Who knew choking each other would earn us fastpasses?

[racefanof88]

OH I almost forgot.....LOVE the latest updates .

 

[claryche]

Great update. Last time I was at Dollywood was in 1996, I think.

And I agree with you and others about people talking about Disney being so expensive, but them not knowing all they get. Such as that extra charge for the zipline. That is crazy.

And then this weekend we went to the Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, AL for the Stars Wars exhibit. It was 30 bucks per adult and 20 for my 4 year old. Crazy. Then you factor in a lunch that was actually more expensive than some CS at Disney and not nearly as good. In fact it was hard to choke it down. Then 35 bucks for the pictures they took, and this doesn't count the extra things we could have done, like the 3d movie, extra cost, IMAX movie, extra cost, Millenium Falcon movie, extra cost. However, the parking was free. But you get that at Disney if you stay on site.

People just don't get that Disney is affordable, if you do it right.

Sidenote. Totally felt for you with the roads in the Smokey Mt Natl Park. We honeymooned in that area and drove through the park on the way to a train ride in NC, and I hated it so much that we went the long way around, via interstates, back to our cabin after the train ride.

 

[teedee]

Friday the 13th wasn't too terribly bad around our house. So did your son in law get his computers back up and running?

He didn't get everything up and running until late in the afternoon. He wasn't a happy camper! Being the sweet mother in law that I am, I went in yesterday and today and got his books in order, and what a job that was! For someone smart enough to be a doctor, he doesn't have enough sense to hire a book keeper and tries to do it himself. He does not succeed!

Congratulations on being able to move to Caribbean Beach resort for next year's trip. I know how much you love that place, and I can tell you're happy about it! I think I'm going to go ahead and book the free dining for next year now, and then see what kind of bounce back offer we get next month. I can always cancel if the bounce back offer is better.

Terri

 

[teedee]

Argh!!! Sorry, double post

 

[jenseib]

Yay for free dining! That is awesome! I am so happy for you.
That last update was great. I would be trying to avoid that gieyser like the plague and it would probably get me!

I am booked for December 6th-December 11th. I went with the room only and as I was about to book I thought I would try the AP site, and I saved an extra 5% so it came out to be $321 instead of $350 something . I don't know why I haven't gotten an email about the passholder discounts. I booked us at Pop and now it is time to start the planning .

The bookings must have really been down at Disney because they are making so many offers. I'm not complaining though .

If we go in Dec (trip booked, but waiting for DH to actually say we can go) we will be at AKL from the 8th to the 10 and then to Pop on the 10th - 15th.

Maybe we'll see each other!

I have read that Disney's bookings are down 9% this year from last. Which is funny because they announced earlier that there would be less discounts because bookings were up with the better economy. I knew that couldn't be true though.

 

[Believeinfairytales]

Too funny about Hunter getting so soaked! I bet he froze to death in the car on the way home, though. Or at least I would have.

That stinks about having to drive through the National Park in all the fog. I would have been scared to death. I hate driving with low visibility.

So glad that you made it back to GA safe and sound. Looking forward to more!!!

 

[Peter Pan Fan 22]

It looks like you guys had a good time at Dollywood. I love the silly pics the best! My mom has been saying she wants to go there for years, but I think that's because she thinks it's full of good shows with country music. I'll have to tell her you said you heard a bad singer. She'll be shocked!

 

[MissLiz]

I haven't checked in for a while, but I'm loving your updates! We keep saying we are going to go to Gatlinburg and Dollywood, but I don't know when we'll make it.

We thought about it for Labor Day weekend, but we are headed to the first University of Tennessee game that Saturday, so I'm not sure if we are going to keep going on Sunday.

Plus we have our Disney trip mid-September, so I think that just may be too stinkin' many things in September. I might need a vacation from all of our mini-vacations.

Side note, I got a email pin that added some free dining dates for this fall and I casually mentioned to my hubby that I would love to go to WDW for Food & Wine as my birthday present (bday is 8/29). He looked at me like I had 12 heads and said "We are NOT going 3 times this year!"

 

[Caretames1]

Congrats on getting to stay at CBR I now get it, when others say they found their "home" resort. We have that feeling about POR. My DH says he feels drawn there! Also, my older DD thought Hunter getting wet was awesome. She is just the kind to love it too! I would have pee'd myself if I was up there.

 

[Run4Disney]

WooHoo!! You got your discount! I think all the WDW crazed people were on the phone or online getting their discounts on Monday morning Glad you were able to switch over to Caribbean Beach.

Between Monday and AP discounts on Tuesday we were able to get our discounts too. Yay!

 

[francis6306]

YAY!!!! So glad you got into your "home"!!!

I wish that we could go again next year... but we have one small little reason why we can't...

 

[racefanof88]

If we go in Dec (trip booked, but waiting for DH to actually say we can go) we will be at AKL from the 8th to the 10 and then to Pop on the 10th - 15th.

Maybe we'll see each other!

I have read that Disney's bookings are down 9% this year from last. Which is funny because they announced earlier that there would be less discounts because bookings were up with the better economy. I knew that couldn't be true though.

I hope you get to go; it would be great to have a meet at Christmas time

I can understand the bookings being down. They just said on my local news that Moody'sEconomy.com is saying my city is 1 of 22 looking at a double dip recession . I don't know where the economy is getting better? All I can see is that it is getting worse.

 

[JessietheNCCowgirl]

Hey Lisa, Happy Friday!! I am all caught up on your TR again after being on our vacation!
I enjoyed reading about your Helen, Gaitlinburg, Pigeon Forge side trip!

Also congratulations to Lacey and Jesse on their upcoming wedding and am happy for you that you get to spend time with her beforehand!

You have also inspired me to start writing a trip report about our recent trip, I only hope mine is as interesting and entertaining as yours have been!

I am also excited for ya'll in getting to stay at your CBR with Free Dining for next year - woo hoo! We also booked a trip to POR for May 27-June 4 to take advantage of the deal!

Can't wait to read more updates!

 

[longing2Batdisney]

Hey Lisa!
great finish to your Dollywood update; so sorry you guys had a hard time getting back to GA.

I missed out on the news about Lacey by using the links to get caught up so guess I need to go back and so some more research...

I showed Dayne the Adventure mtn and he can't wait to try that one out; sorry you guys missed the rollercoasters. The kids love the lost mine (something like that) that;s the one jen was talking about that is inside and starts out real quick.

Congrats! on scoring such a great rate for next year's trip!

Connie

 

[stitch1986]

Hello I have just read your first trip to MK and I love how your family is "not normal" haha but then again who really is nowadays heheh and I am still not done reading your TR but it is making me want my vaca to come sssooooo badly and also I like the stitch ride but idk it might be because I am a stitch fan and they get a kick with my tattoos that I have of them but I just wanted to say hi and that your TR is awesome!!!

 

[Kathy Jetson]

Hi Lisa! I'm back! My computer got another virus around 7/16 and I was without it for about 3 weeks, then we had a problem with the cable lines on our street and the cable company says it might take 2 weeks to fix so sometimes I can get online and sometimes nothing for days We also took a few short trips out of town most recently to Carrowinds. Anyway it took me a few hours but I am all caught up!

First of all l am so happy for you that Lacey is home with you again AND engaged AND might be going to Disney with you again! It brought tears to my eyes when I read that.

I wanted to wish you a late happy anniversary! and congrats on starting your own business.

Glad to hear you get to stay at CBR I know thats what you wanted!

 

[aprilisis]

Hey Lisa! Great updates!! That is awesome news that you get to stay at "your" resort again!!!

 

[mickeystoontown]

Hello all my Dis friends! I hope that you all had a good weekend. Things have been busy around our house. Hunter started school on Thursday and is now an official 7th grader. I had already bought most of the things that I figured he would need for school so all we had to get was a pencil pouch, Kleenex and two binders. He had to have a binder for 5 of his 6 classes! Those things are expensive!

We had to go buy him a P.E. uniform Saturday.

One of Hunter's teachers wanted his dad and I to write a description of Hunter in 1 million words or less. Yes, the million words comment was a joke. I just got done with my "homework" and am about to put it in Hunter's backpack.

Anyway, I'm trying to get a few Ebay packages out before Big Brother comes on. I'll be back in the morning to finish up our trip to Georgia.

 

[mickeystoontown]

I know I've been saying I was going to finish up our trip to Georgia so I could get back to talking about Disney. You guys probably thought I was never gonna do it. But, here I am finally wrapping it up!


After a semi-scary ride through the Smoky Mountain National Park, we finally made it back to Georgia. We dropped Lacey off at her apartment and drove the 9 miles back to Helen. The streets of Helen at Midnight are waaaay different than the daytime streets of Helen. We drove straight through town and to our hotel where we immediately fell into the beds.

We didn't get up too early the next morning as we were all tired from the day before. Believe me when I tell you I was mentally drained from that drive. I was pretty nervous there for a little while. Didn't help that we had gotten turned around either.

I walked out on the balcony to see what the weather was like and to take a look-see at the Chattahoochee again:

Mama and I went downstairs to grab a couple of breakfast items for all of us. John and Hunter were up when we got back and they were putting on their clothes which was a surprise since they are normally the slowpokes of the bunch. Once we had our breakfast, we were ready to take the luggage downstairs and go. We walked over to Mama's and got her things and we were outta there!

A pic or two that I took while we were leaving the cute little town of Helen:

We called Lacey and told he we were on our way to her apartment for a final hug before we headed home. We also had to pick up a lot of boxes of stuff that she didn't need. (Remember, at this time, the plan was for her to stay in Georgia and live with her Mission parents while she finished up school.) Since we had only been in Georgia for three days, we didn't have much luggage.

When we got to the apartment, all but three of the Mission students were gone. The three remaining were Lacey, Sydney (who was waiting to leave for Hungary on an extended mission trip) and Jesse. They had just eaten a late breakfast and were getting ready to leave the next day for the final fundraiser of the year.

We were able to fit almost all of the boxes in my trunk. The one remaining tote, we put in the backseat. (John and Hunter would use it as a pillow later on in the trip since they chose to be the backseat riders.) Once we had everything loaded, we gave everybody a big hug. Of course, we all had tears in our eyes when we hugged Lacey. It would be three long months before we would see her again.

We waved goodbye and left Cleveland, Georgia. Cleveland may not be a very big town but the traffic can sometimes be backed up and today it was. We finally made it to the town square and drove out of town. Our first stop would be to get gas. I didn't want to have to stop and get gas anywhere near Atlanta. I hate driving in and around Atlanta and there's no way I was getting off any exit if it wasn't absolutely necessary. Here's a pic of Mama going in to find a bathroom while we were getting gas:

Just a little further down the road was a fruit stand. Every time we have driven past, we say we want to stop but never do. Well, this time, by golly, we were stopping! I wish I had taken a picture. They had Georgia peaches (which I bought a basket of), cantaloupes, tomatoes, corn, okra and a whole lot more. Then, we went inside and I was completely overwhelmed. Inside were rooms and rooms of jars of every canned vegetable, pickle, sauce, relish, fruit, honey, syrups and mix you could ever imagine. We had always thought the building was little but it just kept going on and on. They also had fresh baked sweet breads.

I bought some Georgia peaches that smelled amazing. We found Hunter some dill pickle potato chips too. Mama bought some peaches and a peach bread. If I had money out the behind, I would have bought one of everything which would have come to about a gazillion dollars! I am so glad that we stopped. Oh, and outside they had these:

John made his daddy an outhouse about a year ago to put out beside his garden. Not to be used but kind of as a joke since his daddy said they used to have outhouses when he was a kid. So, we took the picture to show his daddy.

Here's Hunter in the backseat enjoying his Sprite:

And in this one, you can see the tote that rode between John and Hunter all the way home:

Lacey called us just as we were getting back on the highway to see if we had made it through Atlanta yet. We told her we hadn't even really made it out of Cleveland yet. We told her we'd call her when we made it to Six Flags. That's when the traffic starts to clear up and our nerves have begun to calm down.

Atlanta traffic was a pain in the backside just as it was when we came through before. Only, this time, we weren't driving in the pouring down rain. Ugh! I hate Atlanta traffic!

The rest of the drive was pretty uneventful. Traffic wasn't too bad. We passed by the Mercedes plant which seemed to go on forever. We also passed by Talladega (spelling?) Speedway. That thing is huge! I saw this 18 wheeler trailer and thought it was cute so I snapped a pic:

John and Hunter spent a lot of time trying to video Hunter doing his cup speed stacking while we were going 70 miles an hour. Here's one of the better ones (that isn't turned sideways):



Continued in nex post

 

[mickeystoontown]

Finally, about sunset, we made it to Vicksburg, Mississippi. We always stop at the Visitor's Center as it has nighttime security, nice clean restrooms and a pretty view of the Mississippi River.

A few more pictures before we drove the final stretch home:

About an hour later, we pulled into our driveway. The trip to Georgia had been a good one. We traveled through Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee in just 3 1/2 days!