The Incredibles... well the Vila's vacation

[Oceana]

I am going to go ahead and get a thread started with my trip report. I will continue and add photos later. My DH seems to be going slow, we have been home 24 hours now I should have photos to share! We were there 12 days so I have lots to post.

We left on the 5th after Miguel’s gymnastics class ended around 10 am. Everyone was fed and ready to go. The trip down was great. Both boys were well behaved and handled the long drive well. We stopped at a McDonalds’s midday for lunch and we all ran around inside the inside play center. Those things are disgusting! I climbed to the top and barely kept my lunch down… which I admit could have more to do with the lunch than the gross play place.

We arrived at our resort around 7:30 pm and checked in. We decided that as all the parks closed at 9:00pm we would just head off to Down Town Disney for dinner. We jumped on the DTD bus and headed off we stopped in at a few shops and then got into the Rainforest Café in under a 20 minute wait (shortest wait I have ever seen at dinner time). We had a good dinner, though Finn was very skeptical about the monkeys and such making a hullabaloo.

We went back to our room and made an early night. The POP is a fine hotel. The room was fine. Looked clean everything was fine. The cast members were ok… no one had the usual Disney spark I normally see. The people who checked us in were obnoxiously slow considering they had all my information in advance and my trip was prepaid it still took more than a half hour to check in.

We had gone in on a time share with a number of other people on a small hotel room refrigerator. The resort charged $10 a day for a fridge but for an 11 night stay it is less expensive to just buy one. Even better was to buy one used from a previous guest for only $7 for the entire trip and sell it to the next person checking in. We did luck out and ended up in a room which already had a refrigerator.

We woke up bright and early on the 6th ready for our first day at Disney World. We got everyone up fed and dressed and headed out. Loaded on the bus and headed to the Magic Kingdom. They have started having special extra magic hours for people with preschoolers. That is the park opens early just for people staying at a WDW resort allowing for fewer lines and fewer other guests. The bus ride was not what I imagined. I assumed Finn would enjoy riding the bus without having to be in a car seat. I was wrong wrong wrong! Apparently he figured out how to walk just days before our departure with the idea he would be allowed to stand on the bus unassisted by any adults. We went to the special Guest Service office to get our free park passes and we were off.

We get to the park and head to Fantasy Land it was all walk on for every ride there. It was great. Finn and I rode Dumbo while Tony and Miguel were in the car ahead of ours. Neither of the boys found the ride scary and did quite well. We worked our way through Fantasy land and moved toward Tomorrow Land just in time for lunch. We ate our first free meal at Cosmic Ray’s Café and the cast member let me get an adult meal for Miguel. Apparently at a burger joint the kid’s meals are chicken nuggets or PB&J. It seemed unfair to ask my kid to eat a PB&J while I chowed down on a cheese burger. The meal was too much food. Large sodas, double cheese burgers, and dessert for lunch is just too much! We did not eat our lunch brownies or the applesauce. Then we did all the Tomorrow Land rides. Suddenly and without notice while we thought we were waiting to ride Carousel of Progress Buzz Lightyear walked up. I had expected Miguel to leap on him with joy instead Miguel freaked out. I was quite surprised as Miguel has always done quite well with the character sizes. Later we discovered that it was more being un expectantly overwhelmed with his hero than fear. On the way out we bought the boys their first pair of Mickey ears. Miguel picked pirate ears and Finn choose the classic black style

We managed to loose both Miguel’s brand new Pizza Planet hat and his spider man action figure. I tied the Spiderman to the baby carriage so I am pretty certain he was removed by someone wanting a pretty snazzy Spiderman. We did later find the hat in lost and found.

Midday we headed back to our hotel for a break. I left Miguel and Finn with Tony and I went to the POP kid’s lounge to give a baby wearing demonstration and help another mom with using her Ergo Baby carrier. She had owned it for 6 months and couldn’t find a way to be happy with it. In the hour we spent she left very happy and with a new love for baby wearing. I returned to the room and we all got ready for dinner.

Hoop De Doo is such a wonderful dinner show. The food is great and the show is fun. The kids LOVED it. Miguel was very upset that they didn’t sing happy birthday to him. I had forgotten that I had promised him that he would get to celebrate his birthday while on this trip. At his own birthday he had a pretty serious double ear infection so he didn’t get to enjoy his own party so it only seemed fair to give him a day or so at Disney World.

When we got back after dinner we had a lovely bottle of wine waiting for us as a gift from the baby wearing mom. It was quite sweet of her to return with a gift.

 

[Nee Nee and Biddy]

Hello from another AP mama! Sounds like your trip is going great so far. We are going to stay at POP next year with our (then) 20 month old. Not sure if he is still going to want to be "worn" by that time. We will see. Looking forward to some more installments!

 

[Oceana]

Day 3

Ahh I remember the 7th now… it was the day of Julie doing humiliating things. Epcot, they really do try to make it young kid friendly. I really tried to make it fun for my boys… but coloring with sharpie markers in each of the countries just doesn’t cut it. To make Epcot more fun for kids they have coloring stations in each country and exhibit sponsored by sharpie. It just doesn’t work out well for someone to hand my board kid a sharpie while he is dressed all cute for the parks and expect him to be satisfied with occasional coloring. I am however jumping ahead

The boys enjoy Space Ship Earth and then we head over toward the character connection. Finn would look at the characters and loose his mind with joy gasping and giggling but if they had the nerve to get within 3 feet of him he would freak out. He even went as far as chasing Goofy and King Louie but if they had the nerve to turn around Finn made it clear they had committed crimes against all babies everywhere.

We went to the Living Seas and Turtle Talk with Crush. This was amazing! Miguel was the first person called on to chat with Crush and boy howdy what a cool exhibit. Sadly Miguel’s question was not called on. He wanted to know if Turtles like jelly beans. I would assume they don’t but I am not a turtle.

It was lunch time after we finished looking at fish so we headed to Japan for Yakitori House well they call it yucky for a reason. The atmosphere was cool but the food was gross! Getting a highchair was next to impossible on the upside they had the best cell phone reception of the entire park so I was able to call lost and found to see about Miguel’s Spiderman and hat.

At various times in the day I would look around and notice organic tampons on the ground then I would realize they were falling out of my backpack like some very sick version of Hansel and Gretel. I was embarrassed but Tony had to point out no one would know they were mine if I didn’t stop to pick them up. Alas they are organic and expensive so I did pick them up every time.

I took Miguel to the bathroom just after lunch and then we headed around World Showcase it rained and was fun to jump in the puddles by time we made it to Norway we did the ride there and then a kind lady working in the shop told me my fly was down. For a few hours from America to Norway I was walking around with my fly open and no one told me! I would not have this be my lowest moment though.

We leave Epcot and forgo our afternoon break by heading straight to the Magic Kingdom. Due to Night of Joy (a Christian concert series) and Mickey’s No So Scary Halloween Party Spectromagic was showing very few nights during our stay. We enter the park and hop on the train. Well, I shouldn’t say hop. We struggled onto the train. The cast here was exceptionally unhelpful despite our two kids and folded up stroller we were expected somehow to make it through the turn styles while never letting go of Miguel’s hand or putting down Finn. The people behind us were so interested in not missing the train they were shoving to get on making it that much more difficult. We manage to get on the train and I snuggle Finn in to nurse. Before we are in Frontier Land Miguel is asleep and Finn is nursing like a fiend. We decide to just ride the train around till closer to the parade time or whenever the kids wake up. So we go around the park once and pull into the Main Street Station and that is the moment Finn pops off. And starts to do the get comfortable fuss and flail. Due to the extra gravity they keep at the Magic Kingdom and also that which comes with being a tad busty and having had 2 kids and nursed them my breast falls toward the ground while my shirt stays caught between me and Finn. I am sitting on the train on the outside next to the rail on the entrance side which puts me sitting there with my breast hanging out 3 stories above the ground so everyone who walks into the Kingdom gets a great look. Golly I sure hope no one got scared and left forever!

Well as I am feeling pretty embarrassed we get off the train at the next Frontier Land stop and head toward where we want to watch the parade. Then we encountered the birds. Apparently the birds find that park goers will feed them if they look cute. I pick up my giant turkey leg and start being stalked by egrets. They start sneaking up on me to steal my napkins. As dusk falls the birds go away. The time I expect the parade to start comes and goes. Apparently the time I had for the parade was an hour early so we continue to sit and wait. Everyone gets grumpy just sitting in one place for so long. Finn is pretty grouchy during the parade so I don’t think any of us really enjoyed it. We did however get some nice photos

 

[Oceana]

Hello from another AP mama! Sounds like your trip is going great so far. We are going to stay at POP next year with our (then) 20 month old. Not sure if he is still going to want to be "worn" by that time. We will see. Looking forward to some more installments!

My 3 year old would still be worn happily if I would do it. I highly recomend an ergo baby carrier, I will have a photo of me with Finn in it later in the trip report. Here is one of me carring my now 3 year old when he was 17 months

with 2 its harder to use a carrier though, also my kids had never seen a stroller till we went to disney then they became obsessed with them.

 

[sha_lyn]

LOL..... So why haven't I heard these stories in person yet. I've only heardthe "big" thing that happened.
I love the pic with Finn and the characters.

 

[Oceana]

The 8th we decided to ditch the busses as Finn was impossible on them and happily rode in the car in car seats with no fuss. It was our Animal Kingdom day. Man oh man that park is HOT! We get in a tad late as our parade the night before left us with the need to sleep in some. Once in the park we went to see It’s Tough to be a Bug. Miguel loved it. He was really getting into the 3D movies Finn however without glasses did not enjoy the spiders which leaped out of the ceiling to attack. After our first attraction it was lunch time so we had lunch at Pizzafari in what must have been the upside down room. We had a great meal everyone enjoyed. Finn fell asleep while we ate lunch and after our meal we headed to Camp Minnie Mickey. Our first stop was the Pocahontas show. In all the visits we have had to Animal Kingdom we never saw this show. It was 1 live actress and live animals and a really great show. They had rows for the kids to sit at the front with no adults and Miguel went right off to sit with the other kids. He did make moves on the little girl next to him. He was trying to draw her into conversation and moving closer and closer to her placing his hand on her shoulder to make a point about a snake. HE IS ONLY 3! Finn woke up and enjoyed the show from my lap pointing and laughing whenever a cool animal came on stage.

Next stop was the Spirit of the Lion King. Before the show even started Finn started getting grumpy as he had missed lunch for a nap. Tony took Finn to get him some food while I stayed in the show with Miguel. This was the day we decided to let Miguel celebrate his birthday. On his actual birthday he had a major double ear infection so he was too ill to participate in his own party so I told him we would celebrate at Disney World. So he was wearing a really cool pin that said today was his birthday. The show started and he was mesmerized by the tumble monkeys then they started picking kids from the audience to come down and participate. A zebra lady picked Miguel and he went down to dance with her. At this point I am taking photos like crazed paparazzi. Then they sent all the kids back to their seats except Miguel and Timoon wished him a happy birthday and told him to have an extra special day. After she returned Miguel to his seat I discovered I had an unnatural attraction to the zebra lady. I suppose anyone who makes my kid feel really special becomes hot to me. I finished up by taking at least 50 photos of the zebra lady.

We found dad and Finn after the show and headed back to our hotel room for a little rest before we went to MGM to see the parade. Both boys enjoyed the parade oodles. Finn was talking laughing and pointing at everything. This was also a moment when I was showed exactly how rude people can be. We picked a parade place out early on the curb and waited. The parade started and some teenage kid walked around and stood directly in front of Miguel. I told him to move and not stand in front of my kid so instead he stood directly in front of Tony trying to take photos of our kids. If his mom wasn’t standing next to him I would say he needed supervision.

Then off to MGM’s one ride one can do with kids The Great Movie Ride. We got gangsters and I think Miguel was genuinely surprised by the show.

Next stop was Fantasmic, we bought dinner and ate it in the stands in our seats row 4 middle center, right in the splash zone. We bought glow in the dark lunch boxed dinners and shared our home bought glow sticks and bracelets with all the kids around us.

Finn was asleep just after the show began and the rest of us really enjoyed it. The end was different than before. Miguel loved the Mickey Mouse killing the dragon bit. It was quite a lovely day! Both boys were asleep before we got back to our hotel.

 

[Oceana]

The 9th we got up and headed out to MGM for the day experience. We started by walking toward the back of the park toward meeting Miguel’s heroes. We stopped in and saw the Muppets 3D movie a hit with Miguel even Finn enjoyed it. No attack spiders and Sweetums comes out at a few points giving him being the only person not wearing 3D glasses something to see. Then off to meet the heroes. Woody, Jessie, Buzz, and a Green Army Man. This time Miguel was great. He chatted them up and even recited some movie lines to them. It was quite a wonderful dream come true for the little man. Then we had lunch at Pizza Planet. Seriously with the lack of boyish stuff at the parks with all the Princess activities they could have taken some time and really made the place the Pizza Planet from the movie. After lunch we stopped in at the Honey I shrunk the kids play area and the boys had a good time running around. Miguel was overwhelmed by big kids and did play it close to dad. Finn only wanted to stand in direct sunlight and wouldn’t move into the shade so we left the area before we had really intended.

We went back to our room for a little rest. Finn was ready for a nap as he had been drained by the sunlight but Miguel was still all piss and vinegar so Daddy too him swimming at the resort pool. The phone rang about 30 minutes into my nap and it was some guy with the resort telling me that Miguel had fallen but was fine but they wanted me to know. I asked where Tony was and they said with him and taking care of things. I asked if I should come down to the pool and they say no so I curl back up and go back to sleep. About another half hour later Tony and Miguel come whirling into the room with a parade of hotel employees behind them. The man standing outside the door is calmly asking Tony if he has stuff. Miguel is being carried by Tony wrapped in a towel and looking sad. I ask Miguel what happened, his answer “It’s daddy’s fault” Tony says Miguel will need 1 or 2 stitches and gets himself and Miguel dressed. I ask if I should take Miguel or if I should come with them and Tony tells me I am to stay with Finn. They take off in a tornado of motion and I run down the sidewalk to give Tony the insurance card.

Finn and I do laundry. A bit later a bunch of balloons and a Buzz Lightyear space ranger laser blaster is delivered to our room from Buzz. I wonder if someone has my birthday mixed up.

Tony and Miguel return and Miguel has 6 stitches in his chin. His face has scratches and is skinned right up his face.

We don’t let this slow us down despite the rain and my best efforts to change our dining reservations we head out to MGM for dinner at the 50’s Prime Time Café. Dinner was fantastic and too much I was unable to take more than a bite or two of my smores.

As our day had been filled with so much adventure we went straight back to our room and got into bed for an early night

 

[Oceana]

On the 10th we got up early and had Mickey waffles at our resort. We encountered our first young Cinderella at breakfast decked out in gown and slippers. I gave them our extra applesauce as neither of my boys will touch the stuff and Miguel noticed the young lady. He then started asking me for permission to put her slippers on her feet. I pulled out my mommy skills and used the distract and move on method not realizing that this moment would set the tone for this next chapter in Miguel's life.

We headed back to Animal Kingdom. Miguel and Finn both seemed in good spirits and we headed straight back to the Africa area. We caught the Congolese drummers and Finn was rocking out. We did the safari Miguel loved the animals especially the elephants Finn was all excited at the beginning and passed out about midway through the tour. I suppose all the excitement was finally catching up to the little guy. We did the walking tour and Miguel spent much time discovering his similarities with the gorillas. We had an amazing lunch at Tusker House where the service and assistance were the best of our whole trip.

After a short afternoon break we headed to the Magic Kingdom. We did the Jungle Boats and a few other attractions with happy boys then went to the castle for dinner. We went in and our first order of business was to meet Cinderella and have professional photographs taken. No one was waiting behind us so Miguel got some time to spend chatting up Cindy. We took our photo and then waited on our table. I am picky so we were waiting for a window seat so we had about 20 minutes to see all the other people come in to meet Cindy. That was when she entered. She was about 4 or 5 years old. She was wearing a blue ball gown, faux glass slippers, and a bright yellow blond wig. She was Portuguese so the blood was a tad much but who am I to tell a princess how to accessorize. Miguel's world stopped when he saw her. Her olive skin and dark eyebrows contrasting with her sunny blond up do. He knew he had to make her his own. Miguel then looked up at me and announced "I am going to marry her" I then attempt the mommy distract showing him Jacque and Gus watching Cindy from the rafters. About 10 minutes pass and Miguel is feeling pretty strongly about this young lady. He asks me to take him to meet her. So I take his hand and walk over to her and her family and introduce my son. "this is Miguel and he would like your daughters hand in marriage" All the adults laugh and the young girl knowing that it is high risk season for cooties makes it clear she is not interested. Miguel sits down next to her anyway hands in his lap and tries to make small talk. He has an interested young lady also in full gown and slippers on his other side but her hair was only dirty blond and she apparently did not fit the "marriage" ideal. Not too long later he runs back to me "she doesn't like me" lays his head in my lap and cries.

We get called to our window table overlooking the carousel and had a pretty good dinner. I get distracted with kids during the show being put on by the Fairy godmother, Paula, and Pearla (Cindy's mice) as Finn doesn't like mice. So I tell the Godmother it's my birthday twice and she makes it clear I am obviously some kind of idiot for not knowing she already knew.

During dinner the fireworks show Wishes starts right outside our window and we watch on in awe. It really is a great show. Dinner was great even if the boys were not perfectly behaved. Tony says the food was too fancy. Some guy proposed to his girlfriend during the fireworks and everyone left full and happy with small chocolate crowns to snack on.

It was extra magic hours at the Magic Kingdom. The park closed at 10pm to everyone except those staying at a Disney resort. The park was all ours till midnight. The crowds were so small we walked right on everything. We rode all of fantasy land again and rode Buzz's spin a few more times. Finn fell asleep so Miguel and I rode pirates together while Tony stayed with Finn. The ride was surprisingly different and not in an entirely bad way. I liked some of the new additions just with them the rest of the ride became less real. While Tony watched the boys I rode Stitches Escape. I hated it and it smelled. I almost barfed because of the awful stench. I smelled like the ride all night till I got a shower. It was terrible and gosh it smelled so bad. I was really unhappy with this ride it smelled so terrible. Oh and I should mention how terrible the ride smelled.

 

[Oceana]

September 11, I was dreading. It was my birthday. I admit I am selfish so the last few years it is impossible to celebrate without the lingering mourning dragging down the possible happy feelings one can have to celebrate their day.

We started our day out at MGM. Ralph's World, my favorite kid's band was playing and we wanted to show our support as long time pre Disney contract fans. We took our time wondering through the park stopping in to meet the Incredible. Both Miguel and Tony were overjoyed. We then went to see the Playhouse Disney Show with Bear in the Big Blue House. Finn totally rocked out. I just love the goodbye song with Luna.

We dashed across the park to see Ralph's second concert of the day. It was a pretty good concert. It was clear the other people didn't know that this was a real rock concert and not just a show. My kids were the only ones dancing and Tony and I were the only adults screaming and singing. We all know me so certainly my singing "We are ants!" louder than anyone else in the room wouldn't be my worst moment. I attempted nursing Finn during the show and as kooky babies would be he mid suck pops up and starts to dive for the stage so I get the pleasure of flashing the band. I even got to see the bassist quickly turn away as fast as possible. I would hate to spend my birthday without wanting to crawl under a rock. Miguel found a sweet pink dressed blond girl and asked her to dance with him she naturally looked at him as if he were some kind of little green alien. As we left the theatre he kept telling me "but I love her".

Not wanting the band to forget the girl with her breasts hanging out at the concert we stopped to chat with them and get group photos. I asked about their CDs and T-shirts. They seemed quite put out as they were someplace on Disney property but no one was able to locate them so they could be sold outside the auditorium.

I had been feeling down all day so we headed back to our hotel stopping to meet Sully from Monsters Inc. I then spent the rest of the day in bed. Tony and the boys did laundry and I changed out dining reservations not wanting to hit a park again.

We headed for Wilderness Lodge for dinner and Miguel kept arguing with me as I put on the "It's my Birthday" button. He was unwilling to admit it was my birthday. I started feeling more down. Dinner was ok. The food was fantastic Miguel participated in wooden pony races and won a wooden nickel. We swirled our napkins over our heads and watched people get more and more ketchup. Then before dessert the boys got fussy so I took them out to the lobby to play with the Lincoln logs. Miguel and Finn enjoyed the toys despite the older kids being bossy, shoving the spare logs into my kid's workspace, and trashing my kids building projects. Naturally no parent or guardian was anywhere to be seen for these bullies.

After a bit I headed back to the table with my kids and my birthday surprise came. Miguel got up onto his chair, snatched the microphone from our waitress and sang with all the pizazz of a lounge singer Happy Birthday Mommy. I got all weepy, our waitress had tears welling up in her eyes, everyone around had melted by his performance. I am certain half the restraint went to go make beautiful babies just like him when they got back to their own resorts. THEN he turned and hugged our waitress. That's right he didn't immediately follow up his performance with a hug erasing all the bickering we had done over exactly whose birthday it was... OH NO he hugged our waitress! Little schmuck of a kid!

A few minor details left out of my birthday. ON the morning of the 11th at 7 am a hotel employee came to our door to leave a gift from my mother. She sent a pile of Disney dollars with the instruction that I was to spend it all on me. This is a very hard task with 2 kids. Miguel had done so well without too many gimmi’s or I want’s. My mother also made certain the hotel management knew it was my birthday. Typically on someone’s birthday they will send balloons and a card with a character photo signed by the character to wish the resort guest a happy birthday. I never got the balloons or the cards despite my mother making the request. After dinner at the Wilderness Lodge I wanted to see the geysers. I guess being a Georgia girl and having never really been out west this seems like such a mystical thing so I long to see the man made geysers at the Wilderness Lodge. The last time I was at the resort they geysers never went off in the hours my sister and I stood and waited for them. This trip was no exception. I took my boys out and we watched and watched and NOTHING. A big bummer.

 

[Oceana]

LOL..... So why haven't I heard these stories in person yet. I've only heardthe "big" thing that happened.
I love the pic with Finn and the characters.

I am too afraid I will disney you guys out with my tales. I have more to my story just life got busy. I just posted a bunch, through the 11th... we didnt leave til the 16th so I still have more.

 

[sha_lyn]

You can't disney me out LOL. We are having major WDW pains right now. I would sell the teenager for a trip

He then started asking me for permission to put her slippers on her feet. I pulled out my mommy skills and used the distract and move on method not realizing that this moment would set the tone for this next chapter in Miguel's life.

Bri volunteers to be his princess. I have a strange feeling however he would rather it be a certain blonde he sees on mondays LOL

I can't believe you never got your birthday gift from the resort.

If we can scrape together the $$ I want to go next yr (praying for the free dining) I'll just have to stalk you on your BD to make certain it is magical.