

The PIXAR area was still under construction in June, so that whole side across from TSM was gated off. I'm, looking forward to seeing what is there in March OH and I was at the Disney Store over the weekend w/ Aldine exchanging a c-mas gift, when I heard a CM telling another guest about how TS1 & 2 are being re-leased to the show! How exciting.

Plus thanks for the sneak peek of the ball window...we'll look for that!

 

[jenjolt]

Wow great update!! Thanks for pointing out the details of Pixar Place...I never knew about the ledge or any of those things. It will give me something to look for next time I go lol

Looks like Liam was having a great time at the playground!! Can't wait to see what you planned for the evening!!

 

[Lady Lallie]

Great details about Pixar Place. I love all the little details you always point out.

 

[Charleston Princess]

Love all your Pixar Place photos -- I always feel warm and fuzzy seeing anything from Toy Story since it was one of Chelsea's favorite movies when she was little!

I LOVE that you got a Weezy (and that his squeaker works)!

Liam looks so happy playing away on the HISTK playground.

 

[DisMomAmy]

Zachary LOVED the HISTK playground. Alex was so into ToT that we had to find something for Zachary to do at DHS. I'm sure we'll be back.

Great pictures of Pixar Place. None of that was visible at all when we were last there. I can't wait to check it out.

I'm glad Liam got to run off some steam. Can't wait to hear about your plans to save the evening.

 

[trixiequilts]

I went and pulled out my HS map today because I had no clue where the HISTK playground was. There were so many people there the day we were, I really missed a lot of details...big and small!

 

[mrsksomeday]

Your pictures are fantastic!! I love all the details. I can't wait to read more.

 

[carissanboys]

I'm surpised HISTK play area wasn't open when you first tried. On our last trip we go there right at opening and I think all we did was Star Tours before heading over and it was open. They couldn't go in the netting because it was wet, but everything else was open. I love going in there at that time because there's hardly anyone in there. That place can get so crazy later in the day.

 

[KathyRN137]

For next time: Maybe Liam would tolerate the loudness better if he wore ear plugs (the soft, squishy kind) or even ear phones....he'll be a bit bigger the next time you go, so he just might wear them for you! (There is going to be a next time, right?)

Billy can't do fireworks without them and I can't do Dinosaur without them, either!

on the HISTK playground...he looks like he's really having fun!

Kathy

 

[DisMomAmy]

Zachary is very sensitive to sounds too... even more than Alex is - go figure!

 

[TarzansKat]

Isn't it amazing what those little play areas will do for kids?

 

[LISAMWDW]

When my DD was a toddler, she's now 12!, that was her favorite playground!
Sigh, I miss those days!

Great update!

 

[MRYPPNS]

Got to love HISTK playset, I can't wait to have some time in there! So glad Liam liked playing there and you had some time for him to enjoy....I suspect if you go to AK, he may like the Boneyard?

I think Micheal will have a new addition to his Toy Story Collection in that Wheezie plush!

The PIXAR area was still under construction in June, so that whole side across from TSM was gated off. I'm, looking forward to seeing what is there in March OH and I was at the Disney Store over the weekend w/ Aldine exchanging a c-mas gift, when I heard a CM telling another guest about how TS1 & 2 are being re-leased to the show! How exciting.

Plus thanks for the sneak peek of the ball window...we'll look for that!

The Toy Story movies are a couple of my all time favorite movies.....I can't wait for Number 3 to come out. Thank god Disney bought Pixar or we might have never gotten the chance for TS3!

Lion King and Beauty and the Beast are being re-released on DVD for Christmas 2009.

Wow great update!! Thanks for pointing out the details of Pixar Place...I never knew about the ledge or any of those things. It will give me something to look for next time I go lol

Looks like Liam was having a great time at the playground!! Can't wait to see what you planned for the evening!!

We may never see Luxo Jr. bounce out that window....but it was fun to try where it might happen.

Great details about Pixar Place. I love all the little details you always point out.

We had a lot of time to really look around this trip!