Our Disney Vacation with Fay and the Crab Assasins - COMPLETE!! - UPDATED 9/16 About This Page:

[Colexis Mom]

Sounds like a great time in AK How cool you got to see Devine More please

[tinker_me_happy]

Sounds like fun! What a great surprise for some child to find that treasure!!

[mcc0313]

Sounds like a great day at AK...I love how the animals get up so close. That White Rhino must be a friendly soul becuase on our trip in June he also got right up to the truck and I have seen that in many people's TR's

Breakfast sounded great (I can't wait to try their breakfast). Glad everyone enjoyed EE and Dinosuar and that you were able to have a great meet with your friend...

Looking forward to hearing all about H&V....

[B.M.]

Great day at AK!

[Rainbowy]

So as several of you guessed, we were fortunate to see

La Devine!

She was so cool! What amazing flexibility! DH was amazed at how hard it must be to do the things she does. I had heard about her, but was thrilled to get to see her.

Ok. Last I left you we were on the bus to HS, and running a little late. We got off the buss and hurried to find H&V. This is our first time in HS but no time to look around. We made it on time and then waited about 15 minutes, and during our wait there was a parade! So hubby graciously stayed behind while kiddos and I ran over to see DD9's favorite thing . . .

Attachment 23599
KittyKat loves HSM and was hoping to see it at Disney!

Well, we went back to H&V and I have to say it was by far the best Buffet of the trip! Wow! Asian chicken with pinaple,prime rib, peel and eat shrimp, amazing pork tenderloin, even the kiddos were totally impressed. Oh and if you go and they have the cold black bean and scallop salad, do not pass it up!! It was so good, never tasted anything like it. And we hadn't even had desert yet, and already were getting very full. Our server was great and overall I say it was the best buffet. Very loud! But worth the noise and the wait. Probably the second best meal we had at Disney. Thanks should go out here to those of you who helped me decside on this ADR. I couldn't decide on which place to eat for our fantasmic package, and you all voted for H&V and I am thankful!
So we had a little over two hours to see some HS before Fantasmic. We went straight to TSM and were disappointed to find no fast passes, and a 120 minute wait!! Yes you read correctly 120 minutes. So we decided it wasn't going to happen today, so on to ToT loved all the preshow stuff. We are big fans of the Dropzone at Kings Island so we were excited about this one. The CMs do a really good job here NOT smiling!! Kids loved it. So we got on our elevator. And . . .well. . it was ok. I thought it should have bounced and THEN dropped you forever. But what we got felt like 6 or 7 bounces between floors and thats it. I hear every ride is different. So maybe ours was less dropping than others. I don't know. We are used to hanging by our butts and dropping hundreds of feet toward the ground all at once. So this was a lot tamer. Anyhow. Loved the cms and preshow.
Next it was on to RRC. My personal must do for HS. Long line so we got drinks and headed in. Ok, changing color and size to denote a long sidetrack. This is where I cry at Disney. I know there's no crying at Disney unless you are leaving, but read on. If you want skip ahead to the blue for more fun on the rides and such. So, we are chatting with some folks around us. Having a good time in line, when I see the young man in front of us. He is about 12 or so. He is with his brothers and Dad.(Mom was apparently elsewhere with sister.) So I can't help but stare, becuase he looks so much like my best freind who died a couple years back. I mean its incredible. The way he talks and moves his eyes, the hair color, the freckles. eyecolor shape of the nose. I mean if you made his hair longer, he was her. So I catch myself and look away, but not before he sees me. OOPs. I look back and force a smile. About this time DH who was talking to the Dad notices my face. I am fighting back tears. THen he looks at our two kids, all ok there, then he notices the young boy. He obviously sees it too, cause he pulled me in for a hug. By this point I am in full tear mode. not wailing, but the tears are flowing and I can't help it. So then I had to explain it. And then they were like "maybe we are related!" which is even more awkward because she was adopted! Never found her birth family. Ok. so I finally pulled it together before we got inside. But it made me miss her so much. We were friends for 21 years, and she died of breast cancer at age 34. We were in each others weddings and our husbands were best buds too. It made me sad all over again that I couldn't share how much fun this vacation was with her.
So we loved the inside of the ride, hubby loved all the memorabilia, especially the Les Paul guitar! He said, I found my souvinere of choice!! Yeah right. Having lots of fun again by the time we were ready to ride. Total wait time 55 minutes.
Preshow was really good. great premise! Takeoff is wild. Great ride! Only complaint . . . its too short!!
So we headed for a restroom and then toward Fantasmic. Got there and went right in to our reserved seating area. Waiting for the show to start was really long though. Seemed like forever. 45 minutes I think. The Cms must have been down below trying to get this started but the crowd started doing the wave, then the slow motion wave, then the speedy wave, it was funny. Finally it was going. Honestly I was worried at first, all the showing of the films on the water, a little old. But then the real show finally got going and I was so glad I hadn't cancelled it. The fire part is amazing!! Everyone loved Fantasmic.But it we do it again, we will take our chances of coming in late and taking any seat or standing room we can. Seams every seat in the house is a good one.
We were happy to find all the shops open still on the way out. (why was I surprised) and we did some heavy shopping. The kids got their ears and we also got some gifts. DD9 got the pink sequened ears with a pink bow. DS11 got the Million dreams ears with the light of fireworks. I got hoop earings with rhinestone mickey charms! Hubby got mickey ball markers.. (its for golf you sickos!! LOL)
Then we headed home to WL and to the Hot tubs!! We had promised kiddos swim time this evening. And so since pools are open till midnight. We had over an hour! Actually more than that, found out they don't shut the hottubs down at all. So hubby got our mugs filled and we went for a long dip. and We did not want to get out!!! Day 2 was wonderful and tiring!!!!

[lissybri]

I love love love your trip report. I am addicted. Glad you are having such a great time. Just wondering where you get all this energy from. It seems you have gotten so much done in just one and a half days. I was so exhausted all the time. Glad you loved H&V. We loved it too. It is definitely underrated. I am so sorry about your best friend. You brought tears to my eyes. That is so sad. I can't wait to read more.

[Colexis Mom]

Great update!! Sounds like a great time at DHS!! What a touching story about your friend More please

[mousestruck]

Wonderful updates! Yes, H&W is definitely one of our favorite buffets, too. And I am always amazed by Fantasmic. It is truly an incredible display of imagination and downright awesome.

I was especially touched by your story about the 12-year-old boy, as I too lost my best friend to breast cancer five years ago at the age of 36. Sometimes little things can trigger so many tears. Once I had a total breakdown in the supermarket because I started thinking about her at the deli counter. Just wanted you to know that I completely understand your feelings. My family visited Disney (for the first time) right after the anniversary of her passing, to help with our grieving, and I often wish I could have shared the magic with her, too.

Come back soon with another update!

[FanOfMickey]

Enjoying your trip report, more please

[tinker_me_happy]

Maybe you WERE sharing the magic with her... in a strange sort of way She WAS there with you !!

[mcc0313]

Glad you had such a great eveing at DHS. Your dinner sounded Fantastic...we ate there on our trip in 2006 (before the character meal) but loved the buffet....(must consider adding this on our schedule again).

What a beautiful story (and sad) about the little boy....

Glad you all enjoyed Fantasmic....it is such a great show.

[Rainbowy]

Originally Posted by lissybri

I love love love your trip report. I am addicted. Glad you are having such a great time. Just wondering where you get all this energy from. It seems you have gotten so much done in just one and a half days. I was so exhausted all the time. .

Thanks, I am having fun writing it. I will put it in our Disney scrapbook when I put it all together . Energy, well, like I said in my PTR we like to do amusement parks comando style. My gang you will notice, didn't sit and wait for any parades or fireworks, except for fantasmic. We just keep moving to the next attraction. ANd Lissy, your kids are much younger, it takes a lot of energy to care for them, mine are nearly self cleaning now!

Originally Posted by mousestruck

I was especially touched by your story about the 12-year-old boy, as I too lost my best friend to breast cancer five years ago at the age of 36. Sometimes little things can trigger so many tears. Once I had a total breakdown in the supermarket because I started thinking about her at the deli counter. Just wanted you to know that I completely understand your feelings. My family visited Disney (for the first time) right after the anniversary of her passing, to help with our grieving, and I often wish I could have shared the magic with her, too.
Come back soon with another update!

THanks, it was weird that day, I wasn't really distraught, just momentarily very sad and melencholly, and happy at the same time, does that make sense?? I haven't had that situation happen before. Its been almost 4 years now, and once in a while I tear up when I instinctly want to call her to tell her about something, but this was different. I almost feel like that little boy may have been related to her birth family. Or like some folks say, we all have a " doppleganger"!

Originally Posted by FanOfMickey

Enjoying your trip report, more please

I will try to post more later today.

Originally Posted by tinker_me_happy

Maybe you WERE sharing the magic with her... in a strange sort of way She WAS there with you !!

That would be nice, but since God promises no pain in heaven, I don't think she could really see me, but I will share it all with her some day, when we are united again!!

Originally Posted by mcc0313

Glad you had such a great eveing at DHS. Your dinner sounded Fantastic...we ate there on our trip in 2006 (before the character meal) but loved the buffet....(must consider adding this on our schedule again).
It was a great buffet at H&V , no characters though. The charachters were at Tusker House in AK during breakfast.

What a beautiful story (and sad) about the little boy....

Yes, thanks, I hope I didn't tramatize him too much .
Glad you all enjoyed Fantasmic....it is such a great show.

Thanks for all of your support. I will try to post more later today. I am working on writing about DD9's TWIN in the Hot tub that night!!

[Rainbowy]

So as I said before we had promised the kids a swim this evening, and we always keep our promises. After we had admires our cute towel creatures, we all got our suits on and headed to the pool. It was about 11pm. Unfortunately the big pool was closed due to all the rain that afternoon that diluted the chlorine. So it was hot tub and baby pool. Everyone was fine with that, and John and I situated ourselves in the front hot tub where we could see the baby pool. Another couple joined us and we began a nice conversation. The men then headed in to roaring forks, and filled all of our mugs one last time, and brought them to us. A few minutes later my DD and another girl come running over, they both shout "MOM, we have the same birthday!" Ok so both of the couples have daughters with sept 20th birthdays. HM. "thats neat honey, who is your freind?" I said. Madison was her name, and she was the daughter of our hot tub pals. How old are you I asked Madison. "MOM, dd says, we have the same birthday!! We are both 9! Wow both moms say. The same exact day 9/20/98! "Mom, what time was I born?" DD asks. 3pm I answer. ANd 0ur hot tub mates choked on their soda!!! It was a real moment. Both girls were born same day, same time, both by c-section. "We are Twins!" they shouted and ran off to play! Needless to say, we stayed a while longer in the pool area. The girls would have killed us if we had split them up sooner becuase Madison was leaving the next day. So we didn't get to bed until about 1am again!
Oh Well, tomorrow is my planned "sleep in late and go to the pool, down day!! Thanks to all my pp'r freinds who said scheduling such a day is a must!! So Thanks friends!

Kate loves top bunk.jpg
Relaxing by the pool and a romantic dinner
Sunday 8-17

On Sunday, we all slept in --thanks in part to those incredible room darkening curtains they have a WL. I was up earlier than everyone else, but got out without waking them. When I came back a while later they were beginning to stir. Kids were up and in the pool aroud 10am. The kids just loved the pool at WL. At some point we headed to roaring forks two by two and got some kinda grub. I don't remember what I got them. waffles for sure. Then I called my girlfreind who had met us yesterday at AK. She lives in Jacksonville and stayed at ASMusic that night and would be coming to WL after we were up and running. So I called and told her to come on over to WL. OK, so she was, is and always will be a little ditsy at times. She really is so smart, but somehow, she often manages to gum up the works. So she calls and says. "I am knocking on your door will you let me in." HUh?? I was on the balcony of our room 5021 watching kids in pool, and no one was knocking. Um, where are you? I asked. "At wilderness lodge" she says. at room 5021. HM. So I said. Wilderness Lodge, you are sure? The one that looks like yosemite? " Yeah, with all the animals." she says. Whoa!!!! YOU MEAN LIKE GIRAFFE? I said. Yes was the answer. SHERRI, THAT IS ANIMAL KINGDOM LODGE!! I said. (did I mention her name is sherri also only with 2 rr's) She says OHHHHH> thats right. .. after another discusion about where WL is she gets there in another half hour.
We had a nice time, looking at pictures of the kids. Watching our daughters become friends and it was a great day so far.
While the girls were enjoying the sun, my two boys, DS11 and DH50, ran off to rent one of those little speed boats, and had a marvelous time. Apparently, hubby fudged his age by 4 months and DS got to drive the boat. Both were happy as clams when they came back, and we all went in to get ready for the evening. For John and I a romantic evening, for the rest Dinner at Crystal Palace. Mom and Dad were taking the kids for the evening, and even gave us 50 bucks for our anniversary dinner. It was probably the prettiest day at Disney so far. I hoped the evening would be just as wonderful. After all Dinner at Narcoosees and then an after wishes Passporter Dole whip meet. How could it go wrong?? OH it could!!!!!!

[mcc0313]

They say everyone has a "twin" but meeting them at WDW is just too freaky that is pretty cool really and I am sure the girls were really enjoying it. Your relaxing morning sounded heavenly....can't wait to hear baout your anniversary dinner.

[bsblady01]

more please