Trip Report Four Time No-Belle Prize Winners!! ;)

.

 

[Rista1313]

My pictures are disappearing

I see pictures =D

 

[Songbird76]

I have to pause right here and talk about my dog..... Toulouse and I have been together for more than 8 years. I got her as a puppy when I was stationed at Fort Bragg and it was just her and I against the world for years. She's always had anxiety though and annoyingly licks the couch or her paws all day. Lately, due to a fairly recent divorce and the subsequent absence of my ex and our other dog (who went with him in the divorce) her anxiety has kicked into overdrive. So much that I've had to start giving her a doggy version of prozac. I felt truly awful about leaving her for Disney at a time where she's already struggling. Like.... the pit of my stomach was in knots about how difficult this could be for my puppers, sitting in a cold kennel all alone, wondering if I would ever come back, wondering why everyone she loved abandoned her.

So when my friend offered for Lulu to stay at her house, I jumped at the chance. I was still worried she'd be a hot mess, but at least she'd be around people all day. Good people. But not people who have pets. So if she was too much work we have another friend who fosters dogs who offered to step in. As great as all that was, I was still worried.

I had no need to be worried..... except that she might pretend not to know me when I got home

They picked out dog movies to watch with her for movie night
View attachment 317743

They snuggled her on the couch
View attachment 317744

Took her hiking
View attachment 317746

Took her on daily walks
View attachment 317747

Tucked her in every night and even bought her a stuffed unicorn to sleep with...
View attachment 317748

They made her feel right at home. This is not the look of a stressed out, anxiety ridden, lonely dog
View attachment 317749

I am beyond grateful for the people in my life.

Looks like your dog got a vacation just as much as you did! That's so great!!

 

[MySmallWorldof4]

It's ok. Its only males that keep the poop talk going past childhood ...

You haven't met my girls yet.

 

[MySmallWorldof4]

Day two, continued...

Okay, I'm blocking out the CMs face because it's really not her fault, but this meet and greet was awful. Again, our fault.... Sorry in advance, @Uncle Lupe but we made your girl really mad....

Jasmine began her set a couple minutes after we walked into the Morocco pavilion. We weren't at the front of the line, but our wait would be short. At this time, M and I realized that we had left the autograph books back at the resort. No problem, right? I'll just grab a piece of scrap paper I don't need from my backpack, and she can sign it twice. Then we can just glue it into the books. Easy peasy! Right??

We get to the front of the line and the girls are SUPER excited to meet Jasmine
View attachment 317794

When it was their turn, the girls immediately launched into excited conversation with Jasmine. They peppered her with an overwhelming amount of questions and information: I don't have you on my underpants. Do you ever make green poop? Look at how my shoes light up!

She was clearly uncomfortable and rushed through the interaction, and we were so focused on telling the girls to stop asking embarrassing questions or giving embarrassing information, that we quickly got a picture and pushed the girls towards the door.
View attachment 317795

As I was halfway out the door myself, I realized we forgot to get our paper signed. I rush back into the room and hand the paper to the handler who says she'll get it signed when the kid who was with her was done. So I waited. Embarrassed and feeling stupid with all the other parents looking over at this hot mess of a mom with the embarrassing kids. I didn't see the CM take the paper to Jasmine to get a signature, but I did see Jasmine storm angrily past me and out of the meet and greet area into the shop.

I looked up at the handler who looked almost as embarrassed as I did "She cannot sign this because of what's on it", she said. In a huff, Jasmine swept back into the room with a note card, signed it, and shoved it at me. Confused, I went into the shop to meet up with M and the girls and figure out what the problem was.

When I opened the paper, I couldn't help but laugh at myself. I had pulled a random piece of paper from my bag, and had handed the princess a copy of my DD214.... my discharge papers from the Army, complete with my social security number OF COURSE she couldn't sign THAT

Whatever. From the girls perspective they had a phenomenally great time meeting Princess Jasmine, we had a signature we could photo copy for the other book, and we could now get far away from the embarrassing situation we caused in Morocco. All's well that ends well, I guess

I thought the Cinderella encounter was priceless. Nope, this tops it.

 

[MySmallWorldof4]

Sorry you had a bad Jasmine. She should not have behaved like that at all. At least the little ones enjoyed it.

This also^^^ She didn't need to be nasty about. Not very princess-like of her.

 

[Songbird76]

Day two, continued...

Okay, I'm blocking out the CMs face because it's really not her fault, but this meet and greet was awful. Again, our fault.... Sorry in advance, @Uncle Lupe but we made your girl really mad....

Jasmine began her set a couple minutes after we walked into the Morocco pavilion. We weren't at the front of the line, but our wait would be short. At this time, M and I realized that we had left the autograph books back at the resort. No problem, right? I'll just grab a piece of scrap paper I don't need from my backpack, and she can sign it twice. Then we can just glue it into the books. Easy peasy! Right??

We get to the front of the line and the girls are SUPER excited to meet Jasmine
View attachment 317794

When it was their turn, the girls immediately launched into excited conversation with Jasmine. They peppered her with an overwhelming amount of questions and information: I don't have you on my underpants. Do you ever make green poop? Look at how my shoes light up!

She was clearly uncomfortable and rushed through the interaction, and we were so focused on telling the girls to stop asking embarrassing questions or giving embarrassing information, that we quickly got a picture and pushed the girls towards the door.
View attachment 317795

As I was halfway out the door myself, I realized we forgot to get our paper signed. I rush back into the room and hand the paper to the handler who says she'll get it signed when the kid who was with her was done. So I waited. Embarrassed and feeling stupid with all the other parents looking over at this hot mess of a mom with the embarrassing kids. I didn't see the CM take the paper to Jasmine to get a signature, but I did see Jasmine storm angrily past me and out of the meet and greet area into the shop.

I looked up at the handler who looked almost as embarrassed as I did "She cannot sign this because of what's on it", she said. In a huff, Jasmine swept back into the room with a note card, signed it, and shoved it at me. Confused, I went into the shop to meet up with M and the girls and figure out what the problem was.

When I opened the paper, I couldn't help but laugh at myself. I had pulled a random piece of paper from my bag, and had handed the princess a copy of my DD214.... my discharge papers from the Army, complete with my social security number OF COURSE she couldn't sign THAT

Whatever. From the girls perspective they had a phenomenally great time meeting Princess Jasmine, we had a signature we could photo copy for the other book, and we could now get far away from the embarrassing situation we caused in Morocco. All's well that ends well, I guess

I was telling my husband about all the character interactions, and I just mentioned the green poop and my husband says "But Jasmine is a princess! So that was a trick question!"

 

[Songbird76]

I thought about you a lot this trip, Max. I remember you saying something kinda like "you're insane to take your first trip on Christmas week" (but more politely worded...). I hadn't realized what a huge difference the crowd level would make until we got there and almost everything was a walk on. And you didn't have to wait twenty minutes for a photo pass photographer. And the bag check..... It was never more than three people deep. Huge huge difference in the overall experience when you aren't fighting a sea of people. I'm glad we took the crowded trip first though because it made me really appreciate the "empty" park!!

We got married a week and a half after September 11th, and went to WDW for our honeymoon. Everything was completely dead. International flights had just opened up a few days before, and most people were terrified to fly, so people canceled their trips. But the only thing we didn't have as a walk-on was IASW, and only because we were wearing our mickey and minnie bride and groom hats and they asked if we wanted a boat to ourselves, so we had to wait like 1 minute for the next boat to come in. But that was the ONLY one we didn't just walk on. Vastly different experience than Summer break with the kiddos. And much nicer weather than in July, also! If we could do October instead of summer, I SO would. It seems like the perfect time to go!

 

[Songbird76]

It's ok. Its only males that keep the poop talk going past childhood ...

No....no, it really isn't.

 

[Songbird76]

Day three - MNSSHP

For those of you who read my trip report from our Christmas visit to Disney World, you'll know that I'm a planner. I plan things and come in with a game plan. I do very poorly when I don't have a plan. I take life by the horns, set goals, and crush them. It's just not my nature to relax and go with the flow and take life how it comes. But life has a way of knocking you off your feet every now an then, and that happened to me a few months before this trip. My life started careening out of control down a raging river of death

So I was focused on other things and this Disney trip just sort of snuck up on me. I didn't have a single plan going into the Halloween party. Not one plan of attack. I had two fastpasses scheduled, and one had already closed by the time we received our double stroller at the park entrance. Based on the reviews of the party and the game plans I had read on this forum, I had fully expected this night to be a complete throw away because I hadn't come into it with a plan. But I was so wrong.
View attachment 318017
View attachment 318018

I'll start with a funny parenting mistake. A loves girly things, and one of her favorite things is hair color and hair sparkles. It seemed like a no brainer when she said she wanted to be Ariel to grab a can of red kid-safe temporary hair color. But..... temporary hair color + Florida heat and humidity + sweat =
View attachment 318014


The girls had been talking about going to the Spooky House all morning so the ghosts could tell them Happy Halloween! So our first attraction of the evening was the Haunted Mansion, which was a walk on. The four of us got through the queue as far as the door before A began hysterically screaming that she didn't, in fact, want to go into the Spooky House. So my red child and I waited on the curb outside while M and P went into the dark room and the doors closed.
View attachment 318015

A video called my sister and spent about five minutes picking mulch and fallen leaves out of the beds behind us and feeding them to her like she was a giraffe. Then she decided my sister giraffe was full, and refused to give her any more leaves
View attachment 318023

Whatever keeps them entertained, right??

M and P come out of the Spooky House and the first thing out of P's mouth was "Oh man,... A wouldn't have liked that at all, that was even scary for me!!"

We were running up against the end of our fastpass window, so we headed through Frontierland towards the Jungle Cruise (which was also a walk on so the FP wasn't necessary).
View attachment 318016
A had decided she was ready to be afraid of rides again, and she freaked out when we went to board the boat. It was very difficult for me to enjoy this ride because she was so busy being scared of everything. The cruise director, or whatever we call them, had a fake scary voice for every. single. thing. OH NO HERE COMES A WATERFALLL!! OH NO HERE COMES BABY ELEPHANTS!! OH NO HERE COMES SOME MORE TREES!! So I spent the whole ride trying to convince A that he was just acting

From there, M and P went on the Magic Carpets, which of course A had decided she was too scared to do and afterwards we went in search of the little treat bags which we hadn't picked up at the park entrance. While asking a CM how the trick or treating even worked (at this time the treat stations were marked but not open so it was confusing) I noticed that the Moana meet and greet was already at almost 2 hours. Before the party even started.

We had a little time, so we took the kids to go potty. It was hot our whole trip, so we pushed about a liter of water a day on each kid. We didn't want them to get dehydrated. When we got out of the bathroom a CM shouted us down, yelling "CINDERELLA!! THANK GOODNESS YOU'RE HERE!! THESE GUESTS ARE SO MESSY AND I AM SO TIRED OF CLEANING UP AFTER THEM! I NEED A BREAK!!" and then he thrust his broom and dust bin into M's hands and walked away
View attachment 318020
It was hilarious but because he walked away we weren't sure what to do with the bins, so we just started walking with them He came back (from presumably Pecos Bills) with a plastic fork, and this time spoke to A. "Princess Ariel, you dropped your dinglehopper and your hair is a mess!! You better brush your hair with this as soon as possible!!"
View attachment 318021
She didn't put down that plastic fork all night. She was so excited to show everyone her dinglehopper and how to use it The CM took his broom and dust bin and walked away before I could grab his name

I took P on Pirates (walk on) while M and A jumped in a treat line that would open soon, because everyone needs a turn with the "I'm too scared to go on that ride" kid I really enjoyed Pirates. I thought it was well done. When we were finished I took the kids through the treat line again.
View attachment 318022
And with that, the kids were both sugared up and the party had officially started....

Oh that's so sad that you didn't get the CM's name! What a great CM!!! Those little things make such a great memory. How did A and P react when he shoved the broom and dustbin at M?

 

[DryerLintFan]

.

 

[gobstoper27]

Day three - MNSSHP

For those of you who read my trip report from our Christmas visit to Disney World, you'll know that I'm a planner. I plan things and come in with a game plan. I do very poorly when I don't have a plan. I take life by the horns, set goals, and crush them. It's just not my nature to relax and go with the flow and take life how it comes. But life has a way of knocking you off your feet every now an then, and that happened to me a few months before this trip. My life started careening out of control down a raging river of death

So I was focused on other things and this Disney trip just sort of snuck up on me. I didn't have a single plan going into the Halloween party. Not one plan of attack. I had two fastpasses scheduled, and one had already closed by the time we received our double stroller at the park entrance. Based on the reviews of the party and the game plans I had read on this forum, I had fully expected this night to be a complete throw away because I hadn't come into it with a plan. But I was so wrong.
View attachment 318017


I'll start with a funny parenting mistake. A loves girly things, and one of her favorite things is hair color and hair sparkles. It seemed like a no brainer when she said she wanted to be Ariel to grab a can of red kid-safe temporary hair color. But..... temporary hair color + Florida heat and humidity + sweat =
View attachment 318014

OMG, her little red face. I literally LOL'd at my desk. This quote gave me life "My life started careening out of control down a raging river of death" hands down one of my favorite Disney movies

 

[MySmallWorldof4]

So my final grade just posted..... against all odds, I PULLED AN A!! I sure hope whomever finds that book in the seat back pocket can use it or sell it for money and doesn't just trash it. I thought for sure I'd be lucky to get a B, but I squeezed in right at 90%. Barely an A, but an A nonetheless

Yay! So awesome!!! With all you have had going on you should be so proud.

 

[ScarletBegonias]

I'm following! Late, but loving it!!!!

 

[DryerLintFan]

.

 

[MegRuss626]

M took the kids trick or treating through Mickey's Philharmagic while I put the glow sticks on the stroller. Parents.... if you're going to be in the parks at night, bring glow sticks for your stroller. It makes it so much easier to identify which one is yours in the dark stroller parking! We had a lot of glow sticks so I handed some out to other stroller pushers while I waited for the girls to get back.

Mentally adding glow sticks to my growing shopping list!! Thanks for the tip!

 

[DryerLintFan]

.

 

[Figgy1]

Mentally adding glow sticks to my growing shopping list!! Thanks for the tip!

I'd grab them now. They also make great emergency lights if your power ever goes out

 

[MySmallWorldof4]

Day three MNSSHP continued...

I bet by now you're thinking there's no way A could do anything more embarrassing than what she's done already.... But you'd be so sorely wrong. A decided a couple months ago that she wanted to learn how to make adult friends, so we've been working on opening with a compliment or introducing yourself. To be completely frank, I'm an introvert with an extroverted daughter and she makes me talk to a lot of people i wouldn't otherwise have talked to. I don't mind so much when she makes new kid friends, but adults always launch into small talk with me after she introduces herself and it's exhausting. This skill is important though, so I encourage it when appropriate.

While we certainly didn't arrive in time to get a front row seat for the parade, we found a great spot near the popcorn cart in the hub that would work for both the parade and the fireworks. It was up against the rail of a planter box too, so we didn't have to feel guilty popping the kids up on our shoulders for the parade, either.
View attachment 318431
The headless horseman came, which I had read heralded in the parade
View attachment 318432
Bit there was no sign of the parade after the headless horseman was well and gone. The crowd cheered jovially when the CM in charge of sweeping up the horse poop came through, but we waited for the parade, and waited ... And waited..... And waited. People started leaving. The murmers were rumbling around about doubts on whether or not the parade was even coming. What if they cancelled it? Why did they send the horseman if they weren't sending the parade??! Finally a guy informed our section that the gap between the horseman and the parade was always this long because it all started in frontierland and the parade was just really slow.

A was hurting my shoulders i put her down by the stroller and went back to watching for the parade. When I turned to check on her, she had made an adult friend; a young woman who had dressed up as princess Jasmine. She introduced herself, complimented Jasmine, answered questions and asked some of her own. You wouldn't believe how proud i was of her and how relieved i was she was engaged in the small talk instead of me
View attachment 318433
I turned around to watch for the parade again for a few minutes. When i looked back to check on A and Jasmine, I was horrified to see A stroking the coins on Jasmine's shirt, back and forth, right across her bewbs I exclaimed "A!!! Stop!! You can't so that!! We talked about consent!! You can't just touch other people's bewbs!!" And the girl who clearly didn't want to get A into trouble said uncomfortably "it's okay,... She didn't mean anything by it...."

I was mortified. A apologized and then ran off talk to P. I apologized profusely to the girl for my daughter groping her, and then turned back to watch the parade. Guys..... I can't make this up.... I looked back to check on A.... And both A and P were stroking the coins on this poor woman's chest

Me: A!!! We talked about this!! You can't...

A: BUT SHE SAID IT WAS OKAY!!!

Me:

Apparently 3.5 is not old enough to understand that people sometimes say "it's okay" and mean something entirely different This kid, man.... I was so relieved when the parade finally started coming through
View attachment 318434

Shortly after the parade ended, the fireworks started
View attachment 318435
And when they ended, it was super super late for the girls. We walked with the crowd down main street, returned the stroller, and caught the monorail to our bus stop. By the time we got the girls bathed and washed most of the red out of A's hair and off her little red face, it was almost midnight. Even when she's been sick, A has never been up that late before. Both her and P crashed immediately when their little heads hit the pillow.M and I showered quickly and then joined them.

Our thoughts on the Halloween Party.... Firstly, I had read that you shouldn't get in the treat lines because they were slow that was not our experience. All the lines went through moved rapidly and through some interesting theaters and landscapes. Secondly, the atmosphere of the party was so much more relaxed and happy than a normal park day. In my experience, you can't walk far in the Magic Kingdom without hearing guests yelling. Parents yelling their children. Parents yelling at each other. Guests yelling CMs. It feels like maybe people get stressed out trying to get their moneys worth. But at the Halloween party, everyone just send relaxed and wanting to enjoy the night and have a good time. And the family costumes were amazing!! Everyone was dressed up and the kids were all so adorable.

Just the ambiance alone was worth the party ticket. In fact, we saw a lot of elderly people sitting at tables around the park people watching and just enjoying the night. Add in the trick or treating and the rides being walk ons (even 7DMT was only 35 minutes) and it was definitely worth the cost. We all had a really great time. Well, except that poor Jasmine

Thanks for the great write up on the Halloween party. A cracks me up! That kid acts way older than a 3.5 year old. Her obsession with bewbs is hysterical. I am sure at the time it is horrifying for you, but it sure makes for really amusing stories.

 

[DryerLintFan]

.

 

[DryerLintFan]

.