Surprise!!!

When planning a WDW vacation, we plan months-sometimes YEARS in advance.  I never think, oh we can go 6 weeks from now--sure lets go.  Nope.  I need time to plan, I need time to pack, I need time to save, I need time to get Stephen's assignments from school.  I just can't up and leave in a couple weeks!

In late February/early March 2011, my husband was having a rough couple weeks at work and hadn't really had a longer break in a while.  He said, "I don't care what we do, I don't care where we go, I just want to get away."  I started doing some research.  Thinking, ok lets do a long weekend, Thursday to Monday...we can go to the beach or just do day trips with the boys.  As I was doing this, I took a break to check my email.  I see one from Disney World..and of course get all excited as I usually do with my daily emails from them.  This email was offering us FREE dining for select days through June.  I said to myself, "Yeah I WISH!"  I clicked on the link and put in the code and looked at the prices.  I couldn't believe how cheap it would be for the 4 of us to go.  With Jackson being so young, he was free.  I kept looking and thought-ehh it's worth mentioning to Steve even if he does say no.

I instant messaged him at work just a couple minutes later as a joke.  Knowing he would laugh in my face and knowing he would say "UGH, DISNEY AGAIN!?  NO! I GET TO PICK THIS TIME!"  I sent him how much it would be and approximately how much the cost of the flights would be.  His exact words? "Let's do it".  At this point I am in shock.  I was smiling ear to ear and if Jackson wasn't sleeping, I would have been screaming and jumping up and down.  I could not believe that he was actually agreeing to this and we literally had 10 weeks to plan and do it all.  After talking with him for a while to make sure he was completely serious, I went to Southwest.com and booked our flights immediately because we found awesome fares for only $89 one way per person.  Plus, I knew if I booked right away, he couldn't take it back!

After a couple hours, Steve mentioned he talked to his mom about it and she was interested in going.  We were so excited!  She jumped on the band wagon and decided to book with us!  I then called my friend who worked for a company that booked Disney Travel... Everything was taken care of quickly.  From the time he said yes, to booking flights, booking my mother in laws flight and booking the whole vacation--it was less then 24 hours.

Steve and I agreed that we would surprise Stephen with this vacation.  I contacted his teacher and his school to let them know that he would be missing 4 days and I would need work for him to take down with us.  During this time, we had just moved to a new house and we had kept him in the same school district to finish out the year.  So each day, I would drive him to and from school.  On the way to school our conversations always somehow turned to Disney.  (Maybe because I'm obsessed and would bring it up...but hey, he would talk with me about it!)  At one point I would just laugh in the front seat because he would say "Next time we go Mommy, I will get on Rock'n'Rollercoaster and Tower of Terror and Space Mountian and Expedition Everest!"  Little did he know, a couple weeks later is when he would be going.  (Could I really hold him to this?  Check out my one blog about Rock'n'Rollercoaster!)  We had told him before that we would wait until Jackson was 3 to go because taking a baby is too much work. (Another post another day!)  So he is thinking his next vacation would be 3 years from now.

As time is getting closer, I keep thinking of a way to surprise him with this vacation.  I researched so many different ways and found one that would be fun for him.  Two or three weeks prior to leaving.  We started doing scavenger hunts with him.  Just small ones.  Something he would have fun with and learn how to do.  At the end of each one, he got a small prize.  Each prize was actually something he could take on the plane or to Disney and use.  So when I tell him that we are going to do a scavenger hunt, it is just something fun to do, nothing to make him think we are going to Disney!

The week leading up to leaving, I mentioned to him that we were going to have Grani come and stay with us on Friday night and she will be spending the weekend with us and then going to Mimi's house to visit his cousins after that.  I had all the necessary stuff for him for school as well as spent days getting stuff folded and put away in suitcases and then hiding them where he couldn't see them!  We went and picked up Grani that Friday evening and enjoyed a nice easy dinner and just chatted all night.  We told him we were going to do another scavenger hunt and that this one was really long.  He was super excited!  Off to bed we all went.

So the day finally arrived.  It was time for us to start getting ready and do the scavenger hunt.  Of course we woke up and the first thing he said is that he wanted to do it right away.  I was wanting to wait a while for it so we didn't have any time waiting so we could head right to the airport.  We planned on leaving our house around 2, so I figured since it was about 10, that would give me plenty of time to get the extras packed.  I set up the scavenger hunt while he waited in his room.

I had cut up pieces of construction paper and decorated them with Disney stickers.  Each one had a rhyming clue inside.  They all led to different things around the house.  At each place, there was Disney pins that we had collected over our last trips as well as a lanyard for him to place each pin.  He ran all over the house to do all 15 clues.  The second to last clue was upstairs.  As he ran upstairs, I placed some things under a blanket on the couch.  This included Disney brochures, Cars Silly Bands, and a poem I made up.  He lifted the blanket and was excited over the stuff he saw and I then told him to read the poem:

For the last ten weeks, we have been keeping
     a special secret from  you.
Believe it or not, everyone knows
     that one of our dreams is coming true.

From Mommymom to Grandpa
     even Jackson, in his youth.
Surprises, secrets and lies
     have been covering the truth.

Thanks to a little magic
     we are taking a little trip.
You may be wondering where and when
     and who is coming with?

This trip will be fun, you will get to miss
     four full days of school.
It will be really warm and we can swim
     in a giant swimming pool.

Jack, Grani, Mommy and Daddy
     will all be in tow.
Our bags are packed and ready to leave
     we're all excited to go!

Around 2o'clock we will leave
     your day's about to swirl.
With pixie dust, magic and love
     we're off to Disney World!

As he read it outloud, I got all excited.  He finished it and put it down and I said---"Stephen, read the last 4 lines again!"  He read it again... I said, "Do you get what it says?!"  He just looked at me confused.  I said "Stephen, we are leaving TODAY to go to DISNEY WORLD for 6 DAYS!"  He didn't seem so enthusiastic.  Just smiled and started playing with his new toys.  I was pretty disappointed that he didn't react like I wished he would.  You know, the commercials where the kids jump around and get you all teary eyed.  Nope.  Nothing.  Nada.

So I lead him to the mudroom--in which he walked through several times for his next clue--and I showed him the luggage.  I drug it out and showed him everything was packed.  I showed him all of the information with the dates and times.  Our friend was there to take us to the airport and he said "Bubba, I'm taking you to the airport in a couple hours."  Still, nothing.  He gets told to go upstairs to brush his teeth and get dressed because we were leaving soon and he still needed to have lunch.

I start getting more stuff together that we would need.  I started feeling upset knowing that he wasn't as excited as I was.  Oh well, we would still have fun.  So, I was standing in the kitchen washing sippy cups and getting them ready for the plane.  When I hear Stephen upstairs.  He's jumping up and down with his toothbrush in his hand-"I AM SO EXCITED!! I CAN'T EVEN BRUSH MY TEETH!".  That was all I needed.  That excitment, the acknowledgment that we did something to suprise him and he was happy.

After that, all he did was ask when we were leaving.  The second we left for the airport and knowing we were on our way to my happy place with 4 of my most favorite people in the world, it nothing matter anymore.  We were about to make some awesome memories and it was all worth it.

Disney Can't Please Everyone...WHAT?!?!?!

Say it ain't so!!  I can't believe that this could even be an issue!  People not liking Disney World?  WHAT?!  This is a joke right?!  Nope!  Not everyone enjoys Disney World, Disneyland and the like...but hey...what could the issue be?

I decided to write this because I read a FB post from our friends at Disney Guru (check them out on FB!) about a forum that she was reading...well here is the actual post:

Good Sunday morning Disney friends!! So today on a Disney forum I frequent...I saw a comment that blew me away. I would like to know what your thoughts are. A woman said that she took her kids ages 12 & 9 to WDW and that she will never be going back...it was just too boring and that her kids are (get this one) too old!!! What??? That made me so sad to read. What are your thoughts on this? What would you say to this person after you read this? ~Kelly

After reading this.. I thought WOW...really?  This can't be.  Then I went into my memory bank and I can think of a couple things that made me think...There really ARE people out there that don't enjoy Disney World like so many of us do.  Let me start with some of my family.  I have family that flat out REFUSE to take their children to Disney World.  I couldn't even FATHOM this.  I have heard the excuse of, well it is too much money and you don't get much or it's too crowded or too hot...or my personal favorite... it isn't really a "Vacation". 

To all of these I have to say... WHAT?

 

Let's break it down a little bit.  "It's too much money and you don't get much."  Hello? Are we on the same planet?  Can Disney World be pricey?  Sure.  If you don't do your research! Disney ALWAYS offers a promotion.  From FREE dining and Military Discounts to Buy 3 Days, get 2 free.  You can't beat any of these discounts.  Who wouldn't want to get FREE food during your whole vacation?  And not just burgers and dogs, but some of the finest cuisine you could ever get!  On average, For a family of 4, you will spend less then 1700 dollars for a FULL week! This includes hotel and all the park tickets plus many perks like transportation to and from the airport!  How is this too expensive?  Try going to any island or somewhere else--for the same price with all that you get!! 

OK I can get off of my soap box... onto the next.

"It's too hot and too crowded"...Again, it is all in the research and I would say pretty much common sense.  You want to go to Florida?  If you want some cool weather---go during January!  Too crowded?  AGAIN go when KIDS are in school and you can prevent this.  Check out DisneyWorld.com..they have charts showing you all of this stuff. 

"It's not really a Vacation"...OK..this one gets me.  As a die hard Disney Fan I have to 150% DISAGREE.  This is the most RIDICULOUS thing I have ever heard.  You can head to a day at the parks and end it with a massage.  You can hang out at the pool..go mini golfing, have a romantic dinner, see Cirque Du Soleil.  Can you wear out some tennis shoes during a week vacation? OF COURSE!  Been there, Done that!  But come on.. If you want a vacation--enjoy the parks at a leisurely pace and smell the roses!  There is NO way you will see EVERYTHING that Disney World has to offer in a weeks time...so enjoy what you would like and take time for yourself!  It's all what you make of it.  You can't complain saying that it "isn't a real vacation", if you are the one running around like a chicken with your head cut off!...

OK...I digress....

After thinking about these things for a while.. I got to thinking about our last vacation in May.  I remember standing in the Land Pavilion, getting close to the exit.  I see a woman bringing in a stroller.  I hear a Cast Member from behind me say "Ma'am, you can not bring a stroller inside.  There is stroller parking outside for your convenience".  The woman started screaming, exclaiming that her son (no younger then 2) needed to have his diaper changed and proceeded to complain that she could not take her son out and a diaper bag to go downstairs to the bathroom.  I myself was holding my one year old and followed the rule of leaving my stroller in the designated area provided.  Did this woman not see the 200 parked strollers lined up the side of the ramp outside?  What made her so special that she thought she could get inside with a stroller?  She continued to argue with the Cast Member-in which I give this CM MUCH credit for keeping her cool.  I was actually thinking about saying something when she said "THIS IS WHY I HATE DISNEY! I WILL NEVER COME BACK HERE! THIS IS THE MOST RIDICULOUS THING I HAVE EVER HEARD OF!"  I would like to know how she expected to get her stroller downstairs to get to the bathroom.  Just because you can not follow rules or instructions Miss Grumpy Gills, does not mean that you should have such a hate for the Happiest Place on Earth!

WOW! That was nice to get off my chest!  I guess Disney can not please everyone.  I still just do not get it!  When you head to Disney...you need to leave the muss and fuss behind!! This is a whole different World!! If you are not having fun---it is your own fault!

Has anyone else had an experience like this?  Or family that has been against Disney?  I just can not even imagine not having Disney!  Call it obsessed but not a day goes by that Disney isn't a part of my life!

Keep Moving Forward!!

Rock 'n' Rollercoaster starring Aerosmith...Kid friendly?

The weeks leading up to our vacation, (That Stephen had NO clue about-it was a complete surprise) he always brought up Disney World and what he would be allowed to get on the next time we go.  I always told him everything, because we wouldn't be going until Jackson was 3.  He said "Next time we go, I will definitely get on Rock 'n' Roller coaster!"  Needless to say, he had no clue it would be just a couple weeks away...and I didn't know if I should hold him to it.  In my last post I stated how I hated when my parents forced me to get on rides that I wasn't comfortable with, so I felt like I couldn't force him if he backed out at the last minute.

Our first day, we hit Animal Kingdom and he was so excited to ride Expedition Everest.  After getting on it (another post, another day) he wasn't too sure about roller coasters anymore.  He enjoyed it but it was a little too intense for him.  A couple days later we arrived at Hollywood Studios and he knew it was decision time to go on R'n'R or not.  As Stephen, Jackson and I waited for Steve and my mother in law to get off of Tower of Terror... he started asking me questions.  I tried reassuring him that he would have fun and if he didn't like it he didn't have to ride it again.  So, after receiving our Parent Swap--an amazing invention, any questions about this..just ask--we head towards  the big guitar.  He held my hand the whole way.  As we start going up the ramp, he was starting to doubt if he wanted to go or not.  I talked up the ride and how exciting it was and explained the only thing that was scary was the take off but it was over in 2.8 seconds.  Hitting 72 mph that quick was a tad scary but after that...he would have a blast!  Right?

I myself was nervous--who isn't, this rides G-force on your body is WICKED!  As we were walking through the cue... I explained everything that would happen.  Come to find out there was a little girl in front of us who was 2 years older then Stephen and it was her first time as well.  She was soo scared.  I kept assuring her as well and told them that if they got through it and enjoyed it, we would get pictures of them together.

It was finally time to board the stretch limo..we got the last seats.  I crossed over the seats and Stephen sat down next to me, while Steve sat behind us--and an 11 year old girl got in next to him-this was her 14th time THAT DAY. So, before we could even blink-we are sitting at the stop light about to take off.   ºoº *Is it bad that while I am typing this, I am reliving it and actually getting nervous?* ºoº  Stephen says "OK, Mommy, I don't think I wanna do this anymore."  I told him it was too late but we would have fun.  I warned him every second what was about to happen.  They were going to start pumping music into the headrest and it would start counting down.  The second the light turned green, we would shoot off.  I'm soo nervous for him but I was soo proud that he was going to do this without a fight.  He grabbed my hand...and the lights started changing.  Steven Tyler starts screaming in my ear....

3...2...1---BOOOOMMM!  We take off and hit the first inversion.  I ask him if he is ok and if he is having fun.  He said "I didn't like that!"  I kept telling him to look at the lights and to look for the donut that we would go through.  The whole time, I'm trying to talk up the ride and say how fun it is.  He made a couple statements about the cool lights but after a couple cork crews he had enough and asked me if it was almost over.  Just at that moment--the brakes took over and we were done.  We come to a stop and the restraint pops open.

As we stand up, I ask him if he liked it...he just said "No".  No explanation. Just "No".  I kept telling him how proud I was of him!  I couldn't believe my little baby...only 6 years old...WANTED to attempt this ride..with NO hesitation, NO fighting, NOTHING.  He told me he wouldn't get on it again until he was older.  Which I told him I was just so proud of him for even trying it.  We get to the gift shop and looked at the picture.  I immediately go up and order a picture and get a pin to commemorate the occasion.

Stephen is up front-LOVE his expression... Think he was nervous?
Notice the little girl all excited and not at all scared?
It was her 14th time IN A ROW.



So after all of this, if someone were to ask me if this is a ride that is ok for a kid? I would have to say, if they are ok with doing it..yes.  If they are kind of hesitant.. I would explain what the ride is like and go from there.  If they try it and hate it..then you know that they don't try it again until the next trip.  NEVER force your kid to ride a ride that they are not comfortable with.  That is what Child Swap is for!

In my eyes, this is one of the better rides at Walt Disney World... up there in my top 5 favorites!!  What are your thoughts?  Should younger kids--as long as they meet height restrictions--be able to ride these kind of rides?  I say, LET THEM ENJOY THE RIDE!

Until next time...

My Inspiration..."Facing Fears: Disney Style"

My whole inspiration for starting a blog came yesterday when I was going through my facebook posts.  I saw one of my Disney friends had posted "What was your first 'big-kid' ride at Disney World?"  I then started typing and next thing you know, my comment was too long so I made it a note on my facebook.  I'd like to share it on here for you as this is the first thing I wrote about Disney that everyone seemed to enjoy.

So sit back and relax and hang on for the ride...

Back when I was little--I always felt forced to get on all the rides. My parents didn't want to miss out on anything, so I was forced to face my fears and when I got off the rides---they were still fears but turned into reality. I never wanted to ride Splash Mountain because I didn't like the lack of security. No bar. No seat belt. NOTHING to hold me in the boat. I was terrified I would come flying up like the Wiley Coyote, the boat would be at the bottom of the fall, and there I would be, Mid-air, falling to my demise.

Once I got through the ride, I would remember how much I hated the feeling of falling and thinking I am NEVER getting on this ride EVER again. My husband and I honeymooned in Disney World in 2006, I refused to ride it. We went again in 2007 with my brother and sister in law and again I refused to ride it.  In 2008, We visited with my husband, my son (his first time), my mother in law, my parents and grandparents.

The first day that we visited Magic Kingdom, everyone but my son (4), grandfather and I got on the ride. We watched them fall down the hill, and my stomach was in knots just watching! 2 days later, we head back to Magic Kingdom and apparently they were conspiring against me.. here I was again, feeling like I was 5 years old-my parents and everyone else in my party was forcing me to face this fear of "THE DROP". I had no clue my parents talked my son onto the ride and since he was going, my grandfather decided to go as well.  I told everyone I would sit off of the ride and wait for them. Next thing you know, I am being dragged by my hand by my 4 year old saying "Come on Mommy!"  All the while thinking---OMG...I can not believe they talked him into thinking this is a fun ride! 

The whole way up the cue, I felt like i was going to literally either throw up or pee my pants.. I was SOO nervous.  I refused to sit up front, so my dad took my son to the front, and I sat in the back with my mother in law.  We get to the front of the line and boarded. I immediately start to panic because..once again, THERE WAS NOTHING TO HOLD ME DOWN! We start going through the ride and every time we hit a spot where I think its going to be the big drop.. I start screaming and freaking out saying I wanted to get off. My MIL (Bless her Heart!) kept trying to point to stuff... and at one point said "OH WOW, Look at that..isn't it cute?!" I Looked her in her eyes and said "THERE IS NOTHING CUTE ABOUT THIS RIDE!" I had the whole boat laughing...To me, it wasn't funny.

Next thing you know, we are ascending the big hill and I'm trying to find a place to jump out.  They would stop the ride and come get me, right?  So we go over the top of the big hill and I held my breath, knowing I would throw up..I just knew it. We start going down the hill, I had my eyes closed and held on for dear life!! We hit the bottom and I had a total of 5 drops on me, while everyone else was almost soaked. I literally started tearing up and was shaking...like REALLY?! THAT is what I was always scared of?! I get made fun of, to this day of how I reacted and that I cried.  After leaving the ride, we got pictures...we had to celebrate! 

Now... Tower of Terror is my next feat to accomplish and I'm praying that the next time we go, I wont chicken out!