Will I be Herding Cats Again?* **** COMPLETED *****

[kaysmommie]

Yeah I meant to say that we don't want to sit at the tables at Sci Fi, that would stink to listen to Thomas whine because he wants to sit in a car Then I'll need 2 Space Invaders. Maybe next time you'll make it to the Animation Studio. I know all about divide and conquer since we do that often to save time.

 

[mom2mek]

Day 5 - Disney Hollywood Studios
Part 9 - One last ride....or is it.....

So when I last left off we were headed back to Toy Story Mania to ride again! I was ready to improve my score and laugh myself silly again! When we got to the line, the standby line was either 120 minutes or 150 minutes...I can' t remember which, and I think I blocked it out because yowzers....who would do that?

Even with our FPs, we waited about 15 minutes so we entertained ourselves by taking pictures while we waited.

(Katie posing...)

(yeah, we took a few... )

I believe we all rode with the same people...I know I rode with Emily again and we both improved. She went from 40,000 points up to like 80,000 and I improved from my 90,000 to over 110,000! It was so much fun!

By the time we made it over to TSM from Sci-Fi, waited in line, and rode the ride it was around 6:40 and we were planning on leaving after that.

We left and I took Emily up to use the bathrooms, but when I came out, Grammy was gone, as was Michael. Ok?

I asked Shawn.

"Where'd they go"?
"Oh, Mom took Michael up to ride Tower of Terror"!



Um...HELLO? No one mentioned they wanted to ride this when I mentioned back around NOON that we should get another FP!!!! Now they will be waiting forever to ride. Shawn said that she said if it was longer than 30 minutes (gasp) they wouldn't wait!

We were supposed to head back down Sunset Blvd in a few minutes and see if they were down there waiting. If not, it meant they were riding. Oh boy!

On our way over, we took a couple of photopass pics....the girls were in great moods and were very cute getting their picture taken. I was really hoping to have the hat in the background, but I guess with the cameras set up on tripods at this point for all the upcoming night shots, they just zoomed in on the girls below, and the hat was cut off. The picture ended up being kind of blurry too. Oh well...still cute.

(I love the way the sky looks in this pic)


The girls did some shopping, I think my Mom picked up those pins she had wanted to get way back this morning when the really slow CM was taking forever (does anyone even remember that far back in this report... ) and she bought the girls each one of those squishy princess dress up sets with all the little outfits.

The girls sat on a bench and entertained themselves with their new toys while we did some people-watching. We all took turns using the bathroom over by the RNRC and eventually Grammy and Michael emerged from the Tower of Terror! She said they waited about 20 minutes...IDK...seemed longer, but I was still grateful they weren't still waiting! They both absolutely loved it and had done some shopping afterwards to buy some t-shirts commemorating their first ride!!!

We started to head out of the studios around 7:30 after taking a couple of pictures by this old car. My step-dad is a big car freak, so we had to stop and check this little gem out. They were all doing one of the "Katie" poses in the 2nd picture!

We all had a great day, even though this day turned out way different than I thought it would. Michael got his first ride on Rock N Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror and we all had a first ride/s on Toy Story Mania. We rode the Great Movie Ride, Star Tours, the Backlot Tour, saw the Muppets, did the HISTK playground, the Animation Academy, and enjoyed the parade. We had a nice CS meal at Pizza Planet and an awesome dinner at the Sci-Fi! Yes, we missed Indy, BaTB, PHD, and Fantasmic which were all on my original plan, but I was fine with it and certainly didn't dwell on it!

We were back at the house before 8:00 and the kids had their PJs on and were in the bed by 8:30. We had a very early morning tomorrow...breakfast at the Crystal Palace at 8:00! How would we do?


Sara

 

[KathyRN137]

"Where'd they go"?
"Oh, Mom took Michael up to ride Tower of Terror"!



Um...HELLO?


LOL, That's exactly what I would have said!



We all had a great day, even though this day turned out way different than I thought it would. Michael got his first ride on Rock N Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror and we all had a first ride/s on Toy Story Mania. We rode the Great Movie Ride, Star Tours, the Backlot Tour, saw the Muppets, did the HISTK playground, the Animation Academy, and enjoyed the parade. We had a nice CS meal at Pizza Planet and an awesome dinner at the Sci-Fi!

Just look at all you did!! You guys rock!

Kathy

 

[whogirl'smom]

What a great day! My dd used to do that pose all the time, too, ever since the first time they had her do it at Olan Mills!

 

[Poohtigeey]

You did great! You got so much done at DHS. Good job! I am really looking forward to reading about your breakfast. Get that up today. OK? You're doing great, no preassure! Who am I to talk huh? No Tower of Terror for you?

 

[faerieprincess]

Wow, you got LOTS done at DHS! Sounds like a fun day despite the...stress!

 

[micandminforever]

I love the second car "Katie" pose.

 

[mom2mek]

Kathy

Thanks Kathy - not sure why your quote isn't coming through...but I'm too tired to go try and figure it out!! We did have a great day despite all that we DIDN'T do!!

What a great day! My dd used to do that pose all the time, too, ever since the first time they had her do it at Olan Mills!

LOL on the posing! When we tell her we are going to take her picture...she immediately does it! It's too funny!

You did great! You got so much done at DHS. Good job! I am really looking forward to reading about your breakfast. Get that up today. OK? You're doing great, no preassure! Who am I to talk huh? No Tower of Terror for you?

Thanks Monica. Ha - No on the Tower of Terror! Ick! I might have done RnRC...maybe....

I hope to post about our final park morning soon. Probably not tonight though... feeling a little and

Wow, you got LOTS done at DHS! Sounds like a fun day despite the...stress!

Thanks Sare! I think we did ok, but it was a long day!

Sara

 

[mom2mek]

I love the second car "Katie" pose.

Hey! You ninja posted while I was posting! Sneaky!

Her poses crack me up - she is spunky, I tell ya!

Sara

 

[kaysmommie]

Great update and pictures. Love the photopass ones of the girls, adorable! Sounds like you all had a fun day even though you didn't get everything on your list done. Glad Michael liked TOT, Kaylee doesn't like it all. Hoping you made it to the CP breakfast.

 

[mkluvsmickey]

I'm so glad you have links posted on the first page! I didn't realize how far behind I was - sorry!

I love the picture of you all with your ice-cream bars! That is just great!

We happened to see part of the Block Party Bash last trip and we really liked it. Very high energy and fun. You just can't help but want to dance. (not that I did - much anyway).

We've never done the Animation class either. I really want to but seem to forget about it when we are there or we just run out of time. I think Samantha would be like Michael though and be too hard on herself for not drawing perfectly. Shawn's Donald turned out really good!

Sci-Fi looked fun as always. I'm so glad you turned me on to that restaurant last year. It has become a favorite!

Yay for Michael trying ToT and liking it! Very brave boy! Sam tried it but hated it. She does love RnRC though. That last picture you have of the ToT ride is gorgeous!

Ok - caught up. Feel free to continue....

 

[mom2mek]

Great update and pictures. Love the photopass ones of the girls, adorable! Sounds like you all had a fun day even though you didn't get everything on your list done. Glad Michael liked TOT, Kaylee doesn't like it all. Hoping you made it to the CP breakfast.

I was surprised he liked it Nichole. This is the kid who didn't want to do the bungee trampoline when we were at a kid zone type place. Too much up and down, he said! Emily loved bungee trampolining - she probably would have enjoyed ToT, but she automatically assumed she was too little...she's actually fine height-wise, but her mama is fine with her waiting another year to do it!

I'm so glad you have links posted on the first page! I didn't realize how far behind I was - sorry!

I love the picture of you all with your ice-cream bars! That is just great!

We happened to see part of the Block Party Bash last trip and we really liked it. Very high energy and fun. You just can't help but want to dance. (not that I did - much anyway).

We've never done the Animation class either. I really want to but seem to forget about it when we are there or we just run out of time. I think Samantha would be like Michael though and be too hard on herself for not drawing perfectly. Shawn's Donald turned out really good!

Sci-Fi looked fun as always. I'm so glad you turned me on to that restaurant last year. It has become a favorite!

Yay for Michael trying ToT and liking it! Very brave boy! Sam tried it but hated it. She does love RnRC though. That last picture you have of the ToT ride is gorgeous!

Ok - caught up. Feel free to continue....

Wait! What! What is this! MICHELLE? It can't be! No way!

Just kidding - glad you are back! Well, I didn't actually get that FAR in the trip, it just takes me 5 updates to do 1/2 a day! Geez - I think I talk too much!

You had to dance at the Block Party! If I know Michelle....come on, you know you were doing a little of this... and a little of this and we know you were a cheerleader, so maybe a little bit of this...

It's a lot of fun that parade!

You should try the Animation - I will definitely be trying it next time! Michael has been practicing a lot on his drawings, so I hope he will want to do it again next time as well...even if it's not perfect! He should do it with me - not nearly as much competition as Daddy in the drawing dept! Mine would probably look more like Emily's!

We always love the Sci-Fi! So fun! And so Disney to me!

Ok, I will try to move along more now that you are back! Or are you going to desert me again for a while?

Sara

 

[DisneyJo]

All caught up again Sara and those Star Wars photos are hilarious, they came out great

You did get tons done didn't you, I'm so glad you managed to get 2 rides on TSMM and improved your scores too

 

[mom_of_3_70737]

I just read your TR from start to finish! I am loving it!!! Your photopass pics are awesome! I love the BBB pics and the Star Wars pics were too cute! Can't wait to read more!

 

[mom2mek]

All caught up again Sara and those Star Wars photos are hilarious, they came out great

You did get tons done didn't you, I'm so glad you managed to get 2 rides on TSMM and improved your scores too

Thanks for sticking with me Jo! We absolutely loved TSM - I could ride that thing all day and never tire of it - just giggle through the whole thing! It's so well-done!

I just read your TR from start to finish! I am loving it!!! Your photopass pics are awesome! I love the BBB pics and the Star Wars pics were too cute! Can't wait to read more!

Thanks for reading Katie! I still can't believe I'm still writing it! (ok, I sort of can - it was June or July when I finished writing my Thanksgiving report ).

You guys are getting so close to your trip now! I can't wait to hear all about it - especially since I'm gonna have a couples only trip in May - so I'll be looking for all kinds of advice!

Sara

 

[princessjv]

Sara, I got caught up, as I've fallen far behind on all TR's in recent months. I have to say that I am so happy that this trip seems to be going so much smoother than the last family grand-gathering. One tip that I got from you is... BRING Baggy's to share treats such as popcorn. We always have a fight over who is going to hold the popcorn... then half ends up getting split everywhere. I look forward to the rest of the trip. Off to catch another TR, which you are the star of.

 

[mom_of_3_70737]

Thanks for reading Katie! I still can't believe I'm still writing it! (ok, I sort of can - it was June or July when I finished writing my Thanksgiving report ).

You guys are getting so close to your trip now! I can't wait to hear all about it - especially since I'm gonna have a couples only trip in May - so I'll be looking for all kinds of advice!

Sara

I know what you mean. I just finished my TR from Sept a few weeks ago, but I guess you already knew that

We are really looking forward to this trip! This will be the first trip that DH and I have taken alone since the kids have been born (except for little one nighters) it should be tons of fun!!! I will probably do a TR when we return, I can only imagine the stories that we will have to tell

 

[mom2mek]

Sara, I got caught up, as I've fallen far behind on all TR's in recent months. I have to say that I am so happy that this trip seems to be going so much smoother than the last family grand-gathering. One tip that I got from you is... BRING Baggy's to share treats such as popcorn. We always have a fight over who is going to hold the popcorn... then half ends up getting split everywhere. I look forward to the rest of the trip. Off to catch another TR, which you are the star of.

Awww...thanks my friend. I'm glad you are back and all caught up! Baggies were a big help! Not just a cost savings (to be able to split the popcorn) but came in handy for spills, soiled clothes, etc, etc...so many uses! Yes, this trip came with slightly less drama, considering it was half the size of the last trip's group! I still think back on that and wonder how the heck I survived with any sanity left! But it was still great in many ways!

Glad you're reading Jen - missed ya!

I know what you mean. I just finished my TR from Sept a few weeks ago, but I guess you already knew that

We are really looking forward to this trip! This will be the first trip that DH and I have taken alone since the kids have been born (except for little one nighters) it should be tons of fun!!! I will probably do a TR when we return, I can only imagine the stories that we will have to tell

LOL Katie - I'm sure it will be nice to have more than just a one nighter with your hubby! Looking forward to hearing all about it...well, not ALL about it, you can keep some of it private!

I'm looking forward to all your stories!

Sara

 

[faerieprincess]

LOL Katie - I'm sure it will be nice to have more than just a one nighter with your hubby! Looking forward to hearing all about it...well, not ALL about it, you can keep some of it private!

lol Sara where's your sense of adventure

 

[mom2mek]

Day 6 - Magic Kingdom
Part 1 - Oh What A Beautiful Morning.....

Monday, October 13th (Columbus Day)

We awoke very early this morning to head out for our ADR at the Crystal Palace. Only good thing about getting ready even earlier on this day was we didn't have to eat any breakfast! We were eating in the Crystal Palace! Woo-hoo!

I got the girls ready in their matching "autumn" inspired Minnie outfits and we were out the door sometime around 7:15. (sidenote...I was glad Emily agreed to wear the cute Minnie outfit today because the day before at the Studios, she didn't want to be matchy-matchy with her sister...whaaaa) We made it to the parking lot and up to the monorail by 7:30. When I mentioned it to Michael that this was our last day at Disney, this was his response...

Think Emily looks awake, yet?

Well, they quickly woke up by the time they were watching us get closer and closer to the castle on our wonderful, un-crowded monorail ride in that morning. Ahhh....it was bliss. As we exited the monorail, Shawn commented on how we should have an early morning breakfast every day!

Yeah right...not exactly possible with kids, especially if you have spent the night before out late watching fireworks or nighttime entertainment, although I do agree...the mornings in theme parks are bliss! I always try for at least one or two before-park-opening breakfasts!

Getting off the monorail with only a handful of people and walking down the monorail exit ramps totally uninhibited by any crowds...listening to the music playing, the birds chirping it was just so peaceful and beautiful that day. Even the air was a little less "soupy" than it had been on our other days. It was shaping up to be a great day!

We entered through the early ADR line (which was non-existent as far as "lines" go) and headed down an empty Main St. I totally tried to stop and go slow, we still had plenty of time (I actually told everyone our ADR was at 8:00 but it really wasn't until 8:10), and I wanted to just try and absorb as much of the atmosphere as possible. The park was so beautiful this morning with the warm colors of fall draped throughout the park, and our whole day ahead of us....I breathed a sigh of happiness.

We had done a day at Epcot, the MNSSHP, Katie's birthday at the BBB and then Spectro, a day at the Studios, but this was going to be our true, "almost" full, Magic Kingdom "rope-drop" day, and I was so happy and content that morning with what laid ahead of us, but also a little sad that this was "it"...our last day....tomorrow we were headed home....but today there was no time for thinking about that....just pure empty Magic Kingdom happiness!

Right away I saw a photopass photographer and put her to work.

She didn't speak very good English, but she was able to get the kids to pose in the "tinkerbell" shot, although I'm still not sure what she was having Michael do with his pointing action! LOL!

She kept telling Katie to pay close attention, that Tinkerbell was going to be flying by and she was going to land right there in her hands, but that she was very quick, and that she (the PP CM) would try really hard to catch her on the film...(of course this was in fairly broken English, so I don't know how much the kids truly understood) but nevertheless, we got a couple of shots that were ok. Shawn also stood right behind the CM and took some shots with his camera....of course no cute Tinkerbell showed up in his. When we got home and saw the photopass pics, Katie was very excited that Tinkerbell did indeed show up. Too cute!

One of Shawn's shots (sadly, no Tink):

We strolled down towards the castle and got a few more shots.

(I think Mom was trying to video us walking towards the castle...)

I went ahead to check us in at the Crystal Palace, and Shawn continued to take some more pictures of the kids, but before I left, I snapped this picture of the very empty Main St.

(I wish I was there right now....)

Then a few more pics before I left to check us in...

This is where I realized that Katie's standard "pose" is the same as Minnie Mouse in this statue, so of course, Katie had to do it!

Coming up next...a whole bunch of really pretty pictures that Shawn took...not a real "update" of any kind, just don't have enough room to put them in here....