Some pixie dust, some magic, and our dreams came true! Sept 20-27 W/Pics *COMPLETED*

[Tatum@disney]

I ordered more tea. This is what she brought back saying "since you're so thristy!"

And YES it was that big!
Jen probably has pics of the food and dessert. We had cobbler with ice cream! YUM! Overall we were very impressed with WC. Maybe it was b/c it was our last sit down meal for the trip. We were all very relaxed and had a really nice time talking. And maybe b/c this was the only time we weren't rushed in and out of the place. We hit WC at the right time, there were hardly any people there!
Afterwards we waded in the resort pool. Nice pool. Grace got completely in even though we were full dressed. We should have done the same thing. She was smart b/c the ferry ride would have been more pleasant. On the return trip back to MK we were pack in the boat like sardines! And sweating like pigs. At least I was!
Jen will have more updates soon. Including our last freakout that involves getting to the airport on time...oh, did I mention that the keypad to our car never worked. You know the useful tool to find you car by it's alarm in a crowded parking lot where all the cars look alike!

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

Ok, now Traci has TRULY hijacked the trip report!!!!!

I will post my version of those events soon!



Yes, I preordered the Photopass CD but you don't have 30 days to decide, you have two weeks from the completion date of your vacation. I wanted to get on one of the Photopass sharing groups but I waited too long. We debated whther or not we should go ahead with the order of the Photopass CD since there were very few GREAT pictures on it. Maybe 5 or so that we absolutely couldn't refuse to buy. So at $12.95 each for prints for each of us that's over $100.00 so we decided to just go ahead and get the CD. We really made an effort to take advantage of any all all Photopass photographers we saw. But some photographers were obviously better than others as some photos came out poorly composed, exposed, etc.

More Photopass Pics and Whispering Canyon up soon!

 

[Tatum@disney]

OOPS! SORRY!

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

Day Four-EPCOT

Test Track: If you put your Photopass card in the slot before the timer counts down it'll add your picture to your card!

Our exclusive Disney Visa Meet n Greet:

Do I look drunk here?

Kisses from Mickey!

I love this pic!

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

Animal Kingdom Photopass Pics:

Perhaps my favorite picture of the whole trip:

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

 

[Tatum@disney]

We were the only people on the Teacups!!!!!

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

Ok, I LOVE the Wilderness Lodge. I would love to be able to stay there some day. So I decided on our last day we could ferry over and have lunch. We took the ferry at about 2pm and on our way out of MK there was a parade going on:

Is this the main street Family Fun day parade?

We went under the train station:

Then, we went to the dock to wait for the ferry.

The ferry ride to the Wilderness Lodge wasn't too bad, we were all hungry and it was hot but the boat wasn't too crowded and we had bench seats inside. (There's no AC on these ferries-just wind from the windows). On the way we passed people parasailing which looks like it would be fun!

Once we arrived at the Wilderness Lodge we walked up the pier to the resort. This resort is BEAUTIFUL! We found our way past Roaring Forks, through the lobby and checked in at Whispering Canyon Cafe. Our ADR was for 2:40 and that's about the time we arrived and the restaurant was deserted. Only two tables occupied at the time. There was a slight annoyance that they were doing construction at the Lodge so there was the constant sound of hammering, pounding, airguns, etc. They showed us to our table near the door to the kitchen and gave the girls coloring pages and crayons.

Our waitress seemed very nice but the woman waiting on the other table was LOUD and obnoxious. Now, I know this is a themed restaurant where that is the theming but I was glad we did not have that other waitress!

Our waitress here seemed a little peeved that we were on the dining plan, this is the ONLY place I felt we were discriminated against due to having the plan. She proceeded to tell us all the things we could not eat since we were on the dining plan. No appetizers here on dining plan if you order the skillet. It didn't bother us much because it was lunch and who wants to gorge themselves at lunch but the way it was presented seemed a bit rude.

We all ordered iced tea, except for Grace who wanted a chocolate milkshake, which was EXCELLENT! We also all ordered the Canyon Skillet which came with BBQ ribs, chicken, and sausage. Plus it came with corn on the cob, mashed potatoes that were YUMMO! And pinto beans and cole slaw. The girls were able to add an appetizer of watermelon and we also received a basket of hard as a rock, stale cornbread.

Can you tell we liked the mashed potatoes?

Everyone ate pretty well and our waitress made fun of us when we asked for more potatoes and of course brought Traci a giant glass when she asked for more tea:

Unfortunately all of the staff seemed far more interested in cleaning up their stations and getting ready for the dinner rush than seeing if we needed anything. Once again, she came to take our dessert order and told us what we couldn't order! Which didn't really matter because we both wanted the Banana Dustbowl which was very good. The girls received 2 chocolate chip cookies each.

We didn't tip this waitress above and beyond the DP tip because we didn't feel it warranted it. Being a parent of a four year old you learn not to reward negative behavior!

We left the restaurant and explored the lobby. The girls especially liked the bridge:

Traci peeked into the Mercantile and said everything was expensive. We made our way out to the pool and Grace got in with all of her clothes on and sat down in the water!

We had to coerce them out of the pool and back down the pier to catch the ferry that was just arriving.

It was packed, and I stood in the front and let Grace sit on the seat and we were not that hot with the wind whipping through our hair. The boat stopped at Fort Wilderness and even more people squeezed on!

Traci and Tatum were miserable! They were by the (closed) window and had the sun beating down on them.

We arrived back at MK at 4:15pm, our flight departed Orlando at 7:50pm, so we decided we could do a few rides in MK before heading to the airport.

BIG MISTAKE!!!!!!!!!!
as you'll find out in my next post!

 

[JoAnnPan]

Love the tea cup pic..didn't know they took pics on rides...did they ask you or did you ask them?

The Simba/AK pics are really great. I have to get one of those on my next trip .
Once again I have to say that I really enjoyed your trip report.
Thanks for sharing.
It is truly a magical place and the girls will have all these great stories and pics to look back on when they are older.

 

[momtoccc]

I've really enjoyed your trip report too!

Wondering if you made the airport in time????

 

[MousekaMaddi]

thanx 4 sharing

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

We enter the MK for what would be the last time this trip. You know after a week of whirlwind touring with a four year old you are torn between wanting to go home and sleep for a week and stay in WDW forever. We had so many magical moments on this trip. There was nothing I would have done differently.

Instead of heading for a ride we wandered aimlessly through Main Street shops soaking in the atmosphere. We spent the remaining snack credits on candy at the Confectionery.
We bought some last minute souveniers and wandered out to the monorail around 6:20pm. Our flight was at 7:50pm so we knew we were cutting it close but we didn't want to sit in the airport too long.

We took the monorail to the TTC just as it was starting to rain. When we arrived at the TTC and went out into the parking lot we walked to where we thought we remembered parking. We looked for our car and looked for our car and there was no car! We split up and walked up and down the many aisles of cars and we couldn't find it! 10 minutes went by. No Car! 20 minutes went by. Still no car! I yelled out for Traci and heard no response. Then I was afraid we had lost Traci and Tatum! 30 minutes passed! I was frantically running up and down the aisles in the rain knowing we were too late to ever make our flight. I looked up into the sky and there was the most beautiful rainbow I have ever seen! You could see both ends of the rainbow. Grace marveled and yelled this was the first rainbow she had ever seen. What a perfect place (but not situation) to see your first rainbow! I finally found Traci and I suggested we try the next lot over and we debated saying we really didn't think we had parked that close and then we walked RIGHT UP TO THE CAR! As Traci mentioned earlier, the remote for the car that beeps wehn you press it didn't work, I think the batteries were dead in the remote so that didn't help us any. And if you remember, we rushed out of the car and into the MK because we were late for the BBB appt. We all celebrated and cheered that we had found the car and it hadn't been stolen or towed, which is what we had thought for the past 20 minutes. We raced to fill up the gas tank and the Car Care Center. Then off to the Airport, through the toll booths. And we arrived at the airport at 7:30pm! Twenty minutes before our flight! We didn't even check in our National car, just dropped it at the National car queue and RAN like OJ to the Ticketing Desk where, thankfully, there was no line. We told them we were racing to make our flight and they quickly took our bags and sent us to the gate. When we got to the gate they were boarding. We waited and were the last people on the plane!!! But we made it. And Grace fell asleep fairly quickly but Tatum stayed awake for the whole flight. We changed planes in Dallas and landed in San Antonio at 11:30pm.

What a trip! And it ended so stressfully! But we loved every minute of it-flaws and all. It can't all be pixie dust, magic and dreams. But our little trip to WDW filled our hearts with even more love for Disney than before. My mother said Grace matured alot while we were gone. And, you know, that statement didn't surprise me at all. Eventhough we plan, we obsess, we change, we read, etc etc etc before we go, the short time we are actually at WDW changes us. It changes who we are each time we are there. And definitely in a good way!

This was my daughter's first experience at WDW. One of many, many trips I hope she gets to take in her life. The trip changed her. She kind of likes the princesses now, she wants me to read her the fairytales. And mostly, she talks about Tinkerbell. She makes up songs about her. She believes Tinkerbell made this trip so spectacular-orchestrating her days and leaving her pixie dust and notes at night! And so, the trip helped her believe in magic.

A few days ago we were putting away some of her art projects and she got some glitter on her hands. She said "Look Mommy, Tinkerbell's been here!"



Thanks to everyone who came along on our trip report. May the magic always be in your hearts!

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

Thanks Walt!

 

[melsmom12]

*Standing up to applaud*

Bravo! What a fantastic trip report! Thank you so much for sharing your vacation with all of us. I have really really enjoyed reading every installment. Now I can't wait to have a mother-daughter trip to WDW with my DD in a few more years!

Thanks again, it was very, very wel done!

 

[momtoccc]

WOW! You did cut it close - glad you made it though

Thanks again for a wonderful TR!

 

[mkluvsmickey]

Thanks for sharing your trip with us. Love your last post - you have a great writing style.

 

[Tatum@disney]

BRAVO!!!! I can't believe it's over! Who doesn't just love DisneyWorld!!! Now time to scrapbook...

 

[ProudMommyof2]

Simply Awesome!!!

 

[JoAnnPan]

A BIG THUMBS UP FOR YOUR TRIP REPORT - THANK YOU BOTH FOR SHARING THE MAGIC - VERY, VERY ENJOYABLE!!

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[KarlaG4Kids]

It was a great trip report, but the ending was spectacular. It explained why Disney lives in the hearts of so many people. I can't wait to take my little granddaughters to Disney World now. They are only 3-1/2 right now (and one isn't even due until February), but I am anxiously awaiting them to be old enough to take, and share the special memories you and Grace and Traci & Tatum have shared with each other and all of us reading your report. Thanks for all of the fun and excitement.