There's Always Too Much Sauce - A July 2022 TR *Updated 3/23

[amazingact21]

So happy you decided to recap your trip! Sorry about the troubling news on both your Moms. But it sounds like things are going in the right direction for both. Even though you don't live close, at least you're in the US and you can more easily spend time with them. Anxious to hear about your April race trip!

It was hard not being around either of them this fall, but I was very grateful all this came about after we were back in the states. It made going home for my mom's surgery much, much easier.

That's a hard one. My Mom had Kidney cancer too. She had the kidney removed. The recovery was really hard but she never had trouble with the cancer again.

That's comforting to hear that the cancer didn't spread. Fingers crossed my mom's is similar.

Oh dear, but oh so funny to read about.

I'm directionaly challenged too.

It always amazes me when people can navigate a new place with no issues. Meanwhile, I struggle to make the right turns to grocery store. The first few months here in Texas were sad. I swear I heard my GPS get exasperated with me. "In half a mile, make a U Turn because you missed the exit. Again."

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

That arrival day, when you have to force yourself to stay up, is the worst! How did you all fare when you visited over the summer?

We have kinda got it down now but the first couple years I had kids falling asleep on the dinner table in ESPN . Last time we ordered food to go from ale and compass which the boys picked up and brought to the room while me and their dad started unpacking. I am that lunatic lady who doesn’t feel right until it’s all unpacked. Then we take a stroll if we can and then flop into bed. The first few days we get to see some gorgeous sunrises which is a bonus but I do hate that wide awake at 2am time. It messes us up big time in our return home no matter what we try. Did you find that?

 

[amazingact21]

Take some salted peanuts and mini marshmallows and mix them all up in a big bowl ( the bigger the better for more treats )with melted chocolate ( she used Cadbury’s but they had used dark chocolate and it’s basically just down to your personal preference). Put little dollops of the mixture on some non-sick baking paper or use muffin cases if you prefer and set in the fridge until hardened. Then enjoy

This sounds like something right up Alex's alley. He loves salty and marshmallows. I'm sure the kids would love making it, too!

YAY! I'm so glad you are continuing to write about your trips.
I'm so sorry about getting all that scary news in one week. I am so glad that both of your moms are doing well. <3

Thanks! I'm glad it's behind us, and my family can look forward to 2024.

 

[suse66]

Last fall, my mom was diagnosed with kidney cancer. I flew back to Florida in December and helped her as she underwent surgery to remove her kidney. The surgery was successful, and the doctor is optimistic that the cancer was contained and hadn’t spread yet. The recovery, though, has been brutal. Anything I can do from far away to distract her is a good thing, so recapping our amazing trip could be a positive thing.

Recapping magical time with your Mom is the best! Sending pixie dust as she recovers and best wishes for continued good health.

All that being said, I hope you all will stick around a little bit longer as I talk about what it was like taking a mother/daughter trip to Walt Disney World, what the Springtime Surprise Challenge was like, and what the parks in April was like.

I'm in!

Because of the comings and goings, I do my best to keep the house a stable, safe place that functions as normal as possible in his absence. And due to that, Alex and I agreed I needed to go and do things for myself every once in a while. It was important for the kids to see that mom has interests and jobs beyond them, and it's good for them to spend time with their dad.

So important!!

This time, it was to go with my mom on a trip to Walt Disney World.

The best!

International flight with a row to myself!!!

Love that!

Who else feels like they’ve arrived when they’re riding the Fake-O Rail and hear, “Hi, I’m Buddy Dyer.” All while smelling the moldy carpet and feeling the bright Florida sun on their skin?

100%!

The two of us were originally going to stay at the Beach Club this trip, but after finding an amazing deal, I switched us to:

The Wilderness Lodge.


Best decision ever.

I could not have asked for a better resort this trip. It was so perfect, it was the only place I wanted to stay at next April. Everything from the quiet grounds, to the easy bus transportation on race days, to the convenient QS location, won me over.

Nothing better!

 

[amazingact21]

Last time we ordered food to go from ale and compass which the boys picked up and brought to the room while me and their dad started unpacking. I am that lunatic lady who doesn’t feel right until it’s all unpacked. Then we take a stroll if we can and then flop into bed. The first few days we get to see some gorgeous sunrises which is a bonus but I do hate that wide awake at 2am time. It messes us up big time in our return home no matter what we try. Did you find that?

In my regular day-to-day life, I'm highly organized and like everything to be in their proper place. But for some reason, when I travel, I'm fine living out of my suitcase. Both Alex and my mom, though, are like you and start unpacking immediately.
Ouch, 2 a.m. wake ups are rough. By the time you can start enjoying the parks, you've been up for 6 hours. I guess it helps that you have to come for a decent amount of days.
I'm usually good on the way back to the U.K. I power through, crash around 8/9 on arrival night, and sleep until the following morning. It did help that when I went back this last time, I immediately had to go to Tesco (Alex and the kids had no fruit and veg in the house ) and then straight to school pickup, where the kids wanted my full attention the rest of the evening. Thank goodness for caffeine and the energy of kids to keep me awake.

Recapping magical time with your Mom is the best! Sending pixie dust as she recovers and best wishes for continued good health.

Thank you! This trip with my mom was so much fun. I love traveling with Alex and the kids, but they are very much a go-go-go bunch of travelers. Whereas, my mom was perfectly happy with a laid back approach. It was the most relaxing Disney trip I've ever taken, and it's probably the reason I fell in love with the WL. I had a lot of time to explore it and soak up it qualities.

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

when I went back this last time, I immediately had to go to Tesco (Alex and the kids had no fruit and veg in the house )

Sounds about right!

 

[vamassey1]

That's comforting to hear that the cancer didn't spread. Fingers crossed my mom's is similar.

Keeping them crossed.

It always amazes me when people can navigate a new place with no issues. Meanwhile, I struggle to make the right turns to grocery store. The first few months here in Texas were sad. I swear I heard my GPS get exasperated with me. "In half a mile, make a U Turn because you missed the exit. Again."

This is so me.

 

[amazingact21]

April 13th Part 1:


Our first Disney day!

In order to keep up with the early mornings race weekends require, I woke up at 4 a.m. this Thursday. Oof. Thank goodness for coffee and the pumpkin bread my mom baked and brought for me.

Thanks, Mom.

Taking care of your grown child.



Because it was 9 a.m. back home in England, I was able to text with Alex and make sure all was going well. He and the kids made it to work and school without issue, so I called that a win. He even remembered to pack the right lunches to the right kiddos.

Everyone was off to a great start!



Every race weekend, there is a merchandise expo that requires a virtual queue to enter. When it opened, I tried my best to get in, but I have terrible luck with those virtual entries. I ended up with a callback time of 2 o’clock.

I had prepared for that, though, and decided ahead of time that I wouldn’t worry about the merch if it didn’t align with my mom and I’s schedule. In hindsight, I was bummed not to get the SS spirit jersey, but at least it saved me some money.



Being up so early, my mom and I had plans to go to Disney’s Animal Kingdom for early park entry.


Before the trip, my mom decided she wanted to try Flight of Passage, and since we weren’t buying ILL or Genie this day, I knew we needed to get there as early as possible to get in line.



Ahhh, the Tree of Life always looks so perky and glamorous early in the morning.



The end of the line for FOP was already at the bridge when we arrived, but the weather was cool and it seemed to be moving quick, so we settled in.


I love that we get to see more of the queue details in the regular line:




Our initial wait was 45 minutes, but once we got into a theater and settled ourselves in our ride vehicle, the backs wouldn’t engage and the ride couldn’t start. Cast Members came and went, trying to trouble shoot the problem until eventually they gave up and led everyone back outside.

And rather than put us right back in another room, they had us all get back in line. The hallway with the pipes, where they count people for the first pre-show?

Yeah. All the way back there.

And then made us wait several cycles before putting us back into a room.

There was one group with us who said “forget this” and left.



On one hand, I understand that if they let us right into another theater then it would mess up all the other rooms waiting in the preshows. But dang. Having to go through another thirty minutes of waiting and then watching the shows again kind of stunk.

By the time my mom and I were finished, it was after ten o’clock and the crowds had arrived. We debated going on the safari, but it was over an hour wait and my mom didn’t want to stand around for that long.

(Hindsight, but there were a lot of times this trip that my mom tired easily and couldn’t do a lot of attractions. She rested a lot at the resort. Little did we know why.)



FOP was a one and done for my mom. She said it made her motion sick, but she was glad she experienced it.

“I did it. But never again.”



We rested and soaked up the wonderful Animal Kingdom atmosphere for a bit. Nobody has to twist my arm to get me to sit and observe at this park. I could bring a book, a laptop, a great playlist and spend hours doing nothing. It’s one of the only parks where I don’t mind “wasting time.”

Because is it really wasting time if you’re watching animals or listening to birds or catching Timon on a flotilla?


Alex would say yes.


Alex doesn’t have as good Disney taste.




Thanks to our early wakeup, my mom and I were more than ready for an early lunch. We headed into Satuli Canteen for one of my favorite Quick Service meals: the build your own bowls.


I went with rice and beans as the base, with chicken and herb sauce on top. And, oh happy day, there wasn’t too much sauce on it this time!





My mom got the same thing except with noodles, and we both thought it was fantastic. Satuli has become a must have for me every Disney trip, because its flavors are consistent, fresh, and the portions are large.


Once our food was gone, my mom and I agreed it was time to make our way out of the park.


Goodbye, DAK!






And it was time to drive over to ESPN’s Wide World of Sports so I could pick up my race gear!





Instantly, I loved the vibe at the expo. I was surrounded by fellow runners, who were all excited and pumped about the coming days. People were offering to take photos for other people, lots of folks were milling about, drinking beer and soaking up the day.

I’ve heard the marathon weekend expo is a totally different beast, with a lot more anxiety and tension, what with everyone fighting over merchandise and stressing about the long mileages.

Springtime Surprise weekend couldn’t have been farther from that. Everyone there was having a good time, and I knew, right off the bat, the next few mornings were going to be a blast.



Signs were posted everywhere on where to go. There were three main buildings in use. One for merchandise, one for race shirt pickup, and one for bib pickup.


I loved how everywhere you turned, there were banners for the races:




Bibs were up first, with different booths lined up based on the race you were running and then by last name. In order to pick up your bib, you have to show I.D. So driver’s license, passport, etc. One advantage to having a name at the end of the alphabet, it’s never busy and easy to find. Just go to the end.

(Poor Evie hates it because she’s always at the end of lines at school. When I was in elementary school, I swore I was going to marry someone with the last name of H or M, so this end of the line nonsense would stop. And then I went and moved even farther back.)



Getting my bib definitely made the whole event feel more real. I turned to my mom and went, “Holy crap. I guess I’m doing this. For real.”

My dad, a former runner, kept messaging my mom asking to see the bib, so she was nice enough to snag this picture as we went into the shirt pickup area:



Do I look nervous?

I was.

Just a whole lot.



I felt confident in my training and knew I was capable of doing the mileage; it was the unknown that had me antsy. The process of finding the bus in the morning, figuring out where to go, how the corrals were set up, navigating around other runners, not going too hard on the 5K, trying to communicate with my mom with nothing but Disney’s WiFi.

There were a lot of variables and lessons I knew I’d have to figure out on the fly, and I didn’t love that. Would my nutrition be on point? How would the weather affect my runs?

My last Disney race, the Disneyland Paris Half Marathon, I wore the wrong outfit and chafed horribly. So I was petrified I was going to repeat that. (I brought two…TWO…sticks of Body Glide with me. One in my carry-on, just in case.)


I was getting in my head at the expo, so much that I almost missed the posters set up for photo ops! Thank goodness my mom spotted them and suggested I grab photos.

My mom, coming in handy once again. She was my perfect companion this trip.


19.3 Miles, Ready or Not Here I Come!






Up Next: I Don’t Think You Need Your Umbrella

 

[Stacybaeasm]

I so identify with your nerves at the Expo. I have only done 2 Disney races - The Princess 10K one year and the Princess Half a different year. Both times I was alone. But the other runners are always friendly and helpful. I didn't always love sitting in the corrals by myself before the race started but running at Disney is so worth it. I can't wait to hear about your actual race days!! It almost makes me want to train to run another race. ALMOST.

 

[piglet1979]

I really want to do a race at some point. I am not a runner at all. Over covid I did start running and was doing 5k's once a month. It takes me about an hour to get one in. This past summer I did do one the Disney virtual ones. I was supposed to do all three but after June I think the summer got crazy and I was never able to finish them.

 

[Stacybaeasm]

I really want to do a race at some point. I am not a runner at all. Over covid I did start running and was doing 5k's once a month. It takes me about an hour to get one in. This past summer I did do one the Disney virtual ones. I was supposed to do all three but after June I think the summer got crazy and I was never able to finish them.

Do it!!! The 5ks at Disney are great because they don't really have a time limit and they are so much fun!! ANY race at Disney is fun but the 10ks, Halfs, and fulls have a time limit that they enforce so just be aware of that. I never considered myself a runner either but after seeing the medals one year at Princess, I made it my goal to some day get one. I did the Princess 10k one year and LOVED it. The experience was amazing, the course fun and entertaining, and the other runners (for the most part) were great. So, I decided to train and do the Half in two years. Well, that's a one and done for me. I am not built to go 13.1 miles. Again - atmosphere and course were great and I had some great supporters meeting me at various places on the course for encouragement and to give me fresh water but GOD did I hate it. I hated the training, I hated the race, I hated it all. I think I was not mentally prepared for it. So, that's a never again in this lifetime BUT if I could get my butt in gear and train again, I would certainly do a 5k or a 10k again.

 

[amazingact21]

I didn't always love sitting in the corrals by myself before the race started but running at Disney is so worth it. I can't wait to hear about your actual race days!! It almost makes me want to train to run another race. ALMOST.

The wait in the corrals is the worst when you're alone! You have to wait such a long time and just sort of listen to everyone else hang out with their running partners. This is why I am constantly begging my friends to participate in one of the races with me. "Just let me have someone to talk to!"

I really want to do a race at some point. I am not a runner at all. Over covid I did start running and was doing 5k's once a month. It takes me about an hour to get one in. This past summer I did do one the Disney virtual ones. I was supposed to do all three but after June I think the summer got crazy and I was never able to finish them.

That's awesome that you did one of the Disney virtuals! The medals for those the last few years have been awesome, especially the Lion King ones.
A Disney 5K is really attainable! My mom did one in 2012 and she is barely a walker. She even met another walker on the course and became instant friends with her.
There's no time limit and most people stop for character meets so it feels like there's no pressure.
Maybe once both your kids are in college, and you're not juggling as many parent commitments you can go for it!

but GOD did I hate it. I hated the training, I hated the race, I hated it all. I think I was not mentally prepared for it. So, that's a never again in this lifetime BUT if I could get my butt in gear and train again, I would certainly do a 5k or a 10k again.

This made me laugh so hard. Alex HATES running long distances. He believes a 10K is the perfect race distance. (Why he signed up for the challenge I have no idea.) So I've heard this from him many, many times.
He'll ask me how long I'm going for a run for and answer with: "Why?"
But at least by doing the Princess Half you got to run down Main Street and see the castle, right? That's something I haven't been able to do yet, and is on my bucket list.
I do agree, though, that atmosphere of the shorter races is more laid back and fun. You see a lot more fellow runners laughing and joking and enjoying their surroundings. Whereas, the longer ones people are more focused and in their own little world.

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

Last fall, my mom was diagnosed with kidney cancer. I flew back to Florida in December and helped her as she underwent surgery to remove her kidney. The surgery was successful, and the doctor is optimistic that the cancer was contained and hadn’t spread yet. The recovery, though, has been brutal.

But then Alex’s mom was diagnosed with cancer. (In a six day span we got those pieces of news. It was a HARD WEEK.) So, of course, Disney went out the window. But then Alex’s mom had her surgery and is great now. Hers was caught during another surgery and it was a miracle they found it so early on.

Ooooof, that's just, there aren't enough expletives for how much that sucks. I'm so glad to hear that everyone seems to be doing well and so far follow up scans are clear!!

International flight with a row to myself!!!

This is amazing, I can only imagine the rush when they announced doors closed.

I'm so jealous that you got to do the SS weekend! If the stars aligned, that would be the series I would do. I'm just not sure that they'll sign any time soon. :-(

 

[cindianne320]

Yikes- not a good wait for your mom's first time on FoP!
Love Satu'li Canteen!
I'm not a runner- but admire those that do so much!

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

By the time my mom and I were finished, it was after ten o’clock and the crowds had arrived. We debated going on the safari, but it was over an hour wait and my mom didn’t want to stand around for that long.

(Hindsight, but there were a lot of times this trip that my mom tired easily and couldn’t do a lot of attractions. She rested a lot at the resort. Little did we know why.)

Such a shame you had such a long wait for FOP and that it was tiring for your mom. I'm glad she is now on the road to recovery and has a great trip with those gorgeous kids of yours to look forward to.

FOP was a one and done for my mom. She said it made her motion sick, but she was glad she experienced it.

“I did it. But never again.”

Hey ho but at least she did it!

I could bring a book, a laptop, a great playlist and spend hours doing nothing. It’s one of the only parks where I don’t mind “wasting time.”

I feel like that about EPCOT.

Alex would say yes.

Alex doesn’t have as good Disney taste.

Alex has GREAT taste sure isn't EPCOT his favourite park

We headed into Satuli Canteen for one of my favorite Quick Service meals:

Looks delicious. I need to eat there someday.

oh happy day, there wasn’t too much sauce on it this time!

Instantly, I loved the vibe at the expo. I was surrounded by fellow runners, who were all excited and pumped about the coming days.

Sounds like a great bunch of people.

One advantage to having a name at the end of the alphabet, it’s never busy and easy to find. Just go to the end.

Gotta be an upside right! I used to have a surname ending with B then I married a Mc There are sooooo many Mc's in Ireland. Anything that is filed under your surname takes an era to find
Poor Evie - I feel for her. They need to do a reverse lead day and start with those at the end of the alphabet.

My dad, a former runner, kept messaging my mom asking to see the bib, so she was nice enough to snag this picture as we went into the shirt pickup area:

Proud dad for sure.

 

[suse66]

Our first Disney day!

In order to keep up with the early mornings race weekends require, I woke up at 4 a.m. this Thursday. Oof. Thank goodness for coffee and the pumpkin bread my mom baked and brought for me.

Thanks, Mom.

Taking care of your grown child.

As a mom of three sons in their early 20's, I would say you are always a mom. When you have an opportunity to do something kind and caring for them you want to do it.

Ahhh, the Tree of Life always looks so perky and glamorous early in the morning.

It really does!

I love that we get to see more of the queue details in the regular line:

It is so interesting!

On one hand, I understand that if they let us right into another theater then it would mess up all the other rooms waiting in the preshows. But dang. Having to go through another thirty minutes of waiting and then watching the shows again kind of stunk.

What????? That does suck!

We rested and soaked up the wonderful Animal Kingdom atmosphere for a bit. Nobody has to twist my arm to get me to sit and observe at this park. I could bring a book, a laptop, a great playlist and spend hours doing nothing. It’s one of the only parks where I don’t mind “wasting time.”

Because is it really wasting time if you’re watching animals or listening to birds or catching Timon on a flotilla?

Ummm, you are describing my perfect day. I could spend the whole day in AK without going on any rides and be perfectly happy.

Bibs were up first, with different booths lined up based on the race you were running and then by last name. In order to pick up your bib, you have to show I.D. So driver’s license, passport, etc. One advantage to having a name at the end of the alphabet, it’s never busy and easy to find. Just go to the end.

The whole race progress looks so well organized!

I was getting in my head at the expo, so much that I almost missed the posters set up for photo ops! Thank goodness my mom spotted them and suggested I grab photos.

My mom, coming in handy once again. She was my perfect companion this trip.


19.3 Miles, Ready or Not Here I Come!

Yay for awesome moms!

 

[disneyAndi14]

We love Satuli! I’m sure you know that, lol always in my reports and I know we will be eating there again on our trip coming up!
We have had to be moved to a different theater on FoP and I think once we also had to go back in the line, ugh!
At least your mom tried it once! I know it is a ride that is difficult with motion sensitive people
The expo looks like a cool experience. You do look a little nervous in the photos
I would be nervous, one because I can’t run and two doing alone!
I know I could fast walk a 5K and even a 10K but run no way!

 

[vamassey1]

Taking care of your grown child.

Mom's always try to take care of all their kids, even the adult ones.

I love that we get to see more of the queue details in the regular line:

I do like seeing the queue when I do standby too.

On one hand, I understand that if they let us right into another theater then it would mess up all the other rooms waiting in the preshows. But dang. Having to go through another thirty minutes of waiting and then watching the shows again kind of stunk.

This stinks. I would have bailed if I was alone, but I would stay if I was with someone who had never ridden.

FOP was a one and done for my mom. She said it made her motion sick, but she was glad she experienced it.

“I did it. But never again.”

At least she tried it. Like we tell our kids "How do you know if you like it if you've never tried it?"

Satuli has become a must have for me every Disney trip, because its flavors are consistent, fresh, and the portions are large.

I enjoy Satuli too.

(Poor Evie hates it because she’s always at the end of lines at school. When I was in elementary school, I swore I was going to marry someone with the last name of H or M, so this end of the line nonsense would stop. And then I went and moved even farther back.)

I remember thinking the same thing when I was a kid. I was an L, so somewhere in the middle. I wanted to upgrade to earlier in the alphabet but ended up with a M and taking a step back.

Do I look nervous?

Just a little but also very excited. Great photo!

My mom, coming in handy once again. She was my perfect companion this trip.

I love hearing great things about Mom and Daughter trips.

 

[amazingact21]

Ooooof, that's just, there aren't enough expletives for how much that sucks. I'm so glad to hear that everyone seems to be doing well and so far follow up scans are clear!!

Having a front row seat to the hardship the cancer brings, I have so much respect and appreciation for those battling or have battled it. You all are rockstars.

I'm so jealous that you got to do the SS weekend! If the stars aligned, that would be the series I would do. I'm just not sure that they'll sign any time soon. :-(

I know it's not in the cards right now, but I hope eventually you get the chance to participate. I haven't done any of the other weekends, but Springtime has such a laid-back, fun atmosphere. Plus, I know we've talked about it before, but 10 miles is that sweet spot in running.

Yikes- not a good wait for your mom's first time on FoP!
Love Satu'li Canteen!
I'm not a runner- but admire those that do so much!

I think Satuli helps me convince Alex to visit DAK.

 

[amazingact21]

I'm glad she is now on the road to recovery and has a great trip with those gorgeous kids of yours to look forward to.

She was talking to me about April just yesterday. She was warning me: "You know I'm going to make them pancakes with extra syrup and let them eat pizza while you're gone. I'm not really asking permission, just forewarning you."

I feel like that about EPCOT.

You and Alex and your EPCOT fan club.

Looks delicious. I need to eat there someday.

If you can make it back to WDW when it's not the summertime, I hope you can try the restaurant one day. As much as I love DAK, I understand that for people who have heat sensitivities, that's the worst place in the world to be. The heat just gets trapped in all the foliage.

I used to have a surname ending with B then I married a Mc There are sooooo many Mc's in Ireland. Anything that is filed under your surname takes an era to find

Oh my gosh, I started reading and got to Mc and said to myself, "That's a rough last name in Ireland." And then went on to see your comment. It had me laughing out loud. I can only imagine.