This is the trip that never ends! Yes it goes on and on my friends.. 10 days o' pics!

[Sarilas]

I'm writing the first installment now- I should put out a warning that this thread will be very picture/video link heavy!

 

[Sarilas]

We woke the family up early-early-early on Friday, January 30th to catch our 6:25 am flight from Nashville to Orlando, and surprisingly (or not so much) the kids were all really alert and prepared. The little girls were a bit confused, but amazingly well behaved. When we landed in Orlando just after 9 am there hadn’t been one hissy fit or scream session and we anxiously searched around to find Magical Express.

Finding it wasn’t easy with a couple of toddlers in need of breakfast.

Once we finally found the elevators (strollers times two!) and spotted the wonderful Magical Express signs, I navigated my way through the completely empty line while Jose and the kids took a breather and got their bearings back.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Xjx4wk0qQ8
Stasia was not exactly loving the cameras this trip. You'll see more of that soon...

Bless the patient man who helped me flip my way through my travel documents and find what he needed!

We were told to head toward the red carpets, so off we went searching for the lane earmarked for Port Orleans Riverside.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AV-O4Nwv9nY

There was only one person ahead of us; a single girl who stopped at the entrance to the lane. I thought we were supposed to go on up ahead toward the doors, but then I figured she must know something I don’t so we just stood behind her trying to assess the situation.

That’s when someone came up and asked her to move ahead to the front of the line.

After a very short wait in a very empty line, we were off to board our Magical Express bus! I couldn’t wait to watch the welcome video and FINALLY see the entrance signs!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i03Z9WdjhAs

Kyle (excuse the red eye, I was too lazy to remove it!) on the ME bus

Glancing past Anastasia in search of the sign!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xtBCVn6vG4

As the Luck o’ the DIS would have it, POR was the first stop! There had been a light rain the whole drive, and everything looked and smelled amazing. What a great first glimpse of things to come! (There were even a few ‘Million Dreams’ still hanging around!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTKqyc46xI4

The inside of the lobby is really quite breathtaking. The height of the ceiling alone just seems to add to the feeling of ease and relaxation!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mKfczuNsUI

After a very short wait, I got all of checked in and off in search of our room. We didn’t get the area I’d hoped for, unless I wanted to move the next morning, and believe me I didn’t. So we set out in search for building 38, refusing to let a little thing like room location spoil our fun.


Coming up next… Pretty island!

 

[If U Had Wings]

Love the videos. Glad to hear that the trip was off to a smooth start!

 

[Charleston Princess]

Hurray for arriving in Orlando with no airplane hissy fits, and hurray for POR being the first stop on the Magical Express!!! Your trip is already off to a great start!!!

 

[PracPerfPatricia]

Hi subbing on ( I followed your link over from...hmmm i'm starting to get confused...) but anyway sounds like fun...

 

[Sarilas]

Glad to see you! I'm working on another installment now!

I'm also working on planning another trip!!! I've got my husband pretty well convinced, but now the question is try to go this year for Food & Wine or go next January in hopes of another killer deal like the 4/3 we took advantage of this year... decisions, decisions.

 

[All7OfUs]

Sounds like you had smooth sailing into "Port". Hooray for you! You certainly could feel your excitement right away upon stepping into your home away from home. Nice!

Hope you update soon

 

[JenAusty]

YAY! You're back! And thanks for the videos! I'm excited to hear more!

 

[Sarilas]

I loved loved LOVED walking across Ol’ Man Island. There was a slight drizzle falling and it was just so quiet and peaceful and green… unlike the frozen brown we’d just left behind at home.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUhj9_RdTHs

It didn’t take long to get to our room at all; I was a bit concerned about how often I’d want to make that walk after a few long days in the parks, but I figured in the grand scheme of things it was a minor sacrifice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLAfCV3osWo

Oh look, our building is FOUND!

Home sweet home… for ten glorious days.

A corner room! So much light and quiet… it was perfection.

Tatiana in search of lost pirate booty.

Hurray, Mickey!

After dropping off a few of our carryons we headed out to Downtown Disney for a good look around and of course… some shopping!

Anastasia, ever ready to be photographed!

And Alexandra, always bright and shiny.

Though that could just be the exposure of the camera…

Kyle looking… startled.

Waiting on the dock for the boat to DD

And here it comes!

Enjoy the ride!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuDMOKfMG6w

We enjoyed seeing French Quarter for the first time…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3B7twr8LA8

And the then unfinished Treehouse Villas!

Lexi on her first ever boat ride!

Tatiana enjoying the scenery…

Up next… Downtown Disney and “You’re going WHERE?”

 

[Charleston Princess]

Score on the corner room! How exciting!

Everyone looks so excited to be at Disney and headed down the river!!!

 

[PracPerfPatricia]

Riverside looks charming...I love the looks of the grounds-very atmospheric...

I love the picture of Kyle...I have some DD ones that are similar...

Looking forward to see what you did at DTD-how nice to have a boat to take you...

 

[If U Had Wings]

I've always wanted one of those corner rooms. It looks so lovely and sunny. The videos are making me a bit homesick though to go back!

 

[Sarilas]

I think writing this TR is what made me NEED to book for November! lol

Patricia, I just noticed you have a 14 year old too! Kyle's birthday is the 11th of this month. I can't wait till the 'meh' attitude passes!

 

[trixiequilts]

Lara! You're back!!!

I'm so excited to hear all about your trip, and good luck with school!

 

[Sarilas]

Seeing Downtown Disney for the first time was AMAZING. I'd been reading about it online (living vicariously through all of you!) and we were finally here to see it ourselves. We went up the ramp that runs alongside the Rainforest Café and were immediately greeted by this!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9WJ-Pvccdc

The first thing I needed to do was find Guest Relations in order to buy two gift cards for Kyle and Tatiana. They were getting their very own money with which to do whatever they wish! …Within reason. But when I finally found a map and tracked the building down, there was a CM outside redirecting everyone to the other side of the area where a temporary setup had been established while the building was under renovation!

So off we trekked, in search of buildings I’ve never heard of to try and follow the verbal directions we’d received. Luckily it wasn’t so difficult to miss THIS:

Two gift cards and several hundred dollars later we were finally off to explore Downtown Disney!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWxYgcT3oKk

Only, it was about this time that my Jose started to feel poorly… REALLY POORLY. Bless his heart, he looked absolutely worn out and I didn’t even bother pulling the “BUT WE JUST GOT HERE!” card I normally would have. So I let him take Alexandra back to POR to take a breather while the rest of us made our way through the shops (and let’s face it, I feel far less guilty shopping when my husband’s not standing over my shoulder!).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEok_6NpOc8

We absolutely love the Lego creatures!

And Kyle had to give a shout-out to the Motherland!

…Before we headed into the Lego store to spend most of the money I’d just given him.

“My PRECIOUS!”

Then it was time for Kyle to suck it up while we shopped for his three sisters.

Finally we thought we’d head back, get Daddy and Lexi and decide where to have dinner. So back on the boat we went, and the kids had a grand time playing on the bridges leading to our room.

Coming up next: Decisions, decisions…

 

[Sarilas]

Lara! You're back!!!

I'm so excited to hear all about your trip, and good luck with school!

HI! I'm so glad to see you! How's it goin', what's new, what's the down-lo?

 

[winkers]

I'm so glad you're back!

 

[Sarilas]

HI! I'm totally reading your TR right now. lol

Your comments about the cheerleaders are spot on. We started running into them around Feb. 7 or 8th (our last days) and it made me realize how blissful the rest of our trip had been without 'em. Oy.

 

[winkers]

HI! I'm totally reading your TR right now. lol

Your comments about the cheerleaders are spot on. We started running into them around Feb. 7 or 8th (our last days) and it made me realize how blissful the rest of our trip had been without 'em. Oy.

the best is when you're on a bus with them and they decide the other 69 sardines riding want to hear their chants. good times, good times.

 

[Sarilas]

Word. My 13 year old son was chasing after them, clapping like a darn fool and repeating every chant they bellowed out.

I tried to stop him. Sort of...