The Wilsons: Where in the world is....Matt Lauer?

We woke up early for our last day in the parks and headed to Disney's Hollywood Studios. This is one of our favorite places to see movie and Disney characters. From Power Rangers, to Indiana Jones, High School Musical, and Star Wars...you can find it all here! The streets are lined with palm trees and it looks like an exact replica of Hollywood. (Crab- we'll have to see the real one someday!) And for a little girl who thinks she is going to be a pop star when she grows up, Hollywood is the place where she wants to live!

We started at the new Toy Story attraction. This was an awesome 3-D ride where you shoot at over 30 carnival style games. However, it's just a pop gun aiming at a screen, not real targets! However, Disney has figured out how to make it appear like the real deal. When we popped the balloons at the dart game, air shot out at us. I managed to pop a water balloon and was squirted with water! Even waiting in line to ride it, everything was supersized to look like Andy's bedroom from the Toy Story movie. We rode the Star Wars ride and then went back to Toy Story to use our Fast Passes. We went to the Indiana Jones stunt show and were able to find seats on the first row. Cole loved being so close to the action. We also went to Narnia to meet Prince Caspian. While waiting in line, we met some very nice people from Tennessee. The reason we began talking with them is because they had on an Auburn Tigers shirt and Judd was sporting his Crimson Tide gameday attire. Eventhough we were far from Tuscaloosa, he still had to support the team. They were in line to meet the Prince right before us. When it was our turn, Prince Caspian told us he had just met some of our rivals from a distant land. He did this in his best English accent and never broke character, although he winked at Judd and me.

After a fun lunch at Toy Story's Pizza Planet, we bid our farewells to Hollywood and jumped on a bus back to the Magic Kingdom. Since this was our final day at Disney World, we wanted to go back for one more visit. I'm surely glad we did! We met the Mayor and got to take a photo with him. The kids thought they had just met a movie star. They had no idea that we would actually see one a little later! We made our way to Splash Mountain and convinced MC to ride once more. She was reluctant, but decided to try it once more. As we came crashing down the steep hills, all her fears returned and she started crying for us to let her off. Too late! We got fast passes, but MC didn't want to ride again. So Cole and I used 2 of the passes. I asked Judd to take our picture coming down the big hill. He said that we came down so fast, so he was never able to capture us on film. Then, Cole and Judd went back through to use the other 2 fast passes. Judd took the video camera so he could tape the ride. I was left with the digital camera. Since it was going to be hard trying to snap that one perfect picture, I decided to video tape it with my camera instead. It's not as clear as our video, but it still works. As I was waiting for them to come down, I saw one of the logs (cars) float in front of me. There was none other than MATT LAUER! So to answer that question- Where in the world is Matt Lauer? At Splash Mountain...with me!! I had a delayed reaction and it took me a minute to start filming him. By that time, you could only see them from the back, but you can tell it's Matt! As I was beginning to yell (yes I did) their names "Matt, Annette...", I became distracted in seeing them that I forgot to keep the camera on them and started filming the sky. (I didn't find this out until we got back home! Nevertheless, I am going to include the video footage on here!) Judd and Cole were a few "logs" in front of them, so I waited until I video taped the Lauer family before going to the end of the ride and waiting on MY family to get off. As soon as I saw Judd and Cole, I started yelling something about celebrity stalking and told them to follow me. As soon as you get off the ride, there is a photo station where they display a picture that was taken of each group while on the ride. We waited so I could prove to Judd that it really was Matt Lauer. The ride attendant confirmed that what I said was true. By this time, other people were hearing this and gathering around us...as if I were the one going to meet him or something! I can tell you I was the most eager fan! I wanted to wait until they came off the ride to take their picture (indiscreetly, of course). I wondered if it would be inappropriate to ask Matt to sign the kids' autograph books, but I decided against it. After all, he was on a family vacation. The attendant informed me that as soon as they got off the ride, they went right back on- no waiting in line of course...and they didn't have to share their log with any other family! I ran back to my spot on the bridge so I could video them coming down the big hill. I forgot that my digital camera only tapes in landcape mode, not portrait. So you will have to turn your head to the left to see the video (and they come down really fast), but of course it's worth it! Meanwhile, Judd had bumped into the Pensacola friends (Fairchilds) and wanted us to go meet the whole family. "Not right now, Judd. I have stalking and blogging to do," I informed him. After I saw the Lauers on Splash Mountain one last time, I joined the rest of my family. I have no idea where in the world Matt and family went from there, but I do know they had a magical time. Incidentally, he has been off all week from the Today Show and someone said his little girl, Romy, was turning 5, so what better place than Disney World to bring the family for a little getaway...stalkers and all!

MC decided that she would be brave and ride the Haunted Mansion ride. She did and she LOVED it! She now says it's her favorite ride. I think it's because she overcame her fear of all things scary! At the end of the ride, a ghost is superimposed into the seat next to you and supposedly follows you home. Everytime Cole rode it, he seemed to get the same ghost. His was a little old man with a long beard. He named him Mr. Law. Why? I have no idea, but it stuck! This last time, Mr. Law didn't ride with us, but Cole assured me that he was still coming home with us. Let's hope he didn't! We stopped for a quick afternoon snack and went back to some old favorite rides. We decided to end the vacation in the same way it started- by riding It's a Small World. As I rode that 7 minute boat ride, tears came to my eyes wondering if they will still love it as much the next time we are there. I hope the magic of it all stays in their hearts, as it is in mine!

Eventhough our trip was wonderful, we were excited about going home. We had gone nonstop for 5 days and were very exhausted. By the way, Cole decided that for his last day at Disney World, we were swapping that single stroller for a double. And let me tell you, it was the best $29 dollar purchase we spent all day! We had planned a trip to Downtown Disney, but opted for dinner at the hotel and an ice cream sandwich in our room for dessert! After all, we wanted to live it up big just one more time!

The next day around lunch time, we boarded the big Northwest plane bound for Tupelo. We were SO ready to get back home, yet I think we could have stayed 2 more days to do absolutely everything we intended to do. We skipped Animal Kingdom this time in order to go to Epcot twice. Sometimes the best laid plans should be changed. There's always "next time" for Expedition Everest!

Our precious Brody was well taken care of by our vet, Dr. Glenn Thomas. The kids and I were so glad to see him on Sunday. And we didn't have to worry about the house, mail, or paper because Betty Gayle took care of it for us everyday. It's things like this that give us the peace to leave town and not worry about a thing, so THANK YOU! We are looking forward to another trip in two more years!

Live from Hollywood