Yes, I AM the Upgrade Queen! 8/1 MK Parade

[Lovemy3babes]

LOL! Your mother in law's house is haunted?! Skeery stuff I bet! I love, love that you sing on Splash Mountain. I'm coming up on trip #3 and I have never took a ride on it. Can you believe that? This trip I will for sure!

 

[Nicole786]

Hey just want to say thanks for the pixie dust! We're back and YES we got upgraded!!!

 

[karajeboo]

Hey just want to say thanks for the pixie dust! We're back and YES we got upgraded!!!

Do tell!!!!

 

[jmskinner]

Back from my trip to NC and just found this latest TR from you. Those rooms at AKL do seem small. I thought they were suppose to be larger rooms. View was fantastic though. I think it is because you stay so much that you keep getting upgraded. Do you get to press that special button when you call reservations for 10 or more stays at WDW?

Sorry Ally didn't meet the fairy she wanted. But too funny about the DH checking to make sure he wasn't getting smaller.

I love Splash Mountain also. My favorite ride. Also, I can't stop taking pics of all the birds here in Florida either.

And I didn't realize you would be at DHS for the 20th. Jacob and I were there also. But looks like you stayed at the front of the park and we were in the back the whole time. So, you didn't buy the one pin and have the artist sign it? I totally got sucked in with the pins and almost purchased one of each for the 20th.

As always, looking forward to more!!!!

 

[shebaxric]

Great post, I love the birds in Florida too! Something about water foul brings back memories of growing up in San Diego. . .

I think I'm gonna try the loud singing thing on SM! I believe that it will make the whole ride experience that much better!

 

[bhwhiz]

This TR is cracking me up!

 

[karajeboo]

LOL! Your mother in law's house is haunted?! Skeery stuff I bet! I love, love that you sing on Splash Mountain. I'm coming up on trip #3 and I have never took a ride on it. Can you believe that? This trip I will for sure!

OK, so it's not that her house is that bad, but going to visit equates to a horror story..... And you MUST ride SM! It's not the drop that is so cool, it's the 10 minutes of audioanimatronics INSIDE!!!

Hey just want to say thanks for the pixie dust! We're back and YES we got upgraded!!!

Glad it worked for someone..... I did NOT have my upgrade mojo this past weekend....

Back from my trip to NC and just found this latest TR from you. Those rooms at AKL do seem small. I thought they were suppose to be larger rooms. View was fantastic though. I think it is because you stay so much that you keep getting upgraded. Do you get to press that special button when you call reservations for 10 or more stays at WDW?

Sorry Ally didn't meet the fairy she wanted. But too funny about the DH checking to make sure he wasn't getting smaller.

I love Splash Mountain also. My favorite ride. Also, I can't stop taking pics of all the birds here in Florida either.

And I didn't realize you would be at DHS for the 20th. Jacob and I were there also. But looks like you stayed at the front of the park and we were in the back the whole time. So, you didn't buy the one pin and have the artist sign it? I totally got sucked in with the pins and almost purchased one of each for the 20th.

As always, looking forward to more!!!!

We did get one of the LE pins, and then pretty much scooted out of DHS. But I wish I'd known you were there!!!! I would have loved to have met you! And yes, the birds here just remind me of the coast. So pretty and graceful.

Great post, I love the birds in Florida too! Something about water foul brings back memories of growing up in San Diego. . .

I think I'm gonna try the loud singing thing on SM! I believe that it will make the whole ride experience that much better!

We bought a WDW cd three years ago - I can sing the SM song start to finish, along with the graveyard song from HM, CoP, and many many more. Ally gets sooooo mad at me when I sing!

This TR is cracking me up!

I aim to please..... Glad you are enjoying it!

Once we get this TR going from this past weekend, I'll post a link. I'm sure it will be funny as it was the DISmoms Gone Wild weekend. Had a blast and actually survived!!! It was me, Ellen (podsnel) and Cammie (Camster0307) and we'll all collaborate on the TR. Plus Ellen's friend Lonnie from Gainesville. I had so much fun with everyone and they were all as I expected them to be - a bunch of crazy Disneyholics just like me!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Great Update, Kara! I TA about the cheesy pop-up heads on HM - I always wonder why they still have them.

I love that you sing on SM! I don't like the drop, but the animatronics are SO worth it every time!

 

[meanmom121]

I love HH it is one of my favorites

 

[Nicole786]

Do tell!!!!

Haha, I can't! I have to save it for the TR

 

[karajeboo]

Great Update, Kara! I TA about the cheesy pop-up heads on HM - I always wonder why they still have them.

I love that you sing on SM! I don't like the drop, but the animatronics are SO worth it every time!

Yes, I sing. Loudly. Sometimes mess up the lyrics. Ticks off the people in front of me. So then I intentionally sing the wrong lyrics. I like to humor myself.

I love HH it is one of my favorites

It is mine too!!!!

Haha, I can't! I have to save it for the TR

You suckered me in over there to the "dark side" in more ways than one!!!

 

[2xcited2sleep]

All hail the queen of upgrades! Looking forward to more.

hung-over princesses.

 

[lauren_elizabeth]

Ally is too adorable! Can you pass over some of that upgrade luck to me?

 

[Mommytwotwins]

I am enjoying this report!!

 

[karajeboo]

We left MK, heading back to AK to explore and enjoy the resort. All Ally wanted to do was swim. Which cracks me up because we have the bomb diggity pool here in our development at home. Big water slide pool, plus a lap and diving pool, kiddie pool, and adults only pool. Oh, and a cabana bar. Yeah, Jeff and I kinda like that.....

So we changed into our suits and made our way to the pool. Clear on the other side of the resort.

This resort does not look that big, but it is spread out.

If I have one complaint about AKL, it's that you have to walk through the lobby area of Boma and Jiko to get to the pool. It's very awkward really, and I felt so uncomfortable traipsing back in all wet and sloppy. And that was BEFORE I got in the pool! So you can imagine my appearance AFTER swimming! It's just an odd setup, IMHO.

Now Ally is quite the pool slide connoiseur so here she goes to try it....

Not fast enough so we told her to lay back for more speed.....

And her final rating...

Jeff didn't seem to care one way or the other about the slide....

And these guys seemed to enjoy the pool too....

Oooooh, AKL has WILD animals in the pool!!!! And wild children chasing them!

After about an hour of pool time, and a little hot tub time, too, we felt nice and relaxed so we headed up to the room to shower and change for dinner. We developed a bit of Resort Gravity. Just couldn't bring ourselves to leave the resort, so we just went to Mara for dinner - just a little counter service for a quick bite.

I was not impressed with the selection here - I guess I'm spoiled by the CS at Pop, definitely the best food court that I have seen so far.

Ally got a pizza and I just got some chicken strips, and Jeff got a burger. Again, nothing too fancy schmancy.

After dinner we walked back out to the pool are and the safari viewing areas there. We checked out the flamingos....

Then decided to head in and grab a drink. So we stopped at Victorias Falls and looked out over Boma.

It was so nice to just sit and relax. Usually we run, run, run all day and just fall into bed at night. So this was a totally different experience for us.

Even Ally seemed to be enjoying the down time.

We took our drinks and wandered around the lobby taking more pics....

Walking out to the viewing area and looking back at the resort, it's gorgeous!

I just loved the light fixtures in here!!!!

We finally settled in the lobby and Ally settled in front of the TV. Yup, there goes our Parents of the Year Award! Take a trip to Disney and let your kid watch TV while sitting in the lobby drinking wine. Oh, and people watching. Did I mention how totally entertainng Jeff and I find people watching? We can entertain ourselves for HOURS!!!! Just put us in an airport, amusement park, hotel lobby, and we'll sit quietly (well, aside from the ocassional outbursts of hysterical laughter) by ourselves.

I especially like the "I'm glad MY child doesn't behave that way......" comments we always seem to make. C'mon, you know you do it too!!!! Watching some poor stressed out mother with 3 or 12 little ones in tow. And Dad...... where is Dad? I'm guessing he raced ahead to the room (or the bar!) to get a couple minutes of peace. Why do dads always seem to disappear right about the time of the emotional meltdowns????

We should have told them our little secret....... Bar down below, and Huey, Duey, and Louie doing all the work.

After watching a few head bobs from Ally, we decided to turn in for the night.

We had a date with Epcot the next day before meeting up with my SIL, heretofore known as BSIL (you can figure out the B, right?) and her family, just arriving for a week at the World. If you were here this week, I'm sure you saw and heard their family.........

 

[karajeboo]

All hail the queen of upgrades! Looking forward to more.

hung-over princesses.

Thank you, thank you, my loyal subjects......

Ally is too adorable! Can you pass over some of that upgrade luck to me?

Hey, I need to get my upgrade mojo back - it hasn't worked since AKL!!!! And thank you, we've decided to keep Ally.....

I am enjoying this report!!

Thank you! I love writing it!

 

[jmskinner]

I think you have great parenting techniques.

I love to people watch also. WDW has some of the best people watching.

DH and I had commented that we liked the moderates (POR) since you walk out of your room and can view all the scenery, I had never thought about how at the deluxe's you end up walking through the hotel to get to and from the pool. You would think there would be a back way to keep people from walking through the lobby like that.

Can't wait to hear about the rest of this trip.

 

[lauren_elizabeth]

I love to sit and people watch, too! You definitely see some characters and have some good laughs

And hey, letting the kid watch tv while you enjoy a glass of wine is fine by me! The mamas need some time to unwind also!

Excited to hear all about Epcot!

 

[Lovemy3babes]

I'm sorry the AK slide was pretty boring. What a bummer. I love that they have ducks in their pool however. Highlarious! I'm excited to hear all about BSIL. She sounds like a gem. Bring her on!

 

[karajeboo]

I think you have great parenting techniques.

I love to people watch also. WDW has some of the best people watching.

DH and I had commented that we liked the moderates (POR) since you walk out of your room and can view all the scenery, I had never thought about how at the deluxe's you end up walking through the hotel to get to and from the pool. You would think there would be a back way to keep people from walking through the lobby like that.

Can't wait to hear about the rest of this trip.

Isn't it true that people watching is the best in WDW!!!! There is a little of everything there..... I love to comment on the clothing selections, too. Jeff prefers the stilletos to walk around the parks, I like my theory of the larger the person, the shorter the shorts......

I love to sit and people watch, too! You definitely see some characters and have some good laughs

And hey, letting the kid watch tv while you enjoy a glass of wine is fine by me! The mamas need some time to unwind also!

Excited to hear all about Epcot!

Glad to hear that we have the same parenting style......

I'm sorry the AK slide was pretty boring. What a bummer. I love that they have ducks in their pool however. Highlarious! I'm excited to hear all about BSIL. She sounds like a gem. Bring her on!

Oh, you have no idea what you are in for..... Let me put it this way - we went on a trip with all my inlaws last year and Jeff said, "NEVER AGAIN!!!" Then his sis called to say they were going to Disney and would we like to meet up with them for "dinner." Mind you, they drove and passed within 20-30 minutes of our house but never once considered stopping to visit. MY sister on the other hand, flew to Disney, rented a car, drove 2 1/2 hrs to see me, and even cut their trip short so they could see us.

Needless to say, my sis is more welcome in my home anyway...... but it's because of HER. She makes a much better houseguest anyway.

Just wait, you'll looooooove the BSIL stories coming up.....