Solo day and family trip... two, two, two reports in ONE!

[bumbershoot]

Darkness, that's it. Can't believe I got the name wrong.

Captain EO was 3D? Oh dear. I missed that whole EO thing...not really upset by it!

I won't go on the Stinger. no no no. That and Maliboomer are absolute NOs for me. And I've never felt the need to go on the Sun/MickeyHeadWheel, either, though the non-swinging side could see me someday, if others in my party really wanted to go on (but they haven't yet wanted to).

 

[Sherry E]

Darkness, that's it. Can't believe I got the name wrong.

Captain EO was 3D? Oh dear. I missed that whole EO thing...not really upset by it!

I won't go on the Stinger. no no no. That and Maliboomer are absolute NOs for me. And I've never felt the need to go on the Sun/MickeyHeadWheel, either, though the non-swinging side could see me someday, if others in my party really wanted to go on (but they haven't yet wanted to).

Don't feel bad about getting the name of the lion movie wrong - for some reason, whenever I think of that specific film, I always want to call it The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe! Even when I KNOW that L, W & W comes from a whole different book/storyline, I still can't stop myself from calling the Ghost and the Darkness that! I almost typed it in the post I did a little while ago, but caught myself before it sent!

 

[kaoden39]

I really enjoyed your trip report. I understand just being done. I have done that, it's funny but I have gone the other way too where I wanted to stay longer.

 

[Sherry E]

I find that when I am 'done,' it is only temporary. In other words, if I were staying a good week at a hotel and going into the parks for the first 3 days straight, I would be done and feel like I was just 'over it.' I would probably just want to be out of the parks for a day or maybe half a day. But then I would start to remember all the other things I had told myself I wanted to see (for me, I just like to scour the shops and look for any hard-to-find hidden gems that I will be sorry I didn't buy on the spot) and then feel the urge to go back in. And if I am already back at home when I get that urge, then I get annoyed that I didn't make the most of the time I had!!! Trouble is, there usually is not enough time on my trips to do a couple of really active, full days in the park, rest for half a day and then go back in. Usually it is time to go home in a couple of days!

A solo trip would help that dilemma for me somewhat, though, just for the purpose of getting certain things accomplished that I can't do when other people are with me, just like you advised, Bumbershoot!

 

[bumbershoot]

I really enjoyed your trip report. I understand just being done. I have done that, it's funny but I have gone the other way too where I wanted to stay longer.

Oh trust me, that's where I usually am, no matter how long our trip is!

I find that when I am 'done,' it is only temporary.

So very true.

As of yesterday we are now having intense discussions (all early discussion as who knows where the money would come from), that even made it to my dreams last night, of:

should the three of us take a QUICK trip in early December?
should just Eamon and I take a trip in early December?
should Eamon and I have a bit of a longer trip in early December, and Robert can join us over his weekend?

Eamon is ALL in favor of any of those. He says that he has fun with me, or with me and Robert, at Disneyland (not just him and Robert though, I guess?), and he really wants a SHORT trip b/c he gets tired.

But then, despite not understanding the "buy 4 get 3 free" deal at WDW (thought it was just a ticket deal at first, LOL), I'm now ALL about that. And I'm trying to urge a WDW trip in March for a b'day and to visit my family in Daytona and Orlando. But that would be at least 7 nights so of course that's not a "short" trip, so we're getting resistance from the 4 year old who only knows d'land so far.

The 4 year old is saying things like "disneyland is fun, it has rides! disneyworld is just for looking looking looking, no rides, it's boring".

Discussions continue.



The one in blue and bold won. And we're staying onsite. Hey, what can I do? HoJo's had NOTHING on the 6th! (whimper...candlelight processional...whimper)

 

[wendylady36]

So after two cups of coffee, I'm finally done reading your PTR and TR It took a lot longer then I expected to read through it all!

First off, you will never, ever see me spending that much on a concert ticket! Wow, that's just a lot! I understand why you ponied up the money though.

That's heartbreaking to hear about your friends cheating ways. I know married men and gals around here that do the same thing. It's SO depressing, it makes me not want to get married. I always joke with my single friends that we should move to the south, where we can get ourselves some southern gentlemen. I'm happy that you had at least one friend with you that was willing to save you from the after party bar scene.

It looks like your solo trip was great fun! I just took my first solo trip a few weeks ago, although only two days out of four were truly solo.

On the matter of that nasty nasty attraction, ITTBAB, I too freak out on the spider scene. I have to close my eyes and cover my ears and jump into the lap of whomever I'm with. The squeals at the end are from peoples bottoms getting poked by passing bugs, it's really an unpleasant ending to a scary attraction.

 

[prettyprincessbelle]

Great TR Molly!!

I think you should make a quick early December trip too! Even if it is just you and E! That would be so much fun!

Yeah, I don't really like ITTBAB either. I'll watch it, we watched it last time, but I still get freaked out. I do not understand how little 3, 4, and 5 year olds can sit through that without screaming bloody murder. It's scary!! Terrible, terrible. *shudder*

 

[Sherry E]

On the matter of that nasty nasty attraction, ITTBAB, I too freak out on the spider scene. I have to close my eyes and cover my ears and jump into the lap of whomever I'm with. The squeals at the end are from peoples bottoms getting poked by passing bugs, it's really an unpleasant ending to a scary attraction.

Oh, is that what it is?? You mean that in some of the seats, there is the sensation of things rustling past your booty? I don't think I felt that in my seat, and my friend didn't mention feeling it in hers. I wonder if it is just felt in random seats at each show? I couldn't understand why people were screaming unless they had JUST come out of HISTA and had that creedy rodents-running-over-your-feet-feeling in their minds and were super-paranoid! Now I know I don't have to lift my feet of the ground in ITTBAB, but I have to lift my butt off the seat, I guess! (That is IF I ever feel the need to see that again to pacify my friend!) Yikes!

 

[avalon451]

Great TR, Molly!

Tried to talk Liz into ITTBAB this last time, in fact I was headed for the ramp, but she really balked. Not interested and mildly creeped out by bugs... although not as bad as her dad, who seriously does not like arachnids, although he's fine to take care of household ones. We are both big Lord of the Rings fans, and he still will not watch the scene in Return of the King with Shelob, the giant spider. Too realistic! I don't mind bugs myself and I'm not easily creeped out by that kind of thing. Which is probably good, since I do a spider unit in Kindergarten every year.

I do so enjoy your writing and your sense of humor! Also your independent spirit. So good that you can get a chance to try some things that your "guys" aren't up for when you are together, and enjoy them, while appreciating the subtle pleasures of grownup alone time! And I could picture you nonchalantly repacking your suitcase under the curious eye of the CM. Very cool that you were able to leave when you felt like it, and get on an earlier flight, and get home before you were were completely exhausted.

I'm thinking I would so enjoy a solo trip like that! And yeah, the ladies' only trip sounds like a blast! However, finances just aren't gonna go there this year. We are truly done for a while. Our 20th anniversary is coming up next summer, and we'd had all these wonderful visions about maybe going to England for a few weeks... our lifelong dream... but there's no way. I guess we'll shoot for the 25th, maybe!

Thanks again for sharing your great time!

 

[avalon451]

Oh trust me, that's where I usually am, no matter how long our trip is!




So very true.

As of yesterday we are now having intense discussions (all early discussion as who knows where the money would come from), that even made it to my dreams last night, of:

should the three of us take a QUICK trip in early December?
should just Eamon and I take a trip in early December?
should Eamon and I have a bit of a longer trip in early December, and Robert can join us over his weekend?

Eamon is ALL in favor of any of those. He says that he has fun with me, or with me and Robert, at Disneyland (not just him and Robert though, I guess?), and he really wants a SHORT trip b/c he gets tired.

But then, despite not understanding the "buy 4 get 3 free" deal at WDW (thought it was just a ticket deal at first, LOL), I'm now ALL about that. And I'm trying to urge a WDW trip in March for a b'day and to visit my family in Daytona and Orlando. But that would be at least 7 nights so of course that's not a "short" trip, so we're getting resistance from the 4 year old who only knows d'land so far.

The 4 year old is saying things like "disneyland is fun, it has rides! disneyworld is just for looking looking looking, no rides, it's boring".

Discussions continue.



The one in blue and bold won. And we're staying onsite. Hey, what can I do? HoJo's had NOTHING on the 6th! (whimper...candlelight processional...whimper)

Oh, VERY cool. How fun! Eamon is going to have a blast!

 

[bumbershoot]

"We are both big Lord of the Rings fans, and he still will not watch the scene in Return of the King with Shelob, the giant spider. Too realistic!"


I had a hard time just *reading* those parts.....



I hope your 25th anniversary traveling in Europe is wonderful! Maybe your hubby will be sent on a business trip somewhere fun soon.

 

[Sherry E]

Oh, and by the way, Molly - I am going to be an enabler and say YES, by all means, go for a QUICK trip in December to DLR!!!! Your little guy will enjoy all the Christmas magic and merriment SO much (I assume he hasn't been there for the holidays before, or has he?)!!! That is the best time to go (with the exception of the heavier crowds, of course)!!

 

[bumbershoot]

I just couldn't start another pre-trip, but we're in pre-trip mode again.



Turns out hubby is still yearning for DLR, to the point where he actually turned down WDW for his b'day in order to do a shorty trip this December.

I mainly use the pre-trip journals to keep my brain in order, along with the scads of notes I've already written out. Thankfully hubby had just installed our new wireless router to replace the one that died, so I can sit at the table and be online, instead of sit on the couch where I can be wired.

So we'll be working around the crowds of the Candlelight Processional and staying away from Main Street, b/c we're going from the 6th to the 8th next month. Hubby has to see if he can swap working days on that Saturday; if he can we'll get flights early, if not we'll either split up (E and I early, hubby late) or all just go late (um, yeah, right....). And we're going back as late as possible on the 8th. I sense some Alaska flights in our future, at least for the trip home!

HoJo had nothing nothing nothing available for the 6th. Now....a couple hours ago I read on the main forum that calling them might yield a different answer, but they did have something on the 7th (entertainment rate, even) so I'm just going with "there's nothing available on the 6th". There was nothing at Anabella, either! Crazy. (I'm afraid)

Combine those things with the AP rates and that results in AP7 rates in early December for PPH. Hey, we get MM on Sunday, so that's good, right?

Then DL closes early on the Monday, which helps us get out the "door" for our flights (if we can ignore the siren call next door!).

Eamon is now very excited for Soarin', from both the Samantha Brown show we re-watched and from the little boy I told him about that I sat next to. By the way, he was a little bit peeved that I went without him, but seems to have forgiven me.

Right now E is fighting a cold (as am I) but the "guys" have been having light saber fights all day. If E is chosen for Jedi Academy, he's going to KICK Darth's booty all the way to the Endor moon!!!!!

 

[Sherry E]

Is this the first holiday trip ever to DLR for you and your family? I can't recall how many holiday trips to DLR I have made in my lifetime, but every time feels like the first time all over again when I see that giant tree on Main Street and those cute Mickey-shaped wreaths! But I just can't imagine what it is like to be a kid again and see all that cool Christmas stuff for the first time!

 

[kaoden39]

We went one year in early December. We went the week following the candle light procession. It was wonderful. The crowds were small and we were able to pretty much do what we wanted at the pace we wanted. The only downfall was it was that misty rain type of weather but aren't you from Washington? So that would be almost normal for you. We went on more rides and did more things that trip. The park is so beautiful. Enjoy.

 

[bumbershoot]

We actually did go last December in the first week. Missed the CM parties and the CP entirely, and skipped out on the crowds, too! This year from the hotel availability and the CP and the first CM party being on our last day I think we're going to hit some crowds, which will be a first (we've been very lucky).

So we'll see what it's like this time...

Poor E, what an icky cold. I had a terrific brain flash at around midnight and had him sleep with his torso propped up in the Boppy I used when we were newbies at nursing, with the Boppy also on a pillow. He felt held all night (it's always nice to be or feel held when you're sick) without one of us having to hurt our bodies or stay up all night, he didn't flop around (which tends to wake him up) and his head was raised comfortably which helped his stuffy head and nose! Sometimes I'm quite brilliant, and hubby says that the Boppy idea was one of those moments.

 

[kaoden39]

It's so hard when they are little and sick. Heck it's still hard on me and my baby is 12. It's a Mommy's lot in life I think.

 

[toocherie]

Molly: so glad your solo trip to DL/DCA was so great (sorry about the whole SD experience though!)

Also excited that you guys are coming in December. Maybe I can run over and ride a couple of rides with you!

Cheryl

 

[prettyprincessbelle]

he's going to KICK Darth's booty all the way to the Endor moon!!!!!

Oohh! This would be an awesome tag!

Another for December trip!! We're going to be there the 1st to the 4th.

 

[bumbershoot]

Cheryl, you'd better come by!

PPB and kaoden, I'm so glad you're still reading.