Let's Watch the Hallucination Show on the Castle- A May '14 TR *12/3 PTR Link to Real Life News
- Thread starter amazingact21
- Start date
Dugette
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Dec 26, 2009
What a sweet gift!
Yay - glad it worked out for you!
Wow, what amazing pixie dust you got!Except, when our turn rolled around, not only was our room ready, but they had upgraded us to a Savannah View!
Oh my goodness!!!!
Yay for a near-future trip AND a look-forward-to-for-awhile trip!
They both sound great!
afwdwfan
DIS Dad #460
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2010
Seems like it worked out well. I mean if he's got to take the time off anyway...
Let me state it... family time together at Disney World.
Nope, definitely not a recipe for disaster.
Oh, well then by all means! This seals the deal!
Totally makes sense. Let him have a last hurrah with mom and dad!
That definitely makes sense too! Take full advantage of that while you can!
Exciting and sad. Kind of bittersweet, I guess. Good luck! I hope he gets something you guys want!
About time. You'll win him over.
Yeah, I totally know how this works...Excellent choice! One of the resorts I really want to try sometime soon!
It is pretty spectacular. And another great choice! Without a doubt.
KatMark
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 5, 2007
First and foremost, the trips sound so exciting! Are we still overlapping so we can meet up next month?
I am in the minority on the Beach Club...wasn't a fan. We found service to be below the standards we were led to believe to expect, the buses were terrible and the pool...you have to watch your child/children like a hawk so as not to lose them; to me it is just too big. But I know others absolutely love it.
I am in the minority on the Beach Club...wasn't a fan. We found service to be below the standards we were led to believe to expect, the buses were terrible and the pool...you have to watch your child/children like a hawk so as not to lose them; to me it is just too big. But I know others absolutely love it.
amazingact21
Upendi
- Joined
- Nov 6, 2010
Trust me, July isn't bad! Like you said, you're already used to the heat and humidity. So might as well deal with it at Disney!
The May trip sounds awesome. So believe it or not, last May when I went from staying at AoA to staying at Beach Club, I actually found myself missing AoA. It's just such an awesome resort, and nothing about it (okay, besides the way the bus stops are set up) seems like a value resort. This is not to say that I didn't enjoy Beach Club because I definitely did. You could spend half your day at Stormalong Bay and not even feel guilty about it.I think yall will absolutely have a wonderful trip.
Alex thinks we're going to come home from our trip next month and go, "Never again!" simply because we aren't used to the crowds. But I don't know, I did it in August, and I was taking care of Landon by myself then. So I don't think it'll be as bad as we've made it out to be.
We were planning on staying at the Beach Club because that's where my mom wanted to stay and we wanted to be at the same resort for convenience (and babysitting) purposes. But when I showed my mom the prices for May next year, she's re-thinking the Beach Club. She's figuring she may just stay in a Little Mermaid room at Art.
So, basically, the plans have changed already...
Wow, that is some epic planning! I am a cold blooded northerner who doesn't like it when the temperature gets above 75 and we survived Disney in August so I am sure you'll live going in July. Plus, the parks are open late a lot in the summer so you can do more resting / using the pool during the day and parks at night, etc. ... or, you know, just jump in the Fountain of Nations if you are too warm
One of these trips I really want to stay in the Beach or Yacht Club ... proximity to EPCOT and (especially) access to Storm Along Bay!
I had to laugh at your above 75 remark. For me, if it gets in the low 60s I'm freezing. I have lived in northern states at one point, so I know I handled the snow and the cold, but I've been in Florida way too long now to deal with that kind of weather. (I'm going to cry a little on the inside if Alex's next base is somewhere way up north.)
Landon's a sucker for fireworks, so we are definitely planning on using those late nights to our advantage.
Oh wow, only one month you haven't gone...I don't blame you, though. July is the hottest AND the most crowded. If we weren't veteran Disney goers and it was costing us a lot to go, we would definitely not be doing July. I would have actually preferred August, because it's less busy, but I will have hit my third trimester by then and there's no way my midwife would let me go. July was our one and only shot.
I'm looking forward to Art of Animation more than the Beach Club! I just think it's a fun resort, and the space we'll get in a family suite will be so nice with so many young kids. Plenty of room for their toys and junk while Mom and Dad still get a room of their own...
amazingact21
Upendi
- Joined
- Nov 6, 2010
Your upcoming trips sound awesome, especially the big May trip! You know how much I love the Beach Club, and the Art of Animation is so great, it's really not like a value resort at all!
I can't wait to stay at Art of Animation. Every time I visit the resort, I wish our reservation was there. In December, especially, my mom had to drag me and Landon away. I'm not sure who will enjoy it more, me or the 3 year old....
What a sweet gift!
Wow, what amazing pixie dust you got!
Yay for a near-future trip AND a look-forward-to-for-awhile trip!
The upgrade was really nice. Probably one of the best parts of our trip.
Thanks. We have to wait until after my appointment on the 1st to absolutely confirm our July trip, but we've just been trekking along like it's a reality. I'm slightly nervous about the crowds we'll encounter, but every time I start to worry I remind myself that Landon will have a ball just walking around the parks.
Seems like it worked out well. I mean if he's got to take the time off anyway...
Let me state it... family time together at Disney World.
Nope, definitely not a recipe for disaster.
Oh, well then by all means! This seals the deal!
Totally makes sense. Let him have a last hurrah with mom and dad!
That definitely makes sense too! Take full advantage of that while you can!
Exciting and sad. Kind of bittersweet, I guess. Good luck! I hope he gets something you guys want!
I just hope Landon remembers how we battled the heat and crowds in July for him when he's listening to a screaming newborn and thinking we ruined his life.
It'll be really weird not to live so close to Disney World (or my family) when the time comes, but Alex and I are definitely ready. If we can go overseas and see the world on the military's dime, we'd be crazy not to do it. Plus, there's always Disneyland Paris!
About time. You'll win him over.
Excellent choice! One of the resorts I really want to try sometime soon!
Once we get my dad to Epcot and show him the Festival, show him how happy the kids are, and show him the overabundance of beer, he'll come around. Add in a Cape May dinner and he'll hush up with his complaints.
I cannot wait to try Art of Animation. Alex thinks I'm crazy for not wanting to save up for a little extra time and stay at the Contemporary, but I just prefer the theme of Art better. What screams a Disney resort more than Art??
I do believe our trips will overlap for a little while. I'm planning on commenting on your report after I get off here, and I'll let you know there.
I feel like Alex and my mom will enjoy the Beach Club more than I will. But after looking up prices on Monday, we might be changing resorts, anyways. I've always told Alex I wanted to try out the Beach Club when the kids were middle school/high school age, so that all of us could really enjoy Stormalong Bay, and so that we could all enjoy the Epcot thrill rides without worrying about rider swaps. I think if my mom decides not to stay there, we won't either.
amazingact21
Upendi
- Joined
- Nov 6, 2010
August 17th, 2014:
After my mom and my's arrival at Animal Kingdom Lodge, and our adventure unpacking with a toddler, we headed out of the room to explore our temporary home for the week.
Landon was already happier once we hit the hallway.
Nothing like a rope bridge to entertain a one year old.
Or an actual bridge…
The first stop on our AKL tour was the gift shop. I believe my mom and I were on the lookout for some sundries, but I can’t remember for sure.
Whatever it was we began looking for, it quickly got pushed to the back of our minds when we lost Landon to the pen caddy.
The kiddo went bonkers over all the different writing utensils. The light up ones were his favorite, but he wasn’t passing up the oversized character ones, either. Even the Mickey head shaped pens with Disney colors had to be played with.
I tried to steer him over to the stuffed animals or the actual toy displays, which were literally right behind him, but Landon could’ve cared less about them. Maybe I’ve got a future calligrapher on my hands…
With a little bit of a fuss, I finally managed to drag Landon out of the shop. The gift shop was nice and all, but we were at Animal Kingdom Lodge.
We kind of wanted to see the animals.
Just sayin’
Before hitting up the viewing areas, my mom and I took Landon to check out the playground.
As far as playgrounds go, it was pretty impressive.
There was nice shade coverage over the play structures, and a lot of open space between the various slides and tunnels. Compared to the one at Pop, this one was massive.
Now that it’s been a year (or just shy of one) and having seen a few more Disney resorts, I would give Animal Kingdom Lodge 5 stars for entertainment with kids. Not only does the resort have a massive pool and a kiddie splash area, it also has a variety of other activities to keep kids amused while hanging out at the resort. We never even did the Cast Member-run programs; I’m sure those would have been just as fun, but simply walking around the sidewalks and playing on the playground would be enough to keep a kid occupied for several hours.
I think once Landon hits the preteen years, AKL will be my go-to resort to stay on long trips.
Alex and I never made it to the pool or anywhere near it on our May trip, which was a shame, because my mom and I walked Landon over there after about half an hour on the slides and discovered some cool flamingos to look at.
My mom and I let Landon lead us from there, and his exploring took us to the hot tub, which was so tucked away I didn’t even realize what it was until I heard people leaving it. It’s off to one side of the pool, between it and a dead end to a viewing fence. It’s hidden in this little nook and almost private. There was a couple in the tub, and I almost felt like I was intruding on their private relaxation time when we walked by.
That area seemed so quiet and secluded that I mentioned to my mom off-handedly that perhaps Alex and I could sneak down to the resort for a short anniversary weekend while she babysat Landon.
And that would have happened. If life hadn’t kind of thrown us a curve ball and changed our plans for this fall.
My mom and I were loving the open, out of the way, part of the resort, but it became even cooler when some friends came out of the woodworks for us.
This little fellow wasn’t shy in the least and came as close as it could to us.
Holy moly, this was awesome!
I picked Landon up to let him get a better look at the giraffe, and he instantly began holding his hand out to the creature. At our zoo, you can feed the giraffes, and Landon just assumed he could do the same with this big guy.
I’m sure they wish Landon could’ve fed them, too.
Coolest moment at Animal Kingdom Lodge?
Easily.
For several minutes we were by ourselves, but then slowly kids from the pool saw what we were doing and meandered over. My mom and I felt like we had gotten plenty of viewing time and decided to head to the food court for some dinner.
Landon was also starting to get really heavy in my arms and he was a little furnace next to me. I was definitely wishing for Dad’s unwavering arm strength at that moment of the trip.
For dinner, my mom chose a salad and I bought some kind of sandwich. I’m typically adventurous with my meals and try to get something I haven’t had before, but with this sandwich I wished I’d passed. There was some kind of salsa or sauce that was not very tasty.
Guess you live and you learn.
And I didn’t know it then, but thanks to Landon, I was going to be able to try 90% of the stuff on the Mara menu over the next five nights.
Hmmm.
I couldn’t take my mom to AKL and not have her try the famous zebra domes at least once, so I got an order of them for dessert.
f1 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr
Whoever made that batch of zebra domes must not have followed the recipe card correctly or went off on their own or something, because while they were good, they weren’t over the moon amazing. I actually thought I’d misremembered how delicious they were, and my mom was MEH about them. I was a little disappointed, because usually whatever I recommend to my mom goes over really well. We have very similar tastes in food and I have a knack for knowing what she’ll prefer, but I think she was thinking that I missed the mark on the zebra domes.
I just wasn’t on the ball with food that night.
I blamed it on the arrival day jitters all Disney nuts get. Who isn’t a teensy tiny bit disoriented when they first get on Disney property? The magic and anticipation is too much, at times.
During our giraffe sighting and our dinner, I went back and forth on whether or not I was going to go to Magic Kingdom once I put Landon to bed. My mom had no problem keeping an ear out for him if I wanted to head out for a bit.
In theory, the idea sounded fantastic. Some solo time in a park? It was one of the things I was looking forward to most on this trip.
But Landon fought me terribly on bath and bedtime that night. The water was too hot, then too cold, he had no toys to play with, the lotion was smelly, his pajamas sat funny on his body, the room was too bright, the room was too dark, his pack and play was too uncomfortable…
And a million other little things that made putting him to sleep feel like a marathon long sprint. In the past Alex would bathe him and then hand him off to me for the putting to sleep part, and that at least broke the work up. With Alex only gone a month, I was still adjusting to being the solo caregiver.
By the time I could hear baby snoring sounds coming from the Pack and Play, it was nine o’clock, and I was beat. The Magic Kingdom was open until midnight, so if I left right that minute I could have made it in time to get in several rides and eat a Dole Whip, but I felt like it wasn’t worth my effort.
I knew that I wouldn’t get to sleep until one o’clock and then I’d have to turn around and get up at 6 a.m.
Back in the pre-kids days, that would have been nothing.
But functioning on that little sleep in the brutal August heat without Dad’s support?
Nope.
Sleep was much more important to me at the time.
So, I gave up some turns on Thunder Mountain and chose instead to stay in.
A quick FaceTime call to Alex:
(It was his one day off and he worked the night shift, so even though it was late at night where I was, it was his just after his “after work workout time.”)
We talked for a few seconds, and then hung up and hit the hay. Tomorrow was a favorite breakfast spot of my mom’s and I didn’t want to wake up late for it.
After my mom and my's arrival at Animal Kingdom Lodge, and our adventure unpacking with a toddler, we headed out of the room to explore our temporary home for the week.
Landon was already happier once we hit the hallway.
Nothing like a rope bridge to entertain a one year old.
Or an actual bridge…
The first stop on our AKL tour was the gift shop. I believe my mom and I were on the lookout for some sundries, but I can’t remember for sure.
Whatever it was we began looking for, it quickly got pushed to the back of our minds when we lost Landon to the pen caddy.
The kiddo went bonkers over all the different writing utensils. The light up ones were his favorite, but he wasn’t passing up the oversized character ones, either. Even the Mickey head shaped pens with Disney colors had to be played with.
I tried to steer him over to the stuffed animals or the actual toy displays, which were literally right behind him, but Landon could’ve cared less about them. Maybe I’ve got a future calligrapher on my hands…
With a little bit of a fuss, I finally managed to drag Landon out of the shop. The gift shop was nice and all, but we were at Animal Kingdom Lodge.
We kind of wanted to see the animals.
Just sayin’
Before hitting up the viewing areas, my mom and I took Landon to check out the playground.
As far as playgrounds go, it was pretty impressive.
There was nice shade coverage over the play structures, and a lot of open space between the various slides and tunnels. Compared to the one at Pop, this one was massive.
Now that it’s been a year (or just shy of one) and having seen a few more Disney resorts, I would give Animal Kingdom Lodge 5 stars for entertainment with kids. Not only does the resort have a massive pool and a kiddie splash area, it also has a variety of other activities to keep kids amused while hanging out at the resort. We never even did the Cast Member-run programs; I’m sure those would have been just as fun, but simply walking around the sidewalks and playing on the playground would be enough to keep a kid occupied for several hours.
I think once Landon hits the preteen years, AKL will be my go-to resort to stay on long trips.
Alex and I never made it to the pool or anywhere near it on our May trip, which was a shame, because my mom and I walked Landon over there after about half an hour on the slides and discovered some cool flamingos to look at.
My mom and I let Landon lead us from there, and his exploring took us to the hot tub, which was so tucked away I didn’t even realize what it was until I heard people leaving it. It’s off to one side of the pool, between it and a dead end to a viewing fence. It’s hidden in this little nook and almost private. There was a couple in the tub, and I almost felt like I was intruding on their private relaxation time when we walked by.
That area seemed so quiet and secluded that I mentioned to my mom off-handedly that perhaps Alex and I could sneak down to the resort for a short anniversary weekend while she babysat Landon.
And that would have happened. If life hadn’t kind of thrown us a curve ball and changed our plans for this fall.
My mom and I were loving the open, out of the way, part of the resort, but it became even cooler when some friends came out of the woodworks for us.
This little fellow wasn’t shy in the least and came as close as it could to us.
Holy moly, this was awesome!
I picked Landon up to let him get a better look at the giraffe, and he instantly began holding his hand out to the creature. At our zoo, you can feed the giraffes, and Landon just assumed he could do the same with this big guy.
I’m sure they wish Landon could’ve fed them, too.
Coolest moment at Animal Kingdom Lodge?
Easily.
For several minutes we were by ourselves, but then slowly kids from the pool saw what we were doing and meandered over. My mom and I felt like we had gotten plenty of viewing time and decided to head to the food court for some dinner.
Landon was also starting to get really heavy in my arms and he was a little furnace next to me. I was definitely wishing for Dad’s unwavering arm strength at that moment of the trip.
For dinner, my mom chose a salad and I bought some kind of sandwich. I’m typically adventurous with my meals and try to get something I haven’t had before, but with this sandwich I wished I’d passed. There was some kind of salsa or sauce that was not very tasty.
Guess you live and you learn.
And I didn’t know it then, but thanks to Landon, I was going to be able to try 90% of the stuff on the Mara menu over the next five nights.
Hmmm.
I couldn’t take my mom to AKL and not have her try the famous zebra domes at least once, so I got an order of them for dessert.
f1 by Alicia Wolchick, on FlickrWhoever made that batch of zebra domes must not have followed the recipe card correctly or went off on their own or something, because while they were good, they weren’t over the moon amazing. I actually thought I’d misremembered how delicious they were, and my mom was MEH about them. I was a little disappointed, because usually whatever I recommend to my mom goes over really well. We have very similar tastes in food and I have a knack for knowing what she’ll prefer, but I think she was thinking that I missed the mark on the zebra domes.
I just wasn’t on the ball with food that night.
I blamed it on the arrival day jitters all Disney nuts get. Who isn’t a teensy tiny bit disoriented when they first get on Disney property? The magic and anticipation is too much, at times.
During our giraffe sighting and our dinner, I went back and forth on whether or not I was going to go to Magic Kingdom once I put Landon to bed. My mom had no problem keeping an ear out for him if I wanted to head out for a bit.
In theory, the idea sounded fantastic. Some solo time in a park? It was one of the things I was looking forward to most on this trip.
But Landon fought me terribly on bath and bedtime that night. The water was too hot, then too cold, he had no toys to play with, the lotion was smelly, his pajamas sat funny on his body, the room was too bright, the room was too dark, his pack and play was too uncomfortable…
And a million other little things that made putting him to sleep feel like a marathon long sprint. In the past Alex would bathe him and then hand him off to me for the putting to sleep part, and that at least broke the work up. With Alex only gone a month, I was still adjusting to being the solo caregiver.
By the time I could hear baby snoring sounds coming from the Pack and Play, it was nine o’clock, and I was beat. The Magic Kingdom was open until midnight, so if I left right that minute I could have made it in time to get in several rides and eat a Dole Whip, but I felt like it wasn’t worth my effort.
I knew that I wouldn’t get to sleep until one o’clock and then I’d have to turn around and get up at 6 a.m.
Back in the pre-kids days, that would have been nothing.
But functioning on that little sleep in the brutal August heat without Dad’s support?
Nope.
Sleep was much more important to me at the time.
So, I gave up some turns on Thunder Mountain and chose instead to stay in.
A quick FaceTime call to Alex:
(It was his one day off and he worked the night shift, so even though it was late at night where I was, it was his just after his “after work workout time.”)
We talked for a few seconds, and then hung up and hit the hay. Tomorrow was a favorite breakfast spot of my mom’s and I didn’t want to wake up late for it.
Last edited:
cindianne320
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 27, 2010
AKL is so beautiful! I really hope to stay there someday!
I'm with you- sleep is so important these days, and so unpredictable that I take it when I can!
I'm with you- sleep is so important these days, and so unpredictable that I take it when I can!
afwdwfan
DIS Dad #460
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2010
It's the little things in life...
And they always put those stupid things low and in easy reach. You mean you didn't get your fill of them from the balcony? Landon's got exploring to do, there's no time for animals!
It looks pretty awesome. I'm sure he was loving life. This little fellow wasn’t shy in the least and came as close as it could to us.
Holy moly, this was awesome!
I'm glad you had a little moment with Landon and the giraffe. I'm sorry to hear this. Sometimes things like this happen. I hope you got a chance to redeem yourself to her later.
Oh yeah, the joy of getting a toddler ready for bed. Always fun.
I always hate it when I have to do the whole bath/bedtime routine by myself. I definitely feel for you having to take on that task (along with all the others) while Alex was gone.
No kidding! It is so much easier before you have kids. And you're always 10X more tired at all times!
Sorry you missed out on MK, but it seems that this worked out for the best. I'm glad you had a chance to chat with him before bed time!
marDgreen88
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2011
There is nothing like AKL, is there? It's wonderful. There's always something new to explore!
Yeah, you can feed the giraffes at our zoo too, and while that's amazing, I also really enjoy just admiring the animals and not feeling like I have to wash my hands 800 times. Ya know?
Sorry the food was a little off that night. Did you ever get to try the zebra cupcake? SO GOOOOOD.
YES, I completely know what you mean about being disoriented on your first day. It's like you've been excited about it for so long that when you finally get there, it's strangely overwhelming and hard to know where to start!
Even though you didn't make it to MK, hopefully you still had plenty of opportunities to ride BTMRR!
Yeah, you can feed the giraffes at our zoo too, and while that's amazing, I also really enjoy just admiring the animals and not feeling like I have to wash my hands 800 times. Ya know?
Sorry the food was a little off that night. Did you ever get to try the zebra cupcake? SO GOOOOOD.
YES, I completely know what you mean about being disoriented on your first day. It's like you've been excited about it for so long that when you finally get there, it's strangely overwhelming and hard to know where to start!
Even though you didn't make it to MK, hopefully you still had plenty of opportunities to ride BTMRR!
amazingact21
Upendi
- Joined
- Nov 6, 2010
Sleep comes before all else nowadays. I never pass up an opportunity to nap and/or sleep in. Landon's been getting me up about an hour earlier than usual this week, and I feel like a zombie. I definitely don't miss those sleep deprived newborn days.
I feel bad for the Cast Members who have to rearrange them all the time. I did my best to keep Landon from destroying the organization, but I know 90% of the other kids just come through and send the pens everywhere.
I feel like I've become the ultimate park judge. Like, I've got a rating criteria based on shade, creativity, variety, age appropriate sections....ahh, the things we develop when we become parents...
Before Alex deployed, I thought I'd fly through all my trip reports, because once I put Landon to sleep I'd have hours to myself to do anything I wanted.
Yeah, I didn't account for how tired I'd be after getting dinner cooked, feeding the kid, cleaning up from dinner, and then the whole bedtime routine. I ended up watching an episode of tv, then crashing about an hour after Landon did.
There is nothing like AKL, is there? It's wonderful. There's always something new to explore!
Yeah, you can feed the giraffes at our zoo too, and while that's amazing, I also really enjoy just admiring the animals and not feeling like I have to wash my hands 800 times. Ya know?
Sorry the food was a little off that night. Did you ever get to try the zebra cupcake? SO GOOOOOD.
YES, I completely know what you mean about being disoriented on your first day. It's like you've been excited about it for so long that when you finally get there, it's strangely overwhelming and hard to know where to start!
Even though you didn't make it to MK, hopefully you still had plenty of opportunities to ride BTMRR!
That is true. Giraffes are awesome, but oh so slimy. Your hand always feels gross after you feed them, even after cleaning them.
I did try the zebra cupcake later that week. And it was really tasty!
Dugette
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Dec 26, 2009
Wow, that is a great playground, especially for toddlers! Love all the slides!
Always fun to just explore the resort. What a great giraffe encounter!
Yep, definitely relate to this. It's amazing how many things can derail what should be a simple process.
Sleep is definitely a priority, so I can't say I blame you there.
Elleshoodat
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2010
Another upgrade, wow! You have some luck when it comes to AKL. 
Those Lion King pajamas are adorable! I just logged onto the Disney Store site to see if I can find something similar for Matthew, lol.
So exciting that you have another TWO TRIPS coming up! You just don’t stop, girl (I’m totally jealous). And in May you’re staying at Beach Club, no less! It’s funny the things we do for our kids – I plan our trips around the resort pools, too.
P.S. I love the picture of you and Landon looking out at the giraffe!
Those Lion King pajamas are adorable! I just logged onto the Disney Store site to see if I can find something similar for Matthew, lol.
So exciting that you have another TWO TRIPS coming up! You just don’t stop, girl (I’m totally jealous). And in May you’re staying at Beach Club, no less! It’s funny the things we do for our kids – I plan our trips around the resort pools, too.
P.S. I love the picture of you and Landon looking out at the giraffe!
MEK
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 8, 2005
I don't blame you one bit for giving up your idea of going to the MK. Getting kids ready for bed at night can be grueling. How nice that you had a couple minutes to face time with Alex.
I know exactly what hot tub you are talking about. It is very private back there and I remember thinking how I would not like to have that specific room view if I were staying in that part of the building.
Boo to meh Zebra Domes. Did they change the recipe? I haven't had them in quite awhile.
Isn't the animal interaction great there. So much better than the safari. The giraffes are amazing!
I know exactly what hot tub you are talking about. It is very private back there and I remember thinking how I would not like to have that specific room view if I were staying in that part of the building.
Boo to meh Zebra Domes. Did they change the recipe? I haven't had them in quite awhile.
Isn't the animal interaction great there. So much better than the safari. The giraffes are amazing!
amazingact21
Upendi
- Joined
- Nov 6, 2010
I was pretty impressed with the AKL playground. Someone who had kids must've designed that one and known that the little ones like to try out 5+ sides at each park. Slide variety is vital to a good park visit.
Sleep has never felt more important than it did once I became a parent. Who knew someone could be so tired all the time?!
Another upgrade, wow! You have some luck when it comes to AKL.
Those Lion King pajamas are adorable! I just logged onto the Disney Store site to see if I can find something similar for Matthew, lol.
So exciting that you have another TWO TRIPS coming up! You just don’t stop, girl (I’m totally jealous). And in May you’re staying at Beach Club, no less! It’s funny the things we do for our kids – I plan our trips around the resort pools, too.
P.S. I love the picture of you and Landon looking out at the giraffe!
I don't know what it is about AKL, but we have some crazy good luck there. (I can promise that doesn't happen at all deluxes.) I've heard that the resort has way more savannah views than standard ones, so the odds of being upgraded are high at that resort.
I love Disney PJs for the kids. Landon's gotten so many over the years, a lot from the Disney store. But a word to the wise, they tend to measure small. Best to get a larger size.
Alex and I doubt by this time next summer we'll live this close to Disney anymore, so we are taking the opportunities to go while we can.
Thanks!
I was always so tired after the bedtime routine while Alex was deployed. Toddlers have unbelievable will power when it comes to fighting off sleep.
Yeah, those rooms do have an awkward view. I hope they aren't categorized as "pool view." It's like, part standard, part pool, part savannah.
I don't think they changed the Zebra Dome recipe; I just think we got a bad batch.
amazingact21
Upendi
- Joined
- Nov 6, 2010
August 18th, 2014:
The alarm clock went off at the early hour of 6am this morning. My mom and I needed to get up and moving so early because we had a pre-park opening breakfast that wasn’t going to wait for us.
Thank goodness for the perks of a deluxe resort:
f1 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr
Although, the 4 coffee pods did not last long between the 2 of us.
In reality, we could have sat out on the balcony and drank about 6 each of them.
But have you seen the amount each serving makes? Just enough to make you go, “Oh, good, coffee’s ready.” Before you look down and WHAM, no more left…
I guess I was spoiled in May and got all the coffee to myself. (Alex doesn’t touch the stuff.)
And all this talk of coffee has made me look longingly at my coffee pot sitting off to the side, silently doing a countdown to November, when I can get more than 1 measly cup a day.
Anyways, caffeine consumed and the toddler wrangled and clothed, my mom and I were ready to be off!
f2 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr
It was so early, we had to drive to the TTC because the buses weren’t running yet.
But even at 7 in the morning, it was apparently already 77 degrees out.
Ugh.
It wouldn’t be a Disney trip if we didn’t get one of the first few parking spots in the lot.
Back in August, the monorail was running on a very limited schedule. Disney had buses going back and forth from the center to the front of the Magic Kingdom, so while we didn’t get my favored Disney transportation, we did manage to ride on one of the new accordion buses. The thing looked massive, and no way would I ever want to drive one of those, but it was a smooth trip and there was a ton more space than the typical vehicles.
My mom, Landon, and I got to the front of Magic Kingdom about ten minutes before park opening, meaning we had a ton of time to look around and explore Main Street before our 8:10 reservation.
How could I walk by the Emporium and not feel Alex’s absence? Poor hubs, missing one of his shopping hot spots.
The castle!!!
There are worse ways to begin park touring than walking down Main Street U.S.A. and seeing Cinderella’s Castle up ahead, I gotta say.
My mom and I tend to fly down Main Street during regular park hours, simply because there’s so many people everywhere and we can usually find room to breathe in one of the lands. But since we practically had the place to ourselves on this day, we decided to look around and take in a lot of details we pass by normally.
Who knew there was a little nook off to the right???
You all probably did, but we sure didn’t.
Talk about a beautiful little area to break away and chill out for a minute.
My mother willingly obliged for a photo on the side street. Which actually turned out to be one of my favorites of her from this vacation. It reminded me a lot of the old photographs we have of our 1998 Disney trip. In 90% of the pictures, my mom is the only one smiling, because she didn’t care how hot it was or how cranky her 3 kids were; she was in Disney World and she was making the most out of every moment.
My mom spotted this beautiful balcony with hanging flowers:
f3 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr
She loved the design; something about the bright colors and use of limited space appealed to her. I think it also made her think back to her Italy days and remember some of her neighbors who had similar setups.
I feel like while Disney is all about making new memories and creating lasting emotional connections with people/events, it’s also a lot about nostalgia and seeing something new through loved one’s eyes.
At that point, the two of us continued on with our leisurely stroll, taking pictures of anything and everything.
This was the first time I ever noticed this Indian statue. I always knew he was there, I just never seeked him out before.
I had just finished reading one of my Disney books before the trip, and it discussed how big a deal getting your name on a window on Main Street was, so as I walked I kept my eyes out for some familiar names.
I managed to spot all the ones I was on the lookout for (Jack Lindquist, for example) and even some I didn’t expect to find:
(Walt’s daughter and son in-law)
It amazes me how subtle, yet important those window decals are in the park. Whenever I looked up and saw a name I knew, I couldn’t help but think about the thousands of people who walk by those windows every day and think nothing of them. Most guests don’t think about how those names are more than a design in the park and that without some of those folks, the park wouldn’t be what it is today.
Just goes to show that Disney can be as basic or as complex as you want it to be. To some, a theme park is enough; to others, an intricate entertainment center founded on layers of philosophies, new creations, and ideals is what makes the park the special entity that it is.
Alex’s birthday was about two weeks away when we went on our trip (yep, both our birthdays and our anniversary fall within 16 days of each other) and I knew anything I sent him wouldn’t arrive until well after his day had come and passed. However, I was in his favorite place in the world. I had to do something.
So, before I left I made a small booklet and turned it into a big birthday themed book. Some pages were reserved for any character autographs I could get, others were for little notes from me and scribbles from Landon.
And others had spots for photographs I wanted to take especially for him.
One of those being Landon holding a special sign I’d made on Main Street.
The paper had Alex’s picture on it and said, “We miss you, Daddy. Sending lots of love from Walt Disney World.”
I knew going into it that getting Landon to hold onto the paper and look at the camera was going to be an adventure. I wasn’t holding my breath for any outstanding portrait; I figured if I could get a close enough shot Alex would get the gist of my intention and enjoy the effort I put into it.
There was a couple minutes of distraction when Landon realized he was holding something in his hands.
Oooh, a new toy!
And a couple more minutes of waiting when Landon saw Dad’s face. That really threw him for a loop. It hadn’t been far enough along in the deployment yet for him to get conditioned to seeing his father on a computer screen rather than in real life.
But luckily he did cooperate for me for a few seconds and glance my way.
After those shots, the toddler was getting antsy and throwing the sign on the ground. Posing for photos with a prop is a lot to ask of a 16 month old, so I decided to give him a break and burn off some energy before I tried again.
Continued in Next Post….
The alarm clock went off at the early hour of 6am this morning. My mom and I needed to get up and moving so early because we had a pre-park opening breakfast that wasn’t going to wait for us.
Thank goodness for the perks of a deluxe resort:
f1 by Alicia Wolchick, on FlickrAlthough, the 4 coffee pods did not last long between the 2 of us.
In reality, we could have sat out on the balcony and drank about 6 each of them.
But have you seen the amount each serving makes? Just enough to make you go, “Oh, good, coffee’s ready.” Before you look down and WHAM, no more left…
I guess I was spoiled in May and got all the coffee to myself. (Alex doesn’t touch the stuff.)
And all this talk of coffee has made me look longingly at my coffee pot sitting off to the side, silently doing a countdown to November, when I can get more than 1 measly cup a day.
Anyways, caffeine consumed and the toddler wrangled and clothed, my mom and I were ready to be off!
f2 by Alicia Wolchick, on FlickrIt was so early, we had to drive to the TTC because the buses weren’t running yet.
But even at 7 in the morning, it was apparently already 77 degrees out.
Ugh.
It wouldn’t be a Disney trip if we didn’t get one of the first few parking spots in the lot.
Back in August, the monorail was running on a very limited schedule. Disney had buses going back and forth from the center to the front of the Magic Kingdom, so while we didn’t get my favored Disney transportation, we did manage to ride on one of the new accordion buses. The thing looked massive, and no way would I ever want to drive one of those, but it was a smooth trip and there was a ton more space than the typical vehicles.
My mom, Landon, and I got to the front of Magic Kingdom about ten minutes before park opening, meaning we had a ton of time to look around and explore Main Street before our 8:10 reservation.
How could I walk by the Emporium and not feel Alex’s absence? Poor hubs, missing one of his shopping hot spots.
The castle!!!
There are worse ways to begin park touring than walking down Main Street U.S.A. and seeing Cinderella’s Castle up ahead, I gotta say.
My mom and I tend to fly down Main Street during regular park hours, simply because there’s so many people everywhere and we can usually find room to breathe in one of the lands. But since we practically had the place to ourselves on this day, we decided to look around and take in a lot of details we pass by normally.
Who knew there was a little nook off to the right???
You all probably did, but we sure didn’t.
Talk about a beautiful little area to break away and chill out for a minute.
My mother willingly obliged for a photo on the side street. Which actually turned out to be one of my favorites of her from this vacation. It reminded me a lot of the old photographs we have of our 1998 Disney trip. In 90% of the pictures, my mom is the only one smiling, because she didn’t care how hot it was or how cranky her 3 kids were; she was in Disney World and she was making the most out of every moment.
My mom spotted this beautiful balcony with hanging flowers:
f3 by Alicia Wolchick, on FlickrShe loved the design; something about the bright colors and use of limited space appealed to her. I think it also made her think back to her Italy days and remember some of her neighbors who had similar setups.
I feel like while Disney is all about making new memories and creating lasting emotional connections with people/events, it’s also a lot about nostalgia and seeing something new through loved one’s eyes.
At that point, the two of us continued on with our leisurely stroll, taking pictures of anything and everything.
This was the first time I ever noticed this Indian statue. I always knew he was there, I just never seeked him out before.
I had just finished reading one of my Disney books before the trip, and it discussed how big a deal getting your name on a window on Main Street was, so as I walked I kept my eyes out for some familiar names.
I managed to spot all the ones I was on the lookout for (Jack Lindquist, for example) and even some I didn’t expect to find:
(Walt’s daughter and son in-law)
It amazes me how subtle, yet important those window decals are in the park. Whenever I looked up and saw a name I knew, I couldn’t help but think about the thousands of people who walk by those windows every day and think nothing of them. Most guests don’t think about how those names are more than a design in the park and that without some of those folks, the park wouldn’t be what it is today.
Just goes to show that Disney can be as basic or as complex as you want it to be. To some, a theme park is enough; to others, an intricate entertainment center founded on layers of philosophies, new creations, and ideals is what makes the park the special entity that it is.
Alex’s birthday was about two weeks away when we went on our trip (yep, both our birthdays and our anniversary fall within 16 days of each other) and I knew anything I sent him wouldn’t arrive until well after his day had come and passed. However, I was in his favorite place in the world. I had to do something.
So, before I left I made a small booklet and turned it into a big birthday themed book. Some pages were reserved for any character autographs I could get, others were for little notes from me and scribbles from Landon.
And others had spots for photographs I wanted to take especially for him.
One of those being Landon holding a special sign I’d made on Main Street.
The paper had Alex’s picture on it and said, “We miss you, Daddy. Sending lots of love from Walt Disney World.”
I knew going into it that getting Landon to hold onto the paper and look at the camera was going to be an adventure. I wasn’t holding my breath for any outstanding portrait; I figured if I could get a close enough shot Alex would get the gist of my intention and enjoy the effort I put into it.
There was a couple minutes of distraction when Landon realized he was holding something in his hands.
Oooh, a new toy!
And a couple more minutes of waiting when Landon saw Dad’s face. That really threw him for a loop. It hadn’t been far enough along in the deployment yet for him to get conditioned to seeing his father on a computer screen rather than in real life.
But luckily he did cooperate for me for a few seconds and glance my way.
After those shots, the toddler was getting antsy and throwing the sign on the ground. Posing for photos with a prop is a lot to ask of a 16 month old, so I decided to give him a break and burn off some energy before I tried again.
Continued in Next Post….
Last edited:
amazingact21
Upendi
- Joined
- Nov 6, 2010
Continued from Previous Post….
My mom wanted her traditional photo with Landon in front of the castle.
Then we let him loose to run and bake in the hot sun. It might not have been 8 o’clock in the morning yet, but it was already nasty out. The sun felt like it was slamming into us out there on the hot concrete.
Didn’t faze my son, though.
Heat or no heat, he was utilizing that empty street to his playful advantage.
Or at least, that’s what my mom and I thought as we watched him run and frolic, but the next thing we knew Landon was taking a seat on the ground.
Yikes!
Perhaps he watched his dog try and find cool spot on the ground one too many times and was trying to mimic that, but to my mom and me he resembled one of those chalk outlines you see on crime shows.
Not exactly what you wanna think of when in relation to your kid and Walt Disney World.
I did eventually get him to get up and moving again, distracting him with the castle.
It was at about that point that a Photopass photographer who had been standing nearby came over and told me he had watched me try and get a picture with the sign I’d brought and offered to take some photos for me.
He was so incredibly nice and immediately got down on Landon’s level to start taking pictures.
He took a seat right on the ground and asked for my camera and began snapping away. I couldn’t thank him enough for his willingness to help me out like that.
And if him going out of his way wasn’t enough, he managed to snap the dream shot.
The picture that I put on the first page of Alex’s card.
The picture that a family walking beside us stopped and told me, “You just made the guy in that picture cry. At least, that’s what I’d do if I got something like that.”
Not going to lie, this is one of my favorite pictures. I might or might not have gotten choked up when I looked at my camera and saw it for the first time.
As a parent of a deployed spouse, my number one goal throughout the separation was to keep Landon familiar and engaged with his dad. I didn’t want him to lose that bond he had formed with Alex, and it warmed my heart to see him smiling down at his dad’s photograph. It was one of the first of several times during the six months that I felt equals parts relief that Landon could remember the guy he was looking at as his Dad and sadness that they couldn’t be together face to face. If wishing could’ve put Alex with us at that moment, then he certainly would’ve appeared before our very eyes.
It was a special moment for me as a mom and also as a wife, knowing the joy Alex would get from seeing what I’d just done.
Without a doubt one of the highlights of the trip.
Shortly after the photopass photographer was through helping, my mom and I agreed that we needed to head to Crystal Palace for our breakfast reservation. I signed us in while my mom found us a bench to sit on, and we struck up a conversation with a family across from us. They had seen us on Main Street and were asking questions about Alex. They were extremely friendly and commented that I was pretty brave, taking Landon to Disney in the summer without Dad’s help.
I replied back that I wouldn’t have dreamed of doing it without my mom tagging along and if we weren’t season park veterans. Just thinking about taking Landon somewhere out of my element – alone- put me into a near panic.
I might be crazy, but I’m not THAT crazy.
Eventually, our name was called and we were brought to a table in the middle of the left side of the restaurant.
There’s no evidence to support my theory, but I do believe I’ve sat almost everywhere in the Crystal Palace now.
We really got to start branching out more with our dining ADRs….
It was about the time we sat down and got Landon situated with some grapes and eggs that his mood turned sour; he was done with everything.
At the time, my mom and I equated it to playing hard out in the sun and him suddenly not liking the plush characters.
Poor Pooh Bear was the first to arrive at our table.
Oh, hey there Winnie.
Nope.
Bye, there Winnie.
The same reaction was given to Tigger.
Get away! GET AWAY!
And Piglet and Eeyore. We didn’t even try and get a photo with them, just kind of waved them on as they showed up.
Landon didn’t want any of his milk and refused to touch anything but his grapes, which was unusual for him.
At the time, my mom and I figured he was just having one of his rough days and tried to complete our meal as quickly as possible. We were hovering right near Meltdown Central, tiptoeing back and forth across the line the longer Landon was stuck in his highchair; we needed to rush to make it out of there before full blown CHAOS reigned down over our heads.
I felt a tiny bit bad that I had to rush my mom’s meal, because she really loves some of the dishes offered there, but she tried to assure me she was all right. She was unbelievably understanding throughout this whole trip and brought a ton of patience with her. I’d warned her of Landon’s toddler attitude, but I did not expect it to come out so fast.
Day 1 in the parks and he was already rebelling at mealtimes….
Oh boy.
Little did we know Landon was just building up at that point.
Once we left the restaurant and there were no more characters popping up in his face, Landon seemed to calm down again. He wanted to be held, and while he was a little furnace in my arms, I didn’t want to put him down and risk missing our Fastpasses that had just come up.
Since I had baby duty, my mom had control of the camera.
“Just take pictures of everything, Mom. I’ll go through them and pick what I want.”
So my mom got some foliage. Thanks, Mom. You can kind of see the Magic Carpets of Aladdin in the background.
And then she stopped using the camera while we rode my favorite, Pirates of the Caribbean. And then her favorite, the Jungle Cruise.
Landon wasn’t thrilled with all the dark parts of the attraction, but he didn’t freak out or cry. It was hard to judge whether or not he was enjoying himself or hating every second of his morning. He wasn’t giving us any clues as to his mood.
After completing those two attractions, I managed to convince Landon to sit in the stroller, and my mom and I conferred with each other. Landon wasn’t cooperating and it was hot out and we’d been in the park for several hours at that point. We decided it was best to make our way back to the resort and give the kid a chance to decompress in his own space. Maybe getting some time to himself would change his attitude and make him more willing to go back into a park that evening.
I pushed the stroller while my mom still had camera control.
What trek through Adventureland would be complete without a photo of the entrance sign?
The beautiful blue skies of a summer morning in Florida. Made only better by Cinderella’s Castle in view.
My mom and I cut through the Emporium on our way out, because…well, if given the chance to walk through air conditioning, we’re gonna take it. Along the way, I spotted a really cool shirt for Alex that I had to buy him. It ended up being one of his Christmas presents, and he really liked it. But then, as soon as he got home, it got a big hole in the sleeve, so he doesn’t wear it very often.
Bummer.
Still, I was happy to find something so fitting for him. In fact, I had an easy time the entire trip shopping for little things for Alex. I guess it’s a given rule that one of us must be the designated shopper in the family on every Disney trip. If a W. isn’t buying out the parks then we aren’t vacationing right…
The monorail was pretty empty at that time of the day, so my mom and I chose to take that mode of transportation back to the TTC and to our car.
Goodbye, Train Station, we’ll hopefully see you many more times in the coming days.
We’d barely made it up the ramp before a monorail arrived to take us away. I couldn’t help but take a picture of Landon before the gates opened to let us board.
That was what we were dealing with. A grumpy looking toddler. No outright frustration since breakfast, but no remote sign of happiness, either.
Just…MEH.
Talk about someone not being impressed by his surroundings.
Here was to hoping that some time in Animal Kingdom Lodge would perk him up.
Up Next….An Unexpected DISmeet
My mom wanted her traditional photo with Landon in front of the castle.
Then we let him loose to run and bake in the hot sun. It might not have been 8 o’clock in the morning yet, but it was already nasty out. The sun felt like it was slamming into us out there on the hot concrete.
Didn’t faze my son, though.
Heat or no heat, he was utilizing that empty street to his playful advantage.
Or at least, that’s what my mom and I thought as we watched him run and frolic, but the next thing we knew Landon was taking a seat on the ground.
Yikes!
Perhaps he watched his dog try and find cool spot on the ground one too many times and was trying to mimic that, but to my mom and me he resembled one of those chalk outlines you see on crime shows.
Not exactly what you wanna think of when in relation to your kid and Walt Disney World.
I did eventually get him to get up and moving again, distracting him with the castle.
It was at about that point that a Photopass photographer who had been standing nearby came over and told me he had watched me try and get a picture with the sign I’d brought and offered to take some photos for me.
He was so incredibly nice and immediately got down on Landon’s level to start taking pictures.
He took a seat right on the ground and asked for my camera and began snapping away. I couldn’t thank him enough for his willingness to help me out like that.
And if him going out of his way wasn’t enough, he managed to snap the dream shot.
The picture that I put on the first page of Alex’s card.
The picture that a family walking beside us stopped and told me, “You just made the guy in that picture cry. At least, that’s what I’d do if I got something like that.”
Not going to lie, this is one of my favorite pictures. I might or might not have gotten choked up when I looked at my camera and saw it for the first time.
As a parent of a deployed spouse, my number one goal throughout the separation was to keep Landon familiar and engaged with his dad. I didn’t want him to lose that bond he had formed with Alex, and it warmed my heart to see him smiling down at his dad’s photograph. It was one of the first of several times during the six months that I felt equals parts relief that Landon could remember the guy he was looking at as his Dad and sadness that they couldn’t be together face to face. If wishing could’ve put Alex with us at that moment, then he certainly would’ve appeared before our very eyes.
It was a special moment for me as a mom and also as a wife, knowing the joy Alex would get from seeing what I’d just done.
Without a doubt one of the highlights of the trip.
Shortly after the photopass photographer was through helping, my mom and I agreed that we needed to head to Crystal Palace for our breakfast reservation. I signed us in while my mom found us a bench to sit on, and we struck up a conversation with a family across from us. They had seen us on Main Street and were asking questions about Alex. They were extremely friendly and commented that I was pretty brave, taking Landon to Disney in the summer without Dad’s help.
I replied back that I wouldn’t have dreamed of doing it without my mom tagging along and if we weren’t season park veterans. Just thinking about taking Landon somewhere out of my element – alone- put me into a near panic.
I might be crazy, but I’m not THAT crazy.
Eventually, our name was called and we were brought to a table in the middle of the left side of the restaurant.
There’s no evidence to support my theory, but I do believe I’ve sat almost everywhere in the Crystal Palace now.
We really got to start branching out more with our dining ADRs….
It was about the time we sat down and got Landon situated with some grapes and eggs that his mood turned sour; he was done with everything.
At the time, my mom and I equated it to playing hard out in the sun and him suddenly not liking the plush characters.
Poor Pooh Bear was the first to arrive at our table.
Oh, hey there Winnie.
Nope.
Bye, there Winnie.
The same reaction was given to Tigger.
Get away! GET AWAY!
And Piglet and Eeyore. We didn’t even try and get a photo with them, just kind of waved them on as they showed up.
Landon didn’t want any of his milk and refused to touch anything but his grapes, which was unusual for him.
At the time, my mom and I figured he was just having one of his rough days and tried to complete our meal as quickly as possible. We were hovering right near Meltdown Central, tiptoeing back and forth across the line the longer Landon was stuck in his highchair; we needed to rush to make it out of there before full blown CHAOS reigned down over our heads.
I felt a tiny bit bad that I had to rush my mom’s meal, because she really loves some of the dishes offered there, but she tried to assure me she was all right. She was unbelievably understanding throughout this whole trip and brought a ton of patience with her. I’d warned her of Landon’s toddler attitude, but I did not expect it to come out so fast.
Day 1 in the parks and he was already rebelling at mealtimes….
Oh boy.
Little did we know Landon was just building up at that point.
Once we left the restaurant and there were no more characters popping up in his face, Landon seemed to calm down again. He wanted to be held, and while he was a little furnace in my arms, I didn’t want to put him down and risk missing our Fastpasses that had just come up.
Since I had baby duty, my mom had control of the camera.
“Just take pictures of everything, Mom. I’ll go through them and pick what I want.”
So my mom got some foliage. Thanks, Mom. You can kind of see the Magic Carpets of Aladdin in the background.
And then she stopped using the camera while we rode my favorite, Pirates of the Caribbean. And then her favorite, the Jungle Cruise.
Landon wasn’t thrilled with all the dark parts of the attraction, but he didn’t freak out or cry. It was hard to judge whether or not he was enjoying himself or hating every second of his morning. He wasn’t giving us any clues as to his mood.
After completing those two attractions, I managed to convince Landon to sit in the stroller, and my mom and I conferred with each other. Landon wasn’t cooperating and it was hot out and we’d been in the park for several hours at that point. We decided it was best to make our way back to the resort and give the kid a chance to decompress in his own space. Maybe getting some time to himself would change his attitude and make him more willing to go back into a park that evening.
I pushed the stroller while my mom still had camera control.
What trek through Adventureland would be complete without a photo of the entrance sign?
The beautiful blue skies of a summer morning in Florida. Made only better by Cinderella’s Castle in view.
My mom and I cut through the Emporium on our way out, because…well, if given the chance to walk through air conditioning, we’re gonna take it. Along the way, I spotted a really cool shirt for Alex that I had to buy him. It ended up being one of his Christmas presents, and he really liked it. But then, as soon as he got home, it got a big hole in the sleeve, so he doesn’t wear it very often.
Bummer.
Still, I was happy to find something so fitting for him. In fact, I had an easy time the entire trip shopping for little things for Alex. I guess it’s a given rule that one of us must be the designated shopper in the family on every Disney trip. If a W. isn’t buying out the parks then we aren’t vacationing right…
The monorail was pretty empty at that time of the day, so my mom and I chose to take that mode of transportation back to the TTC and to our car.
Goodbye, Train Station, we’ll hopefully see you many more times in the coming days.
We’d barely made it up the ramp before a monorail arrived to take us away. I couldn’t help but take a picture of Landon before the gates opened to let us board.
That was what we were dealing with. A grumpy looking toddler. No outright frustration since breakfast, but no remote sign of happiness, either.
Just…MEH.
Talk about someone not being impressed by his surroundings.
Here was to hoping that some time in Animal Kingdom Lodge would perk him up.
Up Next….An Unexpected DISmeet
Last edited:
cindianne320
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 27, 2010
I hope I am able to do the same when we attempt to bring all 3 kids for the first time over Spring Break!
You got me- I cried as soon as I saw it!
I hope that Landon just needed to cool off and wasn't getting sick or anything!
Can't wait to hear who you met!
afwdwfan
DIS Dad #460
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2010
Alex has good taste...
Brutal...Um... everybody?
Well said! Well said again. This is becoming a very profound update!That is an awesome idea!
The chalk outline is exactly what I thought of too. Of course our kids like laying down on our blacktop driveway and getting outlined.
That is awesome. Everything about it. The picture, the effort on your part to make it happen and Landon going along with it. I'm so glad this PP photographer took the time and effort to help make it happen.
Yeah, I had absolutely no emotional reaction...
It really is an amazing picture.
Oh boy. I hate that feeling.
Somebody has to pick up his slack! I'm glad that you were able to channel your inner shopper to come up with some treats to send him.
Yuck. But at least Meh always beats meltdown...
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