CHRISTMAS VACATION (The Trip, Not the Movie): 12/19 - We're back, TR link on p. 25

[annnewjerz]

Speaking of flip flops I have an obsession and now I think I will have to purchase some more from your posts.

I love Christmas also. I have 3 tree's at this time. DH is is a Fireman so I have a firefighter tree, a sports tree for DS, and then my tree is a Disney tree. I love buying a (or 3 or 4) new ornaments for my tree at WDW every year. I love to shop in the Christmas store in March or June. This year I will get to do it in August.

Cant wait to read more.

WOOHOO!!! A reader!

Welcome!

Of all the flip flops I purchased so far (4 pairs)---I found that the Vineyard Vine pair are the most comfortable. They have built in arch support and even though they are foam soles (which I usually HATTE)---they're pretty squishy like rubber would be.

I am going to have to show DH this post. He has a "man room" upstairs that's painted in EAGLES green, houses his TV and a mini-gfridge, etc. and I have tried to convince him to put his very own sports tree up there. He has ornaments for all of the Philadelphia sports teams, as well as Jack Daniels, etc. and I just think it would be a fantastic idea for him to have his own little tree up there. Maybe this will convince him I'm not nuts!

Well anywho--thanks for catching up! Once I actually have a few readers, I may just start updating more often.

 

[MinnieNurse]

WOOHOO!!! A reader!

Welcome!

Of all the flip flops I purchased so far (4 pairs)---I found that the Vineyard Vine pair are the most comfortable. They have built in arch support and even though they are foam soles (which I usually HATTE)---they're pretty squishy like rubber would be.

I am going to have to show DH this post. He has a "man room" upstairs that's painted in EAGLES green, houses his TV and a mini-gfridge, etc. and I have tried to convince him to put his very own sports tree up there. He has ornaments for all of the Philadelphia sports teams, as well as Jack Daniels, etc. and I just think it would be a fantastic idea for him to have his own little tree up there. Maybe this will convince him I'm not nuts!

Well anywho--thanks for catching up! Once I actually have a few readers, I may just start updating more often.

Thats funny because I have been trying to talk my DH into letting me put a hunting/wildlife tree in his man room for about 2 years. He did buy me a deer stand ornament this year, which will not go on any of my trees. So am I to assume he wants that tree in his "Man Room" after all???

 

[MinnieNurse]

Oh, forgot to mention. They are foam but I swear by them. I wear Teva Mush flip flops every trip. Love, Love, Love them. I also like Yellow Box but August will be my first time wearing them to Disney. I am going to check out Vineyard Vine ones, did you get them online?

 

[annnewjerz]

Oh, forgot to mention. They are foam but I swear by them. I wear Teva Mush flip flops every trip. Love, Love, Love them. I also like Yellow Box but August will be my first time wearing them to Disney. I am going to check out Vineyard Vine ones, did you get them online?

Mush flip flops, huh? Sounds comfy to me! I got a lot of brand advice over on the Theme Parks, Attractions and Strategies Board. Teva was one of them recommended, as well as Yellow Box, Reef and a bunch of others. I figured DH might kill me if I tried all of them.

The Vineyard Vines ones you can buy online on their website (just google it). I bought some that are Unisex---found them on clearance for $7 at Marshalls. I have seen them on e-bay as well, same style. They're blue (which typically, I don't really like) but for $7---why not?

I posted a picture of them earlier in the TR (I believe). If you can't find it, let me know and I'll pull it up for ya!!

 

[annnewjerz]

So, I was putzing around online tonight and decided to take a look at the Cirque du Soleil - La Nouba website.

While I was there, I had the following conversation with myself:

"Hmmmmm, maybe I'll check out the calendar for December. Maybe they'll have the December schedule released---it'll be something to pass a few minutes"

"Well looky here, they dooooo have the calendar up!"

"What's this?? My date is click-able, I wonder if that could mean...."

"No no no, it couldn't possibly mean what I think it means....I'll just call WDW to find out"

::dials WDW to ask for specific seats for my December 12th showtime and is told that it is coming up in the system that I can't book until June 15th, 180 days out like I thought ::

"Curses WDW!!!"

"Well, that was pointless, but while I'm here I might as well just try to book my tickets, right?"

::clicks onto date and time and sees that Cat. 2 seating, Section 203, Row EE is available::

"OMGOMGOMG ERIK COME DOWN HERE WITH YOUR WALLET I CAN BOOK OUR CIRQUE TICKETS 8 DAYS EARLIER THAN I THOUGHT AND THEY HAVE THE BEST SEATS AVAILABLE IWANTTHEMIWANTTHEMIWANTTHEM HURRY UP I NEED TO BOOK THEM NOOOOOOOOOOOW BEFORE THEY ARE GONE AND THE THING SAYS I ONLY HAVE 7 MINUTES TO PURCHASE"

And that, my friends...is the story of how I got seats for Cirque du Soleil - La Nouba 8 days earlier than WDW said I could. Stick that in your juice box and suck it, Mr. Mouse!!!!!

Okay so in all seriousness, my ideal seats for the show would have been section 204, row EE and I got section 203 EE a whole 8 days earlier than I thought I would.

I'm uuuuuuuber excited. I think I'm going to pick up the tickets at will call during our trip in October (which for anyone reading both TRs, I made some changes already!)

Only like....187 days left until our trip!!!

 

[MinnieNurse]

Woo Hoo for booking 8 days early and getting good seats.

Confession time: I have never gone to this show. Tried to watch it on TV once and just wasnt feeling it. Is it great in person? Would a 10 y/o boy like it? How would one know which seats are the good ones?

 

[annnewjerz]

Woo Hoo for booking 8 days early and getting good seats.

Confession time: I have never gone to this show. Tried to watch it on TV once and just wasnt feeling it. Is it great in person? Would a 10 y/o boy like it? How would one know which seats are the good ones?

Confession time: I have never been either That's why I'm so excited! I have asked around, talked to people I know and people on the DIS and from what I am aware of---everyone loves this show. Men said it's not too "sissy", women said it was so much fun and people with kids said that their kids had a blast and loved the clowns, etc.

It is my understanding that all of the seats at La Nouba are good ones. The theater only holds like 1,600 people, so all of the seats are good---there are just good, better and so close you can feel the breeze when the unicyclist rides by I guess

We got Cat. 2 seating which was around $88 per ticket, it was my DM's birthday present. Cat. 1 is like the closest to the stage, but I have read that some of the acts are in the air and Cat. 1 may be too close if that's possible??

Here is the link to their main page. There are also some YouTube videos available to watch.

http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/lanouba/en/intro/intro.asp

 

[exwdwcm]

okay, a 3 day trip to WDW from NJ? now we truly know you are a disney fan! that's awesome!

and yeah on the cirque tickets- glad you mentioned 180 days, we want to book Hoop Dee Doo and i need to do it this week!

on Cirque- i have not seen La Nouba, but I have seen 3 other cirque shows- I've seen O at the Bellagio in Vegas (my fave!) and then I've seen Mystere at Treasure Island twice. It was good as well, but O was better. I also saw some travelling Cirque show here a few years back and it was okay, but nothing like vegas. While I enjoyed them, I just have no interest in seeing one again. MinnieNurse- not sure a 10yo boy would be into it- it is very 'artsy' sometimes, although there are cool stunts and acrobatics and funny clowns at the beginning- it is very artsy sometimes and really open for interpretation......i think girls might enjoy it more, but you really never know.

 

[lovedonaldduck]

okay, a 3 day trip to WDW from NJ? now we truly know you are a disney fan! that's awesome!

and yeah on the cirque tickets- glad you mentioned 180 days, we want to book Hoop Dee Doo and i need to do it this week!

on Cirque- i have not seen La Nouba, but I have seen 3 other cirque shows- I've seen O at the Bellagio in Vegas (my fave!) and then I've seen Mystere at Treasure Island twice. It was good as well, but O was better. I also saw some travelling Cirque show here a few years back and it was okay, but nothing like vegas. While I enjoyed them, I just have no interest in seeing one again. MinnieNurse- not sure a 10yo boy would be into it- it is very 'artsy' sometimes, although there are cool stunts and acrobatics and funny clowns at the beginning- it is very artsy sometimes and really open for interpretation......i think girls might enjoy it more, but you really never know.

We've seen a couple of Cirque shows in Las Vegas too, Mystere and Zoomanity, and they are really not my thing. I think in Vegas it's just the case that there are other shows that I enjoy more that I would rather spend the time and money on. I know my DD3 won't sit through La Nouba for years so I haven't looked into it at all. I bet it will be great for an all adult crowd, I don't recall reading any negative reviews about it at all.

 

[yakkin' yeti]

I saw La Nouba a couple of years ago, and it was great. Congratulations on the great seats!

That's quite a drive you've got ahead of you. We once drove from Michigan to Florida to see family for two days at WDW (parents, assorted nieces, and a cousin who was getting married and his fiance.) If that wasn't insane enough, my DH had grad school finals two hours after we pulled into our driveway. (He got an A.) We had the best time -- even the drive was fun (and there was plenty of it: I drove the whole way back so he could study).

Very cute Christmas ornaments, BTW.

 

[DWGal210]

Hey girl!

I love your Christmas tree - that is SO COOL!! I too love me some Christmas decorations. My brother and SIL do the same thing; every trip they go on, they get an ornament. Their tree is so pretty too.

I might have to hire you to do my tree this year, cause even though I like doing it, it always ends up looking like a little sad thing. What would I have to bribe you to drive from NJ to IA just to do a Christmas tree?!

Have a good day!

 

[khertz]

Yay for Cirque tickets!! I'm really wanting to buy our too, but it will probably be awhile before I can. I'm at least trying to wait for park hours because I have so many things I want to do at night that it'll be hard to find the "right" night for Cirque. I'm thinking maybe on one of our Universal days? But also, I'm waiting for my work's discount website to update. If I buy the Cirque vouchers now, they expire Sept 30th?? So I'm hoping they make them available later in the year...I'm looking for all the money saving options I can find!!

I know it must be exciting to get one more thing under your belt though...it's killing me that I have to twiddle my thumbs now until September when hours are posted and ADR-makin' time rolls around!!

 

[minniecarousel]

Love your Christmas tree, Ann! Christmas is my favorite time of the year too. It will be wierd waiting to decorate on Dec. 19. But I don't want to decorate the tree, only to have the cats chew on the lower branches when we aren't around.

I buy ornaments on every vacation too. I have enough Disney ornaments to decorate a seperate tree, and enough of the other ones for another tree.

We're on the fence regarding the Cirque tix. I'm not sure I want to spend the time (& the $$).

 

[annnewjerz]

I might have to hire you to do my tree this year, cause even though I like doing it, it always ends up looking like a little sad thing. What would I have to bribe you to drive from NJ to IA just to do a Christmas tree?!

I can be bribed, however I must admit, you probably wouldn't need to! I love Christmas----everything about it, and since we can only have one tree in the house (no room for another) I'd be more than willing to design someone else's!!

I'm at least trying to wait for park hours because I have so many things I want to do at night that it'll be hard to find the "right" night for Cirque. I'm thinking maybe on one of our Universal days?

That was my problem too!! But I really wanted to take my Mom to see it, so rather than compromise seeing the Osborne Lights, the Candlelight Processional or MVMCP---I decided to just add an extra day to the trip solely for La Nouba. Instead of going on Sunday as originally planned, we'll be going on Saturday and not doing a park, just relaxing and doing DTD/Cirque. Can't wait!

And, I am totally there with you with the twiddling thumbs til September thing. But, just think of it this way...only 2.5 more months or so until it's ADR/park hours time. I don't know about you, but we booked at 11 months out (started planning around 13 months) and to know that we are under 6 months now...the time flew by!

Love your Christmas tree, Ann! Christmas is my favorite time of the year too. It will be wierd waiting to decorate on Dec. 19. But I don't want to decorate the tree, only to have the cats chew on the lower branches when we aren't around.

Honestly...didn't think about that AT ALL. We have 6 cats that will be at home while we go to WDW, and usually I am able to keep an eye on them for at least a few hours of the day after I get home from work---but they will have full run of the house while I'm gone. Unfortunately, for me waiting until Dec. 19 isn't an option---we usually get our tree the first weekend of December (no later than the 7th usually) and keep it up until the needles are falling off with every tap.

 

[khertz]

That was my problem too!! But I really wanted to take my Mom to see it, so rather than compromise seeing the Osborne Lights, the Candlelight Processional or MVMCP---I decided to just add an extra day to the trip solely for La Nouba. Instead of going on Sunday as originally planned, we'll be going on Saturday and not doing a park, just relaxing and doing DTD/Cirque. Can't wait!

And, I am totally there with you with the twiddling thumbs til September thing. But, just think of it this way...only 2.5 more months or so until it's ADR/park hours time. I don't know about you, but we booked at 11 months out (started planning around 13 months) and to know that we are under 6 months now...the time flew by!

That's a great idea about doing it your first night! Now if I could just convince our parents to fly, this might actually work for us. But I can't convince them that a 1 1/2 hour flight is so much better than 10 hours in the car, even if it is a little scarier!! After all that time driving I doubt they will be up for a show that night. I'm hoping I'll even be able to get them to go for a game of mini-golf, but we'll see how that goes.

You are so right about the time going by quickly. When I first started looking to plan this trip (which was probably around August/September last year?) it seemed like forever away. Now I can't believe we are already at less than six months! I'm excited, but I kind of like the anticipation. Anyway, you are probably right, the next 2.5 months should go by quickly. At least, I hope so!

 

[lurkyloo]

Caught up!

OK, back a few pages there was some discussion of dropping the Behind the Seeds Tour on your first day. DON'T DROP IT!!! It is awesome - and it is everything that Living with the Land, the ride, should be but no longer is. And the price can't be beat...en. Plus you get a free sample, if you're into the whole "eating fruits and vegetables" thing.

Here's a link to the story of when we did the tour on our honeymoon (I mean, unless you want to be surprised, in which case - don't click the link!)

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=23724620&postcount=338

 

[annnewjerz]

Caught up!

OK, back a few pages there was some discussion of dropping the Behind the Seeds Tour on your first day. DON'T DROP IT!!! It is awesome - and it is everything that Living with the Land, the ride, should be but no longer is. And the price can't be beat...en. Plus you get a free sample, if you're into the whole "eating fruits and vegetables" thing.

Here's a link to the story of when we did the tour on our honeymoon (I mean, unless you want to be surprised, in which case - don't click the link!)

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=23724620&postcount=338

C'mon now----do you honestly think I haven't seen that post? I'm a bonafide Lurkyloo stalker.

I think I've decided not to skip it. I am into the whole "eating fruits and veggies" thing (which I get the impression you are not so much) and like you said...for $16 per person or less if I get a AAA discount, how can you beat it? Living with the Land is like a Disney guilty pleasure for me...so I doubt I will think it was a waste of time/money to take the tour.

One question---I read about a "ladybug release" or something on Allearsnet. Please tell me this isn't true and/or you can skip it and/or it's not as bad as it sounds. I HATE ladybugs (really only if they get on me) and would literally scream loud enough for all of Epcot to hear if we released them and they flew all over and landed on me.

Thoughts??

PS: It's an honor to have someone with your DIS PTR/TR status dropping by. My aspiration is to have a TR even 1/10 as read as yours. I'm thinking that what I lack in writing skillz, I can make up for in photography.

 

[lurkyloo]

OK, I asked Patrick to remind me about the ladybug release, and it's totally not a big deal. It's just one ladybug, and they give it to a kid to release, and when s/he opens her/his hand, the ladybug just sits there blinking for a few seconds before it rolls over and goes back to sleep. ...Oh, and then it flies all around and lands all over you.

 

[DWGal210]

I think that Behind the Seeds looks like fun - you'll have to tell us all about it when you get back! I'm doing Keys to the Kingdom this time and hope to do more later. I always feel like I do the same spots over and over again, and come heck or high water, I am going to do new stuff this trip!

 

[LOVEMY3KIDDOS]

Just found this...also going in Dec and looking for others and what they are planning. Thought I'd subscribe. We went over X-mas in 06...it's great! I'm feeling you on those drinks...I have several of the same ones on my list! I'll be waiting for more! I am going to start my PTR soon...it'll be in my sig so you can join and we can go through the agony of waiting together! And, by the way...as a fellow Northeaster, I LOVE flip flops and wore them the entire trip in Dec 06! Remember when it feels cold to a native Floridian, it could be like a heatwave to us! Chat with you soon!