There's an App for That! iDisney, July-Aug 2009. New 12/3: DONE!

[Disneyland_Mama]

Disney must be hurting. The candy at MTOTP in DCA was crap, too. Seriously, 90% of the candy was Laffy Taffy and Tootsie Rolls. I was not happy! Out of the 4 of us collecting candy we got 1 Snickers and 2 Reese's.

Love Leo as a Cowboy!

I'm glad you guys had fun, you deserved it!

 

[Millie12591]

Sounds like a good time had by all!

Wish it had been a little cooler for you. <---was this Leo in his costume?
He did look really cute though.

 

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Okay, let’s get to the good stuff already…

HALLOWEEN!!!

YEAH!

Leo’s Buzz score!

Go Leo, Go!!!!

Our traditional Barnstormer shot.

LOVE this! May I suggest you enlarge it and hang it on your wall should you ever need a smile.

Note the abundance of orange and blue in our outfits.

ORANGE!
BLUE!
ORANGE!
BLUE!

It was HOT. Like, August-hot. It really was brutal, and I’ll admit it changed things for me. It’s hard to feel appropriately creepy and Halloween-y when it feels like a sauna outside. And I spent a lot of time worrying about Leo getting overheated. He was a good cowboy, but those jeans had to have felt awful!

It's something with the angle of the sun. June was far worse than August the last time we were there. In June.

I also took the opportunity to check on the Gators game. Yes, there’s an app for that!

My texting services are no longer required.

What, are they saving the candy for next year?!

I felt that way last year. We should compare candy.

After that, Leo and I finally got our BTMRR in the dark fix… 3 times in a row! He’s so not scared of it anymore.

Awesome pictures, as always, V.

 

[aprilisis]

I LOVE your fireworks photos!

 

[Stasieki]

Lurker coming out here. I know I don't deserve it since I lurk, but would love to know that special firework spot. Perhaps you could PM me? I know how precious these last special spots are as the parks get more and more crowded. Promise, I won't tell anyone. . We leave in 2 days and our 3 year old is terrified of fireworks (mainly the sound). I really want to see Wishes, but haven't since we have always hidden inside the shops n the past for her. She is starting to get a little better with fireworks in general. This year, we are bringing earplugs and your spot looks perfect. Close enough, but a bit further back so she isn't too close.

 

[PrincessV]

Looks like you guys got SO much crammed into the day. Good for you!

Thanks! But here's the crucial part: we never felt like we were cramming at all - it really felt like an easy, relaxing day!

So, was Leo's shirt actually FLANNEL!!? I'm hoping not, because those jeans are hot enough, eh?

LOL, no - it's a really light-weight cotton, thank goodness! I think of it as Florida Flannel.

I'm sure you've described your secret castle fireworks spot, but could you share again? It looks like it's near Crystal Palace...

This is a toughy... it's not like it's a "secret" per se, but I learned of it on TGM. Does that make it proprietary information, even though I haven't subscribed in years and likely would have figured it out on my own? I don't know. Scroll down and I'll think about it...

Sounds like your plan for the party was a winner! You got a lot done and saw BOTH parades!!!

We did! That second parade was totally unplanned, but heaps of fun!

I guess their little test of not giving out wristbands didn't work

I think that's just EMH; I'm pretty sure the hard-ticket events have always been wristbanded.

Great MNSSHP TR V !! Leo makes a great cowboy !!! Check out my kids costumes on my TR !! ( Hint wink Hint ) LOL

Thanks Rosie, and I'm sorry I haven't made it over - things have been hectic and I'm having a hard time keeping up with DIS threads.

And yet, so not surprising.

Right?! Rather typically Leo, actually.

I so need Leo to tel me how he scored big on Buzz, I need to beat his English cousins

I have NO idea how he managed that! Really, he doesn't even aim, lol!

Wow!!! It felt as hot as August??? That's pretty hot for late October!

It was INSANELY hot for late Oct.! Last year we needed jackets for Halloween.

If you gotta live the same day over and over and over and over and over and over and over again, I’d sure HOPE it would be a day at WDW!

Excellent point... but I'd like to restrict it to certain days at WDW, lol!

That it did. But I suspect some crazy mad skills on the part of the photog were involved as well.

Thanks, but there were no mad skillz involved at all this time - I couldn't even find the "Fireworks" setting I know my camera has! I just set it on a handrail and hoped for the best.

Disney must be hurting. The candy at MTOTP in DCA was crap, too. Seriously, 90% of the candy was Laffy Taffy and Tootsie Rolls.

We got a lot of those, too, but that's a good thing: both are Leo's faves!

Wish it had been a little cooler for you. <---was this Leo in his costume?
He did look really cute though.

Thank you! Yep, he was a sweaty little cowboy; looked like he'd been on the range for weeks!

ORANGE!
BLUE!
ORANGE!
BLUE!

ORANGE!

It's something with the angle of the sun. June was far worse than August the last time we were there. In June.

Shhhhhh!!! LOL!

My texting services are no longer required.

Maybe nto required, but still desired! Leo'd had enough chomping after the first 40 times I made him do it in lines.

I LOVE your fireworks photos!

Thank you!

Lurker coming out here. I know I don't deserve it since I lurk, but would love to know that special firework spot. Perhaps you could PM me? I know how precious these last special spots are as the parks get more and more crowded. Promise, I won't tell anyone. . We leave in 2 days and our 3 year old is terrified of fireworks (mainly the sound). I really want to see Wishes, but haven't since we have always hidden inside the shops n the past for her. She is starting to get a little better with fireworks in general. This year, we are bringing earplugs and your spot looks perfect. Close enough, but a bit further back so she isn't too close.

Thanks for coming out of lurkdom! And see above, but...

Let's see, how can I do this without getting myself in trouble... let's say you have an emergency need for a Band-Aid. Right before Wishes is due to start. You'd have to go to the First-Aid center becuase regular CM's aren't allowed to dispense Band-Aids, right? After getting your Band-Aid, you walk out of the Frist-Aid center and opt to continue walking straight until you hit a handrail. Which is so very convenient, because Wishes has now started and you have a lovely, yet somewhat removed, view!

 

[dlwharp]

I added a Sam Adams Octoberfest to my crab cake…

…which I promptly spilled down my legs moments after Leo snapped this photo. Niiiice.

Darn, that's a real bummer!

The People Mover… is actually called “The People Mover” again in the spiel!

Good, it's always been the People Mover to me

Note the abundance of orange and blue in our outfits. Yep, it was a Gators game day. And not just any game day – it was the infamous Georgia-Florida game day. In case you don’t know, that’s one heckuva rivalry. It’s so bad they can’t play at either team’s stadium; they play on neutral ground in Jacksonville.

For real???

Since we were in the West, and I had a cowboy along with me, we took a ride on BTMRR after dinner. Leo wanted a ride in the light and another later, in the dark. He also wanted to pose in his natural environment.

These photos are awesome!@

I didn’t bring the Good Camera, so I have no parade pics. But there are plenty out there on the Internet to view. It’s an amazing parade… and I don’t even like parades! My favorite part is the grave diggers’ shovel dance. Leo said his favorite was the Haunted Mansion ghosts. Which is pretty funny considering that he won’t set foot in the Haunted Mansion.

Sounds like a really great parade!

After that, Leo and I finally got our BTMRR in the dark fix… 3 times in a row! He’s so not scared of it anymore.

Good for Leo

We really had such a fun time. And I’m so glad we broke the day up into morning rides and evening party; it took a lot of pressure off to just enjoy the party without stressing. We wound up getting to bed around midnight and I was most thankful that we’d arranged to meet our friends at 11am the next day.

Sounds like a wonderful day! My kind of Halloween

More to come.

Can't wait!

 

[Sooze]

Let's see, how can I do this without getting myself in trouble... let's say you have an emergency need for a Band-Aid. Right before Wishes is due to start. You'd have to go to the First-Aid center becuase regular CM's aren't allowed to dispense Band-Aids, right? After getting your Band-Aid, you walk out of the Frist-Aid center and opt to continue walking straight until you hit a handrail. Which is so very convenient, because Wishes has now started and you have a lovely, yet somewhat removed, view!

You crack me up, as always. I guess I'll have to fall down and scrape my knee up pretty badly just before Wishes is going to start!

 

[Stasieki]

Thank you for the excellent hints - you are the best. I have loved all your reports and look forward to the rest of this one.

 

[lazydoxy66]

Great stuff again, V!
The underwear shot is too funny.

I can not believe how huge that nacho plate was! It looked like enough for 3 people. I'll have to remember that for a future visit.

I can't believe that Leo was grumpy enough to hit you. Holy carp, where did he pick that up from?

Leo is an adorable little fart, though. The pictures of his costume are beautiful. I'm glad you had such a good time at MNSSHP!

 

[lbuzz52]

So I was a bit behind on starting your tr- but you really seem to know how to do it right. Seems like you had a ton of fun. Just wanted to say thanks for the suggestion of the notes app. I'd never used it before but it was perfect to use on our trip last week.

 

[PrincessV]

Good, it's always been the People Mover to me

Us, too!

You crack me up, as always. I guess I'll have to fall down and scrape my knee up pretty badly just before Wishes is going to start!

I advise a small blister, so as not to hinder the rest of your touring.

Thank you for the excellent hints - you are the best. I have loved all your reports and look forward to the rest of this one.

You're most welcome - hope you're having a great trip!

I can not believe how huge that nacho plate was! It looked like enough for 3 people. I'll have to remember that for a future visit.

Totally enough for 3 people!

I can't believe that Leo was grumpy enough to hit you. Holy carp, where did he pick that up from?

It came out of nowhere; he never, ever hits!

So I was a bit behind on starting your tr- but you really seem to know how to do it right. Seems like you had a ton of fun. Just wanted to say thanks for the suggestion of the notes app. I'd never used it before but it was perfect to use on our trip last week.

Welcome aboard, and thank you! So cool that a recommended app was useful!

 

[Sleepingbooty]

Oh, I see I missed a couple updates! Glad I made it back in time for the little sidetrip to MNSSHP. Leo's cowboy pics in Frontierland were adorable! How awesome that you live close enough to jaunt on over for a quick weekend getaway - I'm insanely jealous

 

[PrincessV]

Oh, I see I missed a couple updates! Glad I made it back in time for the little sidetrip to MNSSHP. Leo's cowboy pics in Frontierland were adorable! How awesome that you live close enough to jaunt on over for a quick weekend getaway - I'm insanely jealous

Thank you! It is great living so close; we definitely wouldn't be going to WDW more than once or twice a lifetime if we lived far away! Flor Floridians, it makes for a fairly cheap vacation.

 

[PrincessV]

App of the Day: Safari!

​

Safari is the iPhone’s Internet browser. Truthfully, I couldn’t care less who the Internet browser is – I’m just excited that there is one. As Leo gets older, he has a lot of questions to which I don’t have answers. For instance, he wanted to know if pandas live in Japan… and he wanted to know this while we were in the Japan pavilion at EP. Lucky him, Mommy has an app for that. I showed him how to Google “pandas and Japan” and POOF! We found that, while there are indeed some pandas living in captivity in Japan, they are native only to China.

_____________________________________________________________


Back to the bonus installment, we’d had a fantastic Halloween. We didn’t get to bed until close to midnight, so I figured for sure we’d be sleeping late the next morning.

Not quite.

Leo was up at his usual time of 7am. Only, thanks to the time change, it was actually 8am. In either case, he was UP and wanting to get a move on. We elected to visit the CBR food court for breakfast because the milk in our little fridge was frozen.

STOP THE INSANITY!

I don’t normally frequent the food courts at all, let alone at that time of day. It was madness, I tell you! A 45 minute wait to get Mickey waffles. Lines 20-deep to pay. Mad dashes for any open tables. NOT a pleasant way to get started. No more food court breakfasts for us.


When all was said and done, we packed up the car and arrived at EP an hour before our designated DIS meeting time. Which worked out well – we spent some quality time in The Seas, something we haven’t done in a long time.

When we emerged and settled on a bench to sunscreen it up, I got the text message for which I’d been eagerly waiting… TheDISFamily girls were there! Michelle and her girls, Jordan and Brenna. Jordan’s been working the College Program at EP, but had the day off and we were all going to take the Food & Wine Fest by storm!

When we walked over to the meeting spot, I found another familiar face; Kat and her husband KC were there too! Yep, another DIS reunion folks.

Brenna, V, Leo, Michelle, Kat, Jordan

KC, Kat, V, Leo, Jordan, Brenna

Okay, let me say this: it was freakishly HOT. All cloud cover had vanished and the sun was positively sizzling. I’ve lived in FL for nearly 20 years, and I’ve never seen it this hot in late Oct./ early Nov. If there’s any way to stitch the ozone layer back up, I’m all for it.

With the heat, it was a little hard to get excited about food, particularly given that most items were… hot. And wine just doesn’t feel right to me unless the temp’s under 80. Beer, however, sounded wonderful, and the Purple Haze I tried from the New Orleans booth was perfection.

We were making our way around the WS in a leisurely fashion, which was pure bliss form the adult perspective. Less so from the 7 year-old’s view. Leo was getting bored and desperately wanted to do a Kim Possible mission. So, after a few booths, he and I scooted down to Italy to pick up our Kimmunicator. Our mission took place in Japan, but Leo needed more than cheese for lunch. So we stopped at Liberty Inn for a hot dog.




Why the crappy buns Mickey?!?! I’ve ranted on this before, and I won’t stop until they fix it. The new buns suck, plain and simple. They’re not wheat, they’re not white. They’re wheat-ish, but clearly have no more nutritional value than Wonder Bread. And… it’s a HOT DOG! Why even bother trying to make it “healthy” – there’s nothing remotely healthy about cased meat parts. But the worst part of the crappy buns is the fact that they fall apart faster than Courtney Love’s stage outfits. Leo took no more than one bite before the whole ding-danged bun was in pieces. Again, why the crappy buns Mickey?!?!

It was at that time that I picked up the Purple Haze beer, TFI.


Anyway, Leo and I did the KP mission in Japan and were offered another mission. After a quick conference with Michelle, we elected to do a mission in France and met the rest of the gang over there. Another DISer had joined us, and now I’ve forgotten her DIS name! She and her daughter have gotten to know TheDISFamily well, and it was very nice to meet them!

We strolled the Fest a bit more as a group before parting ways. Leo and I had to go home.


In all, it was a terrific weekend, and I can’t recommend MNSSHP enough. It was so nice to catch up with friends – thanks for meeting us Kat and Michelle!

And now, back to our regularly scheduled program…

 

[jcc0621]

Safari is the iPhone’s Internet browser. Truthfully, I couldn’t care less who the Internet browser is – I’m just excited that there is one. As Leo gets older, he has a lot of questions to which I don’t have answers. For instance, he wanted to know if pandas live in Japan… and he wanted to know this while we were in the Japan pavilion at EP. Lucky him, Mommy has an app for that. I showed him how to Google “pandas and Japan” and POOF! We found that, while there are indeed some pandas living in captivity in Japan, they are native only to China.[/B]

STOP THE INSANITY!

I don’t normally frequent the food courts at all, let alone at that time of day. It was madness, I tell you! A 45 minute wait to get Mickey waffles. Lines 20-deep to pay. Mad dashes for any open tables. NOT a pleasant way to get started. No more food court breakfasts for us.

Now imagine that 10 times worse at Pop

Brenna, V, Leo, Michelle, Kat, Jordan

KC, Kat, V, Leo, Jordan, Brenna

Hi everyone

Again, why the crappy buns Mickey?!?!

Tell us how you really feel V

We strolled the Fest a bit more as a group before parting ways. Leo and I had to go home.

Boo..

In all, it was a terrific weekend,[/QUOTE}

Which you desperately needed my friend

And now, back to our regularly scheduled program…

 

[Connie96]

Hi V.
I have an iPhone, too, so your title totally got my attention and I followed you over from Great Biscuit's TR. I've been lurking here for a while now and if anyone mentioned this early on, I missed it, but just in case... Have you searched the App Store for apps written specifically for WDW? Now, I haven't put any of them to the test because I haven't actually been down to WDW since getting my iPhone, but they're out there. Search for "Disney World" in the app store and I guarantee you'll find something fun to play with. I got a couple for free - a times guide app and a wait times app, for example. But the one that looked most helpful to me was a "paid app" for WDW dining with full menus and a place to keep your ADR info. Check it out!

Looking forward to more TR...

 

[askelton]

I hate that I missed you. You're all so much fun!

 

[PrincessAlways]

Brenna, V, Leo, Michelle, Kat, Jordan

Nice pic!!! Love the hat V!!

Why the crappy buns Mickey?!?! I’ve ranted on this before, and I won’t stop until they fix it. The new buns suck, plain and simple. They’re not wheat, they’re not white. They’re wheat-ish, but clearly have no more nutritional value than Wonder Bread. And… it’s a HOT DOG! Why even bother trying to make it “healthy” – there’s nothing remotely healthy about cased meat parts. But the worst part of the crappy buns is the fact that they fall apart faster than Courtney Love’s stage outfits. Leo took no more than one bite before the whole ding-danged bun was in pieces. Again, why the crappy buns Mickey?!?!

Well V, how do you really feel??? You know, I never took notice to the buns! I should stop there this trip just to check them out!!

 

[englishrose47]

V I have complained about those same BUNS in myTR !! You are right they FALL apart !!!

I tried to meet Jordan inSept !! I went into the store and asked for her but she was not there , the CM said he thought she might be in later and never had a chance to get back!!!

How Koolyou met Ka & KC too!