The Disney Grump & Family Take on the World-Our '09 Christmas w/ the Mouse, COMPLETE

[Lovemy3babes]

Those are gorgeous castle lighting pictures!! How fun that you all got high 5's from a CM. I bet the boys thought it was fun to have a fellow Sooner fan working there! Sorry about your meal at LTT, how disappointing.

 

[Happydog]

THOSE were some great great photos!! Amazing! The castle WAS so beautiful I agree! Too bad about LTT... we didn't go -- I am glad we didn't! I do want to try it for lunch one day, but not if it is going to be a slow service.... seems like your MK day was very memorable!

 

[kcandbella]

I got goosebumps looking at your pics of the castle--amazing! Someday I will see it!! The pics of your family turned out really cute, too!

 

[KathyRN137]

All I can say is WOW!! It was amazing. Pictures just don’t do it justice; you have to see it with your own eyes. Even the Grump was impressed. It's simply breathtaking!



Then made our way over to the bus. There was one waiting - Woo Hoo!

Don't you just love when that happens?

The characters are supposed to be coming back to LTT this year... sorry you had such poor service and that you missed the apple cobbler and ice cream...it's delish!

I absolutely must see the Castle lighting "with my own eyes!" It looks perfectly magical!

Looking forward to the Studios!


Kathy

 

[bussellmomof3]

Hey Fellow Soonergirl,
I'm in Harrah, OK and like you preparing for the crazy weather! I just found your TR and am loving seeing all the Christmas fun. Maybe one day.
We also always wear our Sooner gear and love the reactions we get from CM and other guests as well. We would be in line and off in the distance hear "BOOMER!" and we'd have to answer "SOONER!" People look at you kind of crazy. Anyway I can't wait to read more and stay safe these next couple of days. Hopefully we'll keep power and I can catch up on DIS!
Nancy

 

[SoonerGirl]

WOW is right, isn't it? I had seen the pictures too, but you're right...seeing it in person is just amazing. In fact, the other night, my in-laws were over, so we watched the dvd we recorded of the castle lighting. I started crying....I am such a DisneyNerd!

I got goosebumps when I watched the video that Don took, so I'm a nerd right along with you!

One day I'm going to take off from work during December so I can see the castle with lights with my own eyes!

Definitely looking forward to your DHS installment! I've been reading those and paying attention to them more carefully!

The castle lights just have to be seen, the pictures don't do them justice - it's amazing!

I hope my DHS installment will be somewhat helpful to you, it was a really crowded day that day, so we skipped quite a bit.

Those are gorgeous castle lighting pictures!! How fun that you all got high 5's from a CM. I bet the boys thought it was fun to have a fellow Sooner fan working there! Sorry about your meal at LTT, how disappointing.

They always love bumping into other Sooner fans, Justin even commented at one point during the week that there sure were a lot of OU fans around!

I was bummed about LTT, the food was fine, but when you have poor service it sure takes away from that.

THOSE were some great great photos!! Amazing! The castle WAS so beautiful I agree! Too bad about LTT... we didn't go -- I am glad we didn't! I do want to try it for lunch one day, but not if it is going to be a slow service.... seems like your MK day was very memorable!

Isn't there a menu @ LTT that you can order from for lunch? I wonder if that would be better. I would hope that the service isn't always that slow, maybe we just caught them on a bad night and had a bad server on top of it

Aside from our dinner, we did have a fabulous day at MK!!

I got goosebumps looking at your pics of the castle--amazing! Someday I will see it!! The pics of your family turned out really cute, too!

The castle is wonderful with the Christmas lights, gave me goosebumps too!

Don't you just love when that happens?

The characters are supposed to be coming back to LTT this year... sorry you had such poor service and that you missed the apple cobbler and ice cream...it's delish!

I absolutely must see the Castle lighting "with my own eyes!" It looks perfectly magical!

Looking forward to the Studios!


Kathy

I think I read somewhere that the characters are only back on a temporary basis until the remodel of CP is complete, then they are going away again. I hope that's wrong though - LTT was much better when it was a character meal!

Yes, you MUST see the Castle lighting in person - it's wonderful

Hey Fellow Soonergirl,
I'm in Harrah, OK and like you preparing for the crazy weather! I just found your TR and am loving seeing all the Christmas fun. Maybe one day.
We also always wear our Sooner gear and love the reactions we get from CM and other guests as well. We would be in line and off in the distance hear "BOOMER!" and we'd have to answer "SOONER!" People look at you kind of crazy. Anyway I can't wait to read more and stay safe these next couple of days. Hopefully we'll keep power and I can catch up on DIS!
Nancy

Hi there & welcome!! We aren't too far apart - we live in Moore!

Ugggg, the weather! I'm hoping that Mike Morgan is correct and that the bulk of this is going to stay north & west of where we are. Keeping my fingers crossed and also praying that we don't lose power, we are on well water so if the power goes, so does our water!

We always bump into lots of Sooner fans when we go too, and yes we hear "Boomer" yelled at us as well, and sometimes it's Don doing the yelling to other Sooner fans...... (Reminds me of Billy Sims and the year that Jason White won the Heisman - goofball sitting in the Downtown Athletic Club screaming Boomer over and over again! )

 

[ladybugmom]

I'm so sorry to hear that you dining experience at LTT was not so wonderful--that stinks. Oh my word!! The pics of the castle all lit up are BREATHTAKING!! I cannot wait to see this in Dec!! It's amazing! Your PP pics turned out sooo nicely!!

 

[burly]

great pictures of the castle lighting. i will go one year in December!!

 

[praisehisname]

You got some great shots of the castle lighting! I videoed most of it, so I didn't get many stills. It is beautiful, isn't it?

Denise

 

[Charleston Princess]

Where was Don able to find the hot chocolate? (I am stockpiling things in my mind for an eventual Christmas trip .)

The Castle Lighting is so beautiful!!! One day I hope to see it in person!

What a shame about the service at LTT -- that sort of thing drives me nuts!

 

[pperfectmom]

I loved the castle lighting ceremony too! I didn't expect to get teary-eyed over it like I did. I was worried about the crowds on your behalf before you went but it looks like getting to the parks early is the key. Now I'm thinking that week wouldn't be such a bad time to go after all. I like being at home for the actual holiday though.

 

[MHTeacher]

I got goosebumps when I watched the video that Don took, so I'm a nerd right along with you!

DISNEY NERDS UNITE!

 

[brookelizabeth]

Isn't the Castle lighting amazing?! It's so beautiful...!

Sorry to hear LTT was such awful service. I wonder what the deal was?! I agree - set menu, they should be flying people in and out. If anything people should be complaining due to being rushed! Was the food any good?

][/COLOR]
I like this one

Great picture!!! I love shots like this, completely captures love and the excitement of Disney all in one!

I remember you running a bit late for you ADR and pulling out the camera and rushing a few pics!! In fact, it was your CP breakfast review that convinced me to make that ADR!! It took me awhile to get it, it was way past my opening window, but I was persistant and someone finally canceled and I was able to get in!

Oh man, the game

I'm not usually one to think that quarterbacks should be babied, BUT I really thought that the refs did a poor job of getting that under control. It was a bit much!

Ah! I'm glad my CP review helped! I just loved that breakfast, it was such a lovely way to start the day. It's required for our next trip. I missed it this time around!

I agree about the game! Something like 14 sacks?! Ugh. His poor wife. They kept showing her face, all concerned...I'm sure she was just sick with worry especially after he limped off the field.

 

[disneydusted]

What super photopass pictures you have! They are so nice! Especially with the castle in all of lit up wonder in the background! Just beautiful!!
We wore UMD shirts at Disney and found some other Maryland people there. It is fun to see connections while away from home.

 

[praisehisname]

Where was Don able to find the hot chocolate? (I am stockpiling things in my mind for an eventual Christmas trip .)

Hijacking to answer this...This past December, we were able to get hot chocolate at both the Diamond Horseshoe and the Tomorrowland Terrace Noodle Station.

Denise

 

[SoonerGirl]

I'm so sorry to hear that you dining experience at LTT was not so wonderful--that stinks. Oh my word!! The pics of the castle all lit up are BREATHTAKING!! I cannot wait to see this in Dec!! It's amazing! Your PP pics turned out sooo nicely!!

I was bummed about LTT, it had me wishing we had left and eaten at Kona or O'hana, and I hate it when I wish I had done something differently. The main reason that I booked it was because Don wanted at least one meal with traditional holiday foods. We ended up getting that at WCC, so we didn't even need to eat at LTT to get it. Oh well, live and learn right!

Isn't the castle gorgeous - you will love it when you see it for yourself!

great pictures of the castle lighting. i will go one year in December!!

It has to be seen to be believed!

You got some great shots of the castle lighting! I videoed most of it, so I didn't get many stills. It is beautiful, isn't it?

Denise

I love photographs, so I take tons of pictures. I leave the video taping to Don, which means we get very little video, but I don't want to give up my camera so I live without video.

Where was Don able to find the hot chocolate? (I am stockpiling things in my mind for an eventual Christmas trip .)

The Castle Lighting is so beautiful!!! One day I hope to see it in person!

What a shame about the service at LTT -- that sort of thing drives me nuts!

When I asked Don where he found the hot chocolate, he said 'at that place with the baseball player' To the rest of us, that is known as Casey's.

You'll have to go during the holidays one day Jackie - it's so pretty!

I loved the castle lighting ceremony too! I didn't expect to get teary-eyed over it like I did. I was worried about the crowds on your behalf before you went but it looks like getting to the parks early is the key. Now I'm thinking that week wouldn't be such a bad time to go after all. I like being at home for the actual holiday though.

You know, it was crowded but we managed fine, especially early in the day. Now, the later we got in the week the more crowded it was - I don't know if I could do the week between Christmas and New Years.

Maybe you could go that week sometime and just come home on the 23rd, then you'd be home for the holiday too!

DISNEY NERDS UNITE!

 

[SoonerGirl]

Isn't the Castle lighting amazing?! It's so beautiful...!

I agree, so so pretty!

Sorry to hear LTT was such awful service. I wonder what the deal was?! I agree - set menu, they should be flying people in and out. If anything people should be complaining due to being rushed! Was the food any good?

The food was good. Jared and I had eaten there before and I had remembered that the rolls were really really good, but this time they were different - heavier or something, not nearly as good. And I couldn't tell you how the dessert was since we skipped it

Great picture!!! I love shots like this, completely captures love and the excitement of Disney all in one!

Yep, completely unposed, just sitting there having fun!

Ah! I'm glad my CP review helped! I just loved that breakfast, it was such a lovely way to start the day. It's required for our next trip. I missed it this time around!

I really want to book it for mom & I, but I'd feel weird going as two adults. I know I shouldn't, but I would

What super photopass pictures you have! They are so nice! Especially with the castle in all of lit up wonder in the background! Just beautiful!!
We wore UMD shirts at Disney and found some other Maryland people there. It is fun to see connections while away from home.

Isn't that funny how you run into people from your home state no matter where you are? We've even met people in Hawaii cause we were both wearing Sooner gear.

Hijacking to answer this...This past December, we were able to get hot chocolate at both the Diamond Horseshoe and the Tomorrowland Terrace Noodle Station.

Denise

Cool, and I'm pretty sure I remember that Brook found some at the Bakery (is that right Brook??) so they obviously have it readily available during the winter months!

 

[Charleston Princess]

Hijacking to answer this...This past December, we were able to get hot chocolate at both the Diamond Horseshoe and the Tomorrowland Terrace Noodle Station.

Denise

Thanks!

When I asked Don where he found the hot chocolate, he said 'at that place with the baseball player' To the rest of us, that is known as Casey's.

Too funny! Thanks for asking him.

You'll have to go during the holidays one day Jackie - it's so pretty!

We've been before -- the last time was way back in 2004 though, and the Castle wasn't being decorated in those days, and we missed some of the stuff like the storytellers. I do think it's time for us to head back during the holidays.

 

[SoonerGirl]

We've been before -- the last time was way back in 2004 though, and the Castle wasn't being decorated in those days, and we missed some of the stuff like the storytellers. I do think it's time for us to head back during the holidays.

2004 sounds like such a long time ago doesn't it? Where does the time go?!

I hope I can make a return trip sometime during the holidays, but I'd like to go earlier in the month - maybe it would be a bit warmer, we only had two really warm days while we were there. It was weird being at Disney World and being cold!

 

[SoonerGirl]

Wednesday, December 23rd

Today was our only scheduled day for Hollywood Studios, so getting to the park early and getting that FP for TSMM was of utmost importance! Also on the must do list for today was the Osborne Lights.

The beautiful DHS tree

We arrived at the park shortly after rope drop and oh my had the crowds arrived! It was definitely the busiest day we had experienced so far. This was the crowd waiting to get into the park - remember, this is after rope drop and the lines to get in still looked like this. I've seen them this long in the morning before they starting letting people through the turnstyles, but never when we've gotten there after opening.

Our first order of business was Toy Story Midway Mania, so to Pixar Place we went. Our plan had been to grab a FP and then ride standby, but the standby line was already at 60 minutes, so we decided to just get the FP. When I got into the FP line it was all the way down past One Man's Dream. I told the boys that there was no reason for all of us to stand there, so I sent them off to ride ToT while I got the Toy Story fastpasses. As they were leaving Don turned around and asked me which way he needed to go to get to ToT . I could find my way to ToT from TSMM blindfolded, but Don needs directions......

While I was waiting in the FP line the Green Army Men were walking up and down the line making sure that everyone knew that they were in line for FPs, not the actual ride. One of them stopped, looked right at me and said, in all seriousness, 'what did that giraffe ever do to you?' I was puzzled for a minute, then realized that he was talking about my camera bag

He just shook his head and said 'you must have really hated that giraffe'. Then he told everyone in line around me that they would be wise to not make me angry.

It didn't take nearly as long to get the fastpasses as I thought it would because there were CMs at each machine just asking you how many you needed and punching them out for you. So, I had some time to kill before the boys would be done with their ride. I started out taking pictures then it dawned on me that I didn't have to insert our tickets to get the TSMM FPs so I could get another set. I decided to get some for RNRC. One pic on the way over

And when I arrived.........

OH MY GOSH - it was worse here than at TS! It was so chaotic, I couldn't tell if there were actually lines or if everyone was just crunched together waiting for a machine. It took at least 20 minutes to get the FPs.

I met up with the rest of my family and we started walking back down Sunset Blvd. We stopped for a photopass pic and talked some to the photographer. We talked about how busy it was that day and he told us the number of people there were expecting in the park that day. For the life of me I can't remember what the number was - I just remember that I thought it was crazy huge! He said that there had even been talk in the morning meeting about keeping the park open later that night. Here are a couple of the photos he took

I think this one is fun - Justin looks like such a dork

Next up was The Great Movie Ride, we had maybe a 5-10 minute wait - ahhhh, no crowds in here! It was good!

This one is a little wonky - and I didn't even have a fancy camera flask like Happydog not sure what my problem was

Continued in the next post