Okay, one final post about our vacation to wrap things up on our final day and some final thoughts.
On the last day of our vacation, we woke up with 10 days worth of accumulated aches and pains from pushing ourselves so much. We were looking forward to going back home where we could get some well-deserved rest from our vacation.
We spent the morning packing everything up. We had a lot of decisions to make due to all the added souvenirs that needed to come with us. We'd packed three extra bags inside of one of our other pieces of luggage. We ended up using just one extra large duffel bag which we redistributed everything across. It was tight, but we were happy to only have one extra piece to lug around with us.
Spencer blissed out while soaking in our jacuzzi tub before we left.
We checked out of the condo just after 10 am and said goodbye to Disney World (which was bittersweet, despite the fact that we really couldn't take any more and were anxious to get back home). Our flight wasn't departing until 2, so we had a little time before we needed to make it to the airport.
We got most of the way to the airport and then decided to look for some lunch, so we asked our magic GPS to show us some food. Maria was in the mood for some Chinese food, so we found a buffet that wasn't too far away and ate there.
We got to the airport where I dropped Maria and the boys off to check the luggage while I returned the rental car. We met back up at security and made it to the gate just a little while before boarding. As the day wore on, it went from a fairly sunny day in the morning to cloudy to light rain as we got to the airport. By the time we got on the plane, the sky was fairly dark from storm clouds and the lightning shut down several airport services. We ended up having to wait 40 minutes parked at the gate with the doors shut until things cleared up enough that they could load the luggage and we could take off. I was annoyed because I read all the magazines and books I'd brought in that period of time which was supposed to last my whole trip. Now I had nothing to do until we took off and I could turn my electronics back on. Yes, sometimes I have petty complaints. Eventually we did take off to fly back to Texas.
The boys saw a rainbow down beneath the plane as we were finally leaving Florida. Unfortunately, it took me a little while to get the camera out, so it's only partly showing at the bottom of the picture.
The flight itself unremarkable, which is always a good thing. My biggest complaint was that they showed the same movie that they played on the way to Florida. I thought they arranged everything so they showed different movies depending on the different directions you fly in order to avoid this type of thing from happening. Apparently, someone goofed and put the wrong tape in on one of the flights.
We got back to Texas and exited the exact same gate as we had left from the week before. Maria's brother Clark was kind enough to take time out of his day and pick us up from the airport to drive us back to our home. It was especially kind since the delay put him in rush hour traffic on the way back. We were extremely grateful for his help in getting us back home.
We made it back home to find everything still there, the cats still alive (darn), and lots of mail and bills waiting for us. Ah, home.
We saved one surprise for the boys when we got home and had unpacked most of our stuff and put it away. The week before, a new Wii game had come out based on the Toy Story ride we went on three times in Disney's Hollywood Studios. I had asked them earlier which ride they would take home if they could. They replied they'd want that Toy Story ride, since you can ride it over and over and try and get a better score. So we surprised them with their final souvenir, the Wii game of "Toy Story Mania."
The boys expressing joy at finding out that their surprise souvenir was a Toy Story Wii game based on the ride at Disney World.
The title screen of our new Wii game. Exciting, no?
And that was it. It was a great vacation, one that we will hopefully always remember. Despite our aches and pains, we managed to enjoy every day.
As I look back over the week, one thing I am amazed at is how many different things we rode on, either real or simulated. We rode planes, trains, automobiles, buses, boats, carts, elevators, escalators, trams and monorails. We also rode on logs, people movers, time-traveling jeeps, space ships, Doom Buggies, roller coasters, rafts, hang-gliders, test cars, magic carpets, honey pots, and much more.
I polled the family to each list their five favorite things from the vacation, either ride, event, or moment. Here's what they said:
Greg (in no particular order):
5. Getting stuck in the Haunted Mansion and getting to watch the dining room scene for five minutes while trying to figure out how they did it.
4. Going around the lazy river at our hotel the first time. It folds so much around itself, that it feels much bigger than it really is and you feel like you are exploring an old abandoned Spanish fort.
3. Flying over California in "Soarin'" while smelling the orange trees and feeling like your feet are actually going to kick the tops of trees.
2. Having our boys asked to participate in the Indiana Jones stunt spectacular.
1. Listening to the boys, especially Spencer, giggle uncontrollably during Mickey's Philharmagic.
Colin:
5. Going on the plane
4. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
3. Test Track
2. Splash Mountain
1. Tower of Terror
0. Lazy River
-1. Introducing Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular
Spencer:
5. The plane ride
4. The shooting gallery in the Magic Kingdom
3. Splash Mountain
2. Getting to introduce the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular
1. The Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground
0. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Maria (again in no particular order):
5. Pin trading
4. Watching my kids have a total blast
3. Going around the World Showcase in Epcot, French pastries, Fireworks.
2. Splash Mountain - despite getting soaked every time
1. Disney shopping!
0. The lazy river and hot tub after a long day
On the last day of our vacation, we woke up with 10 days worth of accumulated aches and pains from pushing ourselves so much. We were looking forward to going back home where we could get some well-deserved rest from our vacation.
We spent the morning packing everything up. We had a lot of decisions to make due to all the added souvenirs that needed to come with us. We'd packed three extra bags inside of one of our other pieces of luggage. We ended up using just one extra large duffel bag which we redistributed everything across. It was tight, but we were happy to only have one extra piece to lug around with us.
Spencer blissed out while soaking in our jacuzzi tub before we left.
We checked out of the condo just after 10 am and said goodbye to Disney World (which was bittersweet, despite the fact that we really couldn't take any more and were anxious to get back home). Our flight wasn't departing until 2, so we had a little time before we needed to make it to the airport.
We got most of the way to the airport and then decided to look for some lunch, so we asked our magic GPS to show us some food. Maria was in the mood for some Chinese food, so we found a buffet that wasn't too far away and ate there.
We got to the airport where I dropped Maria and the boys off to check the luggage while I returned the rental car. We met back up at security and made it to the gate just a little while before boarding. As the day wore on, it went from a fairly sunny day in the morning to cloudy to light rain as we got to the airport. By the time we got on the plane, the sky was fairly dark from storm clouds and the lightning shut down several airport services. We ended up having to wait 40 minutes parked at the gate with the doors shut until things cleared up enough that they could load the luggage and we could take off. I was annoyed because I read all the magazines and books I'd brought in that period of time which was supposed to last my whole trip. Now I had nothing to do until we took off and I could turn my electronics back on. Yes, sometimes I have petty complaints. Eventually we did take off to fly back to Texas.
The boys saw a rainbow down beneath the plane as we were finally leaving Florida. Unfortunately, it took me a little while to get the camera out, so it's only partly showing at the bottom of the picture.
The flight itself unremarkable, which is always a good thing. My biggest complaint was that they showed the same movie that they played on the way to Florida. I thought they arranged everything so they showed different movies depending on the different directions you fly in order to avoid this type of thing from happening. Apparently, someone goofed and put the wrong tape in on one of the flights.
We got back to Texas and exited the exact same gate as we had left from the week before. Maria's brother Clark was kind enough to take time out of his day and pick us up from the airport to drive us back to our home. It was especially kind since the delay put him in rush hour traffic on the way back. We were extremely grateful for his help in getting us back home.
We made it back home to find everything still there, the cats still alive (darn), and lots of mail and bills waiting for us. Ah, home.
We saved one surprise for the boys when we got home and had unpacked most of our stuff and put it away. The week before, a new Wii game had come out based on the Toy Story ride we went on three times in Disney's Hollywood Studios. I had asked them earlier which ride they would take home if they could. They replied they'd want that Toy Story ride, since you can ride it over and over and try and get a better score. So we surprised them with their final souvenir, the Wii game of "Toy Story Mania."
The boys expressing joy at finding out that their surprise souvenir was a Toy Story Wii game based on the ride at Disney World.
The title screen of our new Wii game. Exciting, no?
And that was it. It was a great vacation, one that we will hopefully always remember. Despite our aches and pains, we managed to enjoy every day.
As I look back over the week, one thing I am amazed at is how many different things we rode on, either real or simulated. We rode planes, trains, automobiles, buses, boats, carts, elevators, escalators, trams and monorails. We also rode on logs, people movers, time-traveling jeeps, space ships, Doom Buggies, roller coasters, rafts, hang-gliders, test cars, magic carpets, honey pots, and much more.
I polled the family to each list their five favorite things from the vacation, either ride, event, or moment. Here's what they said:
Greg (in no particular order):
5. Getting stuck in the Haunted Mansion and getting to watch the dining room scene for five minutes while trying to figure out how they did it.
4. Going around the lazy river at our hotel the first time. It folds so much around itself, that it feels much bigger than it really is and you feel like you are exploring an old abandoned Spanish fort.
3. Flying over California in "Soarin'" while smelling the orange trees and feeling like your feet are actually going to kick the tops of trees.
2. Having our boys asked to participate in the Indiana Jones stunt spectacular.
1. Listening to the boys, especially Spencer, giggle uncontrollably during Mickey's Philharmagic.
Colin:
5. Going on the plane
4. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
3. Test Track
2. Splash Mountain
1. Tower of Terror
0. Lazy River
-1. Introducing Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular
Spencer:
5. The plane ride
4. The shooting gallery in the Magic Kingdom
3. Splash Mountain
2. Getting to introduce the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular
1. The Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground
0. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Maria (again in no particular order):
5. Pin trading
4. Watching my kids have a total blast
3. Going around the World Showcase in Epcot, French pastries, Fireworks.
2. Splash Mountain - despite getting soaked every time
1. Disney shopping!
0. The lazy river and hot tub after a long day
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