The Family Truckster Heads to Wally World: Lots of updates and pics 7/11!

[paintnolish]

So much for a live report! I gave it the old college try, but three kids in one hotel room for a week in Atlanta interferes with your free time. On to France...
Gelato or pastries? Tough decision! I wanted to check out the new gelato shop, and I told Audrey she could have two scoops as long as she promised to share. She chose hazelnut and espresso. Excellent combination!
decisions, decisions

We then found a seat in the bakery. Finding a seat was impressive: in the past, the old bakery was so small that it was almost impossible to get an inside seat, so the expansion was an improvement. I used to get something called a pthithers (probably-no, definitely-spelled incorrectly), but the didn't have it. It was made with almonds and almond paste, but I managed to find something similar. It was good but not quite the same. Sparky got some chocolate chip bread roll thing (certainly has a nice fancy name, but I forgot it), and a sandwich. Then we got another thing. And another. Hey, we were sharing...
Here's our first round:

Almond pastry, chocolate chip bread, and sandwich
After this little pig out, Rusty went back to the hotel and we shopped a bit until we were absolutely melting. We sought the cool darkness of the Mexico pavillion and took our traditional sombrero picture (I try not to think about how many people do the same: how many heads have those sombreros been on?).

We then took the boat ride, and G was getting monsterous. I took the kids into the baby care center for a nice extended AC break. I met two other moms in there, and we all discussed how darn hot it was, how old our babies were, and what they liked to eat. Again, I love chatting with new people at WDW!

Dinner date and insider info are up next!

 

[paintnolish]

After our extended break in the baby care center, we were ready to face the world: Future World. We went on Journey into Imagination. I was dissapointed that you could no longer send an email post card!
After that, we went over to Nemo, and then we decided we had just enough time to go on Spaceship Earth before the Sparky and I celebrated my birthday at San Angel Inn. There was a bit of a line, but it moved quickly. Before I knew it, I could smell the burning papery smell distinct to that ride. Audrey and I sat in the front with G; Rusty sat in the back. Soon enough, we were in our cars and traveling back in time. We smiled for the camera and were on our way. Ahh, that ride is so relaxing...so relaxing that G fell asleep! He didn't get to see that somehow he had made it into the little cartoon at the end of the ride! The camera picked Audrey and him up. We had a good laugh at seeing his little baby head on those cartoon bodies! Once off of the ride, I carried him over to the benches and let the kids play with the interactive games. I wanted to let him sleep as long as possible before leaving him and the older two with a sitter.
Where did this sitter come in you ask? A few years ago, I held a part-time job while finishing college. One of my coworkers went off to do the college program and is now employed there as a seasonal worker (hoping for full-time, but more on that later). When she saw on Facebook that we were in WDW, she offered to babysit if we needed her, so it really worked out. She met us in the interactive area of Spaceship Earth, and I transferred a sleeping G to Audrey.
The kids and their sitter:

 

[paintnolish]

I hurried off to meet Sparky, but not before I made a quick stop in the restroom to gussy up (that means attempt to wipe the sweat-sheen off of my face). We met up in Mexico, checked in, and were promptly seated. Unfortunatley, we weren't next to the water (I believe all of those seat 4), but the atmosphere is still amazing. We ordered waters (I was hoping for an adult slushie in France later) to wash down our chips and salsa (a salsa verde-a little spicy but good.

I had chicken over creamy rice and Sparky had fish.
The food was great, but the service was only ok. It was a bit slow, and at the end of our meal, the server gave us our check without asking if we wanted dessert. We said we did and asked to see a menu. He said, "We have chocolate mousse, cheesecake, etc. (didn't say etc. but rattled off the rest of the menu and didn't use the nice, "fancy" names of the desserts as listed on the menu. We ordered the caramel cheesecake, and Sparky gave me my gifts. He gave me my yearly sweatshirt, a Dole Whip T, an HM frame, a Minnie necklace (understated heart), some mints in the shape of characters (love little things like that which add a dose of Disney to a normal day), and some Mickey pizza plates (which I love and which make me want to eat everything triangle shaped just so I can use those plates). It's highly possible he bought me a few other things because, like i said, he spoils me.

After that, we ate our cheesecake and hopped on a cruise through Mexico. So romantic, except for the major Disney-nerd in the front of the boat who was trying to tell the people behind him everything he knew about Disney during the boat ride. He was trying to be nice, but he wasn't getting that the recipients of his knowledge weren't that interested. Ah, he's probably a Diser!

 

[paintnolish]

CM Secrets, Coming Up!
I texted the sitter and found that they were in China enjoying some dinner. We met up with them, got the report (everyone was well-behaved and G actually liked her--he's wary of strangers), and then I got some information about her job and Disney life. I felt like I was conducting an interview, but I was curious and love soaking up Disney knowledge (soon I'll be the annoying Dis-nerd on your ride!). Here are a few things I found out:
1. She works in costuming and you can see her if you take the Backlot Tour. She says that she sometimes tries to hide behind her work when she hears a tram coming because once she starts waving, she feels bad for stopping and waves to the entire tram. You can see how that'd be time consuming!
2. She is working on the programs (uses a computer) that design costumes, everything from workers' uniforms, to entertainers costumers, and even characters' outfits. Very cool! They kept her on after the CP as a seasonal worker and are waiting for some spots to open up.
3. I always tell her she needs to be a princess. She is just a beautiful young woman! She said she has gone to casting calls. She said sometimes they are character-specific, but sometimes they are just looking for face characters. You are given a number and go into a room. They put on music to make it less awkward. They then go around and look at you. They tell you that you can smile or whatever. They then call out the numbers they want to see again. There are several stages in which they narrow them down. As far as I know, she hasn't made it, but she is hush-hush and very sensitive about that kind of thing. Anyway, look at that girl. She's beautiful and as sweet as can be, too: a genuinely nice person.
4. We asked her if being behind the scenes changed the way she felt about WDW: was it still magical? She said seeing how things are done does lessen the magic a bit, but she LOVES being able to help others experience that magic. She feels great knowing that she's a part of it.

 

[paintnolish]

After our little Q and A, the kids weren't ready to say goodbye yet, so we went to check out the lines on Soarin' and TT. By this time it was nearing 8, so the kids and sitter went on TT together. They said she had the loudest shriek they had ever heard! she then bid us a good night, telling us that she was an "old lady" now and had to go to bed at a decent time in order to be at work the next day. Sparky and the big kids went on Soarin' while I chased G around a little patch of grass. He was enjoying getting used to his walking legs! We then hurried out of there as Illuminations was starting. I didn't want to get stuck in that crowd.
Parting shot:

 

[Tiggerrn2]

Hey Paint!!! Thanks for the heads up on FB. I will stay caught up with you now. Awesome that they baby learned to walk in WDW! My DD lost her first tooth in a Mickey Bar at DL. Something we will never forget.
Looks like you are enjoying the beginnings of your trip after the rough and rocky start. Can't wait to read all the rest. As you can see, we leave soon for the World ourselves. Counting down!

 

[wiigirl]

Love all your pics!