BuckeyeFortMama

What is the driver exchange program? Glad I have a place worth commenting on to up those numbers!!! I really must get onto the next day because one of my all time favorite Disney peope makes an appearance in our trip!!!!1

I will admit we talk about the day that these become handy. You know, when our babies are more grown up. That's when we will switch over to the bike and bus family, but for now we will strap them in their car seats and go. I can see why. We have really little ones so one of us stays sober enough to ensure they are always safe. Someday, when they are older we will embarass them and enjoy all that food and WINE has to offer. The buses really are nice for that situation aren't they. And they are everywhere you need one and can get you everywhere you need to be (eventually). YOU must tell me

Here's a quick life in the Cabin snippet before I get going on the December 28. This was our first trip with kids to Disney that wasn't in a camper pulled by a truck. We have over the years upgraded the camper and the truck, but always the same result. When we are vacationing in Disney we are parked in a campsite at the Fort. We refer to it as our vacation home when we are struggling through normal life here in Ohio between trips. I am so glad we didn't stay in one of the resorts. This was at least close to a "normal" vacation for us. The cabin was nicer than a hotel room. The mousekeeper

They must have all brought their A game that day. Even the guy who sat us was having a ball. Glad to hear I'm not being hazed! Thanks Why take a bus when my truck or my golf cart gets me there faster??? And when the drive home puts my kids to sleep I don't have to wake them up to get them off the bus.

"What were you in for?" "How'd you get sprung?" So many cast members made jail bird jokes to the kids and the kids never got it, no matter how many times we tried to explain it to them. Most of the time we have 8 or 9 am openings because of the time of year we come down. The 7am openings were out of the norm for us. Fortunately we had enough practice that the kids didn't realize we were getting up earlier than normal! It's not very often we get the stern castmember telling us not to do something like we did at Ariel's wall. Oh well! At least they had their jail bird shirts with them.

Just put the crock pot chicken and dumplings on the menu for our next trip! Thanks for sharing

I could talk this kind of stuff all day long! Every trip is just more research for the next. Don't get me wrong, we do enjoy every trip but we are planning the next one as we go along. Ok, Lou! I think you are messing with me. I'll bite. There is no longer a rope at most places and I didn't take "Lou... is gonna question you" kind of notes this trip, but I do believe there is still a rope of sorts at the MK. It is white cord that is up when you first get there just around the arches. Some time near the opening (during the Casey Jr. Show) I believe this white cord is replaced with cast memb

It's crazy I know, but all of the families in our group of friends (minus us and the couple we traveled with) were sledding together. Snow never happens when EVERYONE is off school and work, and we were missing it. Mix in that it was the only Christmas both families ever spent away from home and it was the first day of rain on our trip. So we were homesick for a day, but seriously we realized we were at freakin Disney World. We gave ourselves a swift kick in the butt and got back on track to having some Disney fun. Well, then I apologize for not taking more pictures. I will next time, just

Notice the official parade line. Notice where our tablecloth is. We know our stuff. We start small and as the parade gets closer we really get set up. We get bigger as the crowd gets bigger, but don't worry if you are ever stuck behind us, those kids stay seated and you can see right over us. And looks whose up... A speaker and light in the flower bed next to us became a seat and a drum. Hours of entertainment. I have no parade pictures because of the sun that we used to warm us for a little while. It was shining bright in every picture, so I gave up and sang "5,4,3,2, FUN!!!" with m

December 27, 2012 Our first and only DHS Day This was not a predawn opening, but we were in the parking lot bright and early and we walk in through the side entrance along the bathrooms. I love that walk. Here we are waiting at the turnstiles. We are freezing today. Notice everyone with hats and gloves. You will see them most of the day today. Remember that winter storm warning from yesterday? This is what home was looking like, so hats and gloves were just fine with us. This is how to do Disney. Here are the kids walking in from the front gates to the hat. Lots of room, no one pushi

I sat down to write the next installment and found your video. That's awesome! Awesome that you posted me a video as an answer, NOT the ride in the video. I never minded the ride like my husband does but now love that little purple dragon! Thanks for the perspective.

I really enjoy watching my kids on the ride. They get a kick out of it, which is why I love it. I'm a mama all the way. Can't miss the piggy bank game or the fight over the kids wanting a bedroom and hubby want a retirement. What's the difference between 2.0 and 2.1? When I rode it this time I was thinking that the train was different last time, but maybe that was just bad not enough sleep mama memory

I almost didn't post this picture for fear of a thread hi-jacking Thank you TCD, I almost didn't post the bonus pics just to not get out of order, but I am glad I did. I hate to break any Fiend rules (being a newbie you know).

December 26, 2012 Rope Drop at EPCOT We pulled into the parking lot at 7:10. It was barely raining, but stopped shortly after getting out of the car. Normally we pull in next to the monorail to park just to the right of the monorail and the ball. Not today. Here we are walking in from the parking lot, clearly on the other side of the track. Which honestly worked out ok, since that is the bag check we prefer to go through anyway. Also notice the difference an hour makes at Christmas time. This was an 8am opening and not 7am so we have daylight. So this made for a not too bad place in line.

More of the extra pictures Christmas Day at the AK Here's a pre-dawn shot as we walked in. I especially love that there is no heads in this picture. ROPE DROP is AWESOME!!! But don't tell anyone, I want it to stay that way Our only Primevil Whirl photo A great picture of the Monkeys and the Gorillas HDDR Extras Waiting outside-This is how the girls passed the time when we waited for anything. Or we would ask them to pose for a picture, such hams they are. Always fun when any of the cast talk to the table But we had great seats for a table for 10 so, the cast walked by us a few times Her

Time to get back on track. The kids are off tomorrow, so I should be able to bang out some more reporting tonight and tomorrow. We had the friends who came with us over for a "de-briefing" dinner tonight and she brought a cd of all the pictures she took. So I just have to share a bunch of them because they are so good and she got pictures I didn't (like HDDR). So I'll start with those. Just to catch us up. So going back to our Magic Kingdom Christmas Eve. My friend did an awesome job catching every stop that very busy morning (it turns out we did more than I originally reported-what would we

BuckeyeFortFan and I are also 'foodies' and really do a lot of fancy table service. We also drag at least 4 kids with us and sometimes other families-so that TIW is hands down GREAT for us! So we always have the automatic large group gratuity so they discount covers tip and then some on every meal we eat. Don't forget the free valet feature (great for places like Ohana and 1900 Park Fare)

I'm not doing the work I should be because these trip reports are just sooooooo darn distracting, but now that I am committed to actually participating in this Fiend-ishness with my husband I am officially admitting online that I am reading your trip report(and at the same time admitting I am loafing on the job). I am quite enjoying the fellow large family point of view. And looking forward to the next installment!

Since before THE FLUSH-we have made the 800 mile trip a few times a year and never at the same time each year and for some crazy reason it is always at the same time as TCD trip. We were spiked a number of children ago, but I am truly convinced that he is a ghost! He must be completely imaginary and I am quite certain I will walk on Lou's bus before the Buckeye Fort Family meets the TCD crew. I should mention at this point, we don't ride the bus. Amen! Preach it! Finally real coffee brewed somewhere other than my camper or at the Rose and Crown

I haven't got to the day sickness hit us in my trip report yet, but normally healthy 9yr old picked up Strep and walking pneumonia on Friday Dec 28th So even though we weren't with you guys----- we were WITH you guys!!! Hope all are well now.

Thanks! Hoping to sit down tonight and get the next couple days on Go Big or Go Home! right? I must say the West Wing was quietier than the ballroom (except for the thunder) just because there is so few people, Just walking through the ballroom felt a little like 1900 Park Fair Our only down day is usually the one after we pull into the fort just past midnight. I am totally intrigued now. I just have to know what the Big Kahuna does for a living!!! As far as the beer goes I would think one would have to take the time to enjoy drinking them to rate them! Hard to do when you're goal is to ge

I must confess-we did GET IT DONE!!! this trip. We had friends with us, who stayed at Bonnet Creek, and the 4 of them had never been to Disney. Crazy I know but there are people out there who don't know what they are missing!!! So we needed to show them the Disney we know. We kicked butt and showed them the best darn time we could despite it being Crazy Christmas Week!!!! Bonus FP's are always a plus and nice "forgive us" gift! Even when we don't get an awesome ADR for HDDR, we end up doing it because it rains and we want some fun. Unfortunately we all still leave singing the OLD song the who

We have worked our way up to rope drop over the past few years. The kids are now disappointed when someone beats us to the dock in the morning or we aren't the 1st car parked at DHS. They love the Casey Jr. opening! and sitting on a the same ride 3 times in a row because there is no one in line!. As far as the matching shirts go, this is an exception. I love to match them and always have, but now that I am shopping in 3 different departments it is nearly impossible to match them!!! Unless it is a holiday (ie Christmas) and I can buy boys shirts for all of them. Those striped sweatshirts are

Rita-We say on the way home EVERY single trip that we are going to spend more down time in the campground. I swear we are going to hang out at the Fort in March!!!! I do! I do! I am going to disappoint you by saying it's gonna be Thursday or even Friday before I will have time to get the next day on. So, sorry!!! The pictures are the easy part of doing a trip report! Cudos to all who do them. They are time intensive. Facebook is missing me right now. I know I haven't posted much, but I have read over the BuckeyeFortFan's shoulder so much that I know most of you by your trip reports! Thanks F

I'm doing my best to keep up. So glad you're enjoying it!