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

[irky416]

You're right...that guy does look cute!

I really like all the topiarys (sp?).

Thanks for the warning about the bird picture! I would have freaked out if that was me!

Most of the pop at Club Cool isn't that good and probably deserves the face Jacob gave it!

 

[jmskinner]

Hi Melissa

The pics of the Garden Festival have been fantastic.......Epcot looked fantastic and my only regret is that I am not there to see it.....heres to your next trip

Gordon

Thanks. I hope you get to go during it sometime. Weather was nice most days also.

You're right...that guy does look cute!

I really like all the topiarys (sp?).

Thanks for the warning about the bird picture! I would have freaked out if that was me!

Most of the pop at Club Cool isn't that good and probably deserves the face Jacob gave it!

I can't pronounce topiarys much less spell it. I say it 5 different ways every time I try to say it.

There were two cola's at Club Cool that I really liked. I keep wanting to swing through and just grab me a cup to quinch my thirst.


Thought I would throw in what we did this past weekend. Went to NC for DBIL wedding. Really nice wedding, but it rained the day of and then it rained on us on the way home from SC to FL. But it did stop long enough for us to stop at Epcot for JS's birthday. Which was good because we only had one poncho and it was Jacob's. Also, since no poncho's no pics, didn't want to get the camera wet.

Now Irky will appreciate this, first thing we did was ride Mission:Space. See every time I go to Epcot, I get to ride M:S. I was going to let the boys go on the orange side, but Jacob wanted me to ride also so green it was. JS kept calling me a wimp, but I knew I would feel horrible if I rode the orange side. Jacob was all excited because he was going to be Navigator, a postion he hasn't held yet. Well, the guy getting out before us, shuts the bar on the Navigator seat as he gets out. We told Jacob to wait and maybe the CM could open for him, but he goes ahead and sits down and pulls his bar down. So now he is mad. On the ride we reach the point where you are hanging on the ledge and Gary says "Don't Move!!!!" So what does JS do? He sneezes. "You just killed us" I exclaim and we all start laughing.

From there we went to TT. There was a 30 minute wait and JS still wanted to ride, so we got in line. Then they announced technical difficulties and I also knew with the weather and the rain, the wait was going to grow, so we backed out, making a few people happy I'm sure.

Then it was off to Mouse Gears. Found the statue JS wanted. Then he said I could get what I wanted, so I got the Mickey Hand silver salad tongs and the Mickey hand thing to place spoons on the stove while cooking. We still had money left so while I was looking at pins, JS found himself a Grumpy glass beer mug. Which I find funny because he doesn't drink beer. We ended up paying $1.58 our of pocket. I knew stopping for that gift card was well worth it.

So then it was time to go. The rain was starting to move in. I'll try to take pics of our purchases and post them tomorrow. Plus I need to get busy on the day at DHS for the 20th Anniversary and also Mothers Day. My day trips are getting in the way of my TR, or maybe it is that !

 

[carissanboys]

You got some great shots of some really interesting things that I've never noticed either! That's what I love about TRs.

That bird picture is too funny.

You know, I don't think I've ever been in MouseGears.

 

[jmskinner]

You got some great shots of some really interesting things that I've never noticed either! That's what I love about TRs.

That bird picture is too funny.

You know, I don't think I've ever been in MouseGears.

The man behind the bird was laughing afterwards.

Never been in MouseGears. Are you sure? You walk by it when you head to M:S, TT, and Ellen's Universe of Energy. There are about 5 different entrances so you may have went in and didn't realize it. If you haven't been, well, that just calls for another trip.

 

[jmskinner]

So, a few days before 05/01, I realized the 20th Anniversary of Hollywood Studios was coming up. Ummmm, wonder if something special will be going on. Free stuff? Special Merchandise? I started researching and found that a special ceremony was to happen at rope drop. Also, there would be special pins, t-shirts, etc. Oh, but it fell on a Friday, what about Jacob and school. Wait, Jacob doesn't have school. We can do this. But, rope drop is at 8:00am. We can do this. I'll just dress Jacob the night before, scoop him up and go.

Well, Jacob ended up waking up early that morning. Got him some breakfast, got the truck loaded up and we were on our way by 6:30am. The whole way I worried that we would end up sitting in traffic. I mean, we would hit Orlando at about 7:45am on a Friday morning. What about all those people that live in the Burbs and have to drive in to work. It turned out to be the best drive ever. NOOOOOO TRAFFIC!!! It was amazing. We made it before 8:00am.

Check out this parking spot, my truck is the the 3rd from the left. We have never parked that close at any of the parks.

Ok, I know people look at me funny when I take pics like the couple below, but how can you resist cute furrbabies.

Jacob took this one.

Honestly, I don't know what it was licking up and I wasn't asking.

Very few people were entering the park.

Well, it turns out there really wasn't much of a ceremony. A little skit at the beginning and then the Vice President of DHS came out and spoke. Look at the center of the pic, right underneath the light poles and you can see him holding the microphone.

The rope dropped and we were off. Jacob's favorite ride is Star Tours, so we headed there.

So, did I confuse any of you. We didn't head to Star Tours. We headed to TSMM. No way was I missing a shot at riding my favorite ride.

So, how many times did we ride? You will just have to wait.

 

[kathleen27]

I like that dragon! Your pictures are really making me want to go to the F&G fest next year.
I showed your photos to the kids, and they really liked everything. But they are still uncertain about going anywhere that has garden in the title with me.

You noticed a lot of details in Norway that I’ve never seen.
I’ve heard of the building with the grass roof, but I always forget to look for it.

Jacob’s club cool faces are too funny.

Sounds like fun on JS’s birthday. Yeah for the birthday gift card.
Too funny he sneezed at that moment.

Doesn’t sound like much for the DHS ceremony.
Can’t wait to hear about the rest of the day at DHS!

 

[irky416]

lol at the you killed us all!

I'd love to see your Mickey kitchen stuff!! Shopping is half the reason I want to go back down in October!

 

[tinkgurl]

Ewww, I don't want to know what it was licking up either!

 

[jmskinner]

I like that dragon! Your pictures are really making me want to go to the F&G fest next year.
I showed your photos to the kids, and they really liked everything. But they are still uncertain about going anywhere that has garden in the title with me.

You noticed a lot of details in Norway that I’ve never seen.
I’ve heard of the building with the grass roof, but I always forget to look for it.

Jacob’s club cool faces are too funny.

Sounds like fun on JS’s birthday. Yeah for the birthday gift card.
Too funny he sneezed at that moment.

Doesn’t sound like much for the DHS ceremony.
Can’t wait to hear about the rest of the day at DHS!

I really enjoy going to the parks now and just taking it slow, plus the Kim Possible Adventures help you see so much more of the World Showcase. The whole time we walk around going, "Never noticed that before."

From what I read, 20 years isn't much of a celebration, probably something bigger for 25. As one person stated, with all of the Disney parks, there is some anniversary probably every year so they can't really do something big all the time.

lol at the you killed us all!

I'd love to see your Mickey kitchen stuff!! Shopping is half the reason I want to go back down in October!

I just got an email from www.Disneyshopping.com about new Mickey bedroom and bath items. They were really cool. I thought about you when DH bought the Mickey statue for our formal living room. I was trying to keep it all in the family room, but I guess it is spreading throughout the house. Now, if only I could get JS to agree to the Mickey Head knobs for the kitchen cabinets.

Ewww, I don't want to know what it was licking up either!

I think it was probably ice cream. But I'm sort of surprised that anything had spilled since WDW usually does such a good job cleaning up each night.

 

[jmskinner]

So, TSMM is was. Now, Carissa had recommended on her TR to ride first thing and then get your FP, so I thought I would give it a try.

As you can see, didn't seem like too many people headed for the ride first:

Here is Jacob practicing:

I don't practice anymore since my arms get sore playing/riding this one. You notice I said "arms", yup I use both to shoot. When we finish with one area, I switch because my arms get so sore playing.

My score:

Jacob's score:

And for those of you who can't see without the 3D glasses:

I posted this because I found it interesting how quickly the high scores jumped.

So, first ride of TSMM down. We got off and the line still didn't look that long, so we grabbed FP's and then got back in line. Jacob didn't want to, but he doesn't seem to understand that you ride TSMM at every chance you get. Of course, all he had on his mind was ST and also he wanted to make it rain on the umbrella. He loves that thing. But mean 'ol Mom made him ride TSMM again.

Even on the second ride the line wasn't that bad. You still made it through to the spot where you got your glasses and past that before finding the end of the line.

Jacob entertained himself.

Jacob beat me this round:

And the high scores for the day had jumped almost 100,000 points:

Per the time these pics were taken, it was 8:33am. So, we had ridden TSMM twice in 30 minutes.

Only 8:33 in the morning and the FP returns times were already 9:50-10:50. I think our FP times was 9:30-10:30am.

And of course, a little advertising for the new movie:

Isn't this the way to see a park:

I just could not get over how empty the park was:

I know this area won't look like this for the next month on the weekends!

Think I am at the image limit or close to it. So, does Jacob ride ST, do we ride TSMM again. What about that 20th anniversary merchandise?

 

[Finkelstein's Hubby]

Hey Melissa

Amazing how empty the park looks, never seen a Disney park like that....Universal was deserted when we went in Nov 08 and it was kinda weird, you almost need the crowd there to create a buzz........only 13 months till we go back.....fingers crossed

Gordon

 

[jmskinner]

Hey Melissa

Amazing how empty the park looks, never seen a Disney park like that....Universal was deserted when we went in Nov 08 and it was kinda weird, you almost need the crowd there to create a buzz........only 13 months till we go back.....fingers crossed

Gordon

It did seem really weird. Guess getting there early really does help.

I'll have to keep that in mind for Universal, we still haven't gone.

Did you ever get the refund back from that travel company?

Woo hoo!!! A countdown!

 

[irky416]

Wow the park really was empty!

I'm so jealous you got to ride TSMM twice in a row with no lines! That's my new favorite ride! I actually made the music from the ride my text alert song!

 

[irky416]

My DBF is not going to pleased with you! Haha. I just sent him a bunch of text messages saying something to the effect of, "Can we please get a Mickey shower curtain?" "We really need it!" "Everyone likes Mickey!"



I, on the other hand, thank you very much for pointing out the new arrivals! I haven't looked at the site in a few weeks!

 

[scottny]

great update and pics.

I love empty parks.

 

[jmskinner]

My DBF is not going to pleased with you! Haha. I just sent him a bunch of text messages saying something to the effect of, "Can we please get a Mickey shower curtain?" "We really need it!" "Everyone likes Mickey!"



I, on the other hand, thank you very much for pointing out the new arrivals! I haven't looked at the site in a few weeks!

Your welcome. Cute stuff isn't it. Hope DBF isn't too upset.

great update and pics.

I love empty parks.

Aren't empty parks great. Sort of lonely though also.

 

[jmskinner]

Of course I took Jacob on Star Tours. You saw how empty the park was, well Star Tours would have been empty except for all the CM's looking for riders.

I had time to not only take pics, but I used my flash since there was no one to bother with it. I mean, no one was in line.

Yup, we were row 1. Actually, for a few minutes I thought we were going to be the only ones on the flight, but some other people then showed up. It was strange standing there all by ourselves. Can't believe I didn't take a pic. The CM even told us we could pick any row we wanted.

Jacob always wants to ride this twice, so I told him lets do it again and then look around in the store. Only this shot on the second ride:

. I mentioned that I had never realized there were birds up there. We then discussed that there were bird sounds, and I had to tell Jacob that I didn't realize they were bird sound. I got that look kids give their parents when they think we are idiots.

We ended up in the back row this time. Now, I knew as you got further back, you were higher up, but I didn't realize that the seats were that high from the floor. My feet wouldn't even touch the floor. I had worn flip-flops on this day, which I have just started wearing, and was scared they would fall off, but fortunately they didn't. After the ride we browsed the store, a little preparation for Wicket's Warehouse at SWW.

I may have to get this one:

Love the potato heads!

And I just loved this shirt:

I looked at it, walked away, came back, took the above pic and then thought, "it's only money and you can't take it with you!" So, I bought it. Jacob got a Racer because I was feeling guilty.

Jacob wanted his pic on the Speeder Bike:

I am trying to figure out the gun situation at WDW. I overheard a CM asking about the color and another did say they were being painted due to the government so they don't look real. But I remember late last year they were painted orange and green, then we went back and they weren't so I bought Jacob one. Now they are these ugly red and blue colors.

Jacob just loves guns :

Now, it was time for some that 20th anniversary merchandise, so we headed to the front of the park to see what we could find. Park was still fairly empty.

Pressed penny time!

Another mission of mine on this date was to find pics of merchandise for the weekly photography board contest, so I got this shot:

I couldn't find the 20th Anniversary merchandise, so I finally asked. They pointed me to some t-shirts and a pin they had, but that there were more pins under the hat. Since I already had one t-shirt in hand, I decided to skip the 20th one. It was FP time for TSMM, so we headed that way.

Would I buy a 20th Anniversary pin?

 

[jmskinner]

I know I am pumping these updates out but I have realized my brain isn't functioning well anymore and have started to forget some details. Also, after this one I already have two more reports to put up, plus will be going back again this weekend.

We left the shop and headed for TSMM to use our FP's.

No line in the FP line. The park really was dead this day.

And here was our last score of the day, I think I was the high score this time, just based off the accuracy:

And the high scores for the day.

Jacob loves the umbrella where you make it rain, so we headed that way, and still no crowds (I apologize forgot to change the setting on the camera for this one.)

This is where it went wrong. My camera battery died. I have another, but it was at home.

From there we went to HISTK playground. I realized without my camera, I was bored. I guess my camera is the same as Jacob using his DS. Called my parents while Jacob played and then lost Jacob. While looking for Jacob this little girl came down a slide in a dress and her undies went, well you know where they went. So she proceeds to lift up dress and dig away. This went on for what felt like several minutes and I kept looking for her parents. A man saw me laughing and asked if I was laughing about the little girl and I said I was. It was cute.

Finally found Jacob and headed to the big hat. We were both ready to head home. We made our way to the hat and saw penny press machines so we did that, or they may have been quarter machines. While digging in backpack for our coins, Chip and Dale came by and one of the patted me on the head. And the CM quickly pointed and said, he did it. Sorry, I don't know which one it was.

Pin time, so I ask about the pins at the hat and they point me to some on the counter. I thought there would just be one, nope I think there were 6. I bought 4 thinking I had them all and then saw another, bought it. Then the CM told us about one pin that the artist was there autographing so I did that also. There were actually two that he was autographing, but the other was a graduation pin and I only want pins that mean something to me. Then, after buying all these pins saw another I missed, but decided I had spent too much. Jacob had wandered off, so I find him looking at other pins and then I see a whole wall of 20th Anniversary pins. "Are these things going to be on sale all year?" Then I felt really bad about spending all that money and drove home feeling like such a goofball for buying all those pins. At least once I got home I felt better when I saw they were limited to 1000 to 1500 each.

Here are some pics of my pins. The ones with the blue package are the ones I purchased this day:

The autograph one:

After purchasing all of these pins, I didn't have room for them all. Off to the craft store for more canvas and construction paper. I also decided to take all my pins off of my lanyard except for pins to trade since I don't wear the lanyard anymore. It scrapes the camera. Here is my pin collection now (don't look on the top right, that includes the SWW pins we just purchased but more to come on that):

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That was the 20th Anniversay at DHS. We didn't do much, but we didn't kill ourselves either.

Next up will be Mothers Day.

Have a great Memorial Day everyone!!!!

 

[irky416]

Great pictures of the Star Tours line! I'm glad I never noticed the birds!

I love the pins! Especially the hat one. I also like how you have them displayed. That's something like I want to do. Getting it autographed is awesome!

 

[Finkelstein's Hubby]

Hey Melissa

Like what you have done with the pins, I only have enough to fill a picture frame at present but I am sticking to theme of villians only, otherwise I would be spending too much future Disney trip money

Will you be off to the Star Wars weekends?.......if so I want to see lots and lots and lots of pics

Gordon