Trip Report The Happy/Merry Birthday/UnBirthday Wishes Come True TR

We've only been home for four days, but we did so much on this trip, I'm sure I'll forget something if i don't get started!
Let's do this!

Who:
Party of 10
That's me (Ali), my husband Jim, our son Ethan, daughter Gwen, Jim's parents (Mutie and Papa), Jim's sister, her husband and their two daughters

What:
Our very first whole family vacation

Where:
5 bedroom vacation home at Windsor Hills Resort. Because there's 10 of us

When:
July 20th - 28th

Why:
Mutie's 70th Birthday celebration!

Disclaimer: This trip report includes two days of non-Disney events. If that's not your cup of tea, I'll see you at Day 3 :)

Day 1
Wednesday July 20th

I was up like a Pop Tart at 3:30 am for no reason other than the butterflies in my stomach. We had a 9:40 am flight out of O'Hare, and we live about ten minutes away.
TOO EXCITED TO SLEEP!

Our cab came around 7:30, and we were checked in, through security and at our gate by 8:30.
Because my husband is an absolute sweetheart, he ventured off to find breakfast for all of us. He returned with banana chocolate chip muffins and juice for the kids and Intelligentsia coffee for me! For you coffee snobs out there, if you find yourself in Chicago, this is my favorite local coffee. It's pretty easy to find in the city, but out here in the burbs, Starbucks dominates.

Our flight boarded on time, but departure was delayed almost 30 minutes due to the ground crew. It was a very hot morning, and they were moving a bit slow. No matter, both of my kids were happy reading or coloring, and I was passing the time listening to HAMILTON. :)

Despite the delay, our flight landed on time, and we were picking up our rental car in no time! We reserved a mid-sized vehicle, but were upgraded to a minivan at no extra charge! Score!
This is the part where I thank God for smart phones and GPS. I just looked up the Hilton Cocoa Beach Oceanfront, hit navigate, and we were there in less than an hour! I can't imagine the stress of navigating unfamiliar roads with hungry kids in tow without it!

Upon check in, we were told our reservation had been cancelled. WHAT!?!?!? Excuse me? No. Where's my room?
So, I'm trying not to freak out, and trying to keep the kids in line. Failing at both.
I turn to Jim, and he doesn't even bat an eye! He was so cool and calm! He was zen like Buddah. He spoke with the desk clerk and had keys in his hand in just a few minutes. Whew!
It turns out the booking site we used went out of business and cancelled all reservations the day before! Insane! They posted a notice online that basically said "It sucks to be you! Don't call us, there's nobody to answer your call"
Luckily, the Hilton had a room available, and they honored our original rate. Jim called our credit card company and got the original charge refunded in less than 10 minutes. :) Crisis averted!

After the potential drama in the lobby, this was a welcome sight!
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We all jumped into our suites as quickly as we could, and headed for the waves!
The water was perfect! I'm used to Lake Michigan, which never seems to get warm. The Atlantic felt like bath water.
We strolled along the shore, Gwen collected shells and Ethan ran through the surf.
NOW we were on vacation!

We eventually went back for showers and headed out to find dinner. We ended up at a beach front restaurant where I enjoyed some very simple but fresh mahi mahi tacos. Perfect!

After a long day of travel, we were all ready for bed early. Seriously early. I think it was like 8:30!

Up next: Kennedy Space Center and Orlando at last!
 
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prfctlyximprct

Well-Known Member
I WANT THE KITCHEN SINK!!! A benefit to traveling with so many is this!!! If I ordered the kitchen sink alone, I could never accomplish it! Super jealous of your photos, think I am going to go make myself a nice ice cream sundae right about now LOL
 

MerMom1981

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I WANT THE KITCHEN SINK!!! A benefit to traveling with so many is this!!! If I ordered the kitchen sink alone, I could never accomplish it! Super jealous of your photos, think I am going to go make myself a nice ice cream sundae right about now LOL

I had been dreaming about that sundae for over a year!
We attempted to order one on our previous trip, but we totally missed our ADR and you can't order it from the walk-up counter! :cry:
I was so disappointed! Missing it again was not an option!
It was a delicious victory, complete with brownie bites, Oreos, and a whole can of whipped cream on top!

If our Disney paths ever cross, this should be our meet-up!
 

MerMom1981

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Day 7
Tuesday July 26th:

We awoke to another beautiful but scorching hot day, and joined the rest of the family around the breakfast table.
We had a split itinerary today, with SIL and family spending their day at Universal, and the rest of us heading to MK.
Mutie and Papa informed us that they would be sitting this one out. The heat was real taking a toll on them, and they were looking forward to a quiet day in the a/c.

Do you guys know what this means?!?!?
I was just given the greatest Un-birthday gift of my life! A day at Magic Kingdom, just me & my lil' family!

I did my best to keep a poker face until we left, but I was giddy the entire drive!
MK our way!
Can't wait!

Soon we were boarding the ferry at TTC, MK bound.
What was this strange sensation coming over me? Not stress. Not tension. Just child-like excitement.
I was off-duty at last!
THIS is what a Disney vacation should feel like!

We strolled up Main Street with our sights set on Fantasyland. But not before we stop and say"cheese!"
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While I'm not a huge fan, Gwen and Ethan were both insistent on the first ride of the day. It's A Small World
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From there, we caught the next showing of Mickey's Philharmagic, then a quick stop at the Rapunzel potties
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Outlaws

We made our way through Liberty Square, then caught a raft to Tom Sawyer Island. We had packed a picnic lunch and easily found a table under the gazebo.
This might be the perfect lunch spot. It's quiet and relaxed, with a great view of the riverboat and Liberty Square.
After lunch, it was time to explore!
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The break from the crowds was just what we all needed! We ferried our way back to Frontierland, ready for our first FP+ of the day
 

MerMom1981

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Merry Christmas, and almost Happy New Year to you guys! This is the most ridiculous delay ever!

I had two recent deaths in the family, so it's been hard finding time, and then...Christmas

I've promised myself that I will finish before the new year! So if you're still following, you'll have something to read soon!
 

LisaBelle

Well-Known Member
So sorry to hear about the deaths in your family.
I am finally all caught up with your TR and I am loving it! Traveling with a big group is a blessing and a curse. We had a group of 10, ranging in age from 3-70, during our 2008 trip. LIke you, I was the main planner (although my sister helped quite a bit) and the "cruise director". It was definitely a challenge at times as tempers flared from heat and hunger. We didn't accomplish all that I'd wanted to accomplish, but we made memories we'll never forget. Since then, my mom was diagnosed with dementia and my dad passed away, so I am extremely grateful that we had the opportunity to take that trip. My family of 4 stayed on at Disney for several days after my parents and my sister's family left for other destinations. We felt like you on your MK day. It was so much easier to get around and to see what we wanted to see when we wanted to see it :joyfull:!
Several other comments: Kennedy Space Center looks awesome. Glad your husband got to see it. Behind the seeds tour looks fun. We all love that ride and you can't beat the price. Maybe we will try that on our next trip. Love Ethan's expressions during the Jedi training-priceless! You got to meet Olaf! I am so jealous! He wasn't there on my trip last February. I LOVE that you got to see the hourglass from Wizard of Oz and Mary Poppins' bag and umbrella. I, too worry about those things being "lost" with the changes at DHS. I loved MGM. It will always hold a special place in my heart because my husband and I were there on our Disneymoon the summer it opened :inlove:.
Following along and looking forward to reading more.
 

MerMom1981

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Day 7 continued:

OK, so we recharged or batteries with a restful picnic on TSI, time to ride! Big Thunder Mountain, here we come! I'm glad we only had to cross the path to get in line, because Frontierland was packed!

As we exited BTMRR, we had our first encounter with the fabled Brazilian Tour Groups.
It was like a neon-colored wall of humanity.

Ahhhhhhhh! Run! Run for your lives!

Wait, you can't run. They're everywhere.
No matter where you turn, they're in your way.

Our next FP+ was for Splash Mountain. Somehow, the very short distance felt like an epic journey in which we struggled to survive.
When we reached the FP+ entrance, I thought for sure we were in the wrong line. It was well down the path and wrapping around the corner. How could this be?

Tour group :bawling:

Thankfully, the line moved quickly, and we kept cool by finding the cool air vents while in the queue. Even still, we were all ready for the plunge!
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As we reached the exit courtyard, we were met with a very strange sight. 20+ teenage girls sleeping under the bridge! I'll let you guess what color their T-shirts were.

Gwen and Ethan asked me if they were homeless.
"Um, no honey, they're not homeless. They've just chosen a very inappropriate place to nap"

We'd had our fill of Frontierland, and so made our way to Adventureland. We were in need of refreshment! Jim spied a cart selling frozen lemonade, but I had my eye on Aloha Isle!
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We enjoyed our treats while exploring the shady shop next door. By the time we finished, it was time for our FP+ at Pirates!

While in the queue, Ethan mentioned that he wanted to ride The Magic Carpets.
Are you kidding?
We were literally JUST there.
No worries! I got this.
Yep. I finally got to make a 4th FP on the app! I love this!

So, after we left Pirates with dry behinds, we headed back to Agrabah ;).
We usually like to do Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse, but it was down for refurb, and I think Jungle Cruise was down too. Either way, we left Adventureland, hoping to catch a M&G with everyone's favorite guy!

Jim had been stalking the times on the app, and this was our chance.
"OK kids, let's go do something for Mommy." Isn't he the best?
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You guys. We had SO MUCH fun with Gaston! Can you tell?
Ethan gave him a hard time for stabbing the Beast, which sparked a fun and sassy conversation. He is THE best character to meet!

My day was made!
 
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MerMom1981

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
So sorry to hear about the deaths in your family.
I am finally all caught up with your TR and I am loving it! Traveling with a big group is a blessing and a curse. We had a group of 10, ranging in age from 3-70, during our 2008 trip. LIke you, I was the main planner (although my sister helped quite a bit) and the "cruise director". It was definitely a challenge at times as tempers flared from heat and hunger. We didn't accomplish all that I'd wanted to accomplish, but we made memories we'll never forget. Since then, my mom was diagnosed with dementia and my dad passed away, so I am extremely grateful that we had the opportunity to take that trip. My family of 4 stayed on at Disney for several days after my parents and my sister's family left for other destinations. We felt like you on your MK day. It was so much easier to get around and to see what we wanted to see when we wanted to see it :joyfull:!
Several other comments: Kennedy Space Center looks awesome. Glad your husband got to see it. Behind the seeds tour looks fun. We all love that ride and you can't beat the price. Maybe we will try that on our next trip. Love Ethan's expressions during the Jedi training-priceless! You got to meet Olaf! I am so jealous! He wasn't there on my trip last February. I LOVE that you got to see the hourglass from Wizard of Oz and Mary Poppins' bag and umbrella. I, too worry about those things being "lost" with the changes at DHS. I loved MGM. It will always hold a special place in my heart because my husband and I were there on our Disneymoon the summer it opened :inlove:.
Following along and looking forward to reading more.

Thank you so much for reading!
I agree that moments with you family, especially aging parents/grandparents are precious. Overall, the good outweighs the bad, and the memories make it all worth while!

I wish I had taken a Disneymoon! Don't get me wrong, Maui was breathtaking, but I wish I'd had the chance to experience Disney with just my hubby. Perhaps when the kids are grown we'll get that chance.
 

MerMom1981

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Day 7 continued:

After the very best character meet I could've imagined, we took the path toward Tomorrowland for our 5th FP
We had unfinished business.
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After our battle with Zurg, we took a ride on The Peoplemover.
Why do I love this ride? It's so simple, but it's so Walt.

We grabbed drinks before heading for Monsters Inc.Laugh Floor
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I think we joined the queue just after the previous show started, because is was a long wait. No matter, we were just happy to be in the a/c.

We decided Laugh Floor was the last attraction of the day, and headed for the hub. I tried to make a quick left and head down Main Street, but Mickey's Royal Friendship Fair was happening.
We huddled in a tiny patch of shade and tried to enjoy the show while the sun melted the flesh from our bones.
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We were all pretty miserable, so we started edging our way toward Main Street.

OK, one last Photopass
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We left Magic Kingdom for good, and made our way to the resort ferry dock..
Dinner awaits.
 

MerMom1981

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Day 7 continued:

We enjoyed a quick and breezy ride across the lagoon to the The Grand Floridian. I had never been to GF before, so I had no idea where to go once the ferry docked.
Lucky for us, just after we cleared the dock, we were greeted by two gentlemen who turned out to be the resort manager and the chef of Victoria and Albert's! Wow!
I said we were looking for the GF Cafe, and they happened to be going the same way, so they escorted us to dinner!
That is service!

We parted ways at the hostess stand, and I thanked them both for their time and the present conversation.
The look on the CM's face when I checked in! She looked so nervous. I think she assumed we were ViP's because of our escort! Hahahahaha!
No. Relax. I'm no one special

We were seated by a window with a view of the courtyard.
I had (of course) looked at the menu online, and already knew what I would be having.
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The Surf 'n Turf Burger!
It was delicious, but the lobster made it so rich, I could only eat half.

I don't know why I suddenly decided to start taking food pictures, but I did. And Jim totally busted my chops for it
He wouldn't let me photograph his food, but I'm almost positive he had steak and enjoyed it.
Gwen had the kids burger, and Ethan had chicken, but I didn't take pictures.

Dessert was photo worthy though
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Fondue for me
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Dirt Cups for the kids!

Overall, I give Grand Floridian Cafe a thumbs up! The decor is dated, but it's clean and bright, and my dinner was perfect!

We exited toward the lobby, headed for our first monorail ride of the trip
We made a quick stop to press a penny when I noticed Basin.

Detour

I bought an entire tube of bath bombs, including two of these for Gwen & Ethan
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In case you haven't seen or used them, they're dissolving bath salt balls that leave Mickeys floating in the water. Adorable.
I buy pink bombs with hearts from Lush once in a while, but this is so much cuter!

It turned out the CM at the register was from Chicago! She asked what neighborhood we were from, and gave me a very Chicago "oh, OK" when I told her we lived in the suburbs.
This is probably a thing in other cities, but it really annoys Chicagoans when suburbanites claim to be from Chicago.
I assured her that I was in fact FROM the city, I just live in the suburbs now. Under protest. :p
We shared a good laugh, and made our way out to catch the monorail.

We briefly considered going back to MK for a few hours, but even the kids were wiped out. We headed home for a swim and Mickey baths and bed before 10pm.
 
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LisaBelle

Well-Known Member
How cool to meet the GF manager and the Chef from Victoria & Alberts when you arrived at the GF!
:eek:Why have I never heard about the Surf and Turf burger before now???!!!!! It looks amazing :hungry:! I think my kids and I would absolutely love it.
I've also never heard about the Mickey bath bombs. So much new information in your post :). I am adding these ideas to my "to do" list for my next trip. Thanks for sharing!
 

MerMom1981

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
How cool to meet the GF manager and the Chef from Victoria & Alberts when you arrived at the GF!
:eek:Why have I never heard about the Surf and Turf burger before now???!!!!! It looks amazing :hungry:! I think my kids and I would absolutely love it.
I've also never heard about the Mickey bath bombs. So much new information in your post :). I am adding these ideas to my "to do" list for my next trip. Thanks for sharing!

I'm so glad to be your source! Haha! This is why I love TR's! We all pass on tips that make each other's trips better!
I think I read about the Basin store in another report, but the Mickey bomb was a new discovery.
You should definitely try GF Cafe! It was a calm and quiet break from MK, but still very convenient.
 

MerMom1981

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Day 8
Wednesday July 27th:


I think this was the only morning I slept past 7:00 am. It was probably 7:05 am!
We had a split itinerary again today. Papa had flown home the previous afternoon to get back to work, and today was SIL's Birthday. She wanted to have a low key day with just her family, so Mutie joined the four of us for one last park day.
We grabbed the last of the muffins and granola bars on our way out the door and headed for Epcot!

Our first FP+ of the day was Mission Space, which would be too intense for Mutie, so we parted ways at Mouse Gear
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This ride messes with your mind.
I entered the queue for the first time, thinking this was just another motion simulator. No sweat
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Green team is no big deal, right? Well, after 187 warnings, I wasn't so sure anymore!
Seriously, they need to chill with the excessive repetition. By the time we were in our ride vehicle, I was borderline panicking. I had to focus on my breathing and close my eyes for the first half of the ride!
The ride itself was great, the boarding process is psychological torture though.
I told Jim I might need a Xanax to ride that thing again!

I felt lucky to be alive as we made our way back to Mouse Gear. I told Mutie about the head games, and she was glad I told her to sit out!

We had some time to kill before our next FP+, so we headed for the Character Spot, hoping to meet Joy and Sadness. The wait was nearly two hours! Forget that noise!
We opted for a 30 minute wait to meet Baymax
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Is it just me, or is this photo awkward? We didn't know where to stand, and we probably got too close.:rolleyes:
Do robots have personal space? I'm pretty sure we invaded it.

We were done Harrising characters for the moment, and ready for our next FP+ for SOARIN'
Just after we entered the queue, we witnessed the most brazen line jumping ever! A father jumped the wall and then lifted his wife and four children over as well!
Outrageous! I was sputtering in disbelief! I really wanted to confront the parents, but I figured that people with such blatant disregard for theme park rules and regulations were not likely to be even tempered.
I trusted they would be foiled by the second FP touchpoint, but then there was no second touchpoint!
I mentioned the offense to the next CM I saw, but he just sighed with defeat.
Is Disney taking it lying down now?
What could we do but shake our heads and move on?

Despite the drama, we enjoyed our flight around the world, especially the ending over Epcot!

I had made us a 3rd FP+ for the Pixar Short Film Festival, but since we've seen most of them on Netflix, we decided to skip it.
We were all getting hungry, and I didn't pack lunch, so we decided to catch a Friend Ship to Morocco for the best lunch in World Showcase!
 

MerMom1981

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Day 8 continued:

Once our Friend Ship docked, we headed straight for Tangerine Cafe and an unexpectedly delicious lunch!
Truth be told, I chose this spot because it was the only QS restaurant that had a cheeseburger and chicken nuggets on the kids menu. I'll try just about anything, but my kids are not adventurous.

I ordered the Mediterranean Chicken Wrap, expecting some dry grilled chicken on a tortilla with Greek dressing on the side.
What I got was an incredibly fresh chicken gyro on a warm, soft pita! I've had enough bland, dry QS food to have lowered my expectations, so Tangerine Cafe was a pleasant surprise!

After lunch, we headed into the marketplace to explore and find the KidCot table.
This was the first time I really got to explore the pavilions, so we took our time in each country.

As we entered Japan, the Matsuriza drummers were performing
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We watched for as long as we could stand the heat, but the sun was scorching, so we headed inside.
I had promised Gwen she could pick a pearl, and it's Ethan's birthstone, so we did two
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The kids loved the whole process, and Jim and I loved watching them.

Next up was The American Adventure, where we were just in time for The Voices of Liberty!
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We had wanted to see them with the whole family on Friday, but the rain spoiled those plans, so I was all the more excited to catch them today!
They put on a great performance of patriotic songs, and they even threw in "Let it Go". My favorite part was when they sang "Ole' Susanna" and they all played air banjo! Ha!

Everyone enjoyed the show and the break from the heat, but before long the kids we desperate for something cold.
We were on our way to Italy, so I offered a scoop of gelato.
They turned me down!!!
Who are these kids?!?

Jim had a better idea. He sprinted to Japan and before they could get their passports stamped, he was back with two cherry sno cones! What a guy!

We found a bench in the shade and shared a Japanese treat in Italy.:)
While we were there, Sergio the juggler came out to perform. We all loved him, and the kids thought his whistle was hilarious. He even picked Ethan to toss a few soccer balls for him!
I wish I'd taken a picture!

We stopped in the Christmas shop in Germany, where we like to choose an ornament, but Jim didn't see anything new that he liked. He loves the unique blown glass ones, and we already had both styles they carried.

All I really did in Germany was take kids to the bathroom.:cautious:

Up next: Two more counties and Test Track
 

DimpledDevil18

Well-Known Member
I love exploring the world showcase! Did your kids enjoy it? I remember traveling with my younger brother and sister when they were around your kids age and having to sneak away by myself to see the countries because they wanted no part of anything that wasn't a ride.

Mission Space messes with my head too to the point that I won't even ride it anymore. I did it a few times before and it was fine, but I definitely remember it being really cramped in there. I don't know if its just been so long since I rode it that I'm remembering it to be worse than it really is, but now just the thought of how small the space you are in makes me incredibly claustrophobic and I get anxious just thinking about it.
 

MerMom1981

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Day 8 continued:

We made a brief stop in China to stamp passports, and play with these guys
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We can't resist the puppets either @DocDisney

We had already visited Norway on Friday, and Gwen didn't want to meet Anna & Elsa :(:( (even though their wait time was never more than 30 minutes) so we headed straight for a Mexico

I had never ridden Grand Fiesta Tour, so we had to go for a ride!
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I didn't get a very good picture, but I thought the fireworks were really cute!

We shopped a little and Ethan found
"A guacamole chip hat!!!!"
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Sometimes, he's just too cute!! I can't take it!

Jim had been stalking the wait time for Test Track since Germany, and 40 minutes was the best time we saw.
Mutie wanted to sit this one out, so we left her in the shade and went for a drive.
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Gwen's design
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Ethan's design

I can't seem to get the photo to upload, but there were two people in our car who used the single rider line and only waited 15 minutes!

While she waited, Mutie had talked to SIL, and she decided to join them for dinner at some Indian restaurant.
The invitation had been extended to us as well, but as you may recall, I have picky eaters, so we declined.

We walked Mutie to the gate to say our goodbyes, and there was this handy photographer to capture the moment ;);)
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MerMom1981

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I love exploring the world showcase! Did your kids enjoy it? I remember traveling with my younger brother and sister when they were around your kids age and having to sneak away by myself to see the countries because they wanted no part of anything that wasn't a ride.

Mission Space messes with my head too to the point that I won't even ride it anymore. I did it a few times before and it was fine, but I definitely remember it being really cramped in there. I don't know if its just been so long since I rode it that I'm remembering it to be worse than it really is, but now just the thought of how small the space you are in makes me incredibly claustrophobic and I get anxious just thinking about it.

The kids really seemed to enjoy World Showcase! All it took was a game of "Let's Pretend" and they were really traveling the world!
I have to give credit to a childhood spent watching Mr. Rogers. He always encouraged imagination.:)
I was definitely channeling him!

I don't know if I'll ride Mission Space again. I might just stay in Mouse Gear where it's safe ;)
 
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