"Mommy! Dey heads is fweaky!" 8 (otherwise) wonderful days in March 2011

[MyPeanut&Bug]

Love the pirate makeover. He looks so different! I tried to talk my DD into the girl makeover there, but she said it was too scary.

I know! I sent my brother one of the pictures and he couldn't believe it. After we got back, Benjamin took a little photo album of pics to school to share at circle time and his friends that the pirate face was pretty cool.

What a great looking pirate - that is one of the better professional pirate photos I have seen on the boards! Of course, now he knows what a hard time the members of KISS have after each concert!

I know, it's how they suck you in once you see how cute it is!
about KISS!! Totally the truth! I couldn't believe how stubborn that black eye makeup was!

 

[lovethattink]

Wow! What a wonderful transformation!! He looks great! Benjamin definately looks happy!

 

[MyPeanut&Bug]

After a great ride with the pirates (and getting temporarily stuck under the hairy leg for about 15 minutes ), we headed to the Jungle Cruise – I don’t care how many times I ride that ride, the skippers monologue is painfully corny, absolutely wonderful and just makes the ride.

Along the way, Buddy inherited the Jack Sparrow hat. ARRRRR!

Eliza next wanted to do the Magic Carpets next. I was disappointed to find the Tiki Room closed – even though it gets stuck in my head worse than “it’s a small world”, I like the music and was looking forward to getting some better pictures of the show than last time.

After flying above Agrabah, (I have NO clue how to spell that!) we headed over to Frontierland, wanting to hit the mountain range. We were waylaid by a line to meet Jessie and Woody. Benjamin wanted to meet them so Buddy ran over and got FP for BTMR. We waited in line for about 30 minutes, during which time Eliza decided that Woody and Jessie had fweaky heads and she would NOT be getting her picture with them. It was cute once we got up there for our turn – Woody pointed at Benjamin’s pirate face and then at his badge and his handler reminded us that Benjamin may be a pirate but Woody’s still sheriff! We’d never met any of the Toy Story guys before, so that was a fun first.

We were all hungry by then and ready for lunch but we only had about 20 minutes before we could use our BTMR fastpasses and I really didn’t want to fill the kids full of food and then take them on. We killed sometime shopping in the shops around Pecos Bill’s and then headed over for the ride.

Neither of the kids had been on before and both wanted to try it – Grandma sat this one out. Buddy and Benjamin sat together in front of Eliza and I. I could tell that Benjamin hated it pretty much as soon as it started, poor guy. He buried himself into Buddy’s shoulder pretty early on. Eliza, on the other hand, laughed her head off the whole time – I tried putting my arm around her on some of the curves and she shook me off with a look of disgust. We got off the ride and the first thing out of Benjamin’s mouth was, “I am NEVER doing that again!” I was proud of him for giving him a try, but it didn’t shock me that he didn’t like it. Eliza was ticked that we couldn’t ride again immediately so we promised her we’d get Fastpasses to do it again when we returned in the evening.

We headed to Pecos Bill’s for an overdue lunch. When we were done, it was about 1:00 and we headed back to the hotel for a rest.

ACK! A pirate on the monorail! And he’s armed with a large sucker!

 

[MyPeanut&Bug]

We didn’t end up getting back the MK as early as I had hoped. I can’t remember if the kids didn’t rest as long or took awhile to fall asleep, but by the time we were up and ready to head back, it was nearly dinnertime. So we just decided to grab a pizza at the hotel food court and eat beforehand. My mom decided not to go back into the park with us, so after dinner, the 4 of us were off.

We hadn’t taken the ferry yet and the kids wanted to, so we took it to the MK this evening. We just missed one, so it was a little wait for the next. I put on my zoom lens and took some gorgeous pictures – some of my favorite of the trip, I think. It was about 6:15-6:30 and the sky was just an absolutely beautiful color – started off as pink and as the sun set more and more, turned gorgeous shades of peach and orange.

It was a chilly ride over to the MK and I was thankful I remembered my sweatshirt that night.

Eliza had really wanted to do the railroad as we were leaving the park earlier this day, so we had promised her we would when we returned. I didn’t plan on it being dark already, so it probably wasn’t the best ride, but she enjoyed it. And I realized I had never ridden it, so it was something new at least.

(These were the last pictures I took this evening. I try and remember to put the camera away sometimes and just enjoy things in the moment. Don’t worry, I more than made up for it on our last day!)

We got off the train in Frontierland and went to BTMR. We had gotten FPs in the afternoon before we had left, knowing Eliza wanted to do it again. Buddy and I took turns riding with her and waiting with Benjamin, who certainly wasn’t going to do it again. She loved the ride even more at night. After riding with each of us, she was still begging for more, but the standby line was 30-40 minutes and we told her we’d do it again tomorrow – plus Benjamin had been patiently waiting to do something else. He wanted to ride “it’s a small world” and we told him we’d head over there, but first Buddy wanted to ride Splash Mountain. We ended up timing it well because the first MSEP of the night was close to starting and people were starting to stake out spots, so the ride lines were letting up a bit. Eliza decided she wanted to ride with him and they ended up only waiting 10-15 minutes or so. Benjamin and I hung out on the bridge and tried to spot Daddy and Eliza, but we missed them. When they got off, Buddy said they had gotten a log alone and that Eliza loved it – no surprise there!

We headed to Fantasyland next and Benjamin finally got to pick some rides – we rode “it’s a small world” twice and I think something else….carousel, maybe? Without pictures, it’s a lot harder to piece together the night! It feels like we may have done something else as well, but I can’t for the life of me remember what.
(Oh, I did take a few random shots inside “it’s a small world”, I guess!)

It wasn’t all that late, about 9:15-9:30p but the kids were getting a little grumpy and complaining of being “starved” so we decided to just call it a night – tomorrow would be our last day and I knew we’d be in the park all day, trying to soak up as much as we could. We got some ice cream on the way out and headed back to the hotel – we took the ferry again and WOW, much chillier than the trip into the MK! Walking around in the park, it was a little cool but very pleasant. Once you got moving out on the water though…BRRR! I actually turned the heat on in the minivan on the way back to the hotel, much to DH’s dismay.

 

[lovethattink]

Eliza next wanted to do the Magic Carpets next. I was disappointed to find the Tiki Room closed – even though it gets stuck in my head worse than “it’s a small world”, I like the music and was looking forward to getting some better pictures of the show than last time.

I was disappointed to see the Tiki room closed too. I loved that show! I hadn't heard about the fire, so I was surprised to see it closed. Saw last week on the DIS it's being refurbished back to it's original show. I have mixed feeling about that. http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/guides/magickingdom/adv-tiki.htm

After flying above Agrabah, (I have NO clue how to spell that!) we headed over to Frontierland, wanting to hit the mountain range. We were waylaid by a line to meet Jessie and Woody. Benjamin wanted to meet them so Buddy ran over and got FP for BTMR. We waited in line for about 30 minutes, during which time Eliza decided that Woody and Jessie had fweaky heads and she would NOT be getting her picture with them. It was cute once we got up there for our turn – Woody pointed at Benjamin’s pirate face and then at his badge and his handler reminded us that Benjamin may be a pirate but Woody’s still sheriff! We’d never met any of the Toy Story guys before, so that was a fun first.

I have to agree with Eliza here. Their heads are fweaky, fweakishly BIG! Very cool to run into BOTH Jesse and Woody together!!

Neither of the kids had been on before and both wanted to try it – Grandma sat this one out. Buddy and Benjamin sat together in front of Eliza and I. I could tell that Benjamin hated it pretty much as soon as it started, poor guy. He buried himself into Buddy’s shoulder pretty early on. Eliza, on the other hand, laughed her head off the whole time – I tried putting my arm around her on some of the curves and she shook me off with a look of disgust. We got off the ride and the first thing out of Benjamin’s mouth was, “I am NEVER doing that again!” I was proud of him for giving him a try, but it didn’t shock me that he didn’t like it. Eliza was ticked that we couldn’t ride again immediately so we promised her we’d get Fastpasses to do it again when we returned in the evening.

BTMR is a rough coaster! I am a huge coaster enthusiast and I don't really enjoy it. Rock n Roller is much easier to handle than BTMR, in my opinion.


We headed to Pecos Bill’s for an overdue lunch. When we were done, it was about 1:00 and we headed back to the hotel for a rest.

ACK! A pirate on the monorail! And he’s armed with a large sucker!

Did his face paint stay on his lips? I don't see any on the sucker. Was it difficult to take the make up off at the end of the day?

 

[MyPeanut&Bug]

I was disappointed to see the Tiki room closed too. I loved that show! I hadn't heard about the fire, so I was surprised to see it closed. Saw last week on the DIS it's being refurbished back to it's original show. I have mixed feeling about that. http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/guides/magickingdom/adv-tiki.htm
Hmm, I hadn't heard that about going back to the original either...Not sure...


I have to agree with Eliza here. Their heads are fweaky, fweakishly BIG! Very cool to run into BOTH Jesse and Woody together!!
Yeah, I had to give it to her this time - they WERE really big headed up close!!

BTMR is a rough coaster! I am a huge coaster enthusiast and I don't really enjoy it. Rock n Roller is much easier to handle than BTMR, in my opinion.
I did RnR once and that was enough! I could ride BTMR all day but I hate going upside down and having really steep hills. DH always questions how much I love ToT and I just keep telling him - fast I can handle under certain, specific conditions!


Did his face paint stay on his lips? I don't see any on the sucker. Was it difficult to take the make up off at the end of the day?

It all stayed on VERY well. I don't remember anything coming off on his straw at lunch either. And yes, it was VERY hard to get off!! I think it was a page or so back that I mentioned - it took a lot of doing and he still looked like an Alice Cooper/Adam Lambert hybrid around his eyes for the rest of the day, even after I got the rest off. That black is STUBBORN! Poor guy kept looking in the mirror and I know he felt all self conscious about it.

 

[MyPeanut&Bug]

Hmm, messed up my quoting there, but you get the idea.

 

[lovethattink]

It all stayed on VERY well. I don't remember anything coming off on his straw at lunch either. And yes, it was VERY hard to get off!! I think it was a page or so back that I mentioned - it took a lot of doing and he still looked like an Alice Cooper/Adam Lambert hybrid around his eyes for the rest of the day, even after I got the rest off. That black is STUBBORN! Poor guy kept looking in the mirror and I know he felt all self conscious about it.

My bad, I remember reading about that now. Poor guy!

 

[jenseib]

Beautiful night shots! it looks like a fun day all around. Claire decided this trip the BTMR wasn't really for her either, but hopefully she'll forget by next time!

 

[MyPeanut&Bug]

Our last day. I just hate how you spend a year+ planning and it takes so long to get here and then it’s over before you know it.

We at least woke up to another gorgeous sunny, blue sky day. We made it to MK for the Welcome show again – we wanted to get a lot done before Eliza’s BBB appointment at 9:50am.

And how could I resist more castle pictures?? If I listen closely, I think I can still hearing my husband sighing and saying, “Come on guys, mom will catch up.” Fine by me!

It was Benjamin’s turn to pick which ride to do first and he wanted to race. We headed to the Tomorrowland speedway – he wanted to ride with Daddy and Eliza decided to ride with my mom so I just waited for them and took pictures.

Eliza isn’t the world’s best driver….or maybe you can tell that by the painful, forced smile on my mom’s face?

After that we headed to Space Mountain – Buddy and I hadn’t gotten to ride on our first 2 MK days and I wasn’t missing it this time. We walked right on and had a great ride. The kids walked around and shopped with Grandma while we rode. My momma spoiled me and bought me the “Nerds” bag I’d been eyeing too. The kids spent some more of their money as well – Eliza got a baby Minnie (that STILL goes EVERYWHERE with us at home!) and Benjamin got some more cars.

Since there were no lines we hit Buzz Lightyear’s space ranger spin again after Space Mountain.

Then we headed over to FL.

Crowds were picking up ever so slightly, but we were still able to do most of FL with less than 5-10 minute waits – we rode Peter Pan, it’s a small world, Snow White and the carousel.

We also met this chick.

By then it was just about time to check in at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique – Eliza was so excited she couldn’t stand it. She had been dying to do this ever since she saw pictures and when asked what she was most excited for before we left, this was her answer every time. She wore her Tiana dress from home and I was so happy she picked the fairytale hair because I just wasn’t liking those other choices!

I had put her hair in small braids the day before we left home because I knew we’d get about a week’s worth of wear out of them. Much to her dismay, that’s why I booked her BBB appt. for our last day – I didn’t want to have to deal with taking out the BBB hair and re-doing her hair while at Disney and just figured I could save that for home. It worked out really well – except when I had to take out all those tiny little braids!! I just always underestimate how long it will take to undo them.

(Oh, I just realized THAT’S why we didn’t get back into the MK until late the night before – because I spent a couple hours taking all those tiny little braids out while she napped. Now I remember – I was so, so tired and would have loved to nap but I unbraided and unbraided until my fingers cramped up. But it ended up working out – I took all the tiny ones out, put 2 big braids in just to wear until BBB time and took them out right before her appt) Those curls of hers tangle so quickly, I literally took the big braids out as we were sitting there waiting to be called back and gave it a quick spray w/water and finger detangled. I was worried about it tangling up and them having a hard time getting through it but it seemed to be just fine – I certainly didn’t hear any “Ow!”s from her when they did her hair like I do at home!

 

[lovethattink]

Glad you and Buddy got to ride space mt!! Eliza looks really cute with those 2 braids in here hair. I see Benjamin's pirate tatoo stayed on really good!

2 hours to get the braids out! Wow! You must have a very gentle touch for her to take a nap through having them taken out.

Looking forward to seeing her fairytale hair! And hearing all about BBB.

 

[MyPeanut&Bug]

Glad you and Buddy got to ride space mt!! Eliza looks really cute with those 2 braids in here hair. I see Benjamin's pirate tatoo stayed on really good!

2 hours to get the braids out! Wow! You must have a very gentle touch for her to take a nap through having them taken out.

Looking forward to seeing her fairytale hair! And hearing all about BBB.

Yes, the tattoo was a bigger hit than all that face makeup!

I spent about 3.5 hours the day before we left home putting braids in her hair - I did more small ones than I've ever done in her hair (I *think* 40-45,but can't remember exactly) but I knew the smaller I made them, the longer they'd last - she has A LOT of hair but when parted into individual sections, it's pretty fine and untextured and larger braids get fuzzy and need redone pretty quickly. So it was definitely worth it b/c they lasted us from Thursday of one week until Friday of the next and if not for BBB, I probably could have squeezed another few days out of them - taking them out is just always SO much more tedious (and boring!) than putting them in!

It took me an embarassingly long time to learn to cornrow and I used to practice with her head on my lap while she napped - poor girl is used to Mommy having to practice!

 

[MyPeanut&Bug]

Eliza had been more excited about the BBB than pretty much anything. And it just about killed her that her appt. wasn't until our last day in the parks! So she was just beside herself as we entered the BBB, checked in and waited for out turn.

I took our her braids and did a quick finger detangling while we waited and she looked through the brochure to choose her hairstyle. I had shown her pictures at home and I knew she wanted the fairytale hair because she wanted that little crown and as she put it, "that is the one that WEALLY looks like a pwincesses hair!"

After just a few minutes Princess Eliza was called back to her great Fairy Godmother in Training, Wanda. She hopped up in the chair and was ready to begin.

First up was her new 'do.

Those princesses like their AquaNet!!

Then nail polish time.

And finally, and quite possibly her favorite part - makeup!

Final touches! I think I cleaned glitter out of that girl's head for a month.

She was thrilled and looked gorgeous! (And entirely too old!! I think my heart went into palpatations over this preview of a teenage Eliza.)

And much like riding POTC was the only thing to do after Benjamin's pirate makeover, there was only one thing to do after the BBB: meet Eliza's favorite princess - the other "must-do" on her list after the BBB!

 

[lovethattink]

It took me an embarassingly long time to learn to cornrow and I used to practice with her head on my lap while she napped - poor girl is used to Mommy having to practice!

I'm sure it was not an easy task to learn!

Eliza had been more excited about the BBB than pretty much anything. And it just about killed her that her appt. wasn't until our last day in the parks! So she was just beside herself as we entered the BBB, checked in and waited for out turn.

I remember your going back and forth about making it last or doing it earlier. It is too bad they won't do just make up. Because you had her hair looking pretty the whole time.

I took our her braids and did a quick finger detangling while we waited and she looked through the brochure to choose her hairstyle. I had shown her pictures at home and I knew she wanted the fairytale hair because she wanted that little crown and as she put it, "that is the one that WEALLY looks like a pwincesses hair!"

She is too cute. Love that she knows what she wants!

[/QUOTE]Final touches! I think I cleaned glitter out of that girl's head for a month. [/QUOTE]

I don't doubt it! We stopped into the store where you wake up Tink to buy and autograph book. We got pixie dusted by one of those wands. I was sparkling for days even after washing my hair daily. And dh's baseball hat still glitters from time to time.

 

[lovethattink]

Dh was hurrying me off he computer. I didn't get to finish above.

She absolutely looks like a princess through the whole process! Her expressions are darling!

The finished look is beautiful!

 

[jenseib]

OH my...she looks gorgeous!! I love it. It's so funny how they have their mind set on something.

 

[AimeeMichele]

I am loving your TR! Your family is adorable and Eliza sure is going to be a heartbreaker when she grows up. What kind of camera and lenses did you use for your pics? They are phenomenal and I'm looking to buy a new camera (main reason is for Disney of course!)

 

[MyPeanut&Bug]

I'm sure it was not an easy task to learn!

I remember your going back and forth about making it last or doing it earlier. It is too bad they won't do just make up. Because you had her hair looking pretty the whole time.

She is too cute. Love that she knows what she wants!

I did debate it, but I'm SO glad we did it - 3 months later, she still says it was her favorite thing we did there and she'll do it again next time. And the hair worked out well - She wore the bun the rest of the day and actually slept in it that night - I wasn't kidding about princesses loving their AquaNet b/c it was still pretty in tact when she got up the next morning! She wore it home and it was only on the plane that it was starting to fall!

[/QUOTE]Final touches! I think I cleaned glitter out of that girl's head for a month. [/QUOTE]

I don't doubt it! We stopped into the store where you wake up Tink to buy and autograph book. We got pixie dusted by one of those wands. I was sparkling for days even after washing my hair daily. And dh's baseball hat still glitters from time to time.[/QUOTE]

Ah, what is it they say about glitter? Herpes of the craft world! SO true!

Dh was hurrying me off he computer. I didn't get to finish above.

She absolutely looks like a princess through the whole process! Her expressions are darling!

The finished look is beautiful!

Thank you! She just LOVED how she looked and was looking at herself in every reflective surface she could find. And she absolutely adored everyone calling her "princess" - she definitely welcomes the attention more than Benjamin!

OH my...she looks gorgeous!! I love it. It's so funny how they have their mind set on something.

Thanks! And yes, if there's anything I can say for Eliza, it is that she's a girl who knows what she wants. I often think that I would love to be as sure of myself as she is!

I am loving your TR! Your family is adorable and Eliza sure is going to be a heartbreaker when she grows up. What kind of camera and lenses did you use for your pics? They are phenomenal and I'm looking to buy a new camera (main reason is for Disney of course!)

Thank you! Yes, I think DH was a little less than thrilled with the makeover!

I have a Canon Rebel XS 1000D w/the kit lens which is 18-55mm and a zoom lens that's 55-250mm. Eyeing more lenses all the time, but I've only had the camera since January, so I'm trying to hold off a little more! I LOVE it and am SO glad I had it for Disney (that too was my main reason in finally breaking down and buying it after wanting it for AGES!)

 

[sahm2two]

so cute! we're definitely doing BBB next time we go! my older DD got pixie dust this past trip and she loved it... pretty sure she'll still have some on her scalp next time we go in 2013

 

[AimeeMichele]

Thank you! Yes, I think DH was a little less than thrilled with the makeover!

I have a Canon Rebel XS 1000D w/the kit lens which is 18-55mm and a zoom lens that's 55-250mm. Eyeing more lenses all the time, but I've only had the camera since January, so I'm trying to hold off a little more! I LOVE it and am SO glad I had it for Disney (that too was my main reason in finally breaking down and buying it after wanting it for AGES!)

I'm sure he was definitely less than thrilled. As my dad used to say, he had a baseball bat and will beat the boys off me if that's what he takes. Maybe when she's 13, you get him a Louisville Slugger? All joking aside, thanks for the info! I'm going to research that camera right now