This PTR needs a name!!! Hope to see you real soon!! Well, not too soon!

[oopsiDAISY]

DISNEY WORLD SURVEY

1. What is your name?:: My name is Connie, aka oopsiDAISY.

2. When was the first time you went to Disney World? 1978- I was 7 yrs old

3. When was the last time you went to Disney World? March 2006

4. When is the next time you will be in Disney World? March 6, 2011...68 days!!!!

GETTING THERE


5. How do you usually get to to Disney World? We drive

6. What do you do to pass the time while getting there? watch DVD's, EAT, talk, EAT, listen to music, did I mention EAT??? hahaha! We always split the trip and stay in a hotel overnight as well.

7. Do you have any particularly memorable or interesting experiences you can
recall happening on your journey to Disney World? not making prior hotel reservations for the trip only to find that all rooms were booked in our "halfway there" destination and having to drive until midnight to find a room. UGH! I DO have reservations going and coming back home this time, LOL!

LODGING

8. What is your favorite place you have stayed at and why? This is our first time staying on property! We usually drag my parents along and use their timeshare. We are staying at ASMu-family suite.

9. What is your least favorite place you have stayed at and why? see answer to #8

MAGIC KINGDOM

10. What is your favorite attraction in the MK? Pirates of the Caribbean

11. What is your least favorite attraction in the MK? Stitch- it scared DD last time and she would not even get near the character for pix later in the trip, hahaha!

12. Tell me a random memory you have involving the MK. I went to the Night of Joy concerts with my church youth group as a teenager. I especially remember that it was so crowded one time that a friend of mine was actually picked up and carried by the crowds (squished in between people) down the plank to the ferry!!!

13. What is your favorite place to eat in the MK? Pecos Bill's


EPCOT

14. What is your favorite attraction in Epcot? it used to be the 3D film with the children blowing dandelions and trying to catch the "brass ring" on the carousel...haven't experienced Soarin' yet!

15. What is your least favorite attraction in Epcot? Universe of Energy...too much boredom to endure to get to the dinosaurs!

16. Tell me a random memory you have involving Epcot. I I grew up in Florida and got to go to Disney many times. Although I wasn't actually AT Epcot the day it opened, we had some of the white doves they released land in our yard-it made me feel like a part of the festivities

17. What is your favorite place to eat in Epcot? IDK-have always just had QS- looking forward to exploring other options this time.

18. What is your favorite country in the World Showcase? Mexico was always a favorite

HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS

19. What is your favorite attraction in HS? Tower of Terror

20. What is your least favorite attraction in HS? Not sure...

21. Tell me a random memory you have involving HS. Taking my daughters to see the Beauty and the Beast stage show for the first time...they were MESMERIZED!

22. What is your favorite place to eat in HS? Commissary

23. Do you watch the Citizens of Hollywood? No


ANIMAL KINGDOM

24. What is your favorite attraction in the AK? I will be going for the first time on this trip!!!

25. What is your least favorite attraction in the AK?

26. Tell me a random memory you have involving the AK.

27. What is your favorite place to eat in the AK?

OTHER DISNEY PLACES

28. Which water parks have you been to and which one was your favorite? None


29. What was your favorite part about that water park?

30. Have you been to Disney Quest? Nope

31. What was your favorite thing about Disney Quest?

32. Have you been to the Wide World of Sports? No

33. What was your favorite thing about the Wide World of Sports? n/a



EXTINCT DISNEY

34. What are some of your favorite attractions that are no longer around?
20,000 Leagues, the show at HS that put audience members in the sitcoms

35. Have you ever been to Discovery Island when it was still running? No

36. Have you ever been to River Country when it was still running? No.

37. What was your favorite part about the now shut down Pleasure Island?
Never been.


38. What is your favorite extinct show/parade? I LOVED the Main Street Electric Parade and I am so excited to see it again in March!!!

RANDOMS

39. What is one thing you MUST do every time you go to Disney? It's a Small World, and co-pilot the Monorail

40. What is one thing you MUST eat every time you go to Disney? Mickey Ice Cream Bar

41. What is something you haven't done yet that you look forward to doing? AK and Soarin'



42. What is something you have done and have no interest in doing again? Carousel of Progress- I remember liking it as a child, but now it seems dated and my kids did not enjoy it when we went 5 yrs ago

43. Who is your favorite Disney female? Mulan


44. Who is your favorite Disney male? Genie


45. Who is your favorite Disney villain? Sharpay Evans on HSM. LOL!!!


46. Your earliest Disney Park Memory: trying on those big floppy straw sambreros at Disney! We have pictures to prove it...

47. What other Disney Parks have you been to outside of Disney World? None

48. Have you ever had to explain your love for Disney to someone who just didn't "get" it? no

49. Blasphemous I know, but where is your favorite place to travel outside of
Disney? Gatlinburg, TN

50. Which Disney character reminds you of you? IDK

 

[ash-n-brensmom]

Hey there oopsidaisy!!! Thanks for filling out the survey and to our PTR....

As I read your answers, I saw the part about co piloting the monorail, not sure if you knew this, but, you can't do that anymore. Sorry if I am passing along some bummer news. We never got a chance to try it before they stopped.

Getting excited for your trip? We are!!! Hope you stay with us for our PTR!!!

 

[oopsiDAISY]

I had heard murmurings of that!!! That is something that I have done all my life and introduced it to my children last trip. It makes me SAD that they won't let you do it any longer! Oh, well there will be plenty of other fun to be had! We are getting VERY EXCITED...66 days and counting!

 

[oopsiDAISY]

<a href="http://distickers.com/ticker/"><img src="http://distickers.com/ticker/tickers/se582twsxmhgv8c5.png" alt="DIStickers.com Ticker" border="0"/></a>

ummmm- alrighty then. Can someone give instructions on putting a ticker on your posts? "forums for dummies"...

 

[ash-n-brensmom]

Well, Christmas is now behind us, and thankfully partially removed from my house as well. We still have the tree, stockings and lights up..but the rest is boxed up for next year. The tree will be down next week, DH wants it up for New Years.... I have to work all weekend again, and the kids will be at my cousin's all weekend as well..so not too sure why he wants it to stay up?

As promised I am going to start some mini TR's of past trips to hopefully shorten our wait for the March trip.

Our first trip was September 2008 and we traveled with my cousin, her DH and their DD who was 4 at the time. Our DD's were 4 and 8. As I mentioned earlier, we learned a lot about our vacation style on this trip. Specifically that we do better on our own, and that we are a rope drop family. My cousin is not a rope drop person, and therefore her family is not. We didn't realize until our second trip just how much we want to be there for Rope Drop. We enjoy the show and love how much we can get done in those first couple of hours. We like to be in the restaurants right when lunch starts as well to avoid long lines and difficulty getting a table.
We had a great time on that trip, don't get me wrong. I'm going to include some pics to show you just how much fun we did have. But first, a little more specific info regarding that trip:
We flew out of Buffalo on Southwest on a direct flight.
We stayed at Pop Century in a preferred room.
Our dining reservations included:
Raglan Rd...iffy service that trip
Chef Mickeys...took forever, missed most of MNSSHP because of it
Boma...food too exotic for the kids and no characters
Liberty Tree Tavern..still had the characters, food and service top notch
here's DD stitch with pluto at LTT

O'hana...service soooo horrible the manager refunded our table credits
Whispering Canyon...fabulous service (ask for Raphael) and food good
here's DD 4 finally enjoying herself(I'll explain more later)

Akershus breakfast...service good, food great, Princess interaction good
here's all 3 girls with snow white at Akershus

 

[ash-n-brensmom]

Pretty much right from the get go it was obvious that we were going to have trouble with DD 4. Who BTW has asked me to change her name to Rapunzel, so from now on that's her new name
So, Rapunzel was having a hard time finding her inner disney love. Now that might have had something to do with her age, or it might have had something to do with the oppressive heat..we are from Canada you know! But I have a sneaking suspicion it had something to do with her first Disney ride being Stitch . We got in the chamber and got the shoulder harness on, and it went dark...Rapunzel LOST IT!!!! Some CM came over and ushered us right out,thankfully. So from that point forward every ride was the stitch ride. If she couldn't see in to it, or if it looked dark (which of course everything looked dark compared to the glaring Florida sun), Rapunzel wouldn't do it. It got really hard to deal with, even with my cousin's DH being awesome and waiting out many rides with DD so I could ride with the group, it was a trying time. Plus, with the heat and DD's need for naps not being met all the time..well, you can see it not going in the right direction. We adjusted as much as possible while traveling with a group, and sometimes I lost it..I cried waiting for the parade at DHS because Rapunzel wouldn't eat her lunch, was tired and cranky and it just hit me that we were having a HORRIBLE vacation...which we weren't of course. She didn't like MNSSHP because it was dark and we ended up being pretty much right under the fireworks when they went off . It wasn't until we discovered Small World that we found out what Rapunzel was going to be able to handle. From then on she waited with someone while the rest of us were riding. One good interaction that Rapunzel remembers to this day is with Push at MK. We keep trying to find him again to no avail, this time we won't leave Disney without finding him!! The first genuine smile came that night at Whispering Canyon that you see in the pic. And that was after the waiter had her in tears from picking on her..poor guy didn't know what he was dealing with, but he brought the girls drinks with the tinker bell light to make up for it, and it worked!! The only problem was that was our last night at Disney and we had to fly home at noon the next day
All in all it was a good trip, we survived the heat and humidity, we saw a lot and we swam everyday. We really liked Pop Century, and obviously we got bitten by the Disney bug!! As I said, Ferb booked a bounceback without me knowing and we went back in Aug of 2009. That trip will be next, but for now..I need a break from this computer!!!
Hope you are enjoying our trip through memory lane...I think I will post a few more random pics from this trip next!!

 

[Colleen27]

Now that Christmas is over, it is really starting to seem close isn't it? I love this survey, it is such a great idea that I've got to fill it in too (and just might steal it if I get around to starting a PTR!).

DISNEY WORLD SURVEY

1. What is your name?:: Colleen, aka Colleen27

2. When was the first time you went to Disney World? Aug 1997, as a high school graduation gift from my mom.

3. When was the last time you went to Disney World? Dec 2009

4. When is the next time you will be in Disney World? March 2, 2011

GETTING THERE


5. How do you usually get to to Disney World? We fly.

6. What do you do to pass the time while getting there? It is only a 2.5 hour flight, so coloring and reading is enough.

7. Do you have any particularly memorable or interesting experiences you can
recall happening on your journey to Disney World? Fortunately no. I'm a nervous flyer, so anything memorable might be traumatic!

LODGING

8. What is your favorite place you have stayed at and why? Of the places we've stayed so far, the Beach Club is far and away my favorite. It has such a nice, relaxing vibe, the location can't be beat, and the pool is just amazing.

9. What is your least favorite place you have stayed at and why? Port Orleans Riverside. It is a beautiful resort, but so far from the parks and the buses were very slow on our stay there. We also didn't think the main pool area just was all that special, and I'm all about a fabulous pool when we're in Florida!

MAGIC KINGDOM

10. What is your favorite attraction in the MK? Philharmagic.

11. What is your least favorite attraction in the MK? A toss up between Stitch and the Speedway. Stitch probably has the edge right now because my kids are "over" the turtle-speed speedwaybut still insist on taking me on Stitch every trip.

12. Tell me a random memory you have involving the MK. On our 2007 trip we were at the Pirate & Princess party the night before DD's 6th birthday. It was just about closing time and she was telling the ride CM at Dumbo how she was turning 6 the next day and having her birthday dinner with Cinderella. She got on the ride for the last ride of the night and the CM made it a long one so that she could spend the first few minutes of her special day on her favorite ride.

13. What is your favorite place to eat in the MK? The Plaza


EPCOT

14. What is your favorite attraction in Epcot? Living with the Land. I'm a gardener, and absolutely in awe of Disney's greenhouses.

15. What is your least favorite attraction in Epcot? Hmm, I don't think I have one. We haven't tried Universe of Energy because of the length, but that would probably be it.

16. Tell me a random memory you have involving Epcot. On my very first trip, when I was a teenager, there was a Japanese cartoon I was very into and I was so excited to see that the store in Japan had the show's merchandise. Not only did I talk my mom into buying me a traditional kimono, but I also got a bunch of Sailor Moon stuff including a change purse my daughter uses now and a set of washable chopsticks that the kids just have to get out every time I make stir fry.

17. What is your favorite place to eat in Epcot? Ooh, tough one. Teppan Edo maybe, or Tutto Italia. I haven't tried them all yet, so we never really go back to places we've already been.

18. What is your favorite country in the World Showcase? Japan. I just love the gardens and the Mitsukoshi shop. They get more of my souvenir money than any other store on Disney property.

HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS

19. What is your favorite attraction in HS? Tower of Terror, both for the ride itself and because I'm a big Twilight Zone fan.

20. What is your least favorite attraction in HS? Does the teenybopper dance party count?

21. Tell me a random memory you have involving HS. On our first family trip, we booked the princess tea for DD and my mom, so DH & I got to take DS, who was the only one of our kids big enough for the thrill rides at the time, to DHS without any non-riders along. We must have gone on Rock n Roller coaster 5 times that morning!

22. What is your favorite place to eat in HS? Brown Derby

23. Do you watch the Citizens of Hollywood? No


ANIMAL KINGDOM

24. What is your favorite attraction in the AK? Expedition Everest

25. What is your least favorite attraction in the AK? Primeval Whirl

26. Tell me a random memory you have involving the AK. On our most recent trip, which was DD2's first, AK was the first park we went to. We were on our way to Dinosaur when we passed Goofy & Pluto and her eyes about bugged out of her head. We just had to get in line to meet "dog dog" while DH & the big kids went ahead to Dinosaur.

27. What is your favorite place to eat in the AK? Tusker House

OTHER DISNEY PLACES

28. Which water parks have you been to and which one was your favorite? We've been to both. I like Typhoon Lagoon better, but DH & DS like the big slides at Blizzard Beach better.

29. What was your favorite part about that water park? The shark snorkeling tank.

30. Have you been to Disney Quest? Yes

31. What was your favorite thing about Disney Quest? Honestly there's not much I like about it. The retro games are cool, but the place is always loud and hot and I mostly just tolerate it because DS12 and DD9 like it so much.

32. Have you been to the Wide World of Sports? No, that will be a first on this trip.

33. What was your favorite thing about the Wide World of Sports?


EXTINCT DISNEY

34. What are some of your favorite attractions that are no longer around? River Country would be the biggie, then Alien Encounter when it was still scary and Stitch-free, and the classic Star Tours (though I am looking forward to 2.0)

35. Have you ever been to Discovery Island when it was still running? Yes.

36. Have you ever been to River Country when it was still running? Yes, and that would be far and away my favorite Disney waterpark if it was still there. I loved the zip line and the slide that ended way up over the splash-down pool.

37. What was your favorite part about the now shut down Pleasure Island?
I didn't really have one. On my first trip I was too young for it but back then there were clubs I would have enjoyed. By the time we went back, it had dwindled down to dance/techno/pop and comedy, and the country dance club that I wanted to check out was long gone.

38. What is your favorite extinct show/parade? I can't really think of one, I'm not sure we took time off from the rides to see the parades on my first couple trips!

RANDOMS

39. What is one thing you MUST do every time you go to Disney? Small World. My girls just adore it.

40. What is one thing you MUST eat every time you go to Disney? Sushi at California Grill

41. What is something you haven't done yet that you look forward to doing? Flower & Garden Festival, and a spring training game at Wide World of Sports

42. What is something you have done and have no interest in doing again? Swiss Family Treehouse. Once is plenty, especially since 2 of my 3 have no clue what Swiss Family Robinson is.

43. Who is your favorite Disney female? Belle


44. Who is your favorite Disney male? Captain Jack Sparrow


45. Who is your favorite Disney villain? Chernabog (from Fantasia's Night on Bald Mountain sequence)

46. Your earliest Disney Park Memory: Stepping onto Main Street for the very first time and looking up at the giant pepto-pink 25th anniversary cake-castle!

47. What other Disney Parks have you been to outside of Disney World? None

48. Have you ever had to explain your love for Disney to someone who just didn't "get" it? I don't even bother trying. Either you get it or you don't, it isn't something that can be explained.

49. Blasphemous I know, but where is your favorite place to travel outside of
Disney? Toronto, Ontario

50. Which Disney character reminds you of you? Belle; I'm a bookworm with a tendency to act before I think.

 

[2princesses2princes]

Joining your ptr. Come by and check mine out as well We are going early February from Michigan, and driving, yes we are insane.

I am enjoying Animation Courtyard music as I type this

I will be back to participate in the survey. I tried to watch your video of the girls but it didn't work for me

So exciting to read all of your posts and how this trip came to be. I am secretly hoping to book a bounceback while we are there. My dh and I will be celebrating our 10year anniversary March of 2012, what better way to spend it? But he wants to go without kids. NOw please how do you explain that to 4 kids, no sorry guys you get to stay home with Nanna and Boppa and go to school while mom and dad go hang with Mickey, and dine with Pooh. yeah right.

 

[ash-n-brensmom]

 

[Colleen27]

Joining your ptr. Come by and check mine out as well We are going early February from Michigan, and driving, yes we are insane.

I am enjoying Animation Courtyard music as I type this

I will be back to participate in the survey. I tried to watch your video of the girls but it didn't work for me

So exciting to read all of your posts and how this trip came to be. I am secretly hoping to book a bounceback while we are there. My dh and I will be celebrating our 10year anniversary March of 2012, what better way to spend it? But he wants to go without kids. NOw please how do you explain that to 4 kids, no sorry guys you get to stay home with Nanna and Boppa and go to school while mom and dad go hang with Mickey, and dine with Pooh. yeah right.

Wow, you are crazy! If I tried that I know I'd run into a blizzard or something. I told DH I'm willing to drive to Disney, but only between April and November. Since that's his busy season, we fly.

We're planning a 2012 10th anniversary trip too! We aren't planning on leaving the kids home, though. My mom often travels with us and has already volunteered herself as traveling babysitter if we do a Disney anniversary. Right now, the very tentative plan is a 4 night cruise and 3 or 4 nights at WDW, with my mom & the kids in one room on the DxDDP and DH & I in our own room on the platinum plan. That way we can have some adult time to do V&A and Cirque du Soleil and a round of golf and a tour or two, but still have some family time in the parks too.

 

[ash-n-brensmom]

Joining your ptr. Come by and check mine out as well We are going early February from Michigan, and driving, yes we are insane.

I am enjoying Animation Courtyard music as I type this

I will be back to participate in the survey. I tried to watch your video of the girls but it didn't work for me

So exciting to read all of your posts and how this trip came to be. I am secretly hoping to book a bounceback while we are there. My dh and I will be celebrating our 10year anniversary March of 2012, what better way to spend it? But he wants to go without kids. NOw please how do you explain that to 4 kids, no sorry guys you get to stay home with Nanna and Boppa and go to school while mom and dad go hang with Mickey, and dine with Pooh. yeah right.

Hi there!!! Right now I am on hold with Disney waiting to book a carriage ride at our resort! I'm listening to the music from the Tiki room on the phone!! I'm with you on leaving the kids home..there's no way while they are this age!!! Maybe when they are in University and think they are too cool for Disney, although I hope that never happens! Glad you are enjoying the report...

Okay, just hung up with Disney and we reserved a carriage ride at POR for our vacation!! YAY!!!
Hope you stay with us as I do our mini reports and finalize all of our plans!!! Gonna check out your PTR as well!!

 

[Ferb]

Joining your ptr. Come by and check mine out as well We are going early February from Michigan, and driving, yes we are insane.

I am enjoying Animation Courtyard music as I type this

I will be back to participate in the survey. I tried to watch your video of the girls but it didn't work for me
B]

It should work for you! It's a link to a youtube video heres the link again


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYqIFaNa57s

 

[ash-n-brensmom]

Right, so when I left you last night we were done with our first ever Disney trip. It was a learning experience to be sure, but it was also an amazing experience. You can never get that moment back, you know the one... the first time you walk down Main St USA and look up and see the Castle, I mean the REAL CASTLE...in REAL LIFE!!!! Tears...that's all I'm gonna say....

Anyways, as I mentioned Ferb had gotten bitten by the bug just as badly as I had, and he recognized the need for us to return alone and tour our way...whatever way that was going to be. So sneaky bugger that he is, he booked a bounceback without me knowing and we were going back for free dining in Sept again. This time it would be much later in the month with the hopes of cooler temps. Little did he know how much our plans were going to change. He eventually told me about it and we started planning for Sept '09. When Disney released their Buy 4 get 3 Free deal, I thought maybe we could go at the end of the school year instead of taking the kids out in the beginning of the year. So we switched and booked for the end of June '09, which got us very excited with a shorter wait for our vacation!!!
Then Free Dining was announced for fall of '09 which got me thinking that the we could go at the end of August and get free dining and the girls wouldn't miss any school at all!! So we rebooked and I talked Ferb into using the difference in price to upgrade to a Mod resort. The thinking was, this was going to be the be all END all vacation and let's go hog wild with spending. We booked CBR and also booked a Pirate's Adventure, along with a Pirate's League makeover, along with the Pirate themed hotel you can see where this vacation was going
It was awesome...we did rope drop every day, we took a break everyday for naps and swimming, we ate where we wanted, we rode almost EVERYTHING!! Don't get me wrong, we did miss some things, it's impossible to do and see everything in one week, but for us we got to do soooo many things we missed the first time, plus Rapunzel was one year older, and she got to try more things. She was still too young for the big ones, but she did A LOT!!!
Okay, some specifics about this trip:
We flew out of Buffalo with Southwest direct flights again, this time first one out and a later flight back.
We stayed at Caribbean Beach Resort: LOVED IT!!!! I know it's big but we rented a car and used it to get around the resort as much as getting to some of the parks. In fact we wanted to stay here this trip but the discount code only allows for the pirate rooms now..guess we waited too long?
Here is Stitch enjoying one of the slides..

Restaurants we at at:
Whispering Canyon..awesome service again..I forgot to mention it was my birthday this week and it was during the celebrate thing they were doing..here they gave me a glass of champagne and VERY poorly sang HB to me!!
Akershus breakfast..again the same, good service, great food, good interaction
DD's with Ariel:

Crystal Palace..good food, decent service, meh interaction..not bad, just not gonna do it again
DD's with Tigger

Teppan Edo..loved it, they made me wear a chef hat and sang to me!! The girls didn't enjoy the food as much, but liked the rice and the chopsticks
Ohana..service was MUCH better and food delish!!
50's Prime time...food okay, service not as fun as we thought it would be
Love this shot I got of the TV, got lucky catching this on the screen!!

1900 Park Fare...service well, not so good..interaction funny, food was not bad
Ferb with one of the stepsisters!!LOL!!

LeCellier...YUM, YUM, YUM!!!!

Not much to say about this trip other than it was AWESOME!!! Everything went well, we had a great mousekeeper who gave us lots of animals and played with our stuffies to the max!!! Service at CBR isn't the best, but we got around it with patience. Loved the grounds, loved the pools...the girls liked the pirate adventure, but won't be doing it again..not boat people I'm afraid. But they loved the Pirate's League!!
Before:

After:

It was VERY hot that time of year and we will probably never go then again...we actually thought we wouldn't be going back for a very long time after that, if at all.....well we all know how well that works!! I'll add some random pics to the next post!!!

 

[2princesses2princes]

Ok I was able to see it today, for some reason it didn't work yesterday Anyway, I had to laugh, I have a feeling that is the reaction I will get this Saturday, however we are not leaving until Feb but we are telling the kids so they can help do some planning. I was so hoping for some jumping and screaming a tear anything, but I am sure it will be less than that. I have to have to have to remember to record it though.

 

[ash-n-brensmom]

 

[ash-n-brensmom]

Ok I was able to see it today, for some reason it didn't work yesterday Anyway, I had to laugh, I have a feeling that is the reaction I will get this Saturday, however we are not leaving until Feb but we are telling the kids so they can help do some planning. I was so hoping for some jumping and screaming a tear anything, but I am sure it will be less than that. I have to have to have to remember to record it though.

Haha!! And I'm not even going to post the video of this year's surprise unveiling...it was even worse!!! HAHAHAHA!!! I guess my kids think a trip to Disney is so Blase!!! HAHAHAHA!! The are totally psyched now, I think they just need time to process surprises...
Good luck with your surprise!!!

 

[ash-n-brensmom]

Right then, we are on to our third trip to Disney! Where did we leave off? Oh yeah, the trip to END all trips!!!! Yeah, we all know how that goes But seriously, we didn't think we would be returning for a couple of years. We didn't book a bounceback, we did almost everything we could think of doing on our trip..Rapunzel even enjoyed herself!

So, how did we get from there to here..well, from there to there, because here we are with another trip coming...does that make any sense
Well, our last trip was the end of August...school started, the holidays came and went...then it was tax time..here in Canada we get our slips at the end of February..so the winter blahs were upon us..and Disney was calling...we just never answered at this time of year before..we had NO money in the bank so why would we even think of a trip to Disney? Why, well because it's DISNEY!!! HAHAHA!!! Actually, we had a REALLY good refund thanks to all the tax credits we were still eligible for with Daycare, the girls activities, and my charitable deductions..plus with the economy being what it is, Disney was sending out some really good pin codes and the gov't of Canada had added some deductions..this all works towards a trip to Disney for us!!!

I showed Ferb the pin code for free dining that we received, we did our taxes online for the first time and were like WOW!!! We can do this!!! I checked into ADR's to see if we would be happy with what we could get at such short notice and we were good!!!! YAY!!! We are going to Disney!!! But, should we tell the girls? Nope, we are gonna surprise them!! And when are we gonna surprise them? The morning we leave!!! Seriously? Seriously.

The video is on the first page...we really surprised them..a little too much actually..watch the video is all I can say But again, we had an awesome trip. We were on a bit of a budget this time, no extras allowed..except we were celebrating Ferb's Birthday this time and I wanted to surprise him so I booked the Wishes Dessert Party for one night. We hadn't seen Wishes since our first trip so it was something we really wanted to see again, but we don't do well in crowds. It was a great idea, we got an awesome pic:

The desserts were good, the view was nice, but the most important part was NO CROWDS!!! Once the fireworks ended they exited us back of the house!!! The best!!

Okay, on to the specifics of this trip:
We flew Southwest again, direct again, first flight out and last flight back this time. We stayed at Pop Century, we really liked CBR last time, but like I said this was the budget trip.
Restaurants this time:
Raglan Rd..we got to see the entertainment this time...great!!
Rapunzel liking the hats in the store there:

Biergarten..now I liked it, Ferb says the food is good, the girls were like meh, but they were very tired at that point, although we all liked the entertainment

Akershus again..same experience as always..

Sci fi dine in...we loved this one!!! Food was really good, and loved the atmosphere!! Not the best pic of the family, but really shows the car well!

Kona..really liked the food here, and the service was really good too!!

The Wave..ooohh the food was good, the service was good too..
Teppan Edo...the girls were not happy with this one at all, last time was a new experience this time, they were over it!

Memories from this trip were about the heat!! It was the end of April and it wasn't supposed to feel like August..well, they went from the coldest winter to the hottest spring in like one week..our week!! We had two days with lovely temperate weather and then HOT HOT HOT!! But that's okay..we were at Disney!! Pop Century was great, we got a refurbished room which was really nice, our mousekeeper didn't show up a couple times..but we survived, other than that we used Garden Grocer for the first time, and really liked it. Got a cooler from them and lots of snacks and drinks..thankfully with all that heat!!! Rapunzel discovered Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and loved it!! She got really brave this time around, but still has some battles to win..she still loves Small World..her sister, not too much:

They had their faces painted at Ak and got their hair wrapped at DTD, much cheaper than at the hotel, BTW:

That's all for now...gonna post some randoms next!

 

[ash-n-brensmom]

 

[ash-n-brensmom]

Happy New Year!!! Hope everyone had fun last night and stayed safe!! I just got home from work, so I'm off to bed!!!

 

[jelloarms]

I'm so glad you did the survey I created! Good to see that it's catching on.


I don't like the Tower of Terror either. I don't like the feeling of flying out of your seat. But my sister makes me ride it with her. Well actually, it's more like, she comes to a compromise with me so that I will ride it with her. In our 2006 trip to Disneyland, the compromise was that she would ride a scary coaster at Knott's Berry Farm (a California Amusement park) if I would do Tower of Terror with her. In 2008, I sort of blackmailed her. Haha, evil I know. I told her that if she didn't make a silly singing video with me in the hotel room, then I wouldn't ride Tower of Terror with her.

You can check out the silly blackmail video at the youtube link if ye want. It's pretty dumb but haha oh well!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzuoG9WP6fg


I'm not sure what the "compromise" or "blackmail" will be this year but I'll think of something. Ha ha ha!