Island Hopping: A Highly Inappropriate TR. (Boom.)-- Link to NEW TR! 10/8

[IheartDDuck]

I love PVH. I'm glad that they changed the menu recently too, because we never went there often before because the menu was a little underwhelming.

No judgey eyes here with your love of Disney pizza. Disney pizza is a thing. It's very tasty.

Hahaha, that picture of Brynn with the flatbread is hysterical. You can totally imagine what she's thinking when she's holding up the flatbread.

That is so cute that they save all of the hair in a sachet for you from their first haircut! My older brother had a meltdown at my nephews first haircut (not at Disney btw), because he naturally has a lot of curls. It's his trademark so he asked that they leave the curls and only give him a trim. They cut off every single curl and he was completely curl-less......they're back now, but it was heartbreaking. I can feel your pain.

 

[DVCWDWMEMBER]

I love PVH. I'm glad that they changed the menu recently too, because we never went there often before because the menu was a little underwhelming.

No judgey eyes here with your love of Disney pizza. Disney pizza is a thing. It's very tasty.

Hahaha, that picture of Brynn with the flatbread is hysterical. You can totally imagine what she's thinking when she's holding up the flatbread.

That is so cute that they save all of the hair in a sachet for you from their first haircut! My older brother had a meltdown at my nephews first haircut (not at Disney btw), because he naturally has a lot of curls. It's his trademark so he asked that they leave the curls and only give him a trim. They cut off every single curl and he was completely curl-less......they're back now, but it was heartbreaking. I can feel your pain.

I love the pizza at WDW too. We had it for the first time many years ago when we stayed at the Disney Inn (Shades of Green) for room service. It was awesome,one bigger piece for Mickey's head and two smaller pieces for his ears. The kids didn't want to eat it at first because they loved the Mickey so much.
Love flat bread pizza too.

 

[enchantedrosex]

I'm gonna follow along..
Your family is precious!!

And on a side note, I love reading the trip down updates! The buildup to the magic is just as important

 

[__disneygirl]

Your girls looked amazing after the Pirate League! WOW! How magical to start the day like that. And your pictures of them are just stunning. Great great job. Doesn't surprise me that your daughter won a trophy for photography... it must run in the family!

I LOVED Storybook Circus, but didn't go inside that play area, so it's great to see the pictures here!

That is so adorable that Brynn thought the sign meant you needed to hold hands. It seems to mean something different to everyone - No standing up, no dancing, no bad dancing, make sure you hold hands... the list goes on and on!

I love Pinocchio's Village Haus as well. I love sitting up on the second floor there, and the stained glass with Cleo on it is so beautiful! The flatbread looks pretty good, but I agree, they definitely should have kept regular pizza for the children. Also: DISNEY FRIES!!!!!!!!

SAWYER IS SO PRECIOUS. I've always said that my future children have to have their first haircuts on Main Street. It's a must.

 

[Kbendig]

Finally caught up!

I LOVE the new Dumbo too! I didn't go into the play area, there were too many kids and I just couldn't be sure I wouldn't have to break up a fight. Not the other kids..mine. I said maybe next time. We rode it once at night and once during the day, it was just amazing.

I love Sawyer's first haircut! Very cute, such a little man.

Last month we rode IASW countless times, I dream of the song now.

 

[nfggirl5454]

Just subscribed! Loving hearing about your trip so far - your kids are adorable, and your husband's pics are so good. I was with my sister when my nephew had his first haircut at Harmony last July, and it was such a good experience. He enjoyed playing with the Minnie spinner. Nothing wrong with the IASW love - I'm 30 and that's been one of my favorite rides since I was a kid.

 

[Fantasyland Mom]

OH. MY. GOODNESS. I am quite possibly the worst TR writer in the whole entire world! I feel I owe you all an explanation for my ridiculous absence.

Life happened. Specifically:

1. We all got the flu. We love naturally-acquired immunity, don’t get me wrong! But this was horrible.

2. Brynn started school. You read that right! She’s going to school! Her special education evaluations all came back, and she qualified for services on several of them. Unfortunately, the school system decided that her physical therapy needs and occupational therapy needs were significant, but that they wouldn’t interfere with her education, meaning they won’t provide them. I was not happy about that, as that means we will have to pay out of pocket for those things. Sigh. I get the feeling they may change their minds about whether or not it interferes once they get to know her. We shall see.

The reason I am okay with her IEP at this point is that her preschool actually incorporates lots of OT and PT practices into the classroom—they even have a sensory gym! She’s attending three hours a day, five days a week, in a special ed facilitated classroom with seven kids and two adults. The kids have multiple diagnoses and issues, but they are all high-functioning. They are working a lot on social skills and motor skills, which are two of Brynn’s main concerns. Yes, they work on preschool “stuff” too, but Brynn’s well beyond that. The emphasis is on gaining skills, not necessarily cognitive advancement, as they’re all pretty smart cookies.

This is Brynn on her first day. Does she look a little excited!?

They had a character parade first thing, and of course she had to be Ariel AGAIN.

I just loved her little cubby!

She’s already made lots of friends and sometimes even remembers their names, and I love that she never notices any disability anyone may have. We should all be like her.

3. I got the Post-Disney Blues. I thought I had escaped them this time, but they just hit a little late. I couldn’t bring myself to focus on anything Disney-related, and then I realized I kept getting sadder from avoiding it all. So I’m back! And I’m sorry.

I haven't individually responded to every comment, and for that I am sorry. I promise I have read each one. I love you people, new and old! If you're new and starting to follow along, I PROMISE that I'm not usually one to wait this long for an update! And for all, I PROMISE to do better! Thank you for your comments and for sticking with me!

I think we’re all caught up now, so on with the update! I think I’ll make it a long one to make up for my absence, so keep on reading through a few posts.

When we left off, Sawyer had gotten his hair cut and was looking cute. Here we were on Main Street, with all it’s wonderful sights and smells. Now was as good a time as any to do some Main Street exploring, right?! And the Emporium was just right there…I just wanted a quick look at the building itself, not even the merchandise (yet)…

Always look up!

…and we left with the Disney Park Food play set. No lie, I love it. Yeah, yeah, kids love it, whatever. But I just think it’s cool to have a turkey leg laying around my house.

Hmmm…what to do, what to do…the smell pulled us in! Confectionery time!

I will warn you that this is one of our favorite places, so there will be an insane amount of pictures. I do realize it’s candy and not a national monument or anything, but that’s what a sophisticated family we are. You’re welcome.

We spent a few minutes just taking in the general ambiance of the place and noticing how things were decorated for Halloween, whether that meant novelty items, orange and purple colored treats, or fall-themed sprinkles. And we just love to watch them making something we’re about to order!

Then the kids started getting a little agitated. I mean, we were here for the candy, right?

It is entirely possible that I was getting whiny myself. We had to get to that treats case before a meltdown happened!

NOM, NOM, NOM!

I ordered a Mickey head cake pop, which was covered in white chocolate and orange sugar (picture later).

Julia found the “fill your own tube of pure colored sugar because THAT’s healthy, right?” station, which would become one of her favorite items this trip. We’d go in a store with the intention of buying souvenirs, and she’d ask for one of these. Let’s be honest, though—who doesn’t like pure sugar!?
I helped her fill hers up while the little kids played with Mickey and Donald Pez containers (love!).

Success!

I found a bundle of Mickey lollipops and threw it in with our haul. While I went to pay, Brandon took Julia across the little side street to watch the glass blowing. This is amazing to watch, but you couldn’t pay me to take the toddler and preschooler in there. Never in a million years. And rumor has it that I’m a bit clumsy, too. (Shhhh!)

KEEP READING BELOW!!! Continued immediately below. Now.

 

[Fantasyland Mom]

After we met back up in the alleyway, I mentioned to Brandon that he might want to go up to the castle to get some shots, as I’d heard the crane was being put up before the next time we’d be at MK. (I was right, by the way.)

We enjoyed the sights along the way and stopped for a family picture. Don’t the kids look so happy to be photographed?

Oh, look! Crowds gathering! What could that mean???

HECK YES! DREAM ALONG WITH MICKEY! One happy mama.

The sleepy kids with the Pez did this:

I did this:

And Julia did this:

Plus there was much dancing which apparently was not photographed. All of us yelled, “DREAMS COME TRUE!” like it was our purpose in life. This is one of Brandon’s favorite things to yell around the house, so he was happy to scream it in its appropriate place.

Since we had a busy night planned, we decided to head out when the show was over. I guess the candy hadn’t been enough to tide us over because we just had to stop at the popcorn stand at the exit for popcorn and a frozen orange concoction. This popcorn would become our MK exiting tradition; I don’t think we left it another time this trip without getting a bucket, and I’m not even a huge popcorn fan! This is some special stuff. That salt must have pixie dust in it.

Their card system was messed up, so it was cash only. I never carry cash, but for some reason I happened to have some on me. SEE? Magic popcorn stand.

Next up was even more magic: our first monorail experience of the trip!

Oh, HAI, other monorail!

Happy mama, again!

A little snack for the road…

…but that’s just not enough! We stopped at the espresso stand at the TTC for a vanilla latte, which we downed in about two seconds. Previous to this, I always wondered who on earth would ever stop here when the MK and their cars are both so close. Now I know. Me.

Now, while I was in line I saw something odd that I’d see multiple more times this trip: a lady was pushing a little dog in a stroller. People seemed to be all over the parks pushing Yorkies and Chihuahuas in tiny dog strollers! IS THIS EVEN ALLOWED?!? I highly doubt they’re service dogs. Do they sneak them in like they are their children?? And why do they need to take Teacup Poodles on the Teacups??? It’s a legitimate question, folks.

As we got into our wonderfully parked van, the bottom fell out and the afternoon thunder storm started. By the time we got back to CBR, it was mostly over.

Back in the room, our first order of business was to eat this little beauty:

We split it between the five of us. It’s little, but it’s so very rich that one person cannot handle it! Or maybe we are just weak candy eaters. The downside of this orange sugar is that, while beautiful and festive, it stained my lips that same color, and no amount of lip gloss would cover it that night. Talk about the spirit of the season!

After our snack, we all changed to our clothes for dinner. I used a baby wipe to sort of “clean up” some of Brynn’s scales where her hands had rubbed off some of the makeup. She didn’t want the makeup to be off just yet, so I left it around her eyes and mostly took it off her cheeks where it was smudged. Julia opted to stay in pirate gear, as well.

While I had a moment of quiet and removed/reapplied my makeup and Sawyer sat next to me and ate some fruit, Brandon took the girls out to the courtyard right outside our room and to refill our resort mugs. Mmmmm….white citrus tea!

When they returned, it was already time for us to make our way to dinner.

Our shirts are clues; can you guess where we’re headed??

And the night won’t end there! Lots more, and this is just the FIRST day!!

 

[CandleontheWater]

Oh my gosh, the flu! How miserable! Glad to hear that you are feeling better!

Those confectionery goodies look yummy, I could really go for a Mickey rice krispy treat right now!

I have never actually watched Dream Along with Mickey (I know, what kind of Disney fan am I?) but I've listened to it a whole bunch on our parks CD. I'm glad Everett isn't the only one who likes to shout "Dreams come True"! It would be OK if it was at home, but he especially loves to yell it at places like Target and the grocery store, and then gets very incensed when I won't join in.

Looking forward to dinner!

 

[MissPrice]

Yay Update!!

I forgive you for the delay Hope you are feeling better now.

The Emporium looks so pretty, I have to remember to spend some more time in there. Who doesn't love the candy store?? MMM, I could go for some of their fudge right about now.

My guess is that you are going to Chef Mickeys!! Looking forward to next update. -Amanda

 

[DVCWDWMEMBER]

So sorry to hear you all got the flu. So glad to read your update. WOW that candy makes me drool

 

[GrimGrinningStitch]

Yayyyyyyy! You're back! I've missed this Trip Report (though I've been keeping up with goings on on the good ol' FB).

Such a fun update! That's awesome that Brynn was so excited to start school. When I was her age I was terrified of any kind of new situation/strangers, so I'm pretty sure I had a meltdown my first day.

I love the Emporium so much, though I have to admit I can never let myself buy anything on my first visit. I always look through and make a mental list of things I want to buy. Why I don't get things right away, I couldn't tell you, but it's one of those little quirks I have.

I need to try the Cake Pops there. I've only ever really picked up the Rice Krispy treats, but I'm going to have to change that this year.

Also, this update made me realize that though I loved Disney popcorn as a kid, I haven't had it for a good 10+ years. I may have to reward myself with one of their souvenir buckets this year.

Welcome back, and I'm glad you (and the family) are all feeling better!

 

[katt789]

Yay for updates! I know what ya mean about the disney food play set, I kinda want one bahah!!

I love the confectionery, even if I don't want a treat, I can't stay away from it, and I usually get something by the last day haha.

UGH, dream along with mickey! Yay! I am very guilty of yelling dreams come true all the time, awesome!

 

[danimaroo]

I was SO HAPPY to see that you posted and updated! I mean, like Matt, I've been keeping up via Facebook but still, I've missed your posts!

That being said, I totally get the post-Disney blues business... I most certainly got it last time after our trip. It's really not appealing whatsoever, I have to say.

ANYWAY, onto other awesome things. So glad Brynn is loving school, she's just too cute!

Agh all of your photos are making me REALLY want some Disney treats, STAT!

I've never stopped for the show but I'm fairly certain whenever Matt and I walk past it we scream the DREAMS COME TRUE part, hahaha.

Popcorn! I NEED to have this in January! And perhaps bring home a souvie bucket just because I have heard how amazing Disney popcorn is.

I have no idea why people would bring their little dinky dogs into the parks; that just seems bizarre to me. Though Matt and I always joke to our puppies about coming with us on vacation and going on Splash Mountain. We're weird, I know.

Love the photos of the girls together while you were getting ready, too cute. I literally have no idea where you guys are going to dinner though, haha. It's been a long day so my thinking cap isn't on!

 

[merbobear]

I have to go back and read the rest but I want to comment specifically about Brynn before I read more and lose track of my thoughts:
First of all, SO awesome that she started school! And I love her excited face! Also love her cupcake backpack - adorable.
It's really great that her classroom is going to be able to accommodate her needs, but too bad that the school isn't willing to pay for her OT & PT. I only know a marginal amount about this topic, having friends with SN kids who have dealt with 'the system,' so I might be way off base, but does your county have a program that would help subsidize the cost or pay it in full? I know a local friend (We are in upstate NY) has had therapy services provided by a county program since her dd was a baby (she's 6 now), and another friend not local (lives in MN) also has some services for her DS4 provided by her county while some are paid OOP by the parents.

I really hope I am not offending by suggesting, I know you probably have looked at all of your options by this point, but on the off chance that you haven't..worth a shot. I do also know that my friend in MN has pretty much had to fight an uphill battle with her son's school admin every step of the way, but the program is really good for her DS so obviously she just does what she has to.

Hopefully there is something out there to help defray the cost, but if not at least Brynn is IN the school now and getting the services that will help her to excel!

 

[merbobear]

Ah, one more thing...about her not noticing disabilities. It is really awesome how children just see the person and not their differences. My dd is 4 and in pre-k also, and to hear her describe her classmates is really interesting. She/we are white and one day she was comparing a boy that is black, but she said that he looked like her because they both have brown hair And she regularly talks about a girl named Fatima in her class and says she is her best friend. I had mentioned that to one of her teachers one day, and she told me that Fatima speaks NO English...yet she agreed that Adison (my dd) and Fatima had forged a bond despite their difference in language. I wish we all saw the world through preschoolers' eyes.

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

Ugh, the flu, how miserable!! I'm glad you're all feeling better!!

I'm so happy to hear that Brynn is enjoying school! It sounds like a wonderful program for her!!

Hahaha yep, I can't be in the Confectionary for very long without buying candy either!! The smell of sugar is too much to resist!!! I've never had a cake pop, but I've heard that they're super-rich too.

 

[Kbendig]

I am glad you're all feeling better!! The flu is horrid.

I'm glad Brynn loves school. You are so right about kids not noticing differences. My DS is in special ed and while people thought he would feel bad about it he is fine. Everyone is different, and he gets that. He'll even say sometimes that someone had trouble with work and he helped them, and they help him concentrate. He doesn't say it judging them, but in a "hey we all need help so we do it" kind of way.

I love the magical popcorn! I'm not a big popcorn person unless it's home, for some reason I always find it much saltier out. But Disney popcorn...I could have eaten the whole thing! We also found the pure sugar stands, and after 4 days my DH gave in. Not that I care really, but he had some stomach issues on the trip and I didn't want to add pure sugar to the mix...just in case. 7 days in Disney and he talks so fondly about that sugar.

 

[shan23877]

I sound like a broken record here, but beautiful photos!

We got sucked into the "build your own bag of M&Ms" more than once last trip. Hey, it's vacation!

Can't wait to hear about dinner-I'm guessing that it's Chef Mickey too.

 

[Fantasyland Mom]

Oh my gosh, the flu! How miserable! Glad to hear that you are feeling better!

Those confectionery goodies look yummy, I could really go for a Mickey rice krispy treat right now!

I have never actually watched Dream Along with Mickey (I know, what kind of Disney fan am I?) but I've listened to it a whole bunch on our parks CD. I'm glad Everett isn't the only one who likes to shout "Dreams come True"! It would be OK if it was at home, but he especially loves to yell it at places like Target and the grocery store, and then gets very incensed when I won't join in.

Looking forward to dinner!

Our Disney Target moment is when I put two of the kids in those buggies that fit two kids sitting side-by-side. As I push the cart, they pretend it's a ride, usually either Splash Mountain (where they scream about big hills loudly) or "it's a small world" (where they sing loudly). What is it about Target that brings out the Disney? I know their bathrooms smell like Disney bathrooms; maybe that's it!

Yay Update!!

I forgive you for the delay Hope you are feeling better now.

The Emporium looks so pretty, I have to remember to spend some more time in there. Who doesn't love the candy store?? MMM, I could go for some of their fudge right about now.

My guess is that you are going to Chef Mickeys!! Looking forward to next update. -Amanda

We are all feeling great now, thanks!
I would love to take even more time to just look at the beautiful Emporium, but as you just saw, my kids can't go in there without grabbing things off the shelf that they MUST HAVE RIGHT NOW.
Hmmm...you might just have some great guessing skills.

So sorry to hear you all got the flu. So glad to read your update. WOW that candy makes me drool

It's lunchtime now, and I just looked back through those pictures. I'm drooling, too!

Yayyyyyyy! You're back! I've missed this Trip Report (though I've been keeping up with goings on on the good ol' FB).

Such a fun update! That's awesome that Brynn was so excited to start school. When I was her age I was terrified of any kind of new situation/strangers, so I'm pretty sure I had a meltdown my first day.

I love the Emporium so much, though I have to admit I can never let myself buy anything on my first visit. I always look through and make a mental list of things I want to buy. Why I don't get things right away, I couldn't tell you, but it's one of those little quirks I have.

I need to try the Cake Pops there. I've only ever really picked up the Rice Krispy treats, but I'm going to have to change that this year.

Also, this update made me realize that though I loved Disney popcorn as a kid, I haven't had it for a good 10+ years. I may have to reward myself with one of their souvenir buckets this year.

Welcome back, and I'm glad you (and the family) are all feeling better!

Thank you so much!
I am of the opinion that one should compile a list and buy later, as well. My children, on the other hand, had different ideas. Constantly. You and I are quirky in the same great ways.
I'm going for a Rice Krispy treat next time. I didn't really appreciate having orange lips, no matter how tasty it was!
We used the popcorn souvenir buckets for trick-or-treating this year! See, if you go in September you can get a Halloween-themed one, too. I know you love to decorate for Halloween! (Please, September?)

Yay for updates! I know what ya mean about the disney food play set, I kinda want one bahah!!

I love the confectionery, even if I don't want a treat, I can't stay away from it, and I usually get something by the last day haha.

UGH, dream along with mickey! Yay! I am very guilty of yelling dreams come true all the time, awesome!

I just love walking in the confectionery. It smells SO GOOD! And I love the theming. I'm usually not strong enough to wait for the last day to buy something, though!
There's nothing wrong with yelling "Dreams come true!" I mean, they do!!

I was SO HAPPY to see that you posted and updated! I mean, like Matt, I've been keeping up via Facebook but still, I've missed your posts!

That being said, I totally get the post-Disney blues business... I most certainly got it last time after our trip. It's really not appealing whatsoever, I have to say.

ANYWAY, onto other awesome things. So glad Brynn is loving school, she's just too cute!

Agh all of your photos are making me REALLY want some Disney treats, STAT!

I've never stopped for the show but I'm fairly certain whenever Matt and I walk past it we scream the DREAMS COME TRUE part, hahaha.

Popcorn! I NEED to have this in January! And perhaps bring home a souvie bucket just because I have heard how amazing Disney popcorn is.

I have no idea why people would bring their little dinky dogs into the parks; that just seems bizarre to me. Though Matt and I always joke to our puppies about coming with us on vacation and going on Splash Mountain. We're weird, I know.

Love the photos of the girls together while you were getting ready, too cute. I literally have no idea where you guys are going to dinner though, haha. It's been a long day so my thinking cap isn't on!

Disney blues suck. They were really rough this time around . And unlike you, little Missy, I don't get a DL trip! Sigh...
I totally get loving your pets. I even get wanting to see how they react on SM, sort of, in a really strange way. But aren't pets banned except for service dogs, or am I just imagining that?? I just want to know the "how" behind them being there even more than the "why." It was totally bizarre.
Halloween themed popcorn buckets are the best, so you have to go in September and get one.

I have to go back and read the rest but I want to comment specifically about Brynn before I read more and lose track of my thoughts:
First of all, SO awesome that she started school! And I love her excited face! Also love her cupcake backpack - adorable.
It's really great that her classroom is going to be able to accommodate her needs, but too bad that the school isn't willing to pay for her OT & PT. I only know a marginal amount about this topic, having friends with SN kids who have dealt with 'the system,' so I might be way off base, but does your county have a program that would help subsidize the cost or pay it in full? I know a local friend (We are in upstate NY) has had therapy services provided by a county program since her dd was a baby (she's 6 now), and another friend not local (lives in MN) also has some services for her DS4 provided by her county while some are paid OOP by the parents.

I really hope I am not offending by suggesting, I know you probably have looked at all of your options by this point, but on the off chance that you haven't..worth a shot. I do also know that my friend in MN has pretty much had to fight an uphill battle with her son's school admin every step of the way, but the program is really good for her DS so obviously she just does what she has to.

Hopefully there is something out there to help defray the cost, but if not at least Brynn is IN the school now and getting the services that will help her to excel!

You absolutely did not offend me! In fact, I'm really touched that you even cared enough about Brynn to make suggestions!
We do have Babies Can't Wait that gives services to kids up to age three, I believe. And we have Children's Medical Services (my mom actually works for them as a nurse), which will provide services and clinics for certain diagnoses or to rule out certain diagnoses. They did pay for an MRI and EEG for her to rule out any brain abnormalities and absence seizures (she has paroxysmal spells, but they are non-epileptic). Unfortunately, the Autism Spectrum isn't on their list, so they won't pay for PT or OT for Brynn. They might pay for AFOs if she ends up needing them for her feet and ankles, but we won't know if she needs an orthopedist until her next regular pediatrician visit, which may be as late as April unless suggested she needs a visit earlier. We'll see on that.
I tried to contact Easter Seals to see if they could help last week, and they haven't gotten back to me. I'll have to try again. Other than that, I don't know of any other services that help the cost. What's unfortunate about our insurance is that they'll only pay for 20 visits of OT or PT, and they still make us pay a good (expensive) chunk of each of those visits. In her OT evaluation, they said she needs it twice a week, so our insurance would only give her ten weeks of therapy out of the year.
I am thinking I'll ask her school if they know of any suggestions after we get back from Thanksgiving Break. It's not a rush this year since her school is working with her so much, but next year when she's in "real" kindergarten in a normal classroom it will most likely be needed.