Pixie Dust in Your Eye Hurts! -- Aug. 2010 -- update on 2/25: Epcot Photopass!

[tankgirl427]

Even if you didn't get the exact same photo its close enough to count! First thing I noticed...... that Edy's was Borden's as the sponser for the ice cream. Oh I have issues!

 

[wlake]

This post isn't an update or a response to anyone, but I've been thinking about it all day, and I believe you're the group who would understand it best.

My DH works for a large defense contractor, in a secure facility. About once every 5 or 6 years, they have a family day where the employees can bring in their families and show them selected parts of the facility. Today was the first family day since 2005, and luckily we had beautiful weather, because we were going no matter what.

We had fun. We were served a picnic lunch, walked around the facility, got to see one of DH's two desks, and saw lots of demonstrations. The boys climbed up in some of the big trucks and got to do some very cool hands on things. Here's the rub -- no cameras are ever allowed in the facility. So my sons are doing these once-in-a-lifetime (for the average person) things as well as the more common climb-in-a-fire-truck things, and I had no camera and hence no photos.

It was the strangest feeling today, to not be taking pictures. Earlier in the morning, I had my camera on my lap for the younger one's entire soccer game, and even though I only took 3 or 4 pictures, I had it. For the rest of the day, I was wandering around almost lost. I don't know if it made me live more in the moment of what we were doing or if it made me less observant of the details (as I wasn't trying to compose a shot), or both.

I'm still not sure entirely what I think about it, but I thought perhaps my fellow TR/PTR writers would find it interesting!

I'm still working on my latest update. I spent a day this week at a workshop on how to teach writing to 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders, and so now I've been reading my own writing more critically! How on earth am I going to tell them to make sure they use interesting beginnings and the magic of three and all of those other techniques if I don't use any of them myself? So it'll be a bit. Hopefully it'll be well written though!

 

[lexmas]

Aww, I would have been sad to not have my camera. I feel like my pictures serve as my second memory...I'm going to forget most of it eventually, so having that record to help me remember is so important to me! I remember so much more that way! In fact, everyone in my family seems to go blind if they live long enough, so I expect to, and that's the saddest thing to me, that I won't be able to look at pictures and remember my kids when they were little. I already can't remember what they looked like as little babies without the help of pictures, so there's no way that I will be able to when I'm old!

Can't wait to read your expertly written next TR installment!

 

[TinksThree]

I understand completely!! I take millions of pictures of every little thing because I am always afraid I will forget...well I know I will forget! I have so many pictures that I look over and realize I had totally forgotten this or that! I used to scrapbook and I think I have over 30 albums right now! My DH was in the military and I do understand the whole secrecy thing. I got reprimanded for asking about a new airplane they were receiving. We were in a public restaurant and I did not know you couldn't discuss things like that!

I can't wait to see the next update!

 

[wlake]

Aww, I would have been sad to not have my camera. I feel like my pictures serve as my second memory...I'm going to forget most of it eventually, so having that record to help me remember is so important to me! I remember so much more that way! In fact, everyone in my family seems to go blind if they live long enough, so I expect to, and that's the saddest thing to me, that I won't be able to look at pictures and remember my kids when they were little. I already can't remember what they looked like as little babies without the help of pictures, so there's no way that I will be able to when I'm old!

Can't wait to read your expertly written next TR installment!

I understand completely!! I take millions of pictures of every little thing because I am always afraid I will forget...well I know I will forget! I have so many pictures that I look over and realize I had totally forgotten this or that! I used to scrapbook and I think I have over 30 albums right now! My DH was in the military and I do understand the whole secrecy thing. I got reprimanded for asking about a new airplane they were receiving. We were in a public restaurant and I did not know you couldn't discuss things like that!

I can't wait to see the next update!

What both of you said about having a short memory is so true for me as well! TinksThree, after having whichever government agency (I always think it's the Secret Service, but I'm pretty sure that's wrong) sitting on my couch quizzing me about my relationship with my DH so he can get the next security clearance, I've learned not to talk at all!

 

[wlake]

I give up on improving my personal narrative here, despite all the encouragement from the writing workshop. Maybe I'll tackle it in the next installment (after, perhaps, I've actually read the relevant sections of the teacher's manual instead of just getting the workshop summary!)


We strolled and took pictures all the way down to the train station. We turned to head back up and saw the Main St. dancers hop off the trolley and begin to perform. DS5 was enthralled, so we stopped to watch. Shows like this are one of the things I love about WDW.

By now it was time for our Big Thunder FPs. DS5 hates roller coasters, so we took turns taking DS8 on the ride. We learned last year that the clacking noise at the beginning (as you go up the dark tunnel) is way too much for him to handle, so we cover his ears for him at that point and one other in the ride. With that much noise taken away, he’s able to manage the ride and really likes it. DH went first while DS5 and I watched Splash and wandered around a bit, getting FPs for Splash too. I feel like he ended up doing a fair amount of nothing because he hates so many rides. Next trip, if he’s still anti-ride, we’ll have to do more splitting up for longer amounts of time.

I rode with DS8 while DH took the little one to Tom Sawyer Island. It’s a great quiet spot for DS8 to recover in, so we jumped on the next raft after getting off BTMRR. I was anxious the whole time we were on the island because our 11:50 ADR for Liberty Tree was fast approaching, so we didn’t run and explore as much as we did last year. We still managed to go over the barrel bridge several times, though! The boys think it’s great and even I like to jump from barrel to barrel to see if I can avoid the sinking, swaying feeling of the rest of the bridge.

We checked in for our ADR a few minutes early and were seated almost right away! For some reason, I had it in my head that this was a family style meal, so we were pleasantly surprised to get menus and be able to order. For the life I me I can’t remember what I ordered, but I remember thinking there were many things that sounded good on the menu but it was just too hot out to consider eating them! Here’s the only food picture I took this trip. DS5 liked the Mickey head plate!

Conquering the mountains of the Magic Kingdom is a phrase my older son picked up somewhere, but I’m not sure where. During our visit last year, Space Mt. was closed, so it wasn’t even a consideration. This trip, with Space open, it was something much discussed in our house. Now that we know the secret to making BTMRR enjoyable for him, this ride was a definite. He had wanted to ride Splash last year, but rapidly changed his mind when he saw the drop. However, now that it was possible to conquer all three mountains, both Splash and Space were on his list of things to do. But would he do it?

By this point in the trip, I was thinking Space was a no go. We had ridden the TTA PeopleMover, and he had seen just how dark Space Mt. was. We had watched logs come down Splash several times, and each time I asked him if he wanted to ride, he was noncommittal. Now lunch was over, and I pulled out the set of Splash FPs and told him this was his chance. It didn’t take him too long to decide to go for it! I was very proud of him.

At this point, I’d like to say that DH and I had a rational conversation and all that about who was going to ride with him, but we didn’t. I just wasn’t going to go. Besides hating drops, I hate wearing wet clothes (yes, I realize I have my own set of sensory problems!). So the conversation consisted of me handing him the FPs and telling him to have fun.

DS5 and I waited on the bridge to see them come down. He liked watching the splash on the bridge and I was going to try to get a photo. I had even told DH that if the ride photo was good he should buy it. I shot several trial photos of other boats, but when the time came for my family’s -- I missed it! I did get this one of them coming back around. You can see the joy on his face! (Or maybe you can’t. It’s a small face.)

When we meet up again, DH was empty handed, and I was disappointed. Then the truth of the ride comes out. As soon as they got to the top, DS8 ducked down and hid under the seat so he wouldn’t get wet! DH said it looked like he was riding alone in the photo. So, my son is dry and my husband is soggy. It’s 1:00 PM, and we decide we’ll head to DTD for the rest of the afternoon and return to the park that evening.

up next: Can I actually walk straight out of the park?

 

[tankgirl427]

I kinda did the same thing with Splash Mountain. I never rode it before, I hate large drops and we ended up in the front row and when it was time for the drop I turned and hit into BF's shoulder. He had a huge smile on his face and I was this scared person tucked under his arm.

 

[lexmas]

I think that phrase is from the planning DVD. If that's possible...I remember you said you don't let the kids watch TV, so maybe it's from somewhere else! I just watched the planning DVD yesterday, and it sounds very familiar!

I keep forgetting about TSI. I hope I don't forget while I'm there! I've never done it with a kid who is old enough to actually enjoy it, so I'm looking forward to that!

Did you enjoy LTT? My mom wants to eat there so we made reservations for our Jan/Feb trip. It seems like my mom's kind of food. Too bad it's not a character meal anymore...Characters in colonial garb just sounds so very amazing! We tried to get a ressie there on our last trip, and we never did get one, and then shortly after that is when they discontinued the characters.

I share your "being wet" sensory issues. I hate it. I always tell people that I'm like a cat.

You must have been so proud that he did it! And good for him, ducking down to avoid getting wet. Even if it did ruin the picture.

Could you fix that last picture? It's of your DS5, not your DS8 on the ride! I want to see if I can see the excitement on the tiny face in the picture!

 

[wlake]

I kinda did the same thing with Splash Mountain. I never rode it before, I hate large drops and we ended up in the front row and when it was time for the drop I turned and hit into BF's shoulder. He had a huge smile on his face and I was this scared person tucked under his arm.

That'd be me too! I just don't see the point in Splash -- I spend the entire ride dreading the drop! You rode EE -- how would you compare the two rides from a "drop hating" standpoint?

 

[lexmas]

Thanks for fixing the picture! I can see it, he looks SO excited! Hooray!

 

[wlake]

I think that phrase is from the planning DVD. If that's possible...I remember you said you don't let the kids watch TV, so maybe it's from somewhere else! I just watched the planning DVD yesterday, and it sounds very familiar!

I keep forgetting about TSI. I hope I don't forget while I'm there! I've never done it with a kid who is old enough to actually enjoy it, so I'm looking forward to that!

Did you enjoy LTT? My mom wants to eat there so we made reservations for our Jan/Feb trip. It seems like my mom's kind of food. Too bad it's not a character meal anymore...Characters in colonial garb just sounds so very amazing! We tried to get a ressie there on our last trip, and we never did get one, and then shortly after that is when they discontinued the characters.

I share your "being wet" sensory issues. I hate it. I always tell people that I'm like a cat.

You must have been so proud that he did it! And good for him, ducking down to avoid getting wet. Even if it did ruin the picture.

Could you fix that last picture? It's of your DS5, not your DS8 on the ride! I want to see if I can see the excitement on the tiny face in the picture!

I realized my mistake with the picture almost right away, but you were faster!

I think you're right about "conquering the mountains of the Magic Kingdom" being on the planning DVD. Before we went the first time, we watched that and all the YouTube videos I could find to prepare DS8. I wanted him to know what he was getting into on the rides before he went! DS5 had also been funny about big characters, so I wanted him to see those on the video as well.

Tom Sawyer is great for the little ones! I always think of WDW as a kid-friendly place, but in many ways it's not. Over on the island, they can run and poke around without getting into people's way or you worrying about them getting lost. I don't think we've explored all of it, even.

We liked LTT. As I said, lots of good food on the menu, although it's mostly what I think of as "winter" food, so you should be good to go in January/February!

 

[wlake]

The answer to my last question, can I actually walk straight out of the park, is a great big no. Are you kidding me? With PP photograhers just standing around doing nothing?

DH runs to get us some Buzz FPs because we’re hoping to come back to the park that evening. The boys and I head over to Main St. more slowly and come across an unoccupied PP photographer. I hate to have them be bored, so we take a few pictures. Or an even dozen. Or even a few more than that. We end up with these:

Then we (I) decide we need to head over to Cinderella’s wishing well. It’s the most important thing of the entire trip for me. When DH and I went back in 2001, we took a tour where we were all taken to the wishing well and given some Mickey head confetti to wish with. A very important wish came true, and so we visited again last year. My second wish came true as well, and as I knew this coming year was going to be full of challenges for us, so I had another very important wish to make.

The wishing well is on this little path to the right of the castle. You can find the entrance by Belle’s Fairytale Garden area. There are usually very few people on this path, so it’s also a good place to rest on a bench and relax. I was a bit horrified to find another family (mother and daughter, while dad hung out further down the path) there. The mother was trying to get her daughter to make a wish, so I gave her some of the Mickey head confetti. That got her excited! The mom offered to take our picture and after, we made our wishes. This is my only picture of the entire well from this trip (complete with the little girl and her wand, which I think makes the picture rather cool).

The boys wanted to know where the firework tubes are located, so we wandered around the castle looking. I don’t think there are any on ground level, but we talked about the lights and looked up at the parpets for firework tubes too. Somehow, this brought us around to the complete opposite side of the castle where...

my fairy godmother is greeting people! I know she’s not *my* fairy godmother but rather Cinderella’s, but Cinderella already has her prince and castle and a batch of servants to take care of things for her, so I figure she can share. I’m mostly interested in the household help! There were only a few families in line (pixie dust for me!), but it really didn't matter how long the line was!

I know the fairy godmother’s just a person who goes home and does her own laundry and grocery shopping like everyone else, but I almost cried when it was my turn to see her. My husband caught the expression on my face and gave me a funny look, but I blew him off and got it back together. If I knew then just how much I could use a fairy godmother right now, I’m not sure I would have been able to pull myself together so fast.

We finally head down Main St. and run into the Main Street Philharmonic, so we stop to listen to them for awhile. I’m not sure what the best route from WDW to DTD is, so I run into guest relations to ask while everyone else slowly moves across the town square.

“Well,” I say to them, “I found out how to get to DTD from here.” DH looks at me, clearly thinking it’s going to be a pain in the neck. I sigh heavily, and tell them, “We’re going to have to take the monorail.” Wild cheering ensues!

It turns out the best way to DTD is to take the monorail to a resort and grab a bus from there. We get off the monorail at the CR since we know exactly where that bus stop is now! By the way, from meeting after Splash to getting to the monorail station: 55 minutes. I think that’s pretty good for “leaving right away!”

up next: can you believe it's still Thursday?

 

[tankgirl427]

That'd be me too! I just don't see the point in Splash -- I spend the entire ride dreading the drop! You rode EE -- how would you compare the two rides from a "drop hating" standpoint?

Well one problem with Splash Mountain was that we were in the front row, so that was a straight shot of seeing the drop. With EE we asked to sit in a middle row. One thing I've learned, if you want to feel the whole drop sit in the back, if you want to see the drop sit in the front, if you kind of want to miss the drop sit in the middle.

And I closed my eyes during the drop of EE as well, but it didn't feel as bad as Spalsh.

 

[tankgirl427]

I thought you might like to see the video of BTMRR that I took with my friend and sister back in 2006.

A tour of BTMRR

 

[TinksThree]

I agree about the entertainment on Main Street!! That really adds so much to the atmosphere!!

I love Splash Mtn so much!! I am glad your son had a good time. When I get nervous about the drop I just close my eyes and feel the wind in my hair!! It helps...some!!

I had a similar reaction to Snow White as you did to The Fairy Godmother! And I got a similar reaction from DH!

 

[Bookstamper]

Hi wlake! Great TR, I just got caught up on your last posts - looks like you had a great time at MK! I LOVE the Main Street entertainment, especially the dancers first thing in the morning. Glad your DS got to experience Splash AND stayed dry - genius move to duck down and avoid the spray! Looking forward to reading more!

 

[lexmas]

Aww, you're such a great mom...I feel relaxed just reading your updates, I can't imagine what it must be like to be on vacation with you! It seems like you really know how to soak in the atmosphere!

Your boys really have that balloon picture down. Disney should publish those pictures! So beautiful!

I'm so happy you got to make your wishes at the well! It's always been empty when I've gone too. I would probably have come back later. Those wishes are serious business!

I'm glad you got your moment with the fairy godmother! Sometimes we just need those moments of believing in the magic!

 

[wlake]

Hi wlake! Great TR, I just got caught up on your last posts - looks like you had a great time at MK! I LOVE the Main Street entertainment, especially the dancers first thing in the morning. Glad your DS got to experience Splash AND stayed dry - genius move to duck down and avoid the spray! Looking forward to reading more!

They're so much fun to watch, aren't they?

I agree about the entertainment on Main Street!! That really adds so much to the atmosphere!!

I love Splash Mtn so much!! I am glad your son had a good time. When I get nervous about the drop I just close my eyes and feel the wind in my hair!! It helps...some!!

I had a similar reaction to Snow White as you did to The Fairy Godmother! And I got a similar reaction from DH!

Closing my eyes is my #1 strategy -- now if I could just forget I was falling! As soon as you wrote about Snow White, I remember that from your TR! At least I'm not the only one!

Aww, you're such a great mom...I feel relaxed just reading your updates, I can't imagine what it must be like to be on vacation with you! It seems like you really know how to soak in the atmosphere!

Your boys really have that balloon picture down. Disney should publish those pictures! So beautiful!

I'm so happy you got to make your wishes at the well! It's always been empty when I've gone too. I would probably have come back later. Those wishes are serious business!

I'm glad you got your moment with the fairy godmother! Sometimes we just need those moments of believing in the magic!

We have our not so relaxed moments, believe me! An older friend of mine told me to just rewrite most of those out of my memory now, because I'll forget most of them later anyway, so I've been trying that! It helps! I have this beautiful picture of my boys hiking through the Christmas tree farm one year -- imagine tons of green trees, a dusting of snow, and the backs of two small boys in cute hats and big boots stomping though the woods. Norman Rockwell, right? The soundtrack, however, was something like this: "Why's he first? I want to be first!" "I get to pick the tree!" "It's my turn!" "He's in my way!" and so on. I had showed this friend the picture and told him what it had sounded like, and that's when he gave me the advice. It'll probably never help that photo, but it works on lots of others!

Still waiting for the fairy godmother to show up here... Heck, I'd settle for the mice to come clean a little. I made a couple of batches of applesauce tonight and the kitchen sure looks like it!

 

[wlake]

Thursday is never going to end at this rate, but I really don't want the TR to end, as it's been very cheering to write it!

With two boys in tow -- or more accurately, leading us at this point -- our first DTD stop was the Lego store. We’d promised them another container from the Pick-a-Brick wall, and I figured the best gift for our nephews would be a container of their own as well. That took half of forever, which was made to feel like forever by the crowds and the impossible volume of the store. Why on earth is that store so loud?

I was also on a mission to find the perfect princess things for my niece’s 4th birthday in a few months. Her bedroom was just repainted and is very princess-y, so I wanted to add to that. You would have thought I was asking the rest of my family to look at -- well, princess stuff. I’m not sure it gets too much worse in their book. We end up splitting up in World of Disney, of all places. I wasn’t sure I was ever going to find them again, but I got a tiara with of all the princesses for her. To make it even better (tackier, to be honest), it lights up! After her birthday, she’ll also be the proud owner of a princess hairbrush, a princess picture frame with a lovely picture of the pink princess in it, a set of four princess washcloths, and princess soap from Basin. (I managed to sneak into Basin by myself for a few minutes during my trip, and the lemongrass soap from there is tops on my Christmas list for this year!)

After having to admire all of my princess loot, the boys were way past ready to head to Goofy’s Candy Co. DS8 had gotten the dipped marshmallows last year and was still drooling over how good they were. So we three headed there while DH headed for Ghiridelli’s (however it’s spelled) and the chocolate milkshake he’d been dreaming of for a year as well. To be honest, I was a little worried about both of them after the disappointment of our French chocolate croissant.

Both boys wanted dipped marshmallows, DS8 in Oreos and DS5 in sprinkles. The entire process excited them -- filling out the forms, watching the various dips being done, and finally getting those precious red boxes with the Mickey straws sticking out. The presentation was much better this year, as last year it was just put on a plate. I wanted one of those boxes for myself! I was able to let those two hit the trash can though, based on how sticky they were! DS8 loved his just as much as last year, but DS5 wasn’t overwhelmed. I tried his (ok, I finished the half he didn’t eat ), and I think the sprinkles, while they looked nice, made it too dry. Oh well! DH enjoyed his milkshake just as much as last year. Here are the boys in front of the jellybean sign. (TinksThree, don’t you have this same picture?)

Then we went into the Pooh store to get DS5’s last souvenirs. He had seen a small plush Tigger and Piglet (he got the Pooh last year) in the shop as we got off the Pooh ride earlier and wanted, wanted, wanted them. We made him hold off because we didn’t want to carry them around all day and having them sent to the resort and thus being out of his sight would have been unacceptable to him. DH and DS8 sat down on a shelf/bench in there while DS5 and I bought the precious critters. He’s my stuffed animal guy. There’s hardly enough room in his bed for him due to all the animals, and Piglet and Tigger have been in his bed ever since.

We’ve had enough shopping for now, so we catch the boat back to POR.

 

[wlake]

We get back to the room and unload all of our things. Even though it’s close to our usual dinnertime, the boys are nowhere near hungry after eating that marshmallow stuff at DTD. The weather is nice, so we decide it’s the perfect time to punish our poor legs even further.

We rented a surrey bike. We had seen them on our last trip and thought they looked like fun. The boys and I had talked about it before we arrived but I had made sure to tell them it was a maybe. DH had a long chat with the very kind CM who was running the rental place. He figures we can squeeze DS8 on the bench between us and put DS5 in the basket up front and then we can get away with the two person bike. I was unsure about crowding us all in like that until the CM explained that the two person bikes are 150 pounds lighter than the four person bikes. Sold on the two seater!

Now, I haven’t ridden a bike in at least ten years, so there’s no way my leg muscles remember how to do this. I decided to let DH steer and I held on to my fake steering wheel and tried to remember how to pedal. DS5 settles into the basket and discovers that he’s in charge of the bell. Yikes. DS8 gets on the bench, we take a picture, and off we go!

If you’re familiar with POR at all, you know that there’s a boardwalk/bridge sort of thing around the waterwheel that takes several sharp turns. They may not seem sharp when you’re walking, but when you’re riding a surrey bike for the first time and have only had about 2 minutes’ worth of steering practice, they’re sharp!

We were told that pedestrians have the right of way, but that if we ring the bell at them, they usually move aside pretty quickly. Adding a cheery “We’re still figuring out how to steer this!” to the ding-ding of the bell tends to make them dive over the railing of that little bridge! (Not really, but a couple of people hugged it pretty tightly!)

If I thought the bridge was nerve wracking, it was nothing compared to the sidewalk next to the river. I was on the river side, and I know DH was trying to stay to the right to allow people to pass, but I kept expecting to be dumped in the river any second. It’s amazing how much steering you can do with a pretend steering wheel and still not get anywhere! After a few minutes, though, I began to relax. DS8 was having a great time, especially when we went down the little hill after crossing the bridge over the river (the one that “divides” POR and POFQ).

DS5 was ringing the bell anytime a person came within his eyesight, which was about every two seconds. I’ve never seen so many people out walking around!

We finish our first loop of the grounds and head off for a second. DS8 wants us to go very fast so we might be able to fit in three trips around. My legs want to go slowly, and they win out. By this point, we’re all laughing and having a great time. We still had a few minutes left on our time when we got back to the rental place, but we decided to quit while we can still walk and so we park the bike.

I have to say, that was probably the best 25 minutes we spent at WDW, and one of the best times we’ve spent together as a family. It was just pure fun.

It’s almost dinner time, so we decide to head back to MK and grab food there as well as do some night rides.

Up next: the end of Thursday, I promise!