We're back from surprising our kids– a grateful family -with pics and video.

[mickeysmyboy]

how cool that DS got picked!! John is dying to do it!! He was so terrible sick on our DHS day in March he didn't have it in him and he's a HUGE Star Wars fan!!

 

[sherreis]

How neat to have son picked...my boys would have been on
Loved the videos.
How could your DH fall asleep with all the noise from the Indiana Jones show I do remember it was loud.

I want to try ST also so hearing you say you liked it gives me hope.

Thanks. I was so happy when he got picked. Yes - the Indy show is loud but my DH can sleep anywhere.

So cool that your son was picked! My nephew would love that!

Great update.

Thanks. How old is your nephew?

Great report.

Thanks. Your trip is rapidly approaching!

how cool that DS got picked!! John is dying to do it!! He was so terrible sick on our DHS day in March he didn't have it in him and he's a HUGE Star Wars fan!!

There was one Mom there that had a sign that said "pick my son. this is his 7th time to see this without being picked." It worked. Get there early and try to be near the steps to the stage.

 

[sherreis]

I live outside Baltimore and work from home. My office is in Annapolis and I have only been there a few times in the year I’ve worked at my company. Yesterday, we had a lunch meeting at a restaurant in Annapolis.
This is the view from the restaurant – it’s the Severn River and across the river is the Naval Academy. Thought you might want to see. Unfortunately, it was a gloomy day.

Now, back to Disney World….

After I woke up DH at Indy, it was off to One Man’s Dream. DH and I had both wanted to see it and insisted that the boys had to see it as well. After all, they were missing school for this trip – they could do something educational. DS13 has read a biography on Walt so he would know some of the info.

DH and I enjoyed walking through and looking at the memorabilia and we really enjoyed the movie and were glad that we stayed to see it. As we were leaving, we stopped to see if The Incredibles were signing autographs but we ran into Frozone first and were the last ones to get autographs from him and Mr. & Mrs. Incredible came out right afterwards.
After this it was time to go back to CSR for a break. We took our time walking towards the entrance and had our family pic of the park taken.

Then, we stopped in the photopass shop to look at the Jedi Training pics and then back to CSR for a break.

 

[mickeysmyboy]

Another great update! I still can't believe your DH feel asleep in Indy!

The pictures of Annapolis are beautiful!!

 

[vdarrell]

I live outside Baltimore and work from home. My office is in Annapolis and I have only been there a few times in the year I’ve worked at my company. Yesterday, we had a lunch meeting at a restaurant in Annapolis.
This is the view from the restaurant – it’s the Severn River and across the river is the Naval Academy. Thought you might want to see. Unfortunately, it was a gloomy day.

Now, back to Disney World….

After I woke up DH at Indy, it was off to One Man’s Dream. DH and I had both wanted to see it and insisted that the boys had to see it as well. After all, they were missing school for this trip – they could do something educational. DS13 has read a biography on Walt so he would know some of the info.

DH and I enjoyed walking through and looking at the memorabilia and we really enjoyed the movie and were glad that we stayed to see it. As we were leaving, we stopped to see if The Incredibles were signing autographs but we ran into Frozone first and were the last ones to get autographs from him and Mr. & Mrs. Incredible came out right afterwards.
After this it was time to go back to CSR for a break. We took our time walking towards the entrance and had our family pic of the park taken.

Then, we stopped in the photopass shop and then back to CSR for a break.

Neat pictures of the navel academy.
I do remember years ago going through One man's Dream with my Dh and sons and we all found it interesting. Looking forward to going through it again since it has probably been added on to.
Such a neat picture of your family.....Looks as if DH did wake up. Did the thought of leaving him to sleep it off at the Indy show when it was over ever occur to you

 

[Kirby]

Subscribing. I'm enjoying reading about your trip!

 

[Schmoodle]

I'm enjoying your trip along with you. Glad you had a nice day at my favorite park! We thought about trying for the Jedi Academy, but DS is 12, and was okay with skipping it, although he still loves Star Wars. Guess that was his last chance, next time we get back there he'll be too old.

Thanks for the Annapolis pix. I am from Annapolis, but moved away a few years ago to Western MD. Although I'm only about an hour and a half away, I rarely get back there anymore. I miss it, and your pix make me homesick, but glad to be out of the traffic!

 

[ktcov]

Love reading your TR! Now I really cant wait to go back next year with our daughter!

 

[sherreis]

Another great update! I still can't believe your DH feel asleep in Indy!
The pictures of Annapolis are beautiful!!

I can't believe he slept through it either. At least he didn't start snoring! Annapolis is a nice place and eating at this restaurant at company’s expense is nice too. I’ll be going back to Annapolis next month for the company holiday party. It’s at this really nice place right on the Chesapeake Bay – it’s where the Today show held one of their weddings several years ago.

Neat pictures of the navel academy.
I do remember years ago going through One man's Dream with my Dh and sons and we all found it interesting. Looking forward to going through it again since it has probably been added on to.
Such a neat picture of your family.....Looks as if DH did wake up. Did the thought of leaving him to sleep it off at the Indy show when it was over ever occur to you

I’m glad we went through it. DS8 told us it was the one thing he didn’t like that day. Oh well….he’ll get over it. As for leaving DH there - would not have been good. He would still be there trying to find his way out of the park. He is so directionally (is that a word?) challenged.

Subscribing. I'm enjoying reading about your trip!

Thanks for reading Kirby.

I'm enjoying your trip along with you. Glad you had a nice day at my favorite park! We thought about trying for the Jedi Academy, but DS is 12, and was okay with skipping it, although he still loves Star Wars. Guess that was his last chance, next time we get back there he'll be too old.

Thanks for the Annapolis pix. I am from Annapolis, but moved away a few years ago to Western MD. Although I'm only about an hour and a half away, I rarely get back there anymore. I miss it, and your pix make me homesick, but glad to be out of the traffic!

Thank you Schmoodle. Big difference between Annapolis and western MD. Are you in the mountains? I’ve never been out further than Hagerstown. I keep saying we’ll get to Deep Creek one of these days. I am sorry if I made you homesick. Annapolis is a neat place especially if you like water. As for your DS and Jedi Training, my other DS stood and watched and enjoyed watching his brother.

Love reading your TR! Now I really cant wait to go back next year with our daughter!

Congratulations!!! She's adorable. How is new Mommyhood? I hope things went well for you with labor and delivery (I'm a former L&D nurse and you can never get that out of me). I hope she's a good baby and knows how lucky she is that Mommy is already planning her first trip to WDW. My boys were 6 and 11 when they went the first time.

 

[sherreis]

After this it was time to go back to CSR for a break. We took our time walking towards the entrance and had our family pic of the park taken.

Back to CSR. We had promised the boys they could go to the Dig Site and I knew how much both of the boys were looking forward to the slide. I could kick myself for not taking more pics of them on the water slide and in the pool. Oh well – I guess there needs to be a next time now, right?

Here are some resort/pool pics.

 

[mickeysmyboy]

Great pics Sherri!!! I love the picture of DS in the hammock!! I swear, those WDW hammocks are calling me and I'm counting down the days until I can actually get in one and relax in March!

 

[KatMark]

I'm finally catching up on your trip report (my office has been crazy since the election--my boss is involved with the Obama transition). I am thoroughly enjoying your report; your boys are darling and it sounds and looks like you had a great time. I'm so glad that Casitas 4 worked out for you.

 

[ktcov]

Love the pool pics...the boys look like they had a great time...but then again how can you not at Disney World. I can only imagine your trip will be a story they will tell for the rest of their lives. Leave school, jump on a plane... go to Disney World!!

L&D wasnt so bad. Well let me take that back. My water broke at 4:30 am. Labor was awful until I got the epidural around noon. THEN it wasnt so bad. She was born at 11:32 that night. Yep... 19 hours total. I think we both deserve a Disney trip after that!!

I am keeping my fingers crossed that these promotions continue thru next year. My friend & her husband are thinking about going with us. Their boys would be 4 & 2... Lizzie would be 1. I just would love to see it all again thru their eyes.

 

[Roxychica7]

CSR reminds me of CBR! The ground are very pretty and love the pics of that pool! Looks like your boys had a blast on the slides!

 

[tink771]

Great trip report!

 

[OhioDisneyLover]

Love your last installment!

 

[sherreis]

Great pics Sherri!!! I love the picture of DS in the hammock!! I swear, those WDW hammocks are calling me and I'm counting down the days until I can actually get in one and relax in March!

Today would've been a good day to be laying down there on a hammock. It was cold and windy here today. Winter has arrived. I told DS8 that the next time he gets to relax on a hammock will be at Castaway Cay next year.

I'm finally catching up on your trip report (my office has been crazy since the election--my boss is involved with the Obama transition). I am thoroughly enjoying your report; your boys are darling and it sounds and looks like you had a great time. I'm so glad that Casitas 4 worked out for you.

Thanks Kathy. We requested Casita 4-5 after your positive responses about that location and from now on that is where we'll be staying if we stay at CSR. Thanks for taking the time to stop over - I know you've been rather busy lately. Understandably so!

Love the pool pics...the boys look like they had a great time...but then again how can you not at Disney World. I can only imagine your trip will be a story they will tell for the rest of their lives. Leave school, jump on a plane... go to Disney World!!

L&D wasnt so bad. Well let me take that back. My water broke at 4:30 am. Labor was awful until I got the epidural around noon. THEN it wasnt so bad. She was born at 11:32 that night. Yep... 19 hours total. I think we both deserve a Disney trip after that!!

I am keeping my fingers crossed that these promotions continue thru next year. My friend & her husband are thinking about going with us. Their boys would be 4 & 2... Lizzie would be 1. I just would love to see it all again thru their eyes.

Thanks katie. Last night I was taking DS8 out to dinner after we spent a good part of the afternoon shopping -Disney store had everything 25% off so of course I couldn't avoid going in there and he needed new sneakers and snow boots (just in case). I asked where he wanted to eat and he quickly swaid "BOMA." I'm raising him right. I hope you'll be able to work out something for next year with your friend. I have a feeling that Disney will be coming out with lots more deals due to the state of the economy. Glad to hear that L&D wasn't too bad -even though I know it felt bad as it was happening.

CSR reminds me of CBR! The ground are very pretty and love the pics of that pool! Looks like your boys had a blast on the slides!

I've seen pics of CBR and it is pretty. The boys love the water slide. DS8 went on 18 times!!!

Great trip report!

Thank you.

Love your last installment!

Thanks. I love DHS. There is so much to see and do there and after 2 trips we have left so much more to do for the next time.

 

[sherreis]

Back to DHS for dinner and Fantasmic. DH decided he was going to try without the ECV. Luckily, we didn’t have to wait long for a bus and arrived at DHS rather quickly. Our ADR for dinner was at 6 so we had time to use our FP for TSM and were excited to be able to do it again. This time I rode with DS13 and of course, he beat me just like his younger brother did. Here’s our scores – mine is on the right.

We took our time walking over to 50s Prime Time. I was looking forward to eating here and DS13 had picked it out as a restaurant he would want to eat at when we last watched a show on the travel channel when I was trying to plan the trip. He just didn’t know he was helping pick out restaurants for this trip.

When we checked in I asked for an interactive server, hoping that would make a difference. I had briefly explained what the place was like to DH but didn’t mention anything to the boys.

Our server was Cousin George and he was great and had us laughing from the beginning until we left.

I knew what I was ordering before we even arrived from reading on the DIS and I stuck with it and got the pot roast. DH had the fried chicken with mashed potatoes and greens. DS8 ordered the chicken noodle soup, macaroni & cheese. DS13 had meatloaf, green beans and mashed potatoes. Dinner was good and all of us really liked it and would eat there again. DS13 didn’t finish his veggies – OH NO!
Guess what he got for dessert???

Green bean with whipped cream and sprinkles! YUM! We all couldn’t stop laughing.

So, for the real desserts, we had:

DS8 had the make your own sundae –

DH had angel food cake with fresh berries.

I had bread pudding.

And, DS13 luckily didn’t need to eat the green beans. He got to eat smores.

This is Cousin George. He was great. We all decided he was worth one of our thank you cards that I had printed out. “Thank you for making our trip magical” with all our names on it.

By the time we finished dinner it was dark outside and everything was lit up. I had no idea what to expect crowd wise for the evening because there were 2 Fantasmics – 7:30 and 9 and we were planning the 2nd show. We just took our time taking in the evening atmosphere while walking towards the entrance to Fantasmic. We were finally allowed to line up for the first line. DS13 kept talking how he didn’t feel well and we offered to take him back to CSR. He kept declining and eventually he decided to miss Fantasmic. I was so upset for him but proud of him as well. He was tired and was admitting it. DS8 said he wanted to stay when we asked him so DH took DS13 back to the resort.

I gave DS8 some glow in the dark glasses.

Then, I told him the glasses were from my mother who died last year. She had bought them for the boys for our last WDW trip and I had forgotten them. I teared up just thinking how much she loved her grandsons and how much I missed sharing things like this with her. Luckily, the line started to move so my tears didn’t last long and we were able to get a seat. Fantasmic was great and I am fascinated with how they project the pictures onto the water screen – but this is Disney – lots to be fascinated with.

Most of my Fantasmic pics didn’t come out too good. At least I can get those elsewhere.

Then, it was time to the bus and back to CSR. I called DH as we were getting off the bus and DS13 had already fallen asleep and he was at El Centro. I dropped DS8 off in our room and had him get ready for bed and then went to meet DH. We were going into the lounge for a drink but I didn’t want to stay there- it was loud and I was tired and never handle loud noises when I’m tired. I had a cup of tea and then we walked back to our room.

Here is one of the fountains in the courtyard.

Back to our room and to sleep. The next morning we could sleep in without the alarm!

 

[Roxychica7]

Oh gosh I LOVE the green beans and whipped cream. How funny!
And so sorry to hear about your mom

 

[vdarrell]

Sounds as if you had a really great time at the 50's Diner.Loved your sons dessert..how funny
I am doing something similar I have ADR at Whispering Canyon and haven't told DH about the ketchup deal .....and of course he uses ketchup on everything. Didn't tell him about the LARGE drink either.

Sorry DS13 didn't feel well enough to do Fantasmic.