Nuclear Family Trip-Let's Hope I Don't Explode!! - Page 5 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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Tuesday!! This was to be a day!! In the original plan this was our date night at Jiko, with a dinner at 9:30 sans bebe. Rather than cancel it altogether when my parents could no longer go I rebooked it for three of us at 5:30. (BTW--Mom is doing amazing and even, gasp, went for walk just for fun the other day, we did a test run of baby sitting last night and all seemed well. She's still not 100% sharp, but her physical health is vastly better). I also figured that last night was a late night so today would be low key; play the pool, play wiht Rescue Bots in the room, maybe do a craft, you know, four year old stuff.
We hung around the room, watched some animals get fed. I'm pretty sure they feed the buzzard/vultures actual rabbits. If that wasn't a rabbit being torn to bits by those birds it was the best darned fake rabbit in the world. Adam used his little kid bi-a-noc-alars to look at helicopters. Not animals. Helicopters. And the construction cranes building Avatarland. You could see four of them stickout above the trees in the general direction of AK. I did a little google fu and figure that out. I suppose it's not really a secret.
Anyway, we packed up our little soft lunch cooler. I forgot to include that tidbit. Often, we forgo dinner in favor of a charcuterie board. Garden Grocer didn't really offer what I was looking for so the day before we left I went to Wegmans (and the angels sang) to get the meat, cheese, olives etc that we like, packed them in soft sided cooler with an ice pack, put in a small checked bag with our medicine kit and other non-clothing, and voila, charcuterie while I watch animals on my balcony at night. So, I put some juice boxes, water, diet coke, snacks into the bag, collected the sunscreen adn pool toys and we played at the pool for a bit.
And then Adam declared that he wanted to go on Splash Mountain, again. I offered AK instead, as we'll be back in MK Thursday. I plied him with a video of Kali River Rapids. Dumb dumb dumb. I know you get pretty wet, and I sort of figured the he could wear his swimsuit/shirt and we'd wear a quick dry clothes (NOT jean shorts, cause I can learn!) and that would be that. Plus dinner was at 5:30, so I wanted to be back to get both boys ready (c'mon, you know you have to get the husband's ready too) by 4 or 4:30. So Kali it was. I told him he'd get pretty wet, but still he wanted to go.
Here is the beauty of FP+ and a relatively uncrowded week: getting two fastpasses before even leaving your room, knowing you have them and figuring out how to best use the time between the two rides. We had an FP for Safari, but the gap until Kali was about 45 minutes. Safari was, uh, different? I get that they were toning down the poaching angle, but honestly I liked that part and actually want people to be aware of poaching (did you know giraffe populations are way way down, like 50% because of poaching? see, they were doing a good thing). The new dialogue includes nothing of Wilson or the elephants or why there are reserves and preserves at all. But the animals were all out and active, so I'll take it.
We wandered around, bought Mimi a present, listened to the insane racket that is the Indian House Music With Dancing Too (I made that up) and finally, after much complaining by the smallest person we got in line. He was super grumpy butt because it was taking soooo loooong. Imagine slumped shoulders with that, and whiny voice. We had a moment of panic when they measured him for the ride, because the stick was for 44 inches and I swore the website said 38" was the minimum size. As it turns out, if you are between 38" and 44" you get a special seat. And off we went.
Guess what happened. Just guess. I'll wait.
You know who got it, right? The only two in the boat who got the tidal wave over the head?
And so it was that Mommy got soaked, again. The lady who hates wet clothes and her kid who hates having water on his face.
Because the universe hates me and Jake needed a good laugh. Sadly, our little boy had a good cry. Kali is off his list. Oddly, SM is still on it, as is the slide at the pool. BUt Kali was not ever going to be ridden again. Thank you thank you thank you.
On to dinner. I wore a great pair of navy wide legged linen pants and black silk racerback tank with flat patent sandals, Jake wore a linen shirt and pants and my wee man, who hate all things buttons/zippers/not stretchy actually agreed to wear his jersey knit striped polo with a pair of jersey knit shorts and his sandals. We were smashing! Also, this not getting too dressed up thing saves a ton of packing room!!! Usually there are suits and heels and blah blah blah. My whole wardrobe this week was black/navy/gray. Easy. Also probably depressing. But I like solids, and really like navy and black together.
But that's not why you're reading.
As a preemptive strike I had a secret stash of new legos--those lego city packs they sometimes have at the Target check out, for like $4? Amazing--and a smuckers uncrustable. I'd prepped Adam about this very special dinner for grown ups and that he needed to show me he was a big boy and could go to very special restaurants. First, he was a huge hit with the hostesses who explained that there were from Africa, over the ocean. Well, that sealed it, because my kid wants to go over the ocean more than he wants air. (He keeps asking me to take him over the ocean to see the real Eiffel Tower--he saw a picture of it, like we all did, after the Charlie Hebdo, when it was everywhere) and we watched some videos about the elevators and wham, he wants to go there, I told him over the ocean is far....you get it).
We asked the server if he could serve up the PBJ with some melon from the menu as Adam would 100% not eat the other choices, not even the Mac and Cheese and I'm more intertest in getting compliance at dinner than being daring with food he won't eat. They did!! It was beautiful. Adam was playing with his new Lego car, we ordered a Pinotage, two apps and two entrees, even dessert and Tawny Port. He had the PBJ and melon and then the greatest kid dessert ever---donuts with dipping sauce and candy Mickey heads. I'm honestly at a loss for describing my meal and can't even remember what I ordered because I did spend much of it worried that Adam wouldn't last and we'd have to leave. It was good, that I remember, and full of the wonderful meld of African and Indian spices that I love. The dessert was amazing though.
You need to trust me on this: Avocado Custard Cake is freakin' bananas. Like out of this world creamy, with sorbet on the side and pumpkin seeds and just WOW.
TIW is also a good thing.
Things were going so well we decided to try the night vision goggles with Adam, but it wasn't dark yet and he was thrilled to be doing these grown up things (with Legos, but whatever). So we took him to the bar. Yes. The bar. We sat at the end, he was between us, we played with Legos more, he had a fantastic kiddie cocktail and we had another glass of wine. Really, remarkable how well all this was going. Night vision was good and fun, and then we decided to get Adam's caricature done. Who knew that nonsense would take almost and hour!! Seriously. It'w wonderful, but an hour? And $40. But Jake loves it, and Adam thinks he looks pretty cool as Spiderman, and who cares if the little guy wasn't in bed til 9:45 AGAIN. Not me. It was a great night.
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It sounds like you're really ahving a great trip - just the 3 of you! I think being over prepared for things like dinner makes them turn out great in the end.
If you ever hit Legoland - DO NOT go on the Chima ride. It's like Kali, but everyone gets the waterfall! My youngest cried, my insulin pump was destroyed - NEVER again!
It sounds like you're really ahving a great trip - just the 3 of you! I think being over prepared for things like dinner makes them turn out great in the end.
If you ever hit Legoland - DO NOT go on the Chima ride. It's like Kali, but everyone gets the waterfall! My youngest cried, my insulin pump was destroyed - NEVER again!
Good to know!!!! I'm amazed at his selective fearlessness--rollercoasters, waterslides, splash mountain, characters are all good. Any amount of pool water on his head? Meltdown.
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Your response re the box wine had me laughing out loud as I m trying to relax after fighting with the 27 month old to go to bed. I totally get it. I love my wine too. And I like you enjoy it cold. I prefer it sweet to dry & honestly it is just like you said to the the edge off my crazy life. Thanks for the laughs as I needed them after our first day of trying the pool at the YMCA - can we say non-stop tears.
Ok. Now I am caught up. I am so so happy for you that your date night still worked out. I know how difficult it can be - sometimes they can be so sweet & behaved and we'll other times I want to run & hide from my own child. Way to go!
Glad you had a great dinner and after dinner drink! Sorry about Kali. Took my DD on that when she was 5 or 6, and she has yet to return (I think it was more the fire on the sides for her)!
Thanks!! I love Jiko, it's easily my favorite restaurant on propery, so to have bobotie and South African wine and my guys too? Awesome!
Quote:
Originally Posted by cattailmarsh
Your response re the box wine had me laughing out loud as I m trying to relax after fighting with the 27 month old to go to bed. I totally get it. I love my wine too. And I like you enjoy it cold. I prefer it sweet to dry & honestly it is just like you said to the the edge off my crazy life. Thanks for the laughs as I needed them after our first day of trying the pool at the YMCA - can we say non-stop tears.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cattailmarsh
Ok. Now I am caught up. I am so so happy for you that your date night still worked out. I know how difficult it can be - sometimes they can be so sweet & behaved and we'll other times I want to run & hide from my own child. Way to go!
We swam from 6 months and took a break around 2 years that resulted in tears ever since! It's been 2 years of neck clinging and crying about water on his face. I can't explain why the water slide holds any attraction for him at all. We plan to build a pool and have made it very clear that no pool at our house until all the residents know how to swim. He suggested that we build a pool that was only as deep as his waist. But with a waterslide.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Colexis Mom
Glad you had a great dinner and after dinner drink! Sorry about Kali. Took my DD on that when she was 5 or 6, and she has yet to return (I think it was more the fire on the sides for her)!
Kali is freakin' nightmare! Why people go on that ride is beyond me. I'm very pleased to never ride it again!
I know there about a gajillion typos in my posts. I type them right into the repoly box with little to no proof readings. Mostly because I make money by writing things and do much proof reading and formatting and I'm just not dealing with that nonsense for free. I think faster than I type and my fingers don't always find the right keys and tend to do bad things wiht homophones.
Again, total failure at early morning stuff and much FP+ wrangling. We got there around 9:30 with the intent to go on Space Ship Earth right away but it was down and Adam was sorely disappointed. Unfortunately, our TT and Nemo passes were not due for 2+ hours and we had to figure out what to do next.
Note: Epcot FP is garbage. You only need them for TT and Soarin' but you can only have one of those. Shenanigans on Disney's part. Shenanigans. Do something with Future World. Honestly, Avatar land sounds like a big suck to me, but I HATED that ridiculous movie. And while were at it, Do something with Star Wars. Star Tours is awesome, but the whole damned universe loves Star Wars. Lord, you bought the Marvel stuff, where is that? Avatarland. A waste of billions. Repurpose all the future world stuff into Tony Stark paradise for heaven's sake!!! What about Big Hero 6? That's techy future stuff? Where is San Frantokyo? Whew. I feel better.
Test Track was the option Adam voted for and his is the only vote that counts here I guess. Long wait, he didn't care, I expressed in terms of Rescue Bots episodes and he still didn't care. It was really long. Like 60 minutes. Ugh. He loved designing his car (truck, whatever) but was confused and bummed when we got to vehicle loading and his car wasn't there. I suppose I need to be clearer when I explain rides, but four year olds are so literal and it's hard to explain the car has the attributes you picked without the appearance. Anyway, he loved it. And I readjusted the TT FP to later that day as we headed over to Nemo. SE was running again and by the time were done there it was 1PM.
My Mother's Day Gift/Splash Mountain Reward/Kali Recovery was a massage at the AKL spa. Sooooo good. And overpriced. But so good. Don't go expecting a spa. This wa more like a regular massage visit to the chiropractors office or similar. No robes, or cucumber water or comfy chairs to lounge in. But the world's tiniest Belorussian therapist with strong hands did me right from 2:30 to 3:20. DVC discount takes aawy some of the sticker shock. Some. Like a speck.
More pool time with wee man and lazy getting ready for Epcot. We decided to try to arrive around 6:30, giving us less time to fill by our dinner ressie at 8:30. I was hoping for Soarin' and a shorter line, had the TT FP on backup and figured Mexico would an easy ride too. (I didn't book Soarin' passes 60 days ago because I didn't think Adam would like it, by the time it was clear he would I couldn't get passes). Soarin' was showing 35 minute wait time so we headed right over and Adam loved it!! We'd watched a video of it at home to explain the seats and he wasn't nervous at all. We went through the rose garden area and stopped at a great playground they have installed for F&GF while Jake grabbed a quick bite (hollow leg, always hungry) and two drinks. I wish playgrounds everywhere had spring fake grass, giant Sullys and Mikes, and inventive climbing apparatus.
Gran Fiesta boat ride, frozen margaritas, bathroom pit stop all brought us to 8:15 at Spice Road. We opted for our table right then; all the railing tables outdoors were taken, but we were one table back and had a view that would include the globe but not the entire lagoon.
Spice Road Table was an outstanding choice for us and I want to address the criticisms I've been seeing. One, it's primarily tapas. If you want to be full you probably need 2-4 tapas plates per person depending on your usual dinner size. Each plate is $8-12. So, it sounds pricey. Consider though, that I had a $39 entree at Jiko. I'd need to eat four tapas plates myself to equal the price and I sure it would be more food. We ordered 9 plates and a bottle of Albarino. Everything was wonderful and while not truly Moroccan/Med/Turkish full of spices and flavors that I imagine a good chuck of the burger and fries crowd will not like. I'd be unlikely to get the calamari again, as it was good but was similar to all fresh fried calamari everywhere. My favorites were the fish croquettes, lamb sausage, grape leaves, and hummus fries. The grape leaves really are elevated from standard--mint and raisins were an addition I'd never thought of but added so much. The hummus fries were unique (like falafel in texture, but spicy). The garlic shrimp was good, but again, much like things I can get elsewhere. We LOVED it and will be back.
Adam, of course, ate another uncrustable. Despite the fact that he likes pita and hummus (I'd get this again too, we did get the extra pita as well) he only had one bite of pita. We brought the tablet, headphones and his earmuffs for Illuminations and had another big boy meal on our hands. He played with some legos, and then as he got more tired, watched a video for about 15 minutes until Illuminations started. Then it was earmuffs time and he really enjoyed the fire and the "laser blasers." We ordered two more glasses and enjoyed the rest of our food while people filed out and Adam talked with the manager (she was all up in my kid's business!! fine by me.) The bus wait was a little longer this night than we'd experienced (seriously, we almost never waited for a bus) and Adam fell asleep on Daddy. Unheard of.
He was in bed a little after 10. Again. Late. Yikes. Another awesome day and dinner!
This is definitely shaping up to be a fantastic family vacation with just the 3 of you!! And Adam is doing so good at dinners!!! LOVE IT!!! He will be fine dining those fancy meals with you soon!!! (My kid stopped asking for the kids menu around age 7, and started eating lobster and escargot ......yeah, she's gonna be an expensive date some day!)
and YES!!! The grape leaves at Spice Road are AMAZING!!!!!!!!!
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Another great day! I'm adding Spice Road table to our list.
I believe at WDW, Disney can't do anything with Marvel yet because Universal still has rights to them. That's why the cruises have them and Disneyland but not WDW. I don't know when the license expires but hopefully soon.
Another great day! I'm adding Spice Road table to our list.
I believe at WDW, Disney can't do anything with Marvel yet because Universal still has rights to them. That's why the cruises have them and Disneyland but not WDW. I don't know when the license expires but hopefully soon.
I wonder what the rules are. The Avengers bus wrap was very present, we saw one everyday, usually more than once. Knowing they won't refurb/redo anything unless there are increased attendance/dollars related I can see why somethings are the way they are (like the Indy Cars--In my head that's a great Lightening McQueen tie in, but the overhaul would be spendy and the draw minimal--no one is going to plan a trip just because of that. Unlike a Frozen attraction). Avatar just stumps me completely though.
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If that wasn't a rabbit being torn to bits by those birds it was the best darned fake rabbit in the world. Adam used his little kid bi-a-noc-alars to look at helicopters. Not animals. Helicopters. And the construction cranes building Avatarland. You could see four of them stickout above the trees in the general direction of AK. I did a little google fu and figure that out. I suppose it's not really a secret.
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Disney Magic - Oct 2015
Sorry about Kali. Took my DD on that when she was 5 or 6, and she has yet to return (I think it was more the fire on the sides for her)!
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