Trip Within a Trip (or Any Excuse to Go To Disney)

[DramaMama .......... Janet 75]

To close out our quick WDW trip we decided to spend a little time in Epcot before heading back to Thrill’s parents’ house.  We got fastpasses for Test Track, Mission Space, and Maelstrom.  Between Test Track and Soarin’ we usually pick Test Track because, with the refurb, there is so much the boys can do before and after the ride as well.  We all love Soarin’, but it is the same every ride.  If not for the tiered system we would do both.  We weren’t sure we even wanted to stay long enough to do Maelstrom, but when given a chance to make fastpass reservations, we make ‘em. 

 

We were in line when Test Track started letting people in for the day.  Other than having to direct a family (that was talking and not listening for directions or reading signs about where their design station was to be) and then taking the high road and letting them have our stations while we went to where we knew theirs’ was, it was as cool as ever.      Rambling side note:  We had 2 single riders assigned to our vehicle since there were only 4 of us.  That is great – I am glad that is allowed.  It helps move the line along.  BUT, as I was getting in I noticed that there was a LITTLE girl getting in beside me.  Her mother (I suppose) was saying, “When you get off wait for me, ok?”  This girl was the same size as our 6 year old.  She had a little trouble getting her seatbelt buckled so I helped.  She was a little scared and whimpered a few times during the ride.  I tried to lighten it up a little as I do for our kids by pointing out cool things.  When it was over she couldn’t get her seatbelt undone and started getting scared again.  I undid it for her and made sure she stepped out ok.  Thankfully the woman had gotten in the car behind us so she was there to meet up with the girl pretty quickly.   Andy said he was doing the same thing for a little girl seated by him.  I don’t know.  I just don’t think I could let my child out of my sight like that.  I know there wasn’t really any place for the child to wander off to and the “mom” was in the next car.  That ride is just a bit intense for kids that young not to have someone they trust with them.  I think single rider should have an age limit like 10 or so.

 

I am a helicopter mom.  I admit it.   Moving on…

 

We had some time before our Mission Space window so we headed to Innoventions.  We went straight to Sum of All Thrills.  Andy and I had done it on our anniversary trip a few years ago.  I was pleased to see that there are ways to do it with younger kids.  For those who may not have done Sum of All Thrills here is a little review:

 

It is a simulator ride that you design. You must be 48 inches to ride at all and 54 inches to design any ride that goes upside down.  The simulators hold 2 people, but you can also ride alone.  First you watch a short instructional video and then you go to a station with a touchscreen and some tools (ruler, knob) to design each track piece of your ride.  A keycard will load your chosen ride on the simulator and you can take it home to watch it again on your computer or smartphone by following the links.  You can choose to make a bobsled (mild), roller coaster (medium), or jet (as intense as you want).  It worked out well that our eldest went with Andy to make a jet with inversions and I helped our youngest make a nice little hills-and-curves coaster.  After you finish designing (you get 4 minutes) you go up to a waiting area where they swipe your keycard and make you put your bag and everything from your pockets into a locker which you hold the key to on an armband.  I put my backpack in the locker.  I had nothing in my pocket.  Plot point.  Remember this.

 

Andy and son 1 went one direction and son 2 and I went the other and loaded on our ride.  The contraption is a bit strange – kind of like sitting on the end of a spider’s leg with a hood coming down around your head and torso.  The two riders have separate hood type things on them.  You can see your fellow rider’s face in a video screen.  There is a panic button between you.  As they lowered my little one’s hood he started panicking and tried to push the button.  I asked what was wrong and he said it was too tight.  Knowing the ride was very short I slid my hand over into his simulator seat and felt his tummy  - a little tight but not too much – and just kept my hand on his chest patting him throughout the ride.  It was over quick and we exited, grabbing my backpack and heading to Mission Space.

 

We entered the Mission Space fastpass return line and got our assorted green or orange cards.  I was the last one to scan my magic band – only to find that it was missing from my wrist.  What? ?  I knew I had it on Test Track so we had lost it somewhere on that side of the park.  But the others in my party had scanned their bands in the line!!  Here is where we learned something new – the first scanner reads your fastpass but it is not “checked off” until the second scanner.  Good to know!  The family exited the line and went off in search of my yellow magic band.  I  have 3 in all – but not all with me.   And this one had my passholder slider on it. 

 

We headed straight back the way we had come from Sum of All Thrills.  Just as I was telling the CM at the ride entrance about the missing band I saw it.  It was lying on the floor under the simulator I had just gotten off of.  I assume that when I shoved my hand into my son’s hood-thingy I knocked it off my arm.  That CM sent me to another who sent me to find his supervisor (faster than calling her he said- and he knew right were she was).  She told me she would have to call someone.  All of them told me very kindly that they would see what they could do but it might take a while.  I was equally polite back and told them I understood.  While I waited near one of the CMs, she told me that if it is a cellphone or something like that people have to wait until the end of the day since the workers do not usually enter the ride until it is closed for the day.  Not knowing the outcome we just stood and chatted.  Our boys got another lesson in patience and safety.  We talked about how dangerous it would be for a CM to go down under the ride if it could possibly come on.  The supervisor let us know that they would get it for me since they knew how much personal information and planning it contained, but that they would have to shut down half the ride to do it.  I was amazed at the number of locked doors and gates they had to go through to get in there!  One gate she had to unlock and lock to another before she could proceed.  She stepped 3 steps in, picked up my band, and repeated all those steps in reverse.  Wow.   I don’t know if they are always able to get things like that or if it was because dropping it had been unintentional (nothing in my pockets and I was wearing the band like I was supposed to in the parks) or if it was helped by us being patient and understanding.  If they had said no I would have been disappointed but I would never want them to put themselves in harm’s way.   I felt bad for the people in the ride lines that had to wait.  I profusely thanked everyone I could.

 

With band back on my arm (and double checking everyone else’s) we headed back to Mission Space.  Still in our fastpass window we got in our prospective lines (less intense for Little and me) and enjoyed another great ride.  Somehow our simulator only had us two so we got to pick what astronaut job we wanted. 

 

After the ride we all went for the obligatory trip to Mouse Gear.  Several dollars lighter we headed for the exit.  One last ride?  On Spaceship Earth?  Hmm… 45 minute wait??  No, we decided that it was time to head back to the grandparents’ house.  That would have to be all for a while.  

 

It was a short but awesome trip.  Andy and I were talking about how this trip was pivotal for our family.  Our boys tried new things and made new memories.  They helped plan for what they wanted to do and tagged along without too much complaining for the rest.  Now that they are older, we can do almost everything together.  Little has to grow a bit more for Primeval Whirl and Rockin’ Rollercoaster.  They get a lot more of our inside Disney jokes and feel like it is “home”, too.  They cheered when we first went under the purple gate.  They cried a little when we left. 

Just like their parents. 

 

Raising ‘em right.

 

The rest of our trip was great.  We had family time, pool time, good Cuban food, and lots of rain.  Ok, the rain wasn’t so great.  We are back in Georgia now and trying get back to normal.  Who am I kidding?  Us?  Normal? Perish the thought!

 

Anyway, thanks for reading along.  Hope to meet more of you on future trips!

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

A helicopter mom?  I hate that term, because it implies something negative.  You're a mom, a good mom.  Period.  I agree...that child should not have been on the ride by herself and as for her mother being in the car behind you...a child abductions takes only seconds.  Let alone that (it sounds like) the ride scared her and she was only around strangers.  You were wonderful to try and distract her.  I agree, that ride can be a bit intense.  There is no way that I would have let my young child ride by herself.

 

Love your comment about the Fort being home... I think most (if not all) fiends feel that way :)  I also think we all cry, when it's time to leave....

 

Sound like a very memorable trip.  Thanks for the TR!   :)

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

What a great ending to your TR!  Thanks for sharing!

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I am glad that you got your MB back.

 

For future reference,  I am not sure if you know, but you can use your actual plastic pass in place of the MB if need be.  The pass and the MB's assigned to you on MDE are all interchangeable.  They tell you to always carry your pass and ID with you for this very reason.

 

Great job on this report, and congratulations on this being a pivotal trip.  I think we all had much more fun once everyone in our family was tall enough and brave enough to do everything.  It makes planning the day so much easier.

 

TCD

[lklasing 16]

Loved your report!  Such cute boys and a cute family!  I love that y'all did so many new things that you hadn't done before - that's my favorite part of every trip - finding and doing things that are completely new to us even though they may have been there forever.

 

And, I love the pic of your boys accidentally recreating the BOG mosaic.  So cute!

 

Thanks for a great report!

[Thrill Shakespeare (Andy) 58]

For future reference,  I am not sure if you know, but you can use your actual plastic pass in place of the MB if need be.  The pass and the MB's assigned to you on MDE are all interchangeable.  They tell you to always carry your pass and ID with you for this very reason.

 

We do know this, and I had her pass in my wallet.  I think the real traumatic part of it for Janet was the chance of losing the Annual Pass Holder slider on the missing band.  :laugh:  It turned out to be yet another great chance to see some great CMs at work.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

We do know this, and I had her pass in my wallet.  I think the real traumatic part of it for Janet was the chance of losing the Annual Pass Holder slider on the missing band.  :laugh:  It turned out to be yet another great chance to see some great CMs at work.

 

I understand, and I probably would have done the exact same thing. Amazing that we are enamored with a little piece of rubber that probably cost less than a cent to make.  And it is always good to see the Disney difference in action.

 

TCD

[DramaMama .......... Janet 75]

Thanks for all the kind words everyone! 

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Enjoyed your report!! 

 

I have no problem with kids of any age being at WDW by themselves.  I've put Anna on a bus to Hollywood Studios by herself so she could ride Tower of Terror.  No big deal, right? 

 

Ok, I'm kidding.  There's no way I'd let my younger kids ride single rider like that.  You were awesome, but what if the kid was seated next to a real jerk?  You just don't know.  To each their own I guess.  But I wouldn't do it at that age. 

[momof3kids-Yvonne 594]

Great report!

 

I love how you handle your boys and there hesitation about riding things.  I hate seeing people force their children to ride something.  

 

We are helicopter parents too.  When my youngest and I joined the Fiends who were at the Memorial Day GG in Townsend my husband kept telling me not to let our daughter go off with anyone even kids I didn't know.  She's 12.  

[Beckers 1,136]

A helicopter mom? I hate that term, because it implies something negative. You're a mom, a good mom. Period. I agree...that child should not have been on the ride by herself and as for her mother being in the car behind you...a child abductions takes only seconds. Let alone that (it sounds like) the ride scared her and she was only around strangers. You were wonderful to try and distract her. I agree, that ride can be a bit intense. There is no way that I would have let my young child ride by herself.

This, all of this. What if the ride broke down? What if you were stuck for 20 mins and you weren't with your kid? No way, no how, not that young.

Love the pics of the tree house, we haven't gone in years. Need to change that, DS would love it.

Good job on the selfies!

Thank you for sharing your trip!