I found a conference ... AT DISNEYWORLD!

[Fairy Floss]

Wed 22nd

Up early today (again)
Made rope drop at Hollywood Studios
Did Star tours twice

Toy Story
Rock n Roll Coaster
Back lot tour

Great Movie Ride

Starring rolls for a (huge) sandwich for brunch

Then back to the hotel to catch the (free) shuttle to the outlet mall
I checked on google earth last night and found that there is a Publix just across the road from the outlet mall
So.. We've escaped from the bubble (until 7pm)
1st stop - Publix
Got heaps of Disney souvenirs for lots less than inside Disney -Tshirts $12, key rings $4
Makeup!! Revlon foundation $10, OPI nail polish $7, Revlon mascara $8
Then - I found DressBarn - came out with 4 new dresses (total cost - $120)
Sketchers $50 runners
Nike - $60 Nike air runners for DD & DSIL
Elizabeth Arden $20 gift packs (guess what everyone is getting for their birthdays?)
Polo Ralph Lauren $60 lined cashmere trousers for DH + his hard to find PoloSport aftershave
Tommy Hilfigger - $15 T-shirts for me, $15 T-shirt for DS $20, striped polo shirts for DD

Back to hotel - dumped the bags ....
Then back to Hollywood Studios
Had a burger for dinner at Rosie's Diner
Wandered around - lots of browsing
ended up at the Walt Disney story - spent so much time just looking & reading
Did the Jack Sparrow thing (don't bother!)

 

[PrincessInOz]

Hmmmmm.....

Seems like you spent a bit of time at DHS. Did you walk it, bus it or boat it from the Swolphin?

Nice shopping!

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Wed 22nd


Then back to the hotel to catch the (free) shuttle to the outlet mall

Tell me more about the free shuttle..as we've decided next visit we MUST hit an outlet mall.

 

[Fairy Floss]

Hmmmmm.....

Seems like you spent a bit of time at DHS. Did you walk it, bus it or boat it from the Swolphin?

Nice shopping!

Mostly boat
From swolphin it's the next stop - so faster than walking

 

[Fairy Floss]

Tell me more about the free shuttle..as we've decided next visit we MUST hit an outlet mall.

Through the concierge desk at Dolphin
You book it a day earlier
Pick up from hotel is 9.15 or 12.15
Return at 3.15, 5.15 or 7.15
Totally free!!!
.... The guy on the concierge desk was really amused about how excited I was that there is a supermarket across the road

 

[Fairy Floss]

Thursday 23rd

Up early again
Alarm on my phone went off to wake me - but when I turned it off... I got the blue screen of death!
It's a really pretty, misty morning.
I'd love to take photos across the lake but I was preoccupied in finding a fix for my phone.
Luckily, Mr Google came to my rescue - hold the home & on buttons down for 15 seconds .... TaDah! All better! ... Phew
We dressed in our best polynesian breakfast clothes and Caught a taxi to the Polynesian - cause we're having breakfast with Lilo & Stitch
We had an awesome server and the characters came out quickly

I loved the parade for the kids

I'm sure you've all seen the food
But here's the photos anyway

Caught the monorail & bus back
Registered for the conference & picked up the stickers I had ordered (no postage! )
Then hopped on a bus to Typhoon Lagoon
I was looking so much toward the snorkelling but was disappointed - the visibility was poor -a bit murky .... Didn't see many fish
Went down Keelhaul Falls a couple of times and Mayday Falls ... Awesome fun
Wore my hat and sunglasses down Keelhaul Falls and felt like a princess. So I wasn't ready for the end of Mayday falls. I totally lost all my dignity! At the end of the slide, I somehow did a somersault - my hat went this way, my tube went that way, my sunglasses fell to the bottom and water gushed up my nose
I got my bearings and clambered out. A phone call to the 'sunglass rescuer' and with barely any disruption to everyone else, he was in and retrieved the glasses (which I thought I'd lost on Monday at Animal Kingdom)
A few laps of Castaway Creek , some time in the wave pool and we were ready to go back and get ready for the conference opening ceremony

 

[PrincessInOz]

Look at the two of you.....all Hawaiian dressed up! Great shirt that your DH is wearing. Love it!

Did you enjoy TL? I'm trying to decide between that and BB.

 

[Fairy Floss]

Look at the two of you.....all Hawaiian dressed up! Great shirt that your DH is wearing. Love it!

Did you enjoy TL? I'm trying to decide between that and BB.

I chose TL because of the snorkelling - from what I read, BB has better slides, but not much in it
Super fun

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Thanks for the shuttle info. Pretty Mickey ears..they'll take up a case in themselves given a few more trips! Sounds like you had a great time the last few days. Hope the conference was good too.

 

[Fairy Floss]

Thurs night

Hollywood Studios closed at 6pm today
Every time I saw someone questioning this on this board, I smiled because it was shutting early for me!
The opening ceremony of the conference was at Hollywood Studios!
At 7 pm, we were put onto a fleet of buses and driven to t Hollywood Studios.
We were let off the buses behind the Jack Sparrow "ride"
Off the bus and we walked down the red carpet where we were cheered and photographed and had to sign autographs
At the end of the red carpet, there was champagne, beer & wine
A quick glass of bubbles and straight to Toy Story ... NO QUEUE!!!
Straight on! .... And again! Oh my! My arm was so tired from all the firing
Then - off to the animation courtyard where there were tables upon tables laden with food (and more drinkies)
AND Mickey & Minnie ... AND Donald & Daisy

I was SO excited, the camera had trouble focussing on me ( I was bouncing!)
Then... Rock n Roller Coaster (3 times!)
Then... Everyone to Mickey's Hat for the official part of the night ... AND fireworks!!

Finally, we were picked up by the armada of busses and returned to the hotel

 

[PrincessInOz]

What a great special party! Was the food good?

You look so happy with M&M!

 

[Fairy Floss]

What a great special party! Was the food good?

You look so happy with M&M!

It was good
There was a station where you made your own tacos and there was other mexican food there (rice etc), another where you made pulled pork & coleslaw rolls (there was also baked beans & other 'stuff') There were appetisers and you could get ice creams from stands around the park.

 

[Fairy Floss]

Fri 24th

Conference....
Spent the day learning about holes between teeth, new technologies and dealing with difficult parents.
Finished and joined DH at EPCOT
Had a snack at China - sesame chicken salad and some potstickers
Had a grey goose slushie in France

Watched the fireworks and went to Magic Kingdom
Ohhh.... I forgot to tell you .... Today is the day Magic Kingdom is open 24 hrs (6am to 6am)
Monorail station at EPCOT was packed. So was the transport centre
Arrived at Magic Kingdom just in time for the fireworks - Main Street was SO busy!! You could barely move!
After the fire works, it was a little easier to move
The commemorative T-shirts had already sold out
Did the Buzz Lightyear ride three times
(It stopped for quite a while the last time- so I got photos PLUS a perfect score)

Pirates of the Caribbean
Peter Pan
Had photos with The Princesses (Cinderella, Aurora, Rapunzel)

also with Tigger, Eeyore and Piglet (Pooh didn't return from a break)

Had dinner at Pecos Bill's (burger for me, pulled pork for DH)
The crowd was still quite thick at 1. 30
Spent some time at the dance party and left just before 3am

 

[PrincessInOz]

Ahhh.....news of the conference. Holes between teeth, difficult parents......and then backed up with a Grey Goose Slushie. You have all the luck!

 

[Fairy Floss]

Ahhh.....news of the conference. Holes between teeth, difficult parents......and then backed up with a Grey Goose Slushie. You have all the luck!

ROTFL!!
The way you put it .... Sounds like a typical work day

 

[WanderlustNZ]

Great TR. Thanks for sharing.

 

[PrincessInOz]

ROTFL!!
The way you put it .... Sounds like a typical work day

You mean..........it wasn't??????

 

[Minniemum]

Love the look of that slushy! You certainly know how to get a girl's attention A perfect score on Buzz Lightyear, tell me more! I think I'm going to have to develop a battle plan this year. The kids are at the age where they're going to start whipping me and I'm NOT having a bar of that! Any suggestions?

 

[Fairy Floss]

Love the look of that slushy! You certainly know how to get a girl's attention A perfect score on Buzz Lightyear, tell me more! I think I'm going to have to develop a battle plan this year. The kids are at the age where they're going to start whipping me and I'm NOT having a bar of that! Any suggestions?

Have the ride "break down" and stop several times

 

[Fairy Floss]

Sat 25th

DH went to EPCOT. I went to the conference.
Finished around 4
Off to Hollywood Studios for dinner at Sci Fi
Star Wars weekend was in full swing
Saw quite a few characters

Sci Fi was amazing!
We were seated quickly in the back seat

Had the drink that comes with a glowing ice cube

Appetizer was fried pickles (YUM) - too dark for a decent photo so I pinched this one from the Internet

I had a Reuben sandwich - DH had the burger with a hot dog
Went on the Star Wars ride (again)

Went back for an early night and watched Wishes from our room