8.25.2008

more for me than you (more info than you could ever want)

Sunday:
Wake up at 4:30am with only 5 hours of sleep under my belt.
Plane takes off on time, but I won't let myself relax just yet.
Love having the WHOLE family together on a trip... in matching outfits no less.
Arrive Dallas head to TGIFridays for breakfast taquitos... they mess them up and give me my money back.
Plane from Dallas takes off on time... I start to get excited but keep getting interrupted by a screaming non-sleeping T...
T finally sleeps. We land. The car is there to pick us up.
American Airlines has lost the stroller.
The drive from the airport to WDW looks just as I remembered it from 4 years ago.
My Auntie and Uncle arrive at the front of the hotel at the EXACT same time as we do.
We check in, our second choice room is available and READY - we get layed.
Mason and T sleep as the rest of us head to the pool. I discover that I forgot to pack the goggles... gift shop have them... for a price.... I buy 2 pair.
Dinner at Rain forest Cafe is amazing... the look on Braden and Tristan's faces when the 'storm' hits is priceless. All the activity keeps Tristan busy and he forgets he is tired.
Kids go to bed, I drag Mason out to Magic Kingdom. We take the boat... learn that taking the boat takes up a lot of time...
Magic Kingdom is PACKED, we get two rides in PP and HM and head out.
Mason gets down on one knee (in the hallway of the hotel) and asks me to marry him all over again... presents new wedding band.... BEAUTIFUL!
Call American airlines about the stroller.

Monday:
Call American airlines about the stroller again.
Get everyone up early. Try to get out the door by 8:15 - ends up being 8:30
Make it in the nick of time for the Grand Opening of the Magic Kingdom. Realize that in all my years coming to Disney that I had never witnessed it.
Hold Braden (very heavy) on shoulders so he can watch the dancers with Mickey and gang dance around the train. Cry - feel silly for crying.
Hoof it up to Fantasyland where we begin the Unofficial Guides touring recommendations.
Teacups, Winnie the Pooh, Peter Pan, Peter Pan again, Small World, Indy Speedway, Astro Orbiter, Space Mountain, Lunch, Pirates of the Caribbean.
Mason takes T home for a nap.
Splash Mountain, Haunted Mansion, Ice Cream.
Take Braden home for nap... which he doesn't take.
The stroller finally makes it to Orlando and then us.
Dinner at Kona Cafe .
Back out to Park.
Ride the MK Train. More Splash Mountain Big Thunder Mountain (twice) More Peter Pan, more Space Mountain, Wed Way People Mover (TTA), more Haunted Mansion, one last Pirates of the Caribbean, fireworks.
Home - Bed

Tuesday:
The rain begins. Tropical storm Fay starts creeping up into Florida. I think NOTHING about it.
Order hot breakfast room service... underwhelmed.
Head late to Epcot... with NO plan. Start to panic when we get there.
Ride Imagination (huge waste of time).
Grab fast pass for Soarin'.
Go to the Living Seas and ride Nemo... the place is packed.
Realize that T is too little to do any of the stuff B wants to do.
Auntie and Uncle Phil take T home.
After Turtle Talk (moderate waste of time) we head on over to Test Track.
Get into a scuffle with a cast member regarding what another CM told me about age requirements for single riders... Get a fast pass out of the deal. Braden loves the ride
Head to Mission Space - getting hungry - want to ride all of the BIG rides before a big meal.
Mission Space green was very very mild, although it was VERY close quarters... a bit nerve wracking.
Ditch counter service and head up to England for a pint at the pub - forget to take any pictures.
Walk the LONG way to Norway to ride the Viking Ride (Mason's favorite) .
Freezing cold since I didn't pack for rain....buy really nice feeling/looking really expensive sweatshirt.
Hit Soarin' with our fast passes then Spaceship Earth.
Head home.
Dinner plans out the door since we had early reservations.
Can't remember what everyone else did but Mason and I head out to the Wilderness Lodge for dinner around 8pm - Catch the fireworks at MK from the boat coming home in the pouring rain.

Wednesday:
Wake up to MORE RAIN!
Auntie and Uncle Phil leave. Braden refuses to have anymore pictures of him taken.
Catch the bus to MGM... or as it is now know... Disney Hollywood Studios... or DS or HS (just to make it more confusing).
Head to Star Tours - ride twice. Get my picture made with Mason as Leia and Han... cost way too much.
Lunch in a mad hurry at Sci Fi dinner theater so we can catch the Stunt Action Show.
Everyone at the park is at the Stunt action show... All 3 boys love it... I am moderately entertained.
I head home with T - Braden and Mason stay to ride Tower of Terror.
Spent nap time washing chocolate ice cream out of Braden's clothes.
That afternoon I head out to get my massage. Fall asleep on and off during the massage. Was it still worth it? Hell Yes!
Get ready for date night.
Meet babysitter Vivien (grandmother herself) seems wonderful.
Argue all the way about whether or not to really 'count' this anniversary. 11 years together... Mason only counts 8 years married. whatever!
Catch the bus to Pleasure Island... start really disliking the bus system.
Go to the Adventures Club.... love it love it love it.
Still raining we catch a cab home... no more buses!
Vivien did not kill or eat the children ... all is well and they are in bed.
We hit the hay too.

Thursday:
Magic kingdom opens early.
It is just Me Mason Braden and T .
It is still raining and I am about to cry. Lose my park admission and have to be issued a new card.
Break down and buy sweatshirts for the boys because I didn't pack ANY long sleeve shirts!
Meet Mason and B at Space Mountain as they are just getting off. I ride one more time with B.
Hit Winnie the Pooh twice - it was by far T's favorite ride!
Peter Pan Twice, Haunted Mansion again, Splash Mountain twice in a row. Mason takes T in and then promptly out of Country Bear Jamboree. We decide that the Tiki Birds would just be a waste of time.
Lunch then Jungle Cruise (not worth the wait) Mason and T go home for a nap. Big Thunder Mountain once then Dumbo and more Wed Way and Buzz Lightyear.
Head back to hotel. The weather kinda breaks and we all head to the marina to rent some speed boats. Braden loves it. Mason loves it. Tristan seemed indifferent and I was nervous the whole time speeding around with my toddler who (although had a life vest) had no seat belt or restraint.
Wet and tired against our better judgement we head out IN THE RAIN! to Epcot for dinner in Marraaco. Beautiful restaurant - way late on getting there... totally cold and food was not that great. Grumble all the way home cursing the rain. Lose my Target umbrella to the wind under the big golf ball.

Friday:
STILL RAINING
At this point we decide to split up. Mason takes T to the Grand Floridan for Breakfast. I take B over to MK.
Meet Pluto and Chip and Dale.
Two more Buzz Light Years, two more Space Mountains, one more Wed Way Ride and another ride on Astro Orbitor.
Back to back viewings of Mickey's Philharmagic, and Snow White (biggest waste of time yet) Lunch on Main Street.
Head on home on the BIG Ferry - much faster and much FUN!
Sun is kind of out - hit the beach and pool.
Auntie and Uncle Phil stop back by for one last visit. Mason and B rent another searacer.
T and Mason get locked out of the room - waste a whole bunch of time getting keys and key readers fiddled with and eventually fixed.
Vivien comes back.
Pizza for the kids and Mason and I are off to Epcot France for dinner. The rain has stopped.
Spend 3 hours over dinner with no rain. The minute we leave the restaurant for the Illuminations show the heavens open up. Watch show.... seems the same as 8 years ago.
Walk barefoot (very romantic) to Future World and ride Ellen's Energy Adventure, Mason remembers liking it more 4 years ago.
Ride Spaceship Earth in French... don't understand as much as we would have liked.

Saturday:
No rain! Up early for Character Breakfast. Realize that we are not packed and I am so wanting a 'down day' at the beach that we extend our stay one more day.
Crappy breakfast. Fantastic meeting Mickey though... so it was all worth it.
Spend the rest of the day at the beach and pool. Swimming, building sand castles, floating boats, renting sailboats. Wonderful Beautiful day... until it starts raining around 3 in the afternoon...
Dinner packing and head to bed early.

Sunday:
Awaken by Braden... breakfast in the room. Pack Pack Pack, hang out hang out hang out.
Buy photo album, check our bags, hop in car back to airport (T screams the whole way)
Get to airport super early. Think it would have been better to drive... then laugh at ourselves for even thinking it.
T screams both plane rides.
We make it home to really tall grass and really really really big and mean mosquitos.

WONDERFUL WONDERFUL LOVELY AWESOME ROCKIN' VACATION!!!

5 comments:

Leah said...

WOW. I want to know more. LOL. :) Welcome home. I miss you.

Williams Family said...

Yeah! Love it all!! How ROMANTIC! I can't believe he proposed. That is really cool. Loved all the details. Sounds like ya'll had so much fun.

Robyn said...

LOVED reading all about the trip! Read every single word!! I thought about you almost everyday. I would even check the weather in Orlando due to Fay. Love the pic of T with B in the background and love the pic with you and mason on the beach. We will have to get together soon to rehash the whole trip! BTW...YOU GOT DREAM FASTPASSES!!!! WOW!!!

Anonymous said...

a good time was had by all then. perfect. good for you! glad you went! love, jessica

Jen said...

a little jealous. Great Vacation!