Wishes and Dreams Come True - Day 2

[MOJoe]

Monday 6/11/07

I wake up at 7:00, after only a few hours sleep. No way. I roll over and drift back off to sleep. At 10:00 i get up and go for coffee, and take my stroll around the pool. Indy has been asking to swim, so i decide not to linger. Instead i return to the room to see if he is awake. Once there i check my camera. I find water in the battery compartment. Not good. Indy is stirring in bed, so i ask if he wants to go for a swim. "Yea!" he replies. I leave a note for Minnie and Solo telling them where we are, and suggest they join us. We head to the pool.
The pool here is fabulous. It's a large freeform with a 20 foot wide waterfall as the centerpiece. Two bridges on either side of the waterfall span the pool, and a stone pathway leads up and back to a 30 foot slide that curves through a cave and into the water. We get chairs and hit the waterslide. I am the only adult in a group of about 8 running up the stairs to slide down into the water. But i laugh with glee as i plunge into the water, just like Indy and the other 8 year olds. I can't keep from noticing the music on the sound system. Old Led Zep, David Bowie's "TCB15", some new rock i've never heard before. Great tunes. Adult oriented. I am having fun. But after numerous slide runs i am ready for a break. I have brought my camera down and laid it in the sun, hoping it will dry out. I try to power it up. Still no luck.
Minnie and Solo show up. Minnie has her bathing suit on. Solo does not. "Why aren't you dressed to swim?", "He's just being difficult" Minnie says. Solo has not gotten into the Disney mood yet. I have already told him several times "no negative comments". Being 13 is just about as bad as it gets. "Suit yourself" i tell him. Minnie and i embrace in the water, and Indy instantly finds someone other than Dad to play with. We hang out a little while longer and go back to the room to change. Then we all head to Pikaboo for lunch.

After lunch we head out for Animal Kingdom. We arrive a little before 3:00. As we enter i explain the plan. Tigers, Safari, Nemo, but we've got to watch the clock. I want to see as much of the park as we can before regular hours end, and leave the EMH biggies for after dinner. So we go straight for the Maharajah Jungle Trek. As we are walking up some stairs, i hear a whistle blowing. Around a corner a cast member is throwing chunks of raw ground meat to 4 tigers down below us. Wow! This is a treat. It lasts about 5 minutes. When it's over i ask how often this occurs. "Once a day at 3:00", "Our lucky day, huh?" "Yes" he says will a smile. We continue on and linger awhile in the avairy, then exit. I say "lets get over to the Safari " so we walk over to find the standby time is 90 minutes. Oh well. We get in line. A little while later Solo says, "Dad, i thought you wanted to see the Nemo show". I look at my watch. It is 4:00. I gasp. The last show of the day is 4:45. Minnie asks where the theater is. "On the other side of the park, so we've got to go now." Minnie is not happy. She refuses to run anywhere. But we break line and walk fast across the park. We get there in 15 minutes, but the line reaches all the way back to the enterance of Dino land by Tricera Top Spin. I am discouraged we will not get inside. Dozens of people walk past us with tired, worried looks, asking with amazement in their voices "Is this the line for Nemo?" "Yes" a chorus replies. Feeling, well like Goofy, I apoligize and thank Solo for remembering the plan. A nice lady next to us in line overhears my distressful comments and begins to reassure me. "This place is huge, i'm pretty sure we will get in." She is correct. We are seated, and moments later treated to a spectacular show. For now i just want to say that Nemo is a home run. It is a wonderful Broadway style production with singing, dancing, "swimming", puppetry and more. As word spreads, this may become the hardest seat to get in Disney World.

Afterwards we walk back to the Safari, see The Lion King, and It's Tough to be a Bug. Solo and i want to do Everest, but when we get there the line is huge. Solo notices the ride is moving, but there are no sreams. "What's up?" "They closed Everest and Kali River due to lightning in the area" someone says. "Want to wait?" "No." We are all tired so we decide to get to Rainforest Cafe ahead of the crowds. We are seated quickly although the place is packed. Here i have a bad moment. Solo has been aloof and voicing a few irritating complaints. When the dinner conversation turns back to our morning at the pool, Solo says "I would have gone swimming if we were staying at the Boardwalk. They have a better slide." I was not able to deflect this comment. I feel an adrenaline surge. I snap. "This is my one week i get with you and your brother." i say forcefully. "You are not going to ruin it. I don't want to hear any more criticism or negative comments." Silence. Minnie looks at me worriedly. Solo ducks his head. "You owe me an apology." "I'm sorry." "Apology accepted." Then i stand up from my seat, step over to Solo, kiss him on the top of the head and speak into his ear. "I love you. That is why we are here. Try to enjoy it."
After the drama ends we begin to enjoy our meal. However, this place is very cold and loud. Our food is good but not great. Minnie had requested that we eat here. We all liked it. But nobody loved it. Even Minnie. After dinner as we exit the park, Solo, as if he is trying to plead his case, complains that i bought Indy the nice felt hat he has been wearing, but didn't get him anything. "What do you want?" "Crocs." "That's fair. No problem. I'm sure they have 'em here at the gift shop." We enter the gift shop and Solo get his Crocs. Indy, not to be outdone, grabs some too. "I'm not paying for those." "I've got my own money." "Really?" "I've got $119" "No way." "Report Card money from PaPaw." "O.K." I chuckle. With everyone happy, we go back to the Dolphin and get to bed about 11:00. We have had a good day despite my camera still failing and a testy dinner. No wishes granted or dreams fulfilled today. Tomorrow will be better.

[faline]

I remember the adolescent years very well. Moodiness is just part of the program for the next few years!

It's clear you keep a positive attitude and that certainly goes a long way toward having a good time!

[January-2007]

Thanks for reporting!

[Lizzie]

I am so excited to see Nemo. I am glad to hear the theatre is large.

[T-Belle]

I am loving your reports! They are very informative-Tiger's fed at 3:00, I will remember that! Thanks for sharing!

[BronxTigger]

I can't believe how late you got to the park! I'm amazed you can be so relaxed to go swimming on only your 2nd day. You haven't even been to the Magic Kingdom yet; I couldn't relax on the last trip until I had done all my "must do's" at all the parks!

...off to read more...

[Jimenyfan]

While I know its not funny, I spent the week of June 1-June 9 with our aloof 15 y/o son and I understand all about the comments and attitude. At the end of the trip though he really had a good time. Its quite an age isnt it?

[dolphinmickey9170]

Our 13 (now 14) year old DD last year was doing everything possible to irritate me at IJ show. She stood up and screamed at the top of her lungs, "You don't love me as much as you love Katy!" (my oldest DD 15 at the time). I just wanted to die in the middle of this crowd.

Hopefully he comes around and things get better for him.

Hope your camera comes out of it too.

Can't wait to read the next installment. Thanks for the info about the tigers. I'll remember that for August.

[Bethis26fan]

Thanks for sharing sounds like a great day.

[pogo]

I'm glad you and your son came to an understanding. And I'm sorry you didn't get any wished or dreams fulfilled today.

But.... there is always tomorrow.

Cool deal with the feeding of the Tigers.

[Christine]

I am dreading the teenage years with my daughter!!! I hope I can keep my cool and handle "the teen 'tude" as well as you!

[pdrlkr]

Thanks for the report!

[sleepingbooty]

Good thing you nipped that attitude in the bud early - hopefully Solo will start to get into the swing of things now!

Funny about the Nemo show - from the reports I've read, you either love it or hate it - no middle ground. Think I'll be in the "love it" crowd, but we'll find out in September.

[wilshade]

Thanks for the report! I just jotted down that feeding time for the tigers. I will make sure to check that out on my trip.

[KylesMom]

Now that I've read your report, I'm sorry we didn't make it to the Nemo show. The lines were SO long every time we passed by - my guys told me no way!

I'm glad that you & your son came to an understanding, even though it wasn't the most opportune moment! Thanks for sharing, can't wait to get to the next report!

[#1disneyfan]

I think WDW is the only place that our DD doesn't give us attitude!
Thanks for sharing.

[DizNee143]

i have never seen the pool at the dolphin but it sounds really nice...glad you got to go swimming!! sounds like a pretty good day...
hopefully after your talk at dinner your son changed his mood alittle...

[Pocahontas]

I'm looking forward to seeing Nemo on our next trip, and thanks to your report I'll try and not let the long lines worry me.

All parents have had those moments with their kid(s). I think you handled it really well. You sounded both firm but loving.

[princessgirls]

Thanks for sharing!

I know what you mean about the Nemo line. I was AMAZED that everyone fit!!!

Great day in AK.

Julie

[realtreebar]

thanks for sharing !