This Trip Report is DONE! (And still doesn't have a catchy title)

[snowwhite325]

Your TR is so great...I am really enjoying it

 

[Vacation Lover]

I had planned a day at Blizzard Beach, but DH was suddenly dropping hints that he wanted to go to Animal Kingdom instead. Meanwhile the kids insisted that the only place they wanted to go was the BIG wave pool at Typhoon Lagoon. I took a big, deep breath and exhaled all of the crabby things my overplanning self was thinking. "Let's just decide in the morning!" I said firmly. And promptly went to sleep.

I woke up and looked at the clock--9:00! Wow! My entire family was still sleeping at 9am?? I honestly cannot think of another time that my son has slept until 9am! He is usually up and dressed by 6:30, 7:00 at the latest, even on a weekend. We slowly get moving and head over to the food court for breakfast. More Mickey Waffles for all.

I can't believe that DH is springing this Animal Kingdom stuff on me when I do NOT have a touring plan ready! We've been there before, though, so I think we can navigate it. I'm just warming up to the idea when the kids, oblivious to our AK conversation, excitedly tell us about the wave pool that we will be visiting today. How can we disappoint those excited little faces? So Typhoon Lagoon it is.

As we leave the food court, a tray of cupcakes catches my eye. Chocolate cupcakes. With white icing. My favorite dessert of all time. I make a note to myself to get a closer look at those babies the next time we visit the food court.

We head back to the room to change into our suits and grab some towels. (You can rent towels at TL for $1, but we wanted towels to cover our wet bodies on the ride home.) I asked housekeeping to leave a few extras and he generously left about 10 bath towels for us. (I was excited to see so many towels upon our return from TL because it seems we're always in need of one more towel at hotels. DH, on the other hand looks at all of those towels and says, "What?! Where are we going to put them all?!" You know from the ketchup incident at WCC that he does not like a lot of extra "stuff" invading his space. He was relieved to find that we were able to store every single towel under the sink. Whew. Crisis averted. Hee)

How did the time slip up on us? We arrive at TL at 11:30, but there's still plenty of time to play. Minnie and I find a spot in the shallow pool while DH and the big kids check out the wave pool. Wow, those waves get big! They loved it. Over the summer DB was a boogie boarding/body surfing fanatic at the beach. He was lovin' those waves and really really really really really wants to do the surfing lesson next time.

DH and the kids try some slides then we all relax on the lazy river. If those tubes were just a tad more comfortable, I could SO fall asleep on that river. DH and Minnie get out at the little kids play area and now it's my turn to do some slides. (Okay, you got me--I originally planned Blizzard Beach because I'M the slide person in the family.) Went on the first one--Fun, Fun!--until I land, doing a somersault into the pool below. Not usually a big deal, but I had that cold and the water pressure KILLED my sinuses. Had to sit out the next run, but then felt well enough to do some more.

DB led us directly to the "Speed slide" and jumped on. Tink and I went at the same time (2 side by side slides). When I came to the big hill I looked down and--WOW!-- it looked like a 90 degree angle! I would've enjoyed it a lot more had I not been so worried about Tink. I had a feeling this big hill would scare her and, sure enough, she was crying to the point of shaking at the bottom. I gave her a big hug and told her how brave she was, but we decided to take a break from the slides and find DH and Minnie. Played in the kids area for a while, then DH and the big kids went back to the wave pool. I relaxed at my seat while Minnie made some friends in the shallow pool.

After a lot of playing I realized it was 3:45 and we hadn't had any lunch! And you know how grouchy I get when I don't eat. So Minnie and I take a dip in the wave pool and look for the others. We all go to order our food and make it to the snack bar just in time--it closes at 4:00. We get dive bombed by birds as we try to eat our lunch. Then we eat our melty ice cream bars (had to get them when we ordered lunch since they were closing) and consider going home. I really want to try the Crush 'N Gusher--the "water roller coaster" though. So we pack up our things, planning to leave directly from the Crush 'N Gusher. This was the perfect set up because it was close to the exit. Plus there was a little pool that Minnie could play in while the big kids and an adult went on the ride. It was a great ride and we ended up closing the place down after going on each flume a couple of times. Very fun!

We missed out on Shark Reef, which the kids would've loved. I didn't even tell them about it because I knew they'd be mad to have missed it. Guess we'll have to try that next time. AFTER we do all of the slides at Blizzard Beach.

We rush back to the hotel to meet up with my MIL and her friend who were checking into Pop today. They'll be watching the kids while DH and I eat at Narcoosie's.

Next up: Date night.

 

[pierresgirl]

Great installment! We did TL once before and loved the wave pool and lazy river there. The kiddie area is totally cute too! We hit BB this time to change it up. CBR was pretty good with the towels, huh? We got a ton when we asked.

 

[Vacation Lover]

Back at the room DH activates the new cell phone while everyone else gets showered and dressed. My MIL and her friend arrive and there are hugs all around. DB gets a little overstimulated at seeing Grandma so we decide to take a little walk to calm everyone down. We head to OPR to feed the kids. Grandma and friend haven't eaten so we use some CS credits for them too--after all, they ARE babysitting for us tonight. I slip away to get a closer look at those cupcakes I'd seen at breakfast. They look even better than this morning so I grab one to save for later. Don't want to ruin my appetite before Narcoossee's, after all!

Time slips up on us very quickly and suddenly it's 7:45 and we have an 8:00 reservation! I have a feeling that Grandma will need some help corralling the kids back to the room, so we decide to be late, yet again, for our reservation and get everyone settled in first. Once the kids are happily watching TV we slip out and make it to the restaurant by 8:20.

Once we're seated, we tell our waiter that we'd like to watch Wishes and he assures us that he'll wait to put in our food order so it's nice and hot when we eat it. He comes by to tell us when it's almost time for Wishes and we grab our cocktails and head out to the porch. It's a beautiful night and the view of the castle across the water is breathtaking. This is our first time seeing Wishes and WOW! It was so romantic standing there on the deck, viewing that awesome show. They piped the music in too, and the combination of the music and fireworks just made my heart swell. When Tink flew from the castle, there was a collective "Oooh!" and I was so glad to have had a preview so I could get our little Tink excited about it on our MK day.

When the show is over, we're immediately served piping hot bread and our drinks are refreshed. Our appetizers come soon after that and they did not disappoint. I had the crabcakes and DH had the mussels. I LOVE crabcakes and have very high standards when it comes to them. To be honest, I was expecting stringy crabmeat with a lot of fillers. While the meat was not lump crabmeat, there was still quite a bit of it and they were very tasty. Not the best crabcakes I've ever had, but definitely not the worst. I was satisfied. DH enjoyed his mussells and said they were very good. (Side note: the absolute BEST crabcakes I've ever had are at The Warehouse in Old Towne, Alexandria, VA. If you're ever in the area, try them--you won't be disappointed!)

We both got the Filet and Lobster Tail for our main course and they were very good. The filet was nice and tender with just the right amount of seasoning. We were a little worried that the lobster would be tough, but it wasn't at all and was delicious dipped in drawn butter. For dessert we split the Warm Chocolate Almond Gateau and brought a slice of chocolate cake back for MIL and friend. The Almond dessert was delicious! It had a very mild taste with just the right combination of almond, chocolate, vanilla and cream. Mmmmmm.

We were planning an early day at Epcot the next day and were really tired from Typhoon Lagoon, so we just went back to the room after dinner. Boy, are we getting old! I remember back in the day when we would have been all over Pleasure Island. Now a comfortable bed with no tiny feet or hands in my face is bliss.

Sorry I forgot my camera so I don't have any pictures from Narcoossee's, but here's a picture of the little one's, all snug in bed when we got back to the room.

Next up: Extra Magic Hour at Epcot.

 

[snowwhite325]

I have been to the place that you mention in Alexandria!!! My family lives in Manassas and when we went to visit them once we ate there...the food was so yummy!

 

[Vacation Lover]

Great installment! We did TL once before and loved the wave pool and lazy river there. The kiddie area is totally cute too! We hit BB this time to change it up. CBR was pretty good with the towels, huh? We got a ton when we asked.

Yeah--BB is definitely on our list for next time, but I may have to break down and let DB do the surfing lessons. He would LOVE that!

I have been to the place that you mention in Alexandria!!! My family lives in Manassas and when we went to visit them once we ate there...the food was so yummy!

When my parents were still living in the area we always did a date night at The Warehouse! I grew up in Alexandria and my best friend is still up there so I visit a couple of times a year. Next trip--November 11 to see the Bruce Springsteen concert in DC!!!!

 

[snowwhite325]

My Aunt and Uncle used to leave in Alexandria and I would also spend my summers there...it is a really beautiful place

 

[disneyfanforlife]

I love the pic of all 3 kids asleep. Like 2 bugs sung in a bed.

 

[Vacation Lover]

Since I totally forgot to use my camera yesterday, I'll start off today with a picture. Today is Epcot day!

We're going to take advantage of the early EMH and plan to get to Epcot by 8:00. Grandma and her friend are coming too and we meet up at Test Track. Tink decides to keep me company while the others ride--not because she's a little nervous about a fast ride, just because she's sweet and want to keep me company, right? Right! We pass the time in the gift shop while waiting. Shopping is one of Tink's favorite activities.

She gathers her courage after she sees how much everyone else enjoyed it and rides with me. She's so nervous right at the beginning, not knowing what to expect, but when the car starts to shoot around the track she squeals with delight. She ends up loving that ride, proclaiming it the best of the day! (Hee--it was just the first ride.)

Next we head over to Mission Space. Minnie and I wait for them to ride (half of the group going on the easy version) and chat with some CMs. One of the CMs had this glittery Tinkerbell pin, similar to one that Tink had traded for yesterday. I told him that my daughter loves the Tink pins and asked if I could surprise her by trading for it while she was on the ride. He said they aren't for trade. Darn. BUT......They were special sharing pins that come in packs of 2 and the CMs GIVE them away!! He handed them to me and explained that you're supposed to keep one for yourself and give the other to another guest in the park. I showed him the similar pin and he said that one was from the previous year. Tink would be so excited--she loves Tink, but a GLITTERY Tink, well, that's just the bomb! Here are the sparkly Tink pins.

When I showed them to her, sure enough, she was really excited. And when I explained that it was special because she got to give one of the pins away, she couldn't find another girl her age fast enough! A little girl came walking out of the ride about that time and Tink ran up to her to share the pin with her. Nothing like spreading a little Magic at Disney! (Especially when it didn't come out of her own pocketbook!)

As a thrill ride person, I did enjoy Mission Space, but the g-force (is that the right term?) gave me a headache. DH rode this one with me and I can't believe he rode it twice--even DB didn't want to go a second time. I liked the ride and will definitely do it again, but twice in a row--no way!

Next I went to get FastPasses for Soarin', the attraction I was most looking forward to, and met everyone else at Livin' with the Land. My kids love helping Dad in our little garden, so we all enjoyed learning about agriculture. Since Halloween's around the corner, I'll show you one fo the HUGE pumpkins that are growing in the greenhouse.

It wasn't time to use the FPs yet, so we went over to The Seas Pavilion. First stop: Nemo.

Minnie LOVED riding in the "clam mobile" and really enjoyed looking for Nemo and his friends. The atmosphere was very calming and she was mesmerized by the fish swimming by.

We went into Turtle Talk with Crush and Minnie didn't like this one as much, don't know why. DB and Tink thought it was hilarious, though, and DH is STILL going "Gimme some Fin!" and holding his "fin" up for the kids to high five.

After the rides, we checked out the exhibits, I always find aquariums so relaxing!

The kids liked watching a diver in a big tank, "talking" with the audience.

Next it was time to do Soarin'.

I waited with Minnie while everyone else got in the FastPass line. Checked my watch and, guess what?! For the first time so far, we had stuck pretty closely to my touring plan and were doing well timewise. It was about 11:00 and we had 11:45 reservations at Akershus. I figured we'd zip through this ride since we had FastPasses and get to lunch just on time. Minnie and I waited. And waited. And waited. Minnie found a friend to play with and friends mom and I chatted while we wondered where our families were. Don't know WHY it took so long on a FastPass, but they exited that ride at 11:45!! I would have to save my child swap turn for later and we book it to Akershus--once again, 20 minutes late for our reservation!

Next up: How does Minnie do with the Princesses?

 

[Vacation Lover]

Before the trip, Tink had toyed with the idea of wearing a Jasmine costume to the lunch, but we all know how she now feels about being associated with princesses. Even one as liberated as Jasmine. So I concentrated on Minnie and brought a dress for her--just in case. I asked if she'd like to put on her princess dress, and sure enough, she did. It's a Cinderella dress, even though we knew that Cindy wasn't a typical visitor to Akershus. She loved being a princess!

We got in line to get our pictures with Belle and Minnie adored her from afar. But time to take the pictures and she was like, "No Way! Stranger! Stranger!" We got one with the big kids though.

Got to our table just as Ariel was coming around and, still, Minnie would have none of it. She wasn't covering her eyes, like at Chef Mickeys, she just got really nervous around them. She loved watching them until they got to our table, then she didn't want to take a picture with them. Isn't DB being a good sport? He is NOT the princess kind of kid, but he smiled for the pictures anyway. I think that Tink got a little of that princess-awe back, when they came around and chatted with her. I just wish Minnie would feel the same way...

But then, Lo and behold, who should show up but...
The REAL Cinderella!

Minnie's FAVORITE princess! She would only pose for a picture if I held her, but she's getting a little better. No tears whatsoever. She loves Cinderella best and I didn't think there was a chance that she would show up here. That was very cool!

After that, she was more willing to take pictures with the princesses--as long as I held her. No smile though.

Whew! Glad all of this picture taking is about done. We're getting hungry. One more to go...

We helped ourselves to the buffet and it was good. I especially liked the shrimp salad, which they had just replentished and tasted very fresh. There was something there for everyone, but that was just the appetizer. Main Course was coming.

DH and I had the Slow Cooked Meatballs and they were pretty good. Kind of tasted like meatloaf to me. The kids had hot dogs, of course. Here's our waiter, serving DB his hot dog. Very authentically Norwiegen! The waiter, that is; not the hot dog.)

Once we had our food, Minnie became herself again and cheered up. Especially since she could watch Cinderella from a safe distance.

Then she started doing the "princess wave," which we all thought was very funny. I guess she thought we were laughing at her, because she continued to do the princess wave, but shot us all a grumpy look. We were cracking up.

We had decided to treat Grandma and her friend since they weren't on the dining plan so DH grabbed the check and we were off. As we were leaving, we saw another tiny Cinderella waiting to get into the lunch. I told the mom that the real Cinderella was in there and she was SOO excited. I think it made her day!

The plan was to do a couple more things in Future World then take a break and do World Showcase in a few hours. Got a quick picture in Norway before we made our way back to Future World.

Next up: What are the chances we can continue to stick to our schedule?

 

[pierresgirl]

How cute is Minnie???!!!! I can't believe you guys saw Cinderella there! I heard she's never at Akershus.

 

[Vacation Lover]

I'm back after a busy week. Finally got that school luncheon that I mentioned in my first post done. Now I have 1 more month before the next lunch for 125 people. So back to the trip report.

We walk back over to Future World to do Honey I Shrunk The Audience. Minnie starts getting fussy and her costume's looking pretty itchy so I change her back into her clothes. While we're waiting in line. Yes, I'm a change 'em in the middle of the park kind of person. Well, not her diaper, just her clothes. Now she's much more comfy and the line starts moving. Yay! We get into the little theatre, which is really just a "holding room" while we wait for our turn to watch Honey I Shrunk The Audience. A movie starts while we're standing there and we start thinking, "Oh, maybe this IS the show." Then I'm clued into the fact that it's just a sort of pre-show. The big clue is that they gave us 3-D glasses and the show is not in 3-D. The show we're watching ends up being a 10 minute commercial for Kodak. I'm not minding it, because I love pictures and I'm a sucker for sentimental stuff. But a few people behind me are still thinking this is the attraction. I was cracking up because they're standing there wearing their 3-D glasses going, "Honey, what IS this? I don't get it" and then, "I don't know, but I can't BELIEVE we waited in line for this!" Finally the commercial is over and we get to go into the real theatre, which I'm thankful for because a riot was about to break out behind me. Man, those people were annoyed!

We find some seats and settle in. Minnie is not liking the darkness of the theatre. She's a little whiny, but does okay. The effects were pretty good, but I don't know--maybe I was just getting tired, but I was just kind of like, "Eh." It was not worth the wait; we'd wasted well over an hour between the wait and the line. Oh well--next stop--Soarin'! FINALLY it's my turn. Now THAT ride was well worth the wait! I loved it and wished I could have done it again. Tink and DB went on it with me and it was definitely one of their favorite rides too.

I knew DB would love Innoventions and that's next up on the list. But we're really dragging so we decide to go ahead and take our break back at the hotel.

We get back to the room and I kick off my shoes and grab my book. Aaah. What could be nicer than sitting back and relaxing with a good book after a great morning at the parks? Then my eyes come to rest on what I now call "A little slice of heaven." Right there. On top of the refrigerator. Strategically placed behind my Special K, so the kids won't find it. The cupcake I bought yesterday. Chocolate. With White Icing. I scurry over to check it out and try to figure out how I can eat this fluffy little delicacy without the kids noticing, and, thus, wanting it. I could hide in the bathroom with it, but something about that just doesn't seem right. So I bite the bullet and grab a little plastic knife. Thankfully, it's a nice, big cupcake and when I cut it into quarters I still have a pretty good sized piece. Plus, the knife "slipped" a little when I was cutting it so my piece was the biggest. Took a bite and--Wow. Just WOW. I have to say that was the best cupcake I have ever had in my entire life. And let me tell you, I have had many a cupcake in my life. The icing fluffy and rich. The cake moist and sweet. Oh. My. God. I'm going to have to break into the halloween candy now, just thinking about it.

Whew. Was that as good for you as it was for me? Okay, back to the trip report. Where was I. Oh yes. Cupcake. Mmmmm. So I have a nice sugar buzz and decide to take the kids to the pool. DH stays back at the room to rest. And finish activating his new phone. Did I mention that it takes 24 hours to activate? By the time we get this phone going, the trip will be over. And, come to think of it, we really haven't needed it much anyway. Oh well.

We get to the pool and the kids are itching to go on that slide so up we go. I want to try it too. So the big kids go first, then I place Minnie on it and let her go, following immediately after. Bad Plan! The water was higher than Tink and DB's heads so they swam to the side. I don't know why I thought it would be better for Minnie to go before me; I'm just thankful that she had her floaties on. Another mom was holding her in the pool, wondering where the crazy parent was that just threw their 2 year old into 5 foot deep water. Enjoying a major sugar buzz while plunging down the slide, that's where.

All was well and we changed Minnie into one of the complementary life jackets; just to be on the safe side. The kids had a blast and Minnie's favorite part of the pool was the jacuzzi! I thought it would be too hot for her, but she loved it. Fine with me, so we chilled in the jacuzz for a bit. Then I came crashing down from my sugar high and realized I'd better take a quick rest before we headed back to Epcot for the evening.

Next up: Can we continue to follow our touring plan when we return to Epcot?

 

[Vacation Lover]

By the time we get changed and rested it's about 6:00. Where did the day go? Just a few minutes ago, we were at Akershus and I was patting myself on the back for managing our time so well. We hustle back to Epcot, planning to meet Grandma and her frined for dinner. First stop: Innoventions. We stopped at the Kidcot station and relaxed while the kids did their first activity. We chatted with the CM and he told us that Innoventions would close in 10 minutes. Ugh. I remember noticing that it closed at 7:00 when I was looking at the activity schedule earlier in the day, but had completely forgotten. We'll have to save Innoventions for the next trip.

Everyone's getting hungry and--what luck--the boat is sitting at the dock. We jump on and cross the lagoon while we try to decide where to eat. This is the one meal I hadn't planned so we need a counter service place. First we tried Japan, but the CS place there didn't suit everyone, so we finally decided on Mexican. I had a feeling we'd end up there because DH and his mom are big Mexican fans. We wander past the other countries on the way there, but don't linger because we're all ready to eat.

Finally get to Cantina de San Angel and it is PACKED. DH takes the kids to find a table while I wait in line. And wait and wait. The kids meal here is quesadillas, which is perfect for Tink, but DB is all about a taco (meat & cheese only; no lettuce!) I decide to pay OOP for a taco and get meals for the rest of us. Get up there to order and--what?!--they don't have regular tacos! You read that right: This mexican place does not serve hard shell tacos! I get him the soft shell taco, special ordered with meat & cheese only. Sorry to the people behind me. I hate holding up a line! Especially one as long as this one.

By the time I have the food, it has gotten really dark out. And there is very little lighting at Cantina de San Angel. So there I am, carrying 4 meals on a tray, walking around looking for my group. But I can't see a thing! I walk around the entire place, finally resorting to calling DH's name as I walk around. Luckily he hears me and comes to get me and show me the table. Yay--guess what he has waiting for me at the table? A frozen margarita! Yum. After that wait in line, food ordering confusion and trek around the entire courtyard looking for the table, I down about half of it in one sip.

DH had found us a table in the corner with a great view of the lagoon. It was a beautiful night, not too hot, and we relaxed and enjoyed our dinner. DH had the Tacos al Carbon. (See how the confusion about the tacos comes in to play?) It's actually a flour tortilla with chicken, onions & pepper and not what DH was expecting at all. He said it was pretty good, though. DB complained about his lack of a hard shell taco, but ate it all, so I guess he liked it. Tink loved her quesadilla. I got the nachos--chips loaded with beef, cheese, tomatos, beans & sour cream (hold the jalepeno peppers, please.) It tasted fine, but, I'm not kidding you, it was SO dark in that little corner. I could barely see what I was eating. Not a good thing when you're eating something as messy as nachos! I'd barely made a dent in the nachos when I started feeling full--the servings were very big here. Sorry I didn't take any pictures here; it was just too dark!

After dinner, we had just enough time to scout out a spot for Illuminations. Can you believe I'd done all that planning and we did not do one thing in World Showcase, except eat?! We found a spot on the bridge and settled in, ready for the show. Illuminations started and everyone enjoyed it. I have to say, I liked Fantasmic better, though. Could be just because Fantasmic was the first one I saw, so it would be hard to beat. It was also harder to see Illuminations from our spot on the bridge. A bunch of people had moved in front of us so we didn't end up with as good of a view as I'd hoped.

After the show we all herded out with the crowd and I couldn't help but feel a little let down about missing so many things I'd planned for us to do. The kids didn't get to do any more Kidcot stops; Totally missed Innoventions; Breezed through World Showcase and never got to do Soarin' a second time. It really IS impossible to do it all in a day, isn't it? It's so hard to make that choice between resting when everyone is dragging and powering though the day. But when you have little ones, you just have to choose the rest, for everyone's sanity. So as we're walking out, I found myself already planning do's and don'ts for the next trip. Our next trip, which is not anywhere close to being on the calendar yet.

Back at the room, we all crash into bed. The kids fall asleep pretty quickly and DH and I relax with our books before turning out the light. This is the one night where we don't sleep very well at all. DB is tossing and turning in his sleep, and those beds at CBR were SOOO squeaky! Tomorrow is our last full day at Disney and we'll be spending it at Magic Kindgom.

I didn't take many pictures at Epcot, but Grandma's friend did. I'll try to post some after she sends them to me. I took lots of pics at Magic Kingdom though, so, don't worry, there will be photos in the next installment!

Next up: Can we make the Toddler's Extra Magic Hour after a bad night's sleep?

 

[momtoccc]

Hey you are right - you don't need a catchy title!

You are doing a great job with your TR! I can identify with you, grumpy when hungry - like to follow plans - want everyone to have a good time, etc...

Thanks for sharing your trip!

 

[dismom9761]

I just sat here and read it all and wanted to let you know you are doing a great job. I also have a son with ADHD..and a toddler who has the occasional meltdown.Looking forward to more!

 

[Vacation Lover]

I love the pic of all 3 kids asleep. Like 2 bugs sung in a bed.

It's hard to believe how much they fight during the day when they look so sweet in bed together!

How cute is Minnie???!!!! I can't believe you guys saw Cinderella there! I heard she's never at Akershus.

I know! We were so excited! Well, I was, anyway. The rest of the group had no idea how rare it is to see Cinderella at Akershus.

Hey you are right - you don't need a catchy title!

You are doing a great job with your TR! I can identify with you, grumpy when hungry - like to follow plans - want everyone to have a good time, etc...

Thanks for sharing your trip!

Thank you. Glad you dropped in. My DH knows by now to just follow along and don't rock the boat if I'm hungry, otherwise Evil Mom emerges! I try to keep snacks in my purse for just such an emergency. Hee.

I just sat here and read it all and wanted to let you know you are doing a great job. I also have a son with ADHD..and a toddler who has the occasional meltdown.Looking forward to more!

Yes, it is a challenge, isn't it? Thanks for reading and for the kind words.

 

[Avivasmom]

What a great report so far...love the picture of the 3 kids in bed...always need a picture of sleeping kids.

Sounds like you had a busy but fun trip....Loved Minnie and how she warmed up to the characters.

 

[Vacation Lover]

I woke up on our last full day, excited to do Magic Kingdom, but also a little sad that this was the last day. I have to admit, though, I was sooooooo tired--just bone weary--and a little part of me was ready to be home and back in our usual routine. Especially the part of the routine where the kids are in school all day. Heh. Just kidding. A little. But seriously, those are really close quarters for 5 people to be spending an entire week together. Sometimes I just need my SPACE!

The plan today was to start with the Toddlers Extra Magic Hour at Fantasyland. After a not so great night's sleep though, I was just as happy to lounge in bed for a little while instead. I knew that if I didn't get moving that I'd be hating myself later when we were waiting in that long line for Dumbo so I kicked myself out of bed and got ready. DH was a little slower to get moving since he was the one getting kicked in the face by DB half the night. (What kind of dream was he having, anyway? Running a marathon? Earning a black belt in Karate? Honing his rope drop race-to-Space-Mountain skills?)

Everyone seemed to be dragging this morning--unusual for my early bird crew. I suggested that maybe we should take it easy this morning and go to Magic Kingdom at the regular opening time. Everyone answered at the same time:
DH: Sounds like a good idea to me.
DB: What?! No! I'm getting ready right now!
Tink: What?! No! I'm getting ready right now!
Minnie: Zzzzzzzzzz.

So DB, Tink and I decided to take the bus to MK and DH and Minnie would meet us there when she woke up. They got ready in record time and, as luck would have it, the MK bus was pulling up just as we got to the bus stop. Wow! That was a quick and easy ride and it got the kids excited about going to Magic Kingdom. We got there right at opening but we didn't rush in and instead relaxed and took some pictures.

DB took this one. It's a little crooked, but nothing a little editing won't fix. Time to go in and for a second I panicked, worrying that they wouldn't let us in to the Toddlers EMH since we'd left our toddler back at the room. But no problem and we were in the Magic Kingdom in a flash. I took this picture as we were walking in. You can tell we're a little bit behind the "stampede" of people who got there at rope drop.

We got a little closer to the castle and it was magical!

DB, of course, had to check out the map to be sure we were going in the right direction.

Our first stop was Tink's Treasures to try to wake up Tink. I'd mentioned this to our Tink and she was excited to see what this was all about. Since we'd missed the stampede to get in though, I told her not to get her hopes up and, sure enough, Tink was already awake. Once she realized that "waking up Tink" was simply tapping the treasure box and seeing Tink's little light start flying around, she wasn't too let down. I think she thought she'd be actually interacting with a real fairy, like holding Tink in her palm or something. Anyway, we browsed around there and DB was a good sport, looking at all that girl stuff.

Then we walked into Fantasyland and the first thing we saw was Goofy riding the Merry Go Round.

I really should've edited these pictures before posting. Boy, DB's looking tired and grumpy in this picture! Maybe he wasn't so happy about having had to go to Tink's Treasures after all.

We decided to ride Snow White first since we thought it would be too scary for Minnie. The ride was okay, but, I have to be honest. I get a little tired of those ride-on-a-track-and-look-at-the-scenes attractions. I much prefer something that will give my stomache a little lurch. We were thinking about what to do next when my cell phone rang. Let's all do a little celebration because we finally got that prepaid cell working, and now we're actually finding a use for it! Yay!

DH and Minnie are already in Fantasyland and we find them at the Merry Go Round. Goofy is gone, but that's just as well because we all know how Minnie feels about him when he's in close proximity to her. Minnie loves the Carousel and we all ride. I'm really feeling the magic right about now.

Next we decide to ride Dumbo before the line gets too long. We're standing there for about 10 minutes when I look over and realize the line is twice as long as I first thought. We stay in line though, and about 15 minutes later we're riding a flying elephant.

After Dumbo we hit Mickey's Philharmagic. I was a little apprehensive after my disappointment with Honey I Shrunk The Audience, but I do like a good 3D adventure so we give it a try.

We loved this show! The entire family enjoyed it. Minnie was not scared in the dark and she really liked seeing Mickey and Donald. DB and Tink thought it was funny and cool, and DH and I thought the effects were very good. We all thought Donald crashing into the wall was really funny.

Then DB insisted we go to Small World. I was a little surprised that he wanted to do this one. He said it was for Minnie, but I could tell that he was the one who really wanted to. Everyone enjoyed it and, I am happy to report, the song did not get stuck in my head for the rest of the day. I figured out that DB was so excited to ride this one because he had read about a hidden mickey in the palm leaves and, sure enough, he found it.

Next we're off to one of my very favorite rides: The Teacups.

This is one of my favorite Magic Kingdom rides. Definitely in the top 3. Seriously! I love that dizzy feeling you get when those teacups start spinning. When I was 9 I went to Disney for the first time (this was my 3rd trip, 4th if you count a day trip to Epcot). The thing I remember most was the teacups, and how I wanted to do that one over and over again. Unfortunately I was with a bunch of ride-wimps at the time so we didn't even get to spin the teacup very fast then. This time, though, I was with a group of RIDERS! Even Minnie liked it, and we made the cup spin as fast as possible.

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

The rest of the park had opened by now so it was off to Space Mountain. Another really fun ride! (BTW, the thing I remember second-most from that trip to Disney as a kid was this: Space Mountain had opened fairly recently and I was pretty sure it was something cool. But I didn't know much of anything then. My ride-wimp cousin somwhow got me believing that Space Mountain was a baby ride and we did NOT ride it! I regretted that for years after that trip. Hmmmm... maybe we see the roots of my need to examine and plan each attraction on the trip.)

Okay, leaving the '70's now. Back to our 2007 trip report. DH gets his turn on Space Mountain while Minnie and I find some ice cream. We've got some snack credits to use up, you know. We're on our way back to meet them when my phone rings. Wow! Using the new phone twice in one morning--I'm so glad I had the foresight to suggest replacing his lost phone with a prepaid! So I answer the phone, "Hello!" And I hear DH speaking in the background, "Hey, kids, that was a really fun ride!" And Tink, "Yeah, my favorite part was when we went down the big hill." Me: "Hello? DH? Are you there?" And their conversation continues. He had accidently hit the "send" button and called me! *%&#@$ Phone!

Next we do Buzz Lightyear, boys against the girls. The boys really like this ride, especially DH, who racks up a score in the hundred thousands. DB, on the other hand, feels slighted because Dad did not let him use the controls and, therefore, DB had a hard time aiming at the aliens. At least that's what he said when he saw his low score. So we hopped back on, this time DB in the drivers seat and riding with me (he wouldn't even ride with Dad, even though Dad promised to let him control the ship. He was MAD.) This time his score was much better. Whew.

At this point, everyone wants to do something different. DB wants a smoothie. Tink wants to go to Toontown. Minnie wants a break. DH wants to go to Adventureland. And my agenda says Laugh Floor Comedy Club. What should we do?

 

[dismom9761]

Another great update. We love the teacups too-its a classic.

Isnt it fun when everyone wants to do something different.

 

[Vacation Lover]

I promised myself before this trip that I would be flexible and we wouldn't let my planned itinerary control the trip. So we scrapped the comedy club, grabbed some smoothies and made our way to Toon Town.

Minnie, Tink and I went to check out Minnie's House while DB and DH hung out on the playground. Minnie's house is so cute and it wasn't very crowded so we had plenty of time to play and take pictures.

My little Minnie LOVED sitting at the kitchen table and having a tea party.

Tink and I snapped a few pictures while Minnie played in the kitchen.

Minnie would have spent the entire day playing house there. I finally dragged her out with promises of more fun on the playground. The real Minnie was sitting in her gazebo in the backyard when we went outside and my little Minnie stopped dead in her tracks when she saw her. I assured her that we would not be getting any closer to the big Minnie, but that she was welcome to wave to her if she wanted. With a sigh of relief, little Minnie waved a nice, big wave and continued walking on the path. She was sure to stay on the far side of the path to keep as far away from Minnie as possible though.

(Note to self: Do not use Disney Character names for my children in the next report. Much too confusing when interacting with characters with the same name.)

We went to the little playground in Toontown and got there just in time before the sky fell out. Man, this Florida rain sure can mess up a park visit.

The rain let up a little and we raced from the shelter of the playground to the shelter of Mickey's house. I have to say, Mickey is not nearly as welcoming as Minnie is. His house is gated off so you can't play with all of his goodies.

Minnies kitchen was way funner. You could only see Mickey's kitchen through the hole that Goofy had punched through the wall when he was "renovating" Mickey's kitchen.

After we did Mickey's house (it was much quicker than Minnies since we didn't have to stop and play with every cool little thing.) we went back to the playground. Tink wanted to go see Mickey, but the line was so long and we already had his autograph so we decided to skip it. We went to the gift shop to cool off. The rain had stopped, but now the humidity was just oozing up off of the ground. You could practically see the heat waves.

DH had had enough of Toontown, and I was feeling the same so we hopped aboard the train to Frontierland. DB asked the conductor if he could ride in the very back with him and he and Tink ended up getting to be guest conductors! The conductor announced over the loudspeaker their names and where they were from, and they got to say "Alllllll Aboooooaaaarrrd!" As the train was leaving the station. They also got little guest conductor passes for their scrapbooks.

At Frontierland, I got my child swap for Splash Mountain while DH and the big kids rode first. They have a cute little covered playground off to the side of Splash Mountain and Minnie adored playing there. I found myself a comfy little perch and relaxed as it started raining again. Well, if it's going to rain, I guess Spash Mountain is the better ride to be on, right? When DB and the kids came off of the Mountain, they were SOAKED, but mostly it was because of the rain, not the ride.

We decided this would be a good time to head back to the hotel for a rest and a light lunch. No Splash Mountain for me...maybe I'll catch it when we come back tonight after dinner.

Next up: After our rest, we head to 'Ohana.