NateNLogansDad + party of 25 + AKL + MNSSHP = a few thousand pictures (Bonus Video!!)

[NateNLogansDad]

I love that you were able to get pictures on test track! great reading about epcot!

There's a few from another ride that I really like coming up in the next 1/2 of day 4

 

[dvc4life]

Great update Rob! I can understand about wanting some me time. Especially after your family didn't want to enjoy World Showcase or Food and Wine. Arggggg. Glad you were able to enjoy a couple of the refreshments that were there for the offering. I loved the Hawaii booth. Hope it is there this year too.

Sorry to hear you have been so sick. That is a bummer. But you can kick your addiction. My hubby did it about 13 years ago. He was so sick and hadn't had one for about a week he just threw his pack up on top of the microwave and left them there. He finally threw them away after about two years. And he hasn't had one since. And trust me, he was a diehard fan of nicotine. So you can do it!

Looking forward to the rest of your day.

Have a good one.

 

[ajf1007]

Thank you, you're way too kind! The mandatory break is sooo nice. I want to book another vacation just to implement it
I'm going to warn you about the Beach Club next year....you won't want to go anywhere else after that! It's just so peaceful and the location is perfect! I feel like a complete addict needing a fix, I want to go back so bad! Oh well, someday *sigh*

When you guys go to AKL to stay, on a scale of 1-10 how do you like the bus system? Do you usually do Jambo or Kidani?

I'm thinking with that many people, I'll definitely have to do the break. Plus, I too have the nicotine addiction that you are fighting now so I know in order to maintain my calm, it will be a necessity for myself and all of those around me!

I'm excited about the Beach Club and looking forward to a nice relaxing trip with my husband. I was looking at a few of the tours, like the Backstage Magic Tour that I think we'll do.

Regarding the bus service at AKL, believe it or not, it's never been an issue for us. We always stay at Kidani and we usually go in September so the crowds are pretty low, that may be why. We did stay at OKW for a quick visit in September last year and found that the buses there, it seemed, took just as long because of how large the resort is. We had a lovely tour of the resort on the bus . Also, aside from that one night at OKW, we haven't stayed anywhere else so I guess we don't really have anything to compare it to. So my rating (though biased) is probably a 7ish.

Hope you are feeling better!

 

[NateNLogansDad]

So, the last time I left you I was enjoying my blissful solitude next to the Fountain of Nations in Epcot. My Nicotine fix was satisfied and a few adult beverages had complimented it nicely. I actually started to doze off I was so relaxed. Looking at my pictures and checking the times they were taken, I’m surprised I had almost a full hr to myself!

Yea, definitely need to do that again next trip!

So as I lay there just enjoying the day, my phone rang.

Tina and her family had just gotten off Soarin and wanted to go try Living With The Land and wanted to know if I wanted to go join them. As much as I wanted to just listen to the water from the fountain land just a few feet from where I was, I didn’t want to seem like I was being anti-social so I headed off over to meet them.

I do remember double timing it over there because I actually felt guilty for having time to myself. Is that just weird or do other parents feel the same way sometimes?

Either way, in a few minutes, I was back over here…..

Now, this is one of those rides where it’s more educational than fun so there really isn’t ever much of a line. Surprisingly enough, I have heard from a few Dis’ers that they really love getting on it just to relax and would be heartbroken if it were ever replaced. For those Dis’ers, here’s some boring pics for ya. Anybody else, feel free to pass by the next set……..

 

[NateNLogansDad]

 

[NateNLogansDad]

To wrap it up, A Hidden Mickey…..

Now even as I posted that, I’m falling asleep. I guess to some people that’s really neat and interesting, but I see it as kind a snoozer. I didn’t even try to narrate so we could get through that as quickly and painlessly as possible. I mean is it even possible to make that part of a trip report tolerable?

Maybe if I had announced an open bar before posting those pictures. Hmmm…. I’ll have to keep that in mind for the next trip report.

MOVING ALONG! )

From there Tina’s parents and brothers were feeling a little worn out so they decided to head back to the room for a quick nap. We were feeling it too but there was one more ride that HAD to get done while we were there. I’d be lying if I told you that we only go here because the boys love it. It’s always going to be one of my must-do’s also!

C’mon, you know you know the words! Don’t try acting cool during this trip report!
Imaaaaaaa gin a tion……
Imaaaaaaa gin a tion……

OK, fine. Since there was no open bar I will stop singing.

I didn’t go crazy with the pictures on this ride but I did get a few. I really wanted to sit back and just enjoy the ride with my darling wife. The kids love sitting by themselves and we sit right behind them. They say it’s out time for romance haha!
Anywho, here’s a few pics to bring back some memories for ya…

Imaaa gin a….sorry, I’ll stop.

 

[NateNLogansDad]

After the ride we always spend way to much time playing around with the instruments and stuff….

Seriously, to all you kids out there reading this over the age of 30, is it just me or are you ready to go back now? *sigh*

After leaving Figment we headed back to the hotel for a short break and to discuss the game plan for later on this evening. I know I haven’t mentioned it yet but there was some tension in the air with everybody wanting to do different things but still stay together as a group. Tina’s Uncle John goes commando style at the parks, never sitting or relaxing just run run run. During the week he had even hit up 3 parks in 1 day! I’m sure they did more rides and what not during the week, but it just sounded more like work than fun to me. So, to maybe help us relax a little we decided to go and enjoy a little bit of the food and wine fest!

Around 7 or so we headed over….

I got right to work like it was my job and didn’t really care. If we passed it, I drank it! Unfortunately, walking around the World Showcase with a drink in each hand constantly makes for lousy picture taking time. It was a little crowded and at first I was worried a little about people bumping into my big ol camera hanging at my side. 3 drinks in, and those worries vanished faster than drink #1.
By the time illuminations started, I was feeling pretty darn good! At first I was worried about not having a tripod….but that soon went away. I than was going to set my camera on a wall and take some pics of the fireworks but the walls kept moving….may have been me swaying, not too sure. In the end, I ended up holding Logan so he could get a good view and we just enjoyed the show.

After the fireworks were over, a young couple asked if I’d use their camera to snap a picture of them. In return, they did the same for us…..

I think we all needed a beverage or two that night. Everybody was feeling pretty good at that moment and we were just about to head back to the hotel when the phone rang….

It’s Uncle John. They are over at Magic Kingdom doing Extra Magic Hrs till 2am and want to know if we want to join them. In my infinite Disney Wisdom, I steered everybody towards the International Gateway and headed for the one place I truly call Home Away From Home. The Beach Club!

As we walked through the lobby towards the bus stop, I took every little bit of it in. The music playing softly in the background, the smells, the smiles each Cast Member gave you as you came within a 10 ft radius of them……everything.

Finally we got to the bus stop….

And silently, to myself I kind of lost it a little.

If you’ve read any of my other Trip Reports, you know without a doubt that I am truly a momma’s boy. I admit it. The first time we came to Disney with the boys was because of her. She used her DVC membership and we stayed at the Beach Club and our long time love of Disney began. And right now, I hated the fact that she was back home and not here with me. I sent her a text saying we missed her and soon after the bus for Magic Kingdom showed up.

Not too much longer we were here!

Is that not just a beautiful sight??? Have I mentioned that I want to go back?

Anyway.

John had sent a text that they were getting on Splash Mountain if we wanted to join them. I thought they were nuts because there was a slight chill in the air but Brian and Sean went for a ride with them. Instead, the rest of us waited for them to get off so we could all hop on Thunder Mountain together!

A little out of focus but I think my camera was a little tipsy from EPCOT still…..
(Danny and Nathan)

Yet it was fine here when Danny took a picture of Logan and I……weird.

 

[NateNLogansDad]

After everybody was ready we all headed in…..

The CM at the loading gate: “How many in your party?”
Us: “About 25!”
The CM: “OK. Wait, what?”
We laughed and they got us all together as best as they could.

Brian and Sean still a little wet…..and now cold.

Mommom Fran a little giddy…. She doesn’t usually do roller coasters!

Nate is ready to go!

Logan….not so much

Chuck Jr does not like it when I call his name and snap a pic when he turns to look at me for some reason.

And still doesn’t look thrilled when I fire off random shots behind my head…..

And we’re off!!!!

For some reason, nobody likes me using a flash over my shoulder……haha!

Lil Logan is still not sure about this ride.…

Maybe the first time we took him on a few years ago, we should have woken him up from his nap first…..poor kid’s never gonna get over that.

 

[NateNLogansDad]

After we exited Big Thunder, we made our way over to….

Down past….

Until we found ourselves….

Yep, What better way to top the night off than Space Mountain after midnight???
The lines weren’t too bad, the 15 minute wait posted was right on the money.

Notice Billy all the way to the left? I think he’s thinking more about his nice comfy bed back at the hotel, more than riding an indoor roller coaster this late….

But he did get on it after all…

Some more kids in our group….

Apparently Chuck was having problems with his eyes….every time I looked at him he shut them right away!

And my redneck ride pictures….

And since that was what we wanted to end the night with, that is what I will end this update with. After all, it was 12:30ish by now and the kids started dropping off to sleep one by one. We all headed out to the buses and talked about the next day and the plans we all were going to be following. Dinner….a party of sorts….some fireworks….well, you get the idea. To get the full picture, you’re just going to have to tune back in for day 5!

 

[dara00]

you know, when I was in Epcot in 1998, I was under the impression that Figment was closing. Did it reopen after that, do you know?

eta, yes it did, in 2002!

 

[NLD]

Now, this is one of those rides where it’s more educational than fun so there really isn’t ever much of a line. Surprisingly enough, I have heard from a few Dis’ers that they really love getting on it just to relax and would be heartbroken if it were ever replaced. For those Dis’ers, here’s some boring pics for ya. Anybody else, feel free to pass by the next set……..

You know this is sooooo true, but somehow I always end up riding it at Epcot!

Actually your sunflower shot in there was lovely. So some good came of it, anyway.

 

[annnewjerz]

Yayyyyy an update!! I need whatever I can at this point to get me through the next day and a half until we arrive.

Are you on Twitter? If you are, what's your name? Mine is the same as here---you should follow me, I'll be updating live from WDW. Just pay no attention to the updates on 2/13. Even though it's not F&W Fest, we still intend to Drink Around the World and I'm sure by the end of the afternoon I will be making no sense at all.

 

[Susan121302]

Is it only me that can't see your photos? Each pic has been replaced with an icon that says the bandwith has been exceeded.

 

[NateNLogansDad]

Is it only me that can't see your photos? Each pic has been replaced with an icon that says the bandwith has been exceeded.

You must be seeing things

No, sorry, you were right. I let my PRO account lapse and the bandwidth ran out yesterday. I guess there's a couple lurkers in and out of here once in a while Anywho, the bandwidth gets rest on the 9th each month so everything is so far. If I run into problems again, I'll upgrade but I think we should be OK

 

[NateNLogansDad]

You know this is sooooo true, but somehow I always end up riding it at Epcot!

Actually your sunflower shot in there was lovely. So some good came of it, anyway.

Does that alone make us Gluttons for punishment? It's weird, right? I actually do like going on that ride but at the same time, it bores the crap out of me

Yayyyyy an update!! I need whatever I can at this point to get me through the next day and a half until we arrive.

Are you on Twitter? If you are, what's your name? Mine is the same as here---you should follow me, I'll be updating live from WDW. Just pay no attention to the updates on 2/13. Even though it's not F&W Fest, we still intend to Drink Around the World and I'm sure by the end of the afternoon I will be making no sense at all.

I'm not on twitter but I have it on my phone I think. Maybe it's time to step into the 20th centry and see what the cool kids are playing with these days If I get it set up, I'll let u know

 

[NateNLogansDad]

you know, when I was in Epcot in 1998, I was under the impression that Figment was closing. Did it reopen after that, do you know?

eta, yes it did, in 2002!

I've heard a lot of people didn't like the refurb very much and still prefer the older version. I really don't have any memory of how it was so I can enjoy the current version that much more

 

[annnewjerz]

I'm not on twitter but I have it on my phone I think. Maybe it's time to step into the 20th centry and see what the cool kids are playing with these days If I get it set up, I'll let u know

I wouldn't classify myself as "on" Twitter either, I set up an account solely for when I take Disney trips. You don't need to be on Twitter to read my tweets or see pics though, you can just go here to see them. Or just google "Annnewjerz Twitter" and you'll see my feed come up.

 

[NateNLogansDad]

I wouldn't classify myself as "on" Twitter either, I set up an account solely for when I take Disney trips. You don't need to be on Twitter to read my tweets or see pics though, you can just go here to see them. Or just google "Annnewjerz Twitter" and you'll see my feed come up.

So, apparently I already have an account and have been following 50 cent.

If I post something the wrong way, I'm just trying to figure this twitter thing out.

 

[ajf1007]

YAY! Another update! Loved it! I've never gone through the Land, though now that I've seen your pics, I feel like I have so I won't have to do it when we go! It looked neat, but I have to agree with you, alittle bit of a snoozefest for me.

Your text to your Mom was so touching! I bet you made her day. Isn't it just amazing how our first trips always make the longest, most lasting impressions? In your case, it was also such a heartwarming, family quality time trip that you all needed at that time.

I think you've made my decision for my quiet, husband/wife trip next year. I'm definitely going to try to book the Beach Club. I'll book at AKV at 11 and then switch at the 7 month mark (hopefully in September that won't be a problem).

Thanks for such great updates and I love all of the Phillies gear atleast one person is wearing in the pictures!

 

[Dreamsdocometrue9112]

I just caught up and I love your TR so far! Awesome pictures! 25 people must have been quite an adventure.