Princess of Progress...It's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow TR 8/31-9/6

[Mom2Lindsey]

Current Mood..... I have a sinus infection YUCK

This was everything I was looking forward too from my PTR...Did my dreams come true?

1. the Polynesian, I have great memories from our honeymoon there and we are a tropical island loving family
Ummmm, yes and no. Everything with Lindsey is different. I loved the tropical atmosphere for sure. Seeing the fireworks from the beach was one of my favorite things. We loved the pool and it's slide, but that would have been anywhere. Our longhouse was VERY far from the GCH, but closer to the TTC. The access to the monorail is key when dd falls asleep in the stroller after a long day at MK. Cleanliness, not that great. I was amazed by the mold in between the tiles in the shower. What if someone has a mold allergy? It looks like they barely visited our room to clean.
2. Kona cafe french toast (not the filled kind)
I loved the cafe! Dinner there was delicious too. DD fell asleep on my lap during that one and DH had to carry her the long way back to our long house (Tahiti). French toast was only good this time, not magical! And they had no fresh grapefruits-I was like...huh? In Florida?
3. Kona coffee
Not as good as Starbucks
4. Our first night's dinner at LTT with the parade and fireworks after
OH YES! It was awesome, except with the long wait for our reservation at LTT. I was annoyed since I made that ADR 180 days ago and then had to wait 45 minutes to sit. You know that's bad with a 4 year old. SpectroMagic made up for it though. Fireworks were fine, but we chose a bad spot to view them. Then the mass exodus was terrible, but that was the most crowded my week was-so Cest La Vie
5. Going to MK before opening for DD4's BBB appointment and walking down main street USA toward the castle
Being in the park before opening was beautiful and magical. BBB not so much, but most was due to DD's meltdown. Check out link to my post on the BBB thread.
6. BBB
See above
7. Meeting/eating with the princesses
AWESOME, but one time is enough, unless you know that there will be different princesses before hand. Our first at Akershus was more magical than the castle because it was first.
8. Getting our pal mickey and dressing him
Lindsey loved him the first day, but he didn't live up to my expectations. They're usually too high anyway.
9. Seeing people with LGMHs
Only saw one person with a LGMH, but I met 2 Dissers though
10. The 3-D shows in every park
Loved them all, but Philharmagic the most
11. China in Epcot and DD with her Mulan dress on
One of my favorite memories
12. Soarin
Everything I thought it would be
13. Nemo & Crush in Epcot
Ditto as above. I think the rides/attractions in Epcot were my most favorite because they entertained both DD and us.
14. The live performance shows; lion king, nemo, mermaid, Beauty & the beast, HSM
See my Favorites list...Nemo was the best production, but we had the best seats (front row) and view for B&B
15. The Safari & Rapids in Animal Kingdom
Great rides and the only ones we went on in AK
16. MNSSSHP and seeing the villains especially the evil queen-my fave
EXCELLENT My favorite part of the whole trip
17. Seeing WISHES from our pool at the poly
From the beach in stead, but just a great. Better than seeing them from the park
18. Sharing all of this with dd4
PRICELESS

 

[Mom2Lindsey]

Drum Roll Please..................

Day 1....On our way to Disney

The Players

Keith

Lindsey

Jen

I highly recommend JetBlue if you've never flown with them before. We also left from a local Intnl' airport only 20 mins away from us. Both, in combination really made a difference in enjoying the trip. I love the little TVs in every seat with access to Direct TV & XM radio. It only took us 2 hours and 50 mins to get to Orlando.


Getting there

We spent some time watching our plane come to the gate, deplane, and get the new baggage on the plane. We saw our bags go on the plane. This satisfied DD's anxiousness about getting there.

On the plane

 

[Mom2Lindsey]

OMG only 25 pics in one post

After a quick, comfortable and enjoyable plane ride we were IN DISNEY
Magical express entering the World

Our driver

Entering the Poly-Gotta love that feeling

ALOHA

Our balcony & view

DH REALLY wanted to get moving to the MK and our bags hadn't arrived anyway so I could get to decorating so we just left. Our dinner ADR was at 7:15 and we finally got to the room around 4:00pm.
Here he is in the back being very impatient with me taking pictures

One of my top 10 favorite pics

Lindsey fell on our way to the great ceremonial house twice...note the bandaid on the knee
I think it was the crocs, but she was so excited she couldn't walk straight.

To the park next...
Continued

 

[vfair]

She is too cute! Loving all the photos.

 

[heath-and-javens-mom]

Great Start Jenn! I love the pic of you in teh car you look soo excited!
The Poly looks very nice!

 

[Mom2Lindsey]

Hi! I am totally in! We are leaving in 2 weeks.....YAY!.....for 5 days at the AKL....... DD 3 first trip to Disney (and DH's too)! Grandparents are along for ride too! Can't wait to read your report! We'll be doing a lot of the same meals you guys did. Did you make the Mulan outfit?

Oh, that's so nice that you think I'm that talented...Unfortunately, no I didn't make it. Last year's Disney store Halloween Mulan.
It sounds like we have similar situations-you must be so excited. I miss having it to look forward to.

 

[Mom2Lindsey]

Great Start Jenn! I love the pic of you in teh car you look soo excited!
The Poly looks very nice!

Thanks...I'm really liking that pic too. DH had taken 3 of me by that point and each one had stunk. So I said, last one...and I whooshed around like a model. LOL

 

[luckylady]

What a great start. Can't wait to read more.

 

[billnang]

Hi Jenn...
We leave on saturday for Disney... staying at the Poly... getting a little anxiety... Flying with my youngest is not the funniest thing... he doesn't want to be buckled in his car seat while in the airplane...to him it is not the same as a car... he does like gum, so I have a lot packed!!! so here's to hoping for a fun fill 2.5 hrs...
Also, we went and met my FIL last year and well, he was really sick and never told us...we were shocked to see him and after we left disney (poly) he passed away 2 weeks later... so I am hoping that experience will not be a constant reminder this time. I am sure it will be a little...

lovng your TP...
Angela

 

[MiaBella05]

subscribing

 

[Mom2Lindsey]

Our first Castle pic....

DH wanted DD to go to the Haunted Manison. I thought it would be a problem for her, but she said she wanted to go. So of all the rides for her to go on first. The Haunted Mansion ended up being the first. She didn't quite get the story of the whole place so for her it was just a bunch of spooky images. That first part with the guy hanging in the room scared the BLEEP out of me and she was clinging to me too, but after it was over that was it.

Next we were on to check in for our first ADR Liberty Tree Tavern. We checked in 15 mins early and then couldn't leave the front of the place until we "beeped" and that was close to an hour later.

It was all worth it to see Lindsey when she first spotted characters.

I really love the menu of LTT for the first night of the trip. It's just easy, wholesome foods. The apple cobbler is to die for-sorry no food pictures. I felt weird taking them

I didn't anticipate all of the questions though...When's goofy coming? When's Pluto coming?...Every time one would leave she'd ask and ask until the next one got there

OMG Lindsey LOVED Minnie...She far preferred her to Mickey. She would always choose to wait on the Minnie line over the Mickey.

 

[2crazy4disney]

Your daughter is beautiful. You were arriving and we left that day, only to drive through rain all the way up to North Carolina. I hope you had a wonderful trip. From what I read so far you are having a great time.

 

[Mom2Lindsey]

Here's video clips I took of SpectroMagic. I love this parade. We didn't catch any other parades except this and the Halloween one.

SpectroMagic Video Link ​

Here's some pics

It was hard to get out of the park after the fireworks. That was the night with the biggest crowds though. We took the boat ride back to the Poly, and Lindsey was tired and started to get upset that it was taking so long.

This was how I decorated Lindsey's bed while she was in the tub
I bought the dolls from home. The Pal Mickey & PJs were new and I made the pillowcase that said Dreams Do Come true...Lindsey's 1st Disney Trip 2008

Next Day....Animal Kingdom

 

[Flora]

I love JetBlue too!! What city do you fly out of?

Such wonderful photos you have taken!!!

 

[Mom2Lindsey]

I love JetBlue too!! What city do you fly out of?

Such wonderful photos you have taken!!!

Thank you...I've decided that my pictures become my scrapbook or my photo-journal. All of them together tell the story of our trip. I have a lot of pictures of all the important things that happen every month and by the end of the month I really remember what went on. Otherwise my memory is so bad. I like looking back to see what we did this time last year and what DD looked like and so on.

We usually fly out of Newark, NJ or JFK in NY. This time Newburgh NY

 

[KatGarcia]

What a great dinner at LTT! How cute the pics are! Too bad they are taking the characters out of the meal soon, I'd love to do it one day.

 

[Mom2Lindsey]

Lindsey went to her first day of Pre-K4 the Monday after we got back. MWF full day That's how I'm getting this TR done.

So I figured I'd add some bonus material of her going to school since it coincides with our trip.

Please Watch the Video clip ​

 

[OneTreeHillAddict]

Okay....now I am caught up TR too. I feel so behind on everything! I see that you and I went through many of the same emotions during this trip. You see that too?

Lindsey looks to be having the time of her life!!!! I love the way you decorated the bed for her. I bet she was tickeled to see that! What is it with the Haunted Mansion? My 2 year old rode it 6-7 times! It's neat and all but I could have stopped at 3 and been fine with it. The lady at the front desk told me the HM was filled with Jack and Sally stuff and I never saw a thing. Oh well. Maybe next time.

I just realized we never saw Spectro!? Whoops. How did I miss that? I felt like the DDP had us tied down and we even skipped out on a couple of meals! I did the bounceback but I have a better plan for the next time!

Can't wait to read more!!! Lovin' it so far!!!

 

[Mom2Lindsey]

What a great dinner at LTT! How cute the pics are! Too bad they are taking the characters out of the meal soon, I'd love to do it one day.

I am so bummed about that too. I was hoping to make it a first night tradition.

 

[heath-and-javens-mom]

Great update! Lindsey is flippin adoreable!
The bed decore is awsome- way to go MOM!
We LOVE LTT- Dane has a request for it every year..Im suprised that it gets alot of negitive reviews..the food is soo yummy and the atmoshere is great IMO.
Castle pics are fabalous aswell!