Let's Watch the Hallucination Show on the Castle- A May '14 TR *12/3 PTR Link to Real Life News

[amazingact21]

That's awesome...would love to meet up and say hello and see that cute boy of yours.

Absolutely! I probably won't know for sure if we're going or not until a few weeks beforehand, but when I do know, I'll be sure and let you know so we can see if our plans line up at all. DISmeets are one of my favorite things to do on a trip!

 

[amazingact21]

Friday, May 16th, 2014:



Earlier in the morning, I decided to message another DISer that I knew had just gotten to Disney the night before. Unfortunately, I thought it’d be cool to add a smiley face to the end of my message and the result was this:
First ever Facebook message to Danielle AKA IHeartDDuck and it was this creepy smiley face.


I was so embarrassed and promptly sent an apology.

Along with the original question of if/where her and her family were.


We spoke back and forth a few times until it was determined that they would be in DHS after the Festival of Fantasy parade was over.
Alex and I hadn’t intended to go to Hollywood Studios, what with it being the first day of SWW, but the MK was getting too crowded to be enjoyable.

So why not?




There was car with a cool Star Wars wrap sitting out front when we walked to the ticket reader station.

f1 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr


Now, it’s time for a confession.

I like Star Wars. I get some of the references. I have a brother and a brother in-law who are huge fans.

But I don’t know a lot about it.


I’m pretty sure I watched Episodes 5 and 6 when I was a kid, but I remember nothing from it. A few years ago, my brother tried to get me to watch all 6. I made it to Episode 5 and twice fell asleep during it.
It’s not that it was bad. I just have a hard time remembering all the different worlds and characters.

Shameful, I know.

But at least I’m honest.



Walking into Hollywood Studios really showed me that Star Wars was a lot bigger than I thought it was. I mean, I knew it possible. Gosh, you’d have to live under a rock to not understand its massive following. But even I kinda went, “Wow,” at the huge number of fans sporting tshirts and Wookie backpacks. I sort of got an idea of how I’d feel if I ever walked into a Comic Con. (Again, not saying that’s a bad thing. Some of my favorite tv shows are comic convention-worthy.)



Basically, the park had a completely different atmosphere and vibe to it, which I thought was kind of cool. I was immediately glad we went to check it out.

The first order of business upon getting into the park was going to meet Danielle, who was riding Star Tours when we were at bag check.



Along the way, we saw the cutest procession of jedis.



I might have to become a bigger fan in the coming years, because I think I’d love to see Landon participate in the training academy one day. Those little padawans are just too cute.

Gosh I hope I’m using the Star Wars lingo correctly.

If not, don’t yell at me. I’ve got a 2 year listening and signing the same nursery rhymes over AND OVER behind me. There’s only so many times I can honk a horn on the bus before I start losing important information in my brain. (And I guess my small amount of Star Wars knowledge is important…)



When we came to the gift shop exit of ST, I stuck back while Alex walked Landon around. Of course, Landon is his father’s son and immediately waddled towards the lightsabers he could see from the doorway.
He was like the welcoming committee when Danielle, her mom, and Popadon walked out.

It was really cool being able to meet Danielle and her family. They were all incredibly nice and easy to talk to, and you won’t meet a nicer person than Danielle.


Picture proof that we had a DISmeet:




Danielle’s group wanted to go back to Darth’s Mall to shop, but before they left someone pulled out a Chewbacca Vinylmation they bought in the ST gift shop.

And just like that Alex’s eyes lit up.

He was reminded that there was a specialty shop opened just for Star Wars Weekend.

What’s better than a Disney shop?

A Disney shop that’s only open a few weekends out the year.



After saying goodbye to Danielle and her group, I turned to Alex and point blank told him I did not want to wander through Darth’s Mall with Landon.

I was a mean wife and put my foot down. But I just couldn’t do it.


I agreed to see where the mall was located before I figured out what we were going to do, though, so we walked towards it, passing some very cool characters along the way.

f2 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr


One thing I thought was really nifty about SWW was the fact that some of the characters just walked around the streets. There was no organized meet and greet for them, and I thought that gave the characters a better chance to display their personalities.


Even Darth Vader had some fun. Later on that evening, we happened to see the big baddie himself walking to or from an obvious meet and greet line. He was walking with a ton of storm troopers around him and every once in awhile he’d stop a cross his arms and shake his head. He was really playing to the massive crowds that were following him around.

It was amusing to watch and even a quasi fan like me was entertained.
Getting back on track, though, Alex and I found Darth’s Mall by Toy Story Mania, where Wandering Oakens is during the summertime. I told Alex that since it was so close to One Man’s Dream I’d take Landon in there while he shopped.


I love One Man’s Dream.

Plus, it was air conditioned.
And an open enough area for Landon to walk around to his heart’s content.

The perfect solution, if I do say so myself.




It’s hard for the castle to NOT look beautiful.



Landon roamed around for quite awhile. He especially liked the entrance area, because he could watch fellow guests enter the attraction. Sixteen years down the road, if he ended up working at an attraction in Disney, I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised.

He’s got a knack.



Eventually, my kid did discover one of the television screens playing a video on a loop, and that hooked him.




Meanwhile, Alex was sifting through the unbelievable amount of Star Wars merchandise in the mall.

f3 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr



He told me after he rejoined Landon and me that the decorations set out were actually pretty cool.

f4 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr

Pete the Bounty Hunter.




As we walked out of One Man’s Dream, Alex proceeded to tell me how there were a lot of Annual Passholder merchandise that our brothers might enjoy.

Which, in Alex’s terms meant: “Why don’t you come back in there with me? It’s not that bad.”


He also casually mentioned that he saw Danielle in Darth’s Mall.

“She looked like she had a basketful, too.”

And no sooner did those words come out of his mouth then we ran right back into their group.


Alex and them spoke briefly about the merchandise they bought, and there was a panicked moment or two when Danielle’s mom thought the Cast Member at the register didn’t bag a pin she’d bought. Danielle had to go through all the stuff until she found said pin tucked in a shirt (or a hat, I can’t remember).


I had to laugh, because Danielle’s mom was about to storm back into Darth’s Mall. She wasn’t taking crap from nobody! Danielle had to say to her, “Calm down, it’s right here.”

It was one of those it’s not funny, but kinda is moments.

Following that was a brief rehash of military jargon from Alex and Popadon. I can’t remember the details, because, I’ll be honest, I hear Alex’s job description and the summary of when/where he was deploying so much I tune it out at times.

Sorry, husband.


The conversation then veered to dinner, and we all complained about DHS’s lack of good quick service restaurants. Popadon shrugged and made the comment that food was food, and Alex generally agreed with him.

And then, I’m not sure how, but we learned about how Popadon ate 40 year old green eggs he found among some old stuff before.

That was quite the topic.


To end the meet, we tried to get Landon to meet the infamous Yeti.



Landon wasn’t sure what to make of the thing.


Clearly he did not know he was in the presence of a DIS celebrity.

So what does he do?
Punches Yeti!



And shoves him out of the way!

Yeesh, kid!

With THAT, it was time to say our goodbyes again.



I did go into Darth’s Mall (if Alex has one trait it’s persistence) and bought my brother a pin while Alex bought his brother some birthday gifts.

It was interesting to go into a specialty store like that, but I don’t know if I’d do it first thing in the morning when there’s a standby line to get in and a CM has to keep count of how many people leave and enter. That’s just chaotic.

Following the shopping excursion was dinner. Andy, AKA afwdwfan had mentioned at one point or another that the Backlot Express served a buffalo chicken sandwich, and I really wanted to give that a try, so that is where we headed for our food.


Right before the restaurant, we got distracted by a bar advertising specialty Star Wars drinks.

I asked Alex if he wanted to split one. He did. So I stayed there to order something for us while he went to get our food.



I picked The Dark Side:



Which was parrot bay coconut rum, cointreau, and pomegranate lemonade with a Death Star glow cube.


Alex actually really liked it, and from the few sips I took I remember it tasting pretty good, as well. However, I don’t know if I’d say it was worth the 14 dollars it cost. Not to say I was shocked at the sticker price of a Disney adult beverage, but I remembered paying a similar amount for a Grey Goose slush in France and getting a ton more for my money.


The bartender told me that most people didn’t even want the drink. They were just trying to get the souvenir glow cubes. I guess the Cast Members were on strict orders not to sell the cubes individually. There was a tally that at the end of the night had to show an even number of drinks sold to glow cubes given out.

Without that dang glow cube, the drink was probably really worth maybe 7 bucks. So, Alex and I would have to really be craving the drink to order one again.


At least Landon got a kick out of the souvenir:



(And just so it’s said, the cube was cleaned thoroughly before being given to him, and Landon has never been one to put things in his mouth. He was one of those rare kids who didn’t stick his toys or his fingers in his mouth. He never used a pacifier or a thumb. So it was perfectly safe for him.)



As far as the food goes, Alex did not like anything on the Backlot menu, so he got me my chicken and ran down to the ABC Commissary to get himself a burger.



The buffalo chicken.

The good thing about this item is that it was different. I wasn’t stuck with the same old, same old. The downside..it wasn’t really “buffalo.” It had zero spice to it, which I understand Disney has to appeal to all levels of spice thresholds. But to me, if you’re going to get buffalo sauce, you want a kick to your food.

So, while not what I was expecting, still plenty bearable for DHS standards.


Alex also got us a Darth Vader specialty cupcake to split for dessert. It was dark chocolate and peanut butter and really, really tasty!



I have to admit, as far as taste goes, the Star Wars exclusive items were on point.



Sadly, once dinner was finished, it was time to say goodbye to Hollywood Studios and Walt Disney World in general. We needed to get Landon back to the car to change and put him to bed so we could hit the road.


Unfortunately, the buses back to AKL were PACKED, and it took us almost an hour to get back to the resort. Add to that feeding the toddler and repacking the stroller and just plain getting organized, and we left Disney property almost two hours later than we planned. (About 8pm.)


It wasn’t a big deal, but I think Alex and I both would have loved that extra time we would have been given. You wouldn’t think so, but an extra hour in the parks does make a difference as far as weariness goes.


The six hour drive was certainly one of the longer treks home we have done before. I don’t think we would ever do that again. It was just too straining. Alex drove about 3 hours while I took a nap, and then we switched and I drove until the last hour.
Normally, Alex drives the entire way, but we both needed the power naps.
Landon slept until the last thirty minutes or so, then he woke up and got antsy.


Needless to say, it was with a big sigh of relief that we pulled into my mom’s driveway. We were going to go straight home, but my mom offered to watch Landon while we caught some sleep in a guest room. It was just the thing we needed to top off a massive last day at Disney.
And just like that our Disney vacation was over.



Up Next…A Quick Wrap Up

 

[afwdwfan]

First ever Facebook message to Danielle AKA IHeartDDuck and it was this creepy smiley face.


I was so embarrassed and promptly sent an apology.

Well at least it was a smiley face and not something that would really be creepy!

Now, it’s time for a confession.


I like Star Wars. I get some of the references. I have a brother and a brother in-law who are huge fans.


But I don’t know a lot about it.

I get that. DW won't even watch the movies.

It’s not that it was bad. I just have a hard time remembering all the different worlds and characters.

Again, I get that. I'm a fan. Clearly not a hardcore fan though, because even though I enjoy the movies, I do confuse some of the planets. I'm good with the 3 original films. I know them forwards and backwards. But when you start throwing in names and details from the prequels... not so much. I've seen them, but I think maybe only a couple of times.

That might be why you only made it to the 5th one before falling asleep. I can assure you that you'd have enjoyed it much more if they'd skipped the prequels and just watched the 3 original movies.

It was really cool being able to meet Danielle and her family. They were all incredibly nice and easy to talk to, and you won’t meet a nicer person than Danielle.

Cool! I'm glad you got to work in a bonus Dismeet on your last day.

Even Darth Vader had some fun. Later on that evening, we happened to see the big baddie himself walking to or from an obvious meet and greet line. He was walking with a ton of storm troopers around him and every once in awhile he’d stop a cross his arms and shake his head. He was really playing to the massive crowds that were following him around.

It was amusing to watch and even a quasi fan like me was entertained.

That would definitely be one of the highlights of an event like that. Some of the characters in the Star Wars universe really seem like they could be a lot of fun if they're given the opportunity to just play their role.

Getting back on track, though, Alex and I found Darth’s Mall by Toy Story Mania, where Wandering Oakens is during the summertime. I told Alex that since it was so close to One Man’s Dream I’d take Landon in there while he shopped.

Definitely a win/win. I'm glad he got his chance to shop there.

And then, I’m not sure how, but we learned about how Popadon ate 40 year old green eggs he found among some old stuff before.

Um... excuse me while I go lose my breakfast.

It was interesting to go into a specialty store like that, but I don’t know if I’d do it first thing in the morning when there’s a standby line to get in and a CM has to keep count of how many people leave and enter. That’s just chaotic.

I'm with you there. I'm not big on the idea of spending a lot of time in the shops anyway, but I definitely wouldn't stand in a long line to give them my money.

Which was parrot bay coconut rum, cointreau, and pomegranate lemonade with a Death Star glow cube.

Looks good!

Alex actually really liked it, and from the few sips I took I remember it tasting pretty good, as well. However, I don’t know if I’d say it was worth the 14 dollars it cost. Not to say I was shocked at the sticker price of a Disney adult beverage, but I remembered paying a similar amount for a Grey Goose slush in France and getting a ton more for my money.

Yeah... definitely paying for the glow cube. It looks like a good drink, but few are worth $14. You're paying for the opportunity to have a drink in Disney World... and get a Death Star glow cube.

The good thing about this item is that it was different. I wasn’t stuck with the same old, same old. The downside..it wasn’t really “buffalo.” It had zero spice to it, which I understand Disney has to appeal to all levels of spice thresholds. But to me, if you’re going to get buffalo sauce, you want a kick to your food.

They weren't serving the burger in Backlot Express???? They usually have one on the menu! I'm sorry Alex had to leave to go get one elsewhere. I get what you mean about the chicken. Buffalo just doesn't cut it if it is lacking on the sauce/flavor. I'm sorry it was a bit of a letdown. I get the buffalo strips that they have. They're served in a dish, basically drowned in sauce.

Alex also got us a Darth Vader specialty cupcake to split for dessert. It was dark chocolate and peanut butter and really, really tasty!

That looks amazing! I'd definitely love to have one of those!

Needless to say, it was with a big sigh of relief that we pulled into my mom’s driveway. We were going to go straight home, but my mom offered to watch Landon while we caught some sleep in a guest room. It was just the thing we needed to top off a massive last day at Disney.
And just like that our Disney vacation was over.

Definitely a good idea to crash there. The drive sounds miserable, but I'm sure totally worthwhile to get a few extra hours in Disney! It looks like it was a great trip and I'm glad you managed to make it happen and get some much needed family time!

 

[KatMark]

Great end to your last day at the world...you got to meet Danielle, Mom and Popadon. Aren't they just the best people ever? I love them to pieces. Landon didn't like the resident DIS mascot?

I went into that Star Wars madhouse once on a girls trip to look at the merchandise. Don't feel bad...I saw the first three Star Wars and with the exception of Luke, Princess Lea, Han Solo, and a few others, I'm totally lost!

You made good time, but sorry your time leaving got pushed back by crowded buses.

That was nice of your mom to let you crash for awhile to get some sleep.

I look forward to your wrap up.

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

Oh yes, you totally change your plans for a DISmeet. It's just proper.

Nothing shameful about your Star Wars confession at all Alicia. I have the same issues with Harry Potter. I love the movies, but I have a hard time keeping it all straight in my head.

Definitely a DISmeet worthy of some effort. That girl is racking up the DISmeet numbers.

It's kinda weird but the setup of roaming characters and cool set pieces actually reminds me of Halloween Horror Nights at Universal.

 

[marDgreen88]

You and I are the same kind of Star Wars fans, I'd say. I even watched all the movies a few years ago and I'm still kinda clueless. I want to watch them again though! And for what it's worth, I get really excited when I see previews for the new movie. Hahaha.

So awesome that you and Danielle got a double dis meet! Sounds like everyone had a great time.

OH. If you want buffalo chicken, you should try the buffalo nuggets at ... oh my gosh, I'm COMPLETELY blanking on the name of the restaurant. WAIT, maybe it's Studio Catering Company? The one that leads out to the Jedi Training Academy area. (Please just ignore this hahaha. Apparently I thought it was a good idea to type out my thought process.) Anyways, I went into getting those nuggets thinking they would be mild. But holy crap, they were not. My mouth was on fire after just one! Anyways... I'm done talking about buffalo chicken...

Nooooo, say it ain't so. Well, I look forward to reading the wrap up!

 

[Gracefulskinny]

If not, don’t yell at me, I’ve got a 2 year listening and signing the same nursery rhymes over AND OVER behind me. There’s only so many times I can honk a horn on the bus before I start losing important information in my brain.

Sounds like its tIme to youtube some new stuff. The Piano Guys, and Peter Hollens have some fun ones.

Following that was a brief rehash of military jargon from Alex and Popadon. I can’t remember the details, because, I’ll be honest, I hear Alex’s job description and the summary of when/where he was deploying so much I tune it out at times.


Sorry, husband.

I get the same way when DH goes all IT!

He was one of those rare kids who didn’t stick his toys or his fingers in his mouth.

Lucky duck!

And just like that our Disney vacation was over.

 

[MEK]

Back in time for your last update! Yay!

Yay for meeting Danielle and family. I think we met them there the same day. They are really an awesome and fun group and, just like you and Alex, I got to meet them all again in February!

Cynthia went in Darth Mall, but I chickened out when a CM said the wait was 45 minutes. It was more like 20, so I ended up being bummed that I didn't at least check it out.

I am proud of you for remembering the contents of your drink. I had the pink one with the light saber and I think the blue was better. See - that's what I am going to call my drink - the pink one!

Sorry the ride home was so grueling. That was really nice of your mom for letting you guys crash and catch up on some sleep!

 

[amazingact21]

Great end to your last day at the world...you got to meet Danielle, Mom and Popadon. Aren't they just the best people ever? I love them to pieces. Landon didn't like the resident DIS mascot?

I went into that Star Wars madhouse once on a girls trip to look at the merchandise. Don't feel bad...I saw the first three Star Wars and with the exception of Luke, Princess Lea, Han Solo, and a few others, I'm totally lost!

You made good time, but sorry your time leaving got pushed back by crowded buses.

That was nice of your mom to let you crash for awhile to get some sleep.

I look forward to your wrap up.

They are some of the friendliest people around! I really hope I get the chance to meet up with them again in the future. Maybe then Landon wouldn't hate Yeti so much! (We just let him watch his 2nd Disney movie a few weeks ago, and it was Monsters Inc. He has this crazy obsession with Mike. Never saw him before but fell in love with all things plush and Tshirts that had him on it. Anyways, the Abominable Snowman made an appearence so maybe Landon would recognize something similar looking.)


I feel like if you know the main characters you're good to go. Getting into all the planets and spacecraft names is just too overwhelming.

Well at least it was a smiley face and not something that would really be creepy!

I get that. DW won't even watch the movies.

Again, I get that. I'm a fan. Clearly not a hardcore fan though, because even though I enjoy the movies, I do confuse some of the planets. I'm good with the 3 original films. I know them forwards and backwards. But when you start throwing in names and details from the prequels... not so much. I've seen them, but I think maybe only a couple of times.

That might be why you only made it to the 5th one before falling asleep. I can assure you that you'd have enjoyed it much more if they'd skipped the prequels and just watched the 3 original movies.

Everyone says I watched the wrong 3 films. I'm just the type of person who likes to start at the beginning. I like things to be sequential. That being said, I'll probably go back and watch 4, 5, and 6 before the new film comes out in December. I think they are available for digital download now, so I can get them and start and stop whenever I please. (Meaning, I can stop it and text my brother silly questions like, "Have they ever been on this planet before? Was this where Darth Vader was from?")

Cool! I'm glad you got to work in a bonus Dismeet on your last day.


That would definitely be one of the highlights of an event like that. Some of the characters in the Star Wars universe really seem like they could be a lot of fun if they're given the opportunity to just play their role.

I thought it was really cool that some of the characters got the chance to just walk around. Obviously, the more popular ones couldn't, but it just made the whole event feel like it was something special. Like, clearly, these were guys and gals that weren't normally out and about and unless you attended that weekend, you wouldn't get to see them. Heck, even the Stormtroopers roaming around were fun to see.

Definitely a win/win. I'm glad he got his chance to shop there.


Um... excuse me while I go lose my breakfast.

I'm with you there. I'm not big on the idea of spending a lot of time in the shops anyway, but I definitely wouldn't stand in a long line to give them my money.

Looks good!

Yeah... definitely paying for the glow cube. It looks like a good drink, but few are worth $14. You're paying for the opportunity to have a drink in Disney World... and get a Death Star glow cube.

They weren't serving the burger in Backlot Express???? They usually have one on the menu! I'm sorry Alex had to leave to go get one elsewhere. I get what you mean about the chicken. Buffalo just doesn't cut it if it is lacking on the sauce/flavor. I'm sorry it was a bit of a letdown. I get the buffalo strips that they have. They're served in a dish, basically drowned in sauce.

That looks amazing! I'd definitely love to have one of those!

Definitely a good idea to crash there. The drive sounds miserable, but I'm sure totally worthwhile to get a few extra hours in Disney! It looks like it was a great trip and I'm glad you managed to make it happen and get some much needed family time!

You were definitely paying for the glow cube. Which was annoying, because I know there were Star Wars fans wanting that thing. But us...we just wanted the booze. It sounded like a good concoction of flavors; I wish they had a regular version you could have bought.


For some reason, they weren't serving burgers there. The only thing they had was a sloppy joe.
Maybe next time I'll have to try the strips. Although, I will admit, I like pretty spicy buffalo sauce so for some the burger might have been spicy enough.



The trip was so worth it in the end. It really did help during the deployment to think about our unexpected stay at AKL and all the time together we got. We're so grateful we decided to take the trip.

 

[amazingact21]

You and I are the same kind of Star Wars fans, I'd say. I even watched all the movies a few years ago and I'm still kinda clueless. I want to watch them again though! And for what it's worth, I get really excited when I see previews for the new movie. Hahaha.

So awesome that you and Danielle got a double dis meet! Sounds like everyone had a great time.

OH. If you want buffalo chicken, you should try the buffalo nuggets at ... oh my gosh, I'm COMPLETELY blanking on the name of the restaurant. WAIT, maybe it's Studio Catering Company? The one that leads out to the Jedi Training Academy area. (Please just ignore this hahaha. Apparently I thought it was a good idea to type out my thought process.) Anyways, I went into getting those nuggets thinking they would be mild. But holy crap, they were not. My mouth was on fire after just one! Anyways... I'm done talking about buffalo chicken...

Nooooo, say it ain't so. Well, I look forward to reading the wrap up!

Haha, don't feel bad, I got really excited the first time I watched the new trailer, too. I think it's more of a cultural thing. Like, it's awesome that we get to see more of these movies that kind of shaped the 70's and 80's. And, you know, who DOESN'T love that theme song?


Oooh, I'll have to remember those nuggets. I know exactly what place you're talking about. I don't know the name of it, but I do know of it because I remember sitting at some of the tables watching the jedi training academy. So, actually, your thought process helped!



I think I'm going to just add on my August trip to this one, because it won't be very long. And if ever get caught up, I'll eventually start a report for February, because that trip was amazing.

Sounds like its tIme to youtube some new stuff. The Piano Guys, and Peter Hollens have some fun ones.

I get the same way when DH goes all IT!

Lucky duck!

I actually let Landon navigate Youtube when he gets the ipad (normally he just wants to listen) and he ALWAYS picks the Kidcamp station. He's obsessed with their songs. I guess nursery rhymns are cooler with an English accent. I even tried getting him to watch Mickey Mouse once, but nope, straight back to the music. Yeesh.

Back in time for your last update! Yay!

Yay for meeting Danielle and family. I think we met them there the same day. They are really an awesome and fun group and, just like you and Alex, I got to meet them all again in February!

Cynthia went in Darth Mall, but I chickened out when a CM said the wait was 45 minutes. It was more like 20, so I ended up being bummed that I didn't at least check it out.

I am proud of you for remembering the contents of your drink. I had the pink one with the light saber and I think the blue was better. See - that's what I am going to call my drink - the pink one!

Sorry the ride home was so grueling. That was really nice of your mom for letting you guys crash and catch up on some sleep!

I think that was night you all went to Jelly Rolls!
I wouldn't have waited in a long line for Darth's Mall, either. Because, even 20 minutes is kind of crazy for a shop. I mean, I know there's unique merchandise, but that's a ride standby time!


I definitely googled my drink to see what was inside! All I could remember was that it was iced and had a nice tartness to it. The red one sounded really sweet, if I remember correctly, and that's why I didn't pick it.

 

[Gracefulskinny]

I even tried getting him to watch Mickey Mouse once, but nope, straight back to the music. Yeesh.

Give these others a try. Peter Hollens and Alex boye even have fun disney mash ups. They are still fun music videos but it gives mommy a break from the nursery stuff.

 

[khertz]

Great way to spend your bonus hours in Disney!! I am right there with you on Star Wars. I have seen all of the movies, but I couldn't tell you much about them. I was really only interested because my woman crush Natalie Portman is in the first three (or second three? idk how that all works with the second trilogy coming out first!). They were just okay to me. Certainly not something that I need a whole weekend of. Now Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter? NERD ALERT right here!!!

How have you been feeling?

 

[amazingact21]

Give these others a try. Peter Hollens and Alex boye even have fun disney mash ups. They are still fun music videos but it gives mommy a break from the nursery stuff.

I'll have to add them to my playlist. A few days ago, Landon was listening to my Disney genre on my phone and discovered the Frozen soundtrack. Since then, he has wanted to listen to it over and over again. Never even seen the movie! But he still picked it over other classics like Lion King and Little Mermaid. WHY????

Great way to spend your bonus hours in Disney!! I am right there with you on Star Wars. I have seen all of the movies, but I couldn't tell you much about them. I was really only interested because my woman crush Natalie Portman is in the first three (or second three? idk how that all works with the second trilogy coming out first!). They were just okay to me. Certainly not something that I need a whole weekend of. Now Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter? NERD ALERT right here!!!

How have you been feeling?

Oh my goodness, if one of the Orlando theme parks added a Lord of the Rings section, I'm pretty sure my brother and I would. Amp out for opening weekend. Every year...
And Harry Potter, my sister in law goes into Universal and sneaks out Butterbeer in a water bottle and brings it to us
When we go visit Alex's parents. It's amazing.


This time around had definitely been a lot different than Landon's. He spoiled me with just constant hunger and sleepiness. This one...well, I've got Alex 90% in agreement that this will be the last one. (It being summertime in FL doesn't really help, either. Course, I don't have to tell you. LA's humidity isn't much better.)
How are you?? Almost there! I can't believe you've only got a couple months left. Is Paxton excited to be a big brother? Everyone ready for a little sister?

 

[TinkLoverSam]

I'll have to add them to my playlist. A few days ago, Landon was listening to my Disney genre on my phone and discovered the Frozen soundtrack. Since then, he has wanted to listen to it over and over again. Never even seen the movie! But he still picked it over other classics like Lion King and Little Mermaid. WHY????









Oh my goodness, if one of the Orlando theme parks added a Lord of the Rings section, I'm pretty sure my brother and I would. Amp out for opening weekend. Every year...
And Harry Potter, my sister in law goes into Universal and sneaks out Butterbeer in a water bottle and brings it to us
When we go visit Alex's parents. It's amazing.


This time around had definitely been a lot different than Landon's. He spoiled me with just constant hunger and sleepiness. This one...well, I've got Alex 90% in agreement that this will be the last one. (It being summertime in FL doesn't really help, either. Course, I don't have to tell you. LA's humidity isn't much better.)
How are you?? Almost there! I can't believe you've only got a couple months left. Is Paxton excited to be a big brother? Everyone ready for a little sister?

I made a plan not to be pregnant over the summer as I watched 2 friends be ridiculously uncomfortable after being due in September and being pregnant all summer! I'm due in just over a week and really happy I live in the mountains and the north as we have had some days with highs in the high 80s the nights are always cool, especially this early in the season.

I've really enjoyed your TRs while preparing to take a twoish month old to WDW in August... Yeah I'm good at planning when to expect the little one, not so good at planning a cooler trip to Disney, though I didn't really have a choice as we're going for my sister's wedding.

 

[khertz]

Oh my goodness, if one of the Orlando theme parks added a Lord of the Rings section, I'm pretty sure my brother and I would. Amp out for opening weekend. Every year...
And Harry Potter, my sister in law goes into Universal and sneaks out Butterbeer in a water bottle and brings it to us
When we go visit Alex's parents. It's amazing.


This time around had definitely been a lot different than Landon's. He spoiled me with just constant hunger and sleepiness. This one...well, I've got Alex 90% in agreement that this will be the last one. (It being summertime in FL doesn't really help, either. Course, I don't have to tell you. LA's humidity isn't much better.)
How are you?? Almost there! I can't believe you've only got a couple months left. Is Paxton excited to be a big brother? Everyone ready for a little sister?

Save me a camping out spot, I'll be right there with you!

Haha We are in the same boat! I look at DH every now and then and say, "Remind me of this moment if I ever say I want a 3rd." While I wouldn't mind a 3rd kid, I don't think I could handle a 3rd pregnancy! Summer is going to be excruciating, and I am just dreading when the weather gets really REALLY hot. The third trimester is miserable enough without the heat & humidity!!

It's been going pretty well, now that the nausea has gone away. My biggest problem this time around is back pain, which is worse when I sit down for a long time. People are constantly offering me a seat, and I'm like, nope it's so much better when I stand!! lol Paxton is pretty excited, or so he says now! We are getting into girl mode now, lots of dresses and bows are arriving in our house every week!

 

[Dugette]

Luckily, I was prepared for just such a situation and told the person on the other end what had happened and how we got our price guarantee in writing. With taxes and insurance included. Gave them the sales rep name that handled our transaction and everything.

Way to go! Glad it eventually worked out, but bummer that it brought down the mood.

It says a lot about how great that show is that we wanted to see it twice in a trip. This was coming from the guy who had NEVER stuck around for a 3 o’clock parade before.

Totally agree. I was never a parade person, but I've seen this one two trips in a row now.

My kid definitely did the toddler version of twerking for these two old ladies.

That is hysterical!

Unfortunately, I thought it’d be cool to add a smiley face to the end of my message and the result was this:

I've done that before. I know how you feel.

It was really cool being able to meet Danielle and her family. They were all incredibly nice and easy to talk to, and you won’t meet a nicer person than Danielle.

She's super nice - I got to meet her and her brother this last trip and they were great.

Punches Yeti!

Landon probably knows that Yeti is one of his rivals for cutest little one on the DIS.

They were just trying to get the souvenir glow cubes. I guess the Cast Members were on strict orders not to sell the cubes individually. There was a tally that at the end of the night had to show an even number of drinks sold to glow cubes given out.

Ah, that explains things. At the Rebel Hangar this trip, we each ordered a drink and got a glow cube. There were three different ones and we asked if we could buy the third and were told we needed to get it with a drink. So we got a Diet Coke. They are pretty cool little toys!

 

[amazingact21]

I made a plan not to be pregnant over the summer as I watched 2 friends be ridiculously uncomfortable after being due in September and being pregnant all summer! I'm due in just over a week and really happy I live in the mountains and the north as we have had some days with highs in the high 80s the nights are always cool, especially this early in the season.

I've really enjoyed your TRs while preparing to take a twoish month old to WDW in August... Yeah I'm good at planning when to expect the little one, not so good at planning a cooler trip to Disney, though I didn't really have a choice as we're going for my sister's wedding.

Oh wow, congratulations!! You must be so ready to meet your little one! I'm sending good thoughts and well wishes your way that baby comes before you get too uncomfortable and that your labor is quick and uncomplicated. I know each day at this point feels like it crawls by.
I made a point to start trying for Landon in the summer months so I'd avoid the summertime heat. (I lucked out and was pregnant with him July-April.)

Unfortunately, this little one was a bit unexpected as they were a "homecoming" baby. It wasn't until after I found out that I did the math and silently cried for a second. Florida has about 9 months of unbearable heat and I'll be pregnant for all of them. Talk about unfortunate luck. (Also aggrevating, all my maternity clothes were for the winter season, so I had to buy a whole new stockpile. Yuck.)



In some ways, taking a 2 month old to Disney will be easier than taking an older baby. At that age, they still mostly want to eat, sleep, and stink up their diaper. Plus, they'll be small enough to carry around with your arms getting exhausted and will sleep through all the shows and long rides. Don't get me wrong, there will be those newborn issues, but hopefully it won't impede too much with your Disney time. I'll be sure and go to your PTR and follow along after I've posted this. I'm a sucker for babies on their first Disney trip!

Save me a camping out spot, I'll be right there with you!

Haha We are in the same boat! I look at DH every now and then and say, "Remind me of this moment if I ever say I want a 3rd." While I wouldn't mind a 3rd kid, I don't think I could handle a 3rd pregnancy! Summer is going to be excruciating, and I am just dreading when the weather gets really REALLY hot. The third trimester is miserable enough without the heat & humidity!!

It's been going pretty well, now that the nausea has gone away. My biggest problem this time around is back pain, which is worse when I sit down for a long time. People are constantly offering me a seat, and I'm like, nope it's so much better when I stand!! lol Paxton is pretty excited, or so he says now! We are getting into girl mode now, lots of dresses and bows are arriving in our house every week!

Ugh, I think the electric company should give pregnant women in the summer some slack. Like 10% off their bill since they are carrying around a furnace. I'll never forget a few weeks ago I had a playdate at a splash pad. The wind turned direction and sent one of the fountain's mist right towards where me and my frends were standing.
You just saw three women in shirts and pants step back and one chick in a tank top and shorts move closer to the water.
I will say I am fortunate that I have the beach to keep me cool. I've already gone 3 times this summer, becauce the water and sea breeze is such a relief.


Ick, back pain is no fun. I'm sure sleeping has proven challenging. At least you don't have to worry about sitting for too long...the silver lining, right? Did you have nausea with Paxton? I never did with Landon and was pretty grumpy about getting it this time around. Mine has gotten better ever since 14 weeks, but I still get a bout around dinnertime. I can't wait until I can actually eat what I cook for Landon and Alex again.


Aww, so many girl items! When is the little one's first trip to Disney going to be? I bet that will be so much fun. Having Paxton and a girl to take to the parks. I'm excited for you! Haha

Way to go! Glad it eventually worked out, but bummer that it brought down the mood.

Totally agree. I was never a parade person, but I've seen this one two trips in a row now.

That is hysterical!


I've done that before. I know how you feel.

She's super nice - I got to meet her and her brother this last trip and they were great.

Landon probably knows that Yeti is one of his rivals for cutest little one on the DIS.


Ah, that explains things. At the Rebel Hangar this trip, we each ordered a drink and got a glow cube. There were three different ones and we asked if we could buy the third and were told we needed to get it with a drink. So we got a Diet Coke. They are pretty cool little toys!

I was mortified at Landon's dancing! Like, what were you doing, kid?!?!



She is really nice! I hope I can run into her next May again.


Who'd have thought those glow cubes would be such a hot commodity? Maybe they should have packaged them and sold them in Darth's Mall. I bet they would sell well.

 

[amazingact21]

All right guys, I know I said I was going to do a wrap up post, but…I didn’t want to.

Does that sound terrible? It probably does.



It’s just taken me so long to write this report and it happened so long ago that I’m just ready to move on. I get no excitement from the thought of writing that kind of post, and I’d rather not force myself to write something I don’t want to. I might regret it later, since I loved my conclusion for my December trip, but I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it. At this time, I’m ready to talk about something new!


Another Disney trip I took!



This is a little bit unconventional of me, but I decided since I was so far behind on my writing that I’d just add my August trip report straight on to this one. I’m doing this mainly because my May trip was all about Alex’s pre-deployment days, and August was all about Alex’s absence due to the deployment. Both trips followed a similar theme and they’ll fit well together. In addition to that, this report won’t be nearly as long as my usual ones, so it shouldn’t take too much time to recap.



I went back and forth about a million times on whether or not I’d even write a report for August. It is June of the following year, after all, and some of the details of the trip have slipped away into oblivion. In the end, though, I just couldn’t bring myself to skip it. There were some memorable moments, and I think I’ll want to go back one day and remind myself what this vacation entailed.


It did happen on my birthday, after all.

And it did involve several firsts.


And it was my second mother/daughter Disney trip! (With Landon tagging along this time around.)


How could I pass up the opportunity to write about the otherworldly August heat and everyone in a food court staring at my table and unexpectedly running into a DIS veteran? Twice!


No, those things couldn’t be missed.


So, without further ado, I bring you:






Did We Bring the Unhappiest Kid to the Happiest Place on Earth?
An August 2014 Trip Report





A proper introductory post for trip seems silly, since I’m adding on to May’s pages, so rather than bore you with those details, I will give a quick summary of how this trip came to be.


When Alex, Landon, and I went down to visit his family before going to Disney, all of us talked about how we’d go about the family get togethers once Alex was gone. I thought about it and agreed to bring Landon back down there sometime in August and asked if my mother could tag along to help with the 7 hour drive. My family used to live in the general area that Alex’s family does (that’s how we met many, many years ago…9 years to be exact) and my mom still had friends in the area she wanted to visit and reconnect with.



The plan was formed and sometime around the end of July/early August time frame my mom came to me with a possibility.



My Annual Pass was still good.



And my mom had 3 days left on her military tickets she bought for the December 2013 trip.



Since we’d be going to Central Florida right around the time of my birthday, it’d be almost a waste to NOT go to Disney and make use of those tickets.



She had a point.





I called Disney and booked us all a room at Pop Century for 5 nights, checking in on August 17th and leaving August 22nd.

Fast forward to right before we left for the big trip, and my mom came to me again.


“Pop Century is nice,” she said, “but it’s your birthday trip, shouldn’t we stay somewhere cooler?”





“Yeah, but a cooler resort is also a much more expensive resort.”



“Fair point,” my pointed agreed. “but what if I just cashed in a ton of reward points from your dad’s credit card (my dad is completely oblivious to the fact that he gets reward points) and used them to order 2 Disney gift cards.”


I was intrigued.


“What if those gift cards would cover a stay at…oh, I don’t know….a deluxe?”



My mom told me to make another call to Disney and see if anything was available so late with a military discount.



Luck was with us, because there was a standard room available at Animal Kingdom Lodge for our dates.


My mom told me to make the switch.



Not only was my birthday gift that year some extra days in the Disney parks, but it was also a stay at my favorite deluxe resort!





Talk about the best birthday ever.




I didn’t think there was much that was going to make me truly enjoy my day without Alex near, but if there was anything that was going to come close.

It was that.




You wanna talk about one fortunate girl; I could not believe how lucky I had been that year. Two stays at AKL within 3 months of each other?
I swear, I felt like I was dreaming.



(And just to be fair, I did talk about the trip with Alex and made sure he was cool with me taking Landon to Disney without him. Disney is our family spot, and the last thing I wanted to do was hurt his feelings while he was stuck in an undesirable location. Even with him assuring me he completely fine with me going on the trip, there was always a little bit of guilt following me around while I was there. That couldn’t really be avoided when you’re munching down on a fresh baked cinnamon roll, knowing your husband is eating old salad in a mess hall.)





My mom and I approached this Disney excursion a little differently than the one we took in May of 2012. We knew things would be drastically different this time around due to having a 16 month old with us. I’d be lying if I didn’t say I wasn’t worried about taking care of my toddler without Alex around to help. I stressed to my mom over and over again that Disney World was a whole new experience now that Landon could walk.


I warned her about how tired our arms would be from carrying him around so many times it felt like I was beating a dead horse. I also repeated the fact that the number of rides we’d probably go on would be minimal.


This trip wouldn’t be like the one we took in December, and because of that we changed our usual priorities around.



We decided to concentrate on enjoying the deluxe resort. My mom had never stayed anywhere but a value before, so she wanted to see what all the deluxe fuss was about, and in May I really never hung around the place. Alex and I were so go-go-go that we didn’t really explore the hotel features.

My mom and I also knew the more time at the resort, the less chance we had of getting overheated and/or caught in an afternoon thunderstorm. We planned for early mornings and late evening park time and long afternoons hanging out by the pool and walking the hallways with Landon.



Our expectations and goals were simple; we felt assured that with such an easygoing itinerary we were bound to feel successful.


But you know what they say about the best laid plans…




Coming Up…I Heard There’s a Birthday Girl in the Car

 

[KatMark]

I'll be back...anxious to hear about this trip (off to an appointment right now).

 

[khertz]

Did you have nausea with Paxton? I never did with Landon and was pretty grumpy about getting it this time around. Mine has gotten better ever since 14 weeks, but I still get a bout around dinnertime. I can't wait until I can actually eat what I cook for Landon and Alex again.

My whole first trimester for both pregnancies was plagued with nausea. This time around my doctor had samples for a new-ish nausea medicine made specifically for pregnant women called Diclegis and it changed my world those first few weeks! Once I started it, I was SO much better. But halfway through my 2nd trimester, I stopped having to take it. Hopefully yours goes away soon. I know how miserable that is!

When is the little one's first trip to Disney going to be? I bet that will be so much fun. Having Paxton and a girl to take to the parks. I'm excited for you! Haha

As crazy as it may make us, we are going in October while I'm on maternity leave! We know it will be a different paced trip, but it's been way too long, and I felt like I needed to take advantage of 12 weeks of paid time off! Ideally, she'll be about 10 weeks old. I'm kind of excited to get to do both the boy thing and the princess thing!!

Ready to read about August...

Luck was with us, because there was a standard room available at Animal Kingdom Lodge for our dates.

Talk about UPGRADE from Pop!! Great start before you even get there!

Not only was my birthday gift that year some extra days in the Disney parks, but it was also a stay at my favorite deluxe resort!

Not a bad way to spend your birthday!

We decided to concentrate on enjoying the deluxe resort. My mom had never stayed anywhere but a value before, so she wanted to see what all the deluxe fuss was about, and in May I really never hung around the place. Alex and I were so go-go-go that we didn’t really explore the hotel features.

Great plan for a bonus trip with a toddler! I'm looking forward to more.