July 2010 Big Bdays Family Reunion (Update 9/28 Final Thoughts)

[kaoden39]

I love, love, love the silly pictures!!!

 

[Marshay]

Finally, I asked our photographer if we could do a 'jump in front of the castle' shot. I guess the official policy is no (injuries?) but we snuck one in and it was great!!

After the pics, everyone wanted to do something different, so Jerry, Rachel, Elie and I rode Jungle Cruise, Splash mountain (and Rachel loved it!! even in front row!!! I was soooooooo very proud of her!) and Haunted Mansion.

We still hadn't gone on IASW so we waited about 25 minutes to rides that. Then went on TTA and left MK during the middle of the fireworks. We didn't want to get caught up in the mob afterwards.

Tomorrow we leave Florida ... with our Autotrain adventure!

 

[cherbear]

woohoo!!! What a fun update!!

I don't have a whole lot of time to comment right now but I loved Elie's sweet smiling face at the CP meal!!! She sure did warm up to THOSE characters!

 

[Trentmom]

What a great update

I loved Elie face in pics with Pooh and Tigger. How ironic is it that those would seem to be her favorite

In one of the first pics with you and Pooh, Pooh looks like he is leaning away from you. Maybe he sensed your dislike

Seriously, love your pics with Pooh


Great photopass pics. Love all the silly ones too

Looks like you all had such a great trip together

 

[Marshay]

The look on Elizabeth's face when she saw Pooh was great. She has such a great smile. Both of your girls do. I love your photos with Pooh too. Great clowning.

Yeah, Elie really did like Pooh. Now we do have a small Pooh teddy bear stuffed animal at home along with Tigger, so that probably helped too.

I love, love, love the silly pictures!!!

Thanks! Yeah, we look goofy, but they make me laugh!

woohoo!!! What a fun update!!

I don't have a whole lot of time to comment right now but I loved Elie's sweet smiling face at the CP meal!!! She sure did warm up to THOSE characters!

I know ... why THOSE characters! But as long as she had fun!

What a great update

I loved Elie face in pics with Pooh and Tigger. How ironic is it that those would seem to be her favorite

In one of the first pics with you and Pooh, Pooh looks like he is leaning away from you. Maybe he sensed your dislike

Seriously, love your pics with Pooh


Great photopass pics. Love all the silly ones too

Looks like you all had such a great trip together

yes, we did have fun together and all the pics were fun to do. We had a great time at CP...it is really pretty in that restaurant and we had window seating so it was even better.

 

[Marshay]

Today is Tuesday, July 20th and we leave WDW.

I've said it before and will say it again. I HATE, HATE check-out day.

Take all that glorious anticipation and joy you have on check-in day (I swear I'm walking on clouds) and send it away, shove it through a razor-sharp sieve and stomp on the remains!

And it doesn't matter that we knew we'd be coming back in May 2011 for our next trip. (Little did we know then that we'd be back even sooner for our November trip. See link in siggie if you'd like to join that and haven't.)

So after we packed up and checked out, we went to DTD for some final shopping. Jerry got me my 40th birthday present (Ariel Big Fig -- although it arrived damaged so I'm still trying to get another one); I got 2010 Christmas Mickey ornament; and we got the girls one of those Cinderella Castles with the little figurines. All for 10-20% off with our special discounts. We had Disney ship everything to us so we wouldn't have to worry about it.

The rest of my family was staying in Disney for a little longer. I told them to make sure they got more photos...they got one more

I couldn't resist this border

Then it was 11:45am and we had to go. In the past we have always flown down but this trip we decided to drive down and take the AutoTrain from Sanford, FL (about 1 hr from WDW) to Lorton, VA (about 1 hr from our home).

Cost was $490 and that included:
- coach seating for 4
- a great dinner
- snacks before dinner
- snacks after dinner
- movie
- breakfast
- use of pillows, blankets and overhead lights
- electricity for portable devices
- SUV (cars are slightly cheaper) with all the stuff we want to pack
- great views, esp crossing over bridges
- ability to walk around
- bathrooms

We stopped at the exit prior to Sanford for a gas fill-up and drive-through lunch. When we arrived at the train station (oh, and it's not marked very well at all. You practically go through a residential neighborhood and then there's the train station), we were told to take everything with us that we needed b/c we could not get access to it until we arrived in Lorton.

The station in Sanford is undergoing construction. Here is the entrance. Rachel was excited about the free water.

We checked in and snagged a 7pm seating (the first to fill up) and then went to this temporary tent and ate our lunch.

Afterwards we walked around the station and saw our train

About 3pm or so, we boarded. We were in the back of the train, in a section that was not connected to the rest of the train. We found our seats on the upper level (the lower level is reserved for handicapped and older people). Man, the staircase to get from bottom to top is small. It's one of those kind that just loop around in a spiral.

Sorry, this is dark, but as you can see there was plenty of room. Jerry and Rachel sat on one side of the car and Elizabeth and I sat on the other.

Then our section of train hooked up with the other train (BUMP!!) and off we go. After we settled in a bit, we walked to the Lounge car and sat in the booth to eat oranges, apples and a salty snack mix. We enjoyed looking outside.

The only downside was that the smoking car was located directly below the lounge car. Now I HATE, HATE smoke but I really only noticed it when you walked into the lounge car. After being there, I couldn't smell it anymore and I always smell it at other places continuously.

Then we walked back to our seats (about 4 train car lengths) and went downstairs to check out the bathrooms. There were 5 of them I think...one was handicapped, one was a lounge (2 sinks + toilet), one had a small changing area and I think the rest were just toilets. Think airplane toilets.

Changing Elizabeth's diaper in there was interesting. At least if she rolled over, there was no where for her to really go!

There were announcements made on the PA system and you were not supposed to go to the dining car early. Those who did were told to wait until their time. The dinner choices were 5pm, 7pm and 9pm. I found 5pm to be too early and 9pm too late, so I'm glad we got 7pm. Although we did miss the movie in the lounge car then.

Dinner is at booths with real table linen and you can choose any entree off the kids or adult menu. It came with ice tea, water and wine, dinner rolls and dessert. Rachel and I got the fish and Jerry got the beef. Elie got the kids mac and cheese. Everything was really good. I had heard that Amtrak actually has good food, but didn't really believe them. It is true!

The Lounge car looks like a diner. It has a small bar setup and very comfortable booths with tables. Unfortunately, it only seats about 30 people so once it fills up, you have to wait. I asked the attendant if there was another lounge car that we could try since it was filled at 8:15pm and they said no.

I believe they actually DO have another car but that is reserved for only those folks who purchase a room. They get extra special attention, their own dining car, lounge car and a superior menu of food (think steak instead of beef stew). We'll find out when we go in November.

So we went back to our seats, read and played a little bit and at 9pm the lights are dimmed. Elie fell asleep rather quickly. The rocking of the train sort of puts everyone in a lull.

I made a bed for her at my feet.

Everything was quiet and Rachel slept next to Jerry. I spread out on the two seats and fell asleep after reading about 11:30pm. Now I am a pretty heavy sleeper but for some reason, I woke up almost every hour on the hour. I quickly went back to sleep and I did feel well rested in the morning (maybe it was adrenaline!).

Elizabeth woke up around 1am and cried and then proceeded to crawl under my seat to the person behind me. Of course she didn't know that person and cried louder. I immediately woke up and got her. SORRY to all the people in our car! Then I put her in the seat next to mine and we slept until 6:30am.

Was I comfortable? Not really to sleep. Yes to sit.
Was it horrible? Not really
Would I do coach again? Yes

If I could have spread out on the two seats all by myself, I would have definitely slept better (and Jerry too). Also, in the rush to pack up that morning, we forgot to bring pillows (except for the boppy), blankets, deodorant, washcloth and toothbrush/paste.

Breakfast is FCFS and consists of cereal, muffin, bagel, milk, tea, OJ. Then we arrive at Lorton about 8am and gather all our stuff and wait for our car number to be called. I think we waited about 40 minutes. Jerry took the girls to the playground, while I waited with our stuff and listened to the numbers being called.

Finally we decide to go to the bathroom and while in there, of course they call our number. We pick up our truck, take a quick look around it for damage and off we go. We arrived home about one hour later.

It was definitely a good experience. We liked not being all cramped in our SUV and walking around. Next time I'll bring less snacks, and the things we forgot. I'll have to pack a separate bag for Pillows, toothbrush/paste and blankets along with the toys and books. Plus my phone charger.

We are home.

As I'm going through the mail I see that the school calendar has two teacher furlough days in it plus Wed-Friday off during Thanksgiving week. I suggest to Jerry that we should go somewhere special...he says, how about Disney? since I'd been dropping hints about wanting to go see the Christmas lights.

And we already had Annual Passes, so that would be free. We had the Tables in Wonderland card so 20% off Table service. We had the points, so the room would be free. It wouldn't cost that much ...

A few days later we have our ressies!

 

[silverangel879]

Yey for silly pictures! I'm glad you like them! It was fun to work with you! Sometimes people want their photo taken and they forget they are ON VACATION, HAVING FUN.....AT DISNEY WORLD!! So it's always fun have fun families like yours...

And yes, there is a policy for no jumping we don't want a broken ankle ruining your vacation but we can snug them in once in a while with the proper warnings.

I really love your report!

 

[Trentmom]

Sounds like train ride was fun. Cant wait to hear about how it goes for your nov trip when u have a room

yay for going again to see Holiday decorations. They are awesome

 

[cherbear]

when we asked a photopass photog if we could do a jumping picture, he said that it was only allowed with closed toed shoes and we had been wearing flip flops that day. I can't remember if it was last year's trip that we asked or the year before, but it's possible they have changed the policy to NO jumping allowed. I think it's mainly because of the trolley tracks there.

 

[Marshay]

Yey for silly pictures! I'm glad you like them! It was fun to work with you! Sometimes people want their photo taken and they forget they are ON VACATION, HAVING FUN.....AT DISNEY WORLD!! So it's always fun have fun families like yours...

And yes, there is a policy for no jumping we don't want a broken ankle ruining your vacation but we can snug them in once in a while with the proper warnings.

I really love your report!

Thanks! Once again thanks so much for the pictures and your patience with us. I know we took a lot but I love them. Esp our jumping photo!!

Sounds like train ride was fun. Cant wait to hear about how it goes for your nov trip when u have a room

yay for going again to see Holiday decorations. They are awesome

My prediction is that I wont' think the family room is worth the extra money. But we'll see.

I totally can't wait for the Christmas decorations!!

Hey, you leave for Disney really soon! (or maybe you'll there already) I gotta check your ticker...

when we asked a photopass photog if we could do a jumping picture, he said that it was only allowed with closed toed shoes and we had been wearing flip flops that day. I can't remember if it was last year's trip that we asked or the year before, but it's possible they have changed the policy to NO jumping allowed. I think it's mainly because of the trolley tracks there.

Yeah, as PP said, they really don't want to do them ... maybe that's why I love that pic so much! And for the 2nd time, I jumped higher than Jerry!!!

 

[mousescrapper]

glad the autotrain was uneventful (as in anything bad)...I know check-out day is always sad...even when you have another trip...but worse when you don't

so is there a wrap up or are you just going to focus on the PTR for Nov.

 

[Marshay]

glad the autotrain was uneventful (as in anything bad)...I know check-out day is always sad...even when you have another trip...but worse when you don't

so is there a wrap up or are you just going to focus on the PTR for Nov.

I normally do a Lessons Learned but I think this is it. I just signed up to be a Daisy Girl Scout Troop leader and my time on DIS is now seriously compromised!

 

[Marshay]

Thank you everyone for joining my Trip Report.

My mini-"Lessons Learned" for this trip would be to not go in July again!! It was waaaay too hot and too crowded for two strollers.

I also will only plan to see the MK Parade and Fireworks on an EMH night. That way not everyone is leaving the park at the same time.

We won't do Boardwalk Villas again while we have strollers. It was just a l-o-n-g, l-o-n-g walk back and forth from our SUV to our room.

I love trying new restaurants and will continue to do this for each trip.

Taking the train was really a great time-saver. I look forward to doing it again.

Rose & Crown while watching Illuminations is VERY high on my list to do again.

The past two times I did Mission Space was on the non-spinning side with Rachel. Next time, c'ya Rachel, I'm going by myself!!

Finally, I need to chill a bit with Rachel. Even though she's gone on a ride and loved it in the past, doesn't mean she'll like it again (i.e., Test Track, Goofy's Barnstormer). And then I need to counter that with sometimes I do need to 'prod' her to go on a ride (i.e., Splash Mountain) as it might end up being her absolute favorite ride!

 

[Trentmom]

Thanks for sharing your report with us Marsha

I really enjoyed it

I agree with ya on the ride thing. If Trent doesn't want to do something, then not going to force him.

See ya on your Pre Trip

 

[kaoden39]

Thank you for sharing your great adventure Marsha!!

 

[swwake]

Always love your trip reports! Thanks for sharing again!

 

[mousescrapper]

great lessons learned and I have enjoyed all the crafts, wonderful pictures and stories from the trip...look forward to reading the rest of your plans for Nov and of course meeitng you, Jerry, and the girls