The MCLOVINS Hit the World - HARD!!!!! *COMPLETED*

[Cat0727]

Ok Lia, that is the best story ever! You described it so well, I felt like I was there with you!

 

[acejka]

this trip report is CRACKING ME UP!

I still need to go look for that crazy creature from the turtle talk area, and now whenever we go to the parks i listen for the music i never paid attention to before, and I always think about your report.

 

[MarieTheCat24]

Lia, I love you. That was amazing.

I agree with Tinkgurl...The only way this update could be any better is if I was actually on this crazy bus. Do you think I could call Disney and specifically request that this crazy man be my personal chauffeur for the trip? Because I REALLY want to ride on his bus.

And that just sounded really dirty.

But you know what I mean. This kind of crazy must not only be read about, it must be experienced first-hand. And I want to experience this guy in the flesh.

Which, again, sounds really dirty. I'm just going to shut up now.

PS: Because it cannot be said enough, I AM SO JEALOUS OF YOU AND YOUR UPCOMING TRIP.

 

[YukiPhnx]

Lia, I love you. That was amazing.

I agree with Tinkgurl...The only way this update could be any better is if I was actually on this crazy bus. Do you think I could call Disney and specifically request that this crazy man be my personal chauffeur for the trip? Because I REALLY want to ride on his bus.

And that just sounded really dirty.

But you know what I mean. This kind of crazy must not only be read about, it must be experienced first-hand. And I want to experience this guy in the flesh.

Which, again, sounds really dirty. I'm just going to shut up now.

PS: Because it cannot be said enough, I AM SO JEALOUS OF YOU AND YOUR UPCOMING TRIP.

Kara you are adorable. I just love you.

But yes Lia, TAKE US WITH YOUUU!!!!!!!!

 

[__disneygirl]

OK Lia, I have to say this has been the funniest and most "Ohmygosh I want to be there NOW" report I've ever read! Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing with us! Sorry it took me so long to comment, but I've just recently discovered trip reports and frankly, I'm addicted. Can't wait until the next installment!!! So when are you heading down to the World next? We'll be there in ONE MONTH (insert freak out here)!

Hi and !!!!!! I'm so happy you are enjoying it so much =)

I don't know when I'm going yet I am hoping and PRAYING, practically begging the Heavens, please please please GOD!!! That I will be going there in November. But I really don't know if it's going to happen. I'd like to be optimistic and be like F YEAH I'LL MAKE IT HAPPEN but right now it could totally go either way!

Thanks for reading!!

Ok Lia, that is the best story ever! You described it so well, I felt like I was there with you!

hahaha thanks!! I'm glad you liked it!!

this trip report is CRACKING ME UP!

I still need to go look for that crazy creature from the turtle talk area, and now whenever we go to the parks i listen for the music i never paid attention to before, and I always think about your report.

Thank you so much!! Yes you need to find our Frogfish friend!! I miss him truth be told. My mom and I gaze at the photos we took of him and hold each other. We need to be comforted when we're away from him, we just adore him so much!! Ok...am I taking this too far? Don't care. Love the Frogfish.

It's really awesome hat you pay attention to the music now and think of this report. I love that!!! I am always urging people to look closer at the details of Disney so that is just awesome. Thanks!!

Lia, I love you. That was amazing.

I agree with Tinkgurl...The only way this update could be any better is if I was actually on this crazy bus. Do you think I could call Disney and specifically request that this crazy man be my personal chauffeur for the trip? Because I REALLY want to ride on his bus.

And that just sounded really dirty.

But you know what I mean. This kind of crazy must not only be read about, it must be experienced first-hand. And I want to experience this guy in the flesh.

Which, again, sounds really dirty. I'm just going to shut up now.

PS: Because it cannot be said enough, I AM SO JEALOUS OF YOU AND YOUR UPCOMING TRIP.

I love you, Kara. But please enough with the innuendos! I mean, this report is so innocent and pure that it is named after the MCLOVIN character. No crudeness here. I think. But it WAS fun experiencing this guy ... in, uh, the flesh. MmmmmMMm.

Don't be jealous!! I won't believe it myself until I am standing on Disney pavement. Which may not even happen. I am trying not to jinx it. Sigh...

Kara you are adorable. I just love you.

But yes Lia, TAKE US WITH YOUUU!!!!!!!!

I adore you all. Please come with me to Disney in November. Ok? Cool. Bye.

 

[RAPstar]

Cheese and rice that story had me doing my really loud laugh......the one people stare at me for. Luckily I wasn't reading it in a public place!

 

[__disneygirl]

I'm so happy everyone is finding it just as hilarious as I did!!

 

[MarieTheCat24]

Don't be jealous!! I won't believe it myself until I am standing on Disney pavement. Which may not even happen. I am trying not to jinx it. Sigh...

But even if you end up not going, at least you can spend the next couple months thinking as though you will...I have to wait until next summer (hopefully...we don't have an official trip planned yet). Classes haven't even started yet for me, so summer seems so far away. I wish I had unlimited money and could just hop on a plane tomorrow and fly to WDW. Life would be so much easier if that were the case...

 

[RAPstar]

I'm so happy everyone is finding it just as hilarious as I did!!

I think the best part is the visual I got of the Brazilian family staring at the driver in terror and then the confusion on their faces saying "Yaaaaaaaa....y?"

 

[__disneygirl]

But even if you end up not going, at least you can spend the next couple months thinking as though you will...I have to wait until next summer (hopefully...we don't have an official trip planned yet). Classes haven't even started yet for me, so summer seems so far away. I wish I had unlimited money and could just hop on a plane tomorrow and fly to WDW. Life would be so much easier if that were the case...

You know what? I've never thought of it that way but you are SO right it's insane!! I hate when people say "don't get your hopes up" Because when my hopes are up it's the best thing ever! I love being filled with hope, even if that is eventually crushed, at least it happens. Sigh. But you know how time flies. I feel like Summer 09 was MAYBE 6 months ago, if that, and now Summer 2010 is gone. Summer 2011 will be here before you know it. Actually, Summer 20938494 will be here before you know it!! Sigh.

I think the best part is the visual I got of the Brazilian family staring at the driver in terror and then the confusion on their faces saying "Yaaaaaaaa....y?"

HAHAHAHA Omg, yes. It was so funny. It was just sadistic at that point for the driver to be all smiley and yelling and asking us to yell out with him because we had just had it. Those poor Brazilians were so freaked out. They had no idea what to do.

 

[__disneygirl]

Holy CRAP you guys. It is 10 am. I have been working on my TR since 3:45 am. NO JOKE! The whole time I was just working on ONE DAY! I was just in suuuuch a Disney mood and I couldn't stop! I had so much fun doing it too... reliving it was amazing! I am in such a good mood LOL. It will be split into four, maybe five CAPTIVATING chapters. It was just such a full, fun, amazing day and I had a lot to say! It won't be up today, but it's on it's way! Take that, Dr. Seuss.

Thank God I don't have to work today. Or do I? Anyway I still have to edit some pictures and put them in and everything. Maybe I should get some sleep... or something. Nah. Later gators!

 

[YukiPhnx]

WOOOOW! All in one go! I can't wait to read them!

 

[__disneygirl]

April 14, 2010
Day 4, Part 1 In Which I Show What a Health Freak I Am. Hakuna Matata!

We woke up early(ish). Not early enough for rope drop, but that's ok - there's always next trip. We were headed to the glorious Animal Kingdom, but first I needed to eat my rousing breakfast:

Mmmmmm, chocolate and vanilla cookies from Minnie's Bake Shop, one tiny container of half and half, and my leftover Birthday cupcake from 1900 Park Fare. There was also some Le Cellier pretzel bread that you can't see here. PERFECTION. Clearly, I am a total health freak.

Now, I have always loved Animal Kingdom but it is my least favorite park. By accident. In any other scenario it would be my favorite thing ever, but when put up against MK, Epcot, and MGM, it's just hard to compare! I hope people can relate to this because I don't want it to sound like I don't love AK or that I'm dissing it. A lot of this probably has to do with the fact that because AK didn't open until 1998, I didn't go to there until I was 10, but I remember all the others from my first WDW trips and so the nostalgia is there. Animal Kingdom still feels weirdly new to me.

Even with this, I don't AT ALL understand the people who don't like it/barely go there. Can not comprehend. The attention to detail in your surroundings ALONE is worth a million dollars. The chance to see animals this well in a natural(ish) habitat. Feeling like you're really in Africa and Asia. The shows!! and Dinosaur!! and EVEREST!!!!!!!! The fact that even if it doesn't have a castle in it, it is still so remarkably DISNEY.

All of this, and I had never had the AMAZING time that I had on this day. This day was by far, the best I have ever had at Animal Kingdom. I was really, really, REALLY feeling the magic and I have a whole new appreciation for the park. Everything just went perfectly. We saw and did more than I have ever done in one day there. We got so lucky with every little thing, especially the animals, and our luck continued when we returned later on in the week. After this trip, I will plan a lot more AK time. I loved it before, I just adore it now. So onto our awesome AK Day.

We looked around the Oasis for awhile, something I planned on us doing way more on our second AK day, so the only thing I took a picture of was this:

For some reason, I decided to just take a picture of the sign and not the ACTUAL Babirusa. I know, this is the best trip report you've ever read, you don't have to tell me! BTW, my mom and I have this thing we do where if we see a name of a thing/animal/person/etc that is weird or funny to us, we say it in a funny voice over and over. So yeah, we were all like "BABIRUSA!!!!!!!" for a while.

Oh, I also took a picture of these awesome trees:

Walking over the bridge to Discovery Island:

I love all the stuff you see when you go over the bridges.

As the masses trekked to Asia for a ride around the forbidden mountain, us girls had one thing in mind: SHOPPING! It was more my mom's deal, really. She had been looking for the perfect Walt Disney World bag to take to the parks. I had told her about the Baggalini, but she said she wanted something that said Walt Disney World on it, so she had been looking in all the shops for one. She found one the night before at Epcot, but didn't purchase it at the time. At the time, Disney was giving out coupons that you'd get on the receipt for your counter service meal. It said 20% off at select merchandise locations before noon, so she decided to hold off til the morning to get it to save the 20%. She is thrifty like that!

We searched Island Mercantile for it, with no results.

While we were searching, I spotted this dress:

which I LOVED. Sorry for the blurry pic! If you can't tell, it's a tube top dress with leopard print Mickey heads all over it.

There was a woman who seemed to be frantically searching for a clothing item she liked, which seemed to be quite a chore for her. A man, who I assume to be her husband/boyfriend, pointed to the dress and said, "How about this one?"

She replied, "UGH NO!"

Then the guy pointed to me and said "SHE loves it." In this annoying, I wish she was my wife instead, kind of tone. If he was my husband I would have been horrified, but of course I laughed and like... awkwardly removed myself from THAT mess. BABIRUSA!!!!

My mom asked a CM about the bag, explaining it in great detail. She really wanted it. In true Disney fashion, the joyful CM of course knew what she was talking about, and went to get it. Yay! I also picked up some Mickey Rice Crispie Treats and shoved them in my bag for later. I find it is important to have them on me at all times. What's even better than Mickey Rice Crispie Treats are Mickey Rice Crispie Treats 20% off.

Next time you are in this shop, or in any shop at AK, or ANYWHERE IN AK AT ALL... look around you. Marvel at what you see. STOP. Relax. Chill. Check it out. You will notice everything has animals carved into it, or is in the shape of an animal, or is just animaly in general or authentic to the area in some way.

Behold:

I especially love the lamps, and camels hanging on chains.

LOVE the butterfly on the left. I think that would be a cool tattoo and I hate 90% of tattoos so you know I really like it!

I tweeted:
Island Mercantile at Animal Kingdom has such beautiful art that anywhere else would be in a museum, but here it holds up T-shirts. 11:38 AM Apr 14th via txt

Sigh. Very true.

We sat on a bench outside the shop while my mom transferred all her stuff into her new Disney bag. I can't believe I didn't take a picture of it, because it really is a nice bag and very convenient for the parks and just life in general. I will have to take a pic of it soon for you guys.

Mom was really hot so she got a Coke. It was our first experience this trip with the ANIMAL KINGDOM STRAWS!!!!!! You may recall me telling you about when my mom said to me "I miss the Animal Kingdom straws ." The funny thing is, they aren't so great. I mean, they are great because they are safe for the animals, but they kind of get soggy and icky. But having that kind of straw means you are in Disney's Animal Kingdom, and that is just plain good news.

I checked out the Times Guide, because the main goal for today was to see Finding Nemo: The Musical, which we both had never seen, and Festival of the Lion King, which we hadn't seen in four years. I love the Lion King show and consider it to be one of the best and most breathtaking things at Disney World, and I had heard from everyone that the Nemo show was equally good. Festival of the Lion King was beginning very soon, so we made our way over to Camp Minnie Mickey and walked right in.

The seating was mostly all taken, but we got a spot all the way on the top of the bleachers and I feel like an idiot for not remembering what section we got seated in! I want to say Elephant, but it may have been Warthog. All I know is I prefer being a lion because I am obsessed with them and they are just fierce.

The show was incredible as usual, it actually made me cry. It's just so moving, especially when you think about the lyrics to the songs in the Lion King, they are so relateable to every human being. And also the added aspect of me being a performer, seeing such talented people giving their all in that way really chokes me up. It's just beautiful and if you've never seen that show I suggest you make it your first priority on your next trip to AK.

There was a Nemo show like RIGHT after the Lion King one, so we opted out of that and went for the show after that, which was about an hour and a half away. We decided to go to Asia and get Fastpasses for Everest.

Some tree, idk.

Isn't this picture awesome? I mean, if you weren't a Disneyholic, and someone showed you this photo, would you ever in a million years assume it was taken at A THEME PARK? Disney is amazing. I just...can't even.

I love taking pictures of the mountain from different places in the park. Like in this one, it looks like we're backpackers trekking through the grass who just happened to come upon it:

Some random pics around Asia:

Our FP return time ended up being perfect, because it was right before our lunch ADR.

We went to Dinoland, chilled by Primeval Whirl for awhile, a ride I definitely have to try again. I haven't been on it since it opened! I wasn't too fond of it, I mean, it's just the Wild Mouse, which I never liked much anyway. I do however like all the cartoon dinosaurs and stuff they say. I just like that whole area - Chester & Hester's Din-o-Rama. I know many people aren't fond of it and think it ruins the authentic feeling of Animal Kingdom, but I like it. Probably because it reminds me of the Seaside and Wildwood boardwalks on the Jersey Shore, where i've spent a good amount of my summers all my life. That's probably why we barely ever go IN Chester & Hester's - we can get the same carnival/boardwalk experience near home at the beach, while we can't have the other experiences at AK anywhere else but Disney.

My mom went to the bathroom while I got us ice creams. I had my first Mickey Bar of the trip:

It was HEAVENLY, of course. Mom got a Haagen Dazs with almonds. Just a note to those who like these: for some reason, they only have them at Animal Kingdom. Mom was craving another one later on in the trip and we couldn't find them! Weird!

Also, does anyone remember the SIMBA'S PAWPRINT ice cream bar they used to have at AK? Oh my God, it was heavenly. It was a vanilla ice cream bar with a chocolate ice cream pawprint imprinted in the middle, and a chocolate shell on top. But the ice cream WAS SO GOOD. It tasted like no other ice cream I've ever had. I loved them because they were exactly the same as the Mickey Bars they used to have at the grocery store, which was a vanilla mickey head, and Mickey's face was on it in chocolate ice cream, and then a chocolate shell was his ears. PLEASE TELL ME SOMEONE ELSE REMEMBERS THIS DELICIOUSNESS! Even though I die for Mickey Bars, these old Mickey Bars were better, and so were the Simba's Pawprint bars.

OMG I FOUND THE MICKEY ONES ON GOOGLE.

BRING THEM BACK OMG!!

Whew.

Yeah I just ranted about ice cream shaped like animal parts. Let's just move on.

When I sat down on the bench to eat, I sat next to a woman and her daughter. We smiled at each other but didn't chat. Then my mom came out of the bathroom and I had of course already hidden her ice cream. For some reason my mom and I feel the need to constantly play jokes on each other (I like messing with people in general. When I was 11-13 years old, I was the supreme queen of prank phone calls... but let's not get into THAT....)

"HI " I said.

"Hey. Where's mine?" my mom asked.

"I ate it."

The mom and daughter next to me started cracking up.

"Stop," my mom said, knowing I was joking.

Thankfully, I am an actor and have years of training. Therefore I am fantastic at joking around with a completely straight face. So I said dead seriously. "No, I swear I'm not joking. I just got soooo hungry."

"Lia, come on. I'm really hot. I want it."

"I'm serious! I'll go get you another one."

As I got up to go, I snuck the ice cream bar onto the bench behind me. My mom didn't see me do this, and looked at me shocked, like she actually was beginning to believe I really did eat it. After all, I was getting up to go get a new one. Keep in mind, I have my not even all the way eaten Mickey Bar in my hand this whole time. I know, I'm annoying. As if there isn't enough entertainment all around us at DISNEY WORLD, right?

I started walking away. The mom and daughter were laughing even harder now, and pointed out the ice cream I had put on the bench to my mom. My mom started laughing and I turned around and did a little dance. Obviously, I mean, what else do you do in that kind of situation?

Up Next: The Big Blue World, FOOD!!!!, many many animals, and later: more food. MORE AND MORE AND MORE FOOD.

 

[DisneyGuy758]

 

[Enchanted]

Whew! I had to get all caught up from the crazy Disney bus update. Holy crap, that was HIL-AR-IOUS! Those poor, clueless Brazilians. My favorite part was the family in the back who kept going, "WHAT?" I think after the third time I had to repeat something, I would have turned around and said, "Why don't you come up here and join the party instead of sitting back there? We don't bite, ya know!"

So glad you start to see the awesomeness of AK in this update. I it there. So funny that you started the day shopping because on girls-only trips, we do the SAME thing. Forget fast passes, forget rushing to the Safari, forget EVERYTHING except hitting those main shops for some early morning shopping. We love those shops. I think it's because of all the beautiful details in there. It's not just ANOTHER gift shop. They're literally beautiful inside! Plus, AK gift shops often have things that are harder to find elsewhere. Idk, just what I remember from the past.

FotLK is beautiful. It makes me a little weepy-eyed too. The music from the Lion King is some of my favorite Disney music of all time, so I always get goosebumps. I can't wait to see it again in November/December!

OMG, I REMEMBER THOSE MICKEY BARS!!!!! My mom used to buy them ALL THE TIME!!!! I agree, BRING THEM BACK, DISNEY!!!! Loved you hiding your mom's ice cream too. I would have done the same thing.

Can't wait for more, Lia!

 

[MarieTheCat24]

Love your breakfast. As you know from my report, I am also a complete heath nut.

There must be something in the air because I, too, had the best day I've ever had at the Animal Kingdom this year. For whatever reason I always seem to be miserable there, but this year I developed a whole new appreciation for it. So yay Animal Kingdom!

OMG. My mom and I are notorious for saying weird words in funny voices over and over again. We drive everyone around us nuts while we just laugh hysterically at ourselves. We're really lame.

OMG AGAIN. I didn't even think to use those 20% off coupons on Mickey Rice Krispy Treats! I should have stocked up.

I love Festival of the Lion King. So much. The Finale medley of all of the songs makes me cry every time. What I wouldn't give to be a dancer in that show...

AH MICKEY BARS!!! I want one!! And I do remember the Simba's Pawprint bars! They were delicious.

 

[tinkgurl]

It's okay that AK is not your favorite. I hate how it always seems 10 degrees hotter there than any of the other parks. Or maybe that's just me?

LOVE your pic of the lighting in Island Merchantile! And your EE pics! You really need to start submitting some of your pics in the appropriate photo contests in the photography thread!

I think that dress is cute! You didn't get it?

So glad you liked FOTLK. It always gives me goosebumps. I like being in the lion section because 'roaring' is the easiest sound to make out of all the sections! haha

You crack me up with your random rants.

 

[futuretink(:]

Woah, now, I come home on a Friday afternoon, happy that another school week is OVER, to find two of my FAVORITE TR's (you and Kara's ) updated?!??! Yes. Now that's what I call a way to celebrate!

So, great update!! Aw, man. I wish I was in AK riiiiiiight now!

I absolutely LOVE all the pictures...does your camera make the colors even more vibrant or something? Cuz I feel like my camera is just blahhhhh, lol. Some of my faves were the Everest ones (I've never been on the ride, but can't WAIT to the next time I go!) because I'm just totally obsessed with the real-life Everest. I have prayer flags hanging in my room (loved that pic too!) if that's any indication.

Oh, and before I forget...what's your Twitter name?! I wanna follow you!

Okay, so speaking of the Festival of the Lion King dancers...it's one of my Disney-dream-jobs to be one of them, specifically the green one with a snake on her head HAHAHAH that just the one I always seem to see everywhere! Along with that, I would like to be the Tink that flies down from Cinderella's castle every night, a spieler on the Great Movie Ride, and a dancer in the Broadway-style Beauty and the Beast show. Maybe one of those shall come true when I do the College Program, which I'm totes gonna do someday- been planning on it since 2007!!!!

Sorry, rambling.

So, yeah! Loved it! Update soon!
♥

 

[wdwgirl03]

Minnie's bake shop cookies! Those things are so good. I heard from someone I work with, who gave me a box for my birthday because she knows I love Disney, knows the person who makes them. Crazy. LOL.

That is awesome you had such a good time at AK. It is my second favorite park and I also don't understand people who don't like it/don't go there. Seriously people. I love it there!

FOTLK is an amazing show. I know I've gotten a bit misty-eyed at it too. It is really moving especially when they bring out all the dancers.

Can't wait to hear more about your AK day!

 

[JacksLilWench]

Pictures? Beautiful. Ice cream bar? Delicious. Pictures of all the stuff I've NEVER noticed before in that gift shop, even though I spent a good hour sitting in front of it getting a mermaid caricature? MIND-BLOWING.

That is so crazy! I guess I get all caught up sometimes in just saying "I'm in Disney World!!! WHOOO!!" that I miss out on all those little details. But come December, I'll be able to compare notes with the best of them

Love the health nut breakfast...I don't even usually eat breakfast while in WDW. It tends to cut into my sleeping-in time that then prepares me for my EMH time.

And OMG, thos ice cream bars with the Mickey face and the chocolate-dipped ears?! Those were my FAVORITE when I was a kid!!!! It was the only kind of ice cream I wanted to eat, EVER. Disney totally needs to bring those back, in a big way.

Do you know how many times I have seen that dress and thought "I could totally rock the crap out of that..." but then left accidentally without buying it? (I should put a note in my iPod for the day we go to AK: Buy that dress you always want and always forget)

I feel the EXACT same about AK. I totally love it, I have a blast there every time I go. But I guess I just don't "get it" as much as other people do. I think it's a little intimidating to be honest. Plus it's always so hotttt.

And while I totally LOVED this post with the pictures and the awesomeness of the ice cream story (I would never be able to keep a straight face ) please hurry to get to the noms post. I love those!