The Decoy Trip that turned into a Dream - The End. 7/5, Page 22.

[rentayenta]

I am catching up on your report and loving it!

 

[cmp1111]

I am catching up on your report and loving it!

Welcome! I've seen your posts on some TR's we read in common. I'm glad you're enjoying mine.

 

[rentayenta]

Welcome! I've seen your posts on some TR's we read in common. I'm glad you're enjoying mine.

I am addicted to reading the pre trippies and post trippies! I just love them; they are so addicting!

 

[cmp1111]

I am addicted to reading the pre trippies and post trippies! I just love them; they are so addicting!

Me, too!

 

[csuzannet]

We went to a concert for Dr. Belle's birthday many years ago. Speaking of...

Happy Birthday, Dr. Belle!

I thought I was going to celebrate my birthday by becoming an aunt for the third time, but my sister's kid is determined to remain unborn.

Silly kid doesn't understand that WDW is on THIS side of the womb.


C.E., I think, based on Woody's love of all things automobile, that you should put the new stunt show on your "what we do next time" list.

 

[cmp1111]

I have to apologize up front - only one picture for this section!

So, the boys and I returned to AKL at around 4:00.

We found this waiting on the main bed:

Not the best towel animal I've seen, but it was something!

I asked if they wanted to go swimming... "No, mama, we just want to play..."

OK... I guess we WERE a little short on down time. They played around the room "You be Luke, I'll be Han Solo!" for about 20 minutes. They decided to go ahead and go swimming.

D. still wasn't back from MGM yet, so we decided to head on down to the pool.

I forgot to pee.

So, we went down to the pool. The boys were completely into the slide, again. I had been able to secure a chair right next to the slide area, so that was good.

I really had to pee, but couldn't leave the boys, and didn't want to drage them out of the pool.

D. finally called, and he was on the way. But, he had brought along two computers - his personal laptop in case we needed to upload some pictures, and then his work laptop because he had to actually do some work. Awww....

So, he was trying to set up the internet in the room. His work laptop is ridiculously unfriendly if you're hitting the internet - he has to go through some particularly hard screening as it's company owned, and it's difficult even here at home on our own network. But, at Disney... He struggled with it for probably a half an hour.

Meanwhile, I still had to pee. Plus, the pool bar was starting to look really good. And, sadly, I needed to think about leaving. Flying Southwest is great, but I definitely wanted to print boarding passes before I got to MCO. So, I had asked at the front desk earlier, and they were more than happy to print them up, but I of course needed to hit the 24 hour mark. We were rapidly approaching that mark...

D. finally arrived. The computer just wouldn't connect, so he was a little frustrated. I used the excuse of needing to print the boarding passes and escaped to the lobby, restrooms (whew!) and then the front desk. Boarding passes printed, check!

I returned to the pool area. D. & the boys were still just hanging around the slide, so I struck up a little conversation with a nice man from Iowa about tornadoes. I do not miss tornadoes.

Anyway, we really all needed to shower before our 7:00 ADR at Boma. So, I dragged us all out of the pool. No one was too excited, but...

Got ourselves all cleaned up. D. tried the computer again, and success!

So, he was able to connect, and was pretty happy.

We wandered down to our ADR just a little before 7:00.

It was still a little early, but it was CROWDED. Nowhere to sit, we didn't want to take the boys up to Victoria Falls... But, we were called within 5 minutes of getting our beeper, and had a nice booth along the outside windows.

Dinner was EXCELLENT. We did a lot of shifts, first a "scouting" trip, with some preliminary selections for the boys, then we'd go get some appetizer type deals, with refills for the boys, then dinner courses, with restroom breaks for the boys, then dessert...

The boys greatly enjoyed the mac & cheese and the penne with marinara & meatballs. D. & I both had some falafel and pita/hummus as appetizer type things.

For dinner, I tried the roast beef and D. had the salmon, which he raved about! We ate a bunch of stuff that was really good - I honestly can't remember, should have had some pictures. The boys went to town - we really did refill their plates several times. D. & I also both ordered the red wine flight - all three wines were really good! One was one we get here, but I have to say that I now can't remember what they were. Sigh.

At the last of the meal, I went up and grabbed some cookies for the boys for dessert, and I got myself some zebra domes, having heard so much about them on the board. Oh, My, God. They were superb! D. really enjoyed the apple tart with caramel sauce, as well.

Thoroughly stuffed, we headed upstairs. I suggested that perhaps we should visit the gift shop with the boys NOT asleep and being carried through.

Buzz picked out an AKL t-shirt, which was very cute. Woody decided on a stuffed animal lion. Buzz was nearly out of b-day money, having bought the Yoda earlier. He had just a few dollars left, and decided on...

a Lilo & Stitch totem pole style back scratcher???

OK...

Woody was happy about the idea of a t-shirt, but couldn't find one he liked. He finally decided that he'd look for something at MK the next day.

We went to pay, and, in true Buzz fashion, suddenly "I need to go potty!'

So, D. took him on along "home" and Woody & I settled the bills. I did pick up a small giraffe keychain as my one and only souvenier.

We met back up in the room. D. & I decided that for our "plan" for our short day at MK before having to leave, we'd let everyone pick two rides. We had gotten the ME note saying that the bus would pick us up at 2:35 for our 5:35 flight, so we figured we needed to be done at MK by 1:00 to be back at AKL by 2:00, factoring in some bus delays and so forth.

Woody picked Splash Mountain and BTMRR. Buzz picked Buzz Lightyear and the Haunted Mansion. D. & I expressed interest in Space Mtn. and Pirates.

So, plan in place, we put the boys to bed. I suddenly remembered that I had asked for my mom's birthday present to be delivered to the resort when I bought it on Tuesday. It was too late on Tuesday for the Wed. delivery, so it should have shown up that day - Thurs. Hmmm.

It was now about 10:30, so I went to ask the front desk... "Oh, yes, anything bought at the parks would be delivered to the gift shop..." Huh?

Luckily it was open until 11:00, and so I went down and asked at the check-out there. After a little bit of searching, they found the gift, and we were good to go! Glad I remembered, though - don't count on anyone to let you know!

We did a lot of packing, leaving out only the things we'd need in the morning. Sigh... I was not ready yet, but we had also decided to go ahead and check out early, and leave our suitcases at the bell desk until bus time.

D. & I again sat out on the balcony. We enjoyed some wine, and then also just had a good giggle at a scene happening outside. There was a zebra being totally harassed by a gazelle. The zebra would run over somewhere, the gazelle would follow. The zebra would casually wander away, the gazelle would chase him. Running, walking, whatever... This zebra could not get away! I still don't know what that was about, but it was amusing.

Up next, believe it or not, another super magical day at the Magical Kingdom!

 

[cmp1111]

I thought I was going to celebrate my birthday by becoming an aunt for the third time, but my sister's kid is determined to remain unborn.

Silly kid doesn't understand that WDW is on THIS side of the womb.


C.E., I think, based on Woody's love of all things automobile, that you should put the new stunt show on your "what we do next time" list.

Hiya! Still no word? I, of course, left my cell in the car again...

I am sure Woody would like the stunt show. We just didn't do shows this time... ???

Buzz just asked me today, "Why didn't we do the Great Movie Ride?"

Ummm, because you wanted to go swimming and refused to do anything else at MGM?

 

[WDWHeather]

Great update! First rule- always make sure you pee!

Back scratcher! That's hilarious. Reminds me of a story, if you don't mind me hijacking your thread for a moment. When I was a young girl of just 5, we were at this fair. There was a stand that had tons of magnets and I really wanted one. Well, friends of ours were running the shop and told my mom I could have one on the house. So my mom went to look at something else and I looked and looked and finally picked one out. It was a box and I loooooved that box. I took it to our friend and said I wanted that one. She took one look at it and said, "I don't know if your mom would let you have this one..." I shrugged, not knowing what the heck was going on. I looked at the box and it said, "Caution: Fart Box." I didn't know what the heck that meant so our friend said to show my mom and ask if it was okay. I took it to my mom and she had to explain to me what that was and told me I couldn't have the box. I was so sad... and embarrassed once I knew what it was. Kids pick up the strangest things. I ended up with a seashell which was NOT what I wanted, but... it had to do since I couldn't have the box.

Anyway... We always fly southwest also and it is great, but you are right about those boarding passes. Disney has always helped us out with that too. Works out great!

Internet is sometimes a very tricky thing in those rooms.

That story about the zebra and gazelle is so funny. Don't you love how animals have such great personalities!?

 

[DisneyJo]

So did you need to pee?

I can't believe this is nearly over What will you do now? When you going back?

 

[islandmum]

I'm totally loveing this trip report!

its nice to read about someone with kids the same age to give us a little clue to things .....

like TOT probably wont be on the list!

 

[cmp1111]

Great update! First rule- always make sure you pee!

Back scratcher! That's hilarious. Reminds me of a story, if you don't mind me hijacking your thread for a moment. When I was a young girl of just 5, we were at this fair. There was a stand that had tons of magnets and I really wanted one. Well, friends of ours were running the shop and told my mom I could have one on the house. So my mom went to look at something else and I looked and looked and finally picked one out. It was a box and I loooooved that box. I took it to our friend and said I wanted that one. She took one look at it and said, "I don't know if your mom would let you have this one..." I shrugged, not knowing what the heck was going on. I looked at the box and it said, "Caution: Fart Box." I didn't know what the heck that meant so our friend said to show my mom and ask if it was okay. I took it to my mom and she had to explain to me what that was and told me I couldn't have the box. I was so sad... and embarrassed once I knew what it was. Kids pick up the strangest things. I ended up with a seashell which was NOT what I wanted, but... it had to do since I couldn't have the box.

OK, that's too funny! Buzz is carrying his back scratcher around in the van lately.

That story about the zebra and gazelle is so funny. Don't you love how animals have such great personalities!?

It made me wonder if it went on every night, and how it could ever be stopped. Zebras don't strike me as violent, and the gazelle was faster!

So did you need to pee?

I was getting really uncomfortable, and you know how time slows when you need to go? D. was probably down at the pool within a half hour, but that's an eternity in that situation!

I can't believe this is nearly over What will you do now? When you going back?

I don't know! I am still feeling the effects of the vacation because of writing the TR, but once that's done, I think I'll be very sad. I said something to D. about "what will I do with myself when I don't have a trip to plan?" and he said, "Go back to work." Huh? I think I'd rather just plan the next trip! We probably won't go back yearly, just because we travel to family so much and starting in the fall we'll have to deal with "real" school, but hopefully in - big gulp - two years we'll head back.

I'm totally loveing this trip report!

its nice to read about someone with kids the same age to give us a little clue to things .....

like TOT probably wont be on the list!

Welcome! I'm glad you're enjoying it! And, yep, even if your 5 year olds are tall enough, you might want to skip ToT!

 

[DisneyJo]

Work? Surely not!!!! You'd better get planning some sort of vacation

 

[cmp1111]

Work? Surely not!!!! You'd better get planning some sort of vacation

I know!

Honestly, I have never figured out what I want to be when I grow up (35 isn't grown up, right? ) and with D.'s totally random schedule, finding the right job is going to be hard. I don't know that I'll want to be at home once the boys are in all day school all the time, but... I'm a good employee, but have always worked in 9-5 offices, and the thought of having to earn vacation time, find summer and after school care for the boys, etc... Since D. is absolutely gone when he works, I would always be the "come get your sick kid" or "stay home with sick kid" person in our house.

We're lucky that for now we don't need a second income. I'm thinking of just trying to substitute teach in the local school once they go to first grade. My degree is in advertising, but I have a great resource in my mom, who taught for 30+ years. Our school district only requires a H.S. diploma for subsitutes!

Anyway, that seems about ideal - be able to say "no" if I need to, or yes if I can. I have had this in mind for about a year, but D. didn't seem to know about it!

 

[csuzannet]

Ahh, girlfriend. You clearly need to buy more stuff.

That way you'd know the packages are always delivered to the gift shop at your resort--never to your room. It sounds like the cast members at the park didn't make that clear.

USUALLY, the gift shop calls your room when a package comes in, but that's a little hit or miss.

Oh, and on the topic of "kids want the weirdest things" I asked FOR YEARS for one particular weird thing at the Illinois State Fair that my parents never, ever let me have. It was a leash for an imaginary or invisible dog--starched nylon rope, shaped like a leash and muzzle that you carried in your hand to make it look like you were walking a dog that no one else could see. Can you believe my parents didn't want to pay for that?

For those of you following along at home, my sister finally had her baby! Everyone's fine, and I made C.E. cry yesterday when I told her that the baby is named after my late, paternal grandmother. So I'm publicly apologizing to the customers at Lowe's for making C.E. behave strangely in public.

 

[WDWHeather]

Oh, and on the topic of "kids want the weirdest things" I asked FOR YEARS for one particular weird thing at the Illinois State Fair that my parents never, ever let me have. It was a leash for an imaginary or invisible dog--starched nylon rope, shaped like a leash and muzzle that you carried in your hand to make it look like you were walking a dog that no one else could see. Can you believe my parents didn't want to pay for that?

My sister always wanted one of those sooooo badly! My parents finally gave in after years of her asking. And, in true kid style, she played with it for a day or so or maybe even a week and then it was over.

 

[csuzannet]

I know!

Honestly, I have never figured out what I want to be when I grow up (35 isn't grown up, right? ) and with D.'s totally random schedule, finding the right job is going to be hard. I don't know that I'll want to be at home once the boys are in all day school all the time, but...

Maybe someone has a specific job title in mind, but surely there's something part-time that you could do from home. Telecommuting wouldn't be a problem for you, and that would give you something to challenge your mind while giving you more schedule flexibility.

Something that doesn't involve cold calls . . .

 

[cmp1111]

Oh, and on the topic of "kids want the weirdest things" I asked FOR YEARS for one particular weird thing at the Illinois State Fair that my parents never, ever let me have. It was a leash for an imaginary or invisible dog--starched nylon rope, shaped like a leash and muzzle that you carried in your hand to make it look like you were walking a dog that no one else could see. Can you believe my parents didn't want to pay for that?

For those of you following along at home, my sister finally had her baby! Everyone's fine, and I made C.E. cry yesterday when I told her that the baby is named after my late, paternal grandmother. So I'm publicly apologizing to the customers at Lowe's for making C.E. behave strangely in public.

Now, see, there was something I never knew about you! And, yes, I cried in Lowe's. My mother cried in the airport when I showed her the picture, too. The baby is beautiful.

My sister always wanted one of those sooooo badly! My parents finally gave in after years of her asking. And, in true kid style, she played with it for a day or so or maybe even a week and then it was over.

Typical!

Maybe someone has a specific job title in mind, but surely there's something part-time that you could do from home. Telecommuting wouldn't be a problem for you, and that would give you something to challenge your mind while giving you more schedule flexibility.

Something that doesn't involve cold calls . . .

No, no sales for me. Just too "nice" - right? Working from home is the only other thing I see me doing for a while, so if anyone has any ideas... I'm not going to worry about it until NEXT fall, though, either way. Kindergarten is only 2 1/2 hours here, barely enough time to do an errand, let alone work.

 

[cmp1111]

So...

I thought I might get my TR actually finished before my mini-break (in Bridget Jones speak) to NYC.

But.

I leave at a nasty hour tomorrow a.m. to catch a shuttle to the train station in Boston, from which I take my train to NY. I have not quite finished packing, and with the preparations and the arrival of my mom to watch Buzz & Woody (D.'s overseas), I've not had time. I have the photos ready to go, though!

I may post a few random notes on others' TR's tonight, but my next update here will most likely be Sat. or Sunday. I get back late-ish on Friday night, and Mom's still here through Sun. a.m.

But, hey, I can do a mini-TR on NYC before I end this one, too!

Have a great rest of the week, everyone!

 

[scottny]

Sad we have to wait so long but from all of us New Yorkers let me say....

WELCOME!!!!

Hope you have a blast here and cannot wait to hear the rest of the report and also a NY report.

 

[wils]

Have a great trip