Hang In There Joan-May '14 TR-video links 2/2

[afwdwfan]

(I should really just have an excuse for not updating ready to paste in for when I need it twice a month).

I mean at least try to come up with something new. Seems like it is always Lilo's fault. That was hard enough to believe the first time you used it.

First we checked out the train. Appropriately located right next to the Disney exhibit

Walt would be thrilled by that.

The guide said that there was so little space that the food was stored in EVERY available space-even the bathrooms.

Hopefully not under the urinals.

On our way home from the mall we all agreed that no fireworks will ever be that good once you've seen Disney's. Maddie shocked us by saying she didn't really care if we went to see our local display, so we all cuddled up in the family room and watched MK's 4th of July show and Wishes on YouTube.

Seems like a great idea to me!

I did lay out the ones I have done and I'm really excited to finish. I think this is going to turn out super cool.

And good luck with the not pink back.

This was a character meet that was absolutely worth the wait. Peter fell backward onto the ground upon discovering that Princess Anna was there to meet him

Peter seems like he was fantastic. I'm glad you were able to cross another character off the list.

‘Cause you know we don’t pass a photographer without stopping.

Or a character...

Maddie must have remembered this queue area very well because they led us into the “second room” to meet the mermaid and Maddie told the CM “this isn’t the right way. We go that way to meet Ariel.” Luckily there was a princess to distract her and we didn’t have to try to explain that.

She's too smart for her own good.

Another side note-Maddie confronted me a few months before our trip and made me confirm her suspicions that the characters aren’t “real”. We did decide that while she’s technically right it’s much more fun to go along with it while we’re at WDW, and she did an admirable job of sticking to that. Honestly the magic didn't seem to be gone for her at all. While we were there she was 100% meeting the real characters.

I'm glad that it didn't ruin the magic for her and she was still able to have fun and enjoy the characters.

By then it was 10:25 a.m. and Maddie was starving. You know what that means dear freinds-- it was time for the first Pre-Snack Carts Opening Mickey Pretzel Hunt of the trip!

Yep... characters and pretzels. I think I've read this TR before.

 

[HumblePie]

Really enjoying your trip report! I love the Anna dress!

 

[keagansmommy]

Beyond love the quilt autograph idea! You are doing a terrific job!
I could never in a million years pull something like that off,
one because I can't sew to save my life, two because it would
never get finished because I have no patience!
Great Job and love your TR!

 

[Clarf]

Hey, because of your TR, we are going to see the Disney exhibit at the MSI, but I called yesterday to ask some questions, and they extended it through January! I'm so glad! We're still going to go before WDW, but don't have to rush this weekend. Just wanted to let you know in case you know anyone else who wanted to see it. And thanks for the tip on that. I had no idea that was there!

 

[sunnysideup3]

Thanks for the update on the MSI Disney Exhibit. I was bummed I wasn't going to be down in time, but looks like we have plenty of time now!

Can't wait for more updates Shannon!

 

[KatMark]

Hey, because of your TR, we are going to see the Disney exhibit at the MSI, but I called yesterday to ask some questions, and they extended it through January! I'm so glad! We're still going to go before WDW, but don't have to rush this weekend. Just wanted to let you know in case you know anyone else who wanted to see it. And thanks for the tip on that. I had no idea that was there!

Did they really extend it through January? Mark and I have not been able to go because of baseball and my understanding it was closing this weekend while we are in Vegas.

 

[shan23877]

Hey guys! The end of summer crush is upon us. I haven't been at home in the evening in weeks! I'm going to try to get an update done tomorrow afternoon.

Thanks for sticking with me, I promise that there is tons of great stuff yet to come!

 

[Cinderella909]

Hey guys! The end of summer crush is upon us. I haven't been at home in the evening in weeks! I'm going to try to get an update done tomorrow afternoon.

Thanks for sticking with me, I promise that there is tons of great stuff yet to come!

Well, you know you can count me in! It's been a crazy busy summer here as well, so I'm just barely able to keep up with your trip report as it is!

Hope you're having fun! Karen

 

[amandaw]

No worries, Shannon! You know I certainly understand about not having time to DIS. We'll be here when you have time.

 

[Clarf]

No worries! We're super busy here also.

 

[HarkiQuinn]

Ahh Maddie is such a little princess, I'm defintely following along!

Also, regarding your Chicago activities. Did you guys ever do the Summer Nights at the Zoo? They played Frozen twice. Cracked me up, still a lot of fun!

And thanks for your pics from the Disney Archive. I wanted to go, but DH went to MSI earlier this month for work and said that it didn't look too impressive (which was him basically saying, "no, we're not going.")

Can't wait for an update!

 

[shan23877]

Hi Shannon! Following along and enjoying your report.

I live in the Chicago area also, Northwest Indiana, and was considering going to Science and Industry's Disney Exhibit. Thanks for sharing your day there. There appears to be more to it than I figured and I may have to work in a visit before it's gone.

Your quilt squares are so cute! That is such a great idea! Can't wait to see the finished product.

Your daughter is darling and looking forward to reading more!

Welcome! So glad to have you!

It's crazy how many of us are from the Chicago area! I love it! I hope that you can make time for it, I was pretty impressed. There is a lot to see!

thank you! I have a few more squares to share today.

You are so sweet, thank you so much. More is coming right up!

You've been a busy woman, Shannon! Gotta love making that extra Disney money though. The zoo and museum outtings look like a whole lot of fun and there was some Disney mixed in so I am sure that it made the day even better.

Maddie's pictures with Peter Pan and Wendy are adorable! Peter never seems to let the guests down with his antics. Love his line about Maddie's shoes being bitten by crocodiles hence the name crocs.

I love extra Disney money! That's why I do it! We've had a lot of fun outings this summer.

Peter was perfect! I am so glad that we finally met him, and the crocs line was amazing!

Lots of great updates, friend!

Looks like y'all have been having much fun at home between the zoo & the museum. That Disney exhibit really looks fantastic.

The quilt squares are coming along very nicely! It's going to be beautiful when you finish.

And what a nice morning y'all were having in MK. The BBB pictures are so pretty.

Talk about a memorable meet up with Peter Pan! Sounds like it very entertaining and magical. Love his story about the Crocs.

And you even got your 1st ride in for the trip! I'm excited to ride that since it wasn't open yet on our last trip. I've heard the standby line is pretty neat.

Reid is also starting to ask if characters are real.....and not just Disney. People like Spider-Man, Cpt. America, etc. I hate for the magic to already be gone for him so I just ask him if he thinks they're real. He tells me (in an unsure tone) that they are so I tell him if he believes they're real, then they're real. But, I can tell deep inside he's really starting to lose the belief of the magic. Our babies are growing up.

Thanks Amanda! It's been a really busy but really fun summer. I'm almost relieved that school is starting LOL!

Peter was just perfect! I am so glad that we finally met him. The crocs thing cracked me up.

It's rough this growing up stuff. I was a little heartbroken, but seeing her interact with the characters made me feel better. She was really in the moment with them.

Oh my goodness! I want to see the Disney exhibit so bad! I wonder if it will ever come to a museum near me!

I hope that it travels, it's a great exhibit for a Disney fan!

That Disney Archive Exhibit looks amazing! Some of my favorite items are the actual "princess" books from the beginning of the movies, the EPCOT building stuff, and then anything with Mary Blair!

Your quilt squares are coming out great! That is going to look awesome when it is done! ... no pressure though

What a great meet & greet with Peter Pan - sounds so much fun!

Glad that the magic still held for Maddie on the trip but your story is a reminder of how fast they grow and that they won't be in the princess mode forever. I had a slip up a while ago with my daughter and we had to come to the agreement that Idina Manzell is just really good at singing that Let It Go song which is why they let her sing it on TV while the real Elsa is busy meeting people in WDW

The exhibit was great, an awesome little bonus at a fun museum. Lots and lots of cool things to see-especially since we've never made it to One Man's Dream

The quilt is coming along! i have more squares to share today! I am really eager to get them done so that I can start assembling.

Peter was incredible. Totally worth the wait.

Hahaha! Poor Idina. She's just a fill in for Elsa. I love that story though-great cover!

I dread this day. I know it's coming, but I dread it. I'm glad Maddie handled it so well!


Love your zoo and museum days. We love both of those places, and we can use our Milwaukee Museum pass to get into any of the Chicago museums, so I think we may have to make a trip before August to see the Disney exhibit! Is there an extra charge for that? No biggie if there is, I just like to be prepared! That would be a fun way to get MORE excited about our trip!

We also love the Brookfield zoo. Their ape house is amazing!

Love your update. I can't wait to ride the Little Mermaid ride, and I seriously can't get over how beautiful that Anna dress is. I almost want one for myself!

Peter Pan seems like so much fun. We've never met him, but this trip for sure! My younger DD would love to talk to him about Crocs!

I make my FP+ resos on Sunday at midnight! I'll let you know if we get A&E!

The exhibit is an additional charge. I can't remember how much, but it's not bad. Once you've paid to get it you're already desensitized

So sad that she doesn't believe any more. It's a rite of passage, but one I was not ready for.

You're going to love new Fantasyland. They did an incredible job back there. I'm totally jealous that you get to ride 7D -we never did get a soft open.

I'm so excited for you!

Wait... that map Maddie is holding is for the Zoo? It really does look like a Disney park map. THIEVES!!!!

Wow, that Disney exhibit is like One Man's Dream. And added bonus of having mini Vanna White showcasing some of the items.

OMG... that note/letter/whatever you want to call it of the Disneyland and MK entrance sign. "Here you leave today..." OMG seriously. That is chill inducing to see that.

Yeah, got a little teary reading that excerpt of the day Walt died. Especially the second part. That could not be more accurate.

I cannot wait to see the finished quilt.

I'm going to bet that Maddie doesn't even need instructions for poses for her Princess shoot. She just knows what to do.

Wow that is a smart kid knowing the way to Ariel. And truthfully, the characters will always be real to me.

Haha! It is a little like a Disney map! They've learned from the best!

I'm so glad you liked the exhibit photos. The paper with notes on the MK tunnel sign was really cool to me, and the quotes about Walt were very very moving.

Well she takes her characters very seriously, and never forgets ANYTHING!

Awesome updates!!!

About the characters not being real--my kids (11 and 8) know they aren't real, but even my 11 year old gets really into it when we go, loves to meet them and get their autographs. It's still super magical, even though they know the "truth." I'm glad it's the same way for Maddie.

The pic of her with Chip is adorable!!

And I am DYING over here at the disney exhibit at the museum!! I am on a huge Disney history kick right now, especially the history of Disneyland (I'm reading a biography of Walt), and all of that is just amazing. What a wonderful experience!

I was so relieved that she still loved the characters. It's been such a big part of our trips, I wasn't ready to let it go!

I hope you get over there! it's a very cool exhibit! Check out the 3-D printing at the Fab Lab too, we were wowed!

I am typically a lurker and don't say much, but I just have to this time. I love your trip reports! The Anna dress was there!! That would've made me tear up for sure.

My fam and I took a trip to Chicago a few months ago to see the Disney exhibit and the rest of the museum. It was awesome! I loved the Mary Poppins stuff, and all of the history. Just amazing! Thanks for posting! It brought back some great memories!

Thank so much for joining in! I'm so glad to have you!

I'm so glad that you got to see the exhibit! It's great isn't it! I thought it was really well done.

wow! so many updates!! Love all the real life stuff and summer adventures! Looks like fun!
The quilt is coming along amazingly!! Love it!!

The pictures are so cute! And so glad ya'll had a wonderful time with peter & wendy! They're awesome! glad you got to see them before wendy left too!!

IS THAT WHAT WE HAD TO DO FOR THE 4TH FP?!?! UGH! I couldn't figure it out, we had that on our may trip and I didn't know how to "book" it so we skipped out...SAD DAYS lol.

Love the shot with Maddie & chip! SO cute!

Is Wendy gone now? Ugh. I love the 'minor' characters. We never met the Tremaines this trip. I'd hate to think they're phasing some of them out.

Hahaha! Yes! I called and the CM on the phone had never heard of it, but agreed that's what we should do. Worked like a charm!

The Disney archive display was wonderful. Thanks so much for sharing! I would love to see something like that. I wonder where else it travels.

Loved all the wonderful pictures of Maddie! And I know I said this before - but that dress is pretty awesome and she really knows how to work the camera.

Thanks for the updates!

It was great! I do hope that it travels, I know there are lots of Disney fans around the country who would appreciate it.

Thanks! she's a little ham and cannot resist posing in those dresses!

 

[shan23877]

Joining in!!

I'm glad you're here! I have to get caught up on your TR-I fell behind again.

Great updates, Shannon!!

You were right - I loved the Mary pics from the museum!!! Thanks!

Thanks! I knew you would!

Oh how fun! I loved the pics from the Disney exhibit- thanks for sharing!

Also- those quilt square are amazing! What a cool idea!

Thanks so much! I'm glad that everyone enjoyed them, I was worried that I was going overboard.

I can NOT believe I just found this and that you're already so far into your TR! I'm going back to read now. I can't wait to get all caught up!!!! I've got to see some maddie in a princess dress....

I'm so glad you're here! You know I don't move too fast, you're just in time!

Our next trip isn't until January 2015 I really wanted to do September again but with starting in the hospital recently, I can't take vacation time that soon! Plus my little sister wants to come and she's still in college so we had to do it over a break for her.

Maddie's Disney training to grab a map came out at the zoo On easywdw, Josh posted a video of Anna/Elsa RD, and a woman stops to grab a map on the way and her husband starts freaking out! It's hilarious!

Looks like you guys had a lot of fun at the museum! The Disney exhibit looks amazing! I wish our museum had one! It also looks a lot like One Man's Dream in HS which makes it even cooler.

The quilt squares look so fantastic. I can't wait to see the finished product.

Maddie's photo shoot pictures look precious as always. She's a natural!

Aw it's sad that she's caught on to the truth. Why do kids have to grow up?! But I'm glad she didn't let that stop her from enjoying the magic at WDW!

I've heard great things about January. I'm sure you'll love it!

Hahaha! i'll have to check that out. I'd be that person yelling at my group "hurry up!! We have to get there!"

The exhibit was awesome. I hope that it travels, I'd love for more people to get the chance to see it.

she's getting so grown up. I was so relieved that she still had fun with them.

Good idea! Here, let me help. Just copy and paste the following.

"I'm sorry I didn't update sooner. I really don't have an excuse. I'm just lazy."

See? Aren't I helpful???

You are SO helpful. I'm going to keep that in mind, but for my next excuse I had something else in mind

She was so angry she felt like punching something or someone?

Well, she didn't want to leave...

And just how tired were mom and dad after all that?

exhausted! Thanks for asking.

That would be cool.
But I suppose breathing is important, too.

Up next. A very flattering portrait...

I like to breath. I do it often.

whispers...sometimes I don't look good in photos. I usually only share the decent ones. don't tell anyone though.





]QUOTE]See? I told you, you could just cut and paste that comment.[/QUOTE]

You are the MOST helpful!

Liked that... but couldn't quite read all of it.

Me neither. i was hoping someone else could.

Walt with Mickey's cousin, Lazy eye Mike.

Wow! Great pictures, Shan! They should be in a museum!!

Demures...Thanks Ponzi! I was sort of proud of those.

mmmmmm..... Cheesecake Factory.....

It's so good.

Only!
While they're all nice, I like the bow on Snow the best.

Thanks! I liked that one too!

I've seen lots of those, usually with Tink, and I'm never overly impressed with the quality.
Either Tink (or whomever) is a little off, or the expression isn't quite right, or the eyes aren't quite on the prize.

She nailed it.
Perfect pic. Really looks like she's got Chip there.

Thanks Ponz, she's an old pro. It's a cute one though. A good addition.

Aw. Sad to see that come to an end... but fun to watch her "grow up" too.

ugh. It's so hard for mom. I'm enjoying her grown up self a bit more these days though.

Thanks for all the updates Shanomile!

And for all the comments Ponzerific!

Hey! My FP+ window just opened about an hour ago, and I'm happy to report I got the elusive Anna and Elsa FP+! There weren't any available until the LAST day of our trip, but we'll take it. It's secured and my girls will be so happy. We also scored 7DMT for our first day!

AWESOME!!!! That's so great!!!!

Shannon, I don't know how you do it.

It looks like a fun day at the zoo (I was there a couple of weeks ago with Mark and Alisha; did you know one of the polar bears is pregnant?).

I am so upset that I never go to see the Disney exhibit at the Museum; I'm so glad you, Brian and Maddie got there and enjoyed it, along with other aspects of the zoo.

Maddie's portraits in her coronation dress are wonderful.

Love the interaction with Peter Pan.

haha! Lots of caffeine and very little sleep.

I didn't know that! We spent tons of time watching the baby gorilla though. So cute!

Thanks Kathy, she love having that portrait session.

Peter was top notch. So fun.

Aaw loving reading all about your zoo and Disney museum trip!

I've been meaning to get myself to our local zoo for a while now so your report may just do the trick

Great new additions to the quilt

Sounds like Peter Pan was totally in character and glad the meet was well worth it.

Mmm did you mention a pretzel...my stomach is rumbling already!

Thanks Tanz! I hope you got out to the zoo!

Peter was 100% worth it. So fun.

Hahaha! I could go for a pretzel about now too.

The museum exhibit is awesome, I'd have felt a little teary seeing that. So glad Maddie appreciated it.

Your quilt is going to look fantastic, can't wait to see the finished product.

Back to Disney, my jaw was on the floor when I read about Maddie finding the coronation dress. I was SO sad when I started reading the report because I thought her dreams were going to be shattered, I never in a million years thought you'd find one.. The dress is gorgeous too, much prettier than the Elsa dresses and even Anna's 'regular' dress. So emotional reading about Maddie's faith in Disney making her dreams come true.

Glad your enjoying your summer!

Aww, thank you! It was really really emotional for me. She wanted that darn dress so badly. I love that Disney never lets her down. It really is a magical place that allows kids stay young and innocent.

Glad you enjoyed the museum pics! I was afraid it was overkill...

Oh bummer, we went to see that exhibit on July 6! I am sorry we missed you by a couple days.

The quilt is looking so nice!

Peter Pan in my favorite so he is on my list of characters to meet for next trip. Glad you had a great experience.

How funny! Too bad we missed you! Did you enjoy it?

He was so much fun! I hope that you meet him, I rarely hear of meets with Peter that end with disappointed guests.

I haven't been to the Brookfield Zoo in forever! We went to Lincoln Park zoo a few months ago. I love Brookfield though.

We went to the exhibit at MSI at the beginning of the year. It's so awesome! I'm glad that Maddie had a lot of fun.

For me, seeing all of the items that were originals was just awesome. So glad that it traveled to our area.

What an awesome meet and greet with Peter! I love it when they're so into their jobs.

Hahaha. Love and shove.

We have passes to Brookfield so we're there a lot. There's a baby gorilla!

Maddie loved it! She had the best day at MSI

Peter was incredible. I love him.

Haha! Can't take credit for the phrase-I got it from Katt.

This is where it all started... running for rope drop! They learned how to run and then years later, they taught their children well and many are still running to meet Elsa and Anna and off to Toy Story Mania!

Thanks! I'd love to see the Disney exhibit! A Net Full of Jello indeed!~

Karen

hahahaha! Exactly! it's the original TSMM and A&E dash!

I'm so glad that you enjoyed the pics. It was really cool to see so much Disney history.

The museum exhibit looks amazing! I would've loved to have seen that.

I know all about the "suspend disbelief" for the characters thing, because I do it myself. It's fun finding out exactly what our kids know

VotLM is a really fun ride, and the queue area is beautiful. They really knocked this New Fantasyland thing out of the park, IMO.

The exhibit was really something special. I'm so glad we made the time to go.

I wish she'd kept me in the dark a bit longer, but I'm so glad she still enjoyed them. It was a relief.

NFL is great isn't it? the details are stunning.

I'm all caught up with this TR and am subbing. Maddie is just too cute!

I"m so glad to have you! And thanks!

 

[shan23877]

I mean at least try to come up with something new. Seems like it is always Lilo's fault. That was hard enough to believe the first time you used it.

hahaha! This time I can't even blame it on Lilo, though it is usually her fault...

Walt would be thrilled by that.

LOL! right?

Hopefully not under the urinals.

shuddering... I hope not.

And good luck with the not pink back.

I haven't broached the subject yet. Next week. I appreciate your good wishes.

Peter seems like he was fantastic. I'm glad you were able to cross another character off the list.

He was great! Can you believe we'd never met him?

She's too smart for her own good.

And ours, and the CMs...

I'm glad that it didn't ruin the magic for her and she was still able to have fun and enjoy the characters.

Me too! You know how much she loves them!

Yep... characters and pretzels. I think I've read this TR before.

Hahahaha! Only our outfits change!

Really enjoying your trip report! I love the Anna dress!

Thanks so much for joining in! Isn't it cute!

Beyond love the quilt autograph idea! You are doing a terrific job!
I could never in a million years pull something like that off,
one because I can't sew to save my life, two because it would
never get finished because I have no patience!
Great Job and love your TR!

Oh thank you so much! I really appreciate that!

It's taking forever because I'm growing impatient with it! LOL

You win favorite post of the day! Thank you!

Hey, because of your TR, we are going to see the Disney exhibit at the MSI, but I called yesterday to ask some questions, and they extended it through January! I'm so glad! We're still going to go before WDW, but don't have to rush this weekend. Just wanted to let you know in case you know anyone else who wanted to see it. And thanks for the tip on that. I had no idea that was there!

YAY!!! I'm so glad you're going to check it out! I am going to mention that to MiL as I know she'd love it and hasn't gotten there yet.

Thanks for the update on the MSI Disney Exhibit. I was bummed I wasn't going to be down in time, but looks like we have plenty of time now!

Can't wait for more updates Shannon!

I love how many of us are from the Chicago area! So cool! I hope that you check it out!

Did they really extend it through January? Mark and I have not been able to go because of baseball and my understanding it was closing this weekend while we are in Vegas.

I heard January too Kathy. You have plenty of time!

Ahh Maddie is such a little princess, I'm defintely following along!

Also, regarding your Chicago activities. Did you guys ever do the Summer Nights at the Zoo? They played Frozen twice. Cracked me up, still a lot of fun!

And thanks for your pics from the Disney Archive. I wanted to go, but DH went to MSI earlier this month for work and said that it didn't look too impressive (which was him basically saying, "no, we're not going.")

Can't wait for an update!

Oh thanks so much! Another Chicagoian! There are tons of us! I love that!

We haven't made it to Summer nights. I usually work the weekends. I did mention to Bry that he should take her, but he never did.

hahaha! It was fun! I can see it not being for everyone though.

 

[shan23877]

Excuses, Excuses​

I am terribly sorry for my DIS absence of late. The last few weeks have been a whirlwind of swimming lessons, art classes, trips to the water park and zoo, 2 major league baseball games (though I’m not sure it’s fair to call the baseball being played on either side of town “major league”), back-to-school shopping, hair cuts, dentist and doctor appointments, and cashing in the last of Maddie’s prizes from her summer reading challenge.

At the Cubs game







at the zoo





And posing with her AG



​

If I may… back on June 1 we challenged Maddie to read 1100 pages of mom-approved chapter books. It was slow going in the beginning, but she not only completed the challenge-she did it with 3 weeks to spare! Since finishing she’s continued to carry a book with her everywhere she goes and the princess chapter books that took her a week or two to finish last spring now take her only a few days to read! We’re super proud of her, and she’s quite pleased with herself. Along the way her “prizes” were the trips to the zoo, museum, and water park as well as more tangible items. Her 2 ultimate prizes were the Disney Infinity video game and a new outfit for her American Girl.

As for back to school shopping, we spent an entire afternoon looking for the perfect pair of shoes, and another amassing school supplies. When I got the email from the Disney Store that backpacks and lunch boxes were on sale I asked if she liked the princess one (I always get the backpack from the Disney Store. I like that they won’t fall apart midway through the school year, and she likes that they’re sparkly). Her reply? “I want a Frozen one, mom”. “Excellent”, I said.

To save myself hours of heartache, I went to Amazon. 4 days later these little beauties appeared on our front porch.

​

I would like to make Maddie and I bags for next year’s trip (and maybe start selling them) so I ordered myself one of the Disney Vera’s, you know for reasearch. It should be here in a few days. Yay!

​

Luckily I’ve had a light few weeks in terms of Etsy orders, so yesterday I parked myself at the machine and cranked out some more quilt squares. Only 5 more to go!

Doc




Ariel





Tink





Cindy





Chip and Dale





Tiana





Jake





Handy Manny





Gaston-any idea how hard it is to come up with something sewable for Gaston? Eggs, spitting, antlers, and beer-none seemed quite right for a child's quilt. I settled for his shirt.



​

Thanks for letting me share! WDW updates coming right up!

[/FONT]

 

[shan23877]

The One Where Our Heroes are Unsuccessful
​

When we last left off our heroes were about to embark on Mickey Pretzel Quest. It was decided that Maddie and MiL would stay in Storybook Circus and ride the Barnstormer while Bryan and I undertook our mission. They joined the short standby line, and we headed into Tomorrowland.


This isn’t our first Pretzel rodeo. We know the places to look in a given park so we headed straight toward our usual snack stand to procure the treat. We arrived to find that they were open, but didn’t have any pretzels. No problem, we’d go to the Lunching Pad. But, they weren’t open yet.

We poked around Tomorrowland for a few minutes hoping that a pretzel cart would magically appear before heading back to Storybook Circus to admit defeat.


It had begun sprinkling a bit by the time we got back to them (near constant rain was forecast for that day and the next), so we ducked into Big Top Souvenirs to regroup. After browsing all the merch and offering Maddie her choice of any treat that they offered to no avail we ponchoed up and headed back outside. (Photos may be light since I put the DSLR away while it was raining).


Dumbo had a relatively short line so we decided to take a spin. The rain was beginning to kick up a notch, so MiL opted out “so that she wasn’t taking a kid’s place if they shut the ride down soon”. Very sweet, except Bryan would still be occupying the vehicle that she would have used… Oh well, we had fun!

​

After Dumbo, Bry convinced Maddie that popcorn sounded good, and when they got into mock argument about sharing, the CM working the cart offered Maddie her own “princess sized cup” of popcorn free of charge. What a sweetie! She loved that.


Our 10:45 FP to meet Cinderella and Rapunzel was good, so we headed over there to visit some royalty. As we passed I noted that the A&E standby was at 270 minutes at that time.


The CM at the entrance to Princess Fairytale Hall greeted us by name (I think he was the only one to do so), and welcomed us inside.


This was our first visit to the new Hall, and we were suitably impressed. Light brick walls adorned with royal looking flags made up the first hallway, and then the room where the standby and fastpass lines merge featured the glass slipper and lots of princessy touches. (I have photos from a later visit I think).


Very quickly we were led into the room where Cindy and Rapunzel awaited.

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Neither Maddie nor I remember much about this M&G. From photos it appears that the princesses chatted with Mads about a few things, posed for photos, and offered a goodbye hug. Pretty standard.

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Our lunch reservation was rapidly approaching so we decided to kill some time in Sir Mickey (PFH dumpshop) before heading over there. I was in the market for an Anna coronation dress for RGirl’s daughter Willow, but at the time they only had a few in the smallest sizes. The selection of Frozen merch was just as pitiful as it had been at DTD. Plenty of rice krispie treats, some books, and the same 2 T-shirts. Maddie bought herself an Aurora/Ariel flip doll, and after much debate I got myself a set of Ursula themed ears.


Having killed plenty of time, we moseyed over to the castle to check in for lunch….

 

[shan23877]

The One With Cinderella’s Royal Table​

Some of you may remember the experience we had at Cindy’s last year was less than stellar (here’s a link if you’re interested) so we approached this ADR with a bit of trepidation.


We approached the check in desk and were told to go right in to wait. Already an improvement. Perhaps it was the early hour of our reservation (11:45) or maybe they were just doing a better job turning over tables on this day, but he lobby was nearly empty. In no time at all we were meeting Cindy.


She was just lovely. She and Maddie danced, chatted about shoes and mouse friends, and then posed for some photos and shared a hug. A lovely hostess, that Cinderella.

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Our photos were added to our PP via Magic Bands, but I honestly can’t remember if we were given the hard copy as well. I know that it’s always been included in the past, but I hear that many character dining locations are no longer offering those. Anyone know if it’s still included?


Almost as soon as we were done chatting with Cinderella our name was called and we headed up the red-carpeted staircase.

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On previous trips we’ve been seated right next to the windows, on the far left side of the dining room, and on the far right. On this day we were seated in the middle section of the dining room, completing our tour of Cindy’s.


As our server approached I steeled myself for any sign of attitude, but I needn’t have. Our server Tina was simply lovely. She greeted Maddie by calling her princess, and when we requested water in addition to our soft drinks she didn’t bat an eyelash. Already this experience was much improved over our last.


Shortly she returned with our drinks and the “appetizer” plate for the table. Chef's Tasting Plate -
Cinderella has instructed her royal chef to start off your meal with the "specialties of the castle" This consisted of hummus, crackers, cheese, and an arugula and strawberry salad.

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Maddie took one look at it and said “no thank you”. Bry just isn’t a fan of hummus, and being a bigger Midwestern guy, arugula salad just isn’t his jam. . MiL and I enjoyed most of it. The cheese was hard, and not in a good way (it was a mid-quality cheddar), but the hummus and salad were both nice.


We’d all chosen the short rib for our entrée. Major Domos Short Rib - Slow-cooked in a Pinot Noir Demi-glace on potato and parsnip puree with carrots. Sorry no photos. Not being a person who usually orders short ribs, I don’t have much to compare this to, but it was good enough. Not earth shattering or life changing, but good enough. The meat was very tender and not too fatty, and the parsnip puree was surprisingly delicious. The sauce was a nice consistency, not too winey. Maddie chose Mac and cheese, and ate about as much as you’d expect her to in a room teeming with princesses.


Shortly after our meals arrived, so did the gals. Snow White was the first to stop by, and she was just adorable. She reminded me a lot of the actress who plays Hailey on Modern Family. She was thrilled to receive her bracelet from Maddie, and spent quite a bit of time chatting with not only her, but also the adults at the table.

sharing a laugh





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Ariel was next. She proudly put on her new jewelry, and showed Maddie the ‘secret pocket’ in her dress where she’d keep it so that the other princesses didn’t get jealous over how beautiful her gift was. She chatted about Flounder, and told Maddie that Prince Eric was out walking Max. She was pretty great.

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Jasmine was next, and judging by the amount of photos I have of her, she didn’t stay long.

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Aurora rounded out the group. She was thrilled that Maddie had made her bracelet pink and blue and told Mads in confidence that her favorite color is purple-something she arrived at to appease the fairies. Maddie thought that was downright fabulous and giggled about it for a long time.

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At some point during the meal the Wishing Ceremony occurred. (no photos, Bry had the camera and does not feel the need to document everything--spoilsport) This has long been a favorite of Maddie’s. On this day she squeezed her eyes tightly shut, made her wish, and then opened them to say “My wishes all came true, I’m at Disney World with my family”. Bless her little heart. This is why we return year after year.


Finally it was time for dessert. MiL had chosen- Our Signature Dessert - The Clock Strikes Twelve - white and dark chocolate in a tribute to the moment Cinderella lost her slipper.

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She liked it, but was mostly impressed with the presentation.

I chose the Seasonal Cheesecake –strawberry I think

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It was okay, the texture was a bit grainy rather than silky smooth, but the flavor was nice


Bryan selected Seasonal No Sugar Added Sorbet - with Berries-lemon was the flavor of the day.

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It certainly tasted “no sugar added”! It was somehow more sour than straight lemon juice. Wow. He didn’t eat much of it.



Maddie picked the trio of cones at the suggestion of our server.

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It was really cute. 3 little cones filled with strawberry, chocolate, and vanilla mousse and topped with crunchy little balls. She didn’t eat much of it, but I tried them and they were all pretty good. The strawberry was my favorite. It didn’t exactly taste like fresh strawberry, but I like strawberry flavored stuff.


We’d taken care of the removal of dining credits when we checked in, so we thanked our server profusely (yay! She returned the magic! Maddie did not ask for wands and swords for us, but I have no doubt that if she had we’d have been given the no questions asked), and headed back out into the drizzle.


Overall the food at Cinderella’s Royal Table was fine. You can expect standard table service food at signature prices in an extraordinary setting. If Bryan and I were to visit WDW without Maddie we would certainly skip CRT, but for our little princess it’s still a Must Do.



If the price tag is weighing on you, I’d do dinner there. The food feels slightly more upscale and more worthy of the hefty fee at dinner than lunch. Having done all 3 meals there I think that I prefer the food at dinner, but both breakfast and lunch offer nice selections. Got to CRT for the experience of dining inside the castle, the chance to visit some friends without huge waits, and the magic of the wishing ceremony.



Cinderella’s Royal Table

Food 3

Service 4

Would We Return? Of course. I plan on being a regular diner until Maddie opts out.


Cost for 2 adults and 1 child: approximately $160 (gratuity is included). DxDP credits used-2 per person for at a cost of $160. So, we broke even there, but didn’t have to budget additional money for gratuity.

 

[katt789]

Yeah, wendy’s pretty much gone now. Half the cast members have a #whereswendy2014 hastag going on on instagram, bahha! She still does dream along & usually day parade but that’s it now. I don’t think the tremaines are going anywhere though, they expanded their sets when the parade changed!!

Love the frozen backpacks!!

I totally bought that vera for myself last trip!

Having met both those friends of princesses before, yeah, I’d say nothing memorable happened…bahaha!

Now the castle Cindy, seems much better!!

MODERN FAMILY SNOW!! RIGHT?!?!?! I knew exactly who you were talking about right away! Lol I had the same thought! She’s wonderful! I really like her and she’s super friendly through insta too lol! Also I love that Ariel, we had the same one, I totally didn’t know she also had a pocket in her dress! Defs not the same Jas we had though, and glad aurora was awesome too!

So glad that ya’ll had a much better experience this time! It really can screw with how you feel about a place, I know I won’t be returning to BOG for a while now, like, it’s great, Shelly’s amazing, but the only reason I didn’t complain big time last time we were there was because of her….it was not great lol.

Can’t wait for more, hope the rest of your summer goes fantastic!!

 

[amandaw]

Sounds like y'all have been busy, indeed!

That's great that Maddie has done so well with her summer reading challenge! And your quilt squares are coming along quite nicely! It's going to be beautiful when all put together!

I also bought the Vera Hipster in that same pattern just a couple of weeks ago. I love it! I don't like a big purse so it's a really good size for me.

I'm glad y'all had a much better experience @ CRT this time around. Although, I don't think it could have gotten much worse from last time.

That stinks that y'all couldn't find a pretzel though.

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

Wow, that is just so super awesome that Maddie did all that reading. Prizes or not, that's a great accomplishment.

Hehe, I feel like I had a sneak peek on the Amazon purchases via our post on my TR.

Ooooh nice... Disney purchases for research... I gotta remember that Shannon.

Ooooh and another good piece of advice... pretend to argue and get free stuff. I am totally writing all this down.

“My wishes all came true, I’m at Disney World with my family”. OMG that is just too precious!!!