"DIzzKNEE"or love my family, trip and all!

[idofabric]

Before you start this you need to learn the offical weekend cry and actions... Ok? ready? Hands in air. Wave them and wiggle your bottom, now quietly yell, "Dizzzzzz Kneeeee" yea! Repeat every time we ask "Where are we?"

Well, there are some things you do and while you are doing them you know they are gonna cause you to bite your tounge... alot, and sometimes almost completely in half! So I invited my self along as a helper and guide...

That's me! , helpfull to a fault.
You need to know that I have 4 of the best SIL's in the world. 3 live far away,and that is prob. one reason they are the best... this one is 1/4 mile away, and is married to my oldest brother. I love him. He is agreat guy... but I would kill him if he was MY husband. ( If that was even legal, I meant I would never marry anyone like him. You all know what I meant. love him, but couldn't live with the guy...) She also has the most different thought process of anyone I know. I have to think of a way to tell her some stuff so I can make sure that what I am saying is what she is hearing and understands it like I want her to.. make sence? No? well that is what happens when I talk to her sometimes.. .so it could be me....And she is one of the best moms around! Nothing is to good for my DN.....so now u all know.

This dear SIL, and 4yo DN, had a trip planned down to WDW for April 7-11th. Why? Cause, as she said it "won't be to busy" then... and my DB is in Iraq, and DN misses Poppa... Where are we going then? DizzKnee!!!

Yes, this is a crazy woman.. who really believed that it shouldn't be to busy, never mind that it is EASTER WEEK! And I have sent her the links to the busiest days in the parks and that shows it to be a 9 and 10 each and every day we will be there...

She also has time issues, as in never on time. She does try, but is very slow and deliberate in each and every thing she does. And gives her full attention to what she is doing at that time.. .not a multitasker at all!

So with 1 to 2 ADR's 3 of the 4 days we are there and after a 1/2 hour late start, which was better then I thought, we leave at 4.30 am.

Now usuall it takes me and my family 7 hours to get to WDW, depending on the number of Harley shops we stop at for ,hummmm, rest room breaks? Or that is what DH claims we are doing... And I have made it on my own in 6 hours and 11 min. to Orlando, traveling with the flow of traffic.
However, with a 4 yo and a supper shopper SIL I was hoping for an under 8 hour trip.. And we did it, almost,mostly cause we left so early that each of us took a nap on the way down.

She had wanted to be at AK around 10am, and we got there in time to be in the park by 12, noon. Did I mention that this sweet woman takes hours to eat? Shop? So armed with Autograph book(s), camera, change of clothes, extra bandaids, food, water, emergency everything else, tickets, a folding stroller, sunscreen, extra sunscreen... we leave the car and head in to the park. Where are we?, finally! DizzKnee!!!!

Now I thought that if we could do 2 or 3 things we would be doing great. SHE thought we should be able to do 1)Everest, which OPENED that day!, 2)Dinosaurs,3)Kali River,4)Dino playland,5) Jungle safari, and, most important, the Pochanous show... cause DN likes shows... and has seen it everytime they go.. hahahhha!

The park is packed, really packed! Why? cause it is the opening of Everest! Why can't we get fastpass for it she asks? Because there are none I say. Why not if it just opened? Because IT JUST OPENED! oh.

So we head over to the dino ride. Now I am thinking that this is a little extrem for my 4yo DN. She is a spunky kid, but I don't really like this ride, and am not sure she will. Go up to the fast pass line.. not bad I am thinking, only 2 1/2 hours to wait. Oh, yea, we need to do all this stuff on the list and make the first ADR at a DIFFERENT PARK ! And check into the hotel, and change our clothes? I think NOT! They are filming a Discovery Chan?Travel Chan? special on Everest, the place is rather busy! You want to eat? HA!
And do rides? AND check out each iand EVERY character...? in the 2 1/2 hours we have at AK? Drugs should have been involved.. .and I ain't saying for who!

Well we lucked out! I talk to every one, and as I was talking to the nice CM at Dino she opens the machine and gives up 3 fastpasses for Dino, for NOW. And hand writes out one for Kali River for us! Did my mouth work good or what? I always talk to the CMs, I like to find out where they are from, and any info on the rides they have worked, like hidden Mickeys, best time to ride. and stuff. A side bonus is that sometimes they give you info and show you neat stuff you might miss. And sometimes you get fastpasses, or they walk you on! They are just a hard working bunch of people at WDW, and most of them are working as hard as they can...

So we go on the Dino ride. DN is a little shaken.. .but all is well. Then we need to eat. So we grab ribs and look at all the folks being interviewed for Everest. An hour + latter we head over to KRR. We will get wet.

As we go to get on the ride, SIL said, think we will get wet? Well, yes, it is a water ride, and DN is counting on it. So we put all the stuff in the center. Off we go, and boy did we get wet! Loved it! SIL, DN were nailed with the first little wave we hit. Like it was planned just for the kid, she was thrilled. Wet butts abound, and all around for us all.

Time to look at our watches. We missed the Poch.show, and the next one is after the time I think we need to leave so we can make it to MGM and get in to the Brown Derby so we can have The Fantamsit Dinner special...

We head over about 3pm. Driving. I have a map, so all is good.
Now I have/had never stayed onsite before. I have a PAP, and this is my 4th trip in 10 months to WDW. I drive most places. I almost know my way around. Trust me. Turn here. NOW@!@$!!!
Missed it. So at this point I realize, DSIL does not multitask. Drive or talk. NOT both, if she is somewhere she doesn't know very well... This is a very important thing I must remember.

Back on the correct rode. Make it to MGM. Do we have time to do Star Tours, Indy, Muppets, and The Belle show? Oh, LOOK! MORE characters! (This will become a constant cry, so get used to it now..)And we have 10 min now till dinner. I don't think so! Latter, after dinner, I hoped! Yea, Dizzknee!

Now DB, husband of SIL, has no patience with lines. Or so SIL says. So she and niece haven't been on 1/2 of the things we end up doing. I know my bro. He has patience, to a point, and the point is reached when the DN is line for the same princess/character -different park/day, for the 5th time!!! This TRIP alone!!! Remember this, we will revist this topic latter.
Off to dinner. Great dinner. She had the Tuna, I got the Mil. steak. And we split a bottle of Fairy Tail Champange. I needed it. She needed it. Heck DN probly needed it, but at 4yo has to settle for a Shirley Temple. We didn't know that at the Brown Derby you can ask your server for a "phone" and get a call from someone special. I won't tell you if you don't know. Go and do it, it looked like fun, but we had taken over 2 hours to eat! It is now after 6pm and I know we need to be back for Fan. about 7.30pm, for the 8pm show...

We head over to Muppets. but look, Star Tours has only a 15 min line. Yes, but we wanted to start on the back and work our way forward? And the line will get shorter, I thought.. .We go on ST. Then Muppets. Found the key under the floor mat on the right as you go through the turnstilles. Showed it to SIL/DN. They looked at me like I was crazy. Yep, thats me...

Back out, off to Fan. It is now 7.35pm. We are late. Anothe topic we will revist... Hands up now you know where we are...

Get there about 7.50pm. Don't ask. And there was NO line for ST as we passed...
Show was good. Didn't remember it at all, or it has changed since I saw it last, around 4-5 years ago...

Where to now? Well we still haven't checked into our hotel, Shades of Green. For those of you that don't know, this is the onsite Military hotel. It is a former WDW resort that has very good size rooms. It went under a rebuild 2-3 years ago and they added a ton of parking, new wing, and more. It is cheaper, IF you can't get a code, or have a PAP. You can't use the DDP, but you do get EE and EMH..provided you can get your group out of bed!!!

So check in. Fine. The room is in the very back, downstairs, next to the Mickey pool, 3 rooms away. I head there with DN, as SIL parks. Hummm, kid needs a bath. I need a bath...I am faster, with 3 kids at home...
So I bath the kid and get it done before SIL gets to the room. How long does it take to bath a tired 4yo? me doing it took under 12min. Tell you how long it takes the next 3 nights latter. Get a cup of coffee, or coke... oh, and the paper...

SIL gets to the room. I make the hide a bed for DN. We have 2 queen beds, a mini fridge, not cold, a dinnett table with 4 chairs and the hide a bed, which is a love seat size. Cute. Lots of room, only I am used to a 2-3 bed room Condo, off site. Usually Cypress Point, or Embassey Grand Beach, I can shut the door and run naked between the shower and bed , if I want. Watch TV. Whatever. Can't do that in a hotel room. But we get EE!!! and EMHs!!!

So the plan for Sat? ADR for them at the breakfast at the Poly. Lilo and Stitch. I will run over to MK and get in line so DN can get her first haircut at the barber shop. This kid has/had never had even a trim. Fine hair.

Will do the rest of the week end soon... So hands up, butt wiggle, where were we? DizzzzzzzKneeeee! YEA!

 

[buffer]

I hope you packed plenty of patience - your DSIL sounds like my DS (sister) and my DD - snails pace for everything. I could eat dinner , wash up, laundry, vacuum while they are still on dinner! I think it's an obsession really and the fact that while at Dis you want to cram in as much as possible and not waste a single minute - looking forward to more of your report.

 

[idofabric]

Thanks, I did! I did go knowing it was going to be a slower/different trip... and it was. But fun. I took a book to read as I waited in lines or while waiting for the trips to the restroom, for characters, and stuff. Finished it....
We did get a lot done, just not as much as my family and kids usually do! But thats fine as we were going to get DN's mind off the fact that her dad, my brother is Iraq. It worked, for the few days we were there. I just went so I could SIL, and of course, it is Disney! And I know a little more about things to do then she does.
Hope to add the haircut(s), next day and stuff tonight... And finish it up tomorrow, if everyone isn't bored!

 

[idofabric]

Sat. in the Magic Kingdom can be busy? asked my SIL?
Well, yes, but I think it could be busier on Sunday..., and you know, both days were busy! What da know?

So off they go, late, for an 8;15am ADR with Lilo and stitch. Off I go to MK to get in line for a haircut for the DN.. I go for info. Wait.
Wait some more. Only 3 ahead of me.
They get done and I am asked if I want my hair cut? Do I? Heck yes! You get glitter, and Pixie Dust! and its only $17!!! And it is a good haircut! Forget the niece. They arn't here yet.So I get a good haircut, tip the CM, Mary, and go to get fast passes... Only of course, you need tickets to get fastpasses! Minor detail!
No fastpasses.
Back to the Barber Shop, since it is now 10am and I am thinking I need to get in line so the DN can get her haircut when they are done eating and get here.... And still waiting at 10:45. Let the lady I met at the Bakery go ahead and get her DDs hair done. And the next person.

It is now 11am, and still no SIL, or DN... and the line is long. But wait, it is now 11:20 ish+ and here they are! so it was 3 hours for breakfast, and travel time from the Poly to MK.....

Get the hair cut. And PINK gell in a MM head and Pixie dust. This is going to take the next 3 hours to dry... and this kid has very fine hair, not a lot of it either! But it is soooooo cute! and people point and ask her where she got it done. So all is well.
Lets head over to a ride! ANY ride!

But no, we have to walk through the shops. Bad. They sell things... we buy things. We are NOT getting any place. I have been in MK for 4 + hours and not been on a single ride. or show, or anything. Oh, yea, I did get a great hair cut and that pixie dust...

Finally we hit Pirates! And it is open! yea! But now we need to eat, again...
And look, more characters!
Head over to Peter Pan. SIL "I promise you honey, you WILL get on Peter Pan and Teacups and see Princesses!". Humm, sis, I would "promise" we will TRY to do all that. It is now after 1pm.... and you have dinner at ECOPT with the Princesses at 6pm.. we will need to leave about 4 to get there at this pace!

So we do Small World. Love it. Only a 30 min wait. I have never waited longer then 10min... befor this that is! And Peter? 90+ min! TeaCups? Pooh?
HAhahhhehehahe....

So we try Buzz. Ha, again.

Off to ECOPT. Cause we want fastpasses for Soring, right? It is mid afternoon. I think they will be gone, looooong gone! But we get there and they have them! So before we head over to get the Soaring FP, SIL saids, lets do the GolfBall, your Brother didn't want to last time.Well last time there was a 2 hour wait for it!!! I said lets get the FP first... but the line is walkon and she wins. I think I can grab a nap when it breaks down... I love this ride. I don't know why. It is a little out of date, ok a lot out of date. But I find it relaxing, maybe because of the naps I can usually get. But, oh, no not this time! it was a smoth ride.

Done and off. On to Soaring. Or should we do TT first. Well, no, if you want a FP we need to hurry. We check the info board. FP is gone for Soaring. TT is a 90+ min wait. Even the ? Energy ride is an hour!

No big. They had never done Honey I shrunk the Aud. or Figment either. And we have the Princess dinner... It is now 4:45 and I don't think we can do those 2 and Test track. And I was right! Imagine that...

We get to Norway. She only has ADR for the 2 of them. I don't care, but it is important to her and DN that I eat with the Princesses. Now I have nothing against the Princess Cult. It is kinda nice in a strange and disturbing way, I think. It is better in some ways for little girls to want to be nice and polite, and some of the princesses are strong women in there own way. However, I have never, and will never be as well dressed, well coffed, or made up as well. And especiall in the Florida heat! I don't think they are something real, but a lot of little girls do, and someday they might or might not have there Prince come...

Well anyway, I get to eat with them. joy. Not a bad dinner. The Smorgboard was nice. The Princesses make a quick entry and 30 -40 seconds with each table. Photo, autograph, gone. I don't think it's to bad. SIL says, Did they leave us afwully quickly? Well, no, they spent as much time with us as they did each table, per person... So while we did not get a full min, we did only have 1 child. Some of the tables had 3 or more children. So the princess would spend more time there, right? Oh, no! We spent the same money, so we should have as much time...

Wasn't gonna win this one. Time to go... it is now almost 8pm and I know that if we don't head out we will get caught in the firework show... And then it would be late. SIL wants to do the EMH from midnight to 3am at MK....

I don't think so.
We get on the monorail. Everyone yawn. It is late. We have ran for hours, well in between characters and meals... And I know that they want to do the EE entry at MK in the morning. Which I think we will need to wake up at 5 :30am to make.

I win. We head off to the room. And I make the mistake of NOT bathing my DN.. .I want a shower. I need a shower. My pixie dust is itching. But that is nothing compared to the pixie dust/ pink gell/ hair spray in a 4yo's hair. This is a looooong event. Wash, rince, repeat. Several times. Still pixie dust. I think, get in the shower with the kid. It's after 11pm and I want a shower and more importantly, DN is not happy!

Plus, SIL also want a shower. I know it will be midnight befor we are all done. Get up at 5:30? I'm thinking, NOT!

And I am wrong about the bed time. SIL got done about 1am + ish... and still said she wanted up at the armpit of dawn.

Alarm goes off.. .I was awake. I am always awake at 5:30am as that is when DH leaves for work and kisses my good buy. Won't miss it. Might not be human then, but I want that kiss!

SIL won't wake up.
DN won't wake up.
So I go back to bed.
Wake up an hour latter. Still snores from both of them. Wait it out till 9am. Still can't wake them. It is SUNDAY! they want to do MK for all the stuff they missed yesterday? So I go and get coffee. I make the mistake of waiting in the Starbuck line at SOG. 7 people ahead of me and over 20 min in line latter I have a hot, bad cup of coffee... and they are still asleep?

We finally got up, dressed, and then we needed to eat...

But we have food in the room. So we eat on the run.
Make Mk. Lines arn't bad. But I know they want to park hop. And do PP and Tcups and Mansion... and Characters. WE are on the second autograph book now. And the camera is out of juice...

We hit all the rides. Get FP for several things. And NO ADR's today!!!! So we manage to do a lot. Only a few hours of lines. And I am only 1/2 way through my book... so it is all good!


Bed at midnight. But I have a system. I get the first shower and I can sleep with the lights on... so it is all good. Cause WE WILL make EE the next morning!

And no, we didn't.

But we were close, closer then then at anytime during the trip. So it was all good.

Monday they had ARDs at Crystal Palace. Another fav. of mine. I have never had a bad meal there. Some better then others, but not bad!

We do get there early ish, for us. And we get a ton of stuff done. But the Characters are out. And I finally see one I want a photo with, me, alone.
Darkwing Duck and Launchpad!!! Yea!
Who?
The ducks! These are 2 of my DBs favorite characters. And he isn't here. His wife and kid are. Points to me! He hates standing in line, won't do it. So I win. And yea, this is petty, but I have waited for 3 days as DN got each and every characters autograph. Even the ones she got last trip, And the trip befor... We are now up to 3 autograph books this trip...

So we hit Phil.mon. and PP and Teacups and the RR. Have lunch . DN is tired. So off to DTD in the car. She can sleep as we shop. And won't beg for stuff. And we can check out the toy store and I can stuff boxes..You know, I allways go and stuff a box of Mr. Potota Head. I love to do this. I can make that box weight 10 pounds.. .well, not really, but I have got over 80 items in one box. And not all arms,either, there were a few hats, and even a pair of feet that time. And then there are the pony boxes.
Did you know the Pony boxes are smaller then the Potota head ones? Same cost, doesn't seem fair! And there are new outfits for the ponies? Tink, and Minnie stuff. Some new hair stuff... and I can fit them in the Mr.PH box...they stuff in all that small space I have. No, don't think this is "legal" but I didn't ask. I am a former Military Brat, and spouse. You know, the don't ask, don't tell?
Only got 2 sets of the D.Duck and Goofy hats, faces, and the NewYork crown/tourch stuff. Plus 25+ other small items. Not a bad stuff. The CM said it was the heaviest box she had ever sold... so it is all good.
And I stuff a Pony box for SIL for her DN. It had double stuff for both girls.

Go to WOD. Check out the new BibBopBoutique. Horid. It doesn't have real hairdressers there. The CM at the MK barber shop was not happy about this place. The Barber shop did a great job of making "princess" hair for girls for only $14. It's $35 to over $200 at the BBB in WOD! and the BBB uses the fake hair pieces that you can get at WalMart or Sallys Beauty Supple for a few dollars. Not the nice ones. The ones at Disney have long thin braids, scraggles of hair, and it is pinned or something in the girls hair. There is only 3 colors of fake hair. Light , Med and funky... with a ton of colors. Think Cyndi Lauper or Pat Benatar in the '80s hair. Lots of glitter hair spray. I had seen a young girl with her hair done befor I saw the boutique and wondered what had happened to her hair. For my $$ go to MK at the Barber shop and get a "Princess updo" !


Leave DTD. Go to another park? or back to MK?
MK it is. But I have a bad Lfoot, and a knee with a mind of its own. The knees mind usuall doesn't talk to the rest of my body till it is very sore and tired and wants meds. The knee wanted meds. I want to play. So I dropped them off and went to the POLY.Looking for a shirt for DB.

Now this is where I really screw up. I collect charms. I found a 3D Steamboat Willy at the Poly. Only $179. This can't be solid gold? they check. Yep, it is. But cause I had them check the item they find it is also mismarked... and I can't bring my self to buy it cause it is. It doesn't seem honest. It was over $500 at DTD in the WOD store... so I didn't.Drat.

And the knee still hurts.

Will try and finish this in a while.. only 1 night, and the trip from hell home to go....

Ice Cream calls....

 

[Minniespal]

Thanx for posting ~ Looking forward to more.

 

[TLinden16]

Sounds like you had a really busy few days. You sure crammed a lot into your trip! And how fun that you got your haircut too!

Thanks for posting.

 

[mdsouth]

I am just loving your report! I can trully relate!
Last May I went to WDW with my family, DH, DS, and DD.
It was like me trying to pull a donkey around the parks!
I am an early riser and wanted to get to the parks early! We never made it! And then we had to stop and visit all the characters. I LOVE them but BOY does it ever eat up the time!

Please send a GREAT BIG THANK YOU to your brother in Iraq.
I truly appreciate his service to our country and other countries.
Your brother will be in my prayers!

Thanks for posting your report!

mdsouth

 

[idofabric]

Thank you all! My brother is only going to be there till May. He is retired Military and this is his 3 or 4 trip over. 2 active duty and now 2 volunteer for the company he and my DH work for doing Security work... I have no idea what that is and don't want to! Not a head in sand thing, just don't want anyone that doesn't need to know, to know. So everyone stays safe!

The Haircut was super! My hair still looks good! And I have funny hair. It also has a mind of its own... or as my DDad used to say- "Don't make fun of my hair, it isn't awake yet...." In my case it sleeps alot!

Several other things we did got lost in the report. While in DTD we hit the undre $10 store behind the pin store. Several of the stores have changed in the last 2 months... but since we were power shopping I did not make a note of what and where the changes were. So I am gonna fail you all on that! Sorry!

The WOD store has a Stuff a Skull or Stuff a Chest with pirate things... and the Princess room has Stuff a Jewel Box or Bag. The "jewels" were the type of necklaces you get at a MadiGra party. Cheap and over priced, I thought,since we just got some for a school carnival from Orenital Trading Comp... for a lot less $$$. But it was at Disney, and I can see how one could get carried away. I guess these 2 new stuffing stations are offered cause Mr.Potota Head and the Pony boxes are so popular. But the containers are much smaller.. the Skull you can stuff has more then 1/2 of it filled in with plastic.

Also I helped a family at ECPOT that was from the UK stull a Potota. They didn't know you could open the back and get in more things..They had 2 boys and the boys only wanted several things. They thought this was a cheap souveniour for $18 each! The dad kept saying, get more we can put it on EBay. The mom was not for this... And I told them to get all they could in the box as they must have friends with kids and the MMouse arms alone would make a nice treat back home. We ended up getting at least double the stuff in each box. I could have got more, but they were looking at me like I was obsessed or something... yep, thats me...


Any way back to the trip...
I went alone to Mk this night. Rode the TTA/blue line. While on it SIL calls and says she was given 3 FP to Splash. Come on over! Ok, but its parade time... and it takes me 15 min with the knee to get there. SIL says, "We won't get wet?" hahahhe. They ride in the very front . Guess what? they got wet. No joke. Soaked. And it is not nice to tell the rest of the people in the ride to lean forward as you go down the drops.... but I did!

I left them at MK on Mon nite and went to the room. Bad knee wanted to. Tried to get to sleep, and of course just did when they got in. SIL was trying to be supper quiet. DN wanted to crawl in bed with me. I had left at least an hour+ befor them. But when I got back to SOG the housekeepers had changed the sheets and forgot to leave any for DNs little bed. 3 calls and over an hour latter they got new sheets to me. Good thing I left early or it would have been 3 am befor we all got to sleep.

Found out that my kids are right. Don't tell them, please! My SIL was so tired that she was talking under her breath... "ok, wash face and, mutter, mutter, look for , mutter, muttre...."
"tomorrow pack, mutter, mutter, mutter..."
I do this and my DD, 21, is driven crazy by it. I allways thought she, DD that is, was just being a pill. Nope. DD is right! It will drive you to throwing something big, and breakable at the person doing the muttering... Must remember this, and only use it when the DD is being a pain....

So we get up on Tues. Ask DN where we are - 'Dizzz-ka-knee!!" butt wiggle, wake up call for us all.
I know check out is at 11, and it is 8 am. And I really want to get on the road... befor noon!
We get it all packed up. There went 2 hours... and check out.
Guess who is hungry?
So downstairs we go, to the Garden Gallery buffet. It is about 10:30 now and this closes at 11am. I don't think this is a good idea. I'm thinking Earl of Sand in DTD would be better. I am outvoted.
DN and I had gone ahead. We wait. Still waiting.... SIL shows up and snaps... What is going on? Lets go someplace else, she is HUNGRY NOW!!!! But I point out that going someplace else will take more time. And we get in a few min latter. BIG mistake!

Food was almost ok. I mean cheap, but they were closing the line down. No plain bagels. Eggs that tasted like they were from power. Bacon that might have come from a pig.. sometime in the past...
Sausages that were shaped like bendable oily tubes of plastic...

But great make your own Waffels. So I was happy, as I adore waffels! And some ok fruit. Coffee that was hot and coffeeish. Not bitter. And self serve juice in mini glasses...

Ok NOW it is almost 11:45am.... which is technicall befor noon... but we STILL need to get in the car and drive 380+ miles home!!! Now would be good. Cause I know we will stop every 60 to 90 min. But I was thinking it would be a short stop. We'll make it home befor 7pm? Right?

On the way to the car my DH calls..."Hi, hon, where are you all ?" , Well, we are getting in the car,hon. "Oh, you haven't left yet!!!???". No, dear. We are going to be home about 8pm.( I hope,I'm thinking...and make that an hour latter then I think so he doesn't worry...) I really want to tell him we are "ff like a herd of Turtles" one of my late Dad's saying. It is a family code for God only knows when...and get the @$#$@ in the car and lets GO!!!But DSIL knows this, and she is a sweet person, and it would hurt her feeling. And I did invite my self along... Patience is a virtue, and I need a lot more virtures!

Get driving. Now I have driven in Orlando a dozen times. And each trip we hit several things in town. And I have a map. Life for me is good when I have a map, as I can allways find a way around if I need to. But I am very, very tired. And not driving as the Knee's mind kept me up all last night.


2 hours latter we are allmost to Daytona. 2 hours. Traffic is bad. Well, yes, we left at noon, and so did a ton of working people! At this rate we will hit Jacksonville rush hour.

I want to be in Jax around 3pm. We will need a break then, that is 4 hours and 11 min from home. ( They have a quilt show in Sept and a bunch of us go, we like fabric, it calls us... so we make good time to the show).
There is a fabric store I would like to stop at. It is off 295, which if we hit right should take us around the traffic. IF.

Well got to Jax and hit the fabric store.
Now this is my weak spot. I mean, every time some one has a realtive die, or they move or clean house, I get the fabric. I drive 3oo miles to N.Carolina to got to a big fabric store a few times a year. I go to LA, Cal. to "visit" DD, as she lives 3.2 miles from the garment dist... I LOVE fabric! I NEED fabric... .
I spend more money on fabric then Disney. So you know I love it! Even the Catholic Church has "donated" old de-santfifed/old vestments to me...I use it all for quilts, costumes at the several schools I volunteer at, and donate it to kids that are beginign to sew. I have a studio about 18x22 with floor to ceiling cuboards for the fabric.

I also like thread, trim, lace, old crochet, linens....
Ok, you get the picture. I could spend hours at the fabric store...and have.
But NOT this time. I want to get in, get out and go home. I was just at this store the week befor, cause I had a courier job of driving to Jax and back in 1 day.. .which is where the $$$ for this trip came from.

SIL wants curtains for DN. For the house she has been trying to buy for 3 years... I found the perfect stuff. And I need fabric for DD college grad in May in LA...

Only 45 min. gone, but wait, DN must eat. I know there is a MickyDees a mile or so. Can we PLEASE feed her in the car, just this once? It is allmost 4:30 and traffic is gonna be getting bad. If not here then at Savanna...
Yes! Chicky nuggets to go!

On the road again!
Hit the middle of Georgia and am talking to SIL and her eyes CLOSE! Honest!
Hon, let me drive? The knee won't mind. Not as much as if you fall asleep, trust me on this!

So I take over below Savanna. I know I can make it home in 90 min from there... done it a lot of times! And that will put us home befor 10pm...

Which means a 10 hour drive home! Only 3+ more then I usually take , even hitting 4 out of 6 Harley D. shops on the way! And getting food and lottery tickets. So I think this is not to bad. Honest....

Now there are a lot of other things we did at Disney. I drank a lot, for me. Got to lisen to Off Kilter with a half yard of beer from England. SIL got it for me! We love this group. Don't thnk SIL and DN were to impressed. And it took 2 trips to ECOPT to get the masks done. Mine is very nice... DN and a CM insisted I do one, and who am I to argue with a 4yo and a Disney employee. They know best, right?

We shopped.

EVERYWHERE! A day ago you could ask me where to get something, any thing, and the best price, and I could have told you! But I have deleated that info now.

SIL and DN ate 4 or 5 Character meals in 3 days... I refused to do this. SIL did say the LILO and STITCH B'fast at the Poly was the best she has every had for a character meal at WDW. And she should know.....she has done them ALL in the last 4 trips down there....

I missed every firework show. Except Fant. at MGM. Forgot to tell you the Noodle Station horror story... 3rd in line and 25 min to get the food. I could hear the fireworks, and ALLMOST see them. But managed to miss most of them. Got in line 10 min befor, because, you know, SIL and DN were hungry... this was Mon. night. I had grabbed a wedge of pineapple from the Dole whip place. $1.49 for 1/4 of a pineapple! and it was supper sweet and juicy! Very good. To bad the noodles stuff was not. It was bland, and cold. And they shut it down the person after me...

We ate and shopped.

Oh, yea, went through a totall of 3 autograph books. SIL took reams of photos, and then bought some...


We rode in the front of the Monorail. In Feb I tried to do this. But the Pres. was at the Contem. and they wouldn't let us in the front for the better part of the day. Security. Wouldn't have know this, but on the way into ECOPT over that trip we were talking and a person hear us . They were kicked out of there $300-$400 room at the Cont. for the afternoon, 5 hours . They had been given the option of staying IN the room for thosse 5 hours while the Pres. was at a fund raiser. This was NOT a happy WDW guest. They were from the UK and not amused.... All that was over Pres. Weekend in Feb.
So this trip I took DN in the front. She wasn't really impressed... she couldn't drive it....

We spent a lot of time going to and from parks for ADRs. Now I had printed out the guide for which park would be busiest on which day. Waste of paper. Not cause it wouldn't have been helpfull... but cause the all the ADRs were at the busiest park on the day that was rated a 10 on a 1 to 10 scale for busy. Go figure... That was the only ones she could get.

We did not see a show. SIL tried each and every day to hit Story time with Belle, or Cindrecellebration, or Mermaid, or something. She was NOT happy. But ya know, you can't take 4-6 hours a day to eat 2 meals in a park, see each and EVERY character and STILL do the shows. Not with a crowd. Not if you don't get to the park when it opens. Not if you... well you all know.

We did have a great time together. And I might get to take the DN this May. SIL might go and see my DB in europe when he is on the way home. They never got a honeymoon.
May is our Annual take everyone trip. Our 2 DS's and assorted teen / college friends. The 2 girls next door, and there mom. DN would go on more rides then she ever knew. And it will give me an excuse to make a few more WDW outfits with characters on them. Did you know you can get embrodiery cards with all of the Disney characters on them? Did you care? well, I do , and I have several....

So the big thing is this. For me, that is. We went, we got home. We are still friends, besides being family..

And if anyone does know what Disney does with all the scraps of fabric,... I want some! And if you have any fabric you don't want think about donating it to a school, or to the Quilts of Valour. This is for the war injured folks. There is a web site and every state has a group of quilters making quilts for the people in the hospital due to the war... they need 2000+ quilts a month now. And each quilt uses 5-7 yards of fabric... of only Disney would give us the scraps! Think of what great quilts that would make!

Thats all for now folks. Thanks for reading. More in June when we get home from the big trip.. .looks like there are 7 to 16 of us going. We will be in 2 units at Cypress Point May 26 to June 4. 5 bed rooms in all... oh the joy... kids abound.
Rules are, NO sex, NO drugs, NO drinking.... and don't tell mom. She would find out anyway, so just DON'T do it. ( this is based on the fact that at anytime there will be some kid mad at some other kid, and no matter what the age, will ******* I allways know!, even when I am guessing....)

 

[DeterminedOne]

I enjoyed your report. Thanks for sharing!

 

[byoung]

Thanks.