Our Island Hopping, Rain Dropping, Champagne Popping Adventure About This Page:

[a&as mama]

What a great first day! I love the relaxing at the pool.

[Colexis Mom]

Glad you had such a great stay in St. Augustine! And what a great first day at MK! You got so much done, despite the rain! With some great eats along the way!

[MontiMouse]

Those are some really great pictures! Makes me miss you guys even more.

I'll be really honest, I was laughing at Thoms dousing you with water but only because Charlie does things like that to me all the time and it drives me crazy. I am all for having fun but sometimes I seriously question whether I sould really consider him an adult. Explains why he and Thom get along so well .

Glad you are getting some time to enjoy the lounge. I guess sometimes rain at Disney can be a good thing.

[dwonderz]

Great update and pictures! The lounge sounds so cool!

[Jessie092408]

Oh my goodness! I would have fallen off my chair if there was a loud explosion...Literally! You would have laughed at me. The rest of the day sounds absolutely fabulous. Your family is so fun.

[lazanya]

Great day at MK!

[bonphil]

Great day at Disney!

[nursemom]

Sounds like a wonderful first day despite the raindrops. We will be at The Poly in 14 days and your TR is really getting us psyched for it!

[clio]

St. Augustine is one of my favorite places. My daughter and I have stopprd there on the way to Disney World many times. It's so much fun just wandering around the old city. You guys really did a lot on your first day at the Magic Kingdom. That loud boom would have scared me too. Can't wait to read more.
Liz

[Chancho]

What a wonderful first day.. I guess when life hands you rain....you throw on a poncho and head for a magical day in Disney. You made me very excited to stay at the Poly next month. Can't wait to see my kiddos watch the EP and Wishes from the beach. Thanks for sharing.

[bsblady01]

more please

[mcc0313]

Glad that the rain did not stop you one bit from enjoying your day...I always laugh as I hate commuting to work in the rain, but WDW in the rain...no problem .

Sounded like a delicious lunch, Angel actually changed her birthday dinner plans to the Plaza...I had no complaints.

Love the picture of Maddie all curled up asleep...Angel sleeps curled up with Duffy the exact same way, if he is not in his spot when she goes to sleep she will not lay down until she finds him.

[disney_duke]

St. Augustine looked like fun! Especially the carriage ride.
Glad you managed to dodge the major downpours so far! That lightning strike would have scared the daylights out of me too. Yikes! Great day at MK. And great use of the lounge!

[Jillybean]

Tuesday, May 29

Even with skipping EMH last night in favor for some relaxation, we were still sleepy heads this morning and didn’t wake up until 8 a.m. We made it to AK by 10 a.m. and luckily we had more dollar store ponchos because the rain started just as we entered the gates.

Maddie wanted to do a height check at PW first, so off we went to Dino Land. She was still a couple of inches away, but she gets a little closer each and every trip. It won’t be long before she’s officially tall enough to ride everything at Disney - - not that she wants to ride everything at Disney right now, but at least she’ll be able to when she’s ready.

While we were there, Mary Devall decided to take a spin on PW. Maddie didn’t feel like she was missing out because she already had her eye on one of the games. There was barely a line for PW which is understandable since it was raining and this was an outdoor ride.

Mary Devall and I were soon in our car, but we didn’t exactly head out right away. Instead, they moved us just far enough on the tracks so that we were out into the rain and then let us sit there waiting for our turn. Mary Devall and I laughed and laughed as the rain pelted us, but those dollar store ponchos did us well. I don’t think we stopped laughing the entire ride. As fun as this ride is, I think it’s 10 times more in the rain. We even kept laughing when the ride was over because they stopped us once again out in the rain while they slowly unloaded the cars in front of us.

We were still laughing when we exited and spotted Thom and Maddie hanging out near the FP machines. You couldn’t help notice that Maddie was holding up a big dragon and grinning from ear-to-ear. When we reached them, we discovered that Thom had won at the basketball game and made his little girl extremely happy.

Next we headed for Dinosaur - - not just because I it but because we needed an indoor activity also! The CM’s asked you to remove your poncho before entering, so we took a few minutes to shake ours out and fold them. Thankfully, a CM at the basketball game had given Maddie a bag for her new fluffie, so we used that as our wet poncho carrier.

This will always be one of my favorite rides and I love that my family will ride it with me (especially Maddie who really doesn’t want to ride it but does it for me ). I especially loved it today because it gave us a chance to get out of the rain for a few minutes!



After our ride, Thom and Mary Devall went on to EE while Maddie and I took care of some business in the big gift shop in Dino Land. Apparently, during our wild ride on PW, the arm on my poncho had ripped. In the gift shop, I asked a CM if she had a stapler and she not only found on, but stapled my poncho herself. Voila! Good as new!

Maddie and I browsed around the shop until we found a pressed penny machine in the corner. I dug through my change purse and found a shiny penny and two quarters and then let Maddie have at it. She was very proud of her new penny.



Even though it was still raining, we wandered outside and rode TTS. Once again, the rain made for a hilarious ride!

Thom had given me two remaining game tickets that he had, so Maddie was ready to use those. We battled each other on the game where you squirt water and, of course, she beat me. With her prize collected, Maddie was ready to keep playing. We were out of tickets, but there was no sign of Thom and Mary Devall, so I told her that she could play a couple of more games.

She decided on the ball toss first and the CM sent us to a nearby kiosk to buy tickets. When I opened my change purse to pull out a $20, I almost passed out when I saw that it was empty. Not only did I have a $20 in there, but I had my debit card, room key, their gift cards and our room key. I quickly thought back and remembered that when I dug out change for the pressed penny machine, I had to take everything out of it to reach the change. I had put it on a little ledge beside the pressed penny machine and apparently had forgotten all about it. Unfortunately, that was a good 20 to 30 minutes ago.

I grabbed Maddie’s little hand and took off with her to the gift shop. Much to my great relief, my money and my cards were still sitting on the ledge and appeared to have not even been touched. Maddie and I were thrilled beyond belief. When we returned to the kiosk and shared our good news with the CM, I also told her “And this is why we keep returning to Disney.” Had I been in any other major tourist attraction, the outcome may not have been so good.

After our little mini drama, we finally had two game tickets in hand. For once, I was thrilled that Maddie had asked to play another game because I might not have discovered my missing items for hours. When I told her this, she was tickled pink that her fluffie obsession had paid off in a big way and she reminded me of that often throughout the day. Our luck continued when we returned to the ball toss. Maddie was the only one playing and, with a sly smile to me, the CM made sure that she won another dragon. Thom and Mary Devall may have been riding the premier ride at AK, but Maddie and I were having quite the magical hour.



She had one ticket left, so she chose to play the mammoth game with two other girls who were a little bit older than her. Maddie was ahead near the end, but she got a little nervous and lost control of the ball for a few seconds. Another girl came from behind to win and Maddie took it so well. I was so proud of her when she smiled and clapped for the other little girl. Of course, she was up three fluffies, so I think that made it a little easier to lose. Still I made sure she knew how proud I was of her.

With Dino Land officially done, we met up with Thom and Mary Devall after their EE ride and grabbed FP’s for them to ride later. Next we were off for a safari ride where we were treated to the female lion perched high on a rock, some baby warthogs and some stinky flamingos.



By the time our safari ended, it was already time for Thom and Mary Devall’s EE FP’s so off they went while Maddie and I decided to seek out some gorillas. We did pause to check out the hippo when we noticed that he had taken on a passenger.



As we approached the gorilla area, a lady warned us to watch out because a male gorilla had just thrown poop at some people on the bridge and it was still there. Well, that just made Maddie’s day especially when she actually got to see the poop. We watched them for a while, but didn’t linger too long in case the poop throwing started up again.

As Maddie and I left the trail, a CM who was finding shelter in a cave stopped us to give Maddie a private lesson about rhinos and the environment. Thankfully, Maddie gave the correct answer when he asked her if she kept the water running while she brushed her teeth. All I needed was a young whipper snapper CM giving me the “look” for not protecting the environment just because my 6-year-old got nervous under the pressure of his questioning. She came through like a champ though and even touched the plastic covered rhino poop. Suddenly, we had a poop theme going which wasn’t good because it was time for lunch!

A quick stop by the DVC kiosk for a photo op:



We hadn’t eaten at RFC in a while, so the girls had made the special request after our trip in February. I do love Y&Y, but I was willing to take one for the team . . . this one time. Maddie and I made our way to the front of the park, but we took a detour through the Oasis when she decided that she wanted to do a little exploring. We had never ventured in this beautiful little area since we’re usually buzzing past it to reach the rides. Maddie especially loved this bridge.



When we exited AK through the turnstile at RFC, it was such a relief to finally be under some shelter and take off our ponchos for a while. The rain had been light for the past for the past hour, but just enough to get you wet and be annoying. Maddie was in heaven when we entered the gift shop and immediately found a cup with a white lion head that she just had to have. The only thing that diverted her attention was a photo booth. We tried to use it, but I couldn’t get my credit card to work. I’m sure those would have been some beautiful pictures.

Thom had sent a text that they were on their way, so I went ahead and checked in. Moments after they arrived, our name was called and we were seated at the first table inside the restaurant. We weren’t exactly immersed in the feel of the restaurant, but I think we were all glad just to sit down.

The menus at these restaurants are so massive that it’s almost excruciating to make a decision. My drink decision, however, was not difficult at all. I went with a Cheetah Rita which is essentially their take on a margarita. And I guess I really didn’t have a hard time deciding on the spinach and artichoke dip for an appetizer. Okay, I guess it was just the entrée that gave me grief. It took me a while to decide on the coconut shrimp and I continued to second guess myself throughout lunch. The girls had the obligatory macaroni and cheese and chicken nuggets and Thom was predictable with the Rasta pasta (if there is a hearty non-tomato based pasta dish on the menu then Thom is going to order it ).

Maddie was about as excited with her drink choice, a blue icee in a collectible cup, as I was with my Cheetah Rita. It had a bird head instead of a white lion head, but she was happy with it nonetheless.



The food was all really tasty, but there was just so much of it. I don’t think the girls came anywhere near finishing their lunch, but we still let them have Lava Mud for dessert. It’s vacation! Thom and I passed on dessert . . . I could have probably forced it down, but I knew cookies would be available back at the hotel.

After lunch, we decided that we had accomplished everything we wanted to do at AK and were ready to go back to the hotel. Of course, as we walked to the bus stop, we found a great deal of irony in the fact that it had stopped raining.

Our bus appeared to be brand spanking new.



Once back at the Poly, Thom retreated to the room to take a nap while I took the girls to the GCH to check out the crafts options. We made leis for our ankles (hmmm . . . would those be called ankleis? ) and then the girls colored for a while before the CM’s asked them if they would like to participate in the hula lesson.

Mary Devall shot me a look that said “Do I have to?” but I returned it with a look that said “ you do.” She’s at that age where she still enjoys a lot of things meant for the younger set, but doesn’t want to look uncool. This way, if asked later by friends, she can blame it on me.

Several other children ended up joining in on the fun and the CM’s outfitted them all with leis and grass skirts (except for the one little boy). My girls watched their hula teacher intently and truly seemed to enjoy the experience. I think it made them appreciate the dancers at the luau that much more the next night.



I'll spare you the minute long hula finale video. Below are shortest two that I took.





Once their lesson was finished, they turned in their grass skirts and received certificates along with the leis that they had worn. We had leis coming out of the ying yang!

I then suggested that we take a spin on the monorail which seem to befuddle them both. When Mary Devall was six, we did the same thing and she thought it was much cooler then. Now they just questioned why we were taking the monorail for no reason at all (my answer of “because it’s fun” just didn’t hit home ). I think they were just ready to go back to the lounge or to our room. They pretty much sat there stone faced the entire ride (not pouting, but biding their time until they could stop humoring me ).

We did manage to have one laugh during our ride. We picked up a large extended family at the GF who apparently were going to MK. The moment the monorail started, it started pouring again. They just looked at each other, busted out laughing and said at the same time “Of course, it’s raining again! We’re going to a park!” Apparently, Mother Nature was timing the showers on this family’s comings and goings. At least, I knew who to blame now!

When we got back to the GCH, the girls were willing to brave the rain to get back to our building. I think they were hoping to grab a cookie but the lounge had just closed. They made do with something to drink before we headed back to the room where we woke a sleeping Thom. We relaxed in the room for a while, but it wasn’t long before Thom received a work call so we decided to head back to the lounge.

The appetizers were out by then, so we grabbed some food and found a table. Maddie was able to squeeze in at the kids table, but Mary Devall decided to keep me company. Once again, she probably would have enjoyed watching yet another episode of Good Luck Charlie, but being the lone 10-year-old in a sea of preschoolers made her stand out just a bit. That’s okay because I liked having the company.

Thom finished up his work call fairly quickly and soon joined us. While we ate, we discussed our plans for the night. Originally, I had scheduled Epcot since it was EMH, but with the rain touch and go we decided to stay closer and head back to MK tonight. We stopped by the room and then went back to the GCH to catch the monorail. Suddenly, the girls were all about riding the monorail since it was actually taking us some place!

As soon as we entered MK, we split up. I went with Mary Devall to finish the Sorceror’s game while Thom and Maddie took off to ride Barnstormer. We started back on Main Street where we had left off the night before and then were instructed to head to Fantasy Land. Thankfully, the lines gradually diminished as Mary Devall made her way from spot to spot since the waiting is what took the longest.



As Mary Devall played, I took in the other players and noticed how many of them were adults carrying notebooks filled with the cards. When we reached Liberty Square, one man even approached Mary Devall asking her about a trade. He was nice and was in no way intimidating (at least not to a 46-year-old woman who could have taken him if need be ), but it made Mary Devall nervous. She definitely wanted her Momma with her after that.



While we were still in Fantasy Land, I received a picture from Thom of Maddie posing with Merida.



I was a bit surprised because Maddie isn’t much of a princess girl and she rarely asks to wait in line to see any character anymore. Brave hadn’t even come out at this point, but I think that Maddie had already pegged Merida as a warrior princess which in her mind is quite different from a mere princess. Any girl who desires to be a ninja master when she grows up is bound to put Mulan and Merida on a pedestal.

Thom told me later that they had never made it to Barnstormer because, once Maddie spotted Merida, she asked to wait in line. Along with the picture, Thom had sent me a text that they were now going to IaSW and would meet us after that. They met up with us in Frontier Land and watched as Mary Devall finished up that part of the game.

When we got to Adventure Land, Thom took Mary Devall to the next game spot while I took Maddie right across the way through the tree house. They were just finishing up there when Maddie and I came out of the tree house and we were next sent to the spot beside Sunshine Tree Terrace. Of course, Maddie was suddenly thirsty there so we bought her a raspberry lemonade while her sister played. Finally, finally, finally, we made it to the last spot of the night. Whew! That took a long time. I think she enjoyed it okay, but she didn’t seem overly excited by it. I'm pretty sure she liked the cards more than anything.



After we finished, she requested ice cream, so back around the corner to Sunshine Tree Terrace we went. I was standing in line when a man behind me asked if I was from Europe. Um . . . yes, Southern Europe. I assured him that I was from the States and then he said “Everyone I meet is from Europe.” I found this especially funny since he had a heavy accent. I assumed that he wasn’t from Europe though.

The girls each got a twist cup while I couldn’t resist my favorite, the latte float. We sat at a table right there enjoying our snacks, but when Maddie finished hers she was back and forth at the game spot watching other people play. Instead of walking around, she chose to crawl over a rope and that’s when we heard a big thud behind us. My heart dropped when I turned in my seat and saw her on the ground. I was even more worried when I heard her screaming. Maddie is not one to cry when she falls down - - which is often since she’s pretty rough and tumble. She’s more of an “I’m okay!” type girl.

It was twilight by this time, so it was pretty hard to see. It didn’t look like she had hit her head, but when we pulled her to her feet she wouldn’t put pressure on one leg. Without saying a word, Thom and I were both scared that she had busted her knee cap. Thankfully, a CM came running out of nowhere, grabbed a stroller for us and stayed with us until Maddie had calmed down. She was a lifesaver.

Once we knew that Maddie was okay, we asked her if she wanted to stay. She insisted that she wanted to go back to the hotel , so we headed in that direction. We weren’t even out of Adventure Land when I asked Mary Devall if she wanted to stay (I could tell she was disappointed). She nodded her head, so I assured Thom that Maddie and I would be fine. It didn’t take too much convincing because they were off in a flash to ride SM.

I hadn’t pushed a stroller at Disney in a while so I was thankful that they had roped off the sidewalks on Main Street to keep them clear of people waiting on the parade. It made all the difference in the world. Maddie and I dropped off the stroller and then I carried her to the monorail. By the time that we made it on the monorail, we were both laughing at my huffing and puffing from carrying her. She seemed a-okay by this time, so I decided to let her walk and put some pressure on her knee when we reached the Poly. She babied it a bit walking, but I could tell that she was much better.

One benefit of coming back early was that desserts were still out. Maddie made a plate for herself and I grabbed a plate for Thom and Mary Devall and a glass of wine for myself before we headed back to the room.

When we entered our room, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the CM doing the turndown service had actually cleaned our room in addition to making it festive.



Housekeeping had been running late that afternoon and then Thom had put out the "Privacy please" sign during his nap, so we had missed out on a cleaning. On our way to MK, Thom simply asked the CM doing turndown service to leave some clean towels for us, but she ended up cleaning the entire room. Thankfully, we had left a nice tip for her.

She also provided us with a complete supply of toiletries which was nice since Thom had to request shampoo for me that morning. He was told that the print is so small on the labels that the CM's have a hard time reading what's what. I can attest to that because Thom had to read the labels for me since I didn't have my reading glasses in the shower.



Maddie hopped in her pj’s and then I iced down her knee just to be on the safe side while she enjoyed her desserts.



Almost as soon as I removed the ice, she rolled over and went to sleep. I think the fall zapped any energy that she had left.



I sat in bed sipping my wine, reading a book and enjoying the quiet until Thom and Mary Devall showed up about 11 p.m. They had made the most of their extra couple of hours in MK and had apparently worked up quite an appetite because they devoured every last bite of the desserts that I had saved for them. In between chewing, they both thanked me profusely.

It wasn’t long before the three of us joined Maddie in sleep.

[sc507]

What a busy day! Glad Maddie was okay after her fall - how scary for all of you! Love all the fluffies she got at AK