Up, down and all around...a trip we will NEVER forget - COMPLETE 1/19

[brookelizabeth]

When I left off Joe and I were about to take on the big rides while Henry napped.

Sleeping baby. So sweet.

We first headed to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.

This ride, like the teacups, is one of my favorites due to childhood memories. While I never went to Disney World as a child, I did wish for it on EVERY birthday cake for about 10 years (possibly more!). I have vivid memories of watching the commercials come on TV and seeing Mickey ride BTMRR. I DREAMED of riding it someday. In 2006 on my Disneymoon this was one of my absolute highlights! I just grin and get all giddy when I ride it!

We used our Insta-FastPass (thank you DVC)...

After BTMRR, we walked toward Tomorrowland, we were headed for Space Mountain! I LOVE SM! I screamed almost the entire ride through the first time I rode it. I love the curves and that it catches you by surprise over and over, and I love that it's an older ride, yet is still as thrilling as ever!

Of course on our walk toward Tomorrowland, we had to take pictures...

Joe had me take this picture. He thought the name "Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe" was funny for some reason.

Does this count as a hidden Mickey?

We came across a Photopass photographer and decided to get some pictures:

I thought it was so sweet of the photographer to get one of Henry.

I LOVE THIS ONE!!

And the next picture in my Photobucket account is this:

It's such a dorky picture. I didn’t realize how much this pose brought out my geek. And the kicker of course is that I did it several times!

Remember Epcot?

And, I'm sorry to say, this isn't the last time you'll see it either.

To my defense, it was on Joe's suggestion that I pose this way. He thinks it's cute. I think I need to get his head checked.



I’m not going to ever pose like that again. Ever!

Onwards we went into Tomorrowland, we used the Insta-FastPass and Joe again graciously let me go first. I zipped right through the line, and when they noted I was a single rider, I was placed right in a car.

I warned the gentleman sitting in front of me that I tended to scream a lot on thrill rides, but would try my best to stay calm. The poor guy though, just seconds into the ride and I was yelling my head off!


...then suddenly...



THE LIGHTS CAME ON!

We continued to FLY down the track and I had flashes of fears that we would crash into the next car, but before I could get too far in my crazy thinking we were brought to a quick stop at the bottom of a hill.

We sat there for a bit and all of us in the car looked around and wondered aloud what was happening. After about 5 minutes or so a CM came next to our car and explained what was happening. There was a safety switch on the ride at the end and there is a certain amount of time a person is given to get out of the ride vehicle. If a person takes longer than the certain time allowed, the ride stops. Everything on the ride is based on timing so the cars won't crash (my fears here were proven impossible! ), and when the timing is thrown off, the ride immediately shuts down. There is quite a process of getting it back up and running as well, we were sitting there for at least 15 minutes while CMs ran around on the floor and inspected various pieces of the ride. It was interesting to see all the track, the different machines within the ride, and that there is an elevator right in the middle of it all!

All this time the TTA kept going through and people were pointing and "oooohing" and taking pictures. We got stuck right in an area where the TTA riders could see us, so we got many waves from them!!

Eventually, an all clear was given and the nice CM gave us a giant push (that took some serious muscle!) and very soon we were at the end. Thankfully, the CM also told us we could get another ride without waiting in line. So I followed their directions to skip the line and was brought to a side loading area. Another 5 minutes or so and the lights were finally turned off and everyone cheered. Within a couple more minutes I was back in a car being "launched" into space!

After my ride, I found Joe and Henry waiting for me in the gift shop. I shared with Joe about why the rode broke down, how the safety feature on the ride works, and how the lights came on during it all. This, of course, peaked his nerd interests (as it did mine!), and he was a bit jealous. So someday, I hope SM breaks down on him too.

Henry, by this time, was wide awake, so we decided to head toward the front of the park for a very special event...


Up next: A visit to the Main Street Barbershop (Will there be tears? Will they be Henry's or mine?!?)



I have to share these pictures as well. Joe took these while waiting for me on SM. This is a game in the arcade just off the SM gift shop:

Tux Racer. For you non-nerds, Tux, the penguin, is the icon/logo for Linux. Linux is an operating system, like Windows XP. I was really surprised they had a video game based off of Tux!! I think in January we are just gonna have to give the game a try...!




I also want to add that I hope everyone had a great holiday! We had a busy few days, but they were wonderful. Lots of family, fun, and good food!! I might share some pictures of our celebrations after I download them off the camera.

And for those of you who have read about the situation with my Grandma - I was able to see her over the holiday and spend quite a bit of time with her. She was in good spirits-though I could tell there was stress there. The whole ordeal involving her has not gotten any calmer, but actually worse. However, with the great love and care my Mom and her siblings have taken, the pain of it all is eased a bit. I feel so awful for her-what has happened to her is NOT fair and just makes me furious. Thankfully it will all pass in time, and I pray the wounds heal with that passing time. Thank you again to all of you for your thoughts and prayers for her!

 

[brookelizabeth]

Happy Holidays Brook to you and your family.

I'm loving your trip report and looking forward to the next one. Have you started any planning? Will you be writing a trippie? Please post a link if you do, or let us know if you have started one.

I've also been looking for Pilferk's trippie. After seeing the link I read his last one, but have been looking for the most recent one and can't find it yet. Hope he's writing one. He sounds like a great Dad.

Thanks for your entertaining report Brook.

Nora

Hi Nora! Welcome! I am very glad to hear you have been enjoying my report.

I have started some planning for our January trip, but pretty much just what I have posted here already. We are doing a very relaxed loose trip-hardly any solid plans! But, I do have lots of ideas stowed away in my thoughts in case we find ourselves in a situation wondering what we should do. There will be a TR for that trip as well - hopefully I can have this one done before that one. I will be sure to post a link.

I don't think Pilferk has started his new TR yet. I am excited to read it too! I really enjoyed his last one, and I agree, he does sound like a great dad.

And, I have to tell you...if Henry had been a girl instead, we would have a Nora! I LOVE your name!!

 

[Disney Hot Mama]

WOW- great TR so far. I just started reading tonight and finished all the pages. Glad to welcome you as a DVC member. We love it!
Can't wait to read how the trip ends.......hopefully on a positive note especially with the next won coming up so quickly.

Not sure if I missed it or not but what kind of camera do you have? Your photos are so clear and sharp.

 

[brookelizabeth]

When I left off, Joe, Henry and I headed toward the front of the park. We were pointing our stroller for the Mainstreet Barbershop and I was mentally preparing myself for Henry's first haircut.

My baby's first haircut.

My little tiny little guy, getting his haircut.

I just KNEW he would come out looking like a big boy. And I wasn't sure how I was going to take it all. I was excited, but a bit wimpery at the thought of my little one becoming all grown up looking in the matter of 10 minutes.

We ventured forward, down Main Street, and look, I was smiling!

I also have to include this picture, I love the balloon bunches at MK:

Within minutes we were in front of the barbershop

and much to my delight, in complete contrast of the stretching line from this morning, the wait was only 3 people deep!

Joe and I struck up a conversation with a very nice woman in front of us, her 15 month old was also getting his first haircut. He was a total cutie, big blonde curls. She said he was OFTEN mistaken for a girl, so she knew it was time. It was her fourth, and final, child, so it was a very difficult moment for her as well. We were kindred spirits!

Very soon both our families were able to enter the tiny storefront and her little man was in the barber chair and his curls were getting snipped short. He did very good as his brothers and sisters entertained him with bubbles, songs and stickers.

While his hair cut was going on, it became Henry's turn.

Gulp.

I placed my baby in the chair and the CM started to place Mickey stickers on his chest.

Oooh, a sticker.

I think I like you.

Previously in the week, Henry just peeled the stickers right off and put them straight into his mouth. Much to my surprise, he left these on as he gazed at the CM with a happy smile on his face. I commented on this and the CM looked straight into my eyes and said, "These have a mild sedative in them." I just cracked up! I then told her to stick a few on me so I could make it through the haircut!

After Henry was covered near head to toe in Mickey stickers, it was time for the first snip

And, I'll just let the pictures tell the rest of the haircut:

There is the big boy coming out...

That is some looooooooong hair!

Note me video taping every second off to the side...

Within just minutes, it was over. Henry did great!!!!!!!!! And so did I! Not one tear from either of us!!

The CM brought over "First Haircut" ears

and then a mirror so Henry could check himself out

He thought he was soooooo good looking that he gave himself a big 'ol kiss!

The CM, who was FANTASTIC with everything, gave us his locks of hair, safely tucked away in a tissue and sealed with a Mickey sticker, a certificate of Henry's first haircut, and then showed us on the receipt that it also says "Baby's First Haircut" as the line item. All this, including the ears, for $14!

This is when he realized he had a hat on, and he quickly took them right off!

And yep, he does look more grown up, but still just as cute!!!!! This picture makes my heart melt...my little boy.

Just before we left, I quick popped in again to snap a picture of the tiny little barbershop. It's literally just two chairs - but it's very charming inside.

Up next: Shoeless and behind bars!

 

[brookelizabeth]

WOW- great TR so far. I just started reading tonight and finished all the pages. Glad to welcome you as a DVC member. We love it!
Can't wait to read how the trip ends.......hopefully on a positive note especially with the next won coming up so quickly.

Not sure if I missed it or not but what kind of camera do you have? Your photos are so clear and sharp.

Hello there! Love your screen name.

You read a lot in one night - holy smokes! Glad to hear you are enjoying it though. Also very glad to hear you love your DVC!!

I don't know if I have shared much detail here about our camera (there was a whole ordeal about it on my PTR since I broke our previous camera ) - it's a Canon XTi. It's a GREAT camera, we really enjoy it!!

 

[rustysfr56]

oh my gosh.. Henry looks ADORABLE in the barber shop pictures...so handsome and grown up!!!!!!

i wanted to say i have been reading since the beginning and i have been absolutely hooked. i get so excited when i see there was an update lol its sad, but at least i am aware of my addiction

also, im so sorry to hear about your grandmother , she has been in my thoughts and prayers since i read about it. time does heal all but the hardest part is waiting for that time to pass...hope all is well

 

[mmmbop]

You are all so so adorable and your son is gorgeous. And I love your writing style! I'm still making my way through, but I just had to drop a note and say I love this TR! And you totally made me want to stay at WL! Gorgeous!

 

[MeMom]

This one needs to be framed and set out for you to see every single day. It is precious!

I'm glad you got to spend some special time with your family. I know it meant a lot to your grandmother to have everyone surrounding her with love.

 

[thewesterberg]

Sounds like another fun and exciting day - and no bathroom stops to report on! Things must have been looking up!

What an interesting experience on Space! Does it look as freaky in there with the lights on that others have reported? After reading those accounts, I don't dare put my hands up - afraid my hands will hit the track above!

You know, if Vanna White ever retires, I bet you'd be a shoe-in with the quality of your hand gestures! No really, you do look cute!

I agree with you on the balloon bunches - a picture I took of them on our last trip became the cover of our trip album. Wouldn't be cool to buy the whole bunch (and possibly float up, up and away above the MK, similar to Gonzo!)

And I also agree with MeMom - that is the most adorable picture ever. One of those precious moments in time captured so beautifully. What a special place to get his first haircut - and he looks so handsome!

Looking forward to seeing your Christmas pictures. And I'll continue to keep your grandma in my prayers.... Thank you for the update

 

[Charleston Princess]

You always do such great updates, Brook!!!

I, for one, love the pose with the hand. I think you should do it on every Disney trip!

Space Mountain scares the life out of me -- I don't think I have managed to get up the nerve to ride it since 1995. The mere thought of it stopping while I am on it makes my palms start sweating. Glad you enjoyed it though.

Henry's first haircut is just too precious -- what a great memory to have done it at the Magic Kingdom!!!

Glad that you were able to see your grandmother this weekend -- I hate that she is still going through that mess though.

 

[Sarilas]

I may have to try and get my 20 month old daughter's hair cut there! We have yet to cut it at all (a lot easier to get away with a little girl's curly hair!) but what a fantastic memory for her first hair cut!

 

[kschafer]

Aaawww, Henry did so GOOD!! I think both my kids screamed through their first haircuts (the younger one still does sometimes )

Very cool about SM breaking down. I was once on BTMRR when it broke down. We were lifting up the big hill and just stopped. We sat there for about 15 minutes just looking up at the sky. A CM came to talk with us while we waited, I suppose to make sure nobody tried to walk down.

Hope your family had a merry christmas. Thanks for the update on your grandmother.

 

[troobabiee7]

Aw!!! Those pictures are the absolute cutest Henry looks adorable sitting in the chair covered in Mickey stickers! That must have been such a fun moment for all of you. The past two updates were a lot of fun to read. It must have been awesome getting to ride Space Mountain with the lights on! I've always wondered what it was like so your post prompted me to look it up on Youtube

I'm glad you all had a Merry Christmas!

 

[2xcited2sleep]

All caught up! You are a great TR writer. I'm so glad "we" have a January trip to look forward to! And I like that your plans for January are easy-going. You will be back... many times over so there's no rush!

Congratulations, again, on DVC. I too got teary hearing about how much of your DVC excitement comes from being able to share with others. Esp the part about how you want your sister to get dizzy from the teacups, rock with Aerosmith etc.

So question for you... AKL vs. Wilderness Lodge. Do you have a favorite? I stayed at AKL just a few weeks ago and loved it more than I even thought I would. The pics of WL also look amazing!

Love H's first haircut. The pictures of him w/ the mirror are priceless! Can't believe it is $14.99!! What a bargain!!

Lastly, sorry that the family drama is continuing. Your family is in my thoughts.

Oh and yeah for DH remembering the mug! He's a keeper!!

 

[ILuvCrush]

Brook those were, once again, terrific episodes I just adore all Henry's 1st haircut pics!! He is such a cutie pie and SO good!!!

Paula

 

[brookelizabeth]

oh my gosh.. Henry looks ADORABLE in the barber shop pictures...so handsome and grown up!!!!!!

i wanted to say i have been reading since the beginning and i have been absolutely hooked. i get so excited when i see there was an update lol its sad, but at least i am aware of my addiction

also, im so sorry to hear about your grandmother , she has been in my thoughts and prayers since i read about it. time does heal all but the hardest part is waiting for that time to pass...hope all is well

I am the same way with many TRs! (I think many of us DISers are...) Lately I haven't had much time on the DIS, so I'm way behind on almost all my subscriptions though....someday I'll catch up!

Thank you for reading-I'm glad to hear you are enjoying it! And thank you for the nice comments on Henry! Now we are so used to his hair being short, I look back at the first few days of the trip and can't believe I let it grow that long!

Thank you as well for your prayers for my Grandma!

You are all so so adorable and your son is gorgeous. And I love your writing style! I'm still making my way through, but I just had to drop a note and say I love this TR! And you totally made me want to stay at WL! Gorgeous!

Thank you and welcome!!! The WL is awesome!

This one needs to be framed and set out for you to see every single day. It is precious!

I'm glad you got to spend some special time with your family. I know it meant a lot to your grandmother to have everyone surrounding her with love.

Thanks MeMom! We actually got a bunch of picture frames for Christmas gifts, so I just might take your advice!

It was really wonderful to see my Grandma-and she was surrouneded by EVERYONE. Cousins I haven't seen in years showed up this year! I think there were near 30 people and SIX GIANT DOGS! It was complete chaos, but in a warm fuzzy way.

Sounds like another fun and exciting day - and no bathroom stops to report on! Things must have been looking up!

What an interesting experience on Space! Does it look as freaky in there with the lights on that others have reported? After reading those accounts, I don't dare put my hands up - afraid my hands will hit the track above!

You know, if Vanna White ever retires, I bet you'd be a shoe-in with the quality of your hand gestures! No really, you do look cute!

I agree with you on the balloon bunches - a picture I took of them on our last trip became the cover of our trip album. Wouldn't be cool to buy the whole bunch (and possibly float up, up and away above the MK, similar to Gonzo!)

And I also agree with MeMom - that is the most adorable picture ever. One of those precious moments in time captured so beautifully. What a special place to get his first haircut - and he looks so handsome!

Looking forward to seeing your Christmas pictures. And I'll continue to keep your grandma in my prayers.... Thank you for the update

You know, I don't think we had even stopped yet for a bathroom break this day! That Pepto was really helping.

SM looks TOTALLY FREAKY with the lights on - there is track everywhere! It's all wound up in there-the engineering and planning it took for that ride is really something. I don't think I'll ever be putting my hands up on it again either!

It's so funny you mention Vanna White! My first caption under the Tomorrowland picture was something like "Vanna White wannabe". I think I could handle that gig...

I would love to buy all the balloons!! It would be so fun walking/floating around with them. I think I would go around and find little kids and hand them a balloon, watching their eyes light up!

The Barbershop was really a lot of fun-I'm glad it worked so well to get the haircut done there. It made for a fantastic memory.

Thank you for the prayers for my Grandma too.

You always do such great updates, Brook!!!

I, for one, love the pose with the hand. I think you should do it on every Disney trip!

Space Mountain scares the life out of me -- I don't think I have managed to get up the nerve to ride it since 1995. The mere thought of it stopping while I am on it makes my palms start sweating. Glad you enjoyed it though.

Henry's first haircut is just too precious -- what a great memory to have done it at the Magic Kingdom!!!

Glad that you were able to see your grandmother this weekend -- I hate that she is still going through that mess though.

The pose could be like my signature for each trip. I think I might just do that!

SM is pretty freaky-I can understand why it scares you! I love, love, love rollercoasters though. Seeing all the track wound around in there makes it even freakier-it's crazy!

The haircut was a lot of fun! I'm so glad we waited until our trip to get it done. It was such a special moment for all of us!

Thank you for your thoughts for my Grandma-I hate that she is going through all this too, I wish we could make little old ladies immune from this sort of drama and pain. By this time in their lives they should just be able to live comfortably in peace.

I may have to try and get my 20 month old daughter's hair cut there! We have yet to cut it at all (a lot easier to get away with a little girl's curly hair!) but what a fantastic memory for her first hair cut!

You should do it! It was so much fun! They ask you before they start how much to cut off, so you could still keep it longer and just get a trim too. The CMs are just awesome with the little ones, it was so special to get it done right there at MK too!

Aaawww, Henry did so GOOD!! I think both my kids screamed through their first haircuts (the younger one still does sometimes )

Very cool about SM breaking down. I was once on BTMRR when it broke down. We were lifting up the big hill and just stopped. We sat there for about 15 minutes just looking up at the sky. A CM came to talk with us while we waited, I suppose to make sure nobody tried to walk down.

Hope your family had a merry christmas. Thanks for the update on your grandmother.

I was SO surprised Henry wasn't wiggling around everywhere and trying to get down from the chair-which would have led straight to screams and tears!

Did you ever find out why BTMRR broke down? I wonder if it's something similar to SM. I would think many roller coasters have that sort of safety feature built in. I can't imagine getting stuck on EE! Eeeeek!

Aw!!! Those pictures are the absolute cutest Henry looks adorable sitting in the chair covered in Mickey stickers! That must have been such a fun moment for all of you. The past two updates were a lot of fun to read. It must have been awesome getting to ride Space Mountain with the lights on! I've always wondered what it was like so your post prompted me to look it up on Youtube

I'm glad you all had a Merry Christmas!

Thank you! It really was a great memory, looking back at the pictures makes me all sappy with a big grin!

I'll have to look it up on Youtube too! I was wishing I had the camera with to take pictures or video.

All caught up! You are a great TR writer. I'm so glad "we" have a January trip to look forward to! And I like that your plans for January are easy-going. You will be back... many times over so there's no rush!

Congratulations, again, on DVC. I too got teary hearing about how much of your DVC excitement comes from being able to share with others. Esp the part about how you want your sister to get dizzy from the teacups, rock with Aerosmith etc.

So question for you... AKL vs. Wilderness Lodge. Do you have a favorite? I stayed at AKL just a few weeks ago and loved it more than I even thought I would. The pics of WL also look amazing!

Love H's first haircut. The pictures of him w/ the mirror are priceless! Can't believe it is $14.99!! What a bargain!!

Lastly, sorry that the family drama is continuing. Your family is in my thoughts.

Oh and yeah for DH remembering the mug! He's a keeper!!

I LOVE hearing that we will be back many times over...ahhhh... It's a dream come true! I can't wait to take my sister and here boys. When I saw her over Christmas she mentioned just taking the boys and she'd stay at home, but I couldn't - she doesn't know what she's missing!! I think her thought is that by the end of the week we'd be completely sick of each other, but that's what those lock-off villas are for!

AKL vs WL. Ooooh boy. That is REALLY tough. AKL has a much better CS, and I think there are more little details in everything, they are both warm and cozy, but in different ways. The location of WL is a bit better (though, I didn't mind AKL b/c the bus service was superb), I LOVE the lake view at WL...It's a very hard choice. I *think* I like AKL just a teensy bit more. And I think it's due to the theme. WL is beautiful...but AKL is different...it's non-American, so it feels even more speical to me.

I need to read your TR. I'm so far behind!

The deal at the Barbershop was awesome. I would have paid $25 easy for it all. But I hope Disney never realizes it's such a good deal.

Thank you for your thoughts for my family!

Joe IS a keeper. He got me a jewelery set for Christmas as well that I mentioned twice, months ago, that I liked. He was sly and got it for me! I was just shocked. He did AMAZINGLY well with gifts. Thoughtful and loves Disney. What else could a gal ask for????

Brook those were, once again, terrific episodes I just adore all Henry's 1st haircut pics!! He is such a cutie pie and SO good!!!

Paula

Thank you!!!!!! I was really surprised he was so good at the barbershop. I fully expected a squirming, fussing baby. I really think it was due to the CM being so so good. She was quick and spoke to him in a soft tone, kept him interested with things to look at and play with - they are pros!!

All the pictures of his haircut turn me in a puddle. It was such a special memory. Hopefully if we have more children, the timing will work out to share the same moment with them!

 

[tiggrbaby]

Awwww, those haircut pics are soooo precious!!! What a magical memory!

 

[SoonerGirl]

How stinkin' cute is Henry with his big boy haircut?! What a precious memory, and he did so good too!

I can't believe SM broke down on you and you got to see it with all the lights on. I once watched a youtube video of it with the lights on and after that my hands and arms stay down and inside the vehicle! Those tracks look so close together I'm afraid I'm going to hit the track above me!

 

[Hollywoodhaha]

Just thought I should let you know ..

I have the same shirt as you [:

 

[Lady Lallie]

Oh, the pictures from Henry's first haircut are ADORABLE. What a great memory for you all!! That is a seriously great bargain too for $14!

And I don't think you look dorky in your pose. You have to have an official Disney pose afterall!