Cam's Golden Birthday Adventure **Updated 8/23** COMPLETE - Page 17 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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Cam, I am just loving your TR!! Your family is having so much fun together.
I'm also loving Luke's tees, especially the Batman one - my DH will want to know where to get one if he sees it. Stephanie is just the perfect touring partner, isn't she?
And (I'm sure other PPers already know this but...)how did you get the name Cam? Is it short for something else?
I couldn't possibly comment on everything I want to.... ...so whenever you're up for the next installment....
Sorry you didn't get to see Indy again! Maybe later. I'm very of the Tinkerbelle light up!!! I've wanted one since I started seeing them pop up in everyone's TR's. Great Fantasmic shots! Those night shows are sooooo hard to get good pictures of.
I know I've said it before, but I'll say it again . . . . You guys take such great pictures. Love the "intellectual" one in particular Sounds like a great day - everyone's TR is getting me sooooo excited for TSMM!!!
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Cam, I am just loving your TR!! Your family is having so much fun together.
I'm also loving Luke's tees, especially the Batman one - my DH will want to know where to get one if he sees it. Stephanie is just the perfect touring partner, isn't she?
And (I'm sure other PPers already know this but...)how did you get the name Cam? Is it short for something else?
I couldn't possibly comment on everything I want to.... ...so whenever you're up for the next installment....
Luke got his Batman tee at Kohl's for something like $5.99. He collects Batman stuff and our entire bonus room is devoted to Batman and Lionel model trains (mostly Disney). His 2000 Mustang is fondly called the Batstang and sports yellow stripes and the Bat symbol.
Stefanie is the perfect touring partner and multiplies the magic everywhere we go.
Cam is my initials -- Cornelia Ann Morgan Matthews. Dad gave me the nickname before I was born as he was fearful that I'd be called Corny as a nickname. Cornelia is from my paternal grandmother's maiden name -- Cornelius. My great aunt, Granny's sister, was one of the first women in the military, joining the WAC during WWII. She reached the rank of Lt. Col and is still called Col. Corny even today at the age of 100. Dad didn't want that to happen to me. Then when I was born he and Mom felt Cornelia was way too large for such a small little girl, so except for a period 8 years under pressure from Granny, I've always been called Cam. I tend not to answer immediately to Cornelia.
Sorry you didn't get to see Indy again! Maybe later. I'm very of the Tinkerbelle light up!!! I've wanted one since I started seeing them pop up in everyone's TR's. Great Fantasmic shots! Those night shows are sooooo hard to get good pictures of.
You make me feel so "normal." Since Stefanie kept hers with her all the time, she'd pull it out at night and we'd put it in her hair or on her bag. I kept thinking how much I'd like one, too. So when we ate at 1900 Park Fare, she got another one and gave it to Mom as a present. I just it!
Great update Cam and don't you love those necklaces? I the fact that I can replace the batteries and already have The kids wear them all the time!
I absolutely that we can just replace the battery. Stefanie and I already have plans to pack them every year forever. I'm glad you've had no trouble replacing them as I was curious as to whether this would be a problem or not.
All caught up... wonderful updates, Cam! I can definitely feel the magic and joy of your trip. Sounds like you had a fun time at HS and can't wait to hear about your day at AK. More soon, please!
What a wonderful day at DHS!! Stefanie looks so happy, especially when she was 'busting a move' and wearing her necklace. Neat trick with your tongue, Stefanie! Can you stick it out and touch your nose?? (That's my tongue trick... And, I don't mean the one when you stick your tongue out and touch your nose with your finger... True story...and I can't believe I just shared that! ) you didn't get to see Indiana Jones (So much for the psychic abilities )
Let's see how we do here....
If we get up later where will we eat lunch?
Roaring Forks?? (Was almost tempted to guess Trail's End.....maybe WCC)
And will Yak and Yeti be as good as I’ve imagined for months now?
So many mixed reviews on this one.....let's say
Will we get the most out AK even if we arrive late?
Hmmmm.....I don't know. It is the hottest park, but you guys make the most of your time. You are eating dinner there too. This is a tough one.....I'll go with....
And the answers to other silly questions in the next installment.
Keep 'em coming! This is fun!!
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I officially turned 50 on Friday, July 18 and I don’t feel any different than I have for years. Luke and I also celebrated our 27th wedding anniversary on the 18th. And now back to the report on my WDW birthday celebration.
If we get up later where will we eat lunch? And will Yak and Yeti be as good as I’ve imagined for months now? Will we get the most out AK even if we arrive late? And the answers to other silly questions in the next installment.
Day 5 – Thursday, June 12 at Animal Kingdom
I had promised the two great loves of my life that they could sleep in Thursday morning, but my eyes opened wide at 9 AM. I’m not actually a very quiet person and I am often oblivious to the noise I make, so I cautiously arose and dropped a Pop Tart into the toaster. With breakfast in hand, I decided to turn on the lap top and download pictures to be saved to CDs. I was excited about using the really cool Mickey CDs I had bought during our day at Magic Kingdom. And looking back through the photos of our first four days replayed the vacation for me. I finished all the photo saving, but Luke and Stefanie were still sound asleep, so I began checking e-mail. Finally around 10:30, Luke came back to life and a half hour later Stefanie was ready for action. Within an hour all three of us were cleaned up and ready for a new day of adventures.
Before bed last night we had decided that we’d like to try Roaring Forks for lunch, so that was our first destination of the day. Dyan was right again!
Before we made it to the restaurant, I had to click on photo Luke and Stefanie in front of our “home” door. Something Stefanie is always asking me to do, but I keep forgetting.
At Roaring Fork, Stefanie chose the kid’s Chicken Nuggets with fries and chocolate chip cookie while Luke and I split a Ham and Cheese Tillamook sandwich. I also got a Chocolate Bundt Cake simply because it looked good and well, this is my birthday adventure. We found Roaring Forks to be a great lunch time spot and it was fairly quiet at the noon. Now we were definitely ready to begin some adventures, so off to the bus stops we went.
While waiting, I snapped a couple of photos of the lodge and the villas.
We didn’t have long to wait and we were off to Animal Kingdom.
Just outside the bag check several characters were set up for meet and greets. Stefanie instantly spotted her favorite chipmunks, Chip and Dale, and veered off to enter their line. She always has so much talking to and interacting with her pals.
When it was her turn, she immediately ran to them with her little arms outstretched for a big hug. And the chipmunks seemed as excited to see her as she was them.
I really wish I had a small tape recorder to capture all her conversations with the characters. She is so animated and full of information.
Flik was next on her list, but we were told that his line was closed and he wouldn’t be back. She was quite disappointed and decided that she would rather go on into the park now. But before we went through bag check, we stopped for a PhotoPass pictures.
Once in the park, we split up to maximize our adventures. Luke headed off to Kilimanjaro Safari for FastPasses while Stefanie and I trekked over to Camp Minnie – Mickey to get in line for Festival of the Lion King. She and I stopped briefly for a picture on the bridge.
Then we were off again. Our plan was to get a few autographs and then get in the queue for the show. But as we arrived at Camp Minnie-Mickey, we noticed that the show line was fairly short and we could still get in for the next show. What we didn’t realize was that this was the last group entering into the theater. Suddenly our line began to move quickly ahead, so I called Luke, so he’d know we’d probably already be in the theater when he arrived. Stefanie and I were excited that we were going to be in the giraffe section. I quickly explained the mom and princess next to us that I was leaving room for my husband and she helped me save the space. She said she was actually glad not to feel like others were sitting too close. Finally, Luke arrived not a moment too soon as the show started within a minute of his arrival.
The tumble monkeys are always so much fun.
The Lion King himself.
No way I’d ever twirl a fiery baton. I’m just too accident prone.
Can you feel the love tonight? That is also the ring tone for Luke on my cell phone.
Sorry, if you feel you’ve had enough of the Lion King photos, but this is one of my favorite shows at Disney. As far as animated movies, The Lion King and Tarzan share the top spot for me. I love the stories and the music.
We still owed Stefanie some time with the characters so we moved show into Mickey’s line. The weather started to look a bit ugly as the sky became very ominous and the wind began to pick up. But we could see some sunshine overhead as well, so we stayed put in the line. Some less hardy folks decided to leave the line and the park all together. Soon Stefanie was meeting her pal Mickey in safari wear.
She made sure to show Mickey her pin of him on her lanyard. He was very excited to see it and she was so proud.
I used this photo to create postcards to send to all our family and friends. Stefanie comes to WDW each year with a list of at least 40 folks that she wants to send cards back to.
While we had been waiting to visit with Mickey (he had gone in for a cheese break), I noticed the Photopass photographer kept going over the edge of the gazebo and checking something in the trees. I finally asked her what she was watching and she said a visiting owl had just flown in.
I’m not sure if you can see the owl or not, but it was so cool.
Minnie’s line was very long and it still looked like it might rain any second. But Goofy’s was fairly short.
Our FastPass time had arrived for Kilimanjaro Safari, so we had a little walking to do.
I took even more pictures of Kilimanjaro Safari than I did at The Festival of the Lion King, so I’m going to make that a whole other post.
How close can you get to the animals while on the Kilimanjaro Safari?