Oh, yes we are! **home from SSR, with pics and final thoughts, p.10, post 139

[Pixieflip]

Sorry, been working a lot this week to catch up. Have another 10/12 hour day tomorrow. I think there's only one left.

Clue for picture #1: This is a place where you will dine with a lot of Character!

 

[Sammie]

# 1 is Crystal Palace at the MK

 

[nolanboys]

Now I see it! Look for a new version of the game in April when I get back. I'm sure DH will think I'm nuts, but it was so much fun!

 

[Candy Orlando]

It was fun to play that game! We should do it more often.

 

[Pixieflip]

# 1 is Crystal Palace at the MK

Sammie is correct!

I love the Crystal Palace. Mom and I sat there wishing we could create an indoor back porch like that. Wouldn't that be nice? Sigh...


Have a great day! I'm off to Croptoberfest...

 

[Ms. WDW]

You know Cindy, this was a GREAT way to "ease" back into reality. I don't know about you but it's been just a little over a week since we've been home and already I feel like it was months and months ago I was at WDW!!!

Well, I guess that means I have to start planning my next trip!!! Yipee!!! Only, what, maybe 150 days or 360 days until I'm back??? All depends on what has to be done to the house this year!!

 

[Pixieflip]

Good morning! Doesn't it feel like we need a little pixie dust on a Monday? Let's get back to the trip!

A few more of CSR.

The pool is so fun looking, but still, the kids wanted to search for Hidden Mickeys. DS9 is really into that and bought the new book because there had been so many updates since the last one that we already had.

Did you know that Marvel products are showing up in the Resort shops? I know there is much talk about how they will fit in at WDW, but this is a start.

On to meet up with everyone at MK. Just to recap, Mom and I took on the challenge of transferring luggage with Bell Services and checking in at SSR. DH and sons went off to MK, and Dad took the late sleeping girls to eat a huge breakfast at Pepper Market before heading to MK.

Our first trip in the fall! How beautiful!!!

There she is!!! Wiping the tears a little...

Here was our mistake, and on Day 1! By letting some sleep in and eat late, we were off schedule from each other the rest of the day. Not tragic, but still, we do like to hang out. So we were starving and headed to Tony's for lunch - yes we did get a walk up table.

I had the Chicken Parm. Delish. Or maybe I was just starving. Nope, delish.

DS9 had spaghetti with his sauce on the side, of course. And a yummy dessert with Mickey sprinkles. Fun! Note: the top layer of apples were incredibly sour, even with the brown sugar. We decided that perhaps they sprinkle lemon juice on them so they don't brown during the meal, because the did NOT brown. Looked lovely, and the underneath slices tasted better.

DD's and Dad went to Adventureland and Tom Sawyer's Island. Love these photos.

 

[Pixieflip]

And the first family ride of the trip.....Pirates!!! DD13 is s huge Johnny Depp fan. Notice that she took these and I edited the lighting at home, UNLIKE the obnoxious guests - the one in front of us - who take 400 photos on Pirates with their FLASH ON!!! DS16 was furious with that English speaking woman who should know better but chose to ignore the instructions anyway. He's a purist and it totally ruined the ride for him. It's not like you can't google the ride and get thousands of nice photos... you don't have to use your flash. Same thing happened all over the World. Oh, well.

Then we rode Splash with our FP's. Yep, we got kind of wet.

I don't think we got photos of our soaking ride later in the week, so I'll tell you about that now. It was a boat of fun people. The couple in front of us were young, maybe early 20's and clearly on a date. They'd never ridden it before and wouldn't you know it...the extra water shooters were on. And you know where this is going. We took our first little plunge and were floating out past the big drop and we could see the timing of the splashes. We started screaming, DD's and I might be screamers , and the couple just laughed at us...until...the water cannons went off and it became like slow motion, big giant blobs of water flying, no careening, at us, clearly not going to miss us and so the screaming increased to everyone in the boat until... SP-AAAHH-LLLOOOOOSH!!!!! It's silent for a moment during the sploosh, and then the screaming begins again!!! We were S-O-A-K-E-D. We looked like we had fallen out of the boat and swam our way back. I think everyone was okay with it, but I did feel for the couple on their date. Probably not what they expected. And we still hadn't done the big drop. More splashing there, too. We will never forget that turn on Splash Mountain, that's for sure. My DD's both packed dry underwear and shorts every time we went to MK the rest of the trip. Yeah, we were that wet.

Our first Mickey bars...had to, it was getting kind of warm.

In an effort to conserve our feet, we took the train to get to Tomorrowland.

I have a lot of photos on DH on his Blackberry. I guess you just HAVE to keep up with Fantasy Football, because he wasn't the only dad doing it all day.

Checking what Hidden Mickeys will be coming up in Tomorrowland.

 

[Candy Orlando]

You have a beautiful family! God bless them!

 

[Pixieflip]

Side note here...

Today is a milestone in our family. At MOPS on Friday, we talked about the goal of parenthood being the big launch into adulthood with littler launches all along the way. Today was a biggie. For the first time in 13 years, I didn't drive my DS16 to school. He drove himself. I thought I'd be more excited about the release of that responsibility. I have 4 kids in 3 different schools so mornings and afternoons are nuts around here. But the reality is, it's hard to watch him drive away. Lots of prayer, huh?

Anybody else feel like that?

 

[Pixieflip]

We got such a late start in the park, it's hard to believe that the day is winding down. Tomorrowland is still a family favorite. However, I seem to stand alone as a fan of CP. I love that attraction! Sigh. They rode it with me, but not without protesting.

MISTER Fluffypants! Any Phineas and Ferb fans out there? That show is hilarious, no surprise that DS9 loves it. Fluffypants was his first souvenir.

Look what's back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The People Mover name!!!!!!!! We never stopped calling it by its real name.

Silly family.

Space Mountain was down for a while and the lights were on... a rare glimpse of the inside. Still not enough to convince DS9 to try it!

Here is where we split up again because some needed to eat and some wanted to keep going. I was part of the group who ate at Cosmic Rays, my absolute favorite counter service at WDW. Some just snacked their way through the day. Nice to be flexible on vacation. We have food and snacks in the villa, no one will starve!

We were still tired from our travels, so we headed out before Wishes, lingering on Main Street long enough to soak up the atmosphere and shop a little. I love Main Street. One of my top three things about WDW, day or night.

Sorry this is a little blurry. I took one with the flash, but it didn't look like it was night time. The pumpkins add such a special touch with their glowing message...See Ya Real Soon.

So that's Day 1. Day 2 is up next.

 

[Pixieflip]

You have a beautiful family! God bless them!

Thanks, Candy Orlando!! We are VERY blessed.

 

[nolanboys]

Great pictures! Loved the one with the Hidden Mickey book. That is one of our favorite ways to pass time waiting in lines.

You talked about your son driving today and how hard that was - I can't even imagine. My oldest are only 11 and last night my son measured his foot against mine and his are bigger! Time flies and it's hard sometimes to watch how quickly they grow!

 

[Nursejilly]

great report! Love your family photos!

 

[Pixieflip]

Well, I guess that means I have to start planning my next trip!!! Yipee!!! Only, what, maybe 150 days or 360 days until I'm back??? All depends on what has to be done to the house this year!!

Linda, skip the house projects and go to WDW!! I'll be your enabler!! That's what you need, isn't it? An enabler??!!

 

[Pixieflip]

You talked about your son driving today and how hard that was - I can't even imagine. My oldest are only 11 and last night my son measured his foot against mine and his are bigger! Time flies and it's hard sometimes to watch how quickly they grow!

I'm glad to report that he came home from school just fine. Uneventful is very good. Day one down, a million more to go!

great report! Love your family photos!

Thanks and !

 

[arthur06]

Love the TR and the pictures!

You mentioned in an earlier post that you cook from a Disney cookbook, what cookbook do you have or which is your favorite. We have 3 boys (9, 3, 1) and would love some new fun recipes.... thanks!

 

[Pixieflip]

Arthur06, welcome to the trip report!

Yes, we love to try Disney recipes. Our new favorite cookbook is Tiana's Cookbook. That's where we got the yummy beignet recipe. My tried and true favorite is the old red and whited checkered Gourmet Mickey Cookbook Volume 2. That's where the Puffed French Toast is. We call it Mickey Mouse French Toast and though we think we originally had it in the Castle and at Chef Mickey's, the place we've most recently had it was at the Crystal Palace. Can't do it every Saturday, though, it's an artery clogger. I will also use the newer blue and white checkered Cooking With Mickey and the Disney Chefs. I think there's a Creme Brulee recipe in there. I'm not a big fan of Delicious Disney. It's just kind of too fancy for our casual everyday lifestyle. I'd love to try it all. Well, at least the desserts.

 

[Pixieflip]

I know when we were planning our trip to SSR, I could not get enough photos of it! Having never been there, I really wanted to see everything I could, so this is for all you planners out there.

We had a dedicated 2 bedroom villa, requested at Congress Park and got it. Our view was facing DTD, but because the trees have grown, our 2nd floor villa did not reveal much of anything across the water. Perhaps a higher floor would, I cannot say. We could see a little of Fulton's Crabhouse (Fuddrucker's Boat) and the top of Planet Hollywood. We could HEAR plenty at night, sometimes at least 2 different live bands, maybe 3. However, nothing was heard with the windows and doors closed, only on the balcony.

The villa is lovely. Here are a few photos:

Master bed and bath

 

[Pixieflip]

The second bedroom: