YCFAN
<a href="http://www.wdwinfo.com/dis-sponsor/" targ
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2003
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Before I get started on Day 4 I forgot to mention that when we were packing up to leave YC I noticed that I didn't see the pool toys I had bought for Andrew anywhere. I asked his father if he had seen them and he said he left them down at the pool. For some reason he thought they were just toys "at the pool" and didn't realize I had bought them. I called down to YC lost and found and sure enough they had the white basket full of pool toys. I told them I was on my way out and they said they'd run them over to the front desk and I could just pick them up on the way out........service. I love it. Now.....
Day 4
This was going to be our only Commando Nicki day that I had planned. We had breakfast at Crystal Palace at 8:05 and with five people getting ready in that bathroom that meant at least a 6:00 am wake-up call. Mickey greeted me that morning with his usual cheery "Up and at 'em, we've got a big day ahead of us." I was quite proud of the whole group, everyone got moving and I had already learned that it usually took Kate about an hour and a half to get ready to go somewhere (thank God for boys) but this morning she knew we had a PS so the pace picked up a bit. I walked by the concierge desk on the way out and asked which would be the quickest way to the MK since we had breakfast PS's. I was told the monorail. We walked through the Great Ceremonial House and up to the monorail. As we approached a gentleman at the monorail asked where we were going. We told him CP for breakfast and he informed us that the monorail doesn't run this early (it was after 7:30) and we'd have to take the boat. Ok, no problem. We walk back down to the pier and take the boat across. We walk up to the MK and they haven't opened the gates yet. We were the first in line at the end and the lady at the end told us to come on through. Just about that time someone starts yelling that we're not suppose to come in yet so we stop. Then the people behind us start complaining that they're not letting anyone in. They tell us we can go in at 8:00 and the other people start saying very disgustedly that they have to be at the restaurant at 8:05 and they can't possibly make it in five minutes. They were overreacting. We stood there feeling like everyone on the other side of the turnstiles was staring at us. A lady finally came by and said it was OK to start going in. We very leisurely walked down the street. No one at all was in the MK and it was absolutely magical!! We made it down to the CP with time to spare. We met a very nice woman from PA who was standing at the door. Seems she comes down one week a year, always at July 4th and works as a CM just so she can keep her cast membership current. I never thought of something like that. How wonderful to work at WDW one week of the year!!
Believe it or not we were the first family called in to the restaurant. We went walking in with absolutely no one else in there!!! The restaurant is beautiful anyway but completely empty it's even more beautiful. The waiter took us across the restaurant and then instead of seating us asked us to excuse him for one minute....he'd be right back. OK, no problem. We all sort of look at each other like here we go again after the day before but then we got the most wonderful surprise! Andrew.......you've been chosen to be CHEF OF THE DAY!! Andrew gets to open up the CP that morning and decorate a pancake shaped like Mickey Mouse. Oh and by the way, all the characters give you undivided attention while you're doing it!!
They had made a special chef's hat for him that Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, and Eyore had all signed and the front said Chef of the Day. They also gave him a certificate with his name on it saying he was Chef of the Day at Crystal Palace and the date. Then we took pictures with our family and the characters and it was truly a magical way to start the day. The breakfast was delicious and I'll review more on the dining board but I'd definitely do this one again. We finished a slow paced breakfast just in time to hear the announcement for the park opening and hurried up to the castle for the rope drop. We had already agreed that there were a few things in Fantasyland that the whole family was doing together before the teens left out on their own. We went straight to Dumbo and all of us rode. Kate and Evan in the Dumbo in front of me, me by myself, and Steve and Andrew in the Dumbo behind me. I felt like a kid again and I could tell everyone was enjoying it. I got great pictures of all of them!! From there we went directly into Philharmagic....great show!! Next it's Cinderella's Golden Carousel and the teens take off. We continued on to Winnie the Pooh's Adventures and Peter Pan's Flight. We were walking right on to every ride in Fantasyland. I couldn't believe it. We completely finished up in Fantasyland and was there for the rope drop to Mickey's Toontown. The characters came skipping up for the rope drop and everyone went in. We feel a little daring and want to see if Andrew will ride his first roller coaster. We head for Goofy's Barnstormer and guess who's getting on ahead of us? GOOFY!! Now Andrew's riding if Goofy's riding. He got on and never looked back. He didn't cry, he didn't whine, he didn't even give it further notice. We sat on either side of him and YEAH, Andrew's first roller coaster ride!!
We started across the street and Snow White and Dopey walked up to Andrew. Could it get more magical? Yes. We went right in to see Mickey Mouse, the big cheese himself. Then over to the next building with the three lines to choose from. The first line said Pooh and friends and since we had just had breakfast with them we skipped this line. The next line said Minnie and friends and the third was Cinderella and friends. There was no one in the Cinderella line so right in we go. We took pictures with Cinderella and the two mice ladies (excuse me, I don't know their names). Then we got in the other line and waited only about ten minutes to see Minnie and Chip and Dale. Andrew really likes Chip and Dale as his brother did when he was little but I think he secretly loves Minnie Mouse. No we continue through Tomorrowland and ride Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin. Everything Andrew owns has a Buzz Lightyear theme to it.....he was in heaven. When we walked out of BLSRS there was Buzz himself standing there. Now Andrew had died and gone to heaven. The teens are riding SM, BTMRR, HM, SM, and so on and we decide to wander over to the Tiki Birds, very cute, and then do Pirates of the Carribean. We call it a day and go back to the hotel for an afternoon swim. We have a very special PS at Narcoossee's that evening. Andrew loves to swim and is excited to go to the pool. When we got back to the room the Stitch I has ordered to be waiting in the room was there. The pool was so crowded that there was not one single chair available around the entire pool. Steve and Andrew get in the pool and I pull up a chair at the pool bar. I order a drink and get asked if I'm going to order more than one. I say probably not and I get this face from the bartender. The two bartenders start talking between themselves about how there's all these people just like it was at Easter but nobody's buying drinks and how are they suppose to survive on tips when there aren't any. Geesh!! I finish my drink and tell Steve I'm going back to the room. By now the teens are back in the room and they start talking about wanting to do some parasailing later in the week. We go down to the concierge desk to inquire about a reservation for parasailing and there's the spider still smooshed in the carpet. We set that up and soon everyone's back in the room getting ready for dinner after a quick nap.
Now just prior to our vacation beginning we learned that my DH had to leave in the middle of vacation for a business trip to Mexico so this was his last night with us. He's always liked Narcoossee's so I thought it was a fitting last dinner together. I had called ahead (without anyone else knowing) and ordered special desserts for everyone. Todd, the manager of the Narcoossee's had helped me and when we checked in they asked us to wait just a minute. Other people that came in behind us were getting seated and I could see Evan looking at me with his look (he's very impatient). Not much longer and a gentleman in a very nice dark suit came out with a nametag that said "Todd". He introduced himself and said he hoped we didn't mind waiting but that he had told his staff that he was sure we'd prefer a window seat. YES, we certainly would!! Todd escorted us to one of the best tables in the house and welcomed us to the restaurant. Everybody's just kind of staring at me and I shrug my shoulders like I don't have a clue. This turned out to be Kate's favorite dinner of the vacation. We had appetizers of mussels in a garlic herb sauce & lobster bisque. Dinners were wonderful, lobster, filet, and Kate had stuffed flounder that she really liked. We also enjoyed a nice bottle of wine and then without anyone saying anything several waiters appeared and put our "special" desserts in front of us. Kate had the Cinderella glass slipper with her name written on the plate. Evan had tuxedo strawberries with his name written on the plate and Andrew had dog bone eclairs with a silk screen of the Dalmatians in chocolate on his plate. Steve and I had the miniature individual wedding cake with the castle on top. I joked and told him I didn't make him get married at WDW so this was our belated wedding cake. I know they call it an individual cake but the two of us could barely eat it especially after that dinner. It was so rich but yummy. Everyone at the restaurant (the other servers) made a big deal about the desserts and all said that thought it was such a cute idea. They wanted to know who had thought of it!!
Thanks fellow dis'ers!!
We strolled around the Grand Floridian for a while with everyone asking "why didn't we stay here?" It was a lovely way to end an evening. We'd had a full day. Evan and Kate decided they still had plenty of stamina and decided to go back to the park. Didn't come back to the room until almost 2:00 am in fact. Got a little talking to for that one. My DH was leaving in a cab at 4:00 am so we head back to the room and watch Wishes from the patio. So many people came and stood on the sidewalk right in front of our room that we couldn't see the castle at all but that didn't keep us from seeing Wishes of course!! We turned in and felt a little sad that this was our last day with Daddy, but what a day it had been.
Day 4
This was going to be our only Commando Nicki day that I had planned. We had breakfast at Crystal Palace at 8:05 and with five people getting ready in that bathroom that meant at least a 6:00 am wake-up call. Mickey greeted me that morning with his usual cheery "Up and at 'em, we've got a big day ahead of us." I was quite proud of the whole group, everyone got moving and I had already learned that it usually took Kate about an hour and a half to get ready to go somewhere (thank God for boys) but this morning she knew we had a PS so the pace picked up a bit. I walked by the concierge desk on the way out and asked which would be the quickest way to the MK since we had breakfast PS's. I was told the monorail. We walked through the Great Ceremonial House and up to the monorail. As we approached a gentleman at the monorail asked where we were going. We told him CP for breakfast and he informed us that the monorail doesn't run this early (it was after 7:30) and we'd have to take the boat. Ok, no problem. We walk back down to the pier and take the boat across. We walk up to the MK and they haven't opened the gates yet. We were the first in line at the end and the lady at the end told us to come on through. Just about that time someone starts yelling that we're not suppose to come in yet so we stop. Then the people behind us start complaining that they're not letting anyone in. They tell us we can go in at 8:00 and the other people start saying very disgustedly that they have to be at the restaurant at 8:05 and they can't possibly make it in five minutes. They were overreacting. We stood there feeling like everyone on the other side of the turnstiles was staring at us. A lady finally came by and said it was OK to start going in. We very leisurely walked down the street. No one at all was in the MK and it was absolutely magical!! We made it down to the CP with time to spare. We met a very nice woman from PA who was standing at the door. Seems she comes down one week a year, always at July 4th and works as a CM just so she can keep her cast membership current. I never thought of something like that. How wonderful to work at WDW one week of the year!!
Believe it or not we were the first family called in to the restaurant. We went walking in with absolutely no one else in there!!! The restaurant is beautiful anyway but completely empty it's even more beautiful. The waiter took us across the restaurant and then instead of seating us asked us to excuse him for one minute....he'd be right back. OK, no problem. We all sort of look at each other like here we go again after the day before but then we got the most wonderful surprise! Andrew.......you've been chosen to be CHEF OF THE DAY!! Andrew gets to open up the CP that morning and decorate a pancake shaped like Mickey Mouse. Oh and by the way, all the characters give you undivided attention while you're doing it!! They had made a special chef's hat for him that Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, and Eyore had all signed and the front said Chef of the Day. They also gave him a certificate with his name on it saying he was Chef of the Day at Crystal Palace and the date. Then we took pictures with our family and the characters and it was truly a magical way to start the day. The breakfast was delicious and I'll review more on the dining board but I'd definitely do this one again. We finished a slow paced breakfast just in time to hear the announcement for the park opening and hurried up to the castle for the rope drop. We had already agreed that there were a few things in Fantasyland that the whole family was doing together before the teens left out on their own. We went straight to Dumbo and all of us rode. Kate and Evan in the Dumbo in front of me, me by myself, and Steve and Andrew in the Dumbo behind me. I felt like a kid again and I could tell everyone was enjoying it. I got great pictures of all of them!! From there we went directly into Philharmagic....great show!! Next it's Cinderella's Golden Carousel and the teens take off. We continued on to Winnie the Pooh's Adventures and Peter Pan's Flight. We were walking right on to every ride in Fantasyland. I couldn't believe it. We completely finished up in Fantasyland and was there for the rope drop to Mickey's Toontown. The characters came skipping up for the rope drop and everyone went in. We feel a little daring and want to see if Andrew will ride his first roller coaster. We head for Goofy's Barnstormer and guess who's getting on ahead of us? GOOFY!! Now Andrew's riding if Goofy's riding. He got on and never looked back. He didn't cry, he didn't whine, he didn't even give it further notice. We sat on either side of him and YEAH, Andrew's first roller coaster ride!! We started across the street and Snow White and Dopey walked up to Andrew. Could it get more magical? Yes. We went right in to see Mickey Mouse, the big cheese himself. Then over to the next building with the three lines to choose from. The first line said Pooh and friends and since we had just had breakfast with them we skipped this line. The next line said Minnie and friends and the third was Cinderella and friends. There was no one in the Cinderella line so right in we go. We took pictures with Cinderella and the two mice ladies (excuse me, I don't know their names). Then we got in the other line and waited only about ten minutes to see Minnie and Chip and Dale. Andrew really likes Chip and Dale as his brother did when he was little but I think he secretly loves Minnie Mouse. No we continue through Tomorrowland and ride Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin. Everything Andrew owns has a Buzz Lightyear theme to it.....he was in heaven. When we walked out of BLSRS there was Buzz himself standing there. Now Andrew had died and gone to heaven. The teens are riding SM, BTMRR, HM, SM, and so on and we decide to wander over to the Tiki Birds, very cute, and then do Pirates of the Carribean. We call it a day and go back to the hotel for an afternoon swim. We have a very special PS at Narcoossee's that evening. Andrew loves to swim and is excited to go to the pool. When we got back to the room the Stitch I has ordered to be waiting in the room was there. The pool was so crowded that there was not one single chair available around the entire pool. Steve and Andrew get in the pool and I pull up a chair at the pool bar. I order a drink and get asked if I'm going to order more than one. I say probably not and I get this face from the bartender. The two bartenders start talking between themselves about how there's all these people just like it was at Easter but nobody's buying drinks and how are they suppose to survive on tips when there aren't any. Geesh!! I finish my drink and tell Steve I'm going back to the room. By now the teens are back in the room and they start talking about wanting to do some parasailing later in the week. We go down to the concierge desk to inquire about a reservation for parasailing and there's the spider still smooshed in the carpet. We set that up and soon everyone's back in the room getting ready for dinner after a quick nap. Now just prior to our vacation beginning we learned that my DH had to leave in the middle of vacation for a business trip to Mexico so this was his last night with us. He's always liked Narcoossee's so I thought it was a fitting last dinner together. I had called ahead (without anyone else knowing) and ordered special desserts for everyone. Todd, the manager of the Narcoossee's had helped me and when we checked in they asked us to wait just a minute. Other people that came in behind us were getting seated and I could see Evan looking at me with his look (he's very impatient). Not much longer and a gentleman in a very nice dark suit came out with a nametag that said "Todd". He introduced himself and said he hoped we didn't mind waiting but that he had told his staff that he was sure we'd prefer a window seat. YES, we certainly would!! Todd escorted us to one of the best tables in the house and welcomed us to the restaurant. Everybody's just kind of staring at me and I shrug my shoulders like I don't have a clue. This turned out to be Kate's favorite dinner of the vacation. We had appetizers of mussels in a garlic herb sauce & lobster bisque. Dinners were wonderful, lobster, filet, and Kate had stuffed flounder that she really liked. We also enjoyed a nice bottle of wine and then without anyone saying anything several waiters appeared and put our "special" desserts in front of us. Kate had the Cinderella glass slipper with her name written on the plate. Evan had tuxedo strawberries with his name written on the plate and Andrew had dog bone eclairs with a silk screen of the Dalmatians in chocolate on his plate. Steve and I had the miniature individual wedding cake with the castle on top. I joked and told him I didn't make him get married at WDW so this was our belated wedding cake. I know they call it an individual cake but the two of us could barely eat it especially after that dinner. It was so rich but yummy. Everyone at the restaurant (the other servers) made a big deal about the desserts and all said that thought it was such a cute idea. They wanted to know who had thought of it!!
Thanks fellow dis'ers!!We strolled around the Grand Floridian for a while with everyone asking "why didn't we stay here?" It was a lovely way to end an evening. We'd had a full day. Evan and Kate decided they still had plenty of stamina and decided to go back to the park. Didn't come back to the room until almost 2:00 am in fact. Got a little talking to for that one. My DH was leaving in a cab at 4:00 am so we head back to the room and watch Wishes from the patio. So many people came and stood on the sidewalk right in front of our room that we couldn't see the castle at all but that didn't keep us from seeing Wishes of course!! We turned in and felt a little sad that this was our last day with Daddy, but what a day it had been.
