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Bag of Randomness for Wednesday, October 7, 2015

It’s great to be back home. We got back home around 10:10 PM on Monday night. Amazingly the kids didn’t have any problem with getting ready for school the next morning.
This is my last major vacation post.
I forgot to mention that every morning the kids woke up to a new shirt to wear which was a gift from a Disney character. In really was their mother, but I won’t tell them, yet.
Breakfast with the characters:

I love how BoyGeeding tries to wiggle his nose and Micky’s costume allows his nose to actually wiggle.

Donald beat me at thumb-wrestling

I danced with Minnie and she gave me a kiss.

Most mornings the kids just ate oatmeal or cereal on the balcony.
To our surprise, the kids didn’t ask us to buy one single item, and it only occurred to us the night before we left. So we bought them both mouse ears, BoyGeeding a pair of sunglasses, and DaughterGeeding some earrings.
DaughterGeeding used to be a big Doc McStuffins fan, but she was still happy to meet her.
Tired and ready to go home.
On our American Airlines flight back home, a Southwest Airlines flight attendant, in full uniform, sat behind us.
When our American Airlines flight attendant asked me if I wanted a beverage, I asked for a Sprite. Since I saw he handed a Coca-Cola can to another passenger, I thought they would surely carry Sprite, which is part of the Coke family. He handed me a Sierra Mist, which is made by Pepsi. I told him that I asked for a Sprite, and he told me that’s what he handed me. Trying not to be rude, I told him the can in my hand is a Sierra Mist and not a Sprite, and then said, “They are the exact same thing.” Well, I beg to differ, and I could totally tell the difference. Hey, I don’t mind if you don’t have the product, but when I ask for a Sprite, just tell me you don’t have it and offer an alternative, don’t placate me. I know how annoying this is for devout Dr. Pepper drinkers when people say Mr. Pibb tastes the same and people can’t tell the difference.
While at Hollywood Studios, I wanted to get a picture taken in front of the Pixar sign and asked one of the Disney photographers to snap the pic since he was stationed in front of the sign. Oddly, when he took our picture, he didn’t include the sign.
At several of the parks, I noticed people put on a GoPro head strap the moment a ride would start.
I’m going to have to keep BoyGeeding away from his uncle (WifeGeeding’s brother). He’s a big fan of the movie A Christmas Story and thought it would be funny to tell him to lick metal poles when they are cold. BoyGeeding’s version of cold is anything in the shade, and he started to lick all the handrails around.
Just about every foot of each park is covered by free Wi-Fi.
I’m very happy with my hat purchase. As I mentioned, my father suffered from skin cancer on the forehead and ears, so I made sure to purchase one he would have worn that would cover both areas. Not only did it provide me shade, it soak up a bit of sweat, and when it rained (mainly sprinkles and light rain) it kept it out of my eyes.
I’m very happy I didn’t bring around a camera, which is going to surprise my friends because they know I like snapping pictures and playing amateur photographer. Actually, they would have just said it’s the Asian part of my heritage coming out. Toting one around would have been a pain, and since Disney has their photographers placed everywhere you can ask them to snap a pic, or in my case, just use my phone.
WifeGeeding’s father doesn’t carry around a cell phone. This caused some anxiety on his family as they often wondered where he would be or if he would show up at a certain place at a certain time. From what I recall, he was dependable about nine out of ten times. Crazy how life use to work like that, huh?
You can find gum to purchase at any Disney park or the Orlando airport, I was told this was to prevent finding used gum being found everywhere. The Orlando airport reminded me a bit of the old DFW terminals that had tile everywhere where you could hear luggage being wheeled across them.
We last ate at the Coral Reef Restaurant in Epcot thinking the kids would enjoy the view of seeing sharks, stingrays, and other aquatic life swim around a living coral reef. The senior aged lady that escorted us to our table was from Vietnam, and I struck up a nice conversation with her and found out she was from an area very close to my mother’s village. She took us to a table that didn’t provide a good view of the aquatic life, but since we had this great conversation and a bit of bonding, she was able to arrange for us to get a much better seat, all without my prodding or asking. We exchanged hugs before we left and she hoped that we’d come back, but said she won’t be here as she’ll be retired a year from now.

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More Bag of Random Disney Trip Stuff

While standing in line for an Animal Kingdom ride wearing this outfit, someone approached me and asked a question about the ride. I kindly told the lady I didn’t have an answer, and she looked at me puzzled and asked how I couldn’t know anything about it. After a long pause, she realized I wasn’t a Cast Member and laughingly apologized.
Yeah, the hat looks a bit goofy on me, but my father had skin cancer on his forehead and ears, and this hat helps cover both from the sun. And besides, I’m a dad at Disney World, I’m supposed to look uncool and out of place.
WifeGeeding forced us to go up the Swiss Family Robinson Tree. I guess if I had to do it as a child and find it was a beating, our kids should have to do it as well.
Lunch was at Be Our Guest, where I had an impromptu dance with WifeGeeding.
While at lunch, BoyGeeding was eating his dessert, stopped, and ask his sister if she would like to have some of his dessert. WifeGeeding and I were touched, and I told him I was proud of him for sharing, and then he said, “Well, I don’t like it, it tastes weird.”
After lunch, we all took a group picture.

Some of the folks in Baylor gear went back to the hotel to watch the game against Tech. I jokingly asked who were they playing, Midland or Odessa? They didn’t seem too amused and I think one of them didn’t believe me when I told them they had Incarnet Word on their schedule next year. As for me, I put my phone on airplane mode for almost the entire day just to avoid any online temptation and to see if I would miss it. Keeping it in airplane mode also allowed me to have the camera option at the ready for any pics. I’m not sure if I’ll keep offline tomorrow though.
While walking around the castle, I caught a construction worker applying duck tape to a castle wall while Mickey was putting on a performance along with Minnie, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White.
Here’s a shot of some of the construction with Micky, Minnie, and Maleficent in the background.
Here’s a better shot of the performance with more characters on stage.
The Geeding family had Fast Passes to Animale Kingdom’s Kilimanjaro Safaris, but out of the blue, WifeGeeding’s father wanted to tag along, but he didn’t have a Fast Pass. When we got to the line, we told the Cast Member this wasn’t planned and a last minute sort of thing, and they allowed him to tag along. He’s a big outdoorsman so I knew he was going to enjoy it, and I think it’s the only ride he’s been on. At least it was his first with our kids. But even with his grandfather included, BoyGeeding still doesn’t like to be in pictures.
However, when BoyGeeding is tired, he’s the type that can sleep anywhere and almost impossible to wake up. And when he’s sleeping, we can get all the pics we want.
But he was more than happy to wake up to meet Micky and Minnie. We actually have better pictures of the event and other things with pictures taken by Disney photographers which is in our phone app with a bunch of watermarks.
The rest of the day was spent at EPCOT meeting up with family and grabbing some grub. I finally got to ride Mission Space, which was almost ready when WifeGeeding and I honeymooned here twelve years ago. While fun and entertaining, it wasn’t as intense as I thought it was going to be.
With the Disney wristband that serves as our roomkey, park tickets, and payment system, I left my wallet in the hotel safe. It feels so weird walking out the door and not checking to make sure I didn’t forget my wallet or keys.

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Bag of Magic Kingdom Randomness

Hey, I get it, I’m on vacation and shouldn’t be blogging. But I’m doing it while the rest of the family is asleep and this is a great way for me to replay all the great moments I had for the day and allows me take it all in and appreciate what’s actually happening.
The day started off by getting some notifications from friends that Junior Miller of The TICKET talked about the hug I gave him at DFW Airport. I was able to listen to it on The Unticket’s website, and he got part of the story wrong. He said I referred to him as Junes, but I actually called him “Mr. Miller” as a way of showing him respect, though I admit it’s can be seen as odd. He also said that I said thanks for getting me out of bed and off to work, but the truth is that I told him I know what he does for a living is just a job, but how he does it gives me sanity in this crazy world and makes me smile and laugh, and for that, I wanted to say thanks.
I’m a dad at Disney World and now that I’m forty, I’m old, so I thought I’d dress the part wearing long black socks with shorts and sneakers, but WifeGeeding wouldn’t let me leave the room in that wardrobe.
We took the ferry from the hotel to the Magic Kingdom. It was the first time either kiddo have been on a boat. During the ride, DaughterGeeding was staring at a park map intensely. I quickly took it away and told her she can stare at that piece of paper anytime, but for now you need to check out all of our surroundings and take it in.
After I scanned my wristband to get in the park, I was also required to have my index finger scanned, and will have to use the same finger to scan again from time to time for park entry. But another great perk about the wristband is that if a Disney photographer snaps your picture (and there are many) or if a ride snaps your picture, you can see it on the Disney park app (watermarked) and choose to purchase it.
I didn’t record it but forever etched in my mind is the look on DaughterGeeding’s face as she turned the corner to get on Main Street USA and saw the castle in full straight ahead. It dawned on me that kids might be having a hard time to see things and take it all in because of their limited perspective with adults blocking their view, so I made sure they rode my shoulders a lot.
I thought my brother-in-law was going to go all Clark Griswold when he found out the castle was closed for construction/repairs/upgrades and he couldn’t take his daughter through it. But you could take a look on the inside from the rear entry. I did witness two castle related engagements, one just outside and another inside of it during a lunch with the princesses.
I noticed a lot of the male Cast Members (regular park employees) were wearing makeup.
One of our Fast Passes were used to spend just a few minutes with two princesses, one of which was Cinderella. BoyGeeding is a big Paw Patrol fan and the leader of the group is a boy named Ryder. That’s the name he gave Cinderella and she asked him his name.
I got to watch a Down syndrome girl, about five years old, meet Cinderella. The girl was wearing a Cinderella dress and was nervous and shy walking up to the character. Cinderella was exceptionally kind with her, even taking the time to straighten up her outfit before posing for a picture with her. At first I thought the girl wasn’t enjoying the moment, but as soon as Cinderella told her good-bye, she looked at her parents, started to jump up and down with pure joy and a huge smile and laugh, and ran into her teary-eyed mother’s arms.
I challenged a few princesses to a thumb war, just because. Ariel was the funniest, prettiest, and hardest to beat. If I didn’t take BoyGeeding to the restroom, I could have challenged at least four more.
Speaking of BoyGeeding and Ariel, he did not want to get his picture taken with his sister and cousin with her. But he did so begrudgingly with his new toy sword. Just look at his face as he refused to move it away. I think these sort of things are better than “the perfect” picture because it makes for a better memory, and in my mind, a better picture.
I rode Space Mountain three times, and the longest I had to wait without a Fast Pass was no longer than twenty minutes. But due to bad weather, two of those wait times was less than three. You have to be 44-inches to ride it, and DaughterGeeding was just tall enough. She wasn’t scared at all and loved it.
I used to not like holding hands with anyone, but I have this great sense of pride when holding my daughter’s while walking around the park. But I noticed she rides the slow rides with a bit of sass. Most five-year-olds don’t sit like that, do they?
Parade time.
One of the best pieces of advice I got was to break up the visit to the Magic Kingdom into two parts, that way no one is grumpy and worn out as the day lingers. So after the parade we were going back to the hotel, and I decided the fastest way out was to follow the back of the parade, which kinda turned into me with BoyGeeding on my shoulders being in the parade waving at the crowd. That lead to one of the Cast Members taking DaughterGeeding’s hand and escorting her with the parade as they waved to the crowd. All of that was a bit too magical for WifeGeeding who actually teared up with joy. It means a lot to have her whole family here, and as a Disney lover, seeing all of us get to be part of the parade.
After a little rest, it was playtime at the beach.
In the evening we attended the Not So Scarry Halloween Party and did some trick-or-treating and then swapped kids with WifeGeeding’s sister, who wanted to ride little kid friendly rides and we and her child wanted to ride more exciting rides. WifeGeeding’s sister got the raw end of the deal as ours became so tired from such an eventful day, they simply fell asleep at the park.

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Bag of Randomness for Friday, October 2, 2015

As you may have guessed, we ain’t in Texas anymore, we won a trip to Disney World. And when I say won, I mean my in-laws were kind enough to basically foot the bill.
Many of you longtime readers may recall that I once stated something to the effect of I could never pull a kid out of school to go on a vacation because it sets a bad precedence regarding the importance of education. Well, perhaps I have lightened my stance over a lot of thought and reflection over time, or perhaps money talks, or perhaps it’s a combination of both. Of course, we are tempted to use this well known excused absence letter, but we won’t, at least I won’t.
This whole thing started because WifeGeeding’s brother, his wife, and daughter made plans to go to Disney World at this time. Next thing you know, all of WifeGeeding’s immediate family and their spouses and kids jumped on board, and then her mother and father wanted to tag along as well. After the trip was purchased, WifeGeeding’s father was kind enough to send a check that basically covered it all.
The plans for this trip started about ten months ago, and we never told the kids about it until yesterday. Thankfully all aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents also kept it a secret from our kids. And even once they were told we’re all going to Disney World, they still didn’t know all any family was coming along, though only found out as one family appeared after another. This whole thing makes me feel like I’m in some kind of Brady Bunch reunion show.
I’m very happy for WifeGeeding. As someone who doesn’t have living parents or close siblings with families, this is a great moment for her family. I hope she, and her siblings, understand how rare of a thing this can be and how fortunate they are to do such a thing. And of course, I’m happy I can tag along.
For those of you that are interested in how it was revealed to the kids, you can watch it here. It’s not one of those grand moments where the kids get uber excited or cute, but it was a nice moment for our family. As I said earlier, they had no idea until we told them today. They both went to school as usual, but then we picked them up early from both of their schools and told them we had a special lunch, which turned out tp be CiCi’s Pizza, a place they have been begging to go to. We then stopped at home and WifeGeeding did her reveal.
The absolute coolest family in our neighborhood graciously dropped us off at the airport, thoughtful enough to have Cinderella playing in the minivan, and gave each of our kids a Disney goody bag of treats for the trip.
Here we are about to go into the terminal. WifeGeeding forced us all to wear the mandatory Disney gear she selected.
DFW Airport used to be so easy to navigate when driving to terminals, but the remodeled version is awfully confusing. However, the inside is much nicer and thankfully there are no more tiles. Longtime DFW passengers are used to that annoying sound of luggage being rolled over those tiles for about two decades.
I noticed that both DFW and the airport in Orlando have kid friendly sinks. There’s a step ladder device under at least one sink that the child can fold down and step on.
After I checked in our luggage, I saw Junior Miller of The TICKET and spoke with him briefly, actually hugging the man to make it a bit goofy. I think he was there to pick up a friend.
I recorded DaughterGeeding’s reaction to her first takeoff. Once again it’s nothing all that special or stands out, but it was a nice moment I got to share with her. However, I’ve never seen anyone so focused on pre-flight announcements, she definitely had her game face on.
Our plane was only six months old and I was impressed with how nice it was. Each seat had a tablet/iPad type device that was positioned on the seat in front of you which provided music, movies, e-reader, shopping, and in-flight entertainment and information, along with a USB and s-video port. Each seat also had an outlet plug, so there’s no fear in losing battery life on your devices. However, I can’t get over how grumpy American Airlines flight attendants and gate agents can be. I’ve flown AA the most, and rarely do I find an employee that seems like they enjoy their job.
I was really proud of the kids’ behavior on the plane. Thirty minutes into the flight, DaughterGeeding asked if she could start on her homework and class assignments. Thirty minutes into the flight, BoyGeeding asked, “ARE WE IN THE AIR YET?” But ten minutes after that, he was out cold.
But once he woke up, he turned around to check on his sister from time to time.
Once we landed and started to depart, the new plane started to release some sort of visible cloudy mist to help cool things down, which was neat. For a second, I thought I was in the middle of a magic show. A cute memory I’ll forever have in my head is BoyGeeding run up an empty gate ramp at full speed into the airport.
It wasn’t until I landed that I found out we were going to Disney World on the date it opened 44-years ago.
Disney provides a very cool option for not having to pick up your own luggage or worry about getting to one of their resort hotels. They take your luggage from the airport straight to your room, where we found ours after our dinner. Also, you just take a charter bus from the airport to the hotel.
I was hoping we’d meet all family members on Disney property, but we actually ran into one batch at the airport that took a little surprise away from the kids. We met another batch in the hotel lobby, and the kids finally got to see their grandparents waving from the hotel balcony as well walked to our room. Those kids sure love their grandparents.
We’re wearing those Disney wristbands that serve as your room key, payment device, and just about anything else you can think of. There’s no need to carry a wallet. The first time we used them were at the airport to get on the shuttle, and as soon as it worked, the Cast Member said with a pleasant grin, “The magic begins, now.”
It feels weird not having my car and house keys in my pocket.
Here’s another interesting piece of Disney technology. We had dinner at a fast-food type restaurant at the hotel. Each paper cup has some sort of chip in it that monitors and limits your refills, and the beverage dispenser won’t work unless the cup is actually placed on a certain base below the spout. For instance, I noticed after my second refill that it said I had two more remaining until 9:45 PM. So you can’t bring in your cup from the previous day and outsiders can’t sneak free drinks.
Of all things for DaughterGeeding to get excited about, it was new pajamas when WifeGeeding have both kids new pairs – “Are you SERIOUS, new PAJAMAS!”
As we entered the Polynesian Village Resort, a man was playing “Over the Rainbow” on a ukelele.