PTR; Joshua and Samantha's 1st Trip (Sep 17-26 '09) [Train Tour Pics!]

[jenny105]

Congrats on getting your ADRs! I can't wait to make mine.

 

[longing2Batdisney]

signing in! followed you over from chicagoshannon and my2disneyboys
your family is adorable
your ADR's look well planned and well timed/we are not into the pin trading, yet but I really like the pins you have collected (really like the pirate characters). The alice party was truly adorable, I like the ideas you and wife have for parties and for homeschooling. I have an almost 3 yr old and watch two other almost 3 yr olds. I had purchased some Seasme street wkbk that we are currently using but I really like you 26 week system (thinking of working a system of our own on the same idea).

we just returned from our last WDW trip and now so excited to say we are going back next year.

Oh! btw on the AKL that is my dream stay; but, that will have to wait until the next trip after this one (I hope).

Great job!

 

[crocko]

Congrats on getting your ADRs! I can't wait to make mine.

Thanks! Look forward to hearing how yours come out!

signing in! followed you over from chicagoshannon and my2disneyboys
your family is adorable
your ADR's look well planned and well timed/we are not into the pin trading, yet but I really like the pins you have collected (really like the pirate characters). The alice party was truly adorable, I like the ideas you and wife have for parties and for homeschooling. I have an almost 3 yr old and watch two other almost 3 yr olds. I had purchased some Seasme street wkbk that we are currently using but I really like you 26 week system (thinking of working a system of our own on the same idea).

we just returned from our last WDW trip and now so excited to say we are going back next year.

Oh! btw on the AKL that is my dream stay; but, that will have to wait until the next trip after this one (I hope).

Great job!

Glad to have another reader!

Congrats that you are getting to go back next year....very cool.
After the trip, I'll let you know how AKL was from our perspective. (with lots of pics)

 

[PookieB]

Great pins! DH & I have just started collecting a few off Ebay. Addicted already.

 

[crocko]

My goal is to finish my pin posts this afternoon....so I tread on.....

6 pins on this pic:
Tinker Bell 1953 pin. Unless a Tink fan pops up in my household, I'm trading this one...sorry, Tink's cool...but I don't need a lot of her pins.
Valentine's Day 2002, Mickey & Minnie. Haha, apparently I need to have a 2002 Holiday collection...I wonder if there are any I'm missing. Keeper.
Rachel, "Rhapsody in Blue" portion of Fantasia 2000. Cute...another Fantasia 2000 pin. Do I want more F2000 pins? Probably not...so, probably trading Rachel away....unless Samantha thinks she's cute.
Baloo pin. Cool character, plain pin....probably will trade....this time unless Joshua grabs him.
Maid Marian pin. Ah ha! Another Executive Decision pin. I love Robin Hood and watched this movie MANY!!-a-time when I was young. Sentimental keeper.
Quasimodo, Topsy Turvy. Great music in this movie. But don't really need it as a keeper. Tradeable.

6 pins in this pic:
Atlantis 2001, Milo Thatch. Souvenir keeper. This movie came out while Bridgette and I were on our Disneymoon. First movie we saw together as a married couple (and we saw it at the AMC in DownTown Disney).
Arthur & Merlin, Higitus Figitus. Fun song, childhood favorite movie. Keeper.
Goofy & Max, "Right Back Where We Started From". Fun pin, but not a keeper. Off to Disney World with you.
Elliott, Candle on the Water. Ugh...this is a tough one. In theory, not going to fit into any "collection", but I love this song. Plus...a fun, underappreciated Disney movie. Hmm...we'll see.
Berlioz, Marie, Toulouse pin. Surprised that I actually have this pin, but probably going into Samantha's pile. She loves Marie.
As Long As There's Christmas pin. Unless a surprise objection comes through, this one will be traded.

5 pins in this pic:
Robin Hood & Little John, "Oo-de-lally". As discussed before, I love this movie and love this song. Keeper.
Donald, "You Belong To My Heart". Donald = keeper.
Australia, Mickey, Donald, Goofy (Opera House). Fun pin! I love pins of "places" Plus, even though it isn't a stamp pin, it has that look to it. And I see Donald. Keeper.
Easter Pooh, 2002. LOL another holiday 2002 pin. Add it to the ol' collection.
Heffalumps & Woozles. Not looking to have a Pooh collection....Trade it, please.

5 pins in this pic:
Johnny Appleseed, "The Lord is Good to Me". Hmm...fun pic and fun song. ::back and forth:: Not sure yet.
Dodger & Oliver, "Perfect Isn't Easy". I have no problem trading this one, but Joshua LOVES this movie. Probably going in his keeper pile.
Phantom Manor. Very interesting that I have this pin. A Disneyland Resort Paris pin for their version of the Haunted Mansion. I'm more than willing to trade it, but probably not in a CM trade. Probably with another pin trader at the parks or simply via pinpics.com
Jiminy Cricket, "When You Wish Upon a Star". Nice pin, but I'm willing to trade it.
Disney Animation Building. Cool pin, but would rather have other pins. Tradeable!





Well...we're almost through my collection (thanks for bearing with me)
You've "pin" very patient with me.



One more pin update left.....

 

[disneylovinfamily]

congrats on the ADRs My day is toimorrow and I am nervous.

I am loving the pins! Thanks for the info BTW, I did order some

 

[crocko]

congrats on the ADRs My day is toimorrow and I am nervous.

I am loving the pins! Thanks for the info BTW, I did order some

Good luck tomorrow! All will go well!!

 

[crocko]

Alrighty!! Now for my last 16 pins.

4 pins on this pic:
Pooh stuck in Rabbit's hole, locket. Neat, but not a keeper.
Donald 1984, 50th Anniversary. Cool! Keeper.
Walt Disney Studios, Burbank CA. Another CA location pin. Okay to trade this one.
Great Mouse Detective, 1986. Another under-appreciated movie. Not sure yet on this one.....will discuss with the kiddos.

6 pins on this pic:
Remember the Titans, 2000. Good movie, but not necessary to keep. Tradeable!
Minnie Mouse. Cute pin....will this one be traded? We'll have to see what Samantha says.
Tigger, St. Patrick's Day 2002. Another '02 holiday pin. This one's pretty neat. Keeper.
Day 1, 2003 Visa pin. Fun "souvenir" pin. We've had our Disney Visa cards since Day 1 back in 2003, so we received this pin. Yay!
Lion King, Broadway Musical. We went down to Dallas and saw this musical. Very good!! Definite keeper pin.
Beauty & the Beast, Broadway Musical. I've actually seen this twice. Once in 1997 with my family and then sometime with Bridgette (both times in Dallas). Great musical. Definite keeper pin.

3 pins in this pic:
Mickey flying plane. Pin to celebrate the 100 Years Celebration. Going to trade it.
MVMCP 2008, Donald & Daisy.
MVMCP 2008, Chip & Dale. We went to the MVMCP last year in 2008 and collected these 2 pins...they were our faves of the ones available. So, definite keepers!

2 pins in this pic:
Dumbo, Soarin'. Got this out of a mystery pack for ride pins. Fun ride. I'm considering this Bridgette's pin, so I'll let her decide it's outcome.
Haunted Mansion, Mickey & Minnie. Same story on this one. Bridgette's choice....she likes the characters, but she's not a huge Haunted Mansion fan.




Last pin:

1 pin in this pic:
High School Musical, Donald, Daisy, Mickey, Minnie. Walking down Sunset Boulevard, I saw this pin at a pin stand. With Bridgette up ahead of me, I quickly bought this one and then showed it to her later. She LOVES the HSM movies and I thought this one with the Mickey & Friends characters was super cute. She needs to be careful, though, because I showed this one to Samantha (my little 3-year old HSM addict) and she absolutely loves this pin....walked all over the house with it. So....keeper!





And there you have it. My current pin collection -- currently totaling up to 131 pins, I believe (132...if you count the duplicate Team Disney Building pin).


Later down the road, the family will sit down and go through all these. I'll give you a list afterward of who's claiming what.

Up next: plans for this weekend/next week.....

 

[crocko]

Okay...unless I can get some wireless, I will be "quiet" for the next 6 days.

Early tomorrow morning, we're headed out to St. Charles, MO (near St. Louis). Saturday, Sunday, Monday is fun family time: plan on hitting the City Museum, Magic House Children's Museum, and St. Louis Zoo. Tuesday and Wednesday, Bridgette will have a booth setup at a Homeschool Convention (she sells Usborne books). So, it'll just be me and the kids roaming around for most of those 2 days....Then, get some rest Wednesday night and head back on Thursday.

Because she has to take all of her books, we're actually having to take both of our cars up there. Ugh! (oh well).

So...everyone have a good weekend.....great Father's Day....and good week next week.

Later!

 

[jenny105]

Have a good trip! Happy Father's Day!

 

[longing2Batdisney]

Have a safe road trip! and happy Father's Day!

 

[chicagoshannon]

Glad you got all of your ADR's! I think 8:20 is the prefect time for CP. We had an 8:10 but it was almost to early. We werent' able to get any photo's from a photopass person before our time. You'll be able too. Plus the way the characters go around you will probably still be done about the same time we were- just after 9am.

 

[crocko]

Made it safely to St. Louis!

All unpacked.....gonna probably go to a mall and then hit the pool later.

 

[disneylovinfamily]

Have fun!

 

[crocko]

Whew! We made it back last night at around 9:45 PM.

It was a fun trip and the kids got to do a lot of cool things. Next week, after getting pictures uploaded, I'll give a mini-report on the trip.

Later today, going to try and get caught up on PTR stuff.


[by the way, yay for 1-day work weeks]

 

[crocko]

As of yesterday, 12 weeks to go!!!


Which also means that it is time to move on to the letter "O" now.

Letter O
Ride - Outpost [in World Showcase] (yes, I realize this is not actually a ride, but the best I could come up with)
Non-ride - 'Ohana (our first place to eat at in Disney on this trip....while there, plan on taking the monorail around to see the other MK resorts as well)
Characters: Owl, Oliver, Orville (Rescuers), Olivia Flaversham, Oswald, Olie, Otto (Robin Hood)

by the way, anyone seen the new posters for Alice in Wonderland. Very interesting.

 

[jenny105]

Yes! I've seen the Alice pictures. They look creepy but I'm sure it is going to be AMAZING. Tim Burton is genius...except for that whole Planet of the Apes remake. That is better left forgotten.

 

[crocko]

Hey all....sorry for not having much to update. This weekend we really didn't get much done as far as preparing for the trip.

Well, one thing....we did find some cute little Disney fans at Target for each of the kids. These ones had quite a bit of windpower, so we went ahead and snatched them up.


Tonight will try and make an effort to get some St. Louis pics on my flash drive so I can make a little report tomorrow.

 

[crocko]

Alright, I'm ready to give some updates on our St. Louis trip last week.

We ended up taking about 310 pics on the trip....of which, I narrowed it down to around 70 or so (haha) that I'd like to show on this mini-non-Disney-TR.



Day 1 (Saturday, June 20th)

Bridgette and I woke up at 4am to get my car all packed up (we had packed Bridgette's books, tables, and racks in her van the night before). Then, a little before 5am we were out the door. Had to stop at 7-11 to get Bridgette some coffee, then go back to the house to get Joshua's LEAPSTER which we forgot to pack, and then back on the road.

3 minutes later (right before we get on the highway), I pull over to re-tie my shoe....so that it would stop bothering me. I pull off the frontage road and into the parking lot of a Mattress store. My cute little Samantha asked if we were at the hotel. If she only knew how long we still had to go.

So.....long-story short, come right about 3pm later that day, we've made it through the western part of St. Louis and up to St. Charles to our hotel.

We unpacked and relaxed a little at this point. We had planned on going to the City Museum that night, but at $40 total we changed our mind...especially since we finally decided it is probably better for late elementary-aged kids. Instead, we decided to go over to the St. Louis Mills Mall and walk around for a bit.

My kids love mall rides to play on and they found this

My kids have crocs that they like to wear and this mall had a Crocs store....so, we went in and bought them each their first ever jibbett. Joshua chose one that had C-3PO and R2D2, while Samantha chose when with Ariel's head.
Then, we walked past a NASCAR play area....so took a few pics

not sure she fits this thing

but she was having a blast

Joshua quickly started honking his horn

We had dinner at the food court there (in which the Burger King's drinks were ALL nasty that night) and then went over to a cool-looking playground

We finished up there and then headed back. I unfortunately got on the highway going the opposite direction of what I intended, but using my manly intuitive map, managed to safely get us back to the hotel using backroads. (Note: I printed a few maps for the trip, but during the trip from OKC to our hotel, never looked at a map once).


Day 2 to come....off to the Magic House, Children's Museum...including a Beast and some tears.

 

[jenny105]

310 pictures! I can only imagine how many you're going to take at Disney World!