Disney World: The Vacation

As promised, here is my update on Disney World. First, I’ll give you the journal entry TRC wrote for the trip:

April 22, 2009
Let’s write my vacation. Okay. We went on a flying rhinoceroses at Dinoland, and it was very fun. And we went on Dinosaur, and it was verrrrry scarrrrrry, and it was for sure scary. And I was very scared. After, I was very happy that we were off. So, we went on the flying rhinoceroses, which was at the back of my journal, but they were very good. Next happens: I will give you a TV report. I have a Webkinz, and you can play games with him online. Grandma Coltrin gave me him. His name is Remote Control, because he’s gray, like Dad’s remote control. He’s an elephant. We also went on Spaceship Earth two times. The glittering white on the ride I liked. I also liked it so much because of the guy painting the ceiling. Buzzzzz! I played in Grandma Coltrin’s home, and I rode my scooter with the stop sign. Next coming up: gorilla footprints and gorilla handprints. They really made those things, and also we saw bats! I went on Haunted Mansion, and it was very good, because I get to see the ghosts. And the most goodest thing was the ghost was following us home. His name is Stroller, because it’s scary. I wasn’t scared. I went on Big Thunder Mountain, and it was very good, because we went up a hill, and it was so fast. I also saw Finding Nemo. It was just looking at the fish, with the shark saying, Want to stop by for a bite, Nemo? The shark was saying that to trick Nemo. We also ate breakfast with Winnie the Pooh and his friends. I got pictures with characters. We went on Flying Dumbo, and my elephant is flying Dumbo. Just kidding! We went on Turtle Talk with Crush. That was good, because I don’t know why. Beep beep! We went on Buzz Lightyear, where you shoot at the Zs. Then we went on Madison Tea Party, and we went on Racecar. Racetrack, I mean. That’s the end of my journal.

Now, I’ll give you my journal entries for the trip. Yes, I continued to write a journal, even though I wasn’t blogging. It’s easier for me to write when I know I don’t have an audience. These entries are edited some–because it’s a journal, you know. 🙂 But it’s all there, behind the cut. I’ll post pictures in the next post.

April 13, 2009
Made it here, and I’m exhausted. We left the house at 9:30 after finishing up packing. Got down to Orlando at 4:30. The kids were great on the plane–very well behaved, and no crying at all. TRC was very excited just to be on the plane, period, and DC was much more content than I thought she’d be. Mom picked us up at the airport, then drove me over to Universal to meet Ted while everyone else went and unpacked. Ted and I ate at TGI’s, then went for a long walk around Universal and just talked for about three hours. A very nice time–it was so lucky that we managed to touch base like that, and it’s nice, because when we do manage to meet, we’re still just the same good friends we’ve always been. Anyway–came home and got ready for bed. TRC can’t get to sleep–I think he’s too excited. Tomorrow the fun continues!

April 14, 2009
TRC is sick. Fever sick. So we scrapped the Magic Kingdom plan and went to the Temple, instead. Can you believe it? It’s been like 3 years. A very nice time. Mom watched the kids while we went. It’s not that TRC is low on energy–just sick. Bad cough. Of course, it didn’t help that he didn’t sleep at all last night. I had an awful night–trying to get him to sleep was not easy, and it was so hot! (Well, 74 degrees, which felt really hot.) Ate at Boma’s (so long, diet), which was great, but busy. Then came home and put the kids to bed. Saw an alligator outside going after some wild turkeys. That was exciting. Mom went to bed early, and DKC and I watched The Russians are Coming, which was really interesting, but enjoyable. A good day.

April 15, 2009
Phew! I’m exhausted. We got to EPCOT at 8:30 and were there right when it opened. Went on all sorts of rides: TestTrack, Universe of Energy, Spaceship Earth, Living with the Land, Soarin (first time for me–cool), Journey into the Imagination, Seas with Nemo and Turtle Talk with Crush. TRC seems to be doing much better–he had a blast. Mom got him some Mickey Mouse ears, and he loves wearing them. DC loved the aquarium–probably her favorite part of the day. It’s the Flower and Garden festival, so we checked out some of that, as well–also ate lunch at the Cafe de Chefs in France. Very tasty food, and we even saw Remi the Rat from Ratatouille. Came back home and TRC tried out the scooter, then we all went swimming. TRC forgot he didn’t know how, and did his best drowning effort. I got him to come back into the pool afterward–he’s scared now, but I think a kid should be somewhat scared of the water–know that it’s dangerous. He’s okay, though–that’s what matters. A tad scary, still. Anyway. Mom, DKC and I watched Lost in the evening, and I planned out the next day. My back is killing me, and my feet feel like they’re going to fall off, but it was worth it.

April 16, 2009
Another full full day. Animal Kingdom. Mom stayed home with DC in the morning to get some things around the house done. DKC, TRC and I went to the park and went straight to Dinosaur. Big mistake. It was way too scary for TRC, meaning that DKC and I didn’t enjoy it at all, either. I was covering his eyes for most of it and telling him it was all going to be okay. He came out and said, “Dad, never never never schedule us for that ride again.” There you go. It got better, thankfully. We went on Triceratop Spin, walked the Panjani Trail, met Donald, Goofy, Mickey and Chip and Dale, saw Festival of the Lion King, then went to let TRC play in the Boneyard. We met up with Mom and baby there, then went to the Finding Nemo musical, which was excellent–even baby loved it–she was cooing at the characters on stage the whole time. From there, DKC and I went Expedition Everest, which was way cool. We went from there to the Maharajah Trek, then ate at Rainforest Cafe (had the Volcano dessert, too), then to the Safari Ride and Rafiki’s Conservation Whateveryoucallit, where TRC got to go to a petting zoo and meet Jiminy Cricket. By that time, I was about ready to collapse, so we came home by 6:30. Have spent the evening recuperating and planning the day tomorrow. Need. Sleep.

April 17, 2009
To say that today was a full day would be a gross understatement. We woke up at 7:15 and had breakfast, then traipsed off to Magic Kingdom. Mom dropped us off and went back home with DC to get some more appointments at the house taken care of. DKC, TRC and I arrived at the Magic Kingdom at 8:30. It wasn’t supposed to open until 9, but we got in anyway somehow, and we churned out the rides: Winnie the Pooh, Peter Pan, Pirates of the Caribbean, Aladdin’s Magic Carpet, Swiss Family Treehouse, The Frontierland Shooting Range, It’s a Small World, Cinderella’s Carousel, Mad Tea Party, Tomorrowland Speedway, Mickey’s Philharmagic, Haunted Mansion, Buzz Lightyear–a slew of rides, all done by 1:00. Met Mom and DC for lunch at the Liberty Tree Tavern at 1:20, then went to Tom Sawyer’s Island, followed by Big Thunder Mountain (twice), Jungle Cruise and two more Buzz Lightyears. Truly an epic day. Finished by 5. Thanks, RideMax. The longest line we waited in was 15 minutes for the Speedway. TRC had a blast–nothing was too scary for him (at least that’s what he claimed–he was pretty intimidated by parts of Pirates and Haunted Mansion. Anything dark. But he trooped through it fine.) We got home and relaxed and recuperated and had strawberry shortcake, then time for bed. Phew! It makes me tired just typing it! Having a great time, though–TRC is eating it up, and baby’s loving it, too. All very well behaved. It’s so much fun to get to do these things with TRC that I did when I was little. Fantastic.

April 18, 2009
Day off today, sort of. We didn’t go to the park, at least. Instead, we got up and went to a character breakfast at 1900 Park Fare at the Grand Floridian. Mary Poppins, Alice in Wonderland, the Mad Hatter, Winnie the Pooh and Tigger were all there. Great food, too–especially the strawberry soup. TRC had a blast, and we got some great pictures. Came home and everyone but TRC went to sleep. DKC is feeling sick now, which is no good at all. In the afternoon we went to an exotic car show in Celebration. TRC and I got to sit in the Delorean from Back to the Future, and we all got our pictures taken with Luke’s Landspeeder. Also saw the Batmobile, Monkee Mobile, Munster Mobile, General Lee, KITT, and a slew of really expensive cars that I’m sure someone who knew what he was looking at would be really impressed with. Fun times. Came home and picked up dinner at the Main Street Cafe, then ate it at home. Planned out tomorrow. DC’s sick, too–I have no idea how tomorrow will end up turning out. We’re going to bed early in an effort to get everyone recovered. 9:00PM. Good night!

April 19, 2009
Hollywood Studios, check. DKC and DC are sick, so it was just TRC and I in the morning. We were the first ones through the turnstiles, believe it or not. Got to see them do the whole opening of the park spiel, then cranked out some rides: Great Movie Ride, Playhouse Disney (TRC loved it: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Little Einsteins, My Friends Tigger and Pooh, and Handy Manny), Muppetvision 3D, Honey I Shrunk the Kids Playground, Jedi Training Camp. Then we met up with DKC, Mom and DC and went on the Backlot Studio Tour and the Lights, Motors, Action show (neat!), then met Susie, Van and the gang for lunch at Hollywood and Vine. It’s the twins’ birthday, so we had cupcakes with it–and characters from Playhouse Disney. We went on Star Tours, then TRC and I went off to do Toy Story Midway Mania twice, and came back to find that DC just wasn’t up to a park anymore, so they left and TRC and I stayed on with Susie and Co. Went to Indiana Jones, Magic of Disney Animation (which has been lamed down) and then Fantasmic. TRC doesn’t like loud noises at all right now–he covers his ears with his hands, then claps with his elbows. But he loved Fantasmic–he couldn’t stop talking about Mickey defeating the bad guys with his imagination, and he literally oohed and ahed during the fireworks. TRC had a fantastic day–I got him a Star Wars Mickey pin and some caramel corn at Fantasmic, and as we’re walking out of the show, hand in hand, he looks up at me and says, “Dad, I had a great day today. Thanks so much for my pin and my popcorn. This was great.” That pretty much made everything worthwhile–all 13.5 hours of it. I came home and collapsed pretty much. Last day tomorrow–we’ll see how everyone’s health is holding up.

April 20, 2009
I am so ready to go home. Don’t get me wrong–it was a great day. It’s just that I’m so tired, and everyone needs to be home to get better. Slept in today until 9:30, then didn’t leave for EPCOT until 1 or so. Rested in the morning, mainly–TRC was in the garage playing with a giant TV box that he made his clubhouse. He loved it. At EPCOT, TRC and I went on Spaceship Earth, then met up with Susie et al. for some Kimpossible adventuring in Germany. TRC enjoyed that so much that he and I went and did it ourselves in Japan, France and England. He had a blast being spies together. Took it very seriously. We met up with everyone at Biergarten for dinner at 5:20. Fantastic place. Great German food, great atmosphere–couldn’t have asked for a better way to finish off the dining experience. Went on Test Track after that one more time. Susie and I were there with the twins, TRC and Alexa–and somehow TRC and the twins ended up riding in the front all on their own. I think Susie and I were more concerned for them than they were–they seemed very calm about the whole thing. TRC has really had a great time with his cousins, which is nice. We came home and packed and got ready for the trip tomorrow. My feet feel like they’re melting. So. Tired.

April 21, 2009
Home at last. Woke up at 5 and got ready, left at 5:30, got to the airport at 6:30, the plane left at 8:35, and we were in Main by 11:20, home at 1:30. The kids were great on the plane. TRC watched Ratatouille. It looks like I’m getting some of what everyone else had, though. I pretty much crashed after I got home. Just so tired. I’m feeling a tad better now, but I’ll be staying home from work tomorrow and trying to recover. DKC and I watched some American Idol and Mentalist in the evening. Oh–and it looks like I put on 2 pounds while in Florida, which is a whole lot less than I worried I’d put on, so that was good news. A great trip–but I’m extremely glad to be home, and I think the rest of my family feels the same.

There you have it–over a week’s worth of entries, all in one fell swoop!

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