That's so neat you got to be in the show! I'm dragging my boyfriend to the movie at some point this week
Your kids are cracking me up. This comment, them noticing all the gas on the rides, their reactions to some of the rides, and the story of walking back to HOJO with DS3 sitting on DS6. Funny stuff.
They sound like very fun kids.
I decided I really need to write stuff down when they say something cute/funny. I think I'll always remember that stuff...and then I forget.
)
I was willing to stand in any length of line. It turned out to be one of our longer ones, but it wasn't too bad.
) DS6...a little nervous. DS3...silent and straight-faced. DS9...thinking it wouldn't be fast enough or long enough. It was fun. We ended up riding 3 times in a row. Sadly, this was all we saw of Toontown.
DS3 joined the ranks of the other kids who thought it meant "No Dancing Allowed." He also intrepreted the bottom part of this one to mean "You're Not Allowed to Buckle Your Seatbelts."
We were really hoping it would open a day early, but no such luck. There is always next time. 
Great pics of IASW. My kids and husband still haven't been on this as it has been down for refurb or the overlay every time we have gone. I haven't been on it in about 20 years.
And this was my last chance. It was 1 hr. 30 min. before the start of the parade. As we came up from Toontown, we could just see the crowd getting thicker. There were already people sitting and waiting. I was sure I would have to find another spot...but lo and behold...my spot was still available. 
So we parked the stroller and sat down on the curb for a bit. DS3 had fallen asleep in the stroller by this time, so we didn't have to try to entertain him. That was nice. After making sure we had enough space, DS6 and I headed back to Best Western to get our jackets. We usually had them in the bottom of the stroller, but with changing hotels and being in a rush...they were forgotten. Boy, that sure was an easy jaunt. We were back in no time. When I got back, DH asked me to take a picture of this menorah:
For anyone wanting to know, the cost is $9 per person and you get 2 silhouettes, the second being the mirror image of the first. There goes the Christmas present for the grandparents... oh well. They are still a fun souvenir, and I'm still planning on framing them, but it would be nice if you could tell that they were our 3 boys and not just some random children. 
) I loved this ride, but I'm no spring chicken anymore and would not be able to do it 3 times in a row or anything like that. DS9's reaction? "That was cool! Can we go again?" He also mentioned that he felt like his face was going to fall off when we did the loop. Well, I wasn't up to doing it again right then, so we met the others and decided to hit Toy Story one last time. Me and the kids, that is. DH didn't care to stand in a 40 minute line, so he headed over to ride Maliboomer 3 times instead. The TSMM wait ended up being 35 minutes. Our longest line of the trip by far. But it's such a cool ride, and I loved finding rides that all the kids thought were cool.) I took the other 2 for another spin or 2 on the carousel. It's closing time now, and I was really wishing I had taken the younger 2 over to do Soarin' one more time instead of the carousel. That was one of my favorites.
Meanwhile I found a bench near The Gigantic Christmas Tree and watched the fireworks with DS3. I was especially glad that I got to watch the snow fall one last time. The snow really was a highlight for me. It's just kind of funny that it was a such a highlight. I've seen at least 3 real snowfalls since we've been home. The real ones from the past week just aren't as magical. So here's my last snow picture. Kind of hard to see, but it's there.
He said this was one of his favorite moments of the trip. Eating all those pretzels in peace and quiet and enjoying the Christmas music. I left them again and went tree ornament-shopping. When I came back, I decided to wake up DS9 and take him to press some pennies. This was something he was looking forward to doing, and I think he had only done 2 up to this point. When we finished up with that, a CM was clearing out Coke Corner. I went ahead of everyone else on to the Emporium. I still had one more thing I needed to get. After all the shopping, we sat by the big Chrstmas tree for as long as we could. I think it was almost 1:30am by the time we forced ourselves to get up and head toward the exit. Ugh. I was so not ready to leave. When we were almost to the tunnel I turned around and looked at the tree and whatever else I could see from that point. Then they started up again. 
I didn't have my sunglasses this time, so I might have appeared crazy lady-ish to some. Oh well. It's not like they'll ever see me again. Then we walked out. 
Bravo! Encore encore!!
I have been eager to see the different Christmas trees around the resort in the shops and out of the way locations, thinking they were themed to those places, so I was pleased to see the trees at the Golden Horseshoe, as no one ever gets a picture of them. And how about that cake? I have been hearing about that Mile High cake, and I guess the only place to get it is at the Golden Horseshoe, and I am anxious to try it! Was the holiday brownie any good? And was it just a chocolate brownie with the holiday decorations on it or was it an actual holiday flavor too, like peppermint? (I know Starbucks seels chocolate peppermint brownies around the holidays so I wondered if DLR had them too.) Oh, and I also love IASW Holiday - both the ride itself (did you catch the smell of peppermint as you sail past the candy factory section?) and the gorgeous, stunning facade lit up at night. It is definitely among my favorite holiday things at DLR. And as for Jungle Cruise, even though all the skippers tell the same jokes, basically (sometimes they mix it up a bit), some of them are just so much more engaging. We have had some duds, and then others who delivered the same lines but were just so charismatic or interesting that they 'sold' all the corny jokes.
Wonderful!! Wonderful!
I was so sad to see your TR end! I tell you, not only did you get really clear, wonderful photos, but you got some great perspectives and views of things in photos. For example, your attention to the window displays is very appreciated. I had been thinking I wanted to see more photos of those on the DIS. I love the fact that you snapped a photo of the Mickey cocoa (I would have done the same thing)! You got such great photos of the characters being playful, and even a shot of a horse's butt!
Anyway, the last two years I was able to get to DLR during the holidays and stay for a few days at the GCH and the PPH, and this year has not been on my side in any way. I am trying desperately to get there for one day to see all the holiday magic, and I would truly choose to go there during the holidays over any other time of year, and your TR just made me that much more determined.
Now get back to DLR soon so we don't have to wait another 13 years for a TR!!!
As far as the brownie goes...it really wasn't that great. It was kind of dry, and the only holiday-ish thing about it was the decorations. I had wanted one of those Mickey gingerbread cookies I had read about, but Blue Ribbon Bakery didn't have any. I don't know if they didn't sell them, or if they were just out because it was 10:30 on a Friday night. I was disappointed that I didn't get to try one. Another reason I must go back! That list just keeps getting longer... And no, I didn't catch the smell of peppermint on IASW! Adding it to my list...
