Let's Watch the Hallucination Show on the Castle- A May '14 TR *12/3 PTR Link to Real Life News

[natebenma]

And just like the dolphins, they hooked Landon’s attention. It didn’t take long before my kid was trying to talk back to them. “Oooh, ah ah ah ah,” (Trying to type seals sounds is a very difficult thing, by the way.)



My mom and I were bent over with laughter at Landon’s communication attempt. He was so serious about it. Leaned into the glass wall, staring the big guys in the eyes, and hooting and howling back at them.


One of the highlights of my day.

That is super sweet!!!


Too funny about the deserted restaurant. I'm glad the food was good.

Clearly, the train was Landon’s favorite part of SeaWorld:

Woah! You need to give us a cuteness alert before you post something like this!!!

Good for you for going on Manta again. And again!

Yup- I agree with the others. You gotta go on Hulk.

 

[natebenma]

WHAT?!?

I LOVE those posters under the train station. I take pictures of them all the time. This collection is fantastic! Nice find.

I might or might not have gotten those two pins, as well.

I thoroughly enjoyed your little detour from your May trip report.

You did a lot in a very short amount of time.

:

 

[Gracefulskinny]

Awa Mommy guilt while feeling crummy all on your bday! Just no fun!

 

[afwdwfan]

I returned to Animal Kingdom Lodge to find my mom and Landon having a grand time in the resort. My mom said Landon was starting to feel a lot better and wanted to walk the hallways all morning long. He’d actually roamed around so much that all the mousekeepers on our floor had come to know him. When I took him to lunch shortly after I got back, one of them was coming out of a room and exclaimed, “There goes Landon again! Walk, baby!” My mom informed me a few moments later that Landon reminded the lady of her grandbabies and conversing with him reminded her of home.

That's great! I'm glad that Landon was happier and making friends.

I took the offensive weapon down the hallway and disposed of it in a place we wouldn’t have to smell it. (I couldn’t even type that without feeling so, so, so guilty for the poor folks who made the mistake of going to the vending machine that afternoon. Poor unfortunate souls, in pain…..)

Been there, done that.

And learned the hard way that they don't change the trash bags every day near the elevators in the Opryland Hotel.

If I'd known that, I'd have picked a different elevator.

Landon had successfully ran us out of the room. Some extra time roaming around the other Disney resorts before our dinner reservation was a must.



I can say over a year later that that was the worst diaper experience I ever had with Landon.



So many lovely memories were made while on that Disney trip....

But how I could tell that happy face no?

At least he is happy and staying out of trouble.

Landon’s world was knocked over when he saw the first monorail go by right over his head.


He thought that was the greatest thing on the face of the earth.

Because it is!

I was treating my mom to a brand new restaurant for her, one that Alex and I had tried in May and fell in love with. She’d heard so much about the menu and the theming that she really wanted to try it, and I had lucked out and gotten an available ADR. (I found it in the middle of a haircut, actually. The hairdresser thought I was nuts when I started booking the reservation while sitting in her chair.)

You either "get" Disney vacations or you don't.

Landon wasn’t even 2 at the time of our meal, and 90% of the meals I took him to both there and at home, he just ate off my plate. When our waitress came to take our drink orders initially, she was really nice and friendly. But then she asked if I wanted to order Landon some chicken nuggets or hot dogs off the kid’s menu.


I told her no, that he would just eat off my plate, because A)neither of us eat that much to begin with and B)I wasn’t going to make him eat generic nuggets when he could have real meats and vegetables.


I gave her my reply in a friendly enough way and I definitely didn’t go into the whole “I’d rather him eat what’s being served over another option spewl” but she got really snippy with us after that and pretty much ignored us for the rest of the meal.

That definitely is frustrating. You'd think she'd be used to this at Disney. We've never had that kind of experience, but more likely the opposite. We've taken our kids expecting them to eat off of our plate at a place like that (when under 3 of course) and we've been treated with a plate of mac & cheese or whatever the older kids get, complementary. Not every time of course, but it has happened once or twice. Never have they tried to pressure us into buying something. I'm really disappointed that she did that to you.

It was so sweet to watch my mom experience that kind of remembrance through food. I had no idea that was going to happen when I brought her to the restaurant, but I was extremely grateful that it worked out that way.

That is awesome!!!

When my alarm clock went off, I opened my eyes and WHAM.




My head felt like it weighed a thousand pounds and it was like someone had put a boulder between my eyeballs.




Oh no.

That just sucks. Not a good way to start your birthday.

For days he’d been feeling like junk and did I – his mom – give him any medicine? Keep him cool indoors? Provide a BRAT diet?


Nope.


Nope.


And nope.



Instead, I took him out in 100 degree heat and made him sweat and walk around and try and be on his best behavior.



I felt terrible.



Both physically and emotionally.

I understand where you're coming from, but you really can't blame yourself. He really wasn't exhibiting any outward symptoms. Hindsight is 20/20, but you just had to work with what you knew at the time.

Finally, a dad at the front of the line left and went got a Cast Member working the front desk. I guess he put up quite the fuss, because someone appeared shortly afterwards and radioed in 3 buses for the park.


And 3 buses weren’t even enough! My mom, Landon, and I made it on the second one, and we weren’t that far back. Disney probably needed close to 5 or 6 to get everyone to their destination.

That's just horrible service. You see CM's from time to time that seem to be monitoring the bus waits, but sometimes I wonder if they really have a good handle on the situation.

My mom was highly disappointed in the whole situation. She swore that she had never had those kind of issues when she stayed at the value resorts, and I had to agree with her. You would have thought since we were paying for a deluxe experience, we’d have had a smooth bus experience.


But if I’ve learned one thing since both that trip and my other ones, the deluxes actually have some of the most unorganized bus systems. I’d take the All Stars to the Poly any day of the week.

I agree. I don't know why, but it seems like our stays at Pop or AoA, the buses really run on a more regular and more frequent schedule.

As soon as I sat down to eat it, I regretted my decision. No matter how I felt, a cinnamon roll is always the right choice.

Even if you can't eat the whole thing. I mean, it really isn't much bigger than the Danish anyway.

Despite knowing the responsible answer and listening to my body, I was still a little crabby from that point on. I wanted to go on a thrill ride and I couldn’t.

Nooooo!!!! I understand why you didn't do it. But that's a hard choice to make.

I know without a doubt, I'd have made myself ride and then felt miserable.

 

[Positively Bashful]

Oh my, it's a good thing you were already in love with Disney! Between illnesses, some less than magical experiences and what you've called a bus ride from Hades if this was your first visit you'd probably never have made another. Here's hoping that's the worst trip to WDW you'll ever have!

 

[khertz]

I'm glad Landon was finally starting to feel better, but how miserable that you got hit with it too! And on your birthday of all days! That is such a crummy way to end a trip.

 

[marDgreen88]

Alicia! Okay please forgive me, I know this is super random, but... is there any chance you're at Disney right now? If not then I'm sorry for being so creepy, but I was just on a bus to MK and saw a car with Florida plates with someone that looked a lot like you and someone who looked a lot like your mom driving next to us. Then that car turned into the MK parking lot which I know you always park there. Anyways, probably a long shot (and also who knows if you'll even see this) but I thought if there was any chance it was you I wanted to know!

 

[amazingact21]

Alicia! Okay please forgive me, I know this is super random, but... is there any chance you're at Disney right now? If not then I'm sorry for being so creepy, but I was just on a bus to MK and saw a car with Florida plates with someone that looked a lot like you and someone who looked a lot like your mom driving next to us. Then that car turned into the MK parking lot which I know you always park there. Anyways, probably a long shot (and also who knows if you'll even see this) but I thought if there was any chance it was you I wanted to know!

Haha, sadly it was not. I wish it were, but it was some other lucky family.
But you're at Disney right now?! Disneyland and WDW in one year? I'm incredibly jealous. Especially because that means you get to see the Osbourne Lights. Enjoy them one last time for me!

 

[marDgreen88]

Oh wow! I figured it was a long shot but at the same time, they really looked a LOT like y'all. How funny! Anyways, yes! I basically do nothing else so I can afford these trips, Hahaah! Thanks so much, wish you could enjoy the Osborne Lights yourself!

 

[teekathepony]

Sick in Disney really sucks, but omg sick on your birthday too???? NOOOOO!!
Poor Landon. I don't have kids but when I find out that one of the animals is sick and that's why they've been off for a while I always feel awful for not noticing earlier.
I'm sorry to hear you were feeling so bad, and the bus ride ahead doesn't sound much better!

 

[amazingact21]

Hi everyone! I just wanted to pop in here really fast and explain why I haven't answered any replies recently.











Alex, Landon, and I welcomed our little girl (Evelyn) into the world on October 26th. She's such a sweet, happy baby and Landon is doing great as a big brother. We've been fortunate enough to have a lot of family to help out with the day to day things, and Alex was given a generous amount of paternity leave, so I have been using the time to rest and relax. I'm sure once everything goes back to normal I'll be back on here to type replies and perhaps even finish this report.


After all, I still have a February trip to post about and an upcoming 2016 vacation to hash out!

 

[teekathepony]

I saw your precious announcement on FB but Baby Evelyn needs a Dis welcome too!

to the world little one!

 

[I_Luv_Stitch]

Congratulations she is beautiful! What a beautiful name! Landon is growing up so much too!

 

[Positively Bashful]

Congratulations, what a little sweetie!

 

[Dugette]

Congrats to your family! Sounds like things are going well.

 

[Disney Khaleesi]

Congrats, she's a cutie! Evelyn is such a great name, too.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Congratulations on Evelyn - she's beautiful! Glad to hear that Landon is being a great big brother - lot's of responsibility in that job!

 

[JPFamilyMom]

Congratulations!!!! I was wondering if thats where you were. Hooray! What a little sweetie/cutie. And Landon looks so big. Enjoy this time together.

 

[natebenma]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

and Evelyn!

She is a beautiful addition to your wonderful family.

 

[natebenma]

page 12-14 (May 13/14)

Still catching up on your trip report and hoping Evelyn is not going away to college by the time I get there!

Your life update from February:

Hooray on Alex being home!!! Once again, thank you to him and to your family for your sacrifices.

Congrats on your new home.

Great news about the cruise with bonus Disney time! We have only cruised on Royal Caribbean, although my husband really wants to go on a Disney cruise.

May 13:

Your story about attempting to transfer Landon from the stroller to the pack and play brought me back a few years. I was usually fairly successful getting the boys from a car seat to their cribs. Bonus was always when they fell asleep after a morning at the beach. Then I could usually get a double!

I'm glad you were able to see the FoF parade while Landon slept. I'm not a parade person, but that one really does look great! I see what you mean about the Tangled float. Very cool.

Yay! on being able to trade for the pins you wanted. I don't do much trading, but once I was able to get a Yacht Club resort pin by trading to go with the Beach Club pin that I purchased.

Thanks for sharing the DISDad meet with Josh and the info about the reenlistment ceremony.

Too bad things didn't go better at Dumbo, Little Mermaid or the Carousel. I think you made the correct choice in packing it in and getting everyone some rest. As Dumbledore says in Harry Potter "Dark times are lie ahead of us and there will come a time when we must choose between what is easy and what is right" You chose wisely (now we are getting into Indiana Jones territory)

May 14:

Smart move hitting the extra magic hours at HS and getting everything you wanted to do early and without crowds. Too funny that Alex till won while holding Landon. Glad you were both able to get your thrill on while Landon napped a bit.

I can't think of a better goal than trying out all of the cupcakes at Starring Rolls. Think of the service you are doing for everyone!

I'm glad you were able to find a phone case. I'm intrigued about the Mickey ring. But I will be patient.

Be back soon!!!