Here are a couple more of the kids entries from the trip. They aren't quite in order but thought you might like to read them anyway.
Marc
9-20: The surprise today was Universal Studios and started off with Jimmy Neutron's Nick blast and Shrek 4-D. Then we had lunch and saw a magic show. Then we went to the Woody Woodpecker kiddie zone. Then we went on the ET adventure and the Simpson's ride, one of my favorite rides this trip. After that we blasted some aliens on Men In Black twice! Then we rode a boat with Jaws and helped film a movie on Disaster, a major motion picture ride,staring you. Then we got on a bus back to our hotel and went swimming.
Andrew
9-15: Magic Kingdom I went on spas mountain. I also went on thunder mountain. It was whiked.
9-16: Hollywood Studios I wet on the tower of terror. It frakited me out.
Alex
9-15: Today is my brothers birthday and he got spoiled. Today we went to the Magic Kingdom again. It was a little dull because we were alreay there, but we went on Splash and Thunder mountain. They were so cool.
9-17: Today ws ourr last day at Disney World. We went to downtown Disney. I bought some legos. The store I went to the lego store. It's awesome. theres two dinosaurs made out of legos. There was also a bionicle made out of legos. There was even a woody made out of legos. We went to Epcot again. It was so fun even if we were already there. We went on the same rides so theres nothing to explain.
CJ
9-15: Let's go to the RV right now. Today is my birthday! I went on Splash Mountain, a very wet water ride. I saw animals on a Jungle Safari.
9-19: Did anyone in my class ever see the Atlantic Ocean? Because I saw it up close and even got to swim in it. Oceans have salt, lots of water, and fish. I mean more water than you could imagine. It even has hurricanes. The ocean also has whales and sharks in it.
Jacob
9-19: Today we went swimming when we got up. Then we had lunch at McDonald's. Then we went back to the Kennedy Space Center. Then we went to the beach and saw the ocean. The beach is really sandy. I saw some seashells. The water is salt water.
9-22: Today we went back to Universal Islands of Adventure for the last time. We rode our favorite rides-The Simpsons, Men in Black, and Spiderman. On Men in Black you had to shoot aliens near the head and shoulders. I shot them with some kind of gun. Now we are in the RV going home. We are sleeping in the RV again.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
On the road again...again
We got back to the hotel around 5:30 last night and loaded up in the RV. After a couple stops for gas and dinner we really started the long trip home. We drove through the night and are driving today until we get home. The overnighter in the RV was very different on this part of the trip than it was on the way down to Florida. That trip the kids were so excited it was hard for them to sleep and they woke up many times. Last night we stopped for gas around ten and got the beds all set up. They were all asleep within five minutes and didn't even wake up when we stopped for gas or to switch drivers. Al and Dewy have been switching off and trying to sleep whenever they are not driving.
We just stopped for breakfast and have crossed the border into Indiana. Only a couple more states to go! It takes so long to get through Indiana though. We are still expecting to be home before dinner tonight. So far traffic hasn't been bad and there hasn't been too much construction so far. We are all anxious to be home and back to the regular routine.
We just stopped for breakfast and have crossed the border into Indiana. Only a couple more states to go! It takes so long to get through Indiana though. We are still expecting to be home before dinner tonight. So far traffic hasn't been bad and there hasn't been too much construction so far. We are all anxious to be home and back to the regular routine.
Wednesday
Yesterday was our last day in Florida. We decided to sleep in and not set an alarm. We had to reload the RV before heading to the park and signed up for the 11:05 shuttle.
We were able to go to either park today and decided to start at Universal Studios. The kids loved the Men in Black and Simpson rides and wanted to do them both again. First we went on Twister which freaked out a few of the kids. I am proud to say that I did very well. If only I were that way in a real storm! Next it was onto The Mummy roller coaster which was awesome! It is an indoor coaster that follows the story from the movies and goes forwards, backwards, and has some quick drops and turns. We split up at that point and the Wilinski's had a caricature (no idea if I spelled that right) done of the four boys and we headed to MIB and Simpsons. Next we headed back to Islands of Adventure for Spiderman (again) and the Dr Seuss land. We headed back to the shuttle station to take the 5:20 bus back to the hotel.
Overall we all liked Universal. I think three days was just the right amount of time there. The parks were not very crowded and we didn't have long waits to get on the rides. I think they were a better fit for this vacation then DC would have been.
We were able to go to either park today and decided to start at Universal Studios. The kids loved the Men in Black and Simpson rides and wanted to do them both again. First we went on Twister which freaked out a few of the kids. I am proud to say that I did very well. If only I were that way in a real storm! Next it was onto The Mummy roller coaster which was awesome! It is an indoor coaster that follows the story from the movies and goes forwards, backwards, and has some quick drops and turns. We split up at that point and the Wilinski's had a caricature (no idea if I spelled that right) done of the four boys and we headed to MIB and Simpsons. Next we headed back to Islands of Adventure for Spiderman (again) and the Dr Seuss land. We headed back to the shuttle station to take the 5:20 bus back to the hotel.
Overall we all liked Universal. I think three days was just the right amount of time there. The parks were not very crowded and we didn't have long waits to get on the rides. I think they were a better fit for this vacation then DC would have been.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Universal/Islands of Adventure Day Two
We spend today at Islands of Adventure, Universal's other park. We got up early again and took the 8:30 shuttle. We were in the park by nine, right when they open.
We rode the Incredible Hulk ride right away because there was no line. Al, Dewy and I took Andrew with us. Jake and CJ were too short to ride and Marc and Alex were a little nervous about riding. The ride was awesome to say the least! I haven't been on one of those huge looping corkscrew coasters in ages. We got all and the wait was still only five minutes so I went again and brought Peg with me. It was so much fun.
We decided to head over the the Harry Potter section of the park because we thought it was going to be really busy, especially later in the day. If you are a fan of the books you would love it there. Part of the area is Hogsmead (the town the students go to on break from school) and part is Hogwarts (the school). As soon as you walk in you see the engine for Hogwarts Express. Across the street is Zonko Tricks and Jokes where you can buy Sneakscopes and other things from the book. Next door is Honeydukes Candy store which sells Burt's Every Flavor Beans and chocolate frogs. There are several stands throughout the area that sells Butterbeer. It is mentioned in just about everybook so of course we had to have one. I am not exactly sure what it is, but it tasted sort of like cream soda. Yummy! There are several other strores including one that sells broomsticks and Ollivander's Wand Shop. There are a few rides there including a kid's rollercoaster called The Flight of the Hippogriff, an adult roller coaster with dueling dragon trains, and a simulator/ animatronic ride that takes you through many of the places mentioned in the books. Marc and I are big fans of the book and loved it all. Al and Jake have seen most of the movies and enjoyed it just as much. We spent a good part of the day there. The highlight was easliy Ollivanders. They only bring about 20 people in the shop at a time. There is someone working the counter and they pick one person from the group to participate, and they picked Marc. He got to try a few wands while looking for the right one. In the process he killed a vase of flowers and ruined a shelf of wands. Then they gave him a third wand and the lights dimmed except for a spotlight on Marc. Obviously, that was the right wand for him! Then they send you through to the next area where everyone else can pick their wands. Of course Jake wanted one too and ended up picking one out before we left for the day. It was easily one of our favorite things on the vacation.
We ate lunch at with the Wilinski's before splitting up for the afternoon. We did almost the same things, just not in the same order. There is a whole area called Seuss Landing that is geared towards little kids. There is a Caro-Seuss-el that has Seuss animals instead of horses, a fish ride similar to Dumbo, am overhead train, and a Cat in the Hat ride-through attraction.
In the Jurrasic Park area we each went on the River Adventure and plan on heading back there tomorrow to try the Pteranodon Flyers. Toon Lagoon has a few water rides. Both are like rides at Great America. One is like the raft ride, and the other is like the log ride. The Wilinski's were able to ride both, but we only got on the raft ride. We got completly soaked! We walked out of the ride and saw Peg waiting for the rest of the group. We compared notes and then kept going on our seperate ways. In Marvel Super Hero Island we rode Storm Force Acdelatron and The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man. We all thought of Uncle Dan in this area! There were larger than life characters all over and the Wilinski's even got to meet a few super heroes.
Once we got back to the hotel we started packing up our stuff before heading to the pool one last time. Tomorrow we have one more day to go to Universal. We decided on the park to park tickets, so we will be at both parks getting those last few things done. Once the park closes we will be getting on the road for the long drive home!
Monday, September 20, 2010
Universal Studios, Day One
We are spending Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday at Universal Studios, and have decided to stay in a hotel instead of the RV. Everyone sleeps much better and is in much better moods when we have a little more space. The peace is worth the expense of a hotel. We found a Double Tree hotel that is just a few blocks away from Universal. We have adjoining rooms and the Wilinski's have a pull out couch in their room. There is a really nice pool and they have a hot tub. It sure helps us to relax after a long day at the parks! We were able to buy our tickets right at the hotel this morning, and they have a shuttle that picks us up at the front door here and drops us off close to the park entrance.
We got up early this morning and got on the 8:30 shuttle. We headed over to Universal Studios for the day. We were able to get on most of the rides today. The kids loved hanging out in the Curious George playground area. There were water fountains all over along with squirt guns, and two of those big buckets that dump water out. The kids got soaked! It was nice for them to be able to run and yell and cool off. Some of the other favorites were the Men in Black, Simpson, and Jimmy Neutron rides.
We will be going to Islands of Adventure tomorrow. We are looking forward to the Harry Potter area and trying a Butterbeer that they always talk about in the book. There are some big roller coasters there and I think we will try to ride as many as possible! Wednesday we will probably go to both parks and ride anything we missed or re-ride our favorites before starting the long drive home.
We got up early this morning and got on the 8:30 shuttle. We headed over to Universal Studios for the day. We were able to get on most of the rides today. The kids loved hanging out in the Curious George playground area. There were water fountains all over along with squirt guns, and two of those big buckets that dump water out. The kids got soaked! It was nice for them to be able to run and yell and cool off. Some of the other favorites were the Men in Black, Simpson, and Jimmy Neutron rides.
We will be going to Islands of Adventure tomorrow. We are looking forward to the Harry Potter area and trying a Butterbeer that they always talk about in the book. There are some big roller coasters there and I think we will try to ride as many as possible! Wednesday we will probably go to both parks and ride anything we missed or re-ride our favorites before starting the long drive home.
The Atlantic Ocean
This entry is a little out of order, but I don't think any of you will mind!
Sunday afternoon we left the Kennedy Space Center around four and headed to the beach. We told the kids and they were all super excited! It took a while to find a place to park the RV. So many of the public lots were small or the lots we found were private. We ended up at the Cocoa Beach Park and Recreation Center. There were three picnic shelters, a playground, and beach access. We all got changed into our suits, grabbed some beach toys and towels, and headed down to the beach.
Apparently there is a hurricane out in the Atlantic somewhere. I think it is Igor? We have not been watching too much TV so we are not up to date with what is going on in the world. Anyway, the waves were huge. Al lived in Florida for a couple years and is familiar with ocean waves so he set some rules right away. For the little ones, no wading past their waist. For the older ones, walk out and then swim back to shore. However, once we got down to the water and realized how strong the waves where, the rules changed a bit: Have an adult near you when in the water. Al was braver than the rest of us and went out into the water and rode the waves back into shore. Of course, all the kids wanted to do it then. So Al and Dewy took the kids out one at a time into the waves. They had a blast! Marc figured out how to let the waves carry him into the shore. Jake was happy until a wave went over his head and he got water in his face. He didn't realize that the ocean was salt water! He was upset for a few minutes, but it wasn't long before he was back in. Christopher and Jake figured out that if they sat on the sand and let the waves come to them their bodies would spin around in the waves. We had such a good time swimming and playing in the waves.
We decided to grill for dinner while we made the decisions about the rest of our vacation. We had a "clean out the fridge" dinner and the kids played on the playground before getting back into the RV to head back to Orlando.
Sunday afternoon we left the Kennedy Space Center around four and headed to the beach. We told the kids and they were all super excited! It took a while to find a place to park the RV. So many of the public lots were small or the lots we found were private. We ended up at the Cocoa Beach Park and Recreation Center. There were three picnic shelters, a playground, and beach access. We all got changed into our suits, grabbed some beach toys and towels, and headed down to the beach.
Apparently there is a hurricane out in the Atlantic somewhere. I think it is Igor? We have not been watching too much TV so we are not up to date with what is going on in the world. Anyway, the waves were huge. Al lived in Florida for a couple years and is familiar with ocean waves so he set some rules right away. For the little ones, no wading past their waist. For the older ones, walk out and then swim back to shore. However, once we got down to the water and realized how strong the waves where, the rules changed a bit: Have an adult near you when in the water. Al was braver than the rest of us and went out into the water and rode the waves back into shore. Of course, all the kids wanted to do it then. So Al and Dewy took the kids out one at a time into the waves. They had a blast! Marc figured out how to let the waves carry him into the shore. Jake was happy until a wave went over his head and he got water in his face. He didn't realize that the ocean was salt water! He was upset for a few minutes, but it wasn't long before he was back in. Christopher and Jake figured out that if they sat on the sand and let the waves come to them their bodies would spin around in the waves. We had such a good time swimming and playing in the waves.
We decided to grill for dinner while we made the decisions about the rest of our vacation. We had a "clean out the fridge" dinner and the kids played on the playground before getting back into the RV to head back to Orlando.
Change of Plans
As I said in my post about Kennedy Space Center, the kids were only interested a little bit. They liked to see the rockets and other space craft, but they didn't care to read the information or spend more than a few seconds looking at each item. If you ask them they will tell you they liked it, but it made us rethink the rest of our vacation. We were supposed to head to DC from here and spend three days visiting the Smithsonian museums, monuments, and court buildings. We decided the kids are not really ready for the more mature parts of DC and probably wouldn't appreciate it right now. We decided to spend a few more days in Orlando and are heading to Universal Studios this morning. None of us have ever been there so we are all excited. We can see the roller coasters from our room and the kids are anxious to get there. We'll see how the day goes!
Kennedy Space Center
We spent Saturday and Sunday at the Kennedy Space Center. It was a lot different from what I remember. We got to see the launch pads and the crawler road along with the building where they put the shuttles together before launch. We watched a 3-D movie about walking on the moon and a live action Star Trek themed show. The kids were semi-interested and kept asking when we could go swimming. We got back to the campground and the pool was closed so we ended up checking into a hotel for the night. The kids swam and we let them sleep in Sunday morning. It made a big difference in their moods!
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Updates Entries with more pics
We have a really fast internet connection this morning so I went back and added more pictures to all the entries so far. At Disney it would take about 10 minutes to upload photos. Here it is only about 15 seconds!
Hope you like them!
Hope you like them!
Friday, September 17, 2010
Last Day at Disney
Today was our last day at Disney World. We had an awesome time and I was sad to leave the park tonight although knowing we have another week of vacation made it more bearable.
As I said earlier, we had to check out of the hotel this morning. We hauled everything down to the RV and got some stuff stowed away for the next week on board. The loading went much better than it did last week when we first starting packing. We all piled in and headed up to the front of the resort. We finished checking out of the hotel and then waited for a boat to take us to Downtown Disney.
It was about a fifteen minute ride with one stop from our hotel. We decided to have some lunch and ate at a place called Earl of Sandwich. We are hoping that it is a chain sandwich place because it was really yummy and very filling. Next it was onto the pin store where all the kids had fun looking around and buying a few pins to add to their collections. After that it was World of Disney which is a huge souvenier store. If you can't find what you want there you don't need it! We all picked out some things there and then went to the Lego Store. The boys have been talking about it all week. Marc and Jake each chose to make three mini-figures. Alex decided on two lego sets and CJ decided to buy the choose-your-own lego bucket. The Legos were a big hit and gave us at least 30 minutes of quiet time on the RV before Jake lost a piece. Legos aren't the easiest thing to play with in a moving car. Next we headed to the store where everything is under $10. Although we didn't find anything there it was still fun to look.
We hopped back on the boat to our hotel, got back in the RV, and headed over to Epcot for our last day at Disney. The kids seemed to really enjoy the rides there and we were able to get back on Spaceship Earth, Mission: Space, Test Track, and Soarin'. We had a quick dinner and then used up the last of our snack credits on the dining plan. We left the park around 9:30 and got on the road to the next campground.
We are spending the night in Mims, Florida. Tomorrow we are heading to the Kennedy Space Center. The kids don't know where we are heading to next. I think they figured out that we must know how to plan a fun surprise. I am not sure if it will measure up to Disney World, but I hope it comes close!
As I said earlier, we had to check out of the hotel this morning. We hauled everything down to the RV and got some stuff stowed away for the next week on board. The loading went much better than it did last week when we first starting packing. We all piled in and headed up to the front of the resort. We finished checking out of the hotel and then waited for a boat to take us to Downtown Disney.
It was about a fifteen minute ride with one stop from our hotel. We decided to have some lunch and ate at a place called Earl of Sandwich. We are hoping that it is a chain sandwich place because it was really yummy and very filling. Next it was onto the pin store where all the kids had fun looking around and buying a few pins to add to their collections. After that it was World of Disney which is a huge souvenier store. If you can't find what you want there you don't need it! We all picked out some things there and then went to the Lego Store. The boys have been talking about it all week. Marc and Jake each chose to make three mini-figures. Alex decided on two lego sets and CJ decided to buy the choose-your-own lego bucket. The Legos were a big hit and gave us at least 30 minutes of quiet time on the RV before Jake lost a piece. Legos aren't the easiest thing to play with in a moving car. Next we headed to the store where everything is under $10. Although we didn't find anything there it was still fun to look.
We hopped back on the boat to our hotel, got back in the RV, and headed over to Epcot for our last day at Disney. The kids seemed to really enjoy the rides there and we were able to get back on Spaceship Earth, Mission: Space, Test Track, and Soarin'. We had a quick dinner and then used up the last of our snack credits on the dining plan. We left the park around 9:30 and got on the road to the next campground.
We are spending the night in Mims, Florida. Tomorrow we are heading to the Kennedy Space Center. The kids don't know where we are heading to next. I think they figured out that we must know how to plan a fun surprise. I am not sure if it will measure up to Disney World, but I hope it comes close!
Hollywood Studios
A quick entry about yesterday. We have to check out of the hotel today and have to move everything into the RV so I don't have a lot of time.
Yesterday we spent the day at Hollywood Studios. We got to the park after ten and headed over to Toy Story Mania. Unfortunately, the Fast Passes had already been distributed, and there was over an hour wait. The ride just opened this year and apparently is very popular! So instead we headed over to the Tower of Terror. Peg, Alex, Marc and Charlie waited behind while the rest of us rode. Jake was not a big fan and started crying on the ride. I felt so bad. He told us when he got off that the ride was terrifying, which I think was their goal! The rest of us thought the ride was awesome. We got our Fast Passes for the Rockin Rollercoaster before heading to lunch at Hollywood & Vine. The Playhouse Disney characters were there for pictures and autographs. Then it was back to Rockin Rollercoaster. We rode The Great Movie Ride on our way to Lights, Motors, Action! extreme stunt show. The boys loved it. They cheered along and said it was "wicked awesome!" Then it was Playhouse Disney Live and dinner. The Bilky's stayed for Fantasmic! and the Wilinski's headed back to the hotel to start packing. Once we were all back, it was time for laundry and one last swim in the pool. We made a couple trips down to the RV last night and have to finish up this morning.
Today is Downtown Disney and Epcot before heading off to our next stop. More info and pictures later!
Yesterday we spent the day at Hollywood Studios. We got to the park after ten and headed over to Toy Story Mania. Unfortunately, the Fast Passes had already been distributed, and there was over an hour wait. The ride just opened this year and apparently is very popular! So instead we headed over to the Tower of Terror. Peg, Alex, Marc and Charlie waited behind while the rest of us rode. Jake was not a big fan and started crying on the ride. I felt so bad. He told us when he got off that the ride was terrifying, which I think was their goal! The rest of us thought the ride was awesome. We got our Fast Passes for the Rockin Rollercoaster before heading to lunch at Hollywood & Vine. The Playhouse Disney characters were there for pictures and autographs. Then it was back to Rockin Rollercoaster. We rode The Great Movie Ride on our way to Lights, Motors, Action! extreme stunt show. The boys loved it. They cheered along and said it was "wicked awesome!" Then it was Playhouse Disney Live and dinner. The Bilky's stayed for Fantasmic! and the Wilinski's headed back to the hotel to start packing. Once we were all back, it was time for laundry and one last swim in the pool. We made a couple trips down to the RV last night and have to finish up this morning.
Today is Downtown Disney and Epcot before heading off to our next stop. More info and pictures later!
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Magic Kingdom, Day Two
We are spending six days at Disney World this trip, and there are four parks, so yesterday we went back to The Magic Kingdom. There is so much to see here that we knew we would need a second day. We started a little later than we have the rest of the week. The kids, and adults, needed a little time to sleep in and relax before heading off to the park. We had good luck with the bus again, and one was pulling up as we got to the bus station. I love when that happens!
Once we got to the park we decided to split by families again and meet up for lunch. The Bilky's spent the morning in Mickey's Toon Town. It is a part of the park that we missed on our last trip here, and we wanted to see it, especially because they will be closing it later this year to make room for the Fantasyland expansion. We went on Goofy's Barnstormer, which is a kid size roller coaster. Jake loved it and there was no line, so we rode a second time. The kids cooled off a bit on one of those water fountain splash pad things before we headed over to Fantasyland. The construction has already started there on a Little Mermain ride and a Beauty and the Beast restaurant. All the rides were still open, except for It's A Small World which is closed for an annual inspection. Al was really disappointed about that! We hit evey ride there and even were able to see Fairy Godmother and Cinderella's evil stepmother and sisters. Cinderella is one of Jake's favorite movies so we was excited to see them.
Next it was back to The Crystal Palace where we ate on Sunday for lunch. The Magic Kingdom has only a few table service restaurants, and only one buffet. With all the kids appetites, the buffets have been great in keeping them full between meals! Today was also Christopher's birthday so they brought him a cupcake with a candle to help celebrate.
If anyone has ever been down to Disneyworld, you must have seen all the little girls running around dressed up like princesses. They now offer something similar geared toward boys, although girls can do it too. It is called The Pirates League. First they get a pirate name and them have their faces painted to look like one of four pirates. Once they get their bandana, eye patch, and fake teeth they take the official pirate oath. Then they receive their sword and sheath and are then pirates. It sounded like fun and wasn't too expensive so we signed up all the boys. Marc has never been a fan of getting his face painted so he decided not to do it. The other four had a blast and wore their stuff the rest of the day. It sure was interesting trying to wash all the face paint off when we got back to the hotel. I am not sure about the Wilinski boys, but Jake may look like he is wearing eyeliner today!
We split up again after the Pirate League and the Bilky's went on Pirates of the Carribean (fitting isn't it?), Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Railroad. We decided to see The Hall of Presidents next, and ran into the Wilinski's on the way over there. The funny thing is, they went on the same three rides we did and planned on seeing The Hall of Presidents next too! Next it was the Haunted Mansion before splitting again to see those last few things before dinner. We headed back to Fantasyland and rode the Buzz Lightyear ride for the third time this trip and the boys bought their light-up things they have been looking at the entire trip. Jake picked a light-saber type sword, and Marc picked clear drumsticks that light up when you hit something with them. We were planning on seeing The Tiki Room next, but it was closed so we hopped on The Jungle Cruise so we could see it in the daylight. Then it was Pirates one more time before meeting the Wilinski's for dinner.
The first two places we wanted to eat had closed already so we ended up at Casey's Corner right on Main Street for hot dog and corn dog meals. Although we didn't plan it, it worked out great because the fireworks started about five minutes after we finished eating. The show right now is called Wishes, and it is pretty cool. The fireworks are timed with the music and they use Cinderella's castle as a screen to project images on. The only downside to staying and watching the fireworks is the fight to the buses after. We made it to our line and had to wait three buses before we were able to get on. The Wilinski's ended up behind us in the crowd and had to wait two more buses after ours before they were able to board.
When we got back to the hotel the kids wanted to swim so we headed down to the pool. The laundry room is right off the pool so we all brought some stuff down to wash. We spent about an hour in the water and then headed back to the room. Everyone was in bed pretty quick and asleep within minutes.
Today is Hollywood Studios. I am really looking forward to The Tower of Terror and Aerosmith's Rockin' Roller Coaster. I haven't seen the weather report yet, but the last two days have been more bearable outside. The humidity has dropped and there has been a nice breeze which helps a lot!
Once we got to the park we decided to split by families again and meet up for lunch. The Bilky's spent the morning in Mickey's Toon Town. It is a part of the park that we missed on our last trip here, and we wanted to see it, especially because they will be closing it later this year to make room for the Fantasyland expansion. We went on Goofy's Barnstormer, which is a kid size roller coaster. Jake loved it and there was no line, so we rode a second time. The kids cooled off a bit on one of those water fountain splash pad things before we headed over to Fantasyland. The construction has already started there on a Little Mermain ride and a Beauty and the Beast restaurant. All the rides were still open, except for It's A Small World which is closed for an annual inspection. Al was really disappointed about that! We hit evey ride there and even were able to see Fairy Godmother and Cinderella's evil stepmother and sisters. Cinderella is one of Jake's favorite movies so we was excited to see them.
Next it was back to The Crystal Palace where we ate on Sunday for lunch. The Magic Kingdom has only a few table service restaurants, and only one buffet. With all the kids appetites, the buffets have been great in keeping them full between meals! Today was also Christopher's birthday so they brought him a cupcake with a candle to help celebrate.
If anyone has ever been down to Disneyworld, you must have seen all the little girls running around dressed up like princesses. They now offer something similar geared toward boys, although girls can do it too. It is called The Pirates League. First they get a pirate name and them have their faces painted to look like one of four pirates. Once they get their bandana, eye patch, and fake teeth they take the official pirate oath. Then they receive their sword and sheath and are then pirates. It sounded like fun and wasn't too expensive so we signed up all the boys. Marc has never been a fan of getting his face painted so he decided not to do it. The other four had a blast and wore their stuff the rest of the day. It sure was interesting trying to wash all the face paint off when we got back to the hotel. I am not sure about the Wilinski boys, but Jake may look like he is wearing eyeliner today!
We split up again after the Pirate League and the Bilky's went on Pirates of the Carribean (fitting isn't it?), Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Railroad. We decided to see The Hall of Presidents next, and ran into the Wilinski's on the way over there. The funny thing is, they went on the same three rides we did and planned on seeing The Hall of Presidents next too! Next it was the Haunted Mansion before splitting again to see those last few things before dinner. We headed back to Fantasyland and rode the Buzz Lightyear ride for the third time this trip and the boys bought their light-up things they have been looking at the entire trip. Jake picked a light-saber type sword, and Marc picked clear drumsticks that light up when you hit something with them. We were planning on seeing The Tiki Room next, but it was closed so we hopped on The Jungle Cruise so we could see it in the daylight. Then it was Pirates one more time before meeting the Wilinski's for dinner.
The first two places we wanted to eat had closed already so we ended up at Casey's Corner right on Main Street for hot dog and corn dog meals. Although we didn't plan it, it worked out great because the fireworks started about five minutes after we finished eating. The show right now is called Wishes, and it is pretty cool. The fireworks are timed with the music and they use Cinderella's castle as a screen to project images on. The only downside to staying and watching the fireworks is the fight to the buses after. We made it to our line and had to wait three buses before we were able to get on. The Wilinski's ended up behind us in the crowd and had to wait two more buses after ours before they were able to board.
When we got back to the hotel the kids wanted to swim so we headed down to the pool. The laundry room is right off the pool so we all brought some stuff down to wash. We spent about an hour in the water and then headed back to the room. Everyone was in bed pretty quick and asleep within minutes.
Today is Hollywood Studios. I am really looking forward to The Tower of Terror and Aerosmith's Rockin' Roller Coaster. I haven't seen the weather report yet, but the last two days have been more bearable outside. The humidity has dropped and there has been a nice breeze which helps a lot!
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Pin Trading
A few people have asked what Pin Trading is. I will do the best I can to explain.
Back in 2008 when we were getting ready to come to Disney my friend Sandy introduced us to Pin Trading. There are certain pins you can buy at any Disney World shopping location. Typically people wear them on a lanyard around their neck, although some put them on hats, vests, purse straps, or even in binders. At the bottom is a hook where you can hang a bigger "charm." Sandy said her kids had always done it and had a good time and suggested it for Marc. We got him a starter set then and a few pins throughout the trip along with a 2008 charm for the bottom of the lanyard. Once you purchase the pins, you can trade them with Cast Members or other guests. Some people collect based on a theme such as princesses, a certain character like Donald, or just whatever strikes them as interesting.
So the boys each have a lanyard with pins that they have been wearing throughout the parks. They have been trading like crazy! Some don't seem to have a purpose to the trades, other than just liking a certain pin. Some are looking for something particular, like a certain set of pirate pins. Either way, they are having a blast doing it. Almost too much, as sometimes they are so focused on looking for pins that they don't realize what is going on around them!
As you look at pictures, you will see the lanyards in some of them. Sometimes they go in the backpacks when they boys get tired of them or when we are going on a more intense ride.
It sure will be interesting to see which pins make the final cut and the boys bring home!
Back in 2008 when we were getting ready to come to Disney my friend Sandy introduced us to Pin Trading. There are certain pins you can buy at any Disney World shopping location. Typically people wear them on a lanyard around their neck, although some put them on hats, vests, purse straps, or even in binders. At the bottom is a hook where you can hang a bigger "charm." Sandy said her kids had always done it and had a good time and suggested it for Marc. We got him a starter set then and a few pins throughout the trip along with a 2008 charm for the bottom of the lanyard. Once you purchase the pins, you can trade them with Cast Members or other guests. Some people collect based on a theme such as princesses, a certain character like Donald, or just whatever strikes them as interesting.
So the boys each have a lanyard with pins that they have been wearing throughout the parks. They have been trading like crazy! Some don't seem to have a purpose to the trades, other than just liking a certain pin. Some are looking for something particular, like a certain set of pirate pins. Either way, they are having a blast doing it. Almost too much, as sometimes they are so focused on looking for pins that they don't realize what is going on around them!
As you look at pictures, you will see the lanyards in some of them. Sometimes they go in the backpacks when they boys get tired of them or when we are going on a more intense ride.
It sure will be interesting to see which pins make the final cut and the boys bring home!
Epcot
I thought I would try to blog from the park today from Al's phone and gave it a whirl at lunch. It wasn't the easiest to do, and so I think I will go back to a nightly entry instead.
The day started out pretty good. About five minutes after we got to the bus stop a bus pulled up for Epcot. We got to the park and checked out the pin kiosk outside before heading in. After some pictures out front in front of "The Big Ball" we headed inside for Spaceship Earth. The kids all thought it was cool to be on a ride inside. This is one of those slow moving Disney rides that actually entertain and teach at the same time. This one told the history of communication through video and animatronics. At the end there is an interactive area where the kids where able to put together a virtual skeleton while wearing 3-D glasses. The kids all thought it was cool.
From there it was on to Test Track. This one simulates a GM testing facility and we rode in a test car through various tests they actually perform. The first half of the ride is inside, but the second half circles the building going over 60 miles per hour. It was hard to tell if the kids had a better time on Test Track or on Mission: Space. During that ride we train to be astronauts of the future preparing for a trip to Mars. Of course, there are problems and we have to manually land our shuttle. The kids all got off the rides wanting to ride them again. With so much to see, we told them that we would head back later in the day to try them again.
In the afternoon it was Ellen's Energy Universe, some character meet and greet, Turtle Talk with Crush, and The Seas with Nemo and Friends. Dinner was at The Garden Grill which is a family style dinner with Mickey, Pluto, Chip and Dale. Next it was onto Living with the Land. This boat rides goes through greenhouses in Epcot where they are trying new ways to grow plants that are more "green" and some of the food is actually served at the park. Next was Soarin', another favorite of everyone.
Then it was onto what I am sure will be the highlight of everyone's vacation, Journey into Imagination with Figment! We made it to the building with five minutes to spare! I would not have been happy if we would have missed it. And some other great news, I have another Figment lover. Charlie absolutely loved him! Everytime Figment would appear in the ride Charlie would talk and babble to him. When we walked through the gift shop after the ride (I love how so many of the rides deposit you right into a gift shop now) Charlie saw the Figment stuffed animals and started talking to them too. So Peg and Dewy had to buy him one. How could they not?!
We spend some time playing at the jumping fountains and took some pictures by the upside-down waterfall. I tried to have my boys recreate the picture we took back in 2008 but couldn't remember exactly how they were standing. I did the best I could:
Amazing how much the boys have changed in two years!
We had a few hours before the firework show so we let the boys pick what they wanted to do. It wasn't that hard of a choice, and we headed back to Test Track and Mission: Space and rode them both again. We had just enough time to get an ice cream before finding a spot to watch the firework show. Then it was the long trek back to the bus and hotel.
Today was a much better day weather-wise. Although it was still near or at 90 degrees, the humidity was down and there was a nice breeze most of the day. Tomorrow's forecast is 90 degrees once again with a 10% chance of rain. It is also Christopher's birthday tomorrow which should make for some interesting conversations between the Wilinski boys!
The day started out pretty good. About five minutes after we got to the bus stop a bus pulled up for Epcot. We got to the park and checked out the pin kiosk outside before heading in. After some pictures out front in front of "The Big Ball" we headed inside for Spaceship Earth. The kids all thought it was cool to be on a ride inside. This is one of those slow moving Disney rides that actually entertain and teach at the same time. This one told the history of communication through video and animatronics. At the end there is an interactive area where the kids where able to put together a virtual skeleton while wearing 3-D glasses. The kids all thought it was cool.
From there it was on to Test Track. This one simulates a GM testing facility and we rode in a test car through various tests they actually perform. The first half of the ride is inside, but the second half circles the building going over 60 miles per hour. It was hard to tell if the kids had a better time on Test Track or on Mission: Space. During that ride we train to be astronauts of the future preparing for a trip to Mars. Of course, there are problems and we have to manually land our shuttle. The kids all got off the rides wanting to ride them again. With so much to see, we told them that we would head back later in the day to try them again.
In the afternoon it was Ellen's Energy Universe, some character meet and greet, Turtle Talk with Crush, and The Seas with Nemo and Friends. Dinner was at The Garden Grill which is a family style dinner with Mickey, Pluto, Chip and Dale. Next it was onto Living with the Land. This boat rides goes through greenhouses in Epcot where they are trying new ways to grow plants that are more "green" and some of the food is actually served at the park. Next was Soarin', another favorite of everyone.
Then it was onto what I am sure will be the highlight of everyone's vacation, Journey into Imagination with Figment! We made it to the building with five minutes to spare! I would not have been happy if we would have missed it. And some other great news, I have another Figment lover. Charlie absolutely loved him! Everytime Figment would appear in the ride Charlie would talk and babble to him. When we walked through the gift shop after the ride (I love how so many of the rides deposit you right into a gift shop now) Charlie saw the Figment stuffed animals and started talking to them too. So Peg and Dewy had to buy him one. How could they not?!
We spend some time playing at the jumping fountains and took some pictures by the upside-down waterfall. I tried to have my boys recreate the picture we took back in 2008 but couldn't remember exactly how they were standing. I did the best I could:
Amazing how much the boys have changed in two years!
We had a few hours before the firework show so we let the boys pick what they wanted to do. It wasn't that hard of a choice, and we headed back to Test Track and Mission: Space and rode them both again. We had just enough time to get an ice cream before finding a spot to watch the firework show. Then it was the long trek back to the bus and hotel.
Today was a much better day weather-wise. Although it was still near or at 90 degrees, the humidity was down and there was a nice breeze most of the day. Tomorrow's forecast is 90 degrees once again with a 10% chance of rain. It is also Christopher's birthday tomorrow which should make for some interesting conversations between the Wilinski boys!
Epcot so far
We started the day off nice and early today. So far we have done Spaceship earth, mission to space, test track, and have been trading lots of pins. next stop is universe of energy and the seas. more detail later.
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Monday, September 13, 2010
Animal Kingdom
Today was another hot and humid day here is Florida. Last night we were up later than we had planned, so today we got off to a later start. The Wilinski's had a rough night with Charlie and decided to sleep in a little bit. So we headed off to the park with plans to meet for lunch.
As soon as we arrived at Animal Kingdom we broke down and bought one of those squirt bottle/fan/mister things that we saw everyone walking around with. I think it was the best $17 we spent all day! It really helped keep us cool as we walked around the parks. When we met up with the Wilinski's at lunch, they had one in their stroller too. Great minds really do think alike right?
We started the day off seeing the "It's Tough to Be a Bug" 3-D movie. They should really call it 4-D movie with the wind, acidic spit, and stink bug fumes. It was great listening to the reactions throughout the theater-especially when the cockroaches left the theater at the end of the show and we could feel them running under our seats. From there we checked out the Tree of Life before heading to Asia and Expedition Everest. It is an awesome roller coaster that goes forwards, backwards, inside, and outside a mountain. We explored Dinoland USA before heading to the Tusker House for lunch with the Wilinski's. We decided to spend the rest of the afternoon together.
After lunch we went on the Kilimanjaro Safari through Africa. It is such a cool attraction. It simulates a wildlife refuge in Africa with what appear to be free roaming animals that you go through in a jeep-type vehicle. We saw hippos, giraffes, elephants, alligators, a lion, warthogs, an ostrich, and a lot of other animals that I don't know the name for. The kids wanted pictures of everything one of them and were quick to point our where I should be taking pictures.
The next stop was "Finding Nemo: The Musical" which is kind of like "The Lion King" on broadway where the characters are puppets controlled by humans in costumes. The kids were in a trance throughout the whole show. It was amazing to say the least. The majority of the actors wore blue and green patterned jumpsuits so they blended in with the backgrounds. Some of the main character actor's costumes were the same color as their puppets. They hung from the ceiling, ran through the theater, and performed from ledges on the sides of the stage. At first I found myself watching the actors and not the puppets, but by the end I was focused only on the puppets. I'm not sure who the favorite was-the jellyfish, Crush, Squirt, Mr Ray...they were all so cool.
From Nemo we went back to Expedition Everest so the Wilinski's could ride it. There was hardly a wait time so anyone who wanted to was able to go twice. It is such a cool ride! It was almost closing time so we headed to the exit, but decided to see the bug 3-D movie again with everyone. We didn't tell any of them about all the extra effects so they could smell the stink bug and get sprayed by the "termite-ator" and be surprised. Jake laughed so hard when the cockroaches ran across the seats and Dewy jumped up and yelled!
Once we got back to the hotel we had a quick dinner and decided to relax at the hotel for the night. We went swimming, did some laundry and looked over the map for tomorrow's park-Epcot. Marc is really excited for Test Track and Soarin'-two of his favorites from our 2008 trip. Al is looking forward to taking Dewy on Mission to Space. I can't wait to see one of my favorite characters-Figment!
All in all, it was a great day. Especially when we compare it to our last trip. Jake got sick the day we went to Animal Kingdom and we only spent about four hours at the park that day. It was great to be able to see so much of the stuff we missed, and re-do the things that we really enjoyed then.
We never did get the rain they predicted for today. There is a 20% chance for tomorrow, temp 90 degrees (again). But, for now it is time for bed.
As soon as we arrived at Animal Kingdom we broke down and bought one of those squirt bottle/fan/mister things that we saw everyone walking around with. I think it was the best $17 we spent all day! It really helped keep us cool as we walked around the parks. When we met up with the Wilinski's at lunch, they had one in their stroller too. Great minds really do think alike right?
We started the day off seeing the "It's Tough to Be a Bug" 3-D movie. They should really call it 4-D movie with the wind, acidic spit, and stink bug fumes. It was great listening to the reactions throughout the theater-especially when the cockroaches left the theater at the end of the show and we could feel them running under our seats. From there we checked out the Tree of Life before heading to Asia and Expedition Everest. It is an awesome roller coaster that goes forwards, backwards, inside, and outside a mountain. We explored Dinoland USA before heading to the Tusker House for lunch with the Wilinski's. We decided to spend the rest of the afternoon together.
After lunch we went on the Kilimanjaro Safari through Africa. It is such a cool attraction. It simulates a wildlife refuge in Africa with what appear to be free roaming animals that you go through in a jeep-type vehicle. We saw hippos, giraffes, elephants, alligators, a lion, warthogs, an ostrich, and a lot of other animals that I don't know the name for. The kids wanted pictures of everything one of them and were quick to point our where I should be taking pictures.
The next stop was "Finding Nemo: The Musical" which is kind of like "The Lion King" on broadway where the characters are puppets controlled by humans in costumes. The kids were in a trance throughout the whole show. It was amazing to say the least. The majority of the actors wore blue and green patterned jumpsuits so they blended in with the backgrounds. Some of the main character actor's costumes were the same color as their puppets. They hung from the ceiling, ran through the theater, and performed from ledges on the sides of the stage. At first I found myself watching the actors and not the puppets, but by the end I was focused only on the puppets. I'm not sure who the favorite was-the jellyfish, Crush, Squirt, Mr Ray...they were all so cool.
From Nemo we went back to Expedition Everest so the Wilinski's could ride it. There was hardly a wait time so anyone who wanted to was able to go twice. It is such a cool ride! It was almost closing time so we headed to the exit, but decided to see the bug 3-D movie again with everyone. We didn't tell any of them about all the extra effects so they could smell the stink bug and get sprayed by the "termite-ator" and be surprised. Jake laughed so hard when the cockroaches ran across the seats and Dewy jumped up and yelled!
Once we got back to the hotel we had a quick dinner and decided to relax at the hotel for the night. We went swimming, did some laundry and looked over the map for tomorrow's park-Epcot. Marc is really excited for Test Track and Soarin'-two of his favorites from our 2008 trip. Al is looking forward to taking Dewy on Mission to Space. I can't wait to see one of my favorite characters-Figment!
All in all, it was a great day. Especially when we compare it to our last trip. Jake got sick the day we went to Animal Kingdom and we only spent about four hours at the park that day. It was great to be able to see so much of the stuff we missed, and re-do the things that we really enjoyed then.
We never did get the rain they predicted for today. There is a 20% chance for tomorrow, temp 90 degrees (again). But, for now it is time for bed.
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