DaveInTN's Christmas 2012 Extravaganza (AKA 700 Photos Of Anna and Food)

[fortpartyof4 108]

Oh man, I just had a really bad flashback.

You see that kid there with her shoes off?

The twins liked to do that.

You see that kid laying in that stuff?

The twins liked to do that too.

You see that big pile of dirt?

Back in the day, one of the twins would have been under it.

And I would have been sitting on a rock about where the person who took this photo was.

We didn't have internet on our phones back then.

Or email.

Or even text messaging.

I would just sit there with all the other parents and watch.

For hours.

And hours.

And hours.

And, remember, I had paid good money to gain entrance to this theme park where my kids wanted to play in a big pile of dirt.

Oh, and when it was time to leave, we would always be missing a shoe or at least a sock.

Always.

You see all that dirt?

How much fun do you think it would be looking for a shoe or sock in it?

Not much.

TCD

Ditto.

Except I will add the frustration of not being able to keep track of them while inside that trap and the inevitable meltdown when you tell them we have to go.

Despite the fact that they are drenched in sweat which is covered in sand, with beet red faces from the heat. This overheating catches up with them about 5 feet out and you drag them kicking and screaming to the nearest water source and hope to make it to the exit before they crash and you end up carrying them.

Good times.

As Jim Carey said in Pet Detective, "Do NOT go in there!"

[BuckeyeFortMama 43]

We didn't have internet on our phones back then.

Or email.

Or even text messaging.

I would just sit there with all the other parents and watch.

TCD

We frequently use the "let the kids beg to go in" so we can make the deal that if we "allow" them to go in and play they must promise not to go over to the rock pit or we will "never" go in this playground again. It works like a charm because they love that playground.

We park ourselves on that bench between the baby slide and exit. You can see nearly the whole playground from there and the 2 yr old will go up and down those baby slides forever. BuckeyeFortFan and I then use this time to catch up on our media things-fort fiends, facebook, txting, checking out wait times, etc and sometimes just plain old time killing that makes the kids super duper happy while we just sit and converse with each other

Sometimes we will chat with other parents in the super friendly Disney way. Those first timers are so easy to pick out and they are fun to talk to.

I should mention that this is always a morning coffee break for us (BuckeyeFortFan and I) since we have been in the park since it opened and we've rode nearly everything and the first show nemo/lion king show isn't for a while.

I guess it is one of those things like the quick service place at Port Orleans or the chicken waffles. It comes down to personal preference, but sometimes it's knowing just how to use it so you take the most advantage of it.

TCD

I ask you to think about going in there now with your smart phone with the understanding that the shoes are not allowed off anymore (castmember rule) so a quick dump out before you leave usually works.

Now that time suck seems a little more like a parent break that the kid actually leaves happier than when they went in (at least ours do).

Ditto.

Despite the fact that they are drenched in sweat which is covered in sand, with beet red faces from the heat.

We don't go in there when it is hot. EVER! No discussion on that. I agree on the sweating issue!

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Now that time suck seems a little more like a parent break that the kid actually leaves happier than when they went in (at least ours do).

OK- I am half-kidding when I complain about the Boneyard.

The truth is, we went there all the time.

And I was fine with it. If that's what the kids want to do, who cares? I didn't. Since we have passes, we have always done what we want. If they wanted to spend an hour digging for dinosaur bones, fine with me. I learned early on that visits to WDW are more fun if you go to a park with a general plan of a thing or two that you want to do, and then go with the flow with the rest of the time. When the kids were young, our days were much different than when they were teens. I think letting the kids make choices about how they wanted to spend their time then has made them good planners now- and not just for theme park visits- in other aspects of their lives too.

You are wise, BFM, to give your kids a chance to do what they want. Who cares if they have a million little pebbles in their shoes at the end of the day?

TCD

[BuckeyeFortMama 43]

OK- I am half-kidding when I complain about the Boneyard.

The truth is, we went there all the time.

And I was fine with it. If that's what the kids want to do, who cares? I didn't. Since we have passes, we have always done what we want. If they wanted to spend an hour digging for dinosaur bones, fine with me. I learned early on that visits to WDW are more fun if you go to a park with a general plan of a thing or two that you want to do, and then go with the flow with the rest of the time. When the kids were young, our days were much different than when they were teens. I think letting the kids make choices about how they wanted to spend their time then has made them good planners now- and not just for theme park visits- in other aspects of their lives too.

You are wise, BFM, to give your kids a chance to do what they want. Who cares if they have a million little pebbles in their shoes at the end of the day?

TCD

I won't be snarky and insist on having you tell my husband (BuckeyeFortFan) that I am indeed wise!

Instead I will totally agree with you. They are only little once. All too soon they will take off for the MK while BFF and I set up the camper. I don't want to wish away these days, they are too precious.

I also know that your time spent in the boneyard was before EE and Nemo and that makes a world of difference when it comes to filling out a day in that park. You had time to waste in the rock pit, finding socks, and kids among the bones.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I won't be snarky and insist on having you tell my husband (BuckeyeFortFan) that I am indeed wise!

Instead I will totally agree with you. They are only little once. All too soon they will take off for the MK while BFF and I set up the camper. I don't want to wish away these days, they are too precious.

I also know that your time spent in the boneyard was before EE and Nemo and that makes a world of difference when it comes to filling out a day in that park. You had time to waste in the rock pit, finding socks, and kids among the bones.

I'm sure BFF knows you are wise. He doesn't need to be told. But, if he does, say the word.

Yes, it's a different world when the kids can go to the parks without you. I'm glad that mine still let me tag along most of the time. I'm the one with the money, after all.

My time in the Boneyard was way before EE and Nemo. Heck, in those early days, there wasn't even Primeval Whirl or Triceretops Spin, and the girls were too short for Dinosaur (then known as Countdown to Extinction). When people complain that there's not enough to do in AK, I always laugh. They have no idea.

TCD

[DaveInTN 3,247]

TCD, that was a perfect portrayal. That place is a big hot mess.

Nicki, I fully believe in lying to the kids. It's one of the privileges of being an adult. Aww, soarin is broken (fp line too long).

Lying is a central component of my parenting style.

Oh, and this whole monkey butt thing has really caught on. It's in all of the other threads. Dave, you should be very proud. It's like fuego, that stuff is everywhere.

I particularly like the shortened version....SMB.

It that were a prerequisite, 99% of the people wouldn't post, including me.

Sounds like a dream to me.

How long until the monkey butts are on Fuego?!?

I like that...THE MONKEY BUTTS ARE ON FUEGO!!!

Ditto.

Except I will add the frustration of not being able to keep track of them while inside that trap and the inevitable meltdown when you tell them we have to go.

Despite the fact that they are drenched in sweat which is covered in sand, with beet red faces from the heat. This overheating catches up with them about 5 feet out and you drag them kicking and screaming to the nearest water source and hope to make it to the exit before they crash and you end up carrying them.

Good times.

As Jim Carey said in Pet Detective, "Do NOT go in there!"

We frequently use the "let the kids beg to go in" so we can make the deal that if we "allow" them to go in and play they must promise not to go over to the rock pit or we will "never" go in this playground again. It works like a charm because they love that playground.

We park ourselves on that bench between the baby slide and exit. You can see nearly the whole playground from there and the 2 yr old will go up and down those baby slides forever. BuckeyeFortFan and I then use this time to catch up on our media things-fort fiends, facebook, txting, checking out wait times, etc and sometimes just plain old time killing that makes the kids super duper happy while we just sit and converse with each other

Sometimes we will chat with other parents in the super friendly Disney way. Those first timers are so easy to pick out and they are fun to talk to.

I should mention that this is always a morning coffee break for us (BuckeyeFortFan and I) since we have been in the park since it opened and we've rode nearly everything and the first show nemo/lion king show isn't for a while.

I guess it is one of those things like the quick service place at Port Orleans or the chicken waffles. It comes down to personal preference, but sometimes it's knowing just how to use it so you take the most advantage of it.

TCD

I ask you to think about going in there now with your smart phone with the understanding that the shoes are not allowed off anymore (castmember rule) so a quick dump out before you leave usually works.

Now that time suck seems a little more like a parent break that the kid actually leaves happier than when they went in (at least ours do).

We don't go in there when it is hot. EVER! No discussion on that. I agree on the sweating issue!

OK- I am half-kidding when I complain about the Boneyard.

The truth is, we went there all the time.

And I was fine with it. If that's what the kids want to do, who cares? I didn't. Since we have passes, we have always done what we want. If they wanted to spend an hour digging for dinosaur bones, fine with me. I learned early on that visits to WDW are more fun if you go to a park with a general plan of a thing or two that you want to do, and then go with the flow with the rest of the time. When the kids were young, our days were much different than when they were teens. I think letting the kids make choices about how they wanted to spend their time then has made them good planners now- and not just for theme park visits- in other aspects of their lives too.

You are wise, BFM, to give your kids a chance to do what they want. Who cares if they have a million little pebbles in their shoes at the end of the day?

TCD

I won't be snarky and insist on having you tell my husband (BuckeyeFortFan) that I am indeed wise!

Instead I will totally agree with you. They are only little once. All too soon they will take off for the MK while BFF and I set up the camper. I don't want to wish away these days, they are too precious.

I also know that your time spent in the boneyard was before EE and Nemo and that makes a world of difference when it comes to filling out a day in that park. You had time to waste in the rock pit, finding socks, and kids among the bones.

I'm sure BFF knows you are wise. He doesn't need to be told. But, if he does, say the word.

Yes, it's a different world when the kids can go to the parks without you. I'm glad that mine still let me tag along most of the time. I'm the one with the money, after all.

My time in the Boneyard was way before EE and Nemo. Heck, in those early days, there wasn't even Primeval Whirl or Triceretops Spin, and the girls were too short for Dinosaur (then known as Countdown to Extinction). When people complain that there's not enough to do in AK, I always laugh. They have no idea.

TCD

I had no idea we would end up in such a deep discussion about the Boneyard, and kids choices in general. I really better get this report kicked back into gear soon before this goes much deeper. Unfortunately, I can't do that until at least tonight, as I'm tied up in a big pile of monkey poop at work today. In the meantime, carry on with the boneyard discussion if you like, or maybe change the subject and talk about favorite Disney snacks or something.

[fortpartyof4 108]

Dave you reminded me of one of my favorite old SNL skits…….Mike Myers as a Long Island housewife with a talk show.

"Welcome to cawfee tawlk. I'm your host Linda Richman." (gets distracted by something)

"Now I'm veclempt. Give me a minute. I'll give you a tawpic."

"Favorite Disney snacks. Discuss……."

[Family of Bears 98]

Minnie's bake shop white chocolate chip cookie...the ones in the stores by the registers.

That's my favorite disney snack.

[momof3kids-Yvonne 596]

Lying to children?

Never!

That sign says the ride is broken.

This is much easier before they learn to read. Just sayin :clint:

[we3peas 12]

Wow DD has been in the boneyard countless times. Never knew there was a sandbox in there. Glad she never found it. We had an experience with a Mom's day out that had a sand playground. I think we were able to fill her entire sandbox at home from her shoes every week. Eventually I found another to take her to that had the rubber stuff on the ground. No more sand for us!

[Heidi-meetsTCD@TSM 5]

Heck, in those early days, there wasn't even Primeval Whirl or Triceretops Spin, and the girls were too short for Dinosaur (then known as Countdown to Extinction). When people complain that there's not enough to do in AK, I always laugh. They have no idea.

TCD

EXACTLY!!!!

Our first time at Animal Kingdom was April of 1998. The park was open, but hadnt "officially" opened........we saw that on TV after we returned home. On that trip all that was open, was "its tough to be a bug" (The Bugs Life movie hadnt even come out yet, so we had no idea who Hopper and Flik were!!!) A boat ride, (not sure what it was called, but it was BORING!!!!) I think it closed within the first year. A "Jungle Book" show (I think that was where Tarzan Rocks went later and now where the Nemo show is) Countdown to Extinction wasnt open the day we where there.......we were crushed......we had read all about it and it sounded like the most exciting ride EVER!!!! The Boneyard was open and we all liked that. There really wasnt much at all. So many things have been added since then!

As far as Animal Kingdom being a half day park. If you truly did every single ride, show and nature trail/walk and have a meal.......well, that would most likely be the longest half day ever!!!!!!

[Heidi-meetsTCD@TSM 5]

Oh and my favorite Disney snack is a tie between zebra domes and a Dole whip float!

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Dave you reminded me of one of my favorite old SNL skits…….Mike Myers as a Long Island housewife with a talk show.

"Welcome to cawfee tawlk. I'm your host Linda Richman." (gets distracted by something)

"Now I'm veclempt. Give me a minute. I'll give you a tawpic."

"Favorite Disney snacks. Discuss……."

You may already realize this...but in case you don't: go back and read the headlines on page one of this report. You'll laugh to yourself, and think "how freaky".

Minnie's bake shop white chocolate chip cookie...the ones in the stores by the registers.

That's my favorite disney snack.

I LOVE white choc chip ANYTHING!

How about White Chocolate Chip Monkey Poop Bars?

Lying to children?

Never!

That sign says the ride is broken.

This is much easier before they learn to read. Just sayin :clint:

Right. I'll remember that at Defeated Creek this year. Yvonne never lies to her kids.

Oh, wait. I put my reading glasses on and see the fine print now. Nice.

Wow DD has been in the boneyard countless times. Never knew there was a sandbox in there. Glad she never found it. We had an experience with a Mom's day out that had a sand playground. I think we were able to fill her entire sandbox at home from her shoes every week. Eventually I found another to take her to that had the rubber stuff on the ground. No more sand for us!

Sand and children are a bad combination.

EXACTLY!!!!

Our first time at Animal Kingdom was April of 1998. The park was open, but hadnt "officially" opened........we saw that on TV after we returned home. On that trip all that was open, was "its tough to be a bug" (The Bugs Life movie hadnt even come out yet, so we had no idea who Hopper and Flik were!!!) A boat ride, (not sure what it was called, but it was BORING!!!!) I think it closed within the first year. A "Jungle Book" show (I think that was where Tarzan Rocks went later and now where the Nemo show is) Countdown to Extinction wasnt open the day we where there.......we were crushed......we had read all about it and it sounded like the most exciting ride EVER!!!! The Boneyard was open and we all liked that. There really wasnt much at all. So many things have been added since then!

As far as Animal Kingdom being a half day park. If you truly did every single ride, show and nature trail/walk and have a meal.......well, that would most likely be the longest half day ever!!!!!!

My first time at AK was May 2001. I'm not sure what was open, but I do know that I did not come away with a good impression of the park.

Oh and my favorite Disney snack is a tie between zebra domes and a Dole whip float!

Not bad....a tough choice!

[Family of Bears 98]

Wow Dave. Monkey poop bars. Congrats on the random comment of the day award. Because I have the power to hand that out. Aaaaand there goes my appetite. :)

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Wow Dave. Monkey poop bars. Congrats on the random comment of the day award. Because I have the power to hand that out. Aaaaand there goes my appetite. :)

What? They were a mainstay at the old Main Street General Store when I was a kid. They sold them right next to the TInkerbell Testosterone Patches.

[AC in A2......Aaron 693]

Now I am totally confused. Should i let my kids play in the boneyard while having a dole whip and dreaming of white chocolate monkey poop?

Uh oh......somehow I feel like i might be seeing that for awhile.

[Katman1356...Jason 1,140]

Now I am totally confused. Should i let my kids play in the boneyard while having a dole whip and dreaming of white chocolate monkey poop?

Uh oh......somehow I feel like i might be seeing that for awhile.

Oh Tag Fairy!!

[fortpartyof4 108]

That is freaky. Now I can't wait for the next update! Love me some Linda Richman!!

[Heidi-meetsTCD@TSM 5]

My first time at AK was May 2001. I'm not sure what was open, but I do know that I did not come away with a good impression of the park.

Me too........there were many trips that we never bothered going and would just stick to the other three parks (and the water parks, we always spend 2-3 days there too) However, when Expedition Everest was open, my boys fell in love with it and Animal Kingdom was back in the park rotation!

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

Dave you reminded me of one of my favorite old SNL skits…….Mike Myers as a Long Island housewife with a talk show.

"Welcome to cawfee tawlk. I'm your host Linda Richman." (gets distracted by something)

"Now I'm veclempt. Give me a minute. I'll give you a tawpic."

"Favorite Disney snacks. Discuss……."

She Must Be Getting Verklempt

I went back and read the first page and,

It's like Dave and FPF are pyscho. I mean psychic.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Now I am totally confused. Should i let my kids play in the boneyard while having a dole whip and dreaming of white chocolate monkey poop?

Uh oh......somehow I feel like i might be seeing that for awhile.

Oh Tag Fairy!!

Yeah, that's an unusual enough statement...where oh where is that fairy?

That is freaky. Now I can't wait for the next update! Love me some Linda Richman!!

Same here...love that skit. I like the one where Barbra Streisand shows up....oops, there's that foreshadowing again.

Me too........there were many trips that we never bothered going and would just stick to the other three parks (and the water parks, we always spend 2-3 days there too) However, when Expedition Everest was open, my boys fell in love with it and Animal Kingdom was back in the park rotation!

I imagine the park changed for many people when EE opened. Another thrill ride might put it up there with DHS for me.

She Must Be Getting Verklempt

I went back and read the first page and,

It's like Dave and FPF are pyscho. I mean psychic.

You were right the first time. Well, for me at least. I can't speak to the psychotic nature of FPF. Although I have my suspicions.

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

I imagine the park changed for many people when EE opened. Another thrill ride might put it up there with DHS for me.

OK, first you say you are getting older and want to "enjoy" the parks more and enjoy your children's joy of the parks, and now you say you want another thrill ride in AK??

So WHICH IS IT!!!!?? :)

[DaveInTN 3,247]

OK, first you say you are getting older and want to "enjoy" the parks more and enjoy your children's joy of the parks, and now you say you want another thrill ride in AK??

So WHICH IS IT!!!! ?? :)

The longer my older kids are off riding thrill rides, the more enjoyment I can get out of the park. Make sense?

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

The longer my older kids are off riding thrill rides, the more enjoyment I can get out of the park. Make sense?

nice try...

[DaveInTN 3,247]

nice try...

for the most part that's true though. Dragging 5 kids around a park is exhausting. Strolling with only 1 or 2 kids is a piece of cake. We had our best, most relaxing times when the girls were off having fun and we just had Anna, watching a show or getting a snack. Trying to get a snack and make 5 girls happy is impossible.