Preggo, pennies, and pastries!!! **FINAL UPDATES 4/25**

[jenseib]

Ok, you are missing some of the update....like what the heck did Stephanie send you????

What made Luke get upset in the TSM line?

Great view in the new room!

 

[stephielela]

Ok, you are missing some of the update....like what the heck did Stephanie send you????

What made Luke get upset in the TSM line?

Great view in the new room!

Jen, it wasn't anything too thrilling, just stuff for Luke

And you reminded me to add, Jack threw a horrendous fit when we tried to get him on TSMM in December, but that was one of the times I held firm because everyone else wanted to ride and I was tired of his fits Sometimes I'm a bad mom Sure enough afterwards he asked to ride again!

 

[photographymom517]

I have been a little MIA on the dis lately Hope. So, thanks to your links I am all caught up on your trip.

Oh my, what a horrible experience at the Beach Club with your "not so friendly" neighbors! I am not sure I could have stood it all night long. Glad you were able to get another room in the morning.

I had no idea that all the cast members stood in front of their country when the world showcase opened. That would be neat to see. We might have to do that in April.

I the International Gateway. We experienced it for the first time in Thanksgiving. It is so handy and neat to walk in that way.

Love your pictures from the Behind the Seeds tour. I always think we will do this but I never book it. I think I will have to in April. Jeremy would definitely enjoy it.

So glad you liked the Garden Grill. Love the pictures of Luke with the characters.

I completely understand, Erika!!! I've been MIA here on DIS too! I am soooo behind on all of my subs that yesterday when I was catching up, I realized that THREE people have completed their TR's and I'm still catching up on their Day 2 or 3!!!

I FINALLY got those links put in the Table of Contents! I really like reading the "chatter" portions of people's TR's and hearing other people's comments as well -- but let's just face it, sometimes when I'm behind, it's not an option to read everything! I LOVE when people include links in the ToC -- super convenient for catching up quickly!!!

I didn't know about the CM's "opening" their country either!!! It was super neat to see, especially since it was France -- my favorite country!!! They were so nice, waved at everyone, and sang a song or two! Neat!

It's so easy to book the Behind the Seeds Tour -- if you need the phone number or any info, let me know! The CM I spoke with was so helpful & explained where to go & everything! I'm glad he told me the info because I would've probably been waiting over by Living with the Land instead of right beside Soarin! But once you get there, it's so easy to spot! They have things clearly marked & all the CM's are willing to help!

We Garden Grill!!! As I said, I think it's definitely a "must do" from now on!!! I can't see every getting tired of that food! It was so good!

I'm so glad you were able to get a good night's sleep in your new room. That is an amazing view! I thought little boys were supposed to be all about their Mamas, my little girl is all about her Daddy, too!

Our new view was GREAT!!! If I ever stay at BC again, I would definitely request a Water View. It really completes the experience!!! The only thing I would change in regards to the view/balcony is that I would spend more time enjoying it!!! We didn't sit out there much because of the bugs, but it would be nice to have a cup of coffee in the morning & just watch the boats come & go!

Luke is extremely attached to me since I'm a SAHM and he's basically been with me every hour of his life -- except for one overnight stay at my parents house and they watch him when I go to the doctor (maybe 2 hours at most each time). Yeah, in almost 4 years, he hasn't been away from me more than that. So it's a nice change for both of us when someone else is around! He enjoys having other adults around & I enjoy my break! He's definitely a mama's boy, no doubt there! But his dad works a lot so we enjoy our vacations!!!

Oh no, poor Luke! I hope things got better for him.

Ooo, I have never seen the "love" bugs before! Very gross.

Yay for a water view!

I'm glad you noticed my other updates while you were still on DIS yesterday! Like I said, I am soooo behind on my subs & I felt sort of guilty updating again when you had just caught up!

I talked to a few people I know from FL & they said that love bugs are common in September -- but were worse this year than ever! I didn't mention it yet but we noticed on the third or fourth day that there weren't as many. They were definitely still around, but the Disney CM's were really good about getting rid of them. I have no idea what they sprayed but we noticed them spraying a few different mornings at the bus stop.

Bugs don't usually bother me, but these were super annoying. They weren't bugs that just fly around & leave you alone -- they would literally land ON you. The one day we had to get them off of Luke, his stroller, his shoes, everywhere! They would fly right at your face & land everywhere!

They bothered me the most when I would be going to bed & find them on the light right above my head! I think I had a few nightmares about them going in my mouth while I was sleeping! Yes, very gross!

You can't let a grumpy kid cut your trip short!!!

We will see what happens!

 

[photographymom517]

Sorry in advance for this long post

I always volunteer to go fill our mugs at the end of the day. Almost every time we've stayed at the Wilderness Lodge we've been on the first floor. I don't know if you've been to WL but if you go through the lobby and walk down by the gift shop there's a little hallway back there. Our room for at least 3 trips was somewhere down that hallway. I would always go out one of the side doors and walk outside by the pool and then go in the door near Roaring Forks to fill the mugs. I looove taking a nice peaceful walk outside WL at night.

I'm so happy to have a ticker again! I really didn't think we'd go this year. This is the first time my mom has wanted to go as badly as me I don't know if you saw me talking about this on MeMom and Jill's report but we're having problems with my grandma. Long story short, she fell and went to a nursing home for 3 weeks and is now back at home. She's the most stubborn person in the world and was NOT happy about being in the nursing home. She's also not happy about the new rules she has at home, mainly the no stove rule. We have to take care of her dinner until meals on wheels starts(4 week waiting period ) Needless to say my mom is stressed out. She got a week and a half off for Christmas but she wants to have a real vacation so she's really looking forward to our trip! We leave 9 weeks from today!

I'm sorry about Luke Obviously I'm not a parent but I babysit my almost 3 year old cousin about 4 times a week. Usually he's really good but there have been a couple days where he's flipped out. Actually the other day he got mad when his dad came to pick him up because he didn't want to leave Apparently he talks about me all the time and loves coming to my house

I can't believe how close your due date is! I know three people, including you, who are all pregnant with boys and due within a month of each other We have a family friend expecting her first baby the same week as you. And my second cousin is pregnant with her second boy, due either the end of Feb I think

No problem with the long post! You know I like to write long ones too!

I'm going to have to get tips about WL from you & Katie!!! Since we're from PA, it never appealed to me before because I thought it would be "just like home". When I go to Disney, I like to have the "beachy feel" instead -- but you guys really, really have me intrigued now!!!! It's definitely on the list for the future!!!

Have you ever been to AKL? From your description of where the lobby, gift shop, and Roaring Forks are located, it sounds like WL and AKL are set-up very similar! Even if we don't stay at WL, I definitely plan to eat there next trip! What food do you recommend there?

I didn't see your post on MeMom & Jill's report -- I am soooo behind on DIS! I'm so sorry to hear about your grandma. I will definitely keep her in my thoughts & prayers! And you & your mom as well! I totally know what its like to take care of family members & while it can feel so rewarding to help out, it is still super stressful on everyone! Your mom definitely deserves a nice vacation!!! I'm so glad she is excited about your upcoming trip!!!

I love my kids & all the kids I babysit including my nephews and niece -- but I'm so over the "terrible twos"!!! My SIL & I were just talking about it the other day & we decided the "terrible twos" start around 18 months and last until they're 5 years old! And we were joking with each other since we both have to go through it again!!! My niece will be 2 very soon & of course the baby will go through it when he's around that age in 2 years from now. It's really nice to have my SIL though -- since our kids are all the same age, we can really be there for each other!

I'm starting to get frustrated with my obgyn because every week he tells me there's no progress! I know, completely HIS fault, right?!

I started weekly appointments early -- at the beginning of December whereas usually they would start at the beginning of your ninth month (which for me would be the 1st week of January). Not fun at all I'm looking forward to the day when he tells me to go to the hospital! I am soooo full of emotions right now -- I'm anxious, excited, scared, happy, etc!!! I am just soooo ready for him to be here! I really need to do a baby/pregnancy update! If not on here, I will message you via FB!

I know 20+ people who are pregnant -- and a few who just gave birth within the past 2-3 months!!! It is so crazy! I actually just found out last night that my husband's cousin's wife is pregnant again so now I can add her to my pregnant list!!! Two girls I know are due within a week of me, so there's a chance I may see them AT the hospital! That would be interesting for sure! Last time I had blood work done, I took Luke on a little tour of the maternity unit at our hospital. I wanted to show him around so he knows what to expect. I felt horrible when he asked me if we can ride the elevator together when he visits me at the hospital. I just explained that I would already be at the hospital & his grandma will be bringing him to see me. But whenever we leave the hospital, I would be riding the elevator with him AND the new baby. All of our bags are packed & ready to go! Not a huge surprise since I'm so OCD about packing for Disney vacations, right?!

Wow, you sure write a lot when you update!

I'm glad Luke (and you) had such a great time at Garden Grill.

Daisy and Stitch were also close to the fountain when we went. I met Daisy, but had already seen Stitch twice. Still, I almost went to see him anyway because I felt bad that he was alone. By the time I was done meeting Daisy another family was with Stitch, so I felt better for him and left.

What a great view you guys had. It's nice that they upgraded you to such a beautiful room/view after the trouble you went through.

Hope things got better for Luke.

I updated a lot because I'm still on the beginning of Day 3 and we went to Disney for 10 days! I want to get as much of this done as I can before the baby comes! I'm about 3 weeks away from my due date & I just have a gut feeling he's coming sooner! My obgyn says I'm wrong & everyone else says I have no medical evidence to support my theory -- but just call it a mommy's gut feeling!

Our new view was amazing!!!

My mom said the same thing about Epcot! She said that every time she's been to Disney, Daisy and Stitch are ALWAYS by the fountain! I guess I've never seen them before since usually we are using the main entrance to Epcot and arrive in the morning. We walk in, do a few things at Future World, and head straight to World Showcase since it's our favorite place! We usually stay in WS until Illuminations. This trip was completely different since we used the International Gateway to enter. We spent more time in the afternoon at FW & I think that's why we saw more characters!

 

[photographymom517]

Thanks for the awesome GG review! I really want to eat there next time around (with Jack). The food looks really good.

I was so glad when you told me you got a much better room/location/view. You guys deserved it after the first room experience!

I'm still irritated by the fee for the package. Especially since I think I called to verify the address and no one mentioned it to me. Ugh. Rant over.

It's ironic, Jack has a mark much like Luke's on his eye after he bumped it on a bus rail. Boys will find a way to hurt themselves no matter what! I'm sorry the beginning of the trip was full of so many "moments". I know it can be hard. It's just such a slap in the face when you are in such a perfect place and nothing is going right! I certainly hope it got better...

Every time I update, I think "this is probably going to be so boring to Stephanie!" since I text you on the trip! I wanted to text you more but also wanted to keep some things a surprise!

Do NOT feel bad about the package fee! I just explained it here so everyone knows in case they send a package to a client or a family member/friend! I'm so glad we had this experience to learn the exact process of picking it up! Can you imagine if one of us had sent a client a package & they never even picked it up since no one at the resort notifies you?? That would've been bad! I'm soooo glad you text me & told me! I would've cried had I not picked up the package & went home without it!

You really summed up exactly how I felt when you said this: "It's just such a slap in the face when you are in such a perfect place and nothing is going right!" I couldn't have said it better myself! That is EXACTLY what I was feeling! Thanks for being so supportive about our "trip moments" -- ahhhh! I could still cry about so many things -- BUT honestly as I'm writing my trip report, I look at the pictures & think of all the wonderful things that happened! I'm just hoping that next trip, we'll have less meltdowns & Luke will REALLY enjoy it!

Boys are so much different than girls! I never realized it since I'm so used to all the boys around -- but my friend has 2 girls & we spent a lot of time together with the kids last summer. She would just give me these looks half the time -- like she was soooo completely clueless about raising boys! I never realized anything was THAT different until those days with her!

Ok, you are missing some of the update....like what the heck did Stephanie send you????

What made Luke get upset in the TSM line?

Great view in the new room!

I sooooo wanted to open that box -- but it was Luke's so I forced myself to wait! As of this point in the report, we haven't opened it yet -- so don't worry, it's coming!!! And I have pics too!

What made him get upset? Your guess is as good as mine! I think it was just overwhelming to him, a completely different routine, people he wasn't used to, etc. I honestly to this day cannot pinpoint whatever happened. He is afraid of the dark & honestly looking back, I think that TTA ruined the rides for him. He thought every time, from that point on, that we were taking him "back into the dark" whenever we'd wait in line for anything! Wait until our second MK day & it starts to make more sense. He wouldn't ride things the 2nd MK day that he DID ride the 1st MK day. He just didn't want to do anything -- no rides, no characters (except the meals, he was fine with those!), no waiting in line, etc. He basically wanted to eat, play in water, and walk around. I could've done that at the local park for free!

Jen, it wasn't anything too thrilling, just stuff for Luke

And you reminded me to add, Jack threw a horrendous fit when we tried to get him on TSMM in December, but that was one of the times I held firm because everyone else wanted to ride and I was tired of his fits Sometimes I'm a bad mom Sure enough afterwards he asked to ride again!

Like I told Jen, we're getting to that part!!! I loved the outside of the box, too! I can't remember if I told you or not, but the CM at the Convention Center really thought it was cute that you added the Mickey heads to the box!!! He commented about it a couple times!

Oh my goodness! You had to BE there to really get the whole effect. I debated whether or not to even put that in my report. I would be HORRIFIED if another DISer was in that line & wrote about our "moments" on TSMM in their report! It was seriously embarrassing! And the worst part of it was that we had NO idea what was wrong! It's still a mystery to us since he wasn't tired, hungry, thirsty, etc. and he wouldn't tell us what was wrong

 

[basketkat]

I'm a little late, but so glad I found your trip report! I can't wait to read more!

 

[Tinkermom76]

You are an updating machine!!!!!

I'm glad you got a good room and I really hope you stay to enjoy it. I will hav to try garden Grill one of these trips

I hated the love bugs... they were so bad the 1st couple days of my trip that I was really worried that one would fly in my mouth while I was talking

 

[PopArtGal]

oh how I loathe love bugs! lol

 

[PopArtGal]

Looks like a lovely meal at Garden Grill!

Wonderful room view! That is really nice!

I do agree DHS has long lines for bag check. But DHS is my least favorite park. So maybe that's why. But I feel it's not as well done as the other parks. Epcot always has long lines too but they seem to go quickly.

 

[Tink9721]

No problem with the long post! You know I like to write long ones too!

I'm going to have to get tips about WL from you & Katie!!! Since we're from PA, it never appealed to me before because I thought it would be "just like home". When I go to Disney, I like to have the "beachy feel" instead -- but you guys really, really have me intrigued now!!!! It's definitely on the list for the future!!!

Have you ever been to AKL? From your description of where the lobby, gift shop, and Roaring Forks are located, it sounds like WL and AKL are set-up very similar! Even if we don't stay at WL, I definitely plan to eat there next trip! What food do you recommend there?

I didn't see your post on MeMom & Jill's report -- I am soooo behind on DIS! I'm so sorry to hear about your grandma. I will definitely keep her in my thoughts & prayers! And you & your mom as well! I totally know what its like to take care of family members & while it can feel so rewarding to help out, it is still super stressful on everyone! Your mom definitely deserves a nice vacation!!! I'm so glad she is excited about your upcoming trip!!!

I love my kids & all the kids I babysit including my nephews and niece -- but I'm so over the "terrible twos"!!! My SIL & I were just talking about it the other day & we decided the "terrible twos" start around 18 months and last until they're 5 years old! And we were joking with each other since we both have to go through it again!!! My niece will be 2 very soon & of course the baby will go through it when he's around that age in 2 years from now. It's really nice to have my SIL though -- since our kids are all the same age, we can really be there for each other!

I'm starting to get frustrated with my obgyn because every week he tells me there's no progress! I know, completely HIS fault, right?!

I started weekly appointments early -- at the beginning of December whereas usually they would start at the beginning of your ninth month (which for me would be the 1st week of January). Not fun at all I'm looking forward to the day when he tells me to go to the hospital! I am soooo full of emotions right now -- I'm anxious, excited, scared, happy, etc!!! I am just soooo ready for him to be here! I really need to do a baby/pregnancy update! If not on here, I will message you via FB!

I know 20+ people who are pregnant -- and a few who just gave birth within the past 2-3 months!!! It is so crazy! I actually just found out last night that my husband's cousin's wife is pregnant again so now I can add her to my pregnant list!!! Two girls I know are due within a week of me, so there's a chance I may see them AT the hospital! That would be interesting for sure! Last time I had blood work done, I took Luke on a little tour of the maternity unit at our hospital. I wanted to show him around so he knows what to expect. I felt horrible when he asked me if we can ride the elevator together when he visits me at the hospital. I just explained that I would already be at the hospital & his grandma will be bringing him to see me. But whenever we leave the hospital, I would be riding the elevator with him AND the new baby. All of our bags are packed & ready to go! Not a huge surprise since I'm so OCD about packing for Disney vacations, right?!

I live in the ocean state so the Yacht Club and the Beach Club remind me of home but I do want to stay there some day! I really do love WL. It just has such a cozy feeling. The lobby with the big fireplace is very warm and inviting. Did I tell you we stayed there by accident the first time? We were supposed to stay at POR but they overbooked and offered to upgrade us to WL for no extra cost. Obviously we accepted that offer and we fell in love. We never even knew WL existed before that. Now we're addicted

I haven't been to AKL but I really want to see it in person!!! For food at WL I definitely recommend Whispering Canyon Cafe. We've never had lunch or dinner there but we eat breakfast there once or twice a trip. The waiters are a lot of fun and the food is amazing!!!

Thanks Hope Obviously we love her but she can be difficult. My mom will definitely be ready for that vacation!

I adore my little cousins but I definitely get tired fast when I'm babysitting! They're both boys and were born about 5 weeks apart. Christmas was exciting This was the first Christmas where they were old enough to really understand it so they were both really excited and didn't take a nap all day so when they got here they were a little cranky and there were some toy sharing issues. I was passing out the presents and I made sure they were both opening presents at the same time. I was hoping that would bring some peace but the other person's toy always looks better than the one you have It was also the first Christmas they spent together and they're both only children so they're used to all of the toys being for them.

I haven't known a lot of pregnant people but now all of my cousins are getting to that age. I'm the baby out of all of my first cousins(Kazin and Caleb, the two little guys I was just talking about, are my first cousins' sons). I have two second cousins who are younger than me, but other than them all of my cousins on my mom's side are like 10 years older than me. I never really spent a lot of time around kids until Kazin and Caleb were born but I love them. I still haven't picked a major but I'm seriously considering education. My school has a really good education program. I'm bouncing back and forth between that and psychology. I don't have to declare a major until the end of sophomore year so I have plenty of time. I was talking to a friend of a friend at school a couple months ago and when I told her I hadn't picked a major she looked at me like I was insane and said something about how if she was in school without a major she'd feel like she was just wasting time. I just brushed it off since I'm not a confrontational person but I was really thinking "do you really think it would be better if I was just sitting on my butt at home? I'm in school. I'm working towards something even if I don't know what that is yet." I have to do the general education requirements either way. I'm getting those out of the way now. I'd rather wait until I'm sure about what I want than declare a major now, take all of those required courses, and then change my mind and have to take a whole other set of courses. Anyway, sorry for the rant

Is Luke excited about getting a little brother?

 

[photographymom517]

I'm a little late, but so glad I found your trip report! I can't wait to read more!

Welcome to my TR!!! I'm so glad you found me!

No worries, you aren't that far behind! I'm still only on the beginning of Day 3 so we have seven more to go! I've also been updating my Table of Contents, so it should be easier for you to catch up! Hope you enjoy my TR!

You are an updating machine!!!!!

I'm glad you got a good room and I really hope you stay to enjoy it. I will hav to try garden Grill one of these trips

I hated the love bugs... they were so bad the 1st couple days of my trip that I was really worried that one would fly in my mouth while I was talking

For awhile there, I just wasn't feeling that well -- BUT I was really trying to get a lot of things done around the house before the baby comes! Now, I just don't feel like doing much so its the perfect time to catch up here!

I'm really hoping to finish the majority of this report (if not all of it) in the next couple of weeks.

You DEFINITELY have to try Garden Grill!!! It was a really great meal & one of the best character experiences I've had on property!

Yep, those love bugs were everywhere! I kept finding them on the light right above my bed & was afraid one would fall into my mouth while I slept. I think they bothered Luke more than they bothered me or my DH because there would be 5,000 of them on his stroller as we walked into the parks from the bus stops!

oh how I loathe love bugs! lol

Looks like a lovely meal at Garden Grill!

Wonderful room view! That is really nice!

I do agree DHS has long lines for bag check. But DHS is my least favorite park. So maybe that's why. But I feel it's not as well done as the other parks. Epcot always has long lines too but they seem to go quickly.

I'm really glad someone else noticed the difference in the bag checks at DHS. They are ALWAYS so ridiculously long! I've seen the lines at the other parks longer, but they move quickly, as you said. I have no idea why DHS has so many issues with the lines

 

[photographymom517]

I live in the ocean state so the Yacht Club and the Beach Club remind me of home but I do want to stay there some day! I really do love WL. It just has such a cozy feeling. The lobby with the big fireplace is very warm and inviting. Did I tell you we stayed there by accident the first time? We were supposed to stay at POR but they overbooked and offered to upgrade us to WL for no extra cost. Obviously we accepted that offer and we fell in love. We never even knew WL existed before that. Now we're addicted

I haven't been to AKL but I really want to see it in person!!! For food at WL I definitely recommend Whispering Canyon Cafe. We've never had lunch or dinner there but we eat breakfast there once or twice a trip. The waiters are a lot of fun and the food is amazing!!!

Thanks Hope Obviously we love her but she can be difficult. My mom will definitely be ready for that vacation!

I adore my little cousins but I definitely get tired fast when I'm babysitting! They're both boys and were born about 5 weeks apart. Christmas was exciting This was the first Christmas where they were old enough to really understand it so they were both really excited and didn't take a nap all day so when they got here they were a little cranky and there were some toy sharing issues. I was passing out the presents and I made sure they were both opening presents at the same time. I was hoping that would bring some peace but the other person's toy always looks better than the one you have It was also the first Christmas they spent together and they're both only children so they're used to all of the toys being for them.

I haven't known a lot of pregnant people but now all of my cousins are getting to that age. I'm the baby out of all of my first cousins(Kazin and Caleb, the two little guys I was just talking about, are my first cousins' sons). I have two second cousins who are younger than me, but other than them all of my cousins on my mom's side are like 10 years older than me. I never really spent a lot of time around kids until Kazin and Caleb were born but I love them. I still haven't picked a major but I'm seriously considering education. My school has a really good education program. I'm bouncing back and forth between that and psychology. I don't have to declare a major until the end of sophomore year so I have plenty of time. I was talking to a friend of a friend at school a couple months ago and when I told her I hadn't picked a major she looked at me like I was insane and said something about how if she was in school without a major she'd feel like she was just wasting time. I just brushed it off since I'm not a confrontational person but I was really thinking "do you really think it would be better if I was just sitting on my butt at home? I'm in school. I'm working towards something even if I don't know what that is yet." I have to do the general education requirements either way. I'm getting those out of the way now. I'd rather wait until I'm sure about what I want than declare a major now, take all of those required courses, and then change my mind and have to take a whole other set of courses. Anyway, sorry for the rant

Is Luke excited about getting a little brother?

I'm definitely going to at least visit WL next trip! It sounds like such a wonderful place to just relax!!!

I had no idea your first stay at WL was completely by accident!!! Isn't it funny how things work out??? Now you have stayed there every single trip & love it there!!!

Little kids are a lot of fun & a lot of work all at the same time! This year was probably one of the best for us -- my niece is almost 2, my nephews are 4 and 5 and Luke is 3 1/2. They were all at the perfect ages to really, really enjoy Christmas!!! It was the first year that Luke asked for anything specific too! In previous years, I've just bought him things he showed an interest in, but he never cared what he got. This year, he wrote a list, left cookies for Santa & carrots for the reindeer, and was really excited about telling EVERYONE he wanted a Batcave!!!

I completely know what you mean about fighting over toys!!! My SIL had to tell my MIL to buy my nephew & Luke the same toys & DVDs. They had mostly the SAME stuff, except for ONE game that my SIL got for Luke -- and of course that's exactly what my nephew wanted/cried about!!!

We never had many little kids in the family either up until 2007. Then my cousin got pregnant, followed by my brother's girlfriend, my SIL and then me! Now there are toddlers running around on both sides of the family! It makes all the holidays & family get-togethers so much fun!!!

Usually I know one or two people every few years that are pregnant. It's usually a friend of a friend or my cousin's friend's brother's daughter -- people that I know of, but don't personally know. This time around, I have so many close relatives & friends who are pregnant, its crazy! At one point, from buying baby shower gifts, I swear it looked like Babies r Us exploded in the living room!!!

Luke has been getting more & more excited about getting a little brother! At first, it was day by day. One day he would refuse to talk about it and the next day, he would talk about the baby to anyone we ran into throughout the day. He definitely went through stages with it, but he's as excited as we are now!!!

About college & choosing a major, don't let anyone tell you that you're wrong for not choosing a major right away. Sorry in advance about my little rant, but I majored in Human Resource Mgmt and have done many seminars guiding college & high school students with decisions regarding choosing a major or a career. So this is definitely something I feel strongly about! I actually think what you are doing is 100% right

It would surprise a lot of people, but most colleges don't "require" that students declare a major until the first semester of their Junior year (some say last semester of Sophomore year). They usually allow you to major in either "Exploratory" or "General Education" and declare later on. I actually find that to be a GREAT idea as you are able to explore more options!!! As you said, regardless of what you choose to do, everyone has to take certain general education courses, so you might as well get those out of the way first while you are deciding! I think it's much better to take your time deciding & choose something you really want to do & will enjoy rather than just choosing something "just to choose it" and later regretting it & having to start all over again!

Take me for example -- I switched my major three times during college! Luckily, because I took full-time summer classes every year, I was able to graduate with my class "on time." But my biggest regret is that I chose a major before even starting college. I wish I had explored more options, or at least attended college for a year or two before deciding. I think I could've made a more informed decision. I definitely think you're doing the right thing!

 

[photographymom517]

When we last left off, we were just leaving One Man's Dream & heading towards either the DHS gate to leave the park for the day OR going to our lunch ADR . . .

We decided to walk down The Streets of America. I love this area. It is so calming to me for some reason. Maybe because, as much as I love (and am obsessed!) with Disney, this area brings you back to the real world for just a little while.

In past trips, this area has always been so busy that sometimes I don't even bother taking pictures. But this trip, I got a lot of great shots!!!

I also found this picture spot to be appropriate considering this was my first trip traveling to Disney since I became a Travel Agent!

We decided to stop at our lunch ADR to see if we could get in early. We had a 3pm reservation at

When we checked in, it was around 2:25pm. They said they were booked for lunch and dinner and we might not get seated until closer to 3pm. We decided to wait inside since it was cooler in there, a bench was available, and we could look over the menu. I've never seen so many people waiting inside a little area before! At first, my DH and I looked at each other in disbelief, but we decided this was a GREAT sign!!! If THIS many people are waiting, the food must be good!

We were seated almost exactly at 3pm. We weren't sure what Luke would think as we walked in because it was so dark in there! He is terrified of the dark & up until this point, we really thought it was why he didn't want to ride anything. But he LOOOOVED the restaurant, the food, and the cartoons they played while we ate!!!

Luke took turns sitting with both his dad and me. He started out sitting in the front seat but once our food arrived, decided to sit with me!

Not the best picture in the world, but here we are in our car!!!

The MOST DELICIOUS onion rings in the entire universe!!!!!!

Luke's meal

My meal (my husband's meal was the same except that I had mushrooms on my burger)

I ate ALL of my onion rings, most of my burger, but only some of my fries. They were very good french fries but I was just so full from eating the rest of the food. I gave the fries to my DH and Luke to share. I can't remember for sure, but I think Luke ate about half of his pizza. He ate a few pieces of my burger, all of his fries and some of my fries, and even the lettuce off my burger! He loves lettuce and tomato so I just took it off the burger and let him eat it. Next time, I think I'll get him something other than pizza. Our waitress came to the table many times to check on us & bring us refills. We were very happy with the service here & the food was delicious!!!! We took our time at Sci-Fi and left the restaurant about an hour & a half later.

 

[photographymom517]

We walked past Star Tours and there was a walk-on (wait time said 5 minutes). Because I'm pregnant, I was advised not to ride this. I also knew Luke would be afraid so we continued walking while my DH rode.

Crowd Shot (mid-afternoon)

I decided to head over towards Indiana Jones. Last year, I saw the Indiana Jones Mickey and really wanted to buy it for Luke, but he didn't show an interest. This trip, since I had just found out the baby was a boy, I had an excuse to buy it!!!

I found a little cart before the Indiana Jones show & Luke spotted a giant trunk of snakes! I bought the Mickey and let Luke choose a snake. Our total bill was around $25 and I asked for my change in quarters! This was because Luke LOVED making pressed pennies at Magic Kingdom! I wanted to make sure to keep a stock of quarters and pennies since I hadn't brought any with us.

We decided to leave the park for the day, but before we left I wanted to ride

We knew there was no way to convince Luke to ride, so my husband walked around with him while I rode by myself. It was a walk-on as well.

After the ride, I went inside the giant hat to look at the pins. I do not collect pins but I saw one I really wanted to buy. It was the Living with the Land pin with Chip & Dale. I thought it would make a great souvenir for the trip since we did the Behind the Seeds Tour (Chip & Dale are also favs of mine and Luke's!!!)

I then got a call from my husband saying they were nearby again & we decided to head out of the park after stopping in a couple shops. I didn't buy anything at this point because we were supposed to come back here on our last full trip day.

We waved good-bye to DHS and walked towards the boat dock.

 

[photographymom517]

Part of the reason I named my Trip Report "Preggo, Pennies, and Patries" is because this was the first trip Luke showed an interest in the pressed pennies. We always buy the little containers of M&M's for the kids for different holidays & I am a stalker of the DISign boards!!! I LOVE all of the creative things women post on those boards!!! I've always wanted to make a pressed penny container for him, but like I said, he's never been interested before. Well, this trip, he spotted those machines a mile away!!!

Our very first pressed penny was Tinkerbell. I'm not 100% sure of the exact location of the machine, but I do know it was at Magic Kingdom our very first evening at Disney. We carried Tink around with us everywhere!!! (I was so afraid of losing her, I wish I would've made a "back up" just in case!) Everytime Luke got in his stroller, he would ask me to put Tink in his tray.

Here she is!

After arriving back at our resort, we went downstairs to refill our mugs for the evening. I knew what we were doing as soon as we got back to the room!!! I was dying to open Stephanie's box!!! It killed me to wait the night before but Luke was sleeping and technically it was his box, so mommy had to have patience!

So I laid the box on the bed, asked Luke to wait until I got my camera out, and...

He was soooooo excited!!!! We couldn't believe how much stuff was inside the box!!! He just kept pulling things out & saying "Mommy there's more!" We ended up taking the green pail to SAB, took the coloring/activity books to the parks with us (entertainment while waiting at restaurants!) and then put them in our carry-on bag for on the way home! We also took the glow sticks to MNSSHP!!!


THANK YOU soooo much, Stephanie & Jack!!!

After Luke opened the box, he didn't want to leave the room! He just wanted to lay on his bed with all of his new stuff & his collection of pressed pennies!!! We decided to look over the room service menu -- they have a neat little booklet full of information on the desk. It includes general info about the resort, a list of important phone numbers, restaurants located within the BC/YC, and the room service menu.

Of course I took some pictures of the book so you could see too!

I found this page very interesting as I didn't know Concierge included so many services.

Special dietary needs

First Aid

Apparently I was so caught up in taking pictures of all the other pages, I didn't take pics of the actual room service menu!

We didn't end up getting room service. I think there was a 18% gratuity fee plus another charge for delivery. We decided to just run down to the Marketplace and grab some snacks/light food as none of us were really hungry enough to order entire meals.

 

[photographymom517]

This is a good time to take a break from my report & show you The Marketplace!!!

First, the Merchandise Section:

Remember this was mid-September so all of the Halloween stuff was out at the time!

I can't believe I didn't buy ANY of this merchandise! Luke already has a Mickey Halloween bucket. The quality isn't quite as nice as this one was, but his is larger. I believe we bought it last year, after Halloween, at Walgreen's.

TONS of different picture frames! I was impressed with the selection. Last year I think CBR only had maybe 2 or 3 different frames. I usually shop at DTD or the Emporium at MK for frames!

Pins and hats!

You can see the 40th anniversary puzzle on the second shelf (left hand side) -- this was the only 40th merchandise at the BC giftshop during our trip. I really want to get the Candy Land and Monopoly Disney games sometime in the future!

Ok, I lied. If you look on the left-hand side top shelf, you can also see the 40th anniversary truck. So I guess the puzzle wasn't the only 40th merch there!

My parents brought Luke home this R2D2 spinner & he LOVES it!!! I think its his favorite souvenir & he didn't even pick it out! My dad picked it out for him!!!

I really wanted to buy a Duffy bear for the baby during our trip. But I had the hardest time choosing between the 2011 with the white hoodie, the one with the pumpkin hat/outfit, or the "My First Duffy Bear" -- I ended up going home without a Duffy

But don't worry -- I placed an order through Disney's website after we got home (Christmas presents for the kids) and I got the 40th Anniversary Duffy bear!!! I also bought the book & it is super cute! If you don't already know the story behind Duffy, you should def buy it & read it! It was only $5.99

Mine Mine Mine!!!

Each trip, I buy one hoodie for myself. Throughout the trip, I was deciding between the Mine Mine Mine and a Pooh one I saw at Animal Kingdom. I ended up choosing the Mine Mine Mine & figured I would just buy it at our Marketplace -- only when I went back to buy it the last evening, they no longer had the hoodie!

I did buy the shot glass for myself (I collect them on trips) & the onesie for the baby.

Sunscreen, medication, diapers, toiletries, things you might need extra of and/or forget to pack!

***Also this is very important if you burn easily!***
The Beach Club Marketplace does NOT sell aloe or anything for burns. They do sell sunscreen but nothing to treat sunburn with. You have to go to the BC's sister resort, the Yacht Club, or you can buy it right inside the International Gateway at that gift shop at Epcot.

 

[photographymom517]

Moving on to the Food Section . . .

They have a toaster oven, microwave, jellies, sugar, silverware, etc. at this station (this is located right after the serving counter where you are able to order food)

LOTS of snacks! I was shocked that Luke never asked for anything in this area! Especially because we went to the Marketplace at least twice a day...usually first thing in the morning and at the end of the day, but sometimes we'd go 4-5 times in the same day!

I thought about bringing home taffy and/or popcorn but just didn't have the extra suitcase space!

Cereal, fruit, and snacks (this was available all day, not just at breakfast)
I was also shocked that many mornings Luke would choose a banana, apple or orange instead of the chips! I couldn't believe they were usually on the same shelf yet he would choose the healthier option!

Donuts/cookies

Fridge section -- large selection of beverages. They had 1/2 gallons of milk and liter bottles of pop (see bottom shelf). They also had single servings of pop, tea, water, juice, Gatorade, and milk (you could use a snack credit for these). In addition, they had bottles of wine, beer, and wine coolers (like Mike's). We aren't big drinkers (and obviously I was pregnant!) so I have no idea how the cost compares to "normal" at-home costs of wine/beer

I did take a close-up pic so you could see the brand names!

It's hard to see in the picture, but the top few shelves are options for kids. They had Uncrustables, apple sauce, cookies, grapes, carrots, and fruit in small containers. The shelf right above the cans of pop has yogurt. I never had any but I remember they had maybe 5 or 6 different flavors.

Grocery items -- lunchables, cartons of eggs, coffee creamer, lunch meat, bars of cheese, sliced cheese, butter, bacon, Lean Cuisine, tater tots, tv dinners, skillet meals, frozen pizzas! I was really surprised at this huge selection, but it makes sense for the Villas!!!

Already made sandwiches, bowls of fruit, salads, veggies

Yummy desserts!!! I still cannot believe I didn't try ONE of these!!! Although looking back, I remember WHY I didn't! You'll see...you'll see!!!!

Don't quote me on this, but I'm about 80% sure that these are only available for breakfast & maybe lunch. I know they weren't there in the evenings. These were all considered snack credits & everything was clearly marked with the DP symbol!

Still kicking myself for not buying one of these! I don't like chocolate cake (which was what was inside) -- I just wanted the Donald cup! I believe they were around $5-6 each.

Sorry for the blurry pic! Refillable Mug station -- this is where we spent the majority of our time at the Marketplace!

I had a lot of fun attempting to recreate my favorite drinks! Needless to say, it didn't always work out & I think I got a severe sugar high from putting too much syrup in some of them, but I did make some pretty good coffees/teas throughout the trip!!!

In addition to all of these options, they had a serving counter. Normally they had about 3-4 CM's working the station & they would prepare the food for you. For breakfast, you could get an omelet with meat, with cheese, or plain. They also had the bread, bagels, etc. and I believe you had a choice of them warming it or you could do it yourself. We only ate breakfast here maybe twice & we got omelets both times, so I'm not 100% sure of the other options.

 

[Megablocks]

Wow Hope, you were an updating machine while I was gone! Let's see if I can remember everything I wanted to say

The love bugs look awful. I am absolutely terrified of most bugs and large bugs and strange, unfamiliar bugs really undo me. Lots of bugs at the same time would also completely freak me out. I'd probably have packed Raid in my luggage or something. You are far braver than I am!

Beach Club looks absolutely amazing. It really reminds me of Cape Cod. Definitely my dream resort!

Okay, Duffy. When I met up with another DIS'er at Epcot, we walked by Duffy and we were both wondering what his story was. We agreed he was cute and everything but had no idea what his deal was!

Did your DH like Star Tours? We all rode it but I found out after one ride that I officially cannot handle simulator rides. I rode Mission: Space years ago, before it had the two sides, and I was soooo freakin' sick! I assumed it was because it was the one thing that everyone seemed to get sick on. Then my sister, my dad, and my brother all said that Star Tours wasn't bad at all so I decided to try it, and I was nauseous from pretty much the beginning. I can handle all the drops on ToT. I can handle going upside down on RnRC. I can handle going backwards and then down a steep drop on EE. I can handle ANY roller coaster, no problem, but simulators bug the crap out of me! For the record, Kailyn, my dad, and Mike all rode M:S orange side and were totally fine. Well, my dad was a little woozy. But Mike and Kailyn were okay, and Kailyn seems to have a sensitive stomach. Like she can't ride EE or ToT more than once, but she was okay with M:S and okay with riding Star Tours a couple times in a row. Weird, huh?

Oh, and just so you know, you can make YouTube videos private, so that only you can see them. I only know this because Charles's much younger cousins figured out his YouTube username and he made pretty much all his videos private, so if you search his username on there, you won't find any videos except for the ones he chooses to share. When I was dumping video from my iPhone to YouTube, I also had the option to set them to private. I'd love to see Luke videos!

 

[Tink9721]

I'm definitely going to at least visit WL next trip! It sounds like such a wonderful place to just relax!!!

I had no idea your first stay at WL was completely by accident!!! Isn't it funny how things work out??? Now you have stayed there every single trip & love it there!!!

Little kids are a lot of fun & a lot of work all at the same time! This year was probably one of the best for us -- my niece is almost 2, my nephews are 4 and 5 and Luke is 3 1/2. They were all at the perfect ages to really, really enjoy Christmas!!! It was the first year that Luke asked for anything specific too! In previous years, I've just bought him things he showed an interest in, but he never cared what he got. This year, he wrote a list, left cookies for Santa & carrots for the reindeer, and was really excited about telling EVERYONE he wanted a Batcave!!!

I completely know what you mean about fighting over toys!!! My SIL had to tell my MIL to buy my nephew & Luke the same toys & DVDs. They had mostly the SAME stuff, except for ONE game that my SIL got for Luke -- and of course that's exactly what my nephew wanted/cried about!!!

We never had many little kids in the family either up until 2007. Then my cousin got pregnant, followed by my brother's girlfriend, my SIL and then me! Now there are toddlers running around on both sides of the family! It makes all the holidays & family get-togethers so much fun!!!

Usually I know one or two people every few years that are pregnant. It's usually a friend of a friend or my cousin's friend's brother's daughter -- people that I know of, but don't personally know. This time around, I have so many close relatives & friends who are pregnant, its crazy! At one point, from buying baby shower gifts, I swear it looked like Babies r Us exploded in the living room!!!

Luke has been getting more & more excited about getting a little brother! At first, it was day by day. One day he would refuse to talk about it and the next day, he would talk about the baby to anyone we ran into throughout the day. He definitely went through stages with it, but he's as excited as we are now!!!

About college & choosing a major, don't let anyone tell you that you're wrong for not choosing a major right away. Sorry in advance about my little rant, but I majored in Human Resource Mgmt and have done many seminars guiding college & high school students with decisions regarding choosing a major or a career. So this is definitely something I feel strongly about! I actually think what you are doing is 100% right

It would surprise a lot of people, but most colleges don't "require" that students declare a major until the first semester of their Junior year (some say last semester of Sophomore year). They usually allow you to major in either "Exploratory" or "General Education" and declare later on. I actually find that to be a GREAT idea as you are able to explore more options!!! As you said, regardless of what you choose to do, everyone has to take certain general education courses, so you might as well get those out of the way first while you are deciding! I think it's much better to take your time deciding & choose something you really want to do & will enjoy rather than just choosing something "just to choose it" and later regretting it & having to start all over again!

Take me for example -- I switched my major three times during college! Luckily, because I took full-time summer classes every year, I was able to graduate with my class "on time." But my biggest regret is that I chose a major before even starting college. I wish I had explored more options, or at least attended college for a year or two before deciding. I think I could've made a more informed decision. I definitely think you're doing the right thing!

The little guys definitely enjoyed Christmas but it was probably just overwhelming for them. They're such sweet little boys I babysit Caleb a few days a week for about an hour during the overlap when both of his parents are working. It worked out with my class schedule first semester and I have the same one second semester.

The past two years in Disney I've gotten them each a stuffed animal but I think this year I'm gonna get a play set or two to keep here for them to play with. I put together a little bin of toys I found around the house when I started babysitting Caleb and he gets so excited when I add new toys I swear I'm not using them as an excuse to buy Disney toys

I'm glad Luke's excited!!! I'm so excited for all of you!!!

Thanks Hope! A huge percentage of the freshman class hasn't declared a major so I don't know why that girl thought it was so weird. I'm enjoying trying out different classes. There weren't many options in high school so I like all of the choices I have now! I just want to be really sure about my major before I pick one. If I end up not having enough time to take all of the required classes during the spring and fall semesters then I'll take summer classes if that's what I have to do to graduate on time. Right now my goal is to graduate in May 2015 with a degree in something, even if I don't know what that is yet

I love the pressed pennies! I bought one of the pressed penny books a few trips ago. Last trip I was determined to fill it and I think I ended up with one empty spot I'll be fixing that in March

I had to laugh a little when I saw "dental assistance information" on that concierge list. I wonder how many people actually fall and crack a tooth or something while in Disney? I HATE going to the dentist so I can't imagine having to do that in Disney

I really regretted not buying enough 40th merch when I was there. I bought a 40th address book because it's actually a practical souvenir But since I got back I ordered a 40th shirt and vinylmation, and I got another 40th shirt that my dad ordered for me for Christmas.

I bought a Duffy! I just bought a plain Duffy, no clothes. I love him, he's so soft!

I love shopping in the WL gift shop. My mom isn't a big shopper and tends to get impatient when I'm shopping I like to spend more time in stores than her and she takes a little longer to get ready in the morning than I do, so I usually end up hanging out in the gift shop while I wait for her.

 

[MeMom]

I have not had much DIS time lately, but I am trying to scroll through and catch up a little on everyone's reports. I was just in Beach Club Marketplace at the beginning of January. It was filled with Christmasy things then.

All of Beach Club is so pretty, and I very much want to stay there one of these days. It'll probably have to be on a shorter girls trip, though, where we only have to have one room.

Your pictures are so sharp and clear. As much as I would love to know how to work a good camera, I am not that smart, so a point and shoot will be the best I can do. My son, Drew, is into photography, and he's always telling me about settings and different types of lens, but it's all over my head. I have been around little ones too long, I guess, so I think at an 8 year old level.