I'm Going Away... FOREVER! Oh, Great! Could You Get Me a Sandwich?? - updated 6/23!

[baseballmickey]

We quickly need to recap our Main Street adventures before getting back to Fantasyland.

As Andy astutely noticed and surmised, Jackson's hair was shorter in the pictures after we left Main Street. After seeing Mickey and Minnie, we took Jackson over to the Barber Shop for his appointment for his very first haircut. And by that, I mean it was his actual first haircut, and not just his first haircut at Disney.

We had meant to get his hair cut on so many occasions leading up to the trip, but kept putting it off. Eventually, it was about a month from the trip and we figured it couldn't get much worse if we let it go until the trip. So I called and got a reservation.

Now, when we made Bella's reservation for BBB for this trip, I consulted with my mother, and the rest of my family about the best day to do it. Based on everyone's schedule, we decided to do that after the cruise portion.

With Jackson's haircut, we wanted to get it done before the cruise, so we went ahead and just made the appointment and got it done. Well, wouldn't you know that my mother goes and gets MAD over the whole thing! Because we didn't include her in his first haircut?? OMG! the drama we have to deal with sometimes! Going out of our way to coordinate the BBB day wasn't enough? Tuck this little nugget away for safe-keeping when we get to that part of the story.

So, appointment in hand, we proceed to the Barber Shop. For those of you who don't know, the Barber Shop is located in the corner by the Firehouse in the Town Square. I have never gotten my hair cut here, so this was a first for me as well, just walking in. I expected it to be small, and small it was. What actually surprised me was that the Cast Members were all women.

I know this may sound like a sexist remark, but a "Barber Shop" should have some barbers, shouldn't it?? I know women can cut hair and dangnabit a few could even pull off being in a Barber Shop Quartet, but there was not one gentleman sporting a mustache in the joint!! Somehow that struck me as just WRONG!

Alright... gender issues aside, our "hairdresser" was very pleasant and coped very well with our uncooperative head of hair. Jackson wanted no part of it from the moment we sat him in the chair.

They tried to appease him and distract him with bubbles and light-up toys, but with no luck. In short order, I was sitting in the chair with Jackson on my lap, while the Cast Member worked around me to get the job done.

We just got his hair trimmed a bit, nothing too drastic. We got the package that came with the first haircut ear hat, and the "hairdresser" saved us a curl of his hair.

The "After" shot:

and one from the "Soak" area:

see... still curly but not so much in his eyes anymore.


Another thing I took care of on Main Street was a little bit of legal business. We had a matter that needed to be taken care of by the 1st of the month, so I made a little drop in the mailbox as we walked up the street.

I doubt the lawyer this went to even noticed the postmark.




So that gets us up to date and we can return to the part where Jackson and Bella are SOAKED and it's time for us to go back to "old" Fantasyland.

The walk back gave us a nice view of the crane at work...

The wall had enough decorations to distract us a bit. Bella even posed for a picture with some other little people.

You call that a grumpy face??

Now that's more like it!

We had a few minutes to kill before our FPs for Pooh were good, and the kids were still wet, so we went to the closest thing the Magic Kingdom has to a spin cycle:

Jackson was not upset by this ride, probably because Bella was driving.

Next up was more character hogging!!

Lisa and Bella as we wait in line to see Pooh and Tigger!

Tigger? Why are you leaving?

Pooh? What's going on?

Where are you guys going??? Come back!!!

Ah, there they are!! Back from their "Hunny" break!

Speaking of Hunny, there's a big pot of some right over here:

Thankfully, that one Hunny break was all they needed and we got to see them before their next one. Now how would Jackson react???

well, by SITTING on Tigger...

and Pooh....

Now, Pooh is Lisa's favorite, so she can't be left out.

Where's Jackson in this picture? Clinging to Tigger. The kid thought they were furniture or something they way he just sprawled himself out all over them.

We'll revisit this Meet with some of Lisa's pics, as well as the Photopass pics.

Hogging done, it was time for Jackson's first ride on Pooh. A quick stop in Pooh's house before we go...

That dark-haired girl is either eating an ice cream cone, or she's singing Karaoke, I can't tell which.

Here's a shot of Beasts' Castle, off in the distance, from the line for Pooh.

By the time we rode Pooh, it was already nearing parade time, if you can believe it. We knew we'd be back later in the trip, and we were hungry, so we opted to skip the parade and go get lunch instead.

We made our way out of Fantasyland and headed for a lunch spot we had never tried before.

I'll leave you with some parting shots of Cindy's place...

and Cindy herself...

Are we going to eat at your favorite lunch spot?? I guess that depends on what your favorite lunch spot is.

 

[burly]

Thanks for the update. The haircut....you will always have that memory. So dang sweet!



KIM

 

[afwdwfan]

First of all... Happy Birthday.

So next up is pulmonologist appts for the two of them, and my follow-up with my DR. about my knee on monday. Hopefully his prognosis will be as positive as I am feeling and I'll be able to register for marathon weekend with confidence!!


We now return to the slowest TR ever...

I'm glad the knee surgery went well and things are looking good so far. I hope the dr. agrees with that assessment.

I hope the kids get their allergy issues or whatever it is straightened out. We're kind of dealing with that with our kids, but to a less severe degree.

Well, wouldn't you know that my mother goes and gets MAD over the whole thing! Because we didn't include her in his first haircut?? OMG! the drama we have to deal with sometimes! Going out of our way to coordinate the BBB day wasn't enough? Tuck this little nugget away for safe-keeping when we get to that part of the story.

Family... what can you do???

That last part has a little bit of an ominous feel to it.

I know this may sound like a sexist remark, but a "Barber Shop" should have some barbers, shouldn't it?? I know women can cut hair and dangnabit a few could even pull off being in a Barber Shop Quartet, but there was not one gentleman sporting a mustache in the joint!! Somehow that struck me as just WRONG!

You're right!

Are we going to eat at your favorite lunch spot?? I guess that depends on what your favorite lunch spot is.

My favorite lunch spot in the MK is Be Our Guest. I'm pretty sure you didn't go there.

Great pictures of the kids. I love Bella's poses with Grumpy and Jackson using Tigger as a recliner.

 

[Chicago Mo]

SO great to hear the surgery went well!!! Glad your up and RUNNING again!
OMG Jackson's face is priceless getting his hair cut! can't say it enough your family is amazing!!! keep up the awesome updates!!!
Mom's and that pesky wanting to be involved!

 

[eandesmom]

Aww...poor Jackson!

And poor you guys, nothing like grandparent drama over something like that. UGH!

The CM staff rotates, I know when we've been there before it is a mix of male and female CM's, the E's have had their hair cut by both.

Hopefully you can try again on another trip, they do a great haircut, my boys love it there, it's our official first stop. Weird I know but it is.

Hmmmm...where's lunch?

 

[Grumpy's Wife]

Hi I just found your trip report and I'm loving it. What a beautiful family you have. I'm looking forward to hearing all about touring Disney with so many family members. I'll be doing the same in June. Twenty of us, so wish me luck! We've done it before and it worked out well so I'm hoping that same kind of pixie dust will happen this time too.

 

[baseballmickey]

Thanks for the update. The haircut....you will always have that memory. So dang sweet!



KIM

Thank you, Kim.

First of all... Happy Birthday.

Thank you!

I'm glad the knee surgery went well and things are looking good so far. I hope the dr. agrees with that assessment.

Turns out that he did!

I hope the kids get their allergy issues or whatever it is straightened out. We're kind of dealing with that with our kids, but to a less severe degree.

both seemed to have gotten better. We couldn't get an appointment til after Memorial Day, so we'll see what happens then.

Family... what can you do???

That last part has a little bit of an ominous feel to it.

doesn't it, though?

You're right!

of course I'm right!

My favorite lunch spot in the MK is Be Our Guest. I'm pretty sure you didn't go there.

I suppose we could have eaten in there, had we gotten the food from somewhere else and then snuck in.

Great pictures of the kids. I love Bella's poses with Grumpy and Jackson using Tigger as a recliner.

Thanks. those are some good ones.

SO great to hear the surgery went well!!! Glad your up and RUNNING again!
OMG Jackson's face is priceless getting his hair cut! can't say it enough your family is amazing!!! keep up the awesome updates!!!
Mom's and that pesky wanting to be involved!

Thanks. Not "running" yet, but hopefully will be in another couple of weeks.

Aww...poor Jackson!

And poor you guys, nothing like grandparent drama over something like that. UGH!

He got over it quickly. Us... not so much.

The CM staff rotates, I know when we've been there before it is a mix of male and female CM's, the E's have had their hair cut by both.

Hopefully you can try again on another trip, they do a great haircut, my boys love it there, it's our official first stop. Weird I know but it is.

that's good to know. We haven't made an appointment for our upcoming trip. not sure if he'll need one. Maybe I'll get mine done??

Hmmmm...where's lunch?

NOT at Be Our Guest!

Hi I just found your trip report and I'm loving it. What a beautiful family you have. I'm looking forward to hearing all about touring Disney with so many family members. I'll be doing the same in June. Twenty of us, so wish me luck! We've done it before and it worked out well so I'm hoping that same kind of pixie dust will happen this time too.

You have my thanks, as well as my sympathy in advance!
Seriously, I hope you all have a great time and have more pixie dust than drama.

 

[Chicago Mo]

replies without an update?!?!?

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Enjoying your slow burn of a TR

Also, just wanted to comment how similar I feel our lives are. I grew up on Long Island (my mother still lives there - oh, and her name is Dorothy too), I met my wife in 1998, and we have kids about the same age (or at least when you started the TR - my daughter is 4 and my son is 17 months

Sorry for all the dram you had to deal with - sometimes it is just easier to just plan for yourselves and give the details to everyone else and let them follow if they want

Best of luck with the running - I only run when chased, but I do respect those who run for, um, fun I guess

 

[baseballmickey]

replies without an update?!?!?

I totally meant to follow up with an update that night, but I got distracted at work and never got back to it.

I am working all weekend and I'm going to try and get a few updates in. Otherwise I'll never finish this thing before our next trip!

Enjoying your slow burn of a TR

Also, just wanted to comment how similar I feel our lives are. I grew up on Long Island (my mother still lives there - oh, and her name is Dorothy too), I met my wife in 1998, and we have kids about the same age (or at least when you started the TR - my daughter is 4 and my son is 17 months

Sorry for all the dram you had to deal with - sometimes it is just easier to just plan for yourselves and give the details to everyone else and let them follow if they want

Best of luck with the running - I only run when chased, but I do respect those who run for, um, fun I guess

Welcome!! Thanks for reading! Wow, quite a few things we have in common! For the most part, that is how things went. We'd plan and let them all know what we were thinking of doing... we'd wait to see if anyone wanted to join in... and then after a bit we'd just make the reservations or whatnot for ourselves.

The way things worked out, aside from the cruise portion, the only thing we ended up planning together for the parks was to all be at MK the same day for Bella's BBB makeover and dinner that night at 1900 Park Fare. Everything else was up in the air on their end.

 

[baseballmickey]

After spending time in Fantasyland, we were on our way to lunch on the other side of the park. While making our ADRs and plans for the trip, we made some mental notes to try out a few new counter service places as well. One of the places on our list was:

The restaurant formerly known as "El Pirata y El Perico".

If I remember correctly, Jackson had fallen asleep on the walk over. Lisa and Bella took him to grab a table, and I ordered our lunch.

This is how it looks when you're waiting at the counter:

Jackson was still out cold (well, as out "cold" as you can be in WDW in July).

I had the Taco Salad.

Normally, I'm not a big salad eater. But this one looked like it was up my alley. It was good. Not great, but good. (I didn't eat the shell though).

Lisa had the Vegetarian Burrito

She said it was "just okay" (which in Lisa-ese means she had no complaints, but wouldn't rave about it.)

Bella had a cheese quesadilla. She seemed to enjoy it.

While we were at the Tortuga Tavern, I noticed some guests playing the Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom game. I've been interested in trying it out since I heard about it, and I was torn as to whether I should watch. I didn't want to spoil the experience of seeing it when I played it.

After lunch, and with Jackson still asleep, we decided to divide and conquer. Lisa took Bella to go see Tinkerbell and I took Jackson over to get FastPasses for Splash Mountain.

I took these pics along the way.

After our little trip to Frontierland, Jackson and I headed back to Adventureland to meet the girls. We apparently arrived before they met Tink, so we looked for a place to sit and wait. Well, right as I found a spot, someone woke up and needed a change. So off we went to the bathroom.

Feeling refreshed, we went back to wait. We picked a spot close to this little place...

so I had to get one of these...

While I was enjoying this (and sharing a little with Jackson) Bella was doing this:

It looks like Bella had a great time meeting Tink and Rosetta. But how would Bella and Lisa feel when they emerged from Pixie Hollow to find us having a Dole Whip???

 

[wiigirl]

Love the fairies....

 

[baseballmickey]

Love the fairies....

It's too bad they only had Tink and Rosetta. I know Bella would have loved to have met the rest of the fairies as well.

 

[baseballmickey]

We left off with Jackson and I sitting down to enjoy a Dole Whip (the vanilla swirl variety) while we waited for Lisa and Bella to return from the Pixie Hollow meet and greet.

Sure enough, Lisa and Bella returned before I could finish my treat and dispose of the evidence.

We were still sitting right across from Aloha Isle, so Lisa got on line and came back with a treat of her own.

The Pineapple Float

We took that float with us to wait on line to see Ariel and Prince Eric.

After a good wait, it was Bella's turn to see Ariel. (I'm not sure she was interested in Eric).

I was trying to coax Jackson into walking over to say hello. He loves Ariel at home, but he was having none of it here. Maybe Eric was scaring him away?

As a result, my angle for pictures is a little weird.

These pics that I didn't take came out better.

I think Ariel saw something up inside Bella's nose.

I picked up Jackson and brought him over to get in the picture.

We got one of just the "guys"

Now, following the meet, both Lisa and I were commenting on how Eric looked a lot like Brendan Frasier. Looking at the pictures now, I don't see it as much. He looks like someone else to me now... I just can't put my finger on it.


Next up we paid a visit to the Enchanted Tiki Room, (under old management). A classic attraction, and I didn't find myself missing Iago or Zazu.

When the Tiki birds made us disappear, we emerged to find that it was milestone time! Bella was finally tall enough to ride Splash Mountain, and she had talked about "splashing that mountain" a couple of years before. So I was very excited to take Bella on her first ride to find her laughing place.


We all walked over to Frontierland. Lisa stayed with Jackson to wait while Bella and I got on line.

Bella was enjoying her ride... until the drop.

We're in the back, sitting behind the "Disney Pointers"

let's zoom in on her face...

Having Photopass+ meant we just had to present our photopass card to the CM at the exit to get our picture added to our card.

Afterwards, Bella told me she like the ride, but she probably wouldn't go on it again.

Well, I'm happy to report that Bella seems excited to go on Splash Mountain again this year. She's already talking it up.



We met up with Lisa and Jackson and headed back to Adventureland where we got in a ride on the World Famous Jungle Cruise.

This was the only still pic I took as we were heading through the queue.

After our return to civilization, we paused to figure out what to do next.

Bella and Jackson got cheesy for me while Lisa perused the map.

We decided our next stop would be....

Tomorrowland​

I know I didn't hit my picture limit yet, but I'm about to be kicked off this computer... so I'll have to pause here. We'll pick up with our journey to Tomorrowland and the adventures that awaited us there in the next update.

 

[dhorner233]

Hi James! You are doing a admirable job of keeping up with this TR!! I'm enjoying all the pictures! Your Bella is so photogenic! What a cutie And, that was a very socially progressive shot of you and Jackson after you had cleaned him up! You look like such a nice Dad!

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

A dole Whip and a Splash Mountain First!
Nice update James.

There are some really good pictures in that set.
I always like the ones that tell a story…
Even a silly story…

Like this one…

First off, the expression on Isabella’s face is priceless.
From there one could string together any number of interesting stories for that one.

But I rather liked your explanation

 

[Chicago Mo]

LOVE LOVE the updates!!! OMG Jackson is SO SWEET in his smiling ear to ear picture!!!
We had the same Ariel!!! She was THE. BEST!!! Prince Eric is... Not the best..
Bella's face is priceless on the drop!!!

 

[afwdwfan]

The restaurant formerly known as "El Pirata y El Perico"

I planned to try Tortuga Tavern last time as well, but it was closed whenever we stopped by hoping to eat there. We only saw it opened once that week and that was about 10 minutes after we just finished eating lunch at Pecos Bill's!

If you keep taking bathroom pictures, we'll have to start calling you Zerf.

Feeling refreshed, we went back to wait. We picked a spot close to this little place...

so I had to get one of these...

Naturally.

But how would Bella and Lisa feel when they emerged from Pixie Hollow to find us having a Dole Whip???

Really? You didn't have it gone by then????

Maybe Eric was scaring him away?

He does look a little scary.

He looks like someone else to me now... I just can't put my finger on it.

I don't know, but he doesn't really look like Eric.

Bella was enjoying her ride... until the drop.

That's understandable. I'm glad she was a good sport about it and is looking forward to trying again next trip!

 

[baseballmickey]

Hi James! You are doing a admirable job of keeping up with this TR!! I'm enjoying all the pictures! Your Bella is so photogenic! What a cutie And, that was a very socially progressive shot of you and Jackson after you had cleaned him up! You look like such a nice Dad!

Thanks. I suppose I'm nothing if not socially progressive!

A dole Whip and a Splash Mountain First!
Nice update James.

There are some really good pictures in that set.
I always like the ones that tell a story…
Even a silly story…

Like this one…

First off, the expression on Isabella’s face is priceless.
From there one could string together any number of interesting stories for that one.

But I rather liked your explanation

Thanks! I love that picture. So many different stories...

LOVE LOVE the updates!!! OMG Jackson is SO SWEET in his smiling ear to ear picture!!!
We had the same Ariel!!! She was THE. BEST!!! Prince Eric is... Not the best..
Bella's face is priceless on the drop!!!

She was a pretty good Ariel.

I planned to try Tortuga Tavern last time as well, but it was closed whenever we stopped by hoping to eat there. We only saw it opened once that week and that was about 10 minutes after we just finished eating lunch at Pecos Bill's!


If you keep taking bathroom pictures, we'll have to start calling you Zerf.


Naturally.


Really? You didn't have it gone by then????


He does look a little scary.


I don't know, but he doesn't really look like Eric.


That's understandable. I'm glad she was a good sport about it and is looking forward to trying again next trip!

We'll have to see if I have any other bathroom pics... this TR may become the story of how I became Zerfonized.

 

[baseballmickey]

I just wrote an update while here at work, and the damn browser "stopped unexpectedly" and I lost the whole thing just as I was finishing it up. UGH!!!

What makes it worse is that I shouldn't even be at work right now. I was supposed to work an 8 hour shift from 1pm-9pm, and with our new show lineup, it made for an easy day, with a nice 2-hour break from 4-6 where I could leave the building and go walk around manhattan, get some food, and then return for the final 3 hours.

The problem tonight was that my relief couldn't make it in, and now I'm stuck until 5am.

On the bright side, it's overtime, but boy am I tired and it's going to put a kink in any Father's Day activities at home if I am still this beat. Hopefully the nap I get on the train will revive me.

I fell asleep for a bit here at work, but apparently I was talking in my sleep and got a ribbing for it from my coworkers. So I don't want to doze off again.


So before I get back to re-writing my final MK day update, what else is new??

We're almost done with school here, and Lisa and Bella will be off for the summer in just one more week. We're getting Jackson signed up for preschool in the the fall. We're almost at the one-month mark til our next WDW trip in July. I'll have to go update crazy if I want to finish this TR before I need to start the next one!!

Not much has changed in our trip plans. Going to drive down and back. Staying at AKL and then a few days in Vero. We did add another ADR, and we'll be dining at Sanaa as well now.

SIL's wedding is the weekend after we return, so it's shaping up to be a jam-packed summer with the bridal showers (one down, one to go), bachelorette party and other wedding stuff on top of everything else.

Bella has a loose tooth and we expect she'll have her first tooth fairy visit in the near future.

Lisa's been carrying the blog lately because I've been in an internet funk. I haven't been online that much in the past couple of weeks. Hoping to get back in the groove....

alright... time for my second attempt at an update this morning. with my luck, the DIS servers will be down when I try to post it.