The Darlings Caved Already! A Sept. '12 PTR -- Sept. 26 - TR link posted!

[teekathepony]

Happy Double-Digits and Happy Birthday to Johnny!

Thank you x2!!

 

[amazingact21]

Evening EMH at Magic Kingdom are the absolute best, and it's great that you get to do it on your first Disney day!

The Wishes Dessert party looks delicious and the view can't be beat. I've been trying to do that for awhile, just can't ever fit it into my plans, so I'll look forward to hearing your review of it!

 

[pinkxray]

Wow, what a full day after traveling. I'm lucky if I get DH to leave the room on the day we travel and we only have a short plane ride.

The dessert party looks so good. I would love to get there one day.

I really want to check out the Mickey kitchen stuff. I just got the e-mail from the Disney store that they have new Mickey plates. I'm wondering how I can switch out our regular plates with Mickey Mouse ones without DH noticing

 

[Queenofallthings]

Hey Girl!!!

I am so impressed with your plans....I have such great intentions on arrival day but it usually is dinner, hotel, bed

We snuck in a visit to AoA and we thought of how much you're going to love it!! I took pics and can't wait for you to see them!

 

[teekathepony]

Evening EMH at Magic Kingdom are the absolute best, and it's great that you get to do it on your first Disney day!

The Wishes Dessert party looks delicious and the view can't be beat. I've been trying to do that for awhile, just can't ever fit it into my plans, so I'll look forward to hearing your review of it!

I love MK evening EMH There's something seriously magical about that place late at night, everything gets more exciting!
I'm looking forward to the Wishes party so much that I'm terrified of missing the reservation. I have several alarms set on my phone for 60 days prior to that day so I can make sure I remember!
What's that? Noooooo I don't suffer from any OCD symptoms! *Straightens mouse pad*

Wow, what a full day after traveling. I'm lucky if I get DH to leave the room on the day we travel and we only have a short plane ride.

The dessert party looks so good. I would love to get there one day.

I really want to check out the Mickey kitchen stuff. I just got the e-mail from the Disney store that they have new Mickey plates. I'm wondering how I can switch out our regular plates with Mickey Mouse ones without DH noticing

I think we run on pure adrenalin that first day because it's such a long day but neither of us can sit still.
I have a lot of Mickey kitchen stuff now -- my kitchen is red, black and white so it suits so well! I would like a few more things, the kettle in particular!

Hey Girl!!!

I am so impressed with your plans....I have such great intentions on arrival day but it usually is dinner, hotel, bed

We snuck in a visit to AoA and we thought of how much you're going to love it!! I took pics and can't wait for you to see them!

Hey you! Welcome home!!
I'm basing my arrival day plans on tradition, Johnny and I are always running through a park on our first day, no matter how tired we are!
Ohhh!!! I can't wait to see your AoA pictures!

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

Yay for double digits!!! And happy birthday to Johnny!!! Your Mickey-shaped pancakes look great!

AoA looks like it's going to be awesome, I can't wait to hear all about your trip there!!

 

[oboedm]

Awesome plans for Day 1. The dessert party sounds like a great way to end the day, and I love that you made Mickey Pancakes for your DH! "The kids" (i.e. my nieces and nephews) came over to spend the night a few weeks ago and I made pancakes that morning. I didn't even think about making them Mickey shaped! What a lost opportunity!

 

[Nermel9]

Your arrival day sounds great! The Wishes dessert party is so much fun, I'd like to do it again sometime! I love MK magic hours!!

Oh, and yay for double digits! Your trip will be here in no time!

 

[katt789]

Hi!! Just wanted to join in and say hello! We'll be going down to Disney at the same time, staying at AoA as well!! I have looked up some LM room info, and it looks like it may be a quick walk across the parking lot to get to the bus stops (like from the 90's building in Pop) Hopefully it'll work out! Hahah. I'm glad you guys got the AoA with FD in the end, that's awesome! I'll also throw in a Canadian wave in here too! Haha

 

[silverhaze269]

Awesome day 1 plans! I love being able to take in EMH on arrival day, despite how tired you get by the end of it.

And wahoo for being in the double-digits!

I had no idea that you could fly to Toronto from Sydney, but that's awesome Connecting flights suck enough when you only have one, but 2 stop-overs really sucks (one year we flew from Halifax to Boston, Boston to Atlanta, and Atlanta to Orlando...we won't be doing that again). Thankfully, by the sounds of it, you only have to do that on the way home (when it doesn't matter as much).

 

[teekathepony]

Yay for double digits!!! And happy birthday to Johnny!!! Your Mickey-shaped pancakes look great!

AoA looks like it's going to be awesome, I can't wait to hear all about your trip there!!

Johnny says thanks for the birthday wishes! I can't wait to write all about AoA!

Awesome plans for Day 1. The dessert party sounds like a great way to end the day, and I love that you made Mickey Pancakes for your DH! "The kids" (i.e. my nieces and nephews) came over to spend the night a few weeks ago and I made pancakes that morning. I didn't even think about making them Mickey shaped! What a lost opportunity!

I'm very excited for the dessert party. Something new for me and Johnny and a great fireworks spot too!
Awww I'm sure you'll get more opportunities for Mickey pancakes with the kids!

Your arrival day sounds great! The Wishes dessert party is so much fun, I'd like to do it again sometime! I love MK magic hours!!

Oh, and yay for double digits! Your trip will be here in no time!

I love hearing about people who would do the fireworks party again. The trip is coming faster than I expected! It will definitely creep up on me, which means I need to get a to-do list going!

Hi!! Just wanted to join in and say hello! We'll be going down to Disney at the same time, staying at AoA as well!! I have looked up some LM room info, and it looks like it may be a quick walk across the parking lot to get to the bus stops (like from the 90's building in Pop) Hopefully it'll work out! Hahah. I'm glad you guys got the AoA with FD in the end, that's awesome! I'll also throw in a Canadian wave in here too! Haha

Hello, fellow Canuck! Welcome aboard, glad to have you!
You'll be at AoA at the same time?? How cool! I think the walk from the LM rooms won't be too bad, I'm looking at it as an opportunity to check out absolutely everything about the new resort!

Awesome day 1 plans! I love being able to take in EMH on arrival day, despite how tired you get by the end of it.

And wahoo for being in the double-digits!

I had no idea that you could fly to Toronto from Sydney, but that's awesome Connecting flights suck enough when you only have one, but 2 stop-overs really sucks (one year we flew from Halifax to Boston, Boston to Atlanta, and Atlanta to Orlando...we won't be doing that again). Thankfully, by the sounds of it, you only have to do that on the way home (when it doesn't matter as much).

I know we'll be ready to crash after EMH on arrival day but I'll just sleep hard that night and even harder after I get home!
The Sydney - Toronro direct is a newer flight, we've only had it here maybe 4? 5 years? It sure is a blessing though, the two stops really sucks.

 

[teekathepony]

Only 95 days until my trip!

It's really creeping up on me. I keep thinking, "Oh I have forever to do whatever I need to do!" and then I look at my count down and realize it's closer than I thought!

With that in mind, I'm starting my "Disney To-Do List" I'm going to keep a running tab on it every time I post -- new things added or things I've crossed off, etc. Right now it's short, but it won't take long to grow!

So far:

Any time

- Order new contact lenses. [I normally wear glasses, but the contacts are so much more convenient in the Parks! I can wear sunglasses and go on fast rides without worrying about losing my glasses, but still able to see! Win!]

- Find measurements of lockers at the parks [easy enough I assume?] and then find a tripod that will fit in them. [I want to take firework/night pictures requiring a tripod but I don't want to lug it around with me all day!]

- Buy new sandals. [Yet again! My Fit Flops didn't work out quite as well as I'd hoped last year. I'm back to the drawing board]


60 Days Prior

-Book the Wishes dessert party [EEEE! Can't wait!]

That's about it for now. It's kind of nice to have a list! It makes a Disney trip so real!


In other news...


Monday was a gorgeous sunny day so my cousin, eeyore04 and I went on a little road trip around our Island. It was a fun day and I thought I'd share a little with you!

We headed out and decided to take whichever roads called to us. This little dirt road at the base of Kelly's Mountain was first.

Where we saw some lobster fishermen at work:

We stopped at all the look-offs:

... and had some followers:

Made it to the top of Kelly's

(not a very high mountain, as you can see)

On the other side of the mountain, we made it to our destination -- Baddeck.

(In the center of the Island, right above the Bras d'Or Lakes)

Home of 'Beinn Bhreagh', Alexander Graham Bell's summer home, and also where J.A.D. McCurdy, (after whom our airport is named) former Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, made history in February, 1909 when he made the first airplane flight in the British Empire at the wheel of the Silver Dart on the frozen Baddeck Bay (which Bell also had a hand in).

After a bite to eat, we went up to but not in the Bell museum:

We went to the look-off point above the museum.

We went to the main street in the village of Baddeck and wandered around the boardwalk.

(The Bras d'Or is the inland sea in the middle of Cape Breton Island, basically the center of everything tourist here! Pronounced "Bra Door" but in the Cape we say it in a shortened, I've-said-this-a-zillion-times way like BRaDOWER hahaha)

We finished up in Baddeck and decided to head in the opposite direction --

Louisbourg!

(Far Eastern tip!)

Louisbourg is famous for its reconstruction of an 18th century French fortress which is now an official Parks Canada national historic site. It's a really great place to visit and they hire actors (including eeyore04's brother!) to play the roles of 18th century townsfolk.

(Here's a shot of the fortress from far away with a zoom lens! lol)

But we did not visit the fortress this day, we had other locations planned. The Lighthouse Trail! I've heard of it and never been there. We found the road, followed it and found the lighthouse.

(From Wikipedia, which is correct as it corresponds with the plaques at the lighthouse site)
"Construction [...] was completed in 1734. A fire in 1736 destroyed the lantern but the stone tower was unharmed and a new lantern was installed in 1738. [...] This lighthouse was badly damaged in 1758 during the Final Siege of Louisbourg and abandoned by the British after they demolished the fortress. [ ] Stonework ruins from the first tower are still visibile at the site.

A square wooden lighthouse with a black stripe was built by the government of Nova Scotia in 1842. This lighthouse was destroyed by fire in 1922. The foundation remains visible today and has been excavated and stabilized by Parks Canada archaeologists.

An octagonal concrete lighthouse decorated with neoclassical architectural features was built in 1923. The tower is a twin of the Georges Island Lighthouse in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The Louisbourg lighthouse was destaffed in 1990. The lighthouse is a popular lookoff point and in 2008 became the start of a coastal walking trail. [populated by coyotes, hence why we did not do it this day!] Interpretive plaques mark the ruins of the previous lighthouses."

The surf was pounding against the cliff, this is no Bras d"or lakes, this is the Atlantic Ocean!

That's me! Taa daaa! My ocean!

(Side note - if you ever decide to go to Louisbourg, bring a sweater no matter how hot the day is. It's always ~15 degrees (C) colder in Louisbourg and usually foggy.)

We hopped back in the car, thawed our frozen fingers and headed home. It was a great day! I love exploring my Island and I hope you can see a little bit of why I love it so much here.

 

[amazingact21]

Wow, Beddeck and Louisbourg look like gorgeous places! I could sit by that ocean and clifs for hours.



I know what you mean about needing contacts in Disney. I forgot to take my glasses off during RNRC and was worried the entire time that they were going to fly off. (they didn't) Kinda takes the magic away a bit when you are thinking about your glasses.

 

[IheartDDuck]

Beautiful pictures! I love visiting places like that. New things to see and to learn.

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

What a fun road trip! You took such beautiful pictures!!

 

[silverhaze269]

Those are fantastic pictures! I've never been to those places but had plans to go the last time I was in Cape Breton...it just didn't happen It reminds me that I haven't been up that way in quite some time...I may be due for a visit

As for new sandals...I highly recommend Vibram Five Finger shoes They are fantastic! One of the best investments I've made in a while. It feels like you're walking around in you bare feet, and while they don't offer tons of protection on the tops of your feet, the bottoms are surprisingly sturdy (well, the ones I have are anyway...the Trek Sports). They dry out quickly if you get them wet, and they're great on and off pavement. The only thing you may have to get used to is having fabric between your toes. I bought them to replace my sandals...and to wear at Disney They are a little pricy ($110), but I've had mine since March and they are holding up really well (they get used a lot). Alternatively, I've heard that Teva sandals are awesome too

 

[oboedm]

lovely pictures! It is so wonderful to see green and water! It is starting to creep up towards the 110 mark here in AZ, so it is nice to see that some places actually have enjoyable summers! Don't get me wrong, I love AZ, but summers here are like winters in other places. You stay inside in a temperature cooled environment. The great thing about the heat, though, is that you dont' need to do extra work! You don't have to shovel sunshine, as my DH likes to say!

 

[OrangeJuice]

Love your pictures of places around Cape Breton. We are hoping to make it out there sometimes this summer. It's such a beautiful place.

 

[teekathepony]

Wow, Beddeck and Louisbourg look like gorgeous places! I could sit by that ocean and clifs for hours.



I know what you mean about needing contacts in Disney. I forgot to take my glasses off during RNRC and was worried the entire time that they were going to fly off. (they didn't) Kinda takes the magic away a bit when you are thinking about your glasses.

Baddeck and Louisbourg are probably the two biggest tourist draws in our area, they're definitely beautiful places. I love watching the ocean when the water is rough!
Omg, I used to try to hold my glasses on my face on RnR! Either that or take them off and go blind. When I tried the contacts in Disney for the first time it felt like a massive BONK on the head, why didn't I do this earlier?!

Beautiful pictures! I love visiting places like that. New things to see and to learn.

I love it too, I particularly love exploring places that are so close and I've taken for granted. It was a nice day!

What a fun road trip! You took such beautiful pictures!!

Thank you! We had a great time too, hope to do it again soon!

Those are fantastic pictures! I've never been to those places but had plans to go the last time I was in Cape Breton...it just didn't happen It reminds me that I haven't been up that way in quite some time...I may be due for a visit

As for new sandals...I highly recommend Vibram Five Finger shoes They are fantastic! One of the best investments I've made in a while. It feels like you're walking around in you bare feet, and while they don't offer tons of protection on the tops of your feet, the bottoms are surprisingly sturdy (well, the ones I have are anyway...the Trek Sports). They dry out quickly if you get them wet, and they're great on and off pavement. The only thing you may have to get used to is having fabric between your toes. I bought them to replace my sandals...and to wear at Disney They are a little pricy ($110), but I've had mine since March and they are holding up really well (they get used a lot). Alternatively, I've heard that Teva sandals are awesome too

Give me a shout if you're coming my way, we could arrange a Dismeet!
I'll have to check out those shoes, although I have to admit that even toe socks give me some weird heebie jeebies. I don't know what it is!

lovely pictures! It is so wonderful to see green and water! It is starting to creep up towards the 110 mark here in AZ, so it is nice to see that some places actually have enjoyable summers! Don't get me wrong, I love AZ, but summers here are like winters in other places. You stay inside in a temperature cooled environment. The great thing about the heat, though, is that you dont' need to do extra work! You don't have to shovel sunshine, as my DH likes to say!

Wow! While you're absolutely right about shoveling sunshine, and I admit that I complain about snow and ice and cold weather, I have always said that I'd rather be too cold than too warm. In the cold, you put another layer on. In the heat... well there's only so much you can strip off! I guess that's the hardy Atlantic Canadian in me. I've always wanted to visit AZ, but I'm definitely not built for that kind of heat full time!

Love your pictures of places around Cape Breton. We are hoping to make it out there sometimes this summer. It's such a beautiful place.

Thanks! And like I said to silverhaze, give me a should if you're ever in the area! I love my pretty island! hhaha

 

[Queenofallthings]

Great pics! OMG...makes me miss the ocean! Don't know if I've ever told you this but both my sister and I were born in Fredericton (my dad was stationed in Oromocto) and whenever I see pics from down east it reminds me of being a little girl! Thanks for sharing!