Nala & pride + one tour WDW Final thoughts COMPLETE! About This Page:

[Caldercup]

I love the story of everyone waking up so early at the hotel - sounds like something I would do!

Great trip report - can't wait for more...
Eileen

[mom2my4dwarfs]

Great start!

[Joy J]

Great installment, Nala, and already I can feel the excitement starting to build. I'm anxious to read all about your adventures at Downtown Disney.

Joy

[LizardCop]

Nala, great update!!!

[Tara O'Hara]

What a nice start to your vacation Nala!! It lloks to me like you got the hang of that camera pretty quickly!! Great photos!!

[MontiMouse]

The trip sounds great so far. Hurry back with more please!

[Colexis Mom]

Another great update Nala Hurry back with more Love the pictures

[luvnwdwgal]

Good for Kiara for jumping right in there with the pin trading!

[Nala]

Jaunuary 28, Day 1 part 2

Peter Pan was the first to emerge from his nap and came to the kitchen table and sat across from me. We talked about all the things we were going to do that week and he was full of questions. While we talked Grumpy, who was sleeping on the little couch, snored like a buzz saw. Every few minutes Grumpy would suck in a huge amount of air and make a horrible noise which amused Peter Pan to no end. I told him that Uncle Grumpy was trying to catch flies when he did that and we laughed ourselves silly every time he made the noise. (I know, I know, the man has a bad case of sleep apnea but the fly catching line was way more entertaining) Our giggles woke Grumpy up and soon after Kiara emerged from her slumber. Grumpy and I discussed dinner and we decided to try the House of Blues. Our only experience at a HOB was in Chicago for the gospel brunch, which I loved and he hated. He had no desire to sit at folding tables and on folding chairs in cramped quarters and I assured him that the main dining room was not like that. A plan was formed. Shop first, eat latter. I was very excited to have the opportunity to check out the goods at the scrapbook store. We all took a few minutes to get ready and hopped in the van to head to Downtown Disney.

I had remarked to Grumpy that Downtown Disney would probably be very quiet that night since the weather was bad. (cold and rainy) Once we turned into the parking lot I realized everyone else on property or in the area had the same idea. The place was packed. We parked near Planet Hollywood and checked out some of the shops in the immediate area. We then headed to the market place and made our first stop in World of Disney. This store was wall to wall people so we took a quick look around. Peter Pan checked out a few CM lanyards for pins and made a trade or two but the crowd soon pushed us out the door. We made our way towards the other shops and before I could stop the forward progression of my group Kiara spotted the merry go round and went wild. It was clear that we would do nothing else before she got a spin on it. So four dollars later both of the kids were on for a ride. And I attempted night shots with the new camera.


After their ride we went into the sports shop where Peter Pan found a very cool hockey jersey with Grumpy (THE Grumpy, not my Grumpy) on it. The purchase set him back $50 but it was a very cool shirt and he plays hockey on a traveling team so I approved the purchase. (this kid is one heck of a goalie) It was then on to the Christmas shop where Peter Pan bought a baby’s first Christmas ornament for a mutual friend of his mom and I who is expecting a baby in July. I also picked up a Santa Stitch antenna topper. It was in this shop that I noticed that Peter Pan was almost stalking CM with pin lanyards. He was following them around sneaking glances at their lanyards but was still to shy to approach them. Even as they would help other guest he was still hovering behind their backs. It was too funny. I finally had to pull him off of one CM who was with another guest and get him to move on. Grumpy was kind enough to take Kiara, who was getting restless, outside and we caught up with them before I headed to the scrapbook store. The three of them headed to the fountains while I shopped and I was able to obtain my album to hold the memories of this trip. I had to have the one with the wooden cover (which they also offered at the WL) and after that stop we found ourselves in the pin shop. Once again Grumpy entertained Kiara outside the shop while Peter Pan and I looked around. He found his way to the pin trading book and hooked up with a CM with a green lanyard. I think it was there that he found a B ticket CM issue pin and made a trade. (I so wish he had made the trade for the A ticket one at FW) I found myself talking to another CM about limited edition pins just as Grumpy and Kiara made a cruise through the shop. Just as he walked by I found a 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea pin and showed it to Grumpy who immediately said to buy it. This was his favorite attraction of the MK when he made his first trip to WDW so many years ago and he wanted us to have it for semimetal reasons. The CM also showed me a LE pin that was the size of the buttons that come with the EPCOT passports. It was a spinner and was very cool but I passed due to its size and price of $35. Now I am kicking myself as this was a LE of 750 pins! I walked out with only two pins, (a major achievement for me) the 20,000 Leagues one and a HM with Goofy in a Doombuggy and Peter Pan was happy with his trades. It was only after we got back to the cabin that Grumpy pointed out to me what the 20,000 Leagues pin actually had in it.

We were getting hungry and decided to make our way to the HOB. The walk seemed to take forever but we were finally there and amazed as we walked up that there was no crowd waiting to get in. Then we saw the sign. “Closed for private event” What??? Now what do we do? I was so ready for jambalaya . We made our way back towards the other restaurants and stopped a Bongo’s to check out the menu. Blah blah blah with rice and plantains, blah blah blah with rice and plantains and on and on. Grumpy hates rice and I don’t do fruit with meat so this was a big pass. Next option was Wolfgang Pucks. Been there, hated it, don’t want to go back , so we moved on. That left us with one and only one option in the immediate area. The big P. Planet Hollywood. The place I had heard so many negative things about. I was ready to run screaming back to Wolfgang’s or Bongo’s but I knew Grumpy wouldn’t go for it so we put our name in for a table.

We were told there would be a 20-30 minute wait for a table and with our options limited and hunger calling us we headed inside. We found two seats at the bar and let the kids sit down. We ordered drinks for all of us and I enjoyed looking around at all the memorabilia on the walls. Kiara was the first to notice the Disney characters on the far wall. We were called to our table and directed up the steps . When we reached the top we were directed up another flight of steps. We found ourselves on the top floor and were seated at a table on the railing that looked over the lower two floors. There was no question that I would have to take a seat closest to the railing as Grumpy hates heights. And even to me it was a bit much. But the table did offer us a great view of the restaurant and we all enjoyed looking around once again. We all loved seeing Herbie hanging form the ceiling. Our server was great and the food was better than I had expected. Not the best meal I have ever had but better than I had expected from the reviews of the place. But then again we come from a town that is filled with chain restaurants so maybe our expectations were somewhat limited. I had the Asian chicken salad and Grumpy had a steak. Both of us had no problem eating almost everything on our plates. Grumpy and I also enjoyed the videos and saw quite a few classics from my favorite era, the 80’s. They even played one with the Blue Men, who I love! Overall we all enjoyed our experience at PH and wouldn’t mind going back sometime.

We made our way back to the van and completed the short drive to FW. Once inside the kids put up no fight going to bed and were out in no time. Grumpy and I relaxed in front of the TV when he asked to see the pins I bought. He was very interested in the 20,000 Leagues pin and after close inspection asked me if I realized what was in the bubble on the pin. I told him it was a couple of pieces of gold looking stuff but had no idea what it was. He handed me the pin and told me to read the back of the card.


On the back of the card it read “This Limited Edition pin contains actual pieces of a porthole from the classic Disney attraction, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. This attraction operated at the Magic Kingdom Park from 1971-1994”. I was blown away by this. I had a piece of Disney history in my hands. A piece of Disney that my DF or DM could have once touched. A piece of Disney that DH could have once touched or even myself in all my trips on this attraction. I was even more thrilled with this pin purchase after this discovery and it even brought a tear to my eye. Grumpy and I enjoyed the quiet of FW for a bit and both turned in to prepare for our upcoming day at EPCOT.


Up next….. Peter Pan’s trip on Mission Hurl……opps, I mean Space

[TheGoof]

Nala,

Sounds like a wonderful trip so far.... I'm enjoying your report.


Oh, and Ripkensnana, I did post a picture in my trip report but I will post it again, it may not be the most flattering, since DS and I were wet from Splash Mountain at the time... but here goes.

[mom2my4dwarfs]

Anothe great update.

[Colexis Mom]

What a great update Nala And what a cool pin! Glad you somewhat enjoyed dinner at Planet Hollywood!

Hurry back with more

[LizardCop]

Another great update!!!!!

[Jillybean]

Such a fantastic report! I'm so glad that you guys finally found a place to eat and that it turned out better than expected!

What a cool story about the 20,000 Leagues pin!

Jill

[Tara O'Hara]

Nala, what a great update and that is such a cool pin!! I used to love that attraction!!