Saturday, May 30, 2009

Baked, crispy, and tender…unfortunately I’m not talking about the fantastic Disney food but my skin! We spent today at one of Disney’s two water parks—Blizzard Beach. The snow capped summit plummet, faux icicles, and wintertime music did nothing to relieve the stinging heat as my skin began to burn from the sun. Riding the waves in the tide pool at Melt Away Bay, slipping down the slides in Tikes Peak, and floating on the lazy river were just a few of our favorites while my skin went from white to pink. Today was our first rain-free day, though, and it was nice to see the sun.

We started out our day filling up with a hearty breakfast at our resort restaurant, the Riverside Mill Food Court. For lunch at Blizzard Beach, we had a variety of choices at Lottawatta Lodge. Some of us got to enjoy a cold refreshing ice cream sundae served in a plastic pail—and by some of us, I mean Beth, Brad, and Andrew. Mary and I were off on another spin around the lazy river and Grammy and Chris were in the tide pool and missed out. Mary had a few slurps of the melted concoction when we returned.

By 4 p.m. we were heading back to the resort. Beth’s son Patrick was arriving on an early afternoon flight and meeting us at the resort to check in. As if we hadn’t been swimming enough, everyone decided to get in the pool at the resort to cool off from our ride over from the water park.

See if you can guess where we ate supper. If you said Earl of Sandwich, you are correct!! I’m working my way down the menu and everything I’ve tried, I like! I absolutely love Downtown Disney at night. Everything is lit up and magical, music can be heard at every turn, and tonight while we waited for our supper and during eating we were entertained by the music and fun of the street dance party on the fountain. After strolling through the marketplace, we ended up back at Ghirardelli’s for ice cream where I tried a caramel latte that was fabulous and stole a few bites of Mary’s chocolate ice cream!! The kids all fell asleep on the way back to the resort tonight. A full day of swimming and a full tummy makes for tired kids! I’m a little wrecked myself, but wanted to get my update posted before hitting the pillow. Hard to believe we’ve been gone a week already!

Friday, May 29, 2009

Today was a star-studded Disney Experience from start to finish. Storm Troopers met us at the gates of the Hollywood Studios Park this morning kicking off a Star Wars weekend. And something I didn’t mention yesterday because I didn’t want to jinx the rumor was a secret I learned after my first audition with the American Idol Experience yesterday. American Idol winner Kris Allen was to be making a surprise appearance at the Hollywood Studios Park and possibly on the American Idol Experience stage. Well, as you will see from my pictures, the rumors were true!!!! Not only that, but I had a magic moment when I scored a backstage magic pass (wristband) that got me right in front of the stage outside the AI Experience where Kris performed Heartless as well as center stage and third row back for the first American Idol Experience show of the day featuring Kris Allen. I later learned that this was supposed to be an exclusive event for cast members only and a few select guests like those having birthdays, etc. After following the American Idol show all season, this was thrilling beyond my wildest Disney dreams!!!!

While I was hanging out with Kris, Mary and the cousins got something to eat and played in the Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground after seeing Kris Allen go by in the parade. Then it was off to Downtown Disney for lunch at Earl of Sandwich and then to the World of Disney for Mary’s Hannah Montana makeover at Bibbity Bobbity Boutique. What a transformation!!! After the makeover, we went to a photo shoot and then we strolled—well, Mary Montana strutted her stuff over to Lego Land where the cousins were playing. Neither cousin recognized her. She stood next to Andrew and followed him around for at least 10 minutes before he finally realized who she was—and that was only because he recognized her shoes!!

Back at Hollywood Studios, we use our fast passes Beth had secured earlier in the day to ride on our favorite ride—Toy Story Mania. The Pixar Studios area of the park was just recently added and this 3D interactive ride is a blast—literally! My score is increasing each time we play!The backlot tour is next, and this time I was able to keep my eyes open and only scream part of the time during the catastrophe canyon segment. Saw more Star Wars characters and then it was back to our resort for a swim in the pool and supper at the main lodge. What a magical day!!

Thursday, May 28, 2009

8:30 a.m. - We arrive at Hollywood Studios to see about getting in early for my 9:00 audition time.

8:45 a.m. - I have to sing outside of the park entrance gates in front of the hundreds of people waiting to go into the park (on camera with a microphone).

8:50 a.m. - I'm given a release form to sign, and we head inside the park to the American Idol Experience studio for my second audition.

9:30 a.m. - After some initial instructions, I practice and select a couple songs. I pin on my participant number and I pass audition number two in front of the producer. As the excitement and adrenaline build, so do the nerves.

9:50 a.m. - I return to the stage door entrance with the other two contestants to prepare for the first show of the day.

10:00 a.m. - After introductions and a brief explanation of what would follow, I'm ushered in for makeup and hair.

10:10 a.m. - I meet with the vocal coach for some pointers on singing my song and performing on stage.

10:20 a.m. - I talk to the green room host, drink some water and wait for the other two to get ready.

10:30 a.m. - Michele and Heather and I are taken backstage for final instructions and for the GPS trackers to be attached to each of us so the spotlight follows us on stage.

10:40 a.m. - Sound checks and our first and only rehearsal on stage.

11:00 a.m. - I'm first to sing in the first show of the day. The auditorium holds over 1,000 park guests. I am beyond nervous and not sure I will make it through Pat Benatar's "Hit Me With Your Best Shot." But the crowd is clapping and cheering me on and I rock the house.

11:30 a.m. - Standing up on the stage after we had all sung our songs, a teeny tiny part of me hoped I would win, but the rest of me didn't want to have to go through the rest of the day being more nervous about the finale show.

11:35 a.m. - I was only a teeny tiny bit disappointed when it was announced that Heather had won and would be in the 7:00 show later that night.

Noon - I can finally relax and enjoy my Disney trip.

The first part of the day seems surreal and yet amazing. Later the numbers start to sink in as I recall being told that over 200 people that try out each day are turned down. There are seven shows each day with three contestants each. When I think of the thousands of people at the park, and the fact that only 21 get a chance to sing on stage, and I was one of the 21 today--I'm in total amazement. I would never have tried out if it wasn't for my cousin Beth's encouragement and belief in me. Thanks Beth for making me try out and for an amazing experience.

The rest of the day I was in a haze and still recounting the awesome events of the morning. But there was still more to do as with any day at Disney.

Another new attraction at the Hollywood Studios is the Toy Story Midway Mania ride. We rode on that three times and also saw the High School Musical III show. Beth and Mary and I went to the Little Mermaid laser light show attraction and ate premium Mickey Mouse ice cream treats. Lunch was at the new T-Rex restaurant in Downtown Disney, and supper was all our favorites from Earl of Sandwich.

Naturally we had to attend the American Idol Experience finale tonight and vote for our favorite performer. I was so glad I had experienced the Experience and even more glad that I was just there as just an audience member instead of a competitor for this show!

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Just a quick post tonight as I need to get to bed and get some sleep before my 9am American Idol Experience audition at Hollywood Studios tomorrow.

Since yesterday was a bonus day, today was Day 1 at Disney. Day 1 was spent at Epcot after we checked out of the Saratoga Springs Resort. In 2007 when we visited the parks, Spaceship Earth (the big silver icon of Epcot) was not open to the public. Today it was our first stop and a wonderful attraction to start out our day.

We secured Fast Passes to avoid the long wait in lines to the Soarin' and Test Track rides. Mary and I had so much fun on Test Track that we rode it twice in a row. Our Soarin' seats were out of this world premium seats--center section, front row in the center!!

Beth and I checked into our next resort - Port Orleans at Riverside, about 2pm in the pouring rain and carried luggage up to our room while Bev kept the kids entertained at Mission Space and the butterfly garden.

A stop over at Disney's Boardwalk for a Disney Vacation Club member exclusive event and we were back at Epcot to eat our way through the World Showcase before watching the evening Illuminations show. Bev's favorite stop to eat is the Tangerine Cafe in Morrocco for some Mediterranean cuisine. The boys enjoyed American fries and chicken nuggets, Beth had fish and chips at the United Kingdom, and Mary and I enjoyed some delicious pastries from France.

The weather is typical for Florida--nice blue skies and comfortable temps followed by clouds and sticky heat, followed by rain.

Monday & Tuesday – May 25 & 26, 2009

At 10:25 a.m. Memorial Day, Mr. Garmin (Jack) finally got his act together giving us the highlighted route to Disney. After Beth realized we weren’t moving because the car wasn’t turned on, she started the engine and we were on our way. We’d already had our day’s worth of drama when Andrew spilled RED juice on his WHITE “Disney Road Trip” shirt at breakfast. Half of a Tide stain stick, a hairdryer, and ten minutes later, we were all posing next to the van for the picture with our Mickey Ears and personalized trip shirts Beth had given us all to wear that morning.
In the car, Brad chewed on his toes while Mary sang to the songs on her MP3 player. Andrew and Christopher watched a DVD, and Beth was focused on her driving since we left Indianapolis in the pouring rain. Bev read a magazine, and I began writing the day’s blog posting I assumed I would upload later that night.
Throughout the trip as we crossed over the border of each state, the kids had a geography lesson reviewing the states and their respective capitals starting with Beth’s home state of Colorado and adding each state as we entered into it.
Around 5 p.m., Bev spotted a Mayfield Dairy billboard and we decided to check it out as we entered Athens, Tennessee. Four miles off the beaten path, we found the dairy, but it had just closed. So we drove back to a gas station we had passed and filled up and grabbed some snacks. The station’s convenience store carried the Mayfield brand ice cream so we bought some to sample. Unfortunately, they didn’t have spoons, so we ate the ice cream using cup lids and straws. Baby Brad doesn’t care how his ice cream is fed to him as long as he gets some.
About 7p.m. just an hour or so north of Atlanta, Georgia, we stopped for supper at a Cracker Barrel. We stretch our legs while walking around the gift shop, and I beat Christopher in a game of checkers. As we’re paying the bill to leave, I hear Beth indicate to the cashier that we will drive a little further to get south of Atlanta before pulling over for the night. Unbeknownst to us, Beth had other plans.
The skyscrapers of Atlanta lit up the night sky as we made our way through the heart of downtown. I knew we had driven out of Atlanta and gotten far enough south to be out of the way of Tuesday’s morning traffic, but we kept going…passing each exit indicating lodging AND passing the point of the wee hours of the morning. Long after the kids had all drifted off to sleep, I wondered just how crazy my cousin Beth was to keep pushing down the road. I found out she was just crazy enough to get us to Disney World in Orlando, FL at 4:51 a.m. on Tuesday the 26th—one day earlier than expected. She had wanted to surprise us with our first destination—one night’s stay at Saratoga Springs Spa & Resort.
Mary is now awake and asking me to pinch her as neither one of us can believe we’re actually here already. “I am so, so, so, so, so, so, so happy!” Mary exclaims. Beth checks with the front desk to see when we can pre-register and comes back declaring, “It smells and sounds like Disney.” Christopher decides it tastes like Disney, too. We all get a second wind with the adrenaline rush and walk around the grounds of the resort as the sun begins to rise.
Some of us get a little catnap on the lobby couches waiting for breakfast to be served. Mary and I indulge in pastry and a hearty breakfast plate. Our room won’t be ready until at least 12:30, so we get back in the car to make a trip to Wal-Mart and to meet with Beth’s ticket connection for her Disney guide. Back at the resort, we eventually find the recreation room for the morning pin trading event and Beth finally realizes she may be a little tired. The kids exchange some pins and Mary and I try our hand at ping pong. The sun is already combining with the moist Florida air making for a steamy day so the pool begins to fill up with resort guests looking for a way to cool off.
We make our way down to the waterfront to take the boat over to Downtown Disney. Earl of Sandwich is, of course, where we have to go. This is a favorite stop of our group of seven seasoned Disney travelers, and we are not disappointed with the wonderful cuisine. The kids stop to play in Lego land and then it’s back to the resort to carry our luggage into our now ready rooms.
Some unpacking and reorganizing, a shower, and we don our swimwear and are ready to head to the pool. Unfortunately, the typical afternoon thunderstorm is looming overhead and a flash of lightning and a crack of thunder send us back to our rooms. I think it was God’s way of telling us that we needed some rest before the sunning and swimming commences. Mary ended up taking a good two-hour nap and got up just in time for us to drive back over to Downtown Disney for supper. This time we try an Earl Cobb Salad from Earl of Sandwich and a Meatball and Parmesan pizza from Wolfgang Puck Express. After some shopping and more Lego play in the downpour, we head back over to the resort to prepare for our actual first Disney day. Today was a bonus day!

Sunday, May 24, 2009

After complimentary breakfast at the Comfort Inn & Suites where we are staying, we were off to the racetrack. Mary stayed behind at the hotel with Aunt Bev to help watch the little ones, swim, and hang out.
The night before when we were out at supper, I was told by one of the veteran race goers that the race is big, fast, hot, smelly, and loud. I was not disappointed on any count there. What WAS surprising was how much I enjoyed myself. The race I found out was also: thrilling, exciting, and compelling. It’s not just a race—it’s a major sporting event. I was overwhelmed by the nearly half million people that attend this event. Also, the family tradition and bond that my cousins have enjoyed for the last 25 years at this event was a wonderful experience I was honored to be a part of—it’s more than just about being at the race for this family’s custom!
We walked around the infield before the race taking in the sights and activities. Down in the pit at Gasoline Alley we sneak some pictures over the crowd at the guardrail to take some pictures of the cars and the crews getting in place. The pre-race formalities and traditions of Florence Henderson and Jim Neighbors singing really set the mood for the announcement: “Ladies and gentlemen start your engines!”
The weather conditions remained perfect for the race throughout the day, but there were still several yellow flags. Our seats were in the Southwest Vista section between the first and second turns, so we did get to see firsthand the most spectacular crash of the day between Vitor Meira and Raphael Matos.
Watching Helio win his third Indy 500 and cheering Danica on who came in third was the highlight of the race for me. We remained in the stands to watch Helio take his victory lap in the pace car.
We finished off the day with a great dinner at Buca de beppos in downtown Indianapolis—the best Italian food I’ve ever tasted!!! Mary and the boys went swimming in the hotel pool one last time when we got back and now we need to get to bed so we can get on with the part of the trip Mary is waiting for—DISNEY WORLD!!!!

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Our scheduled departure from Iowa for Indiana was 3 a.m. Knowing my cousin, Beth, I made certain to be ready a little ahead of time. At 2:40 a.m., my cell phone rang with the message that they were almost there. We loaded into her minivan and were headed down the road by 2:51 a.m.. I knew I was in trouble when Beth was pleased to be getting an earlier start and declared she might possibly allow an extra minute at our bathroom break since we were so prompt. My husband will be happy to know there is someone even stricter than he about making potty stops. Thank goodness Bev requested the first stop. By the time we had made our third stop only four and a half hours into the trip, Beth began telling us she had only stopped twice on her 12 hour trip from Colorado to Iowa. (I’ve decided I won’t be drinking any liquid for the remainder of our time on the road.) Thank goodness Baby Brad began to cry and Beth decided to stop to let him out and run around. There’s no way I would’ve pinched him so that he cried…really!!
We checked into our hotel about noon and went to the track. The food and merchandise vendors outside the track were as plentiful as the drunken race-goers. The houses up and down the street leading up to the track area proudly display checkered flags and Indianapolis Motor Speedway banners. The residents are friendly and cheerfully selling reserved parking spots in front of their beautifully manicured yards.
Back at the hotel we regroup and walk downtown to see if we can catch a glimpse of the celebrities being interviewed on the red carpet before they attend the Snakepit Ball at the Indiana Roof Ballroom. On the way, we stop in the Hyatt Hotel for a ride up and down the glass elevator. Many race-goers are dressed to the nines to go to the red carpet event—quite the contrast from the crowd we saw at the track earlier. At the mention of celebrities, Mary is hopeful that a Jo Bro will show—but, no such luck. Dancing with the Stars celebs Derek Huff, Mario Lopez, and Helio Castroneves are the only ones we get to see.
Sixteen of us have supper at Chammp’s and walk back to the hotel for a swim and to get to bed early before race day. We’re hoping the weather holds so the race can be completed on Sunday. (We have to leave for Disney Monday morning!)

Tentative DW Itinerary

Beth sent our schedule for lodging and dining recently. I've added some other agenda items here as well (like the date of my confirmed Idol audition!!). Mary and I are so excited!!! We'll be packing tomorrow morning and getting our road snacks prepared. As for tonight, Mary watched all our Disney videos from our 2007 trip and looked at the photo albums, too. Right now she is looking at our Disney maps again.

Indy 500 Race on May 24

Arrive into Disney on May 27- First 4 nights are at Port Orleans Riverside

Deb auditions for American Idol Experience on May 28 at 9 a.m.

On the 31st, we switch over to our 2 bedroom room at Beach Club Villas.

Dining and tour reservations that week are as follows:

May 31 - Spoodles on the Boardwalk

June 1 - Cape May Cafe at the Beach Club

June 2 - Behind the Seeds at Epcot
Teppan Edo Japan

Princess Storybook Dining at Akerchus

June 3 - Sci-Fi Dine In Hollywood Studios

June 4 - Crystal Palace character dinner and Family Magic Tour at Magic Kingdom

June 5 - 50's Prime Time Cafe- Hollywood Studios

On the 5th, we check out of Beach Club Villas and into (to be determined) for 2 nights.

Leave Disney World on June 7th for St. Simons Island, GA for Pizza.

Arrive home on the 11th of June.

Guess Who's Going to Walt Disney World!

**8 DAYS LEFT**!! Before we leave on the first leg of our trip. The first leg is a stop in Indiana for the Indy 500 races over Memorial Day weekend. Check back here after I experience my first race!