~~ Sew your Disney side Alli-son-son!! ~~ Allison's grad trip Jan 2016 ~~ Complete 2/22

[jandlinz]

Sounds like a fun morning! You really did make good time. Taking advantage of the single rider line was perfect!

 

[Ladyfish77]

Cool! I didn't know they did Characterpalooza at Epcot--thought it was a DHS thing! I'll have to keep my eyes out. I'd guess it's easier to do when the weather is cool so the characters does get overheated!

Really rude CM. It would have been so easy for her to do that in a polite way rather than ruin Allison's treat.

 

[Terkina]

We stopped in the church in the Norway pavillion, because we've walked by it several times, but never gone in... It was kind of cute - and I recognized the beautiful costume (what's it called Lillian?) from Lillian's own...

This is called Bunad. Bunad exist in many different varieties and is Norway's national costume. We use it at least on our National day 17th May, but many people use it when they are celebrating big occasions. I tried to find out where this particular Bunad comes from, but I couldn't find it out.


You got many good pictures of you and Allison with the characters and Photopass pictures.

 

[Sweetly]

Welcome back Lynee!!! How are you doing?

Yes - her nail is doing much better now. Hehehe... Yes - Disney food is good, it's funny how a person craves it when they are away - but towards the end of trips, I get so sick of it, I can hardly eat anymore. LOL

It's great to see you back!!!

I am doing ok. Trying to get back to the swing of things. We are VERY heartbroken, but we know we did the best we could do under the circumstances.
Agreed, by the end of the trip I want a home cooked meal, my own bed and shower. LOVE all the photos!! You always seem to get the best photographers.
How rude of the CM. Sometimes I wonder if people really know what is going on. I understand they have rules to follow, but they should ask before they judge.
Your photo on TT gave me a good laugh. I'm always holding on for dear life on all the rides. How was the dinosaur ride? My daughter will not go on it, as she has a fear of dinosaurs; at her age I have explained that they are extinct and her reply "you never know, one should be roaming around someplace". I am still trying to play catch up, but today work is busy. Have a great weekend!

 

[IowaTater]

Hahaha... Sorry - I love sharing my trips there too!

Haha, it's okay. I just didn't want to ruin the TR for myself.

I love doing Dismeets - they are so much fun! I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Sadly - I only met one new Diser this time - it would have been fun to meet more, I find that I coordinate most of my Dismeets through FB planning groups - and the January one wasn't very active until people started taking their trips - so I really didn't get the opportunity to set any up. Maybe the Oct board will be better?

Me too. I know it's kind of quiet in there right now but hopefully it's just because the trips seem so far away right now.

And bonus - they do a ride photo, even if it isn't so flattering...

I love how expressionless everyone else is. "Oh there's a dinosaur...ho hum"

As we were walking - Allison said "Mom, there's Pluto!" Cool... And as we kept walking - I noticed that other characters were following Pluto... Guess what? We stumbled upon Character Palooza! This was so fun! I just wish they had photopass photographers for these - as Allison and I had to take turns for pictures. Oh well!

I always forget that EPCOT does a Characterpalooza too! Maybe we'll be lucky enough to catch it on the next trip.

 

[nolacindy]

Yeah 4 park day!!! You are flying through this trip report! Love all of the character pictures. Now i'm tempted to go over to Epcot and see if I can make it out the of the park with a kaki-gori. I wonder whats going to happen next!

 

[disny_luvr]

Lots to catch up on!

Your MK day was great! I'm excited to try the new offerings at Pecos Bill this summer. Your food looked really good! Please tell where the photo booths are located in the MK. I need to visit them with my boys; we love photo booths. Our nighttime photos didn't turn out great either and I was really disappointed.

Great morning in AK! I hate Dinosaur. My boys mentioned they liked to ride it this summer but I don't know - that might be one they can ride with DH.

Way to make it to Epcot early (after visiting AK) and navigating through the bag check lines. Those little tricks are great! I'm glad you were able to make it to Sunshine Seasons.

 

[rdkeim]

All your pictures are wonderful! I liked them all but especially the ones with Chip and Dale. Question - does Sunshine Seasons close between breakfast and lunch? Or, it's not open for breakfast?

 

[DMGeurts]

Hi, popping in for the first time here but I've been following here and your PTR. Your character photos are adorable! Ugh, how rude of that CM. Kaki gori clearly is different from the alcohol slushies, so they are just showing their own ignorance that they don't know their own park! I say pffft to them.

Also, we've overlapped our two trips now, both November and Janaury. I kept an eye out but did not see you!
You're much more diligent than me cause I'm only half way through my November TR!

If we go in October (it's our one year Disney extravaganza cause we splurged on APs), I'll see if I can finally say hi!

Welcome!!! Such a bummer that we were there twice together, but we didn't bump into each other... We should really try hard to plan something for October if our trips overlap!

Thanks! I was so excited to see so many unique characters in one place - some of them I'd never seen, or hadn't seen in many years. So, it was really cool!

Yah - we were so confused, and poor Allison was so offended. I kind of thought it was strange that we had to explain to them what a Kaki Gori is... I agree - they should know their own park better... maybe not every drink that goes in or out - but if someone tells them what the drink is, they should know roughly what it looks like? It was weird - IMO.

Hahaha... Well, I wanted to have the November TR done with plenty of time to enjoy Allison's pre-trip planning - so I did skim over it a little bit in an effort to get it done. However, from a personal level... I prefer to hang out in the PTR section - so I like to get my TRs done and go back into hiding.

I sure hope we can meet up in Oct - that would be fun! Do you have a PTR going for that trip yet? Let me know when/if you do and hopefully we will overlap somewhere.

Thanks for stopping by - it's great to meet you!

You really got a lot of photo pass pictures. They all look really good. We usually use the single rider line on TT. It's almost always shorter than waiting in the long stand by line. Sometimes we ride together and sometimes not.
Liz

Thanks - I think we have our poses down pretty good now? Those first few trips - I was so disappointed in how I looked, and I learned that it makes a difference with how a person stands and poses... I think I have it down for the most part now? LOL

We do a lot of single rider lines too - it's just easier. We go enough that it's not super important to ride ever single ride together anymore. But it was sure nice to be in the same car for this one.

Sounds like a fun morning! You really did make good time. Taking advantage of the single rider line was perfect!

It was a great morning... It was my goal to get AK done quickly, because I knew we'd be arriving at Epcot when everyone else was - so I knew it might be an issue getting in, getting TT done and getting around WS... But we did good.

Cool! I didn't know they did Characterpalooza at Epcot--thought it was a DHS thing! I'll have to keep my eyes out. I'd guess it's easier to do when the weather is cool so the characters does get overheated!

Really rude CM. It would have been so easy for her to do that in a polite way rather than ruin Allison's treat.

I didn't know either! It was cool to literally stumble upon it!

Yah - she wasn't very polite about it, for sure. It did kind of wreck it for Allison - but by the time we got off of the boat, she was good again.

This is called Bunad. Bunad exist in many different varieties and is Norway's national costume. We use it at least on our National day 17th May, but many people use it when they are celebrating big occasions. I tried to find out where this particular Bunad comes from, but I couldn't find it out.


You got many good pictures of you and Allison with the characters and Photopass pictures.

Yes!!! I knew it had a specific name! Thank you!

Thanks - it was a lot of fun to see so many in one place! And the lines to meet them were super short!

I am doing ok. Trying to get back to the swing of things. We are VERY heartbroken, but we know we did the best we could do under the circumstances.
Agreed, by the end of the trip I want a home cooked meal, my own bed and shower. LOVE all the photos!! You always seem to get the best photographers.
How rude of the CM. Sometimes I wonder if people really know what is going on. I understand they have rules to follow, but they should ask before they judge.
Your photo on TT gave me a good laugh. I'm always holding on for dear life on all the rides. How was the dinosaur ride? My daughter will not go on it, as she has a fear of dinosaurs; at her age I have explained that they are extinct and her reply "you never know, one should be roaming around someplace". I am still trying to play catch up, but today work is busy. Have a great weekend!

Thanks for stopping by and catching up - it's great to see you back!

I know you did. :hugs: It's never easy to lose a pet - who is a legitimate family member... Big hugs to all of you.

Hahaha - yes - bed and a good meal are priorities once I get home!

That was a really rude situation... Like after we went through the exit turnstyle thing - she just walked up and blocked our way... We were totally taken by surprise. I am sure they encounter this a bazillion times per day at this location... But she was a true shocker.

Mmmm... Didn't love Dinosaur - we hadn't ridden it since 2008 and Allison had no memory of ever riding it, but we did. It's just too jerky for me, personally. But I would ride it again - it wasn't horrible... As long as a person knows it's rough ahead of time, they can somewhat brace themselves.

Hahahaha... I shouldn't laugh - but hopefully she doesn't encounter a dinosaur in her lifetime.

Thanks for stopping by and catching up - it's good to see you on The Dis again!

Haha, it's okay. I just didn't want to ruin the TR for myself.

Me too. I know it's kind of quiet in there right now but hopefully it's just because the trips seem so far away right now.

I love how expressionless everyone else is. "Oh there's a dinosaur...ho hum"

I always forget that EPCOT does a Characterpalooza too! Maybe we'll be lucky enough to catch it on the next trip.

Yes - true... Hopefully it picks up soon over there. I wonder if there aren't 2 FB groups? I think Jan may have had two? And I was in the slow one.... Maybe Oct is the same?

Hahaha... Yes - I didn't notice that. All I saw was that I had the "turtle in a shell" pose - I look like my head/neck is going to disappear into my jacket at any moment. LOL

I hope you stumble upon it too... I wish I could remember what time we went through there.... I wonder if my photos have a time stamp on them? They do!!! Ok - one of my photos was taken at 12:15... So right around noon-time near um... Gosh, it was in an alley between Italy and Japan somewhere.

Yeah 4 park day!!! You are flying through this trip report! Love all of the character pictures. Now i'm tempted to go over to Epcot and see if I can make it out the of the park with a kaki-gori. I wonder whats going to happen next!

Hahaha.... I am just trying to finish up, so I can go back into hiding in my PTR.

Thanks - that was so much fun - I couldn't believe that we had just stumbled onto them! It was cool!

Hahaha - you should try! I am curious if it was just us. LOL

I wonder?

Lots to catch up on!

Your MK day was great! I'm excited to try the new offerings at Pecos Bill this summer. Your food looked really good! Please tell where the photo booths are located in the MK. I need to visit them with my boys; we love photo booths. Our nighttime photos didn't turn out great either and I was really disappointed.

Great morning in AK! I hate Dinosaur. My boys mentioned they liked to ride it this summer but I don't know - that might be one they can ride with DH.

Way to make it to Epcot early (after visiting AK) and navigating through the bag check lines. Those little tricks are great! I'm glad you were able to make it to Sunshine Seasons.

Pecos Bills was OK... I mean - it's still Pecos Bills - LOL, but it wasn't horrible. However, I do miss that they don't have burgers anymore. I actually enjoyed those.

The photo booths are in Tomorrow Land - in the dump shop for Space Mountain... There are two of them there, only one is hooked to Photopass - it has the logo on it. When we were there, when facing the photo booths - it was the one on the right.

Yah - I didn't care for that ride either. However, I would ride it again. As you'll find out in my next update... There are rides that just scare the crap out of me, and I really get too anxious to ride... Those - I can do without. LOL

Thanks - yah it was helpful to be able to get through bag check quickly... We were pretty impressed with ourselves with that. LOL

I was happy that we were finally able to try SS.... It's not my favorite CS - but it worked.

All your pictures are wonderful! I liked them all but especially the ones with Chip and Dale. Question - does Sunshine Seasons close between breakfast and lunch? Or, it's not open for breakfast?

Thanks! Yah - Chip and Dale are my favorites! They are so funny and such jokesters!

It must? I am not sure? I ate there for breakfast in November and I ate there for lunch in January... They appeared to be closed when we went through there at 10:30... So, I am thinking they close to reset their kitchen? Not sure? It's possible that they still have their grab n' go stuff available for purchase during that time?

********************************************************************************

I know it's the weekend, but I am still hoping to knock out a few updates... My week days are crazy for the next few weeks - and so are my weekends...

For those of you who don't know me very well... Josh's brother and his wife live in Europe - they will be here on Friday with our only nephew (born on my birthday almost 3 years ago) and our only niece (who we have yet to meet - she was just born in October) and visiting for 2 weeks - so during that time, our lives stop (except for mandatory work) and their visit takes priority over everything else and every one else - as I am sure you understand.

However, I will do my best to do a few updates during that time to keep this TR moving along.

D~

 

[DMGeurts]

Day 5 Part 2

We waited a few minutes for the Friendship Boat to arrive... When it did, Allison and I loaded up. We decided to sit in the sun on the back bench - it was a little chilly when we weren't in the sun - but we were in the sun for most of the trip.

Hehehe... A sort-of selfie for you all...

And a few photos from our journey to Hollywood Studios...

The carriage that Allison will get to ride in one day... I was amazed at how beautiful it was... I always thought "glass carriage - ho hum..." But to see it sparkle in the sunlight - whoa!!!! It's really amazing and incredible!

And a few resort pictures - Boardwalk, of course...

Just as we were getting off of the Friendship Boat, the Dr. from yesterday's call FINALLY returned my call. So, I had her hold on for a sec while we walked up the sidewalk a bit where it was less noisy. Her instructions were this... We could either clip the nail back as far as we could - and just keep it covered during the day to keep anything from getting in there. We could also tape the nail down to keep Allison from bumping it off, and possibly finger splint it as well - again just to keep her from bumping it. She told us that it was VERY rare for an infection to happen in this area of the body - and since she had just finished up her round of antibiotics from her wisdom tooth infection - they were still in her body, and would still be effective for this injury. So, pretty much - there was no cause for worry with infection. Which was a huge relief for us. Glad she finally called us back... So... How do we obtain tape and a finger splint? First aid will hand out band aids like they are candy - but we've tried several times to ask for a roll of tape and they hold on to that stuff like it's a drug... OK - so, we'll figure this out.

We continued to DHS... Stopping for a few photopass pictures on the way in...

I was on a mission to find "Photopass Joe" - as I promised I would stop in and see him in January. As I was looking for Joe - I found Photopass Daniel - another favorite... I asked him if Joe was working - sadly Joe was off for a few days... It looks like we may not get to see Joe during this trip. Such a bummer! But I asked Daniel to take our picture - so he happily posed us and took a picture or two for us...

Daniel had a hard time remembering me - as I am sure he meets a bazillion guests per day... So I pulled up my Facebook and showed him the picture in November with Suzi, Bradey and I - where he jumped in and took a picture with us... Then he remembered us. He asked about Bradey and where they little guy was... I had to explain that he was home with his family, and not on this trip with us.

Photos taken... We were headed back to ToT to ride with our FP. This whole time, I had been coordinating a meet up with Cindy... She was just getting on the tram in the parking lot, so we decided to wait for her. I had an ulterior motive... See - I was having some anxiety issues about riding ToT... It's not my favorite ride at all... I hate falling and even more - I hate falling in the dark. I've been brave a time or two in my life and I have ridden it - so I can at least say that I've done it, and I know for sure that I don't like it. So, I was hoping we could meet up with Cindy and she could take my place - riding ToT with Allison.

Cindy arrived and had her own FP for ToT... So we all got in line... Watched the movie... Got in another line...

Yah - guys - no. can. do. I am outta here... Yup - there you have it, D~ took the chicken exit on ToT. I did laugh a little at the CM who took me to the unload waiting area... I told him I was a bit afraid of the elevators in ToT... He told me, the elevator we were in was the one I needed to worry about... After all - the elevators on the ride are monitored by Disney every moment of every day.... The elevator we were in was checked by ~whoever checks elevators~ once a year. Ahhh... Valid point... And then the doors closed and the CM chuckled nervously. Way to make me feel comfortable. LOL

But Allison and Cindy survived and had a great time!

After ToT - we stopped for some group Photopass pictures... I just love these girls! I am so happy that Cindy was able to join us this day!

One last Earful Tower photo (with some random guy)...

We headed towards Star Tours to ride with our FP, but we had some time to waste, so we stopped in to Backlot express to have a water. This line was insanely long, so the CM told us just to go up to the counter to ask for water... Well, getting a CM's attention here was almost impossible - we waited for a good 5 minutes for someone to come close enough for us to grab. But - we finally had our waters. We sat at a table outside in the sun and we chatted for a good 20 minutes with our waters.

Since Cindy's FP for ST was later - and it's a ride she can take or leave... Allison and I rode together while Cindy waited.

Probably the ugliest photo of me in all of this TR (until the last day, anyways... Sigh)... Those chevrons do NOTHING for my behind up in the air like that...

We wandered around for a little bit... Not wanting to leave the area - we decided to ride The Great Movie Ride...

We had a 4pm ADR at 50's Prime Time... We didn't want to ditch Cindy, so we asked politely at check-in if we could add another person to our table. It wasn't a problem at all. Cool!

Our server was "Aunt Rachel"... And she was the best server we have ever had at 50's. When she introduced herself, I noticed that she was young, and I was pretty skeptical about her ability to play her role... but I've never laughed so hard at a meal in my life!

Allison ordered the meatloaf (I think?), I can't remember what Cindy ordered, but I ordered the combo plate... I am glad I did - as it was much better than I remembered. I remember the chicken being my favorite years ago - but this time, the pot roast was my favorite... The chicken was just too greasy for me. We also ordered the onion rings as a side - after we'd ordered our food, another table had them and they looked good. And we also ordered our customary PB&J shakes for dessert... It's no wonder I gained 10 lbs and a full size on this trip!

Auntie Rachel was sooo funny... There was a window behind our table and once she punched her head through it, parting the curtains and said "I'm watching you!" And Allison replied "You sound like my Aunt Rozz..." Hehehe...

The table next to us also got into it a bit... When they walked in "Dad" was on his walkie talkie... So, Auntie Rachel had a good talking to him about that. Then later in the meal - he didn't eat his green beans, so he hid them under his napkin... When Auntie Rachel saw that - she spoon fed him with the whole area saying "Chuga chuga choo choo"... And as soon as she turned around - he spit them into his napkin. LOL I think we were the only ones to see that.

At one point - Auntie Rachel came out and I had my elbows on the table... Oops... I accidentally said "Oh sh**!" when Auntie Rachel caught me, and well - let's just say, from then on, I was known as the "trouble maker" and Auntie Rachel almost washed my mouth out with soap.

It was a fantastic meal - and we laughed so hard many times, that we were nearly crying.

We paid Auntie Rachel and tipped her gloriously... She was fantastic!

As we were walking out - we regretably noticed that we never got a picture with her. She happened to walk by and we asked her if she had a moment to pose with us...

Looking all around for someone to take our picture... A server walked by - and Auntie Rachel looked like she was hesitant to ask this person, but she was the only one around... So, this older CM with big glasses, took my phone... Proceeded to adjust and get it just right - making sure to get the TV in the background. We all put our elbows on the table and posed for what would be the most epic picture of the trip.

It wasn't until we were out of the park and on our way - I looked at the picture, and this is what we got... Lesson learned - look at the pictures and check them before you leave. What would have been a great picture of all of us - was not. There was probably a reason Auntie Rachel didn't want this CM to take this picture...

However - it's a great shot of the TV... And Allison's camera... And our leftover PB*J shakes... Sigh. At least Auntie Rachel is in it, so we can remember her always. Even if poor Allison was totally (and it really looks purposefully) cut out of the photo. :/

Cindy offered us a ride to MK - as Allison had a very important meet up of her own tonight... But first - Allison kindly asked Cindy if she could bring us to a Walgreens, so we could pick up supplies to do some minor surgery on her finger. Cindy - the sweetheart that she is, gave us a ride to Walgreens. At Walgreens, we had a list of a finger nail clipper (I forgot to pack one), medical tape and a finger splint. As we were checking out - I started laughing at us... We were TOTAL TOURISTS!!!! Allison was walking around with her big camera around her neck... I was still wearing ALL of my Goofy gear - including my ears! Cindy must have been so embarrassed to be seen with us? LOL

Medical supplies in hand... We were off to Magic Kingdom for our 4th park of the day... Some minor surgery... And a bit of "trunk shopping"... But we'll get to that later...

Link to Day 5 Part 3

D~​

 

[Terkina]

I really like the selfie taken on the boat.

Sounds like you had an amazing time at 50's Prime Time. What a shame Allison was cut out of the picture at 50's Prime Time.

I can't wait to hear about the rest of the day.

 

[DMGeurts]

Day 5 Part 3

First - my apologies for the lack of pictures in this post... There are lots of trip story updates buried in all of this text.

We pulled into the parking lot at MK - we found a great spot! Or, I should say, Cindy found a great spot!

Allison got out of the car, she'd had enough of this nail of her's. Sorry folks, no photos, I know you are highly disappointed... Allison proceeded to sit on the ground in the MK parking lot and perform minor surgery on her finger nail. I don't have the stomach for this sort of thing - not even for my child... She was on her own.

I averted my gaze, and as I did that, Cindy started opening her trunk - while giggling... Uh-oh... What in the world did she have in her trunk? What do strangers haul in their trunks? I was nervous... She was still giggling, motioning for me to come over there to look... So, I began, very cautiously walking towards her... I looked down in her trunk and it was STUFFED full of Vera Bradley bags... All sizes, all patterns, various stages of use... It was a girl's dream right there folks. What in the world? Why was Cindy hauling around so many bags? As I was asking her all of these questions... She was giggling... As it turns out - her bff and her have a LOT of VB - and a co-worker was interesting in possibly buying some of her used pieces she was willing to sell... So, Cindy and her BFF assembled everything in their collection that they were willing to part with - and Cindy had it in her trunk to bring to work for her co-worker to look through.

So, while my baby girl was performing minor surgery next to us, on the sterile ground... I was shopping for VB in Cindy's trunk. :whistle If it makes you all feel better - I was shopping for Allison. Bummed that I have no pictures of this either - because it was a sight! I ended up purchasing a Vera Bradley Purple Punch Vera Tote in almost perfect condition and a mini-hipster (can't remember the name of the pattern) in almost perfect condition - both of them for Allison. The tote would make a perfect carry on for her for our trip home and she carries my old mini-hipster all the time - it's near death actually... So, it was a good time for her to get a new one.

So, thank you Cindy - for the awesome opportunity to shop for VB in your trunk.

Back to the surgery... Allison clipped her entire nail off to the cuticle, right there in the MK parking lot. It was almost dark by the time she was done. But now that the nail was off totally - she was already in a LOT less pain. I admire her for sitting there and doing that - if it were me, I don't think I'd be able to do it - not even to myself. We put a band aid over the top of it, and proceeded to MK... Allison was super excited for her meet.

We were also meeting up with Santos tonight - who was so graciously waiting for us in Starbucks - and had been waiting for quite a while.

As we were walking through security - Allison's finger started bleeding profusely... Security was very helpful - as I was trying to manage her backpack plus my bag, and check out her finger. They helped me get her stuff out of her backpack to check it, and we very cautious about her extra lens and camera in there. It was just really nice of them to be so helpful.

We met with Santos in Starbucks - Allison decided she needed a treat after her surgery - who was I to refuse?

From there, we went straight to First Aid to grab some triple antibiotic ointment and another bandage, so we could do a better job wrapping her finger. By now, we were pros at this and didn't need any help from the nurses - just had to sign in, saying we were there...

Finally - it was time to meet up with Allison's friends. We found out that Allison's BFF and another friend would be in FL at the same time we were... we took the long way to Tomorrow Land because the MSE parade was going on... They were all waiting for us in Cosmic Ray's. All 3 girls were so excited to see each other in Magic Kingdom! They all decided to ride Space Mountain together, along with Santos and Cindy... I only have the one Photopass picture - Santos, Allison and Marah... Marah has been Allison's bff since about 5th grade.

While they were on SM - another ride I don't do... Falling... Dark... Yah. I decided to go for a spin on the Peoplemover.

While I was on the Peoplemover, Wishes had just started - so I was able to get a few not so great photos of that... I was just trying to enjoy being there and watching the fireworks from a favorite ride...

We all met up again after, and began walking towards the Hub... On the way - we noticed that the castle show was going on, so we stopped on the bridge and watched it from there - great location! I really tried hard to take a few photos of these moments, then put my phone down - so I could just enjoy the moment.

Right after this, Cindy had to leave - so we said our goodbyes to our wonderful friend, promising to meet up one more time before we left.

Then Marah, Josie and Allison took a few pictures - with Allison's camera - which I don't have... And then they left, since we could stay for EMH and the park was closed to everyone else.

We took a few Photopass pictures though...

We tried for PoTC - but it was closed...

So, then we headed to BTMRR - which was walk on...

Then we did Haunted Mansion... Which was super funny - we all squished into ONE ride vehicle - and we are not small people... Poor Allison was in the middle - my bottom was half on the seat because I was sitting sideways, and her leg and part of her behind was on my lap... It was so funny... Sooo glad we rode this way though - because Santos has done so many unofficial tours - and he had so much info about behind the scenes stuff on the ride.. It was really cool!

We tried to ride Peter Pan - but it was still a 30 minute wait, so we passed on it.

Same with 7DMT...

Santos and Allison did Astro Orbiter, while I sat at a table and froze my butt off.

We decided to head out... Santos went to his car and we hopped the ferry (monorail was closed for the night) to the TTC for a COLD ride across the lake. Allison was having major problems with her shins tonight - she could barely walk anymore - she was literally hobbling to the bus stop. Poor kid! I was worried this may happen.

We took a bus straight to SoG - and straight to bed. I looked at my fitbit right before I fell asleep - and we had just turned over 30,000 steps for the day! No wonder Allison's shins were cramping.

Thankfully - tomorrow is another day off... Feeling a victory because our days off were perfectly timed.

We were in bed by 11pm, successfully completing our mission of 4 parks in one day!

Link to Day 6 Part 1

D~​

 

[DMGeurts]

Day 6 Part 1

Thursday, January 21, 2016 - Day off plus Cirque Du Soleil

I was up at 6:30 on my own. I did my usual quiet time morning ritual of coffee/FB/Dis - I also took this opportunity to update my trip journal.

I let Allison sleep until 8:45 - hopefully resting her feet and shin enough that it didn't give her too much trouble today - and the rest of the trip. We still had a LOT of walking ahead of us - but I was even more conscious now about limiting our steps.

I ran down and grabbed our Starbucks to enjoy in our room while we were getting ready, I also grabbed my coffee mug I'd purchased in MK on our first day and had shipped back to the resort.

I still really want the coordinating sweatshirt that goes with this - all in due time, I guess... with so many trips this year - my spending priority is the trips themselves and I am trying hard to limit souvenirs.

We both continued to get ready for our day.

We were out the door at 10:20am. I had Monica's Chip & Dale bag with me, so I could give it back to her right away... We were planning to meet up again today.

We took the Shady Shuttle to the end of the property - again, it was a chilly day.

We stopped into Bou-Tiki in the Poly to do a little shopping - we were still a bit early for our breakfast ADR at Kona... Allison found these plants and she fell in love! She really wanted to purchase now, but she was saving all of her $$ for a wand at HP the next day - so she opted to wait, hoping the little light brown owl would still be there when she came back.

A cute photo of my baby girl...

We checked in for our Kona reservation a bit early... We ordered the pressed pot coffee (hated it)...

Then we each ordered an order of Tonga Toast and Macadamia Nut Pancakes - with the intent of splitting them half n' half between us.

Gonna be real honest here folks... Not a fan of Kona for breakfast. The first few bites were OK - but both items got very sickening very quickly - for both of us. Even only half portions of each were too much. If given the option between Kona or The Wave - The Wave has us, hands down. I know many people love Kona - and I can see why, but it just didn't sit well with us. I'd be open to trying it for different meals - but I don't think we will do breakfast again?

As we were waiting to pay our bill, Monica stopped in to visit us... I handed her the bag and we agreed to meet up down stairs as soon as we were settled up.

We met down stairs shortly after, and since Monica was staying at the Poly - she had access to the Poly pool... So, Allison and I threw on our swimsuits.... Bahahahahahha... JUST KIDDING! It was too cold to swim. But we did go sit by the pool - at a table with a view, and we chatted for a good hour - it was so nice and relaxing!

Allison was kind enough to take an I Spy picture of Monica and I - Monica is just so cute!!!! Me - OTOH - I am feeling and seeing the bloat and weight gain kick in big time here... Especially in my face. Sigh.

Monica offered us a ride back to SoG - and we took her up on it... She wanted to see the resort too, so it was a win/win. Sadly - a person doesn't get to see much of the resort by just dropping someone off - but they do get a nice "feel" for it. We were back at SoG at 12:45.

We decided to rest for a little bit... I took a picture of the bus schedule for later in the day when we needed it...

We got ready for our exciting night at Cirque...

We were on a TTC bus at 2:10... The monorail was down - so it was a cold ferry ride across the lake again...

Then a bus to French Quarter to meet up with a very special person & say hi to our favorite Disney resort. Allison curled my hair for Cirque - what do you think?

Yup here it is... Our first love...

It's Santos!!!! The beignet master of the world!!!! Seriously - he makes the best beignets... And it's been 1.5 years since we've had them!

We were planning to take the ferry/bus to DTD from FQ - but Santos had just gotten off of work, and he offered us a ride. Such a nice guy! We were telling him of our plans at Universal tomorrow - and all week he had been trying to get Friday off to go with us - since he used to work there and he's now an AP holder... He had just found out that he was able to get the day off - we were so excite! He offered to pick us up at SoG the next morning - bright an early - and chauffeur us to U/S, be our tour guide, photographer... Just all around great guy for the day! How awesome is that??? Santos is an amazing friend!

Anyways - Santos had to drop us off a little ways from DTD, and we had to walk a little bit... But we were able to enter right at where the Disney buses pick up/drop off. We went directly to Earl of Sandwich for dinner. We were a bit early still today - so we were trying to take our time.

I ordered The Original... This is my favorite here! We also split a mac n' cheese.

We wandered around DTD - trying very hard to take our time, we were still soooo early for the 6pm show of Cirque... Wandering in and out of shops, not buying anything - as I said before, I am on a temporary souvenir strike.... Doing my very best to save any $$ I might have for Souvenirs for the Vera Bradley Perfect Petals Hipster I need to replace - but ONLY if I find the perfect pattern placement. Slightly obsessive about that.

Alrighty... next up Cirque...

Link to Day 6 Part 2

D~​

 

[Terkina]

A great start on your park free day. Sounds nice to sleep in. How nice of Santos to drive you to DTD. Your hair looks really good when curled.

 

[Wood Nymph]

The photo booths are in Tomorrow Land - in the dump shop for Space Mountain... There are two of them there, only one is hooked to Photopass - it has the logo on it. When we were there, when facing the photo booths - it was the one on the right.

That is a great tip - thanks! We will be going to WDW in June with grandchildren, kids and my sisters and a friend and this will be a fun thing to do.

The carriage that Allison will get to ride in one day... I was amazed at how beautiful it was... I always thought "glass carriage - ho hum..." But to see it sparkle in the sunlight - whoa!!!! It's really amazing and incredible!

We usually stay at the Beach Club and have seen many bridal parties but have never seen Cinderella's carriage before. That must have been an expensive wedding. It would also be fabulous to ride in.

We waited a few minutes for the Friendship Boat to arrive... When it did, Allison and I loaded up. We decided to sit in the sun on the back bench - it was a little chilly when we weren't in the sun - but we were in the sun for most of the trip.

You are really lucky to get a seat in the back of the boat. It is usually occupied when we board the boat. Those boats are my least favorite ones of all the Disney boats. They are very noisy.

It was a fantastic meal - and we laughed so hard many times, that we were nearly crying.

I love your story about Rachael. It would be fun to eat there with the right server and with people who can handle being teased. DH refuses to eat there.

Cindy offered us a ride to MK - as Allison had a very important meet up of her own tonight... But first - Allison kindly asked Cindy if she could bring us to a Walgreens, so we could pick up supplies to do some minor surgery on her finger. Cindy - the sweetheart that she is, gave us a ride to Walgreens. At Walgreens, we had a list of a finger nail clipper (I forgot to pack one), medical tape and a finger splint. As we were checking out - I started laughing at us... We were TOTAL TOURISTS!!!! Allison was walking around with her big camera around her neck... I was still wearing ALL of my Goofy gear - including my ears! Cindy must have been so embarrassed to be seen with us? LOL

That was really nice of Cindy to take you to Walgreens. She was like your fairy godmother with the car and the "goods".

So, thank you Cindy - for the awesome opportunity to shop for VB in your trunk.

I bet there aren't too many people who can say that they bought their Vera Bradley bags in the MK parking lot. See what I mean about Cindy being a fairy godmother.

While they were on SM - another ride I don't do... Falling... Dark... Yah. I decided to go for a spin on the Peoplemover.

Did you have your flip flops in your carry on?

We took a bus straight to SoG - and straight to bed. I looked at my fitbit right before I fell asleep - and we had just turned over 30,000 steps for the day! No wonder Allison's shins were cramping.

That is an impressive number of steps.

We were in bed by 11pm, successfully completing our mission of 4 parks in one day!

Congratulations. You got a lot of rides done at MK, too, considering the park closed early. My sister and I did the same thing last February, stay after the 8pm Wishes and ride everything we could before the 9pm park close. We got a lot done, too.

 

[Wood Nymph]

If given the option between Kona or The Wave - The Wave has us, hands down. I know many people love Kona - and I can see why, but it just didn't sit well with us.

We don't like Kona at all. One reason is the slow service. The other is the restaurant's location. I don't like the way it is open like that. It is too noisy and cold. And Tonga toast looks disgusting, too. Give me the Wave with bacon and fruit every time.

Allison was kind enough to take an I Spy picture of Monica and I - Monica is just so cute!!!!

I like your Toy Story themed head gear and Monica's pineapple bag. I see that you switched to what looks like a warmer coat today.

Allison curled my hair for Cirque - what do you think?

Your hair looks cute.

Yup here it is... Our first love...

We like to visit our favorite resorts, too. It feels like going home. We stopped by POFQ to try the beignets one time. Too bad Santos wasn't the one cooking them. The ones we had were not very good.

We were planning to take the ferry/bus to DTD from FQ - but Santos had just gotten off of work, and he offered us a ride. Such a nice guy! We were telling him of our plans at Universal tomorrow - and all week he had been trying to get Friday off to go with us - since he used to work there and he's now an AP holder... He had just found out that he was able to get the day off - we were so excite! He offered to pick us up at SoG the next morning - bright an early - and chauffeur us to U/S, be our tour guide, photographer... Just all around great guy for the day! How awesome is that??? Santos is an amazing friend!

Once again you got a ride somewhere. It pays to have friends. I'm glad that Santos was able to join you.

We went directly to Earl of Sandwich for dinner.

We recently discovered how delicious the food was here. I like the chicken salad sandwich. DH likes the meat loaf. I wish it was a little easier to get here, though.

 

[OregonMomToWDW]

Loved that you attended a private trunk show while Allison performed surgery while in the MK parking lot.

You really have made some wonderful friends. Love how sweet they are.

 

[disny_luvr]

I can't believe you made it to four parks in one day. We can barely make it to two.

I also do not like ToT. I've been on it before, and last time I rode it, I seriously thought I wasn't going to make it off alive. I just don't like the anticipation of when you are going to drop. I'll never ride it again. DH, on the other hand, loves ToT. I don't know what is wrong with the guy.

I am a huge VB lover, too. I have one Disney VB. I don't know the name of the print but the background color is black and the other colors are bright (lots of pinks, reds, yellows, greens, etc.) It took me forever to pick the bag I wanted because, like you, it had to have the perfect pattern placement. I love it though and use it all the time. It's starting to show wear so I'm hoping to get another hipster this summer. In addition to my Disney VB hipster, I have many other VB bags, lunch boxes, hipsters, etc. We live about an hour from a VB outlet, and I go all.the.time. Seriously, it's dangerous!

Your evening in MK looked fun! It's always fun to spend time with friends. The Peoplemover is one of my favorites.

YAY for sleeping in and having a fun rest day! I think your hair looks cute curled.

Question for you - Is the Santos you meet in MK the same Santos you saw the next day? I'm thinking yes. He looks the same and Santos isn't a name you hear often. Is he a friend from Disney?

 

[Vernie822]

Catching up. Loving your report so far! I love Allison's hair like that, did she get it cut? So cute.

So, thank you Cindy - for the awesome opportunity to shop for VB in your trunk.

HAHA.. That's what friends are for, right!? How funny.. I know I can't say no to Vera Bradley.

Back to the surgery... Allison clipped her entire nail off to the cuticle, right there in the MK parking lot. It was almost dark by the time she was done. But now that the nail was off totally - she was already in a LOT less pain. I admire her for sitting there and doing that - if it were me, I don't think I'd be able to do it - not even to myself. We put a band aid over the top of it, and proceeded to MK... Allison was super excited for her meet.

Omg, one reveal of the band aid and you would've had to get me some smelling salts... No way no how. I didn't realize that Disney really won't do too much for an injury, but that's great she finally got word from your doctor and could fix herself up.

I still really want the coordinating sweatshirt that goes with this - all in due time, I guess... with so many trips this year - my spending priority is the trips themselves and I am trying hard to limit souvenirs.

That mug is so cute... I have never seen it before! I think I may need to get it next time.

Gonna be real honest here folks... Not a fan of Kona for breakfast. The first few bites were OK - but both items got very sickening very quickly - for both of us. Even only half portions of each were too much. If given the option between Kona or The Wave - The Wave has us, hands down. I know many people love Kona - and I can see why, but it just didn't sit well with us. I'd be open to trying it for different meals - but I don't think we will do breakfast again?

I looooooved those pancakes, but I wasn't a huge fan of the tonga toast. The pancakes are such a huge serving and after a while it was too much sweet for me. Still delicious though. And now the Wave is on my list. Those sweet potato pancakes are calling my name.

Cute picture! Absolutely love both bags. Your outfits this trip are on point!

The beignet excitement is real!!! I've only had those beignets once but they were delish. Can't wait to hear how you guys like Universal.

 

[DMGeurts]

I really like the selfie taken on the boat.

Sounds like you had an amazing time at 50's Prime Time. What a shame Allison was cut out of the picture at 50's Prime Time.

I can't wait to hear about the rest of the day.

Hehehe... Yah - I thought that was cool.

We did - it was great! I know - we were so bummed about that! Oh well, there was just no way we could go back and redo it.

I posted a bunch more yesterday and i hope to do a couple today too.

A great start on your park free day. Sounds nice to sleep in. How nice of Santos to drive you to DTD. Your hair looks really good when curled.

Thanks - it was very good for both of us to sleep in.

Thanks!!! I really did like it for a change - it's not something I would do every day, but for special occasions - it was fun.

That is a great tip - thanks! We will be going to WDW in June with grandchildren, kids and my sisters and a friend and this will be a fun thing to do.
We usually stay at the Beach Club and have seen many bridal parties but have never seen Cinderella's carriage before. That must have been an expensive wedding. It would also be fabulous to ride in.


You are really lucky to get a seat in the back of the boat. It is usually occupied when we board the boat. Those boats are my least favorite ones of all the Disney boats. They are very noisy.


I love your story about Rachael. It would be fun to eat there with the right server and with people who can handle being teased. DH refuses to eat there.

That was really nice of Cindy to take you to Walgreens. She was like your fairy godmother with the car and the "goods".

I bet there aren't too many people who can say that they bought their Vera Bradley bags in the MK parking lot. See what I mean about Cindy being a fairy godmother.

Did you have your flip flops in your carry on?

That is an impressive number of steps.


Congratulations. You got a lot of rides done at MK, too, considering the park closed early. My sister and I did the same thing last February, stay after the 8pm Wishes and ride everything we could before the 9pm park close. We got a lot done, too.

You are very welcome - always happy to help.

Yes - I am not so sure what was so impressive about it - to be honest, I think it was the "footmen" - it was so cool to see them walking with the carriage. I bet it was super expensive! Probably more than one of our total trips?

50's is always so fun to eat at, but this is the first time we have had a truly great server... I highly recommend Auntie Rachel to everyone! She was fantastic!

I know - Cindy was awesome! We were so lucky to have her with us, and for her to take us to Walgreens.

Hehehe... I know - that's just too funny! A great memory, for sure. Just goes to show that not all the magic happens in the parks - it can happen in the parking lot too.

Yes - Allison carried my flip flops in her back pack... I knew we'd be putting on a huge amount of steps this day - so both of us had back up shoes that we carried with us all day.

Yes - I was impressed with all we were able to get done in an hour... It was pretty cool. That was the first time I'd ever taken part in evening Magic Hours - I think?

We don't like Kona at all. One reason is the slow service. The other is the restaurant's location. I don't like the way it is open like that. It is too noisy and cold. And Tonga toast looks disgusting, too. Give me the Wave with bacon and fruit every time.

I like your Toy Story themed head gear and Monica's pineapple bag. I see that you switched to what looks like a warmer coat today.

Your hair looks cute.

We like to visit our favorite resorts, too. It feels like going home. We stopped by POFQ to try the beignets one time. Too bad Santos wasn't the one cooking them. The ones we had were not very good.

Once again you got a ride somewhere. It pays to have friends. I'm glad that Santos was able to join you.

We recently discovered how delicious the food was here. I like the chicken salad sandwich. DH likes the meat loaf. I wish it was a little easier to get here, though.

Yes - Kona definitely wasn't a favorite for us... Which was a bummer, but it was a restaurant I've always wanted to try, so now I am glad I know.

Thank you - Monica is always so adorable! I love my Toy Story set, but I've worn it on every trip for a few years now, and I am starting to tire of it... It may be time for me to make a new TS bag? Not sure I will ever get rid of this one though - as it is one of my favorites.

Thank you! I am not sure I would ever curl it on a regular basis - but for special occasions - it's kind of fun.

Bummer - yes, if you ever go to FQ again, look for Santos - he is always happy to step behind the counter and make a set of beignets for anyone... He doesn't normally work back there though.

Yes - it was so convenient to be able to get a ride... It was very nice of everyone who offered and we were very thankful!

Mmm... That does sound good!

Loved that you attended a private trunk show while Allison performed surgery while in the MK parking lot.

You really have made some wonderful friends. Love how sweet they are.

Hahaha, yah that was super funny.

I am very lucky - I love all of my Disney friends so much!

I can't believe you made it to four parks in one day. We can barely make it to two.

I also do not like ToT. I've been on it before, and last time I rode it, I seriously thought I wasn't going to make it off alive. I just don't like the anticipation of when you are going to drop. I'll never ride it again. DH, on the other hand, loves ToT. I don't know what is wrong with the guy.

I am a huge VB lover, too. I have one Disney VB. I don't know the name of the print but the background color is black and the other colors are bright (lots of pinks, reds, yellows, greens, etc.) It took me forever to pick the bag I wanted because, like you, it had to have the perfect pattern placement. I love it though and use it all the time. It's starting to show wear so I'm hoping to get another hipster this summer. In addition to my Disney VB hipster, I have many other VB bags, lunch boxes, hipsters, etc. We live about an hour from a VB outlet, and I go all.the.time. Seriously, it's dangerous!

Your evening in MK looked fun! It's always fun to spend time with friends. The Peoplemover is one of my favorites.

YAY for sleeping in and having a fun rest day! I think your hair looks cute curled.

Question for you - Is the Santos you meet in MK the same Santos you saw the next day? I'm thinking yes. He looks the same and Santos isn't a name you hear often. Is he a friend from Disney?

I was pretty impressed with our ability to do 4 parks too... It was a lot of fun to say we did it.

Hahaha... Yah - I've ridden it a couple of times, that's certainly enough for me. I think the ride that did me in though, was the one time I rode it in the dark - so when the doors opened, it was dark outside too... And that just totally freaked me out. After that ride - I was shaking... And I was DONE. LOL

I have a small VB problem... And I have a huge problem with my bags coordinating... It's just a "thing" for me, I guess. I just believe - if a person is going to pay that much $$ for a bag, the pattern placement better be good... There was a time that I didn't think about that sort of thing - but now I do... And I can't go back. LOL I have most of the pieces in the Perfect Petals pattern and several in the coordinating VB Flower Shower pattern to complete my set. I have V going on Where's Mickey - I still hope to get the Campus Backpack for her, for her birthday this year - but it's getting to be hard to find at a decent price, because Disney has stopped selling it. i might have to cave and pay more than I'd like to... It's the last main piece she needs to complete her travel set. I love your pattern though - when it first came out, I didn't like it at all... but then when we were in WDW with BFF - she got the Vera Tote in that pattern, and I was able to look at it closer - and I really LOVED it... So, on V's trip - if I have any extra souvie $$, I am hoping to get myself a hipster in that pattern - I think it would really go with a lot. Don't get me started talking about VB - I can go on all day. LOL

Yes - Santos is our good friend. We originally met him as a CM when we were staying at FQ a few years ago... We became friends on FB and every time we go down now - we try to hang out, as we don't get to see him any other time. He is just a great guy and a lot of fun to be around... A heart of gold, and a truly great person! We spent a lot more time with him this trip, than any other - but it was a lot of fun and a great time getting to know him even better. It sounds like he will be joining us at Universal again when I take Victoria back in October... Which she is so looking forward to - she loves Santos too.

Catching up. Loving your report so far! I love Allison's hair like that, did she get it cut? So cute.

HAHA.. That's what friends are for, right!? How funny.. I know I can't say no to Vera Bradley.

Omg, one reveal of the band aid and you would've had to get me some smelling salts... No way no how. I didn't realize that Disney really won't do too much for an injury, but that's great she finally got word from your doctor and could fix herself up.

That mug is so cute... I have never seen it before! I think I may need to get it next time.

I looooooved those pancakes, but I wasn't a huge fan of the tonga toast. The pancakes are such a huge serving and after a while it was too much sweet for me. Still delicious though. And now the Wave is on my list. Those sweet potato pancakes are calling my name.

Cute picture! Absolutely love both bags. Your outfits this trip are on point!

The beignet excitement is real!!! I've only had those beignets once but they were delish. Can't wait to hear how you guys like Universal.

Well.... She cut it off about a year ago - it used to be really long. So, it's been this short for a while now... I think she is trying to grow it out again though.

I know - it was too funny.... I couldn't believe how much VB she had in there - it cracked me up. What she had in her trunk to sell was probably the size of my total collection at home... But I love it all - I use it and rotate through all of it all the time. The only piece I've ever had truly wear out on me, is the Perfect Petals hipster I just purchased on this trip to replace my current one - and even though it's near death now, I still plan to carry it until spring - just to make sure it's truly dead. LOL I love that pattern so much - I'll probably have to buy several more hipsters over my lifetime.

Thanks - I purchased it in the dump shop of Splash Mountain... I still want the matching sweatshirt - but the mug was much cheaper.

Yes - I was shocked at that too... I am not sure why they staff nurses? All they do is look at it - you have to pretty much do the work yourself, and then they give you a pamphlet about how to get to urgent care... At least it's something - but it's not very helpful, unless all a person needs is a quick band aid.

Hahaha - thank you very much... I put a lot of thought into my outfits, and making sure everything coordinates nicely. It's not always easy - and I am always on the hunt for tops/bottoms that fit my themes... And very recently - I've taken to making some of my own things, because I can't find what's in my mind in stores, because those colors really aren't "in" right now... I am knee deep into my Halloween theme for our upcoming trip in October - and I am super excited about that. But finding purple anything right now, is almost impossible. So, I may be making another shirt in my future - which isn't my favorite thing to do... But I will if I have to. But thank you very much... It's fun to coordinate everything, and I love how it looks in pictures.

Yes - love our beignets!!! It's a great day when I am covered in powdered sugar from head to toe. LOL

One more update - then I am on to Universal - which will be several (SEVERAL) updates, and lots and lots of pictures!

****************************************************************************************

I am hoping for a couple more updates this morning... Again, my week ahead is looking quite busy - so my week day updates may be scarce?

D~