I Can't, I'm Not Wearing a Princess Dress! - New TR link!!!!

[Steppesister]

True... but most bags aren't stuffed to the gills. And then followed by another bag that will also need to be checked.

I know it isn't a big deal, but it just feels overwhelming.

I know it does! You guys really are hauling a lot of stuff. Just don't start to feel guilty or badly for "holding" up the line. Just take your time, and don't stress.

 

[docsoliday1]

When all else fails, go to Maui.

They're big... and they are birds.

Sadly, someone probably told him they were eagles as a gag and he believed them.

 

[docsoliday1]

These sound like fun people. Really.
I'm all for family trips, but ... people, not every combination of family members needs to be in every picture!

He's a better man than I am. I'm okay with them trying to get pictures, but I have almost 0 patience when someone blocks the entire walkway. I'll just say excuse me rather loudly and then push through.

When did people stop wearing watches?
Seriously, I've noticed this. When I want to know what time it is, I look at my watch. I'm apparently the only one.

Nope! You're not the only one. Still use a watch more than my phone. Yes, I'll occasionally look at the time on the phone, but maybe 95% watch.

As someone who's only a little bit older than that ... yes. Contact with water is fatal.
Unless you're washing your hair.

Sorry....no. I will agree.....
to disagree.
Especially in hotter months in Orlando, water is GLORIOUS!!!

Just a radical idea here...if you don't want to get wet, maybe don't go on the rides with water involved?

As someone who has lap bar issues ... I think theme park people need to learn to organize rows by height. When there's a shared lap bar, you can't have people with drastically different heights. It just doesn't work.
Or maybe we can make you tall people wait on a different line...

Okay, us tall people will take the fastpass line, you vertically challenged folks can take the long wait line. Or should that be the short long wait line?
In all seriousness, I get that you want the bar down further, but if it causes physical pain to someone with longer legs...not cool.
While I agree, trying to organize by height could help, I think logistically, not realistic.

 

[docsoliday1]

He could have moved too...

And technically, that guy would've been 16th in line and now he's moved up to 15th, so if he didn't move, still better for him.

 

[docsoliday1]

4. I had to (literally) run back out to the truck after we checked in for dinner but before we were seated. If you can guess why it is worth 50 points. Bonus points available for creative and entertaining answers even if you’re wrong.

Okay, I'm not really in the competition, a year and a half late getting to this TR (well, because I ran across a reference to it in another thread and wanted to read it), but this one I have to try to answer...

Whilst checking in, DD noticed a little boy in prince charming outfit and was immediately smitten. She said daddy, I must have my princess dress and my glitter wand to impress this young man. You replied she was too young to be having these types of thoughts and she would have to wait. She started to cry and then suddenly her demeanor went from sad to a rather disconcerting grin. She put her hands on her hips and matter of factly said, I'll make my glitter wand cover your truck when we get back if you don't get it NOW. You went to go to the truck walking quickly and then you heard the crack of thunder and ran to the truck, because the only thing worse than glitter in your truck is getting wet and having the glitter wand misfire and be watered and glittered (kinda like tar and feathered, but worse).

 

[docsoliday1]

Just wanted to pop in to say that he's here. He was born Thursday afternoon. Things were great right away but got a little bit rocky Thursday night / Friday morning. They transferred him to get the treatment he needs and he seems to be responding as well as can be expected for now.

DW is doing fine and because they had to move him and she was recovering so well she was actually discharged less than 24 hours after delivery.

We're just hanging around the hospital watching and waiting.

Since I'm so far behind, this actually gives me the opportunity to say happy birthday 1 day early. Hope y'all have a great 1st birthday party tomorrow and almost literally happy father's day Andy!

 

[docsoliday1]

Things are progressing well. The older kids got to hold him yesterday. DS did great with it. DD had been looking forward to holding him since he was born. She got him in her arms, he coughed and I've never seen her move so fast. She thought she was going to get spit up on and she was out of there before we could even get a picture.

Wish I could like this multiple times...TOO COOL!!!

 

[docsoliday1]

Still waiting to find out when surgery will be for the shunt. I think they're looking at next week.

Ironically enough, we've seen some indications that the fluid has increased and they're planning to do an ultrasound today to look at it. But despite all that, he's actually acting much better neurologically. He's been much more attentive the last few days and been better about focusing on things and interacting with us. We'd seen some smiles from him when he's asleep, but this was the first time we really saw him smile as a result of interacting with us.

Awwwwwwwww

Not sure anything else need be said

 

[docsoliday1]

I haven't posted in a while so how about another picture of a baby.

And for a bonus this one is in our living room instead of a hospital room.

 

[docsoliday1]

A BIG Change!

We've booked standard rooms for all 3 reservations. I'll need to look into what we need to request, because I believe I've seen that there are some standard rooms with obscured savanna views? While I've always wanted to stay at AKL sometime, it has never been a here and now type of priority, so I need to get caught up and do my homework on this one! We're really exicted about it though!

We've also never eaten at any of the restaurants at AKL. I don't know if we will this time or not since we already have a full slate of ADRs planned, but it will be something worth looking into.

We just stayed at AKL our first time in Feb. I had bitten the bullet and borrowed points from next year to get savannah view. The first room they put us in was...well...yeah I could see animals, but saw more fencing and edge of pool area. Not what I was expecting after using extra points. I was told to "complain" to the front desk and if I pitched enough of a fuss, they might move us. Well, I didn't pitch a fuss at all, I simply said it wasn't what I was expecting after paying for savannah view. They moved us the next day to a savannah view.

Others may disagree, but I don't think the savannah view is worth the additional cost. When you first get up in the morning, the animals typically aren't out yet....they have feedings and/or checkups in the mornings and I think it's around 9:30 or 10 when they start showing up. Also, there are enough viewing windows up & down the hallway, the lobby and the games area where you're more likely to get a better view. The one exception for me was when an ostrich obviously wanted to get to the other side of the electric fence/barrier area. It kept going back & forth between two points about 50 feet apart, look at the fence to see if there was an opening and then go back. Lather, rinse, repeat ad infinium. I was laughing so hard I almost spilled my tea. I realize they have a brain about the size of a pea and are not known to be the smartest in the animal kingdom, but I just kept thinking....nope, still no gap.

So, with that said, I think you might get savannah view snippets from a standard view, but better to go to the viewing areas/lobby/outside area anyway.

They also have several fun activities for the kids at the resort if you happen to not be at the park every day. We were going to try Boma, but DW ended up getting sick and DD typically doesn't eat a lot and we weren't going to waste a ton of money for a buffet when she wasn't likely to want much of anything. If nothing else, try some zebra domes from Mara at Jambo house (near the pool).

 

[docsoliday1]

That's the big thing... I feel like we'll appreciate having a bigger room. I'm just glad to have a new resort to explore while we're back at the room. I'm not much of a napper and one of my favorite parts of the trip is getting some time to myself to wander around while everyone else goes to lay down.

Ok, I really want to try it out. My family is not early risers. We plan to do rope drop, but we avoid morning EMH just so they can sleep a little longer. I'm strongly considering getting my butt out of bed early and trying to do a walk up breakfast by myself there just to check the place out. Do you think this will work? I don't really want to do an ADR for it, especially if I have 1 or 2 others that decide they want to join me.

One thing you'll possibly like about the room also is it has a full kitchen. This allows you to cook meals in the room if you so choose. We prefer not to do the dining plan because we never really know what we'll be in the mood for and if we're tired, we can go back to the room and eat there. Also, for us, we've found that everyone is cranky/testy if we try to do a park every day, so we typically do park one day, resort/relax one day rotation.

One thing you have to account for is time to/from parks. AKL is a much longer bus ride to MK and to a lesser extent HS and EPCOT. When we were there in Feb, we had the longest waits for buses we've ever experienced. I don't know if it was just a bad week or indicative of AKL in general. The worst was over an hour to get to MK. I was tempted to just drive everyone and then ask the CM at contemporary if I could park in the very back of their lot (when we stayed there it was never to capacity and we are talking a somewhat off season in Feb).

If it's just you, chances are good they could squeeze you in, but you might have to wait a bit until it happens if they're really busy.

 

[docsoliday1]

I could do that!
Here:

If you see anything that looks even remotely like this... it can kill you. Stay far, far away.
Preferably in a house.
In the city.

I grew up on a farm and aside from dragging and turning too tight and flipping the drag onto your head, you typically are not at great risk of dying while driving a tractor. Also, for previous, mostly if it's a non-cab tractor...the cab helps a lot for protection (and comfort especially in the hot and cold times).

 

[afwdwfan]

I think glitter was the 11th plague, but was stricken from the Bible because it was too horrific compared to the others.

I think it was the Evil Amazonian queen (obviously hating all men) who found the stricken record and revived it.

I think you're on to something there...

Sadly, someone probably told him they were eagles as a gag and he believed them.

Most ridiculous rumors are attributed to bus drivers, but they had to get their "insider" info somewhere!

Okay, I'm not really in the competition, a year and a half late getting to this TR (well, because I ran across a reference to it in another thread and wanted to read it), but this one I have to try to answer...

Whilst checking in, DD noticed a little boy in prince charming outfit and was immediately smitten. She said daddy, I must have my princess dress and my glitter wand to impress this young man. You replied she was too young to be having these types of thoughts and she would have to wait. She started to cry and then suddenly her demeanor went from sad to evil grin. She put her hands on her hips and matter of factly said, I'll make my glitter wand cover your truck when we get back if you don't get it NOW. You went to go to the truck walking quickly and then you heard the crack of thunder and ran to the truck, because the only thing worse than glitter in your truck is getting wet and having the glitter wand misfire and be watered and glittered (kinda like tar and feathered, but worse).

Since I'm so far behind, this actually gives me the opportunity to say happy birthday 1 day early. Hope y'all have a great 1st birthday party tomorrow and almost literally happy father's day Andy!

Thanks!

We just stayed at AKL our first time in Feb. I had bitten the bullet and borrowed points from next year to get savannah view. The first room they put us in was...well...yeah I could see animals, but saw more fencing and edge of pool area. Not what I was expecting after using extra points. I was told to "complain" to the front desk and if I pitched enough of a fuss, they might move us. Well, I didn't pitch a fuss at all, I simply said it wasn't what I was expecting after paying for savannah view. They moved us the next day to a savannah view.

Others may disagree, but I don't think the savannah view is worth the additional cost. When you first get up in the morning, the animals typically aren't out yet....they have feedings and/or checkups in the mornings and I think it's around 9:30 or 10 when they start showing up. Also, there are enough viewing windows up & down the hallway, the lobby and the games area where you're more likely to get a better view. The one exception for me was when an ostrich obviously wanted to get to the other side of the electric fence/barrier area. It kept going back & forth between two points about 50 feet apart, look at the fence to see if there was an opening and then go back. Lather, rinse, repeat ad infinium. I was laughing so hard I almost spilled my tea. I realize they have a brain about the size of a pea and are not known to be the smartest in the animal kingdom, but I just kept thinking....nope, still no gap.

So, with that said, I think you might get savannah view snippets from a standard view, but better to go to the viewing areas/lobby/outside area anyway.

They also have several fun activities for the kids at the resort if you happen to not be at the park every day. We were going to try Boma, but DW ended up getting sick and DD typically doesn't eat a lot and we weren't going to waste a ton of money for a buffet when she wasn't likely to want much of anything. If nothing else, try some zebra domes from Mara at Jambo house (near the pool).

I really agree with what you say about room views/options. I'm less concerned about a partial savanna view for the animals' sake, than just to have some scenery to look at. The standard view rooms can have a view of anything from the roof of the lobby area, bus stops and parking lots to partial savanna. I'd rather look at grass and trees than a parking lot. That's really why I'm going to try to request a room in that area.

One thing you'll possibly like about the room also is it has a full kitchen. This allows you to cook meals in the room if you so choose. We prefer not to do the dining plan because we never really know what we'll be in the mood for and if we're tired, we can go back to the room and eat there. Also, for us, we've found that everyone is cranky/testy if we try to do a park every day, so we typically do park one day, resort/relax one day rotation.

One thing you have to account for is time to/from parks. AKL is a much longer bus ride to MK and to a lesser extent HS and EPCOT. When we were there in Feb, we had the longest waits for buses we've ever experienced. I don't know if it was just a bad week or indicative of AKL in general. The worst was over an hour to get to MK. I was tempted to just drive everyone and then ask the CM at contemporary if I could park in the very back of their lot (when we stayed there it was never to capacity and we are talking a somewhat off season in Feb).

Well, we're staying at the AKL Jambo House in a regular room, not a DVC room. I don't believe they have a full kitchen.

I grew up on a farm and aside from dragging and turning too tight and flipping the drag onto your head, you typically are not at great risk of dying while driving a tractor. Also, for previous, mostly if it's a non-cab tractor...the cab helps a lot for protection (and comfort especially in the hot and cold times).

 

[Steppesister]

Hey Andy,

Just stopping by to catch up on the banter a bit. I'm on vacay, and found a little downtime. You're down to just a couple of weeks (or less now!) and must be getting so excited! Packing yet??

 

[afwdwfan]

Packing yet??

Nope

We have accumulated some of the things we'll need, but as for packing, not even started.

 

[afwdwfan]

Holy crap!!! It's single digit day!

Ok, 10 days till check in, but we leave in 9.

More changes have happened...

Our Fantasmic! package has been changed to breakfast. I'll be honest. I didn't even know they offered that option. We had secured a dinner at 3:30 and a lunch at 2:05. Neither is necessarily an ideal time with the kids so we kept looking for better times and trying to decide which of the 2 we had was our best option. I was just playing around on MDE last week and somehow managed to find an ADR for 11 for the Fantasmic package at 8:15 am. So a breakfast before ropedrop it is!

Also, we decided not to stay in the Polynesian for our last night. We looked at staying in a moderate to save some money, or staying in an EPCOT resort to try something new, but in the end we went with Wilderness Lodge. Basically, it saves about $100 on our budget compared to what we had booked at the Poly. I would have liked to have gone moderate and saved a little more. I considered CBR, but my understanding is that the $75 gift card isn't a guarantee and I didn't want to deal with the construction if I wasn't certain to be getting it. They really aren't offering the rooms at any substantial discount aside from the gift cards they've given out so I just couldn't get myself to pull the trigger.

So instead we basically split the difference cost wise and went with the old favorite, Wilderness Lodge for one night. We plan to be in MK the last day anyway, so we can go back and forth by boat as we see fit and make it a park day at a relaxed pace. We also decided to change our last day breakfast ADR from Ohana to Whispering Canyon. It will be nice to get to stay in AKL and then visit our old favorite, WL on the same trip. It should give us a nice comparison to see which one holds the top spot when this trip is through!

 

[MeghanEmily]

Single digits! So exciting! I hope you all have the most amazing time!

I was just playing around on MDE last week and somehow managed to find an ADR for 11 for the Fantasmic package at 8:15 am. So a breakfast before ropedrop it is!

Neat! I don't think I knew they did this. That would definitely be preferable for me over the times you had before.

And yay for Wilderness Lodge! That sounds like a really good compromise to save some money and stay somewhere special to you. We'll get our first taste of WL soon, and I'm really excited about it.

 

[missangelalexis]

OoOh a PPO breakfast for Fantasmic dining, nice!!

Staying at WL sounds like a good way to save some money but also stay fairly close to MK!

Can't believe how close you are!

 

[MissMaryQC]

Score on the Fantasmic! breakfast! I too am lurking for better times, and locations, as you well know. 11 is not such an easy number, again, as you well know. Lol!

Glad you'll be back at the Lodge, it's a family favorite here too. I can't wait to read what you think of AKL. I wanna stay there so badly! I like to flip to WCC cafe well. We loved 'Ohana, but it's so nice to walk downstairs for a meal rather than travel, especially in the AM with kids.

 

[afwdwfan]

Single digits! So exciting! I hope you all have the most amazing time!

Thanks!!!

Neat! I don't think I knew they did this. That would definitely be preferable for me over the times you had before.

It totally caught me off guard. I can't even remember why I searched for breakfasts, but it popped up as available so I had to grab it.

And yay for Wilderness Lodge! That sounds like a really good compromise to save some money and stay somewhere special to you. We'll get our first taste of WL soon, and I'm really excited about it.

I really, really love WL. We had a great stay there back in 2011 and I look forward to going back again after the changes that have taken place there.

OoOh a PPO breakfast for Fantasmic dining, nice!!

I had no idea it was even possible. I'm glad I stumbled across it!

Staying at WL sounds like a good way to save some money but also stay fairly close to MK!

The proximity was ultimately what sealed it. I started thinking that if we were going to be farther away, I'd almost prefer to just stay in AKL and not have to move so this works pretty well for us.

Can't believe how close you are!

I know! The kids ended their baseball seasons last night and I help coach both their teams so today I have kind of mentally shifted over to pre-vacation mode.

Score on the Fantasmic! breakfast! I too am lurking for better times, and locations, as you well know. 11 is not such an easy number, again, as you well know. Lol!

No kidding. But I feel like I've been incredibly lucky to have some flexibility this time around. I feel like there's been more availability to fine tune this time than in past trips at less busy times of year.

Glad you'll be back at the Lodge, it's a family favorite here too. I can't wait to read what you think of AKL. I wanna stay there so badly! I like to flip to WCC cafe well. We loved 'Ohana, but it's so nice to walk downstairs for a meal rather than travel, especially in the AM with kids.

I really am looking forward to AKL and comparing the 2. WCC is a definite favorite of ours. We've never done breakfast, so I'm not sure if compares favorably to the meals with their cornbread or not. But in any case, we figured breakfast there might give us an hour or 2 in the pool and a little more time in WL before we head to the beach.