Saturday, In the Park - I Think it was the Fourth of July Wrapping it Up 6/26

[Parla]

Great update! What an awesome birthday! We all deserve a few like that in our lives.

Glad to hear so many people like Target! I love being a cashier there. I loved them before and luckily the love is still there. I always get comments for smiling. Like the other morning when I was working the service desk and a lady brought in 3 bags of change. As I was counting our her $28.88 payment she said to her daughter, "She's very patient. She's counting out all that change for us and still smiling."

Can't wait to hear how Leo handles any big splashes that may be in the future from your little teaser there.

 

[Lauralee131]

I'm here!!!I'm so sorry my friend...what with working, spending a minimum of 2 hours a day on the road, coming home to cooking, cleaning, homework, etc...I just haven't had time to sit and read until now.

What I wouldn't do to be able to sit home and do nothing for awhile...catch up on line ...watch tv.... Ahhhh...when I grow up I want to be a woman of leisure!

Anyway...

I'm so proud of Leo!! M was really excited that we can all ride that together this summer!!! Woooo Hoooo!!!

And OUCH on those lunch prices...it was a shock that day we had lunch there...definitely right up there with Disney pricing, eh? Darn good burger and fries though. I did feel like a hostage though...even the few grab and go options were slim to none.

Sounds like an awesome birthday...I love those hand squeezes...enjoy them...they're fewer and farther between in about a year my friend.

Anyway, gotta run and make dinner! Love ya!!

 

[Disneyland_Mama]

Oh my GOSH! I read your update a few days ago, but then completely forgot to quote! Forgive me, my friend!

I'm so happy Leo rode Splash! We need to do a Mom and kids ride on that soggy log this summer! That'll be a great pic!



I hear ya, LL! It's tough bringing home the bacon!

 

[glennbo123]

I'm signing on V! I loved this last update about Leo's birthday at MK. It's a shame the cake didn't hold up, but glad you discovered it before lugging it all over 'tarnation. It's great that he discovered a new love for Splash and that he gave you a bunch of hand squeezes to make you feel all warm and fuzzy.

Also, thanks for the review on HBC. I didn't know very much about this resort before your pictures and descriptions. Seems like a lot of nickel and diming....and you'd think they really wouldn't want people lugging inner tubes around the resort, back to their rooms. You'd think they'd come up with some kind of pass system where you either "pay for your stay" or "pay by the day".

 

[PrincessV]

What an awesome birthday! We all deserve a few like that in our lives.

So true! Aaaand, it continues the next day!

Glad to hear so many people like Target! I love being a cashier there. I loved them before and luckily the love is still there. I always get comments for smiling. Like the other morning when I was working the service desk and a lady brought in 3 bags of change. As I was counting our her $28.88 payment she said to her daughter, "She's very patient. She's counting out all that change for us and still smiling."

Can I just say - I love this story! You rock. I spent a good many years in retail and restaurant work and, excepting those few truly awful customers, loved working with people. I miss that often!

I'm here!!!I'm so sorry my friend...what with working, spending a minimum of 2 hours a day on the road, coming home to cooking, cleaning, homework, etc...I just haven't had time to sit and read until now.

Believe me LL, I KNOW. You know there's only one reason I'm able to get here as often as I do! It's all good!

What I wouldn't do to be able to sit home and do nothing for awhile...catch up on line ...watch tv.... Ahhhh...when I grow up I want to be a woman of leisure!

Don't we all?!

I'm so proud of Leo!! M was really excited that we can all ride that together this summer!!! Woooo Hoooo!!!

He's mentioned that more than once since!

Oh my GOSH! I read your update a few days ago, but then completely forgot to quote! Forgive me, my friend!

Only if you update your TR.

I'm so happy Leo rode Splash! We need to do a Mom and kids ride on that soggy log this summer! That'll be a great pic!

That we can redneck?! It'll be GREAT!

I'm signing on V!

Glennbo! Thanks for coming over!

Also, thanks for the review on HBC. I didn't know very much about this resort before your pictures and descriptions. Seems like a lot of nickel and diming....and you'd think they really wouldn't want people lugging inner tubes around the resort, back to their rooms. You'd think they'd come up with some kind of pass system where you either "pay for your stay" or "pay by the day".

My pleasure, and so true; I feel like they haven't quite gotten the hang of squeezing every last penny from their guests... without their guests being aware of it. NOMickey. But they seem eager to learn and to stick around in that market, so I'm sure they'll figure it out before long!

 

[Lauralee131]

Oh my GOSH! I read your update a few days ago, but then completely forgot to quote! Forgive me, my friend!

Only if you update your TR.

T - you've got a TR going?!?

 

[PrincessV]

T - you've got a TR going?!?

Pot - meet kettle. LY both!

 

[cmp1111]

Aw, I love the squeezes. And I'm so glad he got on Splash. My boys love Splash.

Dinner sounds good, too. And lunch, though pricey. And I love "hush up." Good phrase.

 

[Disneyland_Mama]

Pot - meet kettle. LY both!

 

[Lauralee131]

Pot - meet kettle. LY both!

I lost that TR like I lost my shoes that night!! Couldn't tell ya where I left it, just know that I had it at some point...

 

[englishrose47]

Hi V !! My marathon week is coming to a close !!Soo I am catching up on my threads !! I loved the IPOD Zombie or was IPhone ???? I just love those toothless smiles on kids they are awesome !! Wahooey for Leo and Spalsh !!! For you 37 hand squeezes

 

[PrincessV]

Dinner sounds good, too. And lunch, though pricey. And I love "hush up." Good phrase.

Hee hee, thanks! I'll admit that lunch was very tasty. $14 worth of tasty. To be exact-ish.

I lost that TR like I lost my shoes that night!! Couldn't tell ya where I left it, just know that I had it at some point...

Hi V !! My marathon week is coming to a close !!Soo I am catching up on my threads !! I loved the IPOD Zombie or was IPhone ????

Actually, you've got it: while it is technically an iPhone, without the "phone" function, it really is mostly an iPod, lol! And you can thank LL for that photo.

 

[PrincessV]

Okay. First, this was a long day; lots to cover. Second, it was a banner day for trying new things, so I’ll have lots of opinions to share. With you. Thirdly, it was hot. That has little to do with my tale; I just wanted that noted.

So, after our late night at the Magic Kingdom (MK), we stumbled around getting dressed and fed early the next morning to get our second dose of MK. It was Leo’s day, so Leo’s choice. And Leo wanted more Splash in his life.

The forecast called for nearly no cloud cover and sun, sun, sun. So we lathered up in sunscreen.

If you’ve read past reports of mine, you may remember that I have issues with my skin color. I look pretty good with no sun, or quite tan. Not in between, though. And, this time of year, I’m in between. Which translates into pink-ish with green undertones. Not. Good.

I’ve tried a wide variety of self-tanners and they don’t improve things; they just make me yellow-green. But I accidentally stumbled on the strangest solution a week before the PTT…

Gramma likes her Australian Gold Spray Gel, SPF 4. Yes, 4. Have you seen how fair she is? Don’t get me started. Anyway, that’s what she had by our pool a few weeks ago and she asked me to put some on her back. When I did, I noticed that the label read “with Instant Bronzer!” Hmmm. “Instant Bronzer”? Bronze is lots better than yellow-green. So I slapped some Australian Gold with Instant Bronzer on top of my non-bronzy SPF 30.

WOWSA!!!

It was the perfect color! I was astounded. Flabbergasted. Bushwacked. And about a thousand other shades of “Holy crap!”

So, then and there, I made it my mission to figure out a way to use Australian Gold with Instant Bronzer… without burning myself silly. SPF 4 ain’t gonna cut it. I could continue to layer… but it turns out Australian Gold makes a 15 and a 30 with Instant Bronzer – hooray! They also make something called "Tan Accelerator." With Instant Bronzer. No SPF. I bought that, too, and mix a little of it with my moisturizer each day, since I'm in an office, out of the sun, all day. It's great! All that Instant Bronzer builds up, too, so I'm golden all the time now!


What I’m getting at here is that on the morning of Day 2, I doused myself in Instant Bronzer AND used an SPF 30. I was going to be burn-free and a lovely shade of tan at the same time – what a great start!


I was also test-running a couple more new products that day – a new bag, the Baggalini Messenger in Crinkle Nylon, and my new Fit Flops:

I’d worn the Fit Flops around the house quite a bit, but not all day. And I’d never given the bag a solid theme park day run. I had a Baggalini years ago, but didn’t like the rip-stop nylon, so this was familiar, but not. Would either pass the test of a MK morning? Stay tuned…


Moving along, off we drove to the MK, grabbing the monorail from the TTC to the turnstiles, and arrived just as the opening festivities got underway.

I had a Plan. A really good Plan. A Plan designed by Ridemax, which had done such wonders for the Plans of previous trips.

I informed Leo of the first step in my Plan, ride Buzz… and he said “No.”

No???

No.

No Buzz.

Also, no Peter Pan.

Or People Mover.

No Small World.


So what did Leo want to do?

Splash. And Big Thunder.

And Splash. And Big Thunder.

Also, Splash.

Alrighty then. I tossed the Plan, literally and figuratively, and we headed over to Big Thunder. By way of Winnie the Pooh. Heh heh. I insisted that we do at least one ride we’d done since my now 8-year-old was a baby!

We did get our Big Thunder on…

… and talked Gramma into some Splash’n!

Yes, that is a rain jacket I’m wearing.

The previous night, we’d just missed being nailed by the water cannons. I wasn’t taking chances on being soaked all day, so I packed the packable rain jacket and put it on just before getting in the log-boat.

Know what? Didn’t need it. The water cannons missed us again!

And…

… a third time, too! Apparently my Splash luck is oodles better than my parking luck. (Which is badbadbad, TFI.) I also got this neat little photo from the third trip down the falls:

Brer-Butt View?


Speaking of camera angles… know what I didn’t bring? The Good Camera. I had it loaded up in its bag, complete with a variety of lenses and filters, the night before we left home. I picked it up to put in the car – and then set it back down on my bed. I just couldn’t. I knew it was going to be hot, and I could not bear the thought of lugging the big, heavy Good Camera around in that heat. So, another trip minus stellar shots. I’ll probably bring it for the Big Trip, but likely won’t carry it around each day then, either.


Anyway, we did drag Leo away from Splash, but not far from Frontierland. I think that’s his new favorite place. Of course, having Splash and BTMRR there help, but he’s very into the Wild West nowadays, too. I ordered Ken Burns’ documentary The West for us to watch and, though he’s saddened by some of the realities of the Old West, he’s still hankering for a trip out that way soon. Someday. In the meantime, we have Frontierland.

Which is the one place in which I put my anti-gun, leftist sentiments aside for 10 minutes of shoot-em-up fun…

And Leo and Gramma played a few mean rounds of Tic-Tac-Toe in the gift shop.

After that, we got our Jungle Cruise on, played with the Pirates and Leo decided we needed to climb the Treehouse. Gramma opted out of that one and went in search of sustenance. We found her in Dole Whip Nirvana!

Right before lunch, I might add. After chastising her properly for “ruining” her lunch, we headed over to The Plaza for Leo’s birthday lunch.

Yep, the boy requested The Plaza. He and I had a fantastic lunch there last summer and, let’s face it, it’s not like the MK is awash in good table service options. So The Plaza suited me just fine.

I repeated the previous night’s mantra to our server: no singing please. She was new and a little more perplexed than Donna at Kona, but was true to her word; no singing went down at lunch.

However, since I’d noted Leo’s birthday on the reservation, we did arrive at a table festooned with Mickey confetti and a cupcake was delivered to the birthday boy, as well as his Mickeylodeon sundae.

Check out Leo’s ice cream… does that look like mint chocolate chip to you? Me neither. That’s because it was cookies and cream. Leo ordered mint chocolate chip, his favorite flavor. He also ordered a cheeseburger with fries; he received a hamburger with carrots.

It wasn’t the best meal. It wasn’t awful, either, but Leo left feeling a little disappointed and I couldn’t blame him; it was something of a let-down after our fantastic service a year earlier.


By that time, we needed to get to the boat dock for our afternoon activity. I was hoping it would be fun enough to overcome both Leo’s lunchtime disappointment and his growing tiredness. Would I be victorious? Wait and see…


Product Notes – by the time we left the MK, my feet were still very, very happy in their Fit Flops! Sure, I had some general tiredness in my legs, but my feet didn’t hurt at all.

The Baggalini was a teeny bit cumbersome to get into without taking it off, but worked very well overall. I’ve concluded that multiple compartments and a pocket for my water bottle are requisite from now on.

 

[cmp1111]

Gramma likes her Australian Gold Spray Gel, SPF 4. Yes, 4. Have you seen how fair she is? Don’t get me started.

Oh, Gramma...

I informed Leo of the first step in my Plan, ride Buzz… and he said “No.”

No???

No.

No Buzz.

Also, no Peter Pan.

Or People Mover.

No Small World.


So what did Leo want to do?

Splash. And Big Thunder.

And Splash. And Big Thunder.

Also, Splash.

Alrighty then. I tossed the Plan, literally and figuratively, and we headed over to Big Thunder. By way of Winnie the Pooh. Heh heh. I insisted that we do at least one ride we’d done since my now 8-year-old was a baby!

Aw, this makes me smile.

It wasn’t the best meal. It wasn’t awful, either, but Leo left feeling a little disappointed and I couldn’t blame him; it was something of a let-down after our fantastic service a year earlier.

Well, dang.

 

[Wonders10]

Hi V!

I swear I read this TR when it initially started but apparently I never subscribed so I lost it until yesterday when I was browsing the trip report boards and saw you! How's it going? I'm so glad you have decided to start writing trip reports again - you are one of my top 5 trip report writers

Can't wait to hear the rest of the PTT and the Big Trip to come!

 

[jcc0621]

Gramma likes her Australian Gold Spray Gel, SPF 4. Yes, 4. Have you seen how fair she is? Don’t get me started.

Gramma

Alrighty then. I tossed the Plan, literally and figuratively, and we headed over to Big Thunder.

Sometimes throwing the plan out is the right plan

… and talked Gramma into some Splash’n!

Did she like it

It wasn’t the best meal. It wasn’t awful, either, but Leo left feeling a little disappointed and I couldn’t blame him; it was something of a let-down after our fantastic service a year earlier.

I am so disappointed to hear this. We loved the Plaze when we were there. Hope it was just an off day!

By that time, we needed to get to the boat dock for our afternoon activity. I was hoping it would be fun enough to overcome both Leo’s lunchtime disappointment and his growing tiredness. Would I be victorious? Wait and see…

 

[GreatBiscuit]

I didn't know if I could make it when I was reading about self tanners and seeing bags and shoes. But then there were guns. And I was like WOAH! COOOOOOL.

Mama can pack some heat! Good job V!

And an awesome installment. Loved the angles on Splash. I hear you on the big camera. It got to be a pain sometimes.

 

[Hedy]

Please don't tae this the wrong way, but my favorite part of your TR's is when you discuss bronzer/shoes/bags etc.

 

[Disneyland_Mama]

If you’ve read past reports of mine, you may remember that I have issues with my skin color. I look pretty good with no sun, or quite tan. Not in between, though. And, this time of year, I’m in between. Which translates into pink-ish with green undertones. Not. Good.

You know, I've read this before, but never really thought about it, but your coloring is baffling. But, I love ya, my little greenish-yellow friend.

Gramma likes her Australian Gold Spray Gel, SPF 4. Yes, 4. Have you seen how fair she is? Don’t get me started. Anyway, that’s what she had by our pool a few weeks ago and she asked me to put some on her back. When I did, I noticed that the label read “with Instant Bronzer!” Hmmm. “Instant Bronzer”? Bronze is lots better than yellow-green. So I slapped some Australian Gold with Instant Bronzer on top of my non-bronzy SPF 30.

And where does one acquire this Gold in a bottle you speak of?

Yeah....I'm still on the fence with the fitflops.

So what did Leo want to do?

Splash. And Big Thunder.

And Splash. And Big Thunder.

Also, Splash.

Bummer they screwed up his order, but he looks happy anyway! Happy Birthday lil' Dude!

Please don't tae this the wrong way, but my favorite part of your TR's is when you discuss bronzer/shoes/bags etc.

 

[GreatBiscuit]

Please don't tae this the wrong way, but my favorite part of your TR's is when you discuss bronzer/shoes/bags etc.

That's awesome! Guys def have it easier. I own a pair of tennis shoes, a pair of black shoes, a pair of brown shoes and a pair of flip flops. Had the brown ones 11 years, the black 6, bought the tennies last summer and I don't recall when the flippies show up.