WHAT A DIFFERENCE 6 MOS. MAKES (or how I learned to love MK) COMPLETE-WRAP-UP 12/29

[annmarieda]

I know how much you want to stay at CR. You have tried and tried to keep bookings there since before your February trip. No offense, but I am not sure why. I mean, I get the proximity.... but like you just mentioned, the grounds don't appear to be all that awe inspiring. View..now I can see that being a draw...but for the cost? So for me, CR is lower on my wish list than any of the moderates. However, if it is high on your wish list then it is and some day I hope you get to fulfill that wish.

All of this being said.... I am super excited for you with booking Poly!!!! I think everything about it is more "fun"

But...as Karin said you still have some time to change your mind. As I near the 45 day mark I keep thinking I must make changes... before I can't. So hopefully you won't be going through that too.

 

[tinacaplan]

Oh no! Being sick at Disney is one of the worst things I can imagine! And now I'll never be able to look at the Yak Club lobby the same again.

I hope you got better quickly.

The Yak Club....LOVE IT! Seriously, all I could think at the time was...at least this will make for very funny TR fodder!

TINA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How could you???????????????

So, you do NOT want to stay near us? Hm, I need to think about that!

When you said you were going to book Garden Wing all Tom and I said, was NO WAY!!!!!!!
I was still hoping you would get into the tower, oh well, the Poly will be it. Are you sure you wanna stay there?

Well, you still have about 4 months to change your mind, we'll see!

I know, I know, I know! But you and Tom were right...I just couldn't handle the whole garden wing thing. I wasn't sure what Max would think of the resort and you know that we like to spend time at the resort, relaxing. There isn't a whole lot that's all that relaxing about the Contemporary, in my opinion, unless you either have that view or are staying CL and have access to other fireworks viewing locations. Plus, we weren't even going to be taking advantage of the Cali Grill!

The more pictures of the Poly that I look at, the more excited I get! It is just so pretty.

I have to say that when I stayed at BLT last year I thought the garden view rooms at the Contemporary looked kind-of cool. They ones facing the lake looked so private! But, I can definitely see the allure of the Poly and since I will probably never stay there (being DVC and all), I think its an excellent choice. So congrats!!!!! The pool and the beach are majorly awesome!!!!! Very excited for you!

When Mark and I went to dinner at Cali Grill a couple years ago, we were very early and took a nice walk around the pool and out to the beach and saw the garden wing and I do think its lovely...but...I don't know...there's something missing in terms of the overall resort aspect at the Contemporary. The grounds just aren't all that nice, not compared to a lot other Disney resorts, including the mods. I just think a tropical paradise sounds real nice for February! Plus, I knew we'd be able to watch the fireworks from the beach at the Poly!

I know someone who knows you're gonna LOVE the Poly....

Yes, I believe that you do! I'm so excited the beautiful pictures are only making me more so!

I know how much you want to stay at CR. You have tried and tried to keep bookings there since before your February trip. No offense, but I am not sure why. I mean, I get the proximity.... but like you just mentioned, the grounds don't appear to be all that awe inspiring. View..now I can see that being a draw...but for the cost? So for me, CR is lower on my wish list than any of the moderates. However, if it is high on your wish list then it is and some day I hope you get to fulfill that wish.

All of this being said.... I am super excited for you with booking Poly!!!! I think everything about it is more "fun"

But...as Karin said you still have some time to change your mind. As I near the 45 day mark I keep thinking I must make changes... before I can't. So hopefully you won't be going through that too.

You know, Ann...you kind of identified the real problem. I love the building and the look of the rooms at the CR, I really, really do. But a big draw is staying in the tower in TPV room and knowing we weren't going to be able to do that just bothered me. And there was no way I was going to pay rack rate, once I figured out the whole AP discount thing. And I've never been one to pay an obscene amount of money for a view.

I'm thinking that we've made the right choice!

 

[eandesmom]

for the Poly! I hope it sticks, seems like a perfect choice.

And...a LOT of us will be there in Oct for F&W 2012...just saying!

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

Yay for the Poly!!!! Are you getting all excited??? DBF and I are SO excited to be staying there in January!!

 

[annmarieda]

You know, Ann...you kind of identified the real problem. I love the building and the look of the rooms at the CR, I really, really do. But a big draw is staying in the tower in TPV room and knowing we weren't going to be able to do that just bothered me. And there was no way I was going to pay rack rate, once I figured out the whole AP discount thing. And I've never been one to pay an obscene amount of money for a view.

I'm thinking that we've made the right choice!

I have to add... I am excited that you will be staying in yet another resort!!! CSR then BC and now Poly!!! How very exciting is that?

And yes, if you can't get the one thing that was drawing you to that resort then by all means CHANGE!

 

[tinacaplan]

for the Poly! I hope it sticks, seems like a perfect choice.

And...a LOT of us will be there in Oct for F&W 2012...just saying!

I think it will, Cynthia...I'm really excited about it and can't stop looking at pictures....

and October would be perfect and a great time to meet a lot of people!

Yay for the Poly!!!! Are you getting all excited??? DBF and I are SO excited to be staying there in January!!

I'm very excited. It just looks so beautiful in all the pictures and the little bit I saw when we ate at 'Ohana. It just looks like more of a resort than the Contemporary.

I have to add... I am excited that you will be staying in yet another resort!!! CSR then BC and now Poly!!! How very exciting is that?

And yes, if you can't get the one thing that was drawing you to that resort then by all means CHANGE!

I know...I hadn't thought about that part of it, but I'll have stayed at three different resorts and if I do go back with my mom in October for F&W, I'd love to stay at the Yacht Club.

 

[natebenma]

More rides on the monorail!

 

[tinacaplan]

More rides on the monorail!

I know...I'm so excited! Although, Dee, my husband would still prefer for us to be staying at the Beach Club. What can I say? He fell in love! If we are able to return in July, I suspect that's where we'll head. Nothing like hanging out in SAB at night in the summer... Oh, I better not think about the Beach Club too much or I might want to switch our reservation again!

 

[PirateKate]

The Poly sounds great! I've always thought that it has the coolest atmosphere of any deluxe resort. Of course, I don't want to talk it up too much, since there's a good chance it'll change still.

Sorry to hear about getting sick at Disney. On the night of the Wishes Dessert Party is the worst, too. I just hope Max never caught it. The only thing worse than being sick at Disney is having a sick kid at Disney.

 

[tinacaplan]

[B]
Let me warn you in advance that if you are hoping for a nice light-hearted TR entry...this is NOT that. In fact, it rather matches with my current, I think I have the flu or bronchitis state of mind...

So this had turned out to be a rather frustrating day. Let’s recap, shall we? Left my sunglasses in our room. Left my camera’s SD card in our room. Max had a meltdown waiting to enter AK for our 8 a.m. ADR at Tusker House. Breakfast at Tusker...um...not all that good. Nice enough safari, but I was consumed by the thought that I had no camera and could not take pictures, so did not enjoy myself nearly as much as I should have. Spending what felt like two days touring Rafiki’s Planet Watch, although our meet with the baboon himself was a huge highlight of the day for us. Max making the height requirement for Kali River Rapids, then having ANOTHER meltdown and refusing to ride it. Me realizing something might be wrong with my tummy as we passed Expedition Everest. Max having a great time in the Boneyard. Then, Max refusing to go to FOLK because of the fire and having ANOTHER meltdown (noticing a trend here?). Leaving AK, knowing I was getting a rumbly in my tumbly and not a good one...

Getting back to the beautiful BC and getting sick. Napping and trying to get to MK, only to come right back to BC because I still felt sick. Almost losing it in the YC lobby. Then back to my room for a pity party, only to rally a couple of hours later.

Sometime after six, I decided that I had kept my Coke and pretzels down long enough and could probably venture out into the night. Nothing else felt like it was wrong, after all. No other sick feelings, so I figured I was all clear. Thank goodness...I had a dessert party to go to!

Necessarry castle pic on my way in:

Note the ominous color of the sky...that might come into play a bit later.

Once I got to the MK, I had no problem finding Max and Mark near the Monsters Inc, Laugh Floor, which they had just gotten out of. Everyone appeared to be in good spirits and Mark was proud of himself for getting the two of them through a spin on Buzz Lightyear and a whirl on the Carousel of Progress, as well as a run on the Tomorrowland Speedway before I showed up. They also had dinner at the Lunching Pad.

My stomach didn’t feel great, but I didn’t need to run to the nearest bathroom, either, so we forged on and decided to be some people that moved and hopped on the Tomorrowland Transit Authority. I love this ride. Not sure why. It doesn’t do much other than ride you through Tomorrowland, but I enjoy peeking at Walt’s original diorama for EPCOT, even if I do wonder each and every time I see it, why they can’t put it someplace where you could really see it. Oh well.

And then we got off that, and, unfortunately were pretty lacking in any sort of plan. It was a little after seven at this point and Max and Mark had already been at MK for almost three hours. Max’s patience was wearing a little thin and Mark and I were lacking vision. I certainly was lacking the right sort of energy to entertain a squirmy preschooler in the middle of an increasingly busy Magic Kingdom.
Oh, yes… and then something occurred to me. I had scheduled the party for Saturday night, why exactly? We had been going pretty much non stop since we’d arrived and had had a very busy day. Oh dear.

Max and Mark rode the tea cups:

At this point, it was looking like it was about to pour at any second. And the park itself was getting increasingly busy and crowded. And my cranky self was not please about that. Somehow, we ended back in Merchant of Venus to avoid the impending downpour. BIG MISTAKE. Max had another meltdown over some silly toys he wanted. Ugh.

In hindsight, which is always twenty-twenty, I realize we should have high tailed it over to Adventureland or Frontierland, or even Mickey’s Phillharmagic. Anything we could have gotten on quickly, that we hadn’t done yet that evening, to occupy ourself until it was time for the party at nine.

But that is not what we did. Foolishly, we made our way over to the party and got in line to wait. We were finally seated, shortly before nine (still to early to wait around for the fireworks) and I was in no mood for dessert. No one seemed to be, unfortunately. We were all cranky and frazzled and just not in a very magical sort of mood. But, this being Disneyworld, you continue to hold out hope that just a little pixie dust will blow your way and turn the whole thing around.

Um...no.

Here are some party pics:

My blurry pic of the castle:

And those were all of my Wishes! Dessert Party pictures. Once Max had a few items, he melted down. Again. And he could not be stopped. And so we did the only responsible thing and we left. Without seeing any fireworks. Not one. This was surely our absolute low point for this trip...right? I suppose either Mark or I could have stayed on our own to enjoy the rest of the party, but neither one of us were in the mood at that point.

Once on the bus back, in the pitch black of a nearly empty bus (I mean who leaves MK minutes before Wishes?), I started to cry. My perfect night had been ruined. Ruined because I was obviously the worst parent in the world with an out of control four year old who obviously must have something seriously wrong with him (as a side note: Max’s old Pre K teachers had managed to plant the idea in our head that there was something wrong with him developmentally, perhaps Asberger’s and despite his pediatrician and several other knowledgeable authories telling me this was not the case, it’s hard to banish the idea form your brain).. At least that’s how it felt that night.

One bright stop worth mentioning: no one else got sick! Thank goodness! Max and/or Mark sick would have been far worse than me sick, believe me.

But...as the song goes...there’s a great big beautiful tomorrow, shining at the end of everyday! [/B]

 

[amandaw]

Well......at least you didn't get sick again & your boys didn't either.

I'm so sorry you had such a cruddy day! But, I think pretty much all of us here have had at least 1 day like that at Disney. I know I have - my child ran away from me on the 1st night of his 1st trip to Disney & on the 2nd night of that trip I lost my camera. So, we all understand the whole tears on the bus thing. At least it was dark & no one could see you. I carried on & blubbered like a baby in the resort lobby making quite a scene about my camera.

Also....I think every mom here has also had that feeling that they're a terrible mother and/or something is wrong with their child. We're not terrible mothers. We just don't always have the answers or know what to do to make everything right. And that's ok. No matter what anyone else might say! And as for the teachers being convinced that Max has Aspergers: Yes, some kids have something different about them than most kids, that makes them a little unique. (I have a nephew who was just diagnosed with Aspergers in 2009 at the age of 8). But, sometimes I feel like so many people these days are trying to find something in every kid & it can drive you crazy worrying about it. Don't worry about your precious little Max....he sounds like a typical preschool age child.

Hope things got better for the rest of y'alls trip!

 

[annmarieda]

I hate when those days happen in Disney. I think we invest so much into planning and thinking/hoping it will be the perfect trip. Then when something happens (like getting sick) it just sucks more than normal.

BTW, I totally get what you are saying about better you to get sick than your guys. Being the mom can kinda suck at times. I know right before dd went into the hospital, I asked dh if he would be coming with me. Uncertain of how he would "feel" in the morning he could not commit. Frustrated, I told him "that is the difference between you and I. If I were bleeding out of all my orifices I would still be going to the hospital"

And as for Max, don't worry... he and you are both fine. Some kids are more prone to melt downs while others just let things go. I have four kids, ya know...and I am often amazed I had more than just one after my oldest (sorry dd if you come across this) - dd is a dismember too- Anyway, she was hard to take places. Little things like a lobster tank and wanting to see it and stay seeing it would send her over the edge. She is my only child I took out of public places screaming and crying. However, she was/is very bright. Graduated in the top ten of her class...ect. She is still a bit high strung (again, sorry dd) but she is also a complete joy. Next one that came around was totally laid back...could count on one hand how many times he pitched a total fit. Totally outgoing people person. However, didn't do well in school. So very different...and yet I worried at times(just like you) that something was wrong with them and or my parenting. Fast forward to the younger too... well...different kids again and while I do worry still from time to time I have stopped blaming myself for what is obviously just their personalities.

 

[dizneeat]

I am so sorry Tina, that your day ended like that!

But some days are just like that and there is definitely NOTHiNG wrong with either you or sweet little Max! Kids are kids and sometimes it is just overwhelming for them - and if you take into consideration all the new things that he had to "digest" all day (and I do not mean food ) then it is no wonder it just got too much for him.

Hope the next day is a better one!

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

Oh man...that just wasn't your day! I'm sorry to hear about all of the unpleasantness and frustration - sometimes the best laid plans are just not meant to work out, even, annoyingly, while in Disney. I totally understand the tears at Disney. I think we've all had them, unfortunately! Hopefully your next day was on a better note!

 

[natebenma]

So sorry to hear the night turned out like it did. Definitely not the best Disney Day ever. But based on the title of your TR, and the teaser for your next chapter, I am hoping that everything else goes much better for the rest of your trip.

 

[glennbo123]

(I mean who leaves MK minutes before Wishes?)

Link

Sorry that this wasn't your best day ever, but I am glad for this:

But...as the song goes...there’s a great big beautiful tomorrow, shining at the end of everyday!

 

[MEK]

Oh Tina! You need a major hug! What a horrible day and I'm so sorry it brought you to tears. A trip to WDW can certainly run the gamet of emotions, can't it? I think each and everyone of us has been reduced to tears, or at least very, very close to it, during a Disney trip.

My son Brian was very difficult to entertain when he was that age and his meltdowns could be unpredictable. If he wanted something, he would NOT give up. I know it is very frustrating when you know you are doing your best. I have to give you credit, I wouldn't have even tried to venture to the world when my kids were that young. I was a big chicken and now I regret it. Meltdown or not, you are giving your son wonderful memories. So sorry the dessert party was ruined.

I am sure you are also preoccupied by what the teacher? said. It can't be fun to worry about your son's developmental status when children are so variable at the age. Trust what the pediatrician says. The only recommendation I have from raising a child who pushed the boundaries is - set limits. Easier said then done. I was bad at it. If I had it to do over again I would be better at it. I gave in too much.

OK - enough of MEK's parenting 101 tidbits! since we all know I am parent of the year!!!!

I know tomorrow is going to be a better day!!!!!

 

[tinacaplan]

Well......at least you didn't get sick again & your boys didn't either.

I'm so sorry you had such a cruddy day! But, I think pretty much all of us here have had at least 1 day like that at Disney. I know I have - my child ran away from me on the 1st night of his 1st trip to Disney & on the 2nd night of that trip I lost my camera. So, we all understand the whole tears on the bus thing. At least it was dark & no one could see you. I carried on & blubbered like a baby in the resort lobby making quite a scene about my camera.

Also....I think every mom here has also had that feeling that they're a terrible mother and/or something is wrong with their child. We're not terrible mothers. We just don't always have the answers or know what to do to make everything right. And that's ok. No matter what anyone else might say! And as for the teachers being convinced that Max has Aspergers: Yes, some kids have something different about them than most kids, that makes them a little unique. (I have a nephew who was just diagnosed with Aspergers in 2009 at the age of 8). But, sometimes I feel like so many people these days are trying to find something in every kid & it can drive you crazy worrying about it. Don't worry about your precious little Max....he sounds like a typical preschool age child.

Hope things got better for the rest of y'alls trip!

Well...let's just say that this was definitely our worst day, by far! And, hey, its funny now. His old school was just not very professional or competent. Way too much unstructured time, in my opinion and too little specific communication about what he was doing wrong. It doesn't help to spring things on me days after they happened and expect me to able to fox the situation. Four year-olds don't exaclty operate that way. We've all been MUCH happier since he started his new school over the summer.

I hate when those days happen in Disney. I think we invest so much into planning and thinking/hoping it will be the perfect trip. Then when something happens (like getting sick) it just sucks more than normal.

...the only good thing might have been the extraordinarily comfortable beds.

BTW, I totally get what you are saying about better you to get sick than your guys. Being the mom can kinda suck at times. I know right before dd went into the hospital, I asked dh if he would be coming with me. Uncertain of how he would "feel" in the morning he could not commit. Frustrated, I told him "that is the difference between you and I. If I were bleeding out of all my orifices I would still be going to the hospital"

It is amazing what moms will do, isn't it?

And as for Max, don't worry... he and you are both fine. Some kids are more prone to melt downs while others just let things go. I have four kids, ya know...and I am often amazed I had more than just one after my oldest (sorry dd if you come across this) - dd is a dismember too- Anyway, she was hard to take places. Little things like a lobster tank and wanting to see it and stay seeing it would send her over the edge. She is my only child I took out of public places screaming and crying. However, she was/is very bright. Graduated in the top ten of her class...ect. She is still a bit high strung (again, sorry dd) but she is also a complete joy. Next one that came around was totally laid back...could count on one hand how many times he pitched a total fit. Totally outgoing people person. However, didn't do well in school. So very different...and yet I worried at times(just like you) that something was wrong with them and or my parenting. Fast forward to the younger too... well...different kids again and while I do worry still from time to time I have stopped blaming myself for what is obviously just their personalities.

Thanks, Ann. Like I said, things have been much better since Max has been at his new school, but we were still in the wondering phase while we were on our Disney trip. And Mark gets so worried, too.

I am so sorry Tina, that your day ended like that!

But some days are just like that and there is definitely NOTHiNG wrong with either you or sweet little Max! Kids are kids and sometimes it is just overwhelming for them - and if you take into consideration all the new things that he had to "digest" all day (and I do not mean food ) then it is no wonder it just got too much for him.

Hope the next day is a better one!

Luckily, our trip mojo certainly turned around after that. It just wasn't a good day, from start to finish. It made the rest of the trip that much sweeter.

Oh man...that just wasn't your day! I'm sorry to hear about all of the unpleasantness and frustration - sometimes the best laid plans are just not meant to work out, even, annoyingly, while in Disney. I totally understand the tears at Disney. I think we've all had them, unfortunately! Hopefully your next day was on a better note!

Its just frustrating when you've done all this planning and you're in THE HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH and things don't go your way. But it did get better...

So sorry to hear the night turned out like it did. Definitely not the best Disney Day ever. But based on the title of your TR, and the teaser for your next chapter, I am hoping that everything else goes much better for the rest of your trip.

Nope...not the best day ever...but not the worst, either...we were still at Disney, after all.

Link

Sorry that this wasn't your best day ever, but I am glad for this:

I remember that day from your TR! And yep...it gets better!

Oh Tina! You need a major hug! What a horrible day and I'm so sorry it brought you to tears. A trip to WDW can certainly run the gamet of emotions, can't it? I think each and everyone of us has been reduced to tears, or at least very, very close to it, during a Disney trip.

My son Brian was very difficult to entertain when he was that age and his meltdowns could be unpredictable. If he wanted something, he would NOT give up. I know it is very frustrating when you know you are doing your best. I have to give you credit, I wouldn't have even tried to venture to the world when my kids were that young. I was a big chicken and now I regret it. Meltdown or not, you are giving your son wonderful memories. So sorry the dessert party was ruined.

I am sure you are also preoccupied by what the teacher? said. It can't be fun to worry about your son's developmental status when children are so variable at the age. Trust what the pediatrician says. The only recommendation I have from raising a child who pushed the boundaries is - set limits. Easier said then done. I was bad at it. If I had it to do over again I would be better at it. I gave in too much.

OK - enough of MEK's parenting 101 tidbits! since we all know I am parent of the year!!!!

I know tomorrow is going to be a better day!!!!!

Thanks, Mary Ellen. Luckily, our trip got a lot better. And I love the parenting insight. Its one of the reasons why I feel like I will already know if we ever get to meet in person.

Sometimes I think we're crazy for taking Max at such a young age, but once Mark and I went down in 2010 for our anniversary trip, we knew we had to come right back with Max. And he's just so into everything Disney, how could we not? And then it just gets harder and harder to stay away!

 

[KatMark]

Tina, I'm so sorry the end of your day/night was not a good one. I remember those days of "losing it" and no matter how you try, it doesn't work.

I hope the rest of the trip there aren't any more meltdowns, or at least fewer.

 

[tinacaplan]

After our third Disney day, could our trip get any worse? Well, no...no it could not. Thank god. While today had its moments where I seriously questioned the wisdom of taking a four year old to Disneyworld, it also turned out to be a magical day of plan wrecking, rule breaking fun. (Oh...and on a side note...I promise that I rotate/resized all of these pictures...but Photobucket has been slow to catch up recently, so if you're seeing them un-fixed, as it were, I apologize.)

I sometimes question the wisdom of all of this pre-trip planning. I mean, seriously, I’m supposed to figure out what we want to eat 180 days prior to our eating it? Ugh. Last time, I put together these very detailed index cards, listing out touring directions from Ridemax, as well as our ADRs, complete with the actual confirmation numbers. I suppose they were convenient and I’m glad that I did it then, as it was only our second trip. But now that we’re seasoned vets (ahem) on our third trip…well…I figured we could go a little fast and loose. Of course, I had my color-coded spread sheet available on my phone, via the wonder that is Google docs. And originally, like any good Dis-planner with an early rising pre-schooler, I had planned on getting to Hollywood Studios in plenty of time for rope drop.
At any rate, it was decided that we should let Max sleep this morning until he woke up, which we figured would be by at eight. We were wrong. But not by a lot. I think we were ready and making our way to the boat dock a little after nine.

We had been waiting for several minutes when Mark decided he needed to run to the bathroom at the Yacht Club. And, of course, just as he was running back up the walkway to the dock, a boat pulls up, loads up the three people waiting, and then gets ready to pull away. I asked if they could wait just three seconds, as my husband was literally running up to the bus and the boat captain brusquley informed me that they were on a very strict schedule and would be back in fifteen or twenty minutes. Thanks...and so much for that Disney magic! I mean, believe me, I understand schedules and all that, really I do...but you couldn’t have waited three seconds for someone who could be clearly seen running toward the boat? Sheesh.

So I took a few pictures while we waited for boat number two:

Our boat finally came back for us and we were quickly seeing this come into view:

And it was busy....sigh...so this is what its like to miss rope drop I guess.

I love the architecture of this park, art deco being a personal favorite of mine. I think an art-deco Hollywood Studios themed resort would be a thing of beauty, particularly in the hands of Disney imagineering.

Unfortunately, I failed to take many pictures on this day. For some reason, I really like to push Max’s stroller when we’re in the parks, which makes taking pictures difficult.

We headed for Pixar Place to check out what was going on at Toy Story Mania. Unfortunately, the FP return time was 5 p.m. Thanks, but no.

Moving on.... we were in need some breakfast.

So we hit up the Writer’s Stop, which I had heard such amazing things about. What a terrific little place! Loved how cute it was, loved the coffe drinks...and I especially love the carrot cake cookie!

We tried a chocolate chip muffin:

And a yummy cheese danish:

As well as the aforementioned carrot cake cookie, which I did not snap a picture of. All told, it was a delightful breakfast in a charming little spot. We will definitely be returning here. And, if you’re on the dining plan, this is one of those places were breakfast can be had for a few snack credits.

Now that we were satiated, it was time to seek out some fun and possibly meet a few residents of Radiator Springs...