Trip Report The Texas Ranger, The Beast, and We "started the fireworks": A trip of firsts!

Wow, this was a trip of many first for our happy little family. We have been to WDW numerous times, but this one was different, very different, in very many ways, and all good.

Let's start with the WHO:
myself, Debbie, known as Cee Gee to the grandsons.

CeeGee=Crazy Grandmom. According to my loving daughter, the boys have a normal grandmother (the other one apparently) and a crazy one......

which I would deeply resent if it weren't true, but that's another story.

Then there are the boys, Hunter (7) Logan (5) and Nicholas (3)

Always noisy and crazy when they are together.

And then their parents: my daughter Nicole

and her husband Steven.

And they call ME the crazy one!!!

The when- April 8-16, 2016

And the where- our first new first- Wyndham Bonnet Creek Resort.

We have never stayed off property before. It was a big risk for us, we know disney properties and love them, but this place seemed so cool, we wanted to try. And for the 6 of us Disney properties require either 2 rooms or a suite, that gets expensive. So we bit the bullet, chewed our nails, and booked an off-property resort. When the real report starts I'll tell you if we were happy or not.

so more tomorrow......................

 

[docdebbi]

So after stuffing ourselves silly, off we went to Haunted Mansion. The ride got stuck so I fiddled with the camera and tried to get some shots.

Boys were not in the mood for looking at the camera, getting those three to be looking at the same time is like herding cats. They're always up to something together. And it starts with the planning.....

Then it was time for Tom Sawyer Island. Why is it always 120 degrees in the shade on the day we do the island? Well, maybe it was only 90, but when you're chasing these guys up and down hills, through caves and over bridges, it sure feels like 120.

Think one is beginning to tucker out, good, just like us old folks

Never too busy for a game of checkers.
But the rules by which Hunter plays bear no relationship to the real rules. I believe he was trying to explain to me why HIS piece is allowed to land on any square it wants, but mine can't.

 

[docdebbi]

There is something very demented about our family, so I've taught the boys to hang out in the fort and wait for the people on Big Thunder Mountain to go by ....and then SHOOT them.

So after killing enough innocent tourists, time for short rest

some water (praise God for those cold water fountains at the fort) and the long hike back to civilization.

Our first activity back in the world? Why, the belated trip on Winnie the Pooh of course. Can't bug out on Winnie, especially not the queue. I think the boys would be ok with just going and playing in the queue and leaving,

but not Nicole. She does love the ride.
Not sure what was going on, but Nicholas does not look too happy. Probably made him leave the queue. And that boy does have a temper, but the sweetest smile on the planet to melt your heart and make you forget.

Now another confession, we are not big ones for standing in line to meet the characters. But the kids do get excited when they see them. There's more than one way to get your picture with the characters.

 

[docdebbi]

So having finished up Liberty Square, it was over to Tomorrowland.

Another trip on the Wedway people mover. Obviously Nicole's love of this ride wore off on her kids, they just chill and relax and enjoy.

and then Buzz Lightyear.
Trip 1

I call foul! Anyone else notice a little cheating going on? Glad for pictures, felt really bad that little Logan actually beat me, but the truth will out with big brother watching.

Then we tried to enforce a little rest time before our dinner reservation, yeah, good luck with that! But at least we tried.

Be Our Guest reservations for 6:15 coming up, and the ELP.

 

[Tiggerish]

There is something very demented about our family, so I've taught the boys to hang out in the fort and wait for the people on Big Thunder Mountain to go by ....and then SHOOT them.

Love that! Made me LOL.

And Goofy was totally cheating on Buzz.

 

[MinnieM123]

So glad that you were able to make it over to Tom Sawyer's Island. I love that place--real, classic Walt Disney World.

I'm off to WDW tomorrow!!

 

[docdebbi]

So glad that you were able to make it over to Tom Sawyer's Island. I love that place--real, classic Walt Disney World.

I'm off to WDW tomorrow!!

Oh my!!!!
I am so happy for you. Enjoy!
And then pictures please!

 

[ScarletBegonias]

I got a little behind, but still loving your report!

 

[docdebbi]

Well, finally back to writing a report. Been a little busy with a little episode of surgery for my mom this week. A little- hopefully - life saving surgery for colon cancer.

Hey guys- do your stupid colonoscopies- it's so much easier than actually taking your colon out.

Just a little public service announcement.

And we now return you to your previously scheduled trip report already in progress........

 

[docdebbi]

So next up was dinner at BoG. A lovely experience.
And we got the table closest to where the Beast walks back and forth, so the kids got a real close up of him multiple times.

The dinner was nice, but as always it's the desserts that get the kids' attention.

Now on the way in, it looked like the heavens were going to open up, and Dorothy and the witch would be flying by at any second. Our impression was not wrong. Part of the way through the meal, during one of the many potty breaks for the kids, Steve looked out and my oh my! A classic Disney downpour, and not a short lived one. Lasted the entire time we were in there.

The good news is, we were inside toasty warm and dry enjoying a very nice meal. The even better news? Boy does the park empty out when this happens late in the evening.

So we went to meet the Beast. Logan, still exciting at having been chosen to BE the Beast, wanted a chance to meet him alone, (read as "without my brothers").
Again, can you see the excitement on his face. He wouldn't make a good poker player.

As much as the Beast can show his excitement, he let Logan know that he was happy to have been portrayed by him. If you could ever consider the Beast to be "happy".

Finally the rest of the crew were allowed to join in.

We had a FP for the Electric Llight Parade, so we were really hoping that the storm would end in time for the parade to still happen. So we poncho'ed up and went out to brave the weather. We always bring dollar store ponchos as they are light to carry and cheap to dispose of afterwards. But Nic found these really cute slickers at the "Dollar or Few" store, they are shorter so the kids didn't trip on them They worked out well, will stock up on them in the future.

So we headed off down Main Street to the FP area.....

 

[docdebbi]

Well, apparently even the folks with FP for the parade left because the area was essentially empty. It was still stormy, although it was down to a drizzle, but forecasts did say thunderstorms in the area, guess we just got lucky that they never actually materialized.

However, they did start announcing about 20 minutes before the scheduled start that the parade may be delayed. So we were a little worried about what we were going to do with 3 rambunctious boys for maybe an hour in the confined space of the FP. Once again, God swooped in and set us up!

The little boy next to us was visiting from England, and studies KARATE. and was willing to teach our boys. The best part was they weren't totally wild running around because karate really is a study in control.

Finally about 2 seconds after another (maybe the fifth ) announcement that there would be a delay, we heard the magical music that said the parade was starting. Yeah, communication seemed to be lacking, but we didn't care. It was starting, and we were basically alone on Main Street.

 

[fractal]

Love the impromptu karate lesson!

 

[docdebbi]

Well, with the parade being pushed back almost 40 minutes, we all left feeling pretty tired. Some of us more so than others

I must say, this was the fastest we have ever gotten out of the MK. Ferry waiting right there for us, almost nobody still leaving at that point.

Thank goodness, because the kids did really need to get some sleep, and the big ones don't fall asleep until.........they hit the car. Apparently seat belts are magic, hook them and children in Disney World fall instantly asleep. Don't even need to turn the engine on......just hook the seat belts.

Next morning, we let them sleep in a little, and didn't quite make opening at Epcot. But we knew it was a late night planned so thought it was best.

And this would be our day of "WE STARTED THE FIREWORKS", completely unexpected.

Did get there by about 9:15 though!

Guess I wasn't in a picture taking mood that day, because I seem to have no pictures of Spaceship Earth, then Universe of Energy, then Great Movie ride. We always seem to get the gangster ride, not the Western. I think once in my life I had the Western, which is sooo much cooler, but today was the gangster.

Did take the time to pose for a couple photopass shots because it was Flower and Garden Festival and the topiaries are pretty neat.

Now here's one of my favorite's, the photographer tried desperately to get the boys to understand to pose like Buzz behind them. Comprehension skills lacking.....these are their versions of being Buzz

 

[docdebbi]

Next up was Test Track, were hoping to do it twice but Hunter really doesn't like it because it goes fast, and he also doesn't like "fast". So it ended up only being once.

Each kid designed a car that was pretty in keeping with their personality.

Nicholas designed one that had basically one of everything. Being a third kid he feels like he has to fight to get everything he wants, although his parents work hard to be sure everything is fair, he does have the "I have to outdo my brothers" attitude.

Logan wanted sparkly things

And Hunter helped me design a car that would go really slow, since he really believed that what he designed would affect our ride. He kept looking at the power rating and changing things to get it lower! But we were definitely up there in efficiency - LOL-

He did fine with the ride, wouldn't say he loved it, but did have fun until the fast part.

Grandmothers.....the original passenger restraint system.......

 

[bee]

I think they did pretty well with the Buzz poses! And love the front row of the car in that photo with grandma protecting both kids and both kids hanging on to grandma for dear life.

 

[cgersic]

I just did the grandmother restraint with my dog in the back of the vehicle yesterday. Made myself laugh right out loud. Great report!!

 

[docdebbi]

I think they did pretty well with the Buzz poses! And love the front row of the car in that photo with grandma protecting both kids and both kids hanging on to grandma for dear life.

yeah, and useless Goofy, just enjoying himself "arms in the air like he just don't care"
Men!!

that's why God made grandmoms.

 

[docdebbi]

I just did the grandmother restraint with my dog in the back of the vehicle yesterday. Made myself laugh right out loud. Great report!!

thanks, and yeah, I think the automatic restraint system is automatic for any small creature in our care.

 

[Tiggerish]

And Hunter helped me design a car that would go really slow, since he really believed that what he designed would affect our ride. He kept looking at the power rating and changing things to get it lower! But we were definitely up there in efficiency - LOL-

I love that he wanted to make a car that would go slow. That's so sweet.

Grandmothers.....the original passenger restraint system.......

Made me LOL for real.

I think the automatic restraint system is automatic for any small creature in our care

You're probably right. My husband has been known to use it on me.

 

[Tuvalu]

Guess I wasn't in a picture taking mood that day, because I seem to have no pictures of Spaceship Earth, then Universe of Energy, then Great Movie ride. We always seem to get the gangster ride, not the Western. I think once in my life I had the Western, which is sooo much cooler, but today was the gangster.
Did take the time to pose for a couple photopass shots because it was Flower and Garden Festival and the topiaries are pretty neat.

Hmmmm....when did the Great Movie ride move to Epcot?

 

[docdebbi]

Hmmmm....when did the Great Movie ride move to Epcot?

umm...would that explain why I have no pictures?

I did this report while up late at night working last night, (36 hours without sleep) and kept saying to myself "I thought you already had a picture of that in this report somewhere?" nah, you're confused.

ha ha ha guess I did.