My Best Trip Ever! A Disney Trip 10 Years in the Making - Page 7 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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I'm so glad Evan's getting a ton of birthday surprises. It really does make the trip extra special. Why didn't you tell Christine to go do something else while the rest of you enjoyed lunch at TH? Then you could have all met up a little bit later and you would have still enjoyed a nice meal. Can't wait for more!
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Sounds like a great start to your day at AK (except for the lunch issue)! Congrats on the FPs!
Thanks- it was a fun day
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Originally Posted by chezp
What a great day at Animal Kingdom!
It really was!
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Originally Posted by lauriep
Great day overall! I love all the surprises Evan is getting. And how sweet is he, worrying about Little Red getting back to his mommy? Fortunately for the harmony of your group, you're much more easygoing than I would be at Christine packing lunch without letting anyone in on her plans. That's just .
I think my "go with the flow" attitude is one of my best personality traits
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Originally Posted by lazanya
Great day!
thanks
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Originally Posted by JKnott17
I'm usually pretty easy going, but that really would have boiled my blood. I give you credit for just going with the flow for everyone else's sake
I don't like to fight so usually just fluff things off pretty well.
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Originally Posted by Cam22
Good morning so far at AK! What a great birthday treat to get FP to KS! Sorry about your having to cancel Tusker House.
maybe I'll get to TH next trip
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Originally Posted by ariel14
Finally all caught up!!! Love how easygoing you are!!!
Thanks - I try to be. I suppose you HAVE to be when traveling with a big group.
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Originally Posted by OhToodles!
Bummer on TH! I would've gone without them. Love Evan's face painting. I offered Dylan to get his done but he didn't want to. They do it at our zoo and now he's determined to have it done ( the last two times it was closed).
Evan always looks great as a tiger, mainly becaus his nose is flat so it fits right in with tigers.
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Originally Posted by PrincessSharon
Great morning so far (except for the lunch issue ). Score for Evan's birthday button!
He have only scratched to surface for his birthday surprises.
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Originally Posted by honeybee723
I'm so glad Evan's getting a ton of birthday surprises. It really does make the trip extra special. Why didn't you tell Christine to go do something else while the rest of you enjoyed lunch at TH? Then you could have all met up a little bit later and you would have still enjoyed a nice meal. Can't wait for more!
If it was later in the week I would have gone to luch but this was the first day and she had no clue yet as to what was goin on. At times I felt like I had 6 kids all cluelessly following me around.
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Originally Posted by KMB733
Sounds like a great morning at AK with lots of birthday surprises!! Sorry about having to cancel Tusker House.
After lunch we went over to see It’s Tough To Be a Bug. As we were entering our row, we were towards the end of it and you know how you sort of enter and then wait to make sure everyone in front of you has a seat and then adjust where you are standing, either up or back and then sit an empty seat?….Well we did that but the people behind my mom just sat down. As we adjusted, we were one seat short and they were all set in their seats (really our seat). How rude! It wasn’t that big of a deal, Evan sat with me and that helped him as I could tell he was a bit nervous when Hopper appeared. Plus he didn’t get stung. He left all smiles but the whole thing really “bugged” me (pun intended).
Next we went to see the Nemo show which was new for me. I loved it. I had tears in my eyes when it was over (as did my mom and sister). My niece asked us why we were crying and we just said “it’s a parent thing”. Of course I cry when I watch the movie too. I really wanted to come back and see it later in the week but that never happened.
By now we were all ready for a break so we headed back to the hotel. On the way out of the park we got more and made sure everyone knew it was Grandmom’s birthday too. We crossed a bridge at some point – not sure where but we looked out into the water and it was just a solid green color. I’m not sure if it was pollen, algae, brush or what but you couldn’t really see the water. Always wanting to educate Evan we talked about it and how the alligators could be hiding in there and he would never know it. He always says stuff like if saw an alligator he would punch it in the nose and run away. I don’t think he every really “saw” that he might not even see the alligator. I think he was listening because since we have been home and he reads his reptile books he talks about the murky water when we get to the camouflage part of the book – but I digress…
We get back to the hotel and everyone is ready for a swim. The housekeeper is in our room and will be done shortly. We head over to my sister’s room and we all get changed there and head out to the pool. (this changing in my sister’s room will be very important later in the trip.)
The kids had a snack pool side and swam for a bit. We were probably down there for like an hour. When we came back to the rooms ours was done but not my sister’s and housekeeping was in Chris’. Apparently some people called out and they were short staffed. No biggie, Jill just got clean towels and that was it.
Most afternoons were spent relaxing back at the hotel. Evan had is portable DVD player so he would watch a movie or lay on the bed . We always do this in the warm summer months but he is still small and really couldn’t go-go-go all day, even with the shorter hours and cooler temps. I think the down-time each day really helped to keep him from having melt downs. As a matter of fact, I don’t think he had any. The adults on the other hand…that is a different story, but more on that later. But I digress, again.
Tonight was MK for MSEP and Wishes. I wanted to eat at Casey’s but when we got there the line was out the door – forget it.
We made our way over to Frontierland and found a spot for the parade and then some of us headed off for dinner (Pecos Bills and Columbia Harbor House). I went with Christine to CHH and we got separated as our orders came out. I went to the condiment bar and got stuff and waited, and waited, and waited. I thought maybe she went back to our spot but was pretty sure she didn’t know the way. I called her and she tells me she is waiting at the condiment bar --- wait a minute, I’m at the condiment bar. After a little back a forth we realized there were 2 condiments bars – Murphy’s law right? We laughed about that as we made our way back to the group and ate.
Pretty soon if was time for my all time favorite night time show at Disney, The Main Street Electrical Parade. I know there is mixed reviews on this but I LOVE it. I think part of it is the music – it is awesome, very peppy and makes me happy . And part of it is the memories I have as a child and young adult. The nostalgic feeling I get. I don’t know if I can really explain it. I just love it. I once again had tears in my eyes knowing this may be the last time I’ll ever see it and to able to be there with my son sharing one of my favorite things in my favorite place – it just makes a momma weak in the knees. After the parade we all sang at the top of our lungs Happy Birthday to my mom. She almost ran away but I was able to grab her in a bear hug.
After the parade my sister wanted to catch Tinkerbell’s flight so we all fought the crowds over toward the castle. As we got into Fantasyland the castle area was roped off. I thought that was odd but what was I to do? We kept moving (all 11, slow-moving of us ) over toward Tomorrowland. Of course by now all the good spots were taken but we could see Tink’s wire so we were OK.
There were several trees and my mom kept asking will we be able to see? “Yes” I assured her. The fireworks are set off way behind the castle and not from Fantasyland. Just then (I mean you could not have timed it more perfectly) some fireworks shot out of the castle. Then I realized it was the new castle memories show. That is why FL was roped off because of the low fireworks.
We watched Wishes and Evan was a little nervous with the noise but I had some headphones for him and that went well. Someday I’d actually like to watch Wishes from Main Street and see the “full” show.
It was EMH and everyone wanted to stay a bit more I asked Evan what he wanted to do and he was ready to go back so we left and everyone else stayed. As we were exiting the park it was just a mob scene and I had my stroller and it was just wall to wall people. We got to The Plaza Restaurant and they were directing everyone out the “back” entrance. I’ve never done that before. One of the CM said “we have to get Main Street cleared in the next 15 minutes for the parade.” Yea, good luck on that one.
It was neat, we walked behind the left side of Main Street’s store (left side while leaving the park). There were several cast members waving and others busy working. There were some planters out to sort of mark the pathway and cover up trash bins and what not. It was interesting.
We got back to the hotel and went straight to bed I wanted to be at MK first thing in the morning. I knew with the late night for everyone else – it wasn’t going to happen – not for them anyway.
Birthday pin surprise count: holding at 3
Sorry no photos tonight - mine were too dark at the parade and then I just wanted to watch it with my guy!
Great evening! I'm a huge fan of MSEP also. Do I sense some turbulence ahead? Worried about adult meltdowns and some repercussions following changing in your sister's room-- can't imagine what that is!
Glad you all got to enjoy ITtBaB, though the other family could have been patient in getting into their seats. Sounds like the afternoon downtown was a wise choice. Wonderful evening at MK!
Glad you were still able to enjoy ITtBaB, even though those impatient people took your seats. Some people are just unbelieveable. And scoring free FP's! The day seemed to end on a great note, plus you got a free backstage tour.
Great updates! We had to use that exit on our last trip as well trying to get out! The crowds were crazy! It was neat being back there. Very tidy and clean for a backstage area but I expected that for Disney!
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Check out my Pre-Trip Report for our 9/18-9/23/12 trip here: