"OUR BIG, FAT DISNEY VACATION!" Ch.26 NEW! 2/11 pg. 121 "And they lived happily ever&

[aldisneygrl]

The next part is traumatic for me...those Spectro Magic bobble-head clowns FREAK me out!

Amen Sister!!! I am with you on that one. They are creepy dudes! There's no "world of laughter" with them!

 

[A&A'sGrammy]

Thanks for replying to my post. I'm feeling a little more comfortable replying this time. Boy was I nervous!!!!! I sure don't know why, you all seem so nice and friendly .

I was never a big fan of the parades. I guess I just never wanted to give up ride time to park myself at a good viewing spot. For some strange reason though I always loved the Mickey Mania parade. Remember that one? I think it was the big three fingered walking Mickey hands!!!!

 

[SleepingBeautyDreamr]

Thanks for replying to my post. I'm feeling a little more comfortable replying this time. Boy was I nervous!!!!! I sure don't know why, you all seem so nice and friendly .

Everyone on UM's thread are very nice. You will like it here very much.

 

[S.Poppins]

I should be working on project #3 that is due tonight. I already submitted 2 projects that I started and finished today. But my mind needed a break. I've been so busy lately, I have missed you guys! I could use a TR update about now!

 

[Disneygrl36]

I remember the Mickey Mania parade.........very catchy song with that one & Mickeys parts dancing down the street (gloves, shoes, mickey ears). Great parade............

Utahmama where are ya???????
Come out, come out wherever you are
And meet the young lady who fell from a star
She feel from a star, she fell very far
And Utah she says is the name of her star............

 

[wdwdreamin2]

Hello Umama and groupies...I mean fellow disers...My bum is still tired from sitting hours and hours yesterday reading this fab trippie. My eyes are burning and sides splitting...love your wit and humo(u)r.

From one haircolorist to another...anytime you zip through Austin, I'll do your hair for free!!!! It's the least I can do to repay all (ok..an eensy bit) of
your time writing and entertaining the Dis masses!!!!

We stayed at POR in May. D(Goofy)H's photos are spectacular and made me smile at our memories there. Like DD1's temper fit at the wheel, 5 loads of laundry by the pool, entire bottle of red wine knocked on the floor (DD1 thank u very much) , DD5's hair wrap torture, screaming meltdown on the boat to DTD....sniff...good times

Anyhoo...thanks for super duper trippie!! I'm going back with DD6 in Jan and am getting inspired to do a TR

Any advice? How in the "World" did you keep track of it all?? Maybe Twinkie can hook a girl up?

Amy

 

[KatInHat]

Where is Utahmama? We want more !!

 

[kimbac3]

Hello Utahmama Not to bug but I leave for WDW in 15days( )...any chance of wrapping up your report before I go???Ok, well how about another installment or two?? Whadya say? Huh?? Pretty please!!! Can you??
Can You??

Thanks Great report by the way

Back to waiting

Kimba

 

[Poohbear77]

Helloooo, anyone there(knock, knock, knock)


Just kidding Umama- We know you have a life outside the Dis so when you are ready we will be here waiting patiently

.....OK thats long enough...more please

 

[jaycns]

I am only on page 14 and I have spit twice already! This is one funny and interesting report! THANKS FOR SHARING!! Please keep it comin'!!

 

[UtahMama]

Chapter 20, Which is the tail end of the same day as chapter 19.

“WET SPECTRO MAGIC PARADE, WISHES, AND THE BUS-RIDE I WILL NEVER FORGET”

Having just did the Hall of Presidents and being amazed with the tiny details and mannerisms, we headed over to claim our spots for Spectro Magic. We located a spot in Liberty Town Land and sat our persons down to mark our parade territory just as the rope were being put up. WHY are my kids fascinated with these ropes? I just watched my home-video for this chapter and I swear I said “Don’t touch the rope.” At least a brazillion times. It was the brazillion and oneth time I hisspered through my clenched teeth riiiight in their sweet little boy ears, “THIS is the LAST time I’m going to ask you NICELY not to TOUCH the fiddle-faddle-freakin’-flipping ropes”….which WAS caught on home video but it was said with a clenched teeth SMILE and looked as if I was telling my dear children a sweet secret until their faces went:

We sat by a DIS family by the name of Elbow45 (unsure of spelling…checking these details are exhausting). This family is matching in our mad pin-trading skills of stalking each and every CM we encountered and several we even hunted. Our kids ran around together pin trading with busy CM’s, who were good sports while trying to set up the parade while holding out their lanyard for our eager kids to peruse.

We had choice spots for the parade. BUT, what happens when you get all cozy for the parade?

One drop
Two drops
Three drops
23 gazillion all at once drops….

By the time it occurred to us to fetch out ponchos, we were already pretty soaked!
In our dither to get the rain gear out of the bottom of our stroller in the south wing of the utility basket, we had set our camera equipment loosely and stupidly on top of the stroller canopy (DUH!!!!) just as our toddler flung said canopy forward launching both our new fancy shmancy digital camera and our new fancy shmancy video camera hurling through time and space 4 feet in front of the stroller…in sloooooow motion! DH and I looked at each other, mouthed the word “NOOOOOOO”, and made a pitiful yet comical attempt at catching them! Well, one of the cameras survived. The video camera. MAD PROPS to the Canon Elura 100 for surviving with out a scratch!!! The digital camera, yes the one DH had left in the Boardwalk Villas gift shop only to have to back track for over an hour to find! THAT’d be the one! SOMEONE didn’t get the extra coverage warrantee despite MY pointing out we have a toddler and are prone to such unfortunate events…. (I told you so!)

Then the torrential rains came. Sideways and horizontal rains! BUT we had such good spots! So the UtahMama clan and the Elbow45 family hunkered down for a wet, WET parade. Each of us sported our yellow Mickey ponchos and Norah actually wore 2 adult ones while seated in her stroller. One was worn forward and one was kind of a cape…all the stroller contents were saved from further rain with my WunderMama skills.

Might I add, when you are already wet and put your poncho on over top of your wet self, you trap the heat and wetness IN and a miserable sauna occurs…leaving you a rainy, sweaty, sticky, icky, possibly stinky, wet, moist, yucky mess. Thoughts of yeast infections and athelete’s foot-body, jock itch danced in my head and I REALLLLLLY wanted to get back to the resort. And bathe. And Victoria Secret Pink body-spray myself.

Let’s talk about Spectro Magic in the rain.
The rain was now non-torrential and non-threatening but still ON. This parade was the shorter, faster version. We have viewed this parade several times but this was the first wet version. The music even seemed a little faster!? I do not recall the lights turning from colored to white and back. Just colored. Ariel was the highlight. She loved the water! AND she waved and blew kisses at US! What an honour.

Those glowy- bobble-headed Spectro clowns FREAK. ME. OUT!!!!!!!!!!! LOOK at them!!!!! ( I hope you know who I am talking about withOUT pictures…took some the next night without the rain) That’s some scarry shizzle, right there. My idea of hell would include the Spectro Magic Bobble-headed clowns, and the Burger King “King”, The Quaker Oats “Quaker”, Cosmic Ray, Alf, Possibly the Sun-Made Raisin “Maiden”, the “IT” Clown, assorted crabs, Crabs skittering with IT clown faces, and a Frickles’ Ham in ham-water (NOF).

After Spectro, it was time for Wishes. As much as I was dying to go get cleaned up, the musical score of Wishes makes me get a huge lump in my throat (especially the part when the kids-choir sings…oh gosh, there I go again…((.fanning my eyes). I’ve waited a long time to hear Jiminy Crickett’s narraration, so while DH went to the camera store on MainStreet to consult about his broken digital camera, I parked our stroller on MainStreet in front of the Walt and Mickey statue with a perfect view of the castle at the ready for my beloved Wishes.

Now, admit it. Watching Wishes brings out the inner child in you, doesn’t it. Ok, maybe not, but it DOES me! I make a secret wish in my heart every time!

DH returned in a foul mood due to the brokenness of his new toy (and maybe a little of my I told you so-ness). NOT to fear, we brought our trusty Minolta along! Except it was back at the resort. So this is the only installment without pictures. Except the photopass one of DH, Jordan and Dallen taken after me, Norah and Riley (who was very tired) left. Tonight was Extra or Extended Magic Hours (EMH) .

I mentioned we left so the big kids could ride all the fast rides and have a blast. Which they did! They rode Splash Mountain several times, posing for the camera differently each time. Magic Kingdom was open till midnight that night so I’d have hours of peace and quiet while my youngest two slept! Heaven!

This is a Photo-Pass photo of the guys of my family who stayed till midnight for some extra-extra FUN!

You do not want to see what happens next. Your imagination will have to suffice.

I was leaving so I said my “good-byes” and my “have funs” to my guys. I had my stroller, diaperbag, cooler, WET rain gear, camera gear, purse, diaper bag, and gift shop purchases to make HOPping on the bus VERY difficult and encumbered. Luckily the rains had cleared away a lot of the people previous to my arrival in the bus line. I still had to wait several busses till it was our turn. What happened next optimizes Disney to me and will forever stand out as a Pixie Dust Moment to end all pixie dust moments for me!

My kids are cranky. And tired. And hungry. And I’ve gotten used to having my two pack-mules (DH and DS17) to make “hoping” on a bus as easy as you please. I’m alone now. With strangers who I’m sure I am annoying just by the mass of possessions I am juggling. The doors of the POR bus swing open and there is just one seat available on the standing room only bus. Norah is in one arm in the football hold and my very heavy stroller is in the other arm. I load the child onto the bus and the kind driver holds her hand while I swing on the stroller. I go back down the bus stairs to Riley who is waiting by the curb with our mountain of crap! I gather as much as I can and Riley helps as much as he is able. The bus driver said ALL the busses will be crowded like this at this time of night when I asked if I should wait. Riley took the one seat and I plopped his sister onto his lap. I told him to HOLD onto her as I lumbered my way back more than half the bus-length with all my above listed stuff. “Oops, excuse me….SO sorry……Sorry, I didn’t see your foot….Excuse me…” as I made my way to a clearing. I put my bags/baggage down near my feet and propped the stroller up between me and a seatback and held on for dear life as the bus lurched off. I could hear Norah up front struggling under her brother’s death-grasp, so I said out loud, “Sweetie, sit still, mama’s back here….please sit still for your brother, baby!” Tears were welling up in my eyes as I realized how frustrating the whole situation was! Why didn’t I just stay for extra magic hours??? I said a little prayer in my heart and begged God to comfort Norah and Riley up at the front of the bus…. No sooner was my sincere AMEN whispered, that I noticed to my amazement, several other mothers near my kids trying to entertain them and keep their minds off the fact their mom was ¾ of a bus-length away. These mothers had probably had quite a day THEMSELVES and had THEIR hands full as well, but they saw the situation and helped me in the most kind way they possibly could. A man standing near me took my stroller for me off the bus (AND set it up!!!) and another man took some of my bags out of the back doors. I can not help but cry when I think of these strangers helping me, the stupid lady who didn’t stay for Extra Magic Hours!

Once in our dry, cool room, we plunked all our wet crap onto the bed and ate little snack. I gave the kids a quick, warm bubble bath, dried them off and put clean, warm pajamas on them. They were asleep as soon as their heads hit their pillows, thank God, AGAIN!

After I was clean and dry and smelling GREAT, I noticed a small note written by our Mousekeeper to “Thank Us” for the “money”(tip) with a little smilie-face! That was IT! I might have made her day in a small way, and those people on the bus made my day (their generosity was beyond belief, I still feel warm inside when I think of those strangers!) in a BIG way. My heart was again SO FULL!!! Once again I am SO thankful for my many blessings which I DON’T deserve. I am so full of joy for those seemingly mundane events.

I slept better that night than I ever had. Having the whole bed and all the pillows to myself had nothing to do with it. Apparently, secret wishes muttered to yourself during “WISHES”, do come true!

 

[celerystalker]

Aww. How sweet! I saved the envelope from one of our mousekeepers. I put "Thank you mousekeeping!" on it and she wrote back "You are very welcome!" and signed her name. I'm gonna put it in my scrapbook.
And HA! on the poor frickles ham.
Poor frick.

 

[HaleyB]

Hey Homie. I skipped ahead because I am like that, so I am off to read what came before in a second. I am so glad to hear you found some pixie dust on the bus. That is the beauty of Disney for me, it brings out the best in (most) people. Except, not always on the buses... but sometimes!!!

I will never forget our bus/stroller struggles. I always felt so bad for my DH, Mr. Silly. He hated those bus trips with the stroller that didn't seem as huge when we used it at home.

This year was our first 100% stroller free WDW trip. It was great!!! We took pity on some poor stroller laden people a few times on the buses. It is so much easier to carry those things when you don't have a little one in your arms or by the hand, go figure.

Ok, off to read the part I skipped

 

[TwinkieMama]

I am proud to be your WunderMamaTwin.

That was an excellent chapter.

Great writing and straight from the heart!

Thanks for being so authentic with us and for sharing your adorable family.

 

[javamom]

 

[S.Poppins]

Frickles Ham and NOF, no comprende! Can you translate into Mississippi please?

I kind of laughed, then got misty eyed at the bus story. That last tag about your "boo" (I do not want you to translate this particular line) is that new? Very cool!

And will you please talk to DisUnc - You now have 2 installments to his one! Maybe you can motivate or challenge him or something!

 

[texasmom]

Utahmama,

After reading this installment I could no longer just lurk quietly and anonymously. Although your installments make me laugh, this one brought tears to my eyes and made me count my blessings too. Being a mother of two young ones myself, I understand your stress. I get so anxious in those situations. Other moms understood too.

The magical moments you experienced at the end of a long tiring day will be remembered a lifetime.

We were there in September. I had a special package delivered to our hotel for my children. They were so surprised and wondered how "they" (whoever they are) knew they loved princess stuff and cars. My daughter made the comment that still makes my eyes well up when she said, "Mommy, you are right, this place really is magical!". That was my favorite moment of our last trip.

You are doing a great job on your TR.
Your children are blessed to have you.

Keep the installments coming!!!!

 

[NAB]

UMA--awwwwwwww I can just see you on the bus. You got your babies in bed were they needed to be. I am glad you had a lot of pixie dust that day.

 

[HaleyB]

Ok all caught up.

Shake your money maker!

 

[UtahMama]

Frickles Ham and NOF, no comprende! Can you translate into Mississippi please?

I kind of laughed, then got misty eyed at the bus story. That last tag about your "boo" (I do not want you to translate this particular line) is that new? Very cool!

And will you please talk to DisUnc - You now have 2 installments to his one! Maybe you can motivate or challenge him or something!

DisUnc may just need an intervention...

The "boo" tag was from when my DH "helped" me with my bouncing Halloween Mickey/pumpkin (at first I thought their was a "b" at the end...naughty mind!)

Someone named Frickles posted a picture of a poor overdone ham she had cooked, then she said she spilled ham-water on her shoe. Poor Frickles!
NOF is No Offense to her...I just made that up

Thanks!!!!! To all y'all!!!!