MacDaddy's and the MacDiddies Fall Break Fantabulous:I'm back! 8/17

[mickeystoontown]

Ohhhhhh, look! I found my wife!!! This is where she has been for the last week! HAHAHA!

Well, it's almost time for "THE TRIP" and the DW is busy planning everything from our dining to what I am going to wear! I'm glad they take such good care of me!

I'm looking forward to the time with my 3 princesses in the Kingdom......there is no other place I'd rather be with the 3 of them! There are too many great memories throughout the years to document in this forum!

Welcome! My hubby sits back and lets me do all the Disney planning too. Well, except for that "what I am going to wear" part. He does that on his own.

 

[Krisscot]

Welcome! My hubby sits back and lets me do all the Disney planning too. Well, except for that "what I am going to wear" part. He does that on his own.

HAHAHAHA I think my DH is making fun of me for the matching shirts I am forcing him to wear. That's ok.. I got him hooked on facebook so I am sure I can get him hooked on this!

 

[heaven2dc]

Ohhhhhh, look! I found my wife!!! This is where she has been for the last week! HAHAHA!

Well, it's almost time for "THE TRIP" and the DW is busy planning everything from our dining to what I am going to wear! I'm glad they take such good care of me!

I'm looking forward to the time with my 3 princesses in the Kingdom......there is no other place I'd rather be with the 3 of them! There are too many great memories throughout the years to document in this forum!

Welcome to the Disboards!! How sweet of you to love spending time with your princesses - especially in such a magical place! I can't wait to read all about how the trip goes

 

[Krisscot]

So I have been just waiting anxiously for this week to move forward Only 8 More days to go!!!!! I made my obligatory call to CBR reservations trying to put in a room request for OPR. The didn't have any more preferred rooming when we booked so I can just cross my fingers and do a tribal dance and hope for the best. This year we are def going to try and see DHS version of fantasmic. We have been very lucky. I was still working at Disneyland when the original Fantasmic premiered and attended the cast member preview. Now, DH's uncle works in the Fantasmic back crew. So we have had the opportunity to see it many times (with reserved seating thank goodness) And even made it when the Dragon was actually working. DH's uncle showed us the video when the head collapsed on itself. So I though I would put some pics up for those who haven't seen Disneyland's.

Reserved seating ROCKS!

The dragon is actually very impressive...when it works hahaha

 

[Krisscot]

The worst thing about waiting for Fall Break is I don't know who is more antsy the students in my classes or me. I have almost everything packed and I can't wait to start righting everything down for a fantastic TR. Little DH5 wants to go to Florida so she "can get this hottness off her" You can't tell we are from AZ.

My door has a small whiteboard on the outside which I usually put a fact of the day on for my AP kids...(We are working on synthesizing facts for writing). But today it reads ....

ONLY 4 MORE DAYS TIL FALL BREAK!!!

 

[mickeystoontown]

Very cool pics of Fantasmic!

I am sure that you've made your list and checked it twice. Wait...that's a Christmas list. Seriously, I hope that a lot of your Disney packing list items are already checked off.

 

[Krisscot]

We leave today!!!!! Whooo hooo. I will take all kinds of pictures and be ready to talk about it when I get home!!! I am so excited. I don't know who is worse me or the kids?

 

[Krisscot]

Hi Everyone! I am back and I can't wait to share EVERYTHING with you all! I have great pics and funny moments that I can't wait to start writing down. Hopefully I will be able to remember them all that way! We had a GREAT time! I did not want to come home at all. I had been writing Disney related facts on my white board before school was released on break and I am mourning that I don't have a countdown anymore. SO what is a girl to do!!! PLan another WDW vacation!! I got the new free dining dates when I was there and so I convinced my entire family and parents and brother's family... That we should make it a family event and they bought it! So now I get to start planning all over again!! Fall Break 2011 Here I come! Here are some memories to get us started!

Me and the girls on the way....

First Day at Hoop Dee Doo with Perry the Mascot

Update more when I upload so more pics!

 

[mickeystoontown]

Glad to hear that you've made it home safe and sound. Yay! for booking another trip! There's no better way to beat the Disney blues!

 

[Krisscot]

Yay! for booking another trip! There's no better way to beat the Disney blues!

I know!!!! I am excited my parents want to do it. It was so great to be there 12 days. We could take it easy and do things really casually. I did not want to start back to school today at ALL!

 

[Krisscot]

First I just have to say that I love October at WDW. I had read reports that people thought it was hot, crowded, whatever but since I had normally always been in July it was heaven! We had the luxury of being there 13 days. We decided to rent a car. I love using the disney transporation, but since I was there for teh first 3 days on my own. I didn't want the pressure of lifting the stroller with the kids and the stuff in and out of the busses. After a tough begining with the car it was actually a great idea. But more to come on that later THe first three just me and my girls and then my husband came to meet us. The first 4 days or so we were there NO ONE was around. It was fantastic! It got a little more crowded around the holiday weekend but after Monday it died right down again. The weather was AMAZING! Not one rain drop. It got cloudy a couple of times and I think the high was like 89 for the whole trip, but it wasn't really too humid and for the most part it was low 80s. Now being from Arizona and still in the hundreds in Oct... I was in heaven. I would move to Florida in a heartbeat, but my husband says if he has to do an police academy from a new state he would die. He is too old hahahah. My were able to meet several groups of friends for a day or two during the middle and just were able to take things slow and relaxing which is exactly what I needed. I switched to a new school this year and change is stressful. So this was a well needed break! I tried to take as many pics of food porn as possible but kept forgetting until half of the food was eaten. Half is better than nothing but we made it a big game, who could remember to take the pic before we all ate. But I do have some really fun pics so I hope you all join along

 

[Krisscot]

Ok! Here We go!!! I am getting off on a slow start, I wanted to organize all of my pictures and get everything set up, and my 20 year reunion was this weekend! YIKES! I can't believe I am that old! hahahaha Anyway... If you have read my PTR, I have been struggling traveling alone with the 2 girls at the beginning of the trip DD are 11 and 5 and they are sassy little handfuls. Very sweet but handfuls. My husband was not able to come and meet us until Tuesday and we were leaving on Saturday. The flight from AZ was about 4 hours and then we were renting a car. Something we had done a long time ago, but I had never driven. I just left that to my husband. But I brought the GPS and was ready to go. Since we would be there 13 days I had to bring a standard amount of luggage. Definitely not just carrying on. So it was a handful. 2 girls, 2 large suitcases, each person a backpack, a stroller, and the mascot Perry the Platypus.

One bag was 54 pounds and the other one was 43 so I was lucky they let me shift some stuff around and we were off. I had fed the girls before we left, hoping I could get away with not buying the crazy expensive airline crappy food. We still had to buy a fruit/cheese plate bit I think that was more for their novelty than real hunger. THere wasn't a bad wait at the gate and we still qualify as family with small children (apparently not in FL, but I will get into that on the way home) so boarding was smooth and not so painful. Everyone got settled in, I took the window so no fighting and we were off. Katie started in on her homework ( My district has 2 weeks for fall break but the girls are in a district with just 1 week so I yanked them out a week early. I'm a teacher and I totlaly don't feel bad about it. )
Katie working away at homework...

I had Isobel playing her DS and when that wore off I gave her a bag of pipecleaners. The most amazing thing on the planet. THey had entire sets of jewelry created for themselves and the flight attendants before we arrived and they didn't make a peep. Which from the YOU TOUCHED ME or YOU'RE ON MY SIDE crowd is a HUGE acheivement. When we arrived in Orlando and were at baggage claim, the man sitting behind me stopped me and even complimented me on how well the girls had behaved. Miracle upon miracles.... Little did I know my luck would end here.....

Perry drinking a Diet Coke...(Diet Coke is the motivation behind of many of my days)
Perry calling home to say we had arrived ok...

Up next... What do you mean they won't take my credit card???? And how the he** do you start this car?

 

[mickeystoontown]

Great start to what I hope was a great vacation! You're worrying me with the how do you start this car reference.

 

[Krisscot]

SO... for some reason when I went to resize one picture in my photobucket albums, and all of them became tiny. The best laid plans and all.... So until I can figure out how to resize them back they will have to be small.

Also, I just have to mention that in front of us on the flight was this super sweet girl Liz, who was a manager at the Sci Fi Diner at DHS. She heard us talking about our reservation and was absolutely the nicest girl. So if you are out there Liz... Hi! We had a great trip!

Now that my kids had behaved so wonderfully on the flight, I just knew something was going to go wrong... it is the law of averages and sure enough... We have a big jog stroller with bicycle wheels. I would like to say it is mainly for the 5 year old, but I like to shove all of my stuff places and not carry it and I love to have cupholders for my DIET COKE!! Technically DD5 does not use a stroller anymore however, after walking all day it would be my luck to have her sit down and say

I'm tired, I can't walk, my feet hurt, how much longer over and over again until I jumped in LAke epcot myself. So I just bring the stroller.

But back to my story... We walk off the plane onto the jetway and I herd my children up against the wall while we wait for the bag guys to bring up the stroller from underneath. Mind you, we arrived at 10:20 at night and so my kids are hungry and tired and still behaving unusually well. They bring up our stroller and I not so gracefully unfold it. Immediately Isobel wants to jump in with all of her backpack items askew. No big deal... everyone piles their stuff on and I try to shove the stroller up the jetway. It has become particulary heavy? What the heck is going on? So after shoving and grunting and maybe cussing a little... I get the stroller out of the gate and look down to see 2 flat tires. Somehow during the flight, the tires deflated. Figures. So I dump Isobel out tell her she HAS to carry her stuff.... the kid's grumpiness is starting to show.... and I proceed to drag the stroller to baggage claim. Now, most of you have been to Orlando and know that it is no small airport. So now I have a deflated LARGE stroller, 2 kids, three jackets, 3 backpacks, and Perry shuffling our way to baggage claim. Where we proceed to add 2 large suitcases to this mess.
You can kind of see the size of the stroller in this pic...

 

[Krisscot]

Poor Katie is struggling with one of the bags and Isobel and I am pulling the suitcase and the stroller as fast as I can possibly get to the Advantage rent a car counter...

11pm:
I had found a GREAT deal on our rental car online through travelocity. 250$ taxes and everything out the door for 13 days. I was excited to have a car and to have a little more freedom at the world and right now I am DYING to drive through somewhere and get a HUGE diet coke with LOTS of ice. I pull out my reservation and my printout and hand it to the nice lady and the counter with my drivers license and credit card. Now I have to say that we are NOT credit card people. Usually everything we do is through our debit card or cash. So the only reason I am using the card now is for added protection from the CC company. Our card is in my husband's name and I am just an authorized user. So immediately the lady behind the counter goes from nice to snotty. She informs me that even though I am a user I cannot use that card mean voice mean voice. And if I have to use a debit card, I need to add 250$ and pay the entire amount upfront. Oh I would get the extra $250 back but not until after the car was returned. I start to get a little irritated. Could I have my husband pay over the phone? NO could I do this? NO Could I do that NO! So now what? 2 grumpy, tired kids, a grumpy mom, and mean lady at the rent a car place....

 

[Krisscot]

11:30pm
So at this point many things are going through my head... Should I try and find another car company? Should I just take the ME and then worry about this on Tuesday when Scot gets here? But if I take the ME how am I going to get anywhere to where I can get the stroller fixed? I asked around at the other counters and they wanted 700-800$ for the same amount of time. AHHHH So... I finally bit the bullet and just shelled out the cash. Yikes. but by now it is late and my kids are even hungrier.

12am
So I get the car paperwork and the snotty lady tells me to go up the elevator make a couple of turns and blah blah blah. Which were basically the wrong directions. No one had any idea where to tell me to go. The car garage was apparently in the airport but not one airport employee could tell me where. So I drag the stroller back to the counter and make her explain it to me in DETAIL which was not at all similar to what she said before. URGH

1am
Finally drag the kids, luggage, stroller with flats, and Perry to the car garage, check out the car and go on our way WHEWH!!!! The nice car attendant even had the car started. Which turns out isn't so great in a minute. We had to stop at McDonalds because at this point nothing is open and everyone is STARVING! I go to turn off the car and realize there is no key. It is just a button. So where is the fob? So after finally figuring it out we get our food and get back in the car. I put the fob back in and hit the button. Nothing. I really don't think I was very rational at this point, but after some more under my breath swearing I finally figured out how to get the stupid car to turn back on. Apparently you have to press down on the brake too.

1:30 am

We finally pull into CBR!!!! Of course both of my kids are conked out in the car and as I drove under the sign it was turned off. Booo. But who expects to come in at 130am hahah. So I park the car right in front because I was NOT going to wake those kids up to drag them to reception. I waltz right through the line hahha NO need for my online check in line. AND the room I so requested many times in the last month....was not the room I got. I requested ground floor, near to the walking path to POrt Royale. Nothing. So where was my room? I think that farthest away you could possibly get and 2nd floor. URGH I think the thought of dragging the deflated stroller that distance and then up the stairs just finally did me in. THe tears just started streaming down my face as I recounted the whole story and how mean the car rental lady was to me. I look up and the poor trainee from Japan had no idea what to do and looked so upset that I was crying. He kept trying to hand me a tissue poor kid. So the manager walks over and I explain and ask if I could just get some help to the room? And this is when Disney takes over. THANK GOODNESS!!!! The light starts to shine through and the heavens sing....

Ok not like that but they said they would take care of everything. Whewh. So they help me get to the far away room and tuck me into bed and say everything will be better (or fixed) in the morning.

Up Next... THe Disney Magic Come to Life or This is the Vacation I Was Waiting For....

 

[heaven2dc]

Oh my!! Oh MY!! What a rough start to your vacation I have also encountered the saga of having to use a debit card and the astronomical additional fees they charge (I ended up having nothing left to spend on my cruise back in 2001).

So glad your girls were so good during the flight

 

[Krisscot]

I never really looked at the room we were put in. I honestly was so tired and exhausted from our trip that I poured the kids into bed, only stopping long enought to take off their shoes (fully clothed lol) and fell into bed myself. I couldn't even remember the room number to be honest with you. So when I woke up the next morning I realized we were in a nemo room. I am sure I realized it before but it only just sunk in. We were in a corner room and it was pretty spacious and cute. The girls were stirring and I shuffled them into the bathroom for showers. I just at this moment realized I never took any pictures of the hotel room or surrounding ground (except for the pool) bummer. There was a small little light blinking on the phone. Little did I know that red light was the turn around to a great vacation!

It was a message to call the front desk.

When I called they informed that today a room had been vacated and they were going to move me. IT would be ground floor and closer but it wouldn't be ready til the afternoon and to go ahead and go to the park and just check back when we returned. I was overjoyed but I still had teh probelm with the stroller. I asked them if they knew of anyone with a bike pump or where the closest filling station was anything to help with my stroller or I wasn't going to be going anywhere fast. And then I heard the magic words...


Don't worry Mrs. Mac we have everything all taken care of... we are sending maintenence right over to help you with your stroller. We also can send someone to store your luggage.

The day just got even sunnier. So I spent the time getting the girls ready, the luggage was still mostly packed since we hadn't even been into it. The adorable little old maintenance man came, popped off the stroller tires and took them to his magic shop where they were fixed by disney fairies... OK so not that part but that's what I told Isobel.

He had them back to us in 20 minutes and bell services was right after. I LOVE Disney customer service. Everything was right with the world and we were off to our first mother/daughter only day in Animal Kingdom.

 

[Krisscot]

So we were off!! It was much more fun to drive around WDW in a rental car when you can see the signs and everything is bright and sunny and people are ready to go and have fun!. I will probably say this several times on this TR but it was NEVER very busy. It was fantastic. We parked super easy, unloaded and were on our way. I unfolded the good as new stroller out of the trunk and moved our way toward the parking lot tram. I will say that this was the first and LAST time I ever would use a parking tram this trip. Especially, I thought before Scot arrived. Man those strollers are heavy!!! And such a pain in the butt to get in those little rows of the tram. We never had to park very far from the park entrances and I decided that I KNEW we would work off or need to work off the many calories that we would eat so FROM THIS POINT ON.. we were walking.

I had prepurchased the Photopass CD last month so I also knew that my new goal in life was to get as many pics as possible. Because they would all be included. I finally just ordered the CD after much playing with the images so I will have to add those photos later. I think we ended up with 160 photos before I even edited. So I def got my money worth.

Perry was still tagging along, and the girls decided that since he was a very special platypus that he needed his own habitat at Animal Kingdom. So we decided to break him in....

"James Bond Music Here"

Perry made it in

and our first beautiful view of SNOW MOUNTAIN hahaha

Isobel has always loved the Matterhorn at Disneyland but has always called it White Mountain. (Probably to fit in with the Thunder, Space, and Splash) Last year should couldn't understand why she couldn't go on White Mountain. So after explaining the differences it became Snow Mountain and she was set and ready to do it for the first time!! So we were off to get fast passes!!!

Up Next: In Search of a Working Yeti! and SQUIRREL!

 

[Lovemy3babes]

I'm joining in!! What an awesome report so far. On my last trip, I got in really late too and have vowed to never, ever fly in that late again. It was awful. Cannot wait to read more!