Tom & Dad Go Commando!

1 trip, 2 men, 3 days, 4 packages of moleskin.

I'm a fanatical planner, but even I was unprepared for three days of commando touring led by my 13 year old son. The feet, they are still sore.

The wife and I thought (well, mostly me, really, but she agreed) that it would be a great idea for each of our three sons to have a weekend at WDW alone with Dad. This year was our oldest son Tom's year. Next year, I go with our middle son, then in 2010 with our youngest son. Which means one thing: I've got three years to talk her into Son #4. Now, that's going to take some serious lobbying. :lookaroun

Let us now begin a trip report with the occasional insight, but mostly just chock full o' poor quality photography ...

 

[disneygirl1]

Love the report... Keep it coming...

I had my firt solo trip with my son last October ... It is such a special bonding experience! We are going on our 2nd Mommy/son trip to Disney in December. I can't wait :xmas:

 

[Lucky]

I think we'll go to BB instead of TL, so we don't have to wash the kid's rear end.

 

[unkadug]

I think we'll go to BB instead of TL, so we don't have to wash the kid's rear end.

Yeah, but you can drink the water at TL. :lookaroun

 

[GenerationX]

CAPTAIN HOOK - No sarcasm intended. "Diarrhea" is the correct spelling in the U.S.

unkadug - Good eye on the differences between what's allowed at TL and BB!

After several hours at Blizzard Beach, we headed to Coronado Springs to rent a Sea Raycer. Sea Raycers on Bay Lake go 25 mph, but at Coronado Springs they go only 5 mph. Since this was our first time in a Sea Raycer, I was okay with the slower speed. As a surprise for Tom, I let him drive. Tom's got Asperger's Syndrome and is easily distracted, thus a slower speed was better.

It rained for three minutes during our ride, but that did not dissuade us:

"Tom, the patrol guy said we can stay in the boat unless there's lightning."

 

[GenerationX]

We dried off, changed, and headed right to the Magic Kingdom. Tom's Commando touring plan called for the big rides with long lines. I was thinking the TTA was looking pretty good. We got to Space Mountain, and it was a lousy 20 minutes for the Stand By line. Sold.

"Take it all in, Tom, it may be way different the next time you're here."

 

[GenerationX]

While Space Mountain had a short line, we weren't so lucky at BTMRR. Let's just say we had plenty of time to admire the queue and chat:

"It's bad enough I have to wait forever in this line, but I have to get my picture taken with Dad, too?"

 

[unkadug]

While Space Mountain had a short line, we weren't so lucky at BTMRR. Let's just say we had plenty of time to admire the queue and chat:

"It's bad enough I have to wait forever in this line, but I have to get my picture taken with Dad, too?"

Cool shirt...did you have anybody ask you about it/recognize it, etc?

 

[H20Babie]

So far, so good ... keep it coming

 

[GenerationX]

I had the WDWMagic shirt on for the entire time we were at the MK, and no one said a thing to me about it. Regardless, it looked cool.

After BTMRR, we hit the HM. I hadn't seen it since the new effects were added, and I have to say I was very impressed. A phenomenal ride is now even better. At the end of the ride, the girls in the doom buggy next to us were pretending to make out with their hitchhiking ghost. Now that would've made a bizarre picture.

Instead, I bring you the fabulous lounge stylings of Mr. Sonny Eclipse:

"I was worried about the problem all night until it dawned on me." Heh.

 

[GenerationX]

Even a Buzz Lightyear hack like me can have a good day when the ride stops for two minutes in the middle of it:

"Check it out! Let's not tell Mom about the ride stoppage."

 

[GenerationX]

Wishes is a great show, and it's an even better show when you find a chair in Tomorrowland at the last minute. I snapped a picture of Tink, but without the zoom, she was about 10 X 10 pixels. For no reason I'm consciously aware of, I snapped the following picture. Is this a Hidden Mickey?

 

[GenerationX]

Eventually, even Tom tired out, so we decided to go. After taking a mobbed monorail back to the TTC, we faced lines twenty deep for the parking lot tram. Rather than wait in line, we walked to the first tram stop and boarded there after someone got out.

In the next installment: On our last day, we hit DHS, DQ, MCO, and ORD. I become ecstatic in the morning when I realize I had packed moleskin.

 

[One Lil Spark]

Love the report so far! Can't wait for more. :sohappy:

 

[GenerationX]

We got up early on our last day. Tom's feet were fine, but mine were killing me. I had packed four strips of moleskin, two of which I wrapped around the worst toes, and the other two underneath all toes. Much better. Now ready to spend another day walking, we headed out.

We arrived at DHS early. We watched the silly little pre-park open sketch and, of course, slithered our way near the front. At rope drop, here's what happened:

65% of the crowd walked past the Hat toward Toy Story Mania - we were in that group (see pic below)
25% of the crowd headed toward RnRC and ToT.
10% of the crowd took off running towards Sounds Dangerous, but were most likely trying to get to Toy Story Mania from the other direction.

 

[GenerationX]

Toy Story Mania definitely lived up to the hype, and we got FPs for 5 hours later. By 1:30pm, all FPs were gone for the day.

After various attractions, including Star Tours, MuppetVision 3D, and GMR, Tom wanted to meet Mike & Sully. We found out from a helpful CM that Mike & Sully had moved to a new location near LMAX. We got there right when Mike & Sully had to visit the little monster's room, and only Mike returned:

It's hard to tell in the picture, but Mike had really nice legs. Just sayin'. :lookaroun :animwink:

 

[GenerationX]

While DHS only sorta pretends to be a studio, it is, no question, a full-fledged advertising vehicle:

"Hmmmm, now which network was The Mole on?"

 

[GenerationX]

After another round of Toy Story Mania in which Tom not only crushed me in accuracy (again) but also beat me in points (d'oh!), we decided to hit the road. Not to go to the airport, but on Tom's commando schedule, we needed to get back to DisneyQuest.

Lines at Pirates of the Caribbean: The Battle for Buccaneer Gold were insane already, which is a shame because that's a fantastic attraction. Tom decided he wanted to rule Donkey Kong, so we found the machine on the 5th floor for him.

"Yeah, Tom, you go ahead and play. I'll be on that couch right through the doorway there. With my shoes off."

 

[GenerationX]

With Donkey Kong defeated, it was time to head home. We got to MCO a little early so we had time for dinner. Tom had a unique way of "carrying" his souvenir balloon:

 

[One Lil Spark]

With Donkey Kong defeated, it was time to head home. We got to MCO a little early so we had time for dinner. Tom had a unique way of "carrying" his souvenir balloon:

That's great! :ROFLOL:

 

[GenerationX]

After three full days of constant companionship, I was very, very glad that we had decided to do this. Tom and I had a whale of a time on his commando touring plan, and we got a chance to talk, laugh, and do a lot of fun activities together. We took the advice of this board and brought back lanyards and pins for his brothers, and they loved them. After hearing about Tom's vacation with Dad, they can't wait to go (and I can't wait to take them). I highly recommend this for all parents of multiple kids who don't seem to get that much one-on-one time with each kid.

One last picture. That same balloon Tom had on his hat made it all the way back to the waiting area for the O'Hare parking lot tram:

"Uhhh, looks like Mickey had an earectomy."

Thanks to all for reading and not making fun of my lousy photography!