WHOLE TRIP = 1 THREAD! Jaime's Birthday Trip! WITH PICTURES!

[tiggerbell]

Day 1 – Friday, January 21st, 2005 – Get Us Out of Chicago FAST!

CAST: Jaime (Me) – turning 37 on this trip, 12th trip to WDW
Stephani – DD16, 10th trip to WDW
Meggie – DD14, 9th trip to WDW
Rhonda – sister, 55, 30th trip to WDW
Mia – sister, 63, 9th trip to WDW
Jay – nephew-in-law, 35, hasn’t been since his honeymoon 10 years ago
Lauren – great-niece, 3, 1st trip to WDW

THE PLAN: 7 people in a 3-bedroom condo just off Disney property for 4 days of driving and 6 days in Orlando. (maybe I should have stayed with the snow?)

THE BUDGET: The condo was a gift from my boss - $0. My daughters and I have APs from May - $0. My sisters will pay for 1 of my girls’ food – so $500 (?) for food for Meg & I. And another $500 for fun stuff and souvenirs. While I’m away, my bank is changing names (it got bought out), so I don’t have a debit card or any checks to take with… just my $1,000 in cash.


We have a tradition in our family – it dates back to when I was a little girl – when you’re going to Disney, you get up VEEEERYYYYYY EEEAAAARLYYYY! (and you SAY it like that, too!) Jay & Lauren are spending the night at his MIL’s (my 3rd sister, Judi, who’s not going on the trip), Rhonda & Mia (in Rhonda’s Ford Windstar) will meet Steph, Meg, and I (in my Toyota Matrix) are supposed to converge on Judi’s house at 4:30am, Friday, January 21st. The plan is to get up at 3:30, but I’m awake at 3:00. At 3:10, I head to the bathroom. As I pass the girls’ room, I hear Meggie say something unintelligible. Steph says, “What?” as I pop my head in the door. We realize Meg’s still asleep. Steph looks at the clock and wonders out loud, “WHY am I awake at 3 in the morning?!?” Umm, you’re going to DISNEY!!!

You sorry you started this yet?

By 5am, we’re on the road – Rhonda, Mia, Steph, and Meg in the van, Jay, Lauren, and I in the car. Now the plan is this: I55 South to I294 to I80 West to I57 South to I24 East (that gets us through IL). I24 takes us though KY and into TN. After Nashville, you get on 75 South through GA into FL, jump on the FL Turnpike, get off on Rt. 4, and well, you all know the way from there!

EXCEPT, Rhonda, who’s been there more times than any of us, gets on 80 EAST, instead of 80 WEST. We just left 30 minutes ago, it’s still dark, and the VETERAN takes a wrong turn! Not a huge problem, they will just take 80 East to 65 South and travel through IN, we’ll meet up this afternoon around Nashville, but this leaves Jay and I without any adult supervision (I don’t CARE that we’re in our 30s, that doesn’t make us ADULTS!!!)

We beat them to Nashville, btw, despite 2 stops for gas, 1 stop for food, and 2 stops for my bladder. (They stopped once for gas, once for food, and once for a potty break.)

Lauren, for a 3-year-old, was exceptional in the car. She only had 2 episodes – one in a TN rest stop, where ON THE POTTY she realizes the BEAST lives in Disney, so we should go home RIGHT NOW! And the other was right before we stopped for the night (in Perry, GA). She was getting very restless (so were the rest of us!) and wanted to stop. I told her 4 more miles, to which she replied, “I don’t WANT 4 more miles!!!” Neither do we, honey.

We stayed at a Holiday Inn with a Green Derby Restaurant attached, free breakfast there in the morning.

HIGH: Checking the Weather Channel in the hotel to find that Chicago was getting dumped with 8” of snow Friday night

LOW: Too many hours in the car with a 3-year-old

 

[tiggerbell]

Day 2 – Saturday, January 22nd, 2005 – Get Us to Florida Already!

After breakfast in GA, it’s back to the cars… rest of the drive is pretty uneventful. We’re on the FL Turnpike about ½ an hour from the condo when my phone rings. It’s Anne from IA (LuvsTink), who we’re meeting at 8:15 tonight for a Birthday Illuminations Cruise. She asks where we are and tells me they’re in Germany having a blast. See ya later!

We find the condo, Cypress Pointe Grandvillas with no trouble, check in, and head to our condo. HOLY COW!!! It took about 15 minutes before we all stopped running from room to room gaping!

I had read mostly good, but a couple bad, reviews about this place, and I have to side with the good! The main complaint I saw was unkempt hallways. The halls were fine; I saw no signs of garbage anywhere. MY only complaint would be that there’s no hooks in the bathroom (I go NOWHERE without my robe!), and no shelves in the showers to put your shampoo bottle on.

Not that those 2 little inconveniences would stop me from staying there again!

By 5pm, we’re out of the condo, reluctantly, and all piled into the van to go to the Boardwalk. My daughters’ favorite place to eat in Disney is the hot dog stand on the Boardwalk that serves chili-cheese hot dogs and C-C fries. We parked, took the mandatory picture of my girls on the couch just inside the doors before you get IN the lobby, and headed out the back door to the actual boardwalk itself. Uh oh. I spot it first… or rather; I spot the LACK of it first. The hot dog stand is gone.
If any of you have had a 16-year-old daughter with a tendency to pout and a really picky appetite, you know what’s coming up here. To keep the peace, I approached the first cast member I saw to ask where the hot dog stand went. Down for refurbishment, but there’s a hot dog vendor nearby. Great! Or not, he has no chili or cheese. But he tells us that EPSN makes c-c dogs! Great! Or not, now she’s mad because he was cute, and I didn’t talk to him long enough! (Bet you didn’t see THAT part coming!) So, we all go to ESPN for dinner.

Meg & I split the c-c dog, Steph decides it’s not the same so she’ll wait until the next trip and orders a Cesar salad (ARGGGHHH!!!!!). She was right, it wasn't that good. Best part of EPSN? – the TVs in the bathroom! Cool!

We hopped the boat to the Yacht & Beach Club for our Birthday Illuminations Cruise.

We get there about an hour early. Mia & Jay plop down on a bench, the rest of us head inside to explore the hotel (and hit the bathroom one last time). About 8:10, I headed over to the marina to pay for the cruise, and when I get back, Anne and her family are there! I found Anne on the DisBoards looking for a cruise and invited them to join us. She and I had never met, but it was like being around old friends! I had glow necklaces I bought off the Internet for everyone, they put life jackets on the 3 little kids, and we boarded.

The pontoon boat was decorated with balloons and a “Happy Birthday” banner. There was cake and soda and chips. Our captain, Tracy, was very good and friendly. She was not able to stump either Anne or me with the trivia, and in turn, we taught her all about the Disney sites on the net! The cake was delicious and Illuminations was incredible from that spot under the bridge! I would do this again in a heartbeat!

Dropped most of the crew back at the condo, and Rhonda and I head to Winn-Dixie for breakfast provision. We get coffee and don’t realize until we get back that we forgot filters! Luckily, the condo gives you a pack of coffee, so we just used that the first day and went back for filters the next day.

HIGH: Birthday Illuminations Cruise, meeting Anne, the condo, BEING HERE!!!

LOW: finding the hot dog stand was gone

TOMORROW: MGM Studios!

 

[tiggerbell]

Day 3 – Sunday, January 23rd, 2005 – Disney-MGM Studios!


Today, we’re getting up early to get to the Studios when they open. I spent the ride back to the condo last night explaining A.I.S. to Jay (if you watch Raymond, you probably already know). A.I.S. stands for A(butt) in Seat. We’re leaving at 8:30 – you have your A.I.S. or you get left behind.

I forgot the part where Rhonda, Mia, and I all oversleep! Jay never let me forget A.I.S. the rest of the trip. OK, so we got to the Studios about 9:30. Steph and I have to go to the Guest Relations outside the park because she forgot her AP at home (jeez! – who’s kid IS this???) While we’re getting that done, I get my Birthday Button (for the record, my birthday is Jan. 26th).

We enter the park (2 Happy Birthdays from CMs), and I’m dying to use the PhotoPass (I love the idea of not having to spend my vacation money on photos!) We have a bunch of shots taken, and we head to the hat. There are some characters out, Mickey and Pluto are together. Perfect, Lauren’s first trip to WDW, the first character SHOULD be Mickey himself! Not according to Lauren… she wants nothing to do with a 5 foot mouse, or a 6 foot dog, or a 5 foot penguin… you getting the gist here? NO CHARACTERS FOR LAUREN! Ugh. Fine, (reverse psychology time) I’m getting my picture taken with Mickey, you just stand there and wait. Yeah, that approach didn’t work either, she just stood there and waited! It was a nice shot though.

And Mickey saw my Birthday Button and “sang” Happy Birthday to me, using his arms like a conductor.

Rhonda wants a picture of Mickey by himself. Pluto starts to pout. What does this soon-to-be-37 year old mother of 2 teenagers do? Starts consoling Pluto and scratching him on the nose! Seriously, I forgot it was a character! He played right along and started thumping his foot.

Now, here’s the problem with our group: Mia needs an ECV so she’s always lagging behind, and Jay tends to run ahead with Lauren, so the rest of us spend the days playing FIND THEM!!! Someone is always lost behind or in front. We’re gonna go in The Voyage of the Little Mermaid. Mia has to park the ECV, so by the time she catches up, the doors are shut. I say, let’s get some Fast Passes and do The Great Movie Ride, then come back here. So we do, it’s perfect. Next, we head towards the Muppets, but there’s NO LINE for Millionaire and I LOVE this one, so Rhonda, Meg, and I head in there, and the rest head off. Meg makes it to #3 on the board twice. She’s fast, but terrified of the hot seat. (and PS: Rhonda & I were feeding her answers!)

We get out and head down the street, to find Mia sitting in the sun on her ECV not far way. Turns out, Jay, Steph, and Lauren ended up on the back lot tour instead of the Muppets. OK. We head for the shop of movie memorabilia at the end of the back lot tour to meet them.

One of the things I collect are Disney antenna toppers, mainly the Mickey heads, but sometimes another will just be too cute to resist (like the little castle!). This trip, I’m looking for the Indiana Jones and Binford Tool hats, the Stitch head (with and without the X-Mas hat), the Figment head, and the Mickey Tower of Terror in the bellman’s cap. I spot the Binford Tool hat in the movie store and Mia tells me to put it down. Turns out, Steph had seen it on a cart outside and already bought it for me. (See, she’s not always bad!)

By now, we’re starting to get hungry. Pizza Planet, anyone? So, down NY street, gotta stop and play with the Singin’ in the Rain umbrella, pretend to walk up San Francisco Street, past Al’s Toy Barn… ummm, ok let’s stop there. Lauren’s favorite characters are Woody and Buzz. Still won’t go near them, but wants to see them. Ugh. So, Jay, Rhonda, Meg, and Lauren are in front of Al’s Toy Barn. Mia, Stephani, and I wander a little farther so that we’re in front of Mama Melrose’s. The Green Army Men are out there. One of them sees my Birthday button and used the universal character sign language for “Happy Birthday”. He then motions over a buddy Green Army Man, points to my button, and they use hand gestures to FORCE my daughter and sister to sing “HB” to me. They did a beautiful job, they’re both very good singers. They received applause from the crowd that had gathered.

Here comes the rest of our group, “What happened?” STOP WANDERING OFF, PEOPLE!

We FINALLY make it to Pizza Planet. I’ve never eaten here before, it wasn’t bad. Meg and I split a pizza and salad meal and a soda. Next, the Muppets. Then Jay, Rhonda, and Lauren (yes, the 3 year old!) went on Star Tours (I’m claustrophobic, I can’t even LOOK at that ride!), Meg, Steph, and I went into Sounds Dangerous, and Mia sat in the sun on her ECV. (Did I mention it was in the 60s?)

When we got out, we found them all on the street in the wheelchair section for the parade. Oh. Wasn’t expecting that. Cool! Right after the parade, Lauren jumps off a bench, lands on Jay’s foot, and smacks her head off the concrete. For future reference, First Aid at MGM is in the front by Guest Services. A CM took us there and gave Lauren a pin off his lanyard. Meg grabbed my arm and said, “Throw me on the ground!”

20 minutes, some stickers, and an ice pack later, we’re off! Meg is going on RnRC and ToT for the 1st time this trip. Jay and Rhonda are taking her. Mia gets Lauren popcorn and they sit at the picnic tables across from Beauty & the You-Know-What. Steph and I wander the shops. Meg LOVED both rides!

Now it’s time for dinner. We have a PS at the Sci-Fi. We head over and find Mike and Sully in their character location just outside the ABC Commissary. Lauren’s other favorites! She let’s Jay take her up to have her picture taken (!), but only if Daddy goes with.

Now, on to the Sci-Fi. I love this place! We had too many people for 1 car, so we let (made?) Jay sit with the 3 girls in the car, and Rhonda, Mia, and I sat at a table. I had the salmon, it was great. I ordered the apple-pecan crisp for dessert. Our waiter delivered dessert and announced to the restaurant that it was Jaime’s Birthday. (Jay was the snitch!) I got the apple-pecan crisp AND a Baby Big Bang! (1/2 the size of the Big Bang – vanilla ice cream with caramel, hot fudge, and strawberry sauce, like a parfait). I went over to the girls’ car and asked for help with my desserts! Meg and Lauren came over and devoured my apple-pecan crisp.

During dinner, I remembered that I had some light-up plastic hair braid clips in my bag and hand them out to everyone. We’re all walking around with there light up braids the rest of the night.

Back to the condo, I’m exhausted!

HIGH: Mia & Steph forced singing, Baby Big Bang at Sci-Fi

LOW: trying to keep track of everyone, Lauren’s not wanting to go by the characters

TOMORROW: EPCOT & The SegWay Tour

 

[tiggerbell]

Day 4 – Monday, January 24th, 2005 – EPCOT & The SegWay Tour!

OK, NO oversleeping today! Rhonda, Jay, Steph, and I are headed to EPCOT bright and early for the SegWay Tour! You check in at Guest Services, so I got my EPCOT Birthday Button. Rhonda did this tour in September with her boyfriend. Steph and I are the world’s biggest klutzes! This was a blast! DO IT!!! I was a little worried because I had surgery in June for the plantar fasciitis in my left foot. It’s been very slow to heal. I was worried about the SegWay Tour hurting my foot. I had heard that it made your feet sore, so I figured I’d end up on an ECV myself today. It DID hurt, but everyone else was saying their feet hurt too, so I felt like I was keeping up. (and, for the record, it hurt all the way up to my butt!)

They took us through the WS, stopping to travel though paths in China, Japan (got to ride through the gardens and see the koi pond!), wove around the pillars in Italy, got to ride around an open area without having to be in formation, and through the gardens in America.

After the tour, Rhonda and Jay went back to the condo to get Mia, Meg, and Lauren. Steph and I split a breakfast pocket at the FountainView Bakery and got me an ECV and Steph a sweatshirt. Then we met up with the rest of the group, Mia got her ECV, and off we went. We have a 12pm PS at LeCellier in Canada.

One of my favorite restaurants, really sorry I had that breakfast pocket. Meg & I split (are you seeing a trend here?) the filet mignon and mashed potatoes (TINY!!) but I wanted the maple crème brulee and Meg wanted the Chocolate “Moose”, so it was perfect. In addition, thanks to the birthday button, our waiter, Joel, brought out a chocolate mousse in a chocolate cup, on a plate decorated with chocolate reading “Happy Birthday, Jaime. From Joel and Mickey”. The Mickey was an icon. (This time it was me who gave the waiter my name!) Again, the kids helped… by eating my maple crème brulee! I got 2 bites of my favorite dessert! Before we left the restaurant, I visited the restroom. When I came back, there was a card at my seat signed by the entire staff! It was the best.

After lunch, we headed back into FW and rode Journey into Imagination, sent a couple Kodak e-mails, then Jay found the “inside-out ball”. It’s a 3” rubber ball that’s smooth on 1 side (with a picture of Figment), and a hole, so you can turn the ball inside out. The inside is a bunch of soft spikes. You kinda have to see it to understand. It’s really cool and very hard to put down! I think we bought 8 all together!

Over to the Living Seas.

More PhotoPass pictures outside, then it’s time to explore Nemo’s world. Turtle Talk with Crush was fantastic! We checked out the manatees (Barbara Manatee, Manatee, Manatee) - sharks, dolphins, big fish… enough- Spaceship Earth isn’t going to ride itself, people!

Fast Passes for Test Track – check; Jay, Meg & Rhonda ride Mission: Space while I play ball with Lauren and Mia & Steph sit in the sun. While we’re playing ball, I see that Astronaut Goofy has come out for pictures. So I ask Lauren if she wants her picture taken with him. No. So I tell her that I do, and will she wait in line with me. Yes. There are 3 people in front of me when she decides she was only teasing and wants her picture taken with Goofy. Oh, triumph! But it gets better, all of a sudden she spots Astronaut Mickey come out! She yells “Mickey!” and Auntie Jaime jumps out of the Goofy line to be 2nd in line for Mickey! Lauren’s very first character hug is from the Main Mouse himself! And the PhotoPass photographer got it on film! From that point on, there was no stopping her! On to Goofy we go! She was so proud to tell Daddy about it when he got off the ride.

The 6 of us go on to ride Test Track and Mia searches for sunlight. Lauren likes this ride a lot!

Then to Mexico for El Rio de Tiempo

and Norway for Maelstrom (where I was sung H.B. in Norwegian!).

The plan for dinner was Beaches & Cream at the Yacht & Beach Club. We drove over and had about a ½ hour wait. So we played in the arcade until our beeper went off. A couple burgers got split; then Rhonda, Steph, Mia, and I went after the Kitchen Sink.

When the waitress brought it out, she also had a balloon and they sand H. B. again. Somehow she knew my name, but nobody would confess to telling her.

Lauren ate a sundae and a pickle (she’s 3!).

HIGH: Dessert and the card in Canada, being in EPCOT (home!), Lauren hugging Mickey, the SegWay Tour

LOW: Holding a large group together so you miss a lot!

TOMORROW: Princess Breakfast & The Magic Kingdom!

 

[tiggerbell]

Day 5 – Tuesday, January 25th, 2005 – Princess Breakfast & Magic Kingdom!

Up and at ‘em! The Princesses await! There was a slight problem entering EPCOT – their computer crashed right before opening, so the ticket machines weren’t working. We had to wait about 5 minutes for the system to come back up. While we were waiting, a cast member spotted my Birthday button from MGM, and came over to hand me an EPCOT one. Turns out my EPCOT one was hidden under my coat.

We couldn’t figure out how we were getting Mia to Norway by 8:30 if the ECV rental place wasn’t open… no problem, they were open! We’re seated right away, and before we know it – we’re eating! I would recommend this place on the food alone! Try the potatoes – they rule! Then add to that, 5 princesses! We saw Belle first. Lauren went right to her – Lauren has a character routine: hand them the autograph book, pose for a picture, get a hug. I spent most of the rest of the trip telling characters that she wanted a hug. So Lauren does her routine and Mia bursts into tears!

Belle is followed by Jasmine, Snow White, and Mulan… and… please, please, please, YES! Sleeping Beauty – Lauren’s favorite princess!

Now, out of EPCOT! Yes, you heard me. Leave the car in the parking lot and hop on that monorail. We ask for the front for Lauren. We have to wait for the next one – no problem. While we’re waiting, Meg is taking a couple of shots with her video camera. The CM on the station pulls Meg over and takes her into areas of the station that the rest of us can’t get to. He has her film the monorail coming in, Spaceship Earth with NOTHING in the way, it was very cool! He said he used to come here when he was a kid and he always took home videos, too. It made Meg’s day!


We get to MK and it takes FOREVER to get Mia the ECV. (The Birthday Button at the MK is the same as the one at MGM, so I skip Guest Relations.)

The MK is a whole new experience in trying to keep a large group together. First stop – the barbershop. Meg gets her hair styled and gelled, different color streaks down the back, and glitter and Mickey confetti EVERYWHERE! Jay gets the top of his head colored purple and glittered and a purple Mickey head (with googlie eyes) on the back of his head. (That solves my “Where’s Jay?” problem as long as he stayed in the sun!) More PhotoPass pictures on Main Street – and we finally head towards the castle – 1½ hours AFTER we entered the park!


Jay & Lauren go to the race cars. Let’s head to Stitch before they close it! Yeah, it was bad. And I loved Alien Encounter. It’s just that once the lights go out, there’s no plat to follow. I know it’s there, but it’s not very strong. The 4 teenage girls screaming in the dark just for the sake of screaming really didn’t help. They were just scaring the little kids on the other side. I’ve done it, now they can change it (lol).

We meet up again for Buzz Lightyear. Lauren scored 250 points. She was so cute, so proud of herself for helping put Zurg in jail. Then the 6 of us ride the TTA. Jay & Lauren (ahead as usual) get in their own car, Steph & Meg in the car behind them, Rhonda & I pulling up the rear in our own car. The doors shut, we pick up speed – Rhonda & I get left behind! We’re in a different set of cars! It too the 4 of them a little while before they realized we were gone.

Rhonda, Jay & Meg hit Space Mountain, Steph, Lauren, & I hit CoP. Lunch at Cosmic Ray’s (Meg & I split the chicken & ribs.) Now, off to ToonTown. On the way, Lauren & I fell behind and I bought her a Mickey ice cream bar. We caught up to the group at the Teacups, where a picture had to be taken of Lauren and her first Mickey ice cream bar. Meg & Jay were riding the teacups, when they got off Jay took Lauren, who was almost done with the ice cream. In ToonTown we rode Barnstormer, then went to see Mickey’s house. We went into the Judge’s tent and had our pictures taken with Mickey. Then went to the other side of Mickey’s hose, and got in line for the Princesses. Jasmine, Snow White, and CINDY!!! (Stephani’s favorite Princess)

Then back around to get into the Minnie & Friends line. Minnie & Donald.
Then somehow we left ToonTown. We ended up in Fantasyland, where we caught the Sword in the Stone show by accident (I helped hold an invisible rope). Then, somehow, we’re on the Jungle Cruise. We had to wait at the end for clearance to dock, so I got a boatload of Happy Birthday! On to Pirates! Then Big Thunder. Lauren loved the “crazy train ride”!

Now, it’s getting late, we’re all hungry and cranky, Columbia Harbour House is closed already, we end up back at Casey’s for hotdogs. Jay, Lauren, and Rhonda end up watching Wishes from somewhere in Liberty Square, Mia stays just off Main Street by Casey’s, and the girls & I head out on the bridge between the Hub and Main Street. Wishes always brings a tear to my eye.

We all meet up again by Mia, Rhonda leads us to the Resort Monorail (not the HUGE line for the TTC Monorail). They BOTH stop at the TTC! We get right on! Off that one, onto the EPCOT monorail (remember where we left the car?) While we’re riding to EPCOT, Lauren is sitting across the car from me. I wave at her and she waives back. I blow a kiss, she blows one back. Then she tilts her head to the left, smiles really big, and starts fluttering her eyelashes. It’s SO CUTE!!!! But I have no idea what she’s doing. Every time I blow a kiss, she makes that face. We finally ask Jay what she’s doing. She tells him she’s blinking at Auntie Jaime with one eye. Awwwwwwwww, she was WINKING at me!

HIGH: The 1 eyed blink, breakfast in Norway, Jungle Cruise H.B. Serenade

LOW: Again, keeping everyone together.

TOMORROW: It’s REALLY my birthday! Day off for everyone but me & Meg – we’re going to EPCOT!

 

[tiggerbell]

Day 6 – Wednesday, January 26th, 2005 – Happy Birthday to Me!

Today’s a declared “day of rest” – but first, we have an 8:40 PS at Kona Café in the Polynesian. Rhonda won’t be happy if she doesn’t get at least 1 Tonga Toast per trip! Jay has decided to REALLY take the day off, and skips breakfast. He’ll be at dinner though. Breakfast is wonderful, we’re seated immediately. Now, from here, Meg & I are supposed to hop the monorail to the TTC and another monorail to EPCOT. Rhonda, Mia, Steph, and Lauren are getting back in the car and checking out Pop Century and I don’t know what else. But, before we leave the restaurant, here comes the waiter with a place – chocolate éclair on a plate that reads in chocolate “Happy Birthday”. Again, the children have to help – man, that was good! A picture of Meg with the chocolate Stitch & Lilo and we’re off!

First stop at EPCOT, I need an ECV. OK, Innoventions, the House of Tomorrow, get FP for Test Track, Ellen’s Energy Adventure, wanna ride the Maelstrom again?, 1:00pm PSs for Nine Dragons (Meg fell in love with that restaurant on our last trip) (when I hand the waiter my DDE letter, he asks for my driver’s license – only time that happened – and comes back to tell me my ginger ice cream is free because it’s my birthday), over to Italy for pictures with the Statue (we both removed anything that could be used against us!), wander through Morocco (my favorite pavilion! It’s just so beautiful.)

Somehow, the day just slips right by us. It’s after 5, we need to head over to the Wilderness Lodge to meet the group for dinner – yes, AT Whispering Canyon! I knew what I was getting into, I had even been warned in a bathroom at Pizza Planet by 2 nice women who saw my birthday button, but I think I’ve shown in these reports that I’m a little starved for attention!
Meg and I hop a bus from EPCOT to Wilderness Lodge. I listen to 2 couples discussing Disney (Splash Down Falls, people???) and hold my tongue. Meg & I beat the rest of the group to WL and go look at the geyser (that was NOT geysering at the moment). She wants to sit down (I had been sitting all day!) We go to the lobby to wait. Meg falls asleep on the couch.

Now, we’re sitting IN FRONT of the restaurant, HOW do you sleep through that??? Next think Meg knows, the group is all there! The flashes from our cameras didn’t even wake her up.

While we’re waiting to be seated, Lauren and I are checking out the lobby and she tells me that Daddy got me lots of balloons at the show-&-tell (the hotel). I said, “For really, or just in your head?” She said, “For really.” So I went to Mia and told her what Lauren said, and Mia kinda shrugged it off (I could tell by her face though that it was true), but I thought it was really cool of Jay, so I let it go.

Our name is called, we wander over and are greeted with, “Well, just MOSEY on over. What do you think I have all day?” I’m gonna LOVE this place! Seated, drink orders taken, straws thrown on the table, Meg’s Tinkerbell hat stolen by the waitress. Jay does Atkins and has been having a LOT of salads and steaks on this trip. He discusses this with the waitress, who says hang on a second. Next thing we know, the chef is at the table having a conversation with Jay. He went with the skillet, specially prepared low-carb, low-sugar. Jay never wanted to eat anywhere else again!

Early in the meal, they had all the little kids come up and ride ponies around the restaurant. Then, if they wanted a certificate, they had to take a pledge: I promise/ to never/ ever/ never never never/ ever ever ever/ go to/ Universal Studios! SO cute!

My 16-year-old ordered the grilled cheese sandwich off the children’s menu (and she says I embarrass HER!). It came with fries. Uh oh. The waitress made Steph and Meg stand on their chairs and they were supposed to yell, "I want ketchup!” They were laughing so hard, Meg said nothing, and Stephani just yelled, “Ketchup!” It worked anyway. She got 12 bottles of ketchup. A little while later, a cry came from across the room “I want ketchup”, and we sent Lauren, Steph, and Meg over. Steph, the crafty little brat, kept 1 bottle at our table! Near the end of the meal, when the cry was heard again, she sent Lauren over with it.

All of a sudden, the waitress is standing behind my chair with a pony. Uh oh. She looks at me, and I tell her about the foot surgery I had a few months ago. She sighs, tells Meg to hold the pony and wanders off. She comes back with 2 more ponies. Steph out and out refuses. So the waitress makes Jay do it. (We get this a lot, Jay & I are the same age, so all week people have thought we were a couple.) Jay, Lauren, and Meggie ride around the restaurant in honor of my birthday (it’s about this point that I think I might need a new family for next year’s birthday! These people are never gonna talk to me again!)

After dinner, I hand the waitress my DDE letter. It has my name and Rhonda’s name on it. She looks at Jay and says “Well, you must be Rhonda”. We all crack up! Suddenly, Meg grabs my arm and says, “Auntie Mia is choking!” Yes, my sister almost died on my birthday! She choked on DIET COKE! After she was ok again, it was really funny. And whenever someone would say to ask Rhonda something, the answer is “Which Rhonda?” Poor Jay.

Back to the condo. I’m the 4th person up the stairs, but no one is opening the door.

Oh, yeah, the balloons, I have to open the door. Wow!

Jay bought a bag of 30 balloons and blew them up, they were laying all over the condo! There were presents on the table and Jay brought out a cake he had bought!

And they sang H.B. AGAIN! What a family!

Lauren made me a card, Mia bought me a Tigger mug – the exact one I was looking at on Day 1! – Rhonda got me some scrapbooking supplies, and the girls got me a Dorie stuffed animal. It was so nice!

HIGH: Family party at the condo, free ginger ice cream in China, Jay riding the pony for me

LOW: Watching Mia choking in the restaurant

TOMORROW: Animal Kingdom and Pleasure Island

 

[tiggerbell]

Day 7 – Thursday, January 27th, 2005 – Animal Kingdom, MGM, & Pleasure Island!

Still with me? Wow!

Mia decided to sit today out, so we leave her at the condo with a couple frozen dinners. OK, today’s PLAN was AK in the AM (just hitting the highlights), whatever Jay wanted in the afternoon (he thought it would be the WS), and then Jay & I had PI tickets for the evening.

AK – head straight for the safari. Got stopped by the elephants for at least 5 minutes because of some animals in the road 3 or 4 trucks ahead. Luckily, the elephant was eating, so at least we weren’t totally bored! Over to the Festival of the Lion King. This is one of my daughters’ and my favorite attractions! It’s just incredible! Rhonda, Jay, Lauren, and Mia have never seen this! Jay asks on the way in if it’s like the Broadway production – I saw that in Chicago, and it made me cry, it was so beautiful – so I said no, but that it was fantastic. When we came out, Jay said I was wrong, it was a Broadway quality show, in his opinion.

Now to Dinoland. Jay takes Lauren on the Triceratops Spin and Steph, Meg & I head for Primeval Whirl. Rhonda says no to PW because it’s too jerky for her. On the top, I say to the girls, “Oh, yeah. I hate this ride.” And we scream the whole way down!

Jay has GOT to try that one! So Meg takes him on and I take Lauren on Triceratops Spin. Next, Dinosaur (my absolute favorite ride!) Meg, who has tackled ToT, RnRC, and M:S this trip REFUSES Dinosaur. So Meg, Rhonda, and Lauren head for the Boneyard. As Jay and I are headed to Dinosaur, I look over and Stephani is walking with us – the Ride Weenie herself! I couldn’t believe it!

She HATED it! She was on the left end and asked why all the dinosaurs were on her side of the ride! I loved it! Especially since it wasn’t open in May, it was down for refurbishment. One of the improvements was made with ME in mind, I’m sure! The metal bars that are between the seats are now covered in rubber caps – no more bruises! (yes, I would get banged up something awful on this ride!)

OK, we’ve hit the major highlights of AK – one of these trips, I’m gonna spend an entire day there. The more times I go, the more I appreciate what’s there. On the way out, Meg’s whining about not doing the Kali River Rapids. Rhonda says, “OK, Jay, wait up! One more ride!” and off Rhonda, Meg, Steph, and I go!

On the way out, I stop and get my birthday button - I forgot this morning. It’s been a strange day, not getting noticed by the CMs! I missed it! Therapy might not be a bad idea...

Now, like I said, we were supposed to go to EPCOT, but actually Lauren wants to see Mike & Sully again, and I never looked for my Indiana Jones antenna topper – so it’s back to MGM. We’re all pretty hungry by this point, so we figure the ABC Commissary because that’s right by Mike & Sully. It’s gonna be at least an hour before Mike & Sully are out. We look at the menu at the Commissary, and there’s nothing for Stephani or Jay. I looked at Rhonda and said, “Prime Time?” - which, according to EVERYTHING I read online, should have been closed for refurbishment, but wasn’t! It’s 2:30ish, so there shouldn’t be a line.

On the way over, I’m delayed by a crying, scraped up child – I pointed the way to First Aid for her parents. We only wait about a minute for a table. Once lunch is over, I head into the Indiana Jones gift shop and find my antenna topper. We head back for Mike & Sully. Good, done.

Meg and Rhonda want to ride ToT one more time. Turns out this takes FOREVER! I guess they were having trouble with the elevator. The rest of us go to the Toy Store at the edge of Hollywood Blvd. to get Mr. Potato Head parts for Jay’s kids. The CM there tells Jay he HAS to put a potato in each box. That stinks, they already HAVE potatoes at home. But we fill up 2 boxes. While we are waiting up front by the gate for Meg and Rhonda, I buy Lauren a Mickey balloon. Back to the condo.

Rhonda says she’ll go with Jay & I and shop in DTD while he and I are at PI. We park at PI, Rhonda heads off. Now, I checked the PI schedule before we left on the trip – tonight was NOT supposed to be a delayed opening night, but it was. Crap. Jay bought us drinks at an outdoor stand, I showed him the West Side (remember, he hasn’t been here for 10 years). We wandered the Virgin MegaStore (I found a Rick Springfield DVD I don’t own! When I checked out, the cashier said, “Oh, Rick Springfield plays the House of Blues here!” and points over at HoB. I said, “I know. He was here in May and so was I. Great show!”)

We wander back through PI and figure we’d go find Rhonda and buy Jay’s wife something at the scrapbook store. Who knew Rhonda would be so easy to find? Sitting at an outdoor table, by the water, eating a sundae from Ghiradelli’s, and FREEZING!) (I was hot from the drink!) We wander through a variety of stores, including a toy store where we are told you DON’T have to put a potato in your box! Plus, they have a much larger selection of potato parts!

Hey, I never had dinner! Quick stop at McD’s on the way to the car.

HIGH: Talking about Rick Springfield (sigh!), getting to ride Dinosaur for the first time in 13 months

LOW: Getting wrong Potato info, having to wait for Meg & Rhonda to get back from ToT

TOMORROW: Chef Mickey’s & Magic Kingdom

 

[tiggerbell]

Day 8 – Friday, January 29th, 2005 – Chef Mickey’s & Magic Kingdom!

FORGOT something from yesterday - stopped at Guest Services at DTD to get my Birthday Button, and the CM there told me to make sure to stop at all the parks, even if it wasn't my ACTUAL birthday to get those pins there!)

Jay was taking today off to meet with a friend who was going to be in Orlando today. So the rest of us got an early start for an 8:10 PS at Chef Mickey’s (seriously don’t know WHY these people didn’t kill me on this trip!)

Parked at the Contemporary, seated fairly fast. Food wasn’t bad, but it was no Princess Breakfast in Norway! Characters start coming around – couple of chipmunks, Minnie, Mickey. Uh oh, Lauren’s afraid of Pluto – where’d THAT come from? OK, I’ll take care of it. Pluto approaches, and I say “Pluto, be a good doggie, Lauren’s afraid of you.” And Pluto is a very good dog (what is with me and this character???) He tilts his head down and I tell Lauren, “Look, he wants you to pet his nose.” And she does! He was very good about giving her space, but he still interacted with her. She was very proud of herself, and that was something she would tell her dad later in the day, that she petted Pluto's nose.

Pictures with Goofy on the way out, and we’re splitting up here. I’m taking the girls on the monorail one more time, Mia and Rhonda are moving the car to the TTC and meeting us in the MK. When we meet up with them, we find out that a CM at the Contemporary let them leave the car there for the day. So much for “Where’d we park the car?”

We started out in the barbershop again – Meg & Rhonda this time. Back to Buzz Lightyear. Lauren scored 300 this time. Then headed to Fantasyland. Got FP for Winnie the Pooh, saw Mickey’s Philharmagic. Lauren sat on my lap so she could see. I thought she might get a little freaked out, it’s a great show, but a little intense at times. She LOVED it! The part where Lumiere is popping champagne bottles and the caps fly toward you – there’s little puffs of air with each cork, I was watching Lauren’s hair fly back with each puff, and the kid never flinched!

Peter Pan, Winnie the Pooh, and I think Lauren was asking for Ariel, so we headed to Ariel’s Grotto. We met Ariel (who, when we got our pictures back, bears a STRIKING resemblance to Sleeping Beauty from the Princess Breakfast - wink, wink).

Can you believe we’re hungry again? Pecos Bill’s. This is where it hits me. I’m exhausted, my foot is throbbing. Stick a fork in me, I’m done. I’ll catch a cab and meet you all at the condo later.

I get back and run the water in the jacuzzi. Jay is not there, but I figure it’s probably a good idea to put a swimsuit on, just I case he gets back while I’m in the tub. I head to my room to change. Sure enough, I get back to the jacuzzi, he’s turning the water off! 20 minutes later, my foot is feeling much better, I dry off and lay down to read. I wake up a while later. Just in time for a text message from Steph – do I want to go to dinner with them? Uh, yes.

They pick me up (Jay had just eaten), and we head to Giordano’s. It’s in the strip mall right next to the condo on 535. After I left, they rode the “crazy train ride” again, took Lauren in the Haunted Mansion, saw the Country Bear Jamboree, and a few other things I don’t remember.

Back to the condo and time to pull out the atlas – we normally head up 75N to get home, but it turns out Atlanta is having a HUGE ice storm. Plan B: Take 75N to 10E (through Tallahassee), 231N, to 24W to 57N. I little longer, but beats driving in an ice storm.

HIGH: The interaction with Pluto at Chef Mickey’s, Lauren’s enjoying Mickey’s Philharmagic

LOW: Having to go back to the condo because I was exhausted and in pain

TOMORROW: Time to start for home.

 

[tiggerbell]

Days 9 & 10 – Saturday & Sunday, January 29th & 30th, 2005 – Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity-Jig.


Turns out we were right on the money with our plans to head home via an alternate route. Parts of Atlanta were shut down! Spend the night in Franklin, TN. Cloudy, but good driving most of the way home. A little rain and fog the first night, but nothing major.

Got home about 5:30 Sunday. All in all, a great trip!

CONCLUSION: This was a trip of “firsts”. Lauren’s first Disney trip, my girls’ first trip where we stayed in a condo instead of on property, our first Illuminations Cruise, my first SegWay Tour (yes, I’m doing it again!), 5the first time we tried the barbershop, Meg rode ToT, M:S, and RnRC, Steph rode Dinosaur (first and last!), first time I saw the gardens and koi pond in Japan. And there’s still so much more to see!

Oh, and Lauren calls EPCOT Apricot!

I’m ready to go back! December 10-17, 2005, Meg, her best friend, and I are staying at the Cypress Pointe Grand Villas again!


Thanks for reading all this (wow!), it was great fun to relive and write this.

 

[luvsTink]

Great report Jaime! We loved the IlllumiNations cruise, too! Now we are spoiled.

Sorry to hear about your foot pain.

Anne

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Thanks for the trip report. Glad the birthday was really magical.

 

[pooksma]

Thanks for the great report. Sounds lke you had a great time and kept everyone together-not an easy task!

 

[Cinerama]

Loved reading your report! Glad you avoided the ice storm. We were driving TO Orlando that weekend and decided to take a longer route to avoid most of it. Did NOT want to get stuck somewhere!
Thanks!
Michelle

 

[Valentine]

wow! Great report... how did you manage to stay so on topic??? I tend to ramble!! LOL!! Especially with soooo many people! I was looking at staying at Cypress this past trip.. the prices were so right.. but I ended up at POP... I was glad to hear such a positive report on the place.. good for furture reference!

Kathy

 

[stich626]

Its making me excited to go for my birthday. Wh did I have to be born in oct. why not march. lol

 

[7thdwarf/dopey]

Rhonda, who’s been there more times than any of us, gets on 80 EAST, instead of 80 WEST. We just left 30 minutes ago, it’s still dark, and the VETERAN takes a wrong turn!

IT CAN EVEN HAPPEN TO THE BEST OF US ROAD CAPTAINS !

Hiya Jaime and an overdue HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Dontcha just love road trips....we do. It took me awhile to find your trip report.

Read thru everyday....great report.

Tick Tock c'mon December..........


Gina (DW to 7thdwarf/dopey)

 

[tiggerbell]

Hi, all, I've been getting a lot of grief from my sister, Rhonda, who I reported to have taken a wrong turn when we left for our trip. So, here's the retraction:

RHONDA, the Disney veteran, normally drives through Indiana when she drives down. It was ME who always took the route through Illinois.

So, Rhonda DID NOT TAKE A WRONG TURN, SHE WENT HER USUAL ROUTE. I apoligize for any confusion or embarassment on her part. Jeez. Here's a Mickey bar. Get over it. LOL!!!

 

[tiggerbell]

Nothing like a little late, but I just figured out how to do it! (Thanks to the people on the Technical Board!)

September's trip report is going to be a work of art - I can feel it already! lol

 

[meeko_33785]

Great trip report. I really enjoyed reading it.

 

[kimwim8]

I really enjoyed your trip report! I know how hard it is to travel with a large group. We did that in October (2004) and I came home feeling like I missed out on so much, by waiting on everyone. You sound like you got a lot accomplished, and just seperated when you all wanted to do different things.....good plan!

Your experiences make me excited to be going to WDW for my birthday in December! I think my kids will get a kick out of their mommy getting all that attention!

Thanks again for sharing!