The financially irresponsible WDW trip! [June 25th: p.45, posts 668 & 669]

[disneyaddicted]

Hi Deb, I hope Wayne is doing much better now. Can't even imagine that kind of pain. Alice as always is beautiful. That castle tent is cool. I am looking forward to another installment.

 

[Ricky's Girl]

Hi Deb - Thanks for posting to let us know what's happening in your corner of the world. Sorry to hear things have been so hectic for you. Hope your ds is feeling much better real soon. Loved the photos - I know I've said it before but what a beautiful family you have.

Take care! We're all waiting to share your latest trip update but don't worry - we're not going anywhere. at least not until the popcorn runs out.

 

[jonslola]

I found this trip report last night and was up til 2 AM reading it, it's a hoot! You're family is very similar to mine, and I feel your pain about doing "all that darned planning", just to have it crumble into a small pile of poo right in front of you. I can't wait to read the next installment, I need more, more, more!

 

[DebIreland]

Part 18: Magic Kingdom and the run up to MNSSHP

Tuesday, 31st October, 2006


I felt at this point that we still hadn't really spent enough time at The Boardwalk. It has so much to offer and we weren't making the most of it. Knowing that we'd be up late, my plan was to have an easy-ish day so we wouldn't be worn out later. There was no way we'd be up to running around all day and then get the most out of the Halloween Party. I toyed with the idea of doing no theme park at all that day but knowing that the kids would still be up and about early, I reckoned we might as well go to a park for a few hours at least. As I can't go too long in WDW without being in the main park i.e. MK and as it had been 4 days since we'd done our full MK day, it was calling out to us. I say this like it was a choice made on a whim. Perish the thought - naturally all this decision-making regarding which park and for how long and how much rest we required etc was made many months in advance.

So, our plan was that DH would leave around 8.30am to return the rental car and the kids and I would get the bus to MK and meet him there around 11am. DH decided to first drive to Walmarts and put our photos on CD to free up our memory cards. So after a nice and easy breakfast, off I went with the kids to MK in an almost empty bus (yay!) to an almost empty park (yay again!). Anyone planning a Sept/Oct holiday in WDW, please please do consider making your MK day(s) the day(s) there's an MNSSHP the same evening. I can't tell you how great it is. It's amazing how the fact that it closes early (7pm) puts off the hordes of people who would otherwise be there. Don't look at early closing as a disadvantage, look at it as an amazing opportunity to be in a half empty park for 10 hours! Remember last Friday when we did so much in MK, that was also a MNSSHP day.

As we did the headliners the previous Friday, the few hours we would spend in MK today would be devoted to the minor attractions. On our first trip we saw Mickey and Minnie's houses but didn't get to meet any characters in Toontown and I later learned that Toontown Fair was a great place to meet some of the classic characters. So today was the day for that and more.

The weather was sheer perfection - clear blue sky and hot, but not unbearable. First, we walked down Main Street.........

and then went off to Tomorrowland as the boys were just bursting to get another go on Buzz. They enjoyed it so much the previous Friday and were thrilled when I said we could go there again. The place was deserted. Always conscious of how much they love their independence, I sent them in on their own while Alice and I waited outside. They were out in no time laughing and on a general high so I told them go in again.

The sun was getting stronger so I put more cream on Alice and, realising I didn't have a sun hat, we decided to check out the ones they were selling on a nearby stall - the CM there was very nice and we got chatting. I think she was really bored as the place was so empty and I was probably the first person she met that day. I'd love to have given her some custom but I nearly fainted when I saw the prices. I don't think there's much consistency on prices in WDW. The Pooh hat I fancied for Alice (with the sun flaps for the back of the neck) was 24 dollars. That kinda price seems out of synch with the prices they charge for other things. Actually, the cheapest hat they had was 18 dollars and it was totally basic and, knowing that it would cost about 4 dollars offsite, I just couldn't justify it so we walked away, guilty but happy that we hadn't splurged. We still had Alice's Tigger sun shade so I knew she'd be ok while she sat in the stroller. But we're not totally finished here with the subject of hats - more controversial hat-action later in this chapter!

After a couple of photos.....

...... we took the short walk across to Space Mountain and Alice and I strolled around outside while the boys did that one. Afterwards we took that beautiful path from the side of the Indy Speedway all the way up to Toontown. It's not aesthetically beautiful as such, though it's not bad, but it's beautiful in the sense that it's always quiet even in the midst of mayhem in the MK. So far, so good, although by now I'm getting guilt pangs that we still haven't done anything for Alice. It was only 10.15 though so no worries as Toontown only opened at 10 anyway.

As soon as we got there, we went into that beautiful store, you know the one you enter in order to access Toontown Fair? I love that shop - they really sell the best of the merchandise that WDW has to offer - all the cutie stuff and some wonderful snacks. So we got in one of the three lines - can't remember the various categories, I know one is Princesses but the one we queued for was the one with Mickey, Minnie, Pluto and Goofy. We only had to wait about 10 minutes and got into the room. Wow! I was so impressed. It's really like a private audience with the characters as they only let one family at a time meet them. Alice was in top form and chatted happily to all of them. The boys amazed me again at how much they let themselves go with the characters. No "I'm too old/cool for this", just pure enjoyment. Goofy was very funny and started acting out quite a bit - playing with Wayne's Kermit and throwing the autograph book in the air.

Minnie gave him a ticking off with a wagging index finger. I was very impressed with the level of interaction here and the above-and-beyond approach the characters take. The autograph is almost secondary to the antics. An odd thing developed here though that only struck me later. Pluto was also messing around, throwing things in the air etc and I noticed while Pluto was doing his stunts, Alice was looking at him very seriously, just one step away from hands-on-hips and scowling. We had no way of knowing at the time, but I think she decided that morning that Pluto was the enemy. No idea why! Five days later in Chef Mickeys she scowled when Pluto came our way and she refused to smile at him or the camera! This is a girl who holds a grudge for sure!

Here she is, refusing to make small talk with him. lol!

And here's some more photos of Toontown Fair....

After this we decided to use some of our much-loved snack credits in that store. Garth got a Mickey rice-krispie bar and Alice and Wayne got a chocolate bar. Yeah, clever or what giving a 2 year old chocolate in blistering heat. I selflessly helped her eat it (phnarr phnarr) and we moved on. At the risk of repeating myself all the time, I really must say how much it thrilled me to use those snack credits. Love, love, love them!!

Believe it or not, we had spent so much time playing with the characters and browsing in the store, it was now time to get on the Railroad back to Main Street to meet DH.

I hated to leave Toontown, not having let Alice explore Mickey and Minnie's houses, but time was moving on. So we hopped on board an almost-empty Railroad and when we were pulling into Main Street station Garth spotted DH coming in through the turnstiles. I don't know why but, for some reason, I thought this was friggin' hilarious - sitting in the train and watching DH coming in to the park.

Things were still going well at this point. Oh oh. *Still* you hear me say? Yes, *still* as in it didn't last long. Please don't take the next sentence as an insult to DH (and if he ever reads the TR I hope he's not offended) - the thing is, when we're both with the kids it seems like there's always someone not being heard - there's always two people talking at once and often two people squabbling and it's almost as if 5 is too many for any harmonious conversation to last. Part of it (I think) is that sometimes, as much as children love being with their entire family (in true Barney fashion I will add that by 'family' I mean any combination of parent or parents or grandparents or whoever raises the children) sometimes when they see both parents (guardians, grandparents etc.) conversing they see it as a great threat to them being heard. Like as if the quest for attention must increase in strength and determination the more the adults converse with each other. Oh God, all I'm trying to say is that they fight more for attention. Why in God's name can't I transmit what I want to say without turning it into a 200 word essay.

So almost instantly on meeting DH, delighted and all as they were to see him, I feel a tension coming on. We needed to get cash from the ATM, which, as is the way in WDW, takes about two weeks. Well you know, it meant walking back towards the entrance we had already left, finding an ATM that didn't work, digging my PIN number out of a heavily-encoded not-so-cleverly disguised message in my mobile phone, finding another ATM that did work etc. etc. We acquired money somehow and then chatted about what to do next. Our lunch reservation was for 12.10 in Tony's and it was now about 11.30. Just enough time to squeeze in Mickey and Minnie's houses but we didn't want to retrace our steps, nor did we want to rush Alice, so we reckoned we'd go back to Tomorrowland and do what we'd never done before, the TTA.

I've heard only good things about this heavily-unadvertised and barely-on-the-map attraction and the good things I've heard had all come from DIS people I like and respect so I reckoned we'd give it a shot. We were not disappointed. It was a lovely ride and Alice really enjoyed the fact that she could sit on Daddy's lap, facing the rest of us, and chat to us all while looking down at the wonderful sights of Tomorrowland. That child could talk the hind legs off a donkey so any chance she gets to hold us captive while she talks incessantly is great with her.

All 5 of us agreed that the TTA was excellent and, as it was boiling hot by then, it provided a nice break. We dismounted. At this point I will admit that, in true cowardly-custard fashion, I am scared of any ride that has those moving platforms. I have crap balancing skills and whenever I'm taking the bus, if I have to stand, I swear I'm in a sweat trying to hold onto things and I am always the only one who's falling around the place like a big fool. I've even suffered the humiliation, years ago, of having an 80 year old woman with a walking stick, help me up on the bus as I, yet again, fell to the ground as the bus rounded the corner.

Anyway, I made it off the moving walkway unscathed (Alice skipped off it) and things were going well, I'm almost sure of it. But suddenly the atmosphere changed. Really, it all started to go downhill when we were accosted, I mean, approached, by a kindly CM who, out of nowhere, with no warning, came up to us, turned to Garth and said "if you can tell me how many fingers Stitch has on his left hand I'll give you a prize". I (who, before this, swore the whole Year of a Million Dreams thing meant nothing to me) started having palpitations wondering if she was the CEO of the dream squad ready to give us lifetime passes to WDW and the deeds to a 4-bed suite in the Grand Floridian and, shamefully, I must have transmitted a great deal of stress onto Garth with my eyes (nothing to do with the incessant nudging I gave him in his back) cause he became all tongue-tied, went bright red with embarrassment (he really is shy) and just stammered and stuttered. God I swear I'm a nice mammy, I am, and I know what it's like to be shy but I so wanted him to just answer the friggin' question cause time was moving on, the CM was looking at us like we came from the planet next to Stitch's one and the silence was deafening and painfully embarrassing. So she just repeated the question over and over and, each time she did it, Garth grew redder in the face and had sweat pouring from his brow. Remind me to never sign him up for Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. I swear it wasn't just the visions of those lifetime passes and the GF deeds frittering away before my eyes, it was to end this torturously silent never-ending encounter a.s.a.p that made me prompt him repeatedly with the answer (er, the WRONG one). He was still tongue-tied but had enough speech to keep giving me dirty looks and say "no". The CM, all the while, saying "go on, it's easy, how many fingers does Stitch have on his left hand?". So I said something like "for God's sake just say 'three'" (the same WRONG answer) and Garth dutifully and in the sad little voice of a man who has given in to the hormonal dominant Alpha Female said "three" and she said "awww, no, wrong answer but you can have the prize anyway"........

Continued below...

 

[DebIreland]

Part 19: Magic Kingdom and the run up to MNSSHP continued...

Tuesday, 31st October, 2006

His face momentarily lit up until he saw the..... banana. No, lie I not, that's what it was. A f..., er, a silly banana

So much for the GF and the lifetime passes eh? I dare say, she was a nice lady and she was just doing her job but, though it was unwittingly, she just put my child through hell and almost shattered that wonderful mother/son bond all for the sake of a banana. *Sigh* [Of course, any non U.S., D.C., Peurto Ricon, Mexican, UK, Canadian etc (!!) readers out there will know only too well that we, being smelly Irish people with smelly tax laws are totally ineligible for any dream squad prizes anyway but my brain hadn't got *that* far at the time.]

Well he might be shy in company but (I guess like most of us shy types) he lets rip when he's back in the relative comfort of his own family so, as soon as she was gone, he turned to me and said "I would easily have said the right answer if only you'd have stopped looking at me and saying the stupid "three" thing over and over". I told him that he seemed to be having trouble so I was just trying to help. But he said "no, you threw me. I couldn't concentrate with you there" He got the "don't talk to your mother like that" line from DH and he said something like "I can't win". Looking back *now*, many months later, I guess he had a point.

But that was the start of it - for the next 20 minutes or so, things were very tense indeed. We had already passed the Stitch ride (hate him and his stupid fingers or claws or whatever they are on his stupid left hand) when DH, trying (*sigh*) to lighten the tension said "hey Garth would you like to do the Stitch ride?" and Garth said "yes, I would like it, but Mom said it's rubbish so we can't do it". I had actually said that I had read that it was a weak ride but I also made it clear that it was up to the boys whether they did it or not. Garth said "well it's too late now anyway cause Mom said we shouldn't do it just like she said Stitch has three fingers". There was one more 'Mom sucks' encounter like this, something along the lines of "I'm starving Dad but Mom said we can't eat no matter how hungry we are cause she has Tony's stupid restaurant booked and we mustn't ruin our stupid appetites" and then I lost it. I corrected Garth by reminding him that he, in fact, had a snack around 11 back in Toontown and the only time I'd mentioned the whole appetite thing was when he said earlier that he was peckish and I said "we'll be having a lovely lunch in Tony's".

I'll be the first to admit here folks that when I lose the rag I get sarcastic and I think, even back in chapter 1 or 2, I admitted that I exaggerate things, so instead of remembering at this point that I am the adult and he is the child, I engaged in a bickering session with him saying things like "I did not" and "you did too" and "no, what *you* said sucked" etc. I stopped short of sticking my tongue out and saying "neener neener neener". Not so much a bad Mommy moment as a 'lock her up and get that kid some counselling now' moment. It was that strange Disney park stress taking over again. So, in true 37 year old toddler-tantrum style I said "fine, you can all go to Tony's and I'm going back to the hotel cause clearly I'm just ruining Garth's day". Ok folks, I know you're probably ready to lambaste me now but, much as I'd like to say that we had a big family hug and I took him in my arms and told him I loved him, this TR should be truthful and at least I *know* I behaved in a crazy fashion.

Despite the stress levels, we managed to get a shot of the talking litter bin. Although showing a photo of the talking bin is a bit like dancing on radio I guess but here it is anyway complete with its minder dressed up for Halloween.....

The tension was unbearable and Alice obviously picked up on it cause when we were passing over that bridge leading out of Tomorrowland, Alice managed to get Wayne's new baseball hat off his head and threw it over the bridge, landing in a completely unreachable little mound of grass underneath us, home to quite a few other souvenirs and hats as it turned out. Wayne was very upset as he had loved that hat since he bought it the week before in the outlet stores. The good thing was it made me snap back into parenting mode and I consoled him, told him Alice was acting out cause of the tension between us, reminded everyone, even the still-boiling-with-rage Garth that every family had its moments and we headed, silently, to Tony's. Not before Wayne suggested that Alice should have to buy him a new hat. I reminded him that it would take her about 9 years to save up enough to buy him a hat so with a sigh, he let it go. I knew that I'd replace it though as really he and his brother are good boys and don't ask for much.

So we checked into Tony's and, instantly, everything felt lighter and happier.

Garth and I shared a smile and a laugh and I gave him carte blanche to order whatever he wanted as long as it was one of the 3 things on the kids menu.

Our server was wonderful. I wish I could remember her name. I told DH to ask her if it would be okay if we shared 2 adult meals between DH, I and Wayne and she said no problem. Of course I wouldn't ask myself but I had no problem asking DH to ask. At the time, we needed to save that credit for another meal and as this was only lunch we (despite starving the kids earlier!) weren't very hungry. As it turned out, we had too many credits but that's another story. So I think we got some kind of soup to start which DH and Wayne had. Garth got pasta from the kids menu which he loved. It wasn't on the menu but they gave it to him anyway. We ordered a kids meal out of pocket for Alice - aren't we marvellous? Hee hee. Wayne had spaghetti for his main course which he said was delicious....

Dh and I shared a vegetarian pasta for our main course and had more than enough food. For dessert, Garth and Alice got yummy ice cream.

Wayne got a chocolate thing that he adored so we left him have one to himself and I ordered the same thing for DH and I to, ahem, share, knowing full well that he'd say "no no, you go ahead and eat the whole thing". He knows I love chocolate and wouldn't deprive me of it. It was really delicious with biscuit and ice cream inside.....

Here's a teeny video clip of DH and the kids that day (I was hoarse, please ignore my voice ). Note the music, the decor and the wonderfully uncrowded town square outside.



The atmosphere in this restaurant was terrific, enhanced by the beautiful Lady and The Tramp music. When it came time to pay, I gave the server my room key with the credits on it and gave her my DDE card to put towards the out-of-pocket meal and the extra drinks we each had. But she came back with the slip for me to sign and said she hadn't needed the DDE card. I thought perhaps they weren't doing the discount and didn't want to make an issue of it so I just said that we'd now take the bill for the extra items and she waved it off and said "no, no, that's absolutely fine, no charge". We were so grateful - not that the few dollars would have killed us to pay but those little gestures mean a lot to me. We left a generous tip and then went to take some photos of the fountain, all happy again at this point, thank God!

The manager was passing by when I was taking photos and something flashed into my mind that I had read here on the DIS so we asked him about it. Basically I had heard that if you give them your autograph book they go out back to get Tramp's paw-print. DH asked him if this was true and he said "yes, you heard right but right now Tramp is sleeping but he saw you come in and sends his regards". Isn't that just such a nice thing to say? I reckon they were maybe out of something or other that would have made the paw print thing impossible but I thought it was so nice that he gave us that lovely story instead of just saying no. If you haven't guessed already, I highly recommend Tony's!!!

I brought Alice to the bathroom to change her nappy and clothes as she was wearing most of her lunch and saw an adorable little baby in there with his Mom. He was dressed head to to as Tigger, all prepped already for the MNSSHP that evening! He was so cute, although I will say I did feel a bit sorry for him dressed in fur head to toe when we were finding the heat unbearable in t-shirts. But he was lying still in his pram so I'm sure he was fine.

See how quiet it was that day, even at 2pm?..........

We spotted Pinochio getting ready to do autographs so, as there were no lines, we went to meet him. Alice didn't know who he was. Strange when I think of it because, at her age, Wayne knew almost the entire script of that movie off by heart. Not that he spent his babyhood plonked in front of the TV, just that it was the only movie he liked and was totally hooked on it and, at the time. He adored it so much and could recite entire scenes from the script in an echolaliac fashion. Pinochio was very nice.....

So, tired but now very happy, we made our way out of MK to return to BWV. On our way out we saw quite a few people coming in already dressed in their Halloween costumes. Little baby furry Tigger wouldn't be alone! Here are the Halloween decorations out front.....

DH asked where the boat to the BWV left from and I just sighed. I mean, please, for the love of God, can't he even pretend to know something about WDW? Can he not appreciate my planning enough to not ask about boats between MK and BWV? I reminded him that there was a few miles of road in between the Epcot area and the MK area so the bottom of the boat would get battered so he just said "fine, bus, boat, whatever". We made our way to the bus (the boat was stuck in traffic on the highway) and slowly made our way back to BWV, via the Swan, Dolphin and Beach Club. It didn't take as long as I thought it would.

We got chatting to a lovely English couple who had just started their holiday and had flown out of London the night before in appaling British weather and told us they heard it was horrendous in Ireland too. We all let out a little "hurray" on hearing that! They were jetlagged but couldn't resist going to MK for just an hour or so but were now going back to the room to sleep as they had been up all night.

Another couple from Ohio were there too with their son, who was around Garth's age. They were staying at The Swan and were also going for a break before going to MNSSHP that night. The son and Wayne and Garth compared notes on their costumes and, as only happens in WDW, all ten of us (the English couple, the Ohio family and us) seemed to bond instantly and laughed about a lot of things. One thing that made me laugh inside though was when the Ohio woman, on hearing that we were staying at BWV, asked us if we knew that we were allowed to use any of the pools at any of the Epcot resorts. I said I didn't think we were and she said "oh yes, it's one of the perks, grab your swim gear when you get back and go and check out Stormalong Bay". Very nice of her but, of course, I couldn't help silently giggling at the indignance such a suggestion would have been met with on the DIS.

Tired but happy, and excited at the preparations ahead for MNSSHP, we went to our room for a little rest and relaxation.

To be continued...........

 

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

My goodness, woman, when you make up for lost time, you REALLY make up for lost time! I was so happy to find your posts this morning, especially with the DIS being all messed up yesterday.

I know only too well the issue of 5 people trying to communicate. There have been times when the 5 of us have spent an entire day together and at the end of the day, DH and I look at each other and wonder how it is we haven't spoken all day. We are SO out-numbered.

I can't believe Alice tossed the hat! I'm sorry, but it made me giggle. It's something DS 3 would have done....must be the third child

Above all, I love your honesty.

 

[FayeW]

I totally understand the communication challenges. When my son and/or husband give me the "deer in the headlights" look when the realization finally dawns on them that they are supposed to know what I'm talking about, I chalk it up to "that's just the man in them". Never hear anything I say. Ever. And then will argue black and blue that I never said it!

I swear that I am going to start packing note paper and make my husband sign to acknowledge that he heard and understood what I said before I walk away! Last trip I went from Africa to Asia and back looking for them, because he didn't understand when I said I was getting fastpasses for something enroute to using our FP for EE. Now, he knew we only had 45 minutes left to use our FP, and that our window to get another FP had just opened up. He knew we were enroute to EE to use said FP. But rather than go there and wait for me, he stayed in Africa! I was a ridiculously hot, humid day and AK was packed. What great fun crisscrossing the continents! MEN!

Sorry for hijacking your thread with my rant, Deb! Great installment as always! When this report is done, we may all have to chip in a dollar to pay for your to go back and do it again!

 

[Nicole786]

what an awesome chapter! my mom and i get into fights like you and garth all the time

 

[Lovemy3babes]

Deb, you're hilarious!!! Great installment!!! More please.

 

[WDW Fan]

Deb, you sure made up for lost time!!! What a great posting! I think we've all experienced those testy family vacation moments when you think the vacation will be ruined if we don't all get over our bad moods!!! Glad to hear Tony's Restaurant helped you all back to the "magical" side! I love the answer that you gave to DH about the boat back to the BCV He's lucky that you're such the planner that you know all there is to know about WDW by now! Never heard that all Epcot Resorts could share pools: Not quite sure where the woman got her info from! Can't wait to read all about your MNSSHP. Hurry back when you can.

 

[Ricky's Girl]

Hooray! You're back and in top form as always. Little Alice's hat tossing was too funny! I'm glad you enjoyed Tony's. It's one of our favorite places to dine at the MK. Isn't the fountain lovely? I'm happy to see that the was plentiful during your dining experience. As always, I'm looking forward to your next update.

 

[jonslola]

The "tossing of the hat" moment was priceless! Just when you think things couldn't get worse...

 

[Lizzybear]

Ooh new installments! I started reading these a while ago but just thought to comment now, love your Irish wit I love reading about people's 'real' experiences at WDW cos I know we all have those times when a meltdown is inevitable :scared Fab reports and photos Deb, can't wait to read more!

 

[photo_chick]

Great installment. I am always worried the kids will throw something where I can't retrieve it!

 

[DebIreland]

Thanks for the feedback everyone!

Now for one of my favourite parts of the TR - responding to responses (!) - which, in many cases, is *long* overdue, sorry....

Shark - Yes, the hat incident was funny. Thanks for sticking with me Shark! Hows the new report coming????? Any future trips planned?

FayeW - Oh rant away, no worries! I found myself nodding my head in agreement and solidarity reading about your Africa/Asia trek. Been there and can relate. Of all the parks though, I really hate any extra (and unnecessary) walking through AK so I would've been seriously pee'd off at your DH. When I read about men (like Mr. sharkB8HooHaHa ) who take an interest in Disney planning I feel physically sick with jealousy.

Nicole786 - And your Mom is always right isn't she???? Thanks for reading Nicole. Glad you're still here.

Lovemy3babes - Thanks a million Kelli!! You know I went to read your TR just the other day - I had been reading it and posted but lost track after Christmas as I was off the boards for a while. Anyway, I wanted to tell you that I read the whole thing again and it's brilliant!!! Your children are so gorgeous!! The thing is I wanted to post a fresh comment to it but couldn't. Are you not allowed to post comments to a completed TR? It seems not. Anyway, great job - hope you start another one after your upcoming November trip!

disneyaddicted - Sorry for taking so long to respond! Thanks a million for the wonderful comments.
I can't believe you spent your wedding anniversery reading this. I don't know whether to fear for your marriage or feel flattered. I really love your TR! Thanks for the congrats and well wishes for Wayne. Can't wait to catch up on the latest chapters of your TR.

Ricky's Girl - Welcome to my TR. Always nice to have a new reader........................... nah, just messing with your head. Keeping you on your toes. Making sure you earn that allowance! Don't ya just hate though when you post to someone's TR a hundred times and then they act like they never 'saw' ya before???

irish dancer - Woohoo!!! I am flattered. Thanks for the great comments. I hope you stick around.

WDW Fan - Welcome!!! I love your nick. I had to go back and double check that I had it right. I can't believe you managed to get 'WDW Fan' as your nick - it really is the simplest and BEST name for here. I'm amazed it wasn't the first name to be taken up. Thanks so much for the kind words and the congratulations and comments.

photo_chick - Welcome and thanks for sticking with me despite my rudeless in not replying and welcoming you sooner! We did get to Walmarts and I loved it! We went there instead of Universal. But really we did, all shall be revealed. Oh how I can relate to your DH's obsessing about the kids birthday invitations! When my boys were younger I made our own Christmas cards using photo collages of the boys usually inter-mingled with various Christmas scenes. I swear I spent days on those cards and was always perfecting them. After a few years I forced myself to buy cards because I was driving myself insane. Much as I'd still love to do the artwork myself I just know it's easier on everyone to go buy pictures of other people's families. That is too funny about the 'widow' on your scrapbook page. I'm glad for your sake he no longer does graphic design.


continued below as I'm using too many icons for one post.

 

[DebIreland]

PKWallaby - Yay! Glad you're still here. Thanks so much for your comments.

Ricky's Girl -



novdisneydreams - Welcome!!! Thanks for taking the time to post after the first paragraph. I hope you didn't have second thoughts when you got through the second one.

katydidbug1 - Yay! Thanks for coming along to my TR!!! How is the new job going?? I see you're going to WDW twice this year. Lucky lucky you.

mom2aandj - Oh no, I missed you before you left for WDW!! Sorry it took me so long to respond. But I hope you're having the best trip ever right now. Please let me know how you got on!!!

Disneyland_Mama - Thanks a million! By the way I have a bone to pick with you. What ya doing going off and starting a new trip report without me knowing all about it?

Just kidding but seriously I can't believe I didn't see it before!!! That darn PRE-TRIP board. Pffft. Can't wait to get all caught up with it!! I do miss Waldo!

nyyankeegirl - Thanks for the bump and the well wishes! Glad you're here. Wayne is much better now thanks!

Starwater - Thanks and welcome

IkeandMike - Yay, thanks a million for the kinds words and for sticking with me on this TR.

tigger536 - Yay, you're still here too! Thanks so much Jacquelyn - I really appreciate the well wishes. Wayne is feeling much much better.

jonslola - Welcome and thank you!! I'm so glad you're enjoying it and thanks for the words of support! Us planners need to stick together! Yes, the hat-tossing was funny! Alice certainly seemed to enjoy it. Is that your daughter in your sig? She's beautiful!!

Lizzybear - Welcome!! I've seen your name on the UK boards. Glad you're reading along I see you'll be staying at POFQ - we were there on our first trip and we loved it so much! It's beautiful!

 

[Disneyland_Mama]

Disneyland_Mama - Thanks a million! By the way I have a bone to pick with you. What ya doing going off and starting a new trip report without me knowing all about it?

So sorry Deb! Please forgive me! You know I'm not about shameless plugs! Or am I?

Just kidding but seriously I can't believe I didn't see it before!!! That darn PRE-TRIP board. Pffft. Can't wait to get all caught up with it!! I do miss Waldo!

Hey, I'm selling Waldo on ebay, if you're interested.

 

[KimAshton]

Geez.. the kids sound like me and my brother. We use to annoy each other to death when we were young.

 

[Glendamax]

Glad I found your report! (yes I know I'm late ) I really enjoyed your pics! You little girl is adorable!

 

[DebIreland]

Hey, I'm selling Waldo on ebay, if you're interested.

Nice try, very nice indeed, but no dice.

Geez.. the kids sound like me and my brother. We use to annoy each other to death when we were young.

Thanks for reading Kim. Oh I know, I know - as an only girl I had many a nasty run-in with my brothers. We drove our mother nuts..... of course now I know exactly how she felt.

Glad I found your report! (yes I know I'm late ) I really enjoyed your pics! You little girl is adorable!

Yay! I'm so glad you're here. You're such a familiar part of the DIS to me - your reputation precedes you, but in a good way of course. Thanks so much for reading, hope you stick around.