Kids, Disney, Action! Extreme Trip (Report). Three-Peat and Done 7/11

[jcc0621]

Read the whole thing today. Great report. My DS was the same way with the characters as your DS. I am hoping that this year will be a little different.
Can;t wait to hear more

 

[GeorgiaAristocat]

Thanks Nab and Jcc -
Nab - Yeah, I think I'd take the early mornings over teenageritis!!!!

Jcc - ME TOO!! I keep "testing" him with local characters to see if he is past it yet. I'm sad to report that he still didn't want to get near the Easter Bunny. He will be 3 in June. I remember that three was the magic number for my daughter. I knew that when she was willing to hug the rat at Chuck E. Cheese that we were good for the Mouse!

 

[jcc0621]

Ds is 3.5 and loved Santa this year, but want NO PART of the Easter Bunny, unles he was on the other side of the room. Last year we thought we were going to be okay becasue we took him to Sesame Place and he ran right up to Elmo and gave him a big hug. No such luck at WDW We notice that he does better with characters who can get down to his level - Hence the Stitch pic in my avatar

 

[kpk89]

Good to see you back, Amy! Birthday borg ... lots of pixie dust headed toward your little NoFear!

 

[nicolemarie]

OK Amy, I'm taking good notes on this birthday thing.

It sounds JUST LIKE the day I have planned for my little man on his birthday in May. Two character meals, full on spoiling...you know the drill.

I love the idea of the T-shirt - I hadn't thought of that!!

Still enjoying your report!!

NM

 

[MommyPoppins]

I just got started reading this!

It's great!

Your little ones are so sweet and your niece is adorable!

What time did you finish up at Crystal Palace? We used to be able to get a 8am ADR and be done by the time they were letting people in...I just don't think we can do that anymore.

 

[Trentmom]

Bump!!!!




We want more!!!

Really enjoying this report!!!

 

[GeorgiaAristocat]

Just a few quick notes. I think I have thought of where my notes are. At work.

NM and Meanest Mama ~ her birthday was very special, and she felt special. Lots more magic to come! And the birthday shirt was great, although she also ended up with TWO birthday buttons! Lots of "Happy Birthday Princess" comments were had!

MP ~ we had an 8:05 ADR and we would have been fine, but somehow MISSED Piglet the first time through (we were supposed to be the first table, but missed it somehow), and then there was the delay leaving with the CM, not that I'm complaining, but that ate up an extra 10 minutes at least. So we didn't make it to Dumbo until @ 9:30. We were then behind schedule for the rest of the day. Oh well. It didn't matter!

Trentmom ~ Thanks for the bump. Like I said, I think I know where my notes were, and enough happened this day that I would sort of like to have them. Or, I may jot down another episode this weekend if I find time. THANKS FOR READING!!!! (oooh, I just noticed that you're going to be in WDW for my birthday! Have a Mickey bar for me, 'kay???)

 

[Trentmom]

Just a few quick notes. I think I have thought of where my notes are. At work.


Trentmom ~ Thanks for the bump. Like I said, I think I know where my notes were, and enough happened this day that I would sort of like to have them. Or, I may jot down another episode this weekend if I find time. THANKS FOR READING!!!! (oooh, I just noticed that you're going to be in WDW for my birthday! Have a Mickey bar for me, 'kay???)

Hey Georgia: No problem!!

I always like to pick one trip report at a time to follow, and I have selected yorus....

Hope you find your notes as I will be waiting to read what happened next.

I will definitely have a Mickey Bar or maybe even, two for you...

Which days is your bday? Maybe I should tell them I am celebration Georgia Aristocrat's Bday, so I can get a bday cupcake, wherever we are dining that day.......You think they would think I was a little nutty?

 

[GeorgiaAristocat]

the 15th. AND. Does it matter if they think you are nutty if you get a cupcake out of it????

Yeah. I wouldn't tell 'em either!

Enjoy your trip! I will confirm the presence of my notes tomorrow, I hope. If all goes as planned . . .

 

[Trentmom]

the 15th. AND. Does it matter if they think you are nutty if you get a cupcake out of it????

Yeah. I wouldn't tell 'em either!

Enjoy your trip! I will confirm the presence of my notes tomorrow, I hope. If all goes as planned . . .

Hey There......

No, it doesn't matter who thiks I a nutty, as long as I get a cupcake out of it....

I hope you find the notes.....

The Gutter chics are me, WDWHEATHER, GOOFYLUVR, WEIRDTIGGER, PARLA....

I am sure there are more, but I forget...

We belong to this thread:

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1421902


Don;t be intimidated by the size of the thread....just read like the first page and than the last 5 or 6 pages and jump in.

We have a blast...one night, we got a warning from the moderators for being a little too risque...

It was late and we were joking around.....almost all girsl...you know how we can be.....

the more the merrier....

If you have questions, ask me....


Hope to see ya there!!!

 

[Trentmom]

BUMP!!!

Georgia,,,,,you have to had found the notes by now...

Please don't keep us waiting....

We need more please.......

Pretty please with sugar on top........

 

[GeorgiaAristocat]

Weeeelllllll, since you ask so nicely!
and. Hallelujah! I found my notes!!!


When I said before that the rest of the day was off, timewise, I wasn't kidding. I would officially qualify as a TourGuideMike failure. I had read everything, I knew to zig when others were zagging, and yet, I found myself zagging more than zipping. But again I say, when I started to feel frustrated, I looked at the face of my sweet daughter and decided that no one else cared, so I should just let it go. The Inner Commando was at war with the Vacationer. The Vactioner (mostly) won.

After leaving Bonnie, we really were headed to Dumbo. Late. (Ooops, failed that lesson.) On the way the castle was blocked, because we headed there via Main Street. (Dang, failed that lesson, too.) So, it took a teensy bit of time to get around the castle (I think that's F number 3). We finally, after what seemed an eternity, reached the juncture between Dumbo and Ariel. Surprisingly, Ariel was ALREADY in the grotto. Early. But, I KNEW I was supposed to ride Dumbo first. So we SKIPPED Ariel in the grotto with NO LINE. Does that count as number 4? In retrospect, I believe that it does. Because we then waited in line at Dumbo, rode, and THEN tried to see Ariel. With a line. And THEN, two families away, Ariel had to go stretch her fins for a few minutes (read 10 or 15). Yup. Definitely failed that one. But it did provide some opportunity to rest (there was a bench in the SHADE) and take some pics with a lush background. That's the silver lining and the cup half full view. Oh, and the fact that NoFear managed to get to ride in a PINK Dumbo. Which is important. On her birthday. But it was a close call. And I hope that other little girl didn't have to get stitches. (Kidding!!! No pushing, shoving or running was involved, and no children were harmed in the making of this trip report. Or were they?)

Anyway, the failing grades. I stopped counting at that point. At least mentally. And let it go. The informed-but-completely-ignoring-her-hardearned-knowledge vacationer won. If that makes sense. I know, it didn't make sense to me, either.

We headed to Toontown and did the usual things. Shrimp was too short for the Barnstormer, so Grammy stayed behind. We went through the houses and got pictures. We did NOT wait in line for characters.

I just love all the touches and theming at Disney. It is what sets this company apart from the others. Well, that and customer service (although, frankly, that gap is narrowing, but that is a subject for another day.) There are hidden delights in every park. It is what makes ALL of us want to go back, no?

Are the pumpkins there year-round? Our trips have been at the same time of the year (late September, early October). When we go at Christmas, will the pumpkin have been replaced with a tree?

And, finally, the kids were happy because they got to play on the playground while waiting for the train. And the train ride was a big hit. The Shrimp likes the train a lot. It's open. It moves. It's a train. What's not to like? Doesn't he just looked thrilled?

Okay. At this point, we were headed for the two mountains that NoFear could ride. The big ones. The ones she had seen in the planning video over and over and over again. And a few times more. Each day. Indoctrination is wonderful. She wanted to ride Splash Mountain. Badly. Desperately.

So, we took the train around and got off in Frontierland. But Splash was down, so we grabbed some fastpasses. We thought briefly about heading to BTMRR, but EVERYONE was headed there since Splash was down, so, instead, we zigged (I finally passed one!) and headed to Pirates instead.

Let me here add to the chorus of cries for fastpass at Pirates. Not because we needed it at that moment, only because it SHOULD be a fastpass attraction. I mean really, Maelstrom is a fastpass and Pirates isn't? There's something wrong with that.

But, we only had a ten minute wait, which I deemed acceptable. Plus. It was cool, bordering on cold, and the Shrimp was asleep. It was, therefore, the perfect time to ride. Not at all surprisingly, NoFear was not afraid. She liked it. She thought it was Neat. So did NeatKid. Ah, teen infatuation. And mine, too. Cap'n Jack is yummy.

The Shrimp awoke as we were leaving the dump shop. That we hurried through. We hurried through all of them. Because NoFear is a perfect candidate for retail therapy. At almost any moment. Anywho - she really wanted to ride Splash. And we could hear screams coming from that general direction, so we wandered back, and behold! Splash was back up. Grammy decided to wait with the Shrimp, and we happily handed over our Fastpasses and skipped through the line. There was no line until we neared that last curve in the queue, and then we were stopped briefly. The wait was only about 5 minutes. Until.

Dum dum dum DUUUUUM . . .

It broke down again. And they made us leave. Without a fastpass to return. We were literally two boats away from the ride. And were told too bad, so sad, skedaddle outta here folks!

Now, that just doesn't seem right. They TOOK my fastpasses. And they weren't going to replace them????



Don't you KNOW who you're dealing with? (Page 22, Post 316)

 

[Trentmom]

Weeeelllllll, since you ask so nicely!
and. Hallelujah! I found my notes!!!


When I said before that the rest of the day was off, timewise, I wasn't kidding. I would officially qualify as a TourGuideMike failure. I had read everything, I knew to zig when others were zagging, and yet, I found myself zagging more than zipping. But again I say, when I started to feel frustrated, I looked at the face of my sweet daughter and decided that no one else cared, so I should just let it go. The Inner Commando was at war with the Vacationer. The Vactioner (mostly) won.

After leaving Bonnie, we really were headed to Dumbo. Late. (Ooops, failed that lesson.) On the way the castle was blocked, because we headed there via Main Street. (Dang, failed that lesson, too.) So, it took a teensy bit of time to get around the castle (I think that's F number 3). We finally, after what seemed an eternity, reached the juncture between Dumbo and Ariel. Surprisingly, Ariel was ALREADY in the grotto. Early. But, I KNEW I was supposed to ride Dumbo first. So we SKIPPED Ariel in the grotto with NO LINE. Does that count as number 4? In retrospect, I believe that it does. Because we then waited in line at Dumbo, rode, and THEN tried to see Ariel. With a line. And THEN, two families away, Ariel had to go stretch her fins for a few minutes (read 10 or 15). Yup. Definitely failed that one. But it did provide some opportunity to rest (there was a bench in the SHADE) and take some pics with a lush background. That's the silver lining and the cup half full view. Oh, and the fact that NoFear managed to get to ride in a PINK Dumbo. Which is important. On her birthday. But it was a close call. And I hope that other little girl didn't have to get stitches. (Kidding!!! No pushing, shoving or running was involved, and no children were harmed in the making of this trip report. Or were they?)

Anyway, the failing grades. I stopped counting at that point. At least mentally. And let it go. The informed-but-completely-ignoring-her-hardearned-knowledge vacationer won. If that makes sense. I know, it didn't make sense to me, either.

We headed to Toontown and did the usual things. Shrimp was too short for the Barnstormer, so Grammy stayed behind. We went through the houses and got pictures. We did NOT wait in line for characters.

I just love all the touches and theming at Disney. It is what sets this company apart from the others. Well, that and customer service (although, frankly, that gap is narrowing, but that is a subject for another day.) There are hidden delights in every park. It is what makes ALL of us want to go back, no?

Are the pumpkins there year-round? Our trips have been at the same time of the year (late September, early October). When we go at Christmas, will the pumpkin have been replaced with a tree?

And, finally, the kids were happy because they got to play on the playground while waiting for the train. And the train ride was a big hit. The Shrimp likes the train a lot. It's open. It moves. It's a train. What's not to like? Doesn't he just looked thrilled?

Okay. At this point, we were headed for the two mountains that NoFear could ride. The big ones. The ones she had seen in the planning video over and over and over again. And a few times more. Each day. Indoctrination is wonderful. She wanted to ride Splash Mountain. Badly. Desperately.

So, we took the train around and got off in Frontierland. But Splash was down, so we grabbed some fastpasses. We thought briefly about heading to BTMRR, but EVERYONE was headed there since Splash was down, so, instead, we zigged (I finally passed one!) and headed to Pirates instead.

Let me here add to the chorus of cries for fastpass at Pirates. Not because we needed it at that moment, only because it SHOULD be a fastpass attraction. I mean really, Maelstrom is a fastpass and Pirates isn't? There's something wrong with that.

But, we only had a ten minute wait, which I deemed acceptable. Plus. It was cool, bordering on cold, and the Shrimp was asleep. It was, therefore, the perfect time to ride. Not at all surprisingly, NoFear was not afraid. She liked it. She thought it was Neat. So did NeatKid. Ah, teen infatuation. And mine, too. Cap'n Jack is yummy.

The Shrimp awoke as we were leaving the dump shop. That we hurried through. We hurried through all of them. Because NoFear is a perfect candidate for retail therapy. At almost any moment. Anywho - she really wanted to ride Splash. And we could hear screams coming from that general direction, so we wandered back, and behold! Splash was back up. Grammy decided to wait with the Shrimp, and we happily handed over our Fastpasses and skipped through the line. There was no line until we neared that last curve in the queue, and then we were stopped briefly. The wait was only about 5 minutes. Until.

Dum dum dum DUUUUUM . . .

It broke down again. And they made us leave. Without a fastpass to return. We were literally two boats away from the ride. And were told too bad, so sad, skedaddle outta here folks!

Now, that just doesn't seem right. They TOOK my fastpasses. And they weren't going to replace them????

Yeah!!!!!!!

You found your notes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is great your little princess got to ride in her pink dumbo and one her bday, to boot...woohoo!!!

Sometimes, you have to let go of the vacation commando and just wing it....it makes thing so less stressful and more fun for the whole family...

That is great your figured it woud and you all were enjoing your self..

As far as splash breaking down for the 2nd time and you not getting another fast pass to replace it, that would sit well with this Jersey Girl!!!

I would have annoyed them til they gave me one or marched myself over to guest relations...as that is so not fair!!

Your shrimp is sooooooooooooooooo cute!!!

I can not wait to hear more!!!!!!!

Where did you eat that day? any good?

 

[MommyPoppins]

Oh no they didn't!

They took your FP's and sent you packing?

I hope you didn't stand for that!

Did you ask yourself, "WWMD"?

 

[GeorgiaAristocat]

Well, I did not think all was right with the world (or the World) as I was shooed out of Splash having forfeited my fastpasses and told that I did NOT get to ride. I wanted that situation remedied. When I explained to the cast member shooing us out, he said talk to the CM below. So I talked to the CM below. He told me to go get another set of fastpasses.

Ummmmm. NO. I know how this system works. If I get another set now for HERE, then I can't get any for anything ELSE. And I HAD fastpasses, but you TOOK them from me. So he sent me to a third person. Who said they couldn't do anything about it. So I asked who COULD do something about it because I needed to speak with THAT person. At which point he decided that maybe he could do something about it after all. He reached into his pocket and pulled out some rider switch passes, which we all know pretty much act the same as fastpasses. I smiled cheerily, told him that he'd been a big help and to have a magical day. And THEN I skedaddled outta there.

Mission accomplished. Except. The ride was still down and no guarantee that it would come back up. But B consoled NoFear with a ride on BTMRR. While the rest of us went to Pecos Bill's. They would catch up, and get some food. We grubbed. We didn't booze (this is the Magic Kingdom after all), we started hearing screams from Splash again. I was beginning to think it was a conspiracy.

We left Grammy at Pecos Bills to finish up, and B, NeatKid, NoFear and myself decided to see if the third time was the charm for Splash.

Now, let me tell you what happened on our previous aborted attempt to ride Splash. We left the Shrimp with Grammy. The Shrimp, generally, is FINE with being with Grammy. But, apparently, having just awakened from his nap, he took exception to me walking away. And he screamed. Loudly. Longly. Forlornly. I, of course, was blissfully ignorant and waiting in line. We also told Grammy that we would meet her at the playground near the Splash exit. I pointed in the right general direction, but she couldn't find it. So. She tried to distract the Shrimp through other means. She offered him an ice cream. He screamed. She offered him a drink. He screamed. He screamed so loudly that a Disney CM offered him stickers. He screamed louder. So SHE offered him a popsicle. He stopped screaming. And happily sucked on a popsicle. Or so I was told later. There is no moral of this story. But I think my Mom should get a medal for putting up with that kind of behavior. What I find even more impressive about this tale is that she didn't tell me until the vacation was over and we were all home. She thought she had. She probably told B instead. All I knew at the time was that I was in search of a way to retrieve my fastpass status and the Shrimp was happy to see me when I got back. (Also, I believe that Grammy and the Shrimp met up with the Whirlwind Trippers during this time. But, you'd have to ask Rhonda if that was after the screaming stopped!)

So I had NO IDEA the trepidation and fear that was looming for Grammy as I told her that we were leaving the Shrimp with her AGAIN and headed to Splash for what we hoped would be a successful turn in a log.

Turns out, it WAS!!!! We all loved it. Especially NoFear. I had no repeats of the torture that was last year's ride.

Let me give you what I decided, based on our trip to the briar patch last year, should be in the rule book for Magic Kingdom behavior:

"Parents should not take crying children on Splash Mountain (where you WILL get splashed) and force their logmates to listen to said terrified child cry for the entire trip and then promise said terrified child candy as a bribe so that they won't squeal to their terrified sibling when it is over so that they (the irresponsible parents) can ride a second time and inflict emotional damage on BOTH of their children."

I confess, when I heard the parents trying to bribe the poor girl not to squeal to the sister I almost turned around and handed her ten bucks to ‘fess up to the poor sibling. I didn't. But I made a vow to not make a screaming child ride something like that.

And I point out that the Shrimp was NEVER crying at the outset of a ride. (I do not make such assurances about what was happening by the end.) But I also never made him repeat a ride he didn't want to go on.

Anywho ~ we rode Splash. We all loved it. Then B, NoFear and NeatKid headed off for another ride on BTMRR and I went to find Grammy and Shrimp. Who were actually at the playground this time, since I gave her explicit instructions on how to find it. (Mind, she had already been to the restroom at Splash and had walked past the playground twice . . .) The Shrimp was happily playing. There were no screams this time through. Thank goodness.

We let him play for a bit longer, then we decided to go look through some of the shops. The Shrimp found about five-teen things he wanted, and Grammy bought him an insulated cup. He was cool with that.

Once we met back up with our three compatriots, I committed a terrible sin. I told NoFear that we should go ride Space Mountain. Why is this a sin, you ask? Well, because I forgot that it has a higher height requirement. Ooops.

BUT, this was the ONE RIDE that I HAD to ride with my mother. (See story about Grammy in the pre-trip section and you will understand why.) I needed to ride with Grammy. I needed to hear her cackle and laugh and scream. How would I accomplish this, you ask, since I have not, at this point, mentioned obtaining fastpasses or going anywhere near TOMORROWLAND at this point?

So, patient readers, there was an event that occurred yesterday (in terms of the trip) that I have failed to mention. Because, you know, I had sort of misplaced my notes. (FYI, they were misplaced RIGHT BESIDE MY BED. I don't know if I should really call them misplaced or just admit that I'm an idiot. I think I will continue to call them misplaced.)

You see, when NeatKid arrived the evening before, and we decided to go on Soarin' before heading to dinner, we met some really nice folks in line. They were headed home RIGHT after the ride, but had been enjoying a lovely vacation. So lovely that they decided to look into DVC. As it turns out (I did not know this and hope I am not revealing a super-secret DVC perk), when they went on the DVC tour they were given some very special passes. Essentially, it was a fastpass obtainer ticket, that let the holder get INSTANT fastpasses. Meaning, use it at any fastpass machine in any park and get fastpasses good immediately. No wait necessary. I do not know how many these nice folks were originally given, but they decided to pass them on to us since they weren't going to be able to use them.

They were my new best friends. Right until they left 10 minutes later.

I thought of them fondly several times over the next few days. Especially at that moment when I wanted to ride Space, with little to no wait. We headed over there, with NoFear happily skipping along. I got the fastpasses with those handy dandy special cards, and we left both kids with B. It was going to be me, NeatKid, and Grammy. B is not fond of Space. He was also not fond of NoFear screaming bloody murder because she did NOT get to ride.

I suggested that B take them on the PeopleMover (or whatever it is called). He said he would. Turns out he couldn't figure out how to get there without me to show him. (Yeah, silver lining, he figured out how much he needs for me to plan our vacations.)

So, Grammy screamed through the whole thing, as I knew she would. We hugged before we started, she noticed how the ride vehicles were different. We talked about riding this when I was a kid. NeatKid asked questions about that trip, her mom, about our childhood. It was one of those magical times when everything just falls together to create lifetime memories, and reflect on lifetime memories.

And, just as much as I wanted my Mom along to share the magic with her grandkids, I knew that I needed her along for me, too. And THIS is why I wanted her with me. And I knew, too, that this was one of the reasons that she agreed to come.

I love you, Mom!



The Shirt comes into play (Page 22, Post 327)

 

[MommyPoppins]

Yay! I'm so glad you didn't let them bully you!

I LOVE Splash. I am so sad I won't be able to ride it when we go in Sept.

That and Space. My ultimate favorite. I laugh/scream the whole way through.

So if you take the DVC tour you think you always get the super FP getter?

I can see a tour in our future.

lol

 

[GeorgiaAristocat]

oopsies. I forgot to point out that it was NOT unlimited. It was supposed to be good for, maybe 2 sets per participant? Something like that. My new BFF had a family of 3, but somehow ended up with double what they were supposed to get (maybe they got some for touring, then another set for buying?)

I don't know. I have only heard of one other person ending up with these, so they may not be a general perk. I have no idea.

Oh, and CONGRATS MP! (Hoping for a girl this time????)

 

[MommyPoppins]

Yes a little girl would be wonderfu. But, we'll take another boy. It's not too often one family has 5 boys, so it would be neat.

 

[NAB]

Amy I am glad Nofear got to rid Splash.

Glad you got the fastpasses straightened out. Hubby would have stopped either until he got soomething.

I am glad you got to spend this time with your Mom too. I feel the same way when my Mom comes with us. Treasure Memories for sure.

Grandma's never say if kids are bad, they are always angels in the care....if they are not.