PixieDusting
The Red-headed Pixie!
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2000
Thursday 8/30 & Friday 8/31
Ok, I'm going to combine these two days since I didn't write any notes and they just kind of blur into each other!
Both days we park hopped, starting in DCA on Thursday and heading to the MK at about 10:30, then starting at DL on Friday, heading to DCA at about noon when the crowds got thick. We were able to go on all the attractions that we wanted to with little or no wait. I think it really helps to have visited before and know what rides to go on first, which to get FPs for, etc.
While in DCA Thursday morning I had a minor magical moment. I have collected Disney pins 2+ years and really enjoy it. My son and I are "casual" collectors though and rarely trade. While we were in PP a gal was buying an awesome Electrical Parade pin (who else still thinks of it as the Main Street Electrical Parade?). When she had finished her transaction I asked the CM at the counter if I could see it. It was an annual passholder only pin, but the CM suggested that I ask the guest to buy one for me. Well, the pin was so cool that I couldn't NOT at least ask. I did, she said no problem and voila...a kewl new pin for me! I thought that was really nice of the CM to suggest it, and of the guest to agree
Happy Camper here!
Thursday we ate lunch at the Blue Bayou, and as usual it was delicious! Colin and I typically share the Monte Cristo, but he swore he was hungry enough to eat a whole one. Since I wanted one also, we ordered 2. What a mistake. Colin ate about 3/4 of HALF his, and I ate half of mine. Needless to say Colin agreed that next time we're back to sharing one!
We also stopped into the Gallery store above Pirates and found out that they now take ressies up to 30 days in advance for the Fantasmic dessert buffet. We've always wanted to try this, but didn't feel like getting up and in line at 5-6am for tickets on the day of the show. Now we won't have to! Definitely on the must do list for our next trip.
We also went to see the Country Bear Jamboree. We haven't seen this in several years either, and it brought back great memories once again from when Colin was little. He used to love the "California Bears" and the one (I cannot recall her name) that does "Singing in the Rain." He still likes those two (and the skunk) the best. I am so glad we got to see it one last time before they close it down! It's hard to see the classics go :-(
We did have an unpleasant experince in New Orleans Square-it truly was the only one this trip, the rest of the time guests and CMs alike were wonderful. Anyhow, Colin noticed that the guy was setting up to toss the beaded necklaces down from the balcony of the gallery. He really wanted to get one for his friend Grace whom we took with us on our last DL trip in May. So, we stood down below for a few minutes waiting for him to start. No one else noticed this man setting up so we thought we might have a chance of getting one. Once the guy started tossing the beads, there was an instant crowd and they were wild. It was terrible. I couldn't take it any longer, so I told Colin we had to leave. He didn't want to-he still really wanted to catch one, so I moved off to the very side of it all and watched. A gal near me jumped right up, slammed her arm down on my head (there hadn't even been a necklace sent that way) and broke my sunglasses which had been on the top of my head. When I showed her what she had done, she just stared at me for a second then turned away. Then she headed over to sit with her friends so I walked over and again showed them to her and told her she had broken them. I hoped she would offer to buy me a new pair. Instead she told me I was in her way. Grrrrr. No apology, nothing. I was fuming but just left-nothing good would have come of me pursueing it any further. Anyhow, I offered to buy him a necklace to give to Grace, but of course that was not the same as him catching one for her, so he declined.
Colin and I took a late afternoon swim at the hotel. DH finished work at 6:30 so he and Colin went to the Rainforest Cafe for dinner, leaving me in peace and quiet at the hotel for a couple of hours...BLISS!
Friday we did EE (7:30) at the MK. Boy did it hurt to get up and out so early, but of course it was worth it! Dumbo, Peter Pan, Down the Rabbit Hole, Matterhorn, Space Mtn (with music BOTH times....amazing as it always seems to not be working when we ride it). etc etc etc with no waits. I do love EE!
Mid morning we went on Indy again. About 1/3rd of the way through (right before we were going to cross the bridge) the ride broke down and we were in darkness. Well, I whipped out my camera (ok...it's a bit big to "whip" out-I took it out) and started snapping pics. I know the others thought I was mad but tough luck! One CM went to each car within a few minutes, though they each only had one flashlight. After a while (maybe about 10-15 minutes) they unloaded us from the cars and walked us out the way we had come. Of course as we walked out, I had to take more pics, and I think the CM was getting a little testy with me....LOL. There were certain rooms where it was completely dark and the CM was WAY up ahead with the lone flashlight. When she would turn a corner we (at the back of the line) wouldn't even have that little beam of light to guide us. When we got out there were so many kids crying, the little ones were really scared being in the dark for so long. Poor things! Colin on the other hand couldn't believe his luck-he thought it was SO kewl and is anxiously awaiting to see if my pics turned out! He says this was the BEST thing that happened on the trip! In fact he was so impressed by it all that as soon as we got out of there he had to call his dad at work and tell him all about it AND...we got great news then as well.....DH did not have to go back to Anaheim again the next (this) week!
Later that morning we decided to go to the Haunted Mansion (after checking out and walking away from the 45 minute standby line for Splash). It too was closed, and it occurred to me that all the underground rides must have gone down. Sure enough, when we checked the board POTC, Indy, Space Mtn and HM were all closed.
On our way out of the park we stopped to have a silhouette done of Colin with Mickey. We've never had this done before and it was amazing. This woman just snip, snip snipped and in no time at all it was finished. I scrapbook and I sure wish I could cut that well and that fast!
DCA that afternoon was pretty uneventful but fun. We did go on the tortilla and bread tours. Nicely air conditioned and the kids (and even some of us grownups) got a kick out of the video at the bread tour!
Dinner was at 6:15 with all 3 of us dining at Goofy's Kitchen. I couldn't believe it but the restaurant was 2/3rds empty....even when we left at 7:30! We last ate dinner here about 21 months ago, and I'd say the quality of food (at least in our opinions) has gone decidedly downhill since then :-( We will be back since this is a favorite of Colin's...but most likely for breakfast not dinner. Pluto, Goofy, Chip, Dale and Snow White were there. Interaction was spotty...there were 3 different birthday parties going on that we saw, and the characters spent most of their time there.
After that we went to see Fantasy Waters again since we had missed the first 1/3rd the other night and I wanted to get some pics. I did not cry at ALL this time, but sweet Colin kept telling me "it's ok Mom, you can cry if you want to." Bless his heart! The two of us really had a wonderful time this trip. I wondered if he would get bored with spending all day with me, but he just kept telling me what a great time he was having. We had a chance to really talk and laugh a lot. It was a great end of the summer bonding experience!
Back to the hotel to pack and get ready for our last day (and Millionaire)...and Brett gets to come with us...YIPPEE!
Ok, I'm going to combine these two days since I didn't write any notes and they just kind of blur into each other!
Both days we park hopped, starting in DCA on Thursday and heading to the MK at about 10:30, then starting at DL on Friday, heading to DCA at about noon when the crowds got thick. We were able to go on all the attractions that we wanted to with little or no wait. I think it really helps to have visited before and know what rides to go on first, which to get FPs for, etc.
While in DCA Thursday morning I had a minor magical moment. I have collected Disney pins 2+ years and really enjoy it. My son and I are "casual" collectors though and rarely trade. While we were in PP a gal was buying an awesome Electrical Parade pin (who else still thinks of it as the Main Street Electrical Parade?). When she had finished her transaction I asked the CM at the counter if I could see it. It was an annual passholder only pin, but the CM suggested that I ask the guest to buy one for me. Well, the pin was so cool that I couldn't NOT at least ask. I did, she said no problem and voila...a kewl new pin for me! I thought that was really nice of the CM to suggest it, and of the guest to agree
Happy Camper here!Thursday we ate lunch at the Blue Bayou, and as usual it was delicious! Colin and I typically share the Monte Cristo, but he swore he was hungry enough to eat a whole one. Since I wanted one also, we ordered 2. What a mistake. Colin ate about 3/4 of HALF his, and I ate half of mine. Needless to say Colin agreed that next time we're back to sharing one!
We also stopped into the Gallery store above Pirates and found out that they now take ressies up to 30 days in advance for the Fantasmic dessert buffet. We've always wanted to try this, but didn't feel like getting up and in line at 5-6am for tickets on the day of the show. Now we won't have to! Definitely on the must do list for our next trip.
We also went to see the Country Bear Jamboree. We haven't seen this in several years either, and it brought back great memories once again from when Colin was little. He used to love the "California Bears" and the one (I cannot recall her name) that does "Singing in the Rain." He still likes those two (and the skunk) the best. I am so glad we got to see it one last time before they close it down! It's hard to see the classics go :-(
We did have an unpleasant experince in New Orleans Square-it truly was the only one this trip, the rest of the time guests and CMs alike were wonderful. Anyhow, Colin noticed that the guy was setting up to toss the beaded necklaces down from the balcony of the gallery. He really wanted to get one for his friend Grace whom we took with us on our last DL trip in May. So, we stood down below for a few minutes waiting for him to start. No one else noticed this man setting up so we thought we might have a chance of getting one. Once the guy started tossing the beads, there was an instant crowd and they were wild. It was terrible. I couldn't take it any longer, so I told Colin we had to leave. He didn't want to-he still really wanted to catch one, so I moved off to the very side of it all and watched. A gal near me jumped right up, slammed her arm down on my head (there hadn't even been a necklace sent that way) and broke my sunglasses which had been on the top of my head. When I showed her what she had done, she just stared at me for a second then turned away. Then she headed over to sit with her friends so I walked over and again showed them to her and told her she had broken them. I hoped she would offer to buy me a new pair. Instead she told me I was in her way. Grrrrr. No apology, nothing. I was fuming but just left-nothing good would have come of me pursueing it any further. Anyhow, I offered to buy him a necklace to give to Grace, but of course that was not the same as him catching one for her, so he declined.
Colin and I took a late afternoon swim at the hotel. DH finished work at 6:30 so he and Colin went to the Rainforest Cafe for dinner, leaving me in peace and quiet at the hotel for a couple of hours...BLISS!
Friday we did EE (7:30) at the MK. Boy did it hurt to get up and out so early, but of course it was worth it! Dumbo, Peter Pan, Down the Rabbit Hole, Matterhorn, Space Mtn (with music BOTH times....amazing as it always seems to not be working when we ride it). etc etc etc with no waits. I do love EE!
Mid morning we went on Indy again. About 1/3rd of the way through (right before we were going to cross the bridge) the ride broke down and we were in darkness. Well, I whipped out my camera (ok...it's a bit big to "whip" out-I took it out) and started snapping pics. I know the others thought I was mad but tough luck! One CM went to each car within a few minutes, though they each only had one flashlight. After a while (maybe about 10-15 minutes) they unloaded us from the cars and walked us out the way we had come. Of course as we walked out, I had to take more pics, and I think the CM was getting a little testy with me....LOL. There were certain rooms where it was completely dark and the CM was WAY up ahead with the lone flashlight. When she would turn a corner we (at the back of the line) wouldn't even have that little beam of light to guide us. When we got out there were so many kids crying, the little ones were really scared being in the dark for so long. Poor things! Colin on the other hand couldn't believe his luck-he thought it was SO kewl and is anxiously awaiting to see if my pics turned out! He says this was the BEST thing that happened on the trip! In fact he was so impressed by it all that as soon as we got out of there he had to call his dad at work and tell him all about it
AND...we got great news then as well.....DH did not have to go back to Anaheim again the next (this) week!Later that morning we decided to go to the Haunted Mansion (after checking out and walking away from the 45 minute standby line for Splash). It too was closed, and it occurred to me that all the underground rides must have gone down. Sure enough, when we checked the board POTC, Indy, Space Mtn and HM were all closed.
On our way out of the park we stopped to have a silhouette done of Colin with Mickey. We've never had this done before and it was amazing. This woman just snip, snip snipped and in no time at all it was finished. I scrapbook and I sure wish I could cut that well and that fast!
DCA that afternoon was pretty uneventful but fun. We did go on the tortilla and bread tours. Nicely air conditioned and the kids (and even some of us grownups) got a kick out of the video at the bread tour!
Dinner was at 6:15 with all 3 of us dining at Goofy's Kitchen. I couldn't believe it but the restaurant was 2/3rds empty....even when we left at 7:30! We last ate dinner here about 21 months ago, and I'd say the quality of food (at least in our opinions) has gone decidedly downhill since then :-( We will be back since this is a favorite of Colin's...but most likely for breakfast not dinner. Pluto, Goofy, Chip, Dale and Snow White were there. Interaction was spotty...there were 3 different birthday parties going on that we saw, and the characters spent most of their time there.
After that we went to see Fantasy Waters again since we had missed the first 1/3rd the other night and I wanted to get some pics. I did not cry at ALL this time, but sweet Colin kept telling me "it's ok Mom, you can cry if you want to." Bless his heart! The two of us really had a wonderful time this trip. I wondered if he would get bored with spending all day with me, but he just kept telling me what a great time he was having. We had a chance to really talk and laugh a lot. It was a great end of the summer bonding experience!
Back to the hotel to pack and get ready for our last day (and Millionaire)...and Brett gets to come with us...YIPPEE!
