Ooh, the monorail DOES smell funny... (almost finished!) [11/30-12/17, 2010]

[DisneyMomma81]

Great report so far, I'm anticipating more....

 

[Swalphin]

I wanted to say HI!
I have been lurking on your report and have enjoyed it, your little guy is very cute. Sounds like you had a nice reunion with your family. We were there from 12/12 thru 12/19 maybe our paths crossed. Can't wait to read more.

 

[bumbershoot]

December 7, day 8!​

We woke up this day just sad. We felt hungover. Lonely. Adrift on life's sea. Seriously, we were bummed out! And that was surprising...we had expected to feel a bit happier than we were. But nope.

I have in my Passporter that our plans for that day were Magic Kingdom, but we weren't up for it. So we decided to go to the outlets for some souvenir shopping, and we also needed another Publix trip. After that, we'd head to Epcot.

I got the directions to the outlet from the outlet's website (I'm talking not just about a Disney warehouse outlet, but the BIG outlet mall with Coach, Burberry, etc). It sent us all over the universe by side streets. Later, on our way to Universal, we realized that it's a hop, skip, and jump by highway. Good to know for the future!

We basically just headed to the Disney outlet there...it's actually run BY Disney, and therefore, they take Disney Giftcards. A fact I forgot during our main purchase, whoopsie! Once we got Eamon convinced that we did need him to stick nearby, and that we WOULD indeed shop for him once the "boring" "can we find a sweatshirt or other clothing that's cool" was finished. I did buy a zip-up hoodie, but it's pretty boring. Most of the stuff there that day was from obscure and specific cruises...a whole section was dedicated to a Disney Baltic cruise that apparently hadn't been a big one for clothes-shopping.

We got a lithograph for almost nothing, E hit the motherlode of very plush G-Force dolls for 99 cents each (we SHOULD have cleaned them out then given them as gifts or sold them on ebay LOL) and found a Jedi Padawan figurine set for a good price as well as a Prince of Persia book, Robert got a magnetic Wall-E figure, it was fun. Helped with the no-family hangover. A little bit.

There's a Publix right near by, which was extremely convenient. We did more shopping, which was satisfying. Filling up the fridge is always fun. Got more beer, too, LOL, this time, Newcastle Brown for a VERY good price. Also bought an Atlas with a decent Orlando/Disney area map in it. FYI, the Publix there has a good Disney souvenir section as well! I tell you, those stores KNOW what they are doing...

Got back, filled the fridge, moped around, LOL....

Don't remember if we bused it or drove in, but we did indeed go to Epcot!

Very first thing? Spaceship Earth of course. From there we went to the Innoventions building with the velcro frogs...they are flat pieces of velcro, one in a frog shape, and then many other shapes. You put them together however you want, and you can take your creation with you. It was cute.

While in the Innoventions building (which we barely explored), we signed up for a KimPossible mission later on. You sign up, they give you a fast pass of sorts, telling you to go to a certain country. Our country was Germany, I believe. It was for a couple hours from then, and we also learned that you can do it much later on the day if you wish.


Then it was time for food. Went back to Sunshine Seasons where we had another eclectic mix. This time, veggie sushi and their tofu noodle bowl. E had the mac&cheese, this time with Kozy Shack pudding and grapes. All was delish! I'd show a picture, but that food just isn't photogenic.

To share with you how mopey and slow we were that day (and let's just get used to the slowness from here on out), my receipt is timed at 4:14pm. Heck, we didn't even check out at the outlet until 1:38! Lazy day.

I should mention here that, according to wunderground, the high that day was 52, and the low was 36.2. Not too warm that day!


Since we were there in the building, might as well ride Living with the Land again. The line is very uninspired, but they do have quotes on the walls like this one.

From there, it was 2 times on Mission: Space. This was my first time, and it was fun! Green side only for me (and us). It's so nice and cozy, and when they tilt you forward it makes me sleepy. I can get claustrophobic, but this ride did NOT trigger that feeling...just made me tired.

After riding Mission Space, we caved in and bought E a glow sword. Cheapest piece 'a junk, I tell you. First one was faulty completely. Traded it in before leaving the store, and the second one started acting up about 20 minutes later. It was like renting the sword for $10... Which is for the best, since it was too long to fit into our luggage.

Anyway, I also bought one of those multiple-mickey-head bracelets that are so fun. That still exists, unlike the glow sword...


When we got to France after finishing with those few attractions, I of course had another slushie. I mean, why not?

And shortly after I had that Robert started talking about having a coffee, and went into Tangierine Cafe, where they sell spiked coffee. He got one of those (served in an adorable little plastic cup) and there were cookies involved as well. We sat out in the alleyway behind the Cafe, even though we were cold, just because it felt so cool back there.

We finally made it to the Kim Possible kiosk to pick up the phone for it, and mentioned that we had already seen France etc (though honestly, we really had barely cracked the surface), and so our mission was in Germany. The missions are simple fun, best done in the daytime IMO, just because it's easier to match the signs on the phone (which has a whole storyline told on it, and there are cartoon images of what you should find) screen when it's light outside. When you're near certain spots, the phones interact with parts of the park...we made something happen in one of the stores, we caused the glockenspiel to do something, and we made weird things happen in their model train area.

I remember reading a post about someone seeing so many people just staring on their phones on their recent day at Epcot, and I now cannot help but wonder if he was actually seeing people doing these missions...


Well by this time the sun was down and we were slowly starting to freeze our tushies off. Time for some shops! We went through the shops in Japan as well as a folklore/anime exhibit, which was pretty fun. I did not know that many anime characters are actually based on ancient stories! Gives me more respect for anime.

Eamon was also doing the craft thing...used to be a mask that you colored, but now it's ridiculous Duffy Bear. Not that Duffy is ridiculous, I won't saw one way or the other how I feel about it, but it is downright silly to expect kids to be creative with Sharpies when coloring something with LINES on it. As soon as you color with a darker color, the lines are gone and it loses meaning of who/what it is. Duffy was a bad idea for this, IMO, and we wished for the masks that we'd heard were there instead. Anyway, so you take this Duffy cutout on a stick up to the language ambassador people, and some of them teach you a word in their language, and some have a little stamp to show you went there, and then you can color some more...

For some reason some people in my group got hungry again, so a big ol' pretzel and coffee was purchased at a pseudo-indoor spot in Germany (back and forth and back and forth we go!). Colder "in" there than it might have been outside!


I'd been wearing a hat I bought ages ago at one of the Disney Character Warehouses...it actually lights up, but I rarely wear it b/c I'm afraid it'll cause seizures in some innocent bystander. I wore it that night, though! Until E stole it.

Back over to China, and the cold was getting colder, and we were waiting for Illuminations so we had to stick it out, but omg brrrrrrrrr. Robert's noggin was losing heat like crazy, and we had been trying to find a hat to fit him, but it's just impossible. He bought a knit cap from China that we hoped would work, but now it's mine and Eamon's, because it just doesn't stay on. We made it out of that shop just as Illuminations was starting, which meant...we got bad spots for it. AUGH. How did I plan for THAT long, and take THAT many notes, when I was just going to forget it all once we got a little cold????

And even worse, we were told by the KimPossible guy that we needed to stick around "after" Illuminations, to see their special Christmastime addition. He did say "after" the show. Not to leave immediately, but to wait around.

So we froze, and we watched the show from a bad viewpoint, and we'll definitely have to see it again, but this time during a warmer month, and we'll stake out spots and it will be good....so anyway, we watched, and it ended, and we applauded, and everyone cleared out, and we stood there, because the KP guy told us to wait for something AFTER Illuminations.

We got bored standing there, and started walking slowly around towards Mexico, just slowly heading out because surely it would start soon. Passed Mexico and stood on the bridge near people who looked like they, too, were waiting for something. About 10 minutes into this, I asked them..."are you waiting for something to happen, too? you look like people in the know." And found out...no, they are tourists on their first trip, they are just taking pictures....aughhhhhhhhhhhhh.

So during this waiting on the bridge, E put his glow sword, which was limping along, going out more often than it was on, on the top of a trash can. I was pulling out my receipt for it,we were going to exchange it again or just return it, and...the glow sword fell off that trash can and smashed to the ground. Causing the one hard plastic part of it to shatter. Dangit, non-returnable...

Well, nothing ever happened AFTER Illuminations, and later I found out why. See, they have a holiday add-on TO the end. Not AFTER the end, but TO the end. So to a tourist who has NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE, it's going to look JUST like the actual END! Sorry for the yelling there, but this PEEVED US GREATLY. We froze our butts off, following what the guy had said, the words he specifically used, and we'd already, unknowingly and unwittingly, not knowing the difference, seen the darn thing.


We left the World Showcase, walked through a big shop because it was warm (but then you get the problem of overheating but not wanting to take off clothes b/c you'd just put them back on again and run the risk of being accused of shoplifting LOL), and made our way out.


I think that the lesson we learned from this was that we should have the family reunion time at the END of our trips, not the beginning! And that we need to find a hat-maker for Robert. And...not to listen to cast members? Hmm....

Day 8, we bid you adieu!

 

[bumbershoot]

I wanted to say HI!
I have been lurking on your report and have enjoyed it, your little guy is very cute. Sounds like you had a nice reunion with your family. We were there from 12/12 thru 12/19 maybe our paths crossed. Can't wait to read more.

Glad you de-lurked!

Love your username, do you stay at those hotels often? I hear they are really nice. Any place with the Heavenly Bed deserves a good reputation...

 

[bumbershoot]

The lesson to learn about Epcot, BEFORE you get there, is that what you see at first is NOT all you get!

Go INTO the countries, well into them. We didn't go well into France or Canada, and I think we did with the UK but I'm not sure. However, I'm quite sure that there's more to France than a princess meet/greet spot and slushies, and I'm SURE there's a ton more to Canada than what we saw from the walkway. UK, again, not so sure.

But Morocco, wow, go back behind the scenes! E felt like he was in Raider of the Lost Arc, and frankly so did I! It was really neat in there. Later on, we got to discover what is INSIDE the temple in Mexico (though this only happened after we got back from Universal), and I never EVER would have guessed how much was in there, from the outside.

A few times during our stay, I would get to talking with another newbie, and I would tell them to go into the countries, not just look at the showcases from the walkway, and they were amazed. So definitely go IN!

We have SO much to explore when we go back, because we missed SO much, despite going to Epcot a total of 3 times during our trip....

 

[Swalphin]

Molly,
I hope you don't mind me calling you that instead of your user name. Sorry you were having sad feelings after your family left. It just shows how important it really was that you all got together and that you will have to try and plan another trip to WDW!!

This made me smile:
"I'd been wearing a hat I bought ages ago at one of the Disney Character Warehouses...it actually lights up, but I rarely wear it b/c I'm afraid it'll cause seizures in some innocent bystander. I wore it that night, though! Until E stole it."

I know that could happen the flashing lights and seizures, just made me smile that you had taken it into consideration.

Great picture of Eamon, what a cutie.

We do stay at the Swan/Dolphin when we visit the world, I earn points with my AmEx and can usually get a 5 night stay on points. They have lots of perks, room upgrade, late check out. It is not Disney but for us it is a really great deal .

Can't wait to how your trip continues in the brutal cold, brrrrrr.

 

[kaoden39]

Molly, I have to tell you it kind of blows my mind to read of you gadding about from one country to the next. The cold though really doesn't fit my concept of Florida you know? And being from California I know that all of the stereo types are not true.

As a side not, how are you feeling? Was the acupuncturist able to help you?

 

[nancy drew]

I laughed a little at the hat/seizure comment. Not because I think you are silly for thinking that, but because it is one of the leading reasons why I won't buy my kids light-up shoes. Tied with "They are incredibly distracting and annoying".

I know I've explored many of the countries and yes, there is so much more than meets the eye! I recall exploring England and finding a toy store full of Thomas trains, which delighted DD when she was 2 or 3 and very into Thomas. We also found a shop with a Mary Poppins M&G that was deserted, so DD got to sit in the chair with MP and listen to a story. There was a Pooh M&G back there as well. I know France has a street with shops and a cafe, too.

You are making me really want to go to Epcot now, though. That's definitely on the agenda for next time. My kids would love the Kim Possible mission thing. LOVE it!!!

 

[kaoden39]

I laughed a little at the hat/seizure comment. Not because I think you are silly for thinking that, but because it is one of the leading reasons why I won't buy my kids light-up shoes. Tied with "They are incredibly distracting and annoying".

I know I've explored many of the countries and yes, there is so much more than meets the eye! I recall exploring England and finding a toy store full of Thomas trains, which delighted DD when she was 2 or 3 and very into Thomas. We also found a shop with a Mary Poppins M&G that was deserted, so DD got to sit in the chair with MP and listen to a story. There was a Pooh M&G back there as well. I know France has a street with shops and a cafe, too.

You are making me really want to go to Epcot now, though. That's definitely on the agenda for next time. My kids would love the Kim Possible mission thing. LOVE it!!!

When our kids were much younger our oldest daughter had a pair of light up sandals, and this was 14 or so years ago. The lights were larger. We had an old Volkswagen camper and we were driving at night to go camping and the girls were afraid of the dark so I told her to move her foot to light it up for them. So of course she was. Pretty soon my DH was slowing down and when I asked him why he told me that we were getting pulled over. I laughed and explained that he was seeing Kacy's shoes in the rear view mirror. To this day we still joke about when Kacy's shoes pulled daddy over.

 

[bumbershoot]

Molly,
I hope you don't mind me calling you that instead of your user name.

I know that could happen the flashing lights and seizures, just made me smile that you had taken it into consideration.

Great picture of Eamon, what a cutie.

We do stay at the Swan/Dolphin when we visit the world, I earn points with my AmEx and can usually get a 5 night stay on points. They have lots of perks, room upgrade, late check out. It is not Disney but for us it is a really great deal .

Totally OK to call me by my name.

The lights thing...hubby and I, before we met each other, both worked amazon customer service, and one of the things that happened during that time was a bunch of people had seizures while watching Pokemon, because they had some crazy strobelight effect in at least one of the episodes. It stuck out in my mind!

A 5 night stay on points, how awesome is that?

As a side not, how are you feeling? Was the acupuncturist able to help you?

The "cold" or whatever it is continues to change, which is always good. I'm madly in love with Lisa-the-acupuncturist, and think that good things are going to happen. Turns out the tea was for "crying support" (probably to help with emotional states and centering etc) because I was crying pretty bad telling about some trauma that had happened to my body and mind in the past, while giving her my history.

She's now given me some chinese herbal pills to take for other stuff. And she is a genius with the tiny needles, a genius!

I laughed a little at the hat/seizure comment. Not because I think you are silly for thinking that, but because it is one of the leading reasons why I won't buy my kids light-up shoes. Tied with "They are incredibly distracting and annoying".

Did any of you guys see the BIG light-up-shoes thread a couple months ago? It ended up with two sides. One side "those shoes are very dim and I can't believe for a second that any of you see them in the daylight, let alone that they could cause seizures" and the other side saying "I see those shoes, they are crazy-bright, and I can believe it". I was on the "believe" side. I still see girls roaming in those shoes (it's the specific pink with designs on them type, skechers maybe?) and they pierce my eyes they are so bright!

I get *wanting* to wear them. But I can't imagine ever doing so.

When our kids were much younger our oldest daughter had a pair of sight up sandals, and this was 14 or so years ago. The lights were larger. We had an old Volkswagen camper and we were driving at night to go camping and the girls were afraid of the dark so I told her to move her foot to light it up for them. So of course she was. Pretty soon my DH was slowing down and when I asked him why he told me that we were getting pulled over. I laughed and explained that he was seeing Kacy's shoes in the rear view mirror. To this day we still joke about when Kacy's shoes pulled daddy over.

Too too too funny!

 

[bumbershoot]

Now, gosh, how did I forget to tell you guys this?

When the cousins first showed up, the 3 year old was extremely "against" me and Robert. Robert quickly broke through her objections to him, and they became best of friends. With me, though, it felt like it took weeks. Of course in reality it wasn't that long, since she was "decorating" me that one night, but it just seemed like ages.

She slept a lot of the DHS day, but the next day at Epcot she got to hang out with us, since of course the men were hurting their inner ears and tummies with Mission: Space orange-side. She slowly warmed to me. And it was either that day or the next that I noticed she was saying something VERY fast that involved a lot of sticking-out tongue. Sort of like if you just stick your tongue out and in repeatedly and make the sort of humming noise, and it just makes a nonsense sound?

So I was repeating that back to her, and she just looked at me like "girl, you are crazy". As time went on, I listened even closer. And finally, at long last, she was quite happy when I asked her "are you saying Amelia Bedelia?" Yes, yes she was! She loves saying that. So we bonded over Amelia Bedelia.


Oh she's a cutie. I miss her and her brother.

 

[kaoden39]

I love the Amelia Bedelia books. I saw my first one when Kacy was in the first grade, those are such great books.

 

[bumbershoot]

Tonight is Robert's work party. E's off to grandma's, and we're going to Seattle to act like grownups! Woo!

Once again, I apologize for not updating. Thanks for hanging in there with me!

 

[kaoden39]

Have fun Molly!!

 

[bumbershoot]

Aw, well, there we go. Finally got sick enough and scared enough...felt like I was drowning. Sidenote: drowning doesn't feel good. Sidesidenote: 6 year olds don't like being given the talk of "if something weird happens with me, this is how you dial my phone to call 911".

Went to chiro first, because Robert had fixed his computer and I needed to give it to him and we had an appointment, and I was hoping things would resolve themselves. He is SO awesome, he has my strong beliefs AND he used to have severe asthma, so he knows what this stuff feels like. He kept me calm and helped me get more relaxed, my lungs lightened up enough that he did adjust me and let me hang out for probably an hour...but even with the same strong alternative feelings he dittoed my instinct that I should probably go get some western help.

By the way, did I mention Robert left for the east coast today?

I was calm enough that I went to urgent care instead of the ER though if I knew the ER parking lot/campus layout better I might have made a different decision. Anyway, I'm now on 4 stinking drugs (I refuse to use the word "meds", not that it's a word anyway...I am not a harried ER employee who doesn't have the time to say medicine or medication...everyone is using this ridiculous shortening of a word that would be better called a "drug" to begin with....harumph that's been on my mind for MONTHS), one that will give me insomnia. I have had MAYBE 4 hours of sleep per night for the last 2 nights, and just a little more on many previous nights...I'm SO excited!

I even looked into the cost of sending E out to hang with Robert for the week, just so I am not having to take care of a kid while I'm on albuterol (which makes me shakey, miserable, and not so nice) and freakin' prednisone which will take away what sleep I can get.

And from today's coughing and trying to get a breath in, my back is so sore I feel like I lifted a car. Hurts SO much.

So there we are. I can't stand this, but the stuff I was doing wasn't helping. Haven't had bronchitis in decades, and I still don't know what "bug" caused it (desperately want to know), but it did not play well with my lungs today and last night!

Poor poor me.... Little FYI, I shouldn't have gone to that party. 3/4 of the way through it I started feeling worse than I had yet, and on the way home I was a total wreck. But we got to be approx 15 feet away from Curt Smith of Tears for Fears while he did a nearly acoustic set, so....was it worth it? (psst, not if I had successfully drowned while driving, that's for sure)

 

[kaoden39]

Oh Molly.

I know you had to have been really ill to go to the Dr. I hope that your drugs do the trick. I am guilty of using the term meds and honestly it is just laziness. Prednisone, always makes Kacy hungry and goes on what I call a "see food" diet. It makes me grouchy, and the smallest thing annoys me. My thoughts are with you through this.

 

[bumbershoot]

Sorry about the "meds" rant. Don't feel bad, it's just one of those words that make my ears wish they had doors LOL. I also refuse to use "z-pack"; rather, I am taking azithromycin tablets for 5 days. And I say acetominophen and ibuprofen instead of brand names. Also, "tissue"...so much so that when I said something about Kleenex last night, with the box right next to me, E said "what's Kleenex?" Guess I'm not a big brand name/industry abbreviation, sort of person?

Last night wasn't super-fun, the albuterol was having a hard time fighting against the "itis" part of bronchitis, and I spent the last 2 hours before I could take another dose sitting in the living room, taking the world one breath at a time. I actually did keep dozing off, which was nice, but not ultimately restful. Last hour I drank nettle tea and did some googling on "can I use albuterol and primatene together" and found that, maybe, sort of, possibly, I could, so I took one puff of that and it got me through. And then I actually fell asleep in bed for awhile, and did the albuterol when I woke up (coughing again).

I don't get sick like this very often, thank goodness. Last serious time was at the end of '99 when I had an awful flu, went to sleep while listening to the fireworks as everyone else celebrated the new year, and I was surprised to see 2000.


Blah blah blah. I did get some sleep once it was full-on morning. Might have even had a fever while sleeping, which I'm glad for, because I hadn't fevered for all this time. Can't help but think that that's part of the reason I hit such a low!



I got my photopass CD, the pictures are on it (recent reports have been that some discs are missing most picture), maybe I'll be able to do something with those....

 

[kaoden39]

I never really thought about it. It is a lazy thing and I know I picked it up from having one of my many visits to the ER and my long hospital stay.

There is nothing worse than bronchitis. I haven't had it for years, knock on wood. I can remember never being more miserable than when I had it. I truly feel your pain. I am not for Zithromax myself, I cannot take cillons so I am limited.

I avoid the dr like the plague, and you would think that mt insurance company would like that but they have calling me and wanting me to go in for check ups. I feel like they want me to have a well child check up and I am a little grown up for that.

I am down inside three weeks now before I go to Disneyland and I can hardly wait. Am I awful to be so excited to go on vacation without my husband and kids?

 

[bumbershoot]

I'm so happy for your trip! Hey, maybe the insurance company knows that you love Disneyland like a child, so they think you are one? ha ha.

They send Robert stuff all the time. I think they see the blood sugar monitor stuff that he gets, but don't see medications, and get worried. They SHOULD be happy, because he's been able to make the lifestyle changes that are so awesome and have no side effects, but you know that no one programmed the auto-email computer program to think like that....

And you'd THINK that the pharmacy would look at the two albuterol brand name suggestions on the prescription and see which one is cheaper for me. But noooooo. They gave me the $35 one, not the $25 one. And, by the way, insurance calls either one non-formulary, b/c they are brand names. But there IS NO generic, hello....

I might call 'em (the insurance company, about the no-generic option thing) (once I can trust my voice), I might not, it's just annoying. I shouldn't push it with them, though, not after all they've provided to Robert the last nearly 2 years...

I *should* call Walgreens, though...especially since the cheaper one was listed FIRST on the prescription.


Obviously I have done nothing with the photopass pix.

 

[kaoden39]

Thank you Molly I am really excited for my trip too. And maybe they do think I am a child, a big one but a child none the less.

I think they are looking at the bottom line, it is preventive. You know what I mean? And well I should do my female dr visit, my mom is a uterine cancer survivor so that is a thing we have to watch for I guess.

I think the pharmacy should automatically give you the option for the generic. Silly(there was another s word I don't like so I chose not to use it) pharmacy.