The Rebel Forces Were Strong But The Smith's Are Stronger TR-7/20 FINAL THOUGHTS

[jenb1023]

Jordan loves her pool time at WDW too! Good choice - no lines and lots of fun! We loved AKL too and would stay there again. Any decisions yet on where to stay on the next trip?

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

Jordan loves her pool time at WDW too! Good choice - no lines and lots of fun! We loved AKL too and would stay there again. Any decisions yet on where to stay on the next trip?

Coming up in Final Thoughts!

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

I've delayed long enough...must tell you about our final day! On the last day we did NOT set an alarm (we never do). When we woke up, we got ready, had breakfast, and finished packing up. Luckily the remote check-in for Southwest had already started at AKL so we got to have our luggage transported. Bell services brought our bags down and shocker of all shockers...there was yet ANOTHER LINE UGGHHH. Took forever to get our bags taken care of.

Finally by 10ish....we were ready to take off for the MK. We had left our last day activities up in the air. Aisling really wanted to go to Epcot but that was only so we could ride Soarin'. Given the crowds, I realized that this would be impossible so we decided to keep this trip a 2 park trip and go back to MK.

Stacy was nice enough to wait around for us so we all headed there together.

Now you may be thinking that I am a super nice person...that as a CPS worker, I would be professional and non-judgemental. And you would be slightly wrong One of my favorite games at WDW is to find a truly badly dressed person. We saw a LOT of this trip. BUT....what we saw walking into the MK this morning truly won

Why this outfit has been deemed the winner is that it is 1) polyester...great choice when it's 98 degrees out 2) one piece and see through 3) skin tight 4) too short and lastly that she decided to add the non-matching belt!!! So Congrats whoever you are

Enough of fashion....Aisling had a mission. We had promised a CoP and that's where she was heading

Next up was the People Mover...I think. We might have rode Buzz too but I can't remember. But the next picture was People Mover!

Oh wait...now I remember. We rode Buzz next. And I made the mistake of riding with Aisling. SHE WAS P&SSED. Apparently it's a "tradition" for her to ride with Randy and I ruined that "tradition" She complained the whole ride. She complained after the ride. She complained while we got snacks. I was NOT happy with her whining. She started to cry. And she hid her tears behind her sunglasses. Then she was embarrassed that her friends knew she was crying. I figured that I would take to her to a ride that is always a crowd pleaser and never has a line

Or so we thought. Do you know that there are lines on the OUTSIDE of POTC??? Yup , there are. And we waited in them! I've seriously never waited for POTC before. It was so weird.

After that, the crowds were getting crazy. Really crazy. We had to find something to do but all the waits were insane. We got some FPs but we had time to kill. So we hopped on the train! And we rode that train around the park until it was time for our FPs! Even the train had massive lines at the stops. When we got to the front of the park, the lines to get in were out to the monorail station.

 

[praisehisname]

We rode Buzz next. And I made the mistake of riding with Aisling. SHE WAS P&SSED. Apparently it's a "tradition" for her to ride with Randy and I ruined that "tradition"

Poor Ash...

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

With about 15 minutes left til our FPs, we hopped off the train. We didn't have time left at the world to ride around again and then use our FPs. We walked down from the Frontierland train station and the kids sat around waiting.

15 minutes takes forever when you are a kid

I took some crowd shots while we were waiting

Finally it was time for us to ride the final ride of the trip.....BTMRR!!!

Ok...I can't even begin to count how many times I've been on this ride and I've NEVER noticed the dinosaur fossils!!!

Our plan was to leave MK by 2pm. We got done BTMRR at 1:45pm. We had to book it out of that park! Luckily, as a WDW veteran, I knew some short cuts. Not only did we need to fly through the crowds, but we also needed to stop and pick up a Tink in a Blanket for Aisling's baby cousin. (Aisling also picked out a new antenna topper for my car). Aisling and I ran to the store with the instructions to Randy to get us Mickey ice creams. Now when I saw "Mickey Ice Cream"...I mean the sandwich- not the bar on the stick. Apparently, Randy has been oblivious to me eating the sandwiches because he came back with Mickey bars for Aisling and I. Do you know how fast those things melt when it's pushing 100???? But we ended up getting all of this accomplished in 15 minutes! We were at the front of the park at exactly 2pm!!! Oh and I stopped and took another picture to show how crazy the crowds were...look at all those strollers!!!!!

Aisling and I ate and ran. We ended up running all the way to the bus terminals (while eating melting ice cream) because we saw our bus...only it wasn't our bus ooppppsss!!!

We got to the bus stop and Aisling had the perfect "end to a Disney vacation" face (the sun was bothering her eyes so she had thrown on Randy's hat)

Well there you have it...our last day. Notice the blue skies in the BTMRR pics? It was POURING at AKVs when we got back! I got our carryons and we sat in the lobby enjoying the final views of this gorgeous resort

The ME bus was slightly delayed due to the weather. But that's ok since they come so early. The bus ride was uneventful. I must have dozed off because I don't remember seeing the goodbye video! We got to the airport with plenty of time to spare, grabbed some Mickey D's, and hooked up Aisling's DVD while we waited. The weather left me questioning our "on-time" flight but we actually took off on time (which seemingly NEVER happens from MCO). The flight home was quick and we all slept a little...which was great since we had to be up at 6:30am for school/work.

We arrived home to an excited puppy and eventually were able to calm everyone down to get into bed. Another Disney vacation over. Another trip that we had spent ages planning and perfecting and just like that...its' done But there is always next time

Stay tuned for final thoughts!!!

 

[praisehisname]

Love it!

 

[Dugette]

Awww, your trip is ending already?!

I can't believe those crowds at the MK!

Looking forward to your final thoughts.

 

[eecteacher82]

I'm so sad your trip is over already (well now it's over twice for you)! You need to get another one in the works so you can start a new PTR! Once again, I have to say I love all of Ash's customs!!!!! If you're looking to pass them down....lol..jk.. Great TR and I'm glad you guys had a great time!

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

Love it!

Thank you!

Awww, your trip is ending already?!

I can't believe those crowds at the MK!

Looking forward to your final thoughts.

All done ....again! But really the trip was over almost 2 months ago. I really had to end it!

I'm so sad your trip is over already (well now it's over twice for you)! You need to get another one in the works so you can start a new PTR! Once again, I have to say I love all of Ash's customs!!!!! If you're looking to pass them down....lol..jk.. Great TR and I'm glad you guys had a great time!

The PTR thing is iffy. I will post our 2011 plans in my final thoughts but that is a really long time to keep a PTR going!

Thanks about the customs. I do need to start parting with some of them. I was actually just trying to organize Aisling's closet to make room for her uniforms and was thinking that I need to start getting rid of the stuff that is too small. It's just so hard to part with stuff when I know how much work went into it

 

[tksbaskets]

Still trying to get the cat suit out of my brain.... I'm sorry to see your trip report end too. It was great! Thank you for taking the time to share

 

[sohappy]

In your crowd pics, you can see Randy taking a pic with my phone (and my wonky french braid). I wasn't tall enough to get a good pic and I had to show my parents what these crowds looked like. I never ever ever want to go back during a busy time!

I hadn't seen any of these pics (other than on FB). I love the one of the kids all together before we left.

ETA- I love, love, love the pic of J on the people mover. He is kind of looking at the camera, which is a major accomplisment!

 

[eecteacher82]

Thanks about the customs. I do need to start parting with some of them. I was actually just trying to organize Aisling's closet to make room for her uniforms and was thinking that I need to start getting rid of the stuff that is too small. It's just so hard to part with stuff when I know how much work went into it

I know what you mean about parting with the customs! When I started sewing after Olivia was born I learned to make pillowcase dresses (and and made enough to clothe a small country and I still can't part with most of them (although not nearly as much work went in to them as Ash's customs!)!

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

Still trying to get the cat suit out of my brain.... I'm sorry to see your trip report end too. It was great! Thank you for taking the time to share

Thank YOU for reading!!!

In your crowd pics, you can see Randy taking a pic with my phone (and my wonky french braid). I wasn't tall enough to get a good pic and I had to show my parents what these crowds looked like. I never ever ever want to go back during a busy time!

I hadn't seen any of these pics (other than on FB). I love the one of the kids all together before we left.

ETA- I love, love, love the pic of J on the people mover. He is kind of looking at the camera, which is a major accomplisment!

Speaking of you not going at a busy time...you need a new ticker!

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

I know what you mean about parting with the customs! When I started sewing after Olivia was born I learned to make pillowcase dresses (and and made enough to clothe a small country and I still can't part with most of them (although not nearly as much work went in to them as Ash's customs!)!

Too bad we can't keep them small forever

Aisling went to Maine for the weekend with my mom and was able to ride the Pirate Ship by herself I can't get over that she's tall enough!

 

[Queenofallthings]

cannot believe those crowds....and strollers

So sad your report is coming to an end....looking forward to your final thoughts!!

 

[DisneyTiger]

Sniff sniff... I hate when TR's come to an end But I'm so glad y'all had a great last day! I love the pic with Randy's had. It does sum up the trip, doesn't it! And I just can't get over those crowds Still looks like you had a magical vacation!!! Thanks for sharing them

 

[Lady Lallie]

That outfit is awful. AWFUL. I live in fear I'm going to show up on one of these TRs in a bad outfit, maybe that is why I stress out so much. Another fear is showing up on the news when they do those stories about obesity and they don't show peoples heads as they are walking around the mall or something.

I'm so sad your trip has come to an end.

The last trip picture of Aisling is PRECIOUS. That is how a kid should look at the end of a Disney trip.

Looking forward to your final thoughts. I'm ready to know when you are going back.

 

[twob4him]

OH that outfit was awful. I was just introduced to People of Walmart so it seemed tame compared to that however. I am going to pay more attention to outfits when I go out from now on......some real amusement can be gleened from it! ha!

I still cannot get over those crowds....I mean why bother going...you were all troopers though and now when you go back you'll have some perspective on crowds I guess. LOL ... remember when you said Feb was crowded??

I really enjoyed the trip report! I am hoping to go in a year!!!

 

[Diamondintheruff]

I'm all caught up again just in time for the end.

I'm so impressed you made all those rope drops. I don't think I've ever done three in a row.

Loved the luau outfits. I have a picture of my DS7 mowing down on those ribs on his 6th birthday. I didn't know you could order drinks off the menu at the Luau or I would have had a Lapu lapu.

Had I known you were even thinking of taking the bus to seaworld I would have cautioned you. We had a horrific experience as well. Taking a taxi there and back was still cheaper than renting a car and paying parking. It took us over 2 hours to "bus" it there one morning. I didn't know about the downtown bus stop until we stopped there. I had gone to the TTC. I was staying at POR at the time. I would have saved time by taking the boat to downtown disney. I just about kicked myself when I realized there was a bus stop there.

 

[jenb1023]

WOW is all I have to say about that outfit!

Cute pic of all three kids! A line at POTC - now we really know how busy it was! Love that last photo of the trip - too cute!

I don't know what to do with the things I've sewn for Jordan either - I hate to part with them and I don't think they are good enough to resell and make some money off of. I have a niece that would be perfect to hand them down to but she is allowed to dress herself and wear anything she wants so they would probably just sit in her closet.

Looking forward to final thoughts.