Storming the Castle or My Tribute to Jillybean TR **Updated 12/3..."We're cruisin' to Hollywood! or "Seatbelts fasten from left to right."** About This Page:

[Staci Schwarz]

Hi everyone! Welcome to my pre-trip report!

What’s with that title you may ask? Well, it’s two-fold really. “Storming the castle” comes from The Princess Bride movie which I have seen no less than 84,000 times over that last 20 years – I had myself a little crush on Cary Elwes. The line, “Bye bye boys. Have fun storming the castle,” has made its way into my every day vernacular and I say it to my boys all the time. (To my knowledge, they have never actually stormed a castle). With 6 of us in tow and with the level of crazy that occurs whenever two or more of my family members gather in one place, WDW will surely think they are under siege! The World may never be the same.

The second part of the trip report title is really a special thank you to all of you PassPorters who have let us live vicariously through your trip reports and have invited us into your families and allowed us to share in your magic. Though I haven’t posted often, I have been on the boards reading trip reports for almost 3 years. I’ve laughed with the CLQ (the artists formerly known as the CLT) and Mestitch and cried with Beth (Mom to 3 princesses and 1 prince) and Nala and have just been so honored to be able to accompany all of you on your trips.

Jillybean and her family, however, hold a special place in the hearts of my family. About four Koenigs trips ago, my daughter happened to look over my shoulder while I was reading one of Jill’s TRs and saw a picture of Mary Devall. She immediately wanted me to read the TR to her. We opted instead to print it off and read it every evening together as a bedtime story. We would talk about our past trips and dream about our future ones. After that first report, Lily got into the habit of asking if there were any new stories about the “cute little blond girls.” Lucky for us, there were! It’s great mother/daughter time (my son even joins us from time to time) and we really look forward to being invited along on the Koenigs family trips and watching those girls grow up! So thank you Jill for a very precious gift that you probably didn’t even know you were giving. And since I've been on the boards through two trips, but have never written a trip report, I figured that it was about time to soak up some inspiration from all of you and get to it!

Enough mush (for the moment anyway. There will be plenty more – trust me). On with the show! Like I said, I have been hanging around these boards for several years now, so I’ve had the opportunity to read your reports and get to know you all, so let me introduce my family to you so that you all can get to know us too!

Characters:

Me – Staci 35 years old. This will be the third trip to Disney for my family. I am OBSESSED with the little details that make Disney unlike any other place on Earth. I get excited over things like lampposts (Last trip I took pictures of every different lamppost I could find. The kids still make fun of me.) and I love all of the background stories about the rides, parks and resorts. I tend to get emotional over things like watching Wishes with my family or walking down Main Street holding my daughter’s hand. These tearful outbursts inspire eye rolling and smirking from the other members of my clan.

Mason – my DH 34 years old. I was certain that he would hate Disney the first time we went because he approaches life from a very non-commercial, minimalist point of view. In fact, he loved it and has been known to say things like, “It smells like Disney today.” This may cause others to look at him like he is a crazy lunatic, but we totally get it. Cliché , but true, he is my best friend and I love sharing our lives’ adventures together. Our trips to Disney restore our faith in humanity, give us the fortitude to endure the daily grind and may very well be the glue that binds our family together. Vacation? I think not. More like therapy.

Ian – DS 12 years old. Ian, much like his father is very Zen in nature. He is laid back and just rolls along with whatever happens to be going on. He often opts out of riding coasters to hang out with his dad while Lily and I ride. Tower of Terror completely freaked him out last trip, but he’s willing to try RNR with me this year. He is smart and funny and shares his father’s dry sense of humor. I am amazed and proud on a daily basis of the kind of person he is growing up to be.

Lily- DD Will turn 9 while we are WDW. Lily is fearless when it comes to thrill rides – just like her mama! She is the sweetest thing and is very concerned with making sure that everyone’s needs are being met. She is our little caretaker and Savannah’s BFF. It’s easy to forget that you are talking to an 8 year old with Lily because she is so intelligent and articulate and her vocabulary rivals that of many adults I know. She is always smiling and happy and her joy is absolutely contagious!




Kelly – my sister 29 years old. 1st trip! My sister and I are the best of friends. We are both certifiably crazy and love to make each other laugh until we cry. My husband says that when the two of us get together, the room starts spinning. We love being wild and silly and are not above making fools out of ourselves in public. We both tend to make up ridiculously stupid and highly embarrassing songs about our kids and then sing them loudly and gleefully off key. Ironically, they don’t find it amusing, but it cracks us up! I am so excited to share my love of Disney with my sister. I can’t wait to ride my favorite rides with her and have someone to cry with during Fantasmic and Wishes and Illuminations and…

Savannah – my niece 3 years old. 1st trip! Savannah is like my third child. I love her like my own baby girl and I try to take her as many places and do as many things with her as possible. She is the very definition of precocious and I have actually heard her say to my sister, “Mom, you make me tired.” Mm hmm. 3 going on 16! She’s going to be a fun teenager. She is fiery and full of energy and sharp as a needle and there is nothing better in the whole world than when she runs into your arms to cuddle. She is just so stinking excited to be going to Disney and is particularly pleased about having breakfast with Mickey and Minnie.



This is shaping up to be a deliciously crazy trip and we are all looking forward to sharing what we’ve learned on our previous trips to Disney with Kelly and Savannah. Stick with us. I’ll let you know how this whole crazy idea came about and how my sister reacted to the news that we were taking her to WDW!

[B.M.]

Great start!
Hurry back with more!

[scottjs]

Your name may be Staci, but I will call you Buttercup!!!

I also love the Princess Bride.

I can't wait to read more of your adventures.

Just watch out for the eels in the water!!!

[jillybean19]

hi Staci!!

You guys sound Fun ..can't wait to read about your Disney adventures!!

[wheatenwalker]

GREAT start!!!

[loubell]

You are going to have such a great time! Your family sounds wonderful!

And I am so glad to see other PB aficionados!

"Stop it now, I really mean it!" "Anybody want a peanut?"

[momtolexi]

Great start! Can't wait to read more!

[patclairesmom]

Great start. I also love the Princess Bride. Looking forward to reading more.

[mcc0313]

Great start Staci - I was reading your description to my oldest and she was laughing becuase she says you sound like me...yes I take pictures of those little things and I can't walk down Main Street with feeling those tears well up...

Can't wait to hear more about your trip...

[eff051102]

What a great start and really funny! I watched Princess Bride while in college
and just loved it! When we leave the house we say the "Have fun storming the
castle" and answer "Play well with others" all the time.

[Ceara's mawmaw]

Great Start......more please

[meb1020]

This sounds like a lot of fun! Can't wait to read more!

[bsblady01]

more please

[MaryEL8775]

OMG this is so cool. I can't wait to hear more about it. Definitely MORE PLEASE!!!!

[DELG8TOR]

Great start Staci. You all sound like a hoot!