We did the unthinkable!We Left the teenagers home: DH & I do Disney solo:update 1/15

[Lady Lallie]

I love your kitties! I post about mine all the time too.

Glad you were able to get off and to the airport without mishap...well minus the sunglasses.

Can't wait to hear more.

[ILuvCrush]

Wow..no toll people... the Disney magic begins

sounds like a great start.
I'd have been one of the people returning the mystery car... I haven't tried to drive a manual since high school

paula

[MEK]

Originally Posted by podsnel

Hey there- well, I'm subbing. Hoping to do the same with my DH next fall- LOOOOOOVVVVEEEE WDW w/out the kids! Such a different Disney!

Thanks for joining in. It is definately a different Disney without the kids. I even got pics of MYSELF with the characters. Those characters don't want anything to do with you when you have your kids!

[MEK]

Originally Posted by Lady Lallie

I love your kitties! I post about mine all the time too.

Yeah, my kitties weren't so cute this morning when they decided they had to get someone up by 6am to feed them. ugghhhh - cats are fed now, so time to Dis and drink some joe.

[MEK]

Originally Posted by ILuvCrush

Wow..no toll people... the Disney magic begins

sounds like a great start.
I'd have been one of the people returning the mystery car... I haven't tried to drive a manual since high school

paula

Seriously - that car was whack! It didn't even have automatic locks. You had to put the key in the door. It didn't appear to be an old car, just stripped down. We actually didn't care that much, since it was just of the two of us, but I definately don't recommend the mystery car (Car X, they called it), under normal circumstances. But atleast they didn't try to get us of a bunch of extra fees and stuff.

[jenjolt]

Okay I'll admit it...I wouldn't be able to drive CarX if my life depended on it. My dad took me out once and then came back and told my mom that we just need to make sure she drives automatics for the rest of her life LOL

Can't wait to hear about what happens when you get to Disney!!

I too am taking a car with me so I'm hoping to avoid the long lines and waits and have my car to make sure I get on time to where I need to go!

[MEK]

One of the many nice things about having an AP is that you don't have to check in before hitting the world. I really wanted DH to see the Jammin Jungle Christmas Parade (or whatever its called) at AK. I saw it last Jan on my solo trip and I really liked it. I know some people think its just a decorated version of the regular parade, and it is, but I still think it has Christmas Spirit.

I felt like a little kid when we got to AK. I brought shorts in my carry on, to change into, but it was cool, so shorts were not necessary. So I switched into my mickey crocs and off we went.

This was the first official picture I took at AK. I just felt so refreshed to see some foliage now that the dark days of winter had settled upon the NorthEast


Ofcourse, we needed to take the obligatory Christmas tree pics



Another nice thing about an AP is that you don't mind using it to go into a park for 2 hours. We arrived at AK about 3pm and the parade started at 3:45. Light crowds were already lining up along the parade route. We (actually I) decided we might as well get in on some photopass action, so we got a pic from the first photog we found.

Obviously taken with our camera. I'm sure his photo is nicer


I have no idea why we have those perplexed expressions on our faces. I think I was trying to explain the whole photopass thing to DH while we were getting our picture taken. This photographer did have us pose for one of the magic shots. We really didn't get enough pictures to justify buying the disc, but I think I would like to purchase the magic shot.

Here are some pics I took before we staked out our spot for the parade











We also meandered in and out of a few gift shops. We toyed with taking a quick ride on dinosaur, but I definately did not want to miss the start of the parade. So we walked over to Asia, where we met another photopass photog, and got a few more pics there......







Now I know my pics aren't as nice as Paula's, but I was definately trying to use a more artistic approach to my photos. However, my artistic expression had to be cut short because it was TIME FOR THE PARADE!

Here is a brief montage of some parade photos. Warning - there is no Mickey Mouse! Why - You ask - THE BATTERY'S IN THE CAMERA DIED! Just like that. Of course, all the rechargeables were dead, too. DH tried desperately to get some backup alkalines, but he couldn't get through the line in time.















I swear - I kept feeling like none of the characters looked over at our side of the parade route. At least Goofy did. We were right across from a handicapped section, so maybe they are trained to look more to that side. I don't know - I just had a hard time getting good pics from our location.

DH was still inside a store trying to purchase backup batteries when the parade ended. I went in to join him and felt it was necessary to make my first purchase. I have a Mickey coffee mug that I use almost every morning. I bought the matching Minney mug. I will have the kids give it to me for Christmas.

It was about 4:30 when we made our way over to Dinosaur. I would say crowds were medium. It wasn't crazy busy like AK can get. Still, I thought there might be a hefty standby line for EE, so we decided on a quick trip to the Crustaceous period to find our dino!



I have to post this warning sign because I just started taking medication for high blood pressure. So everywhere I went my eyes were immediately drawn to the high blood pressure warnings. I am a little frustrated that I have to take medication, but what's a gal to do.! I know - a quick BP raising ride on Dinosaur to see how well my Toprol works!


I took a few more pics as we were leaving the park. It was close to park closing and we decided it would be best to have Ellie direct us to the French quarter. Not that I couldn't have done just as good a job as Ellie!)








Up next - Our Adults Only evening at the FQ. And what did DH lose now???????

[MEK]

]Okay I'll admit it...I wouldn't be able to drive CarX if my life depended on it. My dad took me out once and then came back and told my mom that we just need to make sure she drives automatics for the rest of her life LOL

That's what was so funny about Car X. Did they win it in a lottery????? Why would that car be in their fleet? You know, I never checked the mileage. I bet it was really low, cause everyone returned it. I will say, it got excellent gas mileage.

When i graduated from college the first car I bought was a stick. I couldn't even drive it. My mother had to drive it off the lot! We went to a park so I could learn how to drive it. There were some guys there laughing their as---- off because I kept stalling e]verytime I got on an incline!

[ILuvCrush]

Originally Posted by MEK

One of the many nice things about having an AP is that you don't have to check in before hitting the world. I really wanted DH to see the Jammin Jungle Christmas Parade (or whatever its called) at AK. I saw it last Jan on my solo trip and I really liked it. I know some people think its just a decorated version of the regular parade, and it is, but I still think it has Christmas Spirit.

I have yet to see the AK parade... I really want too!! I guess its a good thing that DS favorite park is AK... I won't have an excuse to miss it this time

This was the first official picture I took at AK. I just felt so refreshed to see some foliage now that the dark days of winter had settled upon the NorthEast

Very pretty The only plants I seem to notice right now are the trees threatening my vehicles And they have no foliage at all!!

Now I know my pics aren't as nice as Paula's, but I was definately trying to use a more artistic approach to my photos. However, my artistic expression had to be cut short because it was TIME FOR THE PARADE!

Well thanx for the compliment I think these 2 pics are really nice. I never noticed that bike before.. I like it And I think that you picked a great angle for the Monkey Shrine... It looks so different from that side, most people (self included ) seem to take it from the front with EE behind it... I like yours better

I think he's flirting with you!! he's really cute

I don't know what it is... but something about Minnie having a "lollipop nose' totally cracks me up

I Love this ornament!!! i want one

Paula

[ILuvCrush]

OK I told you I REALLY liked the bike pic...right???? Well I copied it and played with it a bit, cause I really could see how artsy that shot is... just for fun

I hope it's OK... I liked it so much when I got done playing with it.. I thought I should share it with you. If it's not OK..let me know, I'll delete it ASAP



I can Totally See that print hanging on my wall

Paula

[MEK]

Originally Posted by ILuvCrush

OK I told you I REALLY liked the bike pic...right???? Well I copied it and played with it a bit, cause I really could see how artsy that shot is... just for fun

I hope it's OK... I liked it so much when I got done playing with it.. I thought I should share it with you. If it's not OK..let me know, I'll delete it ASAP



I can Totally See that print hanging on my wall

Paula

No - that is totally cool. I love what you did with it. I am not that creative and I don't quite have the computer "know - how", so I appreciate having my own editor. Keep it up!

I'll be back later to post. I want to keep going, but I really have to do some decorating for Christmas. I didn't do a blessed thing before we left, except buy one big poinsetta from Costco. Yeah - I know poinsettas are poisonous for cats, but my cats never go near them, so I feel safe!

p.s. I went back and looked at your work a second time and it looks awesome - love it!

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

Thanks for your TR. I really enjoy your style of writing. DH and I are going on our last adult only trip to WDW that we'll have for a looooooong time. We check-in 3 weeks from today!

[MEK]

Originally Posted by Mr. & Mrs. Smith

Thanks for your TR. I really enjoy your style of writing. DH and I are going on our last adult only trip to WDW that we'll have for a looooooong time. We check-in 3 weeks from today!

Oh - I guess you will be going on your last adult only trip for awhile! Good for you. I hope you both have an awesome time. I definately wish I had traveled more before I had kids. One of the coolest things I got to do before my DS15 was born, was travel to New Zealand and Tahiti. I went when I was between 17 - 20 weeks pregnant. I was very nervous about traveling, but DH said he was going without me, so I decided to go on "this once in a lifetime trip". It was really a great trip and I'm so glad I went.

Thanks for joining in on my trip report!

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

Yes, I'll be about 24 weeks pregnant. We'll be in Florida for a month. We are lucky as we have done quite a bit of travelling before now. We are looking forward to whole new adventures with kiddies.

[MEK]

Originally Posted by Angelia'sthree

Great reporting~! I love trips alone with my husband. We rarely have any. I am sure you had a wonderful time.

Hey - I just saw your post! I missed it at the end of page one. Thanks for joining in!!!!!!