November 16th, 2010 - WDW Day 8

Can we pretend this day was my birthday, instead?  Ok, thanks.  Because that's pretty much what we did.  I woke up to an adorable (and delicious) delivery from Josh & Shelly that had come the night before.  We completely overhauled our plans for the remaining two days, and despite missing a few planned lunches and dinners (one of which we were looking forward to), we were all still in better spirits after a bit of sleep.

Even after missing rope drop (thanks to yet another delay at the Ticket and Transportation Center), we were determined to have a wonderful last full day.  I was admittedly a bit nervous about the Christmas party (between the late night ahead and poor naps, sick kids, and - gasp! - fireworks present), but was just hoping the parade and castle lights, if absolutely nothing else, would be worth the cost of admission for us.

Eventually, we made it into the Magic Kingdom.  The crowds had decreased drastically (then what was up with the TTC delay?), so we walked directly onto Peter Pan's Flight and "it's a small world".  The girls seemed to be doing a bit better, too.  "I looove the cuckoos! [on "iasw"]"  "Was that a fun ride, mama?" "Oh, it's chilly!  Are you chilly, dada?"  "Winnie the Pooh isn't closed anymore, it's open!"  My sweet, fun, talkative girls were back.  Crowds were down.  Weather was still perfect (would we really break our streak?!).  And, most importantly, we were together.  And at the Magic Kingdom.  And we had survived yesterday.  Happy Birthday to me!

We did ride Winnie the Pooh (which the girls adored as we told them they did, despite Hartley's weird anxiety about it prior to our trip).  The new queue area, though not even really open or operating that day (the first day after the refurbishment) is absolutely incredible.  We might not even mind waiting in it next time!

Next, we headed over to Adventureland to meet Ariel!  Emmersyn and Hartley were really excited, so I was too.  I must say, I couldn't help but be (and stay) kind of bummed that her grotto was closed and we'd meet her as a human instead of a mermaid.  When I bought the most beautiful Ariel mermaid costumes I had ever seen, it was in anticipation of a particular picture that will never happen.  I think I need to lower my expectations ;)  Still, it was incredible.  I swear to you, she spent nearly five full minutes with the girls.  They sang songs together (Under the Sea and "The girl who has..... everything" (hehe, also known as Part of Your World)), she talked to them about their trip and swimming and their fins and her friends (the other princesses) and "the crab names Sebastian" and Eric and... I could go on.  If I can brag for a minute, I think she was pretty impressed with them.  I know I sure love them, and that meeting was one we will never forget!

From there we went to Tom Sawyer Island (I think the girls would LOVE running around here), but by the time our raft actually made it over, it was much, much later than we had estimated.  We spent just a couple of minutes there before heading back to the mainland.  At least we got to ride the rafts, which Hartley loved.  The only questionable moment (which in reality turned out to be hilarious) was when the Liberty Belle riverboat came by.  It scared Hartley for a moment, until she realized she could help.  "Watch out, raft!  Stop boat!" - complete with hand motions.  She was successful in preventing the disastrous collision she so clearly anticipated, so all was well. My two-year-old hero. :)

We ate a quick lunch at Columbia Harbour House and headed back to the hotel.  Even though the girls usually don't nap well in the room, we were going to take a gamble this time - because we REALLY needed their best nap ever while on vacation.  Since we had most of the afternoon to spare, we thought we'd just blacken the room and let them take as long as they needed to get to sleep... then pray it lasted!

Emmersyn ended up napping just an hour or so, but she has always done much better than Hartley on naps in the 30-60 minute range (their norm for quite a while).  Zach took her to the pool while I sat back with Hartley, who ended up sleeping over 2.5 hours.  That might be her best nap ever (I'm pretty sure of it) let alone just while on vacation!  If only we had 5 or 6 hours to kill every day of vacation to facilitate hotel room naps and girls who fight them. ;)  I had just started to text Zach that we wouldn't be joining them since she slept so long (and apparently hates water this trip anyway), when he told me the Children's play area was now open.  You see, this was the biggest reason we wanted to return to Animal Kingdom Lodge now that Kidani Village is open - the giant splash area.  It was closed earlier in the week which made me so sad, so when I got this news I knew she had to at least check it out.  Our entire day was spent at the wrong park (and then at the resort) so what was a bit more change, right?  I know, growth.  :)

She loved it (as did Emmersyn)... but seriously, how could she not?  It was like 3 separate splash areas AND a playground in one.  So great!

Kyle ended up staying back with Hartley for a little while, while I took Emmersyn to the room.  It was getting late and we still needed to work in another 30 minute treatment before leaving for the Christmas party. I don't think she minded leaving since she was freezing, and it was made even easier by the fact that she could do her breathing treatment while watching, literally, a dozen animals hang out outside her window.  Certainly beats the shower curtain she usually looks at here!

As soon as she was done, we got ready as quickly as we could since it was hours later than we planned, and the evening's Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party was about to begin!

The reason we had planned our trip in December was almost entirely for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.  It combines all of my favorite things, and I hadn't been since 2007.  Zach hadn't been since 2005, and when Emmersyn and Hartley went (also in '07) they hadn't even developed the sense of hearing yet in utero, so I'm not sure they got much out of it.

We were so excited to be back, even if our girls' schedule prevented us from really getting "much" out of it this year either.  The excitement just built steadily as we arrived, especially for the girls who even got bracelets upon admission (even though we hadn't had to pay for them)!  Coolest part of the night they could ever imagine, and it cost somebody (and not us) a couple of cents.  Ha!







Inside the park, we got a few photopass pictures in an effort to get some good Christmas card pictures in outfits I had tracked down all over the city.  It wouldn't happen, which is weird.  I hardly bothered with our camera since theirs had tripods, etc but wow - all of them (you'll see on photopass!) looked like they were using old point and shoots without any training instead of being quasi-professional photographers.  Oh, well.  I'm happy with our Christmas card, and the outfits weren't too expensive.  Besides, Hartley adored her Christmas clothes ("like Minnie's!").

We stayed on Main Street USA for a while, until the castle lights show was over.  Ahh, just as magical as I had remembered.  Seriously, it's breathtaking.  The castle lights (new in 2007) were THE reason I took a solo trip while pregnant with twins.  They were worth it then, and haven't lost any of their beauty!

Instead of the dinner we had planned, we ate at Pecos Bills along with the rest of the world.  It worked out alright though, because as soon as we got out people were already lining up for the first parade.  Holy cow.  We still somehow ended up with the best. spot. ever (and we LOVE the spot that has been "ours" for several years... but if a parade starts in Fronteirland again I think it just got beat!).   Thankfully the girls were content to dance and sing with the (loud, wonderful) Christmas music, and the hot chocolate and cookies and apple slices were to die for as always.  You may recall that when I was pregnant I ate about 10 bags of apple slices at the party, and not a single cookie, because of my weird sweets aversion.  You'll be happy to know I've regained my senses. :)

As much as I love the Once Upon a Christmastime Parade (a ton), and as much as the girls love any parade (a ton), I never could have anticipated how enamored they would be with this one, on this night.  I wish I could relive it over and over again!

After the parade was over, we headed to Adventureland to get some more treats (still free!), and just walked around soaking up the atmosphere.  I have to mention, by the way, that Disney World is kind of cool.  (hehe).  In each land, the Christmas music changed to match the theme - country music in Fronteirland, steel drums in Adventureland, etc.  A brilliant touch!

The only other thing we anticipated doing (since we knew the girls wouldn't stay awake for any shows if we went to the first parade, but had to go to the first parade since the second was at 10:30 - and we have toddlers ;)) was the dance party with Bullseye, Jessie, and Woody.  It was adorable (complete with Bullseye dancing to "Single Ladies" - hilarious - and Emmersyn joining me for the electric slide), but the girls were too tired to last long.  That's a bummer too, because it would have been perfect for drowning out fireworks!

Instead, while I watched Holiday Wishes (a must do for me, and the one fireworks display I wish we'd have had the girls sit through instead of Illuminations, because I think it's less traumatizing ;)), Zach and the girls walked through some shops.  As long as they aren't forced to acknowledge the fireworks, Emmersyn and Hartley both do okay.

Overall, as we were leaving with the masses (seriously - if your kids are not toddlers, do as we always did pre-kids -- second parade and stay to the end.  You'll be amazed at the difference when all the parents and little ones leave at the same time!), we knew it was a very successful night.

At about 10:30, we were at the van, ready to return to the hotel.  Emmersyn was out cold before we even reached the monorail at the Magic Kingdom, but Hartley stayed awake, once again entertaining the crowds.  "Hey, we didn't see the Mickey restaurant in the hotel!" (because we took a different monorail line that went the opposite direction).  (Seriously, how does she know this stuff?!)

Once we were driving, she fell asleep quickly - and for what might be the first time in our entire lives together, both girls stayed asleep as we transferred them to their beds.  Score!

It was all just as wonderful as I had hoped it would be, and it was finally "Christmastime".

Next:  November 17th, 2010 - WDW Day 9





November 15th, 2010 - WDW Day 7

Apparently (and they'll still tell you this!) the girls LOVED their very own "dark green beds" and couldn't care less that they were, in actuality, pack & plays (which are obviously most like cribs, and not nearly as cool as big girl beds).  We had a great night of sleep and were ready for my actual birthday to begin! :)

Despite bringing steroids along "just in case" (and in an effort to side with Murphy to avoid illness altogether this trip), Emmersyn had a fever the previous night and was now starting with goopy eyes (not pink eye, just other junk), wheezing, etc.  She would go on to need breathing treatments throughout the rest of the trip, but her mood was still ok this particular morning.  For a few minutes.

We left for the Studios early knowing we'd have just  few hours there (for a good reason, coming up!), but it seems everything in the universe was opposed to that idea.  The girls had perpetual meltdowns (specifically Hartley, who slept great and wasn't sick), there were parking issues and a million other stupid little things working against us.  We got in after 9am which - if you've been in the last few years - meant no Toy Story Mania for us.  By the time we got in (at just 9:10 or so, mind you) the standby line was already 45 minutes and fastpasses were for after dinner - which wasn't going to work with our plans for the day.  Oh, well!   Another reason we'll just have to make it back!

We thought we'd try to make the best of it, but it seems that was just going to be difficult.  We needed to leave by lunchtime at the latest to work in a nap before visiting family that was in town, and for a variety of equally crazy reasons, nothing was happening that day until about lunchtime.  I had been a bit bitter about my 27th birthday before it started, but knew it would be fine because I'd be spending it in my favorite place with my favorite people, but that morning I was having a bit of a pity party - all of that "favorite" stuff was letting me down in the most unexpected and incessant ways.   Just take my word for it, I'm not getting into details here!

The girls continued to be absolutely horrendous, and at some point Zach ordered me to the Animation Academy to salvage the one thing I had wanted to do on my birthday at the Studios.  Nevermind that I had already done it this trip, it was on the original plan and it was going to happen.  He was right, I needed it :)  He took the girls to the Honey I Shrunk the Kids play area - to get them out of everyone's hair - but it was a bit crowded.  As was everything.

Oh yeah, we did do TWO things together that morning.  We ate my favorite cupcake for the least nutritious breakfast in the history of mankind... and we saw Buzz and Woody.  The girls couldn't have cared less despite being obsessed, because it was just that kind of day.  And because they were probably exhausted from acting out the entire length of the line.

Lunch was a Backlot Express, and by then we were running late to boot.  I think maybe we shouldn't have left the hotel that morning!

The afternoon, though not part of our first plan, definitely made up for the morning.  Eventually.  The plan was to visit with family from around the country (and the world!) that we rarely get to see.  We had originally intended to have birthday cake for my day and a couple of cousins with November birthdays, but you know that didn't happen as planned.  We spent the afternoon dealing with girls who wouldn't nap and Emmersyn waking up very quickly, screaming like we've never seen about her ears hurting.  We swore her eardrums were somehow both rupturing simultaneously, she was so incredibly beside herself.  We found ourselves again dealing with getting prescriptions called in to an out of town pharmacy, praying Tylenol would at least provide enough relief for her to rest (or quiet down a bit, for everyone's sake), etc.  (Don't worry, she'd be fine - but is MUCH better now, after a course of medicine after our return!)

Instead of cake we had a makeshift snack of Zebra Domes and Cupcakes from the Mara, but that worked out just fine.  We all enjoyed looking at the animals at Jambo House, sitting in a lovely, secluded sitting area and talking, and just hanging out for a few hours.  It was a wonderful gift, though I miss them more now!

Dinner, after planning way too late and having to change hotel and dining reservations repeatedly for this trip (so strange for us), was at Wolfgang Puck's.  We had eaten here before and enjoyed it, but I have to admit I was a little disappointed we weren't going to one of my favorite restaurants for dinner.  At that point though, if the girls would just get through it without making me (even more) crazy, I wouldn't care.

And then, it turns out it IS one of my favorite restaurants.  While we were there, we talked about the menu and how everything we'd ever eaten was so good it made decision-making nearly impossible.  The service was great, and we had a really, really nice dinner.   Busting out Tinker Bell lights (which served a similar purpose last year) didn't hurt. ;)

Of course, after dinner the facade would end and everything would go back to its insane state.  The girls lost their minds over something (or things?) we can't remember never figured out, and subsequently so did Zach.  There were pricing snafus and bus issues (I had to finish some shopping after we gave up and Zach took the girls back for bed), and a series of the strangest, most annoying things throwing wrench after wrench into the rest of the night.  And rest assured it wasn't one of those things where we started in a bad mood so it seemed bad... looking back, it was bad.  And strange.  And the worst day of our vacation by far, save for a few hours here and there.  (Thanks Kylee & Tammy & families for inadvertently salvaging a bit of it for me!) :)

Next: November 16th, 2010 - WDW Day 8





November 14th, 2010 - WDW Day 6

Nobody slept in our new digs.  Bed too small to share, no pack and plays (at the time!), girls too mobile sleepers to share the pullout yet, etc.  At about 3am Zach and Hartley moved to the pullout, but it didn't matter.  We slept horribly.  I must say though, when I couldn't sleep and decided to get up at 5, I appreciated the "hallway" and separate bathroom over the moderate resorts' curtain dividers! ;)  Since I was up early, after I was ready for the day I ran to get milk (downstairs - awesome location by the lobby), did some laundry, etc. It's ironic how much I love to do laundry on vacation, knowing that nothing else is "open" and it saves me from having to do it when we begrudgingly return home!

After a major delay on the monorail, we missed the rope drop at the Magic Kingdom - but were still in by about 9:15.  We waited (entirely too long) for the girls' first trip on Astro Oribter, and then headed over to Toontown to see some princesses again.  We literally walked right in (that's what I'm talking about!), and had a great time talking with Cinderella and friends and learning to curtsy in their beautiful dresses.

After Toontown we rode roundtrip on the Railroad and then headed back into Tomorrowland.  There I got my record high score on Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, and we ate lunch with Sonny Eclipse.  Having loved this restaurant (and even his "show") for years, I just adore that my girls find him just as charming.  They sang along with the two songs they know, danced (both in their seats and, afterward, out), and lunch was one of our favorites again.  I must say though, it was here that I decided (officially) that WDW had replaced our beloved Ken's Honey Mustard with a crappy Kraft substitute.  If Cosmic Ray's had done it (along with two previous joints), it must be "World"wide.  Boo, boo, boo.  First they replaced the Chicken Fingers, and now the world's greatest dipping sauce... unacceptable! ;)

Naptime was a lot of fun for the two of us who weren't sleeping.  We strolled through Fronteirland, played a game of checkers (if you can call it a game when one person gets utterly demolished), listened to the Main Street Philharmonic playing Christmas carols, and searched for some Hidden Mickeys.

Emmersyn woke up much earlier than Hartleu, but after the previous night we weren't about to try and fix that.  Instead, I took her on the Magic Carpets of Aladdin, we shopped in the Bazaar (such a cool place, with lots of unique stuff!), and we hung out in our new favorite "secret" spot nearby.  When Avery finally woke up, we got a Dole Whip and headed for the Jungle Cruise.  After our trip on the rivers of the world, Avery saw the Magic Carpets and REALLY wanted to ride.  It was only fair, so Kyle took her on before we left the park.

The second half of our day was once again spent at Epcot.  We started with Spaceship Earth, which the girls again enjoyed.  ("Hey, it's a Jesus ride!" "See that prince [Prince Gutenburg ;))]?" "Oh, look at all those beautiful space stars!")  Who says Epcot isn't enjoyable for kids?! :)



Next, we asked the girls if they wanted to ride the Nemo ride again.  Of course we were answered with an enthusiastic YES, so we walked  hopped like bunnies (?) all the way over to the Seas pavilion, said hello to the Seagulls, and rode the ride "Again, again!".

Next we headed over to the other side of Future World so Zach could ride Mission:Space and the girls could play in the "playground" inside.  Hartley decided at first that she didn't like it, and insisted that she was just going to watch Emmersyn climb.  Thankfully, by the time I rode (since the line was literally non-existent - as in, Zach didn't see another single person when he rode!) she had changed her mind, and they had a great time.  When it was my turn, the line had grown exponentially to about 7 people, but I suppose that beat the previous days' crowds! ;)

When we were finished there, it was time to head back across the park for dinner at Garden Grill.  After trying this on our last trip and having such a great experience, we were really excited to be there again - despite rarely repeating anything (except Chef Mickey's) on back to back trips.  Our excitement wasn't unwarranted, as dinner was delicious again, the characters (and our children) adorable, and the service fantastic.  I actually got seconds of salad it was so good, before I even got a piece of bread.  Addy, pick yourself up off the floor!  I even got a birthday card from the staff and Mickey+friends, and an extra special (extra delicious!) slice of cake!

Stuffed with entirely too many desserts (my cake, a few bites of the girls (my favorite, cookies & cream mousse), and trying the apple dessert that didn't compare to what they served previously), we were back at the van around 7:30, and hoping for a good night back at the hotel!



Next: November 15th, 2010 - WDW Day 7



November 13th, 2010 - WDW Day 5

We all slept until 6:30. As in, SLEPT, until the clock said nearly 6:30.  We weren't lying awake at 5:25 praying the girls would shut up and go back to sleep, we just woke up and it was 6:30.   I can't tell you the last time that happened.  Anyway, I spent the first part of the morning packing up our luggage for the transfer to Kidani Village, and we were still at the Animal Kingdom entrance by about 8:30.  The crowds seemed a bit lighter, though still more than we had anticipated.  We got a few photopass pictures taken, and then took our time checking out the various Christmas trees in Camp Minnie-Mickey, seeing some Tree of Life animal habitats, etc.  Our first (and maybe only) priority was Festival of the Lion King, so we mostly just hung around until the first show at 10:00.  It was great, and the girls were enthralled.  These trip reports get easier to write because those things are always true, ha! :)

After the show we stood in line to see Mickey and friends in their newly acquired (for the season - as in, yesterday they had non-) Christmas attire.  Emmersyn and Hartley were happy to see each of them, but I think the aforementioned glee had worn off.  Dare I say it, they were tired of Mickey!  Naah, mostly they were just tired of waiting in lines to see characters.  And just tired.  It was, after all, nearing lunch time and naptime!

We made the short trip over to the Animal Kingdom Lodge to eat and get settled in while the girls (hopefully) napped around the resort.  They caught a quick glimpse of a zebra out the elevator lobby window, and began what would be 4 days of adorable animal observation :)

Lunch at the Mara was delicious, and we all especially enjoyed our Zebra Domes (a first for the girls!).



While Zach walked around with the mobile cave  stroller (including the walk from Jambo House to Kidani Village), I checked into our studio and got settled in.  Our room was ready (again!), and was near the lobby as requested (again!).  I couldn't help but feel a bit of a second "first day" excitement as I unpacked, though not enough to overcome the unsettled first half (and the fact that this would be the shortest trip ever if it really were our first day!).  Bell services took absolutely forever to bring our luggage up, so Emmersyn had napped and woke up by the time I was really unpacking.  It was ok though, I couldn't be annoyed at her "interference" when she was just so excited to "see another animals! I don't see any snakes!  I don't see any elephants!  I see a zebra! I see ANOTHER giraffe!".  She wanted desperately to go find Daddy and Hartley to tell them about the animals "in our hotel room".  Soon enough, her wish came true and Hartley joined her on the balcony.  I swear, they just don't nap as well in the seclusion of the resorts.  I guess it's like the idea of a white noise machine - when they fall asleep in the peace and quiet, every little noise thereafter wakes them up.  Whatever, at least we realized that very early on in our first trip - and it's given Zach and I lots of extra "grown up time" in the parks.  Win-win!

Anyway, we did a bit of laundry, ate some snacks, watched some more animals, and generally got settled in to our second home away from home before dinner.  Eventually we headed over to Epcot, and took a leisurely stroll to the World Showcase (including another visit with Duffy).  Good thing we had time to be leisurely, too, because we had to stop every few minutes for Emmersyn to spend more time in corners.  Ahh, two-year-olds.  And don't worry, the other was giving us fits, too - but hers was mostly in the form of regression and peeing in nearly every pair of jeans we brought despite having been potty trained for 8 months. *sigh* toddlers :)

Dinner was at the long-anticipated, newly-opened Hacienda de San Angel.  I am a sucker for authentic Mexican food, adore the Mexico pavilion at Epcot, love World Showcase dining... but was always ridiculously disappointed by San Angel Inn.  Admittedly, my hopes for la Hacienda were high after reading several reviews!  I have to say, it didn't disappoint - at least not completely.  It wasn't the best I've had, but definitely an improvement... and the building itself is remarkable.  The girls were well-behaved despite dinner taking absolutely forever (all about authenticity ;)), and before we knew it we only had about an hour and a half to wait for Illuminations.

Of course, that's an hour and a half to wait with two two-year-olds, so it could have been an utter disaster!

It wasn't.  They were absolutely saintly.  We sat right along the rail in the Mexico Pavilion (a first for us, with regards to viewing spots), and had a really, really nice time just hanging out.  The weather was great, we met a few fun families nearby, and Emmersyn and Hartley couldn't have been more pleased.  It doesn't hurt that we came prepared (thank you Walmart and Target, for the savings of probably at least $30 over park prices).

Unfortunately, the fun and quiet wouldn't last a nanosecond into Illuminations.  Despite making a "deal" with Hartley and Emmersyn to cover their ears and just watch the beautiful fireworks (and despite at least one of them them loving them last trip (and the other tolerating the "boom booms")),  it was a disaster.  They were ghost white and screaming hysterically.  It was quite sad (and yet Emmersyn wanted so badly to watch during the quiet parts, so we stood our ground anyway).  They did their best, but oh my gosh it created two little firework-fearing monsters. To this day, if we are out when it gets dark Hartley tears up and says, "No fireworks!".  When we passed the globe from Illuminations in broad daylight one day later in the trip, she lost her mind (more on that later).  I fear she won't recover until she's in high school, but it won't be for lack of trying...

Once we were out of the viewing area (which, by the way, was awesome), they were totally fine.  Very tired, but in much more pleasant moods.  At about 9:35 we were in the van, and I realized they had never in their cognizant lives (post-infancy) been out this late.  They really did so well, considering!

In less than 60 seconds, literally, Emmersyn was sleeping so soundly she was snoring.  When we got her to the hotel and changed her into pajamas, she never budged except to get more comfortable.

Hartley wasn't far behind...

Next: November 14th, 2010 - WDW Day 6







November 12th, 2010 - WDW Day 4

For a reason still unbeknownst to us, the crowds from the previous evening weren't a fluke.  They'd continue for a few days despite the fact that none of the experts predicted crowded days.  We'll just have to go back since we weren't able to do everything planned! ;)

Our first attraction at Disney's Animal Kingdom was Kilimanjaro Safaris.  We had the same driver we had on a previous trip, and she was just as entertaining - as were the animals, and Emmersyn and Hartley's love for them.

After the safari (which would turn out to be one of the girls' favorite attractions the whole trip), we started to walk through Pangani Forest Exploration Trail, but the crowds were too thick to really enjoy it in a reasonable amount of time.  Our priority at the time was getting to the Flights of Wonder show since the girls adore birds, so we hustled through and over to the FoW amphitheater.  On the way, we met a few characters, including Baloo and King Louie (about whom the girls really weren't crazy!) and DeVine!

Maybe we should have hung out with them a little longer, because Flights of Wonder - while just as awesome a show as ever - had a few unexpected, unwanted surprises for us.  Emmersyn was terrified of the birds that flew overhead (quite funny, actually), and Hartley fell off the bench and hit her head on the concrete, giving herself a concussion.  Literally.  As in, me crying in the middle of Animal Kingdom as she was so, so sleepy it was scary, and Zach being kind of afraid too.  Thankfully she got better in the (our) allotted time, so we didn't have to visit Arnold Palmer Children's Hospital for the second "rule out intracranial bleed" visit of 2010!

After the show (and the side drama), we grabbed lunch at the Yak and Yeti counter service restaurant.  It was ok, but I think we'll stick with Lotus Blossom for our quick service WDW chinese food. :)  I do love the extra seating options, though!

We hit Triceratop Spin next, which was just as fun (exactly as fun, if you're an adult ;)) as Dumbo and the Magic Carpets of Aladdin.  We had planned on letting the girls play in the Boneyard play area, but once again the crowds were a bit much.  Instead, we just decided to head on over to Epcot for our naptime stroll.

Hartley and Emmersyn fell asleep as soon as we reclined their strollers.  Zach headed into Captain EO and I sat in the shade, watching my girls sleep sweetly (and watching other people in one of the best people-watching destinations I know).  I have to admit, I was watching their every move to be sure we didn't have an abrupt ending to naptime as we had the previous day!  When Zach returned, it was my turn to watch Captain EO - in all it's crazy, spoof-like (but it wasn't!), horribly wonderful glory.  Seriously, that is one weird attraction.

When the girls woke up (after a 1.5 hour nap! Hooray!), our next stop was Journey into Imagination w/Figment.  For girls who love said character, they weren't too sure about his ride this time - especially Hartley.  Of course, this is the same girl who insisted for weeks before that she wouldn't ride the Winnie the Pooh ride (we did, and she loved it), and the same girl who has cried at the mention of snow for months but loved it all the same once it finally arrived.  Hopefully next trip the Figment ride will be back in her good graces ;)

Out next stop was Living the with Land, otherwise known (very affectionately) as "the Vegetable Boat Ride".  If you've ridden, you know exactly why.  If not, let me just say (while realizing this would need a lot more explanation to make much sense, especially with its appeal to everyone, including 2-year-olds), the end of the ride includes a greenhouse where vegetables are grown.  It's really spectacular, and that's not sarcasm :)

From there we visited with a few friends at the Chase Meet & Greet, rode the Three Caballeros ride in Mexico (still a favorite!), and said hello to Donald.  Then we made our way through World Showcase, including the kidcot station in Germany (where the girls colored adorable Duffy bears) and a visit to the new Werther's Karmelle Kuche (and a VERY mediocre Caramel-covered cupcake).

After the ride, the girls and Zach very sweetly watched the jumping fountains.  He was absolutely right in taking them there, they were just delighted by them - especially when one jumped right over their heads!

Dinner was at Restaurant Marrakesh.  This one had always made our list of "must try" restaurants, but somehow this was our first visit there.  It was absolutely outstanding - delicious Moroccan food, a great atmosphere, live music, and excellent service.  The only thing that would have made it better would have been realizing our DVC membership cards would have gotten us a whopping 20% off of our (by far) most expensive meal all trip.  Alas, I didn't realize this until days later.  I'm still trying to forget I ever found out!

On our way out of the park we caught a very short line to say hello to Belle, where Emmersyn absolutely melted my heart by singing "Something There" to her.  Oh my gosh, priceless.  Zach took the girls to play by the sparkling sidewalks (which they loved) while I got our free picture from the Meet & Greet, and we called it a day.  A wonderful, wonderful day.

Next:  November 13th, 2010 - WDW Day 5





November 11th, 2010 - WDW Day 3

 Up and at 'em again at 6am (sensing a theme here?), and to the Ticket & Transportation Center by about 7:45 to head to the Magic Kingdom.  We rode a Mickey Monorail(!) over and got there just in time for our favorite opening ceremony - made even more magical with Christmas touches!

Taking advantage of morning Extra Magic Hours, we quickly rode Dumbo, "it's a small world", Cinderella's Royal Prince Charming's Regal Carousel (does that really make it appeal to boys more?  the sign? because it's still just a bunch of pretty horses that either will or won't, depending on said boy), and Mickey's Philharmagic.  The girls were HILARIOUS in this 3D attraction (having never gone while actually keeping the glasses on).  It was a perfect mix of anxiety, laughter, terror and glee - and Zach and I cracked up the entire time.  They ultimately decided they loved it.  :)

After a pretty good lap in Fantasyland, we decided to check out the Tomorrowland Indy Speedway.  Now.  I had previously vowed never to ride these blasted cars until begged to do so, but I just sort of knew Emmersyn and Hartley would love them.  Since the posted wait time was a rare 5 minutes, we decided to go for it.  You can mail our Great Parent awards to our home address if you'd like.  You may want to include a bonus or something though, because the wait was more like 25 minutes and I can tell you they are NOT worth that wait - especially when they throw off your Toontown plan.

See, since the ride took so much longer than advertised, we had to book it back to the Toontown entrance in order to make the also-falsely-advertised opening time there if we wanted to avoid long lines for Princesses and Fairies.  We don't do long lines well.  And by we, I mean me.  The grown-up.  Mostly, because if you wait in line too long, you see Those Families who park one parent in line while everyone else goes and does whatever they want and cuts back in line just as mom or dad is at the long-awaited character.  And then Those Families wonder why their kids are selfish little punks who can't behave in the real world.  (Oops.  Did I just jump on a soap box?  Trust me, that's the censored version.  I'll try to keep the rest under wraps around here, and Zach and I will just continue to rant about it together in the privacy of our own home, where we teach our children that sometimes they have to follow rules to get what they want :)).

We made it back at a reasonable time, and weren't too far back in line.  The wait to see Tink and friends was about 20 minutes (admittedly just about our max!), but was well worth it.  Hartley had waited weeks and was finally able to tell Tinker Bell that she, too, loved Pumpkin Muffins!  The wait for the princesses after was still only about 15 minutes, and the interaction there was absolutely priceless.  You'll have to take my word for it, because all I can remember is Emmersyn asking all of the princesses if they would like to have wings like a fairy.  It made for interesting conversation with two-year-olds ... :)

Once we said our goodbyes in "the Princess Room", we headed over to Minnie's house.  I wanted to cry a little as I watched my girls absolutely delight in each of the rooms, knowing that it was probably our last time seeing one of my favorite areas before it disappears.

When we left Toontown to head out for the afternoon, we caught the White Rabbit and said hello before grabbing a snack (our beloved Sweet Cream Cheese pretzel, found only (as far as we know) in Tomorrowland at the Magic Kingdom

We shared the pretzel and some corn dog nuggets from Casey's on our way out, rode the monorail back to our car, and were back to the hotel right around noon.  Our goal was to see if the girls would nap there (though still not in the room) instead of in the park, and it almost worked...

Back at Caribbean Beach, Zach and I walked around checking the place out a bit more (thinking about doing Hidden Mickey's or a Treasure Hunt but ultimately being too lazy), while the girls quickly fell asleep in their stroller.  Once they were soundly sleeping, we realized we had the perfect opportunity to relax, too.  We parked them here:

And sat here. 

It was so. glorious.  The most beautiful weather, a bright, sunny day but a place in the shade, the perfect amount of breeze, and my favorite conversation partner.  All while watching our precious daughters sleep peacefully nearby.

And then some landscaping snafu happened a few feet away, and lots of trucks made lots of noise.  Hartley first (and quickly followed by Emmersyn) woke up, terror-stricken, likely in the middle of some great sleep.  We tried to calm them back down, but even a change of scenery (to a swimming pool/splash area, no less) failed to work all that well.  Eventually Emmersyn settled down, perked up, and enjoyed a little time in the water play area and the "big pool" with Zach.

Hartley never could recover.  She'd stop crying but only for moments at a time, and had meltdown after meltdown started by - including but not limited to - people looking at her, fountains making a "big splash", Emmersyn laughing and having fun, her chair not being exactly the way she wanted but couldn't articulate, etc.  She and I skipped the pool that afternoon and walked around the shops and the picnic area until she could settle down.

Since our afternoon needed a drastic change, we headed over to the Studios around 2:30.  Somehow, the crowds were all of a sudden out of control.  It felt nearly like summer or marathon weekend, only they didn't quite close the park.  I seriously hadn't seen that many people there in several trips, and we didn't really know what to do with it!  Zach and the girls waited for Pixar's Block Party Bash (a few rows back, certainly not a great spot), and I went to the Animation Academy to have a little time away and recover from Hartley ;)  I was also able to take a look at the Times Guide and rethink our afternoon given the new circumstances (crowds and insanely crabby girls), and we realized we wouldn't be able to do much - but we would just have to stick it out, because it was the only night we could see the Osborne Spectacle of Lights... which we weren't about to miss!

After the "parade", the girls chose Playhouse Disney Live! as their one show to squeeze in.  It was adorable of course (never changes ;) ), and they really enjoyed themselves.  The rest of the afternoon was a bit of a blur (but I have several pictures of Emmersyn checking out all kinds of corners at the Studios, including makeshift ones (also known as trash cans)).  It was a strange afternoon.

By dinner they were delirious, which is ever-so-slightly easier to handle.  We ate at 50's Prime Time Cafe and they were actually quite well-behaved.  Dinner was enjoyable (it's always among our "second-tier favorites", because we're nerdy enough to have those), and by the time we walked down the Streets of America amidst the Christmas music and snow and dancing lights, I had sort of had my reset switch thrown.  We were tired and stressed, but it was beginning to feel a lot like Christmas - and the breathtaking display pleased even my exhausted children.

Next: November 12th, 2010 - WDW Day 4