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We Came To Play!

We Came To Play!

Opening Magic Kingdom

Opening Magic Kingdom

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Vinylmation. . . I Don't Get It

Will someone please explain vinylmation, specifically how to trade vinylmation?




I just don’t get it. I get pin trading. They are easy to transport—no carrying. You can see if someone has pins upon approaching and then you can determine if they are willing to make a trade. And, Cast Members get in on the pin trading.



Vinylmation—how do you carry them? How do you know if someone else has them and wants to trade? I envision side of the mouth, somewhat solicitous questions like, “Hey, ya got any vinylmation?” I am also envisioning a vest with small clear pockets on the inside to carry one’s vinylmation to the parks for trading. Now, imagine that vest opening to reveal all the vinylmation. Yeh, makes me smile, too.



Do Cast Members carry vinylmation around to trade, too?



For those of you wondering what vinylmation is, they are these varying in size vinyl creatures in the shape of Mickey Mouse that are then decorated. I’m guessing the trading happens with the little vinylmation characters.



I have seen larger vinylmation “statues?” used to collect character autographs. That I get.



On our last trip, we ran into a mom and daughter family at the airport. They were set for a week’s stay and asked us about trading vinylmation. I should have probed more, as I still don’t get it.



We saw lots of vinylmation on sale at every park and resort store. I didn’t see any vinylmation trading.  If it is about collecting--to hoard and store--then I get it.  It is the trading part that boggles my mind, as I just don't get the logistics.



There’s even a web-site dedicated to vinylmation: www.vinylmation.net Hmm. . .



Will someone please explain vinylmation to me?

Celebrating The Boy's Birthday at Walt Disney World

Even thought the boy’s birthday was a few days prior, we still celebrated while on our November trip to Walt Disney World.



He received the requisite “It’s My Birthday” button upon check in at our resort—Port Orleans Riverside.



He wore the button daily and was wished a “Happy Birthday” too many times to count each day. One day, I forgot the button and we were steps outside our room and headed to the bus stop when I was reminded that he didn’t have his birthday button. Reverse. We went back to retrieve the button so he could wear it proudly. He was also concerned that on fast rides, the button might come off. We reassured him several times that the button would stay on. . . we were right.



So, what might happen when a young boy wears his birthday button at the Walt Disney World Resort?



Several things, and very similar to what happened when his dad wore his birthday button—click here to read more.



In addition to being wished a happy birthday a plethora of times, the boy was often selected to carry the black corded “timing” device from the beginning of a queue to the beginning of the attraction. That happened a lot this trip and I finally got it, when the Cast Member said, “we’ll let the birthday boy carry this.” Another comment we got when handed the timing device was “you look like you’ve been here before.” So true!



Then there are the grander birthday wishes, such as when Pluto joins you at Chef Mickey’s to help you blow out the candle on your birthday cupcake and gives you birthday wishes.


Or when the wait staff at Rose and Crown sing “Happy Birthday” to you and present you with a wonderful dessert.

Or when the wait staff at Chefs de France sing “Happy Birthday” in French and present you with a dessert.

Disney knows how to celebrate, that’s for sure!  Now, the husband and the boy have each celebrated a birthday at Disney twice! 

Disney has changed it's theme for 2011.  For two years, the theme was about celebrating. . . "Celebrate You" and "What will you celebrate?"  The new theme is "Let the Memories Begin."  For us, our memories, especially our Disney memories, have already begun!

Friday, November 26, 2010

A Stroll. . . for Coffee

The night before we flew to Orlando for our 7th visit to Walt Disney World, we stayed at a hotel so cheap it didn’t offer shampoo as an amenity. The place was clean and the price was right--$62.00 including tax—for us to stay over night, park our car at the hotel for the length of our trip, and a shuttle to/from the airport. Yep, the price was right.




After a restful, but excited night of sleep, we were getting ready the next morning. The husband was up and dressed and headed to a fast food chain to get us breakfast. The boy was up and dressed and while I finished getting ready, he said he wanted to go for a stroll. Yes, our 8 year old used the word “stroll.”



So, he headed out into the corridor of the hotel, I propped the door with the lock so he could get back in the room, and proceeded to finish getting ready. After brushing my teeth and getting ready to pack away the toothpaste, it dawned on me that the boy hadn’t brushed his teeth yet. I peeked out the door and into the hallway to see if I could see him.



There he was, walking down the hallway with one hand in his pocket and in the other hand a white Styrofoam cup. He told me he had found the coffee and was having a cup. He proceeded to drink the coffee, then brushed his teeth. When his dad appeared with breakfast in hand, he told him about the coffee and showed him the coffee pot as we headed into the lobby to check out.



I wish I had a picture of this 8 year old boy dressed in khaki pants and a white short sleeve polo shirt walking towards me in the hall holding his coffee cup. It is as if I got a glimpse of the future—of him in the future—when he is older--old enough to be drinking coffee while walking down the hallway of a hotel.



And, yes, he has a taste for coffee that I have no idea where it came from. We don’t drink coffee at our house and don’t have coffee on hand. He has tasted coffee before when we have been out to eat when his dad has ordered coffee to drink.



I’m still shaking my head. . . and smiling! I am continuously amazed by these little moments that create ever lasting memories. I wonder at the boy’s sense of independence when he navigated all of that on his own. And, I look forward to the glimpses of what he will be like as he grows and matures. You hear from other parents how quickly kids grow up and it’s true. In the blink of an eye. . .

Over the River and Through the Woods to Uncle John's House We Did Go

Happy Thanksgiving!  It is that time of year when we give pause and reflect.  We have much to be grateful for. . . family, friends, fulfilling work, good health, creativity, playful spirit, dreams, and a life that is hard only sometimes.

We had Chinese the other night for dinner and the fortune in my fortune cookie read:  "Great minds talk of ideas.  Small minds talk of things.  Average minds talk of people."  For some reason this stayed with me over the last few days, but especially during our two hour drive to Uncle John's house to celebrate Thanksgiving.  You see, while the husband and boy were snugly nestled in the back of the van, comfortably watching a movie on the DVD player, Grandma Carol and I manned the front seat with me at the wheel.  We visited about the recent election--the ideas, propaganda, and beliefs behind the election campaigns and advertising.  On the way home, we visited about how socialism has recently popped up on the media and what was potentially driving this, especially the inaccurate links to the Pilgrims and the first Thanksgiving.  I just kept thinking. . . here's a lady with a "great mind!"  Let's add that to this list of what we have to be thankful for!

Anyway, we had a grand feast, thanks to Uncle John and Aunt Diane.  Yummy!

 Here's Uncle John with the bird.  He had cooked it on the grill and tended to it regularly since early that morning.  Moist and tasty!

 Yep, that's me, taking a moment while the bird "rested" before cutting. 

 Here's cousin Eric anxiously waiting the feast.  He was preparing for his long work day on Friday in the retail market.

 Here's the buffet table with all the traditional Thanksgiving fare. . . potatoes, gravy, stuffing, green beans, rolls, deviled eggs, cranberry jelly, etc.  Diane out did herself!  Something else to be grateful for!

 The boy snagged the turkey leg.  That and Aunt Diane's pumpkin bread were his favorites!

 Ah, the post meal nap.  That's the husband enjoying a snooze in a comfy chair.  Something else to be grateful for--naps!

Grandma Carol joined in the napping, too.  What's Thanksgiving without afternoon naps!  I learned from Uncle John that it is a family gift to be able to fall asleep at anytime, anywhere.  Let's add that to our list of things to be grateful for!

 Here's the boy working on his Wii skills.  Uncle John has different Wii games than we do, so it was fun to play something different.

The adults got out the deck of cards for a friendly, but competitive game of Spades.  Yeah, Diane and I creamed them!  We then played a 5 person round of Hearts!  Diane won that game, too!

We headed back home in the late afternoon with PLENTY of leftovers in the car.  Thanks, Diane!

And, while we were there, George, the cat, watched quietly from a distance.

Now, another Thanksgiving has come and gone.  Grandma Carol mentioned in the car that it is now "legal" to put up holiday decorations.

Let the countdown begin!

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

A Week-end of Giving

This past week-end was a week-end of giving.  And, it’s not quite Thanksgiving yet!


Friday night was the opening night of our local area Chamber’s Holiday Nights and Lights.  One of our parks is filled with displays of holiday lights, that guests typically drive through to see.  But on Friday, guests could walk or hike the lights.  The fee was $5 per person and proceeds went to support our local trails—for walking and biking.


This is the third year we have hiked the lights and we brought along Grandma Carol and our dog.  The weather was great and the lights put everyone in the holiday spirit.

The boy noticed that two of the usual light displays were not there. . . the “shark” and the Wizard of Oz displays were missing.  The boy decided that they had been traded in for the Candy Factory light display.  He’s still not sure if it was worth the trade.

From now until shortly after the new year, the lights will be on each evening for drive through traffic.  There’s a house for Santa to visit at least until Christmas.



Saturday we took in the Festival of the Trees, a fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity, held at one of our local retirement living facilities.

Young guests got to decorate a cookie and take in a holiday story read by a special elf.

Santa was on hand to hear the wish lists of all the boys and girls.  The boy asked for trains!


I always admire the creativity of those that decorate the trees.  There were great themed trees this year and many different sized trees.

Sunday was the day for the annual Santa Paws event held at our local Earl May Garden Center as a fundraiser for Heartland Humane Society.



Each year, Earl May donates the setting, Santa donates his time, a local photographer donates time, equipment, and skill, and a local photo shop donates the photo processing.  Guests receive a great 5 X 7 photo of their pet with Santa for $10.

The three events, all packed into one week-end, catapulted us into the holiday season.  Now, I just need to get our tree up!

Sunday, November 21, 2010

A Tale of Two Turns of Splash Mountain


The Tale of Two Turns on Splash Mountain begins like this. . .




We detoured from our usual touring plan for Magic Kingdom when the boy said he wanted to ride Tomorrowland Indy Speedway. Well, if he was going to ride, it would be first thing. So instead of the husband going off to get Fastpasses, I did, while the husband and the boy rode the Speedway. “I’ll meet you at Jungle Cruise,” I said as I headed off to Splash Mountain to obtain our first Fastpasses of the day.



I walked through Liberty Square and made my way to the Fastpass Distribution kiosks. With 3 Fastpasses in hand, I walked back through Adventureland to Jungle Cruise. Within a few minutes, the husband and boy arrived after riding the Speedway and taking a bathroom break.



We checked in with each other while waiting to board Jungle Cruise.. OK, I have the Fastpasses for Splash Mountain. We can get the next Fastpasses at 9:45am, so the boy and I will head to Toontown to be there when it opens at 10:00am. You get Fastpasses for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, then take the train to Toontown and meet us at the County Bounty Store.



So, the husband headed off with all the Key to The World Cards to obtain our next set of Fastpasses and the boy and I went to Toontown to meet the Princesses and Fairies. When we arrived at the County Bounty Store, the line for the Princesses was quite short. Within a few moments, we had visited with Belle, Aurora, and Cinderella. We circled back around and got in line for the Fairies.



While waiting, I heard the train whistle. I remember thinking that the husband was most likely getting off that train. Sure enough. Within minutes my phone rang. “We’re inside, waiting to see the Fairies.”



The husband joined us and the only question I asked was when we could get the next set of Fastpasses. Answer: 10:20.



We waited quite some time to see the Fairies, and when we were through, the Barnstormer was next on the itinerary. “Fine, I will go get Buzz Lightyear Fastpasses while you ride Barnstormer.” Just past Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, I realized I didn’t have the Key to The World Cards. I phoned the husband. He left the queue to meet me and give me the cards. This meant the boy navigated the queue for the Barnstormer on his own. Yeah! I headed off to Buzz Lighyear, got 3 Fastpasses, and met the boy and husband between Dumbo and the Carousel. It was time for lunch!



We had lunch at Pinocchio’s Village House and kept an eye on the clock. We could get our next set of Fastpasses at 12:20 pm. Peter Pan’s Flight was just across the way. Score! Another set of Fastpasses. Now we were set.



After lunch, we rode It's a Small World and then we were headed to the “mountains.” We were walking past Haunted Mansion and the boy wondered why we weren’t riding. He actually wanted to ride. Detour—we rode Haunted Mansion. This was the first time he had wanted to ride! While in the queue he consoled another young guest who wasn’t so sure about riding. And, he covered his ears with his hands the whole time he was in the Doomobile. I still can’t figure out if the room is moving or the ceiling is moving in the first room. Hmmm. . .



Now, the mountains. That’s when we discovered it. The husband hadn’t gotten Fastpasses for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, he got Splash Mountain Fastpasses instead. So, we had two sets of Splash Mountain Fastpasses, but NO Big Thunder Mountain Fastpasses. We couldn’t get our next set of Fastpasses until 2:20pm. It was about 1:20. The return time at Big Thunder was around 2:00 pm. We headed to Splash Mountain and eye-spied Jesse and Woody at a character meet-n-greet. We’ve got some time. Let’s wait and meet them.



While the boy and I waited, the husband went to Big Thunder to find someone to trade Fastpasses. He even attempted to gain the sympathy of the Cast Member at the Fastpass entrance. No luck.



By the time we had greeted Woody and Jesse, it was 2:10 pm. We headed over to the Big Thunder Mountain Fastpass Distribution Kiosks. OK, the return time for Fastpasses was still pretty good. 2:15pm, 2:18 pm, 2:19 pm. Finally, 2:20 pm. The Key to World Cards went in and out come three Fastpasses for a return time of 3:10pm. Whew!




At that moment, we had 5 sets of Fastpasses. We were ready to ride! We went through the Fastpass return at Splash Mountain and rode almost immediately. When we passed the ride photos, I wrote down the number of the photo—I may want to buy that one, but not right now. Then we whipped out the second set of Fastpasses for Splash Mountain and rode again. Yep, we walked right by many of the same people in the Stand-bye queue that we did the first time and rode again, almost immediately. The cosmic justice was that we got soaked. So wet that the waistband in my shorts still wasn’t dry when I put on my pajamas some seven hours later. But, now we had another picture number.



I went into the store and asked to see both photos, by number, to determine which one I wanted to purchase. That’s when the Cast Member told me I could purchase both, side by side, as 5 X 7’s. Deal! When the purchase was complete, the time was 3:08pm. We used the two minutes to walk to Big Thunder Mountain’s Fastpass entrance.




By 4:35 pm, we had ridden Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Peter Pan’s Flight, Pirates of the Caribbean, met Peter Pan, made a wish at Cinderella’s Fountain, and had a fireworks photo taken in the hub. We saved our Buzz Lightyear Fastpasses for after dinner, as we were coming back.



All in all, it was a great day! How can it not be a great day at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World?

We Came Home With Less Luggage Than We Went With

(Just finished editing photos and found
this one--Who is imitating who?)

Yep, we came home with less luggage than what we went with on our 7th trip to Walt Disney World. I’m not talking about less bags to check, but I am talking about 1 less suitcase—a carry on size suitcase.




You see, we checked 3 suitcases for the flight to Orlando—one per person. Since we used a free upgrade to “Business Class” with our A+ rewards for the flight down, there was no baggage fee. Yeah! So, we only paid to check the bags once--the return flight. We each had a “personal bag”, plus I was toting a carry-on sized rolling suitcase. It had our pins and lanyards, refillable mugs, reindeer and Santa hats for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, a backpack to carry stuff to the parks, raingear, a change of clothes for the boy should there be messes for the flight down, and our jammies for the night in case the luggage delivery to the room was very late.



In one of the checked bags was the husband’s Mountain Dew supply for the trip--one bottle per day that we stored in the refrigerator in our room. (Disney has only Coke products.) Once those were gone, along with the small boxes of cereal, granola bars, fruit snacks, and juice boxes, we had more room in the luggage.



Also, the shorts and sandals I packed for the boy were on their last leg so to speak. They were the ones that he would definitely outgrow by next summer. When he took them off at the end of the day, they didn’t go into the laundry basket and we didn’t bring them back with us. So, we had even more room in the luggage.



When we repacked to go home, the carry-on suitcase went into the larger suitcase and all of our stuff fit into the three bags—including our souvenirs!



One suitcase held the left over clean clothes and toiletry items. Another had the dirty laundry basket. (We take a pop-up laundry basket to put in the room and the basket fit right into the suitcase.) The third bag had the extra carry-on bag, its stuff, and the souvenirs.



While we aren’t yet travel experts, we have learned a thing or two during our many trips. Please share any packing or travel tips that work for you!

We Attended Our First Gay Wedding


We attended our first same sex wedding on Saturday. The ceremony was full of love and commitment as the two men exchanged solemn vows that are legally binding in our state—Iowa. There were tears of joy, singing, and prayer, just as you would find at any wedding. The couple exchanged rings and conducted a lovely “sand ceremony” to symbolize the joining of their lives.




The hundred plus guests burst into applause when the groom’s brother spoke about how proud he was to live in a state that legalized gay marriage during his toast. The groom’s father’s emotions of pride, joy, and love broke through as he toasted the couple.



The couple’s first dance included a slide show of the three years of their life leading up to this moment—vacations, family and friends, remodeling projects, pets. The wedding photographer captured the first dance and many other moments throughout the ceremony, dinner, and reception.



I am in awe of the courage and bravery of these two men. Marriage, in itself, is an act of courage. To commit yourself to one person for a lifetime and to make decisions daily to uphold that commitment and relationship requires maturity, perseverance, and love. As a couple, they have agreed to that level of commitment—publically. These two men demonstrated grace, resolve, courage, and love as they vowed to each other to be married. I am so proud of both of them!



I am also proud of all the other male guests. The “straight” male guests had to be very comfortable with their own sexuality to attend this function. There was no room for uncomfortableness in this setting and the love and support shown by the “straight” male guests was evident. I watched my husband hug both grooms as we proceeded through the receiving line.



I visited with one of the “gay” male guests during the reception. For him, the evening, the event itself, was reaffirming.



Gay marriage in Iowa has been legal since April 24, 2009. When one of the grooms phoned me to tell me about the upcoming nuptials, I was thrilled. He was experiencing the normal wedding jitters, plus the fear and trepidations of potential stigma (even retaliation) of being a gay married man. My response, “People who know and love you, want you to be happy.”



Isn’t that what it’s really about? When we set aside fear, we find love, happiness, and acceptance. And, the wedding, dinner, and reception were downright fun!

Friday, November 19, 2010

Highlights of Most Magical Moments of Our 7th Trip to Walt Disney World


Returning from a Walt Disney World vacation can be a lot of work. . . unpacking, distributing gifts, laundry, reading newspapers, catching up on sleep, and editing photos—both your own and Photopass. So, I’m taking a break from editing Photopass photos to share the highlights of the most magical moments of our 7th trip to Walt Disney World. Here they are:


• The boy’s stroll for coffee. (This one is hilarious—more later.)

• Riding Splash Mountain twice in a row (Fastpass!), walking by the same people in line, and getting completely soaked! Then being able to purchase both photos side by side as 5 X 7’s!

• The boy wanting to ride Haunted Mansion, consoling another guest while in the line, and then covering his ears the entire time in the Doomobile. 

• Topping the husband’s score in Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin and Toy Story Mania—he had the high score the first time!

• The boy riding Goofy’s Barnstormer by himself, including navigating the queue. He is growing up!

• Fireworks photos!

• Watching the boy in Germany at the train garden almost talk his way into the garden to fix the broken trolley.

• Trying out two new restaurants, ordering authentic food, and having the boy try bites and ask for more. The husband would categorize this as “taking” more.

• Fastpass!

• Test Track and Soarin’!

• Snow on Main Street, U.S.A.

• Birthday cupcakes.

• Visiting with other families.

• Spending time together as family and creating memories.



There are more magical moments than not so magical—another reason we keep going back. I was reading Mouseplanet yesterday and several readers had written about how grateful they were that Walt sat on the bench in the park watching his girls ride a carousel so many years ago and dreamed of a place where families could play together. That article resonated with me. I, too, am grateful that Walt dreamed big and made his dreams come true!

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Happy Birthday, Mickey Mouse! And I've Got Post Vacation Blues


Happy Birthday to Mickey and Minnie Mouse! Today is the day. November 18! They are both 82 years young today. When we met them both this last trip we were sure to give them an early birthday wish. We even saw one family surprise them with gifts. How generous!




And, I’ve got the post Disney vacation blues. Take a combination of 15 hour days, lots of excitement and anticipation and combine it with going back to work mid-week and you get the post vacation let down that comes with each vacation. Even though we know we will be going back!



I have also noticed that it takes a day or two for me to get over any grumpies the vacation brought on. I compose lists of pet peeves we experienced while traveling to/from/and in the most magical place on earth. Yep, there are some not so magical moments.



Here are my pet peeves, the things that bug me, the not so magical moments:



• The car we saw pulling into the airport that had its flashers on and was trying to back up on the expressway because it had pulled into the wrong lane. Good thing it was 4:20 am with minimal traffic. Good thing we used Magical Express.

• People stopping in the middle of a walk-way to check a map or mobile application to see where they needed to go next. This was especially evident at the Magic Kingdom. Move over, people! Let those that know where they are going have a chance to move, or better yet, follow us. We’ll get you there.

• When ‘OHANA lost our dining reservation and we were faced with a 3 hour wait time. We didn’t wait and I’m expecting a reply to an e-mail I sent to Guest Communication Services.

• Inebriated guests at the Food and Wine Festival.

• Hotels without shampoo.

• Resort voicemail systems that leave generic messages and take too much time to hear.

• Guests who ride the bus back to the resort on the first night and have no idea what bus stop to get off of and it is impossible to see in the dark. This happened 2 out of 4 nights on our bus ride home. One night, the bus driver simply asked if anyone on the bus knew which stop was for Magnolia Terrace. Yep, East stop, the East Stop. Tsk, Tsk, to the resort check-in desk for not explaining to people when they give them the map of the resort that guests will need to know the direction of their stop at Port Orleans Riverside—North, South, East, or West. I’m guessing it is because the people working the resort check-in have not ridden the bus route at night and have no clue that this additional information is needed.



We were very tired on Tuesday when we returned. The boy slept for 12 hours Tuesday night and 11 ½ hours on Wednesday night. We are slowly making our way back to our usual selves.



Next post—Magical Highlights!

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

We're Back From Our 7th Trip to Walt Disney World


We’re back! Back from our 7th trip to the Walt Disney World Resort and ,whew, this was a fast trip!




Here are some highlights. . . by the numbers:



5—Number of sets of Fastpasses we had at one time at the Magic Kingdom, number of pins the husband purchased this trip.



2—Number of times we rode Splash Mountain in a row, number of days we were at the Magic Kingdom, number of parades and fireworks displays we saw, number of times we rode Pirates of the Caribbean, number of times we rode Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin, number of pins I purchased this trip.



489—Number of pictures downloaded from our camera before “editing.”



285—Number of Photopass Photos taken.



29—Number of characters we saw in one day at Hollywood Studios.



17—Number of characters we saw in one day at EPCOT.



10%--Amount saved at the World of Disney Store at Downtown Disney with the AAA Diamond Perks Card.



3—Number of times we rode Toy Story Mania in one day, number of days we were at rope drop this trip.



4—Number of times the husband has NOW been in Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular after he was chosen again this trip.



15—Number of hours we toured one day.



3:30 am Eastern time—The time we were on the Magic Express Bus for our trip home. (now subtract an hour for central time and subtract another hour for the time we got up—shower, dressed, finish packing, etc.)



7—Number of characters found at one time (more about that later)!



43—Number of pin trades the husband made.



8—Number of months until we go back!

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Too Excited To Sleep!

You have seen the Disney commercials where the kids are too excited to sleep. As you may be able to tell by the time stamp on this post, I am experiencing that feeling of being too excited to sleep. That, and I had to go to the bathroom.



We can now countdown hours until our next trip to the Walt Disney World Resort. I was checking last minute details last night which included a phone call to the wonderful lady who takes care of our pets—cat, dog, turtle—while we travel. She comes to our house multiple times a day to play, walk, and feed the animals, brings in mail and the newspaper, and generally keeps an eye on the place for a minimal fee. Of course she wasn’t surprised that we were headed off to Disney for the 7th time. She asked if we went because of the adults or for the boy. Hmmm. . . it’s for the adults. The boy goes along willingly and ends up having an incredible time, but he has to be cool about his enthusiasm.



A person at work said that I wouldn’t return rested and they’re right. Going to Walt Disney World is not the most restful vacation to take—that’s what the cruise is for! You walk, get up early, stay up late, and most of the time, my feet hurt and have blisters. But it is all worth it to experience the magic. We also enjoy spending that time together as a family and making memories.



One of my favorite parts of any vacation is that feeling of being in your family “bubble” when the car is packed and you are headed off. . . There’s a feeling that you could actually go anywhere; just drive off into the sunset for unknown parts. We are usually headed to an airport or a hotel to stay prior to going to the airport. That feeling of being in your family “bubble” continues even upon returning home. And, for me, there is hesitancy to re-enter the real world and break the “bubble.”



I remember flying back from LA after our second Disney Cruise. We flew very early in the morning on a direct flight to Kansas City and then drove home. By late afternoon I was at a local drug store printing pictures. It was hard for me to leave the house and go get the pictures, but I really wanted the pictures, so the bubble was broken. What a surreal feeling to know that I woke up on the west coast and was now, just a few hours later, getting ready to have dinner in the Midwest. Is that what jet lag feels like?



Another way I combat the post vacation blues is to book or plan our next visit to Walt Disney World. For us, it is already in the works. I have found I am much happier leaving knowing when I will be back! Let the countdown begin!

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

To Cry or Not To Cry, That Is The Question

To cry or not to cry, that is the question.




When you are at Walt Disney World, there are many experiences that elicit strong emotions. Here are just a few. . .when the Magic Express heads towards the purple arches and the trumpet fanfare music plays. That same fanfare plays when your bus turns left to drop you off at the Magic Kingdom. Or during Illuminations at EPCOT. The goose bumps come just before the lump in your throat followed by the swelling of tears which are accompanied by a smile knowing that there is love and magic in the world and dreams really do come true. Or when the Fairy Godmother uses her magic words to illuminate the castle. Or when you have had a blast riding Toy Story Mania as many times as you can. Or when you find yourself waving and singing at the opening of the Magic Kingdom. Or when you finish riding Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and your eyes are watering due to laughing, smiling, and the rushing wind as you ride. Or Wishes. Or the finale at the Festival of the Lion King. Or Soarin’. And that’s just to name a few.



Another family we know is visiting Walt Disney World Resort right now. In fact, I just got a phone call asking the best way to get from Hollywood Studios to the Contemporary to eat at Chef Mickey’s. My answer: a bus that goes to the Contemporary. Get off the bus, turn right and go into the ground floor of the Contemporary. Turn left at the lobby. The elevators are right there. Go up to the 4th floor. Voila’ Chef Mickey’s!



Anyway, I have also received a few text messages telling me how the parades and fireworks have brought tears. Yep. Been there, done that, and will happily do it again.



Yes, there are many experiences at Disney that touch your heart and soul. Experiences that make you believe that your dreams really do and can come true. For us, being at Disney is a dream come true. So, I say, let the tears flow. Wasn’t there a line in Steel Magnolias about laughter through tears being a favorite emotion. Mine, too.

Just Pre-Ordered Disney Photopass CD!


Disney Photopass Service(click here to read all about Photopass)—I must admit that I was a slow convert to Photopass. The first two times we visited the Walt Disney World Resort, we avoided the Photopass photographers. Maybe it was because I didn’t understand how Photopass worked, or maybe because I thought the photos would be expensive. Whatever the reason, the tide turned on our third trip. Now, we rely on Disney Photopass Service to capture the memories of our vacation. I find that I am a bit disappointed or put off if we encounter a character greeting that doesn’t have a Photopass photographer. What? I’m going to have to work for a few minutes on my vacation to take these photos! Yep, wee have been spoiled with the service.




So it comes as no surprise that we have pre-ordered our Disney Photopass CD, even before we have made our trip to Walt Disney World. You see, if you order the CD prior to your trip, you can save $50. If you pre-order the CD and a digital memory book with custom cover—it actually costs the same as the photo CD if you wait until after your trip to purchase—for a savings of $80.



It’s easy to pre-order. Just go to the web-site: http://www.disneyphotopass.com/previsitoffer.aspx If you already have an account, log-in. If not, create an account using your e-mail and a password. Put the photo CD or CD and book into your cart and pay. You will receive a confirmation e-mail and another e-mail with directions of how to retrieve your pre-paid photo CD and memory book.



Note: If you read about us checking in to our resort on-line (click here to read more), know that we have received a few e-mails from Disney Destinations with hints and tips for our trip. They have reminded us to download the mobile app to check wait times and character greetings. They have also encouraged us to check our e-mail while we are at the World for special offers, etc. This is new!

Monday, November 8, 2010

The Boy Turned 8!

 Last week, the boy officially turned 8 years old.  Where has the time gone?  On the day of his official birthday, we celebrated at a local pizza parlour with taco pizza, a clown ice cream sundae with a candle, singing, and games.  Since it was a week-night, it was just the three of us.  We enjoyed our time together and remembered that we came to this very same pizza parlour when he turned one.  The boy wanted to know what he ate.  The answer. . . the little sausages off the taco pizza and the ice cream. 

 For his party on the week-end, we headed to our local Heartland Human Society.  They have a "party room" available for use and ask that your guests bring donations for the shelter.

 Once everyone arrived, we headed outside to a fenced in yard area and the staff brought us five puppies who could use some play time outside.

 The puppies played with each other and with the kids.  Put 5 puppies with 7 kids and you get a whole lot of running and playing.


Even the adults at the party got in on the action.  There was lots of love to go around for the animals.



 We were glad the animals were good natured.  We did have an injury when a puppy paw got too close to a lip and we ended up with a scratched lip.  A quick fix with no tears.  Whew!



 The puppies had kisses to go around and one puppy got a good brushing--see photo below.



 Here we all are.  The kids, the adults, and the puppies.  One of the puppies ended up with just his backside in the photo.


 Next we headed inside to the cat rooms.  There are two cat rooms and you can take the cats out and play.  Just don't let any of them escape from the room!


 Even Grandma got in on the action.


 In the photo above, you can see the table full of donations for the animals that this group brought to the party.  In addition to all of the supplies, they were also given some cash donations.

No birthday party would be complete without the cake.  You can also get an idea of the party room that is available from the photo above.

 I wonder what he wished for. . .


Here comes to cake!  Yummy!





 The animals got gifts and so did the boy.  So we opened presents next.  There were many "oh's and ah's" over the gifts.  The boy has much to be grateful for.

Then it was time to say good-bye.  All the kids left with McDonald's gift certificates as a thank you for attending the party. 

We left with a warmed heart for helping the animals and a great celebration with friends and family.

We also learned that on that day, there were over 200 animals being kept at the shelter with 120 of them being dogs.  We learned that many people surrender their animals when they get old or sick and that the other way they get the animals is due to unplanned litters. 

Heartland Humane was quite a busy place the day we were there, which was also a good thing.  There were volunteers from the local middle school there to walk and care for the animals, Girl Scouts helping, too, and many folks looking to adopt an animal.

With the holiday season approaching, many families look to add that new pet to the family.  I hope that when that time comes, folks will check out their local shelters to a pet to adopt.

Now, I've got to start thinking about a party for next year. . .