Way Out Here, Eh? - A June 2019 TR *PTR Link Posted

[Steppesister]

Alex thinks pool time is the most boring part of any vacation – he only does it because the children insist – whereas I love the free time.

good to have a mix though to keep everyone happy and wanting to go back!

And since I’m a sucker for sentimentality, I made my mom recreate the Photopass picture we took together in 2012:

Aw, perfection! You both look so great and happy!

Why is this check-in area more congested than any other restaurant?

Good question, but IT IS!

Sorry kids, Mom was being selfish that night, I guess!

As she should have been!

Evie…was not:

OH my! That face!

You would think with as much dough and cheese that I inhaled I wouldn’t have room for dessert.

You’d have clearly underestimated my love of Italian dishes.

Mmm!

After they sold, I joked with my mom, “Polly Pockets are buying your birthday dinner.” Which seemed like just the perfect kid thing to do on a parent’s birthday. Buy them dinner with money received from the toys they bought years ago…

I’m telling you, between her having to buy my coffee and this backwards way of paying for dinner, I am coming off as the worst daughter.

Okay, that's rich!

This is just... beautiful. So many wonderful emotions going on here.

 

[lvcourtneyy]

Landon loves Elsa and he calls Into the Darkness and Show Yourself...my girl's songs. And shushes Evie until they are over. He's declared marshal law that nobody is allowed to talk through her songs.

how adorable! I mean probably not for you and Evie though lol

My children are suckers for all things aquatic and in a loose pretense of saving our feet, I made everyone wait for the boat to journey to the opposite side of World Showcase.

Smart! I've actually never used those boats.

And since I’m a sucker for sentimentality, I made my mom recreate the Photopass picture we took together in 2012:

Aww love it. Did you match your shirt on purpose?

In one of them was my old collection of Polly Pocket dolls.

Do you guys remember those toys?

Oo I loved my Polly Pockets!

And then a week later Alex and I watched in absolute amazement as they sold for an insane amount of money.

Wow! I have to see if my mom still has mine!

 

[Dugette]

Oops, I was away so long again that I still need to reply to this from September:

I completely understand! At this point in time, you have to make sure you're not overloading yourself and it sounds like trip reporting might do that!
Did Izzy enjoy her surprise trip? Was it nice to be back at WDW?

Yeah, I have definitely been overloaded...for some reason, I thought taking classes (online) to get another degree, on top of working full time and being a parent, would be a good move. It has been so hard! But this break between semesters is sweet relief! Anyway, Izzy LOVED her surprise trip and we all loved being back at WDW, though it was very brief (only MNSSHP). In fact, we just recently decided to try something crazy and DRIVE to WDW over her long Spring Break in March. Excited to get back to the other parks and have 6 whole days there!

It's never a dull moment in my house...Here lately Landon has been creating his own scientific journal where he has been discovering a new brand of species (his tiny TYs ).They have gotten so in-depth - "they prefer when their humans wear the color blue" - at first I had no idea what to make of it. But then I thought, "Maybe he'll be a next generation of Imagineer. Those people had to start out doing these sorts of things before creating Soarin' from a toy and designing a time traveling dinosaur ride."

Haha, sounds like Landon and Izzy are a lot alike (except for that whole liking/fearing Soarin' thing). Izzy has been doing her own made up "Science Saturday"s, complete with making notes on her experiments. She also told me today that she's going to be an Imagineer. Maybe they can work together someday!

I don't remember all that I was going to comment on, other than how fun it was to see the update where you visited with Cindi and us. And, of course, I always love reading about your trips. However, I've got to tell you that Izzy peeked over my shoulder as I was reading one of your updates and then just took over reading it, aloud. I was surprised she could read so well, given there are some bigger words than she's used to. She was loving it, so that was fun to share with her. Perhaps she and Landon will be writing these reports for us in the not-too-distant future, haha. I hope Landon is doing well after his surgery.

 

[amazingact21]

You couldn't ask for a better Disney meal!

Via Napoli pizza and tiramisu is definitely my favorite meal to have on a WDW trip!

No sharing tiramisu...it's too delicious!

I think the tiramisu is the one dessert on property that I insist on not sharing. It's my one splurge.

good to have a mix though to keep everyone happy and wanting to go back!

The older the kids get and the more they start to develop their own interests and touring styles, the more I want to go on a solo trip. It can be hard, making sure everyone gets what they want and are willing to accommodate other people in the party.

This is just... beautiful. So many wonderful emotions going on here.

Definitely one of my favorite moments of the trip.

how adorable! I mean probably not for you and Evie though lol

Landon's now heard the songs not put into the movie and anytime he needs to answer someone, he goes, "You got that right, babbbyyy." It's part annoying, part hilarious.

Aww love it. Did you match your shirt on purpose?

I looked at the old picture beforehand and saw I was wearing a teal shirt. And since I pretty much always have that color I decided to wear it for the occasion.

Anyway, Izzy LOVED her surprise trip and we all loved being back at WDW, though it was very brief (only MNSSHP). In fact, we just recently decided to try something crazy and DRIVE to WDW over her long Spring Break in March. Excited to get back to the other parks and have 6 whole days there!

Oh wow, that's a long drive! My mother in-law, sister and baby (the one I met while up there) just did that drive for Christmas. It was something like 2200 miles... However, you guys will have the opportunity to stop and stretch your legs whenever you want. And it gives you an extra trip in and of itself, seeing some sights and scenes from several states you might never have been to before.
I'm sure 6 days at Disney is going to be wonderful, too!

Haha, sounds like Landon and Izzy are a lot alike (except for that whole liking/fearing Soarin' thing). Izzy has been doing her own made up "Science Saturday"s, complete with making notes on her experiments. She also told me today that she's going to be an Imagineer. Maybe they can work together someday!

I see a lot of similarities between Landon and Izzy.
The other day you shared a story about Izzy making a ten book Dinosaur series, and I told Landon about it. He loves to make books, as well. I told him that maybe one day they'll have to send each other their stories to read.

However, I've got to tell you that Izzy peeked over my shoulder as I was reading one of your updates and then just took over reading it, aloud. I was surprised she could read so well, given there are some bigger words than she's used to. She was loving it, so that was fun to share with her. Perhaps she and Landon will be writing these reports for us in the not-too-distant future, haha. I hope Landon is doing well after his surgery.

Great job, Izzy! The kids are growing up fast.
Wouldn't that be funny...I think they would do a great job recapping our Disney adventures. I'm not sure if you know Arielle on here, but she had her daughters write a trip recap and included it at the end of her updates. It was amusing to see their vacation through their eyes.

Landon's doing really well post-surgery. He has a follow up appointment in early January to see how well the procedure worked.

 

[amazingact21]

June 7th 2019, Part 6:

For some reason, I thought more happened after our dinner at Via Napoli, but I can’t find my notes and my pictures aren’t covering a lot. So consider this a mini-update, where the I ramble on about Disney and reminiscence over the beauty of the World Showcase at night.


Leaving the Italy pavilion (anyone else sad to see the flooding in Venice in the news?) my family turned to the right and headed to Germany.





I’d like to say it was love of country that drew us to this particular pavilion, but it was, in fact, the overabundance of liquid hydration at dinner that had us stopping. It was after everyone had sufficiently stopped their eyeballs from swimming that I learned this new fun fact:



You can buy pants with sunglass holders?! How did I live in Florida for half my life and not know this?

Better yet, how did my husband own these shorts for probably four plus years and I never noticed it before? It never occurred to me the hundred times I’ve washed or folded those kackis to wonder what that tiny plastic loop was intended for? Teach me to pay more attention…



Alex wanted to buy a bag of caramel popcorn for a future snack, so he took Landon and got in line. Meanwhile, my mom and Evie and I entered the gift shops and took a look around.

I don’t wear mouse ears, but I almost made an exception for these bad boys:



I loved them! I might have only lived in Germany for three years, but I fell in love with the place and will cherish that time dearly. Alex and I already talk about making a trip back before we leave England.


I was also happy to spot my favorite wine in the store:



Reisling Spatlese from the Mosel is a sure fire way to win me over. I’m not much of a drinker, but when I want to indulge with a good book and a cold drink after the kids have gone to bed, that’s my go-to choice. At the time, I was probably grateful that I had found someplace to buy the drink once I move back to the states.

Sure, it won’t be the same as walking into my favorite winery and buying a case for the price Disney is going to charge me for one bottle, but I won’t care. A taste of a former home is worth a hit in the souvenir budget.



My mom and I took Evie into the crystal arts portion of the store and gazed at all the gorgeous pieces. She had gotten herself a Mickey figurine from here in 2014, when we had taken Landon on a trip while Alex was deployed.

Nothing was catching her eye, begging to join Mickey in her home, but we did show Evie the tiaras and watch her ogle them.




Evie loved them and kept asking how old she had be before she could buy one. But she also walks around the house singing Tamatoa’s “Shiny” all the time, so this question wasn’t a huge surprise for us. If it’s pink or sparkles in the sunlight, Evie is going to be drawn to it.
Hey, if it takes a tiara to turn my daughter into a Disney fan….this mom might eventually cave.


Back outside, we found Alex and Landon and were greeted by a beautiful scene as the sun began to set. It had rained while we were in Via Napoli, which had lowered the humidity and cooled the temperature a bit. It was hot, don’t get me wrong, but it was not unbearable.

My mom couldn’t have asked for more cooperative weather on her birthday. Only one rain shower in the Florida summertime and that happened while we were indoors? We called it the birthday luck.

“Maybe we should celebrate my birthday every day this trip.”

“If it keeps us cool and dry, I say go right ahead.”


The kids wanted to watch the trains, so we sent them over to look while us adults sat on a nearby bench and took in their simple excitement.





We also watched the end of the day hustle and bustle of the World Showcase:



It’s amazing how different this people-watching experience was from Alex and I’s time a few days prior. Then, it was morning and people were as fresh and fast as the morning sun. This time around, the feet moved slower and the eyes drooped lower. People were ready to tuck themselves in for the night; they were tired and content that the magic of Disney’s Epcot had been witnessed by them.

I love the way the parks’ atmospheres change and shift throughout the day. There’s a different feel in the air depending on when you visit, and I think a part of all my trips has to involve all of them. It’s not a complete trip for me if I don’t walk into the Magic Kingdom and see it shining with the potential of another new day, just as I want to soak up its sleepy streets at the end of a loud day.

Chalk that up to another special touch Disney has created to keep us fans coming back year after year….



When the kids tired of watching the trains, we walked them over to a spot along the railing and had them sit.





Continued in Next Post:

 

[amazingact21]

Continued from Previous Post:


This was the last chance all of us were going to have to watch IllumiNations before it went away, and I knew this was big on Alex’s Must Do list.

He loved IllumiNations – it was one of his favorite things to do in Epcot – but since it wasn’t high on my priority list, we skipped it more often than not. I couldn’t let that happen this time around, though. He needed a final viewing, and so that’s why I made the kids hunker down around 8:15.

Once the fire was lit around the lagoon, they were happy campers:


Nothing like an open flame to fascinate children.



During our wait, my mom kept pointing out how empty Epcot felt. We expected a lot more crowds than there were, given the current state of the parks and it being summertime. Everyone else must have been in the other three parks that night, though, because the sidewalks of the World Showcase felt like the days of old. Uncrowded and quiet.



(To me, open space on walkway when a nighttime show is ten minutes from happening is uncommon.)



The kids whined a little about not wanting to see the show, but the second it began they loved it. Landon, especially, really got a kick out of it. He said it was his favorite firework show.

Ummm…..well bad news, buddy.

“Should we tell him?”

“No!”

(Anyone else have the Frozen craze going on in their house right now??? We sure do.)












When IllumiNations ended, my group let the rest of the guests rush to the exits while we took our time.

While IllumiNations might have been Alex’s favorite thing to do at night in Epcot, mine was walking out of the World Showcase with the post-IllumiNations music playing through the speakers.

So many of my Epcot memories revolve around that walk. When I hear that music, I think about my mom and me on our first mother/daughter trip. About Alex and I pushing a sleeping baby Landon past the pavilions. About waddling out of the park both times I was there pregnant, once with my in-laws and once with my mom carrying my eldest. I think about how I’ve grown and the different people I’ve walked beside over the years, and it makes me really happy.

Nobody should be happy when the park is closed and attractions have shut their doors, but oddly enough I always am. But who can blame me, when this is what I see as “We’ll Go On” plays in my ears:



It was a good day at Epcot – a great day – everything I hoped it would be and as wonderful as I remembered the park to be. My mom had a blast, and the kids chattered about “the purple dragon” as we tucked them into bed that night.

So far, our Disney vacation was perfect.




Up Next…Let Me Stand Behind You, Mama. I’ll Protect You

 

[rdkeim]

What a perfect ending to your Epcot day! It's great your DH got to see Illuminations one last time. Your memories of walking out of Epcot at the end of a day were touching. For me that's what Disney vacations are all about.

 

[NJlauren]

You can buy pants with sunglass holders?! How did I live in Florida for half my life and not know this?

Better yet, how did my husband own these shorts for probably four plus years and I never noticed it before? It never occurred to me the hundred times I’ve washed or folded those kackis to wonder what that tiny plastic loop was intended for? Teach me to pay more attention…

HAHA! Even if i paid attention i do not think i would have caught on to that one!

Sure, it won’t be the same as walking into my favorite winery and buying a case for the price Disney is going to charge me for one bottle, but I won’t care. A taste of a former home is worth a hit in the souvenir budget.

HAHA amazing, i am sure you can find it some place else right? or not who know... maybe you can ship it from Germany for the same cost but will feel better about it.. but probably not! I may have to grab a bottle next trip just to try it out after this endorsement!

Evie loved them and kept asking how old she had be before she could buy one. But she also walks around the house singing Tamatoa’s “Shiny” all the time, so this question wasn’t a huge surprise for us. If it’s pink or sparkles in the sunlight, Evie is going to be drawn to it.
Hey, if it takes a tiara to turn my daughter into a Disney fan….this mom might eventually cave.

THATS MY GIRL SHINNY!

(Anyone else have the Frozen craze going on in their house right now??? We sure do.)

Who doesn't? I mean i f you have a child under 7/8 i feel like its pretty much a given no?

many of my Epcot memories revolve around that walk. When I hear that music, I think about my mom and me on our first mother/daughter trip. About Alex and I pushing a sleeping baby Landon past the pavilions. About waddling out of the park both times I was there pregnant, once with my in-laws and once with my mom carrying my eldest. I think about how I’ve grown and the different people I’ve walked beside over the years, and it makes me really happy.

Nobody should be happy when the park is closed and attractions have shut their doors, but oddly enough I always am. But who can blame me, when this is what I see as “We’ll Go On” plays in my ears:

It was a good day at Epcot – a great day – everything I hoped it would be and as wonderful as I remembered the park to be. My mom had a blast, and the kids chattered about “the purple dragon” as we tucked them into bed that night.

So far, our Disney vacation was perfect.

I love this! And i totally get what your saying, a great day with smiling faces, and its the best, especially as a mom or/and the planner!

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

What a perfect day !

 

[suse66]

Alex wanted to buy a bag of caramel popcorn for a future snack, so he took Landon and got in line. Meanwhile, my mom and Evie and I entered the gift shops and took a look around.

Always a fun shop to browse in!

Back outside, we found Alex and Landon and were greeted by a beautiful scene as the sun began to set. It had rained while we were in Via Napoli, which had lowered the humidity and cooled the temperature a bit. It was hot, don’t get me wrong, but it was not unbearable.

My mom couldn’t have asked for more cooperative weather on her birthday. Only one rain shower in the Florida summertime and that happened while we were indoors? We called it the birthday luck.

“Maybe we should celebrate my birthday every day this trip.”

“If it keeps us cool and dry, I say go right ahead.”

I love it! My weather good luck charm is what I refer to as my "magic poncho". I bought it in 2015 and it's only been used twice. I always feel confident of good weather with it tucked in my park bag, lol!

I love the way the parks’ atmospheres change and shift throughout the day. There’s a different feel in the air depending on when you visit, and I think a part of all my trips has to involve all of them. It’s not a complete trip for me if I don’t walk into the Magic Kingdom and see it shining with the potential of another new day, just as I want to soak up its sleepy streets at the end of a loud day.

Chalk that up to another special touch Disney has created to keep us fans coming back year after year….

So true! Yet another wonderful thing to notice when you slow down and pay attention to those little details.

When IllumiNations ended, my group let the rest of the guests rush to the exits while we took our time.

While IllumiNations might have been Alex’s favorite thing to do at night in Epcot, mine was walking out of the World Showcase with the post-IllumiNations music playing through the speakers.

So many of my Epcot memories revolve around that walk. When I hear that music, I think about my mom and me on our first mother/daughter trip. About Alex and I pushing a sleeping baby Landon past the pavilions. About waddling out of the park both times I was there pregnant, once with my in-laws and once with my mom carrying my eldest. I think about how I’ve grown and the different people I’ve walked beside over the years, and it makes me really happy.

So reading that totally made me cry! I am the exact same way.... I can see the boys trying to catch the stars on the sidewalk, talking excitedly about their day and their favourite things, then them as teenagers confidently strolling ahead and calling out to us, braving my first solo trip for my 50th, walking hand in hand with my DH during our anniversary trip. So many beautiful memories!

 

[cindianne320]

Finally catching up. I am so glad that Landon is recovering well from his surgery. Your trip to Scotland looked beautiful!
What a wonderful Epcot Evening. You have me craving tiramisu- guess I'll have to have the real thing in Rome if I don't make it there in April! What a wonderful way to spend your mom's birthday- I, too, teared up at your laughing picture. What great memories!

 

[amazingact21]

What a perfect ending to your Epcot day! It's great your DH got to see Illuminations one last time. Your memories of walking out of Epcot at the end of a day were touching. For me that's what Disney vacations are all about.

I was glad Alex got to see IllumiNations one last time. It's usually always the activity that gets cut on trips.

HAHA amazing, i am sure you can find it some place else right? or not who know... maybe you can ship it from Germany for the same cost but will feel better about it.. but probably not! I may have to grab a bottle next trip just to try it out after this endorsement!

I'm sure if I looked around I could find a place in the states that sells it. That'll be one of my missions when I finally move back.

I love this! And i totally get what your saying, a great day with smiling faces, and its the best, especially as a mom or/and the planner!

It's a lot of pressure being the planner, so seeing everyone happy and smiling at the end of the day is almost a relief.

 

[amazingact21]

What a perfect day !

My mom says of all her Disney days, this one was her favorite. Music to my vacation-planning ears.

I love it! My weather good luck charm is what I refer to as my "magic poncho". I bought it in 2015 and it's only been used twice. I always feel confident of good weather with it tucked in my park bag, lol!

Oh, that's too funny. Don't ever forget to pack that poncho!!!

So reading that totally made me cry! I am the exact same way.... I can see the boys trying to catch the stars on the sidewalk, talking excitedly about their day and their favourite things, then them as teenagers confidently strolling ahead and calling out to us, braving my first solo trip for my 50th, walking hand in hand with my DH during our anniversary trip. So many beautiful memories!

The great thing about going to Walt Disney World multiple times is the progression of memories made. It's fun to walk through a familiar place and remember the last time you were there. Or for a lot of parents, I think it's baffling at how fast the kids have grown and changed in between trips!

What a wonderful Epcot Evening. You have me craving tiramisu- guess I'll have to have the real thing in Rome if I don't make it there in April!

Wait, are you going to Rome? Have you told me this already?? If you are, be sure and get some tiramisu from Pompeii (the bakery, not the city). It's some of the best I've ever had.

 

[dolewhipdreams]

What a sweet update! Very sentimental- I approve. I loved all the sunset photos, too! World Showcase in the evening is stunning.

You can buy pants with sunglass holders?!

This is life-altering news.

Alex wanted to buy a bag of caramel popcorn for a future snack

I'm sitting here cracking up at 'future snack' because I can totally relate

If it’s pink or sparkles in the sunlight, Evie is going to be drawn to it.

We have that in common.

“Maybe we should celebrate my birthday every day this trip.”

An excellent philosphy!!

Nothing like an open flame to fascinate children.

 

[missangelalexis]

What a perfect end to a wonderful day! It's so sweet hearing about all the great memories you have of walking out of Epcot after such fulfilling days!

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

I am finally caught up. I hope Landon's surgery went well and his is recovering well.

Unfortunately, over the summer the condition worsened and he reached his max strength in prescription glasses. This means that next week he will have surgery to try and repair the issue. It's a fairly basic procedure, and I scheduled it right before Winter Break so he'll only have to miss the last 4 days of school and then have two full weeks of recovery at home.
This is the first time any of the kids have to had to have any sort of medical procedure, so I'm a little nervous but hopeful this will help alleviate some of Landon's ongoing symptoms. (He's been getting a lot of headaches and blinking a lot.)
But because of this, I have no clue when I'll catch up to this report or remain current on everyone else's. Please bear with me; I'll get there, eventually!

Take your time!

And since I’m a sucker for sentimentality, I made my mom recreate the Photopass picture we took together in 2012:

I love this! I love the re-enactment photos.

Her face! I love it. It might as well be Monkey Brains!

This is an amazing photo! Thanks for sharing!!!

 

[lvcourtneyy]

You can buy pants with sunglass holders?! How did I live in Florida for half my life and not know this?

This is news to me! I want to ask Mike if he knew this as a former Florida resident but he's sleeping and probably wouldn't like to be woken up for this question lol.

Evie loved them and kept asking how old she had be before she could buy one.

Aww! I bought myself one a few years ago!

Hey, if it takes a tiara to turn my daughter into a Disney fan….this mom might eventually cave.

During our wait, my mom kept pointing out how empty Epcot felt.

We felt the same in June. As much as I enjoy the Epcot festivals, I was happy to sacrifice a festival for how empty the World Showcase was.

While IllumiNations might have been Alex’s favorite thing to do at night in Epcot, mine was walking out of the World Showcase with the post-IllumiNations music playing through the speakers.

This is what I miss most of all. I may not remember each time I saw Illuminations, but I vividly remember leaving the park singing We Go On.

 

[SimplyGoofy]

What a perfect evening at Epcot! I'm glad you all got to see Illuminations for the last time (although it's too bad that Landon proclaimed it was his favorite show!).

 

[Dugette]

I just love wandering World Showcase late in the day! I miss Epcot so much. Love your perspective on all the different times you've left the park and the memories that go with that!

 

[amberdc1987]

I’m all caught up now. What an amazing Epcot day! I loved Illuminations also. It was my favorite. I’m sad it’s gone. I get what you’re saying about leaving Epcot and hearing the music......it really takes me to my happy place. Can’t wait for more.