No right,no wrong, no rules for me - I'm free *First solo trip 4/30-5/6* updated 8/29x3 *complete*

[missangelalexis]

Love the ears and the dress!!

 

[xlsm]

I'll come with you

Hoorayyy!!

PDD is the worst!!

I miss Wishes. HEA was great, but I had a hard time focusing on both the projections and th fireworks simultaneously. Plus, I feel like finding a great spot for Wishes was much easier than finding a good spot to view HEA.

Aw, Snow White. Squirrel on foot?! NOPE.

PDD really is the worst I wonder, if I could get a dr to diagnose it as a real illness, if I could get Disney to agree to let me live in the Cinderella suite in the castle

That's a fair point about HEA I hadn't thought of. We only have two non-party nights on our October trip, so I've picked the most convenient night to see it in the park. For that, I want to be in the hub grass. Since we're staying at the Polynesian, I'm hoping we can catch it from the resort on the second non-party night. Then we can focus on projections while in the park and the fireworks from the Poly.

Squirrel on foot was definitely way too much for me!!

Love the ears and the dress!!

Thank you!! I am impatiently waiting for them to be delivered!!

 

[xlsm]

Hello!!

Before I fall super behind again, I thought I'd go ahead and get another update posted!!

(what that really means is, I'm avoiding PTO work that I'm supposed to be doing, because who wants to think about school right now??)

So here goes...

Chapter Six Part Three

When I left you, I was slowly making my way toward the World Showcase for that last minute Frozen Ever After fast pass I'd managed to get. It was time to head in!



You can see all the people going in ahead of me...I think I mentioned before that this was Cinco de Mayo. The Showcase was about five to ten minutes from opening, and lines were already forming around Mexico. People were decked out in Cinco de Mayo Drink Around the World shirts...they were ready to get their margarita on for sure.

Because it was already crowded in Mexico, I just waved adios and skipped to Norway.



Norway has always been one of my favorite pavilions for several reasons.

1. Maelstrom. May it rest in peace.

2. The architecture. It's so beautiful!

3. The scent of Laila in the shops (now renamed Sven Spit or Melting Olaf or Eau de Elsa or something...Frozen the Fragrance??)

4. Trolls

5. School Bread

Focusing on reason two, architecture, can you even believe the woodwork and details here??

Like these dragon guys on the corners:



and all of this intricate carving:



(it was a nerve wracking couple of seconds when I stood outside this door taking the picture...I just knew someone would charge through it and hit me in the face!)

I walked through the stores, looking at some of the trolls and thinking about buying one for DH. I have one from my first trip back in 2001 that I love and treasure. It lives upstairs on my desk that I never use, so I think I need to bring him downstairs. I'm not sure if DH actually LIKES the trolls, or if I'm just trying to project my love of them onto him. It could go either way.

Speaking of trolls...



While in the shop, I also sprayed myself with the Sven Spit/Laila, and I regret not buying any.

It was time for my Fast Pass, so I went back outside and noticed Kristoff up on a building:



felt the need to document the fact that FEA only had a 40 minute wait and the line wasn't out the door:



and became irrationally annoyed with this kid for having the nerve to be in the picture of these buildings:



I got in line and there wasn't much wait in the fast pass line, maybe five minutes or so. I was put in the first row of the boat



so I sat in the middle to avoid getting wet.

In December, Elsa was not "letting it go", she was "standing still"



This time she was flailing those arms around like the queen she is, and I definitely felt like she was no longer holding on to her feelings. Good for her.

Here's a terrible photo from the ride:



Annnd my ride photo which is...well, not my fave.



After celebrating summer in winter, or whatever the heck we're excited about in Arendelle, I broke some kind of speed record and ended up in China within just a couple of minutes. The World Showcase makes you feel like The Flash.





I know I posted pictures of the dragon topiary from the first Epcot day, but this time I photographed him from the other side. This makes it a whole new experience. Right??



I was going to watch the China circlevision movie, but first I went through the temple. The terra cotta warriors are gone. I guess I had been living under a rock, because I didn't know that. Instead it was filled with stuff about Shanghai Disneyland.

The display was created for people like me, I swear, because now I feel like if I don't go to Shanghai Disneyland very soon, I will collapse and die.

Prepare for a bunch of pictures of the SDL display!!





Look at those little toys! Are they not INCREDIBLY cute??

My personal favorite, The Q'araq:



I want to ride Roaring Rapids so I can see him. He looks amazing!

Adventure Isle would probably be my favorite area of the park. I think these stone guardian creatures are so cool:



The real reason Shanghai Disneyland is on my list:



Why do we not have an adorable llama mascot here in the US?? I have a fixation on alpacas - I love them - so being able to buy Wooley ears or stuffed Wooleys is something I need in my life.

The merchandise from SDL is all so cute and fun. Please, please WDW, bring us more easily accessible Asian inspired Disney things.

I had more pictures of the SDL display pulled for the update, but I figured it was overkill. So I'll end things here and continue my journey around the world in my next update!!

I hope the week is starting off well for everyone so far...only four more days til the weekend!

 

[missangelalexis]

Love all your pictures from China, so pretty!

 

[coloredimage]

Happy Saturday!!

I will come back and quote soon, but I have to share what I bought today for MNSSHP!!

I mentioned a few posts back that I bought the black and white crochet ears, right? They shipped yesterday and I am so excited to see them. They look just like this:

View attachment 255051

(wow, that's huge, sorry!)

Well...today I bought this dress on Amazon to wear with them:

View attachment 255052

I hope hope hope this dress fits and is comfortable material. It was inexpensive enough to take the risk, and will be SO CUTE if it works out.

I've never ordered clothing on Amazon before, so it might be a disaster, but I'm crossing my fingers.

I have to comment on this before I do anything else because omg this is adorable! Also, I'm super bummed we're not going to the party on the same day because I'm doing a Daisy bound for the party on the 15th!

 

[coloredimage]

I was going to say this was a very Valley of the Dolls kind of expression on your face then remembered that that wasn't the name of a horror movie, just a movie I don't like. And now the metaphor-making part of my brain is broken, but it does look a little like you joined the unblinking legions of Small World.

I was going to watch the China circlevision movie, but first I went through the temple. The terra cotta warriors are gone. I guess I had been living under a rock, because I didn't know that. Instead it was filled with stuff about Shanghai Disneyland.

Well, I must be under that rock with you because I didn't know that was gone and I was there like a week before you! Though I realize now I didn't go into the China pavilion so I guess that's a good reason why.

The display was created for people like me, I swear, because now I feel like if I don't go to Shanghai Disneyland very soon, I will collapse and die.

Same. I was trying super hard to convince people that we should totally go over there for my birthday next year because it's a "milestone birthday" or something equally ridiculous. I have to be content with Epcot because that's the best they agreed to lol.

Why do we not have an adorable llama mascot here in the US?? I have a fixation on alpacas - I love them - so being able to buy Wooley ears or stuffed Wooleys is something I need in my life.

You would love it around here - I can name at least a handful of alpaca farms in a half hour radius of my house alone! Also, yes, he is an adorable little mascot and I am jealous.

 

[Sailormoon2]

Annnd my ride photo which is...well, not my fave

I love it! It's just you in the front, and yo look like you're so INTO IT!!

 

[xlsm]

Love all your pictures from China, so pretty!

Thank you! I always take sooo many pictures there. I wonder how many I'll do in October?? I should do a "seasons of China" thing, I'll have all four now!

I have to comment on this before I do anything else because omg this is adorable! Also, I'm super bummed we're not going to the party on the same day because I'm doing a Daisy bound for the party on the 15th!

It came today and it FITS!! It's so cute. I can't wait for the ears to arrive and complete the look.

Oh. My. Gosh. I am so sad we're not going to the same party. We would have had to meet Minnie and Daisy together if we were, that would have been amazing!

I was going to say this was a very Valley of the Dolls kind of expression on your face then remembered that that wasn't the name of a horror movie, just a movie I don't like. And now the metaphor-making part of my brain is broken, but it does look a little like you joined the unblinking legions of Small World.

Well, I must be under that rock with you because I didn't know that was gone and I was there like a week before you! Though I realize now I didn't go into the China pavilion so I guess that's a good reason why.

Same. I was trying super hard to convince people that we should totally go over there for my birthday next year because it's a "milestone birthday" or something equally ridiculous. I have to be content with Epcot because that's the best they agreed to lol.

You would love it around here - I can name at least a handful of alpaca farms in a half hour radius of my house alone! Also, yes, he is an adorable little mascot and I am jealous.

Haha, Valley of the Dolls isn't totally off base, I look a little druggy in the eyes

To top things off, on top of not knowing about the Shanghai stuff, I just learned today that Cruz Ramirez is meeting at DHS. I'm slipping!!

I'm stuck with Epcot China, too. *sigh*

The alpaca farms would thrill me to death!! I have an entire Pinterest board dedicated to alpacas and alpaca farming! I want to move where we have land and get a few. Why?? I have no idea. I just do!

I love it! It's just you in the front, and yo look like you're so INTO IT!!

This is all I think of when I see my picture:



It's my weird blank eyes

 

[Raeven]

.I think I mentioned before that this was Cinco de Mayo. The Showcase was about five to ten minutes from opening, and lines were already forming around Mexico.

I guess it was a good idea not to go to Epcot and get a margarita that day. But we were just arriving then anyway!

I'm not sure if DH actually LIKES the trolls, or if I'm just trying to project my love of them onto him. It could go either way.

I've never heard of someone projecting their love of trolls on someone else

and became irrationally annoyed with this kid for having the nerve to be in the picture of these buildings:

In December a kid was running along the fountain with his hands in it at the France Pavillion, while I was there. I just wanted one picture and I had to wait for him to stop!

Annnd my ride photo which is...well, not my fave.

It looks like you're internally screaming while trying to convince yourself it's all fine.

I broke some kind of speed record and ended up in China within just a couple of minutes. The World Showcase makes you feel like The Flash.

The display was created for people like me, I swear, because now I feel like if I don't go to Shanghai Disneyland very soon, I will collapse and die.

I would too! I watched a video once of a character meal there and now I need to go.

 

[thumper*]

Love that dress and the ears too.

This dude is a riot, in ANcient Aliens. I can't remember his name though.

 

[chunkymonkey]

See? No exaggeration. I was, sing it with me now, alll byyyy myyyysellllfff!!!

Maybe they thought I would depress all the happy families??

Out of sight out of mind I guess! At least you got waited upon. Thank goodness it's a buffet.

My server was very chatty and even sat down at the table with me at one point to talk. She asked about my kids, and I told her their ages, and she said she never thought they'd be so old, she figured they'd be like 7 or 8 because I didn't look old enough to have an 11 and 13 year old.

I get that a lot. I assume it's a fishing tactic for a big tip

Yes I think so too - way too young to have an 11 and 13 year old! In fact when I saw you at Jock Lindsey's I thought you were close to Raeven's age and I was the old fart. I mean I'm still the old fart, but I did not think you had two older kids, I would have suspected toddlers.

Can I get a tip now?

Mickey waffle, plantain, potatoes, fruit, sausage, bread pudding (with BOTH sauces!).

Mmmm so good.

If you are a breakfast person, Boma is the place to go when staying at AKL!

100% agree, we did just that at the end of May!

At this point, a little crowd of people had stopped around the perimeter of my squirrel whispering. I was slightly in awe of the close squirrel, but also starting to get nervous b/c he was not backing down. Maybe this was not a request for friendship, but instead a showdown.



And this is when things took a downhill turn. He touched me.

The squirrel climbed onto my foot.

I may have screamed. In public. At Epcot.

EEEEk I would have screamed too. I mean squirrels are cute and all far away but I've never had one touch me.

On the way out I stopped in the store to buy L's gift. The hoodie with the "Mine, mine, mine" gulls on it...loved getting the AP discount on that thing, let me tell you!

Love that AP discount!!

Instead of doing standby AND using my FP like the prior visit, I decided to see what was available in tier one on the app. I got a Fast Pass for Frozen Ever After at 11:10! I had not planned to ride Frozen this time, because I don't have any sort of attachment or love for this ride since Maelstrom is gone, BUT I figured it would be a chance to see if Elsa was actually letting it go this time, and not just standing there awkwardly like in December.

Good idea!!

All week I'd had two hair ties in the Vera Bradley pouch on the lanyard, and for some reason I'd removed them and not put them back in. I think it was when I was digging around for small bills to tip the housekeeper?? I have no idea what I was thinking.

I did see some scrunchies. I don't' know what's worse, LOL.

Hi Stitch!!

So cute!!! How did I miss this!?

They look just like this:

(wow, that's huge, sorry!)

Well...today I bought this dress on Amazon to wear with them:

I hope hope hope this dress fits and is comfortable material. It was inexpensive enough to take the risk, and will be SO CUTE if it works out.

I've never ordered clothing on Amazon before, so it might be a disaster, but I'm crossing my fingers.

LOVE IT!!! Can't wait to hear if it works! I want to see a picture!

People were decked out in Cinco de Mayo Drink Around the World shirts...they were ready to get their margarita on for sure.

Because it was already crowded in Mexico, I just waved adios and skipped to Norway.

I just realized this was the day we met you later on. We were also in Epcot that morning - Maybe we passed you without knowing it!

1. Maelstrom. May it rest in peace.

2. The architecture. It's so beautiful!

3. The scent of Laila in the shops (now renamed Sven Spit or Melting Olaf or Eau de Elsa or something...Frozen the Fragrance??)

4. Trolls

5. School Bread

Excellent reasons to love Norway. I think the perfume is Scent of a Troll or something like that.

After celebrating summer in winter, or whatever the heck we're excited about in Arendelle, I broke some kind of speed record and ended up in China within just a couple of minutes. The World Showcase makes you feel like The Flash.

Who needs an around the world trip when you can just come to Epcot? LOL.

I was going to watch the China circlevision movie, but first I went through the temple. The terra cotta warriors are gone. I guess I had been living under a rock, because I didn't know that. Instead it was filled with stuff about Shanghai Disneyland.

I didn't realize they were gone either, but I absolutely loved the Shanghai DL exhibit!

The merchandise from SDL is all so cute and fun. Please, please WDW, bring us more easily accessible Asian inspired Disney things.

I wholeheartedly agree!!!

 

[Raeven]

I heard this morning that the store in the China pavilion now carries Shanghai Disney merchandise. I think I read stuff from the opening? Not sure if it's just generic stuff that says Shanghai Disney or more specific stuff.

 

[Verstehen]

Woah! We were both in Epcot on May 5th! Sad we didn't know

 

[jpeterson]

Woah! We were both in Epcot on May 5th! Sad we didn't know

My family was there as well. I keep checking the pictures looking for us...

 

[wdwnut61]

Love all the details in your photos from Norway especially that door. I'm glad you got the photo without getting smacked

I love your dress and ears. Keep us posted on how the dress fits.

 

[MeghanEmily]

The scent of Laila in the shops (now renamed Sven Spit or Melting Olaf

Bahaha this.

felt the need to document the fact that FEA only had a 40 minute wait and the line wasn't out the door:

Miracle of miracles!!

Annnd my ride photo which is...well, not my fave.

Ahahaha! You look so dead inside!

The display was created for people like me, I swear, because now I feel like if I don't go to Shanghai Disneyland very soon, I will collapse and die.

It looks AMAZING! Totally understandable reaction.

 

[Tracy161]

Because it was already crowded in Mexico, I just waved adios and skipped to Norway.

I see what ya did there...

1. Maelstrom. May it rest in peace.

3. The scent of Laila

5. School Bread

Reasons, too, that I love Norway

I definitely felt like she was no longer holding on to her feelings. Good for her.

This makes it a whole new experience. Right??

Right.

The terra cotta warriors are gone. I guess I had been living under a rock, because I didn't know that.

What?! We must have been sharing the rock.

 

[xlsm]

Helloooooo out there!!

I need about five extra hours each day. I think if I had that time, I would feel like a semi-successful adult. Or, at the very least, I'd get five more episodes of whatever I'm binge watching in every day.

I spent all day yesterday removing the carpet from our living room, because after YEARS of wanting it replaced, and MONTHS after we finished our bedroom floor, we finally ordered the wood for the living/formal dining/entryway.

My dogs are so unhappy. There's one little patch of carpet left that the entertainment center is sitting on, because I didn't want to mess with all of the cords, and one of the dogs was scrunched up as small as he could make himself to lay on it. It was pretty depressing. Today I'm going out to buy a bunch of dog beds for the living room, because they are obviously too good to lay on bare floor.

Next week I will be removing two rooms of the old wood floor. Oh, and maybe the downstairs bathroom tile. OH and also the tile around the fireplace. Because once the carpet was gone, I decided that if we were going to retile the fireplace, now would be the time...so we don't mess up the new wood when we take out the tile later.

I have opened a can of worms.

On Tuesday we drove two hours to Missouri for a day at Silver Dollar City with my aunt and my little cousin (who is aged right between the boys - he just turned 13). Maybe it's childhood nostalgia, but I still say it's the best overall themed park outside of a Disney property.

Wednesday I met with all three principals at our middle school to work on PTO calendar.

It's been kinda busy.

OH, and the polka dot dress fits and is ADORABLE and the ears came and are beautiful. When I have time, I'm going to don the whole outfit and make my husband take pictures to share. I'm so excited about it!

I hope to come back this afternoon to quote and do another update...after I get back from buying all those dog beds!

Happy Friday! Have a great weekend!

 

[MeghanEmily]

I need about five extra hours each day. I think if I had that time, I would feel like a semi-successful adult. Or, at the very least, I'd get five more episodes of whatever I'm binge watching in every day.

Amen! Me, too!!

But it sounds like you're incredibly productive with all this floor ripping! Wow!

OH, and the polka dot dress fits and is ADORABLE and the ears came and are beautiful. When I have time, I'm going to don the whole outfit and make my husband take pictures to share. I'm so excited about it!

Oh my gosh, I can't wait to see! This is fabulous!

 

[Sailormoon2]

You are a great fur-baby Mom! So glad to hear the dress fits!