11 Days of Fun for Disney First Timers

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

One of the sodas (The Japanese Watermelon one, I think) was WAY too sweet. I found that adding a touch of Beverly made a very refreshing drink. The bitterness of the Beverly cut the sickly sweet to a more acceptable level.

I'll take Dr. Pepper please :banana:

[Roller ... aka Ed 351]

I'll take Dr. Pepper please :banana:

[okgirlie...Brandy 6]

Too funny. My husband is a Dr. Pepper addict. In fact, I had forgotten to bring him extra DP and then when we went to Walmart we forgot to buy him some so he was having DP withdrawals while at Disney. Mr. Pibb just doesn't cut it.

Good idea about mixing the sodas. Natalie didn't like any of them and there was one that I thought wasn't too bad but I'll stick with my Diet Coke.

[okgirlie...Brandy 6]

Our last full day was at Animal Kingdom. It started off great and then the weather took a turn.

But let's start at the beginning. We hopped a bus to Animal Kingdom and made it there right at 9am.

Nate went to get Expedition Everest fastpasses while the kids and I headed over to the safari ride.

We were then able to get fastpasses for the Kali River Rapids. So I ran to do that while Nate waited with the kids at the entrance to exploration trail.

Then we boarded the train and headed over to the conservation area where we met Rafiki, Pocahontas and Jiminy Cricket. We had to meet Pocahontas because my best friend's daughter who happens to be Natalie's best friend absolutely loves Pocahontas. I promised her I would get her autograph. :) The funny thing is Pocahontas left out the H in her name on her autograph. Oh well, my daughter's friend was so happy when she saw it. Natalie also traded one of her pins for a Pocahontas pin and gave it to her friend. I am so glad that my best friend and I can have daughters that are best friends, too.

We met Baloo and King Louie. King Louie fell in love with my daughter. We were the last ones before their break so he spent a few more minutes with her. He kept kissing her and dang it we didn't get one picture of it. I am glad to have enjoyed the moment but it would have been nice to have at least one picture.

We then rode the rapids. It was hot and I had hoped to get wet. How I wished I wouldn't have said that later.

We rode Expedition Everest next. My son, the one that is usually so scared of rides, loved it. I don't know if it was Disney magic or what but he turned a new leaf while we were there. This is the kid that is scared of our tiny roller coaster at our small amusement park here but suddenly loved all the rides he went on at Disney. Yay!

We ate lunch at Flame Tree BBQ. Yum! I am normally not a fan of pulled pork but it was very good.

We decided to head over to Dinoland because Nemo was going to be starting soon. We enjoyed the lovely show and then remember when I said the weather would take a turn and how I wished I wouldn't have said I wanted to get wet?

Yeah, it was pouring when we got out of Nemo. Too bad that I only had our cheap 50 cent ponchos from the dollar store. We got them on and went back to the Flame Tree BBQ eating area to wait it out.

We waited.

We waited.

We waited.

Nate looked at the radar on his phone. It wasn't going to stop.

At least anytime soon.

Even though we didn't get to explore Dinoland we decided to call it a day.

As we were leaving we saw that It's a Bugs Life was about to start and since it was inside we decided to do that.

Um yeah, it was neat but scared the heck out of my kids. Natalie jumped onto Nate's lap and Bryce was practically in mine. They did say they liked it after it was over, though.

We came back out to more rain.

We went back to the fort and started to put the inside of the camper back in order.

The next day the rain had finally stopped. Thank goodness. It wouldn't have been fun to pack up in the rain I made a last minute run to the Meadows Trading Post to pick up a Minnie Mouse pin for my best friend's younger daughter. We couldn't give a pin to C and not give one to M. I walked around the pool one last time and we pulled out at 11:10.

We stopped for lunch before we left Orlando at Giordano's. I had bought a restaurant.com gift certificate to there before we left. We got a stuffed crust hamburger pizza. We had to wait 35 minutes but it was worth the wait. That was some of the best pizza I have ever eaten.

And then the rain came back. We drove through rain most of the day Friday. Thankfully, we had no more rain after that. However, I did come home to 100+ temperatures and that hasn't changed. It's still that hot.

We said we'd come back to the fort in about 3 years but maybe if I start substitute teaching since my youngest will now be in school all day I can make some extra money and get back in 2 years. :) We shall see. I do know that next time we will spend more time at the fort. :)

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

Great report!!!!!

[MLM5.. aka Judy 97]

:bravo: mom!

You obviously done your homework, you mananged to hit all the "must do's" on your first trip out and wrote a kick butt trip report! Way to go! :highfive:

[okgirlie...Brandy 6]

Great report!!!!!

:bravo: mom!

You obviously done your homework, you mananged to hit all the "must do's" on your first trip out and wrote a kick butt trip report! Way to go! :highfive:

Well, thank you very much. :) I read the other board for over a year before we came. I am night owl so some nights after the kids went to bed I would stay up reading until 1am or later. I am glad it paid off.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Dang!

It's over?

I wish there was more.

You did a great job planning your trip, and on this report.

I hope you get back to the Fort before two years.

Until then, though, don't be a stranger.

You can help out newbies when they come along.

You are now a 1500 loop expert!

TCD

[okgirlie...Brandy 6]

Dang!

It's over?

I wish there was more.

You did a great job planning your trip, and on this report.

I hope you get back to the Fort before two years.

Until then, though, don't be a stranger.

You can help out newbies when they come along.

You are now a 1500 loop expert!

TCD

Thanks! I'll stick around. I need something to read at night when I am up late and everyone else is sleeping. :) I may even write a trip report or two about the state parks we visit. We are planning to go dig crystals in September. Hopefully, we'll go and it will be interesting enough to write about.

I don't know if one visit makes one an expert but I am glad you seem to think so. :)

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I don't know if one visit makes one an expert but I am glad you seem to think so. :)

Well, I said 1500 loop expert.

I mean, how much is there to know?

TCD

[okgirlie...Brandy 6]

Well, I said 1500 loop expert.

I mean, how much is there to know?

TCD

True True!

I know all about the comfort station and laundry room. I also know about that little walkway from one side of the loop to the other. Yep, I guess I got it down.

[stefa70 205]

Brandy, you did a great job on this report! Please do another one even if it's not the Fort.

Natalie looks like a great little camper. The pics at Epcot, her hair was all pretty and neat. When she got back to camp for her B-day gifts, it was messy and crazy! :heart: I always say, nobody cares what you look like at the Fort. Some days I don't get out of my PJ's until noon.

Was the pic of the kids with Pocahontas after she misspelled her name in her autograph? After I read that, then looked at the picture, I cracked up. Natalie is making a face like "Mom, she can't even spell her own name!"

Looking forward to more trip reports in the future!

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

Great job, Brandy. I really enjoyed your report and pictures. I have a suspicion you will be back to the Fort a lot sooner than you think, you've the bug now :banana:

[kampfirekim 260]

As we were leaving we saw that It's a Bugs Life was about to start and since it was inside we decided to do that.

Um yeah, it was neat but scared the heck out of my kids. Natalie jumped onto Nate's lap and Bryce was practically in mine. They did say they liked it after it was over, though.

We took our kids in there a few years ago and it scared them so bad they cried, screamed and threw all out fits. There was no alternative than take them out. They refuse to go in there to this day. :rofl2:

Great report okgirlie! You have a beautiful family... looking forward to more reporting in the future. :)

[Roller ... aka Ed 351]

:bravo:

[MLM5.. aka Judy 97]

What's so scary about bugs? We haven't been yet

[okgirlie...Brandy 6]

Brandy, you did a great job on this report! Please do another one even if it's not the Fort.

Natalie looks like a great little camper. The pics at Epcot, her hair was all pretty and neat. When she got back to camp for her B-day gifts, it was messy and crazy! :heart: I always say, nobody cares what you look like at the Fort. Some days I don't get out of my PJ's until noon.

Was the pic of the kids with Pocahontas after she misspelled her name in her autograph? After I read that, then looked at the picture, I cracked up. Natalie is making a face like "Mom, she can't even spell her own name!"

Looking forward to more trip reports in the future!

Thank you! :)

Natalie's hair is a mess 99% of the time. She wants to grow it long to be like Rapunzel, so she refuses to cut it. The problem is she also doesn't like for me to brush it and put it up. I am surprised her hair doesn't look like those fort pictures while we were still at Epcot. She wears me out!

And actually we didn't find out it was spelled wrong until after we gave it to her friend. She just likes to make that silly face. I have a very crazy daughter!

Speaking of that crazy girl, I forgot to mention that about halfway into our trip Natalie picked up a British accent. She talked for days like that. Then as soon as we left Disney to drive home she dropped it. She was all proper like too with phrases like Mummy, may I go over there please? It was the oddest thing. Have ya'll seen that movie with Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler. called Just Go With It? The little girl in it likes to talk in a British accent. That was Natalie!

Great job, Brandy. I really enjoyed your report and pictures. I have a suspicion you will be back to the Fort a lot sooner than you think, you've the bug now :banana:

Thank you! And I do have the bug and hope to get back sooner. :)

We took our kids in there a few years ago and it scared them so bad they cried, screamed and threw all out fits. There was no alternative than take them out. They refuse to go in there to this day. :rofl2:

I think it scared me a bit! I don't blame your kids one bit.

Great report okgirlie! You have a beautiful family... looking forward to more reporting in the future. :)

:bravo:

Thank you both!

What's so scary about bugs? We haven't been yet

Giant scary bug saying he's going to exterminate you. Bug Spray. Hornets attacking. Fun stuff for little kids.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

What's so scary about bugs? We haven't been yet

Giant scary bug saying he's going to exterminate you. Bug Spray. Hornets attacking. Fun stuff for little kids.

Yep, Brandy has it right. That attraction scared the heck out of my girls the first time we saw it. They had some cousins visiting at the time, and all of the kids were crying before it was over. Good times. It gets dark, then Hopper (he's the villain in the movie) comes out, and there are pointy pokers in the back of the seats that jab you in the back during the hornet scene. It gets loud, and there is a lot of fog and strobe lights too. At the end, there is an effect that is supposed to represent bugs crawling over your feet. The kids didn't like that so much either. It is all a bit overwhelming for young children.

I was eventually able to convince my DD's to go back, and they still lean forward in their seats during the hornet scene. There is also some well timed eye closing and ear covering.

I think it is a great attraction, but a lot of young kids get freaked out by it. I think it would be helpful to prepare them for it ahead of time.

TCD

[MLM5.. aka Judy 97]

Yep, Brandy has it right. That attraction scared the heck out of my girls the first time we saw it. They had some cousins visiting at the time, and all of the kids were crying before it was over. Good times. It gets dark, then Hopper (he's the villain in the movie) comes out, and there are pointy pokers in the back of the seats that jab you in the back during the hornet scene. It gets loud, and there is a lot of fog and strobe lights too. At the end, there is an effect that is supposed to represent bugs crawling over your feet. The kids didn't like that so much either. It is all a bit overwhelming for young children.

I was eventually able to convince my DD's to go back, and they still lean forward in their seats during the hornet scene. There is also some well timed eye closing and ear covering.

I think it is a great attraction, but a lot of young kids get freaked out by it. I think it would be helpful to prepare them for it ahead of time.

TCD

Holy Cow, thanks for the heads up, I would have had six screaming kids heading off in all different directions.. I'm thinking we might skip that..

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Holy Cow, thanks for the heads up, I would have had six screaming kids heading off in all different directions.. I'm thinking we might skip that..

You say that like it's a bad thing.

It's funny how kids remember things.

When my daughters get together with their cousins, the story of them all freaking out at It's A Bug's Life has some interesting twists. They all laugh about it now.

I say tell your kids that it might get dark and loud, but that it is all make believe, and it is fun. The problem we had is that nobody was prepared to be scared.

TCD

[okgirlie...Brandy 6]

I knew it could be scary so I warned the kids. I think that helped.

I just asked the kids what they thought about It's a Bug's Life. They said crazy and weird and yucky. I asked if they were scared and both said, "YES!" They both had a smile on their face, though. They also said they'd go see it again.

[MLM5.. aka Judy 97]

You say that like it's a bad thing.

It's funny how kids remember things.

When my daughters get together with their cousins, the story of them all freaking out at It's A Bug's Life has some interesting twists. They all laugh about it now.

I say tell your kids that it might get dark and loud, but that it is all make believe, and it is fun. The problem we had is that nobody was prepared to be scared.

TCD

Better idea.. send them in with Dad and I'll wait outside and have a beverage.. :rofl2: I can catch the straglers that way

[LONE-STAR 370]

We love bugs life never scared my nephews. But they like bugs.

[Starbuc71 162]

What a great report from the fort. One of these days a trip to the fort will be able to hit all the places you did. It had to be one of the ultimate vacations to hit all the parks, goto some of the best resaurants, hit some of the more non-famous attractions disney has to offer and....stay at the fort. What more could one want? I'm glad you all had a magical time

[okgirlie...Brandy 6]

We love bugs life never scared my nephews. But they like bugs.

You have some brave nephews. I admit that I was a tiny bit scared.

What a great report from the fort. One of these days a trip to the fort will be able to hit all the places you did. It had to be one of the ultimate vacations to hit all the parks, goto some of the best resaurants, hit some of the more non-famous attractions disney has to offer and....stay at the fort. What more could one want? I'm glad you all had a magical time

Thank you very much for your kind words. :) I still can't get over how much fun we had. I've made 5 photobooks so far from the pictures we took and I only made it through 5 days of our vacation. :) I am glad we have so many pictures to help me to remember what a wonderful trip we had.