That's it, moved to FL to be closer to Mickey! Update 2/4 Kidnapped at WDW 10/03/09

[Finkelstein's Hubby]

Hi Melissa

Great pics, as always,. I LOVE the Streetmosphere CMs and myself and Ben watched them for ages the last time. We always made a point of being over there at 5ish whenever we were at DHS. Officer Duncan Donut was the best but Vladimir Pooey was superb....and Dorma Nesmond is terrifying but hilarious....love how the SW characters wander about, its just so cool.

Great work on the LOTR figures, that painting is very tricky and takes a keen eye.

Gordon

 

[JPFamilyMom]

Great pics, so funny you guys went into playhouse disney, that is one of the top things we want to do on our trip. Was it very interactive, I had heard or seen that it was, my Joey will love getting up and dancing and clapping along. Jack could go either way of course but hoping he will follow baby brother and dance and clap along too

Are you going to post Universal and Disney together on this report or start a new one? Take lots of spidey pictures for us

 

[kaysmommie]

Hi there,
Just wanted to say I read your report from time to time. My DS5 just loved watching your Hyperspace Hoopla videos. he has become a huge SW fan this past year. We missed SWW by 1 day, won't make that mistake again. Thanks for posting that.

 

[jmskinner]

Hi Melissa

Great pics, as always,. I LOVE the Streetmosphere CMs and myself and Ben watched them for ages the last time. We always made a point of being over there at 5ish whenever we were at DHS. Officer Duncan Donut was the best but Vladimir Pooey was superb....and Dorma Nesmond is terrifying but hilarious....love how the SW characters wander about, its just so cool.

Great work on the LOTR figures, that painting is very tricky and takes a keen eye.

Gordon

You may have noticed I always post maybe one pic of the Streetmosphere CM's and never a very good pic. Well, it's because we never stop to watch them. But as you will soon see, Officer Duncan Donut (I guess that who it was) becomes a part of my TR. You'd think that since we go so often we would take the time to enjoy more.

Great pics, so funny you guys went into playhouse disney, that is one of the top things we want to do on our trip. Was it very interactive, I had heard or seen that it was, my Joey will love getting up and dancing and clapping along. Jack could go either way of course but hoping he will follow baby brother and dance and clap along too

Are you going to post Universal and Disney together on this report or start a new one? Take lots of spidey pictures for us

Yes, lots of dancing and clapping. Jacob never gets up and dances or claps. Can't even get him to wave to characters during the parades. That is why it was so amazing he waved from the monorail that time. Of course, he was just showing off being a co-pilot.

I plan on starting a separate TR for the Universal/WDW trip. I'm hoping SimmerBaggins will join in a lot more since she will be one of the cast. Thought I might see if her daughter wants to join. Also will start another after that for the MTR's and our September trip. If I don't get this one completed, I'll have 3 going on.

Of course I'll try to get pics of Spidey.

Hi there,
Just wanted to say I read your report from time to time. My DS5 just loved watching your Hyperspace Hoopla videos. he has become a huge SW fan this past year. We missed SWW by 1 day, won't make that mistake again. Thanks for posting that.

A lurker! Glad you posted. As I was looking for my TR, yours caught my eye, I'll try to check it today.

Sorry you missed the SWW. Our first trip I didn't know about it until after we had already booked everything. My boys love SW. And your welcome for the videos. I wish they were better, but it was really crowded.

I don't think I mentioned the Ewok in my TR. As we are watching the show, someone tapped my shoulder. I figured it was a child trying to get to the front, so I shifted, looked down....right into the face of an Ewok. I tapped the next adults shoulder so he could get by. He finally made it up front with all the kids. It was so funny because he would stand next to those kids for about a minute before they realized who was standing next to him. It took Jacob even longer. Just a little more Disney magic.

Ok, next trip coming up.

 

[Dr_Finkelstein]

Oops, still haven't done the update. Maybe tonight.

I know I have creative people reading my TR. Jonas came up with the bright idea to wear matching t-shirts to Universal. There are thousands of ideas for WDW here on the Dis, but I haven't found anything for Universal. He wants Universal since Kara will be with us. He doesn't care for Thing 1, 2 etc. I can't think of anything except something like, "Where's Mickey?" or "This isn't WDW!" Or "The Skinner Family has lived in Florida a year and finally made it to Universal." See, no creativity here.

Anyone have an idea?????

You've come up with mores ideas than I would. Can't think of anything else. Maybe "isn't there meant to be a castle?" Hopeless.

Really enjoyed the SWW updates, the videos were great!

Can't wait to find out about Duncan Donut - our son's hero! If you gave Ben a choice between RnRC or watching Duncan Donut - guess who he'd pick?

Hope your DIS meet goes well!!

Di x

 

[jmskinner]

I just had to make one more trip to SWW. Now, that week Jonas was having to work the night shift, 5:30pm to 5:30am. Not a fun week. Saturday night was his last night. I had planned on going to SWW that Sunday, so I asked if he wanted to go. He said sure, if we didn't mind waiting until later to go. Of course I didn't mind. So about 10:00am I woke him up and got him ready to go. Now, Jacob decided to stay up all night, yet again. Why does he do this the night before we go to Disney.

On the way we saw two accidents on I-4. People drive way too fast on that road.

We finally made it to DHS. Now, back in June I went ahead and pre-purchased the Photopass CD before the price went up. So, I plan on getting as many pics as possible.

We made it through the turnstiles and grabbed our first pic. The CM was nice enough to use my camera also:

Ok, I know Jacob doesn't have a SW t-shirt on, but all of his SW t-shirts are black and I felt that would be too hot.

Jonas wanted to do ToT first. On the way Jacob asked for a drink, so I asked Jonas to get him one and I took pics of Jacob:

Jonas came back with Jacob's coke and was already irritated at people. It seems a man kept trying to jump in front of him in line.

We headed over to ToT and decided to grab FP's for RnR. We got in line for ToT, which the wait time grew by 10 minutes while we were getting FP's for RnR. Now, I was ok with Jacob not riding. He could stay in line with us and take the "chicken" door right before the elevator. Jonas wasn't having it, he felt Jacob should ride. Well, on top of Jacob being tired from staying up all night, it was incredibly hot and humid. Jacob hates sweating and was upset about that (I had left the misting fan in the car), now Dad was making him go on a ride he was afraid of. What does this build up to? MELTDOWN!!! Jacob starts crying, his Dad is getting mad and I am trying to mediate the two. It was gong to be a long day because both of my boys were tired. Finally get Jacob calmed down. Here are some pics of our wait:

I love how they have the "dead" vines everywhere.

And yet another shot of Jacob doing something he shouldn't...

Man, it was dark that day in the basement.

With flash:

Jonas and I both agreed we liked it better without the flash:

Finally we were on the ride. And of course I snapped away:

We didn't realize we could see BB from DHS.

We finally exited the elevator and were so happy to be alive!

For some reason I was having a hard time getting our redneck ride photo. No one was staring at me this time at least. I ended up trying the flash. Now, the pic of us on the ride didn't come out that well, but I have never noticed all the themeing around the monitors.

Up next, some SW stuff!

 

[JPFamilyMom]

How frustrating about the meltdown. Isn't that just like a man to make the situation worse? My DH sometimes tries to help or doesn't realize what he is doing and often just makes things worse with Jack.

I hope things got better as the day progressed. Your pictures are amazing, I'm not a fan of that ride either for fear of heights, but the decor is very cool.

can't wait to read more

 

[carissanboys]

Awesome about the Dismeets! I'm still kicking myself that we didn't plan something while I was there.

Love the picture of Jonas' army - very cool. It amazes me how Chuck can paint something so small.

 

[jmskinner]

Awesome about the Dismeets! I'm still kicking myself that we didn't plan something while I was there.

Love the picture of Jonas' army - very cool. It amazes me how Chuck can paint something so small.

I know, especially since we know we were at MK the same day.

So Chuck paints the same type of figure?

How frustrating about the meltdown. Isn't that just like a man to make the situation worse? My DH sometimes tries to help or doesn't realize what he is doing and often just makes things worse with Jack.

I hope things got better as the day progressed. Your pictures are amazing, I'm not a fan of that ride either for fear of heights, but the decor is very cool.

can't wait to read more

Jonas makes things worse with Jacob all the time. And things did get better. After the ride Jacob was just fine.

I say everyone should give ToT a try. I know you are high up, but it doesn't drop you as far as most drop rides. It's just that it is dark so you don't really know it. Think about it, most rides that drop have the shoulder harness while ToT has a lap belt.

You've come up with mores ideas than I would. Can't think of anything else. Maybe "isn't there meant to be a castle?" Hopeless.

Really enjoyed the SWW updates, the videos were great!

Can't wait to find out about Duncan Donut - our son's hero! If you gave Ben a choice between RnRC or watching Duncan Donut - guess who he'd pick?

Hope your DIS meet goes well!!

Di x

Di, you posted as I was trying to write that last chapter. Sorry I am just now getting to you. Jonas liked your idea for the t-shirt. What does everyone else think?

How funny your DS would rather ride Duncan Donut.

The DIS meet went great. We had a blast, but I can't imagine anyone not having fun with Timmy. It was also nice that I didn't have the Grumpy's with me. Shhh, don't tell them.

 

[jmskinner]

After surviving ToT, we headed over to Wickets Warehouse. Quick pic of crowds so far:

And as we walked by TSMM, check out the wait time:

The characters were out

So after the meltdown, look what I got:

A smile from Jacob!!!!

After visiting Wickets Warehouse we saw Darth Maul and decided to get a pic. While we waited in line, the StormTroopers made sure everyone behaved themselves.

One of us was misbehaving:

We finally made it to see Darth Maul and the CM was nice enough to use my camera:

After this I needed a restroom break, so the boys waited on me and Jonas took some pics:

The photopass pics are even better and once I get the CD I will post all the pics.

Now, I realized I should try to get this guys pic, but it was too late, he was already leaving the area. Check out the little girl on the bench.

We then ran into these guys:

I saw a Photopass CM taking pics, so I went to hand him my card and he told me he was randomly snapping kids as they traded with the characters. This made no sense to me and of course there wasn't a line so everyone was pushing their kids in front of people. I told Jacob to wait and this lady walked up behind us and pushed her girl in front of us. I leaned over and told Jacob what the lady was doing and for him to jump up there, we had already been there 5 minutes. Another little boy started to jump in front of Jacob, but his Dad stopped him and said Jacob was first. I liked that Dad. I gave Jacob a Lifesaver mint to trade and he got:

And see what that little girls mother did:

Jacob got Equal. Of course he had no idea what it was.

Jacob wanted to show me what they had done to a famous painting:

I was impressed he knew it was a famous painting.

I'll continue in the next post, but guess what we finally saw after so many trips to DHS?

 

[carissanboys]

So Chuck paints the same type of figure?

He paints Warhammer, not Lord of the Rings, but they look similar. He found some comic book store down in Pensacola and he goes there to "play".

 

[carissanboys]

A picture of Jacob smiling!

Those pictures with Darth Maul were awesome.

 

[jmskinner]

We walked by ST and it had a 30 minute wait. I remembered that two hours after receiving a FP, if your FP time hasn't come, you can get another. We had FP's for RnR. So I thought we should get a FP for Star Tours, which the return time was 30 minutes away. We could go do something else instead of waiting in line.

So, what is it we have never done at DHS.....

I learned a lesson during this show, take the zoom lens! To be honest, I didn't enjoy the show as much as I thought I would, but maybe it was all of the anticipation of seeing it.

Of course we stopped for more pics:

We headed over to Star Tours.

Jonas decided Jacob needed a hat:

 

[jmskinner]

After ST, Jonas wanted to do this:

On the way in, I noticed Minnie getting her pic taken:

I don't know who this photographer was to get special one on one time with Mickey's lady.

We realized that we had never been in the back part of the vehicle.

So, we never knew that there was a second Alien, we had previously only seen the one coming from the ceiling:

They never learn do they?

After the GMR, it was time for RnRc.

There was a train waiting for take off:

And then they were gone:

After the ride we ran into:

He had a sketch and was looking for a criminal. Jonas pointed at Jacob and said "Here he is!"

The officer realized Jacob was not his man and let us go on our way. It was a great way to end the day. We headed home, me wishing we could have gotten more character photos, but Jacob just wasn't having it that day. I grabbed a couple of shots on the way out.

So, that was it for SWW.

 

[jmskinner]

He paints Warhammer, not Lord of the Rings, but they look similar. He found some comic book store down in Pensacola and he goes there to "play".

Jonas paints Warhammer also and a lot of others. He could sit and paint until he was 80 and not finish all of the figures he has.

A picture of Jacob smiling!

Those pictures with Darth Maul were awesome.

Wait until you see the photopass ones. They got some great ones of Darth Maul giving Jacob a hard time.

 

[JPFamilyMom]

Great final update. Star Wars Minnie is so cute. Love the Ewok trading....

 

[karajeboo]

We so wanted to check out SWW this year but we had to go to a wedding the only weekend we could go..... so I'm glad you got so many pics! Was it as crazy busy as it looked?

 

[jmskinner]

Great final update. Star Wars Minnie is so cute. Love the Ewok trading....

I love Minnie also. Wish we had gotten pictures with them. I'll try again next year, may have to go solo!

We so wanted to check out SWW this year but we had to go to a wedding the only weekend we could go..... so I'm glad you got so many pics! Was it as crazy busy as it looked?

Hi there! Hopefully next year you can make it. Yes, it was very busy, especially during the Hoopla show.

Hey, just saw a commercial for Rooms 2 Go and they have a new Disney line of furniture. They only showed furniture for little girls though.

 

[JPFamilyMom]

1 week

 

[jmskinner]

1 week

I didn't get notified of this post. Thank you, now it is less than a week.

We had to take our dog Constanze to the vet yesterday. $700 later, she is at the vet again for more IV Therapy. Sounds like she will be ok though. Now waiting to see if she will be ok at the kennel. We can take her to the Universal hotel, but of course not POR. We will just wait to see what happens.

Next up, another MTR!