disneyboy98
03-21-2008, 11:56 PM
Well, if you have followed our family for the passed few years on our tours of WDW, this might almost seem a little déjà vu. However, there were definitely two things different with this trip…and this includes the addition of two family members joining us on our adventures to WDW.
Kevin (my brother-in-law), has been a real trooper that last few years. He knew very well when he started dating Beckie that our family was a tad (just a little bit) Disney obsessed. He learned this very early and whether or not he bought into it or just went along with the flow remained to be seen. However, the one thing that he did on a regular basis was listen the four of us (me, Beckie, mom, and dad) talk about all things Disney; from movies, to theme parks, characters, to the smells of WDW (you know…Intercot stuff) he sat there and took it all in. Well, we must have not done enough to scare him off because he and Beckie got married a year ago in November. Finally, now that he was a member of the family, he had all the Disney knowledge in his brain, all he needed now was the chance to make his first trip to WDW.
Well today, was FINALLY the day for him and now we all get to sit back and see all that knowledge put to work. Our first task was to drop him in off in some location in Epcot and told him to find his way to somewhere else on WDW property without a map or us….ok, fine, I’m just kidding, we weren’t that cruel. More on what happened in the day, just a bit later.
Now, 11 months ago tomorrow, Beckie and Kevin welcomed their brand new daughter in the world and my brand new niece, Chloe. It took her 2 seconds of being in the world to climb into all of our hearts and set up camp. This little girl is, without a doubt, the pride and joy of her parents, her grandparents, her uncle (me), her great-grandparents, and many other family members and friends she has come in contact with so far in her short life. Her personality, laugh, smile, and big blue eyes are infectious to all, especially her uncle Brett.
Now, of course, this child being in our family, has not choice but to live the “Disney” life. At a very young age (over the passed four months) we have been drilling into her who Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Daisy, and Pluto. The one thing that she does have absolutely down is the answer to the question, “where is the Mickey Mouse?” Instantly, when she hears that question, she scans her surroundings and finds where the Mickey Mouse is. Countless times she has pointed to a Mickey image that we were even unaware of being in a certain room, but she finds them. She lights up anytime she sees her Disney toys and gives them lots of kisses. Now, tomorrow, she will be going to see THE REAL Mickey Mouse in person at the Magic Kingdom. You will need to tune in tomorrow for the pictures and the reactions from Chloe, her parents, grandparents, and uncle.
So, I guess all this being said, you have been brought up to speed with our two new Disney family members. Now you are probably saying, “ok, this is the trip report section. Where is the trip report?” Moving on!
As some of us know, the day before you leave you never really get much sleep the night before because you are “too excited” and you are getting things ready to go. Thus, one day flows into the next day and you aren’t really sure how you got from teaching your English classes in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada to sitting at your desk at The Swan, writing a trip report, looking at the view out the window (pics to show you) after just eating at the Beaches and Cream and watching Illuminations, at WDW in Florida.
Well to make a long story short here was our schedule from 10:00 at night to 1:30 this afternoon:
Regina to Calgary
Calgary to Toronto (four hour lay over)
Toronto to Orlando
Three flights in about a twelve hour span. This is something that we have not done since Beckie and I were younger and it boggles my mind how, at the time it seems that it took a long time to do, look how far we have come in distance since yesterday night. Of course I always promise that I will sleep on the plane, but it NEVER seems to happen.
Anyways, enough about the complaining of how tired I am. I am sure you are all saying, “quit your whining, you’re in WDW right now at the start of your vacation” You are so right!! Plus, for those of you that have traveled through the night to get here you might know that when you get here later on in the day you get this “second wind” and all of the sudden, as soon as you pass under that “Welcome to Walt Disney World” purple sign, all of your exhaustion melts away and you are surrounded with Disney magic. Well, that’s exactly what happened to all of us, especially Chloe. She was an awesome little flier. Of course she had the common problem most young ones get with the ears on the plane, but she was a trooper and she made it through three flights of it. Then, when she passed under that purple sign this afternoon, her face lit up and she laughed all the was to the resort. Some of us think that these young ones may not know what is happening, but there was something today that made me think, “I think Chloe knows that these next few days are going to be a bit different, and in a good way.” The magic of Disney at work! As for Kevin, his first time here, I don’t think I can even describe what was going on in his head. However, he spend most of the ride just looking at everything around him and trying to take it all in. So much to take in, so little time.
Well, we got to The Swan at around 2:30 this afternoon and checked into our rooms. If you have read my reports before, you know that I have nothing but wonderful things to say about this resort (more on that later on in the week). This year, we were surprised to find that our rooms had been upgraded to the fifth floor and we received balconys. As you can see from the pics (link at the bottom) we have a beautiful view. We have two adjoining rooms; one for Beckie, Kevin, and Chloe and one for Dad, Mom, and me.
After getting settled in, showering and freshening up, we decided to stay with traditions and make our way over to the Beaches and Cream for burgers, onion rings, and malts. This place never disappoints and I am still full right now as I am writing this. After traveling all night and not eating much, this meal was the most welcoming thing in the world!! Chloe opted for the grilled cheese with grapes and she enjoyed it very much. But, as you can see from the pics, she enjoyed grandma’s chocolate malt even more.
With our tummy’s full we waddled over to the entrance of Epcot and bought our passes for the week (10 Day Hoppers). Next, I’m sure you would probably think that we went into Epcot….WRONG!!! We turned around, went back to the room and then headed for WalMart. Now, I know what you are thinking, “How on earth could you even think of doing that to Kevin?! He is a first timer! You lead him to the gate of one of the theme parks, and you turn around and walk away?! THAT’S JUST CRUEL!! Well don’t worry, that’s what we all thought to. However, Kevin was a really good sport and realized that if we go to WalMart now, we won’t have to go back again in the middle of the vacation. Plus, we needed to pick up a few things for the room and for Chloe (diapers, etc.).
So we went to WalMart, blah, blah, blah! Let’s get back to the good stuff.
After we got back on property, we all headed back to the room and Beckie and Kevin headed over a bit early to Epcot to catch the beginning of “The Guess Who” Flower Power concert. Mom, Dad, Chloe, and I came in about five minutes behind them while they were singing “Clap for the Wolfman.” Then, a few minutes later, we all rocked out to “American Woman.” It was awesome!! They have such an awesome energy onstage that I would love to go back and see them again sometime.
Next, right after the concert, it was time for Illuminations (Kevin’s first Disney moment/attraction/show). So, we all stood over at the entrance to the American Garden’s Theatre and watched from there. Chloe was still awake enough to get mesmerized by all the colors and lights, but she wasn’t a real fan of the loud firework pops. She didn’t freak out, but you could tell she didn’t like them very much. After that, we wandered back around The Swan via the Boardwalk path and took a look in the store there for a few minutes. Well, of course, Chloe, who is itching or sleep, lights up at the site of the Disney plush toys and starts laughing and smiling at them. Our question now is, do we have enough room for all the plush toys that she may want!?? Ha ha ha!
Now, we are all back in our rooms and falling asleep.
I have said this before, and I will say it again. Your first night in Disney is the BEST!!! There is nothing like the start of a vacation, and tonight was definitely a fun way to start it off.
Now, tomorrows plan is to hit the opening of the Magic Kingdom and concentrate on it for the day. We also have ADRs for Ohana in the evening, so we are looking forward to that. For Kevin, it is his chance to visit two attractions that he has been wanting to try for a long time: Splash Mountain and the Haunted Mansion. We’ll have to see what his reaction will be tomorrow. As for Chloe, tomorrow is her day to finally see Mickey Mouse for the very first time in her life. What will her reaction be?? I guess you will have to tune in tomorrow to find out.
Well, here we go again. Hope you enjoyed the first report. I will admit, some of it may not have made sense, but I am working off of very limited sleep right now!! Off to my heavenly bed that is right behind me now!!
To see the pictures from today please click here (http://picasaweb.google.com/brettyoung8864/WDWFridayMarch21st2008)
Have an awesome “Disney” day!!
Kevin (my brother-in-law), has been a real trooper that last few years. He knew very well when he started dating Beckie that our family was a tad (just a little bit) Disney obsessed. He learned this very early and whether or not he bought into it or just went along with the flow remained to be seen. However, the one thing that he did on a regular basis was listen the four of us (me, Beckie, mom, and dad) talk about all things Disney; from movies, to theme parks, characters, to the smells of WDW (you know…Intercot stuff) he sat there and took it all in. Well, we must have not done enough to scare him off because he and Beckie got married a year ago in November. Finally, now that he was a member of the family, he had all the Disney knowledge in his brain, all he needed now was the chance to make his first trip to WDW.
Well today, was FINALLY the day for him and now we all get to sit back and see all that knowledge put to work. Our first task was to drop him in off in some location in Epcot and told him to find his way to somewhere else on WDW property without a map or us….ok, fine, I’m just kidding, we weren’t that cruel. More on what happened in the day, just a bit later.
Now, 11 months ago tomorrow, Beckie and Kevin welcomed their brand new daughter in the world and my brand new niece, Chloe. It took her 2 seconds of being in the world to climb into all of our hearts and set up camp. This little girl is, without a doubt, the pride and joy of her parents, her grandparents, her uncle (me), her great-grandparents, and many other family members and friends she has come in contact with so far in her short life. Her personality, laugh, smile, and big blue eyes are infectious to all, especially her uncle Brett.
Now, of course, this child being in our family, has not choice but to live the “Disney” life. At a very young age (over the passed four months) we have been drilling into her who Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Daisy, and Pluto. The one thing that she does have absolutely down is the answer to the question, “where is the Mickey Mouse?” Instantly, when she hears that question, she scans her surroundings and finds where the Mickey Mouse is. Countless times she has pointed to a Mickey image that we were even unaware of being in a certain room, but she finds them. She lights up anytime she sees her Disney toys and gives them lots of kisses. Now, tomorrow, she will be going to see THE REAL Mickey Mouse in person at the Magic Kingdom. You will need to tune in tomorrow for the pictures and the reactions from Chloe, her parents, grandparents, and uncle.
So, I guess all this being said, you have been brought up to speed with our two new Disney family members. Now you are probably saying, “ok, this is the trip report section. Where is the trip report?” Moving on!
As some of us know, the day before you leave you never really get much sleep the night before because you are “too excited” and you are getting things ready to go. Thus, one day flows into the next day and you aren’t really sure how you got from teaching your English classes in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada to sitting at your desk at The Swan, writing a trip report, looking at the view out the window (pics to show you) after just eating at the Beaches and Cream and watching Illuminations, at WDW in Florida.
Well to make a long story short here was our schedule from 10:00 at night to 1:30 this afternoon:
Regina to Calgary
Calgary to Toronto (four hour lay over)
Toronto to Orlando
Three flights in about a twelve hour span. This is something that we have not done since Beckie and I were younger and it boggles my mind how, at the time it seems that it took a long time to do, look how far we have come in distance since yesterday night. Of course I always promise that I will sleep on the plane, but it NEVER seems to happen.
Anyways, enough about the complaining of how tired I am. I am sure you are all saying, “quit your whining, you’re in WDW right now at the start of your vacation” You are so right!! Plus, for those of you that have traveled through the night to get here you might know that when you get here later on in the day you get this “second wind” and all of the sudden, as soon as you pass under that “Welcome to Walt Disney World” purple sign, all of your exhaustion melts away and you are surrounded with Disney magic. Well, that’s exactly what happened to all of us, especially Chloe. She was an awesome little flier. Of course she had the common problem most young ones get with the ears on the plane, but she was a trooper and she made it through three flights of it. Then, when she passed under that purple sign this afternoon, her face lit up and she laughed all the was to the resort. Some of us think that these young ones may not know what is happening, but there was something today that made me think, “I think Chloe knows that these next few days are going to be a bit different, and in a good way.” The magic of Disney at work! As for Kevin, his first time here, I don’t think I can even describe what was going on in his head. However, he spend most of the ride just looking at everything around him and trying to take it all in. So much to take in, so little time.
Well, we got to The Swan at around 2:30 this afternoon and checked into our rooms. If you have read my reports before, you know that I have nothing but wonderful things to say about this resort (more on that later on in the week). This year, we were surprised to find that our rooms had been upgraded to the fifth floor and we received balconys. As you can see from the pics (link at the bottom) we have a beautiful view. We have two adjoining rooms; one for Beckie, Kevin, and Chloe and one for Dad, Mom, and me.
After getting settled in, showering and freshening up, we decided to stay with traditions and make our way over to the Beaches and Cream for burgers, onion rings, and malts. This place never disappoints and I am still full right now as I am writing this. After traveling all night and not eating much, this meal was the most welcoming thing in the world!! Chloe opted for the grilled cheese with grapes and she enjoyed it very much. But, as you can see from the pics, she enjoyed grandma’s chocolate malt even more.
With our tummy’s full we waddled over to the entrance of Epcot and bought our passes for the week (10 Day Hoppers). Next, I’m sure you would probably think that we went into Epcot….WRONG!!! We turned around, went back to the room and then headed for WalMart. Now, I know what you are thinking, “How on earth could you even think of doing that to Kevin?! He is a first timer! You lead him to the gate of one of the theme parks, and you turn around and walk away?! THAT’S JUST CRUEL!! Well don’t worry, that’s what we all thought to. However, Kevin was a really good sport and realized that if we go to WalMart now, we won’t have to go back again in the middle of the vacation. Plus, we needed to pick up a few things for the room and for Chloe (diapers, etc.).
So we went to WalMart, blah, blah, blah! Let’s get back to the good stuff.
After we got back on property, we all headed back to the room and Beckie and Kevin headed over a bit early to Epcot to catch the beginning of “The Guess Who” Flower Power concert. Mom, Dad, Chloe, and I came in about five minutes behind them while they were singing “Clap for the Wolfman.” Then, a few minutes later, we all rocked out to “American Woman.” It was awesome!! They have such an awesome energy onstage that I would love to go back and see them again sometime.
Next, right after the concert, it was time for Illuminations (Kevin’s first Disney moment/attraction/show). So, we all stood over at the entrance to the American Garden’s Theatre and watched from there. Chloe was still awake enough to get mesmerized by all the colors and lights, but she wasn’t a real fan of the loud firework pops. She didn’t freak out, but you could tell she didn’t like them very much. After that, we wandered back around The Swan via the Boardwalk path and took a look in the store there for a few minutes. Well, of course, Chloe, who is itching or sleep, lights up at the site of the Disney plush toys and starts laughing and smiling at them. Our question now is, do we have enough room for all the plush toys that she may want!?? Ha ha ha!
Now, we are all back in our rooms and falling asleep.
I have said this before, and I will say it again. Your first night in Disney is the BEST!!! There is nothing like the start of a vacation, and tonight was definitely a fun way to start it off.
Now, tomorrows plan is to hit the opening of the Magic Kingdom and concentrate on it for the day. We also have ADRs for Ohana in the evening, so we are looking forward to that. For Kevin, it is his chance to visit two attractions that he has been wanting to try for a long time: Splash Mountain and the Haunted Mansion. We’ll have to see what his reaction will be tomorrow. As for Chloe, tomorrow is her day to finally see Mickey Mouse for the very first time in her life. What will her reaction be?? I guess you will have to tune in tomorrow to find out.
Well, here we go again. Hope you enjoyed the first report. I will admit, some of it may not have made sense, but I am working off of very limited sleep right now!! Off to my heavenly bed that is right behind me now!!
To see the pictures from today please click here (http://picasaweb.google.com/brettyoung8864/WDWFridayMarch21st2008)
Have an awesome “Disney” day!!