Just got back from first Fort trip - it was soooooo awesome!

[disneydreamingdebby]

Sounds like a great trip so far! It it so different with a two year old. I am glad the busses have worked out so well!

 

[mgsmom]

Sounds like a great trip so far! It it so different with a two year old. I am glad the busses have worked out so well!

Oh yay! You found me! It was very different with a 2yo - last time we went it was just me and DH. I think overall we got it worked out pretty well, though.

 

[mgsmom]

Hi all!
Back to the TR!

DHS: the goals: Toy Story Mania, Playhouse Disney, Voyage of Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast

On Friday morning, we had to be at the front gate of DHS at 9:00 to meet my in-law's in-law. Long story short, an extended family member works at DHS and said if we met him at 9:00 that he would walk us in as a guest.

Since we didn't want to be late and keep him waiting, we decided to drive our car over. To avoid getting lost (again ), I took a map of the property that I had printed out. It was perfect! We left the cabin at 8:40 (I told you the mgsmom crew is not good at mornings...) but it only took about 10 min to get there and park. We were parked very close to the entrance, so we just walked up. No muss, no fuss!


Our ILIL met us shortly after and at 9:20 we were headed in the park.

We walked back to TSM. The plan was to get FP's and come back. Wellllllll, I wish I had taken a picture!!! At 9:25, the FP return time was 3:05-4:05! The stand-by line was 80 minutes! We only planned to be at DHS until lunch, so we quickly crossed TSM off our list. Next time!

So, now I look at my entertainment sheet thingy that I got when we walked in and we had JUST missed Playhouse Disney first showing. I really stink at DHS. The next show was at 10:30. PD was a priority for us because I felt it would be really good for DD. Okay, so we have 45 min before we need to get in line for PD.

So, we head over to the Voyage of the Little Mermaid. As soon as we make the corner and see the sign, I said "Look, DD, it's Ariel!" Now, I don't know what happens to 2yo sometimes, but she started screaming "NO Mommy, no mermaid!" and wrapped her arms around my leg. Alrighty then.

DH can tell I'm getting flustered so he says "Hey, why don't we do a little shopping while we wait for the show. There are a lot of stores around here." He's such a good DH.

We get DD a little set of princess dolls and a "My 1st trip" t-shirt. After some goofing around with the camera, it's time to go to the show!

There is no flash-photography allowed during the show, but I did manage to get one decent picture:

The stage is set up so that the puppets pop out of the stage floor. It's pretty cool and DD got a kick out of it. We were excited that we ended up right at the front, but because of how low the puppets are, I would recommend sitting about halfway back.
This show is great for little ones because you are sitting on the floor - and most of the tots are standing up to watch the show. There are plenty of opportunities for shouting and dancing - plus bubbles! A fun time! The show featured the Mickey Mouse clubhouse crew, Little Einsteins, Handy Manny, and Pooh's gang.

We walk out of the show and realize that we really only had one more "goal" for this park. Beauty and the Beast. Now, this is DD's favorite movie and her favorite princess is Belle. Everytime we see a horse, she wants to know if it's Gaston's horse. You get me, here. I look at the time sheet thingy again and the next showing is not until 12:45 What? I really really stink at DHS. It is now 11:00.

Okay, early lunch! Sounds good to everyone! As we're heading past the sorcerer's hat, who do we seeeeeeee:

We actually saw them coming out, so once I chased them down with my stroller We were only 3rd in line. DD was yelling "Eeyore, Mommy! Get Eeyore" DH had a good laugh at us.

So we walk around toward the other side of the park - here are a couple of shots I took:

We make it to Studio Catering Co. and settle in for lunch:

DH had the pressed turkey club - and I wish I had taken a pic - it was quite a nice looking sammich! I had the chicken wrap - it was good. DD had the ck nuggets. I think this meal ended up costing like $25. I should have kept better records... But, so far we have been totally content with no TS meals (except CP of course).

By the time we get finished eating and such, it is just after 12:00. DD is yawning and slouching in her stroller. Uh oh. B&B is a show, and I think it is like 1/2 hour and it's outside. DH and I discussed it for several minutes. In the end, we decided it was in everyone's best interest to go ahead and leave. Not a big day at DHS, and I was very disappointed. However, forcing DD into a meltdown is not the way to go, either. Next time! (See how I'm working on all the reasons we have to come back! )

Hang on, this is getting long... lemme start another post...

 

[mgsmom]

So, we get back in the car and I'm all pitiful about how little we did that morning. DH was disappointed, too, but he had a good attitude - "We're at Disney! Who cares?!" Do you see why I married him?

We start heading out and I told DH that on the way back, I would like to drive through the other Disney resorts that we would pass - Port Orleans and Caribbean Beach. He's totally cool with it - so after a stop at Hess for a Sprite, we're on our way. This makes me really happy because I spent SO much time deciding where we would stay, that I was interested in seeing the "runners-up" in person. These were my top 2 moderate picks.

First up was CB - we pull up to the gate and were like "uh-oh, we're not going to be allowed in" The CM at the gate came over - we told him we were from the Fort and just being nosy. He asked to see our KTTW card from the Fort and then let us in! I guess you can cruise other resorts if you are staying there. Makes sense - I bet a lot of people drive to ADRs at resorts.

CB and POFQ/POR were both nice resorts. I should have taken pics! My personal pick would be PO, now that I've seen them in person. But, to be honest, after we left and headed home to the Fort, I was soooooooo happy were staying at FW! It just really is awesome! I wonder if they'll let me move in...

Back to the cabin for some R&R - here are some Mousekeeping creations for today - she really outdid herself this time!

Tomorrow's installment: Fri p.m. - Magic Kingdom - we really get kicked into gear!

 

[luvftwilderness]

Great TR so far! It has been so much fun to follow along each day.

 

[BradyBz12]

Can't believe I just found this TR! Great job - thanks so much for sharing. And wow, you really did get one SUPER creative Mousekeeper!

 

[huntforjulia]

Sounds like you had a great trip! Loving your TR, anxious for more.

 

[mgsmom]

Great TR so far! It has been so much fun to follow along each day.

Thanks! I hope to keep it going!

Can't believe I just found this TR! Great job - thanks so much for sharing. And wow, you really did get one SUPER creative Mousekeeper!

Thank you! We really did get lucky with her - we met her one day when she was leaving the cabin and she was really sweet.

Sounds like you had a great trip! Loving your TR, anxious for more.

Thanks - we did have a great trip! So, where is Paris, AR? I've been to Paris TX but not Paris AR. I grew up in AR! Sooooie!

 

[mgsmom]

So we get comfy and ready to relax. DD falls asleep pretty quickly and I can tell she's down for the count. I start my ritual of emptying and repacking the cooler, water bottle, and stroller bag. DH goes for another run. He really enjoyed running at FW.

Oh, forgot to tell you two things:
At this point in the trip, DD has started referring to the cabin as "green doors". Too funny - she'd say "Are we going home or back to the green doors?"
Also, she was full-on addicted to channel 96 - the old Disney cartoons. I have to say - it was pretty cute. They run in a predictable loop, so every morning she got to watch Pluto, Goofy football, and Steamboat Willie while we were getting dressed and eating breakfast. It was a nice touch!

So, I guess around 4 or so DD got up and dressed, DH was back and showered, and we were ready to go. I was really excited because this would be our first trip on the boat from FW to MK. I wondered how long we would have to wait, how long the ride would be - that kind of stuff.

During naptime, we had our first rain. There was a tropical storm moving across FL south of us, and it was sending some rain our way. By the time we got ready to leave, it had slacked off to a sprinkle.

I had really debated over where to go this night. The only hold-up with going to MK is that it is EMH night. Most people go FOR that. I wanted to avoid it. Realistically, we were only going to make it to 9 at the latest, so evening EMH was more about the crowds. In the end, we decided to go for it. Perhaps the rain would put some people off...

Around 4:30 or so, we walk over to the bus stop and literally one minute later a bus shows up. We hop on and are at the Settlement in 5 minutes. Everyone is on the bus chatting about their site and what they are enjoying most about the Fort. We get to the bus stop and walk over to the dock. There was already a line of maybe 8-10 people there. We waited maybe 2 min and we could see the boat coming. Before we knew it, we were on the boat!

Here are some pics of our journey:

Hello, green flag!

Looking toward WL:

This was to our left, just before we passed where RC used to be:

That's gotta be RC, right?

Discovery Island:

WL again. WL was our first choice for a Deluxe resort if we decided to go that direction. It looked very cool - never got to go check out the lobby, though. Next trip!

Lookie here - only 7 min into our trip and we are at the Contemporary:

I think the whole boat ride was maybe 15 min altogether? And soooo enjoyable!

 

[Lil' Lisa]

WHAT is that?????

 

[mgsmom]

Okay, so we arrive at MK and are on Main Street within minutes. Perfect!

Goals for tonight: Dumbo, character meets (Mickey, Princesses), Jungle Cruise, Buzz Lightyear, Small World, Peter Pan, WDW Railroad, TA Blue Line, Goofy roller coaster, Electric Light Parade (longshot)

We were planning to come back to MK Sat morning, so any of those things that we don't get to tonight, we will focus on in the morning. I'm determined to make RD on Sat morn! We'll see....

First thing we notice as we enter is that NO, the rain didn't make anyone go home! It was much more crowded than previous morning. We head up the train station on Main St. and get on the train! DD loves "choo choo trains" and she is so happy to get on! Poor DH wrestled the stroller on, but he's getting pretty good at that.

First stop is Adventureland, right? Or maybe it was Frontierland. Either way, a LOT more people got on and we had to sit for several minutes. And it was hot and humid and sticky. Lucky for us we live in the south and this is not unusual for us to experience. Just think of it as an impromptu sauna...

So, we get off at the Toontown Fair. First thought is WOW Where did all these people come from?! Ah, there it is. Tour groups. We get off the train and take DD to play at the little play area. DH stays to watch her, and I scope things out. This is a familiar scene, isn't it?
Needless to say, lines were loooonnnngg, stores were packed. There were TWO tour groups I counted. I have nothing against tour groups, but when you have two large (60plus each) groups all trying to stay together AND in Toontown - well it's just a bottleneck.

Abort mission!

So we head back over past the carousel and Dumbo (crazy long line) and check out Peter Pan. FPs were 11-12 and standby was 50 min. So, we walk over to Small World and they said the line was 20 min. Cool.
DH decides to grab some dinner for DD and we can feed her in line. Okay, I'll try it. Well, the 20 min line was SO not 20 min. By the time DH got the food, we were almost at the boats. Luckily, a nice CM let him come in the exit so he could call out to me from the overhead walkway. DD and I just did the ride on our own. She liked it - she really enjoyed looking at all the people.

After we get off, DH has found the stroller from the stroller parking lot and is guarding DD's supper from the rain. Awwwww He said it rained some while he was waiting for us, but it wasn't raining anymore by the time we came out.

She had a fine dinner of pizza and french fries from:

This was the first time I actually used the plastic tablecloth I got from the Dollar Store - I put it over the stroller when I had to park it in case it rained. Worked great!

So, then we head down toward Jungle Cruise. The line looked horrendous, but it said 20 min on the sign, so we did it. The sign was right, the line moved pretty consistently so it was probably 15-20 min.

DD enjoyed this one quite a bit too - when we approached the lion area, she started saying "Lion King, Lion King!" I guess she didn't notice they were eating a zebra...

After that, DD is asking about the castle, so we go to Tomorrowland by way of castle. She loves that castle!

We get to Tomorrowland and I grab FPs for Buzz Lightyear (8:15-9:15).

DH says "What are we going to do for the next half hour while we wait?" And of course, I have an answer: Blue Line! But first, DD must potty. Well, it's a good thing she did because we came out and there was a SERIOUS dance party taking place! There was a DJ with fun music, Chip and Dale (they're following us, I know it), Goofy, and Stitch. The best part was, they actually got into the crowd and danced with the kids and walked around. No pics, but no lines, it was very cool.

DD gettin' her groove on:

This is Chip, right? Somebody tell him he's got his thong on all wrong!

Macarena, anyone?

Nice get-up, Goofy!

All that dancing really makes DD hungry. I think it's time for...

What do you do when you get toward the end and it falls off the stick onto your lap? Hmmmm... Call Daddy!

By the time we get her cleaned up and hosed off It is time for Buzz Lightyear! The standby line looked outrageous - and it was! 80 min standby! Wow! We got in the FP line and got a little worried - I have never had a FP line of any significance. The guy in front of us said it would prob be only 5 or 10 min. Whew. He was right, just like the JC, we just kept walking right on up.

I got NO pics of Buzz ride, but it was a lot of fun! DD liked it and was pointing at stuff for DH to try and shoot. I don't think she had a clue that it was a game, but she liked it and we enjoyed it too. DH whooped me good, though, he had like 150,000 points and I had maybe 30,000. He had help, though.

By now, it's almost 8:30. ELP is not until 9:00. I ask DH what he thinks. He says, well how about we get a couple of beers and park ourselves at the entrance to Main St. That way when it's over we can get right to the bus. I thought it sounded like a great idea!

You all see where this is going, right??

 

[mgsmom]

Somewhere in all my planning and research and list making, I missed one detail.
There is no beer in Magic Kingdom. It's dry. As dry as Bowie County.

DH says he'll do whatever I want to do. DD is in a good mood. But, it's time for a frosty beverage and some quality Fort time. Off to the boat dock we go!

Oh, leaving MK shot:

That's a good one.

Let me tell you, this boat ride was GORGEOUS! There was a full moon that glowed in the sky and the resorts were just beautiful all lit up! I tried to get pics, but nothing worth posting.
I broke out my box of Dollar Store glow bracelets. DD had one and then we just passed them around to some other kids on the boat. It was fun!

Back at the Fort, we made our first stop at Crockett's Tavern. I like the outdoor window, so you don't have to go inside just to get a drink. I must say, the bartender was less than friendly. But, she was quick so it really didn't matter.
Time for some relaxation and people watching. DD had her own ideas:

After about a half-hour of that, we decide it's time for DD to hit the hay. And time for us to eat some dinner!

Best 14 bucks I've spent so far! By my estimation, we spend 25 on lunch, 5 on dinner for her, 14 on dinner for us - so 44 dollars for the day. Not too shabby!

DD went to sleep right away. Enjoyed a few beers out on the deck at the cabin before going in to eat.
We could hear the fireworks (and also the crickets) while we were sitting outside, and it was just so great!

*Sigh*


Tomorrow's edition: Saturday morning, final trip to MK

 

[mgsmom]

WHAT is that?????

I think it was supposed to be some kind of fish???
It was in the bathtub...

 

[mgsmom]

If anyone is wondering about my food cost ramblings, part of what I was doing on this trip was seeing if I thought the dining plan was really a "deal".

One thing I did that I think saved a lot of $$ (esp in July) was bringing water bottles. I bought a big, insulated water bottle - holds almost a liter - at Walmart for $4. I also brought 4 gallon jugs of drinking water. Everytime we left for the parks, I would fill it up with ice and water. DH and I both drank out of it and we only ran out of water once! It also had a hook thingy on it so I could hook it to my stroller.

We always had water to drink and never had to buy it. We only bought drinks if we just wanted something different.

 

[Tri-circle-D]

Great new posts!

That photo of you leaving the MK is great!

I can't get over what newbies you were! I shook my head when you reported about your attempt to drive to the MK. I am glad to see that you figured out the boat!

And thinking about getting a beer in the MK?

Wow!

Y'all ended up doing really well for newbies.

So, what is your conclusion about the Disney Dining Plan?

Yea or Nay?

TCD

 

[kampfirekim]

Great TR! Your DD is a cutie pie! Looks like tons of fun was had!

I was also curious about the dining plan. I have a cousin who LOVES it, but we've never tried it.

 

[mgsmom]

Great new posts!

That photo of you leaving the MK is great!

I can't get over what newbies you were! I shook my head when you reported about your attempt to drive to the MK. I am glad to see that you figured out the boat!

And thinking about getting a beer in the MK?

Wow!

Y'all ended up doing really well for newbies.

So, what is your conclusion about the Disney Dining Plan?

Yea or Nay?

TCD

We are pretty much newbies. I have only been twice before now - the first trip my late DH's parents took the whole fam and put us all up in the Contemporary over Christmas '99. What a way to start, huh?
My second trip, DH and I had just gotten married and we came down but only did parks for the day. We did all 4 parks in one day - obviously not everything but we had a blast!
So, this was my first "planned" trip and with a 2yo no less!
Yeah, driving the first day was a mistake - but I didn't really have a clue yet and was anxious about getting there.
We are planning to return next year - and stay at the Fort again - so I won't be so "green" next time!

Great TR! Your DD is a cutie pie! Looks like tons of fun was had!

I was also curious about the dining plan. I have a cousin who LOVES it, but we've never tried it.

Thanks! We did have a ton of fun - Next time we will def find you!

About the dining plan - I think if I wanted to do a character meal several times, it would be worth it. Those are stinkin' expensive but are really a lot of fun!

Otherwise, I don't think I would. Just having to be somewhere to eat everyday is not really our style. I think if I wanted to do a character lunch every day, I would do it. Otherwise, we can def do just fine without it. Having said that, if part of your experience is the food and eating "out" then you would def be better off using it. We just aren't big "foodies" and I can often do just as well with a Kids Meal as I can anything else.

What they need to come up with is a Disney Drinking Plan!!!
It's those $8 beers that put the hammer on the budget!! One or two beers a night (for each of us) plus tip - that's between 20 - 40 every day just to have a froth-tail.

 

[huntforjulia]

Thanks - we did have a great trip! So, where is Paris, AR? I've been to Paris TX but not Paris AR. I grew up in AR! Sooooie![/QUOTE]

Paris, the gateway to Mount Magazine, is about 45 miles east of Fort Smith on Hwy 22. I'm originally from Iowa but have fallen in love with AR. Where did you grow up? Your DD is soo cute, love the pics, makes me even more excited to take my DGS 3 & DGS 5 next year.

 

[disneydreamingdebby]

Sorry you couldn't get much checked off your list at DHS. I think it is a hard park to do. If you are waiting for a show, there isn't too much to do to eat some time (as you found.) Your DH is wonderful to divert attention like that!

 

[Tri-circle-D]

What they need to come up with is a Disney Drinking Plan!!!
It's those $8 beers that put the hammer on the budget!! One or two beers a night (for each of us) plus tip - that's between 20 - 40 every day just to have a froth-tail.

Oy!

Newbies!

You had a car, right?

And a cabin with a full sized fridge, right?

And you paid 8 bucks every time you wanted a beer?

Earlier, you mentioned picking up a Sprite at the Hess Express.

Did you happen to notice the beer department there?

The beer prices at Hess Express are downright reasonable.

Remember that for next time.

Although I do like the idea of the Disney Drinking Plan!

TCD