TimandLesley's When the Boat's a Rockin' Don't .... Trip of a Lifetime TR 2/4/1 pg.33

[cindianne320]

I am so excited for our cruise- we're booked, and it's 2 years away!

Did you book through DVC?

 

[Grumpy's Wife]

It looks like I'm really late to this party and I've really enjoyed reading about this wonderful trip. At least I made it here before your last day. I'm all caught up now and ready for more.

 

[cherbear]

what a great day at Epcot & MK!

I, too, can't get enough of those beautiful gardens at Le Cellier!! So glad you had some good weather mojo getting out of Epcot! (and everywhere else)

It's great to see that Luke was feeling so much better.

Poor Lauren and the subpar artist! She should get one of the funny ones next time

 

[stacikristine]

I just got all caught up. I have loved reading about your family's trips since 2008. Your cruise made me look up cruise prices. How amazing!! Luke and Lauren looked great after their pirate and mermaid makeovers. Thanks for sharing your trip with us!

 

[triciari]

Just bumping so I don't lose track of this fabulous thread! (My iPad keeps cutting out on me!)

 

[pixidustmom]

Come back and write more. Missing seeing new updates. Darn jobs taking up all your time.lol
Hope you had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

My trip is on hold. Not sure when I will be able to go. I ended up in the hospital two weeks ago. I have several clots in my lung. So I have to take care of them and my health. I am missing lots of work and have no insurance. So all the money for the trip is being used up. One day I'll make it. So I shall live through your post.

 

[brookelizabeth]

Love it!!!

And how fun that you ran into the "flash mob" I love it when they bring out the characters like that for training in Epcot! You can sometimes see some really rare ones - like the penguin!

How early did you book the Club Level at AKV to get it? We tried the other day, but even at 11 months it was booked solid! Did you have a lucky waitlist?

 

[timandlesley]

So glad Luke was feeling better. You certainly had a great day.


Great luck on the rain. I have had that too when standing at an open bus stop and it began drizzling. As soon as we got on the bus, the monsoon began. What was even better was we were heading to DHS and when we got off the bus, it was dry.

I was glad he was feeling better too. Yes, we were very fortunate with the timing that day!

Loved the update!!! pictures are great as always. The character experience was amazing...to get to see them one after another like that!!! WOW
So much magic at that place, I can honestly get lost in your TR's and pictures. Thanks for always making time to share your wonderful disney adventures!!

Glad you enjoyed it, that was such fun! Happy the TR's make you happy and help bring Disney to your home : )

Oh wow, you had a great, full day Lesley. What a perfect time in Disney! So glad Luke was feeling better!

Yes, it was a full day, love those!

Hey girl!!! I just saw your post on fb about your TR....so I am here now and getting ready to play catch up!

Glad you made it : )

Another great update. So glad he was feeling better. Wow the rain sure does open up huh? Can't wait for more.

Glad you are enjoying it.

Great update - very nice to hear from you again! I can't believe that character explosion - how fabulous was that?! Know you are looking forward to the Christmas break. Merry Christmas to you all - hope it is a great one!

It was fabulous! Hope you had a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year!!

Thanks for the great update.

You are quite welcome : )

I started your TR last night and now I've read the whole thing.

You and your family look like you have so much fun and like you truly enjoy your time together. It's wonderful to see that.

Thanks for sharing!

Glad you have found us and are enjoying it!

So relieved that Luke was feeling better! It's no fun to be sick in the happiest place on earth!! Amazing character experience in World Showcase! I miss the spontaneous appearance of characters from years and years ago but I suppose that posting appearances and having queue lines are the most efficient way to do it and ensure everyone has an opportunity to see who they want to.

Hope you and your family have a great holiday!

Glad Luke was feeling better too. We really did, I hope you did too!

Well hello there! I had no idea this TR was going on. I really had not expected you to write one for this trip, so I was really surprised when I saw it. I've read all your other TRs and enjoy them a lot. We also sailed on the Dream this past October so I am really looking forward to reading this! Going back now to get caught up!

Hi, glad you found us again. Wasn't the Dream amazing, we go again THIS THURSDAY, can't wait!!!

That flash mob of characters sounds like it was pretty awesome! How random to stumble across so many with no waits!

That stinks that Lauren's picture definitely was not very accurate! But how great that Luke was feeling so much better!

It was such fun. Thanks!

What an awesome day! You sure accomplished a BUNCH! I think my favorite thing is that you got to do all of this AFTER getting off the Dream. I am not looking forward to our disembarking because we have to go straight to the airport and back to school the next day... ick! So glad you got to extend the magic!!

It was a great day. I hear ya, we go on Thursday and have to be back to school early next Monday.

So sorry you are having such an awful year. I hope the Christmas break recharges your batteries and the rest of your year goes well

Glad to see luke was feeling a lot better. Epcot looked so empty.

the pic with them all holding hands was so cute

That is a shame that Lauren's pic did not come out well, but at least she enjoyed the experience and liked it

Heard a lot of time you can get mobs of characters at epcot world showcase as they train a lot of new characters there. Love the penguin one

Thank you, Christmas break sure was a nice break in the action. Epcot was great that day, I think the rain scared some people off. Yes, seeing the penguin and others was just awesome!

Great Update!

I agree the spontaneous character greetings in random places are always the best, I wish Disney would do that more often.

I agree!

Wow! Talk about LUCK to stumble upon all those characters with no line!!! Amazing!

It was an awesome surprise!

Merry Christmas

Thank you, sorry this is late, hope you had a great one too!

Well, I'm still getting caught up, but wanted to comment that you had great luck with the characters on the cruise! We did the 3 night cruise on the Dream and did not have that same experience. I am wondering if they have more characters on the longer cruises? We only met one character during our cruise.

We did have the same luck with the AD early on the first day like you did though. That's really the time to ride!

Looks like a great trip so far! Going back now to finish up!

Well, we go on the Dream for 3 nights this week, hoping there are characters, I'll let you know : )

 

[timandlesley]

I am so excited for our cruise- we're booked, and it's 2 years away!

Did you book through DVC?

I bet! No, we did it on our own, did you? I'm a travel agent now (if you didn't know) so I earned the one we go on this Thursday (a 3 night on the Dream) due to my sales, we are SO EXCITED!

It looks like I'm really late to this party and I've really enjoyed reading about this wonderful trip. At least I made it here before your last day. I'm all caught up now and ready for more.

Well welcome, I've been HORRIBLE this time around at getting it done, so late is probably best this time around, glad you are enjoying it.

what a great day at Epcot & MK!

I, too, can't get enough of those beautiful gardens at Le Cellier!! So glad you had some good weather mojo getting out of Epcot! (and everywhere else)

It's great to see that Luke was feeling so much better.

Poor Lauren and the subpar artist! She should get one of the funny ones next time

It was a great day! LeCellier gardens are so beautiful!

I just got all caught up. I have loved reading about your family's trips since 2008. Your cruise made me look up cruise prices. How amazing!! Luke and Lauren looked great after their pirate and mermaid makeovers. Thanks for sharing your trip with us!

Wow, that's a long time, you've watched my kids grow up. Glad you are enjoying this one : )

Just bumping so I don't lose track of this fabulous thread! (My iPad keeps cutting out on me!)

Thank you!

Come back and write more. Missing seeing new updates. Darn jobs taking up all your time.lol
Hope you had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

My trip is on hold. Not sure when I will be able to go. I ended up in the hospital two weeks ago. I have several clots in my lung. So I have to take care of them and my health. I am missing lots of work and have no insurance. So all the money for the trip is being used up. One day I'll make it. So I shall live through your post.

So sorry, I'm back and wrapping up tonight. This year has been CRAZY, so sorry!!! I'm so sorry about your lung, I hope you are feeling better now, will pray for you and your family. Hope you enjoy the post tonight.

Love it!!!

And how fun that you ran into the "flash mob" I love it when they bring out the characters like that for training in Epcot! You can sometimes see some really rare ones - like the penguin!

How early did you book the Club Level at AKV to get it? We tried the other day, but even at 11 months it was booked solid! Did you have a lucky waitlist?

she sure does crack me up, did that all on her own too. the flash mob was awesome. Club Level I called RIGHT at the 7 month window for DVC and so did Diane, she got it and I got waitlisted, but it came through about 2 month later.

 

[timandlesley]

Well, we were to our final day of the Magic. We decided to head out to Hollywood Studios for some more thrill seeking. We hit the breakfast buffet in the concierge lounge before heading out:

Kids were enjoying the concierge service (they are SO spoiled!)

Then we hopped a bus to Hollywood Studios, before we knew it we were there:

We weren’t there at rope drop on this day so the lines were a little longer. We got fast passes for Rockin’ Roller Coaster and had fun playing around in the gift shops:

Then we had a snack and sat and people watched while we waited for our fast pass return:

Then it was time to get our ride on:

After that the kids really wanted to see Phineas and Ferb and we hadn’t yet so we went that way to get in line. On the way over we ran into one of our favorite guys:

The line was long for Phineas and Ferb but it was our last day so we did it, it was about a 30 minute wait. Right next to it was the CARS meet n’ greet and Tim went over there and the line moved fast so Luke jumped out of our line and I handed the camera to Tim and Luke ran over and met up with his favorite CARS again :

He got back in our line in plenty of time for our turn:

The kids were thrilled, and they took a lot of time with them which was nice:

The whole theming of the cue was cute and the kids loved the music that they were playing from the show, helped the time pass quickly:

By this time we were hungry and the kids wanted pizza planet. It was a beautiful day, perfect temperature in the shade so we ate outside:

Then I wanted to get one more drawing class in before we headed home so we went over to Animation Studios and took a drawing class.

It was Buzz Lightyear this time, SCORE. Luke tried, but ended up just doodling and scribbling, Lauren did a good job for her age I thought:

My Buzz:

CONTINUED IN NEXT POST!!

 

[timandlesley]

Then Lauren was begging to see the Playhouse Disney show so we went in there, Luke was a good brother and went along. It brought back so many memories, and Lauren loved it!

Jake and the Neverland Pirates were a nice addition:

After that we had seen everything we had wanted too at Hollywood Studios this trip so we went out to the bus stop and timed the rain PERFECTLY again, it started raining as we were waiting:

Back at the room we had our departure letter from the concierge desk, how depressing:

We showered and got ready for our final Disney dinner and I started packing the bags, HATE doing this. Before I knew it, had em’ ready to go:

We spent one last evening watching the ostriches being fed:

Then it was time to head out to dinner at OHana’s at the Polynesian resort. Bryan and Diane are tables and wonderland card holders, so they get free valet parking. It was POURING, so we rode with them and took advantage of the free valet. Kids in front of the resort:

Family shot:

Lipoa is the AMAZING entertainer at OHana’s. We have been going there every year since the kids were TEENIE TINY and she has always been a family favorite. Just LOVE her. Well, due to the amazing world of Facebook, we are friends with her on there and Tim alerted her we were coming. We thought maybe she would say hi or something but had NO IDEA the concierge service she would give us. The beautiful Lipoa met us in the lobby:

She escorted us into the restaurant :

She had given us the best table in the house facing the Magic Kingdom. She invited the kids to come up and dance:

We were all on cloud 9 and having the time of our lives:

Then Lipoa came out with REAL flower leis for Diane and I, we were so surprised and thankful!

The kids continued to dance the night away with Lipoa:

CONTINUED IN NEXT POST

 

[timandlesley]

We enjoyed a family dance together per Lipoas suggestion:

Then Lipoa announced to the restaurant we had 2 guests of honor, she went on and on about our family and it was so amazing. Then she came over and suited Bryan and Tim up for the honorary limbo pole holders for the evening:

The kids and I were LOVING this!

Our studs:

Then it was time to be presented with the GOLDEN SHAKA MARACAS and dance around the restaurant, it was GREAT!

Such fun!

Limbo time!!!

Lauren’s turn:

It was an AMAZING night, one we will never forget. Just as we thought Lipoa had outdone herself she said she had another special surprise for us. She came over with cupcakes for all of us boxed up and HUGE suckers for the kids, SOOOOOO sweet, just LOVE her!!!

Talk about the most AMAZING way to wrap up a Disney vacation. Thank you Lipoa!!! You are an amazing beautiful woman both inside and out.
Well ladies and gentleman, that is all she wrote……………… we had another AMAZING Disney vacation and left bright and early the next morning for our LONG drive home to Cincinnati. I am sooooo sorry it took me so long to get this out this year, it’s been one HECK of a year. We are off on our next Disney adventure this WEDNESDAY and leaving again on the Disney Dream this Thursday for a 3 night cruise thanks to all of my amazing clients (I was top agent last year for my travel agency and was awarded this 3 night cruise for our family). I’m excited because my parents are coming too, can’t wait to share the experience with them.
Thanks to each of you for being faithful readers, I promise to wrap these up quicker in the future, I hope this one was worth the wait : )
Until next time……………………………………
-Lesley

 

[ronnmel]

Wow! What an amazing experience at dinner. Lipoa really treated you guys like royalty! It's awesome!

Have fun on your upcoming trip, and congrats for being named top travel agent.

 

[sharonW]

Thanks for sharing yet another amazing disney adventure!!! You really did get the royal treatment via Lipoa your last night and you deserve it too!!! Have a wonderful cruise!!!!

ps: sooooo hoping to win the trip from your TA, fingers crossed for me!!!

 

[piglet50]

great update and worth the wait. can't wait to hear about your next adventure.

 

[TheThomsLuvDisney]

Thank you for sharing this amazing trip with us!

I hope you will be writing a TR for this next trip?!?! Have a great time and thanks again for sharing!!

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

Wow! You weren't kidding! That was an awesome ending! What a great night. She really went above and beyond. We go to Ohana every year too, but she wasn't there when we went this past October and it just wasn't the same without her.

Congratulations on winning a cruise! That is pretty awesome! And so cool that you get to share it with your parents. Those will be memories you will always treasure. I hope you guys have a fabulous and safe trip! Castaway Cay will be such a paradise to get away to in February! I'm very jealous!

 

[Poolrat]

So worth the wait. A trip of a lifetime indeed.

Congrats on the reward trip. Have a blast on your cruise.

What a special time you had at O'Hana. Lipoa rolled out the red carpet for you.

 

[PittypatBR]

It was definitely worth the wait. It will be fun to see the pictures from this next trip and see how much the kids have grown since this one!!

What a magical way to end your vacation! Lipoa really made it special.

Congratulations on winning the cruise. I am sure you are a huge asset to your agency with all your Disney wisdom!

 

[Aburns8]

1Thank you for sharing your trip with us! It looked like your family had a wonderful adventure.