It looks like a fun day even with the long lines! Thank goodness for play areas and interactive queues!
You've had so many good DIS meets - how fun to meet these people in person and already have so much in common!
I'm sorry that DS was not keen on BTMRR, but bravo for taking him off. I've seen parents force kids crying and screaming on rides. Not fun for anyone involved!
Can't wait to see some parade pics!
Those play areas and interactive queues are the BEST thing Disney has done for parents!! It makes waiting in line with them so much easier, except when it's time to drag them away from it.
It was fun to not only have as many DIS meets as we did, but they were all DIS'ers I have been hoping to cross paths with for a long time! It really worked out perfectly that we chose that weekend and had lots of people to meet up & hang out with.
Definitely NOT fun, and a 3 minute ride isn't worth scarring my kid for life! I was happy he braved Splash Mountain, and he still says how much he likes that ride. But BTMRR was just too big of a step for him this time. Maybe he will be more interested in March when we head to DL!
Brace yourself, I have a TON to share!!! I probably need to edit some to get the number down, but it's going to be SO difficult! Hopefully I can do another massive update tonight or tomorrow.
It looks like your son had fun in the Winnie the Pooh queue. That's crazy about the Dumbo play area. We did FP+ on it because my nephews picked that #1 to ride, so we missed that area completely. The hair cut pictures are great.
That's too bad he didn't want to ride Big Thunder Mountain and I know it's hard when kids get something set in their mind that they don't want to do. It sounds like you handled it perfectly.
Yay for a DISmeet!
He was having a great time that morning getting to play in between rides.
I totally wish I would have realized what was happening with the play area and skipped it completely because I felt horrible dragging him out. But he would have played in there all day if we had let him!
Thank you! I felt so bad when he started crying for even trying to take him on there, especially after his reaction when I just walked him through the train car to get to the other side of the platform! The fact that it was way past his usual naptime probably didn't help matters. But oh, well, we'll try again when he's ready!
It was such a great DIS meet! I had so much fun hanging out with Melissa & her family!
Hmmm...was that also a Sunday? crowds at MK are usual horrible on Sunday. That combined with the days of rain as you said compiled to make it tough. Besides, I don't think May is as slow as the fall when you usually go. (Well, early May isn't too bad, so I guess I don't really know you're exact dates.)
Speaking of DISmeets, I still may be heading down your way, but right now it looks iffy and even if so might be right during your trip to Italy. Truthfully while I'd love to meet you and Dustin, I would prefer to do it during a "pleasure" trip as this would not be a particularly fun trip for me. I'll keep you posted, even if it ends up we can't because of your trip. Gosh, you must be flipping out with it just around corner. Tell Kevin (from the podcast crew) I said "hi" if he remembers me from the BSM pre-trip chats last spring. (I got the impression he didn't like me much, though! Which was too bad as he's my favorite on the podcast.)
It was a Sunday, and the beautiful weather after several days of rain had people coming into MK in DROVES! But I'm glad we chose that day for MK ultimately, because I think I would have been way more sad about spending a day getting soaking wet in MK than I did in DHS. We were there the first weekend in May, and although that Sunday was packed, my family that stayed for the week said it was way better the rest of the time they were there! So I guess early May is still an okay time to go, just beware the Magic Kingdom when it has been downpouring for several days!!
Totally understand if it just doesn't work out with it being a business trip! We'll be out of town the 14th-26th. I can't believe it is getting so close! Only a week left to go! I'll definitely tell Kevin you said hi.
I'm so glad I followed your advice about joining in on chat. Even though there wasn't a lot of people in it every week (usually only about 10 or 12 people out of a group of 35), I feel like I have at least gotten to know those people from chat pretty well which will make integrating into the group a little easier since a lot of them have traveled together before!
Wow. That's not really a good sign of things to come.
Not a big fan of a 20 minute wait, but at least that queue helps.
We definitely weren't up to our usual touring level that morning because of the crowds. And also probably because we chose the longest attraction in MK to do first! That ate up quite a bit of time first thing in the morning, but it was totally worth it.
Well, that seems rather chaotic...
Ugh. It was. Totally don't get it!!!
Excellent choice!
I figured a few DIS'ers would approve, even though DS has absolutely no clue what it is.
I'm really going to have to re-evaluate some things before I make FP+ reservations, aren't I?
Absolutely! FP+ has completely changed the ballgame!
Nice job, Paxton! I'm glad that he was cooperative throughout the process.
Really, aside from his trip when he was 2 and he lost it over the hair spraying, he has gotten to be a pro at haircuts, whether at Disney or at home! But I still worry because you just never know with kids...
What the what!?!?!?!?!?
I KNOW! My uncle looked, I'll just say, less than thrilled to be standing in that line!
I'm sorry that he reacted that way. But no, you wouldn't know until you got there that he'd be so adamantly against riding. Nothing you can do about that. It is just too bad that it didn't work out.
It was a disappointment, but I was still just so happy that we had at least been successful in trying out Splash! I really thought that once we got him to the platform and he saw the train he'd be more willing to go on, but clearly not!
Yay! Glad DS rode Splash Mountain ok but too bad about BTM. Oh well, sometimes it can take a while before they are ready to brave certain rides. I can't believe how crowded it was at MK! I know that is was May and all but the stand by times sounded crazy for the morning! So do you like the FP+ verses the regular FP on a crowded day like that?
Yeah, I think it's going to be awhile before he's ready for BTMRR! However, he does keep talking about how much he loved Splash (even though he seemed more than ready to get off when we actually went on it lol), so maybe he will be more excited next time. And no ponchos!
It was an insanely crowded morning, especially considering how spoiled we have gotten to late October crowds! It was definitely nice knowing we had those 3 FP+ set up and ready to go, but because by default it seems to make standby lines longer, it really made it worse on such a crowded day. Stuff that is normally walk-on or very short was way longer than I have ever seen it. I mean, 40 minutes for Magic Carpets? Give me a break! The Pirates line was crazier than I have EVER seen it! And same for Pirates. So while it was great for the rides you did have a FP+ for, it was torture for the ones you didn't.
So I just did a huge catch up:
Love DS's funny face pictures with Lightning McQueen and Mater. Looks like he was really hamming it up.
Your Fantasmic pictures are really great! Really interesting fact about Ariel on the boat. I had no idea and am now going to need to watch for it. Love DS's comment while exiting about freaking out! I feel the same way during all the big show exits.
Great view of Wishes. Love when that type of thing happens.
How great that DS was sooo excited to ride the Disney bus! Our excitement level for our first Disney bus ride each trip is pretty high but the excitement tends to wear off pretty quickly.
So yeah, your DH's Philharmagic shirt is the best. I don't remember ever seeing this one. Love it!
Nice work getting DS on Splash. I still can't get my nearly 11 year old on it. And I have to tell you on our trip I finally rode Kali River Rapids....in a poncho with no shame all because of you in your last report. For Kali it is definitely the way to go and I might consider it for Splash. I really hate walking around in wet clothes so much that I often avoid these rides. If a poncho makes it enjoyable I say do it!
Congrats on the DL trip! We might be returning this summer and I am beyond excited.
Sorry BTMRR didn't go so well but looks like you made the right choice.
He is SUCH a ham! He really knows how to play it up when he knows Daddy is snapping away on the camera!
It's scary to me trying to shuffle out in that crowd, I can't even imagine how much worse it is for him being so small and only coming up to people's butts!
I totally agree about the bus! We were all so excited for the first Disney bus ride (ever for DS, and in a very long time for DH & I), but by the end of the night, I was SO annoyed standing there waiting for a freaking bus to come!!
He got that shirt several years ago, and it's definitely a favorite.
After 2 trips with a poncho on Splash, I'm beginning to feel less ashamed about it!
I have definitely learned it's not the end of the world if it makes your day go by smoother. But I look forward to our next long trip when I can ride it right before we are ready for a break at the resort or leaving for the day when I can go on and not care about getting soaked! I hate walking around wet too, but I'll risk it if I know I can go change if I need to!
Thanks! I am SO excited to be heading back sooner than expected, and even more excited to get to take DS to Carsland for the first time! I can't wait to see his reaction to walking into Radiator Springs!
Thanks, we felt like we did too after seeing his reaction. Forcing him on probably would have ruined him for the rest of the afternoon!
This is the cutest picture and I know I said this to Melissa - but you guys definitely look like sisters in this pic! How fun that you got to meet up! I think she lives in really western Maryland which is fairly remote so I'm not surprised about the no Starbucks. We've pass through there on the way to WVA and there's like one real town, maybe.
Always so jealous of your pirate pictures. They are always so well lit! Love them!
So glad that Paxton did so well with May's haircut. I remember how worried you were about October's. He did great and boy, he really needed that cut!
Despite the crowds I think you ended up with a well planned day. You got a lot done and those FP's definitely came in handy.
Poor Paxton - I can only how thrilled he must have been when you pulled him out of line for the carousel and from the Dumbo play area.
g What the heck was the purpose of the Dumbo beeper anyway?
Can you believe I have never been through the Dumbo queue? I bet its fun with a little one.
Aww, thanks, Mary Ellen! I love how that pic of us came out too! She did tell me about what it takes to get out to her house, so I am less surprised after her explanation that she doesn't have Starbucks. It's just so weird to think there are still places in America where they aren't on every corner!!!
Thansk! I think that's DH's favorite dark ride to photograph.
Oh my gosh, did he EVER need that cut!! I was so tempted in the weeks before the trip to just say forget it and go get it cut before, but I'm glad I didn't. It's such a fun tradition now!
I have NO CLUE why they were handing out the beepers!!! It seems like they would just tell you that you could go in and play for as long as you wanted and come back out to ride when you were ready instead of handing you a pager and expecting that you would be paged to ride the attraction when it was your turn. It's definitely fun with a little one, and he was excited to be big enough to go into the climbing area this time and not just confined to the toddler area. Hopefully next trip with more days in MK we can take him in there just to run around and burn off some energy.
Just got all caught up!
How cool to get in a first ride for Paxton on Splash! (I, for one, am totally okay with ponchos on that). Too bad he wasn't up for Big Thunder, but maybe he will be at DL and I hear that one is super-awesome!! So fun to experience those firsts with him.
Sounds like you had a really nice meet with Melissa and family to make up for your lack of meet with your aunt and uncle. Too bad the lines were so long, but at least you had those FP+ and good weather, I guess.
So excited for your upcoming trips - Italy and
Disneyland sound amazing!
It was AWESOME to finally be able to experience my most favorite Disney ride with him, and although he didn't LOVE it, he didn't hate it either, so that's a plus! Poor DH, I think he was hoping for that same experience with BTMRR (his favorite) but it just wasn't happening this trip. Like you said, maybe DL will be a different story!
It was a great meet! I wish we could have spent more time with my cousins, but our day just didn't seem to be lining up with theirs. We are talking about maybe taking a big family trip sometime in 2016 with them and my parents, so hopefully that all pans out! Despite the huge crowds, I was more than thankful for beautiful weather on our one and only MK day!!
Thanks, I'm beyond excited for both!!! I can't believe that our Italy countdown started at 900+ days and now it's only 8 days away!!
