We HAVE to go back! And for the Holidays this time! We leave tomorrow!!!

[DizNee Luver]

Hey everyone! Sorry I've been MIA for a while. Had quite a bit going on.

J and I have both been super busy working with our AdvoCare business. Busy means good (and it's a fun busy, usually hosting parties and talking to people), but our summer is flying by! I mean, it's already July!!

We also had a somewhat rough week. One of J's friends from high school passed away suddenly this past Tuesday. He was at a soccer game Monday night and passed out on the field. He had an aneurism and was taken off life support Tuesday afternoon. He was married with a 4 year old and a 9 year old. It rips my heart up to know Ed's family is hurting so bad.
One comfort is that J was able to see Ed twice last week after not having seen him in a long time. Call it what you will: fate, God's plan, lining of the stars. Whatever it was, J was able to see Ed, not once but two more times before he passed. J was also able to say goodbye at the hospital, so that brings him a little peace.
It's been pretty hard on both us. J because of losing his old friend, me because I'm seeing him hurt so bad. This is just a reminder that life is so short, don't take it for granted.

Ok, I'll end this post now. I could go on forever about hugging your loved ones extra hard, telling those you love that you love them, and living for every minute, but I won't. I really appreciate you all so much for staying along on this journey. Every single one of you are special and are loved! I hope you all enjoy your weekend! I promise I'll post an update soon about the trip!

Yay for business going well!!!

So sorry for your loss. I lost my ex sister in law suddenly last week too. She was 42 & had a "cardiac event". So sad. She led a hard life (which was part of the reason she was an "ex") but over the last few years, she had gotten her you know what together & was reconnecting with her 2 kids (23 & 19). You're right.....you just don't know when someone's time will be up.

I'll be keeping his family & yours in my thoughts & prayers!!

 

[amandaluvsgoofy]

Where do you get that cupcake? I need one NOW!!!

I hear ya! I do the same thing when I'm on the DP. And I always order the most expensive thing.

Agreed...so sad and lame

I am SO sorry to hear about y'alls friend's passing You are right. Life is definitely way too short. My sister passed away at 17 years old. You just never know when your number will be called. Many prayers and thoughts for y'all and the family involved.

Isn't it to die for? The picture alone really doesn't do it justice. This one is the Red Velvet Cupcake from Staring Rolls in DHS. It's near the Brown Derby. I want to try a new one next time (like maybe the Butterfinger), but dang this one was sooooo good!! I'm actually thinking we may have lunch here one day (they're sandwiches are supposed to be good! And Huge!) then following it up with a cupcake!

Thank you. The funeral was yesterday, so that was rough. It was amazing how Ed's widow was handling things. I'm sure it was partly shock, but she really had it together. J was also able to reconnect with so many friends from high school, so I guess that could be seen as a good thing that came out of Ed's passing.

I am so incredibly sorry to hear about your sister! I couldn't imagine losing a sibling, or a daughter that young!

Yay for business going well!!!

So sorry for your loss. I lost my ex sister in law suddenly last week too. She was 42 & had a "cardiac event". So sad. She led a hard life (which was part of the reason she was an "ex") but over the last few years, she had gotten her you know what together & was reconnecting with her 2 kids (23 & 19). You're right.....you just don't know when someone's time will be up.

I'll be keeping his family & yours in my thoughts & prayers!!

Thank you! And I am so sorry to hear about your ex sister in law! That is so heartbreaking to hear she was on track to getting her life back together then passing. I hope she was able to make peace with her kids/family.

 

[amandaluvsgoofy]

I posted earlier today and saw my ticker. I can't believe we have 5 months and 2 days left! I know this trip will be here before we know it, so I gotta soak in all the planning/fun time I can!

Day 4 (part 1)

This is our Animal Kingdom morning!
We'll probably have a quick breakfast at Mara that day then head over to AK for opening! I'm really hoping to hit up Kilimanjaro Safari first, or at the very least get a FP for it. I would LOVE to see FotLK again and also Finding Nemo (we missed it the last few trips). We'll also probably spend a little more time at Camp Minnie Mickey so Emma can meet and greet some folks.

J will probably beg to ride EE, and who can blame him! Depending on our day and the crowds, I'm sure we could take a walk over there. Besides, I love that part of the park. Something about being in it makes me feel like I'm really in Asia!

I'm also really excited about seeing the Jingle Jungle Parade, although we never saw Mickey's Jammin' Jungle Parade before (not having kids with you can sometimes make you miss the sweet stuff and head straight for the thrill rides!). And I'm sure if we let her, Emma will want to spend some time at the Boneyard!

Like most of our days, we don't have a TON of set-in-stone plans, so we'll just see what Emma wants to do this morning. Sadly, it will probably have to be an early day at AK. I'm thinking we'll probably need to head out around 12 or 1pm at the latest.

As far as meals go, we might plan an easy (and light) lunch somewhere like Flame Tree BBQ or Pizzafari. Although we did love our lunch at Restaurantosauras! Whatever we decide we don't want to eat too much since we have early dinner plans for the Candlelight Processional!!

Up next, CP and Epcot plans! Our favorite park that is not getting as much attention this trip. How will that work?!

 

[Leger13]

great plans for the first part of day 4! Your AK plans sound much like mine. Let the LO lead the way really. We chose AK over DHS for my DS's sake thinking he would enjoy AK more. I can't wait to spend a whole day there doing whatever he wants. We've always been in and out of that park so fast. I love FotLK!! OMG best show ever! We haven't seen Nemo though either.

 

[jenny105]

All I can say about the AK parade is beware of the parade route! There will be people who do not want to watch the parade trying to navigate their way to the exit & will bump into you while cutting through the shops. I know this because I am one of those people LOL. The parade route is the worst!

 

[amandaluvsgoofy]

great plans for the first part of day 4! Your AK plans sound much like mine. Let the LO lead the way really. We chose AK over DHS for my DS's sake thinking he would enjoy AK more. I can't wait to spend a whole day there doing whatever he wants. We've always been in and out of that park so fast. I love FotLK!! OMG best show ever! We haven't seen Nemo though either.

Yes! J and I had a discussion this morning (well, HE talked about it out loud) about how he can't wait to ride ALL the fun stuff again. I had to give him a look and remind him who this trip is for. Of course he caught himself and realized this trip will be more incredible than our past two! I've heard little kiddos really do appreciate AK more. I mean, just LOOK at the place! I really hope we get to see both the FotLK and Nemo! I think they will both be fantastic!

All I can say about the AK parade is beware of the parade route! There will be people who do not want to watch the parade trying to navigate their way to the exit & will bump into you while cutting through the shops. I know this because I am one of those people LOL. The parade route is the worst!

Thanks for the tip! I think we've avoided it the last few times. Gotta love the parades and the crowds. Of course I have a feeling we'll be one of the parade watchers this trip as opposed to a parade dodger!

 

[amandaluvsgoofy]

Has it really been that long since I've posted about our trip!?! WOW!! So sorry everyone! How can life fly by so quickly?! And the summer! Where did it go?! AND!! We're almost under 4 months until our trip!!

Anyway, I did want to post a little bit today! What's new? MORE changes! Nothing severe, just another dining change. Seriously, is there a help group for this? I could cancel and book dining reservations all day long, constantly second-guessing myself!

What's the change, you ask? Our evening to see the Osbourne Lights we were scheduled at 50's Prime Time. A part of me was a little underwhelmed with the reviews (service and food). Plus, since we live in Texas, home cooking is the norm around here. I know the experience will be much different at DHS, so we'll definitely try it on a future trip! So what did we switch it for?

MAMA MELROSE'S!!!

Now you might be wondering why. A couple of reasons for this. First, I remember eating here in 1994 (my last trip before J and I went in 2009) and really enjoyed it. I mean, it's Italian! I love me some pizza! And bread! Second, I think Emma will enjoy pizza more than fried chicken. She's officially an American kid. Chicken nuggets, pizza, ice cream, and chips. The four basic food groups. Third, isn't this place a bit closer to the Osbourne Lights? I thought it might be, so this could make getting out to see the lights a bit easier. Our ressie is around 5pm. Like most dinners this trip, it's a little early. But that's ok because I'm sure we'll find the need for a snack/dessert later in the evening!

Up next, the rest of our DAY 4!!!!

 

[Inumom2]

I am on board...Just joined... Looks like your second day is a lot like my last day at the parks. We are spending the morning at downtown Disney, having lunch at EOS or WP, not sure which place right now. Doing last of our shopping of the trip. And then back to the hotel so our DD5 could nap before we head over to MK at 4 for the MVMCP.
Looking forward to reading the rest of your pre-trip report.

You inspired me to start a trip report....well I have most of it typed up, now I just have to post it.

 

[RooRach0906]

Your Day 4 plans look great!

I hope you do a TR when you get back because I would love to hear how you like Mama Melrose's.

 

[amandaluvsgoofy]

I am on board...Just joined... Looks like your second day is a lot like my last day at the parks. We are spending the morning at downtown Disney, having lunch at EOS or WP, not sure which place right now. Doing last of our shopping of the trip. And then back to the hotel so our DD5 could nap before we head over to MK at 4 for the MVMCP.
Looking forward to reading the rest of your pre-trip report.

You inspired me to start a trip report....well I have most of it typed up, now I just have to post it.

I think it's super important to have a day (even part of a day) to chill at DTD! We had WPE our last two trips. The first time we fell in love! and J strongly requested it for our second trip. I think the staff was a little off that day cause they brought out a "not cooked well" pizza and told us to wait for the "right" one. Uh, why they brought out the wrong one I'll never know. We were so hungry that we ate what was in front of us and were too full by the time the second one came out. Now, don't get me wrong, the food at WPE is AWESOME!! It really is the best QS place on Disney property in my opinion. I think we just wanted to try something new, so that's when EoS popped into my head! I've wanted to try a sandwich there after seeing so many wonderful reviews and amazing pictures!!

And yes, start a TR! I would love to read it!

Your Day 4 plans look great!

I hope you do a TR when you get back because I would love to hear how you like Mama Melrose's.

Hey Rach! Thanks!! I totally plan on doing a TR when we get back! It helps me to relieve the magic all over again!

And I will definitely let you know what we think of Mama Melrose's! I'm hoping for some yummy pizza/pasta dishes!

 

[jenny105]

I love 50's PTC. We don't do the whole home-cooking thing here though. We're the opposite. Plenty of Italian food to go around so Mama Melrose doesn't hold much appeal. I'm sure you guys will enjoy it!

 

[amandaluvsgoofy]

I love 50's PTC. We don't do the whole home-cooking thing here though. We're the opposite. Plenty of Italian food to go around so Mama Melrose doesn't hold much appeal. I'm sure you guys will enjoy it!

I know, I'm kinda bummed we're gonna miss it this trip. I have to remind myself that we'll have an almost 3-year old with us, so some restaurants may not be her cup of tea. But by the next trip we should hopefully be good for 50's PTC!

 

[amandaluvsgoofy]

Hey everyone! Before I post about our plans for the rest of Day 4, I wanted to mention a couple of things. First, in less than a few days we'll be under 4 months until our trip! That means my ticker will actually say 3 months!! Second, I just found out today that the DIS Radio was discontinued! I was soooooo bummed!! Granted I didn't listen everyday (obviously because it's been off for most of the summer), but I loved it! If any of you are looking for a good substitute, www.d-cot.com has a jukebox option where you can listen to theme park music. It's just so wonderful to have playing on the computer when I'm working/planning our vacation! Even right now as I type it's playing the theme park music of WALL-E! Awesome!!

Anyway, on to talk about the rest of our Day 4! After a (sadly) short time at AK, we'll head back to the hotel to rest/freshen up. We might grab a snack at Mara depending on if we ate at AK or not. We'll probably need to leave the hotel no later than 3 to get to Epcot for our (super early) dinner reservation at one of J's favorite places!! Here's a few hints:

Had to throw in a yoga shot!

Yep!! The Garden Grill! This has been J's request every trip and I will happily agree! I really hope Emma enjoys it! Mickey will be there, so of course she will!

Once we're finished with dinner we will eventually need to head over for the Candlelight Processional! We're set to see the 6:45 showing and I can't wait! I've heard so many wonderful things about this, I know it's going to be awesome! Again, just hope Emma can hang!

After CP, we can decide what to do for the rest of the evening. One nice option is that we'll have guaranteed seating for Illuminations, which we haven't really watched before. So this might be a good opportunity for us to see it. I would love to walk around WS a little, maybe pick up a few snacks while we're there (Norway, you're calling my name!).

Sadly, we'll have to head back to the hotel and pack But, we do have one more fun morning/day planned before we have to head back! And I can't wait to see the look on Emma's face when it happens!

 

[jenny105]

I love the yoga shot. Pluto's nose is touching the ground LOL.

 

[amandaluvsgoofy]

I love the yoga shot. Pluto's nose is touching the ground LOL.

Ha! Thank you!! I may try to get a few more poses with characters this next trip. Could you imagine Cinderella doing Tree pose with me?!

 

[RooRach0906]

The rest of your day 4 plans sounds great! Garden Grill looks fun. I hope Emma does well at the CP, I really want to see it but I do not think Annabelle will sit through it.

 

[amandaluvsgoofy]

I apologize ahead of time for the pictures and all the different sizes. I borrowed a few from the internet.


I am seriously going to rename this PTR the "Never Ending Changing PTR!" Yes! More changes have been made. And the sad part, this probably won't be the end of it!

So what changes, you ask?

First, although we haven't purchased tickets yet, the ones I've seen have offers to buy a 3-day park hopper and get 1-day free. So our first full day we'll actually head to Magic Kingdom for EMHM!
So Emma will get to see this bright and early our first day!

Just imagine MK decked out in holiday gear and minimal crowds since it's EMH!

So if we get there before 8am, we should be able to hit up quite a few things in Fantasyland. Oh yeah! Did you all hear the new Fantasyland will open Dec 6?! Just in time for our trip!!

My plan is hit up some things Emma would like and might be hard to get into later: Dumbo, Under the Sea, Winnie the Pooh, Buzz Lightyear, Haunted Mansion, etc

We'll just see where the wind (and Emma) takes us until about 9:30 because then we need to head for

From the DW website.

YES!!! We're having breakfast at Crystal Palace!! I was originally kinda bummed we were going to miss it this trip, but now we got it! Emma knows who Pooh is, I just need to get her familiar with the rest of the gang so she doesn't flip out. Granted, it's more of a brunch time, but I wanted to be sure we had plenty of time in the park before the crowds got in.

After breakfast we can either walk around the park a little or go check out the MK resorts (yes, please!). We'll probably go back and rest at the hotel for a little bit before we head back for MVMCP!


Is that it for the changes? Of course not! I'm telling y'all, I need help!

So after I posted about switching our dining plans for Mama Melrose's for our Osbourne Lights evening, I started to think of something else. See, I'm planning on getting the Deluxe Dining Plan this trip since we're doing the CPP and CRT (2 credits each). Now I gotta make sure we get our moneys worth, and MM just didn't seem like the place.

Now our plans for that evening are to see the lights around 6 or 6:30 (whenever they come on) then walk over for a later dinner (almost 8pm) at

From Trip Advisor.

I just barely mentioned to J my plans for this evening and when heard the word clambake, he almost jumped out of his seat! My DH really enjoys seafood. Plus, since it's another buffet, I feel pretty confident that Emma will find something she likes. AND it's definitely more expensive than Mama Melrose's

Those are the changes I've made so far, but don't hold your breath there won't be more!

Thanks again for reading everyone!

 

[RooRach0906]

Love the changes! What day are you doing Crystal Palace?? We are going 11th at 9:55.

There are nuggets and Mac n Cheese on Cape May buffet and the all you can eat crab legs!!!

 

[amandaluvsgoofy]

Love the changes! What day are you doing Crystal Palace?? We are going 11th at 9:55.

There are nuggets and Mac n Cheese on Cape May buffet and the all you can eat crab legs!!!

Thanks!! We're having breakfast at CP on the 13th, so we'll miss you by a few days. Can't wait for the puffed french toast!! And the Mickey waffles!! They are so delicious there!!

And I know J is really gonna love Cape May! We're both fans of crab legs, but I hate the "working" part of eating them! Sometimes J is gracious enough to get a really good piece and share (or give) it to me!

 

[amandaluvsgoofy]

What a bad diser I've been! Bad! Bad! Bad! For several weeks I was able to log on and read a few threads, then had to log off. There were also days where I didn't get on the DIS at all! Shame, shame! Had tons going on (as most of y'all do, too!). With the school year starting I had to get adjusted to not having J around to help with Emma. But the good news is that she's starting a pre-school program where I'll have some me-time two days a week. Although I might have to work a little on those days!

Anyway, Day 5!

Our last day/morning! This is the day you don't want to think about...EVER! I know it eventually has to happen, but it still stinks!

The good news is that we have a fun morning planned. I managed to score an pre-park opening breakfast reservation at none other than...

I am soooooooo excited about this!! I've always wanted to eat in the castle, and I can't believe we got it!! I really hope Emma enjoys this one! I'm debating on dressing her up for this, but we'll see. Gonna base it on the weather and her mood!

Once we have our yummy breakfast we'll set out to explore MK a little before we have to head out. I'm planning on hitting things we missed or things we want to do again. And when I say "we" my plan is to let Emma decide. Our flight leaves around 4, so if we do DME we'll probably have to leave the hotel around 1. I am seriously considering renting a car for the week. I know it might seem like a waste of money, but there are so many pros to using our own car! Leaving when we want, not worrying about a crowded bus, not worrying about dealing with a stroller on the bus! I don't know... do any of you have an opinion on this?

So even though our plans are written in dirt (never carved in stone), things can always change. And I do have some news to share with y'all, but I'll post that soon! And not a month soon, I promise!!