[lawwin]

Thurs., Sept. 30 - We finished getting everything and everybody in the car and left for Florida about 9:30. Lil Brer was chomping at the bit to get on the road, she called me at 8:30 to ask me when I was coming over so we could leave. We get in the car and she opens all her really cool pre-packed travel bags and new videos that DGM has surprised her with. This takes her almost a half hour. The first video into the player is Princess Diaries. We had a not so great lunch at a Cracker Barrel in Rome, Ga. (don't worry I took care of it.), and made fast time to Tifton, GA. Stayed at a nice HI there.

Fri., Oct. 1 - We arrive in Orlando. Had lunch at Cracker Barrel (decided to give 'em another shot). Saw a lot of hurricane damage on the way to the HIFS, especially on the 192 strip and on I-75 as well. We went to the room and it was really nice. Lil Brer loved the Disney themed kids suite we had. Lil Brer was dying to go to the kids spa, but it was not open until 6 pm. So, we ate dinner. They had a nice buffet. By the time we were done with dinner, the kids spa was open and lil brer was raring to get there. She got her hair done in Jamaican braids (half her head and they stayed up for over 12 days and could have stayed in longer - well worth the money spent) and her nails painted and done up with glittery stones placed on them. She looked so cute and she thought she looked like a princess. Next we went to play bingo. I won and got some tokens for the game room. lil brer was happy about that. She got some tokens in her welcome pack for kids and played trivia with the front desk clerk and answered all the questions right and got nine more tokens (they were all nickeleodeon questions and he thought it was cool that she knew all the answers).

Sat., Oct. 2 - DM got us up at 6am to eat breakfast. The buffet was good. I don't usually eat breakfast and especially not this early, but I went with the flow on this one. Then we went back to the room to get ready to go over to the Grand Floridian. I was happy - I am happy anytime I get to go to Disney and I really wanted to see what this inside of this hotel looked like. I was not disappointed. It was impressive and very nice. I really liked it and I would really like to one day stay there (in my dreams - keep dreaming). Lil brer sits me down and tells me that we are going to the MY DISNEY GIRL PRINCESS TEA PARTY WITH AURORA. I am shocked and surprised and I am thinking "cool." So we wait in the lobby for all the other princesses to arrive. Lil brer decided not to dress as a princess, she just dressed up. They took us in about 10:15 to line up outside the tea room doorway. The music from the Sleeping Beauty soundtrack was playing and at 10:30, we met Rose Petal and each "Princess" was given her crown, announced, and escorted to her table where a My Disney Girl Aurora doll dressed in a Sleeping Beauty outfit with a crown and sceptre was waiting for them (there was a little boy who came with his sister and he got a Disney Bear). There was a name card on each table announcing the "Princess" whose table it was.

After everyone was seated, Rose Petal began to tell us her story about who she was and how she came to know Aurora and the fairies. She sang her favorite Disney songs and invited the girls to sing as well. She explained to us how to properly have tea as she had tea in all the princess' castles. Then she and Baron Branch (who played accompaniment for her) went around and talked to the girls and posed for pictures and signed autographs. They wanted to know each girl's most special moment. While they did this each table was given a pot of hot tea for the mother and apple tea for the little princess (although the princess could have hot tea if the mother requested it) Lil brer had hot tea since we drink it at home. This tea is the kind that still has some leaves in it and has to be strained and they show you how to do this for those who are not in the know. They also show the princesses how to strain their apple tea so they know how to be proper at a tea party. Next, was the tea tidbits of food. The princesses had pbj sandwiches shaped like hearts with grapes and some cheese. The Moms got two small shrimp salad sandwiches, two small egg salad sandwiches, and two small chicken salad sandwiches, little bleu cheese balls in a small little pastry boat, grapes, raspberries, blueberries, crackers, cheddar cheese, and Irish cheddar cheese. They were excellent. My little princess ate my shrimp sandwiches, because I am not a big seafood eater and kept stealing my grapes. She also had two cups of my hot tea and then drank all of her pot of apple tea.

Then, Rose Petal gathered all the girls into a circle in the center of the room and taught them to sign the opening of Sleeping Beauty. Then she told them that she had heard that Aurora would like to come and if they closed their eyes and sang "once upon a dream" that she would come. They opened their eyes and their she was - you could hear the collective sigh in the room from every little girl. Then Aurora took the hands of a little girl and she and Rose Petal led all the princesses on a dance around the room. Aurora and Rose Petal then said that it was time for cake and the most beautiful cake that I have ever seen was held up by four waiters and waitresses. It had a picture of all of the princesses up on the top. They asked that all the princesses who have birthdays raise their hands and everyone in the room then sang "Happy Birthday!" to them and the cake was whisked off to be cut and served. Aurora then came around to meet with every little princess and Rose Petal and the Baron finished meeting with the princesses that they had not met with earlier. Aurora brought each little princess a pink rose and sat and talked with them for about 3 minutes. She signed autographs and took pictures with them. She was very nice and attentive. Lil Brer loved the attention. Then, we were served the cake. It was absolutely the best cake I have ever had in my life. It had a strawberry mousse between the layers and a wonderful strawberry puree to eat with it. The cake absolutely melted in your mouth. I would love to have another piece of it, and this is coming from a person who does NOT like strawberries. However, this was absolutely scrumptious. The mother sitting next to me said jokingly to the waitress that she would trade her husband for another piece. Now, that's good cake!!

After the roses were passed out and everyone had met with Aurora and Rose Petal, and the Baron, there were a couple more songs and then each little girl was given a card from Aurora thanking them for joining her. They were also told to go upstairs to the Mercantile to get their certificates and name their little princess dolls (the certificates are also good anywhere on property for half off the outfits for the My Disney Girl Dolls during the length of your stay). Lil Brer got a Belle outfit and a Snow White outfit. She really wanted a Minnie Mouse outfit, but they did not have one anywhere. They also got Disney Princess Scrapbook Pages as a gift as well.

It was a terrific tea and we had a wonderful time. After the party, we went to DTD and got our GOH badges and looked around. Then we went back to the HIFS and jumped into the pool. We ate at the restaurant again. The pot roast was really good and lil brer had the buffet. We played bingo again and I won again. More tokens for lil brer to spend in the arcade. She let the clown paint a purple butterfly on her arm. It was really pretty. DGM went to the room. Lil brer and I went to the arcade to spend all of her tokens. She had fun and didn't spend all of them. She gave a couple of them to a little boy who had run out of tokens and she couldn't find anything else to play. They were mostly boy's games according to her. Back to the room to hop into bed. We were going to meet the mouse tomorrow.

Sunday is MGM and MNSSHP. I'll pick that up tomorrow. We are having fun and looking forward to it.

[disneyguy]

That sounds great!!!!! What a great trip.

[Dana]

The tea sounded lovely. I can't wait to read the rest tomorrow.

[Jen]

Now that's a tea party! How wonderful!

Cant' wait to read the rest.

Jen

[royorb1]

Thanks for the great description of the tea party, sounds like something my DD and DW would love!!! Can you make resv. in advance.

[tinkerbell]

I knew about this surprise months ago *grin* .. I was beginning to think that I would never get to read your view on.. Brer Rabbit was so excited about surprising you with this .. and it sounds like she got just what she was hoping for !!!!!
and I agree your description was like being there!!!

[Erin]

wow, I've never heard of this...where can I get more info???

[Disnyfan83]

The Tea party sounds sooo magical! I got tears in my eyes just reading it!! I wish they had done that a few years ago when my DD was a little younger. She is almost 14, and athough she adores anything Disney, I'm sure she thinks she's waaaaay too cool to go to a princess tea party with her old Mom!! Oh well.

[sjpurple]

You can make reservations at the same phone # you calll for PS's. I made the reservations way back in May for Oct.3rd. That was suppposed to be the last day. They have extended it to January 28, 2005.
It cost 200.00 for the child and one adult. ( plus tax ). You do have to give them a credit card #. It sounds expensive but you get alot of really nice stuff with it.

[Erin]

Thanks sjpurple :c)

In case there are anymore of you like me out there here is a link to more info:

http://allearsnet.com/din/girlstea.htm

[lawwin]

Sun., Oct. 3rd - DM got us up early again, but not as early as the day before. We ate at the free breakfast buffet before packing up the car and heading over to see about checking into SSr. We arrived there about 9am and while lil brer and I scouted out Artist Palette and the Gift shop (we each bought a clearanced Disney bear), DM and DSF went to see if the room was ready. It wasn't, so we headed for MGM. DSF decided not to use his scooter and lil brer was chomping at the bit to get on ToT and show her DGF (my DSF) everything there was to see. DM went into the first part and chickened out at the elevator and headed for the gift shop. We met her there and everyone was talking about what a fun ride it was, and laughing about our picture. We then went on the Great Movie Ride, Muppet 3D, Little Mermaid Show, and then ate lunch in the ABC commissary. We had never eaten there before, and it was good. I never did get to go on RnRC, lil brer kept saying "no". By then we needed to check and see if the room was ready, so we could get ready for MNSSHP and our PSes at LTT at 5:00. The room was ready, and it was really nice. I really liked it. We put on our costumes. Lil brer was Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz (complete with ruby sneakers) and I was Snow White (I was wearing a Disney store Costume. It was nice, but it was hot.)

We headed to MK at 4:00, but didn't get there until 4:45 due to buses. I was so happy to be at MK. We got our wristbands, and treat bags and headed for LTT. All of the servers and staff were dressed like the people in HM and had their faces painted ghoulishly. It was really cool. The characters were dressed as well. They had aprons, halloween hats, and Minnie was wearing an eye mask. They looked really cute. The food was delicious, and Meeko tried to steal some of our rolls. Dale sat at the table with us for a few minutes, and spent some time with lil brer complimenting her on her costume and her Toto in a basket. She was in character heaven. The apple cobbler was delicious. We finished dinner and DGM and DGF left and it was about 6:20.

We were right across from where one of the photo places was and we saw some people waiting there. We decided to wait to and someone came out to tell us that this photo place would not be open until 7:00, but they was already a photo place open in tomorrowland and we could go over there to get our picture made. I had wanted to stay in Liberty Square by LTT until MNSSHP started, but I figured that we could get our picture made in tomorrowland and then come back. Too late, I realized that this was a big mistake, tomorrowland was where they put everyone for the party between 5:00 and 7:00 and the line for the pictures in TimeKeeper was horrible. The lines for everything in tomorrowland was horrible, there were so many people there and this was where they wanted us to stay until 7pm. All I wanted to do was get back to LTT. So, we went up toward Fantasyland and I noticed a group of CMs (yeah, I know they were supposed to be keeping everyone in tomorrowland) who were standing in a group talking and lil brer and I walked by them. We walked through Fantasyland back to Liberty Square and back to the porch of LTT. It was actually really cool, walking through Fantasyland where no one was and seeing the CMs testing the rides and seeing them operating with no one on them. It was really neat.

Just a few minutes on the porch and the party was going, we headed to the HoP Photo Place only to be told that it would not be open for another 15 mins. So, we headed for the one in Adventureland. Picture taken care of first before lil brer was hot and sweaty. Next, we slipped through the shortcut and headed for SPLAMO and BTMRR. We got to ride them both twice without getting off and chose our seat because there was no one else in line. I don't think anyone else had arrived back here yet. Then it was time to collect some candy. As I mentioned before this was the only day I actually had a plan for. We collected the candy in Frontierland headed through the shortcut and collected some more candy in Adventureland and headed for PoC. Then it was back to LS to collect candy and ride HM off course. In HM, lil brer got scared by one of the CMs in the front hallway. That was hilarious. She screamed at him and told him not to do that again. It was funny, because when we were going in I told him to scare her. DM had gotten a CM to scare her in HM as we were getting in the Doom Buggy last year and lil brer had said there was no way she was going to get scared this year, but that guy got her good. So we get off HM and head through FL to collect candy, ride some rides, and see some characters.

This is the point at which something very funny happened that night. We were standing there watching Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. There was an incredible line to see them. I just wanted to wave at Snow and have her see the I was wearing a costume like hers. As we are standing there, someone taps me on the shoulder and I turn around to see a spanish lady, gentleman and their young daughter. The lady explains to me that there is such a long line to see Snow White and their daughter would like to have her picture taken with Snow White and my costume is so nice would I mind having my picture taken with their daughter. For a minute, I was slightly taken aback!! I don't look much like Snow White (I am a little heavy). I am extremely uncomfortable in this costume (really hot!!!) and I am wearing glasses. Lil Brer starts saying "Do it, Mom!" and begins taking my treat bag and fanny pack (which was over my shoulder) and takes my GOH badge off the front of my costume. The next thing out of my mouth is "OK??" and a little girl about four years old is in front of me and a man is next to me with his arm around me and I remembered to strike one of those princess poses that I have seen them do and smile. The picture is taken, they thank me, and then they are gone with the little girl saying " Mommy, I met Snow White!" I am stunned. Lil Brer is saying "That is so cool, Mom. You are going to be in someone's photo album." I am still in shock about what happened and I can't believe that someone wanted me to pose as Snow White with their child, but all right. (RowdyRaider thought it was cool when I told him about it. He said I got to spread a little of my own Disney magic. ) We turned back around and Snow White noticed me and waved and told the Dwarves "Look, it's one of our friends", and they came over and shook mine and lil brer's hands. It was really neat.

We next headed for Toon Town and collected the candy there and went on Alice and the Mad Hatter's halloween tea party down the walk from Toon Town to tomorrowland. We got a lot of candy there and most of the CMs addressed us as Dorothy and your highness. It was neat. We collected candy in tomorrowland and headed for a place to watch the Halloween edition of Wishes. The Witch flies instead of Tink and the fireworks that go off all around MK are awesome - absolutely awesome. We almost got whiplash trying to see everything going off all at once. It was so incredible. It was not the complete edition of Wishes though. It was shorter, but it was incredible and they did it 3-4 times. Amazing. After Wishes, we headed off to gather the last candy stops that we had not gotten and to get our souvenirs from the party, and to ride the rides that we wanted to catch again. We rode BTMRR at 11:45 and SPLAMO at 11:55, and closed the park. We did not see the parade, because it was the same parade we saw last year and lil brer and decided to hit the candy stops and the rides while everyone else was doing the parade (twice). We closed the park and got back to SSR at 1:30. Tomorrow was EMH at AK and I knew that DGM was going to get us up early. Man, were we going to be tired.

[Disnyfan83]

Wow!! It sounds like you had a blast!! And congrats on getting to be the "real" Snow White, if only for a minute!

[Dana]

Great installment of the trip report. I loved hearing about the MNSSHP and the accidental character incident..lolol I think it's cool that you made someone's day. My DD was afraid of TOT like your's is afraid of RnR. It took me forever to get her to try it last year and now she loves it. Your DD will get to it eventually. I can't even get mine on the Haunted Mansion. I have yet to experience that attraction. I just look at is as having a brand new to me attraction I will one day get to see.

[lawwin]

DD went on RnRc last year twice, but I think she was concerned about DGF going on RnRC. She didn't want him going on anything too rough and was concerned about him walking too much and kept asking him if he was ok. I think that was part of the problem. She enjoyed it last year. She did, however, tell me later in the week when we went to go on M:S that she did not want to go on it because it made her want to throw up last time. That was not a problem for me. I loved it.

[Dana]

Originally Posted by lawwin

DD went on RnRc last year twice, but I think she was concerned about DGF going on RnRC. She didn't want him going on anything too rough and was concerned about him walking too much and kept asking him if he was ok. I think that was part of the problem. She enjoyed it last year. She did, however, tell me later in the week when we went to go on M:S that she did not want to go on it because it made her want to throw up last time. That was not a problem for me. I loved it.

opps. Sorry I misunderstood you. How considerate of your DD to be looking out for you DSF. MS wasn't a favorite of mine either..lolol My DD, however, love it.