From the Sea to the World - Holiday Edition - Completed

[Flossbolna]

I too love AK, as you know. The beautiful pictures just don't seem to end. I am actually in the midst of putting the itineraries together for my trip and we are waffling between Yak and Yeti or Flame Tree. I really enjoyed my Dim Sum style lunch last time as well; the food was actually pretty good. Luckily I had a table looking out over a portion of the park from the upstairs seating, and told myself it was a place worth going back to.

In the end it might come down to budget. Y&Y is pricier. Flame Tree just went through a refurbishment and has added on more covered seating. Looks really good, too!

I was also SUUUUUPER excited to hear about the new water show coming there. I need to do some more research about that and for sure build that into our touring plan! Lovely, lovely update!

I am not sure when the new show will open - but it should really bring longer days at AK and that is a good thing! It is so easy to have a lovely update from that park. It is just so plain beautiful!

 

[Flossbolna]

There's a wrong way to spell/say uh, Fuddruckers???

Ok, you are all joking about it and it is totally going over my head - I guess there is some language thing I just don't get!

Somebody had to work and I was house-sitting while new carpet was being installed. Since they were having to move everything around and with so much disruption, there wasn't much else to do but sit at the computer and catch up on the DIS...........

Hope the carpet was worth it to hang out on the dreaded DIS! But it was a rare treat to see you around a bit more!

I know nothing about Harry Potter as this is something I just have never gotten interested in. I really want to make it to US soon, but it will be purely for the rides. For the most part, the theming will just be something "nice."

Make sure to take some time to look around the Harry Potter areas. Even if you are not interested in the stories there are lots of fun things to see! Like books that bite.

I love the bakery in France, but I have a hard time deciding what to get. Everything looks too artistic to eat it if I ordered it.

I often am afraid to order things that look to artistic as they tend to not taste that good. We had a run in with something in that regard on the recent cruise: cake with a chocolate rubber coating.

My favorite.............and it has nothing to do with Julenissen holding that wooden spoon............

I was thinking of you because of the spoon when we watched it! But it is really a very cute story!!

Oh Katharina, I wish you had told me you wanted to try Yak & Yeti when we were there! I love that place and would have easily took the time to go enjoy it with you!

I am pretty sure we kind of ran out of time for all the restaurants we would have wanted to eat at! But good to know that you are always willing to eat there!

 

[Flossbolna]

Thank you! We're thinking of scheduling a long weekend at Universal Studios once she has finished her treatment for scoliosis. We have an appointment next week to see if she will need surgery or not. Even if she does not, she will probably be in the brace for another year. So we felt like a birthday/celebration trip would be in order after that.

Sounds like a good plan!

After 4 kids, I firmly believe 2 o'clock and 3 o'clock should only happen once a day!

I don't have a single kid, but I totally agree with you there!

Poor Katharina. You should have said it wasn't that good and she didn't miss anything.

But then I would have had to lie to my trip report readers!

I think AK has grown on me just because the theme is so well done, with more detail than the other parks.

That's exactly it. You need to see Disneyland Paris one day. It has the same level of detailed theming, but in a "castle park". It is amazing (if it is not just in the process of falling apart, but that is currently improving).

Makes sense. In the Animal Kingdom, you walk on the wild side!

I'm sure that has completely resolved the dispute.

Now we just need to find the money and the time to do another trip together...

Not if there's beer cheese soup around!

In Germany we eat butter with our pretzels. Far superior to mustard!

And they were awake?! I hope you bought lottery tickets that day.

I guess I should have.

Well, hello there.

Isn't that a cute picture? I think giraffes are such beautiful animals!

Man, Michael has lots of friends in very high places.

The Tell-A-Cast is really for the lowest low-level CM. The ones that are around to talk to guests. I am pretty sure any high level Disney executive would not have a clue about them...

Good thinking! Bribe them with gifts and alcohol!

Well, it can't hurt!

I guess he liked it, then!

We were just happy that he finally got well enough to even drink the wine!

 

[Flossbolna]

You have really been plugging away at this TR! Are you trying to wrap it up before your next trip starts?

Why would you think that...

The day at AK looked great! I've always enjoyed Yak and Yeti, but Fran not so much.

That's a shame. I think even if one does not enjoy the food so much, it is such an amazing space to sit in that a meal there would be enjoyable!

Too bad you had to schlep all that stuff around with you all day. That's one good thing about the scooters, we can pack stuff into the bags on the back and we have locks on them.

That makes the scooters even better than a stroller!

The night at Epcot sounded equally as nice, even if Michael never got the answers he wanted to what was open and what was not. I hope your last day goes smoothly!

It was a lovely evening! And the next day is coming up shortly!

 

[Flossbolna]

Yes actually while I had to work that day he was supervising the carpet installers I had in my house.

That was very nice of him!!

YES sounds amazing. I think Aa trip over there is becoming something that will be done sooner than later.

I think both of you would really enjoy it!

That makes way more sense to do it that way.

I really liked the set up of the Leaky Cauldron. I guess BoG for lunch has the same system. I wonder if they are going to introduce this more and more.

A bit out of order but I wanted to be sure not to forget to mention how amazing it all looks.

It is even more amazing in person!

OOOH that just makes me dizzy thinking about it.

The good thing is that by now neither Michael nor I are still feeling the after effects of the cruise! So, It does not last for 8 months!

That is cool.

That is even cooler- That would be fun to look at.

The Simpsons area is really great, too!

Hmmmm, Good call and I assume you had some clothes to get into too.

What are you thinking!!!!

Love the holiday Pictures of DHS and EPCOT. You saw my 2 favorite Storytellers.

Oh, so I already saw the best ones! I was looking forward to catching more on a future Holiday trip!

Turf Club sounds good and I agree with resort restaurants. Some of my favorites are in the resorts.

I think the resort restaurants have the luxury of being less in demand and therefore being more relaxed in atmosphere.

I am glad you had a nearly perfect day at US/IoA. I have been there when it starts to get cold and man it does that quick sometimes.

It is amazing how cold it can get in Florida!

Need to read that last update still - Just time for bed for me, actually past time.

And you are about to get another update!

 

[Flossbolna]

Juicy Lucy

December 13

Travel Day – if you have a long distance relationship, this is always the day you dread. However, we try to make the most out of our time together and not think about the fact that there was an international flight for me to catch later in the day. Every minute counts, so every minute should be enjoyed.

I do think this time was made worse by my father's illness and the chaos at home. Normally, when I leave M, I am sad. But also happy because I know we've had great times together and we'll be together again soon. I didn't have that feeling this time. And, indeed, things got much worse at home and my plans to be in Germany in the March/April timeframe just evaporated.

We did not have any big plans for the day, so we had a slow start and packed all our stuff. Michael was lucky as he was driving home and was able to just throw stuff into the trunk. My luggage had to be packed nicely for the flight. I would dare to say that I was still ready before he was. ;-)

To be fair, I was not returning home that night. I had decided very early in the trip that I would get a hotel for Saturday night and drive home Sunday afternoon. I didn't want to leave M at the airport early and I didn't want to enjoy a nightly ride down Florida's Turnpike. I had hoped to spend time with a friend or two, but that wasn't to be. Instead I got a frigid Saturday night at the MK and a beautiful Sunday morning at DAK by myself.

Once we were packed and out of the room we wanted to head over to Downtown Disney. But we had no intention of trying to drive through and park in the construction mess over there. So, we just moved the car within SSR to the villas closest to DtD and walked from there. Our plan was to have lunch at the House of Blues, where I had wanted to eat for quite some time.

The view of DtD from SSR are really lovely – and it would be far better once the construction is done.

We made use of the new pedestrian bridge that had opened just a couple of weeks before our trip and then walked through the Marketplace area. At one point we came across the first signage for the name change to Disney Springs (I think it must be iminent by now to finally become official).

It all changes officially October 1st.

The view back to SSR is not too bad either:

We walked quite a bit through the Marketplace, through what used to be Pleasure Island and then through the West Side as the House of Blues is nearly at the end of the West Side, but then we got there.

Above is the entrance to the concert venue. There are really three different parts: the club, the counter service restaurant and the table service restaurant. We were heading for the last, the official name is Crossroads at the House of Blues.

Well, maybe there is even a fourth location, the outside bar:

This is the counter service place:

This was our destination:

I decided to try another craft beer here:

I am sure there MUST be craft beers that come in bottles? I seem to have a talent to pick the ones that come in cans… But I remember the beer being very good.

Michael got the Steak Salad: Marinated steak served over romaine lettuce and field greens, red onions, tomatoes, black beans, corn, bleu cheese crumbles and diced avocado tossed in balsamic vinaigrette

As you can see, he got the blue cheese on the side and I think I ended up getting some of it.

I had a hard time deciding as I was very tempted to get ribs, but in the end I saw a burger on the menu that I thought that I had to try in honour of @Captain_Oblivious: The Juicy Lucy: Beef and applewood bacon patty stuffed with provolone cheese, topped with crispy pickled jalapeños and chipotle mayo on a brioche bun!

Not only was the patty made of beef AND bacon, it was also stuffed with cheese! The only thing that was missing was a pineapple…

I went for the sweet potato fries as a side and finally have come to the conclusion that I love sweet potatoes, but they don’t work as fries for me. I am not so keen on normal potatoes, but as fries they are far superior.

I also added on a side salad and was able to get a Ceasar’s salad as a side salad:

This was a very nice portion of salad! And the burger was pretty large, too, even if it does not look it!

The burger was really great – but something that you can only eat once a year! It lived up to its name (juicy) and was really difficult to eat, I made quite a mess. And it had a lot of spice! The jalapenos were definitely doing their job in adding heat. I like spicy food, so that was fine, but it was getting to the point of nearly being too spicy. It was also pretty salty with the bacon and the cheese mixed into the patty.

I really enjoyed our meal there! The server was really nice and the atmosphere was laid back. The décor was what I guess you would call eclectic. I tried to take a picture of the dining room to get some of it:

It definitely had a bit of a more adult/rough vibe, but only in a good way. It was less sleek and perfect than the standard Disney restaurant and in that quite a refreshing change of theme.

The House of Blues will definitely be on my list of possible repeat restaurants for future visits!

I love the HoB. I love most places at DD that are run and owned by third parties. The food and service is good. You never need a reservation. They also feel like they don't cater to children, although they are certainly welcome. They also aren't afraid to offer discounts (20% off lunch with AP) and things like a real happy hour with REAL drink deals.

One fun thing was that we were wondering whether we could still charge things to our Magic Bands after we had checked out and asked our server if we could pay with the Magic Band. She got a little white in her face and said very nicely that if we could pay with anything else, she would much prefer it. We were amused by that and started to talk to her about it and she said that for them as third party vendors it was an incredible hassle and far too often things did not work etc. They obviously have to take them because Disney makes them to, but they definitely do not like them at all!

Michael tried it out later that night when he returned to the MK and got an ice cream with his Magic Band. It showed up as an additional charge on the credit card statement. So, yes the Magic Band still lets you charge after you checked out.

After lunch we continued on to Starbucks where I did not have coffee, but a Refresher instead – the lovely Valencia Orange Refresher that I failed to document on my last trip for Katharina. So here it is:

I have heard from Michael that this has disappeared from his Starbucks and I am very sad that it has left. It was by far my favourite non-coffee drink there!

After enjoying our drinks we decided to take the boat back to SSR. This time, the boat trip was pretty uneventful, but very pleasant. The boat brought us the the SSR lobby building, pretty far from our car. But that was ok. At least we could use the restrooms at the main building before heading out of WDW. We then walked to our car and it turned out to be not too bad.

We got in the car and then Michael wanted to put his phone away and realized that he does not have his phone. Usually he carries it in his hand at all times (it drives me nuts as I would hate having to hold onto something all the time). But he thought that he had clipped it to his belt when he used the restroom. So, there were two options of where the phone could be: Either it got loose from the belt and fell to the ground when we were walking to the car. Or he had left it in the bathroom. I decided that the smartest thing was to split up and sent Michael by car to the lobby so that he could check the restroom. I would walk back. So, that’s what we did.

I tried to really scan the bushes at the side of the walkway while walking back and noticed how much you have to concentrate on looking everywhere when you are walking as your mind is so trained to not notice the normal things around you. When I got to the lobby, Michael just started to come towards me. Looking happy again as he had found his phone! But what a last minute scare!!

Someone had turned it in ... or had just found it. But I was nervous as hell. I generally don't like putting it in my pocket. A major tangent if I had more time could start here on gals (from 12 to 63) who stick their phones in their back pockets. I guess that's why Apple introduces a new iPhone approximately once every 223 days!

Luckily we still had plenty of time before my flight, so at least that was never a huge worry.

However, after this last not so magical moment at Disney, it was time to drive away and take me to the airport.

We first made a stop at my lodging for the night. A timeshare owned by Diamond International that was obtained for about $75 on Priceline and is on SR 535 just pass the Crossroads of LBV. For one night I really didn't get to see much of the place. It likely dates back to the early 90s, but was very nicely maintained. And my unit featured a living room with sofa (bed), small dining room set and full kitchen. Also large bathroom. VERY large. ... I didn't like the way they tried to get me to go to a timeshare sales presentation (I told them at check in that I couldn't talk to them at all as I had to get someone to the airport (the truth). But they also called the next morning as well.

The flight back was uneventful and after far too long of a travel time I was back in Nuremberg were my parents surprised me by coming out to the airport to meet me there. This was really nice!

I wound up spending time at the WL to admire the Christmas decor and then headed to the MK via Disney bus where it was packed. Saturday nights that time of year have always been busy, but now they are insane because when FOUR nights a week you close the park at 7 for an upcharge party, you're going to get lots of both locals and visitors. I was very sad at first because M was on her way home and my friends (smartly) didn't want to head out to the MK when it was about 43 degrees and felt even colder. But after grabbing my favorite deli sandwich at Pinnochio's (the one that no longer is on the menu for those who recall earlier installments), I started to realize that I should just enjoy the place. I had three FP's previously booked and I know I did a tremendous amount, including BTMRR, Jingle Cruise, Small World, Mansion, 7DMT (twice, once with FP, once near closing with 20 minute wait). All in all it turned into a fun night. Was up at 10 a.m. (they moaned and groaned at 2 a.m. but finally gave me a 'late' checkout' of 11 a.m.) headed to DAK where the weather was beautiful. I spent most of the time watching animals and walking, but also did safari once, EE twice with Single Rider line and had lunch at Pizzafari. Was home by 6 p.m.

Up Next: Final Thoughts and Outlook

 

[Flossbolna]

Final Thoughts and Outlook

I have already done some final thoughts about the cruise, so these are going to be more about the trip in general and the WDW portion.

First of all, this trip was very much dominated by Michael’s father being very ill before and during the trip and then after the trip he got even worse. Luckily he is more stable now, but unfortunately not absolutely healthy either. Those are things that cannot be changed and we just had to try to make the best out of the situation. And we did manage to spend a wonderful three weeks together. But we both feel very strongly that this trip was not what it was supposed to be and that we should have a Do-over trip sometime in the future.

Which takes me to the next point: Holidays at WDW. Before this trip it had never been a priority for me to visit during that time of year. And I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it! It definitely put me into a very festive mood. The thing I enjoyed the most was how much livelier Christmas is in the USA and therefore in WDW than it is in Germany. It has much more of a party atmosphere, while in Germany it is more subdued. Just think of how not lively Silent Night is a Christmas song. ;-) On the other hand I was shocked how much more commercial Christmas is compared to Germany as I thought it was already really bad here! I also really enjoyed spending the weeks before Christmas on vacation as it took out a lot of stress. I had all my presents ready before this trip and some were bought on vacation. But it was much more fun to do present shopping at WDW than on a Saturday in December in Nuremberg! So, besides the cool weather, I really fell in love with the Holiday season at WDW! And since I own DVC at the Wilderness Lodge and can book at 11 months, I think a December visit to the WL is high on the list of future travel plans for Michael and me.

I was also surprised at how much I enjoyed SSR. I had never any intention of staying there until I started to look into it as it was our only option for this trip. I still prefer the more hotel like DVC buildings, but I really will never hesitate to stay at SSR again for a future trip. There are still plenty of DVC resorts that I would rank higher, but that is just because of personal preference of style. I just love AKL and WL and the Boardwalk. And then there are plenty of DVC resorts I have not stayed at yet.

But at the moment it is unclear when my next WDW trip will be – lots of ideas, but nothing booked yet.

But there are other Disney trips on the horizon.

First, the one that already has been, the cruise with Katharina to Norway. The trip report for that should be coming soonish. Katharina’s photographer has provided her with the pictures for it already and she is soon going to be on vacation and hopefully will find the time to write.

The second one will be for Michael and I. We are going to return to Disneyland fairly soon to celebrate the 60th anniversary (I have a thing for Disney parks anniversaries which started 10 years ago when I was at Disneyland for the 50th). But we are also adding on more time in California outside of Anaheim. I have long been undecided about whether I want to do a trip report for that. At some point I felt quite a bit of burn out on trip reporting. But I know that I enjoy it a lot and that it is a great memory of the trip itself in the future. However, I also realized that I far more enjoy writing about experiences that are new to me. So, the report will most likely be less about our time at Disneyland than about everything else we do in California.

I promise to post links to both reports here on this thread once they are started and would love to see you all following along the new reports as well!

Until then – I hope you all have a wonderful last month of summer!

 

[dolphingirl47]

if you have a long distance relationship, this is always the day you dread.

I remember this only too well.

It all changes officially October 1st.

That is the day I arrive at Walt Disney World.

The Juicy Lucy: Beef and applewood bacon patty stuffed with provolone cheese, topped with crispy pickled jalapeños and chipotle mayo on a brioche bun!

That sounds delicious.

I went for the sweet potato fries as a side and finally have come to the conclusion that I love sweet potatoes, but they don’t work as fries for me. I am not so keen on normal potatoes, but as fries they are far superior.

I am the other way round. I normally hate sweet potato, but quite like the sweet potato fries.

I have heard from Michael that this has disappeared from his Starbucks and I am very sad that it has left. It was by far my favourite non-coffee drink there!

Unfortunately the same is true in the UK. We only have the lime version this year and that I can take or leave.

Thanks for sharing your trip with us. I have really enjoyed reading along.

Corinna

 

[GoofyFan1515]

Oh, so I already saw the best ones! I was looking forward to catching more on a future Holiday trip!

I wouldn't say that! I have seen them all now, and there are a lot of other's that are really good. I guess the only one I wasn't really impressed with, the Monkey King in China, but I have to give that one another chance since I only saw the end of it. Mexico, Italy and England were very enjoyable IMO.

We did not have any big plans for the day, so we had a slow start and packed all our stuff. Michael was lucky as he was driving home and was able to just throw stuff into the trunk. My luggage had to be packed nicely for the flight. I would dare to say that I was still ready before he was. ;-)

I'm guessing you also got a head start on the process..........

I had a hard time deciding as I was very tempted to get ribs, but in the end I saw a burger on the menu that I thought that I had to try in honour of @Captain_Oblivious: The Juicy Lucy: Beef and applewood bacon patty stuffed with provolone cheese, topped with crispy pickled jalapeños and chipotle mayo on a brioche bun!

Not only was the patty made of beef AND bacon, it was also stuffed with cheese! The only thing that was missing was a pineapple…

I went for the sweet potato fries as a side and finally have come to the conclusion that I love sweet potatoes, but they don’t work as fries for me. I am not so keen on normal potatoes, but as fries they are far superior.

I could certainly get into a Juicy Lucy myself. And sweet potato fries are yummy!

But after grabbing my favorite deli sandwich at Pinnochio's (the one that no longer is on the menu for those who recall earlier installments), I started to realize that I should just enjoy the place. I had three FP's previously booked and I know I did a tremendous amount, including BTMRR, Jingle Cruise, Small World, Mansion, 7DMT (twice, once with FP, once near closing with 20 minute wait). All in all it turned into a fun night. Was up at 10 a.m. (they moaned and groaned at 2 a.m. but finally gave me a 'late' checkout' of 11 a.m.) headed to DAK where the weather was beautiful. I spent most of the time watching animals and walking, but also did safari once, EE twice with Single Rider line and had lunch at Pizzafari. Was home by 6 p.m.

Yes, you got a lot done for sure! Great use of your time.

Which takes me to the next point: Holidays at WDW. Before this trip it had never been a priority for me to visit during that time of year. And I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it! It definitely put me into a very festive mood. The thing I enjoyed the most was how much livelier Christmas is in the USA and therefore in WDW than it is in Germany.

I love the holidays at WDW. Always makes the season feel that much more festive! All of the decorations, the trees, the Storytellers, and the Osborne Lights.............. not much better than that!

I really fell in love with the Holiday season at WDW! And since I own DVC at the Wilderness Lodge and can book at 11 months, I think a December visit to the WL is high on the list of future travel plans for Michael and me.

 

[franandaj]

Ok, you are all joking about it and it is totally going over my head - I guess there is some language thing I just don't get!

I'll explain it to you, or Michael can.

Why would you think that...

Travel Day – if you have a long distance relationship, this is always the day you dread. However, we try to make the most out of our time together and not think about the fact that there was an international flight for me to catch later in the day. Every minute counts, so every minute should be enjoyed.

I can't even imagine this! For at least 10 years Fran and I spend almost all our hours of the day together. It's probably unhealthy, but I worry when we are apart. To live an ocean away seems unbearable. I'm glad you two can make it work.

I had decided very early in the trip that I would get a hotel for Saturday night and drive home Sunday afternoon. I didn't want to leave M at the airport early and I didn't want to enjoy a nightly ride down Florida's Turnpike.

Smart Move.

It all changes officially October 1st.

Thanks for this piece of information.

Michael got the Steak Salad: Marinated steak served over romaine lettuce and field greens, red onions, tomatoes, black beans, corn, bleu cheese crumbles and diced avocado tossed in balsamic vinaigrette

This sounds really good!

The Juicy Lucy: Beef and applewood bacon patty stuffed with provolone cheese, topped with crispy pickled jalapeños and chipotle mayo on a brioche bun!

This sounds even better, without the jalapeños and chipotle part of the mayo!

I also added on a side salad and was able to get a Caesar’s salad as a side salad:

That looks really yummy!

I really enjoyed our meal there! The server was really nice and the atmosphere was laid back. The décor was what I guess you would call eclectic. I tried to take a picture of the dining room to get some of it:

It pretty much looks like all the other HoB that I have visited. I'm really sad that the one on Sunset closed for a high rise apartment building. Not that I went there much, but we got to play a few charity gigs there and it was kind of cool to say, "I played at the House of Blues on the Sunset Strip."

Michael tried it out later that night when he returned to the MK and got an ice cream with his Magic Band. It showed up as an additional charge on the credit card statement. So, yes the Magic Band still lets you charge after you checked out.

Good information.

The flight back was uneventful and after far too long of a travel time I was back in Nuremberg were my parents surprised me by coming out to the airport to meet me there. This was really nice!

That was very nice of your parents, and I'm glad the flight was uneventful.

It has much more of a party atmosphere, while in Germany it is more subdued. Just think of how not lively Silent Night is a Christmas song. ;-) On the other hand I was shocked how much more commercial Christmas is compared to Germany as I thought it was already really bad here!

I'm shocked every year at how commercial Christmas in the US is. I'm not even a religious person, but still I feel bad at how it has become a shopping event and not about what it was originally based upon.

I was also surprised at how much I enjoyed SSR.

I hope that I also enjoy it as much on December!

However, I also realized that I far more enjoy writing about experiences that are new to me. So, the report will most likely be less about our time at Disneyland than about everything else we do in California.

I'm looking forward to this! And especially taking part in some even if it is the less reported part of the trip!

 

[Poolrat]

I am thinking that we might have done the Lion King show before the Safari. I know that we did it that day. As I said earlier, it is a really great addition to Africa and totally fits in there. It was a great show as always!

And no pictures of "my Monkey"

After having had a lovely meal in Asia, we decided to go for a nice stroll through the gardens of Anandapur where we came across some tigers:

Another benefit of cooler weather, the Tigers are up and about.

Well HELLO CAROL!!!! At least I think it is her. I had a safari driver one that pointed out a giraffe and said it was his favorite and her name is Carol. So that HAS to be her.

when you get a $12 steak at WDW you expect a Sizzler (are they still around?) quality type experience.

If ever on the dining plan, that is an excellent QS value. That and the Quick Service Steak at Pepper Mark at CS. HAs to be better than the steak my DS ordered once at IHOP..... yes he really did as I cringed..

On my last visit I was disappointed to find out that film in France was not open for EMH,

Hey I was there when we found that out. Well not really because it was closed but still glad we had time together. And yes I hate you can't get a drink after Illuminations. Except now if you pay extra.

Let's just say that since I have numerous CM friends that I may know where you can just pick up a Tell-A-Cast, which is the little info guide that every CM carries, and is updated weekly. I figured that had to list openings and closings because it always did. Well, after 'finding' one of these, I looked and saw that even CMs are not provided that info. I thought that was insane.

Now that is nuts. In this day and age and just about every CM having some sort of device the excuse of not printing up something because it might change is ludicrous, it can be changed in an instant.

My big beef about not posting ingredients at festival time.

So, it's great that you can sit on your lazy behind and book a ride on SSE from your sofa a few months before your trip, yet Disney can't even tell you what is or isn't open when you are in the park. Makes perfect sense, right? RANT OVER.

RIGHT THERE WITH YOU!!!!!

Must be some strange not well-know Boardwalk tradition. But that is the lobby with the scary child-chairs. So, I guess it is fitting.

It is but there is a Dogfish... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogfish

Ok, you are all joking about it and it is totally going over my head - I guess there is some language thing I just don't get!

Yes it is..... A couple of letters in different places and it turns into something not family friendly.

Hope the carpet was worth it to hang out on the dreaded DIS! But it was a rare treat to see you around a bit more!

The carpet was worth it- I love it. So happy he could supervise the job when I couldn't.

What are you thinking!!!!

Well you mentioned getting out of your wet clothes, no mention of having anything dry to put on so I am making that assumption....... unless you "towel dressed" ( used towels to make a dress to wear- I am known for the towel skirt OVER my suit) it back to the room.

Oh, so I already saw the best ones! I was looking forward to catching more on a future Holiday trip!

Like Marv said - there are several that are good. At the AA pavilion, the Kwanzaa and Hanukkah were pretty good too.

Juicy Lucy

Nice!!!

I thought that I had to try in honour of @Captain_Oblivious: The Juicy Lucy: Beef and applewood bacon patty stuffed with provolone cheese, topped with crispy pickled jalapeños and chipotle mayo on a brioche bun!

Swap out the cheese and no jalapeños and I'm in.

The flight back was uneventful and after far too long of a travel time I was back in Nuremberg were my parents surprised me by coming out to the airport to meet me there. This was really nice!

That is a nice surprise.

I wound up spending time at the WL to admire the Christmas decor and then headed to the MK via Disney bus where it was packed. Saturday nights that time of year have always been busy, but now they are insane because when FOUR nights a week you close the park at 7 for an upcharge party, you're going to get lots of both locals and visitors. I was very sad at first because M was on her way home and my friends (smartly) didn't want to head out to the MK when it was about 43 degrees and felt even colder. But after grabbing my favorite deli sandwich at Pinnochio's (the one that no longer is on the menu for those who recall earlier installments), I started to realize that I should just enjoy the place. I had three FP's previously booked and I know I did a tremendous amount, including BTMRR, Jingle Cruise, Small World, Mansion, 7DMT (twice, once with FP, once near closing with 20 minute wait). All in all it turned into a fun night. Was up at 10 a.m. (they moaned and groaned at 2 a.m. but finally gave me a 'late' checkout' of 11 a.m.) headed to DAK where the weather was beautiful. I spent most of the time watching animals and walking, but also did safari once, EE twice with Single Rider line and had lunch at Pizzafari. Was home by 6 p.m.

You DID make good use of your "alone" time. Nice way to reflect on the trip.

But we both feel very strongly that this trip was not what it was supposed to be and that we should have a Do-over trip sometime in the future.

Well then it is unanimous. Book that trip.

On the other hand I was shocked how much more commercial Christmas is compared to Germany as I thought it was already really bad here!

When decorations start going up right at Halloween, it does get a bit much. The radio stations start playing Christmas music not much later and well by December I am just over it sometimes.

And since I own DVC at the Wilderness Lodge and can book at 11 months, I think a December visit to the WL is high on the list of future travel plans for Michael and me.

Great idea.

I wouldn't say that! I have seen them all now, and there are a lot of other's that are really good. I guess the only one I wasn't really impressed with, the Monkey King in China, but I have to give that one another chance since I only saw the end of it. Mexico, Italy and England were very enjoyable IMO.

 

[Steppesister]

Loved your wrap up very much, and I like the idea of doing a TR that is "outside" of Disney focused. But I am biased having grown up there. It'll be fun to hear your impressions of stuff.

Michael- SO glad you found your phone! I'd have been peeing myself- like you, I'm a hand carrier so I know where it is ALL the time.

 

[rndmr2]

So sad your TR is over, looking forward to reading about your cruise when it is started.

I feel your pain when it comes to Long distance relationships, my DH and I started out long distance, luckily for only about 2 years but it was awful to say good bye.

Glad to hear Michael's Dad has stabilized, hope he continues to do better.

Your California Trip sounds like it will be a nice one, looking forward to hearing about it, as much as you want to tell.

 

[nodnol]

What a nice treat to read when one had to get up at 5.30 in the morning!!
I'll be back to comment properly later one, but wanted to thank you for entertaining me in the morning and to wish you a great trip!

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Ok, you are all joking about it and it is totally going over my head - I guess there is some language thing I just don't get!

Switch the "R" and the "F" in Fuddruckers and you'd end up with a naughty word. I've heard people make that mistake before.

Travel Day – if you have a long distance relationship, this is always the day you dread. However, we try to make the most out of our time together and not think about the fact that there was an international flight for me to catch later in the day. Every minute counts, so every minute should be enjoyed.

I do think this time was made worse by my father's illness and the chaos at home. Normally, when I leave M, I am sad. But also happy because I know we've had great times together and we'll be together again soon. I didn't have that feeling this time. And, indeed, things got much worse at home and my plans to be in Germany in the March/April timeframe just evaporated.

I can't imagine how hard that is. I'm glad you got these 3 weeks to be together. Hopefully the future trip will have less stress!

I would dare to say that I was still ready before he was. ;-)

I am sure there MUST be craft beers that come in bottles?

There are plenty! You can get Fat Tire in bottles, not just in cans.

If you ever see beers from Dogfish Head Brewery, they're made right here in Delaware! They have a good reputation, too.

I wonder if they had something to do with that Boardwalk ornament...

I had a hard time deciding as I was very tempted to get ribs, but in the end I saw a burger on the menu that I thought that I had to try in honour of @Captain_Oblivious: The Juicy Lucy: Beef and applewood bacon patty stuffed with provolone cheese, topped with crispy pickled jalapeños and chipotle mayo on a brioche bun!

Sounds wonderful! I'd probably avoid the jalapenos and mayo, though. If it had BBQ sauce....

The only thing that was missing was a pineapple…

Agreed!

I went for the sweet potato fries as a side and finally have come to the conclusion that I love sweet potatoes, but they don’t work as fries for me. I am not so keen on normal potatoes, but as fries they are far superior.

I agree. I've never been much of a sweet potato fan anyway, but definitely not for fries.

The burger was really great – but something that you can only eat once a year!

That sounds like a challenge to me!

She got a little white in her face and said very nicely that if we could pay with anything else, she would much prefer it. We were amused by that and started to talk to her about it and she said that for them as third party vendors it was an incredible hassle and far too often things did not work etc. They obviously have to take them because Disney makes them to, but they definitely do not like them at all!

It's always funny to hear the truth from the workers.

So, yes the Magic Band still lets you charge after you checked out.

Disney is always happy to take your money!

We got in the car and then Michael wanted to put his phone away and realized that he does not have his phone.

I didn't like the way they tried to get me to go to a timeshare sales presentation (I told them at check in that I couldn't talk to them at all as I had to get someone to the airport (the truth). But they also called the next morning as well.

Ugh. I suppose this sales technique must work since they keep using it, but it only serves to make me less likely to buy.

The flight back was uneventful and after far too long of a travel time I was back in Nuremberg were my parents surprised me by coming out to the airport to meet me there. This was really nice!

Saturday nights that time of year have always been busy, but now they are insane because when FOUR nights a week you close the park at 7 for an upcharge party, you're going to get lots of both locals and visitors.

Uh oh. I think we're planning on being there on a Saturday night in December, since we're not doing the party. Is that a bad idea?

Was up at 10 a.m. (they moaned and groaned at 2 a.m. but finally gave me a 'late' checkout' of 11 a.m.) headed to DAK where the weather was beautiful. I spent most of the time watching animals and walking, but also did safari once, EE twice with Single Rider line and had lunch at Pizzafari. Was home by 6 p.m

Not too shabby at all!

But we both feel very strongly that this trip was not what it was supposed to be and that we should have a Do-over trip sometime in the future.

Sure! Any excuse to get together!

Which takes me to the next point: Holidays at WDW. Before this trip it had never been a priority for me to visit during that time of year. And I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it! It definitely put me into a very festive mood. The thing I enjoyed the most was how much livelier Christmas is in the USA and therefore in WDW than it is in Germany.

Sounds wonderful!

Just think of how not lively Silent Night is a Christmas song. ;-)

It is a beautiful one, though.

On the other hand I was shocked how much more commercial Christmas is compared to Germany as I thought it was already really bad here!

It is terrible. I hate seeing the actual meaning of the holiday get further and further lost each year.

And since I own DVC at the Wilderness Lodge and can book at 11 months, I think a December visit to the WL is high on the list of future travel plans for Michael and me.

Yes! I think the WL theme goes best with the decorations.

First, the one that already has been, the cruise with Katharina to Norway. The trip report for that should be coming soonish.

The second one will be for Michael and I. We are going to return to Disneyland fairly soon to celebrate the 60th anniversary (I have a thing for Disney parks anniversaries which started 10 years ago when I was at Disneyland for the 50th). But we are also adding on more time in California outside of Anaheim. I have long been undecided about whether I want to do a trip report for that. At some point I felt quite a bit of burn out on trip reporting. But I know that I enjoy it a lot and that it is a great memory of the trip itself in the future. However, I also realized that I far more enjoy writing about experiences that are new to me. So, the report will most likely be less about our time at Disneyland than about everything else we do in California.

I hope you aren't too burned out! I really enjoy your trip reports--it's great to get a non-American perspective! And your real-life updates are a lot of fun too! Whatever you decide to do, I'm on board!

Thanks for this very enjoyable TR, and it was great to finally "meet" Michael!

 

[franandaj]

Uh oh. I think we're planning on being there on a Saturday night in December, since we're not doing the party. Is that a bad idea?

Since we're both there the same weekend, I'm subscribing to Michael's theory and avoiding theme parks on Saturday and Sunday, but we are there through Wednesday. We are resort hopping on the weekend and having dinner at DTD Saturday night.

 

[eandesmom]

I'm so behind I don't know where it is I ate, that is being referred to. MIA as usual. I miss everyone

 

[dizneeat]

Thank you for sharing your trip with us! I loved every single installment and cannot wait for the next one (hint, hint - nodnol)

but wanted to thank you for entertaining me in the morning and to wish you a great trip!

Sounds like you are off for another great time ..... have a great and magical trip! And I for one am very much looking forward to your California report.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Since we're both there the same weekend, I'm subscribing to Michael's theory and avoiding theme parks on Saturday and Sunday, but we are there through Wednesday. We are resort hopping on the weekend and having dinner at DTD Saturday night.

We're only there for a long weekend, so I don't think we have much of a choice. We'll just have to keep our expectations realistic.

 

[englishrose47]

Great ending to your Trip Report!! I don't think I would go back to House of Blues , only because I don't like Spicy and it was alittle tooo much for my taste . Service was great no complaints and food was well prepared etc just tooo spicy for me !!