Happy New Year, friends! I hope your holidays were fantastic and filled with love and joy! Ours certainly was.
My Captain and I surprised Critter and Varmint with a trip to Disney World during the week between Christmas and New Years.
It was not only their first trip, but mine too! I love the picture, below, of the kids with Goofy. Oh, and there is some Disney doggie character in the background as well…..
We enjoyed ourselves immensely, and learned a lot about the whole “Disney Experience.”
I’ll pass on some of my newly gained nuggets of wisdom to you, because I love ya!
Firstly, do NOT ever get the meal plan. At least, don’t get as many meal plans as there are people in your group. Why? Because it’s too much freakin’ food, that’s why, and you’ll feel compelled to eat it all since you paid for it. It was nothing less than a gastronomical challenge to me, I tell you. Every seam in all of my pants have been punished beyond their capacity. I’m surprised I didn’t have a blow out while I was there.
Secondly, if you do not like crowds, be sure to miss the New Years Eve celebrations at any of the parks, because around 5pm, the Disney Staff, in their infinite wisdom, hand noisemakers out to all the sugar-filled kids in the crowd, in anticipation of the midnight celebration. It raises the decibels of the crowd in general exponentially. By 8:00pm, I was ready to grab one of those noisemakers from any passing kid, and shove it up Mickey’s as…..er, that is, I was ready to leave.
Thirdly, a person cannot possibly ride Space Mountain enough times. It’s absolutely impossible. Or Expedition Everest, for that matter.
Fourthly, if you are staying at a resort in Disney that is hosting a Basketball Tournament while you are there, and you are in the hot tub enjoying what you expect to be a quiet, adult, relaxing moment, and then half of the basketball players and their girlfriends descend upon the tub, while eating ice-cream sandwiches, and you exclaim, “Oh HELL no!”, be prepared for your youngest child to tell this story to a complete stranger and his family while waiting in line for the Fantasmic Show. Expect all of the blood to rush to your ears in embarrassment. Then pull the little peckerhead aside and promise him that if he throws you under the bus again, you’ll eat every bite of his cotton candy. Mean it sincerely. Flick the back of his head when he laughs in your face.
Fifthly, be sure NOT to ride water-related rides in the beginning of the day. There is not enough Anti-Monkey-Butt powder in the world to combat sweat, wet pants, heat, and 12 hours of friction. The results can be disastrous. Don’t ask me how I know this.
And lastly, be grateful for the chance of a lifetime that you got to go, and feel sorry for those who never can or do.
I’ll be honest with you, though. It’s GREAT to be home!
Happy New Years!
Love,
Mama
Mama Boe 
The blog on Christmas Day made me cry and this one made me laugh out loud. I can’t get the wet sweats image out of my head or the “dunking hot tub”. Keep it coming love your blog.
Maggie (Twisted Cone)
I get my husband to teach you how to eat…we will start with blueberry pie!
Love Ya
Heather
You are SO right on ALL of your tips! (Well, I guess I can’t personally vouch for the basketball players experience, but it SOUNDS right!) Been several times & have found out these exact same things for ourselves! Picture our FIRST trip w/M at age 4 – who ate only 3 food items & myself a vegetarian. “Back then” there was very little to be had in the way of vegetarian food in those parks – salads – that was pretty much it! ANYWAY, we bought the food plans & wasted SOOOOOO much money!! Bruce was livid!! Live & learn. Haven’t been there on New Year’s either, but the crowds & noise are ALWAYS too much by the end of the day! Glad you got to go & (MOSTLY) had a great time! Happy New Year Mama Boe!