May 2011 Yo Ho Ho! Let Down Your Hair! (New 10/9 Lessons Learned #550)

[Marshay]

No problem! He's already posted some of them over on the photography board. Post away!!

Thanks! I need to load them into photobucket. Will let you know if there are any issues.

Bummer about the delay

Sounds like some good food

We are pondering doing the auto train ourselves

We wouldn't do the room, but just regular seats.

Airfare is jut out of this world right now

So we shall see

yeah, I want my "fantasy train" (southbound) to arrive early and my "reality train (northbound) to be late. Wouldn't that make sense?? Why wouldn't Amtrak comply?!?

The food is really good on the train. The coach cars get a meal that isn't quite the same but is still really good. Like in coach it might be a pot roast and in family car it is a beef tenderloin. Or coach fish may be Tilapia and Family Car is Trout. I guess it is a bit of an upgrade in food but honestly, we loved all the meals we had.

Oh -- if you take the train, let me know if you have any questions. I'm so glad we decided to give it a try "just once"...now 4 times later, we're hooked.

Coach is definitely do-able...esp if you only have 1 kid And your DS is old enough now that he can entertain himself well with movies, toys, books, games, etc.

sorry the train was late...were you stuck in it too then while waiting? and that the kids got ansty...but glad dinner was good

need to see a pic of your pretty nails

and awww Ellie looks a bit nervous in her little bed...hope you arrive not to late and it doesn't mess w/ your schedule!

J~

Yes, we were already on board during the delay. Which I understand why they board so everyone is on and ready to go when they get the all-clear .. but we were having so much fun in the Chugginton play area and the outdoor playground that those would have been a better option to burn off steam.

Rachel did keep asking -- when are we going to leave?

Yes, I know there is at least one pic of my nails!! I don't get my nails done often...maybe 3x a year..but I love how they look when I do!

Elie didn't know what to make of the whole bed thing. Jerry was great and made nests with them so if they rolled over, they wouldn't fall out. And there were ropes on the top bunk to prevent you from falling out too.

I was going to say that you sure took a lot- but I would do the same thing if I had my car with me.

My kids also have to have whatever the other one does.

That meals sounds great. I had no idea they cooked like that on a train!

Yeah, when you take your vehicle with you, it's so easy to overpack. We actually took a LOT less this year than when we went last year. I'm learning!

Now you should see my parents' van!!

We had a delay On our trip too but it was in the middle of the night and they had to stop the train for quite a while. I too would wake when the speed of the train changed. I definitely would do the train again but not for a couple of years because my middle child is not one to be contained right now.

Sorry to hear about the delay. This was the first time in 4 trips that we had a delay. All the rest we arrived early.

yeah, the rocking of the train is very melodic in that it can lull you to sleep. But then the engineer will speed up and the cars just go a-shakin' or he has to slow down. One time I remember thinking I might fall out of the bunk b/c he was slowing down so quickly! Maybe I need a nest, too!

 

[Marshay]

Sat, May 14th
As I mentioned above, the train seems to roll along fairly smooth for a while...and then it gets "turbulence" and you start a-rockin'. It happens at least a few times on each trip. It's funny when you are walking in the cars, b/c you can get slammed up against the walls. In the family cars, it's not bad b/c the hallways are only about 2 feet wide anyway. But in the coach cars, lounge car and dining car, you can end up in someone's lap!!

Guess that's the time to try out, "Hi! Want to be my friend?"

So after Jerry and I snuggled together a bit on the lower bunk, I went up the ladder to sleep on the top bunk. About 5am or so, I find that someone is crawling over my legs.

Since my bunk and Rachel's bunk form an "L", I assume it is she. I look up and nope, it's Elizabeth! I look underneath my bunk at Jerry and he's still asleep.

So Elie woke up, climbed the ladder and decided to join me. We fell asleep for a while and when I woke up again, she wasn't there She is now a master at climbing the ladder while the train is moving.

We get up around 6:15am since breakfast is FCFS starting at 7am. We decide not to even both showering but just do the "shower in a can" and brush our teeth.

Instead of taking a regular toothbrush, I had purchased those Wisp (disposable) ones. They work pretty good -- it says you don't need to spit, but I still preferred spitting. And it was nice not to have to carry around a toothbrush, paste, etc.

Off to Breakfast -- cereal, banana, muffins/bagels, milk, juice

And then back to our room to pack up.

Rachel plays quietly for about 10 minutes with a 'happy meal toy' that I had saved up for months. I usually do this with all the fast food toys. They are perfect for the train, going out to restaurants, etc.

but then they start "grexing". Grexing is a Pennsylvania Dutch word that we used growing up when you start complaining, moaning, irritating each other.

It was already 9am and we should have arrived already or shortly. But alas we were over an hour late.

So the girls decided to tackle Daddy ... and this keeps them entertained for a bunch!

Finally, we arrive after 10am, but we have to wait for all the Vehicles to disembark. But I'm thinking, no problem, we'll just play on the playground in Sanford with all the other kids.

Nope ... it's closed.

We wait around for a 1/2 hour (those lucky people who had the first few cars!!) and then check the SUV for any damage and away we go.

EDIT -- not sure why I can't turn that last photo. It appears correct in photobucket. Oh well.

2ND EDIT -- looks like the pic is correct now!

Also, in case you couldn't tell -- yesterday's color code was purple and today's is yellow!

 

[kaoden39]

Elizabeth looks so proud of her self on the ladder. Is she a daddy's girl?

 

[Marshay]

Elizabeth looks so proud of her self on the ladder. Is she a daddy's girl?

Yeah, she was just bursting with pride that she could do that "all by myself".

She is more so than Rachel ... but both are still a mamma' girl. I think that's b/c I spend the most time with them. There are many a morning that Elie wakes up and cries out for us to come get her. Jerry will walk in and she'll go, "No, Mommy!"

 

[Queila]

Loving it! Glad you guys made it safely and the train trip sounds like an added adventure to the whole trip.

Can't wait to read more.

Q

PS. LOVE your acknowledgement to the real source of "pixie dust". Let's not leave Him out of the equation, right?

 

[Trentmom]

How does it work with getting your car? Are you given a number so you know when your car will come off? Just curious if you all just wait in one big line for it?

My other question is in the coach section, do you happen to know if there are plugs for electronics? Thanks

Yay, you arrived!! Can't wait to hear what is next

How cute that Elie was going up and down ladder

 

[mousescrapper]

glad to hear you made it safely w/out to much "drama" in the dealy...I keep those wisps tooth cleaners in my car for those unexpecteted emergencies!

you know I love the color code

 

[kaoden39]

Yeah, she was just bursting with pride that she could do that "all by myself".

She is more so than Rachel ... but both are still a mamma' girl. I think that's b/c I spend the most time with them. There are many a morning that Elie wakes up and cries out for us to come get her. Jerry will walk in and she'll go, "No, Mommy!"

Isn't it funny how sometimes only mommy will do?

 

[disneydreamingdebby]

Trains should not have a delay; that should be the advantage of a flight!

Great pictures...looking forward to how your late start to the day goes. (those delays throw off my mojo!)

 

[Marshay]

Loving it! Glad you guys made it safely and the train trip sounds like an added adventure to the whole trip.

Can't wait to read more.

Q

PS. LOVE your acknowledgement to the real source of "pixie dust". Let's not leave Him out of the equation, right?

Yes, it really add to the whole trip. I'm still sad to be leaving Disney ... but somehow it's just not as direct with the train. I swear that MCO is the saddest place to be waiting in a super-crowded terminal to go back hom.

How does it work with getting your car? Are you given a number so you know when your car will come off? Just curious if you all just wait in one big line for it?

My other question is in the coach section, do you happen to know if there are plugs for electronics? Thanks

Yay, you arrived!! Can't wait to hear what is next

How cute that Elie was going up and down ladder

When you check in your vehicle will get a magnetic number on it. Regular vehicles are all numbers. Oversize vans/SUVs begin with "AV" then a number. They have a PA system that announces your # or you can just look out the window in the driveway for your vehicle.

And the vehicles are not FCFS...it all depends on how your train car lines up to be connected.

Yes, there are plugs for coach. In fact if I recall there are 4 of them per 2 seats. In the family rooms, there are only 2 plugs total, so we always bring a little 4-plug outlet to add so we can each do our phones, recharge camera battery or the kids' toys.

glad to hear you made it safely w/out to much "drama" in the dealy...I keep those wisps tooth cleaners in my car for those unexpecteted emergencies!

you know I love the color code

We just went to the National "Let the Memories Begin" Tour in Tysons Corner Mall this weekend. They have these booths where you can get your picture taken in front of the castle and other places.

Well, we were all dressed in orange and the CM all commented how nice we all looked for the pics. One wanted to know if we did that just for the pic?

Isn't it funny how sometimes only mommy will do?

YEp! I've been getting that a lot lately...

Trains should not have a delay; that should be the advantage of a flight!

Great pictures...looking forward to how your late start to the day goes. (those delays throw off my mojo!)

I know. all I was thinking was should we skip Wal-Mart and just pay $$$ for groceries at the resort. Should we skip checking into our room? How can we get there sooner??

 

[lbuzz52]

Elizabeth is so cute! I get such a kick out of the I got it/ I can do it stage!

 

[Marshay]

Elizabeth is so cute! I get such a kick out of the I got it/ I can do it stage!

Thanks! Want to come over to my house to enjoy it for awhile?!

Elie is definitely more into the "me do it" than Rachel was. It's cute ...until we are in a hurry!

 

[cherbear]

I swear that MCO is the saddest place to be waiting in a super-crowded terminal to go back home.

you got that right!!! Actually, I think I do most of my crying before I even get there b/c that "goodbye" video on the DME bus makes me realize I am really leaving!

But on one of our trips (2008 I think), the bus driver quite obviously forgot which direction he was going. He kept saying "Velcome to orlando!", and he even played the welcome video!

Some of the passengers weren't even paying attention, and I just kept wanting to tell the bus driver something, but I was a little worried about the language barrier...and Mike was laughing too hard!

The point of that story (aside from making you laugh ) is that it was the one time I wasn't crying, because it was just so funny! When we got home I looked at Mike and said "Velcome to orlando!!" And during our 2009 trip, we repeated it to each other on the way home as well.

 

[Marshay]

you got that right!!! Actually, I think I do most of my crying before I even get there b/c that "goodbye" video on the DME bus makes me realize I am really leaving!

But on one of our trips (2008 I think), the bus driver quite obviously forgot which direction he was going. He kept saying "Velcome to orlando!", and he even played the welcome video!

Some of the passengers weren't even paying attention, and I just kept wanting to tell the bus driver something, but I was a little worried about the language barrier...and Mike was laughing too hard!

The point of that story (aside from making you laugh ) is that it was the one time I wasn't crying, because it was just so funny! When we got home I looked at Mike and said "Velcome to orlando!!" And during our 2009 trip, we repeated it to each other on the way home as well.

yeah for the bus driver turning a sad thing into something funny ... and not even realizing it!!

 

[cherbear]

Marsha, woops, I forgot to comment on anything else!

That sucks so bad about the delay. I think I would've been running down the aisles screaming, "Get me to Disney world NOW!"

 

[cherbear]

the girls are both so cute doing their activities. Too bad they were getting so antsy though!

 

[cherbear]

ready for your arrival at WDW!!

 

[WDWCP96]

Hey we too were at Tysons this weekend but we missed being able to get our picture taken in front of the castle since the Cm's were closing. I told my DH I needed my Disney fix and he said I shouldn't need one since we just came back.

Elie is adorable, she was obviously very proud of her accomplishment of mastering the ladder.

The waiting for the car was a killer especially in Sanford since everyone is so anxious to get to Disney.

 

[Marshay]

Marsha, woops, I forgot to comment on anything else!

That sucks so bad about the delay. I think I would've been running down the aisles screaming, "Get me to Disney world NOW!"

It was definitely better than getting delayed on a plane -- we could at least get up and move around, etc. But a delay is just a delay -- it stinks!

the girls are both so cute doing their activities. Too bad they were getting so antsy though!

Yeah, they were "excited"

ready for your arrival at WDW!!

Thanks! At this rate, we may be done my TR by the time you go!

Hey we too were at Tysons this weekend but we missed being able to get our picture taken in front of the castle since the Cm's were closing. I told my DH I needed my Disney fix and he said I shouldn't need one since we just came back.

Elie is adorable, she was obviously very proud of her accomplishment of mastering the ladder.

The waiting for the car was a killer especially in Sanford since everyone is so anxious to get to Disney.

Too funny! Maybe I need to wear my LGMH around home!

I was actually disappointed in the display. All you got was your pictures taken and a photo frame magnet to take home with you. We were in and out in 2 minutes.

It definitely did not fill me with magic!

 

[Trentmom]

Thanks for your answers

Glad to hear they have plugs

Don't think we could keep Trent entertained that long with no electronics