We've Bounced Back like Tigger SB09 TR NEW 9/11 CLOSING TIME....

[mrsksomeday]

Great start . I love that feeling I get when the bus goes under the welcome arch, it feels like my heart skips a beat. Everyone looks so happy!! I can't wait to hear about CSR we have never been there.

 

[KathyRN137]

Yay!! Finally there!!

Kathy

 

[mousescrapper]

Next time bring me with you.....I have always have a spoon in my mama bag!

Anytime...my friend

I'm glad you made it through the flight! I'm always so tense - even when things are going smoothly - just waiting for one of the kids to melt down!

I know...and it seems to never fail I alwasy sit w/ which ever child is the most needy during the flight but we made it through it
I can't wait to see CSR.

me too

Yay!! Finally there!!


Let the fun begin!!!

Great start . I love that feeling I get when the bus goes under the welcome arch, it feels like my heart skips a beat. Everyone looks so happy!! I can't wait to hear about CSR we have never been there.

thank you thank you...and I have to say I love your siggie it's a little party waiting to happen

 

[mousescrapper]

KathyRN hope you are still Dising....


No Peppers in the Pepper Market….

Welcome to CSR….Day 1) continuation

It’s our turn to be dropped off…we’ve arrived at CSR and I can’t wait to get off the bus and check it out….

How will check-in be?

What room/ building do we have?

I’m hungry let’s EAT!

We walk thru the entry doors of El Centro to a serene green marble fountain (I think it was green? Never ended up taking a picture of it and don’t remember why but it was so nice!) we went to our left to the Guest Registration area and at first I wasn’t sure which side to go to but then noticed a small sign but a queue saying “online check-in”. My Mom enters the line and I follow as Matt takes the kids over to the TV area toward the back of the room. I ask/tell a CM that I was unable to do the online check-in but my Mother did and our ressies are linked can I stay w/ her or do I need to go in the other line? They said it was fine for me to be here.

I think there was 1 or 2 other people being helped and not to many in the regular check-in. It was pretty quiet.

It only took a few minutes before we were helped and my Mom went first. The CM helping us had all her stuff ready in an envelope and it took just a bit longer for us as he needed to gather everything. I knew right away we weren’t in the Cabana buildings where all the renovations had been done, but also knew as well knew that our rooms were ready because he gave us our keys w/ room #’s.


what luck. I confirmed these rooms were not remodeled and opted not to ask if there were 2 rooms available that were since it was so nice we could walk straight to our rooms.

We ended up in Casitas 1 in 1167 & 8. The Casitas 1 building is right next to the El Centro basically attached via the Convention Center. It was a quick 2 minute walk to our ready rooms.

Before heading there we stopped in Café Rix and all got our refillable mugs via the QSDDP and in the room I helped everyone put their name labels on that I made at home. Sweet!

We were slightly confused which way to go once we entered the courtyard but found it pretty easily.

Here is the courtyard we entered each time going to and from our rooms:

We had ground floor looking at a garden area and part of a parking lot. It wasn’t bad.

There was this rock that the kids said looked like an Alligator head and they liked posing on it:

All my requests were met and I was pleased. Near the restaurant, ground floor and connecting rooms.

FYI I wouldn’t have been bummed by the non-remodeled rooms if I had never visited Buzz’s thread or site about CSR. So it was OK. Matt did feel the rooms were a bit of a step-down after being at the Poly last June, but I know those remodeled ones are great…IndanaJ could agree.

Here is a few pic’s of our room:

The layout is typical Disney, you can tell it was a bit dated and did feel a bit dingy, but everything worked and was super clean…so you can’t complain. Come on we’re at WDW!!!!!

We got a little organized in our rooms and a few of us noticed that the carpets were wet. They must have just shampooed them and they were still pretty wet, my parents had taken their shoes off as well as Michael in their room and their socks were soaked. My Dad was a bit miffed….but I just shrugged it off and we just didn’t put our carry-on’s on the floor.

Then off to the Pepper Market:

It was probably a little before 3 pm at this point and not very crowded in the restaurant at all. You enter the place and a CM seats you and gives the kids coloring sheets and crayons…we collected quite a bundle by the end. And another CM server comes to our table and takes our drink order. She happily filled our mugs and actually got everyone’s drink in the right mug. We were impressed. She asked us if we had ever eaten here and we said no. She tried to explain the ordering process to us…but at first it was a bit confusing, w/ having menus, cards to be stamped, going to the different stations…but once we did it a couple times it was pretty easy.

Unfortunately that confusion spread to Michael and he actually freaked out a bit at how it worked and what he could order…He saw pasta on the kids menu and wanted that but then thought the pasta only came made a way he didn’t like and got very upset. It was hard to calm him down to explain we can get his pasta made anyway he likes….in the end it worked out and he had his plain pasta w/ cheese.

I ordered a chicken/cheese quesadilla w/ rice and my Dad had the same w/ beans too. Matt ordered a grilled chicken sandwich w/ onions and mushrooms and my Mom had a deli style like sandwich. The other kids had a combination of chicken fingers and pasta.

I’m sorry in the confusion of our first meal I didn’t take any pictures. We also had desserts, a huge rice krispie block, german chocolate cake, cheesecake and reg chocolate cake plus the kids had cookies.

In the end I think we realized that one of the meals didn’t get stamped on our ordering card…whoops. Oh well it wasn’t like we didn’t already pay for it.

So our 1st experience of CSR and the PM was turning out good. And as we ordered the kid meals…I reassured Mae:

“See there wasn’t only Peppers in the Pepper Mart!”

Up NEXT: Which way to the Dig Site?

Thanks for reading

J-

 

[KathyRN137]

Of course I'm still DIS-ing!!

So exciting to check in and get settled! And you got all your room requests, too! Things are looking good, er, muy bien!!

Kathy

 

[mrsksomeday]

Great installment. I am really enjoying the CSR pictures. The Pepper Market stuff confuses me too . That rock reminds me of an alligator too.

 

[nu2wdisneyw]

Woohoo!!! Finally in Disney! I am really enjoying so far!

 

[mousescrapper]

muy bien!!

Si

Great installment. I am really enjoying the CSR pictures. The Pepper Market stuff confuses me too . That rock reminds me of an alligator too.

Thanks I have some more really nice pic's to come. The kids enjoyed the little grassy area there, like it was our front yard or something and before we head out in the morning asking if they could go outside and play....

Woohoo!!! Finally in Disney! I am really enjoying so far!

Thanks! sorry it's moving slow right now....but I'm anxiously awaiting my PP CD in the mail before I get to Day 2)!

 

[nu2wdisneyw]

Oh I can't wait to see the photopass photos!!!

 

[mousescrapper]

Oh I can't wait to see the photopass photos!!!

I have some very great ones to share...I had so much fun w/ the enhancements this yr!

 

[AmyMama2AvaNtheo]

YAY ... great start!!

 

[mousescrapper]

Continuation of Day 1) Which Way to the Dig Site?

We’ve stuffed our bellies full of good food and now it’s time to check out that POOL!



After checking out we walked back to our rooms to discover most of our luggage had arrived I immediately starting organizing things while the kids got their suits on and DH helped Margaret. And luck have it the rest of our luggage came while we were in the room so I was able to tip the CM. nice

Everything was there and seemed in one piece, unfortunately though Mae’s Jessie bag, the zipper pull got snapped off and w/ it one of our TSA locks ! I could luckily still open it which was good but knew we’d have to use this as a carry-on now and not re-check it as planned. My parents offered to buy here a new suitcase while we were there from the gift shop, but I declined since I could still get it open and closed not easily, but good enough….FYI at home still need to figure out how to fix the zipper.

Of course everyone is anxious to move on and go play and me the anal OCD person I can tend to be on vacation just wanted to make our room just so and feel good that is was done and that I didn’t have to worry about it anymore…I got most of it done and once again forgot to take the lived in pictures. But we used the 3 drawers in the TV dresser combo for our clothes (DH, myself, and the girls) Michael had his own drawer in his room w/ my parents. I hung the shoe organizer on the “closet” rod and put most of all our toiletries in it, w/ some in a little basket on the counter. First I removed the coffee maker, mugs and cups to above the TV. I put our dirty laundry basket under the sink and we used the area above the fridge for the little girls’ bag of carry-on items, and stored the food above the TV and put other misc things in the cabinet next to the TV. Plus the kids kept their cd players in the nightstand drawer.

At night when Mae slept on her Wiggle bed we laid it in front of the dresser/TV combo.

We did use the table and chairs to eat breakfast several mornings so I kept that area pretty clear of stuff. The suitcases we stuffed in each other and stacked them up in the “closet” area plus I kept the one duffle bag open to put souvenirs in as we bought them.

AND another duh! picture moment we put our little friends we had and bought in our windows for everyone to see.

Ok back to the pool….

We are ready to go and started heading out, now we knew where the Dig Site was as you could see it from the front of Casitas 1 across the lake, but we weren’t sure which way to go? To our right toward El Centro or to our left….

Another guest could tell we looked confused and said he has always gone to the left….so we decided OK let’s go that way. Not exactly the shortest way to go. You can’t really tell which way is closer on the drawing map it looks pretty equal. But as you can see from this aerial view not so….

It was a bit of a hike…a nice viewing hike but we learned the other way was a lot quicker and shorter…..

Here are some pic’s on our way to the DS:

Once at the pool we found a table near the volleyball court and bar area. Some one had to use the rest room so I think I took Michael there while Aldine and Mae looked at the playground real quick:

We then headed into the water. The twins dove right in and immediately starting have a blast. It was full, but not in the least packed.

A few minutes later Daddy came over w/ Margaret and to our great surprise she loved the POOL! She wanted to splash kick and get in,

it made me a bit nervous w/ her on the steps so I went off to find a vest, I first asked another guest who’s son had one on and told me to look in some bin, I didn’t find any there, but did spot one on a chair unattended by noone’s things so I took that one. It was a little big on her but did the trick.

She had fun “swimming”, kicking, splashing and even dunking her head…what a huge difference from last yr of not even wanting her feet wet.

Her she is hanging out on the stairs and the kids playing w/ her:

Mae had a nice time too, playing w/ toys on the steps and alligator walking across them but really didn’t want to venture out in the water even in her Daddy or Ja-Ja (Grandpa’s) arms.

We all had so much fun playing there, my Mom even came in for a little bit to test the waters, plus the friendly duck who would fly in and swim around. And the water slide was a big hit w/ the twins and DH and my Dad went down a couple times too.

Here we are enjoying the DIG SITE POOL!

Of course when it was time to head back to the room Mae finally really warms up to it, but I think she had fun in her own way. We all got out around 6:20 pm and walked back to the El Centro area. There I stopped in luggage hold to get our GG delivery which was suppose to arrive btwn 4 and 6 pm. It was there, I got separated from DH and was trying to carry the three bags myself and push the stroller (Michael was helping) but we did realize we were a few items short so DH went back and we just missed the last bag. Everything was there and right…so my 1st experience w/ GG was a good one. As well DH stopped in Panchitos and bought some milk for breakfast in the morning…now FYI I saw on a CSR thread on the boards here that they sold a quart of milk, but they didn’t have any just a large Milk Chug. It cost $2.44 but luckily ended up being enough for the week w/ the amount of times we did eat cereal.

Up NEXT: Finishing off our Day 1) with some dinner and a little shopping….

thanks for reading

J- not me but my kids....except Michael

 

[mkandjpsmom]

Great TR! After seeing your pictures(which I Love, your kids are very cute!) I think I need to purchase those disney crocs did they take very long to come in?
I really enjoyed your PTR as well, and while I'm not as organized as you, I did pick up some great ideas. Thank You!

 

[mousescrapper]

Great TR! After seeing your pictures(which I Love, your kids are very cute!) I think I need to purchase those disney crocs did they take very long to come in?
I really enjoyed your PTR as well, and while I'm not as organized as you, I did pick up some great ideas. Thank You!

your welcome....

If you order directly from Crocs.com I recall it comes pretty quick but I'd still order at least a week and a half out of when you need them.

I'm not sure where you live and what stores are near you but some major sporting stores like Dicks and children speciality shoe stores Stride Rite and kid toy stores like the Learning Express (don't know if these are Chicago only) carry some limited styles of the adult and kid crocs. Sale ones you'd have to go through Crocs though.

good luck!

 

[mousescrapper]

Continuation and the end of Day 1) a little pizza please and Little Miss Shopper…


We got back to our room and cleaned up in the shower/tub and re-dressed then headed back to the PM for dinner…not everyone was super hungry because we hadn’t eaten our huge lunch so long ago. This time a few of us split meals. My Dad and I split a pizza that had sausage (and not the crumbled kind), pepperoni, and diced veggies on it. It was super tasty. Matt and Mom each had their own fajitas, my Mom didn’t finish her’s (too full). Aldine via an OK by the manager got an adult side salad as her kid meal dinner….in retrospect though we probably could have done it w/out asking, as the DDP QS allotments don’t count down by adult and child but as 1 lump sum. Mae had pizza and Margaret well didn’t really eat. Michael again had a meltdown over ordering food. It was bad (DH had to take him out of the restaurant for a minute) and again he just couldn’t quite grasp what he could have and or not. DH ended up taking him over to Café Rix (a small QS place) to see if he could find anything different that suited him better…he ended up w/ pizza like Mae, his was bigger and a huge cookie neither of which he finished but he was calm, pleased and eating….I was a bit concerned hoping this wasn’t going to last. We had no issues w/ food choices last year…?

Anyways Matt went to go get his food finally and just as he’s about to sit down as he sets his tray on the table it falls off and his food, plate everything goes flying… splat and broken…! The nice CM server cleaned up his area, got a clean chair and Matt was able to get a new meal…of course by then we were all done eating.

Here is an aftermath pictures of eating w/ 8 people in the PM:

oh and a piece of carrotcake one of us got for dessert:

We then went to the gift shop Panchitos, browsed and picked up a few things. Margaret became the instant Little Miss shopper

Walking around w/ a hat, MM bag, and eventually a maraca and some toy. In the end we bought her a cute Minnie freezer mug that was similar in style to our big CSR refillable mugs…which made her happy.


I bought a “green” reusable MM tote bag for $ 2.95, an Easter egg Mickey car topper and some postcards. Aldine bought w/ part of her $ a Mexican inspired painted ceramic pink bunny figurine and Michael w/ his own $ got a SBWMM pin and a Mexican Donald plush. As well Grandma bought Mae a set of 6 little Fairy notepads.

We then walked back to the room and I finished organizing the rest of our room and we all got ready for bed. I think we all laid down around 9:30 pm.

Good Night….

Up NEXT: The start of Day 2) Grandma’s Birthday and the Magic Kingdom (Birthday Benefits and the first Character I see today….and the 1st reveals of my PHOTOPASS Pic’s )


thanks for reading,

J-

 

[mrsksomeday]

Sounded like a great first day!! The group pool picture was great!! So sorry that Michael was having issues with the food, I hope that went away as the trip progresed. I can't wait to see your PP pictures!!

 

[DisMomAmy]

Hi! Just checking in before we leave tomorrow! Glad to find an update here. Sorry Michael was having ordering problems - luckily I'll still order for both of the boys - or get away with giving them two choices to decide between. I hope it got better for him.

"Talk" to you in 10 days!

 

[KathyRN137]

Hey there... so nice that you were able to use the pool right away... Ed would be so jealous if he read this! The kids all had so much fun there, it looks like a fantastic theme pool.

Margaret, you go, girl! Shop til you drop!!

Poor Michael I've heard that even some grown-ups get confused at PM! I'm hoping he was just burning off a little steam after such a busy day!

Magic Kingdom next... yay!


Kathy

 

[mousescrapper]

Sounded like a great first day!! The group pool picture was great!! So sorry that Michael was having issues with the food, I hope that went away as the trip progresed. I can't wait to see your PP pictures!!

I love the group picture too....

Hi! Just checking in before we leave tomorrow! Glad to find an update here. Sorry Michael was having ordering problems - luckily I'll still order for both of the boys - or get away with giving them two choices to decide between. I hope it got better for him.

"Talk" to you in 10 days!

Hey there... so nice that you were able to use the pool right away... Ed would be so jealous if he read this! The kids all had so much fun there, it looks like a fantastic theme pool.

Margaret, you go, girl! Shop til you drop!!

Oh yes she kept shopping...more stories to share!

Poor Michael I've heard that even some grown-ups get confused at PM! I'm hoping he was just burning off a little steam after such a busy day!

Magic Kingdom next... yay!


Kathy

Thanks for reading guys and stopping in to say HI too....

Thanks for the well wishes for Michael he has some great highs to come and a few more tough tough moments....but it was a good trip for him overall.

The pool was great...I'm sorry I never actually took a pic in front of the huge Mayan wall waterfall thing by the pool...oh well.

Workin on the 1st installment of Day 2 MK should be up soon!

J-

 

[mousescrapper]

Day2) Friday March 27th “Let’s Make Mom/Grandma’s Birthday Magical at the Magic Kingdom:

Sleep report:

Everyone did pretty well, I think the middle girls were tired enough they couldn’t really fight sharing the bed….DH were comfy to a point, though I remember the bed being a bit softer then our home mattress (BOC our mattress at home is 13 yrs old) and we both recall getting HOT in the middle of the night…something we dealt w/ pretty much the whole trip. Margaret did well in her little bed I don’t know if it was the 1st night or when but a few times we discovered her rolled out of the bed sleeping on the floor next to it. Michael slept great….but my parents reported he snored horribly every night and when he wasn’t snoring my Mom worried he wasn’t breathing….since back home no snoring….weird?

Me the 1st few nights I slept bad waking up many times and this 1st night was no exception…It was a relief it was 6:30 and I could get up. Everyone starting walking up between 6:30 and 7 am and we had some breakfast in the room (cereal, yogurt, bagels and juice) OH and Margaret for whatever reason just wasn’t drinking her soy milk to the degree should would at home I think she was pleasantly distracted by everyone.

We finally left the room about 8:15 am totally behind schedule (I wanted to leave around 7:30-7:45 am) We got to the bus stop 5 minutes later and had apparently just missed an MK bus and ended up waiting 23 minutes for the next one…I was a bit annoyed….but was trying to not let it bother me and go w/ the flow. Of course when the MK bus arrived it had a shadow MK bus w/ it….I knew instantly on the bus we had missed the opening show and was bummed not just for me but for my MOM she hadn’t seen that ever….anyways we got to the park quick just before 9 am.

Arriving at MK:

There were a lot of people entering and arriving to the park as us….! After security lines we headed straight to Guest Services which was a long line (as I knew it would be at MK at 9 am…oh well) Just Mom, Michel and I went in the line to get my Mom’s b-day Fast Pass and Michael’s GAC card…..

****FYI GAC is a Guest Assistance Card for those guests and their families like Michael w/ Autism and many other reasons to need some assistance entering, exiting and riding the rides etc at the Parks. Yes we will use this card to help us through our next 7 days…and it does help a ton for us….a GREAT BLESSING really! But I will not mention it too much in this report….if you’d like to know my experience w/ the GAC in re to my sons needs please PM me and I’d be happy to give you more detailed info in a private matter…unfortunately as w/ any good thing some people have seen it to their non-benefit to take advantage of such a great blessing to families truly in need….ok that’s that….back to the line…..




It ended up taking a long time to get through the line to a CM window, but a funny moment was while I was standing there a guest behind me asks

“What is mouseCRAPPER?” ​

Ummm…..I replied no it says mouseSCRAPPER! And I proceeded to explain my tag and Disboards relation….I don’t know if she was embarrassed or thought I was weird…but she was quiet after that….and me well I laughed it off in my head…but then worried for most of trip later were other people thinking I was carping on the MOUSE? Oh dear…

So anyways Mom and I get up to 2 sep windows at the same time and I get the card for Michael and think Mom is ready too but says she need our KTTW for the FP’s and not just Michael and mine but everyone’s….OH NO! they are in the park already. My Mom then thinks we can find them get their KTTW and take care of it and City Hall…so we get in the park…find our group waiting in line to see a character and she goes off to take care of it…but onto another character and done and she’s still not back yet….It’s after 9:30 by now. We try to call her and Matt goes to look for her…apparently she had tried my cell, but I never go it that she had to go back out to GS and re-enter the line to get everyone’s cards scanned at once to get the FP cards for all of us….

We finally meet up and I take my Mom into the hat shop to get her personalized B-day EARS! Aldine helps us pick them out and while in line to pay….we meet:

They talked and joked w/ my Mom commented that no way she was my mother I'm still explaining that to Mae

Then unfortunately w/ the park already being open an hour the wait to get the ears done would be an hour too….bummer! so we re-gather ourselves to head out into the park. And I know I have to do some major rearranging w/ our morning tour. We decide to head over to WTP and try the FP’s….

But first…who were those characters we saw?

One was one of my Disfriend’s favorite and the other was someone’s girlfriend?

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Yep I’m gonna make you wait….just one day I promise!

J-