Tasty Planning Time with ZeBrook! A 2 for 1 PTR - 12/24 - All our bags are packed

[jordanyosh]

Brook,

the dedicated 2 bedrooms are hard to come by, but yes, it would make a difference in your case to have the 2 queen beds instead of one queen bed and one sleeper sofa.....although from what I remember the sleeper sofas are quite comfortable...for sleeper sofas.

oh..you'll never see me in my trunks...but you will see my undies drying on a clothesline..

 

[brookelizabeth]

No, we've never done DVC before so I am super excited about that! Congrats on getting under 200! The summer should fly by too like it usually does (if MN ever gets summer weather, right?) and then you'll be down even lower.

Oh, I bet you will love DVC! We enjoyed having the kitchen, the LAUNDRY and the extra space. I never thought I would care to do laundry on vacation, but with a little guy, it sure is nice to just throw the dirty clothes in there and hit "wash" as you walk out the door.

OKW looked really beautiful when Joe and I were there. It's very spread out, so be prepared for that (or request a room near the main buildings). Many of the rooms looked like they faced the river though, and it's set in the woods, so it's truly beautiful. The boat ride to DTD is really enjoyable too!!

And no joke about the MN weather! I've been wearing jeans and sweaters lately. It's finally in the 70s again today though!

Yeah! for being under 200! Keeping my fingers crossed for you at getting your preferred room!

I am just thrilled we are under 200 days! 200 is still sooooooo far away, but it sure sounds closer.

200 Day Happy Dance! & a little bit of

You are at your one week boogie today, aren't you?!!

Under 200 sounds great! And you will soon be at 6 months as well!!

And you started reading the UG? I actually find this book very amusing. I love their dry humor!

I have started reading it - and I love it! I usually read it right before I go to sleep and almost every night and laughing, trying not to wake up Joe. I love that they put in so many tidbits from readers too, both people who agree and disagree with them.

WOOHOO!!

 

[KathyRN137]

Congratulations for breaking the "200" barrier!!!


Kathy

 

[brookelizabeth]

Brook,

the dedicated 2 bedrooms are hard to come by, but yes, it would make a difference in your case to have the 2 queen beds instead of one queen bed and one sleeper sofa.....although from what I remember the sleeper sofas are quite comfortable...for sleeper sofas.

oh..you'll never see me in my trunks...but you will see my undies drying on a clothesline..

It's good to hear that the sofa sleepers are decent. I'm sure DSIL won't mind so much-she has been on several foreign missions trips-so she's slept in some pretty interesting places!

Undies and baked doggies....it's an interesting PTR!

 

[jordanyosh]

Undies and baked doggies....it's an interesting PTR!

thanks brook

 

[Flossbolna]

I have started reading it - and I love it! I usually read it right before I go to sleep and almost every night and laughing, trying not to wake up Joe. I love that they put in so many tidbits from readers too, both people who agree and disagree with them.

Actually the first UG I ever had was one for Disneyland Paris (the EuroDisney) which they published just when it opened. My sister and I had been to the US in 1992 after my high school graduation and spent two days at DL with my aunt. I became a Disney geek than: I read the Brinbaum guide from cover to cover. Of course when I returned I really wanted to check out EuroDisney and since she could not give me a trip to EuroDisney she got me a guide book for my birthday! That was the UG for EuroDisney in the German translation! It actually says in the front that the gift includes her company on a trip - if I pay for her! I was so amazed at the explanation of how the rides load and which load faster than others... Have been a fan of this book ever since!

 

[brookelizabeth]

Congratulations for breaking the "200" barrier!!!


Kathy

Thanks Kathy!

thanks brook

Really, it's a great PTR, I am loving learning about China!

Actually the first UG I ever had was one for Disneyland Paris (the EuroDisney) which they published just when it opened. My sister and I had been to the US in 1992 after my high school graduation and spent two days at DL with my aunt. I became a Disney geek than: I read the Brinbaum guide from cover to cover. Of course when I returned I really wanted to check out EuroDisney and since she could not give me a trip to EuroDisney she got me a guide book for my birthday! That was the UG for EuroDisney in the German translation! It actually says in the front that the gift includes her company on a trip - if I pay for her! I was so amazed at the explanation of how the rides load and which load faster than others... Have been a fan of this book ever since!

What a great gift that was!! I like what she wrote in the front too!

I haven't gotten to the ride stuff yet-I have just been reading sections on stuff I have questions about-so I didn't even realize they had detail in there that showed what rides loaded the fastest and such...wow! That will be really great information for the busy season.

 

[moparop]

WOOT! for under 200 days!

 

[brookelizabeth]

Back in Wisconsin Dells....we left off after gorging ourselves on the breakfast buffet, packing all our bags and heading to the indoor theme park once again.

Mr. Friend really wanted to take his son on the go-karts and the son was PUMPED about it. Joe thought it would be fun to take Henry as well, if they would allow it.

As soon as we walk into the doors, what is directly to our left?

Yep, the little red car!

"Car, car, car!"

"Come on in babe!"

A dozen pictures later, we pulled Henry out and headed up to the go-karts.

We had two indoor park passes that came with our room, so Mr. Friend used one and his son could actually ride for free with him (score! ), and they did allow Henry to ride, so Joe used the other pass with Henry being free.

Henry seemed very excited about getting to ride in the car with Daddy!



I feared he was going to have a meltdown just before everything started, but, he sat there very patiently waiting for their group of cars to be released.





Within a few minutes they were off!!!






After the ride Joe said Henry didn't really react the entire time, he was just wide-eyed, blank face. Joe had to stop several times to readjust Henry, as you can see in the pic above-he kept sliding down the seat! Every single car lapped them as well, BUT, they had a good time and Henry was all grins afterwards!

After the Go Karts our friends decided to head to the waterpark, and I had wanted to take Henry on the carousel I spied out last night, so we parted ways for a bit.

Henry has been on 2 carousels, the first being at a local carnival last summer just before he turned 1 and the second time being on Cinderella's at MK. His first ride was a bit of a disaster, he wasn't too keen on it! But, he did do better on Cinderella's.

This carousel had all different animals, so I picked one I knew Henry would like-the lion! He doesn't say lion yet, but instead roars when he sees one.


"Oooh boy...am I gonna like this?"


"I think I do like it!"

He LOVED it!!!!! He was smiling, laughing and waving at his Daddy!



He was even brave enough to touch the lions teeth.




Big boy!

After the ride we walked back through the indoor park




Mini-golf

And look at that! We were able to distract Henry from every single car!

He was obviously getting tired by this point, but since we had no room, and it was very busy in the entire hotel, we weren't sure how to get him to take a nap...so I figured we'd try to at least find a quiet activity or a quiet corner.

And that's when I remembered our room package also came with a $20 gift card to the "Pottery Pizazz" store they had just off the lobby. This is a shop where you can pick a pottery item and then paint it, they will bake it for you, and you pick it up the next day. This is something I have wanted to do with Henry, thinking a plate with his hands would be really sweet and special. This is the exact kind of activity that we needed-quiet and low key.

Continued in next post

 

[brookelizabeth]

Continued from previous post

So, off to Pottery Pizazz. We browsed around the tiny shop and instead of doing a plate, we opted for a mug. As you probably know, I am a BIG coffee drinker and I like my mugs! So it was a good fit.

It was a family effort:





No picture of Henry though...that took two adults to manage, no one to take a picture!

Our finished mug, Henry's smooshy handprint in blue...




(Our last name starts with a W)

After our painting we decided to meet up with our friends and get some more waterpark action in! So Joe ran out to the car to get our suits, and Henry and I hung out in the lobby.




At the Sweet Hut. An amazing little sweets shop just off the lobby. You could smell the goodness anytime you went even close to it!




In a sitting area section of the lobby-amazing, isn't it???


Henry enjoying climbing on and off the couches. Check out that coffee table too-animals carved into the base-really cool!

Soon enough we were back in the waterpark, and this time I made sure to get some pictures before hopping into the water.


The first thing you see after exiting the locker rooms


A bit to the left


This is the same wave pool as the first pic, but just from the side


Walking around the left side of the park--more slides


This is the TOILET slide! You are shot down a pipe and then swirled around inside that thing and burped out the bottom. No thanks! But Joe and Mrs. Friend did it!


On the other side of the Toilet Slide




A small section of the Lazy River


The blue slide was part of the "Master Blaster" (like Crush n Gusher)


One of the Children's areas





While the other two kids were loving the water again today, Henry was NOT having any of it. It was much more busy and loud today, and I don't know if that was part of it, or if he was just exhausted from not having a nap-but he was in tears anytime we tried to even stick one of his little toes into the water! I was just fine with hanging out with him poolside and watching, or holding him while I stood in knee deep water while everyone else played. He and I had a great time hanging around.

Continued in next post

 

[brookelizabeth]

Continued from previous post

A while later the kids were all fizzling down and our skin was all wrinkled, so we decided to call it a day for the waterpark.

Back in the lobby we ran into the Kalahari mascot, a big 'ol elephant character, and I made sure to bring Henry right up to him. He so far has not ever been scared of characters anytime we have seen them, and I hope to keep it that way by bringing him to see them any chance we get.

We also noticed a HUGE line the winded through the lobby...they had a cookie making station set up! We were all wanting just a little snack, so our friends got in line there with their children, and Joe and I headed for the Sweet Hut, oh yes. We would have done cookies, but juggling our stroller through that maze was not something we cared to do...plus, uh...the Sweet Hut. Ya. He he.

We all got our goodies and met at a table in the lobby to enjoy


Milk. H's favorite drink.


Red,white and blue cookies in celebration of Memorial Day.


So attractive, isn't it?

....our friends had also made a cookie for Henry-which he enjoyed VERY much!



And one last pic in the lobby...they had various animals throughout the day and I kept missing them, but I finally got to see the baby kangaroo and tiger!





Up next: Adventure Golf, where the biggest "adventure" is pushing your stroller up a hill....

 

[brookelizabeth]

WOOT! for under 200 days!

It just sounds closer!

 

[KathyRN137]

I know you're not finished posting, but I just wanted to say how cute Henry looked riding the big lion and daring to touch his teeth!!

The resort does look amazing... and how wonderful to not have to worry about getting a sunburn!!

Looking forward to the rest...

Kathy

 

[CJsMom]

Yahoo for 199 days!!!

Henry has the cutest look on his face in the picture of he and Joe riding in the car. Adorable!!!

 

[Lady Lallie]

This pictures of Henry on the Lion Carousel is just adorable.

It seems like Kalahari had a little bit of everything, it looks like so much fun!

 

[ILuvCrush]

horray for 199 days!!

Love the pics and Henry is just so adorable!!

I just asked my DH how far it is to get to Wisconsin from PA

paula

 

[k_reile]

horray for 199 days!!

Love the pics and Henry is just so adorable!!

I just asked my DH how far it is to get to Wisconsin from PA

paula

there's a kahlihari in Sandusky Ohio....its closer than wisconsin anyways!

 

[Donald is #1]

Wow, it looks like Henry loved that cookie! Esp, the blue frosting.

 

[MeMom]

The pictures of Henry in the car and then the top of Henry's head in the car - very funny! I know he was having an absolute blast!

Does he have any of the Disney Matchbox cars like they sell in the parks?

 

[SoonerGirl]

That place looks like so much fun! Too bad Wisconsin is so far from here!

I love the pictures of Henry on the Lion, so so cute!