cindianne320
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 27, 2010
What a fun afternoon! I'm glad Mimi and Eddie got to join you for some MK time! And WHOA- I can't believe that Landon was big enough/brave enough to ride Space! So exciting!
I love this area of the park:
I hadn’t seen my mother in-law since Christmas, so it was fun to be able to sit back and catch up while Tangled music played in the background. And fortunately, my mom and Mimi get along really well and I am pretty sure they spent the majority of the time talking, with me just sitting in the middle nodding.
Rapunzel couldn’t have picked a better time to go the extra mile and create a magical memory for my kids. My mother in-law is not a fan of theme parks, and if it weren’t for how much she loved her grandchildren she wouldn’t get within a hundred feet of Disney property. She has always carried that view of the parks being “too expensive, too crowded, and too busy.”
He might not have gotten a word in edgewise, but he did still get to enjoy the nauseating spin and blur that is the tea cups:
Everyone surviving the tea cups with a weak hold of their stomachs, I spotted a photopass photographer as we exited and dragged everyone over for a group shot:
I guess they told her they were moving to England and she told them they had to drink tea while there. This was very important. The kids took Alice’s orders VERY SERIOUSLY. To this day, if they see Alex making himself a cup of tea, they comment that they, “Have to go back and tell Alice we’ve had tea now.”
Landon loved Space Mountain, and the now familiar barrage of “Can we go on that again?!” started before the lap bars had lifted and the vehicle had come to a complete stop.
My mom and I stayed at the Poly and continued a long upheld tradition of ours.
Indulging in a Dole Whip.
I like it!My family doesn’t always go to the Magic Kingdom in the morning, but when we do…we ride IASW standby and then Fastpass Peter Pan’s Flight.
If only it were more than a restroom and stroller parking.I love this area of the park:
That is awesome! I'm glad Rapunzel made such a memorable meet for you!Rapunzel was up next, and my goodness! The kids told her about hunting for Pascals, which sent Rapunzel down a very long-winded conversation about playing hide and seek and the need to include Flynn in the game and how Landon and Evie needed to keep an eye out for the chameleon for the rest of the day.
The talk went on for so long that the three of them sat down on the ground to get more comfortable, and a significant line had built up behind us.
Nah, you don't get the opportunity for a top notch character interaction like that every time. I think most people get it.It was so sweet of Landon to want to include everyone, but I know the poor guests behind us were like, “Good grief will these people ever leave?!”
It's a great picture, and I love your reflection on what it means, and what your family means and the love everyone has for your kids.Okay, that’s enough of THAT sort of talk. This is a trip report, not a dissection into the fortunes my kids have inherited through sheer luck.
I mean, it makes sense! Better get that trip booked so they can let Alice know how they enjoy the tea!I guess they told her they were moving to England and she told them they had to drink tea while there. This was very important. The kids took Alice’s orders VERY SERIOUSLY. To this day, if they see Alex making himself a cup of tea, they comment that they, “Have to go back and tell Alice we’ve had tea now.”
First of all, that's awesome! I'm glad he enjoyed it so much.Landon loved Space Mountain, and the now familiar barrage of “Can we go on that again?!” started before the lap bars had lifted and the vehicle had come to a complete stop.
Gotta love those family pictures taken under protest!The heat from the midday sun and the busy morning had caught up to him, and when Alex and I firmly told him no, that we needed to get out of the heat and rest, he became a sourpuss.
Navigating kids and Disney is sure an adventure!
I'm glad you got your chance to do that!Nothing says enjoying Disney with my Mama like an ice cold pineapple Dole Whip, sitting and people watching and chatting about absolutely nothing and sharing in an experience that’s so simple and yet so lasting.
It’s the little things, you guys….
How has everyone’s winter been going?
We’re still waiting on Landon’s post op appointment for his eyes (gotta love handling insurance claims at an overseas location) but Alex and I are confident the procedure helped at least a little bit. There’s a 30% chance he’ll need the surgery again in his life, and all I’ll say about that is…it better hold off until he’s old enough to administer his own eyedrops. I looked like I was wrestling a greased bear!
I’ll take them into London and Cambridge, and then we are all going up to Scotland for a few days. I actually found a lodge attached to a castle that we are going to stay. How exciting is that?!
This is going to be a drastically different kind of Disney trip than we have ever taken before.
There will be 5 kids under the age of 8.
But listening to him go on and on about TSMM forced me to accept that he had grown up a lot since our last vacation.
I was now going to have to approach Disney in a different way.
WHY DO I DO THIS TO MYSELF?! Every year, I tell myself not to suffer through summertime in Florida with small children. And yet, almost every summer I find myself back in the parks, toting around a little furnace in 100 degree heat.
Will I never learn???
Unfortunately, Landon’s eyes were bigger than his stomach and he ended up eating too much food, too quickly.
If you’re not toting tiny humans or heavy bags are you even a DISdad???
My mom, like always, smiled and listened patiently to my grand dreams. She’s so tolerant of my wishful musings.
I have gotten some real gems from these pre-park opening Main Street shots in the past. Some of my favorites, actually.
But alas, the kids were not having it this day.
“Evie, we’re at Disney! We’re inside the Magic Kingdom.”
*Glares*
“We’re going to go on the carousel, meet princesses, eat lots of good food!”
*Continues to glare*
I wanted us to get the usual assortment of photographs and just had to tell the kids they had to suck it up and stand for a few minutes. Which resulted in a series of art I like to call: Frowning through the Generations.
So I spent the entire time in the line straightening his wrist before the grapes on his plate rolled onto the carpet, all while apologizing to the guests behind us for my son taking twelve years to pick up a waffle.
He replied with: “Hey, I’m on vacation. I can have ice cream for breakfast!”
There was a very kind woman next to me on the attraction that offered to take our picture, and I’m forever grateful to her for her kindness.
I do love meeting her, though, because I think she has one of the prettiest dresses of all the royal gals.
Well, Mimi walked out of the princess meet and greet very impressed by the level of attention the kids received. She couldn’t believe how they struck up a conversation and allowed the kids to express their thoughts, and I could practically see the old views turning and evolving in her mind.
I guess they told her they were moving to England and she told them they had to drink tea while there. This was very important. The kids took Alice’s orders VERY SERIOUSLY. To this day, if they see Alex making himself a cup of tea, they comment that they, “Have to go back and tell Alice we’ve had tea now.”
The moods of a school aged kid….I was not prepared for it!
Believe it or not, my family didn’t visit the Magic Kingdom until the third day of our trip. With two little kids, I’m not sure how I managed to stay away for that long; I suppose the excitement of Toy Story Land and my mom’s birthday helped them forget what they were missing.
I have used both forms many times and found it's easiest to walk to the Poly in the morning hours, when the sun hasn’t fully risen and feet are fresh.
Not to mention, the quiet hours of the Polynesian as the grounds are first beginning to buzz are my favorite.
I also spent the duration of the walk from the first floor lobby to the monorail security check telling my mom how one day her and I were going to stay at there. We were going to sit by the pool with Dole Whips in hand and watch the MK fireworks over the water of Bay Lake.
My mom, like always, smiled and listened patiently to my grand dreams. She’s so tolerant of my wishful musings.
But alas, the kids were not having it this day.
Evie was downright grumpy.
The only reason we got a semi-decent expression out of Evie was because the Cast Member was waving a strand of Mickey stickers in his hand, promising both kids a ream if they cooperated. This man knew the way to a kid’s heart.
Straight up bribery.
Not long later, the wedding party arrived. One of the girls was wearing a Belle dress and a man was in a Beast tux. We thought it was the bride and groom but then we saw who we assumed was the bride in the carriage in a big white ballgown. So we could only assume she had her Maid of Honor and Best Man dress up in Beauty and the Beast attire.
I took Landon and Evie to get their plates of food first. With very firm instructions to Landon to moderate himself. That boy has no control at buffets. Especially breakfast ones, and I wasn’t having a repeat of the night before.
Buffets are great in the sense that you get to pick and choose what you want to eat, but they are a nightmare with six year olds. Landon wanted to hold his plate and dish his own food, but he was notorious for forgetting to hold his plate straight. So I spent the entire time in the line straightening his wrist before the grapes on his plate rolled onto the carpet, all while apologizing to the guests behind us for my son taking twelve years to pick up a waffle.
Giving up control and allowing kids to gain independence is a hard transition!
No trip to the Magic Kingdom is complete without riding It’s a Small World!
And yes, my kids banished Alex and I again. We had pretty much accepted this fate by now.
Oh, how my heart sings whenever I see this photo. I have it in a framed collage in our upstairs hall, because it brings me joy to see it as I walk through the house. I’m old enough now to understand what a special occasion it was to have the kids spend time with both grandmothers.
Landon wasn’t nervous about riding Space whatsoever, although he did become a little hesitant when we explained that he would be sitting in a chair on his own. I had to reassure him that I would be right behind him and could touch his shoulders whenever he needed some help.
As it turned out, though, once on the ride and moving along the track he forgot all about being on his own and had a fantastic time.
What a fabulous interaction!
Absolutely! Recognizing and cherishing those special moments is what makes life so sweet.
What a great day for all of you! Love the picture of all of you together. I guess it's a double edged sword that your DS loved SM. I'm sure at his age it's hard to understand why you can't just get in line and go again. He looks so little in the ride photo. Hope your MK evening is a good one!
Glad to see Evie became happier as the day progressed. OMG! She is the cutest!
And, I can't believe Landon rode SM!!! That's one brave kid!
This photo is absolutely precious.
Gotta love that juvenile honesty
That's pretty cool!
Having my brother in-law getting those tickets every year has allowed for a lot more Disney time with them. The kids have gotten to hang with him, their aunt, grandma, and grandfather over the years which is really special.
This is Mike also lol.
I used to get annoyed with how many conversations Alex strikes up, but now I've just accepted that it's going to happen and walk off to entertain myself until he's done.
Oo no! Glad she was ok!
My MIL is extremely accident prone, so her falling wasn't a surprise. (She was all right.) She broke an ankle four weeks before our wedding, and broke a foot ten minutes after arriving at my SIL's house over the summer. My kids tell her all the time that she's not allowed to go up and down our stairs without their assistance.
Awww, this is just so sweet!
What a fun afternoon! I'm glad Mimi and Eddie got to join you for some MK time! And WHOA- I can't believe that Landon was big enough/brave enough to ride Space! So exciting!
That is so awesome that you both could ride with Landon on his first ride on Space!! And I'm glad he loved it!!
And I'm glad you and your mom could enjoy a dole whip at the Poly together!!
Love this photo!
Wonderful tradition!
Fwiw, I think the kids wanting to ride with the grands just showed that you're raising confident, well adjusted kids who are comfortable exploring their independence. At least, I hope so, because my girls bail on me whenever they have the option to ride something without me, ride a row ahead of me, etc.
Gotta love those family pictures taken under protest!
Oh, how I had some major catching up to do! I'm so enjoying reading about your trip, Alicia!
Poor Landon, having gone through his surgery and those nasty drops. I hope he's doing well now and seeing some benefit!
This sounds amazing! Sometimes your adventures sound like living a real-life fairytale. I'm sure there are cons to having to move away from family and live abroad, but you also go on some wonderful excursions. Your children will have such wonderful travel experiences to inform how they learn about the world.
I still have memories of being on a Florida trip with my mom and her grouchily refuting my hugs saying it was way to humid for affection
She's a hoot! I'm sure it was a little less funny at the time though.
I also never realized how much Landon looks like Alex's side until I saw him with his Mimi.
I am all for walking as much as i can! I want them to have a walk way from the poly to MK, so i don't even need to take the monorail.... not that i have stayed there recently but i want it anyway!
I love this! Its one of those things that make a great mother daughter relationship!
I am sorry what? How did it look, i am picturing it looking VERY odd!
Brilliant updates. You had me getting so blurry eyed at the love your family have for eachother and the efforts you all make to spend quality time together. Love that Landon made it to space mountain and I also agree sometimes it’s the little things like a shared dole whip with your mum that make life precious
Haha on Evie’s grumpy face!
Lovely pics of Crystal Palace breakfast...I’m looking forward to dining there again
I asked Evie if she needed to go, and she said no. So I went. And by the time I made it back to her spot with the grandmas, she needed to go. Back to the restrooms I went.
When my mom walked up, about to ask to be let out, the poor fellow shouted, “You’ve got it!” and fled.
No exaggeration in this story. He literally threw his arms up in the air and turned tail and ran.
As you can see, one member of the family had reached her limit. She was tired and sick of being wet. We needed to get her back to the resort and dried off. Another Disney day was in the books!