Fuzzy Memories of a Noobs First Trip report

Pre Trip: I call myself a noob because it had been 20+ yrs when my last visit took place. I was just a young teen, Universal had just opened and the park wars were in full swing. I was not a coaster nut and Big thunder scared the crap out of me. Space Mountain I absolutely loved. Go figure. Now this trip was about four yrs in the making. Saving, making a DD, reading and planning via this site and books. No amount of planning could prepare for this trip.

Trip Report:

We booked 9 months out at the ASM from Oct 8-15th 2011. After the free dining was announced we switch the POR and got a $200 refund. The magic was starting already. Now this next part does suck but I will not get into that here. If you wish you can read the back story of that ongoing ordeal. All that I want to say is thanks for the prayers and well wishes from the WDW magic family.

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/showthread.php?t=807926

There are two party's involved and we left from the same town in Ohio. The girlfriends family drove to WDW. Three adults and three kids in a minivan, good luck. We decided to fly. Me, the girlfriend and our daughter Allison. We spent the night in Cincinnati with relatives so we would have no trouble making our 10:30am flights without the added 2 hrs drive time.

So the girlfriends family of her mother, sister, sisters husband and their 3 kids leave very early Friday morning. So the great race is official. We had to work Friday giving them a huge head start. But they had to stop for the night and finish their drive on Saturday.

So we board our flight and get belted.



Our daughter, Allie and I.


The girlfriend/ol' lady/babby mamma Katie and Allie


So after a late night, an early morning and hitting a wall in mid flight this is the result.

 

[Uncle Lupe]

Your report is cracking me up and I'm only at Day 3! I can (almost) feel your pain on the Safari and I love the comment about taking your pic with the characters ( not having to be the same size ). Seems like you did a great job of taking things in stride and making the most of it. It's a shame you missed EE, but just a reason to go back.

Thx, yeah looking back there are a bunch of things we wanted to do that were left on the table. With little kids, the adult stuff can wait for another trip.

 

[Uncle Lupe]

Day Four cont: Epcot

So we ride SSE again, now Allie knows what it is and not scared. That Snow White ride had a lasting affect on her. I am like a coach, "Hit english, make sure to push english." Which the load CM hears me saying this and laughs. Yeah, if not you'll ride in portuguese. I think thanks for the advise where were you a few days ago. We do and enjoy our trip in a language we can understand. We meander our way to lunch.

Erin and I planned out the meals well in advance and I wanted to do this and I thought the kids would enjoy as well.

Quick photo op on the way to dinner. My run and gun techniques are working


The sign says it all.


We check in and are immediately seated. With free dining I expected it to be crowded, not the case. It was just a lunch so maybe that is why there was a light crowd.
I really enjoyed the atmosphere and looking out into the aquarium. The kids could care less. We could have been at a Denny's and they would have been happier. They were hitting nap time and starting to get rowdy. So as soon as possible Katie and the kids left and rode Nemo. I stayed behind with my mother, Erin, Teresa and Chad to finish dessert.
I was trying to take pics without disturbing everyones lunch so this was the best I could do.


Hey TJ look at the fish. Do you like this? :shrug: Was her response.


Mom take our pic please.


After lunch and letting the kids run around in the Seas Pavilion we leave to rest before tonight.

 

[Uncle Lupe]

What a cutie she is!!!

Thank you so much, she always gets mistaken for one of Erin's daughter's. It's been a family joke that either Chad or I have a big secret.

 

[Tinkerbella16]

Thank you so much, she always gets mistaken for one of Erin's daughter's. It's been a family joke that either Chad or I have a big secret.

I love your trip report!! Your daughter is adorable! And yes, everytime I see pictures of all the girls together, it takes me a few seconds to figure out which one she is because they all resemble eachother! LOL

 

[Uncle Lupe]

Day Four cont: Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party

Almost forgot as we are leaving Epcot these guys are just nuts.
I see a pack.



While the kids get some sleep back at the resort we get ready for the party. This is where we have an advantage with only one grumpy princess to get ready. It hits 7pm and Katie, Allie, Mom and I leave them behind. When they are ready they'll find us. Walking into the Magic Kingdom it really does have a different feel. The CM costumes, the character costumes and the decoration come together for a charged atmosphere. For a hard ticket exclusive event this place was packed. You could hardly move down Main street.

We ran all over the park so sorry for some fuzzy memories.

First we get a picture in front of the Castle that grandma wanted. She would have preferred no pumpkins but it'll do.


While shuffling our way north we run into these guys and stay a while. Many people were just running past and to afraid to join the fun. Not me. Please excuse me "singing" but no one else was helping the guys out.



On the way we get this pic. I did not know the character name but Allie did. Turk? Katie looks refreshed


While heading toward the hub the Headless Horseman trots down Main Street. I was hoping for more speed and sparking hooves as he cackled wildly. Ichabod Crane must have been really been a weenie.


While the parade was being enjoyed by most we use that time to get in some characters. My daughter new who Jafar was but had no interest in meeting him when it came time. Thanks Allie, I'll take over. Jafar and I have a lot in common. I would like to marry Jasmine and become a sultan also.

Jafar made my baby cry. You can see the tears in her eyes.


This is my favorite picture of me. Fear the pack and tremble before me.



The character handler said the imitating them is the best way to show you care. Made me feel great. "You hear that Katie. He said Jafar appreciated my gesture." "Aaron, you're such a dork."

We skip the parade to take in the second show.

 

[Uncle Lupe]

OK so I hate to interrupt the party but I have to make the addition to day two: Epcot

I was at work today when I was trying to remember when we rode Soarin'. That's when it hit me it was on day two. Because we had to park the strollers in the rain and use the cheap ponchos to try to cover them.

We go inside The Land, which has a really nice entryway but needs some stroller parking lot so it would not be so cluttered. We all want to ride Soarin' except Teresa. She does not do well with simulator rides. So we let Erin, Chad and the two older girls go first and we watched the little ones. The FP was already approaching 8:00pm and we had not planned to be there that late because of my mother driving and we had to meet her. The wait only showed 45min so they go.
We decide to eat lunch downstairs and Teresa and I fetch the food. This was confusing for us trying to figure out the QS meals and the desserts, snacks and what not. We goto check out and I am missing a dessert and my drinks. So I have to run back and ask a passing CM to please grab me a yogurt. My tray is full with two meals and something for Allie and 2 empty cups. I goto checkout. "Sir you have to get your drinks before I can ring you out." This is like some twisted game show. What? By this point my tray is stacked like a half played game of Jenga.
I ask her, "Why can't I just pay and come back to get my drinks? I am not allowed to do that.

After explaining the problem to Teresa she goes first and said that she will come back to help me. Well after waiting a few minutes she does not come back. There was a communication breakdown and she misunderstood what I had said.
I rearrange my tray, stacking food to make space for two full cups. Then very slowly walk to the cashier. Now my tray is a mixture of Jenga and Topple with worse consequences. I feel like I am on Minute to Win It. I slowly walk half way across the pavilion try to avoid running kids and sanitation CM's. After a lot of excuse me's and prayers I make it. We enjoy our lunch.
The kids are getting restless we decide to that the Living with the Land boat tour. Allie is super excited to get to ride a boat and we are offered the front row. That was nice and relaxing. Just a little after the boat tour Erin and Chad meet us and say Soarin' is great

Now it mine and Katie's turn. The standby by is up one hour. Chad said that was about what they waited. So we leave Allie and run up the que. We stop just before the screens. Hey, this might not take that long. Well after watching those boring games for 45 minutes we are on screen three. By this time the tour groups have entered the building and are starting to play the games.
I tried a few times to play but could not get the sensors to "see" me. Also I was the only one trying. Well when the tour groups on the first screen won they chanted. The more they won the more they chanted. That made me want to at least try again. So it's me and this 14 yr old kid and Katie doing her "best". Trying to compete with what looked like 700 teens. Arms were flying everywhere. I was jumping, waving, cursing. I could only produce a random handprint. But in the end we lose and I say forget this, how stupid. Can't they at least put ESPN on one of these things. With the tour groups cheering like they just scored the first goal on the 89:00 minute was salt in the wound.

This one is for the ladies. Tip: Where the exit que passes under the entrance que with the games. Make sure that you put your hand or jacket over your low cut tops or loose shirts. You can get quite a show by looking down while other people exit. I got an eye-full and got busted by some girls boyfriend. I told Katie and she just laughed. That is just an observation.

We get to the fast pass merge and the was torture. The ratio was like 10:1.
When we board and enjoy the show and exit. While looking up. It was approaching a 2hr total time for that ride. We were thinking that they were going to kill us. No, they just left us for Nemo.

After three hrs in the land the sky had cleared some. That's when we ride Test Track. Next back to the party.

 

[tink65]

Wonderful trip report! I hate that you had such rainy weather but like you said a rainy day in Disney is better than a sunny day at work!

Your little girl is such a cutie pie! Love her Belle costume! Can't wait to read more.....

 

[Uncle Lupe]

Wonderful trip report! I hate that you had such rainy weather but like you said a rainy day in Disney is better than a sunny day at work!

Your little girl is such a cutie pie! Love her Belle costume! Can't wait to read more.....

Thank you. All the girls were dressed for the party in princess outfits but we could not get together long enough for a picture but almost as you will read. Hopefully I can do an update tonight.

 

[Uncle Lupe]

Day Four cont: Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party

After the epic meeting with Jafar we are heading to Adventureland. We are taking a slow pace for two reasons. This is our first time in this event and have no clue what we are doing. All the walking has been hard on my mother. So in Adventureland we find this guy trying to stay cool in this humid night.



As you can see Allie still was not a fan. I do not think she had seen the Lion King yet, so there is no recognition yet.



Did you notice that I am hunched hover. Again I would like to say I did it this time on purpose but that would be a lie. The end result does not look to bad on this one. I guess years of squeezing into amateur family photos I have developed muscle memory.


While we are walking in Frontierland mom needs to rest for a while. But Katie and I are on a mission. To find the dwarfs and secure their pictures. During this entire time we are playing phone tag trying to meet the girls somewhere but they had different plans. They wanted to get candy and hit the rides and meet very few characters.
So we leave mom on a bench and try to figure out where the dwarfs would be. I do use the map and a helpful CM points the way. The line is very long and they tell us they are here until close so you have plenty of time to get pics.
We decide to come back when the crowd is died down.

When we walk by Liberty Square I start to freak out.

I tell Katie that I have to go see the Haunted Mansion. She says that we do not have time, but I must see it and get a picture. We get to the ride and I see them taking photopass photos. I am to excited to explain I just grab her hand and tell her to follow me. Katie does not want to ride. I would like to ride but I want this picture. "No, no, no were are not riding I just want a picture. Trust me. Do you trust me?" O.K. (just like a Titanic moment)

It's our turn and they take a picture in front of the carraige. Katie has no clue why I am so excited.


Then they take an act afraid picture. I really try to ham it up.


Katie has no idea about this and the photopass guy says lets take another, now really act scared!

 

[Uncle Lupe]

Day four cont: MK Halloween Party

When we get done Katie asks what the heck is going to happen? I explain that there will be a ghost in the picture and it will be so cool!


She did not want to ride but I said, "You have to, it's a have to." No. But the standby was so short she let me ride. Neat. When we rode the previous time the final effect did not work at all. This time it worked and I lost my head and had it reattached. When I exit I am running to Katie like Marty Mcfly to Doc Brown. (que the dramatic theme music) "It worked, it really worked." "What worked?" Katie said. "The last effect, the hitchhiking ghosts. They worked! That was awesome!" The pixie dust is is in my brain. I was just so excited.

By this time we are running late and Katie is upset that we are going to miss the fireworks. I tell her we have plenty of time. That's when we hear the first boom. So we race back to find mom and take a seat in the walkway to enjoy a very bad view to a good show.

Noob mistake.. Not getting to a good spot to watch the fireworks.





This entire time Allie is yelling, "Look grandma fireworks. I see purple, yellow."


Allie is a firework nut and if they were just shooting bottle rockets she would have been happy. This was a highlight of her night. I can see she has daddy's vampire teeth.


Watch the video of firework enjoyment.

 

[Uncle Lupe]

Day four cont: Mk Halloween party

So to smooth things over for missing the fireworks I apologize and suggest that we head to the hub to now to get a spot for the next parade. That will also give grandma a chance to rest and we can see the Villain's show. Off we go. Grandma tries to get another picture of her and Allie in front of the castle.

We use the photo pass. I have to say that this service did come in handy.



Get in there Katie.


Let's do the family shot. What a surprise I am hunched over.

Now we are both hunching!!! It must be that backpack. Come on man stand up for one picture!

That's better now I think I am going to pass out from being that vertical. I am starting to lean.


So just before the Villain show starts Katie is really needing some food and I agree. She leads the way to Cosmic Ray's. I had no idea where she was going but she did. So we leave grandma again and run to Tomorrowland. After fighting a crowd and eating as fast as possible I say that we have to go and pack up to get back to see the parade. We bring grandma back some food and she gives me $20.

"I don't want that mom." "Take it son, it's not a lot but just take it for everything." (back story) We had invited her to come on this trip 3 years ago. I said that I want her here but she would be used as a babysitter at times. "Would you like to go?" She agreed before I could finish asking that question. :lol: So I would pay for tickets, hotel and snacks for the room. She just had to get here and pay for her food and souvenirs.
She would not take back the $20 but told me to buy something that Allie wants. O.K. mom.

In a thread on this board somebody lost a $15 light-up balloon. I swore that I would never buy one of those. Well guess what. Allie saw one and had to have one. If fireworks are here favorite thing. Balloons are a close second. "So there ya go grandma, that's what she wanted." "Well I am glad she is happy", grandma gushes.

So the parade is about to start and we fight our way to get closer to the route and the balloon it driving me crazy. Allie is swinging her balloon all over the place. Hitting the men beside us. Letting go and hitting me in the face. This continues for the entire parade. Thanks grandma.

 

[Uncle Lupe]

Day Four cont: MK

I was able to uploade most of the parade. As you can see I am fighting that balloon the entire time. The Haunted Mansion part of the parade was neat. And the Country Bear was not my favorite. I was expecting to see Batman and Robin with the Queens doing parts of the Batoosie.

part 1

part 2

 

[Uncle Lupe]

Day Four cont: MK

If you enjoyed my parade video then I commend your dedication. If not then this is the only picture that is worth seeing. Katie noticed that when you first glance at this picture it looks like the Mad Hatter if giving us the finger.



After the parade we head straight for the dwarfs and we stop in Fantasyland along the way to enjoy some rides.

When we get in line for Winnie the Pooh. Disney takes this opportunity to tag a Noob. I knew this was just not for the line time. Looks like I am getting a little sun.



We ride Pooh and this was Allie's first time on this ride and she loved it. I enjoyed the rain effects, simple but neat. So we get off and jump right back in line. This time we ride and the place was dead so the CM's just let us keep riding 3 additional times. Without getting off. Well that was enough of Pooh so we better get to the dwarfs.

While waiting for the Dwarfs we invite the girls to join us. When we get to the line the CM tells us that we have time but I am getting ready to close the line. If we would have missed this I would have been a dead man. After four more groups join behind us the CM closes the line. After playing phone tag the girls find the way and we wait for the Dwarfs and Erin brings them food for the line. They tell us what they have done and we try to entertain three kids with nothing to occupy them but each other. They got their picture with the Wicked Queen and have been riding rides.

With only five couples left before our turn the Dwarfs take a break. Erin was getting anxious and tells the kids that the park will close soon. So do you want to wait here for a picture or ride rides. Well with those choices they take off and leave us behind. Just after they leave the Dwarfs return and we are getting ready for our picture five minutes later. At this point we notice a lady in front of us had a stain on her pants. I do not think it was part of her costume because it was right in the middle of her behind. She was dressed up less then I was. I just hopped that she had sat in chocolate but did not want to embarrass her. Either way, how do you start that conversation? Hey nice costume, so is that brown spot there on purpose or what? We just let her go on her way. I figured she'll find out when she gets home.


The line was moving fast and full of local adults, not kids, that use this as the best time to get this picture. They were not signing autographs so that helped the line move so fast. So we finally get to the front to get the only thing we were worried about this night. The picture of all seven Dwarfs together.



Hey, I'm not bent over to the same height as the Dwarfs. Must be some Disney magic in the air.

We still need Snow White but this will have to do.



After that we go back for mom. I don't remember where we left her but I think she went back to the castle after we left Fantasyland. She waited there while we got our picture. We leave MK and head back to the resort. Again another full day.

Up next day five. Our first day at Magic Kingom in the day and dry.

 

[Uncle Lupe]

Day Five: Hollywood Studios


So with the time slipping away and another dinner coming tonight. Erin asks my opinion on canceling our lunch on Thursday. We were to have lunch at San Angel Inn. We did not have a lot of time left and had spent more time at Epcot than any other park. I think about it and agree for the kids to have more fun lets kill the lunch and enjoy other things. A piece of me dies inside. I really thought this would be a neat restaurant. But after Coral Reef the kids did not care about where they ate, so why not.

The night before we had decided to sneak out early and go back to Hollywood Studios because we did not get to ride the Tower of Terror and to re-ride Rockin' Roller coaster. This was a big kid only trip. So Erin, Chad, TJ and I get up early and the grandmothers watch the smaller kids while we hit some big rides.

The weather was beautiful. The sun was out but still cool in the shade. Again as we approach the park you see the Tower in the distance. When we enter the park we head straight down Sunset while glaring up at the Tower.
You can hear the screams as you get closer and closer. I think this great design, it works on your head. So if you are the least bit worried you know what is going to happen. And you start to dwell on the fear.

So this time we have a plan. We get fast passes for the Tower of Terror. Which the return time was within the next hour. So we get those and head to Rockin' Roller coaster that had a 30 minute wait. So that works out we will ride the coaster, browse the gift shop and ride the tower.

With this ride I decide to wear my croakies no matter what and I got the kids size neoprene style. These kept my glasses glued to my face, maybe a little to much. But they did the job and we enjoy another exhilarating takeoff. It is still hard to stomach that take-off. It does not look that bad but when you are in the train it is totally crazy. I cannot remember what was playing but I do remember screaming my head off. When we get off I still have shaky legs but am trying to work up courage for the Tower while trying to remain calm outside. TJ is just be bopping through the gift shop like we just rode the monorail. Nothing affects this kid.

Now time for the Tower of Terror. I was hoping this would not hurt my back and trying to still remain cool outside. As we walk in Chad is amazed at the detail of the theming. "This is cool. The work they put into this stuff takes these rides to another level." he says. But we did not have much time to take in these features in the FP line and soon we are in the basement.

Chad and I are looking around. We are both a little unsure about this but we see many little kids getting ready to ride. So how bad can this be? As each elevator takes off the lights dim as the electric motors strain under the pressure. Again it's the little details that make this ride.

So we get in and Katie and I are in the front row right side and TJ, Erin and Chad are in the back. I am so nervous that I grab the wrong belt and try to belt myself. The CM looks at me and tells me they go the other way, noob. So he didn't call me a noob but he was thinking it. I can feel my heart begin to race and we take off. In the dark people are screaming and we begin to creep forward and I know the drop is coming. By this point I am freaking out. "I don't want to do this, what am I doing!" It's too late for those thoughts and the doors open. Katie and I both grab for the sissy handle and the car shoots to the top and hangs for a moment. Just long enough for you to see that you are in the air. Then drop, I am holding on for dear life. Back up and drop, stop half way down, back up, drop a little bounce and drop again.

So after that we realize we never got that one big drop and what a relief. In the gift shop my legs are jello I have my hands on my hips and I am taking deep breaths to calm down. Wow, that was fun! Not really that bad but we did not get that one big drop. Most of that ride is in your head. TJ is begging to go again, can we go again. Almost in unison we three say NO! Apparently the adults were content with one ride. :lol:

We have time to ride one more thing so back on Rockin' Rollercoaster we go. All the times Erin had been on this ride she said she always closed her eyes on take off. I just laugh, well I seem to cuss but my eyes stay open. So after this ride we should have paid for the ride photo because her face was hilarious. She had her eyes peeled and almost bulging. Straining to fight everything that was telling her to close them. I refrained from cursing but found that screaming as loud as possible made the take-off easier to take. With that done we do some pin shopping and head back down Sunset to the exit.

I say hey we need to get some pics. Again photopass to the rescue. We were traveling light with no little kids but I still had a pack. These are the pics of our morning of fun.




OK now everybody act scared, the CM suggested.



Remember we do not see how these pics look until after vacation. I think you photopass CM's do this on purpose. The position of Chad and Erin was priceless but not planned. This became one of the family's Christmas gag gifts. I put this in a nice frame and gave it to Erin and Chad.


Erin said this reminded her of her wedding night.

 

[Uncle Lupe]

Day Five: Resort and Magic Kingdom

After we get back to the resort the kids are "eating" breakfast and we join them.

Try to keep it on the paper and out of your mouth kids.



When we go back to the room to get ready to leave we find an animal inside.



Luckily Allison had no fear.



This was a little bit of a sad day. It was my mothers last day to stay on property. And she was determined to get that picture in front of the castle she wanted.

Allie did not want to get out of the stroller. So this is the best we could do.




As we are getting ready to leave Main Street I have to stop and run Allie back to the PhotpPass CM. Thanks to this site I know of the magic shots. The CM understands what I am asking for and takes a pic. I tell Allie to hold out her hand and I help her.


Noob mistake. Having you kid wear a graphic tee while trying to get a shot of Tinkerbell. She is a little hard to see.

We leave and Katie asks what are you doing? I explain and she wants to do that also. So she jumps back in line and get Tinkerbell in her hand.



Now we head to Fantasyland, and enjoy more rides on the Tea Cups, Dumbo, It's a Small World an so on. Now it was time for grandma to leave an stay across town with the rest of my family that was here for a church gathering. We wanted to get together for dinner but it did not happen. Katie and I were not going to leave the property, catch ya back in Ohio.

Off to Frontierland. And we all get to ride Big Thunder Mountain RR. This ride terrified me as a kid. So some of that adolescent fear was in the back of my mind. The only ones that could not ride this was Allison and Peyton so Teresa watches them. The kids were stoked and Chad was concerned. This coaster was out in the open. Against his rule for roller coasters, they have to be in the dark. I tell him that it is a coaster but is built in a mountain. So you get high but it looks like the train is still on the ground.

You could tell this ride needed a refurb. They geyser area was green with slime. Grass was growing on the roof of the show building and it was always down. We descend to the load area and get on a train. Katie and I are in the very last car. Chad Erin are the next two cars ahead. We leave the station and I am holding on to the hand rail. As we climb the lift hill, that was not that bad. But when we go down the first drop I wonder what I was so afraid of all those years ago. This is like a kids coaster. I even put my hands up. Wow, I am not holding on and yell to Katie to do the same but she declines.
We get to the second lift hill and I yell to Chad, "Are you doing alright?". He just gives a tense thumbs up but does not look back. :lol: At the end I do put my hands inside I do not know of the clearances of the small tunnel and the bones at the very end. It was not worth the risk in injury to me.

While we are on that side of the park we take in the Country Bear Jamboree. I had no interest in this show but we do it anyway. Just so I can say I gave it a try. This was horrible. You could not understand the Moose and it just seemed more torture than fun. I could not leave the theater fast enough. The kids thought it was silly and boring but check it off the list and never put it back. Teresa likes the show. It was something her mother enjoyed so I do not rag on it too much. But I ask her if the moose was suppose to talk that way? "No, the moose was having issues."

We stay at the Magic Kingdom until about 7:30 when we hop the monorail to Epcot. We have some princesses to see and it was EMH at Epcot also.

 

[fractal]

Glad you overcame your BTM fears! I love that ride.

Cute pics of your daughter and tink!

 

[Uncle Lupe]

Glad you overcame your BTM fears! I love that ride.

Cute pics of your daughter and tink!

That sounds so silly that I was afraid of that ride. When I rode it years ago it was with my head down and my eyes closed.

 

[Uncle Lupe]

Day Five cont: Epcot Princess Dinner EMH

So it's getting close enough time to leave MK for Epcot. We take the monorail and after waiting and transferring it took a while but not too long. The bigger problem was that Allie needed a nap and was playing the game do what it takes to stay awake. So Allie is still awake and fussy as we enter the gates. By the time we get to SSE she is out. Great we are on our way to the Princess Dinner and she is gonna be cranky when she wakes up. So we get to the Arkurus banquette hall and Chad checks us in and we wait. Just let Allie sleep for about another 10 minutes and they call our names.

I had this image in my head of the Norway pavilion being the land of milk and honey. I was fully expecting the Swedish bikini team girls to be all over the place. Alas that was not the case, the CM's were very nice but more males than I wanted to see.

So Katie wakes Allie up and like any kid that has been asleep for 20 minutes she is in a bear of a mood. I'm thinking oh crap this is gonna be fun. Once she saw Bell and watched the girls get their picture she was the perfect child.


I have to say I would fight the Beast for this one.

The waitress explains the layout and we order our entrées. The appetizer bar is nice if you like cheese and smoked fish. If not it's light pickin's. As we wait and try to keep track of the kids Erin is the photographer I and the videographer. This dinner is well worth the price just to see the princess's. Because it is only one credit even better. They come to each table and spend a few minutes talking and signing autograph books. Pose for pictures and off they go. No sooner would one leave and another would come. Many times I went to turn off the camera and eat and have to drop everything and start filming.

The video I have is not the best my camcorder does not do well in that dim light. This is video of the Tea Cups and the Princess dinner.



During the Tea Cups we were trying to get Allie to put her hands up. By the time we were done I was a little dizzy from trying to film and watching the back round whiz by.

When we turn down dessert, our waitress asks if we are staying for fireworks? She tells us that they are going on now. So we head outside and Reflections of Earth is already started. We did not watch the show we we in a horrible spot. All I can remember is the lagoon shore fireworks shooting off right next to us. This would be nice if we could see but we use this time to do other things.

I had told Katie the there is a ride in this country and it is something the kids could do. TJ was throwing a fit that and was upset that she did not get to see princess Jasmine. We tried to explain that they take turns but she so wanted to see Jasmine. Erin and Chad just take off in the confusion and fits. They talked Teresa into going on Soarin' and are dragging the kids across the park. ROE wraps up and I just tell Katie to let them go there are things over here that we can do with Allie.

That is the best advice I can give for people going in groups. Do not feel bad about splitting up. If we did not do this some of the memorable moments would not have happened.

EMH begins and we ride Maelstrom. I have watched the YouTube videos and tell Katie that it's a boat ride but there is drop. But I don't know how severe. We hop on and tell Allie that it's a fast boat. As we head backwards and then forward. Katie grabs Allie on the top and I grab Allie legs. We are both telling her it's OK and here we go. She was fine but a little unsure, she was smiling.

After that I tell Katie that there is a boat ride in Mexico and I know it is a slow boat. We ask Allison if she wants a fast boat or a slow boat. She yells fast boat and we go back on Maelstrom. The second time going over the falls I put my hand on her leg just to reassure her. On the downhill she put her hands up on her own, it was so cute. Maybe I have a thrill junkie on my hands.

When we get of the ride we walk to Mexico. This is a bittersweet moment as we walk into the show building. I was amazed at the inside, we dropped this lunch, that was a stupid mistake. It looks like a small village alley at the base of a volcano. :lol:

We goto walk on the The Three Caballeros and while I am getting out KTTW cards 15 people cut in front. The CM stops them as this is EMH. They try to pass and he tells them in English he needs to see their cards. They act confused and are speaking Spanish and try to pass. Then he bust out the I speak Spanish also and let me explain. So after a minute exchange they give up and leave. We ride this and Allie is going crazy. She likes Donald and we ride this thing back to back. After that we ride 3 more time without leaving the boat. We are trying to get Allie to thank them in Spanish but she acts shy. Thanks to Dora the Explorer she did know a few words. Well after that many times we had our fill of Donald and EMH was wrapping up so we head back to the buses.

I wish my posing was better but that is a beautiful shot.



We find out that Teresa loved Soarin' and had no problems with motion sickness. That was the end to another long day.

 

[fractal]

I had this image in my head of the Norway pavilion being the land of milk and honey. I was fully expecting the Swedish bikini team girls to be all over the place. Alas that was not the case, the CM's were very nice but more males than I wanted to see.

lol!

"The appetizer bar is nice if you like cheese and smoked fish. If not it's light pickin's."

perfect description!

"That is the best advice I can give for people going in groups. Do not feel bad about splitting up. If we did not do this some of the memorable moments would not have happened."

yes! great advise.

"I have to say I would fight the Beast for this one."

agree! I was also impressed to see that you did not squat down to Belle's height.

 

[Uncle Lupe]

agree! I was also impressed to see that you did not squat down to Belle's height.

Thx, I did not notice this leaning over thing until doing this TR and really looking at the photos again.

That had more of a feel of a photo shoot maybe that's why I stayed upright.