There isn't a whole lot to do in the MK during a thunderstorm. There are some indoor attractions, but since that was the EMH park that day, it was massively crowded and everyone was jamming Small World, Peter Pan and Haunted Mansion. My friend went to HM to wait for me. I think I had to pitstop at the bathroom. By the time I got there, she was on the inside que, so I had to wait outside for her. After 40 min. I gave up. Apparently the ride stopped for 15 min. in one place, then restarted and stopped a few more times. I went to find my DH and DD7 but couldn't locate them as they were inside small world. The whole day went sort of like that. Finally the rain stopped in time for SpectroMagic, which is always a favorite of mine. The photos I got weren't as good as in the past because we were just learning to use our new Nikon D5000 and had it on automatic setting which is apparently not a good choice for Spectro Magic. It had a hard time staying focused on the subject and it won't snap the pic unless it thinks its ready, so I missed alot of shots that I'd set up. There is a learning curve for a new SLR camera when I've never used an SLR before, so that wasn't unexpected. I got great video of SpectroMagic from my old Kodak camera and when I find a program that can read and sew together the .mov video segments, I'll get to enjoy the video I took on a lovely night from the porch of a shop in Frontierland. 
Will explain in my trip report.
Hi Everyone,
We got back on Sunday night. Its already Thursday and stuff from the van is still scattered about the foyer. We had a wonderful trip as usual. We really enjoyed another vacation in the Grandstand section of Saratoga Springs Resort. I have a new moto though. Anyone coming on a future trip planned by me must pledge to follow the plan!! I am not kidding. I spend ALOT of time carefully working out our itinerary and mostly, it didn't get followed. Our day of arrival Sunday the 28th was supposed to be DHS til it closed, then MK for extra magic. We were checking in, unpacked and ready to head to the parks EXACTLY at 3:00pm, which is exactly when it started to thunderstorm. The other members of our traveling party wanted to go to MK. The everflexible me, said.. "sure". Should have said "see ya!!"
I found the crowd levels to be absolutely insane. Didn't need the Mobile Magic app for our phones because the answer was always, No there are no fast passes left, and Yes, the line is over an hour! When you have a party of 9 with 4 teenagers, there is no thoughts of rope drop. I gave that up early. I discovered that the parks that touringplans.com said would be the most crowded that day were insane and the recommended parks weren't bad. Unfortunately, we often ended up exactly where I didn't want to be. If the economy is so bad, why was it so crowded?
Also, the other mom felt that she'd paid so much money for the park hoppers for her family of 5 adults that she was going to get every penny's worth out of them by spending as much time in the parks as possible. She didn't want to spend afternoon time at the resort or come back to the resort for lunch or snacks. As we were on trip 2 of our AP's, I wanted to enjoy some resort time.
We still had a great time though. I would like to write a trip report. I've never started a tread on here but it can't be too hard. I didn't make any notes as I had planned, so I'll have to rely on my photos to remind me of where I was and what was going on.
Glad everyone had so much fun. Dillydaleri, I'd love to see your pics!!
I enjoyed the video montage (forgot who posted). That was nice. I see you got to Restaurant Marrakesh. We ended up canceling our ressies for that one.
Yes, it was a bit frustrating, but getting to finally meet you was a highlight of my day. I remember Disneybarbie's trip report of her July trip with her fiance and his family and how frustrated she felt at times when her family members who didn't "get it", didn't follow her carefully worked plans. I have been friends with this other family for probably more than 12 years. We'd never vacationed together before. I hadn't really thought out how the differences in how we vacation and our lifestyles would effect my plans. I just assumed we'd all follow my plan. For instance, the other mom isn't a breakfast person and just drinks coffee, whereas I'd prefer to do a character breakfast and then not need to eat again til dinner. I didn't book any CB's because of that. We're night people and they're really not. That sure makes a difference. Although, I do find as I get older, I'm less of a night person than I used to be. The other mom also doesn't really care for EPCOT whereas, that's my favorite park. I could just live at EPCOT during Flower & Garden.
I'm certainly glad we went though. We did have a great vacation and that's the important thing. I wish we'd have gotten one photopass picture of all 9 of us, but we never did end up all together at the same time in the presense of a photopass photographer. The three 18 year old boys went their own way most of the time, which severely effected family picture opportunities.
Oh, and I should add that I had made much more relaxed rules for my 18 year old son than she made for her 18 year old boys. Luckily my son is flexible and understood the need to follow her rules over my previously set ones.
these are all things to think about when planning future vacations with other families.
That's so great that you'll be able to go out to DL. Its now on my list... of course so is a cruise. I'm trying to convince my RC gold club in-laws that they would enjoy a non-RC cruise!
Here is the link to my pics. I hope it works! I am sorry you had such a frustrating time. I would've been annoyed too! I put so much time/effort/thought into our trip, as a lot of us on here do, and I would've been irritated if no one listened to me. Luckily it was just us and my mom and she said she was up for whatever we wanted to do. I can't wait to go back someday!!!!
http://www.slide.com/r/SFu4BJlTzD8u8Ujm6Hbcm8EjnRAEe8A8?previous_view=lt_embedded_url
We'll miss him, but he'll be SOOOOO close to our happy place.
Thanks, loved your slide show. That's a neat website. I noticed in your Spectro Magic parade pix that the big black float with the wings that open, was back. That float was missing while we were there. Its from the Fantasia section. We stayed in that same building at All Star Music in March 2005! Its nice. We you in the new family suites?
It was really cool that you got pics of the ice room at T Rex. We weren't seated in that room, but I was actually wondering how you would photograph in that room because of the odd lighting coloring. I love Crystal Palace too. I ate there in 2007 when I went on my trip with my sister, her son and my youngest.
I love the beach. We haven't been in a long time. Considering that as a child I used to spend my entire summers in our beach condo in Ocean City, Maryland, its way too long. I miss the beach. We didn't have rocky areas in OC though.
We will be back in August as we will be taking my son to college just an hour east of Orlando, in Melbourne.
This was our second visit to T Rex. We went in July when we had brought my Mother in law and niece. In July were were a party of 7 and it was difficult enough to talk over the noise. We enjoyed the food though. This trip, on our night at T Rex for dinner, we were a party of 15!! We had 4 or 5 tables pushed together. We just had to keep getting up and walking back and forth to talk and attend to the smaller children. We had appetizer, main courses, specialty drinks and dessert. The cost was high to say the least. My DH doesn't want to eat there next trip because of the noise. We had actually eaten at Rainforest the night before (party of 9) at 2 tables. That was easier because we put the 4 teenagers at a booth, then the 4 adults and my 7 year old were at the adjacent round table. We could talk alot easier, but we still got specialty drinks, so the tab was more than $200. Can't recall if we had appetizer.
Next trip (in August), I want to eat at Beaches & Cream and get my Dole Whip. Its amazing how plans can be derailed when you have so many people in your party. We hadn't planned to spend the afternoon at the Grand Floridian Pool with my friends sister-in-law and her kids, but that certainly was relaxing even as it was a bit chilly on the 29th of March.
You were no more camera happy than we were. In testing out our new DSLR and with my little automatic, we took over 900 photos. Most of them won't be included in my scrapbook. We still have to sign on to photopass and look at those. We went heavy on the photopass the 2nd half of the week, so I'm eager to see how those turned out. Been so busy we haven't had time to look.
to get a Dole Whip when we were there and I am bummed!
I am jealous you get to go in August again already! Not sure when we will get back, but DH already has changed his mind about it being a once in a lifetime thing! He wants to go back within a few years again.
I forgot
But we don't have any more DVC points left until our account refills on Dec 1. We can borrow ahead on the points we'll get on Dec 1st, but those are the ones I want to use to probably go to he 1/2 marathon with my sister and maybe another summer trip. My sister also was talking about tagging along. What we might do, is just stay in another on-property non-DVC resort! My DD7 likes Pop Century because of the huge fun things. I've never stayed in any other non-DVC accommodation other than value ( The Pop and the Music). Maybe we'll try Carribean Beach or Port Orleans. I've always wanted to stay at the Poly!! We'll have to see what the budget is. An out of state private college will be budget busting!! 
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I will make a point of getting two Dole Whips next time. One for me and one for you!! I'll have to eat it for you though!
My DD plays piano and my DS plays percussion and violin so they LOVED the music theming at the resort. I would love to stay at the Poly someday. We thought it was so beautiful when we went over to check it out and have lunch. That or we would also love the AKL. My DD is a zebra fanatic! BUT...I am a stay-home-mom and we have to streeeeeeeeetch that dollar as far as possible, like a lot of us I am sure. Maybe one day when the kids are grown the hubby and I can have our own magical vacation and splurge on one of the deluxe resorts. Either that or win the lottery! A girl can dream, right! 
