"Can I Play on Your iPhone?" A WDW Trip in a Digital Age (May 28 - June 7) About This Page:

[Eeyoresmom]

marathon, half marathon . . . still impressive! good luck this weekend!

[OhToodles!]

So sorry to hear about your Dad Karen, but glad he's doing better. Continued & prayers!

Why did I not know that Ashley Eckstein was married to David Eckstein. He played for us at one point. Guess I never connected the two or knew what his wife's name was then.
I was going to say something in Jill's TR about Zack always having the same pose, but I didn't and since you've now pointed it out..well I'm asking him 'what's up the pose?'
I loved Captain EO when I saw it last summer and can't wait to see it again!

Good Luck on your DL 1/2 marathon!

[goofysdtr]

Originally Posted by Eeyoresmom

marathon, half marathon . . . still impressive! good luck this weekend!

I mean, seriously, if you can run for more than a block and a half without a big, scary villian chasing you, that's a BIG deal! Anyway, knock it out of the park (that doesn't seem right) . . . break a leg (pretty sure THAT's not it, either) . . . well, whatever it is you say to a runner. Go Karen!

[Principessa_di_Fata]

Phew, blew through Jill's TR and your TR all in one day! Now I'm entirely caught up with you two!

Zack is an awesome young man - you should be (and I'm sure you are) so proud. I'd love to read his writings on that fish, lol! I can only imagine what he'd come up with.

Loving this TR. Hope all is going ok with your dad, and look forward to reading more postings when you can!

[Jessie092408]

I am now officially following your TR. I've been cracking up laughing and reading bits of it out loud to my husband. We both agree that you're hilarious. Can't wait to read more! that your dad continues to improve! OH, and that cake was AWESOME!

[ilovedisney0_0]

Ready for more updates, Your Sassiness!

[zacksmom_1993]

Originally Posted by disney_duke

And good luck in the Disneyland Half!! I did it last year, and it's good fun. Parts of it a bit dull as you go through the streets Anaheim, but I know you will find the on-street entertainment quite.... entertaining. Have a great time at the race!!!

I usually am HIGHLY entertained INCREDIBLY easily by people watching. I'm kind of looking forward to my mile 12 induced mania to see how much more entertaining I'll find it.

Originally Posted by Caldercup

PS - remind me to teach you how to do the multi-quote thing.

PPS - of course, you can TOTALLY pad your post count doing it this way, but we'll all know... We'll all K-N-O-W!!

Ahem, I'd actually previously multi-quoted IN THIS THREAD. But it's hard to do on an iPhone, especially if you're in a hospital room nursing your sick Dad back to health at the same time. (Did I lay the guilt on thick enough for you there? )

Originally Posted by cubfancolleen

Love Zack's poses! My almost 15 year old hasn't smiled for a picture for almost 2 years, so I'd take even a dorky one!!
Good luck in the DL half!!
And I have fond memories of my dad's morphine-induced lunacy - like when he was sure his smiley-face Mylar balloon told him his nurse was planning to assassinate him!

I didn't pay thousands of dollars for theater camp for nothing, I guess. I usually tell Zack to ACT like a kid who wants to take a picture... and you see the results!

My sisters and I have introduced a no smiley-face balloon policy! right back at you!

Originally Posted by ilovedisney247

I love that you guys had a great time at Epcot and managed to keep to the BAS. I love the BAS.

I don't usually keep hard copies of the BAS, but the one I have honest to goodness FRAMED is from our day at the Magic Kingdom. (Side by side with a before and after picture of the three of us. )

Originally Posted by jennie622

BAS- Ha! Got mine ready to go for the F&WF highlighted and all purdy!

The only thing better than a spreadsheet is a color coded spreadsheet. I'm just imagining the calculations I could do with F&WF snacks! Hope you have a blast!

Originally Posted by PrincessSharon

Memorial Day is not a holiday in Italy. I should know - I was there! When I picked up my new TIW the other day, the CM told me that "major eating holidays" are blacked out. I guess since Memorial Day is a popular barbecue day, maybe that makes it a "major eating holiday"

I knew it! So it was about my Axis powers crack after all!

Originally Posted by OneLittleSpark

I just wanted to pop on, I have been lurking here reading your wonderful TR, I wanted to say how sweet Zach's relationship with the girls. It's like having an older brother with them, who is actually nice, to do things with. Warms my heart!

Originally Posted by Principessa_di_Fata

Zack is an awesome young man - you should be (and I'm sure you are) so proud. I'd love to read his writings on that fish, lol! I can only imagine what he'd come up with.

Thanks you two! When Zack forgets to re-fill the toilet paper (seriously, the kid just leaves a new roll on the top of the toilet) for the 47,000th time, I'll try to remember that before I blow a gasket.

Originally Posted by Colexis Mom

What a great day at Epcot, even with the late start due to Thom!

Originally Posted by mcc0313

Glad to hear that "Thom" did not keep you off schedule for long and that you were back on BAS time by the time you got to the Imagination pavillion.

Originally Posted by lindawdw

You sure do love your spreadsheet. Sounds like you accomplished a lot by sticking to it (even if Thom had you running 10 minutes late in the morning)

Originally Posted by Cam22

Lots of fun at Epcot in spite of Thom holding back your start time.

I KNOW! Thom almost blew the whole stinkin' day!

Originally Posted by tammyd_rn

We missed the Jawa's this trip and I was even prepared with $1 Store treats because I remember reading about in Jill's TR last year that you had provided Maddie with them for the Jawa's. I stored them in my Owner's Locker for next year though but I don't remember them being bright so I might have to make an adjustment.

No adjustment needed, seriously. Most of the kids were trading used napkins and various other things that made me want to spray the Jawas down with Lysol before Zack and the girls touched them. Your cute kids will be way ahead of the game!

Originally Posted by brandy_mel

And stains in a cup! Heehee. I hope that doesn't prove to be true on our December trip. But if it does, I promise to not turn into Kate from Kate Plus 8 with their whole ice cream in the Rose Garden debacle.

Ah, the good old days when John and Kate played out their dysfunction in their own show versus all over the tabloids. I seriously love those shows. I'm hooked now on Dance Moms. Have you seen it? Z asked why I was watching it last night and I told him that it makes me feel like a good mother.

Originally Posted by OhToodles!

Why did I not know that Ashley Eckstein was married to David Eckstein. He played for us at one point. Guess I never connected the two or knew what his wife's name was then.

You're allowed to like him from his Cardinals days. But if you like him from the Angels days? Especially, specifically Game 6 of the 2002 WS? I might have to cut you.

Originally Posted by goofysdtr

I mean, seriously, if you can run for more than a block and a half without a big, scary villian chasing you, that's a BIG deal! Anyway, knock it out of the park (that doesn't seem right) . . . break a leg (pretty sure THAT's not it, either) . . . well, whatever it is you say to a runner. Go Karen!

This made me laugh so much! I used to have a co-worker who I ADORED at my last job. Whenever somebody would say they went for a run she'd ask, "Was somebody chasing you?" Love her!

Originally Posted by Jessie092408

I am now officially following your TR. I've been cracking up laughing and reading bits of it out loud to my husband. We both agree that you're hilarious.

That's so sweet of you! I love to laugh, but I love to make people laugh even more. I once had a boyfriend who told me during a fight that "You're not as funny as you think you are." I proceeded to call him some very unfunny things as I broke up with him.

Another update up next peeps. Thanks to everybody for following along. I'm having such a blast reliving this trip!

[zacksmom_1993]

Monday, May 30 – Part 2

When we exited the boat, we saw a relatively short line to get pictures and autographs with Duffy the Bear. Short line? Memorial Day? Color us there. Of course as soon as we got in line, the CM announced that Duffy would be taking a little break. But, it was a beautiful day, we were waiting in the shade, and we were still ahead of schedule. Of course as soon as we decided to wait, a family came up behind us with a couple of kids. Their youngest son was wearing a t-shirt that read, “Out of Control.” Karen’s Tip of the Day #8: If a mom is willing to dress her 5-year-old in a shirt that signals he is “Out of Control,” BELIEVE HER.

I think Jill might have gotten banged on the legs a little bit. And, Mary Devall and Maddie had that thinly veiled disgust of kids who know someone is behaving worse than they ever would.

Come to think of it, this might have been a little bit of a pout due to an iPhone request being REJECTED. But she was still light years better than “Out of Control” behind us, and I thought her seat was ingenious!

After a bit more waiting, the girls were getting their pictures taken with Duffy (see Jill’s trip report for the cuteness.) I took the time to take a picture of the final Flower & Garden Festival remnant.

Oh how I wish Disney still ran the F&GF through Memorial Day like they used to!

Mary Devall had expressed an interest in Club Cool when Zack and I stopped by earlier in the day. I’m not sure if she’d ever been there before. Free stuff at Disneyworld Koenigs! Zack and I had practically camped at Club Cool on particularly hot days at Epcot in the past. Anyway, Zack and I figured she’d be a likely sucker for a little Beverly trickery.

Try this Mary Devall, it’s yummy!



Intriguing… not entirely unpleasant. Wait!



What the heck is that aftertaste!



Must force myself to take another sip. Can’t possibly be as bad as I thought. (Love that look of pain on her face!)



It’s worse than I remember! Worse! How can it be worse? What is this swill?

I’ll admit. Zack and I were amused.

We were getting close to our FP time for Soarin, so we worked our way over to the Land pavilion and hopped onto Living with the Land with no wait. I know there are some Passporters who want to live in the little cottage in the Canada pavilion. I’ll take this house.

I’m pretty sure my favorite dog from Carousel of Progress lives here too.



Soarin’ was up next, from a perfect front row perch. riding this ride with squealing Koenigs girls in surround sound!

Timing was working out perfectly for a ride on Spaceship Earth, using our Fastpasses for Test Track, and making it back to the Wilderness Lodge for evening appetizer service at the Old Faithful Club. Funny how perfectly everything works out when you have a plan, eh?

There was a bit of a wait for Spaceship Earth while they loaded some wheelchairs and Mary Devall took it as another opportunity to have a conversation with Zack about his future career plans. Since she’d found out Zack had graduated from high school, she was concerned. You and me both, honey. You and me both. I distracted myself from reality talk in my fantasy bubble by taking a picture.

As such, I missed the following oh-so-wonderful exchange. (But, I had it recreated for me over and over… and over.) I think Zack was getting a little tired of the questions and he turned to Maddie and asked, “Maddie, what do you want to be when you grow up?” Maddie shuffled her feet a little bit, hung her head, and mumbled resignedly, “A firefighter.” Mary Devall quickly jumped in and explained that they had a little career portion to Maddie’s recent pre-K graduation. Each child had to sign up in advance for what they wanted to be when they grew up. But Maddie interjected, wanting to tell her own story, and told Zack… wait for it… “I signed up to be a ninja, but teacher wouldn’t let me.”

Isn’t that the best thing you’ve ever heard. My favorite 5-year-old signed up to be a ninja! But teacher wouldn’t let her so she defaulted to a stinky firefighter (no offense firefighters.) Unbeknownst to me, I happened to take a picture just after Maddie dropped her comic bomb.

Just take a minute to really look at every expression. I’d try captioning it, but I know Eileen can do it better. Plus, every time I look at Maddie’s face, I laugh until my stomach hurts. And now all Zack and I have to do to crack each other up is say, “I signed up to be a ninja, but teacher wouldn’t let me.” Oh how we love our little Maddie.

I got to ride with Jill and we had a grand ol’ time going back in time and getting a glimpse of our future.

But quick question… What does a girl have to do to have a conga line in her future? Jill and I are fun girls, who want to get our conga on, but neither one of us ever get that choice. A little help, Passporter peeps?

We poked around a bit in the interactive area and Mary Devall, Zack, and I dashed off for a quick bathroom break with agreement to meet the rest of the Koenigs at Test Track. I might have even had time for another picture.

Actually, I had time for two pictures since I took a picture for Eileen of one of her favorite bathrooms, too. Test Track was awesome with exactly six; kids in front, parents in back. Again, check Jill’s trip report for the cuteness… This time of me. (Hee!) A quick bus ride and we were back at the Wilderness Lodge before these gates to free food and wine had closed up on us. Planning perfection, baby!


The view from the lounge.

After our value optimized dinners, (although Zack had to screw the WHOLE thing up by PAYING for a pizza at Roaring Forks (I seriously don’t understand why an almost-18-year-old boy can’t survive on carrot sticks, Uncrustables, and cheese cubes.)) we all jumped into swimsuits and had a good ol’ time at the pool. I may have even knocked a few kids out of the way to go down the slide, like seven times… We swam. We soaked in the hot tub. We relaxed. It was a perfect, perfect evening.

After an hour or so, we packed things up and the Koenigs and Zack headed on up to get changed. I took the time to take some pictures of my favorite place in the setting sun. I have to point out that when Karen posts pictures from a locale where people might be wearing attire that exposes some of their not-ready-for-prime-time assets, she has the courtesy to limit the photos to the scenery. Unlike some other people. Who vacationed at the same time. And ate in all the same restaurants. And are writing trip reports on this board. Not that I’m naming names.



After taking that last picture, I encountered a fairly large snake crossing the path. Freaked me right out! But, I told a lifeguard and I didn’t hear any screaming a little while later when the Magic Kingdom boat dropped a whole bunch of people off in the line of fire. So either the lifeguard took care of it (or my girl shrieking had scared the poor thing off.) Either way, you’re welcome fellow Wilderness Lodge guests!

I got cleaned up and dressed and rejoined my crew back in the lounge for dessert service. We chatted for awhile and then Mary Devall and Maddie agreed to head down to the beach with me to check the Electric Water Pageant. My perfect weather day was still intact. Maddie and Mary Devall played in the playground a bit while I relaxed (I mean really truly relaxed) on the sand. Even just remembering it now, I literally sighed out loud.

When the sounds of the pageant headed our way, Mary Devall curled up next to me. (The playground still won out for Maddie.)



We collected Maddie from the playground at the end and watched a few minutes of Cars, playing on a jumbo screen on the beach. The girls indulged me with a few photo ops on the way back to the lounge.


They were supposed to look like mysterious ghosts here since it was all misty in this tunnel. User error on the photographer’s part, methinks.



Since this whole part is mysteriously missing from Jill’s trip report (ahem, along with a couple of other errors,) I’ll assume that Zack didn’t do something monumentally annoying while I was gone and he was in the lounge with Thom and Jill. Or at least, he didn’t do anything that was monumentally out of character. We closed down the lounge and then as soon as this flashed on the screen… we took it as a sign to call it a night.

It had been another perfect, perfect day. Even our toothbrushes had fun!



Up Next… Gannoying lives up to his name (and becomes Galzay, Gawhiny, and Gathetic)

[jbd]

I wanted to chime in and tell you that I'm thoroughly enjoying your trip report! I think you and I have a similar sense of humor and organization...

My family was at WDW last week and I do have to say that there were moments when I felt like I was the best parent ever and that my two children are definite paragons of...whatever children are meant to be paragons of. I was even feeling a little disappointed when no one jumped out and awarded any of us awards for being so...well...good.

I am very tolerant of children (I'm a teacher, after all), and I can make certain allowances for circumstance--heat, excitement, change to routine. When you're at Disney World, it is definitely impossible to contain the exitement! But there was one moment last week when I was ready to get up and slap the parents of a group of cousins who were fresh and disrespectful to everyone and who literally ran wild through the hotel and toward the bus stop. One bus driver actually yelled at them, but it did nothing to slow them down. They started running around my kids. Ds was absolutely in shock (he's a little shy); dd was amused (she's not shy). One of the holligans took my daughter's glasses off her head! Reached out, placed his hands on the stems, and pulled them off! She, of course, giggled. I was horrified. I asked him nicely to leave the glasses alone, and three minutes later, he was removing them again. Since it was obvious that no adult was going to intervene, and adult intervention was pointless, I got up and picked my daughter up, conjuring up the fiercest teacher look I could muster--one that has withered many a toughen eighth grader. Finally one of the parents spoke up. No apologies were issued. Nothing changed. Behavior continued, but they stayed away from me.

It was so obvious that these guys were on a tear that they didn't need to wear t-shirts warning wary park-goers. On the other hand, it might have been a nice community service if they had been.

Geesh!

Sorry to vent! Can't wait to read more!

[Jessie092408]

Love the latest update. I'm home by myself and was giggling out loud reading some of your comments. My guinea pig keeps giving me funny looks.

[Colexis Mom]

What a great update Karen! Love Maddie's pout/evil eye! And the girl with the plan, gets it done! Sounds like a great time in the pool and the lounge! Great pictures!

[cubfancolleen]

I think a ninja is a perfectly acceptable career goal. I am currently looking for new work, and think I might just give that a try! Social Worker isn't all it's cracked up to be, so kicking some bu_ _ might be a lot more fulfilling!!
Is Zack considering ninja now, too?
Another GREAT day!

[Caldercup]

Originally Posted by zacksmom_1993

I thought her seat was ingenious!

It WAS ingenious... but it does block the view of my proof -- proof that Thom DOES wear black socks with non-black sneakers, as he insists he does not! Ahaaaaa!
Got him.

Originally Posted by zacksmom_1993

Must force myself to take another sip. Can’t possibly be as bad as I thought. (Love that look of pain on her face!)

Love, love, love... LOVE!!

Originally Posted by zacksmom_1993

I’m pretty sure my favorite dog from Carousel of Progress lives here too.

And there's a chicken dinner, just pecking away in the front yard!!

Originally Posted by zacksmom_1993

Maddie interjected, wanting to tell her own story, and told Zack… wait for it… “I signed up to be a ninja, but teacher wouldn’t let me.”

The picture lived up to the initial telling of this tale... but nothing can compare to hearing you wheeze through the story over the phone! I love that you love laughing about it!

Originally Posted by zacksmom_1993

Just take a minute to really look at every expression. I’d try captioning it, but I know Eileen can do it better.

I just love the Whiskey-Tango-Foxtrot look on Thom's face. Like "Duuuuude... no waaaaay am I letting you be a Ninja. Not when they're gonna need a new Hannah Montana someday!"

Jill is reacting to Thom's reaction. Which makes me snicker! 'Cause I can just hear her counting down the time it'll take to get her to a glass of wine....

Zack is giggling. And I love his giggle.

And Mary Devall doesn't quite get why it's funny, but she's glad it's funny!

Originally Posted by zacksmom_1993

Actually, I had time for two pictures since I took a picture for Eileen of one of her favorite bathrooms, too.

O'course... you can pretty much take a picture of ANY bathroom at WDW and it'll be "one of my favorites."


But is it of the one where the CM took pity on us -- having seen the yellow of my eyes -- and let us enter her freshly cleaned and now closed toity after a very weepy, very sniveling viewing of the extended holiday version of IllumiNations?!

Originally Posted by zacksmom_1993

After our value optimized dinners, (although Zack had to screw the WHOLE thing up by PAYING for a pizza at Roaring Forks (I seriously don’t understand why an almost-18-year-old boy can’t survive on carrot sticks, Uncrustables, and cheese cubes.))

Yeah.... why can't Zack live on mini marshamallows like the Koenigs girls can?!!

Love the snake... love that you screamed... loved that you took credit for its departure!

And I can't wait to see what Gannoying does next!

[KMB733]

Another great update!!

[Cam22]

Maddie's signing up to be a ninja is classical adorable kid! Love your pictures of WL around twilight! Beautiful!