We're No Cowboys, but We'll Say Howdy to You - A Sept. 2016 DL Paris TR *Complete and New TR Link

Hi everyone! I'm popping in from a very hot and crowded Disney location. I've learned a few valuable lessons on our first park day; the biggest one being Evie is NOT the WDW fan her older brother is. Be prepared for lots of angry princess faces in the future report...

In other news, I pulled one of my more embarrassing stunts at lunch today.
Can anyone else mark: pantsed oneself in front of fellow patrons at Pecos Bills off their Disney bucket list?

No? Just me.
I figured.

Oh! And this also happened:
IMG_5148.JPG
 
I've learned a few valuable lessons on our first park day; the biggest one being Evie is NOT the WDW fan her older brother is. Be prepared for lots of angry princess faces in the future report...

Oh no!! Hopefully it's a phase. Even her angry princess faces will be precious, I'm sure.

In other news, I pulled one of my more embarrassing stunts at lunch today.
Can anyone else mark: pantsed oneself in front of fellow patrons at Pecos Bills off their Disney bucket list?

Oh no!! What an eventful trip this is seemingly turning out to be!! I'm interested to hear this story...
 


Wow, what a day! I hope Landon enjoyed Big Thunder! Maybe he and Izzy can ride some DLP coasters together - as of right now, our plans are to be there June 14-17th, 2018 (haven't made the reservation yet, but have plane tickets!)
 
Hi everyone! I'm popping in from a very hot and crowded Disney location. I've learned a few valuable lessons on our first park day; the biggest one being Evie is NOT the WDW fan her older brother is. Be prepared for lots of angry princess faces in the future report...

In other news, I pulled one of my more embarrassing stunts at lunch today.
Can anyone else mark: pantsed oneself in front of fellow patrons at Pecos Bills off their Disney bucket list?

No? Just me.
I figured.

Oh! And this also happened:
View attachment 254803

Love the picture! Hope you got multiple rides in.

Oops on the pantsing, but can't wait to hear the details! :)
 


In other news, I pulled one of my more embarrassing stunts at lunch today.
Can anyone else mark: pantsed oneself in front of fellow patrons at Pecos Bills off their Disney bucket list?

No? Just me.
Actually, my daughter did that on our last trip in front of a bunch of others in the Coral Reef. Yes, we laughed. Yes, it was funny!

:lmao::lmao::lmao:
 
It was insanity and so disappointing as well to be waiting for characters and not get photos. It's a million times better now even with those queue skippers that lurk about lol! I did see Buzz Lightyear trying to point out queue skippers to a CM last time so in fairness they are trying to improve the character meets :)

Aw no I love it, the Irish section is always my favourite part of Small World because that's my country :shamrock:

Good for Buzz for trying to help the guests in line. From what I understand, DLP has really been trying to fix common issues over the years. Maybe by the time I go back next year, the character interaction will Ben even better.


Caught up and loving all the details about DLP! You really did great in that EMH time for a family with two small kids. Good to know that Pirates is more like Disneyland than WDW there - extra long, two drops, restaurant - sounds similar. I have a feeling Izzy is going to be terrified about the dragon, but I totally want to go see it. Looking forward to more! And glad you made it back to FL safely and hope you have a great visit!

Oh, I hope she doesn't get scared by it! Maybe take turns seeing it?


Good luck with the return flight. I'm sure it will be fine and all your organizing systems will make it a breeze! Jet lag is killer. For us, there was one terrible, no-sleep night but back to normal after that.

YES! I played a Disney game, Magic Kingdom, I think? But reading was the best cure for the heebie jeebies. ;)

I woke up at 3am the first week I was in FL; it was making me nuts! Fortunately, I'm back to normal now and ready to repeat the fun in a few days!
 
Oh my! Eventful first day! Can't wait to hear all about it.

Your picture gave me chills! YAY! <3

Thanks, I was so happy I got a few good shots of Landon's first coaster.



Hey ho and off you go on your jolly holidays :flower1:
All good as long as everyone is breathing at the end of the day!!:rotfl:

It's hard to believe my trip has been finished for almost a week! Time flies when you're at Disney. Before I know it, I'll be back in Germany and back to real life.


Oh no!! Hopefully it's a phase. Even her angry princess faces will be precious, I'm sure.

Oh no!! What an eventful trip this is seemingly turning out to be!! I'm interested to hear this story...

Evie has some hilarious reactions to Disney. I can't wait to show them to her when she's an adult and let her see how much she did NOT like the parks...


Wow, what a day! I hope Landon enjoyed Big Thunder! Maybe he and Izzy can ride some DLP coasters together - as of right now, our plans are to be there June 14-17th, 2018 (haven't made the reservation yet, but have plane tickets!)

Plane tickets bought! That's exciting! My friend and I are in early talks about doing an Ireland trip with our families in November, which would mean we would need to push our DLP trip back. June sounds like a good time to do that! Once I'm back home I'll look at my schedule more closely and let you know if June will be feasible for us. For what it's worth, I'd love to visit/meet you all at DLP! I think the kids would get along well.


Love the picture! Hope you got multiple rides in.

Oops on the pantsing, but can't wait to hear the details! :)

Luck was with us on this trip, because Landon did get multiple experiences on Thunder!

:rotfl2::rotfl::lmao: Well this should certainly be an interesting TR!

When I told Alex about the experience his response was. "Don't get us kicked out of our happy place for public indecency,"
Trips with my brood...never dull.


Actually, my daughter did that on our last trip in front of a bunch of others in the Coral Reef. Yes, we laughed. Yes, it was funny!

:lmao::lmao:

There should be a club. Clothing mishaps on Disney trips. You could join; I'd qualify the Disney Springs night after AoA checking incident in that family. :lmao:
 
Well, I kind of failed at checking in here during the rest of my Disney trip. It was harder than I expected it to be, going to Disney with the two kids at peak summer season. That's not to say we didn't have fun; we made a lot of memories and came away with some good stories.
But to be honest, the trip kind of bummed me out. Every spouse has one point in their loved one's deployment where they hit a rut and just want their normal lives back. Well, being at Disney reminded me how much I missed Alex, and everything reminded me of past trips with him. It wasn't the same without my Disney partner. Evie kept asking for Daddy, and Landon constantly wanted to take pictures to send to him. The trip was supposed to distract us from Alex's absence but I'm afraid it had the opposite effect.

However, I don't regret going. (We even ended up at CityWalk for a few hours.) Now, we're at my in laws house recooperating and prepping for our return flight to Germany.

IMG_5275.JPG
 
That's not to say we didn't have fun; we made a lot of memories and came away with some good stories.
But to be honest, the trip kind of bummed me out. Every spouse has one point in their loved one's deployment where they hit a rut and just want their normal lives back. Well, being at Disney reminded me how much I missed Alex, and everything reminded me of past trips with him. It wasn't the same without my Disney partner. Evie kept asking for Daddy, and Landon constantly wanted to take pictures to send to him. The trip was supposed to distract us from Alex's absence but I'm afraid it had the opposite effect.

I'm so sorry to hear this! I don't pretend to understand what the two of you are going through, and I'm so impressed by both of you and respectful of Alex's service. ...But it might be really hard sometimes, especially with the kids! I'm sure I'd feel sad not to have my partner in crime when hitting Disney, especially if not by choice, but I'm still glad you made some good memories on your trip though. We're all rooting for you and your family! I can't wait to hear more about your trip, and here's hoping that the next one includes Alex!
 
Aww man. In one sense it's great that it reminded you of how special it is to have Alex with you, but on the other, shoot. Bummer that he couldn't be there. :(

By now, I guess you're back in Germany? How was the travel back?
 
Hugs, Mama. I'm so sorry that you were missing Alex so much during the Disney portion of your trip. I can't wait to hear about it all when you get back, especially your next trip with Alex by your side! <3
 
I hope the time until Alex is back goes faster for you and the kids. Separation is never easy.

I do look forward to hearing your stories of this trip. I also hope you make it to Ireland.
 
I'm so sorry to hear this! I don't pretend to understand what the two of you are going through, and I'm so impressed by both of you and respectful of Alex's service. ...But it might be really hard sometimes, especially with the kids! I'm sure I'd feel sad not to have my partner in crime when hitting Disney, especially if not by choice, but I'm still glad you made some good memories on your trip though. We're all rooting for you and your family! I can't wait to hear more about your trip, and here's hoping that the next one includes Alex!

Alex's absence was more noticeable than other weeks while on vacation, but I think that's just because we were all having so much fun and wanted him to be a part of the memories. But, all that comes with the job and we press on. Our next Disney vacation will definitely include Alex!


Aww man. In one sense it's great that it reminded you of how special it is to have Alex with you, but on the other, shoot. Bummer that he couldn't be there. :(

By now, I guess you're back in Germany? How was the travel back?

We've been back in Germany about 4 days now. Overall, traveling back wasn't too bad. Little bumps here and there but nothing that sent me to sneak shots in the back of the plane (although one flight attendant offered to let me do that while he watched the kids). We're all still jet lagged but are back to normal routine, so that is nice. Landon was very excited to see some of his friends this morning after being away for 3 weeks, and Evie appreciated our afternoon walks through our village. She really missed the quiet of farm life while we were in the states!


Hugs, Mama. I'm so sorry that you were missing Alex so much during the Disney portion of your trip. I can't wait to hear about it all when you get back, especially your next trip with Alex by your side! <3

I was spending so much time in the places Alex and I used to live and visit, that I suppose it was inevitable I would miss him more in FL. It stunk, but we pushed through and are now back to our regular, day to day lives. I think being back in our home and doing boring stuff like run to the grocery store has helped the kids settle down and not think about Daddy's absence so much.


I hope the time until Alex is back goes faster for you and the kids. Separation is never easy.

I do look forward to hearing your stories of this trip. I also hope you make it to Ireland.

Now that we are back at home, Alex's absence has become a little easier again. Landon is seeing his friends once again, Evie is walking around familiar spots, and I'm keeping busy running the home. Our schedules are due to get really busy with the fall bringing school and sports, so I'm sure this last stretch will fly by.
Ireland is in the tentative works for November!
 
Goodness gracious, guys, it’s been a crazy day. The kids and I are still jetlagged from our trip back to the states. This has taken me by surprise, because the first time we came over nobody had issues adjusting and everyone that has come to visit has been perfectly fine by the following morning. However, no matter what time I put the kids to bed at night, they wake up at midnight and are up for a few hours. This makes our 6 a.m. wake up come very early…

And for some reason, all the technological items in the house have gone on strike. It seems every time I turn around the router has lost connection, the phone line is down, the computer needs to uninstall and reinstall Chrome, the online banking doesn’t feel like processing my transactions, the wifi extender password has been lost to the Internet Gods…

I’ve gone a little batty trying to sort everything out and prevent myself from complaining too much about it to the hubs. Just like our kitchen island and the downstairs bathroom faucet, household things love to break when the mechanically inclined person is away. It’s inevitable.


Since I’m working on little to no luck this afternoon with two cranky children, this will be a short update. I am in that post-Disney blues phase after my most recent trip and am hoping writing about DLP will turn my Disney frown upside down. Not to mention, the sooner I finish this report the sooner I can turn my attention to July’s trip!

Hooray for motivation!



September 15th, 2016 Part 4:

Having seen the Dragon’s Lair and most of the other headline attractions inside Disneyland Park, my group felt it was time to head over to the second gate and see what its offerings entailed.

On our way out of the hub, we caught two lovely ladies out and about:





There was no meet and greet area set up for Anna and Elsa; that was the only way to see the girls, which worked just fine for us. Neither kid was that interested in meeting any princesses at the time.

Because he’s Alex and it’s ingrained in his Disney DNA, my husband routed us through all the shops on Main Street in our trek to the exit. In the first store we went into, Alex and I found the section that sold Mr. Potato Heads and the ability to stuff his innards full of as many accessories as possible for one set price. Alex and I wanted to buy one of these getups for Landon for Christmas that year. We got a good deal of pieces in the box – only forgetting to throw a nose in – but ironically enough neither Landon nor Evie ever plays with the toy. The little plastic spud rests at the bottom of their toy box next to a stuffed monkey and all the former MagicBands.

I spotted a display of really neat plushes:



Unfortunately, I had no good reason to justify buying a Beast or Mrs. Potts plush, so a picture was all I have to remember them by…


In addition to the Head, I also found a princess plate and bowl set that I purchased for Evie. This turned out to be a good buy, because she still uses the bowl for breakfast and the plate for dinner. Plus, they say Disneyland Paris on the back, something we won’t run across on a day to day basis…

One of the rooms we passed through caused us to stop and pause. It was coastal themed with touches of Walt interspersed throughout.



The framed photos were set up in such a casual way that you would have thought we were in his parlor room at his house. The arrangement on the mantle felt very organic and transported you away from a merchandise store; I wish all shops at Disney could have such a personal feel to them.

And once I looked up and spotted the stunning seashell arrangements, I had to point them out to my mom and together we took a closer look around:





Can we get these shell chandeliers somewhere at Disney World? The Beach Club, perhaps? Because I could walk under those beauties every day on vacation and be perfectly happy. They were such a creative adornment.

And while we’re at, we can throw this ceiling in the transfer order, as well?




Everyone will be relieved to note that the Emporium was almost identical to the one in WDW.





Nothing wonderful to report in this shop, except that it was unusually quiet inside. I didn’t know what to make of a Disney gift shop being so deserted.

Free reign to move the stroller around? Plenty of time to check out the shirts? No line at the checkout counters?

Yep, we were definitely not in Walt Disney World.


Leaving the shops, my family made our way under the train station and past the Disneyland Hotel.




We walked out and immediately saw the water tower for Disney Studios.




The adjacent park was that close.



If it took us five minutes to get from gate to gate, I’d be surprised. I want to say the entrance to Studios was where the monorail station is in WDW, but it might be a couple hundred feet farther back. Maybe a better comparison is the bus stops at AK from the tapstile machines.

It was unbelievable how close the two parks were to each other. Alex could have ran back into Disneyland and rode Buzz another time and then met back up with us inside the Studios, and it would have been no different than the time my mom left us in Norway to wait for IllumiNations while she went and used a Soarin’ Fastpass.

I loved it.

Park hopping is a huge part of Alex’s and I’s normal touring style, but with little kids it’s so difficult to do without taking a long break in between locations. Toddlers don’t have the patience to wait for a bus and then go through a second bag check and ticket line; that’s too much time spent doing nothing.

So with Disneyland Paris, being able to plop them in the stroller and make it to the front of the second park before their little brains could even process what was happening was amazing.

Alex, my mom, and I were instant fans.

And now we REALLY want to check out Disneyland in California to see their setup.


Right after you enter Disney Studios, you’re dumped into this covered building with a few shops and dining locations set up on either side.





It was a little random, to be honest, and I could see the place becoming a madhouse when it’s peak season or when it’s raining. It felt like Disney simultaneously needed someplace to funnel everyone through and a good way to bring the “studios” theme to the park.

Why not just throw up a giant hallway with some Hollywood signs thrown about?


Walking out at the other end, we came upon the partners statue.



And a teeny tiny baby Tower of Terror behind it:




This area was very congested because everyone was vying for a turn in front of the statue, so my group quickly headed towards a side street to get out of the craziness and get our bearings about us.

None of us had any idea what was in the Studios and therefore needed a minute to look at a map and decide on our afternoon’s plan of attack.


Up Next…Slinkys and Limos
 
Nothing wonderful to report in this shop, except that it was unusually quiet inside. I didn’t know what to make of a Disney gift shop being so deserted.

Free reign to move the stroller around? Plenty of time to check out the shirts? No line at the checkout counters?

Yep, we were definitely not in Walt Disney World.
:rotfl2::rotfl::lmao: It was more crowded than that in the Emporium in MK when we were in there before Rope Drop and they hadn't even had time to open the cashiers stations yet!

Park hopping is a huge part of Alex’s and I’s normal touring style, but with little kids it’s so difficult to do without taking a long break in between locations. Toddlers don’t have the patience to wait for a bus and then go through a second bag check and ticket line; that’s too much time spent doing nothing.
::yes:: It is soooo difficult to do at WDW. It seems the past couple of trips, just going from place to place feels like it takes longer now than it ever did before. I'm sure security plays a role in that, but I really didn't feel like we waited long for security in most cases.

And now we REALLY want to check out Disneyland in California to see their setup.
::yes:: I LOVE IT! Once you're through security, you're good. And within a couple hundred feet you walk out of one park and into another. Just perfect!

And a teeny tiny baby Tower of Terror behind it:
:rotfl2: I didn't realize it was a smaller tower. What's the point of even putting one in if you're not going to build it to it's full potential?
 

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